Condemning the stone-pelting by a mob at one of the holiest Sikh shrines, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, in Pakistan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the attack is reprehensible and must be condemned unequivocally. "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible and must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age-old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote," Congress leader tweeted. Earlier in the day, Union Minister Harsimart Kaur Badal had launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for not condemning the attack. Taking to Twitter, Badal said, "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's refusal to condemn the stoning of the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and a threat to the very existence of holy shrine reveals his anti-Sikh face. Rahul working overtime to mislead people on CAA but has no time to take on Pak & expose atrocities it is committing against Sikhs," Badal tweeted. The comments came after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara's panthi. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MEDIA COURTHOUSE It was standing room only Friday morning in the John V. Diggins Ceremonial Courtroom, where four new faces joined the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in a historic swearing-in ceremony often fraught with emotion and never lacking for applause. Nusrat Rashid of Chester Township, Kelly Eckel of Upper Providence, Stephanie Klein of Wallingford and Rick Lowe of Middletown already made history in November when they became the first Democrats elected to the Delaware County bench, but the celebratory air of Fridays induction ceremony showed the enthusiasm of supporters had not waned in the intervening months. Joining the Democrats was Republican Linda Cartisano of Chester, who was also overwhelmingly retained for a second 10-year term by voters in November. Rashid, a graduate of Temple University School of Law, was clearly the main draw for a large swathe of the audience. As Assistant District Attorney Erica Parham noted in her introductory remarks, Rashid is the first black woman elected to the bench in the county and the first Muslim elected to any judicial position in the state. This moment is not just about Nusrat, Parham said. It is about what she represents to this county. Parham, choking slightly with emotion, said there is hopefully a little girl with brown skin out there who sees Rashid for what is possible, adding that her election represents an important step to increase public trust in the judicial system for the county at large. On a personal note, I am so proud for Nusrat because diversity and inclusion in our legal profession and our judicial system do not just happen, said Parham. We need our community to accept the importance of these precedents, but most importantly, we need qualified people with diverse backgrounds to step up, to do the necessary work and to weather the challenges, and Nusrat, youve done that. I have served my entire career with a focus on providing equal access not only to the courts, but more importantly to justice; justice for everyone who steps into a courtroom, who comes with a problem that needs to be solved with solutions that need to be found, said Rashid, a lawyer of 20 years who had maintained a practice in Chester since 2010. It is just overwhelming to me that the citizens of Delaware County deemed me worthy to look at justice and to administrate it and to seek it from the other side of the bench. Rashids induction and its ramifications was one of many new elements in this years ceremony. Representatives of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths were also on hand to offer invocations and benedictions, while the jury box, filled with Republican officials in years past, was instead brimming with Democrats. Some will return Monday for their own swearing-in ceremonies for county council and District Attorney. But while the faces changed, much of the ceremony was also familiar. The cordiality remained, as did the humor and respect. Each of the judges being sworn in Friday also attributed their success primarily to their families and vowed to uphold the ideals of truth and justice incumbent upon their roles, as is tradition. Cartisano, introduced by her granddaughter, Victoria Iacona, noted she got grandchildren the easy way: By inheriting them from their grandfather. But as Iacona said, Cartisano earned every letter of the honorific Mum Mum through her tireless devotion and constant love and support support that Cartisano said was reciprocated by each of her grandchildren and their parents. To her new colleagues, Cartisano urged that they seek any help or guidance from their fellow judges that they feel they might need, adding it is one of the most collegiate benches in Pennsylvania. Lowe, a former Swarthmore mayor who holds a juris doctorate from New York University, said the biggest reason he is on the bench today is because of his wife, Marjorie McAboy, who kept him on the straight and narrow, and his parents, Irma and Arnold Lowe. This election effort was the most enriching experience of my life, he said. I met more different kinds of people in more different kinds of neighborhoods and learned from everybody. When you run for election you dont have them come to you on your terms, you come meet them on their terms and by doing that I just got more and more enriched. Eckel, a cum laude graduate of Temple University School of Law and former commercial litigator at Duane Morris LLP, thanked all of those who helped shape her into the attorney she is today, including one professor who taught her the answer to most questions in the law is, It depends, and that the key to professional happiness is finding something that allows you to use your gifts to the benefit of others. Eckel also harkened back to her grandmother, whose mantra was, Every day is a new day. Every day, I think of those words, she said. Every day is an opportunity to do good, to do well, to be kind. Klein, who received a law degree from the Washington College of Law, American University in Washington, D.C., and formerly served as a Magisterial District Judge in Media, Nether Providence and Swarthmore from 1995 to 2013, said each of the new judges looks forward to working with their new colleagues and measuring out equitable justice for those who come before them. I have spent my whole legal career trying to make an impact on the lives of people around me and in public service, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to once again serve, she said. President Judge Kevin F. Kelly closed the ceremony by welcoming the new and retained judges to the bench, urging them to discharge their responsibilities by deciding each case with integrity while upholding the cherished constitutionally protected rights afforded the citizenry. With the unqualified spirit of cordial collegiality which has been its decades-long hallmark, he said, this bench warmly welcomes its newest colleagues and friends, and extends to judges Rashid, Lowe, Klein and Eckel as well as their families and other loved ones its heartfelt congratulations and sincere best wishes for long and reported careers on this, the beginning of their respective journeys as Delaware County Court of Common Pleas judges. Benefiting from VAT View(s): For the third week running, the discussion among the trio was about vegetable and rice prices which have skyrocketed. The hapless vegetable seller, Simon, who unfortunately came around on a day when Kussi Amma Sera was belting out her fury in conversation with Serapina and Mabel Rasthiyadu, got the brunt of the anger over rising prices. Aei elavalu mechchara ganang (Why are vegetable prices so high)? asked a furious Kussi Amma Sera. Aney Miss, mata baninda epa (Miss, please dont scold me), said Simon in resignation. Aei lamayo, me ganang ekka apita jivath venna baha neda (How can we live with these prices)? interjected Mabel Rasthiyadu. Poor Simon continued to face the wrath of the trio with Serapina also joining in, very critical of the high prices of vegetables. Watching them annoying Simon, I sipped my morning tea and reflected on how the new regime appeared unable to tackle rising prices and in particular the price of rice. It was at this point that the phone rang. It was Arthika, my nonsensical economist friend, on the line. I say, friend, greetings for the New Year, he said. Same to you, I replied. The changes in the VAT (Value Added Tax) are effective from January 1, right? Will prices of commodities and other VAT items come down in price? he asked. In the general nature of things, that has to happen, I said. This week the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) released a list of more than 50,000 companies which are exempt from VAT with effect from January 1 (in line with an earlier government decision) and this exhaustive list includes companies involved in a range of sectors like motor vehicles, construction, printing, food and restaurants, garments, plastics, those engaged in the confectionery business, rice mills, banks, real estate, education, securities and paints among others. Technically, the VAT benefit should be passed onto consumers who paid 15 per cent extra on a range of goods and services they purchased or accessed. Those exempt from VAT will be companies whose turnover is below Rs. 75 million a quarter or Rs. 300 million a year. The earlier threshold was Rs. 3 million a quarter or Rs. 12 million a year. While some companies have been exempt from VAT, there are others which benefit from the VAT reduction rate to 8 per cent from 15 per cent. The plethora of tax benefits announced by the government earlier will result in a loss in revenue of between Rs. 800-900 billion. VAT brings in the highest revenue to the state from among various tax measures. According to analysts, while the intention of the government is honourable and aimed at reducing prices of commodities, traders often dont pass this benefit to consumers. In an article in the Business Times on December 8, tax expert Suresh R.I. Perera lamented the lack of anti-profiteering clauses in Sri Lankan law to act against traders who dont pass the benefit of reduced VAT to consumers. Unfortunately, the policy makers and drafters of the Sri Lankan GST and VAT regimes have not addressed the issue to safeguard the best interest of the state and the consumers by ensuring that suppliers do not profiteer at their expense, even though the GST/VAT regime has been in operation in Sri Lanka for almost 21 years. Sri Lankan policy makers could learn a lesson from their Indian counterpart in this regard. The Central Goods and Services Tax Act No 12 of 2017 (the Indian GST law) contains an anti-profiteering measure in the law itself. This rule ensures that if the GST rate is reduced in India, such benefit should be passed on by the suppliers to the recipients by way of a commensurate reduction in the prices of goods and services, he said, adding: The Indian law also ensures that the relevant Authority should supervise that the benefits stemming from the reduction in the rate are reflected by a commensurate reduction in the prices. Continuing the conversation with Arthika, I told him that the government needs to ensure VAT benefits are passed onto the consumer, otherwise the whole purpose and intention of the reductions and exemptions are lost. How does one assess whether the VAT benefit is passed onto the consumer? he asked. Its by simply looking at a bill of sale and checking whether VAT has been charged or not, I said. But there is a fundamental problem here for the consumer. For example, how is a consumer to know that when he purchases goods from a store, that the company producing the goods is exempt from tax and that the bill of sale should be less VAT? The trader can always say that this is a VAT-able item, Arthika said. Oh, thats a good point. Thats why Suresh Pereras recommendation suggesting anti-profiteering clauses in the law should be seriously considered by the government. Otherwise, at the end of the day, consumers will be paying the same amount for a VAT-exempt item with no benefit at all, I said. Just as I ended my conversation with Arthika, the phone rang again. This time it was DOSAI Danny, my verti-clad friend from Trincomalee. I shay friend.happy New Year, he said, greeting me. Same to you, my dear friend, I replied and then got into a long conversation with him about rice prices, the rice-miller mafia and the struggle by the government to reduce prices. The newspapers said that there are three or four millers who have hoarded stocks which is the cause of rising prices. Why cant they take action against them? he asked. Maybe they are politically powerful, I said in response, just as Kussi Amma Sera brought in my second cup of tea. Apparently, the hapless Simon had been able to extricate himself from the wrath of the three women, got onto his scooter and sped away. Mokakda wunay (What happened)? I asked Kussi Amma Sera. Simon, duwala giya (Simon ran away), she laughed. Reflecting on the recent changes in VAT, if the benefit is not felt by the people, it would be another hurdle to be overcome by the government ahead of parliamentary elections due in April. Mark Zuckerberg may be the fifth richest person in the world, but even someone with a net worth of $77.3billion can't say no to a discount. The Facebook founder and chief executive officer was photographed with his wife, Priscilla Chan, while shopping at a Costco. The photo shows Zuckerberg and Chan in the TV aisle of the Costco location in Mountain View, California on December 10. Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are seen above shopping for a television set at the Costco warehouse store in Mountain View, California, on December 10 The photo shows Zuckerberg and Chan in the TV aisle of the Costco location in Mountain View Zuckerberg, 35, is wearing black pants and sweatshirt with sneakers, while his wife sported leggings, gray top, slides and a belt bag. While Zuckerberg may be frugal when it comes to buying television sets, he has no problems splurging on houses. The Zuck has a significant real estate portfolio that is reported to include 10 properties across the United States. Most recently, Zuckerberg paid just north of $59million for two adjacent properties in Lake Tahoe. The two estates, known as Brushwood Estate and Carousel Estate, were previously put on the market in 2017 by brokerage firm Oliver. The social network pioneer married Chan, a doctor by trade, in 2012. They are the parents of two girls - Maxima Chan Zuckerberg, 5, and August, 3 Zuckerberg has a real estate portfolio that includes 10 properties, including his home in Palo Alto (above) which he bought for $7 million Most recently Zuckerberg spent more than $59million for two adjacent homes in Lake Tahoe. One of the properties is seen above The Facebook chief is also said to own homes in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Zuckerberg's extensive portfolio is due to his penchant for buying homes next to one another in order to ensure privacy. The social network pioneer married Chan in 2012. They are the parents of two girls - Maxima Chan Zuckerberg, 5, and August, 3. Immediately after the birth of their first child, the Zuckerbergs pledged that they plan to donate 99 per cent of the Facebook shares that they own to charity. BAGHDAD (AP) - An Iraqi official says an airstrike has hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia north of Baghdad, one day after U.S. attack on top Iranian general Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The official said five members of the militia were killed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters. RELATED: Pentagon says us airstrike killed powerful Iranian general The Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the strike, saying it targeted one of its medical convoys near the stadium in Taji, north of Baghdad. The group denied any of its top leaders were killed. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. The Goodman family's ABP Food Group, which has its headquarters in Ardee, has confirmed that its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). This process demonstrates the company's commitment to aligning its sustainability strategy to the global climate change goals as set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The new targets include ghg emissions across ABP's business operations (scope 1 & 2 emissions) and its supply chain (scope 3 emissions). ABP has committed to reducing its scope 1&2 emissions by 27% by 2030 against a base year of 2016. The company has already reduced greenhouse gas emissions across its operations by 28% since the beginning of its sustainability programme in 2008. ABP is also committed to leading a reduction of 17% in scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions coming from the supply chain by 2030. The SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The initiative uses the latest available climate science to define best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies' targets against its validation criteria Last month, ABP In conjunction with Teagasc and The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation announced results from its dairy beef genetic research programme, demonstrating a significant shift in carbon reductions in dairy beef. The findings have proven that is possible to reduce emissions by up to 28% in the dairy beef herd. The company opened the world's first certified carbon neutral abattoir in Ellesmere in 2015, where waste from the meat processing operation is used in conjunction with used cooking oil to provide the energy requirements for the site. ABP's renewables division, Olleco, has helped Arla's milk processing facility in Aylesbury to become the first carbon net zero milk processing facility in the world. Olleco's anaerobic digestion plant is located adjacent to the milk processing site where it converts waste from the dairy into heat, power and bio-methane for export to the national grid, and bio-fertiliser for farmers. The facility produces enough sustainable energy to power the equivalent of 12,000 homes. The company has introduced heat recovery programmes at a number of processing sites including ABP Cahir, which harness waste heat from a number of processes and used it to significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption. Martin Kane, Managing Director of ABP Ireland said: "We are delighted to have our targets validated by the SBTi. The validation of our targets clearly maps the carbon reduction journey required by ABP so that we can play our part in helping reduce global emissions. We have already made great progress since the introduction of our sustainability strategy in 2008 and we look forward to building on that progress and accelerating our work as we now look to 2030 and beyond." Governor Tom Wolf says hes not backing off his plan to qualify more Pennsylvanians for overtime pay. He wants to raise the salary cap on automatic overtime, so workers who make more can get time-and-a-half. A new federal rule that took effect this week is already increasing the salary cap on mandatory time-and-a-half pay from $23,600 a year, to $35,500. Wolf has proposed increasing it even more, to $45,000. Some Republicans had hoped to convince Wolf to stop the planned change by making a deal on one of his longtime priorities, a minimum wage increase. The commonwealths minimum is $7.25 an hour, the lowest wage allowed under federal law. All the states that surround Pennsylvania have raised their wages. Across the country, 21 states saw a minimum wage increase on (or close to) Jan. 1. Pennsylvania's remains $7.25/hour. Here's a look at the new map.https://t.co/aLmr5beiSC PA Post (@PaPostNews) January 3, 2020 Toward the end of last year, the GOP-controlled Senate passed a modest wage increase from $7.25 to $9.50 an hour. Wolf, in return, halted the approval process for his overtime plan and appeared willing to abandon it. But now, he said, hes not confident the House will follow suit. I had some conversations but theres no commitments, he said. I think theres a recognition that weve got to do something. $7.25 is inadequate. But its a matter of whether theres a will to move forward. So, Wolf said hes going forward with his overtime plan. The Independent Regulatory Review Commission, which is controlled by Democrats, is slated to vote on the rule January 31st. Lawmakers will be back in session next week. House Republicans havent said what they plan to do with the Senates minimum wage bill. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on January 3 accused the BJP of misleading people by giving "fake" ownership papers to just 20 of the 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies. Sisodia's reaction came after Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over conveyance deeds and registry papers of houses to 20 residents of unauthorised colonies earlier in the day. "I want to ask Union Minister Hardeep Puri, have you changed the land use? Have you issued any notification? Without making any provision, BJP has handed over fake documents to 20 people," Sisodia said. Pointing out that without regularisation, the BJP cannot accord permanent ownership to any home built on government or agricultural land, he claimed that the conveyance deeds distributed by Puri are "worthless" since there was no official notification on change of 'land use'. "You cannot give property rights or permanent ownership to a family, whose home is built on government or agricultural land, without first regularising these unauthorised colonies," the deputy CM said. Sisodia said while the Centre has now accepted that they are not regularising the unauthorised colonies, BJP's leaders continue to mislead people that they are regularising these colonies. "BJP is misleading people by giving fake paper to 20 people out of 40 lakh people of unauthorized colonies. What will happen to 39,99,980 people? Will their homes be regular or not?" he said. The deputy CM questioned the authenticity and validity of the registration papers provided by the BJP, pointing out that clause no 2 of their papers makes it clear that all existent laws will prevail and both the MCD and DDA have absolute authority to demolish any construction that is in contravention of the existing laws or master plan. Calling it a bluff of the BJP, Sisodia said the party has betrayed the trust and hopes of 40 lakh residents living in unauthorised colonies by distributing the "fake" papers. He further reinforced that BJP has not initiated any measure to regularise these unauthorised colonies despite their "bombastic promises" in Parliament and to the people of Delhi at public rallies and "much touted proclamations" to the media. The BJP's claim that they are giving legal property and ownership rights to homes built on unauthorised land is "fraudulent", he alleged. Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday slammed Boston Consulting Group for junking Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh capital, his pet project, and described as "waste paper" its report pitching for Visakhapatnam as the seat of power. Naidu, who during the previous TDP rule proclaimed he was building a greenfield city of Amaravati as the capital of divided Andhra Pradesh, also said it was a greenfield-cum- brownfield city. Blasting the report submitted by the international consultancy firm Boston Consulting Group on Andhra Pradeshs capital, the TDP leader told a press conference here it was nothing but a waste paper. The so-called report of BCG is a bundle of lies. If not a waste paper, whats it? he asked, alleging the consultancy firm had no credibility. Naidu wondered if there was any state in the country where the executive and the legislature were located at different places, referring to one of the recommendations made by BCG that APs Secretariat could be located in Visakhapatnam and the legislature in Amaravati. He angrily asked if the government wanted to kill Amaravati that was planned to be the economic hub, creating lakhs of jobs and generating wealth for the state. On Amaravati, he said it "is not a greenfield cityits a greenfield-cum-brownfield city. On one side there is Vijayawada, on the other there are Tadepalli, Mangalagiri, Tenali and Guntur. We wanted to develop it that way. What he envisaged was a capital that would give an imaginative career for the children. The capital should be a place that will give the children an imaginative career, an imaginative futurethe future they want, the former Chief Minister said. The BCG, hired to suggest a BIG (balance, inclusive growth) strategy for Andhra Pradesh, made the recommendations which reflected Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's pitch for three different capitals. In his speech in the state assembly on December 17, he had suggested that the Secretariat be located in Visakhapatnam, the Legislature in Amaravati and the High Court in Kurnool. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Ringing in the New Year in Times Square is an experience like no other. So is the job of photographing it. Virtually every year since 1998, The Times has published a picture of the midnight celebration on the next mornings front page. After this years event, the Times staffers Brittainy Newman and Calla Kessler recounted the precision and pluck involved in capturing the images you saw. 10. THEIR TASK WAS A JUGGLING ACT. For starters, Ms. Newman and Ms. Kessler, who had never shot the event before, had to navigate their way amid the hordes of people and find positions from which to shoot within about a three-block strip of space that fills completely as the night goes on. As for the photos, they needed to embody the euphoria of the moment but also feature layers that included the setting for context. And at midnight, there were only minutes to shoot and transmit the pictures. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011 and the Iraqi civil war in 2014, the political and operational alliances that were formed in the region have been confusing, multi-dimensional and steeped in religious and political history. However, one common enemy for Iran and the US in Syria and Iraq has been ISIS. The American-led combined joint task forces mandate (CJTF) is to degrade and destroy the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The CJTFs reason for fighting ISIS is multi-fold but the American operation began under the garb of counter-terrorism. Iranian Quds forces in Iraq began operations backing Shia militias and fought against ISIS. Their operations were led by Major-General Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani had been leading the Quds forces for over 15 years when their fight against ISIS began. In the Iraqi civil war, Iran, the US, and their several allies claimed victory when Iraqi and Kurdish forces took over ISIS-held territory. Iran and the US might seem like unlikely allies but thats where their alliance ends. They might have been fighting a common enemy but they protected different objectives. Iran backs several local militias in Iraq and Bashar al-Assads government in Syria whilst the US-led coalition were interested in protecting their security interests and counter-terrorism, condemning violent acts by Assad and striking several Shia militias in the region that are deemed threats to US security forces. Hence, even though the Iranians and Americans were not allies by choice, their common resentment for ISIS brought them together. Iran has several state and non-state allies in Iraq and Syria. Some of the state allies include Russia, China and Assads Syrian Arab Republic. Some of Irans non-state allies include the Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas and the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq. Protesters stormed the US embassy on December 31, 2019, at Baghdad in response to an American airstrike against the Kataib Hezbollah, a part of the PMF. "At the direction of the President, U.S. forces launched defensive strikes against KH forces in Iraq and Syria. These attacks were aimed at reducing KH's (Kata'ib Hezbollah) ability to launch additional attacks against U.S. personnel and to make it clear to Iran and Iranian-backed militias that the United States will not hesitate to defend our forces in the region," said a statement by US secretary of defence Mark Esper. The two nations were not fighting to protect common interests or allies but had a common enemy, ISIS. Hence, they were operational allies trying to eliminate the same target. Another important ally the US had in the fight against ISIS were the Kurds. The Kurdish forces are one of the better trained and organized militias in the region. The Kurds are widely known as the largest ethnic group in the world with no state. They have been fighting for their own country in the North of Iraq, along the Turkish and Syrian borders and in Southern Turkey. These allies who lost a much larger number of lives than the Americans were severely endangered when US President Donald Trump withdrew troops from the region and paved way for the Turks to invade Syria. The Kurds that the Americans term allies in the region were not fighting to protect a common American and Kurdish interest. The Kurds were fighting for a separate state while the Americans were on the ground to neutralize the ISIS threat. Iran's retaliation to the killing of Soleimani could many forms but the most vulnerable to such attacks would be American allies in the gulf including Israel, UAE and Saudi Arabia. Retaliatory strikes in the region are also expected to hit American bases in various parts of West Asia. "The killing of Soleimani could also affect US ties with countries like Iraq which has already been jittery regarding it's presence. Most Iraqis would not want to risk being in a country where Iran and US are battling via proxies. As such, it is likely that the country will be under immense pressure to push US troops out further diminishing US presence in the Middle East." says Mohammed Sinan Siyech, a Research Analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. He further added, "Such a move also threatens to undo all the advances against ISIS in the nation. Many observers have already pointed out at IS resurgence in many older strongholds including in Iraq. Having Shia militias and US forces battle out each other is likely good for ISIS since both groups were engaged in depriving ISIS of territory and resources so far." Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan had tweeted on Saturday afternoon that he had been detained from Agra, near the Uttar Pradesh border. Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who was detained while he was on his way to attend a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was released late Saturday evening, reported The Leaflet. Gopinathan confirmed the news on Twitter: Released on personal bond. Now being escorted out till the border of Independent Banana Republic of Uttar Pradesh. https://t.co/AVIG1lfKj1 Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) January 4, 2020 Gopinathan, who who resigned from his post as a secretary in the administrations of two Union Territories over the Centre's abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August, tweeted on Saturday afternoon that he had been detained by the police. Later, he shared a picture of the order which he said was used to detain him. The order shared by Gopinathan is from the office of the District Magistrate of Aligarh and instructs the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to ensure that Gopinathan does not enter the district. Citing previous incidents, the order stated that the law and order situation was compromised during similar visits by Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav and Dr Kafeel Khan. This is the order shared by the CO. pic.twitter.com/7k90BNG441 Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) January 4, 2020 The former IAS officer kept posting updates about his whereabouts, stating that he had been taken to a hotel instead of a police station. Being taken to a hotel it seems. Not thana. Don't know why.. Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) January 4, 2020 He added that the order used to detain him was limited to Aligarh district but he was detained in Agra. Being taken to another place from here. Guest house it seems Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) January 4, 2020 Gopinathan, who has been participating in protests against the amended citizenship law across the country, was reportedly on his way to attend a event against the CAA, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) organised by the Resident Doctors' Association at AMU. Former secretary general of TISS Student's Union Fahad Ahmed, Kavita Krishnan-Secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association were also slated to attend the event. A report by The Indian Express said that Ahmed was also detained by the police while he was on his way to the university. The 2012-batch IAS officer had claimed that the Aligarh district administration had asked on Friday asked him not to attend the event. However, he had said that he would go to Aligarh. "I will be going to Aligarh. Administration is free to do as they deem fit," he had tweeted. Got a call from Aligarh District administration asking me not to come for the event. That they got direction from state govt to not let the event happen and to prevent my entry into district. I will be going to Aligarh. Administration is free to do as they deem fit. #Resistance https://t.co/XKkBHPRnqN Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) January 3, 2020 Prominent activists, including Krishnan, Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan and student leader Umar Khalid tweeted in Gopinathan's support after he was unreachable and he stopped tweeting. We are trying to trace @naukarshah Kannan Gopinathan.He was detained by UP police this morning near Agra. His phone is unresponsive. Police is bound to tell his family where he is. If this is how they treat an ex-IAS imagine the plight of common man in UP. #WhereIsKannan https://t.co/T45mMBfGJ5 Umar Khalid (@UmarKhalidJNU) January 4, 2020 Hey @agrapolice @UPPolice #WhereIsKannan? How come he doesn't have his phone on him? If you've arrested him why the secrecy? Why isn't his family informed? Are you holding him, an IAS officer in illegal custody? @IASassociation pl join us in asking #WhereIsKannan https://t.co/x99G9oMpHE Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) January 4, 2020 Gopinathan, who was the Secretary, Power department of the Union territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, had submitted his resignation to the home ministry on 21 August, over the denial of "freedom of expression" to the people of Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August. The 32-year-old officer had first come into limelight when he hid his identity and joined in relief work during the 2018 Kerala floods. With inputs from PTI Early on in her career, Marian Finucane ruffled feathers by broaching topics that were taboo among a large section of the RTE listenership, but these were subjects uppermost in the minds of many others and could not be hidden forever. When Marian came of age as a broadcaster, contraception was illegal in Ireland, divorce was decades away, and the children of single women were regarded as "illegitimate". Sex education, in so much as it existed at all, mostly involved guidance on how to avoid the sins of the flesh. The law and the Church may have harked back to the 1950s, but Marian saw that many of these rules and strictures were being observed in the breach. Couples were using contraception, they were having sex outside marriage, and women were travelling to Britain for abortions. Marian, on her pioneering show 'Women Today', a precursor of 'Liveline', was determined to broach these hidden subjects and reflect what was really happening in homes across Ireland. In the autumn of 1979, soon after 'Women Today' went on air, a Catholic priest, Fr Patrick Walsh, wrote indignantly to RTE's director-general to complain about the frequently "indelicate" contents of the programme. He complained: "Today's programme concerned itself with orgasm in the female partner to sexual intercourse. "The presenter appears to be what one might call a practitioner of audio voyeurism. She seems never content until she is, not so much the fly on the wall of the marriage chamber, but the flea in the bed who is a witness to every intimacy between man and wife" In the same year, she was also condemned at a meeting of the National Council of Priests for having the temerity to ask a nun: "Do you still think that sex outside marriage is wrong?" From early on, she may have had her critics, but at the same time her empathetic line of questioning won plenty of supporters and she found a huge audience of listeners who went on to stay with her throughout her career. Back in 1979, the feminist campaigner Anne O'Donnell said: "In my opinion, Marian Finucane is the most sympathetic and genuinely interested interviewer I have heard on RTE radio or television." The radio critic of the 'Irish Press' said Marian's calm approach had made 'Women Today' "authoritative rather than strident". And that seemed to be her approach - from her time on 'Women Today', on to her role as the first presenter of 'Liveline' from the mid-1980s, through to her weekend programmes. Marian might have given her own take on certain issues, but it was usually expressed in a most understated way. "We had a ball. We were always in trouble," she said in a newspaper interview of her work on 'Women Today'. "It sounds almost medieval now, but if you did anything on reproduction or marriage that wasn't exactly in tune with the Roman Catholic Church's line, you'd get slaughtered. You couldn't mention the word 'orgasm'. As for anything that would even remotely suggest homosexuality - I remember one senior manager at RTE saying to me after one programme that he couldn't eat his dinner, and that he didn't know how far we were going to go. Perhaps the next thing we were going to deal with was bestiality? There were people constantly ringing up, saying, 'take them off the air, this is an absolute disgrace, it's not part of what we are'." While her views could be described as broadly liberal, she did not allow herself to show direct leanings towards any party or cause. In 1980, she won the Prix Italia for her radio documentary 'Abortion: The Lonely Crisis'. It followed a woman from the moment her pregnancy test showed up as positive, to when she went to England for an abortion. Marian stood in the clinic while the abortion happened and followed up with an interview six weeks later. What is often not realised is that, like the majority of the population, she was opposed to abortion at the time she made the documentary. Although she usually kept opinions to herself in public, she said her views on abortion later changed with the X case - when the State moved to stop a 14-year-old pregnant girl who had been raped from having a termination in the UK. Marian came closest to becoming the first female presenter of the 'Late Late Show' in 1980, when Gay Byrne handed over the chair for the last section of one of his programmes. She was invited to be in charge for this segment after a report into women broadcasting suggested that "Marian Finucane will never take the 'Late Late Show' chair." With her face beaming, she stepped gingerly into the role and Nell McCafferty stood next to her, cheering as she said: "At last, free at last... thank God we're free at last." Attracting male as well as female listeners to the late-lunch afternoon slot on 'Women Today', Marian seized the opportunity to broaden her appeal with 'Liveline', and the number of listeners frequently soared to more than 400,000. Having started as a presenter prepared to ruffle feathers, by the early 1990s Marian was first seen as a national treasure. A survey carried out among women to find Ireland's most admired women showed Marian in the top three alongside President Mary Robinson and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She did not conceal her ambition to be the next Gay Byrne in some capacity, and got her opportunity when she replaced him in the time slot of his morning radio show in 1999. Sandwiched between the hard news of 'Morning Ireland' and Pat Kenny in the schedule, Marian had one of the more difficult periods of her career. She was never a purveyor of light-hearted banter and seemed awkward in the slot, even though audience numbers were still healthy at 370,000. With a growing number of women working on weekdays, Marian saw an opportunity to build a new audience at weekends, and that is where she settled for the final successful stint of her long career. In her memoir 'Inside RTE', producer Betty Purcell highlighted Marian's ability to make the most intimate conversations happen over the airwaves: "Her particular skill was to make radio presentation seem easy and casual and listeners were happy to share their lives with her in a deep and personal way." On a recent evening in Tigerland a cluster of bars near LSU that remains a popular party destination for the under-21 crowd Uber and Lyft drivers sat in their idling vehicles staggered along the curb, sometimes stacked three cars deep as they waited for their customers. Whether disgorging carloads of young adults decked out in bedsheet togas or finding a free patch of pavement to pick up the returning gaggles of inebriated students, ride-hailing services were omnipresent throughout the night. It's a practice local law enforcement finds encouraging. According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, the key demographic of young adults ages 18-21, often cited as reckless and cavalier when it comes to drinking and driving, have been making good choices in recent years on their wild nights out. DWIs for this age group have dropped dramatically from about 10 years ago, and officials say this likely has to do with the increase in ride-hailing options. It used to be that Tigerland was crazy, said Cpl. Jason Martin, a member of the Police Department's DWI Task Force. Nobody got designated drivers. They didnt care. Nowadays, theres Ubers lined up double-stacked down Bob Pettit, in both directions. +18 In-depth look at Tigerland today: Bars still big with LSU students despite concerns about crime It was 1971 and the sun was rising over Tigerland. Large apartment complexes springing up offered LSU students what newspaper ads described as Many parents have started to add their adult children to their personal Uber and Lyft accounts complete with the parents' credit card information as a way of keeping their kids safe, he said. In 2005, 12% of all DWI arrests in the parish were of young adults under the age of 21, according to numbers provided by the police department. Between Nov. 1, 2017 and Oct. 31, 2019, that number plummeted to 3% of all DWI arrests. Martin clarified that he and his colleagues are not necessarily seeing fewer DWIs in that particular age group, but that he believes the majority are making the right decisions. "I dont want to say that the numbers are lower, and I dont want to say theyre higher either," Martin said. "Three percent of all DWI arrests by BRPD are under the age of 21, which is a low number, relatively speaking. Were encouraged by that, obviously." I believe ride-share options overall could certainly be a contributing factor to reducing impaired drivers," said Lt. Jerad Daniel with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office. Personally, in the field during enforcement, I have seen over the years an increase in ride-share use. Although Martin and Daniel are heartened by the downward trend in DWI arrests for underage drinkers, both were unwilling to point to any single factor that may contribute to this outcome. Its an increase in ride-share availability, absolutely, Martin said. Five or six years ago, we didnt have Uber or Lyft here. Brian Trascher, the original lobbyist who had worked in 2014 to help bring Uber to Baton Rouge, said that while there are too many variables to determine a direct correlation between a lower number of DWI arrests and the increased availability of ride-hailing options, ride-hailing has irrevocably changed the drinking-and-driving landscape in the state. You talk to people, and they say, I dont ever drive if I know Im going to be drinking. Its just too easy to Uber, Trascher said. Or if they dont expect to be drinking and they do, they Uber home and come back to pick their car up the next day. 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 Uber recently expanded its services statewide following legislation signed into law this past summer. Uber available in all 64 parishes starting Wednesday The Uber ride-sharing service will be available statewide starting Wednesday as a result of a new state law, officials said Tuesday. Like Martin, Trascher cited parents sending their children to college with an Uber app containing their credit card information a practice he said takes away any excuse to drink and drive. He speculated that in areas like Tigerland, students can probably Uber back to their campus apartments for less than $5. Law enforcement officials, on the other hand, maintain the difference in DWI arrests over the years can be attributed to a few elements combined, including education and enforcement. For at least the past 10 years, the Police Department has worked to crack down on impaired driving no matter the age of the offenders. A highway safety grant has equipped the department with extra manpower to increase patrols in areas like Tigerland, where Martin noted young adults can be deterred from future bad behavior by seeing their friends arrested for drunken driving. Daniel, with the Sheriff's Office, said education is also a critical prevention tool, from using social media to push positive messages to developing impaired driving enforcement programs. For those who make a poor choice to operate a vehicle while impaired rather than a smart choice to use other methods of transportation, we will be there to catch them and there will be consequences, Daniel said. Apart from law enforcement oversight, LSU Interfraternity Council President Marshall Lee pointed to recently revised policies at the university in the wake of freshman Maxwell Gruvers alcohol-related hazing death that further restrict underage drinking. In 2018, the Task Force on Greek Life revised PS-78, an alcohol policy for student organizations. Greek Life does enforce the PS-78 policy on all of its organizations that states you cant leave events and come back in after consuming alcohol, Lee said. Third-party vendors must be present to prevent people from being overserved and possibly getting behind the wheel of a car. By bringing in a third-party vendor to fraternity and sorority events, Lee said an external source is always checking student IDs to make sure no one is drinking underage or becoming overintoxicated. PS-78 also prohibits mass consumption opportunities, such as kegs, Lee said. So there isn't easy, constant access to alcohol. Though law enforcement may not be able to answer exactly why fewer DWI arrests involve underage drinkers, they are generally happy to see the parking lots of high-traffic party areas filled with cars at 3 or 4 oclock in the morning evidence that people have taken an Uber or Lyft home. We know that theres cars left in the parking lot at Tigerland, Martin said. Thats an encouraging sign. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/03/2020 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT So did Anna and Mursel really end their relationship? Is the couple still together? ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. couple Anna Campisi and Mursel Mistanoglu appear to be ending their relationship on Season 7's latest episode, so what actually happened next -- did Anna and Mursel really split up and not get married, or are they still together now?Anna, a 38-year-old mother of three from Bellevue, NE, and Mursel, a 38-year-old from Antalya, Turkey, are one of the couples starring on 's seventh season, which premiered in early November.Anna wasn't sure she'd find love again after her relationship with her sons' "controlling" father ended, but then she met Mursel -- whom she deemed "kind and sweet" -- on Facebook.Mursel and Anna bonded over their shared passion for beekeeping, and they continued talking and sending photos to each other despite the language barrier between them and cultural differences.Mursel, for example, is Muslim and doesn't drink, but she had faith things would work out.Anna's first meeting with Mursel in Turkey surpassed her expectations, and so she returned to America and applied for his K-1 visa, which was later approved.Anna acknowledged flying Mursel to America was a huge risk and might flip her family's lives upside down, but she was optimistic her family would come together.Anna had hope her three sons -- Joey, 15, Gino, 14, and Leo, 6 -- would grow to like and accept Mursel into their family. She felt she was meant to marry Mursel.But Gino and Joey weren't looking forward to having a new father figure and authority in their lives whom they didn't know at all.When Mursel met the boys, it was a little awkward for everyone involved.A couple of Mursel's comments led the boys to believe he was going to view everything in the United States inferior to what he was used to in Turkey.Mursel's meeting with Anna's sons "didn't go well," according to Anna, and then he had to meet her mother, Charlene, at a restaurant. Anna expected her mother to be blunt and a bit harsh with Mursel."How does Mursel's family feel about your kids?" asked Charlene, who wasn't happy about the idea of Mursel trying to control her daughter's household."They don't know about them... because Mursel does not want to tell his family," Anna replied."That's messed up," Gino announced at the table.Mursel explained he loved Anna so much but his family would disapprove of him marrying a woman with children.Mursel therefore planned to keep Anna's sons a secret from his family as to not bring shame upon them.Best case scenario, Mursel hoped to tell his parents about Anna's kids in about 10 years.Mursel said his parents would forgive his sins during their last moments on earth and that is the time to be totally honest and forthcoming about things.Mursel insisted he felt sad and guilty about the secret, but then he made it known if he had things his way, Anna would come to Turkey with him -- which made her sons feel like Mursel didn't care about them at all.Anna was starting to realize she might have to choose between the love of her life and her boys.Once Mursel had been in America for about a month, he and Anna began planning their wedding. Anna put together little honey favors, while Mursel was constructing a "honeycomb altar" made of wood.Mursel admitted he was a little nervous about the wedding and had concerns because he had heard Joey and Gino talking about how he's "stupid." Mursel also thought they were "spoiled."Anna asked Mursel to discuss the issue with her sons, but he didn't really want to.Anna worried she and her fiance were using their language barrier as an excuse not to talk to each other about serious topics. Anna was tired of hearing "yes" and "no" answers from Mursel all the time, but Mursel told the cameras conversations about her boys would absolutely spark arguments.Anna attempted to change the topic from her sons to their own personal communication, but Mursel didn't really seem cooperative. Anna insisted Mursel never listened to her, and so she was second guessing whether they should even get married.Mursel laughed off Anna's anxiety and frustration.Later on, Anna went shopping for a wedding dress with her friend Viviana, but Anna admitted she should be happier at this time in her life.Anna picked out the strapless dress of her dreams with lace and a lot of beading.Anna cried when she had found the perfect dress, but it was unclear where those tears were really coming from. Anna seemed to be doubting her decision to marry."I'm good," Anna assured her friend Viviana in tears, as if she was trying to convince herself that was the case. "He's The One. It just seems like nothing is going right... [but] we'll get it all figured out."But Anna's son Joey didn't care to have a relationship with Mursel at all because of the big secret Mursel was keeping."Do you want this wedding?" Mursel asked Joey."No," Joey replied."Why?" Mursel asked."Because it's stupid," Joey replied. "I think marrying Mursel would be even more of a burden for my mom, and I think my mom is able to change her mind if she wants to."Anna asked Joey to put his feelings behind him and focus on the future, but he refused."Your situation does not make me happy," Mursel said. "You never give me good energy. You don't try to be nice. If you don't want me, I can go.""It's that easy?!" Joey asked his mom. "Okay, situation solved!"Mursel started questioning why he should stay in the United States if Anna's kids didn't want him around, but Anna was certain they could work something out."The boys mean everything to me. My life revolves around them, but I don't think they appreciate everything I've given and sacrificed for them. And at some point, I want to be happy too," Anna said in a confessional.Anna could tell that Joey was jealous of the time she spent with Mursel, and she started questioning whether she was even meant to be happy.Anna, however, had already sent out the wedding invitations, so she felt a lot of pressure to go through with the nuptials.Anna told her friends at her bachelorette party she had "no complaints" about her sex life, but there were clearly a lot of other issues in her relationship. Anna's friends had reservations about whether this romance would work out.After receiving some guidance and words of wisdom from her friends, Anna acknowledged Mursel needed to tell his family about her children because it was no longer a secret she was willing to keep.Anna told Mursel that he had put her in an uncomfortable position and was acting very selfish.Mursel, however, said his family wouldn't talk to him again if they found out he planned to marry a woman with kids. Mursel therefore admitted to Anna that he had a very difficult decision to make."If I had known Anna was going to make me tell my family about her kids, I would not have come," Mursel confessed to the cameras.Mursel told Anna that he was not going to tell his family about her sons, and then she broke down into tears. Anna suggested marriage was off the table in that case."We're coming towards the end of his 90 days, and we're about to call [the wedding] off," Anna told the cameras. "I didn't think we'd be in this situation."Anna didn't think the situation was fair, but Mursel said he had made a lot of sacrifices to be with her -- including quitting his job in Turkey and leaving everything behind. Mursel therefore expected Anna to sacrifice for him as well.Anna, however, gave Mursel an ultimatum that she wouldn't marry him unless he came clean to his parents about her family, and so he decided to do that over video chat.Once Mursel told his parents, his father could be heard saying, "She took you for a fool!" He never wanted Anna for his son from the beginning, and then Mursel's mother was shown telling Mursel to come back to Turkey and leave Anna.Mursel's parents told him not to deal with Anna's boys and insisted he could still find a good paying job in Turkey. Mursel said he understood and then ended the call.Mursel was surprised because his parents had always voiced nice things about Anna and it became clear they had been hiding their true feelings about her."I was expecting this, but did not expect it to be this bad. They perceived her as a bad woman. I mean, incredibly bad," Mursel said. "They want me to go back to Turkey. They tell me what I did is nonsense."Mursel told Anna the conversation didn't go well and he must return to Turkey, which made Anna cry. Anna admitted she was feeling "devastated" and loved Mursel, but she was realizing love may not be enough.In the latest episode of , with only 20 days left to wed, Anna was feeling pretty devastated over the demise of her relationship.Anna was angry with Mursel's family for not accepting her three sons, and Mursel admitted his family was "very bad" and "very aggressive."Anna was disappointed that age 38, Mursel wasn't willing to stand up to his parents and just marry her for the sake of their love and happiness.Mursel felt a lot of pressure from all sides because while he wanted to be with Anna, he had no intention of battling his family wishes.Mursel therefore planned to return to Turkey, and then Anna told her mother Charlene that the wedding was off.Charlene called the drama "bullsh-t," especially since Mursel had known about Anna's boys before traveling to the United States.Charlene accused Mursel of breaking her daughter's heart and going back to Turkey as if nothing was wrong. Charlene was angry, but Mursel explained his family needed to come first.Anna's two youngest boys, Leo and Gino, heard the news as well, and they looked pretty upset -- which made Mursel feel bad and guilty.Anna's youngest son Leo was especially sad and thought Mursel could be a man -- and a grown up -- and just stand up to his parents. Gino thought Mursel was annoying sometimes, but he had grown accustomed to the idea of Mursel sticking around."I thought he would help me a lot, and now he's leaving," Gino vented to the cameras.Charlene bragged she had known all along Anna's romance would "end up in tragedy," so her only concern going forward was figuring out how to get Mursel "the hell out of here."Mursel appeared torn, saying he wanted to marry Anna but now their relationship was over. Mursel insisted he didn't have a choice and had to return to Turkey.Anna later told her son Joey that the wedding was off. Mursel was staying in a hotel before his trip home, and Anna admitted to her son that she was angry because Mursel wasn't making decisions for himself.Joey agreed Mursel's parents shouldn't control him, but he thought Anna's romance was a bad idea to begin with. Joey said his mother never thought things through or considered all possible outcomes, and so he was disappointed in his mom for putting the family through this."[Joey] got his wish. Mursel is leaving," Anna said in a confessional.Mursel's family wanted him to marry a woman in Turkey, and Anna called Mursel "weak" and was so mad at him. She even refused to have a calm conversation with him over the phone when he was staying at a nearby hotel."If we really cannot be together, I want you gone," Anna told Mursel via text.Mursel said he felt lonely and sad in the hotel room. He was in a foreign land and wished he could spend his final days in America with Anna, but she continued to write him angry messages.When Mursel called Anna later on, she simply said, "I don't like you. We are finished."Mursel cried in his hotel room, but Anna continued to insist their relationship was over."I want to kiss her because I love her. I couldn't sleep at all. All the time I am thinking about this. I am physically finished," Mursel vented in a confessional.There appears to be even more drama on the horizon for this couple as 's seventh season continues airing on TLC.In trailers that previously aired on TLC, it appears Mursel heads back to Turkey in order to please his family."Do they want you to leave soon?" Anna asks Mursel in tears in one trailer."Yes," he replies.In a different trailer, Anna's son tells the cameras, "I don't know how much Mursel is really in love with my mom."And Anna later drops Mursel off at the airport and cries, "Please, Mursel, don't go!"Mursel also cries, as he says goodbye to his love.Anna revealed November 25 on Instagram she and Mursel got engaged on September 8, 2018.Anna announced the news as part of her explanation as to why she and Mursel appear to wear wedding rings on 's seventh season."I finally got the ok! I've gotten a lot of questions about the rings Mursel and I wear. In Turkey it is customary to have an Engagement ceremony. This involves exchanging rings," Anna captioned a series of photos of the couple celebrating at a fancy event."A red ribbon is tied to both rings and the Elder of the family says a prayer and some words to bless the Engagement and the ribbon is then cut. Then the couple goes around and kisses the hands of the Elders. It is also customary for the guests to pin money on the newly Engaged couple."Anna concluded, "We didn't go through the whole engagement custom which would also involve both families meeting and getting a blessing due to my family not being in Turkey. We were engaged September 8 2018! Hopefully this clears some questions."Anna and Mursel reportedly got married a year after their engagement.Anna and Mursel tied the knot in Nebraska on September 8, according to court records obtained by Starcasm.The couple has refrained from sharing photos or writing messages about each other on social media, but Mursel recently changed his home state to Nebraska on his Facebook.Anna also hinted she's still with Mursel when she wrote his name as a hashtag in a mid-December post on Instagram."We need more days till Christmas! #notready, #90dayfiance, #oldestboy, #mursel," Anna captioned a photo with her son.In addition, Anna revealed how to say the word "turkey" in Turkish in honor of Thanksgiving. She apparently continues to learn the language and appreciate Mursel's culture.Anna owns Beauty and the Bees Honey, a business which sells honey and a wide array of bees wax products.Mursel studied at California State University, Northridge, according to Starcasm, but it's unclear whether Mursel came to America for the program or participated in online courses.Want spoilers? Click here to visit our Spoilers webpage! Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Aviation punctuality reports are a bit like buses; you wait all year for one then two appear at once. On Thursday, travel data analyst Cirium released its annual On-Time Performance Review, naming Russian flag carrier Aeroflot the world's most on-time global mainline airline and Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport the world's most punctual airport. Then on Friday, rival data analyst OAG unleashed its Punctuality League 2020, declaring Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda Indonesia the world's most punctual airline, Aeroflot the most punctual mega airline in Europe and Sheremetyevo International Airport the world's most punctual mega airport. So why the discrepancies? What's the difference between a mega airport and a small one? And why is Russia doing so darn well? Join us as we crunch down the results. The two analysts calculate their results using similar data sources -- Cirium tracks more than 100,000 flights per day, OAG's league is based on 57.5 million flight records using full-year data from 2019 -- but with slightly different categorization. The bigger the airport, the busier the airline, the greater the distances involved, the more challenges to face, and both analysts take this into account when weighing up the performance of airlines and airports. "Airlines don't always get the credit they deserve for delivering such a complex product," says Cirium in its review. "Ensuring a seamless customer experience requires vast effort around the clock by a dedicated 'army' of ground staff, flight crew, cabin crew, engineers, ground service agents and many more companies besides within a vast supply chain. They also have to contend with many factors beyond their control, such as inclement weather and air traffic control issues." It's considerably easier for an airport with fewer than five million departing seats per annum, such as Minsk, the world's top small airport according to OAG, to ensure that 92.6% of its flights depart or arrive within 15 minutes of schedule, than a mega airport handling more than 30 million departing seats. The excellent performance of mega airport Sheremetyevo, which handles more than 300 flights per day, can in part be attributed to a new third runway adding increased capacity. Cirium said,"Aeroflot, the largest carrier at the airport maintains nearly 84% of the total operations at SVO. With a carrier owning such a lion's share of operations at one airport, it stands to reason that as Aeroflot goes, so does SVO." John Grant, senior analyst with OAG, commented in a press release on an impressive year for punctuality. "The global market is reaching near peak [on-time performance]. "The rise [...] is led by Mega Airlines like Aeroflot, Delta and Air France, which are simultaneously expanding the number of operated flights and maintaining high OTP. We're seeing success trickle down to the hubs they service, which benefits the entire travel ecosystem." The world's most punctual airlines and airports, according to Cirium Most on-time global mainline airlines: 1. Aeroflot (86.68% of flights on time) 2. All Nippon Airways (86.26%) 3. Delta Air Lines (85.69%) Most on-time global network airline: -- LATAM Airlines (86.67%) Most on-time low-cost carrier: -- StarFlyer (91.37%) Breakdown by region: -- Copa Airlines: No.1 for mainline (92.16% on time) and network (92.27%) operations in Latin America -- Qatar Airways: No.1 for mainline and network operations (both 82.45%) in the Middle East and Africa -- Delta Airlines: No. 1 for mainline (85.69%) and network (84.63%) in North America -- All Nippon Airways: No. 1 for mainline (86.26%) and network (86.49%) in North America Most on-time airports: -- Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) was the most on-time globally and among large-sized airports (95.01%) -- Taiwan's Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) was the most on-time medium-sized airport (93.32%) -- Koh Samui Airport (USM) was the most on-time small airport (95.08%) The world's most punctual airlines and airports, according to OAG Top five airlines: 1. Garuda Indonesia (95.01%). World's top mainline airline and top airline in Asia Pacific 2. Copa Airlines (92.01%). Latin America's top airline 3. Skymark Airlines (90.12%). World's top low-cost carrier 4. Hawaiian Airlines (87.4%). North America's top airline 5. LATAM Airlines Group (86.41%). World's top mega airline Other regional winners: -- Azerbaijan Airlines (86.81%). Europe's top airline -- Safair (94.4%). Middle East and Africa's top airline Most on-time airports: -- Small airport: Minsk (92.6%) -- Medium airport: Panama City (92.21%) -- Large airport: Osaka Itami (88.03%) -- Major airport: Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (83.42%) -- Mega airport: Moscow Sheremetyevo (86.87%) Guyana Goldfields Inc. (TSE:GUY) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 24% in the last month. But that is meagre solace in the face of the shocking decline over three years. The share price has sunk like a leaky ship, down 89% in that time. So we're relieved for long term holders to see a bit of uplift. But the more important question is whether the underlying business can justify a higher price still. We really feel for shareholders in this scenario. It's a good reminder of the importance of diversification, and it's worth keeping in mind there's more to life than money, anyway. View our latest analysis for Guyana Goldfields Guyana Goldfields isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth. In the last three years, Guyana Goldfields saw its revenue grow by 3.0% per year, compound. Given it's losing money in pursuit of growth, we are not really impressed with that. Nonetheless, it's fair to say the rapidly declining share price (down 52%, compound, over three years) suggests the market is very disappointed with this level of growth. We generally don't try to 'catch the falling knife'. Before considering a purchase, take a look at the losses the company is racking up. The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). TSX:GUY Income Statement, January 4th 2020 It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. You can see what analysts are predicting for Guyana Goldfields in this interactive graph of future profit estimates. Story continues A Different Perspective Investors in Guyana Goldfields had a tough year, with a total loss of 58%, against a market gain of about 17%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 25% over the last half decade. We realise that Buffett has said investors should 'buy when there is blood on the streets', but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality businesses. If you want to research this stock further, the data on insider buying is an obvious place to start. You can click here to see who has been buying shares - and the price they paid. There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on CA exchanges. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. For eight years, a digital media company called Im Shmacked has posted viral videos of the college party scene. Beer bongs, booze, marijuana and scantily clad women are all featured prominently, in scenes set to upbeat party music. Cinematic shots of college campuses and university landmarks are interspersed with flip cup games and keg stands. High schoolers love it. While university tours and campus promo reels can give them an idea of the academic environment at a college, Im Shmacked gives them an inside look at what really matters, in a social sense: the parties. I used to look at the Im Shmacked party videos of the colleges I was looking at, said Darius Myers, who was a student at Snow College in Utah. The schools that had the coolest recap videos, it made me really want to go there. The business model of Im Shmacked is to recruit undergraduates as content creators, often with promises of thousands of dollars a month in compensation and online fame. By simply posting videos of parties and other viral antics, many were told, they could gain experience in online marketing and make cash from ads and by selling custom merchandise. Instead, many students sank hundreds of dollars into Im Shmacked and ran Instagram accounts without pay. In interviews with The New York Times, students said that after they confronted the company over false promises, they were threatened with lawsuits and intimidated into silence. Many who interned for the company fared no better. A Decent Investment Im Shmacked was founded in 2011 by Jeffrie Ray, an amateur filmmaker, then 19, and Arya Toufanian, a student at George Washington University, then 20. The two began traveling across the country, filming college parties and uploading the footage to YouTube. The videos were a hit and often incriminating. One, filmed at West Virginia University, featured students smashing car windows interspersed with footage of them guzzling beer bongs during a St. Patricks Day charity party. In 2012, it had more than half a million views. (It has since been removed from the web; the original YouTube channel for Im Shmacked has been deactivated for violating terms, but there is a new one.) In order to keep up with demand, Ray and Toufanian started enlisting small groups of people to travel to different colleges, hosting wild parties for the sole purpose of content creation. This was one of the first widespread digital efforts to capture booze-soaked party culture and package it for the web. Im Shmacked, along with companies like Barstool and Total Frat Move, grew by churning out content that sold a fantasy of what college life could be like, racking up followers and view counts by the millions. For many students, being affiliated with Im Shmacked was a status indicator. I thought getting the company name out there with my name would be a good networking opportunity for other things down the line in my life, said Jerry Shukes, who ran an Im Shmacked Instagram account at East Carolina University, in North Carolina. After all, it was an Im Shmacked YouTube video of a party at East Carolina that influenced his decision to attend that school. In the fall of 2018, Shukes paid $300 to Im Shmacked, thinking it would be a decent investment, and became part of what Toufanian called his college ambassador program. That program, which officially started in 2016, was pitched to students simply: pay $45 to $500 and become the designated representative of the company at your school. The designation meant running an Im Shmacked Instagram account that was school specific @imshmackedpurdue, say, or @imshmackedcornell and if a post or video went viral, it would often be reposted to the main Im Shmacked handle, which had 1.2 million followers. Students were told they could make money through online merchandise stores, ad placements and by charging other students to be featured on the accounts. According to a company spreadsheet from 2017 and interviews with several people who used to work with Toufanian, at least 3,600 college kids took the company up on this offer. (Toufanian did not respond to an email sent requesting comments for this article. Ray, who left the company by 2016, could not be reached.) There were some red flags. In 2013, after Im Shmacked sold hundreds of tickets to University of Delaware students for a party it failed to reserve a site for, police had to be called in to quell the disturbance. In 2016, students at Santa Clara University in California demanded refunds from the company after it raised more than $30,000 for a concert and party that never took place. In 2017, Im Shmacked canceled a Halloween party in Utah the night before it was set to take place, leaving the events company it had teamed with on the hook for thousands of dollars. Toufanian had also proved to be a loose cannon. In 2014 he threatened a Business Insider reporter with petitions to fire and deport her and tweeted that she should be prepping her anus for an attack. Promises and Betrayal Many of the Im Shmacked Instagram accounts grew quickly, and students were excited to be working with what they considered a mainstream brand. Some planned to add their ambassadorships to their resumes. I thought the page was going to be something, said Jorge Flores, a student at the University of Kansas, who paid $300 to become an Im Shmacked ambassador. I thought it would be a good way to build a community at school. Im Shmacked did tours on YouTube, he said, referring to the companys tendency to sweep through college towns like a rock band. So I was like, maybe theyd bring the tour to KU or expose me to other opportunities and help me make connections. But over time, many students began to feel they were being used. Shukes, the brand ambassador for East Carolina, eventually concluded he would never recoup the money he paid to the company. I was scammed, he said. Many students who signed up did notice the companys disorganization from the start. It quickly became clear that some schools had multiple Im Shmacked ambassadors and Instagram accounts. Penn State, for instance, had four Im Shmacked pages. In interviews, several students said that Toufanian promised them that competing accounts were frauds and that he would have Instagram remove them. In reality, multiple Instagram accounts meant that students could be pitted against their peers to source the most viral content. Toufanian had also told students that they would receive a cut of any items sold through college-specific merchandise shops that they could promote on their Instagram accounts; this, many believed, would allow them to quickly recoup the money they had given Im Shmacked up front. But online storefronts were rarely created, according to someone who consulted with Toufanian on business matters, and student ambassadors never received a cut of any sales. I worked at a sub shop on campus for $9.25 an hour. I was just expecting to make the money I gave them back in a month or so, said Arun Singh, who paid Im Shmacked to become an ambassador at Penn State in September 2018. But none of that happened. In many cases, students said, once they paid the fee, they stopped hearing from the company. When Shukes tried to speak out about what happened to him, Toufanian sent him repeated messages on Instagram and an email. One reads: Youll be sued personally and Im listing your individual name if your website isnt down in 24 hours. I will pursue you for damages. It is beyond illegal. When another person set up an Instagram account on which he reposted screenshots from students who said they had been taken advantage of, Toufanian messaged him that he would soon be sued. Its criminal and slander, the message said. Reporting harassment to police theyll deal with you. There are no records of lawsuits filed by Toufanian against students, but many reported being bullied by him and said they feared retribution. And he has a history of threatening legal action against those who cross him. In 2016, Toufanian hired a lawyer to send a letter to Gawker Media demanding that it take down two negative articles about him, calling them libelous. (The same lawyer represented Peter Thiel in his legal attacks against Gawker.) In December 2018, after the website 5orry published an article that was suspicious of another of Toufanians ventures a stock trading scheme, operating under the Instagram handle @stocks 5orrys owner received many emails from Toufanian threatening legal action if the articles were not removed. After today I will pursue a lawsuit against you with cooperation of police, Toufanian wrote in an email in April. You dont want to give me your name, your internet service provider and the host will tell me who paid for it when I sue them and press criminal charges. You cant hide forever. Last chance. More recently, Toufanian filed a lawsuit against Kyle Oreffice, a stock trader, for defamation after Oreffice published an article on his website calling Toufanian a scammer and The Douche of Wall Street. (Toufanian also contacted Oreffices mother, she said, and posted her full name to his Instagram Stories.) Toufanian has also had legal trouble come the other way. According to court records, he was sued in 2015 for breach of contract and in 2014 for transferring $120,000 from Im Shmacked into his personal bank account, among other claims. In 2018, Madison Louch, a DJ and Instagram influencer with whom Toufanian had a personal relationship, filed a restraining order against him. Ambassador Outreach From 2016 to 2018, Toufanian ran his company from a pair of rental houses in Los Angeles with a rotating cast of associates, many of whom were working without contracts or job titles. Im Shmacked interns lived in these houses. According to interviews with former roommates and business associates of Toufanian, these interns would spend hours messaging college students, trying to get them to pay hundreds of dollars to join the ambassador program. Almost all communication with college kids was done via the primary Im Shmacked Instagram handle, which was verified. (Often, so many messages were sent each hour that the handle would be banned from sending new messages for chunks of time as part of Instagrams anti-spam protections.) While they were recruiting others, several former interns said, they were being promised payments that never materialized. Some were told that they would have to work for the first month for free to prove themselves, but after that, they would receive commissions. Some were promised bonuses if they performed well. When people quit or ran out of money, Toufanian scouted new workers by posting job listings to Instagram Stories. A copy of an intern contract from 2017 included the phrase: Intern is expected to promote and grow the Companys respective accounts through diligent frequent posts and engagement with their market. Everyone Knows the Name Some students who believe they will never recoup their money are still running Im Shmacked accounts. Not long after Bradley Gasparovich, the administrator of @ImShmacked_MSU (Michigan State University), paid Toufanian $300 to be a college ambassador, Toufanian unfollowed him and blocked all communication. Gasparovich was frustrated, feeling he had been taken advantage of, but decided to keep the handle active. He is interested in marketing and had amassed more than 7,000 followers, so now he is just posting for fun. I keep it because everyone knows the name, he said. He also uses the account to warn other students. In September, after Im Shmacked put out a new call for college ambassadors on Instagram Stories, Gasparovich got messages from students who wanted to know how much money he was making, before they signed up for the program themselves. Arya told them they will generate revenue right away, Gasparovich said. I said no! I did this last year, just dont do it. Dakota Verrico, a freshman at Rutgers, in New Jersey, almost fell for it. After Verrico responded to the call-out, he was told that in order to learn more about the business opportunity, he would have to pay $500. Toufanian told him that he could make up to $10,000 to $30,000 a month, Verrico said. I kept asking him, how would I make money from this? How does this work? (Verrico said that Toufanian ultimately left him a voice memo that explained that money was made through charging women to be featured on the Im Shmacked Instagram accounts in addition to other methods.) In early October, the primary Im Shmacked verified Instagram handle disappeared. Instagram confirmed that the account was removed for multiple violations. Toufanian was distraught. I have been desperate for 3 weeks now for our future. Our verified business Instagram @imshmacked was taken down, he tweeted at the CEO of Instagram. (The tweet has since been deleted.) Students who lost money to Im Shmacked were relieved. But a new account could always pop up. Verrico said he would urge all students to research any companies approaching them on Instagram, especially if the offer seems too good to be true. Still, he understood how someone falls prey to it. They see a guy with 1 million followers and is verified, Verrico said. Thats how I was at first. I was like, Whoa. You just never would think someone with that much power would do that. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Boris Johnson last night brushed aside pressure to recall Parliament to discuss the crisis in the Middle East. Ministers were caught flat-footed by yesterdays dramatic US drone attack which killed Irans most senior military commander Qassem Soleimani. Government sources confirmed that the UK was given no advance notice of the attack, and was only informed by its leading ally once the mission was under way. Boris Johnson brushed aside pressure to recall Parliament to discuss the Middle East crisis One source said the UK only became aware of the strike as it was happening because British personnel were in the same base as US troops in Baghdad. The Prime Minister, who is holidaying on Mustique with girlfriend Carrie Symonds, was kept informed of the developing situation by phone throughout yesterday, but did not speak to President Donald Trump. British military bases were last night placed on a heightened state of alert, amid fears of a revenge attack by Iran. The Foreign Office was also considering urgently whether to update security advice for the thousands of British citizens in the region. But Government sources said Parliament would not be recalled ahead of its scheduled return on Tuesday afternoon. Sources also indicated that the PM would not be cutting short his Caribbean holiday and would be returning over the weekend. Last night a diplomatic source told the Daily Mail that Britain had been kept in the dark because the US knew London would oppose the assassination of General Soleimani, despite his involvement in numerous murderous operations against the West and its allies. I suspect they didnt tell us because they didnt want to put us in the position of saying no, the source said. The Prime Minister, who is holidaying on Mustique at a villa (above) with girlfriend Carrie Symonds, was kept informed of the developing situation by phone throughout yesterday But Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, criticised the US secrecy, saying: The purpose of having allies is that we can surprise our enemies and not each other. Mr Johnson made no public comment on the crisis and no minister took to the airwaves to set out the UKs response. One senior Tory MP urged the PM to return to take charge of the crisis, saying: Of course he should come back. The Governments reaction was limited to a short statement from Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, saying: We have always recognised the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds force led by Qassem Soleimani. Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests. Labour MP Stella Creasy called for an urgent statement from the PM or Foreign Secretary and suggested a recall of Parliament was needed before Tuesday, saying it was unsustainable for MPs to continue on holiday at a time of crisis. But Jeremy Corbyn was accused of taking the side of Iran after he condemned Donald Trump for his belligerent actions and rhetoric. The outgoing Labour leader described the assassination of Soleimani as an extremely serious and dangerous escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Former Armed Forces minister Mark Francois said of Mr Corbyn: It is unsurprising that a man with so many friends in Hamas and Hezbollah should side with the Iranian regime. Labour leadership hopeful Rebecca Long-Bailey, also attacked Mr Trump, tweeting that he is pushing us to the brink of another disastrous war. But former soldier Clive Lewis, who is also standing to replace Mr Corbyn, tweeted: I shed no tears for Soleimani, he was a cruel man who unleashed suffering for many. Mr Raab and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace were back at their desks in London yesterday, having cut short their Christmas holidays. Military chiefs were taking measures to increase the readiness of UK troops in the region amid fears of reprisals. Some 400 British troops are stationed in Iraq across four sites, including a handful in the UK embassy and at the Union III base in Baghdad. More than 200 are deployed in Camp Taji, north of the capital, along with US troops. Others are stationed in Erbil, northern Iraq, carrying out training. UK Special Forces are also in Syria although the exact numbers are unclear. The destroyer HMS Defender, the frigate HMS Montrose and four minesweepers are deployed to the Gulf to protect British-flagged shipping operating in the Strait of Hormuz from the Iranian threat. Sachin Pilot said it was not a small incident and also stressed that accountability for the entire episode should be fixed. Kota: Criticising his government over the deaths of 107 children in Kota's state-run JK Lon Hospital, Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Saturday said their response to the infant deaths could have been more sensitive. He said it was not a small incident and also stressed that accountability for the entire episode should be fixed. As many as 107 children have died in the hospital. This is very painful. Our response to the entire matter was not satisfactory to some extent. The response could have been more sensitive and we should have been more compassionate, the deputy chief minister told reporters. Pilot, who is also Congress' state party chief, had earlier visited some of the families who lost their children and also went to the hospital. The underprivileged people are dependent on these hospitals. They have lost their children and do not accept the argument about how many deaths occurred earlier and how many have died now, the deputy chief minister said. We have to fix accountability. After 13 months of being in government, it may not serve any purpose to keep pointing towards the previous government. That government was voted out and we were voted in. We have to face responsibility and consequences. People expect us to deliver, he said. When asked how the Congress high command was looking at the matter, Pilot said Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi was very concerned about it. She is very concerned. Not just her, but the state and entire country is concerned. It is not a small incident but a heart wrenching matter. The entire country has shaken up, the 42-year-old said. When asked about Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's statement on Friday that the number of deaths of children has reduced in Congress rule, Pilot said, Whatever I am saying, I am saying with full responsibility. On Friday, Gehlot had claimed in Jodhpur that deaths of infants happened even during the BJP's tenure but their number had reduced under the Congress rule. State Health Minister Raghu Sharma also visited the hospital in Kota on Friday and blamed the BJP for politicising the matter. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also met some families of the victims and expressed grief over the deaths. Birla consoled the grieving family members by paying a visit to their homes. BUENA VISTA TWP., MI A proposal to merge Buena Vista Charter Townships police and fire departments was met with opposition from concerned residents at a Friday afternoon town hall, with township officials and workers struggling to find consensus. The proposal, according to a presentation by township Supervisor Christina Dillard, would consolidate the two departments into one public safety department, with some police officers training to also fight fires. The new department would have two full-time and one part-time fire positions, down from eight full-time fire positions. To compensate, the proposal would increase the number of volunteer paid on-call," or POC, firefighters from 11 to 20. The Buena Vista Board of Trustees tabled action on the proposal at its last meeting after community backlash. In her presentation, Dillard said the township will not be able to sustain its budget in the near future without changes. We are looking for ways as a township to not only save money, but to be a township in the future, Dillard said. Operating how we are right now, we wont make it. Arguments from those in attendance, many of them current or retired public safety officials, had a range of oppositions to the proposal. Some were concerned a lapse in the townships fire safety would lead to higher insurance rates and hurt area business in a time when the township, with a population that is both aging and shrinking, needs to attract more development. Many said they do not want to lose the quality of service Buena Vista current has. Noel Wagner, a medical director overseeing EMS in Saginaw County, said the townships cardiac arrest survival rate is almost four times the state average. From my perspective... Buena Vista has been the crown jewel of Saginaw County, Wagner said. If I go down right now, my chances of living are better because I went down in Buena Vista. Matthew Dennings, a Carrollton firefighter, said he volunteers with the Buena Vista department as a POC. He was skeptical the department could find enough volunteer firefighters to keep the departments response time acceptable. He said only four of the departments current POCs show up regularly, two of them are at least 70 years old, and none of them are Buena Vista residents. Living outside of the township, hes at least 12 minutes away from the station, much less the scene, he said. We dont have the residents in BV (for) volunteers, Dennings said. ...Well take any ideas you want to throw to help recruit more people. Dan Evans, a retired Buena Vista firefighter of 23 years, said Buena Vista police are already overworked and putting firefighting responsibilities on them, including hundreds of hours of extra training, was unfeasible and could lead to the townships remaining police officers leaving. We want to put an additional 2,000 calls a year on a police department where... most times, you have two police officers covering 36 square miles? Evans said. You cant expect our police officers to take that kind of a beating, they take a beating bad enough." Fire Chief Aaron Hoeppner shared many of the concerns, expressed a willingness to negotiate with the trustees, echoing suggestions such as regionalizing the department. Most of the department, him included, would be willing to make concessions rather than lose their jobs, he said. The township has contract negotiations scheduled with the police department next week, Superintendent Torrie McAfee said. To preserve the townships pension funding, something will have to give, whether or not the proposal is accepted, she said. If we dont go to this, somehow, someway, there are cuts coming on both sides, Police Chief Reggie Williams said. Were going to lose bodies, one way or another." By Ezgi Erkoyun and Makiko Yamazaki ISTANBUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - A Turkish private jet operator said on Friday that ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn used two of its planes illegally in his escape from Japan, with an employee falsifying lease records to exclude his name from the documents. MNG Jet said it had filed a criminal complaint over the incident, a day after Turkish police detained seven people, including four pilots, as part of an investigation into Ghosn's passage through Istanbul en route to Lebanon. Ghosn has become an international fugitive after he revealed on Tuesday he had fled to Lebanon to escape what he called a "rigged" justice system in Japan, where he faces charges relating to alleged financial crimes. Lebanon on Thursday received an Interpol arrest warrant for Ghosn, whose surprise escape from his home in Tokyo to a separate home in Beirut has not been fully explained. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the diminutive Ghosn slipped out of Japan aboard a private jet hidden in a large black case typically used to carry audio gear. He was accompanied by a pair of men with names matching those of American security contractors, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with Turkey's probe into the escape. Japanese public broadcaster NHK, citing investigative sources, said a surveillance camera captured the former Nissan Motor Co chairman leaving his Tokyo residence alone shortly before his escape. The security footage was taken by a camera installed at his house in central Tokyo around noon on Sunday, and the camera did not show him returning home, NHK said. By early Monday, he had touched down in Istanbul. MNG Jet said in its statement it leased two jets to two different clients in agreements that "were seemingly not connected to each other." One plane flew from Osaka to Istanbul, the other from Istanbul to Beirut. "The name of Mr Ghosn did not appear in the official documentation of any of the flights," it said. Story continues "After having learnt through the media that the leasing was benefiting Mr. Ghosn and not the officially declared passengers, MNG Jet launched an internal inquiry and filed a criminal complaint in Turkey," it added. An employee admitted to falsifying the records and confirmed he "acted in his individual capacity," the company said. The pilots and other detainees, including two airport ground staff and one cargo worker, were sent to court on Friday after giving statements to police, according to a Reuters witness. Late on Friday the court ruled to formally arrest five of the suspects, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported. The other two suspects were released from custody, according to media reports. Turkish interior ministry spokesman Ismail Catakli told reporters earlier on Friday that Ghosn was believed to have been transferred through the cargo section of the airport in Istanbul, but did not provide further details. Ghosn has said he will speak publicly about his escape on Jan. 8. Some Lebanese media, in reports similar to the Wall Street Journal, have floated a Houdini-like account of Ghosn being packed in a wooden container for musical instruments after a private concert in his home, but his wife has called the account "fiction". NHK said police suspected Ghosn may have left his home to meet up with someone before heading to an airport. Under the terms of his bail, Ghosn was required to have security cameras installed at the entrance of his house. (Writing by Jonathan Spicer and Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan, Jon Boyle and Tom Brown) As we start the year of the once-a-decade US Census, its an appropriate time to start looking at some of the ways and the purposes for which data including drivers license data is used and shared by the Bureau of the Census. State agencies that issue drivers licenses want us not to object to their demands for more and more personal information about matters unrelated to driving digital photos, scans of birth certificates and social security cards, etc. in order to obtain drivers licenses that comply with the Federal REAL-ID Act. State driver licensing agencies say we shouldnt worry notwithstanding the requirement of the REAL-ID Act that drivers license and state ID data be made available electronically to all other states because this data will only be shared as permitted by law. But what does that mean? What sharing of this data does the law permit? Recent reports show that drivers license data can be, and is, widely shared with both commercial entities and Federal agencies including the Bureau of the Census, which will be conducting the decennial census in 2020 for purposes unrelated to motor vehicle operation or drivers licenses. Both Federal and state agencies say that all of this is permitted by the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). According to reports by Vice.com based on responses to requests for state public records, selling drivers license data to for-profit businesses, mainly private investigators and debt collectors, is a major profit center for state driver licensing agencies. In California alone, the state Department of Motor Vehicles is making $50 million dollars a year selling drivers personal information to businesses for their private, commercial uses. Theres nothing illegal about this, says the DMV. Meanwhile, those same state agencies are using automated facial recognition software to search their databases of digital photos of drivers for persons of interest to Federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other components of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This too is legal, they say. Data about drivers licenses issued to undocumented California residents who might wrongly think they had opted out of, or been excluded from, REAL-ID Act data sharing has been used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify, track down, and deport immigrants. And now the Bureau of the Census has asked all state driver licensing agencies to voluntarily share data about all drivers and holders of state ID cards including their citizenship status and race. This is the same Bureau of the Census that used its records to create house-by-house and person-by-person lists of Japanese-Americans (most of whom were US citizens) to be rounded up and shipped to concentration camps in 1943. Maine has said, no to the Census Bureau. Some other states including Texas are still considering how to respond. But Nebraska and possibly other states have already agreed to give the Census Bureau everything it has asked for. Its not clear whether the Census Bureau will pay these states for their collaboration, or whether these states are themselves bearing the costs of helping the Feds track people by race and nationality. The only real impediment to commercial or Federal use of drivers license data is that it has to be obtained separately from each state. Thats why uploading this data to the SPEXS national ID database, as will eventually be required for any state that wants to comply with the REAL-ID act, is so significant. Because SPEXS is an aggregated national ID database, commercial requesters or Federal agencies can get whatever data is included in SPEXS without having to make separate requests to each state. Because SPEXS is outsourced to a contractor for a nominally non-governmental entity, AAMVA, law enforcement agencies can obtain information from AAMVA and/or the contractor while ordering AAMVA and the contractor not to tell the states of this data about the request. And because AAMVA isnt subject to any of the laws governing government agencies, and has no meaningful privacy policies of its own, individuals whose data is passed on via SPEXS to other commercial or government entities have no meaningful recourse. States should not share drivers license or ID data with businesses, Federal agencies, or SPEXS. The U.S. killing of Irans top general in a drone strike has many in the Bay Areas Iranian American community on edge about retaliatory attacks that could spiral into war, endangering family and friends in the Middle East or even in America. Its kind of a scary time for all of us Persians or Iranian Americans, said Dornaz Memarzia, a member of the Bay Area Iranian community and a former activist. This is not a good time for us. Tensions in Iran had already been steadily escalating since 2018, when President Trump pulled the United States out of an international deal to limit Irans nuclear capabilities and reimposed economic sanctions against the countrys oil, financial, shipping and shipbuilding industries. But the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and five other military leaders in a drone attack Thursday near the Baghdad airport pushed things to a new stress level. Iranian leaders have vowed retribution for the killings, and Memarzia and others with family in Iran fear that could lead to a cycle of retaliation between the U.S. and Iran that might turn into war. Making the stress even worse, Memarzia said, is that the Bay Area Iranian community is divided over the killing of Soleimani and may become more divided with the rising anxieties. Most considered him a bad man responsible for the deaths of many American troops, but not everyone thought killing him now was strategically smart. Some are for regime change; they want the regime gone and they consider this a good thing, she said. On the other hand, this was such a reckless move by the Trump administration without getting any approval from Congress or advice from foreign policy advisers. Memarzia, whose grandparents live in Iran, said she is worried about them and that their lives have already been made difficult by the sanctions. Increased U.S. involvement in Iran would only further destabilize an already precarious situation, she said. The act that happened last night, many Iranians are approving that, she said Friday. They are fed up with the regime, all the economic sanctions, all the mismanagement and corruption. But they dont consider the consequences. Look what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan after U.S. intervention. Abbas Milani, head of the Iranian studies program at Stanford University, said the attack on Soleimani may further destabilize an already volatile situation. Despite Trumps claims that hes not trying to overthrow the ruling regime, that seems to be his intention, Milani said. I dont think too many people expected the U.S. would take this action, he said. This was the most serious escalation of this low-key war thats been going on for almost 40 years between the U.S. and Iran. This is the most glaring, blatant act of war against Iran, taking out the second-most powerful man in the country. Trump has said he ordered Soleimanis killing to prevent an attack on American troops. Milani said the administration could have taken other steps short of the drone strike to protect its troops and bases. Among Bay Area residents, he said, the most common reaction is fear for what this could mean for their family and friends in Iran, and what it could mean for the U.S. Activists in the U.S. are planning protests across the country to decry the drone strike. The Answer Coalition and Code Pink have scheduled a demonstration outside of the Powell Street BART Station in San Francisco for noon Saturday, and others are planned over the weekend in dozens of American cities. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. San Francisco police said Friday that they were stepping up security measures while monitoring the situation in Iran. We have deployed additional resources to key locations throughout the city, the department said in a statement. At this time, we do not have any credible threats. In Los Angeles, home to the nations largest Iranian American community, the Los Angeles Police Department delivered a similar message Thursday night. This Department is committed to ensuring the safety of our vibrant and diverse community, and we ask every Angeleno to say something if you see something, the LAPD tweeted. New York City officials also said they were on alert. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Anna Bauman contributed to this report. Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com The father-of-one is pictured with his wife above. He was shot in Battersea on Christmas Eve A Swedish criminal gang involved with a series of killings in the Costa del Sol have been linked to the Christmas Eve murder of a father in front of his family. Flamur Beqiri, 36, was with his wife and child outside his 1.7million home in Battersea, south west London when he was shot dead at about 9pm on December 24. Now the Metropolitan Police are looking into whether Swedish national Mr Beqiri was a target due to links to organised crime groups in his home town of Malmo. Mr Beqiri, who described himself as a record industry executive, was associated with a gang boss who is currently fighting a turf war with a competing group who have been terrorising the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, the Mirror reported. Los Suecos, or 'the Swedes', are suspected to have ordered kidnappings, shootings, the torching of beachfront eateries and the bombing of their rivals' warehouses. Amir Mekky, the 22-year-old gang leader, has been on the run since escaping a raid by 120 Spanish police on his hideout in November 2018. He was shot in the leg and three associates of his were murdered in Malmo five months earlier. Police chief Marcos de Miguel from the Costa del Sol's organised crime unit called Mekky 'very dangerous' after issuing a warrant for his arrest. Flamur Beqiri, 36, was shot dead while walking along a street in Battersea, south-west London, with his wife Debora Krasniqi and young son. They are pictured together above Amir Mekky (pictured left), the 22-year-old gang leader of Los Suecos, or 'the Swedes', has been on the run since escaping a raid by 120 Spanish police on his hideout in November 2018. Reports have claimed that police previously linked Los Suecos to Ridouan Taghi (right) - head of the 'Angels of Death' gang - who is thought to be responsible for 20 murders Swedish sources said it is thought the hit was ordered by the gang linked to Mr Beqiri. Mr Beqiri's neighbours heard five shots - four in quick succession, reportedly fired into Beqiri's back, and after he fell to the ground another was unloaded into his head at point-blank range before the assassin fled. The Albanian-born immigrant was left in a pool of blood as his wife, Debora Krasniqi, screamed for help. Despite the best efforts of a nurse who lived nearby and a team of paramedics whose ambulance arrived a few minutes later, he was beyond help. They pronounced him dead at the scene. Scotland Yard are yet to reveal if they are working with Spanish authorities as part of the probe into Mr Beqiri's death. It is understood that the National Crime Agency is helping murder squad officers liaise with forces in Europe. Los Suecos were linked to the 2018 murder of 37-year-old cocaine trafficker David Avila Ramos, known as 'Maradona' in Marbella's drug underworld, who was shot dead as he left his son's first communion ceremony, the Olive Press reported. Los Suecos were linked to the 2018 murder of 37-year-old cocaine trafficker David Avila Ramos (pictured centre), known as 'Maradona' in Marbella's drug underworld, who was shot dead as he left his son's first communion ceremony Pictured is the crime scene where he was murdered on Christmas Eve. It is pictured on December 27 The scene outside the family home of Beqiri, 36, who was peppered with bullets in front of his wife and child outside 1.7million family home He died in front of his wife and young children, who were in the car when he was gunned down. Los Suecos are also suspected of carrying out the killing of 34-year-old Sofian Ahmed Barrak, also known as 'El Zocato', who was shot nine times. Barrak was a primary mover of Moroccan hashish into Europe after being tricked into meeting with a messenger outside his home in El Campanario, Estepona. Reports have claimed that police in Spain previously linked Los Suecos to Dutchman of Moroccan heritage Ridouan Taghi - head of the 'Angels of Death' gang - who is thought to be responsible for 20 murders. The father was one of the most wanted men in Sweden and alleged to have lead a drugs gang Taghi was the Netherlands' most wanted man at the time of his arrest in Dubai last month during a major international manhunt. The Met's Insp Jamie Stevenson is investigating whether Mr Beqiri's murder was a 'targeted attack'. He said: 'We believe Flamur may possibly have been involved in some criminality in Sweden, and are in liaison with our Swedish counterparts to try to understand what, if any, incidents there may have been that might have led to someone seeking retribution against Flamur in the UK.' A friend of Mr Beqiri, 33-year-old Naief Adawi, was the target of a gangland shooting outside a Malmo falafel shop last August. He had handed his two-month-old baby to his wife Karolin Hakim, 31, and fled. Mrs Hakim, a doctor, was shot in the head during the attack, but the father and child survived. Mr Beqiri had been named as one of Sweden's most wanted men in 2008 when detectives said he was involved in a drug ring that had smuggled 2million worth of cannabis. He went on the run for almost two years but eventually handed himself in to Swedish police, and after a brief stint in custody and a bizarre legal wrangle, he was acquitted of drug offences but convicted of lesser charges and given a suspended sentence and a fine. Prison sources quoted in the Swedish press said Beqiri and his associates promptly resumed their lucrative criminal trade before they fell into a turf war with rival groups seeking to control the cocaine and cannabis routes from Morocco, via Spain, to Beqiri's home city of Malmo. Beqiri took up residence in London in about 2015 after apparently receiving 'death threats'. Mr Beqiri had been taken as a child from then-communist Albania, via Kosovo to Sweden's third-largest city, where his (now divorced) parents Jakup and Ramize still live. Irked at not being made a minister in the Maharashtra government, Congress MLA from Jalna Kailash Gorantyal on Saturday said he would resign from party posts along with several office-bearers and workers. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had, on Monday, expanded his council of ministers by inducting 26 Cabinet and 10 ministers of state. Gorantyal said the decision was taken at a meeting of the district Congress committee on Saturday. "I will meet Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Balasaheb Thorat and submit my resignation from party posts. Party members of the Jalna Municipal Council, Zilla Parishad will also submit their resignations along with me," he said. The MLA claimed Congress functionaries of all tehsils in Jalna had already quit. "The party has neglected me and not given me justice," he added. Gorantyal had defeated Shiv Sena's Arjun Khotkar in the October Assembly polls. City Congress president Shaikh Mahmood said Gorantyal was a three-time MLA and was also councillor earlier and had worked hard to strengthen the party in the district. "We have decided to tender our resignations to the party leadership," Mahmood said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category What We Know About Successor to Murdered Iranian Quds Force Leader, Esmail Ghaani Sputnik News 18:24 03.01.2020 Ghaani's predecessor, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force General Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a US airstrike early on 3 January as he was reportedly travelling by car from Baghdad International Airport. The US justified the attack by claiming that they were defending their own diplomatic personnel in Iraq. Esmail Ghaani, a deputy to recently assassinated Qasem Soleimani, was named the new head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign operations branch, the Quds Force, just hours after the incident at Baghdad International Airport, according to Iran's Press TV news agency. Here is what we know so far about the new leader of one of Iran's most powerful military branches: While announcing Ghaani's new position, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that he would continue the policy of now deceased Soleimani. The fact that Ghaani had served as Soleimani's deputy ever since the latter took the lead of Iran's elite force in 1997 only adds to the view that the Quds Force's tactics won't change under its new chief. In his previous role, Ghaani was reportedly tasked with overseeing various financial operations related to the Quds Force's operations. The new Quds Force leader has also taken a tough stance on the US in the past, cautioning President Donald Trump in 2017 against "any military action against Iran", promising that he would regret it. Esmail Ghaani was added to the US Specially Designated Nationals list, used to impose sanctions on those whom Washington regards as terrorists, on 27 March 2012. Ghaani served during most of the Iran-Iraq War that lasted between September 1980 and August 1988. Assassination of Soleimani Former leader of the IRGC's Quds Force Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike early on 3 January. Washington justified the move with the need to protect its diplomatic personnel in Iraq after the American Embassy in Baghdad was besieged for two days in a row by, as the US claimed, Iranian-backed militia members. The protesters opposed the American airstrikes in Syria and Iraq late in December 2019. The killing of Soleimani was harshly condemned by Iranian leaders, with President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowing to "avenge" the US' "terrible crime". A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee advised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to not announce any more corporate tax cuts in the upcoming Budget 2020. Banerjee and fellow Nobel laureate Esther Duflo on Friday attended an event and were part of 'The Juggernaut Dialogue' session moderated by Prannoy Roy. During the session Banerjee said that the corporate world is not short of cash. "It needs to be understood that the corporate sector is not short of cash. Just that it is not investing. What you need to do is get the demand side going. Get the money in the hands of the people, and they will spend. This government has ensured that almost everybody has a bank account; therefore the infrastructure is in place. Several measures can be taken to arrest the downward slide of the economy," Banerjee said. Banerjee instead emphasised on the need to have a well-oiled machinery to provide relief to the distressed. "I don't think waivers are very efficient. If a drought destroys crops, only those farmers who had taken a loan would get a waiver, for others, there is absolutely nothing. They won't get any kind of relief," he said. He also said that it is wrong to assume that handouts to the poor made them lazy. "We have tested this theory across countries. Also, why do we always tend to blame these individuals when there are sharks all around? If the poor are given assets, for example cows and goats, and basic training to start a business, over a period of time they inculcate a confidence to stand on their feet and make ends meet. This was first tried in Bangladesh and seven other countries later," Banerjee said. Also read: 'Current banking crisis frightening, need aggressive changes,' says Abhijit Banerjee The Nobel laureate said that treating the economically backward as failures is just a very Victorian approach. Esther Duflo said that there is a gap when it comes to research and action. "Yes, sometimes there are clashes with policymakers, but then one has to be patient. In fact, we have noticed that they too are showing more interest. Whenever a policymaker wants to implement something, we can help with staffing to ensure that he has the right people to oversee things on the ground," she said. Banerjee also spoke about the Citizenship Amendment Act. He said, "It can be a frightening governance problem. I would be petrified if I was living in a border area. What is disturbing is the enormous power some people will have in their hands. Such decisions should not be made with a swift bill." The Nobel laureates donated their prize money to the Weiss Fund administered by Harvard for research in development economics. The duo along with Sendhil Mullainathan co-founded the Abdul Latin Jameel Poverty Action Lab also known as J-Pal, which conducts studies in 80 countries, with the largest set-up being in India boasting of 200 staff members. Also read: Abhijit Banerjee goes desi; picks dhoti and bandhgala to receive Nobel Prize 2019 in Sweden; watch video Also read: Who is Abhijit Banerjee? Indian-origin economist who has won Nobel Prize We already know that Prime Minister Boris Johnson, AKA BoJo, is promising British citizens a hard Brexit in 2020. That's the primary wish he'll fulfill for voters anxious to return to a sovereign Britain, one that's no longer a vassal of the micromanaging European Union. But there's another dream dear to the hearts of well over 50% of British citizens. They want relief from the 154.50 ($202.14) they're required to pay the British government annually for the privilege of owning a television set. The fee is used to pay for the BBC, a station that has lost all of its former cachet, whether as a purveyor of highbrow fare to the masses or as the innovative station that introduced the world to Monty Python. The BBC is now just a reliable outlet for hard-left worldviews on every subject. According to a YouGov poll, only 27% of people in Britain want to maintain the status quo. The largest number 50% want the BBC to compete in the free market like everyone else, either via advertising or subscriptions (a la Netflix or Hulu subscriptions). A mere 7% are open to the possibility of a general tax, rather than a fee; 2% had ideas too offbeat to mention; and a surprising 14% neither know nor care. (The last mentioned group probably gets all its news from the internet.) British discontent with having to pay a hefty fee for the "privilege" of watching television is nothing new. Already in 2015, the Telegraph, a conservative-leaning paper, published a short video explaining to the Brits, and everyone else, just how far-reaching the demand for a license is, as well as the limited options available for avoiding that license: Tommy Robinson, the working-class Brit who became a target of the British establishment, including the BBC, for calling out the way in which the establishment was working Muslims and sharia principles deep into the fiber of British life, prepared a whole video explaining citizens' rights when it comes to television licensing. His basic principle is that people should not have to pay for government propaganda aimed at destroying their political and social interests, not to mention their reputations. For BoJo, then, ending the license scheme is a winning issue, and he's promised to investigate its feasibility: The news [that the majority of British citizens hate paying a TV license] comes weeks after Boris Johnson while on the General Election campaign trail said the BBC licence fee is outdated and could be axed. He said he was looking at whether it made long-term sense to impose a 154.50 annual levy on all homes with TV sets and criticised the current enforcement regime which allows the corporation to prosecute non-payers. [snip] The Prime Minister made his unscheduled announcement about the BBC during a visit to a haulage firm in Washington, Tyne and Wear, deep in Labour's heartlands on December 9. Asked by a worker whether he would axe the BBC levy, he replied: 'How long can you justify a system whereby everybody who has a TV has to pay to fund a particular set of TV and radio channels? That is the question. 'At this stage, we are not planning to get rid of all TV licence fees, although I am certainly looking at it. 'What I will say is that I am under pressure not to extemporise policy on the hoof but you have to ask yourself whether that kind of approach to funding a TV, a media organisation, still makes sense in the long term, given the way other organisations manage to fund themselves. 'That is all I will say. I think the system of funding by what is effectively a general tax, isn't it, everybody has a TV, it bears reflection, let me put it that way.' The BBC is fighting back, promising reform. But when you're an entrenched, taxpayer-funded, elitist institution, somehow that reform is always more of the same. BoJo would be wise to listen to British citizens rather than to the BBC itself. Brad Pitt is opening up about his first kiss. During an interview for W Magazine, the 56-year-old Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor revealed his first kiss happened when he was in elementary school. 'Her name was Lisa. It was in her garage. Fourth grade. She was one street over, and I ran home afterward. I was pretty excitedthe anticipation was a bit nerve-wracking. A few kids were already in on it,' he revealed to the magazine. W Magazine: Brad Pitt opened up about his first kiss to W Magazine revealing that it happened in a garage while he was in grade school. The actor is pictured above on one of the many covers for the magazine Currently, the actor is featured on the outlet's best performance of 2019 list for his role in the movie, Once Upon a Timein Hollywood. 'The first time I read Once Upon a Timein Hollywood, I was summoned by the wild and wonderful Quentin Tarantino to his house. We went out on his back porch and there was a pretty clean script, and I read it,' he explained during his brief interview. 'Several weeks later, I was called back to the house, and that same script was dog-eared, coffee stained, and spaghetti sauced. So many people had been through it. Quentin was on the search to find two guys who would match up well.' Looking good: The actor stepped out for the AFI Awards in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon while rocking a chic suit and sunglasses When asked if he knew he always wanted to be an actor he said: 'I wanted to be Evel Knievel or Muhammad Ali. On Wide World of Sports, I saw this ski jumper who wiped out in horrible defeat. I had my sights on something like that. Yeahit looked cool. That was it for me.' He also revealed that he spontaneously attended two proms before going on a '20-year hiatus where I didn't dance at all.' The star also added that although he has taken a break from showing off his moves, he isn't saying no forever: 'And now I kind of see dance as my future. I know Ill be throwing arms out of joint and dislocating things, but yeah, I feel like Ive got the green light in my soul to explore dance.' And while he may be done dancing his heart out, the Oscar winning actor is currently gearing up for his appearance at the Golden Globe Awards this weekend. Former flames: These two former love birds will soon find themselves in the same room again while attending the Golden Globe Awards this Sunday. Brad is pictured above with his ex Jennifer Aniston The producer is currently nominated for his role in the Quentin Tarantino film as well as presenting an award during the ceremony. This year will also bring Pitt and his famous ex Jennifer Aniston together under one roof as they will both attend the show as newly singles following his divorce from his other famous ex-wife, Angelina Jolie in 2016. Together both Angelina and Brad share their six children: Maddox, 18, Pax, 16, Zahara, 14, Shiloh, 13, and Vivienne and Knox, 11. The Golden Globes are set to air on Sunday at 8 p.m. Back then: Brad and his ex-wife Angelina Jolie post together back in 2015 at the premiere of By the Sea Saudi Electricity Company Jobs 2020 For Saudi Arabia Latest Al Shughla Overseas Employment Promoters Labor Posts Saudi Arabia 2022 A large and well known Saudi Electricity Company requires the services of experienced and technical persons for the posts of Electrician, Electrician Helper, Heavy Driver, HTV Driver, Trala Driver, Damper Driver & Shuttering Carpenter in Saudi Arabia. How to Apply on Al Shughla Overseas Employment Promoters 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 an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. EPA Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that the airstrike that killed a top Iranian general in Iraq was approved by Donald Trump due to imminent threats to American lives. Mr Pompeo said hours after the attack that he had spoken with the governments of several world powers about the attack on Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, and described the action in one message as defensive. He claimed that the US, shortly after the attack that killed one of the most powerful military officials in the region, was committed to de-escalation. We want the American people to know that there was an imminent attack taking place, Mr Pompeo said during an appearance on CNN, adding to a series of comments he had made through his Twitter account on Friday morning. US government officials repeatedly claimed that there was evidence that such an attack was going to take place. But, little evidence or intelligence was immediately made available publicly. ....of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself. While Iran will never be able to properly admit it, Soleimani was both hated and feared within the country. They are not nearly as saddened as the leaders will let the outside world believe. He should have been taken out many years ago! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2020 The killing of Soleimani, the head of Irans elite military force, at the Baghdad airport has raised concerns around the globe that his death could lead to destabilisation in the region, and appears to have increased the possibility of an outright military confrontation between the United States and Iran. But, even as the US embassy in Baghdad was urging all American citizens to leave the region immediately, Mr Pompeo said during an interview with CNN that the action against Soleimani was one that made Americans and the region were much more safe. Story continues The worlds a much safer place today and I can assure you that Americans in the region are much safer today after the demise of Qasem Soleimani, he said. Shortly after the death, tens of thousands of anti-America protesters were seen in the streets of Iran. On Iranian state television, Soleimanis killing was described as the biggest calculation by the US since the Second World War. The people of the region will no longer allow Americans to stay, the network said. "Harsh vengeance awaits the criminals that got his and other martyrs' blood on their evil hands in last night's incident," said Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader. Pompeo just said Americans in the region are much safer today. Thats obviously not true. We are immediately evacuating all Americans from Iraq. At this perilous moment, the Administrarion must be truthful about what they did and the consequences. This isnt a good start. https://t.co/MLcC6wqXZn Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 3, 2020 The killing has been met with delicate statements from many world leaders, with UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab saying that Britain recognised the aggressive threat posed by Soleimani, but said further conflict is in none of our interests. Likewise, Germany expressed concern alongside a qualified understanding of the action, with a spokesperson saying it was a reaction to a whole series of military provocations for which Iran bears responsibility, according to the Associated Press. The attack was met with concern from China, Russia and France a group that represents the majority of the permanent members of the UN security council who said the actions made the world more perilous. We are waking up in a more dangerous world. Military escalation is always dangerous, Amelie de Montchalin, Frances deputy minister for foreign affairs, told RTL radio. When such actions, such operations, take place, we see that escalation is under way. Read more Trump is starting a war with Iran whether by accident or design US urges citizens to leave Iraq immediately after killing of general Irans allies promise revenge for US killing of top general Assassination of Iran general likely to weaken Trumps hand in Iraq New Delhi, Jan 4 : As US President Donald Trump accused the slain Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani of being responsible for terrorist plots in Delhi, Indian security establishment said they are revisiting the 2012 bombing of a car of the wife of the Israeli Defence Attache in New Delhi. The Indian investigators in 2012 had stated that five members of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were involved in the attack. Indian security agencies had arrested a senior journalist Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kazmi, who later got bail in the case from the court. "The case is pending trial and charges are yet to be framed against Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kazmi. The next date of hearing in the case is in February, 2020," said a senior IPS officer. Fifty-year-old Kazmi, an Indian national freelancing for Radio Tehran and Iranian news agency IRNA, was arrested from outside the India Islamic International Centre in March, 2012. Kazmi had refuted all allegations and had moved the court. Then Israeli Defence Attache to India Tal Yehoshua Koren was injured and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel. Her driver and two bystanders were also injured in the attack on February 13, 2012. The attacker used a sticky bomb which was attached to the moving vehicle with a magnet. Manoj Sharma, the 44-year-old driver of the car, and two occupants of another car, Arun Sharma and Manjeet Singh, had received splinter injuries. The blast happened near a petrol station about 3 pm, barely 200 metres from the Prime Minister's residence. The car, a Toyota Innova, went up in flames and was completely burnt down in the attack. The case was given to Delhi Police's anti-terror unit's Special Cell which, after three weeks of probe, arrested Kazmi. He was accused of facilitating the Iranian accused, who after carrying out the attack fled India. Unraveling the conspiracy behind the attack, a top IPS officer told IANS that Iranian citizen and IRGC bomber Hoshang Afshar Irani carried out the attack allegedly with the help of Kazmi and that he was the bomber. The officer stated that IRGC members planned to attack the Israeli diplomats in India by taking help of Kazmi in January 2011, after Iranian scientists had been attacked allegedly by the Israelis. The cops had claimed that Kazmi was in touch with these people for years. Irani, the prime suspect, was in India plotting the attack between April 24 and May 6 in 2011. After doing the groundwork then, he came back on January 1 2012 and left Delhi immediately after carrying out the blast on February 13, 2012. He had stayed in room number 305 of Hotel High 5 Land in Karol Bagh. The police had then sought certain information from Malaysia, Iran, Thailand and Georgia as Iranian hand was suspected in similar attacks on Jewish targets in these countries. From Iran, Delhi Police had then sought more details of five IRGC members, including the main suspect Irani, Ali Akbar Norouzishayan, claimed to be a retired accountant in Tehran, Sedaghatzadeh Masoud, a sales employee in Tehran, Syed Ali Mahdiansadr, a shopkeeper in Tehran and Mohammad Reza Abolghasemi, a clerk in Tehran's water supply authority. A Delhi Police team had visited Iran twice, but they were not provided any information about the case, source said. The police have found a link between the attacks in Delhi and Malaysia. Two persons from Iran were arrested in Thailand for plotting an attack while another was arrested from Malaysia. "The person apprehended in Malaysia had applied for an Indian visa from the Indian embassy in Iran. He has mentioned his contact number on the visa form. This number was found contacting an Indian number, which was being used by Irani," the police stated. The special cell stated that Kazmi was in constant touch with Irani when he was in Delhi planning the attack. The police had also stated that Kazmi helped the bomber do a recce of the Israeli Embassy and kept tabs on the movement of diplomats there. Georgia and Thailand shared information with the Special Cell, but Iran never shared information sought in the case. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) A population Census is the process of collecting, compiling, analysing and disseminating demographic, social, cultural and economic data relating to all persons in the country, at regular intervals. The earliest known census was conducted in Babylon some 5,800 years ago, and later censuses were conducted in the Mauryan Empire as was described in Chanakyas Arthashastra (circa 350-283 BC) which required inventorying of the population as a measure of state policy and for taxation. In the modern era, seven censuses were conducted in the pre-independence period in India starting 1872 and seven have been conducted in the post-independence period starting 1951. India thus has a long history of evidence-based policymaking through Census data. Never has there been any controversy over the collection of Census data. This is because people trusted the governments intentions to put the data to constructive use. But the 2021 Census will be conducted along with the National Population Register (NPR). The NPR is a register of the usual residents of the country that ostensibly facilitates targeted policy interventions and reduces leakages in the welfare system. But the NPR is being linked to the BJPs longstanding commitment to a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC), which involves a scrutiny of peoples claim to Indian citizenship. This has the citizenry up in arms due to legitimate concerns that this data will be used to divide people further based on their faith and will disadvantage certain minority groups. It can be compared to the ignominious demonetisation saga that turned people into hoboes for their own hard-earned lifes savings. The resulting spontaneous protests shook the government to the extent that senior ministers clarified (misleadingly) that the government has not discussed the modalities of an NRC. But the government allocated funds for the Census and the NPR, whilst claiming there is no link between the NPR and the NRC. However, several sources point towards not only the BJPs commitment to the NRC, but also to a direct link between the NPR and the NRC. These sources include home ministry notifications, press releases, speeches made by the home minister and the minister of state for home affairs, written replies to questions in the Parliament, the party manifesto and speeches made at election rallies. The NDA government in December 2003 had notified the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 which explained the rules for the NPR and its link to the NRC. The notification stated: 3.(4) The Central government may decide a date by which the Population Register shall be prepared by collecting information relating to all persons who are usually residing within the jurisdiction of local registrar. 3.(5) The Local Register of Indian citizens shall contain details of persons after due verification made from the Population Register. 4.(3) For the purposes of preparation and inclusion in the Local Register of Indian Citizens, the particulars collected of every family and individual in the Population Register shall be verified and scrutinised by the local registrar 4.(4) During the verification process, particulars of such individuals, whose citizenship is doubtful, shall be entered by the local registrar with appropriate remark in the Population Register for further enquiry The Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government did not get re-elected to oversee the NPR and while the UPA did conduct the NPR, it did not scrutinise citizenship details. The Narendra Modi-led NDA government then updated the Population Register in 2015 and linked it with Aadhaar biometrics for about 40 per cent of the population. The government now intends to complete the process for the remainder of the population. Some will wonder why then is there a hue and cry, if exactly the same data has been collected before and the entire exercise carried out by different governments? This is because this government intends to conduct the exercise with a mala fide intention. This innocuous exercise to collect population data has been tweaked by the current government so as to provide a base for the NRC and to execute its majoritarian agenda. This round of the NPR requires respondents to furnish data on 21 criteria as against 15 criteria in the last NPR. And for the first time, respondents are to declare date and place of birth of both parents. This information assumes significance because of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act that stipulates that for people born after 1987, at least one parent must be a citizen. Other than changes to the NPR questionnaire, press releases by the home ministry along with answers by the then junior home minister in 2014 make it unambiguously clear that the NPR and the NRC are linked. A PIB press release by the home ministry on the November 26, 2014 states: The NPR is the first step towards creation of National Register of Indian Citizens by verifying the citizenship status of every usual resident. Further, the junior home minister, while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, stated: Government has decided to create National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) by verifying citizenship status of all persons in the NPR and issue National Identity Cards to all the citizens of India. Even the then home minister had stated inside the Rajya Sabha in 2014 that both the National Registration Authority and the UIDAI were summoned and told that with mutual coordination they have to ascertain the population of the country, and how many among those are actually the citizens of India. This enumeration exercise will then lead to an NPR through which we will be able to ensure who is a citizen of this country and who is not. Not only is the link between the NPR and the NRC very obvious, but the BJP-led governments ideological commitment to it is also unwavering. In 2003, the home minister, who had first notified the policy, had in the context of the NRC told states, immediate steps to identify irregular Bangladeshis, locate them and throw them out. The BJP manifesto for the 2019 general election too spelled out the governments intention to implement the NRC in a phased manner in other parts of the country. The current home ministers fondness for the NRC exercise needs no introduction. After making their intention to implement the NRC and the link between the NPR and the NRC being so unambiguously clear, any attempt now to deny it, or to de-link the two is clearly an attempt to hoodwink the public. The NRC process is not designed to make India stronger but accentuate through mala fide means the otherness of the other. Our colleagues at Rtl.lu visited Luxembourgish families living in Brazil. Around 300 Luxembourgish families left Luxembourg with the aim of travelling towards Brazil in the 19th century. Many never actually made it to South America. Today, an estimated 30,000-50,000 individuals with Luxembourgish roots are living in Brazil. As up until end of December 2018 it was possible for anyone with Luxembourgish ancestors alive in 1900 to claim Luxembourgish citizenship, loads of Brazilian families did some research and found out they actually had Luxembourgish family ancestors. Just a few years ago, many families found that they had Luxembourgish roots, as opposed to German ones, which they had originally believed was the case. A large number of Brazilians fulfilled their dream of acquiring a European passport in recent years. In Rtl.lu's third and last part of their Brazil series, they went and met with families who were able to get Luxembourgish citizenship, and young people eager to discover their new identities. In part two of the series, Rtl.lu visited Santa Catarina, in the south of Brazil to speak to families about how they feel about their Luxembourgish roots. Part one looks into families living in Luis Alves, also in the south of the country. Hearing the Luxembourgish national anthem in that part of Brazil is a rather common occurrence. The family of the mayor of Luis Alves moved to Brazil from Luxembourg in the first half of the 19. century. Interestingly, the previous three mayors also had Luxembourgish roots. Following Brazil's independence in 1822, the country actively looked for immigrants with the aim of boosting its agricultural economy. According to official records, Mathias Mombach from Echternach was the first Luxembourger to emigrate to Brazil. Many families moved to Brazil in the search for better conditions and, unsurprisingly, nicer weather. Trumbull health inspectors issued failing grades to two local eateries in December. Failing was Charleys Philly Steak for holding food at improper temperatures and Parker Steaks & Scotch for having deeply dented cans on the shelf. The cans were discarded during the inspectors visit, according to the report. Although seemingly a minor violation, dented cans are a significant health concern. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends discarding any can with a dent more than a finger-width deep, and any can with a dent on any seam. By PTI MUMBAI: A 32-year-old man was arrested from West Bengal allegedly killing a bar waitress in the northern suburb of Dahisar here, police said on Friday. The body of Rosina Shaikh was found in her rented flat in Jankalyan Nagar on December 29, said an official. He identified the accused as Swapan Paresh Roidas, a resident of Howrah in the eastern state, working in a jewellery polishing unit here. "We found two glasses and a bottle of vodka in her room. We traced the wine shop from where it was bought with the help of batch and other details on the liquor label. The shop's CCTV had captured Roidas' image. Her call records showed she was constantly in touch with Roidas," he said. "Gold, cash, mobile phone was missing from the flat and it seemed it was a murder committed for robbery. However, Roidas has told us he was in a relationship with the victim and the latter was threatening to disclose it to his wife, so he killed her," he said. Technical surveillance showed he was in Kolkata, after which a Dahisar police team reached there and arrested Roidas, the official added. You are here: Business China's banking regulator unveiled revised management regulations for foreign banks to advance opening up of the banking sector to a higher level and promote its high-quality development. Foreign banks can establish branches and wholly foreign-owned banks at the same time on the Chinese mainland, according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. The requirement on total assets for foreign banks to establish business institutions in China was eliminated, and the selection range of the Chinese major shareholder of the Sino-foreign joint venture banks was widened. The regulations delegated and adjusted parts of the approval authority regarding the qualifications of the directors and the senior management personnel in foreign banks and the opening of the branches. Review requirements related to equity management, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing were also added in the regulations. An online campaign led by comedian Celeste Barber to raise money for volunteer firefighters has raised more than $18 million. More than 410,000 people from around the world have pledged millions of dollars to the NSW Rural Fire Service in two days after Barbers plea for donations, "Please help anyway you can. This is terrifying", was posted on social media. Barber posted images of her mother-in-laws house at Eden on the NSW South Coast on Friday, with the sky turned orange by the bushfires, and the words: "It's terrifying. They are scared. They need your help." Her family were later evacuated. Facebook users from as far afield as Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Canada and the Czech Republic responded to Barber's fundraising campaign with donations. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for better protection for delivery drivers after a moped rider was stabbed to death in London. The MP visited the scene of a knife attack in Finsbury Park in which a 30-year-old man was killed on Friday night, sparking the Metropolitan Police's first murder investigation of 2020. The victim was found on Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road at around 6.50pm. Friends at the scene on Friday said he was Algerian and worked for Deliveroo and UberEats as a delivery driver. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who is leading the investigation, confirmed his next of kin have been informed but that a post-mortem and formal identification have yet to take place. Speaking at the scene on Saturday, Mr Corbyn, whose Islington North constituency includes Finsbury Park, said: 'I am totally shocked. This is a very close-knit community, and this is yet another stabbing on the streets of London. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn consoles Deliveroo rider Zakaria Gherabi, aged 37, during a media interview today at the scene of Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park, after a man was stabbed to death in north London on Friday evening Mr Gherabi is pictured showing Corbyn images of his injuries from being attacked in the past during a media interview in Finsbury Park today Images show the extent of Mr Gherabi's injuries after he was attacked in October last year Friend of the victim Zakaria Gherabi: 'The job is not safe. I don't feel safe doing it' Deliveroo and Uber driver Zakaria Gherabi, 37, who knew the victim as 'Taki', also attended the scene on Saturday. He said he has been the victim of attacks while working as a delivery driver, including in October last year when his attacker punched him in the eye and dislocated his socket. Mr Gherabi said: 'My attackers are still on the streets. The police do nothing. 'It happens. Nobody is going to save you. The company does not care, we are self-employed, but the food we are carrying is insured. 'I knew the victim. He did not do anything, he was a good guy. He was stabbed to death on these busy streets. 'The job is not safe. I don't feel safe doing it.' Advertisement 'People should not be carrying knives. A human life has been taken. 'There are a lot of people working as delivery drivers, they must have better conditions of employment and employers must take more responsibility for their safety too. 'Police cuts have meant fewer officers on the streets, and this raises issues of safety in the community in general.' He added: 'Delivery drivers do a great job in London all of the time. Yet they are vulnerable. 'They're often on zero-hour contracts, yet the food they are carrying is insured. 'So the delivery driver is less valuable than the food they are carrying. 'We need to end the whole culture of gig employment.' DCI John said: 'The investigation is at a very early stage. It would appear at this time that an altercation has taken place between the victim, who was riding a motorcycle, and the driver of another vehicle in the vicinity of Lennox Road and Charteris Road, Finsbury Park.' He added: 'The incident itself appears at this early stage to have been spontaneous and not connected to, or as a result of, anything other than a traffic altercation. 'Specialist officers are working extremely hard to build a clear picture of what happened and I would encourage anyone who may have seen the incident or has information to come forward. Corbyn and Islington Council leader Richard Watts (centre) visit the scene of Charteris Road where a man was fatally stabbed yesterday Mr Gherabi is pictured at the scene of Friday night's Finsbury Park knifing today 'A forensic examination of the scene has been undertaken and I expect the road to reopen very soon.' On Friday, fellow delivery riders gathered in Stroud Green Road said he had been the victim of a road rage attack following an altercation with a car driver. A witness said the driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy and did not try to steal his moped from him. No arrests have been made and inquiries continue, the Met said. Fellow delivery riders gathered in Finsbury Park, where the 30-year-old was fatally stabbed, said he had been the victim of a road rage attack following an altercation with a car driver. Mr Corbyn, whose Islington North constituency includes Finsbury Park, told reporters today: 'I am totally shocked. This is a very close-knit community, and this is yet another stabbing on the streets of London Mr Gherabi, 37, (pictured) who knew the victim as 'Taki', said he has been the victim of attacks while working as a delivery driver, including in October last year when his attacker punched him in the eye and dislocated his socket Some of those gathered said they had been repeatedly attacked in the neighbourhood by young gang members - often still in their teens. A friend said the victim was known as 'Taki', although he was unsure of the English spelling. Many of the riders criticised the companies they worked for and the police for doing nothing to protect them. No arrests have been made and enquiries into the circumstances continue. A friend visiting the scene of the stabbing said: 'He had been in this country for the last three years but he had been here before for some years before going to Algeria for a while,' he said. 'He had family here, his father was here [at the scene] earlier.' The Met Police have launched their first murder investigation of the year after a man was stabbed to death in north London on Friday evening (pictured, police at the scene) The victim, in his 30s, was found on Charteris Road (pictured) close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park at around 6.50pm No arrests have been made and inquiries continue, the Met said (pictured, officers at the scene of the stabbing) Many of the riders criticised the companies they worked for and the police for doing nothing to protect them. 'We've been attacked many times here,' one man said. He added: 'I was attacked here by people with a big machete and now this man has been killed for no reason. 'The police do nothing. They just come, take a statement and then they go.' Another man added: 'If you have an Algerian face, [the police] do nothing.' One rider said they felt unsafe '100 per cent' of the time. The victim was a 30-year-old Algerian delivery moped rider working for both UberEats and Deliveroo, according to friends gathered close to the scene Forensic officers at the crime scene after Metropolitan police cordon off Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park after a man was stabbed to death in north London The driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy, a witness said, and did not try to steal his moped from him (pictured, police at the scene of the stabbing) The first murder investigation of 2019 has been launched. Officers were called to Finsbury Park, north London at around 6.50pm following reports a man had been stabbed Another said he had been brutally attacked in Brixton, south London, while working: 'It was a 2,000 bike and I said here take the bike just don't kill me - they still stabbed me through the shoulder.' Islington Council leader Richard Watts tweeted: 'I'm horrified to hear about this appalling crime' and added: 'What an awful start to the New Year.' The Labour councillor said he was in touch with Islington Police and with Islington MP and Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. A forensic tent has been erected while a police cordon is still in place. The driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy, a witness said, and did not try to steal his moped from him. A friend of the victim said: 'He was a good man. He doesn't make any trouble - he works and he goes home and he ends up being killed while he's working. 'This country is getting worse.' He continued: 'Its not safe to work by yourself anymore - what can you do? If someone comes at you with a knife you give them what you have or they are going to stab you.' Police raced to Finsbury Park at around 6.50pm following reports a man had been stabbed (officers are pictured at the scene) A cordon has been set up as police investigate the scene of the fatal stabbing. It is the first murder investigation to be launched in London this year Another 23-year-old rider, who gave his name only as Paul, said: 'Taki was a nice guy. He was a gentleman. 'I would talk to him everyday. He always said hello.' The stabbing comes after the number of murders in London last year hit its highest level in more than a decade with 147 recorded - more than half of whom were stabbed. September and June were the joint bloodiest months of the year in the capital with 17 homicides each, followed by July which had 16 and March and December with 15. The 2019 rate broke last year's total of 133 by early December - and is the highest level recorded since 2008 when Scotland Yard investigated 154 deaths. The total compiled by MailOnline includes murders and manslaughters recorded by the Met, British Transport Police and City of London Police. Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the scene but the victim aged in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene at 7.42pm (pictured, officers at the scene) No arrests have been made and enquiries into the circumstances continue, the Metropolitan Police said (pictured, the scene of the fatal stabbing) The youngest murder victim was Riley Fauvrell, who died aged just five days after being delivered by an emergency C-section in Thornton Heath, South London. Riley's mother Kelly Mary Fauvrelle, 26, was stabbed to death in June while pregnant with him. Her ex-partner Aaron McKenzie, 25, has since pleaded not guilty to murder. The oldest victim was Dorothy Woolmer, 89, who was raped and murdered at home in Tottenham in August. Reece Dempster, 23, was charged but has not yet pleaded. Some 17 of the victims were children - including 12 teenagers and five youngsters aged under two - and the mean average age of all 147 people killed was 32. How do you describe the last few weeks of your life? A whirlwind. As simple as that! It has been incredible. Overwhelming to say the least but I've honestly enjoyed every single moment. I never imagined myself to get to where I am today and every morning that I woke up in London I was pinching myself because I couldn't believe I was there. Obviously it was hard work, and I was extremely busy but I enjoyed every moment and made the most of it while I could. It was like a different world in London at Miss World, and I was so honoured to be one of the 111 girls to be given the opportunity to be there and represent my country. Honestly the last few weeks have been the best weeks of my life and I have made so many friends and memories that I will Carry with me forever! It's so hard to put it into words because it's been such a breathtaking few weeks but I will never forget it. Your favourite moment? Every day I had a new favourite moment because everyday was so special in its own way. But definitely for me my favourite moment was when we visited the Royal Opera House for a performance of the mikado. The reason this stood out for me was because the performance we attended was a "relaxed performance" which I only realised when I was there that the reason it was called that was because it was a performance dedicated to children, teenagers and adults with special needs and learning difficulties. It was so beautiful to be invited to this because it was amazing to see how these performers adapted their show to suit these individuals, to make the performance as enjoyable and as comfortable as they could for them because we forget that it's often quite hard for people who have disabilities to attend these shows, so it was so heartwarming to see how everything was adapted to make the show and the day so special for the individuals who attended. Other than that my second favourite moment was during the boat trip on the river Thames, I stood and looked around me to see 111 different flags waving in the air. To have each one of us on a little boat on a river in London, holding our country flags with pride, all standing in union together was just so heartwarming, and it's a moment I will never forget. Did you meet many famous people? Yes we did, we crossed paths with quite a few famous people throughout our time in London. And so many inspirational people such as Baroness Floella Benjamin who really left a mark on each and every one of us with her inspirational words and advice. Of course Peter Andre was hosting the show and we performed as backing dancers for him too which was incredible. I met Peter before so it was lovely to see him again and perform alongside him on stage, it's a moment I'll never forget. Any funny moments and any sad ones? There was endless funny moments. We had the most incredible friendships and we spent hours every day laughing and joking. But I think the funniest moment was when Miss Nigeria was performing her talent audition and was giving it so much her wig flew off. She is so incredible and it was just so funny because of how unexpected it was. They actually played the clip of it at the final because it was one of the funniest moments from the whole trip. But everyday was full of laughter with us. There was very rarely any sad moments, of course we all shed a tear here and there when we were lonely or missing home, but 99% of the time it was laughs rather than tears. The saddest moment for most of us was when we watched all the Beauty with a Purpose videos. To see how other countries are struggling, and watch videos of children walking for miles to get to school, babies abandoned in dustbins, families who's homes have been destroyed by tsunamis, babies who are starving.. just to touch on a few of the videos we watched. It really was heartbreaking to see these difficulties and to see the reality of what goes on in other countries. It opened my eyes to just how lucky I am to have what I have. I cried through every video, it was tough for us to watch but it made us realise what we were all there for, to help these situations and to change the world. We can all make a difference and since watching these videos each one of us girls have had our eyes opened and want to reach out and help our sisters in other countries to reach their goals and make a difference to the lives of these people who are less fortunate than us. And of course leaving each other to come back home was quite sad. I already miss the girls so much, it was a big sisterhood and I now have sisters in every country in the world. My roommate Miss Malta was the best roomie I could have asked for and it was so hard leaving each other after 3 weeks of spending 24/7 together, but now I have an excuse to head to Malta for a holiday to visit my sister. What now for Miss Ireland? At the minute I'm settling back into normality because I was on such a high when I came home so I've been spending some time with family and friends and settling back into a routine. Over the next few weeks I will be doing visits to various hospitals, day care centres etc to spend some time with those who need it. I did the celebrity ward walk in Children's Health Ireland (crumlin Children's hospital) on the 20th of December and it was such a beautiful experience so I want to focus a little bit more on using my title to do things like this and to put a smile on the faces of those who need it the most. This year I want to use my title as Miss Ireland to show everybody that it's not about being beautiful, that's not why I have this title, it's about what I do with it and how I use it to make a difference so I will be focusing a lot on charity work and helping those in need over the next few months. What are your goals for 2020? For 2020 I have plenty of goals but my main one is to be happy, and to spread my happiness across to every individual I bump into. Right now I am ending 2019 on a high, I'm at the best stage in my life I've ever been at and I aim to keep it that way throughout 2020. I also want to run another big event for Variety Ireland and Downs Syndrome Ireland in 2020 so that is my biggest goal I have set for myself heading into the new year. Would you encourage other girls to enter next year? Yes. Most definitely yes. Before I entered I was unsure whether I wanted to do it or not, but I took the risk because life's too short, and it was the best risk I've ever taken. If I could give any advice to girls thinking of entering this year it would be to just go for it. Forget about everybody else, if you want to do it do it and don't let anybody stop you. Your success comes from you and nobody else so you need to do what makes you happy. It's not all glamorous and it's most definitely not easy but it's the most amazing experience you will ever take part in. Being Miss Ireland opens so many doors and creates so many opportunities, and not just for the girl who wins. It is something that I feel every girl should take part in at some stage in life because it really opens your eyes to the world, it's the best thing any girl can do so definitely I would tell everybody to enter it and see what happens. A lot of people supported you from the beginning? Do you want to give them a mention? I have had the most amazing support from everybody. I still get so overwhelmed by it and I am so grateful for each and every person who supports me. But of course there has been certain people who have been by my side from day one and I think they're all waiting patiently for their mention. So to my Mam Carrie, my Dad Derek and my siblings Conor Georgia and Jamie, they have been my rocks through everything and I will always thank them for sticking by me and being my number one fans through it all. Mandy, Inez and my three best friends Hazel Kellie and Tracey have also been incredible and I'll always be grateful for their support. And of course Carol Ross and Robbie from Skylark for all of their amazing photography and patience. Also the support I've received from day one from local businesses and even from strangers has been incredible, from Miss Louth right through to Miss Ireland so thank you to each business and each individual who came on board to help me out or offer support when needed I really do appreciate everything and I cannot emphasise that enough. I could go on and on and name people forever because honestly everybody has been so generous and so kind and it has really added to my experience as Miss Ireland so from the bottom of my heart thank you to each and every person who supported me I will never forget it. County Louth has the most wonderful and the kindest people and I will forever be proud to say I'm from here! WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is not the first American leader to have Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in his sights, but he was the first to pull the trigger. Its a pattern that has emerged throughout Trumps presidency. On a range of national security matters, he has cast aside the same warnings that gave his predecessors in both parties pause. At times, he has simply been willing to embrace more risk. In other moments, he has questioned the validity of the warnings altogether, even from experts within his own administration. And he has publicly taken pride in doing so. When Trump moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a pledge others had made but ultimately backed away from, it was against the advice of aides who argued it would inflame tensions in the Middle East. When he became the first American leader to step foot in North Korea, he disregarded those who said he was giving Pyongyang a symbolic victory without getting anything in return. Trumps supporters have embraced his willingness to act where others would not, saying he has brought a businessmans fresh eye to intractable problems. But his high-risk approach has sparked fear in Democrats, as well as some Republicans, who worry that the president is overly focused on short-term wins and blind to the long-term impact of his actions. Trump thinks foreign policy is a reality show, and if there arent devastating consequences the next day, then they wont come, said Ben Rhodes, who served as President Barack Obamas deputy national security adviser. They are coming in some cases, they already have, in others, the situation is getting progressively worse. Trumps willingness to buck conventional thinking has been a defining feature of his political life. As he enters the final year of his first term, aides and allies describe him as increasingly emboldened to act on his instincts. Hes banished the coterie of advisers who viewed themselves as guardrails against his impulse. Others, like former Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, have left because they disagreed with Trumps decision-making. Trumps approach to national security has been shaped in part by the response to one of his first major actions: airstrikes against Syria in retaliation for the use of chemical weapons in 2017, a few months after he took office. He relished the fact that both Republicans and Democrats cheered the decision, one that Obama had backed away from. Obama halted plans for a strike in 2013 in part because he feared it would drag the U.S. into a wider conflict. That didnt happen after Trumps targeted strike though quagmire in Syria remains and the U.S. still has a small troop presence in the country. The consequences of Trumps brash foreign policy decisions have indeed been mixed. His decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem did not, in fact, prompt an uptick in violence in the Middle East. But it also did nothing to help the Trump White House ease mounting tensions with the Palestinians, cratering prospects for progress on a peace deal with the Israelis. Trumps decision to embrace direct diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, including a meeting at the dividing line between North and South Korea, has resulted in little progress toward dismantling Pyongyangs nuclear program. Negotiations have largely broken down, and Kim said this week that his country would soon unveil a new strategic weapon. The president also faced fierce backlash from his own party last year when he abruptly announced that he was withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria, clearing the way for Turkey to launch an offensive against Kurdish forces allied with the U.S. Trump initially dug in on his decision, but ultimately reversed course. To the presidents critics, his decision to order a targeted strike against Soleimani may be his riskiest decision yet. Both the Obama and George W. Bush administrations passed on the prospect of taking out Soleimani, the leader of Irans elite Quds Force who is accused of helping orchestrate attacks on American troops in Iraq. Even Trump advisers acknowledged the risk of Iranian retaliation, which could pull the U.S. and Tehran into a direct military conflict. One of these days, hes going to blunder himself into a real, full-blown crisis, Marie Harf, a senior adviser to former Secretary of State John Kerry, said of Trump. The Soleimani assassination may be the reckless move by Trump that sends us into full-scale conflict. But to Trump backers, its just another hyperbolic response to a warranted action by the president. Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse criticized those who he said were treating Soleimanis killing like it was the end of the world. Sasse said that while he and Trump dont always see eye-to-eye on policy issues, the president was right to take this step. The fact of the matter is, Iran in general and Soleimani in particular had been ramping up attacks, Sasse said. There had to be a red line around the loss of American life. 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. Thousands of anti-government and yellow-vests protestors took to streets of the French capital on Saturday as the city headed for a chaotic weekend over President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reforms. Witnessing a full month of protests against the controversial reform, France entered the 31st consecutive day of the general strike. Moreover, Saturday's action coincided with Act 60 of the anti-government yellow vests protests that have been plaguing France for over a year now, RT reported. The yellow vests movement or yellow jackets movement is a populist, grassroots political movement for economic justice that began in France in October 2018. After an online petition posted in May had attracted nearly a million signatures, mass demonstrations began on November 17, 2018. The protestors today carried the flags of various trade unions, as well as assorted banners that primarily targetted pension reform. Some of them lit firecrackers during the march. One man, however, was spotted carrying a large plush heart, bearing a very personal message for French President Emmanuel Macron, reading "Macron, I hate you with all my heart." So far, the protest remains relatively peaceful despite large numbers of people attending -- only minor clashes with the police and very limited use of tear gas were reported. The pension protests, broadly supported by French trade unions, kicked off in early December last year, taking the form of mass rallies, attempts to block infrastructure, strikes and work walkouts. The unrest was triggered by the government's plan to scrap the existing 42 pension schemes and roll out a unified, points-based one instead. Critics of the reform accuse the government of trying to rip the workers off and stealing their hard-earned benefits, such as the right to early retirement for certain jobs. The authorities, however, maintain the reform is actually designed to simplify the pension system and make it more transparent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Renowned comedic actor Hovhannes Azoyan was beaten on January 3 in Yerevan. Yerevan resident Levon Gharibyan, 31, was the one who beat the actor at around 4am in the Hrazdan Gorge, shamshyan.com reported. Azoyan told the police that he worked as a director of a company. A report is being prepared on the fact. A forensic examination has been appointed. Police are seeking the suspect Gharibyan. The United States killed Irans top general and the architect of Tehrans proxy wars in the Middle East in an airstrike at Baghdads international airport early Friday, an attack that threatens to dramatically ratchet up tensions in the region. The targeted killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force, could draw forceful Iranian retaliation against American interests in the region and spiral into a far larger conflict between the U.S. and Iran, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. The Defense Department said it killed Soleimani because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. It also accused Soleimani of approving the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that a harsh retaliation is waiting for the U.S. Iranian state TV carried a statement by Khamenei also calling Soleimani the international face of resistance. Khamenei declared three days of public mourning for the general. Also, an adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned President Trump of retaliation from Tehran. Trump through his gamble has dragged the U.S. into the most dangerous situation in the region, Hessameddin Ashena wrote on the social media app Telegram. Whoever put his foot beyond the red line should be ready to face its consequences. Iranian state television, later in a commentary, called Trumps order to kill Soleimani the biggest miscalculation by the U.S. in the years since World War II. The people of the region will no longer allow Americans to stay, the TV said. The airport strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, and five others, including the forces airport protocol officer, Mohammed Reda, Iraqi officials said. Trump was vacationing on his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., but sent out a tweet of an American flag. The dramatic attack comes at the start of a year in which Trump faces both a Senate trial after his impeachment by the U.S. House and a re-election campaign. It marks a potential turning point in the Middle East and represents a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions. Tehran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers. The U.S. also blames Iran for a series of attacks targeting tankers, as well as a September assault on Saudi Arabias oil industry that temporarily halved its production. The tensions take root in Trumps decision in May 2018 to withdraw the U.S. from Irans nuclear deal with world powers, struck under his predecessor, Barack Obama. The 62-year-old Soleimani was the target of Fridays U.S. attack, which was conducted by an armed American drone, according to a U.S. official. His vehicle was struck on an access road near the Baghdad airport. A senior Iraqi security official said the air strike took place near the cargo area after Soleimani left his plane and joined al-Muhandis and others in a car. The official said the plane had arrived from either Lebanon or Syria. Two officials from the Popular Mobilization Forces said Suleimanis body was torn to pieces in the attack, while they did not find the body of al-Muhandis. A senior politician said Soleimanis body was identified by the ring he wore. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give official statements. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Its unclear what legal authority the U.S. relied on to carry out the attack. American presidents claim broad authority to act without the approval of the Congress when U.S. personnel or interests are facing an imminent threat. The Pentagon did not provide evidence to back up its assertion that Soleimani was planning new attacks against Americans. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Trump owes a full explanation to Congress and the American people. The present authorizations for use of military force in no way cover starting a possible new war. This step could bring the most consequential military confrontation in decades, Blumenthal said. But Trump allies were quick to praise the action. To the Iranian government: If you want more, you will get more, tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. For Iran, the killing represents more than just the loss of a battlefield commander, but also a cultural icon who represented national pride and resilience while facing U.S. sanctions. While careful to avoid involving himself in politics, Soleimanis profile rose sharply as U.S. and Israeli officials blamed him for Iranian proxy attacks abroad. While Irans conventional military has suffered under 40 years of American sanctions, the Guard has built up a ballistic missile program. It also can strike asymmetrically in the region through forces such as Lebanons Hezbollah and Yemens Houthi rebels. The U.S. long has blamed Iran for car bombings and kidnappings it never claimed. As the head of the Quds, or Jersualem, Force of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Soleimani led all of its expeditionary forces and frequently shuttled between Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. Quds Force members have deployed into Syrias long war to support President Bashar Assad, as well as into Iraq in the wake of the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, a longtime foe of Tehran. Qassum Abdul-Zahra and Zeina Karami are Associated Press writers. Typically, at least one celebrity chef graces the stage at the PA Preferred Culinary Connection during the Pennsylvania Farm Show. This year, visitors can catch at least two, as well as dozens of local and regional chefs and restaurant owners. The Farm Show will run Jan. 4-11 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg. PA Preferred hosts the cooking demonstrations with local chefs and culinary students in the complexs Main Hall during the eight-day show. Top chefs scheduled to appear include Jet Tila, an instructor, writer and television personality who has appeared on the Food Networks Iron Chef America, Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen. Hes best known as a culinary ambassador of Thai cuisine, named by Royal Thai Consul-General, Los Angeles. The Asian food authority has owned restaurants and gives tours of Thai Town in Los Angeles. In May 2013, he was honored with the Dream of Los Angeles Award by Los Angeles for igniting a renewed interest in Pan-Asian cuisine through dedication to his Thai and Chinese roots and passion for the culinary arts inside and outside the kitchen. He stars on a Food Network series Chef Tilas Ready Jet Cook and recently published 101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die." Tila will cook at the Culinary Connection at 1 and 3 p.m. Jan. 5 as part of Vegetable Day. READ MORE Later in the week, Joseph Poon, a Philadelphia-based chef and Chinatown expert who is a produce carver and sculpture, is scheduled to take the stage at 2 p.m. Jan. 7 for Potato Day. Poon has appeared on national television programs including The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Chefs Table on PBS and Good Day Philadelphia. Poon arrived in Philadelphia in the late 1960s from China with $8 in his pocket. He eventually earned a degree in nutrition and studied at the Culinary Institute of America. Poon operated the citys first Peking Duck House restaurant. Today, his energy is focused on speaking engagements and culinary tours. Other new chefs scheduled to appear include: Kristina Wisneski , winner of Chopped on Food Network, sous chef at Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft in Ardmore and Pennsylvania College of Technology alum. Find her at 2 p.m. Jan. 4. Andrew Masciangelo, co-owner and executive chef at Savona, Philadelphia, one of Americas Best Chefs as nominated and recommended by peers. He will cook at 3 p.m. Jan. 4. In addition, this year the schedule includes several competitions such as Beef Taco Showdown: Kids Edition at 1 p.m. Jan. 8 and Best Pulled Pork Sandwich at 1 p.m. Jan. 10. For a full Culinary Connection cooking schedule, head to the Farm Show website. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 14:57:59|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close YANGON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's President U Win Myint Saturday called for the participation of country people in government's endeavor to build a peaceful democratic federal union. "Today is the time when all the national brethren have been striving with a strong union spirit to obtain eternal peace and to achieve mutual understanding and to trust without doubts and conflicts while taking lessons in the past," said the president in his message for the commemoration of the 72nd Independence Day. U Win Myint also called for efforts to strive for the successful implementation of peace process, the emergence of a federal union, building complete mutual trust, and the amendment of the constitution which is relevant to the real situation of the nation and in line with the standards and fundamental principles of democracy and human rights. Meanwhile, the Union Peace Conference, 21st Century Panglong, has been successfully held three times in order to obtain peace and national reconciliation and some agreements for building a democratic federal union have been reached, he added. Myanmar achieved its independence and sovereignty on Jan. 4, 1948. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 16:31 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d421e 1 World Foreign-Ministry,Indonesian-Embassy,Iraq,baghdad,US Free Indonesia has called on its citizens in Iraq to remain on alert amid heightened tensions in the region, following a United States airstrike that killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. "We call on Indonesian citizens in Iraq to remain vigilant. Reach out to the KBRI [Indonesian Embassy] when you are in need of information or assistance," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on its official website on Saturday. The ministry also said Indonesia was concerned about the escalating tensions in Iraq, requesting all parties to refrain from instigating further violence that could worsen the situation. The US announced on Friday that it had killed a top Iranian general a commander of the Iranian Quds Forces in a strike on Baghdad's international airport, in which the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force was also killed, AFP reported. The US State Department previously told US citizens to leave Iraq immediately following Iranian-backed militia attacks on the US Embassy compound. Indonesian citizens in Iraq may reach the Indonesian Embassy in Baghdad at +96 4750 0365 228. (ars) A shot of Prince Harry holding baby Archie, believed to be taken somewhere in Canada. [Photo: PA Media] A community-based knitting group has become inundated with orders after the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs son Archie wore one of their hats. Make Give Live is a social enterprise knitting business based in New Zealand. Seven-month-old Archie wore a hat made by the organisation in a recently revealed photograph. The photo, believed to have been taken in Canada by Meghan Markle, shows Archie in the arms of his father. Both are dressed for winter in coats and knitwear. READ MORE: Archie wears 16 Boden jacket and mini Ugg boots in new photo The image was shared on the @SussexRoyal Instagram account on New Years Day as part of a video reflecting on the familys year. In the wake of the social media post, orders of the hat have increased tenfold. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were gifted one of Make Give Lives hat during their visit to New Zealand in 2018 when Meghan was pregnant. Its believed the Duchess purchased two more hats herself - and it was one of these which Archie wore for the photograph. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor at a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019. [Photo: Getty] The groups founder, Beckie Smith, told the BBC it came as a complete surprise that the young royal wore the hat. We had no idea it was going to happen, she told the broadcaster, explaining that she first became aware after a member of her knitting group showed her the picture. It was only after Archie wore the hat that Smith learned they had received an overseas order from an address in Windsor, where the Sussex family is based. READ MORE: Couple claim Meghan Markle took their photo on New Year's Day hike The group has since been inundated with orders receiving 450 in the days since the photo was shared. It typically receives 45 orders a month. Smith added that she hadnt suspected the post would prompt an overwhelming increase in sales. I don't think we realised what the impact would be in terms of sales. It was just lovely to see our hats being posted and being able to spread our message. We weren't really prepared for the sales that came with it... it just took off like crazy. Since when do we pull funds from a government operation that's working? That's the latest tack from Bernie Sanders and his far-left sidekick, Ro Khanna. In the wake of President Trump's stunning victory over Qassem Soleimani, Iran's longtime terrorist kingpin and killer of Americans. Bernie & Co. actually want to end a government program this time, primarily because it's working. According to Axios: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on Friday to introduce legislation that "blocks Pentagon funding for any unilateral actions" taken by President Trump "to wage war against Iran without congressional authorization." The big picture: Trump claimed on Friday that the U.S. airstrike that killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was not intended to start a war. Both Democrats and Republicans such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) have criticized Trump for not obtaining congressional approval for the strike. Instead of just whining about the beast's demise alongside the Hollywood elites, this pair, Sanders and Khanna, who serves as his campaign co-chairman, are now attempting to block funds from President Trump to keep him from hosing the terrorist hellhole out and getting the job done. They don't want that. They know it's "winning," and they abhor it. Now, for normal people, especially in the private sector, you pull government funding for operations that fail. You don't throw good money after bad. For operations that are succeeding, you give them more. In a sane world, this is how these things work. Not so for Bernie & Co. Their logic employed is that failure is a good thing. Being socialists, we already know they are big fans of extending money to failed government programs forever. Just ask them about their devotion to social welfare rackets. Now their flip logic is to cut off funds for anything that's solving a problem anything that's doing what it's supposed to do. Can't have that it might lead to the end of a money spigot somewhere for some bureaucrats. Failure is the option on the far left. This brings us to Soleimani and Trump's bid to play Grant to all those McClellans who preceded him on the global terror front, wiping out the creep who introduced a particularly lethal form of IED on Americans in Iraq and masterminded some of the world's biggest terror attacks over decades, including the attacks on Jewish centers in Argentina in the 1990s. According to secretary of state Mike Pompeo, speaking on Hannity last night, Soleimani was cooking up new attacks on Americans before his rub-out. For the Bernites, that makes him the perfect guy to lend a hand to by tying President Trump's hands. Here is a gentle reminder of the terror empire Qassem #Soleimani built and controlled across the Middle East. This man truly was evil personified. In #Syria alone, his terror groups assisted #Assad in the murder of 500,000 of his own people, 125,000 of them children. pic.twitter.com/7iGPDfqbq0 Likud Herut UK (@LikudUK) January 4, 2020 This is redolent of the Democrats' earlier actions, not just on attempting to cut off funds for Trump's border wall, which they did because they knew it would work, but even farther back into the sands of their record. It's similar to the Democrats' doings, led in part by the likes of then-KGB dupe Sen. Ted Kennedy, who sought to pull funds from President Reagan for challenging the Cuban/Sandinista takeover of Nicaragua in the 1980s, a matter that led to the so-called Iran Contra scandal, which ironically involved secret dealings with the mullahs to check the Soviets and their pawns. It's logical to think Sanders, who honeymooned in the Soviet Union around this time, would be the mastermind behind this latest stunt because the tactic is one he'd know and remember well. It may well be that the idea now is to gum up Trump the way the Democrats fettered President Reagan now that impeachment is crashing and burning on them. Trump is winning, so now the far left (Khanna has sometimes been identified as another part of the Squad) and their leader Bernie have gotten busy, out to pull funds on Trump's actions. They're apparently rooting for the terrorists not just because they can't stand Trump, but because they can't stand victories. More specifically, they don't like Trump winning, so they're serving as backup men to Iran's longtime terror operation by working to block Trump's funding. Yo! Mullahs. Gotcha covered. The only word for it is "despicable." In light of Soleimani's record and American war sacrifices, Democrats would be wise to not touch this. A terrorist belonging to a Pakistan based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning. The 23-year-old terrorist Nissar Ahmad Dar, who hails from Wahab Parray Mohalla at Hajin, was active for the last few years and is a categorised terrorist in security establishment's data base. He was in the wanted list of security forces. He is involved in eight cases, seven in 2016 and one in 2019. He was detained twice under Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) -- first time in 2016 and then in 2017. He is an associate of Salim Parray, a top terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba. "Dar is an associate of Salim Parray, who is top terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba in North Kashmir, and earlier escaped from an encounter in which a Pakistani terrorist of Lashkar outfit was killed at Kulan Ganderbal on November 12, 2019," said a senior police officer. Dar was planning to carry out attack on some security force establishment. He was caught alive in an operation launched on Friday night by the security establishments. "On a specific information that a listed and wanted dreaded terrorist was hiding somewhere in Srinagar and planning an attack on some Security Force establishment. An operation was launched last night by Srinagar police along with local security forces in which the terrorist was caught alive along with arms and ammunitions," said a senior IPS officer. Dar is being interrogated, the officer added. The Hills: New Beginnings star Whitney Port added a touch of elegance to her casual attire while going on a very laid-back coffee run in Los Angeles on Friday. The 34-year-old reality star - who relies on stylist Lara Backmender - paired a black quilted Chanel purse with her white sweatshirt, striped cut-offs, and red-suede slides. The LA-born socialite shielded her make-up free complexion with eccentric red sunglasses and she wore her ombre reddish locks down for her errands. Mix and match! The Hills: New Beginnings star Whitney Port added a touch of elegance to her casual attire while going on a very laid-back coffee run in Los Angeles on Friday Missing from Port's side on Friday was her husband of four years, Tim Rosenman, and their two-year-old son Sonny Sanford. At 42, Whitney's bearded beau is eight years older than her, and they met while he was working as associate producer on her MTV spin-off, The City. The USC grad's street sighting came two days after she shared a post reflecting on 2019 and looking ahead to what's in store for 2020. Breakfast: The 34-year-old reality star - who relies on stylist Lara Backmender - paired a black quilted Chanel purse with her white sweatshirt, striped cut-offs, and red-suede slides Fuss free: The LA-born socialite shielded her make-up free complexion with eccentric red sunglasses and she wore her ombre reddish locks down for her errands 'I wake up this morning feeling refreshed and energized to take on 2020. 2019 was really good to us,' the 5ft10in blonde - who boasts 3M social media followers - wrote. 'Though I struggled with my grief [over her miscarriage in July] and some anxieties and insecurities that come with that, everything else I was able to do and be was a blessing.' Whitney continued: 'I have a toddler who I am completely enamored by, a husband who talks and hugs me through everything, a wonderful career who's main goal is just to connect with you, and a home I never want to leave.' Malibu day! Missing from Port's side on Friday was her husband of four years, Tim Rosenman, and their two-year-old son Sonny Sanford (pictured Monday) 'Such a beautiful night': Whitney's street sighting came two days after she shared a post reflecting on 2019 and looking ahead to what's in store for 2020 (pictured Friday) It's unclear whether Port has decided to sign on for the second season of The Hills: New Beginnings, which MTV renewed in July. Back in 2006-2010, the Laguna Beach spin-off was frequently criticized for fabricating storylines. Meanwhile, Tim shoots and edit her YouTube vlogs, but his last real producing credit was on Fox music competition The X Factor way back in 2012. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made unscheduled visits to Muzaffarnagar and Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh to meet the families who bore the brunt of alleged "police excesses" following violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act or were affected by the clashes. IMAGE: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was allegedly beaten up by the police in the crackdown on anti-Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 protests. Photograph: PTI Photo The Congress general secretary first went to Muzaffarnagar, where she visited the residences of some of those who were injured in the violence. She then proceeded to Meerut where she met the affected families at the outskirts of the town. In Muzaffarnagar, She met Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was allegedly beaten up by the police in its crackdown on the violent anti-CAA protests. She was accompanied by Imran Masood, a party leader from Saharanpur. "I will stand by you in this hour of distress," she told one of the victims in Muzaffarnagar. Later she told mediapersons that people were beaten up mercilessly and even children and minors were not spared. A 22-year-old woman, who was seven-month pregnant, was also thrashed, she claimed. IMAGE: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with Ruqaiya Parveen, whose house was allegedly ransacked by the police during the violence that broke out after anti-CAA protests, in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: PTI Photo Priyanka said she has highlighted each and every "police excess" in a lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during her visit to the state last week. In neighbouring Meerut, the affected families assembled at one place on the outskirts of the town to meet the Congress leader where she listened to their problems. The UP Police had stopped Priyanka and her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi from entering Meerut town on December 24, citing prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, as a result of which they had to return to Delhi, 60 km from there, without meeting the affected families. At least five people were killed during the protests in Meerut. Earlier, Priyanka had gone to Bijnor and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. Officials maintain that 19 people were killed in the state during the violent protests, though the opposition claims a higher toll. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Sainik Wing on Saturday demanded the Congress government to immediately release the pending Rs 15 lakh grant to around 100 war widows and warned of agitation if their demands were not met. In a press statement, SAD Sainik Wing president Gurjinder Singh Sidhu said: "It is condemnable that the Congress government was not releasing the pending grant despite the fact that a major portion of the Rs 50 lakh granted to the families of the martyrs by former CM Parkash Singh Badal was released by the previous SAD-BJP government." Sidhu further said that during the previous government, a policy had been formulated to grant Rs 50 lakh each to around 100 families whose members had laid down their lives during the wars in 1962, 1965 and 1971, and said that while Rs 35 lakh was released to the families by the previous SAD-BJP government, the families were running everywhere to get the remaining Rs 15 lakh released. "It is condemnable that Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who was an ex-serviceman himself, was discriminating against the war widows in such a fashion. If the CM was really serious about the welfare of ex-servicemen, he should order an immediate inquiry into the delay in the release of the grant to the war widows and take prompt action in the matter," said Sidhu. He said that Capt Singh should direct Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal to release the grant immediately, and further said that if the government did not give justice to the war widows, the SAD Sainik Wing would be constrained to hold protests in front of the Sainik Welfare Boards at all district headquarters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prague (AFP) - A mosque in the Czech Republic's second city of Brno has been vandalised with graffiti threatening to kill Muslims, police said on Saturday. "Don't spread Islam in the Czech Republic! Otherwise we'll kill you," reads the inscription sprayed on the mosque. "We have been investigating the case since Friday afternoon as damage to property for now," local police spokesman Bohumil Malasek told AFP. The perpetrator faces up to a year in prison if convicted. "We take it seriously as a direct threat, it's not an anonymous call on the internet," Muneeb Hassan Alrawi, head of the Czech Muslim Communities Centre, told the CTK news agency. "We must also see this in the light of attacks on mosques in the world and of the oppressive sentiment and atmosphere in the Czech Republic," he added. The migrant wave that peaked in Europe in 2015 stoked anti-Muslim sentiment in the Czech Republic even though it is home to only a small number after most refugees headed for wealthier states such as Germany or Sweden. The Muslim population in the Czech Republic, an EU member of 10.7 million people, tallied at 3,358 in a 2011 census but unofficial estimates suggest a community of 10,000-20,000. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hosted his Qatari counterpart on Saturday for talks in Tehran amid escalating tensions after US forces killed a top Iranian military commander in Baghdad. Zarif and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani discussed "the new situation in Iraq and the assassination of General haj Qasem Soleimani" as well as regional and international issues, Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement. The US military killed Soleimani on Friday in an air strike outside Baghdad international airport that shocked the Islamic republic and sparked fears of a new war in the Middle East. In his meeting with the Qatari foreign minister, Zarif called the US attack a "terrorist act" that led to the "martyrdom" of the commander. "Iran does not want tension in the region, and it is the presence and interference of foreign forces that cause instability, insecurity and increased tension in our sensitive region," he said. According to Iran's foreign ministry, Thani said the situation in the region was sensitive and concerning. He called for a peaceful solution to be found leading to de-escalation. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani also met with the Qatari foreign minister. Qatar, a key US ally in the region, is home to Washington's largest military base in the Middle East. Its relationship with Shiite-dominated Iran, seen as the major rival to Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia in the region, is one of the major factors underpinning a crisis between Qatar and its former allies. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt all cut ties with Qatar in 2017, accusing Doha of backing extremism and fostering ties with Iran, charges that Qatar denies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 5.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner said on Saturday that a batch of emails that Donald Trump is currently withholding will eventually see the light of day. When that happens, Kirschner said that it could potentially be the final nail in the presidents impeachment coffin. Theyre digging their own grave, the former federal prosecutor said during a discussion on MSNBCs AM Joy. The walls are going to come tumbling down with these emails that ultimately are going to see the light of day. Video: Theyre digging their own grave: @glennkirschner2 says a batch of emails Trump is currently withholding will ultimately come out and show a whole rack of crime. #ctl #p2 #amjoy pic.twitter.com/n3hKcGPl5z PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) January 4, 2020 Kirschner said: This is the statement they put out as their reason to decline to turn over the emails. They said among other things, Disclosure of this material would inhibit the frank and candid exchange of views necessary for effective Why dont they just say, Oh, heck, its got a whole rack of crime in there so were not turning them over. You know, theyre digging their own grave. And I dont care what anybody says, the walls are going to come tumbling down with the Parnases and these emails that ultimately are going to see the light of day and theyre going to continue to show this is a corrupt administration. Batch of OMB emails could be the final straw As PoliticusUSAs Jason Easley wrote on Saturday, Donald Trump is currently withholding dozens of emails that likely prove his guilt surrounding the freeze on military aid for Ukraine. After all, if the president did nothing wrong, he would have no problem releasing emails that are directly related to the hold on military assistance. But once again, by refusing to turn over key documents, the administration is demonstrating that it knows that providing more information to investigators will only bolster the case for Trumps removal from office. There is already a mountain of evidence proving Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors in his extortion scheme with Ukraine. The dozens of emails currently being withheld by the administration could be the straw the breaks the camels back. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter A university student killed herself just months after discovering that her boyfriend had been messaging another woman on Facebook, according to an inquest. Emily Elliott started a relationship with Shay Doyle after the pair met at Huddersfield University, West Yorkshire. The couple split in February 2019 when she found out that he had been sending messages to another woman. The 23-year-old initially attempted to take her own life before she recovered and rekindled the relationship. But Mr Doyle discovered her body at home just a few months later. Emily Elliott (pictured) killed herself after discovering that her boyfriend had been messaging another woman on Facebook Bradford Coroner's Court heard that the pair had a turbulent relationship and that the break-up had been caused by Miss Elliott discovering that Mr Doyle had been contacting another girl through Facebook. Mr Doyle, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, gave evidence at the inquest in front of Miss Elliott's family including her father Stan, mother Zarah Khilji and her brothers Fox and Jacob. He explained how the couple had initially been friends at university in 2015. Miss Elliott had studied Sociology but failed her course after the first year while Mr Doyle studied a Graphics Design course. Bradford Coroner's Court heard that Miss Elliott (pictured) was a very attractive, sociable young woman who had lots of friends and worked in bars and clubs The court heard she was a very attractive, sociable young woman who had lots of friends and worked in bars and clubs. Mr Doyle was questioned by assistant coroner John Broadbridge about how their relationship began. He said: 'After eight-to-nine months there was flirting and getting a bit closer to one another. 'She lived with me and three of my friends in Huddersfield for a while [for] a couple of months. She started a relationship with Shay Doyle (pictured) after they met at Huddersfield University, West Yorkshire 'I would say we had a good relationship though we had the odd argument like any other couple. 'We split up. I had been texting another girl through Facebook.' The coroner asked: 'Can you accept that Emily was extremely distressed when she found out about this relationship and, to say the least, reacted badly?' Mr Doyle agreed. He was then questioned about Miss Elliott's attempt to take her own life in February 2019. Mr Broadbridge asked: 'How soon did that occur after your separation? Mr Doyle, who admitted he was 'not good with dates' replied: 'A friend told me. A month or two after it happened.' He went on to say that the pair had blocked each other on social media in the aftermath of the break-up but had rekindled their relationship at the end of March. Mr Doyle added: 'Things were going well, we talked about having children together.' But by June 27 Mr Doyle said he was no longer getting a response from Miss Elliott when he had tried to call her. He then sent a text message to one of her best friends, Kimberley Knight, to ask if she had heard anything. Miss Knight replied and said she had been receiving 'some weird messages' from Miss Elliott. Mr Doyle caught a train the next day to Huddersfield Rail Station and then a taxi to Miss Elliott's home which she shared with her father. He broke down in tears as he said: 'I went upstairs and Emily's bedroom door was closed.' He said that he opened the door and found her unresponsive. He screamed for help, dialled 999 and attempted to perform CPR before paramedics arrived to take over. By June 27 Mr Doyle said he was no longer getting a response from Miss Elliott (pictured) when he had tried to call her The coroner heard that Miss Elliott had a history of mental health problems, had made previous overdose attempts and was also a heavy drinker. He concluded that she had taken his own life. The coroner asked him: 'Was there any clue in those few days that she was desperate, that she might harm herself?' Mr Doyle replied: 'No.' The coroner said: 'Were you shocked at what you saw?' Mr Doyle: 'Yes.' The coroner heard that Miss Elliott had a history of mental health problems, had made previous overdose attempts and was also a heavy drinker. He concluded that she had taken his own life. Referring to her death in her bedroom he said: 'What happened in that room happened because of what Miss Elliott made happen. 'There's no note or explanation of her intentions.' Mr Doyle (pictured) discovered Miss Elliott's body in her bedroom on June 28 and performed CPR until paramedics arrived Speaking about a message that was sent from Miss Elliott to Miss Knight shortly before she killed herself, Mr Broadbridge said: 'She hinted at something dreadful: "don't let my father find me". 'People were downstairs at the time it happened. She was in a room where she was unlikely to be disturbed. 'She had reached a stage where she could not find a way out. She had broken up a difficult relationship. 'I find on the balance of probabilities that she attempted to kill herself.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Saturday reached the Kandivali Police station here to court his arrest following a complaint registered against him by the Congress for calling State Minister Aslam Sheikh anti- The police refused to arrest Somaiya as the complaint registered with the police was not in the form of a First Information Report (FIR). "Today January 4 at 1.30 pm, I will voluntarily present/surrender myself to Kandivali West Police station (near Shatabdi Hospital) on Congress leaders demand/complaint for action against me on Aslam Sheikh issue," he tweeted earlier in the day. Earlier, Somaiya had tweeted on December 30, 2019 about Aslam having signed a clemency plea for Yaqoob Memon, a Mumbai blasts convict on death row in 2015 before he was hanged. "Aslam Sheikh, now Minister in Thackeray Sarkar. Shiv Sena has called him 'Deshdrohi' in 2015 for asking mercy for Yaqoob Memon," Somaiya had tweeted. The BJP leader had taunted the Shiv Sena and asked whether 'Deshdrohi' (anti-national) had become 'Deshbhakt' (patriot) after coming in alliance with them. After Somaiya's tweet, the Congress workers had filed a complaint in Kandivali police station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The assassination of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani ordered by President Donald Trump is the most aggressive escalation yet in the conflict between the United States and Iran, risking violent retaliation and volatility across the Middle East. While U.S. officials now warn of a potential Iranian response, analysts say there are a variety of forms that such a reprisal may take. As head of Irans Quds Force elite military unit, Soleimani was the central figure in Irans foreign clandestine operations and its network of military proxies. Irans Supreme National Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday following the U.S. airstrike that killed Soleimani, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei attending in a show of how important Soleimanis death is to the Iranian government. Khamenei has vowed forceful revenge against the U.S. for Soleimanis death, while other Iranian officials condemned the attack and similarly promised retribution. Already backed into a corner by Trumps maximum pressure campaign of economic sanctions, analysts expect that Iran will retaliate but say a traditional military conflict isnt something Tehran considers advantageous. Iran has known for a very long time that it cant win in any kind of conventional military warfare with the United States, but it has proven to be very sophisticated at asymmetric warfare, Ellie Geranmayeh, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told HuffPost. Irans conventional military forces lag behind those of the United States and Israel, another adversary, and its much more adept at relying on insurgent-style attacks and proxies to exert its influence. Iran cultivated a wide network of pro-Iranian militias under Soleimanis leadership, and its possible that after his death those become the primary actors in responding to his killing. The U.S. has a wide range of interests, assets and allies that could all become targets for an Iranian response. These range from embassies and consulates to shipping routes and oil facilities, according to Naysan Rafati, Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group. Iran may additionally target U.S. partners in the Middle East, which would threaten to draw more actors into the conflict. The U.S. and other nations have already put embassies on security alert, and on Friday, American defense officials announced the deployment of over 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East to counter threats from Iran. Story continues Iran and its proxies could also seek to target U.S. personnel in the region or carry out their own assassinations, an extreme option that would almost certainly lead to further escalations in the conflict. With the U.S. president coming out in a tweet to publicly condone the assassination of an Iranian official, you are now basically opening up space for a huge range of possible targeted killings and retaliation from Iran, Geranmayeh said. The very public nature in which the U.S. is boasting about the assassination is cornering Iran into a position where they have to respond in kind. But Iran is also wary that an overt attack against the U.S. or its interests abroad could result in airstrikes on Iranian soil, experts say, and could opt for a more indirect approach. Many of the attacks against American-affiliated entities in the past year have come from Iranian-linked militias and allowed Tehran a degree of plausible deniability. These militias also have varying degrees of independence, and given that the leader of the Iranian-linked Popular Mobilization Forces was also killed in Thursdays airstrike, they may seek reprisal on their own that may further complicate the situation. Some of these groups have their own reasons now to act with or without instruction from Tehran, Rafati said. You have a wide array of possible actors, either acting on guidance from Iran or on their own initiative, across a very fragile regional chessboard. Military action is also not Irans only avenue for responding to Soleimanis death. Since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and has since imposed harsh economic sanctions, Iran has continually threatened to no longer comply with the agreement to curb its nuclear program and has taken provocative but largely reversible steps to increase its uranium enrichment. Prior to Soleimanis death, Iran was expected to issue a statement on its nuclear plans next week and may use the opportunity to announce a more aggressive move away from the nuclear deal and towards weapons-level enrichment. There is also the potential for Iran to carry out cyber attacks against the U.S. as a means of avoiding conventional conflict, although the country likely lacks the capability to carry out a large scale operation against infrastructure or heavily secured targets. Whatever Irans response, analysts warn that the assassination of Soleimani creates a situation where deescalation is unlikely. Although the U.S. intended the killing to be a deterrent against Irans foreign influence operations, in the short term it may bring increased threats to Americans abroad, heighten the possibility of open conflict with Iran, and draw the U.S. further into foreign entanglements. In the past week things have moved so fast, Geranmayeh said. Its not clear to me how we have a cooling off period. Related... Chuck Schumer Says Trump Doesn't Have The Authority To Go To War With Iran Legality Of Trump's Order To Kill Iran General Depends On Threat Another Strike On Pro-Iran Convoy Reported North Of Baghdad Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. UPDATE 2016 - Wowy, is Cuenca Ecuador getting discovered or what? Last week the president visited the USA and Europe to promote more tourism in Ecuador. We normally wouldn't update an article if its only 2.5 years old like this one but lots of changes we should tell you about that's happening in Cuenca. Firstly, we think the charms of Cuenca are literally vanishing before our eyes. Last week w as Cuenca's Birthday and gu ess what, we didn't hear one firecracker or see one firework to display th is momentous occasion. That's darn right weird. NOTE: This article is NOT just referring to just gringos from North America and Europe but Cuencano gringos who have lived in the states for 15-20-30 years who are now returning to Cuenca... Cuenca Ecuador has been discovered! How do we know? Living here lets you observe and experience the steady progression of things changing. And it doesnt take long for it (few short years) to turn into well, just another city on the list of cities. When a city becomes discovered, changes take place and it begins to lose some of its charms and likeability. You Know a Place Has Been Discovered when rents keep going higher and higherand it gets harder and harder to find local priced rentals. Lets take a look. Cuenca has been discovered when Ecuadorians wont budge on the rent for their older, (needing TLC) home from $450 a month to $300, which is what it is really worth. Cuenca has been discovered when landlords put in their ads, by the river, or off of Ordonez Lasso, (Gringolandia Street) or walk to downtown, and then they raise their rent from $300 to $600 and say prefer to rent to foreigners. They certainly cant get Ecuadorians to rent a $300 dollar home for $600 just because its walking distance to downtown. Cuenca has been discovered when you see older, (TLC Homes, some really dumpy) all over the net for over $1,000 or more!! You know that Cuenca has been discovered when you open the Spanish newspaper and out of 30 ads 10 of them say they will rent to foreigners only. How sad and discriminating! While at least half of the ads are clearly out of the Ecuadorian local price range, so the foreigners are the ones who rent those too. That leaves only 5 rentals that cater to the whole population of Cuenca. Ummsomething is not right here. I think Cuenca has been discovered! You Know Cuenca has been discovered when most of the Ecuadorian real estate agents working in Cuenca are from New York, New Jersey, or Chicago, and they are only back in Cuenca to get in on the action and the influx of gringos moving here. You truly know that Cuenca has been discovered when you try and work with the Ecuadorian real estate agencies, telling them you can bring them more gringos (constant flow of expats) to rent to if they lower their rental prices, and yet, they wont budge from their high priced rentals, some of which are ridiculously priced!! You know that Cuenca has been discovered when you constantly get gringo gouged by the Ecuadorians thinking you are a rich and an Norte Americano. You really know that Cuenca has been discovered when the monthly maintenance fee of the apartment building they live in keeps going up every month. a few unscrupulous folks working in the real estate market , some of them gringos. Fortunately we know most of them and so we simply don't work with them, however newcomers will not know them and will at the very least over-pay and sign contracts that are pro-lan dlord not ten ant. We often hear stories. working in the real estate market Update 2016 - Cuenca Ecuador has Sure, rents have doubled in the last five years. .. w ondering whats going to happen in the next five years. ~~~ You know Cuenca has been discovered when many of the charms are diminishing from the city. Lets take a look. NOTE: All the blogs and forums have gringos complaining incessantly about the noise of the fireworks!! Don't think for a minute that the city does not read the most popular forums. Fireworks have been going off for hundred of years in Cuenca and now after it has been named the "best retirement city" in the world it decides to regulate fireworks...interesting... Cuenca has been discovered when fireworks are being regulated; what kind of fireworks can be used and what holidays they can be displayed. Havent you noticed how quiet Cuenca is lately? When we moved here fireworks were going off every single day and all night. Someone high up is reading the complaints. Update 2016: Sadly they didn't even create a professional manned firework s how for Cuenca's birthday this year (2016). We're just shaking our heads. ~~~ NOTE: The produce vendors have been selling on Cuenca sidewalks for hundreds of years...and now all of a sudden, after Cuenca has been named the "best retirement city in the world...they are removing vendors from the sidewalks? Someone is complaining...just saying... Cuenca has been discovered when your favorite banana lady vendor is gone from her usual sidewalk selling site. You ask her why she is not selling bananas in the location she has been in for years and she tells you theres a new county ordinance that vendors cant sell on certain main thoroughfares anymore. What? ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The former owner of an Alaska crude oil refinery has been ordered to pay millions in damages for releasing large amounts of a refinery solvent, sulfolane, into groundwater and polluting hundreds of residents drinking water wells. Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Warren Matthews in Fairbanks ordered Williams Alaska Petroleum, former owner of the North Pole Refinery, to pay $29.4 million for costs and damages. He also ordered Williams Alaska to pay future response costs and partially reimburse the company that bought the refinery, Flint Hills Resources LLC. Flint Hills has spent more than $130 million to provide clean water to affected residents, Fairbanks television station KTVF reported, and reimbursement could add tens of millions to the judgement. Matthews allocated 75% of the spill liability to Williams and 25% to Flint Hills in the trial to decide THE allocation of responsibility. Alaska Deputy Attorney General Treg Taylor said Williams had not been co-operative throughout the process of attempting to assign responsibility and restore clean water to residents. Despite being responsible for most of the pollution, Williams chose not to work with the State of Alaska in coming up with a solution and instead chose litigation, Taylor said in prepared statement. Were pleased that the court affirmed the basic principle that under Alaska law the polluter pays. David Shoup of Anchorage, an attorney for Williams Alaska, was travelling Friday afternoon and could not immediately respond to a request for comment, his office said. The refinery was built in 1977 in North Pole, a city of 2,100 about 14 miles (22.5 kilometres) south of Fairbanks. The refinery tapped crude from the trans-Alaska pipeline and refined it into jet fuel, heating fuel and other products. Williams in 2004 sold the refinery to Flint Hills Resources. Five years later, sulfolane was found in nearby water wells. Flint Hills closed the refinery a few years later. The two companies and the state engaged in litigation surrounding the sulfolane plume for nearly a decade. The trial opened in October. An attorney for Flint Hills, Jan Conlin, said sulfolane was not disclosed in the sale and Williams had not contributed to cleanup efforts during years of litigation. Shoup during the trial said sulfolane was not considered a hazardous chemical by the state and was not a regulated chemical at the time of the spill. He said neither Williams Petroleum nor Flint Hills Resources was under obligation to clean the spill because the state had not set a cleanup standard. Kevin Stanley was a ten year old boy, playing with a friend at 'the back of a wall', when the then principal of the Friary Boys School, Master Glynn came along and started chatting with them. 'He said, some day you should come and see the best school in Ireland. Little did he know that the ten year old would one day take over his job.' Kevin tells the story as he looks back on his 38 years teaching in the Friary Boys School, seventeen of which he was principal. 'I taught all the classes. I loved the place. It's a very unique little campus under the governance of the Dominicans who have always been very helpful to us. There's a unique family attachment to the school' with past-pupils sending their children to the Friary even after they have moved from the immediate catchment area.' The school is unusual in this day and age as a single-sex primary school, and Kevin says that while the subject has come up for discussion from time to time, there is no desire to move to being a co-ed school. It shares the campus with the infant school and with the girls school, so there is plenty of opportunity for interaction. A native of Lurgangreen, Kevin went to Haggardstown NS where he recalls Master McDonnell being 'a good role model'. After attending the CBS Secondary School in Dundalk, he studied at Carysfort Teaching Training College, where the former Louth Manager Michael McEnaney was a room mate. Outside of his career as a teacher, Kevin is very well known in local music circles. He was a founder member of Blackrock Musical Society and has performed with Dundalk Musical Society and more recently S.O.N.G. He has been a member of Clermont Chorale for ten years and recently took part in the recording of the radio play 'The Green Giant' with Patricia Reynolds. He has also played in local bands, raising over 20,000 for charity with a Johnny Cash tribute concert series. His wife Jane has also retired, having taught in Blackrock, and the couple are now looking forward to travelling abroad, although Kevin says that he will miss the Friary. Protesters against Catalan independence marched in central Madrid on Saturday (January 4) against a deal secured between acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and separatist leaders - calling it a betrayal. Sanchez is bidding to break parliament deadlock to form a government, and he's receiving some support from the separatists - including a pledge by lawmakers to abstain rather than vote against him. The protesters who showed up, numbering in at least the hundreds, view it as selling-out. This demonstrator says they're all "here to defend a united Spain" and that "we are all Spaniards, we are all equal" under the constitution. Sanchez is assuring lawmakers that neither Spain nor its constitution will break. Spain's current constitution prohibits regions from breaking away. The Catalan push for independence, including the unsanctioned referendum in 2017, has caused the country's worst political crisis in decades. Photo: The Canadian Press Canadian sales of passenger cars and light trucks were down about 3.6 per cent last year compared with 2018, according to industry statistics compiled by Des Rosiers Automotive Reports. It's the industry's first year-over-year decline in more than a decade, but Des Rosiers says 2019 was still the fourth best sales year on record. Des Rosiers says the total number of vehicles sold last year was 1,914,357, including 109,584 in December. That's down from 1,984,992 sales in 2018, including 114,289 in the month of December. Full-year sales of passenger cars fell 16.1 per cent to 484,687, while sales of light trucks including sport utility vehicles rose 1.6 per cent to 1,429,670. Des Rosiers says 2019 was a good year for sport utility vehicles, with Canadian sales surpassing the 900,000 units for the first time on record. Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Tense situation continued to prevail in Mandadam village, part of Amaravati capital region, after clashes broke out between the police and women yesterday over the issue of the state's capitals. The agitated villagers did not even offer water to the police deployed in the area where clashes broke out. Some villagers also shut down their shops to show their anger. Yesterday, farmers were protesting against the proposal of three capitals of Andhra in Mandadam, and the people of Tulluru village continued their "dharna." Anguished by the proposal to shift the capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam, the farmers of the region recently wrote a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking a direction to "stall the process of shifting the capital city" or else grant them "permission for mercy killing". People of 29 villages in the region have been demanding Amaravati to be retained as the sole capital of the state. (ANI) Our Divisions Copyright 2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Iran's Supreme National Security Council vows due vengeance after Soleimani assassination Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 4:45 PM Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) says a harsh vengeance "in due time and right place" awaits criminals behind the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), in a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. "Iran's Supreme National Security Council during its extraordinary session today examined various aspects of this incident and made appropriate decisions; and announces that the regime of the United States of America will be responsible for all the consequences of this criminal adventurism," the SNSC said in a statement on Friday, following Soleimani's assassination. "The US should know that the criminal attack against General Soleimani was its biggest strategic mistake in West Asia, and America will not easily get away with the consequences of this miscalculation," it added. The IRGC announced in a statement on Friday morning that General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were martyred in the vicious operation. Following Soleimani's assassination, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said those who assassinated the IRGC Quds Force commander must await a harsh revenge. Ayatollah Khamenei said the "cruelest people on earth" assassinated the "honorable" commander who "courageously fought for years against the evils and bandits of the world." Elsewhere in its statement, Iran's top security body said such "blind and coward measures" would strengthen the Islamic Republic's determination to keep up with its resistance policies. "Undoubtedly, this crime was the revenge of Daesh and Takfiri terrorists against big commanders of the fight against terrorism which was carried out by the US against honorable symbols of the elimination of terrorism in Iraq and Syria," the SNSC stated. It emphasized that the martyrdom of top Iranian and Iraqi commanders would shine as another sign of an unbreakable bond between the two nations in the future. In a statement posted on his official website, Ayatollah Khamenei appointed Esmail Qaani as the new head of the IRGC Quds Force. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said the ministry is ready to continue its cooperation with the IRGC Quds Force and its new commander. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A man wanted in four ATM thefts in Nagpur and Gadchiroli districts was arrested here on Saturday, the police said. The accused was identified as Jagdish alias Ganesh Shivshankar Babre (30), resident of Bela village of Bhandara district. After learning that he was hiding in Hasanbagh locality, officials of the Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Nagpur Rural police started looking for him in the area, said inspector Anil Jittawar. An informer told the police that Babre was working as a school bus driver in the city. After identifying and locating the bus, police officials who posed as morning walkers nabbed Babre when he got onto the bus on Saturday morning, the officer said. Babre was the kingpin of a gang which targeted ATMs, said inspector Jittawar. He was suspected to have stolen cash from an ATM in Aroli area in 2015, in Kuhi area in 2017, in Hingna in 2018 and in Gadchiroli district in 2019. He was also wanted in two cases of theft registered in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindawara district, the police officer said, adding that further probe was on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe While working on a message from the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that he was "very concerned about the stagnation in real incomes of the population." "We are worried, I am very concerned about the stagnation in real incomes of the population," the president said, adding that he is now preparing the message to be delivered on January 15. He did not disclose the contents of the document, referring to the fact that it is not finalized yet. I cant share details yet, there are no final decisions. There are options, but no final decisions have been made, he explained, adding that he means issues related to overcoming stagnation in the sphere of income citizens, with a decrease in the number of people living at the minimum wage, with poverty alleviation, TASS reports. These decisions must be made, Putin said, assuring that in his work he pays special attention to the issue of increasing the income level of citizens. Recall that the presidents message to the Federal Assembly is, as a rule, a regular annual speech by the head of state enshrined in the Constitution as his duty. The president outlines the main directions of the country's development and sets the corresponding tasks for the government and parliament. The text of the message is being prepared for several weeks, but usually the contents of the document are not disclosed until the announcement. Last year, the president delivered a message on February 20. The problem of reducing real incomes of citizens was raised during Putins big press conference, which was held in Moscow on December 19, 2019. In an interview with reporters, the president acknowledged that there has been a decline in recent years, describing it as a negative fact and expressing the opinion that the problem should be solved on the basis of increased labor productivity and GDP. "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on " - Hal Borland The optimists among us will look toward 2020 as the beginning of a new decade that could bring back the boom times of the last 'Roaring 20s' in the United States, with its economic growth, stock market surge and the dawn of mass consumerism. The pessimists will argue that we have just had the boom and the consumerism and that 2020 marks the beginning of a decade of uncertainty, as well as economic and political danger around the world. There are plenty of signals for both optimists and pessimists to hang on to. I would be inclined to lean towards the pessimists on this one, but with a little delay. Making predictions about the economy is always fraught but there are a few things we are now sure of which will affect people's pockets over the next 12 months. Last October's Budget introduced some measures which take effect in 2020. Carbon taxes went up by 6 per tonne back in October but the higher tax will kick in on heating oil and other products from May of this year. From September, parents will benefit from free GP care for children under eight and free dental care for children under six. Aside from a few minor increases in tax credits, and retention of the Help-to-Buy scheme, there wasn't a whole lot new that will hit your pocket in 2020. The big ticket items will be Brexit, the performance of the wider economy, and the prospects of a downturn triggered by a stock market fall or trade wars. On Brexit we can pretty much say that nothing will actually change in 2020. The transition period will ensure it is business as usual until December. How the trade talks go will determine a lot about what happens to jobs, wages and the economy in key sectors from 2021 onwards. Many people can reasonably expect to see a pay increase in 2020. Recruitment firm surveys before Christmas said that seven out of 10 employers were expecting to give wage increases in 2020. An average figure of around 1.8pc was mentioned but bear in mind wage increases in sought-after sectors are already heading towards double digits. At the end of the decade, average weekly earnings were 7pc higher than at the start of it. But bear in mind, child care, rent, house prices, motor insurance and taxation were all higher. House prices are now beginning to taper back. This year should see them flatline, with modest growth or modest falls in some areas. There is nothing to suggest that the rental housing crisis will be radically improved in 2020. It may be a bit better, but not that much. Health insurance premiums went up in 2019 and as the cost of healthcare continues to increase, more rises are likely. As insurers pull out of liability insurance for small businesses, such as creches, expect higher premiums to be passed on to users of these services. If there isn't any external shock, we are likely to see more people working in Ireland in 2020, although job growth may not be as significant as in recent years. It is extraordinary to think that at the end of 2019 there were 434,000 more people in employment than in 2012. The other great influencer of how much we end up having to spend is the State coffers. The Government can influence our spending power in a range of ways such as higher or lower taxes or injecting money into the economy through public spending. We won't have the money for meaningful tax cuts, so forget that. If we see a fall-off in corporation tax receipts, as seems likely, the Government might have to tighten spending. In 2019, Paschal Donohoe announced a 1.2bn Brexit crisis fund in the event of a no-deal crashout. The UK will not be crashing out in 2020, but it still could tumble out without a proper trade deal in 2021. The minister will come under enormous pressure to tap into this funding all the same. The plan was 650m for agriculture, tourism and enterprise, 14m for fishing, and 365m in extra funding for social protection as job losses would rack up. Beef farmers were to get 85m. We can expect more protests from the beef sector, which will argue that it is in crisis anyway. We should also remember that even in the 'Roaring 20s' of the last century in America, many farmers struggled due to falling farm prices after huge World War I production. What's good for one group isn't always good for everybody. Even optimists will struggle to show how the Irish and global economy can go onward and upward in the short term. Global stock markets look more likely to tumble than rise significantly, as they hover at record levels. There is still huge uncertainty over possible EU/US trade wars, along with Donald Trump's ongoing trade war with China. All of these things could trigger a slowdown in Ireland. There are key events on the horizon in 2020 that will determine what happens after this year, rather than during the next 12 months. In the coming months we should have a general election at home. At the end of 2020, we will find out if Trump will serve another term as US president (I am assuming he will win the impeachment vote). At the end of 2020 we will find out if the UK is going to trade with the EU (including Ireland) on World Trade Tariff rates, or through a free trade agreement. By the end of 2020 we should know how the OECD proposals on corporation tax are shaping up, and just how much they will affect Ireland's Exchequer finances and economic growth into the future. Perhaps 2020 looks a lot like 2019, and the really big stuff will happen after that. Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Local ICT activists, the Zimbabwe Information and Communication Technologies (ZICT), has urged the government to introduce mobile money wallet interoperability to reduce systematic and security risks Responding to Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasads negative comments about the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly, Punjab Chief Minister penned an open letter. Maintaining that it was his duty to represent the voice of the people as the CM, he alleged that the CAA ran afoul of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. Moreover, he expressed the apprehension that the CAA could be used as an infiltration tactic by Pakistan, thus hinting at a massive security threat. As the leader of the state, I took my oath under the Constitution @rsprasad Ji. I'm neither naive nor misguided & it's my duty to represent the voice of my people & Centre must pay heed to same. As the law minister, you'd know that #CAA fails the test of the Constitution. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/QKa68CDGi4 Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) January 3, 2020 Read: After Karnataka & UP, Vadodara Police To Recover Damages From Anti-CAA Rioters I am seriously concerned that #CAA can be easily misused for infiltrating into the country, particularly in border states like Punjab. Its a potential threat to national security @rsprasad Ji. Does the @BJP4India led central govt even know what it's doing? 2/2 Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) January 3, 2020 Read: Tamil Orator Nellai Kannan Who Said 'Finish PM,Shah' During Anti-CAA SDPI Protest Arrested 'Please get proper legal advice' On Wednesday, Prasad hit out at some of the opposition-ruled states who have publicly declared that they would not allow the implementation of the CAA. He opined that the states were thinking about political considerations. Furthermore, he advised them to get legal advice before taking such a position. "A lot of state governments, purely because of political consideration and votebank politics, are making public declarations that they will not enforce CAA. We gently remind them please get proper legal advice. You took office by swearing on the Constitution," Ravi Shankar Prasad opined. Read: Anti-CAA Violent Protests: SDPI & PFI Under Police Scanner For Allegedly Inciting Violence What is the CAA? The CAA seeks to provide citizenship to the minority communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. This will be applicable to the members of these communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. Moreover, they will not be considered as illegal migrants. Read: FIR Lodged Against Tamil Scholar Over "Finish PM, Shah" Remark At Anti-CAA Protest WASHINGTON - Thirteen months ago, President Donald Trump shut down much of the federal government over a bitter fight about his proposed wall along the Mexico border. Last month, his top advisers drew the line over a much smaller target: A provision in Congress' year-end spending legislation that would have allowed House members to hire certain immigrants known as "Dreamers" to work on Capitol Hill. In the end, Democratic lawmakers agreed to scrap the language, fearing an uncertain standoff with the White House in the midst of impeachment proceedings. It was one of just a handful of measures that senior Trump administration officials identified as completely unacceptable in final talks ahead of a Dec. 20 government shutdown deadline. The provision in question would have applied to immigrants who had received temporary work permits under an Obama-era program the Trump administration is trying to end, called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Immigrants who qualified for DACA must have been brought to the U.S. as children and meet a number of strict parameters. The language to allow DACA-recipients to work on Capitol Hill was initially accepted by top lawmakers of both parties. It would have stipulated that DACA-recipients could work as employees in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, but not in the Republican-run Senate. In practice, the proposed provision would likely have affected only a small number of people, and it garnered little attention as lawmakers negotiated two massive packages of appropriations bills leading up to the shutdown deadline. But the issue - and the White House's opposition - has symbolic and political significance because it shows how Trump has adjusted his strategy heading into the 2020 election. As the administration and Congress await a major Supreme Court ruling by summer on the legality of the DACA program, the White House showed it was unwilling to give any ground on the issue. Trump has signaled that he wants to delay any policy changes related to DACA until what he believes will be a Supreme Court ruling that validates his position. That's an outcome immigration activists fear would allow the administration to try to trade protections for "Dreamers" for stricter limits on immigration. Whichever decision the Supreme Court reaches is likely to force Trump and Democrats into an election-year battle over the nation's immigration policy with the fate of some 700,000 immigrants protected by the DACA program hanging in the balance. The previously unreported dispute over House Democrats' attempt to employ "Dreamers" was confirmed by multiple lawmakers and aides of both parties, as well as administration officials, some of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the secretive budget negotiations. It was a fraught time period last month, in part because talks took place as House Democrats voted to impeach Trump. "This was something that the president believed very strongly shouldn't be part of legislation," said a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the White House's views on the matter. "There's a pending Supreme Court case and the potentiality for legislative action, and the idea that you could by statute allow some cohort of individuals who are currently subject to Supreme Court proceedings to be hired by the House didn't make any sense." Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, negotiating on behalf of the administration with Legislative Affairs director Eric Ueland, made "crystal clear" to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that the provision must be dropped from the $1.4 trillion spending package, or otherwise Trump would veto it, this person said. Hispanic lawmakers and immigration activists had been more focused on other elements of the budget legislation. For example, they sought to block the White House from securing the $5 billion he sought to build more barriers along the Mexico border, among other things. The DACA measure that would have allowed House congressional offices to hire "Dreamers" as staff members stayed in the spending package up until the final rounds of talks. At that point, as Pelosi negotiated directly with Mnuchin, the White House identified the "Dreamers" provision - along with a small handful of other issues, including one involving Ukraine aid - as non-starters that would provoke a veto, the people involved in the discussions said. With the House enmeshed in divisive impeachment proceedings, Pelosi relented and dropped the provisions in order to stave off a shutdown. Some Hispanic lawmakers remain bitter about the outcome, but direct their blame at the White House. The approximately 700,000 immigrants protected by the DACA program - and many others who could be eligible for it -- have faced uncertainty for years because of multiple failed attempts by Congress to pass legislation to address their status. President Barack Obama acted unilaterally to create DACA in 2012, arguing he was justified because Congress had failed to act. The Trump administration, led by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, rescinded the program in 2017, sparking lawsuits that have led to legal limbo ever since. "It's appalling that any White House would risk a devastating government shutdown just to stop our brave, patriotic DACA recipients from working in Congress and devoting their talents to the work of our legislative branch," said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. Immigration activists said they view the White House move as symbolic of what they view to be the Trump administration's larger agenda aimed at limiting legal and illegal immigration, which is sure to play a central role in the 2020 campaign. "It is a larger indicator of what Republicans and Trump have been doing not just to DACA recipients but immigrants as a whole," said Sanaa Abrar, advocacy director of United We Dream. "It goes into their larger goal to make sure that people are at their most vulnerable, that they're undocumented, and deport people from this country." Trump himself, who has previously spoken of having "great heart" for Dreamers, has more recently hardened his tone. As the Supreme Court took up arguments in the case in November, Trump tweeted: "Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from 'angels, Some are very tough, hardened criminals." The chairman of the Police Federation has hit out at the attempted murder of a policeman and said the "parasite" responsible is lucky he was not shot. Mark Lindsay also said the male officer, who was off-duty at his Co Fermanagh home when he was confronted on his doorstep by a masked man brandishing a shotgun, was more committed than ever to the PSNI. A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the terrifying incident, which happened after the officer went to the front door to investigate movement outside his property. He was released on bail pending further enquiries. Read More The attacker pointed the gun at the policeman - described by Mr Lindsay as "a hard-working family man who tries to protect the community on a daily basis" - but it failed to fire. Labelling the attack, which detectives have linked to "organised criminal elements", as "an unwelcome and unwarranted new development", Mr Lindsay said "targeting police officers will not deter them from doing their job". "This man is a normal person like you or me who has chosen to be a police officer and serve the community and this is unfortunately a price that he's had to pay," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "He is annoyed about what happened; it has put stress into his life that he didn't need, but he's absolutely determined that it won't deter him from doing his job and helping to protect society against these people. "Those people are deluded if they think that threatening or trying to murder our officers will put us off trying to deter them or trying to protect society because that's what we do and that's what we're there for." The suspect, described as dressed entirely in black, fled on foot across nearby fields after the attack, which occurred in the Rosscah Road and Crevenish Road area of Kesh at around 2am on Thursday. Expand Close Mark Lindsay / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mark Lindsay Mr Lindsay warned those behind the incident that they "aren't going to achieve anything". He added: "The individual who came to that police officer's house can count himself very fortunate that he wasn't shot himself by the police officer. "Police officers are there protecting the community from these parasites, these people who prey on society, so I would ask the community to give the police any information that can help them rid society of these people." When asked if he felt the threat posed to individual officers is growing, the chair of the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said "it's fairly consistent". "Individual officers are targeted on an almost daily basis," Mr Lindsay added. "There's a lot of good work goes on by the PSNI to actually deter and thwart a lot of these attacks. "As police officers, we are very conscious that these attacks are being planned on a regular basis. In this particular case, though, they're maybe looking at a different source." Detective Chief Inspector Julie Mullan said she "firmly believes this was an attempt to murder a police officer". "This officer is a local officer, serving a local community and this was a reckless act," she said. "We're at an early stage and investigations are ongoing into exactly what happened and the circumstances surrounding that." Stressing that she was "keeping an open mind" over the motivation of the attack, Det Ch Insp Mullan added that she "firmly believes this was organised criminal elements who launched this attack on the police officer". "Organised criminality and that's all I can say at this stage, I can't rule anything in or out," she said. "It's had huge impact on the officer, it was a horrific incident for him and his wider family." She added: "He's being supported by his colleagues and ourselves and his family, but he's traumatised by the incident." DUP leader and local MLA Arlene Foster led the widespread condemnation, saying it was an "outrageous attack on a public servant". Mrs Foster said the attack was a "brazen attempt" on the life of the policeman. SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said the perpetrators wanted to "drag Northern Ireland backwards". Local UUP MLA Rosemary Barton said: "This cowardly attempt on the life of this officer under the cover of darkness must be condemned by all right-thinking people and those involved in this dreadful act have no place in our society, a society that we thought had moved on from murder and violence." DCI Mullan said the police were "keeping an open mind" as to the motivation behind the attack, but said "a primary line of enquiry is that organised criminal elements may be responsible". Amid privatisation talks of the national carrier Air India, its chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani on Saturday said the airline would continue to fly and also expand. Lohani, in a tweet, said that the rumours about Air India shutting down or closing operations baseless. Rumours regarding Air India shutting down or closing operations are all baseless. Air India would continue to fly and also expand and there should be no cause for concern whatsoever to travellers, corporates or agents. Air India the national carrier is still the biggest airline of India, the Air India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) tweeted. Rumours reg air India shutting down or closing operations are all baseless. Air India would continue to fly and also expand and there should be no cause for concern whatsoever to travelers, corporates or agents. Air India the national carrier is still the biggest airline of India Ashwani Lohani (@AshwaniLohani) January 4, 2020 Lohanis statement came weeks after he told the Civil Aviation Ministry that the carriers financial situation was grossly untenable for sustaining operations. It also needs appreciation that the overall financial situation is grossly untenable and the airline may not be able to sustain physical operations in the absence of immediate government intervention and support that we have been repeatedly requesting for in the recent past. said the CMD in a letter to the ministry last month. Ashwani Lohanis statement also came two days after the civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri met with Air Indias employees and reassured them that the national carrier will be operational till its privatisation process is complete. 13 employee unions met aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday to make sure their interests are protected in the disinvestment process. During the meeting, Puri said the ministry would need employees cooperation during the process and ensured help with pending dues. An airline official close to the developments said the minister made it known that the airline cannot survive without privatisation. The government-run airline has around 14,000 employees and the unions have been opposing divestment of its stake to private players. On Thursday, Qasem Soleimani, leader of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), was killed in an operation ordered by US Pre... On Thursday, Qasem Soleimani, leader of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), was killed in an operation ordered by US President Donald Trump. The general was killed in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. While defending the action, the US Department of State said Soleimani was killed for plotting an imminent attack on US interests in the Middle East. There have been different reactions to the killing; Iran has vowed to retaliate harshly. Some US security experts who featured on CNN earlier on Friday said the action was in order, accusing the late Iranian general of coordinating the killings of about 600 American citizens. However, in 2011, Trump accused Barack Obama, his predecessor, of plotting a war with Iran to get reelected. He said Obama did not have the ability to negotiate and that the war was his only option. Our president will start a war with Iran because he has no ability to negotiate. He is weak and ineffective so the only way he figures that he will get reelected is to start a war with Iran, he had said in a video shared by MSNBC on Friday. Unfortunately we have a president who doesnt know the first thing about negotiation. We have a real problem in the White House, so I believe he will attack Iran sometime prior to the election. Isnt it pathetic? Ironically, Trump who made the prediction is starting a war ahead of the 2020 presidential election that he has indicated interest in. Before he left office, the US relationship with Iran was cordial but things went south upon Trumps assumption of office. The incumbent US president had abandoned the nuclear deal referred to as the signature foreign policy achievement of Obama. The deal reached after more than two years of tough negotiations was between Iran, US, UK, Russia, France, China, Germany and the European Union. Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed Friday in a US strike, was one of the most popular figures in Iran and seen as a deadly adversary by America and its allies. General Soleimani, who headed the external operations Quds Force for the Guards, had wielded his regional clout publicly since 2018 when it was revealed that he had direct involvement in top-level talks over the formation of Iraq's government. It was no surprise at the time for a man who has been at the centre of power-broking in the region for two decades. Soleimani has been in and out of Baghdad ever since, most recently last month as parties sought to form a new government. Where once he kept to the shadows, Soleimani has in recent years become an unlikely celebrity in Iran -- replete with a huge following on Instagram. His profile rose suddenly when he was pushed forward as the public face of Iran's intervention in the Syrian conflict from 2013, appearing in battlefield photos, documentaries -- and even being featured in a music video and animated film. In a rare interview aired on Iranian state television in October, he said he was in Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war to oversee the conflict. To his fans and enemies alike, Soleimani was the key architect of Iran's regional influence, leading the fight against jihadist forces and extending Iran's diplomatic heft in Iraq, Syria and beyond. "To Middle Eastern Shiites, he is James Bond, Erwin Rommel and Lady Gaga rolled into one," wrote former CIA analyst Kenneth Pollack in a profile for Time's 100 most influential people in 2017. "To the West, he is... responsible for exporting Iran's Islamic revolution, supporting terrorists, subverting pro-Western governments and waging Iran's foreign wars," Pollack added. With Iran roiled by protests and economic problems at home, and the US once again mounting pressure from the outside, some Iranians had even called for Soleimani to enter domestic politics. While he has dismissed rumours he might one day run for president, the general has played a decisive role in the politics of Iran's neighbour, Iraq. As well as talks on forming a government, he was pivotal in pressuring Iraq's Kurds to abandon their plans for independence after an ill-judged referendum last September. - Decision-maker - His influence has deep roots, since Soleimani was already leading the Quds Force when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. "My Iranian interlocutors on Afghanistan made clear that while they kept the foreign ministry informed, ultimately it was General Soleimani that would make the decisions," former US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker told the BBC in 2013. His firm but quiet presence play perfectly to the Iranian penchant for dignified humility. "He sits over there on the other side of room, by himself, in a very quiet way. Doesn't speak, doesn't comment, just sits and listens. And so of course everyone is thinking only about him," a senior Iraqi official told the New Yorker for a long profile of Soleimani. A survey published in 2018 by IranPoll and the University of Maryland -- one of the few considered reliable by analysts -- found Soleimani had a popularity rating of 83 percent, beating President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Western leaders saw him as central to Iran's ties with militia groups including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas. Part of his appeal was the suggestion he might bridge Iran's bitter social divides on issues such as its strict "hijab" clothing rules. "If we constantly use terms such as 'bad hijab' and 'good hijab', reformist or conservative... then who is left?" Soleimani said in a speech to mark World Mosque Day in 2017. "They are all people. Are all your children religious? Is everybody the same? No, but the father attracts all of them." Iran Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, killed in a US strike, was one of the most popular figures in Iran and seen as a deadly adversary by America and its allies Northern governor hears call to serve on home turf By S. Rubatheesan View(s): View(s): P.S.M. Charles, the newly appointed, first woman Governor of the Northern Province, who also happens to be a native of the region and a senior public servant, is looking forward to fulfilling peoples aspirations. She was born and bred in Ilavalai, Jaffna. Ms Charles was sworn in by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on December 30. She assumed duties on Thursday at the Governors Secretariat, where she was welcomed with a guard of honour by the provincial police. Her family was also present. I was instructed to address the needs and heal the past wounds of the war-affected people in the province. The Presidential Secretariat assured it will grant powers and support to provide whatever is required for this, and other things that northern people were deprived [of] in the past, Ms Charles said at the ceremony. Earlier, she served as secretary to the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine, and before that, as director of Sri Lanka Customs. She had also served as district secretary in Vavuniya and Batticaloa. When the Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS), was offered the post, she had hesitated, since she was at the pinnacle of her three decades long service. Her four daughters had felt the same, but her husband had persuaded her. Im here today because of my family. I accepted the post to serve my native land. Even though I served in other parts of the region, Im thrilled to be appointed to serve in my native place. I urge everyone of you to assist me in the journey to serve the people of this region, she said. She was named a month after appointments of others provincial governors by President Rajapaksa who overwhelmingly won the presidential polls on November 16. President Rajapaksa explained to media heads at a recent breakfast meeting at the Presidential Secretariat earlier this month that no one was willing to take up the post considering the practical difficulties and different political opinions of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which represents the north in the Parliament. To release her from SLAS and voluntary early retirement, President Rajapaksa had to submit a Cabinet paper to ensure Mrs Charles is provided with all the benefits of a senior public official. I consider that the decision to appoint me as Governor by President Rajapaksa is to serve the needs of the war affected region of the north and to fulfil their expectations, Governor Ms Charles, said while emphasising she feels the heartbeat of the people in the area. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Manipur attack: Mortal remains of Assam Rifles personnel to head to their homes Fake image of an Indian Army Jawan pulling top of a female anti-CAA protester in Assam goes viral India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Jan 04: Amid the ongoing agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country, an image showing a man dressed in uniform pulling the top of a female protester is doing rounds on social media. The viral post claims how the Indian Army is treating women who are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam. The claim, however, is false. The post in Hindi claims: "(if) today this is the situation in Assam then tomorrow you will definitely see this in Delhi and UP. Delhi has people from every corner of the country, how will they show their documents?" In fact, the image is not at all connected to the anti-CAA protests in Assam. BJP MLA attacks minorities against CAA, says 'we are majority' | OneIndia News Cops establish role of illegal Bangladeshis in violence against citizenship law According to REUTERS, the picture is of a Tibetan protester struggling with police officers in front of the United Nations building in Kathmandu March 24, 2008. Hence, the claim that the incident took place in Assam during anti-CAA protests proved false. By Philip Giraldi January 03, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The United States is now at war with Iran in a conflict that could easily have been avoided and it will not end well. There will be no declaration of war coming from either side, but the assassination of Iranian Quds Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani and the head of Kataib Hezbollah Abu Mehdi Muhandis by virtue of a Reaper drone strike in Baghdad will shift the long-simmering conflict between the two nations into high gear. Iran cannot let the killing of a senior military officer go unanswered even though it cannot directly confront the United States militarily. But there will be reprisals and Tehrans suspected use of proxies to stage limited strikes will now be replaced by more damaging actions that can be directly attributed to the Iranian government. As Iran has significant resources locally, one can expect that the entire Persian Gulf region will be destabilized. And there is also the terrorism card, which will come into play. Iran has an extensive diaspora throughout much of the Middle East and, as it has been threatened by Washington for many years, it has had a long time to prepare for a war to be fought largely in the shadows. No American diplomat, soldier or even tourists in the region should consider him or herself to be safe, quite the contrary. It will be an open season on Americans. The U.S. has already ordered a partial evacuation of the Baghdad Embassy and has advised all American citizens to leave the country immediately. Donald Trump rode to victory in 2016 on a promise to end the useless wars in the Middle East, but he has now demonstrated very clearly that he is a liar. Instead of seeking detente, one of his first actions was to end the JCPOA nuclear agreement and re-introduce sanctions against Iran. In a sense, Iran has from the beginning been the exception to Trumps no-new-war pledge, a position that might reasonably be directly attributed to his incestuous relationship with the American Jewish community and in particular derived from his pandering to the expressed needs of Israels belligerent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Trump bears full responsibility for what comes next. The neoconservatives and Israelis are predictably cheering the result, with Mark Dubowitz of the pro-Israel Foundation for Defense of Democracies enthusing that it is bigger than bin Ladena massive blow to the [Iranian] regime. Dubowitz, whose credentials as an Iran expert are dubious at best, is at least somewhat right in this case. Qassem Suleimani is, to be sure, charismatic and also very popular in Iran. He is Irans most powerful military figure in the entire region, being the principal contact for proxies and allies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. But what Dubowitz does not understand is that no one in a military hierarchy is irreplaceable. Suleimanis aides and high officials in the intelligence ministry are certainly more than capable of picking up his mantle and continuing his policies. In reality, the series of foolish attacks initiated by the United States over the past week will only hasten the departure of much of the U.S. military from the region. The Pentagon and White House have been insisting that Iran was behind an alleged Kataib Hezbollah attack on a U.S. installation that then triggered a strike by Washington on claimed militia targets in Syria and also inside Iraq. Even though the U.S. military presence is as a guest of the Iraqi government, Washington went ahead with its attack even after the Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said no. To justify its actions, Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense, went so far as to insist that Iran is at war with the whole world, a clear demonstration of just how ignorant the White House team actually is. The U.S. government characteristically has not provided any evidence demonstrating either Iranian or Kataib involvement in recent developments, but after the counter-strike killed 26 Iraqi soldiers, the mass demonstrations against the Embassy in Baghdad became inevitable. The demonstrations were also attributed to Iran by Washington even though the people in the street were undoubtedly Iraqis. Now that the U.S. has also killed Suleimani and Muhandis in a drone strike at Baghdad Airport, clearly accomplished without the approval of the Iraqi government, it is inevitable that the prime minister will ask American forces to leave. That will in turn make the situation for the remaining U.S. troops in neighboring Syria untenable. And it will also force other Arab states in the region to rethink their hosting of U.S. soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen due to the law of unanticipated consequences as it is now clear that Washington has foolishly begun a war that serves no ones interests. The blood of the Americans, Iranians and Iraqis who will die in the next few weeks is clearly on Donald Trumps hands as this war was never inevitable and served no U.S. national interest. It will surely turn out to be a debacle, as well as devastating for all parties involved. And it might well, on top of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya, be the long-awaited beginning of the end of Americas imperial ambitions. Let us hope so! Philip Giraldi is a former counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. This article was originally published by "American Herald Tribune" - (CNN) Oil prices moved higher Friday after a top Iranian general was killed in a US airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. Futures for Brent crude, a global benchmark, jumped 3.6% to settle at $68.60 per barrel on Friday. US oil futures gained 3.1%, settling at $63.05 per barrel. Both are on track for their biggest daily gains in about a month and their highest prices since September, when Iran attacked Saudi oil facilities. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed in the strike at Baghdad International Airport. The Pentagon said that Soleimani was "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members" and that the strike was aimed at "deterring future Iranian attack plans." The killing of the powerful Iranian general risks further escalating tensions in the Middle East, which is home to major oil producing countries and key energy supply routes. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a statement that his country would take revenge for the killing of Soleimani. "An indirect response is the most apparent course of action, and oil installations and tankers were my first thoughts," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst for Asia Pacific at Oanda, in a research note. But Halley added that it's hard to tell whether Friday's surge will be sustained. Oil prices spiked more than 14% in September after coordinated attacks on crucial Saudi Arabian energy production facilities disrupted 5% of the daily global oil supply. The United States blamed Iran for those attacks, but prices pulled back quickly after Saudi officials said the kingdom would rely on reserves to keep exports stable. Iran denied that it was responsible. It took Saudi Arabia just 11 days to restore production, according to the International Energy Agency. A spate of attacks last year on oil tankers near the Iranian coast also demonstrates the potential for market disruption. Two oil tankers were attacked in June near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic choke point through which roughly 30% of the world's sea-borne crude oil passes. "Given the scope for tension to persist in the Strait of Hormuz, a protracted period of higher oil prices has to be a risk," said Kit Juckes, a strategist at Societe Generale. Stock markets sag There were other signs of investor unease on Friday. The price of gold, which traders tend to buy in times of uncertainty, increased by 1.3% to $1,547.89 per ounce. The Japanese yen, another safe haven, strengthened 0.4% against the US dollar. Elsewhere on Friday, major Asian stock indexes reversed earlier gains and traded lower following the news. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index shed 0.3%, while South Korea's Kospi was little changed. China's Shanghai Composite was down 0.1%, after seesawing between gains and losses. Japanese markets were still closed for the New Year's holidays and will resume trading on Monday. Stocks in Europe were lower in morning trade. The FTSE 100 was down 0.7% in London and Frankfurt's DAX dropped 1.9%. This story was first published on CNN.com "Oil prices surge 4% after Iran military leader killed in US strike" Turkey's decision to approve the deployment of troops to Libya risks plunging the North African nation deeper into a Syrian-style proxy war between regional powers including Russia, experts warn. Libya has been mired in conflict since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival administrations in the east and the west battling for supremacy. Turkey and Qatar have taken the side of the UN-recognised government of national accord (GNA) in the capital Tripoli, which has been under sustained attack since April from the forces of eastern-based military strongman General Khalifa Haftar. Haftar, who has superior air power, is backed by Turkey's regional rivals -- Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. On Thursday, Turkish MPs passed a bill approving a military deployment in Libya to bolster the beleaguered GNA. No date was given for the potential troop deployment, which would draw Ankara deeper into a conflict in which Haftar's forces, who oppose Islamist movements close to Ankara, have the upper hand. Ankara has already sent the GNA drones, according to the United Nations. Some reports have suggested that Ankara has sent in some of the Syrian rebels that led a Turkish intervention against a Kurdish militia in northeast Syria in October. Haftar's army, meanwhile, has reportedly received backing from hundreds of Russian mercenaries from private military group Wagner, believed to be controlled by an ally of President Vladimir Putin. Russia, whose military intervention in Syria helped turn the tide of that conflict in President Bashar al-Assad's favour in 2015, has denied sending mercenaries to Libya. But the UN's Libya envoy, Ghassan Salame, has said himself that Russian mercenaries are indeed operating on the ground and has accused several countries of violating a 2011 UN arms embargo on Libya. - 'Arms from everywhere' - Salame has slammed the foreign interference in a conflict that has turned Libya into a haven for jihadists and migrant smugglers. "Arms are coming in from everywhere," he told AFP in an interview in late November, accusing unnamed "external parties" of causing increased civilian casualties through drone strikes. Like the Syrian conflict, the Libyan war has developed into a "very complex" power play between Ankara and Moscow who are not allies but whose interests sometimes converge, Jalel Harchaoui, a researcher on Libya at Dutch think-tank Clingendael Institute, told AFP. Russia and Turkey support opposing sides in the Syrian civil war but together launched peace talks with Iran that effectively killed off UN-sponsored talks in Geneva. Moscow also initially stood back while Ankara intervened against Kurdish rebels in northeast Syria in October, allowing Ankara to carve out a buffer zone along its border before negotiating a ceasefire. "Could something similar happen in Libya? My answer is yes," Salame told France's Le Monde newspaper in a recent interview. Harchaoui noted that there had "never been a direct clash between Turks and Russians on Syrian soil" and predicted that they would also avoid direct confrontation in Libya. Underpinning the strategies of both countries was "the same anti-European, post-American logic," he said. - 'West not leading' - Europe, meanwhile, has been relegated to the role of onlookers, in a war which has facilitated the smuggling of migrants across the Mediterranean from Libya to Europe. Attempts by French President Emmanuel Macron to broker a peace deal by inviting Haftar to talks in Paris with the GNA in 2017, have come to naught. As France scales back its mediation attempts following criticism of its perceived pro-Haftar bias, Germany has stepped in to try fill the void. Berlin has invited regional players to a UN-backed conference in Berlin planned for January. "The West isn't leading the way in Libya. The Russians and Turks will do their own Yalta on Libya," Harchaoui predicted, in an allusion to the conference at which the US, USSR and Britain decided on the post-war order in Europe in 1945. Moscow and Ankara are operating on the assumption that the US, which has withdrawn some troops from Syria and Afghanistan, has "disappeared from the scene", Harchaoui added. For Emadeddin Badi, an expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington, Turkey's aim is "to force a political settlement that guarantees the survival of the GNA" and preserves its economic interests in Libya. In November, Ankara signed a maritime agreement with Tripoli that angered Greece and Cyprus by dividing much of the energy-rich Eastern Mediterranean between itself and Libya. Nathan Vest, a Middle East expert at the US policy institute Rand Corporation, described the deal as part of a "broader competition for resource equities and influence in the eastern Mediterranean". A fighter loyal to Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA)opens fire in clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in suburban Tripoli Map of forces involved in the fighting in Libya, as of December 31, 2019 SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: Chennais air quality remains on the edge round the year. However, its during winter months, especially during Deepavali in November and Bhogi festivities in January, that the air quality deteriorates and smog engulfs the city. This year too, Meteorological Centre officials indicated that smog may resurface after January 8 due to unfavourable weather conditions. On Friday morning, a thick blanket of fog covered the city, reducing visibility levels to under 50 metres, but conditions improved by 9 am under sunny and windy conditions although pollution levels in parts of the city was high. This may not be the case after a week with north-east monsoon expected to withdraw completely by January 8 and with it, the easterly winds would cease significantly. N Puviarasan, director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre at Regional Meteorological Centre, clarified what was witnessed on Friday morning was fog and not smog. Smog would form during still weather conditions and would continue during day time, deteriorating the air quality. Currently, mild easterlies are blowing and day time temperature remain around 30 degrees Celsius, conditions that are not conducive for smog to form. On Thursday, it was just fog caused by a strong inversion layer, which is formed when surface air is cooler than the air above, he said. The official added, Once the monsoon completely withdraws, no easterly winds will be present to disperse pollutants quickly. The city may see smog for a couple of days around Bhogi festivities (January 14). Anticipating this, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has formed special teams and squads to strengthen monitoring arrangements in all Chennai Corporation zones. TNPCB member secretary D Sekhar told Express that ahead of Bhogi, 30 monitoring teams and five squads have been formed to ensure that the burning of waste materials such as old rubber products, plastics, tyres, tubes, etc, is prevented. Bonfires lit by residents during high humidity and low temperature conditions may cause smog, which disrupts visibility and puts motorists at great risk. Flight operations may also be affected. On the day of Bhogi, TNPCB teams, jointly with the police department, would conduct night patrolling. Last year, more than 100 waste tyres which were kept for burning, were seized, the official added. Besides, the pollution control board is conducting awareness among the public in all the 15 zones. Officials said meetings will be conducted with supports of various non-governmental organisations and resident welfare associations. On Friday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered between 70 and 109, which according to the National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) standards, would cause minor breathing discomfort to the people with lung, asthma and heart diseases. Turn in any direction you like, caste is the monster that crosses your path, said Dr B.R. Ambedkar. This was the experience of everyone who ever faced caste discrimination, tried and tested for decades. Sadly, inspite of upward mobility aided by modern technology and awareness, we are discovering new forms of discrimination instead of annihilating caste. In reality, we are consolidating caste. Caste in India is like rape culture. A sick manifestation of the mind, it divides people. And whatever divides people is anti-social, unethical in letter, spirit, and practice; in other words a crime. We presume that caste is the business of only oppressed castes. A few castes have always cornered all the privileges and called it merit. Their self-assigned purity, we are told, is knowledge. We were all made to believe this story. In todays context, caste in India is the only reality. You cannot separate caste from any aspect of life crime, welfare measures, casting vote, employment, educational facilities, judiciary, or journalism. It is incipient and pervasive in its impact. Marginalised, untouchable castes often live in fear of crime. The vulnerability varies with various social, physical, economic, cultural locations of caste. Rulers, who mostly belong to dominant castes, have committed crimes from time immemorial by keeping the oppressed castes in slavery, confining them to dehumanised jobs like manual scavenging and to the most hazardous, unpaid jobs by depriving them access to education, health and better employment. This is nothing but a civilisational crime against millions, where victims and perpetrators both normalise caste crimes for different reasons. People are reduced to counting gruesome incidents than actually resisting crime, or adopting forms of struggle to protect themselves. The severity is seen as confined to a few castes. From Unnao to Disha of Telangana, rape and killings dominated the news recently. When Disha, a young veterinarian, was raped and murdered on November 27, 2019, suddenly everyone appeared enlightened about the severity of the problem. In India after Nirbhaya, in fact post-Nirbhaya, not only have rapes and brutal murders increased but the culprits video-record them and spread them on the social media. Is this the repercussion of the Nirbhaya Act? Until December 16, we all witnessed candlelight rallies, dharnas and discussions on television channels, following the encounter of all the four accused in the Disha case by the Hyderabad Police. On the same night of November 27 when Disha went missing, Manasa Yadav was found dead in Shayampet on the outskirts of Warangal urban area at 9.30 pm. Perhaps, the 19-year-olds death could not fit the medias bill. It was reported flippantly, with the news saying that it was her birthday, that she went out with her boyfriend, and bled heavily to death. Our fact-finding visit indicated that her boyfriend changed her clothes and left her in a remote place. Three days prior, on November 24, at Kumarambhim Asifabad district, Ellapatar village, Samata (Teku Laxmi), a 30-year-old woman was gang-raped and brutally murdered. Her body was found with wounds all over. Family members found her in the bushes near the village. Samata belonged to Budagajangam family, a sub-caste under the Scheduled Castes category. Her profession was selling combs, pins, and utensils. Initially, Laxmis real name was used in the media, unlike Dishas who had still gained much publicity as a Reddy. When Dalit organisations and activists questioned it, Laxmis name was changed to Samata. Surprisingly, her brutal rape and murder did not attract media attention. Only Dalit organisations, a few concerned people, and activists went to her place. It was Krishna Madiga, leader of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi, who took up the issue. His voice of protest reached officials, and only then things began to move fast. Some compensation was announced; a job for her husband and good education for their two kids were assured. The media and peoples attention present a picture of sharp contrast between Dishas case and the others. The response was absolutely casteist. Even during the coverage of the Nirbhaya case, such rapes and murders had occurred raising serious questions about differential responses. As a result of public backlash that held the government responsible for the crime, all the four accused in Dishas case were killed in an encounter at 3.30 early morning on December 6. We all know that encounters in India are another name for cold-blooded murders. Though police claimed that they killed them to save their own lives, a few political representatives publicly said that it is the decision of their government. If we do a caste-based analysis of the history of encounters, arrests, and punishments given for rapes and killings, and people who are in jails, we will find that the oppressed castes, adivasis and minorities will be over-represented. Judicially or extra-judicially, they are the people who will be punished. As for rape-murders, with a few exceptions, the targets are poor and marginalised women. Whether it is Madhu, a tribal boy who was hacked to death for stealing rice in Kerala, or Satyam Babu, a dalit man who was kept in prison for years despite being innocent in the Ayesha Meera case, it is men from marginalised sections who are punished unfairly, disproportionately. The families of the four boys killed in the December 6 encounter were poor, with hardly any education. They were from Mahbubnagar, a drought-prone area. Except one, Ali, the principal accused, the rest were aged less than 20 years and belonged to backward class communities. Based on preliminary reports and without any serious investigation, we were assured that they were actual criminals. Even if they are, should we take the law in our hands? If the accused belonged to dominant castes or financially powerful families, what would have been the reaction of the public and police towards them? Would they be still arrested and killed in this way? Is this question so hard to answer? Caste is a double-edged knife. Crime is committed against you because of your caste/social background. At the same time, summary, arbitrary punishments are served to you on the same ground. Do others face a similar fate? They may, but those are exceptions to the rule. Three Irish soldiers, including two from Sligo, killed in a landmine explosion while serving with the UN in Lebanon in 1989 were most likely deliberately targeted as an act of revenge, newly declassified files suggest. A secret government memo indicated that the soldiers may have been the victims of a bomb-maker who had a grudge against UN personnel over their failure to prevent the kidnapping of a relative by Israeli-backed militias. Government files released as part of the 1989 State Archive also revealed that both incidents - the landmine explosion and a heavy machine gun attack on an Irish outpost - involved Irish personnel fully complying with all UN operational security protocols. Corporal Fintan Heneghan from Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, Private Mannix Armstrong from Sligo and Private Thomas Walsh from Tubbercurry were killed when the UN truck in which they were travelling detonated a landmine on March 21st, 1989. Government files released under the 30-year rule include a draft document for answering parliamentary questions on the deaths, near an old Unifil (United National Interim Force in Lebanon) position, on the outskirts of the village of Bra'shit in Lebanon. The document notes that then minister for defence Michael J Noonan asked the Defence Forces chief of staff to visit Lebanon immediately afterwards and to work with the UN in their investigations. It was not possible at that time to establish who was responsible for planting the landmine or who it was directed against. However, the draft document notes a report from the chief of staff to Noonan suggests the "most plausible explanation was that the three Irish soldiers were deliberately targeted as an act of revenge by supporters of a known Lebanese explosives expert who had been abducted by the Israelis last December from within the Irish Battalion area". It was agreed that a number of increased security measures be introduced in the Irish zone, including a sweep for landmines, a newly installed bomb disposal team as well as improvements to the physical protection of the Irish Battalion headquarters. Adel Osseyran, then Lebanon's defence minister, sent a note of condolence to Noonan through the Lebanese Embassy in London. "I wish to express my most profound sadness and strongest condemnation of the aggressive act which resulted in the death of three Irish Unifil soldiers in Lebanon," it reads. "Whilst offering my sincerest condolences to you and the Irish people, I would like at the same time to affirm the deepest attachment of the Lebanese to these forces. "We highly appreciate their presence on our soil, their efforts and the sacrifices they make. Please accept out utmost sympathies." In a postscript, General Ahmed El Hall, Lebanese ambassador to London, adds: "May I reiterate my own personal condolences over the tragic loss of life." A review published many years later in 2011 was highly critical of the circumstances involved in the deaths. It found the device which killed the soldiers "should have or could have been detected before it detonated". The Army's 64th Infantry Battalion served with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon from October 1988 to April 1989. The government of a small Chinese county has decided to give its property sector a boost by handing cash to homebuyers, as the sluggish market has taken a toll on the local economy, a situation increasingly common in other small places. People who buy new homes in the first half of this year in specific areas of Fushun county can apply for government subsidies of 200 yuan ($28.70) per square meter, the county governments housing bureau said in a document (link in Chinese) on Monday. The county, noted for its salt industry, is administered by Zigong city in the southwestern province of Sichuan in China, a city generally governs multiple county-level districts. Fushuns move comes as local governments have come under increasing pressure from the ongoing nationwide economic slowdown, which is due in part to, and in turn worsens, weak local property markets. (This is) the first shot fired to rescue the (real estate) market in 2020, commented Yan Yuejin, a researcher with Shanghai-based property research institute E-House China R&D Institute, adding that other local governments could follow suit. The Fushun government acknowledged that the county has seen significant downward pressure on its property sector, which has severely constrained growth in fixed-asset investment, a key driver of the local economy, according to a statement (link in Chinese) released by its statistics bureau in August. In the first half of last year, growth in the countys real estate investment tumbled to 10.9% year-on-year from the 41.9% rise during the same period in 2018, the statement said. The story is the same in many small and midsize cities. Since early 2019, growth in Chinas property development investment has been on a downward trend, government data show. Growth in the countrys fixed-asset investment stood at 5.2% year-on-year in the first 11 months of the year, unchanged from the pace in the first 10 months, both marking the lowest level in almost 24 years. Previously, several local governments, including those of Luzhou, another Sichuan city, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous regions Baotou city, have also rolled out subsidies for new-home buyers. From October 2015 to March 2017, the Xuchang city government in the central province of Henan even handed out over 68 million yuan (link in Chinese) of such subsidies, which are roughly equivalent to 3.8 million yuan per month on average. Chinas once-red-hot real estate market reached a turning point in late 2016 after years of rapid growth, as multiple cities tightened property regulations in response to Beijings call to curb speculation and rein in soaring home prices, as well as to prevent a property bubble that could trigger turmoil in the countrys financial sector. Even as the central government has allowed localities to implement varied property regulations based on differing local conditions which economists say means some local governments have more discretion to slightly loosen tough restrictions on their real estate sectors small cities still saw only tepid market trading, which has depressed property developers willingness to invest and dragged on local economies. In 2018, Zigongs GDP (link in Chinese) was slightly over 140 billion yuan, less than 5% of Beijings or Shanghais. In the first three quarters of last year, the citys GDP growth dipped to 8.1% year-on-year, marking the third straight quarter of deceleration, official data show (link in Chinese). In the third quarter of 2019, Chinas economic growth slid to 6%, the weakest pace in almost three decades, amid sluggish domestic and global demand exacerbated by the trade war with the U.S. Contact reporter Lin Jinbing (jinbinglin@caixin.com) Caixin Global has launched Caixin CEIC Mobile, the mobile-only version of its world-class macroeconomic data platform. If youre using the Caixin app, please click here. If you havent downloaded the app, please click here. ST. PAUL Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Friday, Jan. 3 announced the filing of a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal court decision that found the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate to be unconstitutional. In filing the petition, Minnesota joins 19 other states plus Washington, D.C. in the call for a review. At issue is a federal Fifth Circuit court decision in a case led by Texas against the federal government over the constitutionality of the ACA's controversial individual mandate, which requires U.S. citizens to either purchase health insurance or pay a fine. Attorneys general for Texas and 20 other states argued in the suit that the mandate violates the constitution and thus requires the ACA to be repealed. In a recent split vote, the Fifth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling that found the mandate to be unconstitutional as a result of Congress's 2017 decision to lower the fine associated with it to $0. The mandate had previously been defended in a separate federal suit as a tax, according to court documents, but could no longer be considered as such if it did not generate revenue. The Fifth Circuit declined to rule on the constitutionality of the ACA's other provisions, which have been returned to a Texas district court for review. ADVERTISEMENT In a statement, Ellison called the decision "illogical and chaotic" and asked the Supreme Court to review it instead. "Affordable, high-quality health care is a human right. Its essential to being able to afford your life and live with dignity and respect," he said, vowing to "defend that human right." According to Ellison's office, approximately 212,000 low-income Minnesotans whose families became eligible for Medicare through the ACA's expansion of that program could lose their coverage if the act is repealed altogether. A further 82,000 enrolled in the ACA's Basic Health program, which provides coverage for low-wage workers whose employers do not provide health insurance, could meet the same fate. Were the act to be repealed, Ellison's office said that approximately 2.3 million Minnesotans with pre-existing conditions could see their premiums skyrocket or lose their coverage altogether. The other states petitioning for a Supreme Court review of the decision are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Will's Kitchen, the fist part of the Henley Street regeneration project, opened towards the end of last year. A new era for Stratfords most famous street will dawn on Monday, with a 1.2million project to transform Henley Street set to get underway. The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) has funded the scheme to the tune of 462,000, with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Stratford District Council stumping up the rest of the cash. Part of the project, the opening of a new destination cafe, has already been completed, after SBT started welcoming customers to Wills Kitchen in November. However extensive street-scene improvements are scheduled to start from Monday (6 January). Such work, will include the repaving of the street, the installation of new street lighting and seating, while hostile vehicle mitigation measures are being incorporated to make the street as safe as possible. Street furniture will also be replaced and there will be a general decluttering of the current fixtures. As part of a rolling programme of work on the south west side of Henley Street, pavements along both sides of the street will be laid first, before work gets underway on the central section and the new statue near the junction with Meer Street. However with contractors set to be on site until mid-April, working from 7am-4pm on weekdays until then, Henley Street businesses may be set for a period of disruption. Janine Morris, manager of Crystals on Henley Street, said: I think when the work is done it will be great for Henley Street, you cant make things better without making a bit of a mess first. Im hoping it wont affect us too much, theres not really any way of knowing until it actually begins. I think the cafes with outdoor seating are the ones that will be affected the most by this. Mike Bonner of Timeless Tales, said: It will be an upheaval, but January to April is the best time for them to do it as far as were concerned, its dead as a dodo during those months. It should look really nice when its done. Cllr Tony Jefferson, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council and board director at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, says: These are exciting times for Stratford-upon-Avon with this significant investment to revitalise Henley Street as the gateway to one of the worlds great cultural destinations. This is crucial at a time when the tourism industry is becoming increasingly more competitive and Im grateful to the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership for reflecting this with significant investment in our town. As with any project on this scale, there will be some level of disruption whilst these works are being carried out and I would like to thank the locals and businesses in the area for their co-operation, patience and understanding. A motivation for such major investment into Henley Street is to ensure Stratford can continue to attract visitors amid growing competition from Shakespeares Globe in London. One of the reasons the Henley Street improvements were awarded funding from the CWLEP was that the project could be delivered before Coventrys year as the UKs capital of culture in 2021. Stratford has previously missed out on funding from the CWLEP, such as cash to improve Birmingham Road, because it could be demonstrated that the project was shovel ready. New Delhi: At least two people were killed after a trainer aircraft of a private aviation academy crashed Madhya Pradeshs Sagar district. The unfortunate incident took place on Friday night. The pilot of the aircraft of 'Chimes Academy' was trying to land at Dhana airstrip when it crashed in the adjoining field, PTI quoted Sagar Superintendent of Police Amit Sanghi as saying. He further said that trainer Ashok Makwana and trainee Piyush Singh were killed in the crash that took place at 10 pm. Bad weather was likely a cause, the SP added. In the meantime, Chimes Academy's local administrator Rahul Sharma confirmed the accident. The aircraft was a Cessna 172, which has a glass cockpit and is enabled with facilities for flying in the night. Chimes Academy runs courses for Commercial Pilot Licence and Private Pilot License. In November 2019, a MiG-29K fighter aircraft crashed in Goa soon after it took off for a training mission. Fortunately, both the pilots managed to eject safely. The aircraft involved in the crash was a trainer version of the fighter jet. Also Read: India Condemns Attack On Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, Asks Pakistan To Secure Sikh's Safety In October 2019, two Mi-17 V5 helicopters of Indian Air Force (IAF) evacuated a crashed aircraft of UT Air Pvt limited at 11500 feet at Kedarnath helipad. The chopper was flown to Sahastradhara near Dehradun. The private aircraft had crashed a few days back at an altitude of 11500 feet at the Kedarnath helipad. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib (Image: Reuters) Pakistan on January 3 rejected reports that Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib near Lahore was desecrated by certain groups. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as the Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. It is regarded as one of the holiest Sikh sites. Foreign Office in a midnight statement said the provincial authorities in the Punjab province have informed that there was a scuffle in the city of Nankana Sahib on January 3 between two Muslim groups. The altercation happened on a minor incident at a tea-stall and the District Administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused. "Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of desecration and destruction' and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous, said the FO. It said the Government of Pakistan was committed to upholding law and order and providing security and protection to the people, especially the minorities. The opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is a manifestation of Pakistan's special care extended to the minorities, in line with the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, it said. According to some Indian media reports, a mob attack took place at the shrine. The reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones on Friday. India's External Affairs Ministry said members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place. We call upon the government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the MEA said in a statement. "Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community," it said. The MEA said the reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also expressed concern over reports of the mob attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara. In a tweet, Singh appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure that the devotees stranded at the gurdwara are rescued from the mob. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue with his Pakistani counterpart. BJP workers shout slogans during a protest against Pakistan over alleged attack at on Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Several members of the BJP protested on Saturday against the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. The protestors, raising slogans against Pakistan, were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station. According to the External Affairs Ministry, members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Pakistan has, however, rejected media reports that the historic Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib in Lahore was desecrated in a mob attack, saying the birthplace of founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak remains "untouched and undamaged" and the "claims of destruction" of one of the holiest Sikh shrines are "false". A 2017 report of the discovery of a particular kind of Majorana fermion -- the chiral Majorana fermion, referred to as the "angel particle" -- is likely a false alarm, according to new research. Majorana fermions are enigmatic particles that act as their own antiparticle and were first hypothesized to exist in 1937. They are of immense interest to physicists because their unique properties could allow them to be used in the construction of a topological quantum computer. A team of physicists at Penn State and the University of Wurzburg in Germany led by Cui-Zu Chang, an assistant professor of physics at Penn State studied over three dozen devices similar to the one used to produce the angel particle in the 2017 report. They found that the feature that was claimed to be the manifestation of the angel particle was unlikely to be induced by the existence of the angel particle. A paper describing the research appears on January 3, 2020 in the journal Science. "When the Italian physicist Ettore Majorana predicted the possibility of a new fundamental particle which is its own antiparticle, little could he have envisioned the long-lasting implications of his imaginative idea," said Nitin Samarth, Downsbrough Department Head and professor of physics at Penn State. "Over 80 years after Majorana's prediction, physicists continue to actively search for signatures of the still elusive "Majorana fermion" in diverse corners of the universe." In one such effort, particle physicists are using underground observatories that seek to prove whether the ghost-like particle known as the neutrino -- a subatomic particle that rarely interacts with matter -- might be a Majorana fermion. On a completely different front, condensed matter physicists are seeking to discover manifestations of Majorana physics in solid state devices that combine exotic quantum materials with superconductors. In such devices, electrons are theorized to dress themselves as Majorana fermions by stitching together a fabric constructed from core aspects of quantum mechanics, relativistic physics, and topology. This analogous version of Majorana fermions has particularly captured the attention of condensed matter physicists because it may provide a pathway for constructing a "topological quantum computer" whose qubits (quantum versions of binary 0s and 1s) are inherently protected from environmental decoherence -- the loss of information that results when a quantum system is not perfectly isolated and a major hurdle in the development of quantum computers. "An important first step toward this distant dream of creating a topological quantum computer is to demonstrate definitive experimental evidence for the existence of Majorana fermions in condensed matter," said Chang. "Over the past seven or so years, several experiments have claimed to show such evidence, but the interpretation of these experiments is still debated." The team studied devices fashioned from a quantum material known as a "quantum anomalous Hall insulator" wherein the electrical current flows only at the edge. A recent study predicted that when the edge current is in clean contact with a superconductor, propagating chiral Majorana Fermions are created and the electrical conductance of the device should be "half-quantized" (a value of e2/2h where "e" is the electron charge and "h" is Planck constant), when subject to a precise magnetic field. The Penn State-Wurzburg team studied over three dozen devices with several different materials configurations and found that devices with a clean superconducting contact always show the half-quantized value regardless of magnetic field conditions. This occurs because the superconductor acts like an electrical short and is thus not indicative of the presence of the Majorana fermion. "The fact that two laboratories -- at Penn State and at Wurzburg -- found completely consistent results using a wide variety of device configurations casts serious doubt on the validity of the theoretically proposed experimental geometry and questions the 2017 claim of observing the angel particle," said Moses Chan, Even Pugh Professor Emeritus of Physics at Penn State. "I remain optimistic that the combination of quantum anomalous Hall insulators and superconductivity is an attractive scheme for realizing chiral Majoranas," said Morteza Kayyalha, a postdoctoral research associate at Penn State who carried out the device fabrication and measurements. "But our theorist colleagues need to rethink the device geometry." "This is an excellent illustration of how science should work," said Samarth. "Extraordinary claims of discovery need to be carefully examined and reproduced. All of our postdocs and students worked really hard to make sure they carried out very rigorous tests of the past claims. We are also making sure that all of our data and methods are shared transparently with the community so that our results can be critically evaluated by interested colleagues." The Bhim Army claimed on Saturday that its jailed chief Chandrashekhar Azad was unwell and needed immediate medical care. Rejecting the claim, a senior jail official said Azad was "absolutely fine" and no such issue had come to their notice during routine medical check-ups by the official jail doctor. Azad's personal doctor Harjeet Singh Bhatti claimed that the Bhim Army chief suffers from a disease which requires biweekly phlebotomy, a "procedure to remove extra red blood cells from the blood to treat certain blood disorders". Bhim Army spokesperson Kush Ambedkarwadi, who had met the jailed chief on Friday, said Azad has been undergoing treatment for the disease for the past one-and-a-half years and that he had told authorities at the Tihar Jail, where he is currently lodged, about it. The last session of phlebotomy was scheduled a week ago. Azad has been complaining of headache, dizziness, pain in abdomen, Bhatti claimed. "If Azad doesn't get immediate medical care, his blood might get thicker and he may suffer a cardiac arrest. The jail authorities are not allowing him to visit AIIMS," he said. "This is inhuman and clear violation of human rights. I request Delhi Police and (Home Minister) Amit Shah to get him admitted to AIIMS," he posted on Twitter. The jail authorities, however, said Azad was "absolutely fine" and medical assistance will be provided to him if the need arises. The Delhi Police arrested Azad on December 21, a day after his outfit organised a march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the new citizenship law without permission from police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and Shi'ite militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad, Iraq has decided to restrict US military activity in the country, Iraqi Armed Forces Commanded spokesman Abd al-Karim Khalifa told Ria Novosti. "They can only act with the consent of the Iraqi side," the agency's interlocutor said. "But after such a blow from the back, we will limit their work, of course." Khalifa added that an investigation is underway toward all those who could have information about the movement of the killed Iranian general and his entourage. And commenting on NATO's suspension of training for Iraqi troops, Abd al-Karim Khalifa stressed that Iraq had its own opportunities in this area. "Coalition forces, of course, have helped from the air," the agency's interlocutor said. "But the rest was done by Iraqi soldiers." DHS Considering Protections to Prevent Violence Against Places of Worship The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering a list of recommendations focused on preventing violence against faith-based communities, after a spate of attacks at synagogues, churches, and other places of worship. Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf has asked agency heads, in a memorandum obtained by media outlets, to come up with a plan to bolster security at places of worship and protect faith-based groups from violent targeted attacks. Houses of worship and faith-based organizations dedicate resources to local communities and often serve as social and moral beacons people rely on in times of both joy and need. The right to practice religion free of interference or fear is one of our nations most fundamental and indelible rights, Wolf wrote in his memo, sent on Jan. 2. As such, the targeting of houses of worship by violent extremists of any ideology is particularly abhorrent and must be prevented. The recommendations are part of a Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) report (pdf), which was attached to Wolfs memo, which looks at DHSs role in preventing and mitigating the attacks. In May 2019, then-acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan asked HSAC to set up a subcommittee to review the security of faith-based organizations across the country. The subcommittee, co-chaired by John R. Allen, president of Brookings Institute, and Paul Goldenberg, president and CEO of Cardinal Point Strategies, was asked to review the sharing of information between the DHS and faith-based organizations, evaluate protective efforts for faith-based communities, evaluate the role of faith-based communities in preventative efforts, and look at the impacts of violent extremists and domestic terrorists. As part of their review, the subcommittee said they conducted seven site visits to places of worship across the nation, held in-person meetings and conference calls, and was also briefed by over 100 experts. The report was finalized and submitted in December 2019, just days before a violent stabbing attack at a rabbis home in New York and a shooting at a Texas church. The report outlines a range of findings and measures that could help improve the preparedness, communication, and funding of DHS and faith-based organizations in the event of an attack. The recommendations in the 2019 report include designating a central point of contact within DHS for faith-based groups, creating a package approach to security for faith-based organizations, encourage faith-based organizations to work with law enforcement develop real-time information sharing systems, and seek additional funding from Congress to provide increased security grant money for faith-based organizations. The report also references two similar reports made in 2012 and 2014 containing relevant recommendations that helped the subcommittee come to their conclusions in the new report. The subcommittee said although recommendations were made several years ago, there is no evidence any of the recommendations were acted upon. With this the third report of this nature, and in view of the urgency of our moment, and the imprimatur of this Subcommittee, this report should be converted into an implementation plan at the earliest possible moment for the systematic adoption of the actionable recommendations, the subcommittee advised the department. Some law enforcement has also responded with its own measures following the church attack in Texas. Fort Worth police posted on Twitter that Chief Ed Kraus is encouraging officers to wear their uniforms when attending places of worship. In the wake of the local attack on the West Freeway Church of Christ last Sunday, as well as the attacks on Jewish communities and church services nationally, Chief Kraus is authorizing and encouraging our officers who attend worship services to do so in full police uniform, the post said. A man shot at congregants attending a service at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, on Dec. 29, 2019, killing two people. The suspect, Keith Thomas Kinnunen, was shot and killed by a member of the churchs security team. JAMMU: Even as nationwide protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 and the proposed all-India National Register of Citizens (NRC) continue, Union Minister of State (MoS) in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the Centres next step would be the deportation of Rohingyas from the country. ''The CAA is applicable across the country including in J&K. By implication what will happen here is that the next move will be in relation to the Rohingyas. Unko jana hi hoga, details being worked out. This act doesn't give them leverage,'' MoS Singh said on Friday. Jitendra Singh made these remarks while speaking at a function in Jammu. The BJP leader also stressed that the Citizen Amendment Act has become applicable across the country, including the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, since the day it was passed by the Parliament. Pointing out that Jammu had a sizeable population of Rohingyas, Singh said that a list would be prepared and their biometrics would also be collected. According to the government figures, more than 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and Samba districts, where their population has increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016. They started to arrive in Indias Northeast following stepped-up persecution by the Myanmarese armed forces in late 2011. The Home Ministry claims that there are roughly 14,000 Rohingya refugees in India who are registered with the UNHCR, and there are estimated to be nearly 40,000 Rohingya living in India illegally. Live TV Earlier this year, the Home Ministry had informed Rajya Sabha that India had deported 22 Myanmar nationals, including Rohingya, since 2017. In 2017, the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar fled the country after massive violence broke out in the countrys Rakhine state. An estimated 6.7 lakh crossed over to neighbouring Bangladesh, adding to the roughly 2.13 lakh Rohingya who had left Myanmar in previous years. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other social organisations have been demanding the repatriation of the Rohingyas from the country. By PTI MUMBAI: Employee associations of state-run oil companies on Saturday opposed planned strategic sale of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), stating that it may bring revenue for the government but its long-term impact will be adverse. The government plans to sell its majority stake in the oil marketeer which can help it raise over Rs 70,000 crore. A senior Finance Ministry official had said this week that the sale might be deferred to the next fiscal. The Confederation of Maharatna Officers Association (COMCO) and Federation Of Oil PSU Officers (FOPO) on Saturday held a joint press conference here. The two associations claimed that selling off BPCL will result in a loss, because it is valued at 9.75 lakh crore while the government ownership is 53.29 percent for which it will be getting a maximum of Rs 7,50,00 crore. ALSO READ| Air India, BPCL, Concor divestments 'unlikely' this fiscal: Government official "BPCL is the most efficient profit-making company of the nation, which has been giving Rs 17,000 crore annually since last five years. We are requesting the government to review the decision of disinvestment of BPCL," said Amit Kumar, a senior officer of ONGC. He added that the disinvestment will be a short-term gain but a long-term loss. If the government wants, it can privatise or divest its stake in some other public sector companies whose performance is poor, he said, adding it will be interesting to see which private company takes over such PSUs. "Energy sector is considered strategically important, and privatization of a public sector company in this sector is a threat to the country's security," said Anil Medhe of BPCL. FOPO convener Mukul Kumar said that BPCL is the most professionally-run company among HPCL, IOC, and its employees are "surprised" by the government's decision. Gold bullion on a chart It was a banner year for gold stocks. After spending the majority of the past decade trading sideways, the price of gold finally broke through key resistance points in 2019. Breaking through the psychological $1,400 an ounce barrier, it closed the year just above $1,500 an ounce. As of writing, the S&P/TSX Global Gold Index is up by 41% over the past year, more than doubling the 19% gain of the S&P/TSX Composite Index. It has been a long time coming for gold investors. The good news is that the price of gold is beginning to form a base above $1,500 an ounce. This is a good sign for the industry, and as a result, we are seeing lots of M&A chatter. In fact, consolidation has already begun. In the second half of 2019, Kirkland Lake Gold picked up Detour Gold for $4.9 billion, and China Zijin Minning Corp acquired Continental Gold and Endeavour Silver in deals worth $1.4 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively. Who is next on the list? At the top of everyones radar is Pretium Resources (TSX:PVG)(NYSE:PVG). It is a name that has been circling the M&A chatter for a couple of years now. Why is there such interest in Pretium? Once the Detour Gold deal closes, Pretium a large single-asset company will be the last of its kind. Pretium operates the high-grade Brucejack Mine in British Columbia. It was a high-grade, low-cost mine and a very attractive asset. I used the term was purposefully. Last year, Pretium produced 376,000 ounces of gold at all-in sustaining costs (AISCs) of US$764 an ounce. Unfortunately, it has been a rough year for the company. To start the year, it guided to 405,000 ounces on AISCs of US$825 an ounce at the mid-range. Unfortunately, it has had to make revisions to guidance, and not in a good way. Pretium has since revised AISCs upwards by 12% to US$925 per ounce. Unfortunately for investors, the once promising Brucejack Mine may never deliver on the promise of AISCs of US$500 per ounce. This doesnt make it a bad mine; it just cant be considered one of the lowest-cost producers given there is no clarity on expected costs heading into 2020. Story continues The complexity of Brucejacks geology has made for an unpredictable mine, which has led to Pretium disappointing investors on a number of occasions. It is also likely one of the main reasons there hasnt been a serious buyer yet. Now that Detour is off the board, there certainly must be interest in a high-grade mine operating in one of the safest jurisdictions in the world. What kind of premium will investors receive? Gone are the days when the majors would scoop up the smaller players at ridiculous valuations. No, the industry has learned from its mistakes. Of the major deals from the past couple of years, the biggest premium has been the 24% premium that Kirkland Lake Gold paid for Detour Gold. I expect this type of premium to be the ceiling. At the time it announced the Detour Gold acquisition, Jeff Parr, Chairman of Kirkland Lake Gold had this to say about Pretium: Pretium was fully priced. Youre going to have to pay a premium to get it. Its going to be competitive. We just felt more bullish on Detour. Is a deal on the way? Perhaps. However, I would argue that Pretium shareholders would be better served by a more stable year at Brucejack. If the company can better navigate to complexity of Brucejack and re-position it as a low-cost mine, it would be a far more rewarding catalyst for shareholders. If, however, Pretium continues to struggle with costs, a buyer and new operator may be just what shareholders need. Regardless, Pretium appears to offer good value at todays prices. More reading Fool contributor Mat Litalien 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 2020 What is monkeypox? Is it contagious? How dangerous is this rare zoonotic viral disease found in UK What is Flurona? Israel records first case of flu and Covid together Bhim Army chief may suffer cardiac arrest, police denying medical care: Doctor India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Jan 04: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad's physician Harjit Singh Bhatti has claimed that Azad is suffering from a disease which requires bi-weekly phlebotomy from AIIMS. If it's not done, he may suffer a sudden cardiac arrest. In a series of tweets, Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti said that Azad is suffering from a disease that requires bi-weekly phlebotomy and has been under treatment for a year. "He (Azad) is suffering from a disease which requires biweekly phlebotomy from AIIMS, New Delhi under Haematology Department from where he is under treatment from last 1 years. If not done then his blood might get thicker which may result in sudden cardiac arrest or stroke. I was told that Chandrashekar bhai repeatedly told Delhi police about his medical condition in Tihar jail but the police authorities are not allowing him to visit AIIMS (SIC)," he said in his tweets. #Thread I am writing this as a physician of @BhimArmyChief Chandrashekar Bhai. He is suffering from a disease which requires biweekly phlebotomy from AIIMS, New Delhi under Haematology Department from where he is under treatment from last 1 years (1/n) pic.twitter.com/ReO6Pmphfi Harjit Singh Bhatti (@DrHarjitBhatti) January 3, 2020 NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 Bhim Army chief, Chandrashekhar Azad sent to 14-day judicial custody Bhatti requested the Home Minister Shah and the Delhi police to facilitate his treatment in AIIMS for his conditions, failing which Azad may be subjected to a fatal stroke. Ride-sharing has changed this issue of buckling up in back, said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety offices. People need to think about it when they get in these vehicles. You need to hear that message, whether on your app or from your driver telling you or by public education campaigns. Rose McGowan has said her tweet that apologised to Iran on behalf of the US for disrespecting their flag and people in the wake of an air strike that killed the countrys top general was not anti-American. I dont support Iran over America. I want America to be better, Ms McGowan told The Associated Press. Her tweet read: Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us. The head of Irans elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, General Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US air strike early Friday. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. She faced outrage over Fridays Twitter post, with some suggesting she move to Iran. Ms McGowan acknowledged that her tweet was unusual. I woke up, I stupidly looked at Twitter. I was going to the bathroom, and I was like, what? She added that she does not believe the governments of either Iran or the US. So, I just thought I would do something a little strange or unusual bloodshed should be avoided if you can, she said. And I kind of just thought, what if I take a really bizarre way around this. A very strange thought, I understand. Ms McGowan, 46, who is known for her role in the Scream movie franchise, was one of the earliest of dozens of women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, making her a major figure in the #MeToo movement. London: The British will see less Kylie and fewer quokkas, and more of Australia's ongoing bushfire disaster, with Tourism Australia pausing the digital element of its multimillion dollar advertising campaign starring the pop icon. The ad, featuring Kylie Minogue singing Matesong penned by Eddie Perfect was filmed in Australia over eight days in September when the first fires began but well before the scale of the disaster took hold. Planning began in mid-2019. It features cameos of cricketer Shane Warne, Olympic medallist Ian Thorpe, Tennis player Ash Barty and comedian Adam Hills, in idyllic coastal and central Australia locations, which are unaffected by the bushfires. The juxtaposition of the picturesque scenes compared to the terrifying footage of people fleeing to beaches to escape the inferno has prompted criticism about the ad's unfortunate timing. In 2011 Hanjun Wang was appointed CEO of Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited (HKG:1599). This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar size. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO. See our latest analysis for Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group How Does Hanjun Wang's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? Our data indicates that Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited is worth HK$3.2b, and total annual CEO compensation was reported as CN1.1m for the year to December 2018. We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at CN265k. We note that more than half of the total compensation is not the salary; and performance requirements may apply to this non-salary portion. When we examined a selection of companies with market caps ranging from CN1.4b to CN5.6b, we found the median CEO total compensation was CN2.3m. This would give shareholders a good impression of the company, since most similar size companies have to pay more, leaving less for shareholders. While this is a good thing, you'll need to understand the business better before you can form an opinion. You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group, below. SEHK:1599 CEO Compensation, January 3rd 2020 Is Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited Growing? Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited has increased its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 7.6% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue changed by just 0.09%. Story continues I would prefer it if there was revenue growth, but the improvement in EPS is good. In conclusion we can't form a strong opinion about business performance yet; but it's one worth watching. You might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for future earnings. Has Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited Been A Good Investment? Given the total loss of 44% over three years, many shareholders in Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited are probably rather dissatisfied, to say the least. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. In Summary... It appears that Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited remunerates its CEO below most similar sized companies. Hanjun Wang receives relatively low remuneration compared to similar sized companies. But the company isn't exactly firing on all cylinders, and returns over three years are not good. Many shareholders would probably like to see improvements, but our analysis does not suggest that CEO compensation is too generous. If you think CEO compensation levels are interesting you will probably really like this free visualization of insider trading at Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group. Important note: Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group may not be the best stock to buy. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. The Amherst and Holyoke school districts have received a total of $335,871 from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to enhance their intensive English language learning programs. According to a statement Friday from Amherst English Language Learning Coordinator Katie Richardson, Amherst public schools will receive $95,871, Holyoke public schools will get $150,000 and the two districts will share a separate $90,000 grant. The Amherst district, in partnership with Holyoke Public Schools, has been awarded the Gateway City Grant for high quality, and Alternative ELE Programs, the statement said. ELE stands for English learner education. The money will be used to expand the number of qualified bilingual education teachers and support educators, bilingual students, parents and caregivers. Amherst Superintendent Michael Morris said the districts new Caminantes Dual Language Program at Fort River Elementary School has been incredibly successful, thanks in large part to the planning and training DESEs grant funding provided previously. We are grateful for their continued support as we work diligently to ensure that the program will remain successful, he said in the statement. According to Morris, the new money also could be used to create a Spanish program during the summer months. UP election 2022: In Amethi, Rahul Gandhi targets BJP, rakes up Hindutwa, unemployment Will always be with you to fight injustice: Rahul Gandhi to media Rahul Gandhi gives adjournment notice on giving unhindered access to pasture lands in Ladakh 'Do you work for govt?' Rahul Gandhi asks reporter; BJP calls him entitled brat Word 'lynching' practically unheard of before 2014, 'Thank You Modi-Ji': Rahul Gandhi Hindu and Hindutva are not different things: Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi Rahul Gandhi condemns mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara India pti-PTI New Delhi, Jan 04: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, saying bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi termed Friday attack reprehensible, and said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. Untouched and undamaged: Pakistan govt denies reports of mob attack on Nankana Sahib BJP MLA attacks minorities against CAA, says 'we are majority' | OneIndia News "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote," he said in a tweet. A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan Friday and pelted it with stones. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of first Sikhguru Guru Nanak Dev. President Donald Trump warned Saturday that the US is targeting 52 sites in Iran and will hit them "very fast and very hard" if the Islamic republic attacks American personnel or assets. In a saber-rattling tweet that defended Friday's US drone strike assassination of a powerful Iranian general in Iraq, Trump said 52 represents the number of Americans held hostage at the US embassy in Tehran for more than a year starting in late 1979. Trump said some of these sites are "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!" Late Saturday night, the president tweeted again, this time warning Iran that the US will hit Iran "harder than they have ever been hit before!" Trump followed up with another tweet, saying the US would use its "brand new beautiful" military equipment "without hesitation" if the Iranians retaliate. Trump spoke out after pro-Iran factions ramped up pressure on US installations across Iraq with missiles and warnings to Iraqi troops -- part of an outburst of fury over the killing of Qasem Soleimani, described as the second most-powerful man in Iran. With the Islamic republic promising revenge, his killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiraling tensions between Washington and Tehran and has prompted fears of a major conflagration in the Middle East. In the first hints of a possible retaliatory response, two mortar rounds hit an area near the US embassy in Baghdad on Saturday, security sources told AFP. Almost simultaneously, two rockets slammed into the Al-Balad airbase where American troops are deployed north of Baghdad, security sources said. The Iraqi military confirmed the missile attacks in Baghdad and on al-Balad and said there were no casualties. The US military also said no coalition troops were hurt. With Americans wondering fearfully if, how and where Iran will hit back for the assassination, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin that said "at this time there is no specific, credible threat against the homeland." However on Saturday the website of the Federal Depository Library Program, a little-known US government agency, was breached by a group claiming to be linked to Iran, who posted graphics displaying the Iranian flag and vowing revenge for Soleimani's death. Separately, US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that information given to Congress by Trump, a Republican, "prompts serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of" the strike. "The Trump Administration's provocative, escalatory and disproportionate military engagement continues to put service members, diplomats and citizens of America and our allies in danger," said Pelosi, a Democrat. Another prominent democrat, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, called the president a "monster", for "threatening to target and kill innocent families, women and children". In a tweet, she said: "This is a war crime." - 'Direct war' - While no one claimed Saturday's attacks in Baghdad, a hardline pro-Iran faction in Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi military network shortly after urged Iraqis to move away from US forces by Sunday at 5:00 pm local time (1400 GMT). The deadline would coincide with a parliament session which the Hashed has insisted should see a vote on the ouster of US troops. Washington has blamed the vehemently anti-American group for a series of rocket attacks in recent weeks targeting US diplomats and troops stationed across Iraq. Many fear the US strike that killed Iran's military mastermind Soleimani would set off a wider conflict with Iran, and have braced for more attacks. "This is no longer a proxy war," said Erica Gaston, a non-resident fellow at the New America Foundation. "What you have is America attacking an Iranian general directly, and groups are now openly fighting for Iran to avenge him. This is a direct war," she told AFP. The US strike on Baghdad international airport early Friday killed a total of five Iranian Revolutionary Guards and five members of Iraq's Hashed. Among the dead was Hashed's deputy head Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a top adviser and personal friend to Soleimani. As head of the Guards' foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw Iran's wide-ranging interventions in regional power struggles. Trump has said Soleimani was planning an "imminent" attack on US personnel in Baghdad and should have been killed "many years ago". - 'Act of war' - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge" for Soleimani's death and Tehran named Soleimani's deputy, Esmail Qaani, to succeed him. Tens of thousands of Iraqis, including Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, political leaders and clerics attended a mass ceremony on Saturday to honor Soleimani and the other victims. Tehran has slammed the strike as an "act of war" and Abdel Mahdi said it could bring "devastating" violence to Iraq. The attacks on Saturday evening appeared to be precisely the reaction Iraqis had long feared: tit-for-tat strikes between the Hashed and the US on Iraqi soil. Earlier, the Hashed claimed a new strike hit their convoy north of Baghdad, with Iraqi state media blaming the US. But the US-led coalition denied involvement, telling AFP: "There was no American or coalition strike" on Saturday. With Iran promising revenge, Soleimani's killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiraling tensions between Washington and Tehran "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war," US President Donald Trump said Many fear the American strike that killed Iran's military mastermind Soleimani would set off a wider conflict with Iran, and have braced for more attacks Qasem Soleimani has been described as the second most-powerful man in Iran Tens of thousands of Iraqis, including Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, attended a mass ceremony to honor Soleimani Supporters of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi force protested outside the US embassy in Baghdad earlier this week From a remote mountain ledge in Northern California, the panorama that unfolds before you can refresh your life for the new year. To get this, the first key is to just keep on driving, away from all the people. Then hit the trail and keep on walking, away from any city. And when you hit snow, strap on a pair of snowshoes, Yaktrax or a splitboard, and keep on trekking for entry into a paradise that can feel all your own. In the Trinity Divide, it takes a trek of an hour or so to reach the frozen outlet of Heart Lake. Your view spans across miles of snow-covered national forest, plunges 3,000 feet to Strawberry Valley (and Interstate 5) and beyond to 14,179-foot Mount Shasta. On crystal days, such as in last week, giant Shasta is like a diamond against a cobalt blue winter sky. Directly below is frozen Castle Lake, and beyond in the distance, 6,436-foot Black Butte. This past week, Black Butte poked a hole through a layer of low-lying stratus that extended for miles north into the Shasta Valley. On the horizon, you could see the frosted pinnacle of distant 9,495-foot Mount McLoughlin. In a state with nearly 40 million people, taking in a view like this feels like youre getting a new start in a new year. Other great winter treks are available at Tahoe, Yosemite and across the Sierra Nevada. If you want to go Trailhead: Castle Lake, Shasta-Trinity National Forest Cost: Parking, access free The trek: Castle Lake Trailhead to Heart Lake, 2.6 miles round trip, 600-foot climb. Distances can be shortened. Access note: Surface conditions at Castle Lake Road can require chains or 4-wheel-drives equipped with M&S tires. After snowfall, road is often plowed only to a popular photo overlook, which adds 0.7 of a mile to each leg of trip. Maps: Shasta-Trinity National Forest, $14, available at district office in Mount Shasta, or National Forest Map Store, 971-263-3149 or www.nationalforestmapstore.com. Equipment rental/info: The Fifth Season, https://thefifthseason.com; recorded mountain report, 530-926-5555. Guided treks: Shasta Mountain Guides, 530-926-3117, http://shastaguides.com. Avalanche danger: Mount Shasta Avalanche Center, Daily Forecast Hotline, 530-926-9613, www.shastaavalanche.org. Contact: Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mount Shasta Ranger District, 530-926-4511, www.fs.usda.gov/stnf. - Tom Stienstra See More Collapse Right gear, right trek Many of the best winter trekking destinations are the same places that provide great mountain hikes in summer. Instead of hiking on trails, you traverse on the same routes across snow and ice with the proper gear. In periods with no fresh snow, or light snowfalls, the snow base will compress and the surface will freeze into an ice layer. On ice, wear YakTrax on hiking boots and you often can walk right across the ice. With fresh snow, it can be best to advance to small snowshoes for maximum traction. Same thing, easy and fun, and you can extend trips into the winter wilderness. Another approach is strap on a splitboard. For climbing, splitboards come apart in the center, so you can walk up slopes as if you are wearing long snowshoes (where you add climbing skins for grip) on each foot. Once you reach a mountain crest, you can then reattach the splitboard to form a snowboard, and then sail back down the slopes. These have become popular for freelance mountaineering and boarding. Of course, for backcountry trips in winter, get updated on avalanche conditions. The most difficult winter snow conditions for trekking occur when you have to break new trail in deep powder (worst in a blizzard where you cant see landmarks). The softer the snow, the larger the snowshoe you will need to keep your steps from post-holing. Rental outfits often select the size of your snowshoe according to your weight; that is incorrect. Instead, select the size thats necessary for snow surface conditions. For mountaineers on steep, iced-over slopes, like you get on glaciers, wear crampons, cleats or Microspikes, and always rope up and carry an ice axe so you can self-arrest in a fall. Getting Heart Lake view From the town of Mount Shasta, the trip to Heart Lake starts with a 10-mile drive with a 2,000-foot climb up to Castle Lake in the Trinity Divide country. This past week, the road up from Lake Siskiyou to the trailhead at Castle Lake was largely clear of ice, and 2-wheel drives were able to make it to roads end at 5,450 feet. From parking, Castle Lake is a short walk just beyond and was 90% frozen, but melted at its edges in a ring, and unsafe to walk on. As you leave the parking area, the route starts off to the left, with Castle Lake on your right, where you make a crossing on icy rocks over the outlet for Castle Creek. The route is then easy to follow, but steep at times, as it rises above Castle Lake on your right, and emerges at a sub-rim that looms over Castle Lake. From here, you then turn right. Unless you have to break trail in powder, the route is traveled enough to find your way without confusion, about a half mile to little Heart Lake. It looks like a tiny icy rink now. At the outlet, on your right as you approach the foot of the lake, there is a rocky brink. You then turn to your right and take in the panorama of Mount Shasta and miles of what feels like paradise. In an all-at-once moment, you realize why you came this way and how good life can be in the coming year. Great snow treks Castle Pass, I-80: From Castle Peak Road (across highway from Boreal), 2-mile trek with a climb of 685 feet on route to Castle Pass (7,880 feet), on flank of fortress-like wall at Castle Peak. Info: Tahoe National Forest, 530-587-3558, www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Meeks Creek Trail, near Tahoma: The Meeks Creek Trail starts along Highway 89 near west shore of Lake Tahoe, and is flat (a dirt road in summer) for 1.9 miles, one-way, then rises into Desolation Wilderness. Info: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 530-543-2600, www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu. Tahoe overlook, Emerald Bay: At D.L. Bliss State Park, pass the closed gate on foot and trek 2 miles on the snow-covered road to the brink overlooking Lake Tahoe. Info: D.L. Bliss State Park, 530-525-7277, www.parks.ca.gov. Mirror Lake, Yosemite Valley: The trail starts near the old stables, then a near-flat route past Mirror Lake where you look up at the face of Half Dome. Easy, short. Can be extended up Tenaya Creek. Info: Yosemite National Park, 209-372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose. Dewey Point, Yosemite: From Badger Pass, 7-mile round trip, trek up Glacier Point Road for 1.4 miles, then turn left and follow yellow markers in trees to 7,385-foot Dewey Point in south rim over Yosemite Valley, across from El Capitan; can rank fun and moderate on ice, to not-fun and challenging in powder, where you have to break trail. Info: Badger Pass Mountaineering Center, 209-372-8444, www.travelyosemite.com click on Winter. Tom Stienstra is The San Francisco Chronicles outdoors writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom The naked old mystic sat high on his mountain and but for his long beard he would have been exposed to the cold winter winds. "I'm badly stuck for a column," said I. "Any chance, oh mighty bearded one, that you could help with predicting the happenings of 2020?" He pointed at a bowl and in it were a few fifties in euro and a scattering of American dollars in large denominations. Nothing is for nothing in Kerry. I admit this was paid-for journalism which is largely banned but I persuaded myself the visit to the seer was for the good of my country. The wise one stood up and urinated in a large porcelain urn. The steam rose from the hot urine and the prophet read the signs. He wasn't in a trance, and the wise one still took several bookings from American tourists, Paddy Power and the Greens. His knotted body hair cascaded down over him like catkins. It has been written that he has not seen his nether-regions in 37 years. Then the wise one spoke of what will be. "Donald Trump will finally be outed as a Russian spy. He will flee to Clare from America, just like the late Eamon de Valera. The US president will run in the forthcoming General Election. Mr Trump will drop the d at the end of Donald. He will rebrand as Donal, which is more Irish-sounding. Already there is talk Trump will stop the Tipperary people crossing the bridge in to Killaloe. And Tipp County Council will have to pay for the wall." He took a long pull from a herbal cigarette and drank the whole of the by-now-cold contents of the jug. Then on he went. "Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Healy-Rae will gain 88pc of the vote in Kerry. The other 12pc goes to Councillors Jackie Healy-Rae and Maura Healy-Rae. Prediction: The Healy-Raes to take all four seats and they will hold the balance of power. The new government promises to fill all Kerry potholes with titanium as part of a deal to get the family to vote for it." The next prediction was the Greens will be a part of the next government. The forecast after that was deeply disturbing. The seer warned me thus. "Do you want me to go on? My prediction is for truly awful news. Cataclysmic is the only word I can use." "Will Trump nuke North Korea and trigger the end of mankind?" I asked in a hushed tone. "Worse than that," replied the teary seer. "Dublin will win six in a row." We were silent then to take in the enormity of it. He consoled me by saying our pub would be full of Dubs telling us how great they are. I texted the estate agent immediately and asked him to put up a 'for sale' sign. "There is good news, too," he said. He offered me a jar of fermented 90pc-proof urine but I politely declined. "Go on," said I. "The good news?" "The waiting lists in A&E will be a thing of the past. Urine will cure all. Hospital trolleys will be sold off to the supermarkets for the loading up of all the cheap drink. The multiples announce they will now pay people to take cans of Guinness home from their stores. The country publicans in the meantime will pay full whack, thereby sponsoring the multiples' giveaways." "The blackguards," I said, not in a shy way. I asked about climate change. "Greta Thunberg arrives in Ireland. Gives kids a half-day off school to check if parents drove to work. "Every night the guilty parents must do supervised homework, about extinct birds and melting icebergs. "Danny Healy-Rae goes Raesatarian. From now on he will only eat vegetarian animals, like cows and sheep. The new government bans crocodile meat in Ireland as part of the election deal. "The Greens call for nudity so as to end the appalling practice of clothes dumping by the young crowd who buy flimsy garments online for less than nothing." I sighed. I like wearing clothes. "Go on, go on. Get it over with." "That's it," he replied. "Your time is up, unless you want to go on our platinum deluxe package." I duly payed up. It's back to the future. "The outgoing GAA president announces Dublin are to be given a five-point start in every match. The non-political GAA bans the singing of 'Come on Ye Boys in Blue' until after the General Election. 117 All-Ireland-medal winners run for the Dail" "What about the North?" I asked. "No bother," said the seer. "Stormont reopens. The DUP agrees an Irish language bill but only if the words 'tiocfaidh', 'ar' and 'la' are banned from use. Sinn Fein and the DUP deny their reconciliation has anything to do with the Alliance surge. The DUP agrees to a united Ireland but only if members don't have to listen to Shane Ross in the new parliament. "Boris Johnson's secretary tells him Arlene Foster is on line four. 'Arlene who?' replies Boris. I tried to take stock. But there was no time to think. I was on the clock and I saw Leo Varadkar slowly making his way up the holy mountain. The prophet of doom rushed through the future. "Easy up," I pleaded. "Slow down, seer. What about the Dail and political reform?" He answered immediately. "The new government will be made up of Fianna Fail, the Greens, Sinn Fein, and the Healy-Raes, who form the largest grouping. Michael will be Taoiseach, unless there is a funeral on in south Kerry, in which case the Tanaiste will take over. The new government will announce a five-point plan. "1. TDs can now vote from home; "2. TDs who vote from home still get travel expenses; "3. TDs are allowed unvouched overnight allowance for staying at home; "4. Dail announces TDs' partners to get carer's allowance: "5. Greens to impose carbon tax on nappies as a trade-off. "Time up," the seer shouted. I got up to go. So sorry was I that I came up that cursed mountain to listen to that oul' wan yak of a man. The heat sat over me like a weighted blanket as I balanced in a small canoe, gliding through grass that towered higher than my head. Tall trees the only respite from the beaming sun and fluffy white clouds floated above, lending a peaceful feeling to Xeo Quyt, a mangrove forest about three hours southwest of Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon, as its still commonly called), not far from the banks of the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam. As the wooden boat gently rocked from side to side, I imagined how simple it would be to forget what this place used to be. It would be easy to miss the bomb craters created decades ago, now out of sight beneath the water, or to overlook the abandoned bunkers, once used as a base by Viet Cong fighters and now nearly overtaken by the unruly forest that grew around them. Like much of South Vietnam, the area had become almost unrecognizable since the war it had moved on. Look closely enough, though, and you can see still the scars of a war that claimed the lives of 58,000 Americans and 3.8 million Vietnamese, including two million civilians. From the mid-1950s, when America started providing military support to Vietnamese in the south, through 1973, when U.S. troops withdrew from the area, and through the turbulent years after, the country and especially the south had been transformed. But half a century later, all that remained were faint shadows. Courtesy of Alison Fox Courtesy of Alison Fox Driving past picturesque rice paddies steeped in water that had fallen during the afternoon rains a welcome break from the stifling humidity my Wild Frontiers guide, Khoa, noted that many Vietnamese who were born after the war preferred not to think about it. It was history, having little discernible impact on day-to-day life. Its easy to see how removed from the bomb craters and other obvious signs of war Ho Chi Minh City appeared as a modern showpiece: high-rise buildings stood surrounded by trendy tourist shops and a sea of motorbikes that forced folks to dodge them like a real-life game of Frogger. Story continues Id always wanted to go to Vietnam and learn about the war. It had been a goal since I was a teenager and studied it in history class, staring at black-and-white photographs that felt full of question marks. Away from the city, where palm trees surrounded wide-open farms and we snacked on bunches of sweet longan fruit, I was determined to understand that era of American history a bit more than the textbooks allowed. And while the warm people of Vietnam didnt bring it up, they also didnt seem to hold a grudge when I asked. Many American mothers lost their kids in Vietnam, Huynh Van Chia (or Mr. Nam, as hes fondly known) said through a translator. During the war time, [we] knew this [we] knew there were students demonstrating, the parents demonstrating. After a decade of fighting as a Viet Cong soldier, 73-year-old Mr. Nam made it his mission to share his experience. Nobody will know if you dont tell them. Its really important that you tell them and continue doing that, even with my last breath, he said. Mr. Nam was nearly 17 years old in 1963, when he started living in the Cu Chi tunnels, a dizzying, dark maze of cramped bunkers dipping several stories underground. As the war picked up speed, his home was burned down because he refused to go to a camp, and he eventually lived and fought in the tunnels. During his 12 years there, he existed on nothing but cassava for months, blew up a U.S. tank and lost his eye and arm in the return of fire, and was one of only two in his unit to survive the war. After the fighting ceased, Mr. Nam returned to find a changed landscape. Much of his family had died, and he proceeded to pick up the pieces of a life that had been put on hold. In Trung Lap Ha, a village located about an hour northwest of the city, we sat at a table with heaping plates of tofu mixed with tomatoes, onions, and peppers; sticky rice; fresh spring rolls; and a large bottle of moonshine. After dinner, between sips of tea, I asked him a simple yet complicated question: Why is it important to talk about the war? Courtesy of Alison Fox Courtesy of Alison Fox The war, which is destruction I just cannot describe how horrible it was [I] never want that to happen again. It doesn't matter where this homeland or another country I dont want it to happen again, he said calmly. He then recalled a message he once delivered to a group of students. A message for Vietnamese students, young people, Americans around the world: Do not meet up at the battlefield. Never. You should meet up at the tea table, like this. Fifty years after Steve Murray fought in the Vietnam War, he packed his bags and went back. The idea for the trip, which he took in June with Wild Frontiers, came when Murray, 74, and his friend, Paul Olsen, 73, got a little drunk and curious. The pair had gone together during the war in 1969, and while Murray didnt know what returning would be like, the trip ended up having a bigger impact than he expected. You're viewing it from a time of peace versus a time of war; everything was [through] a different lens, said Murray, who now lives in Washington State. It was important for us and I think it would be important to others. Murray said both he and Olsen had initially resisted the idea of going back. Audibly emotional, Murray told me he suffered from survivors guilt for years, and while the country had very noticeably changed in the decades since, seeing it offered an often-elusive feeling: closure. It doesnt go away, but the feelings are different, the emotions are different because we went back. It was a good thing. I felt better when we got back, he said. I told far more stories about this nine-day visit than I told about [the war]. Olsen, who is from South Carolina, recalled a serendipitous meeting in a coffee shop during their recent trip with a man who had fought for the Viet Cong. The man joked, saying that if they had met decades ago, "one of us wouldnt have been there." He said it smiling, and we laughed about it, but he's right, said Olsen. And while he noted that many signs of the war had been erased, he also said, we learn from the past, if nothing else. Over the years, many visitors have gone to Vietnam looking to retrace the wars history. In fact, about 95 percent of Wild Frontiers trips have had some aspect of the war built in. But that has been changing recently. I think as we move forward the war is further in the past and thus less relevant to the travelers who are going today, said Andrea Ross, the companys U.S. director. Vietnam attracts a more millennial crowd because of the food, because it's fascinating, [and] it has a booming night scene. She added, There was this definite desire to move on With that said, they dont seem to mind that we as Americans bring it back up. On my last night in Vietnam, I stood in front of the window of my hotel room, high above the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City below. I gently wrapped up a Vietnamese copy of Goodnight Moon a gift I had bought for my nephew from an expansive, modern bookstore down the street. I looked up in time to catch one of the citys upscale dinner cruises floating down the Saigon River, snaking past the high-rise buildings, and I thought how easy it would be to only see this side of the country. However, that would be a shame. Because at the end of the day, its through a countrys history that you can truly understand its future America and Vietnam included. Skies turned black and ash rained down as fires raged across southeastern Australia on Saturday, threatening power supplies to major cities and prompting the call-up of 3,000 military reservists. Temperature records were smashed, and gale-force winds pounded fire-stricken coastal communities in the two most populous states New South Wales and Victoria. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that worst-case scenario projections were "coming to fruition", although large-scale evacuations meant the human toll was minimised. Since late September, 23 people have died, more than 1,500 homes have been damaged and an area roughly twice the size of Belgium or Hawaii has burned. The latest fatalities were in Kangaroo Island -- a tourist haven southwest of Adelaide -- when two people were trapped in a car overrun by flames on Friday. But strong winds and high temperatures continued to fuel hundreds of fires and cause chaos. Bushfires took out two substations and transmission lines, prompting authorities in New South Wales to warn that an area home to almost eight million people and the nation's largest city Sydney could experience rolling blackouts. "We are in for a long night and we have still to hit the worst of it," Berejiklian warned as another total fire ban was declared for Sunday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the largest military call-up in living memory, mobilising 3,000 reservists to assist thousands of volunteer firefighters who have been battling the blazes. "Today's decision puts more boots on the ground, puts more planes in the sky, puts more ships at sea," said Morrison, who made the announcement after being pilloried for his response to the deadly disaster. But even that move prompted outrage when his Liberal Party turned it into a campaign ad, with shadow minister for international development Pat Conroy accusing Morrison of trying to "exploit a national tragedy". - Record temperatures - A state of emergency had been declared across much of the heavily populated southeast and more than 100,000 people were told to leave their homes across three states. Thousands heeded that call on Friday, abandoning summer holidays and piling into cars that clogged the highways linking southeastern coastal towns with the relative safety of Sydney or larger towns. Several emergency warnings were issued on Saturday, and there were fears that one blaze southwest of Sydney could reach the city's outskirts. Sydney recorded its highest-ever temperature of 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in the western suburb of Penrith, and the nation's capital Canberra hit 44 degrees Celsius, also an all-time record, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said. Thousands of volunteer firefighters battled the infernos as some residents stayed behind to defend their homes. Just outside the seaside town of Batemans Bay, a four-hour drive south of Sydney, locals joined forces with firefighters to tackle the blazes. "Today, we've had nothing short of a disaster. A very large fire-front came through... the high temperatures and the southerly change is putting a real lot of pressure on the resources that we have," local Adam Pike told AFP. "Guys that know the bush, guys that know fire, helped save at least 10 to 12 homes on this street... we are so grateful for their help." The only activity in the usually bustling tourist hotspot was at an evacuation centre, where hundreds of locals forced from their homes were sheltering on an open field in tents and caravans. Mick Cummins, 57, and his wife fled to the evacuation centre when fire ripped through their rural town on New Year's Eve. "We said this is too tough for us, let's get out. We went to the beach and then hellfire came over the hill," he told AFP. "I was here in the '94 fires. I thought that was bad. That was just a barbeque" in comparison, he said. Republican Assemblyman Will Barclay emerged Saturday as the frontrunner to succeed Brian Kolb as Assembly minority leader, a day after Kolb said he would step down from the post. Barclay, R-Pulaski, has the support of at least 35 of the 41 sitting members in the Assembly GOP conference, Assistant Minority Leader Gary Finch told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Theres no question that he is the frontrunner, Finch said Saturday when asked about Barclay. Hes the logical person to serve as leader. Theres no doubt about that. He has a good rapport with all the members of the conference. Kolb and other Republican conference leaders are among those supporting Barclay, Finch said. The conference could vote as early as Tuesday before the new Assembly session begins Wednesday. Barclay is a nine-term Assembly member who served as deputy minority leader until last year. He is now the top Republican on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. Barclay, who turns 51 on Sunday, is the son of H. Douglas Barclay, once one of the most influential Republicans in New York state. The senior Barclay served 10 terms in the New York Senate and chaired its GOP conference. Will Barclay said he has spoken with almost all members of the Republican conference to ask for their support for the leaders post since Kolb decided Friday to step down following a DWI arrest on New Years Eve. I am heartened that Ive received a very positive response back from members, and the nice thing is that Ive received support from every region across the state, Barclay told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Among those competing for the leadership post is Assemblyman David DiPietro of Western New York, who confirmed his candidacy to City & State. Minority Leader Pro Tempore Andy Goodell told the publication hes not a candidate for the job. Barclay declined to say whether he considers himself the candidate to beat for minority leader. No one wants to be labeled the frontrunner, Barclay said. But I feel very confident of where I am right now. Barclay said several top Assembly Republicans encouraged him to run for the leadership post, but he declined to disclose their names. He said he has been stunned by the fast-moving developments since Kolb crashed a state-owned vehicle into a ditch, resulting in the drunk driving charge. Ive had an interest in being leader, but I certainly didnt think Id be doing this three days ago, Barclay said Saturday between calls to Assembly GOP members. Barclay praised Kolb for his decision to step aside as leader. I think it was the honorable thing to do, Barclay. For him to continue as leader would have been a drag on the conference. Finch, R-Springport, agreed that Kolb made the right decision. He said Barclay will be able to give the party a fresh face at the start of a new session and beginning of an election year. Will Barclay knows politics, Finch said. He has a long history. He can raise money to support campaigns, which is part of the job. And he was a warm approach to leadership where he persuades people without demanding. Read more Brian Kolb to step down as NY Assembly GOP leader after DWI arrest Special prosecutor tapped to handle DWI case of NYS Assembly minority leader Brian Kolb NY Assembly member calls for Brian Kolb to resign as GOP leader NYS Assembly minority leader Brian Kolb crashed in front of his home before DWI arrest Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As Messianic Jews, meaning, Jews who follow Jesus as Messiah, we are used to being rejected by our own Jewish community. Some see us as traitors and apostates. Others simply see us as simply misguided. Some will freely say, Youre no longer Jewish. The reality is that, for most of us, our sense of Jewish identity was only deepened through our faith in Yeshua (Jesus). Gods purposes for our people became more important. Our connection to the State of Israel became more real. Our calling as Jews became more pronounced. (Not as superior in any way to our Gentile Christians friends, but as distinct, just as men and women have distinct callings in Jesus.) This means that when anti-Semitism is on the rise in America and the nations, we feel it acutely. We have not stopped being Jews by putting our faith in the Jewish Messiah. And even if we do not practice traditional Judaism, we know who we are before God. An attack against a secular Jew or a traditional Jew is also an attack against us. Thats why it is no surprise to us when a Messianic congregation (commonly called a Messianic synagogue) is attacked by anti-Semites. (For the concept of a Messianic synagogue in the New Testament, see James [Jacob] 2:2 in the Greek.) An article in the Forward dated August 14, 2019, stated, After a Las Vegas security guard was arrested last week and charged with planning to bomb an unnamed local synagogue, many in the local Jewish community wondered if they could have been targeted. The answer, it turns out, is a bit more complicated. For the Forward, what was complicated was the fact that this was a Messianic Jewish synagogue. But the reality is that, yes, the Jewish community should have wondered if they could have been targeted, since this was an attack against Jews. There was nothing complicated about it. To an anti-Semite, a building with Jewish symbols is a Jewish building. And a man with a beard, wearing a yarmulke (as some Messianic Jews do, to identify with our people), is a Jew. In the same way, when Jew-hating terrorists seek to kill or maim our people in Israel, they dont stop their act of terror when they learn that their target is a Messianic Jew. And while it is true that some German churches under the Nazis showed concern for Jewish Christians and not for the Jews as a whole, other church leaders argued for the separation of Jewish Christians from Aryan congregations. Those Jews were still Jews, despite their membership in Christian churches and their Christian identity. And so, when Jewish Christians in Nazi Germany were required to wear the Jewish star along with the rest of the Jewish population, In some parts of the country, Protestant churchgoers were displeased to note how many (converted) Jews went to church, and demanded of their ministers that they should not be asked to take communion next to these Jews, whom they wanted forbidden to attend common services (Robert Gellately, Backing Hitler: Consent and Coercion in Nazi Germany [New York: Oxford University Press, 2001]). In the end, these Jewish Christians died in the same concentration camps and were gassed to death in the same showers as were the rest of the Jews of Europe butchered by the Nazis. Traditional Jews died side by side with secular Jews and with Jewish Christians. In the eyes of Hitler (and in the eyes of God), they were all Jews. That being said, as a Messianic Jew, I am also deeply connected to the Christian community. We are brothers and sisters in Jesus, with a deep, spiritual bond. I am indebted to the Christians who prayed me into the kingdom. They, in turn, are indebted to a Jewish Savior as we all are and feel uniquely connected to the people of Israel. Even deeper than my Jewish identity is my identity as a Jesus-follower. Yet, at the same time, it has often been the Church men and women who profess Jesus as Lord who have persecuted the Jews. (The most recent, horrific example would be John Earnest, the Poway Synagogue shooter.) If ever there was an oxymoron, it would be the term Christian anti-Semitism, yet this has been rampant through Church history, right until this day. In that light, as one who straddles both the Christian and Jewish communities, sometimes misunderstood by the former and commonly rejected by the latter, I make this appeal to my Christian friends. Please stand up against anti-Semitism, and do so in Jesus name, as a Christian. Pastors and Christian leaders, reach out to the rabbis in your community and tell them that, as a Church leader, you stand with them and are there to help. Maybe even hold a public rally of support. And to every true Christian reading these words, tell your Jewish friends and colleagues how appalled you are at the rising time of anti-Semitism in America and worldwide. Tell them you have their backs. And tell them that, as someone who looks to a Jew (Jesus!) for salvation, you feel connected to them as well. As a Messianic Jew, I assure you that your acts of genuine love will not be ignored by the Jewish community. And its a great way to show our people who Yeshua really is the author of love, not hate. An Australia Zoo staff member was bitten by a wild snake in an off-display area of the zoo on Saturday. The 27-year-old male was rushed to Sunshine Coast University Hospital after paramedics were called to the zoo about 8.30am. The man is understood to be in a stable condition. An Australia Zoo staff member was bitten by a brown tree snake in an off-display area of the zoo on Saturday (stock image) Australia Zoo, located at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, is a popular tourist destination (file image) A spokesperson for the zoo told Daily Mail Australia the particular snake is not seriously venomous. 'While brown tree snakes are mildly venomous, they are not generally considered dangerous,' he said. 'As a precaution, the staff member was taken to the hospital.' 'The staff member, and snake, are both doing fine.' The zoo has only had two incidents of visitors ever being bitten by snakes - both of which were non-venomous green tree snakes. Both of the incidents were in January 2017. 'While green tree snakes are not venomous, we followed first aid protocol and the guest was taken to the hospital,' a spokesperson said at the time. Australia Zoo, located at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, is a popular tourist destination. The 400 hectare site has won the Australian Tourism Awards for Major Tourist Attraction twice. The 400 hectare site has won the Australian Tourism Awards for Major Tourist Attraction twice (pictured are Bindi, Terri, and Robert Irwin who own the zoo) This truly historic image was taken in November 1911 by Winnipeg photographer Lewis Benjamin Foote. Its most intriguing feature is the bizarre, mildly humorous array of gristly, numbered buffalo skulls in the foreground. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. This truly historic image was taken in November 1911 by Winnipeg photographer Lewis Benjamin Foote. Its most intriguing feature is the bizarre, mildly humorous array of gristly, numbered "buffalo" skulls in the foreground. The backstory pivots on the fact that bison were extinct in Canada by 1900. Possibly motivated by a conservation ethic, the Canadian government bought 716 bison between 1907 and 1912 from Michel Pablo, a Montana entrepreneur who, with partner Charles Allard, had bred the animals to generate lucrative sales to museums and parks. L.B. Foote Edward Darbeys taxidermy shop on Main Street in November 1911. Most of the 716 reached Alberta game reserves, but a small number were too wild and were simply shot. At a 1911 Winnipeg auction, 13 of Pablos untamable bison billed as the last "wild" relics of the 50-60 million monarchs of the Prairies were sold for robes and head mounts. They likely arrived in Winnipeg in the summer of 1911 (note the snowless sidewalk and open window in the photo). Their carcasses would have been skinned and the hides salted and/or frozen; the skulls were numbered to facilitate reuniting respective skulls and capes before mounting by taxidermist Edward Darbey. Prepared for auction on Nov. 25, the heads sold for $500-$800 each, making fine wall trophies for 11 Winnipeg bidders. The Victorian British notion of "decorating" homes with "stuffed animals" had its heyday among sportsmen and the well-to-do of Canadian society, too. However, by around 1890, the notion was butting heads with the nascent conservation movement. Yet, the federal and provincial governments needed immigrants to settle and tame Canadas vast, rich, untrammelled West. Stuffed, mounted wildlife was considered symbolic of the North West Territorys "superabundance," and thus integral to strategies for attracting immigrants to Canada. Taxidermy displays were featured at provincial, national and international exhibitions, and taxidermists were kept busy supplying mounts. By about 1902, George Atkinson, Alex Calder, Edward Darbey, George Grieve, Abel Hine and his three sons, and William White were noted Winnipeg taxidermists, all with shops on Main Street. Winnipeggers eagerly attended these shops and exhibitions because, until 1932, the city had no permanent public museum to exhibit natural history specimens. As a 15-year-old, Edward Wade Darbey came to Winnipeg in 1887 from Ontario with his parents and four siblings, and soon found work with William Fenwick White, noted dealer in Indian curios. In 1898, Darbey purchased George Grieves taxidermy at 247 Main St., which around 1903 shifted to 233 Main, where he further honed his talents in taxidermy and curio collecting. He also sold raw hides, buckskins, moccasins and snowshoes, many made by Cree artisans. Darbeys shop is characterized by clapboard construction, poor-quality window glass imperfectly reflecting buildings on the west side of Main Street just north of St. Mary Avenue, awnings to protect the window displays from the suns bleaching rays and a remarkable menagerie within. Several animals are exotic for Winnipeg, like the two white-coat seal pups (right-hand window), surrounded by snowshoe hare, red fox, badger, swift fox, ermine and a squirrel, all overseen by an exotic walrus skull. The left-hand window is cluttered, but when magnified the image reveals two grouse (spruce and ruffed) above a diorama with three (four?) white-tailed ptarmigan in winter plumage. A magpie swoops down in front. Others are indistinct: possibly a blue jay, owls and a wasp nest. At the open window, upper right, blurry, a man leans on his elbow; is this a "Hitchcockian" cameo of Darbey himself? Darbey already had the distinction of appointment by premier Rodmond Roblin as "official taxidermist to the Manitoba government" about 1902. It required him to provide taxidermic mounts to beautify public buildings. Two of his bison mounts long stood guard inside the front entrance of the legislature. The honour bestowed by Roblin, plus Darbeys fine reputation, convinced collectors far and near to submit specimens, even rare whooping cranes, for taxidermy. The Pablo bison were a bonus! Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Clientele included sportsmen, naturalists and scientists, like Cyril Harrold (a remarkable collector and taxidermist who worked briefly for Darbey), Ernest Thompson Seton and William Rowan (later a professor and pioneer in bird migration studies). Darbeys obituary published in the Manitoba Free Press on Aug. 26, 1922, emphasized the esteem afforded this fur man in whose shop "could be seen Indians and trappers from the great hinterland of the Canadian west (come) to barter their seasons harvest." It was a hub of activity and good fellowship. Darbeys taxidermy shop was gone by 1921, when the building was demolished to make way for construction of "a modern two-storey garage and motor repair shop." A newspaper story on Feb. 28, 1921, entitled "Main Street Relics to Disappear," claimed the site was presently occupied by "the oldest buildings in Winnipeg, two of them occupied by Edward W. Darby (sic), taxidermist The building at 233 Main Street, occupied by Edward Darby (sic), was the first Wesleyan mission in Winnipeg." These claims about 233 Main St. could not be substantiated by visits to the United Church of Canada and City of Winnipeg Archives. For pun and prophet, the headlines triple-entendre about disappearing relics must be appreciated: Edward Darbey, 49, passed away on Aug. 25, 1922, from a heart-related illness, 18 months after that Free Press announcement. His son Verne and daughter Iris survived him, as did his wife, Edith, who operated the taxidermy elsewhere on Main Street and at two Edmonton Street locations until 1931. Note: To clarify, bison and buffalo are of the same family, but it is believed early explorers to North America referred to bison as buffalo as they were similar in appearance to the water buffalo found in South Asia and Africa. Bison are found in North America and in parts of Europe. Even though the term "buffalo" is a misnomer, it is still used when referring to our bison. For more information or to become a member of the Manitoba Historical Society, call 204-947-0559 or email: info@mhs.mb.ca. The MHS is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as manitobahistory. Australias unprecedented wildfires are supercharged thanks to climate change, the type of trees catching fire and weather, experts say. And these fires are so extreme that they are triggering their own thunderstorms. Here are a few questions and answers about the science behind the Australian wildfires that so far have burned about 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres), killing at least 17 people and destroying more than 1,400 homes. They are basically just in a horrific convergence of events, said Stanford University environmental studies director Chris Field, who chaired an international scientific report on climate change and extreme events. He said this is one of the worst, if not the worst, climate change extreme events hes seen. There is something just intrinsically terrifying about these big wildfires. They go on for so long, the sense of hopelessness that they instill, Field said. The wildfires are kind of the iconic representation of climate change impacts. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 03.01.2020 LISTEN A businessman was nabbed after concealing $130,220 in his luggage while travelling from Ghana to China. He has appeared before a Circuit Court in Accra. Stephen Owusu, charged with an attempt to commit a crime to wit exportation of currency without a license from the Bank of Ghana and Money laundering, had his plea reserved. Prosecuting, Annette Barnes told the court that the accused was arrested on December 31, last year and the Police were carrying out further investigations into the matter. According to Ms. Barnes, they came to the court to have accused persons remanded into lawful custody. She said there could be more charges preferred against the accused upon further investigations by other security agencies. Mr. Kwesi Beyin, who represented Owusu, prayed the court to admit his client to bail while the security agents continue with their investigations. Mr. Beyin told the court that the accused person has landed properties and would not abscond from the jurisdiction when granting bail. The court presided over by Justice Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye remanded Owusu, who deals in jewelry and wristwatches in Kumasi. He will make his next appearance in court on January 10. The case of the prosecution was that the complainants were operatives of the Narcotics Control Board stationed at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). That on December 31, last year, at about 2005 hours, Owusu was accosted at KIA while going through departure formalities to board Kenya Airways en-route Accra-Kenya-Guangzhou-China on suspicion of trafficking narcotic drugs. The prosecution said a thorough search in Owusus brown leather handbag revealed $130,220 concealed beneath his luggage. According to prosecution, Owusu had packed his belongings on top to avoid detection. The prosecution said in Owusus investigative cautioned statement, he claimed ownership and admitted that he intentionally concealed the money to avoid detection. The prosecution said they also found some assorted watches and pieces of jewelry, which Owusu claimed he was returning to China because they were fake. ---GNA Trying to wrest energy from the sea is not a new trend. The science of tidal energy has been around since the 1900s, a new algal biofuel breakthrough is announced every year or so, and Russia has even launched its nuclear power plants out into the arctic sea where they have been labelled as a floating Chernobyl on ice. Despite the years of research and development, however, the proponents of maritime energy have little to show for it. Tidal energy is still in its infancy and has seen extremely little commercial production, with a very short list of notable exceptions. National Geographic reports that the United States has no tidal plants and only a few sites where tidal energy could be produced at a reasonable price. China, France, England, Canada, and Russia have much more potential to use this type of energy. But so far, not much is being done to realize that potential. Meanwhile, algal biofuel, which was one oft-praised as the next big thing to save the world with unbounded clean energy, has since been dismissed by some as a swindle and in October 2018 Forbes even went so far as to publish An Algal Biofuel Obituary. The article condemned the algal biofuel industry for eating up tax dollars to fund large-scale research and development of their various technologies based on over-hyped and trumped up claims of the fuel sources potential. Two years later, the process of producing algal biofuel still remains far too expensive to work on a commercial scale. Related: How Tech Is Making Oil Work Safer Undaunted, however, many research organizations have pushed on to find the answer to replacing dirty and finite fossil fuels in the sea. And now, finally, it may have paid off. People from an organization called MIB may help save the world as we know it, but these are no Men in Blacktheyre from the profoundly un-Hollywood Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, part of the University of Manchester in the UK, write the Robb Report about the breakthrough. They say that a cleaner replacement for jet fuel, made from seawater, could be just a handful of years away. This new process of harvesting aquatic bacteria is not subject to many of the pitfalls that have kept algal biofuel from flourishing as an industry, as unlike algae, the bacteria in question does not need tightly controlled environments for its production process. It also has a significant leg up on other kinds of biofuels, notes the Robb report. The bacteria can be grown using agricultural and food waste, and the process of creating fuel would have less impact and could be cheaper than for current biofuels. For example, bioethanol comes from plants, such as corn, that compete for land with food crops. Related:Will Oil Bulls Rule 2020? This kind of breakthrough is direly needed, as a clean-burning replacement for jet fuel becomes more and more necessary as calls to curb greenhouse gas emissions ramp up on what could be the eve of catastrophic climate change. Aviations growing traffic levels are eclipsing efficiency gainsthe proportion of greenhouse gases that comes from aviation currently accounts for 2 percent of the global total, continues the Report. The aviation industry has promised to slash emissions by 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2050, and cleaner, sustainable alternative fuels will be key to getting there. But in 2018, biofuels were less than 0.1 percent of the sectors fuel use, despite the first commercial flight to use such fuels taking place in 2008. They can also be more expensive than fossil-derived jet fuel, too. Aquatic bacteria may not be the silver bullet answer to curbing transportation emissions, but it could go a long way. Its clean burning, reportedly cost-effective, and does not compete for land use with important food crops. The potential for this new fuel source has not gone unnoticed--one of the biggest funders of the project is the U.S. military, via the Office of Naval Research Global, and as Oilprice has already reported just a few months ago, if anyone is going to spark the death of fossil fuels, it will be the U.S. military. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Former Monty Python star Terry Gilliam has hit out at the #MeToo Movement, labelling it a witch hunt, saying he is tired, as a white male, of being blamed for everything that is wrong with the world. The writer and director made comments during an interview where he also said he better not be a man. Talking to the Independent, Gilliam said: Yeah, I said #MeToo is a witch hunt - I really feel there were a lot of people, decent people, or mildly irritating people, who were getting hammered. Thats wrong. I dont like mob mentality. Read more: Monty Python's Terry Gilliam outraged by climate change, Hollywood PC culture British film director Terry Gilliam speaks with reporters during an interview on the sidelines of the 41st edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) at a hotel in the centre of the Egyptian capital Cairo on November 22, 2019. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images) I understand that men have had more power longer, but Im tired, as a white male, of being blamed for everything that is wrong with the world - I didnt do it! Im talking about being a man accused of all the wrong in the world because Im white-skinned. So I better not be a man. I better not be white. OK, since I dont find men sexually attractive, Ive got to be a lesbian. What else can I be? I like girls. These are just logical steps. Actors Michael Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam attend Special Screening Narrative: "Monty Python And The Holy Grail" during the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival at Beacon Theatre on April 24, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage) It is not the first time Gilliam, known for films such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas starring Johnny Depp and 12 Monkeys starring Brad Pitt, has made controversial comments. Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, in 2018 Gilliam said: You know I no longer want to be a white male and be blamed for everything; I tell the world I am a BLGT, Black Lesbian in Transition and my name is Loretta. Read more: Terry Gilliam Talks Monty Python, Brazil and Boris Johnson: Blake Edwards Wanted to Direct or Produce Life of Brian Comedy is not assembled a boy, a girl, white, black, a dog I want to be trans-species. Transgender is not enough. Gilliam is currently promoting latest movie The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which is loosely based on the seventeenth century novel written by Miguel de Cervantes. The film, which stars Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, is released in the UK this month. Imperial Valley News Center President Trump on the Killing of Qasem Soleimani Palm Beach - Remarks by President Trump on the Killing of Qasem Soleimani: THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Well, thank you very much. And good afternoon. As President, my highest and most solemn duty is the defense of our nation and its citizens. Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Under my leadership, Americas policy is unambiguous: To terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American, we will find you; we will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans, and our allies. For years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimanis leadership has targeted, injured, and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen. The recent attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honor the victims of Soleimanis many atrocities, and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over. Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently, Soleimani led the brutal repression of protestors in Iran, where more than a thousand innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people, with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change. However, the Iranian regimes aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end, and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran those who seek peaceful coexistence and cooperation not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad. The United States has the best military by far, anywhere in the world. We have best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that, in particular, refers to Iran. Under my leadership, we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently, American Special Operations Forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters. America will always pursue the interests of good people, great people, great souls, while seeking peace, harmony, and friendship with all of the nations of the world. Thank you. God bless you. God bless our great military. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you. When Iranian-backed militias attacked the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Ayatollah Khamanei reportedly boasted that America cannot do a damn thing about it. This harked back to Americas failed effort in 1979 to rescue hostages Iran held. During a demonstration in Tehran following that fiasco, one of the signs said, America cant do anything. All nations respect nations that can do things in other words, nations that effectively wield power. They tend to view nations that cant with contempt. Iran, I think, is particularly impressed by the effective wielding of power. At the beginning of World War II, the then-Shah (father of the one we remember) incurred the displeasure of the British, who thought he was too sympathetic to Germany. The British responded by forcing this powerful dictator to abdicate in favor of his son (the Shah we remember). The old Shah was sent into exile and died during the war. In the early 1950s, the new Shah appointed the popular Mohammad Mosaddegh as prime minister. Mosaddegh proceeded to nationalize the oil industry, to the chagrin of the British. The British persuaded President Eisenhower to help them oust Mosaddegh. The Shah, who had left for Rome, returned to take back the reins. These exercises of power made a lasting impression on Iranians. So lasting, that for decades, and long after the sun had set on the British empire, Iranians of a certain age attributed to the British everything important that happened in the Middle East. As late as the 1990s, my law firm was involved in litigation between very high level Iranian ex-pats. The partner in charge of the litigation told me how puzzled he was that, for some reason, the old Iranians he dealt with saw the hand of Britain everywhere. A new generation of Iranians formed a very different impression when it came to America. The humiliation the mullahs inflicted on us in 1979 caused them to believe, as that sign said, America cant do anything. The overthrow of Saddam Hussein temporarily changed this impression. So much so that, according to our intelligence services, Iran halted its nuclear program. It had seen how America responded to evidence that a hostile power in the region was developing weapons of mass destruction. We could do something big in the region, after all. Unfortunately, the U.S soon met with serious reversals in Iraq. Thus, Irans nuclear program soon was back in business (assuming it really had been halted). Then came the Obama administration. Suddenly, it wasnt just that America couldnt do anything to stop Iran. Now, it no longer even wanted to. On the contrary, Obama was prepared to subsidize the regime to pay it tribute. We had become truly pathetic in the eyes of Irans tough-minded rulers. President Trump quickly reversed course. And now, by effectuating the killing of Gen. Soleimani, he has demonstrated, in a way he hadnt previously, that the U.S. can some do some impressive military things to Iran, and is willing to do them. Id like to say that, with this demonstrated, Iran will back off. Unfortunately, that seems unlikely. For one thing, the regime needs to save face. For another, it holds some good cards. It controls strong militias throughout the region and, I assume, terrorist cells in key parts of the world including, perhaps, America. The U.S., by contrast, seems to be spread pretty thin in the region. And President Trump clearly doesnt want a massive redeployment of troops to Iraq, much less a ground war with Iran and its militias. Thus, I expect Iran to deploy some of its military assets to hit back at the U.S. However, the U.S. holds the best card. We can take the fight to Iran in ways it cannot take the fight to us. My sense, then, is that President Trump will have to keep demonstrating what the U.S. can do to Iran. If he does, Iran probably will finally get the message and stop short of forcing Trump to crush the regime. If he doesnt, Iran will regain its confidence and continue to be a menace. Trump, though, seems determined not to let that happen. The Washington Nationals will look to defend their World Series title next season with a former Yankees All-Star second baseman in their lineup. Starlin Castro, who spent the last two seasons with the Miami Marlins after two with the Yankees, signed a two-year, $12-million deal with the Nationals on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reported. Castro, who made $16 million in 2019, is expected to start at second or third base next season for the Nats, who have been remaking their infield this winter due to the possible losses of four free agents. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman is still on the market and may re-sign with the Nats, but star third baseman Anthony Rendon went to the Los Angeles Angels on a seven-year, $245-million deal while second basemen Asdrubal Cabrera and Brian Dozier are expected to sign elsewhere. In addition to adding Castro and shortstop Trea Turner returning, the Nats re-signed 2019 NLCS MVP Howie Kendrick, who plays infield and outfield. Theyre also in the running to sign star free agent third baseman Josh Donaldson along with the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves. Castros position next season likely will depend on whether the Nationals get Donaldson, who hit 37 homers in 155 games last season playing for the Braves. Castro began his career as a shortstop, but mostly has been at second base since 2016, his first season with the Yankees. He gained his first experience at third base last season playing 45 games there, 42 as a starter. Castro, who turns 30 in March, is a career .280 hitter who has been to four All-Star Games in his 10 seasons as a big leaguer, the first three representing the Chicago Cubs. The Dominican was traded by the Cubs to the Yankees for reliever Adam Warren and infielder Brendan Ryan in December 2015, then dealt to the Marlins with two minor leaguers for slugging outfielder Giancarlo Stanton in December 2017 Castro played all 162 games for the second time in his career last season and put up good numbers batting .270 with 22 homers, 86 RBI and a .736 OPS. Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. South Korea seized a Chinese fishing boat on charges of illegal fishing in its waters in the Yellow Sea, the Korea Coast Guard said Saturday. The 15-ton fishing boat invaded the Northern Limit Line (NLL) by 4 kilometers near the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong. The Coast Guard said it will carry out further investigations on seven Chinese fishermen on board. Another 22 Chinese fishing boats were also evicted from the area. Chinese fishing boats are often caught poaching in South Korean waters, and Chinese fishermen have used violence during raids by the South Korean Coast Guard. In 2011, a South Korean Coast Guard officer was killed by a Chinese skipper during a raid. (Yonhap) Two convicted robbers were charged Friday for their roles in the death of a man who died after trying to get back his laptop computer, which was stolen Tuesday while he worked in a coffee shop in Oakland's Montclair district. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Byron OJ Reed Jr., 22, of San Francisco, with murder and the special circumstance of committing a murder during a robbery. Javon Lee, 21, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and both men were charged with second-degree robbery. The robbery in the 2000 block of Mountain Boulevard, shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, ultimately claimed the life of 34-year-old Shuo Zeng. He was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries but died there a short time later, according to police. According to Zeng's Linkedin profile, he was a native of China, graduated with a degree in physics from Sichuan University and got a doctorate at Kansas State University. Zeng's profile indicated that he moved to the Bay Area in 2015 to work for Aspera, an IBM company in Emeryville, as a research scientist and engineer. Reed and Lee are scheduled to be arraigned at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland at 2 p.m. Friday. Surveillance video shows two individuals snatching a laptop from Zeng and then fleeing into a waiting vehicle, Oakland police Officer Gerald Moriarty wrote in a probable cause statement. Zeng chased the suspects to their getaway vehicle and a struggle ensued but he was hit by the vehicle and ultimately succumbed to his injuries, according to Moriarty. Witness statements and a review of surveillance camera footage indicated that Lee was one of the people involved in taking Zeng's laptop and his actions facilitated the robbery and murder, Moriarty wrote. Witness statements and surveillance footage also showed that Reed was the driver of the getaway vehicle, Moriarty said. Reed and Lee were arrested in the 9400 block of MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland at 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to police. Alameda County prosecutors allege that Reed was convicted of second-degree robbery in San Francisco on Nov. 22, 2017, and Lee was convicted of second-degree robbery in San Francisco on Feb. 27, 2017. A hit-and-run crash Thursday evening left a 70-year-old bicyclist with major injuries near Petaluma, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Petaluma man was riding northbound on the right shoulder of Ely Road, north of Corona Road, about 8:30 p.m. when he was hit by a vehicle that was also headed northbound, the CHP said. The area is in unincorporated Sonoma County near Petaluma. Before he was taken to a hospital with major but non-life-threatening injuries, the bicyclist told officers that the suspect car might have been an Audi SUV. The CHP found several vehicle parts strewn along the right shoulder of the road, including a gray side-view mirror as well as a piece of the grille. A preliminary search of the parts' serial numbers may indicate the hit-and-run vehicle was a late model Audi Q5 or something similar, the CHP said. Any witnesses to the crash or anyone with information about are asked to call the Santa Rosa CHP office at (707) 588-1400. A man was taken into custody Monday in San Francisco following an incident in which he reportedly chased a person with a needle, according to the San Francisco Police Department. On Monday at 5:35 p.m., officers responded to the area of Mission and 7th streets on a report of someone chasing another person with a needle. Responding officers located the suspect and saw him chasing the victim, police said. Police were able to take the suspect into custody, and he was transported to a hospital in a condition that was not life threatening. The suspect was ultimately released from the hospital and booked into jail. Police in Fairfield on Saturday arrested two men in connection with firearm-related crimes. During the afternoon on Saturday, a citizen called in to report of a suspicious vehicle parked in the 5000 block of Lockie Lane. Responding officers located the vehicle with three people inside. Following an investigation, the officers searched the individuals and the vehicle and found a loaded Glock handgun and a replica handgun that was made to look like a Beretta handgun, police said. Jalonnie Abesamis, 21, of Fairfield, and Arthur Tuttle, 20, of Suisun City, were ultimately taken into custody in connection with the firearms, police said. Police in Novato last month were able to recover some items that were stolen from people visiting in 2018. On Dec. 18, 2018, two victims visiting Novato reported their vehicle had been broken into while parked on Sotelo Way. The victims reported several items were stolen in the theft including cameras, photography equipment and other electronics. In December of 2019, the victims contacted the Novato Police Department and reported they believed they found their stolen camera posted online for sale. Detectives reached out to the seller and were able to set up a meeting. During the encounter, the seller produced the camera, and investigators were able to determine the camera was the same one that was reported stolen in 2018. The person selling the camera cooperated with investigators, and police said it appears the person bought the camera from another person several months ago. The seller was not arrested. Police were able to recover the stolen property are continuing to investigate the theft. Police arrested a 34-year-old man Thursday afternoon after he allegedly entered a Sausalito home, took clothes from the basement and refused to leave. Joshua Lloyd, of San Francisco, was found by a housekeeper inside the home about 3 p.m., according to Sausalito police. Lloyd was making incoherent threats and wouldn't leave, the housekeeper told police. When they arrived, police found Lloyd on the home's balcony. He had apparently entered the unlocked house and taken clothing from the basement, police said. Lloyd had a burglary tool, a glass pipe used to smoke narcotics, and a small plastic bag with possible residue from narcotics, according to police. Lloyd was arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of a burglary tool and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. He was booked into Marin County Jail. A pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries Thursday after a vehicle struck her in San Francisco's Ingleside neighborhood, police said. The collision happened around 7:35 a.m. near the corner of Ocean and Harold avenues. A vehicle driven by a 41-year-old man hit a female pedestrian, who was taken to a hospital, police said. Police did not arrest the driver pending an investigation. One person was hospitalized after a crash Friday afternoon in San Bruno that closed El Camino Real for more than an hour, police said. The wreck involving two vehicles was reported about 12:45 p.m. and closed El Camino Real between San Felipe and Santa Lucia avenues, San Bruno police said. One person was hospitalized with injuries not considered life threatening. The road was cleared for traffic about 2:30 p.m., police said. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Annette Roque was seen out and about for the first time since reports emerged that her ex-husband Matt Lauer is dating marketing guru and long-time friend Shamin Abas. Roque, 50, was pictured dropping her oldest son off to take a bus in the Hamptons as he reportedly went back to college after the holiday week. She looked sophisticated in a cream wool sweater, brown leggings and a fashionable pair of brown boots as she waited with the son she shares with Lauer and his luggage. Former Today host Lauer, 62, and Abas, 50, who runs a luxury marketing firm, have known each other for around 15 years. Annette Roque (pictured) was seen out and about following reports that her her ex-husband Matt Lauer is dating marketing guru and long-time friend Shamin Abas Matt Lauer, (pictured), is reportedly dating marketing guru and long-time friend Shamin Abas, who bears a striking resemblance to his ex-wife Annette Roque It comes after he and Roque finalized their divorce this fall after more than 20 years of marriage. Lauer and Abas was just recently pictured travelling to spend the holidays together in New Zealand, where he owns a $9.2 million lakefront ranch, InTouch first reported. A source told Page Six: 'Matt and Shamin have known each other for many years, as she spends a lot of time in the Hamptons, as does he. 'They very recently began dating, she is a lovely woman.' Lauer was fired from NBC in 2017 following allegations of sexual harassment in the work sphere. Roque, 50, was pictured dropping her oldest son off to take a bus in the Hamptons as he reportedly went back to college after the holiday week Roque was seen apparently giving her son a ride to the bus stop following the holidays In Ronan Farrows new book Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators, former NBC producer Brooke Nevils accuses Lauer of sexually assaulting her at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. And while many of the former TV personalitys friends 'turned their backs on him,' Abas reportedly supported him throughout the episode. 'She knows who he is,' a source told InTouch exclusively. 'Shes thrilled shes with him. She doesnt seem to have a care in the world. 'For everything he may have done, Matts very charming. I can see how Shamin fell for him.' In October, Lauer opened up about his sexual misconduct scandal, revealing he kept quiet about it because he 'got what he deserved' but now wants to speak out after he was accused of sexual assault. Roque looked sophisticated in a cream wool sweater, brown leggings and a fashionable pair of brown boots as she waited with the son she shares with Lauer and his luggage as he took the bus Matt Lauer's wife Annette Roque officially filed for divorce in July, two years after they split. The couple are pictured together in September 2013 Lauer sat down for an off the record interview with conservative radio show host and Medlite senior columnist John Ziegler, where he admitted 'to making numerous serious mistakes. 'It appears he was silent after his firing because he felt he got what he deserved, but now that he has been publicly accused of sexual assault, finds himself in a completely different situation,' Ziegler said on their conversation. He revealed Lauer wanted to speak out but hasnt figured out 'the best manner or timing' to do it and fears being vilified by the press, particularly after Farrows book. Lauer did break his silence after the rape allegation was released last year by issuing an angry denial that he anally raped her, claiming that they had consensual sex that led to a three-month affair in a sharp three-page, 1,400 word response. Ali Natella and Shamin Abas attend Pershing Cocktail Reception In Sag Harbor at Onboard the Pershing 9X on June 22 in New York Annette Roque filed papers with the Suffolk County Court, New York to officially end her marriage to the former Today Show host In his statement he went into graphic detail about their interactions, calling her a 'willing partner.' 'It is categorically false, ignores the facts, and defies common sense,' he said of the rape allegation. Ziegler slammed Farrows reporting as 'shockingly lacking in basic journalistic standards', where he heavily replied on anonymous sources and 'assumed Lauers guilt from the start'. 'To be clear, if Nevils said multiple times that she did not want to have anal sex and was too drunk to consent, that would be rape. But it is imperative to point out that according to NBC, and Farrows own reporting, she never used the word rape when she made the original complaint to NBC,' Ziegler said on Farrow reporting. Roque officially filed for divorce two years after they split up. The model filed papers with the Suffolk County Court, New York in July to officially end her marriage to the former Today Show host. The former couple have three children named Jack, 18, daughter Romy, 15, and son Thijs, 12. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Defending its decision to grant citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from three countries, the BJP on Saturday pilloried two-time former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta when he, as the leader of All Assam Students Union, signed the Assam Accord with the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1985, accepting the illegal immigrants who entered the state till March 24, 1971, as Indians. 1951 was the base year to determine illegal immigrants. Then the Assam Accord was signed in 1985. It said the immigrants who came after March 24, 1971 will be deported. They accepted the immigrants, who came between 1951 and 1971, as Indians. So, wasnt that a betrayal? The betrayers are now branding us as betrayers. Mr Mahanta, you will lose in your Barhampur seat in the next elections, Assams Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a party rally in Guwahati. Mahanta is a strong critic of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) which will grant citizenship to persecuted immigrants belonging to six non-Muslim communities who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014. The BJP is facing widespread protests in Assam on the issue of the CAA as it has extended the base year from March 24, 1971 to December 31, 2014. The protesters said it violated the Assam Accord. Sarma said there was no hue and cry when the Citizenship Act was amended twice in 1987 and 1992 to grant citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants. Samujjal (chief advisor to AASU Samujjal Bhattacharya) said the Assam Accord was the best agreement then. In 1987, the Rajiv Gandhi government and the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta government amended the Citizenship Act to grant citizenship to the children of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The Act was amended again in 1992 and it said the children of the immigrants will not be viewed as Indians but those, who would be born thereafter, will be considered as Indians. So, the Citizenship Act was amended twice but there were never any protests. Nobody had raised any question, Sarma said. He said it was the Atal Behari Vajpayee government that had taken a decision that the children of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants could never be Indians. When we talk about the Hindus, some people get itchy. The Congress has nothing against the CAA. They want the Muslims to be included. In the Parliament, they had said they were opposed to it as the Muslims were not considered, Sarma said. New Delhi The Delhi government will try and find patterns from its magisterial enquiries that have been initiated into the fatal fire incidents in the city, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, while addressing a town hall in west Delhis Janakpuri. At the town hall, Kejriwal also announced that the government is likely to notify by next week the revised circle rates for agriculture lands in the city. On December 8, a massive fire swept through an illegal factory in north Delhis Anaj Mandi neighbourhood claimed 45 lives. On January 2, a fire fighter was killed in the line of duty when a portion of a building collapsed following an explosion after a fire incident in west Delhis Peeragarhi area. In both cases, the Delhi government has ordered magisterial enquiries but the reports are awaited. We are concerned over the fire incidents. We are waiting for the magisterial enquiry reports. Our aim will be to study patterns in the incidents and do our best to work on those, if any, to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the future, said Kejriwal, responding to a question from the audience. Responding to another query on increasing circle rate for agricultural lands, the chief minister said that the recently announced new circle rate scheme has got the approval of Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is likely to notify the revised rates by next week. I am thankful to the L-G for this, he said. On December 18, Kejriwal had announced an increase in the circle rates of agricultural land in the city from a uniform rate of Rs 53 lakh per acre to between Rs 2.25 crore and Rs 5 crore per acre, depending on the location, attributing the announcement to longstanding demands of the farmers in the city. Kejriwal, who is the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), further said that his party will retain its demand of full statehood for Delhi in its manifesto for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi. The AAP had won the 2015 assembly elections in the city with a whopping majority of 67 of 70 seats. In 2019, it contested all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi with full statehood as the primary poll plank, but lost all of them to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was pushed down to the third position by the Congress in terms of vote share. The chief minister also reiterated his opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which expedites citizenship process for six communities and excludes Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Aghanistan. He said, What if Pakistan sends its spies to India by exploiting this law? The venue for Saturdays townhall was an outdoor space at Dilli Haat in Janakpuri. The meeting was attended by at least a thousand people including men, women, youngsters and elderly residents. It started with Kejriwal highlighting his partys achievements in the past five years through a report card copies of which were distributed among the visitors. He then went on to take questions from the audience. Saturday was the fifth in a series of seven town halls that the AAP is organising. During the meeting, Kejriwal also announced that his government will inaugurate 150 mohalla clinics in the city on Sunday, which would take the total number of functional units of the primary health care service to around 450. He also vouched to resolve the parking related issues in the city, reduce air pollution levels and clean the Yamuna in next years if his party won the upcoming Assembly polls. Over 200 members of Congress urge Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment More than 200 members of Congress are urging the United States Supreme Court to "reconsider" the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. In an amicus brief signed by 38 senators and 168 members of the House, the federal legislators urged the nation's highest court to revisit the core holdings in the cases that have enshrined abortion as a constitutional right for decades, particularly Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that upheld and reinforced Roe. All but two of the signers of the brief were Republicans. Pro-life Democratic Reps. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Dan Lipinski of Illinois also added their names to the document. The amicus brief signed by these members of Congress comes ahead of an upcoming Supreme Court review of a contested Louisiana law in June Medical Services v. Gee. Oral arguments will be heard in March. Louisiana's Unsafe Abortion Protection Act, which has been on the books since 2014, requires abortionists to have admitting privileges at a hospital within a 30-mile radius. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has maintained that the Louisiana law is distinctly different from a near-identical Texas statute that was adjudicated a few years ago at the Supreme Court. In 2016, the high court ruled in a 5-3 decision in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt that the Texas law was not constitutional because it placed an undue burden on women seeking abortions. The Fifth Circuit hears cases from both Texas and Louisiana and held last year that stark differences exist between the factual records in the two cases. Lawmakers concur but go even farther, arguing in the brief that "the Fifth Circuit's struggle to define the appropriate 'large fraction' or determine what 'burden' on abortion access is 'undue' illustrates the unworkability of the 'right to abortion' found in Roe v. Wade ... and the need for the Court to again take up the issue of whether Roe and Casey should be reconsidered and, if appropriate, overruled." The Texas case, they say, "created an overly subjective 'balancing' test, leading to confusion among Congress and state legislatures alike as to which laws might withstand constitutional scrutiny," and ask the high court to uphold the appellate court's 2018 ruling in favor of the Louisiana law. Several notable Republican senators up for re-election this year including those with extensive pro-life voting records did not sign onto the brief, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The Gee case is the first abortion rights case to be heard at the U.S. Supreme Court level since the confirmation of President Trump's nominees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, to the bench. Some speculate that with the addition of Kavanaugh, who replaced the frequent swing vote of Anthony Kennedy, pro-life advocates now have more reason to hope for a favorable ruling and for bolder steps against abortion precedent. Former Alliance Defending Freedom attorney and conservative commentator David French warned against such hopes in a National Review op-ed last October, stressing that it's unlikely that the Supreme Court will tackle the larger issues that federal legislators are now asking the court to reconsider. "Dont count on any language that casts doubt on the core holding in Roe or Casey," French said at the time, speaking of the high court's review of the Louisiana statute soon after the justices agreed to hear it. "Louisiana is mainly fighting to keep its law alive, not to remake abortion jurisprudence in America, and the Court doesnt often give a litigant more than it asks for. And while pro-life Americans can be hopeful for a good outcome, Id caution against outright optimism." He concluded: "For the abortion jurisprudence of a post-Kennedy court, the age of speculation is about to end. The age of analysis will soon begin." In three years, President Trump has traded the diplomacy that froze Irans nuclear weapons program for rapidly unfolding hostilities. The administration unmistakably escalated the conflict Friday with the targeted killing of the countrys most prominent military leader. Trump said after the attack that he did not intend to start a war, but with the Iranian regime promising harsh revenge and thousands more U.S. troops deploying to the region, the risk of doing just that couldnt be clearer. The U.S. drone strike on a convoy near Baghdads airport killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, which projects Iranian power through military and intelligence operations and proxy forces across the Middle East and the world. Once a shadowy leader of guerrilla warfare and terrorism against Israel, the United States, Arab dissidents and other enemies of the theocracy, Soleimani had become a public figure second only to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei within Iran. Designated a terrorist by the U.S. government, Soleimani invited the fate he richly deserved for years by traveling openly, but previous presidents of both parties refrained from killing him despite the opportunities. Trump and other administration officials insisted Fridays strike was meant to deter further Iranian aggression and respond to unspecified intelligence of attacks on U.S. interests being planned by the general himself. Americans would no doubt like to be able to trust such assertions by their commander in chief, but he has failed to establish such credibility. That is not only because he has told more than 15,000 lies since taking office, according to a Washington Post tally of false or misleading claims, and was impeached for abusing his power over foreign and military policy. Its also because he ordered this dramatic escalation without so much as briefing congressional leaders or providing a clear rationale to the public. Soleimanis killing is the latest and gravest response to a series of Iranian attacks that initially targeted oil tankers and other assets of U.S. allies in the region. They escalated in recent months to rocket attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq, attributed to Iranian-backed militias whose leader was also slain in Fridays attack. Last week, a militia rocket barrage killed an American contractor and wounded U.S. and Iraqi troops at a base in Kirkuk, provoking deadly U.S. air strikes on militia bases in Syria and Iraq on Sunday. That led to a militia-backed siege of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on New Years Eve, when protesters infiltrated and ransacked the compounds reception area, and finally to the targeted U.S. killings on Friday. The Iranian provocations followed Trumps unilateral withdrawal last year from a painstakingly negotiated agreement with the worlds major powers to halt the countrys development of nuclear weapons in return for economic benefits. The administration followed the reversal with punishing economic sanctions under a policy of maximum pressure, with the supposed goal of forcing Iran to agree to a better deal. What ensued, however, is a far worse deal for all involved. Lest we find ourselves in another Mideast conflict of the sort Trump promised to avoid, Congress must begin to reassert its long-surrendered war powers and demand that the administration disclose its intelligence and strategy to the American people. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 09:41:34|Editor: Liu Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The commander of the east-based Libyan rebel army on Friday declared military mobilization against Turkey's plan to send troops to Libya to support the UN-backed government. General Khalifa Haftar declared the mobilization in a televised speech, saying the ongoing fighting will intensify, and the battle "is no longer for the liberation of the capital." The Turkish parliament passed a motion in an emergency session on Thursday, authorizing the government to deploy troops in Libya for a one-year period. On Nov. 27, 2019, Ankara and the Tripoli-based UN-backed government signed two separate memoranda of understanding on security cooperation. Since early April, the east-based army has been leading a military campaign in and around Tripoli in an attempt to take the city. Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan A 1942 photo at one of the DNR's "camera points." This one is in Wolverine, Mich. Don't Edit By Emily Bingham | ebingham@mlive.com Don't Edit LANSING, MI - Kerry Fitzpatrick didnt know exactly what he was inheriting when, one day more than a decade ago, a coworker of his at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources stopped by his office and handed over a binder full of old photographs in plastic sleeves. The coworker was retiring, and the photos needed to be passed along to someone elses care. When Fitzpatrick finally had time to dig into the contents of the binder, what he found was quietly remarkable: A collection of serial photographs shot roughly 10 to 20 years apart, spanning decades, in precise locations in Michigans state forests. There was no explanation as to who began the project nor their reason why, but included with the photos were detailed notes, almost like treasure maps, on how to find each location. Fitzpatrick, a wildlife habitat specialist, immediately recognized the significance of such a rare collection, and the importance of carrying it on. When I saw what it was, I realized this was something that needed to be continued, Fitzpatrick says. Its obvious that the person who started this had repeating it in mind. The Camera Point Project, as its now called, was started by someone in the DNR sometime in the first quarter of the 20th century, in the wake of the rampant deforestation of Michigans lumber boom. The black-and-white pictures show, over time, the way forests slowly change and regenerate -- even after unthinkable damage. The collection includes photographs at 49 sites across 12 counties in northwest lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. The earliest photos date back to 1926. When Fitzpatrick inherited the collection, the most recent series had been shot in 1990. In 2012, dutifully carrying the baton, Fitzpatrick went about photographing the next set. It wasnt easy, though: The sites were remote, the forests had changed, and the written directions to each location were painfully analog, often including old-school surveying chains as a unit of measuring distance. One time I spent a whole evening trying to find a site, and I had to go back the next day, he says. I spent two hours walking around in circles just trying to find the spot." Fitzpatrick persevered though, adding another series of photos to the collection -- plus GPS coordinates to make things easier for the next round, which is scheduled for 2022, marking a century since the project began. The collection now lives in perpetuity in the Archives of Michigan, where all the photos and notes have been digitized (a significant step up from a binder). And in planning for what might be a second century of photographs, there's been discussion about expanding the camera points to include a broader representation of Michigan's state forests. As a novelty, the Camera Point Project is like a fascinating flip book, showing forests swallowing fields and fire trails, roads emerging or receding, horizons changing over time. But from a deeper perspective, the collection offers a long-view look at the often imperceptible life of a forest -- and the relationship between ourselves and the outdoors. "Our time frame is not the same as nature's time frame," Fitzpatrick says. "You walk into a forest and it looks like it's been there forever, and like it will be there forever, but when you see it over the course of 100 years it becomes very dynamic. It even shows what the human impact is, for better and for worse." Read on for a selection of sequential photos from the Camera Point Project. The full collection can be seen online at the Archives of Michigan's Michiganology website. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Luce County: 1926 The original camera point for this Luce County location was located at the top of a fire tower overlooking Holland Lake. The first photo in this series was taken in 1927; after the fire tower was removed, the camera point was relocated in 1971 to a small plateau halfway between the old tower site and the lake. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1965. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The camera point in 1971, when the location was moved. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 2012. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Wilmot Township: 1942 Taken on what appears to be a spring day in 1942, this image from a Cheboygan County camera point includes the photographer's car sitting in the middle of a fire lane. In keeping with the original photograph -- and perhaps as a nod to the invisible folks behind the lens -- each subsequent photographer included their cars in their shots, too. (See the following four photos; if you look closely, you can see the cars' styles change along with the surroundings.) Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1952. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1962. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1990. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 2012. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Chandler Township: 1942 At a location in the Gaylord State Forest Area, a man sits on a stump along an old railroad grade near the intersection of Springvale Road and CCC Road. This was the earliest photo taken at this spot, in 1942. (Note the location of the stump in subsequent photos from this spot.) Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1962. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1990. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 2012. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Chandler Township: 1925 A 1925 photo taken at a different spot in the Gaylord State Forest Area. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Same location in 1942 (with cows). Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Same location in 1971. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Same location in 2012. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Clare: 1926 Taken near the junction of Old US 27 and Browns Road, this camera point includes a historic barn, providing an interesting constant. The initial photograph was shot in 1926. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1940. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location, photographed some time between 1960 and 1969. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 2012. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Boyne Falls fire lane: 1927 One of the camera points in Charlevoix County, featuring a view of an old fire lane near the junction of Slashing Road and Chandler Road. Photo taken in 1927. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same Boyne Falls fire lane, photographed in 1967. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same Boyne Falls fire lane, photographed in 1990. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Photographed in 2012, this is the most recent image of the Boyne Falls fire lane camera point. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Cheboygan County: 1927 A photograph of a barren field and a hill in Cheboygan County, near the junction of Marl Creek Road and West Sturgeon River Road. Photo taken in 1927. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same Cheboygan County location, photographed in 1942. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same Cheboygan County location, photographed in 1952. Note that the hill in the background is still visible. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same Cheboygan County location, photographed in 1962. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Photographed in 2012, this is the most recent photograph of this particular camera point. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Boyne Falls: 1926 Taken in 1926 on the west side of Howard Road, near the the junction of Howard Road and Chandler Road in Boyne Falls. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Same location in 1942. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Same location in 1967. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Same location in 2012. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan Boyne Falls: 1926 In some instances, multiple camera points were selected from similar locations, with the photographs shot facing different directions. This is another image from the same location in Boyne Falls, taken in 1926, but shot to the southeast. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1942. Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 1979. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy Archives of Michigan The same location in 2012. For more photos and details, visit the Archives of Michigan's Michiganology website. Don't Edit Courtesy of Michigan Technological University Archives Related: This historic Michigan photographer's work is a window into early 1900's U.P. life Don't Edit RELATED: Historic photos reveal realities of post lumber-boom life in the Upper Peninsula Australian actress Tammin Sursok made a style statement at the AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles on Friday. The 36-year-old brunette beauty shimmered in a glamorous pink gown complete with a plunging neckline as she arrived at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood for the event. Tammin was all smiles as she posed, showing off her petite figure in the dress which featured a matching belt around the waist. Pretty in pink! Tammin Sursok (pictured) stunned in a plunging pink dress as she lead the red carpet arrivals at the AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles on Friday The mother-of-two accessorised her stylish ensemble with a silver bag and opted to wear a set of matching coloured rings. Tammin styled her long brunette locks in simple waves which fell effortlessly by her shoulders. She accentuated her visage with dewy foundation, eyeliner, a set of faux lashes and nude lip gloss. Razzle dazzle! The actress shimmered in the glamorous pink gown complete with a plunging neckline as she arrived to the SkyBar Former Neighbours star Ashleigh Brewer went to for a different approach, opting to wear a glamorous figure-hugging black gown. The 29-year-old completed her look with a pair of drop earrings and styled her hair in a tight low bun. Ashleigh let her natural beauty shine, opting for a neutral palette of makeup which consisted of eyeshadow, rosy cheeks and a pink lip. Sticking to the classics: Former Neighbours star Ashleigh Brewer (pictured) opted to wear a glamorous figure-hugging black gown Natural beauty! Ashleigh let her natural beauty shine, opting for a neutral palette of makeup which consisted of eyeshadow, rosy cheeks and a pink lip Meanwhile, Australian TV host Jason Dundas looked dapper in a grey suit jacket and matching pants. The 37-year-old presenter competed his ensemble with a blue buttoned shirt and a tie alongside brown shoes. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he posed on the red carpet, shortly after arriving to the event. Looking smart! Australian TV host Jason Dundas (pictured) looked dapper in a grey suit jacket and matching pants All smiles: He couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he posed on the red carpet, shortly after arriving to the event Comedian Josh Thomas also dressed to impress as he attended the AACTA Awards in a purple suit jacket. He accessorised the statement piece with a pair of black pants, white buttoned shirt and a bow tie. The 32-year-old also wore a pair of black shoes and posed with his guest on the red carpet. Striking! Comedian Josh Thomas (pictured) also dressed to impress as he attended the AACTA Awards in a purple suit jacket Green with envy! Actor Taika Waititi (pictured) made a statement in a dark green velvet jacket and matching pant Meanwhile, actor Taika Waititi couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he arrived to the event in a dark green velvet jacket and matching pant. The 44-year-old also wore a printed shirt and completed the look with a pair of black shoes. Taika has been nominated to receive an Award for Best Screenplay for the World War II satire Jojo Rabbit. A day after Union home minister Amit Shah said that the government will not budge an inch on its decision to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, his deputy Nityanand Rai said Saturday anyone opposing the law should be declared anti-Dalit and anti-poor. Most of the persecuted refugees are OBCs (other backward class) and Dalits. If anyone opposes Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA, declare the person anti-Dalit and anti-poor, ANI quoted Rai, Union minister of state for home, as saying. Opposition parties have criticised the amendment which makes it easier for non-Muslims to acquire Indian citizenship if they have come to India from three neighbouring countries Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan - before 2015 after facing religious persecution. Protests have raged across the country since the Parliament approved the amended law on December 11. Most opposition parties have alleged that the law is divisive and against Indias secular values because it makes religion a test of citizenship. The government insists that the CAA poses no threat to Indian citizens and that it has no provision to take away citizenship. Protests against CAA and the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) were held in Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on Friday. Also on Friday, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to 11 non-BJP chief ministers to shore up support against the CAA. On December 31, the Kerala assembly became the first legislature to pass a resolution against changes to the citizenship law and the exercise to build a population register that will form the database to create a citizens register. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has backed the Kerala assembly resolution seeking the scrapping of CAA. He said it was the voice of the people which was against the legislation and the Centre should pay heed to it. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A key executive at Samsung Electronics Co. on Friday emphasized that the company will pursue personalized technology that can erase boundaries between the digital and physical worlds, hinting that it will beef up efforts in artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Kim Hyun-suk, president and CEO of Samsung's Consumer Electronics division, said that the South Korean tech giant is preparing to lead what he calls "the Age of Experience." "The Age of Experience will be defined by personalized technology that meets your needs," he said in an editorial posted on the company's website. "Instead of changing your routine to incorporate more devices, your devices will work seamlessly for you." Kim added Samsung is "uniquely positioned" to lead the era of connectivity with its AI, IoT and Internet 5G telecommunication technologies. "With the emergence of AI and IoT, finally enabled by the power of 5G, the start of 2020 marks a moment where the realization of our vision for an intelligently connected world becomes a reality," he said. To achieve its goals, Kim said Samsung will be open to working with others. "At Samsung, innovation is about maximizing human potential and working with our valued partners through open collaboration to develop technologies that advance humanity," he said. Kim is one of the keynote speakers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that kicks off Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is expected to further explain Samsung's future strategy at the world's biggest tech expo. (Yonhap) The Mi-Wuk Sugar Pine Fire Protection District View Photos Mi-Wuk Village Motorists along Highway 108 in the Mi-Wuk Village area could see a plume of smoke rising into the sky on Tuesday. New Chief of the Mi Wuk Sugar Pine Fire District Steve McClintock advises the public not to report the blaze to authorities as it will be a live structure fire training. The Word of Life Church located at 24630 Highway 108 has donated a house on its property to serve as the learning tool. Chief McClintock details, Well start it [the fire] with 55-gallon drums. Well put materials in the drums; hay and stuff. Then put them inside the building and light them off, so its all a safe environment that we can train with. The exercise is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7th. Chief McClintock details the goal, stating, We hope to get four or five practices with it before we burn it completely down. After we practice with it so much the integrity [of the structure] goes away. He adds, Well burn it [the structure] to the ground and then the church will clean up all the mess and haul it [the debris] all off. Although the training will not include arson detection, a rescue scenario may be enacted if time allows. Chief McClintock relays, We have some dummies that we use for training and we may put those in there [the home] so they can do an actual search by going into the rooms until they find the dummies and drag them out. Other fire departments from both Tuolumne and Calaveras counties are participating in this exercise. And just in case you were wondering; Chief McClintock is not related to Mother Lode Dist. 4 U. S. Congressman Tom McClintock. UP govt sends first notices to 28 people to pay Rs 14 lakh for damage during violence Tell us in 7 days, why property cant be attached: UP govt gets cracking on rioters CAA: Constitution Bench likely to hear pleas, centre given 4 weeks to reply Anti-CAA stir: 46 fresh notices served for damaging public property in UP's Muzaffarnagar India oi-PTI Lucknow, Jan 04: The district adminstration has sent notices to 46 people for their alleged involvement in damaging public property during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests here. The notices to 46 people have been sent by a panel set up under additional district magistrate Amit Kumar by the authorities. They have been told that the authorities found their involvement in alleged vandalism during the protests against the CAA on December 20 in the district, Kumar said. The accused have been asked to send their replies by January 9, he said. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 Anti-CAA stir: 11 dead in violence across Uttar Pradesh Meanwhile, four madrasa students, arrested after violence during anti-CAA protests, were released on the orders of a court as police gave them clean chit in its report filed before the chief judicial magistrate here on Friday. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 11:55 [IST] Loading Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester tweeted at 3.50pm on Saturday he was "disappointed to report the Spartan aircraft unable to land at Mallacoota due to poor visibility and couldn't bring anyone out, or deliver supplies at present". "Hopefully conditions will improve and and all aircraft based at East Sale RAAF Base will be back in action," Mr Chester, who is the Member for Gippsland, tweeted. Sarah Beer, who has children aged 1 and 3, said the sky had turned black on Saturday afternoon and their caravan on the foreshore was being soaked with water as a precaution. Its pitch black outside now so I am a little bit scared - we are getting another attack coming through, she said. Ms Beer said they were told that only able-bodied adults and school-aged children would be evacuated via HMAS Choules. Sarah Beer with daughter Elsie and son Xavier holed up in the caravan. Credit:Justin McManus About 1100 people - along with their belongings and pets - were safely evacuated on Friday aboard Navy ships HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore. In hindsight, Ms Beer wishes she had been on a ship. It was put to us we didnt have a choice, she said. Both of my children have shown respiratory issues because of four days of constant smoke. We need to get out of the smoke but there are no planes or choppers going anywhere. We are still stuck. Mike and daughter Elsie wait for help getting out of fire-ravaged Mallacoota. Credit:Justin McManus Tim Buckley, who was holidaying in Mallacoota with his Canadian wife and children aged 2 and 5, queued to register for evacuation. However Mr Buckley said his file was marked V for vulnerable, because he had small children, and was told he would instead be airlifted out of the town on Friday night. One of the biggest ironies of the situation is people who were marked with a V are still here, Mr Buckley said. Tim Buckley, Meaghan Wegg and children Jackson and Georgia are stranded in Mallacoota. Credit:Justin McManus Mr Buckleys family spent Friday night on the floor of the Mallacoota Cinema after both a Chinook helicopter and RAAF Spartan military transport aircraft were unable to land at Mallacoota airport. He said they went to the cinema at midnight when the aircraft were unable to land because they had packed up their tent and left it in a car in the middle of town and donated all their food and supplies. Loading There were several Red Cross ladies at the cinema who were just awesome, Mr Buckley said. He said the Red Cross women had donated their own houses to stranded families with young children and were themselves sleeping on mats on the cinema floor. Mr Buckley said it was a bit of an emotional blow when the aircraft had been unable to land after circling overhead and the operations manager informed them their flights had been cancelled. However, he said his children were OK and had enjoyed the adventure of sleeping on the cinema floor. I asked my five-year-old if he liked Mallacoota and he said he loved it, Mr Buckley said. But I think its going to be a hard sell to bring my wife back here. The family and 21 others were taken back to the airport on Saturday afternoon to be choppered out on a Black Hawk or Chinook. However the flights were again cancelled and the group bussed back to the cinema. Its pitch black here again, Mr Buckley texted on Saturday afternoon. Were on a bus full of elderly, young children, babies and someone with a disability. German Kai Kirschbaum, who was holidaying in Mallacoota with his wife Deniz and three children aged between 1 and 5, were also among those stranded. Yesterday the boats went with people sufficiently fit or children beyond school age and therefore we are basically still waiting to be carried out by aircraft, Mr Kirschbaum said. What if you get stuck on the highway in a storm? Here are some tips The weeks after Moraless resignation in November saw looting, arson and other violence in Bolivias principal cities. Anez, who said her only priority as interim president was to set new elections, was accused of persecuting political opponents, appealing to racism against the indigenous Bolivians who have formed Moraless base and offering immunity to members of the security forces who killed protesters. By PTI KOHIMA: Various Naga civil society groups, state government officials and opposition parties have expressed displeasure over the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Nagaland by another six months. The Centre issued a notification on December 30 last year extending the law in Nagaland till July-end which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. The Union Home Ministry had said in the notificiation that the central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole state of Nagaland is in such a "disturbed and dangerous" condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary. However, state government officials, Opposition and organisations like Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers Association (NMA), Naga Students' Federation (NSF) and Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) have expressed resentment over the move. The state government always objects to the extension of AFSPA in Nagaland as and when the Union government seeks the state's opinion before declaring Nagaland a 'disturbed area', but the law is extended every year and now it has become a routine exercise, a top government official told PTI on condition of anonymity. "As the state government, we have been objecting to the extension of AFSPA and even this time we did so when the Union Home Ministry sought our views. "The state government doesn't want AFSPA but we are not aware if the Centre is looking at wider issues unknown to the state," the official said. Opposition leader and former chief minister, TR Zeliang sarcastically said Nagas got the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 as a "Christmas gift" instead of peace accord between Naga groups and the Centre and now extension of AFSPA has come as a "New Year's package". Naga Hoho general secretary K Elu Ndang said AFSPA is not relevant anymore in a civilised society and its applicability has no place in the modern world. "AFSPA is only a means to terrorise and create fear among innocent people," he said. India being the largest democracy must live on the values of democracy and in the true spirit of secularism, Ndang said. NMA president Abei-u Meru told PTI, "I don't see any reason or situation why AFSPA was extended in Nagaland. Is it to please the security forces?" The NSF media cell condemned the move in a statement. "A peaceful state like Nagaland is painted in a picture of chaos and lawlessness by the Centre's notification, as the world is witness to the fact that Nagaland is not what it is made to look by the ill-intended notification of the central government. "The extension of AFSPA is not for the maintenance of law and order in Nagaland but only a diabolic attempt of the Centre to further the suppression of the Naga people through militarisation and to encourage the numerous abuses and serious human rights violations by the armed forces which have been ongoing for many years," it said. The NSF also questioned "the overarching approach of the central government in extending the inhumane Act as law and order is the subject matter of the state government." The federation also reiterated its long-standing view that the AFSPA violates the Constitution as infringes upon the fundamental rights of the citizens and that the law must be repealed. NTC general secretary Nribemo Ngullie, when contacted, said, "What NTC is confused is that Nagas are passing through the political negotiations with the Government of India (GoI) and according to the commitment given by the GoI, settlement should have already been made but it is getting delayed because of one or the other technical reasons. " He said that extension of AFSPA while giving hope for a settlement of the Naga political issue is "like handing over an olive branch or a piece of bread on one hand with a stick on the other." "When we want peace... there should be total peace but the Nagas have been continuously threatened by AFSPA for the past 70 years, and the fear psychosis continues. "There is no peace in our minds under the draconian law and it is time that the GoI thinks how to soften AFSPA," Ngullie added. Iraqi President: US to face security consequences IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iraqi President Barham Salih said on Friday that assassination of the IRGC's Quds Force Commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani will have security consequences for the US in Iraq and the region while inviting all parties to exercise self-restraint. According to Iraqi media, Salih expressed condolences over the Martyrdom of General Soleimani and the acting commander of the volunteer Iraqi Shia Forces, known as the Deputy Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (the Hash al-Shaabi) Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes. He added that the two figures played major role in fighting against ISIS. He slammed US aggression, and called for unity, integration and setting aside differences in line with preserving national interests of Iraq, its sovereignty and security. The IRGC has confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a message expressed his confidence that the flag of dignity, honor and bravery of this martyr will remain hoisted by the great troops of Islam and the honorable path of resistance and the path of sacrifice will be continued with strength. 9376**1430 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At least 53 people died due to flash floods and landslides in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and nearby towns. Authorities on Saturday said that the island nation suffered its heaviest rain since 1866. Data from disaster mitigation agency showed nearly 175,000 people remain displaced after their evacuation following the flash floods and landslides. Train lines remained blocked in the city while power outages in some areas were also reported. Read: Floods In North India Killed Over 1,900 People This Year, Displaced Over 3 Mn :Report Jakarta floods According to the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), heavy rainfalls could last until mid-February with January 11-15 expected to receive heavy rains. The rainfall that lashed the parts of Jakarta and other districts is termed as the deadliest in years as it caused chaos in the largest city of South Asia. Many evacuees were unable to return to their homes because of mud and waterlogging in their areas. Authorities are conducting the clean-up operations with hundreds of pumps put up to reduce the water level in residential colonies and around public infrastructure. Read: Fmr Karnataka CMs Attack PM Modi For Not Visiting State During 'floods, Farmer Distress' Authorities in Indonesia are also using the cloud seeding technique to stop the rain. According to international media reports, two planes were sent up to shoot salt flares into clouds moving towards the Greater Jakarta area with the aim of making them rain before they reach the city. Inflatable boats have been deployed in many parts of the city to conduct rescue operations. Thousands of people are still stranded in their homes waiting for authorities to rescue them. Read: Indonesia Floods: Death Toll Rises To 43 In Jakarta, Several Missing Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis as it is located close to the continental plates. In 2007, more than 50 people died in the deadliest flood of the decade and 47 people died in 2013 when Jakarta and several other surrounding areas were hit by the flood. Experts believe that Jakarta is one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world. Read: Indonesia: 3 Students Found Dead Inside Heavily Flooded Cave, 5 Others Rescued The BJP on Saturday alleged that a marginalised opposition was trying to foment unrest in the country over the amended citizenship act, but the people would not let them succeed in their machinations. Asserting that the act was passed in Parliament to grant citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said it was not meant to strip minorities in India of their citizenship as was being propagated by the Congress and other opposition parties. "A marginalised opposition is trying to incite violence in the country over the CAA but the people are in favour of the amended law and will never let them succeed in their machinations," he said. READ | Anti-CAA Protests: Priyanka Makes Unscheduled Visit To Muzaffarnagar Thakur was speaking at a press conference here as part of the party's programme to counter the misinformation being spread on the issue by the opposition parties, including the Congress. He said the CAA has a strong humanitarian justification as it seeks to grant citizenship to religious minorities from the three Muslim majority countries who had taken shelter in India. Terming Congress's opposition to the act strange, he said even Mahatma Gandhi was in support of persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries being given their due in India. He said the need for CAA would not have arisen if the terms of the Nehru-Liaquat agreement by which India and Pakistan committed themselves to protect the interests of their religious minorities were honoured by Pakistan. READ | Keshav Maurya Slams "totally Mad" SP For Bizarre Promise Of Pension To Anti-CAA Protesters "While Pakistan has failed to honour the agreement, India has followed terms of the agreement in letter and spirit. The fact is corroborated by the drastic decline of religious minorities in Pakistan which stood at 23 per cent at the time of Independence and at 3.7 per cent in 2011," he said. "That means large-scale conversions took place in Pakistan. Those who resisted were persecuted and forced to escape to India as refugees," Thakur said. READ | Ant-CAA Stir: 46 Served Notices For Damaging Public Property In UP's Muzaffarnagar On whether stiff opposition to the CAA by some states would come in the way of its countrywide implementation, the BJP leader said the states did not have a constitutional mechanism to resist its implementation. "It is a law passed by both Houses of Parliament for countrywide implementation and the states have no constitutional mechanism to stall it," he said in reply to a question. Terming it a historic decision taken in national interest like the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 or the ban on triple talaq, he said it deserves to be welcomed by all. Thakur said it was yet another example of what a strong leader like the one provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah was capable of doing for the country. READ | Fresh Plea Filed In SC, Says 'CAA Renders Certain Category Of Children Stateless' Thousands of mourners on Saturday joined the formal funeral procession for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, who was killed a day before near Baghdad's international airport in an air strike ordered by United States President Donald Trump. IMAGE: Mourners attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, top commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, Iraq. Photograph: Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters Dressed in black and raising the flags of the powerful paramilitary umbrella group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces), the large crowds first gathered near the Shia shrine of Kadhimiyya in Baghdad to pay their respects to the dead, Al Jazeera reported. Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, along with six others were also killed in the US attack. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria. IMAGE: Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi attends the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Photograph: Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters "We are here to mourn the death of these brave fighters, Soleimani and Muhandis," 34-year-old Amjad Hamoud, who described himself as a PMF member, told Al Jazeera. "Both of them sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Shia world and for the sake of Iraq," he added. The mourners, most of whom are supporters of the PMF, planned to march through the Green Zone where government offices and foreign embassies, including the US Embassy, are located. IMAGE: Iraqi Honor Guard perform as they attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike. Photograph: Khalid al-Mousily/Reuters Iraq's caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also attended the funeral processions. Mohannad Hussein, the media representative of the PMF, said that the bodies will be taken to the holy Shia city of Karbala where funeral prayers will be held later on Saturday. The body of Soleimani will be flown to Tehran for funeral processions on Sunday, he added. IMAGE: Palestinians burn representations of a US flag and an Israeli flag during a protest against the killing of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani in Gaza. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters Iran is also observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing. On a fog-shrouded Monday morning, two dozen Coast Guard officers gathered in a conference room on Yerba Buena Island to brief Capt. Marie Byrd, sector commander and captain of the port for San Francisco and Northern California, about what happened on local waters over the weekend. Coasties had embarked on two search-and-rescue missions, including deploying a rescue swimmer from a helicopter for a boat that ran aground at Baker Beach. Environmental teams investigated mystery sheens in the Oakland Estuary and Half Moon Bay, as well as tar patties at Seacliff State Beach near Santa Cruz. Two boats sank at harbor in big storms; teams would monitor their salvage operations. A Larkspur commuter ferry had lost propulsion; inspectors would scrutinize its repairs. Several deep draft vessels big container ships and oil tankers had adjusted their schedules for the fog. Its a multiuse bay, said Byrd, who has served almost a quarter century in the Coast Guard and is the second woman to hold her position. All the activity commercial traffic, fishing, ferries, people swimming is compressed in one area with dynamic conditions, so the level of complexity is dialed up. Byrd, 46, an unassuming, friendly woman who stands 5 feet 3 in her combat boots, is ultimately responsible for what happens on 16,000 square miles of water inside the Golden Gate bays, sloughs, estuaries, channels, rivers and wetlands covering an area larger than Rhode Island. Her territory also covers the coastline from the Oregon border to the San Luis Obispo County line, including 200 nautical miles (230 miles) out to sea, and east to include major lakes and rivers in Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. The Bay Area, named for a body of water and home to the nations third-largest ferry system and fourth-busiest port, is a particularly challenging assignment. A ship can quickly go from a foggy 59 degrees to bright sun and upper 90s, while hurricane-force winds and dense fog can happen within the same week, according to a Coast Guard briefing paper. The bays are shallow, the navigation channels are narrow, and underwater rocks are always close by, the paper says. Even so, the Coast Guard here is relatively low profile. Most residents hear about the service which is a branch of the military only when something goes wrong on the water, like a fishing boat capsizing or a spill from an oil tanker. If you end up in the bay or ocean and need help, blue suiters will come to your rescue. Like firefighters, Coast Guard crews stand by 24/7 at various small boat stations, ready to respond to calls. Theyre like beat cops for the water, boarding vessels to check that they have the right safety equipment, for instance. The service has three focuses: maritime safety (protecting people on the water), maritime stewardship (protecting the water itself) and maritime security (protection from threats such as drug smuggling). U.S. Coast Guards San Francisco sector A typical week: Maritime safety Inspect 24 commercial vessels Conduct seven casualty investigations Respond to 30 search-and-rescue cases Save six lives and $833,000 in property Maritime security Conduct 250 inspections of facilities such as ships, ports, piers and refineries to make sure they meet safety and security regulations. Inspect 28 commercial containers Conduct four commercial vessel security boardings Conduct 40 law enforcement boardings Issue 25 violations Maritime stewardship Issue permits to 24 marine events (everything from Fleet Week to regatta s) Facilitate arrival of 7.5 million barrels of oil Conduct 10 pollution investigations Coordinate the flow of 3,300 vessel trips Perform maintenance work on 10 navigation aids (like buoys and lighthouses) Source: U.S. Coast Guard See More Collapse The Coast Guard has a few dozen boats stationed around the region, including self-righting, motor-operated life boats that can handle really gnarly conditions 20-foot swells and 30-foot seas. It has four 87-foot patrol boats. Byrd assumed her position in March, fleeting up (in Coast Guard lingo) from her previous role as second in command. She oversees about 600 active-duty Coast Guardsmen, 163 reservists, 43 civilians and 1,568 civilian volunteers called auxiliarists. It takes a lot of people to run what happens here every day, she said at a Coast Guard briefing in December, motioning at the packed room. Marie Byrd is a rock star, said Lynn Korwatch, executive director of the Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region and chairwoman of the Harbor Safety Committee, who was the first female captain of a commercial deep-draft vessel. She goes over and above in working with the community. She is so even-keeled and compassionate. Byrds headquarters are on Yerba Buena Island, a stones throw from Vista Point with sweeping views of the bay, the Bay Bridges eastern span and Oakland. Alamedas Coast Guard Island, the artificial island in the Oakland estuary, is overseen by Byrds bosses, a rear admiral and vice admiral, and acts as the command center for operations from the Rocky Mountains to the Indian Ocean. On Yerba Buena, the Coast Guard constantly monitors maritime activity from rooms filled with big-screen monitors showing colorful maps of the waterways with dozens of blips indicating ships, plus live camera feeds from bridges. The Vessel Traffic Service center, similar to an air traffic control tower, monitors traffic, advises vessels of one anothers locations and helps boats pass each other on narrow waterways. Mariners in distress use a designated radio channel to reach the communications room, which acts as a 911 call center for the water. Eleven radio towers throughout the Bay Area triangulate the location of distress calls. And there are plenty. In 2018, the San Francisco sector embarked on 1,275 search-and-rescue missions, or about 100 a month. It said that resulted in 1,725 lives saved or assisted, and $21 million in property saved or assisted. But not all are successful. The hardest part of Byrds job is paying a personal visit to the families of people who died or disappeared on the water. Shes had to do it 17 times. Its a task she never delegates. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. She gives the family a detailed chronology of everything the service did in its search. Ill explain to them that further searching is not going to result in a different outcome or find their loved one alive, she said. It is never an easy conversation to have. Byrd grew up in Southern California, the daughter of an accountant dad and nurse mother, both of whom immigrated from the Philippines as adults. When it was time to go to college, her dad insisted she apply to one service academy. She picked the Coast Guard as the only one that didnt require a congressional nomination. Once she visited the academy in New London, Conn., she was sold by its service-oriented nature and the small teacher-to-student ratio. Women at sea were still relatively new at the time. Only 10% of her classmates were women, but she deflects questions about how that felt. After graduation, she was commissioned as an ensign on a 378-foot vessel out of Governors Island, N.Y., and lived aboard for 18 months. Life at sea is unlike any other in camaraderie and (sense of) mission, she said. Shes served all over the country, including Charleston, S.C.; Galveston, Texas; Jacksonville, Fla., and Honolulu. That trajectory can be hard on a family. She and her husband, Patrick Byrd, a former teacher whos now a full-time dad, have sons ages 14 and 11. In many ways, the sacrifices theyve made, constantly having to be the new kid at school, are far greater than mine, she said. But they all appreciate their seaside Alameda home. Her husband and sons are kite surfers, and all four surf. Were completely a water family, she said, making fluttering motions with her hands. Being by the water is akin to a fish you cant breathe if youre too far from the water. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday condemned the unwarranted and unprovoked mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. Expressing concern over the incident, she called upon the Indian government to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the historic shrine to prevent any future damage. The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of a case, arrest and action against the culprits, she said in a statement. An unruly mob on Friday evening reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. According to reports, hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Initial reports suggested the group was led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted a Sikh girl called Jagjit Kaur. She is the daughter of the gurdwaras pathi. On Friday, Sikh political leaders too appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to intervene and save the historic shrine from any damage. The government expressed concern at the vandalism carried out at the revered Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and members of Pakistans Sikh minority being subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib. It called on the Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety and security of Sikhs. Nathan Chittenden carries a newborn calf at Dutch Hollow Farm in Schodack Landing, New York. "The last five years have been extremely rough for us dairy farmers," he told CNBC. Emma Newburger / CNBC SCHODACK, N.Y. Nathan Chittenden carefully slung a newborn calf over his shoulders and marched her over to his dairy barn to join a dozen other babies. "Sometimes I feel like a school principal trying to remember everyone's names," Chittenden, 41, said of his dairy cows. Chittenden's herd is in good health, but the dairy farm his family runs here in Rensselaer County, about two hours north of New York City, is under immense pressure. Milk makers in the United States are disappearing as consolidation in the industry and changing consumer tastes have made it tougher for small farms to survive. In November, U.S. dairy giant Dean Foods filed for bankruptcy protection, blaming the fact that Americans are drinking less traditional cow's milk and switching to non-dairy alternatives. The company is considering selling itself to the milk cooperative Dairy Farmers of America. Meanwhile, falling milk prices and President Donald Trump's trade wars have sent scores of farmers out of business. Overall, the U.S. has lost nearly 20,000 licensed dairy farms, a roughly 30% decline, over the past decade, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It's in line with a long-term trend: Between 1992 to 2018, over 94,000 family dairy farms closed their operations at a rate of 10 per day, according to the National Farmers Union. Chittenden has watched his farming neighbors disappear one by one, including five farms on his father's side of the family over the course of 20 years. "It crushes me," said Chittenden, a third-generation farmer at Dutch Hollow Farm. "We've lost a lot of farms in the Northeast. Every single one of those farmers was a neighbor and a friend to us." "We knew them, and now they aren't there. Their history is gone and will never be back," he added. A group of female Jersey cows at Dutch Hollow Farm. Emma Newburger / CNBC 'Everyone was stressed' Chittenden said his family started the farm in 1976 with 55 Jersey cows and has a herd of about 800 today. He farms alongside his two brothers and parents. In the 1990s, Chittenden's family made the decision to take on more debt to expand operations. They bought more cows, hired more people and worked longer hours to keep up production. That type of capital investment would be impossible for family dairies to take on today because of surplus milk and lower prices, Chittenden said. "The stress on my family was palpable. Everyone was stressed, and they took that stress home into their personal lives," he recalled. The farm eventually became profitable after several years, but it came at a cost. "We were not working human hours. The family unit was no longer operating day in and day out we were working and doing everything we could to get out of debt," Chittenden said. "It was not a happy time." The family saw more success after the expansion. Chittenden became a director on the Cornell Cooperative Extension board for 12 years starting in 2007. His family also hired more people to work in the barns and help grow crops for cattle feed. The family would contend with other problems in the 2010s. For one thing, falling milk prices made it harder to maintain profits. Milk prices have declined about 23% over the past five years as milk becomes easier to produce and state regulations have increased production, according to the USDA. It's an industry-wide problem for smaller scale dairy farmers. The margin between the cost of production and selling price has not been enough to make a living, especially when dairy farms consolidate into larger operations that end up dominating the industry. Chittenden with the oldest cow on his farm in New York. Trump's trade wars, plummeting milk prices and climate change threaten his business. Emma Newburger / CNBC Consolidation in the dairy sector has led to larger farms with more cows with a high level of productivity. For instance, there was a 13% increase in milk produced per cow from 2009 to 2018 across the country. Trade war threatens dairy markets Chittenden's challenges grew exponentially in 2018. The U.S. was near a record year for the first five months of dairy exports to China for whey, protein concentrate and cheese. But that changed in June when China placed tariffs on U.S. exports in response to Trump's tariffs. China is a major market for the dairy industry, as Chinese consumers are buying more dairy products in general. "China trusts our dairy products more than their own domestic product. We can't afford to lose that market," Chittenden said. Exports of U.S. dairy products to China have declined over 50% in 2019. The U.S. and China announced a phase-one agreement in December, with Trump saying that the Chinese would buy $50 billion in agricultural purchases "pretty soon." A Jersey calf wears a jacket to stay warm in November. Emma Newburger /CNBC The president has argued that his trade war will help American producers in the long-term, and announced a billion dollar aid program for farmers hurt by the trade war. But the dairy industry was especially critical of that aid, arguing that the subsidies weren't nearly enough to compensate farmers and that the USDA didn't use up to date production data for determining aid. "We've expressed concerns regarding the inadequacy of those payments," said Paul Bleiberg, vice president of government relations at the National Milk Producers Federation. "The round that the USDA did in 2019 was stronger than 2018 there was better payment for dairy farmers but we still felt that it felt short of where the damages were." As farms continue to shutter across the country, dairy farmers like Chittenden are wondering how they will maintain their businesses given the uncertainty of international trade. "We can't just close the door on our trading partners and expect there not to be negative repercussions to the farmers who depend on those economies," Chittenden said. "I don't have a year to wait out a trade war. I don't have the reserve to be under siege that long." Chittenden's farm isn't growing anymore due to declining prices pressuring margins and the slowdown in international demand. But the farm has remained viable, due in part to being a member of a cooperative, Chittenden said. Climate change is a risk multiplier Climate change presents another risk for Chittenden and other farmers. Higher temperatures and humidity can stress out cows and reduce reproduction rates and milk yields if the cows eat less. Some dairy farmers have switched to lighter equipment to reduce soil compaction and have installed tile drainage systems. They've also changed the type of crops they grow and when they plant them. "All this technology costs money. It's a big game of business," said David Lane, an author of a 2019 study on climate change and dairy farms in New York and Wisconsin. "The farmers that can afford technology to mitigate all these climate risks are the largest dairies, and the smaller dairies that can't will go out of business." Robotic milking can extract milk from the cow without human labor. The technology can also monitor the health status of cows. Emma Newburger / CNBC Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday accused the BJP of misleading people by giving 'fake' ownership papers to just 20 of the 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday accused the BJP of misleading people by giving "fake" ownership papers to just 20 of the 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies. Sisodia's reaction came after Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over conveyance deeds and registry papers of houses to 20 residents of unauthorised colonies earlier in the day. "I want to ask Union Minister Hardeep Puri, have you changed the land use? Have you issued any notification? Without making any provision, BJP has handed over fake documents to 20 people," Sisodia said. Pointing out that without regularisation, the BJP cannot accord permanent ownership to any home built on government or agricultural land, he claimed that the conveyance deeds distributed by Puri are "worthless" since there was no official notification on change of 'land use'. "You cannot give property rights or permanent ownership to a family, whose home is built on government or agricultural land, without first regularising these unauthorised colonies," the deputy CM said. Sisodia said while the Centre has now accepted that they are not regularising the unauthorised colonies, BJP's leaders continue to mislead people that they are regularising these colonies. "BJP is misleading people by giving a fake paper to 20 people out of 40 lakh people of unauthorized colonies. What will happen to 39,99,980 people? Will their homes be regular or not?" he said. The deputy CM questioned the authenticity and validity of the registration papers provided by the BJP, pointing out that clause no 2 of their papers makes it clear that all existent laws will prevail and both the MCD and DDA have absolute authority to demolish any construction that is in contravention of the existing laws or master plan. Calling it a bluff of the BJP, Sisodia said the party has betrayed the trust and hopes of 40 lakh residents living in unauthorised colonies by distributing the "fake" papers. He further reinforced that BJP has not initiated any measure to regularise these unauthorised colonies despite their "bombastic promises" in Parliament and to the people of Delhi at public rallies and "much-touted proclamations" to the media. The BJP's claim that they are giving legal property and ownership rights to homes built on unauthorised land is "fraudulent", he alleged. Monash University researchers have developed the world's most efficient lithium-sulphur battery, capable of powering a smartphone for five continuous days. Prototype cells have been developed in Germany. Further testing in cars and solar grids to take place in Australia in 2020. Researchers have a filed patent on the manufacturing process, and will capture a large share of Australia's lithium chain. Imagine having access to a battery, which has the potential to power your phone for five continuous days, or enable an electric vehicle to drive more than 1000km without needing to "refuel". Monash University researchers are on the brink of commercialising the world's most efficient lithium-sulphur (Li-S) battery, which could outperform current market leaders by more than four times, and power Australia and other global markets well into the future. Dr Mahdokht Shaibani from Monash University's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering led an international research team that developed an ultra-high capacity Li-S battery that has better performance and less environmental impact than current lithium-ion products. The researchers have an approved filed patent (PCT/AU 2019/051239) for their manufacturing process, and prototype cells have been successfully fabricated by German R&D partners Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology. Some of the world's largest manufacturers of lithium batteries in China and Europe have expressed interest in upscaling production, with further testing to take place in Australia in early 2020. The study was published in Science Advances on Saturday, 4 January 2020 - the first research on Li-S batteries to feature in this prestigious international publication. Professor Mainak Majumder said this development was a breakthrough for Australian industry and could transform the way phones, cars, computers and solar grids are manufactured in the future. "Successful fabrication and implementation of Li-S batteries in cars and grids will capture a more significant part of the estimated $213 billion value chain of Australian lithium, and will revolutionise the Australian vehicle market and provide all Australians with a cleaner and more reliable energy market," Professor Majumder said. "Our research team has received more than $2.5 million in funding from government and international industry partners to trial this battery technology in cars and grids from this year, which we're most excited about." Using the same materials in standard lithium-ion batteries, researchers reconfigured the design of sulphur cathodes so they could accommodate higher stress loads without a drop in overall capacity or performance. Inspired by unique bridging architecture first recorded in processing detergent powders in the 1970s, the team engineered a method that created bonds between particles to accommodate stress and deliver a level of stability not seen in any battery to date. Attractive performance, along with lower manufacturing costs, abundant supply of material, ease of processing and reduced environmental footprint make this new battery design attractive for future real-world applications, according to Associate Professor Matthew Hill. "This approach not only favours high performance metrics and long cycle life, but is also simple and extremely low-cost to manufacture, using water-based processes, and can lead to significant reductions in environmentally hazardous waste," Associate Professor Hill said. ### The research team comprises: Dr Mahdokht Shaibani, Dr Meysam Sharifzadeh Mirshekarloo, Dr M.C. Dilusha Cooray and Professor Mainak Majumder (Monash University); Dr Ruhani Singh, Dr Christopher Easton, Dr Anthony Hollenkamp (CSIRO) and Associate Professor Matthew Hill (CSIRO and Monash University); Nicolas Eshraghi (University of Liege); Dr Thomas Abendroth, Dr Susanne Dorfler, Dr Holger Althues and Professor Stefan Kaskel (Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology). MEDIA ENQUIRIES Media Monash University T: +61 3 9903 4840 E: media@monash.edu For more Monash media stories, visit our news and events site by Brendan Tuma | Sat, Jan 4th 10:42am EST The Nationals have re-signed Asdrubal Cabrera on a one-year, $2.5 million contract. (Jon Heyman on Twitter ) Fantasy Impact: Jon Heyman of MLB Network adds he could earn up to $3 million with incentives. Cabrera was signed by Washington late last season after being released by the Rangers and he went on to hit .323 in 38 games. Washington recently signed Starlin Castro to play second base, which means Cabrera could wind up seeing time at the hot corner this season. Ukraine concerned about escalation of situation in Middle East after attacks in Iraq Foreign Ministry Ukraine is concerned about continued escalation of the situation in the Middle East after the attacks on the base of Operation Inherent Resolve and the United States Embassy in Iraq, and defensive response of the U.S. in Baghdad, reads a statement posted on the website of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine on January 3. "Ukraine proceeds from the utter need to prevent further escalation and any retaliatory actions which might endanger the stability in the region and global security," the ministry said. As reported, Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, which is a unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was killed in a missile strike on Baghdad International Airport. Earlier, several military bases in Iraq were attacked. On December 27, 2019, a U.S. contractor was killed and several U.S. and Iraqi servicemen were injured following a rocket attack on the K1 military base in Iraq. The U.S. blame paramilitary groups backed by Iran for the attacks on the military bases. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened a revenge for those who killed Soleimani. He also announced three days of nationwide mourning following the death of Soleimani. Resistance forces across world carry task of avenging Soleimani: Nasrallah Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 12:02 PM Secretary General of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said that resistance forces across the world bear responsibility of punishing those behind the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani. "Meting out the just punishment to these criminal assassins, which are the worst criminals of the world, will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide," the Hezbollah chief said in a statement on Friday. Nasrallah added that his group will continue the path of the assassinated commander and that Washington will fail in achieving its goals with these "big crimes". "We who stayed by his side will follow in his footsteps and strive day and night to accomplish his goals," Nasrallah said "We will carry a flag on all battlefields and all fronts and we will step up the victories of the 'axis of resistance' with the blessing of his pure blood," he added. The "resistance axis" is used to refer to an emerging front in the Middle East which includes Iran, Syria and other regional countries and forces such as Hezbollah, which are opposed to the US and Israeli hegemony over the region. Nassrallah's remarks came after the IRGC confirmed earlier on Friday that Major General Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, had been assassinated in US airstrikes in Baghdad. The attack also led to the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). Added determination to follow path of 'resistance's martyrs' The Syrian government also condemned the attack as "a serious escalation of the situation", saying the US is resorting to "the methods of criminal gangs," SANA news agency reported. Syria is "certain that this cowardly US aggression... will only strengthen determination to follow in the path of the resistance's martyred leaders," a foreign ministry official said. The unnamed official said the strike was "part of the (US) policy aiming to create tensions and fuel conflict in countries in the region." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address United Methodist Church leaders officially propose split over gay marriage, clergy Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment United Methodist Church leaders have proposed a plan that would formally split the denomination after years of division over non-celibate LGBT clergy and same-sex marriage, with the formation of a new denomination for Methodists who hold to a biblical understanding of marriage and sexuality. The proposal, released Friday from a 16-member group of bishops and church leaders on both sides of the debate, says a separation was "the best means to resolve our differences, allowing each part of the Church to remain true to its theological understanding, while recognizing the dignity, equality, integrity, and respect of every person." Under the nine-page plan, a new traditionalist Methodist denomination would be created for more conservative Methodists. The new denomination would continue to hold to a biblical understanding of marriage and oppose the ordination of non-celibate gay and lesbian clergy. Conservative churches that leave would be given $25 million to start their own denomination, under the new agreement. Additionally, clergy members who leave would keep their United Methodist Church pensions. Meanwhile, the remaining portion of the United Methodist Church would permit same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy for the first time in its history. The United Methodist Church is the United States largest mainline Protestant denomination. A restructuring of the denomination over LGBT issues had been anticipated since last February, when 53% of church leaders and lay members voted to maintain its traditional stance against same-sex marriage and non-celibate gay clergy. As laid out in the Book of Discipline, the UMC defines homosexuality as incompatible with Christian teaching. In the months following, a plan was put together by a 16-member committee of bishops and other church representatives with the help of Kenneth Feinberg, a mediation expert who handled the compensation fund for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The United Methodist Church and its members after careful reflection, discussion and prayer have fundamental differences regarding their understanding and interpretation of Scripture, theology and practice, notes the proposal. The proposal requires approval by the 2020 General Conference in May, according to UM News. Drafting of legislation is still underway for the legislative assembly, which is the only body that speaks for the 13 million global denomination. Conservative and liberal church leaders said they expect the agreement to pass. The solution that we received is a welcome relief to the conflict we have been experiencing, said pro-LGBT pastor Thomas Berlin, according to The New York Times. I am very encouraged that the United Methodist Church found a way to offer a resolution to a long conflict. Keith Boyette, a signatory to the deal who is president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, a collection of more than 1,000 conservative congregations that oppose same-sex marriage, told The Wall Street Journal that with the new proposal, the church has essentially put this conflict behind us. For traditionalists, we can now focus on the next steps. That would not be achievable if there were not this kind of plan in place, he said, adding that he, along with other members of the association, had already put out a draft book of bylaws that a new, traditionalist denomination could use. He estimated that as much as 30 to 40% of the denomination in the U.S. would leave the United Methodist Church. The Washington Post notes that Fridays announcement came as new sanctions were set to go into effect, including suspension and/or expulsion for clergy who officiate same-sex weddings. However, leaders from liberal and conservative groups signed an agreement saying they will postpone those sanctions and instead vote to split at the worldwide churchs May general conference, according to the Post. The United Methodist Church has fought bitterly about LGBT inclusion for years, with some church leaders seeing a split as inevitable. In December, the 2,800-member Grace Fellowship UMC of Katy, Texas, voted to leave the mainline denomination because of its debate over homosexuality. Jim Leggett, the founding pastor of Grace Fellowship, told The Christian Post that his congregation wanted to remove ourselves from the dysfunctional fighting going on in the United Methodist Church so that we can fully devote our energies to fulfilling the mission and vision that God has given to us. At one point, we looked up and noticed that we were spending easily 30 percent of our leadership meeting time discussing the issues of the UMC, and we realized that this was not good stewardship of our time and resources for the Kingdom of God, said Leggett. In the last year, it has become clear to us that despite having biblical standards of morality on paper in the denominations Book of Discipline, the leadership of the United Methodist Church is unable or unwilling to live by those standards. The details of the agreement are outlined in the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation, which was released today. The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration has made an appeal to the agitating students not to disrupt the registration process for the semester exam and cause damage to the academic interests of their fellow students. JNU Rector Chintamani Mahapatra said: "To protest is your democratic right but to stop others from doing registration is against the law." "I request the agitators to not prevent others from doing their registration," he said. JNU administration on Friday said that a group of students wearing masks forcibly evicted all technical staff and switched off the power supply to make the "servers dysfunctional", and hamper the registration process for the semester exam. "At around 1 pm today, a group of students using masks on their faces forcibly entered the office of the Center for Information System, switched off the power supply, forcibly evicted all technical staff and made servers dysfunctional," the JNU administration had said in a statement. Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) said that the security guards "attacked" students at the Center for Information System on Saturday morning. The semester registration process at JNU began on January 1 and will continue till January 5. The students of the JNU have been protesting against the hike in fee and demanding the complete rollback of hostel manual and fee hike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 3 1 of 3 Bexar County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The man who shot and killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend when she took her two sons to visit him on Christmas Day, then shot himself, has died. William Bayles, 28, died Saturday from a gunshot wound to the head. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office ruled his manner of death a suicide. Environmental Sensor Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Revenue Analysis, 2013 2028 The global environmental sensor market is set to grow exponentially in the forthcoming years. Environmental monitoring system or software calculates the real-time climatic conditions to maintain facility security. The consumer electronics sector is anticipated to expand exponentially owing to factors such as smart devices such as tablets and wearable sensors. Rising government interest in developing smart city applications is further driving the adoption of environmental sensors. The increasing health safety concerns and stringent regulations to reduce air pollution are driving the growth of environmental sensor market. A major shift from the use of standalone devices to integrated sensors, which can single-handedly measure all the parameters such as UV radiation, humidity, temperature, and changing climatic conditions are in demand. The market for integrated and portable sensors is expected to grow at highest CAGR during the forecast period. Environmental sensor market has been categorized into North America, Europe, South America, the Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific based on the regional segmentation. Upscaling adoption of latest technologies in the manufacturing of environmental sensors has empowered North America to emerge as the largest revenue generating region. The presence of a huge consumer electronics market in China and Japan has significantly boosted sales in the Asia Pacific region. Also, the rising awareness related to environmental sustainability is further driving the growth of the market in this region. Environmental sensor market has also witnessed huge traction across the healthcare industry. Maintaining environmentally sustainable workflow in medical institutions and hospitals has exponentially increased the use of environmental monitoring sensors. The stringent export reforms in the developing countries is a key restraining factor and, therefore, it is hampering the market?s further growth. The market is segmented as portable and fixed sensors based on product type. A rise in the popularity of smartphones has attributed to a demand for portable environment sensors. Smart home systems have been identified as the latest trend and is further propelling the market demand. Industries such as construction, aviation, oil and gas and agriculture and the prominent end user of the environmental sensors. Due to the rising interests of stakeholders and private organizations in installing environmental monitoring sensors, the market is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. The environmental sensors market is dominated by the presence of some key players such as ams AG, Powelectrics Texas Instruments Incorporated, Toshniwal Sensing Devices Pvt. Ltd., Sensirion AG Switzerland, Eurotech, Omega Engineering Inc., EKO Instruments B.V, Earth Sciences, Raritan Inc, Winsen NESA Srl, and Servoflo Corporation among others. Adoption of advanced technologies such as big data, Hadoop and IOT has resulted in a shift from on-premise systems to integrated sensor services. The altering market dynamics can be attributed to major merger and acquisition activities, collaborations and joint ventures amongst the industry competitors. Powelectrics Texas Instruments Incorporated has launched high precision digital sensors, which wirelessly communicates with the HVAC system and monitors a wide range of climatic conditions. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): It is the Central government's responsibility to clarify all the confusions and misconceptions that they have created about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Raut said: "It is not about Muslims or Hindus. It is about unity of our nation. It is the Central government's responsibility to clarify all the confusions and misconceptions that they have created about CAA." Earlier on Friday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that BJP will not move even an inch away on the issue, no matter how many parties join hands against it. "Even if all these parties come together, BJP will not move back even an inch on this issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. You can spread as much misinformation as you want", Shah said while addressing a public rally here. Shah also accused Congress of spreading misinformation over the issue. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. (ANI) The Republican Party has had a losing streak in Colorado for the past few decades. Democrats have held the governorship here for 38 of the last 46 years. The Democratic candidate for president has won Colorados electoral votes for the past three presidential elections. In 2018 the Republicans lost all four major statewide elected offices. Many voter polls indicate that President Donald Trump and many of his policies are less popular in Colorado than in most states. There is an emerging view that Colorado voting patterns, which had been characterized as purplish (a mix of Democratic Blue and Republican red) over the past generation, can now be more accurately described as leaning bluish. Three demographic trends pose a challenge for the current right-leaning Colorado Republican Party: First is that Colorado has an unusually high percentage of voters (40%) who have a college or university bachelors degree. Colorado is second only to Massachusetts in this regard. We can be certain these well-educated citizens vote in higher percentages than less-educated voters. More important, college and university educated voters are more concerned with issues such as climate change and, regardless of their economic views, more likely to be socially moderate if not liberal on issues such as gay rights and abortion. Pollsters repeatedly point out the large number of well-educated suburban female voters who are conservative or moderate on fiscal matters but are more progressive on social and environmental issues. Second is that Colorado is experiencing steady growth in Hispanic heritage voters. They now total 21.5% of the states population. Colorados African-American citizens comprise another 4%, and citizens of Asian heritage may soon be 2%. Yet this minority population combined will be approaching 30% of Colorado voters during the coming decade. Minority voters do not necessarily vote in blocs. Yet majorities of them are very concerned with immigration, affordable health care, and broader educational opportunities than are conservative Trump-supporting Republicans. Third is that Colorado has always been an urban state, thanks to its early history of gold and silver mining in mining towns. But Colorado is becoming even more urban today as population continues to grow in the Denver metropolitan area and on the Front Range. Rural areas remain static or only grow slowly. Both nationwide and in Colorado this urban-rural divide is often increasingly a Democratic/Republican divide. One anomaly in Colorado voting geography, however, is our handful of ski resort counties Pitkin (Aspen), Eagle (Vail), Summit (Breckenridge, Keystone), San Miguel (Telluride), etc. These are all considered rural counties but are very bluish in their voting. So as the Denver metro area and the ski counties go electorally, so goes Colorado. Republicans thus face a major challenge in Colorado. State demographics are working against the Republicans. The state is adding well-educated voters, Hispanic voters, and urban voters just as all three groups are moving toward the Democratic Party. Most Republicans, technically only about 30% of the registered voters in Colorado, will remain affiliated with the GOP for a variety of reasons. Some dislike the Clintons. Some fear the socialist-leaning coastal Democratic Party types that talk in favor of big-spending measures that they fear will hurt the economy and add to the national debt. And most Republicans remain proudly free market capitalists and favor increased military spending. Yet we know many Republicans who insist that being pro-capitalism should not be equated with isolationism and insensitivity to climate change science and issues of fairness and equality in economic matters. There is a middle ground in American and Colorado politics. On issues of health care affordability and education and responsible alliances with Canada and Europe there is a broad consensus of support. Plans for reenergizing the Republicans in Colorado will be incomplete without a major attempt to appeal to Hispanic voters. Successful Republicans will have to have sensible plans to accept a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers (undocumented immigrants brought into the nation as children) and other long-term taxpaying immigrants. Sen. John McCain, a respected moderate Republican, worked on such plans. Republicans should consider reframing the President Eisenhower policy strategies of the 1950s when Ike ran and governed as a moderate. He fully embraced foreign aid (the Marshall Plan) and moderate tinkering to improve New Deal programs. His pledge was to manage government more wisely and efficiently than the Democrats could and to make progress in incremental steps rather than in expensive sweeping reforms. Colorado has had its share of successful Eisenhower Republicans. Governors John Love in the 1960s and Bill Owens in the early 2000s and former Sen. Hank Brown as well as former state Attorney General (and current Colorado Springs Mayor) John Suthers strike us as more Eisenhower than Trump. Staging a party comeback in the Eisenhower moderate mode will not be easy. Powerful ideological forces pull the Republican Party in the direction of being anti-government, anti-globalization, anti-abortion, pro-gun rights, and anti-gay and lesbian rights. Think Ken Buck, Douglas Bruce, and Gordon Klingenchmitt. But, sadly for the GOP, these leaders hold the very issue positions that are driving highly educated voters, Hispanic voters, and urban voters out of the party. Failing to moderate on these issues will make future electoral losses in Colorado inevitable for the GOP. To win will require a Colorado Republican Party that is more moderate on social and affordable health care issues. The New Year of 2020 will be dominated by Trumpian politics in the Republican Party. But looking ahead to this coming decade, we think Eisenhower style moderation fits the demographic changes more educated voters, more Hispanic voters, more urban voters that Republicans must adjust to in Colorado. Tom Cronin and Bob Loevy write regularly on politics and Colorado. Editors note: The phrase pro-abortion was changed to anti-abortion in the second to last paragraph. I got out a black marker and put a line through Taipei. "You can't take it, it is out of my hands," he repeated. I returned with a kitchen knife and scratched out the offending capital, acting not as a journalist but a mother who didn't want to explain to a seven-year-old why the precious globe had disappeared. Living in Beijing in a time of deteriorating international relations, I had determined to try to keep geopolitics at the office and out of my home, but failed. Raising an Australian boy in Beijing threw up interesting dilemmas. Raising an Australian boy in Beijing threw up interesting dilemmas. Like the time I returned from a reporting trip in Xinjiang in China's far western desert. I had been detained and trailed by police who sought to stop foreign reporters speaking to Uighur Muslims, as the government locked up the Muslim population there en masse in re-education centres. I opened the door to find my son at home dressed in Chinese police uniform for Halloween. "You're under arrest," he declared, oblivious. I said nothing. A little boy who liked police, just like his Chinese playmates, he was a hit on the trick-or-treating circuit. When I told this story to a high-profile Hong Kong democracy activist curious about life in Beijing, she questioned whether this was the right approach. But as an Australian journalist in China, I saw my job as the independent observer "independent always" looking for facts, not an activist. Covering the trade war between the United States and China I would look through Australian eyes for the impact on Australia. As the Tweets raged against China supposedly banning Peppa Pig, I could still see Peppa everywhere, beloved by Chinese four-year-olds. Foreign journalists were certainly among the groups (churches and non-government organisations were others) singled out for police scrutiny in China, amid overblown fears of foreign infiltration. But boys the world over liked to play police, I reasoned, so why disrupt a childhood? The array of Chinese armed truck toys, Lego police stations and Long March rockets at our place grew. Beijing's military museum held wonders like the downed "US imperialist" drone. When my son wanted to play spies with invisible ink, we asked him to keep his voice down, lest any real spies got the wrong idea. But geopolitics closed in. The Huawei technology wars I reported on from the office rippled into our lives, as my son's Canadian playmates were whisked away overseas last Christmas. Expat families reacted with shock to the arrest of a former Canadian diplomat on the streets of Beijing, and another Canadian at the airport the same day, in retaliation for Canada's arrest of a Huawei executive. Was any foreigner fair game in hostage diplomacy? Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun was arrested a month later, accused of espionage in a separate incident the Australian government believes is unrelated to Huawei. Pro-democracy blogger Yang Hengjun has been detained in China since January. Credit:AAP By the end of this year, my son had put the police toys aside. With my frequent absences in Hong Kong covering six months of protests, it became too hard to say nothing when I returned home coughing, with a burning throat and threw my clothes into the washing machine to remove toxic gas. My son worked out the connection between police and tear gas. The TV screen went black as the BBC crossed to Hong Kong, and our Chinese friends were instead fed state propaganda that Hong Kong was beset by "terrorists". But my son worked out the connection between police and tear gas. On the streets of Hong Kong I watched children traumatised as police beat protesters, firing rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at head height. Many protesters were school students and as the months rolled on even heckling police from the footpath or carrying a gas mask in a backpack on the subway could earn arrest. Eighty arrested teachers were suspended from schools. The breakdown of trust between little boys and police will be an enduring legacy of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's mishandling of the 2019 political crisis. However the protests may end in the short term, a generation of Hong Kong children have been radicalised because instead of negotiating, a government sent out police to crack down on a population who had come to the streets peacefully. The reason for Lam's inflexibility is Beijing. As Chinese President Xi Jinping forces the Communist Party further into the core of Chinese life in universities, schools, churches and offices demands for democratic reform in Hong Kong do not fit the Five Year Plan. Demonstrators hold signs during a protest in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong. Credit:Bloomberg For the first two years of my posting, Xi's control appeared absolute. As the trade footprint of the world's second-largest economy grew, he was lauded internationally when he spoke in support of globalisation at Davos in 2017. When the party's twice-a-decade summit was held later that year, general secretary Xi's eponymous ideology was written, Mao-like, into the constitution. Breaking convention, no heir apparent was appointed. A corruption crackdown swept away enemies. By 2018, term limits on the president were removed, potentially allowing Xi to remain president for life. Yet the party leadership and its security apparatus sensed before any Western onlookers that 2019 the year of anniversaries held danger. Warnings for police to be on the lookout for "colour revolution" in January appeared paranoid. As the economy slowed amid a trade war with the US, and a killer virus wiped out a third of the nation's pig herd, the anniversaries rolled in. The centenary of the May 4 student protest movement segued potently into the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre four weeks later. Almost on cue, pent-up frustration with communist China erupted in Hong Kong as a million people took to the streets on June 9. The protests haven't stopped. I was caught between two major news events, seemingly worlds apart. What was unimaginable in January was that the next anniversary, October 1, the 70th of communist China's founding, would collide with boiling street anger in Hong Kong. Blood was spilt that day. In Beijing, a choreographed military spectacle was watched on TV by hundreds of millions of mainland Chinese, who probably felt genuine national pride. I was caught between two major news events, seemingly worlds apart. I flew from Hong Kong to Beijing on September 30, only to be told upon landing that I was banned from collecting my tickets to the military parade the next day. I flew back to Hong Kong, sleepless, after police there began firing live rounds on October 1, hitting a teenage protester, and did a TV news update for Nine. Chinese female militia members march in formation during a parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China. Credit:AP During my China posting I witnessed the rise of the digital surveillance state. In 2017, People's Liberation Army soldiers stood guard at my office and apartment compound gates. They were soon replaced by cameras, lots of cameras, as white cyclopes appeared on most street corners. Facial recognition screens I had first seen in Xinjiang soon replaced ticket collectors at Beijing train stations. More than 700 million Chinese had smartphones and were ditching cash and telephone networks to rely on Tencent's most convenient WeChat app to pay and socialise. Digital China is on track to be a world leader. Fibre runs to the home in ancient Beijing "hutong" alleys, delivering 100MB to pensioners while Australia argues over the failure of the NBN. 5G has already begun rolling out. But in an authoritarian state there is a catch. I listened as Tencent founder Pony Ma revealed at China's own "World Internet Conference" that when WeChat used artificial intelligence to allow commuters to scan a barcode with their smartphone at the subway instead of buying a ticket, there was also a "security" feature. "It also gives authorities access to the real identity of passengers," he said. President Xi Jinping after inspecting troops during a parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in October. Credit:Getty Artificial intelligence and big data pushed as a research priority by Xi were starting to be deployed against the population. China's government-controlled media hyped up the potency of AI cameras that could scan faces in the massive crowd at Qingdao's famous beer festival, for example, and match them to criminal databases, leading to arrests. As AI improved "security", it was also diminishing what small space was left for privacy. A question mark remains over whether the billions of pieces of data generated by all those cameras can yet be processed swiftly enough for authorities to join the dots outside localised trials. My personal answer came when I drove to the outskirts of Beijing to cover a protest by parents unable to enrol children in the local school. It was a middle-class area, and these parents had organised on social media to picket the local government. A sea of umbrellas must have initially obscured my presence from the security cameras as I interviewed angry parents happy to speak to the media. When the secret police moved in, they held a video camera to my face first. When the secret police moved in, they held a video camera to my face first. I smiled. When they returned 10 minutes later, a dozen men in black T-shirts demanded I go with them. They addressed me by my Chinese name, Haiyun, recorded only on my government-issued press card, which I hadn't shown. The foreign journalist dataset had been loaded into the facial recognition system. I had great material, but looking at the parents' faces when the undercover police arrived, I decided I couldn't use it. The typical "picking quarrels" charge for a public protest in China led to jail time, and there were six-year-olds here. The Communist Party is paranoid about the presence of foreign media at protests, even over livelihood issues, because it accuses foreigners of trying to foment colour revolution. Back in Australia, politicians were arguing in a similar tone about "Chinese foreign interference". A circle of mistrust. Before I left Sydney in 2017, I lunched with a group of former China correspondents, who each reflected that Australians still knew little about China despite our newspapers opening a bureau in Beijing in 1973. Returning in 2019, I don't think that situation has improved. Living in China it is clear that climate change and environment policies are being prioritised in a way that Australia, selling coal, refuses to understand. Australians in China repeatedly told me they were unhappy with the noisy domestic political debate back home over "Chinese interference". It seems anyone working in China was well aware of the hurdles for foreigners there, and Australia's "China debate" was breeding more suspicion, the opposite to the long-term project of making China more open to the world. The hurdle was the increasing reluctance of Chinese people to go on the record. For a reporter on the ground trying to report China as it really is, the hurdle was the increasing reluctance of Chinese people to go "on the record" in foreign media, unwilling to risk the trouble this might bring. Insightful interviewees pulled out of stories as the geopolitical winds blew. One time, I travelled 1800 kilometres to Chongqing to stand outside an office door, interview unconfirmed after months of faxes. "We're here," my photographer colleague announced. Officials finally relented and the gates to the trans-continental train yard, the birthplace of Xi's Belt and Road Initiative, were unlocked. The rains killed at least 53 people and displaced 175 thousand inhabitants. There are around 11,000 health workers and soldiers on the ground to reduce the risk of outbreaks. Experts: There is no environmental awareness. When the water withdraws, climate change will no longer be discussed. " Jakarta (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The death toll from the violent floods and landslides that hit the region of Jakarta in Indonesia is rising hour by hour. Agus Wibowo, a spokesman for the National Disaster Reduction Agency, reports that there are 53 dead and at least 175,000 people displaced. Many have found refuge in camps and shelters set up around the disaster area, where sanitation is collapsing. Meanwhile, activists and environmentalists denounce the government for ignoring the warning signs of climate change. The rains began to fall heavily on New Year's Eve and in a short time they flooded the area of the Indonesian capital. The metropolitan area of Jakarta is one of the most populated in the world with around 30 million inhabitants. The areas close to the coast are subject to frequent flooding due to the constant sinking below sea level. For this reason the government has planned to move the capital to Borneo, in a higher area and at a lower risk of natural catastrophe. In the past few hours, the Ministry of Health has deployed around 11,000 health workers and soldiers to distribute medicine, personal hygiene kits and food. The goal is to prevent the outbreak of hepatitis A epidemics, dengue fever and other diseases, including infections caused by contact with animal carcasses. According to experts, the natural disaster of this early 2020 is the worst since 2013, when dozens of people died from the monsoon rainfall that flooded the city. For environmentalists, yet another environmental disaster should be a "wake-up call" for climate change in one of the most polluting countries for greenhouse gases (fifth worldwide). However, Yuyun Harmono, head of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, points out that the administration has proven reluctant to deal with disasters and appears to have no intention of reducing polluting emissions. Floods, he continues, "should serve as a powerful reminder that things cannot be dealt with as usual." According to a 2019 survey, the country's environmental vulnerability is scarcely considered by the population: only 18% of respondents believe that there is a correlation between human activity and climate change. Nirwono Joga, a researcher at the Urban Studies Center in Jakarta, "there aren't many people who realize the impact of climate change. When the water retreats and people return to their homes, actions that are being talked about to combat climate change will also be forgotten. " The BJP on Saturday alleged that a marginalised opposition was trying to foment unrest in the country over the amended citizenship act, but the people would not let them succeed in their machinations. Asserting that the act was passed in Parliament to grant citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said it was not meant to strip minorities in India of their citizenship as was being propagated by the Congress and other opposition parties. "A marginalised opposition is trying to incite violence in the country over the CAA but the people are in favour of the amended law and will never let them succeed in their machinations," he said. Thakur was speaking at a press conference here as part of the party's programme to counter the misinformation being spread on the issue by the opposition parties, including the Congress. He said the CAA has a strong humanitarian justification as it seeks to grant citizenship to religious minorities from the three Muslim majority countries who had taken shelter in India. Terming Congress's opposition to the act strange, he said even Mahatma Gandhi was in support of persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries being given their due in India. He said the need for CAA would not have arisen if the terms of the Nehru-Liaquat agreement by which India and Pakistan committed themselves to protecting the interests of their religious minorities were honoured by Pakistan. "While Pakistan has failed to honour the agreement, India has followed terms of the agreement in letter and spirit. The fact is corroborated by the drastic decline of religious minorities in Pakistan which stood at 23 per cent at the time of Independence and at 3.7 per cent in 2011," he said. "That means large-scale conversions took place in Pakistan. Those who resisted were persecuted and forced to escape to India as refugees," Thakur said. On whether stiff opposition to the CAA by some states would come in the way of its countrywide implementation, the BJP leader said the states did not have a constitutional mechanism to resist its implementation. "It is a law passed by both Houses of Parliament for countrywide implementation and the states have no constitutional mechanism to stall it," he said in reply to a question. Terming it a historic decision taken in national interest like the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 or the ban on triple talaq, he said it deserves to be welcomed by all. Thakur said it was yet another example of what a strong leadership like the one provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah was capable of doing for the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Baghdad, Iraq Sat, January 4, 2020 09:39 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320c8263 2 World #USA,#Iran,military,leader,killing,air-strikes,Iraq Free A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, slain in a precision drone strike by the US in Baghdad on Friday. The assassination was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, which pledged to send more troops to the region even as US President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. The killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between the US and Iran, which Iraqis fear could play out in their homeland. Almost exactly 24 hours later, a new strike targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network whose Shiite-majority factions have close ties to Iran, the group said in a statement. It did not say who was responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike. A police source told AFP the bombardment north of Baghdad left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific toll. There was no immediate comment from the US. The assassination of Soleimani, who had led the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' foreign operations branch and was Iran's pointman on Iraq, rattled the region. US officials said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, was killed when a drone hit his vehicle near Baghdad's international airport. A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed members were killed in the strike. Elaborate mourning procession Their bodies were to be taken through an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in Baghdad and ending in the holy shrine city of Najaf. The bodies of the Guards would then be sent to Iran, which had declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Tehran has already named Soleimani's deputy, Esmail Qaani, to succeed him. Its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly promised "severe revenge" and tens of thousands of protesters in Tehran torched US flags and chanted "death to America." US President Donald Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to "terminate" Soleimani after uncovering he was preparing an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." But the Pentagon said hours later that 3,000 to 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division's Global Response Force would be dispatched to Kuwait. A US official had told AFP that some of the 750 troops already sent from that unit had arrived in Baghdad and would reinforce security at the US embassy there. Some 14,000 other troops have already been deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East this year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of jihadists. Pro-Iran factions in Iraq have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are set to meet on Sunday for an emergency session on the strike and are expected to hold a vote. Embassy storming Paramilitary figures in Iraq including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr called on their fighters to "be ready" after Friday's strike. And Lebanon's Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah warned of "punishment for these criminal assassins." Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by US lawmakers and presidents, with Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago." The last straw was an attack by a pro-Iran mob on the US embassy in Baghdad this week, where demonstrators burned the entrance to the compound and besieged diplomats inside. Following Friday's strike, the embassy urged all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately and US nationals working at southern oil fields were being evacuated. Analysts said the strike -- which sent world oil prices soaring -- would be a game-changer. "Trump changed the rules -- he wanted (Soleimani) eliminated," said Ramzy Mardini, a researcher at the US Institute of Peace. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as "the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off." He expected "bigger" ramifications than the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and the 2019 raid that killed Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But many also worried that it could spill over into full-fledged conflict between the US and Iran within Iraq. Ties between the US and Iran have deteriorated markedly since Washington abandoned a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions. Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi warned the strike would "spark a devastating war in Iraq" as President Barham Saleh pleaded "voices of reason" to prevail. Sagar : , Jan 4 (IANS) An instructor and a trainee were killed when a trainer aircraft of a private aviation academy crashed in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, the police said. The incident took place on Friday night when the aircraft belonging to Chimes Academy was trying to land at Dhana airstrip and crash landed in a nearby field killing two persons. "Trainer Ashok Makwana, 58, and and trainee Piyush Singh, 28, were killed in the crash that took place around 10 p.m. on Friday night," Sagar Superintendent of police Amit Sanghi said, adding that heavy fog may be the cause of the crash. Both the deceased were from Mumbai. An inquiry has been ordered into the crash. In a similar incident a few years back, a trainer aircraft crashed into the Bargi dam near Jabalpur, killing at least one person. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) (R) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at a press conference in Washington in an April 2019 file photograph. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Sanders, Khanna Attempt to Stop Funds for Military Force Against Iran Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation on Jan. 3 to prohibit any funding for offensive military force in or against Iran without prior congressional authorization. Today, we are seeing a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East. A war with Iran could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world. War must be the last recourse in our international relations. That is why our Founding Fathers gave the responsibility over war to Congress, they said in a joint statement. Congressional inaction in the face of the threat of a catastrophic and unconstitutional Middle East conflict is not acceptable. After authorizing a disastrous, $738 billion military budget that placed no restrictions on this president from starting an unauthorized war with Iran, Congress now has an opportunity to change course. Our legislation blocks Pentagon funding for any unilateral actions this president takes to wage war against Iran without Congressional authorization. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Khanna and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), passed the House last year but didnt make it into the final military funding bill that was passed just before Christmas. If it did, Khanna said late Thursday, it would have prohibited funding for war with Iran unless Congress approves a war. The amendment and another from Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) that was stripped from the final product could have prevented tonights escalation, he said. The site where top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed along with eight others in a U.S. strike the day before, outside the international airport road in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 4, 2020. (Ali Choukeir/AFP via Getty Images) Pedestrians walk past a portrait of slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani on a main road in the Iranian capital Tehran on Jan. 4, 2020. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images) President Donald Trump makes a statement on Iran at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach Florida, after the United States killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, on Jan. 3, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Gaetz said in a statement Friday that Trump doesnt want to go to war Iran. If @potus *wanted* war w Iran there were plenty of opportunities. He didnt go 2 war over US drones or foreign tankers. He said if Americans were targeted, heads would roll. Obama drew red lines & ignored them. @realDonaldTrump never will, but he doesnt crave war, nor do I, he said. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced another measure Friday. They said President Donald Trump doesnt have the proper authority to declare war against Iran, arguing the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force didnt include the country. They cited the War Powers Resolution (pdf), which states that at any time that United States Armed Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the United States, its possessions and territories without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such forces shall be removed by the president if the Congress so directs. The U.S. military has been introduced into hostilities as defined by the resolution against Iran, the lawmakers said. Congress hereby directs the president to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government or military, by not later than the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force, the measure stated. A massive cheque for 94,000 was handed over to the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) by the Kildare Relay for Life volunteers at a presentation night in August. One of the organisers, Peter ONeill, said it had been a busy and inspiring event for everyone involved in the July Relay. Once again the sun shone in Punchestown and the whole atmosphere during the 24 hours was fantastic with all the teams putting in tremendous efforts in their last fundraisers, he said. Many cancer survivors met for the first time and stories and experiences were exchanged at length and the one striking thing was the variation in age of those survivors and significantly there was a number of very young people. The annual wrap up party and cheque presentation took place in the Kildare House Hotel in Kildare town with a great turnout of team members, survivors, volunteers and committee members. Due to the magnificent work of our teams, chairperson Amy Mahon and committee were able to present a cheque to the value of 94,000 to the Society which is the second largest single payment, he added. Over the six years of Kildare Relay, the figure raised is approaching 540,000 and this is a tribute to the work and dedication of committee and team members during this period. Fight back He said the Irish Cancer Society will use this money wisely with much coming back to patients throughout County Kildare and to different types of research in their continuing fight for a cure. At Relay we celebrate, remember and continue to fight back, said Peter. American Actor Richard Gere chose to begin his 2020 on a spiritual note, as he attended a teaching session of the Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. The 70-year-old actor was seen immersed in deep prayer, listening to the chants in the background, during the session. The pictures that have surfaced on the Internet are indeed heartwarming! He later interacted with other devotees and mingled with well-wishers, who were excited to meet the Hollywood star. Reportedly, this is not the first time that the Pretty Woman actor has visited India and attended such a session. Hollywood star Richard Gere had joined a similar three-day course on Buddhism by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in Bihars Bodh Gaya in January 2018. The other Hollywood star who was in India recently was Gerard Butler. He shared an eye-soothing photograph straight from the Himalayas, on social media , on the first day of the New Year. Game Of Thrones star, Emilia Clarke, too paid a secret visit to India as cameras caught her at Jaipur airport recently. New Delhi, Jan 4 : The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has sought a judicial inquiry into the alleged police atrocities against the anti-CAA protesters in Uttar Pradesh. In a statement, the Jammat said "It is highly disappointed with the opposition parties of Uttar Pradesh for failing to perform their duties and not raising their voice against the terrible atrocities unleashed by the UP Police on their own citizens. They may have to pay a heavy political price for this apathy." Jamaat President Saddatullah Hussaini said "Jamaat also condemns the inflammatory language used by the UP Chief Minister who talked about "revenge" against his own citizens. According to reports by credible media sources and fact-finding teams, the UP Police fired indiscriminately and without provocation on peaceful protesters on numerous occasions, they have entered homes and destroyed property of citizens, we demand judicial inquiry into the incident." "They have tortured some of the accused and there is a report of sexual abuse of some minor Madrasa students. A senior police officer can be seen threatening people that he would send them to Pakistan. Video evidence shows UP police smashing CCTV cameras and then proceeding to vandalize homes, cars and other vehicles. All these atrocities seem to be directed towards the Muslim community," the statement added. The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also expressed disappointment at the government's insensitive response to the countrywide protests against the CAA-NRC-NPR. "Spontaneous, organic and peaceful protests are being organized by students and youth of India in all the cities, towns and villages of India on almost daily basis with scenes of unprecedented turnout everywhere and attended by all citizens cutting across barriers of age, gender, race, region and religion. The protests have also spilled over to all major international cities of the world," said the statement. CALIFORNIA - Representative Doug LaMalfa announced on Friday that he has nominated 15 North State residents as candidates to the United States Service Academies. The U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marines Academy each require a Congressional nomination in order to attend. These young men and women are truly exemplary. Their achievements, leadership and academic records put them at the top of their classes, U.S. Representative Doug LaMalfa said. Im happy to nominate them to our top service academies where they can become the next generation of military and civilian leaders. Representative LaMalfas nominees were recommended by a committee of North State community leaders and veterans from various branches of the military, he said. Having been nominated, the students must now compete with other nominees for an appointment to the academies. Academy officials will begin announcing appointments in January. Below are Representative LaMalfas nominees for the service academies: Setting a new standard in the fight to end period poverty, Wales has now introduced a new measure where every school and college in the region will be able to access 3.1 million ($4.6 million) in new funding to ensure all students have access to free sanitary products. This marks the second year in a row that the Welsh Government has allocated money to resolve the issue. Additional money will also be provided to local libraries and community hubs to stock sanitary products for women unable to afford them. Related | The State of Period Poverty in the United States The exemplary move comes after years of campaigning by local youth activists in Wales who have rallied to spread awareness about young women with no access to sanitary goods. "It shocked all of us really, when we learnt young girls within the county were missing out on education and that one-in-10 girls aged 14 to 21 in the UK couldn't afford sanitary products," members from the Carmarthenshire Youth Council told BBC. "So as a youth council we decided to set up a period poverty campaign." The Welsh Government Deputy Minister and Chief Whip Jane Hutt also added in a statement: "It's heartening to see young people taking on this issue and working within their schools and communities to combat the stigma and taboos which unfortunately still." In the past year, similar moves have been implemented in neighboring regions Scotland and England, too. In contrast, period poverty in the United States is a largely unaddressed issue, and continues to plague nearly every state by often forcing young girls to skip school and stay at home. A recent bill in New York made it mandatory for schools, correctional facilities and homeless shelters to provide menstrual hygiene products. While it received a lot of praise, the mandate remains unfunded. This means it's up to schools and facilities to bear the full cost of services and products. The U.S. has also failed to eradicate the long contended "pink tax." Tampons, sanitary napkins, menstrual cups and other comparable products are all still subject to a luxury tax, levied on items not considered basic necessities. Several countries, including Canada, India, Kenya and Ireland, have all scrapped sales and value-added taxes on menstrual products. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Claiming that opposition to the amended Citizenship Act is an attack on OBCs, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said on Friday that those protesting against the new legislation should be declared anti-OBC and anti-Dalit. The Minister of State for Home claimed that most of the non-Muslims fleeing harassment in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan belong to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Dalits. PM Modi brought CAA to give them respect. If someone opposes CAA, declare him anti-Dalit and anti-OBC. A handful of people are protesting against the amended law. OBCs should roar like lions, louder than the protesters, Rai told a gathering at an OBC Town Hall. Asserting that the government will drive out every terrorist from the country, the junior minister in the home ministry said, They (terrorists) will either be driven out, or sent to jail or hell. With agency inputs Greg Gutfeld outside Fox News headquarters in New York in November. (Bryan Anselm for The Post) The caustic comic has gone from irreverent cable news oddity to a ratings champ who seems right at home on the network. President Donald Trump has said that top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani was assassinated because he was planning imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. Many, however, are questioning whether that is really true, with lawmakers openly saying they have yet to receive any kind of convincing evidence from the White House that proves that claim. I believe there was a threat, but the question of how imminent is still one I want answered, Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat who is vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Reuters. A congressional source who spoke to Reuters anonymously was a bit more direct, saying that claims of an imminent attack were wildly exaggerated. Advertisement Briefers from the State Department, the Pentagon, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told lawmakers that the assassination was meant to block plans to kill as many as thousands of Americans in the Middle East. But they provided little evidence to support that assertion, claims the Daily Beast. This administration has absolutely not earned the benefit of the doubt when it makes these kinds of claims. When youre taking action that could lead to the third American war in the Middle East in 20 years, you need to do better than these kinds of assertions, a Senate aide told the Daily Beast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is pretty much the same message as New York Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi expressed in a series of tweets Saturday. The sources Callimachi talked to said that evidence that supports the claim of an imminent attack is razor thin, she said. Killing Soleimani was the far out option presented to Trump after the killing of a U.S. contractor in Iraq and then suddenly had to be put together quickly. Advertisement Advertisement 1. Ive had a chance to check in with sources, including two US officials who had intelligence briefings after the strike on Suleimani. Here is what Ive learned. According to them, the evidence suggesting there was to be an imminent attack on American targets is razor thin. Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) January 4, 2020 Some analysts say that, even accepting the White House contention that there was an imminent attack, it doesnt automatically translate that Soleimani needed to be killed. After all, Soleimani was the one who made decisions, not the one who carried out the actual plots. Instead, some in the White House pushed the stance that failing to send a message would mean Tehran would think that it could get away with anything without the United States retaliating. The Washington Post points out that Trump was worried about his image and looking weak after he had earlier called off an airstrike against Iran after it brought down a U.S. surveillance drone. Trump was also looking at the past. The president had long criticized what he saw as a weak response from his predecessor to the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. He felt the response to this weeks attack on the embassy and the killing of an American contractor would make him look stronger compared with his predecessor, notes the Post. There have been no reports of injuries There have been no reports of injuries A number of rockets also landed in the Al-Jadiriya neighborhood, according to the Iraq Army, although it is not clear if that was the intended target A number of rockets also landed in the Al-Jadiriya neighborhood, according to the Iraq Army, although it is not clear if that was the intended target Another three rockets were fired at Balad Airbase housing US troops, about 50 miles north of the city Another three rockets were fired at Balad Airbase housing US troops, about 50 miles north of the city At least two rockets have been fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad At least two rockets have been fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad Rockets have been fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad and a military airbase housing American troops. At least two rockets landed near the embassy, which is located in the security-tight Green Zone, according to Sky News Arabia. It also reported that security at the embassy's perimeter was stepped up after the rockets fell. Earlier this week, pro-Iran protesters stormed the US embassy in a siege that lasted just over a day. Another three rockets were fired at Balad Airbase housing American troops, about 50 miles north of the city, according to Reuters. Of those, two Katyusha rockets fell inside the base. It's not clear how many US troops are being house at the base. A number of rockets also landed in the Al-Jadiriya neighborhood, according to the Iraq Army, although it is not clear if that was the intended target. There have been no reports of injuries and it is not clear who fired the rockets. Iraqi counter-terrorism forces stand guard in front of the US embassy in the capital Baghdad after it was stormed by pro-Iran protesters earlier in the week The US embassy siege by pro-Iran protesters in Baghdad lasted just over a day Members of Iraqi Shiite 'Popular Mobilization Forces' armed group and their supporters set fire outside the U.S embassy inside the high security Green Zone area, in central Baghdad on January 1 On Friday, local time, an airstrike killed Iran general Qassem Soleimani - an act for which the country's president Rhouhani has chillingly promised to exact revenge. The strike was ordered by President Donald Trump who said the Qud Forces commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East and was targeted specifically because he was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the region. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' Trump said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Imperial Valley News Center President Trump Announces Presidential Delegation to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump announced the Presidential Delegation that will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 20 to January 24, 2020. The Honorable Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury, will lead the delegation. Members of the Presidential Delegation: Spain PM calls for a debate to consider COVID-19 endemic disease Flyone Armenia and Pegasus receive permission for Yerevan-Istanbul-Yerevan flights Pope condemns "baseless" ideological misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines Arab foreign ministers to visit Beijing Azerbaijanis stoned an Armenian car on the Stepanakert-Goris road Armenian FM has a phone call with his Polish counterpart Macron travels to French Riviera to discuss internal security issues Artsakh Foreign Ministry: Azerbaijan's aggressive behavior aims to disrupt Russian peacekeepers' activities US COVID-19 cases reach 60 million European Parliament President hospitalized due to immune system dysfunction Washington and Ankara discuss normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey WHO excludes emergence of deltacron strain In Karabakh Azerbaijanis shelled tractor Indian Defense Minister tests positive for COVID-19 US-Russia talks on security guarantees lasting for seven hours already NEWS.am daily digest: 10.01.22 Pashinyan appoints Hayk Mkrtchyan as Deputy Governor of Kotayk province Blast in eastern Afghanistan kills nine children Pashinyan: One of key priorities of Armenia presidency at CSTO is strengthening of crisis response mechanisms Internet cut off in Kazakhstan Armenia, Kazakhstan ombudspersons confer on Armenian communitys rights Armenia, Russia defense ministers discuss Kazakhstan Turkey defense minister meets with their envoy in process of normalization of Armenia relations Iranian Foreign Ministry reports progress in Vienna negotiations Dollar continues going up in Armenia New attempt by migrants in Belarus to storm Poland border Skat Airlines resumes Yerevan-Aktau and Aktau-Yerevan flights New Covid-related restrictions to be introduced in Armenia Karabakh police: Firefighters also targeted by Azerbaijan shooting (PHOTOS) Artsakh Defense Army has not fired on Azerbaijan positions Azerbaijani military are protesting amid military awards deprivation Azerbaijanis open fire in Nagorno-Karabakh Karabakh MFA: Events in Kazakhstan are result of actions planned by Turkey Armenia army General Staff has new deputy chief Australia to buy US $ 2.5 billion of armored vehicles Artsakh emergency service: Search for soldiers remains continued during holidays Kazakh Colonel Nazanov dies after heart attack Australia begins to vaccinate children aged 5-11 with COVID-19 vaccine Putin: Peacekeeping contingent to stay in Kazakhstan for a limited period Armenia 2nd-President Kocharyan v. premier Pashinyan lawsuit court session is closed Azerbaijan commandos conduct military exercises Part of the Great Wall of China collapsed due to earthquake Armenia MP: Turkey, Azerbaijans regional calculations have mixed up Copper prices decline Armenia ex-President Kocharyan v. PM Pashinyan lawsuit trial resumes Gold is getting cheaper EU is ready to support in addressing Karabakh crisis 126 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Fire in residential building in New York leaves 19 people killed National Center for Infectious Diseases Yerevan branch employees protesting outside center Karabakh President: Radical Pan-Turkic circles are actively involved in process in Kazakhstan Oil is getting more expensive Mars helicopter Ingenuity preparing for difficult 19th flight Interior ministry: About 8,000 people detained in Kazakhstan Earthquake hits Armenia-Azerbaijan border zone Researchers create substitute for egg whites from fungus Kazakhstan official information channel removes message about 164 casualties EC says construction of new nuclear power plants in Europe will require 500 billion in investment Ghost ship that sank 343 years ago discovered in US Post-COVID-19 antibodies may attack healthy cells, scientists say Pope says he was praying for Kazakhstan Media: 164 people die in Kazakhstan during riots Peskov: CSTO session does not plan to sign documents yet Criminal cases launched after bomb threat in Armenian, Belarus embassies in Moscow Norwegian military surrender panties before demobilization Iranian MFA says Tehran is ready for talks on downed plane of UIA Ukraine Russian defense minister says information war is on all fronts Several strategic objects in Kazakhstan transferred to CSTO contingent under protection David Minasyan elected head of Armenia's Parakar community Bloomberg: US is considering issue of limiting supply of high-tech products to Russia Armenia reports 142 COVID-19 new cases Council of Elders meeting continues in Armenia's Parakar White House speaks on Blinken statement on Russian peacekeeping troops Armed people detained at border in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan talks stabilization of situation in all regions of country Azerbaijanis demand Armenian soldier change his faith by taking away his cross, Ombudsman says Armenian painter Mher Mansurian dies in France At least 17 killed in Egypt road accident NATO chief announces Russia forces continued buildup in Ukraine Armenian militarys transfer to Kazakhstan is completed Out of 178 dioceses contacted by the AP, only a handful knew the race or ethnicities of accusers of sexual abuse inflicted by clergy with the Catholic Church. Why it matters: A leading scholar on clergy sexual abuse says communities of color "are less likely to know where to get help, less likely to have money for a lawyer to purse that help and they are more vulnerable to counterattacks" when coming forward against predators. Brian Clites, a professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, said the church has a pattern of sending "predator priests" to communities of color that are disadvantaged, per AP. A diocese in Alexandria, Louisiana gave the AP a spreadsheet of survivors that withholds names but includes demographics which help investigative efforts, its victim assistance coordinator, Lee Kneipp, told AP. "Kneipp said knowing the race and ethnicity of victims ... enables a deeper examination of records and the potential ability to find others who have not been acknowledged," per AP. Of the 88 dioceses that responded to AP's investigation, "[s]ome said demographics arent relevant, while others cited privacy concerns." What they're saying: They are less likely to know where to get help, less likely to have money for a lawyer to pursue that help and they are more vulnerable to counterattacks." Brian Clites, professor and leading scholar on clergy sexual abuse, on communities of color affected by "predator priests" It was such a stigma. That is still present now. We havent touched the top of the barrel of black victims. There are so many black victims who have not come forward who are suffering in silence because of the stigma. Seattle-based attorney Phillip Aaron, who told the AP his clients include hundreds of African American survivors of clergy abuse The church has to come into the shadows, into the trenches to find the people who were victimized, especially the people of color. There are other people like me and my family, who wont come forward unless someone comes to them. ... I was thinking I have to keep this secret. One, we have to eat and two, we have to stay in school, and this would kill my mom if she knew. Terrence Sample, 58, who told AP he was assaulted for several years by a priest at St. Procopius Catholic school when he was a middle school student Go deeper... AP: Over 900 clergy accused of child sexual abuse absent from dioceses' lists Editor's note: This story has been updated for clarity. A Texas man who used "affluenza" as a defence at his trial for killing four people while driving drunk was arrested after authorities say he violated the terms of his probation. Ethan Couch (22) was booked into a jail in Fort Worth after he tested positive for the psychoactive compound in marijuana, court records show. Couch's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jail records did not indicate whether his bond had been set. Couch became know as the 'affluenza teen' during his manslaughter trial for the 2013 crash. Couch, 16 at the time of the crash, was found to have a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit for adult drivers after the crash. But a psychologist told a juvenile court that he was affected by "affluenza", or irresponsibility caused by family wealth. A judge originally sentenced Couch to 10 years of probation. But he was later jailed after attending a party where alcohol was served and then fleeing to Mexico with his mother Tonya to avoid punishment. He was released in 2018 after serving a nearly two-year sentence. In 2013, Couch lost control of his family's pickup truck after he and his friends had played beer pong and drank beer stolen from a Walmart. He veered into a crowd of people helping the driver of a disabled vehicle on the side of the road. Authorities later estimated that he was going 70mph (110kmh) in a 40mph (64kmh) zone. The crash fatally injured the stranded motorist, a youth minister who stopped to help her and a mother and daughter who came out of their nearby home. His mother is awaiting trial on charges of hindering apprehension of a felon and money laundering arising from when they fled to Mexico in 2015. She has been in and out of jail since then. Egypt's Administrative Control Authority (ACA) on Friday arrested head of the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) Abdel Azeem Hussein red-handed while receiving a bribe from private accountants dealing with the Authority. Egypts finance minister Mohamed Maait mandated deputy tax authority chief, Reda Abdel Qader, as the acting head of the authority temporarily on Saturday. Maait stressed that no one is above the law and there is no cover-up on corruption, according to a statement by the finance ministry. All legal measures against Hussein were taken by the Supreme State Security Prosecution. Prosecutor General Hamada El Sawy ordered the State Security Prosecution to investigate into the bribery case of head of the Egyptian Tax Authority. The Administrative Control Authority, the state body responsible for enforcing laws and regulations within state bodies, has been waging a national campaign on corruption in recent years. Search Keywords: Short link: Having won the role of Elsa in Disneys West End production of Frozen, Samantha Barks should feel like a princess. In fact, shes nursing a broken heart after losing her knight in shining armour. The 29-year-old has split up with U.S. actor Ryan Watkinson, 35, whom she met while living in New York, where she starred in Pretty Woman on Broadway. It was too hard with their work schedules, one of her pals reveals. They remain friends. Sam is very upbeat as she has lots of exciting things coming up. The 29-year-old has split up with U.S. actor Ryan Watkinson, 35, whom she met while living in New York, where she starred in Pretty Woman on Broadway It was too hard with their work schedules, one of her pals reveals. They remain friends. Sam is very upbeat as she has lots of exciting things coming up --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friels Deep Water drama sinks before second series Set in the Lake District and starring Anna Friel, Deep Water was the flagship drama of ITVs autumn schedules. But, I can reveal, it will not be returning for a second series. And Friel who has a daughter, Gracie, 14, right, with ex-boyfriend David Thewlis seems relieved. Filming took me away from Gracie for four months. I found it heart-wrenching. I really dont want to miss out on her vital years, she says. Deep Water was based on Paula Dalys Windermere novels. An ITV spokesman tells me: Sadly, weve decided there wont be a second series. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Duchess of Cornwall has managed to stay on remarkably good terms with her former husband, Andrew Parker Bowles. I hear Camilla raced back from Norfolk, where she spent Christmas with the Royal Family at Sandringham, to attend the former brigadiers 80th birthday party in the West Country. It was a very jolly occasion, with all the family there, one of the guests tells me. After marrying Prince Charles, Camilla retained her Grade II-listed Wiltshire house, Ray Mill. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The smart sets talking about...Prince Harrys potter ex Flea Prince Harrys calls for us all to speak more openly about our mental health have been heeded by his former girlfriend Florence Brudenell-Bruce Prince Harrys calls for us all to speak more openly about our mental health have been heeded by his former girlfriend Florence Brudenell-Bruce. Flea, as the aristocrat is known to pals, reveals she suffered the baby blues after giving birth to her five-year-old daughter, Iris. The former lingerie model a descendant of the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who led the Charge of the Light Brigade turned to ceramics to help her through her illness. I started pottery when I was 29 after a diagnosis of post-natal depression, says Flea, 34, who also has a son with her banker husband, Henry St George. Motherhood is wonderful, but with it came this hideous paradox. Pottery began as a hobby, and I soon realised it filled a void and made my life happier. The clay took hold in a way Id never imagined possible the healing, the flow, the energy it gave me was unreal. Flea, who went out with Harry in 2011, will appear in the new series of Channel 4s Great Pottery Throw Down, which starts next weekend. She says: Its a nurturing, gentle show. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pop star Robbie Williams whose wife, Ayda, joined him as a judge on The X Factor has been receiving some marriage guidance from Oscar winner Don Black. The lyricist, whose beloved wife, Shirley, died in 2018, tells me: When we worked together recently Robbie said, I always remember what you said to me. I asked what was the secret to your long and happy marriage? Id said to him that Shirley and I had both wanted the same things from life. Robbie said, Now that Im married with three kids it makes so much sense. Black adds: Robbie came through a bad period, but its great to see him looking so well. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lady Kitty to wed 80m tycoon five years older than her dad Eyebrows were raised among Lady Kitty Spencers social set when she started going out with Michael Lewis, a fashion tycoon nearly 32 years her senior. But Princess Dianas niece has proved their relationship is anything but a passing fancy. For I hear the 29-year-old society model has agreed to become the South Africa-born businessmans second wife. Michael proposed to Kitty before Christmas, one of her friends tells me. Shes been in Cape Town for the holidays and told her mother and the rest of the family. Michael is loved by all of them. Despite his wealth, hes very humble and low key. But Princess Dianas niece has proved their relationship is anything but a passing fancy. For I hear the 29-year-old society model has agreed to become the South Africa-born businessmans second wife Lewis, who has an estimated fortune of 80 million, turns 61 this month and is five years older than Lady Kittys father, Earl Spencer. Lewis has three adult children with his first wife, Leola, 59, whom he is understood to have married in an Orthodox Jewish ceremony in 1985. Leola signed a prenuptial agreement, but its not known if Lady Kitty will be asked to do likewise. She has been seen attending synagogue with Lewis in London and could convert to Judaism before their wedding. Her cousin Prince William is, of course, future Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Lewis is a generous philanthropist whose family foundation pledged 3 million to Oxford University in 2011 to fund the appointment of a Professor of Israel Studies. The couple are understood to have met through their mutual friend Dr Liam Fox, the former Defence Secretary. Lady Kitty is patron of a charity he founded, Give Us Time, which donates holidays for soldiers in need of R&R. Lewis donated thousands of pounds to Foxs defunct Atlantic Bridge organisation. When not at Lewiss 19 million mansion in Central London, the couple have been enjoying a series of holidays in romantic locations including Capri in Italy and that playground of the rich, The Hamptons, in New York state. Although their age difference might put off some women, Lady Kitty does like older men. Her last boyfriend was Italian property magnate Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro. Hes 48, so a mere slip of a lad. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boys on film: Duran star's movie plans With money still rolling in to the surviving members of Queen from the blockbuster success of the film Bohemian Rhapsody, which band will be next for the big-screen treatment? With money still rolling in to the surviving members of Queen from the blockbuster success of the film Bohemian Rhapsody, which band will be next for the big-screen treatment? Duran Duran keyboard player Nick Rhodes tells me: Weve been talking about a biopic for more than a decade. If we did one, I would want ours to be different to whats out there. For starters, he would like to be portrayed by a woman. Cate Blanchett played Bob Dylan [in Im Not There] and she was very good, so Cate could play me any day. I love Tilda Swinton, too, but shes definitely taller than me. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- King Lear is considered one of the greatest roles in theatre, but Poirot star David Suchet reveals hes rejected the chance to play Shakespeares tragic hero three times in the past year. I was offered [it] at a big London theatre and two provincial ones, but I turned them down, Suchet, 73, tells me. I always think, If I dont play a role, will I miss not playing it? I dont think I wouldnt get the chance again if I turned down Lear, but I dont care. Suchet, a member of the RSC for 13 years, adds: Maybe one day the right production and the right venue will present itself, but it hasnt yet. One to tax ze little grey cells . . . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Very) modern manners... Once a mark of rebellion, tattoos are now used for middle-class bonding. Best-selling novelist Victoria Hislop reveals that her daughter, Emily, 29, paid for her to be inked as a Christmas present before she moved to Colombia. My daughter gave me a fantastic gift, says Victoria. We got matching tattoos a tiny hexagon. Now, when I glance at it on my wrist many times during the day, it makes me smile because she might be looking at hers, too. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Snapper Baileys stocking sparkler During his illustrious 62-year career, photographer David Bailey has taken the snaps at only three weddings: those of gangster Reggie Kray in 1965, Baileys younger son Sascha in 2015, and Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch in 2016. Now, there will be a fourth, as older son, fellow snapper Fenton, 32, has got engaged to events co-ordinator Sarah Stanbury, 25 (pictured above with Fenton). Fenton proposed on Christmas morning just after we finished opening our stockings, she tells me. He had the ring made as a surprise. Fentons mother is former model Catherine Dyer. His father was previously married to film star Catherine Deneuve, model Marie Helvin and typist Rosemary Bramble. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Baddie Berkoff gets his teeth into TVs Dracula Best known as a scary baddie in blockbusters such as Beverly Hills Cop and Octopussy, Steven Berkoff has been left horrified by the BBCs new adaptation of Dracula Best known as a scary baddie in blockbusters such as Beverly Hills Cop and Octopussy, Steven Berkoff has been left horrified by the BBCs new adaptation of Dracula. I fear Bram Stoker will be joining the undead, writhing and twisting in his coffin, after the criminal abuse of his iconic novel, Berkoff thunders. To rewrite Stokers very finely written text, replacing it with cheap sub-Noel Coward dialogue is barbarism. To add gross CGI effects more appropriate to Alien movies cannot but reinforce the thought that there is little artistic sensibility left in the contemporary British soul. Pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla (in purple turban in pics) was also seen with the delegation (Photo Credit: ANI) New Delhi: In view of the attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, a delegation of Muslim leaders visited Nankana Sahib and interacted with the members of Sikh community on Saturday. Pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla was also seen with the delegation. According to the External Affairs Ministry, members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Pakistan: A delegation of Muslim leaders visited Nankana Sahib today and interacted with the members of Sikh community there, condemning yesterday's mob attack on Nankana Sahib. Pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla (in purple turban in pics) was also seen with the delegation. pic.twitter.com/xnG4JRvR57 ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2020 Pakistan has, however, rejected media reports that the historic Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib in Lahore was desecrated in a mob attack, saying the birthplace of founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak remains "untouched and undamaged" and the "claims of destruction" of one of the holiest Sikh shrines are "false". Police in Pakistan said on Friday that a group of people, led by the family of a Muslim man who married a Sikh teenager, held a day-long sit-in outside the gurdwara to protest the arrest of their relatives who were held for alleged forced conversion of the girl. In India, several organisations protested on Saturday against the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. The protesters, who marched towards Pakistan High Commission raising slogans against Pakistan, were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station. Meanwhile, condemning the attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the BJP on Saturday said that the incident justifies amendments made to the citizenship law to protect minorities in three neighbouring countries. Addressing a conference here, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to threats for civil conversion, rapes and violence for decades and the Nankana incident shows how minorities there are persecuted and why they need citizenship in India. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A masters student dropped from a size 22 to a 10 and lost six stone after being told her weight may have contributed to her rare brain condition. Danielle Puttick, from Sunderland, was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) in September 2016. Doctors told the 26-year-old that her condition might be associated with her weight and that shedding some pounds could help reverse the effects of the condition. Danielle Puttick (pictured as a size 10) was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension in September 2016 And so, just one month after her diagnosis, she joined her local Slimming World. Danielle, who is 5ft10, started out as a size 22, weighing just over 18st 3lb. But she has since managed to lose 6st 1lb to reach a size 10 and weigh 12st 2lb. Danielle, who is now an animation designer, said: 'My condition left me bed bound for a while but I wouldn't let it beat me. 'I have been big my entire life but decided I wanted to lose weight when I started my masters degree in design. 'My main motivation was that I wanted a nice photo of myself. 'After I became ill, I was told by doctors that they didn't know what causes the condition. The masters student dropped from a size 22 (left) to a 10 (right) and lost six stone after being told her weight may have contributed to her rare brain condition 'But the doctors said that it might have something to to with weight and said that I needed to lose some as it could reverse in the effects of the condition. 'That was the moment what I thought I really have to do this now. 'I joined Slimming World as soon as I was able to walk out of the hospital on crutches.' Danielle was studying at Sunderland University when she began to suffer from an increasing number of migraines. She went for an eye test on October 24 2016, following medical advice, where opticians found blood at the back of her eye. She was sent to the Sunderland Eye Infirmary the same day and was told by medics that they believed it was a suspected brain haemorrhage. Danielle was then transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle a short time later where she underwent a CT scan. It was then that doctors diagnosed her with the rare Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension brain condition which is associated with raised fluid pressure around the brain. Danielle (pictured as a size 10) said that her health has improved since the treatment but she still suffers from tiredness and migraines She is now launching her own Slimming World group later this month in the hope of inspiring others with her story. Pictured: Danielle size 22 (left) and size 10 (right) The student underwent surgery immediately and had a lumbar stent placed in her back to control the flow of brain fluids. Official health advice says that sustainable weight loss through healthy eating is a critical part of treatment for people with IIH who are overweight. Danielle said that her health has improved since the treatment but she still suffers from tiredness and migraines. She added: 'Since my diagnosis I have found my condition gets bad if I do a long day - but I don't believe it has got anything to do with weight. 'When I was doing an internship I found that anxiety and stress were triggers. 'But I had always wanted to lose weight and feel happy that I have finally have. 'Slimming World is like a family and gave me a life.' She is now launching her own Slimming World group later this month at Ryhope Community Association, Sunderland, in the hope of inspiring others with her story. Danielle added: 'I hope my story shows other people that you can do it.' Khamenei, Other Iran Officials Vow 'Severe Retaliation' For Soleimani Killing By RFE/RL January 03, 2020 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has threatened "severe retaliation" against the "criminals" who killed Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of Iran's Quds Force who died in a U.S. air strike in western Baghdad on January 3. Khamenei also declared three days of national mourning to mark Soleimani's death. Soleimani was killed in a possible drone strike while traveling in a two-car convoy near Baghdad's international airport early on January 3. The U.S. military said it carried out the "defensive" strike to prevent Soleimani from orchestrating further attacks against U.S. interests in the region. Khamenei said the U.S. action will "double the motivation" of the Iranian people's resistance against the United States. Iranian President Hassan Rohani said in televised remarks that the assassination will make Tehran more decisive in its resistance against the United States. "Soleimani's martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America's expansionism and to defend our Islamic values. With no doubt, Iran and other freedom-seeking countries in the region will take his revenge," Rohani said, according to Reuters. 'Strong Protest' Iranian media said the Foreign Ministry had summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, whose country represents U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Iran, and informed the envoy of its "strong protest." "He was told that Washington's move is a blatant instance of state terrorism and the US regime is responsible for all its consequences," Press TV reported. Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Defense Minister Amir Hatami as saying Tehran would extract "crushing revenge" for Soleimani's killing, according to Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted later on January 3 that "Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation!" Trump administration officials have repeatedly urged Tehran to return to the negotiating table after Washington withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, but Iran's leaders have insisted they won't engage in talks until U.S. sanctions are lifted. The Quds Force is the elite foreign arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. With reporting by AFP, dpa, AP, Press TV, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/khamenei-other -iran-officials-vow-severe-retaliation for-soleimani-killing/30358907.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A BJP MLA has apparently threatened 'minority' Muslims against participating in anti-CAA protests, saying that opposing the new Citizenship Act will not be good for them and they will have to face serious repercussions. "It's just a caution for those who are protesting against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act). We are 80 per cent and you (Muslims) are 18 per cent. Imagine what will happen if we take charge," MLA Somashekar Reddy told a gathering here on Friday. "Beware of the majority when you live in this country. This is our country. If you want to live here, you will have to, like the Australian Prime Minister said, follow the country's traditions," he added. He said: "So, I warn you that CAA and NRC are made by Modi and Amith Shah. If you will go against these acts, it won't be good." Continuing to spew venom, the MLA further said, "If you wish, you can go to Pakistan. We don't have any issues. Intentionally, we would not send you." He said that the community should live in harmony with Hindus. "If you will act as enemies, we should also react like enemies," he said. Earlier, Bengaluru BJP MP Tejaswi Surya reportedly called CAA opposers as "puncturewalas". The nation has been witnessing massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the Register of Citizens (NRC). But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has specifically stated that the NRC was never discussed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mogherini warns against escalation of tensions in ME IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Former EU foreign policy chief reacted to the US recent terrorist operation in Iraq which resulted in assassinating IRGC's Quds Force Commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and warned against escalation of tensions in the Middle East. "An extremely dangerous escalation in the #MiddleEast," Former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini wrote on her Twitter account. "Hope that those who still believe in wisdom and rationality will prevail, that some of the diplomatic achievements of the past will be preserved, and that a major scale confrontation will be avoided," she added. Meanwhile earlier, Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt in a message termed the assassination of IRGC commander as limiting the scope of diplomacy. "With Iraq turned into a battlefield between US and Iran the already fragile state of Iraq will be weakened and the room for Daesh and other terrorist organizations will in all probability increase," Bildt wrote on his Twitter account. "Let's not forget that the EU worked diplomatically for more than a decade to prevent a war between the US and Iran over primarily the nuclear issue," he added. "And efforts have continued also in the difficult Trump era," he said adding, "But now the scope for diplomacy is probably extremely limited." Senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani was martyred in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that Lieutenant General Soleimani and acting Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as the Hash al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated on Friday morning. Following martyrdom of Lieutenant General Soleimani, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei declared three days of mourning on Friday. He also appointed Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani as the successor of Lieutenant General Soleimani as the Commander of the IRGC Quds Force. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French anti-terrorist investigators said Saturday they have taken over the probe into an attack by a knife-wielding man who killed one person walking with his wife in a park south of Paris before being shot dead by police. Police said the man, identified as 22-year-old Nathan C., attacked several people around lunchtime Friday in the suburb of Villejuif and they initially treated the incident as a criminal, not terrorist, incident. But in a statement, the French national anti-terrorist investigation body (PNAT) said that while Nathan C. was known to have had psychiatric problems, worrying evidence had also emerged about his conversion to Islam and radicalisation. Investigations over the past few hours have allowed us to establish that he was certainly radicalised (and to show)... organised preparation for his move towards the act, the statement said. Additionally, they showed a murderous path, thought out and chosen, of such a nature as to gravely disturb public order by intimidation or terror, it said. Earlier a local magistrate told a press conference that Nathan C. had shouted the Muslim invocation Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest) during the attack. Nathan C. converted to Islam in mid-2017 and is believed to have suffered serious psychiatric problems since he was child, with several spells in hospital. In June stopped treatment he was being given. Police found literature characterised as Salafist in a bag after the attack, Philippe Bugeaud of the Paris investigative police told the press conference. There was also a letter with phrases fairly typical of a Muslim man who self-flagellates and who knows that he may be about to take the plunge, Bugeaud added. Nathan C.s apartment in Paris also bore every sign that it was going to be no longer lived in, magistrate Laure Beccuau said. Nathan C. apparently spared a first person who said he was a Muslim and had recited a prayer in Arabic, she said. He then attacked the couple, killing the husband and seriously injuring the wife before wounding a woman jogger in the back. Beccuau said the two women had now left hospital. France remains on high alert after being hit by a string of attacks by jihadist extremists since 2015, with more than 250 people killed in total. (AFP) I turned to Svetochka and said, Putin is pissed, I do not know why, but he is pissed. Look at his eyes! Then I wrote a small article early the next day. On New Year Day Now we know what he had wind of, America going full retard But really, no one dreamed that someone would be assassinated by the USA in another countries (Iraq) airport and someone who was invited to be in Iraq. Someone who was in Iraq as a friend to Iraq and to his people; General Soleimani was in Baghdad on an official visit to attend the funeral of the Iraqis murdered by the US on the 29th. Let that sink in Now we are lying through our teeth to act like this was a good thing. Is it? Not in my book This video of Senator Graham says it all and it is nothing but flagrant lies, well except the part about his desires to attack Iran and destroy and destroy and that means kill Iranians young and old. We have already started evacuating Americans from Iraq, because we acted the fool. As always with War, our media is complaisant Blow Back is never fun and it is never right away. No one has anything to loose when they wait and watch to see when you let your guard down and yes, America will let its guard down.. Even an empire cannot control the long-term effects of its policies. That is the essence of blowback. -Chalmers Johnson Being that America is very divided about literally all subjects. They are divided about this also. Some dance in the streets and others look over their shoulder to find if the boogeyman is watching And that my readers is our future. We have started another war all based on lies and more lies I suspect Iran will take its time and carefully plan a reciprocation options, and that response may not be clear and unambiguous, and it might be multifaceted and done over staggered periods of time. Right now they are in mourning.and they are now very united! Gotta run WtR A dad reportedly gunned down his daughter and her new husband on New Years Eve before turning the gun on himself. The gunman, thought to be the estranged father of Lindita Musai, is under police guard in hospital after the festive horror which saw the 25-year-old woman and her new husband shot dead at an address in Melbourne, Australia. The suspected killer, who police said was a 55-year-old man, was said to have blasted 29-year-old Veton Musai and his wife at around 10.30am on Tuesday. A witness then reportedly saw him jump out of a bush and put a gun to his chin before pulling the trigger. Vetons cousin Jetmir Lumani today posted on Facebook : Today we lost my beautiful baby cousin Veton Musai and his angel wife Lindita Musai.. I cant even begin to explain how I feel. The only thing keeping us strong is belief in God. How a father can take his own daughters (sic) life is beyond comprehension.. but the devil truly is among us. Nine News reports the couple had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary. The killing reportedly took place on Salisbury Street in Yarraville, Melbourne, Daily Star reports. Lindita died at the scene and Veton has since passed away in hospital.Vetons cousin Jetmir Lumani today posted on Facebook : Today we lost my beautiful baby cousin Veton Musai and his angel wife Lindita Musai.. I cant even begin to explain how I feel. The only thing keeping us strong is belief in God. How a father can take his own daughters (sic) life is beyond comprehension.. but the devil truly is among us. Nine News reports the couple had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary. The killing reportedly took place on Salisbury Street in Yarraville, Melbourne, Daily Star reports. Lindita died at the scene and Veton has since passed away in hospital. The gunman is thought to be Linditas estranged dad, Australian media reports. A 55-year-old man from Altona North, who was known to the couple, has been taken to hospital under police guard. The Musais had just arrived at the Salisbury Street property when they were ambushed by the shooter, according to reports. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) Communist leader Jose Maria Sison has said he will never return to the Philippines unless a reform agreement is sealed between the rebels and the government. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the Cabinet official tasked to negotiate with Sison, has just suggested that the signing of much sought-after reform and peace agreements can be done in the country. "We want that when he comes here, he will be prepared to sign a document either the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms, or better, the IPA, which is the Interim Peace Agreement. That would be the best reason for him to come here," Bello said in an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier challenged Sison to come home for a one-on-one talk, but Sison said it would be "premature" to do so without an approved agreement on social and economic reforms in a "neutral venue abroad." The Communist Party of the Philippines, represented by the National Democratic Front has been pushing for reforms to address poverty, the lack of social justice, and other problems that they consider as the root of the five-decade armed conflict. Sison said he is willing to meet with Duterte in a country near the Philippines but only after the resumption of formal peace negotiations and the signing of an Interim Peace Agreement, which is seen to lead to the end of the communist insurgency. "I would be putting the prospect of peace negotiations at risk if I make myself available for any kind of attack by officers of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) who think that they can end the revolutionary movement by getting rid of me," Sison, who is on self-exile in the Netherlands, said in a December 26 statement. He also wants Norway to be back as third party facilitator in the talks. Bello said all these issues will be negotiated during the informal talks between the peace panels of the government and the rebels, which is tentatively scheduled for the second week of January. He believes it's possible to hold the informal negotiations in the Philippines despite incessant concerns of the rebels that they could be arrested once they set foot in the country. Malacanang has promised this won't happen. "What the President wants is for the talks to be here. In fairness, Professor Joma Sison and the NDF agreed principally, theoretically, they agreed. But they said before they come here for the formal negotiations with Sison, they have to come up with some processes and mechanics on how he can come here, because remember, Professor Joma Sison is a refugee. He cannot just leave the Netherlands," Bello explained. The government and the rebels are working on the possibility of getting back to the negotiating table. Duterte walked away from the talks in 2017 as both sides accused each other of ceasefire violations. READ: How peace talks with communist rebels failed Two years after, Duterte asked Bello to negotiate with Sison, but groundwork has been marred again by allegations of violations of the holiday truce. Authorities said NPA fighters attacked government forces in Camarines Norte and Iloilo on December 23, 2019, leaving one soldier dead and six others wounded on the first day of the ceasefire. The NDF, however, said the rebels were just defending themselves from attacks initiated by the police and military. CNN Philippines' Alyssa Rola contributed to this report. Laurence Ilumah had not seen his daughter for 10 years A banned driver caught behind the wheel had agreed to take his daughter to Dublin Airport after not having seen her for 10 years. Laurence Ilumah (52) had been "prevailed upon" to give his daughter a lift after she visited him, a court heard. Judge David McHugh disqualified him from driving for another five years and told him to carry out 200 hours of community service to avoid a four-month prison sentence. Ilumah, a hospital care worker of Avondale Park, Blanchardstown, admitted driving without insurance. Blanchardstown District Court heard the accused, a father-of-three, was stopped by gardai on Old Navan Road last March 19. Gardai on patrol at 4.15pm noticed the car had a broken brake light and when they stopped it they saw the tax, NCT and insurance had expired. Arrested On carrying out checks, it was discovered that Ilumah was banned from driving. He was arrested and charged. The court heard the accused had one previous conviction for uninsured driving and two for drink-driving. Ilumah had arrived in Ireland from Nigeria 10 years ago and at the time of the offence one of his daughters - who he had not seen in that time - was visiting, the court heard. The car was outside the house and he was asked to drive her to the airport, defence solicitor Terence Hanahoe said. He knew he was completely wrong to do so and that his ban would now be increased. Ilumah's intention was to not go near a car again, Mr Hanahoe said. "He's right on the cusp of a prison sentence," Judge McHugh said. "Should there be any further offences of this nature, this fellow knows where he is going." Mike Pompeo has accused European allies of not being 'helpful enough' following the assassination of Iran's general Qassem Soleimani. The US secretary of state expressed his disappointment with the UK, France and Germany, saying the major NATO allies had not been 'as helpful as I wish that they could be'. However, he heaped praise on regional allies including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which had all been 'fantastic'. After missiles fell in Baghdad near the US embassy and at Balad airbase, where US soldiers are reportedly based, this evening the UK sent HMS Montrose and HMS Defender into the Persian Gulf to protect merchant shipping. The UK's foreign minister, Dominic Raab, will meet Pompeo in Washington on Thursday, after German and French counterparts meet him earlier in the week. US Secretary of State has accused the UK, France and Germany of not being 'helpful enough' over the assassination of Qassem Suleimani. (Pictured in Washington on 19 December 2019 His words come after a funeral procession for assassinated Qassem Soleimani was held in Baghdad today, and the country declared three days of national mourning 'I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance,' Pompeo told Fox News. 'They've all been fantastic. And then talking to our partners in other places that haven't been quite as good. 'Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well. 'Qassem Soleimani led and his IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard) led assassination campaigns in Europe. This was a good thing for the entire world, and we are urging everyone in the world to get behind what the United States is trying to do to get the Islamic Republic of Iran to simply behave like a normal nation.' Western allies have responded with caution to the US attack at Baghdad airport, and have continued to support Obama's Iranian nuclear deal. Pompeo did, however, heap praise on regional allies including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. (Pictured at a press conference in Washington, 11 December last year) Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, took to Twitter Saturday after the funeral procession of slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani to call Pompeo an 'arrogant clown' The UK was not warned that the US was carrying out the attack, despite having soldiers in the region. Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also ordered two warships - a type 23 frigate and a type 45 destroyer - into the Persian Gulf this evening to protect 'our ships and citizens'. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will fly home from his holiday in Mustique tomorrow as he faces the biggest test of diplomacy in his premiership so far. Iran has already alleged it has identified 35 potential targets for retaliatory strikes. Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif mocked Pompeo as an 'arrogant clown' and said that work to end 'US malign presence in West Asia had begun'. '24 hrs ago, an arrogant clown masquerading as a diplomat claimed people were dancing in the cities of Iraq,' Zarif tweeted today. 'Today, hundreds of thousands of our proud Iraqi brothers and sisters offered him their response across their soil. End of US malign presence in West Asia has begun.' Zarif's tweet was accompanied by a five-photo collage showing hordes of people waving flags and filling the streets. One image showed what appeared to be mourners walking behind a flag-draped coffin. Thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad Saturday during funeral processions for Soleimani - the architect of Iran's global military strategy - and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Kataeb Hezbollah chief. The mourners chanted 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' as they walked beside Soleimani and al-Muhandis' coffins. Both men were killed while riding in a two-vehicle convoy which was decimated by three missiles from an American MQ-9 Reaper Drone in the early hours of Friday outside Baghdad International Airport. The strike - which also killed four more Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards and five members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary network - infuriated Tehran, who vowed jihad on America. Meanwhile Iraq, whose prime minister attended the funerals Saturday, threatened to order the expulsion of all US troops from the country after what it called 'a brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' President Donald Trump has said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Saturday, Jan. 4 BOWLING FUNDRAISER Victory Lanes is teaming up with Clark Fork Veterinary Clinic to raise money for the clinics local Care Fund at 6 p.m., at 514 4th St, in Deer Lodge. The activities include bowling, a silent auction, and much more. Each donation benefits pet care in Deer Lodge. The cost is $50 per team of two, including dinner. Details: 406-846-0056. Unable to make it, but still want to donate? Visit https://www.vccfund.org/forms/donation-form/ RUN AT HEADWATERS The Big Sky Wind Drinkers is hosting a 50K race, one 5K loop at a time, at 9 a.m. at Missouri Headwaters State Park. There is no registration necessary for this race. It will start in the parking lot by the restrooms. Run as many 5Ks as you want with road & trail options available. This event will be self-timed; if you finish after 3 p.m., you will need to report your time to the club. The entry for this race is free; there will also be free hot and cold drinks. Broadchurch star David Tennant has been crowned the UK's hardest working actor; a title he accrued in a study of 100 prolific television and film stars, including the likes of Martin Clunes, Dame Judi Dench and his former co-star Olivia Colman. Not that he's entirely convinced of his victory. "What was the criteria? I am slightly mystified. As opposed to what?" he asks, chuckling at the BritBox-led review. "Surely, someone who is on EastEnders works harder than I do? "But I'm very glad to be working at all times; I always feel like it's a privilege to be able to make a living as an actor, as it always feels like at any moment, that might stop. "Maybe that's just the freelance mindset. But I think you're only as good as the last thing you managed to achieve. So, while I don't really know what the title means, I'll take any accolade, frankly." Characteristically modest, maybe, but it's far from the first time his efforts have been rewarded, with Tennant (48) scooping everything from a Bafta for this revered time as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, to a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on animated American TV series Star Wars: Clone Wars. He even landed a special recognition at the National Television Awards in 2015 - a surprise win that he went on to dedicate to his father and "the talented and clever people who gave me a job". Fast-forward five years and the Scottish actor, who began his TV career in children's show Dramarama in 1988, hasn't stopped. As his most recent accomplishment would suggest. His latest outing comes in the form of Deadwater Fell; a tricky-to-sum-up four-part drama, penned by Grantchester writer Daisy Coulam, about a small community rocked by a heinous crime. When a seemingly perfect and happy family is murdered by someone they know and trust, the small Scottish community they call home becomes riven with suspicion, as those closest to them begin to question everything they thought they knew. "We present very different versions of ourselves in public and in private," Tennant says. "Nobody really knows what's going on behind the net curtains." Yet, it's hard to define in terms of genre, he insists. "It was hard to pin down: it was a thriller, but it wasn't a thriller. These characters were so vivid and yet slightly slipped through your fingers as well." Of its whodunit set up, he adds: "When you read the script for the first time, it's the closest you will get to the experience that the audience will have. "So, if I enjoyed this, if I turned the pages, then you can presume hopefully that an audience will be confounded and surprised and bewildered like I was." Did the dark scenes - and they get pretty dark - leave him needing to decompress? "You try and get the emotional beats as accurate as you can, and you draw on personal experience, however remote that might be," says the father-of-five. "But the rest of it is an imaginative leap, as mercifully, I've not suffered the desperate tragedies that Tom suffers. "I suppose it's one of the reasons people like to act, because it's about walking in others' shoes. You do have to go to some dark places sometimes, but then there's always the moment when they say, 'Cut' and you realise you're not actually there." But Tennant is well-versed in the intensity of TV crime drama. Not that he seeks out recurring themes, he's keen to stress. "I respond to things that feel different to things I've done before, but I've never felt limited to one genre. I feel like I've been quite lucky to get to do kids' animations and then something like this and then a Marvel thing and then a family movie. "It's other people who go, 'Oh, that's a bit like that other thing you did', but an actor is vain enough to believe they transform themselves every time and they're unrecognisable from part to part." Talking of switching things up, Deadwater Fell also sees Tennant tick off his first executive producer credit. "It presented itself as an opportunity and I thought, 'Well, why not?' It would be fascinating to see if I had anything to offer in that role, frankly. "I was just kneeling at the feet of the experts and learning how it all works. It was great. Whether I brought much to it or not, I don't know, but I certainly enjoyed being in some of that." And going forward? "I'm looking to be inspired by someone else's brilliance, rather than sit at home going, 'Right, what's my next job?'" Deadwater Fells, Channel 4, Friday, 9pm Weve received reports across the city of parking meters not accepting credit cards. DOT crews are out fixing the issue. In the meantime, meters are still accepting coins & the free #ParkNYC app, available at https://t.co/iCQhX2wHF4, App Store, GooglePlay. pic.twitter.com/yzVU21jyqr NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) January 2, 2020 Two decades ago, people feared that at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, all hell would break loose in the digital world because computer systems wouldnt be able to understand what year it was, since most programs only represented years by the last two digits. Fortunately, computer programmers anticipated the problem, dubbed Y2K, and worked to ensure that it wouldnt happen.The same cannot be said for what just happened in New York City. reported Friday that parking meters throughout the city were unable to accept credit card payments starting at midnight on Jan. 1, 2020. The reason? The company that developed the credit card payment system for the citys parking meters decided, for reasons unknown, that its system would not recognize any dates after Dec. 31, 2019. Then, it didnt update its software to fix the issue, and so a mini version of the feared Y2K bug ensued.City workers took to the streets on Friday to fix the issue manually, meter by meter. Hopefully that fix recognizes dates after Dec. 31, 2020, because it might take them that long just to get through all 14,000 meters. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of the incident and issued a notice to the state government. (Photo Credit: File) New Delhi: The infant death count at a government-run hospital in Kota district of Rajasthan has risen to 107. Taking note of the situation, a high-level team of Centre, comprising of experts from Jodhpur, AIIMS and health economists, has reached JK Lon Maternal and Child Hospital and New Medical College Hospital in Kota to take stock of the situation. The team will access the infrastructural gaps and will ascertain how much funds will be required for strengthening it. The high-level team being despatched by @MoHFW_INDIA incl experts from AIIMS Jodhpur, Health Finance & Regional Director, Health Services Jaipur. It will reach #Kota tomorrow. In my letter too to @ashokgehlot51 ji, Ive offered all possible assistance to prevent any further deaths (sic), Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had tweeted. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of the incident and issued a notice to the state government. The notice has been issued to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary. The notice asked the state to submit a detailed report within four weeks and also mention the steps being taken to address the issue. The NHRC has asked the state government to ensure that no such deaths occur in the future. The statement noted that ten out of a hundred children died within 48 hours between December 23 and 24, 2019. The commission has issued notice to the chief secretary of the state, seeking a detailed report within four weeks, including on the steps being taken to address the issue and to ensure that in future children do not die due to lack of infrastructure and health facilities at the hospitals, it said. The state authorities have reportedly stated that the number of deaths is "low in comparison with earlier years", the NHRC statement said. "As per the statistics quoted by the state authorities, 963 children have died in the year 2019 at J K Lon government hospital while this figure was above 1000 in the preceding years," the rights panel said, quoting reports. The commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Billy Henham, 24, from West Sussex, was last seen alive on New Year's Eve A murder victim last seen alive on New Year's Eve has been named by police who have arrested two men and a 16-year-old boy. The body of Billy Henham, 24, from Henfield, West Sussex, was found when police were called to a building in North Street on Thursday afternoon. It is not yet known how Mr Henham came to be at the building in North Street, Brighton. Three people have been arrested on suspicion of murder, including an 18-year-old man from Greenwich, east London, a 16-year-old boy of no fixed address and a 26-year-old man from Hove, East Sussex. All three remain in custody. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Chapman, of Sussex Police, said: 'Our thoughts are with Billy's family and friends at this difficult time. Officers were called to the building in North Street, Brighton, over concerns for a man inside on Thursday. Mr Henham was found dead inside It is not yet known how Mr Henham came to be at the building in North Street, Brighton 'We are continuing to conduct inquiries in the city centre to establish the circumstances and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward. 'We would particularly like to hear from anyone who saw Billy on New Year's Eve in Brighton from about 6pm onwards.' Brighton and Hove Superintendent Julia Pope said: 'We have officers on patrol in the city and at the scene and anyone with concerns or any information can speak to them.' Shares of Eldorado Gold (NYSE:EGO), a mid-tier miner of gold and base metals, have had quite the ride during the past couple of years. After falling 60% in 2018, the stock rebounded in 2019, soaring 179% -- leaving it around 14% higher than it traded in that first week of January 2018. For investors who are considering a gold sector investment to start off the new year, the stock's performance in 2019 might suggest that its shares are now too high to represent a viable opportunity. Looks can be deceiving though, and a more thorough examination of the stock is necessary before jumping to any conclusions regarding a potential purchase. Some see the glittering potential... Eldorado's success in advancing its Skouries mine project in Northern Greece is a primary factor that has motivated investors to pick up shares recently. Excitement built last summer following a Greek election that yielded a government more enthusiastic about the development of Skouries, a project that was on care and maintenance since 2018. According to a September press release, Eldorado is "working with the Greek government to achieve the necessary conditions required to restart construction at Skouries". Once it receives the permits and begins construction, Eldorado believes it will be another two years before mineral production begins. The potential of the Skouries mine is considerable. Eldorado estimates it will achieve annual gold production of 140,000 ounces and have staggeringly low all-in sustaining costs (AISC) of $215 per gold ounce over a 23-year productive life. For some context, Eldorado projects that its 2019 consolidated gold production will be about 405,000 ounces, with AISC of $950 per gold ounce. But Skouries isn't the only item that's exciting the bulls. Eldorado plans to begin a pre-feasibility study for an expansion project at itsLamaque site in Canada in the second half of 2020 -- a project which management believes offers the potential for a 10-year mine life during which annual gold production will be 150,000 ounces. The stock's price tag, moreover, represents another compelling reason for optimists to consider opening a position. Even after 2019's strong performance, shares are still trading at an attractive 12.2 times operating cash flow -- a bargain compared to its five-year average multiple of 26.5, according to Morningstar. ...While others view it as lackluster Although Eldorado appears to be making headway as regards its Skouries project, skeptics note that a lot could go still wrong. For one thing, there's no guarantee that Greek officials will continue to cooperate with the company. And even if they do, development of the mine will be no small undertaking; Eldorado estimates its construction will cost about $690 million. For some perspective, management estimates that the company's total capital expenditures (including sustaining, growth, and capitalized exploration budgets) will be about $156 million for 2019. And it's not only the inherent risks of the Skouries project which have some investors concerned. Those uncertainties rest against a backdrop of expected declining performance from in the company's other operations. Eldorado estimates its gold production will drop about 32% from 535,000 ounces in 2020 to 365,000 ounces in 2021 while forecasting its AISC per gold ounce will rise approximately 12% from about $850 in 2020 to $950 in 2021. Another reason to eschew Eldorado's stock is the absence of a dividend -- especially when peers like Yamana Gold and Agnico Eagle Mines have raised their payouts substantially over the past few months. And considering Eldorado's future capital requirements to develop Skouries and Lamaque (in addition to other projects), it doesn't seem likely that management will decide to reinstate its dividend in the foreseeable future. Should investors go for the gold? Between the momentum building around the development of Skouries and the potential for increased value to be unlocked at Lamaque, it's understandable why shares soared through 2019. And yet, the stock is still trading at a valuation which reflects a fair degree of pessimism regarding Eldorado's prospects. Despite the steep discount, though, I'm still wary of picking up shares; the miner's future looks a little too cloaked in risk for my tastes. Perhaps if there was a decent dividend to collect while waiting for the Skouries saga to unfold further, I'd be more inclined to consider a position, but alas, there is none. At this point, only the most risk-tolerant of investors should weigh a position, especially since the company's peers, like Yamana, offer more compelling opportunities at this point. Thousands of pupils are expected to walk out of lessons across the UK this Friday in line with the school climate strikes that have been happening around the world. Greta Thunberg Over the past few months, thousands of young people have been taking to the streets as part of the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement. The movement is inspired by, a 16-year-old school girl, who held a solo protest outside the Swedish Parliament last August. Greta said , "You don't have to school strike; it's your own choice. But why should we be studying for a future that may soon be no more? This is more important than school, I think." Greta Thunberg/ Image Credit: Pressenza from Il Cambiamento 70,000 school children each week taking part in the strikes around the world. Since then the movement has grown, with approximately Speaking to the Guardian The strike within the UK is being coordinated by the UK Youth Climate Coalition., Jack Woodier, who is part of the coalition, believes that Greta's protest has highlighted the need for change and has invigorated young people in the battle against climate change. "The images of what Greta did and then the huge strikes by school children in other countries have been widely shared by young people on social media and have really inspired people," he says. The environment minister of Belgium resign, after he inaccurately claimed that there was evidence to suggest that the tens of thousands of children joining the protest in Belgium were being directed by unnamed powers and not acting of their own will. Predictably, the movement has been met with opposition from politicians and others who deny the presence of climate change.was given little choice but toafter he inaccurately claimed that there was evidence to suggest that the tens of thousands of children joining the protest in Belgium were being directed by unnamed powers and not acting of their own will. UK Student Climate Network The(UKSCN) is offering information about the locations of strikes on their website. It is hoped by organisers that the UK strike on Friday will create an opportunity for the growth of the movement, building towards a global day of school strikes on the 15th March. The killing of the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in a US attack at Baghdad International Airport is a game-changer in relations between the US and Iran, with far-reaching implications for the region. For months the two have been sabre rattling but staying away from red lines. Clearly, US President Donald Trump saw the Iranians as having crossed the red line when a US civilian was killed in a rocket attack blamed on Kataib Hezbollah, a Shiite militia with support from Iran. The US responded by a strike on the militias base, killing 25. The subsequent attempt by Kataib Hezbollah to storm the US embassy in the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad was pushed back with ease by a demonstration of US firepower. Trump used the opportunity to blame Iran for coordinating unrest and anti-US rioting in Baghdad and threatened to punish the Iranian leadership. The US appears to have followed through with that threat by killing Soleimani along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior leader of the Shiite militia, as well as an unnamed senior leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah. All three organisations have been listed as terrorist by the US. By Associated Press BAGHDAD: A fresh airstrike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. The killing of Quds Force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send more troops to the region -- even as President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, told CNN that the killing was an "act of war on the part of the United States". A new strike on Saturday targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Shiite factions with close ties to Iran. The Hashed did not say who it held responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US airstrike. A police source told AFP the strike left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific toll. There was no immediate comment from the US. ALSO READ: Donald Trump stirs tensions in Middle East despite talk of 'endless wars' It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Soleimani, who was killed alongside Hashed number two Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the precision drone strike. As head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign operations arm, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw wide-ranging Iranian involvement in regional power struggles -- and anti-US forces. Trump said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, had been plotting imminent attacks on American diplomats. His assassination has rattled the region, with Iraqis fearing a proxy war between Washington and Tehran. A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed fighters were killed in Friday's strike near Baghdad international airport. Their bodies will be laid tom rest in an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in the capital and ending in the Shiite holy city of Najaf to its south. The bodies of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Tehran has already named his deputy, Esmail Qaani, to replace him. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge," while in Tehran tens of thousands of protesters torched US flags and chanted "death to America." ALSO READ: US embassy in Baghdad urges citizens to 'depart Iraq immediately' Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to "terminate" Soleimani after discovering he was preparing an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Friday Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." But hours later the Pentagon said between 3,000 to 3,500 troops would be dispatched to Iraq's southern neighbour Kuwait. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Washington's partners in the region, but said their European allies "haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be". "The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," he said. Some 14,000 troops were already deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East last year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of Islamic State group fighters. Pro-Iran factions have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are to convene in emergency session on Sunday and are expected to hold a vote. Paramilitary figures in Iraq including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr called on their fighters to "be ready" after Friday's strike. And Lebanon's Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah threatened "punishment for these criminal assassins." Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by US lawmakers and presidents, with Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago". Following Friday's strike, the embassy urged US citizens to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were being evacuated from oil fields in the south. Analysts said the strike, which sent world oil prices soaring, would be a game-changer. "Trump changed the rules -- he wanted (Soleimani) eliminated," said Ramzy Mardini, a researcher at the US Institute of Peace. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as "the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off." He expected "bigger" ramifications than either the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or the 2019 raid that killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Iraq's caretaker prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi warned the strike would "spark a devastating war in Iraq" as President Barham Saleh pleaded "voices of reason" to prevail. A lawyer for former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said Saturday he felt betrayed by his client's escape from Japan but still understood his act, claiming it resulted from Japan's inhumane justice system. The international tycoon, who faces multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late December to avoid a Japanese trial. "First, I was filled with a sense of strong anger. I felt betrayed," Ghosn's lawyer Takashi Takano wrote in his blog, stating that he had not been informed about the plan in advance. "But anger was turning to something else as I recalled how he was treated by the country's justice system," Takano said. Ghosn is thought to have taken a private jet from Kansai Airport in western Japan, heading for Istanbul. It is believed he headed from there to Beirut. "I can easily imagine that if people with wealth, human networks and ability to take action have the same experience (as Ghosn), they would do the same thing or at least consider doing so," Takano said. Ghosn's high-profile arrest in November 2018 and his long detention under severe conditions were widely considered draconian compared with the West. Suspects in Japan can be detained for weeks or even months before trial, with limited access to their lawyers, and around 99 percent of trials in the country result in a conviction. Critics including rights groups such as Amnesty International have derided Japan's system as "hostage justice", designed to break morale and force confessions from suspects. When safely in Lebanon, Ghosn pressed this point again, saying he "would no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system". While Japanese prosecutors have launched an investigation, the circumstances of Ghosn's Hollywood-like flight from Japan are still unclear. In order to enhance clean mobility in the road transport sector, the Department of Heavy Industries has sanctioned 2,636 charging stations under the second phase of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric (FAME) Vehicles in India scheme. With this, the total number of charging stations planned to be installed across select cities has gone up to about 14,000. Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Prakash Javadekar said that in future at least one charging station will be available in most of the select cities in a grid of 4 Km x 4 km. He said this would boost the ... THE idea of being a patient advocate used to be a foreign concept to me. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (738 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion THE idea of being a patient advocate used to be a foreign concept to me. All of that changed three years ago, when I had excruciating back pain coupled with a painful finger infection. I was seen by a physician who angrily lectured me about how he only dealt with "acute problems" on Sundays. After giving me an antibiotic prescription for my infected finger, he stood up and directed me to leave his office. He did not tell me that a seriously infected finger like mine could get out of control, leading to potentially catastrophic consequences. In fact, this physician was so intent on fitting me into his Procrustean medical bed that he neglected to give me any discharge instructions. A week later, I almost died. The antibiotic that he had given me was ineffective for the particular infection I had. I spent a week in a coma, three delirious weeks in an intensive care unit and more than a month in the hospital. I had always been a firm believer in the need to treat people with fairness, respect and decency. That a physician could treat me with such contempt and hostility only served to consolidate my belief in the importance of patient advocacy. As patients, what rights do we have? The Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety (MIPS) outlines these facts in their publication entitled Know Your Patient Rights. Physicians have responsibilities as outlined in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitobas (CPSM) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of Medicine. I complained to the CPSM about the above-mentioned physician and two other physicians I saw in the week previous to nearly dying. In doing so, I moved into an impersonal, bureaucratic system in which the only right I had was to follow the prescribed process for submitting my complaints and appealing their responses. My first inkling of the challenging nature of this system was when I received the report regarding my initial complaint. The physician I had seen on that Sunday was not criticized for anything he had done or not done. The worst experience I had ever had with a physician had been deemed an acceptable patient/physician meeting. I appealed this ruling. Using the same set of facts, a second committee extensively criticized this physician. Upon appeal, a third committee stated that it was in the public interest to put a brief article in the CPSM newsletter outlining a physicians responsibility to provide their patients, particularly in the "setting of sepsis," with appropriate discharge instructions. While recovering from my illness, I discovered the therapeutic value of writing about my experience. I wrote two articles that were published in the Globe and Mail. In my next two complaints to the CPSM, I included one of these articles, which was titled "What has luck got to do with it?" In this article, I emphasized the role that science, compassion and competence played in helping me survive an event with a 90 per cent fatality rate. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. When I received the reports regarding these two complaints, the complaint committee ruled that what had happened to me was a case of "bad luck." They did not criticize physicians for their failure to provide me with relevant discharge instructions and the information I needed to provide informed consent. In my experience with the CPSM complaint system, each complaint or appeal committee sets its own standards for evaluating a physicians service to a patient. These standards may or may not include the importance of good physician/patient communication. The recent Goudge Report in Ontario concluded that the their CPS system was "expensive, time consuming" and provided "little apparent benefit to the public in terms of better or safer physician services." Retired judge Stephen Goudge urged that the Ontario CPS should set up "a patient advocate to help those who file grievances." As patients, we have to recognize that we all make mistakes. A retrospective analysis of a mistake, however, must be made in keeping with consistent standards set out by self-regulatory professional bodies. If we fail in this regard, we run the risk of victimizing those patients who have already been victimized by what can be a cruel and uncaring world. The antidote to victimization is creation. As a patient advocate, I would like to see the creation of a physician complaint system that includes patient supports, rights and consistent standards. Mac Horsburgh is a Winnipeg-based patient advocate. Krueger: With some care over the years, the old family barn keeps standing Hundreds of people thronged the streets leading to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi's Chanakyapuri on Saturday and protested against the mob attack and stone-pelting on devotees at the historic Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, in Lahore. IMAGE: Youth Congress workers stage a protest against Pakistan over attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and alleged abduction of the Sikh girl Jagjeet Kaur and her forcible conversion to Islam, outside the Pakistan High Ccommission in New Delhi. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo The protesters carried banners and placards reading "Shame on Pakistan" and "We will expose the real face of Pakistan". Some of the banners and placards urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to protect the gurdwara, one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. "Double standard of Imran Khan, Sikhs are being tortured in Pakistan," read one of the placards. Police had to barricade the roads to prevent the protesters -- belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and other organisations -- from reaching the high commission. A huge posse of police personnel was deployed and water cannon kept on standby, a police official said. The protesters were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station. IMAGE: Delhi BJP workers stage a protest against Pakistan over attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo The protest by DSGMC and Akali Dal members was held at around 1 pm near Chanakyapuri, an affluent neighbourhood and diplomatic enclave in the city. Sikh community members also submitted a memorandum to the Pakistan High Commission, said DSGMC president Manjinder S Sirsa. BJP and Congress members stood on either side of a road there and raised slogans against Pakistan and its prime minister. "It has not happened for the first time. They abduct our children and convert them. Pakistan should put an end to such incidents. We know how to respond," Congress leader Krishna Tirath said. Party leader Alka Lamba said India thanked Pakistan when the neighbouring country opened the doors for Indian Sikhs to visit the Kartarpur gurdwara on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. "Some anti-social elements attacked Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. We expect the Pakistan prime minister to break his silence on the incident," she said. IMAGE: Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee members stage a protest against alleged abduction of the Sikh girl Jagjeet Kaur and her forcible conversion to Islam in Pakistan, outside the Pakistan High Ccommission. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo "Yesterday, a mob of jihadis attacked Nankana Sahib Gurdwara due to which our Sikh brothers and sisters are in terror. The CAA has been framed to save such minorities from persecution in Pakistan," Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said. He also took a political shot at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the Aam Aadmi Party chief has become "completely insensitive" in opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Kejriwal also deplored the mob attack on the gurdwara and said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. "The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated," he said in a tweet in Hindi. BJP national secretary Sardar RP Singh too slammed Pakistan, saying this was not an isolated incident of Sikhs being attacked in that country. "Previously, a daughter of Granthi of Nankana Sahib was abducted and converted to Islam and now the jihadis have pelted stones on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and tried to kill Sikh brothers and sisters due to which they are very much terrorised. The parties which are opposing CAA are unable to see how the persons engaged in protecting their religion are being persecuted. IMAGE: BJP national secretary Sardar RP Singh too slammed Pakistan, saying this was not an isolated incident of Sikhs being attacked in that country. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo "The politics of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party is based on caste and religion. They feel the vote of a particular community will make them victorious. It appears from their statements they are in support of atrocities on minority communities in Pakistan and do not want them to become Indian citizens," he said. On Friday, the external affairs ministry condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and urged Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety and welfare of the Sikh community. It also said that members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib. IMAGE: DPCC president Subhash Chopra along with other leaders take part in a protest against Pakistan over attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, outside the Pakistan High Ccommission. Photograph: PTI Photo Pakistan has rejected reports the gurdwara was desecrated, saying it remains "untouched and undamaged". During the protest in Delhi, Manjeet Singh Bakshi, a protester, said, "Whatever they have done is condemnable. The prime minister of Pakistan should condemn this and take strict action against the accused. After the death of Guru Nanak Devji, Muslims and Sikhs had distributed his 'chadar'." Condemning the mob attack on the gurdwara, IYC president Srinivas BV said, "Pakistan is playing with our emotions and the time has come when we need to teach them a lesson." Almost six in 10 Americans think Donald Trump has committed an impeachable offence, polling suggests. However, the public is more evenly split on whether the president should be removed from office by the Senate, or voters should decide his fate in this year's election. The latest 538-Ipsos poll also finds Democrats, Republicans and Mr Trump alike get low marks from the public for how they are handling the process. After last month's House vote to impeach Mr Trump, largely along party lines, the parties are at an impasse regarding the timing and scope of a Senate trial. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has declined to transmit the articles of impeachment - for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress - to the Republican-controlled Senate. Ms Pelosi and her fellow House Democrats are looking for assurances on the format of the proceedings, including guarantees that they will be able to subpoena documents and call witnesses regarding Mr Trump's conduct regarding Ukraine. Expand Close At centre of story: Joe Bidens son Hunter, who was on firms board / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp At centre of story: Joe Bidens son Hunter, who was on firms board The poll finds that 57pc of Americans think Mr Trump has committed an impeachable offense, while 40pc think he has not. Of those who think he has, 50pc are "absolutely certain", while another 31pc are "pretty certain". Meanwhile, 51pc of those polled say voters should ultimately determine Mr Trump's fate, while 47pc say he should be removed from office by the Senate. Separately, a Washington Post average of 16 national polls in December found 47 pc supported impeaching and removing Trump, while 48pc were opposed. The 538-Ipsos poll found that fewer than half of Americans - 45pc - think House Democrats should continue to delay the start of a Senate trial until concerns about its fairness are resolved. A majority - 52pc - say the trial should not wait. Neither party is winning high marks from the public for its handling of the proceedings. While 35pc of Americans approve of how congressional Democrats are handling the process, 45pc disapprove. A still smaller 28pc of Americans approve of how congressional Republicans are handling the process, while 51pc disapprove. Meanwhile, 27pc approve of how Mr Trump is handling the process, while 55pc say that they disapprove. At the heart of the Democrats' case is the allegation that Mr Trump tried to exploit for political ends Ukraine's desire for a White House meeting for its president and military aid to combat Russian military aggression. It is alleged he put President Volodymyr Zelensky under pressure to launch an investigation of former vice-president Joe Biden and his son Hunter, as well as to announce a probe of an unfounded theory that Kirb conspired with Democrats to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Majorities of Americans say they believe elements of the Democratic case based on what they know, according to the poll. A total of 80pc say they believe that Mr Trump asked Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, while 60pc believe he withheld military aid with the aim of prompting an investigation into the Bidens. The poll found that 61pc believe Mr Trump and his administration attempted to cover up information about his actions toward Ukraine. Majorities also say those actions would be inappropriate if they in fact happened. The poll also includes an ominous finding for Mr Biden, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. Hunter Biden served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while his father was overseeing US policy towards Ukraine during his time as vice-president. The poll finds that Americans are evenly divided - 48pc to 48pc - on whether Mr Biden behaved ethically. When asked about an upcoming Senate trial, most Americans - 57pc - say it would be better to allow new witnesses, as Democrats have urged. Meanwhile, 86pc say senators should attempt to be "impartial jurors" and examine the evidence. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and a number of other Republicans have come under fire from Democrats for saying they do not consider themselves impartial jurors. Mr McConnell has also announced that he is working with Mr Trump's legal team ahead of a trial. ( Washingtton Post) Authorities are conducting a death investigation after two men were found dead from gunshot wounds early Friday morning. The men, who were not publicly identified because their next of kin were yet to be notified, were pronounced dead at the scene on County Road 123 early Friday morning in Ozark, police said in a statement Friday night. Police said they believe the men were victims of foul play, and investigators found multiple pieces of evidence that will help determine a motive and possible suspect. Anyone with information on the incident was asked to contact Ozark police or 911. Further information about the case will be released Monday, police said. Ozark police are being assisted in the investigation by the Dale County Sheriffs Office, State Bureau of Investigation, state Department of Corrections, the Dothan Polcie Department and Ozark Fire & EMS. If I will die, let it ... British aid to the world's most corrupt countries has risen by more than a third in five years, figures reveal. Payments to the 20 worst states totalled almost 1.5billion in 2018 up from 1.1billion in 2014. The 400million increase comes despite warnings that money channelled to corrupt nations risks being wasted, stolen or seized by terrorists. The Department for International Development (Dfid) insists it has 'zero tolerance' to corruption and adopts extensive measures to prevent taxpayers' money falling into the wrong hands. In the worst cases, funds are channelled through aid agencies rather than handed to governments to avoid money being siphoned off by corrupt officials. Payments to the 20 worst states totalled almost 1.5billion in 2018 up from 1.1billion in 2014. Pictured: Al-Shabab fighters in Somalia But the figures will fuel debate about Britain's 14.5billion aid budget and the controversial target to spend 0.7 per cent of our total income. The UK is one of only a few countries to hit the target and spends far more than most comparable nations. Boris Johnson is considering scrapping the Dfid and handing control of the aid budget to a beefed-up Foreign Office in a Whitehall shake-up. The move is opposed by aid charities, who claim it could dilute help for the world's poor. But Tory MP Peter Bone said the new figures underline the need for sweeping reform. 'People will be appalled that we are sending millions to corrupt regimes,' he said. 'The public don't mind giving aid but they don't want it funnelled off by corrupt officials or used to buy private jets. 'This whole problem comes back to having an arbitrary target for spending it just doesn't make any sense. I hope and expect to see some radical changes in this area. 'Successive governments have not listened to the public on this issue, but I think we will see that change now, and that could very well involve scrapping the department, which would be a good thing.' The Conservative manifesto commits to retaining the 0.7 per cent target. But ministers are said to be interested in refocusing aid in line with the UK's diplomatic and economic priorities. The Department for International Development insists it has 'zero tolerance' to corruption and adopts extensive measures to prevent taxpayers' money falling into the wrong hands Respected think-tank Transparency International produces an annual list of corrupt countries. Analysis by the Daily Mail shows that Britain sends aid money to 17 of the worst 20. Beneficiaries include Somalia and Syria, where Western aid has been appropriated by terrorist groups. In 2017, the Government was forced to suspend a 12million aid scheme to Syria amid revelations that the cash was at risk of going to jihadi groups. Aid money sent to Somalia is also at risk of being 'taxed' by terror groups such as Al Shabab. An investigation by CNN in 2017 found the murderous group was extorting thousands of pounds a day through roadblocks and 'taxes' on merchants supplying international aid destined for refugees. An internal Dfid 'risk register' in 2017 concluded there was a 'certain' chance of funds being diverted by extremist groups. But British aid to the war-torn country rose by 57 per cent over the five-year period to 193.8million. Aid to Afghanistan, long seen as one of the world's most corrupt states, rose by 26 per cent to 248.7million. Iraq saw its funding almost double to 73.9million. The overall total was swollen by big increases in aid to Syria and Yemen, where civil wars have led to humanitarian crises. Both countries have also seen reports of aid shipments being stolen. A Dfid spokesman said taxpayers' money was safe. 'UK aid only goes to trusted partners to help those in extreme poverty, not directly to the governments of the most corrupt countries,' the spokesman said. 'Dfid has strict measures in place to protect taxpayers' money including regular audits and fraud assessments.' A department source said that aid projects in fragile states could help make Britain safer by heading off problems such as illegal immigration and terrorism. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte already exceeded the expectations of most of his political opponents by surviving the collapse of his first government last summer. But his second coalition is so fragile that a host of issues could trip him up as early as this month. Conte was fished out of obscurity in June 2018 to head a coalition between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the right-wing populists of the League. When that agreement broke down, he helped to stitch together a fresh alliance with Five Star and Italy's traditional center-left group the Democratic Party. After steering the 2020 budget through parliament, 55-year-old Conte told reporters Dec. 28 that he wants to kick off the new year by negotiating a government program that will carry him through to the end of the parliamentary term in 2023. But with the League maintaining a commanding lead in opinion polls and its head, Matteo Salvini, still bruised after his failed attempt to seize power last year, pulling that off will require all the premier's political smarts. The fragility of the coalition has put investors on alert, with Italian bonds underperforming their euro-area peers. Here are the main hurdles he has to face just in January: - Trials without end: Conte has summoned coalition leaders for a Jan. 7 meeting on Five Star's call to change the time-limits on trials for a second time. Five Star wants to alter the statute of limitations because Italy's notoriously slow justice system means trials often run out of time before a final sentence is reached. But the Democrats are opposed to drastic changes, and the small Italy Alive party -- led by former premier Matteo Renzi -- says it is ready to vote with the opposition to stop defendants' rights being shredded by endless prosecutions. - Two referendums: Two separate referendums on electoral reform could be triggered this month, one on Five Star's initiative -- already approved -- to reduce the number of lawmakers and another on a League proposal to introduce a British-style first-past-the-post system. The last referendum in Italy brought an early end to Renzi's time in office. Another one would put Conte at risk because the groups that would lose out under the new voting rules would be tempted to trigger a snap election before the new system comes into force. That risk has already unsettled investors. - Salvini case: Salvini is facing a possible prosecution for refusing to allow a migrant rescue ship to dock in Sicily in July when he was interior minister. A Senate commission will vote Jan. 20 on whether to block any trial for Salvini, who is also a senator, ahead of a vote by the full chamber. Salvini says he was applying government policy. The case is another destabilizing factor for the coalition with Renzi reportedly threatening to break ranks and support the League leader. - Red bastion: Salvini's center-right bloc is aiming to take control of the left-wing stronghold of Emilia-Romagna in regional elections on Jan. 26 while Five Star and the Democrats are fighting each other. A victory for Salvini's bloc would make him look unstoppable and would hand ammunition to Democratic Party dissidents who want to pull out of the coalition arguing that their support for Conte comes at too high a price. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. - Corporate thorns: Conte also has to negotiate a series of tricky business dossiers that highlight the contradictions between establishment and anti-establishment groups in his coalition. Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio wants to revoke highway concessions from the billionaire Benetton family's Atlantia SpA after a deadly bridge collapse in Genoa, while the Democrats want to negotiate a settlement. As the decision looms, the government took a first step to reduce potential compensation payments. The government may also have to decide how much it's prepared to spend to save flagship airline Alitalia. Five Star activists also want the government to stop the pollution from a steel mill in the southern region of Puglia -- without jeopardizing the tens of thousands of jobs it supports. Di Maio and the Democrats are scratching their heads at how to meet those demands, but after a series of disappointments on environmental policy, the Five Star base is threatening to revolt unless it gets what it wants. - - - Bloomberg's Alessandro Speciale contributed to this report. Babcock Road and Luskey Boulevard. | Photo: Zumper Need a budget-friendly new spot? Though apartment hunting can be challenging, don't despair just yet there are deals to be had. So what does a cheap rent on a rental in Friedrich Wilderness Park look like these days and what might you get for the price? Per Walk Score ratings, the neighborhood isn't very walkable, isn't particularly bikeable and has minimal transit options. It also features median rents for a one bedroom that hover around $1,030, compared to ann $833 one-bedroom median for San Antonio as a whole. A look at local listings in Friedrich Wilderness Park via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide offers an overview of what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in this San Antonio neighborhood. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Babcock Road and Luskey Boulevard Listed at $895/month, this 608-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, located at Babcock Road and Luskey Boulevard, is 13.1% less than the $1,030/month median rent for a one bedroom in Friedrich Wilderness Park. Building amenities include secured entry and a gym. Also, expect hardwood flooring and a walk-in closet in the apartment. Pet lovers are in luck: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (See the complete listing here.) Legend Lane This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at Legend Lane, is listed for $999/month for its 672 square feet. In the unit, look for hardwood flooring, a dishwasher and a walk-in closet. Garage parking is offered as a building amenity. Pet owners, take heed: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (See the complete listing here.) Story continues 21630 Milsa Drive Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 21630 Milsa Drive, which is going for $1,000/month. When it comes to building amenities, expect secured entry and garage parking. In the unit, look for a walk-in closet, a dishwasher and hardwood flooring. Good news for pet lovers: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. (See the full listing here.) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, if youre an agent or a broker, read on for real estate marketing ideas to promote your local listing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. In 2007 Anthony Lau was appointed CEO of China Uptown Group Company Limited (HKG:2330). First, this article will compare CEO compensation with compensation at similar sized companies. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. The aim of all this is to consider the appropriateness of CEO pay levels. See our latest analysis for China Uptown Group How Does Anthony Lau's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? At the time of writing, our data says that China Uptown Group Company Limited has a market cap of HK$224m, and reported total annual CEO compensation of CN1.7m for the year to December 2018. Notably, the salary of CN1.7m is the vast majority of the CEO compensation. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations under CN1.4b, and the median CEO total compensation was CN1.6m. That means Anthony Lau receives fairly typical remuneration for the CEO of a company that size. While this data point isn't particularly informative alone, it gains more meaning when considered with business performance. You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at China Uptown Group, below. SEHK:2330 CEO Compensation, January 4th 2020 Is China Uptown Group Company Limited Growing? On average over the last three years, China Uptown Group Company Limited has shrunk earnings per share by 6.6% each year (measured with a line of best fit). Its revenue is up 161% over last year. The reduction in earnings per share, over three years, is arguably concerning. But in contrast the revenue growth is strong, suggesting future potential for earnings growth. These two metric are moving in different directions, so while it's hard to be confident judging performance, we think the stock is worth watching. We don't have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Story continues Has China Uptown Group Company Limited Been A Good Investment? With a three year total loss of 48%, China Uptown Group Company Limited would certainly have some dissatisfied shareholders. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. In Summary... Anthony Lau is paid around the same as most CEOs of similar size companies. The per share growth could be better, in our view. And shareholder returns have been disappointing over the last three years. So it would take a bold person to suggest the pay is too modest. Shareholders may want to check for free if China Uptown Group insiders are buying or selling shares. Important note: China Uptown Group may not be the best stock to buy. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. Xzdk.us.rongxingrm.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 14 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the xzdk.us.rongxingrm homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the xzdk.us.rongxingrm homepage on Twitter + the total number of xzdk.us.rongxingrm followers (if xzdk.us.rongxingrm has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the xzdk.us.rongxingrm homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the xzdk.us.rongxingrm homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if xzdk.us.rongxingrm has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the xzdk.us.rongxingrm homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. Basic Information PAGE TITLE -- DESCRIPTION -- KEYWORDS -- OTHER KEYWORDS a, 8a, sst, The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 (PHP/5.2.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003 Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of xzdk.us.rongxingrm.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for xzdk.us.rongxingrm.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND He said that taking cases of looting, high treason and money laundering in offshore Poroshenko is on 60-meter yacht KATINA Lawyer Andryi Portnov said where the ex-president Petro Poroshenko is now, who did not come to the State Bureau of Investigation for questioning yesterday and flew to Qatar. The lawyer wrote about the location of the defendant in his Telegram channel. Friends, I inform you that the main state and war criminal arrived from Qatar to the Seychelles. A little later I will publish where the defendant is specifically deployed and what he is doing, - Portnov wrote. He said that taking cases of looting, high treason and money laundering in offshore Poroshenko is on a 60-meter yacht KATINA. She is anchored near the Seychelles, where the ex-president arrived after a transfer from the flight Kyiv - Doha (Qatar). The luxury KATINA yacht flies the flag of the Marshall Islands, and the cost of its rent this season, taking into account fuel, is about 350-380 thousand dollars a week. As we reported, this month, the State Bureau of Investigations of Ukraine intends to summon the country's ex-leader Petro Poroshenko for interview four times. The Bureau suspects the politician is involved in several criminal cases. After a quiet and trying two years, Selena Gomez is dancing again. Just a week before the release of her sixth studio album, Rare, the 27-year-old is ready to make 2020 better than years past. She took to Instagram on Friday to hype up her upcoming release and share some final looks at her Hawaiian New Years vacation. Countdown: Selena Gomez took to Instagram on Friday to hype up her album Rare, releasing in a week, and share some final looks at her Hawaiian New Years vacation In the first of her series of two posts, the former Disney star shared a photo laying down on a bed. Gazing at the camera, she kept a straight face, with bold and fluffy lashes. 'Feels so good to dance again #7DaysToRare' she wrote in the caption hinting at her albums Friday January 10 release. The photo seems as if it may appear in her album's booklet. The right foot: Selena has been ringing in the New Year with a Hawaiian vacation on a private yacht and is hoping it starts off the year right She first gave fans a look at the album art work in a short video posted to her social media on December 13. Along with the white cover, the video faded into a large collage of previously private photos throughout her life. Selena has been ringing in the New Year with a Hawaiian vacation on a private yacht. Hopes: 'Hi New Year. Lets make this one better than the rest,' she wrote in the caption The former Wizards of Waverly Place star posed on the side of the boat as the sun set behind her. 'Hi New Year. Lets make this one better than the rest,' she wrote in the caption. The two singles, Look at Her Now and Lose You to Love Me, released from Rare both appear to about moving on from a breakup. She was in an off and on relationship with Justin Bieber from 2010 to 2018, just months before he married Hailey Baldwin. Overcoming: The two singles, Look at Her Now and Lose You to Love Me, released from Rare both appear to about moving on from a breakup. She was in an off and on relationship with Justin Bieber from 2010 to 2018, just months before he married Hailey Baldwin It has not been an easy few months for Selena as she reportedly suffered a 'panic attack' before taking the stage at the American Music Awards back in November nearly two years since her last live performance. The star was 'putting a lot of pressure on herself' ahead of her return to the stage as the opener of the show at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday night, according to E! News. 'Selena definitely had anxiety and a panic attack before she went out and was putting a lot of pressure on herself,' a source reported. Firsts: Lose You to Love Me became her first number one Billboard Hot 100 single and Look At Her Now charted in the chart's top 20. Rare will be her first album in five years Fans were somewhat concerned during her performance as she 'appeared overcome with emotion' while on stage. She performed emotional and personal songs Lose You To Love Me and Look At Her Now as she hadn't seen the bright lights of the AMAs since 2017. Lose You to Love Me became her first number one Billboard Hot 100 single and Look At Her Now charted in the chart's top 20. Rare will be her first album in five years. World condemns "US miscalculation in Middle East" IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Chronological developments on assassination of IRGC's top commander in a US airstrike on his convoy in Baghdad airport early Friday morning was followed by global condemnations. Following a Pentagon statement that US president Donald Trump 'ordered' the attack that killed the top Iranian commander, many world leaders have responded given the now quickly escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. Below you can find world condemnation of the heinous move which will put the world on a global risk resulting from Trump's miscalculation on regional and international developments. Iran Iran's Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei: "All enemies should know that the jihad of resistance will continue with a doubled motivation, and a definite victory awaits the fighters in the holy war," Supreme Leader said in a statement aired by TV. President Hassan Rouhani: "Soleimani's martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America's expansionism and to defend our Islamic values." "With no doubt, Iran and other freedom-seeking countries in the region will take his revenge." Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif: "The brutality and stupidity of American terrorist forces in assassinating Commander Soleimani... will undoubtedly make the tree of resistance in the region and the world more prosperous," Zarif said in a statement. The assassination of Soleimani was "an extremely dangerous and foolish escalation." Zarif tweeted. "The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism," Zarif said. The US airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed Iran's top general is "without any doubt is an act of state terrorism". Mohammad Javad Zarif also called the airstrike a violation of Iraq's sovereignty. Former IRGC commander and Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei: "He joined his martyred brothers, but we will take vigorous revenge on America," Rezaei, said in a post on Twitter. Lebanon Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah: Vows to avenge Soleimani, Hamas hails his support for 'resistance' Hezbollah leader says group will continue on path set out by Iranian general; Damascus also blasts 'cowardly US aggression' in killing of top Iranian general Hassan Nasrallah also mourned Iran's Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani as a "master of resistance" after he was killed in a US airstrike in Iraq. Bassem Naim, Spokesman for the Palestinian group Hamas: Naim said on Twitter: The assassination "opens the doors of the region to all possibilities, except calm & stability. USA bears the responsibility for that." Iraq Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani: Condemned on Friday a US air strike on Baghdad airport that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and called on all parties to practice restraint. Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi: The airstrike on Baghdad airport is an act of aggression on Iraq and a breach of its sovereignty that will lead to war in Iraq, the region, and the world. The strike also violated the conditions of US military presence in Iraq and should be met with legislation that safeguards Iraq's security and sovereignty, he added. Iraq PM says US strike 'flagrant violation' of security agreement with US and that it 'will spark a devastating war in Iraq. Duty parliament speaker Hassan al-Kaabi: An emergency parliament session is set for Saturday to discuss the U.S. airstrike. "it is time to put an end to "US recklessness and arrogance," adding that Saturday's session will be dedicated to taking "decisive decisions that put an end to US presence inside Iraq." Shi'it cleric Moqtada al-Sadr: Sadr, called on all sides to behave with "wisdom and shrewdness". "As the patron of the patriotic Iraqi resistance I give the order for all mujahideen, especially the Mehdi Army, Promised Day Brigade, and all patriotic and disciplined groups to be ready to protect Iraq," he said in a statement. Syria A Syrian foreign ministry official was quoted as saying by the state news agency SANA: Syria is "certain that this cowardly US aggression... will only strengthen determination to follow in the path of the resistance's martyred leaders." Syria has strongly condemned what it calls "treacherous American criminal aggression" that killed Iran's top general and others, warning that it constitutes a "dangerous escalation" in the region. The Syrian foreign ministry says the attack reaffirms the U.S. responsibility for the instability in Iraq as part of its policy to "create tensions and fuel conflicts in the countries of the region." China Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang: China appealed for restraint from all sides, after top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a US strike in Iraq. "We urge the relevant sides, especially the United States, to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalating tensions." Russia Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov: Condemned the killing of Iran's top general in a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad's airport and said it will increase tensions throughout the Middle East. "The killing of Soleimani.... was an adventurist step that will increase tensions throughout the region," news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS quoted the foreign ministry as saying. "Soleimani served the cause of protecting Iran's national interests with devotion. We express our sincere condolences to the Iranian people." An unnamed diplomat in the ministry told Russia's state-run news agency TASS they consider the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani "an adventurist step." The head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's upper parliament house: called the US airstrike "a mistake" that could "boomerang on its organizers." Konstantin Kosachev in a Facebook post on Friday said the move destroyed the last hope to resolve the issues around the Iran nuclear deal. France France's Europe minister ," Amelie de Montchalin told RTL radio: The US killing of a top Iranian military commander has made the world "more dangerous," he said Friday, calling for efforts to de-escalate the deepening conflict in the Middle East. "We have woken up to a more dangerous world," he said adding that President Emmanuel Macron would consult soon with "players in the region." "In such operations, when we can see an escalation is underway, but what we want above all is stability and de-escalation," Montchalin said. "All of France's efforts... in all parts of the world aim to ensure that we are creating the conditions for peace or at least stability," she added. "Our role is not to take sides, but to talk with everyone," Montchalin said. Response in the US Trump himself has not come out with an official statement yet, but merely tweeted the picture of an American flag. US Democratic candidate, Senator Elizabeth Warren: She called Trump's reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: The strike was carried out "without the consultation of Congress." In June of 2019, Pelosi had said that action against Iran "must not be initiated" without congressional approval, after Trump had approved and then reversed a decision to strike Iran over the downing of a US drone. "The Administration has conducted tonight's strikes in Iraq without an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iran. Further, this action was taken without the consultation of the Congress." US congresswoman Ilhan Omar (Democrat): Raised the question of whether Trump is using the conflict with Iran as a distraction for his challenges within the US. Former US Vice President Joe Biden: "This is a hugely escalatory move in an already dangerous region... President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, and he owes the American people an explanation of the strategy and plan to keep safe our troops and embassy personnel, our people and our interests, both here at home and abroad, and our partners throughout the region and beyond." US Snator Chris Murphy: Murphy, a Democrat, said while Soleimani was "an enemy of the United States," the killing could put more Americans at risk. "One reason we don't generally (assassinate) foreign political officials is the belief that such action will get more, not less, Americans killed," Murphy said on Twitter. "That should be our real, pressing and grave worry tonight." House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel: Though the attacks were ordered by the president, voices of dissent have risen from the United States. The killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in an American air strike risks provoking a "dangerous escalation of violence", US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "America - and the world - cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return," she added in a statement. US lawmakers were not told in advance of the attack, a senior House Democrat said late Thursday. The strike "went forward with no notification or consultation with Congress," Soleimani was "the mastermind of immense violence" who has "the blood of Americans on his hands," the Democratic lawmaker said. But "to push ahead with an action of this gravity without involving Congress raises serious legal problems and is an affront to Congress's powers as a coequal branch of government," Engel added. Reactions from Zionist regime (Israel): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says he is cutting short a visit to Greece and returning home to follow "ongoing developments" after a US airstrike killed Iran's top general. The Israeli army has ordered a ski resort on Mount Hermon, on the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, to close. It took no other immediate precautions. Yair Lapid, a leader of the opposition Blue and White Party, praised the killing and said Gen. Qassem Soleimani got "exactly what he deserved." Yoel Guzansky, an expert on Iran at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Strategic Studies: "Iranian retaliation against US or Israeli targets was likely in the short term." 1430**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Unit Scheme-1964 (US-64) was the biggest and most popular scheme of UTI. It was sold and repurchased from unit holders not based on the correct inherent value of the portfolio (net asset value) but on artificial prices fixed by the management. A practice that accentuated this problem was that from 1993-94, when UTI started distributing a dividend to unit holders that was much more than the actual income of the scheme during the year. In some years, a dividend as high as 28 per cent was paid, whereas the actual income during the year was less than 10 per cent. In order to continue this ... KALAMAZOO, MI Changes at Arcadia Creek Festival Place are being discussed, aimed at improving use of the public space centrally located in downtown Kalamazoo. Arcadia Creek Festival Place was previously redesigned in 2004, with the installation of a band shell, pavilion, fountain and playground. Now, a planning process is underway to create an updated vision for the site, according to a request for proposals published by Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership. In the past, the site has hosted popular events such as the Kalamazoo Blues Festival, Audiotree Music Festival and the annual Ribfest event. Some of the events held at Arcadia Creek Festival Place in the past are no longer held there. Greek Fest held its last event at the space in 2016. After six years of hosting the Audiotree Music Festival at Arcadia Creek Festival Place, Audiotree announced in 2019 it would not hold the event in Kalamazoo. The request for proposals document states the city-owned venue now has deteriorated conditions, leaving it less attractive to day users and event hosts alike. The document states there is a $65,000 budget for a firm to take on the role of guiding the process of exploring the sites future, which would include public meetings to seek input from the community. Andrew Haan, president of Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership, said local leaders are still early on in the process of determining the sites future. The festival place is a really critical asset in our downtown and in recent years its not been leveraged fully," Haan said. Its not programmed as much as wed like, its not active as much as wed like. Haan said Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership received 10 proposals, and five of the applicants are being interviewed. Really just starting the process of stating to think about whats next for that space, he said. That process will include opportunities for the public to give input about what they believe should go there, Haan said. Were looking forward to a great new vision for what to do there, he said. Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson, a member of the Downtown Development Authority, said the process is a chance for community engagement and creative thinking about the citys future. The planning process aims to help the location become a more vibrantly used space, Anderson said. The downtown needs open space, he said, especially with more people living downtown. We need it to be engaging and vibrant space, Anderson said. What does that look like? The request for proposals asks applicants to provide examples of how other locations have used public space to drive activity, traffic, investment, and quality of life to peer communities. With downtown Kalamazoo experiencing robust growth and development, now is the time to reevaluate and re-assess Arcadia Creek Festival Place to determine what is the best path forward for this space to better serve the community and be successful, the document states. Nearby, Catalyst Development Co. is building an estimated $60-million building at 180 E. Water St., across from the Arcadia Creek Festival Site, that will house the headquarters of the Kalamazoo Promise and Southwest Michigan First, and provide space for other tenants. Downtown has evolved a lot in the last 15 years, Haan said. He said the redesign could result in an asset to be used by people who are often downtown, and also to drive traffic. He said New York Citys Bryant Park, Fort Worths Sundance Square and Detroits Campus Martius Park are some examples of notable public spaces in other locations. Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com? Given this risk, we thought we'd take a look at whether Minesto (STO:MINEST) shareholders should be worried about its cash burn. For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway. Check out our latest analysis for Minesto How Long Is Minesto's Cash Runway? A cash runway is defined as the length of time it would take a company to run out of money if it kept spending at its current rate of cash burn. Minesto has such a small amount of debt that we'll set it aside, and focus on the kr30m in cash it held at June 2019. In the last year, its cash burn was kr45m. That means it had a cash runway of around 8 months as of June 2019. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. OM:MINEST Historical Debt, January 4th 2020 How Well Is Minesto Growing? Minesto managed to reduce its cash burn by 58% over the last twelve months, which suggests it's on the right flight path. And it could also show revenue growth of 13% in the same period. It seems to be growing nicely. In reality, this article only makes a short study of the company's growth data. This graph of historic earnings and revenue shows how Minesto is building its business over time. How Easily Can Minesto Raise Cash? Even though it seems like Minesto is developing its business nicely, we still like to consider how easily it could raise more money to accelerate growth. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash to fund growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn. Story continues Since it has a market capitalisation of kr1.8b, Minesto's kr45m in cash burn equates to about 2.5% of its market value. So it could almost certainly just borrow a little to fund another year's growth, or else easily raise the cash by issuing a few shares. How Risky Is Minesto's Cash Burn Situation? Even though its cash runway makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought Minesto's cash burn relative to its market cap was relatively promising. While we're the kind of investors who are always a bit concerned about the risks involved with cash burning companies, the metrics we have discussed in this article leave us relatively comfortable about Minesto's situation. For us, it's always important to consider risks around cash burn rates. But investors should look at a whole range of factors when researching a new stock. For example, it could be interesting to see how much the Minesto CEO receives in total remuneration. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. This expression of angst over a movement going in a direction different from where it intended to, has drawn a guttural release of anger from Muslim, many of whom have argued that since the issue concerns only Muslims (a misleading position), they should be at the forefront of the movement, allowed to decide on its nature, content and allies should not dictate terms or derail the movements legitimacy. It is interesting to note how the anti-CAA protests initially fashioned as battle for reclaiming the Idea of India, Constitutional values and preserving Indias secular ethos have metamorphosed into an expression of Islamist assertiveness and manifestation of Muslim identity politics. The cultural clarion calls that have become de rigueur in these rallies: Tera Mera Rishta Kya, La Ilaha Illallah; Azadi Kaun Dilayega, La Illaha Illallah are deeply Islamist in nature that have troubling connotations for a secular nation. They not only speak of supremacy of one faith over all other but also of a pan-Islamic identity that towers over other all identities, including that of a nation-state. One of the key issues that confronted the protesters when Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, following which it was enacted into a law giving persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Parsi and Buddhist refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh a fast-track Indian citizenship, was how to broadbase the protests to show that entire India in a Hindu-majority land is up in arms against the CAA, and not just Muslims who are seemingly affected by it. We had activists such as Harsh Mander announcing that he will "declare himself to be a Muslim" if the Parliament passes CAB. This was meant as a sign of solidarity.The Leftists and political Opposition wanted to make the fight against CAA a "common cause" with Muslims, and it was imperative that in this fight cultural calls that have religious overtones or were an overt expression of Muslim community solidarity, were to be avoided. Now you are Taking it too Far Dear Saket. Nobody has Promised you that they Would Convert to Islam. This Fight is about Idea of India. A Socialist,Secular,Democratic India.I had Sleeplessness Nights Fighting this Govt for its Fascist Agenda. YouAre nobody to Judge anybody'sColor Globalist (@GoGlobalist) December 30, 2019 First and foremost, this strategy had an ideational purpose. If the BJP has to be shown as a Hindutva hegemonic force that runs roughshod over the mosaic of India, then the protests must necessarily carry that expression of pluralism. Therefore, calls of say it on the barricades, la ilaha illalah, tera mera rishta kya la illala illalah (there is no god but Allah, the relationship between you and me is Allah) bely this strategy and make it difficult for allies to make it a common cause. The expression of Islamist supremacy, after all, is hard to contextualise in a fight against CAA where upholding for Constitutional principles is the stated reason. Our fight against Hindutva extremism should give no comfort to Islamist extremism either. We whore raising our voice in the #CAA_NRCProtests are fighting to defend an #InclusiveIndia. We will not allow pluralism&diversity to be supplanted by any kind of religious fundamentalism. https://t.co/C9GVtB9gIa Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 29, 2019 No@offence intended. Just making it clear that for most of us this struggle is about India, not about Islam. Or Hinduism. Its about our constitutional values & founding principles. Its about defending pluralism. Its about saving the soul of India. Not one faith vs another. https://t.co/GJ69mSrqXj Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 29, 2019 There was a political reason behind this too. The likes of Congress leader Tharoor were reacting to this development (of the movement getting religion-driven) adversely because it makes life precarious for the Opposition by forcing them to fall into the minority trap. Tharoor is well aware that if the Congress (and other Opposition parties) are seen to be in alliance with an Islamist movement where calls such as in kafiron se azadi have emerged, it may result in a polarised debate allowing BJP to make political capital. 3. How are nonMuslims to understand that in a protest about CAA-NRC, tera mera rishta refers to the individuals relationship w/God?God shouldnt come into this. BJP are gleefully circulating such videos onWA, telling Hindus see what this fights about; which side are you on?" Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 30, 2019 Tharoor might be coming from a position of political convenience but his views were echoed by many who saw themselves as fellow travelers in this fight against a fascist government. For them, an overt expression of Muslim assertiveness and raising of Islamist slogans signals a deviation of path and makes it easier for the BJP to win the battle of ideas. Sample this exchange between a Muslim voice on Twitter and the response. Only Muslim voices matter. Hindus can use their privilege to be an ally without condescension if they are able to, but please make more Muslims visible on all platforms, online offline. (@BabaGlocal) December 9, 2019 Absolutely not. Strongly against CAA+NRC, however - All religious propaganda must be curbed & protests remain focused on secularity/ irreligious factors only. We fight for total secularity & equality, for the country, not one religion over the other, not one party over the other. Pics And Politics (@picsandpolitics) December 25, 2019 As this article in The Print points out, Going forward, legitimate liberal and secular opposition to the CAA and the NRC must purge itself of radical and extreme elements whose only purpose is to further polarise the issue and not to find a sensible, centrist middle ground that all reasonable people can agree on. If this doesnt happen, the protest movement against the CAA will lose all credibility in the eyes of the Indian public." This expression of angst over a movement going in a direction different from where it intended to, has drawn a guttural release of anger from Muslims, many of whom have argued that since the issue concerns only Muslims (a misleading position), they should be at the forefront of the movement, allowed to decide on its nature, content and allies should not dictate terms or derail the movements legitimacy. If you say 'Hey Bhagwan' in mixed gatherings, if you light lamps at public functions, if you use religious metaphors from the Mahabharat and Ramayana in political speeches, if your mythological works support your political work, you can't oppose only 'Muslim' identity assertion! Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) December 30, 2019 Activist Shehla Rashids equivalence between La ilaha ilallah and Hey Bhagwan of Hindus is misleading. The Islamic Kalima talks of Allah as the one true god (while other gods are false), while the expression Hey Bhagwan is a call to god. There is no monotheism inherent in the second expression, no negation of other faiths. This is not just a semantic point but a larger issue that needs to be clarified. This vigorous expression of Muslim assertiveness is problematic in more ways than one because in taking control of the movement, it frequently becomes a community solidarity that transcends the boundaries of a nation-state to become a call for Islamic ummah. Writing in The Caravan, Mudasir Amin and Samreen Mushtaq argue that left-liberal Islamophobia is more insidious, more dangerous and this Islamophobia of selective solidarity must be called out. They ask, "How is it that Muslims asserting their Indian identity are welcome, but those asserting their religious identity beyond the liberal framework are silenced? Their anguish becomes clear when they clarify, Why do Indian Muslims have to stifle their religious identity to prove these credentials? When the Supreme Court validated the destroyers of the Babri Masjid by effectively sanctioning the construction of a temple in its place, why did the country expect Muslims to accept the decision in the name of secular values?" To question the verdict delivered by a Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court indicates a deep sense of injury that Muslims are suffering from, and which has found expression in the movement against CAA. But this victimhood further questions the validity of nationhood for Muslims, as if their expression of community solidarity must rise above all other identities. In another paragraph, the writers criticise historian Ramchandra Guha for writing in an article that Muslim community needs to better engage with the modern world, and argue that left-liberals discredit Muslim identities to only legitimise the sarkaari musalmaan, the states version of an ideal Muslim the one who does not have any symbols of Islam visible in the public sphere, who will be more favourable to the Indian identity of his hyphenated Indian-Muslim self, the one who would be the picture perfect on billboards, with a beard and skull cap even, to speak of Indias pluralistic image." If the argument is that hyphenated Indian-Muslim self is somehow a stifling of Muslim identity, then the direction of anti-CAA movement is problematic indeed. If Muslims victimhood can only be addressed through a negation of nationhood and an assertion of their Muslim identity and community solidarity then we are reminded of the words of BR Ambedkar, the father of Indian Constitution, who had written on Islam that: The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. There is a fraternity, but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those who are outside the corporation, there is nothing but contempt and enmity. The second defect of Islam is that it is a system of social self-government and is incompatible with local self-government, because the allegiance of a Muslim does not rest on his domicile in the country which is his but on the faith to which he belongs. To the Muslim ibi bene ibi patria [Where it is well with me, there is my country] is unthinkable. Wherever there is the rule of Islam, there is his own country. In other words, Islam can never allow a true Muslim to adopt India as his motherland and regard a Hindu as his kith and kin. (read here and here) This is the proverbial thin end of the wedge of a movement that may release the Partition genie once again. We have to be careful. BAY CITY, MI The father of an area teen has filed a federal lawsuit against Freeland Community School District, claiming it violated his sons constitutional rights when it suspended him for a creating an Instagram account mocking a teacher. Attorney Philip L. Ellison on Dec. 30 filed the suit on the fathers behalf in the federal courthouse in downtown Bay City. The suit names the district, Superintendent Matthew A. Cairy, and Freeland High School Principal Traci L. Smith as defendants. The purpose of this lawsuit is not to prevent a young boy from being punished for screwing up, Ellison said. Its to decide who has the ability to inflict the punishment. It should be the parents, not the school. The lawsuit states that on May 11, the plaintiffs 14-year-old son created an Instagram account under a username that loosely corresponded with the name of a biology teacher at the high school. Instagram is a social media platform for sharing images and videos. The teen used his personal Xbox to create the account off school grounds, the suit states. The Instagram profile created was clearly a parody and would be perceived as such by any reasonable person, Ellison wrote in the suit. The teen created the profile for his own amusement and the amusement of his friends, and did not use (and did not intend to use) the account for any other purpose. The accounts first post was a photo of a gasoline pump with an embedded hypodermic needle, with the caption, Watch out guys, I am concerned for everyones safety. The Gas Pump Post was so nonsensical that no reasonable person could take its contents seriously, and no one did, Ellison wrote in the suit. Nothing about the Gas Pump Post is a true threat, defamation, or any other exception to the First Amendments prohibition on abridging speech to warrant governmental punishment. The teen shared the accounts password with two friends who also began posting images to it. Some of their posts were described by the defendants as inappropriate, the suit states. The biology teacher whose name was alluded to in the accounts username on the morning of May 12 alerted Principal Smith of its existence. Smith began an investigation the next day and contacted Tittabawassee Township police. Police obtained IP addresses from the social media platform that established none of the posts deemed as inappropriate were posted by the initial teen, the suit alleges. The suit goes on to allege Smith agreed to work with police to get the students involved to admit to their posts and describe their involvement. Smith spoke with the other two teens, who told her none of the inappropriate posts were published by the teen who created the account, the suit states. Smith then had a meeting with the initial teen and his father at the school, during which she did not inform them of their Miranda rights, according to the suit. In a cooperative and truthful fashion, (the teen) explained that he created a non-public Instagram account using [a] parodic name and had posted the Gas Pump Post but none of the other posts deemed inappropriate by Defendants contented-based viewpoint, the suit states. Smith and Superintendent Cairy then initiated expulsion charges against the teen, with the suit alleging their reasons were unconstitutional. The teens father contacted Ellison, who in turn contacted Cairy to adjourn the expulsion hearing to allow time to investigate. In the interim, the teen was effectively suspended starting May 14. Ellison also demanded documents and evidence from the school district and filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the police department. The police department denied the request. Later in May, the teens father started state court equitable legal action against the township and two of its police officials to compel production of the IP address records as needed evidence in the expulsion hearing. The department ended up agreeing to provide the IP address records. On July 1, Ellison wrote to Cairy that hed wrapped his investigation and was ready for the expulsion hearing. The parties ended up agreeing no hearing was necessary due to the teen having not contested that he created the account, that he posted the image of the gas pump, and that he shared the accounts password with two friends. Cairy, however, concluded the teen committed gross misbehavior in violation of the schools student handbooks General Rules and Recommendations. The district imposed a 10-day suspension on the teen, rather than expel him. The teen also had to take summer classes to make up for having failed his biology class when, the suit claims, the teacher failed to provide homework likely as a result of his anger towards (the teen) for exercising his First Amendment rights. The suit alleges First Amendment violations. The teens speech occurred completely off-campus and failed to cause substantial disruption to the school or to forecast substantial disruption to the school, the suit reads. Defendants had no reasonable apprehension of disturbance from students at Freeland Community School District. The vague and overbroad policies and related punishment unlawfully prohibit and chill speech that is protected by the First Amendment. The suit is asking the court to declare defendants disciplinary actions against the teen unconstitutional, to enjoin them from continuing punishment against him, and to enjoin them from enforcing disciplinary policies against the teen for expression that occurs outside of school or school-sponsored activities. The suit is also asking for attorney fees and reasonable damages in an amount thats yet to be determined. Saginaw attorney Gregory W. Mair on Jan. 2 filed an appearance to represent the suits defendants. MLive was unable to reach Mair, Cairy, or Smith for comment. The suits next court date is pending. A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested from a hospital in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday, the police said. (Photo: File) Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested from a hospital in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday, the police said. Nisar Ahmad Dar, a resident of the Hajin area of Bandipore district in north Kashmir, was arrested by the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in the city, a police official said. Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by J&K Police & Secuirity Forces. He had escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist of proscribed terror outfit was killed. This dreaded terrorist was wanted in many terror crimes. pic.twitter.com/RcgoC1nahA Imtiyaz Hussain (@hussain_imtiyaz) January 4, 2020 He belonged to the LeT outfit, the official said, adding that further details are awaited. Catch the latest news, live coverage and in-depth analyses from India and World. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is being guarded round the clock by former US Navy SEALs amid concern that her life is in danger, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. A source says ex-special forces are shuttling the 58-year-old friend of Prince Andrew from one safe house to another across the American Midwest following credible death threats. Epstein is said to have sexually abused dozens of teenage girls and Miss Maxwell, along with others, is alleged to have facilitated his behaviour. She has denied any wrongdoing. Ghislaine Maxwell, right, with Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts, centre, in 2001. A source says ex-special forces are shuttling Miss Maxwell from one safe house to another She is now the principal focus of an FBI investigation and is said to hold the key to the truth about the Duke of Yorks relationship with the disgraced financier and whether he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. The Duke has repeatedly denied these allegations and any suggestion of wrongdoing. While Miss Maxwell has never been accused by the authorities of criminal wrongdoing, Epsteins alleged victims have portrayed her as his madam and fixer. A source said: There has been so much rubbish written about Ghislaine. The reality is she receives multiple, credible death threats on a daily basis. The hate mail is sometimes 2ft high. She is constantly moving. Her life is in danger. She is being guarded by the best of the very best and that includes former US Navy SEALs. Shes not under the protection of any government. Shes on her own. Miss Maxwell has allegedly refused to defend Prince Andrew publicly. A source told the New York Post she 'carefully considered it' but decided it 'wasn't in her best interests' Miss Maxwell and Epstein. While Miss Maxwell has never been accused by the authorities of criminal wrongdoing, Epsteins alleged victims have portrayed her as his madam and fixer Asked about reports last week that Miss Maxwell was being sheltered in Israel and supported by wealthy friends, the source said: I only wish. This is costing her a fortune. She moves constantly. The reports are just b*******. Prince Andrew was forced to step back from public life following a disastrous Newsnight interview about his friendship with Epstein, who was found dead in his cell last year. During the interview, the Duke invoked his friendship with Miss Maxwell, the daughter of disgraced media tycoon Robert Maxwell, as the reason he came into Epsteins orbit. Extra bed sheets and cord found in Epsteins jail cell Multiple bed sheets and an electrical cord were reportedly found in Jeffrey Epsteins jail cell after he killed himself, a US current affairs show claims. When the body of the disgraced financier was discovered possibly up to two hours after he died guards were heard saying: Breathe, Epstein, breathe. CBSs 60 Minutes, due to be screened today, raises fresh questions about the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, where Epstein was being held when he died last August. His death has been ruled a suicide by hanging. As well as more sheets than were required for the cell, 60 Minutes says a pen, paper and handwritten note were found. Advertisement Last month, Virginia Roberts, who now uses her married name Giuffre, accused the Duke of knowing she been trafficked to the UK when they allegedly met when she was 17. She has previously claimed Andrew bought her alcohol in Londons Tramp nightclub before they had sex at Miss Maxwells home. The Duke has repeatedly denied the allegation, insisting he spent the evening at home after taking his eldest daughter Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey. Last week it was claimed he begged Miss Maxwell to defend him publicly, but she reportedly refused. A source told the New York Post: She carefully considered it, but decided no good would come of it. It isnt in her best interests. Sources told The Mail on Sunday Miss Maxwell has become increasingly frustrated with the lies being told about her. One said: Shes become the most hunted and hated woman in the world. The reality is shes done nothing wrong. Her life has been ruined but shes fully confident she will be vindicated. She believes her good name will be cleared eventually. There is another side to the story and it will come out. For now, people assume she is guilty. Shes living a nightmare and trusts no one. Ghislaine is prepared to face it in a court of law but not in the court of the media or Twitter. She has a story to tell and she will tell it when the time is right. Miss Maxwells lawyers declined to comment. In southern New South Wales state, people in a 70-mile coastal stretch were warned it was too late to leave the area and told to seek shelter, as an out-of-control blaze that had consumed more than 1,000 square miles of forest and farmland more than 40 times the size of Manhattan burned toward the Pacific Ocean and threatened to cut off escape routes. This seasons fires have burned through an area at least the size of West Virginia. Trump Says Killing of Iran's Quds Force Commander Overdue By Jeff Seldin January 03, 2020 U.S. President Donald Trump is defending the U.S. airstrike that killed one of Iran's most powerful generals, brushing aside threats from Tehran that it will exact a harsh revenge. In his first comments since defense officials confirmed the U.S. carried out the airstrike near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq early Friday (local time), Trump blamed the Quds Force commander for the deaths of thousands of Americans, and said the strike was long overdue. "General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more," Trump tweeted Friday. "Soleimani was both hated and feared," the president added. "He should have been taken out many years ago!" Earlier Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN Iran and Soleimani had given Washington little choice. "He was actively plotting in the region to take actions a big action, as he described it that would have put dozens, if not hundreds, of American lives at risk," Pompeo said of the Quds Force commander. "We know it was imminent." Pentagon officials confirmed the strike on Soleimani in a statement late Thursday (local time), saying the action was carried out on Trump's order. It further described the strike as a "decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad," and warned, "The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world." Iraqi officials have said the strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, known as the Popular Mobilization Forces. They said other top officials may have been killed, as well. Iran Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called for three days of national mourning and has promised a harsh response. "All Enemies should know that the jihad of resistance will continue with a doubled motivation, and a definite victory awaits the fighters in the holy war," he said in a statement carried on Iranian television. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif labeled the U.S. strike an "act of terrorism," tweeting it was an "extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation." How or when Iran may respond to the strike is unknown. U.S. defense and intelligence officials have long warned about Iran's penchant for using asymmetric techniques, like terrorism and cyber attacks, to target the U.S. and Western nations. But in the hours since images of Qassem Soleimani first started spreading on social media, U.S. officials have been reaching out to allies to prepare for what may come next. The State Department said Pompeo phoned British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to discuss the "defensive action to eliminate" Soleimani, and thanked them for their "recent statements" recognizing the continuing aggressive threat from Iran and its Quds force. The secretary of state also spoke with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistani Chief of Staff General Bajwa on Friday. In the days leading up to the strike on Soleimani, the U.S. has brushed off concerns that escalating tensions could lead to war. "I don't think Iran would want that to happen. It would go very quickly," President Trump told reporters Tuesday. Still, defense officials have been preparing for new attacks. The U.S. has already deployed 750 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to Kuwait to help bolster the defense of U.S. bases and personnel in the region. Defense officials said Thursday more troops would be sent as needed. VOA's VOA Persian Service and White House Correspondent Steve Herman contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US sends additional support to Australia to help battle apocalyptic wildfires originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Wildfires raged on Saturday in Australia, choking the sky with smoke, forcing thousands to flee and prompting the U.S. to send more fire personnel to help battle the blazes. The added personnel, nearly two dozen from the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service, "will continue to support Australia with the resources needed during this unprecedented fire situation," according to a statement from U.S. Forest Service Fire Director Shawna Legarza. The country's wildfires began in September and are expected to last for several months as the hot weather continues. MORE: What to know about the deadly Australia bushfires and why they're expected to continue for months As of Saturday, the coast in New South Wales was shrouded in bush fires, according to an interactive map from MyFireWatch. At points, the flames in Batemans Bay, New South Wales, were so intense that firefighters had to stop battling the wildfires for their own safety. PHOTO: Remains of a burnt-out property that was impacted by a blaze in late December 2019 is seen at Bruthen South, Victoria, Australia, Jan. 4, 2019. (AAP Image via Reuters) Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Southern Australia have also battled wildfires. The additional support from the U.S. is on top of the more than 74 fire personnel from DOI and USFS that have already been deployed, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. "Our focus remains on helping the people of Australia and keeping people safe in these unprecedented conditions," DOI Wildland Fire Deputy Director Craig Leff said in a statement. Residents have described the scene as apocalyptic. (MORE: Wildfires rage out of control in Australia, prompting evacuations and rescues ) "The blackness, the darkness, the intensity of it. It's like the apocalypse," Lake Conjola resident Paula told ABC News. "It's like something that you've never experienced before." PHOTO: Residents look on as flames burn through bush on Jan. 4, 2020 in Lake Tabourie, Australia. (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images) PHOTO: Firefighters tackle a bushfire in thick smoke in the town of Moruya, south of Batemans Bay, in New South Wales, Australia, on Jan. 4, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images) Danielle Heron, who has lived in Batemans Bay her entire life, said she and her family decided to evacuate Saturday after seeing black smoke fill the sky. Story continues "It's time to go," Heron told ABC News. "The destruction that it's caused, it's just unbelievable," she added. In towns a few hours south of Sydney, areas normally buzzing with locals and tourists for the summer holidays and New Years have turned into ghost towns. PHOTO: A kangaroo jumps in a field amidst smoke from a bushfire in Snowy Valley on the outskirts of Cooma, Austalia, Jan. 4, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images) Thousands have evacuated from their homes in the wake of the fires and worsening conditions. High winds of 100 mph were reported in some communities Saturday and temperatures were well over 100 degrees. Radio reports pleaded with those who didn't evacuate to shelter in place. PHOTO: Thick plumes of smoke rise from bushfires at the coast of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, Jan. 4, 2020. (Australian Maritime Safety Authority via Reuters) The fires, ignited by a prolonged drought and deforestation, have claimed at least 17 lives and destroyed more than 175 homes, according to the Associated Press. Nationwide, more than 12.35 million acres of land -- about twice the size of Vermont -- have burned and more than 1,400 homes have been destroyed over the past few months, according to the AP. Wildlife has also suffered immensely, with University of Sydney ecologists estimating that around 480 million animals have been killed. Koalas in the New South Wales' mid-north coast have lost up to 30% of their population, Australia's minister for the environment, Sussan Ley, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "This is the worst event this country has ever seen. Without a doubt, horrific," Cheyne Flanagan, director of Koala Hospital in New South Wales, told ABC News in an interview Thursday. ABC News' Julia Jacobo, Jennifer Harrison, Anthony Trotter and James Gillings contributed to this report. Cory Morse | MLive.com Christina VanDam demonstrates the silks aerial workout at Zeal Aerial Fitness in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. VanDam is the owner of the business. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Don't Edit BY AMY SHERMAN | asherma2@mlive.com It's the start of a new year, and that means gyms across Michigan are packed with people fulfilling their New Year's resolutions to get healthier, move more, and maybe lose a little bit of the weight they put on over the last few months. There are so many workouts to choose from, it can be completely overwhelming to those of us who might not be regular gym rats. Some workouts can sound downright scary, intimidating, or flat out weird, while others might have been on your radar for a while but you just haven't taken the plunge yet. I know, and to be honest, working out at a gym has never really been my bag. Walking into a unknown situation, with some really bad, old workout clothes on, and no idea how to "do" the workout as a beginner, totally makes me uncomfortable. So I just don't go, and that's a problem when you eat for a living. To kick off 2020, I decided to do a little research, and went out and and actually participated in a variety of exercise classes, to take some of the mystery out of them. I experienced first hand what these workouts were like, learned some tips and tricks to make even a first timer feel comfortable, and investigated what the health benefits are. We also got to meet some passionate owners and exercise experts along the way. We'll be sharing with you 12 different workouts over the next couple of weeks. First up, and a class that both slightly terrified and totally intrigued me, is aerial silks. This gravity-defying workout features a 50 to 60 foot colorful silk that is tethered in the center to the ceiling, providing two long silks to use during your workout. Underneath is a gym pad. A series of exercises, from squats, lunges, and sit-ups, to yoga are all executed while you are suspended in various ways in your silk Yes, this is what circus acts are made of. And guess what? Anyone can do this, and it is not only an amazingly hard workout, it's also just amazing. "My family always joked that I was the kid who wanted to fly," Christina Van Dam, owner of Zeal Aerials in Grand Rapids said. She opened her studio in September 2018, after getting laid off from her teaching position. She'd tried silks when she lived in Utah, and really wanted to bring this type of workout to Grand Rapids. Her studio, located in a light and airy warehouse, offers several alternative fitness classes. In addition to silks, they have aerial yoga, hoops and pole dancing (look for a review of that one coming later). See all of our pictures from our visit to Zeal Aerial here. The introductory, or beginner, class will teach you all the basics you need to know to get started. And if your instructor is a good one, like Van Dam is, they'll be sure to make you feel very comfortable with each and every position and move. They'll also make you feel pretty confident, even with your complete lack of skills. I thought for sure there was no way I could do this, it all looked fairly confusing, and somewhat dangerous. But before I knew it, Van Dam had me wrapped up in a silk, and trying out some moves like a (semi) pro. Check out our video from Zeal Aerial below. She went over some basics, like how to hook your legs in, foot locks, and how to climb. A typical class will last about an hour, and will feature several series of exercises and transitions. Beginner classes stay pretty close to the ground for most of the moves. I was struck by how this workout is really a lot of standard things that you most likely have done before, but that are completely transformed when you are trying to balance your body in, on and around a silk. Add in the thrill factor of being suspended off the ground, and this is both familiar and yet very exciting. It is like flying. According to a study done by the American Council on Exercise in 2016, a "single 50-minute session of Aerial Yoga burned an average of 320 calories and yielded cardiovascular effects in the range of low- to moderate-intensity exercise." So while it's not a traditional cardio workout, it provides many similar benefits. Think of this workout as akin to brisk walking or riding a bike, except up in the air, tangled up in brightly colored silks. Way, way more fun. You'll be using pretty much all of your body during this, and you'll be stretching in ways that might be totally new. I was worried about my lack of flexibility, but Van Dam reassured me. "Flexibility will be a benefit, but it's not a requirement for aerials," she said. She was right. If you did this workout frequently, you'd be like a rubber band. If it's your first time, you'll be a bit sore the next day. Van Dam explained that in addition to increased flexibility, you'll also be building muscles. She explained that one of the added benefits is that this workout forces you to really focus, and be completely present in the moment. You have to be, because you really do not want to be suspended incorrectly, and land on the floor. Van Dam had me attempt an inversion, which she led me through step by step. Although only a few inches above the floor, when she had me flip over, I thought I might lose it. It's very freeing to give into the process, take a risk, and then do it. There's something about being upside down that's very freeing and super fun. You can see me complete the inversion in the video below. I loved how very different this whole workout was, from the setting (not a traditional gym!), to the major confidence boost it gave me. When you watch an aerial workout, it can seem like it's incredibly difficult for a beginner. Once you learn how to safely get into a few positions, it's a challenge, but a good one. Things to know about this workout: -You should wear tight-fitting clothes. You don't want your shirt riding up at an inopportune moment. -No hoodies and no hanging strings. You'll be tangled up enough, you don't need anything extra in the way. -Tight pants that come to the ankle are best to avoid any rubbing from the silk. -No jewelry or zippers, as they can snag the silk. -Socks are OK, but you may prefer to be barefoot. -Don't eat or drink right before class, the inversions can be rough on a full stomach. -Don't wear perfume or essential oils to class, as they can stain and weaken the silks. This is part of a Michigan's Best Workout series focusing on 12 different types of exercise you can try in 2020. It's being done in partnership with Gazelle Sports. Don't Edit Cory Morse | MLive.com Jessica Ferguson demonstrates an aerial yoga workout at Zeal Aerial Fitness in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Don't Edit Aerial gyms around Michigan Zeal Aerial Fitness 1111 Godfrey Ave. SW Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 (616) 834-0915 Fly Fit 5015 E. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan 49048 (269) 240-9977 The Ann Arbor Aviary 2875 Boardwalk Drive, Suite A Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 (734) 707-1074 Agora Arts 648 E 9 Mile Road Ferndale, Michigan 48220 (248) 589-9668 Don't Edit oaDetroit Flyhouse 1321 Watson Detroit, Michigan 48207 (313) 674-6424 The Greatest of Ease Circus Classes are available at various studios around Michigan, get a complete listing here. Aerial Dragonfly Movement Studio 3025 Hilton Road Ferndale, Michigan 48220 (248) 509-5315 Aerial Edge at Edge Gymnastics 971 Lynch Drive Traverse City, Michigan 49686 (231) 941-7751 Don't Edit Don't Edit Don't Edit Cory Morse | MLive.com A close up of the silk at Zeal Aerial in Grand Rapids. Don't Edit Don't Edit Cory Morse | MLive.com Christina VanDam talks about the silks aerial workout at Zeal Aerial Fitness in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. VanDam is the owner of the business. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Don't Edit Cory Morse | MLive.com Christina VanDam demonstrates the silks aerial workout at Zeal Aerial Fitness in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. VanDam is the owner of the business. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Don't Edit Artemis has multiple goals and a massive to-do list. NASA plans to use U.S. companies to deliver payloads to the moons surface in preparation for human missions. Then, it will use the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket ever made, to send the Orion spacecraft on a test mission into lunar orbit and beyond. Afterward, NASA plans to send a crew into orbit and eventually to the moon itself. There are plans for a moon-orbiting command module, the Gateway, too. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After a solid week of vacation from the restaurant reporting beat, Ive had a lot of time to ponder other things in food -- like meatballs. I was inspired in part by Barios Restaurant owner Mario Rapaglia, who proudly showed off an image of peeled, hard-cooked eggs simmering in Sunday Sauce alongside meatballs. Eggs in tomato sauce (Courtesy of Mario Rapaglia) This is a family tradition that he continues on days away from his New Springville restaurant. The last-minute addition to the pot -- actually added about 10 minutes before the heat is turned off -- creates a pretty pink hue along the edges of the whites when the egg is halved. Mmmm....pan-fried mozzarella-stuffed meatballs (Courtesy of Mario Rapaglia) Delicious, Mario declared. But wait, theres more to that saucy story. And that comes from the meatballs themselves in that egg-tastic sauce: Mario stuffs a pork-and-beef blend with fresh mozzarella and fries the combination in olive oil. Fresh from the pan, oozy cheese peeking from the orbs might be among the more unctuous presentations by chefs around the borough. The dish is offered Laceys Bridge Tavern in Elm Park. And it is a surprisingly popular selection -- surprising not by Staten Islands largely Italian American demographics, rather considering the restaurants Polish history with its former owners Pearl and Walter Daszkowski. Current proprietor Chris Lacey calls his recipe pretty standard. [Its] Black Angus beef, bread crumbs, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, garlic, onions and crushed red pepper, then deep-fried and baked, said Lacey. Peter Como displays the "Mafia Meatball" (Courtesy of Peter Como)(Courtesy of Peter Como) And not so standard on the S.I. staple: Peter Comos Mafia Meatball." Indeed it is a force of meaty nature, an event elevated by pignoli, nuts, sweetness from raisins and umami from a healthy helping of provolone cheese. The meatball in its glorious sauce comes with a side salad and a scoop of creamy fresh ricotta cheese. Do you have a meatball to show off? You dont have to be a professional to do so. A Meatballs and Mixology competition at Violettes Cellar later this month the contest starts with prelims in a Meatball Open Call this Sunday, Jan. 5 at the Grant City restaurant from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nothing is required -- no registration or entrance fee -- aside from the presence of the meatball maker him or herself. Contenders will be expected to bring six meatballs on Jan. 5 that are hot and ready for judging and pictures. Eight winners will be picked from the try-outs. Selected winners head to the next round on Sunday, Jan. 23 for the final leg of the Meatballs and Mixology showdown, also held at Violettes Cellar. The late-January event is open to the public as a fundraiser for The Florina Comprehensive Cancer Center at Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze. The winning eight cooks here are expected to make 150 samples (cut up or bite-sized) for fundraiser attendees. Each meatball will be judged by flavor, texture and appearance. The grand prize, aside from bragging rights and a trophy, is $1,000 worth of gift certificates to various Staten Island restaurants, all of which have meatballs on the menu. For more information call Violettes Cellar at 718-650-5050 -- 2271 Hylan Blvd., Grant City -- ViolettesCellar.com. The New York Times published a story about a hypothetical U.S. military strike on Qassim Suleimani in Baghdad hours before it actually happened. In an article entitled Hypersonic Missiles Are a Game Changer, Steven Simon, an analyst at the Quincy Institute, wrote, What if the former commander of Irans Revolutionary Guards, Qassim Suleimani, visits Baghdad for a meeting and you know the address? The temptations to use hypersonic missiles will be many, Simon added. Some respondents on social media suggested that the NY Times received advance notice of the strike from the Pentagon and tried to warn Suleimani, although there is no evidence to prove this. Did the NYTimes know in advance AND attempt to tip off Qassem Soleimani of the incoming missile strike? pic.twitter.com/n3t8KKDVx4 ENoCH (@elenochle) January 3, 2020 As we highlighted earlier, another New York Times journalist, Farnaz Fassihi, offered what some of her critics described as a eulogy to killed Iranian terrorist leader Qasem Suleimani after she posted a video of him reciting poetry. Rare personal video of Gen. Suleimani reciting poetry shared by a source in #Iran. About friends departing & him being left behind, tweeted Fassihi alongside a video of Suleimani. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced his government's decision to install a bust in the memory of Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter. The Chief Minister has directed the Information and Public Relations Department to work out the modalities for the installation of the bust to commemorate the revolutionary Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, who founded the Ghadar Party to raise a banner of revolt against the tyranny unleashed of the British regime. "The people of India today are enjoying the fruits of independence due to the supreme sacrifices made by Bhakna and countless other freedom fighters, patriots and revolutionaries like Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Shaheed Udham Singh and Madan Lal Dhingra," said the Chief Minister. Captain Amarinder stressed the importance of immortalising these heroes through iconic symbols, which would also help imbue the younger generation with the fearless spirit of courage with which these revolutionaries and freedom fighters fought for the nation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kathleen Lonsdale was very proud of her Irish roots and would be very proud that Maynooth University would opening an institute in her name and that her son would speak at that opening. Thats according to Stephen Lonsdale, who spoke at the official launch of the Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research at Maynooth University on Friday morning, October 25. Kathleen Lonsdale, nee Yardley, was born in Newbridge was born on January 28, 1903. While she is best known for her pioneering work in the area of x-rays and crystals, she was also a noted campaigner for prison reform and within the peace movement. She even served a month in jail for refusing to register for civil defence duties during the Second World War. But perhaps one of her most overlooked accomplishments was that her life began in modest circumstances as the daughter of, effectively, a lone parent, and she managed to make her way up through the world of academia and science at a time when that was not the done thing for women. Kathleen won the Davy Award which is awarded by the Royal Society in London for an outstandingly important recent discovery in any branch of chemistry. She was one of only four women, including Marie Curie, to have won it, in its 142 year history. She was also the first woman to be elected a member of the Royal Society and the first female president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Addressing the crowd gathered in the Engineering and Bioscience building in Maynooth University, her son Stephen Lonsdale, himself a doctor, admitted that he was very happy to be speaking in Ireland, especially given whats been happening in Britain. He explained that his mother was a crystallographer. I dont know if you know what that means, but it doesnt mean looking into crystal balls and telling fortunes, he joked. Stephen Lonsdale at the opening of the Institute dedicated to his mother in Maynooth His mother worked by shining x-rays at crystals, which produced an array of light that allows you to see the pattern of molecules in the crystal. This is turn allows you to modify the molecules, as was done for instance with penicillin to form various other types of antiobiotics such as cloxacillan. He noted that on the old post office in Newbridge there is a pink plaque to say that his mother lived there, and he wondered, with good humour, if there were pink plaques for women and blue for men. Kathleens mother was Jessie Campbell, who was Scottish and was less than five feet tall, and her father was Frederick Yardley. He was, Stephen explained, clearly an intelligent man who worked his way up from being a post man to being postmaster in Newbridge. Jessie Campbell was a fundamentalist baptist who believed in hell and damnation. She was a teetotal and a non smoker. Her husband was a heavy drinker, smoker and an atheist. So you can imagine it wasnt entirely a happy marriage. They had 10 children, so something must have been alright! Of the six boys and four girls, four of the six boys died before the age of five. Yardley had a house in Ilford in Essex. He was away from the family quite a lot, going to the Boer war a couple of times, and got the job in Newbridge in about 1900. It was a big post office serving the town and the Curragh Camp which was the biggest British army camp in Ireland, said Stephen. Kathleen and the family left Newbridge when she was six in 1909, and her father left the family for the last time when she was in her teens after they returned to Ilford. He travelled to South Africa and died there of renal failure. In his defence he was a diabetic and in those days there was no treatment for it, and he would have been thirsty all the time. And the safest drink in those days was beer, said Stephen of his grandfather. But in real terms my mother was actually brought up in a single parent household. They were chronically short of money. He explained that Kathleens siblings all worked and her mother sold jam on the street in London. Kathleen attended primary school in Newbridge, before transferring to the primary school in Ilford, followed by a scholarship to the local grammar school. However that school, which was for girls only, did not do science, so she did that in the local boys school. University challenge At the age of 16 she took university entrance exams and got a place at Bedford College in London to study mathematics. She realised that a woman could only hope to teach if they were studying mathematics, so she switched to phyics at University College London (UCL) and graduated at the age of 19 with her undergraduate degree achieving the highest mark of any student for the previous 10 years. Her professor at UCL, Sir William Bragg, offered her a research fellowship and when he moved to the prestigious Royal Institution he took her and a number of other academics with him. Stephen recalled having Jewish scientific refugees staying with them in the house during the Second World War, and its said I could speak German from the age of four, but I dont remember that. When Stephens parents met, it appears his father Thomas was something of a feminist, telling Kathleen he didnt get married to get a housekeeper, by way of encouraging her to continue to work. His parents became Quakers in Leeds, which lead to her work as a pacifist, and to her jail term some years later. She wrote and campaigned for peace throughout the rest of her days. When Kathleen was visiting Japan she told the press that although she wasnt asked to get involved in developing the atomic bomb, if she had been, she would have refused to take part. The following morning the corridor outside her hotel room was filled with flowers. She died in 1968 from an anaplastic carcenoma of unknown origin, and Stephen believes it was probably as a result of all her exposure to x-ray. I was with her an hour before she died and it upsets me still that I didnt stay, he said, his voice faltering. I think my mother was very proud of her Irish roots. She came back here several times through her life. She would be delighed that this university had chosen her name for this (Institute) and also she would be very pleased that her son was here as well. The Institute which is named after Kathleen Lonsdale will be a multi disciplinary and multi departmental research facility, examining human health in the broadest sense of the word. Before his speech Mr Lonsdale said he had come to Ireland once to find her roots and eventually did, despite, he admitted, not having a clue where Newbridge was! He found the house of his mothers birth with the help of the local library. After the escalated tensions due to the American attack killing Iran General Qasem Soleimani, the situation has heightened even further due to an unguided missile attack near the US embassy in Iraq. Wing Commander Praful Bakshi has said that it was expected as the tension had been building up between Iran and the US for a number of decades. Speaking to Republic TV, Bakshi elaborated on the historic enmity between the two nations, he said, "The sinking of USS Stark, the American ship was sunk and then one American naval ship had shot down an Iranian airliner, all because of the tension between the two countries. The basic aim is the economic benefits of the oil. That is the bone of contention between these countries". READ | Rose McGowan Defends Tweet Apologizing To Iran After Strike India could become the mediator Reports have been floated that Irani General Qasem Soleimani had planned attacks on London and Delhi, though it is not ratified. Bakshi hinted that India could play a role as a mediator. He said, "The question is that is somebody looking for a mediation? Because both the countries are looking at India for a mediator. Though Iran has good relations with India but this news about India being targetted by or planned to be targetted by somebody from Iran, now that has to be confirmed. America, they are also looking at India for mediation". READ | Germany Reviews Threat Level After Iran General's Killing 'International ramifications if a war starts' If a war starts there will be ramifications for all the nations who have trade routes passing through the region especially India as 80 percent of India's oil comes from that route, said Bakshi. Speaking of other nations who may get involved in the issue, Bakshi said, "Iraq may change its stand against America. adding "China and Russia will not keep out of the conflict" hinting that Russia and China may also participate in the war. READ | UK Advises Citizens To Avoid Travelling To Iran, Iraq After Soleimani's Killing On Saturday, four missiles were fired, 3 at Balad Airbase (near US embassy) and 1 at central Baghdad though no US official or anyone from the US forces was killed in the attack. Sources state that the missile has landed inside the Green Zone near the US embassy. The attack comes a day after the US drone strike killed Iran's top General Qasem Soleimani. Iran President Hassan Rouhani in a tweet said that "Iran will take revenge for this heinous crime". Moreover, he added, there is no doubt that the great nation of Iran and the other free nations of the region will take revenge for this gruesome crime from criminal America. READ | Soleimani Death: Red Flag Raised Over Iran Mosque By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/03/2020 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Emily Larina has slammed Sasha Larin 's first ex-wife Masha again and insisted Sasha is "not a serial impregnator" or a cheater.Back in November, Emily claimed Masha lied about Sasha getting his second wife pregnant while he was still married to Masha. Emily also shot down the allegation Sasha chose to leave Masha for Wife No. 2.And Emily's back at it again, defending her man!Emily posted a series of statements as well as two documents -- including Sasha and Masha's Russian divorce certificate -- earlier this week on her Instagram Stories in attempt to prove there was a two-year gap from when Sasha and Masha divorced and when his second wife welcomed her baby."Okay, so this is the last time I'm speaking on this. I 100% believe Sasha and his mom when he says Masha begged him for a baby. He was 22 and she was 24. In his district, you are seen as an old maid if you aren't married with children by 25. He's NOT a serial impregnator," Emily wrote, according to a slideshow of screenshots posted by Instagrammer John Yates.Over Sasha and Masha's alleged divorce certificate written in Russian, Emily wrote, "Masha straight up lied on camera. This is their divorce certificate from 2012."Emily also claimed to post "Sasha's passport stamp for his second child" in a screenshot of another document obtained by John."Day of birth and name are scratched out for privacy. He was born in 2014. The last time I checked, you can't be pregnant for two years," Emily wrote over the image.The documents, if valid, appear to demonstrate Sasha was no longer married to Masha when he got his second wife pregnant. (Emily posted these same documents back in November with similar explanations).Emily went on to say in her Instagram rant, "I realize now that Masha probably has a form of [postpartum depression] that presented as rage. She would continually hit and throw things at Sasha. She would kick him out over nothing.""Sasha's mom was a witness to it and strongly dislikes her," Emily continued. "For proof of that, I believe the voice messages from Sasha's mom are still on @90dayfiancemuse page."During an episode that aired towards the beginning of 's seventh season, Masha told the cameras, "Sasha and I dated for a year. Then we were married for a year and got divorced because he met his second wife. She got pregnant, and he came to me and said, 'I want a divorce.'"Masha later said in a confessional, "I don't know if Sasha will leave Emily the way he left his first two wives. He left me for his second wife."But Emily claimed in November Sasha had met his second wife "a few years" after he divorced his first wife and the pair also welcomed a son.Emily also defended Sasha's character in explaining why he and his second wife also allegedly divorced.Emily wrote the following in her Instagram Stories this week: "Sasha and his second ex separated mutually. She didn't like that he left his 'white salary' working at a Russian prison. He wanted to pursue fitness because it's what he loved.""Of course, I understood when he told me working in a Russian prison was physically/mentally exhausting."Emily went on to argue Sasha never cheated on his second wife with her."Sasha and I's relationship went beyond hi and bye in the Fall of '16. She also found someone else. She can't confirm he cheated with me because he DIDN'T," Emily wrote, according to John's screenshots."He was also able to see his son then. When it appeared that I wasn't going anywhere, she would find every excuse to keep is son from him during the time he was supposed to see him. The final knife in my heart was after 3 years of Sasha and I being together, she agreed to let her son meet David."David is Emily and Sasha's first child together, and his birth was shown on 's currently-airing seventh season.Emily continued on Instagram, "She backed out of that too and basically told us they aren't brothers. She told us he didn't want to meet him. I don't know if they ever will. Custody laws in Russia favor the mother 100%."Emily finally concluded, according to John's screenshots, "Also, custody on long holidays is a custody arrangement a lot of fathers in the USA get. My son will always have a connection with Russia! I'd love for him to experience a Russian summer... with his grandparents! We will always come back!!"Emily packed up and moved to Russia to teach English after finishing college.At the time filming 's seventh season began, Emily had been living in Volgograd, Russia for three years."As a young American girl in Russia, I was so lonely. I joined [a] gym because I wanted to be social, and that is where I met my hot personal trainer, Sasha," Emily said. "Things got serious quickly because I'm super pregnant!"One day, the couple got takeout for dinner and Sasha proposed marriage to her in an elevator. Emily said it was such a huge surprise but she said "yes."Afterward, Emily applied for a K-1 visa so they could live in America together."Sasha just made mistakes in the past and he happened to marry those mistakes, but we're different. Our relationship it perfect," Emily said in a TLC video."I am going to be Sasha's third wife. This is his third child with another woman, but we're going to last."In more recent episodes, Sasha is now living with Emily -- in her sister Betsy's house -- in the United States and the pair is trying to make their relationship work while adjusting to a brand new life together with a child.To read spoilers for this couple, click here to find out whether Emily and Sasha ever got married and are still together.Want spoilers? Click here to visit our Spoilers webpage! The killing of Qassem Suleimani has sent simmering US-Iran tensions boiling over and it could strengthen the position of Tehrans hardliners. Iran has said it will avoid taking "hasty action for the moment. But what made Washington decide to take hostilities to the next level, and why now? Irans Mehr News Agency quoted army spokesman General Abolfazl Shekarchi as saying: In the event of an Iran-US war or any confrontation, Americans will suffer severely. "Americans have taken an irreversible step." Meanwhile, France's President Emmanuel Macron, in a telephone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Saleh on Saturday, stressed the importance of "security and sovereignty" of Iraq. And following the assassination, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called on all involved actors "to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment," invoking criticism by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who reproached Europe for taking a soft line, saying that "frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be." Chain of violent events The assassintation of Suleimani, the chief of Irans proxy forces abroad, the Quds Forces, is the latest in a series of violent events that began last week on 28 December. Rockets targeted a US base near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in the north of Iraq, killing an American contractor and wounding several Iraqi and American service personnel. A day later, the US struck five locations of Iran-supported Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah Shia militia and Quds Forces at al Qaim in Iraq and Abu Kamal in Syria. At least 25 were reported killed, including Iranian officers. In response, an angry mob of pro-Iran demonstrators gathered in Baghdad and stormed the US embassy. Meanwhile, the Israeli website DebkaFile, run by former Mossad agents, claimed that Soleimani had ordered Hezbollah fighters in Baghdad to transfer Iran-supplied rockets from storage to residential areas "as a means of deterring a US attack. Story continues This fuelled speculation of another impending US assault, which proved to be correct: on 3 January, a precision US drone strike killed Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The remains of Suleimani will be transferred from Bagdad to Iran on Monday where he will be buried in his home town of Kerman. Modest man In a lengthy 2013 New Yorker magazine portrait of Suleimani, the al-Quds leader was described as a modest man, who carries himself inconspicuously and rarely raises his voice. The article describes a man who was hardened in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, becoming the architect of expanding Iranian influence in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. During a brief love affair between Iran and the US, there were indirect negotiations between Suleimani and US officials on how to attack their common enemy, the Taliban after the 9/11 twin tower attacks. But everything changed after George W. Bushs 2002 axis of evil speech, which estranged the Iranians completely and, according to The New Yorker, had Suleimani in a tearing rage, trashing all hopes for any good relationship. In 2003, the US invaded Iraq, and Iran lay low, fearing to be next. But Tehran grew in confidence when the invasion faltered, becoming aggressive and relaunching anti-American attacks often through proxies in a policy that has lasted until today. Mass anti-government demonstrations The US strikes throw into question the future of the US military presence in Iraq, 17 years after US-led forces toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein, says Middle East watcher James M. Dorsey, with the Nanyang Technological Universitys S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. He says that a mass anti-government demonstration movement in Iraq is now likely to turn its attention to US boots on the ground. "If protesters focused their demand for a withdrawal of all foreign forces primarily on Iranian influence, prior to the US strikes, they now focus equally on the presence of US forces. France: stick to JCPOA Iran says it may continue to step back from the 2015 nuclear deal, which was left in tatters after the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018. A former commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Mohsen Rezaei, wrote on Twitter, Until Irans decisive and harsh response to [US President Donald] Trump, going ahead with the fifth step in reducing JCPOA commitments as soon as possible is vital." Iran has already overstepped four stages of the agreement, including a cap on 300 kilogrammes of enriched uranium stockpiles, and a 3.67 percent enrichment level limit. French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian repeated calls from the European Union for Terhan to avoid further breaches of the JCPOA. Both Tehran and Washington have reproached Brussels over its stance on the deal. The US says the EU is too soft on Tehran, while the Iranians say the three European JCPOA parnters do not have the courage to stand up to Trump. The plan involves private companies building up to four toll lanes on the Beltway and I-270, financing their construction and keeping most of the toll revenue long-term. The state transportation department would pay nothing, officials say. The tolls would fluctuate in response to traffic volume to keep vehicles moving. Existing lanes, which would be rebuilt, would remain free. In all, the contracts could be worth more than $11 billion, officials say. Bulgarian veterinary authorities say they will cull 24,000 additional pigs amid signs of an outbreak of African Swine Fever at a pig farm in the northeast of the country. The report on January 3 represents a continuation of an outbreak that was first detected at six breeding farms in the summer and led to the culling of more than 130,000 pigs in August 2019. The latest outbreak was detected at a farm in the village of Nikola Kozlevo in the region of Shumen, food safety officials said. Health officials said there were 42 registered outbreaks of African Swine Fever in the country in 2019. The disease does not affect humans but is highly contagious among pigs. In August, industry officials expressed concerns that the virus could hit the nations entire pig herd of some 500,000 and cause more than $1.1 billion in damages. The European Commission has set aside 9 million euros (around $10 million) to help fight the disease. Bulgarian lawmakers have approved legislation for 2020 intended to regulate conditions for raising domestic pigs and enhance biosecurity measures. Based on reporting by Reuters and The Sofia Globe Mexico will build a cemetery in one of the country's most dangerous cities because of a high number of unidentified and unclaimed dead, authorities said Friday. More than 15,000 people were murdered in Ciudad Juarez between 2008 and 2019, including 1,497 last year, according to official figures. "It is intended for the victims of the northern area of Chihuahua, precisely because of the large number of unidentified people or those who no one is claiming," Eberth Castanon Torres, coordinator at the local prosecutor's office, told AFP. The cemetery will cover 50,000 square miles, have a visual identification area, a body preparation area, and six funeral cold rooms for 300 corpses. Some 2,400 burial niches are reserved for temporarily storing bodies. Prosecutors hope that the site will allow them to obtain genetic profiles of victims. Since December 2016 -- when the federal government launched a military offensive against the drug cartels -- around 275,000 assassinations have been recorded in Mexico, according to official data. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran Foreign Ministry holds extraordinary meeting over assassination of IRGC Comdr IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesman in a message said that in the wake of the assassination of the IRGC commander Major General Qasem Soleimani, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has held an extraordinary meeting with his top diplomats on Friday. The martyred IRGC commander and the acting commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) - known as the Hash al-Shaabi- Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. Mousavi earlier said that the Charge d'affairs of Switzerland's embassy in Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to hear Iran's strong protest to the martyrdom of the IRGC's Quds Forces Major General Qasem Soleimani by the US forces. Zarif in a message described the US act of assassinating the IRGC commander Major General Qasem Soleimani as "dangerous and foolish". "The US' act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General SoleimaniTHE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et alis extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation," Zarif tweeted on Friday. "The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism," he added. The IRGC has confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei announced three days of public mourning on the martyrdom of the Commander. 9376**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Forest Corporation worker manages a fire hose as he battles a fire near Moruya, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison called up about 3,000 reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated Saturday in at least three states with two more deaths, and strong winds and high temperatures were forecast to bring flames to populated areas including the suburbs of Sydney. Read more SYDNEY A father and son who were battling flames for two days are the latest victims of the worst wildfire season in Australian history, and the path of destruction widened in at least three states Saturday due to strong winds and high temperatures. The death toll in the wildfire crisis is now up to 23 people, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said after calling up about 3,000 reservists to battle the escalating fires, which are expected to be particularly fierce throughout the weekend. "We are facing another extremely difficult next 24 hours, Morrison said at a televised news conference. In recent times, particularly over the course of the balance of this week, we have seen this disaster escalate to an entirely new level." Dick Lang, a 78-year-old acclaimed bush pilot and outback safari operator, and his 43-year-old son, Clayton, were identified by Australian authorities after their bodies were found Saturday on a highway on Kangaroo Island. Their family said their losses left them heartbroken and reeling from this double tragedy. Lang, known as Desert Dick," led tours for travelers throughout Australia and other countries. He loved the bush, he loved adventure and he loved Kangaroo Island, his family said. Clayton Lang, one of Dick's four sons, was a renowned plastic surgeon who specialized in hand surgery. The fire danger increased as temperatures rose Saturday to record levels across Australia, surpassing 109 Fahrenheit in Canberra, the capital, and reaching a record-high 120 F in Penrith, in Sydneys western suburbs. Video and images shared on social media showed blood red skies taking over Mallacoota, a coastal town in Victoria where as many as 4,000 residents and tourists were forced to shelter on beaches as the navy tried to evacuate as many people as possible. By Saturday evening, 3,600 firefighters were battling blazes across New South Wales state. Power was lost in some areas as fires downed transmissions lines, and residents were warned that the worst may be yet to come. "We are now in a position where we are saying to people it's not safe to move, it's not safe to leave these areas," state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. "We are in for a long night and I make no bones about that. We are still yet to hit the worst of it. Morrison said the governor general had signed off on the calling up of reserves to search and bring every possible capability to bear by deploying army brigades to fire-affected communities. Defense Minister Linda Reynolds said it was the first time that reservists had been called up "in this way in living memory and, in fact, I believe for the first time in our nation's history. The deadly wildfires, which have been raging since September, have already burned about 12.35 million acres of land and destroyed more than 1,500 homes. The early and devastating start to Australias summer wildfires has also been catastrophic for the country's wildlife, likely killing nearly 500 million birds, reptiles and mammals in New South Wales alone, Sydney University ecologist Chris Dickman told the Sydney Morning Herald. Frogs, bats and insects are excluded from his estimate, making the toll on animals much greater. Experts say climate change has exacerbated the unprecedented wildfires around the world. Morrison has been criticized for his repeated refusal to say climate change is impacting the fires, instead deeming them a natural disaster. Some residents yelled at the prime minister earlier in the week during a visit to New South Wales, where people were upset with the lack of fire equipment their towns had. After fielding criticism for taking a family vacation in Hawaii as the wildfire crisis unfolded in December, Morrison announced he was postponing visits to India and Japan that were scheduled for later this month. The government has committed 20 million Australian dollars ($14 million) to lease four fire-fighting aircraft for the duration of the crisis, and the helicopter-equipped HMAS Adelaide was deployed to assist evacuations from fire-ravaged areas. The deadly fire on Kangaroo Island broke containment lines Friday and was described as virtually unstoppable as it destroyed buildings and burned through more than 35,000 acres of Flinders Chase National Park. While the warning level for the fire was reduced Saturday, the Country Fire Service said it was still a risk to lives and property. New South Wales Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers warned that the fires could move frighteningly quick. Embers carried by the wind had the potential to spark new fires or enlarge existing blazes. Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fizsimmons said the 652,000-acre Green Wattle Creek fire in a national park west of Sydney could spread into Sydneys western suburbs. He said crews have been doing extraordinary work by setting controlled fires and using aircraft and machinery to try to keep the flames away. More than 130 fires were burning in New South Wales, with at least half of them out of control. Firefighters were battling a total of 53 fires across Victoria state, and conditions were expected to worsen with a southerly wind change. About 2.2 million acres of bushland has already been burned through. In a rare piece of good news, the number of people listed as missing or unaccounted for in Victoria was reduced from 28 to six. "We still have those dynamic and dangerous conditions the low humidity, the strong winds and, what underpins that, the state is tinder dry," Victoria Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. Thousands have already fled fire-threatened areas in Victoria, and local police reported heavy traffic flows on major roads. "If you might be thinking about whether you get out on a particular road close to you, well there's every chance that a fire could hit that particular road and you can't get out," Victoria Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. McMorran reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Major US arms companies have seen their stock prices jump following the Trump administrations assassination of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. The US announced it was deploying nearly 3,000 extra troops to the Middle East on Friday as Iran vowed severe revenge on those responsible for Soleimanis killing. Irans expected retaliation means Americas long-running military presence in Iraq and the Middle East, which has financially benefited US defence companies, is unlikely to wind down. Defence technology company Northrop Grumman saw its stock up by 5.43 per cent on Friday, while Lockheed Martin stock gained 3.6 per cent and Raytheon stock rose by 1.5 per cent. The killing of Soleimani, a powerful military commander, has sparked fears of an all-out war between the US and Iran, which would lead to increased military spending. US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday 3 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures The wreckage of the car in which general Soleimani was travelling when a targeted US airstrike struck outside Baghdad International Airport on 3 January Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Demonstrators burn the US and British flags during a protest in Tehran after general Soleimani was killed in a targeted airstrike by American forces Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike. The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military has killed general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of Donald Trump AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn Israeli and US flags as thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of general Soleimani at the hands of America EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of Donald Trump pray at an 'Evangelicals for Trump' campaign event held on the day following the killing of general Soleimani. At the event, the president praised the "flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader" AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A huge procession of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of general Soleimani on 4 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani during an anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iraqis perform a mourning prayer for slain major general Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Great Mosque of Kufa AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A billboard reading 'Death to America and Israel', installed by Iran-backed shiite armed groups at a street in Jadriyah district in Baghdad, Iraq EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him visiting the family of Soleiman KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US flag as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Jalal Feiruznia, looks to a portrait of Soleimani, as he receives condolences at the Iranian embassy, in Beirut, Lebanon AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures People make their way on the street while a screen on the wall of a cinema shows a portrait Soleimani in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Aziz Asmar, one of two Syrian painters who completed a mural following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani poses next to his creation in the rebel-held Syrian town of Dana in the northwestern province of Idlib AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A demonstration in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures An anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Mujtaba al-Husseini, the representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers a speech in the holy shrine city of Najaf AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US and Israeli flags as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters demonstrate in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, in Peshawar, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London PA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn a US flag in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A Syrian man offers sweets to children to mark the killing AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers attend a mourning prayer for Soleimani in Iran's capital Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Kashmiri Shiite Muslims shout anti American and anti Israel slogans during a protest AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshipers chant slogans during Friday prayers Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A protest against the USA, in Islamabad, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranians burn a US flag in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin, Germany Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol a road in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila near the border with Israel. Following morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian women take to the streets in Tehran EPA Donald Trump has said the airstrike was a defensive move and claimed Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, Mr Trump said on Friday. However, the assassination is a clear escalation in US-Iran tensions and is likely to increase clashes between the two countries. Tasnim news agency has quoted a senior commander in Irans Revolutionary Guards as saying the country will punish Americans wherever they are within reach in retaliation for Soleimanis killing. On Saturday, thousands of mourners in Baghdad, Iraq, marched in a funeral procession for the commander and chanted America is the Great Satan and Death to America. The US State Department has already urged all US citizens to leave Iraq following a New Years Eve attack on an embassy in Baghdad by an Iranian-backed group. Stock market analysts tracking the defence market believe the escalated tensions in the region could lead to increases in military spending, according to The Washington Post. Oil prices also surged following the strike on Friday, with US crude oil climbing by 3.1 per cent, while stocks fell broadly on Wall Street. Roman Schweitzer, from the Cowen Washington Research Group, has said the airstrike is a major escalation that shifts US-Iran tensions towards a direct confrontation. This is the equivalent of Iran killing the US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff or the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and then taking credit for it Mr Schweitzer wrote in an analyst note. Sheila Kahyaoglu, an analyst for Jefferies Investment Bank, also wrote to investors that the threat of conflict in the Middle East points to the broad threat profile that supports elevated levels of spending, according to The Post. Additional reporting by AP But it is still not too late for diplomacy to avert a major conflict in Iraq, the Gulf and beyond. The US strike in the early hours of January 3 that killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani has surprised many in the Middle East and beyond. A brazen attack, carried out without permission on the soil of a sovereign nation, it was more reminiscent of the covert operations of Israels Mossad against its pro-Iranian rivals than an act a global leader with a great stake in the region should engage in. The assassination of Soleimani is likely to further destabilise a region already rocked by nearly a decade of upheaval. Soleimani was a figure who loomed large in the Middle East over the last few decades. As a young man, he played a key role in the Islamic revolution and the Iran-Iraq war, and many in Iran will remember him as a war hero, who protected the very identity of the revolution. Yet outside Iran, he is also understandably widely loathed and considered the chief architect of chaos in the region. After his appointment in 1998 as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, a division responsible for clandestine military activities abroad, he led many operations in the Middle East and elsewhere. These interventions almost always came at the expense of Arab nations sovereignty and the wellbeing of their civilian population, whether it was the US-Iranian pact that enabled the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and which allowed sectarianism to take root, or the deployment of Iranian forces to save the embattled Assad regime in Syria, which led to ethnic cleansing. As the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, or ISIS) concluded in 2017, the US became more attentive to concerns voiced by Saudi Arabia about Iranian meddling in the affairs of its neighbours, as they found themselves confronting a real and/or imaginary Soleimani in Yemen, as well as Iraq and Syria. Meanwhile, Israel, the USs closest ally, whose security under Trumps administration, become more or less the sole concern of US foreign policy in the region, started to feel the heat of the Iranian presence in Syria and that of Hezbollah, Irans proxy in Lebanon, which emerged emboldened having fought alongside the Iranians on behalf of Damascus. As a result, the Trump administration grew less and less patient with Irans foreign operations led by the Quds Force. This group has appeared increasingly out of control, even to the official Iranian foreign policymakers. The brief resignation of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif back in February 2019, came as a direct result of having been sidelined from a meeting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and President Hassan Rouhani that took place in Tehran and was attended by Soleimani. In June 2019, two oil tankers (Norwegian and Japanese-owned) were attacked in broad daylight in the Strait of Hormuz, just one month after four tankers anchored off the UAE coast were targeted. The fact that the attacks on a vessel linked to Japan coincided with the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister to Tehran was seen by some observers as an attempt by the IRGC to undermine Irans foreign ministry. As Iran was escalating against the US and its allies in the Middle East, trying to push the Trump administration to relax some of the crippling sanctions it imposed after its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the US took the unusual step in April 2019 of declaring the IRGC a terrorist organisation which left Soleimani and his Quds Force open to the many counterterrorism options available to Washington and its allies in the region. Meanwhile, protests erupted in Iraq which changed the regional calculus. Protesters blamed the muhasasa or sectarian quota system for triggering sectarian violence across Iraq and allowing certain individuals and groups to enrich themselves while much of the Iraqi population endured economic hardship. Both Tehran and Washington were surprised in equal measures by the Iraqi people demonstrating against corruption, sectarianism and foreign interference. For both, controlling Iraq suddenly became something that could not be taken for granted. For Iran, this was particularly problematic given that Iraq has been its main lifeline in the face of the US sanctions and a key link for its manoeuvres in Syria and Lebanon. As a result, it sent Soleimani multiple times to Baghdad to coordinate ways to control the situation with its political and paramilitary allies in the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), including escalating violence against the protesters and hitting back at the US. The meddling in Iraq that Soleimani was accused of over the past couple of weeks would have most likely passed unpunished if it were not for the opportunity a military response offered to a US president impeached by the House of Representatives and an Israeli prime minister facing trial on corruption charges. Ahead of the November US presidential election, Donald Trump gets to demonstrate his strength in the face of successive failures of his foreign policy initiatives, while Benjamin Netanyahu gets a useful distraction from his legal troubles ahead of the upcoming Israeli parliamentary vote in March. In the Middle East, however, Trump and Netanyahus political opportunism will have dire consequences. While both the US and Iran are likely to avoid direct confrontation which was evident from Washingtons choice to stage its attack on Iraqi soil the latter has already vowed to retaliate. As Iran concludes its three days of national mourning, its revenge strikes will likely be carried out by proxy forces. It has a wide choice of tactical responses, including bombing, kidnapping and even cyber security attacks. This could involve operations in Irans immediate neighbourhood similar to those carried out in September on Saudi oil installations or disruption of oil shipping routes in the Gulf. Attacks on US positions in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and potentially Afghanistan are also likely. While the assassination of Soleimani demonstrated that neither the US nor Iran is willing to respect Iraqi sovereignty, its real political fallout is likely to result in the weakening of the Iraqi protest movement which has, for the first time, unified Iraqis around a nationalist, non-sectarian platform and has threatened Iranian influence in the country and called for the expulsion of US troops. Now, the unfolding events can be exploited by politicians to advocate for the continued role of Iran in Iraqi politics. In the current atmosphere of shock and emotion, there is little appetite for diplomacy. This is unfortunate because even this week speculation abounded over the secret willingness of both parties to re-enter negotiations over the nuclear deal. Given the statements made by some European countries, including Germany, justifying the US attack, it is now possible that Iran leaves the JCPOA entirely or at least announces a significant increase in enrichment of uranium. In coming days, it is vital that the voices of calm and diplomacy win out over those calling for escalation and confrontation, to avert a regional war. Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thanis visit to Tehran on January 4 and his call for finding a peaceful solution to reduce the tension is promising. Qatar enjoys the respect and trust of both Iran and the United States and has a direct interest in defusing the tension, given it hosts the largest US airbase in the region and shares gas fields with Iran. For de-escalation efforts to be successful, however, the US must refrain from other targeted killings in Iraq. In addition, the US and Iran must not heed the calls for violence and revenge from regional warmongers who stand to gain from their direct confrontation. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Amanda Holden has reportedly signed a three-year deal for 3million to continue her role as a judge on ITV's Britain's Got Talent. This comes shortly after it was revealed channel favourites Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have received a 40million payday in order to stay with the broadcaster. ITV is allegedly keen to keep hold of its big names following fears they will be poached for shows by Amazon Prime Video, according to The Sun. Big bucks! Amanda Holden has reportedly signed a three-year deal for 3million to continue her role as a judge on ITV's Britain's Got Talent Signing on the dotted line means that Amanda will return to her role on the Britain's Got Talent judging panel later this year for the programme's 14th series. Amanda is set to join her co-joins Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams when filming for the talent show kicks off in the next few weeks. Just last year, the radio presenter signed a 3million two-year deal with Heart Breakfast, cementing her title as the highest paid female host. In the money: This comes shortly after it was revealed channel favourites Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have received a 40million payday in order to stay with the broadcaster Back together: Amanda is set to join her co-joins Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams when filming for the talent show kicks off in the next few weeks MailOnline have contacted Amanda's representatives for comment. Elsewhere, Ant and Dec are set to sign a 40 million, three-year contract with ITV, which could increase to 50 million if they chose to extend it. The Sun reported that the channel were keen to keep their 'most prized assets' by offering them the deal, after Amazon Prime Video were allegedly interested in taking on the duo for a new show. A source speaking to the publication claimed: 'With their current golden handcuffs deal up for renewal, other broadcasters have been sniffing around most notably Amazon who still have a lot of cash to splash. Leader of the pack: Just last year, the radio presenter signed a 3million two-year deal with Heart Breakfast, cementing her title as the highest paid female host Staying on: Elsewhere, Ant and Dec are set to sign a 40 million, three-year contract with ITV, which could increase to 50 million if they chose to extend it 'There was talk of them getting their own series on the streaming giant. ITV are desperate to prevent this and have come in with a new, big, big money, three-year deal.' The source added: 'Their current contract is 30million and is now going up to at least 40million with scope to extend it in length and take the pay up to as high as 50million.' Ant and Dec front ITV's hit shows I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Outta Here!, Britain's Got Talent, and Saturday Night Takeaway, while they also appeared on Ant and Dec's DNA Journey. Jumping in: It was reported that ITV want to keep their 'most prized assets' by offering them the new deal, after Amazon were allegedly interested in taking on the duo The publication also reported that while Britain's Got Talent is set to return to ITV in mid-January, judges David Walliams and Amanda Holden have yet to sign their contracts for the new season. They claimed that Alesha Dixon would be returning, while head judge Simon Cowell has a separate contract with ITV that ensures his involvement on the talent show. MailOnline have also contacted David, Amanda, Alesha and Simon's representatives for comment. Sheep farmers in rural Wexford are still living in fear of stray, feral dogs destroying their flocks despite the Council's efforts to heighten awareness of the issue. Discussing the prevalence of sheep attacks throughout the county, Administrative Officer Hugh Maguire said, 'With regards to sheep worrying incidents, despite news items and high-profile stories, it's still too common of an incident in rural areas. For a farmer who has to encounter the unfortunate case of a sheep kill it's not just the lambs and sheep that are killed it's the effect on the other livestock, the ewes would often get spooked. 'And it's not just financial, there's a huge emotional involvement people have with their animals, it's a devastating instance for any farmer. It's surprising so many people living in the country don't take more care or keep their animals under control during the lambing season,' Mr Maguire said. Emphasising the extent of the issue, Wexford Dog Warden John Colfer recalled two particularly distressing scenes he had been called to in recent times. 'I had a situation early in the year where 69 sheep were killed,' Mr Colfer said. 'Two of the neighbour's dogs had got out, two doberman pincers, and just slaughtered them. 'We had a similar situation in recent years were a farmer had a 100 sheep, and half of them were killed, with the other half down in the corner of the field. There were two rottweilers and a labrador stood in the middle of the field with ten guards and six farmers with shotguns. Those are the types of situations we deal with.' Outlining the workload of the County Dog Warden, Mr Maguire said Mr Colfer took approximately 4,800 calls per year, responding to incidents all over the county. 'He's almost busier than your average County Councillor, he deals with stray dogs throughout Wexford. He might be called by the guards to help with a drug bust; if the dealers had a big dog on the premises, he'd be called in to control that,' said Mr Maguire. This level of activity extends to the local dog pound which Mr Maguire said has the 'inglorious distinction' of being the busiest in the country. But he was keen to stress that the majority of the dogs entering the pound were either reunited with their owners or rehomed elsewhere. 'In 2005 we had almost 1500 dogs enter the pound and 845 of those put to sleep. Which is just under 57%. The national average at the time was 65%. In 2018, we had 809 dogs in the pound and 100 put to sleep, which is just under 12%, the national average is 7%. 'There's been a huge improvement locally since 2005. And this year we expect to have the lowest figure ever of dogs put to sleep, around the 10% mark. We also had the distinction in 2018 of giving the most dogs to welfare organisations for rehoming,' said Mr Maguire. Issues remain though, particularly in relation to larger breeds which are supposed to be muzzled while in public. 'Unfortunately some people with these dogs are flagrant of the rules. The Japanese Akita is getting very popular, and they seem to be involved in most of the attacks on people, I don't think people don't realise what they have when they get a pup and it becomes a huge dog,' said Mr Maguire. Cllr Lisa McDonald, whose motion to have stray dogs photographed and displayed online was adopted at the Wexford County Council meeting last week, suggested those found to be cruel to their dogs should receive greater penalties. 'I'd call for more severe penalties for people who are cruel to dogs. It strikes me that if you're cruel, your dog is taken away from you and it has to be put down for various neglect reasons. And then you can go down the street and get a new dog the next day, that shouldn't be allowed,' she said. Mr Maguire said that ultimately the Control of Dogs Act, which was updated in 2010, needed to be amended further. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As states continue to look toward innovative technologies to address the ever-changing needs of the modern world, California has approved the use of light-duty autonomous delivery vehicles. Last month, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revised existing regulations to allow the use of autonomous delivery vehicles weighing less than 10,001 pounds with a permit from the DMV. Eligible vehicles include autonomous cargo vans, mid-sized pickup trucks and passenger cars carrying select goods, like groceries and pizza. The adoption of these regulations means Californians soon could receive deliveries from an autonomous vehicle provided the company fulfills the requirements, DMV director Steve Gordon said. As always, public safety is our primary focus. Autonomous delivery vehicles will be subject to comply with the same requirements currently in place for autonomous passenger vehicles, with companies eligible to test their autonomous delivery vehicles with or without a safety driver, depending on the type of permit theyve received. Currently, 65 companies have permits to test autonomous delivery vehicles on Californias public roads with a safety driver, including Tesla, Ford and Honda, with just one company, Waymo, permitted to operate without a safety driver onboard. In order to be deployed on public roads, the vehicles must be equipped with an autonomous vehicle data recorder (the technology designed to detect and respond to roadway situations), in addition to being capable of detecting and responding to cyber attacks. The vehicle manufacturers must have conducted extensive testing to ensure safety on public roads and must submit a copy of a law enforcement interaction plan to the DMV. Additionally, if the vehicle does not require a safety driver, manufacturers must meet other requirements, such as a communication link between the vehicle and a remote operator. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN NYC? The move made by California could inspire other states to follow suit, though the idea of autonomous vehicles on New York City streets has long been a point of contention for city and state officials. In late 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans to allow General Motors and Cruise Automation to begin testing autonomous vehicles on Manhattan streets starting in 2018. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to save time and save lives, and we are proud to be working with GM and Cruise on the future of this exciting new technology, Cuomo said at the time. The spirit of innovation is what defines New York, and we are positioned on the forefront of this emerging industry that has the potential to be the next great technological advance that moves our economy and moves us forward. However, the program never came to fruition, with Mayor Bill de Blasio fiercely opposing the deployment of autonomous vehicles onto busy Manhattan streets, citing safety concerns and a lack of coordination between the state and the citys Department of Transportation and NYPD. I really dont like it,'' de Blasio said at the time. "I think its a mistake. I think that it creates a danger. The last thing we wanna do is create a potential new danger, so were gonna be very aggressive in saying this is not a good idea unless it is carefully vetted. While autonomous vehicles have yet to hit public roads in New York, Optimus Ride, an autonomous vehicle technology company, launched the states first self-driving vehicle program this past August in Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre industrial park thats home to more than 400 businesses, employing more than 10,000 employees. Currently, six self-driving shuttles are transporting passengers, free of charge, between the recently-opened NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and Brooklyn Navy Yards Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue. The autonomous vehicles are currently confined to operating within the private complex of Brooklyn Navy Yard, with a safety driver and software operator present in the vehicles to ensure that someone can take control if the self-driving software malfunctions. Our system will provide access to and experience with autonomy for thousands of people, helping to increase acceptance of and confidence in this new technology, which helps move the overall industry forward," said Dr. Ryan Chin, CEO and co-founder of Optimus Ride. FILE PHOTO: The headquarters for Axon Enterprise Inc is seen in Scottsdale, Arizona (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Friday challenged police body camera maker Axon Enterprise Inc's completed acquisition of rival Vievu, saying it allowed the company to impose substantial price increases. The FTC's announcement it was issuing an administrative complaint came hours after Axon sued the agency in a bid to have potential antitrust litigation heard in a U.S. district court. Axon, the manufacturer of Taser stun guns and body camera systems for police departments, has been the target of FTC scrutiny since 2018, when the regulator requested information from the Arizona-based company about its acquisition of Vievu. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese) A kangaroo rushes past a burning house on 31 December 2019 in Conjola, on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Photo: Matthew Abbott / The New York Times / Redux / Eyevine By Ben Smee 3 January 2020 (The Guardian) Australian authorities have made a final plea for people to flee bushfire-affected areas in three states before the onset of extreme conditions so dangerous that firefighters may be unable to defend entire towns. On Friday, authorities in New South Wales urged people still in a 14,000 square kilometre area of the states south coast, and in other high risk areas in the Snowy Valley, to leave overnight. In Victoria where there are grave fears for 28 people still missing in the East Gippsland region authorities have sent 250,000 text messages to people in affected shires and urged them to evacuate. Unobscured by smoke, aerial footage taken with a thermal aerial video at Mallacoota on 31 December 2019, at around 11pm, shows the extent of the bushfire front in the East Gippsland area. The deadly fires have burnt through more than 766,000 hectares across Victoria. Video: Guardian News Late on Friday, authorities said 3.5% of the Victorian landmass had been affected by fire. Both NSW and Victoria have enacted emergency measures that give firefighting authorities the power to forcibly relocate people if necessary. In South Australia, warnings have been issued for two fires on Kangaroo Island, which firefighters have said they cannot prevent from spreading. SA country fire service chief officer Mark Jones said he would be astonished if homes were not already lost. Forecasters have predicted temperatures in the mid-40Cs on Saturday for some parts of south-east Australia. The fire danger will be increased by strong winds. [] Aerial footage shows wildfires raging in the Australian state of Victoria across a large area of forest near the town of Buchan on 2 January 2020 and through a vast expanse near Wingan River a day earlier. Video: Guardian News The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, held a press conference on Friday afternoon to tell people on the south coast and in other affected areas that by Saturday morning it would be too late to leave. There is a window until tonight, for people to get out and we encourage them to do so, please do not stay in the area unless you absolutely have to, she said. [] Fires continued to burn uncontrolled, and bushfire smoke continues to shroud a massive area. Air quality in Canberra again ranked among the poorest in the world on Friday, thanks to smoke from the bushfires. [more] Australian bushfire crisis: authorities plead for last-ditch evacuation, with terrible conditions ahead By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body of the Sikh community, will be sending a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation following a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and also take up this matter with the United Nations. SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said: "We strongly condemn the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and appeal to the Pakistan Government to take stringent action against the culprits and also ensure the safety of Sikhs living there. We will be sending a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there. It will meet Sikh families in Nankana Sahib along with the governor and Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province." Longwal said the delegation will comprise Rajinder Singh Mehta, Roop Singh, Surjit Singh and Rajinder Singh. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president and Akali Dal MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was an attempt to convert gurdwaras into mosques. He urged the international community to pressure Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community in that country along with the pilgrims who regularly visit holy shrines there. Talking with this correspondent, Sirsa said, "In yesterdays incident, the Muslims openly declared to convert all gurdwaras into mosques in the neighbouring country. Why have Pakistan Prime Minister Imran khan, who is otherwise hyper social media activist, not spoken a single word till now? The sikh community will never get scared of such acts. We have told the officials of the Pakistan high commission that the Sikh community is ready to make supreme sacrifice to uphold the sanctity of the holy place which is revered by millions of people of all faiths and religion worldwide." "Sikhs had fought against Mughals. They have a glorious history of fighting tyrant Muslim rulers such as Aurangzeb, Zakriya Khan and Wazir Khan. It was Sikh warrior General Bhagel Singh who was responsible for the end of the Mughal rule in India. This history will repeat itself if Pakistan failed to act in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib case." Earlier, various Sikh organizations including members of DSGMC and the Shiromani Akali Dal staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi over the mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. The protestors raised slogans against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government. A memorandum was submitted to the Pakistan High Commission urging the Imran Khan government to explain the failure of law enforcing agencies. The Sikh community will take action against the elements responsible for the desecration of the holy Sikh shrine if action against the perpetrators is not taken immediately by Pakistani government, the memorandum read. Meanwhile, radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa urged Imran Khan to take an official stand on the incident. Party spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said that one insane person spewing venom against Sikh faith should not become a reason for hindrance in the cementing of Sikh-Muslim brotherhood. However, Pakistan Foreign Office on Friday late night rejected any such incident. In a statement, it stated that said the provincial authorities in the Punjab province have informed that there was a scuffle in Nankana Sahib on Friday between two Muslim groups. The altercation happened over a minor incident at a tea stall and the district administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused. Back in the Dark Ages before the internet, before Amazon there were other ways to satisfy your craving for impulse buying from the comfort of your home. You could sit down in front of your television at the appointed hour, pick up the receiver on your telephone if the cord stretched that far and order from the Home Shopping Network. When Joseph Segel, a marketing expert and entrepreneur who had founded the Franklin Mint, the maker of commemorative coins and other collectibles, saw a video of the Home Shopping Network in 1986, he thought it rather primitive. He was sure he could create a better, more professional shopping experience. What he came up with was QVC, which became a powerhouse television shopping network that would rival the Home Shopping Network and later eclipse it. (Both are now owned by a conglomerate called Qurate Retail Group.) QVC featured live broadcasts of unscripted hosts demonstrating products from jewelry and intimate apparel to electronics and snowblowers while keeping up a waterfall of chitchat as they built a relationship with their audience. QVC made it easier for people to shop than going to the mall, Segel said. QVCs success on television presaged that of retailers on the internet like Amazon and Walmart. He was a visionary whose ideas changed the way the world shops, Mike George, chief executive of Qurate, said in a statement. Segel died Saturday at an assisted-living facility in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. He was 88. His son Marvin said the cause was congestive heart failure. In a career that spanned five decades, Segel founded 22 companies in fields as diverse as publishing, minting, photography, aviation, software, hospitality, television broadcasting and behavior modification. He had an innate feel for what consumers wanted and for how to sell it to them. In 1964, he observed two disparate events: national mourning for Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who led the Allied victory over Japan in World War II, and a run on banks to buy silver dollars before they were discontinued. Segel put those two events together and started manufacturing sterling silver commemorative medals of MacArthur. That business quickly grew into the world-renowned Franklin Mint. But there was nothing like his success with QVC. Segel had long retired from the Franklin Mint and his other ventures when he thought he could improve on the Home Shopping Network. (Always stirred by a new idea, he was famous for retiring and then un-retiring to pursue something else.) He started QVC the letters stand for Quality, Value, Convenience in West Chester, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where it established a reputation as the worlds foremost purveyor of simulated gems, macrame sweaters and coffee-table knickknacks. Within a few months, it was broadcasting around the clock. The network required its hosts to be deeply familiar with the products they were pitching. Segel, an accomplished photographer, even went on the air himself to sell cameras. He preferred the soft sell to the hard sell, information to pressure tactics, and wanted hosts to convey a products virtues through relatable storytelling. (My sister wore this and it was a knockout.) QVCs secret sauce hasnt changed much since then. We connect with customers via authentic stories, interesting personalities and award-winning customer service, the network says on its corporate website. We invite customers to tell their stories and share their feedback. And we do it live, across multiple networks and platforms. Above all, Segel emphasized customer service, hence his motto: Give customers more than what they expect. The network displayed its shipping and handling fees on-screen and helpfully broke down how items could be paid for in six easy installments. He was a hands-on, detail-oriented boss, according to employee testimonials. He told his hosts what words to use and not use and wrote them memos about their performances. One day employees saw him kicking boxes down the stairs he was testing the packaging to see if it could withstand rough treatment. At the time of its first broadcast, on Nov. 24, 1986 the first item offered was an $11.49 shower radio the network was carried by 58 cable providers in 20 states. Today Qurate, its parent company, reaches 380 million homes worldwide through 15 television networks. In 1986, there were 17 other new shopping channels trying to improve on the Home Shopping Network model. QVC was the only one to survive into the 90s. Segel retired as QVCs chairman in 1993 but stayed on as a consultant until 2013. (Media mogul and Fox Broadcasting Co. founder Barry Diller succeeded him as head of QVC.) In 2002, when Segal accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Electronic Retailing Association, he offered this additional explanation for QVCs success: Theres no bad news on QVC, he said. It brings great cheer to everyone. When you tune to QVC, theres nothing about Iraq or al-Qaida or snipers. Theres not even any sex or violence on QVC that is, not in front of the cameras. Joseph Myron Segel was born Jan. 9, 1931, in Philadelphia to Albert and Fannie Segal. His father worked in real estate, and he and his wife raised their two children, Joe and Jane, in West Philadelphia. Joe was a natural entrepreneur, starting a printing business that sold business cards at 13. He was 16 when he enrolled at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1951 with a bachelors degree in economics. Wharton then took him on at 20 to teach Marketing 101 while on the side he ran a business, the Advertising Specialty Institute, which published a directory of promotional materials to help new businesses get off the ground. His first marriage, to Renee Paul, ended in divorce. In 1964 he married Doris Greenstein, who died in 2018. In addition to his son Marvin, from his first marriage, he is survived by another son, Alan, from his second marriage; a stepdaughter, Sandy Stern; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His sister, Jane Segel Neff, died in 2014. Even after he retired from QVC, Segel started a half-dozen other businesses. Most involved skin care and beauty products. Business was never far from Segels thoughts, his son Marvin said. Even in his final days, he shared with his granddaughter Devon Segel, a businesswoman, this advice: Dont worry about the margins. Be brave. Bold marketing is what cuts through the noise. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. WITH the partial deployment ban in Kuwait now in effect, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Saturday, January 4, said having the host country give justice to the death of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jeanelyn Villavende might just be enough to have it lifted. In an interview, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said they are asking the Kuwaiti Government to immediately give justice to Villavende if only to pave the way for possible lifting of the deployment ban. File a charge for an act resulting to death and we might consider lifting. We might. I am not saying we will, Bello said. We are going to watch carefully so that justice be given to Jeanelyn, he furthered. As of the latest information, the labor chief related that the employers of Villavende are already detained by authorities but is unclear whether they have already been charged or not. We will wait for the copy of the charge. We also got a report from our labor attache that they have not been charged and are still under investigation, he related. Bello issued the statement after the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) promulgated the resolution imposing the deployment ban on newly-hired household service workers (HSWs) in Kuwait. This was prompted by the alleged maltreatment and killing of Villavende at the hands of her employers. If not, Bello said the Philippine government is prepared to escalate the ban from partial to total. It might ripen into a total deployment ban if we do not get justice for Jeanelyn Villavende, he said. In turn, he said they will just look for alternative markets for affected OFWs, such as China, Japan, Israel, Russia, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan. Well provide them alternative places for deployment. That is why we are looking for alternative markets. That is why we are negotiating with other countries, where they will be safer, said Bello. (HDT/SunStar Philippines) Economists are concerned that Bamboo Airways' sale of shares to foreigners could affect national security. At a roadshow on stock investment opportunities last week, Bamboo Airways announced that it is conducting negotiations to sell shares to foreign strategic investors. The share price is believed to be no lower than VND160,000. With this price level, the capitalization value of the airline would far exceed the initially estimated value of $1 billion. Prior to that, Nguyen Khac Hai, deputy CEO of Bamboo Airways, said the carrier was planning to list 400 million shares on either the HCM City or Hanoi bourse, slated by January 2020 at the earliest. The starting price of Bamboo Airways share is VND50,000 or VND60,000, or $2.59 per share. At a roadshow on stock investment opportunities last week, Bamboo Airways announced that it is conducting negotiations to sell shares to foreign strategic investors. The share price is believed to be no lower than VND160,000. According to Nguyen Thien Tong, former head of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering under the HCM City University of Technology, in other countries, civil aviation is a special business field, so they apply restrictions on foreign ownership ratios owned by investors from certain countries which may have negative influence on them. Because of the concerns about security and national defense, as well as the impact on socio-economic development, Vietnam, when joining WTO, did not commit to allow foreign investors to develop airports. Under the BIT agreement, Japanese investors can invest under the mode of joint venture to operate river ports, seaports and air terminals. The investment mode is transferring shares and capital contribution to seaport enterprises to foreign investors. The foreign ownership ratio must not be higher than 30 percent of chartered capital. Bamboo Airways has to observe the current laws when selling shares to foreign investors. It can only sell shares to investors from certain countries such as Japan, and the amount of shares it offers must not be higher than the allowed level. Besides, Vietnam needs to take precautions to prevent shares from being sold to other investors and eventually falling into the hands of unwanted investors who may sway airlines operations, thus causing disadvantages to Vietnams aviation industry. Local newspapers reported that many Vietnamese have come forward and collected land in Da Nang, Khanh Hoa and Hai Phong to resell to Chinese people to do business and organize gambling. The same thing may happen in the aviation sector, Tong warned. Regarding the share price of VND160,000, Tong noted that Bamboo Airways, which took off in January 2019, had taken a loss of VND329 billion as of April 2019. It is understandable that an airline takes a loss in the first phase of operation. But it is not understandable that an unprofitable airline still sells shares at a high price, he said. Le Ha Bamboo Airways passes IATA operational safety audit Vietnams newest carrier Bamboo Airways is scheduled to receive the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate at a ceremony in Hanoi on January 3. Australian actor Tom Long has died aged 50 after a long battle with a temrinal blood cancer. Best known for playing Angus in the ABC TV series SeaChange, he had been battling multiple myeloma since 2012. Long collapsed on stage at the Sydney Opera House just months after being told he had the disease. Best known for playing Angus in the ABC TV series SeaChange, Long (pictured with his wife Rebecca Fleming) had been battling multiple myeloma since 2012 Long was one of Australia's most loved local talents having starred in films such as The Dish (pictured with co-star Sam Neil), Two Hands On Sunday morning The Curb reported the actor's untimely death. 'The great Tom Long has left us. One of the finest actors Australia has ever been lucky to see. My heart goes out to his family,' the report read. He appeared on The Project in July to discuss his seven year battle with multiple myeloma - a form of blood cancer - and detailed his long and traumatic treatment history, having undergone bouts of chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and natural therapies. He had been given just three months to live, was frail and reflecting on his grim circumstances. Long (pictured with co-star David Wenham) became a household name after playing Angus Kabiri in iconic Australian television series SeaChange He said he had prepared himself for the worst. 'I'm very aware that I could be taken any time, but it's the hope I think. I go for hope,' he said. He met his wife Rebecca Fleming after being diagnosed with the disease and tied the knot with her in 2019 after being told in December 2018 that he could have just three months to live. The pair met through a friend of Ms Fleming's who lived across the road from Long and she stood by his side throughout his entire battle. The much loved actor featured in several hit Australian movies, including Two Hands, The Dish and The Book of Revelation. Speaking at a press conference in Mexico City on Friday morning, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be pardoned and freed from prison in Britain. Lopez Obrador called for an end to the torture of Assange. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (Source: Wikipedia Commons) In response to a question from a reporter about Assange during a scheduled government media briefing conference, the Mexican president said the secret US cables published by WikiLeaks about unlawful US interventions in Mexico were accurate. There are cables that came to light from when we were in opposition and they spoke about our struggle and I can corroborate that they are true, that is to say what is in them was accurate. They revealed illegal relationships, illegitimate acts, violations of sovereignty, contrary to democracy, against freedoms. This is what is in there. Speaking of Assange, Obrador stated: I dont know whether he has recognized that his actions were confrontational to norms or to the political system, but what the cables demonstrated is the workings of the global system and its authoritarian nature. These are like state secrets that have become known thanks to this investigation, thanks to these cables, and I hope that this is taken into consideration and he is freed and he is no longer tortured. Assange is currently being held in a UK prison outside London awaiting a hearing, scheduled for February 24, on an extradition request from the US that the WikiLeaks founder be handed over to face violations of the Espionage Act. Assange has been charged with 18 offenses that carry a sentence of up to 175 years in prison. Assange is guilty of nothing other than acting as a courageous journalist. He published extensive information that had been concealed from the public about the criminal practices of the US military and American corporations in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. Lopez Obradors reference to WikiLeaks publication of the cables, i.e. the Iraq and Afghanistan War Logs and the Cablegate files, as exposing the workings of the global system and its authoritarian nature are significant. There have been reports of public support in Mexico for the freedom of Assange. In 2012, for example, a report was published in the Economic Times saying that a group of Mexican citizens had organized a vigil in defense of Assange in front of the US embassy. Dozens of people were involved in the campaign, which also included multiple embassies in Mexico. The WikiLeaks founder was arrested on April 11 by British police following his forced eviction from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he had been in asylum for seven years. The regime of Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno illegally terminated Assanges asylum status and invited the British police into the embassy to assault and carry him off to Her Majestys Prison Belmarsh on the basis of a purported bail violation. Acting as a vassal of the Trump administration, the Moreno government participatedalong with that of UK Prime Minister Theresa May and then Boris Johnsonin the violation of Assanges rights, one after another. Among these was the installation of illegal 24/7 video surveillance throughout the Ecuadorian embassy. Everything that Assange did and everyone he met withincluding his lawyers and doctorswas monitored and observed by the CIA via live video link. Lopez Obradors reference to torture is also important. Over the past year, Assanges family, friends and supporters have grown increasingly alarmed that the courageous journalist is being slowly tortured to death by the combined assault on his rights by the British and American governments. On November 4, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer issued a warning that Assange was being mentally and physically tortured in Belmarsh prison and was in imminent danger of dying behind bars. Others, such as British rock musician Roger Waters, have stated that the UK and US governments are trying to kill Assange while he is in prison. The international campaign to demand the freedom of Julian Assange must be stepped up now. If Assange is extradited to the US in February, he will not get a fair trial or face an impartial judge or jury. He will be framed and railroaded straight into a US federal prison. The fact that the president of Mexico is calling for Assange to be released indicates that the popular demand for his freedom is continuing to reach a wider audience. The struggle for freedom of the press, in defense of journalists from state repression and all fundamental democratic rights, is the task of the international working class. John Gray's Relentless Church gives away over $30,000 to help members pay bills Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pastor John Grays Relentless Church gave away thousands upon thousands of dollars to members, volunteers, and visitors this Christmas season and plan to continue their giving into the new year. Gray, a former pastor at Joel Osteens Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, announced the gifts during the Sunday service before Christmas. Among the gifts most of them monetary contributions to help relieve families' financial burdens Gray promised that Relentless Church would give $10,000 to a family in which both parents recently found themselves jobless with over $6,000 in bills to pay and expecting another child. Another gift announced by Gray and his wife, Aventer, was a vow that the church would pay rent for an entire year to benefit a churchgoer named Rashad. The Grays also promised to take Rashad to a car dealership after the turn of the year to help him purchase a car. A video of the service shows the churchgoer falling face down to the ground in tears after hearing the news. There is an individual who serves faithfully. He is here all the time. I didnt know until just recently that he didnt have a place to stay or a vehicle to drive, Aventer Gray said of Rashad. But he is always here and he is always serving, and he is always faithful. The Grays also announced a gift of $3,000 to one church volunteer who faithfully assists the Relentless worship team. The volunteer recently earned her masters degree. Every time I come to worship rehearsal or preparation, you are there serving, always kind, unbelievable kindness and smile, sweet wonderful spirit, John Gray said. We want to bless you and let you know that we are just going to sow $3,000 into you just to let you know that we appreciate you. Is it alright if we sow into our own? Gray asked the congregation which applauded in approval. The Grays also vowed to pay the utility bill of a frequent visitor to the church named Sandra. The women, they said, faced an imminent threat of her power being cut off at home. Relentless is going to pay your power bill so you can have lights for Christmas, Aventer Gray said. The Grays also said the church would help the family of a church security guard who lost all of their possessions in a fire. Additionally, the family is facing heavy medical bills due to multiple heart surgeries. The Grays said the church would pay $2,200 for their medical bills. I dont care how good your insurance is, there is always extra bills, John Gray said. The Grays also said the church would help another church member who was involved in a motorcycle accident pay for his medical bills. Similarly, the Grays said the church would also be helping a member facing eviction and car repossession to get caught up on her bills. Not all the gifts handed out by Relentless Church were publicized. A spokesperson for Gray told The Greenville News that the gifts totaled $30,000. As the newspaper notes, the gifts are not the first acts of generosity by Relentless Church. Gray once invited members in need to take money directly from donation baskets. The church also supports a homeless ministry. The gifts come as Gray recently announced plans to move Relentless Church to another location in Greenville and open a new campus in Atlanta, following reports that the church's lease was being terminated by the buildings owners, pastors Ron and Hope Carpenter. The Carpenters passed the reigns of Redemption Church to the Grays who re-branded it as Relentless Church. The Carpenters moved to California in 2017 to lead another congregation. The Carpenters have since accused John Gray of being a shady man who is dishonest and vowed to take back their church building. Gray, who has served alongside pastors such as Osteen, the late Eddie Long and Jentezen Franklin throughout his career, defended his reputation when he addressed the accusations before his congregation in December. We served [those leaders] with honor and integrity and that should matter to you because God has not led me this far for my character to change, Gray assured. And if God can trust me with the largest platforms in this world from Singapore to Australia, to Brian Houston, to Royal Albert Hall in London, to every other place that God has trusted me from the time I said yes to Him at 13 and first preached at 21, then you can be assured that I didnt come to Greenville to fail God. From South Korea to China, tech-savvy users had their first taste of 5G's lightning-fast internet speeds just months ago. While the network promises a future of self-driving cars and data-fuelled cities, tech companies and research facilities in China and around the world are already looking into 6G, the next generation of internet networks. Sixth-generation mobile networks will reach speeds of one terabyte per second, by some estimates. That's 100 times the rate of even the best existing technology but is expected to take a decade to roll out. In that time, competitors in the race to dominate the technology will have to grapple with geopolitical tensions and work out exactly how it will be applied. Wang Xi, China's vice-minister of science and technology, says the foundations for 6G are being laid. Photo: Handout alt=Wang Xi, China's vice-minister of science and technology, says the foundations for 6G are being laid. Photo: Handout While 6G is in the early stages, 5G technology is already one of the major sources of trade tension between China and the United States as defence systems incorporate cutting-edge wireless technologies. Chinese technology giant Huawei, one of the world's leading 5G equipment vendors, has been accused by the US of being a security threat for its alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Huawei has repeatedly denied the accusations and says it is already researching 6G networks. China is also working at a national level on the technology, forming a team of specialists from universities, think tanks and private companies to oversee its development. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology but involving several other ministries, "will create a solid scientific foundation for the development of the telecommunications industry as well as building a nation of innovation", Wang Xi, vice-minister for science and technology, told a conference in Beijing in November. Story continues But experts in the telecommunications industry say the applications of 6G are far from certain. "The real answer is that we don't know. We can just speculate," said Zahid Ghadialy, principal analyst at London-based tech consultancy 3G4G. Ghadialy, who specialises in telecom networks, said that much would depend on the deployment of 5G networks and whether they would attract high numbers of consumers. "Based on that, we can start planning on what more can we do with 6G," he said. Bi Qi, China Telecom's chief technical officer, projected more specific potential uses for 6G when he addressed the World 5G Convention in Beijing in November. "No matter driving, biking, or walking with a GPS, 6G will be fully integrated with holographs," Xinhua quoted him as saying. "You won't have to keep your head down looking at your phone. There will be a 3D holographic map projected in front of your eyes." But industry insiders said it was still speculative to say what 6G could be used for. Technical barriers, like the transmission of electromagnetic waves at high bandwidths that would make faster internet speeds possible, must be overcome before 6G can become a reality, researchers said. Experts say that for 5G to succeed and 6G to emerge, the geopolitical problems that affect companies like Huawei must be solved. Photo: Reuters alt=Experts say that for 5G to succeed and 6G to emerge, the geopolitical problems that affect companies like Huawei must be solved. Photo: Reuters He Jiguang, a researcher at the University of Oulu, said the research going on in countries like China and South Korea, and by companies like Huawei was in its early stages. "Only in two, three years will there be suitable technologies that could be determined," He said, adding that attention may focus on possibilities such as medical operations using remote devices that communicate with each other. But whatever the next generation of telecommunications technology, Martijn Rasser, a senior fellow at the Centre for a New American Security think tank in Washington, said it would be even more geopolitically important. "China's aggressive push into 5G was a wake-up call, and is prompting other countries to pay closer attention to what comes after 5G," he said. "6G, together with other technology areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, will be at the centre of the great power competition with China in the next decades." Greg Austin, who leads the cyber, space and future conflict programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, said that as the technical details of 6G were explored, the US and China would have to resolve tensions over Huawei and wider questions from commercial espionage to a systemic confrontation on China's domestic crackdowns. "Resolution is more likely, but only after [US President Donald] Trump and [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping] have moved on. Powerful economic interests will ensure there is a resolution rather than escalating confrontation," he said. Sign up now for our 50% early bird offer from SCMP Research: China AI Report. The all new SCMP China AI Report gives you exclusive first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments, and actionable and objective intelligence about China AI that you should be equipped with. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Mexico Citys new ban on plastic bags has inspired visions of a journey back in time even as local makers of the packaging worry they could become obsolete. The citys government this week banned single-use plastic bags to complement worldwide efforts to protect the environment, sparking protests from companies that produce them. We have to take plastic out of circulation, said Andree Lilian Guigue, the official overseeing the ban in Mexico City, one of the worlds biggest metropolises. Plastic and other waste products that damage the planet end up in the ravines, woods and public spaces of the city - and nobody cleans it up. The ban that began Jan. 1 prohibits the sale or distribution of the bags pervasive everywhere from Walmart to corner shops. Plastics industry association ANIPAC says the roughly 20 million people who live in Mexico City and its sprawl use about 68,000 tons of bags a year. Fines for plastic offenders could range from 42,000 pesos ($2,219) to 170,000 pesos. Gabriel Sanchez, who hawks produce at a marketplace, said the ban was a return to 1960s packaging. Now were going back to paper bags, sacks, baskets, he said. I think it will take a while but people will get used to it. Firms including Walmarts Mexico unit, breadmaker Bimbo and conglomerate Femsa agreed to offer free reusable bags this month and explore more ways to reduce plastic packaging. Plastic producers say the plan will hurt an industry already struggling to adjust to a patchwork of reforms across Mexico, and are lobbying lawmakers to enact a federal law that would standardize rules and allow reusable, thicker bags. The solution should be regulating bags, not prohibiting them, said Aldimir Torres, president of ANIPAC, which registers 141 plastic bag producers in Mexico City. Nationwide the industry generates about $30 billion a year, but it shrunk in 2019, partially due to plastic bans in various cities. Mexico City thinks the solution could be compostable bags, which easily break down. But Jose del Cueto, spokesman of Inboplast, an association of companies that make more environmentally-friendly bags, says that would require costly imported materials. He wants the city to take after California, which banned single-use bags in 2014, but allows multiple-use plastic bags. China appointed a new top liaison official for Hong Kong, replacing the former director amid months of protests in the financial hub. Luo Huining will take over from Wang Zhimin as the Hong Kong liaison office director, the government said in a two-sentence statement that didn't elaborate on the changes. Wang was former director of China's liaison office in Macau before he was appointed the top representative in Hong Kong in 2017. Luo served as Shanxi party secretary from 2016 until November last year. He was made deputy chairman of the financial and economic committee of the National People's Congress a month later. Hong Kong has been gripped by more than six months of often-violent protests by activists demanding greater autonomy from Beijing. China's government has consistently backed Chief Executive Carrie Lam, including on a visit to Beijing she made to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-December. Wang last month didn't respond to a Reuters report that he could be replaced. "Me, my team and colleagues in the China Liaison office will continue to perform faithfully the duties granted by the central government," Wang said then. The liaison office will also firmly support Hong Kong's police in strictly enforcing the law, and the judiciary in punishing violent crimes in accordance with rules, he said. With support for the protesters undiminished after months of violent unrest, speculation of Wang's removal from the position has been growing, particularly after pro-government candidates suffered a resounding defeat in Hong Kong district council elections in November. "Wang's dismissal was long predicted because he appeared to be associated too closely with the pro-Beijing elites and business leaders, without reaching out widely to all social sectors especially the poor and the needy," Sonny Lo, a Hong Kong based political commentator, said Saturday. "Also, his miscalculations of Hong Kong" may have led to his downfall, "especially after the 2019 District Council elections," he said. Lam praised Wang for his "staunch support" for the government's efforts "to curb violence and uphold the rule of law," in a statement on the government's website. She also welcomed Luo and said that under his leadership the liaison office worked to promote "prosperity and stability" and "the integration of Hong Kong into the overall development of the nation and the positive development of the relationship between the mainland and Hong Kong." Lam's administration proposed a bill last year that would allow extraditions to China for the first time. While she has since withdrawn the legislation, she refused to meet additional demands including an independent inquiry into police violence and direct leadership elections. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Xi used his New Year's Eve address to defend China's system for running Hong Kong, in an unusually high-profile acknowledgment of the Asian financial center's political turmoil. "Without a harmonious and stable environment, how can people live in peace and enjoy their work?" Xi asked. "I sincerely wish Hong Kong well. Hong Kong's prosperity and stability is the wish of Hong Kong compatriots and the expectation of our motherland." Luo worked for the Anhui government between 1982 and 1999. In 2010, he was appointed governor of Qinghai before being made party secretary in the province in 2013. _ _ _ With assistance from Bloomberg's Natalie Lung. Out-of-state patients routinely travel to the Vanish Center in New Jersey for the treatment of skin growths & abnormalities that are located in cosmetically critical areas WEST ORANGE, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2020 / The Vanish Center specializes in the treatment of soft tissue abnormalities in areas of cosmetic concern. The team of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and Pediatric Craniofacial Surgeons specialize in the aesthetic removal of skin and mucosal lesions in cosmetically critical areas. The Vanish Skin Surgery System was developed by combining surgical and radiofrequency techniques with the knowledge of cosmetic surgery, skin resurfacing, and dermabrasion. Over the past decade, the surgeons at The Vanish Center have been fortunate enough to remove skin growths and reconstruct skin defects on the face and other cosmetically areas for patients from most of the east coast. The center typically welcomes patients from Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, and other locations. John Amato, DDS, MD, a Plastic Surgeon and the founder and medical director of the Vanish Center reports, "This type of surgery has become a rewarding and much-welcomed area of expertise for us. We are grateful for each opportunity to provide the highest level of care for our patients". The center provides treatment for many types of skin abnormalities including: moles, cysts, scars, keloids, torn earlobes, post-Mohs defects, vascular lesions, cleft lip & Palate, lacerations, and burns. The treatment modalities include such procedures as: incisionless removal, precision shave, scar revision, earlobe repair, keloid treatment, surgical excision, and reconstruction. Details about the procedures can be found at https://vanishcenter.com Using the Vanish protocols, minor procedures such as mole removal or skin removal can take as little as 7-10 minutes, and they can be performed the same day as the consultation with no downtime. More complex procedures such as post-mohs reconstruction are performed in an on-site surgery center. Only major surgeries like the repair of a cleft lip & palate require treatment in an operating room. None of the procedures performed in the office require sedation or anesthesia. They are all performed with simple local anesthesia. The Vanish Center website features multiple before and after photos demonstrating the removal or repair of a spectrum of skin growths and abnormalities. (https://vanishcenter.com/before-after/). Story continues Appointments at the Vanish Center can be scheduled by sending a message through the website or contacting the center by phone at 973-992-3259. Contact Info: Name: Dr. John Amato Email: Send Email Organization: Vanish Center Address: 101 Old Short Hills Rd. Penthouse II, West Orange, NJ 07052, United States Website: https://vanishcenter.com/ SOURCE: Vanish Center View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/571919/NJ-Plastic-Surgery-Center-Specializes-in-Removing-Skin-Growths-and-Abnormalities Workers of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Saturday held a protest against Pakistan over the mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. The Congress workers raised slogans against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. They also held banners criticising the country. The protest comes after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara's panthi. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Married At First Sight star Jules Robinson, 37, shared a heartwarming tribute to her husband Cameron Merchant as he celebrated his 36th birthday on Saturday. Taking to Instagram stories, the reality TV star shared a series of pictures alongside her husband and professed her love for Cam, who she married in November. 'Happy birthday to my favourite person in the world. I'm wishing you love and laughter forever,' she wrote. 'Love you to the moon and back!' MAFS' Jules Robinson shared a tribute to her husband Cameron Merchant as he celebrated his 36th birthday on Saturday 'May your smile brighten up every room and people's day,' she continued. 'This video is the last three months. We have so much together! May life together be just like that. I love you,' she added alongside footage of the pair in Vanuatu. 'Happy birthday to my husband and my best friend. Let's celebrate. Happy birthday beautiful man. Love you to the moon and back,' she ended. Birthday wishes: Jules shared a series of pictures alongside her husband and professed her love for Cam, who she married in November The loved-up newlyweds recently returned from their honeymoon in Vanuatu, after their 'wedding of the year' aired on A Current Affair on November, 19. The wedding made headlines, with Jules dumping her best pal and former MAFS co-star Melissa Lucarelli from being a bridesmaid on her big day. Jules had asked fan favourites Melissa and Heidi Latcham to be her bridesmaids as she announced her engagement to Cam during the reunion episode. It's official! The loved-up newlyweds recently returned from their honeymoon in Vanuatu, after their 'wedding of the year' aired on A Current Affair in November In November, Melissa confirmed to NW that Jules had axed her from her wedding, just weeks before the big day. 'One day we were texting about family and babies, then two days later she was dumping me as a bridesmaid!' the 38-year-old told the magazine. 'Just because I said it on the show doesn't mean I have to do it,' Jules is said to have told Melissa via text message while dumping her from the bridal party. Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies Priyanka meets families of violence victims in Muzaffarnagar, Meerut. Protestors wave the tricolour during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act, NRC and NPR at Indira Park in Hyderabad. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: People, politicians and political parties continued their protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens across the country for the 22nd consecutive day on Saturday. In Hyderabad, a massive turnout was seen at the Million March where protesters raised slogans of No CAA, No NRC and Boycott CAA, NPR & NRC, while in Mumbai, a group of artists held a protest at the Azad Maidan by creating paintings around the theme of Save Constitution. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made an unscheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh to meet the victims of alleged police atrocities and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha announced that his political action group Rashtra Manch will take out a Bharat Jodo Yatra 2020 from Mumbai to Delhi on January 9 to demand the withdrawal of the CAA. In a move that predictably irked the ruling BJP government, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the families of those who bore the brunt of the recent violent protests against the CAA in Uttar Pradesh and later said that all the injured persons accused the police of unleashing a reign of terror and thrashing them for no fault of theirs. She also claimed that the Uttar Pradesh police entered a madarsa and beat up the maulana and his students. I met Maulana Asad Hussaini, who was brutally thrashed by the police. Students of the madarsa, including minors, were picked up by the police without any reason. Some of them some have been released and some are still in custody, she said while speaking to reporters. Ms Vadra also went to the house of Noor Mohammad who lost his life during the protests. She spoke with his seven-month pregnant widow and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She also met Rukaiya, who will be getting married on Saturday, and said the police vandalised her house and damaged things bought for her wedding. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath termed Ms Vadras visit as politics of appeasement and questioned her sympathy for rioters. Why so much sympathy to those who burn, vandalise your property? Why are they standing with rioters and hooligans who harm peace, security and public property of the country. People are watching and they understand. Despite being rejected repeatedly, they are not desisting from politics of appeasement. They will never succeed in their designs, a tweet from Yogi Adityanath Office said. The Congress leader had last week visited Lucknow and met the kin of those killed or injured during the protests against the CAA. Earlier, she had gone to Bijnor and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. But she and her brother Rahul Gandhi were not allowed to enter Meerut in December last week when the protests were at their peak in UP. In one of the largest gathering against CAA in Hyderabad, thousands marched to protest against the CAA and NRC in the Million March where protesters raised slogans and were later seen cleaning up the streets. Mr Sinha, meanwhile, said at a press conference in Delhi that Rashtra Manch will take out a Bharat Jodo Yatra 2020 from Mumbai to Delhi to demand the withdrawal of the CAA. Mr Sinha said the 21-day yatra will begin on January 9 and reach Delhi at the Rajghat on January 30, on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Actor-politician and Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta were also present at the press conference. The yatra will pass through six states Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi and cover a distance of over 3,000 kms, Mr Sinha said. By AFP WELLINGTON: About 1,000 people rushed to a New Zealand beach Saturday to try to save a pod of whales that stranded overnight, overwhelming conservation workers who were appealing for specialist assistance. Three of the short-finned pilot whales had died and an attempt to refloat the surviving seven was to be made on the mid-afternoon high tide at the beach on the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island. "Stranding Alert - We are responding to a mass stranding of whales in Matarangi, North Coromandel this morning. 10 whales stranded at high tide this morning, of which 7 survived. [New Zealand]. Read more: https://t.co/jT4DZbMI5e pic.twitter.com/PRq8zBL8u3 ORCA (@OceanicRescue) January 4, 2020 "Seven whales that stranded at Matarangi Spit are being looked after by as many as 1,000 people," the marine conservation group Project Jonah said in a statement. "This is an overwhelming response, and we ask that, unless you are a trained medic, you do not visit the stranding." Short-finned pilot whales are closely related to the long-finned pilot whales that are regularly involved in mass strandings in New Zealand waters. Two years ago, more than 330 pilot whales died in two strandings at Farewell Spit at the top of New Zealand's South Island. Jakarta: The death toll in Jakarta and the surrounding areas due to severe floods and landslides in Indonesia has increased to 53 and thousands of people are unable to return to their homes on Saturday due to water logging. Rescue teams are facing difficulties due to lack of water. Significantly, after heavy rains a day before New Year, heavy rains and floods have submerged many areas in the capital and left thousands homeless. Giving information about the situation, officials said that about 1,70,000 people are still living in temporary camps. National Disaster Reduction Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo has said that people whose houses are still submerged in water are being asked to move to safer places. Vibovo told that we have found more bodies. He said that officials will meet homeless people in areas most affected by the flood. Let me tell you that this is the most terrible flood since 2007. In 2007, 80 people died due to floods. Even at that time there was considerable loss of life and property in Indonesia. Also Read: 28th World Book Fair starting today, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will not be included South star Vijay Devarakonda's film Lover's teaser release Sulaimani used to report to Iran's Supreme Leader, Warn shortly before death Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurdwara attacked with stones, Sikhs threatened to flee Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said there is no guarantee that Pakistan would not send spies as Hindus under the amended Citizenship Act. Speaking at the fifth town hall meeting, anchored by ABP channel, Kejriwal questioned the necessity of the controversial legislation. He further said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will impact both Hindus and Muslims and the Centre should first take care of its citizens and then of people from other countries. "There are many questions that need to be answered like what is the guarantee that Pakistan would not send spies as Hindus under the amended Citizenship Act," he asked. "It is a misconception that CAA will only impact Muslims. It will also affect the Hindus who are not able to show their documents," he said. According to the CAA, non-Muslim refugees who came to India till December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aliza Cosgrove, an 18-year-old protester in Seattle, said she would like to see more young people who grew up in the digital age particularly those who come from privileged backgrounds demonstrating in public. When you go on the internet, you see so many people talking about the world and talking about whats going on, and they just make jokes or repost something and thats all they do, she said. Theres good in spreading the message on social media, but theres also direct action in going out and raising your voice. Act Now to Stop War and End Racism and Code Pink began calling for nationwide protests on Tuesday, ahead of the drone strike that killed General Suleimani but as tensions were escalating between the United States and Iraq, Mr. Becker said. Protests were initially planned in 10 to 15 cities and the number grew to 30 by Thursday. When the general was killed near the Baghdad airport early on Friday, the number of participating cities more than doubled, Mr. Becker said. As of Saturday afternoon, more than 80 protests were organized, Medea Benjamin, a director of Code Pink, said. She said she had not seen numbers like this since 2003. One thing thats very different this time is that more young people and people of color came out to protest, Ms. Benjamin added. Ms. Benjamin said the surge of protesters reflected a momentum and energy that she hoped would be seen and heard by lawmakers. Families across the South Coast have been left "driving around or sleeping in cars" after their properties have been ravaged by bushfires. "Our farm and house burnt down today and I am trapped from getting home. I don't know if my horses survived," a dental surgeon near Mount Hotham said. Families have also struggled to return home due to evacuation orders and road closures. A Batemans Bay resident said: "We're stuck outside for a while due to highways being closed and conditions unsafe to return home as of yet." There has been an outpouring of support for people that have been made temporarily homeless, with people as far as New Zealand offering to share their homes to provide free accommodation. Facebook communities have emerged as a key source for people to seek safe spaces and receive assistance such as food and everyday necessities. NZ Accommodation for Australians Affected by Bush Fires is a Facebook group connecting Australians displaced by bushfires with Kiwis who want to provide shelter. "Its a long shot but at the rate Australia is burning, NZ might be the closest, safest option for those that have lost their homes," the founder told the Herald. Melissa Cleaver, a pregnant mother of three, said her husband had been planning to "sleep in a tent with the dogs", but she found accommodation in Tuggeranong by posting on the Bushfire Emergency Accommodation for Canberra Facebook page. "We have two dogs, so I asked if there were homes that would accept pets. The situation has been really hard. We had to evacuate twice. We aren't allowed home for I don't know how long," she said. Ms Cleaver has been overwhelmed by the generosity of Facebook users who have also offered to donate everyday essentials. Residents seeking shelter or assistance can also find help through Airbnb homes, with select houses extending free disaster relief accommodation. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said "even Jammu and Kashmir police can defeat Pakistan, which is a dead horse" and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of repeatedly resorting to rhetoric in the name of the neighboring country, just to divert the nation's attention from core issues. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also said Modi was "insulting" the country by comparing it with Pakistan. "I haven't seen the Prime Minister speaking on unemployment, the Home Minister speaking on farmers issues, any ministers talking about improving GDP and any of the BJP leaders speaking on controlling price rise. These are the issues that concern each and every individual, whatever religion or caste they may belong to," Azad said. Speaking to reporters here, he said instead what we hear is only "rhetoric" against Pakistan. "Pakistan is a dead horse...just to divert issues, Pakistan name is raised. What is Pakistan? If you send Kashmir police, they can also defeat Pakistan... The Prime Minister is rather insulting India by comparing it with Pakistan. It is a great insult to India. I'm sorry! "The Prime Minister should not scare Indians in the name of Pakistan. It is very insulting that Pakistan will attack us. Are we that weak? he added. The Congress has often accused the Prime Minister of raising "emotive" or "sensitive" issues like Pakistan and terrorism to divert the attention of the nation from core issues like economy, employment, price raise among other things. Noting that anti-CAA protests are happening across the country, Azad said in the past few decades he had not seen such a "spontaneous agitation" taking place across the country involving all sections of society, religions and regions. "It clearly indicates that some thing has really gone wrong somewhere," the Congress leader said as he paid homage to two people killed during anti-CAA protest in Mangaluru last month calling them "innocent boys." He also made it clear it was not only Muslims who were killed during anti-CAA protests in several parts of the country and said, "all sections of people are part of the protests...the entire country has risen to the occasion against this act."Pointing out that in Parliament most of the political parties had opposed CAB, Azad said in the Lok Sabha government used "brute majority" to get it through, while in Rajya Sabha it was passed with very narrow margin. He said five regional parties like BJD, JD(U) and YSR Congress among others who voted in favour of the bill have now realised that they have done a "blunder", had they voted against the bill it would not have been passed and it would have got defeated by 8-10 votes. Azad also denied the charge that Congress was behind anti-CAA and NRC protests across the country and said the BJP was making such allegations as they lack the capacity and experience to rule such a vast and diverse country, where everyone is treated equally. "If we were so strong enough to also mobilise the opinion of UN, satisfy the German Chancellor, President of France and number of heads of states and various organisations across the world- then BJP would have got just two seats," he said. Referring to former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon's statement, he said internationally India is being abused after passing acts like the CAA. The UN, the German Chancellor and French President among other top leaders of the world have given statements against us, and so did the global media. Menon too on Friday had slammed the government for amending the Citizenship Act, saying India has "isolated" itself through the move and the list of critical voices both at home and abroad is "pretty long." The Congress leader alleged in first five years of coming to power the Prime Minister spent lot of money to make his own image, but in the sixth year he is solely responsible for destroying it, and Congress or any other opposition parties did not have to do anything. As most of the promises made by Modi made ahead of the polls were false and his government had failed in implementing them, he said adding, "the only option left for this government was to polarise the people in the name of religion, which they are effectively doing." "That's the reason they are bringing bills that will make people fight among themselves and the focus will get diverted from issues," he added. However, people of the country have of late realised that they were being used by BJP just for votes and have taught a lesson to it, he said adding in the Maharashtra and Haryana polls- where abrogation of Article 370 was used as an election issue and during Jharkhand election- where CAB used for campaigning, the party's performance was bad. "People have understood that BJP was showing the moon and was only giving hatred in return," Azad added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A federal judge ordered Friday that Lev Parnas, a Ukraine-born associate of President Donald Trumps personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, could provide documents and iPhone data to the House Intelligence Committee as it continues its impeachment inquiry. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Oetken filed a two-sentence order allowing Parnas to cooperate with the House panel while he is under indictment for campaign-finance violations. Parnas worked with Giuliani as the president's lawyer sought the ouster of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, but the criminal charges are unrelated to those efforts. The Intelligence Committee's investigation into Trump's dealings with Ukraine led to his impeachment on Dec. 18. The House accuses Trump of abuse of power for urging an investigation of his political rival, and of obstruction of Congress for defying subpoenas seeking information during the investigation. Joseph Bondy, a lawyer for Parnas, asked the judge Monday to allow Parnas to provide documents from his home and data from his iPhone 11, which were seized when he was arrested in October. The Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena to Parnas the day after he was arrested. The documents and iPhone data fall under its request for information to corroborate the strength of Mr. Parnass potential testimony, Bondy wrote. At present, we do not know whether we intend to produce the entirety of the materials, or a subset filtered for either privilege or relevancy, Bondy said in his letter to the court. If a subset, we will inform the Court and Government as to what we have actually have produced. NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 23: Lev Parnas arrives at federal court for an arraignment hearing on October 23, 2019 in New York City. Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, along with Andrey Kukushkin and David Correia, are associates of Rudy Giuliani who have been arrested for allegedly conspiring to circumvent federal campaign finance laws in schemes to funnel foreign money to U.S. candidates running for office at the federal and state levels. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** ORG XMIT: 775423222 ORIG FILE ID: 1177742691 A spokesman for the Intelligence Committee declined to comment on the court order. Parnas was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, giving false statements and destruction or falsification of records. He and three others charged in the case have pleaded not guilty. Federal authorities accuse Parnas of conspiring "to circumvent the federal laws against foreign influence by engaging in a scheme to funnel foreign money to candidates for federal and state office so that the defendants could buy potential influence with candidates, campaigns and the candidates governments." Story continues Parnas, who contributed heavily to Republicans and has been photographed with Trump, has offered to provide more information to Congress. Giuliani has said he worked for the removal of Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Several top government officials and former officials testified during House impeachment hearings that her removal opened the door for Trump to urge that country to investigate his rival. During a July 25 phone call, Trump urged Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the family of 2020 presidential contender and former Vice President Joe Biden. That call is central to the article of impeachment accusing Trump of abuse of power. The other article of impeachment accuses the president of obstruction of Congress for directing aides and agencies to defy subpoenas from Congress as lawmakers investigated. Trump has argued that he was authorized to set foreign policy and justified in calling for an investigation of the Bidens. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giuliani associate Lev Parnas to provide info to House committee Baghdad [Iraq], Jan 4 (ANI): Thousands of mourners on Saturday joined the formal funeral procession for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, who was killed a day before near Baghdad's international airport in an airstrike ordered by US President Donald Trump. Dressed in black and raising the flags of the powerful paramilitary umbrella group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces or PMF), the large crowds first gathered near the Shia shrine of Kadhimiyya in Baghdad to pay their respects to the dead, Al Jazeera reported. Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, along with six others were also killed in the US attack. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria. "We are here to mourn the death of these brave fighters, Soleimani and Muhandis," 34-year-old Amjad Hamoud, who described himself as a PMF member, told Al Jazeera. "Both of them sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Shia world and for the sake of Iraq," he added. The mourners, most of whom are supporters of the PMF, planned to march through the Green Zone where government offices and foreign embassies, including the US Embassy, are located. Iraq's caretaker prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also attended the funeral processions. Mohannad Hussein, the media representative of the PMF, said that the bodies will be taken to the holy Shia city of Karbala where funeral prayers will be held later on Saturday. The body of Soleimani will be flown to Tehran for funeral processions on Sunday, he added. Iran is also observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing. (ANI) SPRINGFIELD State Sen. James T. Welch and state Rep. Bud Williams are asking the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to intervene and save the Mason Square TD Bank branch. TD Bank announced last month plans to close its branch at 958 State St. on Jan. 31. TD Bank has said it will continue to have an ATM at the site after the bank itself closes. The comptroller is the primary regulator of TD Bank, a Canadian company with its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey and extensive interstate operations. There is a growing realization of the problem of banking deserts, or urban and rural areas that lack access to banking services. Public outcry led Westfield Bank to buy a branch in rural Huntington that Peoples United Bank planned to close. Peoples United, of Connecticut, had earlier bough it as part of its takeover of United Bank. Williams, D-Springfield, said the community finds the closing of the Mason Square TD Bank unacceptable. The nearest full-service bank branch of any kind is three miles away. Having only an ATM in Mason Square will force many to travel by bus to do their banking. Rep. Bud Williams represents the 11th Hampden District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He represents the city of Springfield. (Frederick Gore Photo) Welch, D-West Springfield, wrote in a letter to the comptroller that many in Mason Square dont have good internet access to take advantage of online banking, and older customers may not want to do their business online. Welch fears that more low-income people will be forced to use unsecured and costly prepaid cards for daily transactions and may not be able to cash checks, secure a mortgage or pay bills. Nearly 30% of the community is below the poverty line, the legislators said. Williams and Welch said theyve request the help of U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. City Councilors Malo Brown and Tracye Whitfield are also working to get TD Bank to reverse course. A spokesman for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said the agency doesnt comment on specific banks and branches. But in general, the office cannot stop a bank from closing a branch. Any letters or comments the comptroller receives regarding a branch closure go into the official record. With a written request, the comptroller consults with community leaders in the area affected by the closing and convenes a meeting with regulatory agencies, community leaders and others. The meetings purpose is to explore the feasibility of obtaining adequate alternative services for the affected area following the closing of the branch, according to the spokesman. In a statement, TD Bank said: We understand that our decision to close the TD Bank store at 958 State Street on January 31 is a change for our State Street customers and Mason Square residents, but they can expect outstanding customer service from TD Bank employees at our other Springfield locations, where we look forward to meeting their banking needs. Kirubhakar Purushothaman By Express News Service Pizhai is yet another underwhelming film that has good intentions at heart. Think of it as an inferior version of Saattai that whips the children instead of parents. Here the children are too naughty but instead of a hero, life itself teaches them lessons and turns them good. While Samuthirakanis Saattai, despite all its self-righteousness, passes off as a feature film, Pizhai feels more like an amateurish YouTube short film. Vedi (Ramesh), Kodi (Appa Nasath), and Mayilu (Gokul) are three naughty boys in a village near Thiruvannamalai. Their fathers played by Mime Gopi, George, and Charly are daily labourers working in a quarry who just cant afford to miss a day of work. The parents shed sweat and blood for their children, who bunk classes, fail in all subjects, and bring home nothing but trouble. So, the fathers resort to beating them with sticks. But things only get worse after every episode of beating. Meanwhile, we are introduced to a youngster, who returns to the village after running away from home when he was a kid. Though uneducated, the youth has made it in life and is revered as a hero in his village. He gets the girl and with her, a bad romantic number. The three boys are inspired by the new hero in the village, and they run away too. But, they dont have it easy in Chennai. They get kidnapped by a hotel owner, they run into another hero figure (played by Kalluri Vinoth) who also gets a romantic number, and finally, realise that education is important. To be honest, the cliched story is the least of Pizhais problems; the film is bad because of its lacklustre filmmaking and lack of depth. The big moment of realisation for the boys is just laughable. As they think about their past and the good old days flash before their eyes, all that is missing is a tortoise coil spinning on the screen. The alarmingly inept actors give the feel of watching a bad stage play with futile attempts at comedy. Mime Gopi, George, and Charle are the only good actors but they have relatively few scenes to perform. Kakka Muttai Ramesh and Appa Nasath dont help either. Watching Pizhai was like listening to someone narrate a didactic story that teems with banal platitudes. In Tamil, they are referred to as Needhi Kathaigal, which are told to children. These fables usually end with a moral lesson. And the moral of Pizhai is that education is important and one shouldnt make a feature-length film with content that is not even good enough for a short film. The Cambodian Confederation of Unions collected 1,300 thumbprints from workers on a petition asking Prime Minister Hun Sen to work with the European Union to prevent a suspension of the critical Everything But Arms trade privileges. The alliance of worker unions issued a letter on Friday to express their concern over the governments reaction to the EUs preliminary investigation in the potential suspension of the trade privileges. If we lose our job because of the suspension of EBA tariff scheme from the European Union, we will consider the leaders of the Royal Government of Cambodia responsible and the ones who have brought hardship to us and our families, the letter reads. The EU initiated an investigation into Cambodias human rights records last February, looking specifically at labor rights violations in the country. The initial findings of the investigation showed that the EU found that significant challenges remained in the labor sector, and that in some cases the rights violation had worsened since the start of the investigation. Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, said the withdrawal of the EBA privileges would put Cambodia in a serious crisis. If Cambodian citizens lose their jobs, they lose their income, the turmoil will happen, he said, at a press conference Friday morning. The turmoil means there will be social insecurity. Rong Chhun said it was not hard for the government to comply with the EUs requirements and restoration of democracy would help improve the situation and to maintain the preferential access. Cambodian Peoples Party Senator Sok Eysan said that the EBA withdrawal would not affect the countrys economy and that the EUs demands were political in nature. "We do not want to lose, but the European Commission has their political tendencies, Sok Eysan said.They [EU] want to pressure the government. Cambodian government cannot follow the EU by exchanging its independence for their EBA. The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia has said that the withdrawal could affect the garment sector in Cambodia and brands have also expressed their concerns, which could lead to relocation. The EU Delegation in Cambodia and a spokesperson for the EU Commission did not respond to requests for comment. Tens of thousands of people from all walks of life converged in the heart of Hyderabad city on Saturday to protest against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register. The Million March, organised by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising around 40 groups and civil society organisations, drew a sea of protestors from all walks of life, in spite of the Hyderabad police stating that only 1,000 people would be allowed to gather the site. The organisers were first refused permission to conduct a rally at Hyderabads Tank Bund (which is one of the main thoroughfares connecting different parts of the city) last month. The permission to hold the public meeting at Dharna Chowk was given after the organizers approached the Telangana high court, which asked the city police to reconsider the application for the protest. The officials finally gave permission for the meeting to be held from 2 to 5 pm. However, despite heavy police deployment, the protesters flooded the main thoroughfares from all parts of the city to reach the venue, where the march culminated in a brief public meeting. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad (Central Zone) P Vishwa Prasad said the march went on peacefully and there were no untoward incidents. It concluded within the deadline fixed by the police. There were no inflammatory speeches or slogans either, he said. He, however, said the turnout was more than expected and it had resulted in a lot of inconvenience for the common people. Since it was the first meeting of the JAC of Muslim and non-Muslim groups and political parties, it is natural that the crowds were mobilised in large numbers. Otherwise, it went on without any problems, he added. The massive protests brought traffic to a halt on the main roads at Indira Park and Hussain Sagar lake, which connect the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Several shops and business establishments in the Old City of Hyderabad remained closed in solidarity as businessmen and traders turned out to participate in the march. The participants, holding tricolours, banners and placards, shouted No to CAA, NRC and NPR, and raised slogans like Inquilab Zindabad, we want azadi from dictatorship, unite against hate and we reject NRC rent the air. The CAA is aimed at fast-tracking the grant of Indian citizenship to members of religious minorities from the Muslim-majority countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. While the government has maintained that the law will help non-Muslim migrants from three neighbouring nations become Indian citizens if they fled religious persecution and entered India before 2015, activists, students, opposition parties and other protesters allege that the law discriminates against Muslims and is against the secular tenets of the constitution. Our ancestors decided to remain in India on a call given by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. This is our country. We were born here and will die here, news agency IANS quoted a protester as saying. It was a huge success. People from all walks of life, including students, engineers, lawyers and doctors and people from business community took part in the Million March. It was undoubtedly one of the largest demonstrations the city had ever witnessed in the recent years, JAC convenor and Tehreek-e-Muslim Shabban president Mushtaq Malik said. The participants surpassed our expectations. The Karnataka Police on Saturday resorted to lathi charge on people who were staging a march in favour of the CAA.The police said the protestors had allegedly broken through barriers and even pushed some police officers. We assigned a particular place to them, but they did not listen to us. They broke through barriers and pushed some police officers. The police tried to control the situation, but they did not stop. So we had to resort to lathi-charge, a police spokesperson said. The march was organised by Kolar MP S Muniswamy, along with other BJP leaders. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience. ...view detail NSW South Coast residents were playing an anxious waiting game on Saturday afternoon, with fire crews fighting fresh outbreaks, fearful that gusty winds could push existing blazes towards more homes. But firefighters and residents were determined not to lose any more homes, one saying: "I've got a bit of a grudge against this fire." A seaplane loads water in the Moruya River to tackle fires to the north of Moruya on the NSW South Coast. Credit:Kate Geraghty Roads were cut to the north of Moruya, a normally tranquil town by a large river south of Batemans Bay, while a blaze burning near Moruya's historic airstrip a launch pad for airmen from Australia and the Dutch East Indies against the Japanese during World War II - was one area of concern ahead of the expected cool change due by about 6pm. The coastal town of Broulee, just north of Moruya, was spared by a southerly change during the New Year's Eve inferno but will most likely come under threat later on Saturday, with the winds predicted to shift in its direction. Nursing Unions have called an emergency meeting with the HSE tomorrow as overcrowding reaches crisis levels at Cork's two biggest hospitals. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says conditions at Cork University Hospital and the Mercy Hospital are 'appalling' - while flu levels have prompted visitor bans at several hospitals across the country. INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said the HSE has confirmed they will meet with officials at 3pm tomorrow in a bid to work out a solution across the weekend. She said: "We knew that the hospitals were under pressure, particularly The Mercy and Cork University Hospital and they are now in a situation where they have so many people on trolleys. "Their hospitals are overcrowded to such an extent that they are very concerned about the services that they will be trying to put in place next week." Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has said it is no surprise that a bad strain of flu was coming. Dublin's Mater hospital is telling people to stay away unless it is "absolutely necessary" to come in. Sinn Fein health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly said action should have been taken earlier. "It absolutely could have been dealt with," she said. "The minister should have opened additional beds to ensure that the capacity is there. "What we have are announcements and re-announcements and what we don't have is an increase in capacity that is so badly needed." In response to Ms O'Reilly's comments, the Department of Health have said it is "wrong to say there has been no additional capacity." In a statement, the department said: "39m in additional funding has been provided to the HSE to assist with these pressures. The Department has also agreed with the National Treatment Purchase Fund to open an additional 199 beds, including 51 to open on Monday. "The Department acknowledges this is a particularly difficult time for emergency Departments and encourages people to follow the advice of the HSE." Contradicting his own partys government over the infant deaths at JK Lon Hospital in Kota on Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister and PCC chief of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot said that the state governments response to the deaths at the hospital was not satisfactory, nor sensitive and compassionate and accountability needed to be fixed as one could not avoid responsibility by comparing death figures. Earlier, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and state Health Minister Raghu Sharma had claimed a decline in the infant deaths at JK Lon Hospital during the Congress regime by comparing it with more number of infant deaths during the former BJP regime. Deputy CM Sachin Pilot invited trouble for the state government in Kota on Saturday by contradicting both the CM and the health minister. Watch | No point blaming others: Sachin Pilot on infants deaths in Kota Speaking to reporters after meeting aggrieved families whose wards had died at the JK Lon Hospital of Kota recently, Pilot said, The death of so many infants at the JK Lon Hospital in less time is heart wrenching and it has shaken up the whole country as mostly the extremely poor come to this hospital for treatment. A report is being prepared about whether there was lack of facilities, administrative issues, criminal negligence or any other reason but accountability in infant deaths needs to be fixed, he said. When so many infants have died, no responsibility will be fixed in the matter? Pilot questioned. When asked whether he was contradicting his own government, Pilot said, Whatever I am saying is with responsibility and it is my firm belief. I am not politicizing the issue but raising the issue of accountability, he said. On the issue of compensation, he said that everyone should do more to help the aggrieved families. If we try to create a web of the number of infant deaths then it is not acceptable to those who have lost their infants as only a mother delivering the infant knows the pain of losing her ward, he said. It is insufficient to just talk about the figures of the past. We have to make people trust us that we will not accept such incidents, he said. When asked whether he will report the matter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said that everyone is concerned about the incident. The response to the infant deaths could have been more sensitive and compassionate as so many infants have died at the hospital, he said in a veiled attack on his own government. If the Vasundhara Raje government did not sanction beds or funds, people defeated them in the elections, he said. Ministers Ramesh Meena and Uday Lal Anjana also accompanied Sachin Pilot during his visit to Kota. Leaders cutting across party lines and various outfits on Saturday condemned the mob attack on the historic Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Lahore, terming it as "cowardly" and "shameful", while hundreds of protesters thronged the streets near the Pakistan High Commission here demanding that the neighbouring country provide adequate security to Sikh shrines and community members there. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines in India, said it will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation and urged the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits who attacked the gurdwara -- birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev and one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. BJP leaders and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad said that the incident has proved once again that the government was right in bringing the Citizenship Amendment Act for giving citizenship to members of minority communities who have come to India before 2015 to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In the national capital, police barricaded the roads to prevent protesters - belonging to the BJP, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and other organisations - from reaching the Pakistan High Commission. The protesters carried banners and placards reading "Shame on Pakistan" and "Double standard of Imran Khan, Sikhs are being tortured in Pakistan". Some urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to protect the gurdwara. A huge posse of police personnel was deployed the protestors were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station in the diplomatic enclave. BJP and Congress members stood on either side of a road and raised slogans against Pakistan and its prime minister. Sikh community members also submitted a memorandum to the Pakistan High Commission, said DSGMC president Manjinder S Sirsa. Several Sikh and Dogra organisations held separate protests in Jammu and Poonch against the incident. Congress President Sonia Gandhi deplored the "unprovoked" attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and called upon the government to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine to prevent any future attacks. "The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," she said in a statement. Party leader Rahul Gandhi termed it as a reprehensible incident and said bigotry is a dangerous, age-old poison that knows no borders. Taking to Twitter, he said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said such incidents cannot be tolerated and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with Pakistan to ensure the security of Sikhs in the neighbouring country. Wondering if there was "any law and order" in Pakistan, he said that earlier a Sikh girl was abducted there and now this attack on the gurdwara established that there was a threat to minorities in the neighbouring country. Union minister and party leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the incident exposes the "true face" of Pakistan where "persecution of minorities is a reality". Addressing a conference here, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to threats for civil conversion, rapes and violence for decades and the Nankana incident shows how minorities there are persecuted and why they need citizenship in India. Lekhi also said that this incident should open the eyes of Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Leftist leaders and the "urban Naxals" who have been opposing the amended Citizenship Act. Lekhi and Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry were also involved in Twitter spat over the issue of mob attack on the shrine. Reacting to Lekhi's comment, the Pakistani Minister for Science and Technology tweeted, "...BJP spokesperson giving lectures on diversity and religious harmony is like pot calling the kettle black, you guys are most bigoted bunch of haters so stop fake propaganda." Lekhi hit back immediately saying Chaudhry should "take charge" of initiating action against those involved in the incident and also "stop conversions, rape and abductions taking place in Pakistan". "Yesterday, a mob of Jihadis attacked Nankana Sahib Gurdwara due to which our Sikh brothers and sisters are in terror. The CAA has been framed to save such minorities from persecution in Pakistan," Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri sought to know if those protesting against the CAA needed more evidence of oppression of minorities in the neighbouring country. "The violent mob that besieged Nankana Sahib Gurudwara has threatened to change the name of our holy place to Ghulam-e-Mustafa. "Do those who are opposing the CAA need more evidence of oppression of minorities in Pakistan," Puri tweeted in Hindi, along with a video clip. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. "The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated," he said in a tweet in Hindi. The National Conference also denounced the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, describing it as "most reprehensible". On Friday, the External Affairs Ministry condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and urged Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety and welfare of the Sikh community. It also said that members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib. Pakistan has rejected reports the gurdwara was desecrated, saying it remains "untouched and undamaged". Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib had pelted stones on Sikh pilgrims. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said the sentiments of the Sikh community were hurt. "We have spoken with the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib management committee...they told us the situation is normal now," he said. "We will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there," he said, adding that the delegation would also meet Sikh families in Nankana Sahib as well as the governor and the chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. The VHP said such incidents were examples of "atrocities" perpetrated on Hindus and Sikhs in the neighbouring country and a clear indication of the urgent need for implementation of the CAA. Vishwa Hindu Parishad international secretary Milind Parande also referred to the reported abduction of the daughter of a 'granthi' (caretaker of the place of worship) and said the Centre should bring pressure on Pakistan government to stop such acts. "... the attack has come right after Friday prayers in mosque and VHP appeals to the government of India and the UNHRC to take cognizance of this and pressure the Pakistan government to mend its way and return the Sikh girl," he told reporters here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dateline Can Myanmars Police Force Be Reformed? The Irrawaddy Kyaw Kha: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, well discuss whether Myanmars police force will reform following mounting criticism. Im joined by Joint General Secretary of the Democratic Party for a New Society Daw Hnin Hnin Hmwe and the chairman of the Union Lawyers and Paralegals Association, advocate U Kyee Myint. Im The Irrawaddy chief reporter Kyaw Kha. At the recent press conference given by the Myanmar police force on Victoria [the victim in a toddler rape case at a Naypyitaw nursery school], police revealed the identities of the girl and her parents and also posted their personal information online, which drew harsh criticisms from the public. This not only tarnishes the image of the police force, but also marred the image of the country. What is your view on public criticism of the police force after they revealed the identities of the victim and her relatives? Hnin Hnin Hmwe: While the news media have reported ethically [by hiding the released identities], the police who are responsible to protect the public, and whose slogan is May we help you, have breached confidentiality. I was quite shocked and angry that they revealed [the victim and her parents] identities not only in a live-streamed press conference, but that they also posted their personal information online. It is quite awful that police who are responsible for protecting the people and enforcing the law have violated the law. KK: Since then, there have been calls to reform the police force. But how can it be reformed? To what extent does the President have the authority to reform the police force? Kyee Myint: The 2008 Constitution states that the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services is the chief of all the armed organizations in the country. It was easier to put the General Administration Department [which used to be overseen by the Home Affairs Ministry, which is led by a military-appointed minister] under the control of the civilian President: when the General Administration Department filed lawsuits against anti-war protesters in Tamwe [in Yangon Region], we criticized them harshly and demanded that the department be put under the control of the Presidents Office. This happened. I am not unreasonably criticizing the 2008 Constitution, but it does represent an obstacle to accomplishing certain things. The Home Affairs Ministry is under the president, and the police force is under the Home Affairs Ministry. So, at first glance, it appears that the police force is under the control of the President. But in reality, the President cant give direct orders to the police forceonly the Home Affairs Ministry can. Therefore, there is a need to change the procedures, I think, to make it so the police force is under the President, just as the Home Affairs Ministry is under the President. Another path [to reform] is to divide the police force into twoone half would have responsibilities in the judicial system, such as investigating crimes, and should be under the direct control of the President, and the second one will be responsible for riot control. If the police force is divided that way, then people will love the police force. It might be quite difficult to reform the institution of the police due to the 2008 Constitution, so what we can do is to set up an institution for law enforcement and the judicial system. This may have the same impact as putting the police force under the direct control of the President. KK: State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly met high-ranking police officers in Naypyitaw the day before the police held the press conference. She has also indirectly suggested that the police force should be under the civilian government. Why would she say this? HHH: It is an international norm that armed organizations are overseen by civilian governments. As Saya U Kyee Myint said, the 2008 Constitution is the main obstacle as it puts the armed organizations above the President. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was indirectly pointing this out, I assume. The 2008 Constitution officially grants excessive powers to armed organizations and those armed organizations barely follow the laws that are under the 2008 Constitution. Former police officers pointed out that the press conference on the Victoria case breached the polices own procedures. By revealing the identity of a child victim, they also blatantly violated Article 96 of the recently enacted Child Rights Law and the CRC [the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child], to which Myanmar is a signatory. They are responsible for enforcing the law but they break the law and Id like to ask whether they have the authority to do so. What concerns me is also that those who break the law are Union-level officials. KK: Why did Daw Aung San Suu Kyi say she prefers that the police force is under the control of the elected government? HHH: According to international practice, armed organizations must be under the control of the elected government. But in the case of Myanmar it is quite difficult to handle, as all the armed organizations are not under the government due to the Constitution. Whether the military and police force will take instructions from the government is open to question. They make use of the government when they need it. For example, after the clashes broke out in Rakhine State, they asked the President to sign [to allow the military to carry out counterinsurgency operations against the Arakan Army]. But will they stop fighting if they are ordered to do so [by the President]? I think Daw Aung San Suu Kyi suggested that the elected government should have the authority to handle all the affairs of the country. KK: Can the police force be brought under the control of the Presidents Office like the GAD [General Administration Department]? KM: Regarding the provision that all the armed organizations must be under the control of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, as Ive said, the police force can be divided into two halves for different purposes: one for riot control and border security, and a second for law enforcement including patrols and work related to the judicial system. We can set up a new institution for the second purpose and attach it to the GAD. If so, it would be under the control of the Presidents Office. Despite the constitutional provision, part of the police force would be those who are responsible for the judicial system, and they would be separated from the riot police and border guard police. I think doing so will contribute to the rule of law, and improve judicial proceedings. KK: People including politicians have been talking about police force reforms. How would you like to see the police force reformed? HHH: The police force is meant to protect the people and realize the rule of law. But one of the questions is that of whether the existing laws really protect the people. In the Victoria case, [the suspect, who has now been released] Ko Aung Gyi had to spend several months behind bars, which hurt him both physically and mentally, and Victoria has also suffered. The perpetrator should have been identified in a short time but it has been several months. Her parents and relatives have been going through hard days in anguish. Police should apologize to them. They should resign and action should be taken against them. But we are now talking about this specific casewhat should be done to prevent similar cases in the future? Not everyone in the country feels secure. Even those of us who live in Yangon do not feel secure. So, a lot still needs to be done to secure legal protection. Reforms must be undertaken on the entire structure, and there is also a need to amend the laws. KK: People have long been frustrated with the police and the Victoria case has deepened their frustration. People have long mocked the polices inability to arrest fugitives [ultranationalists] U Hla Swe and Sayadaw U Wirathu and Aung Win Khaing, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the assassination of lawyer U Ko Ni. How can the police force be reformed? Should it start with amending the 2008 Constitution or changing the mindset of individual police officers at the lower levels? KM: The police force cant be reformed without changing the 2008 Constitution. Thats why I am pointing my finger at it. Some argue that the government is using the 2008 Constitution as an excuse [to cover its failures]. But as you can see, there are restrictions imposed by the 2008 Constitution: we cant reform the police force without amending the Constitution, because it is under the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and not under the President. Police are used to control riots, guard the border, fight the war in Rakhine and enforce the law. The police force is overstretched. Again, those above the ranks of township police force heads are ex-military officers. They have never undergone police training and know nothing about police work. They only know how to carry out the instructions from their higher-ups. In the Victoria case, the three senior police officers [who held the press conference] acted irresponsibly. They knew that what they were going to say would violate the law. They know that the same article of the Child Rights Law was used to sue [prosecution lawyers] Daw Su Darli Aung and U Khin Maung Zaw. They are acting as if they are above the Constitution and can violate it. If we want to see the best results of reform, the 2008 Constitution must be amended and the entire police force must be brought under the control of the Presidents Office. Of course, there is also the short-term option that Ive mentioned: to separate the police force for the judicial system. But to get the best result, the entire police force must be brought under the control of the Presidents Office. You may also like these stories: Fitted with a flash of blue at the heel, these Dunk sneakers from Gothenburg-based brand Axel Arigato crafted in Portugal using smooth leather. Defined by their minimalism and branded with delicate gold foil detailing, they have suede at the toe and heel, while an all-white rubber outsole caters to comfort and durability at the base. Leather Uppers Leather Lining Perforated Sidewalls Rubber Outsole Made in Portugal 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 covered statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. - Lugari MP Ayub Savula said the escalating wrangles in Jubilee were a clear indication the DP wants to rock the ruling party from within - The ANC deputy party leader said the political noise from Central Kenya was too much - Kandara MP Alice Wahome, a close Ruto ally, in her New Year message said the president had a plan to cling to power beyond his stated two-term limit in the Constitution Lugari Member of Parliament Ayub Savula is calling for a snap election saying the political tension between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto through proxies is making the country ungovernable. The Amani National Congress party lawmaker's call for fresh elections came after Kandara MP Alice Wahome, a close Ruto ally, in a daring video lashed out at the head of state calling him an enemy of Kenyas democracy. READ ALSO: KDF kills 4 suspected al-Shabaab militants after Lamu bus attack Lugari MP Ayub Savula has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve govt, saying Tanga Tanga wing of Jubilee was making the country ungovernable. Photo: Hon Ayub Savula. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Dennis Itumbi denies reports of William Ruto leaving Jubilee to revive URP In an interview with KTN News on Friday, January 3, the second-term legislator said the escalating wrangles in Jubilee were a clear indication the DP wants to rock the ruling party from within and the only way out was to dissolve the government. The president need to just crack the whip and say if his deputy is no longer with him and is working with his political detractors on the ground then let him dissolve his government and go back to an election since they were elected a pair, he said. Kandara MP Alice Wahome said Uhuru was the greatest threat to Kenya's economy and democratic space. Photo: Hon Alice Muthoni Wahome. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Esther Passaris afanyiwa upasuaji wa pili chini ya miezi 3 India The ANC deputy party leader said the political noise from Central Kenya was too much. The Central Kenya MPs are behaving like hired goons and we want to know who is hiring them, he said. A file photo of President Uhuru Kenyatta. Photo: State House. Source: Facebook The Kandara MP in her New Year message said Uhuru had a plan to cling to power beyond his stated two-term limit in the Constitution through use of BBI and the help of power brokers. I do not think former Jubilee vice chair David Murathe is dreaming, I do not think COTU boss Francis Atwoli is speaking from nowhere, the second term Jubilee MP had saids in reference by Murathe and Atwoli remarks the president will remain in power post-2022. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. Grand Father from heaven I Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Inamorata founder Emily Ratajkowski repped her very own brand in a black $135 'Los Feliz' blazer to brave the 40F-degree rain in Manhattan on Friday. The 28-year-old DNA Model - who relies on stylist Emma Morrison - paired her outerwear with a white turtleneck, blue skinny jeans, and white Nike low-top sneakers. Despite the gloomy winter weather, the London-born SoCal native wore classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses over her made-up complexion. HBIC: Inamorata founder Emily Ratajkowski repped her very own brand in a black $135 'Los Feliz' blazer to brave the 40F-degree rain in Manhattan on Friday Ratajkowski's street sighting came three days after she shared her list of 'Things I learned in 2019' on New Year's Eve. Among Emily's lessons were 'you can't control other people's perceptions so do not let their perceptions dictate your life or who you are' and 'the world is completely unfair, but that is no excuse.' For Christmas, the Harvey Weinstein protester's husband Sebastian Bear-McClard got her a $1,351 diamond-encrusted LaJoux nameplate necklace dedicated to their dog, Columbo - according to Page Six. The rent-dodging couple adopted their beloved German shepherd puppy on May 11, and they'll celebrate their second wedding anniversary in February. Casual: The 28-year-old DNA Model - who relies on stylist Emma Morrison - paired her outerwear with a white turtleneck, blue skinny jeans, and white Nike low-top sneakers Shades: Despite the gloomy winter weather, the London-born SoCal native wore classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses over her made-up complexion Selfie: Ratajkowski's street sighting came three days after she shared her list of 'Things I learned in 2019' on New Year's Eve 'From me to 2020': Among Emily's lessons were 'you can't control other people's perceptions so do not let their perceptions dictate your life or who you are' and 'the world is completely unfair, but that is no excuse' The 32-year-old Film Independent John Cassavetes Award nominee co-produced Benny & Josh Safdie's Uncut Gems - hitting UK theaters on January 10 - which has earned $29M since opening in the States. The A24 indie drama - boasting 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes - is headed up by Adam Sandler, who takes a dramatic turn as charismatic jeweler and gambler Howard Ratner. Meanwhile, the Lying and Stealing actress focuses much of her time on her two-year-old swimwear brand, which recently expanded to selling regular clothing. New jewelry! For Christmas, the Harvey Weinstein protester's husband Sebastian Bear-McClard got her a $1,351 diamond-encrusted LaJoux nameplate necklace dedicated to their dog, Columbo (pictured Sunday) 'Angel!' The rent-dodging couple adopted their beloved German shepherd puppy on May 11, and they'll celebrate their second wedding anniversary in February An airstrike Friday hit two cars carrying members of an Iran-backed militia north of Iraq's capital, Baghdad, killing five people, an Iraqi official told The Associated Press. The official added that the identities of those killed were not immediately known. It was not immediately clear who launched the strike, but a U.S. official told AP the attack was not an American military attack. The strike was confirmed by the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, which denied that any of its top leaders were among the five killed. The group said the strike targeted one of its medical convoys. The latest operation came almost exactly 24 hours after a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) elite Quds Force, and nine others at Baghdad International Airport. The elusive Iranian general was considered a military mastermind and was the longstanding leader of the Quds Force, an external arm of the IRGC responsible for supporting terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East. The force was designated a terror group by the U.S. in 2007. The U.S. State Department has said it believes Soleimani was responsible for military operations that accounted for at least 17 percent of all U.S. personnel deaths in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. In April 2019, the department said Iranian and Iranian-backed forces led by Soleimani were responsible for killing 608 American troops during the Iraq War. President Donald Trump ordered the attack that killed Gen. Soleimani, saying in remarks Friday in Florida that "what the U.S. did yesterday should have been done long ago." "We took action last night to stop a war, Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago resort. We did not take action to start a war. The targeted airstrike marked a major turning point and escalation in the tense relationship between Iran and the United States, which exited the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and has since reinstated steep sanctions against the country. Iran has since vowed "harsh retaliation" for the U.S. strike. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the killing Thursday a heinous crime" and said the country would take revenge. The U.S. is now sending nearly 3,000 American troops to the region. Approximately 5,200 U.S. service members are based in Iraq, where they help fight Islamic State (ISIS) militants and train Iraqi forces. Fox News' Alex Pappas and Frank Miles contributed to this report, as well as The Associated Press. Jim, Jane,Amy, Jack, Laura and Jemma OHalloran with Philip Coey, were collecting for the Peter McVerry Trust Sally, Ian and Brian Kingston, Conor and Abbie McCarthy were swimming to raise money for Indreni.org. Local woman Laura O'Halloran and her family were on-site at the annual Greystones Christmas day swim, to collect donations for the Peter McVerry Trust. Laura has been supporting the charity for the past decade, and as usual the people of Greystones gave generously. Others took the plunge for the Gavin Glynn Foundation, Indreni.org and other causes. The traditional dip is not formally organised, rather locals make their way to the shore over the morning and midday to enjoy the bracing Irish Sea. The weather was lovely and bright and unseasonably dry on Christmas Day, so larger crowds than normal came to the beach to enjoy the festivities. Not everyone actually braved the water, but all who attended enjoyed the gathering. Swimmers of all ages, genders, shapes and sizes got into the water to get the day off to a fresh start, and earn the large dinner later in the afternoon. Some donned festive head-wear, others wet suits and the rest just their togs, while many more remained on dry land wrapped up in coats and scarves. By IANS NEW DELHI: Bangladeshis and Rohingyas played a major role in smuggling of narcotic substances on India-Bangladesh border in northeastern state of Tripura during 2019, a BSF intelligence report said. The report is based on the apprehension of the smugglers who were nabbed on the International Border of the two countries in Tripura -- a hilly state in northeast India which is bordered on three sides by Bangladesh and home to a diverse mix of tribal cultures and religious groups. As per the document, accessed by IANS, a total of 134 foreigners -- including 92 Bangladeshis, 41 Rohingyas and one Nigerian -- were held in 2019 from India-Bangladesh border in Tripura. "A total of 266 smugglers were apprehended on India-Bangladesh border in Tripura in 2019. Of them 132 are Indian nationals and 134 are other nationals that include 92 Bangladeshis, 41 Rohingyas and one Nigerian," the documents said. ALSO READ: Government's next move is to deport Rohingyas from the country, says MoS Jitendra Singh The Border Security Force (BSF), which is mandated to guard the 4,096 km India-Bangladesh border, said the 266 smugglers were involved in smuggling of Yaba tablets, Ganja (marijuana), phensedyl, liquor and cattle worth Rs 34.27 crore. The document said that the BSF had seized a total of 3,59,059 Yaba tablets (Rs 17.45 crore); 10,907.08 kgs of Ganja (Rs 5.45 crore); 34,336 bottles of phensedyl (Rs 46.81 lakh); 5,792 bottles of liquor (Rs 8.72 lakh); and 2,333 cattle (Rs 1.78 crore) from the international border in Tripura during 2019. The BSF, a 2.5-lakh strong force which also guards the 3,323 km India-Pakistan border, also seized 60 motorcycles worth Rs 48.08 lakh as well as various miscellaneous items amounting to Rs 8.54 crore. Meanwhile, in a big jolt to the narcotic syndicate, a joint team of BSF and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) also seized 1,68,500 'Yaba' tablets worth around Rs 8.52 crore -- biggest consignment of narcotic drug in the northeastern region so far -- on the second day of 2020. ALSO READ: Rohingyas wary of future after CAA, don't want to return to Myanmar The BSF seized the consignment on Thursday 9 p.m. from the house of Tunu Miah, a resident of Matinagar village in West Tripura. The consignment was stored in Miah's house for smuggling it across the border to Bangladesh. "Acting on specific intelligence input provided by BSF intelligence branch about storing of huge consignment of narcotic drugs in the house of Tunu Miah, a joint team of BSF troops and DRI officials, Agartala swiftly cordoned the house. During a thorough search in the presence of two independent witnesses, the raiding party recovered two cartons and a polythene bag containing a huge quantity of Yaba tablets," a BSF statement said. The cartons and polythene bags were opened leading to recovery and seizure of 1,68,500 Yaba tablets worth around Rs 8.52 crore along with two Maruti cars, which were being used for transportation of the consignment, said the statement. "The BSF along with DRI, Agartala has given the first big jolt to the narcotic syndicate on the second day of the year 2020 by seizing the biggest consignment of Yaba in the North-Eastern Region so far." The BSF statement, however, clarified that Miah is currently residing at Bishalgarh, a town located in the Sepahijala district of Tripura, and has given his house to his nephew Soyag Miah. "On observing joint operation teams of BSF and DRI approaching near the house, the occupants managed to run away, taking advantage of darkness." The seized items have been handed over to the DRI, Agartala, for further legal action, said the statement. Besides this operation, the statement said, BSF troops deployed along the Bangladesh border in Tripura have also seized contraband such as 1,145 bottles of phensedyl, 31 kgs of ganja (marijuana), three cattle and other miscellaneous items having combined market value of over Rs 14.69 lakh along with 1,00,000 Bangladeshi takas on Thursday. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on Friday played Good cop, bad cop as he poured out sympathy for Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and trashed him in the same breath. However, the BJP jumped to the CMs defence. Siddaramaiah lashed out at the Prime Minister for first ignoring Karnatakas plight and then snubbing his own partys leaders. ...PM Modi deliberately ignoring Yediyurappa and humiliating him on the stage is equivalent to insulting Kannadigas. I condemn this, said Siddaramaiah. He then went on to deem Yediyurappa a weak chief minister. Yediyurappa on Thursday said the state has received only Rs 1,500 crore from the Centre despite asking for Rs 36,000 crore. The PM should at least address this issue seriously, he added. While the Congress leader questioned the need for PM to politicise a speech in front of children, the BJP replied saying, The Prime Minister defended the Citizenship Amendment Act and did not seek votes for BJP while addressing children. CAA has been passed by the Parliament and is now an Act. It is not just his but our responsibility too to inform children about it. Calling this politicisation exposes Siddaramaiahs lack of political understanding, said Laxman Savadi, Deputy Chief Minister. Reacting to PM Modis allegation that the Congress is reluctant to talk against Pakistan and is opposing the Parliament, Siddaramaiah said, East Pakistan was liberated as Bangladesh was under Indira Gandhi. Pakistan was beaten in a battle and 90,000 of its soldiers surrendered. All of this was done during Congress government, where was Modi then? he asked. President Donald Trump said Friday that he authorized a recent precision strike against the commander of Iran's security and intelligence services because he was plotting 'imminent and sinister attacks' on Americans. 'We caught him in the act and terminated him,' Trump said Friday, a day after the strike that killed Qasem Soleimani at a Baghdad airport. Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate that Soleimani should have been taken out by his predecessors and cast his decision as one of deterrence rather than aggression. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' Trump said. Though Trump on Friday sought to cast his decision to take out the leader of Iran's security and intelligence services as prevention of war, he continued to threaten Iran's leaders with further strikes should they continue with destabilizing actions in the region. 'We do not seek regime change,' Trump said, adding that Iran's use of proxy fights 'must end and it must end now.' Trump boasted of US military might, and said the country has 'the best intelligence in the world.' 'If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary, and that in particular refers to Iran,' Trump said. Following the drone strike, a US defense official also told CNN Friday that the US will deploy thousands of additional troops to the Middle East amid unrest over tensions with Iran following the US embassy protests and Soleimani's death. The Pentagon has blamed Soleimani and his Quds Force for attacks on coalition bases in Iraq in recent months, including the December 27 strike that culminated in the deaths of an American contractor and Iraqi personnel. The Trump administration has also blamed him for the December 31 US embassy attack in Baghdad, and in addition to the hundreds killed in his time as a commander, thousands more were wounded, the Pentagon said. The December 31 US embassy bombardment in Iraq followed US airstrikes on an Iranian-backed militia group. 'Imminent attacks' Numerous Trump administration officials said Friday that the US launched the targeted strike against Soleimani to curtail such an imminent attack against US interests. State Department special representative for Iran Brian Hook said that Soleimani was planning 'imminent attacks against American personnel and facilities in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and beyond.' The administration has yet to provide any public evidence to support its assertion about the upcoming attack, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN that they'd do their best 'to release everything that we know that's appropriate, that we can, that doesn't put anyone at risk.' When asked whether there is a risk now to US safety in the region, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley bluntly said, 'Damn right there is a risk.' He also pushed back at assertions that the strike on Soleimani was impulsive. 'We fully comprehend the strategic risks and consequences,' of killing the Iranian military commander,' he said. 'The risk of inaction exceeded the risk of action.' Three days of national mourning have been declared in Iran. Funeral processions will be held for Soleimani in both Iran and Iraq, Iranian state-run IRNA news agency reported. The conflict sparked during the celebration of the New Year in the village of Viktorivka, in Donetsk region's Volnovakha district. A house was burnt down in Russian-occupied Donbas amid a brawl between local militants and Russian mercenaries, as they were firing weapons, according to the Ukrainian Joint Forces' intelligence data. Read alsoJFO HQ reveals enemy death toll in Donbas over 2019 "The conflict sparked during the celebration of the New Year in the village of Viktorivka, in Donetsk region's Volnovakha district," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation wrote on Facebook on January 4. "According to the intelligence data, during the New Year's celebration, representatives of illegal armed formations of Russian occupation forces, using pyrotechnics, small arms, and the ZU-23-2 [anti-aircraft gun], burned a residential building in the village of Viktorivka," the press center said. As reported, the row sparked between local criminals and Russian mercenaries, as the militants "were unhappy" with the attitude of their "bosses." As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces on Friday, January 3, mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. We've updated this article twice now because it has so much good information it just needs to be updated for our readers. First published in 2014, updated in 2016 and 2020! ~~~ Its very easy for information to become less than factual, especially when it gets passed around all over forums. You know how it goes, after something has been told and retold and then retold again by several different folks information can become downright confusing, misleading, and or simply incorrect to newcomers to Cuenca. Everyone has their own experience to report. No one experience is correct, nor is it wrong, it is just what it is for them. It certainly does not mean that someone elses experience will be your experience. This is why a good rule of thumb is to hear and read information by the source(s) that control it and established it, if at all possible. We should never take someone elses opinions or experiences as set in stone truth. Not only that but we all have to do the same amount of due diligence when moving to a third world country , by experiencing everything for ourselves! Good diligence dictates that we need to accept all information available, not only that which suits us best. When people try to get a free ride they usually end up not enjoying their experience as much. We should not expect or assume anything!! It is our own attentiveness to detail in our observations and our own experiences that makes our understanding so much better and enjoyable. Misinformation 1 The tap water in Cuenca has amoebas and parasites so you have to boil it first or buy bottled water. Actuality: Cuencas water system is fantastic . It is far superior to the city water in most northern country areas! We have been drinking the water, straight from the faucet, without a filter, since day one of our arrival and were not dead yet, nor have we gotten sick, nor do we feel sick! The water also tastes excellent! Update 2016- sadly we have to report that we did get parasites in Cuenca, not that the water is not drinkable, but because they turn the water off so often now with the lightrail work that we got parasites. We're not the only ones, other blogs and expats have also reported getting the same parasites (Entamoeba Histolytica) as we did in Cuenca. You can get parasites from dirty pipes and letting water sit in the pipes for long periods of time and then drinking it. We recommend to NOT drink tap water from older buildings in El Centro either, which invariably have antiquated pipes. Update 20 17 - Still all true, however , since the construction of the light rail the water goes off so often that we now recommend trav elers to Cuenca just buy bottled water to be on the safe side until they get the tram up and running and they stop turning off the water! UPDATE 2020 - There are times when the city works on pipes and at that time there is a risk of contaminated water . Thats why we always keep stored water on hand for those occasions. Someone commented on our YT that the lite rail was finished and working but have not cofirmed this ourselves. Misinformation 2 - You can retire in Cuenca on $900 dollars a month. Update 2020 - This still might be true if you do exactly what the paragraph below says. Actuality: If you live in a small apartment or house for $300 dollars; and if you seldom eat anything out other than the typical almuerzo for lunch and dinner; if you ride the bus rather than take a taxi; if you dont buy imported foods, clothing, etc; if you text rather than talk on your cell phone; if you have the lowest/slowest Internet plan of $33; if you keep your utilities down to $50; If you never need to go to the doctor; and you can keep your food budget down to $200 a month; and lastly, if you can keep your miscellaneous expenditures down to $100 dollars per month, well then you might be able to make it on $900 a month. But we dont think this is what the mainstream retire abroad press meant when they published the article on how you can retire on $900 a month and live like a king in Cuenca Ecuador, do you? Did they tell you all that above? And actually for those of you who did not see it, they first were touting live like a king in Cuenca Ecuador on $600 a month, not too long ago. They forgot to tell their readers this is only possible with integration and immersion into the Ecuadorian lifestyle. Update 2016 - The new amount you can retire on in Cuenca is $1,500 to $2,000! UPDATE 2020 - $1,500 to $2000 still true today in Jan, 2020 Facts dictate that if youre looking for u.s. standards, you may have to spend more than in the u.s. Misinformation 3 All Ecuadorians are nice (honest) folks. Actuality: Does that really need explaining? Misinformation 4 Cuenca Ecuador has dry air. If you go by "feeling" well then you may not feel the humidity is that high because the air is thin and it is not hot in Cuenca, but we did a 8-week weather humidity experiment and Cuenca is almost always at around 75% humidity or higher, especially in the homes. Because of this the homes are cool and can harbor mold spores. You need to keep windows cracked open all day to keep mold growth down. See our 8 week series mold experiment here. As always, feeling can be subjective: someone from Houston may feel it is dry, while some from New Mexico may feel it is damp . Misinformation 5 - Go to such and such blog or such and such forum for SPECIFIC documents (and information about VISAS and the process) you will need for your residency. Update 2020 - Absolutely true as even the link I had below no longer works because the embassy has no such link anymore. Unless you go to the OFFICIAL Ecuador Embassy website. Getting information from blogs and forums is a big waste of time, laws and regulations change all the time. That's why we don't give out the information on our blog. Click here for the OFFICIAL WEBSITE for Immigrant Visas (in English) or copy and paste the (below) link into your browser. http://cancilleria.gob.ec/immigrant-visas/?lang=en UPDATE 20202 - Your best bet is to go with https://www.ecuaassist.com/ for all your visa information and process. Actuality : Understand, everyone has something to say about their experience with the immigration process. But the fact is, no two instances are the sameand each lawyer cooks the broth differently. One week you need this paperwork, the next week, you dont need this document, but the next day, you do need this documentthis week this law is imposed that wasnt previously, etc, etc. Misinformation 6 You can get your Ecuadorian residency visa in 30-days Actuality: Sure, some (few) people get their residency in 30-days. Many people will not be able to get their residency in just 30-days. That might be you, so plan accordingly. The reality is even when you think all of your paperwork is in order, snags, changes, and misinformation/miscommunication occurs. Misinformation 7 Most of the things you mention (Referring to article on our blog) in post called Cuenca Has Been Discovered are NOT because of being 'discovered'. They are things the gov't has implemented (ie; traffic police, controlling vendors, fireworks preventing a major fire, gas subsidies, etc etc)....they have nothing to do with foreigners coming here. Actuality the new vendor regulations, all the new traffic cops, and no more fireworks (because they are loud at night) have EVERYTHING to do with Cuenca being named the best retirement city in the world!! Anyone who thinks differently is not really in the swing of things. When a new place becomes discovered, as Cuenca has for the last four years in a row, it begins to improve all the things that gringos and Cuencano-gringos gripe about. You dont think the locals complain about the noise of the fireworks do you, (theyre the ones doing the fireworks), or the vendors taking up too much of the sidewalk. All of the things (mostly the charms of Cuenca) that are changing are a direct cause of influx of returning north Americanized Cuencanos and gringos retiring to the best retirement city in the world. Cuenca now has to live up to that label , otherwise how could it truly be the best city if they dont continue to change the old world by modeling it to the new world? UPDATE 2020 - Actually Panama has been named the best country to live and retire for 2020, giving Cuenca a much needed rest, however she is still in like 3rd of 4th place out of 10....!! Misinformation 8 It is not safe to wave down a taxi in Cuenca. Actuality: The only thing hailing down a taxi in Cuenca might be unsafe for is to your pocket book! Misinformation 9 Rents are cheaper in Cuenca compared to the u.s. Actuality: For whom are they cheaper? For Californians and New Yorkers, a majority of the rest of the world is cheaper to them . Still people just dont get it; they continue to compare South America to North America in everything. Did you forget that monthly wages are $400 dollars per month here?! When we continually compare as we do, talking with people about how cheap it is to live in Cuenca it begins to form some kind of brain-wash that Cuenca is cheap. Why dont you ask your average Ecuadorian if they think a bag of oranges is cheap or the apartment they rent is cheap? Ask them. Photo: Junko Kimura-Matsumoto/Bloomberg via Getty Images The cinematic details are just one reason the Carlos Ghosn story is popcorn-worthy. Who could help but be interested in how the disgraced and indicted former Nissan CEO succeeded at jumping bail in Japan, getting himself smuggled out of the country onto a private jet in an audio-equipment box, and making it to Lebanon, a country where he has strong personal ties and protections against extradition? But beyond the fun logistical details of the escape, were probably also about to get more juicy details about the drama inside Nissan that led to Ghosns downfall and arrest. Ghosn says hes eager to finally name names and declare who set him up as the fall guy in an international dispute over who should control the Japanese automaker. Ghosn has the unusual distinction of having long served as the head of two major auto companies on two continents at the same time: Nissan and Frances Renault. He achieved business executive celebrity status in the late 1990s and early 2000s by establishing a partnership between the two firms that brought Nissan from the brink of financial collapse. But in recent years, Ghosn believed even deeper links between the two companies would be needed to keep them viable. The French government, which owns 15 percent of Renault, was perceived in Japan as pushing for a full merger, though French officials periodically denied they were seeking one. Ghosn claims, not implausibly, that he was taken down by Japanese executives and government officials who feared he would shepherd a French takeover of Nissan, leading to the loss of one of Japans top national companies. Indeed, the Wall Street Journal reported back in March that Ghosns successor as Nissan CEO, Hiroto Saikawa, told a Renault executive as much at the beginning of last year. A significant problem for Ghosn is that, even if this is all true, that doesnt mean he didnt break the law. If you alienate people, they may try to figure out if you committed crimes. If they figure out that you did commit crimes, but the crimes arent really why they were out to get me is not a great defense. The criminal accusations against Ghosn are sort of odd: that he awarded himself deferred compensation of which Nissans board was unaware, thus causing the company to underreport his pay to Japans equivalent of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The deferred compensation awards started in 2010, right after Japan implemented a new law disclosing CEO pay. Ghosn felt he should be paid according to the standards by which international (especially American) auto company CEOs are paid, but the company faced a public relations imperative to follow Japans norms on executive compensation, which are considerably more modest. Ghosn is also accused of using company funds to pay for various personal expenses, including the acquisition and upkeep of homes in cities where Ghosn has extensive ties but Nissan does not have major business, like Beirut and Rio de Janeiro. Im not sure exactly how the deferred compensation scheme was supposed to work. After he retired, was he going to go to Nissan and say, I will take my deferred compensation now, and the board would say, What deferred compensation? and he would say, Oh, the tens of millions of dollars worth of deferred compensation I awarded myself without telling you so we wouldnt have to report it to the government, and the board would say, Oh, well then, here you go? In the U.S., it is quite common for a board to be excessively close with a CEO and willing to overpay him; it is much more irregular for the board to be literally unaware of what it is paying the CEO. Shortly before he fled Japan, Ghosns defense attorneys were arguing that, in fact, there had been no deferred compensation, but that the amounts recorded each year were just notes of how much less Ghosn was being paid than he truly deserved to be paid, which Ghosn intended to use to bolster his arguments in future salary negotiations. They did not reflect guaranteed payments, and so they werent compensation and werent reportable. This does not seem to have been the view of Nissans auditors, nor is it the view of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which sought civil penalties related to Ghosns allegedly underreported compensation. Both Nissan and Ghosn reached settlements with the SEC without admitting wrongdoing. But those are details. The broader subtext I read into Ghosns defense of himself is that when things were going well for Nissan when he was the savior of one of Japans great manufacturing firms everyone was willing to look the other way. That this was supposed to be the deal: I save Nissan, you give me lots of money in a way that is out of step with Japanese norms. The deferred compensation scheme, if it existed, was just a tactic in service of that deal. Now, he sees Nissan and the Japanese government as having reneged on the deal by claiming this was never the deal at all. But if that was the deal, it wasnt a valid one. It ran contrary to Japanese public policy, which was changed during Ghosns tenure to force the disclosure of executive compensation in order to discourage extremely generous executive salaries. Ghosn says he wants a trial to clear his name, but he wants it in Lebanon, where he thinks the justice system will be more fair to him than in Japan. But as Pete Sweeney notes for Reuters, this situation is so hideously embarrassing for all parties involved that I suspect we will see mutual relief that Ghosns escape eliminates the need for a trial. The Japanese can say he fled because he knows he was guilty, and they wont have to litigate the incredibly weak corporate governance that would have made his alleged crimes possible. France and Japan can more easily get on with salvaging the Nissan-Renault alliance without having to fight over Ghosn. And Ghosn can stay out of prison. But we probably will get to see him litigate at least some of this in the court of public opinion. A rocket has fallen near the US embassy in Iraq hours after a funeral for a top Iranian general killed in a US airstrike was held in the country. The rocket hit near the embassy compound in the Iraqi capital's Green Zone - a heavily fortified area home to government buildings and foreign embassies. Iraqi military sources told Reuters there were no casualties. It came after mourners chanted "death to America" during the service held for General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed after US President Donald Trump ordered his execution via drone strike. Another two Katyusha rockets hit Iraq's Balad air base which houses US forces. Iran has vowed to seek revenge for the US air strike which killed one of its top generals and several more / AFP via Getty Images It is unclear how many troops are at the base but there are currently no reports of injuries at the site. However, mortar falling in Baghdad's Jadriya neighbourhood has wounded five people. General Soleimani was the head of Iran's elite Quds force and was killed when his motorcade was bombed early on Friday near the international airport in Iraq's capital. Iran has since said it will seek revenge for the airstrike and will punish Americans as the US said it was sending 3,000 more troops to the region amid soaring tensions. The Tamil film industry is all set to get its biggest ever project in the form of Ponniyin Selvan, which is the dream project of maverick film-maker Mani Ratnam. The shoot of the multi-starrer movie has already commenced and an update regarding the same had come a few weeks ago. The entire Indian film industry is looking up to this magnificent project. Now, none other than Superstar Rajinikanth has spoken about the Mani Ratnam directorial and he has tagged the film as a majestic movie. Ponniyin Selvan is being jointly produced by Lyca Productions and Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies. It was during the pre-release event of Darbar's Telugu version, held in Hyderabad on Friday (January 4, 2020) that Rajinikanth talked briefly about Ponniyin Selvan. Darbar has also been produced under the banner Lyca Productions and Rajinikanth showered praises on the production house as well as its chief Subaskaran. While speaking about him, Rajinikanth mentioned that Subaskaran garu is making big movies and adding to it, he said that Ponniyin Selvan, the upcoming production venture of the banner, is a majestic movie, which is in the scale of films like Baahubali. The hype surrounding Ponniyin Selvan needs no introduction and one of the finest film-makers of Indian cinema is helming it. The movie is expected to be the biggest ever venture of Mani Ratnam so far. The film has a stellar star cast and features Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Aishwarya Rajesh, Aishwarya Lekshmi etc., in important roles. Most recently, the makers of the film had unveiled the title poster of the movie, which had gone viral on social media. According to reports, the first schedule of shoot is progressing in Thailand where some of the major actors have already joined the shoot. Further updates regarding the film are being awaited. In a bid to keep the Citizenship Act issue raging, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is sending new year greeting cards with the preamble of the Constitution printed on it to noted citizens in Uttar Pradesh. The greetings are signed by Priyanka, in-charge of UP. "Nav Varsh ki shubhkamnayen (Happy new year)," it reads. The letters, sent to poets, writers, social workers, Congress activists, have the preamble of the Constitution printed on it in Hindi. UP Congress unit is distributing the letters to citizens, a source said. Notably, Congress leaders read the preamble of the Constitution during a protest against CAA and the Register of Citizens (NRC) at Rajghat last month. Priyanka, in her capacity, has been meeting the victims of violence during anti-CAA protests in different parts of UP. On Saturday, Priyanka met a Muslim cleric who was allegedly beaten up by police in connection with a protest in UP's Muzzafarnagar. "I met Maulana Asad Hussaini who was brutally thrashed by Police, students of Madarsa including minors were picked up by Police without any reason, some of them were released and some are still in custody," she told reporters. A high-voltage drama unfolded in Lucknow during Priyanka's visit to the state capital last week, with the Congress leader accusing a cop of manhandling her, holding her by the throat. She took a scooter ride to evade police, that was barring her movement, to meet kin of former IPS officer IPS Darapuri who were jailed for protesting against the CAA. According to a source, UP Congress is planning to hold rallies in various districts against Citizenship Amendment Act this month and will be addressed by Priyanka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WESTPORT Fire officials in town are urging residents who still have a Christmas tree in their homes to consider getting rid of it this weekend. A third of house fires in United States that begin with Christmas trees happen in January. With that statistic in mind, even the National Fire Protection Association encourages everyone to remove their trees from their homes promptly after the holiday season. Christmas trees are combustible items that become increasingly flammable as they continue to dry out, said a statement from Lorraine Carli, NFPAs vice president of outreach and advocacy. The longer you keep one in your home, the more of a fire hazard it becomes. NFPA statistics show that while Christmas tree fires arent exactly common, they do occur and are very likely to be serious when they do. Anuual, on average, one of every 45 reported house fires that start with a Christmas tree have resulted in death. In comparison, reported home structure fires typically result in one death out of every 139 fires. Carli said that although all Christmas trees can burn, a dried-out tree can become engulfed in flames in just a few seconds. In recent years, weve seen tragic incidents where Christmas tree fires have resulted in deadly consequences for multiple family members, including young children, Carli said. Again, get rid of it, Westport fire officials said. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani attends a meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard commanders in Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 18, 2016. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) Soleimanis Death Could Be a Political Game Changer Inside Iraq, Say Experts The killing of Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force, by the United States could be a political game-changer inside an Iraq that recently saw anti-government protests that included calls for Iran to stop meddling in the country, according to Middle East political analysts. Soleimani ran the pro-Tehran politicians in Iraq, Sam Bazzi, a Middle East analyst and the founder of the (the web-based) Islamic Counterterrorism Institute and Hezbollah Watch, told The Epoch Times. He had carried a lot of political weight and influence among the Iranian regimes regional proxies and political allies. His death comes at a time when Iraq is divided and in the process of electing a new prime minister, said Bazzi. Soleimanis political power inside Iraq was visiblethe day after anti-government protests erupted in Iraq, Soleimani flew into Baghdad late at night and took a helicopter to the heavily fortified Green Zone where he surprised a group of top security officials by chairing a meeting in place of the prime minister. The arrival of Soleimani, the architect of Iraqs regional security apparatus, signaled Tehrans concern over the protests, which had erupted across the capital and in Iraqs Shiite heartland and included calls for Iran to stop meddling in the country. The protests were fueled by local grievances and mainly directed at political elites, but they also posed a challenge to Iran, which closely backs the Iraqi government as well as powerful armed groups in the country. An increasingly violent crackdown in Iraq had then raised fears of a backlash by Iran and its allies. We in Iran know how to deal with protests, Soleimani had told the Iraqi officials, according to two senior officials familiar with the meeting who spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the secret gathering. This happened in Iran and we got it under control. A protester gives the victory sign as thousands of anti-government protesters gather in Tahrir Square during ongoing demonstrations in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 31, 2019. (Hadi Mizban/AP Photo) Explaining the political significance of Soleimanis death, Kanishkan Sathasivam, a political analyst and Director at William H. Bates Center for Public & Global Affairs at Salem State University, told The Epoch Times that the military commander was easily the most dangerous individual in the entire greater Middle East, and his death is far more significant and impactful than taking down the leaders of al-Qaeda or ISIS. Sathasivam said the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) folks will now pressure the Iraqi government to break diplomatic relations with the United States and expel American forces from Iraq. But I would also highlight the fact that there have been several large demonstrations in Iraq and Syria and even inside Iran celebrating Soleimanis death. He was very much a hated figure for a lot of people. And the recent anti-government demonstrations inside Iraq routinely included anger specifically aimed at Soleimani. So this could energize anti-Iran Shia in Iraq. In Iran, the regime will have no choice but to try and find a way to retaliate in a manner equally high profile, said Sathasivam. Joseph A. Kechichian, a senior fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, told The Epoch Times that Soleimanis death can also change the way the pro-American Iraqi military operates. A significant weakening of the pro-Iranian Shiah leadership that will now have to strengthen its nationalist credentials instead of playing the Tehran fiddle. Moreover, the military, very much dependent on the United States, will also enhance its credentials and, perhaps, play a large role in political affairs, explained Kechichian, an author of several books on the Middle East. Ali Baker, an Ankara, Turkey-based political analyst with Carnegie Middle East, also confirmed Kechichians viewpoint. Iraq and its security forces will be less constrained to sort out these internal things with the absence of Soleimani. Many Iraqi officials are personally tied to him. The killing of the strong militia leader Abu el Mahdi el Muhandis will leave its impact on the PMFs. Unless Iran is willing to act aggressively to overcome the absence of Soleimani, Iraqis will be under less pressure, said Baker. Upcoming Parliamentary Elections Political analysts say the outcome of the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections is now extremely uncertain and there are multiple factors that could play a role. Soleimanis death could have some impact because of the role he was playing in curbing the recent anti-government protests. The outcome of the next parliamentary elections will be more attachedin my opinionto the protests of the Iraqis that erupted in the last couple of months of 2019. These protests were clearly objecting to the foreign influence and interference, said Baker adding that the new Iraqi government would represent the ambitions and hopes of the Iraqis and not the Iranian interests. Bazzi gave another political dimension to the recent developments that all started with the Dec. 27 killing of a U.S. contractor in an attack on an Iraqi military base by Kataib Hezbollah. In fact, the death of the American contractor may or may not have been intentional. Was Tehran seeking to merely harass U.S. forces or trigger a major crisis as a prelude for its allies in the Iraqi parliament to demand the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq? Tehran, for sure, would like to see the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region, but especially from Iraq and the Gulf, said Bazzi. Kechichian, however, believes that Soleimanis death will have a low impact on the awaited Iraqi elections and that if it happens it would benefit another dormant faction. Marginal impact as the overwhelming majority will continue to play its sectarian preferences. If Iran is sidelined in Iraq, which is a possibility though premature to affirm at this time, the upcoming elections might also strengthen the relatively dormant Kurdish hand, said Kechichian. Anti-government protesters shoot laser lights at security forces during clashes on a bridge leading to the Green Zone government areas during ongoing protests in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 6, 2019. (Khalid Mohammed/AP Photo) Political Gains for the US Experts say Soleimanis killing creates both political leverage and challenges for the Trump administration inside Iraq because the United States long term interest is with the Iraqis. Beyond eliminating one of its most notorious foes, someone who seldom hid his disgust with everything American, Washington will be called upon to navigate with caution as its long-term interests are with the Iraqi people. The latter remained wary of American intentions, and may not have forgotten that it was the Obama Administrations pro-Iranian policies that handed their country to Tehran on a silver plate before the Trump Administration turned the table upside down. Will Iraqis trust Americans again and can the U.S. afford to forego the confidence of so many? said Kechichian. Baker said it is hard to predict how the situation will develop for the United States inside Iraq, but it is true that the Iraqi people need the support of the United States. On the tactical level, the U.S. move might seem to be problematic with regards to relations with Iraq, however, it could offer Iraq a window to act against the Iranian influence at the right time due to the absence of Soleimani. It will be hard to predict how things will evolve in such an environment, but there is no doubt that Iraq still needs the U.S. right now, he said. Bazzi said Trump has opportunities to explore inside Iraq. Now that hes out of the picture, the Trump administration can push for its preferred candidate(s) and encourage a shift in the country towards Washington and away from Tehran, said Bazzi. However, Bazzi also cautioned that since Iran and its proxies have vowed revengethey would also use political means to do so inside Iraq. Evidently, the killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani has hardened the Iranian regimes stance. Tehran and its allies are unambiguous about their desire for revenge. This will lead the regime to retaliate politically by rallying its supporters in Iraq to push, via parliamentary legislation, diplomatic pressure and popular protests, for the exit of U.S. troops from the country, Bazzi concluded. Associated Press contributed to this report. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Donald Trumps extraordinary decision to order the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Irans formidable Quds Force, could prove to be the spark that sets the whole of the Middle East on fire. Soleimani was torn to shreds yesterday when four rockets were fired at him from a US drone at Baghdad airport after he arrived from Syria. This unprecedented murder of a foreign military leader outside of a declared armed conflict has been dubbed the most significant assassination of the century more important, even, than that of Osama bin Laden in 2011. Consequences: Donald Trump appears to have no strategy for dealing with the fall-out In fact, military analysts say Soleimanis assassination by the US is tantamount to a declaration of war against regional superpower Iran. What is certain is that his death marks the beginning of a terrifying new and unpredictable era in an already turbulent region. Unsurprisingly, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned that severe consequences await the killers of Soleimani, while the countrys foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, denounced the assassination as an act of international terrorism. Meanwhile in the US, a number of major cities have increased security to protect prominent landmarks and civilians from possible revenge terrorist attacks. Whether or not that US reaction is justified, it would be difficult to overstate just how big a loss Soleimanis death is for the Iranian regime, how seriously we should take its vows of revenge or, just as crucially, how humiliatingly off-guard Irans leaders were when Trump gave his kill order. Indeed, in retrospect it seems nothing short of astonishing that just a day earlier the ayatollah himself had mocked Trump about the violence outside the US embassy in Iraq, which Washington claimed was orchestrated by Iran. You cant do anything, Khamenei said, in what will surely go down in history as one of the most ill-advised tweets ever posted by a countrys leader. Meanwhile, so apparently unconcerned was Soleimani about his own safety that the general famed for constantly outsmarting his enemies on the battlefield did not bother to keep his travel plans secret. While most people in the West will not have known much, if anything, about Soleimani before the announcement of his death yesterday, in Iran he was the most revered military leader since the countrys 1979 revolution. Whether or not that US reaction is justified, it would be difficult to overstate just how big a loss Soleimanis death is for the Iranian regime For the past two decades he had single-handedly guided the countrys military strategy and had been the second most important regime insider, answerable only to the ayatollah, who yesterday announced three days of mourning. To grasp the level of grief and outrage now engulfing Iran, imagine the reaction among the American public if it had been Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who was assassinated by the Iranians after flying into Baghdad. And then multiply that reaction by a thousand. When it comes to what motivated Trump to gamble on an escalation that even he surely understood will have endless unforeseeable consequences, the answer of course depends on who you ask. For his supporters, he was boldly responding to a series of increasingly brazen Iranian provocations aimed at undermining the US and its regional allies. Yesterday the official line from the Pentagon was that Trump ordered the assassination to deter future Iranian attacks. The Benghazi-style breach of the US embassy in Baghdad earlier this week was just the latest in a series that evidently tested the Presidents patience to breaking point. Only a week ago, for example, US air strikes killed 25 fighters of an Iran-backed militia in Iraq in retaliation for their killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base. Husband: My fears for Nazanin The husband of a British woman detained in Iran for three years expressed concern yesterday for her safety and that of her family. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe a dual British-Iranian citizen has been imprisoned in Tehran since 2016 when she was accused of spying while visiting her family. Appearing on ITVs Good Morning Britain, her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who is campaigning for her release, said: Things are getting much worse again between the US and Iran, but also between all of us and Iran. I sit here partly worried for what that means for Nazanin, partly worried what that means for my in-laws, sat in their ordinary living room in Tehran. Mr Ratcliffe spent Christmas reunited with their daughter Gabriella, pictured left with her mother. The five-year-old, who had spent most of her life in Tehran, returned to the UK to start school in October. Also held in the notorious Evin prison is British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who is serving ten years on espionage charges. Advertisement The Pentagon held Soleimani personally responsible for the contractors death, as it has for countless other American deaths in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. Over the past 18 months, though, the mullahs in Tehran have escalated their aggression. They shot down a US military surveillance drone, for instance, and seized oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Most spectacularly, Iran was also blamed for a missile and drone strike on key US ally Saudi Arabias oil industry that temporarily halved its production. On the other hand, for Trumps detractors, the assassination marks the unofficial start of his re-election campaign. While the US media generally loathe Trump, they have a maddening enthusiasm for any president when he bombs Middle Eastern countries. Predictably, US cable news networks have rallied behind his decision to kill Soleimani, and amid the patriotic fervour, Trump can expect a jump in the polls. Just as worryingly, there are echoes of Bill Clintons notorious habit of bombing Iraq to deflect from his impeachment trial. And for Trump there is the added factor that to survive a Senate vote on removing him from office later this year he must keep the anti-Iran war hawks on his side. Whatever his motivations, what is undeniable is that Trump is incapable of long-term planning, and he appears to have no strategy for dealing with the impending fall-out from the assassination. In contrast, Iran plays the long game. It is unlikely therefore that we are about to witness a massive military response from Iran directed at US targets in the region. This is also because Irans key allies Russia and China will be doing all they can to convince the regime to show restraint as the last thing either want to risk is getting dragged into a direct confrontation with the US. Instead, Iran will draw on its expertise in asymmetrical warfare, specifically in using its Shia proxies throughout the region in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq to do the dirty work on its behalf. Already, for example, the Iran-allied Iraqi parliament is planning to vote to order the withdrawal of American forces from the country. And because Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of the Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi Iraqi militia group, was killed with Soleimani, they and other militias are mobilising with the threat of attacking US troops if they refuse to leave. The grave concern now must be that Iranian revenge attacks against the US will provoke another massive response from Washington, and that sooner or later a direct war will become unavoidable. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab yesterday urged all parties to de-escalate, saying further conflict is in none of our interests. While Britains ability to stop Trump going to war is limited, we should make it crystal clear from the outset that if an apocalyptic battle erupts between the US and Iran we will not be any part of it. John R Bradley is the author of four books on the Middle East. Iraqi paramilitary leader, top Iranian commander killed in attack near Baghdad airport People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:57, January 03, 2020 BAGHDAD, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- An attack near Baghdad International Airport on Friday has killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhamdis, the deputy top leader of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. A security source and lawmaker anonymously told Xinhua that "eight people, including Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, were killed in the attack on a military base near Baghdad International Airport." Previous reports said three rockets targeting the airport struck two vehicles nearby, killing at least seven people, including five Iraqi militia members and "two guests" in the cars. Two of the deaths were Iranian nationals, the source confirmed with Xinhua. The Iraqi state TV additionally reported that Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, was among the killed. Meanwhile, U.S. media citing a Pentagon source reported that al-Muhandis and Soleimani were killed in the strike, and DNA results are pending. Soleimani has once said that the IRGC forces will be able to deal with any war with the United States, After the attack, parliament lawmaker Mish'aan al-Jubouri, who has a close relationship with al-Muhamdis, said in a tweet that "I mourn the brother, the rebellious, the dear and loyal friend who I have always watched him defying the death." The attack came after supporters of the Hashd Shaabi militias stormed on Tuesday the perimeter of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. On Sunday evening, U.S. forces bombarded the headquarters of Hashd Shaabi's 45th and 46th Brigades, leaving 25 killed and 51 injured. Enditem NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo Monday night, tweeting the anchor is fake news. He is Fake News, will always be Fredo to us. I should release some of his dishonest interviews? Coupled with bad ratings, hed be out! he wrote, referencing a viral video from this summer that showed the primetime journalist reacting angrily to being called the name of a character in The Godfather. In the video, which earned Cuomo support from Fox News Sean Hannity, the New York governors brother compares Fredo to the n-word for Italians. Trump was promoting an end-of-year Breitbart piece that also took aim at the Fredo incident and promised a few more embarrassing Cuomo moments, too. Also Read: Sean Hannity Has Chris Cuomo's Back After CNN Host's Swear-Filled Rant Over 'Fredo' Insult A representative for Cuomo and CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trumps attack. Trump also retweeted a video he tweeted once in November that featured a dubbed clip of Cuomo contacting his mother, former New York first lady Matilda Cuomo, via phone on a CNN set. Trumps voice is dubbed in to offer responses to Cuomos statements to his mother. For the most part, Trumps voice just calls Cuomo and CNNs chief political correspondent Dana Bash fake news. Read original story Trump Renews Attack on CNNs Chris Cuomo: I Should Release Some of His Dishonest Interviews At TheWrap Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday hit out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for their "shameless political stunts," in the wake of their alleged threat of agitation over the power hike in the state and their ultimatum in the murder cases of two former SAD sarpanch. The SAD has threatened to take to the streets over the two issues, which the Chief Minister dubbed as "mere theatrics, aimed at covering up their own trail of misdeeds and misgovernance of 10 years, and their continued efforts to promote their political interests," read a statement. "But you can't hide your miserable track record with these pathetic dramas," the Chief Minister said. Captain Amarinder said the Punjab Police, under the present regime, was doing a "much better job at solving crime cases than it ever had under the erstwhile SAD-BJP rule." These kind of churlish ultimatums might have worked under the Akali government when many innocent people were thrown behind bars after being charged in false cases, but under his regimen, no innocent person would be victimized for crimes they did not commit, said the Chief Minister. The police are doing a thoroughly professional job and the investigations in both cases are on track, he said, adding that these cases would also be solved, just as all others had been solved under his government. The Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP government had specialized in transferring all difficult cases to the CBI. Mismanagement and inefficiencies were the norm under the Akali rule, asserted the Chief Minister, adding that, in less than three years, his government had transformed the face of Punjab from a poor example of governance into a progressive state. "Sitting on dharnas and taking to the streets will not help you get back into the good backs of the people, who have seen through your antics and crocodile tears, and are no longer willing to trust you," Captain Amarinder Singh said. (ANI) This was not the first time that the Defense Department had been compelled to urge members of the military to remove a popular app from their phones. In 2016, the Defense Department banned Pokemon Go, the augmented-reality game, from military smartphones. But in that case, military officials cited concerns over productivity and the potential distraction hazards of pursuing the virtual Pokemon while driving or walking. The Canadian military also grappled with Pokemon Go. The concerns over TikTok center on cybersecurity and spying by the Chinese government. In a November blog post on TikToks website, the general manager of TikTok US, Vanessa Pappas, wrote that data security was a priority and that the company wanted to be as transparent as possible for stakeholders in the United States. The blog post came as the United States government opened a national security review of a Chinese companys acquisition of the American company that became TikTok. As we have said before, and recently confirmed through an independent security audit, we store all US user data in the United States, with backup redundancy in Singapore, Ms. Pappas wrote. TikToks data centers are located entirely outside of China. In October, Senators Chuck Schumer and Tom Cotton, Democrat of New York and Republican of Arkansas, sent a letter to the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, calling for an assessment of national security risks posed by TikTok and other China-based content platforms. The senators said Chinese companies must comply with a vague patchwork of intelligence, national security and cybersecurity laws that have no mechanism for appealing decisions of the Chinese Communist government. Chesa Boudin wont be San Franciscos first left-leaning district attorney. His predecessor, George Gascon, fit that description. So did Terence Hallinan, who held the office from 1995 to 2003. And Kamala Harris, who ran a tough-on-crime campaign that unseated Hallinan, promptly kept her promise to forgo the death penalty by declining to seek it for the killing of a police officer. Nor will Boudin be the first district attorney with radical roots. Hallinans father, defense attorney Vincent Hallinan, ran for president on the Progressive Party ticket in 1952 while serving a prison sentence for contempt of court that arose from his defense of union leader Harry Bridges. But when Boudin leaves the San Francisco public defenders office Wednesday to become the citys chief prosecutor, he will surely be the first person to hold that position with a revolutionary background that dates from early childhood. He was just 14 months old when his parents, members of the Weather Underground, were sent to prison for driving the getaway vehicle in a fatal armed robbery, leaving him to be raised by another couple belonging to the same left-wing group. One of my earliest memories are prison visits, Boudin, 39, said in an interview. I know countless people who have been incarcerated. Its an experience (having a close family member who is, or has been, behind bars) I share with a majority of Americans, a sad fact that we lead the world in locking people up. Its an experience that I hope and expect will affect the difficult choices I make as district attorney. Its a heritage he shared with San Francisco voters, who on Nov. 5 narrowly elected him over three opponents who were all career prosecutors. One of them, Suzy Loftus, had been appointed interim district attorney by Mayor London Breed after Gascon resigned in October to run for district attorney in Los Angeles County. Growing up, I had to go through a metal detector and steel gates just to give my parents a hug, Boudin said in a campaign video. In a Los Angeles Times column in April, he recalled, Prisons have been inscribed in my consciousness like the indelible ink stamped on my hand before entering the visiting room. ... Ive seen the systems injustices firsthand. He might draw supporting testimony from descendants of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The Rosenbergs were executed in 1953 for passing nuclear weapons secrets to the Soviet Union, although recent evidence has raised questions about their guilt, particularly Ethels. Their younger son, Robert Meeropol whose adoptive father, Abel Meeropol, wrote the anti-lynching song Strange Fruit founded the Rosenberg Fund for Children, which provides financial support to children whose parents are progressive activists prosecuted or otherwise targeted by the government. One day many years ago, Robert Meeropol recalled in an interview, he was giving a fundraising speech for the project in Chicago. Sitting at his feet was the 8-year-old son of two political prisoners Chesa Boudin. When he finished talking about his parents and his plans, Meeropol said, young Chesa piped up, Boy, his life was just like mine, only worse. He was a positive kid. He was not bitter, Meeropol said. It was a statement from the heart. His daughter, Rachel Meeropol, is a lawyer with the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York who litigated the case that substantially reduced solitary confinement in California prisons. I grew up with the sense that injustices happen. ... We dont just trust that the government is going to do the right thing, Rachel Meeropol said in an interview. Growing up with certain experiences opens your eyes, she said, and I would imagine Chesas experience led him to that perspective. Boudins parents, Kathy Boudin and David Gilbert, left him with a babysitter in 1981, then drove a getaway U-Haul for Black Liberation Army members who robbed a Brinks armored car in New York. The robbers killed a security guard, then fatally shot two police officers at a roadblock. Charged with murder for aiding in the robbery, Kathy Boudin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years to life. Gilbert went to trial, was convicted and was given 75 years to life. Kathy Boudin was paroled in 2003 with the help of her son, then a Yale student and activist who organized a campaign for her release. A widely published author while in prison, she earned a doctoral degree after her release, became a college teacher in social work and law, and now is co-director of the Center for Justice at Columbia University. Gilbert, who founded peer-education programs on AIDS behind bars, remains in prison his son, in fact, had just visited him in New York last month and was flying home when he checked online and learned he had won the district attorneys election. As a toddler, Boudin was placed in the care of another couple who had been in police cross-hairs. Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, two founders of the Weather Underground, who spent nearly 11 years on the run after an accidental, fatal 1970 bomb explosion in New York, then turned themselves in and averted serious charges because of government misconduct in their case. While raising Boudin and two other children and while under continued FBI surveillance, they migrated to academia Ayers became a professor of education at the University of Illinois, Dohrn a law professor at Northwestern University. Both are now retired. Boudin had a difficult childhood he had health problems, and didnt learn to read until age 9 but blossomed as a student, earning honors at Yale that included a Rhodes Scholarship. That sent him to the University of Oxford in England, where his research on Latin American issues took him to Venezuela. He describes his work there as continued research, investigations and freelance translating. He wrote a memoir about his travels, Gringo, co-wrote a book on Venezuelas political upheaval, and translated another authors Spanish-language interviews with the nations socialist leader, Hugo Chavez. Some of Boudins policy memos were also relayed to Chavez, but contrary to published reports Boudin says he never worked for Chavez or his government. Then it was back to Yale, this time as a law student. He graduated in 2011, worked as a law clerk for two U.S. federal judges and at a court in South Africa, then joined the public defenders office in 2015. One of his cases produced a January 2018 appeals court ruling requiring judges to consider defendants financial status when setting bail fueling passage of a state law that, if upheld by the voters next year, will abolish cash bail in California. San Francisco, meanwhile, is about to take the lead in eliminating pay-for-release bail after arrest, in a settlement of a federal lawsuit that Boudin helped to file in 2015. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Boudins path, of course has been a product of his choices and not merely his childhood. How public officials upbringing and experiences affect their attitudes in office is a question that history cant conclusively answer. Franklin D. Roosevelt, for example, came from a background of privilege. His New Deal policies as president were denounced by members of that class. A turnabout in the district attorneys office can come from someone with a defense background or someone whos spent their entire career in the office, said Lucy Lang, executive director of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. She said Eric Gonzalez, who joined the prosecutors office in Brooklyn in 1996, has implemented some of the nations most far-reaching and effective policy changes since being elected district attorney in 2017. On the other hand, Terence Hallinan had never been a prosecutor before his election in 1995. He fired 14 longtime prosecutors after taking office, then adopted policies of rehabilitation rather than punishment for nonviolent crimes, while steering juvenile offenders into training and treatment programs. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a former defense attorney and civil rights lawyer, dismissed some veteran prosecutors after his election in 2017. Since then, he has taken steps to reduce the jail population and set up procedures to review disputed convictions, freeing some inmates who were serving life sentences. Wesley Bell, who as a law professor in 2014 took part in protests over the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., won election as St. Louis County district attorney in 2018. He has also installed a system to review some past convictions, and fired the prosecutor who failed to persuade a grand jury to indict the officer who shot Brown. Boudin now will supervise the prosecutors he spent years opposing in court. He has advocated some changes a greater focus on prosecuting serious crimes and not victimless offenses, providing social assistance instead of jail for the homeless and mentally ill, and holding bad cops responsible for their actions. Another concern will be relations with the citys police force, whose union labeled Boudin the No. 1 choice of criminals and gang members and spent more than $600,000 opposing his election. Boudin might run up against an organizational culture, D.A.s who have prosecuted these cases for years. Police too, said Hadar Aviram, a law professor at UC Hastings in San Francisco. Other recently elected liberal prosecutors have drawn a backlash from lawmakers in their states, who have sought to narrow their authority over local cases. No such measures seem likely in California, but at the national level, Attorney General William Barr told a police group in August that social justice prosecutors are pursuing an agenda demoralizing to law enforcement and dangerous to public safety. And in a speech on Dec. 3, Barr warned that communities that fail to properly respect law enforcement might find themselves without the police protection they need. Boudin offered his own perspective in the column he wrote in April. The system I know from the inside out ... can be changed, he said. It can be turned toward equal treatment, an end to mass incarceration, and redemption and rehabilitation instead of recidivism. We can make our cities and our state safer and more just for everyone. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko New swing towards strict biosafety breed methods (illustration photo) The continuing threat of African swine fever (ASF) is putting pressure on livestock farmers and consumers alike, with a lack of pork at the markets and desperate efforts to re-populate herds. Especially, the continuously rising price of Vietnams favourite type of meat over the last few months, caused by the recent epidemic, is putting pressure on businesses and consumers alike, while simultaneously pushing higher the consumer price index (CPI) for 2019.According to expert projections, ASF will continue to affect the price of pork and the CPI well into the early months of 2020. According to a representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the most important solutions to prevent ASF in Vietnam was to prevent farms from infection via biosafety and disinfection. There are no vaccines for this disease yet, so the key is prevention, not treatment. With the increase of the diseases like African swine fever, biosafety is now a priority in controlling the expansion of epidemics and improving breeding efficiency, with the added benefit of massive savings on veterinary expenses. Awareness of the importance of biosafety is increasing year by year. As per statistics published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in 2016, nearly 2,150 pig breeding farms met the countrys biosafety standards, making up 18.3 per cent of the total farms across the country. The figure increased to over 2,490 farms (24.4 per cent) in 2017 and over 2,500 farms (25.6 per cent) in 2018. Livestock companies which hold the majority of live pigs and the lions share of breeding in the country are increasingly setting biosafety a priority during breeding. One such company is Japfa Comfeed Vietnam Ltd. Do Hoang Long, development and sales manager of the company, told VIR that one of the compulsory requirements in selecting partners to develop outsourcing pig farms is now biosafety. Japfas farms and outsourcing farms are located in the areas flagged for livestock in the provincial planning, away from residential areas. These facilities have three layers of security, including hard fencing, housing areas for workers, and technical teams. Each layer is installed with a strict sterilisation system. These multiple layers of defense prevent pigs from being exposed to pathogens from both humans and animals. At the peak time of epidemics, no one is allowed to leave Japfa farms without proper sterilisation upon leaving and entering. As the ASF virus can survive for long periods of time in extreme temperatures, even in dried or cured pork products or carcasses, without the investment and effort to improve biosecurity, farmers livelihoods will be at risk since there is currently no effective prevention measure. In addition, the group issued strict standards for the wastewater treatment system and we require partners to reserve at least 10 per cent of the farms total investment capital for building the system, Long said. The company affirms that 100 per cent of the wastewater produced by its outsourcing farms is treated carefully so that chemical and waste levels are low enough to be safely discharged into the local sewage system. While re-populating the herds, it is essential to apply and thoroughly monitor biosafety measures. Along with using a general disinfectant solution, many farms in Japfas outsourcing system use the gentian violet smoking method, a low-cost but effective solution, Long said. According to a livestock expert, companies cannot neglect sterilisation before repopulating their herds because a lapse can lead to another outbreak. Long from Japfa said that thanks to applying thorough biosafety measures, their company has managed to maintain breeding operations even at the peak of the ASF epidemic. In mid-December, the group imported an additional 100 breeding pigs from Taiwan and 300 from Canada to re-populate its herds in 2020. As the second session of the 116th Congress got underway on Friday, the biggest question on Congress plate at the start of 2020how a Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump might be conducted and when it will even happenmoved no closer to a resolution. Thats a good thingfor now. On Friday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated that he had no plans of acceding to Democratic leaders demands that a Senate trial include witnesses and document production, as past impeachment trials did. About this fantasy that the speaker of the House will get to hand-design the trial proceedings in the Senate, thats obviously a nonstarter, McConnell said on the floor of the Senate. He also suggested that he was fine with an indefinite stalemate. We cant hold a trial without the articles, McConnell said. The Senates own rules dont provide for that. So, for now, were content to continue the ordinary business of the Senate while House Democrats continue to flounder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to blink. Before Christmas, she pledged not to transmit impeachment articles until she knew what the rules of a Senate trial would be. Pelosi suggested on Friday afternoon that the ball was in McConnells court. The GOP Senate must immediately proceed in a manner worthy of the Constitution and in light of the gravity of the presidents unprecedented abuses, Pelosi said. Neither side has any reason to budge at this point. McConnell does not want to force the more vulnerable members of his caucus to vote for the unpopular proposition to bar witnesses from the Senate trial when there is still a possibility that new information could come to light while Pelosi withholds the articles. So, it doesnt make sense for him to announce and hold a vote on an official plan on new impeachment rules before it is certain that Pelosi will actually send them over. Advertisement Advertisement Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, are hoping that new information will trickle out to increase pressure on vulnerable Republican members in the Senate to support a trial that includes witnesses and document production, as in all past impeachments. Indeed, in his own remarks on the Senate floor on Friday, Schumer cited a trio of news developments over the winter break that would support his call for specific witnesses and document production. Those developments were the administrations production of heavily redacted documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act request regarding its decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine while the president pressed that country to investigate his political rivals, a report in the New York Times about how senior officials argued for releasing the aid to no avail, and a report in Just Security showing that as late as the end of August orders for the hold came directly from the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each new revelation mounts additional pressure on the members of this chamber to seek the whole truth, Schumer said. Pelosi echoed this argument in her own statement. Leader McConnell is doubling down on his violation of his oath, even after the exposure of new, deeply incriminating documents this week which provide further evidence of what we know: President Trump abused the power of his office for personal, political gain, Pelosi said. There are still several shoes that could drop before an impeachment trial, if the current impasse continues. The federal courts are still resolving efforts to enforce subpoenas in the House investigations into Trump. Even if McConnell agrees to call witnesses, they might not even appear without some sign from the courts that they have to. The U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia heard two of these cases on Friday. One case revolved around an effort to enforce a lower court ruling ordering the production of grand jury materials from the Mueller investigation to the House Judiciary Committee. The other case revolved around an effort to enforce a lower court ruling demanding that former White House Counsel Don McGahn come before Congress to testify about the potential obstruction of justice that was documented in the Mueller report. If McGahn was forced to testify, it could give House investigators the ammunition they need to compel testimony from the key figures in the Ukraine matter or pressure the Senate to do so itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But after Fridays oral arguments, it seems like Pelosi shouldnt bank on that outcome. While the panel hearing the casewhich includes two Republican-appointed judges and one Democratic appointeeseemed skeptical of the Department of Justices position that top aides to the president were absolutely immune from testimony, it also seemed uncomfortable weighing into a political debate between two separate branches of government. Advertisement In place of the court coming in and picking a winner or loser, the nations history has been negotiation, compromise, accommodation, Judge Thomas B. Griffith said. Its messy. It takes time. It involves all these tools that you cant use in the courts. But thats what the separation of powers means. Advertisement Griffith, a George W. Bush appointee, might be the key vote on the panel. Judge Judith Rogers, a Bill Clinton appointee, indicated that she leaned toward enforcing the subpoena. Judge Karen Henderson, a George H.W. Bush appointee, did not tip her hand either way but recently joined two Trump-appointed judges to dissent from an opinion of the full D.C. Circuit to decline an en banc hearing in a case where the panel had ruled that Trumps former accounting firm must turn over key financial documents to Congress. The biggest indication that Griffith, who voted with the majority in favor of production in that Trump financial records case, might rule against the administration came when he acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the administrations resistance to the impeachment inquiry. Advertisement Advertisement Has there ever been an instance of such broad-scale defiance of a congressional request for information in the history of the Republic? Has there ever been anything like this? Griffith asked DOJ attorney Hashim Mooppan. An instruction has been given from the president of the United States not to cooperate in any form or fashion with an inquiry. Has that ever happened before? Not to my knowledge, acknowledged Mooppan, before arguing that the president would say that the reason for the noncooperation is because Congress investigation is illegitimate. Griffith did not seem fond of that argument, but he also did not seem eager to weigh into a dispute between two other political branches. It may, then, be months before the question of impeachment witnesses is resolved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, part of Pelosis calculus to continue the delay may also have to do with the presidents response to the current state of affairs: Even if McConnell appears fine with the status quo, Trump is clearly displeased with it. During the break, Trump went on several angry Twitter rants against Pelosi for her decision to hold back the charges. He has indicated that he wants to get a trial over with, so that he can tout an acquittal by the Republican Senate in a campaign year. Holding back charges may also have a deterrent effect. Trump held his infamous phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he demanded investigations of Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee, just one day after special counsel Robert Mueller testified before Congress, marking an end to his inquiry. While Trump does not appear to have much in the way of impulse control, he at least understands when hes being watched. Holding impeachment articles and a Senate trial over Trumps head could be the only way to keep his misconduct even vaguely in check heading into the 2020 election. The Imran Khan government on Friday tabled the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in parliament after the two main opposition parties assured they would support it. The amendment is expected to provide clarity on future extensions to the tenures of army chiefs. According to the bill, the army chiefs extension will not be challengeable in any court of law in the future. It also states that the matter of an army chiefs extension shall not be called into question before any court on any ground whatsoever. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has offered its unconditional support to the amendment, while all the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has asked for is that the democratic legislative process must be followed. Defence minister Pervez Khattak also presented in the lower house the Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, 2020. As per the formula decided between the government and opposition parties, the standing committee on defence will review the amendments before they are presented in both houses for approval. Prime Minister Khan said the decision to extend the tenure of Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has been taken due to the prevailing national security situation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Say Yes to the Dress: America (TLC at 8) Randy hits the road to surprise brides from each of the 50 states with a visit to Kleinfeld Bridal. Delhi riots: Agencies zero in on spread of toxic propaganda by NGOs from Pak, Malaysia, India WB Governor seeks probe into firework unit explosion India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Kolkata, Jan 04: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday demanded a probe into an explosion at a firework unit in the state that caused four deaths, saying the administration should be held accountable as there are allegations that crude bombs were being manufactured in the factory. Four persons, including two women, were killed on the spot and one was seriously injured in an explosion at a firework manufacturing unit in Naihati in North 24 Parganas district on Friday, police said. "Several deaths in blasts at the factory at Masjidpara, Naihati has pained and shocked me. Allegations that crude bombs were being made in illegal factory warrants intense expert probe. Accountability of all in the administration needs to be fixed promptly," the governor said in a statement. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 WB: Major explosion in firecracker factory in Naihati, 5 killed Police has already launched an investigation into the case. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sophie Laubie and Fiachra Gibbons (Agence France-Presse) Paris Sat, January 4, 2020 14:06 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d11b9 2 Entertainment Greta-Gerwig,Golden-Globes-2020,awards,director Free Top Hollywood woman director Greta Gerwig said she was "disappointed" that she had been snubbed by the Golden Globes, with the producer of her hit film "Little Women" blaming the "unconscious bias" of male movie critics. With the awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association about to kick off the Oscar season on Sunday, Gerwig told AFP she had been saddened to have been "bumped out" of the best director race. However, her adaptation of the much-loved novel by Louisa May Alcott won nods for best actress for its lead Saoirse Ronan and best music for French composer Alexandre Desplat. "Of course, I'm disappointed. I love the film that we made and of course it's lovely to be honoured," said Gerwig, one of only five women ever to be nominated for a best director Oscar for her last film, "Lady Bird". But the fact "Little Women" was completely ignored by the Screen Actors Guild awards has caused consternation among some in Hollywood. Read also: Female directors reached record highs in 2019 Hollywood 'Active hostility' With the voters who chose the best films of the year overwhelming men, New York Times critic Janet Maslin tweeted her shock at the "active hostility about 'Little Women' from men I know, love and respect." Producer Amy Pascal echoed her uneasiness in an interview with Vanity Fair. She said women outnumbered men two to one at the screenings laid on for Academy members in the run up to the Oscar nominations. "It's a completely unconscious bias. I don't think it's anything like a malicious rejection," she said. However, "I don't think that [men] came to the screenings in droves, let me put it that way," Pascal added. Gerwig, 36, said that "there are so many beautiful films made by women this year, and so many worthy films... I want to give them a bunch of statues." She said there had been progress for women directors, but "it's still dreadful". "I think in the past couple of years it's got better. I think people have been more willing to take this risk of taking a chance on different voices, and different authors, writers and directors." Hollywood's golden couple The fallout from the Harvey Weinstein scandal had been positive, but the system was still skewed in favor of men, she said. "I think obviously movies are expensive, they take a lot of time, a lot of money, a lot of people saying yes -- and most of those people are men," she told AFP. But she said there had been progress towards "the kind of world that I think Louisa May Alcott would have wanted, this more egalitarian world." "Feminism is not about exclusion, but about lifting everyone and finding a better form of masculinity, as well as more freedom and opportunity for women," the writer-director added. This week the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative said 10.6 percent of the top 100 Hollywood movies of 2019 were directed by women, a 13-year high and more than twice the previous year's figure. Gerwig, who first made her name as an actor and screenwriter, is one half of Hollywood's hottest couple at the moment. She had a son with her partner, fellow director and major awards season rival Noah Baumbach earlier this year. The pair, hailed as the "first couple of film" by the Hollywood Reporter, have worked on several movies together, including "Frances Ha". Baumbach's critically-acclaimed "Marriage Story" heads the Golden Globes race with six nominations, including for best film and one for him for best screenplay. The couple are also writing the script for live-action Barbie film together. It will have Australian Margot Robbie star playing the children's toy. Gerwig won the Golden Globe for best comedy in 2018 with "Lady Bird", set in her California hometown of Sacramento, which also starred Irish actress Ronan. "Little Women" is even more star-studded, with Meryl Streep, Timothee Chalamet and Laura Dern, who also has a memorable turn as a killer divorce lawyer in Baumbach's "Marriage Story". Officials on Friday evening identified the two women who were killed earlier in the day when a New Jersey Transit train crashed into their car at a crossing in Middlesex Borough. Florence Obado, 73, of New Brunswick was the driver of the car and Susan Mazurek, 44, of Middlesex was a passenger, according to NJ Transit. The Raritan Valley Line train was traveling from Newark to High Bridge when the train struck the car shortly after 8 a.m. at the Cedar Avenue grade crossing, according to an NJ Transit spokeswoman. A preliminary investigation found the safety equipment at the crossing was working properly. None of the 30 passengers and crew members on the train were hurt. An investigation was continuing. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. 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. President Donald Trumps decision to strike and kill the second most powerful official in Iran turns a slow-simmering conflict with Tehran into a boiling one, and is perhaps the riskiest move made by the United States in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The calculus was straightforward: Washington had to reestablish deterrence and show Iranian leadership that missiles fired at ships in the Persian Gulf and at oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, along with attacks inside Iraq that cost the life of an American contractor, would not go without response. But while senior U.S. officials have no doubt the Iranians will respond, they dont know how quickly, or how furiously. For a president who repeated his determination to withdraw from the caldron of the Middle East, the strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who for two decades has been leader of Irans most fearsome and ruthless military unit, the Quds Force, means there will be no escape from the region for the rest of his presidency, whether that is one year or five. Trump has committed the United States to a conflict whose dimensions are unknowable, as Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeks vengeance. This is a massive walk up the escalation ladder, wrote Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute. With Soleimani dead, war is coming that seems certain, the only questions are where, in what form and when? Bruce Riedel, the former CIA officer who spent his life studying the Middle East and is now at the Brookings Institution, said, The administration is taking America into another war in the Middle East, bigger than ever. DOUG MILLS/NYT Yet it may not be a conventional war in any sense, since the Iranians advantage is all in asymmetric conflict. Their history suggests they will not take on the United States frontally. Iranians are the masters of striking soft targets, starting in Iraq, but hardly limited to that country. In the past few years they have honed an ability to cause low-level chaos and left no doubt that they want to be able to reach the United States. For now, they cannot at least in traditional ways. But they have attempted terrorism, including an abortive effort to kill a Saudi ambassador in Washington nine years ago, and late Thursday the Department of Homeland Security was sending out reminders of Irans past and current efforts to attack the United States in cyberspace. Until now, that has been limited to attacks on U.S. banks and probes at dams and other critical infrastructure, but they so far have not shown they have the capabilities of the Russians or the Chinese. Their first escalation may well be in Iraq, where they back pro-Iranian militias. But even there, they are an unwelcome force. It was only a few weeks ago when people took to the streets in Iraq to protest Iranian interference in their politics, not American. Still, there are soft targets throughout the region, as the attacks on the Saudi oil facilities showed. Complicating the management of a perilous moment is the presidents impeachment and the revival of Irans nuclear program. It is only a matter of time before there are questions about whether the strike was designed to create a counternarrative, one of a conflict with a longtime adversary, while a Senate trial to determine whether to remove Trump begins. And already there are charges that the president overstepped his bounds and that the decision to kill Soleimani if it was a decision, and the Iranian leader was not simply in the wrong convoy at the wrong moment required congressional approval. The question is this, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., asked on Twitter as news of the strike spread. As reports suggest, did America just assassinate, without any congressional authorization, the second most powerful person in Iran, knowingly setting off a potential massive regional war? Trump will argue that he was well within his rights and that the strike was an act of self-defense. And he will have a strong argument: Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans in Iraq over the years, and doubtless was planning more. MORNING REPORT | NEWSLETTER Get all the news you need to start your day in Houston. See More Collapse The U.S. announcement, from Defense Secretary Mark Esper, cited the generals plans which were not specified as a justification for the action. If there was real intelligence of impending strikes, then the longtime principles of preemption, enshrined anew in U.S. policy by President George W. Bush, would apply. The nuclear future is more complex. Trump walked away from the 2015 nuclear agreement more than a year ago, over the objections of many of his own aides and almost all U.S. allies. At first the Iranians reacted coolly and stayed within the limits of the accord. That ended last year as tensions escalated. Before the strike, they were expected to announce, in the next week, their next nuclear move and it seemed likely to be a move closer to enrichment of bomb-grade uranium. That seems far more likely now, and poses the possibility of the next escalation, if it prompts U.S. or Israeli military or cyber action against Irans known nuclear facilities. Even those critical of the presidents nuclear move said they understood why the Iranian general was such a target. These guys are the personification of evil, David Petraeus, the retired general who was architect of the surge in Iraq, said in an interview Thursday night. We calculated they were responsible for at least 600 deaths of American soldiers. But Petraeus offered a caution. There will be an escalation, he said. I assume they have to do something. And the only question is, over time, have we created more deterrence than if we had not acted? This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Dr. Ashton concluded that people needed to slowly reduce the dose of their medication, sometimes over the course of six months or more. She explained this strategy in her manual, using examples from patients she had treated herself. Her work both honored her patients and turned out to be more helpful than any randomized, controlled trial, said Dr. Anna Lembke, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, where she leads the schools Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. Dr. Ashtons work was also timely. Scientists were starting to realize that patients who became dependent on benzodiazepines often misused opioids as well. One study found that the overdose death rate among patients taking both benzodiazepines and opioids was 10 times higher than among those who only took opioids. But unlike opioid prescriptions, which started declining after 2012, benzodiazepine prescriptions continued to rise. Doctors still had limited awareness of benzodiazepines addictive potential and some patients could continue on the same steady dose for years without exhibiting any symptoms or obvious changes in behavior. If patients take them only as prescribed by their doctor, then they dont meet criteria for addiction, because addiction involves behaviors that correspond to compulsive drug-seeking, Dr. Lembke said. But really, if you look at whats happening in the brain, its probably not that different. In 2013, the British National Formulary, which advises doctors on prescribing practices, updated its guidelines to recommend benzodiazepines for short-term use only and to suggest a withdrawal schedule based on Dr. Ashtons manual. In 2018, it revised its recommendations again to suggest an even slower withdrawal, based on evidence that Dr. Ashton and other researchers had collected. The United States followed suit, with the Food and Drug Administration requiring that all benzodiazepines carry a so-called black-box warning about the drugs side effects, and that doctors check their states prescription drug monitoring program to see whether a patient had been given any federally controlled and addictive medications in the past 12 months. A suspected firearm was behind a security alert in Antrim, police have said A suspected firearm was behind a security alert in Antrim, police have said. The item was found in a car which had been set alight in the Tarragon Road area of the town in the early hours of yesterday. The area was sealed off for most of the morning as police, Army bomb disposal experts and forensics officers attended the scene. Superintendent Sue Steen said: "Officers attended a report of a car deliberately set alight shortly after 2.45am. "The fire was extinguished and a suspicious object was located inside the vehicle. "A suspected firearm has now been removed from the vehicle by police for further examination and residents who were impacted have now returned to their homes." SDLP councillor Roisin Lynch said the incident had forced families out of their homes and into freezing conditions. "Those behind this alert have caused serious disruption at a busy time of year for these families and should be ashamed of their actions," she said. The commander of Irans elite Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, was indispensable to his country now he is gone. The significance and potential ramifications of his death far exceed the 2011 assassination of Osama bin Laden. His assassination changes the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East on a scale unseen in generations. Subject to several assassination attempts and operating in conflict zones, Soleimani has been thought to be dead before. However, an abrupt strategic air strike at Baghdad International Airport on Friday finally brought down the man Iranians called a living martyr. A symbol of resilience against several decades of United States pressure, Soleimani was the embodiment of Iranian nationalist identity. So who exactly is Qassem Soleimani, and why was he so revered in Iran and feared by his enemies? The son of a small-time farmer in Kerman Province, south-east Iran, Soleimanis upbringing was modest. Kerman is close to the Afghan border and is dominated by tribal politics. Like many young Iranians, he found his calling with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard following the 1979 revolution. Soleimanis participation in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s was his introduction to conflict and where he developed a fearsome reputation. He served at almost every critical front during Saddam Husseins invasion of Iran including the pivotal liberation of Bostan from capture by Iraqi forces in December 1981. Amid reports of strife in the Aurangabad unit of the ruling Shiv Sena and rumours of a state minister submitting his resignation, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane on Saturday said the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra will be "short-lived". Talking to reporters in Solapur, Rane said portfolios had not been allocated to minister more than a month after the installation of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government. "Ministers have taken bungalows and office cabins, but are still without portfolios. This government is not functioning," he claimed. Targeting Thackeray, he said the Sena chief did not have any administrative experience. Amid speculation that the Sena's Abdul Sattar had resigned from the government, Rane said, "This government will be short-lived. More legislators will follow suit (resign). This is just the beginning." However, there is no clarity on whether Sattar has resigned. Senior Sena leader Anil Desai and former MLA Arjun Khotkar said Sattar had not resigned, while the Sillod MLA himself remained incommunicado through the day. Earlier in the day, former Aurangabad MP and senior Sean leader Chandrakant Khaire had hit out at Sattar, accusing him of helping the BJP win the post of vice president in the civic body of that city. Sattar had joined the Sena from the Congress ahead of the October Assembly polls, and was made minister of state in the cabinet expansion that took place on December 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena leader Abdul Sattar, who was rumoured to have resigned from the Maharashtra ministry as he did not get a cabinet rank, said on Saturday that he would speak after meeting Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Earlier in the day, Sena leaders had dismissed the reports that Sattar, who is a minister of state, had quit because he wanted a cabinet berth. "I will meet Shiv Sena president and chief minister Thackeray in Mumbai tomorrow and then I will speak," Sattar told reporters here on Saturday evening when asked if he had resigned. Sena leader Khotkar met Sattar earlier in the day. "Sattar had a word with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and (senior Sena leader) Eknath Shinde. Thackeray has called him to Mumbai on Sunday. The CM will meet Sattar at Matoshri (the Thackeray residence) at 12.30 pm," Khotkar said. Sattar, MLA from Sillod in Aurangabad district, quit the Congress before the Assembly elections last year and joined the Shiv Sena. He was made a minister of state in the Shiv Sena-NCP- Congress coalition government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dear Reader, The first few days of the New Year have brought out all the big trends that mark the extraordinary times we live in. For starters, the Chinese central bank announced a cut in its reserve requirements for banks, a move that will inject $115 billion into the financial system. The crystal clear message is that monetary stimulus in the G4 central banks -- the US Fed, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan and the Peoples Bank of China -- will at least support asset prices, if not global growth, in spite of central banks pious hopes that it will be the latter. G4, in case you were wondering, stands for Gang of Four. Next, Donald Trump, a firm believer in diplomacy by tweets, tweeted that a US-China trade deal would be signed on 15 January. China maintained a stony silence that spoke volumes, but nevertheless the combination of the Chinese stimulus and the Trump ploy led to a mighty rally in the equity markets, with indices in the US and India reaching record highs. Apple shares, an icon of the times, hit $300 for the first time. Exhibit 3: Scarcely had the equity markets started racing off before they were brought to a halt by a shot fired by the loose cannon in the White House, who gave the order to kill an Iranian general. At the time of writing this piece, this abrupt reminder of geopolitical risk had led to a spurt in crude oil prices and vows of retaliation from Iran. Exhibit 4: And finally, the week also saw the global manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index for December, which was at 50.1, barely above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction, underscoring the weakness in global manufacturing, despite all the stimulus. So we had monetary stimulus, market highs, an underlying fragility caused by a global economy barely able to keep its head above water and rising geopolitical risk -- all in the first few days of the New Year. Its a glimpse of how edge-of-the-seat the rest of the year is likely to be. Back home, some green shoots were espied, in the manufacturing PMI, in GST collections and in project announcements. But if Middle East tensions escalate and oil prices remain elevated, that would be an additional burden on the shaky Indian economy. That is not counting strained government finances and the risks associated with the governments socio-political agenda. Non-food credit growth slipped to a mere 7.1 percent in the year to December 20, another indication that despite the IBC, banks are not out of the woods yet. Indeed, we had pointed out that even the insipid credit growth is being fuelled by just a few large firms. Its no wonder then that companies are increasingly looking abroad for their funds. As always, we continued our search for nuggets of value in the midst of the slowdown and identified the sugar sector as a little island of sweetness in a souring economy. We also discovered that some companies have never heard of the consumption slowdown. Bad times are often a good time for acquisitions, as we found out here. And with markets doing so well, can asset management companies be far behind? We analysed whether the good times will continue for them. With the benchmark equity indices all showing good growth, the demand for active fund management has waned. The Financial Times reported that giant pension fund Calpers, with $380 billion in assets, has shifted from active to passive funds, after 2019 turned out to be yet another annus horribilis with most actively managed funds doing worse than the benchmark indices. We offered our take on this trend here and here. Next week will give us the composite PMI data for both India and the world, which will tell us whether the bounce seen in November has been sustained. The Index of Industrial Production numbers should be good for some laughs, on these lines. Lets keep our fingers crossed that Iran remembers the old saying about discretion being the better part of valour. Cheers, Manas Chakravarty A mask-wearing mother who was forced to shelter her children on a beach to escape horrifying bushfires has revealed her life has been forever changed. The unnamed mother had been evacuated to Malua Bay on New South Wales' South Coast on New Year's Day along with her three-year-old daughter and six-year-old son. Harrowing photos show the woman covering her children in towels as her and other families wait on the sand while they were surrounded by a red haze of smoke. Residents were forced to spend a terrifying 24 hours trapped on the beach after they were surrounded by a ring of fire. A mother was forced to cover her three-year-old daughter and six-year-old son from smoke after they were evacuated to Malua Bay, NSW on Wednesday The woman said despite fearing for her and her children's lives, her experience had been a 'wake up call'. 'I was angry and scared about our government's inaction on climate change before, but now I am furious and terrified,' she wrote to a parents Facebook page. 'This disaster was exactly what I needed to snap me out of my funk, feeling like all of my activism and personal eco-choices were not achieving anything and thinking I needed to step back and regroup.' She said she would continue to fight for Australia to acknowledge climate change, saying it was on the brink of 'ecological suicide'. 'All I could do down on that beach was protect my kids. And that's what climate activism is all about - protecting our kids,' she wrote. 'It is going to fuel me through 2020, as we collectively take the wheel and swerve this country away from ecological suicide.' Around 1,000 people fled to the beach in Malua Bay, NSW, after fires tore through the town Bushfires burnt down dozens of homes in Malua Bay and Batemans Bay in New South Wales' South Coast Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently hit back at activist Greta Thunberg, who said Australia was refusing to recognise climate change was sparking bushfires. 'Not even catastrophes like these seem to bring any political action. How is this possible?' she tweeted. 'Because we still fail to make the connection between the climate crisis and increased extreme weather events and nature disasters like the #AustraliaFires 'That's what has to change. Now.' Mr Morrison responded in a press conference saying: 'Australia and the Australian government will set our policies based on Australia's national interests, on what Australia needs to do.' 'It's not for me to make commentaries on what those outside of Australia think that Australia should do. We'll do in Australia what we think is right for Australia. And that has always been my guiding principle. 'I'm not here to try to impress people overseas. I'm here to do the right job for Australians and put them first.' Scott Morrison (pictured at the Wildflower Farm in Sarsfield, Victoria) recently hit back at Greta Thunberg who said Australia was refusing to recognise climate change was responsible for bushfires More than 1,000 people were forced to flee to the beach at Malua Bay after fires tore through dozens of homes. Holidaymakers and locals sought shelter in the surf club but fled onto the sand after it was deemed too unsafe. Former Wallaby Al Baxter alongside his wife Jenny and three sons were just one of the hundreds of families trapped on the beach. Baxter and his family were able to sleep on the floor of a nearby holiday apartment before they could drive out of the area the following morning. Phone lines went down on Tuesday morning, forcing families to issue desperate pleas for information on Facebook. Holidaymakers and locals were able to flee areas of the South Coast when roads in Batemans Bay re-opened (pictured: people queuing at a petrol station in Batemans Bay) The Rural Fire Service said earlier this week at least 176 homes had been lost across the state, including 40 at Malua Bay and 15 at Rosedale. Australia is facing its worst ever bushfire season that has so far taken the lives of 23 people. More than 1,500 homes have been destroyed across the country and five million hectares have been burnt. On Saturday there were more than 140 fires still burning across New South Wales and 50 blazes in Victoria. BAGHDAD - Iraq was the uneasy epicenter of a region on edge Saturday after the killing of Iran's most prominent military leader, with an angry funeral procession winding through its capital in the morning and rockets falling after dark. Adding to the apprehensions was a series of threats and counterthreats from Iran and President Donald Trump, with the U.S. leader tweeting Saturday that targets in Iran would be "hit very fast and very hard" should U.S. assets or personnel be attacked. Early Friday, U.S. drone strikes ripped through two cars traveling outside Baghdad's international airport, killing Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a powerful Iraqi militia leader, along with eight other people. Iran immediately vowed to seek revenge for the killing of Soleimani, as the Trump administration announced that it was sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East. The tensions continued to build Saturday as NATO announced that it was suspending its training of troops in Iraq and the United States said that it had stepped up security at military bases in the country. An Iranian commander quoted by the Tasnim News Agency on Saturday suggested that dozens of U.S. facilities and military assets in the Middle East were at risk, along with Israel, a key U.S. ally. ALSO How President Trump decided to kill a top Iranian general "Thirty-five vital American positions in the region are within the reach of the Islamic Republic, and Tel Aviv," the commander, Brig. Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, was quoted as saying. "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital thoroughfare for the West, and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf," he added. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia backed by Iran, warned members of Iraqi security forces to keep more than half a mile from U.S. military bases, beginning Sunday evening. The militia, which led a siege of the U.S. Embassy before Soleimani's killing, did not say why it issued the warning. Trump, tweeting Saturday from his personal resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, appeared to be responding in kind when he said that the United States had targeted multiple sites in Iran and that those targets would be struck should U.S. military sites be attacked or Americans harmed. He also repeated the administration's justification for Soleimani's killing, referring to the Iranian commander as a "terrorist leader" who had been planning additional attacks. "Iran has been nothing but a problem for many years," Trump tweeted. "Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!" A spokesman for the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State said that "we have increased security and defensive measures at the Iraqi bases that host anti-ISIS coalition troops. Our command places protection of U.S. forces, as well as our allies and security partners in the coalition, as the top priority; we remain vigilant and resolute." The focal point of the anxiety was Baghdad, where thousands of people joined a funeral procession for Soleimani and Muhandis on Saturday as helicopters shadowed the crowds. "Death to America, death to Israel," people chanted. "We will take our revenge!" The procession, which began in Baghdad and moved on to the Iraqi Shiite shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala, offered a vivid display of how both Iran and the United States are deeply entwined in Iraq. The crowds bellowed anti-American cries and vowed to fight to avenge one of Iran's heroes as U.S.-allied Iraqi security forces watched over the chanting throngs. Soleimani's burial is scheduled for Tuesday in Kerman, his hometown in southeastern Iran. Later Saturday, rockets were fired toward Baghdad's Green Zone, site of the U.S. Embassy, and at an air base hosting U.S. troops north of Baghdad, but they caused no casualties, according to Iraqi and U.S. officials, who did not say who had fired the rockets. The White House delivered a formal notification of the drone strike that killed Soleimani to Congress on Saturday, as is required under the War Powers Act. The report is completely classified, according to a senior Democratic aide, but probably details the administration's justification for the strike, as well as the constitutional and legislative rationale used to send troops. It was unclear whether the administration would issue a nonclassified version that could be publicized. NATO, which has several hundred personnel in Iraq, said Saturday that it has temporarily suspended its training of Iraqi forces to counter the Islamic State, according to Dylan White, a NATO spokesman. "The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary," he said in an emailed statement. Elsewhere, regional governments were scrambling to avoid further outbreaks of violence. Qatar's foreign minister traveled to Tehran on Saturday and discussed "ways to maintain collective security of the region" with his Iranian counterpart, the Qatar News Agency said. In Saudi Arabia, King Salman called Iraq's president, Barham Salih, and discussed "the importance of calm and defusing the crisis in the region," the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states have reacted nervously to the escalating tensions because of their proximity to Iran and fears of a backlash due to their close partnerships, including military cooperation, with the United States. The drone attack early Friday local time struck a two-vehicle convoy on an access road near Baghdad International Airport and also killed several of Soleimani's local allies. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called the attack "an assassination" that was a "flagrant violation of the conditions authorizing the presence of U.S. troops" on Iraqi soil. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a security spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, said Saturday that authorities were investigating crew members who were on the aircraft that brought Soleimani to Baghdad, reportedly from Damascus - apparently to determine how the United States learned of the Iranian commander's whereabouts. Khalaf, speaking to Iraq's state news agency, reiterated that U.S. forces are not allowed to conduct military operations in Iraq without the approval of the prime minister, and he hinted that their future in the country is in doubt. "We have alternatives to train our armed forces," Khalaf said. - - - Fahim reported from Istanbul. The Washington Post's Louisa Loveluck in Beirut and Seung Min Kim in West Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to this report. By Trend Since the beginning of this Iranian year (March 21, 2019), 800,000 tons of goods have been exported from Iran to Central Asian countries by 13,000 cargo railcars, Director General of the Iranian Khorasan Railway Office Mostafa Naseri Varg said, Trend reports citing IRNA. Varg said that exports from the Sarakhs border in Irans Razavi Khorasan province to Central Asia via railway increased by 58 percent, as the private sector became more active in the international supply of goods. The director general added that 701,000 tons of goods were loaded in the Razavi Khorasan province for export to Central Asia by rail. Cement was mainly exported via the Sarakhs border (with the share of 70 percent), Varg noted. "Some 73 percent of the total volume was exported to Uzbekistan and the rest to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan," said the director general. Irans trade with Central Asian countries by rail is carried out through the Sarakhs border in Razavi Khorasan province and the Inchehboron border in Golestan province. Last Iranian year (from March 21, 2018 to March 21, 2019), exports, imports and transit via Sarakhs railway exceeded 2 million tons. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan on Friday and pelted it with stones. New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday deplored the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan and said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal termed Fridays attack as shameful and asked the Imran Khan government to take tough steps and punish the culprits. The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated, the chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi. A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan on Friday and pelted it with stones. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of first Sikhguru Guru Nanak Dev Meanwhile, members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission here over the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site near Lahore in Pakistan where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. On Friday, a violent mob had attacked the gurdwara and pelted it with stones. The protest by DSGMC and Akali members was held at around 1 pm near Chanakyapuri, an affluent neighbourhood and diplomatic enclave in the city. The protestors were raising slogans against Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Sikh community members claimed that they have submitted a memorandum at the Pakistan High Commission, asking Islamabad to explain the failure of law enforcing agencies in the country. Further activists of Indian Youth Congress activists staged a protest near the Pakistan Embassy here against the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Lahore. The protesters raised slogans against Pakistan. By John Whitesides and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contenders on Friday condemned the air strike that killed prominent Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, saying President Donald Trump's decision was reckless and could lead the United States to another war in the Middle East. The candidates, vying for the right to challenge Trump in the November 2020 election, questioned whether the president had a broader strategy in dealing with Iran, and used the action to highlight their approach to dealing with foreign adversaries. By John Whitesides and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contenders on Friday condemned the air strike that killed prominent Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, saying President Donald Trump's decision was reckless and could lead the United States to another war in the Middle East. The candidates, vying for the right to challenge Trump in the November 2020 election, questioned whether the president had a broader strategy in dealing with Iran, and used the action to highlight their approach to dealing with foreign adversaries. "President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox," former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement. At a campaign event in Dubuque, Iowa, he added that no American would mourn Soleimani's death but "the prospect of direct conflict with Iran is greater than it has ever been." Liberal U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who has consistently opposed U.S. military intervention overseas, said the move "brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars." The overnight attack against the general, regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran, was a dramatic escalation of hostilities in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and its allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an "imminent attack" that would have endangered Americans in the Middle East. But it was a risky gamble for Trump, who has criticized longstanding U.S. entanglements in the region and promised to end "endless wars." Republicans said the move was a sign Trump - who was impeached by the Democratic-led House of Representatives last month and faces a Senate trial on charges he abused his office and obstructed Congress - was restoring American strength and leadership. "At a time when the president is under impeachment by the Democrats, there's nothing wrong with him showing strength and resolve in the face of a foreign threat," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, who is close to the White House. Democrats said it was another troubling indication of Trump's erratic approach to foreign policy. "We're on the brink of yet another war in the Middle East," said liberal U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. "We're not here by accident. We're here because a reckless president, his allies and his administration have spent years pushing us here." Many of the Democratic White House candidates, who will face voters for the first time in a month when Iowa kicks off the state-by-state nominating battle on Feb. 3, pounced on the strike to emphasize their own foreign policy philosophies and credentials. Biden, a former chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee who emphasizes his foreign policy experience, released a 30-second online ad on Friday calling Trump "an erratic, unstable president" and portraying himself as "someone tested and trusted around the world." Sanders mentioned in his statement his 2002 vote against authorizing war in Iraq, which he frequently uses as a contrast to Biden, who backed the war. Biden, Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and other Democrats made clear in their statements that they viewed Soleimani as a threat, but Warren, Sanders and entrepreneur Andrew Yang did not mention the Iranian commander. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and influences the quality of life of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Objectives: This clinical review aims to highlight the unique surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and management challenges of CAUTI in the SCI population. Methods: Narrative review of the current literature on catheter use in persons with SCI was conducted to determine gaps in knowledge and opportunities for improvement. Results: Surveillance of CAUTI is challenging in the SCI population as the ability to detect symptoms used to diagnose CAUTI (ie, suprapubic pain, dysuria) is impaired. In terms of prevention of CAUTI, current strategies refocus on appropriate catheter insertion and care and early removal of catheters, which is not always feasible for persons with SCI. Prophylactic antibiotics, nutraceuticals, and coated catheters show limited efficacy in infection prevention. Diagnosing CAUTI after SCI is challenging, often resulting in an overdiagnosis of CAUTI when truly asymptomatic bacteriuria exists. In the management of CAUTI in patients with SCI, the use of multiple antibiotics over time in an individual increases the rate of multidrug-resistant organisms; therefore, the exploration of novel non-antibiotic treatments is of importance. The patient experience should be at the center of all these efforts. Conclusion: Better diagnostic tools or biomarkers are needed to define true CAUTI in people with SCI. SCI-specific evidence to inform catheter management and CAUTI treatment guidelines is needed, with the goal to minimize catheter-related harm, reduce antibiotic resistance, and improve satisfaction and overall quality of life for SCI patients. Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. 2019 Jan [Epub] Felicia Skelton-Dudley, James Doan, Katie Suda, S Ann Holmes, Charlesnika Evans, Barbara Trautner Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas., H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas., Center for Innovation for Complex Chronic HealthCare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31844385 Popular Nigerian rapper, Naira Marley has reacted to the decision of American rapper, Cardi B to apply for Nigerias citizenship. It is no longer news that the American rapper has decided to apply for Nigerian citizenship following the killing of Iran military leader by a United States airstrike in Iraq. Also Read: Mompha Party With Naira Marley, Broda Shaggi (Video) The killing of the Iranian military leader has sparked panic across the world and the American rapper who was in Nigeria some weeks ago seems to be preparing ahead of the retaliatory attack by Iran. Reacting to the situation, Naira Marley has offered to help the American rapper with the registration procedure. See his tweet below: Alleged bank robber holds employee hostage during 6-hour standoff: Illinois police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com An alleged robber armed with a weapon stormed a bank, held an employee hostage and kept police at bay for six hours before he was taken into custody, Illinois authorities said. Nicholas August, 39, was taken into custody Friday night after the standoff at a Heritage Credit Union branch in Rockford, about 90 miles west of Chicago, ended when he came out with the hostage, police said. A few hours after August was take into custody, police said he had sexually assaulted the bank employee during the alleged robbery. He was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault, as well as armed robbery and aggravated unlawful restraint, police said. The standoff began about 2:30 p.m. when August, who is a resident of Rockford, allegedly entered the bank armed with what appeared to be a gun, police said. MORE: Video shows officer using superhuman strength to stop runaway SUV from hitting teenagers He told several people in the bank to leave but held a 39-year-old woman who worked at the bank at gunpoint, police said. When police arrived on the scene, August barricaded himself in the building, police said. Local police and FBI negotiators reached him by phone and worked for several hours to try to get him to surrender, while a SWAT team maintained a perimeter around the area, authorities said. PHOTO: Law enforcement personnel stand guard as an armed man barricaded himself inside an Illinois bank and took a hostage during a robbery Friday, Jan. 3, 2020 in Rockford, Ill. (Scott P. Yates/AP) After more than six hours, negotiators convinced August to turn himself in, police said. Officers rescued the woman and took August into custody without further incident, according to authorities. August allegedly had a pellet gun on him when he was arrested, police said. MORE: Officers recall 'mind-blowing' moment they found Cleveland kidnapping survivors after decade of torture PHOTO: Nicholas August, 39, of Rockford, Illinois, is seen in a police photo after he was arrested following a standoff with police at a Rockford bank, Jan. 3, 2019. (Rockford Police Dept. via WLS) August was being held on $2 million bail. It was unclear Saturday morning if he had an attorney. At the time of the incident, August had an outstanding warrant on charges of aggravated domestic battery, according to police records. August appeared to have no prior connection to the woman he allegedly took hostage, police said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Sat, January 4, 2020 22:09 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d827b 2 Entertainment WandaVision,series,marvel,Disney Free In a promotional video presenting the films and series available on its streaming platform in 2020, Disney revealed that it has brought forward the release date of one of its original Marvel creations. Starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, "WandaVision" is set to land later this year on Disney+. An initial glimpse of the series has been unveiled, however, the story line for "WandaVision" remains mysterious. 2020 has got off to a good start for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Initially planned for 2021, Disney has announced in a post on the Disney+ Twitter account that the new series "WandaVision" will air in the first year of the new decade . Although no specific date was cited, the video did mark the occasion by offering a glimpse of a drawing of the series. Read also: Deadpool 3 confirmed by Ryan Reynolds Is this not what 2020 vision means? From #ToyStory 4 and Aladdin to #LizzieMcGuire and WandaVision, heres a look into our future at the blockbusters and Originals coming to #DisneyPlus this year. pic.twitter.com/QHGMHat89n Disney+ (@disneyplus) January 1, 2020 Announced in 2019, the release of the "WandaVision" series was initially planned for 2021, some two years after the launch of Disney+ on November 12, 2019. Then at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios noted that it would be released in the spring of 2021. In any case, Elizabeth Olsen will be back, a little earlier than expected, in the role of Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch, a character with telepathic and telekinetic superpowers. She will once again be cast alongside Paul Bettany, who plays the witch's on-screen partner Vision. Both characters made their debuts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" in 2015 before a second outing in 2018 in "Avengers: Infinity War" and a third in the 2019 "Avengers: Endgame." Jac Schaeffer, who has also been recruited by Marvel for "Black Widow," which is due out in 2020, will act as writer, producer and showrunner for the series, which is set in the 1950s. As it stands, the number of episodes in "WandaVision" has not been disclosed, although Elizabeth Olsen has revealed that it will run for "a total of six hours." As for the rest of the cast, Kat Dennings ("2 Broke Girls") will once again play Darcy Lewis while Randall Park ("Ant-Man and the Wasp," "Veep") will be back in the role of FBI agent Jimmy Woo. Teyonah Parris ("Mad Men," "If Beale Street Could Talk") will play the adult Monica Rambeau, who was first seen as a child in "Captain Marvel." Topics : WandaVision series marvel Disney Washington: President Donald Trump was deep in discussion with political advisers going over campaign plans at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida just before 5 p.m. on Thursday when he was abruptly summoned to another meeting. A while later he returned just as mysteriously, jumping back into the conversation without offering a clue to what was going on. In those few minutes, according to multiple people briefed on the events, Trump had made one of the most consequential foreign policy decisions of his presidency, giving final authorization to a drone strike halfway around the world that would eliminate one of Americas deadliest enemies while pushing the United States to the edge of an escalating confrontation with Iran that could transform the Middle East. The military operation that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian security and intelligence commander responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American troops over the years, was unlike the ones that took out Osama bin Laden or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, terrorist leaders caught after long manhunts. Soleimani did not have to be hunted; a high-ranking official of the Iranian government, he was in plain sight for years. All that was required was a president to decide to pull the trigger. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama never did. Bushs administration made a conscious decision not to kill Soleimani when he was in the cross hairs and Obamas administration evidently never made an effort to pursue him. Both reasoned that killing the most powerful general in Iran would only risk a wider war with Iran, alienating American allies in Europe and the Middle East and undermining the United States in a region that had already cost plenty of lives and treasure in the last two decades. But Trump opted to take the risk they did not, determined to demonstrate after months of backing down following previous Iranian provocations that he would no longer stand by while Soleimani roamed freely. He should have been taken out many years ago! Trump wrote on Twitter on Friday. The question was why now? This guy has been killing Americans in Iraq since 2003, said Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org and an Iraq War veteran. I was in one of his attacks in Taji in 2011. They were dropping 240-millimeter rockets on us. So this is not a surprise that hes involved in killing Americans. But the question is what was different last night? he added. The onus is on Trump to prove something was different, or this is no different than another weapons of mass destruction play. Aides said Trump was angry about a rocket attack last week by forces linked to Tehran that killed an American civilian contractor and stewed as he watched television images of pro-Iranian demonstrators storming the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in the days that followed, neither of which would normally result in such a seemingly disproportionate retaliation. But senior officials said the decision to target Soleimani grew out of a new stream of Iran threats to American embassies, consulates and military personnel in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Soleimani had just left Damascus, the Syrian capital, where he was planning an imminent attack that could claim hundreds of lives, officials said. Wed be negligent if we didnt respond, Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Friday in his Pentagon office. The threat of inaction exceeded the threat of action. Still, officials offered scant details and only general explanations for why these reported threats were any different than the rocket attacks, roadside bombings and other assaults carried out by Soleimanis Quds Force over the years. Size, scale and scope, Milley said without elaboration. National security experts and even other officials at the Pentagon said they were unaware of anything drastically new about Iranian behavior in recent weeks; Soleimani has been accused of prodding Shiite militias into attacking Americans for more than a decade. The drone strike came at a fraught time for the president, who faces a Senate trial after being impeached by the House largely along party lines last month for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. While advisers insisted politics had nothing to do with the decision, the timing was bound to raise questions in an era marked by deep suspicion across party lines. Soleimani was not a particularly elusive target. Unlike bin Laden or al-Baghdadi, he moved about quite freely in a number of countries, frequently popping up meeting with Iranian allies or visiting front-line positions in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. He traveled with an air of impunity. His fans distributed photographs of him on social media, and he occasionally gave interviews. One former senior American commander recalled once parking his military jet next to Soleimanis plane at the Irbil airport in northern Iraq. Soleimani was treated like royalty, and was not particularly hard to find, said Marc Polymeropoulos, a former senior CIA operations officer with extensive counterterrorism experience overseas. Soleimani absolutely felt untouchable, particularly in Iraq. He took selfies of himself on the battlefield and openly taunted the U.S., because he felt safe in doing so. That public profile made him the face of the Iranian network across the Middle East, the so-called Axis of Resistance, which includes groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen and a range of militias in Syria and Iraq who share Irans animosity toward Israel and the United States. Soleimani wanted to show that he could be anywhere and everywhere, a U.S. official said, knowing he could be a target but obsessed with proving he had his hand in everything. If Soleimani acted untouchable, for years he was. One night in January 2007, U.S. Special Operations commandos tracked him traveling in a convoy from Iran into northern Iraq. But the Americans held their fire and Soleimani slipped away into the darkness. To avoid a firefight, and the contentious politics that would follow, I decided that we should monitor the caravan, not strike immediately, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, then head of the secretive Joint Special Operations Command, recalled in an article last year. Until now, Trump had shied away from military action against Iran too. While he talked tough after Iran was blamed for various attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Trump declined to use force, at one point even calling off a planned airstrike with only 10 minutes to go. A U.S. official who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations said the presidents advisers worried that he had indicated so many times that he did not want a war with Iran that Tehran had become persuaded the United States would not act forcibly. But the official acknowledged that the strike was a huge gamble and could just as likely prompt an outsize reaction from both Iran and Iraq. The operation culminated three years of rising tension since Trump took office and followed through on his pledge to withdraw from the nuclear agreement that Obama brokered with Iran in 2015. As part of a maximum pressure campaign, Trump reimposed sanctions on Tehran to strangle its economy while Iran tested the U.S. president with a string of provocative actions. The mission to target Soleimani was set in motion after a rocket attack last Friday on an Iraqi military base outside Kirkuk killed an American civilian contractor, according to senior U.S. officials. The militarys Special Operations Command spent the next several days looking for an opportunity to hit Soleimani. Military and intelligence officials said the strike drew on information from secret informants, electronic intercepts, reconnaissance aircraft and other surveillance tools. The option that was eventually approved depended on Soleimanis arrival at Baghdad International Airport. If he was met by Iraqi officials, one U.S. official said, the strike would be called off. But the official said it was a clean party and the strike was authorized. Trump, who was spending the holiday season at Mar-a-Lago, participated in multiple meetings on the operation and aides said that he did not struggle with the decision, unlike over the summer when he changed his mind citing possible civilian casualties. It was a very straightforward decision by the president to make the call on this, Robert C. OBrien, his national security adviser, told reporters. As late as Thursday, officials were still weighing other less inflammatory options, including strikes against Iranian ships, missile batteries or militias in Iraq, one official said. But aides noted that Trump has grown wary of warnings that bold actions will result in negative consequences since in some cases those have not materialized, notably in his trade war. The president kept the discussions to a tight circle that included OBrien; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Defense Secretary Marc T. Esper; Gina Haspel, the CIA director; Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff; and Eric Ueland, the presidents legislative liaison. Left out of the loop was the White House communications operation. Pompeo has been one of the administrations most persistent Iran hawks and the public face of the sanctions campaign against Iran since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement brokered by Obama. As a congressman, Pompeo assailed the former secretary of state Hillary Clinton over the deadly attack on an American diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, and he has been obsessed with embassy security in the Middle East, and in Iraq in particular, according to former officials and associates. The violent protests in recent days at the Baghdad Embassy spooked the secretary, officials said, prompting him to cancel an important trip to Ukraine. The administration did not offer a legal justification for the strike but appeared to be relying on the claim that it was a matter of self-defense under international law and pursuant to the presidents constitutional powers as commander-in-chief. We had the right to self-defense, OBrien said. The strike was particularly unusual in that it targeted a top official in a national government. Since the late 1970s, an executive order has banned assassinations. But that constraint, while still in place on paper, has eroded in the fight against terrorism. Legal teams under presidents of both parties have argued that the term assassination, which is not defined by federal law or the order, does not cover killing terrorists and other people deemed to pose an imminent threat to the United States because that would instead be self-defense. Against that backdrop, it may be relevant that last year, Trump designated Irans Revolutionary Guard as a foreign terrorist organization the first time that the United States had so designated part of another nations government. However the lawyers rationalized it, McChrystal, who passed on taking the shot at Soleimani 13 years ago, said Trump was right to take it now. The targeting was appropriate given Soleimanis very public role in orchestrating Iranian attacks on the U.S. and our allies, he said in an email. But the general added a somber warning: We cant consider this as an isolated action. As with all such actions it will impact the dynamics of the region, and Iran will likely feel compelled to respond in kind. There is the potential for a stair-step escalation of attacks and we must think several moves ahead to determine how far we will take this and what the new level of conflict we are prepared to engage in. Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Maggie Haberman and Peter Baker@c.2020 The New York Times Company January is often reserved for kicking bad habits and beginning work on New Years resolutions. But some parts of the internet especially news articles from the last few years and even some law groups have cast a dark cloud on the month, suggesting it is a popular time for couples to divorce. Theyve even unofficially nicknamed January divorce month. Bleak, for sure. But is there any truth behind it? The answer, of course, is complicated. Divorce is seasonal, Vicky Townsend, co-founder and chief executive of the National Association of Divorce Professionals, said last month. Her network consists of specialists like lawyers, therapists and tax advisers who may be used in divorce proceedings. From Thanksgiving until New Years, lawyers offices are slow because people have put off divorcing until after the holidays, Ms. Townsend said. And people who may have been considering a divorce in the final months of the year often put off the decision until the holidays have finished, she noted. The idea may be, New Years resolutions its a new year, new you, new start, she said. The holidays are over, and Im not going into this year as miserable as I was last year. People are indeed searching for divorce information just after the holidays. A Google Trends search for divorce last year returned that it was, ever so slightly, most popular from Jan. 6 through Jan. 12. The term also appeared to be trending upward from the last week of December through this week. But over the past five years, the search term peaked at various times including March 2018, January 2017 and September 2016. Australia's power grid operator warns bushfires could bring down vital transmission lines and raise the likelihood of further blackouts this weekend when fire conditions are forecast to intensify. Just days after fires and winds damaged power lines and forced outages for tens of thousands of households in bushfire-affected towns in the nation's south-east, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) on Friday warned "severe and extreme bushfire conditions" could escalate on Saturday and threaten the grid again. Heatwaves and bushfires are imperilling Victoria's power grid. Credit:Paul Jones One of the weekend's biggest potential threats to the energy network is if bushfires hit the critical interconnector linking the grid in Victoria and New South Wales. NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean said back-burning operations in the area had been put in place. He said he was confident the state was in good shape to avoid widespread blackouts during the extreme bushfire danger over the coming days, and to manage the risks from bushfires hitting key electricity network infrastructure. HAMMOND A 29-year-old Chicago man was sentenced to 87 months in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to robbing a Brinks armored truck in April 2018 with others. Akeem Jackson pleaded guilty to robbery and armed robbery Sept. 9 after he admitted he and four others took part in a heist of more than $600,000 from the Brinks truck outside a Chase Bank branch in the 4200 block of Calumet Avenue. Jackson was sentenced under Hobbs Robbery Act, which is a federal law that prohibits a robbery or attempted robbery from affecting interstate or foreign commerce, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that robbery. Jackson and the others robbed a Brinks employee while he was servicing an ATM. Jackson disarmed the employee during the robbery by taking his firearm. Jackson stole approximately $617,000 during the robbery, according to court documents. Love 1 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. A man has been arrested after gardai found about 140,000 euro worth of suspected heroin. Gardai from the Galway Divisional Drug Unit searched a car in Loughrea in Co Galway at about 11.25pm on Friday when they made the discovery. The 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene and detained at Galway garda station under the Drug Trafficking Act. He has since been released without charge while a file will be prepared for the director of public prosecutions. Gardai investigations are continuing. ANAMOSA Lauren Standish is fully committed to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. Im with all of his ideas, Standish said after hearing the 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful speak for more than an hour at an Anamosa town hall Friday. This is the future I want to see. Standish and fellow University of Wisconsin-Platteville student Jacob Nachtigal supported Sanders in 2016 and will vote for him in Wisconsins primary on Super Tuesday a month after Iowas first-in-the-nation caucuses Feb. 3. Hes for the working class, Nachtigal said, adding he believes Sanders Medicare for All plan will benefit everyone from millennials to seniors. Thirty-one days out from the caucuses, not everyone was as certain. Across the room at the National Motorcycle Museum where Joe Biden campaigned the day before Gwen Sheridan said shes narrowed her choices to Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. She likes Sanders proposals for education funding but thinks Warren is stronger on support for child care that would make it easier for parents to be in the workforce. Sheridan felt better after Sanders said working class families cannot find decent, quality, affordable child care. Were going to end that, Sanders said. I believe, you believe, in universal, high-quality, affordable child care for every family. Sheridan wasnt completely satisfied with his explanation why the income tax for his health care plan would be 4 percent for everyone regardless of income. She would prefer a progressive tax that would increase as incomes rise. In the end, Sheridan said, Im not committed, but Im more enthusiastic about Sanders. Attending the town hall didnt seem to make the decision easier for Christa Greve. Im searching, the Cedar Rapids garbage truck driver said. With $35,000 in student loans, its a struggle to pay her bills, so the proposals by Sanders and Warren to reduce college debt resonates with her. Im not someone who follows a political party. Im just looking for someone with a good heart, she said as she played with her 22-month-old daughter, Eliza. The undecideds are not alone, said Buzz Pounds of Hopkinton. The Delaware County Democratic Party chairman doesnt plan to make a commitment until caucus night. However, he said, Im a Medicare for All guy, so that kind of narrows the window. He thinks Democrats are narrowing their field of choices in the final month of the campaign. A lot of them are getting a lot closer, Pounds said. Hes noticed they dont necessarily go to see every candidate every time they are in the area. Theyre still trying to get to as many as they can, but theyre less interested in driving to Dubuque or Cedar Rapids, he said. Chuck and Fran Marsicek didnt mind driving 3.5 hours from Wheaton, Ill., to Frans hometown of Anamosa to see Sanders. They backed him in 2016 and excited for his candidacy again this year. Its his conviction, Fran said. And spine, Chuck added. They like that he wants to make it easier, not harder, for workers to unionize and that he supports womens rights. Sanders, who campaigned at the Meskwaki Settlement near Tama on Thursday, continued his Not me, us bus tour Friday with stops in Waterloo and Decorah. Hell be in Dubuque and Grundy Center on Saturday. Love 2 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. In cities across Iran, tens of thousands packed the streets to mourn Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani. Black-clad women and men beat their chests and clutched photos of him. A black flag went up on the golden dome of Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad, one of the holiest sites of Shiite Islam. Just a few weeks earlier, the streets were filled with protesters angry with their leaders over the flailing economy and the countrys international isolation. But at least for now, Iran is united in anger at the United States. For years, it has been a divided nation led by aged revolutionaries determined to impose their will on a predominantly young population with no memory of the Shah, who was deposed in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and with a thirst to live in a more normal nation integrated into the world. Suddenly, with one targeted assassination, the nation rallied behind its leaders. Young and old. Rich and poor. Hard-liner and reformer, General Suleimani, Irans most powerful military leader, was almost universally admired and had near cult figure status. After being killed in Baghdad on Friday in a drone strike ordered by President Trump, his image is now plastered across Tehran, shrouded in black drapes. Tallinn, Jan 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2020 ) :Russia's foreign news channel Sputnik has suspended operations at its website in Estonia after the staff quit over EU sanctions against its Russian boss. Sputnik is owned by Russian state news agency Rossiya Segodnya, whose chief Dmitry Kiselyov is on the EU sanctions list introduced over Russia's actions in Ukraine. In December, Estonian authorities notified Sputnik that it would be criminally prosecuted unless it severed its ties to Rossiya Segodnya by 2020. Kiselyov "was added to the list... because he played a central role in the propaganda of the Russian Federation that supported the attack on Ukraine," Estonia's foreign ministry told AFP. Officials "informed persons employed or contracted by Rossiya Segodnya that knowingly performing work or services for a sanctioned person was forbidden," the ministry added. Sputnik's Estonian branch said it would "continue its work but we will need some time to organise this so that we don't have to live under constant pressure from Estonian authorities."Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and its meddling in eastern Ukraine triggered concern in Estonia and fellow Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania, which emerged from nearly five decades of Soviet occupation in the early 1990s. Irans UN ambassador says US started a war against Iran Donald Trump said strike was to stop a war, not to start a war US deploys 3,000 more troops to Middle East Second airstrike in Baghdad kills five people, Iraqi officials claim The US started a war against Iran by killing top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, Irans UN Ambassador has said. Majid Takht Ravanchi said the killing of the general in a US airstrike in Baghdad would bring harsh revenge from Iran. His comments come as Donald Trump said the decision to launch the airstrike was aimed to stop a war, not to start a war. General Qassem Soleimani was killed in an airstrike at Baghdad airport (Picture: Pool / Iranian Supreme Leader Press Office /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) The death of General Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds force, in the airstrike at Baghdad airport, which also killed nine others, has sparked an escalation in tensions between America and Iran, including the deployment of thousands of US troops to the region. On Friday, Iraqi officials claimed that another air strike north of Baghdad hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia, killing five people. He should have been taken out many years ago Speaking at his private club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Mr Trump said he ordered the strike because Soleimani had killed and wounded many Americans over the years and was planning to kill more. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, he said, added: He should have been taken out many years ago. Donald Trump said the airstrike was aimed to stop a war, not start one (Picture: REUTERS/Tom Brenner) Iran has vowed revenge for the attack, and in an interview with CNN Mr Ravanchi said: The US has already started a war against Iran, not just an economic war but something beyond that by assassinating one of our top generals. He added: There will be harsh revenge. His comments echo those of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who vowed harsh retaliation after the airstrike, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani who called the killing a heinous crime and said his country would take revenge. Troops deployed and US citizens urged to leave Iraq In the aftermath of the airstrike, which hit headlines around the world, the United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more army troops to the Middle East. Story continues The US also urged American citizens to leave Iraq immediately and said the US embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters last week, is closed with all consular services have been suspended. US embassies also issued a security alert for Americans in Bahrain, Kuwait and Nigeria. Marches in Tehran Thousands of worshippers in Tehran took to the streets after Friday prayers to condemn the killing, waving posters of Soleimani and chanting Death to deceitful America. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called on the resistance the world over to avenge Soleimanis death. Thousands of people took to the streets in Tehran following Soleimani's death (Picture: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images) Mr Trump has also faced criticism on home turf, with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden saying he had: tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, which could leave the US on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East. The US Defence Department said it killed 62-year-old Soleimani because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. It also accused the general of approving violent protests at the US embassy in Baghdad. As tensions continued to escalate, the European Union warned against a generalised flare-up of violence. Russia condemned the killing, and China said it was highly concerned. The Band Aid charity song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure that was Christmas number one in 1984 and stayed at number one in the UK singles chart for five weeks raising an amazing 8 for famine relief in Ethiopia, asked the ironic question about the starving people in that war-torn country: "Do They Know It's Christmas?". The question we could ask ourselves today is how do we know that its New Year? The answer, of course, is that we know because we are bombarded by media telling us that it is so. But what of our distant ancestors; how did they know the time of death of an old year and the birth of a new one? The clues that people got about the passage of time in the distant past came from the natural world and the movement of the sun. The flowering of Hazel traditionally marked both the end of winter and the start of spring, a very important milestone for those who eked a living from subsistence farming. The daily ritual of being in tune with the natural world and following the apparent annual movement of the sun across the sky from east to west and back again charts the passage of time and breaks the continuum into the four familiar seasons. Our distant ancestors noted the apparent movements of the sun and erected wooden posts or more permanent standing stones to record the activity of our nearest star. Newgrange, one of the best examples in north-west Europe of a passage tomb, is Ireland's most famous prehistoric monument. It was built by farmers and astronomers about 5,200 years ago, some 600 years before construction commenced on the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt and 1,000 years before the stone circle at Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain was planned. The entrance to the tomb is aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice. Winter sunlight shines through a roof box, penetrates the 24m-long passage and floods the inner chamber. The great astronomical clock that is Newgrange told the time of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the turning point of the calendar. Of course, the time lag from solstice to the flowering of Hazel could vary by a month or two so it was nowhere near as accurate as our modern countdown to midnight in seconds. Wishing you and yours a very happy and enjoyable New Year. A young artist has died in a 'tragic accident' while travelling back to the UK from a festival in Barcelona. Jayke Cooke, 22, from Salford, is understood to have died earlier this week whilst returning from the Spanish event with friends, further details are unknown. Donations and tributes for the young man poured in after a Gofundme page set up on Friday night reached 26,000 in just hours. The page set up by a friend of Jayke's to raise funds for a send off read: 'Jayke Dylan Cooke was loved by everyone who he crossed paths with, he was the kindest lad with the biggest heart and the brightest future ahead of him. Jayke Cooke, 22, from Salford, is understood to have died earlier this week whilst returning from the Spanish event with friends, further details are unknown 'Known for his 'talk to anyone' personality and extremely talented art he touched everyone in their own special way. 'Sadly whilst at a festival in Barcelona Jayke has been taken from us all. 'Nothing will be able to bring back the lad we all love and respect but together we can pull as a team and raise money for his family and give him the biggest and best send off he deserves.' Over one thousand people have donated with many leaving personal tributes to the 'wonderful young man'. Jayke Cooke, 22, with girlfriend Caitlin Robertson. He was Known for his 'talk to anyone' personality Over one thousand people have donated with many leaving personal tributes to the 'wonderful young man' A former colleague of Jayke's Vanessa Blackledge wrote: 'I loved working with Jake and our chats. 'He was so talented and I used to love hearing about his trips to various festivals. I can't imagine the pain his family must be feeling so I hope all the donations will go in some way to providing some comfort. Much love.' Fiona Read wrote: 'It was a pleasure to know you growing up Jake - you really were a very special person which is reflected in the success of this page. He is believed to have been travelling back to the UK from a Barcelona festival 'Missed by so many - I can not even begin to imagine what his Mum and the rest of the family are feeling after this tragic accident. 'RIP never to be forgotten xxx Fiona Howard Charlotte & Emily.' Tim Rawlinson added: 'I dropped Jayke at the airport its heartbreaking to say this is the last time wed all see you RIP Jayke.' 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. Breaking the silence on the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan's Punjab province, Shiv Sena has slammed Pakistan and its Prime Minister Imran Khan. Party leader Priyanka Chaturvedi taking to Twitter on Saturday said that Pakistan continues to show how it is a nation that cannot give respect, dignity and honour to its citizens. Terming the attack "deplorable", she hoped that the miscreants are arrested. She also said that PM Imran Khan should "walk the talk" on safeguarding the minorities residing in Pakistan. 'Hope these people are arrested' Pakistan continues to show how it is a nation that cannot give respect, dignity and honour to its citizens. This attack on #NankanaSahib is deplorable, hope these people are arrested& PM Imran Khan walks the talk on safeguarding the minorities residing in Pakistan. https://t.co/3tZxARjZp5 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) January 4, 2020 Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of the first guru of Sikhs Guru Nanak Dev, was attacked by stone pelters on Friday as they staged a protest against alleged police atrocities on Mohammed Hassan, the boy who is accused of forcing a Sikh girl to convert before marrying her. Political leaders across the spectrum have condemned the attack and said that it is a shameful situation. The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally . Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 4, 2020 Cong leader @RahulGandhis refusal to condemn stoning of #GurdwaraNankanaSahib & threat to the very existence of holy shrine reveals his anti-Sikh face. Rahul working overtime to mislead ppl on #CAA but has no time to take on Pak & expose atrocities it's committing against Sikhs. pic.twitter.com/8Hu2iVM9m4 Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) January 4, 2020 Death threats and stone pelting to innocent tourists to support forcible conversion of a girl! This is Pakistan and that is why #IndiaSupportsCAA Meanwhile, Pakistan armys puppet is busy making a fool of himself by tweeting fake videos. #JagjitKaur #NankanaSahib pic.twitter.com/vkNQhvTWIw Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) January 4, 2020 READ | Daljeet Singh demands strict action against perpetrators of Nankana Sahib Gurudwara attack READ | Union Min Hardeep Puri calls Nankana Sahib attack 'shameful', highlights need for CAA India asks Pak govt to ensure safety of Sikhs In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs claimed that "members of the minority Sikh community" had been "subjected to acts of violence" in Nankana Sahib. "These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place." The Indian government also called upon the government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. READ | Harbhajan Singh condemns Nankana Sahib Gurdwara attack, asks Imran Khan to take action READ | Punjab CM Amarinder Singh asks Pak PM to intervene over Nankana Sahib mob attack While the saying 'life is full of uncertainty' applies to everyone, Jane Kovarikova says it especially rings true for former foster kids like her. "Most governments don't track outcomes after [foster] care because the system sort of ends for children at 18," she told CBC Toronto. Kovarikova started the Child Welfare PAC in 2017. She and a team of volunteers with lived-experience in foster care people who have gone on to become lawyers, doctors and academics advocate at the legislative level to get better supports for young adults about to transition out of the system. As Kovarikova knows, there are challenges, if not barriers, unique to foster children trying to access to post-secondary education. "When I applied to college for the first, time it was an extremely stressful process because it says right on the form like, 'Who are your parents? How much do they make?'" she explained. "These questions can be really difficult for foster kids and that's a barrier. Then, if you do find a way to post-secondary, of course you're on the hook for tuition." Part of the non-profit's work is to get universities on board to carve out some money to fund either full or partial tuition for students who grew up in foster care. Child Welfare PAC So far, they have five on board including Kovarikova 's alma mater, Laurentian University. They're hoping to successfully lobby six in early 2020. Another goal of theirs is to get Canada to track the number of foster kids who do or don't go on to a post-secondary education. Right now, Kovarikova can only cite data from other jurisdictions and if those studies turn out to be true for Canadians, the success rate looks bleak. "In Ontario, approximately 1,000 children age out every year. Approximately 400 actually drop out of high school like I did. Eighty enter university and only eight graduate." The dreaded 18th birthday "Even if your foster family doesn't necessarily wash their hands of you. The support that they were receiving in order to support you it is also gone," said Ingrid Palmer one of the Welfare PAC volunteers. Story continues "Being in care as a racialized youth, with a disability, and having that child welfare involvement," she recalled, "it really led to a lot of stigma, discrimination and a lot of low expectation." Palmer who's legally blind remembers dreading her 18th birthday. "You kind of don't want that date to come because you don't know what's going to happen after that." Some will continue to get support with additional welfare cheques or some money for therapy sessions but those supports typically dry up by age 21. Grant Linton/CBC NEWS She managed to fund her own way through college working multiple jobs because for her not going to college was not an option. "It helped me to find a sense of self-worth." She's a fierce advocate for the Child Welfare PAC because she knows how easily people can fall through the cracks. The Child Welfare PAC will continue advocating both at universities and at Queens Park in the new year, having scheduled a sit-down with Ross Romano, Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities in the new year. EU teachers are likely to face fees of 4,345 to work in the UK for five years after Brexit in a move that will worsen an existing recruitment crisis, ministers have been warned. They will also need to overcome red tape before their teaching qualifications are recognised adding further delays to a process that can already take up to four months in England, the Liberal Democrats are warning. The party is accusing the government of planning to throw away the rights of EU teachers to work in the UK, despite promising some limited financial and other help to vital NHS staff. The threat has emerged after a 35 per cent plunge in recruits from the continent since the Brexit referendum and after teacher-training targets were missed for the seventh year in a row. Thousands of EU teachers each year come to the UK to keep our schools running, said Layla Moran, a Lib Dem MP and potential leadership candidate. Recommended New EU president Ursula von der Leyen to visit Boris Johnson this week Now, Boris Johnson wants them to pay through the nose for the vital work they do. Its nothing more than a teachers tax. It is shocking that the Tories want to give the cold shoulder to EU staff after Brexit when we are in the middle of a teacher recruitment crisis. The tax adding up to 4,345 over five years will be imposed because of two separate changes planned by Mr Johnsons government, the Lib Dems have calculated. From next year, EU citizens are set to require visas to come to work in the UK. Teachers from outside the EU need a Tier 2 visa, which costs 1,220 if it is for more than 3 years. General election 2019: How the night unfolded Show all 27 1 /27 General election 2019: How the night unfolded General election 2019: How the night unfolded Boris Johnson wins biggest Tory landslide since Thatcher ...while Labour records worst result since Clement Attlee PA General election 2019: How the night unfolded 11.28pm - First result to be announced Labour holds Newcastle Central, albeit with a reduced majority, in the first result to be announced in the 2019 General Election PA General election 2019: How the night unfolded 11.33pm - Conservatives gain Blyth Valley The Conservatives gain Blyth Valley, in the North East, from Labour in the first big upset of the night. The seat had been held by Labour since 1950 BBC General election 2019: How the night unfolded 1.23am - Conservatives succeed in appealing to "Workington Man" The Tories won the North West constituency from Labour - the first time the seat has changed hands since 1979 Telegraph General election 2019: How the night unfolded 1.27am - The SNP gains Rutherglen & Hamilton West from Labour, the first of six seats they take from Jeremy Corbyn's party First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie with some her newly elected MP's at the Glasgow count Getty General election 2019: How the night unfolded 1.50am - The Tories gain Wrexham from Labour The first time the party have ever held the seat ITV General election 2019: How the night unfolded 1.52am - Labour wins Putney from the Conservatives The party's first gain of the night from the Tories BBC General election 2019: How the night unfolded 1.55am - The SNP gains its first seat from the Tories Winning Angus Press Association Images General election 2019: How the night unfolded 2.33am - Iain Duncan Smith holds on to seat The former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith held on to his Chingford & Woodford Green seat, but saw his majority cut almost in half to just 1,262 Reuters General election 2019: How the night unfolded 2.46am - Conservatives gain Tom Watson's old seat The Tories gained West Bromwich West from Labour in an 11.69% swing Getty General election 2019: How the night unfolded 2.50am - Bishop Auckland, a Labour seat since 1935, becomes a Tory gain Dehenna Davison won with a majority of 7,962 CharlElmore/Twitter General election 2019: How the night unfolded 2.54am - Chuka Umunna loses out to Tories The former Streatham MP who defected from Labour to the Independent Group before switching to the Liberal Democrats, lost out to the Conservative party in Cities of London & Westminster James Moreland/Twitter General election 2019: How the night unfolded 2.58am - DUP's Westminster leader beaten Nigel Dodds was beaten by Sinn Fein's John Finucane in Belfast North Getty General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.15am - Tories lose seat to the Lib Dems Zac Goldsmith lost his Richmond Park seat to the Liberal Democrats, the party's first gain of the night PA General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.24am - Jeremy Corbyn announces he will not lead party in future elections The Labour leader was voted back in to the Islington North seat but described the results as "very disappointing" and said he would not lead the party in any future election campaign Reuters General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.32am - Labour's Caroline Flint loses her seat to the Tories The first time her party has not held the seat since 1922 Sky News General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.38am - The Tories beat Labour in Wakefield Mary Creagh lost out to Imran Ahmad-Khan in a Labour seat since 1932 Reuters General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.42am - Boris extends his majority in Uxbridge & Ruislip South The Prime Minister said: "It does look as though this One Nation Conservative Government has been given a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done." Reuters General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.44am - The Tories gain Rother Valley and Sedgefield 3.44am - The Conservatives gained Rother Valley, a Labour seat since 1918, and Sedgefield, which was once held by former prime minister Tony Blair AFP via Getty General election 2019: How the night unfolded 3.45am - Jo Swinson loses seat The Liberal Democrat leader lost her Dunbartonshire East seat to the SNP PA General election 2019: How the night unfolded 4.25am - Conservatives retake Kensington from Labour The Tories took back the seat with a margin of 150 votes PA General election 2019: How the night unfolded 5.15am - Major scalp for the Tories 5.15am - Dennis Skinner, Labour's Beast Of Bolsover loses his seat that had been red since 1950 AFP General election 2019: How the night unfolded 6.08am - US President Donald Trump congratulates Boris Johnson on his victory General election 2019: How the night unfolded How the UK voted after 649 0f 650 seats Press Association Images General election 2019: How the night unfolded 6.23am - Acting Lib Dem leaders announced 6.23am - Sir Ed Davey and Baroness Sal Brinton were announced as the joint acting leaders of the Liberal Democrats following Jo Swinson's defeat PA General election 2019: How the night unfolded Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arrive back at Downing Street AP General election 2019: How the night unfolded State of the parties Press Association Images On top of this, the Conservatives have announced a big hike in the immigration health surcharge, paid by all migrants towards NHS costs, to 625 a year. The government will recognise teaching qualifications from the EU unilaterally, but teachers would require their national regulator to write a letter confirming their professional standing. This would inevitably add more delays to a process that can already take up to four months in England, the Lib Dems said. Furthermore, should the UK crash out of the post-Brexit transition period at the end of 2020, those regulators would no longer tell the UK whether teachers had been sanctioned in their home country, the party warned. The number of teachers from the European Economic Area (EEA) the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway has already dropped from 4,795 before the Brexit vote in 2015-16 to 3,103 in 2018-19. And, for the current academic year, just 29,850 teacher trainees were recruited a shortfall of 3,510 with the biggest problems in physics, modern foreign languages, maths, chemistry and computing. A government spokesperson said: We will deliver on the peoples priorities by introducing a points-based immigration system in 2021 to attract the brightest and best talent from around the world and will set out more details in due course. Jiddah, Jan 4 : Ahead of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso has said that while caution is in order for his first experience competing off-road, he will be ready to attack "at the first opportunity." When the world's most gruelling rally begins on Sunday, the 38-year-old Spaniard will be driving a Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux 4x4, the same vehicle that won the 2019 Dakar, reports Efe news. His approach for the first few days will be conservative, but not so conservative that he falls out of the top 10 in the general classification, Alonso said during a media roundtable in Jiddah with Agencia Efe and other outlets on Friday. "Two days from starting a Dakar without ever before having done an off-road race, I am conscious of the challenge I have in front of me, and which many people would never consider trying," the driver said when asked if he was nervous. "It's going to be two weeks of experiences. Every day, what Marc (Coma, his navigator) and I experience inside the car will be enough to practically write a book. At the same time, I am ready to enjoy it," Alonso said. Regarding strategy, he said that he would avoid "unnecessary risks" in the first few stages of the rally, while simultaneously taking care to remain at least in the top 15. "You have to not take risks, but also not drive very slow. A good beginning would help build confidence to continue," Alonso said. Asked about the enormous expectations surrounding his Dakar debut, he said: "The expectation will always be there because I live with it." "Every day I get up, there are 10 eyes watching everything I do. When I do a kart race I have 15 or 20 chronometers on every lap I do and I can't take a relaxed lap to breathe," Alonso said. "My life is stressful in that sense because people always expect a lot from me." With victories in the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Spaniard needs only to win the Indianapolis 500 to become only the second driver -- after Graham Hill -- to achieve the triple crown of motor racing. If Alonso can win the Dakar Rally, he will be considered one of the best all-around drivers ever. The 2020 edition will cover nearly 8,000 km (4,970 miles), with more than 5,000 km (3,106 miles) timed, starting in Jiddah and finishing in Qiddiyah, near Riyadh, on January 17. US President Donald Trump has said Iranian General Qasem Soleimani had made the death of innocent people his "sick passion" and contributed to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London, a day after ordering the drone attack that killed the powerful Revolutionary Guards commander in Iraq. Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. In his first comments since the killing of the Iranian military leader, Trump said that Soleimani had been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilise the Middle East for the last 20 years. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at his personal Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," he said. Trump said what the United States did yesterday should have been done a long ago. "A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government," he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad," he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies, Trump said. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen, he said in his remarks. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran. "Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters, the President added. The strike on Friday also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and some local Iran-backed militias. He was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran behind the Ayatollah Khamenei. His Quds Force, an elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, reported directly to the Ayatollah and he was hailed as a heroic national figure. Iran has pledged retaliation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To kickstart 2020, I've gone beyond 'skin deep' and put together a few of my tried-and-tested wellness rituals that have helped bring some serenity into my own life. Our skincare routine is a wonderful opportunity to take a few moments to check in with ourselves - it can provide what I call an 'anchor moment'. Using natural, botanical ingredients that have proven calming qualities is another great way to bring harmony to our lives. Jane Atherton is the founder of mature skincare line Phytomone, and a clinical nutritionist and menopause lifestyle coach. She is a firm believer in practising a skincare ritual and says that the benefits are apparent on both body and mind. "By taking time to relax, 'be in the moment' and elevate your skincare routine to a meditative ritual, you will see physical and psychological benefits," Jane says. She recommends using natural plant oils to stimulate the senses and soothe skin. "Gently massage the beauty oils into your skin, keeping your mind in the moment, and feel a sense of wellbeing and calm engulf you, while the powerful plant hormones restore and rebalance your complexion. "By making a conscious effort to set aside this valuable self-care time," she adds, "you will become more receptive to the holistic nature and energetic values of your sacred skincare ritual." Space smudging To cleanse your space of any residual dense energies, why not start smudging your home in 2020. Smudging is the burning of certain herbs, resins and woods to create scented smoke that lifts and clears the space around your home - and yourself. Think sage for clearing, frankincense and rosemary for protection, and palo santo - a tree native to Peru and Venezuela - for uplifting energies. Simply light the stick and point down towards the flame. Allow it to burn for 30 seconds, then blow it out and place the stick on a heat-resistant surface or dish. Try the Nunaia Palo Santo Incense Bundle, 12.95, available at nunaia.com Six of the best Steam dream Expand Close The Beddha / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Beddha Botanical facial steaming is set to take off in 2020. This DIY steaming kit uses botanicals to amp up the chill vibes. You'll need a pot of boiling water that you sprinkle your flowers into, a heatproof bowl and a towel large enough to cover your shoulders, head and bowl. Keeping your face about 10-18in away from the steam, inhale the scent and try to breathe calmly and deeply. Follow with a mask, serum or moisturiser. Video of the Day The Beddha As A Flower Botanical Steam, 35, from thebeddha.com Heavenly oil Expand Close Neom / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Neom If want to lighten the energies in your home and infuse it with beautiful, natural scents but don't fancy smudging, try this smoke-free alternative. This is an essential-oil diffuser that uses steam and whatever oil blend suits your mood - think lavender for calm, lime and lemon for brightening and clove for protection. It also doubles up as an air humidifier. Neom Wellbeing Pod Essential Oil Diffuser, 108, from Arnotts, millies.ie and selfridges.com Sleep saviour Expand Close Sleep through / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sleep through If you're serious about addressing your sleep health in 2020, why not try to create your own bedtime ritual, or see a sleep consultant like Lucy Wolfe. She is a sleeping pro who has launched her own line of sleep aids. Try her relaxing 'sleep rub', a natural blend of essential oils including lavender, eucalyptus and clove. Rub onto chest, wrists and the soles of feet 20 minutes before bedtime. Sleep Through by Lucy Wolfe Relaxing Rub, 19.99, from pharmacies nationwide Local brew Expand Close Dublin Herbalists / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dublin Herbalists Dublin Herbalists is another brand that you should keep on your beauty radar for 2020. Once a tiny start-up, this natural skincare line has exploded in the last few years, and for good reason. It's 100pc natural and uses really beautiful, grounding botanical ingredients to make your skin glow and help balance your mood. Dublin Herbalists Eye Cream, from 29, Kilkenny Shop, Avoca, and health stores nationwide Beauty box Expand Close Codex / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Codex If you fancy embracing some natural beauty techniques this year but aren't so keen on splashing out on a load of products that you may not necessarily love, try a discovery kit. This brand-new Codex option contains all the essentials you need to nourish your skin naturally - with nary a synthetic chemical in sight! Codex Bia is a new plant-based skincare line created by a Cork-based herbalist that blends ancient Irish herbal knowledge with modern science. Ideal for sensitive skin. Codex Bia Discovery Set, 50, from codexbeauty.com Calm balm Expand Close Cleansing balm / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cleansing balm Irish beauty wellness brand Nunaia (pronounced noo-nigh-ya) is all about self-care rituals, particularly when it comes to using this newly launched plant-based facial cleansing balm. Taking moments of quiet in our day to come back into balance with loved ones and ourselves has powerful, scientifically proven wellbeing benefits. This beaut will help send you into a cocoon of tranquillity and calm at the end of a busy day. Massage the solid balm into skin, and then remove with a hot cloth. Nunaia Superfood Cleansing Balm, 59, from nunaia.com and exclusively at Avoca stores nationwide Ask the expert: Sinead de hOra Expand Close Sinead de hOra / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinead de hOra Sinead de hOra is an intuitive specialist and founder of Treatment Creations. Having won multiple wellness awards, she collaborates with luxury hotel spas all over the world, as well as hosting workshops and retreats. Here she explains how to heal your energy... What is energy healing? Think of it like this: imagine we are sponges and all day, every day, we soak up energy from people we interact with. We absorb energy from social media, the news, our friends, family and, as well as all of that, everything that you think or do has an energy force behind it - but it might not always be beneficial. Energy healing removes any of the 'debris' that the sponge has absorbed throughout the day. By doing so, it will release suppressed emotion and clean your energy from any negativity. Why should we cleanse our energy? We need to clean our energy as often as we clean our body. There is no point in cleaning the external house to our soul if we have all of this emotional 'debris' from others hanging around our energies. By clearing or cleaning our energy we will feel lighter, with more clarity of mind. We feel grounded and it helps to enhance our perception, and improve our mindset, mood and overall wellbeing. And, most importantly, when you clean your energy, you make room to connect deeper with your intuition. What sort of methods do you use? Everything that I do in a treatment stems from my intuition. I never do a consultation, because I like your body to tell me all that I need to know, and I treat the root cause of an issue or concern rather than focusing on the symptom that you might feel. After reading your energy, I will design a treatment around your needs, combining a multitude of therapies; they could be aromatherapy, reflexology, mindset therapy, visualisation techniques or meditation. Sinead will be in Druids Glen Spa on January 9 and 29 BAGHDAD Iran vowed harsh retaliation for a U.S. air strike near Baghdads airport that killed a top Iranian general who had been the mastermind of its interventions across the Middle East, and the U.S. said Friday it was adding troops to the region as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Iran, which has careened from one crisis to another since President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. The targeted strike, and any retaliation by Iran, could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Over the past two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israels doorstep. The United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East and urged U.S. citizens to leave Iraq immediately following the early-morning air strike at Baghdads international airport that Irans state TV said killed Soleimani and nine others. Key developments American officials say they had compelling intelligence that Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in the U.S. strike early Friday in Iraq, was planning a significant campaign of violence against the United States. Iran vowed "harsh retaliation" for the killing of the senior military leader. The United States urged its citizens to leave Iraq "immediately." The U.S. is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East in the volatile aftermath of the killing. The Pentagon placed an Army brigade in Italy on alert to fly into Lebanon if needed to protect the American Embassy there. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called world leaders Friday to explain and defend President Trump's decision to order the air strike. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is closed and all consular services have been suspended. Source: Chronicle News Services See More Collapse The State Department said the embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters earlier this week, is closed and consular services have been suspended. Around 5,200 American troops are in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and help in the fight against Islamic State group militants. Defense officials spoke about the new troop movements on condition of anonymity. The U.S. announcement about more troops being sent to the region came as Trump said Soleimanis killing was not undertaken in an effort to begin a conflict with Iran. Rather, he said, we took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. Trump also says he does not seek regime change in Iran. Another air strike almost exactly 24 hours after the one that killed Soleimani hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia members north of Baghdad, killing five, an Iraqi official said. The Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the strike, saying it targeted one of its medical convoys near a stadium in Taji, north of Baghdad. An American official who spoke on condition on anonymity denied that the U.S. was behind the reported attack. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that harsh retaliation is waiting for the U.S. after the strike against Soleimani, calling him the international face of resistance. Khamenei declared three days of public mourning and appointed Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, Soleimanis deputy, as head of the Quds Force. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the killing a heinous crime and vowed his country would take revenge. However, the attack could act as a deterrent for Iran and its allies to delay or restrain any potential response. Trump said that targets of possible retaliation had been identified, and that the U.S. was prepared. The killing promised to further strain relations with Iraqs government, which is allied with both Washington and Tehran and has been deeply worried about becoming a battleground in their rivalry. Iraqi politicians close to Iran called for the country to order U.S. forces out. The Defense Department said it killed the 62-year-old Soleimani because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. It also accused Soleimani of approving violent protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The strike, on an access road near Baghdads airport, was carried out Friday by an American drone, according to a U.S. official. Irans state TV said Friday that 10 people were killed in the strike, including five Revolutionary Guard members. The attack comes at the start of a year in which Trump faces both a Senate trial following his impeachment by the House of Representatives and a re-election campaign. It marks a potential turning point in the Middle East and represents a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions. The tensions are rooted in Trumps decision in May 2018 to withdraw the U.S. from Irans nuclear deal with world powers, struck under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Since then, Tehran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers. The U.S. also blames Iran for other attacks targeting tankers and a September assault on Saudi Arabias oil industry that temporarily halved its production. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Supporters of Fridays strike said it restored U.S. deterrence power against Iran, and Trump allies were quick to praise the action. To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted. Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran, Trumps former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, wrote in a tweet. Trump, who is vacationing at his private club in Palm Beach, Fla., said in a tweet that the strike was ordered because Soleimani was plotting to kill many Americans. He should have been taken out many years ago! Trump tweeted. The potential for a spiraling escalation alarmed U.S. allies and rivals alike. We are waking up in a more dangerous world, Frances deputy minister for foreign affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, told RTL radio. Russia condemned the killing, and fellow Security Council member China said it was highly concerned. Britain and Germany noted that Iran also bore some responsibility for escalating tensions, while Saudi Arabia urged restraint. Irans Supreme National Security Council said in a statement Friday that it had held a special session and made appropriate decisions on how to respond, though it didnt reveal them. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi condemned the strike as an aggression against Iraq. An emergency session of parliament was called for Sunday, which the deputy speaker, Hassan al-Kaabi, said would take decisions that put an end to the U.S. presence in Iraq. Ordering out American forces would heavily damage Washingtons influence and make the U.S. troop presence in neighboring Syria more tenuous. But Iraqs leadership is likely to be divided over such a step. President Barham Salih called for the voice of reason and wisdom to dominate, keeping in mind Iraqs greater interests. Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Zeina Karam are Associated Press writers. CAIRO (AP) An airstrike slammed into a military academy in Libyas capital, Tripoli, on Saturday, killing at least 16 people, most of them students, the health authorities said. Malek Merset, a spokesman with the Tripoli-based health ministry, said the airstrike took place in the Hadaba area, just south of the city center, where fighting has been raging for months. He said the strike wounded at least 37 others, who were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Tripoli has been the scene of fighting since April between the self-styled Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter and an array of militias loosely allied with the weak but United Nations-supported government that holds the capital. The fighting has escalated in recent weeks since General Hifter declared a final and decisive battle for the capital after the Tripoli authorities signed military and maritime agreements with Turkey. On Thursday the Turkish Parliament authorized the deployment of troops to Libya. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. President Donald Trump on Friday said top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was terminated when he was on the verge of attacking US diplomats but he insisted that Washington is not seeking to topple Irans government. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, Trump said in a statement before television cameras in Florida. While referring to the Iranian military mastermind, killed in a US air attack earlier Friday in Baghdad, as sick, Trump attempted to lower tensions by insisting that he does not want war with Iran. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, he said, adding: We do not seek regime change. Weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly on Saturday, with the country's Bureau of Meteorology warning that winds are picking up and temperatures increasing. Three fires have combined to form a single blaze bigger than the New York borough of Manhattan, as Australian firefighters battle what has been predicted to be the most catastrophic day yet in an already devastating bushfire season. The fires joined overnight in the Omeo region in Victoria state, creating a 6,000-hectare (23 square mile) blaze, according to Gippsland's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, CNN reported. Read alsoLast five years hottest on record: UN report In neighboring New South Wales state, a fire in the Wollondilly region south of the capital Sydney remains "out of control," according to the Rural Fire Service. It has burned 264,000 hectares (1,020 square miles) of land in recent months. Weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly on Saturday, with the country's Bureau of Meteorology warning that winds are picking up and temperatures increasing. "Today will be a day of severe to extreme fire danger through many districts," the bureau said. The country's capital, Canberra, smashed its heat record of 80 years, reaching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, according to the meteorology bureau. In the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, the mercury climbed to 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) setting a new record for the whole Sydney basin. The death toll is rising as conditions worsen Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday that 23 people had been killed nationwide, up from 18 from earlier in the week. More than 1,500 homes have also been destroyed since the fire season began in September. Victoria has declared a state of disaster and NSW has declared a state of emergency both granting extraordinary powers and additional government resources to battle the fires. It marked the first time VIctoria has activated these powers since the 2009 Black Saturday fires, the deadliest bushfire disaster on record in Australia with 173 people killed and 500 injured. On Saturday, Morrison announced the deployment of up to 3,000 Australian Defense Force Reserve troops to affected states. Four planes will also be leased by the government to provide water bombing, while the navy's largest ship, HMAS Adelaide, will be mobilized to evacuate citizens along the coast. Congress on Saturday hit out at the BJP government in Haryana for legislating the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) Amendment Bill despite the stern stance and orders of the Supreme Court. In a statement, Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja cited revelations from a Right to Information and said that despite the top court's tough stand, the state government got the law approved by the Governor in June last year and it was notified. "However, in its observations in March last year, the Supreme Court had expressed displeasure about the bill," she said. The Congress leader said that the apex court had said that "through this law, the government was clearing the way for regularising illegal constructions by violating the rules. The government was trying to benefit its loved ones through this amendment".She added that Haryana has the least forest area in the country and that is only three-and-a-half percent, which will further decrease after the enactment of this law. "With the implementation of this law, forests will be destroyed, illegal mining and construction will be promoted," she asserted. Selja said that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report had recently caught a large scale mining scam in Haryana. "Now this clearly shows that despite orders of the Supreme Court, the present state government can go to any extent to benefit its supporters," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jhakri is the Nepalese word for shaman; in Nepal it refers to practitioners of the ethnic groups of the Tamang, Magar, Rai, Limbu and Gurung people. Chet Bahadur Thing, 26, a renowned shaman, felt a connection with the spiritual world, and learning from his grandfather, he started practising shamanism at the age of 11. He is now considered a guru in his community. He says: During ancient times, when there was no medical science or hospitals, shamans used to treat the patients in our village. Even now, people with spiritual problems or body pain visit us for healing or treatment or when doctors cannot heal them. Eighteen-year-old Sheela Lamichhane is a student of management in Kathmandu and a practising shaman. Ever since her older sister got severely ill and then was treated by a shaman she has been fascinated by those who practice it. She even became possessed herself: I used to run in the middle of the road barefoot like some crazy girl, she recalls. Her parents took her to Thing, who, after purging the evil spirit, began her shaman training. She passed several tests, including the most important, a seven-day fasting ritual called gufa and a holy river meditation. Gufa typically refers to a cave where aspiring shamans attend fasting and classes over the course of a week. They have to perform puja, a Hindu act of worship, chant mantras, play drums and dance in the middle of the night over burning ashes or coals. Shamans believe that they will gain power or energy from God if they are able to dance barefoot over the burning coals. After the completion of this first test, shaman practitioners must go to a holy river for meditation. Half submerged in the river waters, they have to chant mantras and meditate for more than three hours. This ritual is meant to build confidence and provide energy to become a shaman, but not everyone can pass this test. Lamichhane attends her regular classes at college, before treating patients at home with her parents assistance during the afternoon. She will need to pass more tests to get fully certified as a shaman, which should take about two more years. I had a dream to be a doctor when I was 10 years old and today people know me as a witch doctor. I feel like I was destined, she says. EPA Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 16:18:07|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) militant group and the Iraqi military on Saturday denied any airstrike north of Baghdad. "The coalition did not conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji in recent days," the U.S.-led coalition said in a brief statement. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) also denied the media reports of an airstrike. "What was reported by some media about an airstrike last night, targeting a medical convoy of the Hashd Shaabi in Taji area, north of the capital Baghdad" is not true, said a statement by the media office affiliated with the JOC. In the early hours of the day, media reports said an airstrike hit a medical convoy of the Hashd Shaabi forces near a stadium in Taji area, some 15 km north of Baghdad. The Hashd Shaabi later issued a statement saying none of its leaders were killed in the attack. However, an Iraqi Interior Ministry source told Xinhua that an attack against the Hashd Shaabi convoy did come before dawn in Taji area, leaving two killed and four others wounded, but the culprit of the attack was unknown. This incident came about 24 hours after a U.S. drone attack near Baghdad International Airport that killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of the pro-Iran Hashd Shaabi forces. New Delhi: The Jammu Crime Branch has filed a chargesheet against the owner of a local tour operator for forging the signature of former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The accused, Sandeep Koul owner of Desh Pradesh a tour and travels company in Jammu, faked the PDP chief's signature to procure helicopter tickets on priority from Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board authorities. Incidentally, this is not the Koul's first chargesheet, a case had been filed against him earlier for forging the signature of former External Affair's Minister Sushma Swaraj. Live TV After a written complaint was filed by Khalid Jahangir, Additional Secretary to Government of J&K, Home Department to the Crime Branch informing them about the fake letter with the forged signature seeking helicopter tickets for a pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi on April 27 and 28 in 2017. A case was registered against an unknown person by the Jammu Crime Branch. Electronic trails were used to trace the accused. Documentary, oral, electronic and scientific evidence helped the Investigating Officer to establish charges of preparing fake priority letters using them as genuine with criminal intention against the accused to fetch more money from innocent pilgrims. As per the police, Sandeep Koul is a notorious criminal with a history of bad conduct. AUSTIN Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls wears his uniform to church every Sunday and greets people at the front door. Members of his churchs security team sit in the pews in plainclothes, carrying firearms, tiny microphone radios in their ears. Parishioners feel better knowing, God-forbid some knucklehead comes in and wants to hurt the flock, we are there, said Nehls, who attends services at Faith United Methodist Church in Richmond and is now running as a Republican candidate for Congress. Guns in Texas churches have become a new reality after a rash of deadly shootings in the state and nationwide has heightened tensions for religious leaders and congregants. Aided by changes to state law that have made it easier for people to carry loaded firearms into churches and for houses of worship to assemble security teams, at least 100 church leaders have organized groups of armed volunteers to patrol the pews. Hundreds of others have sent volunteers to informational security classes. No one organization tracks how many churches have deputized parishioners or hired private security, but security professionals say theres been a high demand for their services in recent years. The decision to arm volunteers likely saved many lives at church in North Texas last weekend. A drifter with a history of drug abuse and mental illness opened fire inside West Freeway Church of Christ in the suburb of White Settlement, killing two parishioners before Jack Wilson, a seasoned marksman who leads the volunteer security team, fatally shot him within six seconds. Advocates for better church security, including Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, point to what happened as proof that security teams can curb violence in places of worship. Abbott, who tweeted a picture Friday of himself with Wilson, lauded him as a hero and an example of a good guy with a gun who stopped a bad guy with a gun. Supporters of what they call sensible gun legislation warn that arming everyone, especially those without proper training, could create new dangers. They note that two people were fatally shot at the suburban Fort Worth church before the gunman was stopped. Why did it even get to that point? said Gyl Switzer, executive director of Texas Gun Sense. If we had a way of reducing easy access to firearms by people who clearly should not have them, then we wouldnt be having this conversation at all. Becoming Fort Knox Churches, long viewed as a safe haven for people seeking to get closer to God or be part of a religious community, have found themselves the scene of multiple deadly shootings in recent years: Nine people were fatally shot during Bible study at a historically black church in Charleston, S.C., in 2015 by a 21-year-old white supremacist. He was convicted in 2016 of murder and hate crimes and sentenced to death. Twenty-six people were killed at Sutherland Springs Baptist Church in 2017 in the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history. A local resident and former firearms instructor confronted and exchanged gunfire with the shooter, striking him twice. After a chase, the gunman was found dead inside his car; he had shot himself. Eleven people were killed and six others wounded by a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pa. He exchanged gunfire with officers who met him at the door as he tried to leave and later surrendered. A few days before the start of 2020, a man brandishing a large knife stabbed and wounded five people at the home of a Hasidic rabbi in a suburb of New York as they gathered to light candles for Hanukkah. The suspect was arrested in Harlem. In Houston, pastors are struggling to determine the best way to deal with potential threats while not frightening parishioners or alienating newcomers. The shooter in White Settlement, located just west of Fort Worth, had been to the church previously and been given food, according to the pastor there. He reportedly grew angry when the church refused to give him money. The tension is real. (But) to try to alleviate the tension by becoming Fort Knox, means that we cease to be disciples of Jesus, said Rev. Barkley S. Thompson, dean of the Episcopal congregation at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Houston, referring to the fortified vault building thats home to the bulk of the nations gold reserves. Christ Church, the oldest house of worship in Houston, is used to welcoming folks who may be mentally ill, homeless or just out of jail, he said. It may be that were more acclimated to strangers in our midst. That doesnt mean that parishioners are immune to those concerns, Thompson said. We keep our eyes open for aberrant behavior and seek to identify that and make our off-duty officers aware. Thats part of being prudent. Welcoming the stranger does not mean ignoring aberrant behavior. Thompson, a gun owner himself, said Christ Church doesnt allow parishioners to bring their weapons to services or take their bags inside the place of worship. The church hires off-duty law enforcement officers for security on Sundays. Jeffrey Eernisse, pastor of a small congregation at Second Christian Church in north Houston, said parishioners are more practically concerned about a vagabond defacing their bathroom than a gunman wreaking havoc on the congregation. Youre not really very likely to be a victim of gun violence, even in such a gun-happy place, he said. In the wake of Sutherland Springs, Texas lawmakers passed a law allowing anyone with a concealed-carry license to bring a weapon into a house of worship unless there was a sign there specifically banning guns. Eernisse wants to avoid stoking fear. He hasnt banned guns from his church, as the law would allow him to do, but neither has he designated security personnel. None of his roughly 60 parishioners has approached him about doing so either. We are a very small congregation. We dont have a lot of manpower to devote to such things, he said. I dont want to be a congregation where we live by the gun. Training Still, many pastors across the state have begun training parishioners in everything from emergency exit plans to active shooter simulations. Each place of worship should prepare for a possible shooting, just as it would a fire, said Harris County Constable Alan Rosen, who represents Precinct 1. After the Sutherland Springs massacre, Rosen began offering safety training for religious leaders. Members of some 300 churches, synagogues and mosques have taken advantage of the training, traveling from as far as Galveston and Montgomery counties. Frankly Im tired of these shootings all over the place. It bothers me immensely, said Rosen. You cant pray in a church now without looking over your shoulder to see whos behind you. Many churches cannot afford to hire police officers or private security guards during their services, he said. Instead, churches that want to create their own security team should vet those volunteers and ensure the congregation knows what to do in the event of a shooting. You cant willy-nilly just put together people standing around with guns and expect good things to happen, he said. In Rosens class, for example, pastors learn how to identify and segregate newcomers to keep a closer eye on them. The constables staff, upon request, has made church visits to assess vulnerabilities in their buildings and conduct role-play scenarios where a fake shooter fires blanks in the church. Training from private companies is more intense. Gatekeepers Security, in north Texas, likens its program to police training, with parishioners who volunteer for a safety team undergoing firearms training, hand-to-hand combat, practice with a laser simulator, a background check and psychological evaluation. In the days since the shooting, calls from religious leaders have poured in to the National Organization for Church Security and Safety Management, said Chuck Chadwick, the groups founder and president of Gatekeepers Security. He calls the interest emotional inertia that builds after a shooting at a place of worship, but wanes as the tragedy fades from public consciousness. Inspired to work church security after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he said his organizations have trained about 500 volunteers in Texas to return home to safeguard their religious institutions, about 100 in total. When a volunteer is certified by the group, that person provides security and the church pays the organization a $11.20 hourly fee to absorb all liability for the actions of the trainee, Chadwick said. About a quarter of his clients have gone further, establishing security rooms with an electronic vault storing firearms and tactical vests, he said. Nobody would have thought wed be doing this 20 years ago, Chadwick said. In the 14 years he has trained volunteers, none has encountered a deadly-force incident, he said. Most times, they deal with criminal trespassing, domestic disputes and robberies. Retired police officer and pastor James Meeks, who now runs Sheepdog Seminars at churches across the country, said the best skill is knowing how to talk to people in crisis. There are disturbances every Sunday at churches across the country that dont call for an armed response, he said. You better know how to talk people down. If you cannot, at least know how to try, he said. You are going to use your mouth way more than your gun. Those who are joining church security teams need to be trained, he said. You have to be doing something, you cant drop into a (firing) range and shoot targets that dont move and think youre ready for an active-shooter situation, Meeks said. That was the situation that confronted security volunteers at White Freeway Church of Christ on Dec. 29, the Sunday service between Christmas and New Years Day. A man wearing a fake beard, wig, hat and a long coat entered the cream-colored brick church and sat in a pew. Just before communion, he pulled out a shotgun and opened fire, killing on congregants inside. He killed two men, Anton Wallace, a 64-year-old deacon and grandfather who was serving communion, and security volunteer Richard White, 67, who was also a father and grandfather. Within six seconds, a security volunteer Jack Wilson shot and killed the shooter, Keith Kinnunen, 43. Wilson was not an ordinary parishioner with a gun. He leads the churchs volunteer security team and has taught firearm safety, including to members of the security team. A former Hood County reserve deputy, he has also owned a firing range. Security videos show he wasnt alone brandishing a firearm; several other people were standing in the pews, gun in hand. In other cases, those on patrol never need to fire, but the possibility they may need to one day is still there. A San Antonio pastor, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of making his church a target, said he began carrying a concealed gun four years ago. He once pulled it on a stranger who came into the church with a package that he said was a bomb. The pastor provided video of the incident, in which he can be seen aiming a handgun while asking the man to leave, which he did. When you are in trouble, who do you call? Somebody with a gun, you call the police, he said. We arm ourselves for that very reason. By the time police get there, the damage is done. andrea.zelinski@chron.com amorris@express-news.net dylan.mcguiness@chron.com Ray Ray's Hog Pit | Photo: Yuqi W./Yelp Visiting Franklinton, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Columbus neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a diner to a couple brewery. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Franklinton, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Tommy's Diner Photo: Bryant m./Yelp Topping the list is diner Tommy's Diner. Located at 914 W. Broad St., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 179 reviews on Yelp. On the menu, look for the classic grilled cheese sandwich on Texas toast, the breakfast burger topped with a fried egg and a grilled chicken and strawberry salad. Soups, omelets, breaded mushrooms and roast beef are also on offer. 2. Land Grant Brewing Company Photo: Land Grant Brewing Company/Yelp Next up is brewery and bar Land Grant Brewing Company, situated at 424 W. Town St. With 4.5 stars out of 157 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The brewery has an extensive beer list, featuring the Stiff Arm IPA, the Pool Party Pilsner and a blackberry cream ale. The spot also offers barbecue, including baby back ribs, a pulled pork sandwich and beef brisket. 3. BrewDog Franklinton Photo: Vivian c./Yelp Another brewery, BrewDog Franklinton, is also a neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 103 Yelp reviews. Head over to 463 W. Town St. to see for yourself. The craft beer spot offers a range of regular brews, as well as seasonal and non-alcoholic beverages. Burgers, hot wings, a grilled chicken salad and classic fries are also on offer. 4. Ray Ray's Hog Pit Photo: ray ray's hog pit/Yelp Check out Ray Ray's Hog Pit, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 59 reviews on Yelp. You can find the barbecue food truck at 424 W. Town St. Try the spare ribs, the jerk chicken thighs, the smoked brisket or the pulled pork sandwich. Add coleslaw, baked beans or macaroni and cheese to your order. 5. Strongwater Food & Spirits Story continues Photo: Navapat K./Yelp Finally, there's Strongwater Food & Spirits, a local favorite with four stars out of 181 reviews. Stop by 401 W. Town St. to hit up the cocktail bar and New American spot next time you're in the neighborhood. The menu features jackfruit tacos, a grilled lamb burger with caramelized onions, cream of butternut squash soup and more. For dessert, try the pumpkin spice coffee cheesecake, the Granny Smith apple fritters or the chocolate cupcake with candied pistachios. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. With his broad, bearded, bashed-in features and much imitated growly voice, David Bellamy was one of the most recognisable faces and voices on television in the 1970s and 1980s. Bellamy, who has died aged 86, was also a tireless and often outspoken campaigner for environmental causes around the world. In 1983 he was jailed for his part in a protest against a dam in Tasmania that would have flooded one of the best remaining rainforests on the island. Latterly he courted controversy by dismissing the climate change predictions of environmentalist and former US vice president Al Gore as poppycock. He insisted, however, that his views were grounded in science. He said he had no political agenda and was in no ones pocket. He was much the same off the camera as on it, never happier than when he had an appreciative audience, especially of children. His monologues came in an apparently effortless avalanche of enthusiasm, mixing up purple passages, hard ecology and often ingenious, sometimes dreadful, puns with heedless abandon. He was a genuine scientist and an international authority on peatlands. His metier, however, was as a populariser and campaigner, in which activities he was energetic, endlessly inventive, and genuinely passionate. Yet in the mid 1990s, Bellamy ruined his reputation in green circles by his stance on carbon emissions and global warming, which was opposed to most of the conservation charities he supported. His campaign against wind farms was publicly ridiculed by George Monbiot and others. Bellamy claimed he had been blacklisted by the BBC and ITV for his unorthodox views, and also for standing against the then-prime minister John Major for the UK Referendum Party in the 1997 general election (although Bellamy insisted he was a socialist at heart). Bellamy was bought up in Carshalton, south London, where his father was a pharmacist at the local branch of Boots. Both his parents were strict Baptists. An early interest in chemistry led to experiments with homemade fireworks and an explosion that set his bedroom on fire. Until biology became his consuming passion, his favourite subject was English literature. He had to retake the A-levels needed for his prospective medical career, and while doing so took up a post as a laboratory assistant at Ewell Technical College. One of his jobs was to take students on field trips to the Peak District, and it was at Raventor Youth Hostel, aged 20, that Bellamy claimed he became a botanist. (The hostel now has a plaque in his honour.) Bellamy and his grand-daughter at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick, 2007 (PA) He enrolled for a biology degree at Chelsea College of Science and Technology and studied for a doctorate under his mentor, the botanist Francis Rose. On the strength of this he successfully applied for the post of lecturer in botany at Durham University, where he remained a member of staff for 20 years. With his growing international outlook, he acquired experience in rainforest ecology in Sierra Leone, arctic tundra in Canada and coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. He also made a lecture tour of the Indian subcontinent as a visiting professor. His distinctive style brought him to the attention of BBC bosses, who invited him to write and present a TV series, Bellamy on Botany (1972). It was a success, appealing to children and adults alike, and thereafter offers came thick and fast. For the next 20 years Bellamy was rarely off the screen for long, writing, presenting and performing a steady stream of programmes (and their spin-off books) that included Bellamys Britain (1974), The World of Plants (1975), Bellamys Backyard Safari (1981) and Bellamys New World (1983). His muffled lisp, with its frequent exclamations of weelly interesting, was a gift to comedians, most notably Lenny Henry with his catchphrase gwapple me gwape nuts (which Bellamy always denied ever saying). In 1980 he released a single, Brontosaurus Will You Wait For Me?, which he performed on Blue Peter wearing an orange jumpsuit. It reached 81 in the charts. Bellamy left Durham University in 1982, although he continued to hold an honorary professorship. He continued to present television series up to the mid-1990s, but after that was more of a global conservationist. A workaholic who hated sitting still, he accepted between 300 and 400 engagements a year, spending only about 30 days per year at home. When he was jailed in Tasmania in 1983, his wife Rosemary commented: For the first time in our married life I know exactly where he is. Accusations of climate-change denial would later sully his reputation. In a 2004 Daily Mail article he denounced the theory of human-made global warming, arguing that the current warming had largely natural causes, and that Al Gores predictions were huge exaggerations. He complained that the herd instincts of scientists left him nowhere to publish articles stating his point of view, and that he no longer trusted peer-reviewed journals to deliver objective science. He was embittered by his quarrel with the green movement, and by what he was convinced was blacklisting by television (though more likely his fall from grace was due to a swing in fashion towards younger presenters). In his late seventies he continued to write and to hatch new projects, including a ballet script. His autobiography, Jolly Green Giant, was published in 2002. His wife Rosemary died last year. He is survived by four of his five children. David James Bellamy, botanist, writer, broadcaster and environmental campaigner, born 18 January 1933, died 11 December 2019 By AFP BAGHDAD: Kataeb Hezbollah, a hardline pro-Iran faction in Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi military network, urged Iraqi troops on Saturday to move away from US forces at military bases. "We ask security forces in the country to get at least 1,000 meters away from US bases starting on Sunday at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT)," said the group. The vehemently anti-American group's statement came after mortars and rockets hit the Iraqi capital's Green Zone on Saturday and two rockets slammed into a base housing US troops, security sources said, a day after a deadly American strike. In Baghdad, security sources said that mortar rounds on Saturday evening hit the Green Zone, the high-security enclave where the US embassy is based. The Iraqi military said that one projectile hit inside the zone, while another landed close to the enclave. ALSO READ| US, Israeli flags burn as thousands mourn general Soleimani's death Sources there told AFP that sirens rang out at the US compound. A pair of Katyusha rockets then hit the Balad airbase north of Baghdad, where American troops are based, security sources and the Iraqi military said. Earlier, Friday's drone strike outside the Baghdad airport on Friday killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, top Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a clutch of other Iranian and Iraqi figures. Laser Beak Man is a superhero dressed in a bright green and blue costume who shoots lasers from his red beak. Wordless, enigmatic and immersed in a world of eye-popping colours and pun-based humour, his lasers powered by mythical underground Magna Crystals turn bad things into good. As guardian of Power City, his beautiful, clean and pure home, this caped crusader keeps the world safe. But now his powers have been lost. Arch rival and former childhood friend Peter Bartman has stolen the crystals and Laser Beak Man must demonstrate to his friends and the community why he should get his powers back. Will he succeed? Can Power City be rescued? Who will save the day? Laser Beak Man is part puppet show, part pop gig, a superhero tale for all ages. This gripping plot drives Laser Beak Man, a rollicking and heart-swelling theatre adaptation of the cult-classic superhero Australian artist Tim Sharp first drew 20 years ago. Developed collaboratively by Sharp and Brisbane theatre company Dead Puppet Society, the show part of the 2020 Sydney Festival is a joyful 90-minute mix of intricate puppetry, vivid animation, live music and helium-powered zeppelins flying above the audience. There is even an animated portrayal of Leigh Sales, voiced by the journalist herself. Sydney sweltered through one of its hottest days on record, with the city's west approaching a staggering 50 degrees on Saturday. A southerly change brought gusts of 104 kilometres per hour on Saturday night. But before that, the mercury in Penrith reached a scorching 48.9 degrees just after 3pm, making it one of the hottest places on earth and setting a new temperature record for the Sydney basin. As the bushfire threat across large parts of NSW remained critical into Saturday afternoon ahead of predicted volatile winds, heat records tumbled and residents struggled to find ways to cool down. : Chief Minister of Puducherry V Narayanasamy on Saturday said the territorial government has expedited steps to upgrade the 47-year-old Dr B R Ambedkar Government Law College here into a Law University. Inaugurating a five-day 'Faculty Development Programme on Capacity Building for Law Teachers' organised by the law college here, the Chief Minister said the college had the potential to emerge as a Law University. "The necessary Bill for upgradation has been prepared and very soon the college will be converted into a university on par with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru," he said. Narayanasamy recalled his days in the government law college in Chennai and said there was every need for the teachers to equip themselves with latest trend in legal studies. "You are moulding the students through your profession as teachers, hence upgrading your skill is of utmost importance," he said welcoming the holding of the faculty development programme. He further said the legal profession itself was becoming more dynamic and the latest incidents of cyber crime posed a challenge to the investigating authorities and advocates. Narayanasamy appealed to the teachers, hailing from states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh selected through UPSC and posted in the law college here, to learn Tamil so the students from rural areas would be benefited by their teaching. He said the Puducherry government was committed to promoting welfare of the lawyers and unique schemes like financial assistance to the young and also setting up of an Advocates Welfare Fund have already been introduced. Revenue and Higher Minister M O H F Shah Jahan was among those who spoke. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Forward and back stays, which are thick collections of cable, are used to help guide the arches to their proper trajectory. After the strut was set, the forward cables were raised to the height of the arches to guide the additional segments. "This work is requiring the large cranes to be on the Iowa side," Alvarez said. "We should see equipment move over to the Illinois side of the arch to set more segments next week." As of Friday, additional arch segments for both sides of the river were staged on barges ready to be raised by cranes. The first intermediate strut is one of four that will be connected to the arches for both spans of the bridge to supply support and rigidity to the arch system. Lunda currently is building the arches for the westbound span, which originally was scheduled for completion in the fall. The DOT now hopes to have the new Iowa-bound span open by summer. Geometric precision is imperative if the opposing sides of the arches are to successfully meet. While precision takes time, it also has created a dispute between Lunda and the DOT. Photo: Glacier Media A B.C. environmental group is calling on the province to outfit conservation officers with body cameras to create more accountability when killing bears. The measure is one of the three recommendations Pacific Wild put forward in a Jan. 1 open letter to George Heyman, the minister responsible for environment and climate change policy. Others include suspending the BC Conservation Officer Service from communicating through official ministerial media channels something the non-profit says conflates the separation of government and law enforcement as well as renewing a call to make independent oversight of the BCCOS a priority in 2020 so that its implemented before the next provincial election cycle. Pacific Wild senior analyst Bryce Casavant a former conservation officer who made headlines in 2015 for refusing to kill a pair of cubs on Vancouver Island said he penned the letter in response to a Dec. 20 press release in which Heyman is quoted saying not a single conservation officer relishes the thought of having to put down an animal, which is always a last resort for public safety. According to Casavant, evidence for killing large predators to safeguard public safety does stand up to the provinces kill statistics: 4,341 black bears, 162 grizzly bears and 780 cougars in the previous eight years. We're running around responding to these wildlife complaints, in many cases simply sightings, and we're leaving it up to the individual officer to choose whether he's going to chase down an animal or choose when he's going to kill it, said Casavant. Conservation Officers have a very difficult job to do associated to protecting public safety relating to dangerous wildlife, BCCOS Insp. Murray Smith said of an incident in suburban Vancouver in which residents actively tried to stop officers from shooting bears. Having the public interfere with this difficult job only exacerbates this difficult situation, not only as public safety threatened, but officer safety is compromised. But Casavant sees this as another example of the BCCOS exaggerating the threat to public safety. In its open letter, Pacific Wild is calling on the ministry to direct the BCCOS to outfit its field officers with body cameras no later than April 1, 2020. The root of problem, said Casavant, is that the duty to lethally control large predators is not spelled out in legislation. B.C. is not a shooting gallery for government employees, he said. Donald Trump and Melania Trump Win McNamee/Getty Images President Donald Trump ordered the US military to kill top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, a stunning move that has ignited a debate about whether or not the strike was legal and, if it was legal, on what legal-basis it is justified. The Defense and State Departments' comments on the strike appear to indicate that the US will make a case under the right to self-defense, which is recognized under US and international law. Many experts have pointed out that the accepted interpretations of the Constitution have given the presidency broad powers to wage war, and suggested that the killing could be justified. But justifying the targeted killing may also require providing more evidence that Soleimani was behind an imminent attack. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The US military, acting on the orders of President Donald Trump, killed Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian military official, in a drone strike in Iraq early Friday. Some members of Congress, many of whom were not notified prior to the strike, were quick to express concern over its legality and possible retaliation. Members of the Iraqi government also condemned the strike, indicating that they, too, may have not been informed. The Department of Defense said that the strike was "aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans." The Pentagon said that Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), "was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region." Many experts have pointed out that interpretations of the Constitution have given the presidency broad powers to wage war, and suggested that the killing could be justified. But justifying the targeted killing may also require providing more evidence that Soleimani was behind an imminent attack. 'Very broad' powers FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2016, file photo provided by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, center, attends a meeting in Tehran, Iran. Iraqi TV and three Iraqi officials said Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, that Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force, has been killed in an airstrike at Baghdads international airport. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File) Associated Press The US armed forces are currently operating in Iraq under a combination of domestic and international authorizations, many of which are not clearly defined. That lack of clarity has resulted in different answers to the question of legality. Story continues Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial Executions, wrote on Twitter Thursday evening that the killing of Soleimani, as well as others in the convoy, is most likely unlawful, explaining that the US would need to clearly demonstrate that the strike was intended to deter an imminent threat. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued Friday "there was, in fact, an imminent attack taking place," explaining that "the risk of doing nothing was enormous." His characterization of the situation differed slightly from that of the Pentagon statement. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told CNN Friday that there was "compelling" intelligence that Soleimani was planning a "significant campaign of violence" in the coming days. There are already calls on Capitol Hill for evidence. "As a legal matter," Scott Anderson, who was previously with the State Department before joining the Brookings Institution, wrote in Lawfare, "the airstrikes are consistent with measures the United States claims the legal authority to pursue in defense of its personnel, under both domestic and international law." The Constitution gives the president broad powers to command the military to face threats. Brad Bowman, the senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy's Center on Military and Political Power, told Insider that he has "high confidence" the Trump administration is "going to use the Article II Section II defense" of the Constitution, perhaps coupled with other justifications. Jack Goldsmith, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution who served as an assistant attorney general in the George W. Bush administration, notes that Article II "provides very broad self-defense powers on POTUS." "My experience," Cully Stimson, a senior legal fellow in the National Security Law Program at the Heritage Foundation told Insider, "tells me that it's some combination of inherent right of self defense and probably the 2001 [Authorization on the Use of Military Force] AUMF." Bowman explained, however, that it might be a "big stretch" to try to rely on the 2001 AUMF, although it would not be the first time the US has pushed the limits of that authorization. Possibly laying the groundwork for a 2001 AUMF justification, Vice President Mike Pence tweeted Thursday afternoon that the IRGC Quds Force, under Soleimani's leadership, "assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of 10 of the 12 terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States." There is also the possibility the administration could use the 2002 AUMF to justify the strikes, but that would require as, Bowman explained, some real "legal gymnastics." Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch told CNN Friday afternoon after a conversation with the president earlier in the day that the legal authority for the strikes apparently came from Article II and the War Powers Act, adding that the Trump administration plans to notify Congress within 48 hours as required by law. Neither the Pentagon nor the White House responded to Insider's requests for information on the specific authorizations used to conduct the strike on Soleimani's convoy. Some experts suggested the US could have also justified the strike using the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation, which the US broadly applied to the IRGC and the Quds Force in April. That designation, according to Michael Pregent, gives the US more maneuverability. "You have the AUMF, an FTO designation, and the ability of a commander on the ground to target a threat when you get credible intel that threat is getting ready to plan an attack," Pregent, currently a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, explained to Insider. "This is why an FTO designation matters," he wrote on Twitter. "It changes everything. It allows you to target an FTO designated terrorist," which, in this case, included Soleimani. Speaking Thursday, Trump called Soleimani "the number one terrorist anywhere in the world," adding that under his leadership, "America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you." Perhaps more pressing, though, than the Trump administration's justification for the strike are now the actions of Iran, which has vowed to seek revenge. Read the original article on Business Insider You are here: China The suspect of a highly attended murdered doctor case in Beijing was prosecuted Friday, said the Beijing Municipal People's Procuratorate. The suspect, named Sun Wenbin, was prosecuted on the charge of intentional homicide, the procuratorate said. Earlier on Dec. 27, Sun was arrested for murdering Yang Wen, a doctor with the General Hospital of CAAC. Theres an old saying in politics ... no person or property is safe when the legislators in session," Aylesworth said. "So keeping with the philosophy, I hope we can do as little new legislation as possible, unless its absolute necessary, and correct last years sessions bills ... if theres things that need to be touched up. Japan and Turkey have opened an investigation into how former Renault-Nissan company boss and now international fugitive Carlos Ghosn skipped bail in Tokyo and evaded justice, boarding a private jet to Lebanon. In a statement, Ghosn, 65, said he fled Japan because the judiciary was rigged against him and he feared not receiving a fair trial. "I have not fled justice I have escaped injustice and political persecution," he said. Ghosn said he would speak to the press in Beirut next week to explain why and how he escaped. Turkish plot twist Turkish police have detained seven people, including four pilots, in connection to Ghosn's escape aboard a private plane that took to Istanbul, where he changed planes en route to Beirut. The Turkish airline company MNG Jet said on Friday that Ghosn used two of its private planes, but that the former executive's name was not on the flight manifest. An employee admitted to falsifying documents so the former Renault-Nissan boss' name was not on the record. According to a statement from MNG Jet, two jets were leased to two different clients but were seemingly not connected to each other. The first plane flew to Istanbul via Osaka; the second from Istanbul to Beirut. After having learnt through the media that the leasing was benefiting Mr. Ghosn and not the officially declared passengers, MNG Jet launched an internal inquiry and filed a criminal complaint in Turkey, it added. Lebanese summons Ghosn was once the highest-paid corporate executive in Japan. The former Renault-Nissan boss was born in Brazil, but holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian nationalities. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan. Interpol has issued a 'red notice' for Ghosn, which requests international law enforcement provisionally him pending extradition. It has not issued an arrest warrant. A summons from the Lebanese public prosecutor's office is expected early next week, according to an official source who spoke to AFP. "The Lebanese judiciary is obliged to hear him. But it can still decide whether to arrest him or let him remain free," the official added. Tales of Ghosn's Houdini-like escape are circulating in Lebanese media, with desriptions of him packed in a wooden instrument case after a private concert in his home. Social media speculation as to his disappearance spawned the hashtag #GhosnIsGone. In the long-running shadow war across the Middle East, the United States and Iran have avoided direct confrontation at all costs. Their tense and unpredictable conflict has unfolded instead in covert operations through proxy forces, subterfuge and sabotage. So President Donald Trumps order on Thursday to assassinate Qasem Soleimani, military commander of Irans elite Quds Force, in a high-profile drone strike outside the Baghdad airport has plunged the two adversaries into uncharted territory. Soleimani, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) major general who reported directly to Irans supreme theocratic ruler, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, helped build, organize, fund and deploy constellations of Shiite militias mounting insurgencies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Soleimani projected an image as master of the Middle Eastern chessboard, posting selfies from battlefields across the region. Venerated among legions of devotees, Soleimani cultivated an international following that eclipsed terror leaders better known in the West, including Osama bin-Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who were also killed by American forces. As the evening traffic unfolds in Tehran, a giant digital billboard in Haft-e Tir square displays an image of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, following his killing in Baghdad, on Jan. 3. | Kaveh Rostamkhani The death of a man considered a hero by millions is a tectonic event that carries unknown consequences for Washington and Tehran and risks igniting a wider conflict that could engulf the Middle East. Khamenei called for three days of mourning on Friday, but promised vengeance. His demise will not stop his mission, Khamenei said, according to the Fars News Agency, a semi-official news outlet in Iran. But the criminals who have the blood of General Soleimani and other martyrs of the attack on their hands must await a tough revenge. The Trump Administration, for its part, says it killed Soleimani in order to stave off more bloodshed. American officials said the U.S. received intelligence that Soleimani was planning another attack in the region. We took action last night to stop a war, Trump said during brief remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in south Florida, where he was vacationing. We did not take action to start a war. Story continues The Presidents remarks appear to be an attempt to ease tensions. But Administration officials privately warned members of Congress that Iran is expected to retaliate against the U.S., either at home or abroad, within weeks, according to a senior congressional staffer, who described a Friday briefing from the State and Defense Departments as well as U.S. intelligence agencies. There is no indication that there is going to be a de-escalation in the near future, the staffer says. The only question is how bad is the retaliation going to be and where and what is it going to hit. Administration officials did not immediately respond to request for comment. President Trump walks off after delivering remarks on Iran at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 3, 2020. | Evan VucciAP Over the past six months, Iran has been blamed for several high-profile security incidents, including the protests outside the U.S. embassy in Iraq; the shoot-down of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz; the sabotage and seizure of several oil tankers near the Persian Gulf; the aerial bombardment of oil facilities in Saudi Arabia; and a rocket attack on a military base in Iraq, which killed an American contractor and injured four U.S. service members. Close observers of the region fear the conflict could now move from low-grade, one-off attacks into a full-blown war. The Trump Administration on Friday urged all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately and bolstered the number of forces to the Middle East in anticipation of retaliatory violence. The Pentagon announced the deployment of about 3,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to Kuwait, an Immediate Response Force that joins the 15,000 American troops sent to the Middle East since the situation with Iran began to deteriorate last spring. White House National Security Adviser Robert OBrien says Iran now has two options. One is further escalation, and pursuing that path will lead to nowhere for the Iranian people or for the regime, he told reporters on a conference call Friday. The alternate path is for them to sit down with the United States; for them to give up its nuclear program; for Iran to stop its regional escapades and proxy wars in the Middle East; to stop taking hostages; and to behave like a normal nation as part of the community of nations. OBrien said the U.S. was willing to meet with Iranian leadership without preconditions. But the Trump Administration has delivered this message before, only to be rebuffed by Tehran. But few U.S. officials believe Iran will choose the latter path. Tehrans retaliation could range from a protracted campaign against U.S. forces in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain and elsewhere to terrorist attacks on American and allied embassies or other targets to cyberattacks, says a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. If the Iranian regime seeks to avoid an outright war it would be destined to lose, it might refrain from backing a major attack or renewed assaults on shipping in the Persian Gulf, the official says. Even a comparatively muted response could inflict significant costs, especially on oil shipping and facilities. Some energy experts estimate that even without a protracted conflict, oil prices could reach or exceed $150 a barrel, increased U.S. production notwithstanding. Definitely there will be revenge. There will be harsh revenge, Iranian Ambassador to the U.N. Majid Takht Ravanchi told CNNs Erin Burnett on Friday. Iran will act based on its own choosing, the time, the placeWe will decide. Despite such pledges, Soleimanis killing may compel Tehran to think twice before they attack the U.S. or its partners, says Norman T. Roule, a former senior CIA officer who managed the Iran portfolio at the office of the Director of National Intelligence in both the Trump and Obama Administrations. Iran will need to respond, but the way they do so must simultaneously save face without risking a broader conflict, Roule says. Regime survival must be their primary goal. Douglas Silliman, a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and Kuwait who is now president of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, says Iran is patient and may not respond immediately or directly. Retaliation against this strike may not necessarily come against American targets, he says. You could see a variation on what youve seen the past four months, including strikes on Saudi oil facilities and shipping as in the past, all the way up to U.S. targets. There are plenty of American targets in the Gulf, Silliman adds, not just soldiers and sailors and airmen and marines, but spouses and children as well. Iran is also likely to respond using allies, rather than its own forces, following Soleimanis lead as Quds commander in activating proxy forces to launch attacks against the U.S. and its allies. Soleimani oversaw Iranian-backed groups such as Lebanons Hezbollah, which among other things attacked the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983. The Pentagon assessed in April that Iran-backed militants killed at least 603 U.S. troops in Iraq, or 17% of all Americans killed between 2003 and 2011. Through these forces, Tehran is involved in every single major military conflict in the Middle East, almost always on the side of Americas enemies. Israel and Gulf nations have pressured the White House to address what they see as a growing Shiite sphere of influence across the region. The personal relationships Soleimani forged in the region will be hard for Iran to replace, but the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Quds Force are organized, hierarchical military machines that are sure to follow their new command, Silliman said. Iran named Soleimanis successor, Brigadier General Esmayeel Qaani, in less than 24 hours. Americas allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain are likely targets of Iranian military or cyber retaliation. Iran already has attacked the computer networks of Saudi Aramco oil company and Qatars Rasgas natural gas company. There could be plots far beyond the region, says Eric Edelman, former ambassador to Turkey under President George W. Bush. They will look for ways to hit us where we dont expect it, he says. But they will be patient. When their nose is bloodied, they tend to take a step back and reassess, before making the next move. Analysts fear that if Iran misjudges Trumps willingness to use force, the conflict could quickly spiral out of control. The Trump Administration has been hollowed out by departures within the State, Homeland Security and Defense Departments, and much of the National Security Council deliberation processes have been eliminated. Trump has already authorized cyber attacks against Iranian computer systems, increased the U.S. troop presence in the region and continued to ratchet up its maximum pressure campaign. The Administration has imposed tougher economic sanctions since walking away from the 2015 six-nation deal to curb Irans nuclear-weapons program more than a year ago. Partly as a result, Irans economy is collapsing and the population is exhausted and frustrated, says Gerard Araud, a former French ambassador to Washington and the U.N. Even in Lebanon and Iraq, citizens are demonstrating against Iranian influence. Tehran recognizes it is in a difficult situation. People are talking about World War Three. The Iranians are not suicidal. The regime has always been very shrewd and very keen on surviving, Araud says. The options of what the Iranians can do are very limited. Trump didnt react in September to the Iranian provocation, but now they know he is ready to react and he is totally unpredictablebecause no one was expecting thisand he is brutal. So they have to calculate their response in a very prudent way. Between 2017 and Friday, there have been more than a dozen officer-involved shootings across Connecticut, stemming from various incidents. The state Department of Criminal Justice website provides all the completed investigation reports into deadly officer-involved shootings going back to 2001. Between 2001 and 2019, the website had posted the finished reports from 72. These numbers do not reflect the total number off these shootings because some involved individuals who suffered non-fatal injuries. The most deadly officer-involved shootings recorded in one year in Connecticut since 2001 happened in 2013, when there were nine. Below is a breakdown of fatal and non-fatal officer-involved shootings between 2017 and Friday, including some where an investigation is still pending. There are five investigation still pending from 2019 fatal police-involved shootings in the following locations on the following dates: Feb. 20 in Willimantic, March 21 in New Haven, April 20 in Wethersfield, July 26 in Hartford and East Hartford on Sept. 5. The most recent fatal officer-involved shooting took place in Ansonia on Thursday night. MONTVILLE: JAN. 29, 2017 What happened? Officer Robin Salvatore fatally shot Val Thomas after an incident where Thomas lunged at her, grabbed her Taser and kept approaching her with it in hand and claiming he was going to kill her. That afternoon, the owner of Chesterfield Lodge, at 1596 Route 85 in the Chesterfield section of Montville, called police after a customer identified as Thomas refused to pay and wouldnt leave the room. Two Montville constables responded to the lodge and spoke with the owner and then went to the room to speak with Thomas. When the officers confronted Thomas with the complaint from the owner, Thomas said the owner was lying. He said he had spoke with legal aid and the Montville resident trooper the day before. As officers worked to confirm that, they asked Thomas to stay put. Instead, Thomas turned toward Salvatore and lunged at her, grabbing her Taser from her duty belt. Thomas then tried to use it on the other officer on scene. Salvatore pulled out her duty weapon and found Thomas closing the gap between them. She ordered him to put down the Taser, but he continue to approach and said Im going to kill you, you (expletive) cop, a report of the incident said. Thomas hit Salvatore repeatedly in the head with the Taser and she fired her weapon. What was the outcome of the investigation? In a report from Windham States Attorney Anne Mahoney, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation into the fatal incident, she found Salvatore was justified in shooting Thomas. Thomas repeatedly struck her in the head with a blunt object that could have caused death or serious physical injury and stated that he intended to kill her, Mahoneys report said. Officer Salvatore was justified in the use of deadly physical force. WATERBURY: MARCH 9, 2017 What happened? Waterbury Police Officer James McMahon fatally shot Rashamel Rogers after he drove recklessly in an attempt to evade police and nearly struck and officer working an extra duty job. When McMahon responded to the area and approached the Lexus, which was stolen, he drew his gun. Roger immediately went in reverse and McMahon followed on foot. Roger hit a marked Waterbury police vehicle being driven by a sergeant and then crashed into a utility pole. McMahon approached the drivers side door, weapon still drawn, and ordered Rogers out of the vehicle. Rogers turned the steering wheel to the left and accelerated toward McMahon, running over the officers foot. McMahon fired his weapon. Rogers was taken to the hospital where he later died. McMahon was treated for a crush injury to his foot. What was the outcome of the investigation? A report from Ansonia-Milford States Attorney Kevin Lawlor, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation, said McMahon made a split second decision to use deadly force to defend himself, nearby civilians and police from a suspect who had already endangered the lives of others in his attempts to elude the police. Lawlor said, based on the facts from the investigation, he would not support a criminal charge against McMahon. SUFFIELD: APRIL 13, 2017 What happened? Suffield police responded for a stolen vehicle complaint that morning after the owner who lived in West Springfield, Mass. used a cellphone application to locate the vehicle. It was found parked, unoccupied, outside the Shamrock Cafe at 117 East St. South. During their investigation, Suffield Police Officer Richard Devin fatally shot 56-year-old Thomas N. Gezotis Jr., a West Springfield resident. Gezotis had gotten into a taxi near the cafes entrance and Devin pulled the driver over and ordered Gezotis to get out of the taxi and keep his hands up and in plain sight. While Gezotis initially complied, after getting out of the taxi he dropped his hands and reached for a black pistol sticking out of his waistband. He then pulled the gun out and pointed it at Devin, who then drew his weapon. Devin backed up and Gezotis continued to approach him. Devin repeatedly told Gezotis to drop the gun. When Gezotis didnt listen, Devin fired at him. Gezotis was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Devin was treated for a thumb laceration a few days later. What was the outcome of the investigation? Middlesex States Attorney Peter A. McShane, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation into the shooting, said in a report that Devin was justified in pulling the trigger. BRIDGEPORT: MAY 9, 2017 What happened? Jayson Negron, 15, was driving a stolen 2012 Subaru Forester, accompanied by Julian Fyffe, who was 21 at the time, when an undercover Bridgeport Police Gang Task Force Officer saw the vehicle and called it in to have a marked unit respond. Negron ultimately led officers on a brief pursuit before turning the wrong way down Fairfield Avenue a one-way road from the Walgreens parking lot at 1000 Park Ave. Bridgeport Police Officer James Boulay got out of the cruiser he was in, pulled open the drivers side door and reached in to the vehicle to try to pull Negron out. Negron put the vehicle in reverse, hitting Boulay with the drivers side door when he stepped on the gas pedal. Boulay fired his gun, fatally injuring Negron and wounding Fyffe. What was the outcome of the investigation? Waterbury States Attorney Maureen Platt oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation into the fatal Bridgeport shooting. Her report included statements from Boulay, Fyffee and various police officers and witnesses. It also included videos, photos, medical records and Negrons autopsy results. Platt said Boulay was justified in pulling the trigger, adding that he reasonably believe that the use of deadly force was necessary to defend himself from the use of deadly force that being the Subaru operated by Jayson Negron. NEW HAVEN: SEPT. 23, 2017 What happened? John Douglas Monroe, 51, shot his wife in an Elm Street apartment and two police officers who responded on a report of the shooting. Monroes wife was shot four times and was in critical condition when she was taken into surgery. Officers Eric Pessino and Scott Shumway were each shot once in the arm. After a four-and-a-half hour standoff, officers entered the home and Monroe engaged with officers at the basement door, pointing a long gun at the officers. He was shot by officers, police said at the time. Monroes injuries were serious but not fatal. What was the outcome of the investigation? Police arrested Monroe on Sept. 29, 2017, on unrelated charges when he was discharged from Yale New Haven Hospital. He was eventually charged with three counts of first-degree assault and one count of criminal possession of a pistol or revolver. He pleaded no contest to the charges on Aug. 28, 2019. Monroe was sentenced on Nov. 7, 2019, to serve 24 years in prison for the Sept. 23, 2017, incident. NEW MILFORD: AUG. 28, 2017 What happened? New Milford police responded to a 911 call at an Outlook Road home that afternoon after receiving a call that a woman came home from a trip to find her husband upset and trying to kill himself with a gun. He eventually made his way outside the home. As police responded, New Milford Police Officer Christopher Hayes shot Kostatinos Sfaelos after officers repeatedly saw him display a shotgun and he refused to drop it after police repeatedly asked him to. At one point Sfaelos approached police with the shotgun after being told not to and raised it at the officers. Hayes fired his weapon, fatally wounding Sfaelos. What was the outcome of the investigation? Danbury States Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky III, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation, said in a report that Hayes was justified in his use of deadly force. He was justified based upon his reasonable belief that the use of such force was necessary to defend himself and others, Sedensky wrote. NORWICH: OCT. 24, 2017 What happened? Brandon Uzialko was wanted by Norwich police and had an active arrest warrant charging him with an incident where he broke into his ex-girlfriends home and stabbed her and her boyfriend ten times. The boyfriend was seriously injured. The warrant included charges of criminal attempt to commit murder, risk of injury to a minor, home invasion and first-degree assault. On the day of the shooting, Norwalk Police Officer Damian Martin saw a person matching the description of Uzialko given by dispatch. Martin approached the man and ordered him to show his hands. Uzialko turned toward Martin and fired a weapon. Martin returned fire and Uzialko fled on foot. Martin gave chase but was unable to find him. About six minutes after the gunfire exchange, a sergeant in the area called in hearing shots fired. Officers flooded the area and Uzialko was found in front of a Prospect Street home, slumped over and motionless. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Ultimately, the medical examiner ruled Uzialkos death a suicide. What was the outcome of the investigation? Windham States Attorney Anne Mahoney, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation, said in her report that Martin was justified in the shooting, and clarified that the shot fired by Martin did not contribute to the suspects death. The actions of Officer Martin given the circumstances were appropriate, his conduct admirable, Mahoney wrote. NEW BRITAIN: DEC. 14, 2017 What happened? New Britain police were trying to locate individuals wanted in connection with a series of recent carjackings and robberies in the New Britain area. The officers were told those responsible were in a Toyota Paseo with a New Hampshire plate. That night, officers saw a vehicle matching that description and requested backup. The occupants of the vehicle, the officers said, appeared to be casing the neighborhood. Multiple officers tried to block in the Toyota with their vehicles, causing the driver to strike several police vehicles before getting stuck on a front law embankment of a Chapman Street residence. Officers got out of their vehicles, weapons drawn, and ordered the occupants out of the vehicle. The driver revved the engine, but it stayed stuck. Then a police cruiser collided with the suspect vehicle, freeing it from the stuck position, allowing the driver to flee. As the vehicle began to flee from the area, Detective Kyle Jones and Detective Christopher Kiely were in the path of the vehicle being driven by 20-year-old Zoe Dowdell. The detectives got out of the way but each fired a few shots at the car. Other officers Detective Michael Slavin, Officer Marcin Ratajczak and Detective Chad Nelson fired at the vehicle as it continued down the sidewalk and street. Dowdell eventually came to a stop after hitting an unoccupied pickup truck. Dowdell and front-seat passenger Caleb Tisol were shot. A backseat passenger did not sustained any gunshot wounds. Dowdell died later at the hospital. What was the outcome of the investigation? Fairfield States Attorney John Smirga, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation, found that all the officers involved were justified in firing their weapons in his report. Tisdol and Noah Young, another passenger in the vehicle, were charged with committing at least one robbery in New Britain. EAST HARTFORD: FEB. 4, 2018 What happened? East Hartford police got a 911 call from a woman claiming her brother, Juan McCray, broke in to her Turtle Creek Lane apartment. She told dispatchers she believed her brother was high on drugs and dangerous. McCray was found to be a five-time convicted felon, last discharged less than a year before the February 2018 incident. He was wanted on outstanding warrants in two other Connecticut towns. Officers responded to the home and searched for McCray, who had also stolen his grandmothers Nissan Sentra. The vehicle was spotted about 15 minutes later on Burnside Avenue. Officers pulled the driver, McCray, over and tried to take him into custody. He struggled, saying he wouldnt go back to prison. Three officers tried to take him into custody but were unable to detain him. A Taser was used to no effect. Eventually, McCray got back into the Nissan and managed to flee. Officers gave chase, with McCray driving at speeds of at least 60 mph on town roads and reaching at least 85 mph on the highway. The pursuit ended up on the New London Turnpike in Glastonbury near the intersection of Copley Road after McCray hit a wooden fence and multiple trees. Officers approached the vehicle, McCray suddenly moved it backward and was about to hit one of the officer. Multiple officers opened fire on the vehicle. McCray still was able to put the vehicle in reverse and make a sharp left turn, headed toward yet another officer. Multiple officers again fired their weapons. Finally, McCray came to a stop. He was taken to the hospital, where he died 11 days later. What was the outcome of the investigation? All the officers involved in the shooting were found to be justified in a report by New Britain States Attorney Brian Preleski. These officers were confronted with an individual determined to elude capture and willing to drive a vehicle at them in order to do so, Preleski wrote. (I)t is unquestionable that any reasonable officer confronting the same scenario would have found the use of deadly force necessary. DANBURY: DEC. 29, 2018 What happened? Paul Arbitelle was fatally shot when police said he charged at an Danbury Police Officer Alexander Relyea with a knife during a brief confrontation at the Glen Apartments, a senior housing complex. Arbitelles mother, Linda, was wounded by the gunfire. Officers had responded to the home for a report of a suspicious man. Arbitelle had a history of trouble with police. What was the outcome of the investigation? Relyea was cleared in a report by Stamford States Attorney Richard Colangelo, who oversaw the Connecticut State Police investigation into the fatal shooting. Colangelo wrote in his report that Relyea believed the use of deadly force was necessary to defend himself from the imminent use of deadly physical force. NEW HAVEN: APRIL 16, 2019 What happened? Although this shooting took place in New Haven, no New Haven police officers were involved in the incident. Hamden Police Officer Devin Eaton and Yale University Officer Terrance Pollock opened fire on a vehicle stopped near Dixwell Avenue and Argyle Street in New Haven around 4:20 a.m. Wounded by the bullets was then-22-year-old Stephanie Washington. Her injuries were non-life-threatening. She was in the vehicle with her then-21-year-old boyfriend Paul Witherspoon. He was not injured. The shooting came after Hamden police received a report of an armed robbery at a town gas station. Eaton and Pollock saw a vehicle in New Haven believed to be involved in the robbery. The vehicle was being driven by Witherspoon and Washington was a passenger. What was the outcome of the investigation? This incident remains under investigation. DANBURY: JULY 3, 2019 What happened? Danbury Police Officer Alexander Relyea the same officer involved in the December 2018 fatal officer-involved shooting in the city shot then-31-year-old Aaron Bouffard near Old Ridgebury and Reserve roads after a two-hour manhunt. Bouffard, who was armed with knives at the time of the shooting, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police had responded to an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center on Old Ridgebury Road that morning on a report that Bouffard had assaulted a staff member and clients at the center. He left before the officer got there, prompting the manhunt. What was the outcome of the investigation? Bouffard was initially charged with first-degree breach of peace, second-degree threatening, third-degree assault and disorderly conduct. Those charges later changed, with the breach of peace being reduced to second-degree and the threatening charge was upped to first-degree. Bouffard pleaded not guilty on all the initial charges but later pleaded guilty to the threatening and breach of peace charges after the change. ANSONIA: JAN. 3, 2020 What happened? A woman walked into the Ansonia police station to report that her boyfriend was at a Myrtle Avenue home, violating a protective order. Three officers were dispatched to the Myrtle Avenue address the woman gave. The officer forced their way into the home and confronted the man, who had a large knife, Ansonia Police Chief Andrew Cota III said. When the man failed to put it down, officers used a Taser on him but he kept moving toward them. Then, an officer shot him. Relatives identified him as 30-year-old Michael Gregory. Police Chief Andrew Cota III said police responded to a domestic incident at the Myrtle Avenue home on Nov. 16, 2019. Gregory was charged with disorderly conduct and third-degree criminal mischief from that incident. What was the outcome of the investigation? This is still a very recent incident. Danbury States Attorney Stephen Sedensky will oversee the Connecticut State Police investigation. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 16:09:06|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Some U.S. lawmakers from San Francisco Bay Areas on Friday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's order to kill top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, fearing a new war in the Middle East. Congresswoman Jackie Speier from San Mateo County, south of San Francisco, called Trump's decision the "biggest and most consequential foreign policy blunder to date." She criticized Trump for failing to acquire Congressional authorization to take military action against the Iranian leader, who was commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force. "Going it alone is not a strategy but a recipe for disaster," she said in a statement, voicing serious concerns about the Trump-initiated "hostilities with Iran without authorization by, consultation with, or notification of Congress." The U.S. military launched an air raid near Baghdad airport early Friday, killing Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of the pro-Iran Hashd Shaabi forces, which sparked outrage among Iraqi parties and politicians, as well as strong reaction from Iran. Barbara Lee, who is also a U.S. Congresswoman from Oakland in the East Bay, slammed the "airstrike and killing" as "a dangerous escalation of tensions" with Iran that would bring the U.S. close to the brink of war. "We must work to prevent further military action in the region as there is no military solution," she said, urging Trump to return to a diplomatic strategy with U.S. allies. Anna Eshoo, a Democratic representative from Palo Alto in Silicon Valley, said the U.S. air raid put U.S. personnel and interests "at high risk" and created "strategic consequences." "The bipartisan leadership of Congress must be briefed immediately as to why this provocative act was carried out," she said. Eshoo asserted that the strike was done without any Congressional consultation which is "equally concerning." U.S. Senator Kamala Harris voiced similar worries that the U.S. military action was risking the lives of American personnel. "President Trump's actions put more American lives at risk and could lead to a new war in the Middle East," she tweeted Friday. Five Filipino boys awarded compensation totalling 127,000 for the sexual abuse meted out by British paedophile Douglas Slade have so far received less than a tenth of the money. The High Court in London ruled in December 2018 that the boys aged between ten and 15 when Slade carried out his sickening crimes should be paid sums ranging from 20,000 to 35,000. Last May, their representatives in the Philippines were informed by Hugh James, the British law firm that acted for them, that it had obtained 37,000 from Slade's assets and was passing on 10,000 to share equally among the victims. Compensation bid: Five Filipino victims of sexual abuse have had less than a tenth of the 127,000 they were pledged Losing out: Only 37,000 has been taken from Slade's assets to award but of that figure only 10,000 has been given towards the victims Enforcement proceedings: Action is continuing against Slade to ensure they have further compensation However, the remaining 27,000 has been retained by the firm, apparently to cover its fees and expenses in taking the case without charging up-front fees. Alan Collins, the solicitor who represented the boys in the High Court, said enforcement proceedings against Slade were continuing and further comment about payments could be 'to the detriment of the boys'. The case against Slade, 78, came after he was deported from the Philippines and jailed in Britain in 2016 for historic sex offences in this country. He had moved to the Philippines in the 1980s and still controls a food import business that works with restaurants and hotels. Refusing to be drawn: Solicitor Hugh James, who represented the boys in the High Court, did not wish to speak on the case as it could be 'to the detriment of the boys' Fighting on: Justice rather than money is what the families have been fighting for Last night, the mother of the youngest of Slade's victims said: 'We never wanted his money we just wanted justice for our children. 'But we do still hope the boys get the compensation they were awarded.' In the hours after a U.S. airstrike in Iraq killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and heightened diplomatic tensions worldwide, actress Rose McGowan apologized to Iran for her home country's behavior in a series of charged tweets. "Dear #Iran," McGowan wrote in her first post. "The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people." She said that "52% of us humbly apologize," though it was unclear what that percentage was in reference to. "We want peace with your nation," McGowan continued. "We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us." McGowan, who has been vocal against alleged sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, often weighs into the political and pop culture talking points of the day. On Friday, she took on foreign relations - and drew sharp rebukes from both critics and supporters of the president. "Thanks a lot," McGowan wrote in a different tweet directed at President Donald Trump in which she called the president a vulgar name. In the wake of Soleimani's death, Iran's defense minister Amir Hatami said the country would answer the U.S. airstrike ordered by Trump with a "crushing" response. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a statement that "severe revenge awaits those criminals who have tainted their filthy hands with his blood." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the airstrike was carried out against Soleimani, leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, because he was plotting attacks against Americans in the region. Soleimani has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of U.S. troops in Iraq, according to Washington Post reporting. Responding to criticism about her remarks, McGowan acknowledged that Soleimani was an "evil man who did evil evil things." She said in a tweet that she wrote her initial apology because the U.S. "is morally corrupt and acts illegally." "It is only logical to appeal to Iran's pride by apologizing," McGowan said. "I'm taking one for the team." She used the hashtag #TeamStayAlive in several more tweets that touched on Republicans, Democrats and her voting habits. In her final tweet on the topic, she couched her earlier comments by saying that she "freaked out because we may have (an) impending war." "Sometimes it's okay to freak out on those in power," McGowan wrote. "It's our right. That is what so many Brave soldiers have fought for. That is democracy. I do not want any more American soldiers killed. That's it." STAMFORD In response to Fotis Dulos seeking to end his acrimonious divorce with his missing wife, an attorney appointed to represent the best interests of the couples children is calling for a hearing before a judge. Attorney Michael Meehan, a court-appointed guardian ad litem for the five Dulos children, is asking the judge overseeing the two-year divorce to hold a status conference to discuss his fees and his future role in the case. Meehan filed the request Thursday, one week after attorney Richard Rochlin, representing Fotis Dulos, filed papers seeking to end the divorce because Jennifer Dulos May 24 disappearance has stalled the proceedings. Rochlin also sought to move custody proceedings for the five children to juvenile court to challenge a New Canaan Probate Court judges recent decision to grant Jennifer Dulos mother, Gloria Farber, guardianship of the children. Farbers attorneys have claimed Fotis Dulos owes Meehan $43,000 in unpaid fees. Both parents were responsible for paying for Meehans services. Attorney Reuben Midler, representing Jennifer Dulos in the divorce, filed papers this week opposing Fotis Dulos push to end the legal action on the grounds he is the prime suspect in his estranged wifes disappearance and has been charged in the missing persons case. Midler contends the divorce is still hotly contested and there are several issues that still need to be decided, including custody of the children who have been staying with Farber since their mother disappeared. Midler also wants Fotis Dulos to pay his attorney fees and legal costs associated with defending the motion to dismiss the divorce and any other actions he files. Rochlins motion to dismiss coincided with his request to appeal the guardianship ruling. The custody battle will be the subject of a hearing in Stamford juvenile court on Jan. 9 the same day Fotis Dulos is scheduled to appear at the courthouse for his next pretrial hearing on the criminal charges related to the disappearance. Fotis Dulos intends to seek access to the children during the hearing, according to Rochlin who contends Meehans services have not been used for months. According to Midler, there is no record of Meehan being removed from the case. Meehan indicated in his request for a status conference that the matter was not urgent, but he wanted to discuss his fees and his role as the childrens guardian ad litem. In his motion to dismiss the divorce, Rochlin contends the dormant status of the divorce could lead to different judges issuing conflicting orders on the same issues, including in custody matters. A Stamford family court judge had limited Fotis Dulos access to his children prior to the May 24 disappearance. Fotis Dulos was allowed supervised visits with his children, the last of which occurred at his estranged wifes New Canaan home two days before she vanished. Fotis Dulos has since been banned from all contact with his children as part of the conditions of his release on bail for charges of tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in the disappearance. Farber, who has been granted the right to intervene in the divorce, has been caring for the children since the disappearance and is seeking permanent custody of them. Jennifer Dulos was last seen on a neighbors security camera returning to the Welles Lane home she had been renting around 8:05 a.m. May 24. According to arrest warrants, police believe Fotis Dulos was lying in wait when she arrived home from dropping off their children at a nearby school. Police said two people resembling Fotis Dulos and his former girlfriend Michelle Troconis were captured on video in Hartford later that night around the time Jennifer Dulos was reported missing. The man police contend is Fotis Dulos was seen on the videos dumping bags that were later determined to contain his wifes blood and clothing, the warrants said. A separate arrest warrant said Fotis Dulos and Troconis who faces the same charges also took a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck belonging to a Fore Group employee to a car wash in the days after the disappearance. Police said in the warrant that they believe Fotis Dulos drove the truck to New Canaan the morning of the disappearance. Fotis Dulos also urged the employee to remove the seats, which testing later revealed contained Jennifer Dulos blood, according to the warrant. It's about that time of the year when the holidays are over, but a biting chill is still in the air that we begin to dream about going on vacation. And there's nothing better to prepare us for our trip than lemlem's collaboration with The Woolmark Company, which was designed with travel in mind. If you're not familiar with lemlem, then maybe you know its founder, model Liya Kebede, who, in between posing for spreads and walking runways, created the brand as a way to give back to local artisans in her home country of Ethiopia. Not only are the pieces included in this capsule cozy enough to wear on an airplane or as you snuggle up on the couch, but purchasing them will help give back to the women who made them. "The Woolmark collaboration offered a terrific opportunity to incorporate wool into a new sustainable travel collection," Kebede told InStyle via email, highlighting the fact that the Merino wool used for these items is 100 percent natural, biodegradable, and renewable. "Woolmark also generously donated to lemlem Foundations artisan training programming. With their support, we held a wool master class for our women weavers to learn the special weaving techniques." Ahead, Kebede tells us a bit more about the lemlem x The Woolmark Company collaboration (which is available to shop now) plus where she's taking the company in the new year. Courtesy How do these collaborations work? Can you take us through the process of how you work with the weavers? Each one is a bit different, but it all begins with a good dialogue with our partner weaving workshop in Ethiopia, working together to integrate new ideas and work new designs. For example, in this collaboration, which is all about travel, we had the idea together to incorporate a traditional house called a Gojo, unique to Ethiopia, into the Hani Poncho Wrap. Its a special piece, perfect for a long plane ride to a dream destination. Was there a particular reason you used these colors? Story continues lemlem is known for its bright colors and gauzy fabrics, which are perfect for warm weather seasons. Using wool gave us the chance to create a cozy fall/winter collection, and we chose a soft, seasonal color palette to match with grays and neutrals along with a touch of bright colors, calling to mind a crisp, sunny fall day. Courtesy With some of these pieces, 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to the lemlem Foundation, supporting women artisans in Africa. Why was that important to do? We made the Giving Scarf collection to accompany this collection. These scarves were produced by women weavers trained in the wool master class supported by Woolmark. We wanted to celebrate their dedication by channeling 100 percent of proceeds back to them, to support education and service projects that will benefit women at their workshop. Finding ways to help artisan families thrive is at the core of our brand and lemlem Foundations efforts. There are a lot of wraps and ponchos. Any specific reason why? Because we created this collection with travel in mind, we included pieces that are simple, comfortable, and elegant as youre on the go to wrap up while at the airport or to layer over sweaters and coats while out exploring a new place. What are you proudest of when it comes to this collaboration and your brand in general? The approach we take to sustainability. Since the beginning, weve been focused on helping artisans in Africa have a global market for their creations, and worked closely with our production partners to create good, fairly paid jobs while focusing on circularity in our choice of materials and packaging. Courtesy Can you take us through how you would style your favorite piece from the collaboration? Its so fun to style the pieces in different ways. I like mixing the Layla blanket poncho with denim and cool boots. For a more formal look, Ive worn it over a gorgeous suit. More casually, I like to pair the Hani tie-back lounge pants with a chic black turtleneck sweater. Do you have a one-word resolution for 2020? For lemlem Id say growth, as we recently launched swimwear for the first time that we are very excited about. Do you plan to do more collaborations? Weve had some amazing collaborations recently with Moncler x Pierpaolo Piccioli, Pierre Hardy, and Sonia Rykiel to name a few and were hard at work on exciting new partnerships for the year. Saudi Arabia has announced that visitors with an entry visa to the US, the UK or a European (Schengen) visa can enter the Kingdom and obtain a visa on arrival at airports and other ports. A source in the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage said that the announcement is a continuation of the tourist visa programme launched by the Kingdom, a Saudi Press Agency report said. The source added that there is an existing committee chaired by the chairman of the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage, Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib, working to define the goals and the mechanism for applying the structure of the visitor visas. The source said that those who obtain a tourist or commercial visa to the countries mentioned above can now enter the Kingdom and obtain a tourist visa on arrival. However, they are not included the electronic visa system. However, the visitor must have used his visa to visit the US, UK, or any of the Schengen countries, before entering the kingdom. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has called for beefed up security measures across the state -- especially at transit hubs and airports -- amid Middle East tensions caused by a U.S. drone strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, one of Irans top military leaders, on Thursday night. The ramped up security measures includes Cuomo deploying the National Guard to all New York City airports. Recent international events are understandably causing some anxiety, and while New York has not received any direct threats, out of an abundance of caution I am directing National Guard and state agencies to increase security and step up patrols at our most critical facilities, Cuomo said. "We have the best emergency response personnel in the country. We are prepared for any situation that's thrown our way and will continue to communicate any pertinent information to local governments and to the general public to ensure everyone is safe." Cuomos office said the stepped up security includes the following: The state police will be conducting a counter-terrorism briefing that will be issued to all law enforcement agencies statewide through the State Intelligence Center. The briefing will include an update on the situation, the implications for New York State, and include indicators of suspicious activity. The briefing will be updated as events warrant. The Department of Public Service has been in contact with all electric, natural gas, telephone and water utilities in the state, and it has directed the companies to increase awareness and vigilance regarding cyber and physical security. The New York Power Authority is conducting checks and patrols on all utilities, and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services is performing checks on all cybersecurity details. The state Division of Homeland Securitys Cyber Incident Response Team has coordinated with the State Intelligence Center to urge public and private partners to exercise heightened awareness and continued vigilance in their daily duties, as well as report any suspicious cyber activity via their established reporting mechanisms. The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will also be reviewing all vulnerability assessments and contacting appropriate agencies and businesses as needed. The MTA has also taken additional steps to enhance customary, dynamic layers of security following recent international events. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER Head of EC reacts to Soleimani's assassination IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- The head of the Expediency Council(EC) responded to the assassination of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani. in a message on Friday, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani noted that the great commander of Islam after a long life fight against global arrogance, heading by the criminal US, joined the martyrs of Islam and the Islamic Revolution. Amoli Larijani on Friday following the assassination of Soleimani noted the loss of this great warrier made a deep impression on him. This brutal and stupid act of the terrorist and criminal government of the United States will further strengthen the resolve of the resistance fighters to fight global arrogance and their eventual destruction, and we will soon see them all dissolved, Amoli Larijani stated. 9455**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis sought to know from the Shiv Sena if it will repeatedly entertain insults to its deity Savarkar for the sake of power. Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to ban the book titled Veer Savarkar Kitne Veer?, which was distributed among Seva Dal workers in Madhya Pradesh. The Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party also attacked the Congress over an insinuation by Seva Dal about Veer Savarkars relationship with Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse. The BJP demanded an apology from the Congress Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis sought to know from the Shiv Sena if it will repeatedly entertain insults to its deity Savarkar for the sake of power. In a series of tweets, Mr Fadnavis said, Swatan-tryaVeer Savarkar ji is undoubtedly one of the greatest freedom fighters & inspiration for all of us! Congress party has shown its distorted mentality by distributing a book, which uses extremely cheap, insulting words for Veer Savarkar ji. Congress shows its mental bankruptcy (sic). Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also reacted strongly against the booklet. He said that the party will not allow Bhopals filth to enter Maharashtra. Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind, Mr Raut said. The BJP Maharashtra president Chandrakant Patil alleged that the Congress-affiliated Seva Dal has distributed the book, which mentions false and distorted facts about Veer Savarkar. His party condemned this exercise and asked the Congress to take back the booklet immediately. On Wednesday, the Seva Dal distributed a controversial literature, which questions Vinayak Damodar Savarkars credentials as a patriot. The book alleged that Savarkar, after his release from Andamans Cellular Jail, received pension from the British. It also claimed that Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhis killer Nathuram Godse were in a physical relationship. The BJP strongly condemns the booklet. Venerable Hinduhriday-samrat Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray would have been the first to react in his archetypal style (to the booklet) had he been around, Mr Fadnavis said, using the popular epithet of king of Hindu hearts for the Sena founder. In December 2019, Congress leader Rahul Gandhis jibe that his name was not Rahul Savarkar and hence he would not seek apology (about his remark on rape) had riled the Sena. North Korea's official newspaper said Saturday that the communist state will not maintain an attachment to seeking the lifting of international sanctions currently imposed against Pyongyang and will instead overcome hurdles through a self-reliant approach. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, reported that having an illusion of establishing peace with enemies will lead to self-destruction, and added the country will not have a lingering attachment to easing sanctions. North Korea also claimed that it does not believe that Washington will ever leave Pyongyang in peace, adding that the United States will not change its imperialist nature. The newspaper added that Pyongyang will make efforts to find ways to incapacitate such sanctions, rather than waiting for their abolishment. In late December, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a four-day plenary meeting of the Workers' Party Central Committee and discussed policy directions on key domestic and diplomatic issues. During the party session, Kim said he sees no reason to stick to his earlier commitment to suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests, warning of a "new strategic weapon" to show off to the world. Kim also accused the United States of conducting joint military exercises with South Korea and imposing more sanctions on Pyongyang, saying "the hostile acts and nuclear threat against" them are increasing. The rare multiday party plenum took place amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula ahead of the year-end deadline Pyongyang set for Washington to come up with a new agreeable proposal in their negotiations. (Yonhap) Baghdad, Jan 4 : A convoy of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) or the Hashd Shaabi was attacked on Saturday in northern Baghdad, the paramilitary group confirmed in a statement. "The attack, which took place near the Taji Stadium in Baghdad, hit a medical convoy of the PMF," Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying. It added that no senior members were affected, refuting earlier reports that said six officials were killed and two others injured. Previously at least five deaths were reported. Saturday's attack took place about 24 hours after a US drone attack ordered by President Donald Trump killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy chief of the pro-Hashd Shaabi forces. The attack took place on the Baghdad International Airport road. Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the US over Soleimani's death. As of now, no group or country has claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack, but Iraqi state television has blamed the US. There was also no comment from Washington yet. Friday's attack came after Iraqi protesters on Tuesday stormed the US embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American air raids conducted on December 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, claiming the lives of 25 people. Illinois, the largest Midwestern state in the U.S., is beginning 2020 with the implementation of a new law that allows people to legally buy marijuana for recreational use. The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act also also allows the governor to pardon thousands for past low-level cannabis convictions. Qatars Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has met with Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran, ac... Qatars Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has met with Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran, according to state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA). QNA reports that the two officials discussed the killing of Iranian army chief, Qassem Soleimani by the US army. They also discussed ways of calm to maintain collective security of the region, QNA said. Meanwhile, NATO has suspends training missions in Iraq. NATOs spokesman said the decision was reached following the US killing of Soleimani. NATOs mission is continuing, but training activities are currently suspended, said the spokesman, Dylan White, according to Al Jazeera. He also confirmed that the alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had spoken by telephone with US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper following recent developments. S-lon launches 360 communication campaign themed S-lon inside View(s): S-lon Lanka Pvte Ltd, a flagship company affiliated to The Capital Maharaja Organisation Ltd, has embarked on its latest communication campaign S-lon inside. The new thematic campaign S-lon inside ensures consumers the happiness they deserve with the water that flows through their pipe fittings within the walls of each home whilst enabling protection with the long endurance its product portfolio offers, the company said in a media release. Exemplifying its continuous motto Water for Life, S-lon today has grown into a primary institution that fulfills Sri Lankas need for water, following its inauguration in 1957. Commenting on the S-lon inside campaign, S. C. Weerasekera, Group Director, The Capital Maharaja Organisation Ltd said, At S-lon, we have fully understood the immense bond between water and people. For over six decades, we have been able to provide high quality water management solutions and superior plumbing management to our people. Therefore, the objective of our new theme S-lon inside is to reinforce the value and the importance of the pipes that are installed within the walls of homes and how its necessity changes lives. Mr. Weerasekera further added that, It is vital to adorn your home with high quality products that work from the inside that deliver. Thus, it is important to purchase the right materials that bring you the joy of enjoying water flow every day. Launching the S-lon inside campaign is a true testament of our promise to provide our consumers with unmatched products and services. We hope that our purpose consolidates the trust our customers have in us. S-lon has always strived for technological revolution by being a company that adheres to maintaining the highest standards. Therefore, by providing quality manufactured products, we have exceeded customer expectations and with S-lon inside in your home, you are assured of protection and happiness every day, he added. S-lon Lanka Pvt Ltd said it continues to be an organisation that uplifts society with their CSR initiatives conducted to enhance knowledge, protect and preserve the environment and enrich spirituality. S-lon has recognised, registered and certified 5000 Plumbers island-wide through their Plumbers Club workshop and training sessions conducted with an objective to improve their skills and provide them with the technological direction and guidance to prevent air and water pollution during plumbing processes, the release added. New Delhi [India] Jan 4 (ANI): Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday met party interim president Sonia Gandhi at her residence in Delhi and discussed issues related to Kota infants death and cabinet portfolio distribution in Maharashtra. According to top sources in Congress, the meeting lasted for over 30 minutes at Gandhi's residence. At least 107 infants have died at the government hospital in Kota since the beginning of December. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government has come under fire from the BJP and other Opposition parties in Rajasthan. While in Maharashtra, NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena alliance has not allocated portfolios to ministers. According to sources, Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar has offered to step down as minister of the state over differences with his party. (ANI) Now a new decade has begun, everyone is making resolutions to go to the gym, stop smoking and eat less chocolate. But above all else I would advise all of you to look at your relationship with alcohol and to cut back. As I argue in my new book, alcohol has the most profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing and we should be encouraging everyone to drink less. After all, Boris Johnson gave up drinking it during the election and my advice to him would be to have all MPs breathalysed before they cast votes in the Commons. Alcohol, Im sorry to report, is the chief substance that oils the wheels of our government. In the Palace of Westminster alone, there are nearly 30 places to drink, all subsidised. Numerous MPs have admitted to at least getting merry while on Commons business, while some have been roaring drunk. One member described being too intoxicated to walk through the voting chambers. Now a new decade has begun, everyone is making resolutions to go to the gym, stop smoking and eat less chocolate, writes PROFESSOR DAVID NUTT (stock image) And all this matters, because even relatively modest amounts of alcohol impair a persons judgment. One main reason is that the part of the brain that keeps you in control the frontal cortex is the first part switched off by booze. Not desirable when MPs are discussing matters of national importance. Thats not all alcohol can do, of course. As a doctor, Ive devoted most of my professional career to studying its effects on the brain and the body, and Ive co-written three scientific reports that all came to one devastating conclusion. Alcohol is by some margin the most damaging drug of all. Why? Because of the harm it does to society as well as to the individual with taxpayers inevitably picking up the huge bill. Similar studies have been carried out since, in Europe, and Australia, each with the same outcome. In the UK, were particularly keen on drinking so keen that our alcohol consumption has nearly doubled since the Sixties. According to the Global Drug Survey, Britons get drunk an average of once a week, and one in ten of us are drunk on five or more days a week. A staggering 10.8 million of us drink at levels that pose a risk to our health. Indeed, alcohol is now the leading cause of death for men aged between 16 and 54, cutting life short for around 30,000 people a year. Alcohol is also the reason policing public drunkenness costs us more than 6 billion a year. Its why the costs to the NHS are over 3 billion. Did you know that in the past half-century, deaths from liver disease in the UK increased fivefold? Or that up to half of all people in beds in orthopaedic wards are there because of alcohol-related injuries? Alcohol is a poison and over the past 20 years, scientists have been learning a lot more about the havoc it wreaks on the body. Think youre safe having a couple of glasses each evening? Read on. A couple of years ago, we discovered that just a single drink a day increases the risk of breast cancer. Even light to moderate drinking raises your risk of developing an irregular heartbeat (cardiac arryhthmia), which can make you feel faint, short of breath and potentially lead to a stroke. Most people still think the chief danger from drinking too much is cirrhosis of the liver. It isnt: the biggest killers associated with alcohol, we learn, are strokes and heart attacks. After that come various liver diseases and at least eight different types of cancer. Drinking also causes brain damage: at least one in five cases of dementia, its thought, is probably due to alcohol. Whats frankly terrifying, though, is that a large 30-year study found evidence of faster cognitive decline in people who drank only up to seven units weekly, than in teetotallers. Thats the equivalent of having two large glasses of wine plus a small shot of spirits in a week. But above all else I would advise all of you to look at your relationship with alcohol and to cut back, he said (stock image) Dont think youre a safe driver if youre under the legal limit of 80mg blood alcohol level (which allows a man to drink roughly four units, or two pints, and a woman three units or a large glass of wine.) A 2010 government report concluded that if your blood alcohol concentration is between 50mg and 80mg, you are up to six times more likely to die in a collision than if youd drunk nothing at all. It gets worse: having alcohol in your blood has an even greater impact on whether you die as a result of a crash. You may think having just one pint of beer for the road is perfectly all right, but even that is doubtful. New neuroscience research from Sussex University found that one pint can compromise your road safety. Your co-ordination may not be affected, but youll have an exaggerated feeling of being in control of the car and overconfidence can be dangerous. Theres another mistake a lot of people make: they think its OK to drink a bit more on holiday. Its not. If a woman drinks five units a day (less than three standard glasses of wine) for just two or three weeks, she has five times more risk than a teetotaller of developing a fatty liver the first stage of serious liver disease. For men, its eight units a day. You may think youll be fine if you follow the UK chief medical officers advice to drink no more than 14 units a week. And if you stick to these levels (roughly two pints of beer or two glasses of wine a day, spread out over three days a week, with days off in between), your risk of dying due to an alcohol-related condition is only around one per cent. But any more than that, and the risks rise disproportionately. One study concluded that having a couple of drinks on more than four days a week raises the risk of premature death by 20 per cent. And a recent report from the European Commission concluded that drinking any more than two units a year increases your risk of cancer, although the increased risk is very small. Thats just one pint of low-strength lager! Hang on what about all those studies that apparently showed benefits from drinking a daily glass or two of red wine? Sorry to disappoint, but a 2018 review of all the evidence published in the leading medical journal, The Lancet concluded that any partially protective effect on the heart is more than cancelled by negative effects, such as raised risk of cancer. Let me put it this way: If alcohol had been discovered in the past year or two, it would be illegal. The safe limit, if you applied current food-standards criteria, would be one glass of wine a year. Would you take a new drug if you were told it would increase your risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease, or that it shortened your life? You wouldnt touch it. Yet over the past 50 years, alcohol has become entrenched in our lives. We drink for social bonding. We drink together to clinch business deals and come to agreements. We drink to celebrate the birth of a child, to commiserate with each other when someone dies. We drink because weve had a stressful day at the office, because were feeling anxious or just because its Friday. When a nephew turned 18, I went to buy him a birthday card. I counted 23 cards for 18th birthdays before I found one that didnt focus on alcohol. What kind of message is that for a young person? As I argue in my new book, alcohol has the most profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing and we should be encouraging everyone to drink less (stock image) Alcohol used to be a special purchase: you had to go to an off-licence or the pub during limited hours to buy it. Now its so easy to buy that many of us just chuck it into our supermarket trollies. Were now the sick man of Europe. Take the drink-driving limit, for example, of 80mg blood alcohol. It hasnt changed since 1967, thus leaving the UK with one of the highest drink-driving limits in the world. In most of Europe, the level is 50mg. Norway and Sweden, among others, have lowered it to just 20mg, which effectively allows for a dab of alcohol in a pudding. Some countries have gone much further, adopting successful policies to curb other damage caused by alcohol. The consequences in France are impressive. Back when I was a medical student, it was rare to see someone in a UK hospital with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. But not in France, which is why we called it the French disease. Now, however, French cirrhosis rates are lower than the UKs. This is because the French did a detailed analysis of drinking in the 1980s and realised it was a serious health issue. So they tackled some key areas. A law was passed to ban most alcohol advertising on TV and in cinemas, and all alcohol ads aimed at young people. All alcohol sponsorship for cinemas, sporting events and festivals was also stopped. Every label now has to carry the words: Alcohol abuse is dangerous for health. Restrictions have been placed on happy hours. No alcohol can be given away free. The drink-driving limit has dropped to 50mg. On top of that, the French government priced out cheap alcohol by pressuring the industry to make quality wine so that now the French are consuming half of what they used to drink, theres been a dramatic reduction in road fatalities, and deaths from liver cirrhosis have dropped by half. In stark contrast, UK death rates over the same period nearly tripled as our alcohol consumption nearly doubled. Meanwhile, the price of alcohol had tumbled to a third of what it cost in 1970. Yet the French policies even turned out to be a win-win for the wine industry, because theres more profit in making quality wine. And thats despite the fact that people drink less of it. As someone once said to me, Ive never seen anyone get drunk on a 1961 Chateau Latour. So WHY havent we adopted any of these sensible policies? Because the Government makes so much money from taxes on alcohol. That is short-term thinking. The fact is that when you add in the costs of alcohol to society, theres a net loss to the Exchequer. These are: 3.5 billion annually on health; 6.5billion for policing drunkenness; 20 billion for lost productivity through hangovers. That comes to 30 billion. Add in other factors such as alcohol-related costs to social care, the criminal justice system and the fire services, and the cost zooms to 55.1 billion. Taxation of alcohol raises about 20 billion a year. So that leaves a net deficit of up to 35 billion. Successive governments have been perfectly aware of this. But theyve been loath to change anything because the income from taxation is immediate with the alcohol industry paying up quarterly. The Treasury view is that if anyone started meddling, tax income would plummet while the health benefits wouldnt be evident for ten to 20 years. Again, theyre wrong. Some of the health savings would be immediate such as having to spend a great deal less in alcohol-related policing costs. And think about A&E on a Friday night: if it were only half full, you wouldnt need so many nurses and doctors. Plus if you could reduce someones consumption of cheap cider from, say, two litres a day down to one, he could then be treated more cheaply in a normal ward, rather than in intensive care. This is because the risks of dying get disproportionally higher the more you drink. Indeed, Id argue that we need to go much further than France, starting by taxing drinks on the amount of alcohol they contain. At the moment, the duty system doesnt make sense. Why should the tax on cider containing 10 per cent alcohol be one-third that of a wine of the same strength? All that does is encourage the consumption of strong ciders. We should also cut the availability of super-cheap booze, and stop supermarkets using discounted offers on alcohol as loss leaders. On what planet does it make sense for a poison to be sold at less than the price of water? Children need to be educated at primary school about the dangers of alcohol. We should also repeal the licensing law so pubs once again shut up shop at 11pm, close the Governments wine cellar and stop the subsidy of alcohol in Parliament. (Unlikely that MPs will call time on that particular perk!) And we should follow Scotlands lead in introducing a minimum price per unit of 50p. At the time the law was passed last year, more than half of all alcohol was being sold below this price level mostly to teenagers and alcoholics There are already promising signs that the amount drunk in Scotland is decreasing. Come on, Boris, you know it makes sense. One of your predecessors, David Cameron, supported minimum unit pricing and set up a committee in 2010 to bring it about. Unfortunately, his government also decided the group should be made up of 50 per cent health experts and 50 per cent representatives of the drinks industry. At first, there was an attempt to work together. But all the health experts resigned in 2011, after industry representatives blocked all suggestions of compulsory policies, such as minimum unit pricing. Clearly, it was impossible to be objective when half the committee was linked to the industry causing the problem. That committee is defunct. In fact, there isnt a single body in Britain thats empowered to argue the case for sensible alcohol policies. And that, I fear, is a tragedy for us all. Adapted by Corinna Honan from Drink? The New Science Of Alcohol And Your Health by Professor David Nutt, published by Yellow Kite on January 9 at 16.99. 2020 David Nutt. To order a copy for 13.59 (20 per cent discount) go to mailbookshop.co.uk or call 01603 648155. Offer valid until January 11, 2020, p&p is free. Mourners reach for the coffin of Soleimani during his funeral in Baghdad (Nasser Nasser/AP) Irish citizens have been urged not to travel to Iraq and any Irish citizens currently in Iraq are advised to leave the country immediately. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a do not travel warning to anyone planning to travel to Iraq following the killing of top Iranian army officer Qassem Suleimani in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in the Iraqi capital. The warning declared: We advise against all travel to Iraq because of the extremely dangerous security situation and very high threat of terrorist attacks. If youre currently in Iraq, we advise you to leave immediately. If you consider your presence in Iraq to be absolutely essential, you should have adequate and continuous professional security arrangements and ensure they are regularly reviewed. A very small number of Irish citizens are registered as residing in Iraq. A warning is also in place for Irish citizens in Iran to avoid a number of areas in the country. A three day period of national mourning is in place in Iran for General Suleimani. Irish citizens in Iran were advised to remain vigilant and avoid all demonstrations and protests taking place in cities across Iran and refrain from recording or photographing them. Foreign nationals visiting or living in Iran could be targeted, detained or arrested at such events. The US, UK and France have ordered all citizens to leave or avoid Iraq amid fears for their safety. Iran's cyber troops long have been among the world's most capable and aggressive - disrupting banking, hacking oil companies, even trying to take control of a dam from afar - while typically stopping short of the most crippling possible actions, say experts on the country's capabilities. But Friday's American airstrike that killed one of Iran's top generals, Quds Force Commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, now threatens to unleash a fully unshackled Iranian response,analysts and former U.S. officials warned.They said a variety of potential cyber-attacks, possibly in conjunction with more traditional forms of lethal action, would be well within the digital arsenal of a nation that has vowed "severe revenge." "At this point, a cyber-attack should be expected," said Jon Bateman, a former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst on Iran's cyber capabilities and now a cybersecurity fellow for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. IN MEXICO: Reports of Pemex cyberattack has U.S. companies taking precautions The range of possible tactics is long: The Iranians can overwhelm computerized systems to snarl business operations, as they did to U.S. banks from 2011 to 2013. They can also use malicious software to wipe out data, as they reportedly did in 2014 to the Las Vegas Sands casino, whose staunchly pro-Israel owner Sheldon Adelson had suggested the United States drop nuclear bombs on Iran. Arch-rival Saudi Arabia's oil giant Aramco suffered a similar fate in 2012, when a cyber-attack reportedly emanating from Iran wiped out the memories of tens of thousands of computers, crimping oil production. The company's frantic efforts to recover reportedly drove up the price of hard drives worldwide. Hackers with ties to Tehran can potentially hijack crucial machinery over the Internet, a tactic they experimented with at a New York state dam, whose control systems they penetrated in 2013. Or they could target sensitive political or diplomatic targets while mounting sophisticated information operations over Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. Last October, Microsoft accused a group tied to the country's government of attempting to identify, attack and breach personal email accounts associated with a U.S. presidential campaign, government officials and journalists. And while the most appealing targets are likely to be in the U.S. homeland given Iran's history of staging visible, politically potent attacks linked thematically to their grievances, it may be easier to strike U.S. military or diplomatic targets abroad, or similar targets in allied nations. RELEASE NOTES: Get Dwight Silverman's weekly tech newsletter each Monday Cyber-security expert James Lewis recently compiled a list of suspected Iranian hacks, cyber-attacks and online spying incidents and was surprised to find 14 reported last year alone. The list included hacks aimed at the Trump campaign, telecommunications systems in Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, and intrusions into employee accounts of companies making and operating industrial control systems. Iranians also reportedly used LinkedIn to target users affiliated with Middle Eastern governments and workers within the financial and energy industries. "They have enough capability that they don't need to ask, 'Can we do this?' " said Lewis, a senior vice president for the Center for Strategic & International Studies. "It's, 'Do you want to do this?'" Experts tracking online disinformation said Friday they had already seen suspicious, early signs of accounts pivoting to push messages sympathetic to the Iranian government. Some potentially suspect accounts on Instagram, for example, started tagging the White House in images featuring flag-draped coffins, according to the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab. Meanwhile, apparently bogus claims of an airstrike at the Ain Al-Asad airbase, which hosts U.S. forces in western Iraq, were spreading in hardline Iranian media outlets, as well as on services including Twitter and Telegram, according to researchers. "This is a new era," said Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent who chaired the countering foreign influence subcommittee of the Department of Homeland Security's advisory council. "We always had controlled escalation policies with Iranians. Now these rules don't exist, and the Iranians are going to usher in an era of unrestrained responses - an era that's going to be filled with even more chaos." Those responses, Soufan added, are likely to include cyber activities, as well as disinformation, which already saturates political and military conflict in the Middle East. "They have so many tools to make our existence in the Middle East and our interests and the interest of our allies really under threat." Almost a year to the day before President Donald Trump ordered the attack on Soleimani, federal officials issued a sober assessment of Iran's cyber prowess: A January 2019 intelligence report highlighted the country as an "espionage and attack threat," with the ability to target U.S. officials, steal intelligence and disrupt "a large company's corporate network for days to weeks." ENERGY ATTACK: FBI warns energy sector about cyber threats Iran's cyber capabilities rank below those of Russia and China. But they have advanced significantly since 2010, the time of the discovery that a joint Israeli-U.S. operation had installed malicious software known as Stuxnet that destroyed centrifuges crucial to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Since then, U.S. officials blame Iran for cyber attacks on "dozens of Saudi governmental and private-sector networks in late 2016 and early 2017," and warn that targets in the United States similarly could be at risk. An Iran bent on a visible, painful form of revenge could attempt several retaliatory actions in cyber-space, possibly as part of a broader campaign to drive American forces out of Iraq and enlist proxies and allies in wounding U.S. interests here and abroad. "The focus will be critical infrastructure - oil and gas in the Middle East, maybe elsewhere," said John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis for the cybersecurity company FireEye, adding that past operations have targeted the American financial sector. "Anywhere where they can cause serious, almost psychological effects, noticeable disruption. The purpose is to prove to the public that they can reach out and touch Americans." At the Department of Homeland Security, a top official said Friday that businesses and others should "brush up" on Iranian cyber tactics. Christopher Krebs, who leads DHS's cybersecurity work, pointed to the agency's past warnings that Iran is "looking to do much more than just steal data and money." DHS did not respond to further request for comment. Neither did the White House. "We know that Iranian cyber operations are currently scoping and preparing to attack our networks - in all sectors of society - to see where they can hit us," said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. In recent years, malicious actors tied to Iran, or to the country's leaders, also have intensified their operations on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. Through fake accounts - some of which masqueraded as journalists and even U.S. political figures - they pushed messages sympathetic to Tehran's interests, at times opposing Trump. "Any time you get geopolitical tensions, you get an uptick in disinformation operations," said Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, a social media analysis firm. Over the past two years, Facebook has announced six major Iran-related takedowns - involving more than 1,800 accounts, pages, and groups on its site and on Instagram, reaching 5 million users globally, according to an analysis of the company's public statements. Twitter, meanwhile, has taken down thousands of accounts linked to Iran that had violated its rules. Iran's efforts differ from those of Russia, which sought to stoke social and political unrest in the United States during the 2016 election. Russia "intends to engage in, and infiltrate, communities online," and is politically agnostic, targeting users and causes across the spectrum, said Graham Brookie, the leader of the Atlantic Council's DFRLab. Iran, by contrast, "presents a very specific worldview and has tended to try to persuade others to their side," he said, particularly with anti-Israel, anti-U.S. and anti-Saudi messages. Brookie said DFRLab already has seen "social media accounts that were previously used for economic purposes, like selling sneakers, immediately repurposed for coordinated messaging that aligns directly with the Iranian government. "This is another large and effective proxy front we should expect escalation on," he added. On messaging apps, dueling narratives were already taking shape, according to Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute who was monitoring about 100,000 Persian-language channels on Telegram. Using regime-supporting channels, such as "Young soldiers of the soft war," users were circulating images of Soleimani's body and portraying the U.S. as an "evil force that just committed an act of terrorism." The government has a handful of options in addressing the elevated threat, experts said. These include aiming to track and intercept cyber operations as they're developing, akin to efforts to predict and blunt maneuvering on the battlefield. Another imperative, they said, is sharing information with private businesses, which could end up bearing the brunt of the risk. The experts said it was difficult to predict what an Iranian offensive in cyberspace would look like, given how quickly capabilities are evolving. But they pointed to certain precedents, including the 2017 cyberattacks targeting government ministries, banks and companies in Ukraine. The operation, blamed on Russia by Western officials, had global ramifications and was described by the White House as "the most destructive and costly cyber-attack in history." While the U.S. has more extensive defenses, those remain untested against aggressive Iranian tactics. "Iran has used their cyber-capabilities in a somewhat restrained way," said Robert Knake, a former cybersecurity director at the National Security Council, now at the Council on Foreign Relations. "Whether that holds after this [U.S.] attack, is difficult to say." China replaced its top official in Hong Kong on Saturday, days after President Xi Jinping expressed concern over the continued pro-democracy protests posing a major challenge to the ruling Communist party. Wang Zhimin, the director of its liaison office in Hong Kong who coordinates between the local government of the former British colony and the central government in Beijing, has been replaced, official media here reported. Wang was replaced by Luo Huining, the former party boss of Shaanxi province, in the first major reshuffle of the office since the city became embroiled in anti-government protests seven months ago. Though Hong Kong is governed by beleaguered pro-Beijing Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, who so far failed to quell the protests which grew in intensity, much of responsibility over policy and planning has been coordinated by Wang. China's liaison office in Hong Kong, which is the symbol of Beijing's authority, has also become a centre of pro-democracy protests where the protesters have burnt the Chinese flag. Luo's appointment came as a surprise as he was named a week ago the deputy director of the financial and economic affairs committee of the National People's Congress, China's legislature, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The announcement came after Xi in his New Year's address expressed concern over the situation in Hong Kong where the locals carried out pro-democracy protests. A Chinese commentator said that Luo's appointment signals a fresh approach by the central government to address Hong Kong protests. Appointing an official with no Hong Kong-related experience to the liaison office shows the central government's determination to lead Hong Kong to a new chapter and restore peace in the city gripped by protests, Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan studies at Nankai University in Tianjin, told the state-run Global Times. "His past experiences show Luo is politically mature and has a tacit understanding with the central government," he said. Luo served as the Party secretary in Shanxi from 2016 to 2019. During his tenure in the coal industrial region, he clamped down on a large scale corruption that was seriously weighing on the local governance. His anti-corruption crusade played an important role in helping the province enter a new era, the daily's report said. The disquieting situation in Hong Kong, which continues to witness mass protests, especially by youth that often turned violent figured high in Xi's customary New Year's eve address over the national television on December 31. "The situation in Hong Kong has been everybody's concern over the past few months," said Xi, who is regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader after Mao Zedong. Besides Presidency, Xi also heads the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. "Without a harmonious and stable environment, how can there be a home where people can live and work happily," Xi said with a tone of exasperation over unending protests, stating that he hoped for the best. "We sincerely hope for the best for Hong Kong and Hong Kong compatriots," he said. "A prosperous and stable Hong Kong is the aspiration of Hong Kong compatriots, as well as the expectation of the people of the motherland," he said. What started as protests against an extradition bill piloted by Lam, the demonstrations grew in intensity and turned into a full-blown movement against the increasing control of China. Besides calling for Lam's resignation, the protestors are demanding an independent probe into the use of force by police, amnesty for arrested protesters, a halt to categorising the protests as riots and the implementation of universal suffrage to elect their own representatives to govern the province. The protests continued despite the withdrawal of the bill. The pro-democracy parties also registered a landslide victory in local body elections. Xi's leadership of the crisis specially refusing the withdraw the bill in time has come under criticism. Xi, who continued to back Lam and her administration, however, has been reiterating Beijing's unswerving determination to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests and oppose any external force in interfering in Hong Kong's affairs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Preparations are afoot to introduce the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) at graduation level in TM Bhagalpur University (TMBU) from the coming session. Awadh Kishore Roy, VC, BN Mandal University, who holds additional charge of TMBU, said the university was looking forward to begin CBCS from 2020-23 session. He added that the modalities were being finalized for this. Discussion on the introduction of the system figured in the agenda of a meeting convened last week by chancellor in Patna where all the universities in the state have been asked to ensure the CBCS is introduced at graduation level from 2020-23 session. The academic council of the university has already approved proposal for starting CBCS, Roy informed. He added discussion on introduction of CBCS would also held in meeting of university syndicate tomorrow. Following introduction of CBCS, there would total six semesters, two in each year, in the degree course. For starting CBCS, universities have been entrusted responsibility for preparing syllabus of different subjects based on credit system. KM Singh, Coordinator of Colleges and Development Council (CCDC), said, TMBU was entrusted responsibility of preparing syllabus of sociology, anthropology, computer science and zoology. It would be forwarded to office of chancellor, he added. Meanwhile, university plans to discontinue teaching of subjects at graduation level in coming session in which enrolment of students have remained low in the current session. Total eleven subjects including Geology, Statistics, Industrial Relation and Personnel Management, Rural Economics, Persian, Maithili, Angika, Philosophy have been identified as subjects that are relatively less preferred by students in terms of enrolment. According to sources, the VC considers discontinuation of subjects in which low interest of student has been recorded. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Avijit Biswas Avijit has around 20 years of experience in journalism and reports across beats for HT from Bhagalpur and adjoining districts of eastern Bihar. ...view detail The killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a US strike at Baghdad's international airport and Tehran's vow of revenge in response on Friday morning caused Twitterati, nervous about the possible outbreak of conflict between Washington and Tehran culminating in World War III, to do what they do best: post memes, pictures and videos on social media and get #WWIII trending. The killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a US strike at Baghdad's international airport and Tehran's vow of harsh retaliation in response on Friday morning caused Twitterati, nervous about the possible outbreak of conflict between Washington and Tehran culminating in World War III, to do what they do best: post memes, pictures and videos on social media and get #WWIII trending. Some lamented the poor start to the new year: January 1st 2020: This is gonna be my year! Positive vibes! January 3rd 2020: World War III, Russia and China, US and Iran and ISIS are all trending on Twitter Me: pic.twitter.com/yg5R695hIs Kane (@bigyikesdawg) January 3, 2020 #WWIII 2020 is gonna World War 3 is be my year is trending on the 3rd Day pic.twitter.com/3Z5G4xd1WG Mohammed El-tayeb (@moeltayeb11) January 3, 2020 Some jested about avoiding or refusing the draft: Me meeting my homies in prison after we all refused the draft for WWIII pic.twitter.com/VmV2gbbgT2 (@PlayoffNugs) January 3, 2020 When the army said they enrolled you to fight for #WWIII pic.twitter.com/qodH2z5xo6 Hamzah (@Real_Hamzah) January 3, 2020 Others speculated, tongue in cheek, how Germany, the major power responsible for World War II, must be feeling: Many mocked themselves and their response to the trend: Laughing at all the #WWIII memes and then realising it could actually happen pic.twitter.com/NE9nHFrl9s Cian (@LacaDrip) January 3, 2020 Me laughing at WWIII tweets vs me realizing it might actually happen #WWIII #wwlll pic.twitter.com/AZ6LKXpLy7 Dana (@thornedredrose) January 3, 2020 Some wondered if this was Trump's way of getting revenge for his impeachment: Trump getting impeached but making sure we all go down with him in World War III pic.twitter.com/G3Euy5SQKG Ryan (@thouartvandelay) January 3, 2020 And many, including this NYT reporter, remembered what Trump, then a private citizen in 2011, tweeted about his predecessor: According to some media reports, a mob attack took place at the shrine. (Photo Credit: ANI) Islamabad: Pakistan government rejected reports that Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib, also known as the Gurdwara Janam Asthan, the site where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born, was attacked by certain groups. In a midnight statement, Pakistan Foreign Office said it was told by the provincial authorities in the Punjab province that there was a scuffle between two Muslim groups near the holiest Sikh site on Friday. The fight broke out following a minor incident at a tea-stall and the local authority immediately intervened and arrested the accused. FO alleged that attempts were made to paint this incident as a communal issue. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged, FO statement read. Meanwhile, India strongly condemned attack and subsequent vandalism at the revered Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. According to reports, hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones on Friday over the matter of a Sikh woman who had been allegedly forced to convert to Islam. The Ministry of External Affairs said members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. India called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community there. "We are concerned at the vandalism carried out at the revered Nankana Sahib Gurdwara today. Members of the minority Sikh community have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji," the MEA said in a statement. "These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," it added. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place," the MEA said. "We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the MEA added. "Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community. In addition, Government of Pakistan is enjoined to take all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and its surroundings," it said. The reports said that the mob was led by the family of Mohammad Ehsaan, the boy who allegedly abducted and converted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, who is the daughter of the gurdwara's caretaker. In August 2019, a caretaker at Nankana Sahib Gurudwara had complained that his youngest daughter, 19-year-old Jagjit Kaur had been kidnapped and forced to convert by six people. According to Dawn, a mob started to assemble and surround the gurudwara on Friday afternoon, demanding that the arrested suspects be released. (With Inputs From PTI) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Army Commander vows US terrorist attack not to go unanswered IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- The Chief commander of the Islamic Republic's Army, in a message on the occasion of the martyrdom of Lieutenant- General Qasem Soleimani, stated that the US cruel terrorist attack which exposed the true terrorist nature of the US government will not go unanswered. Major General Abdul Rahim Mousavi made the remarks in a message on Friday, following the martyrdom of the Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) by the US criminals. The chief commander of Army warned the US criminals that this US cruel terrorist attack which is a sign of the terrorist nature of the US government, will not go unanswered. Mousavi highlighted in the message that the resistance movement will certainly be further strengthened in the wake of this terrorist act of blasphemous criminals who shed the IRGC commander's sacred and pure blood. Senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Major General Qasem Soleimani was martyred in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning, official media resources said. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that the General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Deputy Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), known as the Hash al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated on Friday morning. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. The assassination stands at top of news in Iraq, the region and the whole world. The IRGC confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. In the statement, the IRGC said that the glorious commander of Islamic forces was martyred in a US helicopter attack on Friday morning at the culmination of his life long efforts to promote path of God. 9455**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian demonstrators hold up mobile phones showing the picture of the late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, during a protest against the killing of Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in front of United Nations office in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 3, 2020. (Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters) Iraq, US-led Coalition Deny Reports of US Airstrike Against Iran-Backed Militia Near Baghdad Iraq and the U.S.-led coalition denied reports of fresh airstrikes near Baghdad late Jan. 3. Reuters, Newsweek, and The Associated Press were among the news agencies to report that airstrikes on Friday night hit an Iraqi militia convoy north of Baghdad, killing at least six people. The militia was backed by Iran, the reports said. Reporters cited anonymous officials, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and Iraqi state TV in reporting on the strikes, asserting the United States carried out them out. But official sources pushed back on the reports, including Col. Myles Caggins, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, a U.S.-led coalition formed to defeat ISIS. FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days, he said. CJTFOIR is another name for the operation. FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days. OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) January 4, 2020 Iraqs Joint Operations Command also disputed the reports. The Joint Operations Command denies reports in the media of an airstrike last night, targeting a column of the popular mobilization in the Taji area north of Baghdad, and calls for accuracy in the transmission of information and caution against spreading rumors and spreading rumors, especially for the time being, it stated. The Popular Mobilization Forces, a grouping of militia groups, including some Iran-backed ones, said in a statement early Saturday that a strike hit a convoy consisting of medics. It later said in another statement that no medical convoys were targeted in the Taji area, according to Reuters. The rebuttal of the reports came after the U.S. military said a report of an attack on Al Asad Air Base was false. A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early on Jan. 2, 2020. (HO, Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office, via AP) An Iranian news agency reported that the airbase, the largest U.S. base in Iraq, was attacked. The story spread to other Iranian news outlets and was circulated by The New York Times. Tensions are high in Iraq after the United States killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the countrys elite Quds Force, overnight on Jan. 3. President Donald Trump and other U.S. leaders said they killed Soleimani because he was planning attacks on U.S. troops. There would have been many Muslims killed as wellIraqis, people in other countries as well. It was a strike that was aimed at both disrupting that plot, deterring further aggression, and we hope setting the conditions for deescalation as well, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday. Iran vowed to take revenge but has not taken any action as of yet. Albert Camus death, sixty years ago, stunned France. The French literary icon was just 46 years old when he died in a car crash southeast of Paris on January 4, 1960. The author of The Stranger was also a playwright, a journalist and a philosopher. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature at the age of 43. Camuss work often touched on themes of justice, freedom and revolt. He wielded his pen against the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, the Franco dictatorship in Spain, the horror of Soviet gulags, and the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany. Algeria, where he was born, was often a central part of his writing, though his lack of a clear stance in favour of the countrys independence was heavily criticised. FRANCE 24s Axelle Simon and Wassim Cornet look back at the authors legacy. Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden have announced the birth of their first child, a daughter named Raddix Madden. On Friday, the couple shared the news that they had become parents in a joint statement on Instagram, in which they also revealed they plan to keep further details surrounding their daughter private. Happy New Year from the Maddens! the post reads. We are so happy, blessed and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden. She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family. The 47-year-old actress then said that while she and Madden are overjoyed to share this news, they also feel a strong instinct to protect our little ones privacy. So we wont be posting pictures or sharing any more details, other than the fact that she is really, really cute!! the new mum wrote, adding: Some would even say RAD. The couple concluded the announcement wishing their fans and followers a happy new year and happy new decade. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Show all 10 1 /10 The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) Fashion design Victoria Beckham shared a series of throwback family photos to honour her dad on Father's Day. "Happy fathers day to the best dad!!! We love u so so much x kisses x", Beckham wrote. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) Chef Jamie Oliver paid tribute to all dads as well as his own father Trevor aka Big Tell". "Big love to all you Dads out there that doing your very best to bring up and love the next generation, its never an easy job and today is always a nice opportunity to show some dad solidarity and respect," Oliver wrote. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcher) McFly star Tom Fletcher celebrated Father's Day by sharing a photograph that highlights the reality of parenthood. "Thanks to our son peeing in our bed this was our sleeping arrangement last night... #fathersday," Fletcher wrote. "P.S. @mrsgifletcher claimed the floor mattress before I could. Dont be deceived, its really comfy...I should know, I slept on it for 12 weeks!" The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Clarence House (@clarencehouse) Clarence House shared a black-and-white photograph of Prince Charles and Princess Anne playing on a seesaw alongside The Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen in 1957. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Gordon Ramsay (@gordongram) Chef Gordon Ramsay shared a photograph of himself and his son, Jack, alongside the caption: "This picture makes me the happiest father on such a special day, thanks @gq @boss ! @_jackrams3y_ so focused and respectful." The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Rochelle Humes (@rochellehumes) TV Presenter Rochelle Humes paid tribute to her husband, Marvin, on Father's Day. "Happy Fathers Day to our number one," Humes wrote. "If you could make a dream dad in a lab it would look like you." The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Joshua Patterson (@joshuapatterson_jp) Made in Chelsea star Joshua Patterson encouraged men to share their "vulnerable and sensitive side" on Father's Day. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Billie Shepherd (billiefaiersofficial) The Only Way is Essex star Billie Shepherd paid tribute to her husband, Gregory, on Father's Day. "You are the best daddy ever to youre baby Sheps Nelly & Arthur. We all love you lots," Shepherd wrote. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Matt Haig (@mattzhaig) Author and mental health advocate Matt Haig paid a touching tribute to his father on Instagram, calling him a "dad to be proud of". "I know you think Fathers Day is a load of manufactured nonsense but I love you Dad," Haig wrote. The best celebrity Father's Day tributes on Instagram Fearne Cotton (@fearnecotton) Presenter Fearne Cotton shared a series of images on Father's Day including a selfie taken with her own dad, Michael. "You legend @michaelcottonsigns Happy Fathers Day dad! Im bloody lucky I got you! The kindest, gentle giant out there! Love you to the moon," Cotton wrote. While Diaz and Madden, 40, have kept their relationship relatively private since they married in 2015, in August of this year Diaz expressed her love for her husband in an interview with InStyle. Getting married to him was the best thing that ever happened to me, she said. My husbands the best. Hes the greatest human being, and hes my great partner. Marriage is certainly hard, and its a lot of work. You need somebody whos willing to do the work with you, because theres no 60-40 in marriage. Its 50-50, period. All the time. Las Vegas, Jan 4 : South Korean tech giant Samsung has introduced its new line-up of curved Odyssey gaming monitors at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 in Las Vegas. "Samsung's new curved gaming monitor line-up has been completely redesigned to give gamers an entirely new and immersive experience," Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice-President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics said in a statement on Friday. Comprised of the G9 model - with 49-inch display and the G7, available in 32-inch and 27-inch, both Odyssey gaming monitors are redesigned and take gaming to the next level. Both monitors feature an extremely deep curvature - the first ever monitors to possess a high-performance 1000R curvatures - and stunning QLED picture quality. According to the company, the monitor's superior performances have even been certified by TUV Rheinland, a leading international certification organisation which has awarded Samsung the industry's first high performance 1000R curved display and Eye Comfort certificate. Gamers can benefit from 1ms response time and 240hz RapidCurve, putting themselves in the middle of the action. Samsung's newest gaming monitors will support NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatibility and adaptive sync on DP1.4. The new monitors aim to serve gamer's needs for speed, responsiveness and minimal distractions into account, equipping them with the best gaming experience possible. By PTI PATNA: The opposition in Bihar on Thursday expressed shock over the "abduction and murder" of an 18- year-old youth who went missing last month on a day the state witnessed anti-CAA protests and whose decomposed, mutilated body was recovered from a pit more than a week later. According to SHO, Phulwarisharif police station, Rafeequr Rehman, a complaint had been lodged by the brother of Amir Hanzla, a resident of Haroon Nagar locality, on December 21 that the boy had gone out in the morning to take part in an anti-CAA rally but did not return even after 12 hours. Notably, a state-wide bandh was organized by Lalu Prasad's RJD on December 21 against the amended Citizenship Act, which was supported by alliance partners like Congress as also the Left parties. "We lodged an FIR against 12 persons, four of whom have been arrested so far. Amirs body was recovered from a pit, where it was rotting in the midst of a thick growth of hyacinth, on December 30. After post mortem, the body was handed over to his family members and efforts are on to nab the other accused", the SHO said. Those named in the FIR were locals who had, on the day of the bandh, hit the streets raising slogans "in support of" CAA and NRC and clashed with demonstrators opposing these, he added. Rattled by the incident, state RJD president Jagadanand Singh on Thursday set up a fact-finding team, which would visit Phulwari Sharif on Friday and submit its report for further action. The five-member committee comprises state vice presidents Ashok Kumar Singh and Tanveer Hasan, state president of the craftsmen cell Madan Sharma and state general secretary Nirala Yadav and state secretary Nirbhay Ambedkar, Singh told PTI. "A communication has been sent to the concerned officials in the district and police administration so that they cooperate with the team, which shall submit its report in three days", he added. Congress MLA Shakeel Ahmed Khan, who is among those named in the FIR lodged against top opposition leaders in connection with the bandh, expressed outrage over the Amirs death and demanded "speedy trial". "The incident raises a question mark over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's claim of good governance. Here is an 18-year- old boy, abducted by small-time thugs of his locality, who murder him and dump his body to a spot that is close to the office of the Deputy SP", Khan said. "We demand expeditious arrests of all the accused, investigation into any complicity on part of the police and a speedy trial so that all those who are guilty, directly or indirectly, are brought to justice", the MLA said. Police sources said on condition of anonymity that the accused had pounced upon Amir while he was raising anti-CAA, anti-NRC slogans. After dragging him to a secluded spot, the accused had apparently held him hostage for more than a day during which they subjected him to immense physical torture which included stabbing with sharp-edged objects, causing profuse bleeding and resulting in death, they said. Winning five major awards from Spain to Dublin for its hard-hitting account of the story of Peggy McCarthy, Conor Keane's Radio on One programme 'In Shame Love, In Shame' is officially one of the most successful documentaries ever produced by RTE. Conor's deft telling of the heart-rending tale impressed judges from near and far as the documentary toured the festival circuit. The five awards won by 'In Shame' were an Imro gold award; first prize at the Premios Ondas in Barcelona (described as Spain's Baftas); Best Radio Documentary in the Celtic Media Awards; first prize in the International Documentary Category at the 14th International Radio Festival of Iran; and winner of the Association of International Broadcasters (AIBs) award for Human interest in a radio/audio programme 2019. The documentary was also a finalist at the New York Festival's Radio Awards and short-listed for the Prix Italia, the Prix Europa 2019 and the Sandford St Martin Awards 2019 in London in an incredible international reception. It still seems scarcely believable that a young, unmarried woman in the throes of a catastrophic labour in 1946 was refused admission to Listowel Hospital and that her body was later refused entry to St Mary's Church - prompting a revolt by locals who forced the hand of the clergy. Suspected killers of Favour Daley-Oladele on Saturday narrated the gory details of how the final year Sociology student of Lagos State University (LASU) was gruesomely murdered for money rituals at Ikoyi-Ile in Osun. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three principal suspects gave the details after police detectives exhumed the victims dismembered body from a dry shallow well at Ikoyi-Ile. NAN reports that the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, led detectives from the Homicide Section of the command, during the exhumation operation. When the remains were exhumed, the head, the two breasts, neck and part of the two legs were no longer there. NAN recalls that the deceased was allegedly killed by a prophet, Segun Philip, 42, and her boyfriend, Adeeko Owolabi, 22, in Ikoyi-Ile, Osun, on Dec. 8, for money rituals. Mr Owolabis mother, Ruth, was also said to have played a role in the dastardly act. Mr Owolabi, also a graduate of LASU graduate, told journalists that he conspired with the prophet to murder her girlfriend for money rituals. According to him, he lured the deceased to Ikoyi-Ile and lodged her in a hotel before killing her. After I lodged her in a guest house, I took her to a house which I claimed to be my uncles house, knowing fully well that the place was a ritualists den. I smashed a pistol on her head and she collapsed. The prophet thereafter used a knife and cutlass to dismember her body which was divided into three parts breasts, head and legs with other vital parts. We buried the remaining part of her body beside Prophet Philips Church called Solution Salvation Chapel, while some vital parts were given to my mother to eat for spiritual cleansing, he said. Also speaking with journalists, Mr Philip, who claimed to be a prophet in Solution Salvation Chapel, said the deceased was murdered to make money rituals for Mr Owolabi. I am not a prophet but a herbalist who engages in spiritual cleansing for whosoever comes to my place. I used the Solution Salvation Chapel as a cover-up not to allow people know the true picture of who I am and what I do. Owolabi came to my place for money rituals and I told him that we need a complete human being for the rituals. And on December 8, he brought his girlfriend to my church and we killed her and as well dismembered her body part for money rituals. Mr Owolabis mother, who also spoke with journalists, said she was not aware that the concoction given to her to eat and the cream was made of human part. The police commissioner said detectives carried out an investigation to ascertain the actual place the deceased was buried, adding that the police would ensure that justice prevailed in the matter. He urged the people to be vigilant and always report any suspicious and unlawful act to the nearest police station, for a quick response. (NAN) BCN27) OAKLAND (BCN) Oakland City Councilwoman Sheng Thao said on Friday that she will engage with the community at the Montclair Farmers Market on Sunday in the wake of the death of a man who was chasing suspects who stole his laptop at a coffee shop in the Montclair district. "Nobody should feel unsafe walking around their neighborhood, working in a coffee shop or operating a business in Oakland," Thao said in a statement. "Oakland must prioritize its resources to not only protect its community but stop crimes before they happen," said Thao, whose District 4 seat includes the Montclair area. According to police, two suspects stole 34-year-old Shuo Zeng's laptop from him when he was sitting in a coffee shop in the 2000 block of Mountain Boulevard shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Zeng, a native of China who worked for Aspera, a software company in Emeryville, chased after the suspects but was injured when their getaway vehicle struck him and he died at a local hospital several hours later. The two suspects, who both have prior felony robbery charges, were charged and arraigned on Friday in connection with Zeng's death. Thao said she's taking the crime seriously and is working closely with the Oakland Police Department, the Montclair Village Association and other members of the community to find solutions to address crime. "The 2014 Oakland Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act, which is also known as Measure Z, allocates funding for geographic policing," Thao said. "I've seen that many officers are being taken away from their areas of policing for non-emergency special projects, such as homeless encampment cleanups." Thao said, "It's important to me that our limited police resources are used to protect and serve our communities. That is why I'll be bringing forward a policy directive that keeps an area's walking officer in their area of patrol so that no area is left without public safety patrol." She said the Oakland Police Department is working to fill staffing vacancies and she is urging the department to focus on local hiring to ensure better staff retention and a police force that's rooted in Oakland's communities and values. Thao said she will be at the Montclair Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday to engage with the community. Thao said she also will be holding a Public Safety Town Hall from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Montclair Presbyterian Church at 5701 Thornhill Drive. She said the town hall will include the area's police captain and his team, the Montclair Neighborhood Council and Daniel Swafford, executive director of the Montclair Village Association. "Oakland is a beautiful place to live but tragedies like this remind us of the work we have to make it safer," Thao said. "My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the victim and I am committed to finding solutions to this uptick in crime." Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A 60-year-old Heights man was arrested Friday morning after he was identified by a woman who said he exposed himself to her and her daughter near a bike trail, authorities said. Paul David Cole was arrested on a charge of indecent exposure, and was transported to the Harris County Jail for processing, said Kevin Quinn, Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office spokesman. Cole was identified by a woman who claimed the man on Dec. 22 followed her and her daughter while riding his bicycle and that as he approached her, she could see he was gratifying himself, according to Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office officials. The woman told authorities that she yelled at the man on the bicycle and that he fled. READ ALSO: 22-year-old charged with murder in stepfather's death According to investigators, the woman searched for registered sex offenders in the area and identified Cole as the man she saw. In a Dec. 22 post on Nextdoor, a neighborhood social networking site, a woman told neighbors that a man dressed all in black, "well-dressed definitely not homeless, riding his bike around Harvard/Cortland/Oxford" followed her and her daughter and then began exposing himself and making suggestive noises. But despite multiple reports on Nextdoor alleging that a man in the Heights was exposing himself, the agency received only two reports about the incident, Quinn said. All the other people on Nextdoor alleging indecent exposure by a man went either unreported or reported to another agency, he added. The Houston Police Department launched its own investigation, Quinn said, but could not provide further details. An HPD spokesman could not confirm the investigation. Officials said they are aware other residents "who have posted similarly about a man fitting Cole's description exposing himself during additional incidents in the Heights" and are working to determine whether Cole is responsible in those cases. Quinn said Cole is looking at at least one charge of indecent exposure but could face more. Cole was convicted of indecency with a child by exposure for an incident with a 10-year-old boy in 1977 and served probation, according to Galveston County court records. He was also convicted in 1994 of indecency with a child by exposure for an incident involving a 15-year-old boy, court records show. Im thankful our deputies were able to apprehend this suspect and ensure the safety of our neighborhoods, said Constable Alan Rosen. Im always so appreciative when the public and law enforcement work together to solve crimes. Indecent exposure is a class B misdemeanor and is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $2,000. The Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office is asking anyone with information on incidents of indecent exposure to come forward. Michelle Iracheta is a digital reporter in Houston. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | michelle.iracheta@chron.com The Congress Seva Dals depiction of Hindu Mahasabha leader and freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as a homosexual in relationship with Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse, has led to disquiet in the alliance running the Maharashtra government. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has asked ally Congress to withdraw the controversial booklet published for distribution among Seva Dal cadre. NCP minister and spokesperson Nawab Malik said it was wrong to make personal remarks on the late leader. You may have ideological differences with the person concerned. The Congress can criticise Savarkar over his ideology. However it should refrain from making personal remarks against him especially when he is not around, said Malik. The NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena are part of a political front, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which rules Maharashtra. The booklets alleged denigration of Savarkar has caused embarrassment to the Shiv Sena which revers Savarkar and advocates a Bharat Ratna for him. Savarkars grandson Ranjeet Savarkar demanded a ban on the booklet on Friday and sought action against the Seva Dal. The said booklet titled Veer Savarkar Kitney Veer (How brave was Savarkar?), cites a reference from the 1975 book, Freedom at Midnight by Larry and Dominique Lapierre, to contend that Godse had a physical relationship with his mentor, Savarkar, whom he had met when he was 18 years old. The book also projects Savarkar as anti-Muslim. The Congress grassroots organisation says the booklet only quotes facts and is part of literature meant to educate Seva Dal cadre. A controversy over Savarkar had also erupted last month when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi suggested that Savarkar was a turncoat. The Shiv Sena had then condemned his remark. The Maharashtra Congress has distanced itself from the comments made in the booklet. We do not support the contents of the booklet despite it being quoted from a book. We also not believe in such personal attacks, said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Heres a 2020 resolution: Stop eating at the same old restaurants youve been to a thousand times and try something new, gosh darnit. 2019 was a banner year for delicious openings around New Jersey serving up Greek food and ramen and jerk chicken, oh my. We asked the folks at Yelp to tell us which new spots are burning up with positive reviews. This list is based on the total number of reviews and star ratings for restaurants opened in 2019, according to the popular review site. Want more food and restaurant news? Enter your email address to be the first to know: Been to any of these places? Give us your review in the comments. Bloom, Verona What: A BYOB serving French and Korean inspired New American cuisine from two chefs who met while studying at the French Culinary Institute in New York. One Yelper says: This is a real gem of a restaurant in N.J., and the first French Korean restaurant Ive ever been to. My husband and I came here for an early dinner date, and had the smoked bone marrow (amazing, topped with kimchi for that touch of Jordan), shishito peppers (real tasty since they were fried), the lamb shank (good but as expected), and the pork belly (my personal favorite of the two entrees). Bucco, Bloomfield What: A new Italian BYOB from the owners of the former (and beloved) Buco in Clifton. One Yelper says: Great new restaurant in Bloomfield Center. Delicious Italian homemade specialties from appetizers, lunch, dinner to dessert. BYOB (liquor store around block delivers). On point service that makes you feel right at home. Cafe Peanut, Jersey City What: Salads, sandwiches, soups, pastries and artisan coffees and teas in Journal Square. One Yelper says: My husband and I love this place so much that we visited two days in a row for breakfast. This is a fantastic addition to JSQ, with great service and delicious food. Both visits I ordered the bacon egg and cheese on a croissant which is absolutely amazing highly recommend. Elsies, Haddon Township What: The deli that got famous for putting sandwiches on pickles instead of bread. One Yelper says: Delish. This place is awesome. Owner and staff are so sweet, friendly and fast. The sandwiches are so tasty and filling you dont miss the bread. Greek Spot the Restaurant, Red Bank What: A sit-down BYOB from the folks behind the beloved Ocean Township grocery store and cafe of the same name. One Yelper says: Amazing. New favorite restaurant. Had the spread platter for an appetizer with hummus, tzatziki, eggplant and taramasalata. Free pita and kalamata olives came out to start. Dinner was moussaka and pastitsio those are two dishes that take a lot of care and time to make right. They nailed both. Green Fusion, Ridgewood What: Inventive vegan dishes in a prime downtown location, and it's a BYOB. One Yelper says: If youre vegan or vegetarian there is no greater treat than being able to eat EVERYTHING on the menu. The food ranges from very good to phenomenal. They have a range of cuisine from Italian to Indian etc. Il Nido, Marlboro What: A fine-dining Italian spot (which has already scored five-stars on Yelp) in a beautiful space tucked inside a strip mall. Also, it's BYOB. One Yelper says: The veal chop, tagliatelle with ragu, octopus, calamari ripieni, and lobster/crab salad are top faves. And for dessert, the pistachio cake and the cannoli are amazing. Jessica's Cafe, Plainfield What: Wood-fired pizzas and surprisingly gourmet Italian and French dishes from an unassuming spot also its BYOB. One Yelper says: Wish the place was bigger, but the food is delicious. Had the meatballs for an appetizer and the pappardelle as an entree. My wife had the short rib. All were excellent choices. We have also had their pizzas and these were very good as well. Lyndhurst Jerk & Gyro Spot, Lyndhurst What: A casual counter-service spot serving up yummy Mediterranean and Caribbean fare. One Yelper says: Great spot. Good prices and portions are gigantic. Got the jerk chicken and ox tail and both were delicious. This place is a local gem! Merey Venezuelan Cuisine, Highland Park What: A family-owned BYOB and the first fully Venezuelan restaurant serving the Central Jersey area. One Yelper says: Nothing but love for this new discovery in Highland Park. Friend and I got there at 6 p.m. and hung out until past 9 p.m., loving both the vibe and the foods. The menu is extensive with open room for customization... basically they make lots of traditional items in any format you choose. Great for vegetarians or gluten-free. Olive & Ivy Mediterranean Kitchen, Eatontown What: Authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine from a husband and wife team who lived in Greece. Also, its BYOB. One Yelper says: Beautifully decorated restaurant, management and staff are super friendly, most importantly food is excellent! My favorites are the ikarian salad, fried calamari, and galaktobouriko!" Pren Kitchen, Chester What: A homey BYOB serving scratch made comfort food in downtown Chester. One Yelper says: Wow! This is now one of my new favorite brunch/lunch places! We ordered five plates of pulled pork, came with a bowl of mac n cheese, side of honey butternut squash and cornbread. Love the minimalist style decor and the food tastes so fresh. Service is superb. Rai Rai Ramen, Mount Laurel What: Another outpost of the rapidly expanding ramen chain this time in South Jersey. Try the spicy ramen or the ribeye ramen. One Yelper says: I have got to tell you, this place is FANTASTIC. Completely authentic, completely delicious ramen, as well as everything else we just tried two different soups and three different appetizers, and every single thing was wonderful. Theres always been a dearth of ramen options in this part of the state, but not anymore! The Twisted Tulip, Livingston What: Fancy artisanal coffee and tea made by expert baristas, plus fresh baked treats. One Yelper says: This cute coffee shop is really one of a kind. From the signature art on the drinks to the amazing baked goods. My wife and I were greeted by an amazing staff who are very kind and great at their craft. The barista Dee has won multiple barista competitions and is amazing at his job. My wife and I ordered two flat whites and two cappuccinos that really hit the spot. Their brownies are extra gooey and the macaroons were the best Ive had. Turf, Surf & Earth, Somerville What: A build-your-own fast-casual spot for the health conscious, with lots of vegan options. (Its a sister restaurant to Turf 'N Surf Burger Grill, a favorite in Warren.) One Yelper says: Ive been looking for places with more plant-based options and theyve definitely delivered. So much to choose from and you can make your own mix too. Had the fried chicken and it was great. Went with the buffalo style and it definitely satisfied my buffalo chicken salad craving Ive had basically since going vegetarian. Read more Missed our other new restaurant lists? Check them out here. The 23 new N.J. restaurants you need to try this fall The 28 hot new N.J. restaurants you need to try this summer The 29 new N.J. restaurants you need to try this spring The 31 newly opened N.J. restaurants you need to try right now Jessica Remo is a columnist and reporter on the features team. She may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The bodies of Iranian general Qassem Suleimani and others killed in a US drone strike will be taken on a funeral procession starting in Baghdad on Saturday ahead of a public farewell for the slain military leader in Tehran the following day. Fresh airstrikes against Iran-backed militiamen were reported in the Iraqi capital on Saturday morning as Iranian leaders declared Suleimanis targeted assassination outside Baghdad airport on Friday morning to be an act of war. The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of paramilitary groups, claimed five medics had been killed in the latest attack. But the US denied it had carried out any attacks and the Iraqi military later issued a statement saying that no attack had taken place. Hundreds of thousands of mourners are expected to turn out for the funeral processions in Baghdad on Saturday, further raising tensions in a city where US installations have already come under attack this week. The US state department has told its citizens to leave the city. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates After India, the US made 79 total requests in the first half of 2019 (for 255 user accounts), of which 68 were legal and 11 were emergency requests. (Photo Credit: File Photo) New Delhi: India made the highest number of requests for user information and content removal on short-video platform TikTok in the first half of 2019, ahead of countries like the US and Japan. According to the company's first transparency report, TikTok received 107 total requests (99 legal and 8 emergency) for 143 user accounts between January and June 2019 from India. It added that 47 per cent of requests saw some information being produced. In addition, TikTok received 11 government requests for 9 accounts, following which 8 accounts and 4 pieces of content were removed or restricted. After India, the US made 79 total requests in the first half of 2019 (for 255 user accounts), of which 68 were legal and 11 were emergency requests. TikTok received six government requests in the US and total accounts specified stood at seven in the said period. TikTok said like other tech companies, it was occasionally presented with requests from various official bodies, such as government agencies or law enforcement officials. "These include requests to take down content deemed to be in violation of local laws, or to provide information related to accounts under certain defined circumstances, such as to assist in a criminal investigation or emergency request," it added. Over the past few years, global tech giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have started bringing out transparency reports that share details on government and legal requests for user information. TikTok said any such request it receives is reviewed for legal sufficiency, to determine whether, for example, the requesting entity is authorised to gather evidence in connection with a law enforcement investigation or to investigate an emergency involving imminent harm. TikTok also reviews content removal requests from governments closely and evaluates the specified content in accordance with its community guidelines and local laws, it added. TikTok, which is owned by China-based ByteDance, is extremely popular among youngsters in India. However, it has had its share of troubles in the Indian market where it has 200 million users. Last year, the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. The order was later lifted and the app was back on app stores. Later, the Indian government issued notices to TikTok (and group company, Helo) along with a set of 24 questions regarding the alleged misuse of their platforms for "anti-national activities" in India. The company had responded to the notice. After the Nashik and Kolhapur district councils, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also lost the Beed district council election to the three Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) elected its party leaders to the post of president and vice president in Beed district council with the help of the Shiv Sena, Congress and three BJP rebel leaders. While the NCP won 23 seats against BJPs 17, it got help from Senas four seats and Congresss two seats. The loss of Beed district council is yet another defeat for former BJP minister and Other Backward Class (OBC) leader Pankaja Munde, who lost the seat to her cousin and rival Dhananjay Munde from the NCP in the Assembly polls. Pankaja had earlier tweeted that the impact of the MVA coalition at the state level was evident in Beed. In her tweet she said, Last night itself, Sena leaders expressed helplessness to support us. We will contest the polls as a part of the democratic process, but the verdict is clear. The BJP has, however, managed to retain Jalgaon district council after its two main warring leaders Eknath Khadse and Girish Mahajan worked together. . WYOMING, MI The Godrey-Lee Board of Education is backing legislation to change state law to issue drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants. Superintendent Kevin Polston said school leaders have first-hand knowledge of the impact the inability to acquire a drivers license is having on their student families and the community. He said 75 percent of the school districts 1,850 students are Hispanic or Latino. Even if we didnt serve this population of students, we would support the legislation because it is the right thing to do for human dignity and safety,'' Polston said. This shouldnt be partisan issue. The resolution that passed unanimously December 13 urges lawmakers to support Senate Bills 631 and 632 and House Bills 5192 and 5193 that would allow immigrants to more easily integrate into their communities and benefit all Michiganders. As a Board of Education, we cite health, safety, dignity, and quality of life issues supporting this measure, according to the resolution. The resolution outlines what issuing the drivers licenses and state identification cards would do including: Support the economic health and safety of our students. Be a gateway to employment to help parents secure their families economically. Allow undocumented persons to purchase cars and insurance, generating economic activity and improving road safety. Give parents the opportunity to volunteer at their childs school, attend after-school programs, and extracurricular events. Godfrey-Lee is the second Kent County school district to take formal action in favor of the licenses. In November, the Grand Rapids Board of Education approved a legislative policy position that supports undocumented immigrants being able obtain drivers licenses. The district cited many of the same reasons as Godfrey-Lee. Hispanics/Latinos represent the district of more than 15,000 students largest population at 37 percent, according to 2018-19 data. The Grand Rapids school boards action came on the heels of the Grand Rapids City Commissions October letter in support of licenses. City and school leaders did not cite specific bills in their measures. Democratic state lawmakers, including Sen. Winnie Brink, D-Grand Rapids and Rep. Rachel Hood, D-Grand Rapids, introduced their legislation after both the school district and city voted. Godfrey-Lees resolution specifically references those bills in Drive SAFE, short for Safety, Access, Freedom, and the Economy. The legislation would let any resident who meets age requirements and can prove Michigan residency obtain a state identification card or apply for a drivers license, including immigrants living in Michigan without legal permission. But changing state law will be an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled state legislature. Republicans in both the House and Senate have said repeatedly that state and local governments shouldnt be able to hinder enforcement of federal immigration law. Michigan allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain licenses until 2008. In 2007, former Republican Attorney General Mike Cox issued an opinion saying undocumented immigrants could not obtain drivers licenses, reversing a previous 1995 opinion. Lawmakers then passed a law banning them from getting licenses. Twelve states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a drivers licenses. Democrats say the change would allow undocumented residents to contribute even more to Michigans economy. Immigrants contribute more than $3.3 billion to the Kent County economy alone, and foreign-born workers would have the potential to contribute even more to our communities if eligible for a state identification card, said Brinks, who introduced SB 632, in a post on her website following the Drive SAFE plan announcement. Foreign-born entrepreneurs own and operate businesses of all kinds, and nearly half of the workers in our agriculture industry are immigrants. Its time we make this change for the sake of our communities and their families. As of Dec. 24, Grand Rapids schools had been the only school district to take a formal position on the licenses, according to data from the Michigan League of Public Policy. City leaders in Detroit and Kalamazoo have passed resolutions in support of licenses as well as county leaders in Kalamazoo, Washtenaw and Oakland. BJP Working President J P Nadda Saturday said senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has no knowledge about the Citizenship Amendment Act and challenged him to speak "ten lines" on it. Nadda threw the challenge at Rahul Gandhi at a mammoth rally here of booth-level presidents of BJP in Assam. "I challenge Rahul Gandhi to speak ten lines about the CAA and say in two lines what he opposes in the Act," said the BJP leader. "He (Rahul) does not know anything. He tells people they will be deprived of their passports and Aadhaar cards. But the CAA is for giving and not taking away citizenship," Nadda said. "There is fault in your (Gandhi's) thinking as you are inspired only by You don't see the nation, but see only votebank which you put above the nation. For BJP, the country is above vote as we are inspired by love for the nation," he asserted. Nadda accused Congress leadership of shedding crocodile tears in the name of opposing CAA. "Your (Sonia Gandhi) son (Rahul) does not make statements in Parliament but instead gives slogans. You send him there to speak, but he does not. I take pity on the party and its leadership's mental ability". Keeping up his attack on the Congress, the BJP working president said "The Assam Accord was signed in 1985 and you slept till 2017 despite ruling the country for 70 year. You even had a chief minister here. But BJP came and woke you. You are in pain because the chair was taken away from you", Nadda said. He also challenged the Congress leaders to go to the camps where non-Muslims who fled Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh due to religious persecution in those countries are staying to see for themselves their condition. The BJP working president referred to Mahatma Gandhi saying shelter should be given to such persecuted people in India, followed by prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanting to give relief funds to them and former prime minister Manmohan Singh saying arrangements be made for them in India. "Where will these people who fled to India go? Narendra Modi and Amit Shah brought the amendment in the Act to allow them to live with dignity and honour", Nadda said. The BJP leader sought to allay the fears of the people of Assam that CAA will threaten their language, identity and culture. He said when the amended act is implemented, clause 6 of Assam Accord granting them constitutional safeguard will be implemented in letter and spirit as it will be "the responsibility of BJP to do so". BJP leader Ram Madhav, who too spoke at the programme, said that those who oppose the CAA do not understand it fully, while others don't want to. He accused the Congress of instigating people with lies and false propaganda about the amended act and said that BJP workers have the responsibility to remove those fears. He assured the people that CAA will never harm their interests but safeguard them. Claiming that the Congress has been spreading false alarm that crores of Bangladeshis will come to Assam due to CAA, he assured that no new immigrants will enter the state and citizenship will be granted to those who are already here after fleeing their countries due to religious persecution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump speaks to members of the U.S. military as First Lady Melania Trump looks on during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, Dec. 26, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Report of Attack on Al Asad Air Base in Iraq Is False: US Military A report that Al Asad Air Base in Iraq was attacked is not true, the U.S. military said. A United States Central Command spokesman told The Epoch Times: That report is false. The commander of the Iraqi army 7th division also told the Washington Post that the report was false, according to a journalist at the Posts Baghdad Bureau. Al Asad is the largest U.S. base in Iraq. The base was expanded in 2016 as the United States ramped up operations to target the ISIS terrorist group. The report appeared to originate from Mizan, an Iranian outlet connected with the judiciary, NIA Council Senior Research Analyst Sina Toosi said on Twitter. Various Iranian outlets appeared to copy and paste the original report. The unconfirmed report was boosted by Farnaz Fassihi, a New York Times reporter, who later said that the information was false. She initially cited Telegram channels used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in reporting that ballistic missiles hit the base, causing massive explosions. Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and deployed in support of Combined Joint Task ForceOperation Inherent Resolve rush to a berm to establish a hasty fighting position during a live-fire training exercise near Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Sept. 26, 2018. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Leland White) National security adviser John Bolton (L) listens as President Donald Trump speaks to members of the military during a trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, on Dec. 26, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Strategic Sentinel, a national security analysis group, said that Fassihis Twitter post helped give the report credibility. Thats why its so important to questions news coming out of this region and not play victim to those who are trying to incite fear and a response to their benefit, it said. The airbase was expanded in 2016 as the U.S. ramped up operations to target ISIS. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited there on Dec. 26, 2018, and Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence visited there for Thanksgiving in 2019. The base, also known as Ain al-Asad or Ayn al-Asad, is located about 111 miles west of Baghdad, where the United States took out Qassem Soleimani, commander of the corps Quds Force, overnight on Jan. 3 near Baghdad International Airport, prompting vows of revenge from Iranian leaders. A Severe Revenge awaits the criminals who have stained their hands with his and the other martyrs blood last night. Martyr Soleimani is an international figure of Resistance, and all such people will seek revenge, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said. Trump said Friday afternoon that Soleimani was planning imminent and sinister attacks. But we caught him in the act and terminated him, he said. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. BAGHDAD - The mourners came by the thousands on Saturday, flooding the streets of a city that is no stranger to violence. But this time, there was a different edge. The fear was more acute, the potential repercussions more ominous. Iraq's funeral procession for Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian commander killed in a U.S. airstrike on Friday, started early and lasted hours. Men in Baghdad wept openly near his coffin, and - like leaders in Iran - vowed revenge for his death. The attack has shaken Iraq, sharpening long-standing fears that the country's soil will become home, again, for a bloody shadow war between Washington and Tehran. For many caught in between, Baghdad now carries echoes of the uncertainties that preceded the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Iraq's powerful Shiite militias are aligned with Iran against U.S. forces and, at times, against their Iraqi allies as well. More than any other nation, Iraq has for years been the staging ground for tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and the United States. Other than Soleimani's funeral procession, the streets of Baghdad were nearly deserted. Iraqis stayed home, watched the news and prayed that, this time, they would be spared. But the chants from the funeral cortege signaled looming confrontation. "Death to America! Death to Israel!" mourners cried, following the bodies of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a powerful Iraqi militia leader. "We will take our revenge!" Mourners waved Iraqi flags and the banners of paramilitary forces backed by Iran and known collectively as the Hashd al-Shaabi. As the mourners set out from the Baghdad neighborhood of Kadhimiyah, officials from Iraq and Iran, along with militia leaders, were seen making their way through the throngs flanked by guards. Iran has vowed to retaliate against the United States for the killing of Soleimani, Tehran's most powerful military commander, and the Trump administration has said it is sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East. The confrontation has left the region bracing for a sharp escalation of violence - with Iraq possibly at the center of the storm. Within the past week, Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone was the site of chaos, as supporters of an Iran-backed militia surrounded the U.S. Embassy and pelted it with rocks and flaming gasoline bombs. On Saturday, the area was locked down. The country's elite counterterrorism forces fanned out in black vehicles down the four-square-mile strip of land along the Tigris River. At the U.S. Embassy, Marines stood guard on the rooftops, two diplomatic officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss security issues. "There's no smiling," one military official said. U.S. helicopters circled above the Green Zone. Several miles away at Soleimani's funeral, Iraqi helicopters did the same, monitoring the area and scanning for threats. In southern Iraq, oil companies said that American citizens had packed their bags and left. As night fell, officials in the Green Zone and at Balad air base, north of the capital, reported that at least one rocket had landed near each facility. Iran-backed militias have been attacking U.S.-supported forces for months. U.S. officials said the catalyst for the drone strike on Soleimani's two-car convoy was a rocket attack in Kirkuk; it killed an American contractor there and wounded several others. A spokesman for the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State said Saturday that it had "increased security and defensive measures at the Iraqi bases that host anti-ISIS coalition troops. Our command places protection of U.S. forces, as well as our allies and security partners in the coalition, as the top priority; we remain vigilant and resolute." One State Department official serving at the embassy described the atmosphere as "surreal" as the skeleton crew of U.S. officials working in the compound tried to stay productive amid the heightened security threat. The embassy has been operating with fewer people since May when non-emergency personnel were ordered to depart because of specific but unnamed threats. The staffing situation was worsened by the holidays as diplomats left for the United States and now cannot return because of the security risks. Many officials at the embassy remain busy with diplomatic duties, especially given the absence of local staff. Diplomats are dipping into their own supplies of liquor and wine, said two officials in Baghdad who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. One senior administration official said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has no plan to evacuate the embassy at this point, given his view that the work of U.S. diplomats in the country is more important than ever and concerns that a mass exit would be viewed as a retreat in the face of Iranian intimidation. NATO, which has several hundred workers in Iraq, said Saturday that it has temporarily suspended its training of Iraqi forces to counter the Islamic State, according to Dylan White, an organization spokesman. "The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary," he said in an emailed statement. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The Pentagon said Friday that it was preparing to deploy an additional 3,500 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the region. According to two defense officials, the military also has put hundreds of soldiers from the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy on alert for potential deployment. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a security spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, said authorities were investigating crew members who were on the aircraft that brought Soleimani to Baghdad - reportedly from Damascus - apparently to determine how the United States had learned of the Iranian commander's whereabouts. Khalaf, speaking to Iraq's state news agency, reiterated that U.S. forces are not allowed to conduct military operations in Iraq without the approval of the prime minister, and he hinted that their future in the country is in doubt. "We have alternatives to train our armed forces," Khalaf said. As the heavily guarded procession made its way through Jadriyah, in central Baghdad, trailed by residents and soldiers, cars outfitted with loudspeakers provided a soundtrack that mixed political commentary and angry slogans. When the funeral convoy stopped for a moment, a man was seen clutching the side of a flatbed truck and weeping, seemingly oblivious to the cacophony around him. "America will pay a heavy price!" one man yelled. Iraq's parliament, he said, should expel U.S. forces. Another man in the crowd disagreed. The Americans should stay in Iraq, he thought, "so we can bury them here." - - - Loveluck reported from Beirut and Fahim from Istanbul. The Washington Post's Missy Ryan and John Hudson in Washington contributed to this report. B ritons will enjoy a cold and bright weekend but will be hit with 80mph winds and rain next week, experts have said. After a weekend of mostly dry and average temperatures, particularly in the south east of England, Tuesday will bring about "strengthening of wind" the Met Office said. The north east of England around Leeds, Middlesbrough and Newcastle, has been issued with a yellow weather warning and parts of Scotland could experience gusts of up to 80mph. There will also be a heavy wall of rain blowing in from the west and moving across the UK, metrologists predict. Strong gusts of wind are headed to the UK / PA A Met Office forecaster said: "Rain will affect northern Scotland this weekend but many other areas will be dry but into next week all of us will see some rain and strengthening winds. "The strongest winds will be across Scotland with gusts between 60 and 70 mph and exposed coast could have gusts of up to 80mph." The weather warning expires at 9pm on Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to remain in single digits on the mercury across the UK throughout the week with experts predicting mild climate conditions. "By Tuesday it will be colder but even then it is what you would expect for this time of year," said forecaster Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna. He's been dubbed the worlds sexiest man thanks to his portrayal of the Hot Priest in the hit BBC comedy Fleabag. But it seems that even someone as dashingly handsome as Andrew Scott sometimes has to resort to a smartphone app to secure a date. Last week, Andrew accepted the offer of a night out with a new man at a bar in Vauxhall, South London, after posting a shirtless picture of himself on Grindr. I have a copy of the picture and while Andrew is not naked, it is a little too racy to use here but lets just say hes not called the Hot Priest for nothing! He's been dubbed the worlds sexiest man thanks to his portrayal of the Hot Priest in the hit BBC comedy Fleabag. But it seems that even someone as dashingly handsome as Andrew Scott sometimes has to resort to a smartphone app to secure a date. (Above, Andrew with the shows creator, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, last September) Last week, Andrew (left, in his Hot Priest role) accepted the offer of a night out with a new man at a bar in Vauxhall, South London, after posting a shirtless picture of himself on Grindr. I have a copy of the picture and while Andrew is not naked, it is a little too racy to use here but lets just say hes not called the Hot Priest for nothing! The 42-year-old Dubliner had previously been in a decade-long relationship with playwright and screenwriter Stephen Beresford, but Andrew admitted in a newspaper interview last year that the couple had split and he was now living alone. And in the most recent episode of How To Fail, the podcast of You magazine columnist Elizabeth Day, he said: Sometimes having casual sex with people is what you need to do. Its really important You learn from people. Its not about the length of time you spend with somebody. He added: My life is different now. I feel like my attitude towards relationships and my attitude towards myself and sexuality and all that stuff has changed, and that came about from having the courage to be on my own for a bit, quite a scary thing to do. At the Golden Globes in Hollywood tonight, Andrew (above, in Fleabag) has been nominated for best supporting actor in a TV series, while Phoebe is hoping to see off rivals Kirsten Dunst and Rachel Brosnahan to walk away with the best TV comedy actress trophy. Fleabag is up for the best TV comedy award In his most recent TV role, Andrew plays the priest who falls in love with Fleabag (pictured together) - the dysfunctional heroine played by Phoebe When I lived on my own for the first time, I found it really difficult and it was a very sad time in my life. I feel proud that Ive spent time by myself because it certainly wasnt easy. Andrew shot to fame playing Moriarty, the evil genius and arch-enemy of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC drama Sherlock. He also enjoyed a critically acclaimed West End run as Hamlet. In his most recent TV role, he plays the priest who falls in love with Fleabag, the dysfunctional heroine played by the shows creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Andrew and Phoebe are due to attend the star-studded Golden Globes in Hollywood tonight, hosted by Ricky Gervais. Andrew has been nominated for best supporting actor in a TV series, while Phoebe is hoping to see off rivals Kirsten Dunst and Rachel Brosnahan to walk away with the best TV comedy actress trophy. Fleabag is up for the best TV comedy award. Andrew shot to fame playing Moriarty, the evil genius and arch-enemy of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC drama Sherlock (above, with Benedict Cumberbatch as the consulting detective) The once-notorious restaurant-trashing Bullingdon Club has become so unpopular with todays woke students at Oxford University that it has had to start recruiting members from the poly next door. The Buller Boys which once counted Boris Johnson and David Cameron among their number have always been sniffy about Oxford Brookes, even though it converted from a poly to a university in 1992. Now any remaining proper Oxford members will have to swallow their pride to keep numbers up! Now Take That's Jason is consigned to history TV historian Professor Kate Williams may know a lot about the past but shes clueless on one historical subject: pop stars of the late-20th Century. Kate says: A man came up to me in a coffee shop and said, Hi, dont you do history on TV? He had a lot of interesting questions about Versailles. After we finished chatting about it, he said, Do you mind people coming up to you? I was in a band, so I know what its like. Clueless about pop stars of the late-20th Century: TV historian Professor Kate Williams (left) was in a coffee shop when a man came over to chat to her about Versailles. He later revealed that he used to be in a band - and she asked which one. Charlotte Griffiths reckons the man was none other than Jason Orange (right) I asked which band and he said he had once been in Take That. After recovering from my dead faint, I then talked excitedly at him about Take That and was possibly a bit much. Kate, 41, didnt reveal the mans identity but my bet is that it was Jason Orange - the more low-key of Take Thats former members. The other is Robbie Williams - and Kate would have realised who he was a lot sooner... he would surely have name-dropped himself into the conversation much earlier! Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 03:22:01|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CHICAGO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures closed mostly lower in the first week of 2020 amid massive fund selling to lock in profits, following significant yearly gains across the board. Thanks to the progress in the U.S.-China trade talks and a new North American trade agreement toward the end of 2019, CBOT crop prices climbed sharply year on year. Expectations for revived or even more export sales pushed corn futures up 8.2 percent in 2019, while wheat was up 11.03 percent and soybeans up 6.76 percent. However, ensuing profit taking at the end of the first trading week in 2020 dragged down crop prices. The most active corn contract for March delivery fell 3.5 cents weekly, or 0.9 percent, to 3.865 U.S. dollars per bushel. March wheat went down 1.75 cents, or 0.31 percent, to 5.545 dollars per bushel, while March soybeans pared early gains and ended flat at 9.415 dollars per bushel. CBOT soybeans were uplifted in December 2019, as the United States and China agreed on the text of a phase-one economic and trade agreement. U.S. farmers and investors now hope the progress will ease trade tensions between the two economic giants and lead to more U.S. crop sales to China. "The imminent signing of the U.S.-China Phase One agreement is bullish into the first quarter of 2020," Chicago-based agricultural research firm AgResource wrote in a commentary. Soybean futures traded in the positive territory through much of the New Year's Day shortened trading week, but fell on Friday over profit taking. CBOT wheat and corn futures suffered late-week losses as well. Rising tensions in the Middle East following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general not only led to the fall of U.S. stock benchmarks, but also pressured CBOT crop futures, said market watchers. Geopolitical uncertainty contributed to massive selling. CBOT brokers estimated that funds on Friday alone sold 7,000 contracts of soybeans, 5,500 contracts of corn, and 4,300 contracts of wheat. Downbeat weekly export sales added pressure on CBOT futures. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported on Friday "marketing-year low" soybean export sales for the period Dec. 20-26. The net soybean sales of 330,300 metric tons for 2019/20 marketing year were down 55 percent from the previous week and 66 percent from the prior four-week average, according to USDA data. The USDA pegged net wheat sales at 312,900 metric tons for 2019/20 marketing year, down 56 percent from the previous week and 46 percent from the prior four-week average. Net corn export sales during the same period reached 531,400 metric tons for 2019/20, down 15 percent from the previous week and 43 percent from the prior four-week average. Now market participants are awaiting the first USDA agricultural supply and demand estimates report in 2020, which is expected to be released on Jan. 10. Colleagues and friends of RTE broadcaster Marian Finucane have told how her sudden death is still hard to believe. The radio presenter passed away on Thursday at the age of 69. Colleagues said she died in her sleep. She hosted weekend programmes on RTE Radio 1 for almost two decades and was the first presenter of the popular Liveline programme. Tom McGuire, head of RTE Radio 1, said he learned of Ms Finucane's passing after her husband John Clarke returned missed calls made to her mobile by co-workers on Thursday. "She had a holiday in India where she had a friend's wedding. She had been looking forward to it all through last year. We were looking forward to having her back on air tomorrow morning," he told Sean O'Rourke on RTE Radio 1 yesterday. "The normal process in that would be a check-call to go through the plan for the programme on Thursday afternoon. "That was made around 3pm, and there was no reply from Marian's mobile. "We didn't think anything untoward at the time and that we'd check back later. "Then the call was repeated some time after 3.30pm. "Her dear husband John answered Marian's phone. It was then we discovered Marian had died in her sleep. It's just still unbelievable." Expand Close A woman signs a book of condolence at RTE Radio Centre in Donnybrook, Dublin, for broadcaster Marian Finucane PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A woman signs a book of condolence at RTE Radio Centre in Donnybrook, Dublin, for broadcaster Marian Finucane He said Ms Finucane shared a "closer bond" with her show's colleagues. "Monday to Friday you've got other colleagues, you've got a bank of knowledge that can share. Saturday morning there's less support there. I think that probably meant that there's a closer bond within the programme team," he said. The Marian Finucane Show will be presented by Rachael English this morning and by Brendan O'Connor tomorrow morning. The special two-hour programme will feature tributes from friends and colleagues and will reflect on some highlights from Ms Finucane's broadcasting career. Meanwhile, fans and friends visited RTE's radio centre to sign a book of condolences for Ms Finucane yesterday. Irish fashion designer Helen Steele said she grew up listening to Ms Finucane on the radio. She said: "I'm here to sign the book of condolence. "Marian Finucane was an incredible inspiration to so many women my age. We grew up with her on the radio. "She was a very brave and incredibly honest, intelligent journalist, who really, I thought, fought for the rights of women, and brought that to the media's attention. "She was also incredible during the time of the peace protest. She was an incredible woman, and may she rest in peace." Director of content Jim Jennings said that Ms Finucane's passing is a "huge loss" to staff at RTE. "Marian has been a stalwart in the mainstay of our schedules for decades," he said. "Coming off the back of Gay Byrne's bereavement (in early November), it's a huge loss to all the staff here who worked with her and knew her very well. "It's a very sad time for her husband John and her son Jack and her family. "It's also a very sad time for everyone who had worked with her. "Our thoughts are with her friends, her family and her colleagues." WHITESBORO, N.Y. Whitesboro residents are banding together by signing a petition in support of a bill that would create a home buyout program for residents in flood-prone areas of the state. People gathered at the Whitesboro Village Office from 3:30 7:30 p.m. Friday to sign the petition. "The purpose of the petition is to organize our neighborhood because everyone in our neighborhood has been so devastated by this most recent flood. We wanted to do something to reach out and support our neighborhood and the people that we care about in our community, said Steven Monstrose, a Whitesboro resident. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Joe Griffo and Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, would allow local governments to designate floodplains, and offer buyouts to residents through the Urban Development Corporation. Montrose is asking for flood victims to write letters telling their story, including how the floods affected their lives, homes and vehicles, as well as the estimated cost of the damage. People are also encouraged to add damages incurred from previous floods. The letter should be addressed To Whom it May Concern, and should include a request for immediate help. The letters can be sent to: Steve Montrose 10 Dunham Pl. Whitesboro, NY 13492 U.S. Killing Of Iranian Commander Sparks Global Concern By RFE/RL January 03, 2020 The U.S. assassination of a top Iranian military commander in Iraq has sparked statements of concern from around the world as countries brace for fallout from one of the most serious Iran-U.S. escalations in decades. Tehran responded with threats of reprisals after the United States announced that it had targeted Qasem Soleimani, the longtime head of an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) known as the Quds Force, in an air strike outside the Iraqi capital on January 3. The attack also reportedly killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a deputy commander of the Iran-backed Hashd Shaabi militia in Iraq. "The cycle of violence, provocations and retaliations which we have witnessed In Iraq over the past few weeks has to stop. Further escalation must be avoided at all cost," European Council President Charles Michel said in a statement. His words were echoed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said in a statement that this is a moment in which leaders "must exercise maximum restraint." "The world cannot afford another war in the Gulf," he warned. Russia and China, which along with European powers have sought to keep a 4-year-old nuclear deal with Tehran alive since Washington withdrew in 2018, were quick to warn against military intervention to resolve disputes. Beijing decried "the use of force in international relations" and said Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, according to the AFP news agency. "We urge the relevant sides, especially the United States, to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalating tensions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on January 3. Russia, which has pursued closer ties with Tehran as U.S.-Iranian tensions mounted, called the U.S. killing of Soleimani "reckless." Moscow and Tehran have backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his years-long war against radical Sunni Islamists and other foes of his government in Damascus, and each has historically eyed Turkish regional influence warily. Soleimani was widely regarded as an architect of Assad's war against the rebels in Syria. "We regard the killing of Soleimani as a result of an American missile strike on the outskirts of Baghdad as a reckless step which could lead to a growth of tensions across the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said, according to Interfax. 'A More Dangerous World' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in a Facebook post criticized U.S. actions in the UN Security Council before commenting on the Soleimani killing, saying that "in addition to the escalation of tensions in the region, which will surely hit millions of people, it will not lead to anything." In a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Macron said there should be no "new dangerous escalation of tensions" and "called on all the parties to act with restraint," the French presidency said. NATO member Turkey said via a Foreign Ministry statement that it was "deeply concerned about the escalating U.S.-Iranian tension" and said the U.S. operation "will increase the insecurity and instability in the region." Ankara urged "all parties to act in common sense and sobriety, to avoid unilateral steps that would jeopardize the peace and stability of our region and to prioritize diplomacy." French Junior Foreign Minister Amelie de Montchalin told RTL radio that "We have woken up to a more dangerous world." Tensions between the United States and Iran have mounted since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which traded curbs on Iran's nuclear activities for relief from international sanctions. Trump's administration has called the pullout and resulting sanctions part of a "maximum pressure" policy on Iran that also included the designation of the Quds Force as a "foreign terrorist organization." U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also urged "all parties to de-escalate." "Further conflict is in none of our interests," he said in a statement on January 3, adding that Britain had recognized the "aggressive threat" posed by the Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership. U.K. bases in the Middle East have increased their security and readiness, a Defense Ministry spokesman was quoted by Reuters as saying. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted later on January 3 that he had spoken to Raab and was "thankful that our allies recognize the continuing aggressive threats posed by the Iranian Quds Force." He also said the United States "remains committed to de-escalation." Pompeo later on January 3 spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Pompeo stressed to Lavrov that the United States "remains committed to de-escalation," according to the U.S. State Department. Lavrov, however, told Pompeo the killing of Soleimani would lead to fresh escalation and have "grave consequences for regional peace and stability," according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a trip to Greece following news of the Soleimani killing to follow "ongoing developments," his office said. Israel regards Iran's Quds Force as the prime mover behind a network of anti-Israeli foes and has targeted the Iranian unit's presence in Syria on several occasions. "Just as Israel has the right of self-defense, the United States has exactly the same right. Qasem Soleimani is responsible for the death of American citizens and many other innocent people. He was planning more such attacks," Netanyahu later tweeted. 'Criminal Assassins' Hizballah, the Lebanon-based Shi'ite group that was founded with Iranian help in the 1980s, called on a "resistance" around the world to avenge Soleimani's death, AFP reported. "Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins...will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide," said the group, which remains heavily reliant on Iranian military and financial support. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of "severe retaliation" against the "criminals" who killed Soleimani, who had led efforts to help Syrian and Iranian troops beat back anti-government forces in both those countries, including Islamic State (IS) militants. Soleimani, whom analysts saw as Iran's real power broker when it came to policies of war and peace, had visited Baghdad regularly to meet with senior Iraqi officials and is thought to be the force behind the rise of pro-Iranian paramilitaries in Iraq. Multiple U.S. reports in the past week have quoted unnamed officials suggesting that Iran was orchestrating recent attacks on Iraqi bases that house U.S. troops. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abbas Musavi, denied any Iranian role and called such allegations "a blatant insult to the people of Iraq." On January 3, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi called the U.S. strike "an outrageous breach of the conditions for the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq." "Carrying out liquidation operations against Iraqi leadership figures on Iraqi soil is a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty, a blatant attack on the dignity of the country, and a dangerous escalation that could ignite a devastating war in Iraq, the region, and the world," he said. Abdul-Mahdi resigned last month amid public protests over government failures and concern at perceived Iranian influence in Iraq, as well as at the political system put in place after the U.S.-led coalition ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003, but he has stayed on atop a caretaker government. With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/khamenei-iran- retaliation-for-soleimani-killing- global-concern/30358274.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PARIS/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Louis Vuitton, the world's biggest luxury goods brand by sales, is preparing to shut one of its shops in Hong Kong where protests have hit demand as high rental costs bite, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported on Friday. The handbag firm plans to close its store in the Times Square mall, the paper said, citing sources close to the matter. The company says on its website it has eight shops in Hong Kong. The newspaper said the decision to close the shop came after the company failed to reach an agreement with its landlord to cut the rent in the mall outlet. Wharf Holdings, the shopping center's owner and Vuitton did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Vuitton's parent group LVMH , the Paris-based conglomerate behind other fashion brands like Christian Dior and Hennessy cognac, declined to comment. High-end fashion labels have hunkered down in Hong Kong since anti-government demonstrations escalated in June, hoping the turmoil would ease in one of the world's top shopping destinations. Until now, the luxury brands had only shut stores in Hong Kong temporarily when protests flared. Hong Kong has long drawn numerous tourists from the Chinese mainland who pick up luxury cosmetics, accessories and clothing at slightly lower prices than at home. But as the protests dragged on, tourist arrivals have slumped and losses began to trickle through to third-quarter earnings. Hong Kong's retail sales fell 23.6% from a year earlier in November to HK$30 billion ($3.85 billion), government data showed on Friday, in the tenth consecutive month of declines. The protests have spilled into 2020, with some 400 people arrested in New Year's Day demonstrations when a pro-democracy march descended into chaos. Some brands are weighing up redirecting some of their investments elsewhere, including to the Chinese mainland and other parts of Asia where many have managed to make up for lost sales in Hong Kong. Story continues Executives at LVMH and its rivals like puffer jacket maker Moncler or Gucci-owner Kering have said they were trying to renegotiate notoriously high rents in Hong Kong as one way of mitigating the hit to operating margins. But the brands are likely to have to contemplate a larger retreat from Hong Kong in the longer term, where some have too many shops, consultancy Bain said in November. HSBC <0005.HK> will suspend overnight services at 19 ATM clusters in Hong Kong on weekends and public holidays, the bank said on Friday, two days after its branches and ATMs were targeted during protests. (Reporting by Sarah White and Donny Kwok; Editing by Robert Birsel) RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday gave a call to oust Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from power in Bihar in 2020, while mounting a scathing attack on the JD(U) government for its 'misrule' Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday gave a call to oust Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from power in Bihar in 2020, while mounting a scathing attack on the JD(U) government for its "misrule". The former chief minister, who is lodged in a Ranchi jail in connection with fodder scam cases, also said the Central Government has given "zero" to the dispensation in Bihar, referring to a recent NITI Aayog report. "'Do Hazar Bees, Hatao Nitish' (Oust Nitish from power in 2020)," Prasad wrote on Twitter, amid a recent war of words through posters between his party and the JD(U). Prasad flayed the state government for being a "big failure" in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index report released by the Niti Aayog on December 30 last year. "Both Niti Aayog and the central government have given zero to Nitish's misrule by declaring it (Bihar) as the worst in the country," the RJD boss claimed. Kerala emerged as number one while Bihar was adjudged as the worst performer in Niti Aayog's SDG India Index 2019 which evaluates the progress of states and union territories on social, economic and environmental parameters. "Please get your account of 15 years (of development) checked with them also. Will you do something or fight it out only through posters?" he tweeted. The JD(U) had on Thursday come up with a poster depicting the erstwhile Lalu-Rabri (Devi) regime as one with "broken roads, students studying in lantern light, bloodshed and people holding guns". The poster, however, highlighted the "developmental work" of the state government and its "corruption-free" image. The RJD shot back with its own version, which alleged scams and poor governance by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). "One (the Nitish Kumar government) should not insist on flying when one does not have wings, as you will only get hurt," Prasad's tweet added. Assembly elections are due in Bihar later this year. A transgender taxi driver who was also active in his local LGBTQ community was found shot dead behind the wheel of his car in Oklahoma earlier this week. Dustin Parker, 25, was found dead behind the wheel of his taxi in McAlester on Wednesday, according to authorities. Police say Parker was shot dead just after 6.30am on New Years Day. Guy is out making a living for his family, doing his job, no different than me and you are doing today, McAlester Police Captain Kevin Hearod told KFSM-TV. Police are currently searching for a suspect. Investigators say they do not know the motive for the shooting, according to ABC News. Dustin Parker, 25, was found dead behind the wheel of his taxi in McAlester on Wednesday, according to authorities Police say Parker was shot dead just after 6:30am on New Years Day Investigators are seen above at the crime scene in McAlester on Wednesday - hours after Parker's body was found Parker is believed to be the first transgender person killed in 2020, according to the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. Last year, at least 25 trans or gender non-conforming people were killed in the United States, according to HRC. Parker was an employee of the Rover Taxi cab company. He was shot and killed just hours after his company offered customers free rides home on New Years Eve to keep people safe. The firms owner, Brian West, told ABC News that Parkers loss has been devastating to the community. He was a bright, young individual with a lot of potential, West told ABC News. He could light up a room. He knew everybody, everybody knew him. He just, I think, he touched a lot of lives in our community. Parker was known to the LGBTQ community in McAlester, a city with a population of about 18,000 people. It lies about 130 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. Parker was known to the LGBTQ community in McAlester, a city with a population of about 18,000 people. It lies about 130 miles southwest of Oklahoma City He founded the Southeastern Equality group, an organization that offers resources to LGBTQ people and their families. Parker is also credited with helping organize McAlesters first-ever Pride Parade in October. West said Parkers activism was meant to help people avoid the pain that he endured while growing up. Parker is scheduled to be laid to rest on Monday morning. He is survived by his wife and four children - two of whom are from his wifes previous relationship. Rough weather will challenge truckers in opposite corners of the country this weekend. Two more rounds of heavy snowfall and strong winds will slam the Pacific Northwest, where freight markets have been quite volatile; and snow will also cover much of New England. Drivers will have to chain up. They, along with shippers, will have to prepare for possible delays. SONAR Critical Events and radar on Friday, January 3, 2020, 10 a.m. EST. Target areas of Pacific Northwest weekend storms are highlighted. Snow and rain from earlier today, Jan. 3, is fading across the Cascades in Washington and the northern Rockies in Idaho and Montana, but roads will remain very slick. After a fairly short break, the next storm will dump heavy snowfall in many of the same areas later tonight and tomorrow, Jan. 4, as well as in the Cascades of Oregon and northern California. This will be followed by yet another round on Sunday. Many high elevations above 4,000 feet in the northern Washington Cascades will see 10 to 18 inches through tomorrow. Look for totals of 8 to 12 inches between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, and 4 to 8 inches between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. Areas in the southern Washington and northern Oregon Cascades will be hit with 6 to 12 inches of new snowfall, in addition to wind gusts up to 45 mph. Six to 12 inches could pile up in the southern Oregon Cascades, as well as the Crater Lake area, along with wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph. After another respite Saturday night, another storm may produce at least several more inches of snowfall on Sunday. A far as interstates, mountain passes on I-90 will be affected the most. Problems could also arise on US-2. Possible trouble spots include, but are not limited to Stevens, Snoqualmie, Lookout, Lolo, Willamette, Santiam, McKenzie and Marias passes; Crater Lake National Park; and Mount St. Helens. Strong winds will result in periods of blowing snow and white-out conditions, in addition to potential power outages and roadblocks. Story continues Meanwhile, down below, a few inches of drenching rain this weekend could cause localized flooding and mudslides in some lower slopes/valleys mainly west of the I-5 corridor in Washington and Oregon. But prior to the weekend rain, winds will be howling today and this evening along the Pacific Coast of Washington and north of Seattle in Puget Sound. Gusts from the south-southeast are forecast to reach 50 mph at times in places such as Friday Harbor, Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Port Townsend, Clearwater, Aberdeen and Hoquiam. Impact On Freight While much of the country is stabilizing this week, the Pacific Northwest remains unsettled. FreightWaves SONAR data shows outbound rejection rates are up week-over-week in the Spokane (OTRI.GEG), Twin Falls (OTRI.TWF) and Pendleton (OTRI.PDT) markets, primarily due to a reefer shortage. Outbound rejections represent the percentage of electronically offered loads from shippers that are turned down by carriers for various reasons. Reefers are climate-controlled 53-foot trailers. Reefer rejection rates out of Pendleton have risen over 1,300 basis points since last week to settle over 35%. Whereas rejection rates for long-haul loads needing to go 800 miles or more (LOTRI.PDT) are the highest for the market at 21.5%, loads moving between 100 and 450 miles have had the largest weekly jump in tender rejections. The weather can be challenging in this part of the country at this time of the year as systems often drop heavy snows across the mountains. The storms this weekend could increase volatility in some Northwest markets. SONAR Tickers: OTRI.PDT, ROTRI.PDT, MOTRI.PDT Lead times (OTLT.PDT) are still more than three days as shippers have pushed orders into next week. Carriers should check road condition forecasts if you are journeying into the area. Lead time is the number of days between the acceptance of a load by a carrier and when the load is picked up. Reefer carriers heading into this area next week should look to the spot market to find higher-paying freight. Most of this freight will be short- to mid-haul moves. It may not get you all the way out of the region, but there should be enough to string together a few loads. Don't get greedy at this time of year. Keep your trucks moving whenever possible. Because of the storms, air cargo could be delayed at times at Seattle-Tacoma International (ICAO code: SEA) and Portland International (ICAO code: PDX) airports. Operations at the ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Portland will be interrupted intermittently, as will several oil/petroleum facilities and railroads in the region. Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) andBNSF (NYSE: BRK.A) have several tracks in the region. Trains will need to run slower at times due to the hazardous weather. The storms could also make it difficult to load/unload freight at intermodal ramps. Based on the anticipated level of disruption, the assets at risk are color coded in SONAR Critical Events map near the top of this article. Other notable weather today, Jan. 3 Parts of the South will be soaked by more heavy rainfall today. There's a chance of additional localized flash flooding and river flooding from Mobile and the Florida Panhandle all the way to North Carolina. Isolated tornadoes and severe winds could pop up from the Florida Panhandle to South Carolina. The rain will spread into the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England tonight, with snow from upstate New York to northern New England from Saturday through Sunday morning. Snowfall of any consequence will occur mostly north of I-95, sparing the large metropolitan areas of the Northeast region. However, a few inches could accumulate along I-95 in Maine. The highest totals, possibly 12 inches or more, would likely hit the high elevations of the Adirondacks in upstate New York, in addition to the Green, White and Mahoosuc mountains of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, respectively. Many other parts of interior New England could see totals of 4 to 8 inches. Additional notes Sections of I-80 in Wyoming remain closed as this morning due to winds, drifting snow and black ice. Winds will be an ongoing issue today and this weekend. The risk of blowovers will be high on I-80 over the summit between Cheyenne and Laramie, as well as between Cheyenne and Sidney; on I-25 from the Colorado border to Wheatland, north of Wheatland to Casper, and near Bordeaux between Chugwater and Wheatland. Gusts could reach 65 to 75 mph. Today through Saturday night, watch out for excessive winds in Montana along I-15 and portion of I-90. Gusts ranging from 50 to 90 mph will result in an elevated risk of blowovers. This includes places such as Logan Pass, Marias Pass, Heart Butte, Bynum, Choteau, Cut Bank, Great Falls, Kings Hill Pass, Helena, MacDonald Pass, Rogers Pass, Kalispell, Whitefish, Billings, Lewistown, Glasgow, Judith Gap and Havre. Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, and be careful out there. FreightWaves Market Expert Zach Strickland contributed to this article. Image Sourced from Pixabay 0 See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Rajasthan Dy CM Sachin Pilot visits at Kota JK Lon Hospital India oi-Mousumi Dash Jaipur, Jan 04: The Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot paid visit to Kota's JK Lon Hospital on Saturday, where over 102 newborns have died in a month. Atleast 102 infants have died at Kota's J K Lon Hospital, triggering an uproar and criticism of the Congress government of Ashok Gehlot. In December 2019, atleast nine more infants have died, taking the death toll to 100 for the month, officials said. Kota infant death rises to 102; Centre steps in According to a report by the superintendent of JK Lon Hospital, 77 children died till December 24, 2019, while a total of 940 infants died in 2019. Amid this, 12 infants died in the fag end of the year. Rajasthan: Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot visits Kota's JK Lon Hospital, where over 100 newborns have died in a month. pic.twitter.com/FAqhFvFebe ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2020 The Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot had earlier instructed health department officials to take proper care of newborns in all hospitals in the state and do intensive monitoring. He also gave directions to set up a high-level committee of expert doctors and subject experts in the case of deaths to submit a report at the earliest. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, representing the Kota parliamentary constituency last week had expressed his concern over this tragic incident. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 16:12 [IST] Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani was a towering figure as Iran projected power across the Middle East, with close links to a network of paramilitary groups stretching from Syria to Yemen. And his death in the smoldering wreckage of a convoy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, marked the most dramatic escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran since President Trump withdrew from the landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. By Jeff Lewis and Barbara Lewis TORONTO/LONDON (Reuters) - Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals Ltd is weighing investment of around $1 billion (764.2 million pounds) to lift output at Africa's biggest copper mine in Zambia, a company document seen by Reuters showed, despite a feud with state miner ZCCM-IH over project funding. The investment would add a decade of life and head off production declines at the Kansanshi copper mine, increasing annual production to 300,000 tonnes over time from an expected 235,000 tonnes last year, according to a company presentation given to Zambian government officials By Jeff Lewis and Barbara Lewis TORONTO/LONDON (Reuters) - Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals Ltd is weighing investment of around $1 billion (764.2 million pounds) to lift output at Africa's biggest copper mine in Zambia, a company document seen by Reuters showed, despite a feud with state miner ZCCM-IH over project funding. The investment would add a decade of life and head off production declines at the Kansanshi copper mine, increasing annual production to 300,000 tonnes over time from an expected 235,000 tonnes last year, according to a company presentation given to Zambian government officials. But securing board approval, which would be needed over the coming year, is likely to be complicated by disputes between miners and the Zambian government over taxes and assets, according to analysts and miners with knowledge of the country. Western miners are on edge as Zambia and neighboring countries seek to increase their share of revenue from natural resources. Zambia hiked copper royalty taxes by 1.5 percentage points last year and introduced a new 10% rate when global prices exceed $7,500 per tonne, consultancy Verisk Maplecroft said. Mines Minister Barnaby Mulenga last month said copper miners would also have to account for the gold they produce to boost state revenue. "We do not anticipate any fresh investments to extend the life of copper mines while this, and increased taxation, hangs over miners," Verisk Maplecroft senior analyst Indigo Ellis told Reuters on Friday. A source close to First Quantum said the plans will be presented to the company's board this year but the project is unlikely to win approval without significant changes to Zambia's tax regime. Shares of First Quantum extended losses after the Reuters story and were down 6.3% at C$12.44 on Friday afternoon in Toronto. First Quantum contemplated expanding Kansanshi in 2011 at a cost of $1.5 billion, but that project was shelved. Without investment, output would drop sharply from 2022 to about 130,000 tonnes by the middle of this decade, the presentation shows. Canadian-listed First Quantum is studying expansion amid a dispute with Zambian state miner ZCCM-IH over profits from the mine that have been set aside for the project. ZCCM-IH owns 20% of Kansanshi Mining PLC, with First Quantum holding the balance. First Quantum last month began arbitration proceedings against ZCCM-IH following a criminal complaint made by the state miner to Zambian police over a transfer by Kansanshi Mining to a First Quantum subsidiary. At issue is a transfer of $520 million, a separate document seen by Reuters showed. Two sources said the money had been set aside in a high-interest account to help fund expansion at Kansanshi. First Quantum was not available for immediate comment on Friday. ZCCM-IH did not immediately respond to a Reuters query. Sources declined to be identified as the information was not public. (Reporting by Jeff Lewis in Toronto and Barbara Lewis in London; Editing by Denny Thomas and Matthew Lewis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. To start, dont feel as if you have to try all the equipment, because that will only get you hurt. Theres nothing wrong with fiddling around with the weights and machines for 20 minutes or so, then calling it a day. But keep it safe. Ask if the gym has a personal training program (which is probably discounted at the start of the year) or group classes. We also have a series of guides to help you get started, including those for how to start working out, getting strong, a 9-minute strength workout and, of course, how to start running. You dont need to spend hundreds of dollars on new workout clothes with the latest high-tech fibers to fit in. When I started seriously running and working out, I wore all cotton and guess what? I didnt die. While things like sweat-wicking clothes and Bluetooth headphones make my gym time a better experience, theyre not mandatory. So wear whatever workout clothes you have, then figure out what might make your gym time more pleasant. You could even use the promise of rewarding yourself with new gear as motivation: If I stick to my gym routine for two weeks, I am going to buy a new workout top, or reusable water bottle, or whatever you think might help you out. For my fellow gym rats: Yes, its crowded, and yes, new people are getting a feel for what the gym has to offer, which means they might get in your way. Gyms are intimidating for those who dont go there often, so be kind, courteous and welcoming. Remember when you first started going? Keep that in mind these next few weeks. And if crowds really arent your thing, here are 5 cheapish things for a home gym, which can sub in until crowds subside (as part of my home gym, I also have a batting tee in the basement. Its great for working out frustration and my core). I have spent a lot of time in a lot of gyms and have seen a lot of stupid things. So here are some tips: Get to know your gyms rules. Maybe they set time limits on machines, or ban certain items of clothing, so its not a bad idea to brush up on what your gym requires as part of your membership. Be clean! That means wiping down your machine after youre done with it. Also, dont spit in the water fountain. Yes, I have to say this because Ive seen it so many times. Dont interrupt anyones workout. Even if you think youre being kind, stopping someone during their workout is just rude. It can also come off as creepy. Unless someone is in mortal danger, let them do their thing. If you have concerns that someone elses workout is putting other people in danger, let a staff member know. Thats their job, not yours. Dont take pictures of other people working out. Not only is this inappropriate, but it could get you in big trouble. In 2016, the model Dani Mathers took a photo of a 70-year-old woman in the shower area of an LA Fitness and posted it on Snapchat with the caption If I cant unsee this then you cant either. She lost her radio job and faced criminal charges (she was sentenced to one month of removing graffiti in Los Angeles). Dont talk on your phone while working out. If you must take a call, step into the gyms lobby or another area designated for cellphone use. Not only are calls rude for others who are trying to work out, but I once overheard some very sensitive information because the guy on the next elliptical decided to take a conference call. (Not to mention: What could it possibly sound like to other people on the call? It cant be good). You can check your phone, but dont do so to the point that you monopolize a machine, especially when a gym is crowded. I have completed workouts in the time some people sit on one machine because theyre looking at their phones. Its not good use of your time, and its not respectful of other people working out. Your smartphone should not be used as a speaker. If you want to listen to something while you work out, thats great and thats why headphones and earbuds exist. Dont subject everyone else to your preference (this applies to running races, too). What tips do you have to offer new, or longtime, gym goers? Let me know: Im on Twitter @byjenamiller. A driver fled a fatal crash Friday night north of Houston, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. The two-vehicle crash happened around 8 p.m. in the 4700 block of Lauder Road near the intersection of Crieffe Road in Fairgreen. One car rolled over, and the driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene. The driver of the striking vehicle fled in a damaged silver Chevy SUV east on Lauder towards Eastex Fwy. By fleeing the scene the driver can face a felony charge, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted. This is a developing story. For more information, please check back later. The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has been honoured by the leadership of the Digital Corp group for what they describe as his excellent ways of managing and disseminating government information to the public. He was presented with a plaque which read In celebration of Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, for your leadership and management of national information flow: We are excited about your innovative approach to information control in a challenging digital era of deliberate misrepresentations and fake news. Digital Corp honours you, an Icon of Digital era this Day Wednesday December 18, 2019. Founder of Digital Corp, Kelly Nii Lartey Mensah who led a delegation to the office of Mr Oppong Nkrumah, said after the presentation that it was important for the group to have recognised the work of the Minister especially in an era of deliberate misinformation by mischievous persons with diabolic agenda against the state. Mr Lartey Mensah further explained that a critical assessment of the work of Mr Oppong Nkrumah who is also the Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi in the Eastern Region of Ghana, depicts a minister of information who has finesse in responding to fake and skewed media reportage about the government and other state bodies. Since his appointment as the minister of information, he has adopted swift and modern ways of managing public information and also responding to what can be described as false media reportage on government activities. For instance, he tactfully and systematically reacted to the Multimedia's Militia in the Heart of the Nation documentary, a documentary which was subsequently described by the National Media Commission (NMC) as misleading and a misrepresentation. To that end, Mr Lartey Mensah said there was the need to recognize him for his good works in the area of public information management and dissemination, to encourage him to do more and to also urge other government officials who are mandated to manage government information to work up to expectation. Mr Oppong Nkrumah who is also serving as a member of the Finance and Constitutional committees of the 7th Parliament of Ghana, has background in banking and finance, journalism and law. Receiving the plaque in his office, he expressed gratitude to the leadership of Digital Corp for honouring him. He assured that his outfit will continue to disseminate accurate government news and information timely in order to keep the governed well informed on how their taxes are being utilized. The other officials of Digital Corp, a group of digital writers and techpreneurs, who witnessed the presentation of the plaque were Laud Nartey and Lord Kingful. ALBANY New York crime laboratories, many of which are already backlogged and only able to test evidence in a low percentage of criminal cases, could be stretched further by new speedy trial and pre-trial discovery reforms that went into effect this month. Multiple prosecutors said they fear the inability of the labs to test evidence in all misdemeanor and lower-level felony cases notably drug cases will trigger widespread dismissals of criminal charges across the state, especially in the rural counties that rely on state-run forensic labs. The State Police labs, which process evidence for most of New York's district attorneys, were not infused with additional analysts or other resources to offset the stricter discovery and speedy trial requirements that were enacted last year by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the state Legislature. The state also declined to provide more funds to counties or local law enforcement agencies to deal with the new requirements. Under the new rules, prosecutors said, they cannot declare they are ready for trial which would stop the six-month speedy trial clock in a felony case until they certify that they have provided all discoverable evidence to the defendant. That would include any lab analysis confirming the authenticity and amount of a narcotic. "We're not going to be able to say that, in a drug case in particular, until we have a result," said David Rossi, the chief assistant district attorney in Albany County. The new rules mandate that defendants have the ability, through what is known as pre-trial discovery, to review the evidence against them in a much shorter timeframe. It also means that prosecutors now need to make sure any drug evidence, for example, is analyzed before a defendant's right to a speedy trial within a certain time period expires, which is six months for a felony charge and 90 days for a misdemeanor. In the past, many defendants would accept plea agreements without the drugs they were accused of possessing or trafficking ever being tested. The changes also were made so that prosecutors could not reveal their evidence to a defendant right before or, in some instances, during a trial. Some prosecutors said rank-and-file scientists in the forensic labs, which provide crucial analyses that verify drugs or match DNA samples to suspects, have warned them recently to expect significant backlogs due to the new rules. "Prosecutors have been advised that for the first time I can remember the State Police may be taking evidence from their cases to local crime labs," said Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick. "In addition to that, prosecutors have been told that cases will be prioritized at the state lab with deference given to A-felonies, and other felonies will be dealt with in order unless a 'special' request is made. (I'm) not sure why anyone would need to make a special request on getting DNA results from the rape of a child, but thats where we are." Fitzpatrick, a member of the state Forensic Science Commission, urged that body at its September meeting to write a letter to the governor and legislative leaders advising them to consult with the state's crime laboratory directors before implementing the sweeping criminal justice reforms, which include eliminating bail for many criminal offenses. In a split vote, Fitzpatrick's motion was defeated. The longtime prosecutor from Syracuse also told his colleagues on the forensic commission that the work of cold-case squads, which often rely on the testing of forensic evidence to reopen investigations that may have resulted in a wrongful conviction or to solve decades' old homicides and rapes could also be crippled if labs are overwhelmed with existing cases. In addition, labs that process digital evidence seized from computers or other electronic devices will face the same workload problems, he added. As the measures went into effect last week, Republican legislators and other opponents criticized the early fallout of what they labeled Democrats' "criminal bill of rights." The state Senate's Republican minority leader, John J. Flanagan, issued a statement Thursday highlighting the case of an Albany man who was released without bail under the new standards after being charged with manslaughter in the choking and stabbing death of a 29-year-old woman. "2020 has only begun, we are already starting to see the real-life consequences of this dangerous new law, and its clear that it has left New Yorkers less safe in their homes, on their streets, and in their communities," Flanagan said. Some prosecutors, who met with state legislators last year to urge them to reconsider or to delay at least some of the measures, said a few Democratic lawmakers had privately conceded that they were not aware of the details of the legislation and had voted in favor of it largely because their respective leaders had instructed them to do so. Supporters, including defense attorneys, criminal justice advocates and outspoken lawmakers who voted in favor of the reforms, have accused prosecutors of "fear-mongering." They said the changes were needed, in part, to amend a racially-biased criminal justice system that left many defendants incarcerated for long periods of time before trial, or forced them to plead guilty without seeing all the evidence that would be used in their prosecution. Barry Kamins, a retired state Supreme Court justice who has studied the reforms and regularly provides lectures to prosecutors and defense attorneys for the state Office of Court Administration, said he expects most judges will allow prosecutors more time to have evidence tested if they show a "good cause" reason for the delay. "There is no question that the new laws will put more pressure on drug labs for speedier testing," said Kamins, who has served on multiple committees that deal with problems in the criminal justice system, including the Committee to Promote Public Trust and Confidence in the Legal System. Still, Kamins said that other states have enacted similar reforms, "and I am sure New York will find a way to adjust to the change as well." "If, as a result of the new law, certain jurisdictions experience an increase in dismissals because labs were unable to produce reports by court deadline, I would expect that certain consequences will follow: prosecutors will ask the Legislature for more funding to expand the laboratories; legislators will submit bills to tweak the new laws with regard to lab testing, which may or may not be approved," Kamins added. Last fall, after the criminal justice reforms had already passed, the state Senate conducted two lengthy public hearings to gather input from legal experts on both sides of the issue about the impending changes, but no forensic lab directors were called to testify, according to district attorneys. Sen. Jamaal Bailey, D-Bronx, who chaired the hearings, did not respond to a request for comment. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "New York state has now de facto decriminalized major narcotics as a result of these policies," Albany County District Attorney David Soares said. "Its going to result in dismissals and that will send a very clear message to the rest of the country that New York is open for business." Soares said the expected backlog of evidence testing will occur at a time when the state is battling epidemic-like levels of dangerous narcotics such as the synthetic fentanyl and other opioids. At the forensic commission's September meeting, Fitzpatrick warned the panel that crime lab directors are "telling me now that they simply cannot do their job based upon the requirements that are going to be put upon them. ... We're almost putting them in a position where people are going to try to cut corners just because they cant get it done." Many counties have their own crime labs, including New York City, Onondaga, Suffolk, Erie and Nassau counties, but the vast majority of upstate and especially suburban counties rely on the forensic labs run by the State Police. Fitzpatrick also told the commission he was concerned that lab scientists would be blamed for bungled prosecutions. "They shouldnt be the scapegoats when a rape case goes south because they just couldnt get the DNA tested on the rape kit," he said. Beau Duffy, a State Police spokesman, last month said the State Police lab's "current practice is to prioritize drug testing based on the seriousness of the charges. Cases that fall outside of those parameters can be re-prioritized at the request of prosecutors. That process will not change when the new discovery laws take effect." Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn, whose county has operates its own laboratories, also said he expects rural counties across the state, which rely more on the State Police crime labs for testing of evidence, to absorb the brunt of any backlogs. "If our labs start getting backed up, then obviously my first thought isn't going to be dismissal," Flynn said. "My first thought is going to be going to a judge and asking for more time. ... I'm not going to dismiss anything, unless I have no choice." Flynn said he expects that judicial rulings over the next couple of years, especially from state appellate courts, will shape new case law that will determine how the statutes that changed pre-trial discovery and speedy trial rules are applied. "All of the district attorneys across the state are going to need to be on our A-game here when it comes to time management," Flynn said. "My people are going to have to know the clock, and the clock is ticking at all times. ... The good defense lawyers are going to try to find every crack ... and exploit every crack." Some of the key issues in the retooled statutes that may need judicial interpretation include whether incomplete testing of evidence, including drugs or DNA samples, are considered "discoverable" materials. Under the new rules, some prosecutors disagree on whether a defendant can waive pre-trial discovery in order to accept a plea offer another issue that may be decided by judicial rulings. "Its going to come to the point where, either its not feasible to test all these drugs in a reasonable period of time, and we may end up offering reduced pleas that we would never offer before," Flynn said. But prosecutors said that while they can request more time for judges to complete pre-trial discovery, that will not stop the clock on the stricter speedy trial requirements. "So at the end of the day the danger is that we as district attorneys may in fact have to plea cases out or maybe even dismiss if we run up against the speedy trial clock because a lab hasnt been able to test (evidence)," Flynn said, adding the new rules will drastically increase workload for prosecutors' offices. "I just had to hire 18 new people for this law at a cost of $1.2 million that my county had to pay for because the state didn't pay for this law." In ascending order of age, heres Biden, Bloomberg and Sanders. Photo: Getty Images As the oldest regular political writer here at New York, I figured it was okay for me to be the first to object on grounds of age to the prospective 2020 candidacies of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, which I did way back in 2017 before either man was formally in the field: Biden 2020 or Sanders 2020 is a really bad idea, for reasons that go beyond the anomaly that either would make the oldest man ever elected president the youth candidate in his reelection bid. There are certainly octogenarians who are physically fit, sharp as a tack, and as competent at work as any whippersnapper. But its no secret that when people, particularly men, get to that age, the risk of mortality rises significantly (a 75-year-old man has a 22 percent chance of dying within six years), and along with it the possibility of cognitive deterioration (an estimated 15 percent of people between the ages of 80 and 84 suffer from some form of dementia). If voters fear any of that happening, it could (particularly with some encouragement from the kind of intensely hostile conservative media that Sanders and Biden were spared in 2016) affect their electability in ways that are not easy to anticipate in scope and power. And even more obviously, if a 77- or 79-year-old candidate suffers from any real or perceived impairment, the issue could take over the campaign to an extent that makes Hillary Clintons email problem look minor. Neither candidate, of course, took my advice, and in fact Sanders is at present successfully defying my analysis by thriving not that long after suffering a heart attack. But the whole question of age may be brought back to the fore again in the near future. The current trajectory of the Democratic contest suggests that these same two candidates may well come out of the Iowa/New Hampshire/Nevada/South Carolina early-state abattoir as the co-front-runners, with a lot of their rivals having withdrawn. Many are those who believe Pete Buttigieg will crash and burn the moment minority voters begin to weigh in after New Hampshire. If Amy Klobuchar doesnt pull an Iowa upset, shes gone, too. Tom Steyer similarly has to do well in Iowa to be taken seriously. And Andrew Yang could stick around after the early states, but he is unlikely to be regarded as anything other than an interesting marginal overachiever. But if it is Bernie and Biden after Nevada, both these old men will run into the bankroll of another, Michael Bloomberg, who is running an unimaginable number of ads in California and other March 3 states. Bloomberg is about five months younger than Sanders, and nine months older than Biden. All that could indeed make Donald Trump, at the age of 74, the youth candidate in 2020. It may not matter at all, given the prevailing partisan polarization of voters, compounded by the heavy support Democratsespecially the oldest of them all, Bernie Sandershave among younger Americans. But if I were advising any of the other Democratic candidates, including the relatively young septuagenarian Elizabeth Warren, Id make the possibility of old white men dominating the presidential contest from March until the bitter end an issue early and often. Its not like Democrats cant ultimately come around to their old men being better prepared for the presidency than the Old Man who has horrified and terrified us since his improbable election. MIAMI -- Speaking from a campaign rally at a West Miami-Dade County megachurch, President Donald Trump declared to a cheering audience of thousands that Iran's top general was dead, and said a "major attack" against the U.S. had been stopped. Trump, in some of his first public comments about the deadly drone strike he ordered against Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran's top military and intelligence official, said he had Soleimani killed in the name of peace. "Qasem Soleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now forever gone," Trump said, drawing roars from a crowd he estimated above 5,000. "He was plotting attacks against Americans, but now we've ensured his atrocities have been stopped for good. They are stopped for good. I don't know if you know what was happening but he was planning a major attack and we got him." Trump's comments from the pulpit at Ministerio Internacional El Rey Jesus' West Kendall sanctuary came about 24 hours after the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps., Soleimani, and six others were killed outside the Baghdad International Airport by the strike, ordered in retaliation for an assault on the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad and deadly rocket attacks launched by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Soleimani was Iran's top general. He was also the commander of the country's elite Quds force, designated a foreign terrorist organization this year by the U.S. government. ADVERTISEMENT "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," the Pentagon said in a statement Thursday night. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo elaborated Friday, saying in a CNN interview that Soleimani was in the process of planning new attacks that endangered U.S. civilians and soldiers. Trump ordered the strike on Soleimani from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, where he was vacationing for the holidays. Friday's rally in Kendall had been planned for weeks. Trump said Friday, before leaving his resort for Miami, that he'd ordered Soleimani killed not to start a war, but to prevent one. The strike on Soleimani inflamed an already-tense situation in the Middle East. Relations between U.S., Iran and Iraq had already been on edge for days due to deadly missile attacks by an Iranian-backed militia and a retaliatory U.S. missile strike that Iraqi officials said violated their sovereign air space. Iranian leaders promised to respond. Protesters in Tehran reacted by taking to the street and burning U.S. flags. Defense officials told McClatchy that the U.S. is sending its 82nd Airborne Division brigade _ a total of about 4,000 troops _ to Kuwait. "Soleimani was plotting a coup in Iraq," Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said Friday in a string of tweets that began after Soleimani's death was confirmed by the U.S. "He was corrupting/threatening politicians, exploiting Iraq's resources and bringing a large military force loyal to him, in an effort to make Iraq a platform to attack the U.S. & our allies." Where Republicans celebrated Soleimani's killing as a sign of American strength, Democrats and government officials from other countries responded by warning that Trump was endangering U.S. citizens abroad and possibly pushing the country toward war. Some congressional Democrats accused Trump of engaging in an act of war without congressional authorization. "There is no question that Qassim Soleimani was a threat to [U.S.] safety and security, and that he masterminded threats and attacks on Americans and our allies, leading to hundreds of deaths," presidential candidate and Afghanistan War veteran Pete Buttigieg said Friday in a statement. "But there are serious questions about how this decision was made and whether we are prepared for the consequences." ADVERTISEMENT The strike on Soleimani is the second high-profile targeted killing in three months of an Islamic enemy deemed by the U.S. to be a terrorist. In October, the U.S. carried out a strike against Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, an attack Trump crowed about during a recent speech in Hollywood before a gathering of the Israeli-American Council. Trump began his speech Friday at El Rey Jesus by reminding the crowd that he'd had al-Baghdadi killed. And, much like during his speech last month before the Israeli-American Council, during which he declared himself the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House, he said he's been the most supportive president for Christians. Christians "have never had a greater champion _ not even close _ than you have in the White House right now. Look at the record," he said. "We've done things that nobody thought was possible. We're not only defending our constitutional rights, we're also defending religion itself, which is under siege." ___ (c)2020 Miami Herald Visit Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani, who has been appointed the countrys new foreign minister, has had successful careers as a technocrat, academician and a diplomat. Dr Al Zayani became Secretary-General of the GCC on April 1, 2011. Prior to his appointment, he was advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the rank of Minister, chairman of the Joint Steering Committee between Bahrain and the United Kingdom and chairman of the ministrys Development and Regulation committee. Dr Al Zayani graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in UK. He is also a graduate of the Aeronautical Engineering programme, Perth Scotland in 1978. He holds a PhD in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California in 1986, and a Masters Degree in Logistics Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, Ohio in 1980. In 1988, he received the sword of honour along with the title of Master Logistician from the US Army after attending the Command and General Staff course, Fort Leavenworth Kansas. He also attended the Leaders in Development Programme, Harvard University in 2008. He held several leading positions in the Bahrain Defence Force and in the Ministry of Interior. He was also a professor in Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Maryland, Bahrain, and in Quantitative Methods at the University of Bahrain. His teaching career also included teaching statistics, quantitative methods and total quality management at the Arabian Gulf University and supervising students as partial fulfilment for Masters of Science in Technology Management. He was awarded several Bahraini and international decorations. The current secretary-general of Gulf Co-operation Council will become Bahrains foreign ministry when his term ends on March 31. Dr Al Zayani will take over from Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa who has been in charge of the foreign affairs since September 26, 2005. Shaikh Khalid joined the foreign ministry in 1985 and became ambassador to the UK in September 2001, to the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and Norway in 2002 and to Sweden in 2003. In his twitter message, Shaikh Khalid congratulated Dr Al Zayani on the appointment. Your Majesty, with all my effort and ability, I will continue to serve the nation as long as I live. I was also honoured to work under HRH the Premier and HRH the Crown Prince. And now I hand over the responsibilities to my dear brother. You are here: Business China's securities regulator on Friday said the media report of the Shanghai-London Stock Connect program being suspended is not true. The Shanghai-London Stock Connect program has been operating normally since its launch, said Chang Depeng, spokesperson with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, at a press conference. Chang said the report does not conform to the truth, citing fact that many domestic enterprises have expressed interests in cross-border listing via the program. Meanwhile, up to 11 British brokers have completed record filing for Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) conversion deals as of Friday, according to Chang. Police have laid charges over the murder of a homeless man in a park in Perth's east on Christmas Eve, with the accused to remain in custody as he awaits his next court date. Simon Sharp, 40, briefly appeared at Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday morning, after being charged with stabbing the 62-year-old New Zealand national on Friday. An investigating detective speaks to members of the public. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola According to police, the victim lived in his silver Holden Berlina, which he parked in the area, and was known to locals. Officers allege Sharp, who was also experiencing homelessness, stabbed him just after 7.30am on December 24 then fled on foot. 'Get up off their arses and paint it themselves'. This was the no nonsense position Fianna Fail councillor Michael Whelan took at the municipal council meeting when a party colleague relayed a request from residents of a New Ross estate who want all houses in their estate painted. The Ballycullane man didn't hold back at the December meeting, offering the pointed advice for tenants of the Fair Green estate who want their council houses painted. Cllr Michael Sheehan highlighted how half of the houses in the estate had been painted, before seeking funding for the remaining houses to be painted. Guwahati (Assam) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Amid reports over the role played by Popular Front of India (PFI) in stoking violence in Assam during the anti-CAA protests, Cabinet Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said that it was necessary to ban organisations like PFI in a democratic setup and added that the state government will write to the Centre seeking action against it once the investigation is complete. "We are hopeful that the PFI's true face will be revealed during the investigation and once it is done the state government will write to the Centre about it. It is necessary to put a ban on such an organization (PFI) in a democratic country. Once the investigation is complete, we will send a detailed report to the Centre. Or they should come out in the open and declare what their motive is," Suklabaidya told ANI here. The minister said that while the state government has some information regarding PFI's role in the anti-CAA protests and added that its true face will be revealed once the investigation is completed. "The government has some information about PFI's role. They tried to get involved in the anti-CAA protests and we got to know of their involvement in the anti-CAA protests, and they were found to be involved in some activities which they should not have done," Suklabaidya told ANI here. "The first thing is that they use code language for talking. Why does a democratic organization need a code language? What does the PFI want to achieve, why was it formed?" he added. Earlier yesterday, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had also said that the government is waiting for electronic evidence over the role of Popular Front of India (PFI) in stoking violence in the state. "We are waiting for electronic evidence on PFI's role in stoking violence in Assam. A laptop has been seized which is with Central Forensic Lab. Once electronic evidence emerges, we will take a call on writing to Centre to ban PFI in the state," Sarma told ANI. Meanwhile, state president of PFI Aminul Haque was arrested on December 18 last year. The arrest was made in connection with the violence that erupted in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). A total of 46 cases have been registered, while 27 people were arrested in connection with vandalism in Guwahati district during the anti-CAA protests. In December last year, the Assam Police had detained more than 3,000 people and arrested 190 persons for indulging in violent protests in the state over the amended citizenship law. Protests had broken out in several parts of the country including Assam over CAA, which grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. (ANI) A burglar who robbed a policeman from Oman who was in Belfast has been handed a 21-month prison term A burglar who robbed a policeman from Oman who was in Belfast has been handed a 21-month prison term. John Joseph Russell will spend an additional 21 months on licence when he is released after he admitted involvement in the armed robbery. The 29-year-old, from Kinnaird Avenue in Belfast, was one of two men who broke into an apartment at Obel Tower in the city centre on September 19, 2017. Belfast Crown Court heard the men staying in the apartment were police officers from Oman, and that when the intruders were met with a "robust challenge" they "took to their heels". A prosecuting barrister said Russell and the co-accused - who has already been sentenced - entered Obel Tower at around 1am and walked into an unlocked apartment where two men were staying. The intruders took two knives from the kitchen and entered one of the bedrooms, where they demanded cash from the occupant, who handed them his wallet which contained 250. One of the knives was recovered and DNA from it matched the co-accused, while Russell was identified from CCTV footage. Judge Kevin Finnegan was told the men in the apartment were visiting police officers in Northern Ireland for public order training with the PSNI. Defence barrister Stephen Toal cited the robbery as unplanned, adding Russell and the co-accused did not arrive armed. Mr Toal said his client had "completely transformed his life" since the incident. French police have shot dead a man who killed one person and wounded several others in a knife attack in a park in the Paris suburb of Villejuif. A local mayor confirmed that the attacker had killed one person in the southern suburb before fleeing to L'Hay-les-Roses, where he was shot by police. A police union official told French media that officers fired repeatedly on the suspect because they feared he was wearing an explosive vest that he might have detonated. The attacker's motive has not been made clear. At least two other people were wounded, one of them seriously, a source added. France has been hard hit by a string of attacks, many by jihadist extremists, since 2015, with more than 250 killed in total. Most recently, a police staff member who had converted to a radical version of Islam stabbed four colleagues to death at the Paris police headquarters in October. (agencies) VAISHALI: Inspector General (prisons and correctional services) Mithilesh Mishra has suspended five officials, including the jailer and the chief warden, after an undertrial prisoner was shot dead by inmates inside the Hajipur Jail in Bihar. IG Mishra has also ordered a probe into the incident, reports said on Saturday. The action was taken after a 30-year-old undertrial prisoner Manish Kumar, accused in a 2017 gold robbery case, was killed in Bihar's Hajipur jail on Friday afternoon and four other prisoners were injured in a clash between two groups of prisoners. Manish, a resident of Vaishali district, was arrested in 2018 in connection with two major gold loot crimes, which were committed in Jaipur in 2017. Live TV He was also accused in many cases of gold loots committed in Kolkata and other parts of Bihar and was associated with an interstate gang of gold robbers. Earlier, an attempt on his life was made on him in 2019 when he was being taken to court but had a narrow escape. As soon as the news of murder inside the jail reached the police headquarters, senior officials including IG (Prisons) Mithlesh Mishra and Vaishali DM Udita Singh along with heavy reinforcements of police reached the jail and started an intensive raid. Singh later told reporters that the victim was shot dead and the injured were being hospitalised. Raids were also conducted inside the jail and two prisoners were taken under custody. The DM said that the pistol used in the crime was also seized and one prisoner named Raja Babu was arrested on the charge of killing another prisoner due to old enmity. The US has said it is ready to fight against North Korea if necessary. As worldwide attention focused on the escalation of tensions between the US and Iran following the killing of General Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike, comments from Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed that America remains ready for conflict with North Korea. Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un talk before a meeting in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on June 30, 2019. (Getty Images) Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, he said while a political agreement on denuclearisation remained preferable, the US was ready to fight if needed. His comments follow a four-day meeting of party officials in Pyongyang, during which Kim Jong-un suggested that North Korea would lift its moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, contrary to what was agreed with Donald Trump. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the US is prepared to fight North Korea if necessary (Picture: REUTERS/Tom Brenner) The North Korean leader also reportedly revealed plans to introduce a new strategic weapon. The move was feared to anger Mr Trump, who previously announced that his diplomacy resulted in North Korea agreeing to denuclearise. READ MORE World's news outlets react to killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani Kim Jong Un calls for active diplomatic and military counter-measures But the US President said he believed the North Korean leader would keep his word, telling reporters: He did sign a contract, he did sign an agreement talking about denuclearisation. ... That was done in Singapore, and I think hes a man of his word, so were going to find out. Recent months have seen diplomatic relations stall between the US and North Korea, with a second summit between Mr Trump and Kim Jong-Un collapsing. Diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea seem to have stalled (Picture: Reuters) Defense Secretary Mr Espers comments come amid fears of further escalation in the Middle East over Mr Trumps decision to launch an airstrike on Irans most powerful general. The US President now faces the twin threat of war with both North Korea and Iran - which would prove a considerable foreign policy challenge. While Americas relationship with North Korea is separate from its dealings with Iran, Tehran is one of the few countries that has good relations with Korea and any escalation over the killing of General Soleimani could see the issues become intertwined. Story continues The issue is still further complicated by the role of China, which is considered an ally of both Iran and North Korea. Indeed, China took part in a naval drill alongside Russia and Iran last week. Mr Espers comments were also reported by PressTV, Irans state media channel. Mr Esper added on Fox: We think the best path forward with regard to North Korea is a political agreement that denuclearizes the peninsula, we are on that path, we are going to remain on the path. We would obviously urge Kim Jong-un and his leadership team to sit back down to negotiation table to do that. But that said, we remain from a military perspective ready to fight tonight. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- You could ask if he was dissembling then, or now, but the answer seems too obvious. The Israeli radio host later told The Guardian that some listeners "were terribly angry at us for airing such extremist views". He seemed surprised that a former Australian prime minister held them. Illustration: Reg Lynch Credit: The incident led me to consider a strange thought experiment what if Tony Abbott had been prime minister during this unprecedented, vicious and terrifying bushfire crisis? It is safe to say he would not have left for a secret Hawaiian holiday during it, then tried to conceal the holiday from the public, and he would not have later defended that misstep by parrying, as Morrison did, that I dont hold a hose, mate, and I dont sit in a control room. Abbott would have been holding the hose. You could not have kept him from the control room. Loading But the corollary of climate-change denial or climate change whatareyagunnado? which seems to be the Morrison government position, is that your reactions to the suffering inflicted by the bushfires are complicated by the mental calibrations you must do to ensure you don't imply any of it is worse than usual, or will be into the future. And it may have challenged even Abbott. After that prime ministerial press conference at Bligh Street during which Morrison was brittle and defensive when asked about the governments plan to protect Australians against the long-term economic and environmental effects of climate change the PM left to visit the fire-affected zones. The ensuing footage of him being rejected and abused by some locals went global. His tepid leadership during the crisis has united voices as disparate as loudmouth conservative British TV host Piers Morgan, celebrity Lara Bingle (now Worthington), American actress and diva Bette Midler, and NSW Liberal Minister Andrew Constance in their condemnation. The body language Morrison exhibited during those community encounters was extraordinary. When visiting Cobargo, on the NSW South Coast, he went to shake the hand of local woman Zoey McDermott. She said she would only shake his hand if he promised more funding for the Rural Fire Service. Zoey McDermott refuses to shake the hand of the Prime Minister during his visit to Cobargo. Credit:Nine News The Prime Minister took her hand and shook it anyway, her voice cracking as she begged for more relief money. Morrison then put a hand on the woman's shoulder and edged away, as someone awkwardly avoiding the eye of a panhandler on the street. The incredible part was not even the lack of instinctive empathy, the failure to take the woman aside to engage with her in some way. The incredible part was that this woman was not even particularly hostile, and what she asked for more money is well within the power of a prime minister to promise, or at least commit to looking into. Loading A few moments later, he is shown being roundly abused by locals, and beats a hasty retreat. Separate footage shows him again imposing a prime ministerial handshake on a firefighter who clearly wishes to refuse him. Morrison stands about awkwardly for a moment before wandering off. On Friday, he handled a friendlier crowd in Victoria with a bit more assurance. Every prime minister faces angry constituents and every prime minister deals with them according to his or her own style. In 2018, at the national apology to the survivors of institutional sex abuse, Morrison was heckled by angry, traumatised survivors in the Great Hall of Parliament (where Gillard, who initiated the royal commission, was cheered and embraced). Scott Morrison got a friendlier reception in Gippsland. Credit:Joe Armao He took it humbly. Later that day, he walked out to the Parliament forecourt, where the survivors had gathered, and spent time talking quietly with them and sympathising with them. But that was on his turf, in an environment he felt comfortable in, a short walk from the refuge of the blue carpeted-PMO. It was one in a litany of cases in which Burge and his midnight crew of detectives who worked under him have been accused of torturing or abusing dozens of mostly African American men into confessing to killings in the 1970s and 80s. The scandal has stained the citys reputation and cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in settlements, legal fees and other compensation to victims. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 14:53:59|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KABUL, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said the country's territory would not be used against any other nations, according to the country's Presidential Palace on Saturday. "Under the provisions of the Bilateral Security Agreement with the U.S., the government reassures the dignified Afghan nation and the neighboring countries that Afghanistan's soil will not be used against any foreign country," the palace said in a statement. The statement came in the wake of a U.S. drone attack near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq on Friday, which killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy chief of the pro-Iran Hashd Shaabi forces. "The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan closely monitors the situations in the region and seeks bilateral and multilateral ties with all countries in the region and world," the statement read. The statement asked both sides to come to ease the tension via diplomatic channels. According to the statement, Afghanistan was gravely concerned about a possible escalation of violence in the region. Ghani also spoke on the phone with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo late on Friday, the statement confirmed. "In my telephone conversation with the U.S. Secretary of State, I once again emphasized that Afghan soil must not be used against a third country or in regional conflicts," the statement quoted Ghani as saying. In the meantime, Afghan former President Hamid Karzai has condemned the incident. "This action brazenly violates all international norms and threatens to further destabilize the region. I offer my condolences to Soleimani's family..." Karzai said on Twitter. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Too Late to Leave: Bushfires out of Control Across Southeast Australia, 2 More Killed The national death toll since September is 23, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said SYDNEY/MELBOURNEBushfires were burning dangerously out of control on Australias east coast on Saturday, fueled by soaring temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property. Authorities have said conditions could be worse than New Years Eve on Tuesday, when fires burnt massive tracts of bushland and forced thousands of residents and summer holidaymakers to seek refuge on beaches. The national death toll in the current fire season, which began in September, is 23, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. Of the deaths, eight were confirmed since Dec. 30. More than 5 million hectares (13 million acres) of land has been burnt across the country. The government announced an unprecedented call up of army reservists to support firefighters as well other resources including a third navy ship equipped for disaster and humanitarian relief. The sky turns red over the town in Bodalla, NSW, Australia on Jan. 4, 2020. (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images) Conditions beginning to deteriorate quickly on NSW southern firegrounds, the Bureau of Meteorology said in a tweet. Heat and wind are building which is increasing fire activity. In South Australia, two people died on Kangaroo Island, a popular holiday spot not far off the coast, taking the national toll from this weeks fires to 12. Twenty-one people remain unaccounted for in Victoria, down from 28 reported on Friday. Bushfire evacuees aboard one of HMAS Choules landing craft being ferried out the ship at Mallacoota, Australia, on Jan. 3, 2020. (AAP Image/Supplied by the Department of Defence, Helen Frank/via Reuters) More than 130 fires were burning in NSW on Saturday, many out of control, and in Victoria there were evacuation recommendations for six fires, emergency warnings for 11 others and dozens more still burning. There are a number of large and dangerous fires burning across NSW that pose a serious threat to life, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) said. RFS Trucks gather in front of the RFS station in Bodalla, Australia, on Jan. 4, 2020. (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images) In Victoria, authorities had urged people in areas covered by a state of disaster declaration to evacuate, and said that tens of thousands of the estimated 100,000 population had left for safety. But there are still significant populations in those areas, said Graham Ashton, Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. Those who stayed needed to keep monitoring emergency announcements and fire tracking apps, he said. New South Wales and Victorias emergency services have issued maps (link NSW/link Victoria) to predict the spread of fires on Saturday. The first of thousands of residents and vacationers stranded on a beach in Mallacoota in southeastern Australia landed near Melbourne on Saturday morning after a 20-hour journey by ship. A much bigger ship, carrying about 1,000 people, is due to arrive on Saturday afternoon. Evacuees from Mallacoota arrive on the navy ship MV Sycamore at the port of Hastings, Victoria, Australia, Jan. 4, 2020. (AAP Image/News Corp Pool, Ian Currie/ via Reuters) Mallacoota bushfires evacuees and a cat, who arrived at the port of Hastings on MV Sycamore this morning, arrive at the Somerville Recreation Centre in Somerville south-east of Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 4, 2020. (AAP Image/Julian Smith via Reuters) In parts of the Snowy Mountains region in NSW, remaining residents were told they were at risk. The window of opportunity to leave has now closed. It is too late to leave, the RFS said in a fire advice bulletin. Seek shelter as the fire approaches. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire. A late southerly wind change expected on Saturday will dramatically lower temperatures, but it will also bring wind gusts of 70-80 km/h (43-50 mph) in coastal areas where some of the most dangerous fires are burning. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said more than 100,000 hectares of Kangaroo Island, about one quarter of its total area, had been burnt, but weather conditions have now improved. A view of a burnt residential area, aftermath of bushfires, in Jenolan Caves, New South Wales, Australia on Jan. 1, 2020 in this picture obtained from social media. (Jenolan Caves RFS/via Reuters) The focus on Saturday is preventing more loss of life, authorities said. National parks have been closed and people strongly urged earlier this week to evacuate large parts of NSWs south coast and Victorias north eastern regions, magnets for holidaymakers at the peak of Australias summer school holidays. Morrison confirmed that his visit to India and Japan scheduled for mid-January had been postponed due to the fires. By John Mair, Will Ziebell and Sonali Paul A film producer has filed a copyright violation complaint against Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone, producers of her upcoming movie Chhapaak and director Meghna Gulzar at the Metropolitan Magistrate court. Complainant, Rakesh Bharti, approached the Magistrate court for criminal action against the proposed accused claiming that the film Chhapaak was made based on the script written by him. Also read: Bigg Boss 13: Twitter slams Salman Khan and makers for not punishing Sidharth Shukla, potraying Asim Riaz as negative In his complaint, Bharti claimed that he, alongwith his son, had planned to produce the film based on a story of an acid attack victim. They had even registered the film under the title Black Day in May 2015. The complainant alleged that they had approached several actors, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, and also approached Fox Star Studios for the production of the film. Rakesh further alleged that for the proposal, he had left a copy of the script of his proposed film with the office of Fox Star Studio, Ka Production, and Mriga Films claiming that these producers had shown interest in making the film. However, the complainant later learnt that they were making a separate film on the same subject, Bharti alleged. Bharti has claimed that these producers have done cosmetic changes in his script and made the film Chhapaak. Chhapaak is being co-produced by Fox Star Studio, Mriga Productions and Deepikas Ka Production. Deepika plays the titular role of an acid attack survivor in Chhapaak that is said to be loosely based on the real life of Delhis Laxmi Aggarwal. The film also features Vikrant Massey and is set to hit theatres on January 10. Follow @htshowbiz for more (TNS) Need a part-time job to help pay off those holiday bills?The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring hundreds of thousands of people nationwide to assist with the 2020 Census count. And, in Guilford County, its paying $16 an hour for census takers.Want to apply?The U.S. Census Bureau is taking applications online at 2020census.gov/jobs Eligible candidates must have a valid email account, access to a computer and basic computer skills.Most jobs require access to a vehicle and a valid drivers license, unless public transportation is readily available.Every 10 years, the Census Bureau counts everyone who lives in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)But the march of technology makes this years count a bit different.This year, residents are being asked to submit their information either by computer or by using their smartphone, although information will still be accepted by mail. Respondents can also call a toll-free number for assistance or to give their information to a call-center representative.For the first time in census history, the decennial census primary method to respond will be online, spokeswoman Lindy Studds said in an email.Historically, residents would receive a paper questionnaire that they would complete and mail back in, she said.Required by the U.S. Constitution, census data is important. The statistics are used by local, state and federal lawmakers in determining how more than $675 billion in federal funds will be spent annually. That money pays for such things as roads and bridges, hospitals and health care clinics, emergency response services and education.The census also is used to determine the number of seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives and provides data for redrawing legislative districts.And, as the 2020 Census Operational Plan points out, census data is playing an increasingly important role in U.S. commerce and the economy.Businesses are more often relying on the data to look at population-growth trends and income levels when making decisions about whether or where to locate restaurants or stores. Similarly, real estate investors look at the figures to measure the demand for housing and predict future needs.From March 12 through 20, most households will receive a mailing asking them to respond online to the 2020 census. The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to answer, according to the U.S. Census Bureau website. For those who do not respond, census takers will go door-to-door beginning in May, Studds said. However, the Census Bureau plans to reduce these in-person visits by using data available from government administrative records and third-party sources. Such data, according to the census website, can be used to predict vacant households and determine the best time of day to visit a particular household.For households that cannot be interviewed after multiple attempts, the census will count and provide characteristics for the people in the household using existing high-quality data from trusted sources, according to the 2020 Census Operational Plan.Those sources include the 2010 census, U.S. postal service, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the American Community Survey that is conducted annually by the census.Most fieldworkers also will use mobile devices for collecting the data, and optimal travel routes will be determined to increase productivity.And what tech-savvy organization would miss out on social media opportunities? Census officials are using YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to encourage people to fill out the census, tailoring advertisements to specific audiences. And its also warning people to watch out for scams such as phishing emails, which often direct the recipient to a fake website that looks legitimate.Census workers will not ask respondents for Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers and will not ask for money or donations.The agency has set up an email rumors@census.gov for people to report false rumors, as well.Officials also are partnering with community organizations and businesses to spread the word about the importance of being counted in the census. Efforts include helping residents respond to the census at libraries and other community centers, and hosting events at community, recreation and faith-based organizations.The 2020 Census data will be processed and sent to the president (for congressional apportionment) by Dec. 31, and to the states (for redistricting) by April 1, 2021. The public will be able to see the census results beginning in 2021. Cathy Abbott remembers her brother, Kimberly Shawn Vaught, as a squared-away sailor and overall sweet person. The 21-year-old served as a hull maintenance technician on what was then the newly commissioned destroyer Moosbrugger. He was proud to serve, Abbott said, and planned to someday open a welding business with his best friend. But on Jan. 1, 1980, Vaught's body was found at the Holland St. and Bainbridge Ave. intersection on the now-closed Naval Base Charleston in South Carolina. He'd been strangled -- the heavy-gauge steel wire still around his neck -- when a pair of sailors found him just after noon that New Year's Day. Four decades have passed without answers. Naval investigators never determined a motive or found a suspect. Related: Cold Case: Sister Wants Answers in 1997 Murder of California-Based Marine Abbott, who was 23 when her brother was killed, has never stopped wondering why someone would take Vaught's life. Her family and naval investigators are hopeful that anyone with information about his case will finally speak out. "If they were in their 20s then, they're 60 now," Abbott said. "Maybe someone knew something but didn't come forward thinking, 'It might not look good for my career' or 'Somebody's going to come after me.' "Those reasons are gone now," she added. Vaught was a low-key person, she said. He kept a small circle of friends and wasn't known to cause trouble. That's part of what has made the mystery so tough to crack, according to the lead investigator on the case. The agent, with Naval Criminal Investigative Service's Cold Case Homicide Unit, requested that her name not be used since she conducts undercover work. "Although the investigators at the time really gave it a good shake when it came in, there have really never been any substantial, tangible leads in this case," she said. "They interviewed scores of people, but no one ever really rose to the top." That included the 300-plus Moosbrugger crew members, she added, with special attention paid to those in Vaught's shop who worked most closely with the sailor. Even with the case going cold, though, she said there's still hope they can solve it today. NCIS' Cold Case Homicide Unit, which was the first federal-level agency of its kind when it was stood up in 1995, has solved more than 60 cases. "The passage of time is really valuable to us," the agent said. "Alliances change, family relationships change and someone who may have known something and didn't feel comfortable saying something back then may be comfortable saying something now." 'Do the Right Thing by This Family' On New Year's Eve in 1979, Vaught -- like a lot of sailors -- headed out to the base's enlisted club to celebrate. He was seen leaving the club alone after last call. But investigators have never been able to piece together what happened between then and the next afternoon when his body was found. It's unclear whether Vaught ever left the base, the agent said. It's also possible that a lot more people were at Naval Base Charleston that night since it was a holiday. "In the 1980s, the comings and goings on base were a lot different than they are now," the agent said. "It being New Year's Eve is a whole different dynamic, too, of what might've been going on that night in terms of folks going on and off to parties or events." The smallest detail could be the missing piece of this puzzle, Abbott said. She and the agent urge people to share any memories they have of Vaught that night. "I just want people ... to put some effort into thinking, 'When's the last time I saw Kim?'" Abbott said. "Reach out. No matter how funny, stupid or insignificant it might seem, just come forward because that might be the one little catalyst that's going to start the ball rolling." The agent on Vaught's case also urges anyone who celebrated the new year in Charleston that night to look at old photos to see if he's in them. That includes gatherings both on and off the naval base, she said, since his whereabouts during close to a 12-hour window are still unknown. Abbott and her family have stayed in contact with naval investigators over the decades. As the years drag on, she admits feeling frustrated that the case has gone unsolved. Still, she added, she's grateful they're still working on the case, which she acknowledges has been a challenging one. She wants answers about her brother's death during her lifetime. In his eulogy, Vaught's older brother called him "the main inspiration and delight to our family" who in moments of difficulty was "a beacon." And Abbott's mother, who referred to Vaught as her "Sunshine Child," never got to learn the truth about what happened to him. "My heart is so heavy," Vaught's mom wrote in a letter after her son's death. "... I am so angry at what they did to my little one." Kimberly Shawn Vaught holding the nephew named for him. (Courtesy of Cathy Abbott) When Vaught was murdered, Abbott was already dealing with a devastating loss. She lost her husband soon after they married. When Vaught went home for what would be his last Christmas with his family, the sailor vowed to take care of her and her family. Abbott has two children, both named in honor of Vaught: a son named Shawn and a daughter named Jaime. Her brother, Abbott said, once told her he hoped to someday name his own daughter Jaime. Revisiting the details surrounding her brother's murder in the effort to finally solve the case hasn't been easy for Abbott. She's a private person, she said, and many of her current friends weren't even aware she'd lost a brother to murder all those years ago. But, Abbott added, she needs answers. The agent working the case urged anyone with information about Vaught's final hours to have the courage to speak up. "It's time to do the right thing by this family who has always been engaged in wanting to bring this to resolution," she said. Anyone with information can submit tips anonymously through the NCIS Tips mobile app or at www.ncis.navy.mil. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Read more: Pentagon Confirms US Killed Gen. Suleimani, Head of Iran's Elite Quds Force Google decided to kill something to mark the start of the new year, and this time around it's surprisingly not one of the umpteen messaging services it has launched at various points. No, we're talking about print-replica magazines in Google News. Before you ask, yes, "print-replica magazines" apparently are still a thing. Or rather, they were - because now they're dead, in Google News that is. The company has sent out a notification to the people who used to subscribe to digital versions of magazines through the app, which tells us that such people do in fact exist. Okay, so here's the gist of it. You won't be able to purchase any new print-replica magazines anymore, nor renew subscriptions to them via Google News. That said, you will continue to have access to all issues you previously subscribed to in the Google News app (in the Following or Favorites tab, depending on your app version). Google suggests you search for your publication's name in Google News and just read its articles in a format that isn't "print-replica". And then subscribe to each magazine independently. This marks the end of what started out as the Play Magazines app, later rebranded to Play Newsstand, and then incorporated into Google News eventually. This is basically Google's app development cycle in a nutshell: launch something, later rebrand, and then make it part of something else. Eventually, just kill it off. Rinse, repeat, start again with a different (but still similar) thing. R.I.P. Source The global news magazine The Economist dedicated a front page to Australia a few years ago with the headline Aussie Rules: What the World Can Learn from Australia. To be sure, The Economist found good fortune had played a role in Australias success, blessed as we are with an abundance of natural resources and conveniently located close to Asia, which hoovers such things up. Kylie Minogue fronts the Matesong campaign in the biggest Tourism Australia investment in the UK for more than a decade. But the magazine also found good policy had played a critical role in making Australia probably the most successful country in the rich world. Unlike most countries, we had achieved a broad consensus on key issues such as mass immigration, low public debt, trade policy and an affordable welfare state. Now, as we enter a new decade, there is a growing number of Australians who view the future with pessimism and believe our best days are behind us. A recent Roy Morgan poll found 40 per cent of respondents think 2020 will be "worse" than 2019, the worst poll result in 30 years. Two people are wanted by police after they used handlebars from a scooter to rob a grocery store on Friday. The two thieves used the unusual weapon to threaten the grocery store attendant before they ran from the store with cash and cigarettes. Police say the man and woman entered the supermarket in the town of Beaudesert at about 7.40pm on Friday. Two people are wanted by police after they used handlebars from a scooter to rob a grocery store on Friday They then used the metal handlebars to threaten the female worker and force her to hand over the money and cigarettes. The cashier was not injured in the robbery and alerted police as soon as the pair left the store. Any members of the public who witnessed or have information in relation to the incident are asked to contact Policelink on 131444 and quote this reference number: QP2000022761. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images We have God on our side. They have long been some of the most chilling words in the English language. Perhaps never more so than when uttered by Donald Trump in a re-election campaign. The president made the claim at an Evangelicals for Trump rally at a megachurch in Miami on Friday night, a day after taking America to the brink of war with the killing in Baghdad of Qassem Suleimani, Irans top general and potential future leader. Related: Iranian Americans on edge as tensions surge: 'the fear is palpable' He was planning a very major attack, said Trump, against a backdrop of US flags, and we got him! The crowd many wearing Keep America Great hats, shirts and other regalia erupted in cheers and whistles. It was a sure sign of how, impeached and facing a Senate trial as he may be, Trump is already campaigning with a toxic brew of audacity, patriotism and appeals to the almighty. Reflecting on his shock 2016 victory, he told the crowd in Miami: I really do believe we have God on our side. Were going to blow away those numbers in 2020. For a political outsider who promised to upend Washington, it all sounds remarkably like an old-fashioned Republican pitch. It casts Trump as strongman commander-in-chief, exploiting what the rest of the world has long suspected is an American weakness for jingoism and imperialism. And it seeks to portray his Democratic opponent, whomever it may be, as soft on national security and insufficiently patriotic or Christian. He was planning a very major attack and we got him! Donald Trump As we speak, every Democrat candidate running for president is trying to punish religious believers and silence our churches and our pastors, Trump claimed spuriously in Miami, eliciting boos. Well, we can smile because were winning by so much. Intriguingly, Trump singled out for criticism Pete Buttigieg, a leading Democratic candidate who is both a proud Christian and a military veteran. Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, tweeted in return: God does not belong to a political party. Story continues Supporters pray as Donald Trump speaks during an Evangelicals for Trump campaign event at the King Jesus international ministry in Miami, Florida, on 3 January. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Meanwhile a Trump campaign video depicts his predecessor, Barack Obama, as if through a dark-tinted lens and with nightmarish music as he talks about the campaign against Islamic State, then bursts into colour as it recounts the killing of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, last year. Trump declares: You dont stand a chance against the righteous might of the United States military. Faced with this brutally simplistic message, Democratic candidates on Friday asked voters to hold two thoughts at the same time: yes, Suleimani was an enemy of America, but yes, it was also staggeringly reckless of Trump to direct the killing of a government official from another country with little regard for the consequences. In their view, he is a child playing with matches. The question now is whether Iran will follow through on its promise of severe revenge and inflict American casualties, pushing foreign policy up an election agenda so far dominated by healthcare, immigration, taxes, gun control, the climate crisis and the presidents own competence and impeachable conduct. If America pays in blood and treasure, Trump could be punished at the ballot box, especially as his first campaign was built around promises of America first isolation and withdrawing from endless wars in the Middle East. The strike will definitely help Trump among his supporters. It is the kind of tough talk and action they seem to like Monika McDermott Monika McDermott, a political science professor at Fordham University in New York, said: The strike will definitely help Trump among his supporters. It is the kind of tough talk and action they seem to like. Whether it will have any effects outside of that remain to be seen. Its still a long way to go for the general election. The only possible negative I can see from it, in terms of public opinion, is if it opens up a new type of conflict in the Middle East that drags on closer to the election. Before then, the killing of Suleimani could shake up the Democratic primary, with the Iowa caucuses only a month away. It offers an opportunity for Joe Biden whose eight years as vice-president to Obama included the Iran nuclear deal, torn up by Trump to tout his foreign policy pedigree. But it also offers anti-interventionist rivals, such as the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, the chance to attack Bidens 2002 vote in favour of the Iraq war. Related: For many Iranian-American families, this moment has us sick and terrified | Mitra Jalali John Zogby, a Democratic pollster, said: Sanders can certainly take advantage of Bidens vote on the Iraq war and draw a straight line from there to the destabilisation of the Middle East. Biden can make up for it by saying we negotiated the Iran nuclear deal, they were abiding by the deal and now is this what we want? But overall, in the warp speed of the scandal-strewn Trump presidency, it is impossible to know whether Suleimanis death will loom large or be a half-forgotten footnote come November. Unfortunately for Trump, that outcome may well depend on decisions made in Tehran rather than Washington. Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said: We dont know how Iran is going to respond to it yet. We dont know exactly what it may or may not mean domestically here at home. How do the American people digest all of this? Because its all happening so fast: people woke up this morning and, Oh! We just assassinated the No 2 in Iran. Its particularly true for those who ran the last trial 21 years ago, a GOP-led Senate that logged almost 1,200 hours in session. By the end of 1999, senators had cast more than 350 votes on legislation and ushered into existence 170 laws, signed by a president after they tried and failed to evict him from office. It took more than 15,000 pages to cover that years Senate work in the Congressional Record. Learn about online master's programs in accounting, including the different kinds of programs, specialization areas, and common coursework. Also, learn what careers, such as a certified accountant, you could pursue with a graduate accounting degree. View Schools Best Online Master's Degree Programs in Accounting When deciding on the best online degree program for your needs and career goals, be sure to take into account affordability, program length, accreditation, and if the coursework prepares you for the CPA exam. Below are the top schools that offer online accounting master's degree programs. 1. Auburn University Location Graduate Tuition & Fees (in-state) Auburn, AL $11,282 Auburn University offers an online Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree program that features the same coursework, lectures, faculty, and exams as the on-campus option. This Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International-accredited program can be completed in 1 year if you are not a working professional, or in 2 years if you work full-time. The coursework in this online program fully prepares you for the CPA Exam, and students in the 2019 class averaged a pass rate of 94%. In addition, a 3-day on-campus residency is designed to improve your leadership skills. 2. University of Alabama at Birmingham Location Graduate Tuition & Fees (in-state) Birmingham, AL $8,100 The University of Alabama at Birmingham has two online AACSB-accredited Master's in Accounting program options, including one for those with a bachelor's in the accounting field and a bridge program for those with a degree in a non-accounting field. The online bridge program requires foundational coursework in accounting and taxation and quickly helps you get up to speed. Both program options feature 100% online coursework and prepare you for the CPA exam and other professional certification exams. Most students complete their online accounting degree in about 5 semesters, but a flexible policy for transfer credits could help you finish quicker. 3. George Mason University Location Graduate Tuition & Fees (in-state) Fairfax, VA $15,138 George Mason University's online AACSB International-accredited Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree program is designed for working professionals and can be completed in 2 years. In this online cohort program, asynchronous courses last 8 weeks, and you can take 2 courses at a time. You are also required to participate in a 1-week global residency or an international study tour; past residencies have taken students to London and Prague. 4. Maryville University of Saint Louis Location Graduate Tuition & Fees (in-state) Saint Louis, MO $15,646 Maryville University of Saint Louis offers an online Master of Science in Accounting degree program that can be completed 100% online with no on-campus residency or internship requirements. This online program is for both those with and without an accounting bachelor's degree. The bridge option covers the basics of accounting, economics, and financial reporting, while the core program allows you to dive right into advanced accounting topics. The accounting courses at Maryville University of Saint Louis incorporate Becker CPA exam preparation courses into the curriculum so that you can prepare for the CPA exam and save money on exam-prep courses. 5. Fitchburg State University Location Graduate Tuition & Fees (in-state) Fitchburg, MA $3,828 Fitchburg State University has an online 30-credit, IACBE-accredited Master of Business Administration in Accounting degree program that can be completed in as little as 1 year. At Fitchburg State University, your online classes are collaborative, allowing you to interact with your peers, and are taught by on-campus faculty. Your classes feature an accelerated model, and there are multiple start dates throughout the year so that you can jump right into your online degree program. Rank School Name Location Graduate Tuition & Fees (in-state) 6 University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO $10,017 7 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ $13,044 8 University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD $6,835 9 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK $8,577 10 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL $18,126 11 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND $9,697 12 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA $15,782 13 Emporia State University Emporia, KS $8,464 14 Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT $8,338 15 Plymouth State University Plymouth, NH $10,134 16 University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell, MA $15,060 17 Davenport University Grand Rapids, MI $15,126 18 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX $6,889 19 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT $17,660 20 Madonna University Livonia, MI $15,030 21 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN $9,000 22 Utica College Utica, N, $12,668 23 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH $18,810 24 University of South Alabama Mobile, AL $8,156 25 SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY $12,668 26 Rutgers University-Newark Newark, NJ $19,401 27 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA $8,728 28 Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish, ME 8,982$ 29 Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia, PA $16,992 30 Cairn University-Langhorne Langhorne, PA $12,384 31 University of Scranton Scranton, PA $ 11,630 32 Oral Roberts University Tulsa, OK $13,988 33 Western New England University Springfield, MA $24,318 34 California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA $8,744 35 Edgewood College Madison, WI $17,856 All statistics provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, tuition based on 2018-2019 school year Learn.org's school ranking methodology categorizes and assesses data from schools and other reliable sources, such as the U.S. Department of Education, and weighs the information based on quality, cost, value and other factors critical to students' academic decisions. Overview of Online Accounting Degree Programs Online master's programs in accounting come in a range of formats, including full-time programs and part-time programs that allow you to work and earn your master's at the same time. Accelerated Programs Those with a bachelor's degree in the field of accounting can attend an accelerated master's program in accounting. These programs can be completed in as little as one year with about 30 credits required. Bridge Programs If you don't have a background in accounting and hold a bachelor's degree in an area that is outside of accounting or finance, you can still attend an accounting master's program. Bridge or transition accounting programs require that you complete prerequisite coursework in the basics of accounting and finance before moving onto advanced accounting coursework. These online bridge programs do require more credits than programs for those with a bachelor's in accounting. You could need to earn 15-30 credits more than a traditional program. As such, bridge programs take a couple more semesters to complete. CPA Exam Preparation Many online accounting master's programs prepare you to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. To be eligible to take the CPA exam, you must complete 150 hours of education, which means you usually need to complete a bachelor's degree and an advanced degree. Master's programs in accounting are usually designed to help you meet this educational requirement through coursework. Real-World Requirements Although these accounting master's programs consist of online coursework, many have real-world requirements. Some programs may require you to come to campus for a few days where you participate in workshops, seminars, and networking events. Other programs feature a global residency trip where you gain international accounting and business experience. You may get to choose to participate in an optional or non-optional internship that places you in a local business to gain accounting experience. Concentrations Some online accounting programs could offer optional concentration areas, including: Forensic accounting Business analytics Auditing Taxation Concentrations require that you take specific coursework within your focus area along with your core coursework and they may help you find more specialized careers in accounting. How to Choose an Online Accounting Program To find the right online accounting program, you should look at the specializations the program offers, the program's format, and whether the program is accredited. Specialization Options Whether or not a program offers specializations should factor into your choice of accounting program. If you have a specific career in mind, then you want to attend a program that offers the specialization that matches your career goals. For example, if you want to work to discover fraud or abuse, then choose an online accounting program that offers forensic accounting. Online Format and Real-World Requirements As the format of online account master's programs varies widely, you want to make sure that you are able to complete all your program's requirements. For example, if you are not able or willing to travel to campus for multiple days or take an international trip, you want to choose a program that is 100% online with no real-world requirements. On the other hand, if you want to gain real work experience in the accounting field, then you may want to choose a program that helps you complete an internship. Accreditation You should consider whether the programs you are applying to are accredited. One type of accreditation comes from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This accreditation assures you that your accounting program has met external high standards in terms of curriculum, learning outcomes, faculty credentials, and professional and academic engagement and development. What You'll Learn in an Online Accounting Degree Program Online accounting programs consist of coursework that ranges from accounting concepts to financial topics. While your required core and elective courses vary based on your program, below you can explore some common subjects that you may study in an accounting master's program. Auditing A class on auditing explores the job duties of auditors, ethical rules and responsibilities, and how to perform an audit by analyzing financial statements. You might also learn about the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), which is a board that governs and sets the standards for audits in regards to public companies. This course may cover how to identify fraud through the auditing process. Managerial Accounting A managerial accounting class teaches you how to use financial data and information to make business decisions and create a business strategy. This class covers various budgeting techniques, cost methods, performance measurement tools, and pricing strategies that are used to analyze data and optimize business operations. Business Law Business law is a course that teaches you foundational knowledge about business-related legal concepts regarding contracts, torts, sales, and business legal rights. In addition, this course covers the legal structures of different businesses, such as corporations and partnerships. Taxation Accounting master's programs usually include classes on both individual taxation and the taxation of corporate entities. In individual tax courses, you study the federal tax system, including tax liability issues, income, and how deductions work. Other courses on taxation focus on tax planning and federal taxation of a variety of different businesses, including S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. The taxation of trusts and estates might be covered as well. Financial Reporting Courses on financial reporting teach you everything you need to know about how to use financial information for accounting purposes. In a course like this one, you may learn the different reporting requirements for every financial aspect of a business, including cash, inventory, property, equipment, intangible assets, and liabilities. Other topics might include reporting requirements for investments, leases, pensions, and income taxes. Fraud Classes on fraud generally teach you how to detect and prevent fraud. You learn about the different forms of financial fraud, including money laundering, tax fraud, insurance fraud, and e-commerce fraud. You might also learn about the process and aspects of fraud investigations. What You Can Do with an Online Accounting Degree With a master's degree in accounting, you can pursue a career as a certified accountant or could advance your career beyond an entry-level position. Below, you can explore the job duties and salary information for the accountant profession and careers in finance. Accountant and Auditor Accountants and auditors perform a range of duties related to financial matters, including: Preparing taxes for a business or individual Reviewing financial statements for accuracy Maintaining different financial records Enacting accounting systems and procedures As an accountant or auditor, your job duties are usually determined by where you work and what kind of accounting professional you are. For example, as an internal auditor, you work within organizations to identify fraud, waste, and any financial mismanagement. As a public accountant, you could work for yourself or for a company where you could specialize in a specific area, such as taxation or forensic accounting. While most accountant and auditor jobs only require a bachelor's degree, a master's degree in accounting is sometimes preferred by employers and can help you specialize in the field. Accountants and auditors earned a median salary of $70,500, and the number of jobs is expected to increase by 6% from 2018-2028. Personal Financial Advisor Personal financial advisors help their clients manage, save, and invest their money. Typically, your job duties also include meeting with clients to explain different financial services, investment options, and risks that come with those things. You might help clients plan for big life decisions, including buying insurance, saving for college, or planning for retirement. Some personal financial advisors also sell certain financial products, including bonds, stocks, or insurance. Usually, personal financial need a bachelor's degree with coursework in accounting, finance, and economics; however, a master's degree can help you achieve a higher-level position. Personal financial advisors earned a median salary of $88,890, and the number of jobs are expected to increase by 7% from 2018-2028. Financial Manager Financial managers oversee all aspects of the financial health and strategy of an organization. Their job duties could include preparing reports, forecasts, and financial statements, analyzing data to make financial decisions and reduce overhead costs, and managing employees. There are several types of financial managers, including controllers who are in charge of auditing, budgeting, and accounting and risk managers who determine financial risk and work to offset any losses. Financial managers are expected to have a graduate degree in accounting, economics, or finance. Financial managers earned a median salary of $127,990, and the number of jobs are expected to increase by 16% from 2018-2028. Salary and job growth information provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018 License Requirements for Accountants and Financial Professionals Licensing and certification for the financial industry varies by profession and is often optional. However, becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or earning a certification credential can improve your career prospects. Certified Public Accountant Although it is not required to become certified, if an accountant files reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), they must be certified by law. Accountants also become certified as some employers require it and certification can boost your job prospects; it shows you have the right educational credentials and have specialized accounting skills. Certification is done through your state's Board of Accountancy. Although requirements vary by state, you usually must complete 150 hours of college-level coursework and must pass the CPA Exam, which is administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The CPA Exam consists of 4 testing subject areas: Auditing and Attestation Business Environment and Concepts Financial Accounting and Reporting Regulation While you do not have to pass all 4 parts in a single test-taking session, you must pass all 4 parts within 18 months after passing a single part. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) One optional certification for personal financial advisors is the Certified Financial Planner (CFP), which is administered by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. To earn this credential, you must meet the following requirements: Hold a bachelor's degree Have 3 years of professional experience Pass the CFP exam Follow a code of ethics Earning this credential can help you gain and keep clients by assuring them you are a professional in the field. If you sell any financial products (insurance, bonds, or stocks) or manage investments, then you need a state or federal license for each type of product. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Certification for financial managers is optional. However, to show their skills and professionalism, some financial managers earn the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential, which comes from the CFA Institute. To earn this credential, you must hold a bachelor's degree, have 4 years of professional experience, and pass 3 exams. Resources for Accounting and Financial Professionals There are several organizations that offer accountants and financial professionals a wealth of resources, including certification and other member benefits. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) AICPA is the world's largest accounting organization. Along with upholding licensing and certification standards and administering the CPA Exam, AICPA also advocates for the profession, promotes awareness of CPAs to the public, and helps develop accounting educational programs. In addition to the Certified Public Accountant credential, AICPA offers the following certifications: Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) Credential Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) Certified in Entity and Intangible Valuation (CEIV) Certified in the Valuation of Financial Instruments (CVFI) As a member of AICPA, you get discounts on insurance, travel, supplies, and more, get access to newsletters and magazines, and get access to professional development resources. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) The CFP Board works to set the standards for the personal financial planning profession through setting guidelines for certification, education, and ethics. They offer the CFP credential and administer the CFP Exam. This exam consists of multiple-choice questions, stand-alone questions, and questions that include case histories or short scenarios. The CFP Board offers continuing education and conducts public awareness campaigns. CFA Institute The CFA Institute promotes ethical, educational, and professional standards in the financial management profession. This organization administers the CFA charter exam, which consists of a multiple-choice test, a vignette-supported multiple-choice test, and a vignette-supported response and a multiple-choice test. By becoming a member of the CFA Institute, you gain access to career resources, marketing materials, and continuing education resources. Lol, Cardi B is a whole vibe. After President Trump ordered the airstrike that killed an Iranian General, Cardi tweeted saying, she will be fighting for her Nigerian citizenship. As if that was not enough, she later tweeted she would be picking her tribe. Then again, she shared a photo of her in a traditional Yoruba outfit insinuating, she would prefer to be a Yoruba lady. A photo of Kulture her daughter also tying the famous Yoruba attire- aso oke was also retweeted by the rapper, who captioned it so cute. The tweets below Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Children with hypoxic brain injuries from a near-drowning have a better chance of survival than they did 12 years ago, thanks to Samuel Morris. The medical treatment of non-fatal drownings has improved since the toddler was found floating lifeless in a western Sydney backyard pool, thanks to the relentless campaigning of his parents Jo and Michael. Samuel was a bright and cuddly two-year-old before his life changed in a split second on April 9, 2006, when a broken gate allowed him to venture near the pool. Samuel Morris was a bubbly and bright toddler before he almost drowned in a backyard pool Samuel was left with a severe hypoxic brain injury and other severe disabilities and required round the clock care. Despite doctors predicting he wouldn't survive, Samuel defied the odds and lived another eight years before he succumbed to his severe injuries in 2014. Jo-Ann Morris will never forget the harrowing moment she found her son in their backyard pool in Cranebrook in Penrith, a day she described as the worst day of her life. It was an unusually warm autumn day where Samuel had been playing with his five-year-old sister in the backyard. 'There was no splash, there was no yelling, there was nothing,' the mother-of-three recently recalled for ABC documentary The Pool. 'I walked toward the pool gate, opened it up and I saw just a few centimetres under the water Samuel was floating. ' Samuel was left with a severe hypoxic brain injury and other severe disabilities and required round the clock care Her husband Michael, a Fire and Rescue NSW firefighter was away with work at the time. 'I got a phone call from one of colleagues who said to me 'There's no other way to say this but Samuel's been in an accident at home. He's on his way to hospital and thing don't look good.' Ms Morris described the moment as the worst day of her life. 'They were safe in my backyard away from the pool area. I relied on my four year old pool fence, I thought it was safe. I was terribly wrong,' she later wrote in an online blog. 'I didn't even get wet until after I scooped Samuel into my arms. I rolled him onto his back in my arms, he was heavy, lifeless, swollen, his eyes were bulging and starey, he was foaming at the mouth, blue around his lips and his nose and his skin was a strange pale yellow colour. Samuel Morris (pictured) spent several days on life support after the near drowning 'He did not look like my son. I will never no matter how hard I try, get the picture out of my head how my son was. The look , the taste, the smells,the sounds or the feeling will be with me forever,' Ms Morris began CPR on her son with the help of neighbours as they waited for paramedics to arrive. On the trip to Nepean Hospital and then at the hospital, he was given 13 shocks to the heart and several adrenalin injections. After being stabilised at Nepean Hospital, Samuel was rushed to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at The Childrens Hospital at Westmead where he spent several days on life support before being transported to a paeditric ward, where he spent the next four months. Samuel's parents set up the Samuel Morris Foundation to a mission to improve the quality of life for children with severe hypoxic brain injuries In the eight years that followed, Samuel was at his happiest in the water, the place where he almost drowned. 'It was the only time he was relaxed, which sounds ridiculous but it was the best time for him,' Ms Morris said. Samuel's parents set up the Samuel Morris Foundation to a mission to improve the quality of life for children with severe hypoxic brain injuries and campaigning for improvement of backyard pool regulations. 'Doctors have learned a lot from Samuel on how to treat children that have survived a drowning- the way they treat them has been improved,' Ms Morris said. Just 20 seconds and a few centimetres of water is all that's needed for a child a drown. 'Doctors have learned a lot from Samuel on how to treat children that have survived a drowning- the way they treat them has been improved,' Ms Morris said Since December 1, four people have drowned so far this summer, compared to 20 this time last year. In 2018-19, 276 Australians drowned, a 10 per cent increase from the previous year. Around 31 drowning deaths occurred in swimming pools. NSW had the most with 98 drownings, followed by Queensland and Victoria. It's estimated a further 584 non-fatal drownings occurred. Her famous parents Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber recently had an intense interaction with her boyfriend Pete Davidson, who was reportedly 'freaking out'. And Kaia Gerber appeared tense as she stepped out following a visit to Alfred's coffee in Beverly Hills on Friday. The model, 18, cut a casual figure in a green jumper and blue flared jeans as she chatted on her phone during the casual day out. Low-key outing: Kaia Gerber appeared tense as she stepped out following a visit to Alfred's coffee in Beverly Hills on Friday Kaia teamed her laid-back ensemble with a pair of navy and white lace-up trainers, while she carried her essentials in an indigo shoulder bag. The catwalk star completed her look with a pair of over-sized tortoiseshell sunglasses. Her brunette tresses were styled into a centre-parting while she appeared to go make-up free for the outing. Kaia looked somewhat distracted as she made her way down the street in the Californian city amid news about her beau Pete. Laid-back: The model, 18, cut a casual figure in a green jumper and blue flared jeans as she chatted on her phone during the casual day out During an SNL skit just before the Christmas holiday, the 26-year-old star announced on live television that he would be going away to a rehab facility. 'I'm going on 'vacation' but insurance pays for some of it, and they take your phone and shoelaces,' he said using quotes while on-air for the Weekend Update. 'And it costs $100,000 but I still have roommates.' Just recently, Davidson finally addressed that he is back in the dating scene while doing yet another Weekend Update. Just days after, Kaia's famous parents Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber were spotted outside of her apartment having a serious discussion about the ongoing troubles. Help: Kaia's famous parents Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber (both left) were spotted outside of her apartment having a serious discussion about Pete's troubles Shock: A bystander told Dailymail.com that Rande was heard saying that the person upstairs - presumed to be Pete - had 'scratched eyes' and was 'freaking out' A bystander told Dailymail.com that Rande was heard saying that the person upstairs - presumed to be Pete - had 'scratched eyes' and was 'freaking out.' Pete reportedly left the apartment in a car down the street after the parents talked. Kaia was later seen returning to the building after dark. 'It's not fair Colin. You get to date a famous woman and everyone's delighted, but when I do it the world wants to punch me in the throat,' he said to his co-host Colin Jost who is engaged to Scarlett Johansson. Lovebirds: During an SNL skit just before the Christmas holiday, the 26-year-old star announced on live television that he would be going away to a rehab facility Former flame: The SNL star was previously engaged to popstar Ariana Grande back in 2018 The unlikely pair was first linked back in October when they were spotted out for brunch at Sadelles in the Big Apple. They have since been spotted out on vacation in Miami and even attended a wedding together. The SNL star was previously engaged to popstar Ariana Grande back in 2018. After the whirlwind relationship, the couple called off the wedding after expressing it wasn't the right time for the relationship. The leadership of the Armed Forces of Armenia held a meeting discussing the situation in the Middle East. Special instructions were given based on the results of the meeting, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of the Republic Artsrun Hovhannisyan wrote in his Facebook account. The participants of the meeting in the Ministry of Defense also discussed the organization of combat duty at positions on holidays, noting that in general the situation on the contact line of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is stable, Hovvanisyan said, Sputnik Armenia reports. The International Criminal Police Organization, better known as Interpol, has issued an arrest warrant to Lebanon filed for the former Nissan Motor Company Ltd. (OTC: NSANY) chairman Carlos Ghosn who is allegedly staying in Lebanon right now, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported on Thursday. What Happened Ghosn fled to Lebanon's capital Beirut from Japan, where he is facing charges of financial misconduct. "I am now in Lebanon and will no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant and basic human rights are denied," Ghosn had said in a statement on New Year's eve, as reported by NHK. Lebanon's Minister of Justice Albert Aziz Serhan confirmed to NHK that it received an international wanted notice form Interpol and told the broadcaster that the authorities would respond to the request "based on law," and accordingly question Ghosn. Serhan said that the former Nissan CEO "entered Lebanon with legitimate documentation." There's no extradition treaty between Lebanon and Japan, as noted by the NHK. Ghosn is reported to have fled Japan via Istanbul, from where he embarked on a private jet to Beirut. What's Next Turkey authorities are investigating the case, and have detained seven people, including four pilots, suspected to have helped Ghosn flee the country, according to local newspaper Hurriyet Daily News. The NHK reported that Ghosn holds nationalities of three countries, including Lebanon, France, and Brazil. While the Japanese authorities seized his Lebanese and Brazilian passports as a condition of his bail, he was allowed to carry one of the two French passports he held in a "locked case." The Lebanese authorities said that a man believed to be Ghosn entered Lebanon using a French passport, NHK reported. Japanese authorities have no record of Ghosn leaving the country. Why It Matters Ghosn was set to face trial later this year on various financial misconduct charges, including under-reporting his compensation, using company assets for personal use, and alleged shifting of personal losses of about $16.6 million to Nissan. Story continues The Japanese court has redacted Ghosn's bail following his escape, according to NHK. 0 See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. (Natural News) A number of major tech players are named as targets in a new lawsuit that contends theyre colluding with each other and communist China to unleash artificial intelligence (AI) hell across our planet. Phase one of this lawsuit seeks to punish Google, Facebook, Alphabet, Tesla, Neuralink, DeepMind, Cision PR Newswire, along with Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and 29 other John Does for conspiring to use AI as a weapon of mass destruction and mass genocide. The lawsuit alleges that all of these entities and people are endangering and threatening all of humanity by: misusing and weaponizing Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Robotics, 5G, Machines, Smart Phones, Smart Homes, Smart Cities, IoTs, Holograms, Mixed Reality, Nano-Technology, Cloning, Gene-Editing, Cybernetics, Bio-Engineering, and the creation of a digital AI Brain linked to Googles Search engine with the use and extraction of humanitys bio-metrics data, digital bio-metric codes including facial, voice, health, organ, neural network and body recognition technology. Phew, thats certainly a mouthful. But suffice it to say that Big Tech and its ruling overlords are engaged in a global effort to annihilate humanity by extracting peoples souls, essentially, and superimposing them into advanced computer systems and technologies under the guise of progress and smart development. The lawsuit goes on to contend that by doing all of the aforementioned things with the aforementioned technologies, the technocrats and the multinational corporate entities they control are: controlling humanitys thoughts, actions, biology, bio-metrics, brain neural pathways, the human bodys neural networks that reprogram all human beings through social engineering and bio-digital social programming, without their consent, knowledge, understanding, or free will. In essence, the suit claims that this extraction of humanitys digital footprints by Big Tech represents a clear breach of the Nuremberg Code, which prohibits the development of any weapons, digital or otherwise, that have the potential to enslave or kill off humanity. Communist China is using Silicon Valleys AI technologies to persecute and genocide its political and religious prisoners At the forefront of this AI enslavement agenda is communist Chinas current use of it, thanks to the complicity of Silicon Valley tech giants many of which are named in this lawsuit that willingly handed over their egregious technologies to the authoritarian regime. We know that communist China is already using AI technologies developed by the likes of Google and Facebook to commit mass genocide against political and religious prisoners, including Uygher Muslims that are being held in concentration camps across China. Communist China is also persecuting and murdering Christians, thanks to folks like Zuckerberg and Pichai who continue to develop anti-human systems of spying and surveillance that allow authoritarian regimes to keep 24/7 tabs on their enslaved citizenries. The lawsuit is lengthy and contains 26 sections that, if youre interested, can be browsed in full at this link. What they clearly reveal is that technological progress, at least as were been force-fed into accepting it, actually means regress from human autonomy and freedom. All Charges from 1-26 have led to physical genocide in China spearheaded by the Chinese Communist Government, and all charges from 1-16 are in breach and violations of penal codes states in facts 1, 2 and 3, writes Cyrus A. Parsa from The AI Organization about the suit. All Charges have and are leading to Cultural Genocide in America and around the World, endangering all of humanity to enter a stage of cultural and physical genocide with the interconnection of Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Robotics, Machines, Drones, Smart Cities, as it pertain to negligence and misuse by the main platforms and companies of Google, Facebook, Alphabet, DeepMind, Neuralink, John Does, and their leadership. This does not exclude other players such as Amazon and Microsoft from guilt, and the very many Chinese companies who were trained by these Western companies, he concludes. For more related news, be sure to check out AISystems.news. Sources for this article include: TheAIorganization.com NaturalNews.com Sixteen lions have been killed by poachers who hacked the faces and paws off eight of the adults to sell their teeth and claws to be used to turn into black magic potions. Distraught Gert Blom, 51, who owns Predators Rock Bush Lodge in Rustenburg, South Africa, was surprised when he woke up not to hear his lion pride roaring as usual at dawn. He went down to their enclosure and found his two male lions and six lionesses missing and followed drag trails to behind a perimeter wall where he found them all butchered. Distraught Gert Blom, 51, who owns Predators Rock Bush Lodge in Rustenburg, South Africa, was surprised when he woke up not to hear his lion pride roaring as usual at dawn He went down to their enclosure and found his two male lions and six lionesses missing and followed drag trails to behind a perimeter wall where he found them all butchered. Pictured are the lions before their poisoning Gert said: 'They had hacked off 32 paws for the claws and eight of their snouts for their teeth after killing them with poisoned chicken which is a really agonising death for the lions. 'It is cruelty that is beyond belief and an absolutely terrible sight to behold when you see magnificent predators lying there covered in flies minus their faces and their paws'. A further devastating blow was that two of the lionesses were within 24 hours of giving birth and a post mortem showed that they died with 3 unborn cubs inside each. Another lioness had given birth the day before she was poisoned and two of her cubs were found dead and it is thought they probably died after suckling milk that was poisoned. Gert said: 'They had hacked off 32 paws for the claws and eight of their snouts for their teeth after killing them with poisoned chicken which is a really agonising death for the lions' He added: 'It is cruelty that is beyond belief and an absolutely terrible sight to behold when you see magnificent predators lying there covered in flies' Gert said: 'With the eight dead cubs six unborn and the two that were almost certainly poisoned from their mother's milk that means the poachers effectively killed 16 lions. 'Two of the lionesses were about to give birth which makes this all the more tragic' he said after the lions were killed early on Friday morning at the predator park in North West Province. Luckily one cub named Yoda who did not drink her mothers' poisoned milk survived and now at just two days old is being bottle fed milk by Gert. He said: 'They got over two 2.4m game fences and a 2.4m brick wall then threw poisoned chicken carcasses into the lion enclosure which is protected by a final electric fence. Luckily one cub named Yoda who did not drink her mothers' poisoned milk survived and now at just two days old is being bottle fed milk by Gert The poisoned lions of the pride were all aged between three and four years old 'When the lions were dead they used bolt croppers on the gates to avoid the electric wires around the top and then dragged the lions behind out and behind a wall to butcher them. 'We have found four sets of footprints so we know there were four poachers here' he said. The poisoned lions of the pride were all aged between three and four years old. The male lions were called Aslan and Hollow and the females Noela, Sia, Sussie, Misty, Lilly, and Frye. The poachers laced chicken carcasses with Aldicarb which is a poison known as 'Two Step' locally often used by burglars to kill guard dogs which paralyses the respiratory system. Owner Gert took a filmed a video of his slaughtered lions and said: 'I hope that anybody who has any information on these poachers after seeing this film calls the police. The poachers laced chicken carcasses with Aldicarb which is a poison known as 'Two Step' locally often used by burglars to kill guard dogs which paralyses the respiratory system 'They did this to this magnificent animals just for their teeth and their claws' he said Predators Rock is also an officially registered breeding facility that aims to improve the numbers of endangered animals in South Africa and provides animals to zoos at home and abroad. South African Police spokesman Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said: 'Eight lions were killed and we are investigating the crime but as of now there have no arrests of anyone yet'. Traditional witch doctors or healers us the lion body parts to make potions known as 'muti' for local customers who believe it gives them powers to ward off evil spirts or bring luck. Married father-of-two Gert's predator park is spread over 152 acres and as well as lions is home to tigers, leopards, cheetahs, caracals, hyenas, crocodiles and many types of antelope. In November poachers hacked off the heads and paws of five lions which made up the entire pride at Sunward Ranch in Brits, Limpopo Province, belonging to Menno Parsons A further devastating blow was that two of the lionesses were within 24 hours of giving birth and a post mortem showed that they died with 3 unborn cubs inside each Earlier that month poachers poisoned four more lions but were chased off before they could take their body parts at Chameleon Village Lion Park at Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg. In October the pride of lions who ruled the largest urban game reserve in the world was butchered at the Rietvlei Nature Reserve at Pretoria with all their four lions butchered. In July last year Christa Sayman, 55, lost six lions to poachers who hacked off the heads and paws of four fully grown lions and also killed two other lion cubs at her lion park. And in May last year at the Jugomara Predator Park in Limpopo Province owner Justin Fernandes, 32, had three lions and a rare white tiger hacked to bits for body parts. In April last year Gert Claasen, 48, had three lions butchered and three more stolen to be killed and butchered later at his game reserve in Petrus Steyn in Free State Province. A complete lion skeleton can be bought in South Africa for 1000 but in Vietnam it is worth 50,000 and the individual claws and teeth of a lion are highly prized. A traditional healer from Limpopo who would not be named said: 'The lion body parts are used to make strong muti which is a witchcraft potion made by healers to cast spells. These can be used to protect a person from illness or cure them or make them strong or virile or even used to scare enemies away or prevent them from being attacked' she said. It is feared lion bones are now becoming sought after to replace the far rarer tiger bones in demand in South East Asia and are being smuggled out for use in traditional medicines. A Chhattisgarh Armed Force jawan, posted on security duty of a Congress MLA, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in Dantewada district on Saturday, police said. Head constable Aashoram Kashyap (44) shot himself with his service AK-47 rifle at around 1 am at MLA Devti Karma's residence here, a senior police official said. He fired one round from the weapon on his chest, dying on the spot, he said. Kashyap's colleagues alerted the police, following which his body was taken to the district hospital for post- mortem, he added. A native of neighbouring Bastar district, Kashyap had joined the police force in 2003, and was posted on security duty of Karma, who is a legislator from Dantewada Assembly segment. The Chhattisgarh Armed Force is a wing of the state police. No suicide note has been recovered from the scene and further investigations are underway to ascertain why the deceased had taken the extreme step, the senior official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The video lasted only 22 seconds but its message seemed clear, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wanted the world to know so he posted it to his Twitter account for his 1.1 million followers. Iraqis Iraqis dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more, Pompeo wrote. The video was authentic, but Pompeos description of it was exaggerated. Witnesses in Iraq who actually watched the event said that only a handful of men carrying Iraqi flags had run not danced along a road while the voice of one man was heard praising the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani of Iran in a targeted U.S. airstrike Friday at the Baghdad airport. The men were chanting that Soleimanis death had avenged the deaths of Iraqis protesting Irans presence in their country. But the witnesses said that the group of men was very small, that no one joined in and that the minor demonstration was over in less than two minutes. Pompeos tweet, widely shared, is another example of how misinformation spreads in the age of social media when people are quick to accept and promote information that validates their own world views. The acceptance of online images like the video Pompeo posted also helps to explain how facts themselves have become subjects for debate and the political polarization epidemic. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening. A Facebook user initially uploaded the same video six times over 10 hours. One of the six was then picked up by Storyful, which verifies and publishes material from social media. Storyful contacted the uploader via Facebook Messenger to confirm that the individual had filmed the video in Tahrir Square and had posted it. The goal with a tweet like that is to create a narrative and editorialize, said Joan Donovan, a lecturer at Harvard who specializes in protest communication. This typically occurs in the first few days of an event when those with a vested interest hope to score the dominant narrative to shape how the story of a historical moment is shared, Donovan said. As soon as the news of the airstrike was confirmed, foreign leaders took to Twitter to post their reactions. Its the first time that weve seen Twitter become a premier forum for international and foreign relations, Donovan said. And for Pompeo who sent the tweet six hours after the killing it appears to have been a great success. Almost 24 hours after his tweet was first posted, it had been retweeted more than 53,000 times and re-shared by hundreds of accounts in multiple languages, including the U.S. State Departments Farsi Twitter account. The video in the tweet has been viewed almost five million times. In all, the tweet has more than 30,000 interactions across Facebook, Twitter and Reddit, according to Crowdtangle, a social analytics tool owned by Facebook. On YouTube, the video was shared by individuals and organizations, including RT, Russias state-sponsored news outlet. When we think about government communication, its public diplomacy in peacetime, propaganda in wartime, said Jennifer Grygiel, an assistant professor of communication at Syracuse University who studies propaganda and is a state media expert. Official sources can propagate a narrative they seek without context. That is occurring, experts say, because of the breakdown of gatekeeping, a role that the news media had typically played. This puts the onus on individuals to be more discerning about the source of the information they consume, a need that is often overlooked in highly emotional, partisan times, experts said. It becomes incumbent on social media users to essentially do their own investigative reporting in that they have to crosscheck and fact-check because of the nature of the algorithm, said Lisa Kaplan, who runs a startup called Alethea Group that helps fight disinformation. There are basic things users can do, Kaplan said. They must look at the source, the author and the date of anything on social media, and understand how algorithms show what they are already engaging with and can predict what they want to see. But that, the experts added, presumes users want to know a factual, truthful account of events as opposed to something posing as the truth that makes them feel good. Read more about: Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. An assertion by US Vice President Mike Pence that Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, who died Friday in an American attack in Iraq, had helped the September 11 terrorists has been sharply challenged in the US press. In a Twitter message Friday, Pence said that Soleimani "assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of 10 of the 12 terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States." When critics on Twitter noted that the 2001 terror attacks were carried out by 19 militants, and not 12, Pence spokeswoman Katie Waldman specified that Pence was referring only to the dozen who had "transited through Afghanistan." She then added that "10 of those 12 were assisted by Soleimani." But as the New York Times pointed out, Soleimani -- who at the time was already heading the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corp -- is never named in the detailed 585-page report issued by the September 11 Commission. The bipartisan commission of inquiry found that while "there is strong evidence that Iran facilitated the transit of al-Qaeda members into and out of Afghanistan before 9/11... we have found no evidence that Iran or Hezbollah was aware of the planning for what later became the 9/11 attack." The report added: "At the time of their travel through Iran, the al-Qaeda operatives themselves were probably not aware of the specific details of their future operation." The Washington Post noted that while it might be "technically correct to say that Iran 'assisted' in their travel," that did not mean Tehran -- or Soleimani in particular -- was "knowingly assisting in what became the 9/11 attack." Moreover, 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers were nationals of Saudi Arabia -- a Sunni monarchy and regional rival of Shia Iran. Pence went on, in an unusual series of a dozen tweets Friday, to list some of the "worst atrocities" attributed to Soleimani and carried out across a wide swath of the Middle East. Other Trump administration figures issued similar defences of the lethal attack on Soleimani. Thus, the State Department tweeted that "Qasem Soleimani was responsible for killing at least 603 US service members and maiming thousands more in Iraq." It said 17 per cent of the deaths of US personnel in Iraq from 2003 to 2011 could be attributed to the Quds Force under Soleimani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wang Hui explains to the islanders that they should pay attention to their daily medication. [Jiaodong.net] A graduate of the Shandong College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wang Hui has long had a firm faith that she would be a dedicated and responsible doctor working in grassroots areas. Xiaoqin Island in Changdao County in East China's Shandong Province, 40 kilometers away from the mainland, has a population of only about 900 people. In 2008, Wang graduated from the college and started her medical practice on the island as its first and the only full-time doctor. Wang has spent 11 years in the island, far away from her parents and friends. Some doubt her decision of staying in the island, or may say that she lacks filial devotion to her parents. However, Wang believes that she does the right thing. "Although, I am a common island doctor, I really feel the energy and hope I bring to the island. No matter where I am in the future, I will never forget that I have spread hope in this place," she said. When Wang came to the island for the first time, she found it hard to adapt to the local living environment. As a girl who grew up in the county, insufficient freshwater resources, transportation inconvenience and insufficiency of materials all troubled her. At the same time, the work was complicated for her since the island was isolated from the outside world and lacked facilities for medical examinations. Wang had to diagnose patients only by her experience, which was difficult for a fresh university graduate. Nevertheless, she was self-motivated to overcome many difficulties in work and life and she has relighted the hope and courage to carry out her work whenever she saw villagers looking for help. An exposed elbow joint, deformed forearm and multiple leg fractures: Wang was facing a case of multiple fractures in her early days. "As the only doctor on the island, I forced myself to calm down and completed checking the patient, then rescue the injured as soon as possible," Wang recalled. Since then, she has worked harder to enrich her clinic experience. Wang has combined theory and practice in her work and does her job with love, care and patience. Wang has also gained a well-rounded understanding of grassroots work and learned a lot on the island which she couldn't have learned in school. In just five years, she had achieved standardized clinic work, qualified service and proficient skills with her persistent efforts. Wang has long regarded the 900 residents on the island as her family members. She will do whatever it takes to relieve their suffering. Wang has also long treated the island as her second home town. "I want to express my gratitude to my country for giving me an opportunity to do the things I like, and I want to thank the local residents for their trust and support," Wang said. (Source: People's Daily and iqilu.com/Translated and edited by Women of China) The Jaipur police arrested 21 suspected drug peddlers and bootleggers, including a college student, from different parts of the city on Saturday. The arrests were made during a special drive, 'Operation Clean Sweep', against drug peddling and bootlegging. Several police teams conducted simultaneous raids in Vishwakarma, Jhotwara, Bhankhrota, Bagru, Brahmpuri, Amber, Nahargarh Road, Transport Nagar, Muhana, Vidhayakpuri and Kho-Nagorian areas. Five kg ganja, 27 gm charas, five cartons of beer and Rs 1.52 lakh in cash were recovered from the possession of the 21 arrested, police said. Among the arrested is a B.Com final-year student of a noted college, the police said. "He has been a meritorious student but became a drug addict. He smuggles charas from Kota and supplies to other students," the police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning an alleged mob attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said such incidents could not be tolerated and demanded that the Pakistani government should be the needful at the earliest. READ: BJP On Nankana Sahib Incident: 'Pakistan Now Proves CAA Is Right, Timely' According to media reports, a mob attacked the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, near Lahore in Pakistan, and hurled stones at Sikh pilgrims on Friday. The shrine is revered by Sikhs as their first guru, Guru Nanak Dev, was born there. "It is a condemnable act. We cannot tolerate such attacks on our holy shrines," Badal said. Wondering if there was "any law and order" in Pakistan, he said earlier, a Sikh girl was abducted there and now this attack on the gurdwara established that there was a threat to minorities in the neighbouring country. Badal requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with Pakistan and ensure the security of Sikhs in the neighbouring country. The SAD enjoys a substantial influence in the Sikh community and also controls the main Sikh religious body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The last known glimpse of magnate-turned-fugitive Carlos Ghosn before he fled Japan early last week may be an image recorded on Dec. 29 by a security camera installed at a Tokyo house of the former Nissan chairman, according to sources familiar with the situation. Ghosn, 65, under indictment for alleged aggravated breach of trust, had been staying in the house while out on bail before he fled abroad, leaving Japan without permission. The camera recorded him leaving alone around noon, but he was not seen returning to his house in the footage, the sources said. The special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office suspects that Ghosn could have left the house to meet with accomplices who helped him flee overseas. Prosecutors are investigating the case on suspicion of violation of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law. The special investigation squad intends to analyze images from security cameras around Ghosn's house with the cooperation of the Metropolitan Police Department to determine the route he used to leave Japan, according to the sources. At night on the same day, it was confirmed that a private jet left Kansai Airport at 11:10 p.m., and arrived in Turkey about 12 hours later. It is believed that Ghosn may have been aboard the private jet, and then changed to another private jet in Turkey, entering Lebanon on Dec. 30. When Ghosn entered Lebanon, it appears highly likely that he presented a passport in his name that the Tokyo District Court had allowed him to carry. When the court granted Ghosn bail in March and April 2019, it imposed conditions including a ban on overseas travel and the handing over of his French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports to his defense team. However, his defense team argued that he faced a need to carry his passport because unless he possessed a passport at all times while staying in Japan, he would be in violation of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law. Therefore, the defense team requested that the court partially change his bail conditions in May 2019. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Prosecutors opposed the request, saying that the court had ordered Ghosn to hand over his passports to his lawyers, that it was unlikely for him to be arrested for not carrying a passport, and that if he possessed a passport the possibility of him fleeing abroad would increase. However, the court allowed Ghosn to carry one of the two French passports. The passport was kept in a hard, clear case, and the key was managed by the defense team, the sources said. It is said that in France, those who frequently go abroad and apply for many visas are allowed to hold two passports as exceptional cases. Rising security risks posed by the death of a prominent Iranian general have prompted NATO to temporarily suspend a training mission in Iraq being led by Canadian troops, the federal defence minister said Saturday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan takes part in a press conference in Ottawa on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. NATO says it has suspended a training mission for soldiers in the Iraqi army in the wake of the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Rising security risks posed by the death of a prominent Iranian general have prompted NATO to temporarily suspend a training mission in Iraq being led by Canadian troops, the federal defence minister said Saturday. Harjit Sajjan released a brief statement reiterating comments from the military alliance, which said the non-combat operation dubbed NATO Mission Iraq was on hold in the wake of the death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The general, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed along with other senior Iraqi militants in a Friday morning airstrike ordered by United States President Donald Trump. Sajjan said that while the NATO mission's goal of preventing the resurgeance of Islamic extremism remains valid, the current political climate made it necessary to suspend the operation for the protection of those involved. "The NATO mission and Operation IMPACT's mandate remain the same, but all training activities in Iraq are suspended temporarily as we continue to monitor the security environment," Sajjan said in a statement. "We are taking all necessary precautions for the safety and security of our civilian and military personnel." Sajjan's remarks echoed those from NATO spokesman Dylan White, who said the safety of personnel was "paramount." Trump's airstrike, ordered without consulting U.S. congress or American military allies, has prompted both a dramatic spike in regional tensions and fears of all-out war. Trump has said he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict, while U.S. officials contended Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops. But Iran has vowed vengeance for Soleimani's death, which drew thousands of people to the streets of Baghdad on Saturday for his funeral. Though it's unclear how or when Iran may respond, any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared in both Iran and Iraq. All eyes were on Iraq, where the U.S. and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 American-led invasion. The NATO mission, established at the request of the Iraqi government, was meant to help train and advise various military personnel. It has been under Canadian command since its inception in the fall of 2018, with Maj. Gen. Jennie Carignan currently leading the mission. Other participating countries include Australia, Sweden and Finland. Canada's Department of National Defence said the decision to suspend the mission applied to both the 250 military members working with the NATO training mission as well as the dozens of special forces troops who have been working in the northern part of the country with Iraqi security forces. There was no immediate word on the status of Canadian troops deployed in the country. The government also urged civilians to stay away from Iraq and the bordering regions of Iran, saying those who are already there should consider leaving. The caution came in a formal travel advisory issued on Friday, citing increased tensions in the wake of the airstrike. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades. The Quds Force he commanded is part of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, reporting to the country's leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The Quds Force trains and equips foreign militias, carries out bombings and assassinations, and otherwise uses unconventional methods to expand Iran's military and diplomatic influence. "Quds" is the Arabic and Persian name for Jerusalem. The United States designated the Quds Force a terrorist organization in 2007. Canada followed suit in 2012, with Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne reiterating the government's position on him and the body he commanded within hours of his death. "Canada has long been concerned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, led by Qassem Soleimani, whose aggressive actions have had a destabilizing effect in the region and beyond," according to a statement from Champagne released on Friday. This report by the Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2020. with files from The Associated Press Flash A convoy of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces was attacked early Saturday in northern Baghdad, the paramilitary group confirmed in a statement. "The attack, which took place near the Taji Stadium in Baghdad, hit a medical convoy of the Popular Mobilization Forces," said the group, which is also known as Hashd Shaabi in Arabic. It added in the statement that no senior members were affected, refuting earlier reports that said its senior officials were killed in the attack. Reports said that six people were killed and three others injured after two of the three cars in the convoy were found burned. Previously at least five deaths were reported. The new airstrike took place about 24 hours after a U.S. drone attack near Baghdad International Airport killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy chief of the pro-Iran Hashd Shaabi forces. Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the United States for Soleimani's death. Till press time, it is not clear who is responsible for the fresh attack, but Iraqi state television reported that the United States was behind the strike. There was no comment from Washington yet. Pentagon has announced that the attack killing Soleimani was conducted under U.S. President Donald Trump's direction as a "defensive action" as the Iranian senior military leader was accused of planning further attacks on U.S. diplomats and service members in Iraq. On Tuesday, Iraqi protesters stormed the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the U.S. air raids conducted on Sunday against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria. On Sunday evening, U.S. forces bombarded the headquarters of Hashd Shaabi's 45th and 46th Brigades, killing 25 and injuring 51. Senior Man Sitting On Sofa At Home With Pet Labrador Dog Current Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits max out at just over $1,000 per month if you qualify for the full amount something many Canadian savers cant even count on because of various factors. Thats not enough for a comfortable retirement. Sure, things like Old Age Supplement (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will help, but these sources of income alone do not translate into prosperous golden years. Trips to spoil the grandkids will be replaced by scouring local grocery stores for the best deals, and nobody wants that. Fortunately, theres a solution. A portfolio stuffed with Canadas best high-yield stocks can generate significant passive income. Just $250,000 invested in such names is enough to really make a difference. Lets take a closer look at three stocks you can use today to give yourself a significant raise. Slate Retail REIT Slate Retail REIT (TSX:SRT.UN) continues to be one of my favourite stocks, and not just because of its succulent 8.7% yield, either. The company owns grocery-anchored real estate in medium-sized cities in the United States. These assets come with a number of interesting advantages including stable rents, better returns on investment when compared to similar assets in larger centres, and better potential to add to the portfolio going forward. The portfolio which should get bigger in 2020 currently consists of 79 properties spanning some 10 million square feet of space. Slates valuation is compelling, too. The portfolio should generate US$1.20 per share in funds from operations in 2019 final results arent out yet while the trusts U.S.-dollar denominated shares trade at just US$10.06. Thats a valuation of just over eight times funds from operations, which is exceptionally cheap. Slates current yield is sustainable, something reinforced by the recent 1.1% dividend raise. In fact, Slate has boosted its payout every year since 2015. Rogers Sugar The sugar business wont ever be accused of being very exciting, but I dont think retirees looking to maximize their income mind so much. Story continues Instead, Rogers Sugar (TSX:RSI) offers predictable demand, solid earnings, little competition, a sector that is protected from competition through government tariffs on imported sugar, and, most importantly, one of the most stable dividends you can get. And, as a special treat, Rogers shares are currently on sale, thanks to some weakness in the companys newest subsidiary, maple syrup. The company is fine taking lesser profits from maple syrup in the short term to protect market share a decision the market wasnt happy with. Shares sold off as a result and are just barely above the 52-week low. Remember, the stock was 25% higher just over six months ago. The current dividend is 7.3% and has been maintained since the company converted from an income trust to a corporation in 2011. Laurentian Bank If youre looking for a generous (and well-covered) dividend from the banking sector, its time to check out one of the smaller players. Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSX:LB) is a terrific choice. Laurentian, the seventh-largest Canadian bank, has been making some interesting changes lately. It has been working to make branches more efficient, closing down many and converting the rest to focus on mortgages and wealth management. It has expanded away from Quebec through various specialty acquisitions and through growth in its mortgage brokerage arm. And management has a plan in place to increase profitability, which bodes well for the long term. While investors wait for these plans to translate into bottom line earnings growth, theyre treated to the most generous dividend of any major Canadian bank. The current yield is an eye-popping 6%. Thats much better than what the competition offers. Investors dont have to worry about the security of the payout, either. Laurentian targets a 50% payout ratio, and it hasnt missed a dividend in more than a century. The bottom line These three stocks can combine to give you some serious income. If you split $250,000 equally between these three names, you would generate more than $18,000 per year, or $1,500 per month. Add that to your CPP, OAS, or GIS, and youre well on your way to a comfortable retirement. More reading Fool contributor Nelson Smith owns shares of LAURENTIAN BANK and SLATE RETAIL REIT. 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 2020 By Express News Service BENGALURU: The Union Government is coming out with a scientific social responsibility policy to ensure the benefits of science and technology reach the wide spectrum of people. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 107th Indian Science Congress here on Friday, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said his ministry is in an advanced stage of developing the policy on how we can actually fulfil our scientific social responsibility. The minister emphasised the need to use knowledge, manpower, experience and infrastructure to reach the wide spectrum of stakeholders in science. There are a lot of challenges and the most important among them is the improvement in the quality of fundamental research, technology transfer and societal connect, he said. It is our duty to strengthen the deep foundations of science and research and its applications to ensure that we have a rapid, sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth. We are strengthening the quality of research and technology development and creating end-to-end startup ecosystem for the country, also to ensure societal connect for the betterment of our people, he added. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the state was the first to establish Science & Technology Council in the country to pro-actively identify, propose and implement solutions to local specific needs of the state, particularly the rural population. He said the prime minister has set a target to double farmers income by 2022. The police in Lokoja on Saturday rescued three kidnapped victims from their abductors who kept them for six days. In a statement, the Kogi State Police Command said that the victims Mohammed Salisu Cache, Abdulraq Mohammed and Abdulraq Anataku were rescued unhurt in the early hours of Saturday. The state Police Public Relation Officer, William Aya, who signed the statement, said the trio was kidnapped at about 2.15 pm on December 30, 2019 at Eika/Itakpe junction, off Lokoja-Okene Road. He noted that they were travelling in a vehicle from Lokoja when kidnappers opened fire on their vehicle and killed a co-traveller, Afusat Suberu, on the spot, and thereafter abducted the three. Mr Aya said the victims regained their freedom when a combined team of operatives from Federal Anti-Robbery Squad Special Forces, Police Mobile Force as well as conventional police officers were mobilised for a massive manhunt for them. He said the effort led to the victims safe release from a forest where they were kept by the kidnappers. After some intensive pressures from the team of operatives, the kidnappers released all the three victims unhurt, Mr Aya said. According to him, the state Commissioner of Police, Ede Ekpeji, said that the police would continue to collaborate with other security agencies to make the state safe and secure. He called on members of the public to volunteer timely and credible information to the police on the activities of criminal elements. (NAN) Members of Californias congressional delegation react to President Trumps authorization of the drone attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad Thursday: Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo: I fear that last nights strike constitutes the Trump Administrations biggest and most consequential foreign policy blunder to date. These killings will not be judged by their deserving targets, but by President Trumps overall strategy in the region, or lack thereof, and the ability to prevent further escalation and protect U.S. personnel, assets, and our allies in the days and weeks ahead. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin: The U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad is a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region, and a departure from our longstanding foreign policy practices, undertaken without any congressional notice or approval. No American family will mourn Suleimanis loss, but every family should be concerned this killing brings America closer to a war we must avoid. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank: If the Administration had some broad strategic objective in mind or was acting in concert with our allies and making progress towards modifying Irans belligerent behavior, Americans could have confidence that this latest U.S. strike would make us safer. But if there is some broad strategy at work, the Administration has yet to articulate it. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale (Butte County): I hope this is a lesson for Iran, dont attack embassies and dont attack Americans. America will not be pushed around and threatened. For too long Presidents have pretended that Hezbollah, Quds militias and other terrorist groups were not acting as a proxy for Iran. President Trump is holding Iran responsible for the actions of its agents and removed military targets who attacked Americans. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael: President Trumps unprecedented order to assassinate Irans top military leader last night - an action taken without consulting or getting authorization from Congress - is escalating tensions in a highly volatile region. This is just the latest of Trumps reckless actions on the world stage that reflect his disdain for diplomacy, disrespect for our allies, and lack of a coherent foreign policy vision. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose: When responding to an attack or an imminent threat, the President may act, but must consult with bipartisan Congressional leaders. Shockingly, President Trump consulted only with Republican Congressional leaders, an ominous departure that has chilling implications for our democracy. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord: Last nights deadly military strike against Irans top general was alarming and represents a massive escalation against Iran that Congress was not consulted on. TJ Cox, D-Fresno: I will fight for efforts that keep us safe, but the administration needs to provide clear objectives and a way to get out of these conflicts. We didnt have those assurances the last time we were drawn into an unending war and we havent seen them this time, either. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley: We are better off without Soleimani walking the Earth and devising violent attacks in Middle East. However, this targeted killing, without Congressional authorization or a cohesive Iran strategy, will lead to an escalated conflict that could make us and our allies less safe. [January 04, 2020] Syndiant Showcases Turn-Key Microdisplay Solutions at CES 2020 DALLAS, Jan. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Syndiant, Inc., a leading developer of high definition LCOS microdisplays, will demonstrate its latest advances in 1080p and 4K projection technology and applications at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Syndiant will showcase a portfolio of turn-key projection system solutions and customer platforms embracing its field sequential LCOS displays: Projector optical engines with assorted options for LED and Laser light sources, throw ratios, and resolutions from 720p to 4K UHD UHD Cutting edge 1080p/ 4K UHD Free Form See Through and Immersive Head-Mounted Display Modules UHD Free Form See Through and Immersive Head-Mounted Display Modules State-of-the-art Smart AR Glasses designed for sophisicated industrial and interactive applications Reflective arrayed Waveguide Near-Eye Display Module featuring full 1080p resolution Daniel Wong Syndiant's full line of microdisplay solutions and platforms will be on display during CES 2020, January 7-10, LVCC South Hall 1 booth 22043. About Syndiant, Inc. Syndiant develops high definition light modulating panels and optical engines for near-eye and embedded projection displays. Syndiant's patented all-digital LCOS technology brings high definition performance to the world's smallest personal display devices. The company has offices in Dallas, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. www.syndiant.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syndiant-showcases-turn-key-microdisplay-solutions-at-ces-2020-300980996.html SOURCE Syndiant, Inc. A Vietnamese woman in Nha Trang City, the capital of the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, has fortunately overcome a trauma after she got poisoned from eating an unusual kind of snail. Nguyen Thi T., 46, suffered from numbness in her limbs, falling into a deep coma followed by a cardiac arrest two hours after she had eaten seven strange snails caught by her family from the sea last week. T. was first rushed to the Tam Tri General Hospital in Nha Trang before being transfered to the Khanh Hoa General Hospital. The patient was in a critical condition with no pulse and no blood pressure when she was taken here, although her heart rate had returned thanks to emergency treatment on the way, a doctor at the hospitals Department of Intensive Care and Anti-Poison said. Doctors in the department promptly performed dialysis as the patient showed signs of acute kidney failure. This is a very rare case as such diseases progress so quickly that few patients can make it to the hospital, the doctor said. Nguyen Luong Ky, head of the Department of Intensive Care and Anti-Poison at the Khanh Hoa General Hospital, said on Friday that the patient had regained consciousness, and her health is now in stable conditions. She has been transfered to the department of general neuroscience for further treatment, Ky added. The nassa mud snail that Nguyen Thi T. ate is seen in this provided photo. The kind of snail T. consumed is nassa mud snail, a genus of minute to medium-sized sea snails. Some members of her family also ate the snails, but none of them got poisoned, except T. According to experienced seafood traders in Nha Trang City, nassa mud snails are rarely put on sale. When this kind of snail happens to get in on their batches of fish, most local fishermen throw them away as some death cases have previously resulted from eating the snails. According to doctor Ky, a parasite that contains tetrodotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin, often lives in nassa mud snails. People can die within 30 minutes after eating this type of parasite unless they are given timely first aid, the doctor warned. People should not eat such strange snails as nassa mud snails or those which have a history of poisoning their eaters, said Dr. Dao Viet Ha, director of the Institute of Oceanography in Nha Trang. People cannot distinguish between toxic and non-toxic snails with their naked eyes, Dr. Ha said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! (Photo : photo) For the past few years, hacking methods have exploded in style and substance. Hackers have been developing their skills along with technological advancements, if not at a faster pace. Data breaches and lingering vulnerabilities are constantly in the spotlight, ranging from big-name players like Facebook, Twitter, Equifax, and Sony Pictures to numerous small businesses. According to Verizon's 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report, more than half of breaches featured hacking while more than two-thirds of the attacks were perpetrated by outsiders. As the report puts it: "No organization is too large or too small to fall victim to a data breach." This electronic warfare of sorts doesn't exclude smartphones, specifically mobile networks and their cellular base stations. A wide array of software tools such as open-source radio software tools, malware, spyware, and other malicious apps can be used to hack a phone remotely. For those unfamiliar 'Stingray' is an umbrella term for devices also known as International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) Catchers, false base stations (FBS), or rogue base stations (RBS). Essentially, these are fake cell towers impersonating the actual ones in order to trick nearby mobile phones into revealing the IMSI number and thus allow the hacker to gather data about the device's location. Want to know the most interesting part? You can do the hacking, without much technical expertise at all. The technology is easy to master, cheap, and most of all - accessible. In fact, we have come to a point where almost anyone with a few bucks and hours to spare can hack another person's phone. All you need is a laptop (or Raspberry Pi), universal software radio peripheral (type of hardware platform for software-based radio), smartcard reader (a device that reads cards with integrated chips), and the OpenLTE software. That's how easy this is: you buy the equipment on Ebay or Amazon for about $20, learn all the tricks on YouTube, and in minutes you can deploy the Stingray anywhere you want, even on your neighbors! Stingrays come in different forms, be it a single integrated device or multiple individual components, and aren't novelties in any way. Governments and law enforcement agencies around the globe have been utilizing these tools for some time now to track suspected criminals and quite possibly other citizens of interest, whether permitted or not. Remember that Dark Knight scene where Batman, along with his CTO Lucius Fox, built and used a mass surveillance system to spy on Gotham City's citizens using video and mobile phone technology? That would be a fair, albeit simplified (or moviefied) representation of Stingrays on a high level. For a more recent real-world example, the U.S. government found out Israel was most likely responsible for placing cellphone surveillance devices (Stingrays) near the White House, as well as other sensitive locations around Washington. StingRay use in Washington just goes to show everyone is vulnerable to these fake cell towers, man-in-the-middle, Stingray attacks. These are different and far more dangerous than your typical free and often fake public networks because hackers place themselves between the network you are using and the connection point. As the attacking tool in question, these IMSI catchers exploit security weaknesses in mobile networks by broadcasting the same network identifier as a genuine network would, only with a stronger signal intended to entice users. If you're thinking the latest 5G improvements in cellular communications will protect you, think again. Research has shown there is a flaw in the 'improved' AKA (Authentication and Key Agreement). It's a security protocol that allows a phone and tower (mobile user and base station) to mutually verify each other's authenticity, as well as establish shared keys to protect future communications. The discovered vulnerability means an attacker can not only intercept your mobile traffic in the area and monitor your activities (number of outgoing calls or text messages sent) but also offers a new way to track a user's location and attack all versions of the AKA protocol used with 5G. Perhaps the scariest part is the realization that there's a backward capability for 2G, 3G, and 4G standards. All the Hollywood action, James Bond-like spy stuff? It's actually tame compared to what wannabe and real hackers, as well as all sorts of malicious people, are able to do. You don't need to be a rich playboy/caped crusader or a top agent on Her Majesty's Secret Service to have access or funding. If anything, these movies lack the imagination compared to reality, which mandates anyone can turn into a black hat MacGyver given a small amount of money and an Internet connection. Sure, a DIY Stingray doesn't have the capability more powerful versions have (e.g. the ability to record phone calls or jam phones to prevent their usage). Nevertheless, its significance and threat are even higher considering there is a larger pool of people involved, both as attackers and victims. The absurdity of availability is a grim notion, and on a global level too. Let's switch the cynicism and pessimism off, for the moment. These are serious issues that require 'fight fire with fire' approach. However, the carriers don't seem to be in a particular rush to deploy necessary security and privacy systems, leaving the user wondering whether or not they are protected from such attacks. The first step in facing this problem is to raise awareness about the dangers of Stingrays. Resources like Stop Stingrays do a great job of explaining what Stingray technology is, the damage it does, and where it's being used worldwide. The second step is beefing up on security. Security technologies offering Stingray Detection, protection of people, IPs, and devices from cellular threats are necessary. Updates, 2FA, or AV apps won't be sufficient - we're beyond those scenarios. Solutions like FirstPoint Mobile Guard provide protection at the network level (especially relevant for enterprise-level companies with huge amounts of data), bypassing cellular vulnerabilities that allow everything from eavesdropping to data leakage. Always-on network-based security and simple implementation means there is no installation required, just one platform automatically covering all devices. As mentioned in the beginning, hackers are more powerful than ever before as they continue to routinely find a backdoor into other people's phones. There are no signs the rate of these attacks will slow down in the near future. On the contrary - with the technology being so affordable and accessible, we can expect more of the same. There are some precautionary measures you can take to avoid falling victim. For now, it will have to be enough. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Washington DC [USA], Jan 4 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the execution of Iran's elite IRGC Qassem Soleimani by US military was aimed 'to stop a war, not to start a war.' "We took action last night to stop a war, not to start a war. We do not seek regime change, however, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours must end now," Trump said in a statement. He also said that Qassem was plotting attacks on US diplomats and military personnel before he was killed. This statement comes at a backdrop of Washington's strike carried out near Baghdad's international airport killing Soleimani, a US-designated terrorist, along with six others on the direction of President Donald Trump. Talking about America's policy in the region, he said, "To terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American, we will find you; we will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans, and our allies." Meanwhile, Iran on Friday vowed to take a "vigorous revenge" over the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite IRGC. The US had accused Soleimani of orchestrating several attacks on coalition bases in Iraq including the December 27 attack in which American and Iraqi personnel were killed. (ANI) YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian military leadership has convened a consultation at the Defense Ministry headquarters to discuss the issues of maintaining vigilance in the armed forces and the organization of combat duty shifts during the holidays, spokesperson for the military Artsrun Hovhannisyan said in a statement. The latest situation in the Middle Eastern region was also discussed during the consultation, special directives were given in this direction, Hovhannisyan said. In general, the tactical situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border and the Line of Contact of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan forces is assessed as stable, he added. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan Andal Ampatuan, Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan MANILA, Philippines Members of the Ampatuan clan who were found guilty of planning and executing the gruesome 2009 massacre in Maguindanao are heading to the Court of Appeals (CA) to contest their convictions. In a notice served to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 on Thursday, Brothers Andal Ampatuan, Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan said they will take the case to the appellate court, and asked the lower court to forward all of the case records to the CA for review and proceedings. Their relatives Datu Anwar Ampatuan, Sr. and his sons Datu Anwar Jr and Anwar Sajid have filed separate motions for reconsiderations before the Quezon City court, urging Judge Solis-Reyes to review the decision due to the alleged loopholes in the testimony of some witnesses. On December 19, Judge Solis-Reyes handed down a guilty verdict to some members of the political Ampatuan clan for their involvement in the murder of 57 people, including members of the media. Originally, there were 58 victims in the massacre but the 58th person, photographer Reynaldo Momay of the local paper Midland Review, was declared missing after his body was not found in the scene. The ambush happened when 32 members of the media were on their way to a local Commission on Elections office to cover the filing of then gubernatorial bet Esmael Mangudadatu a political rival of the Ampatuans. Six of the victims were not part of the Mangudadatu supporters and the media convoy. The Ampatuan massacre is considered as the worst election-related violence and attack on press freedom in the Philippines. Meanwhile, in a separate motion, Zaldy Ampatuan asked the QC court to allow his transfer to the infirmary of the New Bilibid Prison to receive therapy, rehabilitation and medication prescribed by his doctors, and so as not to unduly put his health in jeopardy. His lawyers said the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government have suffered three strokes in two months, and has hypertension, diabetes and chronic atrial fibrillation. Story continues Zaldy Ampatuan had been confined to a hospital in Makati from October to December. He was ordered by the court to return to his detention facility a day before the Ampatuan case promulgation. Mangudadatu, on the other hand, said he is not surprised by the legal moves that the Ampatuans are employing following the promulgation. Expected namin yan pero kung magkaroon man ng final conviction kumbaga dapat sa panahon na yan may bitay na para hindi na tularan itong ganitong klaseng gawain, he said. He also expressed confidence that evidence against the Ampatuans are airtight and that the appellate court will not grant their appeals. RRD (with details from Correspondent Dante Amento) The post Ampatuans convicted in massacre case head to Court of Appeals appeared first on UNTV News. L abour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for better protection for delivery drivers after a moped rider was stabbed to death in an apparent road rage incident in London. The victim was found on Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road at around 6.50pm. Friends at the scene on Friday said he was Algerian and worked for Deliveroo and UberEats as a delivery driver. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who is leading the investigation, said his next of kin have been informed but that a post-mortem and formal identification have yet to take place. Items left at the scene in Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park / PA Speaking at the scene on Saturday, Mr Corbyn, whose Islington North constituency includes Finsbury Park, said: "I am totally shocked. This is a very close-knit community, and this is yet another stabbing on the streets of London. "People should not be carrying knives. A human life has been taken. "There are a lot of people working as delivery drivers, they must have better conditions of employment and employers must take more responsibility for their safety too. "Police cuts have meant fewer officers on the streets, and this raises issues of safety in the community in general." Police cordon off the road amid reports the man died following a road rage incident / PA He added: "Delivery drivers do a great job in London all of the time. Yet they are vulnerable. "They're often on zero hours contracts, yet the food they are carrying is insured. So the delivery driver is less valuable than the food they are carrying. "We need to end the whole culture of gig employment." He later tweeted: "I'm shocked by the senseless murder of a food delivery driver in Finsbury Park. My thoughts are with his loved ones and the Algerian community. "The attacker must be brought to justice. And more must be done to protect delivery drivers who have such unsafe working conditions." DCI John said: "The investigation is at a very early stage. It would appear at this time that an altercation has taken place between the victim, who was riding a motorcycle, and the driver of another vehicle in the vicinity of Lennox Road and Charteris Road, Finsbury Park." He added: "The incident itself appears at this early stage to have been spontaneous and not connected to, or as a result of, anything other than a traffic altercation. "Specialist officers are working extremely hard to build a clear picture of what happened and I would encourage anyone who may have seen the incident or has information to come forward. "A forensic examination of the scene has been undertaken and I expect the road to reopen very soon." Deliveroo and Uber driver Zakaria Gherabi, 37, who knew the victim as "Taki", also attended the scene on Saturday. He said he has been the victim of attacks while working as a delivery driver, including in October last year when his attacker punched him in the eye and dislocated his socket. Mr Gherabi said: "My attackers are still on the streets. The police do nothing. "It happens. Nobody is going to save you. The company does not care, we are self-employed, but the food we are carrying is insured. "I knew the victim. He did not do anything, he was a good guy. He was stabbed to death on these busy streets. "The job is not safe. I don't feel safe doing it." Police at the scene of the stabbing, which police have said appears to be the result of a traffic altercation / PA On Friday, fellow delivery riders gathered in Stroud Green Road said he had been the victim of a road rage attack following an altercation with a car driver. A witness said the driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy and did not try to steal his moped from him. A friend of the victim said: He was a good man. He doesnt make any trouble he works and he goes home and he ends up being killed while hes working. This country is getting worse. Union minister Babul Supriyo, who often makes headlines for his controversial comments is at it again. This time for 'threatening' a Muslim student saying he will pack off him to "his own country". It began on December 26 when Supriyo shared a post on the social media advocating CAA and criticized the act of a female JU student, who tore up the first page of the contentious legislation at the annual convocation of the university while receiving her gold medal on December 24. The next day Rahman commented on Supriyo's Facebook post and questioned the educational qualifications of Supriyo and BJP state president Dilip Ghosh. "Babul-da (dada) how educated are people like you can be gauged from the fact that your mentor (state president) Dilip Ghosh spots gold in cow milk," Rahman said in his comment on Supriyo's post. To this Supriyo replied, saying "Mustafizur Rahaman let me first pack you off to your country, then will send the reply in postcard". The comment triggered a wave of protests. Rahman, who is a final year student of chemistry at a college at Illambazar in Birbhum district, in a prompt rejoinder said, "I am in possession of enough proof about my identity as Indian and Bengali. You don't know how to respect Bengalis and still, you are the MP of the state. Are you drinking cow urine regularly?" The youth has received the support from a number of netizens and organisations like 'Jatiya Bangla Sammelan' after screenshots of the comments went viral on social media since December 27. Rahman said that he wanted nothing but an "unconditional apology" in public from the BJP leader. "I had merely made a comment whether people like Babul Supriyo and Dilip Ghosh have the authority to make adverse comments about the individual decision of a gold medalist to protest against CAA at the annual convocation of an educational institution." Referring to the stinging remarks by the union minister against him, Rahman said "It was an outrageous comment by a minister who has taken the oath to protect the Constitution. He cannot discriminate 130 crore Indians on the basis of caste and religion." "I was born and brought up here. I only demand an unequivocal public apology from him on social media and through statement - nothing less nothing more," he said. The union minister returned the fire by accusing Rahman of being a "serial offender" and saying that he "does not need to apologize to fools". Supriyo also said that his comments had nothing to do with the student's religion. "He (Rahman) could have told me whatever he wanted to. I had made the comment with a pinch of a salt. Those who are fools won't understand my comment. It has nothing to do with Hindus or Muslims. I don't need to apologize to fools," Supriyo said. "Why did he(Rahman) bring in Dilip Ghosh in the conversation? Whoever makes abusive comment on my Facebook or Twitter page I just block that person. I have blocked Rahman too," he said. Ghosh had courted controversy in November 2019 for saying that Indian cow milk contains traces of gold and that is the reason the colour is yellow. He later sought to justify it by saying it was backed by conclusions of research taking place in foreign countries. The Senate seems certain to keep President Donald Trump in office thanks to the overwhelming GOP support expected in his impeachment trial. But how that trial will proceed and when it will begin remains to be seen. Democrats are pushing for the Senate to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents, pointing to reports that they say have raised new questions about Mr Trumps decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine. Once the house transmits the articles of impeachment, decisions about how to conduct the trial will require 51 votes. With Republicans controlling the Senate 53-47, Democrats cannot force subpoenas on their own. For now, Republicans are holding the line behind Senate majority leader Mitch McConnells position that they should start the trial and hear arguments from House prosecutors and Mr Trumps defence team before deciding what to do. But small cracks in GOP unity have appeared, with two Republican senators criticising Mr McConnells pledge of total coordination with the White House during the impeachment trial. Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Show all 26 1 /26 Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Donald Trump Accused of abusing his office by pressing the Ukrainian president in a July phone call to help dig up dirt on Joe Biden, who may be his Democratic rival in the 2020 election. He also believes that Hillary Clintons deleted emails - a key factor in the 2016 election - may be in Ukraine, although it is not clear why. EPA Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal The Whistleblower Believed to be a CIA agent who spent time at the White House, his complaint was largely based on second and third-hand accounts from worried White House staff. Although this is not unusual for such complaints, Trump and his supporters have seized on it to imply that his information is not reliable. Expected to give evidence to Congress voluntarily and in secret. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal The Second Whistleblower The lawyer for the first intelligence whistleblower is also representing a second whistleblower regarding the President's actions. Attorney Mark Zaid said that he and other lawyers on his team are now representing the second person, who is said to work in the intelligence community and has first-hand knowledge that supports claims made by the first whistleblower and has spoken to the intelligence community's inspector general. The second whistleblower has not yet filed their own complaint, but does not need to to be considered an official whistleblower. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Rudy Giuliani Former mayor of New York, whose management of the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in 2001 won him worldwide praise. As Trumps personal attorney he has been trying to find compromising material about the presidents enemies in Ukraine in what some have termed a shadow foreign policy. In a series of eccentric TV appearances he has claimed that the US state department asked him to get involved. Giuliani insists that he is fighting corruption on Trumps behalf and has called himself a hero. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Volodymyr Zelensky The newly elected Ukrainian president - a former comic actor best known for playing a man who becomes president by accident - is seen frantically agreeing with Trump in the partial transcript of their July phone call released by the White House. With a Russian-backed insurgency in the east of his country, and the Crimea region seized by Vladimir Putin in 2014, Zelensky will have been eager to please his American counterpart, who had suspended vital military aid before their phone conversation. He says there was no pressure on him from Trump to do him the favour he was asked for. Zelensky appeared at an awkward press conference with Trump in New York during the United Nations general assembly, looking particularly uncomfortable when the American suggested he take part in talks with Putin. AFP/Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Mike Pence The vice-president was not on the controversial July call to the Ukrainian president but did get a read-out later. However, Trump announced that Pence had had one or two phone conversations of a similar nature, dragging him into the crisis. Pence himself denies any knowledge of any wrongdoing and has insisted that there is no issue with Trumps actions. It has been speculated that Trump involved Pence as an insurance policy - if both are removed from power the presidency would go to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, something no Republican would allow. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Rick Perry Trump reportedly told a meeting of Republicans that he made the controversial call to the Ukrainian president at the urging of his own energy secretary, Rick Perry, and that he didnt even want to. The president apparently said that Perry wanted him to talk about liquefied natural gas - although there is no mention of it in the partial transcript of the phone call released by the White House. It is thought that Perry will step down from his role at the end of the year. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Joe Biden The former vice-president is one of the frontrunners to win the Democratic nomination, which would make him Trumps opponent in the 2020 election. Trump says that Biden pressured Ukraine to sack a prosecutor who was investigating an energy company that Bidens son Hunter was on the board of, refusing to release US aid until this was done. However, pressure to fire the prosecutor came on a wide front from western countries. It is also believed that the investigation into the company, Burisma, had long been dormant. Reuters Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Hunter Biden Joe Bidens son has been accused of corruption by the president because of his business dealings in Ukraine and China. However, Trump has yet to produce any evidence of corruption and Bidens lawyer insists he has done nothing wrong. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal William Barr The attorney-general, who proved his loyalty to Trump with his handling of the Mueller report, was mentioned in the Ukraine call as someone president Volodymyr Zelensky should talk to about following up Trumps preoccupations with the Bidens and the Clinton emails. Nancy Pelosi has accused Barr of being part of a cover-up of a cover-up. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Mike Pompeo The secretary of state initially implied he knew little about the Ukraine phone call - but it later emerged that he was listening in at the time. He has since suggested that asking foreign leaders for favours is simply how international politics works. Gordon Sondland testified that Pompeo was "in the loop" and knew what was happening in Ukraine. Pompeo has been criticised for not standing up for diplomats under his command when they were publicly criticised by the president. AFP via Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Nancy Pelosi The Democratic Speaker of the House had long resisted calls from within her own party to back a formal impeachment process against the president, apparently fearing a backlash from voters. On September 24, amid reports of the Ukraine call and the day before the White House released a partial transcript of it, she relented and announced an inquiry, saying: The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Adam Schiff Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, one of the three committees leading the inquiry. He was criticized by Republicans for giving what he called a parody of the Ukraine phone call during a hearing, with Trump and others saying he had been pretending that his damning characterisation was a verbatim reading of the phone call. He has also been criticised for claiming that his committee had had no contact with the whistleblower, only for it to emerge that the intelligence agent had contacted a staff member on the committee for guidance before filing the complaint. The Washington Post awarded Schiff a four Pinocchios rating, its worst rating for a dishonest statement. Reuters Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman Florida-based businessmen and Republican donors Lev Parnas (pictured with Rudy Giuliani) and Igor Fruman were arrested on suspicion of campaign finance violations at Dulles International Airport near Washington DC on 9 October. Separately the Associated Press has reported that they were both involved in efforts to replace the management of Ukraine's gas company, Naftogaz, with new bosses who would steer lucrative contracts towards companies controlled by Trump allies. There is no suggestion of any criminal activity in these efforts. Reuters Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal William Taylor The most senior US diplomat in Ukraine and the former ambassador there. As one of the first two witnesses in the public impeachment hearings, Taylor dropped an early bombshell by revealing that one of his staff later identified as diplomat David Holmes overheard a phone conversation in which Donald Trump could be heard asking about investigations the very day after asking the Ukrainian president to investigate his political enemies. Taylor expressed his concern at reported plans to withhold US aid in return for political smears against Trumps opponents, saying: It's one thing to try to leverage a meeting in the White House. It's another thing, I thought, to leverage security assistance -- security assistance to a country at war, dependent on both the security assistance and the demonstration of support." Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal George Kent A state department official who appeared alongside William Taylor wearing a bow tie that was later mocked by the president. He accused Rudy Giuliani, Mr Trumps personal lawyer, of leading a campaign of lies against Marie Yovanovitch, who was forced out of her job as US ambassador to Ukraine for apparently standing in the way of efforts to smear Democrats. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Marie Yovanovitch One of the most striking witnesses to give evidence at the public hearings, the former US ambassador to Ukraine received a rare round of applause as she left the committee room after testifying. Canadian-born Yovanovitch was attacked on Twitter by Donald Trump while she was actually testifying, giving Democrats the chance to ask her to respond. She said she found the attack very intimidating. Trump had already threatened her in his 25 July phone call to the Ukrainian president saying: Shes going to go through some things. Yovanovitch said she was shocked, appalled and devastated by the threat and by the way she was forced out of her job without explanation. REUTERS Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Alexander Vindman A decorated Iraq War veteran and an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, Lt Col Vindman began his evidence with an eye-catching statement about the freedoms America afforded him and his family to speak truth to power without fear of punishment. One of the few witnesses to have actually listened to Trumps 25 July call with the Ukrainian president, he said he found the conversation so inappropriate that he was compelled to report it to the White House counsel. Trump later mocked him for wearing his military uniform and insisting on being addressed by his rank. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Jennifer Williams A state department official acting as a Russia expert for vice-president Mike Pence, Ms Williams also listened in on the 25 July phone call. She testified that she found it unusual because it focused on domestic politics in terms of Trump asking a foreign leader to investigate his political opponents. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Kurt Volker The former special envoy to Ukraine was one of the few people giving evidence who was on the Republican witness list although what he had to say may not have been too helpful to their cause. He dismissed the idea that Joe Biden had done anything corrupt, a theory spun without evidence by the president and his allies. He said that he thought the US should be supporting Ukraines reforms and that the scheme to find dirt on Democrats did not serve the national interest. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Tim Morrison An expert on the National Security Council and another witness on the Republican list. He testified that he did not think the president had done anything illegal but admitted that he feared it would create a political storm if it became public. He said he believed the moving the record of the controversial 25 July phone call to a top security server had been an innocent mistake. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Gordon Sondland In explosive testimony, one of the men at the centre of the scandal got right to the point in his opening testimony: Was there a quid pro quo? Yes, said the US ambassador to the EU who was a prime mover in efforts in Ukraine to link the release of military aid with investigations into the presidents political opponents. He said that everyone knew what was going on, implicating vice-president Mike Pence and secretary of state Mike Pompeo. The effect of his evidence is perhaps best illustrated by the reaction of Mr Trump who went from calling Sondland a great American a few weeks earlier to claiming that he barely knew him. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Laura Cooper A Pentagon official, Cooper said Ukrainian officials knew that US aid was being withheld before it became public knowledge in August undermining a Republican argument that there cant have been a quid pro quo between aid and investigations if the Ukrainians didnt know that aid was being withheld. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal David Hale The third most senior official at the state department. Hale testified about the treatment of Marie Yovanovitch and the smear campaign that culminated in her being recalled from her posting as US ambassador to Ukraine. He said: I believe that she should have been able to stay at post and continue to do the outstanding work. EPA Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Fiona Hill Arguably the most confident and self-possessed of the witnesses in the public hearings phase, the Durham-born former NSC Russia expert began by warning Republicans not to keep repeating Kremlin-backed conspiracy theories. In a distinctive northeastern English accent, Dr Hill went on to describe how she had argued with Gordon Sondland about his interference in Ukraine matters until she realised that while she and her colleagues were focused on national security, Sondland was being involved in a domestic political errand. She said: I did say to him, Ambassador Sondland, Gordon, this is going to blow up. And here we are. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal David Holmes The Ukraine-based diplomat described being in a restaurant in Kiev with Gordon Sondland while the latter phoned Donald Trump. Holmes said he could hear the president on the other end of the line because his voice was so loud and distinctive and because Sondland had to hold the phone away from his ear asking about the investigations and whether the Ukrainian president would cooperate. REUTERS Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski said she was disturbed by the GOP leaders comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial is conducted. Maine senator Susan Collins, meanwhile, called the pledge by Mr McConnell inappropriate and said she is open to seeking testimony. Democrats could find their own unity tested if and when the Senate reaches a final vote on the two house-approved impeachment charges abuse of power and obstruction of congress. It would take 67 votes to convict Mr Trump on either charge and remove him from office, a high bar unlikely to be reached. Its also far from certain that all 47 Democrats will find Mr Trump guilty. Democratic senator Doug Jones of Alabama said hes undecided on how he might vote and suggested he sees merits in the arguments both for and against conviction. A look at senators to watch once the impeachment trial begins: Lisa Murkowski In her fourth term representing Alaska, Ms Murkowski is considered a key Senate moderate. She has voted against GOP leadership on multiple occasions and opposed Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018. Murkowshi: 'To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defence' (Getty) Murkowski told an Alaska TV station last month there should be distance between the White House and the GOP-controlled Senate in how the trial is conducted. To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defence, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process, she said. Ms Murkowski says the Senate is being asked to cure deficiencies in the house impeachment effort, particularly when it comes to whether key witnesses should be brought forward to testify, including White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton. How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen, she said, adding that house leaders should have gone to court if witnesses refused to appear before Congress. Collins 'It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us' (Getty) Susan Collins The four-term senator said she is open to calling witnesses as part of the impeachment trial but calls it premature to decide who should be called until evidence is presented. It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us, Ms Collins told Maine Public Radio. Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Ms Collins said. Ms Collins, who is running for re-election and is considered one of the nations most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democrats for saying Mr Trump should be found guilty and removed from office. There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging thats in an impartial way, she said. Senators are 'are headed towards a trial that is not intended to find the whole truth' (Getty) Doug Jones Mr Jones, a freshman seeking re-election in staunchly pro-Trump Alabama, is considered the Democrat most likely to side with Republicans in a Senate trial. In a Washington Post op-ed column, Mr Jones said that for Americans to have confidence in the impeachment process, the Senate must conduct a full, fair and complete trial with all relevant evidence regarding the presidents conduct. He said he fears that senators are headed towards a trial that is not intended to find the whole truth. For the sake of the country, this must change. Unlike what happened during the investigation of former president Bill Clinton, Trump has blocked both the production of virtually all relevant documents and the testimony of witnesses who have firsthand knowledge of the facts, Mr Jones said. The evidence we do have may be sufficient to make a judgment, but it is clearly incomplete, he added. Mr Jones and other Democrats are seeking testimony from Mr Mulvaney and other key White House officials to help fill in the gaps. Mr Romney is popular in conservative states where Mr Trump is not (Getty) Mitt Romney Mr Romney, a freshman senator and on-again, off-again Trump critic, has criticised Mr Trump for his comments urging Ukraine and China to investigate Democrat Joe Biden, but has not spoken directly about he thinks impeachment should proceed. Mr Romney is overwhelmingly popular in a conservative state where Mr Trump is not beloved, a status that gives Mr Romney leverage to buck the president or at least speak out about rules and procedures of a Senate trial. Cory Gardner Mr Gardner, like Ms Collins is a vulnerable senator up for re-election in a state where Mr Trump is not popular. Mr Gardner has criticised the house impeachment effort as overly partisan and fretted that it will sharply divide the country. While Mr Trump is under water in Colorado, a GOP strategist says Mr Gardner and other Republicans could benefit from an energised GOP base if the aenate, as expected, acquits Mr Trump of the two articles of impeachment approved by the House. An acquittal may have a substantial impact on other races in Colorado, up to and including Sen. Cory Gardners re-election, Ryan Lynch told Colorado Public Radio. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Martha McSally Ms McSally, who was appointed to her seat after losing a senate bid in 2018, is another vulnerable Republican seeking election this fall. She calls impeachment a serious matter and said she hopes her constituents would want her to examine the facts without partisanship. The American people want us to take a serious look at this and not have it be just partisan bickering going on, she told The Arizona Republic. Lamar Alexander A three-term senator and former governor, Mr Alexander is retiring next year. A moderate whos respected by both parties as an old-school defender of senate prerogatives, Mr Alexander has called Mr Trumps conduct inappropriate, but says he views impeachment as a mistake. An election, which is just around the corner, is the right way to decide who should be president, Mr Alexander said last fall. Impeachment has never removed a president. It will only divide the country further. Associated Press International free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) have opened up unprecedented opportunities for Vietnamese steelmakers with the industry forecast to see robust growth. Opportunities, however, will come with challenges as the countrys steel exports have found. A rise in trade protectionism in large markets such as the US and the EU were among the most difficult tasks Vietnamese steelmakers must address. For instance, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) had slapped duties of up to 456 per cent on a number of steel products from Viet Nam including corrosion-resistant steel and cold-rolled steel with S Korean or Taiwanese origin, which had allegedly circumvented US anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties, according to the department. The DOC said it had observed a sharp increase in shipments of corrosion-resistant steel (332 per cent) and cold-rolled steel (916 per cent) from Viet Nam from 2016-19 compared to previous years since the US started imposing duties on S Korean and Taiwanese steel products in December 2015 and February 2016. The heavy duties imposed by the US has seen Vietnamese steel export to the worlds largest economy drop to just over $3.49 billion, a 9 per cent decrease from the same period last year. Industry expert Nguyen Van Sua said the gloomy figure was a result of US-China trade tensions as the US ramped up efforts to counter origin fraud. Other countries were likely to take similar actions to protect their own steel industries. If we fail to fight off origin fraud among Vietnamese steelmakers, our products will face even higher tariffs in the US and traditional markets including ASEAN countries, said Sua. In addition, the price of Vietnamese steel products has been on the decline during the last ten months of the year, fetching just over $648 per tonne, an 11.4 per cent drop compared to 2018. This price drop combined with rising protectionism and stricter scrutiny may prove to be daunting challenges for Vietnamese firms to overcome in order to maintain and boost their exports. A representative from Hoa Phat Group one of the countrys largest steelmakers said origin fraud damaged the countrys image and hurt Vietnamese steels ability to compete effectively in the long run as more countries would likely put Vietnamese product on their watch-lists or impose higher duties. Chu Thang Chung, deputy head of the trade remedies authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said only a handful number of Vietnamese steel makers had engaged in origin fraud. While yielding short-term benefits for a few, it would cause significant financial damage to others trying to meet stricter regulations in import markets. The ministry said it would continue to support Vietnamese firms to cope with trade protection measures. It also urged Vietnamese firms to buy input materials from domestic firms to avoid over-reliance on outside sources. VNS A court here granted bail on Saturday to social activist Sadaf Jafar and former IPS officer SR Darapuri, besides 13 others arrested in connection with anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. The court of Additional Sessions Judge SS Pandey asked the accused to furnish two sureties of Rs 50,000 each and personal bonds of an equal amount. The judge had reserved his orders on the bail applications of Jafar, Darapuri and the other accused on Friday, after hearing the individual pleas as well as the submissions of the government lawyer. According to government lawyer Deepak Yadav, the Hazratganj police had booked the other accused on December 19 under IPC sections, including 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). The accused were arrested in the case and sent to judicial custody. On Thursday, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply within two weeks on a petition seeking quashing of the FIR filed against Jafar for her participation in a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment ) Act (CAA). A bench of justices Shabihul Hasnain and Virendra Kumar II passed the order on a writ petition moved on Jafar's behalf. Apart from challenging the FIR and seeking declaration of her arrest as illegal, the petitioner has also demanded that the investigation in the matter be conducted by an officer of the rank of superintendent of police and under the court's supervision. The court posted the matter after two weeks for the next hearing. Jafar was arrested on December 19 for protesting here against the amended citizenship law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Families of the Takoradi kidnapped girls have kicked against the continuous stay of the outgoing Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Boss Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, within the Ghana Police Service. The families have waded into the recent reshuffle by the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh, insisting that Tiwaa is not professional enough to remain in the police service. According to them, there was no need for Tiwaa to be reassigned arguing that the outgoing CID Boss should be kicked out of the police. The families have also contended that Tiwaa's reassignment vindicates their earlier demands to have her sacked from the police. Calls for the dismissal of the outgoing CID boss was spearheaded by the families of the kidnapped girls due to what they termed as her supposed incompetence in the handling of investigations into the kidnappings of their relatives. A spokesman for the families, Michael Hayford Grant and a sister of one of the kidnapped girls, Nana Adjoa Quayson, in a Citi News interview demanded reasons for DCOP Tiwaa's reassignment instead of her dismissal. When I heard the news, I wasnt surprised because we are in an election year and anything can happen. However, we do not know what the next CID boss is coming to do about our issue given the fact that they claim the bones that were found were those of the girls. God is watching them. We asked that she is sacked but they refused to do. The families further asked the new CID Director to re-investigate the kidnapping issue. The leaders of this country know what is good for them but they wont do it. Initially, when the issue came up, we called on the CID boss to resign but they waited till now and rather moved her. For me, I do not know why they reassigned her. She has to resign or be sacked, that is what will be best. We, however, have confidence in the new IGP. So as it stands now, the families are just hoping for the best. Tiwaa's troubles Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (then ACP), the Second-In-Command at the CID Headquarters, was asked to take over the mantle of leadership at the Criminal Investigations Department in 2017 when the then CID boss, COP Bright Oduro was ordered to proceed on his terminal leave, pending his retirement in January 2018. Her promotion came at a time when she was receiving a lot of backlash following accusations of alleged unprofessional conduct in a case she was investigating. Tiwaa again came under fire in 2019 when she assured families of the three kidnapped Takoradi girls that she knew the whereabouts of their missing relatives, an assurance which turned out to be false. A lot of Ghanaians called on her to resign over the gaffe. CID boss Tiwaa, 23 others reassigned Instead, she was reassigned by the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh on Friday, January 3, 2019. She is now the Director-General in-charge of Welfare at the Ghana Police Service. COP Isaac Ken Yeboah, formerly the Director-General in-charge of Administration is now the new Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department. Tiwaa's reassignment is supposed to take effect on January 15, 2020. ---CitinewsRoom Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday met party interim president Sonia Gandhi at her residence in Delhi and discussed issues related to Kota infants death and cabinet portfolio distribution in Maharashtra. According to top sources in Congress, the meeting lasted for over 30 minutes at Gandhi's residence. At least 107 infants have died at the government hospital in Kota since the beginning of December. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government has come under fire from the BJP and other Opposition parties in Rajasthan. While in Maharashtra, NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena alliance has not allocated portfolios to ministers. According to sources, Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar has offered to step down as minister of the state over differences with his party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ethanol ban to dent major bottlers By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s): Ethanol, the main ingredient for making arrack manufacturers such as Distilleries Company PLC (DCSL) which is also the largest hard liquor manufacturer in the country, will face challenges in the coming year, on the back of the governments decision to ban ethanol imports. The Finance Ministry said the import of ethanol for liquor production will be suspended from January 1 on the directives of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance. This move has been made as ethanol is widely produced locally. During Mr. Rajapaksas Presidency in 2013 also the Ministry banned ethanol imports saying the country has an excess production of ethanol and also due to the decline of demand for locally produced ethanol. Ethanol consumption in the country is 35 million litres annually. Locally 15 million litres are produced and the balance 15 million litres are imported, data show. There are 24 spirits and beer manufacturers and more than 30 toddy bottlers while DCSL imports more than 75 per cent of the total imports. Apart from DCSL, IDL Lanka Ltd, W.M. Mendis and Company Ltd and Rockland Distilleries (Pvt) Ltd import ethanol. Some distilleries are also owned by ex-ministers. Excise duty on liquor is the second largest contributor to the total excise tax revenue after excise tax on motor vehicles. During 2008 to 2014 liquor sector excise duty contribution has been hovering around 27 per cent 29 per cent while also representing approximately 6 per cent of the total government revenue. DCSL and beer manufacturer, Lion Brewery PLC pay a consolidated Rs. 80 billion annually to the Treasury which accounts for 71 per cent of the total Excise Duty revenue. DCSL saw a drop in sales volume in 2018 following the 2017 excise-duty revision, which brought down taxes on beer pushing consumer demand to beer, as it was cheaper. DCSL has also lost volume to the illicit market owing to the high tax regime and weak economic conditions, which made its products less affordable. The new ban will affect them some more, analysts say. The Business Times learns that four MPs have been importing ethanol for years without paying taxes. Those opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) should introspect over their stance on the legislation after the incident of vandalism at the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan on Friday, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Puri said that the Friday's incident at one of the holiest Sikh shrines provides yet another proof of the state of minorities in Pakistan. "This was a wanton act of vandalism, stone-pelting and desecration against one of the holiest Sikh shrines. Those who have taken a stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act clearly either do not realise what they are saying or this is deliberately misleading or treachery," said Puri. "If any proof were needed about the state of the minorities in Pakistan, this incident after the Friday prayers yesterday provided that proof," Puri said. "All these people (CAA opposers) should do some series introspection after yesterday's incident." An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur from her home in August last year. India has strongly condemned the incident and called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gas explosion on Saturday afternoon burnt down shops injuring several persons in Kaduna. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred around 2.00 pm on Kachia road by Anguwn Boro in Kaduna. NAN reports that some residents seen crying at the scene said the explosion occurred at the gas refill centre, trapping many people in the inferno. NAN also reports that many shops, mostly salons, plumbing materials, boutique and others were affected. A witness, Francis Yusuf, said he just left the barbing salon when the explosion occurred. I was leaving the saloon and left three persons waiting for their turn to cut their hair when a few seconds after I heard the blast behind me. Another witness, Mohammed Baba, said he was driving his tanker when he saw the explosion that started from the gas shop and had to reverse. I just loaded product from NNPC when I saw a blast in front of me as some persons where passing in front of the shop when the explosion happened. The police commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the number of persons affected could not be ascertained until investigations have been carried out. As you can see, search and rescue are in progress but we have had case of injured persons that have been rushed to the hospital for medical attention. READ ALSO: He assured that the state government would stop the operation of gas sales in residential areas. Paul Aboi, Director, Kaduna State Fire Service, said that the gas explosion took place in a compact place where there were shops operating. He said the situation was put under control by men of the fire service in combined efforts of the Police, Civil Defence, Red Cross and the Federal Road Safety Corps. Mr Aboi said those who sustained severe injuries as a result of the blast had been rushed to the hospital for intensive care. He said several cars were affected while several building glasses where shattered. (NAN) A top member of DR Congo's powerful Catholic Church on Friday said neighbouring countries were "pouring" people into a lawless border region, stirring anger among the local population. "It is up to the government to assume its responsibilities and persuade... neighbouring countries, particularly Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, to stop pouring people into Congo," said Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, who is archbishop of Kinshasa. Ambongo, speaking at a press conference in the capital, said the Democratic Republic of Congo had to use diplomatic means to get this message across. The influx, he said, was a source of friction in eastern DRC. The poor and chronically unstable region is in the grip of militias, some of which are historically rooted in armed campaigns against neighbouring regimes. The problem does not apply to Congolese of foreign origin who have been in the country for many years -- "no-one can contest their Congolese nationality," the archbishop insisted. "What is a problem is the influx of others who are arriving and are trying to be passed off as Congolese," he said. "The most blatant case (is that of) Rwandan immigrants who were forced out of Tanzania some years ago, and ended up being ditched in Congo," he said. This stirred a "feeling of frustration, of anger... (which) confirms there is a balkanisation plan," he charged. Ambongo spoke after returning from a pastoral visit last week to the Beni-Butembo region in North Kivu province, where militias have been rampant since the Congo Wars of the 1990s. The groups include the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), whose historical roots are Ugandan, as well as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and a Burundian group, the National Forces of Liberation (FNL). "The people's situation is dramatic. Because of the lack of security, the people have had to abandon fields, villages, homes, plantations," Ambongo said. In the last two months, more than 200 civilians have been killed in massacres attributed to the ADF, blamed for more than a thousand deaths since October 2014. "There has to be nationwide awareness that our country is at war, that the country is in danger," he said, urging the public to support troops who are fighting the militias. Last month, former DRC prime minister and opposition figure Adolphe Muzito called on the government to "wage war on Rwanda" and even "annex it" to restore peace in the east of the country. The DRC, a sprawling country the size of continental western Europe, has a history of thorny relations with Rwanda and Uganda. It has accused those countries of seeking to destablise it, while they allege that the DRC is being used as a rear base by groups seeking to overthrow their governments. Boris Johnson's leading adviser, Dominic Cummings, has called for "weirdos" to apply for jobs in Downing Street. Mr Cummings posted an apparent job advert in his blog, saying that Number 10 wants to hire an "unusual set of people with different skills and backgrounds" as special advisers and officials. But a civil servants' union expressed serious doubts about the policy, saying staff are recruited on merit and "because of what you can do, not what you believe". The blog post came amid reports the prime minister is planning "seismic changes" to the civil service in the UK. Mr Cummings, a former Vote Leave director, said he hopes to be made "largely redundant" within a year by the recruitment drive. He called for "weirdos and misfits with odd skills", data scientists and policy experts to apply to a Gmail account if they think they fit the bill. He says the need for change comes with Brexit requiring large policy and decision- making structure changes and when a government with an 80-strong majority has "little need to worry about short-term unpopularity". Under a subsection on hiring "super-talented weirdos", Mr Cummings, educated at public school and Oxford, writes that the government needs "true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hell hole". His' post came after Rachel Wolf, who helped draw up the Tory election manifesto, said civil servants could be made to take regular exams to prove they are up to Whitehall jobs. She also said civil servants are "woefully unprepared" for sweeping reforms that Mr Johnson is planning. The general secretary of the FDA union Dave Penman, who represents senior civil servants, said Mr Cummings had not clarified how new recruits would be selected or what their role would be. He told BBC Radio 4 'Today': "The civil service is recruited on merit. You are employed because of what you can do, not what you believe. "If you surround yourself with people who are recruited simply because they believe the same as you believe is that the best way for the civil service or advisers to speak truth unto power? "I don't think it is, and I think some of those approaches are quite dangerous as well." The former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake warned changes cannot be achieved overnight, but that the civil service "should be open to challenge, improvement and change". "My point would be governments come in at this situation and the biggest risk for them is hubris - they think because they've won an election they can do everything and change everything overnight and it isn't like that," he said. NSW authorities fear the worst is not over as record-breaking heat sends mega-fires rampaging across the state's south-east and within striking distance of homes in the Sydney basin. It came as two people died in South Australia and temperature records tumbled in Sydney and towns along the NSW South Coast plunged into eerie darkness. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Emergency Services Minister David Elliott on Saturday. Credit:Danny Casey At the peak of yesterday afternoon's fire emergency, 148 fires were burning across NSW, including 12 at "emergency" level. About 3600 personnel had been deployed to fight the fires, with hundreds more on standby for the outbreak of any new blazes. A farmer in a paddy field hit by drought in the Mekong Delta's province of Soc Trang, June 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen. Vietnam's Mekong Delta is bracing severe drought and salinity in the coming months, and local authorities have been told to take every step possible to mitigate the damage. For this dry season, which has already started in southern Vietnam and normally lasts until late April, drought conditions are likely to be more severe, resulting in more salinity in the delta, which spreads over 40,577 square kilometers (15,670 square miles). The nation's most fertile region for long, the Mekong Delta has been called the Vietnams rice granary. It is also the nations aquaculture hub. To cope with upcoming crises, the government wants all localities in the region to apply every method they can to make sure farmers and other locals have enough water for their crops and daily actitives, said Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung at a meeting Friday with officials of the Mekong Deltas 13 localities, held in Ben Tre Province. According the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the rainy season arrived late last year in the Mekong Delta and was shorter than usual, with the total rainfall of 1,240 mm, 8 percent lower than the average level of previous years. Water levels in the Mekong River sections flowing through the delta has decreased rapidly since the dry season started in late November and is currently 2.33 meters lower than in previous years, as measured at the Kratie station in northeastern Cambodia, it said. It is expected that the water level at this station will be 35 percent lower than previous years in the first two months of 2020 and the water amount in Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater body in Southeast Asia, is now at 5.1 billion cubic meters, which is 15.7 billion cubic meters lower. Worse than the worst Saline intrusion has already happened at sea gates in the delta since the middle of last month, which is much earlier than normal, the agriculture ministry said. It said that seawater could intrude 35-110 km inland, even more than in 2016, when the region was hit by the worst drought and salinity ever. Drought and salinity could hit 10 of the 13 delta localities, with the three exceptions being Dong Thap, Can Tho and An Giang. The entire region has more than 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) of rice fields where farmers have already started planting for a new crop, and 330,000 hectares could be affected by the adverse conditions. The ensuing water shortage could also hit 130,000 hectares of orchards, 40 percent of the total area, affecting 150,000 households. With funds allocated by the state along with financial aid from local companies and international organizations, more than 20,000 tanks to store fresh water have been provided for the region, apart from projects to install 1,600 km of water supply pipes and build dozens of wells. The ministry has requested local authorities to build plans to send water tank trucks to remote areas with little access to fresh water, supply pipes as needed, apart from investing in more tanks, storage bags capable of holding 30 cubic meters of freshwater and saltwater filters made by local companies. For the long term, the ministry has suggested that the central government continues to set aside funds for digging fresh water lakes and building embankments to prevent salt water intrusion, as also devices to automatically monitor salinity levels at sea gates throughout the region. It also mentioned the need for large-scale solutions to help locals switch to growing crops more appropriate with current conditions. The government should also raise its voice and ask operators of hydropower dams upstream the Mekong River to release water to downstream sections, the ministry said. The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has slapped a fine on two companies of Rs 50,000 each for delaying the street light installation programme on a portion of the New Delhi-Badrinath national highway, an official said on Saturday. The work was allotted to these companies by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation, Municipal Commissioner Dinesh Chandra said. The Municipal Corporation had released a fund of Rs 5 crore for the project. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) L abour shadow chancellor John McDonnell has criticised the Government's failure to condemn a US airstrike in Iraq as he joined protesters at a Stop the War Coalition demonstration outside Downing Street. Mr McDonnell and his colleague shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon are among around 150 demonstrators who are calling for the US to avoid any further conflict with Iran after the strike killed a top Iranian general. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called for calm and urged all aggressors to de-escalate, following Friday's attack on General Qassem Soleimani, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson has so far remained silent on the situation. "Weve been here before, we were here 17 years ago. And theres one lesson that came from those events, is that violence begets violence, Mr McDonnell said. And it was acts like this that led us to the catastrophic war in Iraq. The protest has been organised in response to the killing of Qasem Soleimani / PA Its so easy, so easy to happen as a result of the foreign policy of aggressive imperialism that the US now has resorted to yet again under Donald Trump." Mr McDonnell added: "And its not good enough for the UK government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence. We will not tolerate us being dragged yet again into this type of aggressive military action which puts us all at risk. The Stop the War Coalition, which is dedicated to preventing and ending war in the Middle East and elsewhere, organised the protest in response to the death of Iran general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed alongside five others in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport . Lindsey German, convenor of the coalition, said war has been on the cards for quite a long time now due to Donald Trump tearing up the Iran nuclear deal and placing draconian sanctions on the country. The Stop the War Coalitions is dedicated to preventing and ending war in the Middle East / PA You can argue about whether this is prelude to war, but it is an act of war, you dont assassinate a top general without it being something where you know theres going to be serious consequences, she said. "I hope were not seeing, as some people put on Twitter, World War III, were still some way from that obviously. But the way that these wars begin is with all sorts of steps where people think, I can do this and get away with it. Thats how you can drift into it. Ms German continued: Theyve done these assassinations of (Abu Bakr) al-Baghdadi, the Isis leader, and of Osama Bin Laden, these were both people who didnt have a state behind them, leaders of terrorist organisations. Thats not the same as Soleimani, one of the top military and, in a way, political figures in Iran. So its not going to just be that they wont do anything, the Iranians will do something, the Iraqis will do something. The funerals today have got huge crowds at them and this will be remembered. Ms German said the UK government should play a role in helping to end sanctions and to restore the nuclear deal. I think the UK government should condemn it, its an illegal act apart from anything else, she said. I think they should make it clear that they dont want anything to do with any follow-up military aggression that the Americans are involved in. We surely have to have a situation where we try to do everything we can to encourage other countries not to possess and develop nuclear weapons. Amid heightened tensions over the killing, British nationals have been advised not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan Region, while all but essential travel to Iran was warned against. The Foreign Office warned anyone in Iraq outside the Kurdistan Region should consider leaving by commercial means because the "uncertain" security situation "could deteriorate quickly". Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with calls for citizens to "remain vigilant" in nations including Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Untied Arab Emirates. The US President said he ordered a strike to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation - raising fears of an all-out war. It came as mourners in Iraq attended a funeral procession for the top general / REUTERS An American official denied the nation was behind a second deadly air strike on two vehicles being reported north of Baghdad. Gen Soleimani masterminded Tehran's regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops. President Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Gen Soleimani's "reign of terror is over" and describing him as having a "sick passion" for killing. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt stressed the peril being faced after recent "extreme" actions by both the US and Iran, which have simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between the nations "Well it's an incredibly dangerous game of chicken that's going on at the moment, because both sides have calculated that the other side cannot afford, and doesn't want, to go to war," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Hunt said the tensions created a "very difficult situation" for the UK as an ally of the States, adding Britain "cannot afford to be neutral". U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks following the US Military airstrike / REUTERS "But this is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the US's closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy," he said. There has been criticism of the US for not giving advanced notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was "regrettable" because allies should ensure "there are no surprises in the relationship". Boris Johnson has been on holiday celebrating the New Year with his partner Carrie Symonds on the private Caribbean island of Mustique. He has not commented on the general's killing. TODO: define component type brightcove The Prime Minister is expected to return to the UK early on Sunday, amid a letter being sent to him by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn requesting an urgent meeting of the privy council. Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises monarchs. The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the "assassination" had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike. Iranians in Tehran take part in an anti-U.S. rally on Saturday to protest the killing of military commander Qasem Soleimani (seen here on the banner) and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images In his remarks following Fridays drone strike that killed Iranian special operations commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad, President Donald Trump was keen to brush off critics who said this provocative attack risked an all-out war with Iran. We took action last night to stop a war, Trump said. We did not take action to start a war. On one hand, from the presidents perspective, this statement was entirely honest: Trump does not personally want to go to war with Iran. He has been uncharacteristically consistent in his position that launching new, open-ended military adventures in the Middle East would be strategically and politically stupid for his government. Yet in terms of actions having logical and necessary consequences, his statement was also manifestly false. The Trump administration claimed the right to assassinate Soleimani (along with Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, a.k.a. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the founder of the Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah) via unilateral executive action and without consulting Congress because Soleimani was planning imminent attacks that would kill dozens or hundreds of U.S. citizens, and also because both men had long been designated terrorists by the United States. The legal and strategic reasoning here is debatable: Killing Soleimani for masterminding (not executing) an imminent attack strains the definition of self-defense as a legal justification, and will not necessarily prevent Iran from carrying out whatever operation he was planning. The bigger problem, however, is that unlike Osama bin Laden or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, these designated terrorists were also officials in the governments of sovereign states. Muhandis was the deputy chief of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, a state-sponsored coalition of Iraqi paramilitary groups. Soleimani, of course, was the widely feared, loathed, and/or respected leader of the Quds Force, the elite unit of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responsible for its clandestine and extraterritorial military operations. As several commentators have noted, Soleimani was such a pivotal figure in Irans military and foreign policy decision-making that killing him was akin to if the Iranians had simultaneously wiped out David Petraeus, Jim Mattis, and every other top U.S. general at the height of the Iraq War. If thats not an act of war, what is? One reason for the Trump administrations apparent strategic incoherence vis-a-vis Iran is that while Trump himself does not want war, many of his key advisers either openly endorse it or are much more sanguine about it than he is. While arch-neocon and Iran hawk John Bolton is no longer whispering in the presidents ear, his successor as national security advisor, Robert OBrien, belongs to the same school of thought. Brian Hook, the State Departments special representative for Iran, is an advocate of Trumps maximum pressure campaign to force Iran into a humiliating new disarmament deal through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has openly advocated bombing Iran in the past and has designed a negotiation strategy for that new deal based on holding Iran to conditions it cannot possibly accept. In other words, while Trump may be genuinely dovish on Iran, a number of powerful operators within the administration and the broader right-wing foreign policy establishment believe war with Iran would be quick, easy, and lead to a positive outcome. These include many of the same people who predicted that the Iraq War would be a triumphant cakewalk in 2003, who are for some baffling reason still afforded the opportunity to publish their opinions in the New York Times. Bolton is not alone in wishfully thinking that Soleimanis death will be the first step to regime change in Tehran, perhaps via a popular uprising of Iranians against the Islamic Republic or perhaps via a series of escalatory measures culminating in U.S. air strikes and/or ground troops on Iranian soil. Sure enough, Irans leadership immediately vowed to take revenge on the U.S. for the assassination, a threat the Trump administration is taking seriously enough to order all U.S. citizens to evacuate from Iraq and deploy an additional 3,500 soldiers to the Middle East. At the same time, Trump does not appear to have thought through the potential Iranian response before making the decision to take out Soleimani, perhaps because his advisers assured him that Iran lacked the willingness or the capacity to mount a meaningful reprisal. Iran has a number of potential avenues for retaliation, including attacks on the global oil-supply chain, cyberattacks, assaults on U.S. military and diplomatic outposts throughout the Middle East, ramped-up proxy attacks on U.S. allies in Israel and Saudi Arabia, or even the kidnapping and execution of U.S. citizens. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is surely under great pressure to exact revenge, but the nature of that pressure is more ideological than strategic. While Soleimani was indispensable to Irans petty empire in Iraq, Syria, and throughout the region, he is not entirely irreplaceable. His longtime deputy, Esmail Ghaani, who has already succeeded him as head of the Quds Force, may not match Soleimanis leadership abilities, but he will still be able to carry out Irans regional agenda. In other words, while Soleimanis death is a major blow to Irans strategic planning capabilities, it does not eliminate them entirely and does not justify escalating to all-out war with the United States. Khamenei is a zealot, but he is neither stupid nor insane: He knows that direct confrontation with the U.S. would be costly and damaging to us, but completely disastrous for his country and regime. The Iranian public, including regime supporters and dissidents alike, has little to no interest in being bombed or invaded by the Americans, which would result in massive casualties, economic devastation, and perhaps a generation of instability not unlike what the U.S. unleashed in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is entirely likely, therefore, that Soleimanis assassination wont lead to a full-scale war or even to a significant change in the state of the broader Mideast conflict. Khamenei will need to do something that can be plausibly spun as vengeance for domestic propaganda purposes, but probably still wants to avoid anything drastic enough to serve as a pretext for an American attack. As Elizabeth Tsurkov puts it at the Forward: Iran will likely seek a way to avenge Soleimanis killing in a manner [that] wont escalate tensions further and trigger a war, which Iranian leaders, for all their bluster, surely know they will lose. While it is probably wishful thinking to suggest that this assassination paves the way toward a peaceful resolution of the standoff between Washington and Tehran, it is somewhat alarmist to assume that it will necessarily escalate our decades-long cold war into a hot war that neither country actually wants to fight. That certainly remains a risk, especially given the impulsive and reactive decision-making process within the Trump administration. It is worth remembering, however, that Trump has been the main instigator of the escalating tensions with Iran over the past two years, withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimplementing sanctions in an effort to crush Iran economically and force its capitulation. Khamenei is, to borrow one of the presidents favorite phrases, no angel, but from his perspective, Iran is defending against American aggression and getting too little credit for its role in fighting the Islamic State. If things do spiral into a full-on shooting war, it likely wont be because of an intentional provocation from Tehran, but rather because Trump makes some fatal error or succumbs to the influence of the Iran-hawk chorus. Still, that doesnt mean there wont be any blowback. We will soon find out whether Trumps decision has its intended effect of deterrence, or whether Iran will respond by directing its regional proxies to step up the violence. In the meantime, Iran may be able to use this as a means to shift the target of Iraqi public discontent from Iranian meddling to American imperialism. Tehran will almost certainly seek to capitalize on Iraqi outrage over the incident to push for the expulsion of U.S. forces from Iraq a move Baghdad is seriously considering in response to what it considers a major violation of its territorial sovereignty. Whether or not the Iraqi government decides to make that request (and whether or not the Trump administration heeds it), American-Iraqi military cooperation is unlikely to proceed as usual after this incident. Ending the U.S. military presence in Iraq, or even just refocusing it to defend against Iranian proxies, will likely hinder the campaign to clear out the remnants of the Islamic State in that country. Our uncomfortable, undeclared alliance with Iran-backed militias against that group has come to an end; if Baghdad cuts us out entirely, it will become very difficult for the U.S. to lead that fight and steer Iraq away from Iranian suzerainty. The signature success of Americas enemies in the 21st century so far has been in drawing us into military quagmires that are impossible to win. A war in Iran would be another. At three times the size and more than twice the population of Iraq, it would be that much more expensive and dangerous to occupy. Yet it would be suicide for the Iranian regime to draw us into such a war. Besides, when it comes to bogging down the U.S., they already have plenty to work with in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. Whatever happens next will probably happen there, with predictably grave consequences for the people caught in the middle. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: Following the second office opening in Andijan city of Uzbekistan, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is indeed looking at further expansion in the East of the country, representative of EBRD told Trend in an interview. Recently Trend reported that President of EBRD Suma Chakrabarti is to visit Uzbekistan in the first half of 2020 to discuss the expansion of the bank in the country. The bank is currently considering opening its representative office in Karakalpakstan next year in addition to the existing EBRD office in Tashkent and another one recently opened in Andijan. "The President of EBRD Suma Chakrabarti visit is not 100 percent confirmed. As for the strategy, the EBRD approved its country strategy for Uzbekistan in 2018, so well be talking about our new priorities in 2023," the representative stated. Furthermore, in November 2019 EBRD and Uzbekistans Hamkorbank provided a loan of 540,000 euros under the Risk Sharing Program for Uzbekistans Tllo Domor cheese producer with subsequent increase of financing for a total of 2 million euros. Last year, the EBRD Board of Directors approved a new strategy for Uzbekistan, which defines the bank's priorities for the next five years. Following the adoption of a new country strategy for Uzbekistan, in 2018 the EBRD signed 12 projects worth almost 400 million, a record level of business for the Bank in the country in a single year. Significant investments were made in the municipal and power infrastructure sectors, including the rehabilitation of water and wastewater infrastructure in the Fergana Valley, as well as in banking and industry. This year, the EBRD has already invested almost 250 million into Uzbekistan's economy. To date, the EBRD has invested 1.3 billion through 70 projects in economy of Uzbekistan. Support of small businesses is particularly important as the country moves to reform its economy and strengthen its private sector. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri The ICC will likely throw out Palestines case for war crimes, Norman Finkelstein says By Philip Weiss January 03, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Last week supporters of Palestinian human rights were buoyed by the announcement from the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court that she had decided to open a formal investigation of Israel for war crimes in the occupied territories, including the ongoing settlement project in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and the onslaught in 2014 called Operation Protective Edge. She is also investigating Hamas and Palestinian militant groups for war crimes. There is a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said. You cant gainsay the fact that at least at a symbolic level, something significant happened, says Norman Finkelstein, who is an expert on the ICC. A Rubicon has been crossed. Or to put it in other terms, an American red line has been crossed, because the U.S. has said, Open an investigation and we destroy you. Because of the international politics of the issue, Finkelstein says that hopes for a just formal outcome are likely to be dashed by the court. He believes that the case will be dismissed on a technical ground, under tremendous pressure from Israel and the U.S. The opportunity the case presents is in shaping public opinion, Finkelstein said in an interview: for advocates for Palestinian rights to make their case as the Hague mulls the legal one. Pressure can come from both sides. Fatou Bensouda is going to be subjected to the same sort of vilification that Israel and its friends brought to bear ten years ago on Judge Richard Goldstone, who after accusing Israel of targeting civilians in Gaza in a UN Human Rights Council report was smeared with a broad brush, notably Alan Dershowitz saying that he was a traitor to the Jewish people. Ostracized at times even within his South African Jewish community, Goldstone later recanted some of the charges. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Finkelstein is soon to publish a book about Bensoudas failure to prosecute an earlier referral on Palestine to the ICC, involving Israels killing of 10 passengers on board the aid boat the Mavi Marmara, which was under sail to Gaza from Turkey in May 2010 when Israeli commandoes boarded the vessel in international waters in the middle of the night. That case was brought to the ICC by the Comoros Islands because the boat sailed under a Comoros flag. But after a years-long preliminary investigation, Bensouda refused to launch a formal investigation, and sided with Israeli arguments about the aggressive conduct of passengers and crew on the boat, as somehow justifying lethal force. Bensouda experienced broad criticism over that ruling, Finkelstein says from officials inside the ICC, from the human rights community, from an article by John Dugard, a professor of international law with great standing, and from the impending publication of Finkelsteins own book, titled JAccuse. Bensoudas latest decision of December 20 was to launch an investigation in a second case, a 2015 referral by Palestine, and Finkelstein sees it as an effort to recuperate her loss of reputation in the Mavi Marmara ruling. Part of the reputational damage was critics threshing Bensoudas record in the Gambia. She was the attorney general under the Gambian military junta, Finkelstein says. Richard Goldstone was a judge under apartheid South Africa, but Dugard tells me its totally different. Goldstone had an exemplary record as a judge in South Africa. She had a filthy record. The 112-page document that Bensouda published in announcing her decision to investigate war crimes looks very good with respect to the crime of Israeli settlements, Finkelstein says. The document offers 10,000 pieces of evidence on the illegality of the settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem that go to show what everyone knows, Israel has taken over lands that were supposed to provide the territory for a Palestinian state under international law and colonized those lands with more than 600,000 Jewish settlers. Bensoudas argument that Israel committed war crimes in Gaza during the Operation Protective Edge onslaught five years ago that killed more than 2200 Palestinians, including 500 children, is less specific. If you read her statement, you would think that Hamas committed as many, if not more war crimes than Israel during Protective Edge, Finkelstein says. Some on the left have exulted in the ICC ruling and said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former army chief of staff Benny Gantz (who has bragged of bombing Gaza back to the stone age) may be charged with war crimes for that assault. Im very dubious about that. The likelihood that theyre going to actually be convicted approaches zero, Finkelstein says. All the same, Israel is shaken by the announcement and a battle has begun. Theres a legal battle but theres also going to be an overt battle, the battle of public opinion. So yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu goes to the Wailing Wall and says that the ICC is guilty of anti-Semitism, Finkelstein says. Now the other side can say, oh, is it anti-Semitism to say that Israeli settlements are illegal? Anti-Semitism to say that the West Bank and Gaza and East Jerusalem are occupied, Palestinian territory? Finkelsteins pessimism about the ultimate outcome is based on the fact that Bensouda gave herself an out. Noting that the courts jurisdiction over these issues is disputed by Israel, Bensouda requested an opinion on two crucial jurisdictional questions from the court called the Pre Trial Chamber in the next 120 days before actually beginning her investigation. The jurisdictional question breaks down into two parts. Does this entity called the state of Palestine qualify as a state that is competent to lodge a referral or complaint with the ICC, Finkelstein summarizes. Question number two, they have to decide what is the territorial jurisdiction of the court in this case, which means they have to decide what are the territorial dimensions of this thing called the state of Palestine. Finkelstein is very worried that Bensouda has kicked these questions over to the Pre Trial Chamber because it is headed by a Hungarian judge, Peter Kovacs, who repeatedly sided with Israel on issues in the earlier Mavi Marmara case. Bensouda herself opens the door to Kovacs to dismiss Palestines standing to bring the case in the first place in this paragraph: The scope of the Courts jurisdiction in the territory of Palestine appears to be in dispute between those States most directly concernedIsrael and Palestine. A number of other States have also expressed interest and concerns on relevant issues. Notably, Palestine does not have full control over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and its borders are disputed. The West Bank and Gaza are occupied and East Jerusalem has been annexed by Israel. Gaza is not governed by the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, the question of Palestines Statehood under international law does not appear to have been definitively resolved. I would bet your bottom dollar and mine that Kovacs will never ever say Palestines a state. Of the other two judges [on the PTC] he only needs one more vote, Finkelstein says. Israeli has already posted clever challenges to Palestinian standing, says Finkelstein. A lot of it is a crock of shit, but they quote statements from the international community and the Palestinians, that two states is an aspiration not a reality. So if its not a reality, how can they call on the ICC to investigate? Theyre not a state! Israeli officials have also seized on the fact that Palestine cited the 1947 UN partition resolution as a basis for the complaint. That resolution designated Jerusalem as outside the Jewish and Arab states that were to be established: a corpus separatum. Israel used this citation against Palestine, Finkelstein says: They themselves acknowledge that Jerusalem is not part of the Palestinian state. I pointed out to Finkelstein that if the court throws out the Palestinian case on these grounds, it will leave the occupation in place, with Palestinians as non-entities in any official framework. Israeli will settlers continue to gobble up their lands, but Palestinians have no recourse under Israeli law or in international courts. The ICC can rule on the settlements if the U.N. Security Council refers it to them. And that wont happen, Finkelstein adds. The U.S. will veto. Finkelstein sees the real force of the case in the court of public opinion. It will continue to drive a wedge in U.S. politics by putting pressure on the Democratic Party leadership. He says: There are two poles now in the world. As everyone knows, the center has collapsed. One pole has said, fuck the rule of law. So they dont care about the fact that Israel now is an apartheid state or as Lincoln would say a nation thats half free, half slave. So the Palestinians dont have anything and lets move on. Just like Modi now did with the new law in India saying only Hindus can get citizenship; they dont care about the law. And thats Trump. On the other hand, the other pole actually has become more beholden to the law in the face of this assault by the Alt right. The law has been now become their big weapon. And so the Democratic Party, given its base, cant possibly defend a state that is half slave and half free. The Democrats dont want to acknowledge what is de facto the case, Israel has annexed those territories. Because if they are part of Israel and the Palestinians dont have rights of citizenship, theyre living in a slave state. So the Democratic Party wants the veneer that the situation is still in limbo, that there is still a possible peace process that hasnt been resolved because if they dont have that veneer, theyre now part of the alt right that says we dont give a shit about the Palestinians. I told Finkelstein that a Democratic president could put pressure on Israel. A Democratic president would be just like Obama, Finkelstein said, disagreeing, and say that there shouldnt be international interference, it has to be resolved between the Israelis and Palestinians, we can only play the role of an honest broker and so on, and so forth. Unless its Bernie. Finkelstein points out the lengths that Obama went to to neutralize international law against settlements and other Israeli crimes in occupied territories. Remember, it was [then-Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton who took pride in the fact that she personally killed the Goldstone report. The Biden administration would do the same. I concluded by asking Finkelstein to say where he is hopeful. The battle is going to be played out behind closed doors and in the court of public opinion, and if Palestinians and their allies mount a significant enough public relations campaign, demanding it, it will put the PTC [pre trial chamber of the ICC] under the spotlight and it will put Bensouda under the spotlight. Otherwise, if you let the normal workings of the court unfold, the Palestinians will lose everything. Philip Weiss is senior editor of Mondoweiss.net and founded the site in 2005-06. This article was originally published by "Mondoweiss" - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here Over one hundred thousand protesters, many carrying the Indian tricolour flag, took part in a peaceful march in the southern city of Hyderabad on Saturday, chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modis new citizenship law, Trend reports citing Reuters. The protest, dubbed the Million March, was organized by an umbrella group of Muslim and civil society organizations. More than 40 percent of Hyderabads estimated population of nearly 7 million are Muslims. Demonstrators were still pouring into the protest site late on Saturday afternoon, according to a Reuters witness, despite police saying no march would be allowed and that permission had only been granted for a 1,000-person gathering. The Indian government has faced weeks of acrimonious and, at times, violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was passed by Modis government in December. New Delhi: Activist, actor and Congress worker Sadaf Jafar, ex-IPS officer S R Darapuri, Pawan Rai Ambedkar and thirteen others were granted bail on Saturday in the case related to violence during anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. The court of Additional Sessions Judge SS Pandey asked the accused to furnish two sureties of Rs 50,000 each and personal bonds of an equal amount. The judge had reserved his orders on the bail applications of Jafar, Darapuri and the other accused on Friday, after hearing the individual pleas as well as the submissions of the government lawyer. Jafar and others were arrested on December 19, 2019 for protesting against the amended citizenship law in Lucknow. According to government lawyer Deepak Yadav, the Hazratganj police had booked the accused on December 19 under IPC sections, including 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, actors Swara Bhaskar and Sushant Singh and director Mahesh Bhatt were among those calling for Sadaf Jafar's immediate release. Sadaf Jafar, who is also a Congress spokesperson, was arrested while she was live on Facebook from the spot where the protests had gone violent. In Facebook videos widely shared on social media, Sadaf Jafar was heard saying, "Why are you not stopping them? When there is violence, you are standing and watching the show. What is the use of the helmet? Why aren't you doing anything?" In another video, in which her face is not visible but her voice can be heard, she is heard saying, "Why are you arresting me? Why didn't you arrest the people who were pelting stones?" On Thursday, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply within two weeks on a petition seeking quashing of the FIR filed against Jafar for her participation in a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment ) Act (CAA). A bench of justices Shabihul Hasnain and Virendra Kumar II passed the order on a writ petition moved on Jafar's behalf. Apart from challenging the FIR and seeking declaration of her arrest as illegal, the petitioner has also demanded that the investigation in the matter be conducted by an officer of the rank of superintendent of police and under the court's supervision. The court posted the matter after two weeks for the next hearing. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: The number of tourists from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan visiting Turkey amounted to 9,302 people and 3,132 people respectively in November 2019, which is 23.5 percent and 4.5 percent more compared to the same period of last year, Turkeys Ministry of Culture and Tourism told Trend. The share of Kyrgyz citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in November 2019 amounted to 0.4 percent, whereas share of Tajiks visiting Turkey was 0.1 percent. The ministry also said that from January through November 2019, over 112,839 tourists from Kyrgyzstan visited Turkey, which is 4.9 percent more compared to the same period of 2018. In turn, number of Tajik citizens who visited Turkey over the period from January through November amounted to 41,101 people, which is 7.5 percent more than during the same period of last year. Share of Kyrgyz citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey amounted to 0.3 percent during 11 months, whereas share of Tajiks visiting Turkey was 0.1 percent. In November 2019, 2.1 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 11.4 percent more compared to November 2018, a source in the ministry said. From January through November 2019, 42.9 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 14.3 percent more compared to the same period of 2018, the ministry said. Over the first 11 months of 2019, over 14.4 million tourists visited Antalya, and over 13.7 million tourists visited Istanbul, while over 14.6 million tourists visited the other Turkish cities. --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh (Natural News) Researchers studying Johannes Keplers manuscripts believe they found evidence that suggests that the famous German astronomer may have been a practitioner of alchemy, the protoscientific tradition famous for its obsession with turning base metals like lead into noble metals like gold and silver. Kepler lived in the late 16th to the early 17th centuries, and is known as an astronomer, astrologer and a mathematician. He is best known in the scientific community for his three laws of planetary motion, which outlined his theories on how the planets revolved around the sun. These are now known as Keplers laws. (Related: Flat Earthers strike out again by failing to grasp the phenomenon of gravity, elliptical orbits and acceleration.) The team of researchers, led by Gleb Zilberstein, a biotechnologist, and Pier Giorgio Righetti, a chemist, studied Keplers old manuscripts and found traces of metals associated with alchemy on the pages of a text about the moon, cataloged as Hipparchus. An analysis of these pages, the full text of which was published in the analytical chemistry journal Talanta, found high levels of metals such as lead, silver, gold and mercury. Influence of a friend Zilberstein, Righetti and their team suggest in their study that Kepler may have learned the pseudo-chemical science from his colleague, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, an astronomer known for his writings about his planetary and astronomical observations. Kepler had previously worked with Brahe in Prague in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, who was, like Brahe, also a firm devotee of alchemy. In fact, when Brahes body was exhumed, an analysis of his hair found that they contained traces of gold up to 100 times higher than in a normal person today. The researchers said that because of Keplers close relationship with Brahe it is highly likely that the latters passion for alchemy was transmitted to Kepler. It was likely he was willing to get his hands dirty, as judged from the high levels of classical metals used in this field on all pages of his manuscript Hipparchus. Further analysis also found that the sleeves of Keplers garments were also contaminated by these metals. The researchers point out that during Keplers lifetime, alchemy was still a popular science. The scientific adviser to Queen Elizabeth I of England, John Dee, was an alchemist, and Brahe himself had built an alchemical laboratory on the small Swedish island of Ven. Examining a persons life through chemistry Zilberstein had previously found traces of kidney disease on the manuscripts of Mikhail Bulgakov, a Russian doctor and playwright. He had also analysed a letter of George Orwell and suggested that the author may have contracted tuberculosis while at a Spanish hospital. In an interview, Zilberstein said that examining texts such as manuscripts and letters with analytical chemistry can reveal information about what a person was eating, what this person was ill with, what medicines he used, what atmosphere he lived in. Zilberstein went on to say how important it was to revisit the legacy of people like Kepler to understand history. The manuscripts they left behind are filled with amazing drawings and traces from the person who created them. Fortunately for Kepler, his legacy lives on. Several asteroids and craters on both the moon and Mars have been named after his and NASA launched a space telescope bearing his name in 2009. This telescope was responsible for discovering over 2,300 exoplanets, many of which now bear the late astronomers name. Kepler died after a fever at the age of 53. Unfortunately for Zilberstein and his team, the astronomers remains are nowhere to be found, and therefore no part of his body can be tested for alchemical residues. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk NASA.gov ScienceDirect.com TheGuardian.com Spain's lawmakers debated Saturday whether to approve interim Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's proposal to form a left-wing coalition government for the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. Sanchez's Socialist Party wants to form a coalition with the far-left, anti-austerity United We Can party for his next government but needs support from several smaller parties to gain the required parliamentary approval. His proposal is not expected to clinch an absolute majority of 176 votes during a first round of voting set for Sunday. Spain's three right-wing parties have already said their lawmakers would vote against it. But the Socialists insist they have the votes needed to get the required simple majority _ more votes for than against _ in a second vote Tuesday to put Sanchez back in the Moncloa Palace, Spain's seat of government. The Socialists have to rely on the goodwill of some 20 lawmakers who agreed to abstain. Those include the 13-deputy regional Catalan ERC party, one of several groups that want Catalonia's independence from Spain. ERC's support may be in doubt after Spain's National Electoral Board ruled Friday that the party's imprisoned leader was ineligible to take a European Parliament seat he won in a European election last year. Sanchez and United We Can leader Pablo Iglesias will now be waiting to see if ERC changes its position on abstaining from the votes. Spain has been run by Sanchez's caretaker government for close to a year. Search Keywords: Short link: Three men arrested in connection with the over Rs 220-crore scholarship scam were on Saturday remanded to CBI custody till January 8, an agency spokesperson said. The investigative agency had Friday arrested former superintendent grade-II, Department of Higher Education (dealing with disbursement of scholarship) Arvind Rajta, vice chairman of KC group of institutions, Hitesh Gandhi and former head cashier at Central Bank of India, SP Singh. The three accused were produced before the court in Shimla on Saturday which remanded them to CBI custody till Wednesday, the spokesperson told PTI. The agency had argued that their custody was required for interrogation to collect more evidence in the case. The CBI had registered a case on Himachal Pradesh government's request and further notification from Government of India on May 7, 2019 against unknown persons. It was alleged that serious irregularities took place in disbursal of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships of more than Rs 220 crore from 2013-14 to 2016-17 under state and central government sponsored schemes for SC/ST/OBC/MC students by the Himachal Department of Education. It was further alleged that the income and caste certificates of the students were not genuine. The CBI had earlier conducted searches at the location of 21 private institutes. In the beginning, the probe was conducted by Himachal police but later it was handed over to the CBI as the scam was found in other states too. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A father of a White Island volcano victim has described the daily torment he suffers remembering the last conversation he had with his daughter. Tony Richards outlived his 20-year-old daughter Jess and ex 47 year old Julie Richards when they were killed in the White Island volcano eruption on December 9. Several weeks on Richards has detailed the failings he feels after the relationship with Jess broke down when he split with his former partner. Pictured: 20-year-old Jess Richards and 47 year old Julie Richards were killed in the White Island volcano eruption on December 9 The grieving father hadn't seen his daughter in three years, and their final conversation ended in an argument. He told the Courier Mail he regrets the way he left their relationship, but there is nothing he can do to change it. 'I've got to live with that,' he said. Instead he has recalled some of the cherished memories from her childhood before they became estranged. 'She was a good kid, I used to take her out in the boat. We'd go camping on Straddie for the weekend,' he said. 'We'd go yabbying, she'd get bored of fishing after a while and start playing with the yabbies in the bucket. She was always interested in animals.' Pictured: 47 year old Julie Richards and 20-year-old Jess Richards were killed in the White Island volcano eruption on December 9 That passion eventually led to Jess studying veterinary technology at the University of Queensland. His daughter was in New Zealand on a holiday with her mother, on the Ovation of the Seas Cruise ship when they took a day trip to White Island. The trip ended in disaster when the volcano erupted on December 9, with the death toll now at 17 after a victim died in hospital on Christmas Eve. Skies turned black and ash rained down as fires raged across southeastern Australia on Saturday, threatening power supplies to major cities and prompting the call-up of 3,000 military reservists. Temperature records were smashed, and gale-force winds pounded fire-stricken coastal communities in the two most populous states New South Wales and Victoria. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that worst-case scenario projections were "coming to fruition", although large-scale evacuations meant the human toll was minimised. Since late September, 23 people have died, more than 1,500 homes have been damaged and an area roughly twice the size of Belgium or Hawaii has burned. The latest fatalities were in Kangaroo Island -- a tourist haven southwest of Adelaide -- when two people were trapped in a car overrun by flames on Friday. But strong winds and high temperatures continued to fuel hundreds of fires and cause chaos. Bushfires took out two substations and transmission lines, prompting authorities in New South Wales to warn that an area home to almost eight million people and the nation's largest city Sydney could experience rolling blackouts. "We are in for a long night and we have still to hit the worst of it," Berejiklian warned as another total fire ban was declared for Sunday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the largest military call-up in living memory, mobilising 3,000 reservists to assist thousands of volunteer firefighters who have been battling the blazes. "Today's decision puts more boots on the ground, puts more planes in the sky, puts more ships at sea," said Morrison, who made the announcement after being pilloried for his response to the deadly disaster. But even that move prompted outrage when his Liberal Party turned it into a campaign ad, with shadow minister for international development Pat Conroy accusing Morrison of trying to "exploit a national tragedy". - Record temperatures - A state of emergency had been declared across much of the heavily populated southeast and more than 100,000 people were told to leave their homes across three states. Thousands heeded that call on Friday, abandoning summer holidays and piling into cars that clogged the highways linking southeastern coastal towns with the relative safety of Sydney or larger towns. Several emergency warnings were issued on Saturday, and there were fears that one blaze southwest of Sydney could reach the city's outskirts. Sydney recorded its highest-ever temperature of 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in the western suburb of Penrith, and the nation's capital Canberra hit 44 degrees Celsius, also an all-time record, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said. Thousands of volunteer firefighters battled the infernos as some residents stayed behind to defend their homes. Just outside the seaside town of Batemans Bay, a four-hour drive south of Sydney, locals joined forces with firefighters to tackle the blazes. "Today, we've had nothing short of a disaster. A very large fire-front came through... the high temperatures and the southerly change is putting a real lot of pressure on the resources that we have," local Adam Pike told AFP. "Guys that know the bush, guys that know fire, helped save at least 10 to 12 homes on this street... we are so grateful for their help." The only activity in the usually bustling tourist hotspot was at an evacuation centre, where hundreds of locals forced from their homes were sheltering on an open field in tents and caravans. Mick Cummins, 57, and his wife fled to the evacuation centre when fire ripped through their rural town on New Year's Eve. "We said this is too tough for us, let's get out. We went to the beach and then hellfire came over the hill," he told AFP. "I was here in the '94 fires. I thought that was bad. That was just a barbeque" in comparison, he said. Temperatures have soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Australia, and gale-force winds have fanned hundreds of fires Location of areas affected by fires since September 2019 in Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called up 3,000 military reservists to tackle Australia's relentless bushfire crisis With temperatures expected to rise, a state of emergency has been declared across much of Australia's heavily populated southeast A dehydrated and injured Koala receives treatment after its rescue from a bushfire A helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Batemans Bay in New South Wales Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang Sat, January 4 2020 Arief, 34, is a mechanic who has lived in Neglasari district, Tangerang city, for 20 years. Living about 300 meters away from the Rawa Kucing landfill, Arief is familiar with the stench that emanates from the dump site. The unpleasant smell has worsened to such an extent over the past few months that Arief and other residents have started complaining. The smell is causing nausea and vomiting among residents. It has also brought flies into residents houses. The reason is overcapacity at the Rawa Kucing landfill. Even though the dump site has undergone several improvements, a poorly managed mountain of garbage has continued to create problems. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login New Ross character Richie Roche lived an alternative lifestyle and did it his own way Were backhappy 2020! And what a busy final few weeks of 2019 it was, with a slew of major headlines all breaking in the final days of what was already an eventful year. Lets catch up, shall we? First, some good news: though 2019 began with the Trump administration once again proposing the permanent elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), IMLS wound up with a $10 million increase in the final budget, including a $6.2 million bump for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), the largest increase in LSTA funding in 12 years. In American Libraries, ALAs Kathi Kromer breaks it all down. Ill just highlight two points: First, this doesnt happen without the outstanding year-round advocacy work by rank-and-file librarians. So, well done. And, second, library supporters will have to continue their good work in 2020. I'm willing to bet that the Trump administration will again propose the elimination of IMLS in its 2021 budget proposal. But as Kromer writes, the efforts of librarians and library supporters are paying off where it counts: with legislators. As advocates continue to demonstrate the impact libraries have on our communitiesincluding policymakers voters," Kromer states, "ALA is in a stronger position than ever to start the FY2021 budget cycle. Which is a good time to remind readers that ALAs 45th National Library Legislative Day is set for Washington, D.C., May 4-5, 2020. Reserve Reading More news to catch up on from our break: On December 10, The American Library Association announced 10 winners of the prestigious I Love My Librarian Award. The recipients were nominated by patrons nationwide and chosen from the nearly 2,000 nominations received this year. Each librarian receives a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and a travel stipend to attend the awards ceremony, which will take place on Jan. 25, 2020, at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Philadelphia. The award is made possible by the Carnegie Corporation, and is co-sponsored by The New York Public Library and the New York Times. You can meet the winners here. Back on the government front, in December I reported for Publishers Weekly on a rumored executive order that would potentially achieve with the stroke of a sharpie something that librarians and open access advocates have been pushing for legislatively for yearsfree access to journal articles and research funded with taxpayer dollars. Public access to taxpayer funded research has been an ongoing battle in Congress for the past two decades, and the battle lines remain the same as in past years: the Association of American Publishers is strongly against Trump issuing such an order. Open Access advocates, like SPARC, remain in favor of whatever might get the job done. The Scientist this week has a great article on the state of play in open access that hits at the complex waters the Trump administration may be preparing to wade, or cannonball, into. No question, the open access battle lines have shifted in recent years, with Plan S in Europe, and the University of California holding the line in its open access demand with Elsevier. Still, I question the wisdom of using an executive order to mandate public access, and I'm doubtful this will come to pass. After all, if Trump does sign such an order there will surely be lawsuits, as well as uncertainty, and chaosafter all a future president could simply undo this executive order with another executive order. That's no way to run scholarly communication. At the same time, in the last decade we've seen multiple public access billsFRPA and FASTRfor example, bills that garnered bipartisan support and would very likely have had enough votes to pass if they ever got to the floor. If Trump is truly serious about public access to taxpayer-funded research, wouldn't he rather sign a bill into law that has been fully debated and considered, rather than a tenuous executive order? And if I'm a former co-sponsor of one of these public access bills, might I read the news of this rumored executive order as an invitation to try again? I also reported in Publishers Weekly last month that Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has appointed Maria Strong as acting register of Copyrights and director of the U.S. Copyright Office, succeeding register of Copyrights Karyn Temple, who is leaving for the Motion Picture Association. Strong's appointment will begin January 5, 2020. The nagging question I've raised in my coverage is whether Temple's departure might give new life to a recent legislative effort to take the Register position out of the purview of the Library of Congress, and make it a presidential appointment. Perhaps Trump considering a unilateral executive order on public access will help illustrate for publishers why opponents of the bill say politicizing the Register of Copyrights position is a bad idea. It's a new year, which means new stuff in the public domain, via Duke University's Center for the Study of the Public Domain: "These works include George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue, silent films by Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, and books such as Thomas Manns The Magic Mountain, E. M. Forsters A Passage to India, and A. A. Milnes When We Were Very Young. These works were supposed to go into the public domain in 2000, after being copyrighted for 75 years. But before this could happen, Congress hit a 20-year pause button and extended their copyright term to 95 years." Big news over the holidays in the library e-book market as private equity firm KKR announced (on Christmas Eve!) that it has struck a deal to acquire leading library e-book vendor OverDrive from Rakuten USA. No one really knows what this all means, but Marshall Breeding in American Libraries has some well-considered thoughts. One fascinating element of the KKR deal: it was engineered by Richard Sarnoff, who, while serving as an executive at Random House, crafted the ill-fated Google Book Search Settlement with help from Macmillan CEO John Sargent. Also from American Libraries, an update on the efforts to convince Macmillan to reverse its embargo on library e-books. "What comes next is uncertain, but Macmillan CEO John Sargent will be hosting a forum at ALA Midwinter, and has reportedly "requested the opportunity to speak at PLAs conference in Nashville, in February." Meanwhile, the resistance to Macmillan's e-book embargo continues to generate local action, and headlines. This week, the Duluth News-Tribune (Minn.) reported on a letter sent by four Duluth city councilors co-signed and sent a letter to Macmillan denouncing the company's embargo. "This runs the risk of making libraries into a secondhand source of reading materials," one of the letters authors explains, adding that "the concern is that you're now pushing library users into a different parallel than other consumers." Via Gary Price at InfoDocket, news of some big promotions at Library Journal: Rebecca T. Miller has been named Group Publisher of Library Journal, School Library Journal, and The Horn Book; Meredith Schwartz is now Editor-in-Chief, for Library Journal; and Kathy Ishizuka has been named Editor-in-Chief, of School Library Journal. Well-earned, and congratulations! Also from InfoDocket, as reported in Indy Week, news of a new collaboration between the Chapel Hill Public Library and Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture that will offer local musicians a chance to feature their music in a new streaming service for North Carolina musicians, called Tracks. "Chapel Hill joins a growing list of communities with similar projects, including Austin, Seattle, and Nashville," Indy Week reports, adding that musicians "will be paid $200 in exchange for having their albums included in the library and Tracks will receive non-exclusive rights for five years." Axios reports on where the legislative action will be in 2020 on a host of issues: statehouses. And the action in the statehouses will almost certainly mean more action on Net Neutrality, reports American Libraries, and perhaps even stronger protections than those repealed by the FCC in late 2018. In New York, for example, governor Andrew Cuomo has vowed to make net neutrality a reality. "A free and open internet is one of the great equalizersallowing every person the same access to information and helping protect freedom of speech," Cuomo said, in a recent release. "While the federal administration works to undermine this asset, in New York we are advancing the strongest net neutrality proposal in the nation so big corporations can't control what information we access or stymie smaller competitors." From Nieman Lab, Barbara Gray, chief librarian and an associate professor of investigative research methods at CUNYs Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, offers an inspiring resolution for the new year 2020: that "local nonprofit media, j-schools, and civic tech projects will continue to ally with one of our most trusted institutions librariesto empower citizens to build the communities they want. And to close, American Libraries offers its list of top stories from 2019. Our list is more publishing-centric (for obvious reasons). But we share a number one issue. The Week in Libraries is a weekly opinion and news column. News, tips, submissions, questions or comments are welcome, and can be submitted via email. College and university students, professionals, housewives and women from different walks of life converged in the hub of the city on Saturday to protest physical violence against women across the world including in India. Around 200 women gathered before New Empire cinema hall at 3 pm with their eyes covered protesting against the 'rape culture' and chanted a poem, which was adapted from a Spanish poem coined by the women protesters during a similar protest at Chile months back. Priyanka Mukherjee, one of the organisers, said similar gatherings had been organised in Chile, many countries in Europe and in Chennai and Delhi. "This is a good way to take out our rage welled up inside due to the incidents happening every day, here, elsewhere - in Hyderabad and elsewhere in the country. We want to register our protest against this rape culture, why should women be oppressed and subjected to such brutality," Mukherjee said. She said the apolitical protest meet, which was organised by word of mouth and facebook campaigns, evoked "unprecedented response." "The protestors also aired their grievances against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NRC which will create divisions in society," she said. Several men stood guard as the participating women held placards with clothes on their eyes to express their solidarity, she said. The campaign 'Dhorshok Tumi - A Feminist Intervention Against Rape Culture' will be carried forward in coming days to raise public awareness about the issue of abuse against women as well as minors, she said. "We had also invited members of the LGBT community to the gathering," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Government fears a new wave of cyber attacks from Iran as retaliation for the airstrike that killed Maj. Gen . Qassim Suleimani at the Baghdad airport in Iraq. Christopher C. Krebs, Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned of a potential new wave of cyber attacks carried out by Iran-linked hacker groups targeting U.S. assets . The attacks could be the response of the Iranian cyber unit after Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani was killed by a U.S. drone airstrike at the Baghdad airport in Iraq. Given recent developments, re-upping our statement from the summer, Krebs explained in Tweet. Bottom line: time to brush up on Iranian TTPs and pay close attention to your critical systems, particularly ICS, he added. Make sure youre also watching third party accesses! Given recent developments, re-upping our statement from the summer. Bottom line: time to brush up on Iranian TTPs and pay close attention to your critical systems, particularly ICS. Make sure youre also watching third party accesses! https://t.co/4G1P0WvjhS Chris Krebs (@CISAKrebs) January 3, 2020 CISA is aware of a recent rise in malicious cyber activity directed at United States industries and government agencies by Iranian regime actors and proxies. We will continue to work with our intelligence community and cybersecurity partners to monitor Iranian cyber activity, share information, and take steps to keep America and our allies safe. reads the advisory published by CISA. Iranian regime actors and proxies are increasingly using destructive wiper attacks, looking to do much more than just steal data and money. These efforts are often enabled through common tactics like spear phishing, password spraying, and credential stuffing. What might start as an account compromise, where you think you might just lose data, can quickly become a situation where youve lost your whole network. The advisory urges administrators of the assets to implement basic defenses and immediately reports any information or suspects in ongoing attacks. The Department of Homeland Security stands ready to confront and combat any and all threats facing our homeland, states the Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf . While there are currently no specific, credible threats against our homeland, DHS continues to monitor the situation and work with our Federal, State and local partners to ensure the safety of every American. In June 2019, US DHS CISA agency already warned of increased cyber-activity from Iran aimed at spreading data-wiping malware through password spraying, credential stuffing, and spear-phishing . The attacks were targeting U.S. industries and government agencies, the statement was also published by the CISA Director Chris Krebs via his Twitter account. Want to know more about password spraying and how to stop it? https://t.co/s2X1AXwOGL https://t.co/F5svf06Dh4 Chris Krebs (@CISAKrebs) June 22, 2019 The statement warned of targeted attacks carried out by the Iranian affiliated actors that leverage data-wiper specifically designed to permanently destroy data of infected systems. Wiper attacks have been used in the past by state actors or as decoys for other attacks, which are described later in the article. Experts recommended to have secure working backup procedures, in case of attack, victims could simply recover data from a backup. The statement also highlights the risks related to account compromise that could represent the entry point in a targeted network. Past attacks attributed to Iran-linked hackers are: While the world and cyber security community is waiting for a spike in the cyber attacks carried out by Iran-linked APT groups, I believe that their level of sophistication will not rapidly increase and we cannot underestimate the risk of false flag operations conducted by other nation-state actors. Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs Iran, hacking) Share this... Linkedin Share this: Twitter Print LinkedIn Facebook More Tumblr Pocket Share On 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. His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday hailed the vital role played by Bahrain Defence Forces in preserving the Kingdoms security and achievements. BDF serves a vital role in preserving the Kingdoms security, and national achievements, which have advanced under the Kingdoms comprehensive development led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, said the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. HRH the Crown Prince was receiving His Excellency Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the Commander-in-Chief of Bahrain Defence Force, at Riffa Palace. HRH the Crown Prince highlighted the Commander-in-Chief s efforts towards further developing the BDFs operational readiness and capabilities, noting the BDFs role in safeguarding regional security and the Kingdoms continued prosperity. HRH the Crown Prince and the Commander-in-Chief discussed the BDFs programmes and strategic plans, including its cooperation with international and regional armed forces. The assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani by US airstrikes in Iraq, brings West Asia nearer the precipice. By this action, President Trump, who cannot get out of Afghanistan, has got himself deeper into the West Asian quagmire. Americans know power and strategy. They don't understand a quantity called the people. This gap in their make-up has been their undoing in every outing since Vietnam. Soleimani was the author of growing Iranian influence in the region -- Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. In Iraq, he was supported by Hashd al Shaabi and Kataib Hezbullah. Their leaders were iconic figures too. Soleimani was a regional hero in not only helping defeat Daesh (ISIS), Al-Qaeda and Jabhat al Nusra, but also placing the US, Israeli, Saudi combine on the defensive. He did this by building local forces in all the countries under his influence. He had paid special attention to Iraq, particularly after the appearance of the Islamic State in Mosul in 2014, from where it began to hurtle down towards Baghdad with the explicit purpose of affecting regime change in the Iraqi capital. This, in effect, meant the removal of Prime Minister, Nouri al Maliki whom the Americans labeled as a "fundamentalist" who was augmenting Shia influence in Iraq at the expense of Sunnis who, though a minority, wielded great influence as Saddam Hussain's Ba'athist Revolutionary Guards, Army, Intelligence and bureaucracy. After the occupation of Iraq by the US in April 2003, a section of the Americans toyed with the idea of pampering the Ba'athists into supporting the occupation. But Iraqi "operators" (call them leaders if you must) like Ahmed Chalabi, close to the Dick Cheney-Donald Rumsfeld, neo cons, persuaded them to another course -- that of disbanding the Ba'athist structure lock-stock-barrel. This was honeyed music to the clergy in Najaf. Chalabi became extremely close to the group around Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. Please note, Cheney's advisers becoming the eyes and ears of the Najaf clergy. Image Source: IANS News The first US representative, Paul Bremer removed every Ba'athist from every nook and corner of the administration. The result was unspeakable chaos which neither the Americans nor the weak governments in Baghdad have been able to control to this day. Many of the Iraqi Ba'athists moved to Syria where their Ba'athist cousins welcomed them. The CIA not only sought them out but also nursed them. When Nouri al Maliki flexed his muscles and refused to sign the Status of Forces Agreement in 2011, the US sulked out. Iraqi Ba'athists in Syria, looking for work and plotting plots, came in handy as the backbone of what came to be known as the Islamic State. How does an outfit, which hides in trenches, war ravaged houses, produce a smart news website called Amaq. It frequently produces a glossy magazine too. A terror group, on the run, with such facilities at its command? Hints on Daesh's origins have been available from the very beginning. When it hurtled towards Baghdad in convoys of brand new Humvees, its soldiers in new uniforms, helpers in Nike shoes, every Arab ambassador, except for those representing the GCC Sheikhdoms, was on record that Daesh was an American creation. When CNN's Christiane Amanpour asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov if he suspected the US hand in the terrorism till, he answered in the affirmative. President Barack Obama, in the course of a 2014 interview with the New York Times' Thomas Friedman, all but accepted that Daesh was an asset. Asked why he did not bomb Daesh when it first reared its head in Mosul, Obama replied that immediate air strikes would have taken the pressure off Nouri al Maliki. In other words, the Daesh was not bombed out of existence, because it was required to exert pressure on the Shia Prime Ministers whom the US hated. Why, Trump himself told CNN's Jake Tapper that he was convinced that Obama and Hillary Clinton had been responsible for wasting millions of dollars in helping set up terror groups in Syria and Iraq. I can never forget the face of Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, in a distinctly lower mould, virtually in tears while being grilled by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on the state of play in Syria. Carter admitted that a $500 million dollar project to train militants had been withdrawn because those trained had passed on lethal equipment to other militants and left for heaven knows where. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's allegation cannot be easily dismissed: the US was taking revenge against Iraqi militia Hashd al Shaabi "because they played a key role in defeating Daesh". Khamenei has consistently maintained that the US had "created and nurtured Daesh". Indeed, Khamenei told a Friday prayer congregation in Tehran in 2018 that Daesh groups were being flown to northern Afghanistan. Earlier that month Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Morgulov Igor Vladimirovich told a high-powered seminar in New Delhi that militants were being flown from Syria to Afghanistan. "Only Americans and the Afghan government controls the country's air space," he said rhetorically. Iraq is something of an obsession with the US establishment because it has not been able to extract advantage consistent with nearly 15-year-old occupation and investment in blood and treasure. Matters have been building up to a crescendo eversince the Iraqis opened the land route to Syria which gives Iran a clear passage via Iraq to Syria and Lebanon. This adds to the way an officer like Soleimani was able to turn the tables on Washington, Tel Aviv, Riyadh who thought the Shia-Sunni faultline would work to their advantage. Quite the opposite has happened. DAjA vu, some would say. On December 17, 1998 President Clinton had launched attacks on Iraq. That impeachment vote was delayed. Are Trump's circumstances similar? American air strikes against bases of Iraqi militias invited a peoples' invasion of the US embassy. What will be the retaliation to Soleimani's murder? Only time will tell. (Saeed Naqvi is a senior commentator on political and diplomatic issues. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com) -- Syndicated from IANS Satellite view of the Sultanim Cemetery in the center of Hotan City, Southwestern Xinjiang, an autonomous region in Western China. Sultanim Cemetery was one of the most famous ancient cemeteries in Xinjiang. It was destroyed between January to March 2019. Photo: CNN By Matt Rivers, Lily Lee, and Yong Xiong 2 January 2020 BEIJING (CNN) Uyghur poet Aziz Isa Elkun fled Chinas far western Xinjiang region nearly 30 years ago. Hes not welcome in the country. He cant even phone his mother. She said it was better if he didnt, because every time he did, police would show up at her door. So, when Elkuns father died in 2017, there was no way he could go back to China for the burial. To be closer to his family, he would view his fathers grave on Google Earth. I know exactly where his tomb is, Elkun told CNN in his north London home. When I was a kid we would go there, pray at the mosque, visit our relatives. The entire community was connected to that graveyard. Satellite view of a Uyghur cemetery that was located in downtown Aksu City, Xinjiang. It was destroyed sometime between March and April, 2018. Photo: CNN He visited his father like this for nearly two years. But in June, something changed. The satellite photo on Google had been updated and the graveyard that used to be there was now nothing more than a flattened, empty field. I had no idea what happened, said Elkun. I was completely in shock. Elkuns story is not unique. China appears to have been destroying traditional Uyghur cemeteries for several years as part of what critics describe as a broader, coordinated campaign to control Islamic beliefs and Muslim minority groups within its borders. Satellite view of a Uyghur cemetery that was located northwest of the city of Aksu, Xinjiang. It was destroyed and relocated between February and March 2019. Photo: CNN In a months long investigation, working with sources in the Uyghur community and analyzing hundreds of satellite images, CNN has found more than 100 cemeteries that have been destroyed, most in just the last two years. This reporting was backed up by dozens of official Chinese government notices announcing the relocation of cemeteries. The destruction of Uyghur cemeteries was first reported in October by French news agency AFP and satellite imagery analysts Earthrise Alliance. They found at least 45 cemeteries had been destroyed since 2014. AFP reporters visited several sites of destroyed cemeteries. In some, they found several bones that scientists later confirmed from photos were human remains. [] Satellite views of Uyghur cemeteries in Xinjiang, Western China before and after they were destroyed by Chinese authorities in 2018 and 2019. Photo: CNN CNN shared before and after images with five experts from Canada, the United States and Australia with experience in Uyghur culture or satellite imagery. They included Rian Thum, a respected historian who uses satellite imagery as part of his research into Islam in China. Thum confirmed the majority of the satellite images shared with him were undoubtedly destroyed cemeteries. The other four experts verified the rest of the sites. It is a phenomenon that stretches right across the region of Xinjiang, said Thum. [] This is absolutely a massive effort to eradicate Uyghur culture as we know it and replace it with a Chinese communist party approved culture, said Thum. [more] More than 100 Uyghur graveyards demolished by Chinese authorities, satellite images show New Delhi: Television actor Ashiesh Roy has been hospitalised following a renal dysfunction. The actor was rushed to SRV Multispeciality hospital in Goregaon. Recently, he shared a selfie from the hospital, in which he was seen smiling with a cup of coffee in his hand. ''Subah ki coffee, bina Shakkar ki....ye muskurhat majboori mein hai ji...bhagwan Utah le mujhe! (Morning coffee, without sugarthis smile is forcedGod, take me away from this world!),'' the actor captioned it. According to Ashieshs latest update, he is finally going to be discharged after spending four days in the hospital. He shared a picture from the hospital and wrote, About to be discharged after 4 days. Feeling fitter and considerably poorer. Lesson learnt and smoking days over:('' During a conversation with Spotboye, Ashiesh earlier said, I have been admitted. I'm not in a good state. My kidneys are not functioning normally. There is about 9 litres of water retention in my body which has to be expelled ASAP. The doctors have given me some medicines. I think I have been able to eliminate 4 litres of excess water, still, 5 litres remain. Let's see how it goes." Further sharing his views on having to undergo dialysis, the actor added, ''That call will be taken by the doctors in due course, but right now, nothing like that. Ashiesh admits that being unmarried he has not looked after himself well. Akela hu toh issues toh hain. Maine shaadi nahi ki. Life is not easy'', he shared. Ashiesh began his acting career in 1997, and has worked in a number of television shows, including Sasural Simar Ka, Remix, Burey Bhi Hum Bhale Bhi Hum and Jeannie Aur Juju. He has also acted in films like Home Delivery and MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar. It is possible that the airstrike at the Baghdad airport, as a result of which the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Qassem Soleimani, was killed is a gesture of despair for Americans losing their positions on the world stage, publicist Anatoly Wasserman said. "Trump has quite uneasy relations with European partners, whom he is trying to sell American gas. But this gas in Europe will inevitably cost significantly more than Russian. Therefore, it will be bought on pain if not death, then at least havoc. Trump has to remind Europeans that the military budget of the United States is now bigger than that of the rest of the world, FAN news agency quotes the publicist as saying. His face was plastered on billboards across Iran and he was considered one of the most powerful figures in the Middle East. Qasem Soleimani, killed yesterday by a US airstrike on his car at Baghdad airport, was a shadowy character about whom little was known. The mastermind of Iran's recent campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Soleimani was the leader of the elite Quds force. Charming, quiet and softly spoken, he was often compared to the Scarlet Pimpernel. In 2015, 'The Wall Street Journal' compared him to Erwin Rommel, the enigmatic Nazi general. "All of the important people in Iraq go to see him," Saleh al-Mutlaq, a former deputy prime minister, said in 2011. "People are mesmerised by him - they see him like an angel." Soleimani was born into a poor farming family in Iran's eastern Kerman province in 1957. At 22, fired up by the Iranian Revolution, he joined the Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary group raised by Ayatollah Khomeini. The formation was soon tested in battle when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980, sparking an eight-year war. Soleimani served throughout the war and proved a daring and talented soldier, running clandestine missions inside Iraq and achieving a brigade command before the age of 30. The war was a formative experience, instilling a suspicion of the West over its support for Saddam, and convincing him the military could have swept through Iraq if only the government in Tehran had shown more resolve. In the late-1990s he was given command of the Quds force, the overseas covert warfare unit. His influence was most felt in Iraq, where he fought a proxy war with US forces following the 2003 invasion, by supplying weapons to Shia groups. The Iraqi militias, as well as groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hizbollah in Lebanon, were shaped into proxy armies for use in a potential regional war with Israel, the US or Saudi Arabia. In Syria, the Quds were involved in suppressing the 2011 uprising against Bashar al-Assad and running military assistance to his regime. Meanwhile, he was suspected of funding elaborate espionage and terrorism plots. One involved paying a Mexican drugs cartel to kill the Saudi ambassador to the US in a Washington DC restaurant. The plan fell apart when the cartel member turned out to be an informant for US law enforcement. In the last decade he organised operations from New Delhi to Thailand, Lagos and Nairobi. He was promoted to major general by supreme leader and close friend Ali Khamenei. In 2015, a number of conservative bloggers tried to rally support for Soleimani to run for president. He later publicly renounced any such ambition. The death of a loved one in a faraway war zone brings enormous heartache to the persons family back home. The pain felt by a mother, father and other family members is compounded when the remains of a fallen service member are unidentified. Such unknowns have been common throughout the history of warfare. Modern forensic science is bringing dramatic change, however. Technicians with the U.S. military are now performing remarkable feats of identification in an ever-increasing number of cases. Forensic specialists at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base are in the forefront of those efforts. Their work has brought comfort to families in the Midlands and across the U.S. by providing an all-important opportunity for these Americans to be remembered and honored. In many cases these long-lost relatives have been buried beside their parents or siblings. Its hard to express how meaningful such comfort can be for a family. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 05:13:13|Editor: Liu Video Player Close Representatives of Pairi Daiza hold the "Panda Cub of the Year" Gold Award for the twin panda cubs Bao Di and Bao Mei at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium, on Jan. 3, 2020. Bao Di and Bao Mei, the two giant pandas born last year in the Belgian zoo of Pairi Daiza, won the "Panda Cub of the Year" Gold Award on Friday. The ceremony of 2019 Giant Panda Global Awards was held in Pairi Daiza. It was organized by the Giant Panda Global website, a platform to promote conservation efforts for giant pandas. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng) BRUSSELS, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Bao Di and Bao Mei, the two giant pandas born last year in the Belgian zoo of Pairi Daiza, won the "Panda Cub of the Year" Gold Award on Friday. The ceremony of 2019 Giant Panda Global Awards was held in Pairi Daiza. It was organized by the Giant Panda Global website, a platform to promote conservation efforts for giant pandas. About 328,445 votes were registered during online voting in 15 categories. There are gold, silver and bronze awards for each category. During the award ceremony, Jeroen Jacobs of Giant Panda Global, announced the winners and played videos from award-winning zoos around the world. Zoo representatives from Belgium, Germany and Britain received awards. "For the past 10 years, I have been going every year to China to see the pandas in their hometown. It's always nice to see how happy they are in Sichuan (the Chinese province)" and the joys they've brought to people around the world, Jacobs told Xinhua. London Fashion Week Men's kicks off tomorrow (Saturday 4 January), and with it a whole host of fresh fashion faces looking to shake up the industry. This year's three-day event is the fifteenth of its kind, having cemented its purpose of shining a light on new design talent, both homegrown and from further afield. LFWM kickstarts the roster of mens fashion weeks and is followed by Pitti Uomo, Milan and then Paris Fashion Week. It would appear that the industry is showing no signs of slowing down. According to the British Fashion Council, the UK menswear clothing market is predicted to outstrip womenswear and reach 16.2billion by 2021. If you can't make it to see the shows, the BFC will be live-streaming the shows on the official London Fashion Week Instagram account, giving you front row access to London's latest style disruptors. These are the names to watch out for this season... Qasimi Qasimi LFWM brands to know / Qasimi London-based brand Qasimi was founded in 2015 by Khalid al-Qasimi, the crown prince and second son of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and quickly established itself as a cutting-edge streetwear label looking to incorporate Qasimi's heritage into its DNA. But when Qasimi died in July 2019, just three weeks after showing at LFWM, the brand's future became unclear. However, it would appear that Qasimi's death has not stopped the brand from moving forward, as his twin sister, Hoor Al Qasimi, has taken the reins as creative director of the brand and has said she is determined to preserve Khalid's legacy. The collection, which will show on Sunday 5 January, was designed by the late designer before his passing and continues the brand's sartorial exploration of Middle Eastern history. Qasimi shows at LFWM on January 5 at 4pm. qasimi.com Nicholas Daley Daley's spring/summer 2019 (Nicholas Daley ) / Nicholas Davey Since launching his eponymous label in 2015, Daley has made sure to incorporate his half-Scottish, half-Jamaican heritage into his designs. Choosing to ignore the impetus surrounding hype beast-driven streetwear, Daley instead opts to focus on craft and community. His spring/summer 2019 show ended with members of the audience being invited to dance on stage with a live jazz band. How's that for inclusive? Nicholas Daley shows on January 4 at 8pm. nicholasdaley.net Edward Crutchley Crutchley's autumn/ winter 2019 showcase at LFWM (Getty Images ) / Getty Images Such is Crutchley's sartorial prowess, his brand was the recipient of the 2019 International Woolmark Prize and was shortlisted for BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund after impressing the industry's editors and buyers alike with his autumn/winter 2019 collection. Since launching his namesake label in 2015, Crutchley has established himself as a rising star thanks to his emphasis on artisanal textiles and silhouettes that blur the binaries of gendered clothing. The Yorkshireman's autumn/winter 2019 collection was received with a rapturous applause and expectations for his show this season are inevitably vertiginous. Edward Crutchley shows on January 4 at 2pm. edwardcrutchley.com Kaushik Velendra Velendra's upcoming autumn/winter 2020 collection (Kaushik Velendra ) / Kaushik Velendra Velendra is the first Indian-born graduate of Central Saint Martin's MA Fashion programme and his aim, via his collections, is to inject glamour and sophistication back into the menswear scene. This season's collection features 20 looks all which incorporate the designer's now-trademark tailoring and heavy embroidery, as he continues to draw inspiration from Bollywood. Kaushik Velendra shows on January 5 at 5.30pm. maisonvelendra.com Pacifism This season marks Pacifism's fashion week debut / Pacifism Founded by Talal Hizami in 2018, Pacifism is making its London Fashion Week Men's debut this season. The brand's guiding aim is to bridge the gap between modern elegance and streetwear, incorporating modern staples into its collection. Though Hizami has no formal training in design, he is hoping to use his designs to connect to his Saudi Arabian roots, his family, and his childhood. Tehran (AFP) - Iran's top security body vowed to retaliate in the "right place and time" after the United States killed Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday. "America should know that its criminal attack on General Soleimani has been the country's biggest mistake in west Asia, and America will not avoid the consequences of this wrong calculation easily," the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement. "These criminals will face severe vengeance... in the right place and time," it added after holding an extraordinary meeting following Soleimani's death. The council described Soleimani as a "glorious general" who was the "pride not only for Iranians but all Muslims and downtrodden... across the world". But it added that although his death was a "great loss", his role would be taken up by another general. It also asked whether the "progress of Iran's armed forces and its defensive capabilities has ever been slowed by the martyrdom of its great generals". Soleimani was killed by a US air strike outside Baghdad international airport on Friday. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said later that Soleimani's deputy in the Guards' Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, would replace the slain commander. In its statement, the Supreme National Security Council said the United States would "be responsible for the consequences of all aspects of this criminal adventure". It said it believes that "the blood of this great martyr... will have many blessings for the great nation of Iran and other freedom-seekers of the world." - Former US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, has become the 11th chancellor of Queen's University Belfast - With the new position, she has also set a record as the first woman to get the appointment in the university's 175-year-old history - In her appreciation statement, Clinton said she is very proud of the new role, adding that she has had great fondness for the institution for years Former US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, has been appointed the new chancellor of Queens University Belfast. According to Daily Mail, she would be taking on the ceremonial post in Northern Ireland, the site of the peace process that was one of the successes of her husbands administration. It should be noted that with the new development, she has become the first woman to hold the position, in the institutions 175-year-old existence. "It is a great privilege to become the chancellor of Queen's University, a place I have great fondness for and have grown a strong relationship with over the years," she said in a tweet. READ ALSO: Naa Densua Mould: 8 beautiful photos of the late daughter of Alex Mould During her time as secretary under the Barack Obamas administration, Clinton paid a visit to Belfast to give support to the 1998 Good Friday peace accord. The accord put an end the 30-year-old violence between Catholics wanting a union with Ireland and Protestant unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to remain a part of the UK. The university is making waves internationally for its research and impact and I am proud to be an ambassador and help grow its reputation for excellence, she said. With the new position, she has become the institutions 11th chancellor. READ ALSO: Africa's richest man: Dangote ends 2019 $4.3m richer Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh By IANS LOS ANGELES: US President Donald Trump has accused the slain Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani of being responsible for terrorist plots in New Delhi. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London,a Trump said on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Flordia. Speaking about the missile strike he ordered to kill Soleimani, he said, "Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over." ALSO READ: Trump stirs tensions in Middle East despite talk of taking US out of 'endless wars' While Trump did not specify the plots in India, he may have been referring to a 2012 bombing of the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache to India. Tal Yehoshua Koren was injured and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel and her driver and two bystanders were also hurt in the attack on February 13, 2012, using a bomb that was attached to the vehicle with a magnet. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran was behind that attack and another attempted attack using similar technique in Georgia. The New Delhi case not been resolved so far and a conclusive link to Iran has not been made by India. ALSO READ: New airstrike on pro-Iran convoy in Iraq ahead of General Soleimani's funeral News reports at that time said that the attack was carried out by Iran in retaliation for the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan in Teheran using a bomb with a magnet attached to his car, allegedly by Israelis. An Indian journalist, Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi, was arrested on March 6 that year and accused of being a part of a conspiracy to carry out the attack and held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court in October on the condition that he does not go abroad.A According to news reports at that time, Delhi police alleged that he had carried out reconnaissance for the Iranians who carried out the attack. The five persons who carried out the attacks were Iranian members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard who had visited Delhi, police were quoted as saying. They were not arrested although police identified them. An Iranian major general, Soleimani was the leader of the Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. But his name did not figure in the reports at that time on the Indian attack. In his address on the killing of Soleimani in Iraq on Thursday, Trump said on Friday, "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him." ALSO READ: Baghdad airstrike - Was drone attack on Iranian general an assassination by US? He listed several alleged attacks directed by Soleimani and carried out by the Quds Force and allied militias. "For years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force -- under Soleimani's leadership -- has targeted, injured, and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen," Trump said. He blamed Soleimani fro the recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen, as well as the assault on the US embassy in Baghdad earlier this week. Australians in the Middle East have been told the security situation in the area could deteriorate rapidly and should be prepared to leave 'as soon as possible', after the targeted killing of an Iranian general by a US drone strike sparked fears of war breaking out across the region. The Smarttraveller website has put Iraq on the 'Do Not Travel' status while Iran was updated to 'Reconsider your need to Travel'. 'On 3 January, a US airstrike near the Baghdad International Airport killed an Iranian military commander and Iraqi paramilitary leaders. The security situation could worsen with little warning,' said the website, which is run by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade. 'DFAT's travel advice for Iraq is 'Do Not Travel'. DFAT continues to urge all Australians to heed this advice,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'If Australians are in Iraq despite our advice, they should seek to leave immediately by commercial means as soon as it is safe to do so.' The updated Australian government warnings came as Tehran based analyst Mohammad Marandi said 'it's best for Westerners to evacuate countries like UAE and Iraq immediately'. US President Donald Trump ordered the drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on Friday which killed Qassem Soleimani. Tehran based analyst Mohammad Marandi said the US has 'declared war' against Iran and Iraq and 'it's best for Westerners to evacuate countries like UAE and Iraq immediately' The strike was seen as retaliation for a recent attack on the US embassy in Iran (pictured) The strike was seen as retaliation for a recent attack on the US embassy in Iran. Speaking at a rally in the United States after the drone strike, President Trump said the action would save lives and was designed to prevent an escalation in tensions in the Middle East. 'It was flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader,' President Trump said, claiming the killing will save the lives of 'hundreds and hundreds of Americans.' US President Donald Trump ordered the drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on Friday which destroyed Qassem Soleimani (pictured) Images of the aftermath of the drone strike near Baghdad International Airport 'Qassem Suleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now forever gone. He was plotting attacks against America but now be assured his atrocities have been stopped for good. He was planning a very major attack and we got him.' 'We are a peace loving nation,' Trump went on. 'My administration remains committed to establishing peace and harmony. We do not seek war we do not seek nation building.'Let this be a warning to terrorists, if you value your life you will not threaten the lives of our citizens.' While Iran and Iraq - where there are still significant U.S. forces - were considered the most dangerous countries to be in should war break out, there was a risk of its spreading to neighbouring countries. Israel, as America's key ally in the Middle East, could be targeted as revenge for the drone strike, and major local power players Saudi Arabia and Turkey could also be drawn into the conflict, while China and Russia both have significant interests in the region. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment. Tensions have been rising in the Middle East in the last week with westerners being advised to leave (pictured is the Australian Embassy in Iran) The training centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are supplied with necessary equipment by 40% today, while the budget for 2020 will allow increasing this index to 60%, the ArmyInfo news agency reported referring to Deputy Head of the Military Training Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant Colonel Vladyslav Ponomariov. "Simulators will be purchased for training of drivers and crews, for example of 2S6 Tunguska, and the troops in general. In particular, the training center of the Air Forces will receive multimedia complexes of the S-300 missile system and the Buk-M1 system. The training center of the Naval Forces will be provided with the T-80 tank simulators and the training center of the air assault forces will receive BMP fixed-base simulators," he said. IT rooms will also be equipped with computers to allow commanders to manage virtual troops. Photo: Bennett Raglin/Own Network James Safechuck and Wade Robson, two men who accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them as kids, have just won the right to sue, according to Variety. A California appeals court decided that both men can now have their cases tried under a new California law. In 2017, a trial judge threw out their initial cases as the statute of limitations at the time required them to file before the age of 26. Safechuck and Robson were 36 and 30, respectively. But as of January 1, 2020, a new law in California allows sexual-abuse victims to sue up until they turn 40 years old. It also extends the statute of limitations on a provision that says victims can sue third-party entities tied to the abuser who knew or should have known about the abuse, and failed to take reasonable steps to stop it. Were glad the appellate court recognized the very strong protection that California has for kids, and we look forward to litigating these cases to trial, Vince Finaldi, a lawyer for the two men, told Variety. Now, both alleged victims can sue MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, two companies connected to Michael Jacksons estate. Earlier this year, Safechuck and Robson opened up about how Michael Jackson molested and manipulated them as children in the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which chronicled Michael Jacksons history of alleged child sexual abuse. Across Iran there have been emotional scenes as the country bids farewell to Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, who was held in high esteem not just by the countrys leaders but also by much of the population. Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and mastermind of its regional influence, was killed early on Friday near Baghdads international airport in an air strike ordered by United States President Donald Trump. Al Jazeeras Dorsa Jabbari has more from Tehran. By PTI KOLKATA: Actress-politician Nusrat Jahan has said that she has never been afraid of being trolled and raising her voice for any social cause. Jahan, a Trinamool Congress MP, had been heavily trolled in the social media for wearing vermilion and sporting 'mangalsutra', emblems of Hindu matrimony, at her oath-taking ceremony in Parliament as MP in June last year. She was also criticised for taking part in the Rathyatra ceremony of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). "I have never been deterred by trolls or afraid of getting trolled. Because I do not give trolling any importance," Jahan told PTI. "I have always stood up for voicing my opinions for any cause. I believe in voicing my opinions on incidents occurring in our society," she said on Saturday. Jahan was accused of not doing anything for Basirhat, which she represents in Parliament after she greeted people on the Christmas eve. Slamming the critics, she had tweeted "Re-check your facts. In the next 3 months, my work will show. Change doesn't come in a day. Politicians or actors are not magicians. Anyway. I celebrate positivity. Obviously you (her critics in social media) don't!! God bless and get some life. Merry Christmas." On December 29, Jahan had shared a tweet saying, "#ambedkar wrote the constitution. #modi wants to unwrite it", which triggered both praise and criticism by the Twitterati. Asked about her post on Twitter in June 2019 in which she took potshots at those trolling her for sporting 'sindoor' (vermillion) and wearing a saree in Parliament, Nusrat said, "I will always speak for an inclusive India which is beyond the barriers of caste, creed and religion. My stand will never change." The 29-year-old actress, who had made her debut in Bengali film in 2010, was speaking on the sidelines of a special screening of 'Asur', where she is essaying the female lead role. 'Asur' is the first film of Nusrat after she became an MP. Premier Gladys Berejiklian says NSW is in "uncharted territory", as towns face being "completely wiped out" by new weather patterns and ferocious fires never before experienced in the state. Speaking on Sunday morning, Ms Berejiklian said the speed at which bushfires were tearing through communities across the state was "unprecedented". "The weather activity we're seeing, the extent and spread of the fires, the speed at which they're doing, the way they attacking communities that have never seen fire is unprecedented. We have to accept that," Ms Berejiklian said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: In November 2019, 35,430 tourists from Israel visited Turkey, which is 35.59 percent more compared to November 2018, Turkeys Ministry of Culture and Tourism told Trend. During November 2019, the share of Israels citizens in the total number of foreigners visited Turkey amounted to 1.6 percent. The ministry said that from January through November 2019, over 527,678 tourists from Israel visited Turkey, which is 28.5 percent more compared to the same period of 2018. During the reporting period, the share of Israels citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey amounted to 1.2 percent. In November 2019, 2.1 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 11.4 percent more compared to November 2018, a source in the ministry said. From January through November 2019, 42.9 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 14.3 percent more compared to the same period of 2018, the ministry said. Over the first 11 months of 2019, over 14.4 million tourists visited Antalya, and over 13.7 million tourists visited Istanbul, while over 14.6 million tourists visited other Turkish cities. --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh The high cost of cobalt mining in the DRC that many children are paying. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, many children working in mines say they are physically and sexually abused. Theyre forced to mine cobalt, a metal used to make telephones and computers. Now, in a landmark lawsuit, a non-profit organisation is accusing five of the worlds largest tech companies of exploiting child labour and being complicit in the deaths of some. Al Jazeeras Haru Mutasa reports. KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2020 - 20:20 | All, World, Japan Lebanon is unlikely to hand over Carlos Ghosn to Japan after the former Nissan Motor Co. chairman jumped bail and left Tokyo where he was facing trial for alleged financial misconduct, the Lebanese acting justice minister said Friday. "In the absence of any agreement with Japan in matters related to extradition, then the sovereign context that governs the situation is executed," said Albert Serhan after Ghosn fled to Lebanon to escape what he claimed is a "rigged" Japanese justice system. Serhan also said in a telephone interview with Kyodo News that 65-year-old Ghosn has the "right to be tried" in Lebanon where he is a citizen if he is suspected of committing any criminal act under the country's law. According to local reports Thursday, Lebanese authorities will question Ghosn in the near future after the government received a "red notice" from the International Crime Police Organization requesting that he be detained. Serhan said: "The Japanese authorities can take part or contribute to or take notice of the judicial procedures." (Photo taken Jan. 3, 2020, shows a residence in Beirut of former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn) Related coverage: Ghosn left Tokyo home alone before departing from Japan, video shows Japan calls for Ghosn's handover via Interpol Ghosn's Japan escape involved 2 private security operatives: friend But questioning Ghosn and putting him on trial in Lebanon are seen as difficult, given that evidence is held by Japanese authorities and taking into account the two countries' different legal systems and the complexities involved in translation. Japanese prosecutors have asked Ghosn's legal team to submit a computer he used as well as records on who he met with, Junichiro Hironaka, one of his lawyers, told reporters in Tokyo on Saturday. The members of the team met for the first time since Ghosn fled Japan late last month, agreeing that they will attempt to contact him through lawyers in Lebanon. They said they are planning to quit as his defense team if Ghosn approves. Ghosn, the former chief of the Nissan-Renault auto alliance who holds Brazilian, French and Lebanese nationality, was released on bail in April on conditions that included a ban on foreign travel. Ghosn arrived in Lebanon on Monday via Turkey after jumping bail in Japan. He apparently left from Kansai International Airport in Osaka on a private jet on Sunday night. Salim Jreissati, the Lebanese minister of state for presidential affairs, was quoted by a local newspaper An-Nahar as saying Ghosn, carrying a French passport, legally entered Lebanon. However, Turkish prosecution authorities announced Friday they confirmed Ghosn entered and departed the country illegally via private aircraft with the help of people whom the authorities have detained. The authorities said they have arrested four pilots of two jets that carried Ghosn and one executive of an operator of the jets. The other two who had been detained have been released, they said. According to the Turkish state-owned Anadolu news agency, the executive was quoted as saying that an acquaintance in Lebanon threatened the executive's family if the executive, who did not know Ghosn was aboard, did not cooperate. Congress leader on Saturday condemned the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, saying bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi termed Friday attack reprehensible, and said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote," he said in a tweet. A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Friday and pelted it with stones. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of first Sikhguru Guru Nanak Dev. The targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani presents Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with perhaps the biggest test of his career. How will he respond? Will it be just be a demonstrative response and would that be sufficient? In his first official reaction Khamenei promised a harsh revenge. We can take his threat seriously, but will be the consequences? We witnessed how the death of an American contractor brought for all parties involved in the regions conflict. The United States conducted airstrikes that killed at least 25 pro-Iran Iraqi militia. This was followed by a two-day siege of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad the same militia group, and eventually came the killing of the star character who was engineering the expansion of Irans influence; the hero of exporting revolution. Qassem Soleimani was Khameneis man in the Middle East and the most powerful figure perhaps after the Supreme Leader. Now we are in a new phase. Any serious and effective Iranian retaliation will be met with a heavy U.S. response. If Mr. Khamenei thinks U.S. President Donald Trump will hesitate to face Iran because of the upcoming presidential elections, he is making a serious mistake. A possible military confrontation that Trump says he is not seeking, can turn into the main election issue, to the extent that a victory against Iran leads to a victory in the elections. However, Iran pundits believe Khamenei likes to be in power and apparently, he also has plans for his sons. He knows that any harsh response against the United States can quickly turn into a destructive war for Iran that leaves no throne and no king to occupy it. But Khamenei also knows that a simple demonstrative retaliation will not be enough. If it is too mild a response, his Iranian and non-Iranian friends and allies might lose faith. It is too early now after the shock of Soleimanis death to gauge how far wisdom will control the events. We need to wait and see. But Irans initial verbal threats against the U.S. are so extensive that they might limit the freedom of decision makers to limit themselves to symbolic responses. The bitter irony of history is that now Khameneis adversaries may wish he makes decisions motivated by an urge to save his throne and avoid becoming involved in a big war against the U.S. Such a war can lead to the destruction and the dissolution of a country and a land called Iran. Iraqis, both Irans friends and foes, are worried about a new war. The ever-present specter of their country becoming a battleground for the United States and Iran is today a serious concern more than it has ever been. We can hardly imagine rosy days ahead for the peoples of the region. Iran is in its weakest position in recent history and it faces Donald Trump who appears to have set foot into a new era and is willing to ignore Irans red lines. The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the views of Radio Farda. The word "shark" often paints a picture of a dangerous, sea-dwelling creature with razor-sharp jaws ready to pounce upon any unfortunate being who happens to approach it in the waters accidentally. However, there is one daring hero among us who is striving hard to change this "monster-like" image of sharks. Jillian Morris-Brake has dedicated her life to saving these misunderstood creatures. For her, sharks are fascinating animals who deserve our respect and not fear. She is a woman of many talents. She is a marine biologist, shark conservationist, explorer, educator, and scuba instructor. Jillian has featured on Shark Week and filmed for numerous television shows and networks. She was named the July 2016 Sea Hero by Scuba Diving Magazine. In 2017, she received the inaugural Shark Con Shark Hero Award. She has also authored a book called Norman, the Nurse Shark. She is the founder of Sharks4Kids, an organization that educates and inspires children and youth across the world to conserve sharks and other marine wildlife. In this interview with World Atlas, Jillian tells us about how she built a career out of her passion for the marine world. She now utilizes her knowledge in the field to spread awareness among the masses about the need to conserve sharks. How were you as a child? How was your relationship with the sea and its marine life during your childhood days? I grew up in Maine and spent a lot of time at the beach. I spent hours crawling through tide pools and exploring. I was fascinated by every creature I noticed from snails to crabs. I got books so I could identify the shells I discovered and all the tide pool animals. I loved all the animals, but there was something special about those living in the ocean. Who or what inspired you to take the "plunge?" When did you first start diving to explore the magical world of marine life? What was your initial reaction? I grew up on a lake and was an absolute water baby. My dad had an old snorkeling mask when I was a kid, and I remember trying it out in the lake. I got my very first mask when I was nine. I think I still have it! We went to Florida every year for my dads work, and that is where I got to snorkel for the first time. I was mesmerized. We saw manatees, rays, sharks, and loads of fish. After that trip, I did a project for school about being a marine biologist. That trip catalyzed a lifelong passion. As I grew up reading ocean books and watching documentaries, I knew I had to learn to scuba dive. I finally got the chance while at university, and it transformed my life. When and why did sharks, one of the world's most feared predators, make their way to your heart? On that trip to Florida with my family, I saw a juvenile nurse shark and immediately became obsessed. I wanted to learn more; it started a life long journey to work with sharks. How was Shark4Kids born? What were your initial goals? How have they evolved? Photo: Sharks4Kids teaching students in Singapore about sharks; Image Credit: Sharks4Kids Sharks4Kids evolved over several years. Starting in 2005, I was traveling the world as a biologist and shark dive guide but would always visit schools when I got home. I loved speaking to kids about the amazing animals I got to work with. I had heaps of images, which got the kids excited. I looked for activities for teachers, but couldnt really find much. I had the random idea of combining my science and media background to create activities and lesson plans, but life got busy, and I was traveling a ton. I began talking about it more in 2009, sharing the idea with my husband. Finally, in 2012, he said, why dont you just do it. He is a professional videographer and photographer, so I recruited him to help. I also involved my best friend, who had just finished his Ph.D. research on tiger sharks. We spent a year building a curriculum and a website and launched it on November 7, 2013. Sharks4Kids was a passion project and a way for us to share science and conservation with students and teachers. Our initial goal was to provide free educational materials and to do classroom visits. The journey and evolution have been incredible. Weve spoken to over 125, 000 students in 47 countries, have taken hundreds of students to see sharks and participate in tagging expeditions and traveled over 1 million miles via Skype virtual lessons. Its been absolutely amazing, and we are growing and adding more exciting projects each year. You love sharks. But has there been any moment during your undersea expeditions when you had a dangerous encounter with one of them? Photo: Jillian photographing a juvenile lemon shark in Bimini; Image Credit: Duncan Brake I have not. They are wild animals, and they deserve our respect. We watch their behavior and movements, and if we see a change, we get out of the water. Its really about respect. We do not try and ride them or wrestle them, but simply enjoy the moment we have. Its so remarkable that we can really spend time in a foreign world with these magnificent creatures. If there are three things that sharks/underwater life has taught you, what are they? 1. Slow down and watch. We rush through life with deadlines and expectations. Underwater we disconnect, and the world slows down. 2. Just keep swimming- although not all sharks have to swim to breathe, many do. Life can be tough, but we have to keep going. 3. We have to do better. We have to take care of the oceans and our planet. What is your message to all those who are terrified of sharks and consider them nothing less than "sea monsters?" Photo: Jillian teaching a student how to take a DNA sample from a shark during a Sharks4Kids/GHRI Shark tagging trip; Image credit: Duncan Brake Do your research. Shark bites are very rare, but unfortunately, they are portrayed as monsters and man-eaters. Take the time to learn about the over 500 different species. Even better, go snorkel or dive with them. Seeing them up close in their world has changed the perception of so many people Ive dived with. Watch their eyes, their movement, and see how magnificent they really are. I guarantee it will change the way you feel. Have you faced any significant challenges in your journey so far? If so, what are they? Absolutely. Being a female in 3 male-dominated industries (marine science, filming, and diving) has offered bundles of challenges and obstacles. Growing up, I didnt know any woman who did what I wanted to do. I even changed universities because I was given no support and told to pick a different career. Also, building a business from scratch with zero business experience has provided a ton of challenges, but its been worth it. I have learned so much and have grown. I created my career and love what I do. Who or what has given you strength and courage to continue your efforts to conserve sharks? Photo: Jillian freediving with a great hammerhead; Image Credit: Jason Washington Kids give me hope and courage every single day. I created Sharks4Kids because I believe kids can save sharks. They are passionate, empathetic, and are taking action. They are far more powerful than they realize, and they inspire me, no matter how tough some days can be. How do you see yourself and your work 10 years from now? I will be growing Sharks4Kids and doing even more projects. We are launching some exciting projects in 2020 and expanding our reach. I am excited about the coming years and can already visualize our future activities that will involve more schools, more countries, more programs, etc. Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) is still counting its losses after a fire incident that occurred in the Buipe Depot Truck Park of the Central Gonja District in the Northern Region. According to BOST, it lost products worth a whopping GH194,760 to the fire outbreak. On Friday 3rd January, 2020, the company explained that the fire broke out at the truck park of the depot and not within the depot which affected four Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs). It said two trucks that were loaded with petroleum products were totally damaged. The two trucks contained 36,000 litres of diesel and 36,000 litres of petrol (PMS) respectively. The diesel [Automotive Gas Oil] (AGO) is intact though the truck is considerably damaged, a release from BOST signed by Adjei Marlick said. He added that three of the affected BRVs belonged to Ghana Oil Company Limited, GOIL with BF Energy losing one BRV. There was an incident of fire at the truck park of the Buipe Depot of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited, BOST in the late hours of Friday, January 3, 2020. The Buipe depot is the central fuel holding point of BOST serving the Savana, Northern, North-East, Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana. It receives products through river barges (via the Volta Lake) and through Bulk Road Vehicles, BRVs loaded from the Accra Plains depot of BOST. The exact cause of the fire has not been ascertained as at now and investigations are underway. According to BOST, in line with their Standard Operating Procedures, trucks loaded with products for distribution to OMCs are not supposed to park within the premises of the depot. Assuring residents of constant supply, BOST said, Though a sizable volume of products loaded for OMCs were destroyed in the incident, product supply in the northern regions and the general operations of BOST as a company will not be negatively affected. We wish to assure the general public that, our strategic fuel stocks for the northern regions and Ghana as a whole are intact. ---MyJoyOnline This New Year a Russian family who arrived in New Ross a decade ago penniless and destitute say they have a new life filled with opportunities thanks to the people of the town and Ireland. Tatiana, Nadia and Maria Prochukhan arrived as asylum seekers with no income having had their savings stolen while trying to flee Russia. Nadia, 23, shot to national acclaim in 2014 when anonymous local donors enabled her to fulfil her dream of studying chemistry at Trinity after she achieved 615 points in her Leaving Certificate. Five years later she has shown how far determination and graft can get someone who had to fight for their education. Her case - which was highlighted in this newspaper - lead to a change in Irish law in 2015 when ex-education minister Jan O'Sullivan announced that third-level student grants would be available to asylum seekers. Nadia is now in her second year of a Chemistry PhD at Trinity College Dublin and Maria is doing a Masters in Creative Digital Media, also in Dublin. Both girls never dreamed they would one day be able to go to university like their peers in St Mary's secondary school. Nadia went on to have her 21,000 fees paid by an extraordinarily generous person. After their case was highlighted by this newspaper a new scholarship whereby people in similar circumstances - asylum seekers to this country - can avail of a grant and access to third level education. Tatiana said it wasn't only money, but a kind word on the street or food at Christmas which kept the family going when they didn't have enough to buy a loaf of bread some winter days. 'The kind words, hugs in the street, the boxes of food at Christmas. It was more than food; it was light and hope and the most important reason why we survived and people here ensured my daughters could go to university. 'That gave us hope. Our community here is unique, be it Adrian Dillon or Mark Walsh or John Michael Porter. If you go around the world try to imagine this kind of amazing event happening somewhere else to a family like ours. It's honestly like a Christmas story. Around Christmas we are teaching our kids to treat everyone like they would like to be treated and this story exactly happened to us. Since they were young I tried to teach the girls to be attentive to the needs of others.' She said: 'When we arrived here we had no Social Welfare, not any coin from the government and no hope.' In 2016 the family won a case for protection and humanitarian leave (right to remain status). 'We now have the rights to apply for citizenship in two years. It has not been easy for us. We haven't seen my Mom in eight years. She's 83 now and is still working in Moscow. One day we had 53c. I went to Lidl to buy half a loaf of bread. It was miserably hard. It was hell that winter. I had no permission to work and in Moscow I had been a lecturer.' Tatiana wrote to President Michael D Higgins for help. 'I knocked on every door. What parent wouldn't for their child? Each step was a building block and brick by brick we have built this foundation to give the girls the start they need in life. That is an amazing example of how a community can work together and how to treat not only a child, but a child from an unknown family from a different country. Here in Ireland I've found an example of how I taught my kids how to live. This act will live forever. It's like a small sun we have here in New Ross. We are not going to stop. We will continue to give back to New Ross. The girls have very ambitious plans. Hopefully they will continue to bring us more achievements in science and the arts.' Maria studied IT, Philosophy & Art in NUI Galway. Her art adorns walls in a lane in New Ross near The Bakehouse. 'She still does a lot of art for herself, for her friends and public art too.' The girls are living together in Dublin. Tatiana said: 'We want to say a big, big thank you to everyone. To those of you who are known and those of you who are unknown. Thank you for supporting us during all these hard, unhappy times. The girls did their part. They tried to do well in their work but another part of their success was you all. Without the kindness of the people of New Ross and the New Ross Standard we would never have won these rights. People were so good.' Maria said: 'We are all really thankful for the support that we have gotten from many different people and organisations. It's crazy how friendly Irish people are and how ready to help other people they can be. I also received a lot of support from St Mary's, from my college lecturers and a lot of people I never even met. I don't even know what to say.' She said she never dreamed of going to college. 'I didn't even hope to go to college when I was in school. Even when I was in 6th Year it wasn't until late August that NUI Galway that I had gotten the scholarship.' She learned a lot during the course, both academically and about herself. She loves animation and being creative and her masters course is allowing her to develop her talents. 'All this has changed my life. I would never have been able to go to college and to do what I wanted to do as we wouldn't have had the money to go study.' She said in 2014 international fees were around 7,000 a year. Maria said: 'Someone sponsored Nadia her first year. When the minister for education read all the articles that were written my professor created a scholarship for refugees and I availed of that that year and then a law was created whereby a grant was made available to people who had sought refuge in this country.' Nadia graduated with a gold medal and B.A. in Chemistry from Trinity last year. Nadia said: 'When I was a teenager I never expected that I'd be going to college. We were living life day to day so when I found out I was amazed, shocked and really happy. It was a dream come true.' Having wanted to work in scientific research since she was a child, Nadia worked very hard at college. Her 21,000 tuition fee for the first three years was paid, along with her accommodation costs and some living costs. 'College was hard but I really liked it. I couldn't get an on-the-books job because of my status but I did voluntary mentoring support. I just tried not to think about the fact we were in limbo still awaiting right to remain status because if you thought about that you'd get depressed.' When her status came through she was able to access Susi grants. Having completed the Science course in 2018, she started lecturing, following in her mother's footsteps. She did a PhD in Science. 'It's good. It's interesting. It's more like work because you are in a lab making materials. I'm teaching too.' Nadia said without the support of the New Ross people who donated all that money to her she doesn't know where she'd be today. 'I don't think it would have been possible to go on in the way I have. It was unexpected. If I achieve what I want to achieve later in life I will support other people myself. I still want to do research because I like it and am good at it so a career in academia is what I'd like. We work very closely with industry making materials. I'm busy and just have a lot of work to do. ' As 2020 dawns Nadia said she is more hopeful than ever before about her prospects in life. 'I have great hope and I just keep going. Without the people who donated from across Ireland that wouldn't have been possible.' 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Teuku Faizasyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 12:02 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d0699 3 Opinion international-relations,identity-politics,ASEAN,Indonesian-foreign-policy,diplomacy Free On the eve of the New Year, my family and friends got together. As we sat around the dinner table, we shared highlights of the year as well as expectations for the coming year. We, individuals from various backgrounds, all listened attentively to comments made. Each one of us carried unique perspectives: a housewife who sits on the board of an early childhood education institution, a former analyst of a state-owned bank, a lecturer who is passionate about politics and millennials savvy in social media and always current on the latest updates. Looking back at Indonesia in 2019, we all agreed that the process leading to the April election had somewhat dented amicable relations among friends. Issues raised during the campaign season were often divisive and pitted friends against each other. Social media was the vehicle of choice for fanning misunderstanding. Some WhatsApp groups even prohibited political discussions lest it destroy the groups unity. In todays Indonesia, where state censorship is taboo, we agreed that social media practitioners must remain critical in facing the flood of misinformation if not disinformation. They must be able to unpack the news through critical thinking. We also shared our misgivings about the way identity politics was played out during the electoral campaign. It threatened the natural fabric of pluralistic Indonesia. Investment in good character from early childhood is therefore urgent, even though it will only yield dividends later in life in the form of embracing inclusivity and differences. As the night grew older, issues on the international front for 2019 and the global outlook for 2020 were on the table. I said that broadly speaking, there were some resemblances between sociopolitical development in Indonesia and what has transpired at the global scene in 2019. International relations were marked by growing distrust and division among states. On the one hand, the world continues to face challenges such as development gaps, arms control, climate change control through mitigation and adaptation and health for all. On the other hand, the world also faces polarization based on ideological divides between democracy and authoritarian system. Trade wars, choice of next generation technology and artificial intelligence (AI), including the rollout of the Fifth Generation mobile network (5G) and sources for financing infrastructure developments were all emanating from this differing ideological stand point. The reintroduction of competing terms of ally against foe in todays global political discourse is somewhat alarming. The precursor of two world wars in the 20th century was the division between us and them. Such competition and the continuous swing in relations as in the tensions between the United States and China created uneasiness among states. As Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put it in 2017 before his departure to the White House, his country does not wish to pick sides. The politics of identity that promotes hatred against a particular group is on the rise. The blossoming of far-right groups that promote close-knit and exclusive association based on skin color and creed is worrisome. Seemingly, they share a parochial view about the world, which has unfortunately gained traction across nations. An example of this is the mass shooting of Muslim worshipers in a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019. The perpetrator fits the profile of a far-right individual, allergic to inclusivity and perverted by his anti-immigration dogma. For many, the ideology of hatred and intolerance is not compatible with their sense of connectivity across nations stemming from the force of globalization. Thanks to the advancement of information technology, they can exchange ideas with friends in different corners of the world and form enriched ideas. They, therefore, become parts of a borderless production chain within which trust and confidence are central for a better result. One example of a borderless production chain is in the creative industry, namely a collaboration between Dublin-based company Brown Bag and an Indonesian firm in Bali to produce an animation program. On many occasions, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, including recently during the 12th Bali Democracy Forum, made a special reference to inclusivity and in this case, the importance of an inclusive democracy. One of the central tenets of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific is inclusivity. Indonesia believes that prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region is tenable when countries in the region and beyond subscribe to the primacy of inclusivity and cooperation. As an open region, the Indo-Pacific welcomes collaboration based on trust and confidence; not on a patron-client relationship or with the propensity to a particular system of governance, a characteristic of the Cold-War. It will be a win-win situation for major economies willing to finance infrastructure development or other types of assistance and to do so based on the viability of the projects. In the context of trust-building and peace maintenance in Southeast Asia, ASEAN and China continue to engage in developing norms or a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. While negotiations are taking place, any country big or small is to respect international law, such as not to encroach in the disputed seas. Peace and stability in the region can only be achieved through predictability in relations. Through its foreign policy and diplomacy in 2019, Indonesia has contributed to world peace, stability and prosperity. And Indonesia will continue to follow this path in 2020. At this point, just as the fireworks go off in the first seconds of the New Year, one of my guests interrupted and said that what I had shared seemed to be a utopia. In my defense, I said, a diplomat is an optimist. I am optimistic that Indonesians will be more inclusive and more willing to accept differences. I am also optimistic that the global community of nations will be able to develop more inclusive cooperation. ___________ Adviser to Indonesian foreign minister for political and security affairs and former Indonesian ambassador to Canada. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. An actress who once starred in Captain America: The First Avenger has been arrested in Kansas for allegedly stabbing her mother to death. Mollie Fitzgerald, 38, has been charged with second degree murder and is currently being held in Johnson County Jail on a $500,000 bond. According to the Associated Press, Fitzgeralds mother Patricia Tee Fitzgerald was found dead in her Olathe residence on December 20. She was 68 years old. Her brother, Gary Hunziker, told the Kansas City Star that she was "in the process of moving back to the Kansas City Area" after living in Houston for decades. He said, We were shocked...it doesnt matter the circumstances the loss of a sister is what its all about. Fitzgerald worked primarily as a producer and director, but landed a small role in Captain America: The First Avenger as a Stark Girl according to IMDB. She also worked on that project as assistant director to Joe Johnston, who she went on to continue working with in 2014 on The Lawful Truth according to ET Online. Speaking of the project, she told ComicBookMovie.com, Although my part is small in this film, I did get to work closely with Dominic Cooper for a few minutes and that was wonderful. Joe Johnston is an unbelievable director, and I've learned a lot about directing from him. She called it one of the best experiences of my life and a once in a lifetime experience, adding, I can't say enough great things about how wonderful my experience has been in each and every area of this filmmaking process...You can't pay for the experience I've had, it's been an amazing trip. Fitzgerald also has an Instagram account, which has not been updated since April 2019. In her bio, she describes herself as, Law degreed. Writer. Animal lover. Dog Mother. Artist Rep. Filmmaker. Wife. Producer. Tiebreaker. Closer. RoboSense, the worlds leading autonomous driving LiDAR perception solution provider, announced today that the solid-state LiDAR RS-LiDAR-M1Simple(Simple Sensor Version) is now ready for customer delivery, priced at $1,898. The new RS-LiDAR-M1Simple is less than half the size of the previous version, with dimensions of 4.3 x 1.9 x 4.7 (110mm x 50mm x 120mm), and is equipped with enhanced hardware performance virtually equal to the serial production version provided to OEMs. The main body design of this automotive-grade solid-state LiDAR is finalized and ready for shipment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005139/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) In addition, RoboSense will demonstrate the worlds first smart solid-state LiDAR, the RS-LiDAR-M1Smart (Smart Sensor Version), at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Booth 6138, LVCC North Hall from Jan 7-10, 2020 with an on-vehicle public road test. The RS-LiDAR-M1Smart main body is embedded with an AI perception algorithm that fully takes advantage of LiDARs potential to transform conventional 3D LiDAR sensors to a full data analysis and comprehension system. The RS-LiDAR-M1 is an optimal choice for the serial production of self-driving cars, far superior to mechanical LiDAR. The sooner solid-state LiDAR is used, the sooner production will be accelerated to mass-market levels, said Mark Qiu, RoboSense COO. RS-LiDAR-M1 Family Features: 125 laser beams with exceptional performance: the RS-LiDAR-M1 has a field of view of 120*25, which is the MEMS solid-state LiDARs largest field of view among released products worldwide. RoboSense uses 905nm lasers with low cost, automotive grade and small size instead of expensive 1550nm lasers. At the same time, RoboSense continuously breaks ranging ability limits to 150m at 10% NIST target, which is also MEMS solid-state LiDARs longest detection range. Worlds smallest MEMS solid-state LiDAR: one-tenth the size of conventional 64-beam mechanical LiDAR. The RS-LiDAR-M1 can be easily embedded in the cars body while still maintaining the vehicles appearance intact. one-tenth the size of conventional 64-beam mechanical LiDAR. The RS-LiDAR-M1 can be easily embedded in the cars body while still maintaining the vehicles appearance intact. Reduced parts from hundreds to dozens in comparison to traditional mechanical LiDARs for lower cost, shorter production time, and large-scale production capacity . . Modular design: the scalability and layout flexibility of the optical module lay the foundation for subsequent MEMS LiDAR products and support the customization of products for different application cases. Stable and reliable: RoboSense fully implemented IATF16949 quality management system and ISO26262 functional safety standards, combining ISO16750 test requirement and other automotive-grade reliability specifications to verify the RS-LiDAR-M1 series of products. RoboSense fully implemented IATF16949 quality management system and ISO26262 functional safety standards, combining ISO16750 test requirement and other automotive-grade reliability specifications to verify the RS-LiDAR-M1 series of products. All-weather: In Vienna, Austria, the RS-LiDAR-M1 was tested for rain and fog under different light and wind speed conditions. The test results prove that the RS-LiDAR-M1 has met the standards, and the final mass-produced RS-LiDAR-M1 will adapt to all climatic and working conditions. In Vienna, Austria, the RS-LiDAR-M1 was tested for rain and fog under different light and wind speed conditions. The test results prove that the RS-LiDAR-M1 has met the standards, and the final mass-produced RS-LiDAR-M1 will adapt to all climatic and working conditions. Minimal wear and tear: as a solid-state LiDAR, the RS-LiDAR-M1 eliminates potential optoelectronic device failures due to mechanical rotation. The RS-LiDAR-M1Smart is a comprehensive system with sensor hardware, AI point cloud algorithm, and chipsets, which provides an end-to-end customer environment perception solution. RoboSenses powerful AI perception algorithm injects the sensor with structured semantic-level comprehensive information, focusing on the perception of moving objects. For orders visit www.robosense.ai/buy or to contact a RoboSense account manager. About RoboSense The worlds leading autonomous driving LiDAR perception solution provider. RoboSense technologies are widely used in autonomous driving logistics vehicles, buses, and passenger cars, with partners including SAIC, BAIC, Baidu, Cainiao Network, JD.com, Samsung, ControlWorks, Aidrivers, and more. For more information, see the website at: http://www.robosense.ai. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005139/en/ A Middlesex County man admitted Friday that he ripped off the federal government by participating in a conspiracy that used phony gambling winnings forms printed on his home computer to get the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue tax refunds. Michael Watsey, 43, of South River, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States in U.S. District Court in Trenton, the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Jersey announced. Watsey was involved in a scheme with family members and others in which they filed 16 fraudulent income tax returns for years 2014 to 2016 with fake W2-G forms. The W2-G is used to report gambling winnings, and any federal taxes that were withheld from the winnings. The forms Watsey and his co-conspirators filed falsely claimed $3.9 million in federal tax refunds from Atlantic City casinos, and the IRS paid $1.3 million of it in refunds, the office said in a statement. Watsey admitted he made the forms on his home computer, sent the IRS more forged documents when the agency questioned the winnings and even pretended to be a casino host during a telephone call with an IRS representative. The U.S. Attorneys Office did not identify Watseys family and friends they allege participated in the fakery. Hes scheduled to be sentenced in April. Special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation office in New Jersey investigated the case. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Emerald City hears Nicky Oatley - heiress to Australia's winemaking and yacht-racing Oatley family - will walk down the aisle to her partner of 11 months, financier Jonathan Pearce, on Monday. The wedding won't be taking place on tropical Hamilton Island, which is owned by the Oatley family, but at the Bathers' Pavilion on Sydney's Balmoral Beach. Newly engaged Nicky Oatley and Jonathan Pearce are set to tie the knot on Monday. Credit:Estaban La Tessa Friends close to Oatley say the bride will eschew an over-the-top extravaganza in favour of a low key affair - without a bridal party. However, Oatley will stick with tradition by wearing white. Guests tipped to attend include "Aussie John" Symond's daughter Deborah Symond O'Neil plus her husband Ned and brother Stephen Symond, fashionista sisters Alyce and Caroline Tran, as well as Double Bay boutique owner Juliet Schiff and her husband Denham. It has been a whirlwind romance for the pair, who were introduced through mutual friends and got engaged in November, sharing the news to her online followers. Last year Private Sydney reported that Nicky, granddaughter of Robert "Bob" Oatley (worth $910 million) had split with her husband, yachtie turned furniture-maker Troy Tindall. The pair tied the knot in 2011 marrying on the picturesque Bennelong Lawn. Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday launched a mass signature campaign against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Guwahati: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury here on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was spreading false propaganda on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act threatening the secular fabric of nation. Mr Yechury who was here to participate in a protest rally against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act said that the act violates the Constitution. We will fight to safeguard the Constitution. The citizenship is not based on any religion. Why this government has included non-Muslims of only three countries?, said Mr Yechury while arguing that by linking citizenship to religion through C(A)A, the Modi government is looking for communal polarisation of nation. Asserting that BJP government was planning to bring in National Population Register (NPR) followed by National Register of Citizens (NRC), Mr Yechury accused that all -C(A)A, NPR and NRC are linked to each other. He said that non-Muslims left out of NRC would be given citizenship by the C(A)A and Muslims will be targeted. Claiming that C(A)A was a communal act, Mr Yechury said that chief ministers of 13 states have made it clear that they are not going to implement the act while asking chief ministers of other states to oppose the act. Referring the statement of Union home minister Amit Shah that the National Register of Citizens, recently implemented in Assam, will be conducted again, and this time for the entire country, Mr Yechury said that governments proposals on NRC will cost the country dearly, socially and economically. These proposals are at variance with the founding spirit of the country and violate the principles of equality, secularism of the Constitution, said Mr Yechury while clarifying that they supported NRC in Assam because it was the part of Assam Accord.He also added that situation of Assam cant be equated with rest of country. Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday launched a mass signature campaign against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The signature campaign that has been launched by the Congress party will carry 20 lakh signatures as a memorandum to the President of India Ramnath Kovind pleading to roll back the contentious Act. The party started the campaign with the signature from former chief ministers Tarun Gogoi and Bhumidhar Barman, followed by the rest of the APCC members and other people present at the flagging off ceremony. On the other hand the All Assam Students Union with 30 other organisations continued their protest against the C(A)A by organising public rally at Tinsukia in Upper Assam on Friday. Princess Beatrice is preparing for the most special day in her life. And yet, it seems that luck is not on her side. The Princess of York, 31, may not have the dream wedding she has always wanted. The big ceremony she intends to have as she weds the love of her life might just be scaled down a little bit more. In today's episode of "Lorraine," a U.K. Talk show, royal correspondent Jennie Bond spoke to Christine Lampard and revealed the latest news about the royal family. When asked about the role that Prince Andrew will play during the nuptials of his daughter, Bond revealed that there are a few minor changes in the details of the wedding. There was supposed to be a huge party at Buckingham Palace with the charities sponsored by the Duke of York and some friends, but that has already been canceled. Bond added that several other changes about the wedding details need to be made. The Engagement Princess Beatrice said yes to the proposal of Edorado Mapelli Mozzi. Earlier in September of 2019, the two were reported to be engaged while on vacation in Italy. The wedding is scheduled to happen early this 2020. When the couple made their official announcement through their social media account and the official social media account of the royal family, their family and friends were delighted for the two. They were extremely happy to be able to share this important milestone in their relationship. The two are yet to embark on another one of life's great adventures, and they are doing it out of love. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have only been dating for a year when they made the announcement of their engagement. However, the engagement party Bea was supposed to have on Dec. 18, 2019, was initially canceled out of fear that the media would be more interested in discussing her father's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal than the real reason for the celebration. Fortunately, things worked out eventually and Princess Beatrice had thrown the engagement party she wanted to have on the day she planned. Wedding Scaled Down The finances got in the way of the lavish wedding that the couple would have wanted. According to Bond, the royal family did not want any issues that involves the over expenditure for Princess Beatrice's wedding day. "There were outcries on the security costs during Princess Eugenie's big day and how much the taxpayers are going to shoulder. This time, the royal family will choose to scale down the wedding of Princess Beatrice primarily to avoid any embarrassment," Bond said. The events related to the upcoming wedding of Princess Beatrice have been greatly affected by the scandal involving her father, Prince Andrew. In all these celebrations, Prince Andrew has tried to shy away. He skipped the engagement party as he thought it "won't look good" if he were there amidst all the scandal he is in. Weddings are always special celebrations because it is the coming together of two people wonderfully in love with each other. Princess Beatrice and her fiance are no different. They only wish to be one, may it be a big wedding or a small intimate celebration among family and friends. READ MORE: Sarah Ferguson Breaks Silence With First IG Post Since Prince Andrew Scandal Hundreds joined in as Colonie Chabad Jewish Center's celebrated the 7th night of Hanukkah in Colonie Center Court, this past Saturday night. Children enjoyed face painting and balloon animals then made their own creative edible menorahs. The program started with the crowd chatting over latkes, donuts, drinks and Hanukkah cookies. My wife, Chana, said: "This is the 3rd Annual Hanukkah celebration in Colonie Center, since we started the Colonie Chabad Jewish Center. Each year, it has grown in terms of program and participants. I remember just 3 years ago we celebrated with a just a few friends; tonight our crowd has doubled last year's with people enjoying even from the mall's second floor opening." Town board member Melissa Jeffers Von Dollen and the Honorable Judge Andrew Sommers attended. This event has never been more important, to encourage the community and public to feel proud and comfortable to celebrate their Jewish identity. We invited local dignitaries and police who were also present. I thanked many who had made the night possible, including local police: "One of the unique things that I have noticed about our local police deportment is that, as the Rebbe would advocate, the focus is not reactionary but proactive. To build trust and relationships to prevent crime from happening in the first place. Thank you for providing security at High Holidays services." The Melwilger & Malcom duo provided the joy of authentic Jewish music, in Yiddish, Hebrew and English variations, to us in Colonie. And I shared this message of unity for the new year: The recent rise in hate crimes nationwide, including the deadly shooting just recently in Jersey City and the attack on a rabbi's Hanukkah celebration in his home, reminds us that we are one people, as part of one nation, under G-d, united with love against hate. Almighty G-d, Master of the Universe. We stand today, united in prayer, as Jewish Americans alongside our friends and neighbors in our wonderful community of Colonie.... Tragedies are the outgrowth of someone not knowing that he or she is important. It is a tragic and criminal reaction to someone not realizing that he is a candle, a gift to our world with not only G-d given rights, but responsibilities. My dear friends, perhaps most importantly, please remember to tell yourself how important you are, how significant your life is. How can we fight anti- Semitism? With proud Jewish observance! The great Macabees understood what was the best response to Hellenist Greeks who wished to see our people's Jewish traditions disappear into the melting pot of civilization. The response is to recommit ourselves to the observance of those traditions. All who gathered to celebrate Hanukkah proudly, have done just that, "I want to share a message of light. Each person has their own special light, regardless of race, gender, or age, or any other factors," Von Dolen told the crowd. "And if you think of all the lights everyone can bring together, it's pretty amazing." Judge Sommers continued along this same thread of light: "It's an honor to be here. Hanukkah is really universal message of light, a message that light is to be spread. One cannot vanquish darkness with a stick or a broom, but if you kindle a small light it goes away by itself. The darkness in our world is hatred. and I think by shining the light we can eliminate the hatred and accept all people and the world can see the light as well." The Shamash or serving candle was then lit by Von Dollen as a public servant of the community and the Menorah was then lit by Judge Sommers, and the traditional blessings and Maoz Tzur was sung by Mel Wigler and the crowd. There were four international Jewish student rabbis hosted by Colonie Chabad to spread locally the Hanukkah message and celebrate with the community for Shabbat. The students originate from Melbourne, Australia, Vilna, Lithuania and Toronto. The student from Reno, Nevada dressed up in a dreidel costume! Rabbi Mordechai Rubin is head of the Colonie Chabad. By PTI CHENNAI: AIADMK veteran P H Pandian known for his Assembly has "sky-high powers" dictum when he was the Speaker of the House died here on Saturday at a private hospital after being ill for some time, the party said. He was 74. He is survived by four sons including former MP Paul Manoj Pandian and a daughter. Pandian was the first senior AIADMK functionary to publicly take a stand against former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's aide V K Sasikala after the death of the late party supremo in December 2016. Raising suspicions over the circumstances surrounding the death of Jayalalithaa, he had thrown his weight behind O Panneerselvam. AIADMK top leaders including Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy Panneerselvam condoled his death and expressed grief. Pandian had held several party positions including that of organising secretary and was dedicated to the party since its founding in 1972, the AIADMK said. He worked tirelessly for the party and earned the love and respect of party founder M G Ramachandran and late supremo J Jayalalithaa, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam said in a statement. It was an irreparable loss to the party, the two leaders said in the statement. Showering praise on the former Speaker, they said Pandian was a renowned advocate, orator and a political strategist. A former MLA and MP, Pandian was the Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly between 1980-84 and Speaker from 1985 to 1989, and he had been the leader of the AIADMK Parliamentary party (Lok Sabha) as well. He had in 1987 in connection with a proceeding against a Tamil magazine, said the Assembly has "sky-high powers" and that phrase continues to be in currency still during debates linked to powers of the Assembly and the Speaker. A noted advocate, he had appeared in several sensational criminal cases and matters involving constitutional importance. According to party sources, Pandian's funeral will take place on Sunday. His wife, Cynthia Pandian, a noted educationist and former vice-chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University at Tirunelveli predeceased him. MDMK general secretary Vaiko, DMDK general secretary Vijayakanth, PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss and CPI Tamil Nadu unit secretary R Mutharasan were among those who condoled Pandian's death. Books Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Back for a Second Year The Big Bad Wolf sale last year in Yangon. / Myo Min Soe. / The Irrawaddy The major Big Bad Wolf book sale will be back in Yangon for a second time with more genres on offer from Jan. 10 to 20 at the Myanmar Expo Hall at Fortune Plaza in Thaketa Township. More than 1 million books will see discounts of between 50 and 90 percent from 9 a.m. to midnight at the event. The overwhelming support we received during our Yangon and Mandalay events pushed us to organize the sale in Yangon for a second year, said U Myo Aung, the organizer of the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Myanmar and director of Ready to Read Myanmar. Last years event saw sales of about 2.6 billion kyats (US$1.8 million). And the team expects to exceed that figure this year. We are very excited to return to Myanmar for the second year and to be able to share the joy of reading and allow access to affordable English books. Myanmars keen interest in books and acquiring knowledge is amazing and were here to support that interest, said Jacqueline Ng, who co-founded Big Bad Wolf Books in Malaysia in 2009 with Andrew Yap. Through this book sale, we aspire to create a platform that inspires people to achieve their dreams and empowers them with knowledge by making books affordable and accessible to all. The event will include four Disney titles and two new puzzle sets. It includes childrens activity books, audiobooks and coloring books. More than 250,000 visitors came to the Yangon and Mandalay events in 2019, U Myo Aung said. The event is run in collaboration with Save the Library, which buys books for public and school libraries. A total of 6,512 books were collected from the previous book sales in Yangon and Mandalay and donated to public and school libraries. I saw a lot of young people loved to read English books. Yangon has so many readers. We will try to host the event in Yangon annually but were not sure about Mandalay, said U Myo Aung. A special VIP day will be held on Jan. 9 with tickets available on Big Bad Wolfs social media page. Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday condemned the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Taking to Twitter, Singh said that this kind of attack is proof of minorities being treated badly in Pakistan. He also mentioned that due to such situations the need to support Citizenship Amendment Act in India is necessary. Placing a question on the Congress Singh said that when will the party understand the 'persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan!' In his tweet, Singh said, "The attack of religious fanatics on Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurdwara is proof that minorities are treated badly there! And therefore, #IndiaSupportsCAA. But when will the Congress accept the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan!" READ | MoS Jitendra Singh Slams Cong, Says ''they Do Not Read Their Own History'' Pak denies attack After that attack on the Gurudwara Nakana Sahib in Pakistan's Punjab on Friday, the Pakistani government has been trying to downplay the incident and is living in denial. The government in an official release mentioned, "The altercation happened on a minor incident at a tea-stall. The District Administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused, who are now in custody." Denying the attack, it said, "Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of 'desecration and destruction' and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous." READ | Union Minister Jitendra Singh Posts Old Cong Video On NPR, Asks 'What's Different Now?' Attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara Around 400 Muslims of Nankana Sahib attacked the revered Gurdwara Nanam Asthana and nearby residences of local Sikhs with stones on Friday. According to sources, the incident took place around 5 pm. Sources within the security apparatus say that Pakistani authorities aided this protest and made absolutely no effort to bring the situation under control. Sources report that the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurdwara which was attacked by the mob on Friday evening. READ | Format To File Complaint With Lokpal To Be Notified Soon: Union Minister Jitendra Singh READ | Nankana Sahib Gurudwara Attack: Pakistan In Denial Over Attack On Sikhs BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 4 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: The Iranian parliament will hold a closed meeting dedicated to the death of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 5, spokesman for the Iranian parliament's presiding board Assadolah Abbasi said. "Some representatives of the security and military structures will also attend the meeting, Abbasi added, Trend reports referring to Tasnim News Agency. The spokesman added that the details of the US attack will be discussed at the meeting. A parliamentary meeting will not be held on January 6 as MPs will attend the funeral ceremony of Qassem Soleimani, Abbasi said. On Jan. 3, Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - Quds Force was killed as a result of air strikes at Baghdad Airport. The Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of the Iranian general. Reportedly, the purpose of the operation was to suppress Irans possible further attacks. Congress leader PL Punia met party president Sonia Gandhi here on Saturday and discussed a host of issues including Citizenship (Amendment) Act, urban local bodies elections in Chhattisgarh etc. "As the CAA and NPR are the issues going on, we had a discussion on this. Also, urban local bodies election in Chhattisgarh were discussed," said PL Punia. He said that Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and visits the violence-affected people. "She is in-charge of Uttar Pradesh. She had visited Unnao, Saharanpur, Bijnor etc and now she has visited Muzaffarnagar. She goes wherever there is any atrocities against people," he said. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Marin County is home to a plethora of outdoor adventure opportunities including hiking and biking trails, beaches, and lighthouses spread across the diverse public lands. Though some of these areas can get crowded on weekends, there are also plenty trails that are comparatively less traveled. Here are a few of our favorites. Chimney Rock 1.4 miles, 100 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, stunning Point Reyes vista Part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, this short hike out to Chimney Rock provides an unparalleled perspective on the beauty of Drake's Bay and the surrounding swath of Pacific Ocean. The Chimney Rock trail traverses the exposed, bluff-lined peninsula that forms the eastern section of Point Reyes, heading out to the tip and an overlook of the ocean, Drakes' Bay, and Chimney Rock. Despite the trail's name, Chimney Rock itself might be the least exciting feature of the hike; rather, views of the unique coastline, marine life, Point Reyes' lifeboat history, and spring wildflowers steal the show. Palomarin to Bass Lake 5.2 miles, 320 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, secluded summer swimming hole The hike from Palomarin to Bass Lake along the Coast Trail is long enough to get your blood flowing, but it won't take a full day or all your energy to complete. A shorter there-and-back hike than Alamere Falls (by about 3 miles), Bass Lake is a destination unto itself that boasts a picturesque lake as a reward and a tucked away swimming hole for those warm summer and fall Marin days. Palomarin to Alamere Falls 8.2 miles, 600 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, ends at a waterfall flowing into the ocean The trip to Alamere Falls offers stunning coastal views of Point Reyes National Seashore and a wonderfully unique waterfall. The landscape is varied with coastal scrub pine and oak forests, and there are several lakes along the way. Alamere Falls pours from a rocky cliff onto a long, wide stretch of beach, and it is the perfect place to enjoy a lunch break or an afternoon stroll in the sand. Coastal Trail, Pantoll to W. Ridgecrest Blvd 5.4 miles, 200 feet of elevation gain, low congestion, panoramic vistas from Mt. Tam State Park over the Pacific. If panoramic ocean views are what you're after, the section of the Coastal Trail running between Pantoll Station and W Ridgecrest Blvd in Mount Tamalpais State Park might just be the perfect trail for you. Traversing approximately 2.5 miles along the upper flanks of Mount Tam's western slopes, this breathtaking section of California's Coastal Trail is relatively flat, allowing you to focus your energy on the surrounding scenery rather than catching your breath. Coastal Trail, Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach 13.1 miles, 3,528 feet of elevation gain, high congestion, explores beaches, coves and rugged coastal bluffs This section of the Coastal Trail begins not to far from Marin Mammals Center at Rodeo Beach, a unique beach with red and green pebbly chert grains. You'll quickly note the dilapidated military structures that are visible in the distance; in contrast to Rodeo Beach's Fort Barry and Fort Cronkhite, both of which serve as National Park Service facilities, all of the batteries and small gun emplacements on the ridge are empty and abandoned, their walls covered by graffiti. Muir Woods via Deer Park Fire Road 4.3 miles, 860 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, backdoor trail into Muir Woods With nearly one million annual visitors, Muir Woods National Monument can feel like a tourist zoo at times, particularly on weekends. Fortunately, there's a little known back-door entrance, that offers a pleasant hike with coastal views, ridges, and redwood stands via the Deer Park Fire Rd. that is a guaranteed way to avoid the crowds. Sky Trail Loop, Bear Valley to Mount Wittenberg 7 miles, 1,291 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, a portal to Point Reyes lesser known country Point Reyes National Seashore is a 70,000-acre outdoor playground about 30 miles north of San Francisco. With ample trails, campgrounds, and beaches, Point Reyes attracts outdoor and nature enthusiasts from around the world. The area has a resident tule elk herd, a huge variety of bird species, and it is a favorite mating spot for northern elephant seals. Steep Ravine Trail to Dipsea Trail Loop 3.4 miles, 950 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, diverse loop with redwood-filled ravines and coastal views Mount Tamalpais State Park's Steep Ravine Trail is a worthy hike by itself, but when you add the western stretch of the Dipsea Trail to make a loop out of the hike, this becomes one of Mount Tam's most spectacular jaunts. The Steep Ravine Trail follows Webb Creek through a cascading canyon under a canopy of lush redwoods and fern-filled gullies. Pass over a handful of wooden bridges that crisscross the creek, and even scramble up a 10-foot ladder surmounting moss covered boulders. This shaded, verdant oasis feels like Land Before Time territory, and thoughts of urban hustle and bustle float away with the creek's flow. Loma Alta 5.7 miles, 1,177 feet of elevation gain, low congestion, solitude in Marin's hilltop interior With no shortage of trails in Marin county, it's easy to overlook the Loma Alta Trail. Located just across from Big Rock Trail and off of the same parking lot, this hike is well worth exploring if you are searching for open space in the beautiful hills of Marin. East Peak via Hogback + Fern Creek Trail 4 miles, 1,600 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, direct route to Marin's tallest peak A moderate half-day hike, the Hogback Fire Road to Fern Creek Trail route provides some of the most direct access to East Peak, the true summit of Mount Tamalpais. Winding up Mount Tamalpias' south facing slopes, the route ascends open fire roads before splitting off on the Fern Creek trail en route to the summit. East Peak, and much of the trail itself, offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, the surrounding Marin hills, San Francisco Peninsula and San Pablo Bay. In Baghdad Saturday, thousands of Iraqi mourners held a funeral procession for Qasem Soleimani, chanting: "America is the Great Satan," AP reports. Context: Soleimani's body will be sent back to his hometown in Iran where he will be buried after the funeral processions in Iraq are completed, BBC writes. Iraqis are also mourning the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same drone strike, per AP. In photos: In Tehran, Iranians demonstrate Friday against the U.S. airstrike. Photo: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Supporters of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force attend the funeral procession of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images Members of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force step on a makeshift U.S. flag with a caricature of President Trump. Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images Go deeper: The next move on Iran Business owner Scott Zack, from Oakland County, Michigan, explains the importance and benefits of expert training in the field of first aid. WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI / January 3, 2020 / ACCESSWIRE / With courses available from organizations including the American Red Cross and First Aid USA, among countless others, training in the field of first aid has never been more valuable, both in the workplace and in communities across the United States and elsewhere around the world. That's according to Scott Zack, a first aid-trained business owner and advocate for first aid training from Oakland County, Michigan, as he explains more about the process. "From traditional CPR to automated external defibrillator training, it's vital that, both in the workplace and in the community, individuals of all ages make a commitment to first aid training in order to be best equipped should an emergency situation arise," suggests Zack, a successful business owner from the Detroit metropolitan area of Michigan. Both in the workplace and in the community, this, he says, becomes doubly important when considering more rural or remote areas with limited specialty medical backup. American Red Cross first aid training classes, for example, he reveals, give individuals the information and the skills they need to help adults and children alike during many different emergency situations. "Available online or in person, as well as via the American Red Cross blended training method, first aid training from the organization delivers the latest information in a format that suits each individual best," explains Scott Zack. Trained in first aid for more than 20 years, Scott Zack, from Oakland County, Michigan, has further been an advocate for both basic and more advanced first aid training, both in the community and in the workplace, for more than a decade. Elsewhere, and further to American Red Cross first aid training classes, organizations such as First Aid USA are, the first aid-trained business owner explains, specialized in offering training classes designed to help prepare employees for workplace emergencies. "First Aid USA and other similar organizations understand the need for employee safety," says Zack, "as well as OSHA compliance." Story continues From CPR and automated external defibrillator training to, elsewhere, fire extinguisher training and more, dozens of management and technical training options are available, according to the Michigan-based businessman. "What's more," he adds, wrapping up, "in addition to potentially saving lives, the correct first aid training not only promotes increased employee safety, but can also decrease workers' compensation expenses significantly in the process." CONTACT: Caroline Hunter Web Presence, LLC +1 786-551-9491 SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/572026/Scott-Zack-Highlights-Importance-of-First-Aid-Training House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at a press conference on Capitol Hill on, Dec. 19, 2019, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at a media availability on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 7, 2018. (Saul Loeb and Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) McConnell: Senate Cannot Hold Trump Impeachment Trial Until House Sends Articles The Senate cannot hold President Donald Trumps impeachment trial until the House turns over articles of impeachment, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Their turn is over. Theyve done enough damage. Its the Senates turn now to render sober judgment as the framers envisioned. But we cant hold the trial without the articles, said McConnell on the floor of the Senate on Friday. So, for now, we are content to continue the ordinary business of the Senate while House Democrats continue to flounder. After the House voted mainly along party lines to impeach President Donald Trump on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) indicated she would withhold sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate. The move triggered confusion among members of Congress and legal experts. During his speech on the floor, McConnell showed no signs of negotiating with House Democrats. Previously, he told news outlets that he wanted the swift acquittal of Trump, which Democrats have decried. In the Senate, acquittal seems likely as Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, and it takes a 67-vote supermajority to convict a president while the House only requires a simple majority to impeach. In the history of the United States, the Senate has never removed a president in the trial phase. Their turn is over, McConnell said of the House. Its the Senates turn now to render sober judgment as the framers intended. But at the same time, Pelosi seemed not willing to budge on sending the articles, either. Pelosi responded in a statement on Friday that the Senate majority leader made clear that he will feebly comply with President Trumps cover-up of his abuses of power and be an accomplice to that cover-up. The American people deserve the truth. Every Senator now faces a choice: to be loyal to the president or the Constitution. The GOP Senate must immediately proceed in a manner worthy of the Constitution and in light of the gravity of the presidents unprecedented abuses. No one is above the law, not even the president, she said. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have called for witnesses to be subpoenaed for the Senate trial, including acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and former Trump adviser John Bolton. After McConnell, Schumer said on the floor that the issue holding up the Senate trial is whether there will be witnesses or documents. Regardless, McConnell told his fellow senators that he believes the two articles will be heading the Senates way soon. By spring, Speaker Pelosi told the country, Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless theres something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I dont think we should go down that path, because it divides the country, he said, speaking on the Senate floor in Washington. That was the speaker less than a year ago. While many people may be pulling down their Christmas decorations, a chapter of an international medieval re-enactment organization in West Kootenay is gearing up for one more holiday feast. Members of the Shire of Appledore, which is a branch of the organization which covers an area from Princeton along the southern border of B.C. to the west shore of Kootenay Lake, are celebrating the Twelfth Night of Christmas with a party in Trail, B.C. on Saturday. The Twelfth Night, also known as a Christian feast day called the Eve of the Epiphany, falls on the twelfth day after Christmas, marking the end of the holiday season. The Society For Creative Anachronism, an international non-profit organization with over 30,000 members who research and re-enact medieval skills, combat, arts and traditions, is not religious. But during medieval times, Twelfth Night was a big celebration. Submitted by JoAnn Turner "At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas everybody has to go back to work. So you need to have a big party to celebrate the end of your festivities," said Mary Defeo, the local chapter president of the Shire of Appledore. "In the medieval times, it kind of would've been an emphasis on food and merry making." One tradition at the event, a dish called the King Cake, is served with a bean in it. Whoever gets the piece with the bean is named "Lord or Lady of Misrule," and gets to tell everyone what to do for the night. Submitted by JoAnn Turner Defeo, whose medieval name is Magdalen of Haphazard Manor, joined the group over 30 years ago and helps organize events that recreate medieval traditions. "We kind of make the Middle Ages come to life by exploring it and recreating wearing the clothing of the time [and] doing the activities and crafts practiced between 600 and 1600 A.D.," Defeo told Daybreak South host Chris Walker. The Society For Creative Anachronism was started in California in the 1960s and is now made up of 19 kingdoms, which are broken down into principalities and then further into regional shires. Story continues Members from different shires, such as the Shire of Danescombe in the Okanagan, sometimes travel to other shires for events, such as the the Twelfth Night celebration happening in Appledore. The Shire of Appledore was founded in Nelson, B.C., in 1980. Defeo's friends had previously been to events in Spokane and she thought it was fun, so she decided to start a local chapter. Events include tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing and workshops for things like armoured fighting. Submitted by JoAnn Turner "I like the family attitude of it. I like recreating things like the beautiful costumes, and the handwork and I really like the singing, and the heraldry, and the pageantry and I like finding out how people lived back in the Middle Ages." At the Twelfth Night event happening at the Oasis Hall In Trail on Saturday (one day before the actual Twelfth Night), there will be a potluck with a $5 donation fee to cover the cost of the hall. The entire Kingdom of An Tir, which is made up of B.C., Washington state, Oregon and a corner of northern Idaho, will have a larger Twelfth Night event later in January, and other shires will also be having winter feasts throughout the month. "We always wear medieval attire, or our best attempt at medieval attire," said Defeo. "We bring a modern attitude though. So you know, we don't have servants, and we don't mistreat people and we have no plague." The Ajaokuta-Itobe bridge is intact and structurally stable, contrary to rumours that it is no longer passable. Mr Kajogbola Jimoh, Federal Controller of Works in Kogi gave the assurance during an on-the-spot assessment of the bridge in company of the officials of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), on Friday at Ajaokuta. He said that the bridge only requires routine maintenance. Jimoh said that the only issue was the missing 40mm electrometric rubber base plates covering expansion joints which had chopped off as a result of vehicular movement on the bridge. He said that the exposed gaps notwithstanding, the bridge was stable structurally without excessive vibration, adding that the separation gaps between the joints were designed for thermal expansion. So it is as designed. If you measure the expansion where there is existing rubber and the one that has lost the rubber, they are still the same, a proof that the bridge is not moving. I am assuring Nigerians that this bridge is stable. Articulate vehicles are passing through it as you have seen, they dont need to entertain any fear. Jimoh said that the rubber base plates required replacement from time to time because they were not steel or concrete. He, however, noted that when experimented with steel plates, the plates were removed before morning by some unpatriotic Nigerians. Itobe bridge is a very special bridge in Nigeria. It links the South-South, South-East and the Northern part of the country. In the last 30 minutes that we have been on the bridge, we have seen its behaviour. The bridge is structurally stable the vibration is not excessive,it is designed to vibrate because it is only then that it can deliver. The Federal Controller of Works, however, hinted that contract for the maintenance work on the bridge was underway. I have discussed with the Director, Bridge Design in the Ministry and he has assured me that by next week, the contractor would move to site. So by next week, the contractor will start work on this bridge, he said. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the video of the expansion gap on bridge went viral on social media, warning motorists of the dangers inherent in plying it U.S. Will Come To Regret Its Assassination of Qassim Soleimani By Moon Of Alabama January 03, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Today the U.S. declared war on Iran and Iraq. War is what it will get. Earlier today a U.S. drone or helicopter killed Major General Qassim Soleimani, the famous commander of the Iranian Quds ('Jerusalem') force, while he left the airport of Baghdad where he had just arrived. He had planned to attend the funeral of the 31 Iraqi soldiers the U.S. had killed on December 29 at the Syrian-Iraqi border near Al-Qaim. The Quds force is the external arm of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Soleiman was responsible for all relations between Iran and political and militant movements outside of Iran. Hajji Qassim advised the Lebanese Hisbullah during the 2006 war against Israel. His support for Iraqi groups enabled them to kick the U.S. invaders out of Iraq. He was the man responsible for, and successful in, defeating the Islamic State in iraq and Syria. In 2015 Soleimani traveled to Moscow and convinced Russia to intervene in Syria. His support for the Houthi in Yemen enabled them to withstand the Saudi attackers. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Soleimani had arrived in Baghdad on a normal flight from Lebanon. He did not travel in secret. He was picked up at the airport by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes, the deputy commander of the al-Hashd al-Shaabi, an official Iraqi security force under the command of the Iraqi Prime Minister. The two cars they traveled in were destroyed in the U.S. attack. Both men and their drivers and guards died. The U.S. created two martyrs who will now become the models and idols for tens of millions of youth in the Middle East. The Houthi in Yemen, Hizbullah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad in Palestine, the paramilitary forces in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere have all benefited from Soleimani's advice and support. They will all take actions to revenge him. Moqtada al-Sadr, the unruly Shia cleric who commands millions of followers in Iraq, has given orders to reactivate his military branch 'Jaish al-Imam al-Mahdi'. Between 2004 and 2008 the Mahdi forces fought the U.S. occupation of Iraq. They will do so again. The outright assassination of a commander of Soleimani's weight demands an Iranian reaction of at least a similar size. All U.S. generals or high politicians traveling in the Middle East or elsewhere will now have to watch their back. There will be no safety for them anywhere. No Iraqi politician will be able to argue for keeping U.S. forces in the country. The Iraqi Prime Minister Abdel Mahdi has called for a parliament emergency meeting to ask for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops: "The targeted assassination of an Iraqi commander is a violation of the agreement. It can trigger a war in Iraq and the region. It is a clear violation of the conditions of the U.S. presence in Iraq. I call on the parliament to take the necessary steps." The National Security Council of Iran is meeting with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to "study the options of response". There are many such options. The U.S. has forces stationed in many countries around Iran. From now on none of them will be safe. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a statement calling for three days of public mourning and then retaliation. His departure to God does not end his path or his mission, the statement said, but a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands. Iran will tie its response to the political calender. U.S. President Donald Trump will go into his reelection campaign with U.S. troops under threat everywhere. We can expect incidents like the Beirut barracks bombing to repeat themselves when he is most vulnerable. Trump will learn that killing the enemy is the easy part of a war. The difficulties come after that happened. In 2018 Soleimani publicly responded to a tweet in which Trump had threatened Iran: Mr. Trump, the gambler! [] You are well aware of our power and capabilities in the region. You know how powerful we are in asymmetrical warfare. Come, we are waiting for you. We are the real men on the scene, as far as you are concerned. You know that a war would mean the loss of all your capabilities. You may start the war, but we will be the ones to determine its end. Since May 2019 the U.S. deployed at least 14,800 additional soldiers to the Middle East. Over the last three days airborne elements and special forces followed. The U.S.has clearly planned for an escalation. Soleimani will be replaced by Brigadier General Ismail Ghani, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war who has for decades been active in the Quds Force and has fought against ISIS in Syria. He is an officer of equal stature and capability. Iran's policies and support for foreign groups will intensify. The U.S. has won nothing with its attack but will feel the consequences for decades to come. From now on its position in the Middle East will be severely constrained. Others will move in to take its place. This article was originally published by "Moon Of Alabama" - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here DENVER, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As it prepares to roll out its Cannabis 3.0 growth strategy over the coming weeks, General Cannabis Corp. (OTCQX: CANN) and its newly appointed CEO Steve Gutterman today announced several strategic steps that will further focus the companys operations and strengthen its balance sheet. Among the steps announced today, General Cannabis Corp. said it plans to expand the operations around its highly successful and profitable cultivation consulting business, Next Big Crop, while shedding several non-core business units. Gutterman indicated the company will also pay off interest on a major note and anticipates converting the principal into equity on terms to be finalized, and the company anticipates raising capital in the near term to fund additional, planned expansion. He also announced that the companys Chief Financial Officer is retiring and will consult with the company during its transition to a new CFO. In announcing the retirement of Andrewswho has served as CFO for 3 years and stepped down effective December 31, 2019Gutterman said Andrews will move into an advisory role with the company, and that Controller Jessica Bast will continue in her role with expanded responsibilities. Gutterman said: Brian has been pivotal in the development of General Cannabis Corp. He built a great team and, as the cannabis market transformed and grew at incredible speed, he put in place essential processes that ensure we operate with transparency and in full compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. We wish Brian the absolute best as he enters into this well-earned chapter of retirement. And we are excited to see Jessica continue to expand her role within the company. Andrews said: Its been an incredible run for me at General Cannabis. With Steves arrival as CEO, an expanding board of directors and a great team in place, this is as good a moment as there will ever be for me to make a planned transition into retirement. I look forward to helping the company in any way I can. Gutterman also announced that the company is expanding operations for Next Big Crop, its highly successful and profitable cultivation consulting businessand selling or eliminating non-core business of its security unit, IPG, as well as its CBD consumer sales division STOA and Chiefton, its apparel unit. IPG accounts are expected to be sold, while STOA and Chiefton will be discontinued. These actions do not meaningfully impact profitability; rather, they enable the company to focus on core businesses. The Next Big Crop business is expected to grow rapidly this year as it expands its cultivation consulting business. General Cannabis is also strengthening its balance sheet by paying off the interest on its current note with SBI. General Cannabis also anticipates converting the principal into equity on terms to be finalized. Additionally, General Cannabis anticipates raising capital in the near term to fund planned expansion. These actions prepare General Cannabis to execute on its 2020 business plan, which the company will discuss in detail over the coming weeks. General Cannabis Corp. is a trusted partner to cultivation, production and retail cannabis operations and provides important operational and infrastructural support to cannabis operators across the US. Over the last several years, the company has completed multiple strategic acquisitions, last quarter announced record revenue and is poised to opportunistically acquire and operate cannabis assets. In mid-December 2019 the company announced the appointment of Guttermanan industry leader in the cannabis space and former banking executiveas new CEO. Said Gutterman, We are laser focused on our Cannabis 3.0 strategy and these moves only strengthen our position. As the cannabis industry enter its third phase of evolution and growth, we believe we are well poised to capitalize on having a second mover advantage. We are excited to unveil this over the next several weeks and look forward to making additional announcements. About General Cannabis Corp. General Cannabis Corp is the comprehensive national resource for the highest quality service providers available to the regulated cannabis industry. The Company is a trusted partner to the cultivation, production and retail sides of the cannabis business. It achieves this through a combination of strong operating divisions such as security, operational consulting and products, consumer goods and marketing consulting, and capital investments and real estate. As a synergistic holding company, the Company's divisions are able to leverage the strengths of each other, as well as a larger balance sheet, to succeed. The Company's website address is www.generalcann.com . Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the following: the Companys Cannabis 3.0 growth strategy; the strategic steps the Company believes will further focus the Companys operations and strengthen its balance sheet; the Companys plans to expand operations around its cultivation consulting business, Next Big Crop, while shedding several non-core business units; the Companys plans to convert the principal of a note into equity on terms to be announced; the Companys capital raising efforts; the Companys planned expansion; and the Companys expectation that the Next Big Crop business will grow rapidly this year. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact, such as the statements described above, should be considered forward-looking statements. Some of these statements may be identified by the use of the words "may," "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects" and similar expressions. General Cannabis has based these forward-looking statements on current expectations and projections about future events as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those factors described from time to time in General Cannabis's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the heading "Risk Factors" and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. General Cannabis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made herein. Contact: Steve Gutterman 303-759-1300 CAMEROON, Cameroon - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called again for an immediate cease-fire in Libya and a return to talks by all the warring parties. The U.N. chief warned in a statement from his deputy spokesman that any foreign support to the warring parties will only deepen the ongoing conflict and further complicate efforts to reach a peaceful and comprehensive political solution. Guterres comments followed Thursdays authorization by Turkeys parliament to deploy troops to Libya to support the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli that is battling forces loyal to a rival government seeking to capture the capital. Ankara says the deployment is vital for Turkey to safeguard its interests in Libya and in the eastern Mediterranean, where it finds itself increasingly isolated as Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel have established exclusive economic zones paving the way for oil and gas exploration. Libya has been in turmoil since a civil war in 2011 toppled Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. In the chaos that followed, the country was divided, with a weak U.N.-supported administration in Tripoli overseeing the countrys west and a rival government in the east aligned with the Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter, each supported by an array of militias and foreign governments. Hifter launched a surprise military offensive April 4 aimed at capturing Tripoli despite commitments to attend a national conference weeks later aimed at forming a united government and moving toward elections. The fighting has threatened to plunge Libya into violent chaos rivaling the 2011 conflict that ousted and killed Gadhafi. While Hifters LNA and the eastern government enjoy the support of France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries, the Tripoli-based government is backed by Turkey, Italy and Qatar. The Turkish parliaments decision to deploy troops was condemned by neighbouring Egypt, which backs Hifter, in what its foreign ministry called the strongest language. The leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus also denounced the move as a dangerous threat to regional stability and a dangerous escalation of the Libyan conflict that violates U.N. resolutions and undermines international peace efforts. Secretary-General Guterres reiterated that continued violations of the U.N. arms embargo in Libya only makes matters worse, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. The U.N. chief stressed that strict adherence to the embargo is essential for creating an environment favourable to a cessation of hostilities, Haq said. Last month, U.N. experts said the interference of Chadian and Sudanese fighters in Libya is a direct threat to the security and stability of the war-torn country. They also noted that a leader of the Islamic State extremist group has declared Libya one of the main axes of its future operations. The panel of experts said in a report to the U.N. Security Council that Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates routinely and sometimes blatantly supplied weapons, with little effort to disguise the source in violation of the U.N. arms embargo. They identified multiple cases of non-compliance with the arms embargo, the majority of transfers to Hifters LNA from Jordan or the United Arab Emirates and the majority to the Tripoli government from Turkey. But, the panel said, Neither side has the military capability to effectively decide the outcome to their advantage. Advertisement President Donald Trump has threatened to hit 52 critical targets in Iran in retaliation if Tehran strikes any American interests in the region, upping the stakes after Iran said it had identified 35 targets for potential strikes and raised the red 'flags of revenge' over a key mosque.. 'Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!' Trump tweeted on Saturday from Mar-a-Lago, after spending the day at his nearby golf course. 'Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters,' Trump said. 'He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years,' he continued. Trump's threat referenced the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-1981, in which 52 U.S. diplomats and citizens were held hostage by student revolutionaries in Iran. His threat to target sites important to 'Iranian culture' drew many accusations from critics that he was threatening to commit 'war crimes'. A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the list of U.S. targets from DailyMail.com on Saturday evening. The U.S. military confirmed two rocket attacks near American facilities in Iraq on Saturday, saying that no U.S. personnel or allies were injured. The attacks took place near the Green Zone in Baghdad and Balad Air Base in northern Iraq. Earlier on Saturday, an Iranian official said at least 35 U.S. targets, including warships and Tel Aviv, have been identified for retaliatory strikes. President Donald Trump flashed a smile and gave a thumbs up after playing a round of golf at Mar-a-Lago as an Iranian official warned that the country has already identified 35 U.S. targets to hit in retaliation for Qassem Soleimani's death U.S. Army, Maj. Gen. James Mingus, the 82nd Airborne Division commanding general, speaks with paratroopers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division as they deploy to the Middle East from Fort Bragg on Saturday 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers load aircraft bound for the Middle East from Fort Bragg on Saturday Iranian General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, a Revolutionary Guards commander in the southern province of Kerman, made the threat a day after Quds Force leader General Qassem Soleimani was killed at the Baghdad International Airport by a U.S. airstrike. Abuhamzeh said vital American targets in the region had been identified a 'long time ago', including ships in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and Tel Aviv. 'The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there some 35 U.S. targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach,' he said, according to Reuters. Hezbollah, an Islamic political and militant group, has also warned Iraqi soldiers to stay at least 1,000 meters away from U.S. military bases from Sunday onwards. Vowing vengeance for Soleimani's death, Iranians raised the blood-red 'flags of revenge' over the minarets at the revered Jamkaran Mosque in the holy city of Qom on Saturday. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamene visits the family of slain general Qasem Soleimani on Friday Iranian members of the Basij militia take part in an anti-US rally at Palestine Square in the capital Tehran on Saturday to protest the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani by a US airstrike Iran raised blood red 'flags of revenge' over the minarets at the revered Jamkaran Mosque in the holy city of Qom on Saturday Iranians take part in an anti-US rally on Saturday in Tehran, Iran. Soleimani, the 62-year-old deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, will be laid to rest next week in his hometown of Kerman as part of three days of ceremonies Iran A retaliation attack from Iran could be seen 'within weeks' either at home or abroad, a senior congressional staffer told Time. The staffer said: 'There is no indication that there is going to be a de-escalation in the near future. The only question is how bad is the retaliation going to be and where and what is it going to hit.' Abuhamzeh's concerning remarks that Iran has previously identified targets seems to confirm the State Department's reasoning behind the airstrike on Friday. The State Department said: 'General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.' 'The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.' Meanwhile, one of the Iranian-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, warned Iraqi soldiers to vacate any premises near U.S. bases housing American soldiers in a thinly-veiled threat. 'The leaders of the security forces should protect their fighters and not allow them to become human shields to the occupying Crusaders,' the statement said, regarding coalition bases. Iran is considering its options against America in retaliation for the killing of Quds commander Qassem Soleimeni in Baghdad. The conflict could quickly spiral out of control, dragging in other world powers including Russia, Turkey and China An Iranian official revealed that at least 35 U.S. targets have been identified for retaliatory strikes, including ships in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Pictured: The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (L), the air-defense destroyer HMS Defender and the guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut transit the Strait of Hormuz in November Tel Aviv, a prominent city in Israel, has also be singled out as a possible target for attack by General Gholamali Abuhamzeh In a press conference after Friday's airstrike, Trump said Soleimani was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans in a press conference after the airstrike. 'Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him,' the president revealed in a press conference. Although the specific locations of the 35 targets have not been disclosed, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the military base could be potential targets. This comes off the heels of the slaying of an American contractor who was killed in a rocket attack a week ago while working at an Iraqi military base in the country's northern region. The U.S. retaliated by launching an attack on five Popular Mobilization militia bases in Iraq and Syria, killing more than 24 people and inciting a nearly two-day siege of the United States Embassy in Baghdad. Following Soleimani's death, several Iranian officials and the 62-year-old's supporters have vowed revenge on the United States. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the U.S. made a 'grave mistake' in killing Soleimani and will supposedly suffer consequences for years to come. An Iranian woman crises while another holds her face during an anti-US rally to protest the killing of Soleimani The anti-US rally in Tehran's Palestine Square drew thousands of people Women hold up posters of Soleimani as they protested his killing in the Iran capital Iran's President Rouhani issues chilling warning that the US made a 'grave mistake' and will face the consequences 'for years to come' after Soleimani's family asks for revenge The President of Iran has issued a chilling warning that the U.S. made a 'grave mistake' by killing the leader of Iran's Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, in an airstrike and that it will face consequences for years to come. In a visit to the notorious general's house on Saturday, one of Soleimani's daughter's asked President Hassan Rhouani for revenge. 'Who is going to avenge my father's blood?' she asked. In response, he promised her that 'everyone will take revenge' and 'we will, we will avenge his blood , you don't worry.' 'The Americans did not realize what a grave mistake they have made. They will suffer the consequences of such criminal measure not only today, but also throughout the years to come,' Rouhani said. 'This crime committed by the US will go down in history as one of their unforgettable crimes against the Iranian nation.' Soleimani, 62, was killed in the early hours of Friday, local time, outside Baghdad's International Airport in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. President Rouhani (right) speaking with General Soleimani's daughters (left) on Saturday Hours after the attack, Trump said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East and was targeted specifically because he was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the region. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Rouhani has said that Iran has the right to seek revenge, saying that that retaliation will come when the 'dirty hands of the US' are removed from the region indefinitely. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei (pictured) with a member of Soleimani's family during a visit to the family's home on Friday evening Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei also visited the home on Friday evening where he said the airstrike that killed the architect of the country's infamous militia was 'villainous'. 'Everyone is bereaved & grateful to your father. This gratitude is due to his great sincerity, since hearts are in God's hands. Without sincerity, [people's] hearts wouldn't have been with him like this. May God bestow His blessings on all of us,' he said, recounting the conversation in a tweet. 'You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream.' In a series of other tweets following the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the Trump administration as 'villainous' and condemned the airstrike. 'Hajj Qasem Soleimani had been exposed to martyrdom repeatedly, but in performing his duty & fighting for the cause of God, he didn't fear anyone or anything. He was martyred by the most villainous people, the US govt, & their pride in this crime is a distinguishing feature of him,' he wrote on Saturday. He also warned Iran's 'enemies' that the Jihad of Resistance' supposed victory will be 'bitter.' Advertisement While visiting Soleimani's family on Saturday, Rouhani called the airstrike an 'unforgettable crime.' 'The Americans did not realize what a grave mistake they have made. They will suffer the consequences of such criminal measure not only today, but also throughout the years to come,' Rouhani said. 'This crime committed by the US will go down in history as one of their unforgettable crimes against the Iranian nation.' Ayatolla Ali Khamenei visited the family on Friday and echoed similar sentiments against the Trump administration. 'Hajj Qasem Soleimani had been exposed to martyrdom repeatedly, but in performing his duty & fighting for the cause of God, he didn't fear anyone or anything. He was martyred by the most villainous people, the US govt, & their pride in this crime is a distinguishing feature of him,' he wrote on Saturday. He also warned Iran's 'enemies' that the Jihad of Resistance' supposed victory will be 'bitter.' He wrote: 'All friends& enemiesknow that Jihad of Resistance will continue with more motivation & definite victory awaits the fighters on this blessed path. The loss of our dear General is bitter. The continuing fight & ultimate victory will be more bitter for the murderers & criminals.' During funeral processions for Soleimani, his supporters chanted 'No, No, America,' 'Death to America, death to Israel' and 'America is the Great Satan.' Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. 'It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us,' he said. Thousands chant 'Death to America!' and hold signs vowing revenge at funeral of Soleimani Thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad today during funeral processions for the slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and an Iraqi militia commander who died with him during yesterday's US strike. They chanted 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' as they walked beside the coffins of Soleimani, architect of Iran's global military strategy, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Kataeb Hezbollah chief, in Baghdad. The pair had been riding in a two-vehicle convoy which was decimated by three missiles from an American MQ-9 Reaper Drone in the early hours of Friday outside Baghdad International Airport. The strike - which also killed four more Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards and five members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary network - infuriated Tehran, who vowed jihad on America. Thousands of mourners pack the streets of Baghdad on Saturday to mourn Soleimani and Muhandis killed in a US strike outside the Iraqi capital's airport in the early hours of Friday Funeral processions were held for the 62-year-old Soleimani (left), chief of the elite Quds Forces arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, as well Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, 66, (right) commander of a pro-Iran Iraqi militia in Baghdad on Saturday Meanwhile Iraq, whose prime minister attended the funerals today, threatened to order the expulsion of all US troops from the country after what it called 'a brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' President Donald Trump has said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. Mourners in the Iraqi capital today carried posters of Soleimani and flags of Muhandis's Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah militia, which has committed brazen attacks against US bases in recent months, climaxing with a siege of the US embassy on Tuesday. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered in Shia Islam before crowds headed south to a point near the Green Zone, the high-security district home to government offices and foreign embassies, including America's. Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday Meanwhile thousands of angry demonstrators stood outside the UN offices in Iran's capital, demanding retribution for the killing of Soleimani. The head of Iran's elite Quds Force will be laid to rest Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman as part of three days of ceremonies across the country, the Revolutionary Guards said. Yesterday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited the 62-year-old father-of-five's family home and offered condolences after vowing 'jihad' on America for the drone strike. It comes as Tehran's UN ambassador, who represents Iran's only diplomatic mission within the US, told CNN Friday that the airstrike was 'tantamount to opening a war against Iran.' 'The US has already started a war against Iran, not just an economic war but something beyond that by assassinating one of our top generals,' Ravanchi said. 'There will be harsh revenge... The response for a military action is a military action.' Today mourners in the Iraqi capital, many of them in tears, chanted: 'No, No, America,' and 'Death to America, death to Israel.' Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. 'It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us,' he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The remains will later be taken to the Shiite holy city of Najaf to the south, and the remains of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning. Following the violent attacks on the embassy during marches for other militant 'martyrs' earlier this week, the U.S. is bracing for the possibility of another assault. Some of the funeral processions were being held in areas close to the heavily-fortified 'Green Zone' and officials are extremely wary of masses of militia close to consular buildings. Any attempt by Iran-backed militias to breach the embassy would 'run into a buzzsaw' of fire from U.S. defenders, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said earlier this week. 'We are very confident that the integrity of that embassy is strong and it is highly unlikely to be physically overrun by anyone,' Milley said at a Pentagon briefing. A US defense official told AFP Saturday that America would scale back military operations in Iraq and devote manpower to defending its bases and troops. 'We will conduct limited anti-Islamic State group operations with our security partners where it mutually supports our force protection efforts,' the official said. 'We have increased security and defensive measures at Iraqi bases that host coalition troops.' NATO announced Saturday it was suspending training missions in Iraq. The NATO mission in Iraq, which numbers in the hundreds, trains the country's security forces at the request of the Baghdad government to prevent the return of the Islamic State group. As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an airstrike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any airstrike had taken place. The U.S.-led coalition also denied carrying out any airstrike. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the airstrike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if another type of explosion had occurred. Advertisement At least two rockets were reported to have fired near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and three were fired at Balad Airbase housing US troops, about 50 miles north of the city. After the rockets landed, security around the embassy's perimeter, located in the the green zone were rammed up in response. Of the three missiles that fired from the airbase, two Katyusha rockets fell inside the base and it was not immediately clear how many U.S. troops are being housed inside. A number of rockets also landed in the Al-Jadiriya neighborhood, according to the Iraq Army, although it is not clear if that was the intended target. There have been no reports of injuries and it is not clear who fired the rockets. Rockets launched at US Embassy in Baghdad and military airbase housing American soldiers Rockets were fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad and a military airbase housing American troops a day after General Qassem Soleimani was killed in an air strike. On January 1, pro-Iran protesters stormed the US Embassy in Baghdad, and lit fires outside At least two rockets landed near the embassy, which is located in the security-tight Green Zone. It also reported that security at the embassy's perimeter was stepped up after the rockets fell. Earlier this week, pro-Iran protesters stormed the US embassy in a siege that lasted just over a day. Another three rockets were fired at Balad Airbase housing American troops, about 50 miles north of the city, according to Reuters. Of those, two Katyusha rockets fell inside the base. It's not clear how many US troops are being house at the base. A number of rockets also landed in the Al-Jadiriya neighborhood, according to the Iraq Army, although it is not clear if that was the intended target. There have been no reports of injuries and it is not clear who fired the rockets. Advertisement Iranians raise blood red 'flags of revenge' for General Qassem Soleimani's killing Iranians raised the blood-red 'flags of revenge', vowing to retaliate after the US killed general Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike in Baghdad. Iranian state TV broadcast the flag being hoisted over the minarets at the revered Jamkaran Mosque in the holy city of Qom on Saturday. In Shia Islam the red flags, which have also been flown at demonstrations in Tehran, symbolize blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge the person who is slain. It comes as Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei and President Hassan Rouhani consoled Soleimani's distraught children at his family home last night, reassuring them the commander would be avenged. As the flag was raised in Qom, the mosque speakers called, 'O Allah, hasten your custodian reappearance,' a reference to the end-times reappearance of the Mahdi. Protesters demonstrate over the U.S. airstrike in Iraq that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, Saturday. Red flags in Shia tradition symbolize both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain In Shia Islam, the faith of Iran, the Mahdi is a divine figure who will appear to bring a Day of Judgement and rid the world of evil. According to local reports it is the first time in the Qom mosque's history - a holy site since the Middle Ages - that the red flag has been raised over the building. Last night Khamanei and Rouhani consoled Soleimani's family. 'Who is going to avenge my father's blood?' One of the commander's daughters asked. In response, Rouhani promised her that 'everyone will take revenge' and assured her as she wept, 'we will, we will avenge his blood, you don't worry.' 'The Americans did not realize what a grave mistake they have made. They will suffer the consequences of such criminal measure not only today, but also throughout the years to come,' Rouhani said. 'This crime committed by the US will go down in history as one of their unforgettable crimes against the Iranian nation.' Soleimani, 62, was killed in the early hours of Friday, local time, outside Baghdad's International Airport in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. Hours after the attack, Trump said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East and was targeted specifically because he was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the region. Thousands of mourners took to the streets of Tehran on Saturday where the red flag was also seen fluttering before a downtown mosque in the Iranian capital. Meanwhile in Baghdad, shouts of 'Death to America' filled the air as tens of thousands of people marched to mourn Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was also killed in the US strike. A PMF-organised procession carrying the bodies of Soleimani, Muhandis and other Iraqis killed in the US strike took place in the city's heavily fortified Green Zone. Mourners included many militiamen in uniform for whom Muhandis and Soleimani were heroes. They carried portraits of both men and plastered them on walls and armoured personnel carriers in the procession. Advertisement In another unsettling event, Iran has unfurled a red flag, signifying revenge, on top of the Jamkaran Mosque, in Qom. The U.S. has since ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and closed their Baghdad based embassy, where Iranian militiamen and supporters staged violent protests outside the building for two days. Additionally, NATO has suspended training Iraqi security and armed forces in the region. Spokesman Dylan White said: 'The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount.' Several U.S. cities have also begun taking precautions against any potential attacks by bolstering security. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the NYPD will take steps to protect 'certain locations' from 'from any attempt by Iran or its terrorist allies to retaliate against America.' New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would bolster security in the wake of the Iranian airstrike Bill de Blasio: 'We are in an unprecedented situation today, but the NYPD is ready for any scenario. New Yorkers will see heightened security at locations around the city, but there is NO credible and specific threat at this time. If you see something, say something' 'No one has to be reminded that New York City is the number one terror target in the United States. We're taking escalation in the Middle East seriously and I have absolute faith in the NYPD to protect this city and keep every New Yorker safe,' he said in a tweet. Gov. Andrew Cuomo added that the Department of Public Service has been in contact with all electric, telephone, water and natural gas utilities in New York in an effort to increase vigilance for cybersecurity and physical security. The Los Angeles Police Department and Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C. have also announced mounting security. The LAPD is in talks with law enforcement at all levels and say there is not credible threat as of now. Bowser released a statement saying Metropolitan Police and Homeland Security were working to monitor evolving events. 'While there are no immediate threats to the District of Columbia, we remain vigilant and [Metropolitan Police Department] & [DC Emergency Management and Homeland Security] will remain in close contact with regional and federal partners to monitor evolving events both at home and abroad,' she said. There have been no Iranian attacks against the United States since the airstrike. Demonstrators also marched from the White House to the Trump International Hotel to protest US military involvement in the Middle East Activists march in Times Square to protest recent U.S. military actions in Iraq Protesters in Times Square call for US troops to be pulled out of Iraq as the city increases security Thousands of people protested against the Trump's decision to kill Soleimani and increase the U.S. military presence in Iraq The Naked Cowboy holds up a poster as he joins in on the protests at Times Square Police officers provided extra protection at Times Square after Mayor Bill de Blasio beefed up security in the city after the airstrike and threats of retaliation Activists gather near Chicago's Trump Tower and march down Michigan Avenue When Palo Alto officials recently began contemplating a fine for minors who vape in public, Councilman Greg Tanaka called it a cutting-edge approach necessitated by the growth of youth vaping a phenomenon public health officials are calling an epidemic. Palo Alto would not be the first city to impose a fine for underage possession of tobacco products, which include e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes. But the approach is unusual and comes at a time when officials at virtually all levels of government are grappling with how to get teen vaping under control. About 5.4 million high school and middle school students vaped regularly in 2019 a sharp rise from 3.6 million in 2018 and e-cigarettes are by far the most common tobacco product among teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rise in teen vaping drove Congress in December to raise the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 years old (it has been 21 in California since 2016) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month to ban the sale of many sweet and fruit-flavored e-cigarettes. More than two dozen California cities have in the last few years outlawed the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, a major driver of youth vaping, with San Francisco, Livermore, Richmond and Palo Alto going even further by suspending the sale of all e-cigarettes, regardless of flavor. The Palo Alto City Council is exploring a fine as part of other measures to curb youth vaping, and in December asked city staff to research the topic and compile a report this year. The council may review the report as early as next month, Tanaka said. Since 2015, at least four California cities and Park Ridge, a suburb of Chicago, have passed or have begun weighing laws imposing fines for minors in possession of tobacco products. Most of the new laws, which call for noncriminal administrative fines ranging from $100 to $500, allow teens to attend a tobacco educational or diversion program instead of paying the fine. Some California cities began passing their measures after the state in 2016 repealed part of the state penal code that allowed police officers to cite minors in possession of tobacco. This was repealed as part of the 2016 California law that raised the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21. The Santa Clara City Council passed an ordinance last year prohibiting those under 21 from possessing tobacco products. Under the ordinance, people 18 to 21 may be issued an administrative citation and a $100 penalty. Those 17 or younger may be referred to an education and diversion program but would not receive a citation. The Santa Clara Police Department has yet to issue any citations since the measure went into effect last year, said Wahid Kazem, the departments public information officer. It really is about education and hopefully convince them that not using these products is better for them, he said. There really is no significant hammer behind it. They meet with someone here that educates them on the impact of using tobacco products. Anti-tobacco advocates are generally critical of policies penalizing minors for vaping, saying the responsibility to keep the addictive products out of kids hands should fall on sellers. Community groups are also concerned that such ordinances could be used to stop or detain youths, especially people of color. We think policies that would re-criminalize the possession of tobacco for minors are a mistake, said Tim Gibbs of the Cancer Action Network, the lobbying arm of the American Cancer Society. We think the accountability needs to be with companies ... whose products essentially caused this e-cigarette epidemic among youths. Accountability should be with retailers and shouldnt be placed at the foot of children. In the few cities that have passed such laws, though, virtually no fines have been paid by the youths who were cited. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes In Park Ridge, which passed an ordinance in 2017 allowing for a $500 fine for underage vapers, officers issued 56 citations from September 2017 to November 2018. Of the 56 citations, 35 youths took an educational course, 16 cases were open, and five cases involved youths who did not take the course and were charged the fine. All five were unpaid as of late 2018, the Chicago Tribune reported, citing a Police Department report. The department did not provide more recent data. Pleasanton adopted an ordinance in 2015 prohibiting underage possession of tobacco and a $100 fine for the first offense because young people over 18 were buying tobacco products and giving them to their underage friends in the parking lots of local stores, and police officers wanted a way to confiscate the products, said Pleasanton City Attorney Larissa Seto. But the city has yet to issue any citations or fines. Because the ordinance went into effect before the state raised the age to buy tobacco to 21, the city is now considering amending the ordinance to reflect the new legal age. Last year, Auburn (Placer County) passed an ordinance that went into effect Jan. 1, prohibiting underage possession of tobacco. Youths who are cited can go to an educational program to waive the $100 fine. It also allows law enforcement to confiscate tobacco products and devices from youths. We didnt map this as a punitive goal, said Auburn Police Chief Ryan Kinnan. Theres no other intention than if we can stop these kids behaviors when theyre young and impressionable, we have a better chance of having a positive impact in their life. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, January 3, 2020 Apple CEO Tim Cook made a $2 million donation to an unnamed charity in late December. The donation 6,880 shares of Apple stock was identified in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing released Thursday. A tweet he sent Wednesday might reveal his state of mind and give insight into the type of charity that might have received the donation. There is opportunity in every new beginning, he wrote. In 2020 lets use it to lead with our humanity, to protect and strengthen our planet, and to build a future wed be proud to pass on. Happy New Year! Technology leaders those who run companies that generate revenue from online advertising and consumer data, as well as entrepreneurs have come under fire for their wealth of late. Cooks latest donation comes during a time when U.S. presidential candidates such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are proposing solutions including a wealth tax. A federal wealth tax is one possible solution proposed by presidential candidates. Sanders in September 2019 released an aggressive proposal The Tax on Extreme Wealth promising to cut the wealth of billionaires in half over 15 years. Sanders told The New York Times in an interview that billionaires should not exist. Cook is not even noted as one of the top wealthiest people in the world, according to the Forbes top list. At the time of Cooks donation the shares were worth $1.99 million, according to 9To5Mac, which first spotted the SEC filing. The share price has since risen to $300.35 per share. Its not the first time that Cook has donated a large sum of Apple stock. In mid-2019, Cook donated 23,700 worth of Apple shares. In 2014, he donated to an LGBT equality campaign. Apple, the company, donates to disaster relief efforts, and PRODUCT(RED), according to one report. In 2015, Cook said he would donate his entire fortune to charity. Separately, on Thursday Apple and U.K. chip designer Imagination Technologies announced a new license agreement. Imagination makes and licenses intellectual property for semiconductor System-on-Chips, and supports the development and manufacturing of Digital Audio Broadcasting radios. A search operation is being conducted by rescue teams in Cambodia who removed the debris on January 4 for the second consecutive day to find more survivors trapped in a building collapse that reportedly took lives of at least five people and injured about 20. Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia went to the coastal province of Kep on Friday to lead the rescue team, according to his Facebook page. He also paid a visit to the hospital where the injured people were admitted. READ: Gujarat: Building Collapses During Demolition In Vadodara Survivors in critical condition He announced on the morning of Saturday that the casualty toll slightly differed saying that the reports said that there are seven dead and 18 injured. It is still not clear why the numbers varied. But at last, after further confirmation, the Kep authorities revealed that a total of five people have been killed and 18 injured. A lot of survivors are being hospitalized and were reported to be under critical condition. Deputy police chief of Kep province, Nguon Samet said that the seven-story building seemed to have collapsed during the construction works when concrete was being poured on its top level. He added that he believes that some people were still trapped under the wreckages but he is not sure about the numbers. Samet said that the relatives of some of those are still missing who united together and gathered outside the site to pray. READ: Maharashtra: 4-year-old Dies After Building Collapses In Palghar 28 killed in building collapse in June In a similar incident in June, a building collapsed in Sihanoukville which resulted in killing 28 construction workers and injured 26 others which raised concerns about the area's rapid development and safety measures. The coastal area has been rapidly developed to cater to the booming tourism industry. According to the police the incident took place when workers were pouring cement on the top level of the building. READ: A Portion Of Building Collapses In Virar, Maharashtra READ: Delhi: Short Circuit In Building Caused Fire Leading To Death Of 43 People READ: Bangladesh Holds First Women's Body Building Contest, 19-year-old Take The Title Home Your browser does not support the audio element. The Vietnamese government is considering a limit on how many hours college students can work in part-time jobs as concerns mount over students spending more time earning money as rideshare drivers than focusing on their academic performance. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh recently requested the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and local agencies to devise regulations on college students participation in part-time jobs, especially as rideshare drivers. According to Deputy PM Binhs directive, the aforementioned ministries are to encourage operators of ride-hailing services to reduce the working hours of partners who are currently students. At the same time, tertiary institutions are ordered to come up with ways to regulate their students participation in part-time jobs and promote a healthy balance between working and studying. A freshman (L) works as an attendant at a convenience store in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre Bui Van Linh, head of the students affair department under the Ministry of Education and Training, views the new order as necessary in the current state of student employment to avoid risks and detriments inherent in students part-time jobs, preventing the issues from affecting the well-being and academic performance of students. We currently dont have any fixed limit on students weekly working hours, Linh told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper during an exclusive interview. In reality, many students are unable to make ends meet, so their need to work outside of school hours is completely reasonable, he added. Nguyen Huu Phat, a first-year IT student in Ho Chi Minh City, shared with Tuoi Tre that he has been a rideshare driver for half a year. Phat typically wakes up early and gives rides from 5:30 am to 8:00 am every day. The 19-year-old ceases work to go to class in the morning and continues driving after lunch until 9:00 pm. Bui Van Linh, head of the student affairs department under the Ministry of Education and Training, is seen in this file photo Like Phat, Nguyen Tien Truong, a forestry senior at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, said that he has worked as a rideshare driver since his sophomore year. Before, I was pretty free so I hunted bonuses by driving for eight hours a day, Truong told Tuoi Tre. Recently, my school workload has increased so I only work whenever Im free." Both Truong and Phat think that it is each students responsibility to balance between their part-time jobs and study. According to Phat, many students choose to work for ride-hailing services because the working hours are flexible. Regulating a fixed number of working hours [for students] will be hard because every major and school year has a different curriculum, Phat said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! "Saturday Night Live" has a thing for San Francisco. Over the past year, the iconic late night sketch comedy show has cracked jokes related to the Bay Area in nearly every episode. From parodying Senator Kamala Harris's presidential run on cold opens, to mocking Bay Area food upstarts like Impossible Burger. RELATED: Watch new SNL cast member's insanely good Elizabeth Holmes impression Maya Rudolph playing Kamala Harris was a Season 45 highlight, but other California politicians like Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi were also common targets in sketches, including one segment about Feinstein's controversial video lecturing children on the Green New Deal. Silicon Valley's also a common target for the show. Jokes on the mock game show "Millennial Millions" address the difficulty of finding comprehensive benefits as a young contract worker at a scrappy little tech company named Google. Apple's also been a target, with Weekend Update lampooning Apple's attempts to break into the TV and credit card businesses. RELATED: This comics living room is the hottest comedy club in the Bay Area But perhaps the most San Francisco skit of the year happened on the Thanksgiving episode, during which a typical liberal San Francisco family debated politics. The stereotypes were spot on, but the image they showed for the family's San Francisco home looked more like Any Suburb, USA than a typical San Francisco home. Click through the above slideshow to see all the sketches. Dan Gentile is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email: Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com | Twitter: @Dannosphere Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed another townhall event on Friday, saying the ruling Aam Aadmi Party will extend free bus rides to students, if voted back. Quizzed on his take on the amended citizenship law, which touched off violent protests across the country and has evoked calls for a rollback from a cross-section of the society, the CM said there wasnt any need to bring the law and the Centre should, instead, look at more pressing issues that the country is faced with. I dont understand the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). When will Amit Shah clear the air on it? There are no homes for the needy, no jobs for our youth, businesses are shutting down and all that the government is planning on is to give citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan and elsewhere. Fix whats ailing your country before sheltering others. The economy is down in the dumps. What was the need to bring this law? Kejriwal said. Asked if he is gung-ho on his partys prospects in the forthcoming Assembly elections, the CM said, I am confident that the AAP will win Delhi again. We have been seeing different voting patterns in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. Hard-selling his governments work over the last five years, the CM said, We have worked with utmost sincerity to improve peoples lives in Delhi. Weve worked across sectors, especially education, health, infrastructure and electricity. We have laid sewer lines, installed CCTVs in neighbourhoods and subsidise water and electricity charges, which couldnt be done in 70 years. However, a lot remains to be done. We have to clean the Yamuna and the city itself. We have to revamp the transport sector and rid the city of pollution. Vaibhav Saxena, vice chairman of the Hanoi Office of the Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam In recent years, relations between Vietnam and India have become substantially closer. A large number of Indian investors have established and expanded their business in various sectors in Vietnam. According to K. Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in Vietnam, as of June 20, 2019 there were 254 projects of Indian businesses in Vietnam with the total investment of about $928 million. If we include Indian investment projects through third markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore, the figure reaches $1.7 billion. The accumulated figure reached $921.5 million in 251 projects as of November. Successful stories Under Indias Act East Policy, Vietnam plays an essential role in its presence in Southeast Asia. Some of the main sectors in Vietnam which arouse Indian firms interest include textiles and garments, energy, IT, and pharmaceuticals and healthcare. We have witnessed direct investment from India through the presence and success of companies such as Tata Coffee, which has decided to invest in building a modern instant coffee processing factory in the southern province of Binh Duong, total capital of $63 million. Tracing its roots back to 1922, Tata Coffee is one of the largest integrated coffee cultivation and processing companies in the world and the largest corporate producer of Indian-origin pepper. With the utmost emphasis on sustainability and traceability, the company produces some of the finest green coffee beans, instant coffee, pepper, and tea. Elsewhere, energy is another sector attracting the attention of Indian financiers. During a Vietnamese state visit to India in March 2018, leaders from the two countries affirmed that Vietnam and India had made significant progress in co-operation in oil and gas exploration, renewable energy, power generation, and energy conservation. In order to further co-operation, Vietnam and India aim to sign the Framework Agreement on establishment of the International Solar Alliance. Adani Group, one of Indias multinational renewable energy conglomerates, has invested in a wind power project with a capacity of 100MW in the central province of Ninh Thuan and a couple of other projects. ONGC Videsh Ltd., Indias largest oil and gas exploration and production company, has also poured around $114 million into Vietnam. Meanwhile, in medical and pharmaceuticals, statistics show that about 78 per cent of the materials for pharmaceutical production are imported from India and China. Apart from being an important trading partner, Indian investors also allocate more capital into Vietnams healthcare sector. Hospitals and clinics are among the most promising areas of investment. Indian enterprises are likely to maintain their focus on the aforementioned areas, perhaps with slightly more emphasis on renewable energy since this is a rather new industry with plenty of potential for development. Digital transformation In recent years, we saw that Vietnam has been implementing more technological advancements in manufacturing. It is advisable for Indian companies to prepare themselves in order to penetrate or expand themselves in the local market. One suggestion is that they should do research on the kind of technology that is being applied in Vietnam so that they are able to make adequate adjustments to their business strategy. Among the many sectors that Indian business are targeting, IT is essential for the two countries governments, with a number of bilateral co-operation agreements. Vietnam encourages Indian investors to further their presence in the country by providing them with preferential policies, aiming at transforming Vietnam into Southeast Asias new IT hub, especially focusing on software development and hardware manufacturing. In May, Hindustan Computers Ltd., an Indian multinational IT service and consulting firm, unveiled its plan to establish an IT centre worth $650 million in Ho Chi Minh City. As the representative of Indian firms in Vietnam, we are industriously connecting businesses and helping them gain more access to the Vietnamese market. A number of business workshops and meetings have been held throughout the year and this has long become a tradition for the Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam. The aim is to create a place for businesspeople from different nations, especially India and Vietnam, to meet and expand their networks. We plan on continuing these activities due to the many positive outcomes already achieved. We will gather feedback from members to improve our events. Finally, we will actively make inquiries about their needs or any difficulties encountered during their operation in Vietnam. Iran has been nothing but a problem for many years, Trump tweeted. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! Flash Up to 19 local residents were killed following an overnight attack by unidentified gunmen on a community in central Nigeria, the police confirmed on Friday. Many houses were burned by the attackers late Thursday, including some places of worship and the palace of the king of the local Tawari community in Kogi, a state in Nigeria's central region, the police said. Kogi police spokesman Williams Anya told Xinhua that the attackers rode into the community on motorcycles. The Tawari community is located a few kilometers off Gegu town, along the Lokoja-Abuja highway leading to the Nigerian capital. Anya said the state police has deployed more police personnel to the area to forestall further attacks. A local resident surnamed Ikeleji said more than 100 gunmen invaded the community. The attack continued until early Friday as the gunmen entered selected houses and packed foodstuff, while further destroying property, he said. It was the first time the community came under attack, Anya noted. In his reaction to the incident, state governor Yahaya Bello condemned in a statement the dastardly act and directed security agencies to fish out perpetrators of the attack. Junior badminton - Greystones Saints junior badminton club welcomes new members for the next term, from January 9 till April 2, each Thursday night with the exception of February 20. Training for young people between the ages of 12 and 18 takes place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Temple Carrig school. The fee is 10 per night or 60 for 12 weeks. Email greystonessaintsjuniors@gmail.com to sign up. Phil Lynott night There will be a celebration of the lift of Phil Lynott and benefit night at the Hot Spot Music Club on Friday, January 3, at 7 p.m. Tickets are 15 and additional donations welcome for WH Five Loaves and Living Life Counselling. Lynott's wide repertoire of musical styles included punk, metal and trad. The evening will include his art, music and poetry. There will be the full blown rock vibe on the main stage with Kilcoole legends 'Let Loose' as well as 'Thinner Lizzy'. The lounge will be the setting for the second stage, delivering a softer, more acoustic experience. Special guests include Bree Harris, Pauul Fairclough, Micah, Andy Brown and more. Mince pie morning Greystones Cancer Support's annual mince pie morning will be held on Friday, January 3. The event will take place at the centre from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Film about bereavement The Good Grief Project - A Love That Never dies, will be screened at Whale Theatre on January 29. The evening will be hosted by bereavement counsellor Liz Gleeson. The film will be followed by a question and answer session with directors Jane and Jimmy Edmonds. To book, go to whaletheatre.ie. Men's Shed Men's Shed Greystones is open Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. and welcomes new members. Anyone interested can call into the scout den on Church Road on Wednesday mornings. The group can be contacted on greystonesmensshed@gmail.com. Dementia Support Wicklow Dementia Support holds a number of events in the Greystones area. 'Musical memories' takes place each Friday morning at St Patrick's Church Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There are often visiting musicians and usually a turnout of around 30 people, including people with dementia, their family carers and volunteers. A family carers support group meets on the third Friday of each month, also at St Patrick's, from 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a facilitator-led, peer-to-peer support group. Contact Wicklow Dementia Support at 089 4286928 for more information or details about any of the events. Alzheimer Cafe The Alzheimer Cafe is facilitated by the HSE/St Columcille's Hospital and primary care nurses. It meets at the Glenview Hotel on the last Thursday of each month, from 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Badminton Bray-Greystones badminton club welcomes new players every Thursday night at 8 p.m. in BIFE, Novara Road, Bray. Family badminton takes place every Sunday from 4 p.m. till 6 p.m. Adults and children are welcome. If interested, contact Mary at 089 4132070. Story time Children's story time takes place at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday mornings at Greystones Library. The session is suitable for babies up to children aged six years. No booking is required for the event. Holy Rosary choir The parish choir sings at 6 p.m. Mass in the Holy Rosary Church on the first and third Saturday of the month. For more information, call 085 8801466. Policing clinic in Kilcoole Kilcoole policing clinic takes place each Wednesday evening at Kilcoole Community Centre, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Garda Corbett and/or Garda Thompson will be in attendance. Drop in for crime prevention advice, get a form stamped and obtain most other garda station services. Language groups A German conversation group meets each week in Greystones. The group meets at the library on Saturday mornings at 11 a.m. A French conversational group meets on Thursday mornings, also at the library, at 11 a.m. Dancing There is social dancing to live music every Sunday night in Greystones. The event starts each week at 8.30 p.m. in the Rugby Club. Exercise for over-50s Exercise programmes for the over-50s take place each Wednesday at Shoreline Leisure at 12.30 p.m. The sessions help with flexibility, strength, confidence, balance, coordination and mobility. Admission is 5 per session. Scout leaders Greystones Scouts are now recruiting new leaders for first Wicklow, second Dublin, St Kilian's Scout Group. Training will be provided. For more information, email group leader Anthony Finnegan at greystonesscouts@eircom.net. Market North Wicklow Country Market takes place each Saturday morning at Newcastle Community Centre. The market takes place from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Art Group Greystones Art Group has a variety of events throughout the month. Each Monday they meet to paint, sketch, create and share inspiration. A new location is selected monthly for outdoor sketching and painting. There are also monthly talks and demonstrations by guest artists. The talks include techniques and suggestions relating to medium, composition, colour mixing and brushwork in a fun and friendly environment. There is a small fee of 5 for non-members. Anyone interested should come along any Monday morning to South Beach Pavilion, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Alternatively, email info@greystonesartgroup.com for further information. Active Retired Greystones Active Retirement Association, based out of Kilian House, holds keep fit classes from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and art from 2.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m. on Mondays. It also holds aqua aerobics in the Shoreline from midday to 1 p.m. On Tuesdays, there is bowling from 10.45 a.m. to 12.45 p.m., followed by bingo from 2.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m. On Thursdays there's more bowling from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Greystones Active Retirement Association also holds a coffee morning from 10.30 a.m. to midday on the last Friday of each month. The booking office is open at Kilian House Family Centre each Tuesday from 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. People can book tickets for events, become a member or renew membership at 20, and learn about coming events, trips and outings. Sundays at the Hot Spot Every Sunday from September to June, the Hot Spot Music Club hosts a weekly Sunday jam from 4 p.m. Sometimes it's jazz, sometimes it's ukulele and sometimes it's just plain ol' roots. Mac Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood will perform at the Hot Spot Club on New Year's Eve, Tuesday, December 31. Tickets are 19 - 23 at thehotspot.ie. Soup and sandwiches Soup and sandwiches will be served at the Presbyterian Hall on Trafalgar Road on Tuesday, January 7, from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. A donation of 5 will go to charity. Delgany Guild ICA A meeting of the Delgany guild of the Irish Countrywomen's Association will take place at St Patrick's Parish Centre in Greystones on Monday, January 13, at 8 p.m. Delgany ICA meets on the second Monday of each month. The guild has a lot of activities, ideas, and a wide range of demonstrations and speakers, as well as crafts, sport, drama and theatre outings. New members welcome. Disreputable foreign sources used for confirming absurd lies of success The problem with failed government everywhere is to look for unknown foreign sources to buy support for its lies about miraculous success forgetting that only fools will do so because the people of the country know the best. In fact such bought up praise of success proves a government's desperate need of hiding the failures caused by its own incompetence. It is foolish to think that about failures or successes the people of the country do not know the reality. The people of Bangladesh are not fools otherwise it would not have been necessary to shamelessly use police for winning the last general election. Yesterday some of our dailies including The New Nation published a report from a foreign consultancy claimed that Bangladesh's economy will outshine the economy of Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore as the world's 30th largest economy by 2024. Manufactured fact and figures were supplied to make the report believable like all false propagandas. The same source also added that Bangladesh's "impressive" economy will climb further from the 40th place in the World Economic League Table in 2020 to 26th and 25th position respectively by 2029 and 2034. The consultancy also praised, as expected, on the basis of materials submitted that Bangladesh for a PPP (purchasing power parity) adjusted GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita of US$5,028 in 2019 which obtained record 7.8 per cent growth last year while it was 7.9 per cent in 2018. The answer will come out as how much this consultancy charged for issuing such a made to order certificate of absurd successes. One has only to visit Dhaka international airport and see the mess of management and incompetence. It is worse than any railway station in any of the neighbouring countries. It looks like a prison with iron bars and gates everywhere. Inconvenience of the travellers is no consideration. The foreign travellers are bemused and surprised at the low level of service available at the airport. The armed law enforcing personnel move boldly to tell everybody that the country is deeply unsafe. The good officials lack confidence to be helpful. The local travellers are more helpless in their own country. They can be easily harassed. It is difficult to find anyone to be helpful. If there is any facility, it belongs to government VIPs. Come out of the airport, and one will be confronted with chaotic traffic along with dirty and damaged roads. Going outside Dhaka will be a misery whether you use dilapidated public transport or a private car. More details will not be necessary for understanding of any sensible person how ridiculous it is that Bangladesh will outshine any of the neighbouring countries under present management. The question is asked how such a brilliantly successful government is afraid of facing the people in a free election. The present finance minister who has taken over charge only a few months ago has been able to secure certificate as the world's best finance minister. This is a joke and a shamelessness. The very nature of the praise will make any third world finance minister ashamed but not our finance minister. The financial strength of the government comes from money received from expatriate workers who toil slavishly and suffer inhumanly. According to a former minister Tk 9 lakh crores were laundered out of the country. Bangladesh certainly ranks one of the safest corrupt countries. Big corruptions enjoy immunity. Politics in Bangladesh is a lucrative game of corruption. Huge amounts of money are being spent on mega projects remaining unfinished for mega corruption of the corrupt ones. That is not development for the people. No Malaysian or Singaporean or Thai will go abroad in search of earning livelihood as a labourer. It requires a lot of insensitivity to human sufferings to compare development of Bangladesh with Singapore or Thailand. Lakhs of people have to leave the country in search of jobs to keep them alive. There is no worry why our people will not find jobs in their own country. The government is happy with foreign exchange these miserable workers send. Sending workers abroad for jobs is another area of big corruption. This is most unkind to treat our people as fools by those who are proven corrupts and incompetents. The Marian Finucane Show will today be a celebration of the late presenters career, RTE has announced. Rachel English will assume hosting duties for todays programme, while Brendan OConnor a regular stand-in presenter for Ms Finucane will chair the show tomorrow. The announcement of the short-term plans for Ms Finucanes show comes as tributes continued to flow for the presenter who died on Thursday, aged 69. RTEs head of radio, Tom McGuire told the Today with Sean ORourke show that Ms Finucanes colleges learned of her death when they phoned her to discuss todays programme, as they did every Thursday. There was no reply from Marians mobile. We didnt think anything untoward at the time, we would just check back later. And then the call was repeated at sometime after half past three and her dear husband John answered Marians phone, and it was then discovered that Marian had died in her sleep, Mr McGuire said. Former president Mary Robinson was among those to add to the tributes to Ms Finucane yesterday. She told RTE radios Morning Ireland that Marian Finucane had an empathy and commanding tone and the questions she asked were astute and very honest. She had an amazing capacity to draw people out. Its a skill to be a great listener. Ms Robinson said that the Women Today programme had spoken out on issues for the first time which had been a very courageous thing to do, such as the story when Ms Finucane accompanied an Irish woman who went to the UK to have an abortion. That was something people didnt want to listen to. Her interview with Nuala O Faolain had been very significant and must have helped a lot of people, she said. Nobody else could have done that interview. She was important because she was a trailblazer, she was honest. She always moved agendas, she just went on blazing that trail, she wasnt afraid of Church or State, Ms Robinson said. The National Union of Journalists, of which Ms Finucane was a member, said she was recognised as a pioneer of Irish broadcasting. Marian Finucane was a pioneering broadcaster of grace, style, wisdom and good humour while her outstanding characteristic was her deep empathy. In her work in RTE she paved the way for a generation of women who felt excluded from journalism, Seamus Dooley, assistant general secretary said. RTE broadcaster Bryan Dobson signs the book of condolence for Marian Finucane at RTE Radio centre. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos Marian also brought women in from the margins and firmly altered public discourse on a range of social and economic issues, not least gender discrimination and the appalling inequalities which existed in Ireland when she began her broadcasting career. Committed to the values of public service broadcasting she was forensic in her interviewing techniques, never feeling the need to hector but always ready to challenge guests who tried to evade her questions. While committed to social justice and progressive reform she was always mindful of her obligations as a broadcaster and was widely respected for her fairness as an interviewer. Marian was a member of the NUJ throughout her professional career. She is remembered for her kindness and courtesy, especially to young journalists and researchers but also to panellists and reviewers on her radio show, he said. Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern told Newstalk Breakfast that the Marian Finucane programme was a programme you would go on because you felt you got a good opportunity to state your case. Marian Finucane: Tributes continue to pour in for the popular presenter who died on Thursday, aged 69. You always felt you would be allowed to develop your point, you could tease things out to the listening audience. You would be allowed to answer, said Mr Ahern. In difficult times, the programme to go on was Marians. She had that calm voice. You could clearly see that she was following an issue all week, she had a deep knowledge of issues, she sounded all relaxed, but she was tremendously detailed, he said. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said his abiding memory of Marian Finucane was of her studio desk covered in newspapers, and that he wondered how order could come from something that looked so chaotic, but it always did. She had a deep fluency, a great work ethic and a professional attitude, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland. She reminded me of how much we have changed as a country. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 13:06:49|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- An instructor and a trainee pilot of a private aviation academy were killed after their aircraft crashed in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, police said Saturday. The aircraft crashed Friday night at Dhana in Sagar district, about 188 km east of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. "Last night at around 9:30 (local time), a single-engine trainee aircraft of the Chimes Aviation Academy (CAA) crashed here in an agricultural field close to Dhana airport," a police official posted in Sagar said. "Two people, instructor, Ashok Makwana and trainee pilot, Piyush Chandel, were killed in the crash." Officials said the area was covered with fog at the time of the crash. The aircraft took off late Friday in the evening as part of the night training for the trainee pilot. "Preliminary investigations reveal the trainee pilot attempted landing on airstrip but it landed in a nearby farm field because of very poor visibility," the police official said, adding that a thorough investigation would be carried out. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath expressed grief over the death of two people in the aircraft crash and offered condolences to families of the deceased. About 1,000 people rushed to a New Zealand beach Saturday to try to save a pod of whales that stranded overnight, overwhelming conservation workers who were appealing for specialist assistance. Three of the short-finned pilot whales had died and an attempt to refloat the surviving seven was to be made on the mid-afternoon high tide at the beach on the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island. "Seven whales that stranded at Matarangi Spit are being looked after by as many as 1,000 people," the marine conservation group Project Jonah said in a statement. "This is an overwhelming response, and we ask that, unless you are a trained medic, you do not visit the stranding." Short-finned pilot whales are closely related to the long-finned pilot whales that are regularly involved in mass strandings in New Zealand waters. Two years ago, more than 330 pilot whales died in two strandings at Farewell Spit at the top of New Zealand's South Island. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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The better-than-expected performance in the country's tax take "will likely result in an overall general government surplus of 0.4 percent of GDP (about 1.5 billion euros) for last year," said the press release. The Irish government aims to achieve a budget surplus of 1 percent of the country's GDP in 2022, which is equal to about 3.6 billion euros a year. The growth in the country's tax revenue in 2019 was largely due to "a very strong corporation tax performance", said the department, adding that corporation tax receipts totalled 10.9 billion euros last year. "Corporate tax receipts have more than doubled in five years, with a focus now on the sustainability of these returns, particularly given that a relatively small number of large multinational companies make up a significant chunk of the corporate tax take," said Peter Vale, a tax expert, in an interview with local media.(1 euro=1.117 U.S. dollars) About 3600 personnel had been deployed to fight the fires, with hundreds more on standby for the outbreak of any new blazes. Briefing the media on Saturday evening, Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said vital infrastructure in the state's south-east was under threat and weather conditions were likely to deteriorate further. Those fears were realised when a southerly change brought gusts of up to 128 kilometres per hour and at least one new fire near Shoalhaven. The Morton fire, which affected residents in Bundanoon, Avoca, Exeter, Fitzroy Falls and surrounds, likely erupted on Saturday night after the existing Currowan fire spotted across the Shoalhaven River as winds blew fires to the north. "This fire will be evolving throughout the night and is of concern to us," an RFS spokesman said. Residents in Eden, Womboyn, Kiah and surrounds were also affected by the expanding Border fire in the Bega Valley. Additionally, one woman was injured and properties were flooded in Cooma in NSW's south after a 4.5 million litre water reservoir burst on Saturday night. There were also fears for the safety of firefighters, as a fire-generated thunderstorm erupted in the Snowy Monaro, of a similar kind to the fire "tornado" that overturned a 10-tonne truck and killed volunteer firefighter Samuel McPaul. A southerly change started to sweep along the fire ground later in the evening, hitting Nowra at about 7.30pm and due to hit Sydney nearer to 11pm. Early in the evening Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the state was "in for a long night", with the southerly expected to bring wind speeds of 80 kilometres per hour or more. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Emergency Services Minister David Elliott on Saturday. Credit:AAP "We're in for a long night, I make no bones about that ... it's a very volatile situation," Ms Berejiklian said on Saturday. "Mid-40s temperatures plus wind gusts mean not only is the situation exacerbated but when the southerly does come in, it will exacerbate those conditions more." Mr Fitzsimmons said aircraft and ground crews are protecting major infrastructure and utilities, including the Snowy Hydro. "Fortunately at this stage I'm not getting reports of significant infrastructure damage, but I'd be surprised if we're not seeing reports of damaged infrastructure before the night is over," Mr Fitzsimmons said. RFS tankers at Moruya on standby on Saturday. Credit:Kate Geraghty Of the greatest concern was infrastructure across the Southern slopes and ranges. "Not only have we got installations like the Snowy Hydro system, we've also got pretty significant industry-based infrastructure like saw mills and massive employment centres," Mr Fitzsimmons said. "We're shoring up critical infrastructure ahead of firefronts bearing down on them. "It's going to be a long and difficult few hours and a very dangerous few hours given the number of emergency alerts." It comes after a historic announcement by the Prime Minister, who revealed the military would be deployed en masse to assist with the firefighting effort. In the unprecedented move, Mr Morrison announced up to 3000 reservists would be dispatched across four states, also committing $20 million for the lease of four fire-fighting aircraft. Mr Morrison also confirmed he had cancelled next week's official prime ministerial visit to India and Japan, but said he would attempt to reschedule the trip for the coming months. Defence brigadier Mick Garraway said the focus would be on identifying the people with the skills - such as engineering and logistical expertise - to assist the state services in the recovery effort. "That will be done over the coming months," he said. It was also confirmed that defence bases from Queensland through to Adelaide would be made available to serve as temporary accomodation for people caught without a place to stay. Loading The announcement came as Sydney sweltered through what is believed to be its hottest day on record, with the mercury at Penrith soaring to 48.9 degrees. The Bureau of Meteorology is yet to verify it as a weather record, but records show the previous hottest temperature had been recorded as 47.8 degrees in 1939 at a now-defunct weather station in Richmond. Mr Fitzsimmons revealed authorities were now relying on modelling for the "worst case scenario" to predict the fire's spread, rather than the "most likely scenario", due to how the New Year's Eve inferno played out. "Generally speaking, over the last five years or so, the 'most likely' generally correlates with what happens on the ground," he said. "What we saw on New Year's Eve was that a lot of these fires were actually working to the worst case scenario, which is not the normal experience we've seen." Thirty-one strike teams made up of multiple trucks and personnel were positioned at strategic locations throughout the state on Saturday. Crews from other states and overseas bolstered numbers, particularly Queensland, where eased conditions have freed up some resources. On Saturday morning, Mr Fitzsimmons confirmed a report by The Sydney Morning Herald that the federal government has failed to produce additional funding requested by the National Aerial Firefighting Centre, which oversees a fleet of 145 aircraft. Loading Mr Fitzsimmons said the centre was yet to receive a "positive response", more than 18 months since it put a business case to the federal government for the additional funds to "shore up some additional capacity and certainty". It had asked for between $11 million and $12 million to be matched by the states and territories but had instead been given "one-off" cash injections over the last two fire seasons. "We haven't seen that business case adopted or locked in at this stage," Mr Fitzsimmons said. During a press conference later in the day, Mr Morrison said the federal government would agree to providing funding on an "ongoing" basis. As I stepped on the sharp edge of a Lego buried in our carpet, my temper snapped. "That's it! I've asked you five times to brush your teeth and put away these toys. It's way past bedtime!" My 5-year-old son looked up at me over the elaborate helicopter he was building. "Mom, maybe you should take a belly breath." My scowl turned into a smile. I'd started teaching him a few yoga poses and breathing exercises at home, like how to dive into dolphin pose to get out the wiggles or explode with a "volcano breath" when his little sister made him mad. And now here he was, teaching the teacher. I took his good advice and felt more levelheaded after a deep breath. Although I've practiced and taught yoga for two decades, I've only recently realized its value for kids. And I'm not the only one: From toddlers to teens, yoga for children is more accessible than ever before. Defined as the union of mind and body, yoga includes everything from simple deep breaths to mellow seated stretches to complex strength-building poses. According to an article published on the Harvard Health Blog, 3 percent of all children in the United States are practicing yoga - many of them in schools. Physical benefits of yoga include improved flexibility, balance, strength and cardiovascular health. Research also shows mental and emotional benefits to youth from ages 5 to 18, including decreased anxiety, boosted concentration and memory, improved confidence and self-esteem, and better academic performance. The goal of yoga is to generate self-awareness, which teaches kids to recognize their emotions. While it doesn't erase feelings, yoga can give them a way to process frustration, anger or sorrow in a healthy way. This in turn helps kids learn to act thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Kids who practice yoga can learn to tune into their body's sensations - like butterflies in the stomach, clenched fists or sweaty palms - and then use breath and movement to address uncomfortable feelings before they get out of control. In recent study from MIT on the effects of an eight-week mindfulness program (comprising breathing exercises), sixth-graders reported feeling less stress and fewer negative emotions after the program. Brain scans revealed reduced activation of their amygdala, the region in the brain that processes fear. "These results show that yoga's benefits extend beyond the meditative state - it can change how the brain responds to everyday stressors," said John Gabrieli of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research. But the positive results tend to fade once the mindfulness practice stops, Gabrieli said. "Like with healthy eating or physical exercise, a consistent daily experience is important." One way to ensure that the benefits of yoga extend beyond school-based or extracurricular programs is to encourage kids to practice at home, too. "Yoga can help kids regulate their own energy, which is a universal goal for parents," said Ann Huber, program director of YogaKids, a teaching certification program. Huber said that yoga for kids usually includes songs, stories or games. "Teaching grown-up yoga to kids doesn't work. It's best to keep it simple, short and fun." One way to do that is by watching an online video together, such as one of the Cosmic Kids yoga stories - books are also available. Co-founder Jaime Amor said that her "yoga adventures" are perfect for parents who aren't comfortable with initiating yoga themselves. Since so many schools offer yoga programs, kids may be the ones introducing their parents to yoga instead of vice versa. "Let the kids lead you," Amor said. "Often they are better than adults at doing the movements, which is a great way to build their confidence." Erin Hurley is a registered children's yoga teacher and an elementary school counselor in Virginia who has helped bring yoga programs into schools. She trained staff at Cherry Run Elementary School in Fairfax County, later expanding to three other elementary and middle schools. She started leading workshops for parents because many of them asked how to integrate yoga at home. Hurley gives parents tips for helping kids get to sleep (place a stuffed animal on their belly as a "breathing buddy" and rock it to sleep with deep breaths), as well as tools for helping children address conflicts with siblings (first use "flying bird breaths" to calm down by inhaling arms overhead, then exhaling arms back down). Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Hurley is appearing this spring at the National Kids Yoga Conference in the Washington suburb of Alexandria, Virginia, hosted by the nonprofit YoKid. The goal of the conference is to empower and inspire more caregivers from around the country to teach kids yoga. "Paying attention to what's happening inside of yourself makes everything easier, for kids and adults," said Liz Bolton, YoKid board member and owner of the Birth Club yoga studio in Alexandria. Bolton said she's adding a kids yoga class at her studio - partly so she can bring her toddler to the class. At home, Bolton encourages her son to join her whenever she gets out her mat, and said she uses yoga to help when he's "overwhelmed by big feelings." For other parents interested in practicing yoga with their children, Bolton says to start simply: "Take a few deep breaths together or dance around to your favorite song - any mindful movement is yoga, as long as you do it with intention." Giselle Shardlow, founder of Kids Yoga Stories, recommends that families start by spending five minutes per day on a routine that makes yoga meaningful and relevant to your children. "Does your toddler like dinosaurs? Move and breathe like them. Does your teenager like to exercise? Take a walk outside together." Shardlow believes that bringing yoga into the home allows a more "intimate experience" than kids might find in a studio or at school, one that can change and grow as the child matures. "Yoga helps us live life to the fullest potential by anchoring us in ourselves," Shardlow said. "It's a lifelong journey you can take together as a family." Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended a video posted on social media detailing the government's bushfire response after it was labelled 'shameless' and a breach of political advertising rules. The much-criticised video, authorised by Mr Morrison and posted on Saturday, describes how the government is deploying up to 3,000 army reservists in response to the ongoing crisis. On Sunday morning the prime minister faced fresh criticism for not alerting fire authorities before his actual announcement of the defence deployment. NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said he was disappointed about the lack of notice and expressed concern to the prime minister's office. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended a video posted on social media detailing the government's bushfire response 'All I can say I wasn't aware of it,' Mr Fitzsimmons told the Nine Network. 'I found out about it via the media reports. We then spent a fair bit of time with the military liaison trying to understand the details were. We are still working through that and made progress last night.' The video includes details of defence ships and aircraft that have been deployed along with funding allocated for more firefighting craft, volunteer firefighters and those who lost homes or incomes. The Liberal Party also posted details of the government response on its social media channels, following Mr Morrison's announcement of the stepped-up measures earlier on Saturday. British presenter Piers Morgan (pictured) joined in on the onslaught of abuse over Scott Morrison's recent advert saying he was 'shameless and shameful' British broadcaster Piers Morgan slammed the video as a 'self-promotional commercial with cheesy elevator music'. 'This is one of the most tone-deaf things I've ever seen a country's leader put out during a crisis. Shameless & shameful,' he posted on Twitter. The Australia Defence Association, a non-partisan public-interest watchdog, accused the government of breaching rules around political advertising. The Australian Defence Association said the government's video was 'milking ADF support' and had breached non-partisanship convention 'Party-political advertising milking ADF support to civil agencies fighting bushfires is a clear breach of the (reciprocal) non-partisanship convention applying to both the ADF & Ministers/MPs,' the association tweeted. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd also expressed outrage. 'On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister,' Mr Rudd tweeted. In a series of tweets, Mr Morgan slammed the Australian Prime Minister, saying the video was 'shameful' Former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, also weighed in on the video saying he was 'no longer fit' to lead the country Mr Morrison took to Twitter to defend the video late on Saturday, saying it was a legal requirement in Australia to include an authorisation on all video messages used by MPs on social media. 'The video message simply communicates the Government's policy decisions and the actions the Government is undertaking to the public,' he posted. 'The same practice is rightly employed by the Leader of the Opposition and the Labor Party. This is required and standard practice in Australia.' The prime minister has faced criticism for not acting sooner to bolster the nation's firefighting capabilities, and for going on holiday to Hawaii during the crisis. Scott Morrison (pictured in Hawaii) was slammed after taking a trip to Hawaii while Australia was in the midst of its worst ever bushfire season Mr Morrison said the federal government had respected the states' bushfire response for months before it became clear a national response was needed. 'We have spent three to four months operating under ... the national set of arrangements the states and territories recommended and wanted,' he told News Corp. 'Now I have said 'we are doing this'.' Scott Morrison was seen forcing 20-year-old mum Zoey Salucci-McDermott to shake his hand when visiting fire ravaged Cobargo, NSW The prime minister also said he would continue to offer hugs to those who wanted them even if he was abused. 'Whoever wants one, whoever wants to shake the hand, whoever wants to flip the bird ... bring it on,' he said. 'People are in different frames (of mind), some people need a hug. You just roll with it, you've still got to go out there ... people do want to see you.' Mr Morrison was heckled last week in the NSW town of Cobargo, where a father and son died in a bushfire. The US Navy was planning to participate in the African Sea Lion 2020, with its amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) now redirected to the Middle East. Amid escalating tensions between the USA and Iran, the Pentagon has canceled the joint American-Moroccan marine exercise, African Sea Lion 2020, that was due to start on January 8 in Agadir. Amid rising tensions with Iran, the Navy is scrapping an exercise with Morocco as it redirects amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, a defense official on Friday told USNI News, a website specialized in war navy news. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group had just arrived off the coast of Morocco this week before its new tasking, according to USNI News. Members of the 26th MEU and Bataan crew were slated to train with members of the Moroccan military as part of the joint Exercise African Sea Lion. Now, Bataan and the 26th MEU are moving closer to the Middle East. USS Bataan and embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are underway conducting routine operations, demonstrating the inherent flexibility of our naval forces, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Comer, a US 6th Fleet spokesman told USNI News. For operational security reasons, we do not discuss future operations. ARGMEUs operate continuously across the globe to provide commanders with a forward-deployed, flexible and responsive sea-based Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The Marines will join soldiers from the Fort Bragg, N.C.-based 82nd Airborne who have been sent to Iraq as a security measure following the US operation that killed the head of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani was killed by a US drone attack, on Thursday Jan 2, according to the Department of Defense. The US president ordered the attack, believing that Soleimani posed a threat to American military personnel and diplomats in the region. US officials announced that 3,000 additional troops will be deployed to the Middle East as a security measure. The US Marines will now join soldiers from the Fort Bagg, N.C.-based 82nd Airborne who deployed following the killing of the Iranian army general Qasem Soleimani alongside Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, USNI News. Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region, according to a Pentagon statement. On Friday, several news organizations reported the Pentagon was sending up to 3,500 more 82nd soldiers to the region, in case Iran or Iranian-backed forces attempted retaliation attacks following Soleimanis death. The new deployments and the death of Soleimani are part of a recent string of escalating interactions between Iran, Iranian-backed forces and the US in Iraq and Syria. On Tuesday, a mob including members of the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia stormed the front gate of the US Embassy compound in Baghdad. The mob was protesting recent US military airstrikes on five Kataib Hezbollah sites in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon quickly sent about 100 Marines from the Kuwait-based Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF)-Crisis Response-Central Command was sent to enhance security at the US Embassy compound in Baghdad. On New Years Day, the Pentagon sent about 750 members of the Armys 82nd Airborne Division to Kuwait. 33D: If you wavered between apples you eat and Apples that can now cost $50,000, this clue refers to the expensive ones (although I still havent priced a cosmic crisp). The computers are usually displayed in a featureless white environment, but theyre showcased by a TECH DEMO. Oh, and they issue electromagnetic radiation, or EMAG, if you were wondering about that. Im beyond thrilled to be making my published crossword debut, no less in The New York Times, and no less on the very first Saturday of the 2020s! ALL ABOUT ME: Im a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, studying Computer Science with a minor in Linguistics. Originally from Deerfield, Illinois, Ive been a puzzler for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I was obsessed with jigsaw puzzles and logic games, and I would create mazes and word puzzles for my friends at school. As I got older, I fell in love with trivia and found myself making Sporcle quizzes as early as age 10. My passion for crosswords only developed the summer before my senior year of high school, when I started solving the Chicago Tribune Sunday crossword with my family. It felt only natural to have a go at making one myself, so here we are now! ON THAT NOTE, I made this puzzle this past summer in a mission to debut the almighty HAMBURGLAR. It was my first accepted puzzle after about a dozen rejections, and only my second go at making a themeless. After seeding the grid with HAMBURGLAR, Im pretty proud of how many lively entries I was able to squeeze in! It feels good to breathe some Gen Z life into the crossword with entries like TURNT, LIKE BUTTON, and TECH DEMO, as well as the clues at 63-Across and 7-Down. Also, as an avid jazz trombonist, I was excited to see the jazzy clues at 34-Across, 53-Across, and 51-Down live on. My apologies to DAK Prescott and BETH Behrs, whose references fell through during the editing process maybe next time! I want to thank my friends and family who have test-solved my puzzles over the past year, my mom for her dependable quality assurance, and my dad without whom YESSIREE BOB would not have been in this puzzle. I also have to thank Katie, the wonderful woman who works at my local post office, for providing constant motivation and encouragement every time I came in to send in a puzzle. I hope you all found my first crossword BEGUILING, and I cant wait to make some more! The United Nations Higher Commission of Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday said that there are 46,395 registered refugees and asylum seekers in Libya, Trend reports citing Xinhua. UNHCR said it conducted 1,224 monitoring visits during 2019 to detention centers across Libya where thousands of refugees are held. Thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe. On Thursday, UNHCR expressed concern for the safety of refugees and asylum seekers at the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF) in the capital Tripoli, following reports of shelling close to the site. The eastern-based Libyan army has been launching a military offensive since early April 2019 in around Tripoli, trying to take over the city and overthrow the rival UN-backed government. Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur (CNN Philippines) - A cyclist Friday died after getting hit by car driven by a police officer along a national highway Labangan town in this province. Investigators identified the victim as Sonnyboy Ramonal. Police said Ramonal was biking with around 20 other cyclists along the highway in Barangay Tawagan Norte when he collided with one of his companions. The victim, along with his bicycle, swerved to the left side of the highway due to the impact of the collision, then slammed into a cruising Isuzu MUX vehicle driven by Police Lt Joseph Novero. The policeman said he was on his way to work at Camp Abelon in Pagadian City when the incident happened. Responders brought Ramonal to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, but he was declared dead by his attending doctor. Novero claimed that he tried to avoid hitting the victim, but he was not able to do so since the other side of the road was occupied by a dump truck. He also apologized to the family of the victim. But Ramonal's family still filed a case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against him. The police officer was being held at the Philippine National Police-Labangan's detention cell. Earlier reports said that a PMF convoy was targeted overnight in Taji, north of Baghdad, amid soaring US-Iran tensions. The Iraqi military and the US-led coalition have denied that a US air strike had taken place on a medical convoy in Taji, north of Baghdad, afrer reports emerged that an attack killed at least six people. Earlier on Saturday, Iraqs state television said an attack took place along Taji Road and that it was targeting a convoy of an Iran-backed militia, but later, Iraqs military denied the reports. The US-led coalition fighting the ISIL (ISIS) group said on Saturday it did not conduct air strikes near Camp Taji. FACT: the coalition @cjtfoir did not conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days, a spokesman said on Twitter. The reports came a day after a drone attack by the United States killed top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, at Baghdad airport, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). The PMF, issued a statement saying that no medical convoys were targeted in Taji. Earlier on Saturday, the group had said an air raid hit a convoy of its medics, and an Iraqi army source also said that six people were killed and three were wounded, according to Reuters news agency. Taji Road, where the reported incident took place, leads to a base belonging to non-US coalition forces, including British and Italian troops, according to Al Jazeeras Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Baghdad. The PMF is an umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, which was legally integrated into Iraqs state security forces. Critics say some of the militias operate independently of Baghdad. Stop a war Saturdays reports come as thousands of people have joined a funeral procession in Baghdad for Soleimani, al-Muhandis, and others who died in Fridays air strike. The procession started in Kadhimiya and headed towards the Green Zone government and diplomatic compound. The convoy snaked its way though a sea of black-clad mourners, some of whom carried portraits of Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The bodies of the Iranians will then be flown on Saturday evening to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. His funeral is due to be held on Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman in central Iran. Commenting on the attack, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to stop a war, not to start one, saying the Iranian military commander was planning imminent attacks on Americans. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel but we caught him in the act and terminated him, Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, Trump said, adding that the US is not seeking to change the government in Iran. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: BJP national general secretary slammed the Opposition for trying to spread falsehood about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for narrow political gains. Speaking at an event titled, A Talk on Citizenship Amendment Act, organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Osmania University on Friday, Madhav said, The Opposition parties are trying to spread falsehood about the Union governments humanitarian gesture towards persecuted minorities in the neighbouring countries. Ram Madhav He alleged that the parties opposing the CAA were not aware of the facts listed out in the Act. He added, They do not even make attempts at knowing these facts. So, they are trying to mislead people. He further took a jibe at the Opposition, saying, Like our water-proof watches, these parties are knowledge-proof. "He claimed that the anti-CAA protests were a way to get back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for winning the Lok Sabha elections with a huge margin. Madhav also said that the country never questioned the religious credentials of Sonia Gandhi and Adnan Sami when they migrated here and that they were given citizenship. Madhav also said that the country would remain secular for a long time. India is a secular country, and will remain so for times to come. I am thinking about it, but I also feel very good about what Ive been able to do with the state Legislature, Lundberg said. Rep. David Hawk, R-Greenville, said Friday that after 17 years with the Tennessee legislature, he was strongly considering a run for Congress. Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, said over the last few days he has received calls from all over East Tennessee about him running for Congress and that he and his family are considering the possibility. Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, said he is also interested in running for the seat, but he would have to do a lot of thought and prayer before making a decision. Whoever goes in has big shoes to fill, Hulsey said. Chris Rowe, a Democrat and Johnson City native, has already confirmed he will run in 2020 for Tennessees 1st Congressional District. The last Democrat who served as congressman for the district was Robert L. Taylor, who was elected in 1878 and served one term. Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport, Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, and Miles Burdine, president and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, said Friday they had no plans to run for the seat. 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. Long gone are the days when education levels weren't inherently tied to income levels. Twenty-first-century teens as young as high school freshmen consider what colleges are available to them sooner rather than later to make a decent living in the long run. Be it grades or moneymany young adults automatically choose the more convenient access to community college to begin their undergraduate education. With 41% of all undergrads in a two-year school, according to the American Association of Community Colleges, Stacker looked to Niche to find out the top community colleges in every state across the country. A historic military response to the east coast bushfire crisis has been mobilised by the Morrison government, which has issued a compulsory call-up to 3000 Australian Defence Force reservists who will work with communities in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Mr Morrison said the posture of the federal government had shifted from reactive to proactive - moving from responding to assistance requests from states to actively leading elements of the bushfire response. There is still a very long way to go and there are clearly communities that need additional help, he said. Mr Morrison said federal governments had "traditionally always acted on the posture of the respond to request" from the states, but the devastating fire season across the country, which has months to run over summer, had spurred a direct intervention from the Commonwealth. Renegade commander Khalifa Haftars call comes a day after parliament in Ankara approves deployment of troops to Libya. Renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar has called on Libyans to take up arms in response to a prospective military intervention from Turkey aimed at shoring up the UN-recognised government in Tripoli. The beleaguered Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, has been under sustained attack since April by Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) supports a rival administration based in the east of the country. Turkeys parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops to Libya after it received a request for military support from Sarrajs government, which is recognised by the international community. We accept the challenge and declare jihad and a call to arms, said Haftar in a televised address on Friday. He urged all Libyans to bear arms, men and women, soldiers and civilians, to defend our land and our honour. He said it was no longer a question of liberating Tripoli from militias, but of facing a coloniser, accusing Ankara of wanting to regain control of Libya, a former province of the Ottoman Empire. The GNA has sought Turkeys support as it fends off an offensive by Haftars forces, which control the east and swept through southern Libya in early 2019. Meanwhile, on Friday Haftars forces said they had carried out air strikes in several places, including south of the city of Sirte and in Tripoli. Sirte lies in the centre of Libyas coastline, on the dividing line between the warring factions. An increase in air strikes and shelling in and around Tripoli has caused the deaths of at least 11 civilians since early December and shut down health facilities and schools, according to the UN mission in Libya. Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from the Libyan capital, said more than a dozen rockets hit Tripoli on Friday. There is a state of panic in the city. People are angry especially those in the areas that were targeted by the rockets, Abdelwahed said. According to the government 20 rockets landed in the city. The airport has been closed and schools suspended in the area that was targeted. It is not the first time this part of the city has been hit by rockets by Haftars forces, he added. Haftars Tripoli offensive quickly stalled in the outskirts of the city but led to increased international involvement in the conflict. Turkey has backed the GNA while Haftar has received support from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Russian military contractors have also been deployed with Haftars Libyan National Army for several months, diplomats and analysts say. There were protests in several cities and towns in eastern Libya against the Turkish parliaments decision. In Benghazi, where about 3,000 people took to the streets, protesters said they had turned out to oppose a Turkish invasion of Libya. The city of Antofagasta relies on a large desalination factory for its supply of clean drinking water. However, the waste from the plant is causing harm to the wildlife in the sea and many are losing their lives in the process. According to Eduardo Munoz, a fisherman in the area, he used to catch twice as many clams as he caught in the present. When desalination started a few years ago, Munoz's catch was not that the same as it was before. He blames that the salt that the plant release back to the sea is what is causing harm to the wildlife in the sea. He dives for clams for a living. He lives in La Chimba, a suburban area in the seaside of Antofagasta in Chile. Desalination is being used by most places all over the world who have a problem with water scarcity. It is common in many areas in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The first plant of the United Kingdom had started its operation in 2010. In the year 2003, the first desalination factory started its operations in the area where Munoz lives. The plant had been pumping 150 liters of clean and drinkable water to solve the problems of the city involving the scarcity of freshwater. The plant had increased its yield and is now the biggest desalination facility in the entire Latin American region. Currently, it produces 1,056 liters of freshwater every second. It supplies 82.50 percent of the potable water in Antofagasta. The remaining 17.50 percent is supplied by the small water reserves of the city. Out of the 600,000 people in Antofagasta, 56.30 percent of the region's drinking water being consumed is from the processed water from its desalination plants. According to a historian in the city named Floreal Recabarren, in the history of the city, water scarcity had always been present. The 90-year-old historian was born in 1927 and had served the people of the city as its mayor some years in the 1960s and 1990s. He had observed first-hand how the city had struggled without sufficient freshwater in the 1950s. During that time, water with chlorine was being delivered through trucks in the city. Many of the old houses in the city still have their water tanks in their house's rooftops. It was where the delivered water was being stored in the 1950s. The region had also largely contributed to the economy of Chile. Deep pits where mining activities were conducted can be seen in the desert areas of the region. The Escondid mine is the biggest-output for copper in the whole world and it is located adjacent to the city. The mining operations in this area in Chile required huge quantities of water. The water reserves of Antofagasta were gradually drained by the mining activities. It was even announced in the year 2000 that the Loa River located in the northern part of the region had run out of water. After these events, the technology involving large-scale desalination had reached the area. Mining operations had set up their desalination plants and pumping the residual products to the sea. Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on Friday claimed that Dr B R Ambedkar had given credit for preparation of the draft of the Constitution to B N Rau, who was a Brahmin. Speaking at the inauguration of the second edition of Mega Brahmin Business Summit, he also claimed that eight out of nine Indian Nobel winners, including economist Abhijit Banerjee, were Brahmins. The summit is taking place at Adalaj near here. Do you know that constitutions of 60 countries were studied and then our draft Constitution was prepared? Do you know who presented that draft to Dr B R Ambedkar? We all take Dr B R Ambedkars name with respect when it comes to the Constitution, Trivedi, a Brahmin himself, said. However, in his (Ambedkars) own words, the draft was prepared by B N Rau -- Benegal Narsing Rau -- a Brahmin, he said at the event, also attended by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. History tells us that Brahmins always stand behind and promote others. It was Rau who kept Ambedkar ahead of him. We are proud of Ambedkar because he admitted this during his speech in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, Trivedi further said. And I quote him: `The credit given to me does not really belong to me. It belongs to B N Rau. Trivedi also claimed that of the eight Indians who won Nobel prize, seven were Brahmins. Do you know a ninth Indian recently received Nobel? Yes, he is Abhijit Banerjee, a Brahmin, he added. The Speaker also cited Delhi fireman Rajesh Shukla who saved 11 persons during a fire in Delhi last month as another exemplary member of the community. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Craig Hiller, an Iowa farmer, had just enjoyed a hot chocolate on Amy Klobuchars campaign bus as it made a stop in the small town of Rockwell City, population just 2,100. Hiller, whose state is the vital first one to cast ballots in the partys nomination race to pick an opponent to Donald Trump, was impressed by the Minnesota senator, a fellow midwesterner who desperately needs a strong showing in Iowa to boost her 2020 presidential campaign. Who we need is someone who someone whos down to earth, who no one can hate, Hiller said on Rockwell Citys Main Street as Klobuchars bus rolled to its next stop in Cherokee county, 50 miles west. I dont know anyone after tonight who fits that better than Amy Klobuchar. That sort of reaction is music to Klobuchars ears as she carried out a gruelling tour through 27 counties in rural Iowa in an attempt to build a groundswell of support through reaching out to the states smallest towns and rural settlements. With this strategy, even a couple dozen attendees counts as a success. On her arrival in Rockwell with temperatures below freezing 25 people including Hiller had piled aboard the big green Amy bus for hot chocolate. Two dozen others had turned out to see the Minnesota senator in tiny Ida Grove that same day, a county that doesnt even have 1,000 registered Democrats. But most striking to Klobuchar was a crowd of around 50 packing the Sac County Cattle Company on a Sunday night just before Christmas. Its where the Republican congressman Steve King, who hails from Kiron, 30 miles south, stumps and dines with family. The proprietor said Klobuchars crowds were at least the size of Kings, or any other Republican who has come calling. Were approaching this like we can win, and all signs are pointing in the right direction Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar said those gatherings are a sign of what to expect on Iowas caucus day on 3 February. Klobuchar sits at about 6% support among probable Iowa caucusgoers, according to the most recent Des Moines Register Iowa poll in October, but a strong debate showing in Los Angeles brought her notice. She says its evidence of momentum, just like the folks coming out to see her in increasing numbers. Story continues Were approaching this like we can win, and all signs are pointing in the right direction, Klobuchar told the Guardian. A crowd that size in Sac City, anywhere in rural America, means something. Im especially glad its in Steve Kings backyard. Klobuchar is blunt about her shared background with Iowas voters. She brags about being from the midwest, and how she can win in rural Minnesota counties that Trump took by 20 points. In the last Democratic debate she took a dig at the location of a rivals fundraiser by saying shes never been to a wine cave, but shes been to a wind cave in South Dakota. A mention of Trump is usually followed with a mention of the tanking of corn and soybean prices from trade wars. Her entire argument is built around electability in midwest swing states such as Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio. Hes treating farmers like poker chips in one of his bankrupt casinos, she said to the delight of her audience at one stop. By contrast, she says she remembers her neighbors saving spare cash in coffee cans growing up. Amy Klobuchar laughs during her introduction at the Marion county Democrats soup luncheon in Knoxville, Iowa, on 17 February 2019. Photograph: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images The question is whether her momentum, which is mainly confined to Iowa, is too little too late. In less than six weeks, caucusgoers will trudge through a frigid night to precinct meetings in schoolhouses and courthouses while she may be chained to Trumps impeachment trial in the US Senate, which is set to start sometime in January and last for an unknown time. To say its an uphill battle would definitely be accurate, even charitable, said Brad Best, a longtime caucus observer and political science professor at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. In an ironic way, her stardom in the Senate will hurt her campaigning in Iowa, where she desperately needs to do well. Related: Bernie Sanders' resurgence has Democrats asking: could he actually win? Yet, there are precedents. John Kerry came from the shadows in 2004 less than two weeks before the caucuses to win, and later secure the nomination. Klobuchar says a doubling of office spaces in Iowa and positive responses in Des Moines Register/CNN Iowa polls are signs of hope. Best says her strongest advantage is that overwhelming majorities of probable caucusgoers have favorable opinions of her and list her in their top three selections. Id say I know Iowans pretty well, and they really like honesty, which is what we arent seeing from the man in the White House, Klobuchar said, citing the 39 counties in Iowa that voted for Trump in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2008. She says people there have a thirst for economic prosperity that can be achieved realistically, not with promises like Medicare for All. She never mentions challengers from the progressive wing by name. We can win them back telling the truth. We can bring those people back. Amy Klobuchar greets people during a campaign stop in Estherville, Iowa, on 27 December 2019. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Congressional candidate JD Scholten, a Sioux City Democrat running against King, likes Klobuchars strategy of dwelling on rural voters. He just capped off a 39-county bus tour of western Iowa in a camper. Scholten said voters in rural areas like Sac City and Rockwell City are easier to organize than in Democratic metro strongholds such as Des Moines or Iowa City. Those who show up in Rockwell City are reliably Democratic and less issue-focused. Rarely do they see a candidate with Klobuchars resume. When they do, they leave with a strong impression. Its a lot easier to get viability in Sac county than Polk county, said Scholten. She recognizes that people are familiar with her. Sac City isnt a long way from the Iowa-Minnesota border. Those who hear Klobuchars message like her focus on the midwest. After the Sac City event, one farmer who declined to offer his name because his landlord is Republican said Klobuchars retelling of family stories from the iron ore mines and farms of northern Minnesota struck him as authentic. Its not a story she picked up from somewhere. Its one you can tell shes from here, shes one of us who faces the same problems we do, he said. The meeting at the UN in New York often looked strained: Getty The decision to withhold military aid to Ukraine came directly from Donald Trump, despite warnings that doing so could be illegal, according to unredacted documents quoting a senior White House official. Redacted portions of internal Trump administration emails reportedly show how officials' efforts to carry out presidential orders to withhold $391 million in assistance to Ukraine continued despite warnings from Defence Department staff that such a hold violated US law. The decision to hold the funds came at the "clear direction" of Mr Trump, said associate director of national security programs Michael Duffey in a 30 August email, which was reported on by experts at New York University Law School's Just Security forum. Mr Trump was impeached by Congress last month for allegedly withholding the aid in return for Ukraine's president announcing investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and a debunked conspiracy theory alleging that Ukraine -- not Russia -- interfered in the 2016 presidential election. Censored copies of nearly 300 emails between Office of Management and Budget officials and Pentagon executives were released to the Center for Public Integrity last month in response to the group's lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act, including one which showed Mr Duffey asking Pentagon comptroller Elaine McCusker to hold off on releasing congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine just 91 minutes after Mr Trump's infamous 25 July phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. But unredacted versions of the emails viewed by Just Security show a reply from Ms McCusker asking Mr Duffey if he'd cleared his instructions with the Pentagon's general counsel's office. Ms McCusker reportedly continued to press Mr Duffey as to the legal justification for the hold, which raised concerns among Defence Department officials who believed withholding the funds without notifying Congress violated a 1974 law that prohibits the president from "impounding" appropriated funds for more than 45 days without permission from the legislative branch. Story continues On August 9, she sent a warning to Mr Duffey that failure to release the funds before August 12 would imperil the Pentagon's ability to legally spend them before the end of Fiscal Year 2019 on October 1. As we discussed, as of 12 AUG I dont think we can agree that the pause will not preclude timely execution. We hope it wont and will do all we can to execute once the policy decision is made, but can no longer make that declarative statement," she wrote, referring to Trump administration talking points which falsely claimed that the hold would not impact whether Ukraine would receive the funds. When Mr Duffey informed Ms McCusker that the hold would continue just under two weeks later on August 26, she again asked him about "the status of the impoundment paperwork" required under that 1974 law, to which Mr Duffey replied: I am not tracking that. Is that something you are expecting from OMB? Ms McCusker responded: Yes, it is now necessary legal teams were discussing last week. In another email to Mr Duffey that day (which was heavily redacted by Trump administration officials) Ms McCusker complained that OMB General Counsel Mark Paoletta appears to continue to consistently misunderstand the process and the timelines we have provided for funds execution," and informed him that both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees were asking about the status of the funds, which had broad bipartisan support. The complaints about the lack of legal justification for the hold continued up until just before 11 September, when the funds were released after the White House learned of the whistleblower complaint which later touched off the House's impeachment inquiry into Mr Trump. In a statement, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the newly-revealed unredacted emails further justify Democrats' calls to have Mr Duffey, White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, former National Security Adviser John Bolton and Mulvaney aide Robert Blair testify at Mr Trump's forthcoming impeachment trial, and called them a "devastating blow" to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's push to hold a quick trial without witness testimony. These emails further expose the serious concerns raised by Trump administration officials about the propriety and legality of the presidents decision to cut off aid to Ukraine to benefit himself," Mr Schumer said. This new evidence also raises questions that can only be answered by having the key Trump administration officialsMick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Michael Duffey and Robert Blairtestify under oath in a Senate trial. "Importantly, that Mr Duffey said there was clear direction from POTUS to continue to hold only further implicates President Trump and underscores the need for the Senate to subpoena the witnesses and documents weve requested at the onset of a trial. "The American people deserve a fair trial that gets to the truth, not a rigged process that enables a cover-up. Read more New calls for Trump trial witnesses after explosive report Trump impeachment: Democrats renew demand for witnesses at trial as Uk White House froze Ukraine aid 90 minutes after Trump-Zelensky call Graham tells Giuliani I hope you know what youre talking about Trump recalls US envoy who condemned decision to withhold Ukraine aid Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc talks to about Vietnams efforts to improve its business environment. Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc. VNA/VNS Photo Do you think the business environment has been improved? Improving the business environment and supporting businesses are consistent policies and targets of the Government. The Government always directs and gives tasks relating to improving the business environment and urges the implementation of those tasks. It considers the results of reform for businesses as a basis to assess work efficiency and the task completion level of leaders of ministries, agencies and localities. Improving business environment quality has never been tasked as resolutely and comprehensively as it is at present. In fact, start-up spirits and trust in the future of business have increased and spread further than in the previous period. This can be seen in the number of newly-registered businesses this year, which reached 138,000. Additionally, Vietnams positions in many international rankings on business environment increased. The word start-up has gradually become more familiar in society. A series of meetings, consultancy events and research activities about foreign investment in Vietnam were organised. Vietnam has become attractive in the eyes of both domestic and foreign investors in the context of global integration and this should be considered an opportunity to promote doing-business aspiration among the business community of Vietnam. What are the reasons behind this progress? I think these results are mainly attributed to the Governments goal to develop the economy rapidly and sustainably. That is also the wish of the whole politburo and each citizen to develop the country quickly and gradually towards prosperity. Of which, the determination, as well as the resolute and comprehensive action from the Government leader to public officials and civil cadres as well as the self-consciousness of each business and production unit are important factors. Specifically, Resolution No 02/NQ-CP issued by the Prime Minister in early 2019 setting targets for improving the business environment and national competitiveness was considered a breakthrough in carrying out reforms for businesses. This is the first time the building of economic institutions was defined clearly, putting Vietnam into a race to improve its business environment following international standards. From which, authorised agencies can review and define the countrys position and what needs to be done to fulfil set targets. Overall, we have simplified and cut more than 50 per cent of business conditions. Authorised agencies got rid of many unreasonable business conditions that acted as barriers for businesses. Will this trend continue in 2020? The year, 2020, will be a year of reforming and building economic institution towards improving quality and practicality. Authorised agencies will strive to soon bring Vietnam into the group of countries with the highest competitiveness in ASEAN; thus supporting businesses more practically. I think in 2020, authorised agencies will focus on creating favourable conditions to welcome the growth of small and micro businesses. The public appreciated the recent meeting between Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and businesses in Hanoi, with a message that the Government, ministries and sectors will accompany businesses. The Prime Minister asked authorised agencies and localities to work together and effectively implement assigned tasks with highest responsibilities. Of which, it is necessary to note the guidance from the Prime Minister that the State will be held responsible if a business withdraws from the market or a brand loses and therefore, a listless and insensitive attitude in dealing with reasonable demands of businesses is unacceptable. As we know, small- and medium-sized businesses as well as micro ones account for 97 per cent of the total number of businesses across the country, which reveals their mission in the countrys economic development. Start-ups at present not only depend on financial capacity and relations with a traditional approach as before, but have gradually embraced creativity and tapped opportunities from the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Businesses should not solely depend on mechanisms and policies, but they themselves need to grow and strive for development. Do you agree? I agree. Businesses need to proactively address their shortcomings, such as backward technology, weak administration, capital shortage and lack of proactive integration. Particularly, there is still a shortage of connections or links between businesses, leading to lonely and awkward situations. Business owners have to define goals and know what to do to complete the targets in the current competitive context. Successful and big businesses need to support smaller ones. It is also necessary for each business to abide by legal regulations and take responsibility for the community. Businesses also need to connect in the common value chain, closely link with national value, share opportunities and proactively become partners to develop together. As the Prime Minister said, businesses violating laws and affecting the business environment are not acceptable and will be strictly punished. VNS/Hanoimoi Streamlined admistrative system required to boost business environment: The World Bank The outlook for Vietnams business environment remains positive but further digitalisation and streamlining of the administrative system are required, a World Bank expert has said. Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dharmapuri Arvind from Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat of Telangana has made a controversial statement regarding the head of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and MP from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi. He has also made vulgar remarks about his beard. He said that 'I warn you (Asaduddin Owaisi) that I will hang you upside down with a crane and cut your beard. I will promote it by sticking your beard to the Chief Minister (K Chandrasekhar Rao).' CM Kejriwal claims, will make Yamuna so clean, that you will be able to take a dip in it BJP MP had earlier attacked Owaisi. On December 27, Dharmapuri questioned Owaisi's declaration of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as communal and unconstitutional whether he wanted to fight for Pakistan and Bangladesh. Dharmapuri said, 'Owaisi says that citizenship law is communal and unconstitutional. As such, he cannot address a public meeting as the Code of Conduct has been implemented in Nizamabad in view of the Telangana municipal elections. I have written letters to the District Collector, Election Commission, and Police.' Chief Minister Yogi gave appointment letter to dependents of martyred soldiers MP Dharmapuri further said, 'Asaduddin Owaisi is coming here to divide the nation. Does he want to fight for people coming from Pakistan and Bangladesh. He is working as an anti-country. A case of treason should be filed against them and sent behind bars forever.' Congress's war in Delhi elections, social media will be monitored from control room Shiv Sena MLA Arjun Khotkar on Saturday refuted talks about the resignation by party legislator and Maharashtra Minister Abdul Sattar. "There is no question of Abdul Sattar tendering his resignation. These rumours are baseless," said Khotkar, adding that Sattar will meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. Earlier today, former MP Chandrakant Khaire had said Sattar is angry over Shiv Sena's decision to support Congress in the Zilla Parishad president elections. Khaire said he had a conversation with Sattar at a hotel here. "I will talk to the media about our conversation at 2 pm," he said. BJP MLA and former Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde was also seen at the hotel. He said that he was visiting the hotel for some personal work. Speaking to media, Sattar's son Sameer Sattar said: "I have no information about this. Only, he can speak about this. I am sure he will speak soon, better to wait and watch." Sattar was among the 36 Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena leaders, who were sworn-in as ministers on December 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 01:33:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close ANKARA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Turkey, a neighbor of Iran, fears escalation of tensions following the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian top commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, a scenario that would destabilize the entire Middle East and beyond. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chaired an emergency security meeting on Friday evening in Istanbul, hours after the killing of the senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Baghdad. Without openly denouncing the attack, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "Turkey is gravely concerned over escalating tensions in the region between the U.S. and Iran." "It is obvious that the U.S. airstrike targeting the convoy of Qassem Soleimani early on Friday will escalate mistrust and instability in the region," the statement added. NATO member Turkey has adopted a neutral policy in the decades-long conflict between Washington and Tehran, not favoring its NATO ally to its eastern neighbor, with whom it has maintained friendly ties and growing economic cooperation despite U.S. and international sanctions. However, Ankara was increasingly concerned and irritated over Iran's military and political interventions in regional conflicts such as Yemen war and especially in Syria, where the neighbors are supporting rival camps in the conflict. Tehran is a supporter of the Syrian government while Ankara has, since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to leave the power and launched three cross-border military operations in northern Syria since 2016, building bases on Syrian soil. Yet Iran and Turkey, alongside Russia, are also engaged in the Astana process aiming to find a political solution to the civil war in Syria. "Iranian influence in Iraq has reached a more troublesome stage than the American occupation itself does," wrote Yasin Aktay, an aide to Turkish president, in a column published on Yeni Safak Daily, blaming Shiite sectarianism for the unrest in Iraq. Aktay described Soleimani as "Iran's biggest Trump card in the Middle Eastern chess game, where he (Soleimani) was in charge of masterminding, organizing and carrying out Iran's operations in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen." After the shocking assassination, Turkish analysts think that Turkey has made it clear that it is determined to remain neutral in the volatile region, warning that an escalation would engulf all nations of the region, without any exceptions. "For the moment, no one knows how this crisis will evolve. But could Turkey maintain its neutrality if things go from bad to worse? It is very difficult to say," Selcuk Colakoglu, head of the Ankara-based think tank Center for Asia-Pacific studies, told Xinhua. "For the moment being, this crisis does not involve Turkey, but if it is forced to choose a side over the other (Iran or U.S.), Turkey would face grave military and economic risks, so it is a real conundrum for Turkey," he said. Turkish stocks fell and state-run banks reportedly intervened to prop up the Turkish lira after the killing of the Iranian general. The main BIST-100 index of shares dropped by 1.9 percent at the close of trading in Istanbul. The lira lost 0.3 percent to 5.97 per dollar, continuing to stay at the lowest levels since May. State-run banks sold between 1 billion U.S. dollars and 1.5 billion U.S. dollars to stem the currency's decline in Turkey which is in a fragile economic recovery from a currency crisis erupted in August 2018. "Putting aside the military and political dimensions of the affair, what would Turkey do if the U.S. decides to impose sanctions on all oil and natural gas imports from Iran? That would have a very negative impact on Turkey," which is a major gas importer of Iran, said former ambassador Uluc Ozulker. Nevertheless, there could also be a benefit for Turkey in this volatile atmosphere, as Washington may want to restore the poor relations and mutual mistrust with Ankara stemming from the Syrian crisis and other differences, in a bid to counterweight on Tehran, experts argued. Colakoglu commented that the U.S. administration could "postpone" current and planned sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems, and may review its decision to exclude Ankara from the F-35 stealth warplane program. "Currently, the mood prevailing in Washington is rather to punish Turkey for its deeds, but this could change in light of recent events with Trump and the Congress putting weight on the idea of improving relations with Ankara," added the expert. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Three charter schools, authorized by Albuquerque Public Schools, were given the green light for another five years. But the schools are expected to create and implement academic turnaround plans. The board unanimously voted in December to approve renewal for William W. and Josephine Dorn Community Charter School, La Academia de Esperanza and Los Puentes Charter School for another five-year term from July 1 to June 30, 2025. The charter schools contracts that will include the turnaround process are expected to be presented to the board in the spring for approval. As part of its contract, schools are required to work on a turnaround plan a new approach in APS for charter schools that need academic improvement. Deborah Elder, executive director of APS Office of Innovation and School Choice, said the schools will be given a framework, but its up to the individual charters to create the plans, which must include academic benchmarks based on how students performed in the 2018-19 school year. It should also include ways the governing council will help improve the school and monitor goals; teacher development, recruitment and retention; and ways to analyze student learning. Elder said the approach has been nationally proven across different types of schools to support student learning. Joseph Escobedo, senior director in the Office of Innovation and School Choice, said the three charter schools were identified for turnaround plans based on academic performance and because they didnt have a clear enough strategy for the future. What do we do when a charter school provides data thats average and an analysis thats average, but provides us with no clear strategic plan of where theyre going in the next five years? Escobedo asked at a committee meeting in December. The idea of the new approach is to maintain a charters autonomy while still having measures of oversight and accountability from its authorizer. If a school doesnt implement or meet targets in its plan, it could face revocation as its part of the charter contract. Since returning from family Thanksgiving in San Diego, Id been trying to bike around Silver Lake almost daily to see what might be of interest. Although colder than I would like, especially on Dec. 11, each ride would usually yield something of interest, hopefully captured with my camera. In doing these rides, as well as occasional drives to my backwaters cabin, one of the things that stood out in both locations was the coming and going of ice. At both sites, it appeared that early winter was arriving in late November, with ice covering most of Silver Lake, as well as the Mississippi waters behind my cabin. But, both also opened again before freezing up in early December for what I anticipated to be a long winter. This got me thinking about how ice forms, as well as thaws, along with some of the other interesting things that water does in cold weather. Raising the temperature of 1 gram of water, or ice, just 1 degree Celsius takes only 1 calorie, but changing zero-degree ice to zero-degree water takes 80 calories of energy. So, for each pound (454 grams) of such ice, it takes about 36,000 calories to melt it. But, herein lies a bit of confusion, as the word "calorie" has two meanings. When referring to the physics of heat loss or gain, the word "calorie" is defined as being the amount of energy to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. But, the word "calorie" we most often use is related to how much energy content there is in various foods or drinks, or how much is burned in different types of exercise. Technically, that word should be kilocalorie, not just calorie, as food calories are 1,000 times more than heat calories. ADVERTISEMENT Im not sure why scientists have let this dual meaning of calories exist, although I suspect the two worlds of food calories and heat calories dont cross over that often. So, a cream-filled Kwik Trip Long John (like I have trouble resisting), has 420 food calories, meaning 420,000 heat calories, packing enough energy to melt about 12 pounds of ice if the doughnut could all be turned into heat energy. Enough on doughnuts back to ice-making and -thawing. Ill begin with the melting of ice, because it is easier for me to understand than making ice, since most know we must add heat one way or another to melt ice. Less easy for me to understand is the heat given off when ice is made, although one way is to feel the heat coming out of a refrigerator when it does its thing. Fortunately, explaining the ebb and flow of ice formation at Silver Lake, or the Mississippi, is fairly easy if one recognizes the energy sources needed to do that. In the case of the backwaters, mostly out of the main-channel river flow, melting is largely due to solar energy and above-freezing winds. Whereas, much of Silver Lake ice melting could be attributed to the flow of Zumbro River water that is above freezing, thus providing some of the heat. Oddly enough, I skeptically read that lake ice begins to melt from the bottom up, as the ice acts like a greenhouse, allowing sun energy to penetrate to heat the water directly below the ice. So now, if I havent got you confused enough, I am going to elaborate on the coldest of my bike rides, but one which yielded interesting discoveries. It was Dec. 11, 3 below zero, with a -19 windchill, but I thought I would give it a try, bundling up but not mummified so I could peddle. I immediately noticed what I would call "popcorn frost" on the lake, undoubtedly formed overnight, as it hadnt been there the day before, and it hadnt snowed. It was very interesting, especially viewed up close. Im not sure what its technical name would be maybe a type of hoarfrost, or just some type of crystallization. But, topping it off were occasional shiny specks on this "frost," due to the rising sun. They sparkled like diamonds, but upon closer examination, with pictures I took, showed them as just bright spots on the "frost." These discoveries made the cold ride worthwhile, although Id forgotten my camera, so I had to go back home and return, after which I discovered a flat tire, requiring a half-mile walk home. So, with these not completely explained phenomena, I am challenging any readers to send me their explanation of the "popcorn frost" and "diamonds," which I will try to pass on in a future column, if it sounds plausible. ADVERTISEMENT Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 19:05:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close John Mbonabukya, an 85-year-old war veteran, is interviewed by journalists during a 195-km walk to honor liberation fighters who won a five-year guerrilla war in 1986 in Wakiso district, Uganda, Jan. 4, 2020. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday began a six-day walk in honor of the country's fighters who won a five-year guerrilla war in 1986. (Xinhua/Hajarah Nalwadda) WAKISO, Uganda, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday began a six-day walk in honor of the country's fighters who won a five-year guerrilla war in 1986. Museveni flagged off the 195-km historic trek code-named "Africa Kwetu", loosely translated "Our Africa", The Great Sacrifice from Galamba in the central district of Wakiso. The president, dressed in full military combat, is leading the veterans, youths and well-wishers in the trek through the seven districts. The trekkers are expected to cover 28 km per day before breaking in the evening over a bonfire at the dotted eight camp sites to remind Ugandans of the heroic exertions of the freedom fighters who volunteered out of patriotism, according to the organizers. Museveni led a similar walk in 1999. Museveni led the five-year guerrilla war that brought him into power in 1986. 03.01.2020 LISTEN A 34-year-old miner Theophilus Nana Wireko Amoah was on Thursday put before the Tarkwa circuit for defrauding by false pretence. He was said to have defrauded one Collins Darko Takyi, an accountant of an amount of 15,000. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of 20,000, with one surety to re-appear on January 31, 2020. Presenting the facts of the case, Police Chief Inspector Faustina Celestina Anaman told the court that the complainant lived at Wassa Akropong in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality, while the accused lives in Accra. She said between 2017 and 2019 the complainant informed the accused person about his plans to travel to the United States of America for further studies at Webster University. The prosecution said the accused on hearing this expressed interest to help the complainant with all the necessary documentation to facilitate his travelling and therefore demanded a cash sum of 15,000. Chief Inspector Anaman said after the amount had been given to the accused, he started giving flimsy excuses, playing hide and seek with the complainant and later disappeared. Prosecution said the complainant made an official report to the Wassa Akropong Police and on September 7, 2019, he had a tip-off that Theophilus had been nabbed at the Kwabenya Police station in Greater Accra region. According to the Prosecution, the complainant quickly informed the Wassa Akropong police who then proceeded to Accra and transferred the accused to Wassa Akropong for interrogation and said after investigations the accused was charged with the offence. ---GNA The Department of Homeland Security may also update the National Terrorism Advisory System to warn of a potential cyberattack from Iran, according to an official familiar with the discussions. The systems bulletins, which are shared among law enforcement throughout the country, had not been updated with that information as of Friday night. Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said that no known specific threats to the nations ports had emerged to warrant an increase in our operating posture. There was also no indication from the Transportation Security Administration that airports were responding to a rising threat. Typically, after an attack or threat is made against the United States, the Department of Homeland Security will host a call with leaders of the 50 states to share information and advise on security protocols. Information on potential threats or leads for investigations are shared through dozens of fusion centers that are partly funded by the department. Homeland security also typically communicates with faith-based or community organizations that may be specifically targeted by a threat. Customs and Border Protection, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for vetting who enters and exits the country, in addition to patrolling the border. The department also oversees the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which will take the lead on communicating with the private sector to prevent a large-scale retaliation from Iran, current and former department officials said. In his tweet, Mr. Krebs referred to a statement issued last summer from his agency warning of a recent rise in malicious cyberactivity directed at United States industries and government agencies by Iranian regime actors and proxies. In that statement from June, Mr. Krebs said Iran did not just aim to steal data and money. What might start as an account compromise, where you think you might just lose data, can quickly become a situation where youve lost your whole network, he said. West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Saturday demanded a probe into the explosion at a fireworks unit in the state that caused four deaths and said the administration should be held accountable as there are allegations that crude bombs were being manufactured there. Four persons, including two women, were killed on the spot and one was seriously injured in an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Naihati in North 24 Parganas district on Friday, police said. "Several deaths in blasts at the factory at Masjidpara, Naihati has pained and shocked me. Allegations that crude bombs were being made in illegal factory warrants intense expert probe. Accountability of all in the administration needs to be fixed promptly," the governor, who has often been at loggerheads with the TMC government in the state, said in a statement. Police has already launched an investigation into the case. Reacting to Dhankhar's statement, the TMC leadership urged him not to make such unwarranted statements and exceed his brief. "The governor should stop making such unarranted statements, " TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said. TMC leader of the party in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay said he would take up the role played by the governor during the budget session of Parliament. "We will seek a reply from the Centre on the role played by the governor," Bandopadhyay said. The state BJP leadership echoed the views of the governor and demanded a "proper investigation" into the incident. "We demand a proper investigation into the incident to bring out the truth. There have been previous instances where explosion took place in illegal bomb making factories," BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said hinting at the Khagragarh blast of October 2014 for which a number of Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh activists were arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A furious firefighter has told Scott Morrison to get f***ed before collapsing on the ground from exhaustion. The unnamed man pulled his fire truck over to the side of the road in Nelligen, on the NSW South Coast, to deliver the blunt message to the prime minister. 'Are you from the media?' the man shouted. When the cameraman confirmed he was from a news outlet, the fed up firefighter yelled: 'Tell the prime minister to go and get f**ked from Nelligen.' The fighter fighter's female colleague echoed his sentiments for the nation's leader, shouting directly to the camera: 'Stand down now'. Moments later, the fireman collapsed to the ground next to the road. The unnamed man pulled his fire truck over to the side of the road in Nelligen, on the NSW South Coast, to deliver the blunt message to the prime minister Moments later, the exhausted fireman collapsed to the ground next to the road 'I've already lost seven homes, I'm not going to lose another,' the exhausted fireman told the cameraman. The criticism for Mr Morrison comes amid growing outrage over the prime minister's handling of the bushfire crisis. Mr Morrison was slammed for secretly jetting off to Hawaii for a family holiday in late December as the bushfires worsened. Then last Thursday, when visiting Cobargo on the NSW south coast, he walked away from a distraught resident. The prime minister was filmed approaching a young woman and forcing her to shake his hand before walking away when she demanded better funding for the NSW Rural Fire Service. The woman, Zoey Salucci-McDermott, later said the interaction broke her heart. The prime minister was filmed approaching a young woman in Cobargo and forcing her to shake his hand before walking away when she demanded better funding for the NSW Rural Fire Service Mr Morrison on Saturday was asked why he turned his back on the 20-year-old pregnant mother. 'There were quite a number of people who were there, and other people were wanting to talk to me as well, which is what I went and did,' the Liberal leader told reporters in Canberra. 'What she spoke to me about was the need for more local fire brigade support. That's what she raised with me when I was talking to her and I went on to meet a number of other people.' NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has also called out the prime minister. He accused Mr Morrison's government of stalling on plans to increase funding for a national aerial firefighting fleet. Poll Are you happy with Scott Morrison's handling of the bushfire crisis? Yes No Unsure Are you happy with Scott Morrison's handling of the bushfire crisis? Yes 617 votes No 4043 votes Unsure 270 votes Now share your opinion He said at a Sydney press conference on Friday that a proposal for ongoing funding was submitted 18 months ago but had still not been implemented. 'We need to ensure that we have a locked-in budget so we can secure more long-term arrangements around funding and leasing,' he said. 'We haven't seen a positive response to that business case. The business case has been with the federal government for 18 months at least.' Meanwhile, authorities fear there's been 'significant damage and destruction' in NSW with dozens of buildings potentially lost as a number of bushfires continue to create emergency conditions across southern parts of the state. Mr Fitzsimmons on Saturday night said they were starting to hear of properties alight as firefighters continued to battle extreme bushfires. He believed property losses could run into the dozens. Residents look on as flames burn through bush on Saturday (pictured) in Lake Tabourie on NSW's south coast. A state of emergency has been delcared across the state Firefighters struggle with strong winds in the NSW town of Nowra (pictured) in an effort to save nearby houses from bushfires 'Right across these fire grounds we are increasingly getting reports of significant damage and destruction,' he told ABC TV. 'Some areas alone are reporting at least 15 properties alight in some locations.' RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers late on Saturday night said properties were believed to be lost in the Batlow area and North Nowra, and there were also reports of properties impacted at Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands. He told ABC TV there were a lot of problems in the Snowy Mountains region, while a fire that had come across the Victorian border was threatening the southern town of Eden. Firefighters are focused on saving what they can as a southerly change sweeps up the coast from the Victoria border and fire-generated thunderstorms worsen the situation. Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier on Saturday evening warned people facing extreme bushfires 'it's not safe to move, it's not safe to leave these areas'. The situation was 'very volatile' with southerly winds gusting up to 80km/h as the change moved up the coast. It was expected to reach Sydney about midnight and Taree about 5am Sunday. 'Conditions are deteriorating rapidly,' the Bureau of Meteorology tweeted. 'The gusty forecast southerly is pushing north and will continue along the coast tonight. Smoke plumes are triggering storms.' A wind gust of 128 km/h was recorded at Cabramurra in the western Snowy Mountains. It also recorded an incredible top temperature of 69.8C at 4.30pm. 'The situation appears to be that an intense pyro-cumulonimbus cloud formed above an intense fire to the east of Cabramurra during the afternoon,' the bureau said in a statement explaining the temperature spike. NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean said power could be turned off to parts of the state after bushfires destroyed transmission lines in the Snowies. People stand next to their goat as bushfires burn, in Narooma, NSW on Saturday (pictured) as hundreds are left with an uncertain future 'There may be a need to turn off power in parts of the network to keep the overall system secure,' the minister said in a statement. Some 143 fires were burning across NSW on Saturday night. Twelve were at emergency warning level in southern NSW at 9pm while 10 were at 'watch and act'. Some 3600 firefighters were on the ground battling blazes while hundreds of others were pre-positioned to tackle any new outbreaks. The mercury climbed to 48.9C in Penrith - a new record for the Sydney basin beating the previous mark of 47.8C recorded in Richmond in 1939. Hospitals in Batlow, Pambula and Tumut were evacuated as were healthcare facilities in Tumbarumba and Delegate. A statewide total fire ban is in place on Sunday while a week-long state of emergency - the third in as many months - continues. Eight people, including a firefighter, have died in NSW in the past week. Another man, seriously burnt in a bushfire in November, died in hospital last Sunday. Satellite view of the Camp Fire in California in 2018. The Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history, burning nearly 14,000 homes and killing 85 people. Photo: Maxar / USA TODAY By Jim Sergent 27 December 2019 (USA TODAY) The end of each decade affords us a chance to look at our world from the proverbial 30,000-foot view and see how weve changed. With the help of Maxar, a provider of advanced, space-based technology solutions, Google and NASA, weve taken many more steps back more than 300 miles above Earth to be exact. That perspective reveals some engineering marvels stoked by commerce and others driven by international power struggles. The views help us see how our technological advances could put us at risk in the decades to come. [] As the structures and global economy grew during the decade, so did the levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and the intensity of our climate events. Each year has brought new highs in carbon dioxide the greenhouse gas most responsible for global warming. Three hurricanes in 2017 are among the five costliest weather and climate disasters in U.S. history. Hurricane Harvey dropped record-breaking amounts of rain more than 40 inches in areas around Houston aided by unusually warm water in the Gulf of Mexico. Satellite view of Simonton, Texas on 30 August 2017, before and after Hurricane Harvey. Photo: Maxar / USA TODAY We show, for the first time, that the volume of rain over land corresponds to the amount of water evaporated from the unusually warm ocean, said Kevin Trenberth of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Seawater in the Gulf was nearly 86 degrees, which helped boost Harveys intense rainfall. Harvey took 89 lives and caused $130 billion in damage, according to NOAA. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Irma devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands St. John and St. Thomas as a Category 5 storm before making landfall at Cudjoe Key, Florida, as a Category 4 storm. The storm killed 97 people and cost $52 billion. The biggest loss of human life came 10 days later when Hurricane Maria made landfall in southeast Puerto Rico. The storm left 2,981 dead a toll that took months to determine and cost $93.6 billion. The Camp Fire in 2018 was the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history, burning nearly 14,000 homes and killing 85 people. PG&E, whose equipment ignited the fire, said recently that its looking into technology-based solutions to the pressing problem of wildfires, which have become increasingly destructive for a number of reasons, including climate change, a major contributor to vegetation drying and becoming more combustible. [more] A decade of change from 300 miles above She said the group doesnt make any decisions, and there are no written agendas created or minutes taken for meetings. These are informal meetings to make sure that committees and the board are prepared with needed information and that we have requested all necessary staff or contractors to be in attendance to answer questions and provide information, she said, adding that she is committed to transparency in decision-making. She did not respond to email inquiries asking what benefits there are to having the meetings in private. Sup. Dave Ripp told Konkel that he attended the meetings beginning June 13, after he became chairman of the countys Public Works and Transportation Committee. We look at the board agenda for the next week and let the board chair know if we feel anything on that agenda is controversial or if we had a lot of discussion on an item in our committee meeting, he said. If there is a controversial item we may ask questions. He said there are no votes in the chairs meetings and he hasnt been asked his opinion or how he plans to vote on anything. By Lawrence W. Reed A hundred years agoon January 3, 1920Americans woke up to discover just how little their own government regarded the cherished Bill of Rights. During the night, some 4,000 of their fellow citizens were rounded up and jailed for what amounted, in most cases, to no good reason at all and no due process, either. Welcome to the story of the Palmer Raids, named for their instigator, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Though largely forgotten today, they shouldnt be. They constituted a horrific, shameful episode in American history, one of the lowest moments for liberty since King George III quartered troops in private homes. The terror during the night of January 2-3, 1920, shocked and frightened many citizens. In her 1971 book, Americas Reign of Terror: World War I, the Red Scare, and the Palmer Raids, Roberta Strauss Feuerlicht wrote: [T]error is not just a body count. Terror exists when a person can be sentenced to years in prison for an idle remark; when people are pulled out of their beds and arrested; when 4,000 persons are seized in a single night; and when arrests and searches are made without warrants. Moreover, for each person sent to prison for his views, many others were silenced. The author amply documents the governments insensitivity to civil liberties during this period, its frequent brutality and callousness, and the personal grief that ensued. The targets of the Palmer raids were radicals and leftists deemed by the Wilson administration to be hostile to American values. Ironically, none of those arrested had done anywhere near as much harm to those values as the man living in the White HouseWoodrow Wilson, arguably the worst of the countrys 45 presidents. More on that and the Palmer Raids after some background. A War on Democracy This wasnt the first time the government in Washington had trampled the Bill of Rights. No less than the administration of John Adams, an American founding patriot, briefly shut down newspapers and dissenting opinion with its Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798. Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus and arrested thousands of political opponents in Northern states. The most immediate precedents for the Palmer Raids were wartime measures of the same administration just a few years before. Wilson campaigned for re-election in 1916 on a boast that he had kept us out of war even as he authorized non-neutral aid for Britain and France. He then feigned surprise when Germany declared unrestricted warfare on ships carrying supplies to its enemies. It was the pretext for American entry into World War I in April 1917. Wars are dirty but crusades are holy, writes Feuerlicht, so Wilson turned the war into a crusade. The conflict became the war to end all wars and a war to make the world safe for democracy while the president made war on democracy at home. America was formally at war for only a week when Wilson created the Committee on Public Information (CPI). Its job was to convince Americans the war was right and just. A national venture in thought control, it bludgeoned the people with Wilsons view until it became their view, as well. It was government propaganda on a scale never before seen in the US, flooding the country with CPI-approved war news, speakers, school materials, posters, buttons, stickersthe works. Two months later, under intense pressure from the White House, Congress passed the Espionage Act. Any person who made false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the official war effort could be punished with 20 years in jail or a fine of $10,000 (at least a quarter-million in todays dollars), or both. It was amended in May 1918 by the Sedition Act, which made it a crime to write or speak anything disloyal or abusive about the government, the Constitution, the flag, or a US military uniform. Wilson pushed hard for Congress to give him extraordinary powers to muzzle the media, insisting to The New York Times that press censorship was absolutely necessary to public safety. According to Christopher M. Finan in his 2007 book, From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America, a blizzard of hostile editorials killed that in Congress, fortunately. The Post Office began destroying certain mail instead of delivering it. Wilsons attorney general at the time, Thomas Watt Gregory, strongly encouraged Americans to spy on each other, to become volunteer detectives and report every suspicion to the Justice Department. In a matter of months, the department was receiving about 1,500 accusations of disloyalty every single day. Postmaster General Albert S. Burleson jumped into the cause with both feet, ordering that local postmasters send him any publications they discovered that might embarrass the government. The Post Office began destroying certain mail instead of delivering it, even banning certain magazines altogether. An issue of one periodical was outlawed for no more reason than it suggested the war be paid for by taxes instead of loans. Others were forbidden because they criticized our allies, the British and the French. Throughout the war and long after it ended, [Burleson] was the sole judge of which mailed publications Americans could or could not read, writes Feuerlicht. Individuals were hauled into court for expressing reservations about Wilson or his war. One of many examples involved one Reverend Clarence H. Waldron, who distributed a pamphlet claiming the war was un-Christian. For that, he was sentenced to 15 years. In another case, a filmmaker named Robert Goldstein earned a 10-year prison award for producing a movie about the American Revolution, The Spirit of 76. His crime? Depicting the British in a negative light. They were allies now, so that sort of thing was a no-no. Of the roughly 2,000 people prosecuted under the Espionage and Sedition Acts, not a single one of them was a German spy. They were all Americans whose thoughts or deeds (almost none of them violent) ran counter to those of the man in the big White House. Hundreds were deported after minimal due process even though they were neither illegal immigrants nor convicted criminals. The famous socialist, union activist, and presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs found himself crosswise with Wilson for opposing both the draft and the war. In April 1919, five months after the war ended, he was convicted of seditious speech, sentenced to ten years in prison, and denied the right to vote for the rest of his life. Sometime later, when Debs heard that Wilson would refuse to pardon him, he poignantly responded, It is he [Wilson], not I, who needs a pardon. A Night of Terror Allow me to digress for a moment on the Debs case because it brings to mind a current controversy. President Trump was impeached by the House last month because he allegedly tried to cripple a political opponent by pushing for an investigation into that opponents possible corruption. But there was hardly a peep from the media in 1919, even though Debs ran for president four times before and would run yet again, and Wilson himself was flirting with the idea of running for a third term in 1920. Hostilities in Europe ended in November 1918, but the Wilson administrations assault on civil rights continued. Wilsons health eventually precluded another run, but Debs ran from his prison cell and garnered more than 900,000 votes. Wilson never pardoned Debs, but Republican President Warren G. Harding did. Hostilities in Europe ended in November 1918, but the Wilson administrations assault on civil rights continued. With the Germans vanquished, the new pretext to bully Americans became known as the Red Scarethe notion that communists under the influence of the new Leninist regime in Moscow were the big threat in the country. Meantime, in March 1919, Wilson hired a new attorney generalA. Mitchell Palmerwho was determined to tackle it one way or another, especially after two attempted bombings of his home. Palmer was just what Wilson was looking for: young, militant, progressive and fearless, in the presidents own words. The first of the two biggest Palmer Raids occurred on November 7, 1919. With Palmers newly appointed deputy J. Edgar Hoover spearheading the operation, federal agents scooped up hundreds of alleged radicals, subversives, communists, anarchists, and undesirable but legal immigrants in 12 citiessome 650 in New York City alone. Beatings, even in police stations, were not uncommon. Palmer later said, If . . . some of my agents out in the field . . . were a little rough and unkind, or short and curt, with these alien agitators . . . I think it might well be overlooked. He pointed to a few bombings as evidence that the sedition problem was huge and required decisive action. January 2, 1920when the largest and most aggressive batch of Palmer Raids was carried outwas a night of terror: about 4,000 arrests across 23 states, often without legitimate search warrants and with the arrestees frequently tossed into makeshift jails in substandard conditions. Leftists and leftist organizations were the targets, but even visitors to their meeting halls were caught up in the dragnet. No friend of liberty then or now, The Washington Post opined, There is no time to waste on hairsplitting over infringement of liberties. A few smaller raids were conducted, but nothing on the scale of January 2-3. Palmer thought he would ride the Red Scare into the White House, but he lost his bid for the Democratic Partys nomination later that year. Meantime, the courts largely nullified his dirty work. By June 1920, the raids were history. In the fall, the Democrats lost big as Republican Warren Harding ushered in an era of normalcy. Its hard to find any lingering trace of the subversive work the Palmer Raids were ostensibly intended to combat. Thousands were arrested when actual crimes were committed by a relative few. Certainly, none of the arrested Americans gave us a progressive income tax or a central bank or violations of free speech and due process. It was Woodrow Wilson and his friends who gave us all that, and much more mischief. Let us remember the Palmer Raids and the administration that carried them out as black marks against American liberty, hopefully never to be repeated. This article was sourced from The Free Thought Project. Thousands of mourners have joined the formal funeral processions for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and several others killed in a US air strike in Iraqs capital, Baghdad. Dressed in black and raising the flags of the powerful paramilitary umbrella group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces or PMF), the large crowds first gathered near the Shia shrine of Kadhimiyya in Baghdad to pay their respects to the dead. Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and mastermind of its regional influence, was killed early on Friday near Baghdads international airport in an air strike ordered by United States President Donald Trump. Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also killed in the attack. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US embassy in Baghdad, angry at US air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah a member of the umbrella organisation positions in Iraq and Syria. Al-Muhandis had been among the crowds of PMF members and supporters. We are here to mourn the death of these brave fighters, Soleimani and Muhandis, 34-year-old Amjad Hamoud, who described himself as a member of the PMF, told Al Jazeera. Both of them sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Shia world and for the sake of Iraq, he added. The mourners, most of whom are supporters of the PMF, marched through the Green Zone where government offices and foreign embassies, including the US embassy, are based. As the body of Soleimani reached the crowds, mourners who had gathered in Baghdad to receive him, marched along with the convoy chanting, you never let us down, in reference to the late Quds Force leader. Iraqs prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi who stepped down in November after to mass anti-government protests that started in early October but who remains in office in a caretaker capacity, attended the funeral processions. Also attending were several powerful Shia leaders including former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who now leads the State of Law Coalition and has close ties with Iran. Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Fateh bloc and and closely tied to the PMF, Shia scholar Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma parliamentary bloc, and Faleh Fayyad, head of the Hashd al-Shaabi, were also at the processions. Mohannad Hussein, media representative of the PMF, which organised the funeral processions, told Al Jazeera that the crowds will end their march at Hurriya Square in central Baghdad for members of the public to pay their final respects before the bodies are taken to the holy Shia city of Karbala where funeral prayers will be held later on Saturday. Karbala is the base of Iraqs top Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani who condemned the US attack and called on all parties to exercise restraint in a statement from his office for the Friday sermon. Hussein said the bodies will then be taken to the holy Shia city of Najaf where al-Muhandis will be buried later on Saturday along with other Iraqis killed in the attack. The body of Soleimani will be flown to Tehran for funeral processions on Sunday. Iran is observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei promised to exact harsh revenge for the targeted killing. Ready to fight Some of the mourners called on Iraq and the PMF to respond to the attack, saying it violated Iraqi sovereignty and targeted their fighters. We want the Hashd and the Iraqi government to respond to the US attack in an appropriate manner, said Ali, 24, who described the killings as very painful. If a political response isnt enough, then militarily one is necessary, he added. This is a very sad day for all of us. But each fighter [in the PMF] considers himself a martyr and so we are ready to give up our lives like our leaders did, said Hussein. The US has opened a new chapter in its relations with Iraq and made clear that it is the real enemy, said Hussein. As part of the military, the Hashd al-Shaabi will do what the government orders us to do. We are ready to fight, he added. The Iran-backed PMF was integrated into Iraqs armed forces last year, but critics say that some factions continue to operate independently of Baghdad. Tense times 200103194641010 Iraq is poised for a tense period ahead, according to analysts, as top Shia leaders many of whom are expected to attend the processions warned of repercussions following the attack. Iraqs prominent Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr called on his militias (Army of Imam Mahdi) and other national and disciplined armed groups to be prepared to protect Iraq, adding that the killing of Soleimani will not weaken Iraqs resolve. Qays al-Khazali, head of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq armed faction part of the PMF said all fighters should be on high alert for upcoming battle and great victory. An end to Israel-US presence in the region will result from the assassination of Soleimani and Muhandis, al-Khazali said in a statement published by Iraqi media. This is a dangerous time for Iraq as it moves into a period of greater instability and uncertainty, Renad Mansour, head of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House told Al Jazeera. Mansour said Iraq would witness changes in the coming days. The Iraqi parliament will most likely ask US forces to leave Iraq, while the US may become antagonist vis-a-vis Baghdad, explained Mansour. Iraqs parliament is due to sit on Sunday to discuss the US air strike after Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called on lawmakers to hold an emergency session and address the killings of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, which he called a violation of sovereignty. Wont apologise to fools: Babul Supriyo in a verbal spat with Muslim student India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Kolkata, Jan 04: A verbal spat has erupted between union minister Babul Supriyo and a Muslim college student in which he has threatened on social media to pack off the youth to "his own country" for his post seeking to know the BJP MP's "education level". The student, Mustafizur Rahman said on Friday that he wanted nothing but an "unconditional apology" in public from the BJP leader. The union minister returned the fire by accusing Rahman of being a "serial offender" and saying that he "does not need to apologise to fools". Supriyo also said that his comments had nothing to do with the student's religion. WB: After Babul Supriyo, Debashree Chowdhuri faces protest by TMC in cyclone-hit dist The matter came to light on December 26 when Supriyo shared a post on the social media advocating CAA and criticised the act of a female JU student, who tore up the first page of the contentious legislation at the annual convocation of the university while receiving her gold medal on December 24. The next day Rahman commented on Supriyo's Facebook post and questioned the educational qualifications of Supriyo and BJP state president Dilip Ghosh. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 "Babul-da (dada) how educated are people like you can be gauged from the fact that your mentor (state president) Dilip Ghosh spots gold in cow milk," Rahman said in his comment on Supriyo's post. To this Supriyo restored "Mustafizur Rahaman let me first pack you off to your country, then will send the reply in post card". The comment triggered a wave of protests. Rahman, who is a final year student of chemistry at a college at Ilambazar in Birbhum district, in a prompt rejoinder said, "I am in possession of enough proof about my identity as Indian and Bengali. You don't know how to respect Bengalis and still you are the MP of the state..... Are you drinking cow urine regularly?" The youth has received the support from a number of netizens and organisations like 'Jatiya Bangla Sammelan' after screenshots of the comments went viral on social media since December 27. He told PTI, "I had merely made a comment whether people like Babul Supriyo and Dilip Ghosh have the authority to make adverse comments about the individual decision of a gold medalist to protest against CAA at the annual convocation of an educational institution." Attack on Babu Supriyo: Cops stop ABVPs rally, agitators pelt stones Referring to the stinging remarks by the union minister against him, Rahman said "It was an outrageous comment by a minister who has taken the oath to protect the Constitution. He cannot discriminate 130 crore Indians on the basis of caste and religion. "I was born and brought up here. I only demand an unequivocal public apology from him on social media and through statement - nothing less nothing more," he said. Reacting to the youth's demand for an apology, Supriyo claimed that Rahman is a "serial offender" on social media. "He (Rahman) could have told me whatever he wanted to. I had made the comment with a pinch of salt. Those who are fools won't understand my comment. It has nothing to do with Hindus or Muslims. I don't need to apologize to fools," Supriyo said. "Why did he(Rahman) bring in Dilip Ghosh in the conversation? Whoever makes an abusive comment on my Facebook or Twitter page I just block that person. I have blocked Rahman too," he said. Ghosh had courted controversy in November 2019 for saying that Indian cow milk contains traces of gold and that is the reason the colour is yellow. He later sought to justify it by saying it was backed by conclusions of research taking place in foreign countries. Jatiya Bangla Sammelan, which promotes the cause of the Bengali community, organised a protest rally at Jadavpur area of the city on Thursday in protest against Supriyo's comments and burnt an effigy of the Asansol MP. "We have undertaken a signature campaign in protest against the venomous comment of Babul Supriyo and will submit a letter with the signatures to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar very soon," Siddhabrata Das of the outfit told PTI on Friday. "We will urge the governor to forward the letter to the Centre to let it know how pained and anguished the people of Bengal are over Babul Supriyo's comments," he added. He also has to forfeit 25 properties in Oregon and California and more than $16 million in Tesla stock. Here's how much time he'll serve. When he saw the footage of Morrisons reception in Cobargo, English broadcaster Piers Morgan, normally a reliable friend to populist conservatives, tweeted he got what he deserved ... absolutely unconscionable for a Prime Minister to holiday in Hawaii as his nation burns. By now, NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott, at the time of writing still declining to take calls as he returns from a European jaunt that began after the deaths of NSW volunteer firefighters, must feel some relief that he has no international profile. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: In truth though, the world began to pay attention to the Australian conflagrations and its climate change recalcitrance even before the excruciating footage of Morrisons visits to firegrounds leaked over the wires. On New Years Eve, New York Magazine published a piece about lamenting the global response to the fires that likened Morrison to Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro in embodying climate change denial. Two days later, The Economist noted Morrisons lethargic approach to climate change. On December 23, Al Jazeera reported: "Australia's government is resisting growing calls for a more ambitious response to climate change, even as the country battles devastating bushfires triggered by record temperatures that have sent air pollution to critical levels." Loading It noted that Australia releases 1.3 per cent of the world's greenhouse gases ... its population accounts for 0.3 per cent of the world's inhabitants. In a feature published just after Christmas, The Washington Post charted the terrible damage already wrought upon Australias environment by climate change. On land, Australia's rising heat is apocalyptic'. In the ocean its worse, read the headline. It recounted how flying foxes and possums were falling dead out of trees in heat waves, how the giant kelp forests of Tasmania had already been obliterated. This is happening even though average atmospheric temperatures in Australia have yet to increase by 2 degrees Celsius, it reported. Australia also captured global attention during the most recent United Nations climate change talks in Madrid in early December, known as COP25, which were widely seen as a dismal failure in the face of existential global threat. In this international ring, Australia punched well above its weight, identified as one of the nations most responsible for wrecking any chance of securing a meaningful outcome alongside giants like Brazil and the United States. In a piece entitled The winners were the brakemen, Die Welt explained to German readers how Australia had insisted on double-counting old emissions cuts to meet new commitments. "Countries such as Australia, Brazil and the USA have blocked and delayed the UN climate protection process in Madrid. The growing will in many countries to stop global warming with decisive action could not prevail here because of the unanimity principle, Michael Schafer, head of Climate and Energy at the environmental organisation WWF Germany, told German broadcaster Welt. Reimund Schwarze, environmental economist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, spoke of the talks as a "long tragedy". Prime Minister Scott Morrison's approach to climate change has been called lethargic. Credit:AAP Australia played its part in this failure with proposals that would have rendered any agreement practically useless, wrote James Dyke of the University of Exeter in The Independent newspaper. But its continual production of coal is more destabilising. It's no surprise that coal mining corporations want to continue coal mining. But the fact that certain Australian political parties and sections of the media strongly promote coal should be a source of immense shame. The greatest gift they could give to Australians and the rest of the world would be to radically rethink their ideological attachment to this fossil fuel. The diplomatic cost of Australias determination to defend its coal industry in the face global efforts to cut greenhouse emissions is significant, broad and so far incalculable, says Herve Lemahieu, the director of the Lowy Institute's Asian Power and Diplomacy Program, an ongoing project that measures shifting national power dynamics across our region. Speaking from London, he said that as a result of coverage of Australias performance in Madrid and of the bushfires Australia is now seen in a different, darker light across Europe. Where once it existed in the popular imagination as a place of almost pristine natural beauty, it is now viewed as the Western nation most ravaged by climate change. Its reputation as a global citizen has been irrevocably tarnished. NSW RFS firefighters work through the night. Credit:Kate Geraghty The global media has made a link between Australias protection of its coal industry and its climate policy. The cat is out of the bag, says Lemahieu. The impact of this new understanding of Australia will not only damage our effectiveness in future climate negotiations, it will hurt all Australian diplomatic efforts, he says. Loading Australia is currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the EU, he explains. That will have to be ratified by the EU parliament and by some EU nations. Support for [a free trade agreement with Australia] is going to face a democratic test among populations that have made that link. Tim Buckley, the director of Energy Finance Studies at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, says his frustration at the governments intransigent defence of increasingly technologically obsolete thermal coal (coal burnt for energy rather than steel manufacturing) at the cost of effective climate change policy and international reputation is compounded by his view that the industry has commenced its drawn-out death throes, sustained by political muscle rather than economic reality. Coal power's defenders point to a recent uptick in imports to China and India and the long-term potential of customers such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam. Buckley concedes China and India will continue to buy Australian coal in the short term as they seek to maintain economic growth at up to 6 or 7 per cent annually. But both have made clear their intention to first transition to domestic coal as fast as they can build the necessary infrastructure while concurrently decarbonising their economies in line with the rest of the world. A Bloomberg analysis published on December 23 predicted misery for Australian coal exporters as China cut imports. Loading He says the coal-fired power generation of those other nations mentioned as long-term customers is wholly dependent on subsidies from nations financing and constructing their coal sectors mainly China, South Korea and Japan. Both South Korea and Japan, he says, are already showing signs that they want to abandon the sector. Buckley argues that the thermal coal industrys tipping point has already passed, missed by its champions in Morrisons government but already factored in by global money markets. US coal stocks dropped an average 50 per cent in 2019 while Exxon remained flat in a US equity market that rose 28 per cent overall, meanwhile the share price of the worlds largest investor in renewables, the US utility Nextera Energy, leapt by 42 per cent. Banks and insurers around the world among them ANZ, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs are increasing restrictions on their dealings with thermal coal and coal-fired power generation operations. Divestment from fossil fuel is being turbo-charged by the rise of institutional shareholder activism. The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change now has a combined $24 trillion in assets under management, and is developing a practical and useable framework for investors to be able to understand what it would mean for a pension fund to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement. In other words, it is developing a practical guide for its members to use in dumping coal. Loading Later this month, Morrison had planned to India in order to help sell more coal. That trip might now not go ahead. Buckley reckons he would have received a polite welcome, not least because India is keen on Australian LNG. He might have even helped sell more coal for a few more years. But it would be delusional, says Buckley, to believe that Australia will get to choose how and when it transitions from coal. The rest of the world will make that decision for us, and it could do so suddenly. Tipping points can be easy to miss in financial markets, says Buckley. In part, this is because they are by nature sudden and dramatic. In part, it is because it is so tempting to keep basing forecasts on historical trends. You can get away with that for years, he says, until it makes you look like a fool. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: As many as seven people were detained by city police after flash protests rocked the Charminar area following Friday prayers at Mecca Masjid. Hundreds of locals from the area staged a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR). According to the police, seven people had to be taken into preventive custody as no permission had been accorded for the protest, and as they not cooperate with the police despite repeated announcements to disperse. While two persons were picked up by Hussaini Alam police, the rest were detained by Moghulpura police. All seven have been released. The protest unfolded soon after the Friday prayers, with people hitting the streets towards Moghulpura fire station. Anticipating such a demonstration, the police had already stationed themselves in civilian clothes inside the mosque and around the area. A Rapid Action Force was also deployed in the area and movement was also restricted. Meanwhile, flash protests were also witnessed in other parts of the city, including near the Shahi Masjid, where the national flag was distributed after prayers and anti- CAA/NRC/NPR slogans were raised. Another protest was organised at Jama Masjid Nana Bagh in Basheerbagh. At SYJ Complex at Pathergatti, several citizens stood with placards demanding rollback of CAA. Vodacom had a great 2019, reaching a number of important milestones, and has goals to cut prices in 2020, the network told MyBroadband. Its achievements include reaching Level 1 BEE status, increasing its investment in network infrastructure, and reducing the cost to communicate. This is a highly capital-intensive industry, which means investing in the right technologies at the right time is a competitive advantage and is an area that enables us to deliver an exceptional customer experience in all of our markets, said Vodacom. It sees this through the likes of customer NPS leadership scores as well as being named South Africas leading network in customer satisfaction rankings. When it comes to its mobile business in South Africa, reducing the cost to communicate is also a major metric for Vodacoms progress. Reducing data prices For Vodacoms Consumer Business Unit, improving customer experience and driving down the cost to communicate remain the most pressing priorities, Vodacom said. This year we reduced out-of-bundle tariffs by up to 70% as well as reduced monthly bundle tariffs by circa 25%. This includes a 33% reduction in our monthly 1GB bundle through our MyVodacomApp, all of which has contributed to a 50% decline in effective data rates since March 2016. The company added that another important factor was driving down the price of mobile devices. Hence, we launched a 4G smart feature phone called the Vodacom Vibe 4G, it said. It retails for R299 and also drives smartphone penetration while helping to bridge the digital divide, giving customers the ability to connect with their loved ones via social media. Additionally, the company saw impressive growth in its OTT divisions with Video Play reaching 1 million people and MyMuze growing to 5.6 million subscribers. Technology and partnerships Vodacom has led the way in many technical innovations and partnerships over the last year, it added. We were first to launch support for eSIM devices in South Africa, allowing users with eSIM-enabled devices to connect to the Vodacom network, Vodacom said. Our strategic focus on financial services delivered strong performance, driven by our Airtime Advance platform and insurance as well as the launch of innovative products. For instance, in June we launched VodaPay enabling direct airtime purchases, bill payments for electricity, and a host of other payments. The company said good progress on its fibre rollout was another milestone, and it more than doubled the number of homes connected, while in the IoT space it acquired a strategic stake in IoT.nxt This will bring a number of advantages to our existing IoT capability, including class-leading platform technology, said Vodacom. As Philadelphias Office of Property Assessment faces ongoing criticism from homeowners and lawmakers over residential reassessments, its chief assessment officer has resigned, city officials announced Friday. Mike Piper, whose fate had been sealed when City Council signaled last year it would not support his reappointment to another term, has decided to pursue another opportunity, Finance Director Rob Dubow said, without elaborating. In an email late Friday, Piper said he is taking a job with the city assessment office in Chicago. A national search for Pipers replacement had already been underway. Until that is complete, Deputy Chief Assessor James AJ Aros Jr. will serve as interim chief assessor, Dubow said. Piper was a career employee who had led OPA since 2014. But the office, which sets property values that ultimately shape the annual tax bills for hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses, had drawn increasing scrutiny and criticism. The city announced last month that it would leave property values largely unchanged next year, following two years of revaluations that resulted in increased taxes for many homeowners. City Council pressed OPA over those reassessments, and in July a judge ruled that the city and School District must repay nearly $50 million in tax revenue because it unconstitutionally targeted commercial properties in a 2018 revaluation. Piper was one of several city officials to testify at the trial. The Kenney administration has defended its assessments and Pipers work. He worked in various roles in Philadelphias property assessment offices for 28 years; as chief assessor he was paid an annual salary of $157,185. "As chief assessment officer, Mike devoted countless hours including evenings and weekends hearing and addressing the concerns of residents about their assessments, concerns voiced at by email, phone calls, visits by residents to his office, and community meetings, Dubow said. Mike oversaw the professionalization of property assessment in Philadelphia, instituting training for existing staff and setting higher standards for the hiring of new staff. The change in the Philadelphias office leadership comes as the city prepares to launch a long-awaited software program known as Computer Assisted Mass Assessment (CAMA) that will assist internally with property assessments. Aros has been working in property assessments in Philadelphia since 2004. Most recently, AJ has been involved in the implementation of the new CAMA assessment system, which is to be launched this spring, and he regularly represents the department at meetings with other city agencies, City Council, and community groups, Dubow said. Surgical strikes, Balakot hit sent strong message to Pakistan: Gen Naravane India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 04: Even as Pakistan based terrorists continue to make infiltration attempts, the Valley has been witnessing peace, Army Chief General Mukund Naravane said. He said that peace was returning to the Valley after Article 370 was abrogated by the Government of India on August 5, 2019. He said that terror activity and stone-pelting has reduced drastically and the law and order situation would improve further. He also said that nearly 250 terrorists are waiting to cross over, but the Indian Army is thwarting such attempts. Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane wants Pak to make peace with scrapping of Article 370 in J&K He also said that the surgical strikes of 2016 on terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir had sent a strong message that India can take down terror infrastructure. He also said that the Balakot airstrikes too had sent out a similar message. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 When asked on the Balakot terror facility being re-activated, he said that during the war when a target is destroyed, it is later reconstructed. We destroyed it, they have re-activated it. They will show restraint before taking any escalatory action, he also added. India reserves right to strike sources of terror: New Army Chief Naravane warns Pakistan On nuclear weapons, he said that they have been a good deterrence. That is where their role ends. We have taken action on two or three occasions, where we carried out operations without letting the nuclear portion come into play, the General also said. China NGO experts to lend a hand with safety, security in Phuket for Chinese New Year PHUKET: Volunteers working with the Chinese NGO rescue organisation the Peaceland Foundation will join security and marine safety efforts to be rolled out in Phuket over the festive period for Chinese New Year, which this year falls on Jan 25. tourismSafetyChinesetransportaccidentsmarine By The Phuket News Saturday 4 January 2020, 03:14PM The news was announced at a meeting at phuket Provincial Hall on Thursday (Jan 2). Photo: PR Dept Anchalee Tephabutra also voiced her support for the collaboration. Photo: PR Dept Anchalee Tephabutra also voiced her support for the collaboration. Photo: PR Dept Experts from the Peaceland Foundation were part of the international rescue team of the Tham Luang cave rescue mission in 2018. Photo: Peaceland Foundation The news was revealed at Phuket Provincial Hall on Thursday (Dec 2) at a meeting presided over by Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai. Experts from the foundation will be in Phuket from Jan 20 to Feb 2 in order to train with, exchange knowledge and skills and assist Thai officials in providing personal safety measures during the period, and to provide any support required during the period The Peaceland contingent will provide assistance at Chalong Pier, Wanit Pier, Coral Island, Patong Beach, Kata Beach and Karon Beach, the meeting was told. Of note, experts from the Peaceland Foundation were part of the international rescue team of the Tham Luang cave rescue mission last year. Deputy Minister of Interior Niphon Boonyamanee will preside over the official opening ceremony of the joint safety-security campaign at a training session at Chalong Pier on Jan 23, it was also revealed. Present at the meeting was former deputy prime minister Phinij Jarusombat, who now serves as president of Thai-Chinese Cultural & Relationship Council. Also present were Thai-Chinese Cultural & Relationship Council member Kitti Janrungsaeng and Peaceland adviser Tony Chen, along with Anchalee Tephabutra, a Phuket-born resident who for years served as Phuket Democrat MP and later as Secretary-General to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Vice Governor Supoj said that the Phuket government had paid much attention to the development of marine safety and planned to use technology to make the 24 main tourist piers in Phuket more safe. We have also requested the budget for a helicopter and a rescue boat in order to help people in marine accidents, he said. Mr Kitti explained that the Thai-Chinese Cultural & Relationship Council was contacted by the Peaceland Foundation, which he said has more than 2,000 members, including security and safety experts, working with more than 30 emergency-response teams in China. The foundation wants to work with Thai security teams in Phuket from Jan 23 to Feb 2, which will be the Chinese New Year holidays, Mr Kitti said. The goals of the cooperation are to strengthen the relations between China and Thailand and to boost confidence among tourists from China and other foreign countries. During the period, Thai officers will be able to exchange knowledge and skills, he added. This meeting is to ask for support from the Phuket office of Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket), private companies and tourism-related associations, Mr Kitti noted. Mr Chen said that the Thai-Chinese collaboration will be a good sign of safety for tourists from China and other foreign countries. Vice Governor Supoj said that Thai Royal Navy SEALs will join a joint training exercise. And the Phuket Government will also support [the collaboration] by arranging a helicopter and a rescue boat and other equipment, he said. Ms Anchalee said voiced her support for the joint safety campaign. From the tsunami and the Phoenix boat accident, which affected Phuket tourism in many ways, this collaboration will restore Chinese tourists confidence to come to Phuket, she said. The Times of Israel The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is concerned about the escalation of the situation in the Middle East after the attacks on the US base and the US Embassy in Iraq, as well as the relevant US actions in Baghdad. This was reported by the Ukraine's MFA press service. "Ukraine proceeds from the urgent need to prevent further escalation and any acts of revenge that could threaten the stability of the region and global security," the statement said. We recall that on the night of January 3 in Iraq, Baghdad's international airport was subjected to rocket fire, which killed at least 7 people. Three Katyusha missiles fell at the airport near the air cargo terminal. Soon it became known that General Qassem Suleymani was killed by order of US President Donald Trump. Related: Media report details of U.S. operation to eliminate Iranian general Suleimani Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the assassination of El Quds commander General Qassem Suleimani a huge mistake by the Americans. He said this during a meeting with the relatives of the deceased. "The Americans did not even understand what a huge mistake they made. And they will feel the consequences of this crime for many years to come," Rouhani said. General Qassem Suleimani was killed on January 3 by order of US President Donald Trump as a result of a missile strike at Baghdad International Airport. Soon, in a statement, Trump called Suleimani "the number one terrorist in the world." The Iranian president has promised to avenge the death of Suleimani. Priyanka Gandhi said she has highlighted each and every 'police excess' in her memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor. (Photo Credit: Twitter/INCIndia) New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday met family members of those killed in violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. At least five people were killed in the district after agitators clashed with police during anti-CAA protests. Her visit comes a week after Priyanka and her brother Rahul Gandhi were stopped from entering the town citing prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC. Earlier in the day, she visited Muzaffarnagar to meet the families of those who were injured in the recent violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act. The Congress general secretary visited the residences of some of those who were injured in the violence. I will stand with you in this hour of distress, she told one of them. Later she told media persons that people were beaten up mercilessly and even children and minors were not spared. A 22-year-old woman, who was seven-month pregnant, was also beaten up, she claimed. Priyanka said she has highlighted each and every police excess in her lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during her previous visit to the state. She had visited Lucknow last week and met the kin of those injured or killed during the violent protests against the Act. Earlier, she had gone to Bijnour and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. But she was not allowed to visit Meerut. Officials maintain that 19 people were killed in the state during violent clashes. With PTI Inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Iffath Fathima By Express News Service BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has started the Adopt a Street initiative where people can adopt a street and shoulder the responsibility of keeping it clean. But none has come forward to adopt Gear School Road at Doddakannelli. With the road rendered bad because of digging, the local residents are asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt it and get the problem fixed. The residents of locality have been facing hardship for the past three years, ever since the road was dug up by Bangalore Water Supply Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to lay water pipelines. But it was not asphalted later. It has been again dug up to lay underground drainage lines (UGD). There has been no positive response from the BWSSB, BBMP, the corporator of ward 150 and the local MLA to make the road motorable, locals say. Now the residents are taking to Twitter asking the Prime Minister to adopt the road. Twitter handle @Ratpk3 said: @PMOIndia adopt #gearschoolroad and #fixgearschoolroad. Pollution is adversely affecting school kids of this area. #Mannkibaat is good. Lets do some #ThannkiBaat too. Kids will be grateful forever. Another handle @vikas_pg said, @narendramodi sir please visit our area, it seems your intervention is required for something to change in Indias IT Corridor, Bellandur #fixgearschoolroad #Modiinkarnataka. Gear School Road resident Samir Pradhan said, We have been suffering for three years now. The BWSSB had told us that they would finish laying of UGD lines by December 15. But the work hasnt been finished and we are left to suffer. There is no footpath here. The road is 3.5 km in length and now about 1 km of UGD line needs to be laid. When we are asking them to asphalt the remaining 2.5 km, they are not doing it.A senior BBMP official said, Once the UGD line is laid, we will do complete asphalting. Guwahati, Jan 4 : BJP national working President J.P. Nadda on Saturday slammed Congress leaders for their opposition to Citizenship (Amendment) Act, saying they were "ignorant" of the legislation and were driven by "politics" and not "nationalism" in their protest against the new law. He also threw an open challenge to former Congress President Rahul Gandhi to speak just "ten lines" on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Days after Gandhi addressed a rally here and said that right wing outfits BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) won't be allowed to "attack Assam's history, culture and language", Nadda gave a riposte. "I am from the hills. I know what culture, heritage and language are. I understand the sentiments associated with language and culture. It is our responsibility to protect the culture and heritage of Assam and we will do it," Nadda said. Describing Congress leaders as "totally ignorant", Nadda ridiculed them for saying that the authorities would seek passport and Aadhaar card in connection with CAA. "What are you referring to? This is a bill to give citizenship, not to take it away. You are not driven by patriotism, you are driven by politics. "You don't see the nation, you only see the vote bank. For you, vote comes before the nation. For us, the nation always gets priority over vote. Why do you see everything from the point of view of vote," Nadda asked while addressing BJP's booth level functionaries -- the first major party rally in the state capital after protests broke out against the CAA. Nadda urged the people of Assam not to believe the opposition parties' propaganda that the state would be swamped by a fresh influx of people from the neighbouring nations. "CAA will be applicable only to those persons who have come to India on or before December 31, 2014. So there is no question of any fresh influx of people," he said. Nadda assured the people that the government will ensure that Clause 6 of Assam Accord, which was signed in 1985, is protected in letter and spirit. Clause 6 pledges to provide constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards "to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people". Challenging Congress leaders to visit the refugee camps in Guwahati, Nadda said that people lodged there were unable to get admission to schools or join skill development courses. "Still, these people are living here. And now they (Congress) are saying crores of people will come. No, they won't come. They are already living here. They came during your rule," he said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday deplored the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan and said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal termed Friday's attack as shameful and asked the Imran Khan government to take tough steps and punish the culprits. "The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated," he said in a tweet in Hindi. A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan on Friday and pelted it with stones. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of first Sikhguru Guru Nanak Dev. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 03:12:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday that the United States will pay a heavy price for assassination of Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), official IRNA news agency reported. "Americans have taken a new approach that could put the region in a very dangerous situation," Rouhani said in a meeting with the visiting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. "The Islamic Republic of Iran is not seeking tensions and insecurity," Rouhani said, adding that "What has brought tension and unrest to the region recently is the U.S.' unwise acts." In the meeting, both sides called for boost of mutual ties. Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a meeting with his Qatari counterpart that the United States is responsible for the consequences of the assassination of the Iranian general. The visit by the Qatari official comes a day after the U.S. army assassinated the Iranian senior general in Baghdad. Qatari Foreign Ministry has urged both Iran and the United States to exercise self-restraint amid the escalating tensions and to prevent from "taking Iraq and the region into endless violence." Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, has portrayed Mr. Blair and Mr. Duffey as two of the four key witnesses he believes the Senate should call in Mr. Trumps impeachment trial, along with Mr. Mulvaney and John R. Bolton, Mr. Trumps former national security adviser. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, has expressed opposition to calling witnesses and again criticized the House investigation on Friday. The Trump administrations move to withhold all the emails in full not even disclosing the dates they were sent, or the shape of paragraphs covered by black lines is a step beyond its heavy censorship of a related set of emails it released in response to another Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the Center for Public Integrity. The documents released to the center consisted of about 300 pages of emails between the Office of Management and Budget and the Pentagon about the Ukraine aid package. While the officially released version was heavily redacted and the center is contesting the censorship in further litigation the visible portions showed, among other things, that Pentagon officials had worried that holding the funds could be an illegal impoundment. A report on Thursday by the legal policy website Just Security added further fuel to the controversy by revealing what was under some, but not all, of the deletions. The website said it had been shown some of the emails in unredacted form, including an Aug. 30 message from Mr. Duffey to a Pentagon budget official stating that there was clear direction from POTUS an acronym referring to the president of the United States to continue to hold the Ukraine military assistance. The Times separately reported this week that Mr. Blair warned Mr. Mulvaney to expect Congress to become unhinged if the White House went ahead with the hold on the aid. Earlier on Friday, Mr. Schumer went to the Senate floor to praise the reporting by The Times, the Center for Public Integrity and Just Security as an additional reason for the Senate, as part of Mr. Trumps trial, to seek documents and testimony that the White House had blocked House impeachment investigators from obtaining. What constituted clear direction? Mr. Schumer asked. Did he get an order from the president, or did someone like Mr. Mulvaney get an order from the president passed on to Mr. Duffey? Was there discussion among officials about covering up for the president in delay of military assistance? These are questions that can only be answered by examination of the documentary evidence and by the testimony of key Trump administration officials under oath in a Senate trial. Austria's Greens on Saturday gave the go-ahead to a coalition with the country's conservatives at a party congress in Salzburg, removing the last obstacle to the unprecedented alliance. Delegates at the extraordinary congress voted 93 percent in favour of the agreement signed on Thursday by Greens chief Werner Kogler. "Europe is watching us and what we do is important on a continent-wide basis," Kogler said, adding that he was delighted to be able to "bury fossil fuels" and achieve "carbon neutrality". The new coalition government with the conservatives, led by Sebastian Kurz, is expected to be sworn in next week. The two parties announced late Wednesday that they had agreed to govern together after key election gains in September following a corruption scandal that broke apart Kurz's ruling coalition with the far right. On Thursday they announced that the coalition would aim for carbon neutrality by 2040 to make the country a European "forerunner" in climate protection. Party members gathering in Salzburg admitted that they would have to "swallow snakes" to find common ground. "We must not forget that we are a party that polls 13.8 per cent," delegate Birgit Hebein said. The Greens will have four ministers in the new government, against ten for the conservatives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraq's National Security Council denounces US assassination of Lt. Gen. Soleimani Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2020 12:09 AM Iraq's National Security Council has condemned a US airstrike that led to the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The IRGC announced in a statement on Friday morning that General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were martyred in the US vicious overnight operation. Late on Friday, Iraq's National Security Council held a meeting, chaired by Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and strongly lambasted the US assassination of the top Iranian general and his comrades near Baghdad International Airport in the early hours of Friday. The council also discussed new developments in the security situation and related issues in the Arab country in the wake of the US airstrike, which led to "the martyrdom of a number of leading figures." "The National Security Council affirmed its support for the stance adopted by the commander-in-chief of the armed forces in denouncing and condemning the violation of the sovereignty of Iraq and rejecting the aggression," said the council in a statement. It also said that the council discussed the conditions under which the US forces should be present in Iraq. Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi also called on the parliament to hold an emergency session in order to "organize and unify the Iraqi official position and take the necessary measures and decisions to preserve dignity, security and sovereignty Iraq," the council added. Earlier in the day, Iraq's Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi had denounced the US strike as a "flagrant breach of sovereignty and violation of international agreements." Following Soleimani's assassination, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said those who assassinated the IRGC Quds Force commander must await a harsh revenge. Ayatollah Khamenei added that the "cruelest people on earth" assassinated the "honorable" commander who "courageously fought for years against the evils and bandits of the world." Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) also said in a statement that a harsh vengeance "in due time and right place" awaited criminals behind Soleimani's assassination. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The citys mayor, Kishori Pednekar, in an interview with Hindustan Times, said that wrongdoings in road construction need to be completely weeded out. We need to make sure those responsible for our bad roads are held accountable. Civic officers who were involved in wrongdoing are in jail but the contractors responsible for the same are out. The real culprits must not be let off, said the mayor. Pednekar also spoke on issues like Shiv Senas relations with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) where both the parties are still in an alliance, giving more powers to mayor in Mumbai, controversies surrounding coastal road and problems about solid waste management. What is your top priority for the city in your tenure of 2.5 years? There are a number of issues to be dealt with, but I will give topmost priority to waste management. We have given permissions to housing societies for dealing with their waste, and we are also giving tax benefits for societies for managing their waste in a systematic way. We all have to work together. How do you plan to deal with the issue of dumping grounds? I feel there should be no dumping grounds in the city and we need to use new technology to treat the waste. Besides, our mentality has to change. I agree it is not the responsibility of citizens but that of everyone, and it starts with me. The administration too has to work positively. There is also a need to break the syndicate of contractors if they are creating problems. As you spoke about contractors, there was a report two months ago by BMCs vigilance department regarding the poor conditions of roads in the city. What is your take on the same? We know BMC officers have gone to jail along with many others but the contractors are out. The ones who were not at much fault are in jail. The real culprits should be held responsible for this, whoever it may be. Also, we need to consider that the roads are not totally with the BMC but are with several agencies, and these agencies should take responsibility for the same. With chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in the state government, people have high hopes from us. Do you think that Mumbai mayor should be given more executive powers, if not reviving mayor-in-council? I agree that the mayor should be given more executive powers, but only after thoroughly examining its advantages and disadvantages. We cannot leave any scope for misuse of the additional executive powers the council would get. I am saying this despite being the mayor myself. Chief minister Thackeray has worked for the BMC for many years. This decision is his prerogative. On mayor-in-council, he [CM] is of the view that we should give more powers to the mayor and examine its advantages and disadvantages on a pilot basis. In 1998, the mayor-in-council issue got politicised. The chief minister will not get into such politicisation and will look at it practically this time. How will you strike a balance between conservation of environment and infrastructure projects like coastal road? When it comes to coastal road, the court has given BMC a go-ahead. If BMC was not transparent, the court would not have taken this decision. Any revolutionary development will meet with opposition. BMC does not dismiss any opposition, it tries to understand and address their concerns. Regarding the coastal road, the Supreme Courts order is in favour of the people. It will streamline traffic in the city, save time and fuel, and benefits the environment. What are your directives to the administration to save BMC from impending financial crisis? BMCs fixed deposits should be shifted to a nationalised bank. This is the administrations job, but I have my eye on this. Shifting BMCs money from a private bank to a nationalised bank has become a politically controversial issue, but it has to be seen practically. With Shiv Sena and BJP parting ways now how will it work in BMC? Wont you need the support of Congress-NCP? This decision is completely of our party president along with several leaders from NCP and Congress. We just have to follow their decisions, and we will work accordingly. Whatever Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray decide will be good for the party. Today the corporators of BJP are my colleagues, and I work considering this. Tomorrow if they stop cooperating maybe, in that case, I will give them a chance and try to solve things. But if it goes beyond that I am not some saint. I can say only this much. Lastly, as Mumbais mayor, what is your stand on Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens? I do not want to comment on this. But I want to say that India is diverse in nature and if any community or any person is troubling or wrongdoing, has to be stopped from doing it. South Sudanese-Australian supermodel Adut Akech has spoken candidly about her mental health, in a bid to help others in a similar situation. The 20-year-old, who has become one of the most in-demand models in the world, emotionally said she became 'numb to everything' and 'wanted to end it' last year, in a devastatingly honest message to fans on Instagram. Describing 2019 as 'the worst year of her life', she told her 745,000 followers on Friday: 'I felt depressed to a point of wanting to end it.' Heartbreaking: South Sudanese-Australian supermodel Adut Akech (pictured) has spoken candidly about her mental health, in a bid to help others realise 'they're not alone' 'But, for my family and myself, I had to fight what I could say was the hardest battle of my life.' The runway star - who appeared on the cover of Vogue Australia in January - added that after losing family members earlier at the start of 2019, she went into a 'dark place' and began losing who she was. 'I started becoming numb to everything,' she continued. 'It got really hard for me to express any emotion and the people around me started noticing.' Devastating: The runway star, who appeared on the cover of Vogue Australia in January, added that after losing family members she went into a 'dark place' and began losing who she was 'It became really hard to express my excitement and gratitude for all the amazing things happening with my career.' It was then Adut realised that she needed to seek help in the form of therapy, taking two months off from work to focus on herself - and cutting out anything toxic from her life. 'Biggest lesson I learned after all this, is the importance of letting go of all things toxic,' she said. 'Don't hold on to toxic relationships because of comfort, or how long you've know the person or the type of relationship ya'll have. Always put yourself, mental well-being, peace and sanity first. 'I've been growing and evolving everyday. I'm at a point in my life where if someone or something is not bringing positivity into my life it has to go. 2020 is very personal!' 'I've been growing and evolving everyday' the model revealed that by cutting out toxic people and heading to therapy, she now feels like she's 'back on her feet' She continued: 'I share my journey because I know someone somewhere is going through the same thing I want them know they're not alone.' On New Year's Day last year, Adut had shared a similar reflective post on her feed where she claimed her friends and family 'saved her life' because she 'lost all hope and faith.' 'The love and support allowed me to see my purpose for being on this earth', she wrote. Adut's modelling career began when she was just 16 years old. She has since graced the runway for brands such as Prada, Givenchy, Calvin Klein and Valentino, among many others. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14, or www.lifeline.org.au When was the first time you fell in love with Michigans out-of-doors? Most people whether longtime residents or those here just for a visit have had that moment when a picture-perfect blue sky, a sweeping shoreline vista, the silence of an old-growth forest or the sound of rushing water has taken their breath away. This past year we celebrated these wondrous features of our state, and the people who gather amid them, during our state parks centennial. Michigan state parks, forests, trails and waterways are at the core of the spirit of this Great Lakes state, and we are working hard to ensure that they endure for another century. On May 12, 1919, the Michigan Legislature created the state parks system with the establishment of the Michigan State Parks Commission. This legislative act not only moved forward a vision to acquire lands to create quality public outdoor spaces but helped shape an important aspect of Michigans heritage. Our state parks fused together the publics desire for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation with opportunities to make lasting memories enjoying experiences outdoors with Michigans spectacular scenic beauty as a backdrop. A drive through Holly Recreation Area or Sleepy Hollow State Park evokes memories of Sunday afternoons and gingham picnic blankets. A hike along the path to the brink of the Tahquamenon Falls or a weekend spent on the soft sands in front of Ludington State Parks historic beach house may recall memories of special times spent with family and friends. Its for this reason that the Michigan state parks centennial celebration centered around the personal memories and shared experiences that connect so many of us. As the year closed, we had an opportunity to step back and ask what it will take to ensure our state parks are sustainable and protected for decades to come. We thought a lot about why we do what we do. After combing through many of the snapshots and stories submitted by the public to our online memory map, hearing anecdotes shared at campfire storytelling events and seeing the artwork created by plein air painters all the result of 2019s centennial celebration programming its easier to peel back the layers to see the heart of what we do and why. Our natural resources stewardship work, stellar recreation facilities and resource conservation efforts are indeed pillars of Michigans state parks system, but our backbone is our 28 million annual visitors. Throughout the yearlong centennial celebration, we were increasingly made aware that state parks play an integral role in Michigan culture. These unique outdoor spaces have become memory-making destinations for so many people. Another idea we have considered is how to become even more relevant to current and future generations of state park users. As we strive to sustain world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, protect and preserve our natural and cultural resources and maintain an engaging culture within our DNR staff, how do we move the needle toward greater connection and relevancy? In many ways, attaining that accomplishment will be realized by reversing the order of these important goals. First, we must continue to attract and retain the best and brightest DNR staff members who are passionate about natural and cultural resources. In doing that, I am assured staff will continue to seek innovative ways to protect and conserve resources, while also creating engaging ways for people to experience and appreciate the outdoors, and by extension, our 103 Michigan state parks. Lantern-lit hikes, dark-sky events, water parks, the Bob Ross virtual 5K, storytelling events and Detroits Outdoor Adventure Center are just a few of the ways DNR staffers have put their heads together to expand outdoor experiences in entirely new ways. The many interpreters, park managers, rangers and our business partners all work hard to maintain the many traditional ways park visitors experience the outdoors, while sometimes shifting their focus to discover new ways to offer quality outdoor experiences. In addition, as we continue to sustain outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan and maintain good stewardship practices, weve embraced sustainable contraction a strategic concept that identifies new opportunities to provide improved access or recreational opportunities. Recent campground upgrades at Wilderness State Park are a great example of this strategy being implemented. Based on a shift in todays camping tendencies, we recently integrated additional full-hook-up options for recreational vehicles at the park, rather than building an additional new bathroom and shower facility. This shift in infrastructure development allowed us to better serve our customers while spending less money on renovations. The foundation laid 100 years ago by the Michigan State Parks Commission has produced a beloved and substantial system of state parks, pathways and scenic sites. Moving forward, we will continue to be guided by some of those same early tenets adopted by the commission sustainability, conservation and expansion. Conservation will help ensure the existence and prosperity of these special outdoor spaces for the next 100 years. Sustainability allows for innovation to achieve goals appropriate for the broadest group possible. Expansion will continue to allow the state parks system to remain nimble and develop as needed. From that pathway along the rushing roar of the Tahquamenon River to the sandy beaches at Ludington, and to dozens of other special places scattered across Michigan, it is for our park visitors of today and tomorrow that we remain faithful stewards, conserving our natural resources and keeping state parks favored as phenomenal memory-making destinations. Check out previous Showcasing the DNR stories in our archive at Michigan.gov/DNRStories. To subscribe to upcoming Showcasing articles, sign up for free email delivery at Michigan.gov/DNR. Iran's new top commander Esmail Ghaani, who replaced Gen. Qasem Soleimani after he died in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq, pledged during a televised address Monday to avenge the general's killing, AP reports. The latest: Ghaanis declaration that God "has promised to get his revenge" and that "certainly actions will be taken" came hours after Iran said it would no longer abide by limits on its uranium enrichment and Iraq's parliament voted to call on the Iraqi government to expel U.S. troops from the country over Friday's airstrike. Why it matters: Friday's drone strike that killed Soleimani is the most direct confrontation from the U.S. since the Trump administration withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Per AP, the latest developments could bring Tehran nearer to creating an atomic bomb, see a proxy or military attack on the U.S. from Iran and enable an Islamic State resurgence in Iraq, making the region more dangerous. President Trump has been criticized for the strike by some world leaders and Congress members including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said she'll introduce a vote this week on a War Powers Resolution in an attempt to limit his action on Iran. Trump doubled down Sunday on his threat to target 52 Iranian sites and threatened to hit Iraq with sanctions over the parliamentary vote. The big picture: Attacking cultural sites is considered a war crime under the 1954 Hague treaty something Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Hossein Dehghan, the military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have noted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Dehghan told CNN Iran would target U.S. military sites in response to the killings of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi-Iranian militia commander. Iran is holding funerals in several cities for them this week. The decision to strike: U.S. officials say they acted following the death of an American contractor the Friday before Christmas in Iraq by Iranian-sponsored militia groups. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed Soleimani was "actively" planning an attack on Americans, the Post reports. Trump said he's not looking to change the Iranian regime, per the New York Times. Attack fallout in Iraq: Iraqi officials and Iranian-backed militias reported another deadly airstrike in Iraq 24 hours after the U.S. killed Soleimani, AP reports. It left five dead, as thousands gathered in Baghdad Saturday to mourn Soleimani and al-Muhandis. On Saturday, several rockets fell inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, the Jadriya neighborhood and the Balad air base housing U.S. troops, but there were no reported deaths, the Iraqi military said, per Al Jazeera. NATO has suspended training missions in Iraq after Soleimani's death, citing security concerns, the Washington Post reports. Global reaction: Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi , who formally resigned a month ago, said the attack will lead to a "dangerous escalation," NPR reports. , who formally resigned a month ago, said the attack will lead to a "dangerous escalation," NPR reports. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement, calling for "all parties to "exercise restraint." German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement, calling for "all parties to "exercise restraint." Russia condemned the attack and blasted the Trump administration for refusing to use official channels, such as the UN Security Council following protests at American embassies in Iraq, per NPR. condemned the attack and blasted the Trump administration for refusing to use official channels, such as the UN Security Council following protests at American embassies in Iraq, per NPR. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the U.S. and said, "Qassim Soleimani is responsible for the deaths of many American citizens and many other innocent people," the BBC reports. supported the U.S. and said, "Qassim Soleimani is responsible for the deaths of many American citizens and many other innocent people," the BBC reports. China appealed for restraint on all sides, but added, "The dangerous [U.S.] military operation violates the basic norms of international relations and will aggravate regional tensions and turbulence," per Al Jazeera. What's next: The White House is preparing to present allies with intelligence on the "imminent threat" it says prompted this attack, said Kirsten Fontenrose, who served on the National Security Council earlier in the Trump administration, during an Atlantic Council conference call. The administration is sending more U.S. troops to the region, with roughly 3,500 troops in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, preparing to go to Kuwait. Go deeper: Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. Inundated with now and then photos on social media, New Years resolutions, and expert articles about how to make ever-lasting change, Natasha and Minahil seemed to be the only purveyors of inspiration this New Year Our headlines already read: Things are getting worse. Were not even a week into the new year, the new decade. A second headline reads It is hell on earth and were also being warned not to underestimate the chances of another term with Donald Trump in the White House. Between news of record-breaking hospital overcrowding as the height of flu season approaches, visible climate breakdown in the form of seemingly unquenchable forest fires and the prospect of another four years of Donald Trumps polarising politics, hopes for a better year, a better decade, can feel easily dashed. And then you see two teenage girls on TV, studying for their Leaving Cert, with every odd stacked against them, and yet they triumph. Amidst reruns of Mrs Browns Boys, recaps of a TV presenters career, and tributes to deceased entertainers, Christmas television seemed sorted. The unwanted chocolates, more than likely the strawberry ones, remained untouched at the end of the box as the channel hopping between the terrestrial and the streaming threw up the same predictable options. Until it didnt. An unexpected documentary on RTE One on New Years night gave us the stories of Natasha Maimba and Minahil Sarfraz. With a showdown between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin being predicted as the defining moment for the decade ahead, it can be hard to locate leadership. And then you meet Natasha Maimba and Minahil Sarfraz two 18-year-olds who arrived in Ireland as young children, their mothers fleeing persecution in Zimbabwe and Pakistan respectively. The friends met in a direct provision centre in Athlone, both seeing education as their way out of this life in limbo. And so they put their heads down and focused on the books the documentary Leaving Limbo follows the girls preparation for the Leaving Cert in Our Ladys Bower school. There are plenty of high-fives, talk of anxiety, and eight exams in 11 days, and then the summer comes and so does the wait for the results. During the wait, the girls talk about their futures, their hopes of a future as asylum seekers, what paths will and will not be available to them. They talk about politics and share an agreed knowing about making a difference. And then the results come in. Natasha is now studying law in DCU and Minahil is studying medicine in Galway. This, and theyre both Unicef Ireland Youth Ambassadors for Child Migrants. This work you can follow on their shared Twitter account @NatashaandM. For Minahil, becoming a doctor has always been a dream. Firstly because shell never have to rely on a man, and secondly because she wants to inspire others. It has always been my dream to be a doctor and it is definitely living up to my expectations, she tells viewers. For a girl in my country, education is the best thing for you because you get to be independent and you have yourself to rely on. I dont want to be the girl who has to rely on a man. I just want to inspire others who are in a similar circumstance and show them that you can fulfil your dreams. We want to show that no matter what you go through, if you work hard enough anything can be achieved. Meanwhile, Natashas legal studies will follow in the footsteps of her mothers own advocacy work. I didnt leave my home because I wanted to, I left my home because I needed to, Natasha says. My mother has always been huge in making sure girls have education and women are able to make decisions in our country. Because my mother stood up for women and the voices of women, she was a huge target for the government. But its not just their Leaving Cert results and their college placements that make Natasha and Minahil inspiring viewing its ultimately their sense of hope as opposed to victimhood, their proactive nature despite the conditions and background theyve had to survive in, and their youthful friendship. And at the end of the documentary you see them walking tall and proud, dressed to the nines, celebrating their achievements and themselves at their school graduation. Inundated with now and then photos on social media, New Years resolutions, and expert articles about how to make ever-lasting change, Natasha and Minahil seemed to be the only purveyors of inspiration this New Year. And they shouldnt have to be. We have paid and elected leaders who did not flee persecution in the middle of their childhoods. We have paid and elected leaders who did not have to live in limbo while waiting on word of their right to live in Ireland. Why is it that those who come from disadvantaged situations end up being the most inspiring? How is that those who triumph over disadvantaged situations end up offering the rest of us a glimpse of what real leadership could look like? This is what we should expect from our leaders not showdowns between grown men. Weve a housing crisis to address, that even a three-year-old could tell you the private market will not fix. We absolutely must focus on a just transition to a carbon-neutral economy where no one, no farmer, no worker, gets left behind. Weve childcare to sort out and the direct provision system too. Fighting in the Dail chamber, mudslinging on social media, and cynical headline-grabbing slogans will address none of these pressing issues in 2020, or in the years ahead. We should not have to find hope and inspiration in two teenage asylum seekers, because our political leaders should come with the maturity and wherewithal to bring about the kind of change that Natasha and Minahil have shown theyre capable of. 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 Advertisement A navy ship carrying 1,100 bushfire victims and 250 pets has landed ashore after a gruelling 20-hour journey to whisk stranded residents to safety. HMAS Choules has arrived in Port of Hastings, in Victoria's south, a day after rescuing people from Mallacoota, more than 550 kilometres away, in the state's south east. Two vessels were docked at the small coastal community to evacuate locals and tourists on Friday, ahead of worsening weekend bushfire conditions. A young man appeared lively as he sprang off the stairs onto land as dozens queued behind him for their turn to exit Loved ones hugged to celebrate their safety, with few small bags packed with the belongings they could salvage when leaving Mallacoota One woman looked extremely grateful as she clutched a loved one in each hand, while emergency personnel smiled at the touching moment A woman appeared joyful as she made her way towards Somerville Recreation Centre, north of Hastings, with her cat and other evacuees Priorities: a dog seemed proud of its self as it carried a prized belonging with it off the ship, saved from the fires back home People counted their blessings as they held loved ones close while bushfires devour homes across the country leaving many with nothing Safe at last: Friends embraced in delight as they were reunited onshore away from the deadly fires ravaging the country's south east A dog's life: Playful pooches strolled beside their owners in a pack unaware of the danger unraveling back home in Mallacoota And they're off: Dogs appeared excited by the adventure as they stepped ashore more than 550 kilometres from where they departed For some, cheerful pets appeared to provide the perfect distraction as they fled homes and holidays threatened by deadly blazes Elated: Some people made signs and brought balloons to greet friends and family as they stepped off the Navy Vessel A woman closed her eyes in relief as she pulled a loved one in for a tight long embrace as the naval vessel arrived at Western Port Almost 60 people set off on MV Sycamore early in the morning, bound for Stony Point, near Hastings at Western Port on the Mornington Peninsula. About 1100 people later boarded HMAS Choules for a late afternoon departure. Roughly 250 pets including cats, dogs, a rabbit and a bird were also among the evacuees. The coastal community was hit by fire on Tuesday morning, with about 4000 people forced to flee their homes and shelter at the beach. Ongoing fires meant they have been isolated there since. Finally free! A woman and her baby stretched out their arms as they stepped off the ship containing over a thousand people A girl clutching pillows from the overnight trip searched for her belongings among the backs scattered along the deck Emergency services, ready on the ground to assist in the evacuation process, watched on as people reconnected with family Some people looked emotional returning to land after a stressful and turbulent week cornered by flames in the small coastal town One sausage dog rugged up in a coat was saved the walk down the stairs as its owner carried it down the ship towards safety Watch your step: State Emergency Services personnel assisted passengers descending the stairs onto flat land after hours at sea People and pets poured out of the ship with pillows and small hand luggage as they prepared to make their way to relief centres Dogs bounded excitedly by their owners and fellow boat dwellers, many clasping minimal luggage as they headed towards the emergency centre Where next? A mother appeared uneasy as she cradled her child and walked towards the transport services waiting nearby A dog appeared unfazed by the commotion and long sea expedition as it stood ashore with its owner after alighting the ship A woman appeared to light up by the sight of someone recognisable waiting in the distant for her to land at the Western Port Hooray! A family rejoiced the touchdown by playing with their daughter and lifting her into the air in a fitting distraction from the bushfire chaos Journalists and photographers waited at the entrance to greet those arriving at Somerville relief centre after disembarking from MV Sycamore earlier on Saturday HMAS Choules commander Scott Houlihan said people were 'very thankful' for the chance to flee. 'It's a real atmosphere of appreciation,' he told ABC Gippsland ahead of the ship's departure. He said the way the town has rallied and prepared for the evacuation against the backdrop of widespread devastation is one of the most impressive things he has experienced. Executive Officer HMAS Choules, Lieutenant Commander Arron Convery speaks with Red Cross representatives as the ship glided through the Bass Strait Red Cross representatives were onboard the ship to speak with evacuees as they brace for bad news in days to come 'It has been quite an uplifting experience and really shows you the true human spirit,' he said. The Mallacoota evacuees will travel for about 20 hours, with an evacuation centre likely to be set up at the HMAS Cerberus naval base. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the evacuation has been a 'big focus' for the federal government, with the military also tasked with helping people find shelter once they land. Passengers wait in uncertainty in the decks of the HMAS Choles as fires rage back home Personnel from the Australian Defence force and the Red Cross work together on the evacuation plans 'The ADF is also working now with the state government on setting up evacuation centres and providing accommodation - not a tent city, but at a number of those locations that are available,' he told reporters in Bairnsdale. Another area being considered for an evacuation centre is Bandiana near Wodonga on the NSW border. About 2800 people have chosen to stay at Mallacoota, while 500 may be flown out once the local airport reopens. Australian Defence Force Sub Lieutenant Meg Powson shares a laugh with a family to pass the time on the HMAS Choules Keeping positive: Natasha Ellerton and her 13-year-old son Will appeared to be in good spirits despite the catastrophic bushfires raging near Mallacoota The Mallacoota community had been receiving more than 12,000 litres of fuel a day to ensure the town centre was operational. About two dozen firefighters had been ferried to the cut-off town from Lakes Entrance by Victorian Fisheries Authority vessels at 7am to relieve crews there. Other isolated communities have also received additional supplies including water, Mr Morrison said. Luke Ford, 8, from Seville, Victoria, kept himself occupied during the journey by reading a book Mallacoota locals and residents looked patiently towards the shore as they neared the end of their 20-hour voyage at sea Theres more to Lourdes than just a shrine. Self-confessed sceptic Breda Graham leaves her perceptions at home and miraculously discovers a different side to the Pyrenees region. Checking in for my Lourdes-bound flight at Dublin Airport I was overwhelmingly sceptical as to what I was about to encounter on my four-day trip to one of the worlds most renowned Catholic pilgrimage sites. I am all for pushing myself out of my comfort zone, especially when it comes to travel, but this was different. As someone who is admittedly doubtful of all things religion, I wondered was I the best person to send on such a trip. Before visiting the town, which lies in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountain range, I had a very definite opinion of Lourdes. A place of worship and devotion. A place of spiritual significance and healing. A place which attracts millions of pilgrims each year, who travel from the four corners of the earth to visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes, where reported apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes were witnessed by Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. How wrong was I to write off such a characteristic and quaint French town before having truly immersed myself in all it had to offer. A slight wheres my passport panic while queuing at the Ryanair boarding desk, a relieved I found it, it was there all along realisation and a two-hour direct flight from Dublin to Tarbes Lourdes Pyrenees Airport later and I was surrounded by the snow-capped mountain tops of the Pyrenees. On arrival into the town centre, the first thing that struck me was the amount of souvenir shops that lined the streets, selling holy medals and replicas of the Virgin Mary, a representation of just how major a religious site the town is. In contrast, the part of the town where the locals reside, was that of a charming French town. Winding cobbled streets and colourful buildings with casement windows met us on our short stroll from the town centre to the fortified castle. A wander around the castle and the streets below will take you away from the hustle and bustle of the gathering pilgrims, so much so that you almost forget its association with Catholicism. Chateau fort de Lourdes. After a stay at the 4-star Grand Hotel Gallia & Londres, with its beautiful yet vintage-style decor, we took off for the French Pyrenees. Just 32km southwest of Lourdes lies the picturesque spa town and ski resort of Cauterets. Upon check-in to our second hotel of the trip, Hotel du Lion Dor, it was evident we were in a mountain town, with the unique decor creating a chalet-like feel to the hotels spacious rooms with views of the surrounding Pyrenees. After admiring our rooms and the impressive views, we set off to wander around the Pyrenees National Park. The spectacular we were treated to was Pont dEspagne, a stone-built bridge that spans the Gave de Marcadau river at its meeting point with the Gave de Gaube river. The mist from the impressive cascades lightly sweeping my face, the whooshing sound of the water and the crisp mountain air reminded me of where I was: 1500 metres above sea level in the heart of the French Pyrenees. After heading back to Cauterets to explore the ski resort with a population of less than 1000 people, it was time to relax in the thermal waters for which the town is well known. The last thing I expected to happen whilst unwinding in Les Bains du Rocher spa was to meet a local who spent almost two years of his early 20s living in Cork city. In what could only be described as the most unlikely of places, the old saying that us Irish cant go anywhere without meeting someone somehow connected to us, proved true. Lifeguard Sebastian reminisced about his time spent in Cork and boasted about his love of GAA, the Rebel county jersey on hand to prove his pride. Before coming to Ireland, I didnt know how to use a washing machine, how to cook, pay my bills, or take public transport on my own, he admitted. He said that he felt so lucky to have met such friendly people who he still keeps in contact with, 16 years later. When asked what he missed most about Cork he summed it up nicely. The craic. Lifeguard Sebastian showing off his Cork jersey from his time spent in the Rebel county. Witnessing how much meeting someone from a place that was such a big part of his life meant to Sebastian, made me realise just how special travel really is. Day three began with a 9am departure from Cauterets to Cirque de Gavarnie, a 5km in diameter colosseum which holds the highest waterfalls in Europe. The surrounding meadowland was alive with scurrying insects and the turquoise water, such so because of the melting snow from the mountains, was a rare perfection. A quick stop at Col du Tourmalet, the most climbed route by Tour de France cyclists, was made before travelling by cable car to Pic du Midi. The peak, famous for its astronomical observatory, houses one of the highest restaurants in the world, called 2.877, the height above sea level at which its food is served. The panoramic terraces allow for a 360-degree view over 300km of the 500km stretch of the Pyrenees and a 12m metal bridge suspended in thin air allows for a view not only of the peaks but the nearby floating clouds. Over 7million was invested over three years to build new attractions such as the sky bridge, an immersive cinema, the Histopads which allow the experience to be enhanced by augmented reality and the Experience zone which makes the science behind the observatory accessible to all. After what was hands down one of the highs of the trip, quite literally, we enjoyed yet another evening of relaxation in thermal waters. A life I could get used to. Balnea Thermes houses the outdoor Japanese baths, a range of three panoramic pools of, ranging in temperature from 33 degrees to 40 degrees. Pure zen. That evening we enjoyed a final meal together before heading back to spend the late hours on the balcony of the Mercure Sensoria hotel room listening to the rushing water of the nearby Le Neste dAure river. Before leaving for the airport on the final morning, I enjoyed a stroll through the centre of Saint-Lary-Soulan where friendly locals greeted Bonjour! as they opened up shop. A characteristic little ski town with the backdrop of the snow-capped peaks, even its buildings had charm. From packing up the bus for our departure right up to boarding the aircrafts steps I thought to myself how special the trip had been. Leaving Dublin doubtful, people joked that I would come back converted, and yet somehow I did just that. My once inaccurate opinion was converted to a new appreciation for Lourdes and the surrounding region. See thats the thing about travel, it opens your eyes to new experiences and your heart to new people, and that is exactly what my trip to Lourdes and The French Pyrenees did for me. WHAT TO KNOW How to get there: Ryanair will operate a twice-weekly service from Dublin to Lourdes from April to October 2020. Fares start from 24.99 one-way. For further info, visit www.ryanair.com. Where to stay: Lourdes - Grand Hotel Gallia & Londres. Cauterets - Hotel du Lion Dor. Saint-Lary-Soulan - Mercure Sensoria. Where to eat: Lourdes - Les 100 Culottes. Cauterets - O Regent. Saint-Lary-Soulan - Restaurant Le Grange. Dont miss: Stunning mountain-top views from Pic du Midi, fresh mountain air of the Pyrenees National Park, some of Europes highest waterfalls at Cirque de Gavarnie and the natural thermal spas. Professor Vladimir Filippov, Rector of the Russian University of Peoples' Friendship (RUDN) and Minister for Higher Education (1998-2004) has given an exclusive long-ranging interview in which he speaks about his university as it marks its 60th year of establishment and the plans for the future. During his meeting with this correspondent, Kester Kenn Klomegah, he also discusses the importance of reforms, challenges and achievements in his university in the Russian Federation. The Russian University of Peoples' Friendship (RUDN) is an educational and research institution located in Moscow. It was established in 1960 primarily to provide higher education to Third World students. It became an integral part of the Soviet cultural offensive in nonaligned countries. Many students especially from developing countries still attend this university. It is Russia's most multidisciplinary university, which boasts the largest number of foreign students. The university offers various academic programmes, has research infrastructure that comprises laboratories and interdisciplinary centers. Here are the interview excerpts: Q: First of all, the Russian University of Peoples' Friendship (RUDN) has a long history since its establishment in 1960. What is unique about this educational institution compared to others in the Russian Federation? VF: The full name of RUDN is Russian University of Peoples' Friendship. The university is based on the ideas of diverse institutes and faculties, and international students and staff. From the very first days of its foundation, students and researchers were free to study and do research outside politics in conditions of equality. RUDN has given knowledge to professionals from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Near and Middle East. During the first historic graduation in 1965, diplomas were received by representatives from 47 countries. Now, we are teaching nationals from 157 countries. Q: Of course, 60 years of existence, in itself, can be considered as the greatest achievement. But, could you tell us about its latest marked achievements during the past ten years, after the golden jubilee? VF: Of course, the biggest success of recent years is a breakthrough in international rankings. Now RUDN is among the top 400 best universities in the QS World University Rankings - we have risen by 258 positions in 4 years. Only a few universities around the world have achieved this result RUDN began to purposefully develop along the path of a research university. Specialisties such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine and modern languages have become priority scientific areas. We changed the structure of faculties and created separate scientific institutes. There are chemists who now have a separate laboratory complex for molecular design, creation of useful substances and the study of new reactions. Our mathematicians are involved in 5G technology, the internet of things and of skills. RUDN has a supercomputer with 205 teraflops. We are a university with the biggest number of international students in the Russian Federation, so international cooperation is also our priority. RUDN has proposed a new export model for Russian education through an industrial-educational and research partnership. This project referred to as "Cluster Approach" - it covers 70 countries. The university has opened six Russian language centers in the Dominican Republic, Zambia, Jordan, China, Namibia and Ecuador, as well as more than 30 specialized classes in 22 countries for talented applicants who want to study in Russian universities. The university received a new international name - RUDN - an abbreviation of the Russian name "Russian University of Peoples' Friendship." It was formerly and popularly referred to as Patrice Lumumba University of Peoples' Friendship. In the process, Russian replaces Patrice Lumumba in the rewording of the name of the university after the Soviet era. Q: Without doubt, RUDN has prepared lot of specialists for the local labour market, especially from the former Soviet republics. How do you value this role and its impact today? VF: About 200,000 of our graduates work worldwide. These are professionals and leaders in medicine and politics, civil engineering and economics, agronomy and diplomacy ... RUDN graduates unite in associations maintaining relations with the university. There are dozens of such associations, and our delegations regularly attend alumni meetings. Early February 2020, when the Peoples' Friendship University celebrates its 60th anniversary, thousands of guests - our graduates and friends will come to Moscow. Q: Now, much emphasis has been placed on other regions: Latin American, Asian and African countries. What is the situation currently with the foreign students from these regions? VF: There are 9.5 thousand foreign students at the university. We have 1,200 students from sub-Saharan Africa alone. If in the Soviet years the university did not have citizens from Western Europe, North America, now the number of students from Europe and from Latin America would be the same. The top 10 foreign countries by the number of students include China, Iran, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Namibia, South Africa, Syria, Mongolia, Nigeria and Ecuador. Indeed, the geography is expanding - during the past year, for the first time, citizens of Niger, the Netherlands, Suriname and Croatia came to RUDN. Q: As a former Education Minister and now Rector, how do you view Russian education as an export product? And, as an export product, it must have high value especially in the current burgeoning competitive market? VF: Mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, engineering - scientific schools of Russia are already well-known all over the world. The high quality of Russian higher education is guaranteed by the state standard. Each program clearly defines the requirements that all universities have to fulfill: the names of disciplines, the number of hours, professional competences ... research projects - term papers and dissertations must necessarily be guided by highly qualified scientific supervisors. Education quality requirements are very high, while the state also provides an opportunity for free education. Each year, Russia allocates 15,000 quotas for the training of foreigners. In addition, a contract for tuition in Russian universities costs much less than the average prices for higher education in other top universities in the world. Q: What are the challenges and hindrances to offering quality education these years? Do you have any suggestions here on how to overcome and improve the situation? VF: Only a few Russian universities have started to move away from quantitative principles when recruiting foreign students. Before, it was important how many foreigners you have at the university, what percentage they make of the total number of students. Some universities recruited applicants from two to three Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), that is the former Soviet republics, - and that was enough for them. There was no particular need to look for talented applicants. Because of this, foreigners often chose Russia according to the residual principle - they came to us after failing to enter universities in England, the United States, France and so forth. For RUDN, geography and the level of knowledge of applicants have always been a priority. Over the past 10 years, we have been teaching students from more than 150 countries. Interestingly, we are the first to conduct Olympiads abroad, to look for talented applicants, to offer them special scholarship programs. Now Russia has adopted the national project "Education", thus the number of international students should increase twice (double) by 2024. At the same time, every fifth student who entered on the quota of the Russian Federation must be the winner of international Olympiads. Therefore, the university's experience is now relevant - we share it with leading Russian universities. Q: Aware of the importance of international recognition of the Russian education system, it still seems that Russian universities have to inculcate diversified cultural tolerance, take advantage of multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism, aspects of modern life, which are necessary pre-requisites for any success in the now globalized world. Do you have any objections to these, as a former Education Minister? VF: Most ethnic-related problems are absolutely due to ignorance, misunderstanding, or disrespect for another culture. At RUDN, the principle of peoples' friendship lies in the very name of the university. For us, the culture of interethnic communication is the norm, this is what we get used to from the very first day at the university when it was established. In our university, there is even among students a popular slogan - "We Are Different - We Are Equal!" In a globalized world, friendship with representatives of several states is an undoubted advantage, because an international university has to project itself as global community and that really makes the world a better place grow up, and our university is all about cultivating friendship. Q: Finally, the future vision for the Russian University of Peoples' Friendship? How would you like it transformed, or diversify its activities for example into research, hubs of technology and other directions of human development, in the coming years? VF: Among plans for the near future - to celebrate the 60th birthday of Russian University of Peoples' Friendship in the Kremlin on February 8. This year, we are planning to start building two new skyscraper hostels. I would like the number of foreign countries in RUDN to increase to 160. This is also our target. Long-term goals are more ambitious. We will continue the transformation towards a research university. There is a lot to do about international activities - we have identified six levels of internationalization of education and science at the university. It is necessary to continue work in the field of digitalization of the educational process and Life Long Learning - restoring the system of advanced training for foreign graduates of Russian universities. However difficult our plans and goals may be, our principles will not change - we will continue uniting people of different culture by knowledge, train future leaders and elites who make the world a better place. New Delhi, Jan 4 : We all feel cold during the winters. Especially during these winters which have been termed as the coldest winters in 118 years! One of the most exposed and vulnerable parts of our body is our feet. There are several reasons why our feet become and remain cold in winters. These include reasons related to extrinsic causes (surrounding environment), intrinsic causes (due to normal human physiology) and/or specific diseases. Dr Dhananjay Gupta, Director, Orthopaedic Surgery, Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi explains what the ailment is all about and hot to beat it. Extrinsic causes is when normal temperature is reduced it causes the constriction of the peripheral vasculature to save body heat loss by restricting circulation. High stress or anxiety, causes release of adrenaline into circulation which in turn leads to peripheral blood vessel constriction, this is an intrinsic cause. Circulation issues are another reason. There is decreased circulation to distal parts of the body and in turn leads to cold hands and feet. This can be due to a sedentary lifestyle, various heart conditions which lead to decreased cardiac output, tobacco smoking, atherosclerosis. Anaemia also leads to decreased oxygen supply to body parts resulting in decreased metabolic activity at cellular level. Raynaud's disease is a condition in which spasm of arterioles occurs in cold temperature. Nerve disorders: Cause for nerve damage are either external (injury, trauma, burns, frostbite) or internal (liver or kidney diseases, nutrient deficiency, infection). These patients also have additional symptoms of nerve damage. Diabetes mellitus: It causes narrowing of blood vessels on the other it is also responsible for nerve damage. Hypothyroidism: Reduced thyroid hormone level leads to reduced metabolic activity and in turn to cold hands and feet. SYMPTOMS- Either cold feet can occur in isolation or in combination with other symptoms which include numbness, paraesthesia, sores on weight bearing areas, skin changes (rashes, scales, thick skin), fatigue, weight loss or gain, fever, joint pain Management: If one has cold feet with no underlying condition, then they just must cover up and bundle themselves up in better woollen clothing. However, if on is predisposed to some condition, management is directed towards the cause per se. The approach should be to identify the factors responsible and then to manage it accordingly. Preventive remedies: Movement: it is one of the easiest ways to warm up. It acts by increasing circulation and in turn increases the foot and hand temperature. Jumping, running, brisk walking or simply moving around is more than enough. Thick socks and slippers: warm thick and well insulated socks and shoes. Warm water foot baths is the easiest and most effective way; instant effect within 10-15 mins. Heating pads, hot water bottles or room heaters for bedtime. Heating insoles are ideal for people who have outdoor jobs. They are battery operated and chargeable. Prevent crossing your legs for long while sitting. Exercise on regular basis enhances blood flow and is an effective way to prevent cold hand and feet. Traditional home remedies like rubbing of hands and feet with onion or bathing in potato water is an effective way to improve circulation. Problem in preventing or treating the cold feet in winters lies in the negligence to identify the exact cause that is responsible, by the patient himself or by the treating doctor. America continues to make headlines by attacking Baghdad. Recently, the US has banned Cuban defense chief General Leopoldo Sintra Frias. After this ban, both Frias and his children will not be able to enter America. The US State Department says that General Frias has violated human rights by supporting the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In his statement, Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo said, "The Head of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba (MINFAR), General Frias, is responsible for obstructing the action of overthrowing the leftist government of President Maduro." For your information, let us tell you that MINFAR is involved in widespread human rights violations in Venezuela, including cruelty, inhuman treatment, punishment and harassment of Venezuelans who speak out against Maduro. Destroying democracy in Venezuela by intimidating people is the goal of the MINFAR and the Cuban government. Also Read: Baghdad: Thousands of people on the streets, angry with America over the death of these powerful people One lakh officers dismissed in anti-corruption campaign, President Xi Chinfing's party logo falls Britain forbids its citizens from traveling to Iran, US statement on second air strike 3 adventure tourist destination of India, where you can enjoy holidays He famously flew to St Kitts on a plane carrying $1.3m worth of cannabis last year. Yet Jonathan Rhys Meyers looked a little more down to earth on Friday as enjoyed a cigarette during a night out in Beverly Hills. The Tudors star, 42, was looking edgy in a tight leather jacket and grey trousers as he puffed on his cigarette in the street. Relaxed: Tudors star Jonathan Rhys Meyers, 42, puffed on a cigarette during a night out in Beverly Hills on Friday Adding a pair of combat boots to his look, the 12th Man star looked pensive as he stood in the street with a pair of glasses hanging from the collar of his shirt. Jonathan's outing comes after he travelled on a plane to St. Kitts with an estimated 5,000 cannabis plants worth $1.3million alongside Greek Coca Cola heir Alki David - who was then arrested on drugs charges - in May. Jonathan's wife Mara Lane appeared to forget the controversy surrounding her arrival in St. Kitts and Nevis with the Greek Coca Cola heir as she posted a snap just days after the incident. The wife of Hollywood star Jonathan, visited one of the islands stunning beaches just days after the incident as she posted a fun-filled holiday snap. Night out: Jonathan donned a tight leather jacket which he wore over a white t-shirt Taking to Instagram, the brunette looked completely oblivious to the arrest as local authorities swooped on David and his business partner Chase Ergen following their arrival at Robert L. Bradshaw International airport. They had transported an estimated 5,000 cannabis plants on the aircraft as part of their new business to 'develop legal cannabis businesses in the region'. At the beginning of last year, Jonathan revealed that after starting a family with Mara he is the 'happiest he's ever been'. Pensive: The star added a pair of rolled up grey trousers and shining combat boots Preoccupied: The 12th Man actor looked a little downcast as he stood in the street The couple welcomed the first child, a son named Wolf Rhys, in December 2016. Previously, Mara credited the Irish star for 'being a natural' when it comes to fatherhood in the months that followed Wolf's birth. Now speaking to the Irish Independent, the Cork native, who was supporting 25 years of Irish children's charity Barretstown, explained that welcoming his first child has given him a new perspective on life. Good times: Jonathan's wife Mara Lane enjoyed a trip to the beach in St Kitts in May, just days after she and her husband travelled to the island with $1.3million worth of cannabis plants He said: 'I'm much happier than I have ever been. Once you have your first child, you become the past. We're all busy giving out to ourselves and driving ourselves forward. A child gives you a new perspective on life.' Aside from discussing fatherhood, the Bend It Like Beckham actor got his start in acting aged just 16 after a casting agent spotted him in a pool hall in Cork while looking for boys to star in Irish film classic, The War of The Buttons. Jonathan's battle with alcoholism has been well documented over the years and he is believed to have had six stints in rehab - first checking into a rehab centre in Malibu in 2005 seeking treatment for alcohol abuse, before returning two years later in 2007. Despite his short stature and quiet demeanor, Qasem Soleimani was considered one of the most infamous military operators in the Middle East by the United States and its allies. As leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, the 62-year-old bore responsibility for Iran's clandestine operations overseas, quietly extending the military reach of Iran deep into foreign conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq. In the process, he had earned himself a near mythical status among his enemies and idolization by his Iranian hard-line supporters. Analysts have complained that Soleimani had more diplomatic clout than Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and pondered if he would eventually seek top political office himself. Some compared him to Karla, the fanatical, but fictional, Soviet spymaster in John LeCarre's Cold War novels. But according to reports from Iraqi state media, his story came to an end early on Friday morning after a U.S. strike near the Baghdad airport killed him and a number of Iraqi militia leaders. Soleimani's death brings to an end a career that began in the early days after the 1979 revolution and helped shape the Islamic republic that followed it. "More than anyone else, Soleimani has been responsible for the creation of an arc of influence - which Iran terms its 'Axis of Resistance' - extending from the Gulf of Oman through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea," wrote Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent and national security analyst, in a 2018 profile. A young man from a poor family in Iran's mountainous southeast, Soleimani had joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a group designed to protect the new republic and enforce its strict ideological aims, after the revolution. During the war with neighboring Iraq between 1980 and 1988, the Revolutionary Guard had gained political and economic power in the country and the bloody and brutal war in Iraq also helped shape Soleimani. Though only in his twenties, he undertook missions behind enemy lines, the sort of irregular warfare that would one day become the calling card of the Quds Force. He also found allies among Iraq's majority Shiite population, some of whom backed Iran against the Sunni-dominated dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. In the late 1990s, Soleimani was given control of the Quds Force, the wing of the Revolutionary Guards devoted to external affairs. Though the group had a lengthy history, having helped establish Hezbollah in Lebanon in the early 1980s, under Soleimani's watch it would expand its influence in the region. After the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies ousted Saddam, the Quds Force began to aid Iranian militias in the country as they fought against American troops. A recent Pentagon estimate argued that Iranian proxy forces had killed at least 608 U.S. troops in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. Later, the Syrian civil war saw a massive intervention by the Quds Force that helped sway the battle in favor of Bashar Assad, a regional ally of Tehran's. Soleimani's influence was most keenly felt in the Middle East, but his practical ambitions were not regionally bound. The Quds Force was linked to plots in Asia and Latin America; even one failed 2011 attempt to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States at an Italian restaurant in Georgetown. After President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other world powers, the Quds Force found itself at the center of rapidly escalating tension with the United States. In Iraq, Shiite militias harassed U.S. troops in the country, firing rockets at bases used by Americans. After one attack in late December killed a U.S. contractor, the United States launched airstrikes against bases along the border with Syria used by the group Kataib Hezbollah, killing 25 militia members and injuring more than 50. On New Year's Eve, Shiite militias and their supporters stormed the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad. Though no one was killed in the chaos, Trump warned that Iran bore responsibility for the act. "They will be held fully responsible," he tweeted. The airstrike on Friday morning killed not only Soleimani, but also Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi militia commander. Analysts agreed that Soleimani was a unique figure and likely irreplaceable for the Iranian regime. But after the shock news of his death, some wondered what effect killing such a revered figure would have on the region. "The pressure to retaliate will be immense," Vali Nasr, an expert on the Middle East and a professor at Johns Hopkins University, observed on Twitter. By PTI WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has approved the resumption of its military training programme for Pakistani security personnel at the American institutions, a top American diplomat said here on Friday. However, the overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect, the diplomat said. ALSO READ | UAE extends USD 200 million aid to Pakistan for economic project President authorized the IMET for Pakistan, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, tweeted on Friday, the day Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke over phone with the Pak Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the situation in the region in the aftermath of the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. It will "strengthen" military to military cooperation between the two countries on "shared priorities," she said. The Trump administration had in August 2018 suspended the more than a decade-long International Military Education and Training (IMET) programme for Pakistani personnel at the US institutions, days after Islamabad and Moscow signed an agreement to allow Pakistani troops to receive training at the Russian defence centres. BAGHDADIraq was the uneasy epicentre of a region on edge Saturday after the killing of Irans most prominent military leader, with an angry funeral procession winding through its capital in the morning and rockets falling after dark. Adding to the apprehensions was a series of threats and counterthreats from Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump, with Trump tweeting Saturday that targets in Iran would be hit very fast and very hard should U.S. assets or personnel be attacked. Early Friday, U.S. drone strikes ripped through two cars travelling outside Baghdads international airport, killing Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a powerful Iraqi militia leader, along with eight other people. Iran immediately vowed to seek revenge for the killing of Soleimani, as the Trump administration announced that it was sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East. The tensions continued to build Saturday as NATO announced that it was suspending its Canadian-led training mission in Iraq, and the United States said that it had stepped up security at military bases in the country. An Iranian commander quoted by the Tasnim News Agency on Saturday suggested that dozens of U.S. facilities and military assets in the Middle East were at risk, along with Israel, a key U.S. ally. Thirty-five vital American positions in the region are within the reach of the Islamic Republic, and Tel Aviv, the commander, Brig. Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, was quoted as saying. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital thoroughfare for the West, and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia backed by Iran, warned members of Iraqi security forces to keep a distance more than half a mile from U.S. military bases, beginning Sunday evening. The militia, which led a siege of the U.S. Embassy before Soleimanis killing, did not say why it issued the warning. Trump, tweeting Saturday from his personal resort in West Palm Beach, Fla., appeared to be responding in kind when he said that the United States had targeted multiple sites in Iran and that those targets would be struck should U.S. military sites be attacked or Americans harmed. He also repeated the administrations justification for Soleimanis killing, referring to the Iranian commander as a terrorist leader who had been planning additional attacks. Iran has been nothing but a problem for many years, Trump tweeted. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! A spokesperson for the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State group said that we have increased security and defensive measures at the Iraqi bases that host anti-ISIS coalition troops. Our command places protection of U.S. forces, as well as our allies and security partners in the coalition, as the top priority; we remain vigilant and resolute. The focal point of the anxiety was Baghdad, where thousands of people joined a funeral procession for Soleimani and alMuhandis on Saturday as helicopters shadowed the crowds. Death to America, death to Israel, people chanted. We will take our revenge! The procession, which began in Baghdad and moved on to the Iraqi Shiite shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala, offered a vivid display of how both Iran and the United States are deeply entwined in Iraq. The crowds bellowed anti-American cries and vowed to fight to avenge one of Irans heroes as U.S.-allied Iraqi security forces watched over the chanting throngs. Soleimanis burial is scheduled for Tuesday in Kerman, his hometown in southeastern Iran. Later Saturday, rockets were fired toward Baghdads Green Zone, site of the U.S. Embassy, and at an airbase hosting U.S. troops north of Baghdad, but they caused no casualties, according to Iraqi and U.S. officials, who did not say who had fired the rockets. The White House delivered a formal notification of the drone strike that killed Soleimani to Congress on Saturday, as is required under the War Powers Act. The report is completely classified, according to a senior Democratic aide, but probably details the administrations justification for the strike, as well as the constitutional and legislative rationale used to send troops. It was unclear whether the administration would issue a non-classified version that could be publicized. NATO, which has several hundred personnel in Iraq, said Saturday that it has temporarily suspended its training of Iraqi forces to counter the Islamic State, according to Dylan White, a NATO spokesman. The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary, he said in an emailed statement. Elsewhere, regional governments were scrambling to avoid further outbreaks of violence. Qatars foreign minister travelled to Tehran on Saturday and discussed ways to maintain collective security of the region with his Iranian counterpart, the Qatar News Agency said. In Saudi Arabia, King Salman called Iraqs president, Barham Salih, and discussed the importance of calm and defusing the crisis in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states have reacted nervously to the escalating tensions because of their proximity to Iran and fears of a backlash due to their close partnerships, including military co-operation, with the United States. The drone attack early Friday local time struck a two-vehicle convoy on an access road near Baghdad International Airport and also killed several of Soleimanis local allies. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi called the attack an assassination that was a flagrant violation of the conditions authorizing the presence of U.S. troops on Iraqi soil. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a security spokesperson for Iraqs prime minister, said Saturday that authorities were investigating crew members who were on the aircraft that brought Soleimani to Baghdad, reportedly from Damascus apparently to determine how the United States learned of the Iranian commanders whereabouts. Khalaf, speaking to Iraqs state news agency, reiterated that U.S. forces are not allowed to conduct military operations in Iraq without the approval of the prime minister, and he hinted that their future in the country is in doubt. We have alternatives to train our armed forces, Khalaf said. Read more about: Here's what several ETF industry professionals have told CNBC's "ETF Edge" about possible surprises for investors in 2020. In reality, the new year will likely bring new surprises to many areas of the market including the exchange-traded fund space, where some upcoming changes could fundamentally transform the industry, experts say. The biggest 2020 surprise ETF watchers are anticipating has to do with one of 2019's biggest stories: the SEC's approval of nontransparent ETFs, or funds that aren't required to disclose their portfolio holdings daily, but quarterly. With the T. Rowe Price, Fidelity, Natixis and Blue Tractor preliminary approval for their own nontransparent funds, is set to expand quickly, ETF.com managing director Dave Nadig said in a Dec. 12 interview. "We'll see a bunch of them launch, I'm predicting, in the first quarter. I think what the surprise will be is there'll be a surprising amount of money in these funds out of the gate," Nadig said. "I think a few of those funds are going to come out of the gate with big allocations, $500 million opening weeks. It's going to be institutions coming to play. We're going to be talking about it all year." CFRA's Todd Rosenbluth and Main Management's Kim Arthur echoed that sentiment in their Dec. 16 interview, even as Arthur noted that, for active managers arguably the biggest beneficiaries of the new confidential and low-cost ETF structure "performance still matters and cost still matters." "If ... it's high cost and bad performance, I don't care if it's a nontransparent, new, whiz-bang theory with the ETF wrapper, it will not sell," said Arthur, whose firm manages its own active ETF, the (SECT). Rosenbluth, his firm's senior director of ETF and mutual fund research, had a rosier outlook for the nontransparent funds, forecasting that some issuers that have not yet been granted preliminary SEC approval for theirs could bring them to market "in an untraditional way." "There are some actively managed ETFs that are doing well," Rosenbluth said. "Some of the strategies that are coming out from T. Rowe Price, these have strong track records, they have relatively low cost structures. [Investors] will gravitate. There are good active managers, not just bad ones." Queen Elizabeth II has been serving the monarch longer than her predecessors. She has been leading the royal family and ruling over the country for over 67 years. She inherited the throne from her father in 1962 and since then, she has been a crowd favorite. The year 2019 was a rather challenging year for Queen Elizabeth II, considering the scandal that involved her son Prince Andrew. Moreover, there is the growing scrutiny towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle due to the revelations they made about the royal life. With the Queen nearing 95 years old and the demands of the monarchy only increasing, there has been talks that she might step down from her throne. However, a recent prediction pointed out that Her Majesty might not pass the crown to her son, Prince Charles. Will The Queen Abdicate? Broadcaster Sherrie Hewson thinks the Queen will not and should not abdicate. She believes that the Queen should keep her throne for as long as she wants before deciding to pass it on. The broadcaster was also very vocal about what she thought of the Queen and her reign. "She's been there for 67 years simply because the crowd adores her," Hewson said. In truth, Queen Elizabeth II has been in throne longer than another well-loved queen in history -- Queen Victoria. Hewson continued by saying that the Queen should stay where she is for as long as she wants. The natural time will come when she will have to pass on the crown. Nonetheless, Hewson believes that when that time comes, Queen Elizabeth II will favor his grandson Prince William to the throne over her natural-born son, heir to the throne, Prince Charles. Prince William, the second-in-line to the throne, has begun to attend meetings at Clarence House with his father and his grandmother. He has also taken on more royal responsibilities and has been to several different envoys to other countries to represent the U.K. All those exposures prepare him well for his future role in the monarch. Prince Charles: The Future King Although Prince William has already started to participate in the heavier discussions concerning the monarchy, his father, Prince Charles has also spent the last few years preparing himself for the throne. The Prince of Wales has attended the Annual Remembrance Sunday to lay the commemorative wreath on behalf of the Queen. The Queen is always present during the ceremony; however, she has been watching it from a balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She has done this over the past three years. In the midst of the scandal that involves his brother the Duke of York, Prince Charles has been praised for stepping up to give their mother some advice on what can be done. After the disastrous interview with BBC in November, Prince Andrew decided to take a step back from his royal duties. Prince Charles advised the Queen to accept his brother's decision, as it would be the best for the royal family at that time. Prince Charles or Prince William -- who will be U.K.'s new crowned king? The public will have to wait until the Queen is ready to step down. For now, the members of the royal family are trying their best to play their role and attend to their responsibilities to the monarchy and to the public. For as long the Queen is doing things right, she can stay in her throne for as long as she wishes. Investing.com - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (T:7201)s former leader Carlos Ghosn used a spare French passport to pull off a dramatic escape from Japan this week, according to Al Jazeera. The businessman was smuggled out of Tokyo by a private security company days ago, according to the article. Ghosn said this week that he had fled to Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan, to hide from what he called a rigged justice system. He noted that he would talk to reporters next week. Analysts have earlier said that he could be armed with potentially damaging details about current Nissan executives. There must be many people at Nissan and Renault who think this could really be dangerous for them if Ghosn speaks, said Koji Endo, a senior analyst at SBI Securities in Tokyo. Ghosn was arrested in Tokyo in late 2018 and faces four charges, including hiding income and other financial improprieties. In a statement, he denied reports that his wife was involved in the escape plot. I alone organized my departure, the 65-year-old said. My family had no role whatsoever. Japans stock markets are closed since Monday for holidays. Nissans shares last traded at 636 yen on Dec. 30, down 0.5%. Related Articles U.S. farmers see another bleak year despite Phase 1 trade deal India Sensex Dips With Asian Peers as Middle East Tensions Flare Security camera shows Ghosn leaving Tokyo home alone before his escape: NHK U.S. conflict with Iran: What you need to read Heres what you need to know to understand what this moment means in U.S.-Iran relations. What happened: President Trump ordered a drone strike near the Baghdad airport, killing Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Irans most powerful military commander and leader of its special-operations forces abroad. Who was Soleimani: As the leader of the Revolutionary Guard Corps elite Quds Force, Soleimani was key in supporting and coordinating with Irans allies across the region, especially in Iraq. Soleimanis influence was imprinted on various Shiite militias that fought U.S. troops. How we got here: Tensions had been escalating between Iran and the United States since Trump pulled out of an Obama-era nuclear deal, and they spiked shortly before the airstrike. The strikes that killed Soleimani were carried out after the death of a U.S. contractor in a rocket attack against a military base in Kirkuk, Iraq, that the United States blamed on Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia. What happens next: Iran responded to Soleimanis death by launching missile strikes at two bases hosting U.S. forces in Iraq. No casualties were reported. In an address to the nation, Trump announced that new sanctions will be imposed on Tehran. Ask a question: What do you want to know about the strike and its aftermath? Submit a question or read previous Q&As with Post reporters. Mourners stamp on US flags with pictures of Donald Trump in Baghdad (Nasser Nasser/AP) Several rockets have exploded near the US embassy in Baghdad and at an airport housing US troops north of the Iraqi city. The explosions came after thousands of mourners marched in a funeral procession on Saturday in Baghdad for Irans top general, after he was killed in a US air strike. The day of mourning for Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force, was followed by a series of rockets that fell inside or near the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the US embassy. Expand Close Mourners burn a US flag during the funeral of Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad (Nasser Nasser/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners burn a US flag during the funeral of Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad (Nasser Nasser/AP) No-one was injured by a Katyusha rocket that fell inside the square less than one kilometre from the embassy, according to an Iraqi security official. The security official said another rocket in Baghdad landed about 500 metres from As-Salam palace, where the Iraqi president Barham Salih normally stays in Jadriya, a neighbourhood adjacent to the Green Zone. Another security official said three rockets fell outside an air base north of Baghdad, where American contractors are normally present. The rockets landed outside the base in a farm area and there were no reports of damage, according to the official. According to Sky News Arabia, at least two missiles struck near the embassy in the Green Zone while others were fired at Balad Airbase, about 50 miles north of the city. It is unclear how many troops are at the base, but there are no reports of injuries at either site. Theres every chance that e-scooters will increase pedestrian deaths in Toronto. Theyre not supposed to go on the sidewalk, but they will. And when they do, there will be no police to stop them. Ive lived on St. Clair West for 11 years and have never seen a car stopped for travelling at 60 or even 80 km/h, which they regularly do, let alone an e-scooter. David Lepofsky is right to be worried about untrained, unlicensed 16-year-olds silently driving towards him at 24 km/h. I turn 83 this month and being knocked down by a scooter could be fatal. Bikes are not supposed to be on sidewalks, but they are frequently are on St. Clair West because the street is treacherous and there are no bike lanes. Weve had decades of kicking infrastructure investment down the road by all three levels of government. To tell us now that e-scooters are even a partial solution to the problem isnt laughable, its deceptive and tragic. Deaths caused by e-scooters will be on the heads of those who approve them. by Shafique Khokhar Crowd fomented by the family of a young Muslim arrested for kidnapping and converting a Sikh girl. The attacked city is the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism. The religious minority remained hostage to extremists for hours. Nankana Sahib (AsiaNews) - A crowd of Islamic radicals attacked the Sikh temple in Nankana Sahib (in Punjab), the hometown of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, to avenge the arrest of a Muslim man who had kidnapped and converted a Sikh girl to Islam. The crowd gathered yesterday evening in front of the main entrance of the sacred place, throwing stones at the temple. The extremists threatened to eliminate every single Sikh faithful from the city and announced that they have renamed the location with an Islamic name. The Rwadari Tehreek (Movement for Tolerance) condemns the episode and calls for "the immediate intervention of the Federal Minister for Religious Minorities Peer Noor ul Haq Qadri. The attackers and hate bearers must be immediately arrested. We want zero tolerance for extremists." The activists express deep concern about yet another case of intolerance against religious minorities in the country. The group said: "The attack on the Sikhs holiest shrine shows that it is easy to unleash a frenzied crowd in the name of Islam. Nothing changes the bigoted mentality of the promoters of hate." Speaking to AsiaNews Kalyan Singh, a Sikh leader, explains that the violence "was triggered by the family of Mohammad Hassam, the boy who kidnapped and converted Jagjit Kaur about six months ago. The girl's parents managed to get her home thanks to the intervention of government officials. But Mohammad's relatives want the young woman to come back to them. The case is in court and in the meantime the police have arrested the Muslim. " The Sikh leader complains that his "religious community has been held hostage by Muslims in homes for hours." Finally, calm returned thanks to the intervention of Peer Sarwar Ahmed Shah, a relative of the Minister of the Interior, who acted as a mediator between the local administration and the angry crowd. In addition, the police prevented the crowd from committing more serious devastation. Meanwhile, the community remains in fear and its leaders are planning to bring the case to court. Samson Salamat, president of Rwadari Tehreek, says: The Sikh community believed they were a safe minority in Pakistan. The accident shows that it is not so, they are just like other minorities. The worst part is that the government tries to deny what happened, despite a temple being attacked, the Sikhs threatened with being eliminated and the city with being renamed in homage to Islam. We condemn all this and call for the immediate arrest of those responsible. " Los Angeles: Australian Wade Robson and American James Safechuck, featured in a 2019 documentary alleging sexual abuse by Michael Jackson have been given the go-ahead to pursue claims against two of the late singer's companies. A California appeals court ruled on Friday, US time, that Robson and Safechuck, who appeared in Leaving Neverland, could pursue their claims because of a change in California law. Robson and Safechuck say they were befriended by Jackson and were abused by him from the ages of seven and 10 in the early 1990s. Wade Robson, left, and James Safechuck, who accuse Michael Jackson of molesting them when they were boys, have a tentative ruling that their lawsuits should be reconsidered by the Californian trial court that dismissed them in 2017. Credit:AP Jackson died in 2009, but the singer's family has denied the claims and described Leaving Neverland as a "public lynching". "However, we look forward to connecting with city officials to discuss plans for the listed properties," Morikis said. School property sales are likely to be discussed by district leaders in a previously scheduled forum on Jan. 14 at the Gary Area Career Center. Robert Buggs, president of the non-voting Gary Community School Corp. advisory board, said he was surprised by how quickly the new administration in Gary decided to act on the abandoned schools. He and other board members questioned the feasibility of asking the cash-strapped Gary district to cover the cost of demolition on its own. "I'm totally blindsided by this whole urgency," Buggs said. "Yes, there's a violation, but the city also has some buildings that are in violation and not secured. What about them?" Prince said during the press conference his administration intends to address every property in the city in the same manner using the unsafe building law. Bengaluru, Jan 4 : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) set up a regional academic centre for space at the National Institute of Technology (NITK) at Surathkal in Karnataka's southwest Dakshina Kannada district, an official said on Saturday. "The centre at NIT-K will conduct joint research and development in space technology applications to meet the needs of our space programmes," space agency's director for capacity building P.V. Venkitakrishnan said in a statement here. The state-run ISRO will provide Rs 2 crore grant annually to NIT for the R&D projects and promotional activities through the year. The space agency and the engineering institute signed an agreement on the industry-academic collaboration on Friday at Surathkal, about 380km from Bengaluru. "The centre, fourth in the country, will also facilitate promoting space technology in the southern states, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana and be an ambassador for capacity-building, awareness and research and development (R&D), said Venkitakrishnan on the occasion. A joint policy and management committee will guide the centre in optimal utilisation of the research potential, infrastructure, expertise and experience of the space agency and the autonomous institute. "The committee will plan activities like research programmes of common interest and reviewing their projects periodically," said the director. ISRO's visiting scientists and experts in space technology and NIT faculty members and researchers will direct the centre's activities, including projects. "Students of under-graduation (B.Tech) and post-graduation (M.Tech) will be involved in one-year short-term research projects and 2-4 year long-term projects in advance space programmes," said NIT K. Umamashewara Rao. The intellectual property rights (patent) generated in the projects will be jointly owned by ISRO and NITK. The other three such centres are Malaviya National Institute of Technology at Jaipur in Rajasthan, Gauhati University in Assam's state capital and Kurukshetra University at Thanesar in Haryana. In a related development, the city-based space agency also tied up with the state-run Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) for cooperating to develop space situational awareness. "The agreement envisages utilisation of IIA's expertise in astrophysics and astronomy for developing advanced technologies for inter-planetary space explorations," said the space agency's scientific secretary R. Umamaheswaran. Both the academic and research institutions will also collaborate in setting up optical telescope facilities under the Netra project for space object tracking, studying space weather, asteroids and near earth objects. "Collaboration will help us progress in various fields of astrophysics and astronomy," said IIA Director Annapurni Subramaniam on the occasion. Paschal Donohoe, the finance minister, has denied he was lucky to benefit from a doubling in corporation tax receipts since 2014, which allowed him post a 1.5bn surplus in the public finances for 2019. Mr Donohoe, heralding the strong performance, said there was no luck involved as the increase in revenues came as a result of a change in policy driven by him and his predecessor Michael Noonan. The corporation tax surge is as a result of policy decisions, he said. There is no luck in the world of corporate tax policy. I have been in the middle of defending our corporate tax regime and changing it. You dont get lucky in this kind of world. It is as a result of policy choices we have made. I am claiming credit for a stable corporate tax regime. Since 2014 and 2015, we changed our tax regime in line with the OECD, and [when] we did that, we benefitted from more capital coming in. The latest exchequer returns show that the Government is likely to have generated budgetary surplus last year of 0.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) or 1.5bn on foot of the record 59bn tax take. Figures published by the Department of Finance show that the over-performance in tax receipts will deliver a surplus double the 0.2% of GDP surplus set out on budget day. Taxation receipts for 2019 amounted to 59.3bn, the highest level ever, and nearly 1.4bn above the original forecast. Across the main tax headings, receipts were in line with expectations with the notable exception of corporation tax receipts, which were 1.4bn ahead, the department said. Mr Donohoe warned that the country cant continue to rely on the same strong corporation tax receipts. He said: I expect to see corporation tax receipts decline in the future I believe that will happen. I think we could see that happen for two different reasons: either international tax changes in ways that we cant control, or levels of corporate profitability among some very big companies could begin to decline. Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty said the increased tax takings should not be used to fund current expenditure. The corporation tax surge is an unreliable phenomenon that should not be used to fill holes in the Governments own budget, but instead to invest in the economy, he said. The logical thing to do in the face of unprecedented crisis in health and housing is to divert any windfall into capital investment while it is coming in, and use this money to build homes, and to invest to build capacity in our public health system to address the challenges we face, the Donegal TD added. Soleimani Was Plotting 'Big Action' Threatening Hundreds of Americans - Pompeo Defends US Airstrike Sputnik News 15:29 03.01.2020(updated 16:29 03.01.2020) The United States carried out an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq in the early hours of Friday in order to "protect US personnel abroad". As a result of the strike, several people were killed including Iranian top military leader Qasem Soleimani. By neutralising Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the United States managed to avert an "imminent" attack, saving US and Iraqi lives in the process, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday. "There was an imminent attack [against the US], the orchestrator, the primary motivator for the attack was Qasem Soleimani ...There would have been many Muslims killed as well, Iraqis and people in other countries as well. It was a strike that was aimed at both disrupting that plot, deterring further aggression, [and] we hope, setting the conditions for de-escalation as well", Pompeo said in an interview with the Fox News TV channel. Pompeo added that the move was absolutely legal, noting that he could only confirm that Qasem Soleimani had been killed in the strike. He also said the United States is not seeking a military conflict with Iran and is committed to de-escalation. Washington, however, cannot stay idle when American lives are put at risk, he added. Pompeo also underlined that the United States had taken all measures at its disposal to fortify its assets in the Middle East. US Airstrike in Iraq Earlier this week, the Pentagon targeted facilities of Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi Shia paramilitary group that is part of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, in Iraq and Syria for allegedly launching a rocket attack on a base in Kirkuk, which killed a US contractor. This action prompted Shia protesters to storm the gates of the US Embassy in Baghdad. The US blamed Iran for allegedly masterminding the attacks on the US Embassy in Iraq, a claim that Tehran flatly denied. However, tensions escalated on Friday, when the US carried out airstrikes killing Iranian top military general Qasem Soleimani among others. Iran vowed to retaliate for the attack. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address My best judgment of Americas needs is to steady down, to get squarely on our feet, to make sure of the right path. ... Let us stop to consider that tranquility at home is more precious than peace abroad, and that both our good fortune and our eminence are dependent on the normal forward stride of all the American people. DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th January, 2020) Bahrain calls on the international community to take measures aimed at ensuring security in the Persian Gulf region after the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, by the US strikes in Baghdad, the national Foreign Ministry said. In the earlier hours of Friday, Soleimani was killed by a US drone attack near the Baghdad International Airport. US President Donald Trump said Washington took preemptive action against Soleimani to "stop a war." An adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, however, said the United States crossed a "red line" with the attack and Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei warned that a "harsh retaliation is waiting" for the United States. "The Kingdom [of Bahrain] also stresses the importance of immediate action to be taken by the international community, affirming the need to take all necessary measures to ensure security and stability in the region because of its vital and strategic importance for the whole world," the ministry said in a statement on late Friday. According to the statement, Bahrain is closely following the developments in Iraq after the death of Soleimani. Bahrain has repeatedly accused Iran of meddling in its internal affairs and supporting terrorism. Manama cut off the diplomatic relations with Tehran four years ago. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Victoria Justice reunited with her Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List co-star Matthew Daddario to film an indie film called Push in New York City on Friday. It's unclear whether Push is a sequel to Kristin Hanggi's 2015 rom-com, in which they played Naomi Mills and her doorman love interest Gabriel. In the scene, the 32-year-old native New Yorker - wearing a wedding band - chased after the Florida-born, LA-raised 26-year-old and grabbed her arm. Action! Victoria Justice reunited with her Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List co-star Matthew Daddario to film an indie film called Push in New York City on Friday Smile! It's unclear whether Push is a sequel to Kristin Hanggi's 2015 rom-com, in which they played Naomi Mills and her doorman love interest Gabriel Matthew and Victoria were shooting their action sequence outside the Rockefeller Center subway station in Midtown Manhattan. Justice was bundled up in a light-pink winter coat and black thigh-high boots as the younger brother of Alexandra Daddario suited up sans necktie. In between takes, the former Nickelodeon star touched up her lipstick beneath a red winter parka as a hairstylist brushed her brunette locks. Wearing a wedding band: In the scene, the 32-year-old native New Yorker chased after the Florida-born, LA-raised 26-year-old and grabbed her arm NYC: Matthew and Victoria were shooting their action sequence outside the Rockefeller Center subway station in Midtown Manhattan 40F-degree winter: Justice was bundled up in a light-pink winter coat and black thigh-high boots as the younger brother of Alexandra Daddario suited up sans necktie Freezing: In between takes, the former Nickelodeon star touched up her lipstick beneath a red winter parka as a hairstylist brushed her brunette locks Acting gig: The Summer Night actress' street sighting came two days after she told her 43.5M social media following that she 'had a good feeling about 2020' The Summer Night actress' street sighting came two days after she told her 43.5M social media following that she 'had a good feeling about 2020.' On December 22, the Victorious songstress teased a snap from her songwriting session with musicians Captain Cuts and and Tia Scola. Meanwhile, the Shadowhunters heartthrob just celebrated his second wedding anniversary with Eskimoves travel blogger Esther Kim on New Year's Eve. '#MakinMusica': On December 22, the Victorious songstress teased a snap from her songwriting session with musicians Captain Cuts and and Tia Scola Qatar Airways plans to increase flights between Doha, Qatar, and Da Nang from four to seven flights per week in the second quarter of this year, just a year after the air route was launched in December 2018. An aircraft of Qatar Airway is about to take off from Hamad International Airport at Doha, Qatar. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Thecitys tourism department said increasing flights from Doha would helpboost tourism and investment among central destinations in Vietnam, the MiddleEast and 150 global destinations of the Qatar Airways network. Theairline also brought 170 tourists to the city on the first day of 2020. TheDa Nang-Doha air route is the only direct flight from central Vietnam toQatar and the Middle East, using the Boeing 787-8 aircraft with 254 seats. QatarAirways began direct services to the southern largest economic hub of Ho Chi MinhCity in 2007, and launched its direct flight to the capital city of Hanoi in2010. Currently, the airline provides twice-daily direct flights to Hanoi and10 weekly flights to HCM City. In2017, Qatar Airways announced its interline partnership with Vietnam-basedbudget carrier Vietjet Air, allowing Qatar Airways passengers to travel to andfrom points in Vietnam not served directly by Qatar Airways using a singlereservation across both airlines networks./.VNA BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: Since the beginning of this Iranian year (March 21, 2019), 800,000 tons of goods have been exported from Iran to Central Asian countries by 13,000 cargo railcars, Director General of the Iranian Khorasan Railway Office Mostafa Naseri Varg said, Trend reports citing IRNA. Varg said that exports from the Sarakhs border in Irans Razavi Khorasan province to Central Asia via railway increased by 58 percent, as the private sector became more active in the international supply of goods. The director general added that 701,000 tons of goods were loaded in the Razavi Khorasan province for export to Central Asia by rail. Cement was mainly exported via the Sarakhs border (with the share of 70 percent), Varg noted. "Some 73 percent of the total volume was exported to Uzbekistan and the rest to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan," said the director general. Irans trade with Central Asian countries by rail is carried out through the Sarakhs border in Razavi Khorasan province and the Inchehboron border in Golestan province. Last Iranian year (from March 21, 2018 to March 21, 2019), exports, imports and transit via Sarakhs railway exceeded 2 million tons. London Vihara holds New Year religious programme View(s): From early in the morning till late at night on January 1, 2020, a large number of Sri Lankan and British devotees and those from many other communities living in the UK visited the London Buddhist Vihara to offer prayers and take part in the various religious programmes. Buddha Puja, Buddha Vandana, Dana and Pariththa chanting were held throughout the day. Special arrangements were made to chant Seth Pirith. The Chief Sangha Nayake of Great Britain, the Most Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala Thera, the Ven. Thawalama Bandula Thera and the Ven. Kalugamuwe Kassapa Thera participated in these programmes. Mid-day Dana for the Mahasangha was offered by the Sri Lanka High Commission. The Ven. Seelawimala Nayaka Thera in his Anusasanaa said: It was a great pleasure for all at the Vihara to extend their sincere greeting and good wishes to every one visiting the temple on the dawn of a new year as well as a new decade. The Nayaka Thera paid Punyanumodana, expressing his gratitude to everyone who helped in various ways to make the 2019 a productive year for the Vihara. He also reminded everyone about receiving Planning Approval for a much-needed Building Extension at the vihara. The relevant information and the building plans have been displayed in the main hall and posted on the LBV website.The Nayaka Thera made an appeal for support and assistance from everyone to make this project a reality. Your kind donations are most welcome in fulfilling this objective for the successful completion of the project within cost and time. Vihara Management Committee members with the help of other sayakas offered Kiri Bath and refreshments to every one who visited the Vihara during the day. Ailing former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, under treatment in London, will be hospitalised soon for a cardiac procedure as the doctors have failed to determine the real cause for his low blood platelet count, according to a media report. Islamabad: Ailing former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, under treatment in London, will be hospitalised soon for a cardiac procedure as the doctors have failed to determine the real cause for his low blood platelet count, according to a media report. The 69-year-old PML-N supremo had left for London on 19 November in an air ambulance to seek medical treatment, a month after he was released on bail from a seven-year prison sentence for corruption. Sharif is undergoing treatment of multiple diseases including coronary artery disease (CAD). The CAD is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries due to which the heart does not receive the blood it needs, leading to acute chest pain and, in some cases, a fatal heart attack. Sharif will be admitted to a hospital in London soon for a heart procedure, The News newspaper quoted a source at the UK's Royal Brompton Hospital as saying on Friday. The cardiologists have advised Sharif that he must have a heart procedure. Sharif has been advised that it will be determined within a week whether he will need a heart operation, bypass, or a heart stent, the report said. For about two months Sharif has been in London, but the issue of his blood platelets remains unresolved and his blood platelets remain unstable, it said. Two weeks ago, Sharif's personal physician Adnan Khan had said that doctors were going through the whole medical history of the former prime minister and have recommended that he requires a cardiac intervention. Last month, Simon Redwood, a cardiovascular interventionist at the London Bridge Hospital, had said Sharif should be admitted in a hospital for heart procedure. It is understood that the real cause of low platelet count of Sharif is still not determined, the report said. Last week, doctors at the Royal Brompton Hospital told Sharif that his cardiac Positron-emission tomography (PET) scan suggested ischemic myocardium, partial or complete blockage of a coronary artery by a buildup of plaques, and blood supply to heart was deficient which is a risk for heart attack and also a cause of his ongoing angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Khan was not available for comment on the report of Sharif's possible hospitalisation, the report said. Sharif was shifted from jail to the Services hospital in Lahore in October after his health condition deteriorated. Doctors then recommended him to get treatment abroad. The Pakistan government allowed Sharif's travel for medical reasons but put the condition that he submit an indemnity bond as a guarantee that he would return to the country after getting treatment. He, however, rejected the condition and challenged it in courts. Sharif was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on humanitarian grounds in the Al Azizia case and by the Lahore High Court in the ongoing Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, in which he is a suspect. In November, he was allowed by the Lahore High Court to travel abroad for treatment without any bond. By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Mexican government official who oversaw public security in his country pleaded not guilty on Friday to U.S. By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Mexican government official who oversaw public security in his country pleaded not guilty on Friday to U.S. charges he accepted millions of dollars in bribes to protect the Sinaloa drug cartel once run by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and let it operate with impunity. Genaro Garcia Luna, 51, entered his plea through a translator at a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn, where lawyers signalled he may be in talks to change his plea later. U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo ordered Garcia Luna detained after Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Reid called him an "unacceptable risk of flight," citing his alleged contacts with the Sinaloa cartel. The defendant's court-appointed lawyer said he would seek bail later. Garcia Luna, who had moved to Florida and was living there before his arrest, has been charged with drug trafficking conspiracy and making false statements, and faces up to life in prison if convicted. He was arrested 3-1/2 weeks ago in Dallas but agreed to face the charges in Brooklyn, where Guzman was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole last year for smuggling tons of drugs to the United States in a colourful, decades-long career. Garcia Luna wore handcuffs, tan pants and a grey sweatshirt in the courtroom, with a pair of glasses hanging from his neckline. Kuo agreed to delay the case so the parties could negotiate what Reid called a "potential disposition" without the need for a trial, language that often signals a future guilty plea. A lawyer for Garcia Luna who could not attend Friday's hearing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, who oversaw Guzman's trial, scheduled a Jan. 21 status conference for Garcia Luna. Once considered a leader in Mexico's efforts to reduce drug trafficking, Garcia Luna led that country's Federal Investigation Agency from 2001 to 2005 and was secretary of public security from 2006 to 2012. But prosecutors said the Sinaloa cartel bribed Garcia Luna throughout his time in government to ensure safe passage for its drugs, and to obtain information about rival cartels and Mexican probes into its activities. Garcia Luna had been the subject of testimony at Guzman's trial by Jesus Zambada, the brother of Guzman's partner Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Jesus Zambada said he had given Garcia Luna a suitcase containing $3 million (2.29 million) in 2005 or 2006, and paid him another $3 million to $5 million in 2007. Garcia Luna at the time rejected the accusations, calling them "defamation" and without proof. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Fourteen civilians, including many schoolchildren, have died after a roadside bomb blew up a bus in north-western Burkina Faso, security sources said. Four others were seriously hurt in the blast a security source told AFP. The attack occurred on Saturday morning in Toeni in the region of Sourou near the border with Mali, as children returned to school after holidays. "The vehicle hit a homemade bomb [IED] on the Toeni-Tougan road," a second security source said. "Most of the dead are schoolchildren." It is not yet clear who was behind the attack but jihadists have been strengthening their actions of late. On 24 December, 35 civilians were killed in the north of Burkina Faso in a suspected jihadist attack on a military base. On Saturday the army reported an attack against gendarmes at Inata in the north on Friday, saying "a dozen terrorists [had been] neutralised". Since 2015, increasingly deadly jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso have killed more than 750 people, and forced 560,000 people from their homes according to UN figures. The entire Sahel region, especially Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, is fighting jihadist insurgency with help from Western countries, but has not managed to stem the bloodshed. In a televised New Years address on Tuesday, Burkina Fasos president Roch Marc Christian Kabore assured his compatriots that "victory" over terrorism was certain. By Express News Service BHOPAL: In a late development, senior BJP leaders, including BJP national general-secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and Indore MP Shankar Lalwani were booked by police in Indore for violating prohibitory orders, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation and wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot. A case was registered at Indores Sanyogitaganj police station on Saturday late night against Vijayvargiya, Lalwani, Indore-II MLA Ramesh Mendola and Indore-V MLA Mahendra Hardia, local BJP leader Gopikrishna Nema and 350 others," station in-charge NS Raghuvanshi told TNIE. The case was registered against the BJP leaders following a complaint by a SDM, in which it was alleged that Vijayvargiya and other BJP leaders had violated prohibitory orders clamped in Indore on December 10, 2019 as per which all kinds of rallies and processions were banned in Indore district. On Friday, Vijayvargiya along with other leaders had reportedly staged dharna outside the residence of Indore Divisional Commissioner sans any permission and had also talked in a threatening tone nto an administrative official publicly. Peeved over the administrative and police officials not heeding to local BJP leaders written request to meet him and local public representatives of the party in Indore on Friday afternoon, Vijayvargiya lost his cool while talking to an SDM in Indore on Friday. "A letter was written to them (officials) intimating that we wanted to meet them to discuss the issues confronting Indore. But forget about meeting us, they (officials) didnt even inform us whether they are in or out of town. We wont tolerate this, had the office bearers of Sangh (RSS) not been in Indore, we would have set Indore ablaze," the BJP leader said to the SDM. Vijayvargiya, who was flanked by other BJP leaders, including Lalwani, Mendola and son Akash, didnt stop there, but went on to say in the same threatening tone. "Such arrogance among local officials towards public representatives isnt healthy in democracy. Neglecting BJP and its leaders will prove costly to the concerned officials..I hope they (officials) know what Im hinting at. Are the officials working for Kamal Nath or the people of MP," he said. Importantly, top office bearers of the RSS (BJPs parent outfit), including Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat are presently in Indore for the three-day national conclave slated from January 5-7. Informed sources confided to The New Indian Express that Vijayvargiya (ex-Indore mayor and former MLA from different seats of Indore) had asked local officials to meet him over various local issues, particularly the ongoing demolition drive against land sharks and organized mafia, which include some powerful men close to BJP leaders. Angered over the local officials not meeting him and other BJP leaders on Friday afternoon, Vijayvargiya sat on a dharna outside the outside the commissioners residence in Indore. "If the BJP people, including party workers are targeted by the ongoing anti-mafia demolition drive, we wont sit and watch as mute spectators. Weve prepared a list of 167 Congress workers whose shops and houses are illegal, why isnt the local administration acting against them," Vijayvargiya asked on Friday. Earlier, on Saturday, a ruling Congress delegation had met Madhya Pradesh DGP VK Singh in Bhopal and demanded criminal case be lodged against Vijayvargiya for his threatening statements and unlawful assembly in Indore on Friday. Russia has halted oil supplies to Belarus amid a disagreement over tariffs, according to officials at a Belarusian oil refinery in the northern city of Navapolatsak. The officials told RFE/RL that the shipments stopped on January 1 and the facility is currently processing only Russian oil delivered before that date. Belarus has been at odds with Russia over oil-transit prices for some time against a backdrop of increasing pressure by Moscow on Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to deepen integration between the two countries. A two-month deal on natural-gas prices hours before a December 31 deadline helped the sides avoid a gas shutoff to start the year. Belarus is heavily reliant on Russia for fuel and funding and is a key transit route for Russian energy supplies to Europe. And now, Russia has just broken a new oil production record. Moscow and Minsk signed an agreement in 1999 to form a unified state, but little progress has been made in the ensuing two decades. Related: A Bullish End To The Year For Oil Markets Meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenka last year failed to bring the two sides together as the Belarusian president complained he was merely seeking "equal" terms. Belarusian protests in December targeted the perceived secrecy of the talks and objected to closer ties to Russia. Mike Pompeo this week postponed a planned visit to Minsk to meet with Lukashenka in what would have been the first visit by a U.S. secretary of state to that post-Soviet country in a quarter century. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte already exceeded the expectations of most of his political opponents by surviving the collapse of his first government last summer. But his second coalition is so fragile that a host of issues could trip him up as early as this month. Conte was fished out of obscurity in June 2018 to head a coalition between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the right-wing populists of the League. When that agreement broke down, he helped to stitch together a fresh alliance with Five Star and Italy's traditional center-left group the Democratic Party. After steering the 2020 budget through parliament, 55-year-old Conte told reporters Dec. 28 that he wants to kick off the new year by negotiating a government program that will carry him through to the end of the parliamentary term in 2023. But with the League maintaining a commanding lead in opinion polls and its head, Matteo Salvini, still bruised after his failed attempt to seize power last year, pulling that off will require all the premier's political smarts. The fragility of the coalition has put investors on alert, with Italian bonds underperforming their euro-area peers. Here are the main hurdles he has to face just in January: - Trials without end: Conte has summoned coalition leaders for a Jan. 7 meeting on Five Star's call to change the time-limits on trials for a second time. Five Star wants to alter the statute of limitations because Italy's notoriously slow justice system means trials often run out of time before a final sentence is reached. But the Democrats are opposed to drastic changes, and the small Italy Alive party -- led by former premier Matteo Renzi -- says it is ready to vote with the opposition to stop defendants' rights being shredded by endless prosecutions. - Two referendums: Two separate referendums on electoral reform could be triggered this month, one on Five Star's initiative -- already approved -- to reduce the number of lawmakers and another on a League proposal to introduce a British-style first-past-the-post system. The last referendum in Italy brought an early end to Renzi's time in office. Another one would put Conte at risk because the groups that would lose out under the new voting rules would be tempted to trigger a snap election before the new system comes into force. That risk has already unsettled investors. - Salvini case: Salvini is facing a possible prosecution for refusing to allow a migrant rescue ship to dock in Sicily in July when he was interior minister. A Senate commission will vote Jan. 20 on whether to block any trial for Salvini, who is also a senator, ahead of a vote by the full chamber. Salvini says he was applying government policy. The case is another destabilizing factor for the coalition with Renzi reportedly threatening to break ranks and support the League leader. - Red bastion: Salvini's center-right bloc is aiming to take control of the left-wing stronghold of Emilia-Romagna in regional elections on Jan. 26 while Five Star and the Democrats are fighting each other. A victory for Salvini's bloc would make him look unstoppable and would hand ammunition to Democratic Party dissidents who want to pull out of the coalition arguing that their support for Conte comes at too high a price. - Corporate thorns: Conte also has to negotiate a series of tricky business dossiers that highlight the contradictions between establishment and anti-establishment groups in his coalition. Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio wants to revoke highway concessions from the billionaire Benetton family's Atlantia SpA after a deadly bridge collapse in Genoa, while the Democrats want to negotiate a settlement. As the decision looms, the government took a first step to reduce potential compensation payments. The government may also have to decide how much it's prepared to spend to save flagship airline Alitalia. Five Star activists also want the government to stop the pollution from a steel mill in the southern region of Puglia -- without jeopardizing the tens of thousands of jobs it supports. Di Maio and the Democrats are scratching their heads at how to meet those demands, but after a series of disappointments on environmental policy, the Five Star base is threatening to revolt unless it gets what it wants. - - - Bloomberg's Alessandro Speciale contributed to this report. American actor Richard Gere took the route of spirituality to welcome the New Year as he attended a teaching session of the Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. Reportedly, this is not the first time that the 'Pretty Woman' actor has made a visit to India and attended such a session. The 70-year-old actor was seen immersed in deep prayers listening to the chants in the background during the session. He later interacted with other devotees and mingled with well-wishers, who were excited to meet the Hollywood star. The other Hollywood star who was in India recently was Gerard Butler. He shared an eye-soothing photograph straight from the Himalayas on social media on the first day of the New Year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An exhibition featuring Confucian culture kicked off at the National Museum of China on Dec 27, 2019. [China Daily/Jiang Dong] In anticipation of the New Year, many art galleries around the world are running new exhibitions for our cultural enrichment. Take the National Museum of China which opened a Confucius cultural exhibition last week in Beijing. The exhibition displays more than 700 pieces of cultural relics, documents and artworks related to Confucian culture in four sections that reveal the life and thoughts of Confucius, the development and spread of Confucianism, as well as artworks themed around the Chinese philosopher. The exhibition will be held until March 27. Not far from the National Museum of China, the Palace Museum has already opened a series of activities to mark the 600th anniversary of the construction of the Forbidden City, including an exhibition about the encounter between the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Palace Museum. This exhibition presents 224 of the most precious works from these two collections in a display of the Panchen Lamas' contributions to the Qing court's establishment of a unified, multi-ethnic country, and the cultural and historical significance of the unique arts and heritage of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. The exhibition runs until February 29. The poster of "The Fortune and Longevity of Sumeru: An Encounter between the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Palace Museum." [The Palace Museum] In recent years, digital media interactive exhibitions have been making an appearance. One now underway is the "The World of Splendors," the digital interactive exhibition in Beijing by Guardian Art Center (GAC) and GLA Art Group. Fans will remember the previous popular TeamLab exhibition in Beijing. TeamLab is now "settled" in Shanghai, therefore visitors from other cities and areas of China still need to go to Shanghai to see it. "The World of Splendors," traces its roots to Oriental aesthetics from the long river of ancient Chinese culture and history, seeking Chinese people's perception and expression of beauty. Meanwhile, it uses scientific and artistic means to reconstruct classic scenes familiar to Chinese people, such as "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains." During the exhibition, which lasts last until March 10, more crossover attempts and artistic life experiences will be introduced. In addition, the artworks of the China Pavilion of the 58th Venice Biennale can also be appreciated in the same gallery. The exhibition covers different media types such as installations, images, prints and sculptures. In addition to the works of the China Pavilion in Venice, the exhibition adds important representative works of the artists and shows the creative context of the artists more comprehensively. This exhibition will be available until March 8. This year marks the 95th anniversary of the establishment of the Palace Museum which will hold exhibitions on ancient architecture, special paintings and calligraphy, ancient artifacts and Chinese and foreign civilizations, bringing a brand new experience to visitors during 2020. Visitors to the Forbidden City who like Chinese culture should make the trip this year. (Source: China Daily) Charlotte Crosby launching her series The Charlotte Show (Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images) Charlotte Crosby has confirmed that her dreams have finally come true as she is going on Im A Celebrity but its not the UK version. The Geordie Shore star is a huge fan of the reality show and has been hankering after a hammock in the jungle for some time. But after failing to make it onto the ITV series she has landed a spot on the Australian version. Read more: Charlotte Crosby breaks her nose The series will see the celebs setting up camp in South Africa. Crosby, 29, announced her news on Instagram, promising viewers a WILD ride. She said: Wondered why Ive been quiet recently ?!?! IM GOING IN THE GOD DAM SOUTH AFRICAN JUNGLE for @imacelebrityau !!!! Sitting here writing this not actually having a clue what to expect. All I no is this IS GUNNA BE CRAZY! Finally my dreams have come true and I dont have to photoshop my head on the English line up anymore. See you soon my jungle buddies get ready for a WILD ride, she added. Read more: Charlotte Crosby hits back at Roxanne Pallett In 2016, Crosby claimed she was not wanted on the UK version of Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! The star who won the 12th series of Celebrity Big Brother - joked with her fans on Twitter that she was going to be a contestant on the show, even though she wasnt. She later told The Sun: Everyone was so excited so Im hoping it gave the producers the push to think they should let me on the show. My fans were so upset because they want us on. I cant go on as they wont have us, Ive been banned because I was on Big Brother and they wont follow suit. I would like to possibly go back to school to earn a masters degree in History. By doing this, our students could earn History college credit. I want to give our students support when transitioning from a high school student to a college student. Mumbai: The Shiv Sena could receive a big jolt as its lone Muslim member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Abdul Sattar has reportedly decided to resign for not being made a Cabinet minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. Senior Congress MLA from Jalna Kailash Gorantyal has also threatened to resign from all party posts along with several office-bearers and workers citing injustice. Sena leader Arjun Khotkar, who was given the task to pacify Sattar, claimed that the MLA has not quit and rubbished reports about his resignation. Sattar, too, later said that the reports of his resignation are just rumours. Sattar further said that he would make his stand clear after speaking to the Chief Minister, who has called him for a meeting on Sunday. I will answer all your queries after meeting with Uddhav Thackeray. I will inform Thackeray about all that is being said about me. I will clear my stand before him. Whatever decision he takes will be acceptable to everyone, the minister of state said while replying to a query about his resignation. Taking a swipe at the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), senior BJP leader and leader of opposition in Maharashtra Asse-mbly Devendra Fadnavis said that Sattars resignation is just the beginning of the end of the Sena-led government. Meanwhile, Gorantyal said that his decision to resign was taken at a meeting of the district Congress committee on Saturday. I will meet Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Balasaheb Thorat and submit my resignation. The party members of the Jalna Municipal Council, Zilla Parishad will also submit their resignations along with me, he said. The MLA claimed that Congress functionaries of all tehsils in Jalna had already quit. The party has neglected me and not given me justice, he added. The Shiv Sena lost the vice-presidents post in Aurangabad Zilla Parishad elections. Former Sena MP and senior leader Chandrakant Khaire blamed Sattar for the defeat calling him a traitor. The Sena candidate has suffered defeat due to the stand taken by Sattar. The party should take action against him, said Khaire. Lahanu Gaikwad of the BJP was elected as vice-president in the Aurangabad ZP. He got 32 votes, defeating Senas Shubhangi Kaje who got 28 votes. Sena ZP member Sheetal Bansod was not allowed to cast vote as she turned up late. Meena Shelke of the Maha Vikas Aghadi won the election for the president of Aurangabad Zilla Parishad. Shelke, a Congress member, was the official candidate of the Congress, NCP and Shiv Senas MVA. Muzaffarnagar: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made an unscheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar and met the families of those killed during the violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act. According to reports, the Congress leader visited the residence of cleric Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini and some of those who were injured during the anti-CAA violence here. Hussaini was allegedly beaten up brutally by the police during the crackdown against anti-CAA protests. She was accompanied by Imran Masood, the party leader from Saharanpur. "I met Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was brutally thrashed by Police, students of Madarsa including minors were picked up by Police without any reason, some of them were released and some are still in custody," she told reporters. "I will stand with you in this hour of distress," she said. Live TV Priyanka will later meet the families of anti-CAA victims in Meerut and those injured in the police firing. In a bid to keep the Citizenship Act issue raging, Priyanka has reportedly sent New Year greeting cards with the preamble of the Constitution printed on it to noted citizens in Uttar Pradesh. The greetings are signed by Priyanka, in-charge of UP. "Nav Varsh ki Shubhkamnayen (Happy new year)," it reads. The letters, sent to poets, writers, social workers, Congress activists, have the preamble of the Constitution printed on it in Hindi. UP Congress unit is distributing the letters to citizens, a source said. Notably, Congress leaders read the preamble of the Constitution during a protest against CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) at Rajghat last month. Priyanka, in her capacity, has been meeting the victims of violence during anti-CAA protests in different parts of UP. On Saturday, Priyanka met a Muslim cleric who was allegedly beaten up by police in connection with a protest in UP`s Muzzafarnagar. A high-voltage drama unfolded in Lucknow during Priyanka`s visit to the state capital last week, with the Congress leader accusing a cop of manhandling her, holding her by the throat. She took a scooter ride to evade police, that was barring her movement, to meet kin of former IPS officer IPS Darapuri who were jailed for protesting against the CAA. According to a source, UP Congress is planning to hold rallies in various districts against Citizenship Amendment Act this month and will be addressed by Priyanka. Iraqi counter-terrorism forces stand guard in front of the US embassy in the capital Baghdad on Jan. 2, 2020. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images) Pentagon Briefs Senate and House Armed Service Committee Staff Members on Killing of Soleimani The Department of Defense, along with the Department of State and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, has briefed staff members from the House Armed Service Committee and the Senate Armed Service Committee, Pentagon Press Secretary Alyssa Farah said on Saturday. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Katie Wheelbarger hosted the briefing with senior representatives from the other two departments. Eleven attacks happened against U.S. forces in Iraq since October, besides the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Dec. 27, according to the Pentagon. The briefing highlighted the recent decisive defensive actions taken to protect U.S. personnel abroad, including the strikes against Iran-backed Kataib Hizballah (KH) on Dec. 29, and the elimination of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) commander Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 2, Farah said. These strikes offer the regime in Iran an opportunity to turn from its terrorist past and cease its unlawful, aggressive escalatory attacks. The briefers emphasized that appropriate measures have been taken to ensure the safety and security of U.S. citizens, forces, partners, and interests in the region. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) holds a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Dec. 16, 2019. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) After Soleimanis killing, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) complained that President Trump didnt notify Congress about the attack in advance. Im a member of the Gang of Eight, which is typically briefed in advance of operations of this level of significance. We were not, he said. Besides Schumer, the congressional Gang of Eighta colloquial termincludes the House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees. Gang of Eight members are responsible for congressional oversight of all intelligence agencies and are briefed on classified intelligence matters by the executive branch. However, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)a close ally of Trumpsaid he was briefed about the plan. I was briefed about the potential operation when I was down in Florida, Graham said on Fox News. I appreciate being brought into the orbit. I really appreciate President Trump letting the world know you cannot kill an American without impunity. We will stand up for our people, and that is an absolutely essential message. A photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike, in Baghdad, Iraq, early on Jan. 2, 2020. (HO, Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office, via AP) The tensions between the United States and Iran escalated after the killing of Soleimani. On Friday, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within reach in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani, Tasnim news agency reported. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the commander of the guards in the southern province of Kerman, floated the idea of attacking 35 U.S. targets in the region and Israeli city Tel Aviv. He also raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, Iraqs Kataib Hezbollah militia warned Iraqi security forces to stay away from U.S. bases in Iraq, according to al-Mayadeen television. Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, center, attends a meeting in Tehran, Iran on Sept. 18, 2016. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File) However, experts and people familiar with the situation told The Epoch Times that Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is unlikely to order attacks on U.S. assets while theyre mourning Soleimani. Khamenei is unlikely to go to war during the coming days, as hes scheduled to pray over Soleimani on Monday at Tehran University, said Sam Bazzi, Middle East expert and founder of Hezbollah Watch. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo called on Russia, France, Iraq, and several other countries in the Middle East to affirm the Trump administrations resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities, and partners, and commit to de-escalating tensions. Mimi Nguyen Ly, Venus Upadhayaya, and Reuters contributed to this report. Reverse migration continues: Several more illegal Bangladeshis expected to flee India India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 04: Several more Bangladeshis living illegally in India have started fleeing amidst fears of an NRC being implemented nationwide. Most of the reverse migration is taking place by those who have settled in South India. These are the newer illegal migrants, who have come to India and have no documents. Illegal immigrants from Karnataka and Hyderabad have been returning to Bangladesh. Intelligence Bureau officials informed OneIndia that there has been a sudden surge in the number of people speaking Bengali in the Bangladesh dialect who have boarded trains to Bengal. Keralites, Bangladeshis part of riots around CAB in UP, Delhi They land in Bengal, following which with the help of touts have been crossing over to Bangladesh. In the past one year nearly 1,000 such cases have been reported. However, in the past two months, there has been a major surge and at least 445 illegal immigrants have crossed over into Bangladesh. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam disclosed the figure during a press briefing here. "About 1,000 people were arrested in 2019 for illegal border crossings from India to Bangladesh, with 445 of them returning home in November and December," he said. After verifying their identities through local representatives, BGB came to know that all the intruders are Bangladeshis, Islam said, adding that 253 cases were lodged against them for illegal trespass, while initial investigations found that at least three of them were human traffickers. The BGB Director said the trespassing did not create any tension between the border forces of Bangladesh and India. Bangladesh seeks list of illegal Bangladeshis in India Last week, Islam visited India where he said that the creation of the NRC is completely an "internal affair" of India and the cooperation between the border guarding forces of the two countries is very good. He said the BGB will continue to do its work of preventing illegal border crossings as per its mandate. A BGB delegation, led by Islam, was on a bilateral visit to India to hold DG-level border talks with its counterparts, the Border Security Force (BSF). The talks took place from December 26-29, during which a host of issues related to cross-border smuggling and activities of criminals and others along the 4,096-km-long front were discussed. Responding to a question, Islam said, "No discussion was held at the conference over the (NRC) issue". He said during the five-day talks held in New Delhi, the BGB demanded that the BSF should take effective steps to prevent killings of Bangladeshis on frontiers as casualty figures sharply rose in 2019. "The number of border killings in 2019 was highest in the last four years. As per our calculation, the number of such unexpected deaths was 35," the BGB chief said. However, the BSF estimate of the casualty figure is much lower than our calculation, he said. Islam said the BSF is following the policy of maintaining maximum restraint and minimal use of force even after being attacked by "armed border offenders". Bengal ranks Number 1 in highest number of Bangladeshi convicts A statement issued by the BSF last month in New Delhi after the conclusion of the DG-level talks said, "On the concern of the BGB regarding the death of Bangladeshi nationals on borders, it was informed to them that a non-lethal weapon policy is strictly followed by BSF personnel on borders. "Firing is resorted to only in self-defence, when BSF patrols are gheraoed and attacked by dah' (a sharp-edged weapon) etc. It was specified that the BSF does not discriminate between criminals based on nationality," it said. Members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission here over a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site near Lahore in Pakistan where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. On Friday, a violent mob had attacked the gurdwara and pelted it with stones. The protest by DSGMC and Akali members was held at around 1 pm near Chanakyapuri, an affluent neighbourhood and diplomatic enclave in the city. The protestors were raising slogans against Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Sikh community members claimed that they have submitted a memorandum at the Pakistan High Commission, asking Islamabad to "explain the failure of law enforcing agencies" in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CSSL gets new president View(s): Dr Jayaindra Fernando was inducted as the 38th president of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka (CSSL) yesterday. Pictures show Immediate Past President of the College of Surgeons, Dr Nissanka Jayawardhana, welcoming the new President and Chief Guest, Senior Consultant General Surgeon Dr Gamini Goonetilleke, who is also a past President of the College, delivering his address. Prof. Ranil Fernando, senior professor of surgery and past president of the college, also delivered a speech. Angola, IN (46703) Today Variable clouds with snow showers. High near 20F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 6F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming E and decreasing to less than 5 mph. (Natural News) An effort is under way right now to harvest Ebola-infected subjects from African nations, then transport them to the U.S. border and have them cross into the United States as human weapons who will unleash Ebola on U.S. soil. This is part of the globalist effort to bring down the United States of America and cause chaos before the 2020 elections while subjecting all Americans to medical martial law that demands mandatory Ebola vaccines (which just happen to contain live viruses to further spread the outbreak). This effort is fully funded by both UN-linked organizations who have been running depopulation vaccine experiments on human subjects in Kenya as well as the criminal CDC, which functions as nothing more than a malicious propaganda front for the vaccine industry. As the independent media has been exhaustively covering, migrants from Ebola-infected African nations are being deliberately deposited in major U.S. cities, including Austin, Texas, where InfoWars reporters have conducted numerous interviews to discover shocking details about Ebola risk in Texas. See: VIDEO: MIGRANTS FROM EBOLA-STRICKEN CONGO MARCHED THROUGH STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO. and: African Migrants Swarm Texas Border From Ebola Infested Congo Just last week, a 41-year-old woman from the Democrat Republic of the Congo illegally crossed the border while carrying Ebola. She was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol, then proceeded to vomit and eventually die from what was labeled acute kidney failure, the most common organ failure among those who are infected with Ebola. (The DRC is currently experiencing one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in history.) Ebola can be carried by individuals who arent yet killed by it. As this InfoWars article reports: CBP said the Congolese woman was vomiting and suffering from abdominal pain, and renal replacement therapy is therapy that replaces the normal blood-filtering function of the kidneys. According to Reuters, People who survive Ebola virus infection face a dramatically higher risk of dying probably from severe kidney damage within a year of leaving hospital. So, its possible the Congolese womans kidney damage came as a result of an Ebola infection she was ultimately cured of, but just two weeks ago, the first documented relapse of an Ebola patient was recorded. In early December, Congolese health authorities reported that a survivor in Mabalako, North Kivu province, had fallen ill with the virus again, Reuters reported. Preliminary tests have since classified it as a relapse, the WHO said in a weekly report. Whats the purpose of this outbreak? To demand all Americans be injected with a deadly Ebola vaccine containing live Ebola viruses. Its all part of a coordinated, CDC / FDA psyop false flag operation thats being ignited by sending human weapons into the USA to unleash Ebola and cause a pandemic. See: Brighteon.com/dc4e1d0a-d9ca-4126-9b10-6722d405a3d3 The CDC owns the patent on Ebola viral strains and cant wait to generate a windfall of profits from an engineered Ebola outbreak Just remember that the CDC owns the patent on all Ebola vaccines. Its patent No. CA2741523A1 and it was awarded in 2010. You can view it here. As reported by Natural News in 2014: [B]oth the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are among the key players in promoting the Ebola vaccine. While the CDC owns the patent on Ebola itself, the NIH owns the patent on Ebola vaccines. As it turns out, the NIH has collaborated with the Vaccine Research Center (VRC), a division of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and Crucell, another vaccine developer, to commercialize an Ebola vaccine in the very near future. This agreement dates back more than a decade, with Crucell entering Phase I clinical trials for said vaccine back in 2006. Several years later, the NIH and NIAID awarded Crucell with further funding to advance the development of a multivalent filovirus vaccine to treat not only Ebola but other similar viral infections that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in both humans and nonhuman primates. From another Natural News story published in 2014: Patent applicants are clearly described on the patent as including: The Government Of The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary, Department Of Health & Human Services, Center For Disease Control. The patent summary says, The invention provides the isolated human Ebola (hEbola) viruses denoted as Bundibugyo (EboBun) deposited with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America) on November 26, 2007 and accorded an accession number 200706291. The SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION section of the patent document also clearly claims that the U.S. government is claiming ownership over all Ebola viruses that share as little as 70% similarity with the Ebola it invented: invention relates to the isolated EboBun virus that morphologically and phylogenetically relates to known members filoviridae In another aspect, the invention provides an isolated hEbola EboBun virus comprising a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: a) a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; b) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent conditions; and c) a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to the SEQ ID NO. If you are stricken with Ebola, the U.S. government can claim ownership over the viruses inside your body as justification to quarantine you or end your life for medical experiments Note that since the CDC now owns all Ebola viral strains, according to the U.S. Patent Office, if you are stricken with Ebola and begin to replicate the Ebola genetic code in your own cells, you are now a criminal who is violating the CDCs intellectual property. You can then be arrested (i.e. quarantined) or even kidnapped and killed for medical experiments involving the CDC, Ebola and vaccines. Your entire body is now owned by the CDC, since Ebola genetic code has replicated throughout your blood and organs. If you dont believe the U.S. government could be so evil to carry out such mad experiments on Americans, then you dont know the history of government-run medical experiments on Americans. It goes way beyond Tuskegee and the Guatemalan prisoner experiments that were funded by the NIH and admitted by Barack Obama. Its a full history of illegal, inhumane medical experiments mostly conducted on blacks, prisoners and soldiers, but sometimes also conducted on the general public. Read the full timeline here. Or see this short list of the 13 most heinous experiments carried out on humans by the U.S. government. The development of the Ebola vaccine has been scripted and fast-tracked to prepare America for a massive Ebola false flag operation that will involve real infections, but a false narrative. 2020 looks to be the year the CDC a criminal organization that causes pandemics to promote vaccine profits is going to unleash the most horrific and dangerous medical false flag in the history of our world. The number of deaths will likely dwarf the six million Jews killed by the Nazis in World War II, according to historians. Now, a new terror has been unleashed upon the world thats even more dangerous than Zyklon B: Weaponized Ebola from the CDC and the pharmaceutical cartels that hope to reap a windfall of profits while human beings suffer and die. All the natural solutions against Ebola have been censored by the evil tech giants and a complicit media There are, of course, many natural medicines and herbal solutions that can defeat Ebola, but they have all been systematically censored by the tech giants acting in concert with the CDC, all as a scheme to force Americans to receive the weaponized Ebola vaccines rather than turn to natural remedies that dont spread the pandemic (like vaccines do). Google, in other words, is part of this conspiracy against humanity which will coalesce into the deaths of countless innocent Americans as the CDC, the mainstream media and the tech giants turn the entire nation into a mad science medical experiment protected by Big Techs disinfo psyops and censorship schemes. In other words, what Big Tech, the mass media and the CDC are about to do will go down in history as the more heinous crime that has ever been committed against humanity, even dwarfing the Holocaust. The goal of it all? Its not just about causing chaos and collapse in America as a way to defeat President Trump and the populist uprising; its also about depopulation and the globalist plan to drastically reduce the number of humans living on planet Earth an outcome they have convinced themselves is necessary to save the planet from climate change, which is a total hoax fabricated by the very same people who are running the genocidal depopulation schemes, by the way. Read Vaccines.news to stay informed, and watch highly-censored videos about vaccines and Ebola at Brighteon.com. In this Sept. 18, 2016 photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, center, attends a meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard commanders in Tehran, Iran. A U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport on Friday Jan. 3, 2020 killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force. Soleimani was considered the architect of Iran's policy in Syria. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File) US Killing of Iranian General Sends Strong Signal to Chinese Regime, a Key Iranian Ally, Experts Say The recent U.S. airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani will send a strong message to the Chinese regime, which is a key Iranian ally, according to a China expert. It signals that Washington will take resolute action to deal with bad actors, including the Chinese communist regimeone of Irans top economic and military partners. Bad actors take their cues from our reactions to other bad actors, Gordon Chang, the author of The Coming Collapse of China, told The Epoch Times in an email. A resolute response to one of them results in the others shrinking back into the shadowsand vice versa. The attack came as the United States and the Chinese regime are on the cusp of signing a phase one trade deal that has eased tensions in a trade war initiated by Washington 17 months ago, to combat a range of Chinas long-standing trade abuses. This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike, in Baghdad, Iraq, early Jan. 3, 2020. (Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office via AP) Soleimani, a 62-year-old general who led the overseas arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in Baghdad on Jan. 3 in an airstrike authorized by President Donald Trump. The general was regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran has vowed to exact revenge. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an imminent attack that would have endangered Americans in the Middle East. Trump told reporters in Florida that the attack was to stop a war, not to start one. He added that while the United States doesnt pursue regime change in Iran, the regimes aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end. The killing of Soleimani marks an escalation in the decades-long standoff between Tehran and Washington. Tensions rose after the Trump administration pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. ChinaIran Ties As an ally of Iran, the Chinese regime will have to support Tehran against the United States, June Teufel Dreyer, professor of political science at the University of Miami told The Epoch Times in an email. On Jan. 3, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang urged the United States to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions, adding that the stability and peace in Middle East gulf region should be maintained. China is Irans top trading partner and was also its largest buyer of crude oil prior to U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil taking effect in May 2019. Analysts say the Chinese regime continued with some oil imports even after the expiration of its exemption to the embargo on Iranian crude oil. The U.S. administration in September imposed new sanctions on several Chinese entities and individuals it said knowingly transferred oil from Iran in violation of Washingtons embargo. China needs oil and partnerships with countries that oppose the U.S.: Iran fits both, Dreyer said. Beijing uses its relationships with Iran and other countries, such as North Korea, to force the United States to shift its focus away from dealing with the Chinese regimes threats, said retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute. So its all part of this general approach to disrupting the international order and presenting challenges that the U.S. is required to step up and meet, because it ultimately weakens the U.S., Spalding told The Epoch Times. He noted that Beijing will be able to use that approach as long as it doesnt affect the price of oil. To the extent Iran and the terrorist groups it sponsors can cause problems for the U.S. there, the better for China, Dreyer said. The Chinese regime also has a long history of supplying Iran with weapons, including fighter jets, surface-to-air missile systems, anti-ship missiles, and attack submarines. According to a 2019 report (pdf) by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, with the United Nations arms embargo on Iran set to end in October 2020, Tehran is already evaluating and discussing military hardware for purchase primarily from Russia and, to a lesser extent, China. Chang said, China has always supported Iran as it tried to bedevil the United States and the West, including supplying, directly and through proxies, technology, equipment, and materials for Tehrans nuclear weapons program. On Dec. 31, 2019, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Beijing to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi for the fourth time within a year, underscoring their close relationship. Beijing hoped to deepen practical cooperation and push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership with Tehran, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said. The two countries, along with Russia, earlier in December conducted joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman. Apart from rhetorical gestures, the Chinese regime is unlikely to respond to the U.S. airstrike with concrete action, the experts said. Trump just hit one of its [Chinas] partners and [China] cannot do much about it, Chang said. Therefore, [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping must think he appearsas is the casehelpless now that the American president has taken down a Chinese asset. Reuters and Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips contributed to this report. New Delhi: Condemning the stone-pelting incident by a mob at one of the holiest Sikh shrines, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, in Pakistan, several political leaders and Sikh communities in India raised their voice in protest and demanded quick action by the Imran Khan government against the perpetrators. Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday issued a statement in which she expressed concern for the safety of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan. The statement read, ''Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has condemned the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by an unruly mob of miscreants. Expressing dismay and concern on the safety of Sikh pilgrims & the employees, she called upon Government of India to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure security for the pilgrims and adequate security for the Holy shrine to prevent any future attacks. Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits, she said.'' Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter and said that the act was unacceptable. His tweet read, ''The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible and must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age-old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote." Prior to Rahul's reaction to the incident, Union Minister Harsimart Kaur Badal had attacked him for staying silent over the incident. Harsimart said, ''Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's refusal to condemn the stoning of the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and a threat to the very existence of holy shrine reveals his anti-Sikh face. Rahul working overtime to mislead people on CAA but has no time to take on Pak & expose atrocities it is committing against Sikhs." Congress was continuously being attacked for its silence over the matter. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed her grief over the incident and tweeted, ''We condemn the incident of violence at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. This is unacceptable. Humanity comes above all else.'' Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the incident "a very cowardly act and shameful". He said that Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of people, the persecution of Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated. He further urged the Pakistan government to take strict action against the perpetrators. Live TV Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Saturday condemned the attack and urged the central government to intervene in the matter to avoid any such situation in the future. Located about 80km from Lahore, Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak. "The attack on Gurudwara Sri Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Gurunanak Dev Ji, by the mob on Friday was extremely condemnable. Our country is naturally worried about this. The central government must interfere in this matter so that no such unpleasant and indecent incident happens in future," Mayawati tweeted. An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara's panthi. BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Saturday addressed a press conference over the issue and questioned Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu over his silence on stone-pelting incident in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Slamming Sidhu, Lekhi said that even after the incident, if he wanted to hug the `ISI chief`, then the Congress should look into it. She said, "Till now I have not heard anything from Congress on the issue. I do not know where Sidhu paaji has fled? Even if after all this, he wants to hug ISI chief, then Congress should look into it." Meanwhile, the members of the Sikh community hit the streets at Delhi's Teen Murti Marg on Saturday and shouted slogans against the Pakistan government. The protest was called by the Akali Dal and was led by its spokesperson and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa. The community also organised 'langar' on the streets during the protest. The issue was also raised in Afghan parliament by lone Sikh MP Narendra Singh Khalsa, he urged the Afghan government to raise the matter in front of Pakistan government and demanded action against those responsible for pelting stone at the holy shrine. On Friday (January 3), the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara was attacked by a mob while Sikh devotees were inside the shrine. The mob that had gathered outside raised communal slogans against the minority Sikh community and pelted stones at the shrine. The mob was led by the family of a boy who "abducted" a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara`s panthi. Videos of the incident were widely circulated on social media. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. It didnt take limp Democrats long to voice their condemnation of Trumps destruction of the evil General Soleimani. This man had orchestrated terror, massive violence and deaths around that region for 20 years including the recent attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. These leaders of weakness were quick to attack Trump but couldnt muster the stomach to attack Soleimani in the past. That policy empowered him to move freely about the region entering many nations with no concern. He had just arrived from Lebanon where he had been plotting with Hezbollah to attack Israel. This is not a war against a sovereign nation, Iran, but an action of anti-terrorism against a violent deadly organization, Qud, which was planning more violence against American contractors, diplomats and military personnel in Iraq. Iran doesnt want to move troops into Iraq so they use surrogates in Iraq to foment insurrections and terror. This action disrupts that plot. Silly Democrat analysts and media experts have no clue about the Iranians and their potential for deadly violence. Let me remind everyone, Joe Biden, who was first to denounce the destruction of the bloody Soleimani, earlier denounced the state of Texas for changing their law which allowed weapons in churches. If Joe has been in charge, his foolishness would have led to many more deaths in the recent church shooting near Ft Worth. Joe Biden is not only delusional, hes dangerous. He would be a disaster as president. Ilhan Omar, in her condemnation of the president, tweeted she will step in to stop Trump. Just how will she do that? And isnt it interesting she says this when he destroys an Iranian terrorist leader? Isnt it interesting her comments appear to reveal indifference to what a threat Soleimani was to American military and diplomatic personnel? This thinking by Omar and others is why Congress was not notified before the attack on Soleimani. Who could trust Omar, who is on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, with classified intelligence like this? Omar is not alone in her thinking. There has been strong backlash over MSNBCs Joy Reid appearing to cheer on terrorists attacking the embassy in Baghdad hoping it would be Trumps Benghazi. The recent attack in Baghdad was in retaliation for the US destroying Hezbollah militants who recently attacked U.S. servicemen in Iraq, killing an American private contractor. Iran supports Hezbollah and that was why Soleimani was in both Lebanon and Iraq. Whatever Reids twisted statement meant it further reveals the radical lefts weakness and what they think of Trump and millions of Americans who voted for him. And they want us to trust them with our security and running the nation? Ralph Miller * * * Excellent points by Mr. Miller on the whacking of the Iranian General by President Trump and the members of our Armed Forces. I would add another to his Hall of Shame. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut severely criticized the President for his actions. Funny just the week before he criticized the President for not reacting to the attack on our Embassy saying no one feared the U.S. anymore. Kind of similar to John Kerry who was, "against the Iraq war before he was for it." Then Murphy dug his hole a little deeper and said Trump's actions were equivalent to Iran assassinating our Secretary of Defense. Really Senator, when was the last time a Secretary of State was outside the embassy of a country in another foreign country leading an assault on its walls. Whatever became of the Democrat party of FDR, Truman, JFK, Sam Nunn and Joe Lieberman, who ironically was succeeded by Murphy. Douglas Jones Ooltewah * * * I doubt that General Soleimani was of sterling character nor do I think he was a friend/ally of the United States. However, I do wonder about the motive(s) that Trump used in deciding to attack and kill him. While the catalyst for this killing may have been the attack on the American embassy, I seriously wonder if this attack gave Trump an opportunity to draw attention away from the impending impeachment proceedings by providing the world something violent and inflammatory to see. To focus attention on something in another part of the world (and thus to direct it away from the politician himself and his questionable actions) is an old political trick. As an American citizen and veteran, I do strongly object to this administration's putting the lives of thousands of young American servicemen and servicewomen at risk by escalating tensions in the Mid-east. Such a tactic is especially heinous if the intent is to delay the appropriate impeachment process that follows questionable behavior on the part of an American politician. Tim McDonald * * * These are some thought-provoking letters of reasoning that concerns our national security and well-being. Sometimes in the mirror we see what we want to see. In regard to Mr. McDonalds comments about President Trump possibly drawing attention away from impeachment by striking at Soleimani and Irans extended terror network, I see no political trick here. President Trump did what administrations before him were too timid to do after the U. S. had suffered the results of Irans terror. Was he to wait while Soleimanis terrorists attacked and killed more innocent victims? Wait until whenever the political stunt of impeachment has blown away or ended? At least if not more, the administration took out a leader of terror who apparently was planning more terror attacks. What I do see is an opposing party out to damage and bring down a president at any costs and by any method. The real trick is how the Democrats have corruptly, lied, twisted and dangled impeachment out to damage this setting president. Questionable behavior really focuses then on the democrats. Have no doubt the liberal Democrats really want to extinguish or wipe out the 2016 voters choice. Gerald Presley * * * I am not sure when Mr. McDonald wrote his comment regarding the rationale for killing General Solemenei in Baghdad, but given Sec. Pompeo's statement that the general was in Iraq to coordinate, with his Iraqi allies, further attacks on the embassy and other friendly sites, I believe the drone strike was completely warranted. If anyone has paid attention to the Iranians over the last 40 years, it is evident that they have been continually at war with the U.S. and General Solemenei has been the primary architect of their attacks throughout the world. He got what he deserved. Prior to recent attacks, President Trump had acted with restraint toward Iran's provocations in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere, however, the recent missile and embassy attacks by Iranian backed factions combined with the intelligence that further attacks were imminent required a measured response. By giving the Iranians and their allies a bloody nose with the promise of further responses to continued attacks, Mr. Trump has given the mullahs a clear indication of his resolve. Nobody wants a hot war with Iran, but it's their decision as to how to respond. I believe that the Iranian leaders will back off rather than risk further damage to their fragile hold on power. The assertion that this current action is meant to be a distraction from impeachment is beyond ludicrous. The Democrats still cannot get over Hillary's defeat and impeachment is just one more feeble attempt to overturn the election and remove the most effective leader this country has seen since Reagan. Regarding questionable behavior on the part of an American politician, I am assuming that the reference is probably in regard to Adam Schiff. Jim Nelson Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Mike Pompeo has expressed disappointment with European reaction to the US killing of the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, suggesting the UK, France and Germany have not been sufficiently supportive. The US secretary of state compared the European response unfavourably with US partners in the region, a likely reference to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which Pompeo consulted after the Suleimani assassination. Related: Jane Fonda and Daniel Ellsberg to protest against killing of Suleimani I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance, Pompeo told Fox News. Theyve all been fantastic. And then talking to our partners in other places that havent been quite as good. Frankly, the Europeans havent been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well. This was a good thing for the entire world, we are urging everyone to get behind what the United States is trying to do Mike Pompeo Qassem Suleimani led and his IRGC [Revolutionary Guard] led assassination campaigns in Europe. This was a good thing for the entire world, and we are urging everyone in the world to get behind what the United States is trying to do to get the Islamic Republic of Iran to simply behave like a normal nation. European reaction to the drone-strike killing of Suleimani and Iraqi Shia militants travelling with him in Baghdad has been cautious and apprehensive. While noting Suleimanis destructive role in the region, governments have called for restraint. Policy towards Iran has been a deeply divisive issue between the US and Europe since Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 multilateral agreement with Iran that imposed strict limits on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. European officials have blamed Trumps efforts to strangle Iran economically for the rising tensions in the Persian Gulf. Story continues There were immediate signs that in the short term at least, the killing of Suleimani would inhibit the broad coalition effort to wipe out Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Nato suspended its training of Iraqi security forces, currently led by Canada, and the US-led counter-Isis mission in the region, Operation Inherent Resolve, also cut back its activities, including the training of Iraqi counter-terrorist units. Over the last few days weve literally stopped the anti-Isis fight everything stopped, said Michael Knights, an expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Knights said the counter-Isis campaign had already been severely hindered over the past year as Shia militias extended their influence. US-led forces have been stopped from flying over a large part of Iraq and banned from communicating with Sunni tribal forces, which had been seen as an important part of the strategy for keeping Isis suppressed. The increased militia threat has also meant US special forces have had to abandon remote positions which they had been manning with Iraqi army units, because such small 30-strong detachments had become too vulnerable. You just cant do that because those guys could easily be overrun, killed or kidnapped by the militias, by the Iranians, Knights said. Its been very challenging to keep counter-Isis operations going under these conditions, and now with the really ramped-up threat to operating locations, its even harder, and if they kick us out of the country, even harder still. If the Iraq parliament votes to eject the US military, other partner countries in the coalition will leave too, he said. It operates on an in-with-us out-with-us, meaning those countries that came in with the US, will leave with the US. Iranians deface a US flag as thousands of people take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani: EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH Irans ambassador to the United Nations has warned the US has started a military war by an act of terror with the killing of Qassem Soleimani, as Donald Trump claimed he ordered the Quds Force generals death to prevent war rather than provoke it. The countrys UN diplomat declared Iran has to act, and we will act, while secretary general Antonio Guterres joined global calls for de-escalation as he cautioned the world cannot afford another Gulf War. Meanwhile, a coffin carrying the body of Soleimani was driven through the streets of Baghdad as thousands of Iraqis mourned his and Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis deaths, with some chanting death to America. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday met the families affected by alleged "police excesses" and violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar districts of western Uttar Pradesh. "Police have to protect the people, give them justice, but what has happened here is entirely opposite," Priyanka Gandhi, who had earlier visited affected families in Lucknow and Bijnor, told reporters. The Congress general secretary, during her unscheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar, met Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was allegedly beaten up by the police in its crackdown on violent anti-CAA protests. She was accompanied by Imran Masood, a party leader from Saharanpur. Priyanka Gandhi said Hussaini was in a madrassa with children when the police assaulted him. Many were "put in jail, including minors," she said, adding some have been released. She also visited the residence of Noor Mohammed, who was killed in violence during the protests. "It's heart-wrenching. His wife who is seven months pregnant and has one-and-a-half-year-old daughter is left all alone," she said. "Wherever injustice has happened, we will stand by the people and help them in whatever way possible," the Congress leader said. She also met Ruqaiya Parveen, whose house was allegedly ransacked by the police. The Congress leader said she has highlighted each and every "police excess" in a lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during her visit to the state last week. "It has all the details of how police has assaulted people without any reason. If there is any wrongdoing, then police should take action. No one can object to it. "But here the police is indulging in vandalism... the girl was about to get married in two days, she has 16 stitches (on her forehead)," she said. In neighbouring Meerut district, the affected families assembled at one place on the outskirts of the town to meet the Congress leader where she listened to their problems. The UP Police had stopped Priyanka Gandhi and her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi from entering Meerut town on December 24, citing prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, as a result of which they had to return to Delhi without meeting the affected families. At least five people were killed during the protests in Meerut. Earlier, Priyanka had met the families of those killed in clashes in Bijnor. On December 28, Priyanka Gandhi alleged that she was manhandled by police personnel when she tried to resist their attempts to stop her from visiting the Lucknow residence of retired IPS officer SR Darapuri, who was arrested in connection with the anti-CAA protests. Later, the Congress leader met the family of party worker Sadaf Zafar and alleged that she was arrested on "baseless" charges by the police. A Lucknow court on Saturday granted bail to Sadaf Jafar, Darapuri and 13 others arrested in connection with anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. Officials maintain that 19 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh during the violent protests, though the opposition claims a higher toll. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka faces China viral pneumonia infections risk From Kapila Bandara in Hong Kong View(s): View(s): A potentially dangerous viral pneumonia has infected dozens in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province and could spread internationally, including in Sri Lanka, which is ill prepared for public health emergencies and is vulnerable. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese arrive in Colombo every year, drawn by the ease of entry. A Hong Kong microbiologist suspects the Wuhan viral pneumonia is spreading from person to person in China. Chinese health authorities had said earlier there was no transmission between humans. The Bandaranaike International Airport was unaware of the national security and public health dangers this unknown viral pneumonia from China poses, until the Sunday Times called today at about 11:35am Colombo time to ask whether airport officials were aware of the disease, if there are contingency plans, and if any Chinese passengers from China and Hong Kong, in particular, are being screened with thermal scanners, or other means. The Airport Duty Manager, Vishwa Atalugama, pledged to inform the national health authorities, airport health office, and executives including, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Chairman, G.A. Chandrasiri.A microbiologist who also researches infectious diseases, Dr Ho Pak-leung, of the University of Hong Kong, told government broadcaster, RTHK, on Saturday, that it was likely the disease is spreading from human to human. He recommended the use of every monitoring tool possible. Dr Ho heads the universitys Centre for Infection. There are fears the disease could be similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, (SARS), that spread rapidly from China to Hong Kong and 37 countries killing 774 people. and infecting 8,000. It originated from a Chinese man who had killed and eaten a civet cat. On a few occasions during the SARS epidemic, there was panic in Sri Lanka at the airport and at hospitals. The SARS virus brought Hong Kong to its knees in 2003 and killed 299 including pregnant women, doctors and health care workers. It infected 1,755. SARS mostly infected the Chinese population of Hong Kong. Now, public health authorities in Hong Kong are advising not just temperature screenings, but also surveillance, cleaning as well as protection and control of the Wuhan pneumonia. Public and private doctors are being alerted to Chinese visitors and others presenting with fever, or symptoms of respiratory infections. In addition to Hong Kong International Airport, more staff have been sent to the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Railway to check inbound travellers from Wuhan. Hong Kong has warned that the disease from China, has the potential to lead to international spread and [cause a] public health emergency. Singapore began screening passengers from Wuhan at Changi Airport on Friday. Taiwan started screening Chinese passengers. The Centers for Disease Control under the Ministry of Health and Welfare said officials will board flights to check before passengers from Wuhan are allowed to disembark. Singapores Ministry of Health said on Facebook that suspect cases with fever and acute respiratory illness or pneumonia and with travel history to Wuhan within 14 days before onset of symptoms will be isolated as a precautionary measure to prevent transmission. Hong Kong, which lies just hours away from Wuhan, raised the response level Saturday morning to serious, one level below emergency, after reports of infections of an unknown viral pneumonia in the Chinese city of Wuhan soared to 44 patients as of Friday evening from 27 on Tuesday. And 11 patients are in a serious condition. They have all been isolated, while 121 close contacts are being monitored. At the serious level response in Hong Kong, even the Secretary for Security is involved, along with officials in charge of transport, food and heath, food safety, housing, tourism, education, welfare, water supplies, food safety, hospitals, government information services, commerce and economic, home affairs, highways, and environment officials. Those arriving in Hong Kong are being checked at all border control points. Hong Kongs Department of Health announced Saturday that the serious response level was activated. China has not been forthcoming by making more information public early and people in Hong Kong, fearful of a SARS outbreak as in 2003, which originated in China, have been rushing to pharmacies to buy face masks and disinfectant. Some pharmacies had run out of stocks last evening. The Chinese state TV networks overseas arm, CGTN, in one bulletin reported the news in 47 seconds in English. Fifteen years ago, when the SARS epidemic raged, the World Health Organisation deplored China for under-reporting infections in southern Guangdong province. On Friday, in Hong Kong, some widely-read mainstream Chinese dailies splashed the Wuhan pneumonia virus news across full pages on the front. There were seven suspected cases in Hong Kong and four have been discharged. Hong Kongs Secretary for Health, Sophia Chan Siu-chee, told a radio programme, Saturday: In launching preparedness and response plan for novel infectious disease of public health significance, we have actually put it to the Serious Response Level. A novel infectious disease of public health significance is any infectious disease caused by a pathogen unknown to cause human disease before, but may have changed its property to cause human infection with or without the ability of efficient human-to-human transmission, Hong Kong health authorities explained. Public hospitals have admitted two women who have been to Wuhan in the past 14 days and presented with fever and respiratory infections, or pneumonia symptoms. The patients, aged 12 and 41 years are in isolation. They are stable. Chinas National Health Commission has advised Hong Kong that a number of viral pneumonia cases with unknown cause have been identified since December through medical surveillance. Symptoms were mainly fever while a few had presented with shortness of breath. As at 8:00 am today [Friday], 44 cases have been reported. Among them, 11 cases were in serious condition and the remaining were stable. All patients are receiving treatment in isolation. Also 121 close contacts are under medical surveillance, contact tracing of close contacts is still ongoing, the commission announced. The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission has said it does not know the origin of the disease. Suspicions are centred on a wet market in Wuhan where wild animals including snakes and the organs of rabbits and other wildlife, are sold. It has now been shut. Some viral pneumonia patients were vendors in the market. Chinese are known to enjoy snake soup in the winter. Wuhan health officials have reported they suspect a viral pneumonia, but that tests show it is not common flu, avian flu, or the adenovirus. According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in the United States, experts in and outside of China have raised the possibility that a new type of coronavirus may be the culprit. Coronaviruses can trigger a wide range of respiratory symptoms with some types causing mild cold symptoms, with others such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus or Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, known to cause severe or fatal infections, the centre says. The centre in a report, cites director, Dr Michael T. Osterholm, as saying that apart from identifying the unknown pathogen, another piece of the puzzle is the case definition Wuhan officials are using to identify patients that are part of the cluster. This key fact add substantial meaning and context to the case numbers theyre reporting, he is cited as saying. For example, it is not clear if health officials are excluding sick people who were not exposed to the seafood market. Dr Osterholm said that if they are, the concern is that they could be missing cases outside of the market setting, some of which might reflect human-to-human spread. Presumably, some of the contacts under monitoring are health care workers, he added, the centre reported. The magazine Science, cites Guan Yi of the University of Hong Kong, an expert in emerging viral diseases, as saying that Chinas authorities should work to dig out the zoonotic source, referring to suspicions that a a zoonotic pathogen may have jumped to humans at the Wuhan market. He also says he does not think this disease is SARS. Radio Free Asia quoted an online activist Zhang Ruigen as saying that there are concerns that the ruling Chinese Communist Party may seek to cover up the seriousness of the outbreak, as in 2003 during the SARS outbreak. I think the Wuhan government is cracking down on information, Zhang said. They are trying to do a news blackout, and they are calling the truth rumors and fake news the truth. When SARS broke out in 2003, the government also blocked the news and said it was rumors, and then said it couldnt be covered at all. This is still the same routine: they are calling it pneumonia of unknown cause. The first thing they think about is how not to reveal the truth. The first thing they do is detain people and censor public speech. Authorities in Hubei province have arrested several people for sharing fake news online about the virus, news reports said. A retired judge drowned in her hot tub on Christmas Day after accidentally falling and hitting her head in her new Georgia vacation home, according to investigators. Tracy Sheehan, 60, was found face down in the water by a concerned neighbor after they heard her dog barking at her cabin in Blue Ridge. Sheehan who was also a former TV anchor and had survived breast cancer was a judge in Hillsborough County, Florida, for 11 years until 2017. She is understood to have been dead for several hours when she was found in the home she purchased in October. An autopsy report and toxicology results are still pending. Fannin County coroner Becky Callihan told The Tampa Bay Times: They found evidence where she had hit her nose. Her glasses had scratched her nose when she went down. Sheehan, described by friends as inspiring and fierce was known for driving a Harley Davidson to work. Following the news of her death the Florida 13th Circuit Court tweeted: All the judges & staff at the 13th Judicial Circuit, we were saddened to learn about the passing of our former colleague and dear friend, retired Judge Tracy Sheehan. They added: She served the people of Hillsborough with distinction, honor & great compassion. Judge Sheehan will be missed! The State Attorney 13th added: Our office joins the @HillsboroughFL community in mourning the loss of retired Judge Tracy Sheehan: beloved jurist, fierce advocate for children, dog lover, former defense attorney and journalist. She will be missed by all who encountered her. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Folake Adebola, a Nigerian woman working in the US, was sent home from work for wearing hijab. Adebola, also known as Stefanae Coleman, went to her workplace at Chicken Express in Texas, wearing her hijab when the companys manager asked her to remove it for violating the organisations dress code. Reacting to it via her Twitter handle, Coleman said, Lemme say this I converted in AUGUST I didnt start working there till OCTOBER in the handbook they say they have equal opportunity for every religion so yes I FELT comfortable working there. I told my manager that I am Muslim and that I was waiting on my hijabs to come in. Read Also: UI International School Suspends Student For Wearing Hijab (See Letter) She said things went south when she eventually started wearing hijab. I converted to Islam not too long ago and I started wearing my hijab, I went to work today and was kicked out because my hijab was not apart the dress code apparently and I wasnt allowed to wear it. Dont come to the chicken express in Fort Worth!!, she said. Her manager in a video shared online is heard saying, Your job is your job. Your job has nothing to do with religion. The job requires a specific uniform. (The hijab) is not a part of the uniform; you as a paid employee cannot wear it. Coleman, also narrating her experience with CNN, said, Once I clocked in, the manager said Take off anything that doesnt involve Chicken Express, which I knew he was talking about my hijab. So I didnt react, I just went to the back and took off my jacket and my purse. Five minutes later, he called me into the office telling me that I have to take it off because its not a part of the work uniform. In a year defined by domestic political absolutism and worldwide upheaval, 2019 will likely be remembered ultimately as when climate change climbed to the top of the international political consciousness. Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg was nominated for a Nobel Prize for inspiring climate protests worldwide. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report in 2018 that laid the groundwork for this political tidal wave, with stark warnings of dire consequences if carbon dioxide emissions do not drop 45 percent by 2030. An intellectually honest debate eludes us. Environmentalists understate the economic cost of climate action while climate apologists understate the opportunity cost of inaction. Most of the debate centers on how to transition electric utility power generation from traditional fossil fuels to more sustainable and costly forms of renewable energy. The average consumer wants electricity to be 100 percent reliable, with less of an emphasis on sustainability than affordability. It is nearly impossible to simultaneously maximize economic growth, minimize energy costs, ensure electric reliability and minimize carbon emissions. Technological innovation will improve this economic reality over time, but we must continue to recognize it as a barrier to transformational action. The Trump administration is in the process of rolling back nearly 100 environmental regulations and has aggressively cut Environmental Protection Administration staffing levels and systematically diminished the role of science in environmental policy-making. If Trump wins re-election, it is unlikely federal policy will change. As the federal government has abdicated its global leadership role in the climate change crisis, state and local governments have taken the mantle of climate leadership. States have tried different approaches. California opted for a 33 percent renewable energy mandate in 2011. This laudable goal was fraught with perverse incentives and unintended consequences. An independent panel recently found that Pacific Gas & Electric management and its regulators became so concerned with the renewable energy mandate that it shifted resources from maintenance, safety and compliance. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry does not receive enough credit for the creation of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone program, a $7 billion effort that subsidized transmission lines that carry power from wind-rich West Texas to more populous areas. The initiative built thousands of miles of transmission lines and helped Texas become the nations wind energy leader. Nationally, Democratic presidential candidates are in a mad dash to the left on the climate issue. Proposals include spending $16 trillion, banning fracking, closing all coal plants, halting construction on natural gas plants and electrifying the entire federal fleet. The most discerning proposals come from Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, whose climate agendas recognize the political reality of the U.S. Senate and focus mostly on executive action. The elephant in the room of the American climate debate is the fact that any reduction in U.S. carbon emissions will be more than offset by rises in China and India. Andrew Yang, an entrepreneur who has used his quixotic campaign to breath new life into the policy debate, has focused on climate change mitigation. He proposed $25 billion for disaster planning and $30 billion for related infrastructure. If we learned anything from Hurricane Harvey, it is that thoughtful planning and infrastructure are critical climate change mitigation efforts. Absent massive federal and state investments in climate change mitigation, local communities will be forced to provide local solutions. San Antonio is prone to massive flooding, so the San Antonio River Authority will emerge as a key player in our local climate mitigation efforts. The elected board, which tabled any discussion of a property tax that would have facilitated $1 billion in climate mitigation investment by 2050, will hopefully recognize its watershed management role will need to expand, as costly flooding will likely become more frequent. Climate change denialism will continue to die a slow death in the 2020s, and hopefully the debate will shift away from whether humans cause climate change and toward practical solutions. There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful about our climate future: younger voters will increasingly mobilize around climate policy as a priority, the human capacity to innovate will focus on climate solutions, state governments will experiment with policies and ideas and eventually provide a framework that could work nationally, and local governments will develop solutions to the challenges created by climate change at the community level. T.J. Mayes is a San Antonio-based attorney and community volunteer. Lawyer for ex-Nissan chief says he was angry over his clients escape but now understands his decision to flee Japan. A lawyer for former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has said he felt betrayed by his clients escape from Japan but still understood his act, claiming it resulted from Japans inhumane justice system. The international tycoon, who faces multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late December to avoid a Japanese trial. First, I was filled with a sense of strong anger. I felt betrayed, Ghosns lawyer Takashi Takano wrote in his blog, stating that he had not been informed about the plan in advance. But anger was turning to something else as I recalled how he was treated by the countrys justice system, Takano said. Ghosn is thought to have taken a private jet from Kansai Airport in western Japan, heading for Istanbul. It is believed he headed from there to Beirut. I can easily imagine that if people with wealth, human networks and ability to take action have the same experience (as Ghosn), they would do the same thing or at least consider doing so, Takano said. Ghosns high-profile arrest in November 2018 and his long detention under severe conditions were widely considered draconian compared with the West. Suspects in Japan can be detained for weeks or even months before trial, with limited access to their lawyers, and around 99 percent of trials in the country result in a conviction. Critics including rights groups such as Amnesty International have derided Japans system as hostage justice, designed to break morale and force confessions from suspects. When safely in Lebanon, Ghosn pressed this point again, saying he would no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system. Another lawyer for Ghosn, Junichiro Hironaka, on Saturday also said that harsh bail conditions notably the restrictions on contact with his wife Carole appeared to have motivated the tycoons escape. He did not know when he can meet his wife and there was no prospect for a change in his bail conditions, Hironaka told reporters. I guess these things were really tough for him, the lawyer said. A Tokyo court banned Ghosn from contacting his wife despite several petitions from his legal team describing the measure as cruel and a punishment. He was later permitted to speak to her via video conference only. While Japanese prosecutors have launched an investigation, the circumstances of Ghosns Hollywood-like flight from Japan are still unclear. Citing three sources familiar with the matter, Reuters news agency reported on Saturday that Ghosn left his Tokyo residence after a private security firm hired by Nissan stopped monitoring him. Nissan had hired a private security company to watch Ghosn, who was on bail and awaiting trial, to check whether he met any people involved in the case, the sources said. But his lawyers warned the security company to stop watching him as it would be a violation of his human rights, and Ghosn was planning to file a complaint against the company, the sources said. The security company stopped its surveillance by December 29, the sources said. Ghosn faces four charges which he denies including hiding income and enriching himself through payments to dealerships in the Middle East. January 04 : We often read reports about doctors dilemma to declare a patient dead, who is in a vegetative state or in coma for a long time. Scientists around the globe have still not come to a consensus on a reliable factor by which they can determine if a person is alive or dead. If this problem is resolved, it will definitely help doctors to make medical decisions about anesthesia or to treat patients in vegetative state. Currently, doctors rely on electroencephalogram, or EEG, to ascertain the level of consciousness of the brain in patients who are in vegetative state. Is EEG reliable? A Michigan medicine team was able to find out that EEG was not too reliable to track if the brain is awake or dead. According to Dinesh Pal, Ph.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology at the U-M Medical School, relying solely on EEG is wrong as it cannot correlate with behaviour. The Michigan team is, therefore, asking people in the medical community to be more cautious when interpreting EEG data. The researchers have pointed out that in case of a patient under anesthesia, an EEG will display some sort of unconsciousness; reduced brain connectivity; less change in brain activity over time; and increased slow waves, which are also associated with patients in deep sleep, vegetative state and in coma. What the new study revealed Dinesh Pal and his team studied the data of a 2018 study to find out what happened when a brain was conscious under anesthesia. The team studied an area of the brain called the medial prefrontal cortex, which helps to make us attentive and conscious. The team used rats to do the test. They applied a drug in that part of the brain that can mimic the activity of neurotransmitter acetylcholinea chemical released by a nerve cell or neuron. By doing so, the researchers could arouse some of the rats, who moved around despite being given anesthesia. When the same drug was applied at the back of the brain of the rats, who were also given anesthesia, it did not awake them. The team then studied the EEG data of the rats. They particularly studied those factors that are said to correlate with wakefulness. They were surprised to find that the EEGs of both the groups of rats were same, which means EEG of the moving rats under anesthesia and EEG of the non-moving rats under anesthesia were the same. This clearly shows that EEG is not a reliable mode to ascertain if a brain is awaken or dead. The study concluded that EEGs cannot always accurately capture the level of consciousness in surgical patients. However, EEG can help to determine the level of unconsciousness during general anesthesia. Various Naga civil society groups, state government officials and opposition parties have expressed displeasure over the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Nagaland by another six months. The Centre issued a notification on December 30 last year extending the law in Nagaland till July-end which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. The Union Home Ministry had said in the notificiation that the central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole state of Nagaland is in such a "disturbed and dangerous" condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary. However, state government officials, Opposition and organisations like Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers Association (NMA), Naga Students' Federation (NSF) and Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) have expressed resentment over the move. The state government always objects to the extension of AFSPA in Nagaland as and when the Union government seeks the state's opinion before declaring Nagaland a 'disturbed area', but the law is extended every year and now it has become a routine exercise, a top government official told PTI on condition of anonymity. "As the state government, we have been objecting to the extension of AFSPA and even this time we did so when the Union Home Ministry sought our views. "The state government doesn't want AFSPA but we are not aware if the Centre is looking at wider issues unknown to the state," the official said. Opposition leader and former chief minister, TR Zeliang sarcastically said Nagas got the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 as a "Christmas gift" instead of peace accord between Naga groups and the Centre and now extension of AFSPA has come as a "New Year's package". Naga Hoho general secretary K Elu Ndang said AFSPA is not relevant anymore in a civilised society and its applicability has no place in the modern world. "AFSPA is only a means to terrorise and create fear among innocent people," he said. India being the largest democracy must live on the values of democracy and in the true spirit of secularism, Ndang said. NMA president Abei-u Meru told PTI, "I don't see any reason or situation why AFSPA was extended in Nagaland. Is it to please the security forces?" The NSF media cell condemned the move in a statement. "A peaceful state like Nagaland is painted in a picture of chaos and lawlessness by the Centre's notification, as the world is witness to the fact that Nagaland is not what it is made to look by the ill-intended notification of the central government. "The extension of AFSPA is not for the maintenance of law and order in Nagaland but only a diabolic attempt of the Centre to further the suppression of the Naga people through militarisation and to encourage the numerous abuses and serious human rights violations by the armed forces which has been ongoing for many years," it said. The NSF also questioned "the overarching approach of the central government in extending the inhumane Act as law and order is the subject matter of the state government." The federation also reiterated its long-standing view that the AFSPA violates the Constitution as infringes upon the fundamental rights of the citizens and that the law must be repealed. NTC general secretary Nribemo Ngullie, when contacted, said, "What NTC is confused is that Nagas are passing through the political negotiations with the Government of India (GoI) and according to the commitment given by the GoI, settlement should have already been made but it is getting delayed because of one or the other technical reasons." He said that extension of AFSPA while giving hope for a settlement of the Naga political issue is "like handing over an olive branch or a piece of bread on one hand with a stick on the other." "When we want peace...there should be total peace but the Nagas have been continuously threatened by AFSPA for the past 70 years, and the fear psychosis continues. "There is no peace in our minds under the draconian law and it is time that the GoI thinks how to soften AFSPA," Ngullie added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 00:49:52|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday that the killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani violates fundamental international law. During a phone conversation at the initiative of the Iranian side, Lavrov expressed his condolences over the killing of Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The ministers emphasized that U.S. actions are a gross violation of fundamental international law and do not contribute to finding solutions to the complex problems that have accumulated in the Middle East, but lead to a new round of escalation of tension in the region," the statement said. Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, was killed in the U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport. Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed "tough revenge" for the deadly attack. Ways to make an ever-popular New Year's resolution a reality Getting started on a healthy program can be easy with some professional help. Soleimani was the most capable foe of the United States and Israel in the region. As chief of the Al-Quds force, Soleimani was a master of Irans asymmetric warfare strategy, using proxy forces to bleed Irans enemies, while preserving the governments ability to plausibly deny involvement. by Jefferson Morley Last October Yossi Cohen, head of Israels Mossad, spoke openly about assassinating Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, the head of the elite Quds Force in Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He knows very well that his assassination is not impossible, Cohen said in an interview. Soleimani had boasted that the Israels tried to assassinate him in 2006 and failed. With all due respect to his bluster, Cohen said, he hasnt necessarily committed the mistake yet that would place him on the prestigious list of Mossads assassination targets. Is Israel Targeting Irans Top General for Assassination? I asked on October 24. On Thursday, Soleimani was killed in an air strike ordered by President Trump. Soleimanis convoy was struck by U.S. missiles as he left a meeting at Baghdads airport amid anti-Iranian and anti-American demonstrations in Iraq. Supporters of an Iranian-backed militia had agreed to withdraw from the U.S. diplomatic compound in return for a promise that the government would allow a parliamentary vote on expelling 5,000 U.S. troops from the country. The Pentagon confirmed the military operation, which came at the direction of the president and was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The Pentagon claimed in a statement that Gen. Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, under indictment for criminal charges, was the first and only national leader to support Trumps action, while claiming that that Trump acted entirely on his own. Just as Israel has the right to self-defense, the United States has exactly the same right, Netanyahu told reporters in Greece. Qassem Soleimani is responsible for the deaths of American citizens and other innocents, and he was planning more attacks. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed retaliation for the generals death, tweeting that Iran will take revenge for this heinous crime. Capable Foe Soleimani was the most capable foe of the United States and Israel in the region. As chief of the Al-Quds force, Soleimani was a master of Irans asymmetric warfare strategy, using proxy forces to bleed Irans enemies, while preserving the governments ability to plausibly deny involvement. After the U.S. invasions of Iraq, he funded and trained anti-American militias that launched low-level attacks on U.S. occupation forces, killing upward of 600 U.S. servicemen and generating pressure for U.S. withdrawal. In recent years, Soleimani led two successful Iranian military operations: the campaign to drive ISIS out of western Iraq in 2015 and the campaign to crush the jihadist forces opposed to Syrias Bashar al-Assad. The United States and Israel denounced Irans role in both operations but could not prevent Iran from claiming victory. Soleimani had assumed a leading role in Iraqi politics in the past year. The anti-ISIS campaign relied on Iraqi militias, which the Iranians supported with money, weapons, and training. After ISIS was defeated, these militia maintained a prominent role in Iraq that many resented, leading to demonstrations and rioting. Soleimani was seeking to stabilize the government and channel the protests against the United States when he was killed. In the same period, Israel pursued its program of targeted assassination. In the past decade Mossad assassinated at least five Iranian nuclear scientists, according to Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman, in an effort to thwart Irans nuclear program. Yossi Melman, another Israeli journalist, says that Mossad has assassinated 60-70 enemies outside of its borders since its founding in 1947, though none as prominent as Soleimani. Israel also began striking at the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq last year. The United States did the same on December 29, killing 19 fighters and prompting anti-American demonstrations as big as the anti-Iranian demonstrations of a month ago. Now the killing of Soleimani promises more unrest, if not open war. The idea that it will deter Iranian attacks is foolish. This doesnt mean war, wrote former Defense Department official Andrew Exum, It will not lead to war, and it doesnt risk war. None of that. It is war. The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported a year ago that Washington had given Israel the green light to assassinate Soleimani. Al-Jarida, which in recent years has broken exclusive stories from Israel, quoted a source in Jerusalem as saying that there is an American-Israeli agreement that Soleimani is a threat to the two countries interests in the region. It is generally assumed in the Arab world that the paper is used as an Israeli platform for conveying messages to other countries in the Middle East. Trump has now fulfilled the wishes of Mossad. After proclaiming his intention to end Americas stupid endless wars, the president has effectively declared war on the largest country in the region in solidarity with Israel, the most unpopular country in the Middle East. This article first appeared on Jefferson Morleys TheDeepStateBlog. Jefferson Morley, author of The Ghost: The Secret Life of CIA Spymaster James Jesus Angleton, is the editor of The Deep State blog. He is a member of the Truth & Reconciliation Committee, founded to reopen the investigations of the assassination of JFK, MLK, RFK, and Malcolm X. Controversial Instagram blogger, Cutie Julls has accused celebrity designer, Swanky Jerry of sleeping with an Abuja-based businessman to acquire a range rover. The web user claimed that the male designer got connected to the yet-to-be-identified man with the help of a lady named Safina. Information Nigeria recalls Swanky Jerry had proposed to his girlfriend in London in 2018 but news of their blossoming relationship, had somehow managed to die down, leaving many to conclude the rumour might true. Cutie Julls shared a photo of the designer with the words; Hmm its a small world lovelies. Safina + Swanky = man in Abuja x Jerremiahs yansh #rangerover : In a nutshell, if you need a range, find yourself an Abuja hooker like Sister Safina who can hook you to a wealthy man in Abuja who is capable of getting you a range rover like Brother Jeremiahs own by kind curtesy of yansh service See the full post below: We are told constantly by the media that if one person dies from a gun, that is too many, and we must put new laws on the books. Some even advocate taking away guns from law-abiding citizens. Essentially, all-gun owners are blamed. President Obama authorized the killing of many people with drones during his eight years, and there was little consternation by Hollywood, journalists, and other Democrats. But if President Trump authorizes the military to take out a tyrant who is responsible for thousands of deaths, including at least hundreds of Americans, we hear condemnation from many. It is especially appalling that Democrat members of Congress decry the killing of the terrorist as illegal when they never questioned Obama. Of course, if illegal aliens kill someone, that is OK. We are told that only a small percentage of illegal aliens kill people. A much smaller percentage of gun-owners kill, so why is there such a difference in the response? Can anyone spot the bias in reporting? Image credit: Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of U.S. Air Force public domain photos. The U.S. government has begun sending asylum seekers near the border of Arizona back to Mexico to await their court hearings. Authorities said Thursday the effort is part of an already existing program that is now being expanded. Migrant Protection Protocols require asylum-seekers to wait for their immigration court hearings in Mexico. Under the new expansion, the program will now apply to a port of entry in Arizona. Thats in addition to ports of entry Texas and California where it was already in use. Previously, migrants encountered in that area were sent to El Paso, Texas, where their return to Mexico was processed. Now, migrants will be scheduled in Juarez, Mexico, about 350 miles away. Advocates say the initiative endangers migrantsleaving them at risk of violence in Mexico. But U.S. authorities have praised the program, saying it has significantly lowered illegal border crossings. Here is what the world is saying about our nation in 2020. As India violence gets worse, police are accused of abusing Muslims (New York Times, January 3). As repression in India gets worse, notable figures remain silent (Washington Post, January 4). We are not safe: Indias Muslims tell of wave of police brutality (Guardian, January 3). Conservative papers that this government wants to think well of it think that India is in trouble. The Financial Times asks: India risks sliding into a second Emergency. Whether we agree with the world is not the point: many Indians, and particularly Hindus, will disagree that things are bad in India or that this government is deliberately bullying its citizens. The point is that this is how the world is viewing us. The question is why are they looking at us in unambiguous and disapproving terms. The truth is that the facts are against us. There is a reason that the protests in India against the citizenship laws are being led by Indias Muslims. They are the target of the laws and they know this. Let us have a look at what the undisputed facts are. First, in Assam, the NRC process began with local verification officers who began striking off people from the voters list, calling them D-Voters (doubtful voters). Such D-Voters had no right to vote in elections once they had been put on this list. The process for putting them on this list was not transparent and Gauhati high court and Indias Supreme Court colluded in this, using reckless language such as external aggression. Second, on August 3, 2019, PTI reported: Govt to prepare National Population Register to lay foundation for pan-India NRC. The report says that In pursuance of sub-rule(4) of rule 3 of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, the Central government hereby decides to prepare and update the Population Register and the field work for house-to-house enumeration throughout the country except Assam for collection of information relating to all persons who are usually residing within the jurisdiction of local registrar shall be undertaken between the first day of April, 2020 to September 30, 2020, said a notification issued by Vivek Joshi, registrar general of Citizen Registration and Census Commissioner. The report said that President Ram Nath Kovind in his address to the Lok Sabha on June 20 said that the government had decided to implement the National Register of Citizens on priority basis. Indias Prime Minister is either ignorant or lying when he says that there has been no discussion of NRC. Third, on March 26, 2018, the Reserve Bank of India issued notification No. FEMA 21(R)/2018-RB which said that A person being a citizen of Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan belonging to minority communities in those countries, namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who is residing in India and has been granted a Long Term Visa by the Central government may purchase only one residential immovable property in India as dwelling unit for self-occupation and only one immovable property for carrying out self-employment How would the RBI know which religion individuals belonged to? Would we start now having to declare our religion to open a bank account? This was not thought through by the government and not noticed at the time. When this came to light, last week, the Union home secretary sent out a tweet saying Indian citizens would not have to declare their religion. The problem of course is who decides who is a citizen and who is an immigrant. The facts in the minds of Muslims are clear, and they are as follows: This government has been planning for some time to introduce a process which will weed out Indias Muslims. First, there will be a bureaucratic purge of Muslim names from the voter list. Then these people who are doubtful will have to present themselves before other bureaucrats and prove their innocence. What would happen in the interim? Along with their D-voter status, would come a loss of their passport and license, their right over their property (because only non-Muslims are allowed, according to the RBI circular), their right to have a bank account and a job. The government does not even need to build all the concentration camps, called detention centres, around the country. Merely doing what has been mentioned above would pretty much take care of the Muslims of India permanently. Those Muslims who ultimately escape would still have to live with the trauma of not knowing whether they will be facing this trial. Can we understand now why they are leading the protests? They have zero confidence in the words and assurances of the Prime Minister and home minister, and I do not blame them. In fact I am on their side. Fourteen of the 16 people killed in UPs violence at the time of writing were killed by bullets fired by the police, but our Prime Ministers narrative is the violence is by the protesters. This is why the world is looking on at India with distaste and dismay, and who can say that they are wrong in thinking about us in that way? New York: Demonstrators took to the streets in cities across the United States and in London on Saturday to protest Washington's killing of a top Iranian general in Iraq and urge restraint by Western governments. "No justice, no peace, US out of the Middle East," crowds chanted in New York's Times Square, holding signs that read "Stop bombing Iraq" and "No war or sanctions on Iran." There were similar scenes in Chicago, where around 200 protesters gathered outside the Trump Tower, and in Philadelphia, where about 500 people demonstrated. The actor and activist Jane Fonda joined a rally outside the White House in Washington. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday offered appointment letters to dependents of 11 soldiers from the state killed in action. All the appointments have been made in Group C and D posts. The state government is contributing three times the amount to be deposited in the 'Sena Jhanda Diwas Nidhi' so that there is no dearth of funds for the welfare of brave soldiers, Adityanath said as he distributed the letters at an event organised at his official residence here. "It is the responsibility of everyone to honour the families of those who gave up their lives for the country. The government is committed towards providing every possible support to them," the chief minister said. He said a new 'Sanik Kalyan' office is being constructed in Allahabad, Meerut, Kaushambi and Mau to facilitate ex-soldiers. The state government is providing 5 per cent reservation to ex-servicemen in Group B and C posts and it is making sincere efforts to appoint them in all available positions, he said. The chief minister said that for the first time in the state, a grand defense expo is being organised in the state capital in February where everyone will get a chance to view the state-of-the-art technology and weapons of the defence sector. Employment opportunities will be created at large scale in the state through Defence Manufacturing Corridor. Along with this, it will also be helpful in equipping the Army with weapons as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' project, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Last month, Sri Lankan police arrested Patali Champika Ranawaka and Rajitha Senaratne, two opposition MPs and prominent ministers of the previous government. Ranawaka, the former minister of Megapolis, Western Province Development and Power and Energy, was arrested on December 18 on charges related to a 2016 road accident and remanded by a Colombo chief magistrate. He was bailed on December 24, following the imposition of personal and cash sureties, and ordered to present himself to the police on the last Sunday of every month until the case is resolved. Rajitha Senaratne, a former health minister, was arrested by police and remanded on December 27, on the orders of another Colombo magistrate. He was not sent to the remand prison because of poor health. Senaratne was accused of holding a press conference in November where false allegations were made about white van abductions under the previous regime of President Mahinda Rajapakse. He was bailed on December 30, following the payment of sureties, and ordered to hand over his passport. The arrest of these two former allies indicates that the newly-elected President Gotabhaya Rajapakse government is attempting to silence its political opponents in preparation for deeper attacks on the democratic rights of all Sri Lankan workers and the poor. According to the allegations against Ranawaka, the minister was travelling in a vehicle that collided with a motorcycle in February 2016, causing life-threatening injuries to its young rider, Sandeepa Sampath. Ranawaka has been accused of driving the vehicle, but reportedly used his ministerial powers to dodge the accusation. Three years after the accident, the Colombo Crime Division of the Sri Lankan police suddenly accused Ranawaka of careless driving, causing a motor accident and fleeing from the scene, and switching the driver to mislead the courts. That the police took no action over this matter for years indicates that they had little interest in seeking justice for the accident victim. The accusations against Senaratne are based on a press conference he held prior to the November 16 presidential election. The conference featured two individuals who claimed to be drivers of a white van, which was involved in abductions during President Mahinda Rajapakses rule. Senaratne used the press conference to politically undermine opposition presidential candidate and former defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse. Paramilitary groups, which were organised by military intelligence and under the control of the defence ministry, have been widely accused of carrying out the white van abductions. Police arrested the two individuals involved in Senaratnes press conference and held another media conference, at which two men claimed that Senaratnes secretary had bribed them with millions of rupees to make false statements. Whatever the truth of these claims and counter-claims, the mere mention of the white van abductions enraged the opposition Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, which denounced the allegations as mudslinging against its presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapakse. White van abductions of political opponents, journalists and youth during and after the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were common knowledge. Some abducted persons simply vanished, others were dropped along the roadside after being threatened or physically assaulted. Some of the more high-profile individuals abducted included Keith Noyahr, editor of the Nation, Upali Tennakoon, editor of Rivira, and journalist Poddala Jayantha. In January 2009, Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga was killed in broad daylight by two persons who arrived on a motor bike and blocked his car. Another journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda simply disappeared. During the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government, police arrested some senior military officers over these abductions. Newly-elected President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his older brother and current Prime Minster Mahinda Rajapakse, have publicly denounced these arrests and pledged to protect the military, including its senior officers, as war heroes. Gotabhaya and Mahinda Rajapakse are particularly hostile to Ranawaka and Senaratne. Maithripala Sirisena, a senior minister in President Mahinda Rajapakses regime, defected as part of the political regime-change operation to remove Mahinda Rajapakse as president. The US-orchestrated conspiracy was organised by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, with the support of United National Party leader Wickremesinghe. Senaratne and Ranawaka, who had been key ministers in Mahinda Rajapakses regime, resigned and joined Sirisenas 2015 election campaign. Ranawaka, who is a leader of the fascistic Sinhala-Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumaya, and Senaratne were appointed cabinet ministers following the 2015 general election. Both were yes men in the former governments of Mahinda Rajapakse and Sirisena-Wickremesinghe, and are responsible for the bloody war against the LTTE and numerous anti-democratic attacks on workers and the poor. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) opposes the Rajapakse governments witchhunt of its political opponents, without giving the latter any political support, and warns that this is part and parcel of the governments rapid preparations for police-state rule. Moreover, the new governments actions are just one expression of an international process, where so-called liberal-democratic governments are giving way to authoritarian forms of rule around the world, fuelled by deep-going anxieties, within ruling circles, of the resurgence of the class struggle. The new Gotabhaya Rajapakse regime came to power under the banner of strengthening national security and pledging to step up the International Monetary Funds insistence on increased austerity measures against Sri Lankas masses. The arrest of Ranawaka and Senaratne, two ruling-class representatives, indicates how ruthlessly the Sri Lankan ruling elite will move to crush a mass movement of working people, the genuine opponents of capitalist rule. The working class must politically prepare and mobilise to defeat these counterrevolutionary preparations for dictatorial methods of rule. This can only be done by breaking from all factions of the capitalist class and building an independent movement of the working class. Such a movement must rally the rural poor, oppressed and the youth to fight for a workers and peasants government that will overthrow bourgeois rule and implement socialist policies, as part of the struggle for socialism worldwide. This is the program for which the SEP fights. About 1 p.m., firefighters rushed to a building in the 8700 block of South Constance Avenue for a fire on the first floor. When they arrived, they discovered at least three people were trapped on the second floor because of the flames below, according to a tweet from the Chicago Fire Department. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will officially request that the Knesset (parliament) grant him immunity from prosecution in the three corruption cases he faces, a move aimed at postponing criminal proceedings against him for months if not years. Benjamin Netanyahu (photo: Office of the Israeli Prime Minister) Speaking at a press conference January 1 in Jerusalem, he said, There are people who, unlike me, did commit grave crimes, and they have life-long immunity. They are just on the right side of the media and the left wing. The immunity law is meant to protect public representatives from being framed. The law is meant to ensure that public representatives can serve the people according to the will of the people, and not the will of some clerks, he continued. Netanyahu used language straight out of Orwells 1984 to justify his manoeuvre, despite having previously and very publicly denied that he would request immunity. At the press conference, he declared that immunity from prosecution is not evading trial, and is a cornerstone of democracy. His move threatens to paralyse the Knessets work for months to come, block discussion during the upcoming election campaign of any issuesdomestic or foreignother than Netanyahus suitability for office, and shift politics even further to the right and into the arms of open fascists. The crisis over Netanyahu can also serve as a dangerous accelerant in the growing war crisis provoked by the Trump administrations criminal provocations against Iran. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman summoned military and security chiefs to Tel Aviv yesterday to discuss Israels response to Washingtons targeted assassination of Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani. Israel Army Radio stressed concerns about a potential Iranian counterattack via Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza. Netanyahu cut short his trip to Greece, where he signed an agreement with Greece and Cyprus to develop a 1,900 kilometre undersea pipeline to carry gas from offshore deposits in the southeastern Mediterranean to continental Europe--a move that pits Israel against both Russia and Turkey. That Netanyahu continues to govern in such a situation demonstrates that the Israeli state, like that of its main sponsor in Washington, is rapidly dispensing with any pretence of commitment to democracy, accountability or equal rights. It is preparing to carry out massive crimes against its citizens, Jews and Palestinians alike, even as it steps up preparations, without any mandate, for a military confrontation with Iran. Israel goes to the polls on March 2 in an unprecedented third election in less than a year, after neither Netanyahu, head of the Likud Party, nor former chief of staff General Benny Gantz, leader of the opposition Blue and White Party, succeeded in forming a governing coalition that could command a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu was indicted in November on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases that have been investigated for years. They relate to allegations that he offered or granted state favours worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israels media barons in return for favourable coverage and handsome gifts. Despite evidence, captured on video, presenting open and shut cases of bribery and corruption, Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing. Instead, he has sought to portray himself as the victim of a left-wing, pro-Arab plot by the media and judiciary to frame him and organise a coup. Netanyahus announcement came after two favourable developments. The first was the High Courts dismissal on Tuesday of a petition seeking to block him from forming another government should he win the election. The justices argued that it was irrelevant to discuss such a possibility ahead of the actual vote. The second was his resounding victory in a leadership challenge from former interior minister Gideon Saar in the Likud Party primaries. Saar offered no alternative perspective to Netanyahu. He has a long record of supporting the expansion of Israeli settlements and opposing any accommodation with the Palestinians. He repeatedly called on Netanyahu to implement his pledge to demolish the Bedouin hamlet of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank, which is located near several settlement blocks. He accused Netanyahu of running scared in the face of a possible investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, whose chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, had said that the razing of the hamlet could be a war crime. According to Israeli law, Netanyahus immunity request requires the approval of the Knessets House Committee and then the full Knesset. But because no House Committee was appointed after the first election in April, and none will be put in place until after the March election, this will delay the decision for months. Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the Israel Beiteinu party, which holds the votes that assure him the position of kingmaker, said he was opposed to Netanyahu getting immunity and would do everything he could to stop him. His votes, plus those of the opposition bloc, mean that Netanyahu cannot command a majority to secure immunity in the Knesset with its current political lineup. As a result, Netanyahus election campaign will focus on attacking Israels judiciary while positioning himself as the victim of deep state forces that cannot defeat him at the polls. Beating the war drum against Iran will be seen by Netanyahu as the best means of obtaining the necessary 61 delegate majority. A key part of his election strategy lies in brokering a merger of his far-right coalition partnersJewish Home, National Union and the openly fascistic Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power)to form a single list capable of passing the electoral threshold and bolster his position in the Knesset. Otzma Yehudit ran alone in last Septembers election and did not meet the vote threshold to enter the Knesset. Its most senior members are disciples of the late fascist and racist Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach party submitted a bill to cancel the citizenship of non-Jews in 1985. Three years later, the party was disqualified from running in the elections and in 1994 the government declared it a terror organization. Prior to last Septembers election, Michael Ben Ari, Otzma Yehudits chairman, was disqualified because of his incitement, along with two others, of anti-Arab racism. Otzma Yehudit calls for the establishment of Jewish settlements in all parts of the West Bank, not just in Area C; the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over all West Bank territories; the implementation of Jewish law and removing Israels enemies from our land. Netanyahus foul manoeuvre elevates Otzma Yehudit chief Ben Gvir to the position of kingmaker. If elected, it gives him a seat in the cabinet. This shift to the right is facilitated by the rottenness of Gantzs Blue and White Party, which is made up of ex-generals and a former TV journalist, and its leftist alliesthe Labor-Gesher Party and the Democratic Union, a merger between supporters of former chief of staff and prime minister Ehud Barak and the Peace Now-camp Meretz Party. None of these forces have anything to offer the working class, which saw the poverty rate for children rise from 27.1 percent to 29.1 percent in 2018, making Israel one of two countries with the worst child poverty rate in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to Israels National Insurance Institutes annual report published earlier this week. The percentage of the population living in poverty (excluding eastern Jerusalem, where poverty among Palestinian Israelis is even more acute) rose from about 19.4 in 2017 to about 20.4 percent in 2018. As well as showing an increase in the Gini inequality index, which is 10 percent higher than that of other developed countries, the report criticized the weakness of the governments policy in addressing poverty, saying that its tools for addressing the problem are too few and too hesitant. San Francisco, Jan 4 : Apple CEO Tim Cook took home $125 million as his pay package in 2019, slightly lower (nearly 8 per cent) than $136 million which he received in total compensation in 2018. According to an SEC filing, Cook received $3 million as base salary in 2019 but his bonus slid to $7.67 million from $12 million, reports Seeking Alpha. "Cook's total pay fell last year as the company failed to top its financial targets by as much as in 2018, but Cook still amassed $125 million in total compensation," the report said on Friday. APPLE's board set less ambitious goals for 2019, lowering its sales target by 3 per cent from 2018 to $256.6 million and its profit target by 15 per cent (YoY) to $60.1 billion. Cook, 59, earned about $11.56 million in non-equity compensation for 2019 -- a 26 per cent decline compared to 2018 when he earned nearly $15.7 million. "In 2019, Apple's performance exceeded the target performance goals for both net sales and operating income, resulting in a total payout of 128 per cent of the target payout opportunity for each named executive officer," Apple said in the SEC filing. Apple shares hit $300 for the first time in late December and closed at $297.43 on Friday. Apple shares hit a new all-time high of $300 on Thursday, marking significant growth over the course of the last year. In early January 2019, Apple shares were at $144. Apple stock has surged owing to reports of better than expected aCE iPhone 11aCE and 11 Pro sales and reports of stronger AirPods Pro sales. The company's stock rose by nearly 90 per cent last year. PETALUMA (BCN) Firefighters rescued a man who suffered life-threatening injuries following a structure collapse at the top of a silo Friday in Petaluma, officials said. Emergency crews were summoned around noon to the area of the D Street Bridge, where witnesses described seeing the collapse of a large metal tower atop a silo. Petaluma police used a patrol car to force open a locked gate and gain access to 100 East D St. More emergency personnel were called to the scenes, including all Petaluma fire units, and units the Rancho Adobe and Sonoma Valley fire departments, rescue helicopter Henry 1 and a California Highway Patrol transport helicopter. READ ALSO: Suspect injured in officer-involved shooting in SJ A 35-foot ladder was used to reach the top of the silo, where crews found a 30-year-old man trapped under a large conveyer structure and a co-worker trying to free him. Crews lifted the structure enough to free the man, who was treated by paramedics and flown by air ambulance to Memorial Hospital with serious life-threatening injuries. Officials say 35 minutes elapsed between the dispatch call to loading the victim on the air transport, and the man arrived at the hospital 10 minutes later. Fire units remained at the scene to assist the investigation by Petaluma police and California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Kathabindu Prakashana, as a part of its third edition of Kannadada Kampu programme, will organise an international meet on Kannada literature and culture at Kuti resort in Lakeside, Pokhara, Nepal, on January 12. Addressing reporters in Mangaluru recently, P V Pradeep Kumar of Kathabindu Prakashana said that a poetry meet, lecture on Kannada literature, Bharatanatyam, singing of Kannada songs, various cultural competitions and release of various Kannada works will be held on the occasion. The Outstanding Spiritual Literature award will also be presented on the occasion, added Pradeep Kumar. Two men have died and a third man is in a serious condition after they entered a river in Sydney's north. The men believed to be Nepalese nationals had planned to camp over the weekend at Crosslands Reserve in the Berowra National Park after arriving on Friday afternoon. One the men's partners sounded the alarm about 7pm and emergency services arrived around 7.30pm where a man was pulled from the water with breathing difficulties. "They said they couldn't swim and they panicked, and that's when we got told to run over," eyewitness Neesha Bozinovsky told Nine News. The year 2019 saw several protests in universities in the national capital as students and teachers took this route to voice their dissent on a gamut of issues. While the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students opposed the hostel fee hike terming it as "arbitrary", Delhi University faculty resorted to 'satyagraha' to demand absorption of ad-hoc teachers. Jamia Millia Islamia, which does not have a students' union, saw the students uniting with members of the civil society and taking to streets to raise their voice against the amended citizenship law. The demonstrations also saw bitter confrontations between the police and the agitators. From painting graffiti on walls of the vice-chancellor's office to boycotting exams, from taking out marches to Parliament and Rashtrapati Bhawan that were stopped mid-way to protesting outside the convocation venue leading to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokriyal 'Nishank' being stranded for over six hours, JNU students left no stone unturned to ensure that the fee hike was rolled back. The JNU Students' Union went on a strike in November, boycotting all academic activities, against the fee hike which meant that students would have to pay service and utility charges. Despite two partial rollbacks offered by the varsity, the situation continues to remain the same with students sleeping outside the schools to ensure that no academic activity can happen. The protests against fee hike also reached the neighbouring campus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication where students opposed the "exorbitant" fees. Jamia Millia Islamia also erupted in protests albeit for a cause that had triggered a nationwide stir -- the new citizenship law. So much so, that the varsity even postponed its exams and declared winter break for students after the first protest saw stone pelting by the agitators and use of tear gas by the police in response. A day after the varsity postponed the exams and declared the winter break, the protests outside the varsity, apparently organised by some outsiders, assumed serious proportions. Following violence and arson, police uses tear gas and force to quell them. In order to look for 'outsiders', police barged into the campus, apparently in the library and baton charged even students, who were studying there, the videos of which went viral. The police action received criticism from the varsity authorities, rights groups, student bodies and teachers' groups. Following the police action, the gate number 7 of the varsity became a protest site, where students and civil society members continued to voice their dissent in a peaceful way. From street plays to public gatherings to forming human chain, the protesters have continued their agitation, even in the biting cold. The police action on the varsity students triggered several other protests with some students even adopting a 'Gandhigiri' way, offer roses to security personnel. Delhi University also saw protests, but from teachers, who wanted a one-time regulation for absorption of ad-hoc teachers. The teachers occupied the vice-chancellor's office, painted graffiti on its walls, and stayed put for a few days but were later pushed back by the varsity administration from the building. They continued their protests outside the vice-chancellors' office in the cold by erecting sheds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ezinifite (Aguata), Eastern Nigeria, 4th Jan 2020 -The United States of America acted arbitrarily and outside the confines of the Customary Intl Law including Human Rights Law by assassinating the Commander of the Iranian Quds Force, a unit of the countrys Revolutionary Guards Corps. The world can fare better in the context of international safety, peace, security and justice only when laws and due processes are strictly followed or resorted to all the times, Intersociety said today at Ezinifite, Aguata in Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria. The statement was signed by Barr Chinaza Ndidiamaka Bernard, Head of Intl Justice & Human Rights and Emeka Umeagbalasi, a Criminologist & Master of Science, Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution. The United States therefore must avoid dragging the global community into another devastating and protracted world violent conflict where weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological and nuclear) and small arms and light weapons will once again and in industrial scale reduce humans to ashes or foods for flies and termites and properties to rubbles. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their malevolent or benevolent allies must totally avoid disastrously dragging the global community from the US-Iran cold war back to active hostilities where no one or property will be left out, Intersociety added. The Quds Force is a unit in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specializing in unconventional warfare such as terrorist activities and sponsorships and military intelligence operations. It has been severally accused of responsibility for extraterritorial operations and had in the past decades rendered supports to violent non-state actors in many countries, including Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank; the Yemeni Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan The Quds Force reports directly to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei and was until commanded by Major General Qasem Soleimani until he was killed by a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, after which Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani was same day named or appointed as commander. Credit: Wikipedia 2020. Although the direct and clandestine activities of the Force had in the past decades led to death and incapacitation of many innocent and defenseless civilians particularly women and children and destruction and devastation of properties, both government and individually owned; but spirit and letters of the intl law and due processes must at all times be applied. Battle-field related deaths in active hostilities are allowed internationally provided they strictly emanate from combatants and exclude civilians and prisoners of war and other uninvolved parties. That is to say that international law including the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the intl human rights and humanitarian laws do not support any form of extra judicial killings or summary executions including the 3rd Jan 2020 referenced assassination; with exception being where such steps are strictly necessary so as to stop imminent violent attacks against a population or VIPs. Consequences of such dastardly, under intl law, act attracts both State and individual responsibilities. We are in agreement with Dr. Agnes Callamard, the UN Rapportuer on Extra Judicial Killings or Summary Executions to the effect that, the targeted killings of Qasem Soleiman and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis are most likely unlawful and violate international human rights law: Outside the context of active hostilities, the use of drones or other means for targeted killing is almost never likely to be legal. Lawful justifications for such killings are very narrowly defined and it is hard to imagine how any of these can apply to these killings. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Jan.4 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A meeting was held at the Turkmen Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (UIET) with Charge dAffaires of Kyrgyz Embassy in Turkmenistan Turatbek Junushaliev, Trend reports referring to the UIET. The parties confirmed the interest of business circles of the two countries in the diversification of trade and economic partnership. The issue of creating joint ventures was also discussed. The importance of opening Turkmen trading house in Bishkek was emphasized, the report said. The parties also noted the need to study the issues of introducing a post of a trade representative at the embassies of the two countries, a facilitated visa regime for entrepreneurs, and launching a flight between Ashgabat and Bishkek. Representatives of the Kyrgyz side expressed proposal to attract Turkmen entrepreneurs to the construction and investment of tourist facilities in Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is also interested in importing Turkmen liquefied natural gas and is negotiating with the Turkmen State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange to search for opportunities to increase trade turnover. This was mentioned by Kyrgyz representatives at a meeting of the Turkmen-Kyrgyz intergovernmental commission in Ashgabat. It was reported that Turkmenistan is ready to consider the possibility of joint mining and processing of minerals in Kyrgyzstan. The parties also discussed prospects of partnership in industry and transport. Turkmenistan holds one of the key positions in the region in terms of supply of natural gas, and China is a major importer of gas. Bishkek may also be involved in a major project to deliver Central Asian gas to China, primarily from Turkmenistan. The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has been purchasing natural fuel in this region since 2009, after the launch of the first two branches of the Central Asia-China (A and B) gas pipeline from Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Recently, the third branch (C) has been launched, which also runs along this route. The development of a project is underway to build an additional fourth branch (D), along new transit route through Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Funding for hazard reduction burns needs to increase fivefold just to hold the threat to lives and property at current levels, experts warn, saying NSW alone needs to spend $500 million a year. The state currently spends between $50 million and $100 million annually on burning programs. Experts warn a new approach to prescribed burns and funding is needed as climate change increases the threat from bushfires to lives and property. Credit:Jeff Darmanin Bushfire expert Ross Bradstock on Friday said investment needed to jump to half a billion dollars a year in NSW just to keep pace with the increasing bushfire threat. He also warned limiting the focus of reviews into this summer's catastrophe to fuel-load management would not be enough to lower the increasing risk of catastrophic bushfires under climate change. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said a "wide range of factors" would be reviewed after the bushfire crisis, including the contribution of climate change and drought. He highlighted the "many restrictions" placed around "hazard reduction in national parks, dealing with land-clearing laws, zoning laws and planning laws", saying they were issues that needed to be considered "along with many others that we will all have to look at together". The new Hells Angels headquarters in The Bronx has been hit by a hail of bullets just weeks after the biker gang took up residence in the area. Police say the clubhouse was left partially damaged in the attack, which took place late on Thursday night. While no one was injured in the shooting, sources on Facebook claim that at least 14 shots were fired into the building - an act which has terrified local residents who were already nervous about the gang's move into the area. 'Everyone's worst fears have materialized,' Bronx Community Board 10 District Manager Matt Cruz told The New York Daily News on Friday. 'The community is upset and scared,' he added. 'We are on heightened alert for this and we're hoping the NYPD can get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible and we're sure they will.' No arrests have yet been made over Thursday's incident, but its believed the suspects fled on motorbikes. The new Hells Angels headquarters in The Bronx was hit by a hail of bullets on Thursday night. No one was injured, and police have not yet made any arrests According to a CNBC report, there are around 800 Hells Angels members in the United States, spread across dozens of different chapters. The headquarters of the New York chapter was previously located in Manhattan's East Village - which was the site of several headline hitting incidents in recent years. Back in December 2018, a delivery driver was beaten by two men after he parked in front of motorcycles outside the establishment. According to police, one of the assailants held the delivery driver by the neck while the other punched him in the face. Meanwhile, in December 2016, a man was allegedly shot in the stomach by Hells Angels 'prospect' member Anthony Iovenitti in front of the headquarters. The man had reportedly tried to move a traffic cone in front of the clubhouse so his friend's car could squeeze past a taxi in the road. He allegedly riled up several Hells Angels members who left the clubhouse to confront him and told him to leave the cone alone. The headquarters of the New York chapter was previously located in Manhattan's East Village (pictured in file photo) Back in December 2018, a delivery man was beaten by two men after he parked in front of motorcycles outside the East Village establishment The Hells Angels occupied the East Village building since 1969, gaining a reputation for throwing rowdy parties and clashing with police. File photo is pictured The Hells Angels occupied the East Village building since 1969, gaining a reputation for throwing rowdy parties and clashing with police. In 1985, police raided the clubhouse, making 15 arrests on drug and other charges. The city used the case to try to seize the building in the early 1990s in a federal lawsuit, but a jury sided with the bikers. The Hells Angels countered with their own litigation, accusing police of illegally searching the headquarters in 1999 and again in 2000. The city agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying the club more than $800,000. Indian security agencies had arrested a senior journalist Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kazmi, who later got bail in the case from the court. "The case is pending trial and charges are yet to be framed against Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kazmi. The next date of hearing in the case is in February, 2020," said a senior IPS officer. The Indian investigators in 2012 had stated that five members of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were involved in the attack. Fifty-year-old Kazmi, an Indian national freelancing for Radio Tehran and Iranian news agency IRNA, was arrested from outside the India Islamic International Centre in March, 2012. Kazmi had refuted all allegations and had moved the court. Then Israeli Defence Attache to India Tal Yehoshua Koren was injured and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel. Her driver and two bystanders were also injured in the attack on February 13, 2012. The attacker used a sticky bomb which was attached to the moving vehicle with a magnet. Manoj Sharma, the 44-year-old driver of the car, and two occupants of another car, Arun Sharma and Manjeet Singh, had received splinter injuries. The blast happened near a petrol station about 3 pm, barely 200 metres from the Prime Minister's residence. The car, a Toyota Innova, went up in flames and was completely burnt down in the attack. The case was given to Delhi Police's anti-terror unit's Special Cell which, after three weeks of probe, arrested Kazmi. He was accused of facilitating the Iranian accused, who after carrying out the attack fled India. Unraveling the conspiracy behind the attack, a top IPS officer told IANS that Iranian citizen and IRGC bomber Hoshang Afshar Irani carried out the attack allegedly with the help of Kazmi and that he was the bomber. The officer stated that IRGC members planned to attack the Israeli diplomats in India by taking help of Kazmi in January 2011, after Iranian scientists had been attacked allegedly by the Israelis. The cops had claimed that Kazmi was in touch with these people for years. Irani, the prime suspect, was in India plotting the attack between April 24 and May 6 in 2011. After doing the groundwork then, he came back on January 1 2012 and left Delhi immediately after carrying out the blast on February 13, 2012. He had stayed in room number 305 of Hotel High 5 Land in Karol Bagh. The police had then sought certain information from Malaysia, Iran, Thailand and Georgia as Iranian hand was suspected in similar attacks on Jewish targets in these countries. From Iran, Delhi Police had then sought more details of five IRGC members, including the main suspect Irani, Ali Akbar Norouzishayan, claimed to be a retired accountant in Tehran, Sedaghatzadeh Masoud, a sales employee in Tehran, Syed Ali Mahdiansadr, a shopkeeper in Tehran and Mohammad Reza Abolghasemi, a clerk in Tehran's water supply authority. A Delhi Police team had visited Iran twice, but they were not provided any information about the case, source said. The police have found a link between the attacks in Delhi and Malaysia. Two persons from Iran were arrested in Thailand for plotting an attack while another was arrested from Malaysia. "The person apprehended in Malaysia had applied for an Indian visa from the Indian embassy in Iran. He has mentioned his contact number on the visa form. This number was found contacting an Indian number, which was being used by Irani," the police stated. The special cell stated that Kazmi was in constant touch with Irani when he was in Delhi planning the attack. The police had also stated that Kazmi helped the bomber do a recce of the Israeli Embassy and kept tabs on the movement of diplomats there. Georgia and Thailand shared information with the Special Cell, but Iran never shared information sought in the case. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration said students agitating over the hike in hostel fees "ransacked" the server room and "intimidated" the technical staff on Saturday, hampering the semester registration process. But said the administration used "masked" security guards to attack students. "They were shamefully wearing masks. president was openly slapped by one of the security guards," alleged the students' union, which has called for a boycott of the process over the increase in hostel fees. The semester registration process will end on January 5. The university has been seeing a standoff between the students and the administration over hike in hostel fees for over 70 days. Students even boycotted exams in protest, prompting the administration to send question papers to students through WhatsApp and email, a move condemned by the union. Explaining the events, the university said the technical staff gained access to the communication and information services (CIS) premises Saturday morning, after the servers were made dysfunctional by students on Friday, with the help of security guards and rebooted the servers, the university said. But a group of "miscreants" entered the server room, intimidated the staff, and damaged the systems around 1pm, it alleged. Around 4pm, the staff once again gained access to the CIS room and were trying to restore the systems. Appealing to students to continue the boycott of the registration process, the claimed the administration is "extremely rattled" by the unity of students. Meanwhile, the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad said its members protested against the disruption of internet, after which they were attacked by the members of the Left Unity. The JNUSU alleged that students were attacked by ABVP members. Teachers' Association condemned the incidents of violence at the university. "While condemning the violence and appealing to all to maintain peace and preserve the democratic culture of the University, the JNUTA notes the dubious role of the administration whose acts of commission and omission are chiefly responsible for creating this situation," it said. Instead of discharging its responsibility to prevent violence, the administration appears to be going down the "dangerous path" of provoking and encouraging it, it added. A varsity official said they have given police complaints in connection with the action of the students. The university said it will make every attempt to help students register for the winter semester and continue their academic pursuits. "The university has also announced an alternate way of registering for the winter semester to make it easy for the students to register," it said in a statement. According to university registrar Pramod Kumar, they will make the entire registration process online so that students will not have to visit the schools to take the signatures of the deans. Officials said since the servers have been left disarray, it might take time to restore them and the varsity is mulling to extend the registration deadline. However, a final decision is yet to be taken. "The agitating students cannot trample upon the fundamental rights of the rest of the student community to pursue their studies. Such hooliganism and uncivilised behaviour by them has seriously affected the image of the university," the varsity said. The administration appealed to the student community not to be misled by the agitators and their advisers, who are trying to "derail the normal functioning of the university through their unlawful actions". About 300 Ukrainians are still illegally held in captivity in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the official says. Ukraine's Representative in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group for the Donbas settlement Valeria Lutkovska says Russia refused to return Ukrainian military without extradition of ex-Berkut troops, suspects in the Maidan shooting case, in the latest exchange of held persons between Ukraine and the Russian-controlled occupation administrations in Donbas. Read alsoZelensky: If I had 100 Berkut police troops, I would swap them all for just one intel operative "Both the 'Kharkiv group' [a group of three, sentenced to life for committing a deadly terror attack in Kharkiv in 2015] and [a group of] the ex-Berkut riot police troops had been on the exchange lists, if I am not mistaken, since 2015-2016. In December 2017, it was decided that the said persons were not related to the conflict [in Donbas], and they would not be released as a result of this procedure [the prisoner swap]," she told UA: Ukrainian Radio on January 3. In turn, the Kremlin said that Donbas militants would not release and return Ukrainian special forces who were captured in the self-proclaimed "Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" ("DPR"/"LPR") in eastern Ukraine. "Accordingly, we left at least five of our guys there for two long years that were required for the next rounds of negotiations, which were finally successful," the official added. According to Lutkovska, about 300 Ukrainians are still illegally held in captivity in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. "We have documents that confirm illegal detention of 101 people. However, we have no documents related to about 200 persons, except for information from their relatives," she added. As UNIAN reported earlier, on December 29, an exchange of held persons between the Ukrainian side and the representatives of Russia-controlled occupation administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was held at the Mayorske checkpoint. Seventy-six people were returned to Ukraine in exchange for 124 persons detained in Ukraine, according to the agreed swap lists. As part of the exchange, Ukraine handed over a group of the Berkut riot police troops, indicted on charges of mass killings during protests at the Maidan in 2014: Oleh Yanishevsky, Serhiy Zinchenko, Pavlo Abroskin, Serhiy Tamtur, and Oleksandr Marinchenko. A day before the swap, the court released the said men from custody on personal recognizance, which sparked mixed reactions among Ukrainian citizens. Advertisement Angry protesters have set fire to the police's favourite church in fresh demonstrations against the Chilean government. The Iglesia San Francisco de Borja in Santiago erupted in flames after activists torched it yesterday in the latest clashes in the capital. The building, which was built in 1876, has become the preferred place of worship for the Chilean National Police Force. Scroll for video The Iglesia San Francisco de Borja in Santiago (left and right) erupted in flames (pictured) after activists torched it yesterday in the latest clashes in the capital The building (pictured, burning), which was built in 1876, has become the preferred place of worship for the Chilean National Police Force Demonstrators clashes with the security forces during a protest against Chile's government in Valparaiso, Chile, on Friday night The police's official Twitter account posted last night a video of the blaze, with the message: 'We deeply regret to report that the San Francisco de Borja Institutional Church, where our more than one thousand martyrs were dismissed, has been burned by a mob of vandals' The police's official Twitter account posted last night a video of the blaze, with the message: 'We deeply regret to report that the San Francisco de Borja Institutional Church, where our more than one thousand martyrs were dismissed, has been burned by a mob of vandals. 'The temple was built in 1876 and was handed over to Carabineros more than four decades ago.' Protesters were in the Plaza Italia, before they mounted their offensive on the church by throwing burning items at the building. One witness wrote on Twitter yesterday: 'They burn San Francisco de Borja church in Santiago, #Chile. The first line of Chilean terrorists continue to wreak havoc. 'And behind all this the communists enjoy, taking advantage of the chaos. But do not go to touch a little hair to the front lines, there they cry and kick.' The police added on Twitter: 'The temple was built in 1876 and was handed over to Carabineros more than four decades ago' Protesters were in the Plaza Italia, before they mounted their offensive on the church by throwing burning items at the building (pictured) One witness wrote on Twitter yesterday: 'They burn San Francisco de Borja church in Santiago, #Chile. The first line of Chilean terrorists continue to wreak havoc' The witness added: 'And behind all this the communists enjoy, taking advantage of the chaos. But do not go to touch a little hair to the front lines, there they cry and kick' But one protester yesterday, named only as Sandra, told Democracy Now : 'We came because we have been protesting for months. The government has not listened to us, pretended not to know, and have evaded us' But one protester yesterday, named only as Sandra, told Democracy Now: 'We came because we have been protesting for months. The government has not listened to us, pretended not to know, and have evaded us. 'They have done unconstitutional things. And we come to ''celebrate,'' in quotes, because it is not a celebration. We came to commemorate all those who have been injured and killed by this government.' It comes after Chile's central bank revealed on Thursday that economic activity dropped 3.3 per cent in November, led by a slump in mining activity, and officials predicted low growth for the coming year as the country reels from the anti-government unrest. Protests have rocked Chile, the world's top copper producer, for two months, leaving 26 dead and causing billions in losses for private businesses and public infrastructure. Demonstrations and sometimes violent riots and looting prompted the central bank in December to slash forecasts for growth, investment and demand through 2020. Sandra added: 'They have done unconstitutional things. And we come to ''celebrate,'' in quotes, because it is not a celebration. We came to commemorate all those who have been injured and killed by this government' It comes after Chile's central bank revealed on Thursday that economic activity dropped 3.3 per cent in November, led by a slump in mining activity, and officials predicted low growth for the coming year as the country reels from the anti-government unrest (pictured, outside the church last night) Protesters burn the furnishings of the San Francisco de Borja church, of the Chilean Police, after setting the church itself on fire, during the first protest of the year against the government of President Sebastian Pinera Demonstrators clash with the police after the San Francisco de Borja church, of the Chilean Police, was set on fire by hooded protesters (pictured) Much of the capital Santiago, with a population of 6 million, was shut for a period near the end of October as riots and looting closed streets, central squares and many small businesses, hotels and restaurants. Pictured: Outside the church yesterday The IMACEC economic activity index reported on Thursday encompasses about 90 per cent of the economy that gross domestic product covers. Finance Minister Ignacio Briones said the bad news was largely expected, but bode poorly for the coming months. 'The October and November IMACECs are among the worst since the sub-prime crisis,' Briones said. 'In 2020 we expect to have a year of low growth.' Mining activity measured in GDP terms plunged 5.1 per cent in November, the bank said, dragging overall growth downwards and marking an early sign that the protests may have had a knock-on effect on the main economic driver. Chile's vast copper mines - the country produces nearly a third of the world's copper - had largely maintained production and operated normally through early November at the height of the unrest, though some mining companies had warned that protests, strikes and road blockades were taking a toll. Finance Minister Ignacio Briones said the bad economic news was largely expected, but bode poorly for the coming months Furnishings burn outside the institutional church of Carabineros of Chile named San Francisco de Borja A protester wearing a mask and no shirt takes part in the rioting outside the San Francisco de Borja during the latest bout of demonstrations last night Chile's vast copper mines - the country produces nearly a third of the world's copper - had largely maintained production and operated normally through early November at the height of the unrest, though some mining companies had warned that protests, strikes and road blockades were taking a toll' Despite dire predictions, unemployment through November fell slightly, the government said earlier this week. Pictured: Last night's rioting Non-mining activity also fell 3.1 per cent, the central bank said, led by a fall in both commerce and the services. The bank highlighted sharp declines in transportation and tourism. Much of the capital Santiago, with a population of 6 million, was shut for a period near the end of October as riots and looting closed streets, central squares and many small businesses, hotels and restaurants. Despite dire predictions, unemployment through November fell slightly, the government said earlier this week. Analysts and economists have said since that an increase in job losses would likely be felt in subsequent months, as unemployment lags behind falling economic growth. Chile's finance minister said in mid-November that as many as 300,000 jobs could be lost as a result of the protests. On Thursday, he told reporters he hesitated to make further predictions, but said he was 'worried' about the impact of slumping economic growth on unemployment. 'It's not yet been reflected in the data...and hopefully, it won't be,' he said. 'But we have to pay extremely close attention.' Chinese President Xi Jinping's massive anti-graft drive continues to net top officials as the ruling Communist Party of China on Saturday dismissed two of its representatives in northwestern Shaanxi province for discipline violations and corruption. Hundreds of top military officials have either been sacked or prosecuted under the anti-corruption campaign launched by 66-year-old Xi since he came into power in 2012. Xi, currently in his second five-year tenure, has emerged as the powerful leader after Mao Zedong and heads the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), the military and the Presidency. Shaanxi is his home province. Over a million officials all over China have been punished for corruption and misuse of power under the President's anti-graft campaign which critics say also helped him to consolidate his power. Dozens of top generals and officials of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) have been sacked or prosecuted for corruption and misuse of power in the anti-graft drive. Chief of CPC in Shaanxi province Zhao Zhengyong and Chen Guoqiang, the province's deputy governor, were dismissed for discipline violations and corruption, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement on Saturday. Zhao strayed from his ideals and convictions and was disloyal to the party, it said. Zhao violated the party's disciplinary standards on politics, organisation, clean governance and life, and is suspected of taking bribes, state-run Xinhua quoted the statement as saying. His illicit gains would be confiscated, it said, adding that the case will be transferred to the Procuratorate, the highest national level agency responsible for both prosecution and investigation, for further investigation and prosecution, it said. An investigation found that Zhao performed his duty perfunctorily, resisted authorities' investigation, abused his power to seek benefits for others in terms of job promotions, received gifts and money in return, the statement said. Chen, the province's former deputy governor, was also expelled from the party and his post. Chen lost his ideals and convictions, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party, played up to people of power to seek personal promotion and resisted authorities' investigation, another official statement said. He violated the eight-point code on party and government conduct by accepting banquets invitation and free travels. He violated the party's political and organisational discipline and discipline on upholding integrity, and is suspected of taking bribes, it said. His illicit gains will be confiscated and the suspected crimes will be transferred to the Procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Iran's most influential military commander, left his country in shock; this wasnt an expected scenario in the middle of a crisis that was thought to be under control between Tehran and Washington in the aftermath of the latters withdrawal from the nuclear deal in May 2018. Nor was this part of the pattern Iranian officials had grown used to during an escalation that started in May with several unclaimed incidents in the Persian Gulf, the June downing of an advanced US drone near the strait of Hormuz by Iranian fire and the September attack on Saudi Arabias biggest oil refinery claimed by the Yemeni Houthi group. While the United States blamed Iran for all three sets of events, Washington had not reacted militarily, but rather had vowed more sanctions and stressed that it was not seeking a war in the region. Then the Iranians were caught by surprise twice. First was when US forces retaliated for the attack on the K1 air base in Kirkuk that killed an American contractor by killing 25 members of Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) in one strike. The second was when the US strike ended the life of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Tehran regards as its revolutionary icon, known as Haj Qasem, following the siege of part of the US Embassy grounds in Baghdad. It seems obvious that the United States is now employing a tit-for-tat strategy. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Soleimani was "developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region and that "this strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. Based on this wording, it was as if the Pentagon viewed the Iranian commanders mandate as personal and not derived from a state policy that he followed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pushed back against this notion in his appointment letter to Soleimanis successor, saying, The strategy of the Quds Force will be identical to that during the time of Martyr General Soleimani. Ismail Ghani, Soleimanis deputy, was named as his replacement less than 24 hours after Soleimani and Iraqi PMU deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed near Baghdad international airport. Ghani's appointment came before their burial; the Iranian leadership rapidly moved to replace the slain commander with his deputy to emphasize that business will continue as usual, despite the heavy loss. A man from the system who was already doing what was agreed upon with Soleimani, someone who knew the slain commander well and was part of his decision-making process, should be able to pick things up from where they were. A 64-year-old commander from Mashhad who fought in the Iran-Iraq war, Ghani was placed on the US Treasury list of specially designated nationals in 2012 for allegedly having provided Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East with financial aid. He is also accused of being involved in the transfer of arms to West Africa. According to an Iranian political source who spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Ghani had a role in the formation of the Fatemeyoon and Zeynabiyoon factions in Afghanistan and Pakistan respectively, besides playing a role in integrating asymmetric warfare in the Syrian war, which Ghani said was an existential battle for Iran. Little is known about the new appointee, and his profile stands nowhere near as high as that of Soleimani. In Iran, the latter was regarded as a national figure, beyond his role in the military and warfare. Therefore Irans loss of Soleimani is something that cant be replaced. To the establishment in Tehran, the killing of Soleimani is a serious blow. It brings about a potential for acts of revenge for which no one knows the implications; it was a jolt to the pride of a nation that has been for years been stating that it has been winning in the region. Tehran now faces its biggest loss, with the United States taking out the man who has no substitute in Iran. Besides being a commander, Soleimani was a public relations pro, with ties to almost every politician in Iran. He was a close confidant of the supreme leader, a friend to judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi and moderate Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, while maintaining strong ties with other politicians and clerics from the Principlist, moderate and Reformist camps. This had led many to speculate that he could become president. Outside Iran, he enjoyed friendships with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, strong work relations with Turkish spymaster Hakan Fidan and other Palestinian, Lebanese, Iraqi and Afghan leaders. It was reported that he sent in 2008 a letter to US commander Gen. David Petraeus through Iraqi intermediaries with the following message: General Petraeus, you should know that I, Qasem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan. And indeed, the ambassador in Baghdad is a Quds Force member. The individual whos going to replace him is a Quds Force member. Part of Soleimanis mandate was nonmilitary; he was creating influence in all the countries his force was functioning in. The difficult thing here is that he was creating groups and factions that belong organically to the countries they are based in while subscribing to the velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the Islamic jurist) doctrine that rules Iran; this meant that efforts were needed in various nonmilitary areas such as penetrating economies, launching social media campaigns and producing movies, among other aspects of influence. Getting Afghanis, Pakistanis, the Lebanese, Iraqis, Palestinians, Syrians and Iranians all together into one front in Syria was a challenge that was met by the man who originally hailed from Kerman province in southeastern Iran. But just getting fighters to Syria made him an invader in the eyes of most Arab Sunnis, although the majority of Shiites hailed him as a resistance icon. This division continued until his death. One of the things Glenn Reynolds, of Instapundit fame, constantly warns his readers against is getting cocky. Or as the Victorians liked to say, "there's many a slip twixt cup and lip." Or going a few thousand years farther back in time, Aesop warned us not to count our chickens before they hatch. For conservatives watching President Trump go from one triumph to another, both at home and abroad, even as the Democrat primary candidates seem caught in a socialist death race, getting cocky means thinking Trump will easily get re-elected. As the SEALs would say, though, "the only easy day was yesterday" in other words, every step to the White House is hard, disciplined work, and only 2020 hindsight will prove whether that level of work was really necessary. However, sometimes the other side the Democrat side gets cocky, too. Or perhaps it's whistling in the dark. That seems to be the only explanation for a column from Rick Newman, a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance, assuring the world that not only will Trump lose in 2020, but he might do so "by a wide margin." Newman wrote this column despite acknowledging "unemployment at a 50-year low and the stock market near record highs." Newman offers four reasons for his optimistic belief that the next Democrat presidential candidate (Bernie the lifelong socialist? Buttigieg the gay socialist? Biden the corrupt, pandering socialist?) will sweep the floor with Donald Trump. It's hard to take any of these reasons seriously. First, Newman contends that the strongest economy in fifty years really isn't strong enough, citing that usual leftist bugaboo, "income inequality." Yes, it's true that the rich got richer under Trump. What Newman closes his eyes to is the fact that everyone else did, too, with the working class benefiting most. No wonder that most Americans, especially those trapped in eight years of Obama stagflation, support Trump's economy. The only thing that could change that dynamic is the recession Progressives have been dreaming of since the day Trump took office and really, it's not a nice person who hopes that Americans' economic well-being will be destroyed just so that person's favored candidate can seize political power. Second, Newman seriously thinks Mike Bloomberg can buy some Democrat into office, even if not Bloomberg himself: "Whether he's the Democratic nominee or not, Bloomberg's spending on behalf of the party will probably produce a financial advantage, maybe a decisive one." That's such a silly statement that it's hard to find an intelligent response. It's like arguing with someone who says the moon is made of green cheese because potatoes are on Jupiter. Third, Newman points to Trump's "blind spot" on health care. It's true that Trump, thanks to John McCain's perfidy, was unable to destroy Obamacare, and now, stuck with a Democrat House, all he can do is incremental executive orders. Nevertheless, even on that small canvas, Trump has made some strides returning the free market to American health care, which is the only way to bring costs down. The individual mandate is now set to zero, Trump is forcing hospitals to be transparent about prices, and he's worked with pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices. Meanwhile, all that the Democrats have to offer is the horrors of socialized medicine. Fourth, Newman thinks Barack Obama still has the clout to play kingmaker. [I]t seems certain that once Democrats choose their nominee in 2020, Obama will fully back the candidate and campaign on his or her behalf. That could help boost minority turnout, which was weak in 2016 and contributed to Hillary Clinton's loss. I don't think so. After all, Obama was unable to play kingmaker with Hillary, despite his strong cachet with minority voters. Four years later, with either an old white man or a young gay man running as the Democrat presidential candidate, and with upwards of 34% of black voters looking favorably on Trump, Obama's time as kingmaker is over. I'm not going to make the mistake of assuming that President Trump has a clear path to re-election, much as I would like that to be true. Nevertheless, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Newman's predictions show an unreasonable optimism. Newman's essay reminds me of the joke about the cheerful boy who awakes to find that a dump truck crashed into his house, depositing a load of manure into his bedroom. When his parents rush in to check on him, they find him digging away, confidently certain that there's a horse in there somewhere. Newman's trying hard to find a horse, but he's looking in all the wrong places. Todd Bentley, a bearded, tattooed Canadian charismatic preacher who once claimed to heal people by punching and kicking them at a Florida revival, is no longer fit for ministry, a group of Charismatic ministers announced this week. Based on our careful review of numerous first-hand reports, some of them dating back to 2004, we state our theological opinion and can say with one voice that, without a doubt, Todd is not qualified to serve in leadership or ministry today, the group said in a statement posted online Thursday. Bentley had been accused of ungodly and immoral conduct, including adultery, substance abuse, and sexting, according to the panel. The group of pastors, which included James W. Goll, Jane Hamon, Bishop Harry Jackson, and Nashville minister Don Finto, also recommended that Bentleys ordination be rescinded. Their statement was posted online by author and professor Michael Brown of the FIRE School of Ministry, who oversaw the process of evaluating concerns about Bentleys conduct. According to the statement, panel members reviewed what they called credible allegations against Bentley, dating back to 2004. Those allegations were reviewed by an independent investigator. Earlier this year, a former associate of Bentleys accused him of inappropriate conduct with interns and others under his supervision. In our view, this disqualifies Todd from public ministry until such time that he has demonstrated true, lasting fruits of repentance, which would include: the breaking of these long-term, sinful habits; public acknowledgment of his sin, without equivocation, including asking forgiveness of those he sinned against; and submission to local church leadership until trust had been rebuilt, the statement read. Bentley, who denounced the panel as unbiblical, said he has sought Gods forgiveness for any past wrongdoing. In early December, he said in a video on his Facebook page that he has left the ministry to focus on his new beard care company but this week announced on social media that he will start a new school of ministry. Bentley did not respond to a request for comment. The evangelist and founder of a ministry called Fresh Fire USA first gained national attention in 2007 and 2008 after holding a series of revival meetings in Lakeland, Florida, that drew huge crowds. He told crowds that God instructed him to knee a man in the gut to cure colon cancer and to hit other people so they could experience Gods power. Among his claimed miracles was a Grandma slapping healing, where he said God told him to slap an elderly woman in the face. He recounted that incident in a documentary about the revivals. Bentley ended the revivals after other charismatic and Pentecostal leaders began to question Bentleys methods and claims about healings. Soon afterward, Bentley and his wife separated and eventually divorced. Fresh Fire later announced that Bentley had entered into an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff. Bentley later returned to ministry after being counseled by other pastors. In the video posted in early December, Bentley admitted that he had struggled with brokenness and sexual sins and said that his wife knows about all his struggles. I am not here to pretend that I havent struggled, he said. I am just here to say so much of what is being (said) out there now is old, some of it six, seven, ten, fifteen years. And I am actually here to say, wheres the power of the cross for me now? Bentley said in the video interview that he is in counseling and is trying to get right with God. He also compared himself to Mary the prostitute and said that God had shown him grace despite his flaws and that the same forgiveness is offered to church people who struggle. Bentley said he was willing to be a poster boy for helping people realize you can confess your faults to one another and pray for one another and be healed. Bentley was interviewed for the Facebook video in early December by author and speaker Michael Fickess, who said Bentleys accusers hadnt followed a biblical protocol. He compared the investigation into Bentley to the hearings over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the recent impeachment of President Trump. It was a witch trial, he said. It was a classic fishing expedition, witch trial. Bentley added that the investigation was evil. He also said his ministry was over. I have lost it all, he said. ... I dont have any ministry left. I had 15 people in church Sunday. The interview ended with Fickess promoting Bentleys new beard care and body wash products sold by his Magnificent Man company. In a video posted on Bentleys Facebook page Thursday, Fickess said that he rejected the panels methods and findings. He said that Bentley was never allowed to face his accusers. This is not the way God intended us to operate as the Body of Christ, he said. In a statement Friday, Brown, who oversaw the review of Bentleys conduct, outlined the steps used to evaluate concerns about Bentley and said he was committed to a fair and impartial process for Bentley. I wanted everything to come to light, Brown said. Brown said that he met with Bentley, who initially agreed to cooperate with the inquiry. Later, Bentleys lawyer sent a cease and desist letter to Brown, asking him to stop the investigation. Brown said he sent questions to Bentleys lawyer but received no answer. He said that the investigation was handled in a legal, ethical, and biblical manner. Brown dismissed the idea that the panel had been on a witch hunt, saying that instead, panel members invested hundreds of hours in their work. Brown also said that Bentley refused to meet face to face with his accusers. And while sin should be confessed privately, he told RNS, when a leader, over a period of many years, and repeatedly, violates biblical standards, public accountability is called for. Even if Todd has been forgiven, this pattern would still disqualify him from leadership, at least for a substantial period of time, until he made things right with those he sinned against and proved himself to be above reproach, Brown told RNS. A 2016 decision by now-retired Republican Fort Bend County Judge Brady Elliott that ruled to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought against members of the Fort Bend County Juvenile Justice Board, of which the judge was sitting member at the time, and other county and Fort Bend ISD officials and school board members involving a Fort Bend ISD truancy court system that was ultimately dismantled under a district-wide review, was recently allowed to stand by the Texas Supreme Court. The original Fort Bend County ruling issued a judgment against the opposing attorneys and their clients for payment of more than $500,000 in attorneys fees and sanctions, which they now allege is a politically motivated witch hunt meant to mask a corrupt Republican-led judicial system and an illegal truancy court system formerly in place that unfairly targeted minorities. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: Black, Hispanic students comprise most of truancy cases in Fort Bend ISD Richmond-resident Carole Anhalt says she was inspired to join the civil lawsuit after reading about the truancy-court system then in place in Fort Bend ISD in a Houston Chronicle article in 2015. At the time, Fort Bend ISD was one of only two counties in Texas to establish a separate truancy court to pursue criminal charges against minor students who missed school. I had health problems when I was in school and I realized many of these students who were missing school were probably struggling with health issues like I was when I was a student, and I wanted to help, Anhalt said, who was a practicing attorney at the time but eventually left her job to battle continuing health issues. On New Years Eve, Anhalt was shocked to receive a $41,000 demand letter from Houston-attorney Rusty Hardin, who was hired by the members of the Fort Bend County judicial group in 2016. She said Hardins letter on behalf of the judicial group and the threat of further collection actions by the attorneys representing Fort Bend ISD could mean personal and financial ruin for her. She is now seeking a meeting with Gov. Greg Abbott and other Texas lawmakers to ask them to investigate the ruling, the demands for legal fees 10-times higher than notated in Elliots ruling a ruling made by a judge who was in fact, named as a party in the lawsuit. Theres something rotten in Texas, Anhalt said. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: Amid criticism, Fort Bend ISD halts criminal truancy cases Missouri City attorney Deron Harrington is one of three lawyers who pursued the civil action unsuccessfully to a Texas appeals court in 2017 and then to the Texas Supreme Court where the ruling was allowed to stand. Harrington has been ordered to pay more than $340,000 in attorneys fees and sanctions sought by members of the juvenile board and Fort Bend ISD. Harrington alleges the decision to seek sanctions and attorneys fees by the powerful Republican-led judicial group and Fort Bend ISD trustees is politically motivated and unfair. Unfortunately the justice system in Texas was corrupted from top to bottom to malign valid legal efforts to end a system preying on predominately minority kids and kids of low economic means. The appeal decision legally contradicts itself in an effort to rubber stamp and protect the Republican elected officials involved who got caught including the very trial judge who dismissed a criminal court of inquiry which he was named in, Harrignton said. However, in spite of this current witch hunt, my number one focus is on the medical care of my wife of 30 years who is battling cancer. In 2015, the Fort Bend ISD truancy court system in place within the Fort Bend County courts was criticized by Texas State Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) who wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice requesting an investigation into truancy policies at districts across the state and making note of a report by the advocacy group Texas Appleseed showing that black and Hispanic students at Fort Bend ISD schools were more disproportionately represented in criminal truancy charges. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: Disciplining of black students at issue in Fort Bend ISD New laws passed by the 84th Texas Legislature ruled students could no longer face criminal charges for missing school and Fort Bend ISD created a new process for truancy proceedings. District and judicial officials say the civil lawsuit had no legal basis because the system was no longer in place. We regret it came to this, but we agree with the courts rulings and believe that justice has been served, Trustees Kristin Tassin, who was board president at the time, said in a news release issued after the 2016 ruling. It is important that the public know that all reasonable efforts were made to address the plaintiffs concerns before any lawsuit was filed. Unfortunately, the lawyers for the plaintiffs decided to file a baseless lawsuit that subjected the district, its board members, district employees, and numerous other county officers to needless, protracted, and costly litigation. We are thankful that this matter has finally been resolved in a manner that vindicates these dedicated public servants who work to ensure that kids go to school. Houston attorney Rusty Hardin, who was hired by the Fort Bend County judicial group to argue the case, also described the lawsuit as a frivolous waste of time and defended the judges decision to seek legal fees and sanctions against the opposing lawyers. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: Despite effort, Fort Bend ISD struggles with truancy They filed a lawsuit against all these people requiring the county to hire an attorney and spend county money defending against a lawsuit with no legal merit, Hardin said in a telephone interview on Thursday, Jan. 2. You tell me how many people are going to be willing to be a public servant if every time they make an official decision, they can be individually sued? They didnt just sue the juvenile board, they sued these judges individually. Really? So, Im going to serve in any kind official county position, and I made a single decision, or even just sit on a board and make no decision and can be sued individually? However, according to Fort Bend County Attorney Roy Cordes, other Fort Bend County officials such as member of the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court and then-judge Bob Hebert were named individually in the civil lawsuit opted not to pursue damages or sanctions. Cordes said the lawsuit is now considered a closed matter and declined to comment. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: Civil rights probe shows Fort Bend ISD disproportionately disciplined black students However, in terms of the proper calculation of attorneys fees and sanctions awarded to members of the Fort Bend County Juvenile Board and Fort Bend ISD trustees, Cordes shared a quote from the appellate court which read: The record also supports the additional sanctions imposed against Harrington. During the sanctions hearing, Harrington admitted that he was aware, and had been advised by FBISDs counsel, of the potential hazards of continuing to proceed with the litigation. Harrington also failed to adequately articulate the basis of the asserted ultra vires claims, despite multiple opportunities to do so. Moreover, Harrington admitted that he had no evidence to support the claims, despite litigating the case for over a year. Ultra vires Claim For Anhalt, a civil suit involving an ultra vires claim is far from a frivolous lawsuit and shouldn't be dismissed without a trial of any kind. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: Fort Bend ISD still disproportionately disciplines black students, advocacy groups say Ultra vires is a Latin phrase meaning beyond the powers and is a legal claim that involves public officials breaking the rules or doing something they shouldnt be doing. Anhalt points to examples such Judge Elliot Brady ruling in case in which he was also a defendant and allowing the school district to pursue criminal charges against students in a rogue county court setting that often unfairly targeted minority students. Although her faith in the judicial system is shaken by what she considers an unfair and corrupt group of elected officials both with Fort Bend County courts and Fort Bend ISD, Anhalt said she remains hopeful she can find allies to eventually create change among state lawmakers and perhaps with Gov. Abbott. In this case, government was used as a weapon by government officials. And the protection of those officials continued into the appeals process. In no way, shape or form was it just or fair for a defendant judge to rule in an ultra vires act case, she said. It is even more troubling to me that the Texas Court of Appeals would affirm it and the Texas Supreme Court would permit such an unjust result to stand by denying the writ. Something is rotten in Texas; The Texas governor and the Texas Legislature should do all they can to investigate the matter. This case has shattered my faith that an ultra vires case can be fairly tried in the state of Texas. This case will have a chilling effect in the future on Texas attorneys who, in good faith and with a good heart, want to bring an ultra vires act case to protect Texas citizens from, harm by government officials. A hearing is scheduled on Jan. 29 to consider collection actions before Fort Bend County Judge ONeil Williams in the 268th District Court. knix@hcnonline.com Karen Matthews is 'demanding a refund on her 39.95 engagement ring' amid claims she has split from her convicted paedophile fiance. Matthews, 44, claimed she dumped Paul Saunders, 57, after MailOnline revealed his sex offender past. A friend of Matthews said she felt betrayed after learning her new love was a convicted child abuser who groomed and defiled a vulnerable teenager while working as a driver for special needs children. The pair met six weeks ago and got engaged over Christmas after Saunders fell 'head over heels' in love with her after meeting when he came to repair her bathroom. Karen Matthews (left) has split from handyman Paul Saunders, 57, (right) who was jailed for five years in 2010 for engaging in sexual activity with a 'vulnerable' teenage girl It is believed Matthews bought her own Princess Diana lookalike ring in the sale which she claims Saunders repaid her for. But now a friend has told The Mirror that the blue silver oval blue Cubic Zirconia cluster ring is in the box and ready to go back. A friend said Matthews 'wants a refund' for the ring that the jewellery store's website claims 'very few would know the difference between this and the 'real thing'. The mother-of-seven apparently took off her engagement ring and told a friend: 'He's not coming back'. Matthews bought her own Princess Diana lookalike ring in the sale for 39.95 (left file image). Princess Diana wearing her engagement ring with a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire (right) Saunders was jailed for five years in January 2010 for his abuse of a vulnerable young girl aged between 15 and 17 who said after his conviction at Oxford Crown Court: 'He makes me sick. He should die. I hate him'. Saunders, targeted the 'vulnerable' girl and made indecent images of her, the court heard as he was jailed for five years placed on the sex offenders' register for life. He is said to have gone berserk on Thursday after being arrested at his lover's home by Thames Valley Police after officers discovered he was living with his fiancee and had breached his bail conditions. The handyman from Reading, Berkshire, was released under investigation. Matthews in March 2008 holding her daughter's favourite teddy bear as she feigned an emotional appeal for her safe return (left). Matthews and her ex-boyfriend's uncle Michael Donovan were jailed in 2008 for the plot to stage Shannon's (right) kidnapping But Saunders was seen leaving her home and heading to the local newsagent with a grin on his face yesterday morning after spending the night there. A witness told The Sun: 'They are still together in her house. He went mad on his way back there Thursday evening. Saunders was walking up the street yelling "c***" at every house near to Matthews. He's obviously livid at being found out'. The tragic case of Shannon Matthews and her feckless mother Karen 19 February 2008 Shannon Matthews is last seen outside her school in Dewsbury 20 February Police announce a massive search for the missing girl 21 February 200 volunteers join the local police search party 1 March Shannon's mother Karen issues an emotional public appeal for the safe return on her daughter 12 March Reward offered for information leading to Shannon's whereabouts is increased to 50,000 14 March Shannon is found inside the base of a divan base at the home of Michael Donovan in Batley Carr Over the next few weeks Donovan, along with Shannon's mother and stepfather, are all charged for separate offences 23 January 2009 Matthews and Donovan are sentenced to eight years each of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice April 2012: Matthews is released from prison after serving half her sentence. She was given a new taxpayer-funded identity and home. She is banned from seeing Shannon and her other children, who were put in care. Advertisement However Matthews insisted their relationship was 'done' and said Saunders slept on her sofa. She said his belongings are packed in a Primark bag but the pair are yet to arrange a date for him to collect his things. Saunders was detained 'on suspicion of a breach to his notification requirements' - most likely to be that he failed to inform Thames Valley Police he was staying with Matthews rather than at his own address. The handyman from Reading, Berkshire, has since been released under investigation. Matthews and her ex-boyfriend's uncle Michael Donovan were jailed in 2008 for the plot to stage Shannon's kidnapping and claim the 50,000 reward for 'finding' her. She made a series of tearful TV appeals for help in finding her daughter as West Yorkshire Police launched one of the force's largest ever searches. Shannon was eventually found by detectives in Donovan's flat, around a mile from her home in Dewsbury, 24 days after she disappeared. Prosecutors said the schoolgirl was drugged and probably kept captive on a leash during her incarceration. Police described Matthews as 'pure evil' after she was found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. Her then-boyfriend, Craig Meehan, was not involved in the kidnapping plot. However, he was separately convicted of possessing 49 indecent images of children on a home computer. She and Donovan were both sentenced to eight years in prison in January 2009 and released in 2012 after serving half their sentences. Shannon was raised by a new family under a new identity and is now an adult. US President Donald Trump's decision to kill Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards commander General Qasem Soleimani was designed to prevent further bloodshed and was defensive in nature, his National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has said. O'Brien alleged that Soleimani, who was travelling around the Middle East, had just come to Iraq from Damascus where he was planning attacks on American soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors and American diplomats. Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and some local Iran-backed militias. He was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran behind the Ayatollah Khamenei. His Quds Force, an elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, reported directly to the Ayatollah and he was hailed as a heroic national figure. Iran has pledged retaliation. US National Security Advisor O'Brien, commenting on the killing, said: "This was designed to prevent further bloodshed. This was a defensive action". "This strike was aimed at disrupting ongoing attacks that were being planned by Soleimani, and deterring future Iranian attacks, through their proxies or through the IRGC Quds Force directly, against Americans," he said, referring to President Trump's remarks that the action was taken to stop a war, not to start a war. "President Trump has been very clear he's offered to talk without preconditions, at any time, with Iran. He continues to seek a peaceful resolution with Iran. Unfortunately, those efforts by the President have been rebuffed," he said. Alleging that Soleimani has a long history of attacking Americans, O'Brien said at least 600 Americans were killed in improvised explosive device blasts that were used in Iraq on a regular basis, and there were many more Americans that were maimed, losing arms, legs, their limbs because of his activities. "He's also been involved in activities such as supporting the Assad regime and their brutal efforts in Syria, which has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives in Syria, and in putting down the protests in Iran at the cost of countless -- probably over a thousand lives of Iranian citizens," the National Security Advisor said. The most notable example of his activities in the past couple of weeks was the attack on the K-1 Air Base on December 27th which resulted in the loss of life of one American contractor and the injury to four of the US service men and women, he said. "This was something that the President felt was necessary to do. The President exercised America's clear and inherent right of self-defence to counter this threat. It was a fully authorised action under the 2002 AUMF and was consistent with his constitutional authority as Commander-in-Chief to defend our nation and our forces against attacks like those that Soleimani has directed in the past and was plotting now," O'Brien said. Responding to a question, he said Iran has two choices and one is further escalation. "Pursuing that path will lead to nowhere for the Iranian people or for the regime. And the United States will not be intimidated by threats from our adversaries," O'Brien said. The Trump administration, he said, has made it very clear that should Iran retaliate or escalate, that would be a very poor decision. "This was us disrupting a plot that their leadership was well aware of, that Soleimani was involved with. They know what they were up to. We had the right to self-defence; they understand that. If they choose to escalate, that would be a very poor decision... for the Iranian regime. "The alternate path is to sit down with the United States, to give up its nuclear program, to stop its regional escapades and proxy wars in the Middle East, to stop taking hostages and to behave like a normal nation that's part of the community of nations," O'Brien said. In that case, as the President said, Iran has a fabulous future, a terrific future for the Iranian people, he said, adding that they're hardworking, smart and innovative people and there's no reason that Iran shouldn't be a great country. "But it will not be if it continues down the path of war and terrorism and its nuclear program," he said. O'Brien said that once the President had that information and the national security principals were aware of that information, that was a very straightforward decision for the President to make the call on this. "But it did take place ahead of the attack, the President was kept apprised on an ongoing basis of how the operation was proceeding and was informed of the operation on a very regular basis and very shortly after it was concluded," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi/IBNS: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has expressed shock and dismay over the incident of mob attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and asked the Centre to take up the issue with Pakistan to ensure the safety of the pilgrims and the employees of the gurudwara. "Congress president Sonia Gandhi has condemned the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by an unruly mob of miscreants," a Congress statement read. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of the first Guru of Sikhs Guru Nanak and is considered one of the holiest shrines of the Sikh community. "Expressing dismay and concern on the safety of Sikh pilgrims and the employees, she called upon the Government of India to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure security for the pilgrims and adequate security for the Holy shrine to prevent any future attacks. Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," the statement added. On Friday, a violent mob surrounded the iconic gurudwara and pelted stone with devotees inside. Videos showing the attack and people threatening to destroy the gurudwara went viral on social media. Indian government has strongly condemned the attack and asked the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh population. Senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday dared West Bengal and Kerala Chief Ministers, Mamata Banerjee and P Vijayan respectively not to implement Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Population Registers if they can. Sushil Modi, who is also the Bihar deputy chief minister, asserted that there is no question of discussing the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC) as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that the government had never discussed it. "NPR and NRC are two different things," he told newsmen here and blamed the Congress and RJD for the confusion on them and CAA. "No state including West Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan can refuse to implement the CAA or NPR as the Centre has the power to bring legislation over citizenship. Preparing NPR is a statutory provision which no state can refuse to implement," Modi said. "No chief ministers, even if he/she is opposed to CAA and NPR, can refuse to implement them. Neither West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee nor Kerala CM P Vijayan can say that they won't implement NPR in their states. They can say anything for public consumption. But they can't say no to CAA and NPR... A census director in each state has already been appointed, including in West Bengal," he added. The process of preparing NPR began in 2010 during the UPA regime which was completed between April 1 to September 30 that year, he said. The Centre is just "updating" the NPR 2010 in 2020 just before the 2021 census. The NPR process in 2020 will be carried out between April 1 to September 30 in the country. In Bihar it will be done between May 15 and May 28, 2020, Sushil Modi said. Administrative and punitive action will be taken against officials if they refuse to carry out NPR, he added. At the beginning of the press meet, Sushil Modi played an audio-video clip of erstwhile union home minister P Chidambaram speaking in favour of NPR whose purpose is to issue resident cards which eventually will lead to citizenship cards. He wondered why Congress and RJD had participated in violent protests on CAA when there is not a single migrant in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The deputy chief minister expressed satisfaction that there were no incident of major violence as people, specially Muslims understood that the CAA is not meant to take away anyone's citizenship. Asked whether respondents will have to disclose the date and place of birth of their parents in the NPR, Sushil Modi said there is no mandatory provision for it. He also stressed that no documents like birth certificate or land documents will be sought from the respondents. Replying to a query, Sushil Modi favoured adding a caste column in the Census 2021 and said that he would request the Centre for it as the state legislature has passed a unanimous resolution in this regard. In reply to a query on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that NRC will be implemented across the country by 2024, he said that "There is no importance of anyone's statement once the PM has the said that government has never discussed it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Authorities werent the only ones interested in getting to the bottom of a mobsters slaying last March outside his Staten Island home. So were other wise guys. Four days after Francesco Calis death, a group of Gambino organized-crime family members arranged a clandestine meeting on Staten Island, as they launched their own probe into the killing, allege documents filed last month in Brooklyn federal court in an unrelated racketeering, loansharking and fraud case. And now, the attorney for Anthony Comello, the Eltingville resident accused in state court of gunning down Cali, 53, a Gambino honcho known as Franky Boy, wants the wiretaps of those mob conversations. Lawyer Robert Gottlieb said at a conference Friday in state Supreme Court, St. George, he will file a motion seeking to obtain the details contained in those intercepted phone calls. Gottlieb said there was an indication that mobsters apparently had gone to Calis home and were inside before police arrived. That raises questions, he said, of whether the house, crime scene, the victims car or other evidence was tampered with. According to a detention memo in the federal case, Andrew Campos, 50, who prosecutors identified as a captain in the Gambino family, and Vincent Fiore, 57, an alleged Gambino soldier, met on March 17 with multiple other high-level crime family members to discuss the then-unclear circumstances surrounding Calis death. The memo does not detail where exactly on Staten Island the group convened. Afterward, Campos and Fiore, of Scarsdale and Briarcliff Manor, respectively, in Westchester County, actively helped the Gambino family investigate the murder, the memo alleges. The day after the mob gathering, on March 18, Fiore discussed the meeting and his investigation with his ex-wife, prosecutors wrote in the memo. He told her he and Campos met with a half dozen people, said prosecutors. Fiore also told her he had seen the surveillance video of Calis slaying and speculated on a possible motive relating to a woman who had been at the victims Hilltop Terrace home the day he was killed, the memo says. Prosecutors do not specifically say who that woman could have been. At Fridays conference, Assistant District Attorney Wanda DeOliveira said Brooklyn federal prosecutors had provided her no details on the wiretaps. She also said she believed the mobsters phone chats had no bearing on the state case. DeOliveira said it would ultimately be the feds decision whether to turn over the wiretaps. Justice William E. Garnett instructed Gottlieb to submit his motion by Jan. 17. Prosecutors must respond within two weeks. Garnett ordered the parties to return on Feb. 7. He said he plans to rule then on Gottliebs motion for the wiretaps, as well as a defense motion seeking a mental-competency exam of Comello. The exam is to determine whether Comello understands the charges against him and can aid in his defense. Comello, 25, was not produced for the conference. The defendant is facing murder and other charges and is poised to present an insanity defense at trial. In court papers, Gottlieb said Comello was delusional and didnt intend to kill Cali. Rather, the defendant drove to the victims house to affect a citizens arrest on the mob boss, maintains Comellos court filings. He believed Cali held a significant status in a worldwide criminal cabal bent on the destruction of American values and the American way of life, a defense motion contends. That alleged criminal conspiracy group is commonly referred to as the Deep State. According to the motion, Comello planned to handcuff Cali and deliver him to the military. The two men began arguing, and Comello shot Cali in self-defense when the victim made a furtive action with his hand, allege the defendants court filings. Garnett said he hopes to start the trial in late March or early April. Gottlieb said early May might be more realistic considering the circumstances. Im saying that with fingers crossed, Your Honor, said Gottlieb. The killing of Iran's top military commander Qasem Soleimani by the US adds considerable uncertainty to an already unstable region, said Richard Thompson, Editorial Director at GlobalData. "Suleimanis killing increases fears of war in the region and of major disruption to regional oil supplies through military or cyber-attacks against oil facilities," he said in a commentary on the situation. Unlike the short-term spike in oil prices that we saw after the attacks against Saudi oil facilities in 2019, this is likely to add a security-risk premium to oil prices for the foreseeable future, Thompson said. Fears that Iranian reprisals will further destabilise the region and disrupt Middle East oil supplies saw oil prices jump about 4% following the news of Soleimanis assassination. The assassination of Qassem Suleimani by the US is a major escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran in the Gulf and it adds considerable new uncertainty to an already unstable region," said Thompson. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has described the killing as a criminal act and has promised retaliation. The question now is what will that retaliation look like and what will be the further consequences of that," he said. -TradeArabia News Service STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island high school students are calling on New York City to declare Jan. 7 a day off on the Department of Education (DOE) public school calendar in observance of Orthodox Christmas. Marina Nasef, a 16-year-old junior at Tottenville High School, told SILive.com that a petition was created by her friend, Maria Maximous of New Dorp High School, to get the day off as a holiday for New York City public school students who are Coptic Orthodox. The petition, titled Have a day off public schools for Orthodox religious holiday Little Christmas, January 7, was first created two months ago. While the petition named Little Christmas as another name for the Orthodox Christmas, Little Christmas is one of the traditional names among Christians for Jan. 6 -- known more widely as the Feast of the Epiphany and celebrated 12 days after Christmas Day. Every year on January 7, several Orthodox public school students do not have the luxury of having a day off to celebrate their Christmas, also known as Little Christmas, with their friends and families, reads the petition. Orthodox religion doesnt have any other days off for any holiday. So, the request for January 7 to be taken off shouldnt seem excessive but instead just and right. Nasef explained there is a large population of Coptic Orthodox on Staten Island, and that she hasnt been able to properly celebrate the holiday with her family when it falls on a weekday. I have to go to school because my parents are very strict about my education so I always go to school on that day and afterwards Id have to do my homework, she said. Its just a day thats like any other day. It shouldnt be like that. It should be Christmas and its not like that at all. She typically will have to wait until the weekend to enjoy the festivities on her religions Christmas. Other Coptic Orthodox students do take the day off from the school, Nasef added, but run the risk of missing important lessons, quizzes or exams. The petition said other religions get days off for holidays, and that Orthodox Christmas should be included. Orthodox religion doesnt have any other days off for any holiday, the petition reads. So, the request for January 7 to be taken off shouldnt seem excessive but instead just and right. As of Thursday afternoon, there were nearly 30,000 signatures on the petition. [Others] have the day off and we dont, said Nasef. Thats the point I want to come across because were not really represented. I just want to get representation for Coptic Orthodox in general." According to the DOE, there arent any commitments to add any additional school holidays at this time. We are committed to equality and respect for families and children of all faiths, and we closely monitor changes in school attendance over holidays," said Miranda Barbot, a spokeswoman for the DOE. "There are no commitments to add any additional school holidays at this time. New York City has recently implemented days off for religious and ethnic holidays -- including Lunar New Year and Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr beginning in the 2015-2016 school year. Under state law, schools that receive state aid are required to have a minimum of 180 school days. The DOEs public school calendars are revised each year to ensure the 180-day minimum, while also including time off for holidays that fall on weekdays and potential snow days. In September, the DOE revised the 2019-2020 school calendar to begin winter recess on Monday, Dec. 23 to give families more time for travel and vacation. Previously, the first official day of winter recess was set to begin on Tuesday, Dec. 24. That change was made after a petition asked the DOE to reconsider making Dec. 23 a holiday. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. The Royal Navy will accompany ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid soaring tensions in the Middle East, following the USs fatal drone strike on Irans top general. The imminent move to protect UK-flagged ships came on Saturday as the Foreign Office was strengthening its travel warnings across the region as fears of all-out war heightened. Tehran was vowing harsh retaliation after President Donald Trump authorised the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, and the US dispatched 3,000 extra troops to Kuwait. The FCO now advise against all travel to #Iraq, except for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq where the FCO continue to advise against all but essential travel. Read more: http://ow.ly/Qg0z50xN1Hr Posted by FCDO travel advice on Saturday, January 4, 2020 Thousands of supporters chanting Death to America marched in a funeral procession through Baghdad a day after the head of the elite Quds Force and regional security mastermind was killed in the Iraqi capital along with several others. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace continued to urge all parties to de-escalate the situation, but appeared to give some backing to the US for the first time as he announced the shipping plan. He said he had instructed the HMS Montrose frigate and the HMS Defender destroyer to return to the key oil passage imminently, adding: The Government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time. After speaking to his US counterpart Mark Esper on Friday, Mr Wallace said American forces have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian-backed militia in Iraq during the last few months. General Soleimani has been at the heart of the use of proxies to undermine neighbouring sovereign nations and target Irans enemies, Mr Wallace continued. Under international law the United States is entitled to defend itself against those posing an imminent threat to their citizens. Expand Close Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meets the family of Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meets the family of Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) The practice of escorting ships in the Strait of Hormuz was stood down in November, after being used during the fall-out from the seizure of the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker by Iran in July. The difference this time, the Ministry of Defence was keen to stress, is UK ships now have a choice to navigate the waters without an escort at their own risk. The Foreign Office was advising citizens not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan region, while all but essential travel to Iran is warned against. Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with calls to remain vigilant in countries including Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the bolstered advice was issued due to heightened tensions in the region and would be kept under review. Labours John McDonnell condemned the Governments response to this act of aggression, this escalation towards war when he joined protesters outside Downing Street. The shadow chancellor told the crowd with the Stop the War Coalition: It was acts like this that led us to the catastrophic war in Iraq. Its so (easy) to happen as a result of the foreign policy of aggressive imperialism that the US now has resorted to yet again under Donald Trump. And its not good enough for the UK Government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK Government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence. Expand Close John McDonnell speaking during a protest by the Stop the War Coalition against the threat of war with Iran (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John McDonnell speaking during a protest by the Stop the War Coalition against the threat of war with Iran (Yui Mok/PA) Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been celebrating the new year with his partner Carrie Symonds on the private Caribbean island of Mustique and has not commented on the generals killing. He is expected to return to the UK early on Sunday. The US president said he ordered the killing to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation raising fears of an all-out war. Soleimani masterminded Tehrans regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops. Mr Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Soleimanis reign of terror is over and describing him as having a sick passion for killing. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt described an incredibly dangerous game of chicken between the US and Iran, which has simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between them. Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4s Today programme the tensions created a very difficult situation for the UK as an ally of the US, adding Britain cannot afford to be neutral. Expand Close A protester wears a Donald Trump mask (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protester wears a Donald Trump mask (Yui Mok/PA) But he added: This is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the USs closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy. There has been criticism of the US for not giving advance notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was regrettable because allies should ensure there are no surprises in the relationship. Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises the monarch. The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the assassination had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike. He had earlier called on ministers to stand up to the USs belligerent actions and rhetoric and urged restraint from both aggressors. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congressman Ghulam Nabi Azad said Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "insulting" Indians by frequently referring to Pakistan. "Pakistan is dead wood. Even Kashmir police can defeat Pakistan. The PM comparing Pakistan with India is an insult to Indians. The PM shouldnt scare Indians with Pakistan. Are we so weak that we have to get scared of Pakistan? This is just polarisation and diversion," Azad told reporters here. During a recent speech at Tumakuru, PM Modi dared Congress, its allies and detractors of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to protest against atrocities on religious minorities in Pakistan. "In the Rajya Sabha, the government said it had no authentic statistics on the persecution of religious minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Bangladesh," Azad pointed out. Also read Fight Pak's attack on minorities, not CAA: PM Modi He said the BJP has resorted to polarizing the people of India as it has not fulfilled any promise it made. There were three major promises - Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of the poor, 10 crore jobs in five years and doubling farmers income. The only option left for this government is to polarize people in the name of religion. I salute the people of India. They have realized theyre being used to win elections, he said. The Modi administration abrogated Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir with an eye on the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. They lost in both the states. They brought the CAB for the Jharkhand and Delhi elections. Theyve lost in Jharkhand and theyll lose in Delhi as well, he said. A slew of controversial legislations have resulted in Indias isolation globally, he charged. I totally agree with former foreign secretary and NSA (Shivshankar Menon) that India has been isolated since Article 370 was abrogated. Were being abused left and right - the UN has gone against us, so has the German Chancellor, the French president and media across the globe. Azad refuted the governments charge that the Congress was behind the anti-CAA protests. "If the Congress was so strong to influence global opinions, then the BJP would have won just two seats," he said. "The entire country is against this." He also accused the BJP of misleading the country on the NRC. "The PM says the NRC hasnt been discussed since 2014. But the Presidents address to Parliament during the budget session and the BJPs 2019 election manifesto says the NRC will be done, Azad said. According to the Congress leader, the CAA is discriminatory as it is based on religion. "If Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are Islamic nations, then Sri Lanka and Bhutan are Buddhist. Why cant Hindus of Sri Lanka, Christians of Bhutan, Rohingyas of Myanmar or Ahmadis of Pakistan come," he asked. "The Congress isnt against any religiously persecuted people from any country," he clarified. Asked about the BJPs claim that the Congress was fanning fear among Muslims in the country, Azad said, "Well, if it wasnt for the Congress, then PM Modi would have put thousands (of Muslims) in jail." One of the instigators of a multi-day siege of the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad was controversially invited to the Oval Office by Barack Obama in 2011. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted pictures of those responsible on Tuesday, including one of Hadi al Amiri, who served as Iraqs transport minister from 2010 through 2014 under then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and traveled with the prime minister to meet Obama at the White House in December of 2011. The attack today was orchestrated by terrorists Abu Mahdi al Muhandis and Qays al-Khazali and abetted by Iranian proxies Hadi al Amari and Faleh al-Fayyad. All are pictured below outside our embassy. pic.twitter.com/2QfGGrfmDd Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) December 31, 2019 Obama went through with the visit despite concerns over al-Amiri from former chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R., Fla.) Ros-Lehtinen told The Washington Times in 2011 that it was extremely disturbing that the White House would see fit to welcome al-Amiri to a discussion on the future of Iraq. If anything, he should be subject to questioning by the FBI and other appropriate U.S. law enforcement and counterterrorism agencies, she said at the time, referring al-Amiris suspected links to the deadly 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia. The victims of Khobar Towers and the families of thousands of U.S. troops who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq deserve no less. Yesterday, Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Badr Org & Falih Alfayyadh, chairman of the Pop Mobilization Units (the Iraqi umbrella org that nominally controls the Iranian-backed militias) helped fuel the assault on our embassy. But in 2011, they helped Obama fuel his big Iran fantasy. pic.twitter.com/tLOVicCn6b Mike (@Doranimated) January 1, 2020 Amiri has a long history of pro-Iranian leanings. After fighting on the Iranian side in the Iran-Iraq war, he served as the former commander of the Badr Corps, which had close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. While in office, he allegedly allowed Iran to use Iraqi airspace to fly men and munitions to Damascus in support of the Assad regime during the Syrian civil war. Story continues I love Qassem Suleimani! He is my dearest friend, he told The New Yorker in 2013, expressing admiration for the head of the IRGCs Quds Force, which was labelled a terrorist organization by the State Department in April. On Wednesday, Iranian-backed militias ended their assault on the U.S. Embassy after the Defense Department deployed roughly 750 troops to Kuwait as a precautionary measure. More from National Review Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Maharashtra government has no information about minister Abdul Sattar's resignation. "There are no differences in the Cabinet. If any minister resigns, normally the resignation is sent to the Chief Minister or Raj Bhawan. Both have no information about it so far," Raut said. According to sources, Shiv Sena MLA Sattar has offered to step down as minister of state over differences with his party. According to former MP Chandrakant Khaire, Sattar is angry over Shiv Sena's decision to support Congress in the Zilla Parishad president elections. Khaire said he had a conversation with Sattar at a hotel here. BJP MLA and former Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagde was also seen at the hotel. He said that he was visiting the hotel for some personal work. Speaking to media, Sattar's son Sameer Sattar said: "I have no information about this, only he can speak about it and I am sure he will speak soon, better to wait and watch." Sattar was among the 36 Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena leaders who were sworn-in as ministers on December 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 15:17:01|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close KABUL, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- More than 2,200 Afghan civilians were killed in Taliban-related attacks and bomb blasts during 2019, the Afghan Interior Ministry confirmed on Saturday. "During 2019, Taliban terrorists conducted scores of suicide attacks, improvised explosive device (IED) explosions and guerrilla attacks, and the attacks left 7,391 civilians killed and injured nationwide during the year," the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. According to the statement, 2,219 civilians were killed and 5,172 others wounded last year. Earlier on Saturday, one civilian was killed and two were wounded after a sticky IED explosion struck a vehicle in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital city of northern Balkh province, Adel Shah Adel, provincial police spokesman told Xinhua. The target of the attack was not known immediately. Taliban militants have been using home-made IEDs to make roadside bombs, landmines and suicide attack vest targeting security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians. The IED explosions, including IED-induced roadside bomb blasts and suicide attacks, were the leading cause of civilians' casualties in 2019, followed by ground fighting and pro-government forces-related airstrikes, according to officials. "The Interior Ministry considers targeting civilians as war crimes and condemned terrorist acts against the civilians," the statement added. The Interior Ministry and Afghan National Police are committed to ensuring the safety of civilians and will spare no efforts to provide safety and security for all Afghans, the statement noted. The U.S. Killing of Soleimani Could Have Devastating Consequences for Iraq's Assyrians Demonstrators react during a Jan. 3, 2020, protest in front of U.N. offices in Tehran, Iran, after Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone airstrike at Baghdad International Airport earlier that day. ( CNS/Nazanin Tabatabaee) Following the news reports last night that eventually confirmed that a U.S. drone strike on Jan. 2 had killed Qasem Soleimani, leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, and associates including Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Iran-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, I found myself hoping that someone in the Trump administration was remembering the perilous status of the Christian remnant in northern Iraq. Christians in Nineveh province have just begun over the last year or so to trickle back to communities that had been devastated first by ISIS then by the Iraqi and U.S. coalition forces that drove ISIS--if not out of the country, then at least back underground. The forces which helped defeat ISIS over two years of fighting included the same Shiite militia that had been targeted by the Trump administration over the last week. Some of these militias were built locally from volunteers who emerged from Nineveh's Christian and Shabak communities (the Shabak are an ethno-religious group, primarily Shiite, long resident in northern Iraq); some militias came north to Nineveh to fight ISIS from Shiite strongholds in the south of Iraq. They had been at first welcomed because they often took the lead in the combat that finally suppressed the ISIS extremists by the end of 2017. The militias, known as popular mobilization forces (P.M.F.), helped liberate Christian villages and towns, then remained to become a new, at times menacing presence in Nineveh. Some halfhearted efforts have been made to remove them or contain their power, but the militias remain out of the control of the central government in Baghdad. Many of the militias are clearly following orders issued in Tehran. When I visited the region in October 2018, meeting with Assyrian, Syriac Catholic and Orthodox leaders and average Christians, many told me how tired they were of being treated as second-class citizens in their own country, even in Kurdistan, where thousands found refuge from the ISIS rampage. Frequently blamed for acts from embargos to air strikes conducted by Western powers, they worried about the lingering threat from the "shaved beards," members of ISIS who melted back into the local Sunni population, often literally after shaving off the beards required by their extremist interpretation of Islamic law. But they were also deeply concerned about the rising power and presence of the Shiite militias, especially in towns that formally were predominantly Christian but were rapidly transitioning to Shiite Muslim control. Many communities are uneasily shared with Shabak moving in from the countryside and with members of the P.M.F. and their families, apparently settling into Nineveh permanently. Some of these militia groups are now being directly targeted by the United States. How will they retaliate? While the United States prepares itself for reprisals, it is an open question if any measures are being taken to respond to the vulnerability of the region's remnant Christians. Iraq's Christian community has been devastated by decades of conflict between Iraq and Western powers, beginning with the ground and air campaigns of the 1990s, ordered by George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and accelerating in the aftermath of George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq in 2003. Once nearly 10 percent of Iraq's population, Christians were counted in the millions; now they can be counted in the thousands. When I was in Iraq a little over a year ago, a Jesuit priest joined a conversation about how to restore Nineveh's Christians. "We can't just rebuild houses," he told me in the city of Erbil. "We have to rebuild community," he said, expressing a hope to restore normalcy between the Christians and Shabak Shiites who had once been neighbors. At the end of 2019, that delicate process had been underway and the imperiled Christian minority was just starting to get back on its feet in Nineveh. But an expanded conflict in Iraq between Iran and the United States could provoke reprisals from their Sunni and Shiite neighbors that will ultimately put an end to Christianity in Iraq. Let us hope someone in Washington is working on a contingency plan to prevent that, as the United States seems on a course to a new and undeclared war in the Middle East. IMAGE: An Iranian demonstrator holds a picture of the late Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, during a protest against the assassination of Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in front of United Nation office in Tehran, on Friday. Photograph: Nazanin Tabatabaee/West Asia News Agency via Reuters A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. It came hours ahead of a planned mourning march for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, slain in a precision drone strike by the United States in Baghdad on Friday. At least five people were killed in the airstrike on a convoy of Iraq's Shia Popular Mobilisation Forces in northern Baghdad, a source in security forces was quoted as saying by agencies. Earlier in the day, there was a powerful explosion in Baghdad's northern district of Taji. "A vehicle convoy of the Popular Mobilisation Forces has been attacked. According to preliminary data, five people have died. Their names have not been clarified so far," the source said. It did not say who was responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike. Soleimani's killing is the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, which pledged to send more troops to the region even as President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) last month cleared a Rs 9,000 crore joint proposal of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force to purchase two Airbus 330s and convert them into 360-degree long-range capability Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), senior officials familiar with the development said on Saturday. The proposal is now before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the entire project is estimated to take three years after the apex committees clearance. The need for more AWACS was acutely felt post the Balakot air strike, with Pakistan being able to deploy its SAAB AWACS 24x7 in the north and south sectors and India being able to cover the two theatres only for 12 hours each day, one of the officials cited above said. The DRDO has also decided to hand over a third Embraer-mounted Airborne Early Warning system to the IAF (Indian Air Force) to further enhance Indian capability in battlefield theatre. The IAF already has two Israeli PHALCON radars mounted on a Russian A-50 platform and two DRDO-developed radars mounted on Embraer platforms. According to the proposal cleared by the DAC, the Airbus AWACS will be a 50:50 joint venture between the DRDO and the IAF. Once the aircraft are purchased, the DRDO will mount a 360-degree rotor dome radar along with state of the art communication capability to guide the IAF fighters and attack helicopters in future war theatres, one of the officials cited above said. The AWACS not only tracks the aerial threat, be it a fighter or a missile, but also guides the counter-response. Had it not been for PHALCON AWACS, the Indian response to the February 27 Pakistani counter-strike would have been weak and the IAF would never have known that Wing Commander Abhinandan had downed a Pakistan Air Force fighter code-named Red Mike on the radar. Whether Red Mike was an American F-16 sold by Jordan to Pakistan or any other fighter is still not confirmed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A very sedated Julian Assange told a friend that hes dying on Christmas Eve. Because of Assanges condition during the phone call, concerns about his health have mounted. His suffering amounts to torture at the hands of government. Assanges crime was publishing the truth. He gathered information, none of which was fabricated or fake and published what the government is doing to other countries and the lengths that theyll go to enslave the masses. For that crime, Assange is being tortured in what can be summed up as a Gulag. The powers that shouldnt be dont want someone who knows the truth to live to tell it, and thats become painfully obvious. Assange sounded like a shell of the man he once was during a Christmas Eve phone call, British journalist Vaughan Smith told RT , noting the WikiLeaks founder had trouble speaking and appeared to be drugged. Assange was allowed to make just a single call from the maximum-security Belmarsh prison in southeast London for the Christmas holiday, hoping for a reminder of the world beyond his drab confines of steel and concrete. I think he simply wanted a few minutes of escape and to revive happy memories, Smith told RT, adding that Assange had spent the holiday at his home in 2010. The brief conversation was far from cheerful, however, with Assanges deteriorating condition increasingly apparent throughout the call. Much like Jeffrey Epstein, the ruling class needs Assange out of the way. There wont be a testimony because the truth would come out. Just like in Epsteins case: he had too much on too many powerful people. His speech was slurred. He was speaking slowly, Smith continued. Now, Julian is highly articulate, a very clear person when he speaks. And he sounded awful it was very upsetting to hear him. Smith also eerily added: he told me Im slowly dying here.' Though Assange didnt say it out loud during the call, Smith said he believes the anti-secrecy activist is being sedated, noting that It seemed pretty obvious that he was, and said others who visited Assange were of the same opinion. -RT The mainstream media refuses to even touch on the fact that Julian Assange is still locked up, not for committing crimes, but for exposing the crimes of the authoritarian ruling class. British authorities have so far refused to divulge information about whether Assange has been given psychotropic drugs in prison, insisting only that they arent mistreating him. But given that he is being kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, with requests by numerous doctors to examine his physical condition denied, Smith said he has a hard time taking the officials at their word. What the authorities are doing to Assange amounts to torture of a political enemy. Julian was extremely good company over Christmas in 2010, Smith said, but the man he talked to on the phone last week sounded like a different person. I just dont understand why hes in Belmarsh Prison in the first place. Hes a remand prisoner. Hes not a danger to the public. No, hes a danger to the ruling class. And thats why hes being tortured in a prison. Belmarsh is a Category A prison the highest level in the UK penal system intended for highly dangerous convicts and those likely to attempt escape, typically befitting murderers and terrorists. While Assange meets none of those criteria and was initially locked up for a minor offense of skipping bail, he was nonetheless thrown in Belmarsh and punished as if he were a violent, hardened criminal. He now awaits proceedings for extradition to the US. -RT What is clear that what is happening to Julian is much more about vengeance and setting an example to dissuade other people from holding American power to account in this way, Smith said. Hopefully, it wont be too much longer before the public begins to realize that the ruling class has no power if they simply stop believing in the facade. The Madras High Court bench here on Saturday barred the Sankarapuram panchayat president from taking charge followinga writpetition by one of the contestants. The petitioner Devi submitted that she had contested under the 'Autorickshaw' symbol while Priyadarshini contested against her. In the petition, Devi said the officials declared her as elected in the rural local body polls held on December 7 and 9, but later announced Priyadarshini as the winner who, they asked to take charge on December 6. This was against election procedure, and the officials allegedly acted in a biased manner, the petitoner said. Hence, the petitioner said, Priyadarshini should be restrained from taking charge or oath as Sankarapuram panchayat president. When the petition came up for hearing, Justices Pugalendi and Subramanian restrained Priyadarshini from taking charge as the president of the panchayat. Besides, the judges transferred the case to the bench hearing election-related cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made an unscheduled visit to this western Uttar Pradesh town to meet the families of those who bore the brunt of the recent violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act. The Congress general secretary visited the residences of some of those who were injured in the violence during the widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. "I will stand with you in this hour of distress," she told one of them. Later she told mediapersons that people were beaten up mercilessly and even children and minors were not spared. A 22-year-old woman, who was seven-month pregnant, was also beaten up, she claimed. Priyanka said she has highlighted each and every "police excess" in her lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during her previous visit to the state. She had visited Lucknow last week and met the kin of those injured or killed during the violent protests against the Act. Earlier, she had gone to Bijnour and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. But she was not allowed to visit Meerut. Officials maintain that 19 people were killed in the state during violent clashes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Air Canada Express flight from Montreal to Saguenay, Que., was forced to turn around Friday after a technical issue made one of its wheels fall off seconds after takeoff. In a statement, Jazz Aviation LP, a company that operates flights for Air Canada, said one of the two wheels on the left main landing gear fell off just after the plane went airborne. The incident was captured on video by a passenger. In the footage, flames are seen coming from the wheel prior to takeoff. One passenger comments that the wheel appears to be fine, before it promptly falls off the landing gear. Another passenger can be heard saying: "It fell, it fell!" The plane was carrying 49 passengers and three crew members at the time. No one was injured. The aircraft circled in the air to consume fuel before returning to Montreal, where it safely landed. Emergency crews had been on the scene as a precaution. "Our experienced pilots kept complete control of the aircraft. Our pilots are trained to react to such situations and reacted conforming to proper procedure," Jazz Aviation spokesperson Manon Stuart said in an email. The airplane, a Dash 8-300 model, normally has six wheels: two on each of the three landing gears, located on the left, right, and front of the plane. Another airplane was dispatched to Montreal to get the passengers to their destination. The company said it will inspect the plane and do the necessary repairs. News Phoenix, Arizona - Arizona ranked third in percentage growth rate in 2019, according to estimates released this week by U.S. Census Bureau. Arizona welcomed more than 120,000 residents from 2018 to 2019, a growth rate of nearly 1.7 percent, which bests states like Utah (1.662), Texas (1.283), Washington (1.210), Colorado (1.185), Oregon (0.857) and New Mexico (0.195). With a nearly 1.7 percent growth from July 2018 to July 2019, Arizona jumped from fourth to third-highest rate of growth in the nation. The state also ranked third in the number of new residents with more than 120,000 newcomers. Only Texas and Florida added more residents. Arizonas budget is balanced, our economy is booming and we have more people choosing our state than nearly anywhere in the country, said Governor Doug Ducey. With more people and more jobs, Arizona is investing in the things that really matter, like our K-12 public schools, public safety and roads and bridges. The credit goes to the entrepreneurs, innovators, educators, law enforcement officers, volunteers and more who make Arizona the best state to live, work, play and get an education. Since 2015, Arizona has added an estimated 548,304 residents with a 6.6 percent growth rate during that time. Arizonas estimated 120,693 new residents between 2018 and 2019 more than doubled Californias 50,635 new residents. Additionally, two statesIllinois and New Yorklost residents, with 51,250 and 76,790 people leaving the states, respectively. State Policy Reports recently ranked Arizona fourth in economic momentum as well as in the top five for growth in personal income, employment and population. Arizona has added more than 300,000 jobs since 2015 while investing in things that matter most, like K-12 public education, public safety and our roads and bridges. Additionally, Governor Ducey has prioritized reducing barriers for hardworking Arizonans. In April, he signed first-in-the-nation legislation providing universal recognition of out-of-state occupational licenses. Turkey on Saturday said two foreigners were involved in businessman Carlos Ghosn's transit through Istanbul as he fled Japan on his way to Lebanon. "There are two foreigners involved in the transit," Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul told CNN's Turk broadcaster during an interview. He did not provide further details on their nationality or exactly what role they played. Ghosn, the former Nissan boss, is accused of financial misconduct but he claimed his upcoming trial was rigged before he made his escape from Japan before New Year's eve. There is already an official Turkish probe into Ghosn's apparent transfer between private jets at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. The investigation is focused on two flights, the first a Bombardier labelled TC-TSR flew from Osaka in Japan, landed in Istanbul at 05.15 am and parked in a hangar. The second was a private jet to Beirut, a Bombardier Challenger 300 TC-RZA, which left 45 minutes later, agency DHA previously reported. After seven people were detained earlier this week in Turkey including four pilots, five were formally arrested, Gul said, adding that the prosecutor's probe continued. The minister also said that there had been no formal judicial request from the Japanese authorities in relation to the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man who went missing in the Grand Canyon for 11 days has been found alive, national park officials have said. Martin Edward OConnor, 58, was evacuated from the inner canyon via helicopter on Thursday morning in the Grand Canyon National Park. According to the National Park Service, Mr OConnor was located on the New Hance Trail, one of the canyons most difficult hiking trails. Other hikers reported seeing him on the trail before park rangers were able to rescue him. Mr OConnor is in stable condition and undergoing a medical evaluation while waiting for family members to join him, reported CNN. Ever wanted to see the Grand Canyon? No need for a flight, thanks to Google Show all 4 1 /4 Ever wanted to see the Grand Canyon? No need for a flight, thanks to Google Ever wanted to see the Grand Canyon? No need for a flight, thanks to Google Google-ap.jpg AP Ever wanted to see the Grand Canyon? No need for a flight, thanks to Google Google-AFP.jpg Google/AFP Ever wanted to see the Grand Canyon? No need for a flight, thanks to Google Google-google.jpg Google Ever wanted to see the Grand Canyon? No need for a flight, thanks to Google meteorcrater-google.jpg Google Mr OConnor, from Texas, went missing on 22 December and was last seen at a lodge in Grand Canyon Village. He was believed to have been travelling alone. Temperatures in the Grand Canyon during winter can drop to below freezing at night, with snow and ice creating hazardous conditions for visitors. Recommended The Grand Canyon has been blanketed by snow and it looks incredible After Mr O'Connor was found, the national park service issued an alert for dangerous weather conditions, warning hikers of icy roads and footpaths. The New Hance Trail is only recommended to highly experienced hikers as it is not maintained and may be the most difficult trail on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, according to the National Park Service website. Real estate investment trust (REIT) Prologis (NYSE:PLD) owns warehouses. If you aren't familiar with the industry, that might sound pretty boring, but it's anything but. In fact, the growth in online shopping has turned warehouses into a hot commodity. The thing is, owning big empty boxes isn't the wave of the future, and that's why Prologis, long a leader in the warehouse sector, has built what you might call the warehouse of the future in Seattle. Here's why this project is important to Prologis, the warehouse industry, and the growth of e-commerce -- and why you should take the opportunity here with a grain of salt. The point of a warehouse Simply put, a warehouse is nothing more than a place to store lots of stuff before it gets sent on to customers. These buildings are a vital link in the supply chain that allow companies to properly serve their end markets, both individual customers and businesses. Although simplistically speaking they are just large structures with ample interior space, there is a lot more going on here than meets the eye. For example, one of the key strengths at Prologis is its global diversification. It has around 3,800 assets spread across 19 countries serving more than 5,000 customers. Thus, the company can serve one customer's needs in multiple areas around the world. Moreover, it is focused on the highest-demand markets, where supply is typically constrained. Rent growth in such markets, as you might expect, tends to be on the high side relative to markets that have ample supply. The REIT expects factors like these to support funds from operations growth of 8% to 9% a year through 2022. As Prologis looks to support that future, it is hoping to exploit what the company calls "last touch" assets. A "last touch" property is basically one in a densely populated area that facilitates rapid delivery. Such properties support Amazon's aggressive push for speed (two-day and same-day delivery), which its peers have had little choice but to emulate. A leader in the warehouse space, Prologis is one of the biggest players in the "last touch" market. The warehouse of the future? Delivering a product within one day means that the product has to be located very close to a customer. In large population centers, where the most concentrated demand is going to be, it can be hard to find affordable property for any type of building, let alone a big box to store stuff. This is problem number one. However, once you've actually identified a location, you come upon problem number two -- the old warehouse model doesn't work so well in densely populated areas. The typical warehouse is a massive one-level structure with a huge array of shipping docks and parking areas. That's just not practical in a city. That's why Prologis' Georgetown Crossroads asset in Seattle is so interesting and, perhaps, revolutionary. Located just outside downtown Seattle, one of the largest cities in the United States, this warehouse breaks the domestic mold. For example, the REIT claims that the asset is within five minutes of Seattle and 15 minutes of nearby Bellevue. It is near three major highways and five minutes from a local port. It's also near two airports and major ground transportation hubs. So the location is great, but the big difference here is that Georgetown Crossroads is a three-story structure. Arguably, with great locations hard to find in space-constrained markets, the only option for expansion is to build up. Levels one and two at the property are both typical warehouse structures, only they are built on top of each other. That allows Prologis to materially increase the square footage of the facility without expanding the footprint. The third floor adds space that can be used for offices or light industrial work and is easily accessible from the lower levels via elevators and a small loading area. The building is basically two warehouses on top of each other and then topped off with an office/industrial building on the roof. Level Square Footage Loading Access Primary Use First floor 239,000 65 loading docks Warehouse Second floor 170,000 40 loading docks Warehouse/office Third floor 180,000 2 loading docks Office/industrial To be fair, this isn't a first-of-its-kind asset. Countries like Japan and Singapore have had multilevel warehouse properties for years. But Prologis' Georgetown facility is the first of its kind in the United States. If the asset performs as Prologis expects, there will likely be more such buildings in the future for the company and, perhaps, for the entire warehouse industry. On that score, Amazon has reportedly agreed to lease out 500,000 square feet, with Home Depot taking nearly 100,000 square feet, which would mean that the nearly 600,000-square-foot facility is already fully occupied. So far this looks like a win for Prologis. But there are risks to consider. For example, property prices in dense cities tend to be high. That increases the cost of a project. Building a multistory warehouse is logistically more difficult than building a single-story structure. That increases costs on both the construction and design sides. To put some numbers on this, according to The Wall Street Journal, Prologis paid around $260 per square foot to build Georgetown Crossroads, versus costs of around $125 per square foot for more traditional single-story structures in the same general area. Basically, rent will need to be relatively high compared to more traditional warehouse properties to support a building like this one. And that will put pressure on the profitability of Prologis' lessees. Realistically, there are only so many markets in the United States that can support such facilities, so the big-picture opportunity here may not be all that large. And, interestingly, some companies inside the shipping industry believe that being so close to an end market isn't actually that important. For example, industry watcher FreightWaves reported in 2018 that an executive at shipping and logistics company C.H. Robinson Worldwide has suggested that the "last touch" idea is, in fact, overrated. According to this executive, fulfillment in such markets can be handled quickly enough out of more traditional warehouse facilities located an hour or two away. Truthfully, that just sounds like common sense and a far more cost-effective way to operate. This view hints that there may be just a small number of customers willing to spend the money to occupy a multilevel "last touch" asset like Georgetown. Watch the "last touch" Prologis seems to have scored a big win with its three-story warehouse in Seattle. That said, investors should keep a close eye on what happens from here at the REIT and within the warehouse industry. Prologis is planning to focus heavily on the "last touch" niche, and it wouldn't be surprising to see more multilevel warehouses in its future. The problem is finding the right markets where the costs are worthwhile for Proglogis and its customers. That may not be as easy as it sounds. And if other warehouse owners jump into the multilevel warehouse space, too, it could even put downward pressure on rents for these types of assets. Although this is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle, Prologis shareholders should monitor the Georgetown property and ensure that the REIT doesn't push the multistory warehouse idea too far as it looks to capitalize on the still emerging "last touch" concept. LNA Chief Haftar Announces All-Libyan Mobilization to Resist Foreign Forces Sputnik News 00:23 04.01.2020(updated 00:49 04.01.2020) Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced earlier the beginning of a decisive battle in his campaign to capture Tripoli, which has been underway since last April and has resulted in fierce fighting on the outskirts of the Libyan capital. In a newly-released statement, Haftar declared a general mobilization as a measure to resist foreign intervention. The LNA commander ordered the arming of all men and women, military personnel and civilians. "Today, we are declaring the jihad and general mobilization. Men and women, officers and civilians will be provided with weapons", the LNA commander said in a televised address. The Turkish parliament greenlighted on Thursday President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's initiative to send military reinforcements to Libyan allies who have been under siege since April 2019 by the eastern-based army of Khalifa Haftar on soil which was a part of the Ottoman Empire until 1911. After the ouster and assassination of then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country was plunged into a brutal civil war. Turning the nation into a territory divided between two centres of power - an elected parliament in the country's east, supported by Haftar's forces and the UN-backed GNA in the west. In late December, the western-based GNA requested military assistance from Turkey in the wake of renewed efforts of the rival LNA to capture the capital of Tripoli. Erdogan vowed support would be sent as soon as January. Ankara has, however, said that the military assistance could be rolled back if Khaftar gives up efforts to conquer Tripoli. The bill on military support to Libya, introduced in the Turkish parliament earlier this week followed the conclusion of a maritime border deal and a military support pact between Erdogan's government and the GNA, which was condemned by Libyan eastern-based authorities. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address For eight years, a digital media company called Im Shmacked has posted viral videos of the college party scene. Beer bongs, booze, marijuana and scantily clad women are all featured prominently, in scenes set to upbeat party music. Cinematic shots of college campuses and university landmarks are interspersed with flip cup games and keg stands. High schoolers love it. While university tours and campus promo reels can give them an idea of the academic environment at a college, Im Shmacked gives them an inside look at what really matters, in a social sense: the parties. I used to look at the Im Shmacked party videos of the colleges I was looking at, said Darius Myers, who was a student at Snow College in Utah. The schools that had the coolest recap videos, it made me really want to go there. The business model of Im Shmacked is to recruit undergraduates as content creators, often with promises of thousands of dollars a month in compensation and online fame. By simply posting videos of parties and other viral antics, many were told, they could gain experience in online marketing and make cash from ads and by selling custom merchandise. Instead, many students sank hundreds of dollars into Im Shmacked and ran Instagram accounts without pay. In interviews with The New York Times, students said that after they confronted the company over false promises, they were threatened with lawsuits and intimidated into silence. Many who interned for the company fared no better. A Decent Investment Im Shmacked was founded in 2011 by Jeffrie Ray, an amateur filmmaker, then 19, and Arya Toufanian, a student at George Washington University, then 20. The two began traveling across the country, filming college parties and uploading the footage to YouTube. The videos were a hit and often incriminating. One, filmed at West Virginia University, featured students smashing car windows interspersed with footage of them guzzling beer bongs during a St. Patricks Day charity party. In 2012, it had more than half a million views. (It has since been removed from the web; the original YouTube channel for Im Shmacked has been deactivated for violating terms, but there is a new one.) In order to keep up with demand, Ray and Toufanian started enlisting small groups of people to travel to different colleges, hosting wild parties for the sole purpose of content creation. This was one of the first widespread digital efforts to capture booze-soaked party culture and package it for the web. Im Shmacked, along with companies like Barstool and Total Frat Move, grew by churning out content that sold a fantasy of what college life could be like, racking up followers and view counts by the millions. For many students, being affiliated with Im Shmacked was a status indicator. I thought getting the company name out there with my name would be a good networking opportunity for other things down the line in my life, said Jerry Shukes, who ran an Im Shmacked Instagram account at East Carolina University, in North Carolina. After all, it was an Im Shmacked YouTube video of a party at East Carolina that influenced his decision to attend that school. In the fall of 2018, Shukes paid $300 to Im Shmacked, thinking it would be a decent investment, and became part of what Toufanian called his college ambassador program. That program, which officially started in 2016, was pitched to students simply: pay $45 to $500 and become the designated representative of the company at your school. The designation meant running an Im Shmacked Instagram account that was school specific @imshmackedpurdue, say, or @imshmackedcornell and if a post or video went viral, it would often be reposted to the main Im Shmacked handle, which had 1.2 million followers. Students were told they could make money through online merchandise stores, ad placements and by charging other students to be featured on the accounts. According to a company spreadsheet from 2017 and interviews with several people who used to work with Toufanian, at least 3,600 college kids took the company up on this offer. (Toufanian did not respond to an email sent requesting comments for this article. Ray, who left the company by 2016, could not be reached.) There were some red flags. In 2013, after Im Shmacked sold hundreds of tickets to University of Delaware students for a party it failed to reserve a site for, police had to be called in to quell the disturbance. In 2016, students at Santa Clara University in California demanded refunds from the company after it raised more than $30,000 for a concert and party that never took place. In 2017, Im Shmacked canceled a Halloween party in Utah the night before it was set to take place, leaving the events company it had teamed with on the hook for thousands of dollars. Toufanian had also proved to be a loose cannon. In 2014 he threatened a Business Insider reporter with petitions to fire and deport her and tweeted that she should be prepping her anus for an attack. Promises and Betrayal Many of the Im Shmacked Instagram accounts grew quickly, and students were excited to be working with what they considered a mainstream brand. Some planned to add their ambassadorships to their resumes. I thought the page was going to be something, said Jorge Flores, a student at the University of Kansas, who paid $300 to become an Im Shmacked ambassador. I thought it would be a good way to build a community at school. Im Shmacked did tours on YouTube, he said, referring to the companys tendency to sweep through college towns like a rock band. So I was like, maybe theyd bring the tour to KU or expose me to other opportunities and help me make connections. But over time, many students began to feel they were being used. Shukes, the brand ambassador for East Carolina, eventually concluded he would never recoup the money he paid to the company. I was scammed, he said. Many students who signed up did notice the companys disorganization from the start. It quickly became clear that some schools had multiple Im Shmacked ambassadors and Instagram accounts. Penn State, for instance, had four Im Shmacked pages. In interviews, several students said that Toufanian promised them that competing accounts were frauds and that he would have Instagram remove them. In reality, multiple Instagram accounts meant that students could be pitted against their peers to source the most viral content. Toufanian had also told students that they would receive a cut of any items sold through college-specific merchandise shops that they could promote on their Instagram accounts; this, many believed, would allow them to quickly recoup the money they had given Im Shmacked up front. But online storefronts were rarely created, according to someone who consulted with Toufanian on business matters, and student ambassadors never received a cut of any sales. I worked at a sub shop on campus for $9.25 an hour. I was just expecting to make the money I gave them back in a month or so, said Arun Singh, who paid Im Shmacked to become an ambassador at Penn State in September 2018. But none of that happened. In many cases, students said, once they paid the fee, they stopped hearing from the company. When Shukes tried to speak out about what happened to him, Toufanian sent him repeated messages on Instagram and an email. One reads: Youll be sued personally and Im listing your individual name if your website isnt down in 24 hours. I will pursue you for damages. It is beyond illegal. When another person set up an Instagram account on which he reposted screenshots from students who said they had been taken advantage of, Toufanian messaged him that he would soon be sued. Its criminal and slander, the message said. Reporting harassment to police theyll deal with you. There are no records of lawsuits filed by Toufanian against students, but many reported being bullied by him and said they feared retribution. And he has a history of threatening legal action against those who cross him. In 2016, Toufanian hired a lawyer to send a letter to Gawker Media demanding that it take down two negative articles about him, calling them libelous. (The same lawyer represented Peter Thiel in his legal attacks against Gawker.) In December 2018, after the website 5orry published an article that was suspicious of another of Toufanians ventures a stock trading scheme, operating under the Instagram handle @stocks 5orrys owner received many emails from Toufanian threatening legal action if the articles were not removed. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. After today I will pursue a lawsuit against you with cooperation of police, Toufanian wrote in an email in April. You dont want to give me your name, your internet service provider and the host will tell me who paid for it when I sue them and press criminal charges. You cant hide forever. Last chance. More recently, Toufanian filed a lawsuit against Kyle Oreffice, a stock trader, for defamation after Oreffice published an article on his website calling Toufanian a scammer and The Douche of Wall Street. (Toufanian also contacted Oreffices mother, she said, and posted her full name to his Instagram Stories.) Toufanian has also had legal trouble come the other way. According to court records, he was sued in 2015 for breach of contract and in 2014 for transferring $120,000 from Im Shmacked into his personal bank account, among other claims. In 2018, Madison Louch, a DJ and Instagram influencer with whom Toufanian had a personal relationship, filed a restraining order against him. Ambassador Outreach From 2016 to 2018, Toufanian ran his company from a pair of rental houses in Los Angeles with a rotating cast of associates, many of whom were working without contracts or job titles. Im Shmacked interns lived in these houses. According to interviews with former roommates and business associates of Toufanian, these interns would spend hours messaging college students, trying to get them to pay hundreds of dollars to join the ambassador program. Almost all communication with college kids was done via the primary Im Shmacked Instagram handle, which was verified. (Often, so many messages were sent each hour that the handle would be banned from sending new messages for chunks of time as part of Instagrams anti-spam protections.) While they were recruiting others, several former interns said, they were being promised payments that never materialized. Some were told that they would have to work for the first month for free to prove themselves, but after that, they would receive commissions. Some were promised bonuses if they performed well. When people quit or ran out of money, Toufanian scouted new workers by posting job listings to Instagram Stories. A copy of an intern contract from 2017 included the phrase: Intern is expected to promote and grow the Companys respective accounts through diligent frequent posts and engagement with their market. Everyone Knows the Name Some students who believe they will never recoup their money are still running Im Shmacked accounts. Not long after Bradley Gasparovich, the administrator of @ImShmacked_MSU (Michigan State University), paid Toufanian $300 to be a college ambassador, Toufanian unfollowed him and blocked all communication. Gasparovich was frustrated, feeling he had been taken advantage of, but decided to keep the handle active. He is interested in marketing and had amassed more than 7,000 followers, so now he is just posting for fun. I keep it because everyone knows the name, he said. He also uses the account to warn other students. In September, after Im Shmacked put out a new call for college ambassadors on Instagram Stories, Gasparovich got messages from students who wanted to know how much money he was making, before they signed up for the program themselves. Arya told them they will generate revenue right away, Gasparovich said. I said no! I did this last year, just dont do it. Dakota Verrico, a freshman at Rutgers, in New Jersey, almost fell for it. After Verrico responded to the call-out, he was told that in order to learn more about the business opportunity, he would have to pay $500. Toufanian told him that he could make up to $10,000 to $30,000 a month, Verrico said. I kept asking him, how would I make money from this? How does this work? (Verrico said that Toufanian ultimately left him a voice memo that explained that money was made through charging women to be featured on the Im Shmacked Instagram accounts in addition to other methods.) In early October, the primary Im Shmacked verified Instagram handle disappeared. Instagram confirmed that the account was removed for multiple violations. Toufanian was distraught. I have been desperate for 3 weeks now for our future. Our verified business Instagram @imshmacked was taken down, he tweeted at the CEO of Instagram. (The tweet has since been deleted.) Students who lost money to Im Shmacked were relieved. But a new account could always pop up. Verrico said he would urge all students to research any companies approaching them on Instagram, especially if the offer seems too good to be true. Still, he understood how someone falls prey to it. They see a guy with 1 million followers and is verified, Verrico said. Thats how I was at first. I was like, Whoa. You just never would think someone with that much power would do that. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Gone are the days in the wake of the increasing need for students or scholars to enroll in educational institutions, including universities, to learn and explore other cultures, many African students through scholarships had the opportunity to study abroad. Today, everything has changed. Through the issuing of visas by foreign embassies, the Mediterranean Sea and stowaway, many African illiterates, criminals, including armed robbers, have found their way into Europe. Without any formal education or the desire to study, many quickly indulge in criminal activities in Europe. In the past, the Dutch government has to deal with armed robbers terrorizing Amsterdam, the Belgian government has to fight Nigerian drugs and prostitution gangs in Antwerp, while Italy also faces high criminal activities by African immigrants from both Ghana and Nigeria. Investigations often made by the European police reveal that the majority of the captured African criminals were already in the profession in Africa, before they made it to Europe, therefore, it is likely that they think Europes judiciary system is just as weak and corrupt as that of Africa. It is only when they are easily captured before they see the difference between Africas judiciary system, the police and that of Europe. On October 18, 2018, four Africans, including a Ghanaian, Salia Yusif, 33, gang-raped a 16-year-old girl, Desiree Mariottini, killed and abandoned in a building at San Lorenzo district in Rome. The brutal murder of the young girl provoked many Italians throughout Italy, some demanding swift justice for the victim. After the arrest, Salia Yusif, the Ghanaian, shocked the judge, the parents of the victim and those at the courtroom by accusing Desiree's parents of not taking good care of their daughter. According to him, "If the girl had been at home with her family that day, I would not be in prison." In other words, Desirees parents failed to give their daughter proper care, the reason she met her fate. To say something like that after committing such a crime even shows the impact of ignorance and illiteracy on many Africans roaming in Europe. The senseless murder of Desiree triggered comments from many users on social networks against the Ghanaian accused of the murder and some asking if he could speak like that in his country? That night, according to Salia Yusif's lawyers, that murder could have been avoided if the parents had exercised "normal and appropriate parental functions over the minor, insisting that they simply should have controlled the movements of the murdered 16-year-old girl. According to the Italian police, Desiree that day remained for hours at the mercy of her torturers, including Salia Yusif, before she died, after being raped by the group. Along with Salia Yusif, the other three men accused of the rape and murder, are Mamadou Gara, Brian Minteh and Alinno Chima. The day had started with the banners and posters for Desiree outside the Court of Rome. According to prosecutors, the sixteen-year-old was killed with violence by constricting of her arms and legs, however, the words of the Ghanaian, indeed break the heart of her family. In the same year of 2018, on January 29, an 18-year-old girl was brutally murdered and her body was cut into pieces and the parts filled in her own two suitcases. The Italian police arrested four Nigerians for that murder but only one Nigerian drug dealer, Innocent Oseghale, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Court of Assize of Macerata. Since 2014, the European Union has been engaged in an intensifying discussion about migration. This is the result of an unprecedented increase in the number of refugees and other migrants entering Europe. The influx of immigrants wouldnt have been a big problem if the immigrants are willing to learn and integrate but the horrible crimes many often get involved are very disturbing. Many Africans, including Ghanaians, are in prisons for serious offences. Its time for Africans risking their lives on the Mediterranean sea to think twice. They may escape danger from the high seas but still may enter into prison for certain crimes. President of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) chapter of the Graduate Students' Association of Ghana (GRASAG), Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor 04.01.2020 LISTEN The President of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) chapter of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG), Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor has called on the Ministry of Education to facilitate increased access to the latest journal publications for students. According to him, this will enhance research and more frequent publications by both lecturers and students. In a New Year's message to students and Ghanaians, Mr. Apetorgbor charged politicians, the youth and other electoral stakeholders to conduct the 2020 election cycle in peace and decorum. He further encouraged politicians to campaign on principles and issues to enhance our democracy. The President expressed worry over a meager research allowance, rising tuition fees, obnoxious residential facility charges, poor transport and feeding and lack of access to the latest research or journal publication. Mr. Apetorgbor who was a former National Media Relations Director of Private Universities Students' Association of Ghana assured students that the Association shall spare no effort in advocating for educational reforms in Ghana. He further expressed solidarity with working students, especially the wives who have to take care of children, home and office work, and also to attend to academic work at the same time. Mr. Apetorgbor also assured international students of their avowed commitment to law and order which will know doubt guarantee their safety and comfort in Ghana. "To our continuing and final year students, we urge you to carry on the fight regardless of the evident challenges". he added. "Meanwhile, we trudge along with our Azonto - one step forward, two steps backwards - knowing that our efforts shall be crowned with success. "We look forward to a happy graduation ceremony in July 2020 when our parents, benefactors, family and friends will join with our management, lecturers and other members of staff in one happy GIMPA family," he said. A Turkish private jet operator said on Friday that ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn used two of its planes illegally in his escape from Japan, with an employee falsifying lease records to exclude his name from the documents, Trend reports citing Reuters. MNG Jet said it had filed a criminal complaint over the incident, a day after Turkish police detained seven people, including four pilots, as part of an investigation into Ghosns passage through Istanbul en route to Lebanon. Ghosn has become an international fugitive after he revealed on Tuesday he had fled to Lebanon to escape what he called a rigged justice system in Japan, where he faces charges relating to alleged financial crimes. Lebanon on Thursday received an Interpol arrest warrant for Ghosn, whose surprise escape from his home in Tokyo to a separate home in Beirut has not been fully explained. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the diminutive Ghosn slipped out of Japan aboard a private jet hidden in a large black case typically used to carry audio gear. He was accompanied by a pair of men with names matching those of American security contractors, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with Turkeys probe into the escape. Japanese public broadcaster NHK, citing investigative sources, said a surveillance camera captured the former Nissan Motor Co chairman leaving his Tokyo residence alone shortly before his escape. The security footage was taken by a camera installed at his house in central Tokyo around noon on Sunday, and the camera did not show him returning home, NHK said. By early Monday, he had touched down in Istanbul. MNG Jet said in its statement it leased two jets to two different clients in agreements that were seemingly not connected to each other. One plane flew from Osaka to Istanbul, the other from Istanbul to Beirut. The name of Mr Ghosn did not appear in the official documentation of any of the flights, it said. After having learnt through the media that the leasing was benefiting Mr. Ghosn and not the officially declared passengers, MNG Jet launched an internal inquiry and filed a criminal complaint in Turkey, it added. An employee admitted to falsifying the records and confirmed he acted in his individual capacity, the company said. The pilots and other detainees, including two airport ground staff and one cargo worker, were sent to court on Friday after giving statements to police, according to a Reuters witness. Late on Friday the court ruled to formally arrest five of the suspects, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported. The other two suspects were released from custody, according to media reports. Turkish interior ministry spokesman Ismail Catakli told reporters earlier on Friday that Ghosn was believed to have been transferred through the cargo section of the airport in Istanbul, but did not provide further details. Ghosn has said he will speak publicly about his escape on Jan. 8. Some Lebanese media, in reports similar to the Wall Street Journal, have floated a Houdini-like account of Ghosn being packed in a wooden container for musical instruments after a private concert in his home, but his wife has called the account fiction. NHK said police suspected Ghosn may have left his home to meet up with someone before heading to an airport. Under the terms of his bail, Ghosn was required to have security cameras installed at the entrance of his house. The year saw many new faces taking office within the county. New county commissioners, a new sheriff, a new county clerk, and county assessor took their oath of office at the beginning of the year. However, not all county vacancies were a result of the 2018 election. Don Van Matre, a respected member of the board of county commissioners, died after a long battle with cancer. Issues impacting the county included a debate about a truck stop proposal outside of Jamestown and an increase in the countys lodging tax. New officials take office The 2018 elections led to a number of new people taking the reigns of county offices. Republicans Roy Lloyd and Jeffery Smith were placed on the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners, while Republican Cindy Lane became Sweetwater County Clerk and Republican John Grossnickle assumed his elected position as Sweetwater County Sheriff. Democrat Dave Divis became the Sweetwater County Assessor. Don Van Matre passes away Don Van Matre, a long-serving Sweetwater County commissioner and a former mayor of Green River died in May. Van Matre was remembered by many for his catchphrase its another day in paradise and for the thoughtful and respectful approach me made when working as a county commissioner, even when he disagreed with other commissioners. He was always agreeable when we had a disagreement, Sweetwater County Commissioner Wally Johnson said. Van Matre was appointed to the role in 2010 and had served as the head of the countys Veterans Service Office prior to the appointment. Van Matres death resulted in the Sweetwater County Republican Party being tasked with submitting three candidates to fulfill the remainder of his term. Those people were Island Richards, Lauren Schoenfeld and John Kolb. Schoenfeld was selected by the commissioners in a 3-1 vote, with Johnson breaking from the rest of the group to support Richards. District court judge retires District Court Judge Nena James retired from the bench in October, after serving for 18 years. James started her law career in 1974, when she opened a law office in Sweetwater County. She was appointed the countys justice of the peace, a precursor to the current role of circuit court judge, in 1975. She decided not to apply for the circuit court judge position when the state phased out its justice of the peace jobs in 1981, opting to focus on her private practice. In 1989, she became the municipal court judge in Rock Springs. She was appointed to serve as district court judge in 2001. It was hard because I didnt have any help and a full-time case load, she said about the first few months as district court judge. James calls her work with juveniles and in domestic relations some of the highlights of her career. Specifically, she thought the work with juveniles was meaningful because of all the agencies involved dedicated to improve outcomes for children. She also was the judge for Rock Springs High Schools attendance court, which reviewed work and attendance of students she had seen in court. I believe we really did save the education of quite a few kids, James said. James said she plans to continue residing in Sweetwater County. Her replacement, Judge Suzannah Robinson, was appointed in October. Truck stop proposal approved Throughout the year, much of the areas attention was focused on a proposal to build a truck stop west of Green River, near Jamestown. The Loves Travel Stop proposal was ultimately approved by both the countys planning and zoning board and the Sweetwater County commissioners, many residents living near the site Loves will build the truck stop voiced concerns and opposition to the proposal. However, others think the truck stop will open up future possibilities for further development in the area. Plant closures announced Rocky Mountain Power released the results of its integrated resource plan, which called for the early retirement of coal-powered units at the Jim Bridger Power Plant and the Noughton Plant near Kemmerer. The company later announced it is eyeing a 2023 closure date for Unit 1 at Jim Bridger. The announcement was met with heavy criticism from local leaders and an investigation into the methodology used in RMPs study was launched by the Wyoming Public Service Commission. Lodging tax increased to 4 percent Another event tied to election ins 2018 was the increase in county-wide lodging tax to 4 percent. The increase took place in April. The tax supports the promotion of tourism within the county and pays for marketing efforts focused out of the area. Tourism is a huge part of our local economy, Jenissa Meredith, executive director of the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board, told the Green River City Council Tuesday night. Aircraft visits airport A B-17 Flying Fortress made a stop at the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport in June. The aircraft, dubbed the Sentimental Journey, had a number of visitors recalling their own stories while serving in the armed forces. Deer Trail Assisted Living in Rock Springs sent veterans living at the facility to see the aircraft, a group that included a 96-year-old veteran who originally flew on missions in B-17 and B-24 aircraft in World War II. Vern Peterson served as a radio man and gunner during the war, flying dangerous missions over Germany. During one mission he was involved in, he was certain he and his crew would be killed, but credited the pilots skill with bringing the B-24 they were in back to base. Im glad to see one like that all in one piece, Peterson said with a smile when talking about the B-17. We won the war, that makes me feel good. Peterson died Oct. 9 at Deer Trail Assisted Living. The first mountain lion of Nebraskas 2020 hunting season was killed Thursday on the first morning of the two-month hunt. Travis Handy posted on the Nebraska Fishing and Hunting Bragging Board on Facebook that he shot the animal south of Chadron. He and a friend had used a distressed fawn call, waited for about 90 minutes and were moving to another area when they saw the cat at the base of a tree, about 50 yards away. He was looking right at us, he wrote. Sent one round right past his face and into the pump house. Dead before his head hit the ground. The 29-year-old from Grant was unsuccessful during the 2019 season. But I learned a lot last year and applied it this year, he told the Journal Star. Its been a dream of mine since I was a little boy. The mountain lion, the first and only cat killed so far this season, was about 1 years old and weighed 115 pounds, said Sam Wilson, furbearer and carnivore manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The Pine Ridge Unit is home to nearly 60 mountain lions two to three times the estimated population in 2014, when the state authorized its first hunt. Hunters killed five animals that year, and five more when the hunting season returned last year. The hunts have been controversial, generating opposition from the public, the U.S. Humane Society and Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers. He successfully championed a bill in 2014 to ban the practice, though it was vetoed by Gov. Dave Heineman. This year, Handy was among about 400 permitted hunters chasing one of the eight animals or four females established as the limit for this years season, Wilson said. The Pine Ridge Unit is divided into north and south subunits, with limits of four animals, or two females, in each. Handy, who plans to eat the mountain lion meat, killed it on public land in the south area. But thats about all hed say about the location. Don't wanna give it away completely, he wrote on Facebook. Still got a buddy with a tag. Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 03: Kevin Feige attends the 23rd Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 03, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/FilmMagic) As the man who orchestrated the growth and expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kevin Feige undoubtedly has a soft spot for all of the characters that have popped up in all 23 of its installments. But does Feige actually have a favourite Marvel character? The Marvel Studios president was asked that very question during his recent visit to the New York Film Academy, and while Feige insisted that he doesnt usually have one he confessed that, at the moment, he would pick Iron Man. Read More: Marvel isn't unveiling its first trans character 'very soon' after all Usually the answer to that question is whatever Im working on now and whatever is encompassing the majority of my time or brain space, Feige originally explained. Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man But because Im still nostalgic off of Endgame and literally cant believe that Im sitting here and talking to you in an era where I have finished the Infinity Saga and have done our 22, 23 counting Far From Home, movies in Infinity Saga and brought that to a close. So Im nostalgic for Iron Man from where it started and where it finished. And the character that we very purposely -- all of our instincts went into that. Read more: Kristen Stewart open to playing gay Marvel superhero It makes perfect sense that Feige would pick Iron Man. Not just because he kick-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also due to the fact that Robert Downey Jrs beloved superhero died at the end of Avengers: Endgame, as he heroically sacrificed himself to kill and defeat Thanos. When Feige finally decides it is time to pick a new favourite Marvel character, hell have plenty of options. Thats because The Eternals and Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings will debut plenty of new superheroes, while theres no doubt that Black Widow, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, Spider-Man: Far From Home 3 and Thor: Love And Thunder will see several characters debut, too. "Can you hear me?" The voice coming through my earbuds sounds scratchy. The earbuds connect to an FM receiver, part of an assistive listening device. Harvard Law School hired American Sign Language interpreters with voice transliteration skills to provide access to audio and visual information in my classes. In the back, interpreters Celia Michau and Erin Foley whisper into a microphone, which has a wireless connection with the receiver, so I can sit anywhere in the classroom. I prefer to sit in the back, though, just in case I need to communicate with the interpreters. "[Mumble, mumble, static crackle.] How about now?" a voice asks. I shrug, then shake my head no. "Well, you're responding, so you can kind of hear us, right?" Somewhere in front of me, the professor lectures us on contracts. Around him, 70 students sit in rows of desks facing forward. Using my voice would disrupt the class. Turning to the back of the room, I lift my hands, then pause. To communicate through signs, I need to distill my ideas into my limited sign language vocabulary, or otherwise spell out all the words. I sign, "C-O-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-E-D." "It's complicated? So you can hear us, but it's hard to hear us?" "Right," I sign back. "Okay. What can we do to help?" "I don't know," I sign. Haben Girma with former President Barack Obama (Photo: Office of Haben Girma_ "The professor just looked at us. I think he was wondering if you raised your hand." My face grows hot. I make a mental note to keep my signing as low as possible. "Do you want us to continue with class?" Nodding, I turn my chair to face the front. "Okay, back to class. The defendant's [mumble mumble]." Reaching down for my guide dog, Maxine, I discover her stretched out. I give her a belly rub. The lecture continues, and I strain to catch the words. Every way I listen, the words are gobbledygook. It's not the volume, which is already turned to a high setting. It's my hearing. My ever-decreasing, diminishing, disappointing hearing. Why I chose Harvard I'm 22 years old, and every year my hearing and vision have dimmed. The changes are gradual, until all of the sudden my old coping strategies no longer work. Since I wore sleep shades during blindness training, adjusting to my ongoing vision loss has been straightforward. I already have all the blindness skills, but adjusting to hearing loss feels more challenging. The inaccessibility of the hearing world constantly threatens to isolate me. Connecting with classmates and professors at Harvard was always important to me, but it wasn't the only reason I moved from Oregon to Massachusetts. My personal experience with discrimination, as well as those I heard from others, sparked my desire to develop legal advocacy skills. My pre-law advisor urged me to strive for the highest ranked school so I could gain access to the most employment opportunities. Even lawyers with disabilities face employment discrimination. The school didn't know exactly which accommodations I need. Neither did I; doing law school deafblind was new to me, too. After I spent months crafting a competitive law school application, offers came pouring in. And then came the big one: Harvard Law School. Harvard offered me admission with a financial aid package that included grants and loans. Leaving the Best Coast for the East Coast didn't appeal to me, but I knew I had to do everything in my power to increase my chances of becoming a successful lawyer. My parents supported the move, especially after I promised to return to California post-graduation. In some ways, Harvard felt a lot like my other schools. The written word served as my lifeline. The disability office worked with professors to convert all written materials into an accessible format. My biggest struggle was finding a better ways to communicate with classmates and professors. Harvard Law School's first deafblind graduate Harvard excluded many groups throughout its history. When Helen Keller was applying for college, Harvard wouldn't admit her. Back in those days, Harvard only admitted men. Harvard's sister school, Radcliffe College, offered Helen Keller admission, and she received her degree in 1904. The Harvard community chose to exclude women for the first two hundred-plus years of its existence. Over time, the culture shifted. Adapted. Changed. Harvard eventually opened its doors to women, people of color, and people with disabilities. Haben Girma on NBC's Today Show Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images Throughout my three years at Harvard Law School, I continued to face challenges. The school didn't know exactly which accommodations I need. Neither did I; doing law school deafblind was new to me, too. We engaged in an interactive process. We tried different strategies until we find the right solutions. I passed all my classes, even earning several honors. Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad will join probe after quarantine period is over Vigilance to probe dentists charges against ex-CBI special director Asthana India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chandigarh, Jan 04: The Chandigarh Vigilance Department will investigate allegations of a local dentist that former CBI special director Rakesh Asthana influenced police to lodge a case of cheating against him on the complaint of an NRI woman, officials said. Dr Mohit Dhawan had filed a complaint against Asthana; former Chandigarh DGP Tajinder Singh Luthra; former DSP Satish Kumar; Inspector Ashwani Attri and an NRI woman before the CBI Director in New Delhi last year. The doctor also levelled allegations of extortion, harassment and fabrication of documents by police. The CBI had forwarded the complaint of Dr Dhawan to the Chandigarh Vigilance Department recently. CBI officer probing Vyapam, Asthana repatriated In 2018, the Chandigarh Police had registered a case of cheating against the doctor on the complaint of US national G D'Souza, who had alleged that Dr Dhawan's dental implant procedure on her was improper. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 The dentist had claimed that the case was registered against him under the pressure of the senior CBI officer and the former Chandigarh DGP. The doctor alleged that he had filed a cheque-bounce case against D'Souza in a court after her cheque for Rs 7 lakh was dishonoured. "A staff member of the Vigilance office acknowledged that my complaint to the CBI has been forwarded to the Vigilance Department here on December 28," the doctor claimed. Former CBI chief Rakesh Asthana among 3 IPS officers to get top pay scale In his complaint to the CBI, Dr Dhawan had attached copies of a few e-mails accessed through an RTI, which claim that the NRI woman had contacted Asthana. Police said the matter is sub-judice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 19:33:25|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close by Nguon Sovan, Mao Pengfei KEP, Cambodia, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A local couple were rescued alive after trapped for 21 hours under the debris of a collapsed six-floor building in southwest Cambodia's Kep province, a provincial spokesman said on Saturday. "At 2:10 p.m. local time today, the rescue team had pulled a couple out of the rubble alive, bringing the number of the injured to 20," Kep Provincial Information Department director and spokesman Ros Udong told Xinhua. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, who is leading the rescue team to search for the people trapped under the collapsed building, said besides the injured, seven others were killed in the incident. "The rescue team is continuing to remove the concrete slaps and to cut metal fibers in order to search for more victims," he wrote on his Facebook on Saturday morning, adding that between 20 and 30 people, including foremen and construction workers, were in the building when it collapsed. He said the building came down at around 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Kep city when workers were pouring concrete to build the seventh floor. More than 1,000 rescuers had taken part in the rescue operation, and 12 excavators, four crane trucks, 10 ambulances, five firetrucks, and more than 10 dumper trucks had been used to remove the debris of the collapsed building. In Savuth, a 37-year-old rescuer from the Kep Provincial Military Region 3, said he had spent the whole Friday night to search for the trapped. "I'm a bit tired, but very happy because I had pulled out three female victims from the rubble, and one of them is alive," he told Xinhua. "My body is small, so it's easy for me to crawl into holes of debris to take out the victims." Savuth said the survived woman got injured on her head, but she was still conscious when she was brought out of the wreckage. "If I had not saved her on time, she must be died of suffocation because it was very difficult to breathe inside the debris," he said. Relatives of the missing have waited anxiously since Friday night, as rescuers spare no effort to remove the rubble in search for more victims. "My younger brother and sister as well as her husband are still missing under the debris," Mon Dos, the 26-year-old brother, told Xinhua in a somber voice. "I was extremely shocked when I got news from a fellow worker that my brother and sister were trapped under the collapsed building." "I hope the rescuers will recover them soon, and I pray to the Buddha to save their lives because I have only two brothers and sister," he said. Representatives of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (CCCC)'s branch in Sihavoukville province visited the site on Saturday and brought donations to express condolences to the victims and their families. Ing Vuthy, an official at the Kep provincial government accepted the donation and expressed gratitude. "Chinese friends' care and help symbolize our friendship. The donation will be used to help the injured people in the accident." Some Chinese people brought water, food and tools and some were working together with Cambodian rescue teams on site. Survivors said they are very lucky to be alive in such a deadly building collapse. "It's like I was born again. When I got trapped in the debris, I had no hope to survive," Bal Pheap, 38, told Xinhua while being hospitalized at the Kep Provincial Hospital for his head injury. "Under the debris, it was completely dark and difficult to breathe, and I just kept shouting desperately for help. Fortunately, rescuers found me about three hours after the incident," he said, adding that he was at the fifth floor when the collapse happened. Pheap said his wife and a 17-year-old son as well as his sister remain trapped in the ground floor of the collapsed building and he did not know about their fate. Kep Provincial Hospital's director Men Sothy said the victims had got injured mostly on heads, bodies and limbs. "So far, all the injured victims are in stable condition and they are recovering," he told Xinhua. Chhun Tith, head of the firefighting bureau in Kep province, said Ek Sarun, the Cambodian owner of the collapsed building, was detained for questioning over the tragic incident. An official at the Kep Provincial Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction said the building's owner had applied for a license to construct a five-story building, but he illegally built it up to seven floors. "This is perhaps the main cause of the collapse," he said while visiting the collapsed building. Located about 160 km southwest of capital Phnom Penh, the coastal province of Kep is an emerging tourist destination, and the tiny province is known for its seafood and tropical islands. Birds Eye have shocked some customers by revealing you can cook their potato waffles in the toaster [Image: Getty] Fans of Birds Eyes potato waffles have been left amazed after it was revealed they had been cooking them all wrong. The frozen food brand said they could be heated up in the toaster much faster than the oven. Previously, it was stated the product should be grilled for 15 minutes - however instructions are now being amended on the side of packets. All you need to do is set your toaster to a medium-high setting before placing them inside like slices of bread. The brand spent hours testing out the new hack [Image: Birds Eye] READ MORE: Costa impresses customers with pink hot chocolate that's perfect for Instagram Birds Eye spent more than 103 hours testing the method on 3,000 waffles before announcing the tip to social media followers. In a post on Twitter, they wrote: Did you know, you can cook our potato waffles in the toaster? Despite the simplicity of the hack, their corresponding poll revealed that 65 per cent of people had no idea the kitchen appliance could be used - while others said they had been using the method for years. One person wrote: Game changer! Did you know, you can cook our potato waffles in the toaster? Birds Eye UK (@BirdsEyeUK) November 27, 2019 READ MORE: Princess Diana revealed her favourite dish was a Ukrainian beetroot soup in unearthed letters Another commented: My wife didn't believe me! Thanks for confirming!! Keen to try it out, a third asked: From frozen? However, many had already been enlisting the handy trick. One person admitted: I've been cooking waffles in a toaster for probably the last 15-20 years..I thought everyone did this?! READ MORE: Fans queue to get their hands on Greggs highly-anticipated vegan steak bake Another said: Always done them in the toaster. A third enthused: Never cooked them any other way. Steve Challouma, marketing director at Birds Eye, said: We know there has been a lot of confusion and debate on this way of cooking our Original Potato Waffles so we decided to put it to the test. Story continues After days of rigorous 'toasting', we're happy to confirm it is safe to cook our waffles this way and it doesn't compromise on taste either you can still expect the same delicious taste that is crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle! In other supermarket news, Morrisons champagne has been crowned the best own-brand supermarket bubbly. The budget fizz beat the likes of Harvey Nichols and Waitrose together with offerings from all other supermarkets. This is according to Good Housekeepings annual festive fizz taste test, in which the Morrisons The Best Brut Premier Cru Champagne was awarded 78 points out of 100. The panel was looking for a balanced fizz, packed with delicate bubbles, well-integrated rich notes and a pleasant, lasting finish. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK: Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ.Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ. Longing for the sun J.P. Nadda was set to take over as the full-time Bharatiya Janata Party president in January but there is no sign of a process in motion to elect the working president as Amit Shahs successor. Mr Nadda is reportedly a tad jittery as the Delhi Assembly poll is drawing closer and he, after the Jharkhand Assembly electoral setback, does not want to be labelled the Rahul of the BJP. Informed sources say nothing is likely to happen before January 15 (Makar Sankranti) when the sun begins its movement away from the Tropic of Capricorn, towards the northern hemisphere. It is also known as Uttarayan and supposedly starts an auspicious period. A reshuffle in the Congress and a Cabinet expansion in Jharkhand is also reportedly on hold till the sun changes its position. Greetings for Das vanquisher Rebel BJP leader Saryu Rai has become a hero of sorts. After defeating Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das from Jamshedpur, Mr Rai has reportedly received congratulatory telephonic calls from over a dozen senior BJP leaders, Union ministers and NDA allies like Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan. BJP insiders find this a bit unusual as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and BJP working president J.P. Nadda campaigned against Mr Rai in the Assembly poll. Pretenders to Delhis throne The battle for Delhi is heating up with the Central Election Commission contemplating an announcement of the poll dates. There is a sense of belligerence in the BJP following the anti-CAA-NRC protests in the national capital, based on an assessment that politics in the national capital stands deeply polarised. Several new and notable wannabes for the Delhi chief ministers post have cropped up. Leading the pack is giant-killer Smriti Irani who demolished Rahul Gandhi in the Amethi Lok Sabha election. The former Chandni Chowk parliamentary candidate is battle-ready. Union urban development minister Hardeep Puri, who is holding countless press conferences, is also ready to take on Arvind Kejriwal. Others vying to be the BJPs face in Delhi are Manoj Tiwari, Vijay Goel, Parvesh Verma and Dr Harsh Vardhan. Red faces in IMD There are many red faces at Mausam Bhawanon Lodhi Road in New Delhi, housing the Indian Meteorological Department. The IMD specialises in weather forecasts. It had predicted a normal winter in a series of forecasts made a few months ago. But the severity of winter in northern India has proved IMD wrong. The Prime Ministers Office has reportedly checked with Union minister for science, technology and earth sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan about the accuracy of IMD reports. Set up in 1875, IMD serves as a principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology, seismology and allied subjects. Its charter of duty is to warn against severe weather phenomena like tropical cyclones, norwesters, duststorms, heavy rains and snow, cold and heat waves, which cause destruction of life and property. Smoke out the left-libbers The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) met in Indore for three days to assess ongoing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register for Citizens. Over 400 delegates were briefed by RSS sarsanchalak Mohan Bhagwat. Apparently, there are two views within the RSS. One section favoured a strong campaign for CAA and a counter-offensive against protesters, while some RSS leaders pleaded for a more conservative approach, to wait and watch how the Modi government handles the situation. Many delegates advocated samvad (dialogue) to correct apprehensions and to isolate left-liberals from the masses, who have certain misgivings. LSTV versus RSTV A high-level committee overseeing the merger of Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV has not been able to come to a viable solution as new problems keep cropping up. Rajya Sabha TV wants the Lok Sabha staffers to move into their premises lock, stock and barrel. But LSTV personnel don't want to make any concession. A deadlock continues. The writer is a keen observer of the goings-on in backrooms of power A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir police and security forces on Friday night, police said on Saturday. The terrorist, identified as Nisar Dar, had earlier escaped from an encounter in Kullan village of Ganderbal district, in which one Pakistani terrorist was killed, Jammu and Kashmir police officer Imtiyaz Hussain said. "Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by J & K Police & Security Forces. He had escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist of proscribed terror outfit was killed. This dreaded terrorist was wanted in many terror crimes," Hussain tweeted. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Its probably no surprise that a new global safety study concluded that for 2020, Qantas is the worlds safest airline (remember that famous discussion in the movie Rain Man?). But its definitely a surprise that Southwest Airlines ranked so far down on the AirlineRatings.com list dead last among U.S. carriers earning only three out of a possible seven stars. Most of the other U.S. carriers in the study earned a full seven stars (out of seven), including American, Delta, United, Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Frontier, Sun Country, Silver Airways (a regional airline serving Florida and the Bahamas), Cape Air (a small-plane turboprop carrier in New England, south Florida and the Caribbean) and Omni Air International (a charter carrier). However, only Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines rank among the world's top 20 safest carriers, according to AirlineRatings analysis of 405 carriers worldwide. The three U.S. airlines that didnt earn seven stars were Spirit, Allegiant and PenAir (a commuter carrier in Alaska). But each of them had a rating of four stars, still better than Southwests three. Southwests three safety stars puts it in the company of carriers such as Aerocaribbean (Cuba), Avia Traffic Co. (Kyrgyzstan), Novoair (Bangladesh), Tajik Air (Tajikistan) and Turkmenistan Airlines, as well as Air Panama, Ethiopian Airlines and northern Canadas First Air. Even with three stars, Southwest still ranked higher than two-star airlines in the study such as Iraqi Airways and Afghanistans Ariana Afghan and Kam Air. (The study found just a single company that merited only one safety star: Nepal Airlines.) So what happened to Southwest? One standard that most carriers easily passed in the AirlineRatings.com study was an absence of passenger fatalities over the past 10 years, and thats one thing that tripped up Southwest. You might recall that in April 2018, a Wells Fargo Bank executive on a Southwest flight from New York's LaGuardia to Dallas died after she was struck by a piece of shrapnel that crashed through her window when an engine failed and blew apart. The B737 had to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia. That was the first U.S. airline passenger fatality since 2009. But theres an even bigger factor and not an entirely fair one. The study placed major importance on whether an airline has passed an operational safety audit (IOSA) conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade organization of the worlds airlines. And Southwest didnt check that box although that seems to be a technicality. Registering for IOSA certification and auditing is not mandatory, AirlineRatings.com noted. Therefore an airline that does not have IOSA certification may have either failed the IOSA audit or alternatively chosen not to participate. An IOSA audit is required for airlines that belong to IATA, but according to an online list of IATA carriers, Southwest is not a member. Because U.S. airlines are so closely regulated and inspected by the FAA, Southwests lack of an IOSA audit doesnt mean its not safe. But its failure to get that audit cost it three stars out of seven in the AirlineRatings.com safety study. AirlineRatings.com said its safety study considers a comprehensive range of factors that include audits from aviations governing and industry bodies, government audits, airlines crash and serious incident record, profitability, industry-leading safety initiatives, and fleet age. It does not consider the size or number of safe flights completed each year by the airline, which would likely boost the rating of Southwest considering its sheer number of incident-free flights every year. From Perth, Australia, Geoffrey Thomas, editor and publisher at AirlineRatings.com told SFGATE, "Southwest is a great airline, but is not amongst our safest airlines due to the fact that it has not completed the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit or IOSA. This is an audit that is done every two years and covers over 1000 parameters many of which are operational and safety areas." He added that since Southwest has not participated in an IOSA audit, it has not made the top 20 list in any of the five years this study has been published. Using the sort function on the online list, we were unable to remove the IOSA criteria to see how Southwest ranked without that. Rating airlines on safety is a touchy, difficult subject. For example, a competing airline rating site, SkyTrax.com, states that it "does not publish a comparative rating of airline safety standards or airline safety record details, because there is no single accurate, global reference of safety standards and/or safety incidents which provides information that can in our opinion be truly trusted by passengers, or which supplies total accuracy to customers in choosing an airline... It is critical that any single, global measure of airline safety provides exactly that a single rating format with no gaps caused by inconsistency in the way safety incidents may or may not be reported." UPDATE: Southwest Airlines provided the following statement to SFGATE on Friday: "As we approach nearly 50 years of air service, Southwest has safely transported more U.S. air travelers each year than any other carrier, for well more than a decade. Safety has been, is and will remain our number one priority and focus. We note that the primary driver in ranking carriers within this study is IOSA registration, which, to date, as an airline serving primarily US destinations, we have chosen not to pursue. We regularly evaluate whether an additional affiliation with IATA, which administers the IOSA program, would make sense as our international footprint grows. " Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly email alerts Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. In declaring Qantas to be the worlds safest airline, AirlineRatings.com noted that over its 99-year history the worlds oldest continuously operating airline has amassed a truly amazing record of firsts in operations and safety and is now accepted as the industrys most experienced airline. It noted that Qantas has pioneered a number of safety-related technologies such as real-time monitoring of its engines across its fleet using satellite communications, which has enabled the airline to detect problems before they become a major safety issue. Other carriers in the studys top 20 safest airlines include Air New Zealand, EVA Air, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Alaska Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Virgin Australia, Hawaiian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, TAP Portugal, SAS, Royal Jordanian, Swiss, Finnair, Lufthansa, Aer Lingus, and KLM. Thomas said that US carriers Delta, American and United, all had incidents involving allegedly intoxicated pilots during 2019, which ruled them ineligible for the top 20 list. AirlineRatings.com also issued a separate list of the Top 10 Safest & Best Low-cost Airlines. That list includes Air Arabia, Flybe, Frontier, HK Express, IndiGo, JetBlue, Volaris, Vueling, Westjet, and Wizz. You can scroll through a complete rating list of all the studys airlines here. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates! BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON: Iran promised vengeance after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on Friday killed Qassem Soleimani, Tehran`s most prominent military commander and the architect of its growing influence in the Middle East. Soleimani, a 62-year-old general who headed the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, was regarded as the second most powerful figure after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The overnight attack, authorised by US President Donald Trump, was a major escalation in a "shadow war" in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and American allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia. A senior Trump administration official said the general had been planning imminent attacks on US personnel across the Middle East. Democratic critics said the order by the Republican president was reckless and that he had raised the risk of more violence in a dangerous region. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel but we caught him in the act and terminated him," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." Trump said the United States was not seeking regime change in Iran, but that Tehran must end what he called its aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters. A top U.S. general cautioned that the plot by Soleimani could still happen despite his death. US officials said Washington was sending nearly 3,000 more troops to the Middle East, joining roughly 750 sent to Kuwait this week. The attack, which also killed a top Iraqi militia commander and adviser to Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, divided Iraqi opinion. Many condemned the attacks, seeing Soleimani as a hero for his role in defeating the Islamic State militant group. Others voiced approval, saying Soleimani and Muhandis had backed the use of force against unarmed anti-government protesters last year and established militias that demonstrators blame for many of Iraq`s social and economic woes. However, many Iraqis criticised Washington for killing the men on Iraqi soil and possibly plunging Iraq into another war. Early on Saturday in Baghdad, air strikes targeting a convoy carrying members of an Iran-backed militia killed six people and wounded three north of the city, an Iraqi army source said. State TV reported that it was carried by the United States. There was no immediate confirmation from Washington. There had already been a sharp increase in U.S.-Iranian hostilities last week when pro-Iranian militia attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad following a deadly U.S. air raid on the Kataib Hezbollah militia, founded by Muhandis. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said with Friday`s attack Washington had breached Iraq`s sovereignty and violated a deal for keeping U.S. troops there. INTELLIGENCE OPERATION Two Iraqi security sources said the attack followed an intelligence operation in which inside sources recruited by the CIA revealed the timing of Soleimani`s arrival in Baghdad and his convoy leaving the airport. Khamenei said harsh revenge awaited the "criminals" who killed Soleimani and his death would redouble resistance against the United States and Israel. He called for three days of national mourning. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the attack was an act of "international terrorism" and Iran would take legal action to hold Washington to account. U.S. officials said Soleimani was killed in a drone strike. Iran said he died in an attack by U.S. helicopters. Israel put its army on high alert and U.S. allies in Europe including Britain, France and Germany voiced concerns. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "maximum restraint". In a letter to Guterres and the U.N. Security Council, Iran said it reserved the right under international law to self-defence and that Soleimani`s killing "by any measure, is an obvious example of State terrorism..." Iran`s top Arab foe, Saudi Arabia, urged restraint. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo on a phone call that the killing "grossly violates international law" and would lead to serious consequences for regional peace and stability, according to a ministry statement. The U.S. embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens to leave Iraq immediately, and dozens of U.S. citizens working for foreign oil companies in the southern city of Basra left. The evacuations would not affect output and exports, Iraqi officials said. Oil prices jumped more than $3 a barrel over concern about disruption to Middle East supplies. `STICK OF DYNAMITE` Chas Freeman, a retired U.S. ambassador, said he could think of no other example of the United States openly killing a senior foreign government official during peacetime. "This is unprecedented," Freeman said. Former Vice President Joe Biden, a contender among Democrats seeking to run against Trump in November, said Trump had "tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox." After being briefed by U.S. officials in Washington, House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, questioned why Trump chose to act against Soleimani now, when previous administrations decided such a step would increase the risks in the region. "If the administration has a broader strategy, they have yet to articulate it," Schiff told reporters. As chief of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guards foreign arm, Soleimani had a main role in fighting in Syria and Iraq. Over two decades he was at the forefront of projecting Iran`s military influence across the Middle East and survived several assassination attempts by Western, Israeli and Arab agencies, acquiring celebrity status at home and abroad. `SORRY FOR OUR LOSS` President Hassan Rouhani said the killing would stiffen Iran`s resistance to the United States. In the capital Tehran, hundreds of demonstrators marched toward Khamenei`s compound to convey their condolences. "I am not a pro-regime person but I liked Soleimani. He was brave and he loved Iran, I am very sorry for our loss," said housewife Mina Khosrozadeh in Tehran. In Soleimani`s home town, Kerman, people wearing black gathered in front of his father`s house, weeping as they listened to a recitation from the Koran. "Heroes never die. It cannot be true. Qassem Soleimani will always be alive," said Mohammad Reza Seraj, a teacher. Soleimani became head of the Quds Force in 1998, after which he strengthened Iran`s ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria`s government and Shiite militia groups in Iraq. The slain commander`s force, along with battle-hardened paramilitary proxies in the region, has ample means to respond. When Democrats won control of both houses of the Virginia Legislature November 5, 2019, Virginia gun-owners got a rude wake-up call. Now that wake-up call is spreading to gun-owners throughout the rest of the 49 states. In July 2019, Gov. Ralph Northam proposed a package of eight proposals that would tighten Virginia's gun laws, known as some of the least restrictive in the country. Currently, Virginia's gun control measures of merit ban the sale of firearms only to high-risk individuals and those convicted of domestic violence. However, the proposals would turn the least restrictive into what some would call dangerously restrictive, a premeditated strike against the Second Amendment. Northam's proposed package calls for legislation: Requiring background checks on all firearms sales and transactions. The bill mandates that any person selling, renting, trading, or transferring a firearm must first obtain the results of a background check before completing the transaction. Banning dangerous weapons. This will include bans on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks and silencers. Reinstating Virginia's successful [sic] law allowing only one handgun purchase within a 30-day period. Requiring that lost and stolen firearms be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours. Creating an Extreme Risk Protective Order, allowing law enforcement and the courts to temporarily separate a person from firearms if the person exhibits dangerous behavior that presents an immediate threat to self or others. Prohibiting all individuals subject to final protective orders from possessing firearms. The bill expands Virginia law which currently prohibits individuals subject to final protective orders of family abuse from possessing firearms. Enhancing the punishment for allowing access to loaded, unsecured firearm by a child from a Class 3 Misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony. The bill also raises the age of the child from 14 to 18. Enabling localities to enact any firearms ordinances that are stricter than state law. This includes regulating firearms in municipal buildings, libraries and at permitted events. Incoming Democratic speaker of the House of Delegates Eileen Filler Corn said gun control is a top Democratic priority for 2020 as she was recently interviewed for Fox News's On the Hill. This puts the Democrat majority squarely in the middle of a groundswell of activism. As Virginia becomes ground zero for virulent gun control activists, such as Moms Demand Action, they are met by the equally fierce Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), who are determined to protect Second Amendment rights. While Virginia is home to the National Rifle Association (NRA), the VCDL grassroots organization, founded in 1994, is taking the lead in the fight against the legislation. This fight, while still predominantly Virginia-focused, is turning into growing national movement via social media, as word is spreading to gun-owners across the country. The concern is that what happens in Virginia could soon be coming to a state near you, or your own state, via legislative initiatives. The gun control topic has become so impassioned that VCDL is mounting a 50,000-plus lobbying effort slated for January 20 in the Richmond capital, the day the Democrats assume power. However, the battle is also being fought throughout the state, county by county, city by city. In response to Governor Northam's statement that laws would be enforced "if we have constitutional laws on the books and law enforcement officers are not enforcing those laws on the books, then there are going to be consequences, but I'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it" the populace is banding together at their respective county board meetings. Hence the rise of the Second Amendment "sanctuary county" movement. Prince William County's December 10 meeting was standing room only as the County Board voted on and passed the resolution declaring Prince William County a sanctuary county and that it would not "enforce any unconstitutional law." To date, with the recent addition of Fauquier County, with direct access to Washington, D.C., 87 out of 95 counties, 11 out of 38 independent cities, and 20 towns have adopted Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions in Virginia. The battle facing Virginians on both sides of the debate is not slowing. Northam, surprised at the vitriolic response of gun-owning citizens tried the divide and conquer tactic when he introduced a provision on Dec. 9 that would grandfather in existing guns that met the proposed weapons ban. However, two key developments have recently both enraged and further energized the gun rights movement. Thursday, January 2, four budget hearings were held throughout the state with attention zeroing in on a proposed budget line item calling for a $4.8-million, 18-officer team to enforce the governor's proposed "assault weapons" ban. A legislative draft of a bill was proposed by incoming Senate majority leader Dick Saslaw, making it a felony to possess a pistol, rifle, or shotgun that falls under its "assault weapon" definition. Saslaw's definition of an assault weapon would expand to include a firearm magazine that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition. So if a gun-owner owns a popular model like the Glock semi-auto, the standard magazines that come with the gun would make the owner in violation of the Virginia law if passed. This raises the hotly contested confiscation specter and what the gun-owner will do versus what the authorities will do to the gun-owner. The scheduled rally on January 20 at the Richmond state capitol will be watched very carefully, because it also has the potential to spiral out of control. Social media channels that discuss the subject daily are spreading the intel that groups like Antifa, the Nazi Party, et al. will be joining the fray, leaving it up to subscribers and viewers to distinguish between those channels that carefully vet information they receive e.g., law enforcement, actual government documentation and those that spread the personal opinions of the channels' owners. As with all channels, the comments sections are indicative of the how strongly people feel about the situation in Virginia and what some are prepared to do. Gun-owners are no less saddened by Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, or Columbine than their fellow citizens, but they also realize what is at stake if a government body passes laws designed to disarm its citizens in violation of their rights guaranteed by the Constitution and reinforced by the Supreme Court (see D.C. v. Heller). It seems poignant, and perhaps apropos, that the state that was home to Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, and Madison, and so dominant in the history of the founding of our country, is now once again a battlefield of the people versus their government. On which side will Virginia fall this time? Image: Craig via Flickr. Sweeper Job 2020 in Lahore Latest A Leading Group of Companies Posts Lahore 2022 A Leading Group of Companies required the service of experienced, strong and responsible person for the post of Sweeper in Lahore Punjab Pakistan 2020. How to Apply on A Leading Group of Companies 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 an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has appeared to contradict his own story regarding his role in overseeing the U.S. mission to kill Osama bin Laden. Biden was on the campaign trail in Iowa when he changed his story about the 2011 Navy SEAL mission that resulted in bin Laden's death in a conversation with a Fox News reporter. 'As commander in chief, if you were ever handed a piece of intelligence that said you could stop an imminent attack on Americans but you have to use an airstrike to take out a terrorist leader would you pull the trigger?' the reporter asked Biden. 'Well we did - the guy's name was Osama bin Laden,' replied Biden, who was vice president when bin Laden was killed. Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event on Friday in Independence, Iowa. He appeared to contradict himself regarding his role in the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden Biden watches with other Obama administration officials during the SEAL Team 6 mission to kill bin Laden in 2011. He previously said he urged waiting for further confirmation 'Didn't you tell President Obama not to go after bin Laden that day?' the reporter asked. 'No, I didn't,' Biden said. That is in an apparent contradiction to a story Biden told almost eight years ago during a retreat in Maryland for congressional Democrats, where he described a tense 2011 strategy session ahead of the raid. 'Mr. President, my suggestion is, don't go - we have to do two more things to see if he's there,' Biden of the strategy session at the 2012 retreat. Biden's campaign did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com when asked about the apparent contradiction. Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALS in Pakistan The bullet-riddled Pakistani villa that hid Osama bin Laden from the world is seen after the US raid that killed him in 2011 Biden has joined other Democratic presidential candidates in lambasting President Donald Trump's decision to kill Iran's top general in an airstrike, a move that threatens to provoke all-out war. Biden said in a statement that Trump 'tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox.' 'The Administration's statement says that its goal is to deter future attacks by Iran, but this action almost certainly will have the opposite effect,' Biden said. The strike was also condemned by the other top candidates, though they took pains to make clear that they disapproved of Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian official who died in the strike. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said the the move 'increased the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict.' Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders slammed what he called a 'dangerous escalation' that puts the United States 'on the path to another war - potentially one that could be even worse than before.' The targeted strike against Soleimani and any retaliation by Iran could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Over the last two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israel's doorstep. A U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport on Friday killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force. Soleimani was considered the architect of Iran's policy in Syria A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad 'We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over,' Trump said of Soleimani. The United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more troops to the Middle East, reflecting concern about potential Iranian retaliation. The U.S. also urged Americans to leave Iraq immediately following the airstrike at Baghdad's international airport that Iran's state TV said killed Soleimani and nine others. The State Department said the embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters earlier this week, is closed and all consular services have been suspended. Around 5,200 American troops are based in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and help in the fight against Islamic State militants. Defense officials who discussed the new troop movements spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by the Pentagon. A Pentagon official who was not authorized to speak publicly said the U.S. also had placed an Army brigade on alert to fly into Lebanon to protect the American Embassy. U.S. embassies also issued a security alert for Americans in Bahrain, Kuwait and Nigeria. Contributed Photo / New Haven Police Department / Contributed Photo NEW HAVEN A 20-year-old city man has been missing for over a week, according to a Silver Alert issued for him Friday night. The alert was issued for Meleek Myers, who was described as a black man with black hair and brown eyes. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The aesthetics of a developers plan to surround the Kreischer Mansion with a new active adult residential community will be presented to Community Board 3s land use committee on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Architect Ron Victorio will make the presentation about the Charleston property at 7:30 p.m. in the board office, 1243 Woodrow Rd. The application is required because the mansion has been designated a historic landmark. Victorio is aiming to convince the committee that the plan by developer Isaac Yomtovian to build 48 homes for adults ages 55 and older is aesthetically appropriate to be placed on land adjacent to the historic home, located at 4500 Arthur Kill Rd. A plan to build 126 homes on the land, which had received approval in 2005, has been scrapped in favor of the active adult community, Victorio said. After the full Community Board votes later in the month, the plan will be brought to the Landmark Preservation Commission for approval on aesthetics. An LPC public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 4, he said. The development will pick up elements of the mansion, colors of the mansion, the style of the mansion, but will not copy it, Victorio said. "The mansion has to remain the pinnacle on the hill,'' he said. "The mansion has to be respected.'' The Community Board 3 Quality of Life Committee will meet on Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m. in the board office. Community Board 1 will consider several building applications on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m., during a land use public hearing in its board headquarters, 1 Edgewater Plaza. On the table for approval are several proposals, including one for the enlargement of a diagnostic treatment facility at 1498 Clove Road. Additionally, the board will consider an application for the alteration of a steep slope for a new walkway and patio area at a single-family home at 95 Louis Street in the Special Hillsides Preservation District. Also to be discussed are proposals in that district for the development of single-family homes at 260 Brighton Ave. and at 50 Cedarcliff Road. In addition, the Community Board 1 Youth Committee will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the board office. The Traffic/Transportation/Public Service committees of Community Board 2 will meet on Monday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the parish hall of New Dorp Moravian Church. A representative from the New York City Transit Authority will give a brief presentation on the West Shore Alternatives Analysis during the meeting. The Aging Committee of Community Board 2 will meet on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 9 a.m. in Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Centers first-floor library. Community Board meetings are open to the public. They provide an excellent opportunity for residents to learn about happenings in their community. Below is more information about the Islands three community boards: Community Board 1 Arlington Castleton Corners Clifton Concord Elm Park Fort Wadsworth Graniteville Grymes Hill Livingston Mariners Harbor New Brighton Port Richmond Randall Manor Rosebank St. George Shore Acres Silver Lake Stapleton Sunnyside Tompkinsville West Brighton Westerleigh Community Board 1 meets in Building P on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Livingston. The district manager is Joseph Carroll. The board chairman is Nicholas Siclari. The telephone number is 718-981-6900. Community Board 2 Arrochar Bloomfield Bulls Head Chelsea Dongan Hills Egbertville Emerson Hill Grant City Grasmere High Rock Lighthouse Hill Midland Beach New Dorp New Springville Oakwood Ocean Breeze Old Town Richmond South Beach Todt Hill Travis. Community Board 2 is located at 900 South Avenue, Third Floor, Suite 28, Bloomfield. The phone number is 718-568-3581. The fax number 718-568-3595. The chairman is Robert J. Collegio, P.E. The district manager is Debra A. Derrico. Community Board 3 Annadale Arden Heights Bay Terrace Charleston Eltingville Great Kills Greenridge Huguenot New Dorp Oakwood Pleasant Plains Princes Bay Richmond Valley -- Richmond -- Rossville -- Tottenville -- Woodrow. All committee meetings take place at the Community Board 3 office, located on the second floor of 1243 Woodrow Rd. All general board meetings take place at the Woodrow Methodist Church Hall located at 1075 Woodrow Rd. The office phone number is 718-356-7900. The board chairman is Frank Morano; the district manager is Charlene Wagner. The amount scammers would be fined for illegal robocalling operations according to the new law that aims to reduce the number of robocalls Americans will receive in 2020. While the new law wont reduce the number of robocalls immediately, Americans should expect to see the effects in about six months. Government officials hope that by reducing robocalls, less Americans will be subjected to scams that steal social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information. ( The Hill December 31, 2019) TORONTO - Several dozen Iranian-Canadians danced and cheered in Toronto on Friday as they celebrated the death of a top general in their home country. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A few dozen Iranian-Canadians gather in Toronto on Friday to celebrate the death of a top Iranian general in Iraq in Toronto, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, and was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, late Thursday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston TORONTO - Several dozen Iranian-Canadians danced and cheered in Toronto on Friday as they celebrated the death of a top general in their home country. An American airstrike authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, Thursday in Baghdad, Iraq. Iran's supreme leader vowed a "harsh retaliation." But for those who showed up to dance in a square in north Toronto Friday afternoon, Soleimani's death marked what they hoped would be a re-birth for Iran. Chants of "regime change in Iran by the people of Iran" and "we support uprising in Iran" rang out at the rally. "We are in a great world now after Soleimani's elimination," said Hamid Gharajeh, a spokesman for the Iran Democratic Association of Canada. "I feel wonderful because we really think this is long overdue." Over the last two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon on Israel's doorstep. While Irans conventional military has been constrained by 40 years of American sanctions, Iran can strike asymmetrically in the region through its allied forces like Lebanons Hezbollah, Iraqi militias and Yemen's Houthi rebels. Trump said Friday he acted to stop a war rather than start one, although many observers saw the airstrike as a major escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran. American officials said they had intelligence Soleimani was planning a significant campaign of violence against the U.S. It also accused Soleimani of approving orchestrated violent protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Gharajeh left Iran in 1977 to go to university in the U.S., then moved to Canada about 10 years later. He has never gone home, but still has family in Iran and hopes to return one day. "My father and mother passed away in Iran, but I've never been to their graves," he said. "The dream is going back to a free Iran." Others taking part in the Toronto rally said they hope Soleimani's death will be the catalyst for regime change. "We want peace in the region, not terrorism," said Sara Fallah, the director of the International Coalition of Women Against Fundamentalism. "Anyone who cares about human rights should be against terrorism and celebrating the death of Soleimani." Fallah said she left Iran when she was young to come to school in Canada. She has never returned. Behza Matin said he danced when he first heard the news of the general's death. "I was so happy to see this man killed," Matin said. ". . . I have to tell you, I had the greatest sleep last night." The scene contrasted with the reaction in the Iranian capital of Tehran where thousands took to the streets after Friday Muslim prayers to condemn the killing, waving posters of Soleimani and chanting "Death to deceitful America." with files from the Associated Press This story by the Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2020. Note to readers: REPEATS for National wire Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Car thieves have found a way to steal vehicles 'by remote control' - by redirecting the electronic signal from a key fob in the owner's house. Motorists with modern keyless entry cars have been warned by gardai to be extra vigilant and take a number of easy security precautions. More than 10pc of vehicles stolen in Ireland this year are being taken by criminals who have never gained access to the keys. They use a reading device, which redirects the wireless signal from the key fob, stored inside the house at night, to the vehicle. This allows them to start the vehicle and make off with it. As the technique becomes more popular, some car owners are putting their keys in the microwave or the freezer to block the signal. A total of 139 vehicles have been stolen nationwide in the first nine months of this year through the use of redirected signals, according to unpublished Garda statistics. The majority of those thefts have taken place at properties in Co Dublin and Co Kildare, and the criminals' targets of choice are usually Nissan, BMW and Toyota models. But one particular gang operating in Northern Ireland has concentrated on high-end marques including Range Rover and Land Rove. Sixteen "luxury" vehicles were taken in one spate of thefts across Down and Armagh. The head of the Garda's national stolen vehicle investigation unit, Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen, has appealed to motorists to be more careful. He said a series of preventative measures could be taken to thwart the thieves. Motorists should ensure their vehicles are locked when parked outside their homes. If they have a garage, the vehicle should be parked there and the building locked. The motorists can also buy a blocking wallet, lined with metallic material, to help prevent the signal from being diverted from the key to the vehicle. Commonly known as a "Faraday pouch", it can be bought for as little as 5. Alternatively, motorists can turn to an old-fashioned device, a steering column lock, which can prevent the thieves from driving away. They can be bought for between 50 and 60. An investment in a GPS tracker device is seen as worthwhile by Det Supt Mullen, who says that the provision of CCTV cameras around the house will also act as a deterrent. Motorists are also advised to keep all vehicle keys, including spare sets, well away from exterior doors and walls. Research by 'What Car?' Magazine has found that some keyless models can be stolen within 10 seconds. The technology, which allows motorists to unlock their car without pressing a button, is intended to work only when the fob is within two metres of the vehicle. However, criminals have acquired technology which is capable of relaying a signal between the fob and the vehicle, even if the car is parked 100 metres away. Motoring experts say two criminals working together are able to trick the technology, with one standing close to the home and the other near the vehicle, and using an amplifier to boost the signal. Police in Canada have found that many of the newer Toyota and Lexus models being stolen there are destined for resale in Africa and the Middle East. Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi termed Friday's attack reprehensible, and said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, saying bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Taking to Twitter, Rahul termed Friday attack reprehensible, and said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote," he said in a tweet. A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan Friday and pelted it with stones. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of first Sikhguru Guru Nanak Dev. The year 2020 is underway! But before we chug along through yet another new year (and decade), let us pause and look back at the top science stories of 2019, determined by aggregating other "top science story" lists from only reputable sources. Methods: Our methods remain the same as past years: We performed a Google search for "top science stories" lists, selecting only those from go-to RCS sources. Points were awarded to each story based on its ranking. For example, on a typical "top ten" list the #1 story earned ten points, #2 earned nine, #3 earned eight, and so on. Lists that had fewer than ten rankings were normalized to a 10-point scale. For the lists that did not rank the stories, each story earned 5.5 points, which is the average score if you add together all the digits from 1 to 10 and divide by ten. The List: 1. Astronomers Capture the First Direct Image of a Black Hole's Event Horizon (35 points) It was predicted for a couple of years now, and in 2019, it finally happened. An international consortium of scientists linked radio telescopes from across the globe to form an unprecedented virtual telescope called the Event Horizon Telescope, and with this device, they imaged a black hole's event horizon, the boundary from which light cannot escape. Where once black holes were only pictured through artist illustrations, we now have a genuine portrait of one upon which to focus our collective wonder and awe. 2. Google Claims to Have Achieved "Quantum Supremacy." (22 points) In October, Google engineers tasked their superconducting quantum processor called "Sycamore" with checking the randomness of a large sequence of numbers. It buzzed through the work in a paltry three minutes and twenty seconds. According to Sycamore's creators, it would have taken the most powerful classical computer in existence over 10,000 years to complete the task. IBM, a competitor to Google, disagreed, saying the classical supercomputer would only need 2.5 days. Does Google's success truly signify that quantum computers have left classical computers in the dust? That's up for debate. There's little doubt, however, that quantum computing is advancing at a blistering pace. 3. NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft Buzzes a Distant Object in the Kuiper Belt (21 points) You'd be forgiven for forgetting this one as it occurred all the way back in January 2019. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft snapped close-up images of 2014 MU69, nicknamed Arrokoth, a 36-kilometer-wide object roughly 6.6 billion kilometers from Earth in the Kuiper Belt, a region in the outer solar system. New Horizons previously returned stunning images of everybody's favorite dwarf planet Pluto. 4. The Denisovans Revealed (19 points) Ancient human ancestors like Neanderthals and Homo erectus have captured scientists' attention and the public's imagination. This year it was the Denisovans' turn. New scientific efforts yielded two pieces of a skull in a Siberian Cave and showed us the possible face of a young Densiovan girl reconstructed from her DNA. Another study also hinted that Denisovans and modern humans may have interbred as recently as 15,000 years ago. The Denisovans separated from Homo sapiens' lineage an estimated 600,000 - 700,000 years ago, but today, they seem closer to us than ever before. 5. CRISPR Enters Clinical Trials and Gene Editing Advances (18.5 points) This year, researchers began clinical trials in the U.S. testing CRISPR/Cas9 on human subjects. They hope the gene editor will be effective against cancer, blood disorders, and inherited blindness, confirming the immense potential the technology offers. Another team, primarily based at the Broad Institute, demonstrated what could possibly be CRISPR's "upgrade": Prime Editing. In early trials, the technique showed comparable efficacy with fewer off-target effects. 6. Climate Activism Goes Global (16 points) Tens of millions of people took to the streets in 2019 to call for action on climate change, most notable among them a seventeen-year-old from Sweden, Greta Thunberg, who was named TIME's Person of the Year. Science and climatic events continue to make plain that anthropogenic climate change is occurring, yet large-scale political action that could quell the crisis has yet to take shape. 7. Amazon Fires Highlight Threats to Earth's Biodiversity (15.5 points) Raging fires in the Amazon burned thousands of square kilometers of lush forest to the ground. Estimates place the fire season as the second worst of all time for the Amazon. Elsewhere, scientists reported that the total bird population of Canada and the U.S. has declined by three billion since 1970. In Madagascar, rare species are threatened as hungry people understandably clear forest for agriculture. A United Nations report warned that human-caused habitat destruction is the primary threat to biodiversity worldwide. 8. Measles Continues Its Comeback (10 points) This regrettable story also made our list of 2019's top junk science. Here's what we wrote [with updates]: "Through September, the U.S. had 1,249 reported [measles] cases, the highest since 1992. Samoa is [just emerging from] a devastating outbreak, which sickened at least [5,612 and killed eighty-one], many of them children. Globally, the first six months of 2019 produced more measles cases than any year since 2006, according to the World Health Organization. "Vaccine hesitancy" is widely cited as the primary reason for measles' deadly return." 9. A Second HIV Patient Enters Long-Term Remission (10 points) More than 37 million people are currently infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Current widely-available treatments stem the virus' spread, reducing it to the point that it's not even transmissible, but they cannot eliminate the virus entirely. A case report published in March raised hopes that people could be freed from the shackles of HIV entirely. Thanks to a stem cell transplant, an anonymous patient achieved long-term remission from HIV, permitting them to be off antiretroviral drugs for a year and a half. It's unlikely that this method will work for the vast majority of people infected with HIV, but it's still an auspicious development. 10. Researchers Make Major Progress in Ebola Prevention and Treatment (8.5 points) Throughout all of 2019, the Democratic Republic of the Congo grappled with the second largest Ebola epidemic on record. So far, there have been 3,380 cases and 2,232 deaths, but amidst this horrible situation, good news emerged. As Kai Kupferschmidt reported for Science Magazine, " In a randomized trial that pitted four different drugs against each other, about 70% of the patients who received one of those two medicines survived, compared with about 50% of those given either of the other two drugs. The result was so compelling that the trial was stopped early." More good news: scientists for the first time successfully deployed a vaccine against Ebola, Ervebo, which has proven to be nearly 100% effective in "preventing Ebola cases with symptom onset greater than 10 days after vaccination." Near the end of 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved Ervebo for use in the United States. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 The year-end holiday season has always been a highly awaited event for many families in the capital city, especially because it coincides with the semester break of their childrens schools. But instead of heading to the usual popular attractions of Jakarta, such as shopping malls or amusement parks, many families are setting their sights on educational tourist destinations. Fitri Rahmawati, a 40-year-old mother from West Jakarta, decided to use the long Christmas and New Year holiday to spend quality time with her two sons and daughter. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Singer Pink has donated half a million US dollars to local fire services in Australia amid the countrys worsening wildfire crisis. More than 20 people have died and millions of animals are believed to have been killed in the blazes that have ravaged the country in recent months. At least eight people have died this week in New South Wales and neighbouring Victoria, Australias two most-populous states, where more than 200 fires are currently burning. I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz pic.twitter.com/kyjDbhoXpp P!nk (@Pink) January 4, 2020 Pink is one of the many celebrities to have spoken out about the fires, revealing her pledge of half a million US dollars (382,043) in a post on Twitter. I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires, she wrote. I am pledging a donation of 500,000 dollars directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz. Australian pop star Kylie Minogue tweeted: Humbled by the extraordinary efforts of the emergency services and volunteers in the ongoing bushfire crisis in Australia. @redcrossau @nswrfs @CFA_Updates @CFSAlerts @WIRES_NSW. Humbled by the extraordinary efforts of the emergency services and volunteers in the ongoing bushfire crisis in Australia @redcrossau @nswrfs@CFA_Updates @CFSAlerts @WIRES_NSW Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue) January 4, 2020 Actress Naomi Watts has described the fires as truly horrendous in a post on Instagram, in which she shared a video taken during her last visit to Byron in New South Wales. Video of the Day Watts said: Its so upsetting and worrying. So much wildlife already lost. And still much of the summer ahead. My heart goes out to those whove lost loved ones and homes. Big gratitude to the brave firemen who literally havent stopped during the holidays!! Heartbroken for all the animals, plants and land for rain. Queer Eye star Bobby Berk urged his 2.6 million Instagram followers to donate to help local services and organisations to help those affected by the fires. He highlighted the tens of thousands of people that are evacuating their homes and the state of emergency in New South Wales and warned of the high temperatures and winds that could impact the existing blazes and trigger new fires. Ive put a link in my bio of organizations you can donate to to help those affected. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has been criticised for his response to the fires, on Saturday called up 3,000 defence force reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated. Iggy Azalea lent her star power to help an Australian animal hospital raise money to care for koalas and other wildlife injured by the bushfires ravaging the country. The Mullumbimby-raised rapper, 29, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a photo of herself cuddling up to an adorable koala she met on Friday at the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland. She wrote in the caption: 'Got to visit this cutie yesterday, as well as so many animals injured and rehabilitated at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.' 'Anything helps!' Rapper Iggy Azalea (pictured) shared a photo of herself cuddled up with a cute koala after visiting Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland on Friday. She urged her followers to donate to the hospital, who are caring for wildlife injured by the raging bushfires The Fancy hitmaker, who appears to be back in her native country, wrote to the wildlife hospital: 'Thank you guys for letting me hang out!' She then directed her caption at her followers, writing: 'Did you know over 30 per cent of the Koalas' natural habitat in NSW has been destroyed by the bushfires Australia is currently battling?' 'The saddest part is, that's not even the biggest threat to their survival. Please donate if you can guys, anything helps,' she added. Doing her part: 'The saddest part is, that's not even the biggest threat to their survival. Please donate if you can guys, anything helps,' she wrote in the caption A Currumbin Wildlife Hospital representative commented on the post with a heart emoji, to which Iggy wrote back: 'Thanks for having us.' 'Come back anytime,' they replied. Across Australia, 20 people have died and more than 1,500 homes have been destroyed in bushfires this season. Support: Comedian Celeste Barber (pictured) has raised over $5million in just 24 hours after calling on Australians to donate to the bushfire victims 'I'm raising money for The Trustee for NSW Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund': Celeste took to Facebook on Friday to announce that she'd set up a fundraiser Meanwhile, a number of other Australian stars are also lending a hand and helping raise funds for bushfire victims. Celeste Barber has raised over $5million to help victims battling the raging bushfires around the country, just 24 hours after urging Australian's to donate. Meanwhile, Rebecca Judd, who has also called on Australians to donate to bushfire victims, has donated $50,000 and aims to give a total of $100,000 to the Australian Red Cross. Helping out: Meanwhile, Rebecca Judd (pictured) has donated $50,000 to the bushfire victims Hanoi parents are concerned about the notice that their children will not go to school on days of serious pollution. Hanoi authorities have issued a directive on solutions to mitigate pollution. If air pollution reaches the hazardous level (AQI index > 300), preschools and primary schools will have to arrange suitable teaching and learning schedules. Meanwhile, the citys health department will have to take necessary measures to protect peoples health and prevent respiratory diseases. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nga, headmaster of Quang Trung Primary School, said the school is still awaiting detailed instructions from the Hoan Kiem districts education sub-department to decide when students dont have to go to school. The districts healthcare center has sent officers to the school to give periodic health examinations in recent days. Hanoi authorities have issued a directive on solutions to mitigate pollution. If air pollution reaches the hazardous level (AQI index > 300), preschools and primary schools will have to arrange suitable teaching and learning schedules. Le Hong Vu, head of the Tay Ho district education sub-department, said the air pollution in Hanoi has reached alarming levels recently. The worrying thing is that people still are not aware of the harm of air pollution to childrens health. Vu said the agency has released a document requesting schools to clean classrooms regularly and plant trees, and asking parents to have their children wear high-quality protective masks and clothes. However, Vu thinks that leaving children at home might not be a good solution. It may be cleaner at school than at home. Parents will also have to hire babysitters to look after the children while they are at the office. On an education forum, many parents complained that if children dont go to school, they will have to take leave to look after the children. What will happen if the air pollution lasts many days? asked Dang Hong Nga, a parent in Dong Da district. She commented that municipal authorities need to take radical measures to ease pollution rather than close schools on pollution days. The measures include the cleaning of roads, closing polluting works, growing more trees and punishing violators. Other parents are worried that the plans of their families would be upset if children dont go to school. My mother has promised that she would come and take care for my son when we are away. However, she doesnt want to live in the city for a long time, said Le Quynh Hoa, a parent in Bac Tu Liem district. Hanoians are looking to purchase protective masks for themselves and children. Nguyen Thu Trang in Ba Dinh district said she has spent VND2.5 million on protective masks. Two 2 N99 protective masks imported from the US are VND 2 million and one box of cheaper protective masks is VND530,000 for 15 masks. Thanh Lich 500 students to help traffic police during Tet holiday The Ministry of Public Security will assign 500 students from the Peoples Police Academy to direct traffic before, during and after the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Its every parents worst nightmare. A child goes missing, and the parent has to call 911. Thats what Stephanie Parzes mother, Sharlene, did the night her 25-year-old daughter disappeared, according to an NJ.com report. She has been missing since Oct. 31. During the eight minute 911 phone Sharlene Parze says her daughters on and off again boyfriend, John Ozbilgen, stayed at her Freehold home on the night of her disappearance. (Ozbilgen) said that he saw her last night, he stayed there and he was getting ready for work this morning and has not heard from her since all day, Sharlene Parze told the dispatcher. Multiple searches in both New Jersey and Staten Island have occurred since. Her ex-boyfriend, John Ozbilgen, became a person of interest and details about their relationship were released. 9 Search for Stephanie Parze on Staten Island Ozbilgen was arrested on other charges and later released, but he was found dead in his New Jersey home on Nov. 22. The night before her disappearance, Parze attended a popular psychic medium event in New Brunswick, N.J., and returned to her grandmothers house, where she had been staying since the death of the family matriarch in 2018. The next morning, her family became concerned when they hadnt heard from her and she didnt show up for work. When they went to the house to check, her car was in the driveway, but she wasnt home, her father, Edward Parze said. Parze posted on Snapchat en route to her own home, where her grandmother lived before her death. Parze was supposed to text or call her mother, Sharlene, when she arrived home. But nobody in the family has heard from her ever since, said her friend and family spokesperson David Mound. Relatives and friends have been spreading the word about her disappearance via social media and fliers posted in Monmouth and surrounding counties. MASSIVE SEARCH EFFORT The search for Parze crossed state lines on Nov. 4 when police from New Jersey and New York searched a heavily-wooded area in Richmond Valley roughly bounded by Hylan Boulevard, Amboy Road, Page Avenue and Cunningham Road. Cellphone records led investigators to look at Long Pond Park, Eyewitness News reported. There have been several subsequent searches for Parze on Staten Island. Authorities returned to the park on Nov. 13 for another search. The response easily included dozens of law enforcement officials and parts of the park were cordoned off with tape. NYPD canine units were aiding in the search, and helicopters were hovering over the woods. Searches resumed in December, at which Parzes father said: My house is filled with maps from Freehold to here." The family previously organized searches in Tottenville and Princes Bay, including another at Wolfes Pond Park that drew about 120 volunteers from New York and New Jersey. The family has also conducted multiple searches in New Jersey. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Edward Parze detailed an uncontrollable meltdown he suffered as he says The reality of what has happened is beginning to kill my hopes and is slowly bringing me to my knees. There have been no arrests in her disappearance. However, Ozbilgen, 29, was arrested at his home in Freehold and charged with third-degree endangering the welfare of a child -- possession of child pornography, the Advance previously reported. A spokesman for the Monmouth County prosecutor had said the arrest and search of Ozbilgens home are unrelated to the disappearance of Parze. Public records indicate he used to live in Rossville. A full timeline of the case can be found here. President Reagan was never shy about making bold pronouncements. No place before or since has ever given Nancy and me more joy and serenity, he said of Santa Barbara. Today, the likes of Oprah Winfrey (who some want for President) live here, while Natalie Portman, Tom Cruise and Drew Barrymore are all regulars who come to get away from prying eyes. Well, almost. The consensus is that the city has all the best parts of Los Angeles but without the traffic and egos. Some 92,000 people live in Santa Barbara, about 95 miles up the coast from Los Angeles. Pictured is the city's main street Some 92,000 people live in Santa Barbara, about 95 miles up the coast from Los Angeles. The city was largely rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1925, when architects adopted a Spanish Colonial style as a testament to the maritime explorers who landed here in the 18th century. The best way to see everything is by bike, ideally a power-assisted one. Starting off in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, at the Belmond El Encanto hotel, its a 15-minute downhill cycle to Santa Barbaras beachside strip E Cabrillo Boulevard. Big fans: Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy were both fond of Santa Barbara From there, I pedal hard against a backdrop of glowing red bottle-brush trees. The road takes me along the beach, where you will find California brown pelicans for company, and striking baby-blue lifeguard stations lining the sand. Carrying on, I pass hopeful crowds looking for humpback whales as I pull up in Shoreline Park to take in the soaring mountains on one side, the vast Pacific Ocean on the other. My ancestors were originators of the Old Spanish Days Fiesta, a huge celebration of our history, which takes place every August, Kelly, a local I meet in the park, tells me. These days we go just to dress up and drink tequila. In search of more local knowledge, I arrange to meet Charlotte, the production editor of the Santa Barbara Magazine, downtown in State Street. Youll be out having dinner and at the table next to you will be someone famous, she explains as we tuck into local sea urchin with spicy rice. After lunch, we stroll past historic buildings. There are pretty, hand-painted images of flamenco dancers etched onto structures such as the Lobero Theater, which is still intact from the 1920s. These buildings are often decorated with mismatched tiles, creating a European feel in the heart of the Golden State. The height (both literally and figuratively) of the Spanish Colonial style is the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Santa Barbara was largely rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1925, when architects adopted a Spanish Colonial style as a testament to the maritime explorers who landed here in the 18th century Dating back to 1929, the building is buzzing with legislative staff as well as tourists and wedding parties who flood on to the Sunken Lawn for picnics and respite between proceedings in the chambers. The top of its clock tower offers the best view of the city and the chance to rest from the sun under the shade of an awning. From this spot I can appreciate the beauty of the vineyard-laden mountain. The only jarring note is the sight of the not-so-beautiful Golden Arches halfway down State Street. It was in this McDonalds in 1972 that Santa Barbara local Herb Peterson developed the ubiquitous Egg McMuffin. Now you know. Later that evening, I drink the end product of those sprawling vineyards at the beachside Convivo restaurant. My waiter tells me locals are celebrating, as the California Michelin Guide has included a new section on Santa Barbara restaurants for the first time this year. Thats a triumph: other famous Californian cities including Palm Springs arent deemed to have culinary scenes impressive enough. On my final day I get a sense of how much simpler life was in early 1900s Santa Barbara, thanks to a collection of stirring photos at the Historical Museum. No wonder the former President settled in Santa Barbara it seems to be the ultimate carefree destination truly a place to go with no particular agenda. Travelling the length of the pier, I feel the urge to obey the sign flapping in the wind and eat lotsa lobster. Then Im back on my bike and ready to explore this fascinating town some more. A woman school teacher was crushed to death while her husband was injured by a speeding truck near Sadbhavna chowk in Bihar's Nawada district on Saturday, police said. The deceased has been identified as Manorama Devi (40) while her husband Pappu Singh received minor injuries, town police station, SHO, Sanjeev Kumar said. The deceased was a teacher at a primary school at Dudhaili village and a resident of Rame village, the SHO said. The incident occurred when the teacher along with her husband was going to school on the bike when a speeding truck hit their bike and crushed her to death on the spot, SHO said, adding that NH 31 was blocked for a while by local people in protest against the incident. The blockade was later lifted, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bengaluru, Jan 4 : Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao said here on Saturday that there was no limit in science and was a great equaliser of all classes of people. "There is no limit for excellence in science. The more science you do, the more you would like to do. It's a limitless ladder of excellence," Rao, an ace scientists, told school students during the Children's Science Congress at the 107th Indian Science Congress. Terming science as one of the greatest equalisers, Rao said, "Science doesn't know religion, caste or colour." Citing the example of the periodic table inventor and Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev, Rao said he didn't give up science even though he was very poor. "Mendeleev walked all the way from Siberia to Moscow -- 1,500 miles -- with his mother because there was no good university to study where he lived," said Rao. According to Rao, a degree in science was also not mandatory to pursue excellence in science. Many great scientists studied engineering while Michael Faraday had only three years of schooling, he added. To drive home the message, he highlighted the case of Indian Nobel laureate C.V. Raman who spent a major part of his life in Bengaluru. "Though Raman was a financial service employee with the British government, he found time to study science after work in evenings in Nagpur," Rao said and added, many scientists didn't always have the facilities and equipment, yet they excelled. Stating that science is not getting importance, Rao said, "Unless science gets importance, India will continue to be a second-rate country." She played Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO television series Sex and the City. But Sarah Jessica Parker barely resembled her boldly dressed character when she was spotted out in Manhattan on Saturday morning. The 54-year-old was extremely dressed down and ready to do some damage at the highly-trafficked gourmet market, Citarella. Groceries In The City: Actress Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted early Saturday Morning in Manhattan, NY heading to gourmet market Citarella in an unashamedly comfortable ensemble Big difference: Sarah Jessica Parker is known for her unique taste in fashion, similar to that of her character Carrie Bradshow from Sex And The City, but Parker braved the weekend grocery store traffic in a simple black jacket and jeans Parker was noticeably make-up free as she forged her way through the streets of Manhattan in a pair of heeled Ugg boots. Her signature blonde, curly tresses were tucked into an over-sized grey beanie, while her piercing blue eyes remained covered up by a pair of large, black aviator shades. The Golden Globe winner donned a black leather jacket, which she paired with a charcoal knit tee and some light-wash denim jeans. She had her purse slung across her body, as she cradled her cellphone, grocery list, and her personal grocery cart. Gourmet: Parker made her with grocery cart in hand to the gourmet marker Citarella in Manhattan Unrecognizable: Her signature locks were tucked away in an over-sized beanie, but it didn't stop the actress from being spotted by shutterbugs With her ears shielded by a pair of Beats by Dre headphones, it was clear that Sarah wanted to drown out the noise of the bustling city. Similar to wanting to drown out the lamentations of former Sex And The City co-star, Kim Cattrall. Yesterday, Cattrall paid tribute to her brother Chris via Instagram for the anniversary of his passing. In 2018, the actress' brother shocked Cattrall and her entire family, when he died by suicide. No need: Kim rejected Sarah's sentiments following her brother's passing in 2018 Cat fight: The two have a long history of tension that dates back to their time on the popular HBO series The SATC actress, 63, shared an image of herself and her late-brother with her 723k Instagram followers while adding the caption: 'Happy Birthday to my little brother, Christopher aka 'Topher' or 'Toe'. A sweet & gentle soul. Miss you today and everyday. RIPx'. At the time of publication, Sarah Jessica Parker had not acknowledged the image, following Kim's claims that Sarah had 'exploited the family's tragedy' after his 2018 death when she paid tribute to the Cattralls. These two SATC actresses are no strangers to bickering. Their feud became well-documented after the end of Sex And The City, when is was alleged that Kim was demanding more money to match Sarah's salary. In brief: An issue with the integration between Google's Nest Hub and Xiaomi's Miija smart camera can apparently lead to someone seeing the camera feeds from a different home that uses the same setup. The two companies are currently working to solve the issue, but this is a new reminder that the convenience of the smart home can come at the cost of security and privacy. As we accumulate smart devices in our increasingly digital lives, it's easy to lose track of the many security and privacy risks they pose. Some people are entrenched in one of the larger ecosystems from the likes of Google and Samsung, but more often than not there are homes with a mix of devices from different vendors, which is an additional source of problems. Recently, Reddit user Dio-V found a peculiar image displayed by his Google Nest Hub, which was supposed to show a live feed from a Xiaomi Miija camera. On closer inspection, the image appeared to originate from various random homes that were using the same setup. This has prompted Google to disable the integration between Xiaomi devices and Google Home and Google Nest while it's working on a fix for the issue. Xiaomi told Engadget that it is aware of the problem, which it described as a caching issue. The good news is that only 1,044 users could have been affected, and the company explained that the exact conditions to trigger the reception of stills from random cameras could've been met in just a handful of cases. Those of you who own such a setup might also be pleased to know the issue doesn't occur if the camera is linked to the Mi Home app. Apparently, the problem has its roots in a cache update that happened on December 26, 2019, which was supposed to improve the overall streaming quality of the Xiaomi Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p models. Xiaomi isn't the only company to deal with such issues on its smart things. Just last month, security camera maker Wyze reported that it accidentally left a database on an insecure server, leaking the details of more than 2.4 million customers. And even Google failed to reveal the presence of a microphone in its Nest Secure system, which unsurprisingly led to a lot of angry customers worried about their privacy. On a more positive note, tech giants like Apple, Amazon and Google, along with the Zigbee Alliance, are scrambling to develop an open-source standard for smart home devices that should make it harder for issues like these to manifest in future products. British royal Zara Tindall has vowed to help victims of the 'indescribable' bushfire crisis across Australia in a new interview. The 38-year-old will be attending the Magic Millions Carnival and Raceday this week, where she'll be one of many celebrity ambassadors helping to raise funds for those affected by the out-of-control blazes. 'We just want to do something to help in any way possible,' Zara, who is the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, told The Daily Telegraph. Helping hand: British royal Zara Tindall (left) has vowed to help victims of the 'indescribable' bushfires across Australia in a candid new interview. Pictured alongside husband Mike (right) who is also Down Under with her 'Some of the images we have seen from the bushfires are just indescribable.' Equestrian silver Olympic medalist Zara will be joined by fellow ambassadors including jockey Frankie Dettori, Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras and Winx jockey Hugh Bowman. The week-long event will include an annual polo tournament, yearling sales and a raceday - with each event including a fundraising initiative. Across Australia, 20 people have died and more than 1,500 homes have been destroyed in bushfires this season. 'We just want to do something to help in any way possible,' Equestrian silver Olympic medalist Zara, who is the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, told The Daily Telegraph It's believed almost half a billion animals have also been lost in the devastating blazes. Magic Millions have confirmed they're also providing temporary homes to horses in the stables on their property, for those affected by the horror fires. Zara is currently in the country with her rugby star husband, 41-year-old Mike Tindall, and their two children, daughters Mia, five, and Lena, one. Devastating: Across Australia, 20 people have died and more than 1,500 homes have been destroyed in bushfires this season (pictured are fires in Mallacoota, Victoria) The Tindalls have been regular visitors to Australia since Zara was named the inaugural Magic Millions Racing Women Ambassador in 2012, spending January between the Gold Coast and Sydney for the past seven years. She and Mike saw in the New Year in spectacular style in Sydney, watching the fireworks with friends including actress Rebel Wilson from a mansion overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Posting on Instagram, Pitch Perfect star Rebel said she celebrated the New Year with a 'fun gang'. Police said Harris and the woman he tried to shoot had a previous relationship and he had been texting her throughout the evening. After the shooting, Harris texted the woman and told her to throw away her phone and to report that someone had stolen the car she, Schlemmer and another person were in, according to the charges. A witness told police the shooter wore a distinctive mask and identified the mask in a photo posted to Harris Instagram page, charges said. Harris was taken into custody Nov. 15 in Marietta, Georgia, after a high-speed chase. He was in custody there Friday. Harris admitted fleeing the St. Louis area because he was suspected of a homicide, according to court documents. Court records dont indicate whether he has an attorney. Schlemmer was a painter with two teenage daughters. His girlfriend told the Post-Dispatch in November that he dressed up like a burglar for Halloween and attended a party at the City Museum, then later went to the Europe club at 710 North 15th Street. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, saying bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi termed Friday's attack reprehensible, and said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote," he said in a tweet. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday too deplored the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan and said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal termed Friday's attack as shameful and asked the Imran Khan government to take tough steps and punish the culprits. "The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated," he said in a tweet in Hindi. Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal condemned the mob attack on the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and said the incident exposes the "true face" of Pakistan where "persecution of minorities is a reality". The Bathinda MP also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the matter with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan to ensure safety of the Sikh community in Pakistan. "The true face of Pak stands exposed! First Sikh minor girl kidnapped & forcibly married. Now kidnappers attacking victim family & holy shrine Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. I urge PM @narendramodi ji & DrSJaishankar (External Affairs Minister) to ensure Pak stops this barbarity & ensure safety of Pak Sikh community," she tweeted. "Persecution of minorities in Pak is a reality. Attack on Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib has shown its horrible face. I want to ask @capt_amarinder & @INCIndia how can they oppose PM @narendramodi's noble humanitarian gesture of giving rights to such persecuted minorities! she further wrote in her tweet. A violent mob attacked the Nanakana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan Friday and pelted it with stones. Nankana Sahib is the birth place of first Sikhguru Guru Nanak Dev. Most visitors head to the small Norwegian city of Tromso, sitting a chilly 350km above the Arctic Circle, for the Northern Lights that streak across the night sky. But shift your gaze downwards and theres plenty going on at eye level here, too. From its centuries-old townhouses, to its fantastic waterside restaurants (not to mention the cinematic fjords that hug the city) there is a lot on offer in this lively snow-cloaked hub. Natural beauty: The small Norwegian city of Tromso sits a chilly 350km above the Arctic Circle. Pictured is Tromso harbour Where to stay Radisson Blu This waterfront hotel certainly one of the best in Tromso has magnificent views of the port (and the mountains that loom like armoured ogres behind it). Rooms are warm and spacious, with comfy beds, robes and slippers, and theres a glass-encased corridor for aurora spotting. The breakfast buffet (which comes at an additional cost) is nothing short of a bonanza, with pancakes, pastries, eggs, meats, gluten free stations and even sweets. Doubles from 78; radissonhotels.com. Comfort Hotel Xpress This centrally-located stopover is smart and fuss-free (no room service or minibars). Rooms are on the small side and to keep things affordable arent cleaned every day, but they are nicely furnished and theres a 24-hour lobby shop for snacks. Doubles from 94; nordicchoicehotels.no. Smart Hotel With Nordic interiors and natty slogans on the walls, this slick little hotel might have teeny tiny rooms, but its still worth a stay. Hot soup is served every day in the lobby, and theres a bar, gym and smart shop on site, as well as free rental bikes for guests. Doubles from 85; smarthotel.no. Thon Hotel Youll find 152 neat yet cosy rooms at Thon, as well as cheerful splashes of paint and eye-catching foliage-print wallpaper in the communal areas. Theres complimentary coffee and newspapers in the lobby and 24-hour front desk service. Breakfast is included and comes in the form of a sizeable buffet, for stocking up before a day of exploring the city. Doubles from 88; thonhotels.com. Prices may vary especially in winter. What to see and do Visit The Arctic Cathedral You can see this eye-catching triangular structure from many parts of Tromso (even from the air as you land). In winter it is spectacularly lit, glowing like a candle in the snow. Entry is 4, or stroll round the back to see the afternoon light hit the beautiful stained glass windows for free. Opening hours vary so check online first. ishavskatedralen.no. Try the Fjellheisen Cable Car Most visitors head here for the Northern Lights that streak across the night sky. Pictured is an Aurora arc over the city Hop on the citys cable car (12 return), which stretches 420m up the side of the craggy Storsteinen mountain, for views of the whole city, and the surrounding inky fjords. At night its a fantastic spot to hunt the Northern lights. Wrap up, the cold wind can bite. fjellheisen.no/en. Hit the shops Storgata, the main pedestrian street in Tromso, is flanked by pretty shops (beware inflated prices at tourist shops). Ting has beautiful homewares and scented candles, while Chasing Lights sells intriguing glacier salt. Visit the library for beautiful views across the town and mountains beyond. Stroll around the Polar museum In previous centuries, Tromso was a centre for seal hunting, trapping and ice fishing, and was the launch spot for several notable Arctic expeditions. Youll find all of this at the waterfront Polar Museum (6). uit.no/tmu. Visit the northernmost brewery Tromso has more pubs per capita than any other Norwegian town, and Olhallen (pictured) is its oldest Tromso has more pubs per capita than any other Norwegian town, and Olhallen, as the name would suggest, is its oldest. Established in 1928 it once teemed with fisherman, farmers and townspeople. Enjoy beers, from blueberry stout to dead cat IPA. mack.no/en/olhallen. Where to eat East Food can be costly in Tromso, but Asian-focused East does a great job without paying through the nose. Think low lights and a menu of sushi rolls, bbq pork buns and firecracker pad thai (mains from 10.50). restauranteast.no. Graffi Grill A favourite of tourists and young locals, this burger joint is lofty and lantern-lit, with a wide selection of burgers, barbequed meats and veggie options (the frozen pasjonsfruit margaritas are splendid). graffigrill.no. Smortorget This cute vintage shop sells retro furniture, clothes and books as well as decently priced breakfast and lunch options (try quesadillas and salads). Its also a great people-watching spot locals may sledge past. Frederik Langes gate 9; +4791670620. Riso Townsfolk flock to Riso for the intricate latte art and comfy seating. Meals, mainly soups and sandwiches, are affordable but it can get busy around lunch, so visit before 12pm or later in the afternoon. risoe-mk.no. Marco Gobbetti became the CEO of Burberry Group plc (LON:BRBY) in 2017. This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other large companies. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO. See our latest analysis for Burberry Group How Does Marco Gobbetti's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? According to our data, Burberry Group plc has a market capitalization of UK9.0b, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth UK4.0m over the year to March 2019. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at UK1.1m. We note that more than half of the total compensation is not the salary; and performance requirements may apply to this non-salary portion. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations over UK6.1b and the median CEO total compensation was UK3.5m. (We took a wide range because the CEOs of massive companies tend to be paid similar amounts - even though some are quite a bit bigger than others). So Marco Gobbetti is paid around the average of the companies we looked at. This doesn't tell us a whole lot on its own, but looking at the performance of the actual business will give us useful context. You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Burberry Group, below. LSE:BRBY CEO Compensation, January 4th 2020 Is Burberry Group plc Growing? Burberry Group plc has increased its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 12% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is up 3.4%. This demonstrates that the company has been improving recently. A good result. It's good to see a bit of revenue growth, as this suggests the business is able to grow sustainably. It could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future. Story continues Has Burberry Group plc Been A Good Investment? Most shareholders would probably be pleased with Burberry Group plc for providing a total return of 62% over three years. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size. In Summary... Marco Gobbetti is paid around what is normal the leaders of larger companies. Few would be critical of the leadership, since returns have been juicy and earnings per share are moving in the right direction. Indeed, many might consider the pay rather modest, given the solid company performance! If you think CEO compensation levels are interesting you will probably really like this free visualization of insider trading at Burberry Group. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. French online outlet Facta.Media, publishes its version of dozens of politicians who, due to their influence, can bring the conflict in the Donbas closer to an end. 112.international publishes a translation of the article from French into English Facta.Media, the French online outlet publishes its version of dozens of politicians who, due to their influence, can bring the conflict in the Donbas closer to an end. 112.international publishes a translation of the article from French into English. Armed conflict in Ukraine has been going on for 5.5 years - almost as much as the Second World War. Illegal groups of militants seized large industrial centers of Donetsk and Luhansk and created self-proclaimed republics in this industrial region of Ukraine. The leadership of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" and "Donetsk People's Republic" claim that Donbas does not agree with the results of the revolution that took place in Ukraine in February 2014, the Russian-speaking region is afraid of the nationalists who came to power after Euromaidan and the oppression of the Russian language. In support of these demands of Donetsk and Luhansk, Russia came forward, calling the events of 2014 in Kyiv a coup. The West does not see any signs of a coup d'etat in the events of 2014 and supports the reforms in Ukraine, aimed at bringing this country of Eastern Europe to the European Union. However, the conflict in the Donbas thwarts Ukraine's progress: Kyiv is forced to spend huge sums of money on army, people die almost daily in the east of the country, official Kyiv and Moscow are in deep confrontation, which affects Ukraines economic interests. Europe, having sided with Ukraine in this conflict, has imposed sanctions on Russia. They affect not only Russia's economy but also that of the European Union. Therefore, all these years leaders of France and Germany have been trying to reconcile Kyiv, Moscow, Donetsk and Luhansk in order to stop the violent murderous conflict. The Normandy Format of the leaders of the four countries was created. However, so far all these attempts have not yielded tangible results. The year of 2019 must have turned to be a turning point in terms of the prospects for resolving the conflict in the Donbas. In Ukraine, after two elections, the power had been completely changed - the country elected young Volodymyr Zelensky as the President, who defined achieving peace in the country as the main task of his cadence. At the end of 2018, leadership in Donetsk and Luhansk was also changed: instead of the radical-minded leaders of unrecognized republics, the more moderate Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin came to power. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has long been the main peacekeeper, said she would soon step down. French President Emmanuel Macron has changed his rhetoric to a more conciliatory attitude towards Russia and is ready to make concessions for the sake of peace in Ukraine. In addition, the head of foreign diplomacy the European Union was changed, and OSCE has appointed a new special representative in Ukraine. We spoke with many international observers and political experts about the fate of Ukraine and Donbas. Most of our interlocutors believe that there are much more chances to bring the war in Ukraine to an end than before. Nowadays is much more likely to end the war in Ukraine due to new political realities, and partly to new people who will deal with this problem. Therefore, we decided to outline those politicians who do have influence in order to help end the conflict in Ukraine. 1. President of Russia Vladimir Putin Le Monde Vladimir Putin rules his country with a steady hand and defends the interests of Russia abroad. Moscow interfered in the conflict in Donbas initially, providing diplomatic and material support to the militants. In fact, Russia became the representative of the non-recognized republic at the world stage. It is the factor of Russia, which does not give Kyiv a chance to solve the conflict by forcible means. Putin along with the leaders of Germany and France countersigned Minsk Agreements, which had to end the war. Previous President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko recognized at the end of his cadence: the keys to the peace in Donbas kept not in Kyiv but in Moscow. Perhaps, it is true. Currently, Vladimir Putin is in a strong position as during any talks, he does not need to invent anything but remind Kyiv about Minsk Agreements and order of steps, which are outlined in them. The ball is at Ukraines court now as the authorities in Kyiv should amend the legislation for the further promotion of the peace process. They should spell out the security guarantees and special status of the self-government for the rebelling region. As far as Kyiv is not ready to do it, the process came to a standstill and Putin made it clear in the results of the meeting in Paris on December 9. Recently, Putin took a firm position on the defense of the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine. Thus, it seems that Putin is ready to intervene in the internal affairs of Ukraine by the most radical way if the authority and national-radical will continue to oppress Russian language and Russian-speaking population, particularly, closure of the Russian-language schools, discrimination of the Russian-language mass media and Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which traditionally stands for closer ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. Obviously, Putin will settle for amendment of Minsk Agreements that is why Zelensky will be obliged to fulfill the points signed by Petro Poroshenko in 2015. Recognizing this, Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered his formula of a sequence of steps, which should lead to peace in Donbas. And now, it seems, Moscow, Paris and Berlin see no other alternative than Steinmeier formula. According to Putin, the unrecognized republic signed the Minsk Agreements only after the conviction from the side of Russia. They were agreed with Donbas and any other laws not agreed by LPR and DPR, will not work; they will lead the situation only to a dead-end. Putin said repeatedly that if the Ukrainian National Guard and National Police enter the disengagement zone then nothing good happens because it will be a tit-for-tat response from the side of militia. It seems that everyone understands that peace is possible only in terms of Minsk Agreements. That is why Vladimir Putin is the main person who determines peace in Donbas. 2. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Official website of the President of Ukraine If the key to the peace in the Donbas is kept in Moscow, then, first of all, it is the Ukrainian leader who determines whether Ukraine will be able to take that key and use it for the sake of peace. Volodymyr Zelensky is a famous person in Ukraine. TV presenter and actor who mocked politicians, became the president at the age of 41, suddenly for everyone, receiving the record support at the elections over 73% of votes. During the election campaign, Zelensky put the end of the Donbas Conflict as the main task. However, his achievements in this filed are very modest. From the one side, Zelensky agreed with Moscow on the exchange of detainees and it allowed such people as Oleg Sentsov to get out of Russian jail. Moreover, Russia returned vessels to Ukraine, which were seized during the incident near Kerch Strait at the end of 2018. Besides, Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk held a great exchange of prisoners at the end of December. Over 200 people were released from both sides. It would seem, the door to reconciliation is open but, at the political level, no serious progress is observed. The issue is that Zelensky does not agree on the text of Minsk Agreements. I tell them honestly: I do not agree with the way the issue was solved in Minsk. According to Minsk Agreements, firstly, the elections take place, then the control over the border, the Ukrainian leader said. Kyiv insists that the local elections in occupied areas should take place only according to Ukrainian legislation after the de-occupation. But it is the reconsideration of the agreements. As it was stated earlier, neither Russia nor Donetsk with Luhansk would agree on it. It is the dead-end in such a format. It is said in Ukraine that Zelensky was forced to reckon with the nationalists who came to the streets with the demands not to make concessions with Russia. Moreover, the street protests were supported by the previous president and his political party. At the Normandy Format meeting in Paris, Zelensky in his rhetoric put in mind of predecessor Petro Poroshenko and contradictions of Kyiv and Moscow were not solved. However, Paris and Berlin expect that Kyiv will become more pliable with new authority and it will force Kremlins owner to make concessions. Time is not playing into the hands of Zelensky. With each passing day, his rating falls amid difficult economic situations and obvious misses of new authority in the financial and social spheres. The new president could not fulfill his promises toward the utility tariffs, language issue, corruption. Currently, his rating decreased from 73% to less than 50%. If Zelensky was able to take any steps toward Donbas with high rating, currently, the resistance to his policy would only grow and it reduces the chances of reconciliation of Kyiv and occupied Donbas. 3. President of France Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron got the role of peacemaker in Donbas issue, additionally to his internal issues. However, the well-being of France depends on the settlement of the conflict in distant Ukraine as the sanctions against Russia harm the economy of the EU. Amid the imminent withdrawal of Angela Merkel from her post, Macron is left as the main European negotiator in the conflict of Kyiv and Moscow. And the French President has taken initiative, changing the policy toward Russia. Ukraine now is not the main issue of Europe. It is the message from Macrons rhetoric. Nuclear ambitions of Iran, the Middle East, conflicts between Brussels and Washington united Europe has hard times. Brussels loses influence. That is why the Head of the Elysee Palace is interested in the construction of new architecture of trust with Russia; however, firstly, he needs to convince his European partners in it, particularly, Romanians, Poles and Balts who refuse to believe in any prospects but at the same time, they are interested in it. Distance of Russia from Europe is the deep strategic mistake because we would nudge Russia to isolation, which increases tension or to alliances with other great states, such as China, - French president said at the meeting with the ambassadors of his country in August. European continent would never be stable and safe if we do not regulate and clear our relations with Russia. But why Macron makes such a turn? He provided the answer, stating that the epoch of the hegemony of the West comes to the end. Circumstances change. China moved forward to the first row; Russia achieves great success in its strategyWe know that civilizations disappeared. Europe will disappear. And the world would be organized around two large poles the U.S. and Chine and we would have the choice between two dominant forces, the French leader said, egging Europe on the comprehension of such scenario as the fatal one. Now, Moscow and Brussels have one serious issue, which hinders the rapprochement, - Ukraine. The issue of Crimea and Donbas, sanctions Macron cannot refuse from all of it in one moment. The world will not understand. But if Kyiv and Moscow go toward reconciliation and settle the difference, Europe will be able to wash its hands off and affair with relief and shuffling the cards, establish a sincere and demanding dialogue with Russia. That is why Emmanuel Macron will more actively egg the president of Ukraine on fulfilling of Minsk Agreements. Europe is tired of the conflict in Donbas and Macron wants to end it as soon as possible, become the president-peacemaker. 4. German Chancellor Angela Merkel Deutsche Welle Angela Merkel also wanted to be a leader-peacekeeper, but her time is running out and there are no results. During all these years, the Chancellor actively supported sanctions against Russia, appealing to international law and demanding Vladimir Putin to stop putting pressure on Ukraine. Merkel has developed good relationships with former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. However, internal pressure on the Chancellor due to the sanctions, her health problems and economic problems in Europe are forcing the German leader to leave her post. And at the end of her term, Angela Merkel conceded ground making concessions to big business and the opposition. The chancellor's criticisms of Vladimir Putin have become less and less obvious. On the other hand, Merkel herself has become hostage to her ambivalent policy. The EU has imposed sanctions on Russia, but Germany has supported the construction of the Kremlin's geopolitical project: the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. Today, Berlin may be surprised by Macron's outstretched hand towards Moscow, but Germany itself, led by Merkel, has always acted cautiously, keeping in mind that sooner or later they will have to tolerate Russia. It was the West who advised Kyiv not to send an armed resistance to fight against the Russian Federations troops, which annexed Crimea. Such a policy has led to the current situation. The head of the German government has no illusions: Merkel sees that eastern Ukraine is on the verge of separating from Ukraine. However, the Chancellor has her hands tied: Putin does not intend to withdraw from his position, Macron is ready to turn his blind eye to this, and the internal opposition demands reconciliation with Russia of Merkel. To finish on a good note, Merkel needs to get a result in Ukraine. But in order to really move forward under current conditions, a compromise is necessary. For her, the Minsk agreements are a good option. Merkel is forced to promise Putin to put pressure on Kyiv in order for Ukraine to keep its promises, which were made under the Minsk agreements. As compensation, Kyiv receives a guarantee that the transit of gas through Ukraine will continue. Yes, Europe is now ready to demand fulfillment of Minsk agreements of Zelensky, as it was requested by Putin. No one in Europe can say where it will lead, but there seems to be no other way. Angela Merkel has not been able to reconcile the conflicting countries under international law, but in the end, she is trying to do it in accordance with the logic of the moment. 5. U.S. President Donald Trump The American leader has stepped away from European problems, focusing on the economy and U.S. elections. From time to time, Washington asserts its support for Ukraine and recalls the need to end the conflict, but it is clear that the White House is not particularly interested in the Donbas war. In order to somehow prove his involvement in Ukraine and defend his geopolitical interests in that country, Trump turned the cases over to the Department of State. At the same time, Washington's henchman in Ukraine, Kurt Volker, became famous because of his verbal spades towards Russia, and not because of his attempts to settle the conflict, for which, therefore, he was removed from office. Trump does not want to come into conflict with Russia, because the main interests of U.S. president are China, North Korea, Iran and the European Union. There have been proposals to include Washington in Normandy format, but Trump has not shown any interest in this idea. The American leader is looking for a financial interest for his country in geopolitics and Ukraine has nothing to give Washington in this area. But Kyiv has become a possible ally for Trump's 2020 election victory. If the president avoids impeachment and completes the investigation into possible corruption by the Bidens family in Ukraine, it could make him president for a new term. This is Trump's real interest in Ukraine. But Kyiv has one more card up its sleeve: Trump's thirst for money has led Washington and Moscow to a gas conflict in Europe. The United States of America has imposed sanctions on Nord Stream-2 and blocked its construction. Kyiv used Washington's actions in its gas negotiations with Russia. Unfortunately for Ukraine, Trump and Putin do not have such political disagreements, and therefore the issue of territories remains secondary to American politics. However, theoretically, Ukraine could become a bargaining chip in the negotiations between Trump and Putin on other geopolitical issues. There are many of those: Syria, Iran, North Korea. If the President wanted, he could get involved in the Donbas peace process. At least, Washington has a huge influence on Kyiv. But Trump does not yet have this desire. And the conflict between Washington and Brussels does not encourage the United States to solve European problems. But now American politics largely depend on the next election. Who knows what will happen if Trump is re-elected for a second term. The Republicans have always been much more skeptical of Russia and its ambitions in Europe. Perhaps after the election, the U.S. will change its attitude towards European problems. At least, Trump has not frozen military aid to Ukraine. On the contrary, Kyiv and Washington have signed a new contract for the purchase of Javelin systems. 6. Leader of Ukraines main opposition party Viktor Medvedchuk Viktor Medvedchuk has spent the last six years reconciling Kyiv and Moscow. His influence allowed him to speak directly with the leaders of the two countries. Medvedchuk knows Putin well and therefore, as he says himself, uses his connections to help his country. During Petro Poroshenko's presidency, Viktor Medvedchuk successfully engaged in the exchange of prisoners: almost 500 people were freed thanks to his negotiations. The politician established relationships with the leaders of unrecognized republics, becoming a person who is listened to not only in Kyiv and Moscow, but also in Donetsk and Luhansk. Medvedchuk is the only Ukrainian politician to meet with the leaders of the so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic (LNR) and Donetsk Peoples Republic (DNR). However, after Poroshenko refused to complete the "all for all" exchange, Medvedchuk left the negotiating group and entered politics, while continuing to work privately on the release of the prisoners. Thanks to his ties and influence, he managed to free four soldiers in 2019. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky declined Medvedchuk's services - perhaps out of newly elected presidents jealousy towards Medvedchuk on the issue of a peaceful resolution. This jealousy took radical forms after Zelensky publicly threatened Medvedchuk and the television stations, which support a peaceful resolution. Authorities have opened a series of criminal proceedings regarding the meetings with leaders of the Russian Federation, and law enforcement offices, controlled by Zelensky, even carried out searches in Medvedchuks offices, which caused a clearly negative reaction among the international community. The Opposition Platform - For Life party, in which the politician takes the leading position, joined the opposition in the newly formed parliament, criticizing Zelensky for betraying voters on the issue of peace in Donbas. Medvedchuk drew up a peace plan based on the Minsk agreements, which found an echo in the European Parliament and the Senate in France. Most importantly, it was approved in Moscow, Donetsk and Luhansk, because according to the Medvedchuks peace plan, unrecognized republics can return to Ukraine if they have autonomy. However, officially, Kyiv says that it ignores this initiative of Medvedchuk, like many others. The oppositionist is convinced that new Kyiv authorities are influenced by nationalists and simply do not have the political will to negotiate with Russia and the unrecognized republics, and therefore that is no plan that will suit them. In addition, Medvedchuk launched a new format for a peaceful resolution and created an interparliamentary group for dialogue with Russia, France and Germany, which led to another level of negotiations towards a peace process due to involving the deputies of the four countries in it. 7. Leaders of so-called DNR and LNR Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik The new leaders of the unrecognized republics have been at the helm of these entities for only a year. Unlike their predecessors, Pushilin and Pasechnik are more inclined towards negotiations and political compromises. Firstly, they declare their readiness for direct peace talks with the Ukrainian authorities, up to the full implementation of Minsk agreements (and this means the return of the occupied territories to Ukraine). Secondly, bellicose rhetoric in the DNR and LNR gradually fades away. If they are not able to reach an agreement with Ukraine, the leadership of the unrecognized entities is ready to drift towards Russia, but rebels do have a big desire to fight. Plus, Russia is not ready to accept the DNR and LNR as its part, and therefore unrecognized entities have no other choice but to negotiate. Pushilin and Pasechnik depend on Russia, this is a fact. However, they should not be perceived as blind puppets of the Kremlin. Almost 6 years of independence is a factor that is distancing Donetsk and Luhansk from Kyiv more and more as time goes by. The leaders of the republics have their own ambitions, their own requirements here, and they need to be taken into account. At the moment, Kyiv is not ready to openly make concessions, and this is understandable. Now Kyiv does not consider the DNR and LNR as the party to the talks and is trying to negotiate first with Russia. At this stage, such a strategy has the right to exist, but how will the events turn out when Kyiv and Moscow reach an agreement? In any case, the unwillingness of the leaders of the unrecognized republics to return to Kyivs control becomes obvious. They are doing everything to get Russia to recognize their independence or to join the neighboring state, but not to return to the "embrace" of Ukraine 8. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko The leader of Belarus is trying to play on the confrontation between the West, Russia, and Ukraine. If until 2014 Minsk was in international isolation, now Belarus has established a dialogue with Europe, plays the role of mediator between Ukraine and Russia, and most importantly - receives not only political but also economic dividends from this. Lukashenko provided the Minsk platform for negotiations between Kyiv, Moscow, Donetsk and Luhansk. And amid the fading economic activity between Ukraine and Russia, it received a redirection of logistic and economic flows between these countries through Belarus. European sanctions allowed Minsk to become a supplier of European goods to Russia. Despite all the benefits, Lukashenkos position is shaky. He has to maneuver between Kyiv and Moscow, and from time to time the President of Belarus annoys one side or the other with his statements. Since Belarus has found its place in such a political situation, it is possible that Lukashenko is interested in maintaining the current state of affairs. After all, it seems that he could do more, given his relations with Putin and Zelensky, who, in his policy, is trying to take after the Belarusian leader most of all. Perhaps Europe should take into account Lukashenko factor more. The President of Belarus is the person who is heard both in Kyiv and Moscow. 9. The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell Deutsche Welle It is surprising that a diplomat like Josep Borrell became the EUs High Representative. After all, Europe, which seems to have headed for gradual reconciliation with Russia, received an ardent critic of Moscow in the person of Borrell. When he was the head of the Spanish Foreign Ministry, Borrell called Russia the "old enemy" of the European Union. He repeated this in fall at the hearing in the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament. And now he will have to negotiate with the "old enemy." Against the background of a big demand in Europe to lift sanctions against Russia, Borrell demands to keep them. Sanctions should be maintained until the behavior of Russia changes, Borrell believes and he wants to change the principle of imposing sanctions - not unanimously, but by the majority of countries. Spanish diplomat in fall spoke a lot about the Russian threat, and the need to confront Russian expansionism and about the support for Ukraine. Many current and future European commissioners are trying not to mention Russia a lot. The former head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini was often reproached for this. It will be interesting to see how Borrell fits into European politics towards Russia and how much his sharp rhetoric will contribute to ending the conflict in Ukraine. So far, the hawks have not been able to convince Putin to change his policy, and it is unclear what kind of dove of peace Borrell could turn out to be. 10. The Special Representative of the OSCE in Ukraine Heidi Grau Swiss diplomat Heidi Grau in December was appointed the new Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman in Ukraine and Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in Donbas. She replaced the Austrian diplomat Martin Sajdik, who will not be remembered for having done something constructive. The OSCE has been quite helpless in the Donbas all these years, and praise addressed to Sajdik at the end of his term is an exaggeration of his merits. OSCE mission is entrusted with the promotion of reconciliation of the parties, but in the existing format, it is hardly possible. Therefore, at the Paris meeting, the leaders of the Normandy Four countries agreed that the mission would expand its mandate and be able to verify and monitor the observance of the ceasefire in Donbas around the clock. Ukraine also wants to have the answer on how SMM observers get to the Ukrainian-Russian border and whether they can stay there. Heidi Grau in the new role is an ordinary diplomat whose hands are tied by OSCE protocols. However, in the case of a shift in the peace process, the role of the mission in Donbas will grow. In particular, it would largely depend on the OSCE whether the parties violate the ceasefire. According to OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajcak, one of the priorities of his work is to support a political settlement of the situation in Donbas and humanitarian aid, so he will task the new OSCE Special Representative with them at Minsk talks. There are more than 140 publicly funded early childhood programs in New Orleans. But only four have received the highest rating under state Department of Education standards, recently released data show. All four are pre-K programs attached to public charter schools rather than stand-alone day cares and none serve kids under the age of 3. The dearth of top-rated centers for the youngest learners is only slightly more pronounced in New Orleans than in the metropolitan area and statewide. In the seven-parish region, only 24 of nearly 390 publicly funded early education centers about 6% got the department's highest score. Statewide, it's 7%. Despite the lack of excellent options, state officials have touted improvement in early education since the Department of Education began providing oversight. And this year, the state deemed three of seven parishes in the metropolitan area St. Bernard, St. Charles and St. Tammany as "highly proficient," a new standard introduced this year. The other four parishes Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. John the Baptist were deemed proficient," meaning that overall, officials think the majority of early education programs in those parishes are promoting kindergarten readiness for little ones. The state began grading all publicly funded day care centers, Head Start programs and pre-K sites in 2017. It was already grading public grade and high schools. The state's performance ratings are based on classroom observations conducted twice a year, during which auditors evaluate instruction quality and how nurturing classrooms are. In addition to high-quality curricula, observers look for ways in which instructors encourage daily routine and use dialogue and play to help young learners connect ideas. Performance is summarized in five levels: excellent, highly proficient, proficient, approaching proficient and unsatisfactory. Even though the number of "excellent" centers is low, the proportion is actually triple what it was in 2017, officials said. Sydni Dunn, spokeswoman for the Department of Education, added that it's "extremely difficult" to get the state's highest mark. 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 "These centers are not just state exemplars; they are national models," Dunn said. In New Orleans, the four programs that got "excellent" ratings are housed within Pierre A. Capdau Charter School in Gentilly, Edward Hynes Charter School in Lakeview, Martin Behrman Charter School in Algiers and Bricolage Academy on the edge of the Treme neighborhood. Across the state, 84% of all sites achieved ratings of proficient or above, up from 77% last year. Additionally, state officials announced in November that nearly 400 publicly funded early childhood education programs about 25% of all sites have earned a spot on the state's "Honor Roll" as a result of their performance in 2018-19. Honor Roll sites are those that are rated excellent, those that are rated proficient and above and also serve babies to age 3, and those that significantly improved their performance from the year before. "We applaud these sites for providing families, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged, with access to high-quality care and for acting as models for excellence and growth," state Education Superintendent John White said. However, White has repeatedly underscored that other challenges remain, including the glaring lack of options for the youngest students who could attend publicly funded preschool. Only 7% of in-need infants and toddlers, and a third of 3-year-olds, have access to high-quality, subsidized care, data show. Advocates have also long complained that the state doesn't contribute enough funds to early education, even among 4-year-olds, who have more publicly funded options. A 2018 report from the National Institute for Early Education Research shows that Louisiana spends about $4,800 per child in pre-K programs versus an average of $13,100 per child in K-12 programs. The shortage in investment for the very young runs counter to suggested best practices among national experts who say 90% of brain development happens before a child turns 5. "For children to enter kindergarten ready to learn, and not already four years behind, research shows that they need safe environments that promote learning and discovery and high-quality interactions with adults and caregivers," Dunn said in an email. New Delhi, Jan 4 : A terrorist belonging to a Pakistan based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning. The 23-year-old terrorist Nissar Ahmad Dar, who hails from Wahab Parray Mohalla at Hajin, was active for the last few years and is a categorised terrorist in security establishment's data base. He was in the wanted list of security forces. He is involved in eight cases, seven in 2016 and one in 2019. He was detained twice under Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) -- first time in 2016 and then in 2017. He is an associate of Salim Parray, a top terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba. "Dar is an associate of Salim Parray, who is top terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba in North Kashmir, and earlier escaped from an encounter in which a Pakistani terrorist of Lashkar outfit was killed at Kulan Ganderbal on November 12, 2019," said a senior police officer. Dar was planning to carry out attack on some security force establishment. He was caught alive in an operation launched on Friday night by the security establishments. "On a specific information that a listed and wanted dreaded terrorist was hiding somewhere in Srinagar and planning an attack on some Security Force establishment. An operation was launched last night by Srinagar police along with local security forces in which the terrorist was caught alive along with arms and ammunitions," said a senior IPS officer. Dar is being interrogated, the officer added. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed BERLIN (Reuters) - Amazon.com is considering opening stores in Germany, its second biggest market after the United States, the ecommerce company's head in the country was quoted as saying on Saturday. "The fact is that we know that customers shop offline and that they like variety," German newspaper Welt am Sonntag quoted Ralf Kleber as saying in an interview, adding that he declined to give concrete details or a timetable. Amazon already operates stores in the United States and Britain, including the Whole Foods grocery chain and checkout-free Amazon Go food stores. Kleber also told the newspaper that Amazon wants to push shopping via its Alexa voice-controlled devices, noting that it was selling its Echo Dot device at a low price to encourage widespread adoption. (Reporting by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Gareth Jones) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 military reserve troops to combat the raging bushfire crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 23 people with high temperatures and strong winds threatening to worsen the conditions across the country. This is the first time that reservists have been called up in such a large number "in the living memory", Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said. Morrison said 23 deaths have been confirmed so far this summer, including the two in a blaze on a highway on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. The Prime Minister, after calling up 3,000 military reserve troops, said: "Today's decision puts more boots on the ground, puts more planes in the sky, puts more ships at sea". The ongoing bushfire crisis continues to worsen the deadly conditions in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. More than 14,000 hectares have been destroyed in South Australia's Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island. Media reports said that authorities were trying to get into 18 isolated communities in East Gippsland region. About 100,000 people were said to be in the fire zone of East Gippsland and according to police up to 70 per cent of people had now left the region. Evacuation orders were in place across Victoria's Alpine region and navy was ferrying evacuees to relief centres. "We have seen wind gusts up to 67 km/h already today, up at Mount Hotham. It's predicted when the change comes through we will see gusts up to 80 km/h. 'We have a long way to go today. Today is a very challenging day for all of us," Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. Temperatures are expected to hit 40 degrees at Gippsland and 45 degrees in northeast. Fears of dry lightning storms are expected to cause more fires. About 50 fires continue to burn across Victoria with more than 820,000 hectares destroyed - mostly in the East Gippsland and northeast of the state. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday declared the state of emergency, advising residents to leave immediately. A massive evacuation in New South Wales, dubbed as one of the biggest in Australia's history, is currently underway with extreme fire conditions being predicted for six fire districts in the southeast. Severe conditions have been forecast for Sydney, the Hunter and the central ranges. More than 130 fires are burning across NSW including 40 in the state's southeast. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged people to evacuate bushfire zones. "I'm pleased to say that we've never been as prepared as we are today for the onslaught we're likely to face. All of the major road networks are still open, but we can't guarantee that beyond the next few hours. So, there are still windows for people to get out," she said. Over 3,000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW. Australia's military has been assisting with aerial reconnaissance, mapping, search and rescue, logistics and aerial support for months. A "tourist leave zone" was also declared for a 14,000-square-kilometre area between Nowra, South Coast region of New South Wales and the edge of Victoria's northern border. Prime Minister Morrison has cancelled his planned first visit to India from January 13 due to the catastrophic bushfire crisis. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Rose McGowan channeled her inner John Kerry and apologized to Iran for President Trump's drone strike that killed Iranian general and terrorist mastermind Qassem Soleimani. The Hollywood luminary took to that bastion of erudition, Twitter, to prostrate herself before the Iranian mullahs and tell the world of her hatred for the president and the country in which she resides. She tweeted: "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us. #Soleimani." Rose McGowan in 2018 at Ozyfest (photo credit: Rhododendrites). It is nearly impossible to picture a more inane, hypocritical, sickening utterance or a potentially more harmful attitude. Addressing the terrorist regime as "Dear Iran" is gag-inducing on its own, but it pales in comparison to the rest of the tweet. She's concerned we've "disrespected" the Iranian flag? Something tells me she's probably okay with athletes failing to stand for our own flag and national anthem. Arbitrarily asserting that 52% of us not only don't fully approve of the action, but wish to "humbly apologize" to the mullahs for it should make 100% of Americans want to vomit. If those in the Iranian regime truly thought a majority of Americans felt this way, it would embolden them to launch more and even worse terror attacks on Americans and American interests far and wide. To then say, "We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime" and "do not know how to escape" before adding, "Please do not kill us" marks her as certifiable. What an incredible slight to the 52 Americans who were actually held hostage for 444 days by Iranian revolutionaries from November 4, 1979 until January 21, 1981. You aren't being held hostage, Ms. McGowan. You are free to come and go as you please...and call your duly elected president a terrorist. Oh, and vote this coming November. Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of over 600 American troops and organized the murder of countless thousands of his own people, Kurds, and others. He had ties to various terror organizations and led the notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. The Pentagon says he and the Quds Force were behind the recent attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. After taking some heat for her remarks, McGowan acknowledged that Soleimani was "an evil evil man who did evil evil things" yet quickly added: "But that at this moment is not the f------ point. The United States is morally corrupt and acts illegally. It is only logical to appeal to Iran's pride by apologizing. I'm taking one for the team. #TeamStayAlive." Logical? Really? Would McGowan have been consistent in saying that about another "evil evil man who did evil evil things" and controlled the most powerful military in the world at the time, #Hitler? Pathetic. She also tweeted, "I do not side with Iran, but I most definitely do not side with the USA." Meaning she sides with Iran. And she noted: "I want the Democrats to win because we are less likely to die. I am a conscientious objector to the USA, it's policies, lies, corruption, nationalism, racism, and deep misogyny." Historically speaking, Ms. McGowan, we aren't "less likely to die" with Democrats in power. As for corruption, nationalism, racism, and deep misogyny, I suggest you emigrate to an Islamic state somewhere in the Middle East or North Africa. Go and be a wealthy, famous actress in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, et al. I bet they love the films you've starred in, such as Going All the Way and Devil in the Flesh. Just remember to keep your eyes lowered, and don't draw attention to yourself. And I'm sure you won't mind the entirely non-misogynistic female genital mutilation. Rose, by any other name, would still be insane and hateful. Hundreds joined in as Colonie Chabad Jewish Center's celebrated the 7th night of Hanukkah in Colonie Center Court, this past Saturday night. Children enjoyed face painting and balloon animals then made their own creative edible menorahs. The program started with the crowd chatting over latkes, donuts, drinks and Hanukkah cookies. My wife, Chana, said: "This is the 3rd Annual Hanukkah celebration in Colonie Center, since we started the Colonie Chabad Jewish Center. Each year, it has grown in terms of program and participants. I remember just 3 years ago we celebrated with a just a few friends; tonight our crowd has doubled last year's with people enjoying even from the mall's second floor opening." Town board member Melissa Jeffers Von Dollen and the Honorable Judge Andrew Sommers attended. This event has never been more important, to encourage the community and public to feel proud and comfortable to celebrate their Jewish identity. We invited local dignitaries and police who were also present. I thanked many who had made the night possible, including local police: "One of the unique things that I have noticed about our local police deportment is that, as the Rebbe would advocate, the focus is not reactionary but proactive. To build trust and relationships to prevent crime from happening in the first place. Thank you for providing security at High Holidays services." The Melwilger & Malcom duo provided the joy of authentic Jewish music, in Yiddish, Hebrew and English variations, to us in Colonie. And I shared this message of unity for the new year: The recent rise in hate crimes nationwide, including the deadly shooting just recently in Jersey City and the attack on a rabbi's Hanukkah celebration in his home, reminds us that we are one people, as part of one nation, under G-d, united with love against hate. Almighty G-d, Master of the Universe. We stand today, united in prayer, as Jewish Americans alongside our friends and neighbors in our wonderful community of Colonie.... Tragedies are the outgrowth of someone not knowing that he or she is important. It is a tragic and criminal reaction to someone not realizing that he is a candle, a gift to our world with not only G-d given rights, but responsibilities. My dear friends, perhaps most importantly, please remember to tell yourself how important you are, how significant your life is. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. How can we fight anti- Semitism? With proud Jewish observance! The great Macabees understood what was the best response to Hellenist Greeks who wished to see our people's Jewish traditions disappear into the melting pot of civilization. The response is to recommit ourselves to the observance of those traditions. All who gathered to celebrate Hanukkah proudly, have done just that, "I want to share a message of light. Each person has their own special light, regardless of race, gender, or age, or any other factors," Von Dolen told the crowd. "And if you think of all the lights everyone can bring together, it's pretty amazing." Judge Sommers continued along this same thread of light: "It's an honor to be here. Hanukkah is really universal message of light, a message that light is to be spread. One cannot vanquish darkness with a stick or a broom, but if you kindle a small light it goes away by itself. The darkness in our world is hatred. and I think by shining the light we can eliminate the hatred and accept all people and the world can see the light as well." The Shamash or serving candle was then lit by Von Dollen as a public servant of the community and the Menorah was then lit by Judge Sommers, and the traditional blessings and Maoz Tzur was sung by Mel Wigler and the crowd. There were four international Jewish student rabbis hosted by Colonie Chabad to spread locally the Hanukkah message and celebrate with the community for Shabbat. The students originate from Melbourne, Australia, Vilna, Lithuania and Toronto. The student from Reno, Nevada dressed up in a dreidel costume! Rabbi Mordechai Rubin is head of the Colonie Chabad. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the flagship company of the Tata group, on Saturday said it has filed an appeal in the against the that directed the reinstatement of as a director of the company. In a filing to the stock exchanges, TCS said the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) - vide its judgement on December 18, 2019 - had directed re-instatement of Mistry as director of the company for rest of the tenure. "...the company, based on a legal opinion, has on January 3, 2020 filed an appeal in the Hon'ble of India (i) to set aside the said Judgement qua the company and (ii) in the interim stay on operation of the said judgement to the extent it relates to the company," it added. In a major development, the had restored Mistry as executive chairman of and ruled that appointment of N Chandrasekaran as the head of the holding company of salt-to-software conglomerate was illegal. Subsequently, moved the against the December 18 order of the reinstating Mistry as the company's chairman. After that, Tata Group patriarch also filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to quash the company law appellate court order, saying the judgment was "wrong, erroneous and contrary to the record of the case". His petition, however, is separate from the one filed by Ltd, the holding company of the USD 110 billion salt-to-software conglomerate, in the Supreme Court on Thursday. Promising pension to anti-CAA protesters if voted to power in the state, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Ram Govind Chaudhary also said that his party would give compensation to the kin of those jailed or killed during the protests. "They (protesters) have raised their voice to save democracy and the Constitution. SP loves people who work for safeguarding the Constitution. They will be given pension if we come into power at the Centre and in the state," Chaudhry told reporters here on Friday. He also said that the family of those killed in anti-CAA protests will be given compensation if the SP government comes into power in the state. Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants should not be repatriated, the SP leader demanded. "Not at all. Whoever has come in the country, should not be deported," he said when asked if illegal Bangladeshi immigrants should be deported. Chaudhry accused the ruling BJP of instigating violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in UP and demanded a probe into the incidents of violence. "Violence was unleashed by RSS and BJP people during anti-CAA protests. We demand an inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court," he said. He said that the SP considers CAA, the Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Population Register (NPR) as a blot on the Constitution. "SP considers them as laws that seek to snatch citizen's rights. The party will never accept them," Chaudhry said. On Dec 31, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav led a cycle rally of party MLAs against the CAA, NRC, NPR from the party headquarters to state Assembly. At least 19 people have been killed in violent protests that erupted in several parts of Uttar Pradesh against the CAA and NRC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Monaghan man is in a serious condition in hospital in Canada following a two-car collision. Gary Holohan from Scotstown was involved in the incident in Vancouver in the early hours of December 29. T housands of reservists have been called in to help with the escalating wildfire crisis in Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 3,000 defence force reservists would help tackle "another extremely difficult next 24 hours", as the raging fires threatened torrid conditions in three states. As temperatures in western Sydney reached 47 degrees Celsius, Mr Morrison said two more deaths had been confirmed on Saturday, bringing the toll since the countrys worst wildfire season on record began in September to 23. We are facing another extremely difficult next 24 hours, Mr Morrison told reporters, while also confirming his scheduled visits to India and Japan later this month had been postponed due to the ongoing situation. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits a resident's property in an area devastated by bushfires in Sarsfield, Victoria state / POOL/AFP via Getty Images He later tweeted: "Were putting more Defence Force boots on the ground, more planes in the sky, more ships to sea, and more trucks to roll in to support the bushfire fighting effort and recovery as part of our co-ordinated response to these terrible bushfires." Australia was bracing for one of the worst days of the crisis yet on Saturday, as searing heat and strong winds were forecast to bring flames to more populated areas. The countrys worst wildfire season on record began in September 2019 / AFP via Getty Images Officials warned a fire in a national park west of Sydney had the potential to spread into the citys outer western suburbs. The defence force reservists will fight fires alongside thousands of full-time and volunteer firefighters, plus scores more brought in from other countries including Canada and the United States. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian says her state is facing another terrible day and called on people in areas threatened by the fires to leave while they still could. Authorities also repeated warnings fires could move frighteningly quick, with embers carried by wind having the potential to spark new fires or enlarge existing ones. Australian wildfires turn sky red 1 /16 Australian wildfires turn sky red via REUTERS brendanh_au/Twitter via Reuters via REUTERS via REUTERS via REUTERS via REUTERS via REUTERS Getty Images Courtesy of Stacey Broadfoot/AFP Courtesy of Caitlin Nobes/AFP vi BradleyWDeacon/Twitter Australian navy ships have been lifting hundreds of people from beaches in towns cut off by roads by the fires. Tens of thousands of people have been urged to flee communities near fires, many of them coastal holiday centres, before hot and windy weather intensified over the weekend. Australias summer wildfire season arrived early in September and has been more intense than any on record. Collectively, more than 20,000 square miles has been burnt out around the country, and area almost the size of Croatia. Multiple bruises found on a young British woman who alleged she was gang-raped on holiday in Cyprus leave 'no doubt' that she had suffered a violent assault, according to a pathologist. The student, who faces up to a year in jail after being found guilty of lying, insists she was held down and raped by up to 12 Israeli youths at a budget hotel in Ayia Napa. Some 35 bruises found across the 19-year-old's legs, arms and buttocks are said to be consistent with her having suffered a violent sexual assault. Marks were also found around her knees and eyes. They were seen in a diagram, compiled by a pathologist who saw photographs of the injuries, in a Cypriot court as she was tried for public mischief. However, the evidence was dismissed by the judge whose handling of the case before her conviction last week has come under fire in an escalating diplomatic row. The Briton (right) leaves court after being found guilty of lying her mask with lips sewn up signifies the fact that her voice is being silenced Bruises on the teenager's torso are missing because, inexplicably, police took no pictures of her without her shirt on. The girl's mother says her daughter is suffering from PTSD caused by the months of her legal ordeal, while Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has voiced his 'serious concerns' over her treatment ahead of her sentencing on Tuesday. Her psychologist, Dr Christine Tizzard, fears the teenager will be at a heightened risk of suicide if she is jailed this week, the Sunday Times reported. Dr Tizzard added that the student is in urgent need of mental health care and is 'physically and mentally getting worse every day'. 'As with anyone who has got this level of PTSD, the high level of hyperarousal in the system makes them very unpredictable,' she said. 'It is a very significant concern'. She added that the teenager, who she assessed for the defence over 10 Skype and phone calls, fulfilled 'all the criteria' of the condition, including experiencing nightmares and suicidal thoughts. Pathologist Marios Matsakis, an expert witness for the woman's defence, told The Mail on Sunday: 'I have no doubts that violence was exercised on the body.' She added that the data from the diagram 'is related to rape'. Pictured: A diagram illustrating bruising found on the teenager Photos of her upper body might have provided crucial evidence, as a central part of the girl's testimony was her claim that she was pinned down by her shoulders. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, says she retracted her statement about the alleged rape only after pressure from detectives following ten hours of questioning which was not recorded or conducted in front of a lawyer. She then found herself in police custody and stranded on the Mediterranean island for five months charged with public mischief. During her trial, Judge Michalis Papathanasiou, who reduced the woman to tears on a number of occasions, dismissed evidence put forward by UK experts that supported her claim of being attacked and ruled she 'did not make a good impression, she did not tell the truth, and tried to mislead the court'. He did not hear from any of the woman's alleged attackers and was adamant he would not rule on whether she was raped or not, despite three men admitting they had sex with her. The judge was also said to have dismissed the marks as jellyfish stings, ruling she could have got them from a dip in the Mediterranean sea, the Sun reported. Mr Matsakis said the bruises on the hands 'could have been created by grabbing someone by violence and leaving the marks by the fingers'. He pointed to a litany of errors that were made during the investigation, saying: 'The state pathologist's whole report was about half a page. He did not describe how tall she was, how short, fat, thin, her mental condition, her clothing and he missed a lot of the injuries that were present on the body. 'The girl had a lot of bruises which are shown in the photos which were taken by the police at the time of the examination. And he didn't photograph the front and the back of the body, the torso.' The bruising across the 19-year-old's legs, arms and buttocks are said to be consistent with her having suffered a violent sexual assault State pathologist Sophocles Sophocleous told the court that the British teenager bore no physical signs consistent with a serious sexual assault. He maintained that there were only a few light bruises on the young woman's thighs and scratches on her leg and that a lot of the bruises were old. He told the court that the bruises on her leg were consistent with bumping into a piece of furniture. When contacted by this newspaper, he declined to comment on his findings. Teenager convicted in Cyprus is 'suicide risk' The teenager convicted of lying about being raped in Ayia Napa could be a suicide risk if she is given a custodial sentence, her psychologist believes. Dr Christine Tizzard said that the student is in urgent need of mental healthcare and is 'physically and mentally getting worse every day', the Sunday Times reported. 'As with anyone who has got this level of PTSD, the high level of hyperarousal in the system makes them very unpredictable,' she said. 'It is a very significant concern'. She added that the teenager, who she assessed for the defence over 10 Skype and phone calls, fulfilled 'all the criteria' of the condition, including experiencing nightmares and suicidal thoughts. Advertisement Judge Papathanasiou has come under pressure for his courtroom behaviour, which Mr Matsakis described as unacceptable and 'like a primary school teacher shouting at students'. During the woman's shambolic trial, he often yelled angrily at her and at others in court. In one bizarre instance, he reportedly shouted at the teenager for turning to her mother. 'I'm sure he affected her,' Mr Matsakis said. 'He said at one stage that she was looking at her mother and sighing. 'So what if she looked at her mother? Judging from this case, his behaviour was totally unacceptable and I would say that the authorities need to look into this and see whether he is fit to judge.' Jamie Doran, who has spent the last three months with the family making a documentary about the case, described the moment the mother and daughter asked him to get them face masks showing their lips sewn together in defiance against her guilty verdict. 'It was entirely their decision and it said so much. That their voices are silenced but only for so long.' Mr Doran said the family are prepared to fight their case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights despite the huge financial burden. 'They have literally been on the bread line,' he said. 'It was only the support from many people, especially the people of Israel who want to see justice, that helped them.' Fury as one of 12 Israeli men accused of taking part in the 'gang rape' of a British teenager vows to sue the 19-year-old for compensation By Andrew Young and Holly Bancroft for the Mail on Sunday Pictured: Yona Golub, who claimed the 19-year-old student had turned his life into a nightmare One of the 12 Israeli youths accused of taking part in the gang-rape caused outrage yesterday by vowing to pursue the British teenager through the courts for compensation. In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Yona Golub claimed the 19-year-old student had turned his life into a nightmare. 'We're preparing to sue her,' he declared. 'She deserves to go to jail.' The woman, who is now facing up to a year in prison after a hearing last week, says she retracted her statement about the alleged rape after pressure from detectives following ten hours of questioning that was not recorded or conducted in front of a lawyer. Amid widespread anger over the case, the country's president is under increasing pressure to issue a pardon. Tracked down by The Mail on Sunday to the town of Afula, near Nazareth, Mr Golub, 18, did not express any sympathy for the woman, who was left with extensive bruising and is now suffering from PTSD. Instead, he insisted that he and the other youths were victims. He admitted his life was back to normal but claimed: 'We deserve compensation for what we went through. I don't know how much I should get. 'They need to put her in prison and only afterwards should they deal with the compensation.' Last night Mr Golub's inflammatory comments provoked a furious reaction. Professor Ruhama Weiss, a director of pastoral counselling at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, will fly with more than 40 other Israelis to Cyprus to show solidarity with the Briton when she is sentenced on Tuesday. Dr Weiss said: 'The reason is that we are very much ashamed of what happened, and we want to say that not all Israelis are the same. We want to say to the British girl that we believe her and we want to say out loud that we are with her.' An Israeli teenager is embraced by relatives after being released from Famagusta police headquarters in southeast town of Paralimni, Cyprus in July Jamie Doran, who is making a film about the case, said: 'This woman has been through hell and for these individuals to be attacking her yet again is beyond humanity.' Mr Golub, who was held in custody for eight days, said he was not among the Israelis who were in the room with the teenager when she claimed she was raped but in bed in the same budget hotel with an Israeli girl. He says he was arrested simply because he was on holiday with two friends who had been in the room. Police released him after his girlfriend gave them a selfie she had taken of them in her room at the time the rape was said to have taken place. Mr Golub was not among the seven men freed on July 28 who were pictured on their return home dancing in an airport arrivals hall. He had returned two days earlier after police found no evidence against him. He recalled: 'The police took DNA swabs from our mouths and the enormity of what happened began to hit me. I was sure I was going to be put in prison for my whole life.' Michael Polak from Justice Abroad, who is advising the family, states 'Yona Golub is not a person that was named by the teenager at any point. It also appears that no witness statements or interrogation documents from a person of this name were served upon us during the proceedings. 'If Mr Golub was arrested by the Cypriot Police in relation to this incident and was not involved, this may be because the Cypriot Police swept up a number of Israeli youths and then failed to hold an identification parade of any kind. It is quite possible, as I have stated in previous statements, that the Cypriot Police arrested people who were not involved in any offence against the teenager and had never seen her as claimed by Mr Golub. 'If this happened to Mr Golub then his complaint lies against the Cypriot Police.' She's not lying... I've seen the terror in her eyes: Campaigner JULIE BINDEL says she knew 'instantly' that woman, 19, convicted of lying about being raped WAS the victim of sexual assault When I met the young woman at the heart of the Cyprus rape case, I knew instantly that she had been the victim of a serious sexual assault. It was the way she spoke, the terror in her eyes, and other classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as hyper-vigilance and wanting to sleep all the time. Her wonderfully protective mother, who had invited me to go to Cyprus as she was desperate for help from feminists such as myself, is also traumatised but she is doing her very best to prevent the young woman from crashing into a major breakdown. Yet we have blamed the victim. That's what we tend to do with women who have any sexual history whatsoever when they report rape. When I met the young woman at the heart of the Cyprus rape case, I knew instantly that she had been the victim of a serious sexual assault, writes Julie Bindel She was very clear and open about having consensually dated one of the young men who was later accused of rape. At 18, the age she was when allegedly gang-raped, it is perfectly reasonable that this woman might enjoy consensual sex. Why wouldn't she? After all, packs of young men visit the resort in Cyprus and elsewhere looking for exactly that. But I would stake my life on the fact that this young woman has told the truth, but was bullied out of telling her story by authoritarian and misogynistic police officers on the island. Why is it that women such as this teenager are so often assumed to be lying about rape? In the UK right now, of all the rape allegations reported to police, only 1.4 per cent end with a conviction in court, which is the lowest number since records began. Does that mean that 98.6 per cent of women who report rape are lying? Or might it mean that men are getting away with it because young women such as this one, who have the nerve to enjoy sun, sea and sex when on holiday, are seen as worthless slags? Protesters stage a demonstration outside a court house in Paralimni, Cyprus in December A women's rights activist participates in a protest in support of a British teenager accused of fasely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists I am aware that there is a tiny number of rape complaints that are either inaccurate or even false, but these are almost non-existent. Rape may as well be decriminalised, and it's not just the UK that has a problem. In Cyprus, the number of rapes that end in conviction is also abysmally low, and a big reason for this is not as many people say due to 'her word against his' or a lack of concrete evidence. The fault is the rape culture in which we live. Women are assumed to be lying, and men are either viewed sympathetically, with the attitude that 'boys will be boys', or let off the hook because the woman was in some way 'asking for it'. This can mean anything from drinking or wearing short skirts to enjoying herself on holiday. If we do not stand up and protest about the torture of this young woman, we can expect that more young men will become sexual predators, because they are very unlikely to ever fall into the hands of the law. And for women that would be a disaster. New Delhi: In what can add to the ongoing tension in Middle East, Iran on Saturday termed the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani as an act of war. In an interview to CNN, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi said, "Last night they (the US) started a military war by assassinating by an act of terror against one of our top generals. So what else can be expected of Iran to do? We cannot just remain silent. We have to act and we will act." The shocking development has once again put spotlight on strained US-Iran ties. While US President Donald Trump defended the airstrike at Baghdad Airport, several US politicians have questioned the timing of the attack. From issuing travel advisories to its citizens, the US is also sending more troops in the region. In a video statement, Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, he said. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies, Trump said. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran, he said. Meanwhile, a fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. It came hours ahead of a planned mourning march for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, slain in a precision drone strike by the US in Baghdad on Friday. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Digital superimposition of the photograph of Sheena Bora and the skull recovered by the prosecution was a match, a forensic expert told a court here on Friday while deposing in the ongoing trial against former media barons Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea. Peter Mukerjea, Indrani Mukerjea and her first husband Sanjeev Khanna are accused of killing Indranis daughter Sheena Bora in April 2012. The trio was arrested in August 2015 when the alleged killing came to light after Indranis driver Shyamwar Rai was arrested in another case. Sunil Kumar Tripathi, professor and former Head of Department of Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), was summoned as a witness in the case as he and his team had carried out analysis on the skeletal remains allegedly of Sheena Bora. Tripathi, during his deposition on Friday, told the court the digital superimposition of the photos of skull and that of Sheena Bora were a match based on facial landmarks, including teeth. The witness explained how the digital superimposition software worked, adding that it was used to match key features of a face from a persons photograph with the photo of the skull. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi, Jan 4 : Passengers on board an Air India flight resorted to unruly behaviour after they got restive with the delay. Aviation regulator DGCA has asked the national carrier to look into the issue after the video shot by a passenger went viral. The Air India flight 865, was scheduled to depart at 10 a.m. on January 3, from Delhi but flew out at 5:59 p.m. The video shows a few passengers trying to open the aircraft's door by force and quarreling with the cabin staff. While the matter is being probed, an Air India cited technical glitch for the delay in the flight. "A video of a few passengers of AI 865 of 2nd Jan is being widely circulated in different forums. The flight AI 865 of 2nd January was considerably delayed due to technical reasons," an Air India spokesperson said. He said Air India management has asked the operating crew for a detailed report on the reported misbehaviour by some passengers and that further action would be considered after getting the report. Air India witnesses frequent delays in flight due to technical issues drawing wrath from the passengers. In what suggests its poor operating performance, the official DGCA data shows the airline scores very poorly on its on time performance (OTP). Kenneth "Ken" Tristram Stevens, 64, passed away on January 2, 2020, in his sleep, with his wife Pat, sister, and sister-in-law by his side. Ken was born on March 1, 1955, in Glen Ridge, N.J. and lived in Madison, N.J. until they moved to Signal Mountain in 1969. He graduated from Red Bank High School in 1973, then attended MTSU, and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice in 1977. He retired from TVA, Sequoyah Nuclear Plant in August 2003 as the nuclear security manager. He was chief manager of PTS Investment Properties LLC from February 2004 to present. He was employed by GROOME Transportation as the administrative manager from 2005 to 2018. Ken enjoyed working in his yard and swimming in his pool. He loved laughing and joking around with his family and friends. He was a master of the antics he could pull. He loved to watch his nieces, great nieces and nephews play ball, even if he had to travel out of town which filled his heart to overwhelming. Ken was a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church on Signal Mountain. His pastor and church Family meant the world to him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tris and Dottie Stevens. He is survived by his wife of 35 years Pat, and sister, Laurie and Happy Powell of Signal Mountain, brother, Bruce and fiancee Rae Maxwell of Austin, Tx., nieces, Mary Ann and Jim Sokolowski and their children, James, Tris and Cora of Brentwood, Tn., Eleanor and Cale Hildabrand and their children Witt, Anna Louise and Dottie of Signal Mountain. Funeral services will be held at 12:07 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the chapel of Hamilton Funeral Home with Reverend Rocky Bradford officiating. Interment will follow at Chattanooga Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Monday, Jan. 6, from 4:07-7:07 p.m. and on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 from 11:07 a.m. till the time of the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Cancer Society. Arrangements are by Hamilton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 4506 Hixson Pike, Hixson, 423 531-3975. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines, will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation following a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Strongly condemning the mob attack on the historic Sikh shrine, SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal on Saturday appealed to the Pakistan government to take strict action against culprits. "We strongly condemn the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and appeal to the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits and also ensure safety of Sikhs living there," Longowal said on Saturday. "We will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there," he said, adding that the delegation would also meet Sikh families in Nankana Sahib. "The delegation will also meet Pakistan's Punjab Governor and Chief Minister, he further said. He said the delegation will comprise Rajinder Singh Mehta, Roop Singh, Surjit Singh and Rajinder Singh. "We have spoken with the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib management committee...they told us the situation is normal now," he said. The SGPC chief said the sentiments of the Sikh community were hurt with the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Longowal said that the SGPC would also take up this matter with the United Nations. Punjab's former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal also condemned the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. "We request the Government of India to immediately take steps so that peace and harmony is restored," he said. A mob reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had on Friday expressed concern over the mob attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 The year 2019 saw adherents of minority religions continue to struggle to exercise their beliefs, including as they tried to establish places of worship in many areas of the country. The issue was raised again over Christmas when Christians in West Sumatra were banned from holding Christmas service and followers of Assemblies of God Church (GSJA) in Jambi had to celebrate Christmas outside of their sealed church. But those were not the only incidents to take place in 2019. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login A house was significantly damaged during an arson attack in Dungiven on Friday night. The attack took place in the Ard Na Smoll area and was reported to police around 11.4opm. Police attended the scene along with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) who brought the blaze under control and extinguished it. There were no reports of any injuries, but significant damage was caused to the property by the fire. NIFRS ruled the fire to be caused by deliberate ignition and police are treating it as arson. Detective Sergeant Wallace described the incident as a "reckless and sinister act". He appealed for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward. "We are working to establish the exact circumstances of what occurred and I want to appeal to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in Ard Na Smoll last night, around 11:30pm, including persons or vehicles, to get in touch with us," Detective Sergeant Wallace said. "I would also urge anyone who has information which may help us identify who is responsible to call our detectives in Coleraine on 101, and quote reference number 2190 of 03/01/20." 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. A subsided section of a taxiway at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in August 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Duy. Vietnam's main airport operator ACV is seeking permission to manage the repair of runways and taxiways at both Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports. Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), which runs all 22 civil airports in the country, has written to the Ministry of Transport and its direct manager, the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises, seeking government approval to repair downgraded runways and taxiways at Vietnam's two largest airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. According to ACV, a joint-stock company with 95.4 percent state-owned shares, several taxiways and runways at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports have been seriously downgraded since 2017 due to overload, posing a risk to aviation safety. A transport ministry report in September stated there were serious cracks, factures, subsidence and material falling off expansion joints between concrete slabs as a result of overuse beyond designed capacity. It estimated runway and taxiway renovation costs for both airports at around VND4.5 trillion ($195 million). Shortly after the report, the government directed reparation of runways and taxiways at both airports be completed by November last year. However, no work has been carried out, as the state failed to allocate funds towards the project. According to current regulations, as both runway systems belong to the aviation asset managed by the state, they must be repaired using state budget. ACV confirmed if no repair work is carried out, downgraded runways and taxiways must be shut down. To solve the problem, the company suggested using the differences between income and expenditures it has managed from operating airports to cover part of reparations. For the rest, ACV would make advancements by using the sum accumulated from its own business activities. If the government approved its plan, the company could complete repairs at Tan Son Nhat in 23.5 months and at No Bai in 26.5 months. Inspections of Noi Bai International Airport in August last year found two tire marks, each 1-meter wide, on one major runway, potholes 30-50 cm wide and some subsidence on a parallel runway. Runways at Tan Son Nhat are also congested and not equipped to handle new planes that are getting larger and heavier, the ACV stated in a report last year. Tan Son Nhat, the largest airport in Vietnam, received more than 40 million people in 2019, 1.6 times higher than its intended capacity of 25 million per year, while Noi Bai handled 29 million compared to design capacity of 21 million, official data revealed. Following torrential rain and strong winds on the night of December 25, a brief but welcome respite on St Stephen's morning allowed the annual Sliabh Luachra Macra fundraising walk to go ahead. The event, which sees walkers assemble at the Old School House in Foyle, Ballydesmond, and travel to the source of the Blackwater River, has been raising funds for charities since 2012. This year monies raised will go to the Cork Down Syndrome Centre. Beneficiaries in previous years include Fr. Martin McCormack's Swaziland Mission, The Irish Cancer Society and Marymount Hospice. 40 people set out on the 7km walk which began at the entrance to the Cordal Windfarm and continued on to the source of the Blackwater River at Muinganine. On returning to the Old School House in Foyle, everyone enjoyed tea and sandwiches, kindly sponsored by Howard's Foodstore, Lakevale, Ballydesmond. Macra groups from Awbeg, Banteer and Freemount turned up to support the Sliabh Luachra group, and on the day 750 was raised for the Cork Down Syndrome centre. The Sliabh Luachra Macra group welcomes new members and can be contacted through their Facebook page. WINSTED Litchfield County Board of REALTORS recently announced a partnership with the Northwestern Connecticut Community College to develop and present a curriculum of continuing education classes for Connecticut real estate salespersons/brokers. Northwestern Connecticut Community College is the real estate school presenting the CE courses; therefore, students must register and pay directly with NCCC as well as follow the schools policies and procedures. Realtors will find information about the upcoming courses listed under the Events Section on www.litchfieldboard.com . Students should review NCCCs 2020 Spring Catalog for information on their policies such as refunds, class attendance, etc. which can also be found using the link above. For information, call Jane Williams, Coordinator of Workforce Development, at 860-738-6444 or jwilliams@nwcc.commnet.edu VITA tax program starts Jan. 7 HARTFORD - Human service organizations across Connecticut are gearing up to help low to middle income residents prepare and file their 2019 federal and state tax returns at no cost through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA will kick off its popular tax filing support program at sites across Connecticut on Jan. 7. The Village for Families & Children, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Human Resources Agency of New Britain and the Connecticut Association for Human Services will open tax sites in Litchfield, Hartford, Tolland, Windham, Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties. At each site, VITAs IRS-certified volunteers will help individuals and families with 2019 incomes up to $56,000, persons with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. Federal and State returns are prepared and electronically filed at no charge. Along with tax filing help, taxpayers can learn more about financial literacy support available to them from each organization. To schedule an appointment or locate VITA tax assistance sites in your city or town, visit www.211ct.org or dial 2-1-1 and press 3 then 6 after Jan. 7. In addition to face-to-face tax assistance, free online self-preparation and tax help is available for people who make up to $66,000 at www.myfreetaxes.com. For more than a decade, VITA coalitions have been helping working families become financially secure. Free tax preparation is one way for hard-working families to keep more money in their wallets by obtaining the tax refunds and credits they have earned. Last year, volunteers at 175 VITA locations across Connecticut brought $73,222.366.00 in total refunds and credits to filers. The 2019-2020 VITA and MyFreeTaxes program partners are: CT Association for Human Services; Human Resources Agency of New Britain; Internal Revenue Service; The Village for Families & Children; and Connecticut United Ways. Girl Scouts kick off cookies sales Jan. 4 The Girl Scout Cookie Program began Jan. 4, and to celebrate, Girl Scouts held a statewide Cookie Rally at Quinnipiac University. The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps prepare girls to be the next century of female entrepreneurs, and current Girl Scouts will attend with their families and prospective Girl Scouts to have fun at the activity stations, gather marketing materials, and learn key marketing tips to have a successful cookie sale. The Girl Scout Cookie Program, now more than 100 years old, is the largest girl entrepreneurial program in the world. Every year, Girl Scouts set goals, make decisions on how to target their customers, develop business ethics, manage money, and learn people skills. Proceeds from your purchase stay local and help power new experiences for her and every awesome G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) who sells Girl Scout Cookies. Whether its a trip shell never forget, a service project that will change her community forever, or the opportunity to build a lifetime of memories at camp, Girl Scout Cookies help make it all happen! Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls not only discover their inner leadership potential but also use their earnings to power amazing experiences for themselves and their troop, including travel, outdoor adventure, and STEM programming. Last year, Girl Scouts in Connecticut earned more than $1.9 million in cookie proceeds. Many girls put the money toward impactful community projects right in their own backyards, from supporting animal shelters and food banks to working with local and state legislators to change laws. And the cookie programs benefits are many; a recent Girl Scout Research Institute study found that two out of three girls who participate in the program learn five crucial skillsgoal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethicswhile doing incredible things for themselves and their communities. The proceeds stay local, meaning that when consumers purchase the delicious cookies from a Girl Scout, theyre giving back to their wider community. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit gsofct.org. Today we'll take a closer look at China Aoyuan Group Limited (HKG:3883) from a dividend investor's perspective. Owning a strong business and reinvesting the dividends is widely seen as an attractive way of growing your wealth. Yet sometimes, investors buy a stock for its dividend and lose money because the share price falls by more than they earned in dividend payments. With China Aoyuan Group yielding 3.2% and having paid a dividend for over 10 years, many investors likely find the company quite interesting. It would not be a surprise to discover that many investors buy it for the dividends. Remember though, due to the recent spike in its share price, China Aoyuan Group's yield will look lower, even though the market may now be factoring in an improvement in its long-term prospects. Some simple analysis can reduce the risk of holding China Aoyuan Group for its dividend, and we'll focus on the most important aspects below. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis SEHK:3883 Historical Dividend Yield, January 4th 2020 Payout ratios Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. So we need to form a view on if a company's dividend is sustainable, relative to its net profit after tax. China Aoyuan Group paid out 28% of its profit as dividends, over the trailing twelve month period. A medium payout ratio strikes a good balance between paying dividends, and keeping enough back to invest in the business. One of the risks is that management reinvests the retained capital poorly instead of paying a higher dividend. We also measure dividends paid against a company's levered free cash flow, to see if enough cash was generated to cover the dividend. China Aoyuan Group's cash payout ratio last year was 20%, which is quite low and suggests that the dividend was thoroughly covered by cash flow. It's positive to see that China Aoyuan Group's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut. Story continues Is China Aoyuan Group's Balance Sheet Risky? As China Aoyuan Group has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A quick check of its financial situation can be done with two ratios: net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA measures total debt load relative to company earnings (lower = less debt), while net interest cover measures the ability to pay interest on the debt (higher = greater ability to pay interest costs). China Aoyuan Group has net debt of 3.23 times its EBITDA, which is getting towards the limit of most investors' comfort zones. Judicious use of debt can enhance shareholder returns, but also adds to the risk if something goes awry. Net interest cover can be calculated by dividing earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by the company's net interest expense. With EBIT of 46.51 times its interest expense, China Aoyuan Group's interest cover is quite strong - more than enough to cover the interest expense. Consider getting our latest analysis on China Aoyuan Group's financial position here. Dividend Volatility One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. For the purpose of this article, we only scrutinise the last decade of China Aoyuan Group's dividend payments. During this period the dividend has been stable, which could imply the business could have relatively consistent earnings power. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was CN0.033 in 2010, compared to CN0.36 last year. Dividends per share have grown at approximately 27% per year over this time. With rapid dividend growth and no notable cuts to the dividend over a lengthy period of time, we think this company has a lot going for it. Dividend Growth Potential Dividend payments have been consistent over the past few years, but we should always check if earnings per share (EPS) are growing, as this will help maintain the purchasing power of the dividend. Strong earnings per share (EPS) growth might encourage our interest in the company despite fluctuating dividends, which is why it's great to see China Aoyuan Group has grown its earnings per share at 36% per annum over the past five years. With high earnings per share growth in recent times and a modest payout ratio, we think this is an attractive combination if earnings can be reinvested to generate further growth. Conclusion To summarise, shareholders should always check that China Aoyuan Group's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. It's great to see that China Aoyuan Group is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. We like that it has been delivering solid improvement in its earnings per share, and relatively consistent dividend payments. All these things considered, we think this organisation has a lot going for it from a dividend perspective. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 15 analysts we track are forecasting for China Aoyuan Group for free with public analyst estimates for the company. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of dividend stocks yielding above 3%. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. Baghdad, Jan 4 : The US-led coalition and the Iraqi military on Saturday denied any fresh airstrike north of Baghdad, after it was reported that a convoy of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) or the Hashd Shaabi was attacked. "The coalition did not conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji in recent days," Xinhua news agency reported citing the coalition as saying. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) also denied the media reports of the attack. "What was reported by some media about an airstrike targeting a medical convoy of the Hashd Shaabi in Taji area is not true," said a statement by the media office affiliated with the JOC. In the early hours of Saturday, media reports said that the medical convoy of the Hashd Shaabi forces was hit by the airstrike near a stadium in Taji, some 15 km north of Baghdad. The Hashd Shaabi later issued a statement saying none of its leaders were killed in the attack. However, an Iraqi Interior Ministry source told Xinhua that an attack against the Hashd Shaabi convoy did take place before dawn in Taji, leaving two killed and four others wounded, but the perpetrator of the attack was unknown. This incident comes about 24 hours after a US drone attack ordered by President Donald Trump killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy chief of the pro-Hashd Shaabi forces. The attack took place on the Baghdad International Airport road. Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the US over Soleimani's death. Friday's attack came after Iraqi protesters on Tuesday stormed the US embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American air raids conducted on December 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, claiming the lives of 25 people. Close No matter why a marriage comes to an end, it's a dramatic life change that will require great physical and emotional strength to get through. The family you have come to know is changing and whether the split was for the best or not, it can hit hard. This is especially true for your children. Not fully old enough to understand the ins and outs of the relationship they often see themselves as the source of your relationship's demise. As a parent, though you're going through your own emotions it is essential that you try to be there for your children during this transition. This is especially true for teenagers. Younger children are often more vocal and will ask questions and express their emotions outwardly. Teenagers, on the other hand, will pretend to be okay while trying to handle their overwhelming emotions in silence. On the outside, your teen seems very strong and independent. Yet, you'll notice that they start to isolate themselves, acting out in school, lashing out at their younger siblings, and even becoming defiant with you. Some teenagers even resort to abusing substances as a means of rebellion. If your teen has reached this point it is necessary for you to look into adolescent addiction treatment in California or near where you live for help. Getting Them Through How can you help your teen get through this life-altering change? Below are some suggestions: Make Changes Slowly - There are a lot of changes that come with a divorce that you and your children will have to deal with. They may need to move to a new town, enroll in a new school, leave their pets, etc. As best you can, try to make these changes slowly so that your teen has time to adjust. For example, allow them to finish the school year before moving out of the area. Keep Rules in Place Despite Pushback - Anger and resentment are very common emotions for teens to have when hearing about a divorce. They may become angry with their parents for "ruining their lives" and act out as a result. Do the best you can to understand that they're just trying to figure out how to express themselves, but don't become a pushover. If your teenagers are rebelling in a way that puts you, your other children, or them in harm's way, you need to react. Any rules you have set in place for defiance should be followed despite your circumstances. Gather Support - Unfortunately, your teenager is not always going to be interested in talking to you about the divorce. In some instances, they don't want to feel like a burden and in others, they simply don't feel safe. That's why it is important to find outside support for them to talk to. This can be a family member, mentor, family friend, or, if necessary, a therapist. At least you know your child has someone safe to open up to as they go through this difficult time. Spend Quality Time - You're going through a lot right now but it is important to find time to spend with your teenager. Schedule some one-on-one time where the two of you do something fun. Don't make the divorce the topic of discussion unless your teen brings it up. Simply enjoy the time and find ways to express your love so that your teenager can begin to heal. Take Care of You - Yes, it is important to tend to the emotional well-being of your children as you go through a divorce. However, if you're not taking care of yourself during this process, it will impact your entire family. Make sure that you're eating, getting sleep, seeking therapy, and showing your children how to adapt to a new normal. Seeing that you are okay can help ease some of your child's pressure while also encouraging them to do the same. Divorce is never easy. Whether you decided to split amicably, the relationship was toxic, or it was a complete surprise, it's hard to deal with the reality that something you thought would last forever has come to an end. As you go through your divorce, remember that your children are also suffering. Using the advice above, do your best to be there for them physically and mentally so you can all heal as a family. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare An Iraqi woman attends the funeral of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani (portrait) and nine others in Baghdad on January 4, 2020. Thousands of Iraqis chanting "Death to America" joined the funeral procession for Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, both killed in a US air strike. (AFP) Baghdad: Two mortar rounds hit the Iraqi capital's Green Zone Saturday and two rockets slammed into a base housing US troops, security sources said, a day after a deadly American strike. The precision drone strike outside the Baghdad airport on Friday killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, top Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a clutch of other Iranian and Iraqi figures. In Baghdad, mortar rounds on Saturday evening hit the Green Zone, the high-security enclave where the US embassy is based, security sources said. The Iraqi military said one projectile hit inside the zone, while another landed close to the enclave. Sirens rang out at the US compound, sources there told AFP. A pair of Katyusha rockets then hit the Balad airbase north of Baghdad, where American troops are based, security sources and the Iraqi military said. Security sources there reported blaring sirens and said surveillance drones were sent above the base to locate the source of the rockets. The US embassy in Baghdad as well as the 5,200 American troops stationed across the country have faced a spate of rocket attacks in recent months that Washington has blamed on Iran and its allies in Iraq. Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of Iraqis, many chanting "Death to America", mourned a top Iranian commander and others killed in a US drone attack that sparked fears of a regional proxy war between Washington and Tehran. The killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send thousands more troops to the region. A furious Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of Soleimani, the chief architect of its military operations across the Middle East. "The response for a military action is a military action," Iranian ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi told CNN, calling the strike an "act of war". "By whom, by when, where? That is for the future to witness." Iraqis worry the US strike could unleash a new wave of destabilisation for Iraq, which only two years ago announced it had defeated the Islamic State group. Amid the tensions, the Pentagon said up to 3,500 additional US troops would be dispatched to Iraq's neighbour Kuwait, to boost some 14,000 reinforcements already deployed to the region last year. About 5,200 US troops are stationed across Iraq to help fight IS. As a result of the tensions, NATO said it was suspending its training activities in Iraq and a US defence official told AFP that American-led coalition forces would "limit" operations. "Our first priority is protecting coalition personnel," the official said, adding that the main focus of surveillance had shifted from IS to watching for incoming rocket attacks. US citizens were meanwhile urged to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were evacuated from oil fields in the south. Ecologists say more than half a billion creatures have been killed by bushfire pushing rare species to extinction as feral cats move in to pick off the starving survivors. Kangaroo Island, South Australia, last week had a rare population of tiny marsupials called dunnarts. Ecologist Pat Hodgens had set up cameras to capture the insect-eating mouse-like creatures. Pat Hodgens holds up the burnt remains of two cameras set up to capture the rare Kangaroo Island dunnart on Thursday (left). Ecologists are concerned it may now face extinction. Pictured right: Pat Hodgens with a dusky hopping mouse native to arid lands The Kangaroo Island dunnart is a marsupial found only on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Its future looks grim after fires ripped through conservation areas earlier this week destroying fences, cameras and habitat Two fires burnt through the site earlier this week, melting cameras and fences set up to record and protect the rare creatures, and incinerating their habitat. On Friday the island was again torched along its south coast, destroying three other wildlife sites that protect dunnarts and the endangered southern brown bandicoot. On Saturday the island was again on high alert again as news broke that two people were killed in the fire that has burnt up to 100,000 hectares since it began in December. It is not known how many Kangaroo Island dunnarts survived. Australian National University professor Sarah Legge said the future for the Kangaroo Island dunnart did not look good. An urgent cull of feral cats and foxes has been called for as they are attracted to burnt areas where they hunt native survivors easily after the protective bush cover has been burnt away Ecologists fear the bushfires may cause several species to become extinct. Professor Legge said many dozens of threatened species had been hit hard by the fires and that some species had seen their entire range of distribution burnt out. Sydney University Ecology Professor Chris Dickman said 480 million animals had been killed in New South Wales alone including mammals, birds and reptiles. That number does not include insects, bats or frogs that are essential to the health of an ecosystem. 'The true loss of animal life is likely to be much higher than 480 million,' he said on Friday. Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife shared this photo of a burnt survey fence line and wildlife camera on Thursday. The island was torched again on Friday by bushfire 'Many of the affected animals are likely to have been killed directly by the fires, with others succumbing later due to the depletion of food and shelter resources and predation from introduced feral cats and red foxes.' Professor Dickman said Australia is the only great landmass to contain three major groups of mammals: marsupials which have pouches, egg-laying monotremes and placental mammals. The continent contains 244 species of wildlife found nowhere else. 'Some 34 species and subspecies of native mammals have become extinct in Australia over the last 200 years, the highest rate of loss for any region in the world,' he said in a statement on Friday. Ecologists fear the catastrophic fires have pushed back conservation efforts by decades and some species may become extinct as a result. Australian National University Ecology Professor David Lindenmayer said the half a billion animals directly killed by fire was just the beginning. 'The big issue is that after the fire a lot of animals have lost their habitats and have nowhere to feed or shelter,' he said. Professor Lindenmayer told Daily Mail Australia that feral predators like cats and foxes would go to the burnt areas to hunt the surviving native wildlife. Tracy Dodd, a volunteer with the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services, holds a kangaroo with its feet bandaged after it was burned in the wildfires A badly-burned possum carrying a baby in its pouch is treated at a wildlife centre in New South Wales. Ecologists fear native survivors will now become easy prey for feral cats and foxes 'They're attracted to burnt areas as they can forage and find food easily since the vegetation cover has been removed,' he said. Professor Lindenmayer said it was important for management agencies to start controlling feral animal populations straight away to protect the remaining animals so they may survive. Since the start of bushfire season, roughly 5.8 million hectares of land has been burnt so far by intense fires feeding on eucalyptus fuel dried by years of drought and whipped up by strong winds in extreme summer temperatures. That is more than the devastating Canberra bushfires of 2003 where almost 4 million hectares of bushland was burnt across five states. Florence home damaged by Friday fire FLORENCE, S.C. Quick action by Florence firefighters Friday night kept a house fire contained to the room in which it started. Firefighters responded at 8:05 p.m. to 1316 Tallulah St. and found smoke coming from the front of the home, according to the Fire Department. Florence firefighters had the fire under control in approximately seven minutes after arriving on scene. The fire was contained to the room of origin, Florence Fire Marshal Chris Johnson wrote in a media advisory. No injuries were reported in the fire, and the residents of the home are being assisted by the Red Cross. The Florence Fire Department sent three engine companies, a ladder company and command staff and was assisted at the scene by Florence police. The Florence Fire Department reminds everyone to ensure heating sources are away from combustibles and that your home has working smoke alarms, Johnson wrote. From staff reports Twitter on Monday announced its formation of a new Privacy Center to give users more clarity on what it does to protect the information people share. The center will host everything relevant to Twitters privacy and data protection work, including initiatives, announcements, new privacy products and communication about security incidents, Twitter Data Protection Officer Damien Kieran and Product Lead Kayvon Beykpour said in an online post. Twitter also announced the relocation of accounts of users outside the United States and European Union from its Twitter International base in Dublin to San Francisco, where they wont be covered by the General Protection Data Regulation, the EUs tough new data privacy law. Twitter highlighted its work to protect the privacy and data of users in three areas: eradicating technical debt by replacing legacy systems with newer ones; building privacy into new products; and keeping the company accountable to the people who trust it with their data. We believe companies should be accountable to the people that trust them with their personal information, and responsible not only to protect that information but to explain how they do it, Kiernan and Beykpour wrote. Part PR, Part Necessity Twitter is one of several Silicon Valley companies that believe they need to do a better job explaining their privacy policies, noted Matthew Feeny, director of the Project on Emerging Technologies at the Cato Institute, a public policy think tank in Washington, D.C. Theyre doing it partly as a PR move, but theres also this California consumer privacy legislation kicking in next year that requires companies like Twitter to provide consumers with more information, so the Privacy Center could be viewed as part of that effort, he told TechNewsWorld. With the Privacy Center, Twitter can create a universal repository of privacy, data and regulatory information to meet the requirements not only of laws like the GDPR and California Consumer Privacy Act, but also any rules and laws that take effect in the future. Every piece of global legislation includes a requirement to communicate in clear non-legalese in order to share opt-in or opt-out requirements and openly answer questions that consumers may have, be they communicated directly to Twitter or in response to media headlines and controversy, said Liz Miller, principal analyst at Constellation Research, a technology research and advisory firm in Cupertino, California. Consumer Benefits Consumers will benefit from the Privacy Center, she said. Consumers should have a destination to demystify rumor and have access to facts about what Twitter will, will not, can or cannot do, Miller told TechNewsWorld. A D V E R T I S E M E N T The center also will be a place where consumers can ask questions. The hope here is that Twitter will not just answer questions around consumer protection and information sharing, Miller said, but also deliver unbiased facts and market details to help consumers differentiate fact from fiction. While consumers can benefit from a central repository of information, theyre probably not as concerned about privacy on Twitter as they may be about other social media, noted the Cato Institutes Feeny. When it comes to the sheer amount of data collected, I dont think Twitter holds a candle to Facebook, he said. Twitter is trying to present itself as a privacy-friendly company, Feeny continued, but if you polled people around the world about what company theyre most concerned about when it comes to privacy, Twitter wouldnt be at the top of the list. Skirting GDPR Twitter has characterized the move of users registered in Dublin to San Francisco as a means to test settings and controls on them without running the risk of violating the GDPR, according to a Reuters report. The idea is to learn from those experiments and then roll out experiences based on the results to Twitters global user base, the company told Reuters. Not everyone sees the move in a benign light. Twitter is trying to evade privacy obligations under the GDPR, said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a civil liberties advocacy group in Washington, D.C. That is striking, he told TechNewsWorld, because other U.S. tech firms, including Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, said they would comply with the GDPR. A D V E R T I S E M E N T The move likely will trigger increased scrutiny by regulators, Constellations Miller noted. Nothing says, Hey, watch everything I do, like saying you are going to flout regulations or that you have found a workaround, she said. Why dedicate yourself to transparency in a centralized privacy center if you are going to reclassify users to ensure they are only protected by narrow privacy laws? Miller asked. Terrible Stewards Since the election of Donald Trump, theres been a trend among big tech companies to appear to be proactive when it comes to privacy protection in order to stave off serious regulation, Feeny explained. No company should wait until regulations dictate the trust dynamic between brand and customer, Miller said. If they do, they will be behind from the moment the ink is signed on the law. There is good reason for regulatory heat to descend on Silicon Valley, maintained Fatemeh Khatibloo, principal analyst at Forrester Research, a market research company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. To put it bluntly, these companies are proving to be terrible stewards of the power they wield, she told TechNewsWorld. Whether its failing to keep users data secure or putting profits ahead of protecting democracy, they simply arent ethical actors, Khatibloo continued. Regulators are finally acknowledging that self-regulation isnt working, and realize that they must step in to protect consumers. Meanwhile, privacy has been transformed from something in the realm of IT departments and operational checklists to a brand issue, Miller noted. Privacy it is a promise that a brand is making with each individual customer, she said. That also sets up the expectation that if the brand breaks that trust or through their own actions or inaction put the customer at risk that customer can and will walk, with their loyalty, wallets and public sentiment in tow, likely never to return again. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 23:41:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close HELSINKI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Finland has already attained the Kyoto Protocol goal of reducing emissions by 20 percent from the 1990 level by the year 2020, local media reported on Saturday. Based on the figures of 2018, Finland had already reduced its emissions by 21 percent, news agency USU said, quoting Jarmo Muurman, an adviser at the Finnish Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. In 2019, share of coal in heating was reduced and new wind power capacity installed, the report said. This means Finland has already attained the Kyoto Protocol goal of reducing emissions by 20 percent from the 1990 level by 2020, Muurman said. The Kyoto protocol was signed in 1997. Finland has a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2035, local media reported. ANKARA, Turkey - Charter flights that spirited ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn from Japan to Istanbul and from there to Beirut an escape made possible with the help of an airline employee who falsified records. Security camera footage reportedly showing he simply walked out of his Tokyo home hours before fleeing the country. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this March 6, 2019, file photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn travels in a car, in Tokyo, after posting 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) in bail once an appeal by prosecutors against his release was rejected. On Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, Japanese prosecutors raided the Tokyo home of Ghosn, who skipped bail while awaiting trial on financial misconduct allegations, and left for Lebanon. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko. File) ANKARA, Turkey - Charter flights that spirited ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn from Japan to Istanbul and from there to Beirut an escape made possible with the help of an airline employee who falsified records. Security camera footage reportedly showing he simply walked out of his Tokyo home hours before fleeing the country. Details emerged Friday of the bizarre path to freedom that allowed the ex-Nissan boss to jump $14 million bail, seemingly under the noses of Japanese authorities, and evade charges of financial misconduct that could carry a jail sentence of up to 15 years. The improbable weekend escape has confounded and embarrassed Japanese authorities, even setting off wild speculation that Ghosn was carted off inside a musical instrument case from his home, which was under 24-hour surveillance. But on Friday, Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV cited investigative sources as saying security footage showed he simply walked out of the house alone around noon on Sunday. Details also emerged about the route the fallen auto industry executive took to Lebanon, where he grew up and is considered something of a national hero. Turkish airline company MNG Jet said that two of its planes were used illegally in Ghosns escape, first flying him from Osaka, Japan, to Istanbul, and then on to Beirut, where he arrived Monday and has not been seen since. It said a company employee had admitted to falsifying flight records so that Ghosn's name did not appear on them, adding that he acted in his individual capacity" without MNG Jet's knowledge. FILE - In this April 25, 2019, file photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn leaves Tokyo's Detention Center for bail in Tokyo. By jumping bail, Ghosn, who had long insisted on his innocence, has now committed a clear crime and can never return to Japan without going to jail. (Kyodo News via AP, File) The company said it launched an investigation after learning from media reports that the planes were for Ghosn and not the officially declared passengers. "The two leases were seemingly not connected to each other. The name of Mr. Ghosn did not appear in the official documentation of any of the flights," the company said in a statement. It did not say who the jets were leased to or identify the employee it said aided Ghosn's escape. Lebanese authorities have said Ghosn entered the country legally on a French passport, though he had been required to surrender all three of his passports to his lawyers under terms of his bail. He also has Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship. Interpol issued a wanted notice on Thursday for Ghosn, but Japan has no extradition treaty with Lebanon and it appeared unlikely he would be handed over. The plane carrying Ghosn landed at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, which is closed to commercial flights and used only for cargo and private flights, the Interior Ministry said. A transfer occurred in the cargo section," of the airport, spokesman Ismail Catakli said. In this way, Turkey was used as a transit point. A cargo company employee was aboard the flight to Beirut and immediately returned to Istanbul aboard the same jet, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper said. The employee was one of seven people detained by Turkish authorities investigating how Ghosn passed through Turkey. Two were released Friday while the five others were ordered arrested, the state-run Anadolu news agency said. Lebanese Justice Minister Albert Serhan told The Associated Press in an interview that Lebanon will carry out its duties, suggesting for the first time that the automotive titan may be brought in for questioning. But he added that Ghosn entered the country on a legal passport and appeared to cast doubt on the possibility Lebanon would hand Ghosn over to Japan. On Thursday, Ghosn issued a statement his second this week seeking to distance his Lebanese wife and family from any role in his escape. The allegations in the media that my wife Carole and other members of my family played a role in my departure from Japan are false and misleading. I alone organized my departure. My family played no role, he said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Ghosn was set to go on trial in Japan in April. In a statement Tuesday, he said he fled to avoid political persecution by a rigged Japanese justice system. He has promised to speak with reporters next week. His lawyer in France, Francois Zimeray, told NHK that he was in frequent contact with Ghosn since he arrived in Lebanon, and Ghosn appeared to be filled with a fighting spirit." Ghosn was eager to start clearing his name at the news conference next week, Zimeray said. Ghosn, who grew up in Beirut and frequently visited, has close ties to senior politicians and business stakes in a number of companies in Lebanon. People take special pride in the auto industry executive, who is credited with leading a spectacular turnaround at Nissan beginning in the late 1990s and rescuing the automaker from near bankruptcy. Ghosn, who is charged in Japan with under-reporting his future compensation and breach of trust, has repeatedly asserted his innocence, saying authorities trumped up charges to prevent a possible fuller merger between Nissan Motor Co. and Renault. ___ Kageyama reported from Tokyo. Associated Press reporters John Leicester in Paris and Bassem Mroue, AJ Naddaff and Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report. On a clear night (which is sometimes hard in Limerick), you can clearly see the planet Jupiter shining brightly with the naked eye. If you manage to get a closer look through a telescope, you can see tiny flecks of light orbiting it. The discovery of Jupiter's four large moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, known as the Galilean moons, transformed the way in which the universe was viewed. This was the first time that celestial bodies were seen revolving around an object other than Earth. This discovery was a major corroboration of the Copernican view that Earth was not the centre of the universe. Europa is approximately 90 percent the size of Earths Moon, so if it replaced our moon then it would appear nearly the same size within the night sky. However, a major difference would be the brightness that we would notice, as Europas surface is made of water ice and so it reflects over 5 times the amount of sunlight than our own moon. Europa takes about 3 and a half days to orbit Jupiter and its locked by gravity to Jupiter, so the same hemisphere of the moon always faces the planet. Read also: Plan your 2020 break with free admission to Holiday Show at Limerick hotel Due to its brightness reflected through ground-based telescopes, scientists knew that the surface of Europa was primarily water ice, furthermore scientists have determined that beneath the ice crust is an ocean of liquid water or slushy ice. Scientists believe that Europas outer ice sheet is 15 to 25 kilometres thick which floats on an ocean 60 to 150 kilometres deep. Interestingly, as Europa is about a quarter with width of Earth, its ocean may contain almost double the amount of water as all of Earths oceans. It is due to this vast water system, that Europas ocean may be considered one of the most promising places to look for life beyond Earth. Between 1995 and 2003 NASA's Galileo spacecraft explored the Jupiter system which included frequent passes of Europa. These passes highlighted the changing surface of Europa, it discovered peculiar pits and domes that indicate that this ice layer could be slowly going through a convection process. So dont forget, we all want to see the planets through our telescopes, remember that the moons can be just as interesting to look at and think about. Limerick Astronomy Club meet the first Thursday of every month in room G10 in Mary I: email limerickastronomyclub @gmail.com It contends the release of the documents sought by The Times, would "inhibit the frank and candid exchange of views" in government decision-making. The Trump administration disclosed on Friday that there were 20 emails between a top aide to President Trump's acting chief of staff and a colleague at the White House's Office of Management and Budget discussing the freeze of a congressionally mandated military aid package for Ukraine. But in response to a court order that it swiftly process those pages in response to a the Center for Public Integrity and Just Security, or FOIA, lawsuit filed by The New York Times, the Office of Management and Budget delivered a terse letter saying it would not turn over any of the 40 pages of emails not even with redactions, The New York Times reports. Read alsoU.S. Democrats push for witnesses at Trump impeachment trial after release of emails "All 20 documents are being withheld in full," wrote Dionne Hardy, the office's Freedom of Information Act officer. The Times's information act request sought email messages between Robert Blair, a top aide to Mr. Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, and Michael Duffey, an official in the White House's Office of Management and Budget who was in charge of handling the process for releasing US$391 million in weapons and security assistance Congress had appropriated to help Ukraine resist Russian aggression. In her letter, Ms. Hardy cited exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act for correspondence involving the president's staff and internal policy deliberations, suggesting that the disclosure of this material would "inhibit the frank and candid exchange of views that is necessary for effective government decision-making." David McCraw, a lawyer for The Times, said the newspaper would challenge the blanket withholding of the documents and would ask the judge overseeing the lawsuit, Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to approve an expedited schedule for briefs and arguments given the urgent public interest in learning more about the dispute. The heart of the accusation against Mr. Trump is that he abused his official powers, including withholding a promised White House meeting and congressionally mandated military aid, in an attempt to coerce Ukraine's president into announcing investigations that could deliver personal political benefits to Mr. Trump. In October, the Democratic-led House Intelligence Committee had also subpoenaed the Office of Management and Budget for all Ukraine-related documents, but the White House refused to produce them. It also instructed several key current and former officials with inside knowledge of the episode not to testify. Read alsoTrump calls on Merkel, Macron to put up more money to Ukraine Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, has portrayed Mr. Blair and Mr. Duffey as two of the four key witnesses he believes the Senate should call in Mr. Trump's impeachment trial, along with Mr. Mulvaney and John R. Bolton, Mr. Trump's former national security adviser. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, has expressed opposition to calling witnesses and again criticized the House investigation on Friday. The Trump administration's move to withhold all the emails in full not even disclosing the dates they were sent, or the shape of paragraphs covered by black lines is a step beyond its heavy censorship of a related set of emails it released in response to another Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the Center for Public Integrity. The documents released to the center consisted of about 300 pages of emails between the Office of Management and Budget and the Pentagon about the Ukraine aid package. While the officially released version was heavily redacted and the center is contesting the censorship in further litigation the visible portions showed, among other things, that Pentagon officials had worried that holding the funds could be an illegal impoundment. A report on Thursday by the legal policy website Just Security added further fuel to the controversy by revealing what was under some, but not all, of the deletions. The website said it had been shown some of the emails in unredacted form, including an Aug. 30 message from Mr. Duffey to a Pentagon budget official stating that there was "clear direction from POTUS" an acronym referring to the president of the United States "to continue to hold" the Ukraine military assistance. The Times separately reported this week that Mr. Blair warned Mr. Mulvaney to "expect Congress to become unhinged" if the White House went ahead with the hold on the aid. Earlier on Friday, Mr. Schumer went to the Senate floor to praise the reporting by The Times, the Center for Public Integrity and Just Security as an additional reason for the Senate, as part of Mr. Trump's trial, to seek documents and testimony that the White House had blocked House impeachment investigators from obtaining. "What constituted clear direction?" Mr. Schumer asked. "Did he get an order from the president, or did someone like Mr. Mulvaney get an order from the president passed on to Mr. Duffey? Was there discussion among officials about covering up for the president in delay of military assistance? These are questions that can only be answered by examination of the documentary evidence and by the testimony of key Trump administration officials under oath in a Senate trial." At least four collections of emails have now been released, or shared with reporters, detailing correspondence between White House officials and their counterparts at the Office of Management and Budget or the Defense Department. Over all, these exchanges show growing tension between the White House and the Pentagon in late August and early September, as Defense Department officials questioned if they would be able to spend all of congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine before the deadline at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. California Attempts to Revive Compassionate Cannabis Programs For years, Richard Manning knew what he needed to cope with his physical pain, rage and PTSD much of which he traced to a career-ending knee injury he suffered while on a domestic security detail with the Marines. Cannabis may not have been a cure-all, but it was the closest thing hed ever had to one. Manning, a resident of Elk Grove, Calif., didnt have enough money to buy the daily amount of cannabis he needed, but he was able to get it through a network of charitable donors spawned by the Compassionate Use Act, a 1996 California law that allowed marijuana to be used for medical purposes. ADVERTISEMENT In the wake of that laws enactment, growers and distributors began donating part of their cannabis crop to often-tiny nonprofit collectives and later to dispensaries which passed it along free to low-income patients. Using cannabis regularly helped Manning kick prescription opioids and alcohol and get back on his feet, he said. But the donations he relied on virtually dried up after the 2016 passage of Proposition 64, which legalized marijuana for recreational use in California and began taxing it at every stage of production and distribution no matter its ultimate destination. It treated any cannabis leaving a shop as a sale. That meant cannabis was taxed the same at rates that sometimes exceeded 38 percent whether it was donated or sold for profit. When the taxes and the heavy regulations that accompanied them took full effect in 2018, the impact on the compassionate care movement was immediate and profound. Manning and others in his situation saw their options dwindle. ADVERTISEMENT Today, the prices at dispensaries are out of reach if you need daily medicine, and the taxes are about to go up again, said Manning, 44. So the black market is where a lot of veterans and low-income people turn. The prospect of poor and sick patients being driven underground for cannabis, or losing access to it altogether, was a major impetus behind a new law, SB-34, that will remove the cultivation, retail and excise taxes on cannabis donated through compassionate care programs. The law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October, eliminates much of the financial liability that cannabis growers and distributors face for giving their products away. As a result, some compassionate care groups that curtailed or entirely halted their charitable ventures in the wake of Proposition 64 are now thinking about rekindling them. But even some of those who plan to participate say its unclear whether the full network can be revived. Its a little bit hard to see right now, said Lindsey Friedman, who runs the Shelter Project, a charitable cannabis operation belonging to Inglewood-based Jetty Extracts. Its a weird, gray area. The original intent of the Compassionate Use Act was to get cannabis to patients battling cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and other illnesses. The high cost of using it regularly was and still is a critical factor. Its expensive, and its not covered by insurance, said Kimberly Cargile, CEO of A Therapeutic Alternative, a Sacramento dispensary. San Franciscos Sweetleaf Collective was one of the first mom-and-pop nonprofits to collect cannabis donations and distribute them to people in need. It started in 1996, immediately after the passage of the medical marijuana law, delivering cannabis via bicycle to five AIDS patients that year. In time, dispensaries such as Cargiles started donation programs, and large-scale manufacturers of cannabis products jumped in. Its part of the core of our company, said Friedman, noting that Jetty began employing couriers in 2014 to deliver free cannabis each week to hundreds of cancer patients statewide, regardless of their income. Some other groups did the same. Most non-cancer patients needed a medical card, a doctors recommendation or diagnosis and proof of low income to qualify for free cannabis. The San Francisco Bay Area was a hotbed of such compassion programs, especially in neighborhoods where the bank accounts of HIV and AIDS patients had been decimated by medical costs. Sweetleaf founder Joe Airone told of patients who said they would have died without the cannabis, which for many not only relieved pain but also restored appetites that had been diminished by heavy use of pharmaceuticals. The Sacramento-based Weed for Warriors Project, founded in 2014, took cannabis donations from growers and gave it to veterans. Sean Kiernan, an ex-Army airborne infantry soldier and former Wall Street hedge fund manager who heads the group, said many veterans himself included found relief in cannabis and were able to kick the prescription medications they took for service-related injuries, PTSD, depression and other disabilities. Proposition 64 changed the economics. It once cost Jetty Extract about $10 a patient each month to donate cannabis, Friedman said. After Proposition 64, it cost $100 a patient, which would have saddled Jetty with a monthly tax bill of $50,000 per month for the 500 patients it served at its peak, she said. So the company closed the Shelter Project in 2018, Friedman said. It reopened this year and now serves about 50 patients a month. Sweetleaf drastically cut its service and had to seek donations to cover taxes on the limited amount of free cannabis it did provide. Now, with the new law set to take effect in early 2020, some of the midsize and larger players in the compassionate cannabis movement are taking tentative first steps to resuscitate their charitable operations. Kiernan wants Weed for Warriors to begin partnering directly with small growers, creating a brand like Newmans Own, he said that would roll proceeds into cannabis relief for veterans. Cargile said A Therapeutic Alternative will resume the cannabis care packages it halted in 2018, with a planned donation in spring 2020 of about $40,000 worth, and Jetty Extracts is exploring whether to expand the Shelter Project. But the era of mom-and-pop nonprofits that kick-started the movement in the 1990s may be over. You might be facing $15,000 in licensing fees or more, said Manning, who formed his own collective so he could donate cannabis to family members and fellow vets, but abandoned it after the passage of Proposition 64. How are you going to operate like that? Advertisement Australian towns have been plunged into darkness after a series of violent bushfires covered the sky in thick smog. Skies along New South Wales' South Coast and East Gippsland in Victoria have turned an eerie red after a series of fires surrounded the areas - forcing thousands of residents to flee. Conditions are only expected to worsen on Saturday after the national death toll reached 23, when two people were killed in a blaze on Kangaroo Island. Firefighters are expected to continue battling blazes through the night as more than 300 fires were still burning across Australia on Saturday. Australia has been devastated by the bushfire season as 1000C flames scorched through five million hectares of land - leaving thousands homeless. Scroll down for video A woman walks down her street underneath a red sky on Saturday as fires tear through East Gippsland in Victoria Residents are seen cooling down in Lake Jindabyne, NSW on Saturday as the sky turns a deep red from smog Firetrucks are seen gathering in front of a RFS fire station in Bodalla, on New South Wales' South Coast on Saturday as the sky turns orange The Snowy Valley in New South Wales turned a deep red on Saturday as flames continued to burn across the state A woman stands on her street in East Gippsland as the sky around her turns into an apocalyptic red as fires ravage the area A parent assures their children that fires are not headed towards the town as the skies above turn red during the day on Saturday in Mallacoota, VIC (pictured) People in the Foreshore Caravan Park in Mallacoota (pictured) have stayed despite a day of severe fire conditions, with large fires still out of control to the north of the town In Narooma, along NSW's South Coast the sky turned into an orange haze as bushfires continued to burn Bodalla, NSW has turned into darkness as smoke from bushfires create a thick cloud of smog above the town on Saturday A beach in Narooma, NSW was covered by a thick cloud of smog on Saturday as bushfires continue burning across the country, resulting in the deaths of 23 people A post office in East Gippsland is surrounded by a hellish red sky as flames force residents to flee the area East Gippsland in Victoria has succumbed to darkness due to raging bushfires that have destroyed more than 780,000 hectares of land in the state alone The small village of Bodalla descended into darkness at just 6.30pm on Saturday afternoon (pictured) as the Batemans Bay town became surrounded by smoke Smoke covers the skyline as fires approach the Princess Highway on Saturday as seen from Bodalla. A state of emergency has been declared across NSW with dangerous fire conditions forecast for Saturday, as more than 140 bushfires continue to burn East Gippsland town Mallacoota was unrecognisable under a red sky as a series of raging bushfires continue to burn across Victoria On Saturday in New South Wales, there was 148 fires burning across the state. Residents in the state were urged to cut down on electricity usage after power supplies from the Snowy Mountains were lost due to fires. People were told not to use washing machines, dishwashers and to turn off lights if they weren't being used. In a grave warning issued on Saturday afternoon, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was as bad as the dire projections predicted - but the worst was yet to come. 'In relation to the projections we had this morning, unfortunately they are coming to fruition,' she said. 'We are in for a long night and I make no bones about that. We are in for a long night and we have still to hit the worst of it.' More than 3,000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW as firefighters warn some towns cannot be defended. In Victoria, an eerie red haze brought on by thick ash and smoke blanketed the fire-ravaged region of East Gippsland just after 12pm on Saturday before the skies turned completely black. NSW towns including Bodalla, Narooma and Tuross Head were also sent into darkness after a cloud of smog covered the sky. BUSHFIRES SWEEP ACROSS AUSTRALIA AMID DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS Evacuations are underway and emergency alerts are in place in NSW, Victoria and South Australia as high temperatures and dangerous winds forecast for Saturday are expected to create disastrous fire conditions. NEW SOUTH WALES/ACT At least 148 bushfires were burning in NSW Saturday morning with about 60 uncontained 12 are burning at emergency level 17 people dead 3.6million hectares burned, greater than the size of Belgium At least 1,365 homes confirmed destroyed VICTORIA Two people dead, 28 missing About 50 bushfires burning More than 784,000 hectares burned 68 structures confirmed destroyed but this number is expected to rise significantly SOUTH AUSTRALIA Three people, including two from Kangaroo Island, are dead 17 bushfires burning, four of significance More than 100,000 hectares burned 88 homes confirmed destroyed About 600 properties on Kangaroo Island remain without power with SA Power Networks warning it may be some time before crews can access the fire ground to assess damage QUEENSLAND 33 bushfires burning 250,000 hectares burned 45 homes confirmed destroyed WESTERN AUSTRALIA More than 35 bushfires burning, two of significance 1.5million hectares burned One home confirmed destroyed TASMANIA 23 bushfires burning, two of significance 30,000 hectares burned Two homes confirmed destroyed NORTHERN TERRITORY Five bushfires burning Five homes confirmed destroyed Advertisement Crews from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning respond to a call in Double Bridge, East Gippsland on Saturday The Australian flag flies under a hellish red sky in East Gippsland as violent bushfires continue to tear through parts of Victoria Narooma resident, Kevin Murphy, stands in front of his house on Saturday as an orange haze covers the town Residents from Tuross Head in New South Wales' South Coast look out onto the beach as the town is plunged into darkness Smoke from fires covered the horizon as Tuross Head locals stood amidst a black sky In the small NSW town of Bodalla, homes were sent into darkness on Saturday as clouds of smog filled the sky Bodalla, NSW, is covered in darkness as more than 140 fires continue to burn across the state on Saturday In the coastal NSW town of Narooma, residents were shocked to see the sky turn orange as flames continue to scour across the state Firefighter trucks leave their station in Bodalla, NSW on Saturday in near pitch black conditions as the town is covered in black smoke People wearing face masks stand by their goat in Narooma, NSW on Saturday as fires close in Fire crews race to put out blazes in Sarsfield in Victoria on Saturday, after the national death toll reached 23 A tree stands eeirly as the sky surrounding it turns flame red due to raging bushfires in Omeo, Victoria A street in Bodalla, NSW, was blanketed by thick smog during Saturday Mumbai, Jan 4 : Bollywood actor Vikrant Massey plays a pivotal role in the upcoming film "Chhapaak", which addresses the crime of acid violence on women. He hopes the film will start a conversation on the heinous crime. "I just hope with this film a conversation starts on why acid attacks happen on women, and what actions need to be taken to stop the heinous crime. It is not that we do not know, it is just that we ignore," Vikrant told IANS. The story of the film is inspired by acid-attack survivor Lakshmi Agarwal, who became a victim to the crime in 2005. She later became the Indian campaigner of Stop Sale Acid. The film stars Deepika Padukone, whose character Malti is based on Laxmi. Vikrant essays Amol, a journalist who eventually becomes Malti's love interest. "Seldom has it happened that we look beyond appearance when it comes to a love story. In our cinema, we always prioritise vanity and the beauty of the girl. Here is a love story where the boy and the girl falling in love because of the individuals they are. This part of the narrative is very special," shared Vikrant. On collaborating with Deepika for the first time, Vikrant said: "I do not know what process she follows to create a character but from my observation I can say she internalises the character she portrays on screen and, at times, it takes a toll on her. I know that the character of Malti is special for her and it impacted her as a performer." "There were days when she would respond like Malti even off-camera. I think as an actress, she has given her all, emptied herself to create Malti. Perhaps that is why she was overwhelmed during the trailer launch of the film," shared Vikrant. Asked about the potential solutions to an issue like acid violence, Vikrant emphasised on sensible parenting of boys in a patriarchal society that usually does not teach them how to handle rejection of women. "There is a different kind of upbringing we give to the son of the house than the daughter, where we do not teach a little boy how to accept rejection. Later, it turns into an ego issue. In most cases of acid-violence, the boy throws acid on a girl when she rejects his marriage proposal. The first step to stop the crime is to change the upbringing, and parents needs to take that step. Boys need to learn to accept 'no' for an answer and (realise) why consent is utmost important. The right kind of parenting can build a progressive society I guess," Vikrant signed off. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, "Chhapaak" releases on January 10. (Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Advertisement Thousands of families in fire-ravaged Victoria have been given evacuation orders as out-of-control blazes threaten several towns. Residents in Freeburgh, Harrietville, Smoko and Wandiligong have been told their homes and lives are in danger as fires spread due to high winds. It comes amid fears the horrific blazes just 20km apart in southern NSW and on the Victorian border will merge and form a 'megafire'. Meanwhile, in Mallacoota in the state's east, families with children under five years old remain stranded as helicopter evacuations were called off due to heavy smoke. Swathes of NSW and Victoria are at breaking point as exhausted firefighters desperately scrambled to prepare areas for the unprecedented fire spread, thanks to 49C temperatures and high winds. Residents in Freeburgh, Harrietville, Smoko and Wandiligong (pictured) have been told to leave their homes as life-threatening bushfires spread in Victoria on Saturday night Sarah with daughter Elsie and son Xavier (pictured) are held up in their caravan as the bad air quality prevents little Elsie, who suffers from asthma, from leaving Mallacoota Residents of Kangaroo Valley, a lush green area west of the popular tourist town of Berry, have been told it's too late to leave after the out-of-control 280,000-hectare Currowan Fire hit the area late Saturday night. Terror-stricken residents are bracing for a long night as 29 emergency fires continue to ravage Australia, with fears dry lightning could spark yet more blazes - as an MP described it as 'an atomic bomb'. It comes as NSW homes were told to save power after a loss of key transmission lines in the Snowy Mountains region which could leave thousands without electricity. Residents were asked to immediately turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and pool pumps, as well as avoiding all use of washing machines and dishwashers. Scroll down for video Residents look on as flames burn through bush in Lake Tabourie on NSW's south coast (pictured) on Saturday night, as more than 140 bushfires continue the ravage the state Mike hold his daughter Ella as the skies above turn red in the middle of the day on Friday (pictured) in Mallacoota. Many parents with young families were unable to escape as only school aged children were allowed to evacuate by boat On Saturday night, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner admitted there had been 'significant damage and destruction' and warned that Australians will likely wake up to terrible news. As the unprecedented crisis worsens with warnings of power brown outs, NSW transport minister, and MP for the fire-ravaged south coast, Andrew Constance, compared the fires to 'an atomic bomb'. 'I've got to be honest with you, this isn't a bushfire it's an atomic bomb,' he said, as he revealed he had been defending his own home from embers. 'It's indescribable the hell it's caused and the devastation it's caused.' An evacuee holds up a sign (pictured) which read: 'Inaction costs more'. She arrived at the Somerville relief centre on Saturday after being evacuated from Mallacoota on HMAS Choules A parent assures their children that fires are not headed towards the town as the skies above turn red during the day on Saturday in Mallacoota (pictured) Fires attack Batemans Bay on Saturday afternoon (pictured) after residents of a 250km stretch of the NSW south coast were told to evacuate earlier in the week A Chinook helicopter (pictured) flew into the Bairnsdale airport in Victoria on Saturday, after Australian military air-lifted a number of people from Omeo this afternoon due to imminent threat to life from bushfires The Mechanic Institute hall is seen under red skies from the fires on Saturday (pictued) in Bruthen, in East Gippsland, Victoria Smoke covers the skyline as fires approach the Princess Highway on Saturday as seen from Bodalla. A state of emergency has been declared across NSW with dangerous fire conditions forecast for Saturday, as more than 140 bushfires continue to burn Power cuts hit 15,000 people in Sydney's north and south-west on Saturday night, while homes in the Newcastle suburbs of Fletcher and Wallsend were also affected. Writing on Twitter, Matt Kean, the NSW Minister for Energy pleaded with residents to conserve energy after fears entire towns could lose power. 'Have just lost transmission lines in snowy region,' he said. 'Expected tight supply situation around 6pm. Asking everyone to reduce unnecessary electricity usage. Please turn off pool pumps, lights in unoccupied rooms and avoid using washing machines and dishwashers.' Well-known outback pilot Dick Lang (pictured, right) and his son, Adelaide surgeon Clayton Lang (left) died in the Kangaroo Island bushfire after their car was trapped by flames A burnt-out car (pictured) is seen at a property in Bruthen South, in Victoria's East Gippsland on Saturday after the area was destroyed by out-of-control bushfires NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers (pictured) assess fire activity at a roadblock in North Nowra, NSW, on Saturday evening Saturday has already proved as devastating as experts predicted, with the national bushfire death toll reaching 23 after two people were killed in a blaze on Kangaroo Island, while 21 people are still missing in East Gippsland. Well-known outback pilot Dick Lang and his son, Adelaide surgeon Clayton Lang, died in the Kangaroo Island bushfire after their car was trapped by flames. The body of 78-year-old Mr Lang was believed to have been found in their vehicle on Playford Highway at Gosse while his 43-year-old son was found some distance away. More than 1,500 homes have been destroyed - 1,365 in NSW alone - with 311 fires still ravaging the parched land. NSW energy minister Matt Kean (pictured) sent out an alert on Twitter, telling residents to limit their power usage after supply lines were burned in the Snowy Mountains The small village of Bodalla descended into darkness at just 6.30pm on Saturday afternoon (pictured) as the Batemans Bay town became surrounded by smoke Out-of-control bushfire are predicted to ravage NSW and the Victorian border by the end of Saturday, with fires likely to gain thousands of hectares in just 24 hours People in the Foreshore Caravan Park in Mallacoota (pictured) have stayed despite a day of severe fire conditions, with large fires still out of control to the north of the town A long exposure picture shows a car escaping the Snowy Valley bushfire on the outskirts of Cooma (pictured) on Saturday In a grave warning issued on Saturday afternoon, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was as bad as the dire projections predicted - but the worst was yet to come. 'In relation to the projections we had this morning, unfortunately they are coming to fruition,' she said. 'We are in for a long night and I make no bones about that. We are in for a long night and we have still to hit the worst of it.' While thousands have fled their homes and made a terrifying journey away from vulnerable regions, there is an unknown future for those who decide to stay and defend their homes. In Victoria, an eerie red haze brought on by thick ash and smoke blanketed the fire-ravaged region of East Gippsland just after 12pm on Saturday before the skies turned completely black. A second evacuation from Mallacoota beach will take place tomorrow, with young children to be allowed to board MV Sycamore after a planned air evacuation was called for because of heavy smoke. A DC-10 Air Tanker (pictured) makes a pass to drop fire retardant in North Nowra on Saturday, as bushfires continue to rapidly spread in the area A DC-10 Air Tanker (pictured) was seen on the NSW south coast on Saturday as it dropped fire retardant on North Nowra Two people were killed after a bushfire on Kangaroo Island broke containment lines Friday and was described as 'virtually unstoppable' as it destroyed buildings and burned through more than 14,000 hectares of Flinders Chase National Park A fire is seen burning perilously close to homes and cars in north Batemans Bay on Saturday morning (pictured) as the Clyde Mountain fire burns at an emergency level Two people were killed in a blaze on the popular tourist spot of Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia on Saturday. The pair died trying to flee when their vehicle was overtaken by a ferocious fire, emergency services confirmed. Described as a 'virtually unstoppable' blaze, it broke containment lines on Friday as it destroyed buildings and burned through more than 150,000 hectares of land. In NSW, a total, statewide fire ban was brought in on Saturday afternoon as officials scrambled to secure vulnerable areas before the worst of the fires set in. NSW RFS commissioner Mr Fitzsimmons told reporters on Saturday night the south-easterly change had made tackling the fires even more difficult. 'It is only just starting to move through and it is going to take many, many hours to move through those firegrounds. So we need people to remain very vigilant. 'I should say, too, across those firezones we are getting reports of significant damage and destruction that are starting to come in with reports of property impact and properties burning.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Saturday he will send in 3,000 Australian Defence Force reserves to help in the bushfire recovery. Australian Army Sappers from No. 5 Engineer Regiment are seen prior to deploying The sky turns red from smoke of the Snowy Valley bushfire on the outskirts of Cooma (pictured) on Saturday. Up to 3,000 military reservists were called up to tackle Australia's relentless bushfire crisis Young residents wearing facemasks in Narooma (pictured) stand next to their goat as bushfires burn nearby on Saturday An orange hazy sky is seen over Narooma in NSW on Saturday, just hours before 80kph winds hit the area and pushed the south coast fires in a northerly direction 'I think we do, unfortunately, need to be ready,' Mr Fitzsimmons continued, 'probably tomorrow morning, once we start getting an indication of what that level of damage and impact might have been throughout this afternoon and, indeed, over the coming hours into this evening. 'What we cant afford to have is people becoming complacent and thinking behind all this intensity today that things are OK because theyre certainly not.' The conditions prompted Prime Minister Scott Morrison to send in 3,000 Australian Defence Force reserves to help in the bushfire recovery. A 264,000-hectare blaze is burning through Green Wattle Creek, in the Blue Mountains, is also threatening to break containment lines and could reach suburban areas. Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured at the NSW Rural Fire Service Headquarters in Sydney) said NSW is bracing itself for a difficult day ahead but affirmed authorities have 'never been as prepared as we are today' BUSHFIRES SWEEP ACROSS AUSTRALIA AMID DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS Evacuations are underway and emergency alerts are in place in NSW, Victoria and South Australia as high temperatures and dangerous winds forecast for Saturday are expected to create disastrous fire conditions. NEW SOUTH WALES/ACT At least 137 bushfires were burning in NSW on Saturday morning with about 60 uncontained 17 people dead 3.6million hectares burned, greater than the size of Belgium At least 1,365 homes confirmed destroyed VICTORIA Two people dead, six missing About 50 bushfires burning More than 784,000 hectares burned 68 structures confirmed destroyed but this number is expected to rise significantly SOUTH AUSTRALIA Three people, including two from Kangaroo Island, are dead 17 bushfires burning, four of significance More than 100,000 hectares burned 88 homes confirmed destroyed About 600 properties on Kangaroo Island remain without power with SA Power Networks warning it may be some time before crews can access the fire ground to assess damage QUEENSLAND 33 bushfires burning 250,000 hectares burned 45 homes confirmed destroyed WESTERN AUSTRALIA More than 35 bushfires burning, two of significance 1.5million hectares burned One home confirmed destroyed TASMANIA 23 bushfires burning, two of significance 30,000 hectares burned Two homes confirmed destroyed NORTHERN TERRITORY Five bushfires burning Five homes confirmed destroyed Advertisement Catastrophic fire conditions are forecast in fire ravaged regions of south-eastern Australia. Pictured: A wild fire burning out of control on South Australia's Kangaroo Island Commissioner Fitzsimmons said there is 'potential for the fire to break out, cross the (Warragamba) dam and move into the western suburbs of Sydney.' 'It has the potential to come out into more populated areas this afternoon.' He said crews have been doing 'extraordinary work' by setting controlled fires and using aircraft and machinery to try to keep the flames away. More than 3,000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW as firefighters warn some towns cannot be defended. Half of Kangaroo Island has been razed by horror bushfires (pictured in yellow above) Dramatic footage has captured the moment a fire whirl was formed in a wild bushfire on South Australia's Kangaroo Island In South Australia, Premier Steven Marshall said more than 100,000 hectares of Kangaroo Island, about one quarter of its total area, had been burnt, but weather conditions have now improved. Tourists waking up on Kangaroo Island on Saturday saw the true extent of the devastation after the unstoppable fire tornado tore through the island on Friday. Daily Mail Australia reporter Sophie Haslett, who was on the island at the time, said a number of homes and farms were totally wiped out by the blaze. One farmer Robert Englebarts, 62, said his entire farm was destroyed but he managed to save an injured joey named Raven from the blaze. He told Daily Mail Australia that he had been looked after for the night by a 'kind local'. 'Forget the government, people here will help others rebuild,' he said. Mayor Michael Pengilly said the island looked like it had been hit by a 'nuclear bomb'. 'It has been absolutely devastating,' he told ABC News this morning. Evacuees who fled the Mallacoota on Friday were seen disembarking the HMAS Sycamore in Western Port following a 20-hour journey (pictured) Victoria declared a state of disaster on Friday after two people were confirmed dead, with authorities fearing for 21 who cannot be accounted for in East Gippsland. Many fires in the region have already merged and the current risk is the 124,000-hectare fire in the northeast at Corryong merges with another fire in NSW as multiple evacuation orders are issued across Victoria's Alpine region. The unprecedented declaration, which triggers powers introduced after the devastating 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, allows authorities to compel people to leave. Tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers have already fled the fire zones with many sheltering at evacuation points deemed safe by authorities. The military has also been supporting the fire response, with about 1,200 people evacuated from the Victorian coastal town of Mallacoota by navy vessels on Friday. Sixty evacuees who fled on the HMAS Sycamore arrived at Hastings, in Western Port, southern Victoria on Saturday morning, following a 20-hour journey. Many were seen embracing their friends and loved ones after making it to Western Port safely (pictured) on Saturday morning Thousands of tourists and holidaymakers had been stuck in the small coastal town since New Year's Eve after being told it was too dangerous to leave the seaside town due to raging bushfires Mallacoota bushfires evacuee Emily Wellington (left) hugs a family member after arriving at the Somerville Recreation Centre. Some became emotional as they reunited with loved ones Around 4,000 tourists and holidaymakers had been stuck in the small coastal town in the East Gippsland region of Victoria since New Year's Eve after being told it was too dangerous to leave due to raging bushfires. Evacuees were seen hugging outside Somerville Recreation Centre as they reunited with friends and loved ones after disembarking. Emergency Management Commissioner for Victoria Andrew Crisp said both the Sycamore and Choules will re-supply and head back to Mallacoota later on Saturday to evacuate the those who stayed behind. Thousands more, including young families and children, remain in Mallacoota, after efforts to evacuate some by helicopter were thwarted by smoky conditions. Steve Zanetti and his wife Megan and their 13-month-old daughter Mia are among those who are still waiting to be rescued from fire-ravaged East Gippsland. The family was meant to be evacuated via helicopter late on Friday but were told they would have to stay another night due to poor visibility from heavy smoke. Ben Nutbeen (pictured) and his family were some of the people rescued on the HMAS Choules which is expected arrive on Saturday afternoon 'Around 8pm we've got call from Victoria Police saying Megan and Mia will be evacuated around 11pm. Then we found it was cancelled, too much smoke,' Mr Zanetti told Today. Commissioner Crisp said officials will continue to evacuate people via naval ships and helicopters, as weather and smoke conditions allow them. Blackhawks have also been flying aged and infirm people out of the fire grounds. 'It's not just the ships. We have the plan in place and we know the area is significantly impacted by smoke,' he said. 'We have Chinooks that can carry 50 people, they are ready to go based at East Sale the RAAF Base there, if the smoke clears we can get them in.' Ben Nutbeen and his family were among those who made it out of Mallacoota on the HMAS Choules that is expected arrive in southern Victoria later today. Evacuees from Mallacoota (pictured) boarded the Austrlian navy ship MV Sycamore on Friday to be evacuated from the fire-ravaged region Families with small children were the first to be evacuated on a landing craft to MV Sycamore (pictured) on Friday, just 24 hours before catastrophic weather conditions are forecast to whip up more blazes The mass evacuation came as thousands of people spent four days in limbo after being told it was too dangerous to leave the seaside town following the bushfires on Tuesday 'Life on a boat ain't that bad. The kids are settling in well. Fed well, looked after well. They opened the ship us to us, given us full access to any part of the ship we want. Been kind and generous,' he told Today from the ship. 'We are incredibly thankful to be on here. We are so lucky to have power, beds, showers, water. Heaters TVs,' his kids added. 'After everything that's gone on we are happy to get out of here. Ready to start helping.' An uncertain future awaits the 1,300 inhabitants of the NSW town of Batlow on Saturday night, after they were told by fire chiefs the historic apple-growing town is 'undefendable'. Officials have said they will not fight fires in the southern town because a wall 1,000C flame could rapidly sweep over 100km in one day and make the area a 'dead man zone'. Meanwhile, fires raging outside Sydney could threaten urban areas on the city's outskirts such as Penrith due to temperatures in the 40s, very low humidity and strong winds. On Friday night, thousands fled a 14,000km evacuation zone - an area roughly the size of Vanuatu - from Bateman's Bay to the Victorian border as officials sent 250,000 text messages telling people to get out before first light. An evacuation was also under way in South Australia's Kangaroo Island as raging fires threatened almost all of the holiday hotspot, leaving only the more built-up areas in the east safe. In a desperate plea late on Friday night, the NSW Rural Fire Service begged those in the path of fires to 'leave tonight' as they pose a 'serious threat to life'. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In a setback to AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a special CBI court here on Friday directed him to appear personally in the court on January 10 in the alleged disproportionate assets case. When the matter came up for hearing, principal special judge for CBI cases BR Madhusudhan Rao pointed out that Jagan had last appeared in the case on March 1, 2019, and since then he has been seeking exemption on some reason or other. The time has come for New York to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act. Nine states including New York's neighbors Vermont and New Jersey and Washington D.C., now authorize this compassionate end-of-life option for those suffering from an incurable, terminal illness or disease with a prognosis of less than six months to live. I recognize this is a difficult topic to discuss and that each of us brings very different personal experiences and beliefs to our consideration of this issue. I also recognize that medical aid in dying is not the right option for everyone. But it is an option like hospice and palliative care that everyone should have available if they so choose. Last year, New Jersey and Maine became the latest states to authorize medical aid in dying, building on the nearly quarter-century of history and experience with this issue since Oregon's law first went into effect in 1997. Over that time, medical aid in dying has worked as intended. It is used by very few people but provides great comfort to many, many more. The time is now to provide that comfort for New Yorkers. New Yorkers overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying. The most recent Quinnipiac University Poll on this topic showed New York voters support medical aid in dying by a more than 2-1 margin (63-29 percent). Majority support included virtually every demographic group measured in the survey, including party affiliation, region, race, religion, gender, education level and age group. Not only do New Yorkers overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying, so, too, do New York doctors. A survey of New York physicians conducted by the respected Medscape/WebMD released last year showed that 56 percent of doctors support medical aid in dying. Their support increased to 67 percent when informed about the details and safeguards included in the legislation. In fact, the New York Academy of Family Physicians, which had at one time opposed medical aid in dying, evolved to neutrality and then support, saying: "Family Physicians are unique in that we are blessed to care for patients and their families throughout the lifespan, quite literally from cradle to grave. Supporting the authorization of medical aid in dying is commensurate with the Family Physician's desire to empower our patients not only in their pursuit of wellness, their management of chronic disease, but also the alleviation of suffering when faced with a terminal illness." Dr. Barbara Keber, president of the academy, recently said, "The experience of those states where medical aid in dying is legal clearly demonstrates that medical aid in dying laws improve overall end-of-life care for all patients and that there is no increased risk for any vulnerable groups such as the disabled, elderly, poor, or uninsured." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Medical aid in dying is not only strongly supported by doctors and New York voters, it also has the support of the New York State Public Health Association, the League of Women Voters of New York State, Gay Men's Health Crisis, Latinos for Healthcare Equity, StateWide Senior Action Council and the New York Civil Liberties Union, just to name a few. Here's the bottom line from my perspective: The right to peacefully end intolerable suffering at life's inevitable end should not be determined by your city or your ZIP code. Terminally ill New Yorkers should have the same option of medical aid in dying to avoid needless suffering at the end of their lives as their neighbors across the Lake Champlain Bridge or the George Washington Bridge. The Medical Aid in Dying Act now has more than 50 sponsors in the Assembly and Senate and the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who recently said, "The older we get and the better medicine gets, the more we've seen people suffer for too, too long. ... It's a situation we have to address." I will be working with my colleagues in the Legislature over the coming weeks and months to make this 2020 priority a reality. Too many New Yorkers are suffering at the end of life. That's unacceptable. The time to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act is now. Diane Savino, D-Staten Island, has represented Staten Island and part of Brooklyn in the New York state Senate since 2005. She is the lead Senate sponsor of ther Medical Aid in Dying Act. New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Condemning the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the BJP on Saturday said the incident justifies amendments made to the Citizenship Act to protect minorities in three neighbouring countries, and stressed on the need for its immediate implementation. Addressing a press conference here with BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, party MP Meenakshi Lekhi claimed there have been consistent acts of violence on religious places in Pakistan and minorities have been subjected to threats of "civil conversions", rapes and violence for decades. There have been thousands of incidents in Pakistan where young girls were picked up, forcibly converted and married off to Muslim boys, while the police, the government and other agencies are part and parcel of the process, Lekhi alleged. "The Nankana incident shows how minorities are being persecuted there," she said. "Persecution continues unabated since the creation of Pakistan, resulting in forced migration of such persecuted minorities into India. This not only justifies the necessity of an act like the CAA but also stresses on the need for its immediate implementation. Pakistan now proves that CAA is right and timely," Lekhi said. Nankana Sahib is the holiest shrine for Sikhs across the globe as Guru Nanak Dev was born there, the MP said, adding attacks on the shrine were equivalent to someone attacking Kaaba or Jerusalem. "Pakistan and the society must know that Pakistani Sikhs are the offsprings of that soil and continue to have faith and duty towards that soil and thus, did not migrate and chose to remain there. "They have even threatened to change the name of Nankana Sahib to Ghulam-e-Mustafa. The fact is in the 21st century, this is the condition in Pakistan," she said. Claiming that the population of minorities in Pakistan has been reducing consistently, Chugh said the incident should open the eyes of Congress leaders, other opposition parties and "urban Naxals" who have been opposing the CAA. Referring to the Kerala Assembly recently passing a resolution demanding scrapping of CAA, he also questioned the silence of the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Nankana incident. In a snide remark, Lekhi said, "I don't know where Sidhu paaji has fled. Somebody should find out where Navjot Singh Sidhu is. If, even after all this, he wants to hug the ISI chief, then Congress should look into it." Chug also thanked the Ministry of External Affairs for asking the neighbouring country to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community there. "We ask the Pakistan government to take immediate measures to protect the life, property and dignity of the Sikh community in Nankana Sahib and also of other minority communities across Pakistan," he said. Over the Congress opposing the CAA, Lekhi accused it of not doing anything for the persecuted minorities despite the party being in power for a longer period than the BJP. "It is time for them to introspect. When they were in power they never did anything for the persecuted ones and they now try to bring the oppressor and oppressed class on the same pedestal which nobody does anywhere in the world," she said. When asked if the cut-off date of December 31, 2014, as mentioned in the CAA would be revised, Lekhi said those who have been living in the country for several years should be legalised so that they get equal right. "They were treated as illegal residents... when our government came into power in 2014 it decided that at least those who are already in the country should get equal rights and whatever happens subsequently will be dealt accordingly," she said. At the press conference Lekhi also said, "Nankana Sahib is of huge symbolic importance because it is the religious shrine of Baba Nanak and is relevant across the globe to all Sikhs. It is the holiest shrine for Sikhism. Baba Nanak was born there." Reacting to her comment, which was posted on Twitter, the Pakistani Minister for Science and Technology tweeted, "Yes we know that and huge respects for our Sikh brethren but BJP spokesperson giving lectures on diversity and religious harmony is like pot calling the kettle black, you guys are most bigoted bunch of haters so stop fake propaganda." Lekhi hit back immediately saying Chaudhry should "take charge" of initiating action against those involved in the incident and also "stop conversions, rape and abductions taking place in Pakistan". "I am happy that Fawad has come up in response to this press conference. My request to him would be that he should take charge and work against the people who have caused such a mayhem in Pakistan. Put them behind bars, take action against them, stop conversions, stop rapes, stop abductions and that's the duty he should comply with," she told reporters. Attacking the Pakistani minister over his "fake propaganda" remarks, Lekhi said, "Fawad should worry more about Imran Khan's tweets and the fake propaganda he has indulged in... he also deleted it." Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had shared a video on his Twitter handle claiming that it was of police violence targeting Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. He captioned it --"Indian police's pogrom against Muslims in UP". Twitterati soon called out the Pakistan prime minister for tweeting fake news to target India. Later, the tweeted videos were deleted from his account. China changed its top representative to Hong Kong in the first major leadership reshuffle since anti-government protests broke out in the city seven months ago, replacing Wang Zhimin with a surprising candidate. Luo Huining, the former party leader of Shanxi province, has been named as the new director of the central governments liaison office in the city, Xinhua reported. It is understood that Wang, who is blamed in some quarters for the unrest, will be given a dignified exit. He will be recalled to Beijing and reassigned to another position unrelated to Hong Kong affairs, according to a source familiar with the discussion. Wangs new nomination will be announced later. The source said the reshuffle should not be seen as a punishment for Wang but a change of strategy. Wang Zhimin has been replaced as director of the central governments liaison office in Hong Kong. Photo: Sam Tsang Luos appointment came as a surprise. Having reached the retirement age of 65 in October, he was just named on December 28 as the deputy director of the financial and economic affairs committee of the national peoples congress a position usually reserved for retired officials. Luo has never held any position directly related to Hong Kong before. Apart from one business trip to Hong Kong in 2018, he has no known connections here. But the soft-speaking politician is known as a capable administrator. He served for more than a decade in Chinas far-flung western province Qinghai one of the poorest regions populated by ethnic minorities. Luo rose through the ranks from deputy governor to governor and eventually the party secretary position. In 2016, he was given a tough assignment as the party secretary of the resource-rich central province Shanxi that was rocked by corruption scandals. There Luo excelled himself and impressed the top leadership by swiftly weeding out corruption and overhauling the government. He is among a selected few Chinese officials who could boast the experience of having managed two provinces, each with the population of a midsized European country. Story continues He will be the first Hong Kong liaison director with such rich local experience. Most of his predecessors were specialist bureaucrats who worked in the central government before taking up the Hong Kong assignment. Almost three hours after the Xinhua announcement, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor issued a statement, extending a welcome to Luo and thanking Wang for providing staunch support to her governments efforts to curb violence and uphold the rule of law over the past seven months. Luo was not a household name among the pro-Beijing camp in the city. A veteran deputy to the National Peoples Congress said he had no idea even of the gender and spelling of Luos name when he heard the announcement on Saturday. A source said that was his strength in dealing with the difficult stakeholders in Hong Kong. One key consideration is that Luo does not have connections with Hong Kongs business and other community, therefore his work will not be complicated by any relationship, the source said. Li Xiaobing, an expert on Beijings policies on Hong Kong at Nankai University in Tianjin, said the choice highlighted Beijings will to break the deadlock in Hong Kong. The problem of choosing someone from the Hong Kong and Macau system is they will be constrained by the existing frameworks and relationships, he said. His past experiences showed that he is capable of providing out-of-box solutions. Luo, who held a PhD in Economics, is known for his efforts in curbing corruption and boosting economies in less-developed regions in Anhui, Qinghai and Shanxi. A Shanxi official who had worked under Luo told the Post: He seldom raises his voice. But he is very determined and demanding when he wants to get things done. No jokes. Political commentator Johnny Lau Yui-siu believed the appointment also showed Beijings approach to promote stronger economic cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland Chinese cities. But he believed there would be no fundamental changes in the present strategies for handling protesters. Luos only known visit to Hong Kong was in December 2018, when he led a delegation from Shanxi to promote investment opportunities to the citys business sector. In the meeting with Lam, Luo described Hong Kong as a gold mine and praised its unique role in facilitating Chinas economic reform and opening the country up. He pledged to raise economic cooperation between Hong Kong and Shanxi to a strategic level. He also met Wang Zhimin during that trip. Wang was liaison office director since September 2017. His term of two years and three months made him the shortest-serving head of the office since the return of Hong Kong to the mainland. Before taking the position in Hong Kong, he served as director of the liaison office in Macau for around a year. Hong Kong has been in the grip of protests since June last year, sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill before morphing into a wider anti-government campaign that has been marked by mass rallies and often-violent clashes. More from South China Morning Post: This article China replaces top official in Hong Kong in first major reshuffle since protests erupted first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. THE Archdiocese of Cebu is warning the faithful against entertaining a certain group reportedly using the name of Archbishop Jose Palma to solicit donations. Fr. Andrei Ventanilla, Palmas secretary, said they were surprised after they received messages from concerned individuals about the groups activities and how they were using Palmas name to secure funds. Ventanilla said the group reportedly used Palmas name to ask for donations for the construction of a tabernacle in an undisclosed parish. Ventanilla urged the faithful to be vigilant against this groups illegal activities. If they have something or naa man gani sila madunggan nga ingon ana in the future, so it would be safe to ask first the archbishops residence kung tinuod ba gyud na siya, he said. He also urged those using the archbishops name for illegal means to stop what they are doing. This was not the first time that Archbishop Palmas name was used to collect donations. In October 2019, an unidentified group using the email address jspcebu@outlook.com used Palmas name to solicit funds for the celebration of the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines. The archdiocese quickly issued a statement denying that they sent the solicitation letter. We do not ask and never solicit funds from different institutions without the prior knowledge, formal consent, and definite authorization from the archbishop himself, the archdioceses statement said. (JCT) New Delhi, Jan 4 : Public sector Indian Overseas Bank has received capital infusion of Rs 4,360 crore from the government. In a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges, the bank said it has received the amount as contribution of the government in preferential allotment of equity shares during the financial year 2019-20 as government's investment. The bank had said it would receive capital infusion of Rs 4,360 crore from government in the current financial year for meeting the regulatory norms. Last year, the Finance Ministry had announced capital infusion of Rs 3,800 crore which was later increased by Rs 560 crore. Indian Overseas Bank is under the Prompt Corrective Action framework of the Reserve Bank of India. The bank has reported widening of net loss to Rs 2,253.64 crore for the quarter ending September 2019. The Prompt Corrective Action framework comes into force when banks breach the three key regulatory points namely capital to risk weighted assets ratio, net non-performing assets and return on assets. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has warned that any retaliatory actions could be a threat to stability in the Middle East and global security. The relevant statement was posted on the ministrys website on January 3. "Ukraine is concerned over the ongoing escalation of the situation in the Middle East after the attacks on the base of Operation Inherent Resolve and the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, and this nights U.S. defensive response in Baghdad," the statement reads. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that "Ukraine proceeds from the utter need to prevent further escalation and any retaliatory actions which might endanger the stability in the region and global security." As reported, Iran's most powerful military commander, Gen Qasem Soleimani, was killed by a U.S. air strike in Iraq. Tehran vowed to "retaliate" over a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad. At least 3,000 more U.S. troops will be deployed to the Middle East after the killing of a top Iranian commander. ish After years of division over same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy, a proposal announced Friday to split the United Methodist Church gave hope to both conservative and progressive Methodist leaders in Houston. It looks like the conclusion of 47 years of disagreement and dysfunction, were going to set each other free, said Rob Renfroe, an evangelical pastor at The Woodlands UMC and president of Good News, a national organization that fights for traditional values in the Methodist Church. At the other end of the theological spectrum, minister Diane McGehee of Bering United Methodist, a heavily LGBTQ congregation, agreed: This is reason for hope. The devil, per usual, will be in the details. At the denominations worldwide conference this May, the proposal the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation will be discussed, and most likely amended and voted upon. It absolutely wont go through without hiccups, said Jan Lawrence, one of the proposals 13 signers and executive director of the Chicago-based group Reconciling Ministries Network, which fights for LGBTQ peoples full inclusion in the United Methodist Church. But Im extremely hopeful, Lawrence continued. More hopeful than I have been at any moment before this. Global implications With 13 million members worldwide, the United Methodist Church is second only to the Catholic Church in its global reach, and includes a strong presence in culturally conservative places such as Africa and the Philippines. Last February, at a heated meeting in St. Louis, 53 percent of church delegates voted to tighten sanctions against same-sex marriage, and to preserve the denominations official statement that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. But it was clear that vote might lead to a widespread clerical disobedience in the U.S., which is far more accepting of same-sex marriage, and where theres even an official United Methodist Queer Clergy Caucus. In July, UMC bishop John Yambasu, of Sierra Leone, invited representatives of progressive, centrist and conservative points of view to discuss resolution of the denominations passionate disagreement. Those discussions led to a three-day meeting at the Washington, D.C., offices of mediation guru Kenneth Feinberg. The proposal hashed out at this summit would create a new traditionalist Methodist denomination that split from the UMC, and would continue to ban same-sex marriage and the ordination of lesbian and gay ministers. It also included a $25 million pledge from the UMC to the traditionalist group. In the U.S., regional clusters of churches, called annual conferences, would remain with the more progressive UMC by default, but could vote to join the new traditionalist denomination. Individual churches would stay with their annual conferences by default, but could vote to leave the annual conference and join the other denomination, or a new one. No matter the congregations choice, the church would keep its property. Local impact Its not clear what that would mean for the cluster that includes Houston and East Texas. Confusingly named the Texas Annual Conference there are four other annual conferences in the state it includes roughly 700 congregations with almost 300,000 members and widely divergent views. Texass annual conferences are more conservative than many in the U.S. Some churches including the primarily African-American megachurch Windsor Village, in southwest Houston have already threatened to leave the UMC if it accepts same-sex clergy and weddings. Other churches have made equally firm statements of their desire for inclusiveness. In November well over 75 percent of Westbury UMCs congregation voted to become a Reconciling Congregation. The church wasnt all in agreement about the Bible, pastor Danny Yang said of his diverse congregation. But even conservative members didnt appreciate the punitive language being used. And even if we dont all agree, we respect the people in the pews next to us. We respect their marriages. Scott Jones, the bishop who oversees the Texas Annual Conference, is carefully neutral on this proposal, like others that have come before the General Conference. In an official statement, he cautioned that though hes hopeful the protocol can lead to a peaceful solution, its just a proposal, and that a statement by 16 leaders does not necessarily mean that its provisions will be adopted. lisa.gray@chron.com A protest was staged against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was held in Kothrud area here on Saturday. Holding placards denouncing the CAA, NRC and the National Population Register (NPR), members of the Yuvak Kranti Dal, Professional Congress, National Students Union of India, Aam Admi Party and others took part in the protest. They demanded that the CAA, which offers citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, be scrapped. Sandip Barve, a member of the Yuvak Kranti Dal, said the demonstration had been organised under the umbrella of 'We The People Of India', an anti-CAA grouping. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LI) (the Company) is pleased to announce that it will undertake a non-brokered private placement of up to 10,000,000 units (each, a Unit) at a price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share, and one common share purchase warrant exercisable to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.125 for a period of twenty-four months. Proceeds of the placement will be used to continue development of the Companys TLC project in Nevada, as well as for general working capital purposes. In connection with the placement, the Company may pay finders fees to eligible parties who have assisted by introducing subscribers to the placement. All securities to be issued in connection with the placement will be subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws. Completion of the placement remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About the TLC Discovery The TLC sedimentary lithium discovery is an exploration and development project located 12km northwest of Tonopah, Nevada and easily accessible by paved highway. The fieldwork to-date indicates a near surface, relatively flat-lying, free digging lithium sedimentary region that offers the potential of hosting a wide area of high-grade lithium mineralization. Just south of the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant, the project is favorably located for future production given the immediate access to some of the cheapest electricity in Nevada. About American Lithium Corp. American Lithium is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium deposits within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. The Company is currently exploring and developing the TLC Project located in the highly prospective Esmeralda Lithium District in Nevada. TLC is close to infrastructure, 3.5 hours south of the Tesla Gigafactory, and in the same basinal environment as Albemarles Silver Peak Lithium Mine, and several advancing deposits and resources including Ioneer Ltd.'s (formerly Global Geoscience) Rhyolite Ridge and Cypress Development Corps Clayton Valley Project. For more information, please contact the Company at info@americanlithiumcorp.com or visit our website at www.americanlithiumcorp.com. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . On behalf of the Board, American Lithium Corp. Michael Kobler, Chief Executive Officer 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. Forward-looking statements Statements in this release that are forward-looking information are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here. Information provided in this release is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by American Lithium management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading Risks Factors in American Lithium's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 13:18:50|Editor: ZD Video Player Close KUNMING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Police in southwest China's Yunnan Province have captured five suspects and seized 66.27 kg of drugs in two recent drug trafficking cases, local authorities said Saturday. After investigations, police in Longyang District, in the China-Myanmar border city of Baoshan, seized three bags of methamphetamine weighing 2.98 kg and 109 methamphetamine tablets weighing 62.31 kg from a van. Five suspects aboard the van were caught on the spot. The other case was busted on the same day by Longyang police, with 0.98 kg of methamphetamine seized. The five suspects have since been detained. Further investigations into the two cases are underway. Yunnan is a major front in China's battle against drug crime, as it borders the Golden Triangle known for its rampant drug production and trafficking. Peruvian artists collaborated to showcase the impact of climate change on the indigenous people in the country through the creation of a comic anthology. The name of the comic anthology is Puro Pero. It consists of ninety-two pages of stories that were inspired by the stories from the knowledge of ancestors provided by the locals. The stories include the locals' traditions and myths. It was created to inspire the youth to be aware of the issues involving climate change and other environmental controversies. The book contains eight stories that showcase environmental elements such as the different bodies of water (examples are lakes and rivers). It also showcases the relationship of each environmental element with each other such as the relationship of the bodies of water to the earth and mountains. According to the head of CESAL Jose Fernandez Crespo, The comic starts with a story that depicts the effect of climate change in a global setting. The remaining chapters are set in different places in Peru. CESAL is a non-government organization that piloted the La Vanguardia Project in the country. It had exerted intense efforts to showcase its support to multiple environmental issues such as the protection of riverbeds and agroforestry. According to CESAL, one of the major objectives of the comics is to give light on the negative consequences of climate change in a global setting and on a per-region setting. The target readers of the comics are children but it also aims to influence a collaboration for development in Peru, specifically in the communities between Ucayali in the Amazon and Apurimac. The comic's artists were Teresa Valero, El Rubencio, Nuria Tamarit, Alex Orbe, Ana Miralles, Calo, Pam Lopez, and Paco Roca. Each had shared their unique styles in the art of making comics. The first two chapters of the comics anthology express the worldwide effect of climate change while the remaining six chapters illustrate its effect on the region of Peru. The last six chapters included Peruvian stories. The comic anthology is free. CESAL is distributing a hard copy of the comics all over Peru and there is also a digital one. It can be downloaded by anyone on the planet through a downloadable digital version available on the internet. Climate change affects many aspects of the indigenous peoples' lifestyles. Climate change affects the number of wildlife inland and in bodies of water where most indigenous people in Peru rely on for their source of food. The migratory schedules of animals and the meat and fish that these people had been eating for years are shifting and some of the animals are becoming endangered. Clean and drinkable water from rivers is also shifting as some of the rivers in Peru are becoming endangered. One of the causes of the endangerment of some bodies of water in the region is the intense activities involving gas and oil explorations. As food and water become scarce due to climate change, many heads of the families leave their area to work in the city to provide for their families. This means that wives are left behind to take care of their home while their husbands are away. This increases the stress levels of women because of the multiple works they had to accomplish every day by themselves. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Saturday that his party was firmly in support of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and Maharashtra's "lesson" to the country was "don't be afraid". Raut was speaking at a meeting on the controversial legislation here, organized by the Jamaat e-Islamic Hind and Association for Protection of Civil Rights. "My party is firmly in support of anti-CAA protests," he said. Claiming that the BJP was yet to come to terms with its loss of power in Maharashtra, Raut said, "They are still in grief, and we should give them more grief. "Daro mat" (don't be afraid) is the lesson Maharashtra has taught the country," he said, apparently referring to the Sena's decision to sever the ties with the BJP and form government with the Congress and NCP in the state. "Maharashtra has shown the way to the country," he added. "The country is our religion. We all should be united, and this is what they (the BJP) are afraid of," hesaid. Bal Thackeray was known as a champion of Hindus, but the late Sena founder believed that this country belongs to all, Raut said. "Balasaheb never said Muslims should be thrown out. He stood up against traitors," Raut said, adding that Thackeray had many Muslim friends. He also pointed out that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was the first in the country to criticize the police firing on students protesting against the CAA in Delhi. "When students are fired upon, the country and democracy are in danger," Raut said. Criticizing Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Raut said, "The home minister says the Congress could not stop Partition on religious lines. If that is so, where were you then?" Raut also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for often accusing opposition leaders of "speaking the language of Pakistan". "This 'divide and rule' policy is dangerous," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If you rely on metered parking, you may want to keep carrying quarters with you until late next week. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that the configuration error in the credit card payment software of New York Citys parking meters is not expected to be fully resolved until the evening of Thursday, Jan. 9. This past Thursday, parking meters throughout the city began rejecting payments from credit cards and prepaid parking cards due to a massive oversight on behalf of the company responsible for the citys parking meter system. Flowbird, a global vendor for automated parking systems, failed to update the software in the model of parking meters used in New York City, which had an established end date of Jan. 1, 2020, according to the DOT. As a result, once the established end date had passed, the meters became unable to process credit card and prepaid card payments. The outage was caused by an anti-fraud security setting that disabled credit-card payments. We have experienced no security breaches, and Flowbird immediately delivered a reconfiguration fix that is now being deployed, said David Chauvin, chief communications officer, Flowbird. Our company apologizes and deeply regrets the inconvenience that this has caused our customers. Flowbird is taking all the appropriate measures to avoid any similar scenario in the future. Our top priority remains the total satisfaction of the municipalities that put their trust into our solutions, Chauvin added. DOT crews are working around the clock to address the issue, with more than 1,750 of the citys 14,000 parking meters already being repaired as of Friday evening. The department has prioritized DOT lots and areas where credit cards make up the highest percentage of payments. Additional electricians will be trained and deployed throughout the weekend, working 12-hour shifts, with crews out 24-hours a day until the issue has been fully resolved. Despite the inability to process cards, drivers are still required to pay the meter by using coins or the free-to-download ParkNYC app. We apologize for the inconvenience to drivers, however there are a number of other ways to pay parking meters and ensure drivers do not receive a ticket. NYC parking meters also accept coins, and drivers can also pay using the ParkNYC app. Drivers wishing to pay with a credit card can do so through the app," according to a statement from the city Department of Finance. However, those using the ParkNYC app are required to load a minimum of $25 onto the app, frustrating some drivers who were required to load more than 10 times the necessary amount to pay the meter. Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) has publicly voiced his frustration with the situation, calling on the city to cease issuing tickets until the meters have been fixed. The level of incompetence here is staggering. The least DOT could do until this is fixed is suspend the meters and not write any tickets," Rose said. Twelve people including activist Sadaf Jafar and former IPS officer SR Darapuri were granted bail on Saturday in alleged connection with the December 19 violence case in Lucknow. Jafar's counsel, advocate Pradeep Singh said that she is expected to come out of jail on Tuesday. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had earlier slammed Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for the arrest of Jafar and said that she was sent to jail by the police on "baseless allegations". "UP government has crossed all levels of inhumanity. In a purported video, Congress worker Sadaf Jafar can be clearly seen asking the police to arrest those who are indulging in violence. The police have put Sadaf in jail by levelling baseless allegations against her," Priyanka tweeted in Hindi. The Congress leader said that Zafar's children are eagerly awaiting the release of their mother. "This insensitive government has separated children from their mothers and old men from their children," Priyanka said in a follow-up tweet. As per reports, Jafar is in police custody after she was picked up by the police on December 19, during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state. Protests had erupted in different parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Climate activist Greta Thunberg turned 17 and marked her birthday with a seven-hour climate protest on December 3. She braved the harsh winter conditions in her native Stockholm to continue the weekly Friday School Strike for the climate campaign that helped her to gain international fame. As she turned 17 on Friday, she said that she is not the kind of person who celebrates birthdays. She marked her birthday with a seven-hour protest outside the Swedish Parliament. She told the media that they stood there from 8am until 3pm as usual and then went home. READ: Greta Thunberg Rallies Outside Swedish Parliament, Meets Young Protesters Campaigns inspired a lot of people She added that she won't have a birthday cake but they will have dinner. Its been a hectic schedule for Thunberg last year as she travelled the globe by car, train and boat demanding to take steps on climate change. When she was 15, she skipped school on Fridays to protest outside the Swedish Parliament to pressurize her government to curb carbon emissions. Her campaigns inspired a lot of people to take action against climate change. READ: Rosie Jones Makes 'inappropriate Joke' On Greta Thunberg, Netizens Furious Protest outside Swedish Parliament The young activist returned back to Sweden on December 20 and took part in a rally outside the parliament where her protests first began over a year ago. She made news headlines in late August last year for having a placard with her that read, 'School strike for climate.' Now she is a very renowned figure and her supporters have grown widely in the world. She was busy attending her first UN climate summit in New York and then COP25 talks in Madrid. READ: Greta Thunberg's Father Says Activism Helped His Daughter Fight Depression Thunberg meets young climate activists She was dressed in her trademark outfit, yellow sweatshirt and woolen hat with a pack of bodyguards behind her. She met with a group of young and enthusiastic climate activists outside the parliamentary complex. Thunberg, named 2019 Person of the Year by Time magazine said that she is hopeful that the distinction would help put her cause in the spotlight. According to the international media agency, she said that she hopes the campaign raises awareness and inspires others to get involved and protect the environment. She added that she wants to raise concerns about the alarming levels of global warming among world leaders and politicians similar to her speech 'How Dare You?' speech at the UN climate summit. READ: Greta Thunberg Criticised Over Her Twitter Post On German Trains WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed a tweet comparing the top Senate Democrat to Iran, the United States' longtime adversary, suggesting neither could be trusted, as Democratic leaders criticized the White House for ordering a military strike to kill a powerful Iranian commander without congressional input. Amid a flurry of reactions from U.S. lawmakers, Trump retweeted conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza, who, in response to a headline about Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.. not receiving advance notice of the military operation, wrote: "Neither were the Iranians, and for pretty much the same reason." Trump made similar insinuations about Democrats' trustworthiness after the October raid that killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. At that time, Trump said he didn't tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a former member of the Intelligence Committee, because "he wanted to make sure this kept secret." Trump ordered the U.S. drone strike that killed Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, whom the United States regarded as a war criminal responsible for hundreds of American deaths. Republicans and Democrats were united in calling Soleimani an enemy of the United States and a terrorist. 'This morning, Iran's master terrorist is dead," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in remarks on the Senate floor. "The architect and chief engineer for the world's most active state sponsor of terrorism has been removed from the battlefield at the hand of the United States military." Schumer called Soleimani a "notorious terrorist," and added: "No one should shed a tear over his death." But as Republicans celebrated what they described as Trump's decisive action, Democrats criticized the president's order to act unilaterally while expressing grave concern that this action would move the United States closer to an intractable war with Iran. "No matter how good it may feel that Qasem Soleimani is no longer alive, he likely will end up being more dangerous to the United States, our troops and our allies, as a martyr than as a living, breathing military adversary," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. Trump, in brief remarks Friday afternoon about the attack, said he targeted Soleimani to "stop a war," not to start one. Presidents typically inform the so-called Gang of Eight - the House speaker and minority leader, the Senate majority and minority leaders, and the chairmen and ranking minority-party members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees - on high-level military operations. Top Democratic leaders in Congress received no advance notification of the strike, according to aides. Pelosi spoke to Defense Secretary Mark Esper after the attack for about 13 minutes, said an aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity because that person was not authorized to speak publicly. "I'm a member of the Gang of Eight, which is typically briefed in advance of operations of this level of significance. We were not," Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor, adding that the administration must be "asked probing questions not from your inner and often insulated circle, but from others, particularly Congress, which forces an administration before it acts to answer very serious questions." It was unclear which congressional leaders were given advance notice of the strike. McConnell said only that he had spoken to the defense secretary and was arranging a classified briefing for all senators early next week, but he provided no details on when he first learned about the strike. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a Trump ally, said Friday morning on Fox News that he was "briefed about the potential operation when I was down in Florida" and appreciated "being brought into the orbit." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., posted a photo on Instagram of himself and Trump at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate late Thursday, though it was not clear whether he, too, was briefed ahead of time. McCarthy praised the killing of Soleimani as a "statement to those seeking to attack America." Trump, McCarthy said, had responded appropriately to violence by Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, including an attempt to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. "In a display of resolve and strength, we struck the leader of those attacking our sovereign U.S. territories," he said. Most Democrats focused their ire on Trump's unilateral action that they said could propel America into another conflict in the Middle East, yet Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., directed a more personal blow at Trump. "The Occupant was JUST impeached for abuse of power for political gain & now he is leading us to the brink of war because he believes it will help his re-election. We are sick of endless wars. Congress has the sole authority to declare war and we must deescalate. #NoWarWithIran," Pressley tweeted. Many of Trump's possible Democratic opponents in the presidential election also offered stern rebukes of Trump's handling of foreign policy. Calling the strike against Soleimani an assassination, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tweeted that the United States was "on the brink of yet another war in the Middle East." She added: "We're here because a reckless president, his allies, and his administration have spent years pushing us here." Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called it a "dangerous escalation," and former vice president Joe Biden said in a statement that Trump "just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox." In New Hampshire, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who was an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, echoed many congressional Democrats who have wondered what the strategy is now. "If we have learned nothing else from the Middle East, in the last 20 years, it's that taking out a bad guy is not a good idea unless you're ready for what comes next," Buttigieg said. In Iowa, Sanders condemned Trump's action and emphasized his long record of opposing many U.S. military interventions abroad, including the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "It gives me no pleasure to tell you at this moment we face a similar crossroads fraught with danger," he said, adding that Trump's decision "now puts us on the path to another war, potentially one that could be even worse than before." - - - The Washington Post's Katie Mettler, Robert Costa, Mike DeBonis, John Wagner, Seung Min Kim, Sean Sullivan and Chelsea Janes contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 10:26:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SYDNEY, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities confirmed two more deaths in the bushfire on Kangaroo Island of South Australia, according to News.com.au's report on Saturday. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall told reporters that it was "very sad" to hear the deaths. According to local authorities, "more or less half" of land had been burned through on Friday's massive bushfire. Kangaroo Island is a tourism and conservation hotspot off the coast of South Australia. With the publication of Water: Asia's New Battleground by commentator Brahma Chellaney in 2011, the fear that China may intervene and divert the river Brahmaputra became widespread. His subsequent essays reinforced the idea that China is an upstream hydrohegemon whose interventions over the Yarlung (as the river is called Tibet) may have an egregious impact on downstream India and Bangladesh. The river's course Recently, he wrote that "the upstream dams' cumulative effect would likely be the extinction of most migratory fish species in the basin [This] could happen tomorrow to the Brahmaputra and other Tibet-originating rivers that are the target of China's dam builders." Here, China's intervention on the Yarlung having a deleterious impact on downstream nations is termed the "Brahma Hypothesis". There are two elements of the impact of this hypothesis: Firstly, downstream Northeast India will dry out; and sediments forming and resuscitating the fertile soil of the river's floodplains and delta will be trapped in upstream constructions. Scientific data suggests otherwise. The Brahmaputra, flowing through southern Tibet, Northeast India and eastern Bangladesh, and with tributaries in Bhutan, has a length of 2,880 km. Of that, 1,625 km flows through the Tibetan plateau as the Yarlung Tsangpo, 918 km flows in India as the Siang, Dihang and Brahmaputra, and the rest of the 337 km in Bangladesh is named the Jamuna until it merges into the Padma near Goalando. This distribution of length gives the impression that the geography around the headwaters carries the maximum flow of the river and, so, Chinese interventions can deplete the water downstream. The Brahmaputra is identified as the flow downstream of meeting of three tributaries, the Lohit, Dibang, and Dihang, near Sadiya in Assam. The Yarlung (Dihang or Siang in Arunachal Pradesh), the longest tributary of the Brahmaputra, is fed by snow and glacial melts, in addition to rainfall. The normalised melt index of the Brahmaputra is in the range of 0.15-0.2, signifying that snow and glacial melt, the main source of run-off in the Tibetan region, contribute negligibly to the total flow. The precipitation varies with climate, altitude, temperature, pressure, latitude and orography, and variable interactive impacts of prevailing winds. The annual average precipitation in the trans-Himalaya of about 300mm hardly compares with the annual average precipitation of about 4,500mm after the river crosses the Himalayan crestline. This increases the flow of the Brahmaputra in India. Tributary flow Further, the Brahmaputra receives large components of the flow in India and Bangladesh from tributaries like Burhi Dihing in the East to Teesta in the West. According to Chinese scholar Jiang and colleagues, while the total annual outflow of the Yarlung in China is estimated to be about 31 billion cubic metres (BCM), the annual flow at Bahadurabad, the gauging station near the end of the sub-basin in Bangladesh, is about 606 BCM. Further, while the peak flows (June-October) at Tsela Dzong and Nuxia in Tibet are about 5,000 and 6,000 cumecs (cubic metres per second), respectively, the peak flow at Pandu (Guwahati) is approximately 60,000 cumecs. The lean season flow in Nuxia, is pegged at 500 cumecs, while the lean flow at Bahadurabad in Bangladesh is about 5,000-odd cumecs. These figures do not support the linear algebraic thinking that the flow in a river is proportional to its length inside a country. Coming to sediment flows, it needs to be kept in mind that the flow volume and discharge in the Yarlung are not sufficient to generate and transport the very large sediment load in downstream Brahmaputra. The annual suspended sediment load near Nuxia in Tibet is around 30 million metric tonnes, which is miniscule compared to the 735 million MT sediment load at Bahadurabad. China bogey The sediment is created further downstream in India, where precipitation is almost 10-12 times higher than in rain shadow Tibet. So, from the soil formation or soil fertility perspective of the ecosystem services of sediments, upstream Chinese intervention is unlikely to have a significant impact on sediment regime in India or Bangladesh. Further, from the demand perspective, it may be noted that despite Brahmaputra having the highest per capita renewable water availability (to the tune of 17,500m3/ person) across all Indian rivers, barely 12 per cent of the renewable quantity could be developed and utilised for economic purposes. While China has been planning hydropower projects, it is irrational to think that it will plan for a northward water diversion, as the energy needed to lift the water and costs to be incurred in the process will far outweigh the proposed benefits. While this article neither validates nor contests China's intents towards downstream India, it is important to recognise that hydro-diplomacy should be based on scientific data and informed analysis, rather than amorphous jingoistic sentiments. (Courtesy of Mail Today) Also read: Why India needs to remain cautious about China harming Brahmaputra river (Newser) She disappeared the Friday before Christmas after being seen leaving a bar in Birmingham, Ala., with two men. Now, what People calls a "heartbreaking end": Cops say they found the body of 29-year-old Paighton Houston in a shallow grave in the backyard of a home in Hueytown. In a statement cited by WVTM, the Trussville Police Department said on Thursday it had "developed information on a possible location for [Houston's] remains." Investigators showed up at the home, which is said to be unoccupied, on Friday morning and recovered Houston's remains in the "muddy, nasty" yard by early afternoon, per AL.com. Neighbors say an elderly man used to live at the residence but had left some time back in the care of familly members. story continues below Those who knew Houston had been especially concerned because after midnight on the night she vanished, she'd sent a text to a friend that said: "idk who im with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble." Per Birmingham police, she was said to have left the Tin Roof bar willingly with two heavyset black males. The Jefferson County coroner's office hasn't revealed the cause and manner of death, though local DA Lynneice Washington says Houston's intact body was wrapped in some type of fabric. Houston's death is still being investigated, and police aren't saying at this time that it was a homicide. "Right now we have a lot more questions than answers, but we hope to have those answers real soon," a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office rep says. (Read more missing woman stories.) Cops establish role of illegal Bangladeshis in violence against citizenship law India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 04: A hidden mob at Seelampur in Delhi swelled into nearly 4,000, following which violence broke out. There was a protest march planned against the newly amended citizenship law, but what transpired was mindless violence. It has now come to light that there were several Illegal Bangladeshi migrants who were part of this mob and had fanned the violence. They were involved in rioting and destruction of public property. Delhi Police sources that OneIndia spoke with confirmed the same and said that 15 of these persons had played a major role in fanning the violence. Police officials in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka also said that they suspected the role of illegal Bangladeshis and radical elements. Case registered against 10,000 students in connection with AMU violence The presence of these persons and also the funding is being probed. It was not a run of the mill protest, but a deep-rooted conspiracy by Islamist fundamentalists to destabilise the nation. If one looks at the pattern, it becomes clear that these were not spontaneous incidents, but pre-planned ones. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 In Seelampur, the police had found bags of stones at the protest site. Who comes with stones for a peaceful protest, the Delhi Police official asked. The case was similar in both UP and Mangalore. While in Mangalore the rioters had come with stones, in UP, the police released images of a man brandishing a gun during the protest. During the protests at the Jamia Millia and Seelampur, the police had found that there were several hidden mobs, which came out and incited the violence. IB sources say that members of the SIMI had infiltrated into Delhi from UP and the other neighbouring states. For the Students Islamic Movement of India, the protests around the new citizenship law have come as a blessing in disguise. The Intelligence Bureau has said that several members of the SIMI have entered Delhi in a bid to fuel further violence and then recruit in the name of persecution. SITs to be set up to probe anti CAB violence in UP The SIMI undertook a similar campaign in the early 2000s. All its recruitment material were around the demolition of the Godhra riots and the Babri Masjid demolition. The SIMI which has been looking to re-group for long after being beaten down by the agencies has been scouting for major issues. Intelligence Bureau sources also say that this terror group will look to infiltrate into students unions, create trouble and also rope in students into its fold. It is not just the SIMI, but naxalites too have found to be part of this agitation. Recently the National Investigation Agency booked an activist in Assam for alleged links with the naxalites. A case was registered against Akhil Gogoi, whose Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti has been at the forefront of the agitation against the new citizenship law. Gogoi was arrested for alleged links with naxalites last week at Jorhat. S ir Rod Stewart has been charged after allegedly attacking a security guard when he tried to get into a private party at a hotel in Florida. A police document released in the US accused the veteran rock star of punching the worker on New Year's Eve after he and his companions, including his son Sean, attempted to get into a private party in a children's area at the Breakers Palm Beach Hotel. The hotel's security guard, named as Jessie Dixon in the police document, told officers that he saw a group of people near the check-in table of the private event trying to enter the area without authorisation. The affidavit claimed that Sir Rod, 74, and his group "began to get loud and cause a scene, and refused to follow (Mr Dixon's) instructions to leave". Mr Dixon alleged that Sean, 39, had got "about nose to nose" with him when he told him to step back and create some space. Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster attending The Pride of Britain Awards 2017 / Ian West/PA The security guard claimed that Sean shoved him backwards after he put the back of his right hand on his chest, and that Sir Rod then stepped towards him and punched him in the ribs. The arresting officer wrote in the police report that Sir Rod stated that he and his family approached the check-in table at the event in a bid to have the children in their group gain access, and that Mr Dixon then became argumentative with their family. According to the report, Sir Rod "apologised for his behaviour in the incident". The affidavit also refers to accounts by two witnesses, both of whom are employed by the hotel, who claimed that they saw Sean push Mr Dixon and Sir Rod punch him in the chest. Sir Rod was knighted in 2016 / Jonathan Brady/PA Sir Rod and Sean are described as "primary aggressors" in the document by the arresting officer, who claims he assessed footage taken from video cameras at the hotel. Both Sir Rod and Sean were arrested, and the music star was charged with simple battery. Sir Rod has been issued a notice to appear at the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Complex for a court date on February 5. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has condemned the "unwarranted and unprovoked attack" on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Expressing dismay and concern over the incident, she urged the Government of India to take up the issue with Pakistan authorities and ensure security for the pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine to prevent any future attacks. "The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," she said in a statement on Saturday. Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi's statement on the vandalism of Gurudwara Nankana Sahib. pic.twitter.com/RzHq7slWtY Congress (@INCIndia) January 4, 2020 A mob on Friday reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in the Punjab province of Pakistan, where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Videos of the stone-pelting emerged on social media. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and urged the Pakistani government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. Pakistan in a late-night statement said that there were no attacks and that the reports were mere rumour-mongering. The Foreign Office statement said that they were informed of a scuffle between two Muslim groups on Friday. The accused were arrested, the statement said. ALSO READ: Gurdwara Nankana Sahib attack: Protest outside Pakistan Embassy over stone-pelting on shrine ALSO READ: Gurdwara Nankana Sahib attack: Cricketer Harbhajan Singh asks Pak PM Imran Khan to intervene ALSO READ: Gurdwara Nankana Sahib remains untouched, undamaged, says Pakistan after backlash Sneem Black Pudding has joined the ranks of foods and drinks products like champagne, Gorgonzola cheese, Waterford Blaas and Jamon Serrano after securing special European Status. After a four-year wait, Sneem Black Pudding has been given Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status from the European Union - the first Kerry food product to get this status. The PGI status gives Sneem Black Pudding a mark of quality and recognition from the EU and protects foods with a unique link to a geographical area, in this case Sneem Black Pudding. "It confers a status that puts it up there with parmesan and champagne. It is a unique product from the area it comes from, and it protects the name of Sneem Black pudding," explained Michael Gleeson, who put in the application for the status for the food product. The announcement of the new status for the pudding came just days before Christmas and is a credit to the producers of the pudding. Sneem Black Pudding is produced by Kieran Burns and Peter O'Sullivan - and the fact that there are two producers of the product was key to obtaining special status. Both producers have also created Sneem Pudding with the traditional recipe down through the years. The production of Sneem Black Pudding in its current form dates back to the early 1950s when farmers had to ensure that every part of the animal was utilised to the full, including the fresh blood and suet. These are the components of Sneem Black Pudding, according to the application to the EU for PGI status. Sneem pudding is also sold in squares rather than rings, which is another indicator of the product's uniqueness. The new status will further enhance Sneem Black Pudding and will help market it around the world, and both Peter and Kieran are thrilled that their product has been recognised for its undoubted uniqueness and taste. The National Panthers Party (NPP) staged a protest here on Saturday seeking early deportation of illegal immigrants, including Rohingya Muslims, from Jammu. The NPP protest came a day after Union minister Jitendra Singh said the government's next move would be regarding the deportation of Rohingya refugees as they will not be able to secure citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act. NPP activists led by their chairman and former Jammu and Kashmir minister Harsh Dev Singh assembled at the Exhibition Ground here and raised slogans against the illegal immigrants. Terming their early repatriation as the need of the hour, the NPP leader said the natives of Myanmar and Bangladesh had already been identified in Jammu city and its adjacent areas. He urged upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately respond to the "grave situation" and direct the local administration to ensure deportation of these unlawful immigrants without any further delay in the larger interests of peace and security. More than 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and Samba districts, where their population has increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016, according to government data. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former-NYPD Officer Michael Reynolds. Photo: Courtesy of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department To hear its public relations team tell it, the New York City Police Department is downright scandalized by the behavior of former officer Michael Reynolds, who quit the force on Thursday after learning hed have to undergo an intradepartmental disciplinary process for breaking into a black womans house and unleashing a racist diatribe. Rather than face punishment, [Reynolds] has quit the New York City Police Department effective immediately, read a statement from the department, according to WPIX. He will receive no pension or health benefits, nor will he be allowed to carry a firearm. His actions are wholly inconsistent with the values and standards the New York City Police Department expects and demands of its officers. In July 2018, Reynolds, who is white, kicked in the door of a home near an Airbnb in Nashville where he was staying for a bachelor party. The profanity- and epithet-laced tirade he directed at the black family that lived there was captured by a nearby security camera. Try to shoot me, and Ill break every f- - - ing bone in your f- - - ing neck, Reynolds yelled at Conese Halliburton and her four sons, whom he addressed as f- - - ing n- - - ers. The officer later claimed to have been drunk at the time and did not remember the incident, but pleaded no contest in September to charges of aggravated criminal trespassing and assault. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail and three years probation. Halliburton, whose youngest sons were 8 and 11 at the time, testified that she was in bed sleeping when Reynolds broke into her home. The irony of the NYPDs rebuke is how sharply it decries behavior that, were Reynolds on duty and in New York at the time it occurred, wouldve been standard. Racial slurs aimed at civilians like during the departments bigoted stop and frisk campaign, which disproportionately singled out black and Latino residents are sanctioned institutionally by departmental standards that do not consider racist or anti-LGBTQ remarks to be evidence of bias, and therefore have not yielded a single official substantiation of a bias complaint from a civilian, according to the New York Times. Officers directing harassment and threats toward the citys black and brown denizens from stop and frisk to its demonstrably racist crackdowns on subway-fare evasion are bolstered further by its ballooning gang database, which has grown 70 percent under Mayor Bill de Blasios tenure. Ninety-nine percent of the databases new additions were people of color, many between the ages of 13 and 16, and by virtue of transgressions as minor as wearing the wrong color on the wrong street corner or sending a social media message to the wrong person, can now be denied the safety of public housing or targeted for one of the NYPDs gang raids. While some of the departments most egregious employers of racist language have been disciplined of late, the culture of defensiveness around misconduct continues as with the departments long-running support for the since-fired Daniel Pantaleo, whose legal defense for killing Eric Garner with a chokehold in 2014 hinged on the argument that the black 43-year-old effectively killed himself by being too fat and sick. In this light, the prospect of an NYPD officer invading a black persons home or person and lobbing threats or slurs against them is unremarkable. Nor was the length of time required for the department to finally initiate a disciplinary process against Reynolds, who broke into Halliburtons home more than a year before the NYPD announced its intentions and remained employed as an officer the whole time. If the question with Reynolds truly is one of departmental standards and values and his failure to live up to them he seems to have diverged most sharply from the conduct of many of the NYPDs other officers in that he was in a different city at the time, uniform-less, and couldnt devise a compelling law enforcement rationale for breaking into Halliburtons home. But on most matters of substance, hes far from an aberration. And rather than an opportunity to wash its hands, the department would do well to use his departure as a reckoning opportunity. January 3, 2020 News By David Vergun Defense.gov Senior DOD Official Describes Rationale for Attack on Quds Force Commander President Donald J. Trump last night directed, and the Defense Department subsequently launched, an airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force, a senior DOD official said during a news teleconference. "He was the commander directly responsible for organizing and directing multiple attacks against Americans in the region, including [Kataeb Hezbollah] attacks we've seen over the last several months," the official said today. Kataeb Hezbollah is a group with links to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force. Soleimani, was actively and consistently developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region, the official added. This U.S. attack was carried out in a manner that minimized collateral damage. It was designed to defend American lives and to prevent further bloodshed, the official noted. The official mentioned there has been a steady increase over the past year in attacks by Shiite militia groups against bases hosting U.S. and coalition forces, the official said. "The attacks have significantly intensified over the past two months," the official said. On Dec. 27, U.S. forces in Iraq were attacked near Kirkuk by Kataeb Hezbollah the official continued. The attack in which 31 rockets were fired killed one American civilian contractor and injured four American service members, as well as two members of the Iraqi security forces. As a result, the U.S. military responded and took defensive actions by striking Kataeb Hezbollah bases in western Iraq and western Syria, the official said. "We have been very clear with Iran and our Iraqi partners that these increasing attacks need to stop and that we would hold Iran directly responsible for any harm to U.S. personnel," the official concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Australian state of New South Wales is in the grip of bushfires and State Premier Gladys Berejiklian informed about forced evacuation of people from danger zones. She also spoke about the possible closure of roads in order to ensure the safety of the people. The administration is poised to go in for all possible precautions to mitigate the sufferings of those affected by the fires. NSW has declared a state of emergency. The fires have been raging for over three months and the present emergency is the third one within the past three months. Those in authority are trying to go in for forced evacuation because the fire is spreading and danger looms large on the horizon. CNN says there is already an exodus of thousands and the Rural Fire Service is extending assistance. They have arranged a tourist leave zone to the Victoria border. In view of the fast deteriorating situation, they have been advised to leave before Saturday. This is because a combination of high temperatures coupled with dry conditions and strong winds might increase the possibility of further blazes. The fire service was blunt. It warned: "These will be dangerous conditions. Do not be in this area on Saturday." "It's the biggest peacetime evacuation in Australia's history." Tens of thousands of people in coastal towns have been told to flee as there are fears bushfires could worsen. @chesh reports from Lakes Entrance, which is inside the evacuation zone. More: https://t.co/SCASnTkpFR pic.twitter.com/TtjtUG18eh Sky News (@SkyNews) January 3, 2020 Tentative evacuation plans Many residents and tourists have gathered near the seafronts and the navy will play an important role. A vessel will transport around 800 people from Mallacoota. It will make trips as required and shift them to a place of safety. There are plans for aerial evacuation provided the visibility improves. Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the federal government was dispatching whatever is necessary and warned that accessibility was a major issue in some places. Discuss this news on Eunomia SEEKING SHELTER: Devastating bushfires in Australia force residents and holidaymakers to head for the beach as they attempt to flee to safety. https://t.co/IFKamL1yY3 pic.twitter.com/6eGkCTsHhy ABC News (@ABC) January 2, 2020 CNN goes on to add that in the opinion of experts, climate change has worsened the scale and impact of the fires. The Morrison administration faced criticism of not doing enough to address an issue like the climate crisis. However, Morrison brushed aside the criticism and said his government will meet and beat our emissions reduction targets." The quality of air continues to deteriorate in large cities like Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne. In addition, Australia is facing droughts, which have worsened the overall situation. There are more than 200 fires burning According to Sky News, Australia is now burning with more than 200 fires wreaking havoc. The navy has undertaken one of the largest evacuations in the history of the country. Nearly 4,000 residents and tourists took shelter on beaches. Some of them agreed to evacuation by sea and others by air. It was a relief because there was no power and they faced a shortage of food. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrew was blunt and said, "If you can leave, you must leave." Millions of acres of land have been lost with at least 19 deaths. Fires are burning in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. JUBA, South Sudan - A prominent South Sudan activist and economist was freed from prison Saturday after a presidential pardon and said he will return to his work to ensure peace goes forward in the country after years of civil war. Peter Biar Ajak in a brief statement to reporters said his detention had been extremely harsh but improved before the release. He said a medical check-up was a priority after poor health treatment behind bars. Human rights groups and others had protested Ajaks arrest in 2018 without government explanation. He was sentenced to two years in prison last year after being accused of inciting an uprising behind bars and threatening the security of the state. The presidential pardon for some 30 inmates was announced Thursday evening. Friends and family waited in vain Friday for the release while South Sudans justice and interior ministries were processing the order. Ajaks father, Ajak Deng Biar, joined his son in expressing happiness at the release. The father added that he was thankful to President Salva Kiir. South Sudan was meant to free all political prisoners under a peace deal signed in September 2018 to end its five-year civil war that killed almost 400,000 people. The crucial next step in the peace deal, the formation of a coalition government between Kiir and armed opposition leader Riek Machar, was delayed for 100 days in November to the dismay of some observers. The United States and others have expressed hope that the current deadline will be met. Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. Nothing can stop Chick-fil-A. That's how it's seemed for quite some time. The latter, though, is a brand that keeps things simple and eschews change. I can't help thinking, therefore, that Chick-fil-A is feeling a little of Popeyes spicy breath on the hairs of its neck. For it's testing significant menu changes. In Arizona and Charlotte, North Carolina, Chick-fil-A has removed stalwarts such as its Original Chick-n-Strips and its Grilled Cool Wrap from its menu. And, gasp, where's the breakfast sausage, the Sunflower Multigrain Bagel, the side salad and the decaf coffee? All gone. Some other items will now only be offered in one size. (Can American cope without choice?) This is relative carnage, given Chick-fil-A's usual resistance to change. Putting mac and cheese as a permanent side last year was the equivalent of a revolution. The last menu change before that was 2016. The idea that some old favorites might permanently disappear will surely be disturbing for some. Why, here's a local news presenter lamenting the potentially permanent departure of the Grilled Cool Wrap. Why, then, might this be happening? Well, Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich -- for all the problems Popeyes had with the supply -- showed that there was a rather large interest in the spicy chicken thing. For some peculiar reason, Popeyes had never enjoyed a chicken sandwich until last August. Within days, its spicy offering was seemingly just as famous as Chick-fil-A's. So, as Chick-fil-A removes some items, it's expanding the test of Spicy Chick-n-Strips, a Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich and a Spicy Chick-n-Strip Biscuit. Do we see a common denominator in these? Or perhaps two? Earlier this year, Chick-fil-A admitted it might need to make at least some changes. At that time, it was the specter of vegetarian and vegan options that were being dangled. But the potential of three new spicy chicken offerings might be considered not only radical, but also a concession that this chicken thing is going to get tougher. Much tougher. Especially as Americans are now eating far more chicken than beef. (35 pounds a year more each.) Chick-fil-A may insist that these changes merely make its menu "a little bit simpler and a whole lot spicier," but this is surely a reaction to intensified competition. I sense, indeed, that the Atlanta-based chain believes these new spicy chicken joys may be rolled out quite quickly. Why, the chain made an interim suggestion for the rest of America: If you aren't in one of the cities with the spicy additions, but you like to turn up the spice for breakfast, lunch or dinner, try spicing up your favorite Chick-fil-A meal with these spicy hacks! SYDNEY (AP) A father and son who were battling flames for two days are the latest victims of the worst wildfire season in Australian history, and the path of destruction widened in at least three states Saturday due to strong winds and high temperatures. The death toll in the wildfire crisis is now up to 23 people, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said after calling up about 3,000 reservists to battle the escalating fires, which are expected to be particularly fierce throughout the weekend. "We are facing another extremely difficult next 24 hours," Morrison said at a televised news conference. "In recent times, particularly over the course of the balance of this week, we have seen this disaster escalate to an entirely new level." Dick Lang, a 78-year-old acclaimed bush pilot and outback safari operator, and his 43-year-old son, Clayton, were identified by Australian authorities after their bodies were found Saturday on a highway on Kangaroo Island. Their family said their losses left them "heartbroken and reeling from this double tragedy." Lang, known as Desert Dick, led tours for travelers throughout Australia and other countries. He loved the bush, he loved adventure and he loved Kangaroo Island, his family said. Clayton Lang, one of Dick's four sons, was a renowned plastic surgeon who specialized in hand surgery. The fire danger increased as temperatures rose Saturday to record levels across Australia, surpassing 109 Fahrenheit in Canberra, the capital, and reaching a record-high 120F in Penrith, in Sydneys western suburbs. Video and images shared on social media showed blood red skies taking over Mallacoota, a coastal town in Victoria where as many as 4,000 residents and tourists were forced to shelter on beaches as the navy tried to evacuate as many people as possible. Smoke from a fire at Batemans Bay, Australia, billows into the air, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. Australia's prime minister called up about 3,000 reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated in at least three states on Saturday, while strong winds and high temperatures were forecast to bring flames to populated areas including the suburbs of Sydney. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)AP By Saturday evening, 3,600 firefighters were battling blazes across New South Wales state. Power was lost in some areas as fires downed transmissions lines, and residents were warned that the worst may be yet to come. "We are now in a position where we are saying to people it's not safe to move, it's not safe to leave these areas," state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. "We are in for a long night and I make no bones about that. We are still yet to hit the worst of it." Morrison said the governor general had signed off on the calling up of reserves "to search and bring every possible capability to bear by deploying army brigades to fire-affected communities." Defense Minister Linda Reynolds said it was the first time that reservists had been called up "in this way in living memory and, in fact, I believe for the first time in our nation's history." The deadly wildfires, which have been raging since September, have already burned about 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres) of land and destroyed more than 1,500 homes. A man uses a water hose to battle a fire near Moruya, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison called up about 3,000 reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated Saturday in at least three states with two more deaths, and strong winds and high temperatures were forecast to bring flames to populated areas including the suburbs of Sydney. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)AP The early and devastating start to Australia's summer wildfires has also been catastrophic for the country's wildlife, likely killing nearly 500 million birds, reptiles and mammals in New South Wales alone, Sydney University ecologist Chris Dickman told the Sydney Morning Herald. Frogs, bats and insects are excluded from his estimate, making the toll on animals much greater. Experts say climate change has exacerbated the unprecedented wildfires around the world. Morrison has been criticized for his repeated refusal to say climate change is impacting the fires, instead deeming them a natural disaster. By SHONAL GANGULY and STEVE McMORRAN, The Associated Press German Armed Forces Not Allowed to Leave Bases in Iraq After Killing of Iranian Top Commander Sputnik News 17:52 03.01.2020 The tensions in the Middle East flared up in December following an attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad, which was stormed by protesters in response to Washington's strikes in Iraq and Syria. The situation escalated overnight as the head of the Iranian IRGC's Quds Force Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in an airstrike by the US military. The German Armed Forces, Bundeswehr, have restricted the ground and air movements of its soldiers stationed in Iraq for security reasons following the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, carried out by the US military. Spokeswoman for the command of the German Defence Ministry Christina Routsi revealed that German troops deployed as a part of the international coalition have been prohibited from moving outside of military bases. "There are changes in the situation for soldiers in Taji and Baghdad, they cannot move outside military locations. This is the change", she said. According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, there are currently 27 Bundeswehr soldiers tasked with training Iraqi forces in the Taji military complex 30 kilometres north of the country's capital Baghdad. The programmes for engineers include nuclear, biological and chemical defence, as well as logistics and construction. According to the representative of the Operations Command based in Potsdam, they are continuing their work as planned. However, only preparations for the next course, scheduled for mid-January, were underway in Taji when the restriction was announced. There are also five German staffers at the headquarters of the anti-Daesh* coalition in Baghdad, while almost 90 troops are deployed in northern Iraq to train Kurdish fighters. The German contingent fighting Daesh has 415 staffers and is run from Jordan. Meanwhile, the Green Party has called for a temporary halt to Bundeswehr activities in Iraq after the attack. Its policy spokesman in the Bundestag, Omid Nouripour, stated that the killing of the top Iranian commander in Iraq is a "rapid slide into a major military escalation". He called on the German government to use "all mechanisms of crisis diplomacy". "In addition, the Bundeswehr mission in Iraq must be suspended immediately until it is clear how the security of our soldiers can be guaranteed", he said, noting that the cabinet letting the Bundeswehr stay there under these circumstances raises questions, arguing that "the effectiveness of this mission can no longer be demonstrated". According to the lawmaker, his death will be interpreted by the Iranian side as "a loss of face" and "an American declaration of war". "The Iranian military and their allies are close enough to Western forces in many places to harm them", the lawmaker warned, pointing out that the Iranian supreme leader's retaliation rhetoric should be taken "dead serious". At the same time, the German Foreign Ministry indicated that they are thinking about how to de-escalate the situation. "We are in contact with our American partners, as well as with our European partners. There is, of course, the question of how much it is now possible to prevent further escalation", ministerial spokesman Christofer Burger said. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News Phoenix, Arizona - The Office of the Arizona Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) is ranked second highest in the nation according to data provided to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS"). MFCU, housed in the Criminal Division of the Attorney General's Office, is also commonly referred to as the Health Care Fraud and Abuse (HCFA) section in Arizona. The Arizona Attorney General's Office was ranked third highest in the nation in the previous year based on data provided to HHS. Earlier this year, the HHS published its MFCU statistical summary for Fiscal Year ("FY") 2018, which listed the number of indictments obtained by each of the nations 50 MFCU's. Adjusting for differences in staff size, Arizonas MFCU emerged as the second most productive in obtaining criminal indictments. In FY 2017, the Unit was ranked third in the nation for most indictments/convictions per capita. "The Arizona Attorney General's Office is a shining example nationwide for prosecuting criminals who commit Medicaid fraud against the government," said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. Since 2015, our dedicated team has been among the top three productive units in the country in terms of bringing criminal charges against those that commit Medicaid fraud and abuse patients cared for in Medicaid-funded facilities and has returned millions of dollars to taxpayers. In FY 2018, Arizona's MFCU initiated over 200 investigations and indicted 83 individuals; 74 for fraud and 9 for abuse/neglect. Also during the same year, 63 individuals were convicted; 56 for fraud and 7 for abuse/neglect, according to statistical data. HCFA's 27 employees were able to recover $11,973,830 in fraudulent funds that were returned to the government. In addition to being ranked second in the nation, HCFA was also ranked number one for western states. The rankings are determined by statistical data comparing the number of indictments produced by the number of staff members in each of the 50 Medicaid Fraud Control Units in the country. HCFA also participated with other states MFCUs and the United States Department of Justice in 55 civil cases that targeted national health care and pharmaceutical companies alleged to have engaged in improper trade practices in FY 2019. In FY 2019, six cases reached settlements. As a result of HCFAs participation, $6,340,085 was recovered from these companies and returned to the government, with $1,996,692 provided directly to the Arizona AHCCCS program and $4,343,393 returned to the federal government. MFCU is a federally funded unit charged with investigating and prosecuting Medicaid (AHCCCS) fraud, fraud in the administration of the Medicaid program, abuse, and neglect or financial exploitation occurring in Medicaid facilities or committed by Medicaid providers or their employees. In addition to working collaboratively with federal and local law enforcement agencies, HCFA regularly receives referrals from state health care licensing agencies. The referrals have led to the filing of criminal charges against licensed health care professionals engaging in illegal drug diversion in Arizona. HCFA saw an increase in direct referrals from two hospital groups in FY 2019. During FY 2019, HCFA received 159 allegations/complaints regarding fraud, patient abuse, and the financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. As a result, 129 new cases were opened for investigation, including 109 fraud cases and 20 patient abuse/financial exploitation cases. HCFA improved upon their 2018 numbers and charged 100 defendants and convicted 72 defendants last fiscal year. Below are recent examples of Arizona Attorney General HCFA cases: Arizona Nurse Imposter Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison Maricopa County Assessor Paul D. Petersen Indicted in Adoption Fraud Scheme Leader of Mohave County Illegal Opioid Distribution Ring Sentenced to Prison Goodyear Pharmacy Technician Convicted of Theft of Medical Supplies Chandler Couple Sentenced to Prison for Passing Forged Prescriptions for Opiates Phoenix Man Sentenced for Defrauding Non-Profit Visions of Hope Opioid Ring Leader Gets 2 -1/2 Years in Prison Seven Members of Prescription Drug Diversion Ring Sentenced Caregiver Sentenced to 2 -1/2 Years in Prison for Stealing from Patients Mother and Son Sentenced for Operating Fraudulent Prescription Drug Ring Former AHCCCS Chief Procurement Office & Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Prison The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will release FY 2019 data in 2020. If anyone believes they or someone they know has been the victim of or have information of Medicaid (AHCCCS) fraud, fraud in the administration of the Medicaid program, and abuse, neglect or financial exploitation occurring in Medicaid facilities or committed by Medicaid providers or their employee, they can fill out a complaint form. *404* - Not Found Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Please navigate from the navigation menu on top or try searching below.. While Insta-storying her favorite memories over the last year, Selena Gomez revealed precisely how she spent September 30 - the day her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber wed Hailey Baldwin. The 27-year-old 'Texican' pop star sported sweatpants and enjoyed snacks and card games at home with five gal pals including Raquelle Stevens, Ashley Cook, and Caroline Franklin. Selena's nostalgic posts came the same day the 23-year-old IMG Model Insta-storied several b&w snaps of herself 'walking down the aisle' with the 25-year-old Grammy winner at South Carolina resort Palmetto Bluff. Surprise! While posting her favorite memories of 2019, Selena Gomez (M) revealed precisely how she spent September 30 - the day her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber wed Hailey Baldwin Hilarity ensued: The 27-year-old 'Texican' pop star (R) sported sweatpants and enjoyed snacks and card games at home with five gal pals including Raquelle Stevens (L), Ashley Cook (2-L), and Caroline Franklin (2-R) The Drop the Mic co-host gushed of her favorite 2019 memory: 'Married my best friend in front of all of our best friends!' Gomez and Bieber famously ended their own on/off nine-year relationship in March 2018 - just three months before he began his whirlwind romance with Hailey. 'Hi New Year,' the Lose You to Love Me songstress wrote on Friday. 'Let's make this one better than the rest.' 'Walked down the aisle!' Selena's nostalgic posts came the same day the 23-year-old IMG Model (R) Insta-storied several b&w snaps of herself marrying the 25-year-old Grammy winner (L) at South Carolina resort Palmetto Bluff The Drop the Mic co-host gushed of her favorite 2019 memory: 'Married my best friend in front of all of our best friends!' Ouch! Gomez and Bieber (pictured in 2018) ended their own on/off nine-year relationship in March 2018 - just three months before he began his whirlwind romance with Hailey The former Disney Channel starlet has been hyping the release of her third studio album Rare on January 10. Selena will next attend her live-stream album release party happening next Thursday at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank. 'Feels so good to dance again!' Gomez gushed on Friday. The Lose You to Love Me songstress wrote on Friday: 'Hi New Year. Let's make this one better than the rest' Aloha! The former Disney Channel starlet - whose third studio album Rare drops January 10 - will attend her album release party next Thursday at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank (posted Friday) By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 22 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on Jan. 4, 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, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. 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 Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Jose Romero WILMINGTON, Del. For 40 years, South Carolina fugitive Jose Romero successfully evaded capture, having fled the state in 1979 after being convicted of armed robbery. That changed Saturday when Dover police arrested him for public intoxication following a trespassing complaint at a convenience store. Dover Police Department officers were dispatched to the White Oak Road store on Saturday after receiving a complaint about a man trespassing. There, they found 64-year-old Romero, whom they initially charged with public intoxication and trespassing. Romero gave officers a Delaware ID with the name Arnaldo Figueroa, which was also the name he gave officers, police said. Video: U.S. Attorney General Barr Touts Fugitive Arrests Officers processed Romero under that name during his arrest, and the 64-year-old signed all of the legal documents using the "Arnaldo Figueroa" name. On Monday, the Delaware State Bureau of Identification contacted Dover police, saying the fictitious "Figueroa's" fingerprints came back to Jose Romero, who was wanted out of South Carolina. Police later learned that Romero had fled a work crew on Dec. 13, 1979. He was serving an 18-year sentence for an armed robbery, the Anderson Independent Mail reported. Original mugshot Jose Chico Romero, taken before he escaped in 1979. Though Romero had been released following his arrest, Dover police found and rearrested him on Wednesday. He was charged with being a fugitive, forgery and criminal impersonation. He is currently being held at Sussex Correctional Institution on $18,000 cash bond while he awaits extradition to South Carolina. Follow Isabel Hughes on Twitter: @izzihughes_. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: South Carolina fugitive wanted for 40 years arrested in Delaware BEIJING The Chinese government abruptly replaced its top representative in Hong Kong on Saturday evening, installing a senior Communist Party official with a record of difficult assignments in inland provinces that involved working closely with the security services. The top representative, Wang Zhimin, was replaced as the head of the powerful Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong by Luo Huining, the official Xinhua news service said. The move came two months after the Chinese Communist Partys Central Committee called for measures to safeguard national security in Hong Kong, although few details have been released. Mr. Wang became the first senior official to lose his job after seven months of often-violent protests in the city and a stinging rebuff to pro-Beijing political parties in local elections six weeks ago. He had devoted most of his career to Hong Kong issues and had worked closely for decades with the citys business and political elite. But he attracted broad criticism in Hong Kong and Beijing alike for failing to anticipate the broad-based groundswell of hostility provoked by an extradition bill last spring. He did not repeat criticism he had leveled against Biden earlier in the week. When asked about his foreign policy experience relative to fellow candidates at events before the strike, Buttigieg repeatedly told reporters that Bidens vote in favor of the Iraq War the worst foreign policy decision of my lifetime demonstrates that tenure is not the same as judgment. Buttigieg, 37, was an undergraduate student at Harvard University when the vote was taken in October 2002. At the launch of Our Vision for Community Wellbeing in Wexford County Council buildings were Wexford PPN Secretarial Representatives (from left) back, Jonathan King, Dan Kennedy, John Carr, Zakaria Mohamed, Tom Logan, and John Waters; front, Lucy Medlycott, Noel Stacey, Tony Clyne, Sean Healy (Social Justice Ireland), Anne Lacey and Annette Depuy 'A vibrant, inclusive county, where there are supports and opportunities for all, and all work together to achieve them.' That's the future outlined by the Wexford PPN (Public Participation Network) in its 'Vision for Community Wellbeing' in the county. Launched after six months in development the plan centres around six key areas, the first of which looks at how the county can adapt to changes in society and ensure Wexford's values and culture continue to be maintained. It asks that Wexford be an 'open, inclusive and respectful community that is accepting of dierent cultures and traditions' and one which honours 'our unique Irish heritage, culture and traditions; sharing knowledge, promoting and celebrating this heritage within our communities'. Under the section entitled Health (physical and mental) it aims to ensure 'Wexford is a county where everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy and fullling life,' and where 'holistic health is supported by good provision of health and community services, our high quality natural and built environments and an accepting and inclusive society'. Safeguarding the local economy is also part of the vision built by the PPN while minimising our carbon footprint, utilising our natural environment and minimising waste management is included in its plans for the Environment and Sustainability in the county. One of the biggest challenges facing Wexford is in developing our communities and fostering an equal and just society, on this the Vision for Community Wellbeing states, 'We are a considerate community with great leadership, that reduces exclusion and leaves no one behind. We have good provision of local, accessible facilities that accommodate community activities' and 'tailored supports are provided to assist community groups with governance, funding, recruitment and training for their sustainability.' Finally, under Participation, Democracy and Good Governance the plan aims to create a county where 'we all play an informed and valuable part in shaping and maintaining our communities within our dynamic and proactive local democracy'. Officially launching the vision, Dr Sean Healy of Social Justice Ireland said, 'Wexford PPN should be very proud. You are the first PPN since the pilot to get to this stage and launch a vision for your county - a vision that represents your view as to how they would like this county to look for this and future generations'. In describing the process of creating the vision Jonathan King of Wexford PPN said 'The important thing to remember is that we started with a blank piece of paper. This vision has been created by members, all of the feedback from members went into creating it, and all of this is available for our Representatives if they want to delve deeper into the vision.' In closing the event Ann Lacey thanked all for attending and the members for participating in the vision development. She advised that the feedback material gathered during the consultations and a copy of the final vision is available on Wexford PPN website www.wexfordppn.ie along with more information about Wexford PPN. Chandigarh [India], Jan 4 (ANI): In an anti-narcotic drive, the Haryana Police on Saturday arrested one person for alleged drug peddling in Sirsa and seized around 193 kg of 'doda post' (poppy husk) from his possession. According to a release, the accused has been identified as Ashok Kumar, a resident of Ellenabad. A CIA team, which was present near Ellenabad in Sirsa district during a patrolling and checking drive, had nabbed the accused. A spokesperson of the Haryana Police said that after receiving information from secret sources, a police team along with the Block Development and Panchayat Officer of Ellenabad and the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kalanwali had conducted a raid at a house. During the raid, the team found a huge number of 'doda post' hidden in the house. The value of the seized 'doda post' has been estimated to be around Rs 19 lakh, which was intended to be supplied in Ellenabad and Rania. The police have also registered a case against two people at the Ellenabad police station under the provisions of the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. (ANI) The red line of martyr Soleimani continues: Senior military official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Deputy commander of Iran's Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari condoling the assassination of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani as the great commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces, said: "The red line of resistance will continue stronger than before." Deputy commander of Iran's Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari emphasized: The martyrdom of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani will make the resistance stronger, the aspirations of this great martyr will continue through the resistance line. "With no doubt, thousands are moving in the direction of Martyr Soleimani, and the resistance will definitely continue to be stronger than ever before," Sayyari added. The World Coalition led by the US has repeatedly been hit by the Resistance Front and sought to limit our strategic depth and regional influence, and Soleimani's martyrdom was in line with their sinister goal, A never-ending fantasy, the Deputy commander of Iran's Army for Coordination said. Senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant- General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning, official media resources said. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani as the successor of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani as the Commander of the IRGC Quds Forces, to replace him as head of the country's Quds Forces. Chronological developments on assassination of IRGC's top commander in a US airstrike on his convoy in Baghdad airport early Friday morning was followed by global condemnations. 6125**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan newspapers this week focused on the effects of Turkey's support for the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) against the background of incessant postponements of the International Berlin Conference which is intended to find a political solution through the harmonization of the position of the international community Soleimanis Role as IRGC General in Suppression Soleimani, who was the commander of the Quds Force, IRGCs foreign operations arm, was killed in the early hours of Friday, January 3. His elimination has dealt an irreparable blow to the Iranian regime. Following the 1979 revolution, Soleimani joined IRGC and was immediately dispatched to western Iran to crack down on the Kurdish minority. Thanks to his service in suppression regional people, he became a senior official in the Revolutionary Guards. His vicious actions attracted the attention of Khomeinis aides, who quickly promoted him as the IRGC Quds base commander in Kerman. After the Iran-Iraq war ceasefire, the IRGC began underground trade, including the smuggling of narcotics. At the time, Soleimani oversaw narcotics production and distribution from Afghanistan to countries of the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the U.S. The IRGC plays the most important role in keeping the regime in power. Since 1979, this entity is responsible for killing thousands of protesters. Ayatollahs rewarded IRGC commanders by appointing them in crucial positions regarding their numerous crimes against dissidents, minorities, women, etc. the reality is, the IRGC is the axis of regimes oppressive apparatus and mullahs dont have the ability to rein in the societys wrath without these thugs. Besides, many IRGC members served as torturers and executioners in the regimes prisons. For instance, in mid-November 2019, when hundreds of thousands of outraged people poured the streets across Iran, Khamenei immediately deployed IRGC to quell protests. Fearing the regimes downfall, IRGC forces murdered more than 1,500 demonstrators, injured over 4,000, and arrested at least 12,000 people. The IRGC-QF was directly responsible for plotting against dissidents abroad. In the past three decades, the Iranian regime orchestrated more than 450 terrorist attacks against the main opposition group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Hundreds of PMOI/MEK members were assassinated and more injured. Notably, around 150 attacks were performed in Iraq alone. Soleimani at the Head of Irans Aggressions Beyond its Borders Significantly, the IRGC-QF is the essential means of the regime to terrorize other nations. Islamic Republic founder Ruhollah Khomeini founded his regime based on the theory of expansion and export of revolution. The Quds Force plays a key role in the implementation of these purposes in the Middle East. During recent months that protests rapidly engulfed Lebanon and Iraq, Qasem Soleimani was dispatched by Khamenei to keep the regimes allies in power. He took the wheel and brought snipers and heavy weapons in Iraq to scatter protesters. However, the Iraqi demonstrators persisted in their protests and compelled Iran-backed prime minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi to resign. Soleimani frequently traveled to Baghdad, Najaf, Karbala, etc. to insinuate Irans mercenaries to support Abdul-Mahdis administration. However, the Iraqi peoples will power overcame the Iranian regimes dictates. Soleimani also ordered Lebanese Hezbollah to storm Lebanese demonstrators who rallied to cut off the Iranian regimes influence in their country. He was the first responsible for the continuation of political turmoil in this country. Also, it should be reminded that Soleimani was playing the most important role in preventing the downfall of the criminal dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Since 2011, when hundreds of thousands of Syrian people protested against the Assad regime, the Iranian regime dispatched many IRGC commanders and agents to quell the Syrians upheaval. This force that was commanded by Soleimani has massacred around 700,000 innocent people, including minors and old people in inhuman attacks. In this regard, Qasem Soleimanis assassination not only made peoples in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, etc. happy, but it also inspired them to continue their protests against Irans dictatorship. Khamenei sees its regime in a weaker situation than ever before by losing his right-hand in domestic suppression and foreign aggression. In this regard, many people in Iraq and Lebanon flooded into streets and celebrated Soleimani elimination. They reaffirmed their desire to bring down all dictators and cut the head of the snake in Iran. Weeks after resigning as Secretary of Energy, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has rejoined the board of directors overseeing the Dallas pipeline company Energy Transfer. In a Friday filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Energy Transfer reported that Perry had joined the board of directors for LE GP LLC, a company that owns and oversees the Dallas pipeline operator. Exact compensation figures were not disclosed but under the company's board rules, Perry would be eligible to receive an annual retainer of $100,000 as well as annual stock awards worth up to $100,000 in value. Shortly after leaving the Texas governor's office in 2015, Perry served on the board of directors for Energy Transfer and its pipeline and gas station subsidiary Sunoco. Perry resigned from the two board seats to join the Trump administration as Secretary of Energy in March 2017. He left the post in December. Perrys long-planned departure coincided with the Ukraine scandal and the impeachment inquiry examining whether President Donald Trump held up military aid to Ukraine to pressure the government to investigate a political rival, former vice president Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter. Although he did not testify, Perry was mentioned during the hearing as a player in the White Houses Ukraine strategy. Perry has denied any wrongdoing. Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox Founded by the Dallas billionaire Kelcy Warren in 1995, Energy Transfer has nearly 11,800 employees across the United States and Canada. The company posted a $1.7 billion profit on $54.1 billion of revenue in 2018. Energy Transfer owns and operates more than 86,000 miles of pipelines across the United States. The company built controversial pipelines such as the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Trans-Pecos Pipeline, which both faced criticism from Native American groups, environmentalists and other opponents. Perry and Warren have a long history together. Warren donated $20,000 to Perrys 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Texas Ethics Commission records show. The Dallas billionaire donated another $6 million to Perrys unsuccessful presidential run in 2016. He also donated a combined $103,000 to Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. Patna, Jan 4 : Veteran actor Richard Gere is in India and during his stint he attended the Dalai Lama's session in Bihar. According to reports, Gere attended the Tibetan spiritual leader's session at Kalachakra ground in Bodh Gaya on Friday. A lot of pictures are doing the rounds on the internet in which the Hollywood star is seen wearing a black coat and a blue muffler. The 70-year-old is known for his roles in movies "Pretty Woman", "Primal Fear" and "Unfaithful". Hollywood star Gere is also expecting his second child with wife Alejandra. Gere has been in India several times over the past decade. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has come in for a strong defence of the Narendra Modi government on the issue of implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and asked other countries not to preach India as they themselves were unable to ensure safety to minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. "Not even a single nation has come forward to say that they will ensure safety to these refugees. They should be ashamed as they have their doors closed and yet they dare teach morality to India," said senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar. The remarks assume significance as the Modi government has been facing opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and come a day after the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan. He pointed out that there were more than 50 Islamic states, 105 Christians nations, 30 are Buddhist nations, none of them asked them to stop torture on the minorities. "And they did not say that they will. If they can't even take in people of their own religion in, they should declare that they are against humanity, and are non-secular. No nation -- be it Islamic, Christian or Buddhist -- announced citizenship to persecuted people from their own religion," he said. The senior leader pointed out that India had always provided relief to the persecuted and those protesting should protest against three nations from where persecuted people had come. "There is a need for the nation to rise together to say that India has been a nation that has always given refuge to the persecuted. When Iranis fled after Islamic persecution, India gave them refuge. When the Turkish emperor attacked Israel, Yehudis (Jews) came to India and became citizens. Take Uganda, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India has given them refuge," he pointed out. He reiterated that in 1947, Congress and Muslim League divided India on religious lines. "All six minorities in Pakistan have been unsafe. The number of minorities at the time -- 23 per cent -- came down to marginalisation," he said. "There are people who thought Pakistan and Sikhs can come together against India against today's government. Pakistan isn't of their own religion. Baloch, Sindhi, Pakhtun are unsafe," he added. The BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, have been trying to counter the misinformation against the CAA, the NRC and the NPR being allegedly unleashed by the opposition. Several senior leaders from the saffron outfits, including Prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, have been trying to spread awareness over the CAA, NPR and NRC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 62-year-old general distinguished himself in the long Iraq-Iran War, the dirty war in Lebanon, and operations in Iraq. He played a key role in defeating the ultra-radical Islamic State movement in Iraq, working in tandem with the US. by Eric S. Margolis The US drone strike at Baghdad airport that killed Irans top commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and a senior leader of Iraqs Shia militia, has set the Mideast on fire. The Trump administration, which authorized the assassination, called it a pre-emptive strike. Iran branded it outright murder. Soleimani was Irans second most powerful figure and a national icon. He headed up the Quds Force, the elite branch of Irans Revolutionary Guards, a key player in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and the Gulf region. Soleimani was also the most capable, intelligent and effective military leader in a region of third rate generals. The 62-year-old general distinguished himself in the long Iraq-Iran War, the dirty war in Lebanon, and operations in Iraq. He played a key role in defeating the ultra-radical Islamic State movement in Iraq, working in tandem with the US. Soleimani helped turn the tide of battle in Syria, saving the regime of Bashar Assad. As a result of his battlefield and political successes, Soleimani earned the enmity of the US, Israel and the US media. So many assassination attempts were launched against him that Irans spiritual leader dubbed him a living martyr. His luck ran out this week, no doubt as a result of an intelligence leak in Iraq. His two car convoy was incinerated by US missile strikes. Along with Soleimani, a leader of Iraqs Shia militia was also killed by the US attack as well as some ten other senior Iraqi and Iranian officials. President Trump proudly took credit for authorizing the assassination, a brazen violation of international law. He seemed unfazed that most of the rest of the world sees the US as Murder Inc. For Trump, the killing will boost his standing with Republican/Evangelical voters in this years elections and promote his faux tough guy image this from a man who repeatedly dodged Vietnam era military service and called for an end to Americas Mideast wars. Irans cautious leadership may hesitate to retaliate directly for this murder. Tehran may choose an indirect method of revenge to avoid giving Washington the reason to attack Iran that it has been seeking for the past two years. US forces are spread across the Mideast and thus easy targets. Israel has long been itching to attack Irans nuclear and military installations. An excellent new book, Rise and Kill First, by Israeli author Ronen Bergman, exhaustively details the long record of Israel assassinating Palestinian leaders and militants. As Stalin famously quipped, no man, no problem. A large portion of the Palestinian leadership notably the most intelligent and moderate was killed by Israeli hit squads, leaving no one to negotiate with, in Israels words. Israels decisive influence over the Trump administration means that the US has fully embraced the same kill policies. Trump may now have the war with Iran he so obviously craves and that Israel and Saudi Arabia want. Any Iranian retaliation will be branded terrorism by the administration and its media sycophants. General Qassem was in line to become president of Iran. He was widely respected for his wisdom, religious faith, and clever diplomacy. He has now been removed. Trumps reckless policy may help his re-election, but it also makes it much more likely that the US will sink ever deeper into the morass of the Mideast. America has always demonized troublesome Mideast leaders that defied its imperil writ. The regions complex problems were simplified into cartoon characters that were labeled bad guys or terrorists. Think of Irans Mossadegh, Nasser, Assad, Arafat, Khomeini, Ahmadinejad, Saddam Hussein, Turkeys Erdogan and most lately Soleimani. More are sure to emerge. The GST Council never ever had to resort to voting to decide an issue before its December 2019 meeting. In fact, the provision for voting under GST law was more a matter of an academic interest prior to that meeting. The controversial issue of the GST rate on lotteries was decided by voting when the Council met on December 18 last year. Most of the votes were in favour of a uniform tax rate of 28 per cent on both state and private lotteries, with effect from March 1, 2020. The move was a partial defeat for the proposal by Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, on whose insistence the ... Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. On 3 August 2014, residents of Toledo, Ohio, woke to the news that overnight their water supply had become toxic. They were advised not only to avoid drinking the water, but also touching it no showers, no baths, not even hand-washing. Boiling the water would only increase its toxicity while drinking it could cause abnormal liver function, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, numbness or dizziness, read a statement from the City of Toledo, warning residents to seek medical attention if you feel you have been exposed. Toledo sits on the shores of Lake Erie, one of North Americas five great lakes. About half a million residents of the city and surrounding area have relied on Lake Erie for water for hundreds of years. After the news broke on 3 August bottled water quickly vanished in concentric circles around the city. Eventually, a state of emergency was called and the national guard arrived with drinking water. Toledos water crisis lasted for nearly three days. But the water wasnt toxic due to an oil spill or high lead levels, as in Flint, Michigan. Toledos water was tainted by something altogether different: an algae bloom. Toledo is not alone. According to scientists, algae blooms are becoming more frequent and more toxic worldwide. A 14-month long algae bloom in Florida, known as the red tide, only ended earlier this year, after killing more than 100 manatees, 127 dolphins and 589 sea turtles. Hundreds of tonnes of dead fish also washed ashore. In 2018, there were more than 300 reported incidents of toxic or harmful algae blooms around the world. This year about 130 have been listed on an international database, but that number is expected to increase. Recent reports of a new red tide emerging in Florida and more dead wildlife have put the tourist and fishing industries on alert, braced for further devastation. The causes of the blooms vary, and in some cases are never known, but in many parts of the world they are being increasingly linked to climate change and industrialised agriculture. Story continues What is a harmful algae bloom? Algae includes everything from micro-algae, like microscopic diatoms, to very large algae, such as seaweed and kelp. Algae are not officially a taxonomic group of creatures (they dont fit into general groups like plants, animals or fungi), but the name is generally used to describe marine or freshwater species that depend on photosynthesis. An algae bloom occurs when a single member of these species because of certain conditions suddenly becomes dominant for a time. Algae are vital to our survival. Its estimated that at least half of the planets oxygen comes from these unsung creatures, who produce it through photosynthesis before releasing it into the water. Algae, like land plants, also sequester carbon dioxide; scientists have explored their potential to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. They have been used as fertiliser, food sources (such as seaweed), and could be a promising source of biofuel in a more sustainable world. However, some algae blooms can also be harmful even lethal. Harmful algae bloom (HAB), as scientists have come to describe the phenomenon, often manifest by forming a kind of scum over a body of water that can be green, blue, brown or even red. But others are completely invisible. The problem has become increasingly widespread and the impact can be deadly to marine life. Off the eastern coast of the US, a dinoflagellate a type of marine plankton named Alexandrium catenella has the potential to make shellfish lethal. Its appearance routinely shuts down fisheries, crippling local economies. And its not just in the US: the same species has shut down mussel farms and recreational collecting of shellfish as far away as New Zealand. Signs on the Lake Erie beach warn about the algae in August 2014. Photograph: Joshua Lott/Reuters Other blooms wipe out marine life. In 2015, a bloom of various dinoflagellates off the coast of South Africa led to low-oxygen conditions, known as eutrophication, killing 200 tonnes of rock lobster. Freshwater blooms, like those in Lake Erie made up of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, have not only shut down local water sources but have also been blamed for the death of dogs that had been swimming in them. Its difficult to make generalisations about harmful algae blooms since specific species have different causes and impacts. Scientists have identified about 100 toxic bloom species in the oceans. Dozens of potentially harmful species of cyanobacteria are known to affect bodies of fresh water. During most of the past century, harmful algae blooms were rarely headline news, inspiring little scientific study beyond ecological curiosity. That has changed. Algae blooms are notoriously difficult to predict, but a global monitoring group known as HAEDAT is tracking them across the world as they occur. Harmful algae blooms, such as the one that hit Toledos water supply in 2014, are becoming more common and more toxic and scientists say humans are to blame. Theres no question that the HAB problem is a major global issue, and it is growing, said Donald Anderson, director of the US National Office for Harmful Algal Blooms and a lab director at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. We also have more toxins, more toxic species, more areas and resources affected, and higher economic losses. Hidden cost of Ohios corn and soya bean boom The toxic bloom that took over Lake Erie in 2014 was formed by a cyanobacteria known as Microcystis Aeruginosa, for which farming is at least partly to blame. You have people that still to this day will only use bottled water, says Dr Timothy Davis, an expert in plankton ecology at Bowling Green University, five years after the water crisis and even after Toledo spent $132 million (101 million) on improving its water treatment plant to handle the blue-green algae. Lake Erie, the shallowest of North Americas Great Lakes, has seen such events in the past. During the 1950s and 60s algae blooms were common, most likely, say researchers, due to poor domestic and industrial wastewater treatment. At one point, Lake Erie was considered a dead lake, Davis says. But by the early 1970s, the dead lake was resurrected, due to new regulations from the Clean Water Act and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement that capped phosphorus loads into the lake at 11,000 tonnes. Phosphorus provides nutrients to plants and is commonly found in manure and produced for fertiliser. Then in the late-1990s, blooms began to reappear. A cyanobacteria bloom requires two things: nutrients and heat. In the case of Lake Erie, nearby farms have become increasingly reliant on large inputs of synthetic fertiliser. We went from agriculture that was small farms [and a] variety of crops to larger commercial farms that were harvested for essentially two row crops, corn and soya beans, says Davis. Today, corn and soya beans are Ohios top crops. Water collected from Lake Erie in August 2014. Photograph: Aaron P Bernstein/Getty Images Employing more fertiliser to feed a global market, the farms excess phosphorus and nitrogen, another plant nutrient, washed out during storms and into the river and streams that feed Lake Erie. About 80% of the nutrients running into Lake Erie are from sources around the Maumee River, which in this case means agricultural runoff from the surrounding farmland. If you have an agricultural system where the farmer can only survive by polluting Lake Erie, then theres something fundamentally wrong with that system, says Dr Thomas Bridgeman, director of the Lake Erie Center. Since the 1990s, Lake Erie has seen a bloom every year and they appear to be lasting longer and getting larger. This years bloom in Lake Erie was the fifth largest since 2002 when monitoring began in earnest. It was 620 square miles at its largest after growing throughout August, before dissipating in September. Meanwhile, climate change has heated up our planet substantially. Nearby Lake Superior, the most northerly of the Great Lakes and the worlds largest, has had its first documented cyanobacteria blooms over the past decade. Before climate change, the lake simply would have been too cold for a long-lasting bloom. Its now almost a certainty that blooms will continue to appear every summer, say researchers, unless Ohio changes its agricultural practices and the global community finally tackles the climate crisis. We have to look around and say, Look, what do we grow here? says Bridgeman. We grow corn and soya beans. Where does the corn go? It goes into our gas tanks. Where do the soya beans go? They go to China, they go to hogs. Is that really what we want to be doing with our watershed? A sick manatee is treated at Lowry Park Zoo Manatee Hospital in Tampa, Florida. Photograph: Skip ORourke/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA/Alamy Dead manatees and sick sea lions Algal blooms are also becoming more common and severe in many parts of our oceans, harming wildlife and posing potentially dangerous health impacts for local communities. Scientists say the red tide that stuck around the Florida coast from 2017 through to this year may now be a semi-normal part of the ecosystem. These blooms are pumping poison into the air, known as brevetoxin, which may be harmful to humans if inhaled. Anyone breathing it in can suffer from uncontrollable coughing and a sore throat. It doesnt make for a pleasant day at the beach, says Malcolm McFarland, a researcher into algae blooms with the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, Florida. It may have long-term health implications as well one study found that brevetoxin attacked the DNA of lungs in rats, but further research is needed to understand the impact on human health. Scientists are less certain about the causes of these red tide marine blooms, but both nutrient runoff and climate change may play a role. The red tide seems to initiate and peak in the rainy season when runoff from the land is highest, and nutrient inputs to freshwater and coastal water bodies spike, says McFarland. A pregnant California sea lion poisoned by domoic acid found in blooming algae in Santa Monica in 2011. Photograph: Jonathan Alcorn/Zuma/Alamy Meanwhile, on the other side of the north American continent, a different red tide is attacking a different species: California is seeing more sick sea lions taken in by rescue centres; pups and adults are dying. Scientists believe they are suffering from eating fish tainted by Pseudo-nitzschia australis algae. The highly toxic algae are fatal at high doses, both to sea lions and humans. Unlike Floridas red tides, those in California appear to be a very recent arrival. Until the turn of the millennium, large-scale toxic blooms were rare off the coast of California. Then something changed. From [2000] forward, we had a very significant bloom every single year with ecosystem impacts in California, and that has never stopped. Not only that, it seemed as though things were getting more and more toxic, says Clarissa Anderson, the executive director at Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System, nothing that in less than 20 years of research, scientists have seen toxin numbers multiply by 200 from 500 to 100,000 nanograms per litre of sea water. Anderson says the current best working theory is that increasing carbon sequestration by the oceans due to the huge increase in greenhouse gas emissions since the industrial revolution is behind the sudden regularity of these deadly blooms and an increase in their toxicity. She says the study of these events and their toxins is so new that there may be incidents of illness from eating affected fish or shellfish that are misdiagnosed because these poisons are not on the radar of many health organisations. The Baltics dead zones Europe has had its own experience of deadly algae blooms that now threaten the future of its fisheries. Last year, the Baltic Sea experienced a bloom so large it could have encompassed Manhattan, and it closed beaches from Finland to Poland. Finland has been systematically sampling its area of the Baltic since 1979, giving us a clearer idea of the spread and growth of the problem, and whats to blame. In that time, blooms have become larger and longer-lasting, creating dead zones and depleting Baltic fisheries. Like the example in Lake Erie, the Baltic bloom is caused by an influx of nitrogen from agriculture and warming waters. Scientists are regularly tracking nutrient loads from Finlands rivers into the sea. Data from 2014 in the HELCOM Pollution Load Compilation database, the best currently available, found that more than three-quarters of the nutrient load coming into the Archipelago Sea is from agriculture. The number is surprisingly similar to the proportion coming from industrialised agriculture in Ohio. The Baltic is a brackish water body, thus supporting blooms typical of both fresh and salt water. But, as in Lake Erie, of real concern are cyanobacteria: several species have been known to produce blooms here. Below the seas surface there has been a decline in the more nutritious phytoplankton and food for fish and an increase in the potentially toxic cryptophytes in the more southerly parts of the sea since the early 1980s. Milder winters and increased rainfall pushing more nutrients into the sea, along with higher surface water temperatures all due to the climate crisis are also exacerbating factors, say researchers. Blooms usually begin in July and disappear by August or September. But last year a species particularly resistant to coldremained until November. The ice was blue-green because of the cyanobacteria under it, says Sirpa Lehtinen, an expert on plankton for the Marine Research Centre with the Finnish Environmental Institute, who adds that scientists are still trying to work out what this all means for the marine ecosystem, and whether fisheries in the Baltic are in serious long-term peril. Fixing an ecosystem out of balance So how can we solve a problem like algae? The answer, says Davis, will be part-regional, part-global solutions. For Lake Erie, it will require agricultural changes including regulations to reduce the nutrient load and tackling the climate crisis. But solutions elsewhere may be different, for example, blooms in developing countries might require better wastewater treatment. The 2014 water crisis in Ohio forced the issue politically which hasnt happened in many other places. Governor Mike DeWine recently announced an initiative called H2Ohio, which is expected to include hundreds of millions of dollars for Lake Erie and other Ohio water bodies over the next 10 years. However, scientists say this is not enough. Its going to take a lot more money and a lot more political will than whats happening right now, says Bridgeman. At the Ohio Department of Agriculture,director Dorothy Pelanda said the department was primarily looking at voluntary programmes based on marketing and education for potential solutions such as cover crops and smarter use of fertiliser. In 2014, Ohio passed new regulations on fertiliser use for farms near the lake: such as not spreading before a storm or on frozen fields. We know from science that there is not one solution to every farm Its about education, its about being sensitive to what works, what doesnt work, she said. Shes hoping to provide increased access for farmers to use high-tech, but often expensive, equipment that can give them a better idea of what parts of their land may need fertiliser and how much. Pelanda said shes also seen interest in diversifying crops beyond corn and soya beans, to grapes, chestnuts and maple sugar. Asked if voluntary programmes will go far enough, Pelanda says: Thats our challenge. We have to get beyond. Were doing these things but were not doing enough of these things. We need to really increase the voluntary adoption of these practices. Others are more sceptical of voluntary approaches. We have a long history in this country of a farmer does what he wants on his land. You can choose to take advantage of a programme or something, but you can also choose not to, says Bridgeman, who believes local and federal governments can no longer afford to ignore the climate emergency. We need to do something about climate change and were either going to be paying for it by reducing greenhouse gases or were going to be paying for it by additional treatment of water, says Bridgeman, adding that most of the blooms around the world have a human element to them. One thing is certain. Algae blooms arent going away but are yet another sign like ocean acidification, vanishing Arctic sea ice, and mass extinction of the Anthropocene of an ecosystem that is out of balance, says McFarland. 04.01.2020 LISTEN Airline safety is one of those things you hope you'll never have to worry about when you travel. But even the most nervous of fliers should take heart when flying Australia's flag carrier, Qantas -- as it has just been rated the safest airline in the world for what is effectively the seventh year in a row. The safety table was created by AirlineRatings.com, an airline safety and product review website, which monitors 405 airlines around the world and produces an annual list of the ones deemed safest. Qantas held the title of the world's safest airline from 2014 to 2017. In 2018, AirlineRatings could find no clear "winner" so awarded the accolade jointly to the top 20 airlines, listing them alphabetically. But this year, Qantas has returned to the top. The rankings take into account factors including audits from aviation bodies and governments, crash and serious incident records, fleet age, financial position, pilot training and culture. They did not look at minor incidents, as "all airlines have incidents every day," says Geoffrey Thomas, editor-in-chief of the Australian-based website. "It is the way the flight crew handles incidents that determines a good airline from an unsafe one," he tells CNN Travel. "Qantas has been the lead airline in virtually every major operational safety advancement over the past 60 years and has not had a fatality in the pure-jet era." The runners up Air New Zealand comes in second, while Taiwan's EVA Air is third. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways -- a new entry -- ranks fourth. The rest of the top 10 is made up of Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Alaska Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Virgin Australia. Ranked 10-20 are Hawaiian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, TAP Air Portugal, SAS, Royal Jordanian, Swiss, Finnair, Lufthansa, Aer Lingus and KLM. Notable exceptions from the list are British Airways, ANA, American Airlines and United, all of which made the top 20 last year. Japan Airlines and Delta also failed to make the cut -- both have been on previous lists. Thomas says British Airways slid down the rankings due to a "combination of fleet age [average 13.8 years] and the number of incidents... which were not life-threatening but there were a lot of them compared to other airlines of similar size." Regarding the others, he points to incidents of allegedly intoxicated pilots on United, American, Delta, JAL and ANA. Thomas praises Qantas's innovations, including the "extraordinary success of its Perth to London Boeing 787 nonstop service" and its recent London-Sydney and New York-Sydney test flights. The airline has ordered 12 Airbus A350s to operate nonstop between the cities. He also notes there was "not much between the top 10" airlines, but that "wider gaps appear from 10 to 20." Low-cost safety The website has also produced a list of the world's safest budget airlines, although these are ranked equally, and so listed alphabetically. They are Air Arabia, Flybe, Frontier, HK Express, IndiGo, Jetblue, Volaris, Vueling, Westjet and Wizz Air. World's safest airlines 1: Qantas 2: Air New Zealand 3: EVA Air 4: Etihad Airways 5: Qatar Airways 6: Singapore Airlines 7: Emirates 8: Alaska Airlines 9: Cathay Pacific 10: Virgin Australia 11: Hawaiian Airlines 12: Virgin Atlantic 13: TAP Air Portugal 14: SAS 15: Royal Jordanian 16: Swiss 17: Finnair 18: Lufthansa 19: Aer Lingus 20: KLM ---CNN A group of Muslims have donated 36,000 water bottles to struggling firefighters who continue to battle vicious blazes. The 'water boys' from Synergy Scaffolding Services loaded up trucks with 20 pallets of water and headed down to NSW's Shoalhaven region on Friday from Sydney. Synergy spokeswoman Marie told Daily Mail Australia that the idea came to boss Sam Soukie when he heard someone had travelled down with only a ute filled with water. Two Synergy trucks loaded up with 20 pallets of water were sent down to NSW's Shoalhaven The group of men from Synergy wanted to help the struggling communities and organised the donation 'Sam said, ''Weve got trucks, we should do the right thing, people are suffering,' Marie explained. 'The company went out and purchased the 20 pallets of water and used two Synergy trucks to drive down bushfire affected areas.' The water will be distributed to areas that don't have access to clean water. A firefighter escort was also used to lead the trucks through dangerous areas to ensure everyone could get their hands on the water. 'Its so beautiful seeing the communities get together and help each other the true Australian way,' Marie said. 'There are broken communities, everyones lost their homes, giving back just a tiny bit is worth every moment.' Synergy purchased the water pallets, a total of 36,000 water bottles for Shoalhaven An emergency warning is currently in place for Shoalhaven due to an out-of-control bushfire NSW Rural Fire Service St Georges Basin Brigade thanked the men for their generous donation to those battling on the frontline. 'These fellas once again delivered water far above and beyond what anyone has seen to fire affected communities,' they wrote. 'This time it was 20 pallets of water - 36,000 bottles of water. 'You gents are amazing. Your generosity is next level.' Tourists were warned to leave the area before Saturday where temperatures soared to 45C. An emergency warning is currently in place for Shoalhaven due to an out-of-control bushfire burning across 269,282 hectares. 10 years after the release of the Windows 7 operating system, on January 14, Microsoft stops the OS support, the companys website informs. Computers running on Windows 7 will not stop working, but technical support and software updates will stop. In addition, users of an outdated system will no longer receive security updates and patches, which increases the threat of viruses and malware. The company recommended users to switch to Windows 10, noting the advantages of working with this system on new gadgets, TASS reports. Up to 3000 reservists will be dispatched across four states in Australia to help tackle the bushfires raging across the country, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Saturday. "Today's decision puts more boots on the ground, puts more planes in the sky, puts more ships at sea, and puts more trucks to roll in to support affected communities," Morrison told reporters, as cited by The Sydney Morning Herald. Morrison further announced that the government has allocated AUD 20 million to lease four water bomber planes, which would be used in the coming weeks amid the predictions that the unprecedented natural disaster would likely turn worse. Fires have wreaked havoc in parts of Austalia for months and are unlikely to stop anytime soon, given that the country is still in the early months of summer and temperatures typically peak in January and February. Morrison's scheduled visit to India later this month has also been called off due to the extraordinary circumstances of the bushfire, diplomatic sources had said on Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate remained at a stalemate on Friday over how to proceed with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, as the chamber's leaders wrangled over whether White House aides will be called as witnesses and the top Democrat appealed to a handful of Republicans who could help break the impasse. After a two-week holiday recess, there was still no clarity about when Trump's impeachment trial might begin. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said that in any case the trial could not start without the articles of impeachment, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet sent to the Senate. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted in December to impeach Trump for pressuring Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 presidential election. A trial would be held in the Senate, and Trump is expected to be acquitted by the Republican-controlled chamber. But McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have been at loggerheads since late last year over how it should be conducted. McConnell said on Friday that once the Senate receives the articles of impeachment from the House, it could start the trial and resolve the dispute over witnesses "mid-trial." He said this would follow the precedent set in former President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial two decades ago. Clinton, a Democrat, was acquitted by the Senate. "Just like 20 years ago," McConnell said, "we should address mid-trial questions such as witnesses after briefs, opening arguments, senator questions and other relevant motions." SETTING 'A TRAP' Schumer, speaking after McConnell, said the majority leader was trying to set a trap by waiting to consider witnesses until after opening presentations. By that time, Schumer said, McConnell would want to wrap things up and would accuse Democrats of wanting to "drag the whole affair out" by calling witnesses. The witnesses Democrats want to call have not previously testified - unlike in the Clinton trial, Schumer said. He has asked for testimony from Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, along with former national security adviser John Bolton and two other White House aides. "So if we don't get a commitment up front that the House managers will be able to call witnesses as part of their case, the Senate will act as little more than a nationally televised meeting of the 'Mock Trial Club,'" Schumer declared. In an appeal to Republicans who may have concerns about McConnell's stance, Schumer also noted that a decision on the parameters of the trial "ultimately rests with a majority of the senators in this chamber." Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, where 51 votes are needed to pass a set of rules for the Trump trial. At least two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, expressed concerns over the holiday break about McConnell's approach to the trial after he said he was acting in "total coordination" with the White House and would not be an impartial juror. The actual impeachment trial in the Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote for a conviction, requiring more than 20 Republicans to break with their party to remove the president. Schumer said Trump administration correspondence released this week bolstered Democrats' case that Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in an effort to pressure Kiev to investigate the Bidens. The two Senate leaders spoke after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Irans elite Quds Force and architect of its growing military influence in the Middle East. The attack was authorized by Trump, and Iran has promised harsh revenge. Clinton ordered four days of bombing on Iraq in 1998 as he was facing an impeachment vote in the House. Those airstrikes delayed the vote, but did not prevent it. (Additional reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Bill Berkrot) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos Getty In the five days prior to launching a strike that killed Irans most important military leader, Donald Trump roamed the halls of Mar-a-Lago, his private resort in Florida, and started dropping hints to close associates and club-goers that something huge was coming. According to three people whove been at the presidents Palm Beach club over the past several days, Trump began telling friends and allies hanging at his perennial vacation getaway that he was working on a big response to the Iranian regime that they would be hearing or reading about very soon. His comments went beyond the New Years Eve tweet he sent out warning of the big price Iran would pay for damage to U.S. facilities. Two of these sources tell The Daily Beast that the president specifically mentioned hed been in close contact with his top national security and military advisers on gaming out options for an aggressive action that could quickly materialize. He kept saying, Youll see, one of the sources recalled, describing a conversation with Trump days before Thursdays strike. U.S. Braces for Irans Counterpunch After Slaying of Soleimani Trumps gossipy whispers regarding a big response in Iraq foreshadowed what was to come. After hours of silence, senior officials in the Trump administration argued that what had taken place in Iraq was not an act of aggression. Instead, they said both publicly and behind closed doors on the Hill that killing Qassem Soleimani was designed to advance the cause of peace, as U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook put it in a Friday interview. Those Mar-a-Lago guests received more warning about Thursdays attack than Senate staff did, and about as much clarity. A classified briefing on Friday, the first the administration gave to the Hill, featured broad claims about what the Iranians were planning and little evidence of planning to bring about the de-escalation the administration says it wants. According to three sources either in the room or told about the discussion, briefers from the State Department, Pentagon, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence claimed that killing Soleimani was designed to block Iranian plans to kill hundreds or even thousands of Americans in the Mideast. That would be a massive escalation from the recent attack patterns of Iran and its regional proxies, who tend to kill Americans in small numbers at a time. Story continues This administration has absolutely not earned the benefit of the doubt when it makes these kinds of claims. When youre taking action that could lead to the third American war in the Middle East in 20 years, you need to do better than these kinds of assertions, said a Senate aide in the room. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also said publicly that the Iranians planned to kill hundreds of Americans before Soleimanis killing. Nor, said four sources who requested anonymity to discuss a classified briefing, did the briefers provide detail on a key question surrounding an act of war against a regional power: what next? Administration representatives didnt provide specifics. Instead, they reiterated that the U.S. seeks to de-escalate tensions with Iran after killing one of its top military officials a major emphasis for Pompeo in his calls to foreign dignitaries Friday. How the Trump administration plans to do that remains unknown, particularly now that the Pentagon confirmed the 82nd Airbornes Immediate Response Force brigade will deploy to Kuwait. Administration officials provided instead a vague expression of wanting to de-escalate but no clarity on what de-escalatory steps look like, according to the Senate aide. To talk about de-escalation now is absurd, in a way, because Iran will react, said Rob Malley, a senior Mideast official in the Obama White House. The de-escalation decision should have been taken before the assassination of Qassem Soleimani. Iranian officials on Friday threatened the U.S. with a military response following the killing of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Units militia in Iraq. It remains unclear exactly how Tehran will strike back, but current and former U.S. and Iraqi officials say Iran has a range of options at its disposal. And Tehrans ability to strike doesnt depend on Soleimani to lead the Quds Force, sources say. Soleimani was a bad guy, but its not like the [Quds Force] depended on him to operate, said Jarrett Blanc, a former State Department official who worked on Iran policy. The idea that the Quds Force had attacks in the works and now it doesnt because hes dead is obviously false. Its not clear why killing Suleimani changes the threat profile. But on Friday, the Trump administration continued to portray the killing of a military commander of a country the U.S. is formally not at war with as an act that would lead to peace. In an interview with BBC radio, State Department official Brian Hook said the strike was a very necessary thing to do. And from a podium in Florida, Trump said the U.S. took action last night to stop a war, he said. We did not take action to start a war. Then Vice President Mike Pence falsely suggested Iran was behind 9/11. Pence tweeted that Soleimani and his Quds Force assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of 10 of the 12 terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Not only were there 19 attackers, but an incredulous ex-CIA counterterrorism analyst wearily noted that it sounds like hes directly tying Soleimani to 9/11. The 9/11 Commission, as a different ex-CIA analyst tweeted, found that Iran had no advance knowledge of the attacks. According to two sources familiar with the Senate briefing, another item of discussion was the prospect of Iraqi parliamentarians forcing the U.S. to withdrawsomething they did in 2011 against the desires of a previous administration. But that isnt the only major decision Iraqis have to take in the wake of the Soleimani and Muhandis killings. An Iraqi official, speaking on background, told The Daily Beast that the strike on Thursday seriously complicates the already-arduous process of forming a new government after mass protests forced U.S.-backed Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to resign in November. Abdul-Mahdi currently acts as a caretaker PM. At the very least, it furthers division in the country and raises the political temperature, the Iraqi official said. We need de-escalation and this is the mother of all escalations. Back at the Pentagon, spokeswoman Alyssa Farah portrayed the Soleimani killing as an opportunity for Iran to turn from its terrorist past and cease its unlawful, aggressive escalatory attacks. Why Obama, Bush, and Bibi All Passed on Killing Soleimani In a statement summarizing the Senate briefing and a companion one in the House, Farah said the administration briefers made the point that we do not seek escalation with Iran, and have taken appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of U.S. citizens, forces, partners and interests in the region. They also reinforced our commitment to allies and partners in the region. Iran may have other plans. Ali Khedery, a hawkish former U.S. adviser in Iraq, expected the Quds Force to aim to assassinate either a [CIA] station chief or an American flag officer, somewhere in the region. with additional reporting by Sam Brodey Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Skye Wheatley is pleading with her fellow influencers to come together and help raise money to ease the bushfire crisis. The 25-year-old is one of several big-name influencers who are promoting the @bushfirefundraiser, which will raffle off donated products from participating companies. On Saturday, the former Big Brother star took to Instagram to urge her fellow influencers to get involved. Scroll down for video 'I'm so happy to be involved': Skye Wheatley is asking her fellow influencers to raise money for the Australian bushfire crisis 'Any influencers wanting to be involved in @bushfirefundraiser DM the page,' she said. 'I'm so happy to be involved it feels amazing to be able to use our audience to help others who desperately need our help.' The money raised by the raffle will be split between the NSW and Victorian Rural Fire Services. Helping where she can: On Saturday, the mother-of-two took to her Instagram Stories as she encouraged her fellow influencers to get involved This bushfire season has seen 23 lives lost and more than 1,500 homes destroyed as fires continue to tear through the country. The fundraiser appears to be in its initial stages as several influencers shared a message calling for companies to donate prize packs 'valued at $100 or more' to the raffle. Australian Instagram star Margaux Follis echoed Skye's support for the fundraiser on the social media platform. 'We want to raise as much money as we can and I think the prizes will be pretty huge,' she said. Other influencers such as Jessiika Wilson, Jess Faulkner, Tori de Jong and Steph Pase have also thrown their support behind the initiative. Margaux said tickets for the huge prizes will go on sale Monday. On Friday, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the incident at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara is another living proof of the oppression of minorities in Pakistan and those who are opposing the amended citizenship law should introspect about their stand. Speaking to the media, the Union Minister said that it was a barbaric and indecent incident at one of the holiest Sikh pilgrimage centers. It is clear from his statement that he has condemned this incident. Know specialty of MQ-9 Reaper drone, America makes mark to Iranian commander Regarding this matter, Puri said that those who are opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act do not know what they are saying. The opposition to the CAA is a misguided move. If anyone needs proof about the status of minorities in Pakistan, then the incident at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara yesterday is a recent proof. All those who oppose the citizenship law need to introspect in the wake of tomorrow's incident. PC Chacko's surprising statement, says- "Coalition with Aam Aadmi Party..." Gurudwara Sri Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Pakistan, was attacked by a mob on Friday. A mob full of miscreants attacked Sikhs living in Sri Nankana Sahib and threw stones at their homes. It is said that Rana Mansoor, a relative of Muhammad Hassan, who kidnapped Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Giani Bhagwan Singh, last year, instigated people and threw stones at the gate of Nankana Sahib. This incident has brought the real face of Pakistan to the whole world. Delhi: Corruption in the election ticket, the Deputy Commissioner of Police said something like this Australia has been on fire since October, and conditions are only getting worse. Hundreds of massive blazes currently engulf four states, and their capacity for destruction is shocking and unprecedented. Eight people have died, almost half a billion animals have perished, and tens of thousands of families have evacuated danger zones in New South Wales and Victoria. Related | Australians Are Wearing Vetements and Gas Masks to Survive the Climate Apocalypse Navy ships are rescuing people stranded on beaches, pushed towards the water by flames on all sides. Choking on smoke, Canberra the nation's capital currently boasts the most polluted air in the world. Smoke has even managed to reach the east coast of New Zealand, more than 2,500 miles away. The sky has turned grey, communities have been razed, and the terrified faces of even the most seasoned firefighters say it all: this is a state of emergency. Even worse, a conservative government in the pocket of coal mining lobbyists refuses to acknowledge the indisputable link between extreme weather events and global climate change. Please enjoy this clip of angry fire victims literally chasing Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison who went on vacation to Hawaii after the fires hit, then lied about it out of their burnt-out town. Australians are not just wrapping their heads around the loss of life, nature, and property right now. They are also experiencing grief for the past, and fear for the future. In many parts of the country, summer may never feel carefree again. But there are even more pressing issues in the short term: fire departments stretched to maximum capacity, lost housing, injured wildlife. Here's how you can help on both counts. Donate to fire services Australia's volunteer firefighter force has now been working for months without financial compensation. Firefighting services in Australia were denied extra government funding in the lead up to bushfire season, despite repeated requests. As they are away fighting the fires, many volunteers are unable to obtain unemployment benefits, which require fulfilling a weekly quota of job applications. Make a credit or debit card donation to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service here, the South Australia Country Fire Service here and the Victorian Country Fire Service here. Additionally, this GoFundMe for the victims of two fallen firefighters is yet to meet its fundraising target. Support more bereaved firefighter families here. Donate to disaster relief services Make a debit or credit card donation to the Australian Red Cross here and you'll help support vulnerable people displaced in the wake of the fires. Donate to the Foodbank here to send food and supplies to communities cut off from power. First Nations people have been profoundly affected by this disaster, and displaced from sacred lands. Donate to this GoFundMe to help. Donate to wildlife services Animals like koalas and kangaroos, as well as other vulnerable native species, are dying in astounding numbers. Donate to the Australian World Wildlife Fund branch here. Many pets and livestock are also stranded in fire areas to help evacuate them, donate to the RSPCA bushfire appeal here. To protect vulnerable native animals in New South Wales specifically, donate to WIRES here. For animals in Victoria, donate here. This GoFundMe for thirsty koalas has already amassed more than $2 million. Donate to local climate change organizations Donations to Indigenous climate justice organization Seed will help young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people campaign for solutions to the crisis. The Australian Youth Climate Coalition also harnesses youth voices to pressure the Australian Government to act. Australia's independent, the Climate Council is the country's leading climate change lobby group with support from the nation's top climate scientists. Contact your representative Climate change is the definition of a global issue contact your elected representative about your concerns around climate inaction here. Calif. Vastly Expands Digital Privacy. Will People Use It? Californians will soon have sweeping digital-privacy rights stronger than any seen before in the U.S., posing a significant challenge to Big Tech and the data economy it helped create. So long as state residents dont mind shouldering much of the burden of exercising those rights, that is. Come Wednesday, roughly one in 10 Americans will gain the power to review their personal information collected by large companies around the world, from purchase histories and location tracking to compiled profiles that slot people into categories such as religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Starting January 1, they can also force these companies including banks, retailers and, of course, tech companies to stop selling that information or even to delete it in bulk. ADVERTISEMENT The law defines data sales so broadly that it covers almost any information sharing that provides a benefit to business, including data transfers between corporate affiliates and with third party data brokers middlemen who trade in personal information. It remains unclear how it will affect the business of targeted advertising, in which companies like Facebook amass reams of personal data and use it to direct ads to specific groups of people. Facebook says it doesnt share that personal information with advertisers. Still, because it applies to any company that meets a threshold for interacting with state residents, the California law might end up serving as a de facto national standard. Early signs of compliance have already started cropping up in the form of Dont sell my personal information links at the bottom of many corporate websites. If we do this right in California, says California attorney general Xavier Becerra, the state will put the capital P back into privacy for all Americans. Californias law is the biggest U.S. effort yet to confront surveillance capitalism, the business of profiting from the data that most Americans give up often unknowingly for access to free and often ad-supported services. The law is for anyone ever weirded out when an ad popped up for the product they were just searching on, or who wondered just how much privacy they were giving up by signing into the briefly popular face-changing tool FaceApp. But there are catches galore. The law formally known as the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA seems likely to draw legal challenges, some of which could raise constitutional objections over its broad scope. Its also filled with exceptions that could turn some seemingly broad protections into coarse sieves, and affects only information collected by business, not government. ADVERTISEMENT For instance, if youre alarmed after examining the data that Lyft holds on you, you can ask the company to delete it. Which it will legally have to do unless it claims some information meets one of the laws many exceptions, among them provisions that allow companies to continue holding information needed to finish a transaction or to keep it in a way youd reasonably expect them to. Its more of a right to request and hope for deletion, says Joseph Jerome, a policy director at privacy group Common Sense Media/Kids Action. A more fundamental issue, though, is that Californians are largely on their own in figuring out how to make use of their new rights. To make the law effective, theyll need to take the initiative to opt out of data sales, request their own information, and file for damages in the case of data breaches. If you arent even reading privacy agreements that you are signing, are you really going to request your data? asks Margot Kaminski, an associate professor of law at the University of Colorado who studies law and technology. Will you understand it or sift through it when you do get it? State residents who do make that effort, but find that companies reject their requests or offer only halting and incomplete responses, have no immediate legal recourse. The CCPA defers enforcement action to the state attorney general, who wont be empowered to act until six months after the law takes effect. When the state does take action, though, it can fine businesses up to $7,500 for each violation of the law charges that could quickly add up depending on how many people are affected. The law does offer stronger protection for children, for instance by forbidding the sale of data from kids under 16 without consent. The last thing you want is for any company to think that were going to soft on letting you misuse kids personal information, Becerra, the attorney general, said at a press conference in December. Many of the CCPAs quirks trace back to the roundabout way it became law in the first place. A few years ago, San Francisco real estate developer Alastair Mactaggart asked a friend who worked at a tech company if he should be concerned about news reports on how much companies knew about him. He expected an innocuous answer. If you knew how much we knew about you, youd be terrified, he says the friend told him . With help, Mactaggart produced a ballot initiative that would let California voters implement new privacy rules. Although initially a long shot, the proposal quickly gained steam amid news of huge data breaches and privacy leaks. That drew the attention of Silicon Valley, whose big companies considered the ballot initiative too risky. Moving the proposal into the normal legislative process would give them influence, the chance to pass amendments, and above all time to slow down what seemed to be a runaway train. I always knew I was signing up for a fight, Mactaggart says . The developer agreed to pull the initiative off the ballot and have it introduced as a bill. In slightly changed or weakened, per critics form, it passed. Gone, for instance, was a provision that would have allowed people to sue when companies improperly declined to hand over or delete data. The coming year will provide the first evidence of how much protection the CCPA actually offers and how thoroughly Californians will embrace it. Among other limitations, the law doesnt really stop companies from collecting personal information or limit how they store it. If you ask a company to delete your data, it can start collecting it again next time you do business with it. Mary Stone Ross, incoming associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center and co-author of the original ballot initiative, worries that CCPA might just unleash a firehose of data on consumers. A business could actually drown a consumer in information so the important pieces are lost, she says. Theres a way to avoid that by just asking for which categories of information a company holds, such as demographics, preferences or interests. But its not clear how many will know to do that. The laws biggest impact, in fact, may lie in how it requires companies to track what data they have, where they keep it, and how to get it to people when requested, says Jen King, director of consumer privacy at Stanford Law Schools Center for Internet and Society. That effort alone, which can be substantial, might cause corporations to reconsider how much data they decide to hold onto. That may lead to some unintended consequences and even corporate attempts to discourage people from using the law. The job-search site Indeed.com, for instance, now explains that when anyone opts out of data sales under CCPA, it will also ask them to delete their associated accounts and all personal information. Such people will still be able to use the website without logging in. Indeed said in a statement that it routinely transfers personal information such as job-seeker resumes to employers as part of its service. Because it believes that such transfers may qualify as sales under CCPA, Indeed will not hold such information for people who opt out of data sales under the law. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. We have about 4 5 months of available reserves if I rs3 gold make no more money. 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Adalita second solo album All Day Venus turned the Marshall stacks back up to 11 and she take giddy pleasure blowing everyone hair back.. With new year 2020 Coming, You can join RS3gold New Year Flash Sale for 1000M RS3 gold and 250M OSRS gold with Free as new year Gifts at 3:00 a.m.GMT Jan.10 !More Detail: https://www.rs3gold.com A birthday party for a teen ended in gunfire and the death of a man during a fight over uninvited guests early Saturday in north Harris County, according to authorities. Deputies responded to reports of a shooting around 2:30 a.m. at a home near the 200 block of Holtman Drive. Holidaymakers face uncertainty over whether they will receive their money back for bookings cancelled because of the bushfire crisis, as confusion reigns over whether refunds should be offered. Suzanne Mulvihill, who had booked a rental property at Jervis Bay from January 3, said she had not been offered a full refund if she cancelled the booking despite the fire crisis that has devastated the NSW South Coast. The bushfire crisis on NSW's South Coast has prompted holidaymakers to cancel or postpone bookings. Credit:Sam Mooy Ms Mulvihill said she was told on January 2 by the real estate agency managing the holiday rental that the area was not affected by fires and "they would have to look at each individual case with the owners of the properties" to determine whether people received refunds. She said she believed a refund should be provided if the property was inaccessible due to fire: "But they were saying that wasn't necessarily the case because at that stage you could access the property." Kathleen Keyes of Corke Abbey has said that writing about the loss of her three children to cystic fibrosis was a cathartic experience. Speaking from her native Roscommon, where Kathleen was spending a few days, she said that she did not expect the extent of the response there has been to a letter she wrote to a national newspaper. She wrote the letter following the first anniversary of her son Fergal (31), who died on December 2, 2019. Grainne died on January 3, 2002, at the age of 15, and Darragh died on April 10, 2012, aged 19. All of the children went to Scoil Chualainn and Colaiste Raithin. 'They lived a full and spirited life together, their illness did not define them,' wrote Kathleen in her letter to the Irish Times. They were witty, intelligent, and gifted with homegrown talents that filled this home with music and liveliness. They expressed their true selves to their world of friends, and gave of themselves freely and honestly. 'Losing a child is like having your heart torn out and your stomach emptied. Grief gets in the way of daylight, not to mention the nocturnal dark,' she wrote. 'After the death of my children, Christmas is a black surround, without tinsel, while the masses are plumping up the shopping streets. With the passing of Christmas, and a plethora of messages and letters regarding her letter, Kathleen reflects on the joy her children gave her. Recalling hearing the young people and their friends laughing and playing music on the river Shannon, she said: 'All of those times were so happy. Nothing was wasted. Even though there was a lot to carry, with the burden of being sick, there was incredible wealth and fun and creativity and happiness'. Darragh was a 'bright spark' who played music and made films, which his mother still has as his legacy. Grainne was witty, loved drama, was studious and diligent, disappointed not to sit her Junior Cert as she was in hospital. Fergal was 31 and grown into a man. He volunteered for Lakers, was in a band, and taught music and drama. All three, said Kathleen, are lost to society as well as to their family and friends. 'Everyone has been asking me what prompted me to write the letter,' said Kathleen. 'It was something in myself. It was coming up to Christmas and everyone else was flying around. I didn't have to make a Christmas for the family. Something made me sit and pour out what was going on in my head, and what was different for me at Christmas.' She sat with what she had written, looked over it, and was finished. 'I thought, there's something in here. I'd better put it somewhere - it needed a home. Sometimes when you're writing something you feel an excitement about it and you're almost frightened to hand it over.' Her laptop was broken so Fergal's girlfriend Becky Long typed it up, Kathleen gave it another bit of editing, and she sent it off. 'It has definitely touched other families,' said Kathleen. 'People may feel alone even though they may have lots of friends and very good families.' Kathleen's own family in her native Roscommon includes her three loving sisters. The outpouring of correspondence since writing the letter has been very unexpected but very welcome for Kathleen, who has lived in Bray for the past 35 years. 'People are amazing. It lifts you somewhat, carries you a little. It doesn't give you your loss back but they are with you.' In helping others, also, Kathleen feels that the giver receives help and comfort. 'It was very cathartic writing it,' said Kathleen, who writes a diary, poems, and letters to the children. Her children fought hard to overcome cystic fibrosis, she said. But they had contracted a particularly resistant bacteria, which ultimately led to all three of them passing away. 'There are mini bacteria within CF. This is one of the most resistant, if you have it, it is a death sentence,' she said. 'It was a terrible tragedy and injustice that it went to the three of them, and it caused their deaths.' For many years, their care was Kathleen's main priority. 'It was IV antibiotics all the way. They could be on an IV and in hospital for months on heavy, heavy antibiotics, which would make you exhausted,' she said. 'They would be doing physio and coughing stuff up to clear it but the body continues to produce it,' she said. 'The job of home management for someone with CF is just endless, day after day.' She described a routine of physio, nebulisers, oral antibiotics and oral digestive enzymes. 'You are working all day,' she said, adding that the psychological effects of the regime and hospitalisation on the CF patient can be huge. To mark Fergal's first anniversary, there was Mass in St Peter's Church, followed by a gathering of their friends in the house. The boys' friends played music, and Kathleen allowed her emotions to pour out along with the songs. Fergal, Darragh and Grainne were creative, intelligent and very much loved by all of those around them as well as their mother. 'Give your children space and time to be creative,' said Kathleen. 'That's what they need, don't be rushing them.' Kathleen would love to work with young people and help others in some way in the future. 'To have my children with me is all I want, but if I can help someone else it will help me in my own grief and the heartbreak of losing them,' she said. 'I had that golden time with them. I'm so grateful to have been their mother, they taught me so much.' CLEVELAND, Ohio At 88, Ursula Korneitchouk is enjoying life looking out over the city from her 11th floor apartment at Judson Manor on University Circle, and sharing stories behind her extensive and eclectic art collection. I love the view, Korneitchouk says, nodding towards the Cleveland Museum of Art, and The Maltz Performing Arts Center. The Maltz landmark gold dome is gleaming on this brisk but clear and sunny December day. This is why Im here, Korneitchouk says. At night both buildings are lit up. Judson Manor is a senior living center inside an elegant red brick 1923 Georgian Revival with an expansive and high-ceilinged lovely lobby. Korneitchouk moved here three years ago in anticipation of needing assistance as she ages, although she is as spunky as ever. I dont know when I will need help, and I dont want to burden my sons, ages 63 and 58," says Korneitchouk, who is smartly dressed all in black, her outfit accented with delicate, dangly earrings. Here, if something happens I know I will be cared for. Korneitchouks apartment is a two bedroom, both of which, along with the combined living/dining room, have the spectacular view. The tour of her collection begins right inside the apartment, and she eagerly begins to explain what makes each of her pieces, many of them by Cleveland artists, special. This one is my favorite, and it gives me chills, Korneitchouk says. She refers to Portrait of Lara as Olympia, an assemblage work by Cleveland artist Christopher Pekoc. The artists assemblage is made of photographs printed on transparent film using the photocopying process, and then sewn together, along with additional blank pieces of film. Silvery metal leaf was applied to some of the pieces of film, giving the artwork a metallic appearance. Paint was added sparingly to the surface, referencing the method of painting Manet used to create his Olympia, which served as an inspiration for Pekoc. The woman in Portrait of Lara as Olympia is Lara Kalafatis, head of Philanthropy at Cleveland Clinic. Pekoc created a number of portraits of her. She looks out at you as if she wants to engage with you on darker things, says Korneitchouk, adding that two museums have borrowed the drawing from her for exhibits. It is a major work by Chris; but when I acquired it, he was not yet as famous as he is now, she adds. When she learned that Pekoc's parents once lived in this exact same apartment where their son's work now hangs, it gave her shivers. Its a wonderful coincidence, she adds. Korneitchouks hallway is decorated with the photo of a bridge construction site by Linda Butler. This photograph was taken on the day both sides of the new innerbelt bridge first touched, Korneitchouk says. It documents Cleveland history. Theres a neon tube sculpture, by Jeff Chiplis, with taller bright red tubes on either end, and meandering green and blue tubes between the two. This is the terminal tower downtown, and the holy oil can church on University Circle, Korneitchouk says of the red tubes. The blue represents the Cuyahoga River, and the green is the Emerald Necklace. A colorful, deeply saturated oil painting by Phyllis Seltzer depicts the Flats Says Korneitchouk, As you can see, I have a lot of Cleveland here. Korneitchouk was born in Nuremberg, Germany before Hitler came into power. After WWII she wanted to become a literary translator, for she reasoned that if the nations of the world read more of one another's great books, they would be less inclined to make war. Therefore she studied languages (including some art history) in England and France and Spain. She eventually got married and lived with her husband in Spain for several years. The couple came to Cleveland 1960 to find work for her husband in one of Cleveland's steel mills. Korneitchouk herself went to work at the Cleveland Museum of Art from 1970 to 1980, the last seven years as assistant to the late director Sherman Lee. He liked that I could speak, write and translate many languages, Korneitchouk says. After all, we had to deal with museums in London, Madrid, Berlin and so on; besides, there were always scholarly articles to translate for our curators' art historical research. Korneitchouk isnt a trained artist, but four of the pieces that decorate her flat are her own. I have numerous close relatives and friends in Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, France and England, she says. When I ran out of gift ideas for Christmas and birthday presents, I started making the greeting cards to send a dozen per household on special occasions. I have been asked to go commercial with them but I dont want to do that because the whole idea of a gift is thats its free. But recently she has been persuaded to frame the original collages and make those available for sale. Korneitchouks apartment is furnished mostly with spare, blond wood pieces that feel Scandinavian. A gold-colored curtain divides the living/dining room and kitchen. It is a greeting from my German home, she says, because the fabric comes from curtains that hung in my parents' house. I hung it here because I dont want to sit with friends after Ive cooked and look at the dirty dishes in there. Judson Manor is an expensive place, and Korneitchouk could hardly have afforded to live here had it not been for unexpected sudden financial support from her European family. Having experienced the harshness of Hitlers dictatorship and the full horror of war with bombings and street battle, I now am most gratefully enjoying my good fortune!" she adds, adding that she hopes she never to have to live through anything like it ever again. Do you know of an unusual or eye-catching home, condo, business, or public space such as a school or library, that you think would make a nice Cool Spaces feature? If so, please send photos and a brief description to rwashington@plaind.com. Previous Cool Spaces Cool Spaces: Judson Manor apartment is filled with art, music (photos/video) Cool Spaces: Renovated carriage house in Bratenahl is true to original character Cool Spaces: Chagrin Falls Cape Cod renovation is lit! New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot found himself in a tight spot over his administrations handling of the death of more than 100 infants when, on Saturday, his own deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot criticised the government saying that after being in power for 13 months, the previous government cant be blamed. Pilot also said that the explanations being given for the deaths by the government are of no use to a mother who has lost her child. Speaking with repor-ters after visiting Kota where infants are still dying, Pilot said, I think our response to this could have been more compassionate and sensitive. After being in power for 13 months, I think it serves no purpose to blame the previous governments misdeeds. Accountability should be fixed. He further added, Shouldnt we be fixing responsibility for deaths of so many children? If infants are dying regularly in this manner, then it isnt sufficient for the government to say more deaths took place in the past. With the death of an infant on Friday night, the toll at Kotas JK Lon Hospital has risen to 107. Though a team of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is probing the matter, there is no clarity on what led to the alarming number of deaths in the government hospital. As of now the poor upkeep and maintenance of the hospital, as well as acute deficiency of staff and shortage of critical equipment are being blamed. Pilots criticism of his government follows the Congress high command communicating its dissatisfaction to the state government. He is the Congress state unit chief, and was a claimant to the post of Chief Minister when the Congress won a majority in Rajasthan in December 2018. Since the shocking news of the deaths of infants broke, state health minister Raghu Sharma and the Chief Minister have been floundering for a proper response. Initially Gehlot said that deaths in hospitals keep happening, and added that the number of deaths this year has, in fact, decreased. The state health minister blamed the previous BJP government in Rajasthan for not upgrading facilities. Also, when he visited the hospital, the administration laid out a carpet to welcome him, eliciting sharp reactions. Sensing the lackadaisical attitude of the state government, Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked the Rajasthan general secretary in-charge, Avinash Pande, for a report on the issue. Insiders claim that the party high command is unhappy with the handling of the situation by the Chief Minister and the health minister. Their insensitive comments have also irked senior leaders of the party. The chorus for fixing responsibility for the deaths is growing within the party, especially after the Rajasthan government came under attack from the BJP and BSP chief Kumari Mayawati who chided the Congress for raising the issue of infant deaths in Gorakhpur but ignoring the deaths of infant in Kota. The FBI has raided an Idaho home belonging to the step-father of two children who have been missing for four months. Tylee Ryan, 17 and Joshua Vallow, 7, have not been seen since September, and their 'doomsday cult member mom, Lori Vallow, and her new husband, Chad Daybell, are on the run. On Friday, federal authorities searched Daybell's Salem home for any clues in a case that is baffling investigators. Daybell, 51, only married Vallow, 46, in early November - just two weeks after the death of his wife, Tammy, 49. Tammy's obituary said she 'passed away peacefully in her sleep' on October 19. She was buried in her hometown of Springville, Utah, but her body has now been exhumed to see if there was any foul play. Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries told Fox 13 that investigators searched Daybell's Salem home on Friday to look for forensic evidence in Tammy's death. 'What we're looking for and hoping to find, is something that would help identify if there was something that was used in her death,' Sheriff Humphries told the news network. On Friday, the FBI searched Chad Daybell's Salem, Idaho home for any clues in a case that is baffling investigators. Daybell is suspected of being involved in his late wife's death, and he is now the step-father of two children who have not been seen in months Chad Daybell (left) is pictured with his wife Tammy Daybell (right) before she was found dead on October 19. Police now suspect foul play may have been involved Chad Daybell (left) married mom-of-two Lori Vallow (right) two weeks after his wife's death. Vallow is a mom of two kids who haven't been seen since September. Daybell and Vallow are now on the run Vallow's missing children, 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, is pictured right and Joshua 'JJ' Vallow, 7, is pictured left Daybell's whereabouts is unknown, but he is believed to have fled the state of Idaho with new wife, Vallow, in tow. Vallow's two children have not been seen since September - two months before she tied the knot the knot with Daybell. Cops only realized the two kids they were missing two days before Thanksgiving when they were asked to conduct a welfare check ordered by concerned relatives. Investigators believe that if the two children are not dead already their lives are in danger. Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries told Fox 13 that investigators searched Daybell's Salem home on Friday to look for forensic evidence in Tammy's death. The FBI is pictured at the scene Members of the FBI are seen on the premises of Daybell's home in Idaho on Friday 17-year-old Tylee Ryan (left) and Joshua 'JJ' Vallow, 7, (right) have not been seen or heard from since September but cops only realized they were missing two days before Thanksgiving when they were asked to conduct a welfare check by relatives Already four deaths and one attempted murder are linked with either Daybell and Vallow over the past two years. Vallow's husband Joseph Ryan was just 59 when he died of an apparent heart attack in 2018. He was cremated so his body cannot be exhumed. She then married Charles Vallow, who was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox after the three got into an argument when he went to pick up JJ in July. Vallow was 62. Cox, who had served prison sentences in both Texas and Utah for violent assaults, died on December 12, the day after Tammy's body was dug up. He was 51. The cause of his death has not been released. And Brandon Boudreaux was shot at as he drove in Gilbert, Arizona, on October 2. The Jeep that his would-be killer was driving was registered to Charles Vallow, who had died three months earlier, court papers show. Daybell has written some 25 books and was known as a 'prepper' someone who is getting ready for the End of Times, Dr. Cristina Rosetti, a PhD who spent four years researching fundamentalist Mormons, told DailyMail.com. New wife Vallow only recently became obsessed with his doomsday cult, according to relatives. Lori's former mother-in-law, Kay Varrow Woodcock wrote on Facebook: 'Things started changing over the past 18+ months when Lori began spending all her time with a new religious group, that we refer to as a 'cult'. Woodcock, who lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana, told Fox 10 that Lori's personality had changed over the past 24 months. 'To think that within the last two years she has completely changed into a monster, I'm making an understatement,' Kay said. She added: 'Something happened to her. Once she got involved with that cult with Daybell, she just turned off. The person we knew just went away.' (@ChaudhryMAli88) The outgoing year has become one of long-hoped-for diplomatic achievements for Syria, which saw the creation of the constitutional committee under the UN auspices, but also one of major military tensions and escalations, most notably the Turkish operation against Kurdish militia in Syria's north. GENOA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th January, 2020) The outgoing year has become one of long-hoped-for diplomatic achievements for Syria, which saw the creation of the constitutional committee under the UN auspices, but also one of major military tensions and escalations, most notably the Turkish operation against Kurdish militia in Syria's north. SYRIAN-LED, SYRIAN-OWNED, NOT SYRIAN-MADE The decision to form a body of 150 Syrians tasked with amending and rewriting the nation's constitution was made back in January 2018, during the Syrian National Dialogue Congress organized by Russia in Sochi. However, it was not until October 30, 2019, that the committee could hold its first session. Geir Pedersen, who succeeded Staffan de Mistura as the UN special envoy for Syria at the end of 2018, made convening the committee, something his predecessor failed to achieve, his most cherished goal. Indeed, Pedersen adopted a set of tactics that differed greatly from those of de Mistura. He visited Damascus several months after having been appointed, made a series of trips to the capitals of the Astana guarantors Russia, Turkey and Iran while working on the final list of the committee's members, and maintained a remarkably low profile in the media, protecting his efforts from potential leaks that could derail the entire process. In a recent interview with the RT broadcaster, Syrian President Bashar Assad said de Mistura just "could not remain neutral." The same thing cannot be said about the current envoy, however, who is considered to be more neutral by his peers. Moscow has said it counted on Pedersen's resilience to any foreign influence since the very beginning of his mandate. "Everyone should be independent in the United Nations. Of course, we believe that he will not be subject to any influence. We hope for this. If he continues to stick to these principles, this will be a great help in moving the negotiations process forward," Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told Sputnik in an interview in April, when asked if he believed that Pedersen was an independent figure. Despite Pedersen's best efforts, however, leaks did happen. In February, reports started to appear claiming that the United Nations was against six Names on the preliminary list of the committee members. It was never clarified whether the objection came from the government or opposition side, or was the position of the UN itself, but arguments between the Syrians, Astana guarantors and the United Nations over the body's composition continued in the following months. The most problematic issue was agreeing on the list of candidates for the civil society portion of the committee, or "middle Third," as the UN put it. It was the only part of the group the UN was tasked with choosing, and the importance of its role could not be overstated, given that the civil society vote could be crucial when the two other thirds members from the government and from the opposition are in a standoff. After two rounds of Astana talks on Syria in Kazakhstan in April and August, and a number of separate meetings with each of the Astana guarantors and the Syrian sides, Pedersen by September had in his hands the final list of 150 members 50 from each group accepted by everyone. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the formation of the committee in his letter to the Security Council later that same month, and on October 30 the official launch ceremony took place at the UN Palais in Geneva. The constitutional committee managed to have two sessions before the year-end. The first, held the week after the committee's launch, was deemed successful, as participants managed to agree on the rules of conduct and hear each others' views during initial statements. However, the second meeting, which was held at the end of November in a narrower format of 45 members, exposed long-standing differences between the sides of the conflict. The government delegation insisted on discussing terrorism issues, as it did during the Geneva talks in previous years, while the opposition side asserted the committee was created specifically for constitutional matters and proposed to discuss terrorism outside of the body. As a result, no meaningful sessions took place, and Pedersen did not announce the next meeting's date. There is an understanding within his office that there will be no announcement until the sides agree on an agenda. Nevertheless, the very creation of the constitutional committee is considered by all stakeholders involved in the Syrian crisis as a major diplomatic achievement and breakthrough. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Special Presidential Representative for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev have repeatedly emphasized that the work of the committee should not be affected by any deadlines or foreign interference, and that the body must remain Syrian-owned and Syrian-led. The UN special envoy seems to share this view. "What is important is that we have an agreement, you know, with the government and with the opposition, that we will have a commitment to work seriously on moving forward within the constitutional committee and to start addressing the important issues. And then, this [the creation of a new document and elections date] will take only life on its own, and, as I said, it will have to be up to our Syrian friends how they are moving forward within the constitutional committee," Pedersen told Sputnik in an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, before the committee was officially launched. When asked about whether the committee would always convene in Geneva, Pedersen said that "always is a very strong term" and that "we will start in Geneva and then we will see how it develops." Indeed, after two first sessions held in 2019, some members of the committee, in particular those from the government side and Moscow platform of opposition, repeatedly voiced the desire to move the committee's work to Damascus. At the Astana talks in December, Lavrentyev said he was not excluding the possibility that this might happen one day "when conditions allow." SYRIA'S NORTH REGRESSES INTO CONFLICT HOTSPOT Meanwhile, on the ground, the situation regressed. What started as an optimistic year upon the White House's announcement about the complete elimination of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group (banned in Russia) in February-March turned into Nusra (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, outlawed in Russia) terrorists taking almost complete control of Idlib province by May and eventually a Turkish military operation in northern Syria in October. Idlib remained a major problem throughout 2019 despite the fact that the Turkish and Russian presidents signed a memorandum on its de-escalation in September 2018. The number of terrorists in the province grew constantly, and at every Astana-format meeting in Kazakhstan in April, August and December Russia and Syria claimed Turkey had not exerted enough pressure on the radical military groups there, as the country had pledged to do in the memorandum. During a UN Security Council meeting on Syria in May, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said that terrorists from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (outlawed in Russia) had managed to establish control over 99 percent of the Idlib zone, compared to the 60 percent they had in November 2018. Against this backdrop, Turkey started raising the issue of its long-standing concerns regarding the presence of Kurdish militia along its border with Syria, including in Idlib. Specifically, Turkey's attentions were on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which the country considers to be terrorists. In July, Ankara held its first discussion with Washington about a safe zone in Syria, east to the Euphrates river, that would be free of Kurdish militia. However, the United States, which had been allied with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), had a sluggish approach to these talks. In early August, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed Ankara's lack of patience regarding the US approach to the safe zone's creation and declared that Turkey would create it on its own if necessary. Shortly thereafter, Ankara and Washington agreed to establish a joint operations center in Turkey to manage the formation of the zone. Nevertheless, this did not prevent Turkey from announcing its plans for a cross-border military operation in northern Syria to clear the border area of the Kurdish troops. As soon as Ankara announced this intention, US troops withdrew from the area, leaving the previously allied SDF without support. The SDF took this as a betrayal, and its General Command stated the United States had failed to meet its obligations. On October 10, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the operation, dubbed Peace Spring. Ankara's goal was presented as an effort to not only clear the area of Kurdish militia, but also liberate it from the Islamic State terrorists. The cleared area would then be made into a safe zone to where a portion of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees that currently live in Turkey could be relocated Erdogan promised to send back one million in the first phase, while two million more would follow afterward. Damascus, however, had different views on Turkey's intentions. "Nobody believes that Turkey will repatriate 3 million Syrian refugees to this area; this is a deceptive humanitarian slogan. Even if they wanted to, this is not possible because it would create a conflict between the owners of the land, the cities, the villages, the homes, the farms, and the fields on the one hand, and these newcomers, on the other; those who own these places will never renounce their rights in these areas, so this would create an ethnic conflict," President Assad said in an interview with Sputnik and Rossiya 24 in November. Having been abandoned by its traditional allies and facing a military offensive, the SDF called on Russia and Damascus to take a firm stance against the operation. "The Turkish invasion would threaten the integrity of Syria, as Turkey occupies many regions in Syria, such as Afrin, Idlib, Jarabulus, and Al Bab. That is why Russia, Iran, and the Syrian regime should take a firm stance against this attack," Badran Jiakurd, a senior Syrian Kurdish official, adviser to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, told Sputnik in an interview in October. Soon after, the SDF turned to Russia for help in mediating a dialogue with Damascus. What resulted was an agreement being reached on October 14 under which Syrian troops were deployed along the border line to protect the Syrian population and territorial integrity. Damascus from the very beginning called the offensive illegal the European Union, the Arab League and even the US Senate strongly condemned it. An agreement with Damascus to ensure protection against Turkey's anti-terror operation was the best option for the Syrian Kurds under these circumstances, Ahmed Suleiman, a member of the political bureau of the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party in Syria, told Sputnik in an interview in October. "The US has played a negative role, being an obstacle to [the SDF's] understanding with Damascus. Damascus was not ready for any agreement with the SDF. But despite the lack of time, the best option is to reach an agreement with Damascus and not rely on regional and international contradictions ... The SDF has limited options," Suleiman said. Russian mediation efforts went further. On October 22, the Russian and Turkish leaders met in Sochi and after more than six hours of talks signed a 10-point memorandum under which Turkey would suspend its operation if the Kurdish militia pulled out of the region within a given time frame. The agreement also stipulated that Russian military police and Syrian border guards commit themselves to facilitating the withdrawal of Kurdish militia from an 18-mile border zone, outside the area of Operation Peace Spring. Russia and Turkey have since begun joint patrols along the border. The Kurdish withdrawal was completed by the end of October. During the latest Astana talks in December, Russian Special Presidential Representative on Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said the situation in northern Syria had stabilized and the Russia-Turkey agreement on the safe zone was in the implementation phase. US' NONCOMMITTAL PLEDGE TO LEAVE Another aspect of the Syrian conflict that demonstrated high volatility throughout the outgoing year was the presence of US troops in the country. Washington officially announced its decision to pull troops out of Syria in late December 2018, so when the White House made a statement in February 2019 about the "complete elimination of IS" in Syria, the international community logically expected the US to end its military presence shortly thereafter. However, it was not until early October, just before Operation Peace Spring, that US troops started to withdraw from the area. In explaining its decision, the White House stated it would not "support or be involved in" Turkey's operation. The day after the Russian-Turkish memorandum that ended the offensive was signed, Washington amended its withdrawal decision. Trump announced that a limited number of US troops would stay in Syria to protect the oil there and would decide in due time what to do with it. A senior US administration official told reporters shortly thereafter that the United States would review and monitor how oil from fields protected by IS troops in northeastern Syria was sold. At the end of October, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said US forces in Syria would continue to counter Islamic State operations with its partners and further maintain its existing mission to protect oil fields there from the terror group. Going after the IS was considered necessary even though its "complete elimination" had been announced several times and even after it was claimed on October 30 that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the leader of the organization, had been killed. Moscow accused the United States of looting the country's energy resources and urged Washington to return control of the oil fields to the Syrian government. On November 13, Trump confirmed that the US intended to retain control of the oil fields despite scaling down its military presence in the area. US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey later reassured reporters that Washington was not doing anything illegal by securing the oil fields. Soon after, Arabic media reported that a US military convoy had positioned itself near several oil deposits in northeastern Syria about 90 percent of Syrian oil reserves are concentrated there. In an interview with China's Phoenix Television media outlet on December 16, Syrian President Bashar Assad said that the United States was selling oil to Ankara from these oil fields. He added that previously oil had been sold through Turkey by IS and Tahrir al-Sham terrorists. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said in November that the United States was using the revenue from selling Syrian oil to prop up loyal armed groups in Syria. "Our Defense Ministry has given a thorough and document-based account of what the Americans do with the oil. ... The oil is transported out of Syria and, of course, the United States supports loyal armed groups with the revenues from [selling] that oil," Lavrov told the International Review program on Russia 24 tv channel. The issue was discussed in detail during the latest Astana-format talks in Nur-Sultan, which ran from December 10-11. On December 17, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said that he had discussed with Assad restoring Damascus' control over Syria's oil-rich areas, adding that the situation was improving. All of these developments, including the presence of the US troops, control over oil fields, situation in Idlib, return of the refugees and work of the constitutional committee, will most likely be discussed as early as February of the new year during a quadrilateral summit on Syria in Istanbul between Turkey, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Moreover, the Russian and Turkish leaders are supposed to have a separate meeting ahead of the summit. New Delhi: Bhojpuri sizzler Rani Chatterjee is holidaying in the Himalayan beuaty Manali and the actress has posted stunning pictures of herself from the snow-capped destination. Sharing the picture, Rani wrote, "Beautiful manaali ek TASVIR to banti hai post karna #manalidiaries #beauty #of #god." The actress is reportedly shooting for a film in Manali. On the professional front, Rani will next be seen as a police officer in 'Lady Singham'. The film started on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, September 2, 2019. She announced the movie on social media. The Bhojpuri bombshell also participated in Rohit Shetty hosted reality show 'Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi' season 10. She is quite popular on Instagram with a solid fan following of 474k followers on the photo-sharing site so far. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 00:32:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia on Saturday officially launched a technology-oriented single import and export platform, dubbed Ethiopian Electronic Single Window Project (eSW), to ease the country's overall import and export trading endeavor. The Electronic Single Window Project, which was officially launched by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday, brings together 16 Ethiopian government regulatory agencies, eventually enabling traders "to process all documentation relating to import and export through a single electronic submission," the Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister (PMO) disclosed on Saturday. "By creating a paperless environment, eliminating multiple physical inspections and repetitive document submissions, the Electronic Single Window Project will reduce clearance time from 44 days to 13 days and eventually to three days," the PMO said. In addition to promoting import and export through a single electronic submission, the eSW platform is also expected to reduce corruption by minimizing opportunities for physical interaction, it was noted. The Ethiopian premier, addressing the official eSW launching event, also stressed that the new system would facilitate ease of doing business in Ethiopia, which is part of the East African country's Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda. "We can't achieve prosperity if we are incapable to come up with new ideas and create favorable environment for the private sector," state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) quoted Ahmed as saying. The East African country launched the Electronic Single Window Project (eSW) shortly after the Ethiopian government partnered with the Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba Group, for the creation of Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), which is believed to be "a game-changer initiative" with the digital economy of Ethiopia. The eWTP, which was proposed by the Alibaba founder Jack Ma back in 2016, envisaged to set up an open platform for private enterprises and coordination among international organizations, governments and social groups which focus on the development of SMEs as well as trade. It was included in the communique of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed between the Ethiopian government and the Alibaba Group on Nov. 25, 2019, among other things, include eWTP framework, digital capacity building, and building comprehensive digital hub. The Government is facing growing criticism for failing to condemn a US air strike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian general and heightened tensions in the Middle East. On holiday in the Caribbean, Prime Minister Boris Johnson remained silent on Saturday over the drone strike on General Qassem Soleimani which threatened to provoke all-out war as Iran vowed harsh retaliation. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has called for calm and urged all aggressors to de-escalate following Fridays attack on the head of Irans elite Quds Force and mastermind of regional security strategy. The Foreign Office issued strengthened travel advice to Britons across the Middle East, but Mr Raab pointedly did not criticise the strike. The PM was urged to recall Parliament early and Labours John McDonnell said it is not good enough that the Government has not condemned US President Donald Trump for authorising the killing. At an anti-war protest at Downing Street, the shadow chancellor vowed to press Mr Johnson over the attack, which he said will set the Middle East and the globe alight yet again. Mr McDonnell told the Stop the War Coalition event: Weve been here before, we were here 17 years ago. And theres one lesson that came from those events, is that violence begets violence. And its not good enough for the UK Government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK Government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence. We will not tolerate us being dragged yet again into this type of aggressive military action which puts us all at risk. The PM has been celebrating the new year with his partner Carrie Symonds on the private island of Mustique but is expected to return to the UK early on Sunday. Outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has requested an urgent meeting of the privy council, which advises the monarch, over the assassination. Labours shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, who is expected to enter the Labour leadership race, said: We stand at a dangerous moment. Boris Johnson must urgently make a statement on what the UK Government is doing to avoid war. Labour MP Lisa Nandy, as she launched her campaign to succeed Mr Corbyn, demanded the PM recalls Parliament to explain how he plans to keep British personnel safe in the region where hundreds of UK troops are based. She said Mr Johnson must outline how he will work with European allies to ensure a much more international and concerted action to rein in what has been quite a dangerous and reckless act by a president without real thought about what comes next. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry earlier said the Foreign Offices call for restraint was too little and far too late, in the wake of such a brazen, unlawful and provocative attack. More than 150 anti-war activists, some armed with placards, joined the Stop the War Coalition protest. Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, who has made a bid to be Labours deputy leader, told the crowd the UK must not be dragged into any war with Iran. He told the PA news agency he believes the US president pursued the attack for his own electoral purposes. Today I travelled down to London to address the No War with Iran protest outside Downing Street. Have a read of my speech https://t.co/AkGBJYtnkt#NoWarWithIran pic.twitter.com/F5CT6JAOQK Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) January 4, 2020 He said: I and others marched against the Iraq war, shamefully our Government supported George Bushs war in Iraq. It made life worse, even worse for people in Iraq, it made terrorism flourish, and it didnt help people in the Middle East or around the world. Because Donald Trump, I think, is doing this for electoral purposes. I think it could be as cynical as that. And so weve got to argue against war, argue for peace, argue for conflict resolution, and argue in our ever more dangerous world that what we really need is to avoid the rush to war. Loving the beat By Joshua Surendraraj Rap artiste Costa who topped the iTunes charts, chats with the Mirror Magazine about his success in the music industry View(s): View(s): From being booed on stage and getting hit with tomatoes, to reaching number one on the Sri Lanka iTunes chart with no radio or television exposure, Costas musical journey has certainly been an inspiring and eventful one. This week the Mirror Magazine sits down with the Sinhala rap artist, who gives us an insight into his plans for 2020, and his new album Paata. Costa was born and raised in Dangolla, Kandy and has been making music since he was a kid, though at the time it leaned more towards alternative rock and punk rather than hip hop. During his school days, Costa was also part of a band and with a chuckle, he recalls a memory of his friend trying to impress his girlfriend at a school girl carnival. Though Costa felt they werent ready to perform at the time, his friend insisted. So they quickly gathered a few other friends and got on stage. No sooner, the girls started booing them and throwing stuff. I left the guitar and ran upstairs and hid, only to find my friend next to me. After he left school, although Costa always wanted to pursue a career in music he did not have the knowledge on how to go about it. After doing a normal job for a while, he got an opportunity to go to Finland, and it was here that the change happened. Despite starting out with no friends or family to support him in Finland, he continued living there and has since spent six years in the country. We talk about his transformation to a solo artist, to which he explains that his role in a band was mostly on the creative side rather than the technical. Im not the most talented guitarist or drummer, he admits. And back in Finland, though he wanted to make music, his skill set did not allow him to play in a band. While looking for other alternatives, he started making his own beats. When I made my first beat, I actually recorded a song called Paavi Paavi and that song was pretty good. It got around 20,000 views on Youtube, he shares. This was the moment Costa realized he could do this. He talks to us about his process of creating an album. Costa would make several beats at a time, without any intention of making a song. He would also mumble along with the tune and if he found it to be going somewhere good, hed stop instantly and grab a microphone and record the idea. He would repeat this process till he reached the point of having enough material for an album. Then, hed proceed to finish the song. Costa never recorded in a studio, instead sticking to his bed room. My rooms arent acoustically treated either. So sometimes Id record inside a closet with a towel over my head, he recalls with a laugh. Interestingly, his albums were created in three different apartments, where he lived over the years. Hating to wait, Costa believes the same vibe doesnt come around a second time around. So hed carry his equipment with him and when inspiration strikes, hed put it down. He tells us the beauty about his music is that each song is diverse. He does not stick to a particular genre. On this note, an album would include old school hip hop tracks, new school rap and dancehall tracks. Presently into his third album, Costa finds Paata to be his most successful one. He never paid too much attention to boosts in terms of exposure, since he simply loves creating music. However, when Paata reached the number one spot in less than three days after its release, he certainly felt a sense of achievement. Sometimes you need that big pat on the back, he says. Come 2020 his biggest focus is improving his YouTube channel with his new production team and also perform at more shows in Sri Lanka and tours. He also hopes to release new music videos (which have already stacked up). Costa will also perform in Sri Lanka this April. As we close he thanks those who helped him along the way. Including his parents for not stopping him, his friend Janak Eshan who edited his videos, David Luchow, threeway.lk, Croos who helps him with his artwork, his wife, his massina and the artists who collaborated with him along the way to make great music. For more updates on Costa and his music log onto His website at- https://costamaarley.com/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/costa_maarley/ We have nothing. We dont have that kind of money they are asking for. Those were the words of one of the nephews of couple Narine Maraj, 62, and Mattie Maraj, 52, who were kidnapped on Saturday evening after leaving their Madras, St Helena, home to tend to their animals at a family-owned farm in Piarco. In an effort to boost post-Brexit trade relations with European Union (EU), British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on January 8. Britain is set to formally leave the 28-members bloc on January 31 and the transition period will follow until December 2020. According to media reports, the two leaders are likely to discuss the possibility of a new trade relationship during the transition period as the UK will start opening rounds of talks after January. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron had asserted that he wants a strong relationship with the United Kingdom post-Brexit. In New Years Eve address to the nation, Macron had said that the departure of Britain from the European Union is the test for France and he will strive to maintain a solid relationship between the two countries. Johnson is leading the way to ensure the impending Brexit by January 31 after the Conservative Party won the recently-concluded general elections with an overwhelming majority. The huge victory margin is considered as strong support from the people of Britain towards the Brexit since Conservatives had contested the election with a central theme of Get Brexit Done. Read: UK Government To Mint 1 Million Commemorative Brexit Coins For A Third Time Landslide victory in general elections The Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Johnson, registered a landslide victory with 365 seats out the 650 which has now set the ball rolling for the impending Brexit. Conservatives needed to cross the halfway mark, i.e. 325 seats, on their own to ensure Brexit by January 31. The huge victory margin is considered as strong support from the people of Britain towards the Brexit since Conservatives had contested the election with a central theme of Get Brexit Done. Read: Another One For Boris Johnson To Sort Out: UK Manufacturing Shrinks Again, Data Reveals The Labour Party faced its worst defeat since 1935 which left Corbyn with no choice other than relinquish the leadership role. The Labour Party won 203 seats in the general elections and will again lead the opposition in the Parliament. Scottish National Party (SNP) emerged as the third-largest party with 48 seats and the Liberal Democrats, led by Jo Swinson, managed to win 11 seats. Read: Boris Johnson Appeal Remainers To Be 'friends And Equals'; Netizens Unhappy Read: United Kingdom: Big Ben Could Chime To Mark Brexit Day On January 31 (With inputs from agencies) (Newser) A skeleton found by hikers this fall near California's second-highest peak was identified Friday as a Japanese American artist who had left the Manzanar internment camp to paint in the mountains in the waning days of World War II, the AP reports. The Inyo County sheriff used DNA to identify the remains of Giichi Matsumura, who succumbed to the elements during a freak summer snowstorm while on a hiking trip with other members of the camp. Matsumura had apparently stopped to paint a watercolor while the other men, a group of anglers, continued toward a lake to fish. His body wasn't found for another month, and the tragedy was overshadowed in the immediate days after his Aug. 2, 1945 disappearance when the US dropped the first atomic bomb, hastening Japans surrender in the war. story continues below Matsumura was one of over 1,800 detainees who died in the 10 prison camps in the West, though it's an unusual death. While his burial in the mountains was well known among members of the camp and his family, the story faded over time and the location of the grave site in a remote boulder-strewn area 12,000 feet above sea level was lost to time. Lori Matsumura, the granddaughter who provided the DNA sample, was surprised when Sgt. Nate Derr of the Inyo County sheriffs office contacted her to say they believed her grandfather's remains had been discovered. After all, he had been found nearly 75 years ago and buried. "It was a bit of a rediscovery," she says. "We knew where he was approximately because we knew the story of what happened. So we knew he was there." (Read more World War II stories.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah and Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta and Bekasi Sat, January 4, 2020 Sofian, 55, eventually returned to his house in the flood-hit Puri Gede Permai housing complex in Jatiasih, Bekasi municipality, West Java, on Friday after he was evacuated to a nearby shelter the previous day. He recalled the long wait for the evacuation that had left him, his wife and two children stranded on the rooftop of their house for hours. The Puri Gede Permai complex is among the most flood-affected areas, with flood water reaching as high as 3 meters on Thursday. "I only got a portion of food for my whole family while waiting to be rescued, so we shared the food," Sofian told The Jakarta Post. He was eventually evacuated at 11 a.m. on Thursday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login BAGHDAD - Iraq was the uneasy epicenter of a region on edge Saturday after the killing of Iran's most prominent military leader, with an angry funeral procession winding through its capital in the morning and rockets falling after dark. Adding to the apprehensions was a series of threats and counterthreats from Iran and President Donald Trump, with the U.S. leader tweeting Saturday that targets in Iran would be "hit very fast and very hard" should U.S. assets or personnel be attacked. Early Friday, U.S. drone strikes ripped through two cars traveling outside Baghdad's international airport, killing Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a powerful Iraqi militia leader, along with eight other people. Iran immediately vowed to seek revenge for the killing of Soleimani, as the Trump administration announced that it was sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East. The tensions continued to build Saturday as NATO announced that it was suspending its training of troops in Iraq and the United States said that it had stepped up security at military bases in the country. An Iranian commander quoted by the Tasnim News Agency on Saturday suggested that dozens of U.S. facilities and military assets in the Middle East were at risk, along with Israel, a key U.S. ally. "Thirty-five vital American positions in the region are within the reach of the Islamic Republic, and Tel Aviv," the commander, Brig. Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, was quoted as saying. "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital thoroughfare for the West, and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf," he added. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia backed by Iran, warned members of Iraqi security forces to keep more than half a mile from U.S. military bases, beginning Sunday evening. The militia, which led a siege of the U.S. Embassy before Soleimani's killing, did not say why it issued the warning. Trump, tweeting Saturday from his personal resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, appeared to be responding in kind when he said that the United States had targeted multiple sites in Iran and that those targets would be struck should U.S. military sites be attacked or Americans harmed. He also repeated the administration's justification for Soleimani's killing, referring to the Iranian commander as a "terrorist leader" who had been planning additional attacks. "Iran has been nothing but a problem for many years," Trump tweeted. "Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!" ALSO How President Trump decided to kill a top Iranian general A spokesman for the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State said that "we have increased security and defensive measures at the Iraqi bases that host anti-ISIS coalition troops. Our command places protection of U.S. forces, as well as our allies and security partners in the coalition, as the top priority; we remain vigilant and resolute." The focal point of the anxiety was Baghdad, where thousands of people joined a funeral procession for Soleimani and Muhandis on Saturday as helicopters shadowed the crowds. "Death to America, death to Israel," people chanted. "We will take our revenge!" The procession, which began in Baghdad and moved on to the Iraqi Shiite shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala, offered a vivid display of how both Iran and the United States are deeply entwined in Iraq. The crowds bellowed anti-American cries and vowed to fight to avenge one of Iran's heroes as U.S.-allied Iraqi security forces watched over the chanting throngs. Soleimani's burial is scheduled for Tuesday in Kerman, his hometown in southeastern Iran. Later Saturday, rockets were fired toward Baghdad's Green Zone, site of the U.S. Embassy, and at an air base hosting U.S. troops north of Baghdad, but they caused no casualties, according to Iraqi and U.S. officials, who did not say who had fired the rockets. The White House delivered a formal notification of the drone strike that killed Soleimani to Congress on Saturday, as is required under the War Powers Act. The report is completely classified, according to a senior Democratic aide, but probably details the administration's justification for the strike, as well as the constitutional and legislative rationale used to send troops. It was unclear whether the administration would issue a nonclassified version that could be publicized. NATO, which has several hundred personnel in Iraq, said Saturday that it has temporarily suspended its training of Iraqi forces to counter the Islamic State, according to Dylan White, a NATO spokesman. "The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary," he said in an emailed statement. Elsewhere, regional governments were scrambling to avoid further outbreaks of violence. Qatar's foreign minister traveled to Tehran on Saturday and discussed "ways to maintain collective security of the region" with his Iranian counterpart, the Qatar News Agency said. In Saudi Arabia, King Salman called Iraq's president, Barham Salih, and discussed "the importance of calm and defusing the crisis in the region," the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states have reacted nervously to the escalating tensions because of their proximity to Iran and fears of a backlash due to their close partnerships, including military cooperation, with the United States. The drone attack early Friday local time struck a two-vehicle convoy on an access road near Baghdad International Airport and also killed several of Soleimani's local allies. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called the attack "an assassination" that was a "flagrant violation of the conditions authorizing the presence of U.S. troops" on Iraqi soil. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a security spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, said Saturday that authorities were investigating crew members who were on the aircraft that brought Soleimani to Baghdad, reportedly from Damascus - apparently to determine how the United States learned of the Iranian commander's whereabouts. Khalaf, speaking to Iraq's state news agency, reiterated that U.S. forces are not allowed to conduct military operations in Iraq without the approval of the prime minister, and he hinted that their future in the country is in doubt. "We have alternatives to train our armed forces," Khalaf said. - - - Fahim reported from Istanbul. The Washington Post's Louisa Loveluck in Beirut and Seung Min Kim in West Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to this report. The sudden turn of events in West Asia, centred around the US airstrike on Iran in which a top General was killed, has tea exporters and plantation companies worried. The development comes just as Iran has emerged to be the top export destination for Indian tea, outpacing even Russia and other traditionally key markets. The worry now is that escalation of tension in Iran and more of trade sanctions on this country would direly impact the boom in tea shipment. An exporter to Iran said, Stability is crucial for trade and with the US repeatedly resorting to airstrikes and Iran promising ... As the political parties wrangle for the best possible deal to allow a return to Stormont, one question begged is the constitutional implications for a resumption of devolution. (stock photo) As the political parties wrangle for the best possible deal to allow a return to Stormont, one question begged is the constitutional implications for a resumption of devolution. The last three years have seen endless speculation over how Brexit could help bring about a united Ireland. Online opinion polls have seen sizeable movement in this direction over the last year. Yet successive annual Northern Ireland Life and Times surveys have shown that support for devolved power-sharing within the UK is the most popular constitutional option. In 2018, this was endorsed by 41% of the electorate, compared to only 19% backing Irish unity and 21% direct UK rule. Read More That study was conducted more than 18 months after the Brexit vote and a year after the collapse of the Assembly. Given the apparent continuing popularity of devolved power-sharing, is it possible that its successful restoration could mean the continued containment of aspirations for a united Ireland? The low support for Irish unity in the Life and Times survey and in other university-based studies comes via face-to-face interviews. It contrasts with much higher support recorded in online surveys such as those undertaken by LucidTalk. Read More Question phrasing may also matter. Some surveys ask respondents their long-term constitutional preference for Northern Ireland. That is not guaranteed to obtain the same result as a question asking, "how you would vote if there was a border poll tomorrow?" The ESRC Westminster election studies, involving the universities of Liverpool, Leeds, Aberdeen and the LSE and undertaken by Social Market Research Belfast, use the "border poll tomorrow" question. The 2017 version found 27% support for unity, 23% don't know and 50% support for staying in the UK. We await with interest the 2019 results due next month. These surveys - and their reliability - matter because they have potentially important implications for prospects for a border poll. The Northern Ireland Act 1998, which gave effect to the Good Friday Agreement, says that a poll will be called by the Secretary of State "if at any time it appears likely to him that a majority of those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to be part of the UK and form part of a united Ireland". This is highly arbitrary. Even leaving aside that a British Secretary of State is hardly a constitutional neutral, where is the objective criteria for the pre-assessment of public opinion? It does not exist. On what basis does the Secretary of State decide to press the poll button? We simply don't know. During the time that the two most recent Secretaries of State have held office, there have been polls ranging from 52% support for unity to a mere 21%. Cherry-picking of poll results according to political preferences is nothing new but it is no way to trigger a constitutional question. We need to know which surveys or polls are being considered, why some are more highly regarded than others; whether there is a threshold (say, above 40% support for a united Ireland) to trigger a unity vote and over what period of time that threshold needs to be reached. It is also worth considering that there has been significant demographic change which has influenced election results in places such as North Belfast. The DUP leads Sinn Fein by a solitary seat in Westminster and Assembly representation. Should that closeness form criteria for staging a border poll? Or is the surge in support for the constitutional neutrals of Alliance more important? We don't know because there is no fixed criteria. There is a need for an independent panel, using objective analysis, to at least recommend to the Secretary of State the appropriate course of action and to act fairly to unionists, nationalists and constitutional agnostics alike. To be clear, I have no doubt that if a border poll was to be held tomorrow there would be a majority in favour of the status quo. Sinn Fein has much work to do. The point is bigger than party politics or the merits of such a contest. This is an argument for clearer criteria for a border poll, not necessarily the wisdom of staging one tomorrow. To its credit, the constitution unit at University College London is attempting to address some of the issues raised here but this admirable work does not change the legal position in which the Secretary of State alone effectively decides what the people of Northern Ireland are thinking. Is he thinking what you are thinking? Jon Tonge is professor of politics at the University of Liverpool and principal investigator of ESRC NI general election studies Keralas Pinarayi Vijayan writes to 11 of his counterparts, urging them to unite and coordinate efforts against the law. New Delhi, India Political challenges for Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are mounting with a number of Indian states saying they will not implement the contentious law seen as anti-Muslim, and backing nationwide protests against it. On Friday, Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of the southern state of Kerala, wrote to 11 of his counterparts, urging them to unite and coordinate their efforts as part of the oppositions pushback against the CAA. Wrote to 11 Chief Ministers requesting intervention on CAA. Why we resist? Vijayan posted on Twitter, along with a copy of the letter he sent. 191217070423101 Apprehensions have arisen among large sections of our society consequent to the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. The need of the hour is unity among all Indians wishing to protect democracy and secularism, his letter said. Meanwhile, 27 people have died in nearly a month of protests against the law, with at least 19 of those deaths reported from Uttar Pradesh state, governed by a hardline Hindu nationalist belonging to Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Fear and fury over CAA and NRC Pushed by the right-wing BJP and passed by parliament last month, CAA will give Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Indias neighbours Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but blocks naturalisation for Muslims. Opposition parties and legal experts argue the law is discriminatory since it singles out Muslims in an officially secular nation of 1.3 billion people, nearly 15 percent of whom are Muslim, who fear the law is aimed at marginalising them. A demonstration organised by various Muslim groups in Keralas Kochi city against the citizenship law [AFP] The fears have been compounded with a planned National Register of Citizens (NRC), a count of Indias citizens which the BJP wants to conduct across the country, triggering anxieties over the documents people would need to prove their citizenship. NRC was originally an exercise exclusive to the ethnically-diverse northeastern state of Assam, where a movement against allowing any undocumented migrant, irrespective of religion, to settle there has been ongoing for decades. A final list of citizens, published in August, excluded nearly 1.9 million residents, effectively rendering them stateless. Recently, Modis government approved almost $130bn to conduct a nationwide National Population Register (NPR), which Muslims and activists claim is a precursor to NRC. Critics say the moves are part of a Hindu supremacist agenda pushed by Modi since he came to power nearly six years ago. Down with fascism and Save constitution are some of the most popular slogans in more than three weeks of protests, which large numbers of Muslims have participated in. Multiple petitions challenging the new law as unconstitutional have been filed in Indias Supreme Court, which will hear some of those pleas on January 22. Many states refuse to implement CAA Several among the 11 states Vijayan wrote to have already expressed their opposition to the citizenship law and publicly declared they will not implement it. West Bengals Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a staunch Modi critic, has led several mass rallies in her state against the law. Last week, she said she will not implement CAA as long as I am alive. In 2020, ordinary citizens, including students, are headlining this movement, Derek OBrien of the Trinamool Congress party which governs West Bengal, told Al Jazeera. This is a peoples movement to save the idea of India. Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governed by the main opposition Congress party also announced they will not impose the new law in their states. The law has also been rejected in the western state of Maharashtra, where the Congress is part of a coalition government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, a former BJP ally whose Shiv Sena party had voted in favour of the citizenship bill in the lower house of Indias parliament. The fact is NRC and CAA cannot be decoupled. Together they are a manifestation of deliberate exclusionary politics to marginalise the Muslim community and effectively disenfranchise them, Congress spokesman Sanjay Jha told Al Jazeera. 191218080338840 We shall contest this segregationist politics of the BJP in the courts and on public squares all over the country, he said, saying he hoped the Supreme Court would strike the CAA down. MA Baby, member of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) party in Kerala, said Indias constitution does not permit discrimination based on religion. Its a wicked idea floated by the RSS which is controlling the BJP to foster a religious divide within India, he told Al Jazeera, referring to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Association of Volunteers), BJPs far-right mentor which draws its inspiration from Nazi-era Germany. A child holds a placard during a protest against CAA and NRC in New Delhi [Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto/Getty Images] Govt says states obligated to follow Modis government, meanwhile, remains defiant, with the federal law minister this week saying the states have a constitutional duty to implement laws passed by the parliament. At a rally in Rajasthan on Friday, Modis close aide and Indias Home Minister Amit Shah said: Even if all these [opposition] parties come together, BJP will not move back even an inch on this issue of CAA. BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao told Al Jazeera that the oppositions criticism of CAA is hypocritical. Most parties like the Congress and Left have themselves demanded citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh, he said, adding that his party has launched an outreach programme to spread awareness about the law and to expose the lies of the opposition. When asked about conflicting statements made by Modi and Shah about a nationwide NRC, Rao said: There is no discussion on NRC at present. Whenever it is planned, it will only be taken up in consultation with all stakeholders including the state governments. But Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party, which governs the national capital territory of Delhi, said the law is only intended to disturb the country. There are lot of people in the country who are against this law and that should be a reason for the central government to revoke or rethink this, he told Al Jazeera. Engineers now say it could take until the end of the year before the demolition of the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans is completed, almost twice as long as officials had estimated a few weeks ago. The new plan laid out by firms working for 1031 Canal Development, the consortium behind the Hard Rock project, says it will take workers until May to stabilize the building enough to begin picking it apart. The process of dismantling the twisted mass of concrete and steel at the corner of Canal and North Rampart streets would then stretch into December. City officials said Friday they are not pleased. We are very unhappy with that timeline and we have made it very clear to them that we are unhappy with it and we have asked them to go back and find some way to shorten this timeline, New Orleans Fire Department Superintendent Tim McConnell said. City officials had said Dec. 12 that they expected the process to be wrapped up by around late summer. +4 Hard Rock Hotel demolition: Process will stretch many months into 2020, officials say Get used to the sight of the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel: Its going to be looming over Canal Street well into next year. McConnell, who has been Mayor LaToya Cantrells point-person on the Hard Rock collapse, said the city received new plans for the demolition on Christmas Eve that call for months of additional work to ensure the structure is properly supported before efforts can begin to take it down. This is still a very dangerous building, and its the ownerships responsibility to mitigate this disaster, he said. Representatives of the developers did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. The primary partner in the $85 million project is developer Mohan Kailas. +2 Cantrell backs plan for demolishing buildings by Hard Rock site; council member is skeptical Mayor LaToya Cantrell is backing a proposal by the Hard Rock Hotels developers to tear down three nearby buildings as part of their plan to d The top floors of the partially built Hard Rock collapsed on Oct. 12, killing three workers and injuring several more. The bodies of two of those workers remain trapped inside the rubble. Other than using explosives to partially demolish two cranes that had been attached to the building, the site has largely remained untouched since the original collapse. 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 After briefly considering a plan to implode the building, the developers and city officials settled on a two-part proposal for the demolition. First, crews would be brought in to shore up the building, which is in a precarious state that engineers warn could further collapse. Once it is stabilized, efforts to retrieve the two bodies inside could begin and then the structure could be taken apart piece by piece. +2 Hard Rock demolition latest: Developers seek to fell 3 nearby buildings; see reaction The developers of the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans are seeking a permit to take down three adjacent buildings as part of The development firm is responsible for the demolition of the site, but its plans need to be reviewed by the city and outside experts before they are approved. The original timeline envisioned by officials would have seen the building shored up by Feb. 28 and the demolition completed by late summer. But the new plans submitted by the firm the developers have hired to shore up the building said that just stabilizing it enough to begin the demolition work would take until May, McConnell said. The site would not be fully cleared until near the end of the year, he said. I would like to think the engineers can figure a way, a fast way to do it safely, he said. +4 Hard Rock demolition may wipe out 111-year-old Canal Street theater, former Rubenstein's For the time being, the Alamo Theater is still at 1027 Canal St., standing against the ravages of time and, more recently, of circumstance. Meanwhile, McConnell said the developers have not yet provided the city with evidence of the need to demolish three adjacent historic buildings on Canal and Iberville streets which are also owned by Kailas or another partner in the Hard Rock venture, Todd Trosclair in order to safely bring down the ill-fated hotel. That plan has been criticized by historic preservationists and Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer. But Cantrell has indicated she supports the proposal based on a need to create a clear line of sight to the building during demolition. McConnell on Friday said developers have not yet submitted any evidence that those three buildings' demolition is needed. Weve made it very clear they need to present hard evidence that stands up to peer review to do that, McConnell said. Its their responsibility to prove that needs to be done. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington Sat, January 4, 2020 08:34 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320c5f34 2 News Iraq,united-states,travel,Tourist,tourism,Qasem-Soleimani Free The State Department on Friday told US citizens to leave Iraq "immediately," after an American strike killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. "Due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, we urge US citizens to depart Iraq immediately," the State Department tweeted. "Due to Iranian-backed militia attacks at the US Embassy compound, all consular operations are suspended. US citizens should not approach the Embassy." #Iraq: Due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, we urge U.S. citizens to depart Iraq immediately. Due to Iranian-backed militia attacks at the U.S. Embassy compound, all consular operations are suspended. U.S. citizens should not approach the Embassy. pic.twitter.com/rdRce3Qr4a Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov) January 3, 2020 The US announced earlier Friday that it had killed the powerful general in a strike on Baghdad's international airport, in which the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force also died. Read also: Pentagon confirms Trump ordered killing of Iran Guards commander Tensions with Iraq were already running high after pro-Iranian protesters laid siege the US embassy on Tuesday, reacting to weekend airstrikes that killed at least 25 fighters from the hardline Kataeb Hezbollah paramilitary group. The strikes were in response to a 36-rocket attack last week that killed an American contractor at an Iraqi base. The Pentagon said Soleimani had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the past few months, including on December 27, the day the contractor was killed. Soleimani "also approved the attacks" on the US embassy in Baghdad, according to the Pentagon. The US State Department had issued a travel advisory for Iraq on January 1, warning citizens not to travel to the country. Three more were seriously injured On Friday night, the US military launched an air strike just north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. As a result of the incident, 6 people were killed, and three more were seriously injured. Reuters reports. As we reported, a missile attack on Baghdad international airport took place on Friday; the shells killed at least seven people and wounded minimum nine. As a result of attack on Baghdad international airport, the Iranian General Qassem Suleimani died, he was killed on orders from US President Donald Trump. The United States will send three thousand soldiers from 82 airborne divisions to the Middle East due to increased tension in relations with Iran Several thousand protesters attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq on Tuesday due to US air strikes that killed more than two dozen pro-Iran fighters at the weekend. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the attempt to attack the U.S. Embassy in Iraq The Sydney Festival is a massive event covering a huge amount of ground both culturally and geographically. Not every piece that makes up Wesley Enoch's glittering mosaic will be to your taste. But equally, one of the great pleasures of the festival is seeking out the more offbeat offerings and reaping the rewards of travelling outside your comfort zone. SIX in the city: The hit musical about the wives of Henry VIII is one of the safe bets of the festival. Here's a quick - very subjective - selection of events from the four main categories, presented in order of how adventurous you might be feeling. Remember, it's only our take - the best advice is to get among it and check out as much as you can, especially things that are new to you. Tucker Carlson stood apart from most of his Fox News counterparts by openly criticizing the decision to assassinate top Iranian general Maj. Gen. Qassim Soleimani. In a segment on his show Friday night, Carlson largely avoided directly criticizing President Donald Trump, but he did condemn chest beaters who want the United States to get involved in more foreign wars. Carlson openly criticized Secretary of State Mike Pompeos assertion that the strike that killed Soleimani was called due to threats in the region. Advertisement Threats in the region? If you dont live in Washington, heres the translation: That would be in hostile Middle Eastern countries, Carlson said. Places where American troops would never be in the first place, were it not for the insistent demands of nongeniuses like Max Boot and John Bolton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Must Watch @TuckerCarlson Monologue on Iran There are an awful lot of bad people in this world. We can't kill them all, it's not our job. Instead, our government exists to defend and promote the interests of American citizens. Period." Exactly, America First! pic.twitter.com/gxyLPK0CDo The Columbia Bugle (@ColumbiaBugle) January 4, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Carlson went on to ask four questions to make his point that he thinks the United States has bigger things to worry about: Is Iran really the greatest threat we face? And whos actually benefiting from this? And why are we continuing to ignore the decline of our own country in favor of jumping into another quagmire from which there is no obvious exit? By the way, if were still in Afghanistan, 19 years, sad years, later, what makes us think theres a quick way out of Iran? Some of Tucker Carlson's Qs: "Is Iran really the greatest threat we face? Who's actually benefiting from this? Why are we continuing to ignore the decline of our own country in favor of jumping into another quagmire from which there is no obvious exit?" pic.twitter.com/WLHcgI1u3Q Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 4, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carlson also criticized Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, who had characterized the assassination of Soleimani as very simple because he was an evil bastard who murdered Americans. Even if that is true, Carlson said, it doesnt explain why the United States isnt launching similar attacks against Mexico and China who are also linked to the deaths of Americans. Soleimani was certainly a bad guy. But does that make killing him quote Very simple? It does not, Carlson said. Nothing about life and certainly nothing about killing is ever very simple and any politician that tells you otherwise is dumb or is lying. Advertisement Advertisement Trump, Carlson said, ran for president on a promise of fewer foreign adventures and he vowed to focus on our problems here at home. Since then, Washington and some of the presidents advisers have been committed to ignoring the results of that election and its implications. Washington has wanted war with Iran for decades . They may have finally gotten it. Carlsons skepticism stood out on a network of outspoken supporters of the president and Thursdays airstrike, points out CNN. Right after Carlsons show, for example, Sean Hannity began his own show by saying that the world is safer as one of the most ruthless, evil war criminals on Earth has been brought to justice. A police investigator died on New Year's Day from cancer stemming from his response to the 9/11 attacks. Ryan Fortini, 42, died on New Year's Day from cancer stemming from his assignment to the World Trade Center site, following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, New York State Police said. Thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad today during funeral processions for the slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and an Iraqi militia commander who died with him during yesterday's US strike. They chanted 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' as they walked beside the coffins of Soleimani, architect of Iran's global military strategy, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Kataeb Hezbollah chief, in Baghdad. The pair had been riding in a two-vehicle convoy which was decimated by three missiles from an American MQ-9 Reaper Drone in the early hours of Friday outside Baghdad International Airport. The strike - which also killed four more Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards and five members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary network - infuriated Tehran, who vowed jihad on America. Thousands of mourners pack the streets of Baghdad on Saturday to mourn Soleimani and Muhandis killed in a US strike outside the Iraqi capital's airport in the early hours of Friday Funeral processions were held for the 62-year-old Soleimani (left), chief of the elite Quds Forces arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, as well Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, 66, (right) commander of a pro-Iran Iraqi militia in Baghdad on Saturday Meanwhile Iraq, whose prime minister attended the funerals today, threatened to order the expulsion of all US troops from the country after what it called 'a brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' President Donald Trump has said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. Mourners in the Iraqi capital today carried posters of Soleimani and flags of Muhandis's Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah militia, which has committed brazen attacks against US bases in recent months, climaxing with a siege of the US embassy on Tuesday. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered in Shia Islam before crowds headed south to a point near the Green Zone, the high-security district home to government offices and foreign embassies, including America's. Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday Meanwhile thousands of angry demonstrators stood outside the UN offices in Iran's capital, demanding retribution for the killing of Soleimani. The head of Iran's elite Quds Force will be laid to rest Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman as part of three days of ceremonies across the country, the Revolutionary Guards said. Yesterday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited the 62-year-old father-of-five's family home and offered condolences after vowing 'jihad' on America for the drone strike. It comes as Tehran's UN ambassador, who represents Iran's only diplomatic mission within the US, told CNN Friday that the airstrike was 'tantamount to opening a war against Iran.' 'The US has already started a war against Iran, not just an economic war but something beyond that by assassinating one of our top generals,' Ravanchi said. 'There will be harsh revenge... The response for a military action is a military action.' Today mourners in the Iraqi capital, many of them in tears, chanted: 'No, No, America,' and 'Death to America, death to Israel.' Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. 'It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us,' he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The remains will later be taken to the Shiite holy city of Najaf to the south, and the remains of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning. Following the violent attacks on the embassy during marches for other militant 'martyrs' earlier this week, the U.S. is bracing for the possibility of another assault. Some of the funeral processions were being held in areas close to the heavily-fortified 'Green Zone' and officials are extremely wary of masses of militia close to consular buildings. Any attempt by Iran-backed militias to breach the embassy would 'run into a buzzsaw' of fire from U.S. defenders, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said earlier this week. 'We are very confident that the integrity of that embassy is strong and it is highly unlikely to be physically overrun by anyone,' Milley said at a Pentagon briefing. A US defense official told AFP Saturday that America would scale back military operations in Iraq and devote manpower to defending its bases and troops. 'We will conduct limited anti-Islamic State group operations with our security partners where it mutually supports our force protection efforts,' the official said. 'We have increased security and defensive measures at Iraqi bases that host coalition troops.' NATO announced Saturday it was suspending training missions in Iraq. The NATO mission in Iraq, which numbers in the hundreds, trains the country's security forces at the request of the Baghdad government to prevent the return of the Islamic State group. As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an airstrike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any airstrike had taken place. The U.S.-led coalition also denied carrying out any airstrike. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the airstrike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if another type of explosion had occurred. After intensive negotiations, the Russian company Gazprom and the Ukrainian company Naftogaz concluded a new contract for gas transit through Ukraine on December 31, 2019. The gas transit through Ukraine is thus secured for the next five years. The German Government, together with the European Commission, put a lot of effort to ensure that Ukraine and Russia signed a new 5-year contract for gas transit, one day prior to the expiry of the old agreement. The role of Germany is described in an article on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. With the conclusion of the contract, the trilateral talks on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, which had been ongoing for one and a half years, have reached a successful conclusion. The talks were mediated by the European Commission, which was represented by Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. The Federal Government advocated the continuation of the gas transit through Ukraine in this regard. It has actively supported the Commission through high-level meetings between the Federal Chancellor, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Economic Affairs Minister Peter Altmaier, as well as the respective representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian governments, the statement reads. Georg Graf Waldersee, who was appointed Special Representative of the Federal Government for Gas Transit through Ukraine in September 2019, was instrumental in bringing the two sides closer together. The contracts are based on the agreement in principle reached in Berlin on December 19, 2019 and in Minsk on December 20, 2019 on gas transit from 2020. An important prerequisite for the new gas transit agreement, which is based on European law for the first time, was the concept known as unbundling. Unbundling refers to the obligation in the European internal market to separate gas suppliers and network operators. This creates transparency and competition in the market, which benefits consumers. The continuation of the gas transit through Ukraine is a particularly clear reflection of the Federal Governments commitment to European energy security. In particular, Germany is committed to ensuring different suppliers and supply routes as well as transparent contracts in accordance with the EUs Third Energy Package. On the basis of market economy principles, the Federal Government therefore promotes both an alternative gas supply such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US and the diversity of transport routes, which can be achieved via Nord Stream 2. In this regard, the Federal Government regrets the extraterritorial sanctions recently imposed by the US Government against this project and others, which both Germany and the EU reject as a matter of principle. ish Cleaning up a tainted public service View(s): There was a time when our public service was a respected institution manned by highly-skilled officials performing public duties for the benefit of the people. Today that seems like eons ago. That golden era when officials were not afraid to take independent administrative decisions without running behind every two-bit politician to earn some merit points has crumbled into dust. One would now need the assistance of the Archeology Department to dig up that past. Our public service of the distant past was not just respected by a grateful populace but had earned a reputation abroad. It might be recalled that Lee Kuan Yew, the visionary founder of modern Singapore, had in its pre-independence days wanted to build the island state in the fashion of the then Ceylon. Among the features that drew Lee to see Ceylon as a model for the future Singapore was the countrys public service built by British colonial administrators was clean, efficient and largely untouched by corruption. I do not know how many would recall that selection to the Civil Service and Foreign Service followed a highly competitive and tough written examination and interview. The first four to six persons were absorbed into the Civil Service and the next lot into the Foreign Service depending on the number of vacancies in each service. It was the domestic administration that was considered superior and more important in nation building. While the Ceylon Civil Service (CCS as it was called) attracted the best and brightest other than those who preferred the professions like medicine, the law and engineering, the Ceylon Administrative Service (CAS) that succeeded the CCS in May 1963 somehow lost its grip on administration as it became more and more politicised. During my early years as a journalist from 1962, I was in constant touch with those in the CCS, some of whom were my contemporaries at Peradeniya University and in the CAS. Up to the point I left Sri Lanka in September 1989, I was in almost daily contact with officials who helped run the administration. One was already beginning to see the rot setting in with politics intruding into decision-making, politicians with no knowledge and little education dictating policies that were driven more by self-interest and self-aggrandizement than national interest viewed in the long term. By that time bribery and corruption were gradually being entrenched in the body politic in insidious and invidious ways. This was spreading from the political to the administrative structures where even the highest levels of the public service were not free of corruption and where the biblical saying that it is more blessed to give than to receive had been advantageously reversed. I well remember the days when Anil Moonesinghe was chairman of the CTB (and Leslie Goonewardene Minister of Transport in Sirima Bandaranaikes 1970 coalition government), chairman Moonesinghe would visit bus depots at 4 oclock in the morning to see whether transport functioned properly and workers turned up on time. Nor can one forget Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa, head well-covered to avoid recognition, joining long queues of frustrated people waiting to buy a bag or two of cement, to see how the public was served, corruption free. Several years before that, I was covering Prime Minister Dudley Senanayakes food drive for the Daily News. On one occasion during discussions at the Batticaloa Kachcheri, the prime minister spotted some fudged statistics which were highly misleading and which the then GA tried to cover up. One could see it coming. A couple of days later the GA was transferred out of the post. The lesson to be learnt is that there were politicians then who were determined to root out evil practices in the system and instil honesty and integrity. In later years, others too tried their hand at spring-cleaning but to little avail. Some politicians have fallen prey to the very practices such as bribery and corruption they set out to eliminate. Ultimately the problem has turned worse to the point that corruption has spread to the lowest levels and it appears that those who are nabbed by the authorities are those at the bottom of the ladder. Some claim, perhaps rightly, those are persons more in need of the extra buck, than politicians and upper-crust officials who have well settled in life. It was with much interest that I read a recent news report of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressing this very same subject at a meeting with State ministers and officials of State institutions. The new president had emphasised the need for an efficient and corruption-free public service. If nothing can be done without money changing hands then each time that happens one ends up with a disgruntled and even worse an antagonistic public who turn its wrath on the rulers. Some months after he was elected president in 2015, Maithripala Sirisena turned up in London to attend an anti-corruption and money laundering summit convened by the then British Prime Minster David Cameron. At that meeting, Sirisena was boasting about the steps he had already taken in this regard and what more he was planning to do to eliminate corruption. Alas we all know how that endeavor if actually intended floundered, how few big time launderers and the corrupt ever paid the price. President Rajapaksa has one advantage that traditional healers of corruption did not have. He is more a technocrat than a politician and has proved himself in some areas where a firm hand is necessary. For years now the public service has been going down the drain up to the point that it has now reached the sewer. About two months ago, I met a chap in London I had not seen for several years. He had returned from Colombo a couple of months earlier. During his stay, he had transacted some business at the Immigration Department. Whether he realised it or not transacted business proved to be an apposite phrase. It had cost him a hundred thousand rupees and the bribe had to be delivered at the officials residence many miles to the north of Colombo. It was a substantial sum for those living in Sri Lanka but she had claimed it had to be shared with other staffers. Somewhere in the nations vast bureaucracy such, transactions happen almost every working and even non-working days. If one is able to collect all these happenings and line them up one behind the other, it should a bigger danger to our planet than climate change seeing how many times it would traverse the globe. It happens not only in state institutions such as Immigration, Inland Revenue, RMV and Customs departments. Some who have visited the Colombo Municipal Council to have some documents signed, sealed and delivered have interesting stories to tell which might make ones hair stand on end. If President Rajapaksa who seems to have set his mind on cleaning this Augean stable that has eluded the efforts of the some honest dry cleaners, could catch the crooked and recalcitrant and deal with them as a lesson to others, he will find a thankful public behind him. By ANI MUMBAI: The Congress party came under attack from all sides over its booklet claiming a physical relationship between Nathuram Godse and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as ally NCP joined Shiv Sena to criticize the party on Saturday. In a booklet, Congress Seva Dal said that there was a homosexual relationship between Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, and his political guru Savarkar, a Hindu ideologue. Speaking to ANI here, NCP leader and minister Nawab Malik said objectionable comments should not be made against ideological opponents and demanded that the booklet which was distributed during a camp be withdrawn. "Writing objectionable articles is wrong, ideological differences fine but personal comments should not be made, especially when the person (Savarkar) is not alive. The booklet should be withdrawn," said the NCP leader. Coming heavily on the Congress, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said that the people speaking ill of Savarkar have dirt in their minds. ALSO READ: Want answers from Shiv Sena, says Fadnavis on Savarkar row "Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him and it shows the dirt in their minds, whoever they might be," said Raut. Several senior BJP leaders have slammed the Congress for the booklet, with former Union minister Uma Bharati saying the grand old party needs a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, the grandson of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar urged the Madhya Pradesh government to ban the Congress booklet and has requested the state government to register a case in this regard. The booklet gave a reference citing page 423 the 'Freedom at Midnight' book written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which states that Godse had a homosexual relationship with his "political guru" Savarkar before the former turned celibate. Although Egypts first sovereign wealth fund (SWF) was established by virtue of a law approved by parliament in July 2018, it only came to life in 2019. The new SWFs board was formed in May 2019, and in November it launched its first investment initiatives. The authorised capital of the fund, dubbed Tharaa, meaning wealth in Arabic, is LE200 billion with paid-in capital of LE5 billion, of which 20 per cent will be provided by the government. Depending on investor interest, the funds authorised capital could be raised to LE1 trillion within the next three years. The funds broad objectives include generating employment, increasing production and exports, and funding infrastructure projects. Its operations will cover industry, traditional and renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, mining and tourism, with others such as farming to be eventually brought in. Whereas SWFs in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Norway, China and others derive their resources from central bank revenues or the states accrued wealth, Egypts SWF has a different resource base. While the purported aim of the fund is to promote investment, and especially foreign direct investment (FDI), in strategic areas of the economy such as energy, petrochemicals, mining, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), tourism and infrastructure, it will raise revenue from the sale of under-utilised state assets as well as unlisted companies. The state has sizeable properties in the real-estate and electricity sectors, among others. Other assets will be freed up when the government moves in 2020 to the New Administrative Capital. Such assets in the heart of Cairo will include the buildings that used to house the government and its various agencies. This will provide a diversified base of assets cutting across economic sectors, while at the same time producing the challenge of how to best maximise the value of unutilised or non-productive assets. Minister of Planning Hala Al-Said has announced that the SWFs objective is to add value to various economic sectors through partnerships with international companies and institutions, in addition to maximising the value of existing state assets and resources. The fund can establish sub-funds, the minister has announced, with the aim of channelling investment into the logistics, renewables and manufacturing sectors. The SWF board is headed by Al-Said as non-executive chairman. Its CEO, Ayman Suleiman, brings extensive expertise from his work with the private sector. The funds board is formed of representatives of different ministries, including planning, finance, and investment, as well as five members from the private sector who will give independent expertise. The board will be responsible for devising the funds general policies as well as supervising the use of government assets. It will also determine how the revenues and interests accruing from its investments are to be utilised. With the private-sector component playing an active role on the board, the fund is expected to operate according to principles of economic viability while exercising a degree of autonomy and flexibility in the decision-making process. In November 2019, the fund announced its first major initiative to draw in foreign investors, with Sueiman saying it was looking to acquire a 30 per cent stake in three 14.4 GW power plants built by the multinational company Siemens and Orascom Construction and Al-Sewidi Electric in Borollos in the Delta governorate of Kafr Al-Sheikh, in the governorate of Beni Sweif in Upper Egypt and in the New Administrative Capital. Soliman has announced that six international investors have expressed interest, with an agreement expected to be finalised in 2020. A joint venture can be formed between the shareholders, according to Suleiman, and a power-purchase agreement formed by which electricity output would be sold to the government. By virtue of its contract with the government, Siemens would continue to operate the power plants until at least 2026 alongside any new operator. A stake could also be offered in the plants on the Egyptian and international stock markets, Suleiman said. Countering speculation that Egypts new SWF could crowd out the private sector by holding a majority stake in its projects, Soliman stressed that the Fund would not be seeking a majority stake in all its projects. In an interview with the US financial service Bloomberg, he said the funds aim was to bring its own asset base into the market and make it available to investors. He has also stressed that as a member of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds, Tharaa is committed to adhering to criteria of corporate governance and transparency. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 December, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: 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 Keir Starmer has confirmed his bid to be the next Labour leader, vowing to listen to the public about the way the party must change to restore trust. The shadow Brexit secretary already the front-runner to succeed Jeremy Corbyn said he was looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail to win over the Labour membership. Sir Keir again urged his party not to lurch too far away from the policies of the outgoing leader, despite its general election thrashing, having previously called for it not to oversteer. He becomes the fifth candidate to declare, after Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis and prominent backbenchers Jess Phillips and Lisa Nandy. Over the coming weeks, Im looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail and talking to people from across the country about how Labour can rebuild and win, Sir Keir said, in a Sunday Mirror article. The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Show all 8 1 /8 The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Keir Starmer The former director of public prosecutions undoubtedly has announced that he is standing for the leadership. He is highly-regarded by both left-wingers and centrists in the party. As Labours shadow Brexit secretary, he played a key role in the partys eventual backing of a second referendum. Before becoming an MP, he was a human rights lawyer - conducting cases in international courts including the European Court of Human Rights. Launching his bid, Starmer said that Labour must listen to the public on how to change "restore trust in our party as a force for good." A YouGov poll places him comfortably in the lead as the preferred candidate of 36% of party members EPA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Lisa Nandy Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has announced she wil stand for the leadership. In a letter to the Wigan Post she said she wanted to bring Labour "home" to voters in its traditional strongholds who have abandoned the party. Nandy went on to say that she understands "that we have one chance to win back the trust of people in Wigan, Workington and Wrexham." A YouGov poll shows that Nandy is the first preference for 6% of partymembers. Getty The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Rebecca Long Bailey A key ally of the current left-wing leadership of the party, the Salford & Eccles MP is viewed in some quarters as the natural successor to Mr Corbyn and describes herself as a proud socialist. Highly regarded by the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell. She won also won plaudits for her performance filling in for Corbyn both at prime ministers questions and during the general election debates. The shadow business secretary grew up by Old Trafford football ground and began her working life serving at the counter of a pawn shop. Launching her leadership bid, Long Bailey said the party needs to make the positive case for immigration as a "positive force." She also broke with Corbyn over Trident, saying "If you have a deterrent you have to be prepared to use it." PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Angela Rayner - Deputy leadership Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has joined the contest for deputy leadership of the party. After ruling herself out of running for the leadership, the Ashton-under-Lynne MP launched her bid for deputy warning that Labour faces the "biggest challenge" in its history and must "win or die." She is close with leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Rosena Allin-Khan - Deputy leadership Shadow sport minister Rosena Allin-Khan said Labour need to listen with "humility" to lost voters as she launched her bid for the deputy leadership. Writing in The Independent, the MP for Tooting refelcted: "We shouldnt have ignored the warning signs in Scotland, and now weve paid the price in northern England, across the midlands and in Wales." PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Dawn Butler - Deputy leadership Shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler was first to announce her bid for the deputy leadership. The Brent Central MP has served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet since 2016 PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Ian Murray - Deputy leadership Labour's only MP in Scotland said that the architects of the party's "catastrophic failure" in the December election can not be allowed to lead the party forward PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Richard Burgon - Deputy leadership Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon is standing as a continuity candidate, flaunting his loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn and saying it is wrong to blame the current leader for the election defeat PA Britain desperately needs a Labour government. We need a Labour government that will offer people hope of a better future. However, that is only going to happen if Labour listens to people about what needs to change and how we can restore trust in our party as a force for good. Sir Keir is regarded with suspicion by some Corbyn supporters, having pushed for the pro-Final Say referendum on Brexit they blame for Labours catastrophic defeat, and would be another London-based leader. But he said the case for a bold and radical Labour government was as important as ever, in an apparent attempt not to alienate left-wing members. As this new decade dawns, I believe we can unite the party, retain our values and win, he insisted, ahead of a visit to Brexit-backing Stevenage. He would beat Rebecca Long Bailey, the lefts undeclared candidate, by 61 per cent to 39 per cent in a run-off, according to a survey of 1,059 Labour members conducted at the end of December. A human rights lawyer, Sir Keir was made Queens Counsel in 2002, served as head of the Crown Prosecution Service and accepted a knighthood in 2014. However, he has stressed his working-class upbringing by a father who was a toolmaker and a mother who was a nurse, who named him after Labour founder Keir Hardy. Sir Keir also released a campaign film highlighting his fights for justice, featuring words of support from Stephen Lawrences mother Baroness Lawrence, who said he was instrumental in getting justice for her murdered son. His work with the National Union of Mineworkers and on the McLibel case against McDonalds is also highlighted. Meanwhile, senior Labour MP David Lammy ruled himself out of the leadership contest, suggesting his anti-Brexit stance rendered him unsuitable to unite the partys vociferous factions. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday full statehood for Delhi will be a part of AAP's manifesto for the upcoming assembly election and the party will keep fighting for it. The demand was the main poll plank of AAP in the Lok Sabha election last year. However, it failed to impress the people of Delhi and AAP candidates lost on all seven seats in the city. Addressing the fifth town-hall meeting, anchored by ABP channel, Kejriwal said it is the only promise his party was not able to fulfil. But, he asserted, "full statehood for Delhi will be part of AAP's election manifesto and the party will keep fighting for it." The AAP is expected to release its manifesto between January 15 and 20. Kejriwal also said if re-elected he will make roads in Delhi like that of London and Tokyo in the next five years. "We are taking several steps to eliminate the issue of traffic congestion in Delhi. We are redesigning roads on the lines of international locations like London, Tokyo, and France. Delhi is the national capital of the country and it should be redesigned in such a way that we are proud of it," he said. "We have already given the contract of redesigning of 40 km of roads, and we will carry out further redesigning based on the same. The roads of Delhi are designed in such a way that a four-lane road transforms into a three-lane road after a few kilometres, creating a bottle-neck situation," he said. Kejriwal said the Delhi government is working on redesigning the roads so that they can be evened out and four-lane roads can be converted into three-lane and a footpath throughout the stretch. He reiterated his promise to expand the 'free bus rides for women' scheme to include other categories if he is re-elected. "A lot of work still has to be done in Delhi. Yamuna has to be cleaned, Delhi has to be cleaned, pollution needs to be controlled and transport needs to be improved," he said. "We had started about 300 Mohalla Clinics in Delhi and 150 Mohalla Clinics will be opened tomorrow," said Kejriwal. Expressing concern over increasing number of fire incidents in Delhi, he said action will be taken if a trend is found in fire incidents. On being asked whether he believes that the Congress will provide 600 units of free electricity if elected in Delhi, Kejriwal said, "They must do it in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab or Puducherry first. If they even announce the free provision of electricity in these states before the elections in Delhi, people will regain trust in them." Kejriwal alleged that the opposition is spreading rumours that "we (AAP) will discontinue the schemes after being re-elected, and several opposition parties are also saying that they will put an end to the free provision schemes if they form the government in Delhi. "The schemes will continue if the people vote for us, but will end if the people vote for them. We will also extend the free bus rides scheme to students and elders. For last 70 years, people have been deceived by previous governments about lack of funds," he said. "This government has provided you with free amenities from taxes paid by you. Government has sufficient funds and stage-by-stage, the schemes will be extended to other sections as well," he said. The town-hall meetings are being held as part of AAP's election campaign. Polls are likely to be held in Delhi early this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In his teens, Tu Anh could not ignore the truth anymore. He was a girl trapped in a boys body. He liked to wear girls clothes and apply makeup. He was also attracted to boys. High school became a torture, because he had no close friends, no one in whom he could confide. He started wearing dresses and applying makeup in secret. Eventually, he decided to take the plunge and get a sex change operation. 27 years old now, she recalls: "My mother was shocked when she found some dresses and make-up in my wardrobe. She cried her eyes out. It took her a long time to accept my true gender." Tu Anh is one of an estimated 300,000 transgender people in Vietnam struggling to be accepted by their own families and overcome social prejudices, discrimination and harassment. Tu Anh as a man (L) and as a woman (R). Photo courtersy by Tu Anh. A recent study in Hanoi by The Asia and Pacific Transgender Network found that transgender people usually get a strong sense of their true identity between the ages of 12 and 14. The average age at which they come out is 17. The study also found that during the process of gender identification, many suffer stress, insomnia and anxiety disorders. Not a few think about committing suicide and some actually attempt it, usually around three years after realizing their gender identity. In Vietnam, there are no regulations that cover hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgeries. Trans people thus find it difficult to access official medical services, and many end up using hormones on their own, putting themselves at great risk. Some 73 percent buy hormones from friends and non-medical sources, studies have found. Many transgender people in the country are bullied at school and also suffer sexual abuse. The ostracism they suffer also makes it far more difficult for them to find jobs than cisgender people. Anh has failed to get a job despite applying for many. She says most recruiters turn down her application as soon as they see her appearance and curriculum vitae. Tu Anh underwent sex reassignment surgery to become a woman. Photo courtesy of Tu Anh. It has been four years since the government amended the Civil Code to recognize the gender of people who undergo sex reassignment surgeries, but transgender people are yet to be officially recognized. A law on transgender rights is still pending passage. Nguyen Huy Quang, who heads the legal affairs department at the Ministry of Health, concedes that trans people face challenges when their current gender is different from the one on their identity card. Seventy one percent of transgender people say it is a struggle to register and be recognized by their new gender. Nguyen Kim Mai, 24, a trans woman living in northern Hoa Binh Province, says she has faced a myriad of difficulties in getting her identity papers. "I asked local authorities to change my name and gender. They told me to be patient until the government approved it. I have not succeeded in changing my personal information so far." Quang says a bill on transgender rights is set to be discussed by the parliament soon. "The law aims to address all legal and administrative issues the transgender community faces." Legal recognition of their identity and rights is something that people like Anh and Mai have long been waiting for. "Only when there are transparent regulations can we access medical services and feel secure enough to undergo sex reassignment surgeries," Anh says. Legal recognition would also be a first step to gaining acceptance from mainstream society and to removing the bias, discrimination and harassment that transgender people face in Vietnam, she adds. It has been four years since the government amended the Civil Code to recognize the gender of people undergoing sex reassignment surgeries, but transgender people are yet to be officially recognized. The reason is that a law on transgender rights is still pending passage. Nguyen Huy Quang, head of legal affairs at the Ministry of Health, says trans people face challenges since their current gender is different from the one on their identity card. Seventy one percent of transgenders say they struggle to have their new gender recognized and registered. Nguyen Kim Mai, 24, a trans woman living in northern Hoa Binh Province, says she faced a myriad of difficulties with identity papers. "I once asked to change my name and gender. Local authorities told me to be patient until the government approves this. So far I have not succeeded in changing my personal information." Quang says a bill on transgender rights is set to be discussed in the National Assembly. "The law is expected to address the legal and administrative issues the transgender community faces." Being recognized by the law and society is something that people like Anh and Mai have always longed for. "Only when there are transparent regulations can we get access to medical services and feel secure enough to undergo sex reassignment surgery," Anh says. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Friday where he condoled the loss of lives and damage to property caused due to bushfires. "He also offered Indias unstinted support to Australia and the Australian people, who are bravely facing this unprecedented natural calamity," read an official statement issued by the Indian Prime Minister's Office. "Expressing his satisfaction at the progress in bilateral relations in recent years, Prime Minister Modi reiterated Indias commitment to strengthen its strategic partnership with Australia," it said. "He stated that to this end, he looked forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Australia in India on a State Visit at early mutual convenience," read the statement. Modi conveyed his best wishes to Prime Minister Morrison and the people of Australia for the rest of the year 2020. Princess Diana's niece is set to wed a fashion tycoon five years older than her father, it has been revealed. And Lady Kitty Spencer, 29, displayed a diamond band on her ring finger during a trip to the hairdressers in Chelsea, London, on November 13, 2019 - two months before announcing plans to wed millionaire Michael Lewis, 60. The South Africa-born fashion tycoon, who turns 61 this month, is 32 years older than the society model, who has agreed to become his second wife. PICTURED: Lady Kitty Spencer, 29, displayed a diamond band on her ring finger during a trip to the hairdressers in Chelsea, London, on November 13, 2019 Lady Kitty looked chic in a red roll-neck sweater and smart black cropped trousers as she strolled along in flat loafers. The blonde beauty's locks were freshly blown into glamorous curls as she stepped out of the hairdressers wrapped up in a sleek black mac. In addition to her leather satchel bag, the socialite carried bags of designer shopping over her arm as she texted on her mobile phone. Her diamond band was on display as she pushed a pair of black sunglasses over her eyes. Two months ago: The diamond band was on display two months before announcing plans to wed millionaire Michael Lewis, 60 Loved-up: Lady Kitty Spencer was pictured in St Tropez in August on holiday with her now fiancee, Michael Lewis, a fashion tycoon 32 years her senior Chic: Lady Kitty looked chic in a red roll-neck sweater and smart black cropped trousers as she strolled along in flat loafers A source told Daily Mail: 'Michael proposed to Kitty before Christmas. She's been in Cape Town for the holidays and told her mother and the rest of the family. 'Michael is loved by all of them. Despite his wealth, he's very humble and low key.' Mr Lewis, who is five years older than Lady Kitty's father, Earl Spencer, has three adult children and was previously married to a woman named Leola in 1985. Elegant: The blonde beauty's locks were freshly blown into glamorous curls as she stepped out of the hairdressers wrapped up in a sleek black mac Fully loaded: In addition to her leather satchel bag, the socialite carried bags of designer shopping over her arm as she texted on her mobile phone It's not yet known whether Lady Kitty will convert to Judaism, Mr Lewis' faith, before the big day. In August last year, Lady Kitty was seen kissing Lewis after leaving Club 55 in St Tropez. In June, she was pictured showing off a large diamond ring on her engagement finger at London's Cash & Rocket Masquerade Ball. Sparkling: Her diamond band was on display as she pushed a pair of black sunglasses over her eyes High society: Lady Kitty is Princess Diana's niece the first-born of Earl Spencer's extensive brood The couple went public with their relationship during a stroll through New York City in May. Kitty, who was spotted at the tycoon's 19 million mansion in central London last summer, told the Mail at the time that she didn't feel 'in any rush' to start a family. 'I can see myself having children at some point,' she told me, 'but I'm only in my 20s. I do have friends my age who are having children, and they are so, so, sweet, but I think everyone should do things in their own time.' you are here: Oil prices jumped to the highest level in more than three months on Friday after the United States killed a top Iranian military commander in Iraq, sparking fears that escalating conflict in the region could disrupt global oil supplies. An air strike at Baghdad airport killed Major-General Qassem Soleimani, architect of Iran's spreading military influence in the Middle East, prompting Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to vow revenge. Brent crude LCOc1 ended the session up 3.6% or $2.35 at $68.60 a barrel, off the session peak of $69.50, the highest level since the mid-September attack on Saudi oil facilities. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 settled up $1.87 or 3.1% at $63.05 a barrel. The session high was $64.09 a barrel, its highest since April 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that Soleimani was planning to kill Americans. Tensions between the United States and Iran have flared over the past year as Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran and in the aftermath of a missile and drone attack on oil installations of the Saudi Aramco company for which U.S. officials blamed Iran. Also read: Oil price rises over 4% after US air strike kills top Iranian military commander The Soleimani killing has brought those tensions back to the forefront, fanning worries about a squeeze on crude supplies, though the effect of the increased geopolitical risk remains unclear. "The market is trying to assess whether we'll see a supply disruption, if any," said Andy Lipow, president of consultants Lipow Oil Associates. "Iran has already seen their exports cut to minimal volumes; they have little to lose in the way of crude oil exports." More than 840,000 front-month WTI contracts changed hands, while Brent trading volumes surpassed 464,000 lots, both the highest since the Saudi attacks. Concern shifted to potential retaliation as the United States is sending nearly 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East as a precaution amid rising threats to American forces in the region, U.S. officials said. "The Iranian retaliation could take the form of a quick response by proxies against U.S. allies and assets. One-off incidents targeting Gulf oil flows are possible, as are attacks on Gulf oil infrastructure, after the Abqaiq incident did not trigger a U.S. military response," said Paul Sheldon, chief geopolitical risk analyst at S&P Global Platts. Also read: US President ordered 'killing' of Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani; Ayatollah Khamenei vows revenge The U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Friday urged all citizens to depart Iraq immediately, and dozens of U.S. citizens working for foreign oil companies in the Iraqi oil city of Basra were preparing to leave, company sources told Reuters. All oil fields across the country were operating normally and production and exports were not affected, Iraq's Oil Ministry said in a statement. It said no other nationalities were departing. The oil futures market is already beginning to price in near-term supply tightness. The spread between the December 2020 and 2021 U.S. crude futures contracts CLZ0-Z1 as well as the corresponding spread for Brent LCOZ0-Z1, popular trades in oil markets, surged to the highest level since October 2018. "If the situation worsened, and oil supplies were disrupted, this could have broader economic and financial market impacts through a sharp rise in crude oil prices," UBS Global Wealth Management's chief investment officer, Mark Haefele, said in a note. "However, spare capacity in oil remains adequate (OPEC's and Russia's spare capacity is around 3.3 mbpd). And, we still expect an oversupplied oil market in 2020." Oil prices also found support after data showed weekly U.S. crude stockpiles fell by the most since June. Also read: Who is General Qassem Suleimani? Iran's top commander killed by the US Also read: World War 3 trends on Twitter after US kills Iran's top commander Qassem Soleimani Latest homelessness figures show there were 10,448 people living in emergency accommodation last November, including 3,752 children. The monthly figures, published later than usual, show a slight fall in the overall homeless population compared with last October, when a record 10,514 people were without a home. The latest figures, published by the Department of Housing, show 1,685 families were homeless last November, also down from the figure for October. The slight fall in overall homelessness is unlikely to quell criticism of the Government response to the crisis. Earlier this week, Dublin City Independent councillor and CEO of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, Anthony Flynn, told local radio in the capital the brief should now go to the Taoiseachs office. What we need is a solid reaction, he said. The Taoiseach needs to come out on front on this. Wayne Stanley, spokesperson for Simon Communities, said homelessness in the West of the country had increased by 20% over the last year, with a 12% rise in Cork and Kerry, while there was a 14% rise in the number of homeless single adults. The latest figures show 4,509 homeless adults in Dublin, with the South-West having the second-highest number with 592. Nationally, 3,494 adults were in private emergency accommodation such as hotels, while 3,282 people were in supported temporary accommodation. Outside of Dublin, Cork had the highest number of people in emergency accommodation, with 437. The South-West, which comprises Cork and Kerry, also had the second-highest number of homeless children, with 289. "The fortunate thing about playing a famous person in 2019 is you just have to Google them and watch videos. I watched her footage for hours. Then I finally came across this TMZ footage of her being bothered at the airport and I really saw who she was behind closed doors. If I just played celebrity Jeanine Pirro, the one whos in interviews, then it was going to come across very SNL. This was Charles Randolph writing the script and were going to want to see what shes like behind closed doors. So thank God for that footage. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) The Department of Foreign Affairs has called on Filipinos to avoid going to Iraq until further notice, amid the countrys growing tensions with the US due to the killing of a top Iranian general. The Department of Foreign Affairs calls on all Filipinos to cancel, until further notice, any travel to Iraq in view of the current situation in the country, it said Friday. The agency also advised Filipinos in Iraq to coordinate with the Philippine Embassy and their employers in case there is a need for a mandatory evacuation. The DFA said the crisis alert level for all areas in Iraq is currently in Alert Level 3 or voluntary repatriation, except in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region which is still under Level 1 or the precautionary phase. There is also an existing ban on deployment of new workers and household workers to Iraq, it added. There are currently 1,190 documented and 450 undocumented Filipinos in Iraq, according to DFA which cited the Embassy's latest figures. More than half are in the Kurdistan region while 847 are in the Baghdad area. Most of those in Baghdad are working with US and other foreign facilities, while others are in regular commercial establishments, particularly in Erbil. This development comes after a US drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani at the Baghdad airport. The attack also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Iran-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces. Bangsamoro Member of Parliament Zia Adiong condemned the incident. "Both died in the most horrific, unjustified drone missile attack ever carried by a foreign country in recent years which violates every single, broadly accepted international law that upholds and respects the independence of a sovereign state," said Adiong. Trumps administration blames Soleimani for the killing of hundreds of Americans in several attacks in recent months. After news of Soleimanis death surfaced, Trump tweeted that the Iranian official "should have been taken out many years ago." He added that he ordered the drone strike to "stop a war" not to start one. Adiong contested this. "The attack was meant not to kill these men alone but to spark a war in the Persian Gulf at a time when a US sitting President is battling his defense before an impeachment court back home impacting on his chances to secure a second term of office," he said. Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has since vowed harsh revenge following the incident. A day after reports emerged of a mob attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri sought to know on Saturday whether those protesting across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) needed more evidence of the oppression of minorities in the neighbouring country New Delhi: A day after a mob attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri sought to know on Saturday whether those protesting across the country against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) needed more evidence of the oppression of minorities in the neighbouring country. Taking to Twitter, the Union housing and urban affairs minister said the violent mob that besieged the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara on Friday had threatened to change the name of the holy place to "Ghulam-e-Mustafa". Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site near Lahore in Pakistan where the first Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. A violent mob had attacked the gurdwara and pelted it with stones on Friday. "The violent mob that besieged Nankana Sahib Gurudwara has threatened to change the name of our holy place to Ghulam-e-Mustafa. "Do those who are opposing the CAA need more evidence of oppression of minorities in Pakistan," Puri said in a tweet in Hindi, along with a video clip that showed a mob threatening to change the name of the gurdwara. Members the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and Shiromani Akali Dal staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission here on Saturday over the mob attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. According to the CAA, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution in those nations, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but be given Indian citizenship. The troupe has returned to producing live plays on its Mainstage, and will start 2022 with the classic "Murder on the Orient Express." Faced with an acute shortage of doctors in state-run hospitals, the Bihar government has sent a proposal to the Centre to upgrade eight of its nine existing medical colleges and more than double the intake of undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical students in them, a senior health official privy to the development said. The state has proposed to add 950 UG and 490 PG degree seats against the existing 850 UG and 64 PG seats in them, said principal secretary health, Sanjay Kumar. The state would need to mobilise Rs 1,100 crore to upgrade these medical colleges while the Centre would bear 60% of the estimated expenditure, he said. Exuding optimism that the Centre would clear the proposal, Kumar said the increase would be done in a staggered manner over the next three to five years. The medical colleges to be upgraded include the Patna Medical College, Nalanda Medical College (both in Patna), Darbhanga Medical College (Laheriasarai in Darbhanga), Jawahar Lal Medical College (Bhagalpur), Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College (Gaya), Sri Krishna Medical College (Muzaffarpur), Vardhaman Institute of Medical Sciences (Pawapuri in Nalanda district) and the Government Medical College (Bettiah in West Champaran). Our idea is to induct 250 undergraduate students every year in six of our old medical colleges and 150 each at the Vardhaman Institute of Medical Sciences, Pawapuri, and the Government Medical College, Bettiah, said Kumar. In addition, we also propose to increase PG degree seats in each of the eight medical colleges, he said. Founded in 2013, the Vardhaman Institute of Medical Sciences, Pawapuri, and the Government Medical College, Bettiah, which are the two relatively new medical colleges in the state, do not offer any PG course. Other older institutions like the Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College offers only two PG degree seats annually, Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College eight, Sri Krishna Medical College 10, Nalanda Medical College and the Darbhanga Medical College 12 each. The Patna Medical College, which is the oldest institution of the state, established in 1925, offers 20 PG degree seats annually. The state could add only a handful PG seats when the Centre initially made the offer in 2009. Over 10 years later, it now hopes to add 490 PG seats to the existing 64 seats. This is the first time the state government has taken up a composite proposal, seeking upgrading existing medical colleges and adding more number of UG and PG seats in them. Barring the Patna Medical College and the Darbhanga Medical College, UG seats have not increased in most state-run medical colleges since their inception. The Patna Medical College added only 50 UG seats in 2013, taking its annual intake of MBBS students to 150 seats, while the Darbhanga Medical College added 10 UG seats in the same year, to takes its annual intake up to 100 seats. Upgrading existing medical colleges is a more cost-effective proposition than setting up new medical college. As greenfield projects, two medical colleges, with 200 UG, will cost the state Rs 1,100 crore. For the same money, we can upgrade eight existing medical colleges, said Kumar. The proposed increase in medical seats would help the state tide over the acute scarcity of doctors. Bihar faces over 70% shortage of doctors in government sector. As per figures available with the health department, there were only 3,600 (approx.) regular medical officers (MBBS degree holders) against a sanctioned strength of 11,624 in the state. Similarly, in medical education, there were only 2,000 (approx.) faculty members (in the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, senior resident and tutor) against a sanctioned strength of 4,700 (approx.). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ruchir Kumar Ruchir writes on health, aviation, power and myriad other issues. An ex-TOI, he has worked both on Desk and in reporting. He over 25 years of broadcast and print journalism experience in Assam, Jharkhand & Bihar. ...view detail Several people died after a minibus was ambushed along a main road in a northern Mozambique province beset by a jihadist insurgency, villagers said on Saturday. A police officer in Macomia district, about 100 kilometres south of Antadora village, the scene of the attack, confirmed the ambush which occurred on Friday, but gave no details of casualties. "Police were called in to intervene but it was too late to help the victims," said the policeman who asked not to be named. "This is the first confirmed attack this year," in restive Cabo Delgado province, he said. Villagers spoke of between four and 10 people killed when the minibus carrying around 20 passengers travelling from Palma town to the provincial capital Pemba was torched. "Two children were burned in the vehicle, another was decapitated," one villager told AFP, adding that a man "was decapitated in front of his wife and children". He said some women were missing. "Most of the people didn't survive. The number of those who survived is less than 10," said another villager. For more than two years, a shadowy Islamist militancy has sown terror staging attacks in the mostly Muslim province. Branded as "criminals" by authorities, the militants began attacks in 2017 mostly targeting the civilian population, causing several hundred deaths. But in recent months the conflict has intensified. On December 6, a military convoy was ambushed in the village of Narere. Between nine and 14 soldiers were killed and three vehicles destroyed, a villager told AFP. The government has deployed significant reinforcements to the province to counter the attacks, which have delayed the development of vast gas reserves discovered in 2010. The arrival in September of 200 contractors from the Russian private security company Wagner appears to have changed little. The violence has been blamed on a jihadist organisation apparently intent on imposing Islamic Sharia law. The group is usually referred to as Al-Shabaab, despite having no known link to the Somali jihadist group of the same name. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday, January 4, condemned the attack on Sikhs in Pakistan. Taking to microblogging site Sirsa said the Sikhs won't tolerate such attacks anymore and urged the Pakistan government to take strict action against the brutality. Manjinder Singh Sirsa is also reportedly going to submit a memorandum at Pakistan embassy on Saturday. Sikhs won't tolerate attack on their members in Pakistan anymore. We request Pakistani Government to take strict action against this brutality. @PMOIndia @narendramodi @ImranKhanPTI @Paknewdelhi pic.twitter.com/h2pe77w4cN Manjinder S Sirsa (@mssirsa) January 4, 2020 READ | Congress Condemns Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Attack; Holds Pak Government Responsible The attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan has triggered protests among Sikhs in India. While several Sikh groups were to protest outside Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi on Saturday to condemn the attack, Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with his counterpart in Islamabad Imran Khan since Sikh minorities in the country were feeling extremely unsafe and insecure. READ | Shiv Sena Slams Pak PM Imran Khan Over Nankana Sahib Attack, Calls It 'deplorable' Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Saturday, raised concern over the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan's Punjab province saying that felony against the Sikh minority is a very serious matter. Daljit Singh Cheema requested Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to examine what kind of image this incident portrays about the country, where minorities and their religious shrines are treated cruelly. Cheema expressed hope that strict action will the taken against the guilty so that such incidents do not repeat in Pakistan against religious minorities. Shaming the attack, Cheema said: "Such is the condition of Sikh minorities in Pakistan. First, they (Pakistan) abduct a Sikh girl, forcefully convert her religion, marry her and the same family attacks the holiest shrine of the community. This is highly condemnable. Our cabinet minister is in touch with the Pakistan government. I hope that strict action is taken against the guilty so that no one dares to attack Nankana Sahib again." READ | Union Min Hardeep Puri Calls Nankana Sahib Attack 'shameful', Highlights Need For CAA Nankana Sahib attack On Friday, a video surfaced of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals show that the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the Gurudwara which is the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources report that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made so far. Sources report the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurudwara which was attacked by the mob on Friday evening. READ | Harsimrat Kaur Slams Rahul For Misleading People On CAA, Not Calling Out Pak's Atrocities No one has skewered the Saudi royal family as gleefully as Ghanem al-Masarir. In hundreds of videos posted to YouTube which have now been viewed more than 300 million times Mr. al-Masarir sits at a desk, usually at his home in North London, offers a jovial greeting in Arabic, then launches into a series of embarrassing Saudi-related stories. The tone is sharply satirical, the delivery a bit hammy. One of his favourite targets is Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, whom he long ago tagged with a nickname, now widely used by detractors, that translates to the ... Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of an escalation of Iran's global jihad in his official statement in response to the U.S. military's assassination of the general of the Iranian Quds Force, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. "All enemies should know that the Jihad of Resistance will continue with a doubled motivation, and a definite victory awaits the fighters in the holy war," he said Friday. Khamenei reiterated his statement on Twitter: Islamic jihadism divides the world into two camps: the House of Islam (dar al Islam) and the House of War (dar al harb) the house of war being all who oppose Islamic global supremacy in the form of a worldwide Muslim caliphate. The holy war the ayatollah referred to is Islam's resistance against the House of War, which is impeding the Islamic Republic of Iran's quest for the subjugation of the world to Allah's law (sharia). This Jihad of Resistance is often framed as a divinely sanctioned war against Israel and the Christian West led by the U.S. Iran's Constitution states this revolutionary objective clearly: In the organization and equipping of the country's defense forces, there must be regard for faith and religion as its basis and rules. And so the Islamic Republic's army, and the corps of Revolutionary Guards must be organized in accordance with this aim. They have responsibility not only for the safeguarding of the frontiers, but also for a religious mission, which is Holy War (JIHAD) along the way of Allah, and the struggle to extend the supremacy of Allah's Law in the world. Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies of Allah and your enemies, and others beside. (Sura: 8, Verse: 60 Quran quoted in Arabic in the Iran Constitution) In Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, who leads Iraq's Shi'ite militias including the Mahdi Army and Promised Day Brigade and whose Sairun coalition won the most seats in the recent Iraq parliamentary election, made this call to all Mujahideen or Islamic war-fighters in response to the assassination: All Mujahideen & Shi'ite forces in Iraq: As the patron of the patriotic Iraqi resistance I give the order for all mujahideen, specially the Mehdi Army, Promised Day Brigade, and all patriotic and disciplined groups to be ready to protect Iraq. Closely aligned with Sadr is Hezb'allah's leader in Lebanon, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who in his statement released on Friday reiterated the call for global jihad by underscoring that the "murderous Americans would not be able, Allah willing, to achieve any of their goals with this great crime. Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins ... will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide." The politburo of Ansar Allah (partisans of Allah), the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen, in their statement on Friday described the execution of Soleimani as a "war crime by the White House against the entire Muslim Ummah, the anti-Israel axis of resistance and the Palestinian cause" and called for continued resistance and the expulsion of U.S. forces from the region. Iranian president Rouhani also used the assassination as an excuse to rally Muslims against the U.S.: The martyrdom of the great commander of Islam and Iran, and the courageous commander of the Quds Force, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, along with some of his companions especially the great fighter Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, by the aggressive and criminal US broke the heart of the entire nation of Iran and regional nations. He went on to say in the statement that the assassination "doubled the determination of the great nation of Iran and other free nations to stand against and resist the excessive demands of the U.S. and to defend the Islamic values." Representing only 1015% of the world's Muslim population, Iran and its Shi'ite proxies will have a difficult time convincing the Sunnis the other 8590% of the Ummah of the righteousness of their revenge. Shi'ites and Sunnis have been at war with each other for centuries, recently expressed through the proxy war in Syria and the Yemen war between the Iran-backed Shi'ite Houthis and the Saudi Arabialed coalition of Sunni nations. Mark Hanna holds an M.A. in international studies and has provided briefings to government officials on immigration, radical Islam, and other national security issues. He has worked for CNN as well as NBC and PBS affiliates and has been published in Real Clear Politics, PJMedia, ZeroHedge, and The Investigative Project. He can be reached at mhanna@protonmail.com. 'Dundalk Institute of Technology is a huge asset for the town - we don't realise just how blessed we are to have it,' says Dundalk man Paddy Malone, who has been appointed as chairperson of the Board of Governors. Paddy stressed this point when he appeared before the Oireachtas Committee on Education before Christmas, taking the opportunity to hammer home that the Institute is not just of benefit to Dundalk but the whole North East region, of Cavan, Monaghan and Meath, as well as Armagh and Down. There is, he says, work to be done in order to attract more students from Northern Ireland, which ties into the campaign he spearheaded with Dundalk Chamber of Commerce for national recognition for the M1 corridor stretching along the east coast. He points out that there are fewer students from Northern Ireland than China attending DkIT , which he attributes to the different education systems in the six counties and the Irish republic. 'It is almost impossible for students from Northern Ireland to get into colleges in the Republic of Ireland,' he explains.'Even Trinity College, which traditionally would have attracted Protestant students from the north, is having a problem due to the inflexibility of the CAO. This is very damaging to Irish colleges and universities and something which I raised a long time ago with Ruairi Quinn when he was Minister for Education.' Paddy says that gaining Technological University status for DkIT is very important. 'We have to look at all our options and see what other Institutes of Technology we want to team up with. The Department of Education is leaving it us to us to tease it out. There are, he says, three options which they can consider: merging with the ITs in Sligo/Letterkenny, joining forces with the Technological Unversities in Dublin, formerly DIT, or with Limerick/Athlone Institutes of Technology who have got approval to move to the next stage. While the idea of linking with DCU had been mooted in the past, Paddy says that this now isn't feasible, citing the example of Limerick Institute of Technology who were told that they couldn't merge with the University of Limerick. However, students who do their Masters or Phds at DkIT would still be awarded their degree through DCU. 'We have a hell of an asset with DkIT, which has brought so much investment into the town, most recently Wuxi. 'One of the things which Brendan McGrath, who heads up the company's Irish site in Dundalk, is most proud of is that 76 per cent of the people employed to date have come from within the M1 corridor.' On a personal level, Paddy says he is delighted with the appointment, which 'pays the princely sum of zero'. However, he feels that it is an endorsement of the work he has been doing for years to promote the town and region. 'There are huge challenges and I am looking forward to adding my tuppence. DkIT is a big employer in the town and has grown significantly over the years with a magnificent campus. I am looking forward to supporting the President Michael Mulvey and his team.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 17:59 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d5a2d 1 National North-Sulawesi,Sangihe,flood,landslides,disaster,BNPB Free Two residents of Lebo Village in Sangihe Island, North Sulawesi, were killed after being washed away in a flash flood on Friday morning. A flash flood and landslide struck the village at 5:30 a.m., killing Lahode Mangape, 83, and Armand, 18, injuring several others and damaging multiple buildings, including houses. There is a possibility that the number of injured villagers and damaged buildings will increase. The rain has eased today. Local administration officials, military personnel, police and volunteers are helping the evacuation process and cleaning away debris carried by the flood and landslide, National Disaster and Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Agus Wibowo said in a press release on Saturday. According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), most parts of the country will face high chances of extreme weather for at least a week, including North Sulawesi. The weather conditions are triggered by local and regional weather phenomena, including an Asian monsoon that increased rainfall across Indonesia. Massive floods in Greater Jakarta and Banten have at least killed 53 people as of Saturday, according to data compiled by the BNPB. (hol) Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt says Donald Trump may have made a mistake in killing Irans top military commander, calling the action extreme. The killing of Qassem Soleimani had created a very risky situation in the Middle East, a dangerous game of chicken in which both the US and Iran gamble on the other not starting a war, he warned. Asked if the US president had miscalculated in carrying out the airstrike on General Soleimanis convoy at Baghdad airport, Mr Hunt replied: Only time will tell. The comment came after Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, criticised the UK, France and Germany for failing to be as helpful as I wish that they could be, by not backing the attack. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office urged British citizens to avoid all essential travel to Iran and all travel to Iraq, outside the Kurdistan region. Recommended Trump deploys thousands more troops after Soleimani killing Mr Trump has insisted the killing of General Soleimani was carried out to stop a war, not to start one, hailing the end of his reign of terror. But Mr Hunt said: Its an increasingly dangerous game of chicken thats going on at the moment, because both sides have calculated that the other side cannot afford and doesnt want to go to war So they are doing increasingly extreme things not just the killing of General Soleimani, but the [Iran-backed] bombing of the Saudi oil factory last September is another example of this. And he added: The job that we have to do, as one of the US closest allies, is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy. US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday 3 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures The wreckage of the car in which general Soleimani was travelling when a targeted US airstrike struck outside Baghdad International Airport on 3 January Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Demonstrators burn the US and British flags during a protest in Tehran after general Soleimani was killed in a targeted airstrike by American forces Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike. The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military has killed general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of Donald Trump AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn Israeli and US flags as thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of general Soleimani at the hands of America EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of Donald Trump pray at an 'Evangelicals for Trump' campaign event held on the day following the killing of general Soleimani. At the event, the president praised the "flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader" AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A huge procession of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of general Soleimani on 4 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani during an anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iraqis perform a mourning prayer for slain major general Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Great Mosque of Kufa AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A billboard reading 'Death to America and Israel', installed by Iran-backed shiite armed groups at a street in Jadriyah district in Baghdad, Iraq EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him visiting the family of Soleiman KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US flag as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Jalal Feiruznia, looks to a portrait of Soleimani, as he receives condolences at the Iranian embassy, in Beirut, Lebanon AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures People make their way on the street while a screen on the wall of a cinema shows a portrait Soleimani in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Aziz Asmar, one of two Syrian painters who completed a mural following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani poses next to his creation in the rebel-held Syrian town of Dana in the northwestern province of Idlib AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A demonstration in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures An anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Mujtaba al-Husseini, the representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers a speech in the holy shrine city of Najaf AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US and Israeli flags as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters demonstrate in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, in Peshawar, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London PA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn a US flag in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A Syrian man offers sweets to children to mark the killing AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers attend a mourning prayer for Soleimani in Iran's capital Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Kashmiri Shiite Muslims shout anti American and anti Israel slogans during a protest AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshipers chant slogans during Friday prayers Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A protest against the USA, in Islamabad, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranians burn a US flag in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin, Germany Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol a road in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila near the border with Israel. Following morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian women take to the streets in Tehran EPA Mr Hunt, who was sacked by Boris Johnson, also criticised the failure to even warn the UK about the killing, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: It is regrettable as one of the USs closest allies. Its an important aspect that there are no surprises in that relationship. In a statement on Friday, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, avoided backing the killing, instead urging all parties to de-escalate, saying: Further conflict is in none of our interests. The prime minister has not commented, while on holiday on the private Caribbean island of Mustique. Downing Street has not said when he will return. Jeremy Corbyn, the outgoing Labour leader, wrote to Mr Johnson calling for an urgent meeting of the privy council to discuss whether the assassination had heightened the terror risk to the UK. The UK government should urge restraint on the part of both Iran and the US and stand up to the belligerent actions and rhetoric coming from the United States, Mr Corbyn warned. The fresh travel advice came as thousands began to gather on the streets of Iraq for the funeral of General Soleimani and as the world awaited Tehrans threatened response. Mr Raab said it was issued due to heightened tensions in the region, adding: The first job of any government is to keep British people safe. Villejuif: French police have shot dead a man near Paris after he went on a rampage with a knife in a park, killing one person and wounding two more, prosecutors say. Religious documents including a copy of the Koran were found among the man's belongings, but there was no evidence the man had been influenced by radical Islamists, a spokesman for prosecutors said. The attacker had a history of mental illness, had been admitted to hospital a few months ago, and was undergoing a course of psychiatric treatment, the spokesman said. The attack happened in the town of Villejuif, about 8 kilometres south of central Paris on Friday, Paris time. Police cordoned off the area, and ambulances and police vehicles lined a road approaching the park. A drunk woman has been jailed for savagely biting into a police officer's arm in a 'heinous' attack just minutes after seeing in the new year. Judith Mundle, 36, from Birmingham, sank her teeth into the police officer's bicep and shoved another officer in the chest after she was booted out of a bar for being aggressive. While she was being escorted away from the bar on Bridge Street, Walsall, West Midlands, two officers approached her. Mundle shoved a female officer in the chest when she tried to calm her down. Judith Mundle, 36. A Birmingham woman who was arrested after biting one officer and assaulting another on on Bridge Street, Walsall, West Midlands, moments after seeing in the new year As her male colleague tried to handcuff her, she clamped her jaws on his arm and munched down so hard she bit through three layers of clothing to his skin. The shocked officer was rushed to hospital where he received a tetanus jab and a course of antibiotics. He will also require a follow up appointment to determine if he will need any further medication. West Midlands Police have released a shocking picture of the bite mark suffered by the cop as Mundle was jailed for 18 weeks. On Thursday Mundle, of Hagley Road, Birmingham, admitted assaulting an officer and assault causing actual bodily harm at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court. The bite wound on the police officer attacked by Judith Mundle Chief Superintendent Andy Parsons, Commander of Walsall neighbourhood policing unit, said: 'This is a heinous act on one of our colleagues, who was trying to ensure the safety of our community as we enter a new year. 'This kind of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated on our streets. 'I very much welcome this sentence and hope people see this as a warning that we will take robust action against anyone who attempts to assault a member of our police family.' Loft may have better product market fit in Brazil than Opendoor does in the U.S. And now the Sao Paulo-based property tech company has growth funding to prove it. Andreessen Horowitz is doubling down on its first Brazil investment with Loft, a two-year-old real estate marketplace. The $175 million Series C was co-led by Vulcan Capital. In the U.S., sites like Opendoor give us visibility into how much your house or properties youre interested in are worth. That transparency doesnt exist in Latin America. Loft founder and co-CEO Mate Pencz describes the residential real estate market in Latin America as a $6 trillion opportunity. As it exists now, lack of data transparency around property listings results in low-quality listings, disproportionately high asking prices and prolonged selling times. This creates a painful experience for buyers, sellers and brokers. The market is locked up, but Loft thinks it can create transparency and liquidity with open data sets for property value. Loft has been supported by some pretty big Silicon Valley names since its genesis in 2018. Loft raised equity capital from angel investors such as Max Levchin of PayPal, Joe Lonsdale of Palantir, Opendoor founder Eric Wu, Mike Krieger of Instagram, David Velez of Nubank and Josh Kushner of Thrive Capital, whom Pencz met during undergrad studies at Harvard. It helped that Loft was not Penczs first entrepreneurial rodeo -- the founder started web-printing company Printi, which exited to Vistaprint in 2014 for a $25 million stake. Growth-stage funding will enable Loft to scale Pencz says theyve transacted on 1,000 properties in their key market of Sao Paulo, and plans to tackle new cities with the Uber growth model of replicating the same service in new cities, like Mexico City. Loft is currently operative in Brazil, and has big plans for Mexico in 2020. Penzc has poached the Latin American head of Uber Eats, Juan Pablo Ramos, to launch Lofts services in Mexico City within the next two to four months. As Loft mobilizes in Mexico, this could mean trouble for Flat, an existing Opendoor clone in Mexico, which will now fight for market share against a heavily funded competitor. Story continues Loft's Sao Paulo HQ When it comes to marketing, Loft isn't thinking about Facebook or SEO performance advertising. Pencz sees more value in physically integrating the Loft brand into the fabric of new neighborhoods through festival sponsorships and community events, while leveraging broker channels. Partnering with brokers and being perceived as a positive brand with a high NPS are the two key pillars of Lofts expansion strategy, says Pencz. The founders began by physically measuring buildings and making estimates about how much houses and apartments were worth. The founders didn't stop there -- they envision the future of Loft as a one-stop shop with services like renovations, property financing for mortgages and insurance through banks. The company wants to completely upend real estate in Latin America, and those big ambitions have piqued investor interest. Andreessen Horowitz and Vulcan Capital co-led the Series C, with participation from QED Investors, Fifth Wall Ventures, Thrive Capital, Valor Capital and Monashees. So, what is a16z's Latin America strategy? Andreessen Horowitz general partner Alex Rampell notes that while Loft marked the firms entry into Brazil, the fund has been active in Latin America for a few years: a16z invested in Colombias delivery unicorn Rappi, Uruguayan restaurant management platform Meitre and Colombian point of sale lender ADDI. And, a16z joined in Lofts $70 million Series B that closed in March 2019. Rampell, who previously invested in Opendoor and sits on the board of TransferWise, says that a16z doesnt really have an investment strategy when it comes to Latin America. Instead, the idea with Loft was that while the iBuyer Opendoor for transactional multiple listing services isnt by any means a proprietary business model, it may work better in a country like Brazil -- where buyers and sellers are slowed down by bureaucratic policies and lack of fair market value data -- than in the U.S. To put it simply, Loft has better product market fit in Brazil than Opendoor does in the U.S. Loft hopes its customer-friendly Nubank-esque branding will win over new users Rampell references the U.S.s Groupon and Koreas Coupang for comparison. The Groupon model blew up in Asia as Coupangs valuation reached $9 billion. Groupon rose fast and fell hard, and now its founders are on to their next entrepreneurial ventures. Theres a lot of value in multiple listings services, and the opportunity might be better for a market like Brazil, especially if you back the right entrepreneurs -- because thats all that really matters in the end, says Rampell. Loft monetizes through the sale of properties and ancillary products. Cuts from referral and partnership fees from banks or insurance companies will continue to help Loft monetize, in addition to the $275 million in capital it has raised during its two short years in existence. Pencz declined to comment on Loft's valuation. United Methodist Church leaders from around the world and across ideological divides unveiled a plan Friday for a new conservative denomination that would split from the church in an attempt to resolve a decades-long dispute over gay marriage and gay clergy. The proposal, called A Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation, envisions an amicable separation in which conservative churches forming a new denomination would retain their assets. The new denomination also would receive $25 million. The proposal was signed in December by a 16-member panel, which worked with a mediator and began meeting in October. The panel was formed after it became clear that the impasse over LGBTQ issues was irreconcilable. The next step could come at the churchs General Conference in May. Methodist Bishop Karen Oliveto, the denominations first openly gay bishop, said the United Methodist Church leadership was clearly at a point in which we couldnt agree to disagree over same-sex relationships. Im actually really sad that we couldnt build a bridge that could have provided a witness to the world of what unity amid diversity and disagreement could look like. Oliveto was challenged by the denominations highest court, the Judicial Council, in 2016 when it declared that the bishops consecration was incompatible with church law. However, Oliveto was allowed to remain as the resident bishop of the Mountain Sky Conference, which includes United Methodist churches in Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and a section of Idaho. Asked what a post-separation world looks like for the church to move forward, Oliveto said, We are no longer using LGBTQ people as scapegoats. Members of the 13-million-person denomination have been at odds for years over the issue, with members in the United States leading the call for full inclusion for LGBTQ people. The rift widened last year when delegates meeting in St. Louis voted 438-384 for a proposal called the Traditional Plan, which affirmed bans on LGBTQ-inclusive practices. A majority of U.S.-based delegates opposed that plan but were outvoted by U.S. conservatives teamed with delegates from Methodist strongholds in Africa and the Philippines. Methodists in favor of allowing gay clergy and gay marriage vowed to continue fighting. Meanwhile the Wesleyan Covenant Association, representing traditional Methodist practice, already had been preparing for a possible separation. Concern over the future of the church pushed members, led by Bishop John Yambasu of Sierra Leone, to convene a group to share ideas across the theological spectrum. New York Bishop Thomas Bickerton said that turned into the final panel, made up of moderates, progressives and traditionalists from Africa, Europe, the Philippines and the United States. Bickerton, who heads 438 Methodist churches in New York, said while he thinks it is an amicable solution, there is a degree of heartbreak within me because I never thought we would reach this point. However, we are at this point. The differences are irreconcilable. This is inevitable. The Rev. Keith Boyette, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and one of 16 people on the mediation team that developed and signed the separation proposal, said he is very hopeful the plan will be approved. This is the first time that respected leaders of groups from every constituency have come together to form a plan, he said. And this is the first time that bishops of the church have signed on to an agreement like this. While other mainline Protestant denominations have embraced gay-friendly practices, the United Methodist Church has not, though acts of defiance by pro-LGBTQ clergy have multiplied. Many have performed same-sex weddings; others have come out as gay or lesbian from the pulpit. Texas Bishop Scott J. Jones praised the panel for its contribution to the ongoing discussions about human sexuality but it should be emphasized that a statement by 16 leaders does not necessarily mean that its provisions will be adopted. The Protocol itself says it was developed in service to the General Conference delegates who will decide on its adoption or amendment. Other plans may well be considered as alternatives, he said in a statement. Significant questions remain to be answered about the Protocols implementation. The Judicial Council will need to rule on its constitutionality. The feasibility of its financial provisions must also be evaluated. Bickerton said it is unclear how many members will be lost if the proposal moves forward. I am sure we will lose a certain percentage. We anticipate that, he said. Its time for us to get back to the ministry and mission of the church. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday hit out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for their "shameless political stunts," in the wake of their alleged threat of agitation over the power hike in the state and their ultimatum in the murder cases of two former SAD sarpanch. The SAD has threatened to take to the streets over the two issues, which the Chief Minister dubbed as "mere theatrics, aimed at covering up their own trail of misdeeds and misgovernance of 10 years, and their continued efforts to promote their political interests," read a statement. "But you can't hide your miserable track record with these pathetic dramas," the Chief Minister said. Captain Amarinder said the Punjab Police, under the present regime, was doing a "much better job at solving crime cases than it ever had under the erstwhile SAD-BJP rule." These kind of churlish ultimatums might have worked under the Akali government when many innocent people were thrown behind bars after being charged in false cases, but under his regimen, no innocent person would be victimized for crimes they did not commit, said the Chief Minister. The police are doing a thoroughly professional job and the investigations in both cases are on track, he said, adding that these cases would also be solved, just as all others had been solved under his government. The Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP government had specialized in transferring all difficult cases to the CBI. Mismanagement and inefficiencies were the norm under the Akali rule, asserted the Chief Minister, adding that, in less than three years, his government had transformed the face of Punjab from a poor example of governance into a progressive state. "Sitting on dharnas and taking to the streets will not help you get back into the good backs of the people, who have seen through your antics and crocodile tears, and are no longer willing to trust you," Captain Amarinder Singh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Friday defended the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. He said that Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. Hours before Trumps statement, the US strike killed 8 people including General Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad's international airport. It should be noted that General Qassim Soleimani was the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, while Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Speaking to the reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, President Trump said, "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen, he said in his remarks. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani." "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," he said. Trump further alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government, he added. Also, on the occasion, President Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change, Trump claimed. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbours, must end and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad, the US president added. Trump noted that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran, he said. Also Read: Top Iran, Iraq Commanders Of Hashed Military Force Killed In US Strike In Baghdad Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters, the US president added. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (CNN) An employee of the Harry Potter studio tour who stole more than $48,000 (36,935) worth of magical merchandise was caught after colleagues noticed the items accumulating under his desk. Adam Hill stole Harry Potter merchandise including wands, ties, badges and keyrings from the Warner Brothers Studio stockroom between December 2017 and March 2018, and advertised and sold it on his eBay account, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in a statement on Friday. Hill, 35, posted the items from his local post office and later used his company's own post room to distribute the stolen items, the CPS said. The thefts were discovered after colleagues noticed Harry Potter memorabilia was appearing and disappearing under his desk and reported him to their bosses, the CPS said. An internal investigation found that Hill had sold 1,040 items of Harry Potter items through his eBay account, and a search of his car revealed 12 parcels of merchandise ready to be posted. Hertfordshire Police searched Hill's home in St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, England, and seized more themed merchandise, as well as envelopes and packaging, the CPS said. "In a significant breach of trust, Adam Hill had the audacity to steal thousands of pounds of merchandise from Warner Bros in plain sight of his work colleagues; but they reported him after growing suspicious of the items constantly piling up under his desk," Jan Muller, senior crown prosecutor said in a statement. "Subsequent scrutiny of Hill's eBay and PayPal accounts revealed orders and payments received for goods which were found packaged up ready to send to buyers, giving him no option but to admit to his crimes," Muller added. A spokesperson for the Warner Brothers Studio Tour declined to comment on the investigation. Hill pleaded guilty to theft by employee in November, and was sentenced to 14 months in prison suspended for 18 months and 250 hours of unpaid work on Friday. This story was first published on CNN.com "Employee stole $48,000 worth of Harry Potter merchandise to sell on eBay" Andrew MacPhersonWildfires in Australia have been raging out of control, burning an area the size of Manhattan, killing more than 20 people and destroying more than 1500 hundred homes and an estimated half a billion mammals, birds and reptiles. Now Pink has stepped up to help. On Saturday, she tweeted, "I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz." She also provided links to local fire services throughout Australia, so that her followers could donate as well. Pink's connection to Australia is strong: She's spent a huge amount of time touring there over the years, and her concerts in that country routinely break attendance and sales records. I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz pic.twitter.com/kyjDbhoXpp P!nk (@Pink) January 4, 2020 Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, the second richest person in the world, says people like him should be paying higher taxes. In a year-end blog post, Gates applauds the ongoing debate over Americas tax system, calling it one of the most important happening in our country right now. It isnt always popular to stand up for higher taxes, so its great that many Americans are having this conversation, he writes. Gates says that hes been pushing for a fairer tax system for years. He notes that theres a persistent imbalance between the governments spending and its revenue collection: the U.S. government simply does not bring in enough money to meet its obligations. This isnt a value judgment; its just a fact. The government collects about 20 percent of GDP in taxes while spending about 24 percent. And the cost of commitments is going up. To address that gap, Gates calls for raising the capital-gains tax probably to the same level as taxes on labor, saying he sees no reason to favor wealth over work the way we do today. He also supports raising the estate tax; eliminating the cap on income subject to Medicare taxes; closing the carried-interest loophole that benefits investment-fund managers; and instituting a form of wealth tax that would apply to fortunes held for extended periods, which he suggests might be 10 years or more. He adds that state and local taxes also need to be reformed to make them fairer. Gates also addresses some common arguments made in response to calls for higher taxes, including the suggestion that he should voluntarily pay more instead of calling for systemic changes and the criticism that higher tax rates would hurt growth and innovation: When I say the government needs to raise more money, some people ask why Melinda and I dont voluntarily pay more in taxes than the law requires. The answer is that simply leaving it up to people to give more than the government asks for is not a scalable solution. People pay taxes as an obligation of law and citizenship, not out of charity. Additional voluntary giving will never raise enough money for everything the government needs to do. If Melinda and I signed over our foundations entire endowment to the state of California, it wouldnt be enough to fund their public schools for even one year. A vibrant economic system depends on setting expectations for who pays how much. Story continues Americans in the top 1 percent can afford to pay a lot more before they stop going to work or creating jobs. In the 1970s, when Paul Allen and I were starting Microsoft, marginal tax rates were almost twice the top rate today. It didnt hurt our incentive to build a great company. Read Gates's full blog post. Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter. Matthew Brown / Associated Press 2018 WASHINGTON The Trump administration has built up the biggest backlog of unfunded toxic Superfund cleanup projects in at least 15 years, nearly triple the number that were stalled for lack of money in the Obama era, according to 2019 figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency. The accumulation of Superfund projects that are ready to go except for money comes as the Trump administration routinely proposes funding cuts for Superfund and for the EPA in general. The four-decade-old Superfund program is meant to tackle some of the most heavily contaminated sites in the U.S. and Trump has declared it a priority even while seeking to shrink its budget. After I-T raids on SP leaders, petitioner questions Centre for not sending Mulayam & Akhilesh to jail SP promises pension for anti citizenship law protesters India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Lucknow, Jan 04: The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Friday promised pension for those involved in protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) if voted to power, drawing a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP, which said it was in the "DNA of that party to honour rioters and anti-social elements". Ram Govind Chaudhary, leader of Opposition in the UP Legislative Assembly, said the SP would also give compensation to the kin of those jailed or killed during anti-CAA protests in the state. "If our party comes to power at the Centre and in UP, they (protesters) will be given pension as they have struggled to save the Constitution and the democracy," he said in response to a question. Congress party worker who gave ride to Priyanka Gandhi fined Rs 6100 for not wearing helmet Chaudhary said his party protects all those who seek refuge. "Jo humari sharan mein aa gaye, woh humari sharan mein hain. Hum sabki raksha karney wale log hain (those who have sought protection from us are with us. We protect everyone)," he told reporters in Lucknow. Referring to remarks made by state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should stay in Pakistan for a month to understand the atrocities being inflicted on Hindus there, Chaudhary said the Narendra Modi-led Union government is diverting people's attention from real issues. Anyone raising a question is being asked to go to Pakistan, he alleged. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday had also criticised Modi for frequently comparing India with Pakistan. FIR registered against IPS officer for sexual harassment' of 17-year-old girl on her birthday party UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma later criticised the SP, saying, "It is in the DNA of that party to honour rioters and anti-socials. They had also tried to withdraw cases against terrorists in the past and the court had to intervene. It is unfortunate that SP leaders are speaking about giving citizenship rights to Bangladeshis and Rohingyas." Indonesias air force has seeded clouds with salt in an effort to stop rain from falling on the flooded capital, Jakarta. The seeding operation follows deadly flash floods and landslides that hit the capital after some of the heaviest rain ever recorded. Indonesian officials said that as of Friday, at least 43 people had been killed in the disaster. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced. Cloud seeding is a process that involves shooting salt into clouds in an attempt to create artificial rain. It is often used in Indonesia to help put out forest fires. The current operation aims to get the clouds to drop water and break up before they reach Jakarta. Indonesias air force teamed up with the countrys technology agency to carry out three rounds of cloud seeding on Friday. Officials said more cloud seeding would take place as needed. The latest flooding followed heavy rainfall on December 31 and into the early hours of New Years Day. The water covered large areas of Jakarta and nearby towns. The area is home to about 30 million people. The start of 2020 weather was one of the most extreme rainfall events since record keeping began in 1866, Indonesias weather agency said Friday. The officials said climate change had increased the risk of extreme weather. They warned that heavy rainfall could reach a high point in mid-January and should be expected to last until mid-February. News videos showed floodwaters spreading across Jakarta. Images showed groups of people walking through water and mud-covered cars, some of them sitting on top of each other. President Joko Widodo blamed delays in flood control projects for the disaster. Among the projects is the building of a canal that has been delayed since 2017 because of property right issues. In 2007, more than 50 people died in one of the capitals deadliest flood disasters. In 2015, floodwaters covered much of the city center after canals overflowed. Jakarta has been slowly sinking. A main cause is the amount of ground water being drawn out from under the city. Rising sea levels have made the threat of flooding even worse. Last year, Widodo announced he would move Indonesias capital to East Kalimantan province on Borneo island to reduce the burden on overpopulated Jakarta. Im Bryan Lynn. Reuters news agency reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story displace v. to be driven out of a place canal n. an artificial river built for boats to travel along or to take water where it is needed A five-year-old boy died hours after he was attacked by a leopard at Bharan village in Bharuch district of Gujarat on Saturday, a forest official said. The victim, Kishan Valvi, died at a hospital at Kim in Surat district where he was admitted after suffering grievous injuries in the leopard attack, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Bharuch, Bhavna Desai said. "The minor was attacked by the leopard when he was playing in a sugarcane field at Bharan village in Ankleshwar taluka around 8.30 am. His parents were working as labourers at the farm when the incident took place," Desai said. "He was rushed to the hospital in Kim, where he died during treatment," she said. Following the incident, cages were set up in the affected area to trap the wild animal, she said. This comes a day after a five-year-old girl was killed by a leopard in a similar attack at Patal village in Surat district. Gujarat has witnessed a surge in incidents of leopard attacks. As per the government data, a total of 14 people were killed while 71 others were injured in as many as 80 attacks by leopards in Junagadh and Amreli districts during the last two years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Delhi unit BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Saturday demanded an apology from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for "spreading lies" over the registry of properties in the city's unauthorised colonies. "Chief Minister Kejriwal should apologise to the people for spreading lies. We will take legal action against him if he does not apologise to them in the next 24 hours," said Tiwari during a press conference here. "The Kejriwal government could not fix the boundaries of the unauthorised colonies within the time fixed for it and they sought extension of time again and again from the Urban Development Ministry," he said. Claiming that Kejriwal did not want to confer ownership rights to these people, the BJP MP said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government took over the work of regularising these colonies and completed this work within 100 days." Cornering Kejriwal for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, he said: "The AAP chief is also confused and hence he is against the CAA ... CAA has been framed to save such minorities from prosecution but Kejriwal is opposing it." (ANI) WEST SPRINGFIELD The Rev. Rick Rabe of the West Springfield United Methodist Church calls the historic protocol likely to split up the United Methodist Church an equitable resolution. If approved by the churchs legislative body, it will allow member churches that have long opposed LGBT marriage and ordination to split from the United Methodist Church to form their own traditionalist denomination. For us here in Western Massachusetts it will probably bring some closure and resolve some uncertainty, said Rabe, noting New England church leaders have generally been more progressive and supported inclusion and acceptance of LGBT members. Speaking for myself, I am happy to see resolution on this issue, he said. It is an equitable resolution where we could move forward doing the work we should be doing. Rabe said the proposed Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation would allow the breakaway churches to form a new denomination with their properties and with what Christianity Today reported as $25 million toward its creation. He called the protocol complex and said hurdles are ahead, but that it will probably be the pathway that will happen and there will be a split. When the 2019 conference happened there were a lot of negative and hostile things floating around, said Rabe of the February General Conference at which members voted to uphold the ban on LBGT marriage, an action that helped accelerate the move toward separation. This is a good resolution, Rabe said. He added that his West Springfield congregation, which has a preschool, has been very supportive of inclusion and has been participating in the Reconciling Ministries Network that supports all children for 10 years. The United Methodist Church is the second-largest Protestant denomination in the country and has some 13 million members worldwide. Tens of thousands of people marched in Baghdad on Saturday chanting America is the Great Satan and Revenge is coming as they mourned Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force, and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in a U.S. airstrike. Officials from Iraq and Iran took part in the mourning procession, including Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, putting on display just how much regional tensions have soared since the attack as Iranian leaders vowed to attack U.S. interests. Muhandis and the other Iraqis killed in the strike will be buried in Najaf while Soleimani will be buried in his hometown of Kerman in southeast Iran. Advertisement President Donald Trump said Friday he ordered the killing of Soleimani to stop a war rather than start one, adding that the action should have been taken earlier. What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved, Trump said in from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. According to Trump, Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NEW: Pres. Trump on U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian commander: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." https://t.co/r0uf4IsxdF pic.twitter.com/jzW7n5WSLX ABC News (@ABC) January 3, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Yet mourners in Iraq seemed eager for more conflict, not less, as they chanted, Death to America, death to Israel and We will take our revenge! A day earlier, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that action would be taken against the criminals who killed Soleimani. For now though analysts say its unclear whether the threats would turn into a reality. Experts say the country had to balance its need to show resolve against a staunch enemy and its reluctance to thrust itself into a full-scale war with the United States, a much stronger power, notes the New York Times. Advertisement Iranian military leaders are warning that U.S. facilities and other American military assets in the region are at risk, including a key Gulf waterway through which lots of the worlds oil is transported. Thirty-five vital American positions in the region are within the reach of the Islamic Republic, and Tel Aviv, Brig. Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, an Iranian commander, was quoted by the Tasnim News Agency. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital thoroughfare for the West, and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf, he added. China added its voice on Saturday to the international condemnation of the attack that killed Suleimani. The risky military action by the United States violates the fundamental norms of international relations and will worsen regional tensions and turmoil, Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, said in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. China opposes the use of armed force in international relations. Water is pretty boring, as far as beverages go. It doesnt have a catchy jingle, a secret family recipe or even a taste, really. Yet people cant seem to get enough of it. I get people in my office every day, every week, saying something like, Im concerned Im not hydrated, said Lauren Antonucci, a nutritionist in New York City. Their concerns may be based on conventional wisdom. One well-known recommendation suggests drinking eight glasses of water a day; another warns that if you feel thirsty, youre already dehydrated. But anxiety about water consumption could also stem from a different, more philosophical source: Hydration is now marketed as a cure for nearly all of lifes woes. Defense minister vows revenge for assassination of Major Soleimani assassination IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami in a message expressed condolences over the Martyrdom of the commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Major General Qasem Soleimani and vowed revenge from those behind this horrendous crime. Undoubtedly, Hatami said in a message, the crime once again firmly disclosed the evil nature of the US and proved its support for terrorists in the region and Iraq. He said those whose masterminded the terrorist act and those who carried it out will face a crushing response. He also condoled with Supreme Leader, IRGC family and family of General Soleimani. Meanwhile earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said harsh and severe revenge is awaiting the criminals. The martyred IRGC commander and the acting commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) - known as the Hash al-Shaabi- Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated.Al-Mohandes were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars early Friday morning when they were targeted and assassinated. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. The assassination stands at top of news in Iraq, the region and the whole world. The IRGC confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. 9376**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, on Friday condemned the United States for killing a top Iranian military officer in an airstrike. Qassem Soleimani, head of elite Quds Force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in an airstrike near Baghdad airport on Thursday evening. President Donald Trump confirmed ordering the attack, saying he did it to prevent further threats to U.S. citizens and interests in the Middle East. Until his death, Mr Soleimani coordinated Iranian covert operations across the region for two decades, and he was closely watched by at least two former American presidents George Bush and Barack Obama. Reactions have trailed the death across the world. The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had spoken with several foreign leaders over the matter, saying most of them, including Germany and Britain, largely supported the U.S. action. China and Russia issued statements early Friday calling for restraints amongst both parties, especially from the U.S. On Friday evening, the Russian foreign ministry said Mr Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Mr Pompeo, during which he warned the American top diplomat that the killing of Mr Soleimani violated international law. Mr Lavrov emphasised that the targeted actions of a UN member state to eliminate officials of another UN member state, moreover, in the territory of a third sovereign state without its knowledge, flagrantly violate the principles of international law and deserve to be condemned, the foreign ministry statement said as reported by the Washington Post and several other Western media outlets. Moscow urges Washington to abandon the illegal power methods to achieve its goals in the international arena and solve any problems at the negotiating table, the statement added, without elaborating whether or not Russia would take any action to hold the U.S. accountable for its perceived wrongdoing. On the 30th of December, the idol-actor Rowoon showed up for the 2019 MBC Drama Awards and good news to him he won the Best New Actor award with his co-star Lee Jae Wook for their amazing performances in the drama "Extraordinary You." On the 1st of January OSEN had an interview with the young actor Rowoon and he began saying that he was very nervous that he even forgot to mention his beloved parents in his acceptance speech, who he respects and allowed him to be there on the stage that day. He also feels deeply regretful that he did not mention his members who has been beside him especially his manager, staff members and his agency employees who has worked hard alongside him for six months. He also added that inside the car on the way to the drama awards, his manager asked him what he thinks it will be like winning the award. He said that he did not have any expectations and did not prepare anything so he was not nervous and said to himself that he would just enjoy it. And as soon as he received the award, his members contacted him to congratulate him. He then left a message in their group chat room as soon as the awards show ended. Rowoon was acknowledged for the portrayal of the character Ha Roo in "Extraordinary You" in this drama his talent in acting arose as the story is switching back and forth from the present day to the Korean historical time. Rowoon also said that this is a project that he discovered a new kind of fun in acting. He also added that it is a project that made him think about acting in a more precious way. He doesn't think that he will be able to forget it for the rest of his life. The "Extraordinary You" drama won many awards at the MBC Drama Awards. Rowoon and Lee Jae Wook won Best New Actor awards, Kim Hye Yoon won Excellence Award for an Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Drama and Best New Actress award, and Viewers' Choice for Drama of the Year. About the awards that they won, Rowoon stated that he thinks the award chosen by viewers is especially more meaningful, and he thinks that the drama's unique concept and story were charming. SF9's Rowoon also won Best New Actor at the 2019 Grimae Awards and Male Idol-Actor award at the 2020 Korea First Brand Awards. Rowoon is now preparing for the SF9's comeback. SF9 is already preparing to release their full album titled First Collection" and title track "Good Guy". It is scheduled to be released on the 7th of January. Lastly he concluded that he first plan on focusing on SF9 promotions in 2020. He said, Thanks to interest and love from many people, that they are gaining strength and working hard to prepare for it. He added, If there's a good character, we wants to do it regardless of whether it's a small or big role. "People arent stupid, they know we have had a disaster," said Jenny Aitchison, NSW Labors tourism spokeswoman. "Putting out the same campaign the government was working on before the disaster, runs the risk of looking tone deaf." Loading And David Beirman, a senior lecturer in tourism at the University of Technology Sydney, said Tourism Australia should "move heaven and earth" to postpone the campaign. "[They] will look pretty stupid trying to run a come hither campaign about happy-go-lucky Australia when the news headlines show firefighters grimly defending properties," he said. Alex Derwin, the executive creative director of BMF, said continuing with the Matesong campaign during the bushfire crisis would appear tone deaf to many people. It positions Australia as the antidote to the uptight, stressed out and overworked, which is a hard argument to put when the images youre seeing from Australia are of kids hiding in the ocean under wet towels as fire fronts rip through their towns, he said. Loading Those calls were partly heeded in the past 24 hours, with Tourism Australia in the United Kingdom confirming it had hit pause on the campaigns digital rollout, as The Sun-Herald reported. Tourism Australia representative Sally Cope said the decision was taken "out of respect" and the agency would assess the situation "daily". But its not just the juxtaposition of the tourism campaign reshaping Australia in foreign minds. Mr Derwin said the extensive coverage of the bushfires had harmed the countrys image as overseas travellers cancel flights and reconsider their visits. Loading "Theres the damage to our ecology, which affects people's perceptions of the natural beauty of our landscape, and very real damage to the local communities and businesses that service the tourism industry," he said. Mr Derwin said Australias reputation as a safe destination was also at risk: "It's understandable considering the coverage, but there's an assumption that everyone in Australia is in imminent and equal danger, and that a trip here is just not safe right now." The vitriolic debate over climate change was also at odds with Australia's claim to be laid back and friendly, Mr Derwin said. "Our reputation as a tourist destination would be greatly enhanced by taking leadership on climate change, and showing the world that were serious about protecting our natural habitats." Dr Beirman said the catastrophic bushfire crisis had been headline news around the world for weeks and "is not a good look". "There is no doubt in my mind that this national bushfire emergency will have a significant impact on both international visitation to Australia and domestic tourism within Australia, he said. Federal Trade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the safety of residents and visitors in fire-ravaged areas was the governments priority, but it was acutely aware of the impacts on tourism. Many of Australias best known tourism regions have previously faced natural disasters such as bushfires and cyclones yet bounced back in a strong demonstration of their resilience as world-class tourism destinations, he said. Senator Birmingham said there was always a risk that widespread media coverage of the bushfires would also impact other regions of Australia. We are monitoring the global media coverage and its impact on future bookings closely and assessing how to address the impact of this as the situation unfolds, he said. Felicity Picken, a lecturer at Western Sydney University's School of Social Sciences and Psychology, said the apocalyptic images of bushfires were likely to undermine Australias efforts to brand itself as a desirable destination. She also said the rising risk of bushfires in summer might require a rethink of when and where tourists should visit Australia. Poor air quality tends to undermine positive views about the urban quality of a destination whereas bush or wildfires tend to reflect poorly on the natural attractions, she said. But Dr Picken said the images with the greatest impact were those that joined the dots between the fires and tourists such as holidaymakers sheltering on a beach as flames razed homes. Loading Brand damage It is difficult to assess the cost of the bushfire crisis and smoke haze on the tourism industry, but operators across NSW are reporting declines in business. Ms Aitchinson said the cost to the tourism industry will probably go to the hundreds of millions of dollars given many popular tourist sites across NSW have been affected by bushfires. Whatever it is, it will be devastating for those who are impacted, she said. More than 4000 insurance claims totalling $297m have been lodged since November, The Guardian reported. BridgeClimb chief executive Chris Zumwalt told ABC News there had been a 15-20 per cent decline in guests wanting to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill said: Were talking about massive losses in customer numbers and it will take a long time for business to recover. Dean Long, the chief executive of the Accommodation Association of Australia, said the bushfires had led to a drop in hotel bookings of 2.9 per cent in Sydney and up to 10 per cent in regional NSW. Theres no doubt the brand of Sydney and NSW has been damaged as a result of this fire, he said. The number of visitors at Scenic World in the Blue Mountains in December was down by 50,000 compared with the previous year and 50 per cent lower than forecast. The tourist attractions chief experience officer Amanda Byrne said many tourists had shied away from the area because of bushfires and the heavy media coverage. In December weve had bookings cancelled out of general fear for the bushfire situation from both tour operators and independent travellers, she said. We have also heard from our inbound tour operators that they are receiving cancellations for as far out as April well after the bushfire season. Ms Byrne said reporting of conditions in the Blue Mountains during the bushfire crisis had been misleading and sensationalist. Its important for international tourists in particular to understand that the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage-listed area is vast more than 1 million hectares and there are many popular tourist areas that are unaffected by the bushfires, she said. Ms Byrne said the impact of the bushfires may be felt long after they are doused. After the devastating 2013 bushfire in Winmalee, which went for two days, it took three months to see a return to normal visitation in the Blue Mountains region with an estimated loss of $47 million to the local tourism economy, she said. Yet the bushfire crisis is far from over for many communities. Major risk for tourism Highways were choked with traffic last week as holidaymakers were warned to evacuate the NSW South Coast ahead of dangerous conditions on Saturday that the Rural Fire Service expected to be "the same or worse than New Year's Eve". Loading Concerns about deteriorating weather conditions also prompted NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to declare a state of emergency for the state as the fire crisis spread to the Snowy Mountains. It is a far cry from the advice offered to Sun-Herald readers in December by NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres as Sydney choked on smoke from bushfires in the Blue Mountains and four months after the bushfire crisis began in northern NSW. "Events are still on, motels are still open, restaurants are still serving food and pubs are still pouring beer," he said. "There is absolutely no reason for anyone to change their plans to visit regional NSW." By Trend A meeting was held at the Turkmen Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (UIET) with Charge dAffaires of Kyrgyz Embassy in Turkmenistan Turatbek Junushaliev, Trend reports referring to the UIET. The parties confirmed the interest of business circles of the two countries in the diversification of trade and economic partnership. The issue of creating joint ventures was also discussed. The importance of opening Turkmen trading house in Bishkek was emphasized, the report said. The parties also noted the need to study the issues of introducing a post of a trade representative at the embassies of the two countries, a facilitated visa regime for entrepreneurs, and launching a flight between Ashgabat and Bishkek. Representatives of the Kyrgyz side expressed proposal to attract Turkmen entrepreneurs to the construction and investment of tourist facilities in Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is also interested in importing Turkmen liquefied natural gas and is negotiating with the Turkmen State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange to search for opportunities to increase trade turnover. This was mentioned by Kyrgyz representatives at a meeting of the Turkmen-Kyrgyz intergovernmental commission in Ashgabat. It was reported that Turkmenistan is ready to consider the possibility of joint mining and processing of minerals in Kyrgyzstan. The parties also discussed prospects of partnership in industry and transport. Turkmenistan holds one of the key positions in the region in terms of supply of natural gas, and China is a major importer of gas. Bishkek may also be involved in a major project to deliver Central Asian gas to China, primarily from Turkmenistan. The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has been purchasing natural fuel in this region since 2009, after the launch of the first two branches of the Central Asia-China (A and B) gas pipeline from Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Recently, the third branch (C) has been launched, which also runs along this route. The development of a project is underway to build an additional fourth branch (D), along new transit route through Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Police here arrested a Bangladeshi and seized foreign currency from his possession. 32,500 US dollars and 11,732 Bangladeshi Taka were recovered from his possession in an operation on Friday, as per the police. The man has been identified as Mohammad Sohel Rana (40 years), and a case regarding the same was filed at the Burrabazar police station. The man had allegedly received the foreign currency after selling smuggled gold to a gold merchant in the Burrabazar area, he had also allegedly crossed the international border yesterday and was planning to return with the money. Further investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Frank Schafer, a former Pennsylvania pastor defrocked (and later reinstated) because he officiated at his gay son's wedding, called the agreement "the best solution for everybody involved." Credit: Associated Press. Read more There was a bittersweet mix in the reactions that Bishop Peggy A. Johnson heard after Fridays announcement that leaders of the United Methodist Church had reached an agreement that would allow members opposed to gay marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy to form a new denomination. There was lots of jubilation" and relief that years of painful internal battles might finally be coming to a close, said Johnson, who leads the 400 congregations in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. But that was tempered by people who dont want a separation. Theres a sense of grief and sadness that we would consider a split of any kind, Johnson, who is based in Valley Forge, said Friday night. Its not unheard of in the history of churches, she said. People have a way of splitting up. Johnson, who separately oversees churches in Delaware and Marylands Eastern Shore, said she expected the agreement the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation to be approved in a vote at the next general conference, scheduled for May in Minneapolis. Significantly, the agreement pledges $25 million to the traditionalist denomination, and $2 million to any other new denomination that wishes to leave. The plan also calls for $39 million to support ministries for communities historically marginalized by racism. Assuming the agreement is approved, Johnson said, she expects about 10 churches in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference to leave. But Im honestly not sure. The Rev. Frank Schaefer, the former Lebanon, Pa., pastor who was briefly defrocked for officiating at his gay sons wedding, said the agreement was really the best solution for everybody involved. Although Schaefer was found guilty of breaking doctrinal law by a jury of his peers at a 2013 trial in Chester County, his ministerial credentials were restored the following year by the churchs highest judicial board, which ruled on technical grounds and not on the ban on gay marriage. Ive been a proponent for a split of some kind for many years, because I saw the inevitability of it, said Schaefer, now the pastor of University United Methodist Church near Santa Barbara, Calif. He also said he expected some splintering beyond the two denominations. Johnson speculated that the $2 million allocation for additional denominations could be for a third group that finds the church, even without a ban on gay marriage and ordination, still falling short in supporting LGBTQ rights. By allowing the factions to go their own ways, Schaefer said, were all going to be a little happier." On Twitter Friday afternoon, Zachary Wilcha, executive director of Independence Business Alliance, which he describes as Greater Philadelphias LGBTQ chamber of commerce, wrote in reaction to the news: I was raised in an affirming, welcoming, small-town Methodist congregation. It set my moral compass. It still heavily influences the way I think about service in my personal & professional life. I hope a split heals all who suffered from the leaderships accommodation of bigotry. Another user, who identified himself as Levi S. Harris, responded: It wont help the LGBTQ kids left behind in the retrograde parishes. No great solutions, but as a former Southern Baptist preachers kid, I feel for those who will be stuck in a hateful branch of Methodism without the affirming witness of the other branch to moderate it. Wilcha replied: Definitely not a perfect solution, but I think its a step in the right direction. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: A man in Assam, declared a foreigner and sent to a detention camp, died at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Guwahati. According to official sources, the detainee, Naresh Koch, was admitted to the GMCH ten days ago after he had fallen sick at the Goalpara detention camp. He died on Friday night. The man in his fifties, who hailed from Mornoi in Goalpara district, was declared a foreigner by a foreigners tribunal and sent to the detention camp in March 2018. Congress' reaction to Kochs death Often the poor and marginalised bear the brunt when they are forced to showcase documents to the satisfaction of the administration. It doesnt matter which religion you belong to, Congress MP, Gaurav Gogoi, tweeted. Koch is the 29th person to have died during incarceration at a detention camp in Assam. ALSO READ | Bangladesh nationals returning to their country after NRC in Assam: BSF An estimated over 1100 people are lodged in the detention camps in Assam. Ahead of the publication of the final list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on August 31 last year, around 20 declared foreigners were released after the states BJP-led coalition government had taken a decision on the conditional release of declared foreigners who have spent at least three years in detention. They were among 335 declared foreigners who had spent three years in detention. The conditions for release include payment of two sureties of Rs.1 lakh each, submission of a verifiable address, collection of biometrics which includes all ten fingerprints besides the iris. Another condition is that the persons must report to the police station every week. Assam has six detention centres which are separate cells in the district jails. The seventh, which will house only declared foreigners, is coming up in Goalpara. The detainees at the existing detention camps are treated on a par with criminals. The same jail manual is followed for them. The West Bengal government has granted permission to state-run Jadavpur Vidyapith in the city to start an English-medium wing from the 2020 academic session, an official said on Saturday. The permission has been accorded to the government-run higher secondary school to introduce the English-medium section simultaneously with the Bengali-medium wing, according to a circular, signed by Commissioner of School Soumitra Mohan. "We have got a circular from the school department on January 1, which allowed us to start an English-medium wing, to be run alongside the existing Bengali-medium facility from class five to 12," Jadavpur Vidyapith Head Master Parimal Bhattacharya said. If the new section is started, Jadavpur Vidyapith will be the first government school in the city where the English- medium teaching will be introduced from class five to 12, said a senior official of the department. The department had earlier granted permission to the 202-year-old Hindu School for starting the English-medium wing at the primary level from the current academic session, the official said. Since the admission process to class five has already been started for the existing Bengali-medium section, the Jadavpur Vidyapith will seek opinions of the students and guardians in next two-three days for shifting to the new wing, Bhattacharya said. After assessing the responses from them, the institute will consider whether the existing pool of teachers will be adequate for the English-medium wing or there would be new recruitments, he said. Shantipur Municipal High School (HS) in Nadia district has also been given the permission to open the English-medium section, the official said. According to the circular, the school authorities may admit up to 40 students of class V in the session 2020 and the district school inspectors have been asked to provide English medium text books to the "newly admitted students" in the section. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An 18-year-old Salem County woman is hospitalized after she was shot while sitting in a parked car Thursday night, according to police. The victim, a Lower Alloways Creek Township resident, was wounded around 8 p.m. in the center city area of Vineland. A single shot struck her upper arm and lodged in her chest, police said. She was driven to Inspira Medical Center Vineland in that vehicle and police were summoned to the hospital. The victim was then transported to Cooper University Hospital, Camden, where she was listed in critical but stable condition on Friday. Investigators have interviewed several witnesses and also spoke with the victim, police said. Additional details about the incident were not made public Friday. Anyone with information is asked to contact Vineland Police at 856-691-4111, ext. 4181 or Vineland Crime Stoppers at 856-691-0345. Tips may be texted to 847411 (VPDTIP). Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. 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. Shura Council President Ali bin Saleh Al-Saleh yesterday congratulated His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa on the success of the medical check-ups he had undergone. He prayed to Allah the Almighty to bless HRH the Premier with abundant health and wellbeing and guide him on the path of success to continue the march of development and serve the nation and citizens in the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. Al-Saleh extended congratulations to the loyal people of Bahrain, paying tribute to HRH the Premier for his support to the legislative branch of government. He commended the advanced level of legislative-executive cooperation which yielded landmark achievements thanks to HRH the Premiers support to all legislations that serve Bahrain and its loyal people. Vahid Salemi/AP Until the Trump administration blew him away in Baghdad in the pre-dawn dark of Friday morning, Qassem Soleimani had made the very fact of his survival part of his considerable mystique. The powerful Iranian general commanded forces that had become the scourge of Irans adversaries abroad, especially the United States and Israel. Yet he came and went to the war fronts of the Middle East unscathed. In fact, conscious decisions were taken under the George W. Bush administration, even when Soleimani was in the crosshairs, not to pull the trigger. Gen. Stanley McChrystal wrote last year, he had a shot in 2007 but let Soleimani go: The decision not to act is often the hardest one to makeand it isnt always right. Ali Khedery, a former U.S. adviser in Iraq, told The Daily Beast that not striking Soleimani when they had the chance was an enormous frustration to me and many of my colleagues. I remember during the [2007 Iraq troop] surge sitting with Ambassador Ryan Crocker and [Gen.] David Petraeus and saying, Wouldnt it be a shame if Soleimani ran into one of his own EFPs, Khedery added, using the acronym for Explosively-Formed Projectiles, the Iranian-made bombs that killed dozens and dozens of American troops in Iraq. But obviously, this was a decision that had to be taken by the president personally because of its implications. Under the Barack Obama administration, the assassination of the most famous general in the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appears not to have been considered seriously. There was never any manhunt, according to Derek Chollet, assistant secretary of defense from 2012 to 2015. To my knowledge there was never a decision of Weve gotta go find this guy and get him. Nobody could begin to be sure what would come next if Soleimani were killed, and no scenario looked good. And in those days the priority was stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon without having to go to war. The murder of Soleimani could have scuttled the negotiations. Story continues The calculus was a fairly simple one, says Chollet: Do the potential risks of taking an action like this outweigh the gain of taking him off the battlefield? The answer was yes. U.S. Braces for Irans Counterpunch After Slaying of Soleimani According to Patricia Ravalgi, who served as a civilian analyst at U.S. Central Command from 2008 to 2019, concerns at the operational level went beyond declined opportunities to terminate Soleimani. There was often the worry among military planners and Washington policymakers that with Iranian-backed militias and American troops operating in close proximity in Iraq, especially during the campaigns against the so-called Islamic State, Soleimani would be in the wrong place at the wrong time, get killed by accident, and all hell would break loose. There was even wishful thinking that Soleimani would stay out of Iraq more, to keep such an accident from occurring, says Ravalgi. But why didnt the Israelis target Soleimani? According to Soleimani, in an interview given just three months ago, they did. Speaking to Iranian television last year, the head of the elite Quds Force of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that Israeli aircraft targeted him and Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in 2006, while Soleimani commanded forces in Beirut during the Second Lebanon War. Israeli spy planes were constantly flying overhead, he said as he began his war story. Hezbollah, an Iranian backed militia, had its situation room in the heart of Dahiyeh, a Beirut neighborhood, and the Israelis were watching every movement, Soleimani said. Then late one night, he and Imad Mughniyeh, Hezbollahs most notorious terrorist operative, decided to remove Nasrallah to safety in a separate building. Shortly after their arrival, two Israeli bombardments struck nearby, he said. We felt that these two bombings were about to be followed by a third one so we decided to get out of that building. We didnt have a car, and there was complete silence, just the Israeli regime planes overflying Dahiyeh, he recalled. Soleimani said he hid under a tree with Nasrallah from what appeared to be heat-seeking drones while Mughniyeh went in search of a car. Afraid the car was also being tracked, they eventually switched cars in an underground garage, supposedly confounding the Israelis. Mughniyehs luck did not last long. He was blown up in Damascus in 2008 in an operation later attributed jointly to the CIA and Israels Mossad. An Israeli military officer with knowledge of Israels Iran preparedness told The Daily Beast that when the Americans took out Soleimani this week, It wasnt a surprise, not really. The officer, who spoke without attribution because he was not authorized to speak with the media, said there had been previous Israeli and American efforts to eliminate Soleimani, though it wasnt clear to what extent the plans had advanced. The Obama administration asked us not to proceed, he said. It was clear the implications could be much greater than a localized war, the repercussions could affect the whole world. This time around, Were not involved in the American operation, said the Israeli officer. But the Iranians always put us together, the big Satan and the little Satan. You see people on the streets screaming death to America and death to Israel. Could we potentially get hit? Of course. We are secondary, seen as a proxy for the United States. Irans Qasem Soleimani is the Mastermind Preparing Proxy Armies for War With America In Trumps remarks from his Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday, he claimed, We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. But as his predecessors understood well, the decision to assassinate Soleimani has opened the door into the unknown and the unknowable. We need de-escalation, one anxious Iraqi official told The Daily Beast, and this is the mother of all escalations. with additional reporting by Spencer Ackerman Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The San Francisco Public Defenders Office slammed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency Friday for conducting what it claims was an illegal transfer of one of its clients, a female transgender inmate, from California to Texas on Christmas night. The office has represented Lexis Avilez in her immigration case since last January. Shes been in ICE custody since 2018 and detained in the Yuba County Detention Center. San Francisco public defenders sometimes take on immigration clients from outside the city when their cases move through the federal San Francisco Immigration Court. On Christmas night, according to the Public Defenders Office, the Yuba County Sheriffs Office approached Avilez in her cell and led her to believe she was being released. Instead, she was transferred into ICE custody and flown some 2,000 miles to the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. Avilezs public defender, Hector Vega, said in an interview that shes been held in deplorable conditions since her arrival at Prairieland, where guards have kept her in segregated confinement, forced her to wear mens clothes and denied her free calls to her attorneys. The conditions of my detention have worsened and have had a huge impact on my mental health and my ability to move forward. I think this has been so cruel to me, Avilez said in a statement. On Friday, Vega filed court documents requesting an immediate hearing on Avilezs behalf to request that she be transferred back to Yuba County, where she can be closer to her lawyer and to her family as her immigration case progresses. The reason for the transfer remains unclear to the Public Defenders Office. About a week before the move, Vega filed court documents asking for Avilezs release or for a bond hearing. Vega characterized the transfer as a callous act from a heartless agency, and we demand that ICE release Lexis from custody. Representatives from ICE and the Yuba County Sherrifs Office didnt respond to requests for comment. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. While in custody in Yuba County, Avilez previously attempted suicide after spending a month in solitary confinement, Vega said. My worry is that the same thing will happen again, that the depression and (post-traumatic stress) in isolated confinement will yet again lead to suicidal thoughts, Vega said, adding that Avilezs medical file was not sent along with her to the Texas facility he had to send it along himself. Avilez came to the U.S. as a baby from Mexico in 1979, according to the Public Defenders Office. She became a legal resident when she was 18 years old. But ICE sought to deport her after she was convicted of felony assault in Salinas. She is seeking to avoid deportation on what she believes is the strong likelihood that she would be tortured based on her identity as a transgender woman, Vega said. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa Seven whales were successfully herded back to sea after they survived a mass stranding at a New Zealand beach on Saturday, conservation officials said. About 1,000 locals and holidaymakers had spent several hours comforting the beached whales on the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island. They were refloated during the afternoon high tide and shepherded to deeper waters by several boats. Seven surviving (short-finned) pilot whales have been shepherded out of Matarangi Harbour, the department of conservation tweeted. The marine conservation group Project Jonah had earlier appealed for trained medics to go to Mararangi to assist with the rescue. While the locals are doing a great job, if you are a trained medic on holiday in the region, your help would be greatly appreciated, Project Jonah said on its Facebook page. Short-finned pilot whales are closely related to the long-finned pilot whales that are regularly involved in mass strandings in New Zealand waters. A worker operates machines at the Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steelmill.-VNA/VNS Photo Opportunities, however, will come with challenges as the countrys steel exports have found. A rise in trade protectionism in large markets such as the US and the EU were among the most difficult tasks Vietnamese steelmakers must address. For instance, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) had slapped duties of up to 456 per cent on a number of steel products from Viet Nam including corrosion-resistant steel and cold-rolled steel with S Korean or Taiwanese origin, which had allegedly circumvented US anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties, according to the department. The DOC said it had observed a sharp increase in shipments of corrosion-resistant steel (332 per cent) and cold-rolled steel (916 per cent) from Viet Nam from 2016-19 compared to previous years since the US started imposing duties on S Korean and Taiwanese steel products in December 2015 and February 2016. The heavy duties imposed by the US has seen Vietnamese steel export to the worlds largest economy drop to just over $3.49 billion, a 9 per cent decrease from the same period last year. Industry expert Nguyen Van Sua said the gloomy figure was a result of US-China trade tensions as the US ramped up efforts to counter origin fraud. Other countries were likely to take similar actions to protect their own steel industries. If we fail to fight off origin fraud among Vietnamese steelmakers, our products will face even higher tariffs in the US and traditional markets including ASEAN countries, said Sua. In addition, the price of Vietnamese steel products has been on the decline during the last ten months of the year, fetching just over $648 per tonne, an 11.4 per cent drop compared to 2018. This price drop combined with rising protectionism and stricter scrutiny may prove to be daunting challenges for Vietnamese firms to overcome in order to maintain and boost their exports. A representative from Hoa Phat Group one of the countrys largest steelmakers said origin fraud damaged the countrys image and hurt Vietnamese steels ability to compete effectively in the long run as more countries would likely put Vietnamese product on their watch-lists or impose higher duties. Chu Thang Chung, deputy head of the trade remedies authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said only a handful number of Vietnamese steel makers had engaged in origin fraud. While yielding short-term benefits for a few, it would cause significant financial damage to others trying to meet stricter regulations in import markets. The ministry said it would continue to support Vietnamese firms to cope with trade protection measures. It also urged Vietnamese firms to buy input materials from domestic firms to avoid over-reliance on outside sources. CLLR Eddie Ryan has accused Deputy Niall Collins of trying to "interfere" with the running of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District. In a statement to the Limerick Leader, Cllr Ryan said he left a local area meeting in protest. The two men could be Fianna Fail running mates in the forthcoming General Election in Limerick County. Cllr Ryan said on November 21 an item on the agenda was for a Part 8 decision on a council site at Station Close, Knocklong. Part 8 allows for the application of planning permission for projects by local authorities. Where a project is being progressed by the local authority, planning permission is applied for under Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations, he explained. To me this was a straightforward Part 8 decision. We urgently need more social houses in Knocklong as there are currently 48 people on Limerick City and County Councils housing waiting list for Knocklong and 1,118 on the housing waiting list in the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District, continued Cllr Ryan. On the evening before this meeting, Cllr Ryan said Deputy Niall Collins sent out an email on behalf of a developer asking that a decision on this Part 8 be deferred. Read also: Independent ponders Dail run as Greens spring county Limerick surprise It was agreed in committee prior to the November meeting that the Part 8 decision would be deferred following Mr Collins request. However, I was not prepared to be party to this decision and left the meeting in protest, said Cllr Ryan. In committee means that members of the public and journalists are excluded from a council meeting. In my opinion, it is an insult to the elected members of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District that a TD should send out such an email the night before the meeting of the municipal district to defer a Part 8 in the middle of a housing crisis or is this fact lost on Mr Collins. All politicians should be fighting to secure funding for social housing and not thwarting the process in anyway, said Cllr Ryan. The long-serving Galbally councillor said the site in question in Knocklong is solely owned by Limerick City and County Council. Fourteen homes already exist and 12 more will be very welcome to meet the needs of the community. The decision to proceed with the Part 8 was taken at the December meeting of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District. This belated decision must be welcomed especially for the families on the housing waiting list in Knocklong, concluded Cllr Ryan. Deputy Collins declined to comment when contacted. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 21:24:34|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Jan 4 (Xinhua) -- Around 380,636 people were documented to have been killed during the nearly nine-year war in Syria, a war monitor said Saturday. The death toll includes civilians, government soldiers, rebel fighters and foreign troops, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A total of 66,620 government troops, 51,594 pro-government fighters, 8,245 pro-government foreign fighters, and 1,682 fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah group during the war, the Britain-based watchdog said. Meanwhile, 115,490 civilians, 111 Turkish soldiers, 67,395 jihadis and Islamic State militants, 66,457 rebel fighters, 417 unknown fighters, and 2,625 army deserters were among the killed. However, the Observatory said the death toll of the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition is unavailable because of the extreme tight-lip policy in the coalition. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) The fight for justice continues for the family of photojournalist Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay, whom the court ruled was not among the 57 victims of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. Momay's family served notice to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 that they are heading to the Court of Appeals to appeal the decision that acquitted all the accused of the murder charge for his death. The local court on December 19, 2019 dismissed the Momay family's claim for damages, saying there was "no evidence of his actual death," since his body was nowhere to be found more than a decade after the mass murder. The rest of the victims' remains were all found in shallow graves in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province after being shot and killed by the Ampatuans and their armed men. Momay's live-in partner Marivic Bilbao testified that Momay was part of the same press pool which covered the filing of candidacy for Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, the vice mayor of Buluan town in Maguindanao who challenged the Ampatuans' two-decade rule in the province. Bilbao also attested that the dentures recovered in the mass grave were Momay's, claiming that she cleaned them for him everyday for six years. However, the court said the claim was not established. In their notice of appeal, Momay's heirs called on the Supreme Court to "revisit and revise" the doctrine which makes the appeal of an acquittal a violation of the doctrine against double jeopardy. Harry Roque, a lawyer for the victims, stressed in a statement on his Facebook page that Momay's heirs "are entitled even to a declaration that he too perished in the massacre and is not just a victim of enforced dissapearance." Families of 18 other victims will also appeal the amount of civil damages set by the court. Each of the families of the 57 killed have been entitled to at least 350,000 in civil indemnity, moral damages, exemplary damages, and temperate damages. "We feel that the damages awarded should be substantially more. For instance, moral damages should not just be 100,000 given the state of the remains of the victims' loved ones when they identified them at the crime scene. Civil indemnity should be more than 100,000 as human lives should cost more than this. And exemplary damages should be more than 100,000 to send the message that the State will not tolerate the killing of journalists," Roque said. He said the Ampatuans should give all the victims at least 20 million. The court in its decision computed the damages depending on the incomes of the slain. The amounts ranged from 560,001 to as high as 23.13 million for the heirs of Jephone Cadagdagon. The 2009 Maguindanao massacre Brothers Datu Andal "Unsay" and Zaldy Ampatuan are also heading to the Court of Appeals to appeal their conviction for 57 counts of murder. They are among eight members of the Ampatuan clan who were found guilty and sentenced to a maximum of 40 years in prison for the mass killing. Twenty of their cohorts got the same punishment, while 14 were sentenced to up to 10 years of imprisonment for being accessories to the crime. The court ruled that the Ampatuans led by family patriarch Andal Ampatuan, Sr. planned for four months to kill Mangudadatu after refusing to back down in the race against Unsay for Maguindanao governor. READ: 'That's easy, kill them all': Ampatuans' chilling conversations Mangudadatu told the court that his family and advisers decided to send his wife and other female family members to file his certificate of candidacy on November 23, 2009, confident that no harm would come to them because Islam, the dominant religion in the Muslim autonomous region, commands utmost respect for women. The Mangudadatu women were all killed, along with members of the media who came to cover the historic filing of candidacy. The court even cited a witness' testimony that says Unsay shot Mangudadatu's wife Bai Genalyn between her legs. The Maguindanao massacre has gone down in history as the world's deadliest single attack on journalists, and the worst case of election-related violence in the Philippines. OTTAWA - Federal Conservatives will gather in Toronto on June 27 to pick their next leader. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - Federal Conservatives will gather in Toronto on June 27 to pick their next leader. A decision to set the date for the vote was made Friday, the latest development in the effort to replace current leader Andrew Scheer, who announced in December he would resign upon the election of his replacement. Former Conservative MP Lisa Raitt who challenged Scheer for the leadership in 2017 was appointed soon after last month's announcement to be the co-chair of the committee charged with setting the rules of the contest. "The committee is meeting frequently to make sure we do this in the most open, efficient and transparent way to make sure we get a good result," she said Friday. The remaining rules, including the potential entry fee and the number of names required on nomination forms to enter, have yet to be set. The decision to hold the vote in June is likely to receive mixed results from party supporters, some of whom wanted a vote sooner in order to set the party in good standing to defeat the Liberal minority government. Former Conservative MP Lisa Raitt speaks with the media as she arrives for a Conservative caucus meeting on Parliament hill in Ottawa, Wednesday November 6, 2019. The Conservatives will choose their next leader at a convention on June 27 in Toronto. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld But elements of the contest including the requirement for a mail-in ballot are enshrined in the party's constitution, making a speedier race challenging to organize. Others hoped for a longer lead-in, which would allow those new to the party or the process time to mount a credible campaign. There are a number of people already organizing for a run. They include Erin O'Toole, a current MP and former leadership contender, who held meetings over the holidays to put together a team, current MP and former cabinet minister Pierre Poilievre, as well as local businessman Bryan Brulotte, who has lengthy ties to the party. Former Quebec premier Jean Charest, former interim party leader Rona Ambrose and former cabinet minister Peter MacKay are also all considering a bid. The June 27 vote will be only the third time the Conservative membership has elected a leader. The first was Stephen Harper, elected three months after the Conservative party was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservatives in 2003. Ambrose was elected as interim leader by Conservative MPs and senators following Harper's resignation upon losing government in 2015. Scheer was elected by the membership in May 2017, following a 16-month contest. He announced he was quitting in mid-December, saying he could no longer give the job his all. His decision came amidst mounting criticism of his leadership, the party's failure to form government in the October election and questions about his use of party funds to cover his personal costs. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2020. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined CNN and MSNBC Thursday night where he weighed in on the airstrike earlier in the day that killed high-ranking Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad airport. President Donald Trump said just two days earlier that he doesnt want, nor does he foresee, war with Iran. Though Booker agrees that Soleimani was responsible for hundreds of American deaths, he also expressed concern that the consequences of such a strike may not have been well thought out. This is not something that should be done on impulse, Booker said. It should be done in a larger strategic vision and understanding what the consequences could be in taking out this significant assassinating someone of such a significant leadership role in Iran. Other presidential candidates also shared their thoughts and concerns about the killing of Soleimani. My statement on the killing of Qassem Soleimani. pic.twitter.com/4Q9tlLAYFB Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 3, 2020 Trump's dangerous escalation brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars. Trump promised to end endless wars, but this action puts us on the path to another one. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 3, 2020 Soleimani was a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans. But this reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict. Our priority must be to avoid another costly war. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 3, 2020 Booker also expressed his doubts that military action will solve the state of constant conflict in the region. Story continues This Middle East we have seen is not going to be solved, as we know in Afghanistan now with the Afghan papers coming out, we are not going to solve these problems, as our own generals are saying, with our United States military, Booker said. There must be diplomatic solutions. The Pentagon said in a statement after the strike that Soleimani was developing plans to attack Americans in the region, as he has done in the past, and that this was a defensive measure. But, as the airstrike was carried out without congressional approval, Booker isnt quite ready to accept the Trump administrations rationale. I have a lot of concerns right now as this is unfolding about that standard of the use of military force and I have a lot of concerns about a president whos already shown to have no strategy for the larger challenges we have in the Middle East, especially around Iran, Booker told CNN, later adding on MSNBC, These are statements coming from the Trump White House. Theres a lot more facts that have to come out to see if indeed this president, who already has done things that have undermined what people on both sides of the political aisle in the Senate have said do not constitute the authorization for the use of military force. CNN Tonight With Don Lemon airs weeknights at 10 p.m. on CNN. The Last Word With Lawrence ODonnell airs weeknights at 11 p.m. on MSNBC. Check out why Linda Ronstadt says Trump is like Hitler and the Mexicans are the new Jews: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Italy on Saturday expelled a Moroccan imam back to his home country because of what it said was his support for the Islamic State group. Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese cited reasons of state security in sending the 41-year-old imam, identified only as MG, back to Casablanca. In a statement, the interior ministry said the imam had expressed support for the late IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and shared jihadi propaganda on Facebook. The ministry said his Moroccan wife had also filed a formal complaint against him for abusing her because she refused to wear the covering niqab. Italy has largely been spared Islamic-inspired attacks that have targeted France, Spain and other European countries in recent years. Italian officials point to its program of expelling suspected extremists. Since it began in 2015, the program has resulted in 462 people being sent home, including 98 last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It starts with Damian Finol, a security engineer at Google. When he was growing up in Venezuela, Finol was extremely interested in computer security and privacy--and for a very compelling personal reason. "I learned how to encrypt when I was 12 in the 1990s," he told me, "when I had to keep my gay diary safe. Now, Finol lives in California, where a new privacy law went into effect on January 1. On New Year's Day, in his spare time, he built a simple website that a lot of people will find very interesting. In short, Californians now have four key rights regarding how big companies use your digital data: The right to know what data companies are holding and selling about you The right to ask companies to delete personal information about you The right to "opt out" of companies' selling your data to third parties The right to nondiscrimination--meaning you can't be charged more or less for exercising the other three rights All of that sounds great (and it might leave people in other states feeling a little envious). But there's only one problem: While companies legally have to provide these rights to California residents, they also might be prone to hiding the information deep within their companies' websites. That's where Finol's project came in. It's a crowdsourced database where you can find direct links to the pages on big-company websites to exercise these privacy rights. The layout is fairly sparse and basic, but I was surprised at how useful it could be--at least if you're a California resident, since there's no legal requirement that people in other states be given these rights. As of this writing, there are 123 company pages listed on the site. Here are a few examples, with links, so you can see the sorts of things we're talking about: When we talked this week, Finol wanted me to be clear that while he works for Google, he built the site, CAPrivacy.me, in his spare time. In other words, it's a private project, not a Google project. He said the idea for this came to him after talking with a colleague, Chad Loder, about the new law on New Year's Eve, and then reading a Twitter thread by attorney Whitney Merrill, in which she'd started to compile these kinds of pages. Truly, just going down the list of companies, you start to get a sense for just how many companies are collecting information and potentially selling it. (I mean, Chipotle?) Perhaps it shouldn't be all that surprising, if you pay attention to some of the reporting on this--like Kashmir Hill's report in November in The New York Times, where she obtained her "secret consumer score" and found it included everything. Everything. Can you imagine how long it would take to look up company after company after company, trying to find the single page on their websites where they let you opt out of all this stuff? Nancy Pelosi fancies herself a foreign policy expert who not only must be consulted by the presidents foreign policy team, but who can set or manipulate American foreign policy. Recall her foray into Middle East policy a decade ago, when she defied the Bush State Department, met with Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and declared him the key to bringing peace to the Middle East. Here is what Shadow Secretary Pelosi said about the killing Gen. Soleimani: American leaders highest priority is to protect American lives and interests. But we cannot put the lives of American servicemembers, diplomats and others further at risk by engaging in provocative and disproportionate actions. Tonights airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence. America and the world cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return. The Administration has conducted tonights strikes in Iraq targeting high-level Iranian military officials and killing Iranian Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani without an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iran. Further, this action was taken without the consultation of the Congress. The full Congress must be immediately briefed on this serious situation and on the next steps under consideration by the Administration, including the significant escalation of the deployment of additional troops to the region. Most of this is nonsense. If the killing of Soleimani was disproportionate, thats only because Irans terrorist in chief is responsible for the death of hundreds of Americans. Unfortunately, we can only kill Soleimani once. Moreover, American intelligence indicated that Soleimani was planning new attacks that would have killed more Americans. If so, then it wasnt disproportionate to kill him and his associates for that reason, as well. I think the administration may be too optimistic about the extent to which taking out Soleimani will prevent future attacks. Presumably, he had deputies who can step into his role effectively enough to cause serious trouble. However, its not disproportionate to kill a terrorist who is responsible for many American deaths and who is plotting many more. Pelosis suggestion that President Trump needed an Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iran and that he needed to consult Congress is also nonsense. As Jim Geraghty reminds us, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps was designated a terrorist group in April. The president doesnt need authorization to take out the head of a terrorist group who is planning an attack on U.S. interests, nor does he need to consult with Congress before doing so. Does Pelosi really think Congress has to pass an authorization before the president can take out a dangerous terrorist? How would that work? Soleimani wasnt sitting around waiting to be attacked. The opportunity to take him out was short-lived. Quick action was required. Congress cant act quickly enough. Moreover, David French points out that the attack on Soleimani occurred in Iraq, not Iran. This is important because American troops are lawfully in Iraq, there by congressional authorization and with the permission of the Iraqi government. . . [and] have a right of self-defense. French continues: Iranian-backed militias attacked U.S. troops lawfully present in a combat zone under valid legal authorities. Moreover, Americas military response isnt limited to immediate self-defense or tit for tat. It can act to remove the threat. That threat includes enemy commanders. The true act of war was thus Irans by putting one of its commanders, boots on the ground, in Iraq to assist in planning and directing attacks on U.S. forces. America is entitled to respond to that threat. Exactly. Pelosi is right about one thing the killing of Soleimani is provocative in the sense that it will likely provoke military action by Iran, including action it might not otherwise have taken. Shes also right to worry about tensions escalat[ing] to the point of no return. But tensions were escalating already due to previous Iranian attacks, and were bound to escalate further if/when Soleimani carried out the new attacks he apparently was in Iraq to orchestrate. The U.S. could not have failed to respond to what Soleimani was planning. The U.S., through its sanctions, has placed Iran in a box. The regime is responding with provocative attacks on U.S. allies, interests, and troops. In the face of this aggression, Trumps alternatives are to sit back and take it, to respond weakly, or to respond in a way that shows he means business. The last of these options makes the most sense, and thats the option Trump has selected. Pelosis real quarrel is with Trumps decision to reject President Obamas nuclear deal and to place tough sanctions on Iran. I agree with Trumps decision, but reasonable people can disagree with it. However, in view of Pelosis whining about lack of congressional involvement, its worth noting that Obama did not seek ratification of his deal as a treaty. If he had, and if the Senate had ratified the treaty, Trump would have been bound by it. Obama had the option of seeking Senate ratification of the Iran deal as a treaty. Trump did not have the realistic option of seeking congressional authorization to have Suleimani killed. JOHN adds: Did I forget the time when Barack Obama sought Congressional authorization to kill Osama bin Laden, the proudest moment of his presidency? Or have I forgotten how Congressional Democrats lamented the absence of a vote? UPDATE: Paul reminds me that the killing of bin Laden was authorized under the 2001 Congressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force that followed the September 11 attacks, so that isnt a good example. However, the broader point is correct: the Obama administration carried out thousands of strikes2,800 in Iraq and Syria alone, according to the Washington Timwswith no Congressional authority other than the 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force, the latter of which authorized the Iraq War. To its credit, the Obama administration executed many missions comparable to the killing of Soleimani, although targeting less well-known figures with the exception of bin Laden, and to my recollection, the only time there was any controversy was when Obama killed an American citizen, Abdulrahman Anwar al-Awlaki, in Yemen. (Natural News) Weve noted before that Democrats have truly become the anti-America party, and while this transformation did not begin when Donald Trump became president, it has been completed on his watch. On Friday, the Pentagon announced that the president had ordered the military to strike Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps elite Quds Force. Soleimani was one of our countrys biggest enemies, being responsible for thousands of deaths of U.S. and Iraqi forces over the years. But the order to kill Soleimani came only after months of escalations and provocations from Iran, culminating last week with the death of an American contractor at a base near Kirkuk and the wounding of four American service personnel, and the besieging of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. By any reasonable definition, President Trump had every right to act on the Iranian actions. Indeed, many would argue that he was obligated to do so because his first duty is to protect America and its citizens. Democrats, however, are so afflicted with hate for the president and the country he leads that they couldnt contain themselves after hearing the news that Soleimani is no longer breathing. (Related: Is a new proxy war between the U.S. and Iran beginning in Iraq?) Soleimani was an enemy of the United States. Thats not a question. The question is this as reports suggest, did America just assassinate, without any congressional authorization, the second most powerful person in Iran, knowingly setting off a potential massive regional war? Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 3, 2020 This, from a senator who just two days earlier had complained that the president was impotent with Iran. Breitbart News reported: Murphy, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tweeted on Tuesday: The attack on our embassy in Baghdad is horrifying but predictable. Trump has rendered America impotent in the Middle East. No one fears us, no one listens to us. America has been reduced to huddling in safe rooms, hoping the bad guys will go away. What a disgrace. Well, that tweet didnt age well. And if there is any disgraceful behavior to be ashamed of, its not that of the president, its this guy. But Murphy wasnt the only Democrat offering aid and comfort to our enemy. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who always seems to favor whatever Muslim country is giving the U.S. trouble, took up for Iran. Dems couldnt have cared less when Obama was ordering strikes In responding to Murphys ridiculous tweet (above), she accused Trump of a wag the dog scenario and claimed she was going to stop him. So what if Trump wants war, knows this leads to war and needs the distraction? Real question is, will those with congressional authority step in and stop him? I know I will. https://t.co/Fj9TMossEW Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 3, 2020 What distraction could Trump possibly need? Oh, the impeachment thing? Thats the last thing this president is concerned about, because despite the disgraceful conduct of House Democrats returning two bogus articles of impeachment against him, there is zero chance hes going to be removed from office by the Senate. But heres the thing: Where were these Democrats when President Obama was launching one drone strike after another throughout the Middle East, in Iraq and Syria in particular? We know that Omar wasnt in office yet, but Murphy was. So was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who complained about Trumps action as well. Joe Biden complained, and he was Obamas vice president. Bernie Sanders complained, but hes a closet Commie and nothing America does to defend herself is ever acceptable to him. The Washington Times reported in April 2015 that by then, Obama had ordered the launch of more than 2,800 strikes against targets in Syria and Iraq, all as part of a conflict Congress has yet to specifically authorize and amid worries lawmakers wont ever act. The paper noted: Mr. Obama has justified the attacks under his commander in chief powers and under the 2001 resolution authorizing force against al Qaeda, and the 2002 resolution authorizing the ouster of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. So, whats different now? Well, Trump is in the White House now, so bring on the Democrat hypocrisy. Its bad enough Democrats are accusing Trump of abusing power over this strike. Its worse in that they couldnt have cared less a few years ago. Sources include: WashingtonTimes.com TheNationalSentinel.com Breitbart.com The really good news for an end-of-the-year report is the numbers have stayed quite consistent and in reasonably positive territory. Credit professionals across the U.S. ended 2019 on a bit of a positive note despite a blip in the latest Credit Managers Index (CMI) from NACM. The December CMI combined index reading dropped to 54.6 from Novembers 55.5. The really good news for an end-of-the-year report is the numbers have stayed quite consistent and in reasonably positive territory, said NACM Economist Chris Kuehl, Ph.D. The reading this month was a little down from the month before, but compared to the big declines the Purchasing Managers Index has been experiencing, the data remains very solid, he added. All four combined favorable factorssales, new credit applications, dollar collections and amount of credit extendeddeclined in December, so the favorable index dipped from 61.6 to 59.3 month-to-month. Amount of credit extended was the only reading to remain in the 60s, where its been the last three months and for much of 2019. The combined unfavorable factors remained the same in December as November at 51.5; however, the devil is in the details. All six factorsrejections of credit applications, accounts placed for collection, disputes, dollar amount beyond terms, dollar amount of customer deductions and filings for bankruptcieswere all in expansion (a score of at least 50). The most encouraging aspect of the unfavorable data this month is all the readings are in expansion territory for the first time in several years, Kuehl said. The turnaround is not spectacular and it will not take much to see these numbers deteriorate again, but for now the data shows companies are in generally better shape as far as their trade credit is concerned. We will see what the data looks like after the first of the year when the retailers determine what those sales did to their profit expectations. The favorable factors in the manufacturing sector were a bit of a mixed bag as half went up and half went down. New credit applications and dollar collections each improved slightly in December, but that didnt stop the score from dropping to 58.9 from 59.7. All six unfavorables were in the expansion zone, including accounts placed for collection and disputes, which climbed above 50. Overall, manufacturing inched upward three-tenths of a point to 54.8 in December. A bit of a mixed set of messages this month with a nice recovery in manufacturing, but some concerns regarding the fate of the retailer and how this will affect the service readings in the new year, said Kuehl. In the service sector, which declined from 56.5 to 54.4 in December, neither the favorables nor unfavorables showed much promise. The favorable readings all declined quite significantly, led by new credit applications falling from 62.6 to 57.6. Amount of credit extended also declined nearly four points. The real concern here is that sales are up due to all the discounting and specials, but profits are not keeping pace with those revenues, Kuehl said. In the unfavorable categories, accounts placed for collection and dollar amount beyond terms slipped into contraction territory. Filings for bankruptcies was the lone category to improve in December. The worry at this point is many retailers already look a little weaker than expected, Kuehl said, That does not bode well for after the holidays. Construction seems to be picking up a little as far as residential activity is concerned, but labor shortage remains a huge issue. For a complete breakdown of the manufacturing and service sector data and graphics, view the December 2019 report at http://web.nacm.org/CMI/PDF/CMIcurrent.pdf. CMI archives may also be viewed on NACMs website at http://www.nacm.org/cmi/cmi-archive. ABOUT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CREDIT MANAGEMENT NACM, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, supports approximately 11,000 business credit and financial professionals worldwide with premier industry services, tools and information. NACM and its network of affiliated associations are the leading resource for credit and financial management information, education, products and services designed to improve the management of business credit and accounts receivable. NACMs collective voice has influenced federal legislative policy results concerning commercial business and trade credit to our nations policy makers for more than 100 years and continues to play an active part in legislative issues pertaining to business credit and corporate bankruptcy. NACM's annual Credit Congress & Exposition conference is the largest gathering of credit professionals in the world. Contact: Michael Miller Andrew Michaels Christie Citranglo 410-740-5560 Website: http://www.nacm.org Source: National Association of Credit Management European shares slipped from near-record highs after the US airstrike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian commander increased tensions in the Middle East and spurred moves out of risk assets, while an oil-price surge hammered airline stocks. Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed harsh revenge after Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, architect of the countrys spreading military influence in the Middle East, was killed in the airstrike at Baghdad Airport. Leaders from many other countries urged restraint. Ken Odeluga, market analyst at City Index said: As such, chances that a further escalation of tensions with Washington can be avoided, appear to be low. The pan-European Stoxx-600 index was down 0.3%, with German shares having their worst day in a month as Lufthansa slumped 6.5%. Along with losses in airlines Air France and EasyJet, Europes travel and leisure sector shed 1.6%, on fuel price concerns as oil prices jumped by more than 3%. This lifted the regional energy sector index to seven-week highs, which tied in with a weaker pound to help Londons Ftse Index buck the trend. Even if we hear nothing over the weekend, the events have shown that this is a complex geopolitical situation and the ongoing uncertainty will have to be dealt with for a while, said Ingo Schachel, head of equity research at Commerzbank. Global financial markets had started the new decade on a high note on improving US-China trade relations, further monetary easing in China, and a brightening economic outlook. But new data showed that unemployment in Germany rose more than was forecast expected in December, while US manufacturing for the same period suffered a larger dip than was expected. The yen strengthened, gold hit its highest level in four months, and the yield on 10-year treasuries looked poised for a big drop as government bonds rallied. The escalation of tensions could dash market hopes for a rebound of the global economy that is still to emerge from under the cloud of the US-China trade war, said Credit Agricole analyst Valentin Marinov. Risk sentiment should remain fragile also because central banks may be slow to respond or simply no longer have the arsenal to respond in an adequate way. Wei Li at BlackRock said: Within the space of 24 hours, sentiment took a 180-degree turn. This very much characterises the sort of year we expect 2020 to be on the one hand, fundamentals are getting a bit better, trade headlines are getting a bit better, but on the other hand, bouts of volatility will be frequent. Societe Generale analyst Kit Juckes said: Golds a winner as tension increases, and oil prices are higher too. Bond yields are lower, the equity rally which was under way in the US has stalled, but not gone dramatically in reverse, and in the foreign exchange market, safe havens and oil-sensitive currencies benefit but its the yen which is the clear winner... Given the scope for tension to persist in the Strait of Hormuz, a protracted period of higher oil prices has to be a risk. Colombo Wealths Alberto Tocchio said: The severe retaliation aspect is possibly what is scaring the markets as it could mean that there will be a counterattack versus American diplomats. Markets could use this excuse to take some profits as sentiment and positioning are possibly too high." Reuters and Bloomberg Kolkata: Jailed Islamic State (ISIS) operative Abu Musa attacked the jail warden inside Presidency jail in Kolkata on Saturday. According to sources in the West Bengal Correctional Home Department, ISIS operative Musa attacked head warden, Amal Karmakar with an iron pipe. Karmakar suffered injuries on his head and was immediately rushed to the hospital. West Bengal Correctional Home Department minister Ujjal Biswas, confirming the news said, We are investigating how he managed to procure the iron pipe. We will take appropriate action against him. Live TV Musa, who is currently lodged in the 1/22 cell of the Presidency jail is a dreaded jail inmate and has a history of attacking prison personnel. In December 3, 2017, Musa tried to slash the throat of the prison guard with a sharp nail while he was lodged in the Alipore jail. Following the incident, he was shifted to the Presidency jail where he attacked the warden today. Musa was arrested from Burdwan railway station by West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on July 4, 2016 on charges of radicalising youths to join ISIS. Later the same year, a seven-member team of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) interrogated Musa in Kolkata whether he had any links with Syria based terror groups. Soon after his arrest, National Investigation Agency (NIA) took custody of Musa. The NIA in its chargesheet said that Musa had planned to attack Mother House in Kolkata to target US nationals. The chargesheet filed by NIA mentioned that Musa had planned to attack Mother House as a lot of US nationals would frequent this place to pay homage to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Dodgeville-based Lands End faces multiple lawsuits by Delta Air Lines employees who claim their required uniforms manufactured by the clothing company cause severe medical problems. Two class-action lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Madison the first on Oct. 3 and the second on Tuesday claim the uniforms caused numerous Delta employees to break out in skin rashes, suffer migraines and experience breathing difficulties, among other problems. They claim that the chemicals and finishes used to create high-stretch, wrinkle- and stain-resistant, waterproof, anti-static and deodorizing garments for the uniforms led to employees health problems. The lawsuits, which echo claims made in a similar lawsuit in New York in May, contend Lands End was negligent in issuing the uniforms and failing to recall the garments. Lands End spokeswoman Tricia Dudley declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation. The lawsuits do not name Delta as a defendant. Workers are typically barred from suing employers for workplace injuries and go through a workers compensation process instead. Representatives of the airline did not respond to requests for comment Friday. The lawsuit filed this week calls on Lands End to recall all Delta uniforms and to create a medical monitoring fund to help employees seeking diagnosis and treatment of health problems claimed to be caused by the uniforms. Testing of the employees uniforms found several heavy metals and chemicals present above safe levels, including mercury, formaldehyde, fluorine and chromium, the lawsuit claims. More than 500 current or former employees are listed as plaintiffs in that lawsuit. Bruce Maxwell, a lawyer from Florida representing the employees, said he expects hundreds more employees will come forward with similar health complaints. My clients are very faithful Delta employees, Maxwell said. For many of them, this is not just a job. Its a career. Delta rolled out the uniforms, created by fashion designer Zac Posen and manufactured by Lands End, in May 2018. These uniforms were built to keep Delta employees safe, comfortable and always ready to fly, Lands End CEO Jerome Griffith said at the time. About 64,000 Delta employees wear the Lands End uniforms, and the lawsuits claim more than 1,900 have complained of adverse affects. Lands End is the defendant in another lawsuit filed in May in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. That lawsuit claims Monica DeCrescentis, a Delta flight attendant from New York, has had skin reactions, headaches and a low white blood cell count while being required to wear the uniform. It also claims the uniform has permanently stained items it came in contact with, including sheets, towels and her bathtub. Photos attached to the October lawsuit show plaintiffs Gwyneth Gilbert and Michael Marte, both of Georgia, with red rashes. Photos of Marte also show what appear to be hives and scarring. The lawsuit filed in October and the New York lawsuit specify the purple dye, called Passport Plum, as a significant irritant for employees wearing the uniforms. The suits also claim that the fabric is not colorfast and that red dye would bleed and stain the wearers skin as well as other belongings. Lands End knew or should have known of the risk of injury from the Uniforms, but failed to provide adequate warning to users/wearers of the product, failed to immediately recall the Uniforms and continued to sell the Uniforms to be worn by Delta flight attendants, gate agents and ramp agents, the October lawsuit states. Bruce Nagel, a New Jersey attorney representing clients in the October lawsuit and the New York lawsuit, called the uniforms poisonous. Delta has known about it, and Lands End has known about it, and they havent done anything about it, Nagel said. Other injuries that employees claim started after the uniforms were introduced include severe respiratory distress, contact dermatitis, blisters, boils, hives, nosebleeds, ringing ears, muscle weakness, swollen lymph nodes and auto-immune conditions. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Health official: 'Regardless of variant, the protective measures are the same' local Matt Angle, the founder and director of the Lone Star Project, is a veteran of Texas long-running redistricting wars. These conflicts are effectively endless, tortuously complex and oddly dispiriting for voters who were under the impression that we should pick our elected representatives, rather than hoping a competent one picks us. Angle explained that he was dragged into the fight in the early 1980s, when he was serving as a staffer to longtime U.S. Rep. Martin Frost, a Democrat who represented the states 24th Congressional District in north Texas. I was a very young staffer, Angle explained, and he knew I grew up in Fort Worth. He called me into his office I had probably talked to Martin Frost personally five times, at that point and he had on the floor a big map of Tarrant County, and said, Where do you live? Frost asked Angle to tell him about the voters who lived on his own street, and on another street, and on another one after that. Even then, redistricting was a tendentious and high-stakes business. But since then, these partisan fights have only become more sophisticated and more fraught. As the 2020 election cycle heats up, politically minded Texans are arguably more preoccupied with the fight for control of the Texas House than the question of whether to re-elect President Donald Trump. Thats perhaps because the state, rightly or wrongly, isnt seen by many as a real battleground yet in the presidential election. But its also because both parties grasp the importance of partisan gerrymandering, which is constitutional and tends to have self-perpetuating effects. Republicans controlled state government when the last redistricting cycle began and as it continued, for years, in the courts. The results were made manifest during the 2018 midterm elections. Democrats put up a more energetic performance than usual, fielding candidates in every congressional district. Then-U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke made an electric showing in the top-of-the-ticket Senate race. Nevertheless, they only hold 13 of the states 36 congressional districts, thanks in part to the surgically precise gerrymandering by the GOP that previously helped stifle candidate recruitment as well as Democratic voter turnout. Today, despite the gerrymandering, Democrats have a chance of retaking the Legislatures lower chamber. If they hold all the seats they won in 2018 and pick up nine more, in 2020, theyll be in the majority as lawmakers embark on the 2021 redistricting process. Texas is likely to gain several new seats in the U.S. House of Representatives due to population growth, after the 2020 Census. State lawmakers are also tasked with redrawing district boundaries for the Texas Legislature and state Board of Education. In theory, the redistricting process should be straightforward enough. The Legislature can simply draw up new maps in 2021, when it meets for its first regular session after the decennial Census, and adopt them via the regular legislative process. Those maps could then take effect immediately. As a result of a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the states maps are no longer subject to federal preclearance. However, no one expects things to go that smoothly. The suggestion that it might is arguably ridiculous. Regardless of whether Democrats retake the Texas House, legislators in that chamber will probably struggle to come to an agreement with their more conservative Senate colleagues led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. And any maps that eventually emerge from the Capitol complex in a special session, perhaps, or after intervention by the five-member Legislative Redistricting Board will almost inevitably be challenged in court. The history of the redistricting process during the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s illustrates some of the different courses decennial redistricting can take, says the states redistricting website, putting it mildly. I suspect the redistricting process of the 2020s will illustrate to many Texans why we should consider a change of course altogether. Texas could put the mapmaking process in the hands of an independent commission, as some states have done. Several Democratic lawmakers put forward proposals to this effect, during last years regular session, but Republicans still in power, and determined to hold onto it showed little interest. For now, then, I keep on my desk printouts of the 2018 election results for several Houston-area districts, partly out of admiration for the mapmakers ingenuity and craftsmanship. The 10th Congressional District, which stretches from Katy to Austin, is like a fat, flightless bird scrambling for freedom. The 2nd District, which begins in Montrose and swoops up and over into Kingwood, evokes Donald Trumps swoosh of hair. The 22nd District, which covers most of Fort Bend County, looks like Republicans are not prepared to relinquish the suburbs, even if the voters who live there attempt to stage some kind of mutiny. None of them looks nearly as coherent as the map that Frost laid out on the floor of his office decades ago, when he was trying to educate himself about the Texans in his district. The notion that voters should pick their representatives was still in effect, at the time and its overdue for a comeback. erica.grieder@chron.com WGAL is no longer being carried by DirectTV as of 7 p.m. Friday, according to a statement from parent company Hearst Television. Hearst Television had been negotiating with DirectTV to continue carrying the station, but reached an impasse, the statement said. Channel 8 on DirectTV has been impacted. The stations current agreement was to end at midnight on Dec. 31 but was extended by Hearst Television multiple times to attempt to avoid the impasse. That changed Friday evening. Unfortunately, the DIRECTV negotiating team is seeking the right to carry our stations at below market rates, which is neither fair nor reasonable given the significant investments we have made to deliver top tier programming to our viewers, WGAL-TV President & General Manager Kyle Grimes said in a statement. Grimes went on to say the station regrets the inconvenience DirectTVs demands have imposed on its subscribers and the station will continue to communicate updates to the community. Grimes said the station has not been blacked out in any way, so viewers can find the station for free with an antenna and on cable and satellite operators that carry the station. Read more on PennLive: A new Iranian general has stepped out of the shadows to lead the country's feared Quds Force after a US airstrike killed its previous head, Qassem Soleimani. Esmail Ghaani has taken over the unit, which is part of the 125,000-strong Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary organisation that answers only to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Guard oversees Iran's ballistic missile program, has its naval forces shadow the US Navy in the Persian Gulf and includes an all-volunteer Basij force. Like his predecessor, Ghaani faced the carnage of Iran's eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s and later joined the Quds Force. Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani (pictured) is the newly appointed commander of the country's Quds Force Much still remains unknown about Ghaani, 62, but Western sanctions suggest the military leader has long been in a position of power in the organisation. It is likely one of his first duties will be to oversee any retaliation Iran intends to seek for the fatal airstrike at Baghdad airport early on Friday. The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said 10 people were killed in the strikes, including five of its members and Soleimani. 'We are children of war,' Ghaani once said of his relationship with Soleimani. 'We are comrades on the battlefield and we have become friends in battle.' The Guard has seen its influence grow ever-stronger both militarily and politically in recent decades. Iran's conventional military was decimated by the execution of its old officer class during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and later by sanctions. Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and architect of its regional security strategy, was killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Iraqi capital's international airport Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday A key driver of that influence comes from the elite Quds Force, which works across the region with allied groups to offer an asymmetrical threat to counter the advanced weaponry wielded by the US and its regional allies. Those partners include Iraqi militiamen, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels. In announcing Ghaani as Soleimani's replacement, Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the new head 'one of the most prominent commanders' in service. The Quds Force 'will be unchanged from the time of his predecessor,' Khamenei said. Soleimani had long been the face of the Quds Force. His prominence surged after US officials began blaming him for deadly roadside bombs targeting American troops in Iraq going back to 2003. Images of him, long a feature of hard-line Instagram accounts and mobile phone lock screens, are now said to plaster billboards calling for Iran to avenge his death. Ghaani has instead remained much more in the shadows of the organisation, and has only occasionally appeared in Western or even Iranian media. The new leader grew up during the last decade of monarchy in Iran, and has a personal history which broadly mirrors that of Soleimani. Funeral processions were held for the 62-year-old Soleimani (left), chief of the elite Quds Forces arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, as well Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, 66, (right) commander of a pro-Iran Iraqi militia in Baghdad on Saturday Iranians take part in an anti-US rally to protest the killing of Soleimani at Palestine Square in the capital Tehran He joined the Guard a year after the 1979 revolution. Then, like Soleimani, he was first deployed to put down the Kurdish uprising in Iran that followed the shah's downfall. Iraq then invaded Iran, launching an eight-year war that would see more than one million people killed. Many of the dead were lightly armed members of the Guard, some of whom were young boys killed in human-wave assaults on Iraqi positions. Volunteers 'were seeing that all of them are being killed, but when we ordered them to go, would not hesitate,' Ghaani later recounted. 'The commander is looking to his soldiers as his children, and in the soldier's point of view, it seems that he received an order from God and he must to do that.' He survived the war to join the Quds Force shortly after its creation. He worked with Soleimani, as well as leading counterintelligence efforts at the Guard. Western analysts believe while Soleimani focused on nations to Iran's west, Ghaani's remit was those to the east like Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, Iranian state media has not elaborated on his time in the Guard. In 2012, the US Treasury sanctioned Ghaani, describing him as having authority over 'financial disbursements' to proxies affiliated with the Quds Force. The sanctions particularly tied Ghaani to an intercepted shipment of weapons seized at a port in 2010 in Nigeria's most-populous city, Lagos. Authorities broke into 13 shipping containers labeled as carrying 'packages of glass wool and pallets of stone.' They instead found 107mm Katyusha rockets, rifle rounds and other weapons. The Katyusha remains a favored weapon of Iranian proxy forces, including Iraqi militias and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. A woman carries an image of Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital Baghdad An Iranian and his Nigerian partner later received five-year prison sentences over the shipment, which appeared bound for Gambia, then under the rule of dictator Yahya Jammeh. Israeli officials had claimed the rockets would be shipped to militants in the Gaza Strip, while Nigerian authorities alleged that local politicians could use the arms in upcoming elections. Also in 2012, Ghaani drew criticism from the US State Department after reportedly saying that 'if the Islamic Republic was not present in Syria, the massacre of people would have happened on a much larger scale.' That comment came just after gunmen backing Syrian President Bashar Assad killed over 100 people in Houla in the country's Homs province. 'Over the weekend we had the deputy head of the Quds Force saying publicly that they were proud of the role that they had played in training and assisting the Syrian forces - and look what this has wrought,' then-State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at the time. In January 2015, Ghaani indirectly admitted Iran sends missiles and weapons to Palestinians to fight Israel. 'The US and Israel are too small to consider themselves in line with Iran's military power,' Ghaani said. 'This power has now appeared alongside the oppressed people of Palestine and Gaza in the form of missiles and weapons.' Now, Ghaani is firmly in control of the Quds Force. While Iran's leaders say they have a plan to avenge Soleimani's death, no plan has been announced as the country prepares for funerals for the general starting Sunday. 'If there were no Islamic Republic, the US would have burned the whole region,' Ghaani once said. In Baghdad on Saturday thousands of mourners chanting 'America is the Great Satan' marched in a funeral procession through the Iraqi capital for Iran's top general and Iraqi militant leaders, who were also killed in the US strike. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict. His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. An official with the US-led coalition in Iraq said it has scaled back operations and boosted 'security and defensive measures' at bases hosting coalition forces in the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations. Washington has dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait. Rescuers search for victims at a village heavily affected by a landslide in Cigudeg, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged hundreds of neighborhoods in greater Jakarta and caused landslides in the neighboring districts, which buried a number of people. (AP Photo/Kozer) Landslides and floods triggered by torrential downpours have left at least 60 people dead in and around Indonesia's capital, as rescuers struggled to search for people apparently buried under tons of mud, officials said Saturday. Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged a dozen districts in the greater Jakarta area and caused landslides that buried at least a dozen people. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said most of the fatalities included those who had drowned or been electrocuted since rivers broke their banks early Wednesday after extreme torrential rains hit on New Year's Eve. Three elderly people died of hypothermia. It's the worst flooding in the area since 2007, when 80 people were killed over 10 days. Rescuers recovered more bodies as flash floods and mudslides destroyed several villages in Lebak, a district in neighboring Banten province, Wibowo said. Rescuers were still searching for two villagers reportedly missing in the landslide, he said. The number of fatalities was expected to increase, with rescuers and villagers also searching for at least three people believed to be buried in another landslide in Cigudeg village in Bogor district, said Ridwan, the village's secretary, who goes by a single name. Men prepare to clean their flooded neighborhood in Tanggerang outside Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) Residents move the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents walk near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents walk near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents try to move the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents walk near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents move the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents stand near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Rescuers search for victims at a village heavily affected by a landslide in Cigudeg, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged hundreds of neighborhoods in greater Jakarta and caused landslides in the neighboring districts, which buried a number of people. (AP Photo/Kozer) A women stands near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents walk near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Residents walk near the wreckage of cars that were swept away by flood in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) People rest at a temporary shelter for those affected by the floods in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in the capital as residents celebrated the new year has killed dozens of people and displaced hundreds of thousands others. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) A woman holds a balloon at a temporary shelter for those affected by the flood in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in the capital as residents celebrated the new year has killed dozens of people and displaced hundreds of thousands others. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) A man collects a water to clean his flooded house in Tanggerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) People rest at a temporary shelter for those affected by the floods in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in the capital as residents celebrated the new year has killed dozens of people and displaced hundreds of thousands others. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) Residents carry a mattresses from their flooded homes in Tanggerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Severe flooding in greater Jakarta has killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands others, the country's disaster management agency said. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) Ridwan said bad weather, blackouts and mudslides were hampering rescue efforts. He said rescuers on Saturday managed to reach eight hamlets that had been isolated for days by cut-off roads and mudslides and rescued more than 1,700 villagers in weak condition. Four days after the region of 30 million people was struck by flash floods, waters have receded in many middle-class districts, but conditions remain grim in narrow riverside alleys where the city's poor live. Government data showed that some 92,200 people were still unable to return home and were crammed at damp emergency shelters, mostly in the hardest-hit area of Bekasi. The number was sharply reduced from 173,000 as the muddy waters which submerged much of the city up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) high were receded. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said that more downpours were forecast for the capital in the coming days, and that the potential for extreme rainfall will continue until next month across the vast archipelago nation. The government on Friday started cloud seeding in an attempt to divert rain clouds from reaching greater Jakarta to prevent possible flooding, the agency said. Indonesia is hit by deadly floods each year, and Jakarta, the capital of Southeast Asia's largest economy, is not immune. But this year's floods have been particulary bad, with about 397,000 people seeking refuge in shelters across the greater metropolitan area as floodwaters reached up to 6 meters (19 feet) in some places. 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Top Iranian General Killed In U.S. Air Strike In Iraq By RFE/RL January 03, 2020 The United States has killed the powerful commander of Iran's elite Quds Force in an Iraqi air strike in a dramatic escalation of hostilities that prompted a threat from Tehran of "severe retaliation" and an accusation by the Iraqi prime minister of an "outrageous breach." U.S. and Iranian officials confirmed the death of Qasem Soleimani, one of the most powerful military men in Iran, in an attack on two vehicles at Baghdad's international airport in the early morning hours of January 3. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted later that Soleimani had "killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more...but got caught!" He blamed him "directly and indirectly" for the deaths of "millions of people, including the recent large number... of protesters killed in Iran itself." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News later on January 3 that the air strike was "lawful" and that "the risk of doing nothing regarding Iran was enormous." The United States does not "seek war with Iran," he said, but will not "stand by and see American lives put at risk." The United States has "done all it can to fortify American assets in the region," Pompeo added. He said the air strike on Soleimani disrupted an "imminent attack," adding that "there is no doubt" that it saved American lives. Asked about threats within the United States, Pompeo told CNN that the threats were "in the Middle East." He also tweeted that "the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation." The assassination of Soleimani follows days of increased tensions since the United States struck an Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria that Washington blamed for repeated attacks on Iraqi bases that house U.S. troops. A mob that included pro-Iran paramilitary groups attacked the U.S. Embassy after those U.S. bombings before withdrawing on January 1. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened "severe retaliation" against the "criminals" who killed Soleimani, whose public profile had risen over the past decade as Tehran fought alongside Syrian and Iraqi troops to beat back anti-government forces in both those countries. Khamenei declared three days of national mourning. State television said that the U.S. strike had killed 10 people, five of whom it said were members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which helps oversee the Quds Force. That number could not be independently confirmed. In Tehran, the normal Friday Prayer crowd swelled as tens of thousands of Iranians came out to express defiance toward the U.S. and its allies. Video and still images on social media showed crowds in a number of cities. Meanwhile, Khamenei named a longtime Quds deputy head, Ismail Qaani, as the force's new commander. Qaani was the source of a 2012 interview that was later scrubbed from an official news agency's website in which he touted Iran's presence in Syria -- "physically and nonphysically" -- as preventing "big massacres." Sources from the Shi'ite-led Hashd Shaabi militia (Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF), which is backed by Iran, said the strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the PMF. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed Muhandis' death in a statement. The Iraqi military said in a statement that the targeting of Muhandis was "a clear breach of [the] U.S. troop mandate" in Iraq, Reuters said. In an apparent reference to Soleimani and Muhandis, Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said "the two martyrs were huge symbols of the victory against Islamic State." Abdul-Mahdi, whose government hinted earlier this week that it could consider changes to its arrangements concerning the U.S. presence in the country, called the strike that killed Soleimani "an outrageous breach of the conditions for the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq," according to Reuters. He called it a "dangerous escalation that will light a fuse of a destructive war in Iraq, the region, and the world," and invited the Iraqi parliament to convene an extraordinary session and said it should take decisions to ensure Iraq's "dignity, security, and sovereignty," according to Reuters. Iraqi President Barham Salih urged unity to protect the national interest and security. He said the country "must avoid the tragedies of armed conflict that have plagued it over four decades," Reuters said. The U.S. Embassy reportedly told U.S. citizens to "depart Iraq immediately" after news of the strike. The United States will send nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Mideast as reinforcements, U.S. defense officials said later on January 3. Oil prices soared 4 percent immediately following reports of the attack. The U.S. military confirmed the strike shortly after President Donald Trump tweeted out a U.S. flag in his first Twitter posting in almost 13 hours. Later on January 3, Trump tweeted that "Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation!" The Pentagon said Trump had approved the attack on the morning of January 2. "At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," the U.S. military said in a statement. "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," it added. The statement said Soleimani had organized attacks on U.S.-led coalition bases in Iraq over the past several months, including one that killed a U.S. contractor on December 27. "General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week," it said. AFP quoted an unnamed U.S. defense official as saying the attack had been carried out by a "precision drone strike [that] hit two vehicles at Baghdad airport. Soleimani headed the Quds Force, the foreign arm of Iran's IRGC. The force has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) by the United States. Iranian President Hassan Rohani said in televised remarks that the assassination will make Tehran more decisive in its resistance against the United States. "Soleimani's martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America's expansionism and to defend our Islamic values. With no doubt, Iran and other freedom-seeking countries in the region will take his revenge," Rohani said, according to Reuters. Iranian media said the Foreign Ministry had summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, whose country represents U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Iran, and informed the envoy of its "strong protest." 'Dangerous Escalation' In Damascus, the Foreign Ministry of Iranian ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's administration called the U.S. attack "cowardly" and "treacherous, criminal American aggression." Beijing urged "calm and restraint" after the news of the attack, and said "peace and stability must be upheld," according to Reuters. China urged "all relevant sides, especially the U.S., to remain calm and exercise restraint," the agency said. Moscow warned that the assassination will "increase tensions." While U.S. Republicans hailed Trump's decision, many Democrats criticized the attack, saying it would put U.S. personnel in danger. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California) called it a "dangerous escalation," according to AFP. Joe Biden, a leading Democratic challenger to Trump in the 2020 election, said that "no American will mourn" the passing of the Quds Force leader. But he added that "President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, and he owes the American people an explanation of the strategy and plan to keep safe our troops and embassy personnel." Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency quoted a spokesman for the country's top security body as saying its members would meet to discuss the "criminal attack" on Soleimani and the others. 'Rogue Adventurism' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote in a tweet that the U.S. "act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani --THE most effective force fighting Daesh [Islamic State], Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et al -- is extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation. The U.S. bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism." Unconfirmed reports said at least one member of Lebanon's Hizballah movement was also killed in the attack. Earlier Iraqi paramilitary groups backed by Iran said that five members of their groups and two "important guests" were killed in an air strike on their vehicles inside the territory of Baghdad International Airport. The Al Arabiya broadcaster had reported that an official with the PMF had been killed in the attack in the early morning hours, identifying him as Mohammed al-Jaberi, head of public relations for the militia. In July 2018, Soleimani said his forces were ready to confront the U.S. military should Trump act on his warning that Tehran will "suffer consequences" if it threatens the United States. "Mr. Trump, how dare you threaten us?" Soleimani was quoted as saying at the time. The reports of the attack come during a period of raised tensions between Washington and Tehran over actions in Iraq. On December 31, thousands of supporters of the Shi'ite PMU militia broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in central Baghdad. The embassy attackers said they were protesting recent U.S. air strikes that killed at least 25 members of an Iran-backed militant group. On January 2, Iranian military leaders warned Washington against threatening military action after Trump said Tehran would be held responsible for recent anti-U.S. protests in Iraq, including the embassy siege. "We are not leading the country to war, but we are not afraid of any war and we tell America to speak correctly with the Iranian nation," Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said on January 2. "We have the power to break them several times over and are not worried," he said in a speech in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahwaz. Meanwhile, army chief Major General Abdolrahim Musavi said Iranian armed forces were ready to confront the "enemy." Prior to reports of the air strikes in Baghdad, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Iran or its proxy forces may be planning further strikes on American interests in the Middle East, adding that the United States would take action -- preemptively, if it had sufficient warning. With reporting by AFP, dpa, Reuters, AP, Al-Jazeera, RFE/RL's Radio Farda, and RIA Novosti Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-iraq- militia-attack-pmu-shaabi-baghdad muhandis/30358151.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On Sunday, President Donald Trump's most senior national security advisers joined him at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Trump was beginning the second week of his holiday vacation. The officials told reporters that U.S. F-15 Strike Eagles had just attacked Iran-sponsored militia groups at their bases in Iraq and Syria, in response to a series of rocket attacks that had culminated in the death of an American contractor two days earlier. But privately, a different topic had come up with an agitated president: whether to kill Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, who military leaders described as responsible for the attack of an American citizen and likely to kill more. Why Trump chose this moment to authorize the operation against the leader of Iran's Quds Force, after tolerating Iranian aggression in the Persian Gulf for months, was a matter of debate within his own administration. Officials gave differing and incomplete accounts of the intelligence they said prompted Trump to act. Some said they were stunned by his decision, which could lead to war with one of America's oldest adversaries in the Middle East. "It was tremendously bold and even surprised many of us," said a senior administration official with knowledge of high-level discussions among Trump and his advisers, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. On Friday, hours after a U.S. drone killed Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader at the Baghdad airport, senior State Department officials told reporters that Iran had been plotting "imminent attacks directed at killing hundreds of Americans" but declined to offer specifics. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN on Friday that Soleimani "was actively plotting in the region to take actions, the big action as he described it, that would have put dozens if not hundreds of American lives at risk. We know it was imminent." On Capitol Hill, officials briefed lawmakers and staff but didn't provide any details about the alleged Iranian targets or what made them imminent, according to people who were present. Some analysts were skeptical about the need to kill Soleimani. "There may well have been an ongoing plot as Pompeo claims, but Soleimani was a decision-maker, not an operational asset himself," said Jon Bateman, who served as a senior intelligence analyst for Iran at the Defense Intelligence Agency. "Killing him would be neither necessary nor sufficient to disrupt the operational progression of an imminent plot. What it might do instead is shock Iran's decision calculus" and deter future attack plans, Bateman said. In a conference call with reporters, national security adviser Robert O'Brien said Friday evening that the strike on Soleimani happened after he recently visited Damascus and was plotting to target U.S. military and diplomatic personnel. "This strike was aimed at disrupting ongoing attacks that were being planned by Soleimani and deterring future Iranian attacks through their proxies or through the . . . Quds Force directly against Americans," O'Brien said. Defense officials described Soleimani's planning as part of a continuation of earlier Iranian provocations, including the mining of ships in the Persian Gulf in May. A month later, Trump called off an airstrike at practically the last minute - an attack that had been intended to retaliate for Iran downing a U.S. surveillance drone. Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a meeting with reporters on Friday that Soleimani was killed after U.S. officials recently became aware of intelligence that showed that the "size, scale, scope" of what he was planning led them to conclude there was a greater risk in not taking action than in doing so. "Is there risk? Damn right there's risk," Milley said of possible Iranian reactions to the killing one of the nation's most prominent leaders. "But we're mitigating, and we think we're taking appropriate mitigations." "The ball is in the Iranian court," Milley said. "It is their choice what the next steps are." It may be days or weeks before U.S. officials know how Iran will respond. But the rapid sequence of events that led to Soleimani's death made clear that a decades-old conflict has reached a fever pitch. - - - The immediate roots of the current crisis can be traced to the Friday after Christmas, when a barrage of missile fire exploded at K-1, a joint U.S.-Iraqi base on the southern edge of the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Of about 30 rockets that American officials said were fired at the air base several hours after sundown, nine landed within the sprawling facility. American officials quickly blamed Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful militia group they say receives funding and arms from Iran. In addition to wounding three U.S. soldiers and two Iraqi federal police, officials said the attack killed an American interpreter, whose identity has not been made public. That person had been working alongside a force of about 100 U.S. personnel on the base as part of the campaign against the Islamic State. While the attack evoked the frequent rocket fire that rained down on U.S. troops in Baghdad and other locations in the years following the 2003 invasion, they have been uncommon in recent years. The United States has found itself in the odd position of fighting on the same side as Iranian-backed militias against the Islamic State. But the rocket attacks resumed in recent months as the Trump administration has continued its "maximum pressure" campaign of economic sanctions against Iran, growing in intensity until the Kirkuk attack. "Thirty-one rockets aren't designed as a warning shot. That's designed to inflict damage and kill," Milley told reporters before the Soleimani strike. U.S. officials were disappointed Iraq had not publicly condemned the Kirkuk attack and questioned the government's willingness to check militias loyal to their powerful neighbor. Almost exactly 48 hours after the Kirkuk attack, American F-15 jets unleashed bombs on five militia sites. The targets included command nodes and weapons depots in Bu Kamal, Syria, and al-Qaim, Iraq, border outposts on either side of the Iraq-Syria border. Speaking later that day after meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the attack was successful but also hinted at discussion of "other options" being considered. "We will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behavior," he said. The strikes created an immediate political crisis in Baghdad, where officials were given little notice of the plans by their chief Western ally to attack militias linked to their powerful neighbor. The backlash was particularly fierce from militia leaders. "The response will be harsh for the American forces in Iraq," warned Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, better known as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. (Also the founder of the Kataib Hezbollah militia, al-Muhandis was killed in the U.S. strike on Soleimani.) Two days later, on Tuesday, thousands of militia supporters converged on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, throwing molotov cocktails and breaching the secure compound's walls before setting up a protest camp outside. As militiamen set fire to a reception area, smoke billowed out of the facility that had once symbolized U.S. influence and might in Iraq. Inside the compound, staff hunkered down in safe rooms. Military leaders immediately dispatched about 100 Marines to Baghdad, then sent another 750 troops to remain on standby in Kuwait. Tensions appeared to subside the following day, when militia leaders issued instructions for the demonstrators to depart and the government appealed for calm. American officials, however, were exasperated that Iraqi leaders had responded slowly and government security forces stood by while the militiamen laid siege to the embassy. - - - At his resort in Florida, the president was told the Iranian leader was going to be coming to Baghdad; senior officials felt he was taunting the United States by showing up in the Iraqi capital, implying he could move around with impunity. Calls between the national security principals were convened by the vice president throughout the week after initial discussions on Sunday to kill Soleimani, a senior administration official said. Officials reminded Trump that after the Iranians mined ships, downed the U.S. drone and allegedly attacked a Saudi oil facility, he hadn't responded. Acting now, they said, would send a message: "The argument is, if you don't ever respond to them, they think they can get by with anything," one White House official said. Trump was also motivated to act by what he felt was negative coverage after his 2019 decision to call off the airstrike after Iran downed the U.S. surveillance drone, officials said. Trump was also frustrated that the details of his internal deliberations had leaked out and felt he looked weak, the officials said. The United States tracked Soleimani's movements for several days, keeping Trump apprised, and decided that their best opportunity to kill him would be near the Baghdad airport, the senior administration official said. Trump also had history on his mind. The president has long fixated on Benghazi and the Obama administration's response to it, say lawmakers and aides who have spoken to him, and felt the response to this week's attack on the embassy and the killing of an American contractor would make him look stronger compared to his predecessor. "Benghazi has loomed large in his mind," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in an interview, explaining the response this week. Graham was at Mar-a-Lago on Monday and said the president told him he was concerned they "were going to hit us again" and that he was considering hitting the Iranians. No specific plan was ready to kill him, but it was on Trump's mind, Graham said. "He was more thinking out loud, but he was determined to do something to protect Americans. Killing the contractor really changed the equation," Graham said. "He was saying, 'This guy is a bad guy, he's up to no good, we have to do something,' " Graham said. After the attack, U.S. officials in Iraq braced themselves for a range of possible responses, from direct attacks by Iran to an Iraqi order that U.S. forces and personnel leave the country. On Friday, Graham said the president described the job as "a tough business." "I said, 'Yeah, it's a tough business, Mr. President,' " Graham said. - - - The Washington Post's Shane Harris and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. Advertisement Protesters across the West have gathered to condemn the US drone strikes following the death of Iran's highest ranking general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. Demonstrators in New York, Washington DC and London denounced the violence and called on President Trump to deescalate the conflict. While anti-war groups protested the military action, pro-Tehran Palestinians burned US flags in Gaza City and in Toronto, Canadian-Iranians celebrated Soleimani's death. The Stars and Stripes and Star of David were torched by Palestinians in Gaza City during furious demonstrations at the death of Soleimani, who commanded loyalty among terrorists in the region. And in Berlin, around 150 pro-Iran demonstrators held Iraqi militia flags and condemned the US as 'Der Aggressor' outside its embassy following the attack early on Friday outside Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. In contrast, Iranian-Canadians danced in the streets of Toronto on Friday after the Pentagon announced it had killed Soleimani. They were joined by supporters of the US action in London, with British-Iranians holding placards saying 'Down with Khamenei' and others bearing the pre-Islamic Revolution flag of Iran. A man was even arrested outside an Islamic centre in London shortly before it was due to hold a memorial for a top Iranian general. Meanwhile members of Britain's Stop the War Coalition and the Socialist Worker Party held a counter-demonstration wearing masks of President Donald Trump with placards branding him a 'warmonger.' In Pakistan angry mobs set fire to American and Israeli flags, while in Russia candles and flowers were laid outside the Iranian consulate in Moscow. In Baghdad on Saturday thousands of mourners chanting 'America is the Great Satan' marched in a funeral procession through the Iraqi capital for Iran's top general and Iraqi militant leaders, who were also killed in the US strike. Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and architect of its regional security strategy, was killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Iraqi capital's international airport. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. Scroll down for video. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: A protestor from the Stop the War Coalition wears a Donald Trump mask and has a placard saying 'WARMONGER' draped around his neck during protests opposite Downing Street in Whitehall, London on Saturday WASHINGTON DC, USA: A demonstrator holds a sign which reads 'No war with Iran' as hundreds gathered across the US in response to increased tensions in the Middle East NEW YORK, USA: An anti-War protest organised by anti-fascist groups including Code Pink, a woman-led peace movement, marched behind flags and banners Demonstrators also marched from the White House to the Trump International Hotel to protest US military involvement in the Middle East Activists march in Times Square to protest recent U.S. military actions in Iraq Protesters in Times Square call for US troops to be pulled out of Iraq as the city increases security Thousands of people protested against the Trump's decision to kill Soleimani and increase the U.S. military presence in Iraq Police officers provided extra protection at Times Square after Mayor Bill de Blasio beefed up security in the city after the airstrike and threats of retaliation Activists gather near Chicago's Trump Tower and march down Michigan Avenue Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. U.S. President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict. His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. An official with the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq said it has scaled back operations and boosted 'security and defensive measures' at bases hosting coalition forces in the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations. Washington has dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. GAZA CITY, PALESTINE: Palestinians burn US and Israeli flags as they attend a mourning tent held by Palestinian factions for Qassem Soleimani, the Iran's head of the Quds Force, who was killed in a US drone strike early Friday, in Gaza on Saturday BERLIN, GERMANY: Demonstrators hold placards of Soleimani, wave pro-Iran militia flags and Syrian flags featuring the face of the brutal despot Bashar al Assad TORONTO, CANADA: Iranian-Canadians gather to celebrate the death of a top Iranian general Soleimani on Friday bearing the flags of pre-Islamic Revolution Iran MOSCOW, RUSSIA: A man lights candles in the memory of killed Iran's Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani in front of the Iranian embassy on Friday LAHORE, PAKISTAN; An angry mob set light to American and Israeli flags in the Pakistani city on Friday after news of Soleimani's death spread throughout the world LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Activists of the National Council of Resistance of Iran protest against supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei's regime opposite Downing Street after the US killed General Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport, during a demonstration in London Members of Britain's Socialist Worker Party hold placards denouncing 'imperialism' in Iraq following the drone strike which killed Iran's highest ranking general Protestors in the British capital hold placards saying, 'No war with Iran, end endless war!' and 'No more wars' following the US strike In Times Square, New York, anti-war protestors gathered to demonstrate against possible conflict, demanding Donald Trump pull out of the Middle East The anti-fascist demonstrators held aloft placards which read: 'No war or sanctions with Iran' and 'Trump and Pence out now' One person taking part in the march dressed as a giant Statue of Liberty holding a US flag, representing freedom In Washington DC, demonstrators gathered outside the White House to protest against the heart of US power about their actions in the Middle East The mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: 'No, No, America,' and 'Death to America, death to Israel.' Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. 'It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us,' he said. Funeral processions were held for the 62-year-old Soleimani (left), chief of the elite Quds Forces arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, as well Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, 66, (right) commander of a pro-Iran Iraqi militia in Baghdad on Saturday Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday. The general was killed alongside Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US air strike early Friday outside Baghdad International Airport Protesters demonstrate close to the US embassy at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany on Saturday, with PMF flags, Iraqi banners and placards condemning the US as the aggressor Pakistani Shia Muslim supporters of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) burn US and Israeli flags to condemn the death of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in an airstrike near Baghdad, during a protest in Lahore, Pakistan January Portraits of the slain Iranian military commander have been displayed on the airport highway in Lebanese capital Beirut A few dozen Iranian-Canadians gather to celebrate the death of a top Iranian general in Iraq. Iranian-Canadians celebrate death of Iran General Qassem Soleimani, Toronto Palestinians in Gaza City burn a US and an Israeli flag during a mourning ceremony organised in honor of slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani (portrait on banner) and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, both killed in a US air strike a day earlier, on January 4, 2020 Palestinian Hamas policemen stand guard next to posters of Qassem Soleimani, the Iran's head of the Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike early Friday, in front of a mourning tent held by Palestinian factions for Sleimani in Gaza City, Saturday Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The procession later made its way to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, in central Iraq. The gates to Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy, were closed. Iraq, which is closely allied with both Washington and Tehran, condemned the airstrike that killed Soleimani and called it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is to meet for an emergency session on Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops based in the country, who are there to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. Protesters gather at Pershing Square in Los Angeles in opposition of any US military involvement in the Middle East, with one wearing a crude mask and a sign saying, 'scariest clown ever' in reference to Trump Adam Wimberly, 22, shouts slogans as protesters gather at Pershing Square, LA The LA protesters were among thousands of people who demonstrated against the U.S. decision to send up to 3,500 more troops to Iraq The U.S. has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and closed its embassy in Baghdad, where Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters staged two days of violent protests earlier this week in which they breached the compound. Britain and France also warned their citizens to avoid or strictly limit travel in Iraq. No one was hurt in the embassy protests, which came in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed 25 Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. said the strikes were in response to a rocket attack that killed a U.S. contractor in northern Iraq, which Washington blamed on the militias. Police cars block stand on the street in front of Brandenburg Gate, after an incident took place in Berlin on Saturday. Eyewitnesses said, two groups got into a confrontation anti-Iran demonstrators on the one hand and anti-US protestors on the other Policemen stand in front of participants and cars of a motorcade, run by Iranian opposition members and sympathizers, after an incident took place in Berlin between rival Iranian groups on Saturday Protesters demonstrate with the cardboard reading 'The aggressor is the USA' in front of the Brandenburg Gate, close to the US embassy in Berlin A protester holds a cardboard showing a portrait of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant general and commander of the Quds Force Qassem Soleimani during demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate Meanwhile, the UK Government is facing growing criticism for failing to condemn the air strike. On holiday in the Caribbean, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has remained silent while Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has called for calm and urged all aggressors to de-escalate. The Foreign Office issued strengthened travel advice to Britons across the Middle East, but Mr Raab pointedly did not criticise the strike. The PM was urged to recall Parliament early and Labour's John McDonnell said it is 'not good enough' that the Government has not condemned US President Donald Trump for authorising the killing. At an anti-war protest at Downing Street, the shadow chancellor vowed to press Mr Johnson over the attack, which he said will 'set the Middle East and the globe alight yet again'. Mr McDonnell told the Stop the War Coalition event: 'We've been here before, we were here 17 years ago. And there's one lesson that came from those events, is that violence begets violence. 'And it's not good enough for the UK Government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK Government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence. Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell addressed the crowds during the protest organised by the Stop the War Coalition in London Richard Burgon MP addresses the protest called by the Stop The War Coalition outside Downing street to demonstrate against the escalating conflict in the Middle East between America and Iran following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani 'We will not tolerate us being dragged yet again into this type of aggressive military action which puts us all at risk.' The PM has been celebrating the new year with his partner Carrie Symonds on the private island of Mustique but is expected to return to the UK early on Sunday. Outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has requested an urgent meeting of the privy council, which advises the monarch, over the 'assassination'. Labour's shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, who is expected to enter the Labour leadership race, said: 'We stand at a dangerous moment. Boris Johnson must urgently make a statement on what the UK Government is doing to avoid war.' Labour MP Lisa Nandy, as she launched her campaign to succeed Mr Corbyn, demanded the PM recalls Parliament to explain how he plans to 'keep British personnel safe' in the region where hundreds of UK troops are based. She said Mr Johnson must outline how he will work with European allies to ensure 'a much more international and concerted action to rein in what has been quite a dangerous and reckless act by a president without real thought about what comes next'. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry earlier said the Foreign Office's call for restraint was 'too little and far too late, in the wake of such a brazen, unlawful and provocative attack'. More than 150 anti-war activists, some armed with placards, joined the Stop the War Coalition protest. Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, who has made a bid to be Labour's deputy leader, told the crowd the UK must not be 'dragged' into any war with Iran. He told the PA news agency he believes the US president pursued the attack for his own 'electoral purposes'. Protesters demonstrate close to the US embassy in Berlin, Germany, among the Iraqi and Palestinian flags is a white flag bearing the emblem of the People's Mobilization Forces (PMF) who besieged the US embassy in Baghdad earlier this week London: Hundreds of people attend the protest outside Downing street against action taken by the USA against Iran He said: 'I and others marched against the Iraq war, shamefully our Government supported George Bush's war in Iraq. 'It made life worse, even worse for people in Iraq, it made terrorism flourish, and it didn't help people in the Middle East or around the world. 'Because Donald Trump, I think, is doing this for electoral purposes. I think it could be as cynical as that. 'And so we've got to argue against war, argue for peace, argue for conflict resolution, and argue in our ever more dangerous world that what we really need is to avoid the rush to war.' Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have steadily intensified since Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions. The administration's 'maximum pressure' campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The U.S. has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a U.S. surveillance drone in June that it said had strayed into its airspace. People gather for a memorial for Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, at Iran's consulate in Istanbul, Saturday People take part in a remembrance service at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul on Saturday afternoon Roses and candles are laid at the Iranian embassy in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday to remember the slain Iranian general A man lifts a portrait of Soleimani to kiss it outside the embassy in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday. President Vladimir Putin has urged the US to refrain from escalating tensions further in the Middle East On Saturday, billboards appeared on major streets in Iran showing Soleimani and carrying the warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that 'harsh revenge' awaits the US. Iranian state television also aired images of a ceremony honoring Soleimani at a mosque in the Shiite holy city of Qom, where a red flag was unfurled above the minarets. Red flags in Shiite tradition symbolize both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Soleimani's home in Tehran to express his condolences. 'The Americans did not realize what a great mistake they made,' Rouhani said. 'They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come.' On the streets of Tehran, many said they mourned Soleimani and some demanded revenge. 'I don't think there will be a war, but we must get his revenge,' said Hojjat Sanieefar. America 'can't hit and run anymore,' he added. Another man, who only identified himself as Amir, was worried. 'If there is a war, I am 100% sure it will not be to our betterment. The situation will certainly get worse,' he said. Iranian-Canadians gather to celebrate the death of a top Iranian general in Iraq. Solemeini was a ruthless commander and reviled in the West Iranian-Canadians hold placards of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei saying 'Down with dictator' and pre-Revolution flag of Iran Iranian-Canadians gather to celebrate the death of a top Iranian general in Iraq. Iranian-Canadians celebrate death of Iran General Qassem Soleimani, Toronto, Canada - 03 Jan 2020 Gen. Qassem Soleimani was the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, and was killed in Baghdad, Iraq on 2nd January 2020. Global powers had warned Friday that the killing of Soleimani could spark a dangerous new escalation, with many calling for restraint. Iran's state TV reported that Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, made an unplanned trip to Iran where he met with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The Qatari diplomat was also set to meet with Rouhani. Qatar hosts American forces at the Al-Udeid Air Base and shares a massive offshore oil and gas field with Tehran. It has often served as a regional mediator. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, took to Twitter to reiterate the kingdom's call for 'self-restraint' to avoid 'unbearable consequences.' Palestinians step on a US and an Israeli flag during a mourning ceremony organised in honor of slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani Palestinian man carries a poster of Qassem Soleimani, the Iran's head of the Quds Force Another Saudi official confirmed to The Associated Press that the U.S. did not give a heads-up to Saudi Arabia or its other Gulf allies before carrying out the strike that killed Soleimani. The official was not authorized to discuss security matters and so spoke on condition of anonymity. Italy's Foreign Minister meanwhile condemned the strike that killed Soleimani, in a rare criticism of the U.S. strike from a Western ally. In a Facebook post, Luigi Di Maio said the use of violence threatens to bring 'destabilization and devastating humanitarian and migratory effects.' Activists of the National Council of Resistance of Iran protest against Tehran's government opposite Downing Street after the US killed General Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport, during a demonstration in London, Friday Protesters outside Downing Street in London with placards denouncing Iran's supreme leader after the US killed General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, an opposition leader, outside Downing Street in London Italy has long been one of Iran's biggest trading partners in the European Union, and it has more than 800 regular soldiers and some 80 special forces in Iraq. Illustrating Soleimani's regional reach, Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, including the territory's Hamas rulers, opened a mourning site for the slain general and dozens gathered to burn American and Israeli flags. Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas official, said the killing of Soleimani was 'a loss for Palestine and the resistance.' Iran has long provided aid to the armed wing of Hamas and to the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group. Work on the ambitious Arunachal Frontier Highway along the Sino-India border will start soon, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said on Saturday. The survey work and the detail project report of the 2,000 km Arunachal Frontier Highway have been completed, he said while dedicating a new 75 metre span steel bridge over the Pare river at Balapu in Papum Pare district. The highway will connect the border areas from Vijaynagar in Changlang district in the eastern part to Mago- Thingbu in Tawang district in the western end of the state. The DyCM said an East-West Industrial Corridor will also be constructed along the foothills of the state. "A high-level board headed by state Assembly Speaker P D Sona has been assigned to see its alignment when I was the PWD minister in the previous government," Mein said, adding that short and long term plans have been made under Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure for robust infrastructural development in the state. "Efforts are on for up-gradation of roads in the districts and to bring road connectivity to additional deputy commissioner (ADC) and sub-divisional headquarters across the state," he said. He said connectivity is one of the priority sectors of the state government as it would bring all-round faster development. The deputy chief minister called upon the people to change their mindsets if they wish to see fast-tracking of developmental activities. Referring to the tourism sector, Mein said the tourism industry could boost the economy of the state and connectivity to the remote and far-flung areas would boost the tourism industry. He, however, urged the people to create a congenial atmosphere for the tourism industry to flourish and to make the state investment friendly. Mein said that 'Team Arunachal' led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu is committed to bring equitable development of all regions by equal distribution of fund and judicious utilisation of states resources. "The state government has brought in financial and administrative reforms and also adopted an industrial policy to make the state investment friendly," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday asked the Indian government to immediately take up the issue of "unwarranted and unprovoked" attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib with Pakistani authorities. Condemning the attack, she called for immediate arrest and action against the culprits. She also asked the government to ensure safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine to prevent any future attacks. "The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," she said in a statement. A mob on Friday reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib- the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Meanwhile, hundreds of people thronged the streets leading to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi's Chanakyapuri on Saturday and protested against the mob attack and stone-pelting on devotees at the historic Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. The protesters carried banners and placards reading "Shame on Pakistan" and "We will expose the real face of Pakistan". Some of the banners and placards urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to protect the gurdwara, one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. Police had to barricade the roads to prevent the protesters - belonging to BJP, Congress, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and other organisations - from reaching the high commission. A huge posse of police personnel was deployed and water cannon kept on standby, a police official said. The protestors were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station. The protest by DSGMC and Akali Dal members was held at around 1 pm near Chanakyapuri, an affluent neighbourhood and diplomatic enclave in the city. Sikh community members also submitted a memorandum to the Pakistan High Commission, said DSGMC president Manjinder S Sirsa. BJP and Congress members stood on either side of a road there and raised slogans against Pakistan and its prime minister. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Is Joe Biden senile? Has he forgotten that in 2012, he spoke in public about the White House deliberations on the pending raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden and that he told the 44th POTUS, "Mr. President, my suggestion is we don't go"? Or has he forgotten that the internet makes it possible for everyone to dig up recordings of what he said in the past? FLASHBACK: In 2012, Biden said he was opposed to Bin Laden raid: Mr. President, my suggestion is dont go pic.twitter.com/sdJRG55o7m Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 3, 2020 His past opposition to the raid is now consigned to the Memory Hole about which George Orwell wrote. Peter Doocy of Fox News caught Biden in Dubuque, Iowa as he was boarding his campaign bus and asked him if he would launch an air strike against General Soleimani if he had the same information as President Trump, noting that eight years ago, he said he opposed the bin Laden assassination. YouTube screen grab. Biden claimed, "Well, we did. The guy's name was Osama bin Laden," and then he hastily turned away, walking toward his bus. Doocy followed him and asked, "And didn't you tell President Obama not to go after bin Laden that day?" YouTube screen grab (cropped). Speaking over him, Biden contradicted his previous account: "No, I didn't. I didn't." If Biden still has his mental faculties, then he must be counting on the media to whitewash his past public opposition to the bin Laden raid. Compare the 2012 Biden with the 2020 Biden and make up your own mind. Hat tip: Mike Nadler, David Rutz of the Washington Free Beacon. In articles written in The Guardian and the Wigan Post, the 40-year-old MP said said she wanted to 'bring Labour home' to voters that have abandoned the party in its traditional strongholds. London: Indian-origin British MP Lisa Nandy has formally launched her bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, urging the party members to "change course" to avoid becoming "irrelevant" in the wake of the party's worst defeat in over 70 years in the last month's general election. In articles written in The Guardian and the Wigan Post, the 40-year-old MP said said she wanted to "bring Labour home" to voters that have abandoned the party in its traditional strongholds. Nandy has become the fourth Labour hopeful to throw her hat in the ring after Clive Lewis, Jess Phillips and Emily Thornberry. The Member of Parliament for Wigan said she believed the party had to change to regain the trust of voters after suffering the huge loss. Nandy, who served as the shadow Energy Secretary from 2015 to 2016, said she was "heartbroken" to see so many working class constituencies had chosen the Conservatives over Labour at the last general election. In a stark warning to party members, Nandy, who has championed the needs of Britain's towns, said "unless we change course, we will become irrelevant". She said the drubbing at the hands of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, including losing swathes of seats in the northern heartlands, was a "long time coming." Nandy argued that the next leader should come from those areas which feel neglected and are turning away from the party, with a deep understanding of the problems of the regions face. "It has been 14 years since Labour last won power and I want you to know I have listened and I understand that we have one chance to win back the trust of people of Wigan, Workington and Wrexham. Without what we were once our labour heartlands we will never win power in Westminster and help to build the country we know we can be. "I wanted to tell you first that I'm standing to be leader of the Labour Party because after a decade of having the privilege to represent you, I have a deeper understanding of what has gone awry in our discredited political system," she said. Nandy said the next Labour leader will have to be up for a scrap - willing to run to the places "we are loathed, take the anger on the chin, make and win argument". She said she was "determined to defeat Boris Johnson in order to lead the compassionate, radical, dynamic government I firmly believe you want and you deserve". Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) will set out a timetable on Monday for the leadership campaign. It is thought it will be completed by the end of March. Corbyn is standing down as leader following the party's crushing election defeat. There are some indications that Russia might be doing more than simply warning Turkmenistan about the threats spilling across its border with Afghanistan. Unconfirmed reports suggest there may be some Russian soldiers present in Turkmenistan along one part of the Turkmen-Afghan border. A correspondent for RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, went to the Kerki and Koytendag districts in the southern part of Turkmenistans eastern Lebap Province on December 23 to check on reports of increased military activity to deal with possible border incursions. The correspondent met the same day with a border guard who told him, on condition of anonymity, that the troops there had significantly strengthened security due to warnings about possible attacks from militants in Afghanistan. The border guard said dozens of Turkmen warplanes had recently started making daily reconnaissance flights along the border, at least five flights along the border between Serhetabad [in Mary Province] and Koytendag. The timing of these flights is interesting because on December 18, Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev said more than 2,000 militants from the so-called Islamic State of Khorasan (ISK) were strengthening their positions in northern Afghanistan, preparing to use those areas as a launching point for an incursion into Central Asia through Tajikistan and Turkmenistan." The Azatlyk correspondent contacted a known source in the State Border Guard Service on December 27 to check on the reported military activity along the Afghan border. The official, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russian and Turkmen troops were already operating together along the frontier with Afghanistan and that Russian troops had been in Turkmenistan for more than a year. Such cooperation is kept quiet, it is a state secret, the source told RFE/RL. The border guard's statement could not be independently verified, and Turkmenistans government has never said anything about Russian troops being stationed along the border with Afghanistan. But the Turkmen government has also never admitted there was a problem along its 744-kilometer border with Afghanistan, even when reports from inside Afghanistan indicated there was fighting on the Turkmen border and that Turkmen troops had been killed in the clashes. Turkmen authorities have repeatedly stated that the country has UN-recognized neutral status and needs no outside help because there is no threat to it. Afghan Threats But Russian officials have repeatedly talked about threats from Afghanistan for Central Asia and about increasing cooperation with the militaries of those countries. On December 26, 2018, the then-commander of Russias Central Military District, General Yevgeny Ustinov, spoke about increased cooperation with the Central Asian states and mentioned renewed preparations with the militaries of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan." Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are the only two Central Asian countries not in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Ustinovs comment came after the director of Russias second Asia department, Zamir Kabulov, warned on September 30, 2018, that ISK militants were getting prepared to destabilize the political situation in Central Asia," and CIS border guards noted on November 14 there was a deterioration in security in northern Afghanistan along the border with Turkmenistan, which Ashgabat on November 16 called unfriendly and a distortion of the facts. Acting CSTO General-Secretary Valery Semerikov added to the speculation when he said on November 23 there was a threat from extremists assembling along the Tajik and Turkmen borders. Interestingly, Gazprom chief Aleksei Miller visited Turkmenistan at the end of November 2018 to discuss the possibility of renewing Russian purchases of Turkmen natural gas that were suspended early in 2016. The Kremlin may have been dangling an economic lifeline in front of threadbare Turkmenistan in return for cooperation in allowing Russian advisers to be deployed along its border with Afghanistan -- the same way Russian military advisers are operating along Tajikistans Afghan border. Did a desperate Turkmenistan accept the offer? The Koytendag and Kerki districts are on the other side of Afghanistans Jowzjan Province. A mutinous Taliban commander named Qari Hikmatullah briefly raised the black flag of ISK in the Darzab district of Jowzjan Province in 2017 until he was killed in April 2018. His unit, which fought against government and Taliban forces, seemed to be comprised of similarly disaffected Taliban fighters and essentially mercenaries, militants roaming northern Afghanistan who hook up with groups as the opportunity arises. After Hikmatullah was killed his unit seems to have been scattered. The Taliban remains the dominant militant group in northern Afghanistan and for more than five years they have been fighting against government and paramilitary forces (Arbaky) in Jowzjan, including in the Qarqeen district that borders Turkmenistan. As usual, it is difficult to know exactly what is happening inside Turkmenistan. But it does appear Turkmen troops in Lebap are on heightened alert. Apparently in the Mary Province to the west, security along the main roads was recently increased. And Russian-Turkmen cooperation is certainly better now than it has been for a decade. Russian border guards were stationed in Turkmenistan until 1999, so the Russian military is very familiar with Turkmenistans Afghan border. Turkmenistans acceptance of Russian troops on its territory -- if that is what is happening -- would be another indication that Turkmenistan is falling back into the Kremlins orbit. RFE/RLs Turkmen Service contributed to this report OTTAWA With large streaming services evading Canadian-content quotas, the public broadcaster is asking Ottawa for permission to put less Canadian content over its airwaves. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA With large streaming services evading Canadian-content quotas, the public broadcaster is asking Ottawa for permission to put less Canadian content over its airwaves. That has the media advocacy group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting calling on Ottawa to impose onto streaming giants the requirements conventional broadcasters already face. "Theres an accountability and transparency problem," said Daniel Bernhard, who leads Friends. France moved too quickly against web giants: Trudeau OTTAWA The federal Liberals have moved slowly against Big Tech, possibly for fear of upsetting American President Donald Trump. On Twitter last month, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said the Liberals would make sure that foreign platforms will pay the same taxes as Canadian digital companies but he didn't specify when, or how. click to read more OTTAWA The federal Liberals have moved slowly against Big Tech, possibly for fear of upsetting American President Donald Trump. On Twitter last month, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said the Liberals would make sure that foreign platforms will pay the same taxes as Canadian digital companies but he didn't specify when, or how. Guilbeault referenced an international consensus starting to take shape within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of mostly rich countries, on harmonized tax rules for Big Tech. Last October, the OECD got 134 countries to agree on a desire to set rules for taxing companies that conduct significant online business in countries where they dont have an actual physical presence. Meanwhile, Canadian-based streaming services like Crave remain subject to HST, while foreign sites like Netflix are only taxed in provinces that opt to do so, like Saskatchewan and Quebec. The current situation is unfair and our government is committed to addressing it, Guilbeault tweeted. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Radio-Canada last month hed proceed in a reasonable way in this springs budget. He alluded to Trump threatening France with large tariffs over that country's recent plan to tax digital giants. We dont necessarily want to go too far, too quickly, like France did, the prime minister said. The OECD expects to issue tax rules this summer. The Liberals had proposed a three per cent tax on digital giants revenue as an interim measure ahead of the OECD rules, but are not actively working towards that idea. Daniel Bernhard, who leads the media advocacy group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, said the Liberals should proceed with the interim tax in their spring budget. "We have to make sure that they can't use this as an excuse," he said. "What the OECD is doing is removing excuses, and we shouldnt be using this () to delay action." Dylan Robertson Close The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. recently asked the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to drop its quota of primetime TV content from nine hours of Canadian content to seven. The CBC wants to lower the quota of local content in metropolitan markets like Winnipeg from 14 to 12 hours a week, with similar reductions for its French-language service, Radio-Canada. CBC officials argued this accounts for the uptick in Canadian content it streams online. "The manner in which the corporation provides its services is changing to meet the needs and interests of Canadians and in response to the evolution in how that content is being consumed," reads the network's November proposal to the CRTC. Like all large broadcasters, CBC already files regular, detailed accounts to the CRTC of what content it airs on TV and radio, and how much it pays for original productions. Yet the broadcaster doesnt provide detailed information on its online offerings to the regulator. Thats because of a 1999 order that counts online transmission of video and sound as separate from radio and television. Bernhard has been lobbying the new government to park the CBC's online offerings under the same standard. The CBC wants to lower the quota of local content in metropolitan markets like Winnipeg from 14 to 12 hours a week, with similar reductions for its Frenchlanguage service, RadioCanada. "Were not against their focus on digital, but it cant come at the expense of the vast majority of listeners and viewers who are right now not on digital channels," he said, citing the network's own audience numbers. "It can't be just at (the CBCs) sole discretion, with no transparency or oversight; thats crazy." The CRTCs 1999 order also exempts streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon, Apple and Disney from quotas for broadcasting Canadian content and funding its creation. The Trudeau government came to power in the 2015 election, which saw all parties shy away from what the Conservatives called a "Netflix tax." After years of coaxing web giants into voluntarily funding Canadian content, the Liberals say they now plan to beef up the rules for streaming services and social media. However, the government is waiting for an international report to be finalized this summer on how countries can levy taxes on global Internet giants. The Liberals have parked an election pledge to implement a three per cent tax on large online firms advertising and data sales. "It can't be just at (the CBCs) sole discretion, with no transparency or oversight; thats crazy." Daniel Bernhard, Friends of Canadian Broadcasting Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault promised last month his government will "quickly modernize pre-Internet laws so that web giants can offer more Canadian content, contribute to its creation, promote it and make it easier to find," though he did not say how. The government is also set to receive a massive report on overhauling the Broadcasting Act and telecommunications rules. That years-long review should include suggestions for updating the CBCs 1991 mandate, which doesn't provides any guidance to the broadcaster on how it should operate online. In any case, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus mandate letter for Guilbeault included a task to "strengthen the regional mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada to broadcast more local news" and require CBC to share more digital content with journalism start-ups and community newspapers. Guilbeault told the news site iPolitics last month that Ottawa will put up the cash to have CBC hire more local-news reporters. Bernhard said hes encouraged that the Liberals are shoring up the CBCs regional offerings. But he said Ottawa would have more cash to give the CBC if it passed simple regulations to fold web giants into existing CRTC rules, and tax them like any other company. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. He feels Ottawa needs to rethink how it funds the CBC, instead of forcing the network to keep up various attempts to turn a profit, especially in the crowded English-language TV market. "They keep failing. This approach of trying to be commercial, to then get the revenue, to then finance the public-service mission it's not working, and it hasnt worked for 30 years," Bernard said. "CBC is really at a crossroads." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Centenarian freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana has died of old age-related ailments in West Bengal's Howrah district, family sources said. He died at his residence in Marotala under Shyampur police station limits on Friday, they said. Jana was 107 and is survived by six sons and six daughters and their children. His wife Latika Jana died earlier. The freedom fighter's youngest son Ashok Jana said his father was arrested for the first time in 1930 at the age of 17 while opposing the use of foreign goods. "Father was brought to Jagacha police station in Howrah district where he met Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das and his wife Basanti Devi who inspired him to take a plunge into Swadeshi Movement. He was later lodged at Hijli and Alipore prisons," Ashok Jana said. He said Bhim Chandra Jana was known as 'Nanu' to other freedom fighters of Bengal. Jana was awarded by the Government of India after Independence and was an avowed Gandhian all his life, the freedom fighter's grandson Krishnendu Jana said. Local MLA Kalipada Mandal visited the residence of the freedom fighter to pay respects. The freedom fighter's body was cremated on Friday night, his son said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gas prices may have a turbulent January after U.S. air strikes killed Irans top general on Friday, but experts dont expect it to change forecasts for slightly lower gas prices in later 2020. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force, sent oil prices slightly higher on commodities markets, including the New York Mercantile Exchange. That market reaction is in line with what oil and gas experts predicted, but where prices go will from there depends on what Irans next move is. We are likely to see oil prices march a bit higher, but I dont see huge increases unless there are follow-up skirmishes, battles, and sabotage in the Persian Gulf, said Tom Kloza, Oil Price Information Services global oil analyst. Oils reaction (Friday) is very muted. Professional commodities traders want to avoid mistakes made after the mid-September Abqaiq missile attacks on oil producing facilities in Saudi Arabia that pushed oil prices up by $8 to $9 a barrel, he said. Those increases dropped a month later. Its too early to tell...(a) knee jerk reaction, as were seeing in oil prices, is that it may have impact, but what that looks like, is just as impossible to predict, said Patrick DeHaan, Gas Buddy.coms head of petroleum analysis. The answer will lay with Iran- will they retaliate and to what degree? Thats what Im watching most. So far, the Mid-East turmoil had little effect on some gas prices, which increased the average price of $2.61 for a gallon of regular by one cent Friday, GasBuddy.com reported. But drivers might see a ripple effect this month. By comparison, 2019 started with an average pump price of $2.36 in the state. For now, this will provide for stronger-than-anticipated numbers in January, Kloza said Despite this wild and elevated start to 2020, lots of new non-OPEC oil is coming to market from the U.S., Russia, Kazahkstan, Guyana, Brazil, and perhaps the (Saudi Arabia-Kuwait) Neutral Zone. One reason is that Iran exports very little oil, so further suppression of their capability wont have any impact, Kloza said. Iraq is a different case, since it produces about 4.8-million barrels of crude oil a day and exports about 75% of that oil, he said. If events in Iraq were just promoted by Iranian mischief makers, and the U.S. maintains a decent relationship, there won't be an impact, Kloza said. For now, it looks to be a one-off, just as the Abqaiq attack was. We believe that the exit price for crude (oil) in 2020 will be much lower than the entry prices we are seeing in the first 72 hours of the year/decade, Kloza said. Barring Fridays events, experts predicted that 2020 would end the year with lower gas prices than those seen in 2019. But we are going to see a slight increase in prices before that happens. Nationally, experts are predicting a late winter, early spring price jump, starting in February and ending around April. Thats similar to a 2019 price run-up that took average pump prices in the state to a high of $2.94 by early May. The price spike we see starting in mid-February and lasting through April or May will hit all 50 states, Haan said. The rise is seasonal in nature, which could be worse than normal this year due to the loss of Philadelphia Energy Solutions (refinery) in 2019. Haan predicted that price increase could send prices close to the $3 a gallon mark in some major cities, but the nation could see average gas prices land around $2.60 for a gallon of regular by years end. In New Jersey, that price could be five to seven cents a gallon lower, Kloza said. The number will be lower unless Phil Murphy has a (gas) tax increase, he said. Well get the normal spring rally. It will be a cheap year for crude oil and gasoline." 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. BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday stressed efforts to enhance ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, and promote the construction of an economic circle covering the western cities of Chengdu and Chongqing. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the sixth meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. He is also head of the committee. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng attended the meeting. To strengthen ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, the meeting underlined ecological conservation, green development and natural restoration of the environment. Unreasonable water use in the region should be firmly curbed, while development efforts should be made in light of local conditions and efforts should be made to push for coordinated protection and management of the basin, said a statement issued after the meeting. Attention should be given to major issues in the ecological protection and high-quality development of the basin by implementing projects including water source conservation and water and soil loss control, according to the statement. Measures will be adopted to solve water, air and soil pollution as well as to promote the high-quality and coordinated development of city clusters along the river. The meeting urged efforts to improve industrial structure while preserving and promoting cultural legacies of the Yellow River. The meeting also noted that promoting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle will help foster a growth pole for high-quality development in western China and push opening-up in the landlocked area. Work will be done to turn the Chengdu-Chongqing area, with the two cities taking the leading role, into an important economic center, a center for scientific and technological innovation, a new highland for reform and opening up and a livable place for high-quality life of national influence, the statement said. The development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle is a systematic project that requires top-level design and overall planning, with transport infrastructure construction and collaborative and innovative development among the priorities, it said. (Source: Xinhua) - The three had conned another man the money with the promise of getting him a KDF job - They had given him a calling letter which DCI detectives confirmed was fake - Suspects met the victim for the second time to help his other relative get the job Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested three suspects who conned a man KSh 410, 000 with the promise of giving him a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) job. Paul Parsamei Sirere, Jackline Magaya and Alex Kingwa were arrested on Friday, January 3, at Accra Hotel in Nairobi. READ ALSO: President Museveni leads hundreds of Ugandans in 100km walk to remember freedom fighters The detectives were from DCI headquarters in Nairobi. Photo: Daily Nation Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Police officers who were escorting buses to Lamu could not be reached during attack In a Twitter post by the DCI, the three were arrested after they arranged for another meeting with the victim to help another person who was also interested in the job connections. "The victim had met the trio at Accra Hotel-Nrb on 2nd Jan, 2020, & upon giving the cash issued with KDF calling Letter. They had agreed to meet again yesterday for yet another deal to "help" a relative of the victim get enrolled," said DCI. Upon the victim realising the letter was fake he immediately sought for clarification from the DCI on validity of the letter which was later confirmed to be fake. READ ALSO: Lugari MP Ayub Savula asks Uhuru to dissolve govt, says Tanga Tanga making country ungovernable The suspects were ambushed by the detectives during their meeting at Accra and the three were nabbed. They are in custody as police hunt for other accomplices who have been working in cahoot with the three to defraud the public. Notably, that was not the first case of fraudsters taking advantage of desperate youths in search of KDF jobs. Youths undergoing inspection during a past KDF recruitment session. Photo: Citizen TV Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mtangazaji wa Citizen TV Willis Raburu na mkewe wampoteza mwanao wa kwanza In January 2019, over 80 people were arrested by police after they showed up at Eldoret KDF recruits' training school with fake calling letters. On Saturday, December 8, 2017, sleuths arrested a 25-year-old man suspected to be behind mass production of fake documents associated with KDF recruitments. Peter Nyabogoye Kaunda was nabbed within Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) after sleuths were tipped off of his whereabouts by members of the public. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly Source: TUKO.co.ke Iranians today raised the blood-red 'flags of revenge', vowing to retaliate after the US killed general Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike in Baghdad. Iranian state TV broadcast the flag being hoisted over the minarets at the revered Jamkaran Mosque in the holy city of Qom on Saturday. In Shia Islam the red flags, which have also been flown at demonstrations in Tehran, symbolize blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge the person who is slain. It comes as Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei and President Hassan Rouhani consoled Soleimani's distraught children at his family home last night, reassuring them the commander would be avenged. As the flag was raised the speakers called, 'O Allah, hasten your custodian reappearance,' a reference to the end-times reappearance of the Mahdi, a divine bringer of justice As the flag was raised in Qom, the mosque speakers called, 'O Allah, hasten your custodian reappearance,' a reference to the end-times reappearance of the Mahdi. In Shia Islam, the faith of Iran, the Mahdi is a divine figure who will appear to bring a Day of Judgement and rid the world of evil. Soleimani, 62, was killed in the early hours of Friday, local time, outside Baghdad's International Airport in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump Last night Khamanei and Rouhani consoled Soleimani's family. 'Who is going to avenge my father's blood?' One of the commander's daughters asked. In response, Rouhani promised her that 'everyone will take revenge' and assured her as she wept, 'we will, we will avenge his blood, you don't worry.' 'The Americans did not realize what a grave mistake they have made. They will suffer the consequences of such criminal measure not only today, but also throughout the years to come,' Rouhani said. 'This crime committed by the US will go down in history as one of their unforgettable crimes against the Iranian nation.' Soleimani, 62, was killed in the early hours of Friday, local time, outside Baghdad's International Airport in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. Hours after the attack, Trump said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. President Rouhani (right) speaking with General Soleimani's daughters (left) on Saturday Ayatolla Khameneireleased a series of tweets on Saturday, recounting his conversations with Soleimani's family during his visit on Friday Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei (pictured) comforted a member of Soleimani's family during a visit to the family's home on Friday evening The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East and was targeted specifically because he was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the region. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the Revolutionary Guards commander from Soleimani's hometown Kerman, said Tehran would punish Americans 'wherever they are in reach', and raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the Gulf. 'The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there,' Abuhamzeh was quoted as saying on Friday evening by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. 'Vital American targets in the region have long since been identified by Iran ... Some 35 U.S. targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach,' he said, referring to Israel's largest city. Protesters demonstrate over the U.S. airstrike in Iraq that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, Saturday. Red flags in Shia tradition symbolize both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain Thousands pack the streets in front of Imam Jafar Sadegh Mosque in downtown Tehran on Saturday afternoon many flying the red flag Thousands of mourners took to the streets of Tehran today where the red flag was also seen fluttering before a downtown mosque in the Iranian capital. Meanwhile in Baghdad, shouts of 'Death to America' filled the air as tens of thousands of people marched to mourn Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was also killed in the US strike. A PMF-organised procession carrying the bodies of Soleimani, Muhandis and other Iraqis killed in the US strike took place in the city's heavily fortified Green Zone. Mourners included many militiamen in uniform for whom Muhandis and Soleimani were heroes. They carried portraits of both men and plastered them on walls and armoured personnel carriers in the procession. According to local reports it is the first time in the Qom mosque's history - a holy site since the Middle Ages - that the red flag has been hoisted over the building Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and Iraqi militia commander Hadi al-Amiri, a close Iran ally and the top candidate to succeed Muhandis, attended. Mourners later brought the bodies by car to the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala south of Baghdad. The procession was to end in Najaf, another sacred Shia city where Muhandis and the other Iraqis killed will be laid to rest. Soleimani's body will be transferred on Saturday to the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan that borders Iraq. On Sunday it will be taken to the Shia holy city of Mashhad in Iran's northeast and from there to Tehran and his hometown Kerman in the southeast for burial on Tuesday, state media said. An Iraqi official says an airstrike has hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia north of Baghdad, one day after a U.S. attack on top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The official said five members of the militia were killed. Iraqi state television and the media arm of the Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces also reported the strike. The group said its medics were targeted. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Temperatures in Anchorage were in the low single digits Friday, and a slight breeze made it feel even colder. But conditions were right for Matthew Driskell, 17, and Taylor Baker, 16, to ice fish for a few hours. The teens dragged their gear in a sled, drilled two holes in the 8-inch-thick ice and dropped hooks baited with shrimp into the water. Instead of just staying at home inside playing video games, Id rather be out here ice fishing, Baker said as he unloaded gear from the sled he dragged across the snow. Driskell, a King Tech High School senior, said hes been fishing Sand Lake for many years. He suspected the fish might found near the western end of the lake. He said theres rainbow trout and Dolly Varden in the lake, but hed be happy to catch and release whatever will bite. Baker, a Dimond High School junior, said fishing is his year-round passion, and ice fishing is something he recalls doing with his dad when he was young. Wed go out there and fish for hours on end, Baker said. I just remember catching a big 25-inch rainbow through the ice. Its got me hooked ever since. The ice beneath them glowed from inside the dark shelter. Both boys sat quietly as they watched and jigged their lines. Driskell caught two small fish in the first 15 minutes of the session, then the action quieted for the next half-hour. But by their measure, it had already been a successful day. Baker said his goal was just to get out and have fun with a friend. He is no stranger to our TV screens and this time the well-known hotelier Francis Brennan is back bringing his expertise to a new show that will see him help those who are looking for a new career in the hotel industry. The Kenmare hotelier is offering eight people the opportunity of a lifetime to take part in his new television series, '5 Star Training Academy', this year. Francis, who runs the renowned five-star Park Hotel in Kenmare, will once again bring his years of hospitality experience to the fore to recruit and train a new batch of hotel workers. "I'm so excited about this new series, it combines everything I love into one great show: fabulous five star hospitality, and giving back to the industry I love by training these raw recruits and, hopefully, setting them up with a new career in the process," said Francis. "I'm looking for people without any experience of hospitality, and I can't stress that enough. It might be something you've always wanted to try but maybe never have had the opportunity." Anyone interested in taking part can contact info@waddellmedia.com Meanwhile, the Kenmare hotelier and his staff will head to Malta this week for their annual staff holiday. The Shivaji Park police have launched a manhunt for a woman, who allegedly kidnapped a three-month old boy from a Dadar footpath on December 28. The police has nabbed her accomplice and is interrogating him. He revealed that the woman, said to be in her 30s, had boarded a north India-bound train along with him. The accused woman, suspected to be in 30s, befriended the man couple of weeks before she decided to kidnap the baby. The two then kidnapped the child and posing as his parents, boarded a north India-bound train. The man fell asleep during the journey. On waking up at Gujarat, he realised that the woman and the baby were missing, an officer from Shivaji Park police station, who is investigating the case, told HT on Saturday. On December 29, Puja Anil Bhosale, 22, a vegetable vendor at Dadar market, approached the police, alleging that her child, Roshan, was missing from the footpath where she and her family slept. The police filed a first information report (FIR) and began investigating the case. The family did not have his photograph, and the police tried to find the leads through the babys clothes. One of the CCTV cameras in the area captured the accused woman walking away with the infant, who was wearing the clothes, described by Bhosale. The man, who the police nabbed, was also seen walking along with the woman. The officers managed to obtain the details of the womans accomplice and claim that he has criminal records. The police has claimed to have obtained concrete leads in the case. We have got received specific leads on the womans whereabouts and will soon nab her, the officer said. The accused have been booked under section 363 (abduction) of Indian Penal Code. 3.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rep. Ro Khanna said that he expects the House to act on his legislation to block any funding for a Trump war with Iran. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said on MSNBCs All In with Chris Hayes, Senator Sanders and I have introduced a bill that would cut off any funding for any offensive action against Iran or Iranian officials. Its important to note, Chris, that this bill was in the national defense authorization. Senator Sanders and I supported it. It passed the house. The majority of the senate was for it. That was a mistake, we need to correct that mistake and assert very clearly that Congress is simply not going to fund a war against Iran. Video: Rep. Ro Khanna expects the House to act on his bill to block funding for any Trump war with Iran. pic.twitter.com/JGJP0n9n9q Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 4, 2020 Rep. Khanna replied when asked what is the next step for Congress, I think we take up this legislation in the house that says there will be no funding for the president to conduct offensive action against Iran or Iranian officials. And we should realize congress is not a bystander here. We have the power of the purse. The question is are we willing to use it? We could in the appropriations process say very clearly were not going to give funds for this kind of action. The challenge is that there are people who get scared. They say we dont want to be seen weak on national security and so congress has punted traditionally to the executive branch. Its time for Congress to act with the powers the founders gave us. Speaker Pelosi has already made her displeasure with Trumps not consulting or briefing Congress before the attack known. It is very likely that Rep. Khanna is correct. The House is going to act on his legislation to block Trump from any funding for an offensive war with Iran. The White Houses excuse of an imminent attack is their way of getting around any blockade of for offensive funding by the House. The House of Representatives controls the purse strings. Mitch McConnell and the Senate cant stop them from blocking the funding. If Trump tries to start a war with Iran, it is a certainty that the House will take action to prevent him from getting the US into what is estimated to be the deadliest war for American troops since Vietnam. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Samsung made the Galaxy A51 and A71 official last month in Vietnam, and earlier today it published release details for the duo in Europe. To celebrate their arrival on that continent, the Korean company has also outed a trio of promo videos for the phones. All of these videos are for both the A51 and A71, as Samsung seems to view them as conjoined twins or something like that. Before you buckle up and start watching, we have to warn you, the style of these videos is... for lack of a better word, "unique". You might also call them "loud", in the figurative sense of course. Take a look for yourself below. First off, Samsung wants you to know that both the A51 and A71 feature fast charging. That said, the A51 supports 15W and the A71 goes to 25W, and that's not a small difference, so keep in mind that the company's definition of "fast" seems to be rather flexible. Next up, we got a video that's all about the Infinity-O displays on these handsets. It's... hyper. Finally, here's a video about the new members of the A series having long battery life. And this one's the loudest of the bunch. Literally. The Galaxy A51 will reach most of Europe this month, while the A71 will make the trip in February. The summit was to be held in Guwahati, but was cancelled by the violent protests in Assam at that time over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). New Delhi: A day after being heckled by angry locals at Cobargo in the Australian province of New South Wales (NSW) over raging bushfires in that area that have led to several deaths over the past four months, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled his visit to India that was scheduled to take place in mid-January, sources have confirmed. In a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Mr Morrison, PM Modi said he looked forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Australia in India on a state visit at a mutually convenient time later in the year. PM Modi also conveyed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians and on his own behalf on the damage to life and property in Australia due to severe and prolonged bushfires. Just on Thursday, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) had said the Australian PM had been invited to attend the Raisina Dialogue conference in the capital which is organised annually this month by the MEA and private thinktank ORF. This is the second cancellation of a high-profile visit in the past one month, the first being the scheduled one by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month to attend the India-Japan annual summit. The summit was to be held in Guwahati, but was cancelled by the violent protests in Assam at that time over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). In a statement on Friday, the MEA said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation today with the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. PM Modi conveyed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians and on his own behalf on the damage to life and property in Australia due to severe and prolonged bushfires. He also offered Indias unstinted support to Australia and the Australian people, who are bravely facing this unprecedented natural calamity. The MEA added, Expressing his satisfaction at the progress in bilateral relations in recent years, PM Modi reiterated Indias commitment to strengthen its strategic partnership with Australia. He stated that to this end, he looked forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Australia in India on a state visit at a mutually convenient time later in the year. The Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes to Prime Minister Morrison and the people of Australia for the rest of the year 2020. According to global media reports, Australias PM Scott Morrison had to cut short a visit to a town ravaged by fire after angry locals heckled him over the governments response. Locals there reportedly said he had done very little to help Cobargo in New South Wales (NSW), where two people died earlier this week and many lost their homes. The Australian PM was quoted as saying he was not surprised people are feeling very raw. NSWs premier has reportedly declared a week-long state of emergency in response to the escalating bushfire threat. According to reports, since September, bushfires have killed 18 people and destroyed more than 1,200 homes across NSW and neighbouring Victoria and at least 17 people remain missing after fires this week alone. 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. New York, Jan 4 : A US grand jury has indicted the alleged perpetrator of last month's anti-Semitic attack at a Hanukkah celebration in New York state, on six counts of attempted murder. Grafton Thomas, 37, is accused of breaking into the Monsey residence of a rabbi and stabbing and slashing orthodox Jews in a machete attack which took place on the night of December 28, reports Efe news. During the hearing held in Monsey, Rockland County, the grand jury on Friday also filed three counts of assault, three counts of attempted assault and two counts of burglary, local media reported. A day after the attack, Thomas pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in a case that district attorney Thomas Walsh described on Friday as a "violent and heinous crime". On Monday, Grafton appeared in federal court in White Plains, New York, to face five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by attempting to kill with a dangerous weapon and causing injuries. Thomas was also questioned in connection to a separate stabbing of an Orthodox Jewish man near a synagogue weeks before the machete attack, police revealed on Thursday. One of the people who were injured in the Monsey stabbing, 72-year-old Josef Neumann, remains hospitalized in critical condition. His daughter Nicky Kohen said on Thursday that his "prognosis is not good" and that he was in a coma. Kohen said that if her father comes out of his coma, he may not be able to walk or talk again, and added that "the doctors do not have high hopes for him". Thomas was arrested about two hours after the incident because witnesses were able to record the registration plate of his vehicle. The witnesses also claimed that after the attack, Thomas attempted to enter a synagogue next to the rabbi's home, but that those inside were able to lock the door. The Monsey neighbourhood of Ramapo is home to a large population of Orthodox Jews. The attack adds to another eight that took place last week in New York City, which led Mayor Bill de Blasio to reinforce police presence in the areas of the city in with high Jewish populations. Also in December, five people, including two Jews, were killed in an anti-Semitic attack perpetrated by two assailants in a kosher supermarket in Jersey City, New Jersey. Parts of the Iglesia San Francisco de Borja, a church built in 1876 that has become the Chilean National Police Forces place of worship, burned on Friday, January 3, as new clashes broke out between demonstrators and police in Santiago, Chile. The official account of the Chiliean national police force, Carabineros de Chile, shared this video on Friday writing (translated from Spanish): We deeply regret to report that the San Francisco de Borja Institutional Church, where our more than one thousand martyrs were dismissed, is burned by a mob of vandals. The temple was built in 1876 and was handed over to Carabineros more than four decades ago. According to reports, the church is used for religious services of uniformed police. The demonstrators were protesting in the Plaza Italia when they rioted near the church, lighting a vehicle on fire before attacking the building. At least one video posted to Twitter shows protesters throwing flaming items into the building. It was not clear the extent of the damage to the complex. The protests in Chile have been ongoing since October 2019. Credit: Carabineros de Chile via Storyful Chandigarh, Jan 4 : A day after the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday announced to send a four-member panel to visit there to take stock of the situation. Condemning the incident, SGPC President Gobind Singh Longowal appealed to the Pakistani government to take strict action against the culprits. Besides meeting the Sikh families, he said the delegation, comprising Rajinder Singh Mehta, Roop Singh, Surjit Singh and Rajinder Singh, would meet Pakistan's Punjab Governor and Chief Minister. "We condemn the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and appeal to the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits and also ensure the safety of Sikhs living there," Longowal told the media in Amritsar. He said they have spoken with the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib management authorities too: "They told us the situation is normal now." The SGPC, considered a mini Parliament of Sikh religious affairs, has control over Sikh religious affairs, manages gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, including the holiest of Sikh shrines Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, in Amritsar. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to immediately intervene to ensure that the devotees stranded in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib were rescued and the historic gurdwara is saved from the angry mob surrounding it. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has condemned the attack. In a statement here, he said it was shocking that the local administration in Nankana Sahib remained a mute spectator to the violence unleashed by the mob which tried to gate crash into the gurdwara compound and indulged in inflammatory speeches. "I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is a despicable act and it is the Pakistan government's primary human, moral and constitutional duty to ensure the safety of Sikhs in the country," he said. Sukhbir said in the interest of justice, "the Pakistan government should also act against chief instigator Mohammad Hassan who was responsible for the abduction of minor Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, and who led the attack on the gurdwara". Dansko's founders and owners, Peter Kjellerup and wife Mandy Cabot, in the atrium of the company's headquarters. Read more Thirty years ago, Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup stopped selling clogs out of the back of their car at Chester County horse shows and moved into their own building to create Dansko, their comfort shoe company. In the decades since, sales of their trademark bulbous clogs no stranger to derision from fashion-savvy contingents have grown West Grove-based Dansko into a multimillion-dollar business. Danskos ascent was meteoric, claiming a spot among Crocs and Birkenstocks, the tier of sensible shoes deemed so unfashionable they were oddly charming. The company, which gives employees ownership interest (essentially rendering them stockholders), earned acclaim from industry professionals for its business model and was touted as a modern, ethically run organization nestled in a sphere with Ben & Jerrys, Patagonia, and Newmans Own. Cabot and Kjellerup, of Kennett Square, retired from the company last January to focus on a new venture whose business model they hope will be as ethically significant: regenerative farming in Belize. Nine months ago, the couple began to buy 27,000 acres of land in Silk Grass, a tropical village surrounded by the worlds first and largest jaguar preserve, robust fishing activity, and abundant wildlife in the southeastern region of the Central American nation. READ MORE: Philly's Ed Hipp's meats go from unsung deli fave to Walmart darling Cabot, speaking by phone from Belize, described close to 3,000 acres of their formerly farmed property in Silk Grass as being under serious degraded status" that urgently needed to be rehabilitated through agroforestry and permaculture. The remaining 24,000 acres is rainforest that she said will be set aside in a preserve. Cabot and Kjellerup, who named their business Silkgrass Farms, have rehired around 100 Belizians to staff and oversee the farm and fruit-processing plant that already existed on the property. It had fallen into neglect, as had its avocado, citrus, coconut, mango, pineapple, and vanilla crops. Elsewhere on the farm, the couple owns nurseries that grow mahogany, yemeri a type of tropical hardwood passionfruit, and cacao. The citrus was old and dying, and the coconut was at varying stages of productivity, said Cabot, 65. The pineapple was gone and the avocado was gone. It had been neglected for 18 years. She and Kjellerup the latter trained as a farmer in Denmark are looking to experiment with biochar, a charcoal-like substance produced by burning natural waste (which researchers suspect could mitigate some climate change), and worms to break down organic matter. Those measures, Cabot says, could cultivate healthy fruit groves and allow workers to process and sell oil from the coconuts. What if the [business] model could be that the farm was income-generating, providing jobs with dignity and purpose that could start putting capital back into the local community? said the Harvard-educated Cabot, who serves on the boards of Pennsylvania-Delaware chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital, and board service for Longwood Gardens. Peter is on the Board of Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County. Its sort of like reversing the extraction economy that had been imposed on this country for a long, long time," she said, referring to the period of British colonization in Belize during the 19th century. At Silk Grass, she and husband Kjellerup (pronounced keller-up), 74, want to in part implement the charity-based business model of Newmans Own, the Connecticut-based food company launched in 1982 by late actor Paul Newman and novelist and editor A.E. Hotchner (now 99 years old). The company, which as of 2019 has reportedly donated $550 million to organizations around the world, donates all of its profits via its charitable Newmans Own Foundation, after accounting for business expenses. From the Newmans Own model, you set up guardrails for how the business should operate and what the mission values are, and you set that up in perpetuity, Cabot said. We also want to give every opportunity to the business to continue on long after were gone. Worm composting and tropical fruit, Cabot acknowledges, is quite the departure from clogs. Yet the Silk Grass business model, she said, is inspired by what she called Danskos practice of including its employees as de facto stakeholders. More broadly, it follows in the trend of a growing cohort of for-profit companies that push for social equality, environmental well-being, transparency to the public, legal accountability, and high-quality jobs. Such businesses are often categorized B Corps, a certification aimed at balancing profit and purpose that companies like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and Allagash Brewing have sought. B Corp is one of several initiatives under the auspices of Berwyn-based B Lab. Dansko had been a certified B Corp for about 10 years, until it disagreed with a change in the latters legal policy in January 2018 and stopped being a member. In Belize, Cabot and Kjellerup say they want to certify Silkgrass Holdings as a B Corp, the first one there. For me, this is tapping into the entrepreneurial skill set we had when we started Dansko, and Im way more comfortable and energized at this stage of enterprise building" than she was at Dansko, Cabot said. She has removed herself from Danskos day-to-day operations but remains chairwoman of the companys board of directors, with Kjellerup as director. Dansko is so far along and in the hands of high-skilled and capable people. Its at a different set of skills than what we had when we started. From their new home in Central America, Cabot and Kjellerup are far from the chefs, restaurant servers, nurses, teachers, and doctors in the U.S. who plod around in Danskos thick, utilitarian, wood-bottomed footwear and extol the virtues of such an orthopedically sound shoe. And the shoe itself has been embraced by a new, unlikely breed of customer: The most stylish and constitutionally avant-garde women in New York City have increasingly taken to sporting Danskos, according to the New York Times Style Magazine in 2017. It was, perhaps, a smoke signal that this shoe could be onto something in the wave of normcore, the trend of donning unembellished and at times unfashionable dress. Designers once declared the shoe ugly-chic, then included them in their stylebooks. Clog Instagrammer Lauren Mechling called it footwear with no politics, a stupidly comfortable place of bad good taste. Two-thousand-eighteen, the internet declared, was the year of the clog. By most accounts, Dansko, centered in southern Chester County in a squat LEED-certified building where a recycled rain waterfall hydrates a wall of plants, had become a haven for sensible shoe evangelists. (There is no delicate arch, no pointed toe, Mechling said, just leather and wood and practicality.) And for the most part, Cabot and Jim Fox, the companys current chief executive, have little to say about Danskos journey in the world of high fashion. They just call it comfortable footwear. Even its name is humble: dan," or Danish," and sko, or shoe. She felt it was time to move on. Were not of retirement temperament," Cabot said. We were really ready to do something more and something different. Imperial Valley News Center Justice Department Announces Addendum to Swiss Bank Program Category 2 Non-Prosecution Agreement with Union Bancaire Privee, UBP SA Washington, DC - Department of Justice announced Thursday that it has signed an addendum to a non-prosecution agreement with Union Bancaire Privee, UBP SA (UBP), a private bank headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The original non-prosecution agreement was signed on January 6, 2016. At that time, UBP reported that it held and managed 2,919 U.S. Related Accounts, with assets under management of approximately $4.9 billion, and paid a penalty of $187,767,000. In reaching todays agreement, UBP acknowledges it should have disclosed additional U.S.-related accounts to the department at the time of the signing of the non-prosecution agreement. Foreign banks that participated in the Swiss Bank Program were obligated to identify all accounts in which U.S. taxpayers held an interest, directly or indirectly, said Richard E. Zuckerman, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division. Todays agreement reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that when entities cooperate and make disclosures to the Department, that they do so fully. The Swiss Bank Program provided a path for Swiss banks to resolve potential criminal liabilities in the United States relating to offshore banking services provided to United States taxpayers. Banks eligible to enter the program were required to advise the department that they had reason to believe that they had committed tax-related criminal offenses in connection with undeclared U.S.-related accounts. As participants in the program, they were required to make a complete disclosure of their cross-border activities, provide detailed information on an account-by-account basis for accounts in which U.S. taxpayers had a direct or indirect interest, cooperate in treaty requests for account information, and provide detailed information about the transfer of funds into and out of U.S.-related accounts, including undeclared accounts. The department executed non-prosecution agreements with 80 banks between March 2015 and January 2016. The department imposed a total of more than $1.36 billion in Swiss Bank Program penalties. Pursuant to todays agreement, UBP will pay an additional sum of $14,000,000 and will provide supplemental information regarding its U.S.-related account population, which now includes 97 additional accounts. Every bank that signed a non-prosecution agreement in the Swiss Bank Program had represented that it had disclosed all known U.S.-related accounts that were open at each bank between Aug. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2014. Each bank also represented that it would, during the term of the non-prosecution agreement, continue to disclose all material information relating to its U.S.-related accounts. In reaching todays agreement, UBP acknowledges that there were additional U.S.-related accounts that it knew about, or should have known about, but that were not disclosed to the Department at the time of the signing of the non-prosecution agreement. UBP has fully cooperated with the department with respect to the additional U.S.-related accounts. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked Thomas J. Sawyer, Senior Counsel for International Tax Matters and Coordinator of the Swiss Bank Program, Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette L. Davis, and Attorney Kimberle E. Dodd of the Tax Division. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission reminds motorists that beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5, tolls increases take effect of six percent for cash, E-ZPass and TOLL BY PLATE customers. The increase, approved by the commissioners last July, takes effect on all sections and extensions excluding three western Pennsylvania cashless tolling facilities. The most common toll for a passenger vehicle increases from $1.40 to $1.50 for E-ZPass customers and from $2.30 to $2.50 for cash customers. The most common toll for a Class-5 tractor trailer increases from $3.70 to $4.00 for E-ZPass and from $16.30 to $17.30 for cash. The cashless toll at the westbound Delaware River Bridge increases from $5.30 to $5.70 for E-ZPass customers and from $7.20 to $7.70 for those who use PA Turnpike TOLL BY PLATE. On the Northeast Extension, the toll from Lansdale to Lehigh Valley increases from $4.10 to $4.40 for passenger cars, $2.80 to $3 for those with E-ZPass. Lansdale to Pocono is $9.30 to $9.90 or $6.40 to $6.80 for E-ZPass. For long trips, it costs cash customers $53.50 to travel the full turnpike from east to west. It costs $38.40 for E-ZPass customers. The costliest route is from the northernmost part of the turnpikes Northeast Extension to the highways western terminus: $61.60 with cash or $44.20 with E-ZPass. Since 2009 the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has increased tolls annually to fulfill a funding obligation required by Act 44 of 2009. As a result, the turnpike commission has delivered more than $6 billion in funding to PennDOT in the last decade. By law, these payments support mass transit statewide, with the bulk of funding supporting transit in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. To check toll rates for any Turnpike trip visit https://www.paturnpike.com/toll/tollmileage.aspx. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 20:56:31|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebel group has called for striking the U.S. military bases in the region in swift reprisal for the killing of the senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. In a statement by the group's political bureau on Friday, the rebels considered the U.S. killing of Soleimani as "a war crime," saying "striking the American bases in the region is the only available solution." "The peoples of the region should realize that their security and stability are subject to proceeding with the liberating project until the expulsion of the American occupier," the statement read. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi group, also strongly condemned "the assassination of Soleimani" and called for a "swift and direct response." Large billboards bearing the portrait of Soleimani appeared on the major streets of the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital Sanaa. Meanwhile, officials of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government expressed support for the killing of Soleimani and considered the U.S. move "an important step to end the conflict in the region." "The state of shock and tears that Houthis dropped in Sanaa after the killing of Soleimani confirms what we said about their relationship with Iran," said Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar Iryani said on his official Twitter account. "Houthis' position doesn't represent the Yemenis," he added, referring to Soleimani's killing as "a move to undermine Iran's hegemony policies." Earlier in the day, a senior pro-government Yemeni military official said "a well-prepared military strike" assassinated a key commander of the Houthi group named Abdul-Ridha Shahlay in Sanaa. "The killed Houthi leader was one of the most wanted elements in Yemen and the region," he added, without providing details about the operation. Early on Friday, Qasem Soleimani, commander of Quds Force of Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, were killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport, sparking outrage among some Iraqi parties and politicians. In October 2015, the internationally-recognized Yemeni government announced the severance of all diplomatic and political relations with Iran. The Yemeni government has repeatedly accuses Iran of meddling in Yemen and supporting the Houthi rebel group. The Houthis have been in control of the Yemeni capital Sanaa and several other northern provinces since September 2014. Lets Dance celebrates View(s): Lets Dance Academy, one of the most popular and professional social dancing academy in Colombo celebrates its fifteenth year with a grand Award Ceremony recently at the Russian Cultural Centre in Colombo. More than 150 medals and performance certificates were awarded to its students and professional certificates at the Lets Dance Award Ceremony 2019. Medals and certificates in Bronze, Double Bronze, Silver and Gold categories in both Latin American and Ballroom Dance sections were awarded for successful students of the Academy and 40 professional certificates were presented for successful Group Fitness Instructors of WWH (Workout with Hiruni). I would like to convey my heartiest appreciation to special guests participated and made this event so magnificent she said. Veteran filmmaker Bertram Nihal, Director of National Youth Services Council Sunil Karunarathna and Mrs. Samanthika Kumarasinghe Mrs Asia 2019, who graced the occasion said Hiruni Colombage, the professional dancing instructor of the Workout with Hiruni (Pvt) Limited. Lets Dance Academy was established in year 2004 as the Hiruni School of Dancing and has always enjoyed a reputation for first class teaching, along with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Lets Dance has now grown into one of the largest schools in Colombo with more than 300 students attending classes in Nugegoda, Dehiwela and Nawala. Lets Dance Academy conducts beginner level classes, medal test Classes, demonstration dancing classes, high-end variation classes at an affordable price. Genres are Latin American: Jive, Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba, Pasodouble. Ballroom: Waltz, Vennese Waltz, Quikstep, Tango, Foxtrot. Other: Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Lambada, Argentine Tango. The aim of the school is to provide safe and enjoyable lessons budding dancers. Whilst following the ethos of dancers in discipline, technique and an extremely high standard of dancing she said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 18:21:18|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close by Ndalimpinga Iita WINDHOEK, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chu Hailin, a 51-year-old Chinese doctor, based in Namibia is healing locals at the Katutura State Hospital Acupuncture Department in the country's capital, Windhoek. The department offers acupuncture treatment, cupping, and other forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. For Chu, transforming the health of locals has been a fulfilling vocation. "The greatest feeling here is that knowledge and skills can be fully utilized to help patients. I am delighted to relieve their pain," Chu said. Growing up in China, Chu always dreamt of serving in Africa. As fate would have it, Chu was part of the medical team dispatched by the Department of Health of Zhejiang Province to Africa, including Namibia for two consecutive terms from 2008 to 2012. Since 1996, two Chinese medicine doctors and two nurses have been sitting at the Katutura Hospital. "After working in Africa, I found that Chinese medicine is widely used. I feel that working in Africa is very hands-on, and we can make full use of our professional knowledge. Chinese medicine has a great place in Africa," he said. Upon finishing his term in 2012, he left Namibia. Nevertheless, he felt he could still offer more to Namibia and the broader African continent. He wanted his accumulated wealth of experience in clinical and academic knowledge gained at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University to benefit the global community. Second-time lucky, his vision and passion for Africa saw Chu return to Namibia in 2018 to join the medical team at Katutura Hospital's Acupuncture Department. "I am very happy to be back in Namibia to serve Namibians," he said. Chu's passion for Africa has also been infectious to his family, with his wife, Cai Xiaoying, also serving as a medical team nurse in Afrca. Meanwhile, the 51-year old's return catapulted his enthusiasm for Chinese medicine's role in global health and development. "Many people asked me why I came to aid again. I do it not only for my country but for my responsibility to the people -- a love for Africa. This is from the heart. If asked to return next time, I will come again," he said. According to Chu, the team has since worked strategically to boost Namibia's availability to traditional Chinese medicine and healthcare. These include promoting Chinese methods of acupuncture, and moxibustion to enhance understanding among the domestic health fraternity, as well as upholding standards enforcement. Moreover, Chu's leadership and management have fostered an organizational culture of inclusivity at the acupuncture department. Treatment is provided to all patients on a non-discriminatory basis, regardless of their health or societal status, to evoke change. "This is done for the respect of patients, make communication easy, and so that the patient feels close. We aim to give hope for the future," he added. Meanwhile, in Namibia, locals have lauded the Chinese doctor for professional etiquette. Saara Shinedina, a 43-year old patient who suffered from knee pain following a car accident, has only been to the acupuncture clinic three times, but her health improved tremendously. "I commend the Chinese doctor and team for another chance of good health. I feel much better and no longer in severe pain as before," Shinedima said. It is the testimonies from patients, according to Chu, that has motivated him to provide an excellent service. "When patients tell me that they have accepted and appreciate our treatment makes me very happy that it relieved the pain. That way I know I have fulfilled my purpose and exude the love for Africa," Chu added. The acupuncture department attends to 70 patients on average daily and about 100 patients on busy days. As of September 2019, a total number of 18,816 patients were treated at the clinic. The health sector in Namibia is one of the sectors that has greatly benefited from Chinese aid, investment and support over the years, said Juliet Kavetuna, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services. Skip Descant writes about smart cities, the Internet of Things, transportation and other areas. He spent more than 12 years reporting for daily newspapers in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and California. He lives in downtown Sacramento. Baghdad: A new United States air strike targeted an Iraqi militia late on Taji road north of Baghdad on Saturday, Australian time, state TV said. It did not name the militia or provide further details. The strike on the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces umbrella group near Camp Taji, an Australian military base, killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi army source told Reuters. But the umbrella group said it was meant for its fighters to hit a convoy of medics, not senior leaders as reported in some media. Friday's air strikes at the baghdad International Airport killed Iran's top military leader and several others. Credit:Iraqi PMO/AP "Initial sources confirm that the strike targeted a convoy of Popular Mobilisation Forces medics near Taji stadium in Baghdad," it said in a statement. As he enters his second year in office, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said he hopes to find more common ground with the GOP majority in the Legislature something hard to come by in 2019. The former educators first year in office came with its share of partisan battles, including disagreements over his appointed cabinet heads and efforts by Republicans to limit his power. Divided government stalled attempts to appease constituents on both sides of the aisle: Republicans refused to take up gun control measures and marijuana legalization; Evers vetoed GOP-driven anti-abortion bills and tax cuts. Evers said he has partially delivered on his campaign promises so far. He pointed to the budget, which included an increase in spending on K-12 education and a Republican-supported 10% income tax cut for the middle class, as a positive step. While some expected a divided government to delay the budget process as Evers and GOP leadership came to a consensus, the 2019-20 budget was signed July 3, with Evers issuing 78 line-item vetoes, including a move to boost school spending by about $65 million. I feel good about that, Evers said in an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal. I think our budget was a great down payment. The issues that I ran on schools, roads and health care I think the first two we had great success with. We set a high bar. The budget also included more funds for public transit and increases to vehicle title and registration fees to boost spending on roads, although Evers had preferred a gas tax increase. Republicans ditched his plan to accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars, which Evers had pledged in his campaign. Evers first day in office was Jan. 7, after his victory in November 2018 over incumbent Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who was seeking his third term. I think the governor has had a challenging year because hes entered an environment that, first of all, is divided government the first time Wisconsin has experienced that in eight years, and its divided government where parties are pretty hostile towards one another, said Barry Burden, political science professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I think the possibility of him as a Democrat and Republicans in the Legislature working cooperatively was pretty low from the outset. Outside the budget, Burden said there were few examples of bipartisanship in 2019. There hasnt been much else in terms of cooperative action between the branches that actually produced legislation, Burden said. Many initiatives pushed by Evers in 2019 were met with resistance from the GOP majority, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle accusing the other of refusing to meet halfway. I just feel like (Evers) is intentionally picking these arguments as opposed to saying where can we come together and find common middle ground, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told the State Journal. In the budget, he basically chose to do a repeal of Scott Walkers entire tenure. Evers said he does not view his role as an anti-Walker position. I dont view this as a veto on Walker. Do I believe that Scott Walker wasnt adequately providing leadership around the issues of schools and roads and health care? Absolutely, Evers said. Certainly were different people and have different priorities. Liberal proposals fall flat Some of Evers more liberal policy pushes, including marijuana decriminalization and gun control measures, have landed with a thud among Republicans. Despite Evers call for a special session for a debate and vote on red flag laws and expanded background checks, leadership in the Assembly and Senate adjourned their respective sessions without discussing the proposed item. A bill to increase funding for homelessness services passed the Assembly, but it failed to reach fruition before the close of 2019. The topic came to a head with Evers again clashing with Republicans over how to fund the measure. Democratic lawmakers have argued Republicans have taken strides to minimize the governors successes starting with sweeping lame-duck legislation aimed at limiting Evers power. The legislation, which was signed by Walker in late 2018 before Evers took office, has yet to see a final resolution in the courts, while the taxpayer cost has surpassed $2.1 million. Theyre obsessed with power, Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said of GOP leadership. Theyre obsessed with petty politics and control, even when they lose the governors office. All told, Evers signed 69 bills into law and vetoed 11 in their entirety in the 2019-20 session. An average of about 360 bills were signed into law annually between 2003 and 2018, a period that featured split government and both Republican and Democratic control. More than 240 acts were signed in the 2007-08 session, the last time Wisconsin had split government. In addition, a WisPolitics.com analysis found Evers 61 executive orders in 2019 was more than any Wisconsin governor in more than 50 years. Playing goalie Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, who had described his role as playing goalie on Evers initiatives, described the year as a rocky road. I think this last year was probably framed up, first and foremost, by trying to develop a relationship with the new governor, Fitzgerald said in December, adding he had only met with Evers three times but planned to meet again in early 2020. The governor met with Vos about six times last year, according to Vos spokeswoman Kit Beyer. Fitzgerald said its possible some of Evers appointed cabinet heads may not get approval from the Senate before it adjourns this year. The Senate already took the unprecedented step in November to fire Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection secretary Brad Pfaff. A governors appointee has not been denied by the Senate since at least 1987, as far back as records go on the subject, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau. Soon after Pfaffs firing, Evers referred to the Senates vote as absolute (expletive), but he later walked back his comments. Sometimes I guess I probably voice myself in a way that maybe I shouldnt or using the wrong words occasionally, but at the end of the day I will remain to be someone that is calm and try to keep civil, Evers said in December. Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said there have been flickers of bipartisanship, in the Senates meager nine meetings in 2019. She noted a bipartisan bill to expand Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services as one example. Trying to find out those areas of common ground has been difficult, unfortunately, Shilling said, citing the pettiness that has been exhibited by the majority party. Evers said he has hopes for more bipartisanship in 2020, but acknowledged it will take an effort from both parties to achieve. Weve got an agenda were trying to accomplish, and hopefully we can strike some deals with the Republicans to make that happen, Evers said. We really need to find a way to be better than Washington, D.C. Its going to take both sides to accomplish that. State Journal reporter Riley Vetterkind contributed to this report. State Journal reporter Riley Vetterkind contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Open source Russian President Vladimir Putin recently took a tough stance on protecting the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine. The material of the French news agency Facta.Media, which published its version of dozens of politicians who, thanks to their influence, can bring the end of the conflict in the Donbas closer, stated this. "So, it seems that Putin is ready to intervene in the internal affairs of Ukraine in the most radical way, if the oppression by the authorities and the national radical forces of the Russian language and the Russian-speaking population continues, in particular the closure of Russian-language schools, discrimination against the Russian-language media and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which traditionally acts for closer ties with the Russian Orthodox Church," - the author notes. As we reported, December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin New York The Lord's Prayer ended with the bang of dozens of fists that landed on open palms after a circular motion and a thumbs up in a joint "Amen!" Not a voice could be heard inside the cavernous sanctuary of Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz in Manhattan. There was no need for words: From the altar, the deaf congregants led the hearing ones, who from the wooden pews repeated the silent movement of their hands. Music, sermons, prayers, even confessions make up much of the experience of a typical religious service. So, for the deaf, how does faith flourish in an environment that so revolves around sound? The deaf worshippers at Holyrood in the northern edge of Manhattan, say that what might be considered a limitation has strengthened their sense of community, and expanded their understanding of God, and the sacred gift of silence in a noisy world. During a recent Sunday service, deaf and hearing worshippers sung and signed hymns, offered the sign of peace bringing palms together with a twisting motion and joyfully waved their hands high in the air in a sign-language equivalent of applause. "When I sign the music and the hymns to God, I actually feel the Holy Spirit with me. I give my all to him," said Lidia Martinez, 54, who spoke to the AP through her daughter, who is a sign language interpreter. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Martinez felt alienated from her faith because she was deaf. When she moved to the U.S. in 1993, she continued to feel like an outsider in a hearing church. "I remember going to other churches and sitting in the benches and not knowing what they were saying because there were no interpreters available," she said. "It was really hard to follow the Mass with just the readings." After visiting multiple churches, she walked into Holyrood last year. That's when she saw the Rev. Maria Santiviago signing from the pulpit. "It was heartwarming to have her interpret the Mass," she said about Santiviago, a 77-year-old Paraguayan who came out of retirement to help lead the ministry for the deaf. "Before I wasn't understanding anything. This was like a Eureka moment." Now, her whole family is part of the Holyrood community. They recently walked into the church past the Nativity scene and a brightly lit Christmas tree and sat in the front pews, illuminated by sunlight from colorful stained-glass windows. Her husband, Carlos Tirado, 54, who is also deaf, signed. Her daughter Leisha Martinez, 11, and her granddaughters, Arly Gordon, 8, and Lyann Gordon, 4, who can hear, sang along. Facing them and all the deaf worshippers stood her eldest daughter, Diely Martinez, an American Sign Language/Spanish medical interpreter, who now volunteers at the Sunday Mass. "I want (God) to touch their lives, she said. "So, it's more than interpreting. It's a calling." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. During the service, the Rev. Luis Barrios asked the deaf and hearing worshippers to form a prayer chain around a congregant who fears that she's also losing her sight. The Sunday service for the deaf and a weekday American Sign Language classes have helped once-dwindling attendance to rise at the Gothic Revival-style church. "God can also be found in the silence," Santiviago said. "We're empowering their language." More Information Tell us about your worship We would like to share your stories of how you welcome disabled or special needs congregants. Email: lyedwards@timesunion.com See More Collapse Holyrood, which is located in the mostly Latino neighborhood of Washington Heights, also takes pride in being a sanctuary church for immigrants and fully trilingual in English, Spanish and ASL. "We have revived this church. We wanted the church to support the people," Barrios, who is from Puerto Rico, said. "We need to find ways to make changes so the church remains relevant." He said that they still hope to reach out to more children and teenagers. Technological advances, including apps for texting and talking, continue to help the deaf and hard of hearing worldwide. But, Diely Martinez said, a church for the deaf and hearing like Holyrood is vital. "Every Sunday, we come here and we're a family. It can be deaf friends; it can be my immediate family. But not only that," she said. "I can see how the hearing people are more accepting of the deaf, and that's very touching. They come together." Thailand began the year with a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores, continuing a campaign launched by the government and retailers; they're working towards a complete ban by 2021, to reduce waste and debris in the sea. While it is going to take some time for plastic to be completely phased out, Thailanders seem to be coming up with interesting and jugaadu ideas to replace plastic shopping bags. Many residents grabbed baskets, buckets and even wheelbarrows, to carry their shopping. While people have the option of paying a small charge for reusable alternatives, shoppers were keen on saving money by picking up anything that was easily available and celebrated their choices online. Single-use plastic poses serious risk to animals and the environment - last year in a series of incidents highlighted the same, when animals including a deer and a baby dugong, were found dead with plastic in their digestive systems. Thailand was ranked sixth among the worlds top countries that dump waste into the sea, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Varawut Silpa-Archa, told reporters on Wednesday after handing out reusable bags to the public. Facebook During the past five months, we were down to 10th ... thanks to the cooperation of the Thai people. The ministry says the country reduced the use of plastic bags by 2 billion, or about 5,765 tonnes last year, in the first phase of the campaign to encourage consumers voluntarily refusal of plastic bags from stores, reports Reuters. The restriction, introduced at the start of the new year by several major mall operators was a huge success, considering the fact that Thailanders use an average of eight plastic bags a day. The two potential routes under consideration run 75 percent underground, Rogers said. The routes parallel the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and touch on towns including Bladensburg, Greenbelt, Laurel and Linthicum. On the east side of the highway, the route would encroach on federal land, including the parkway, the National Security Agency at Fort Meade and NASA in Greenbelt. Northeast Maglev officials say this is their preferred option. On the west side, the rail line would track along the edge of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway right of way and affect some residential properties. The outgoing year was marked by a number of developments that render the international state of affairs critical for our country and its place in todays world. Complicated issues and new challenges require us to realign ourselves and act effectively, abandoning stereotypes and outmoded mindsets. The new scene taking shape in our wider region is characterized by instability in the Mediterranean and an unprecedented escalation of Turkish provocations. At the same time, in the Balkans, in our immediate neighbourhood, the European perspective established by our own country, in the Thessaloniki Agenda, has been called into question. Our great family, the European Union, is in the process of seeking new policies to deal with critical issues such as Brexit and management of migration flows, while NATO is experiencing an identity crisis, called upon to redefine its role in a shifting security environment. There are many challenges, and to face them our country needs a new outlook, a new strategy for our foreign policy. We are formulating this policy in a spirit of unity, based on the national consensus that has been achieved on the main axes of Greek foreign policy. Fully aware of its responsibility, Greece is choosing the path of patriotism, preserving its European and western orientations and acting based on principles and values, defending its interests as well as international legality. In the new environment of instability taking shape around us, we are responding with self-confidence. We are enriching and expanding our alliances, strengthening our influence, consolidating our role as an anchor of stability and security in our wider region. The axes of our policy are clear: Greece is re-establishing itself in the core of the EU and redefining its relations with its strategic partners within the European Union, contributing effectively and constructively to shaping the new policies needed to deepen the European project. In this way it is consolidating substantial participation in European actions, allowing it to successfully call on its partners for solidarity on matters of national importance. Moreover, Greece is participating as an equal partner in NATO, while also maintaining strong and equal partnerships with China and Russia. It is also strengthening its relations with all of the actors in our region, including Israel and Egypt, expanding its footprint in the Arab world and consolidating its role in the Balkans. With regard to the Balkans, a region in which we are called upon to play a prominent role as the oldest member of NATO and the EU and the strongest economy in the region, our policy is clear. We firmly support the accession perspective of the Western Balkan countries and we are deepening our cooperation with all of the countries in the region on the bilateral and multilateral levels. Our solidarity is very real, and we show this in every situation, already having taken a number of initiatives to support their accession bids and to shape a positive agenda for cooperation on the political and economic levels. But we have made it clear that Greeces support is predicated on our northern neighbours full compliance with the European acquis. Greece will not accept any non-compliance on the part of North Macedonia with the Prespa Agreement or anything but Albanias absolute and complete respect for the right of the Greek National Minority. Regarding the Cyprus problem, in complete unity with Cyprus we are defending our common interests, always based on the dictates of International Law and in strategic pursuit of a just a viable settlement of the Cyprus problem, without anachronistic guarantee systems or occupation troops. In this context and in collaboration with the Republic of Cyprus, we secured the European Unions unanimous condemnation of Turkeys illegal activities in Cypriot territorial waters and in the Cypriot EEZ. In fact, for the first time, this unanimous condemnation was accompanied by a framework of specific sanctions against natural and legal persons involved in Turkeys illegal drilling. In the face of Turkish provocations and illegal activities, in the face of our neighbours projection of power, Greece is insisting on the need to maintain channels of communication while promoting a policy based on international legality a policy that does not tolerate unilateral claims and threats or violation of our sovereign rights. We are a European country and we act in accordance with the rules enshrined in International Law and international treaties, and with the dictates of our Constitution. In this context, a diplomatic campaign is under way and has already borne fruit, securing the condemnation of the null and void memorandum signed by Turkey and the government in Tripoli. The support of the international community has been expressed categorically on the highest European level, and a number of important countries, including the U.S., Russia, Egypt and Israel, have taken a stance in favour of Greeces arguments. The government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis will continue to meet the challenges of the times in 2020 with resolve, strategic planning and vision. Our country is a border of the West that is endeavouring to have a positive impact on international relations. We support International Law, promote good neighbourly relations and foster dialogue and cooperation. We are pursuing an active role in the developments in our region and we are leading efforts to deal with the major problems of the era. With a sense of patriotic responsibility and national and social consensus. This is our strength, and it is in this direction that we are shaping Greek foreign policy: Towards an open, cooperative, internationally oriented modern outlook on the world around us and our countrys place in it, always sending the message that the Greece of the crisis and introversion is a thing of the past. A woman who survived a vicious knife attack that killed her best friend has called for an exclusion zone to prevent the convicted murderer from returning to Cork. Sinead OLeary and the families of other murder victims are calling on Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to restrict the movements of killers when they are released. They have also asked for the new Parole Act to be introduced before the general election. Exclusion zones need to be put into place, said Ms OLeary. For a murderer to return to where the families and loved ones of their victims are is highly traumatic. Youre trying to recover from the events caused by this murderer in the first place and then, a few years down the line, theyre invading your space again, invading your security again. Invading your sense of peace. Peter Whelan broke into Nichola Sweeneys family home in Rochestown, Co Cork, as she was getting ready for a night out with Ms OLeary, then 19, in April 2002. Nichola Sweeney He stabbed Ms OLeary more than 20 times, breaking a knife in her during the attack, before fatally stabbing 20-year-old Ms Sweeney. To the horror of Ms OLeary and the Sweeney family, Whelan has been back in Cork for multiple escorted day releases before he was even due his first parole hearing. Ms OLeary and the Sweeney family believe this should never have been sanctioned by the justice minister. Whelan has served six years of his life sentence for killing Ms Sweeney and 11 of the 15-year consecutive term for attempting to murder Ms OLeary. She said she feels abandoned by the State as his parole hearing looms. I was the victim of an attempted murder by someone who was not remorseful for that crime and yet they are being allowed come back and visit Cork without me even being told in the first place, she said. I feel very unsafe. I feel abandoned by the State in that sense. There was no care about how this would affect me. I was the States witness in 2002 and I feel, in some manner, disposable. At the very least, respect should be given to victims and the families of victims [so they have] the right to peaceful life. They deserve to have some respect as human beings. The State is putting all its time and energy and funds into looking after a murderer. Where are our human rights? The families of other murder victims have backed the calls for change. Nicolas parents, John and Josephine Sweeney, also want to see Whelan banned from returning to Cork. Theres a provision there for sex offenders, said Mr Sweeney. An exclusion zone is a very small price to pay to have his liberty back. For someone so dangerous to be back, parading themselves around their victims hometown, is a major concern. Sean Sweeney was just 17 when Nichola was murdered in her bedroom at their family home. He believes that exclusion zones are vital in protecting victims families. I was absolutely disgusted that he was back [to Cork] already, said Sean. It sent shivers down my spine. Its been my biggest dread since day one. Weve been through enough suffering. Why should we have to go around constantly looking over our shoulders? I have a young child of my own called after Nichola. Shes two now but when she grows up, well have to tell her where her name came from and about what happened to her auntie. Her next question will be: Wheres the man who did that? And poor Sinead. She fears that he has unfinished business in his warped mind. This person will reoffend, no doubt. For the safety of the country and the community he should be kept away. Sean said he could be forced to move out of Cork if Whelan returns. I should not be forced to move away, and that is something we would have to consider if he returned to Cork, he said. Im not naive, I know hell be released, but its only fair that he is not allowed to return to the same area. "Whether hes out after five or 50 years, there should be an exclusion zone so that he cannot return to Cork. Thats a humane request and is only fair. The family of murder victim Amy McCarthy agree that exclusion zones should be in place so the likes of her convicted murderer Adam OKeeffe cannot return to the area. Brian OLeary, father of the late Amy McCarthy, said: If he does get out I dont want to see him around the place, I dont want to see him in Cork. Brian OLeary holds a picture of his daughter Amy His sister-in-law, Debbie McCarthy, said she also backs the call. I definitely support exclusion zones, she said. I dont want him visiting the grave. We could go out one of these days and see him there. A spokesperson for the Justice Department said: A life sentenced prisoner if released on parole may have conditions attached to his/her release including conditions of no contact with victims families. Such conditions may be recommended to the Minister by the Parole Board or the Minister may impose conditions, taking account of the circumstances of the case. Victims may make recommendations for consideration by the Parole Board and this right has been further formalized and strengthened in the Parole Act 2019. Life sentenced prisoners who are granted parole are liable to recall at any time. After serving the community over 30 years, Kingwood Family Vision Center has opened a second location in Atascocita with a grand opening Jan. 7. Related: Specs opens a new location in Porter Kingwood Family Vision Center has been in the area since 1988, serving the community as if they were their own family for their vision needs. Dr. Ronda Anderson, optometrist and co-owner of Kingwood Family Vision Center, said she and her husband bought the practice from another couple when they came directly out of school. Kingwood Family Vision Centers new location is at 18700 W. Lake Houston Parkway Suite B101, Humble. When they first bought the business before the Lake Houston bridge was built, they had a location in Atascocita and one in Kingwood. After the bridge construction, they moved to Town Center in Kingwood. We have a lot of patients over here, friends over here, its really close to our house, Anderson said. So we decided it would be kind of fun to open our satellite office back over in the Atascocita area. They have state of the art equipment, and will also host Dr. Melissa Young and the botox pop-up for customers who are interested in receiving botox. They are focused on serving the community by going above and beyond the requirements. They have delivered glasses or contacts to people who need them for an event and cant make it to their office hours, emergency travel needs at the last minute, and more. I think weve tried to distinguish ourselves by going above and beyond what a lot of doctors now do, Anderson said. Both Ronda, her husband Mark, and their associate doctor, Dr. Brittney Probst, are board-certified. The business can be contacted at (832) 551-2020. For more information, visit https://www.bestisight.com/. Planet Fitness opening soon in New Caney Planet Fitness, a national gym company focused on making a non-judgment zone, is opening a new location in New Caney. The estimated opening date is the Spring or Summer of 2020. The gym will offer through their online and physical presales and will extend those rates through the grand opening according to Abby Belaire, marketing communications for Planet Fitness Houston. This location will offer state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment, PF360, 30 Minute Circuit, free fitness training, HydroMassage lounges, tanning beds, Total Body Enhancement booth, massage chairs and more according to Belaire. Planet Fitness Houston owns the franchise location, which will be approximately 18,000 square feet. Planet Fitness is excited to open a location in New Caney because it is a growing residential area north of our Planet Fitness Humble location that we feel could help to support the greater NE Houston area, Belaire said in an email. The new Planet Fitness will be located at 20185 Hwy 59, New Caney, TX. savannah.mehrtens@chron.com Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made unscheduled visits to Muzaffarnagar and Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh to meet the families who bore the brunt of alleged "police excesses" following violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act or were affected by the clashes. The Congress general secretary first went to Muzaffarnagar, where she visited the residences of some of those who were injured in the violence. She then proceeded to Meerut where she met the affected families at the outskirts of the town. In Muzaffarnagar, She met Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was allegedly beaten up by the police in its crackdown on the violent anti-CAA protests. She was accompanied by Imran Masood, a party leader from Saharanpur. "I will stand by you in this hour of distress," she told one of the victims in Muzaffarnagar. Later she told mediapersons that people were beaten up mercilessly and even children and minors were not spared. A 22-year-old woman, who was seven-month pregnant, was also thrashed, she claimed. Priyanka said she has highlighted each and every "police excess" in a lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during her visit to the state last week. In the neighbouring Meerut, the affected families assembled at one place on the outskirts of the town to meet the Congress leader where she listened to their problems. The UP Police had stopped Priyanka and her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi from entering Meerut town on December 24, citing prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, as a result of which they had to return to Delhi, 60 km from there, without meeting the affected families. At least five people were killed during the protests in Meerut. Earlier, Priyanka had gone to Bijnor and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. Officials maintain that 19 people were killed in the state during the violent protests, though the opposition claims a higher toll. Also read: Anti-CAA protests: Notices sent to 46 people for damaging property in UP's Muzaffarnagar Also read: Anti-CAA protests: PM Modi accuses Congress of being mum on Pakistan's atrocities against minorities As the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) shows no signs of backing down, a BJP MLA has now resorted to outright threatening those opposed to the legislation. In a video that has been making rounds on social media, Somashekar Reddy a BJP MLA from Karnataka is heard openly threatening the minorities. The video, which is said to be from Friday during a speech by Reddy in his constituency Bellary. Addressing a gathering, Reddy said Hindus are 80 percent of the population while minorities are 17 percent, so they should be very careful of their steps in this country. "I want to warn people who are protesting. It has only been five months that we are in power and if you do too much drama, imagine what will happen to you when we come for you," Reddy said. "We are 80%, you are just 17%. Imagine what will happen to you if we fight back. Beware. You shud be mindful of this if you want to live in our country," @BJP4Karnataka MLA Somashekhara Reddy warns Muslims over #CAAProtests in Ballari @NewIndianXpress @santwana99 pic.twitter.com/4elE14ViIx Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) January 3, 2020 "It's just a caution for those who are protesting against the CAA. We are 80% and you are 18%. Imagine what will happen if we hit the streets," Reddy said. "This is our country. If you want to live here, you will have to, like the Australian Prime Minister said, follow the country's traditions," he added. "So, I warn you that CAA and NRC are made by Modi and Amit Shah. If you go against these acts, it won't be good," Reddy said. He also said that protesters who destroy public property in Karnataka will be taught the "same lesson" like the one provided to their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh. "We are Indians, and we will teach you the same way the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is teaching those who destroy public property in his state. It is good if those protesting the CAA are shot, but do come to a Hindu doctor if you are injured. He will treat your wound." A most divisive speech inciting violence by BJP MLA Somashekhara Reddy "We are 80%, you are just 15%. Beware. You should listen to us if you want to live in our country else we will send you to your country" CM @BSYBJP sir, why are u not arresting him?pic.twitter.com/ZA31uMSF7M Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) January 3, 2020 The opposition Congress has filed a police complaint against the MLA. Calls for his arrest were also made on the social media for his alleged hate speech. After Uttar Pradesh, BJP-ruled Karnataka saw some of the bloodiest clashes between the demonstrators and the police last month. In Mangalore two people were shot dead by the police after the protests turned violent on December 19. Several people including eminent historian Ramachandra Guha were arrested by the police in Bengaluru ion the same day during the nation-wide protests against the law which many say is discriminatory against Muslims. Lucknow, Jan 4 (IANS) A sessions court in Lucknow on Saturday granted bail to 12 persons including social activist Sadaf Jafar and former IPS officer S.R. Darapuri in connection with the violence and arson during the protests over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The court granted bail to the 12 persons on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence during protests in the state capital on December 19. Speaking to IANS, Amir Naqvi, advocate for the arrested people said, "The court granted them bail with a surety of Rs 50,000 each." Naqvi said the court also asked all the people who were granted bail to not try to tamper with the evidence. Jafar was arrested on December 19 while she was live on social media platfrom Facebook from the spot where protests against the CAA had gone violent. Police had claimed that Jafar was arrested for her involvement in the clashes. On December 28, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met the family members of Jafar and Darapuri in Lucknow. During her visit to Lucknow, Priyanka Gandhi took a scooty ride after the police tried to stop her from visiting the residence of the arrested accused. The court of Additional Sessions Judge S.S. Pandey heard their individual pleas as well as submissions of the government lawyer. The others whose pleas were heard were Mohd Naseem, Mohd Shoaib, Nafees, Pawan Rai Ambedkar, Shah Faiz and Mohd Aziz. aks/kr DEAL OF THE WEEK MIT Gets Exquisite with Harding For the MIT Press, Bob Prior bought world rights to Sian Hardings debut, The Exquisite Machine. The nonfiction book from the professor at Imperial College London is, the press said, about the workings of the human heart. Harding said the book explores the revolution going on in our understanding of the heart and gets into the perfection of its design and the way it fights for your survival. Jaime Marshall at J.P. Marshall Literary Agency represented Harding, calling her an established world authority in cardiac research. FROM THE U.S. Simons Sea Sails to CRP Nelson Simon sold Into the Sea, a first-person survival story, to Jerry Pohlen at Chicago Review Press. The world rights agreement was brokered by Stacey Glick at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. The book, slated for fall 2021, is about a sailing trip the author took in October 1991. What was intended as a relaxing getaway turned into a fight for survival when Simons ship sailed into the path of Hurricane Grace. Describing the book, Glick said it is both a gripping story of survival and an exploration of the choices we make and where those choices land us. Pinkney Takes Loretta to LB For Little, Brown, Alvina Ling took world rights to Andrea Davis Pinkneys Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It. The middle grade title by the Scholastic editor (and picture book author) is, LB said, is about three children as they navigate the dramatic events that lead to African American voting rights. The book will be illustrated by Pinkneys frequent collaborator and husband, Brian Pinkney. Rebecca Sherman at Writers House brokered the agreement for the book, which is slated for fall 2020. Junes Jay Draws HarperTeen After an auction, HarperTeens Megan Ilnitzki won Jason Junes Jays Gay Agenda. The world English rights, two-book agreement was brokered by Brent Taylor at Triada US. Taylor said the debut YA novel follows the titular character after he moves to Seattle from his rural high school, introducing him to other queer teens for the first time, and allowing him to finally cross items off his gay romance to-do list. The novel is scheduled for summer 2021. Norths Graphic YA to Yellow Jacket For Bonniers middle grade imprint Yellow Jacket, Rachel Gluckstern nabbed world English rights to Ari Norths Always Human. The graphic novel, being published in partnership with GLAAD, is, the publisher said, about the developing relationship between two young women in a near-future, soft sci-fi setting. North, a webcomic artist, the publisher noted, adds an extraordinary color palette to the work, which is slated for summer 2020. Maria Vicente, at P.S. Literary Agency, represented North. Gonzaless Ex-Girlfriend Cozies Up to Wednesday Books Sophie Gonzales sold a YA novel titled The Ex-Girlfriend Getter-Backer Experiment to Sylvan Creekmore at Wednesday Books. Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary brokered the world rights deal. According to the publisher, the novel follows a bisexual girl who gives out anonymous love advice at her high school. When shes blackmailed by a popular guy in her class into helping him get his ex-girlfriend back... the unintended consequences of her advice end up affecting everyone, including herself. The publisher added that the book, slated for spring 2021, was pitched as The DUFF meets To All the Boys Ive Loved Before. Kathleen Ryan in Odd Man Out, which was filmed in Belfast in the 1940s She was feted at film premieres, mixed with Hollywood's leading men, was the subject of a celebrated Louis le Brocquy portrait and appeared set for the gilded life of a film superstar. But when Kathleen Ryan died in December 1985 at the age of 63 she was a forgotten woman. Her career behind her, she was a familiar figure around Grafton Street in Dublin where her younger brother John owned The Bailey pub and she was living with a raffish newspaper columnist when she died of a lung infection at Baggot Street hospital. The once celebrated beauty seems to have been haunted by 'what might have been' - what one of her sisters called the "tragedy" of her promising Hollywood career, a 'hit-and-run' accident in which a man lost his leg and the break-up of her marriage to a leading Limerick doctor. Yet Kathleen Ryan lives on, not as a glamorous Hollywood star but as Kathleen Sullivan in the gritty thriller Odd Man Out, a film that influenced famous directors and actors and is regarded by aficionados as a cinema classic. It was where it all started with such promise when she was cast as the heroine in Carol Reed's 1947 film noir, opposite James Mason. His hard-edged part as the wounded IRA man fighting for survival in a dark world of intrigue and betrayal transformed him from a very English 'character' actor to a major Hollywood star. It was a role that defined his career, but sadly for Kathleen Ryan, although she went on to play opposite Rock Hudson, Dirk Bogarde and Stewart Granger, all leading Hollywood men of the time, she would never garner such fame again. "The tragedy of her career was that she was forever given mournful 'Dark Rosaleen' parts that did not suit her," said Ide Ni Riain, about her high-spirited sister. Kathleen Ryan was born on September 8, 1922, above her mother's shop in Camden Street, Dublin. It seemed like humble beginnings, but her parents were a formidable partnership. Her mother, Agnes V Ryan, the founder of the Monument Creamery chain of shops, and her father Seamus, a friend of Eamon de Valera, who would later become a founder of Fianna Fail and a senator. In the decade that followed Kathleen's birth her mother would build a retail empire of 28 shops, cafes and a bakery in central Dublin and the suburbs, making her probably one of the wealthiest women in the city and one of the few females to found and run a major enterprise in that era. Expand Close Kathleen Ryan with James Mason in Odd Man Out, which was filmed in Belfast in the 1940s ITV/REX/Shutterstock / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kathleen Ryan with James Mason in Odd Man Out, which was filmed in Belfast in the 1940s Her day started when her uniformed chauffeur Eddie Keogh picked her up in her blue Daimler to begin a tour of the shops. It was interrupted by attendance at 10 o'clock mass in Whitefriar Street Church, after which the inspection would resume. She talked to her 'girls', found out what was selling and what wasn't, and was constantly on the hunt for new premises to sell her own brand of luxury, fresh produce sourced from suppliers in the Golden Vale. With busy careers and a growing family the eldest, Kathleen, was sent to boarding school in Bruff, Co Limerick, at the age of six. She stayed there until the sudden death of her father at home in Rathgar in 1933. For his services to Fianna Fail he was honoured with a state funeral and thousands of people lined the streets of Dublin to pay tribute as his cortege made its way up O'Connell Street. But even as they did so, rumours circulated in business circles that his wife's chain of grocery stores was bankrolled by de Valera and would collapse within weeks. Defiantly she bought herself a new car and moved her brood of eight children to the stately Burton Hall estate near Leopardstown racecourse in south Co Dublin, which she filled with antique furniture and her collection of Jack B Yeats paintings. The girls were enrolled in Mount Anville. After a stint in 'finishing' school in Paris, Kathleen went to UCD to study for a BComm. At the Royal Hibernian Academy exhibition of 1941 the Louis le Brocquy portrait of the 19-year-old beauty Girl in White was the sensation of the show and is now in the Ulster Museum in Belfast. Dressed in a beautiful white gown and painted in profile she looks the picture of elegance and wealth. On July 19, 1944, dressed in a "cloth of gold", she married Dermod J Devane, a dashing young doctor from Limerick who she met in UCD. After their wedding in Foxrock Church her mother spared no expense throwing a lavish reception in the grounds of Burton Hall. Tanaiste Sean T O'Kelly and ministers Eoin Ryan, Frank Aiken, Sean McEntee, PJ Rutledge and their wives mixed with writers, artists, business people and society figures. Kathleen had "dropped out" of university and with her new husband moved to Limerick. They lived in a red-bricked house in Ballincurra and he operated a private practice in Pery Square in the city. She was nursing their first child when she got a call from the Rank Organisation to play opposite James Mason in Odd Man Out - a classic noir film set in an unnamed city in which an IRA raid goes wrong and during an exchange of gunfire a policeman is killed and Johnny McQueen, Mason's character, is wounded. Filmed on the gritty streets of Belfast it didn't take much for city and story to become entwined. The cast was littered with high-profile Irish actors, many of them from the Abbey Theatre - Cyril Cusack, FJ McCormick, Denis O'Dea, WG Fay, Maureen Delaney and Dan O'Herlihy among them. It was released in London in February 1947 to sensational reviews. 'Odd Man Out Challenges Hollywood', read the Irish Independent headline. "Kathleen Ryan, the heroine, is a real person who plays her part with sincerity and never vulgarises it by self-conscious glamour," added the reviewer. Because of weeks of snow and ice that brought Ireland to a standstill the film didn't open in the Royal Theatre in Dublin until early March 1947. For six days beforehand the Irish press ran stills from the film and its reviewer wrote: "Kathleen Ryan has justified the English rave about her possibilities." An American reviewer described her as "beautiful as the girl, cool, statuesque and stoical, but it is difficult to fathom her thoughts". After starring roles in Captain Boycott and Esther Waters she left her family for Hollywood in 1952, accompanied by her sister Cora. She was clearly following in the footsteps of Maureen O'Hara and Mia Farrow's mother, Maureen O'Sullivan, who were both older than her but had the same fresh Irish good looks. But a seven-film contract produced only two roles and she returned to Ireland to film Captain Lightfoot, starring Rock Hudson as a highwayman, although she had slipped down the billing with Barbara Rush playing the leading lady. As she was preparing for the role, Kathleen made headlines for all the wrong reasons. On May 7, 1953, Peter Kelliher, a shopkeeper of Moyderwell, Tralee, Co Kerry, was on his way home from a business trip to Dublin. He stopped his 1951 Bedford van at McNamara's petrol station outside Limerick at about 8.30pm to put water into the radiator from a red Esso can. As he was doing so a green Hillman car, registration ZU 1158, drove into the petrol station, skidded in a circle, striking him in the process, before righting itself and proceeding back towards Ballincurra. "They've killed my boy," wailed Kelliher's mother Norah who was sitting with her sister in the stationary van. 'They' hadn't, but he did suffer traumatic injuries to his leg which had to be amputated. When Inspector T Griffin, alerted by witnesses, called to the Devane household at No 2 Querrin Villas, Ballinacurra, at 9.35pm the Hillman was parked outside and there was red paint from Mr Kelliher's can streaked along the side. The garda spoke to Kathleen Ryan and said she told him she "couldn't account for the damage to her car". She declined to give a statement but later sent one via her solicitor. She said she had been collecting parcels from the Dublin bus in Limerick, it had been raining and on her way home the car had gone into a skid at Pounds Cross "but she didn't believe she had hit anything". She said she got a terrible shock and drove home because of it, making no attempt to hide the car. She was charged with dangerous driving at Limerick City Court. But the case was adjourned for three months to allow the mother-of-three to take her role in the film Captain Lightfoot, a period drama shot in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, and Clogherhead, Co Louth. When the dangerous driving case was eventually heard, on September 4, 1954, Kathleen (Ryan) Devane (31) sat at the back of the court wearing a long dark coat and what one reporter called "a tidy hat". Because of her status as a film star the courtroom in Limerick city was packed with reporters who spilled off the press benches on to the tables reserved for legal representatives. In a spirited defence, during which she was not called to give evidence, her barrister told Judge Gleeson "there was nothing sinister" about her leaving the scene. After hearing the evidence the judge agreed. "The skid and unfortunate accident was not caused by anything in the driver's view," he concluded. "It was clear she made no attempt to avoid detection or run away," he also ruled, dismissing the charges of dangerous and careless driving. Rather confusingly he then fined her 5 for not remaining at the scene. The following October after a brief hearing in the High Court in Dublin during which Ryan's insurers admitted liability, Mr Kelliher, who attended on crutches, was awarded 7,000 in damages. The court was told that he had his leg amputated below the knee as a result of the accident and he might have to have a further operation. Now over 30, and her days as a 'leading lady' over, Kathleen Ryan appeared in a series of unremarkable films in the years that followed, including Jacqueline in 1956, another gritty Belfast-based drama. But nothing was to replicate the success of Odd Man Out, and her career petered out. She didn't have the Abbey Theatre training of many of her contemporaries and gradually faded from the scene. Her marriage was annulled in 1958, not something that was talked about at the time. She moved back to live with her mother in The Priory in Monkstown, Co Dublin, before taking a flat in Ashley, a large Victorian house on Clyde Road. With her brother John she was appointed a director of the Monument Creamery, but by then the family business was struggling and would go into voluntary liquidation in 1961. In the early 1960s she moved to Killiney with Niall Desmond Lawlor, an Old Belvedere boy, teacher, army man and latterly a journalist with the Irish Independent and author of a column in the paper signed Tatler 11. The couple were well known in the pubs off Grafton Street, mixing with artists and writers. Her death notice of December 11, 1985, was simple and unadorned: "Kathleen Devane (nee Ryan) of No 10 Cluny Grove, Killiney, Dublin, mourned by her son, daughters, relatives and friends." Her removal and funeral took place at Our Lady of Victories in Sallynoggin, Co Dublin. There was no indication, except to those 'in the know' of her famous mother, her glamorous early life or her glittering film career. By then Ireland had changed utterly and people were more interested in looking forward than back and all that remains to her memory is a black and white film and a bronze plaque in gaelic on the family plot in Glasnevin Cemetery. I just threw away my coffee-splattered 2019 desktop calendar and pulled its 2020 replacement out of the plastic wrap. This one is special beca Texas has an Iowa problem when it comes to presidential politics. Democrats Julian Castro and Beto ORourke have joined a long list of Texans who have seen their presidential ambitions wither in the cornfields of Iowa. While both campaigned hard in the Hawkeye State, neither was able to turn that effort into big poll numbers numbers in advance of the Feb. 3 Iowa caucuses. They just didnt translate, said Tim Hagle, a University of Iowa political science professor. With so many other candidates running this year, Hagle said, it was even harder for candidates without strong name identification to break through. Castro, lagging in fundraising and struggling in the polls despite frequent visits to Iowa, announced Thursday he was suspending his campaign for president. With only a month until the Iowa caucuses, and given the circumstances of this campaign season, I have determined that it simply isnt our time, the former San Antonio mayor told supporters. Hes hardly the first Texan to have Iowa pour a bucket of cold water on his presidential dreams. Since the 1970s, Iowa has effectively ended the presidential bids of 10 Texans a mix of both Democrats and Republicans. The contenders A look at Texas contenders for the White House based on the presidential cycle and by party. 2020 Julian Castro, Democrat: The former San Antonio mayor became one of the first candidates to declare for the White House. Beto O'Rourke, Democrat: The former El Paso congressman used a strong U.S. Senate campaign to vault into the presidential race. Both candidates struggled in polling in Iowa and dropped out of the race before Iowa even voted. 2016 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican: He became a rare Texas exception in Iowa, winning the GOP caucuses in the state over Donald Trump. The victory would make him Trump's main foil the rest of 2016. Rick Perry, Republican: Iowa was a flop for the former Texas governor. He jumped into the race in June 2015 but was never able to get going in Iowa and quit the race by September - months before Iowa held its first-in-the-nation nominating contest. 2012 U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, Republican: Paul would finish third in Iowa's caucuses and would ultimately win 190 delegates before losing to ultimate GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Perry: In his first campaign for president, Perry finished a distant fifth place in Iowa. He suspended his campaign shortly after finishing last in New Hampshire. 2000 Gov. George W. Bush, Republican: The former Texas governor easily won the Iowa caucuses on his way to winning the GOP nomination. 1996 U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, Republican: The U.S. senator announced his campaign for the White House at Texas A&M University in February 1995. About a year later, he finished fifth in the Iowa caucuses and withdrew from the race. 1988 Vice President George H.W. Bush, Republican: The former vice president from Houston had the backing of President Ronald Reagan in the primaries but still lost the Iowa caucuses, finishing in third place. 1980 George H.W. Bush: Bush jumped out to an early lead by winning the Iowa caucuses over Reagan. But Reagan would win New Hampshire and dominate the race from there. Former Gov. John Connally, Republican: The former Texas governor who had switched from being a Democrat to a Republican jumped in the race in January 1979. Connally finished a distant fourth in Iowa. 1976 U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, Democrat: In February 1975, Bentsen jumped into the race and was an early favorite due to big fundraising numbers. But Jimmy Carter would dominate Iowa as he surged to become the front-runner. See More Collapse Although some were long shots to start, others such as ORourke, former Gov. Rick Perry and former U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen were considered top contenders before poor showings in Iowas first-in-the-nation nominating contest essentially ended their campaigns. Hagle said its somewhat surprising because both states have strong rural and agriculture traditions that seemingly would help Texas candidates in Iowa. But he said one challenge is adjusting to what it means to run statewide in Iowa. Its not like Texas, where there are multiple major media markets and candidates can reach large numbers of voters with TV advertising. In Iowa, voters expect more hands-on, face-to-face campaigning. There are exceptions of course. In 2016, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz beat then-candidate Donald Trump in the Iowa Republican caucuses, which made him Trumps top competitor for months afterward. And in 2000, then-Gov. George W. Bushs victory in the Iowa caucuses staked him to a lead in the Republican primary season that he never would relinquish. But for so many others, Iowa has been almost a campaign ender. In 1975, Bentsen looked like a top presidential candidate with big fundraising that made him an early front-runner for the Democratic nomination. But Iowa broke big for Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, and Bentsens campaign never got back on track. In 1980, former Gov. John Connally, a Democrat turned Republican, finished a distant fourth in Iowa to seal the fate of his presidential candidacy. Even then-Vice President George H.W. Bush couldnt win the Iowa caucuses in 1988. He won Iowa in 1980, before Ronald Reagan steamrolled to the GOP nomination. But when Bush ran again in 1988, he finished third behind Bob Dole and Pat Robertson. Last March, ORourke looked to be positioned to break through. He hired top Iowa field staffers, visited the state frequently and drew big crowds to his early events in the state, but none of it translated into big poll numbers. On Nov. 1, ORourke pulled the plug on his campaign just as he arrived in Iowa for another string of appearances. We have to clearly see at this point that we do not have the means to pursue this campaign successfully, ORourke said from Des Moines, where he announced the end of his presidential bid. Castro has publicly shared his frustrations about Iowas outsize importance as the nations first nominating contest. Although he campaigned there more than almost any of the other major contenders, Castro could not break through the way candidates such as Pete Buttigieg and Andrew Yang have. We do need to change the order of the states, because I dont believe that were the same country we were in 1972, he said in Iowa in November. Thats when Iowa first held its caucus first. And by the time we have the next presidential election in 2024, it would have been more than 50 years since 1972. Our country has changed a lot in those 50 years. The Democratic Party has changed a lot. Texas Democrats and Republicans long have expressed their frustration over Iowa as a roadblock for the presidential nomination for Texans. In each of the last two regular legislative sessions, Lyle Larson, a Republican state representative from San Antonio, has pushed for legislation to move the Texas presidential primary ahead of early voting states including Iowa and New Hampshire. Larson argued that it would help Texas candidates get a better start in the presidential cycle and give Texas a bigger voice in the primary process. By the time Texas has voted, the party nominations have rarely been in doubt. Its an idea that has enjoyed support from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who leads the Texas Senate. In 2013, Patrick proposed a bill that would have moved the states primary elections to the first Tuesday in February. That bill, like Larsons, has not become law. The US Food and Drug Administration recently continued its crackdown on vaping, issuing a ban on flavored e-cigarette pods, excluding tobacco and menthol varieties. While the new rule prohibits the sweet and fruity pods popular among young vapers, it still allows for open-tank systems and e-liquids the preferred choice for a large number of vapers who've held rallies protesting their right to vape. Vaping activists believe vaping saves lives by curbing cigarette use, and have become spurred into political action over their right to vape. A Closer Look, Business Insider's new weekly show on Facebook Watch, spoke to vapers who are trying to build a bloc of voters that cannot be ignored. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Following the US Food and Drug Administration's most recent crackdown on flavored e-cigarette pods, vaping activists have a new goal: to become a bloc of voters that cannot be ignored. FDA officials announced on Thursday it planned to prohibit on the sale of sweet and fruity flavored e-cigarette pods, excluding tobacco and menthol varieties. The new rule would still allow open-tank systems and e-liquids popular among vapers who've held dozens of rallies across the country and even followed President Donald Trump to his Mar-a-Lago resort over the holidays. It's the latest in a series of nationwide restrictions on e-cigarettes, which have been linked to more than 2,500 cases of lung injuries or death since June. But the crackdowns have only spurred vapers into political action and for many activists, it's the only thing that matters in the 2020 presidential election. "A lot of vapers are actually single-issue voters now," Austin Lawrence, a vaping advocate who's garnered millions of online followers for his videos of "vape tricks," told A Closer Look, Business Insider's new weekly show on Facebook Watch. "It's good that people are standing up for their right to vape." Story continues A recent survey commissioned by a pro-vaping group found that 83% of active vapers in battleground states said they were likely to vote based on a candidate's stance on e-cigarettes. It also found that vapers in Trump's base could turn on him over this issue. Even though the survey had significant sampling problems, multiple reports suggest it influenced the president's position on the issue. In many ways, vaping's growing popularity among teens is the root of the current flavor backlash. More than 5 million teens vape, according to a national survey released in November. And e-cigarette use among middle and high school students has skyrocketed over the past two years. About a third listed flavors as one of their reasons for vaping. A majority of e-cigarette users say they use Juul, which controls about two-thirds of the market. The company has responded with a series of youth prevention measures in the US. It launched an age-verification system in stores and online, stopped most advertising and closed its social media accounts. The company has also come out in favor of flavor regulations, and currently sells only tobacco and menthol. Vapers argue that vaping sweet, fruity flavors helped them quit smoking and saved their lives. FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2019, file photo, a woman using an electronic cigarette exhales in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. With one in four teenagers now using e-cigarettes, underage vaping is universally condemned, and the federal government considers it an epidemic. But some other researchers believe recent trends continue to show vapings promise as a tool to steer millions of adult smokers away from cigarettes, the nations leading cause of death. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File) Associated Press Vaping activist Jack Wolf remembers when smoking ruled his life. He vaped for the first time in 2011 just a few years after e-cigarettes hit the US market, and 25 years after his first cigarette. In just one week, he quit smoking, and his passion for vaping was born. "It's a life-saving technology as no doubt in my mind," Wolf said. One thing unites budding activists like Wolf: They believe passionately that vaping saves lives because it helps people quit cigarettes and flavors, or "juices," are a big part of that. Wolf believes the flavors are important in curbing smokers' addiction since "most people do not want to have an association with tobacco," he said. "I tried to quit with a tobacco flavor juice and it just didn't taste like a cigarette to me. And finally they hooked me up with a strawberry custard and that's what got me off the cigarettes," Wolf said. Wolf voted for Trump in 2016, but said now he isn't planning to vote in 2020. Vaping activists are fighting not only for their right to smoke, but for the small businesses that sell vaping products. FILE PHOTO: Visitors try out e-cigarette products at a booth during the eCig Expo (IECIE) in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China April 14, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer Reuters Vaping activists aren't just fighting for their right to use e-cigarettes. They're also fighting for the small businesses that sell vaping products, including devices that can be filled with nicotine-free e-liquids. There are more than 10,000 independent businesses across the country that depend on the sales of e-liquid flavors. Where vaping advocates see benefits, critics see a question mark at best, since there is still no clear data on long-term health effects. "Although e-cigarettes may be safer than regular cigarettes, that doesn't mean that they're safe," said Brian King, a deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control. "Regardless of the potential benefit that e-cigarettes may have among adult smokers, there's certain populations that should never be using these products." Last year, the CDC linked an outbreakof unknown lung injuries to vaping. A media firestorm followed, and many advocates say it was the moment they decided to get political. It's also when vaping businesses began to suffer the fallout as states and cities began rolling out restrictions. Reports on vaping-related lung injuries have resulted in restrictions that have hurt small, independent vape stores. FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2018, file photo Juul products are displayed at a smoke shop in New York. On Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ordered Juul and five other vaping companies to hand over information about how they market e-cigarettes, the governments latest move targeting the industry. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) Associated Press James Jarvis, the owner of several e-cigarette stores in Ohio, is one of the many small business owners who said the crackdown on nicotine-free flavored liquids would hurt business. He said sales have decreased by a third in the past year, forcing him to close more than 40 stores since August 1. "If the flavors go away, the vape shops go away," Jarvis said, adding that flavors make up 90% of his business. The setbacks mirror those of Juul itself, which announced it was cutting costs by nearly $1 billion and laying off 650 at the end of last year. Since the first case of lung injuries was reported in March, more than 50 people have died, and there have been thousands of new cases across every state. But in November, the story shifted. The CDC flagged Vitamin E acetate as a major culprit in the outbreak. It came out that most patients reported using THC products, which are often bought on the black market. Brian King, a deputy director for the CDC, noted the chemical is still just one of many possible substances that could be responsible for the outbreak. For many business owners and vapers, the clarification was too little, too late. That's when industry leaders like Gregory Conley, the president of the American Vaping Association, stepped up their efforts to get attention from politicians. Conley has been a vaping advocate for a decade. When the president canceled a meeting with the vaping association in September, Conley decided vapers had to hit the streets. The group held several "We vape, we vote" rallies before the president's own rallies in several cities. Trump eventually heard them. Conley received a call to join a vaping roundtable at the White House at the end of November. Industry leaders, parent groups, and medical professionals presented their cases to the president. About a month later, Trump found a compromise: Ban the sale of most flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes like Juul pods but spare the kinds of e-liquids used in open-tank systems. Still, months of backlash have taken their toll, both on business and on vaping's reputation. Vapers still showed up to protest on Trump's doorstep over the New Year holiday. Jarvis says it will cost millions for his e-cigarette business to comply with new rules requiring FDA approval starting in May. He has introduced CBD products as a way to attract new customers, but he said it hasn't been enough to make up for the losses. Meanwhile, Lawrence, the "vape tricks" star, is still blowing nicotine-free vape bubbles to pay the bills, but hopes to leverage his fame to launch a fashion line, just in case. "All we want is to have the right to vape strawberry, the right to vape, cake-flavored, the right to vape vanilla," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider "More than two years ago thanks to the courage of so many women who risked everything to come forward this ugly facade came down and he finally faced a public and professional reckoning for his actions. This trial is critical to show that predators everywhere will be held accountable and that speaking up can bring about real change. We refuse to be silenced and will continue to speak out until this unrepentant abuser is brought to justice." Chad has ended a months-long mission fighting Boko Haram in neighbouring Nigeria and withdrawn its 1,200-strong force across their common border, an army spokesman told AFP on Saturday. "It's our troops who went to aid Nigerian soldiers months ago returning home. They have finished their mission," spokesman Colonel Azem Bermandoa told AFP. "None of our soldiers remains in Nigeria," he added. He did not specify if they might be replaced following Friday's pullout which saw them "return to their sector at Lake Chad". However, Chad's general chief of staff General Tahir Erda Tahiro said that if countries in the region which have contributed to a multinational anti-jihadist force were in agreement, more troops would likely be sent in amid local people's fears of a security vacuum. The Chad troops, brought out in pick-up trucks and tank transporters, crossed the bridge back to their home capital of N'djamena via the Cameroon border town of Kousseri under the curious gaze of locals, an AFP reporter said. of the pullout, coupled with a local report of Nigerian troops also leaving the vicinity, sparked concern among local people in the small town of Gajiganna, hundreds of whom promptly fled the area citing their fear of further attacks. The Chadian soldiers had had a garrison there as well as at nearby Monguno, close to Lake Chad itself. An anti-jihadist militia source told AFP: "From what the Chadian soldiers told us their withdrawal is as a result of the expiration of their mandate which was for nine months." The source added that "as soon as they left most residents of Gajiganna fled to Maiduguri for fear of attacks by the terrorists. They left because Nigerian troops working alongside the Chadians also left the base soon after the Chadians had moved out." One Gajiganna resident who fled said: "I left Gajiganna and moved to Maiduguri on Wednesday when I realized that Nigerian soldiers had left their base soon after the withdrawal of Chadian soldiers". He told AFP he had left with around 300 other people on learning of the troop pullback as people felt exposed and unprotected from Boko Haram attacks." Tahiro had earlier told AFP that "if the states around Lake Chad agree on a new mission there will surely be another contingent redeployed on the ground." Boko Haram began the insurrection in Nigeria a decade ago, leading to at least 35,000 deaths with violence spilling over into Chad, Niger and Cameroon. A Boko Haram faction aligned with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) jihadists is active around Lake Chad where the group has training bases on the Niger border and regularly raids military bases and regional security forces. Last month saw 14 people killed with 13 more listed as missing after an attack on a fishing village in western Chad. Countries in the region have banded together to fight Boko Haram and ISWAP with support from civilian defence committees. Those troops have now pulled back across the border to be "deployed in the Lake Chad region to strengthen security along the border," a senior local official told AFP. Cameroon says it is battling an upsurge in Boko Haram attacks and, according to an Amnesty International report published last month 275 people, including 225 civilians, were killed there last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The woman is pressed against the wooden divider, separating her from the man she has waited in line to meet. But before he gets to her, he moves in the opposite direction. She reaches out and grabs the mans hand with obvious force. The man reacts angrily, tries to pull his hand away, and then slaps the woman so shell release her grip. The look on his face is a mixture of exasperation and annoyance. In any other context, this exchange could be chalked up to bad manners and impatience. But this was not just any context. It took place in St. Peters Square, and the exchange was between a pilgrim and Pope Francis. As things tend to do these days, the video of this momentary interaction went viral, spurring thousands of social media posts and coverage from the national and foreign press. The pope incorporated an apology for the incident in his New Years address. Many times we lose our patience, he said. I do, too, and Im sorry for yesterdays bad example. I was particularly affected by the video of the pontiffs reaction, for personal reasons. In 1984, I lived in Rome. Every Wednesday, I would take the No. 64 bus to the Vatican from my apartment to attend the public papal audiences at St. Peters. Six years into his pontificate and three years after the assassination attempt, Pope John Paul II had become one of the most beloved and charismatic international figures. Having made friends with two nuns at the Vatican gift shop, I was often allowed to slip into the auditorium where the pope would briefly speak and then bless people. Never once did I see John Paul turn away from anyone in either anger or impatience. He had almost been killed by an assassins bullet, and yet refused to retreat behind a self-imposed wall of fear. He was always welcoming, always willing to reach out and be embraced, especially by children. I have also been in proximity to Pope Francis. When he came to Philadelphia during the World Meeting of Families in 2015, I sat six rows from him when he spoke at Independence Hall. He, too, had charisma. He, too, interacted with the crowds. And while I dont often agree with what I see as his hyperpartisan view of morality in this world, I respect him as the infallible representative of Christ. But that infallibility relates only to church doctrine. It does not automatically give him a pass for bad behavior, even when he acknowledges that behavior with an apology. Pope Francis has been very outspoken about protecting the rights of refugees, marginalized communities, and being strong stewards of the environment. He has been critical of big corporations, building walls, and has famously said, Who am I to judge? when dealing with the LGBT community, indicating a willingness to be more inclusive. He has earned a reputation for compassion. Thats why the sight of him slapping a womans hand and then grimacing struck such a discordant note. You could excuse him for his age, or the fact that he was tired. Christian blogger Matt Walsh tweeted in defense of Pope Francis: Im sure all the people giving Pope Francis a hard time have lots of experience dealing with adoring mobs and have never once lost their patience while being physically accosted by a crazed fan. Problem is, the video doesnt show a crazed fan. It shows a woman who waited patiently for what was perhaps her only chance to ever touch the leader of her church. And, to be blunt, adoring mobs go with the territory if you are the Vicar of Christ. I applaud the pope for acknowledging his mistake and apologizing publicly. It is honorable of him to seek forgiveness. I understand that papal infallibility does not mean moral perfection. Francis may be Christs representative on Earth for my people, but he is still a human being. But John Paul, now a saint, was once a human being as well. And instead of clips showing him slapping a womans hand, you will find photos of him shaking the hand of his attempted assassin. Thats truly being Christlike. Christine M. Flowers is a lawyer and columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News. Readers may send her email at cflowers1961@gmail.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Mumbai, Jan 4 : The news of India all-rounder Hardik Pandya's engagement to Bollywood actress Natasa Stankovic was not just a surprise for his fans, but also for his family. Hardik recently got engaged to Bollywood actress Natasa Stankovic and the all-rounder's father, Himanshu, has said that the family had no clue of Hardik's engagement plans. "Natasa is a very nice girl, and we have met her in Mumbai on a number of occasions. We knew that they were going on a vacation to Dubai, but had no clue that they were going to get engaged. This took us by surprise. We came to know about it after they got engaged," Hardik's father was quoted as saying by Bombay Times. On January 1, Hardik had himself shared an image of him proposing to Natasa on social media and had captioned it: "Mai tera, Tu meri jaane, saara Hindustan. 01.01.2020 #engaged." Earlier, Pandya had marked the beginning of new year 2020 with an Instagram post, saying: "Starting the year with my firework". India skipper Virat Kohli, who tied the knot with actress Anushka Sharma in 2017, took to social media to wish the all-rounder. "Congratulations H. What a pleasant surprise. Wish you guys great times ahead. God bless." Hardik isn't a part of the Indian national team, which will be taking on Sri Lanka and Australia in a T20I and ODI series at home as he undergoes rehab for a back surgery he underwent in London in October. However, the all-rounder will travel to New Zealand with the India 'A' squad. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text In 2009, firmly established in the city, he was eager to buy the restaurant beneath that small office when it came up for sale. Rather than change the menu to feature Persian food, he kept it Greek-inspired, as it had been for two decades already. He liked that the restaurant had endured as a stable presence in the neighborhood. Farsheed Nooryani, 55, a real estate agent in the area, said that many Iranians living in the United States today vote Republican and tend to support conservative positions. And many, she added, may well support the administrations recent assassination of the general. But to her, General Suleimanis death is connected to the same long history of American intervention in the Middle East that so many in Iran have come to resent and fear. To hell with Suleimani, I dont care about him at all, and I dont care about Trump either. But this will escalate the tensions in the region, she said. Im angry at this administration, and even Obamas administration for that matter. U.S. foreign policy, especially in the Middle East, has always been imperialistic. Ms. Nooryani was in her first year of high school in Tehran when the revolution began in 1978. That set into motion a series of escalating political purges that would ultimately result in her fleeing her home country. Following an arrest in 1984 while she and her husband were trying to leave the country, she spent five months as a prisoner. I belonged to a socialist group and also I was kind of a feminist, she said to explain why she was the target of government aggression. One of the most painful things for her about being home, she said, was being unable to finish her education because the government deemed her unfit ethically, because I wasnt a good practicing Muslim. Her family, upper-middle-class and educated, had physicians and educators in its ranks. It was a devastating realization. Tens of thousands more pupils will be given free breakfasts in an 11.8million push to help poorer families. The number of school breakfast clubs will rise from around 1,800 to 2,450. We want every child to lead a healthy, active and happy lifestyle regardless of their background, said schools minister Lord Agnew. Thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds will be given free breakfasts (file image) in an 11.8m push to help poorer families Thats why we are giving thousands more children in disadvantaged areas the opportunity to attend a breakfast club, which will help boost attendance, behaviour and attainment, helping them to achieve their best in school. Where I want children to succeed, I also want them to grow up happy and confident, ready to take on challenges. Schools minister Lord Agnew said the free breakfasts will help improve 'attendance, behaviour and attainment, helping [pupils] to achieve their best in school' David Holmes of the Family Action charity said the funding would help the National School Breakfast Programme continue for another year. He said the scheme was already providing 280,000 free and nutritious breakfasts every school day. Disadvantaged children will also be offered activities and free meals this summer, funded by another 9million from the Department for Education. Around 50,000 youngsters took part last year. The United States assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on Thursday with drone strikes near the airport in Baghdad, Iraq. It was an extremely controversial move as many experts believe it will escalate tensions between the U.S. and Iran and possibly lead to war between the two nations. Actress and activist Rose McGowan is among those concerned about the repercussions of the attack. She took to Twitter to share her strong opinions about it. Related: Rose McGowan Blows Up Twitter For Iran Remarks Rose McGowan Pleads To Fans 'Stay With Me' After Suing Harvey Weinstein & Lisa Bloom Rose McGowan Is Suing Harvey Weinstein And His Former Lawyers Rose McGowan to Plead No Contest to Drug Possession Charge, Avoid Jail Rose McGowan Honored at British GQ Men of The Year Awards Following Weinstein Scandal "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us. #Soleimani," she wrote in her initial tweet. Then said, "Thanks a lot, dickhead@realDonaldTrump." "Of course #Soleimani was an evil evil man who did evil evil things. But that at this moment is not the fucking point. The United States is morally corrupt and acts illegally. It is only logical to appeal to Irans pride by apologizing. Im taking one for the team. #TeamStayAlive," she continued in a third tweet. She later responded to one user by saying, "I do not side with Iran, but I most definitely do not side with the USA #TeamStayAlive." She wasn't finished. "Im a registered Republican in California. I loathe the Clintons. I hate Trump. I will not vote Republican, but I cannot vote Democrat. Id rather know what evil Im getting, so Ill go Republican. This is about WWIII, so none of that shit matters anyway. #TeamStayAlive #RoseArmy," she tweeted next. Story continues "I will never vote Republican. I want the Democrats to win because we are less likely to die. I am a conscientious objector to the USA, its policies, lies, corruption, nationalism, racism, and deep misogyny. It is our right and duty as citizens to dissent," she wrote about an hour after her initial flurry of tweets. Then, on Friday morning, she followed all of it up by writing, "Ok, so I freaked out because we may have any impending war. Sometimes its okay to freak out on those in power. Its our right. That is what so many Brave soldiers." Trump supporters flooded her mentions with their own opinions on the matter. "This is one of most anti-American and anti-human race tweets Ive ever seen. You are siding with a man who has been designated as a terrorist since 2005 and a nation who is responsible for the death of so many innocent people around this world. Sick!" one wrote. "Hey Rose, If Iran is so great, you should go hang out there in the EXACT OUTFIT you're wearing in your profile picture and let us all know how it goes," another enlightened user said. Prabuddha Ghosh By Online Desk It was an action-packed year on the foreign policy front for the Narendra Modi government. The Balakot air strikes back in February helped Modi boost his strongman image in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls which the BJP won by a thumping margin. Through the 'Howdy Modi' event in the US and the historic informal summit with China back home, India took a few more strides in its journey towards becoming an influential player in world politics. However, it was not a complete bed of roses for Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his office who had to counter Pakistan's anti-India narrative across major global forums with a vigorous outreach to brief partners abroad on the abrogation of Article 370 and the Citizenship Act. Here are some of the key incidents that dominated India's foreign policy discourse in 2019: Pulwama terror attack, Balakot bombing and dogfight over Kashmir airspace On February 14, 40 CRPF officers and jawans were killed on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Lethpora (near Awantipora) by a suicide attacker who rammed the bus carrying the paramilitary personnel with a car filled with explosives. The bus was part of a 78-vehicle convoy which was transporting more than 2,500 CRPF soldiers from Jammu to Srinagar. While Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the incident and released a video of the attacker Adil Ahmad Dar, a 22-year old from the Valley, the Imran Khan government denied any role in the terror attack. Indian armed forces killed four Jaish operatives, including the alleged mastermind of the attack, four days later. While a ban was imposed on Pakistani actors and artists working in India, the Modi government also revoked the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to its neighbour, resulting in the rise in customs duty on all Pakistani goods imported from India to 200 per cent. Pulwama suicide bomb attack site. (File Photo | PTI) The incident quickly brought the two nuclear-powered South Asian neighbours close to a full-blown confrontation. On February 26, twelve IAF Mirage-2000 fighter jets set off from the Gwalior airbase armed with Spice-2000 and Popeye precision-guided munitions, crossed the Line of Control during the early morning hours and dropped the payload in the vicinity of Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, targeting a Jaish terror camp reportedly housing more than 300 recruits. Pakistani authorities claimed that the IAF jets retreated and released their bombs after being intercepted by PAF F-16s. They also said that the bombs hit an open area and merely destroyed some trees, contrary to Indian media reports which suggested that around 250-300 terrorists were killed. Third-party satellite data suggested that the airstrike did not significantly impact the target. However, the IAF displayed high-resolution satellite pictures to the media, showing three holes in the roof of one of the Balakot buildings, which were later reported as a 'classic signature of a SPICE bomb strike'. On February 27, Pakistani fighter jets crossed the LoC and entered Indian airspace. However, they were soon chased by IAF Mig-21 Bison aircraft. While the IAF said that no military installations were damaged in the PAF raid, they also confirmed that bombs were dropped from three Pakistani jets over Nadian, Laam Jhangar, Kerri in Rajouri District and Hamirpur area of Bhimber Galli in Poonch, before being pushed back. Pakistani reporters and troops visit the site of an Indian airstrike in Jaba, near Balakot, Pakistan ( File | AP) During the skirmish, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down one F-16 aircraft, before losing his own jet. He remained in Pakistani captivity for more than 48 hours before the Imran government released him on March 1. While subsequent tests established that he was tortured during his captivity, India also criticised its neighbour for releasing the fighter pilot's photographs and interrogation videos against the Geneva Conventions. Abhinandan, who became the only MiG-21 pilot in the history of combat aviation to down an F-16, eventually rejoined combat duties in September. While Pakistan claimed it had downed two Indian aircraft during the skirmish, the other one turned out to be an IAF MI-17 V5 chopper which crashed on the Indian side of Kashmir on the morning of February 27 after being hit by friendly fire. As Pakistan denied the role of its US-made F-16 jets in the whole episode, the IAF countered it by showing pieces of aircraft wreckage and missile remains which were reportedly discovered on the Indian side. There were also reports of ceasefire violations along the LoC from February 26 to March 7, in which four civilians on the Indian side died and eleven were injured. Pakistan on March 5 alleged it had thwarted an intrusion attempt from an Indian Navy submarine, a claim which India rejected immediately. India-Pakistan diplomatic duel at FATF The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering or FATF became the next stage of the India-Pakistan duel. Immediately after the Pulwama terror attack, India approached the anti-terror watchdog to keep its neighbour on the 'Black List'. The Imran government, in order to save its skin, allegedly registered fake and weak FIRs in July against terror groups operating from its soil. Hafiz Saeed. (Photo | AP) The FIRs were registered against members of the banned Daawat-al-Irshad, a subsidiary of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), which is headed by Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The FIR did not contain the names of Saeed and four others including Abdul Ghaffar, Hafiz Masood, Amir Hamza and Malik Zafar Iqbal. It also did not mention anything about the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) or Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF). On March 5, Pakistan arrested 44 members of various terror groups in connection with the Pulwama attack. It also said those arrested will be held for at least 14 days and if India provided further evidence, they would be prosecuted. JeM leader Masood Azhar's son Hamad Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf were among the men arrested. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan (File Photo| AFP) While the Imran government submitted its action plans against terror groups to FATF during August, September and October, it didn't help matters as the anti-terror watchdog's Asia Pacific Joint Group first put Pakistan on the 'Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List' on 23rd August and then the country was kept in the 'Grey List' till February 2020 and was told to complete its full action plan against the terror groups operating from its soil by that timeframe. As per media reports in December, the FATF has again sought more clarifications and data from Pakistan on actions taken by it against madrassas belonging to the banned terror outfits. At least 150 questions were posed in response to a Pakistani government report comprising answers to 22 questions to the FATF, submitted on December 6. The next FATF meeting is scheduled from January 21 to 24 in Beijing where Pakistan will be given an opportunity to defend its case. The Imran government, on the other hand, expects another relaxation probably up to June 2020 from FATF to comply with the remaining 22 action plans. Article 370 fallout between the two neighbours On August 5, the Modi government revoked Article 370 of the Indian constitution which, along with Article 35A, gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and allowed the state's residents to live under a separate set of laws compared to residents of other Indian states. However, the move displeased Pakistan which started an all-out diplomatic assault against India. Apart from downgrading diplomatic ties and stopping cross-border bus and train services, it also imposed a ban on Indian cultural content. Pakistan did not stop there as it went ahead and denied Indian flights access to its airspace, resulting in losses for Indian air carriers and the diversion of VIP flights carrying the President and PM. Imran himself took the lead to address the world on Kashmir. Pakistan reached out to the US and China, along with raising the issue at various global platforms such as the UN General Assembly, UNSC and Parliamentarians' summits. There were also veiled threats from some Pakistani ministers to unleash nuclear strikes against India. The country also decided to open Kashmir desks across its embassies. Security forces patrolling Kashmir Valley. (File Photo| PTI) The fallout also left a mark on the UNGA summit on September 27 where Imran for a good 50 minutes, invoking Congress and RSS references, spoke only about Kashmir. He also used terms like 'bloodbath' to predict a civil war kind of situation between the Kashmiris and the Indian Army, while saying that there would be radicalization in J&K and Pakistan will be blamed again if a Pulwama-like attack happens. He also accused India of 'locking up' eight million Kashmiris, while appealing to the world community to give Kashmir the right to self-determination. Although Imran told the Western media that his speech had successfully diverted global attention to Kashmir, in reality, he got only Turkey and Malaysia's support, with countries like the US and China putting the onus on the two South Asian neighbours to sort out the matter through bilateral talks. India maintained its diplomatic composure during the entire episode, be it successfully convincing key countries that Kashmir was its internal matter or giving it back to its Pakistani counterparts across global forums by raising issues such as state-sponsored terrorism or the increasing attacks on Pakistani minorities under Imran's rule. Detention of Kulbhushan Jadhav, another bone of contention between the two countries On July 17, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) directed Pakistan to review the death sentence awarded to former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and grant him consular access. The court also nullified the death sentence given to Jadhav and said that Pakistan informing India about the former Navy officer's arrest only after three weeks was a clear violation of the Vienna Convention. The court pointed out that Pakistan also deprived India of the right to communicate with Jadhav and arrange for his legal representation. While Pakistan has maintained that it arrested Jadhav in 2016 due to alleged espionage activities, India refuted the claim and said that the former Navy officer was kidnapped from Iran. He was awarded the death sentence by a Pakistani military court in 2017. Death-row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav (File Photo | YouTube Screengrab) Even as India celebrated the verdict, Pakistan said it would proceed as per the law. India got consular access to Jadhav only in the first week of September when the Charge dAffaires of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad Gaurav Ahluwalia spent two hours with the former Navy officer. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar remarked on the meeting, "While we await a comprehensive report, it was clear that Jadhav appeared to be under extreme pressure to parrot a false narrative to bolster Pakistans untenable claims." While Pakistan ruled out any deal with India to ensure Jadhav's release, reports emerged that the Imran Khan government may amend the Army Act to allow the Indian prisoner to appeal against his death sentence in a civilian court. Kartarpur Corridor seemed like a ray of hope for Indo-Pak ties but got politicised On November 9, PM Modi inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor, the link between Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev's final resting place Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan and the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur. While he thanked Imran for ensuring the timely completion of the pilgrimage project, Congress leaders Navjot Singh Sidhu and Manmohan Singh hoped that the corridor would forge better ties between the neighbours. Pakistan, however, chose to politicise the occasion, be it by including pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla in one of the project committees or putting out anti-India posters such as 'Kashmir is Pakistan' at the gurudwara. They even displayed a small bomb that was allegedly dropped by the IAF during the 1971 Bangladesh war, besides releasing a welcoming song featuring three Khalistani separatist leaders, including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, in the video. Sikh pilgrims stand in a queue to visit the Shrine of Baba Guru Nanak Dev at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. (Photo | AFP) During the corridor launch on the Pakistan side, Imran again raked up the Kashmir issue, while Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi joined the bandwagon by criticising the Indian Supreme Court's Ayodhya verdict (in which the court paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya and directed the Modi government to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque) which also came out on November 9. Pramila Jayapal vs S Jaishankar episode over Kashmir resolution In the first week of December, Indian-American Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal introduced a Congressional resolution on Kashmir and urged India to end the internet restrictions in the state, apart from preserving religious freedom for all residents there. The Indian-American community felt 'betrayed, cheated and saddened' by the move which happened during the visit of an Indian delegation comprising Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for a '2+2 dialogue' in the US. Jaishankar refused to meet Jayapal and said that the resolution was not a fair characterisation of the situation in J&K. He was criticised by another Indian-American Democrat Kamala Harris, who said, "It's wrong for any foreign government to tell Congress what members are allowed in meetings on Capitol Hill." Jayapal, the first Indian American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives, also found support from Senator Elizabeth Warren, a leading Democratic presidential candidate for the 2020 US elections. Despite the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) insisting that Jaishankar should meet Jayapal, New Delhi decided against it. Indian-American Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. (Photo | AP) "A distorted narrative is being put out by some about EAM's meeting with the US Congress. The External Affairs Minister asked to meet the leadership of the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees. The Senate meeting took place as envisaged with a very open conversation. Some members of the HFAC also met the minister and discussed issues. But the HFAC invited others without even seeking consent. That is at the heart of the issue. No Foreign Minister of any independent country should be pressurised into meeting such politicians with their own agendas," a government official said. Harley Davidson, H-1B visa row and deadlock on trade pact impact ties with US On February 27, US President Donald Trump raked up the issue of high import duties on Harley-Davidson motorcycles by India, saying the US was 'getting nothing' with the recent announcement by the Modi government to slash the customs duty on imported motorcycles from high-end brands to 50 per cent. While emphasizing fair and reciprocal trade deals from India, he also mocked PM Modi, calling him a 'fantastic man' who said that India had reduced tariffs on imported motorcycles, but in reality, the US was 'getting nothing'. "He (Modi) gets 50 (per cent), and they think...they're doing us a favour. That's not a favour," Trump said. The US also dragged India to the WTO over the latter's export subsidies in March 2019 and asserted that these incentives were harming American companies and creating an uneven playing field. India's Commerce Ministry in July expressed fears about the possibility of losing the dispute at WTO, resulting in the end of subsidies for Indian exporters. However, it said that while direct subsidies to exports could not be given, the Modi government can legitimately support regulatory compliances required in other countries. US President Donald Trump (Photo | AP) Towards the latter part of 2019, Trump said that he won't let India and China take advantage of the 'developing nations' tag from the WTO. The apex trade body in November said that Washington had failed to fully comply with a five-year-old ruling in a dispute over import duties on Indian steel products. While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in October said that trade deal negotiations between the two nations were going ahead at "full speed" and expressed the hope that they would conclude soon, reports emerged in November saying that India was very near to resolving the trade dispute and intensive talks were likely to be held later that month when a US trade delegation came to New Delhi. However, the deadlock is yet to be settled. The issue of H-1B visas became another bone of contention between the two countries. The US House of Representatives in July passed legislation to remove the seven per cent country cap on Green Card applicants in a bid to end the long wait of professionals from countries like India who prefer seeking permanent residency. The bill also increased the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from seven per cent of the total number of such visas available that year to 15 per cent. In November, a study carried out by the National Foundation for American Policy showed that the Trump administration's restrictive immigration policies have led to a massive increase in the rejection of petitions for H-1B visas with the highest denial rate among major Indian IT companies. Then the US government in the same month revised its visa selection process and hiked by USD 10 the application fee for H-1B visas. Another study showed that things would only get worse for Indian IT companies in the US as the denial rate of H-1B visas touched 24 per cent in the third quarter of the current fiscal year. For Representational Purposes. (File Photo | AP) The US Department of Labor also came out with a list of firms disqualified from applying for H-1B visas. Some of the prominent names were Azimetry, Inc., Bulmen Consultant Group, Inc., Business Reporting Management Services, Inc., NETAGE, Inc., Kevin Chambers and E-Aspire IT LLC. In December, Indian IT major Infosys decided to pay USD 800,000 (nearly Rs 5.6 crore) to settle allegations of misclassification of foreign workers and tax fraud. The company, between 2006 and 2017, let approximately 500 employees work in California on Infosys-sponsored B-1 visas rather than H-1B visas. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, during his visit to the country in December, said that the Trump administration should not obstruct the flow of skilled manpower from India as it is an important part of the economic cooperation between the two countries. India ignores US reservations to go ahead with S-400 deal India in 2018 signed a USD 5 billion deal to purchase the S-400 air defence system from Russia during Vladimir Putin's New Delhi visit. However, the move drew US ire, with the Pentagon saying in July that it was against any country purchasing the missile defence system from Russia, which is designed to counter sophisticated US fifth-generation aircraft like the F-22 and F-35. Then Admiral Philip Davidson, Commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, admitted that India acquiring the S-400 from Russia was a "problem" for the Trump administration. S-400 long-range surface missile ( Photo| PTI) While Russia said that the sophisticated missile systems would be delivered to India in strict accordance with the schedule, which is 18-19 months from the deal's signing, Jaishankar, during his Washington visit in October, reiterated that India was discussing the US concerns. He also said that the Trump administration would understand India's rationale behind signing the missile deal. The US has so far not declared anything about imposing sanctions on India for buying Russian weapons under a 2017 law, introduced due to Moscow's military involvement in Ukraine and Syria and alleged meddling in the 2016 US elections. Turkey, a NATO ally, came under similar sanctions in June 2019 by going ahead with the S-400 purchase, with the US ending Turkey's involvement in the F-35 fighter jet programme. Trump, Modi bonhomie at Howdy Modi Houston, known as the 'energy capital' of the world, saw the pinnacle of Modi-Trump bonhomie in the last week of September when the Indian PM, during his journey to New York to attend the annual UN General Assembly session, stopped there and spoke to over 50,000 Indian-Americans at an event named 'Howdy Modi', the largest ever gathering for an elected foreign leader on US soil. The leaders of the world's two most powerful democracies addressed the diaspora and emphasized their personal support to each other, apart from advocating a more pro-business and trade outlook between the two sides as the underpinning of stronger bilateral ties. While the two leaders signed an agreement to enable the US to export natural gas at a low cost to India, Trump also highlighted the growth of US exports to India, especially through defence equipment deals. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk around NRG Stadium waving to the crowd during the 'Howdy Modi: Shared Dreams, Bright Futures' event, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Houston. | (Photo | AP) Modi used the stage to target Pakistan on the issue of state-sponsored terrorism and defend India's move to scrap Article 370. He also pitched India as an attractive investment destination, saying that relaxation of norms on single-brand retail, opportunities for 100 per cent FDI investment in coal mining and contract manufacturing as well as a big reduction in corporate tax would make India more globally competitive. While the event snuffed the life out of Imran Khan's Kashmir outreach in the US around the same time, as Trump eventually backtracked from his repetitive 'mediation' offers on Kashmir, it created a few controversies too. Senior US Democrat Bernie Sanders criticised the timing of the event, saying that it was happening when Kashmir was in lockdown. There was also a row over Modi allegedly backing Trump's 2020 re-election bid through the slogan 'Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar', with Opposition parties back in India saying the PM breached a key principle of his country's foreign policy -- neutrality. While the Congress slammed Modi, Foreign Minister Jaishankar defended his boss saying that the PM was merely repeating Trump's words, which he had used to pitch his candidature to the Indian American community while campaigning for the 2020 US presidential election. Modi hosts Xi Jinping at Mahabalipuram summit India and China held their second informal summit during October 10-11 in Tamil Nadu's coastal town of Mahabalipuram. PM Modi and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a series of talks on a range of issues to strengthen the bilateral relationship. Both the leaders agreed to increase bilateral engagement in the defence and security spheres. Xi also assured Modi that China will be taking measures to check the increasing bilateral trade deficit, apart from forming a new mechanism to discuss trade, investment and services at an 'elevated level'. The mechanism will comprise Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua and Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. (File | AP) Both the countries also said that many of the dialogue mechanisms formed or reformed since the 2018 Wuhan summit between Modi and Xi had created a good momentum in bilateral ties. Despite Xi meeting Imran two days prior to his India visit and saying that China was keeping a close watch on the Kashmir situation, the issue found no place in the talks. China, on December 18, also withdrew its request to hold discussions in the UN Security Council on the Kashmir situation. On December 21, the two countries met again for the 22nd meeting of the special representatives' summit in New Delhi and agreed to maintain peace at the border areas for the overall development of their bilateral ties. The Indian side was led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the Chinese delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi. They recognised that an early settlement of the border question would serve the fundamental interests of both the countries. They also agreed to work together for more confidence-building measures to promote exchanges and communication between the border personnel and to ensure predictability in border management and strategic communication. The two countries also reviewed the progress made since the second informal summit in Mahabalipuram. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on December 26 said that its ties with the Indian military were improving through the strategic dialogue, practical cooperation and exchanges, all due to the efforts of Modi and Xi. RCEP barrier becomes bone of contention between the two countries On the economic front though, the two countries faced a roadblock in the form of the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) as India, in November, decided not to join the China-backed economic grouping, saying that the proposed trade deal would have an adverse impact on the lives and livelihoods of Indians. "The present form of the RCEP Agreement does not fully reflect the basic spirit and the agreed guiding principles of the RCEP. It also does not address satisfactorily India's outstanding issues and concerns. In such a situation, it is not possible for India to join the RCEP Agreement. India stands for greater regional integration as well as for freer trade and adherence to a rule-based international order. India has been pro-actively, constructively and meaningfully engaged in the RCEP negotiations since inception. India has worked for the cherished objective of striking balance, in the spirit of give and take," PM Modi said while justifying India's stance. PM Narendra Modi (Photo | AP) As per media reports, China aggressively pushed for inking the deal during the RCEP summit in an attempt to counter-balance the impact of its lingering trade war with the US as well as to project the region's economic might to the West. The RCEP talks were launched by ASEAN leaders and six other countries during the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh in November 2012. The objective of launching the trade talks was to achieve a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial economic partnership agreement among ASEAN member states and FTA partners. The deal was touted to be the world's biggest free trade agreement, comprising 16 countries, including India. Trade experts back in India called Modi's rejection of the trade bloc a blessing for domestic industries such as dairy and metal, along with the agriculture sector, in the face of unfair overseas competition. They even said that signing the deal would have resulted in increasing imports from China, with which India has a trade deficit of over USD 50 billion. RCEP aims to cover issues related to goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights. Under it, trading partners reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded among themselves, apart from relaxing norms like the visa regime to promote trade in services and attract investments. India in 2018-19 registered a trade deficit with as many as 11 RCEP member countries including China, South Korea and Australia. China in response said that it would try to resolve issues flagged by India such as market access as well as protected lists of goods mainly to shield the latter's domestic market against flooding of cheap Chinese agricultural and industrial products after the deal is signed. India welcomed the statement saying it was open to negotiating with RCEP nations if its concerns were addressed. Kalapani creates a rift in India-Nepal relationship During the first week of November, India issued its new political map after the bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories. It quickly became a centre of controversy as the Kalapani area, situated in Nepal's far West, appeared as part of Indian territory. As per media reports, Kalapani, located in Nepal's Darchula district, was shown inside Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh, going by the Indian map. Nepal lodged a strong protest, with its PM K P Sharma Oli saying that he would ask India to withdraw its forces from Kalapani, apart from asserting that his government would not allow anyone to encroach on Nepalese territory. Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali. (File | AFP) However, on December 30, Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that his government would look to solve the issue diplomatically, adding that he had sought dates from India for a meeting. India has so far maintained that the new map accurately depicts its sovereign territory and it had in no manner revised its boundary with Nepal. Citizenship Act protests put India's image abroad under the scanner The contentious Citizenship Act, which gives citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was passed in the Indian Parliament on December 11, 2019. Assam became the starting point of a nationwide protest which broke out the next day. The situation led to the cancellation of the Guwahati Summit between PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, which was scheduled to take place from December 15-17. The Indian Foreign Ministry fired verbal volleys at a US federal commission on international religious freedom report, which not only called the Citizenship Act a 'dangerous turn into the wrong direction' but also sought American sanctions against Home Minister Amit Shah among other Indian leaders. A German student and a Norwegian woman were also sent back to their home countries for participating in anti-CAA rallies in Chennai and Kochi, which didn't help India's image overseas. Activists hold placards during anti-Citizenship Act protest. (Photo| PTI) While countries like the UK, US and France called the development India's 'internal matter', Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia thought otherwise. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticised the act, questioning its rationale. "People are dying because of this law. Why is there a necessity to do this when all the while, for 70 years, they have lived together as citizens without any problem? I am sorry to see that India, which claims to be a secular state now is taking action to deprive some Muslims of their citizenship. If we do that here, I do not know what will happen. There will be chaos and instability, and everybody will suffer," he said. This led to a strong diplomatic reply from India, which hit back by saying that Mohamad had made a factually inaccurate remark on the latters internal matter. The MEA also advised Malaysia to "refrain from commenting on internal developments in India, especially without a right understanding of the facts." Protesters gather at Shaheen Bagh to oppose the amended Citizenship Act in New Delhi Tuesday Dec. 31 2019. (Photo | PTI) Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen cancelled his India visit immediately after the passage of the law, taking strong exception to Shah's statement in Parliament that religious minorities are persecuted in his country. He also said that while India has its own set of internal problems, Bangladesh has a robust record in maintaining communal harmony. Then he softened his stand on December 16 and said that Dhaka will take back its citizens illegally entering India if the latter gives a list of those people. Six days later, he said that the CAA, along with the National Register of Citizens, can create uncertainty in India, which, in turn, can affect its neighbours too. On January 2, the MEA said that it has reached out to countries to share its perspective on the CAA and NRC and emphasised that they were India's internal matters. Mumbai: PVR Cinemas in Inorbit Mall in Madhapur, Hyderabad was booked for not starting 'Jumanji: The Next Level' show on time. Reportedly, the cinema delayed a movie show by 12 minutes. Hence, Forum Against Corruption (FAC) filed a case against PVR Cinemas in Madhapur police under the Telangana Cinema Regulation Act. The Vice-president of FAC K Sai Teja, who filed the complaint told the Times Of India, "PVR played the movie 12 minutes later than the showtime mentioned on the ticket. Moviegoers time was wasted by running advertisements. It is an unfair trade practice and violation of the Telangana Cinema Regulation Act. Teja revealed that the movie was supposed to start at 1.55 pm but it didn't. "I was at the theatre on December 30 but the advertisements were shown for 15 minutes, said Teja. He also produced the movie ticket as evidence. News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Tuesday announced the inaugural 2019 Arizona Medal of Valor honorees, recognizing heroic public safety officials who demonstrated extraordinary acts of valor, courage and heroism. The honorees were selected by a review board made up of law enforcement and public safety professionals. Governor Ducey issued an executive order on August 5, 2018 establishing the Arizona Medal of Valor. The honorees are: Trooper Tyler Edenhofer, Department of Public Safety Trooper Henry Roanhorse, Jr., Department of Public Safety Officer Alvaro Silva, Tucson Police Department Sergeant Joshua Wade, Glendale Police Department Arizonas brave first responders and members of law enforcement are heroes in every sense of the word, said Governor Ducey. They put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and Arizona is grateful for their courage and heroism. The Arizona Medal of Valor is just one way to express Arizonas sincere gratitude to the honorees as well as all law enforcement personnel and first responders. Every day, first responders and members of law enforcement risk facing dangerous and adverse situations in an effort to keep others safe, said Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher. The Arizona Medal of Valor recipients displayed incredible acts of bravery to protect others, and we appreciate their unwavering courage. Trooper Tyler Edenhofer on July 25, 2018 died in the line of duty when he sacrificed his life to keep the community safe. He displayed true courage and bravery through his unwavering commitment to serve and protect others. Trooper Edenhofer was hired by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) in September 2017 and graduated from the Advanced Trooper Academy on May 4, 2018. He served in the U.S. Navy before joining DPS. Trooper Roanhorse on January 6, 2018 saved a driver from an oncoming train. The driver was in his car on the train tracks and would not move himself to a safe spot. When Trooper Roanhorse observed a train quickly approaching, he pulled the driver out of the car, ultimately saving his life. Officer Alvaro Silva on March 17, 2019 maintained exceptional composure and prioritized public safety when confronted with an aggressive, gun-bearing suspect. After the altercation, Officer Silva immediately summoned medical attention for the injured suspect, ultimately saving his life. Sergeant Joshua Wade on January 4, 2019 saved an elderly man from a burning motorhome. He used a ladder to climb up to a window and, with the help of a neighbor at the scene, pulled the man from the home, ultimately saving his life. The Arizona Medal of Valor Review Board selected the honorees. Members of the Review Board include Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board Chairman and Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher, Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Colonel Frank Milstead, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams, Timber Mesa Fire Chief Bryan Savage, Department of Forestry and Fire Management Director David Tenney and Governor Duceys Policy Advisor for Public Safety and Military Affairs Jenny Thomsen. The honorees will be recognized at an award ceremony in 2020. Growing plant shoots on coins The Canadian stock market put together a fantastic 2019, as the TSX Index soared to record highs. Things were positive on the domestic front, but many TSX-listed stocks have thrived due to their international reach. For example, in May, Id discussed how Scotiabank was gaining steam on the back of its Latin American presence. Today, I want to look at two stocks that are well positioned to post growth on the back of international expansion in this new decade. Lets jump in. Dollarama Dollarama (TSX:DOL) was one of the stars of the last decade. Its 10-year total return over the course of the 2010s was a whopping 1,030%. The stock has done work for investors who got in early, and this should come as no surprise. Dollar stores have enjoyed a renaissance in the years following the 2007-2008 recession. This expansion has stretched beyond North American borders. In the summer of 2019, Dollarama acquired a 50.1% interest in the Latin American value retailer Dollarcity. This establishes a second growth platform for the Canadian retail giant, and one that holds huge promise in the years to come. At its latest quarter ended September 30, 2019, Dollarcity operated 210 stores, with 104 locations in Colombia, 48 in El Salvador, and 58 in Guatemala. The subsidiary aims to surpass its annual target of 40-50 net new stores for the previous calendar year. Shares of Dollarama have dropped 7.9% over the past month as of close on January 2. It reported a higher gross profit and sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2020, but its margins shrank as it held firm on value prices. A Latin American expansion could be just what the doctor ordered to spur improved growth to kick off the 2020s. Jamieson Wellness The damaging United States-China trade war has shown some signs of subsiding as the economic giants are nearing a limited trade deal. This is great news for companies like Jamieson Wellness (TSX:JWEL), which are pinning their growth hopes on an expansion into China and other parts of Asia. Its stock climbed 20% in 2019. Story continues Jamieson released its third-quarter 2019 results on November 6. Consolidated revenues increased 11.2% to $88.6 million and adjusted EBITDA rose 8.6% to $19.4 million. Adjusted net income climbed 7.2% to $9.5 million. In the third quarter, Jamieson announced that hit had begun shipping into domestic channels in China. This included 15 registered products to a global mass retail partner. Jamieson reported 23.9% growth in international sales in the third quarter, which was led by its performance in China. Shares of Jamieson Wellness were trading close to a 52-week high as of close on January 2. The stock currently possesses a high price-to-earnings ratio of 35 and a price-to-book value of 3.9. Id like to see Jamieson improve its debt position going forward, but it still offers promising growth in a sector that is experiencing global expansion. Its push into China should inspire investors to consider the stock in early 2020. More reading Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA. 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 2020 Brief History of New China: the Annual Stories of 1949-2019 [gxbgsx.cn] A list of 30 outstanding publications for teenagers was released after rounds of selections by the authorities in China recently. Eleven books in the fields of humanities and social sciences are on the list, including Brief History of New China: the Annual Stories of 1949-2019 by China Youth Press, The Communist Manifesto (a version with colored drawings for children) by Jieli Publishing House, and General History of China in Idioms by Shanghai People's Publishing House. The Communist Manifesto (a version with colored drawings for children) [Chinanews.com] The other 19 on the list are literary works for children, such as Children in Bayan Har Mountains by the 21st Century Publishing Group and Little Painter in Dunhuang by Gansu Juvenile and Children's Publishing House. General History of China in Idioms [Guangming Daily] The selection is a move to promote the publications that strengthen the education on the history of the Party and the New China, promote the spirit of the Chinese nation and the core socialist values, deepen education on socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese Dream, and help improve the all-round development of the Chinese teenagers. Children in Bayan Har Mountains [takefoto.cn] (Source: Xinhua/Translated and edited by Women of China) Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on January 4, came down heavily on the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan's Punjab province. Taking to Twitter, Hardeep Puri said that "shameful incidents" clearly highlight the threats which minorities face to their right to practice their religion in Pakistan. He called out those "who turn a blind eye to these injustices and persecution insensitive, inhuman & certainly not secular." 'I call those who turn a blind eye to these injustices' These shameful incidents clearly highlight the threats which minorities face to their right to practice their religion. As an Indian & a Sikh I call those who turn a blind eye to these injustices & persecution insensitive, inhuman & certainly not secular. Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) January 4, 2020 Attacking the people who oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Union Minister citing the example of this attack said this should be "an eye-opener" for those who refuse to recognize religious persecution of minorities in Pakistan and the rationale behind CAA. Vandalism, stone pelting & acts of descrecation at the holiest of holy Sri Nankana Sahib Gurudwara yesterday should be an eye opener for those who refuse to recognize religious persecution of minorities in Pakistan & the rationale behind CAA. pic.twitter.com/3dNqX33jbf Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) January 4, 2020 Harbhajan condemns the attack Veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh also condemned the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to take all the necessary steps to ensure peace in the region. Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of the first guru of Sikhs Guru Nanak Dev, was attacked by stone pelters on Friday as they staged a protest against alleged police atrocities on Mohammed Hassan, the boy who is accused of forcing a Sikh girl to convert before marrying her. READ | 'Government to sell 100% stake in Air India', says Hardeep Singh Puri READ | Union minister Hardeep Puri hands over registry papers to 20 unauthorised colony residents India asks Pak govt to ensure safety of Sikhs In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs claimed that "members of the minority Sikh community" had been "subjected to acts of violence" in Nankana Sahib. "These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place." The Indian government also called upon the government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. READ | Hardeep Singh Puri denies shut down of Air India, maintains stand on its privatisation READ | Hardeep Puri's Shocker: 'Will pelt stones at those lying on CAA,' threatens BJP leader Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): The Congress party came under attack from all sides over its booklet claiming a physical relationship between Nathuram Godse and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as ally NCP joined Shiv Sena to criticize the party on Saturday. In a booklet, Congress Seva Dal said that there was a homosexual relationship between Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, and his political guru Savarkar, a Hindu ideologue. Speaking to ANI here, NCP leader and minister Nawab Malik said objectionable comments should not be made against ideological opponents and demanded that the booklet which was distributed during a camp be withdrawn. "Writing objectionable articles is wrong, ideological differences fine but personal comments should not be made, especially when the person (Savarkar) is not alive. The booklet should be withdrawn," said the NCP leader. Coming heavily on the Congress, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said that the people speaking ill of Savarkar have dirt in their minds. "Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him and it shows the dirt in their minds, whoever they might be," said Raut. Several senior BJP leaders have slammed the Congress for the booklet, with former Union minister Uma Bharati saying the grand old party needs a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, the grandson of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar urged the Madhya Pradesh government to ban the Congress booklet and has requested the state government to register a case in this regard. The booklet gave a reference citing page 423 the 'Freedom at Midnight' book written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which states that Godse had a homosexual relationship with his "political guru" Savarkar before the former turned celibate. (ANI) The High Criminal Court has sentenced a man, who was tried in absentia, to life in prison, for funding terrorist activities in the Kingdom. The court also ordered him to pay a fine of BD500,000. Another man involved in this case was given a 10-year jail term and a fine of BD100,000. Court files say the suspects acted as funders of terrorist activities in Kingdom during the period from 2015-2018 in their capacity as members of Al Wafa mainstream, a group designated as a terrorist organisation. Prosecutors told the court that the duo funded rioters to carry out hooliganism and unpermitted demonstrations in the Kingdom. The first defendant collected the money from anti-Bahrain organisations abroad and transferred it to Bahrain. The second defendants distributed the funds to rioters and terrorists to cover their costs. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has postponed his scheduled visit to India and Japan amid the ongoing bushfire crisis in his country, Australian PM office said on Saturday. In a statement, the Australian PM office said that it looks forward to rescheduling the visits to the two countries at a mutually convenient time in the coming months. "The Prime Minister has postponed his state visit to India and his official visit to Japan to stay close to the disaster and recovery operations underway in Australia," the statement read. "We deeply appreciate the arrangements that India and Japan have made to date and look forward to rescheduling the visits at a mutually convenient time in the coming months," it added. Morrison was slated to pay a state visit to India from January 14 to January 16, diplomatic sources had said on Friday. Fires have wreaked havoc in parts of Australia for months and are unlikely to stop anytime soon, given that the country is still in the early months of summer and temperatures typically peak in January and February. Yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Morrison and conveyed his heartfelt condolences on the damage to life and property in Australia due to severe and prolonged bushfires. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) England fast bowler Jofra Archer is aiming to be fit for the third and fourth Tests against South Africa after a second scan on his injured right elbow showed no serious damage. Archer was forced to miss the ongoing second Test at Newlands because of the injury. An England spokesman said the scan had revealed "just bruising and swelling". He said Archer would be working with the side's medical team with a view to be fit in time for the third Test, which starts in Port Elizabeth on January 16. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Councils are poised to deploy smart technology directly into rented homes in the ongoing battle against rogue and criminal landlords following a 4million government cash injection. Over 100 councils across England are set to receive the money, a portion of which will be used to trial smart phone apps, automated tenant complaints systems, and technology 'to identify particularly cold homes', the Ministry of Housing announced this week. The move comes as part of a wider package of measures from government rolled out over the past 12 months, which take aim at landlords who break the law by providing cramped and unsafe housing. The move comes as part of a wider package of measures which take aim at rogue landlords Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 'It's completely unacceptable that a minority of unscrupulous landlords continue to break the law and provide homes which fall short of the standards we rightly expect. 'The funding announced today will strengthen councils' powers to crack down on poor landlords and drive up standards in the private rented sector for renters across the country.' Some 21 councils across Yorkshire and Humberside will receive a portion of the funding, which will be used to train over 100 enforcement officers across the region, the government announced. Northampton will use funding to create a 'special operations unit' to enforce against the 'very worst landlords' operating in the town. Thurrock, meanwhile, will receive a portion of the funding to ensure vulnerable young tenants are in safe homes, while the London borough of Greenwich will trial new technology to identify particularly cold homes to ensure renters are warm over the winter period. Landlords say the measures do not go far enough, however, while Labour's shadow housing Secretary John Healey branded the fund 'puny'. David Smith, of trade body the Residential Landlords Association, said: 'We welcome the government's focus on rooting out criminal landlords. Today's funding though is nowhere near enough. 'Instead of offering inadequate and sporadic pots of money, it is critical that the government provides proper, multi-year funding to enable councils to plan and prepare workable strategies to find the criminal landlords. 'This should be supported by councils having the political will to prioritise enforcement against the crooks rather than tying good landlords up in licensing schemes which do nothing to protect tenants.' Government register to track rogue landlords flopped in its first year Last year This is Money revealed that the government's database designed to track rogue landlords had registered just 12 landlords in the 16 months since its inception. Heralded as a key weapon in the fight against serious criminal landlords at its launch in April 2017, government officials claimed the register would help local authorities to ban the worst offenders from continuing to rent out properties. But in spite of the government warning there are as many as 10,500 rogue landlords still letting homes to tenants across the UK, as of August last year just 12 had been registered on the database - for a total of 19 offences committed across 10 local authorities. What else does the year have in store for landlords? In the run up to the election, the Conservatives made several pledges to reform the private rented sector. Existing plans to abolish 'no fault' evictions by scrapping Section 21 of the Housing Act were reiterated in the party's manifesto. In England and Wales, landlords must currently serve tenants with the a Section 21 notice to repossess a property. They don't need to give a reason for doing so, as long as they give the tenant two months' notice. The government is now looking to abolish this, which means landlords will instead have to serve what is known as a Section 8 notice if they want to evict tenants. Section 8 notices work in a similar way except that they can only be served under specific conditions, such as where the tenant has breached the tenancy. The government has suggested that it may make Section 8 notices more robust by adding extra conditions under which they can be used, so as to not leave landlords without the power to evict tenants. Existing plans to abolish 'no fault' evictions were reiterated in the Conservative manifesto There are also plans to encourage a 'lifetime deposit' system. This would replace the current system, which sees many tenants having to raise a deposit twice when moving. Currently one deposit is usually tied up in the property a tenant is leaving, leaving them with no other option but to raise a second one to secure a new home. The lifetime deposit suggestion would instead see one deposit transfer from tenancy to tenancy - though the Tory manifesto was light on the details of how this would actually work in practice. Dear EarthTalk: What is climate gentrification and where is it happening? Jamie B., Boston, MA Climate gentrification is a relatively new term describing what happens when neighborhoods traditionally overlooked by wealthy people become more attractiveand expensivegiven their siting in geographic areas that happen to be more resilient to climate-related threats such as stronger, more frequent hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, etc. The already-classic case is in Floridas Miami-Dade County, where climate-related flooding and sea level rises are driving wealthy homeowners away from once pricey beach-front property and into the higher elevations surrounding areas like Little Haiti, Liberty City and Allapattah that have traditionally been home to struggling minority families. The result is greater density and higher home prices and rents in these recently poor neighborhoods. Meanwhile the locals move out, complaining that the transition is forcing them out of their beloved homes while sapping once vibrant cultural identities. A recently released Harvard study of real estate values by elevation in the Miami area over the last five decades found that while home prices were rising in most parts of the 2,400-square-mile county, areas at higher elevations were experiencing larger increases. Properties located 2-4 meters above sea level rose 11.5x in value on average over the 1971-2017 study period, while those located at or within one meter of sea level rose 8x on average. Current climate projections of Floridas coastline in a warming world show that areas less than a foot above sea level will be underwater within another 50 years. The Harvard study put the concept of climate gentrification in the public eye for the first time, but we can see examples of it just about everywhere. In California, wildfires are becoming more common and forcing people to move, in some cases because their homes were destroyed, and in others because the threat of fire makes it difficult to get insurance or a mortgage, reports Aparna Nathan of Harvards Science in The News blog. Los Angeles, in particular, may see an influx of people from the coast (as sea levels rise) and further inland (as fires rage) into its traditionally working-class Eastside neighborhoods. Another area where climate gentrification has become a problem is Arizona, where people are moving from the overheated Phoenix area to the cooler, higher elevation areas of northern Arizona. According to Nathan, this trend is disrupting communities and the real estate market, and widening socioeconomic gaps in the process. Jesse Keenan, lead author on the Harvard study, concurs, telling Bloomberg News that the situation in Miami evokes matters of equity and justice that have very limited historical precedent. Now that the issue is coming to the fore, environmental justice advocates hope that municipal planners and government officials start taking climate gentrification into account when developing master plans and drafting new zoning ordinances to make sure that even poor people have safe places to live in the face of increasing environmental torment. But as Nathan points outs, housing is just one example of an overarching theme: as the climate changes, it will be easier for those with more resources to adapt. EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org. Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The investigation into the abduction and false imprisonment of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney is "a complex case" involving over 400 statements, a court has been told. Sergeant Paddy McGirl said that the investigation is still in its infancy. He told Judge James Faughnan at Harristown District Court in Co Roscommon that it was not possible to give a timeline on when a book of evidence would be ready. "It will be a lengthy investigation. There are over 400 statements, 1,000 jobs in the job book, CCTV footage from five counties and DNA and forensic evidence awaiting analysis. "It is a complex case being investigated in two jurisdictions. There has been considerable progress in the investigation but it is still in its infancy. It is a lengthy investigation," said Sgt McGirl. Three of the four men charged with assault causing harm and false imprisonment of Mr Lunney in Co Cavan in September last year appeared before the court yesterday. Darren Redmond (25), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin, and Alan O'Brien (38), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, were remanded to appear again before Harristown District Court on January 17. Another defendant, Luke O'Reilly (66) from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan, was previously remanded to appear before Harristown District Court next Friday. A fourth defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made an application for bail yesterday. Judge Faughnan refused the application after hearing submissions from the defendant's legal representative and also from An Garda Siochana. EXPECT political activity to ratchet up to fever pitch in the coming weeks as Ireland gears up for a general election. It's widely accepted the country will elect a new Dail in the first six months of 2020, and Limerick's two constituencies are set to once again be key battlegrounds. There are four seats on offer in the city where in 2016, Willie O'Dea returned to the summit of the poll, Sinn Fein made a breakthrough, Fine Gael lost a seat, and Jan O'Sullivan held on by the skin of her teeth in what was a dreadful election for the Labour party. Meanwhile in the rural Limerick constituency, three seats are up for grabs, where three-and-a-half years ago, Fine Gael defied expectations to win two seats. The 32nd Dail has gone on for much longer than many people anticipated, with Fianna Fail keeping a minority Fine Gael government in power through a Confidence and Supply deal. Senator Maria Byrne admitted this week when she was elected to the Upper House in April 2016, she was told she would probably be there for only "six months". Indeed, the current parliament may have collapsed after just 18 months: It was way back in November 2017 when Ms Byrne and former TD Kieran O'Donnell were confirmed on the Fine Gael party ticket for the next election. It came as the party prepared for the very real possibility of an election that Christmas over the Garda Whistleblower controversy. Now, the pair will hope to regain the two seats which Fine Gael held between 2007 and 2016, with former Finance Minister and party leader Michael Noonan stepping down at this election. Lots has happened since 2016, however, not least with the so-called Green Wave and Sinn Fein's implosion at last year's local elections. For the first time in almost a decade, Mr O'Dea will have a running mate in the form of high profile councillor, the former mayor James Collins. The Dooradoyle man has been stepping up his canvassing in the last few months, and following a strong showing in the local elections - where he topped the poll in City West he would hope to capitalise on a strong transfer from the former Defence Minister. "People are ready for a change," he told the Limerick Leader, "I've been campaigning for quite a while since I was announced as the second Fianna Fail candidate. I am out and about each evening canvassing the doors, four or five times a week and getting a really good response." One fly in the ointment could, however, come in the form of Independent councillor Frankie Daly, whose huge personal vote north of the Shannon in the local election outstripped that of Cllr Collins. Ms O'Sullivan, who made a comeback from 800 votes down to secure the fourth seat last time out, will run again, and if she is returned, she will most likely break through a quarter-century in Dail Eireann. But, she admits, she is "expecting a fight". "There are a couple of new factors this time around. Fianna Fail will be looking for a second seat. The Greens are doing well. I presume Fine Gael will get one, Willie O'Dea will get one, then there's Maurice Quinlivan. I'm used to fighting at this stage - there are lot of us in for seats three and four," she said. The story of last summer's local election was the emergence of the Green Party, where Brian Leddin and Sean Hartigan took two seats. Cllr Leddin, who took the second seat in City North, has been confirmed as the party's Dail candidate for the City. And this week, it has emerged that Claire Keating, of Limerick Against Pollution which has been campaigning against the proposed changes in Irish Cement, will run on the partys ticket in the county. Cllr Leddin said: "We know there is a fair wind behind the Green movement. The global calamity that is climate change is weighing very much on people's minds. People are thinking about how best, and are really concerned about how to deal with this." The Clancy Strand man will no doubt be hopeful he can trade off the family name, the Leddin family having been intrinsically linked with Labour and Fine Gael politics down through the years. Indeed, it's entirely possible many voters from these two tribes could plump for the councillor on this basis. Read also: Independent ponders Dail run as Greens spring county Limerick surprise The entry of the Greens into local politics in 2019 is comparable with the emergence of Sinn Fein in the 2014 local election, something which was crowned by the party securing a Dail seat for Maurice Quinlivan, the first time the party had a local Oireachtas seat since the 1920s. But six months ago, Sinn Fein saw its local vote decimated, plunging to just two seats at council. However, Mr Quinlivan will take comfort in the fact that his party's vote at least held out in his power base of City North, which returned two Sinn Fein members. "I would be confident enough. But it's going to be a dogfight. Fianna Fail only had one councillor in 2009, and they managed to take a Dail seat. It will be interesting," he said. In 2016, the Social Democrats candidate Sarah Jane Hennelly played a part in the election when her transfer helped Ms O'Sullivan over the line to claim the last seat at the expense of Mr O'Donnell. This time, she is not running, and surprisingly, neither is the party's only sitting councillor in Limerick, Elisa O'Donovan. Elsewhere, Aontu is running school principal Michael Ryan, and no doubt a number of other candidates will emerge. In Limerick County, Niall Collins topped the poll with a big surplus, and many feel he is well placed to repeat the feat. "You can never say you're confident. I'd say I would be respectfully hopeful," he said. The Fianna Fail man feels the two Fine Gael seats there are under threat, given what he sees as the government's attitude to rural Ireland. "People have had ten years of Fine Gael and are feeling utterly dejected at this stage," he claimed. As revealed by the Limerick Leader last week, Fianna Fail has yet to pick its second candidate, with Cllr Eddie Ryan waiting in the wings. While the the Social Democrats, Labour and Sinn Fein have yet to confirm their ticket, it's a case of 'as you were' for Fine Gael, who will be buoyed by their strong performance in Newcastle West at the local election. There, they took four of the six seats on offer. But both Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan and Tom Neville played down the possibility of an election early in the New Year. Mr Neville, who took his father Dan's seat in 2016, admitted he did not think this Dail would be going on this long. "It's been very different to what we've seen in previous years. I've canvassed since 1992 with my father. It's been a different type of Dail. There are times when I've thought government might have fallen. But it hasn't, it's continued, it's gone forward," he said. If Cllr Daly upsets the apple-cart in the city, Richard O'Donoghue may have a similar effect in the county. The Independent councillor is weighing up running, having secured a respectable 2,855 votes in the General Election, before increasing his vote in Adare-Rathkeale from 2014 last summer. Whenever it happens, it's going to be an interesting contest, with second seats here and there set to be crucial as to who forms the next government. Holding the tricolour in their hands and raising slogans, thousands of people, including Muslims, marched on the streets in Hyderabad city in protest against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register. Following a call given by the Joint Action Committee of around 40 Muslim and non-Muslim groups and social organisations, people from all districts of Telangana and also from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka descended on the city to participate in the protest rally named Million March by the organisers. The Hyderabad police, following a directive from the high court, gave conditional permission to hold a meeting at Dharna Chowk at Indira Park. The protestors flooded the main thoroughfares from all parts of the city to reach the Dharna Chowk, where the march culminated into a brief public meeting. The main roads in the city, including the busy Tank Bund road on the banks of Hussain Sagar, Telugu Talli flyover and Liberty circle on the western side, Charminar and Abids on the southern side and RTC crossroads on the eastern side of the city were packed with crowds as they moved towards Dharna Chowk. As the crowds started swelling at Dharna Chowk, it became difficult for the police to control the mob. They were forced to open the gates of the adjacent NTR stadium, which was filled with the protestors within minutes. It was a huge success, as people from all walks of life, including students from various universities and colleges, engineers, lawyers, doctors and people from the business community took part in the Million March. It was undoubtedly one of the largest demonstrations the city had ever witnessed in recent years, JAC convenor and Tehreek-e-Muslim Shabban (TMS) president Mustaq Malik said. A large number of Muslim women, including students and housewives, were seen raising slogans and even conducting prayers at the Dharna Chowk. The participants, holding tricolours, banners and placards saying No to CAA, NRC and NPR, raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government for allegedly trying to divide the society on communal lines. Slogans like Inquilab Zindabad, We want Azadi from dictatorship, Unite against hate, and We reject NRC, rent the air. Not Hindus. Not Muslims. Not Jains. Not Sikhs. Not Christians. Not Parsees. Not Buddhists. ONLY INDIANS. India united against hate, read a banner at the rally. The real issues are economy, education and health and not Hindu-Muslim, Pakistan and NRC, read another banner. As a mark of solidarity with the protesters, several shops and business establishments in the Old City of Hyderabad were shut and the traders took part in the rally. According to Malik, people from far-off places like Adilabad and Nizamabad, too, came down to Hyderabad to take part in the rally. The participants surpassed our expectations, he said. Majlis-e-Bachao Tehreek president Amanullah Khan appealed to the people to reject the CAA, NRC and NPR and asked them not to part with any information with regard to their citizenship details with the authorities. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Despite their break-up, Madhurima Tuli and Vishal Aditya Singh are featuring in back-to-back reality shows. After featuring together in Nach Baliye 9, they also entered Bigg Boss 13 as wild card contestants. Though the duo were partners on the former, they had numerous differences throughout the show, including backstage moments and even in front of the camera. READ: Bigg Boss 13: Madhurima Says Vishal Went To Maldives On Her Money, Never Pays For Himself Madhurima-Vishal have continued the same on Bigg Boss. The ex-lovers faced off several times during the entire season, and there were at it on the latest episode too. However, this time even some celebrities like Gauahar Khan and Kamya Punjabi took Vishals side as Madhurima shamed her ex on the show. On Friday's episode, an astrologer entered the house and revealed some interesting details. After he left, Vishal echoed what the astrologer had said about him, that he had the capability to do something great. He then went on to state that the system of dowry is rampant in his state Bihar and he wants to make it dowry-free. Madhurimna, however, was not convinced about it. She said that he first needed to stop going on vacations to Maldives with his girlfriends money. She also said she used to pay his bills often. The statement again heightened the tension between the two. However, they did not let the situation go out of control. READ: Bigg Boss 13 Contestant Madhurima Tuli Denied Captaincy By Housemates, Heres Why Kamya Punjab felt it was sick of Madhurima to make such a statement. Gauahar also echoed her thoughts. She said it was sad one could claim to love someone, but also put them down on national television. Here are the posts Completely agree ! Sad ! How one can claim that u love someone , n at the same time u can put them sooooooo down on national television! https://t.co/MnY5DlAoNU Gauahar Khan (@GAUAHAR_KHAN) January 3, 2020 READ: Bigg Boss 13 Contestant Sidharth Shukla And Others Target Madhurima Tuli READ: Bigg Boss 13: Madhurima Tuli's Performance Edited Onscreen, Fans Call The Makers 'biased' CBRE and Sunset Development Company Contribute $10,000 Each SAN RAMON, Calif., Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armanino LLP, one of the 25 largest accounting and business consulting firms in the U.S., announced today that the Armanino Foundation provided $50,000 in grants to six nonprofit organizations in celebration of the firms 50th Anniversary on December 12, 2019. Additionally, the Armanino Foundation launched an endowment campaign, with inaugural major gifts from Andrew J. Armanino, CBRE and Sunset Development Company. Tom Jones and my dad, Andrew J. Armanino, founded our firm with two simple, yet lasting goals to provide a unique level of client service and to create a supportive workplace like no other for their team members, said Matt Armanino, chief executive officer and managing partner at Armanino. We pride ourselves on staying true to those goals. And this year, we expanded our firm purpose to include a commitment to giving back to the community. Im grateful to my brother Andy, CBRE and Sunset Development Company for their support of our efforts to sustain these and many other worthy nonprofits. The Armanino Foundation crowdsourced the selection of the six grant recipients from its team members over 1,100 votes were cast for 100 different charities in the areas of education, animal welfare, the arts, and health and social services. The winning organizations and their grants are: Discovery Cube Orange County, Irvine, CA - $10,000 13th Street Cat Rescue, San Jose, CA - $10,000 Little Tokyo Service Center, Irvine, CA - $10,000 Lone Star Wind Orchestra, Dallas, TX - $10,000 A Noise Within, Pasadena, CA - $5,000 Dallas Childrens Theater, Dallas, TX - $5,000 Since its inception in October 2016, the Armanino Foundation has raised nearly $800,000 and provided $400,000 in grants and support to charitable organizations across the globe. Staff members and partners nominate nonprofits for grants, which are evaluated by their peers and paid out each quarter. Additionally, the Armanino Foundation provides The Great Give (an annual day of service), Dollars for Doers (grants of $10 per hour of volunteer service by firm members) and Volunteer Vacations (community building trips across the U.S. and the globe). In November, 53 partners, staff and friends of the firm traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand to teach English to elementary students and learn about the regions history and culture. Story continues The Armanino Foundation is making an impactful difference in the communities that it supports, and CBRE is honored to be able to help in these initiatives, said Jeff Birnbaum, senior vice president, CBRE. It is our privilege to support the Armanino Foundation as they invest in a number of important, community enriching programs and services, said Alexander Mehran, Jr., chief executive officer and president, Sunset Development Company. About Armanino LLP Armanino LLP ( www.armaninollp.com ) is one of the 25 largest independent accounting and business consulting firms in the nation. Armanino provides an integrated set of audit, tax, business management, consulting and technology solutions to companies in the U.S. and globally. The firm helps clients adapt and change in every stage of business, from startup through rapid growth to the sale of a company. Armanino emphasizes smart technology, leading a cloud revolution of financial, operational, sales and compliance tools that are transforming the way companies do business. The firm extends its global services to more than 100 countries through its membership in Moore Global, one of the world's major accounting and consulting membership organizations. In addition to its core consulting and accounting practices, Armanino operates its division, AMF Media Group ( www.amfmediagroup.com ), a media and communications services agency. Its affiliate, Intersect Capital ( www.intersectcapitalllc.com ) is an independent financial planning, wealth and lifestyle management firm. Contacts: Kyle McGuire, AMF Media Group 925.790.2788 / Kyle@amfmediagroup.com Today, Iranian military general Qassem Suleimani was killed by a drone strike in Baghdad ordered by President Trump. Head of the Quds Force, a division of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Suleimani led battles against ISIS in Iraq. This follows the news of local protesters attacking the US Embassy in Iraq earlier this week. Suleimani's death has escalated tensions between Iraq and the United States. Adding insult to injury, Trump tweeted a picture of the American flag, which catalyzed Twitter users to circulate memes speculating on what they would do if World War III did in fact commence. #WWIII is trending as a result. However, the strained relations between Iraq, Iran and the United States prove this turn of events is no laughing matter. In U.S. cities with large Iranian populations, police departments are tweeting about increased surveillance to protect them from potential xenophobic and racist hate crimes. Los Angeles, home to almost half a million Iranians, more than anywhere outside of Iran, is one place issuing protective notices. Related | The Future of DACA Recipients Is Now in Supreme Court Hands Before adding fuel to the #WWIII fires starting online, here are some key points to keep in mind. Iran's supreme leader seeks vengeance on the U.S. On Friday, Iran's leaders issued vociferous calls stating their need for revenge against the U.S. for Suleimani's murder in an overnight airstrike at the Baghdad Airport. "His departure to God does not end his path or his mission, but a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader stated Friday after calling for three days of national mourning. All American citizens have been ordered to evacuate Iraq The U.S. Embassy has urged all Americans to leave Iraq as quickly as they can, because of "heightened tensions" in Baghdad. The U.S.-ordered drone strike also killed an Iraqi general Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed alongside Suleimani, was the deputy commander that oversaw Iraq's militia groups. He was a veteran of the Iraq War, and has been a lifelong ally to Iran. According to AP News , Iraqi leaders and citizens are now also calling for revenge against the U.S. The U.S. is trying to de-escalate the situation According to U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo tweeted a video earlier today stating that people were dancing in Iraq and thankful that Suleimani was no longer a threat. While the general public and diplomats in Britain, China and Germany were made aware of Trump's drone strike ; according to The New York Times , they are now trying to make sure that there is no retaliation that would put all countries at the brink of another world war. Additionally, Congresswoman Maxine Waters issued a statement condemning the president's actions, saying that while Iran is a "hostile adversary," war is not in the nation's best interests. "While no patriotic American laments the death of such a heinous individual [...], we cannot allow this president and his administration to take impulsive actions that needlessly escalate tensions and start a deadly war with Iran," she says. Harvey Weinstein says he's been in rehab since for two years and he blames the media for creating the 'public''s biggest misconception' of him ahead of his rape trial on Monday. The embattled media mogul, who recently underwent back surgery in December and has had to appear in court on a walker, made the statements in an email to CNN. 'The past two years have been grueling and have presented me with a great opportunity for self-reflection,' Weinstein said, answering select questions. 'I realize now that I was consumed with my work, my company and my drive for success. 'This caused me to neglect my family, my relationships and to lash out at the people around me. I have been in rehab since October 2017, and have been involved in a 12-step program and meditation. I have learned to give up my need for control.' Weinstein, who recently underwent back surgery in December and has had to appear in court on a walker, claimed to be in rehab since October 2017 Since allegations first sprang up about Weinstein in 2017, some 80 women have come forward and accused him of sexual abuse. His trial on Monday centers an allegation from a woman claiming he raped her in a New York hotel in 2013. The case will also focus on a woman who claimed he forcibly performed oral sex on her at his apartment in 2006. Other accusers will potentially be called to the stand as witnesses so they can provide insight to Weinstein's abusive behavior. His trial on Monday centers an allegation from a woman claiming he raped her in a New York hotel in 2013 But according to the film mogul, the media's attention to the allegations has increased people's misconceptions of him. ther accusers will potentially be called to the stand as witnesses so they can provide insight to Weinstein's abusive behavior (Weinstein pictured with Rose McGowan in 2007) 'The public's biggest misconceptions come from the assumptions that have been made through the help of media,' he stated. 'That is also all I can say on this for now.' Weinstein would not comment how he felt towards his accusers. Currently recovering from back surgery, Weinstein has been leaning on his 'family, friends and loved ones' leading up to trial 'to help me get through this.' And he has plans to 'focus on my children, (my) health and rest' if found guilty. 'If I can do something positive to advance the causes that I had always championed, I hope to find a way to do so,' he added. And while his movie studio - The Weinstein Company - is done for, Weinstein is optimistic that he will be able to eventually rebuild his career in the industry. 'It will take a bit of work to build back to it,' Weinstein wrote. 'If I can get back to doing something good and building places that help heal and comfort others, I intend to do so.' On Thursday, 25 women released a statement through Time's Up and called the upcoming criminal trial 'critical' In his spare time, Weinstein shared that he has time to 'read several books a week on history, politics and fiction.' But he asserted that his 'main focus' was proving his innocence and clearing his name. On Thursday, 25 women released a statement through Time's Up and called the upcoming criminal trial 'critical.' 'This trial is critical to show that predators everywhere will be held accountable and that speaking up can bring about real change,' their statement said. 'We refused to be silenced and will continue to speak out until this unrepentant abuser is brought to justice.' Last month, Weinstein has reached a tentative $25million civil settlement with dozens of his alleged sexual misconduct victims. 'This trial is critical to show that predators everywhere will be held accountable and that speaking up can bring about real change,' their statement said. 'We refused to be silenced and will continue to speak out until this unrepentant abuser is brought to justice' The president who once mused about a president attacking Iran to win reelection has now inched closer to war with Iran - in his own reelection year. But if President Donald Trump truly thinks a new war in the Middle East might help him win, he might want to think again. Ever since the controversial decision to kill a high-ranking Iranian military official in Baghdad on Thursday, Trump's critics have pointed anxiously to his past commentary on the politics of war with Iran. Trump repeatedly in 2011 and 2012 predicted Barack Obama would attack Iran because it was the only way he would be reelected. Trump was doubly wrong: The attack never came, and Obama won comfortably anyway. But as he confronts his own difficult reelection math and a standoff with Iran, it's worth considering whether Trump might be making a similar calculation for himself - however cynical that thought might be. What we can say at this point: There's little reason to believe it would help. Pollsters and political analysts often talk about a "rally around the flag" effect that comes when the United States is attacked or launches new military campaigns. And there is something to that. But it's often quite short-lived, and there's little evidence it has actually helped any recent president win reelection. The most recent example would be the Iraq War, which George W. Bush launched in March 2003. According to Gallup data, his approval rating increased from 58 percent just before the invasion to 71 percent immediately afterward. But it was back to 58 percent just four months later, and despite the capture of Saddam Hussein in late 2003, on the eve of the 2004 election it stood at 48 percent. Approval of the war was middling by then, with exit polls showing 51 percent approved of the decision to go to war, but 52 percent felt it was going "badly." While Bush won reelection, the war wasn't viewed as an asset, and it eventually became a black mark on his legacy. His father got an even bigger bump from his own decision to go to war in Iraq. After the launch of Operation Desert Storm in January 1991, George H.W. Bush's approval rating shot up from 64 percent to 82 percent - and eventually to an astounding 89 percent after the success of the mission became fully evident. He even got a three-minute standing ovation in a March 1991 address to Congress. At the time, it was scaring potential Democratic opponents away, with one poll showing Bush leading then-New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, the supposed great Democratic hope, by 62 points. Democrats were "fairly resigned to the idea that the 1992 presidential election was decided during Operation Desert Storm," The Washington Post's Mary McGrory wrote in mid-March 1991. The bump was gone by October 1991, though, and Bush was under 50 percent by January 1992, a year after the war's launch. He stayed there until losing reelection to Bill Clinton. Lyndon Johnson won the 1964 presidential race after assuming the presidency in 1963 and the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which formalized U.S. involvement in Vietnam, in August 1964. But he didn't realize any noticeable bounce from the entry into the war shortly before the election, and he was already hugely popular, with an approval rating above 70 percent. The war soon bogged down his first full term, and he opted not to seek reelection in 1968 in large part because of Vietnam. On a smaller scale, the invasion of Granada in October 1983 doesn't seem to have moved the needle for Ronald Reagan, even as he easily won reelection in 1984. His approval rating ticked up over 50 percent afterward, but as Gallup notes, that appeared to owe to a terrorist explosion that killed 241 American Marines in Beirut the same month and, perhaps most importantly, a surging economy. Today, there is little evidence of a desire for war with Iran. A Gallup poll in July showed just 18 percent favored military action there, and that number only went up to 42 percent if diplomatic efforts failed to shut down Iran's nuclear program. Another poll showed 57 percent opposed military action unless Iran attacked the United States first. Those numbers could always change with the circumstances; at the time of the July poll, for example, the most recent major event was Iran sending fuel products to Syria. But there is little reason to believe a new war would create such a rallying effect. One reason is war fatigue from the prolonged efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan - events that Trump himself has said epitomize the need to get out of the Middle East. The other is the fact that almost nothing has moved Trump's approval rating. It has stood in the high 30s or low 40s for pretty much his entire tenure. Combine that with the amount of time until the election and the unpredictability of war with a developed country like Iran, and history suggests that Trump might want to reflect on how wrong he was in 2011 and 2012. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: The number of tourists from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan visiting Turkey amounted to 21,605 people and 20,582 people respectively in November 2019, which is 10 percent and 37.4 percent more compared to the same period of last year, Turkeys Ministry of Culture and Tourism told Trend. The share of Turkmen citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in November 2019 amounted to 1 percent, whereas share of Uzbeks visiting Turkey was 0.9 percent. The ministry added that from January through November 2019, over 277,605 tourists from Turkmenistan visited Turkey, which is 19.2 percent more compared to the same period of 2018. In turn, number of Uzbek citizens who visited Turkey over the period from January through November amounted to 235,002 people, which is 3.2 percent more than during the same period of last year. Share of Turkmen citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey amounted to 0.7 percent during 11 months, whereas share of Uzbeks visiting Turkey was 0.6 percent. In November 2019, 2.1 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 11.4 percent more compared to November 2018, a source in the ministry said. From January through November 2019, 42.9 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 14.3 percent more compared to the same period of 2018, the ministry said. Over the first 11 months of 2019, over 14.4 million tourists visited Antalya, and over 13.7 million tourists visited Istanbul, while over 14.6 million tourists visited the other Turkish cities. --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh When it comes to balancing personal and professional life, Priyanka Chopra and her hubby Nick Jonas are quite a pro at it. Recently, the couple enjoyed a beach vacation with their family and later, Priyanka even penned an emotional note for the quality time she spent with her near and dear ones. The Sky Is Pink actress shared some glimpses from her family vacation on the beach and wrote, "Grateful for family and friends that make everything better. The friends around us and the ones away from us.. you were missed! I cannot wait to start this new year with all of you in our lives." Have a look at it here. In one of the pictures, the lovebirds are standing on their knees and Nick is kissing Priyanka on the cheeks. The other picture has the cute couple and their family with their back towards the camera, gazing into the sea. Priyanka Chopra had earlier shared some more pictures from this beach vacation. One of the clicks had the couple gazing at vast sea as the sun shone upon the waters. The second snap featured the 'desi girl' enjoying a glass of drink and chilling by the beachside. Meanwhile, 'NickYanka' welcomed the New Year 2020 with a kiss on the stage at the Jonas Brothers' concert in Florida. Talking about work, Priyanka will be next seen in the Netflix film, The White Tiger where she will be sharing screen space with Rajkummar Rao for the first time. The project is an adaptation of Aravind Adiga's best-selling novel by the same name. Priyanka Chopra And Nick Jonas' New Year 2020 Party Looked So Much Fun; Check Photos Here Priyanka Chopra And Nick Jonas Get Cozy On The Beach; Their Vacation Pics Are Droolworthy! Amid the tense situation in Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla was spotted at the site on Saturday amid a gathering of several Pakistanis. Visuals show a leader addressing the media declaring that there will be no unscheduled protests as it was their own land. Moreover, as he started talking about the minorities in Pakistan, Chawla who was seen standing behind him is seen instructing the media to shut their cameras. Kartarpur Corridor: Succumbing under pressure, Pakistan removes Khalistani radical Gopal Singh Chawala from Pak Sikh body SGPC To Send 4-member Delegation To Pak Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines, will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation following a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Announcing the decision, SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal appealed to the Pakistan government to take strict action against culprits. He added, " The delegation will also meet Pakistan's Punjab Governor and Chief Minister." Pakistan releases Kartarpur song with pro-Khalistani leaders' pictures Nankana Sahib attacked Earlier on Friday, a video emerged of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals show that the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the Gurudwara which is the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources report that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. Sources report that the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurdwara till the mob was dispersed by Pakistan police. Pakistan has claimed that it was a misunderstanding between two groups of Muslim residents. Attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara: SGPC to send 4-member delegation to Pak India condemns Nankana Sahib attack Shortly after, India stated its concern for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External affairs. Furthermore, it added that these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place is condemnable and called upon the Pakistan government to act on it. Several political parties like BJP, AAP, Trinamool and Congress have condemned the attack with several protests held by the Sikh community in front of the Pakistan Embassy. India condemns Nankana Sahib Gurudwara attack, asks Pak govt to ensure safety of Sikhs EDWARDSVILLE A former Madison County public defender with no license avoided jail time Friday after pleading guilty to false impersonation of an attorney. Kelcie M. Miller, 26, formerly of Edwardsville now of Shelbyville, was sentenced to 30 months probation and ordered to pay more than $40,000 of restitution, as part of the plea agreement. She had been free on $100,000 bond since late May. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped charges of felony theft and forgery. Her original charges, which also included forgery carried a possible sentence of up to 15 years. Prosecutors say Millers work under the false pretenses cost the county more than $40,000 in pay and benefits. The fraud she perpetrated not only cost the courts Madison County, but, most importantly, it was a breach of trust of her clients and the people of Madison County, said Lead States Attorney Crystal Uhe, who prosecuted the case. Her case is not reflective of the great work of the rest of the Madison County Public Defenders Office. I am pleased that the restitution ordered in this case will force Ms. Miller to pay back all of the moneyMs. Miller cost the taxpayers of Madison County, Uhe said. Uhe said all the defendants who were in custody when the case was charged May 30 have been brought back to court to have their cases heard. All the defendants who were out of custody were notified that they could have another hearing if they desired, she said. Public Defender John Rekowski previously told members of the Madison County Boards Judiciary Committee that only one of those defendants requested a renegotiation of their plea. Miller worked on approximated 80 cases between Oct. 29, 2018, and May 24, 2019, according to the charging document. A judge this summer discovered Miller was not licensed when looking up the correct spelling of her first name. She had failed several attempts at taking the Illinois BAR exam. Miller and her attorney declined to comment to a Telegraph reporter Friday. She had been found mentally fit for trial in August by Dr. Daniel Cuneo. The forgery charge, which was dropped as part of Fridays plea agreement, alleged Miller produced falsified documents on May 20, apparently after being confronted about the status of her credentials and texting a fake license to Rekowski. A felony theft charge also was dropped. Rekowski had said she told them in February she was attending a funeral but was actually taking a make-up bar exam in Chicago. She failed that exam. If she had passed in February, we probably wouldnt have caught it, he said. When she failed in February everything unraveled. Associated Judge Ron Slemer informed Miller at Fridays hearing that she could work out a payment plan with the probation department. Additionally, two people waiting in line to get into the dispensary were taken to the hospital for foot injuries that occurred when the police vehicle that was hit pushed into the line of people. The driver of the car and one of his five passengers were also transported to a nearby hospital after suffering head injuries. They also were treated and released, Fagiano said. On Friday, protests erupted outside Kota's JK Lon Hospital over the death of over 100 infants. Around 104 infant deaths have been reported from government-run JK Lon Hospital all within a span of one month sending a wave of shock across the state and the nation. Seeing no strong statements of assurance, protestors reached the hospital in anger, around a dozen were even detained. According to the police, the detention was carried out as a precautionary measure and to maintain law and order in the area. Read: CM Gehlot invites Health Min Harsh Vardhan to Kota, to dispel politics over infant deaths "The police detained a few people who disrupted the peaceful environment in the hospital. This has been carried out to maintain law and order," said Rajesh Kumar, Kota Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) Read: Don't politicise, says Rajasthan CM as Kota infant toll hits 103; invites Central team 'Media creating an issue' Following the constant flak that the Congress-led Rajasthan government has been facing, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that the media was creating an issue out of this along with political parties who were blowing it up. Previously he had stated that the number of infant deaths in the state is the lowest as compared to the previous 5-6 years. "The situation has been improving for many years. Excellent medical arrangements are available in the hospitals," said the Chief Minister. He also went on to shift the focus of the issue to BJP. "There have been more deaths of children during the BJP and they say that our Congress is falling short in governance." Read: Kota infant deaths: DCW Chairperson compares situation to Gorakpur; says 'heart is pained' 'Rajasthan CM should be sacked' On Friday, strong statements were passed by BSP Supremo Mayawati against Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot asking him "to resign" over the 100 infants in Kota's JK Lon Hospital. The BSP supremo also went on to demand the Rajasthan CM to be "sacked." "This is highly shameful," Mayawati said in a tweet. She demanded that Gehlot be dismissed and replaced by a new dispensation otherwise more women will lose their children. Read: Kota deaths: Mayawati demands sacking of Rajasthan CM People have been talking about the Primera Linea since the very start of the popular uprising in Chile back in October. The young people who make up this group regularly clash with police during protests, often dressed up as superheroes from the Marvel universe. They say their aim is to protect the protesters, but some say their methods are too violent. The Primera Linea are easy to identify amongst Chiles protesters with their protective helmets, coloured scarves and handmade shields. They appear in many photos taken in Santiagos Plaza Italia, which the protesters rebaptized Plaza de la Dignidad (Dignity Square). The group doesn't have a leader and has come together throughout the course of the protests. Members of Primera Linea call themselves "revolutionary" and say their aim is to protect the protesters from police violence and allow them to exercise their right to protest safely. This is a real concern. More than 2,000 people have been injured by police since the start of the protests. Indeed, two weeks after the demonstrations began, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera declared that his country was "at war against a powerful, relentless enemy that doesnt respect anyone or anything." Videos of clashes between the Chilean police, nicknamed les carabineros, and Primera Linea have circulated online. "Epic! Primera Linea rush to the aid of one of their members. He sure gives him a kick haha" "Long live Primera Linea! Long live Chile!" As the name, which means "front line" indicates, members of Primera Linea construct barricades out of rocks, pieces of sheet metal and tyres to prevent the police from reaching the protesters. Both men and women participate; the young men often go shirtless. During confrontations with the police, they arm themselves with slingshots and batons and rip up bits of tarmac to throw. Sometimes they lob homemade molotov cocktails at the police. Some members, paradoxically known as "bombers", are tasked with defusing the tear gas canisters thrown the carabineros with a mixture of water and baking soda. Story continues "When you thought there were no more heroes in Chile. The criminals in suits get away with whatever they want. Theyd steal everything, right down to the water we drink. They managed to place one of their own in La Moneda [Editors note: The presidential palace]. But there are still heroes. They appear just when we need them most. Heroes are always on the front line." Other photos show members of Primera Linea with green lasers, trying to temporarily blind members of the security forces a technique borrowed from Hong Kong protesters. "I cant stop myself from playing this song when I see videos like this showing the light sabres carried by the jedis who are members of Primera Linea." On social media, some people refer to Primera Linea as superheroes, a concept reinforced by the tendency of group members to wear clothing or symbols referencing Captain America, Iron Man or Spider Man. On December 24, a video game featuring Primera Linea was launched. "Drink your coffee in honour of these guys!" "When I grow up, Ill be a member of Primera Linea," this poster reads. "They allow us to protest safely" Leo Vieyra, age 43, regularly takes part in protests. His says that Primera Linea knew what to do to get peoples support: At first, people were very influenced by the image of Primera Linea in traditional media outlets, which often have close ties to the government. So they thought they were all hooligans. But when they participated in protests, people started to realise that Primera Linea helped everyone else protest safely. They block the police from advancing and protect us from repression. From what I observed during the protests, they showed immense courage and were very organized. Sadly, many of these young people are among those who were injured, some severely. Since the start of the protests, severe human rights violations have occurred in Chile, according to reports by several organisations. For example, a total of 347 people have sustained serious eye injuries with some losing vision permanently, according to the most recent report, published on December 23 by the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH). A report by the United Nations has denounced the "indiscriminate and inappropriate" use of pellet guns during protests that are, for the most part, peaceful. The UN report said that lead pellets were fired in numerous cases in the immediate vicinity of protesters. "This reminds many people of repression under the military dictatorship of Pinochet" Maria Fernanda Barrera Rodriguez, who is originally from Chile, is a researcher in sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She says that many people appreciate the Primera Linea because the memory of life under the military dictatorship is still fresh in their minds. The accounts that people have given of being tortured and the violation of human rights that is ongoing reminds many people of the repression under the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). The memories of this era still haunt Chileans and they came flooding back when a curfew was imposed at the start of the movement and the army was deployed. In Chile, those are very symbolic gestures. This isnt the first time in Chilean history that a group has tried to protect protesters, though they have never before worn superhero costumes. Ale Borquez Bravo used to lead student protests. He took part in a series of protests at Chilean universities in 2015 and has also been a part of the most recent wave of protests. He says that the popularity of Primera Linea is a direct result of the increase in police violence. Theres always been a kind of front line that protects protesters in Chile. It was necessary because, over the past few years, all of the protest movements have been repressed in an attempt to uphold an illusion of democracy. Faced with that reality, there have always been people on the front lines who come face to face wth the security forces and do their best to keep the protests peaceful. Without them, we wouldnt have achieved any gains in the past and we wouldnt have been able to mobilise such large numbers of people. Institutional brutality didnt just appear over the past few months, it was just less visible before. These days, there are more of us in the streets so the violence has become more widespread. "We are talking about bullets on one side and wooden spoons on the other" However, not everyone agrees with what Primera Linea is doing. Some supporters of the current regime as well as people who consider themselves non-partisan criticise the group virulently on social media. They say Primera Linea's methods are too aggressive and call them hooligans. They accuse them of being behind looting that occurred right at the beginning of the movement. "These men are the real front line. The others are just a caricature of a third-world show" Magdalena Ortega, the director of training and public service for IdeaPais research centre,is not a fan of the Primera Linea. She has been calling for an end to what she says is a "normalisation of violence". She advocates for working within the system. We need to put a stop to these romantic notions that Primera Linea are heroes that fight for the people. In reality, these young people are victims of the violence that has become normalised in Chile. I think that there are other solutions. The police need reforms and we should do that by working through the appropriate channels. IdeaPais researcher Maria Fernanda Barrera Rodriguez says that it is impossible to compare police violence with the actions of Primera Linea. I think it is a mistake to compare police violence with the actions carried out by Primera Linea. The police are supposedly armed with non-lethal weapons but they have mutilated more than 300 people and killed protesters. We are talking about bullets on one side and wooden spoons and pots on the other. I think it is more important to question why people are willing to lose their eyes or even their lives by protesting. According to the Chilean prosecutors office, 26 protesters were killed on November 20 and, in a least four cases, officers of the law were directly implicated in the deaths. During a protest held on December 27, a member of Primera Linea died after falling and being electrocuted. The circumstances surrounding the death are still unknown. As for the police, 94 officers were injured that same day. "Members of Primera Linea gather where one of their members fell the night before" In another case, legal proceedings were launched on December 21 against a police officer who was driving and hit a 20-year-old protester. There are photos of the incident below. The people protesting in Chile are frustrated by the inequalities in this country, where 1% posses a third of the countrys wealth. They want better access to education and healthcare and are angry about the increased cost of living in the country. The movement was sparked by the increase in metro tickets in Santiago. Article by Syrine Attia (@Syrine_Attia) SALT LAKE CITY When Nalini Nadkarni was a kid, shed run home from school, climb into one of the eight maple trees in her parents backyard and spend an afternoon there with an apple and a book. That time in the treetops set the tone for the rest of her life: Shes now a forest ecologist at the University of Utah whos dedicated her career to studying rain forest canopies. Shes also always looking for new ways to get people interested in science, from fashion made with nature imagery to science lectures at the state prison. Ive tried for years and years to bring the science I do and understand to people outside of academia, she said. Her childhood memories made her particularly interested in reaching children. After her own 6-year-old daughter asked for a Barbie, Nadkarni decided to re-fashion the dolls as a scientist-explorer in rubber boots rather than high heels. Lots of girls, and some little boys, love Barbie, Nadkarni said. Its almost aspirational, they want to be Barbie. That was about 15 years ago. Nadkarni said Barbie-maker Mattel wasnt interested in the idea then, so she decided to redo dolls herself, using gear she collected. She scoured thrift stores and eBay for Barbie dolls and enlisted help from volunteer seamstresses. She called the creation Treetop Barbie and began selling them at cost on her website. Last year, Mattel began working with National Geographic to create a new line of scientist Barbies. Nadkarni has a longstanding relationship with National Geographic, so when the nonprofit reached out for help, she quickly agreed. Nadkarni joined a team of female scientists advising Mattel as it made the line of dolls that includes a marine biologist, astrophysicist, photojournalist, conservationist and entomologist. Sales began in the summer. As a thank-you, Mattel sent Nadkarni a one-of-a-kind doll with tree-climbing gear and full dark hair woven with strands of white that made the doll resemble the scientist. For Nadkarni, the companys investment in the dolls reflects a broader cultural shift toward recognizing women in science, math and technology that could spark an appreciation for science even among kids who dont end up entering the field. Mattel said in a statement that the purpose of Barbie dolls for the last 60 years has been to inspire the limitless potential in every girl, pointing out that Barbie was portrayed in other science and math careers long before the new line, including as an astronaut in 1965. Barbie allows girls to try on new roles through storytelling by showing them they can be anything and, through our partnership with National Geographic, girls can now imagine themselves as an astrophysicist, polar marine biologist and more, said Lisa McKnight, general manger of Barbie Dolls for Mattel. Its not known, though, how career Barbies might affect kids aspirations. A 2014 study by Oregon State University found that girls who played with the dolls told researchers they could do fewer jobs than boys even if they played with a doctor Barbie. The study didnt examine the girls reasoning, but researchers speculated that Barbie might be an inherently sexualized doll, said associate professor Aurora Sherman, who worked on the paper. Putting the same doll in a professional outfit probably wont do much to change perceptions about what women can do, she said. But it might help to use it as a starting point for conversations about women in science and math. Its really going to depend on how that doll is experienced, and what adults are doing to drive home that message, she said. Barbies status gives the doll cultural sway, and the new dolls have the potential to normalize the idea of women in science and engineering, said Kris Macomber, a sociology professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. Barbie sales have been increasing as the becomes available in different body shapes and careers, but theres only so much a toy can do to change broader attitudes about what professions chosen by girls as they grow up, she said. Barbie does not hold all the power to change culture, Macomber said. But it does contribute. Lindsay Whitehurst is an Associated Press writer. She was banned from driving for a year and fined 200. An over-the-limit motorist caught at 6am thought she was okay to drive after stopping drinking at midnight at a house-warming party where she had gone to see if she could beat agoraphobia. Eleanor Stewart (56), of Brustin Brae Road outside Larne, was spoken to by police at the nearby Old Glenarm Road on December 7, 2019. At Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday, she pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol in her breath. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath and the defendant had a reading of 40. A defence solicitor said that Stewart had a previously clear record. He said that she had gone to a friends house-warming to see how she would cope with agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is defined as a fear of entering open or crowded places, of leaving ones own home, or of being in places from which escape is difficult. She was banned from driving for a year and fined 200. Administrative documents signed by Nguyen dynasty Kings (1802 -1945) were recognised as a UNESCO world documentary heritage. Works on display at the exhibition include more than 100 documents and papers that have the autographs of 10 Nguyen dynasty kings, providing viewers with a better understanding of the literary and calligraphic styles, thoughts and opinions of the kings about specific issues. The exhibits also provide a reference source of a type of administrative document of Vietnam in the past while revealing fascinating information on the countrys social life from early 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. Hosted by the State Records and Archives Department, the exhibition is open to the public for free at the National Archives Centre No.1s exhibition house, 5 Vu Pham Ham street, Cau Giay district. Irans cyber troops long have been among the worlds most capable and aggressive disrupting banking, hacking oil companies, even trying to take control of a dam from afar while typically stopping short of the most crippling possible actions, say experts on the countrys capabilities. But Fridays American airstrike that killed one of Irans top generals, Quds Force Commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, now threatens to unleash a fully unshackled Iranian response, analysts and former U.S. officials warned. They said a variety of potential cyber-attacks, possibly in conjunction with more traditional forms of lethal action, would be well within the digital arsenal of a nation that has vowed severe revenge. At this point, a cyber-attack should be expected, said Jon Bateman, a former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst on Irans cyber capabilities and now a cybersecurity fellow for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The range of possible tactics is long: The Iranians can overwhelm computerized systems to snarl business operations, as they did to U.S. banks from 2011 to 2013. They can also use malicious software to wipe out data, as they reportedly did in 2014 to the Las Vegas Sands casino, whose staunchly pro-Israel owner Sheldon Adelson had suggested the United States drop nuclear bombs on Iran. Arch-rival Saudi Arabias oil giant Aramco suffered a similar fate in 2012, when a cyber-attack reportedly emanating from Iran wiped out the memories of tens of thousands of computers, crimping oil production. The companys frantic efforts to recover reportedly drove up the price of hard drives worldwide. Hackers with ties to Tehran can potentially hijack crucial machinery over the Internet, a tactic they experimented with at a New York state dam, whose control systems they penetrated in 2013. Or they could target sensitive political or diplomatic targets while mounting sophisticated information operations over Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. Last October, Microsoft accused a group tied to the countrys government of attempting to identify, attack and breach personal email accounts associated with a U.S. presidential campaign, government officials and journalists. And while the most appealing targets are likely to be in the U.S. homeland given Irans history of staging visible, politically potent attacks linked thematically to their grievances, it may be easier to strike U.S. military or diplomatic targets abroad, or similar targets in allied nations. Cyber-security expert James Lewis recently compiled a list of suspected Iranian hacks, cyber-attacks and online spying incidents and was surprised to find 14 reported last year alone. The list included hacks aimed at the Trump campaign, telecommunications systems in Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, and intrusions into employee accounts of companies making and operating industrial control systems. Iranians also reportedly used LinkedIn to target users affiliated with Middle Eastern governments and workers within the financial and energy industries. They have enough capability that they dont need to ask, Can we do this? said Lewis, a senior vice president for the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Its, Do you want to do this? Experts tracking online disinformation said Friday they had already seen suspicious, early signs of accounts pivoting to push messages sympathetic to the Iranian government. Some potentially suspect accounts on Instagram, for example, started tagging the White House in images featuring flag-draped coffins, according to the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab. Meanwhile, apparently bogus claims of an airstrike at the Ain Al-Asad airbase, which hosts U.S. forces in western Iraq, were spreading in hardline Iranian media outlets, as well as on services including Twitter and Telegram, according to researchers. This is a new era, said Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent who chaired the countering foreign influence subcommittee of the Department of Homeland Securitys advisory council. We always had controlled escalation policies with Iranians. Now these rules dont exist, and the Iranians are going to usher in an era of unrestrained responses an era thats going to be filled with even more chaos. Those responses, Soufan added, are likely to include cyber activities, as well as disinformation, which already saturates political and military conflict in the Middle East. They have so many tools to make our existence in the Middle East and our interests and the interest of our allies really under threat. Almost a year to the day before President Donald Trump ordered the attack on Soleimani, federal officials issued a sober assessment of Irans cyber prowess: A January 2019 intelligence report highlighted the country as an espionage and attack threat, with the ability to target U.S. officials, steal intelligence and disrupt a large companys corporate network for days to weeks. Irans cyber capabilities rank below those of Russia and China. But they have advanced significantly since 2010, the time of the discovery that a joint Israeli-U.S. operation had installed malicious software known as Stuxnet that destroyed centrifuges crucial to Irans nuclear ambitions. Since then, U.S. officials blame Iran for cyber attacks on dozens of Saudi governmental and private-sector networks in late 2016 and early 2017, and warn that targets in the United States similarly could be at risk. An Iran bent on a visible, painful form of revenge could attempt several retaliatory actions in cyber-space, possibly as part of a broader campaign to drive American forces out of Iraq and enlist proxies and allies in wounding U.S. interests here and abroad. The focus will be critical infrastructure oil and gas in the Middle East, maybe elsewhere, said John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis for the cybersecurity company FireEye, adding that past operations have targeted the American financial sector. Anywhere where they can cause serious, almost psychological effects, noticeable disruption. The purpose is to prove to the public that they can reach out and touch Americans. At the Department of Homeland Security, a top official said Friday that businesses and others should brush up on Iranian cyber tactics. Christopher Krebs, who leads DHSs cybersecurity work, pointed to the agencys past warnings that Iran is looking to do much more than just steal data and money. DHS did not respond to further request for comment. Neither did the White House. We know that Iranian cyber operations are currently scoping and preparing to attack our networks in all sectors of society to see where they can hit us, said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. In recent years, malicious actors tied to Iran, or to the countrys leaders, also have intensified their operations on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. Through fake accounts some of which masqueraded as journalists and even U.S. political figures they pushed messages sympathetic to Tehrans interests, at times opposing Trump. Any time you get geopolitical tensions, you get an uptick in disinformation operations, said Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, a social media analysis firm. Over the past two years, Facebook has announced six major Iran-related takedowns involving more than 1,800 accounts, pages, and groups on its site and on Instagram, reaching five million users globally, according to an analysis of the companys public statements. Twitter, meanwhile, has taken down thousands of accounts linked to Iran that had violated its rules. Irans efforts differ from those of Russia, which sought to stoke social and political unrest in the United States during the 2016 election. Russia intends to engage in, and infiltrate, communities online, and is politically agnostic, targeting users and causes across the spectrum, said Graham Brookie, the leader of the Atlantic Councils DFRLab. Iran, by contrast, presents a very specific worldview and has tended to try to persuade others to their side, he said, particularly with anti-Israel, anti-U.S. and anti-Saudi messages. Brookie said DFRLab already has seen social media accounts that were previously used for economic purposes, like selling sneakers, immediately repurposed for co-ordinated messaging that aligns directly with the Iranian government. This is another large and effective proxy front we should expect escalation on, he added. On messaging apps, duelling narratives were already taking shape, according to Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute who was monitoring about 100,000 Persian-language channels on Telegram. Using regime-supporting channels, such as Young soldiers of the soft war, users were circulating images of Soleimanis body and portraying the U.S. as an evil force that just committed an act of terrorism. The government has a handful of options in addressing the elevated threat, experts said. These include aiming to track and intercept cyber operations as theyre developing, akin to efforts to predict and blunt maneuvering on the battlefield. Another imperative, they said, is sharing information with private businesses, which could end up bearing the brunt of the risk. The experts said it was difficult to predict what an Iranian offensive in cyberspace would look like, given how quickly capabilities are evolving. But they pointed to certain precedents, including the 2017 cyberattacks targeting government ministries, banks and companies in Ukraine. The operation, blamed on Russia by Western officials, had global ramifications and was described by the White House as the most destructive and costly cyber-attack in history. While the U.S. has more extensive defences, those remain untested against aggressive Iranian tactics. Iran has used their cyber-capabilities in a somewhat restrained way, said Robert Knake, a former cybersecurity director at the National Security Council, now at the Council on Foreign Relations. Whether that holds after this (U.S.) attack, is difficult to say. Read more about: Submitted to the Tribune BAD AXE -- The Knights of Columbus, Council 1546 in Bad Axe sponsored their Annual Spelling Contest with the Bad Axe High School hosting Level Two, grades seven, eight and ninth in their media center. Bad Axe Middle School hosted Level One, grades fourth, fifth and sixth in one of their classrooms. For Level Two, 48 students began round one, 18 students were in round two, nine students were in round three and the fourth and last round began with six students. The winner was Clare Batzer, first runner up was Joey Brade, second runner up was Lincoln Stevens and third runner up was Kyra Beaver. For Level One, five students began the competition. The winner was Kaiden Harris, first runner up was Rayleigh McKimmy, second runner up was Miraya Verma and third runner up was Cody Palmer. Cash prizes were awarded for each level: The winners each earned $50, first runners up received $20, second runners up received $15 and third runners up received $10. The two winners and all six of the runners up go on to Diocesan Youth Competition Sunday, Feb. 16 at Merrill Community. The Bad Axe Knights of Columbus would like to extend special thanks both to the high school and middle school for their warm hospitality in hosting this special event, especially teacher, Mindy Breault, principals Kurt Dennis and Pete Batzer, the office staff at each school, contest facilitator Ester Evans and judges Jim Santini and Tom Laity and all of the students who participated. Tim Messing was chairman of this event for the Knights of Columbus, with assistance from Ray Geiger. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 05:28:07|Editor: zh Video Player Close Photo taken on Jan. 4, 2020 shows the construction site of the Central Business District (CBD) in the country's new administrative capital, some 50 km east of Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) by Mahmoud Fouly CAIRO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) contributes to enhancing the modernization process of Egypt via its ongoing construction of a 20-tower business district in the country's new administrative capital city, some 50 km east of Cairo, said the chief of CSCEC branch in Egypt. "The under-construction new administrative capital is considered a milestone in Egypt's development and modernization, and the Central Business District (CBD) being built by CSCEC is one of the most important projects of the new capital," Chang Weicai, general manager of CSCEC Egypt, told Xinhua on Saturday. Chang's remarks came after his reception of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang at the construction site, where he accompanied them in a tour at the Iconic Tower, one of the CBD's 20 towers all of which are currently under construction. "Since the beginning of the CBD construction, the Egyptian prime minister has visited the site about seven times, which shows how important the project is to the Egyptian government," Chang said. "The Egyptian prime minister also witnessed the mass concrete pouring of the Iconic Tower base in late February 2019. He attentively follows up the progress of the Iconic Tower erection and he has full confidence in our company's completion of the project successfully," Chang told Xinhua. The deal for the CBD project was signed in January 2016 in the presence of the Egyptian and Chinese leaders and CSCEC officially started the project in May 2018. "In the second half of 2021, we will start delivering the 20 buildings one by one. By 2022, we will deliver the whole project with a completed construction area of about 1,900,000 square meters," said the general manager. The would-be 385-meter high 80-floor Iconic Tower is expected to be the tallest skyscraper in Egypt and Africa upon completion. "In the Iconic Tower, we have finished constructing 16 floors with a 100-merter height. The construction speed rate at the tower has reached 5.5 or six days per floor. The tower is expected to be 385 meters high by the end of 2020," Chang pointed out. He explained that the CBD project is jointly carried out by Egyptian and Chinese hands. "We have about 800 Egyptian engineers, 4,000 Egyptian workers, 800 Chinese engineers and 1,000 Chinese workers who are currently working in the project," said the Chinese manager, noting that CSCEC has cooperated with about 100 Egyptian local companies so far. Chang stressed that Egypt is among the most important countries located on the routes of the China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that seeks common development via win-win partnerships, hailing Egypt's vital strategic location as well as its political stability. He noted that CSCEC entered the Egyptian market 35 years ago and it would like to make use of the golden chance for Egypt's economic development to take part in residential and also economic constructions in Egypt. "Egypt now has a golden chance for economic development, and the CBD joint project embodies both China's BRI and Egypt's Vision 2030 for future development," added the general manager. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 02:08:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Palestinian policemen stand guard next to pictures of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani during a mourning ceremony held in Gaza City, Jan. 4, 2020. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday that the United States is responsible for the consequences of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Zarif made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Iran does not seek tensions in the region, but the presence of foreign forces is the cause of instability, insecurity and tensions in our sensitive region, Zarif said, according to official IRNA news agency. During the meeting, both sides discussed bilateral, regional and international issues, including those related to assassination of the Iranian commander. Al Thani expressed his concerns about the regional condition after U.S. recent developments and urged the sides for de-escalating tensions. The visit by Qatari official comes a day after the United States army assassinated the Iranian senior general in Baghdad. Qatari Foreign Ministry has urged both Iran and the United States to exercise self-restraint amid the escalating tensions and to prevent from "taking Iraq and the region into endless violence." The less popular routes are the ones that go by schools? Yes. Some of (the students) get loud. I just talk to them. Hey, can you hold your language? I dont yell at them. If you give people respect, most likely youre going to get it back and thats what I do to the students. I always use please. Whats hard for new drivers to learn? When they first get in the bus, they are intimidated. Thats a lot of weight. Our biggest issue with the new people coming in training is them turning, because that bus is 40 feet. You cant just make a turn. Youve got to set yourself up. Do you train drivers to be friendly? Thats one thing we try to instill in their minds. If youre not a people person, youre going to have to get in that mode. Because if you dont interact with people youre going to get some bad vibes and your day is just going to be screwed up. Have you ever had a problem on the bus where it required you getting up or talking to people or even calling police? I awoke around 7:30 A.M., turned on the TV, and flipped through channels. I briefly stopped on CNN and MSNBC. True to form, both fake news outlets were lying. They were selling the lie that by killing Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani, Trump had recklessly put the U.S. in danger. While I realize that fake news media's mission is to spin everything to make Trump look mean, incompetent, and insane, it is amazing that they never take a break, laser-focused on destroying Trump 24/7. Ninety-two percent of media coverage of Trump is negative, designed to have him removed from office. Thank God we have a president who places American lives above politics. In response to Iran-backed raiders attacking our U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Trump said, "This will not be Benghazi." Allow me to succinctly explain what Trump is talking about by referencing Benghazi. It was re-election time for Obama. His administration was spreading the narrative that Obama had fixed terrorism, making it no longer a threat. As another 9/11 anniversary approached, Ambassador Christopher Stevens at our U.S. embassy in Benghazi alerted the Obama administration to his concerns about a possible terrorist attack. Ambassador Stevens requested extra security. His request was denied because adding more security would undermine Obama's narrative that terrorism is over. Consequently, our U.S. embassy was attacked and overwhelmed, and Ambassador Stevens was raped and killed, his mutilated dead body paraded through the streets. So rather than celebrating President Trump for immediately stepping up to protect American lives in our U.S. embassy in Baghdad, fake news media rushed to spread the lie that Trump behaved irresponsibly. Folks, these people in fake news media are scum of the earth. They don't give a rat's derriere about American lives or our nation's best interest. Fake news media and their Democrat counterparts are laser-focused, obsessed with removing Trump, punishing his supporters, and repealing our constitutional power. If they can get rid of their major stumbling block, Donald J. Trump, they can transform America into their socialist and godless dream. Folks, we must defeat this wicked enemy within by kicking butt in November. Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American Help Lloyd spread the Truth http://LloydMarcus.com Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan rebuked local critics, calling them homegrown geopoliticians who became vocal in connection with the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. In his account, the prime minister, without giving names and events, wrote that in Armenia, there are institutions that are able to monitor and analyze the situation and, if necessary, to act accordingly. "The Republic of Armenia, its citizens and numerous tourists of our country should behave as usual. And I will give only one advice to homegrown geopoliticians sowing panic: sit still," the prime minister wrote, assuring that all the necessary instructions have already been given, Sputnik Armenia reports. Recall, yesterday, comments appeared in Facebook that the Armenian authorities allegedly stay indifferent to regional processes, in particular, to a new round of escalation of the situation in the Middle East. The commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was killed yesterday as a result of the helicopter raid of the US armed forces: he was in a car heading from the Baghdad airport. The Pentagon officially confirmed its involvement in the special operation, announcing that the attack was carried out by order of President Donald Trump. On New Year's Eve, December 31, Shiite groups attacked the US Embassy in Baghdad, and Washington is sure the attack was organized by Soleimani. On Thursday, 207 members of Congressall but two of whom are Republicansasked the Supreme Court to abolish the constitutional right to abortion access. Conservative lawmakers have been requesting the reversal of Roe v. Wade since 1986, but Thursdays brief boasts a record number of signatories, as well as an argument that might just work this time. It claims that Roe and its progeny should be overruled because they created an unworkable standard that courts cannot apply sensibly or consistently. That assertion is a cynical attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the courts abortion jurisprudence. It is a lie designed to nab the vote of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. And it is the lie that may kill Roe. Advertisement Anti-abortion activists have been trying to persuade the court to abandon Roe since the decision came down in 1973. Their latest strategy is rooted in the fact that lower courts have interpreted the Supreme Courts abortion rulings differently. That is no surprise, since judges frequently disagree about the precise meaning of precedent. Yet the lawmakers brief exploits this disagreement to claim that Roe must be eradicated. If conflicting understandings of SCOTUS precedent rendered that precedent invalid, then countless decisions would be on the chopping blockmost notably D.C. v. Heller, which established an individual right to bear arms in such hazy terms that lower courts read it in wildly divergent, irreconcilable ways. The legislators argument is a ticket good for one ride only, a creative (if dishonest) attempt to work around precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chief impediment to Roes reversal has always been stare decisis, the doctrine that the judiciary should adhere to precedent unless there is some special justification for overruling it. The Supreme Court has outlined several factors that may provide this justification: If a past decision is poorly reasoned, unworkable, or inconsistent with recent rulingsor if it rests upon discredited factsit is more vulnerable to reversal. By contrast, if a past decision created interests that individuals have come to rely upon, it has more value as precedent. The anti-abortion lobby flung all these arguments at the Supreme Court in 1992s Planned Parenthood v. Casey in an effort to overturn Roe. But the justices didnt bite. Instead, the court declared that states could restrict abortion access, but could not impose an undue burden on an individuals right to choose. The decision to terminate a pregnancy, the court explained, is central to the liberty protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. Moreover, ever since Roe, people have organized intimate relationships in reliance on the availability of abortion. In short, the right to abortion access was workable, congruent with constitutional liberty, and based on a scientific definition of viability. Millions of people had come to rely upon that right, and the court had no special justification for pulling the carpet out from under them. Advertisement Advertisement Disgruntled by the Casey compromise, conservative lawmakers began promulgating targeted regulations of abortion providers. TRAP laws sought to regulate abortion clinics out of existence by imposing gratuitous and draconian rules. For instance, a number of red states compelled clinics to undergo expensive renovations to meet the requirements of surgical centers. They also forced doctors at abortion clinics to obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, an onerous credential that does not actually help patients. In 2016s Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court clarified the undue burden standard, specifically as it applies to TRAP laws. When an abortion restrictions burdens outweigh its asserted benefits, the court explained, it is unconstitutional. Whole Womans Health involved a Texas law that ordered clinics to meet surgical center requirements and obtain admitting privileges. The burdens of each requirement, the court concluded, outweighed their ostensible benefits, rendering them unlawful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, lower-court judges had no problem applying this rule. One federal judge blocked Missouris surgical center and admitting privileges requirement. Another federal judge froze Louisianas admitting privileges rule. Then Justice Anthony Kennedy, who provided the fifth vote against Texas in Whole Womans Health, retiredand the courts began their rebellion. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Missouris law, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Louisianas. Defying the Supreme Court, the 5th Circuit blessed the Louisiana law, even though it is indistinguishable from the law struck down in Whole Womans Health. Advertisement Advertisement Now 207 members of Congress have seized upon this willful misinterpretation of Casey and Whole Womans Health as a reason to overturn both decisions. Their brief is authored by Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion group that wrote the model legislation upon which the Louisiana statute is based, and helped Louisiana defend the law it inspired. AUL has also released a Playbook for Life that expressly called upon lawyers to attack the right to abortion by insisting that its unworkable. Up to now, the playbook says, the workability of Roe has been subject to less thorough analysis. But it is an essential dimension by which to reexamine Roe, and all the abortion decisions by the Court since Roe. AUL proclaims that over forty-six years of practical experience has shown Roe to be unworkable. Advertisement In its brief on behalf of the members of Congress, AUL took this grievance directly to the Supreme Court. The 5th Circuit, the brief states, labored to do the best it could with the vague and opaque undue burden standard. And its struggle clearly illustrates the unworkability of the right to abortionas well as the need for the Court to decide whether that right should be reconsidered and overruled. Advertisement Advertisement The only struggle at the 5th Circuit was the courts Herculean effort to work around Whole Womans Health and deploy bad-faith word salad to defy SCOTUS. And now, in an act of remarkable chutzpah, AUL (and a big chunk of Congress) is citing the 5th Circuits decision to demonstrate that Whole Womans Health is unworkable. Its a neat trick: Persuade states to test the limits of abortion rights, convince courts to push beyond those limits by feigning confusion, then ask the Supreme Court to scrap those limits because theyre unworkable. This reasoning is akin to a driver slashing their own tires then suing the manufacturer for making a faulty car. Advertisement Why did AUL develop this elaborate strategy to attack Roe? Probably because it knows Justice Brett Kavanaugh needs some pretense to kill abortion precedents other than his obvious opposition to abortion rights. Kavanaugh appears to have tricked GOP Sen. Susan Collins into believing that he wouldnt overturn Roe. Hes already disavowed any genuine support for Whole Womans Health by voting to let the Louisiana law take effect, which wouldve left the state with just one doctor able to perform legal abortions. Now AUL is giving Kavanaugh cover to go farther and undermine the courts entire abortion jurisprudence. It is urging him to say that, sure, he respects precedentbut the abortion decisions are so confusing, inconsistent, and unworkable that they do not even count as precedent. In truth, AUL and anti-abortion lawmakers do not oppose the right to abortion because it is unworkable. They oppose it because they want to outlaw abortion. But when the Supreme Court overturns Roe, its conservative majority will want to give a firmer justification than Kavanaugh replaced Kennedy. Thursdays brief provides that pretext. It may be exactly what Kavanaugh needs to let states banish abortion clinics altogether. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British woman languishing in an Iranian jail on trumped-up spying charges, last night learned of America's assassination of one of Tehran's top military leaders and asked: 'What will happen to me now?' In a telephone conversation with her husband Richard Ratcliffe, the 40-year-old mother expressed fear that the killing of General Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike will bring fresh charges against her from a vengeful Iranian regime that could leave her incarcerated indefinitely. Told of Friday's drone attack on Soleimani during a heartrending call with her husband, Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe who is midway through a five-year prison term gloomily replied: 'When I get to the end of the full sentence, they'll just add another sentence on. Why did all this have to happen? My God, what will happen to me now?' Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, asked 'what's going to happen to me now?' when she learnt about the US airstrike during a telephone call with her husband Richard, 44, from Evin prison The mother has been held in an Iranian prison since April 2016 on trumped-up spying charges. Pictured above is her husband and five-year-old daughter Gabriella, who was allowed to return to the UK so that she could attend school Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe is held in Iran's notorious Evin prison. As well as staging hunger strikes to raise the profile of her plight, she has suffered from depression and panic attacks. Revealing her mounting desperation, she went on: 'I am so traumatised. Everyone worries. It is a really big deal. 'I can't stand this place any more. I am scared that things get delayed again. I think they'll keep me here for five years, or more.' Other Britons locked up in Iran 'fearful' over escalating crisis Anoosheh Ashoori's wife Sherry Izadi had spoken to her 65-year-old husband on Saturday morning, and said she feared he no longer had a 'hope in hell' of being released. 'He told me everyone there is very jittery. They are so scared of the fallout. He had hoped that Iran would negotiate or relent on his release, but we feel that hope is now gone,' Mrs Izadi told the Sunday Telegraph. She added: 'I have been filled with fear since we heard the news [of Qassem Soleimani's death], that there will be some act of revenge, and the prisoners will get caught in the middle. I don't think Anoosheh and the Western prisoners have a hope in hell now.' Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Mr Ashoori are among as many as five people with dual British-Iranian nationality, or with UK connections, believed to be in prisons in Iran at present. These also include Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a Cambridge-educated British-Australian academic, who has been in Tehran's Evin prison for more than a year, having reportedly been given a 10-year sentence. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ms Moore-Gilbert have gone on hunger strikes in Evin to protest against their imprisonment. Advertisement Recalling the heartbreaking exchange, Mr Ratcliffe, 44, told The Mail on Sunday: 'She wanted to check that the news was real and what was going on. 'I told her, and she asked, 'What will happen to me now? What does this mean for my case?' 'I said that because of what's happened the death of Qasem Soleimani there was now very little chance of things moving. I told her that the next two months will be volatile, that you cannot predict what is going to happen. 'She was in despair, definitely distraught. She thinks she'll have to serve her full sentence and then they'll just add another sentence on. She also said everyone in the prison is scared and fears there will be war.' Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a charity worker with dual British and Iranian citizenship, was detained in Iran in April 2016 during a visit to her parents with her then 21-month-old daughter Gabriella. She was arrested at the airport on suspicion of spying and later sentenced to five years. Her family insist she was an ordinary mum with a baby on a family holiday and is being held as leverage by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Her case has proved particularly problematic for Boris Johnson who, as Foreign Secretary, was forced to apologise after suggesting she had been in Iran to train journalists. Britain has long demanded the release of Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe whose daughter, now five, was allowed to return to the UK in October, on humanitarian grounds but to no avail. Her renewed plea for help came as an Iranian official warned at least 35 US targets have been identified for potential retaliatory strikes. General Gholamali Abuhamzeh said the targets, which include ships in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, had been identified a 'long time ago', adding: 'The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there... some 35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach.' Amid growing tension, the Foreign Office upgraded its advice to Britons travelling to the Gulf States of the UAE and Oman who, it said, should be 'vigilant'. It also warned Britons against all but essential travel to Iran and reiterated its advice to British-Iranian dual nationals to avoid the country and for those already there to leave as soon as possible. It also warned against Britons travelling to Iraq. Her case has proved particularly problematic for Boris Johnson who was forced to apologise after suggesting she had been training journalists. Pictured above are her husband and daughter in the UK Her husband has repeatedly called on Iranian authorities to release her since she was imprisoned in April 2016 Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the new advice was due to 'heightened tensions in the region' and would be kept under review. Meanwhile, the UK is bracing itself for Iranian reprisals, possibly cyber attacks, with GCHQ stepping up monitoring of Iranian-backed hackers. In Iraq, around 400 British troops in and around Baghdad were on lockdown inside their camps after Nato and the Iraqi government announced the suspension of training missions involving Iraqi security forces and multinational teams. The mother is halfway through serving a five year prison term at Evin prison, Iran The UK soldiers, from the Irish Guards and the Special Forces Support Group, are spread across three bases Union III in the Green Zone in central Baghdad, Camp Taji outside the Iraqi capital and at Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. They will be confined to base until further notice. The developments followed the funeral of Soleimani, whose coffin was followed through the streets of Baghdad yesterday by tens of thousands of mourners. The crowd, dressed mostly in black and military fatigues and including Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, carried the banners of Iran-backed militias in Baghdad that were fiercely loyal to Soleimani. Hours later, two Katyusha missiles were fired towards Baghdad's highly-protected Green Zone where the US and UK embassies are situated. No casualties were reported. Today, Iraq's Parliament is due to meet for an emergency session, with the government under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops in the country. Additional reporting: Andrew Young in Tel Aviv and David G Rose in Beirut. This is the terrifying moment a man with an axe threatened staff in an off-licence during a violent robbery. The raiders 'stormed' into GMP Off Licence in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton on December 17 around 10pm. The men, armed with an axe and a hammer threatened the male staff member, forcing them to hand over the till. The raiders then batter the till with the axe and the hammer, forcing open the cash drawer, before running off with the contents and some cigarettes Police in Wolverhampton are searching for two raiders who threatened staff at an off licence with an axe and a hammer during a raid on December 17 The men entered the GMP Off Licence in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton on December 17 around 10pm One of the raiders struck a staff member twice in the arm with a hammer before the men escaped on foot with a quantity of cash and cigarettes The raiders targeted GMP Off Licence in Long Knowle Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton on December 17 around 10pm, threatening a member of staff with an axe and a hammer before escaping with cash and some cigarettes One of the raiders belted the worker twice on the arm with a hammer. Police believe both men escaped on foot and are seeking the public's help in trying to identify them. PC Mark Turner, from Force CID at Wolverhampton, said: 'This was nasty robbery where the men involved had weapons and were not afraid to use them. 'Fortunately the shop worker wasnt seriously injured but we dont underestimate the distress of being in such a situation. I would urge anyone who can help our enquiries to come forward.' Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police quoting crime reference number 20WV/298053G/19, either by calling 101 or using their Live Chat service at west-midlands.police.uk. Hyderabad: Telangana BJP MP D Arvind has hit out at MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi over the latters vow to tear the BJP apart, saying he would shave off the latters beard and hang him upside down from a crane. In a veiled attack on the ruling TRS, which maintains friendly ties with the MIM, the Nizamabad MP said he would stick Owaisi's beard to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. A week after Owaisi addressed a meeting in Nizamabad against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Arvind took exception to the former's remarks that he would tear up the BJP. He told the MIM's leader that his younger brother Akbaruddin Owaisi was stabbed and "torn by your person... in your area" nine years ago in the Old City of Hyderabad and "you talk about (tearing) BJP?" The BJP MP then went on to say that he would hang Owaisi upside down in the same ground where he made the remarks against the BJP and shave his beard. In the same ground, I will get a crane, hang upside down and shave off your beard. I will not throw that beard away. I will give promotion to that beard and stick that to the Chief Minister. People will come to know that he (Rao) is a mullah, Arvind said. Owaisi should concentrate on development of Hyderabad being its MP, he said, adding several areas in the old city were 'stinking'. Arvind, who defeated Chandrasekhar Raos daughter K Kavitha in the Lok Sabha election, alleged the chief minister has become a mullah. His (Raos) son is an atheist. Will they have any concern for dharma? They are talking about secularism? he asked. Claiming that CAA was against the Constitution, Owaisi, in his Nizamabad speech, had recalled he had torn a copy of the bill in Parliament. BJP members asked how could I tear the bill. I said my work is to tear black laws and tear you also, he had said. How Mr. Trump sees the killing of General Suleimani as advancing his broader agenda on Iran is unclear, and on Friday he seemed to portray the operation as something of a one-off: a necessary step to ensure that tensions between the United States and Iran do not spiral out of control. General Suleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks before we caught him in the act and terminated him, the president said from his resort in Palm Beach, Fla., although administration officials did not describe any threats that were different from what they said the general had been orchestrating for years. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, Mr. Trump said. The presidents decision to kill the general at this time appeared to many military experts as a potentially reckless escalation. But his policy toward Iran, what administration officials call a maximum pressure campaign, has long underestimated how the country would respond to economic sanctions that have crippled its economy. When Iranian operatives blew holes in oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman in June and launched drone strikes on Saudi oil facilities in September, Mr. Trump opted in both cases against a direct, immediate military response. Still, one day after the drone strike targeting General Suleimani, the Pentagon announced it was sending around 3,000 more troops to Kuwait as a precaution against growing threats to American forces in the region. Lindsay P. Cohn, a professor of political science at the Naval War College, said that Mr. Trump appears to be convinced that General Suleimanis death will not lead to a significant surge of violence in the Middle East. It satisfies two imperatives for him: appearing to look tough without taking on, at least for now, any new commitments. He doesnt want to get entangled. But he doesnt want to look weak, said Professor Cohn, adding that her opinions did not necessarily represent those of the Defense Department. The presidents mercurial approach to Iran has left a trail of alienated allies including European NATO allies angry about his decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and Arab nations in the Persian Gulf region uncertain about Mr. Trumps resolve to support them in the face of direct attack from Iran. Inside a Texas children's hospital, an 11-month-old girl lies paralyzed and in constant pain. She can breathe only with a ventilator. A suite of medications keeps her alive. Tinslee's condition, doctors say, will never improve. The infant's health-care team at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth says that every medical procedure it performs on her causes only more suffering and that she should be allowed to die naturally and peacefully. Her mother is begging for her daughter to be kept alive. The emotionally charged decision about Tinslee's fate fell to a Tarrant County district court judge, who on Thursday ruled in favor of the hospital. The girl's mother, Trinity Lewis, appealed Judge Sandee Bryan Marion's denial of an injunction. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said Friday that a Forth Worth appeals court had granted Lewis emergency relief while the legal issue plays out. "I am heartbroken over today's decision because the judge basically said Tinslee's life is NOT worth living," Lewis said in a statement released by Texas Right to Life, an antiabortion group that has been advocating for Lewis. "I feel frustrated because anyone in that courtroom would want more time just like I do if Tinslee were their baby." While the battle over how long Tinslee will be kept alive plays out in the legal sphere, the case also evokes ethical questions of who should get to decide what kind of medical treatment is or is not in the best interest of a child too young to speak for herself. The saga contains echoes of the debate over Charlie Gard, a terminally ill British infant who died in 2017 after an international controversy over whether he should remain on a ventilator. Politicians and activists across Texas have publicly staked out positions in Tinslee's case. Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, called the situation "complex and heartbreaking" and vowed to help Lewis exhaust her legal options to keep Tinslee alive. Doctors initially planned to remove the infant from life support on Nov. 10 after the expiration of Texas's "10-day rule," which allows health-care providers to stop treatment after 10 days if they cannot find another hospital to take the patient. Cook Children's said that its clinical team asked more than 20 facilities if they would accept Tinslee and that all said they could not correct her conditions. The hospital on Thursday agreed to wait seven days to withdraw care so that Lewis could appeal the judge's decision. "As they do, we will provide Tinslee the same level of intensive care as we have for her entire life," the hospital said in a statement. Tinslee suffers from several medical conditions, including a rare heart defect known as Ebstein's anomaly, chronic lung disease and acute systolic heart failure. The hospital said in a court filing that she cannot get oxygen from her lungs into her bloodstream, and several surgeries have not been able to significantly improve this condition. Tinslee also experiences "dying events" that require aggressive intervention two or three times per day. She has been in the cardiac intensive care unit at Cook Children's since she was born prematurely last year. "She is in pain. Changing a diaper causes pain. Suctioning her breathing tube causes pain. Being on the ventilator causes pain," Jay Duncan, one of Tinslee's doctors, said in court last month, according to the Associated Press. Although Tinslee is deeply sedated, Lewis testified that she knows the personality of her daughter, whom she describes as "sassy," according to the AP. Tinslee likes getting her nails done, squeezing her mother's hand and watching the animated musical "Trolls," Lewis told the court. Attorneys for the hospital, however, said in a court filing that those descriptions are just memories of a past that cannot return. "The undisputable situation is that, due to her grave medical condition, Tinslee is not sassy, does not like to watch 'Trolls,' does not watch TV, or enjoy having her nails painted," attorneys for the hospital wrote. "No one holds Tinslee or cuddles with her." Public figures and organizations have fallen into sometimes surprising camps regarding the case. Paxton wrote to the court to argue that the Texas law that allows doctors to discontinue treatment violates patients' constitutional right to due process. The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops and the Coalition of Texans With Disabilities, among other groups, are backing the hospital. Antiabortion activists often advocate for children like Tinslee to continue receiving life-sustaining care, which bioethicists said is largely because they see denial of treatment as a failure to acknowledge the inherent value of human life. In Tinslee's case, however, antiabortion groups are divided. While Texas Right to Life took Lewis's side, the Texas Alliance for Life and the Texans for Life Coalition have said they agree with the doctors. In any case where doctors and a patient or surrogates for the patient disagree on treatment, the hospital's ethics committee usually weighs in, said Ann Mongoven, associate director of health-care ethics at Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Many hospitals require their ethics committees to include chaplains and other community members with relevant perspectives, in addition to doctors and nurses, Mongoven said. When doctors talk about whether a treatment would be "futile," Mongoven said they should consider the odds that it would help and, if it did, the magnitude of the benefit. She said in Tinslee's case, the chances of continued treatment helping and the size of the potential benefit both seemed very small. Most doctors get little training on how to talk with families about expectations for treatment, said Mongoven, who has served on and advised medical ethics committees. She said health-care providers should discuss reasonable goals, whether that include sending the patient home or making the person's death as comfortable as possible. Charlie Camosy, a theology professor at Fordham University who studies bioethics, said the judge's ruling about Tinslee indicates that the United States is moving back toward an attitude that doctors always know best after the country veered away from that perspective. He said doctors often misunderstand that many patients prefer length of life over quality of life, and tend to rate their patients' qualities of life as worse than the patients do. "Two things get conflated here: One is the medical expertise of the doctors, in which case, they do know best," said Camosy, who has served on hospital ethics committees. "But determining whether this baby has a life that's worth living has very little to do with your medical expertise. It's an ethical question." Mongoven said she perceived the doctors' mind-sets differently. "They're not saying that [Tinslee's] life isn't worth living," she said. "What they're saying is, 'I am making her suffering worse, and my job is supposed to be the opposite.'" Camosy compared a doctor's moral qualms over continuing a patient's treatment to a pharmacist who does not want to prescribe emergency contraception or a nurse who opposes abortion but is asked to help with one. He said in cases where people of goodwill disagree on what constitutes harm, he leans toward letting the patient or the patient's surrogate decide. Regardless of who ultimately decides for Tinslee, Mongoven said the heart of the matter is often obscured by public fighting. "These cases get framed as political battles," she said, "when in fact there's a tragedy at the heart of the case that could pull people together." Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday, January 4, officially postponed his four-day state visit to India from January 13 due to the raging bushfire crisis in his country, saying he looks forward to rescheduling the visit at a mutually convenient time in the coming months. He was scheduled to hold extensive bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit beginning January 13. In a statement, the Australian Prime Minister said: "Our country is facing devastating and widespread national bushfires. Our government's entire focus is on supporting Australians in this difficult time those facing immediate danger and those who are recovering after the fire-front has passed". The Prime Minister has postponed his state visit to India and his official visit to Japan to stay close to the disaster and recovery operations underway in Australia, the statement said. "We deeply appreciate the arrangements that India and Japan have made to date and look forward to rescheduling the visits at a mutually convenient time in the coming months," it said. "Everywhere across the country in the communities we visit we see the absolute devastation and despair these bushfires have brought. What we have also seen is the best of Australians coming together, supporting one another. "We urge Australians to keep informed about the situation in their area and to follow the directions of state and territory authorities and the ADF as they work to keep people safe. We will do whatever it takes to get Australians through these terrible times," the statement added. Prime Minister Modi on Friday had a telephonic conversation with Morrison and expressed heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians on the damage to life and property due to severe and prolonged bush fires there. He also offered India's "unstinted support" to Australia and its people, "who are bravely facing this unprecedented natural calamity", according to a statement by the External Affairs Ministry. Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 military reserve troops to combat the raging bushfire crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 23 people with high temperatures and strong winds threatening to worsen the conditions across the country. Tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions. The bushfires have been burning throughout the country for months now, with a state of emergency declared in New South Wales and Victoria while Tasmania and South Australia also face significant threats. The ongoing bushfire crisis continues to worsen the deadly conditions in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. More than 14,000 hectares have been destroyed in South Australia's Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island. About 100,000 people were said to be in the fire zone of East Gippsland and according to police up to 70 per cent of people had now left the region. Over 3,000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW. Australia's military has been assisting with aerial reconnaissance, mapping, search and rescue, logistics and aerial support for months. She is making waves with her latest Netflix offering, The King. Yet Lily-Rose Depp took time from her busy acting schedule to enjoy a movie in Los Angeles on Friday while putting on a low-key display. The actress, 20, kept things casual for the outing in a pair of denim jeans and a black bomber style jacket, while going fresh-faced with minimal make-up. Relaxed: Lily-Rose Depp, 20, kept things casual in jeans and a black jacket as she enjoyed a movie in Los Angeles on Friday Lily-Rose's classic bomber jacket had a silver zip and pockets on the sides and she wore it over a relaxed white t-shirt. The daughter of Johnny Depp and French model Vanessa Paradis tied her sleek blonde locks back for the outing into a low ponytail. She completed her look with some colourful accessories in her small blue shoulder handbag and a pair of grey Nike trainers with crisp white laces. Lily-Rose has been busy carving out her own career in the spotlight and recently starred in The King alongside her boyfriend, Timothee Chalamet, 24. Casual: The actress donned a pair of grey Nike trainers with crisp white laces and toted a small blue handbag for the outing The couple met while they were filming in England and it seems as if they have been going strong ever since. The King is a 15th-century drama that tells the story of Hal (Chalamet), a wayward prince and heir to the English throne, who is crowned King Henry V after his tyrannical father dies, according to IMDB.com. And although growing up the child of famous parents, Lily-Rose has said that there wasn't much to rebel against as her parents 'weren't very strict'. Evening out: Lily-Rose tied her locks into a low ponytail for the night at the movies and wore a simple pair of earrings Her love: She is said to be dating her The King co-star Timothee Chalamet On her childhood, Lily-Rose said her parents had faith in her independence, after they both left school at the age of 15. The model told The Sun: 'My parents weren't very strict. They've always trusted me to be independent and make my own decisions. There wasn't really anything to rebel against. 'They both left school when they were 15, so they can't really say anything. I never thought of university as my goal. I've always just wanted to work. I didn't have any incentive to keep doing all that work.' Family: The daughter of Johnny Depp and French model Vanessa Paradis has previously said that there wasn't much to rebel against as a child as her parents 'weren't very strict' Lily-Rose also candidly revealed that her self-belief and confidence stemmed from what she was taught by her famous mother Vanessa as a child. The actress revealed that she doesn't feel nervous about appearing nude on screen because her mum assured her that she shouldn't be ashamed of her body. When questioned on if she feels cautious, Lily-Rose told The Face: 'I'm not nervous about stuff like that. I grew up being, like, topless on the beach. I was raised by a French mother who taught me that there was nothing shameful about your body.' Stocks fell broadly on Wall Street and oil prices surged Friday after a U.S military strike killed a top Iranian general in Iraq. The killing rattled global markets and knocked U.S. stock indexes off their recent all-time highs. The selling also put the benchmark S&P 500 index on track to snap a five-week winning streak. Financial stocks were among the biggest decliners as investors bought up U.S. government bonds, sending their yields lower. Technology stocks, health care companies and airlines also took heavy losses. Several energy stocks rose as the price of U.S. oil headed higher. Defense contractors also notched gains. Benchmark U.S. crude climbed $1.87, or 3.1 percent, to settle at $63.05 per barrel. It had been up 3.6 percent earlier in the day. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose $2.35, or 3.5 percent, to close at $68.60 per barrel. The selling followed a broad decline in markets overseas following news that General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, was killed in an air attack at Baghdad International Airport early Friday. President Donald Trump said the attack was ordered because Soleimani was plotting to kill many Americans. The strike marked a major escalation in the conflict between Washington and Iran, as Iran vowed "harsh retaliation" for the killing of the senior military leader. Today the U.S. declared war on Iran and Iraq. War is what it will get. Earlier today a U.S. drone or helicopter killed Major General Qassim Soleimani, the famous commander of the Iranian Quds ('Jerusalem') force, while he left the airport of Baghdad where he had just arrived. He had planned to attend the funeral of the 31 Iraqi soldiers the U.S. had killed on December 29 at the Syrian-Iraqi border near Al-Qaim. The Quds force is the external arm of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Soleiman was responsible for all relations between Iran and political and militant movements outside of Iran. Hajji Qassim advised the Lebanese Hisbullah during the 2006 war against Israel. His support for Iraqi groups enabled them to kick the U.S. invaders out of Iraq. He was the man responsible for, and successful in, defeating the Islamic State in iraq and Syria. In 2015 Soleimani traveled to Moscow and convinced Russia to intervene in Syria. His support for the Houthi in Yemen enabled them to withstand the Saudi attackers. Soleimani had arrived in Baghdad on a normal flight from Lebanon. He did not travel in secret. He was picked up at the airport by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes, the deputy commander of the al-Hashd al-Shaabi, an official Iraqi security force under the command of the Iraqi Prime Minister. The two cars they traveled in were destroyed in the U.S. attack. Both men and their drivers and guards died. The U.S. created two martyrs who will now become the models and idols for tens of millions of youth in the Middle East. The Houthi in Yemen, Hizbullah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad in Palestine, the paramilitary forces in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere have all benefited from Soleimani's advice and support. They will all take actions to revenge him. Moqtada al-Sadr, the unruly Shia cleric who commands millions of followers in Iraq, has given orders to reactivate his military branch 'Jaish al-Imam al-Mahdi'. Between 2004 and 2008 the Mahdi forces fought the U.S. occupation of Iraq. They will do so again. The outright assassination of a commander of Soleimani's weight demands an Iranian reaction of at least a similar size. All U.S. generals or high politicians traveling in the Middle East or elsewhere will now have to watch their back. There will be no safety for them anywhere. No Iraqi politician will be able to argue for keeping U.S. forces in the country. The Iraqi Prime Minister Abdel Mahdi has called for a parliament emergency meeting to ask for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops: "The targeted assassination of an Iraqi commander is a violation of the agreement. It can trigger a war in Iraq and the region. It is a clear violation of the conditions of the U.S. presence in Iraq. I call on the parliament to take the necessary steps." The National Security Council of Iran is meeting with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to "study the options of response". There are many such options. The U.S. has forces stationed in many countries around Iran. From now on none of them will be safe. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a statement calling for three days of public mourning and then retaliation. His departure to God does not end his path or his mission, the statement said, but a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands. Iran will tie its response to the political calender. U.S. President Donald Trump will go into his reelection campaign with U.S. troops under threat everywhere. We can expect incidents like the Beirut barracks bombing to repeat themselves when he is most vulnerable. Trump will learn that killing the enemy is the easy part of a war. The difficulties come after that happened. In 2018 Soleimani publicly responded to a tweet in which Trump had threatened Iran: Mr. Trump, the gambler! [] You are well aware of our power and capabilities in the region. You know how powerful we are in asymmetrical warfare. Come, we are waiting for you. We are the real men on the scene, as far as you are concerned. You know that a war would mean the loss of all your capabilities. You may start the war, but we will be the ones to determine its end. Since May 2019 the U.S. deployed at least 14,800 additional soldiers to the Middle East. Over the last three days airborne elements and special forces followed. The U.S.has clearly planned for an escalation. Soleimani will be replaced by Brigadier General Ismail Ghani, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war who has for decades been active in the Quds Force and has fought against ISIS in Syria. He is an officer of equal stature and capability. Iran's policies and support for foreign groups will intensify. The U.S. has won nothing with its attack but will feel the consequences for decades to come. From now on its position in the Middle East will be severely constrained. Others will move in to take its place. The U.S. Navy 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 to counter Russia, reached full operational capability on Dec. 31, seven months after achieving its initial operational capability, the Navy announced. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, the 2nd Fleet will oversee and control assigned ships, aircraft, and landing forces on the Eastern, Western, and North Atlantic Ocean, as well as further north into the Arctic. Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, commander of the 2nd Fleet, who has led its reestablishment, said in a statement, Within an increasingly complex global security environment, our allies and competitors alike are well aware that many of the worlds most active shipping lanes lie within the North Atlantic. The 2nd Fleet will primarily focus on forward operations and the employment of combat-ready naval forces in the Atlantic and Arctic, the statement said. Also, it will have a limited role in final training and certification of forces preparing for operations around the globe, according to the statement. Combined with the opening of waterways in the Arctic, this competitive space will only grow, and 2nd Fleets devotion to the development and employment of capable forces will ensure that our nation is both present and ready to fight in the region if and when called upon, Lewis said. Opening new waterways due to ice melting in the Arctic creates new opportunities for trade but also poses new security challenges. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the situation in the Arctic when speaking at the ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council in Rovaniemi, Finland, on May 6: Steady reductions in sea ice are opening new passageways and new opportunities for trade. Such new passageways could potentially slash the time it takes to travel between Asia and the West by as much as 20 days. Arctic sea lanes could come beforecould come the 21st century Suez and Panama Canals. To leverage the Arcticsthe Arctic continental, all nations, including non-Arctic nations, should have a right to engage peacefully in this region. The United States is a believer in free markets. We know from experience that free and fair competition, open, by the rule of law, produces the best outcomes, Pompeo said. The establishment of the 2nd Fleet addresses security concerns posed by Russia, according to Defense News. In June, the 2nd Fleet led a Baltic Operations exercise on behalf of Naval Forces Europe. In September, it established a Maritime Operations Center in Keflavik, Iceland in the North Atlantic region. According to Defense News, the Russian submarine activity in that area has reappeared. The new [2nd Fleet] is now fully postured to support the employment of forces, whether that is on the western or eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean, or further north into the Arctic Ocean, the Navy said. Close cooperation with NATO allies and partners to ensure there is no seam in the Atlantic for our adversaries to exploit is also a focus of the 2nd Fleet, Lewis said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks on Arctic policy at the Lappi Areena in Rovaniemi, Finland, on May 6, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) Developing Threats in the Arctic Pompeo considers both China and Russia as potential threats in the Arctic. Pompeo, in his speech given at the Arctic Council meeting, commended Russia for its cooperation in the expansive conservation efforts in the Arctic. However, he expressed concern over Russias aggressive actions in the Arctic like re-opening its Cold War Arctic military base, building new bases north of the Arctic Circle, as well as securing its presence through sophisticated new air defense systems and anti-ship missiles. Russia plans to connect its sea shipping lane between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean along the Russian coast (Northern Sea Route) with Chinas Maritime Silk Road, the maritime component of Chinas One Belt, One Road (OBOR). The initiative would develop a new shipping channel from Asia to northern Europe, said Pompeo. China has already invested nearly $90 billion in the development of the Arctic. China is developing shipping lanes in the Arctic Ocean, and plans to invest in building infrastructure between Canada, Northwest Territories, and Russia, Pompeo said. Pentagon warned that China could use its civilian research presence in the Arctic to strengthen its military presence, Pompeo said. Pompeo also said that investment can be used by China as a tool of political influence and coercion, for example, to obtain rights to operate strategically located ports and terminals. In economically strong countries, Chinese companies enter into equity participation or joint ventures. When dealing with weaker or developing countries, China uses a debt trap. In 2017, Sri Lanka could not pay its debt to China and was coerced into signing a 99-year lease with a Chinese company for the use of its Hambantota Port. In 2013 China obtained the operating rights to 15 terminals in eight countries on four continents. Among them is the Suez Canal Terminal in Egypt, the Euromax Terminal in the Netherlands, which is known as the gate of Europe, and the Panama Canal. From The Epoch Times While fire conditions were settled on Friday night for East Gippsland, fires in the alpine areas near Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain continued to grow in size due to warm, dry, gusty conditions. On Friday night, three fires around the Omeo region joined up to become a 6000 hectare fire. The entirety of the Alpine National Park and the Mitchell River National Park remained closed on Saturday, along with many state forests in the state's east. Communities still cut off Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said there are 18 communities emergency services have been trying to access. "We've got into two of those last night. There's still 16 we're trying to get into," he said. "If you go through helicopter, you talk to the local community [find out] who's going to leave and then following off the back we provide them with comms and then a Chinook helicopter comes in with the support of the ADF [Australian Defence Force] and an evacuation occurs." Across all fire-affected zones, Mr Ashton says 60-70 per cent of people spoken to by police indicated they were intending to leave. "Traffic flows have been significant, particularly out of the north-east, Upper Hume and through the high country." State Control Centre spokesman James Todd said the unpredictability of the 48 blazes still burning was of most concern to firefighters. Our concerns are that on days like today given the extent of the fire front currently going, the dryness, the low humidity and fluky conditions it makes firefighting really unpredictable, he said. The smoke these fires they can put up, they start creating their own weather which complicates the issue, and were expecting new lightning strikes. What were really saying, if youve got the opportunity to leave, get out now. We cant guarantee safety of people who chose to remain behind." Two people have died in the Victorian fires, while 21 people remain missing according to Chief Commissioner Ashton. Allan Aurisch, Louisa Miller, dog Cleveland, Terri Van Den Berghe, Andrew Van Den Berghe and Darren Aurisch have set up at the Sale relief centre. Credit:Joe Armao The Princes Highway is now closed between Lakes Entrance and Orbost due to fire activity in the area, meaning the road is closed from Lakes Entrance through to the NSW border. Dramatic evacuations Emergency services have encouraged more than 100,000 people to leave eastern Victoria in preparation for the extreme fire conditions. Allan Aurisch and his fiancee Terri Van Den Berghe grabbed their passports, the food in their fridge and a bag of clothes before fleeing to Sale from the tiny town of Nicholson early Friday afternoon. "We could be here for a week or more before we're allowed to go home," he said. "That's if we've got a home to go home to." As darkness fell on Friday night the Sale showgrounds, which was opened as a relief centre for evacuees of the bushfire crisis across East Gippsland, was full of campervans and tents. Loading A state of disaster has been declared across eastern Victoria as authorities fear extreme heat, unprecedented dryness and a dangerous wind change could lead to towns being wiped out. The Country Fire Authority has warned it will be unable to defend towns and properties given the extreme conditions. Premier Daniel Andrews declared the emergency late Thursday night. "If you can leave you must," he said. Hundreds of residents heeded that warning, driving hours to Sale from isolated towns scattered across East Gippsland including Johnsonville, Orbost, Dargo, Swan Reach and the fishing village of Metung. Mr Aurisch fled with his brother Darren Aurisch and his partner Louisa Miller. They left behind friends and family who decided to stay and defend their homes and they face a hellish wait ahead of a terrifying fire day on Saturday. "Another brother and a few good mates are still there," Mr Aurisch said. "We've only got a pub, a general store and a caravan park, that's all we've got in Nicholson." One side of Nicholson is vast farmland, while the other is a suburban hamlet dotted with houses. The caravan park is home to about 60 permanent residents, many of whom are elderly and unable to drive. "Most of them stay there because they have no way of leaving the caravan park," he said. "My biggest concern is the elderly people who are stuck there with no way out. They're all anxious and scared about what's to come." The bushfire has destroyed Mallacoota in Victoria. Credit:Getty Images The local publican planned to open the doors to the pub as a makeshift refuge if fire tore through the town. But Mr Aurisch held grave fears for those who had been left behind. "There's no real safe place there, even if they go to the pub, what are they going to do if a fire rips through the town?" he said. THE UNFORGETTING by Rose Black (Orion 14.99) THE UNFORGETTING by Rose Black (Orion 14.99) It is 1851. Lily Bell dreams of a career as an actress on the London stage. When her stepfather introduces her to 'Professor of Ghosts' Erasmus Salt, she jumps at the chance to realise her ambition, unaware she has been sold to Salt to settle a gambling debt. Haunted by the disappearance of his own mother, Salt is ruthless in his search for a way to resurrect the dead. Lily is to play the role of a ghost in an elaborate theatrical illusion. But when she reads her own obituary and sees her headstone in a graveyard, Lily knows she should flee. But how? This Victorian gothic fantasy offers all the necessary tropes: a beautiful, threatened heroine, a sinister villain, his henchman, a handsome actor hero and an atmosphere that drips with menace. BRAISED PORK by An Yu (Harvill Secker 13.99) BRAISED PORK by An Yu (Harvill Secker 13.99) When Jia Jia finds her husband dead, face down in the bath, her loveless marriage of convenience is over. On a piece of paper left on the floor, he has drawn a creature with the body of a fish and the face of a man. Otherwise he has left her their flat but little else. Jia Jia tries to adjust to her new life, starting an affair with a barman and moving in with her aunt and grandmother while starting to paint again. However, unable to make sense of her husband's death, she travels to Tibet, the last place he visited. A seductive, sharply observed tale of love, loss and hope that moves from high-rise Beijing to rural Tibet and the mysterious, magical 'world of water'. THE OTHER BENNET SISTER by Janice Hadlow (Mantle 16.99) THE OTHER BENNET SISTER by Janice Hadlow (Mantle 16.99) A spin-off from Pride And Prejudice, this is the story of the making of Mary, one of the five impoverished Bennet sisters. Unlike her siblings, Mary is possessed of neither beauty, wit nor charm, so her prospects in the marriage market are deemed negligible. Knocked back by a first unsuitable attraction, and constant put-downs from her family, Mary resigns herself to a spinster's life of the mind, devoting herself to a quiet, bookish existence. After her father's death, she relies on the hospitality of her family, but not until she visits the London home of her aunt and uncle does she begin to see a road to happiness. An obvious labour of love, impeccably researched, this lifts Mary from obscurity, as she breaks out of her mother's world and follows her own path. Whether such an earnest, self-absorbed heroine merits quite such a lengthy account is with the jury. The families of two of the five people killed in Meerut in violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests on December 20 have accused the authorities of denying them their post-mortem reports. My family is still struggling to get the report, said Imran, whose brother, Mohsin, was among the five killed. He added they sought former Congress lawmaker Imran Masood and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Choudharys help but nothing happened. Naushad, uncle of Asif who was also killed in Meerut on December 20, said local police have told them they are yet to get the report in this case too. We approached our councillor, former councillor, city Congress president and many other leaders over the past 10 days to get the report but nothing happened, said Naushads neighbour, Muhammad Waseem. Meerut city Congress president, Zahid Ansari, said the families of some victims met him to seek his help in getting the reports. They are living in fear, he said. Ansari said the kin of five were reluctant in visiting police stations, fearing they could be implicated in false cases. He accused police of depriving citizens of their legal rights and trying to conceal their wrongdoings. Some residents alleged police were not providing the reports because all deaths occurred due to bullet injuries and they fear they could face court cases. Anees Ahmad, a lawyer who is part of a Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind panel formed to provide legal aid to people detained in the aftermath of the anti-CAA violence, said police have claimed protesters were using firearms and some people died of bullet injuries. ...it is possible that the post-mortem examination reports may reveal a different story, which is why police are dragging their feet in providing the reports. Additional director general (Meerut zone) Prashant Kumar said anybody can take post-mortem examination reports through a set procedure. They [kin of those killed] should meet the SSPs [senior police superintendents] of their respective districts and demand the post-mortem examination reports. [January 04, 2020] TypingDNA Raises $7M Series A to Improve Typing Biometrics Adoption Worldwide Behavioral-biometrics company TypingDNA announces today that it raised a $7 million Series A round led by Gradient Ventures, Google's (News - Alert) AI-focused venture fund. Other participants include EU-based fund GapMinder, Techstars Ventures and other prior investors. TypingDNA has developed proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms to authenticate users based on how they type. Through a simple training process of watching user keystrokes, TypingDNA can recognize further attempts from a specific user by matching them against their known account. This technology, known as typing biometrics, will enable existing applications such as authentication, fraud detection, password recovery, and online education assessment to fingerprint users more securely than traditional forms of two-factor authentication. "Advancing the research and distribution of typing biometrics is of global importance. Keyboards are incorporated in almost any device today, making typing behavior the most widely available user biometric. This round of funding will allow us t further our mission to provide user-friendly, non-intrusive biometrics and increased security to people around the world," said Raul Popa, CEO and Co-founder at TypingDNA. TypingDNA's Authentication API accepts user keystrokes in a standardized and open-sourced format allowing simple and easy integration into any desktop or mobile application. Developers can implement TypingDNA's API as a passive two-factor authentication option, password recovery method, or simply to ensure inputs are matched to a given user. TypingDNA's mobile developer SDK also currently supports the latest version of iOS and Android (News - Alert) applications. TypingDNA is currently ACE compliant for verifying students online, and European Banking Authority considers typing biometrics to be compliant for SCA regulation (2FA in banking and payments in EU), as a consequence the company is experiencing great demand from the industry. TypingDNA plans to use this new investment to expand its developer support network and offer more tools to integrate their API with existing website development platforms. "We're excited about TypingDNA's developer-first approach to enable people to authenticate securely based on how they type," said Darian Shirazi, General Partner at Gradient Ventures. "With global regulation impacting face-recognition-based authentication and hackers targeting SMS-based two-factor authentication, typing biometrics is the best form of identifying people without compromising privacy or security." About TypingDNA TypingDNA, headquartered in New York and founded in 2016, offers a variety of developer-first solutions helping companies recognize people by the way they type. The company started out of EU (Romania) where it won prestigious awards and recognition, and moved its HQ to New York in 2018, backed by Techstars. TypingDNA previously raised a $1.5M seed round from investors on three continents, including founders of unicorn companies such as UiPath and DataDog, and now has clients and partners around the world. About Gradient Ventures Gradient Ventures is Google's AI-focused venture fund - investing in and connecting early-stage startups with Google's resources, innovation, and technical leadership in artificial intelligence. The fund focuses on helping founders navigate the challenges in developing new technology products, allowing companies to take advantage of the latest techniques so that great ideas can come to life. Gradient was founded in 2017 and is based in Palo Alto (News - Alert), California. For more information, visit www.gradient.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200104005003/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Don't do or say anything that could damage India's image: Naidu to Rajya Sabha members Complaints against 19 MPs rejected by RS; Naidu calls for awareness about Ethics panel rules India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jan 04: The Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha rejected complaints against 19 MPs as they were filed without following prescribed procedures, prompting Upper House Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to direct officials to create awareness among public about the functioning of the panel, sources said. A proposal has also been moved to Ethics Committee Chairman Prabhat Jha to re-examine the present rules regarding admission of complaints against MPs. Naidu's direction came after a review of the functioning of the Ethics Committee last week. During the meeting, it came to his notice that 22 complaints against 19 members of Rajya Sabha during the last four years had to be returned by the Committee without examination, the sources said. This was done since complaints were not made in accordance with the prescribed procedure, they said. The Ethics Committee of the Upper House oversees the conduct of members and examines complaints of unethical conduct to enable its effective functioning. The complaints against 19 Rajya Sabha members of eight major parties from both the ruling and opposition benches, besides two independent members, were not taken up for preliminary examination by the Ethics Committee as they were not directly addressed to the authorities mentioned under Rule 295, the sources said. Of these 22 complaints, 13 were referred to the RS secretariat by the Department of Personnel and Training, four each by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Lok Sabha secretariat, and one by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, on being addressed to them by the complainants. Now the Rajya Sabha secretariat has forwarded a proposal to the Ethics Committee Chairman to re-examine the present rules regarding admission of complaints. As per Rule 295 of the 'Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States', any person can make a complaint of unethical conduct against a member of the House in writing either to the Ethics Committee or an officer authorized by the Committee, officials said. Venkaiah Naidu to give away 2019 National Awards, Dadasaheb Phalke honour to Big B The sources said the Committee can also take up such matters suo moto. Under Rule 296, Ethics Committee may take up the complaints for preliminary inquiry, if it is made in proper form. Under Rule 303, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha may refer any question involving unethical conduct and other misconduct of a member to the Committee for examination, investigation and report. Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha, the first of it's kind for legislatures in the country, was set up in 1997 to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of the members as internal self-regulatory mechanism. The Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha has so far submitted ten reports, officials said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 15:36 [IST] We were lucky enough to have a chance to visit Long Coc in the northern mountainous province of Phu Tho, which is considered one of the most beautiful tea plantations in the country. Each morning, Long Coc is shrouded in mist. Photohanoisuntravel.com The hill stands tall in Long Coc Commune, Tan Son District, covering 10,000 square metres with hundreds of small hills carpeted in tea like upturned bowls stretching out to the horizon. This oasis has also earned Long Coc the nickname Ha Long Bay in the midland region. From Hanoi, we took motorbikes along Highway 32 to Thanh Son Town before winding through the hills to reach Long Coc, about 120km from Hanoi. We arrived at Phu Tho at 7.30am, and after a two-hour ride, we found ourselves in the immense plantations. The hill, which is home to several tea farms, is a magnet for low temperatures with a blanket of fog settling the summit. The whole scene looked like a painting. From the foot of the hill, we set off on a leisurely walk through countless plantations that provided a truly beautiful site. The area is stunning year-round but is best seen at sunrise. A view of local people at work in the hills. Photo baophutho.vn Because of its beauty, Long Coc has become a popular new destination for many young people and photographers. Photographers also recommend that early in the morning is the best time to gaze on the hills as the first rays of sunshine light up the scene as the mist lingers. Long Coc is most beautiful from August to December as the clouds come down. We often take photographs at sunrise, photographer Nguyen Viet Cuong said. Pham Hoang Cuong said he has visited the area six times with his camera, but he was only able to take good photos twice due to the unpredictable weather. I am very impressed by the astonishing beauty of this region. Following visits to Long Coc, I have had some stunning photos. I will be returning soon, said Cuong. During weekends, many young people stop by at the plantation, and some couples have their pre-wedding photos taken there. We heard that there is a beautiful tea hill in Long Coc so we were eager to come here. Besides the natural beauty, my friends and I have captured unique photos. I am sure everyone will like them, said a visitor from the neighbouring province of Vinh Phuc. On top of being a selfie hotspot, Long Coc is also a place for relaxation, where people can escape the hustle of city life and enjoy tranquility. Long Coc tea hill is regarded as one of the nations most beautiful tea hills. Photo bonbien.vn After seeing the magnificent view and taking a lot of photos, we left for a restaurant nearby to have lunch with local specialities including free-range Man pork, stream fish, spring duck and sour pork. Tea is a major agricultural product for local people. Visiting the land of tea, we also didnt miss the chance to try the best varieties including Dinh Bat Tien and Shan Bat Tien, and they didn't disappoint. Following a short break, we continued our journey to Xuan Son National Park which is also situated in Tan Son District. From Long Coc, we travelled through Minh Dai and Xuan Dai communes. Cradling hundreds of grottos and caves, streams and waterfalls that drops from more than 50m, the park is also popular thanks to its diversified plant and animal life. VNS Lam Giang Exploring beautiful Long Coc tea hills in Phu Tho amid sunrise Located in Tan Son district in the northern province of Phu Tho, the Long Coc tea hills are regarded as one of the nations most beautiful tea hills. KAMPALA The new Principal Private Secretary to the President Dr. Kenneth Omona Olusegun has called on staff of State House to work diligently and maintain at all times the positive image of the country by fulfilling all their tasks. I have come to work with you individually, departmentally and institutionally. Let us build our strength towards working for the development of Uganda, he said. Dr. Omona was speaking during the handover ceremony of the office of the PPS from the outgoing PPS Molly Kamukama who has been appointed Minister of State for Economic Monitoring. The ceremony was attended by various heads of departments of State House at Presidents Office in Kampala. I want to give assurances that I have come to work with all of you in both your strengths and weaknesses for the achievements of all of us leveraging on the strength of all of us. This institution has got high responsibilities and requires teamwork and a high level of coordination and discipline to build synergy. We must keep re-examining the tasks we have joyfully and painfully to uphold the values of the institution of the Presidency, he said. Dr. Omona thanked President Museveni for giving him the opportunity to serve the Presidency and the country and congratulated the outgoing PPS for her successful tour of duty. Mr. Omona, a former Member of Parliament for Kaberamaido County, has until now been the NRM Deputy Treasurer. He is the sixth PPS after Sserwanga Lwanga, Amelia Kyambadde, Grace Akello, Mary Amajo, and Molly Kamukama. Others were Kabanda Bill, Joan Magei and Francis Mukama. The outgoing PPS, Ms. Molly Kamukama, said she was glad she is handing over the office to Dr. Omona who is a staunch cadre with whom she was recruited from the same university. I am glad that a cadre is replacing me to serve the President. I want to thank the President who saw it fit to appoint me to oversee the economy of Uganda. As a Minister, I will continue to serve him to make our country better. I thank the State House team, including the Office of the Vice-President, for their support, she said. Related NSW Health is urging people to be alert for measles symptoms after five people who hadn't travelled outside Sydney were diagnosed with the serious disease. All five sufferers first developed symptoms between Christmas and New Year's Day with NSW Health warning that other people may be infected. Those diagnosed with measles had visited a number of locations across Sydney from December 26 to January 2 including Little Bay beach, Hyde Park, Maroubra, Macquarie Fields and Bankstown. NSW Health is urging people to be alert for measles symptoms after five people who hadn't travelled outside Sydney were diagnosed with the serious disease (stock image) Acting communicable diseases director Christine Selvey says early measles symptoms include a fever, sore red eyes, a runny nose and coughing. 'Three or four days later, the characteristic red, blotchy rash appears,' Dr Selvey said in a statement on Saturday. 'This starts on the face and neck and then spreads to the chest and the rest of the body.' Dr Selvey said measles was entirely preventable by immunisation, and anyone born during or after 1966 should ensure they had received two vaccines. Those who may have been exposed by being in the same place at the same time are at risk of developing measles until January 20 as it can take up to 18 days for symptoms to develop. They rung in the New Year with a trip to Rio de Janeiro. And Cara Delevingne and her girlfriend Ashley Benson were spotted leaving a hotel after saying their goodbyes to friends in the city on Friday. The British model, 27, looked stylish in a casual khaki blouse layered with a black jacket as she stepped out, closely followed by her other half Ashley. Stepping out: Cara Delevingne and her girlfriend Ashley Benson were spotted leaving a hotel after saying their goodbyes to friends in the city on Friday She accessorised her chic look with a pair of 90s-inspired shades, while sleeking her blonde tresses back into a neat bun and going make-up free. Meanwhile, her girlfriend Ashley looked equally stylish as she stepped out wearing a black crop top teamed with skinny jeans and a leather biker jacket. She wore a pair of oversized Ray Ban jackets and swept her hair back into a half up half down do, while accessorising with simple gold hoop earrings. Biker chic: Meanwhile, her girlfriend Ashley looked equally stylish as she stepped out wearing a black crop top teamed with skinny jeans and a leather biker jacket The hot couple were snapped Monday as they continued their holiday travels. Cara and Ashley, who have been romantically-linked since May of 2018, stopped at a restaurant called Gero, where they posed for pics with fans outside the South American eatery. Rio marks the latest travel destination for the celeb couple, who have made the most of their downtime this holiday season with trips all over the world. They visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California over the weekend, joining Cara's sister Chloe and other relatives visiting 'The Happiest Place on Earth.' Details: She wore a pair of oversized Ray Ban jackets and swept her hair back into a half up half down do, while accessorising with simple gold hoop earrings International travels: The couple has also touched down in Morocco, where Cara surprised Benson with a trip to commemorate her 30th birthday They've also touched down in Morocco, where Cara surprised Ashley with a trip to commemorate her 30th birthday. 'I was surprised on my 30th birthday,' the actress said in an Instagram post. She continued: 'Morocco has always been a place Ive wanted to visit. I faced so many fears and took on new adventures with my best friend by my side. 'I couldnt have asked for anything better. I love you @caradelevingne. Thank you for making my birthday the best yet.' Wish upon a star: They visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California over the weekend with Cara's sister Chloe and other relatives visiting 'The Happiest Place on Earth' In October, Cara opened up about her relationship, calling herself 'the luckiest girl in the world' to be in a romance with Ashley. 'It's so nice to have someone in my life that supports me so much and loves me,' she told E! News at in Beverly Hills at the Girl Up #GirlHero Awards. When she received the award, Ashley was showing support again, writing on Instagram, 'So proud of you, I love you @caradelevingne.' Both remain thriving in their careers, as Cara remains one of the world's top supermodels, while Ashley is set to appear with Ewan McGregor and Val Kilmer in the upcoming drama The Birthday Cake in 2020. The NSW emergency services minister has labelled his decision to stay on an overseas family vacation while the state burned 'inexcusable'. David Elliott made the comments after receiving a late-night briefing at the Rural Fire Service's Sydney headquarters on Friday. 'My absence over the last week was inexcusable,' he said. Scroll down for video Emergency Services Minister David Elliott delivered a Christmas hamper to Baulkam Hills fire and rescue. He has apologised for jetting to Europe during a fire crisis 'I should have put my RFS family first and foremost given the current conditions (even my own family acknowledge that) and now it's time to get back to work. Mr Elliott, who served RFS volunteers breakfast on Christmas Day, received bi-daily updates during his post-Christmas holiday as corrections minister Anthony Roberts assumed duties on the ground. The Baulkham Hills MP nevertheless came in for heavy community criticism for travelling overseas during a bushfire season in which almost 1300 homes have been razed, 17 lives lost and bush three times the size of Sydney burnt. Mr Roberts on Friday refused to pile on, saying annual leave was staggered between NSW ministers. 'He made it quite clear that if the situation got worse, he would return. He will return this weekend,' he said. Mr Elliott will address media on Saturday morning alongside Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Reports began emerging on December 16 that amid widespread bushfires Mr Morrison had taken his family on holiday in Hawaii without making an announcement A statewide total fire ban and week-long state of emergency are in place. He said NSW will have 3000 firefighters operating and a further 600 on standby to cope with the day's extreme fire danger. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was criticised before Christmas for holidaying with his family in Hawaii. The Forge Vintage Club have raised over 100,000 for local charities, the latest 10,000 instalment coming at the club's Christmas party in the Oak Tree Bar in Foulksmills. A buffet dinner was served followed by music from Update, with club members dancing the night away. On the night cheques totalling 10,000 were handed over to charities for the year: Wexford Hospice Home Care, Clongeen parish for the senior citizens party, Clongeen National School, Slaney Search and Rescue and Ard Aoibhinn. Club spokesperson Angela Byrne said: 'This year is a big year for us as we are celebrating ten years and to date we have raised just over 100,000 which has been handed over to many charities over the years. We would like to thank the following for the continued support over the year: all members from other vintage clubs who travelled to our runs, our own members and people who generously donated money and prizes without your continued support we would not have had another successful year.' This year money was raised during the fourth Christy Purcell Memorial Road run with 149 people registered and plenty of spectators around to wave off the run. This run headed to Rathangan where they stopped in the Rathangan bar before travelling back to Foulksmills for a hot meal. Then on Saturday, June 29, over 20 members left Clongeen on tractors heading to Dungarvan for an over night trip. They stopped in Kilmeaden for dinner and then on to Dungarvan where they parked up the tractors for the night. A great night was had in Dungarvan and on the following morning they departed on their return journey back to Foulksmlls. On Sunday, September 8, another great day was had by everyone for the club's annual all vehicle road run which travelled through Saltmills where they stopped off in the Vine Cottage and returned to the Oak Tree bar in Foulksmills for a lovely meal. SANCTUARY POINT, Australia - As southeast Australia burned Saturday, the word carried on the wind was "unprecedented." The continent has seen massive wildfire outbreaks before, but this one has been different. There are so many fires in so many places - about 200 at last count - and many are in novel terrain, including rainforests and the suburbs of Sydney. The flames have taken the lives of a dozen people in the past week, killed untold numbers of koalas and other animals, destroyed more than a thousand structures, forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate, choked cities with smoke and rendered the famed Sydney Opera House nearly invisible on the city's harbor. The smoke has reached the lower stratosphere and crossed 9,000 miles of ocean to pollute the skies of South America. Saturday was one of the worst days yet in a stretch of dangerous fire weather - blazing heat, parched brush and winds that topped 60 miles per hour. It was the hottest day on record in metropolitan Sydney, with the town of Penrith hitting 120 degrees, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The national capital, Canberra, set a record high with a temperature of 110 degrees. The national government on Saturday began calling up 3,000 army reservists to conduct evacuations and help people in remote areas affected by the wildfire emergency. Roads have closed, and many residents and summer vacationers have been trapped in coastal towns and told to flee the flames by boat if there is no other option. More than 1,000 people and 113 dogs reached Melbourne on Saturday on two Navy ships, the Sycamore and the Choules, which evacuated them from seaside towns ringed by fires. In southern New South Wales state, people in a 70-mile coastal stretch were warned it was too late to leave the area and told to seek shelter, as an out-of-control blaze that had consumed more than 1,000 square miles of forest and farmland - more than 40 times the size of Manhattan - burned toward the Pacific Ocean and threatened to cut off escape routes. This season's fires have burned through an area at least the size of West Virginia. At Sanctuary Point, a normally bustling vacation town, 13 of the 18 shops on the main street were closed Saturday. Shopkeepers said the staff and owners had either left town or were preparing to defend their houses. Those who remained waited anxiously for a southerly change that could whip up the fire, and they kept watch for embers, which fire officials have said can ignite trees, leaves and grass up to seven miles ahead of a fire front. Around midday, Helen Bowerman was pouring water into the guttering on her concrete-block and metal-roof house. With the air smelling of smoke, the 66-year-old said she was worried that tall trees on an adjacent property could catch fire and collapse. Should the fire reach her, Bowerman said, she planned to dive into a large estuary next to her house. A neighbor had kayaks ready to go. "We all look out for each other and help each other out," she said. Farrugia Sammut, 82, said she had not been as scared since her childhood home in Malta was bombed during World War II. "We're surrounded" by wildfires, the former factory worker said. "I can't sleep at night for the worry." This past year was the hottest on record in Australia - and also the driest. The lethal combination has underwritten a fire season that started early, in September, and shows no sign of abating. The death toll since the fire season began stands at 23. The fires are so extreme that the weather bureau has warned of lightning strikes from what are called pyro-cumulonimbus clouds - fire-spawned thunderheads built of smoke, towering to 45,000 feet and generating ground-level convection that makes firefighting harder. Forecasters do not anticipate any significant rain in the scorched regions for months. This natural disaster is also a political crisis. The fires are a vivid signal of the global crisis of climate change, which can make ecological conditions more congenial to the ignition and intensification of wildfires. Climate change has been a divisive topic in Australia for years, a wedge issue that has decided elections. In the past, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has downplayed the importance of tackling climate change, and has offered full-throated support for coal mining. The fires have created the biggest test of that position, and of Morrison's leadership, since his conservatives unexpectedly won a general election in May. Even on a dry continent accustomed to fatal wildfires, footage of hundreds of civilians being evacuated by sea triggered a sense among many Australians that climate change poses an immediate threat to the nation, one of the world's largest coal exporters. Three weeks ago, the country recorded its highest nationally averaged temperatures - twice in two days. Already, the devastation has fueled calls for Morrison - who once brandished a lump of coal in parliament to underline his support for mining - to take more concerted action on climate change. Australia's share of global carbon dioxide emissions from domestic use of fossil fuels is about 1.4 percent, according to Climate Analytics, but the country is one of the highest emitters per capita. "The best response I can provide to people who are feeling angry and isolated, people who are feeling afraid, is what I can do today," Morrison said at a news briefing in Canberra, flanked by the minister of defense and the chief of the defense forces. "We'll continue to take action on climate change." The fires have also undermined Morrison's reputation as a man in touch with middle Australia. The prime minister, who was snubbed and heckled by exhausted and angry firefighters and survivors in recent days, ordered what the government said was the first major use of military reserves to respond to this type of natural disaster. He also touted, in a promotional video, an Australian navy ship that has been ordered to the border between New South Wales and Victoria states to help evacuate people. These moves followed criticism of Morrison's decision to vacation in Hawaii after the fires began, and a perception that state-based firefighting services have been overwhelmed by blazes that have destroyed more than 1,300 homes. "He deserves it," said Geoff Monkhouse, a 76-year-old retired electrical contractor who was drinking beer at a Sanctuary Point country club on Saturday. "He should not go smiling around people that are suffering." Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Australia's deadliest wildfire disaster was in February 2009, when 173 people were killed. On Saturday, Andrew Constance, a conservative lawmaker from southern New South Wales, compared the fires in his region to "an atomic bomb." "It's indescribable the hell it's caused and the devastation it's caused," he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. Volunteer brigades of the Rural Fire Service are fighting the fires and are being widely lauded as heroes. The government's Fires Near Me website lists the distinct fires: the Currowan fire (695,000 acres, listed as "out of control"), the Green Wattle Creek fire (671,000, "out of control"), the Dunns Road fire (582,000 acres, "out of control"), the Badja Forest Road fire (494,000 acres, "out of control") - and the list goes on. Radio host Richard Glover, presenter of "Drive" on ABC Radio Sydney, said he took a bucket to the studio Saturday in case he became nauseous from the toxic air. His listeners told tales of retching as they drove around the city. The fires are right up against the Sydney suburbs, an unfamiliar experience for the city's residents. In an email, he described the nature of the disaster, in which office workers wear breathing masks and senior citizens walk the streets with hankies pressed to their mouths: "There are the unprecedented fish deaths in our inland rivers; the unprecedented level-one fire warning for Sydney; the unprecedented day of blazes in every state and territory." He summed up the mood: "Gnawing anxiety is everywhere, together with enormous gratitude and admiration for the 'thin yellow line' of volunteer fire-fighters who are standing in the way of the flames." - - - Achenbach and Freedman reported from Washington. The 'Million March' against CAA, National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) drew huge crowds from the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and surrounding districts. The three-hour long protest passed off peacefully. Hyderabad, Jan 4 (IANS) Tens of thousands of people participated in the biggest ever protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) here on Saturday. Roads around Indira Park in the heart of the city were packed with men, women and children carrying Indian flags, banners and placards, raising slogans against the Narendra Modi-led government. The protest organised by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising 40 Muslim and Dalit organisations brought traffic to a halt on the main roads at Indira Park and Hussain Sagar lake, which connect the twin cities. The usually busy Tank Bund and Lower Tank Bund roads, Telugu Talli Flyover, RTC Cross Roads and other major thoroughfares in Liberty, Himayatnagar, Basheerbagh were teeming with slogan-shouting protesters. Citizens from various walks of life joined hands to participate in the march, so far the biggest protest against CAA in Hyderabad. Traders, lawyers, writers, journalists, software engineers, other professionals, students, activists, religious leaders and house wives converged at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park where police had made elaborate security arrangements. Shops and business establishments were closed in parts of Hyderabad as businessmen and traders turned out to participate in the march. Several educational institutions had also declared a holiday. The participants were raising slogans like 'Inquilab zindabad', 'Tanashahi nahi chalegi' and 'we reject NRC'. They were carrying banners and placards with slogans like "We will die but not accept CAA, NRC and NPR" and "United against hate". "The real issues are economy, education and health, and not Hindu-Muslim, Pakistan and NRC," read a banner. The protesters demanded Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to announce that NPR will not be carried out in the state. The organisers had invited Rao to lead the march. The protest was originally planned last week, but the police had denied permission. The JAC had approached the high court, which asked the police to consider fresh application by the organisers. The protesters, many of them women, gathered at the NTR Stadium and Dharna Chowk in the afternoon. They recited the national anthem and also offered 'namaz'. The protesters holding the Tricolour reached in four wheelers, auto rickshaws and motorbikes while many also came to the venue walking. The march was a big success despite no mainstream political party being part of it. Most of the constituents of JAC were smaller socio-religious groups. However, it looked like the citizens came out irrespective of their political affiliations to speak out in one voice. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a major political force in the city, was not part of the protest. AIMIM, led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, had approached the police seeking permission for a march under the banner of United Muslim Action Committee on January 4 or 5. However, the police denied permission for the same. JAC convenor Mushtaq Malik said the 'Million March' was successful despite the attempts by some elements to scuttle it by circulating rumours on social media since Friday night. "CAA is discriminatory against Muslims. We will not accept it," said Syed Sajid, a student participating in the march "CAA is not the only issue. The government is going to start NPR which is nothing but the first step towards NRC," said Zohra Begum, a housewife, holding the national flag. "Our ancestors decided to remain in India on a call given by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. This is our country. We were born here and will die here," said another protester. ms/arm On Friday dozens of asylum seekers pushed back into Mexico by the United States tried to get their bearings, still unsure of how they would travel some 350 miles to their court dates, subsist for months in this unfamiliar border city or return to their distant homelands. On Thursday, the U.S. government expanded its so-called Remain in Mexico program to the border between this city and its sister Nogales, Arizona. A group of about 30 mostly Central American migrants were returned that day and another approximately 45 were sent Friday. The migrants said no one had figured out how to round up money to leave Nogales yet. The U.S. had sent some 56,000 asylum seekers back to await their cases in Mexico through November, according to Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Making asylum seekers wait in Mexican border cities, many of which suffer from rampant crime, aims to discourage migrants. Previously many of them were released with monitoring bracelets to await their cases inside the U.S. Nogales is the seventh border crossing to participate in the program and perhaps the most onerous yet for asylum seekers. Central Americans who returned Thursday had court dates scheduled for late March in El Paso, Texas, hundreds of miles east. Other border points have courts just across the frontier or at least a significantly shorter distance away. Lorenzo Gonzalez, a Guatemalan farmworker travelling with his wife and three children between the ages of 1 and 12, said he didn't see how they could wait three months. He was ready to throw in the towel, but also didn't know how they'd be able to return to Guatemala. The family spent Thursday night at a shelter nearly 2 miles (3 kilometres) from the border. In the morning, migrants there paid a nominal fee for a lift to the soup kitchen, which sits a short walk from the border crossing. In the afternoon, Mexico's immigration agency shuttles them back to the shelter from the border. But workers at the independently run shelter said they can stay for only three nights. Lorenzo explained he didn't have the money to go back to Guatemala and neither the 1,200 pesos ($63) for a bus ticket to Ciudad Juarez across the border from El Paso, where his court date was scheduled for March 25. "We are desperate," he said. Even with money, the journey to Ciudad Juarez is far from secure because it entails crossing from territory controlled by the Sinaloa cartel to that of the rival Juarez cartel. Three women and six children, all dual nationals, were killed by Juarez cartel gunmen in November where those territories meet. We're very concerned by this situation, said the Rev. Sean Carroll, executive director of the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, which provides the free meals to migrants. He said the returnees are at risk of assault, abuse, kidnapping and rape. Reverend Sean Carroll believed that the situation is against the "human dignity" as "people have the right to access the process to apply for asylum, and this program is precisely to prevent them from having access, it is not fair." The Foreign Office has strengthened its warnings over travel to the Middle East after a US drone strike killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. British nationals have been advised not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan Region, while all but essential travel to Iran was warned against. The guidance was being bolstered this afternoon after the US announced it was sending nearly 3,000 extra troops to the region after Donald Trump authorised the killing of Soleimani early on Friday. Thousands of mourners chanting 'death to America' also took to the streets of Baghdad today, where the head of Iran's elite Quds force was targeted at the capital's international airport on Friday. The Foreign Office has strengthened its warnings over travel to the Middle East after a US drone strike killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani (pictured) in Baghdad Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured) said the updated advice was issued due to 'heightened tensions in the region' and would be kept under review The Foreign Office said anyone in Iraq outside the Kurdistan Region should consider leaving by commercial means because the 'uncertain' security situation 'could deteriorate quickly'. It also advised against 'all but essential travel' to Iran. Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with warnings that Britons should 'remain vigilant' in Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the updated advice was issued due to 'heightened tensions in the region' and would be kept under review. 'The first job of any Government is to keep British people safe,' he added. The US President said he ordered a strike to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation - raising fears of an all-out war. Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday A woman carries an image of Soleimani, who was killed by a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, during an anti-US protest in Tehran An American official denied the nation was behind a second deadly air strike on two vehicles being reported north of Baghdad. Gen Soleimani masterminded Tehran's regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops. President Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Gen Soleimani's 'reign of terror is over' and describing him as having a 'sick passion' for killing. Jeremy Hunt stressed the peril being faced after recent 'extreme' actions by both the US and Iran Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt stressed the peril being faced after recent 'extreme' actions by both the US and Iran, which have simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between the nations. 'Well it's an incredibly dangerous game of chicken that's going on at the moment, because both sides have calculated that the other side cannot afford, and doesn't want, to go to war,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Hunt said the tensions created a 'very difficult situation' for the UK as an ally of the States, adding Britain 'cannot afford to be neutral'. 'But this is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the US's closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy,' he said. There has been criticism of the US for not giving advanced notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was 'regrettable' because allies should ensure 'there are no surprises in the relationship'. Iranians take part in an anti-US rally at Palestine Square in the capital Tehran on Saturday Boris Johnson has been on holiday on the private Caribbean island of Mustique. He has not commented on the general's killing and Number 10 has not said when he will return. Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises monarchs. The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the 'assassination' had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike. He had earlier called on ministers to stand up to the US's 'belligerent actions and rhetoric' and 'urge restraint' from both aggressors. By PTI BRUSSELS: NATO has suspended its training missions in Iraq, a spokesman for the alliance said Saturday, following the US killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. The NATO mission in Iraq, which consists of several hundred personnel, trains the country's security forces at the request of the Baghdad government to prevent the return of the Islamic State jihadist group. "NATO's mission is continuing, but training activities are currently suspended," said the spokesman, Dylan White. He also confirmed that NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg had spoken by telephone with US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper "following recent developments." A US defence official told AFP earlier Saturday that US-led forces helping Iraqi troops fight jihadists have scaled back operations. Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone attack in Baghdad on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy head of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of mostly Shiite factions close to Iran and incorporated into the Baghdad government's security forces. The attack shocked the Islamic republic and sparked fears of a new war in the Middle East. According to his relatives, Mallikarjuna Rao, 56, of Dondapadu in the capital region, got all the more worried when he learnt on Friday that the Boston Consulting Group too had recommended shifting of the executive and judicial capital from Amaravati. (Representational Images) VIJAYAWADA: A farmer, Kommineni Mallikarjuna Rao, who had been protesting against the downsizing of the Amaravati capital died on Saturday of suspected cardiac failure. According to his relatives, Mallikarjuna Rao, 56, of Dondapadu in the capital region, got all the more worried when he learnt on Friday that the Boston Consulting Group too had recommended shifting of the executive and judicial capital from Amaravati. He was rushed to the hospital after he complained of chest pain but died during treatment. He had given 1.2 acres under the land pooling scheme of the TD government. G eneral Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in a US airstrike at Bagdad airport on Friday after months of rising tensions between the US and Iran. Here, we look at the events leading up to the general's killing, stemming from Mr Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions. US President Donald Trump holds up a proclamation declaring his intention to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in 2018 / REUTERS Timeline leading to the US killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani July 25, 2015: The US, Iran and other world powers including the UK announce an agreement they describe as a first step towards preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. October 2016: Presidential candidate Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from the deal if elected. May 8, 2018: President Trump announces the US will withdraw from the Iran deal. Iran, Britain, France and Germany say they will maintain the pact. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited the family of Qasem Soleimani after he was killed / KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty Images April 8, 2019: Mr Trump says he will designate Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organisation, despite opposition from the US military. April 22, 2019 : The US says it will end exemptions on sanctions against countries buying oil from Iran. The Us is sending nearly 3,000 more soldiers to the Mideast after general Qasem Soleimani killing / AP May 12, 2019: Two oil tankers from Saudi Arabia, and one each from the United Arab Emirates and Norway are attacked in the Persian Gulf. The US blames Iran. June 20, 2019: Iran shoots down a US drone it says violated its airspace, which America denies. Mr Trump orders attacks against Iran but cancels them shortly before they were to be launched. Pakistani Shi'ite Muslim burn US and Israel's flags to condemn General Qasem Soleimani death / REUTERS July 1, 2019: Iran says it has exceeded the amount of low-enriched uranium it was allowed to produce under the 2015 agreement. July 4, 2019: British marines seize the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 in Gibraltar at the request of the US. July 18, 2019: Mr Trump says the US navy shot down an Iranian drone that came close to the ship. Counterterrorism police in the US are on alert for any possible retaliations / Getty Images July 22, 2019: Iran arrests 17 of its citizens and charges them with spying for the US. Some were reportedly executed. December 27, 2019: An American civilian contractor is killed and several troops injured in a rocket attack in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group, is blamed. General Soleimani's family morn his death as Iran vows to avenge the killing / KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty Images Congress leader Alka Lamba on Saturday lambasted at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikh community after a mob pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. "The religious sentiments of the Sikh community have been deeply hurt. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan should stop such activities. Also, India will not tolerate such attacks on minorities," Lamba told ANI. Talking about the march launched by the Congress from Teen Murti to Pakistan High Commission here to extend support to the Sikh community and condemn the stone pelting at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, Lamba said, "We want to send a strong message to Pakistan that they have to protect minorities living there." The Congress leader also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that he is "silent" over the issue. "We are upset that Prime Minister Modi went to Pakistan without an invitation...He gave a shawl... went to marriages and came back after eating biryani. But after such a big tragedy happened in Pakistan, where is he? He is silent. Only Congress is here to condemn the attack and to support religious minorities," she added. An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening.The group was led by the family of a boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara's panthi.Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trump Used Iraq War Authorization to Kill Qassem Soleimani: National Security Adviser President Donald Trumps authority to order a strike against Iranian General Qassem Soleimani came from the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF) passed in 2002, the White House said. The authorization gave President George W. Bush the authority to order military action against those responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, as well as any associated forces. Whereas, on Sept. 11, 2001, acts of treacherous violence were committed against the United States and its citizens; and Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate that the United States exercise its rights to self-defense and to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad, the resolution passed by Congress states. The president is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons, the resolution states. Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport overnight on Jan. 3. The president exercised Americas clear and inherent right of self-defense to counter this threat. It was a fully authorized action under the 2002 AUMF and was consistent with his constitutional authority as commander-in-chief to defend our nation and our forces against attacks like those that Soleimani has directed in the past and was plotting now, National Security Adviser Robert OBrien told reporters in a call on Friday. U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, assigned to the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command 19.2, provide security at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 3, 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Kyle C. Talbot/Handout via Reuters) Soleimani Planning Attack American military leaders said they learned Soleimani was planning an attack on U.S. interests. Soleimani was in the Middle East, in Iraq, and traveling around the Middle East. He had just come from Damascus, where he was planning attacks on American soldiers, airmen, Marines, sailors, and against our diplomats. So this strike was aimed at disrupting ongoing attacks that were being planned by Soleimani, and deterring future Iranian attacks, through their proxies or through the IRGC Quds Force directly, against Americans, OBrien said. Trump told reporters in Florida that the strike was carried out to stop a war. OBrien explained further after a reporter asked about the thought process behind Trump authorizing the strike. While theres always a risk in taking decisive action, theres a greater risk in not taking that action. And the president just was not prepared to risk the lives of American service men and women and our diplomats, given Soleimanis history and his efforts to further destabilize the region and the imminent nature of the attacks that he was planning on Americans in Iraq and in other locations, he said. So once the president had that information and the national security principals were aware of that information, that was a very straightforward decision for the president to make the call on this. Qassem Soleimani prays in a religious ceremony at a mosque in the residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran, on March 27, 2015. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File) Move to Revoke AUMF Some Democrats said in the wake of the strike against Soleimani they want to revoke the authorization from the AUMF, while others said the post-9/11 AUMF didnt authorize Trump to take action against Iran. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who was the only member of Congress to vote against the AUMF, said in a statement: The Trump administration has acted without any consultation with Congress or an authorization to use military force. It is beyond clear that Congress must act urgently to repeal the 2001 and 2002 Authorization of the Use of Military Force. Events of the past day make it clear that we are long overdue for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). The current AUMF is too broad and we cannot give Trump or any president a blank check to get us into unnecessary conflict without Congressional authorization, added Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.). Some members of the House said they were working to pass the AUMF Clarification Act. There can be no war with Iran without the express approval of Congressthat must be clear, said Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.). And a joint resolution introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) this week that would direct the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. The Congressional Research Service, billed as nonpartisan, shared staff to congressional committees and members of Congress, said in a report (pdf) published Dec. 30, 2019, that presidents arent authorized to take force against Iran. President Donald Trump delivers remarks following the U.S. Military airstrike against Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, Iraq, in West Palm Beach, Florida on Jan. 3, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters) Although presidents have long asserted wide-ranging authority to unilaterally initiate the use of military force, no legislation has been enacted authorizing the use of force against Iran, and several measures include provisions specifying that such authorization is not being granted, it stated. It cited several bills, including the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020, which stated, Nothing in this act may be construed as authorizing the use of force against Iran. The act, as passed by the House, would repeal the AUMF within 240 days of enactment. The act has not been brought to a vote in the Senate. The Senate rejected an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act later passed just before Christmas that would have prohibited using any funds to conduct hostilities against the government of Iran, against the armed forces of Iran, or in the territory of Iran, except pursuant to an act or joint resolution of Congress specifically authorizing such hostilities. The report noted that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested to a Senate committee in April 2019 that the AUMF could potentially apply to Iran, asserting the country hosted al-Qaida. They have permitted al-Qaida to transit their country. [Theres] no doubt there is a connection between the Islamic Republic of Iran and al-Qaida. Period. Full stop. Vice President Mike Pence, listing the reasons the United States killed Soleimani, said on Friday that the general helped 10 of the terrorists responsible for 9/11 travel clandestinely to Afghanistan. According to the 9/11 Commission Report (pdf), 8 to 10 of the 14 Saudi muscle operatives traveled into or out of Iran between October 2000 and February 2001. The Congress has asked the state government to define the term indigenous since the Sarbananda Sonowal government in Assam has decided to provide land pattas to more than 40,000 landless indigenous people on 28 January The Congress has asked the state government to define the term "indigenous" since the Sarbananda Sonowal government in Assam has decided to provide land pattas to more than 40,000 landless indigenous people on 28 January. "What will be the definition of 'indigenous' because various people had come to Assam at various times. Muslims entered Assam from 12th century AD, the Ahoms came to Assam in 1226, the Bodo, Mishing and Miri among other tribes have been living here since ages, the tea-tribes came to Assam in 1850, and since 1905 - people from East Bengal have entered Assam. So, who among these will be identified as 'indigenous'?" asked Assam Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia. "The Gauhati High Court had recently ordered the eviction of all non-tribal people from protected tribal belts in the state. The tribal status was granted to them around 1948-1950, and if anyone bought land in these areas, they constituted the protected class - will they now be uprooted from their lands? There are 83,000 people from protected classes (tribals) and about 17,000 from non-protected classes (non-tribals)," added Saikia, stating that the government has failed to take a convincing stand on the issue. BJP Spokesperson Mominul Awal told News18 that people from those areas "where there has been no illegal infiltration" would be availing land pattas. "The land pattas would be given to the Assamese people or tribals, mainly from Upper and Middle Assam, and the Sixth Schedule areas from places, we believe, there has been no infiltration." On the other hand, All Assam Students Union general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said the government needs to be more specific, and the approach should not be 'election-centric.' "Who all will get land patta? Be it the son of the soil, or the Scheduled Tribes they all have land issues. The government has to be more specific, indigenous has to be well defined. It should not be an election-centric move." The chief minister directed the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to take appropriate steps to distribute land pattas to other beneficiaries in subsequent phases so that "the state government's commitment to provide land pattas to one lakh landless indigenous people could be achieved." Passion 2020: John Piper reveals 'the most outrageous thing Jesus ever said' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Theologian John Piper shared what he considers to be Jesus most outrageous statement as he delved into the topic of fame during his sermon before tens of thousands at Passion 2020 in Atlanta on Wednesday. Piper, an American Reformed Baptist pastor and founder of DesiringGod.org, kicked off the annual young adult gatherings New Years Day session with a 45-minute sermon stressing why Christians must desire the name and fame of Jesus more than anything else in their life. For over 20 years now, the flag that's been flying over Passion Conferences is from the Prophet Isaiah 26:8, the 73-year-old Piper explained. Youll find it on the website and you can read on the screen. It goes like this. Yes Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desire of our soul. Its never changed from 1997, Piper added. So yes, Lord, we wait for you. We want You, we desire You. And the reason that I say You and not just Your name or Your fame is first because that's what the text says we wait eagerly for You [and also] because that's what the name means. Your name is Your being in the Bible. Piper explained that when God revealed His name as Yahweh in Exodus 3, He said, I am who I am as if to say my name is my being. So when you desire the name, you desire the person. When you desire the renown, you desire the fame of the person, Piper stressed. Now, on this side of the incarnation, He has another name. The name is Jesus. I don't know if you're as amazed as I am by these outrageous things Jesus said. Piper continued by referencing Jesus' words from John 8:58: The most outrageous thing Jesus ever said was Before Abraham was, I am. So when you desire the name and you say, Your name and Your fame are my desire. You mean Yahweh who is Jesus, Piper said. Piper went on by saying that Passion, which was founded in the 1990s by Louie and Shelley Giglio, is built on the deity of Christ. Piper said he is praying for those in attendance and watching at home for their greatest desire to be for Jesus to be globally renowned. But he warned that it should not be a private desire. If it's only you and Jesus, you dont know Jesus, Piper stressed. The passion for His fame is right there in the verse. Your name and your renown are the desire of our souls. And when we say that His name and His fame are our desire, we don't mean [to say] maybe He'll be famous. There's no maybe about it. Piper said that the God-man, Jesus, is coming again, at which time the haughty will be humbled and those who truly desire the name and fame of Jesus will have the desires of their souls fulfilled. There is no maybe about it, he reiterated. If you don't desire it, you won't have it. Piper contended that in order to truly be born again as a follower of Christ, one must desire God more than anything else. Nothing is more important in your life than the awakening of this desire, he said. The triumph of this desire over all other desires is the most important thing in your life. If the name and the fame of Jesus the Savior, the Son of God, the King of Kings does not become your greatest desire, you will not only waste your life, you will lose it. The words of Isaiah 26:8 are the mark of a Christian, Piper told the audience. Not a mature Christian, a Christian, he added. There's a lot hanging here in the balance. Passion Conferences are targeted for students ages 18 to 25. Since the first Passion Conference in 1997, the ministry has encountered millions of students. Other speakers at the three-day event include the likes of Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson, pastor Levi Lusko, Christian athlete Tim Tebow, apologist Ravi Zacharias and evangelist Christine Cain. The event also features worship and performances by Hillsong United, Lecrae, Kari Jobe, Elevation Music, Crowder, and others. Shiite Muslims demonstrate over the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in the posters, in Karbala, Iraq, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. Iran has vowed "harsh retaliation" for the U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed Tehran's top general and the architect of its interventions across the Middle East, as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. Read more BAGHDAD Thousands of militiamen and other supporters chanting America is the Great Satan marched in a funeral procession Saturday in Baghdad for Irans top general after he was killed in a U.S. airstrike, as the region braced for the Islamic Republic to fulfill its vows of revenge. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed early Friday near the Baghdad international airport along with senior Iraqi militants in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar and tested the U.S. alliance with Iraq. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war, but it's unclear how or when it might respond. Any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared in both Iran and Iraq. All eyes were on Iraq, where America and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Trump says he ordered the strike, a high-risk decision that was made without consulting Congress or U.S. allies, to prevent a conflict. U.S. officials say Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades. After the early Friday, the U.S.-led coalition has scaled back operations and boosted security and defensive measures at bases hosting coalition forces in Iraq, a coalition official said on the condition of anonymity according to regulations. Meanwhile, the U.S. has dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait, the latest in a series of deployments in recent months as the standoff with Iran has worsened. In thinly-veiled threat, one of the Iran-backed militia, Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Bridages, called on Iraqi security forces to stay at least 1,000 meters (0.6 miles) away from U.S. bases starting Sunday night. "The leaders of the security forces should protect their fighters and not allow them to become human shields to the occupying Crusaders," the warning statement said, in reference to the coalition bases. The group is founded by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. Later Saturday evening, a series of rockets were launched and fell inside or near the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy. No one was injured by a Katyusha rocket that fell inside a square less than one kilometer from the embassy, according to an Iraqi security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Another rocket in Baghdad landed about 500 meters from As-Salam palace where the Iraqi President Barham Salih normally stays in Jadriya, a neighborhood adjacent to the Green Zone, the official said. Another security official said three rockets fell outside an air base north of Baghdad were American contractors are normally present. The rockets landed outside the base in a farm area and there were no reports of damages, according to the official. Also on Saturday, a spokesman for the Iraqi armed forces said the movement of coalition forces, including US troops, in the air and on the ground will be restricted, conditioned on receiving approval from Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, the commander in chief of the armed forces. It was not immediately clear what the new restrictions would mean, given that coalition troops were already subject to limitations and had to be coordinated with the Joint Operation Command of top Iraqi military commanders. Iraq's government, which is closely allied with Iran, condemned the airstrike that killed Soleimani, calling it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is meeting for an emergency session Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops based in the country, who are there to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. In Baghdad, thousands of mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani at Saturday's ceremony. They were also grieving al-Muhandis. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted "No, No, America," and Death to America, death to Israel. Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The procession later made its way to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, where the mourners raised red flags associated with unjust bloodshed and revenge. The slain Iraqi militants will be buried in Najaf, while Soleimani's remains will be taken to Iran. More funeral services will be held for Soleimani in Iran on Sunday and Monday, before his body is laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman. Hadi al-Amiri, who heads a large parliamentary bloc and is expected to replace al-Muhandis as deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, was among those paying their final respects in Baghdad. Rest assured, he said before al-Muhandis' coffin in a video circulated on social media. The price of your pure blood will be the exit of U.S. forces from Iraq forever. The U.S. has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and temporarily closed its embassy in Baghdad, where Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters staged two days of violent protests earlier this week in which they breached the compound. Britain and France have warned their citizens to avoid or strictly limit travel in Iraq. No one was hurt in the embassy protests, which came in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed 25 Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. blamed the militia for a rocket attack that killed a U.S. contractor in northern Iraq. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have steadily intensified since Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions, which have devastated Iran's economy and contributed to recent protests there in which hundreds were reportedly killed. The administration's maximum pressure campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The U.S. has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a U.S. surveillance drone in June, saying it had strayed into its airspace. Billboards and images of Soleimani, who was widely seen as a national icon and a hero of the so-called Axis of Resistance against Western hegemony, appeared on major streets in Iran Saturday with the warning from the supreme leader that harsh revenge awaits the U.S. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Soleimanis home in Tehran to express his condolences. The Americans did not realize what a great mistake they made, Rouhani said. They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come. On the streets of Tehran, many mourned Soleimani. I dont think there will be a war, but we must get his revenge, said Hojjat Sanieefar. America cant hit and run anymore," he added. Another man, who only identified himself as Amir, was worried. If there is a war, I am 100% sure it will not be to our betterment. The situation will certainly get worse, he said. In an apparent effort to defuse tensions, Qatars foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, made an unplanned trip to Iran where he met with Rouhani and other senior officials. Qatar, which has often served as a regional mediator, hosts American forces at the Al-Udeid Air Base and shares a massive offshore oil and gas field with Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meanwhile said he had spoken with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the United Arab Emirates. I reaffirmed that the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation, Pompeo tweeted. In a sign of his regional reach, supporters in Lebanon hung billboards commemorating Soleimani in Beirut's southern suburbs and in southern Lebanon along the disputed border with Israel, according to the state-run National News Agency. Both are strongholds of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, whose leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has close ties to Soleimani. A portrait of Nasrallah could be seen in Soleimani's home when mourners paid tribute there. Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, including the territorys Hamas rulers, opened a mourning site for the slain general and dozens gathered to burn American and Israeli flags. Iran has long provided aid to the armed wing of Hamas and to the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group. The killing of Soleimani was a loss for Palestine and the resistance, said senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan. El Deeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem, Jon Gambrell and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Zeina Karam in Beirut and Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip contributed. __ This story has been corrected to show the name of one of the Iran-backed militias is Kataeb Hezbollah, not Asaib Ahl al-Haq. When Mr. Trump took office, Irans nuclear program was quiescent and its threats to U.S. interests manageable. He pulled the United States out of the treaty that had limited Irans nuclear activity, and he ratcheted up sanctions against the regime. He took sides in a regional battle between an intolerant Sunni regime in Saudi Arabia and an intolerant Shiite regime in Iran. Now, even as short- and long-term threats from Russia, China and North Korea require urgent attention, the United States finds itself in an ever tenser confrontation with Iran. Mr. Trump has yet to offer any explanation of why this is in Americas strategic interest. The additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and other parts of the region, Xinhua news agency quoted an NBC News report as saying on Friday. Washington, Jan 4 (IANS) The US will deploy some 3,500 more troops to the Middle East as early as this weekend following the death of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in an attack ordered by President Donald Trump, it was reported. The soldiers will join roughly 650 others already deployed to the region and remain for some 60 days, NBC News said in the report citing US officials as saying. "As previously announced, the Immediate Response Force (IRF) brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division was alerted to prepare for deployment, and are now being deployed," the Pentagon said in a statement. "The brigade will deploy to Kuwait as an appropriate and precautionary action in response to increased threat levels against US personnel and facilities, and will assist in reconstituting the reserve." The latest move by the Pentagon came just hours after Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed an airstrike near the Baghdad International Airport. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate strongly against the US over the Major General's death. Friday's attack came after Iraqi protesters on Tuesday stormed the US embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American air raids conducted on December 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, claiming the lives of 25 people. ksk/ Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on 3 January 2020: Getty Images Major US arms companies have seen their stock prices jump following the Trump administrations assassination of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. The US announced it was deploying nearly 3,000 extra troops to the Middle East on Friday as Iran vowed severe revenge on those responsible for Soleimanis killing. Irans expected retaliation means Americas long-running military presence in Iraq and the Middle East, which has financially benefited US defence companies, is unlikely to wind down. Defence technology company Northrop Grumman saw its stock up by 5.43 per cent on Friday, while Lockheed Martin stock gained 3.6 per cent and Raytheon stock rose by 1.5 per cent. The killing of Soleimani, a powerful military commander, has sparked fears of an all-out war between the US and Iran, which would lead to increased military spending. Donald Trump has said the airstrike was a defensive move and claimed Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, Mr Trump said on Friday. However, the assassination is a clear escalation in US-Iran tensions and is likely to increase clashes between the two countries. Tasnim news agency has quoted a senior commander in Irans Revolutionary Guards as saying the country will punish Americans wherever they are within reach in retaliation for Soleimanis killing. On Saturday, thousands of mourners in Baghdad, Iraq, marched in a funeral procession for the commander and chanted America is the Great Satan and Death to America. The US State Department has already urged all US citizens to leave Iraq following a New Years Eve attack on an embassy in Baghdad by an Iranian-backed group. Stock market analysts tracking the defence market believe the escalated tensions in the region could lead to increases in military spending, according to The Washington Post. Oil prices also surged following the strike on Friday, with US crude oil climbing by 3.1 per cent, while stocks fell broadly on Wall Street. Story continues Roman Schweitzer, from the Cowen Washington Research Group, has said the airstrike is a major escalation that shifts US-Iran tensions towards a direct confrontation. This is the equivalent of Iran killing the US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff or the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and then taking credit for it Mr Schweitzer wrote in an analyst note. Sheila Kahyaoglu, an analyst for Jefferies Investment Bank, also wrote to investors that the threat of conflict in the Middle East points to the broad threat profile that supports elevated levels of spending, according to The Post. Additional reporting by AP Read more Trump may have miscalculated with killing of Soleimani, Hunt warns The White House has notified Congress of the drone strike that killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, fulfilling its duties under the War Powers Act. Why it matters: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the notification "raises more questions than it answers." Both Democrats and Republicans including Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) have criticized President Trump for not obtaining congressional approval for this week's strike. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said he considers the move an "act of aggression against Iraq" that would "light the fuse of war." Trump issued a warning to Iran on Saturday, tweeting that the U.S. has "targeted 52 Iranian sites," representing the 52 Americans taken in the Iran hostage crisis of 19791981, and that the United States will strike "if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets." What else he's saying: "Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!" Details: The 1973 War Powers Act gives the president 48 hours to report to lawmakers the act of introducing military forces into armed conflict overseas. Trump claimed on Friday that the U.S. drone strike that killed Soleimani was not intended to start a war. Go deeper: Sanders, Ro Khanna push to block funds for military force against Iran Chino, CA (91710) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 71F. Winds light and variable. Stronger winds in and below canyons and passes.. Tonight Some clouds. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Stronger winds in and below canyons and passes. Photo: Martina Albertazzi/Bloomberg via Getty Images U.S. foreign policy has always been one of the most important issues at stake in this years election. Despite early pundit speculation about his peaceful tendencies, Donald Trump has never governed like an anti-interventionist. From his assaults on the Iran deal to his open support for a right-wing coup in Bolivia, Under Trump, the fine American tradition of global meddling acquired a distinctively right-wing valence. Whoever replaces him will have to repair the damage; a sensitive and difficult project. But foreign policy has largely been absent from stump speeches and the debate stage, save for the occasional question about China and trade. That will change. Trumps decision to assassinate Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, puts thousands of lives in the region in immediate danger. At home, its forcing a conversation that should have already been taking place. The Mideast is unstable in part due to the actions of the U.S. itself. After failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, themselves only the latest entries in a decades-old program of direct and bloody interference, Democratic candidates should have to explain what if anything theyd change about Americas posture toward the rest of the world. In tweets, formal statements and speeches issued in the hours after the airstrike, the candidates provided some clarity about the direction theyd take US foreign policy. Most hewed closely to the same rhetoric employed by other Democratic officials: Soleimani was responsible for mass violence and death, but Trumps actions were ill-considered. Or as Senator Cory Booker put it during an appearance on MSNBC: This is somebody who is a bad person, but we also have to look at the larger strategic situation in that area. Soleimani was a terrorist responsible for killing Americans. But this wasn't authorized by Congress and is an escalation that risks a wider war with Iran. Mr. Trump risks making a bad situation worse with reckless action. (1/2) Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) January 3, 2020 It is essential that we protect American service members and citizens throughout the region while working with our allies to prevent further escalation that could lead to a devastating war that Americans do not want. (2/2) Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) January 3, 2020 My statement on the killing of Qassem Soleimani. pic.twitter.com/4Q9tlLAYFB Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 3, 2020 I have signed a pledge to end the Forever Wars. We have been in a constant state of armed conflict for 19 years at a disastrous cost to both our people and our resources. This must end. Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) January 3, 2020 The morning after the Pentagon confirmed its responsibility for the airstrike, Pete Buttigieg joined in, saying there were serious questions about how this decision was made and whether we are prepared for the consequences. Trump is not a man given to introspection. Theres obviously no question that his actions were hasty, or that his government is ill-prepared for the conflict it may have just helped start. Trump has whittled the nations diplomatic apparatus down to a slim and ineffective shadow of its former self. State Department vacancies go unfilled while the president provokes foreign powers on Twitter. These arent decisions any Democratic candidate is likely to repeat, whether theyre centrist or further to the left. But on foreign policy, theres still a meaningful ideological division in the primary field. In 2016, foreign policy was a notable weakness for Senator Bernie Sanders, a strange absence in an otherwise detailed vision for Americas future. But thats no longer true. The democratic socialist has spent the last several years honing a foreign policy that emphasizes diplomacy over military intervention and identifies corruption and oligarchy as global ills the U.S. should work to undermine. On Thursday night, Sanders called Soleimanis killing an assassination, and in a speech in Iowa on Friday afternoon, highlighted his older opposition to the invasion of Iraq. He didnt mention Joe Biden by name, but he didnt have to; the point was clear enough. As senator and then as vice president, Biden made mistakes that Sanders did not. Sanders is staking out ground as the fields most credible anti-war candidate. Other candidates may try to follow his example. After first releasing a statement that closely resembled those of other, more moderate candidates, Senator Elizabeth Warren released another on Friday that condemned Soleimanis killing in stronger terms. She called it an assassination, just as Sanders did the previous night. Maybe voters will care, maybe they wont; its too early to tell and frankly, the opinions of the electorate have no bearing on the actual importance of the issue. The questions in front of the fields candidates are urgent. Will they stop Americas endless wars? Or will the wars go on, away from Twitter and with different consultants and think tanks in charge? Their answers will reveal something profound about the way theyd govern. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 368 projects worth Rs 2,300 crore during an event under his government's 'Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali' campaign that seeks to boost green cover and the water table in the state. Addressing a public meeting in Khagaria district, he termed irrelevant the discussion on the state's tableau not being short-listed for this year's Republic Day Parade. "Issues relating to Bihar have been showcased through tableau at the Republic Day parade on earlier occasions. Hence, there is no need to worry about it," a statement quoted him as saying. Kumar stressed on the importance of keeping intact. He asked people to be aware of climate change and its adverse impact, an official statement said. On his meeting with billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who had come to Patna on November 17, the chief minister said Gates was very impressed with the 'Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali' campaign. "Gates was so much impressed with the Jal-Jiwan-Hariyali drive that he said that discussions on climate change are not being held alone in France, England, America etc but also in Bihar's Patna with as much concern," Kumar was quoted as saying in the statement. The chief minister urged people to participate in a human chain in the state on January 19 in support of prohibition and raise awareness on climate change, practise of dowry and child marriage. Four crore people participated during a human chain formed on January 21, 2017, in support of prohibition while another human chain was formed on 14,000-km stretch on the same date in 2018 against dowry and child marriage, he said. Several senior leaders of the JD(U) and the BJP were also present on the occasion. Prominent among those who addressed the meeting included local MP Choudhary Mahboob Ali Kaiser, MLAs Ramanand Prasad Singh, Panna Lal Singh Patel, Poonam Devi, Sone Lal Mehta, Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar, DGP Gupteshwar Pandey, Khagaria DM Anirudh Kumar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) KOTA: A central government team arrived at the JK Lon Hospital in Rajasthan's Kota district on Saturday to probe into the deaths of 107 infants since December month apparently due to lack of proper facilities and medical equipment. The six-member team of doctors from Delhi's AIIMS will interact with the senior officials of the hospital and take stock of the situation there. The team was constituted by the Union Health Ministry following the death of more than 100 infants since December 2019 at the Kota hospital apparently due to medical negligence and lack of equipment. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker and MP from Kota, Om Birla, also met the family members of one of the infants who died at the government-run JK Lon Hospital. ''I met some families of the infants who passed away in JK Lon hospital. We are standing with these families in this hour of grief. I have written twice to Rajasthan CM, suggesting steps to improve medical facilities,'' Birla said. Taking a suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of more than 100 children at the government-run hospital, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued a notice to Chief Secretary of Rajasthan to submit a detailed report within 4 weeks about the steps being taken to address the issue. The Commission also asked the Chief Secretary to ensure that such deaths of the children do not recur in future due to lack of infrastructure and health facilities at the hospitals. "Ten out of a hundred children died within 48 hours between December 23 and 24, 2019. Reportedly, over 50 per cent of the gadgets installed in the hospital are defunct and the hospital is lacking cleanliness and basic infrastructure including oxygen supply in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)," the Commission said. Expressing concern over infant "painful" deaths, NHRC said the Commission has observed that the "contents of the media reports, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights". "According to the media reports, the state authorities have reportedly stated that the number of deaths is low in comparison with earlier years. As per the statistics quoted by the State authorities 963 children have died in the year 2019 at JK Lon government hospital while this figure was above 1,000 in the preceding years," an NHRC release said. Live TV Meanwhile, Congress leader Harish Rawat on Saturday said that the Rajasthan government is taking against those responsible that led to the death of over 100 infants at the hospital. "The government is focussed and various steps are being taken by the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Action is being taken against those who were at fault. They are also being punished," Rawat told ANI. Rajasthan Health minister Dr Raghu Sharma has been denying negligence on part of state machinery over the deaths of children in Kota. The Congress leader said that BJP had over the last five years destroyed the medical facilities in the state and his party is improving it now. Here's how Iran could seek revenge with cyberattacks on the U.S. As the U.S. braces for blowback following its killing of a key Iranian military commander, experts are warning of the possibility of cyberattacks targeting American institutions. Tehran and its proxies are thought to possess some of the most highly developed cyber arsenals in the world major tools in modern, asymmetrical warfare, where countries and non-state actors fight ruleless, virtual battles with real-world repercussions. Cyberattacks, combined with violence aimed at U.S. targets, could form the "harsh retaliation" promised by Iran's supreme leader following the death of Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike in Iraq. A top U.S. cybersecurity official was among the first to sound the alarm about the threat to Americans. Christopher Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), advised late Thursday that it's "time to brush up" on Iran's tactics. He shared a Homeland Security statement first posted last June, warning that Iran and its proxies had stepped up cyberattacks on U.S. targets, and that they're "looking to do much more than just steal data and money." Iranian cyberattacks, Krebs wrote, "can quickly become a situation where you've lost your whole network." In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added that the U.S. is prepared for any possible retaliation, including a cyberattack. Iran has shown it can indeed do damage, as well as disrupt the everyday lives of Americans. Nazanin Tabatabaee/Wana/Reuters Previous attacks Tehran was linked to a string of so-called "denial of service" (DoS) attacks in 2012, which overwhelmed, then slowed or crashed banking sites belonging to the Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and others. The Obama administration also blamed Iran for a 2014 cyberattack targeting a Las Vegas casino operator, reportedly destroying the company's data, disrupting email systems and even taking down phone lines. Story continues Iran has also been known to target its own citizens, and several other countries, too. Suspicion fell on Iran in 2017, when a cyberattack left dozens of British MPs including then-Prime Minister Theresa May unable to access their email. Tehran has boasted about having a staggering 120,000 volunteers trained in cyber warfare, although foreign experts dispute the figure. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA/Reuters Jim Lewis, a researcher at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, acknowledges that "Iran has improved significantly in the past 10 years" when it comes to mounting cyber offence. "They put a lot of money into it, they're well organized and they get a lot of practice, because they're always attacking their neighbours," Lewis said. Indeed, Maj.-Gen. Nadav Padan, the Israeli military general in charge of network security, said in 2017 its regional rival was regularly targeting Israel and that Tehran was getting help from proxies such as the Lebanon-based Hezbollah. Building up capabilities for years Experts point to two key moments that spurred Iran to bolster its cyber capabilities. Watch: Iran and the threat of a cyberattack on The Weekly with Wendy Mesley The first, known as the Green Movement, saw Iranians attempt to oust President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a popular uprising in 2009. It led authorities to clamp down on internet access and seek tighter control on its citizens' use of social media. Then, around 2010, the Islamic republic suffered a massive cyberattack targeting its nuclear machinery, damaging facilities and setting back Iran's entire program. Known as Stuxnet, no country ever admitted to deploying the computer worm, but the U.S. and Israel are widely believed to have been behind it. Vahid Salemi/The Associated Press Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher at the U.K.-based Oxford Internet Institute, suggested Iran's capabilities may be "overstated" and are certainly outmatched by the likes of the U.S., Britain and Israel. She points to May 2018, when rumours were rampant that a surge of Iranian cyberattacks were imminent following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the international agreement limiting Tehran's uranium enrichment capabilities. No major attack was reported. "I really don't think they have a chance against U.S. capabilities," Alimardani said in a telephone interview. Possible targets Digital security experts say smaller attacks targeting American companies, such as regional banks or energy providers, may be more likely. While proving disruptive to Americans at home, the strategy may have a better chance of succeeding than to mount cyberstrikes on the U.S. government or large corporations who have built firewalls and other defences. Tom Robertson, who manages Toronto-based risk consultancy 3i Partners, said such smaller attacks would give Iranian authorities "more bang for their buck." Disrupting American farmers' access to credit through an attack on a midwestern bank, for instance, would "really wreak havoc in the hearts and minds of the American population," he said. Robertson said while an attack on computer networks north of the American border is unlikely, it's possible a Canadian company with U.S. operations could get swept up in the conflict. There's also no guarantee U.S. authorities would give credit to Iran if ever a cyberattack did damage. Still, there have been no shortage of warnings. "Experience with covert action gives Iran the ability to conceptualize how cyberattacks fit into the larger military picture," Jim Lewis wrote last year. "This is a space for conflict where the rules are unclear, and the risks not yet measured." Green energy became the primary vital power source within the United Kingdom in 2019, the UK's National Grid reports. Last year was the country's cleanest energy year on record. The National Grid includes nuclear, wind, and solar power, also as energy imported by subsea cables. The mixture supplied 48 percent of the UK's electricity last year. Fossil fuels - like coal, gas, oil, and diesel - provided 43 percent. Biomass like wood pellets made up 8.5 percent. This milestone comes as Britain enters the mid-point between 1990 and 2050, the year when it's committed to delivering a minimum of a 100 percent net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions maintaining the 1990 levels and become a net-zero carbon economy. Around 1.9 percent of the United Kingdom's electricity is provided by coal. By the top of this winter, the United Kingdom is going to be left with only four coal-fired power plants. EDF Energy's Cottam coal plant in Nottinghamshire closed this year, and two other coal plants - RWE's Aberthaw B and SSE's Fiddler's Ferry - would be closed in March 2020. In summer 2019, Britain set a new record for going without coal-powered energy altogether. It went on for 18 days from May to early June without using coal to produce electricity, the longest such run since 1882. The National Grid figures show a dramatic shift within the last 20 years. Hydropower, wind farms, and solar panels now generate just over a quarter of Britain's electricity, compared with 2.3 percent in 1990. Atomic power accounts for 17%, compared with nearly 20% in 1990. However, the utilization of gas - a fuel - also shot up to get quite 38% of the country's electric power last year, compared with just 0.1% in 1990. As Britain begins the replacement decade, National Grid's chief executive John Pettigrew said the move "might be a historical movement and a chance to reflect on what [areas] were achieved." Pettigrew underscored the National Grid's critical role in "[accelerating] towards a [clearer] future and are [dedicated] to [performing] our part in delivering a [safe] and secure energy system that works for all." Other recent government figures showed that the UK's growing fleet of offshore wind projects generated more electricity than onshore wind farms for the primary time within the third quarter. Since then, wind generation reached fresh highs during blustery weather in early December to get almost 45% of the UK's electricity on at some point. In December, National Grid unveiled plans to take a position almost 10bn within the UK's gas and electricity networks over the subsequent five years. Nearly 1 billion (approximately US$ 1.3 billion) been allocated for the transition to a net-zero carbon electricity system by 2025, including investments in new equipment and technology. An additional 85 million (approximately US$111 million) would back changes to how people ignite their homes, switching faraway from gas boilers to technologies like electric heat pumps and hydrogen boilers. National Grid estimates that approximately 23 million households will get to install new low-carbon heating solutions by 2050. Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Jayant Patil said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had sent Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari the final list of ministers with the portfolios to be allocated to them for approval. "About portfolio allocation, I am also waiting like all of Maharashtra. According to my information, the Chief Minister has sent the final list to Raj Bhavan at 7:30 pm today itself," Patil's tweet, roughly translated in English from Marathi, read. In the tweet, the Nationalist Congress Party leader also expressed the hope that the Governor will soon approve the list sent by the Chief Minister. Earlier on Saturday, NCP leader and minister Nawab Malik said that the distribution of portfolios will be completed by Monday. "The reason for the delay is not due to anything else but because we are considering creating new departments. So it's taking time. Portfolios will be allocated by Monday," Malik said. Rumours were rife that over-ambition of Congress was to be blamed for the delay of portfolio distribution. However, it has now been refuted by Malik who said no party was behind the delay. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Elko County native Kriston Hill has entered the race for Department 1 judge of the Fourth Judicial District Court, a position currently held by Judge Nancy Porter. Her campaign released the following statement on Friday: Kriston Hill has zealously served the underprivileged with dedication and compassion since becoming an attorney in 2010. In 2015, Hill became one of the youngest women public defenders in the United States when the Elko County Commissioners appointed her to lead the Elko County Public Defenders Office. At the Elko County Public Defenders Office, Hill ensures that the Constitutional rights of those accused of crimes are protected. She was instrumental in expanding the protections provided to those accused of crimes by providing attorneys to be present at all stages of the court process at no additional cost to taxpayers. She has been honored on three separate occasions by Nevada Legal Services for providing free legal services to those who cannot afford them. Hill was the first recipient of the Andrew J. Puccinelli award of pro bono excellence in 2012. Hill is a firm believer that justice delayed is justice denied. Hill knows firsthand that criminal proceedings in Department 1 are significantly delayed, resulting in additional costs to taxpayers and delayed justice for victims. It takes several months before defendants, who are in jail, are arraigned in Judge Porters courtroom. In Department 2, Judge Kacin generally arraigns defendants in about a month. In stark contrast, Department 1 routinely takes two to three months to hold arraignments. This delay costs taxpayers approximately $85 per day to house inmates. Even short delays are extremely costly. The difference between holding an inmate for a month and three months is over $5,000. That is money that could be better spent elsewhere in our community. It is the ongoing lack of efficiency in Department 1 that prompted Hill to run for office. When Hill expressed her interest in running to others, she found that significant delays in Department 1 were not unique to the criminal cases. Civil cases, including matters that affect everyday citizens such as guardianship and probate matters, are also being delayed, sometimes for months. What is most troubling to Hill is that family law matters divorce and child custody cases are also being delayed. The Supreme Court of Nevada has rules stating that district courts must resolve all child custody issues within six months. This rule was established in recognition of the fact that, while a case is pending, the lives of all family members are in turmoil, with children being especially impacted by the uncertainty surrounding custody proceedings. While a divorce is pending, the parties cannot move on, people cannot heal, and children suffer. Department 1 is far from being in compliance with the six month guideline issued by the Supreme Court of Nevada. Hill believes this is wrong, and, if elected, promises to bring efficiency back to Department 1 by holding more frequent hearings and issuing orders in a timely fashion. Hill was also Judge Mike Memeos law clerk. As a result, Hill is fully aware how busy the courts are and was able to observe how an efficient and effective court should be run. Hill is accustomed to a massive caseload that is mostly deadline driven. Hill is running to bring efficiency back to Department 1, to stop the drain on taxpayer dollars, and to bring closure to victims and families. For further information or to volunteer with the campaign, contact 775-299-0595 and info@khillforjudge.com or go to www.khillforjudge.com. Love 60 Funny 4 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 20 SUPERIOR TWP., MI - Amanda Wade-Minor saw her 1-year-old puppy go under an oncoming car on Saturday night, Dec. 28. She was walking Indigo, a 20-pound, black and tan mini-Australian shepherd, around 8 p.m. in her Prospect Pointe subdivision neighborhood near Hunters Creek Drive and Frances Way in Superior Township. A car came down the street, and she is a hunting dog, Wade-Minor said. I wasnt holding the leash strong enough, and she bolted... I saw her go completely under, but then she ran back behind our house." Indigo survived, but has been missing ever since, Wade-Minor said. She and her husband Chris have been using all the resources at their disposal for nearly a week to track down their new dog. Tons of neighbors came out that (first) night, she said. I was out until 3 a.m., just combing all of this neighborhood area. Since Dec. 28, the Minors and a handful of neighbors have been hanging search posters and hiking through the nearby woods in groups of two or three. Wade-Minor said Indigo dragged a black, retractable leash with her and is donning a hot pink collar. Any whos seen Indigo can call 734-377-1266 or reach out to the Minors via Facebook here. Wade-Minor said her family has received all sorts of help from neighbors. She said one specializes in the search and rescue of lost dogs and tracked Indigos scent to the corner of Geddes and Prospect Roads. Another even brought an infrared scanner to search for a warm body. The only good thing that has come out of this is that weve met so many neighbors that we didnt know, Wade-Minor said. Strangers, people just coming out, using their own holiday time. Its just been really incredible. As many as six neighbors gathered at the cul-de-sac on Abigail Drive to form a search party Friday evening, Jan. 3. One of those supporters was Patti Radzik, who didnt know the Minors before Indigo ran away. I just kept thinking, If it was my dog, what would I do? Radzik said. Pets are like your children. I mentioned to Amanda that these horrible circumstances may have led to a beautiful thing... to see how people are coming together. Wade-Minor said that her family, particularly her four children, just need to know what happened to their dog. Even if its not good news, Wade-Minor said, we just want to know where she is. Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) entered 2019 with loads of upside potential. The energy giant was coming off a transitional year during which it completed its cash-flow breakeven plan. As a result, it only needed oil to average $40 a barrel to support its operations and its high-yielding dividend. With crude starting the year well above that level, Occidental appeared poised to generate lots of excess cash. Indeed, it looked to me like the top oil stock to buy heading into 2019. However, instead of sitting back and watching the cash flow in as oil prices rose during the year, Occidental went on the offensive and paid a pretty penny to wrestle rival Anadarko Petroleum away from Chevron (NYSE:CVX). It was a move that infuriated shareholders as it added a substantial amount of debt to Occidental's balance sheet. That weight caused the stock to tumble 33% on the year. In the wake of that slump, the question now is whether Occidental has suffered enough, or if further declines could still be ahead. Why the worst could be over Occidental Petroleum laid out a whopping $55 billion for Anadarko, outbidding Chevron by $5 billion. However, in a relatively unusual move for a megamerger, Occidental didn't issue a lot of stock to finance the deal. To do that would have required a shareholder vote that it likely would have lost. Instead, it funded the majority of the transaction with cash -- $31.8 billion overall -- which meant taking on a substantial amount of debt. Occidental aims to pay down that debt burden by selling between $10 billion and $15 billion in assets, and it has made significant progress on that front. "We are highly confident that the actions we already have in progress will allow us to exceed the upper end of our original $10 [billion] to $15 billion divestiture goal by the middle of 2020," said CEO Vicki Hollob in a mid-November update. If everything goes according to plan, Occidental will significantly reduce its balance sheet issues, which should help lift the main weight holding down its stock. In addition to that, oil prices have risen considerably over the past year. Crude ended 2019 up more than 35%, with U.S. benchmark WTI closing above $61 per barrel. If crude oil remains in its current neighborhood, the company should generate significantly more cash flow in the coming year, which it can use to support its dividend as well as further pay off debt. Finally, the main reason Occidental bought Anadarko is that it believed that there were significant synergies to be found in combining the two companies' operations. Management expects to be able to cut out $3.5 billion of annual expenses by 2021. Progress toward that goal would help prove to skeptical investors that it made the right move. Why rough seas could still be ahead While Occidental Petroleum still asserts that it can hit the high-end of its asset-sales target, the process has proved more complicated than initially expected. One major piece of the puzzle is the planned sale of Anadarko's African assets to French energy giant Total (NYSE:TTE). While the companies completed one part of the transaction, Occidental ran into a roadblock with the deal for Anadarko's Algerian assets; that country's national oil company is trying to block the transaction. In addition to that, Occidental wanted to monetize some of its stake in Anadarko's former midstream arm, Western Midstream (NYSE:WES). However, a slump in Western's valuation forced Occidental to put the process on hold. While Western Midstream's valuation has bounced back a bit, it's still down 29% over the past year. This leaves Occidental with a dilemma -- either sell Western shares at a fire sale price, or fail to hit its assets-sales target. If it's the second option, investors' concerns over Occidental's financial profile would likely intensify, which could lead to a further slide in its share price. Also, Occidental's fortunes naturally are tied to the price of oil. While crude was red hot last year, it could give back some of its gains in 2020 as new supply enters the market. Either headwind would be bad for this energy company. But if both occur, it might need to slash its 7.7%-yielding dividend to shore up its finances. Add it all up, and more suffering could be ahead for Occidental's shareholders. In an Australian first, car doors developed for passengers' comfort with bumps, curves and arm rests that stick out, have been found to increase the risk of injuries and deaths of children in a crash. The position of arm rests can increase the likelihood of a child having a head injury in a crash by as much as 52 per cent, according to researchers from the Transurban Road Safety Centre at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). Intrusions from objects in a crash have been identified as the primary cause of death in 58 per cent of cases. The results were discovered during a dozen crash tests using new equipment developed by engineering undergraduates to test different shaped car doors in a side impact crash. Panaji, Jan 4 : BJP National Working President JP Nadda has assured the Goa party unit, that the 'letter-writing' between the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Karnataka government over the contentious Mhadei interstate water dispute issue will stop, Goa's Ports Minister Michael Lobo said. Lobo on Friday night also said that, the issue of the Mhadei river water diversion was discussed at a close-door meeting between BJP MLAs, top officials along with Nadda at a city hotel. "He (Nadda) said, he is seized of the matter and the Chief Minister has spoken to him in Delhi on two occasions and he would put those letters to rest. That such type of letters are not issued (again)," Lobo said. The state's Ports minister also said, that during the meeting with Nadda, which lasted for around 45 mins, Goa's Water Resources Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues spelled out Goa's case in the ongoing flare-up with Karnataka over Mhadei river water. "The Minister said that this issue of giving letters should stop, because the matter is before the Supreme Court and we have a strong case for the Mhadei. The decision should be as per SC and by giving such letters, we are only going to complivate the situation," Lobo said, spelling out Rodrigues' pitch to Nadda, who was in Goa to address a pro Citizenship Amendment Act rally in Panaji on Friday. The two decade-long dispute over the waters of the Mhadei river, got a fresh twist last month, when the Prakash Javadekar-led MoEF wrote to Karnataka Home Minister Basvaraj Bommai, saying the Karnataka government could proceed with the controversial Kalasa-Banduri water diversion project after the 2018 award on the Mhadei interstate water dispute is formally notified by the Central Government. The December 24 letter comes on the heels of a prior letter, which was issued by the MoEF to Karnataka giving a green nod to the same project. The Goa government has opposed the project claiming diversion of water from the Mhadei basin would cause "ecological devastation" in the coastal state, where nearly half the population of 1.5 million depends on Mhadei river water. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has also said, that if needed the MoEF's controversial letter would be challenged in Court, because the Kalasa-Banduri project was a sub judice matter, after the Goa government has objected to it in the Supreme Court. Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik last month, had also chided the MoEF, saying the letter written by the central ministry to the Karnataka government was open to misinterpretation. The Mhadei river originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea near Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through Maharashtra. An interstate water disputes tribunal, set up by the central government, after hearing the over two-decade-old Mhadei river water sharing dispute among Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, in August 2018 allotted 13.42 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) (including 3.9 TMC for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) to Karnataka and 1.33 TMC to Maharashtra. According to Jack Hanks of Arizona, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by hiring a public adjusting firm. SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2020 / Things happen; that's why people choose to protect themselves with property insurance. However, when it comes time to file an insurance claim, it can be a tricky process. If not done correctly, policyholders can be shorted a great deal of money they need and deserve. Public adjuster, Jack Hanks of Arizona, explains that by hiring a public adjusting firm, you can rest assured that you're getting the most out of your insurance policy's coverage. When it comes time to file a claim for hail, fire, wind, smoke, or flood damage, a public adjuster works on behalf of the policyholder. The licensed professional works for individuals, not for insurance companies, which means they can add tremendous value to your overall payout. Jack Hanks of Arizona notes that they can also assist with other types of insurance losses, such as commercial insurance or property damage. People trust public adjuster experts because they are incredibly knowledgeable about different insurance policies and can sort through the language barriers. Plus, they know how to file and adjust claims across a variety of fields. Each client receives an independent evaluation specific to their property loss situation. The entire process can be quite exhausting for a policyholder. Public adjusters step in to estimate the costs associated with the property loss accurately, then log and submit initial and supplemental claims promptly. Jack Hanks of Arizona explains that it is infrequent to see a policyholder complete their forms correctly and with a high level of detail, especially since every claim is different. Public adjusters shine when it's time to negotiate with contractors and reach better settlements with the insurers. Jack Hanks of Arizona further explains by saying most contacts between adjusters and contractors are in person at the location of the loss. However, communication with the policyholder's insurance company is usually done through the mail. Many people find the process to be tedious and complicated since it takes a long time and requires the storage of documents. Jack Hanks of Arizona notes that public adjusters make things easier by keeping track of correspondences and knowing when to follow up. Policyholders can be at ease and not have to worry about any pitfalls or mistakes. Every person that is filing a property insurance claim should consider hiring a public adjuster, even if the request is for a small amount. If the claim is for a high payout, a public adjuster should be considered a necessity. According to Jack Hanks of Arizona, a policyholder has very little to lose by hiring a public adjuster. A great deal of public adjusting firms even offers to evaluate the property loss for free! No matter how competent the policyholder is, it's always best to get a second opinion. People are often surprised to find out that their loss estimate is much less than it should be. Public adjusters have a full understanding of all the hidden costs associated with property damages. Jack Hanks of Arizona notes that even the best insurance companies will never pay more than they need to, according to the claim you submit. Hire a public adjuster to make sure you cover all your bases. CONTACT: Caroline Hunter Web Presence, LLC +1 786-551-9491 SOURCE: Web Presence View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/572027/Jack-Hanks-Explains-Why-You-Need-a-Public-Adjuster In a revealing intervention, former Foreign Minister Bob Carr has urged the Australian government to ask the Trump administration to drop its extradition proceedings against imprisoned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, for fear of further eroding public support for the US military and intelligence alliance. Carrs call, published today as an opinion column in Nine (previously Fairfax) Media newspapers, is expressed in the most deferential language. Canberra is a good ally to Washington, he emphasises, to the point of dispatching a warship to the Persian Gulf, risking a conflict with Iran, and hosting two communications bases that probably make Australian territory a nuclear target All said, we are entitled to one modest request: that in the spirit with which Barack Obama pardoned Chelsea Manning, and given President Trumps own objection to endless wars in desert sands, it would be better if the extradition of Assange were quietly dropped. Carrs statement is, first of all, a symptom of the alarm within the ruling class about the mounting popular demand for Assanges freedom, both in Australia and internationally. A life-long supporter of the US alliance, he specifically warns that the treatment of Assange is dangerously undermining support for it. He refers to a survey by the Lowy Institute, a pro-US think-tank, showing support for the alliance had fallen from 78 percent to 66 percent and that only 25 percent of Australians had confidence in the US President. Among Australians under 29 years it was almost non-existent. Carr voices concern about the naked assertion by Washington of its right to extradite any journalist, anywhere in the world. If the American bid succeeds, this extra-territorial reach will be brought home sometime in 2020 when we see Assange in shackles, escorted across a British airfield into a CIA aircraft to be flown to Virginia. Carr, who was foreign minister in the last Labor government, from March 2012 until its landslide defeat in September 2013, says the danger is that Assange is being turned into a martyr just like Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Those documents exposed the lies and war crimes committed by successive US administrations in the Vietnam War, and ultimately leading to the political crisis that forced the resignation of President Richard Nixon. How better to seed sourness about the alliance than running a years trial in British courts against this Aussie maverick, followed by a battle in American courts, with liberal media defining it as an issue of freedom, transmuting him into a second Daniel Elsberg [sic], Carr writes. Despite the end of Assanges sentence for supposedly skipping bail by seeking political asylum in Ecuador in 2012, to avoid extradition to Sweden and likely rendition to the US, he remains incarcerated in Londons notoriously brutal Belmarsh prison. He is being held in solitary confinement and sedated in what doctors globally and UN Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer have condemned as psychological torture and a threat to his life. Like Ellsberg, Assange faces charges under the US Espionage Act that could see him locked away for life, if not placed on death row. Ellsberg ultimately escaped imprisonment when a federal judge declared a mistrial because of the Nixon administrations illegal bugging of his medical files. Chelsea Manning, the young US soldier convicted of giving WikiLeaks tens of thousands of damning files documenting US war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and anti-democratic interventions around the world, is also back behind bars. Contrary to Carrs statement, Obamas administration did not pardon her after jailing her in military prisons for seven years, but only commuted her sentence. This left her open to being imprisoned againnow indefinitelyto try to compel her to testify against Assange. Carrs media column is all the more extraordinary because of the political reversal involved. As foreign minister, Carr repeatedly refused to defend Assange. In fact, he played a pivotal part in the assistance provided to Washingtons persecution of Assange by the Greens-backed Labor minority government of Julia Gillard. Gillards government pioneered the refusal of every Australian government over the past decade to exercise its legal and diplomatic powers to intervene on behalf of Assange, as an Australian citizen. Gillard declared publicly that WikiLeaks exposures were illegal and launched an unsuccessful investigation into charging Assange under Australias own draconian espionage and official secrets laws. Gillard had been installed in office in mid-2010, ousting Kevin Rudd, as the result of a backroom coup. Labor Party and trade union leaders who were later identified, in documents published by WikiLeaks, to be protected sources of the US embassy in Canberra, were centrally involved. Rudd had no difference at all with the US alliance, but he had suggested that the US should make some room for the rise of China. Carr, like all his fellow cabinet ministers, falsely denied any knowledge of the US grand jury established by the Obama administration to pursue Espionage Act charges against Assange. Instead, he adhered to the line of the US and British governments that Assange was only facing extradition to Sweden for questioning on what were trumped-up allegations of sexual assault. As foreign minister I explained that the dispute between Sweden and Assange was something in which Canberra had no standing, Carr writes in an attempt to justify Labors complicity. His supporters did not like to hear that. Right up until Assange was dragged out of his asylum inside Ecuadors London embassy last April, every Australian government insisted it had no evidence of US attempts to extradite the Australian citizen. In reality, as far back as 2012when Carr was in officedeclassified cables, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, revealed that Australian embassy officials in Washington had informed the Gillard government in detail about US plans to prosecute Assange. The Labor Party, which committed Australia to the US pivot to Asia against China and expanded US military access across the country under Gillard, has never shifted from its hostility toward WikiLeaks. What then accounts for Carrs about-face? It can be understood only in the context of the deepening movement against US militarism, as well as the mass uprisings that have erupted globally against the yawning social inequality, attacks on working class conditions, corporate corruption, authoritarian regimes and environmental disasters being produced by the capitalist profit system. The growing support for Assange is a key aspect of this seething discontent. In the lead-up to his extradition trial in February, protests demanding his freedom are emerging in many parts of Australia. And there is growing support for the campaign launched by the WSWS to mobilise working class opposition globally. Another indicator of the concern in ruling circles came with a call on Friday by Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for Assange to be released from prison in London, to end his torture in detention (see: Mexican president calls for Julian Assanges freedom). At rallies and public meetings over the past 18 months, the Socialist Equality Party has raised the demand that the Australian government intervene diplomatically and legally to secure Assanges release and ensure his right to return to Australia with a guarantee of protection from extradition to the US. There must be no illusions in the Australian political and media establishment, however. From Gillards government to the current Liberal-National Coalition government of Scott Morrison, it is directly responsible and culpable for Assange being incarcerated. That is why everything depends on turning to the working class and young people, as part of the struggle to overturn the profit system and its drive to austerity, police-state repression and war. The defence of free speech and all basic democratic rights is bound up entirely with the fight against capitalism, that is, for socialism. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: The Protection Of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) special court in Vijayawada on Friday, sentenced a man to seven years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor girl in 2013. According to Patamata police, the convict, Siddhu Sanyasi Rao (39), lured the victim, his neighbour, to a secluded place and assaulted her on April 5, 2013. The girl was on her way home from school. Sanyasi Rao had also threatened to kill her if she revealed about the incident. The victim narrated the incident to her grandmother. Based on a complaint, police filed a case under Sections 342 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 10 of POCSO Act and arrested the accused four days later. After questioning 11 witnesses, special court judge G Pratibha Devi pronounced the seven-year jail term and imposed a fine of Rs 1,500 on him. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2019 shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center in east China's Shanghai, where the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held from Nov. 5 to Nov. 10. [Xinhua/Wang Peng] "Finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects is our solemn commitment to the people, and it must be realized." Xi BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) As China ushers in 2020, the nation draws closer to its first centenary goal building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Over the past year, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core has led China to achieve a series of solid progress. Under the leadership of President Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, the country stands at a new starting point for modernization. The G2418 high-speed train runs on the Juyongguan Pass section of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 30, 2019. [Xinhua/Xing Guangli] Sticking to the Path of 'Red China' On Oct. 1, at a grand rally in central Beijing to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, Xi delivered a powerful statement. "No force can ever undermine our great motherland's status, or stop the Chinese people and the Chinese nation from marching forward," he said. 2019 is not just a year of celebration but also a year of significance. On Oct. 31, at the closing meeting of the fourth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, Xi announced the adoption of a decision of the CPC Central Committee on some major issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance. This key Party session revealed the "institutional code" behind China's miraculous rise over the past 70 years. Also in 2019, a campaign themed "staying true to our founding mission" was launched, which, according to Xi, was for further strengthening the ideals and faith of Party members. "The republic is red, which cannot be faded," Xi said. Revolutionary bases were often featured on Xi's inspection itineraries. On May 20, he visited Yudu in east China's Jiangxi Province, where the Red Army set off for the Long March; On Aug. 20, he paid tribute to the West Route Army of Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army as he visited Zhangye in northwest China's Gansu Province; On Sept. 12, he reviewed the course of laying the foundation for New China at Fragrant Hills (Xiang Shan) in suburban Beijing; On Sept. 16, he paid tribute to revolutionary martyrs when he visited Xinxian in central China's Henan Province. Steering Economy on Steady Course Despite downward pressure and external uncertainties, China's economy has maintained steady growth in 2019, making progress in pursuing high-quality development. The Chinese economy expanded 6.2 percent in the first three quarters of 2019, the fastest among the world's major economies with a gross domestic product of more than one trillion U.S. dollars. Employment remained stable, with 12.79 million new urban jobs being created during the January-November period, fulfilling the government's 2019 target ahead of schedule. Coordinated regional development continued apace. President Xi's domestic footprints signaled governance priorities, of which coordinated regional development has been high on the agenda. Aerial photo taken on Aug. 29, 2019 shows the Xiongan Station of Beijing-Xiongan intercity high-speed railway under construction in Xiongan New Area, north China's Hebei Province. [Xinhua/Xing Guangli] From the Xiongan New Area in Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing to Chongqing, Jiangxi and Shanghai, Xi's 2019 inspection tours injected impetus to the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, western region, central region and Yangtze River Economic Belt region. China's new foreign investment law took effect Wednesday, a testament to the country's determination in opening wider to the outside world. According to the latest World Bank report, China ranked 31st globally for ease of doing business, up from 46th in its previous annual report, and China's strong reform agenda placed the country in the world's top 10 "most improved" list for the second consecutive year. "I have full confidence in China's prospects of development," Xi said. Aerial photo taken on Oct. 24, 2019 shows a view of the new Lingang area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in Shanghai, east China. [Xinhua/Ding Ting] Strengthening Ties Between China and the World Xi's overseas footprints over the year demonstrated his efforts to build stronger global partnerships. In spring, he went to Europe, paying state visits to Italy, Monaco and France. In summer, he visited Russia, Central Asia, the DPRK and Japan. In autumn, he visited India and Nepal. In winter, he went to Greece and Brazil. While in Beijing, Xi met with the Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. A staff member walks past pipelines in a section of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline in Heihe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Nov. 19, 2019. [Xinhua/Wang Jianwei] On Dec. 2, Xi had a video call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and jointly witnessed the launching ceremony of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline, which is expected to benefit over 400 million people in nine provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. On his visit to Greece, Xi went to the Piraeus Port to inspect this flagship project of China-Greece cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. As of the end of November, China had signed 199 documents on the Belt and Road cooperation with 137 countries across the five continents and 30 international organizations. "We should promote development through opening-up and deepen exchanges and cooperation among us," Xi said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the second China International Import Expo. "We need to 'join hands' with each other instead of 'letting go' of each other's hands. We need to 'tear down walls,' not to 'erect walls.' We need to stand firm against protectionism and unilateralism." Marching Towards Great Goal The work on agriculture, rural areas and rural people in 2020 will largely decide the quality of China's anti-poverty campaign and success of its goal to become a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Xi said at a recent meeting. The battle against poverty won't stop until victory is secured, he stressed. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi has put himself on the front lines, making visits to the 14 regions in abject poverty. More than three million officials from government agencies above the county level have been mobilized to villages to assist poverty reduction. China has set 2020 as the target year to eradicate absolute poverty and the task has become more difficult as the deadline approaches. Journalists visit Huaxi Village of Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, southwest China's Chongqing, April 16, 2019. [Xinhua/Liu Chan] In 2019 alone, Xi visited the poverty-stricken areas in provincial-level regions including Hebei, Chongqing, Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Henan for solutions to the most difficult tasks in poverty alleviation. More than 10 million people are expected to cast off poverty in the past year, and around 340 counties removed from the poverty list. "Finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects is our solemn commitment to the people, and it must be realized," Xi stressed. (Source: Xinhua) TPS=SI CERTIFICATO_RAW=C=US, O='Cloudflare, Inc.', CN=Cloudflare Inc ECC CA-3 CERTIFICATO_SCAD=13-03-2022 12:59:59 HTML_BYTES=24158 DESTINAZIONE=https://browserlock.net/ DOCTYPE=HTML 5.0 KEYWORDS_ESTRAPOLATE=browser, browser lock, your browser, you can, your computer, computer, away from your ALEXA_POS=9999999 IPs=104.21.64.223,172.67.156.39,2606:4700:3030::6815:40df,2606:4700:3036::ac43:9c27 CSS_BOOTSTRAP=/assets/dependencies/bootstrap/css/bootstrap.min.css HTML_LINGUA=en HTML_CHARSET=UTF-8 HTML_TITOLO=Browser Lock HTML_DESCRIZIONE=Browser Lock gives you the privacy you deserve without having to worry about an unwanted person accessing your social media accounts, bank credentials, or worse. You can now lock your browser and go away from your computer, knowing everything will stay just as you left it SHORTCUT_ICON=/favicon.ico VIEWPORT=width=device-width, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, maximum-scale=1 TWITTER:CARD=summary TWITTER:TITLE=Browser Lock - Lock your browser and stay private TWITTER:DESCRIPTION=Browser Lock gives you the privacy you deserve without having to worry about an unwanted person accessing your social media accounts, bank credentials, or worse. You can now lock your browser and go away from your computer, knowing everything will stay just as you left it TWITTER:IMAGE=/assets/images/open-graph.jpg OG_URL=https://browserlock.net/ OG_TYPE=website OG_TITLE=Browser Lock - Lock your browser and stay private OG_IMAGE=/assets/images/open-graph.jpg OG_DESCRIPTION=Browser Lock gives you the privacy you deserve without having to worry about an unwanted person accessing your social media accounts, bank credentials, or worse. You can now lock your browser and go away from your computer, knowing everything will stay just as you left it THEME-COLOR=#FFAA2A CERTIFICATO_PAESE=US CERTIFICATO_O='Cloudflare CERTIFICATO_CN=Cloudflare Inc ECC CA-3 LIB_JQUERY_MIN=SI LIB_BOOTSTRAP_MIN=SI HTML5_SECTION=SI HTML5_FOOTER=SI CSS_INSTYLE=SI HTML5=SI MARK_LD_JSON=SI IMG_SVG=19 NUM_USOCLASSI=142 NUM_DIV=84 NUM_IMG=18 HD_TRANSFER-ENCODING=chunked HD_CONNECTION=keep-alive HD_AGE=604800, report-uri='https://report-uri.cloudflare.com/cdn-cgi/beacon/expect-ct' HD_VARY=Accept-Encoding HD_CONTENT-TYPE=text/html MILLCREEK, Utah - A California teenager who went missing while hiking in the snowy Utah mountains was found alive Friday after spending a frigid night alone, authorities said. The 17-year-old was showing signs of hypothermia when search and rescue crews found him hiking in the snow without a jacket or shoes, the Deseret News reported, citing search and rescue commander Wayne Bassham of the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office, Its common for people suffering hypothermia to shed clothes because their mind tells them they are warm, he said. The teenager, whose name has not been released, had been in Milcreek Canyon east of Salt Lake City for nearly 30 hours before he was found. He was visiting a friend and hadnt been seen since Thursday when he took an Uber to the canyon for an all-day hike, authorities said. Hes extremely lucky, Bassham said. He survived the night. Now, how he did that, hell have to tell us later. But Gods on his side today. The teen from Fresno, California, didnt have food, water, a backpack or a cellphone turned on, Bassham said. Search crews found him about 6 miles (10 kilometres) from where he had been dropped off in an open field. Searchers spotted tracks that indicated he had been moving through waist-deep snow. Before finding him, they discovered a snow cave near a tree well with his his backpack and a pair of jeans inside. Nearby they found one of his boots. At that point, searchers didnt think they would find him alive, said Rick Vollmer, a member of the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office search and rescue team. The teen was flown out of the canyon by helicopter and was later able to walk out of the aircraft on his own and into an ambulance where he was taken to a hospital to be treated. The guy made it and Im very impressed with him, Vollmer said. Not many people would have survived the night with what he had. So hes a very healthy, tough individual. Todd Bentley declared not qualified for leadership after review of ungodly and immoral behavior Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A team of evangelical leaders including host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program, Michael Brown, declared Fresh Fire USA leader Todd Bentley not qualified for leadership Thursday after an investigation found allegations of ungodly and immoral behavior against him credible. Based on our careful review of numerous first-hand reports, some of them dating back to 2004, we state our theological opinion and can say with one voice that, without a doubt, Todd is not qualified to serve in leadership or ministry today, said the leaders in an official statement shared by Brown on Facebook. There are credible accusations of a steady pattern of ungodly and immoral behavior, confirmed by an independent investigators interviews dating from 2008 up through 2019, along with other testimonies dating back to 2004. And while we only took into account first-hand reports, there are many other second and third-hand reports repeating the same accusations, often from people in different parts of the country (or, world) who had no connection between them, other than their interaction with Todd, the statement said. Other leaders on the panel with Brown were: Joseph Mattera, overseeing bishop of Resurrection Church, Brooklyn, New York, who also serves as convener of the U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders; James W. Goll, founder of God Encounters Ministries in Franklin, Tennessee; Jane Hamon, co-pastor of Vision Church at Christian International in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida; Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland; and Don Finto, pastor emeritus at Belmont Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Stephen Powell, an estranged protege of the popular and controversial faith healer, first highlighted sexual misconduct allegations against the Fresh Fire USA leader last summer that included international encounters. Powell, who leads the Lion of Light Ministries, alleged that Bentley has a perverse sexual addiction that drove him to prey on interns in 2013 and beyond. He said he got a mandate from God to call wayward Christian leaders to repentance while alleging that Bentley has an appetite for a variety of sexual sins, including both homosexual and heterosexual activity. He also accused the evangelist of indulging in an open marriage with his wife, Jessa, and further criticized Bentleys restoration process stemming from moral failure in 2008. In their statement Thursday, the religious leaders said as a part of their investigation into the allegations they sought to hear Todd's side directly, but he declined to answer a list of 60 questions compiled by the investigator after initially agreeing to respond. Todd required the investigator to submit the questions through his attorney, after which he ceased communicating with Dr. Brown or the investigator, the statement said. Sadly, we see no signs of true, lasting repentance. Instead, we see a steady pattern of compromised behavior, including credible accusations of adultery, sexting (including the exchanging of nude pictures or videos), vulgar language, and substance abuse, the panel said. In our view, this disqualifies Todd from public ministry until such time that he has demonstrated true, lasting fruits of repentance, which would include: the breaking of these long-term, sinful habits; public acknowledgment of his sin, without equivocation, including asking forgiveness of those he sinned against; and submission to local church leadership until trust had been rebuilt. This would likely take a period of years, they continued. Bentley responded defiantly in a Facebook Live broadcast Thursday, arguing that he does not have a drug or sexual addiction but did admit to texting and sexting. He also noted that he stepped down from his public ministry six months ago and started a private marketplace company. He also said Brown had promised to exonerate him in the investigation which he called a sham. Dr. Michael Brown has spun this to be what it wasnt, Bentley said while claiming that he was threatened with blackmail prior to the revelations over the summer. Bagdad Iran promised to seek revenge for a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed the mastermind of its interventions across the Middle East, and the U.S. said Friday that it was sending thousands more troops to the region as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. The death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Tehran, which has careened from one crisis to another since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. Almost 24 hours after the attack on Soleimani, another airstrike killed five members of an Iranian-backed militia north of Baghdad, an Iraqi security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the strike, saying it hit one of its medical convoys near the stadium in Taji but didn't kill any of its top leaders. The American military did not carry out the reported attack, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The targeted strike against Soleimani and any retaliation by Iran could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Over the last two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israel's doorstep. "We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," Trump said of Soleimani. The United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more troops to the Middle East, reflecting concern about potential Iranian retaliation. The U.S. also urged Americans to leave Iraq immediately following the airstrike at Baghdad's international airport that Iran's state TV said killed Soleimani and nine others. The State Department said the embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters earlier this week, is closed and all consular services have been suspended. Around 5,200 American troops are based in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and help in the fight against Islamic State militants. Defense officials who discussed the new troop movements spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by the Pentagon. A Pentagon official who was not authorized to speak publicly said the U.S. also had placed an Army brigade on alert to fly into Lebanon to protect the American Embassy. U.S. embassies also issued a security alert for Americans in Bahrain, Kuwait and Nigeria. The announcement about sending more troops came as Trump said Soleimani's killing was not an effort to begin a conflict with Iran. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war," Trump said, adding that he does not seek regime change in Iran. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed "harsh retaliation" after the airstrike, calling Soleimani the "international face of resistance." Khamenei declared three days of public mourning and appointed Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, Soleimani's deputy, to replace him as head of the Quds Force. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the killing a "heinous crime" and said his country would "take revenge." Iran twice summoned the Swiss envoy, the first time delivering a letter to pass to Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the U.S. attack a "cowardly terrorist action" and said Iran has the right to respond "in any method and any time." The Trump administration reportedly gave Israel advance notice of US plans to assassinate Iranian General Qassem Soleimani but did not consult with our own congress before the attack. Congress did not get advance notice of the assassination of Suleimani, but Israel did: https://t.co/mKRRP4Yw9a Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) January 3, 2020 Is this America First or Israel First? From the LA Times, "Israel had advance notice of U.S. plan to kill Iranian general Suleimani, report says": Israel had advance notice of the U.S. plan to kill Iranian military leader Gen. Qassem Suleimani, Israeli military and diplomatic analysts reported Friday night while refraining from providing further details due to heavy military censorship. "Our assessment is that the United States informed Israel about this operation in Iraq, apparently a few days ago," Barak Ravid, a journalist and commentator with deep sources in the Israeli security establishment, said on Channel 13. An Israeli army officer with knowledge of Israeli military assessments, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not have permission to speak to reporters, told the Los Angeles Times that the attack on Suleimani "did not come as a surprise." It was reported at the start of January 2018 that the US gave Israel the green light to assassinate Qassem Soleimani -- but of course it fell on America! Believe It Or Not Ex-Mossad chief Meir Dagan tells CBS News Americans should fight #Iran for Israel because Israel is scared to do it alone. Israel Will Not Attack Iran Because They Fear #Iran Will Retaliate - Wants US To Do It For Them. #lawlessIsrael #IranWar @TruNews pic.twitter.com/bpeLOUSwlJ Nardeep Pujji (@AWAKEALERT) June 27, 2019 Netanyahu on Friday praised Trump for carrying out the targeted assassination of Israel's top enemy: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on U.S. airstrike: "President Trump deserves all the credit for acting swiftly, forcefully, decisively." pic.twitter.com/jiBxXNPsON The Hill (@thehill) January 3, 2020 Trump, who was elected on a platform of getting America out of foreign wars and putting America First, also reportedly ordered 3,500 more US troops to be sent to the Middle East. BREAKING: US to deploy 3,500 paratroopers to the Middle East in response to threats of retaliation from Iran (via @DavidRoza19) https://t.co/Q9eYnIe1xU Task & Purpose (@TaskandPurpose) January 3, 2020 Though Trump gave a speech Friday afternoon insisting he doesn't want to "start a war" with Iran and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that "de-escalation is the United States' principal goal," a second airstrike was carried out in Iraq on Friday targeting members of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Force, who are said to have ties with Iran. The PMF claimed the strikes actually killed a convoy of medics, not their senior leaders, Reuters reported. Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab and Minds We are 80% and you just 17%: Karnataka BJP MLA threatens anti-CAA protesters India oi-Deepika S Bengaluru, Jan 04: Karnataka BJP MLA G Somasekhara Reddy warned protesters against opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act asking them to imagine what happens if the majority turns on them. "Be careful because we are 80 per cent of the population while you are just 17 per cent. You are just a minority, and I want you to think what will happen if the majority comes out on the streets against you all," BJP MLA Somashekar Reddy was heard saying in a video that has gone viral on social media. Slamming the BJP leader, Youth Congress leader Srivatsa took to twitter and said, "A most divisive speech inciting violence by BJP MLA Somashekhara Reddy. 'We are 80%, you are just 17%. Beware. You should listen to us if you want to live in our country else we will send you to your country'. CM @BSYBJP sir, why are u not arresting him?" NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 Cops establish role of illegal Bangladeshis in violence against citizenship law Somashekhara Reddy faces allegations of illegal mining on forest lands. Besides, he is also accused of trying to bribe an Andhra Pradesh judge to get bail for his brother. Congress delegation has filed a complaint with Police against BJP MLA G Somashekhar Reddy over his 'We are 80%,you are 17%,don't oppose CAA' remark. The Order of Ontario is supposed to be awarded annually, but Premier Doug Ford's government didn't name any recipients to the province's highest honour in 2019. It's been nearly two years since the last honourees were presented with their trillium-shaped medallions by Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell. Cabinet chooses the recipients of the Order of Ontario on recommendations from an advisory panel. The award goes to people whose excellence in their field "has left a lasting legacy," according to criteria listed on the province's website. Only 730 people have ever been named members of the Order of Ontario. They include: Canada's first female astronaut and the world's first neurologist in space, Roberta Bondar; award-winning filmmaker David Cronenberg; entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Lee-Chin. A spokesperson for Lisa MacLeod, the minister of Heritage, Tourism, Sport and Culture Industries, says the advisory council has made its recommendations for the 2018 Order of Ontario and is currently reviewing nominations for the 2019 awards. The recipients "will be announced later this winter with an investiture ceremony to follow soon after," said MacLeod's director of communications Derek Rowland. Ontario Ministry of Citizenship & Immigration/Twitter "Last year, our government was proud to complete a review of the Order of Ontario program and appoint five new members to the advisory council to more accurately reflect Ontario's diverse communities," said Rowland in an email to CBC News. Those five advisory council members included three with strong links to the Progressive Conservative party: former PC MPP Isabel Bassett (who is also the spouse of former premier Ernie Eves); Postmedia executive chair Paul Godfrey, a longtime PC fundraiser and party member; and former federal Conservative cabinet minister and ex-commissioner of the OPP, Julian Fantino. This marks only the second time a provincial government has missed an annual presentation of the Order of Ontario since the award was created in the 1980s. Story continues There are no 2006 appointees to the honour among the recipients listed on the province's Order of Ontario website, and a search of archived news releases shows the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty did not present the award during 2007. The Order of Ontario is typically presented early each year to some two dozen people. The last recipients were named by Kathleen Wynne's cabinet in January 2018 and received their awards the following month. Despite the backlog of two years' worth of pending awards, nominations for the 2020 Order of Ontario are now open, with a deadline of March 31. A fresh bushfire emergency has broken out in New South Wales after a massive blaze spawned a new front threatening towns and multi-million dollar regional properties in the Southern Highlands. Homes have been destroyed at Bundanoon, Wingello and other small towns after the huge Currowan fire complex, which decimated coastal communities between Nowra and Bateman's Bay over recent days, jumped the Shoalhaven River late on Saturday night, creating a new blaze named the Morton Fire. Graphic images on social media showed the devastation as it unfolded with multiple homes alight. In 2010, James Daily faced three things no lawyer ever asks for: the feds were calling him; he was being sued for $500 million; and subsequently, he was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. After establishing a prestigious career in law, Daily was now the one who needed a lawyer all because he did the right thing. He had reported embezzlement, and this was payback. Today, Daily is a self-made millionaire running his own firm, Daily Law Group, who now lends his expertise to the U.S. government. Dailys journey to top dog, however, would be full of battles. A Boy Scout Goes West Daily grew up in rural Wisconsin, a member of the 4-H club and the Boy Scouts. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer in the fourth grade, touts Daily. In elementary school, he accidentally knocked over his friends lunchbox, breaking his thermos. Daily, Im going to sue you, his friend said. Sue me? Im going to sue you! rebutted Daily. From that moment on, Daily knew he wanted to go into law. Daily studied at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater as an undergraduate, and after seeing a brochure depicting Pepperdine University in Malibu in the dead of a Wisconsin winter, he went west. Two and a half years later, Daily graduated Pepperdine Law School and passed the bar a half-year ahead of his class. At 24, he was a practicing lawyer. If you have your mind set on something, get it done. Land the plane. Finish it, advises Daily. This concept is captured in Jim Collins book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Dont, one of Dailys favorite reads. Do one thing better than anyone else in the world and burn the ships behind you. Ive been most successful when I focused on only one thing, says Daily. Spinning your wheels with too many opportunities, youll never get anything done. A Devastating Loss Changes His Course Daily immediately started his law career in construction defect litigation, defending insurance companies and engineers at Morris Polich & Purdy. Then a tragic family loss changed his focus. My 88-year-old great uncle was run over by a car while crossing the street. He died instantly, leaving his widowed wife. They were married for over 50 years. Daily helped his widowed great aunt make a claim against the negligent drivers insurance company for their $500,000 automobile insurance policy. We submitted the police reports and medical bills, and I wrote a personal letter. Daily was shocked when the insurance company opposed paying the full value of the policy. An executives cold reply about his great uncle was, Well, you know, he was old. His life just wasnt worth very much. At that moment, Daily quit defending insurance companies and set out to sue them as a personal injury lawyer at a new firm, Reinecke & Daily. He then zeroed in on businesses exploiting the elderly. I went into elder abuse litigation, suing nursing homes for neglecting elders. As a newfound champion of underdogs, Daily excelled: in 1997 and 2000, he was voted Personal Injury Attorney of the Year by Consumer Business Review. Meanwhile, Dailys experience dealing with insurance companies and businesses from both sides showed him how corporations avoid exposure by structuring their businesses to avert risk. This understanding would later help him build his practice in business litigation and asset management. Image Credit: James Daily Punished for Being a Whistleblower Dailys expertise in business structures made him an asset to some of his friends, who were aspiring entrepreneurs. He soon found success protecting their assets. By 31, the young attorney had achieved a $34 million settlement in dot-com litigation, representing the founder of a company whose rights had been taken by business partners. Fast forward to his 40s, when Daily was made trustee of an $800 million portfolio of assets largely consisting of pools of life insurance policies held by trusts established with monies from foreign banks. As trustee, he quickly detected a fraudulent scheme. I saw that someone at the company had misdirected $4.5 million. When I pointed it out to the grantor of the trust, the person returned the money and was fired. As retribution, the embezzler sold a largely fictitious story about the companys finances to the Wall Street Journal. In the wake of the Bernie Madoff case, AIG going under, and the financial crisis, the investment community pulled out all their investments tanking the companys assets overnight. The whole business of investment is based on trust, shares Daily. The embezzler cast a shadow of doubt on this legitimate business, and it ruined the company. The founder ended up committing suicide. While Daily wasnt liable or responsible, international banks wanted their money back. A limousine pulled up to my office with 10 attorneys and a banker, saying they had read the Wall Street Journal article. Knowing that his records and business practices were beyond reproach, Daily immediately had all transaction records brought into his conference room and offered to turn over all his documents. I have a record of every single transaction and am happy to provide you everything you need, Daily told them. You might want to talk to the funds attorney first, a lawyer replied. Daily soon found himself caught between competing international banks, a receiver, and the Justice Departments investigation for the SEC. Frustrated, the banks hit Daily with a lawsuit for half a billion dollars. I just didnt have a half-billion lying around, says Daily. It was obvious that the banks in Taiwan wanted to sue HSBC and sue them in California, though all their work was in New York City. They knew suing a California resident would allow them to keep HSBC in court in California. So my firm got sued with HSBC for $500 million. Meanwhile, the feds had taken an interest in the high-profile case and were calling his office. I maintained meticulous records, allowing a receiver and the Justice Department to go through every document and shed light on the entire situation, he recalls. Eventually, Daily was cleared with zero liability, and the case was dismissed. Throughout the process, he got his first introduction to working with the federal government. In that case, I met a lot of nice FBI agents, he quips. Dailys connection to the FBI and being on the front lines of crisis would later serve him and others. I was sued for half a billion dollars, and it could have crushed me. Instead, it helped me to get where I am today. A Champion of Dairy Farmers and Underdogs Shortly after, Daily took on a case in which heirs to a family dairy farm were being conned out of their inheritance. One of the daughters came to me about another matter, but something smelled of fraud. I found out lawyers had hoodwinked the family, taking all their assets under the disguise of being good stewards of their property, remarks Daily. By that point, I understood life insurance policies and how people moved money to create financial structures to preserve them. The family had been told not to talk to each other, which Daily says is a warning sign that someones trying to rip you off. Fraudsters create unnecessary secrecy and division. Fortunately, Daily now had friends in the FBI. He reported the egregious fraud and helped an FBI agent go undercover to bust open the case. Meanwhile, Daily froze his clients assets, preventing the fraudulent lawyers from moving them around. He used an unorthodox approach a restraining order. Daily was able to recover $30 million worth of property in one hearing. Image Credit: James Daily A Stalwart Believer in Uberrima Fides While Daily has seen the worst side of human nature, hes still a believer in the good. As lawyers, we swear an oath of uberrima fides: utmost faithfulness. Thats what guides me. At 53, Daily is now a self-made millionaire and founding partner of his law firm, which helps high-profile clients with fiduciary abuse litigation, including fraud, crisis management, and business and family disputes. Seeing so many clients through crises has taught the attorney some lessons on how to survive and thrive. The people who survive are the ones who can adapt to change, says Daily, who is living proof of this and whose practice has adapted along the way. Image Credit: James Daily Daily is now working with the State Department. His expertise in fiduciary abuse led him to Washington, D.C., where hes been asked to help protect citizens of international countries from exploitation by dictators. I want to help people from countries who have had their resources stolen by their own leaders, he shares. In fighting for their rights, Daily insists that people are more powerful than they think. Even the smallest dog can lift its leg on the tallest building. Daily clearly isnt afraid to lift his proverbial leg. Ive sued big publicly traded corporations, with billions behind annuity sales. When asked what fuels him, Daily shares that much of his motivation comes from his humble beginnings. Where I grew up, it was simple. You were honest. You did the right thing. You served the community. With his understanding of how corporations and governments work, he sees how the little guy can fall victim to theft or fraud if they dont know the law. After all, you dont know what you dont know. Daily wants to protect people from this kind of exploitation. I see myself as karma. If someone Fs with the universe, Im going to F with them. I will set it right. Connect with James Daily on LinkedIn or visit his website. Related: What You Can Learn From the Rise of Sustainability-Focused Entrepreneurship 15 Weekend Jobs and Side Gigs to Boost Your Income Kuwait's Festivity Offers Everything You Need To Plan For A Party In One Platform Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved New Delhi: Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday urged parents to visit the schools as the city government organised a mega parent-teacher meeting (PTM) in its schools. In a tweet in Hindi, he said for the future of the students, the conversation between the parents and teachers is very important. "Today, there is a parent-teacher meeting in the Delhi government schools. I request all the parents to visit the schools. To prepare your child`s future, it is very important that there should be a conversation between the parents and teachers," he said. He also said that people should be discharged from work if their children are studying in a government school. The Mega PTM in the Delhi government schools was launched in July 2016 after the Aam Aadmi Party came to power. The government claimed it has significantly enhanced parent-teacher interaction and partnership in children`s education. NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not inform him he was deploying 3000 army reservists to help with the bushfire crisis and the timing of the announcement hampered the response effort on a catastrophic day. Commissioner Fitzsimmons said it was "disappointing" to hear about the announcement via media reports amid a horror day for the state, adding it had tied up resources. "All I can say is I wasn't aware of it, I found out about it via the media reports," Commissioner Fitzsimmons told Nine's Today show. "We then spent a fair bit of time with the military liaison and the Commonwealth liaison that are embedded here in our centre trying to understand what the details were." VK6WIA NewsWest NewsWest is the VK6 Amateur Radio News, for Sunday 5th January, 2020. Yep its 2020. The New Year festivities have been and gone, and we begin to deal with a new year. NewsWest continues the tradition of providing Amateur Radio News Broadcasts to Amateur Radio Operators in Western Australia and beyond. You can listen to NewsWest on air, on demand and online. Find out how at our website, vk6 dot net. Newswest this week is the Club Focus edition, and we have items from several clubs, even though most are to some degree in recess for the holidays. Theres the Club Focus series, Roys Helpline, over the back fence and more. With the exception of Rip Van Winkle, Sleeping Beauty and other somnolents, you'd need to have been hiding under a rock for the last several weeks to not be aware of the bushfires that are affecting the whole country. Spare a thought for those who have been displaced, rendered homeless, and suffered loss or even life. Spare a thought for those who fight the fires, those who support them, and those working in a wide variety of agencies providing support to the community. There is a way you can help. There are several appeals running, and your donation of any size will help make a difference. Cash donations are the best way to help, as the money will be spent in local businesses and keeps the local economy going. Keep your old socks and jocks. Donate money. NewsWest invites contributions to the news programme. You can send contributions by email to newswest@vk6.net You'll find links to resources on the vk6.net website where you'll also find information on where to hear the news, where to download it, how to rebroadcast this news and how to register your callbacks. If you want to join in, you can. Send an email to newswest@vk6.net and we'll be happy to respond. Send your stories, tall or true, audio production, scripts, events, updates, membership information, meeting announcements, AGM alerts, contests, swap-meets and more to us and we'll happily present your contribution on-air. Please register your callback, either on-air, or on-line. Visit vk6.net and click on the callback button. Originating in Perth Western Australia NewsWest is produced by WA Amateur Radio News for listeners on-air, on-line and on-demand. NewsWest audio (mp3) is available for download from our website, vk6.net. Click on the LISTEN tab. For Podcast simply search for "Newswest" on any of the major Podcatcher sites. Thanks to Ed DD5LP Whichever way you're listening, whether you're a licensed radio amateur or not, experienced or just a beginner, old or young, thanks for being here and thanks for joining us. Get your copy: http://vk6.net/news/ NewsWest is broadcast and relayed across VK6 and far beyond by many transmitters and operators. Details can be found on vk6.net. The main VK6 NewsWest broadcast occurs at 09:30 WST (01:30 UTC). If you'd like to broadcast this news in your local area, you can. There are no restrictions on broadcasting NewsWest, other than that you must broadcast it as supplied without any modification. We ask that broadcasters advise us that they're transmitting the news. Our address is newswest@vk6.net Producer: Bob VK6POP People fill up on gas at Wawa on 6701 Ridge Ave., in Philadelphia on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. Wawa disclosed a data breach affecting potentially all of its stores. Read more At least four banks are proactively reissuing thousands of debit and credit cards in response to the Wawa data breach that exposed customers payment card information for roughly nine months. Citibank said Friday that it will send new Wawa-branded credit cards to affected consumers. Citizens Bank, First National Bank & Trust, and Northfield Bank said theyre reissuing debit cards to their customers, too. Northfield Bank, which is based in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, said 2,000 debit cards have been reissued. The other banks either declined to say or did not respond when asked how many customers would get new cards. Wawa disclosed a data breach in December that exposed cardholder names, numbers, and expiration dates used in-store and at gas pumps at potentially all of its more than 850 stores since March 4. The company said it found malware on its payment processing servers on Dec. 10 and contained it by Dec. 12. Although some Wawa locations might have been unaffected, malware was on most store systems by April 22, CEO Chris Gheysens told customers on Dec. 19. The convenience store chain, which did not return a request for comment Friday, has said that it notified payment card companies after finding the malware. An investigation into the breach is continuing. We apologize deeply to our customers for this incident and want to reassure them they will not be responsible for fraudulent charges due to this incident, Wawa spokesperson Lori Bruce said earlier in a statement. The company has told customers to closely review account statements for unauthorized charges. Under federal law, customers who notify their card company of fraudulent charges wont have to pay them. Citizens Bank, which has 1,100 branches in 11 states, said it is reissuing debit cards to customers who may have been affected by the Wawa breach. A spokesperson declined to say how it identifies potentially affected cards. Generally, when a merchant has a significant data compromise, we are also notified by the associations [i.e. Visa or Mastercard] of the incident and immediately take steps to identify customers who may have been impacted, Citizens Bank spokesperson Rory Sheehan said. These customer accounts are monitored closely and cards are reissued. First National Bank & Trust Co., based in Newtown, Bucks County, notified customers on its website that they will receive new cards because of the Wawa breach. A bank official said no one could speak to a reporter Friday, noting that we dont generally talk to newspapers. Wawa offers a private label credit card that gives customers a discount at the fuel pump. Citibank, the issuing bank for the Wawa-branded card, said it would proactively reissue cards to affected customers. Not all banks are automatically reissuing cards. Chase, BB&T, Ocean First, PNC, TD Bank, and Wells Fargo said they are handling concerns on a case-by-case basis. A WSFS spokesperson did not return requests for comment. Wawa is offering to pay for a year of identity-theft protection and credit monitoring for affected consumers who visit experianidworks.com/credit or call 1-844-386-9559 (activation code: 4H2H3T9H6). Charles E. Wright is a living embodiment of the hopeful idea that youre never too old to pursue your dreams. Two years ago, the 74-year-old full-time lecturer at the University of Texas at San Antonio undertook what some would call an implausible goal: earning a PhD in his eighth decade of life. A long-time educator who teaches in the Department of Communication, Wright is working on a doctorate about interdisciplinary learning an approach that pulls knowledge from disparate fields in teaching about a specific subject matter. People always ask him why hes going after a doctorate at his advanced age. His answer is, Why not? We all face the reality of life ending at some point, but in truth we dont know when it might end, no matter your age, he said. Why not be grateful every day and ask: How can I make the most of the time I have? A lifelong lover of reading and learning, Wright said retirement may be fine for other folks, but not him. He carries in his wallet a beloved quote from the late comedian George Burns: You cant change getting older, but you dont have to act old. The goal is living a life of purpose, he said, sitting in his UTSA office, where one wall holds an oversize picture of a tiger. Wrights pursuit of higher learning was hardly a foregone conclusion. He was the first in his family to attend college. In fact, he never once saw his parents reading a book, he said. But he caught the education bug early on, attending West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M) in Canyon, near Amarillo, earning a bachelors degree while working full-time for six years at a TV station. He went on to get a masters degree in communications. Wright next taught high school speech and drama for three years, then moved to San Antonio in 1974, where he taught in the broadcasting department at San Antonio College for 13 years. Over the years, hes also worked as a business consultant. Wright started teaching at UTSA 11 years ago. His now-doctoral adviser, Rosalind Horowitz, a full professor of discourse and literacy who has an office around the corner from Wrights, cheered him in his grab for the doctoral brass ring. On ExpressNews.com: UTSA responds to surge of transfer students We had common interests and she really encouraged me, Wright said, adding that the chair of his department, H. Paul LeBlanc III, was supportive as well. Horowitz, the author of four books whose work is internationally known, said Wright had all the skills needed to achieve academias loftiest credential. He has wisdom, he has life experiences, she said. He has the motivation and the curiosity. When he asked me if he should go for it, I said, Absolutely. Horowitz, in her fourth decade of teaching and writing, said American society undervalues the senior years, which can be a time of continued growth and opportunity. The life span has grown, and people who want to pursue work and their dreams should be able to do so, she said. We neglect to use the richness that people bring in their 70s and 80s. I certainly have no plans of retiring. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio gets senior citizen playground After the spring semester, Wright will be largely done with his course work, he said. Then he will full-on tackle his dissertation, which will address the whole concept of intentionality in speech. One of my fascinations is our inner speech, our internal dialogue how we talk to ourselves. The overall goal of his work, he said, is to discover how to use knowledge to become a more effective teacher. Jumping back into a student role after a 30-year absence was tricky, he said. Doing homework and writing papers again was daunting. The graduate faculty has been very supportive and rigorous, he said. My writing has seen great improvement over the last year-and-a-half. Its been a humbling experience but in a positive way. And its also improved my teaching, giving me more of a students point of view. When he told his wife of 26 years, Cherie, that he was going back to school for the doctoral degree, she urged him on. I told him, I think you deserve it, she said. I highly encouraged him. Ever since Ive known my husband, hes always reading and studying. Ive never seen him so energized. Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox On average, doctoral students have gotten younger over the last decade, studies show. Still, about 14 percent of all PhD recipients are over 40, according to the National Science Foundation. To better serve doctoral students in their 40s and 50s, some colleges and universities offer programs that can be completed in a shorter time span, less than the six to seven years usually required to get a PhD. Wright, who teaches three classes a semester and is the undergraduate adviser of record for his department, rises at 5 a.m. every day to prepare for his teaching and to fit in his doctoral work. Its catch as catch-can, he said. I can carve out a spare two hours here or there, to do some writing or research. But teaching always comes first. Wright is also on the council for First Gen (first generation) and transfer students at UTSA, a program that provides resources and support for students who like Wright are the first in their families to go to college. If things go as planned, he will traverse the stage to receive his doctoral diploma in 2021 or 2022, four or five years after starting. That will just mark another beginning, he said. Im hoping to have many years to contribute in the classroom. Its not about tenure, he said. Its about teaching at the highest level. Wright said he watched his mother-in-law begin to show signs of dementia at age 70. He knows that every day is a gift. I dont take my consciousness for granted, he said. He likes what a friend of his has to say about the adage: You cant teach an old dog new tricks. He says, Were not dogs, and were not talking about tricks. Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news, cultural trends and interesting people and goings-on around San Antonio and Bexar County, as well as all across South Texas. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | mstoeltje@express-news.net | Twitter: @mstoeltje Spains acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez, seeking parliaments backing to form a government, set out his priorities on Saturday and tried to lower temperatures in the bitter debate over Catalonia by calling for dialogue. Spain has been in political gridlock without a proper government for most of last year after two inconclusive elections. Spain is not going to break, the Constitution is not going to break. What is going to break is the blockade of a progressive government democratically elected by the Spanish people, Sanchez told deputies in opening ... China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page The Kerryman and The Corkman General Manager Siobhan Murphy behind her desk in her office in The Kerrymans Denny Street building. Siobhan marked 40 years at the publication in 2019. Photo by Domnick Walsh A lifetime making deadlines is how one might describe Siobhan Murphy's time at The Kerryman newspaper. Since 1979 Siobhan has put The Kerryman front and centre of her day to day work and she recently celebrated the milestone with family and work colleagues. Siobhan's earliest memories of the life that would become hers is sitting at the kitchen table as a child helping her father with his sales and advertising work. The late Sean Colgan was The Kerryman's Advertising Manager and he would be proud of the fact his daughter has added her own story to The Kerryman. "Growing up I always assumed everyone was working in The Kerryman," she says. "Several people where I lived in St Brendan's Park worked there and I knew so many of them. At 16 I was probably one of the youngest working there. I think everything I did in those early years was a challenge but it was a steep learning curve and that probably stood to me." Siobhan describes herself as someone who works hard without ever missing an opportunity to learn new things. Her timeline started in the printing room serving as a 'bindery aid'. She flew the flag for women in business long before it became popular and progressed to 'newspaper circulation', dealing with newsagents around the county. In 2009 she became Sales & Marketing Manager - a role she stayed in until February 2019 before being appointed General Manager. "It wasn't until the weeks after becoming General Manager when the cards, text messages and letters of good wishes starting arriving that I realised this is something big. Not just the appointment, but the honour of being the first female manager of the paper since 1904," she says. "Every job I had I recall putting systems in place and organising things. No matter what role I had it was always busy and challenging. In the early years I had to find my own feet as there was no one working ahead of me to learn from or guide me. I always kept my father's words in my head whenever I faced new challenges: 'what are you afraid of?' he would say. This made me break down what I needed to do." To describe Siobhan's 40 years at The Kerryman as 'a job' is to miss half the story. It's personal and she laughs when thinking back to a time when she, her husband PJ, their three children - and even their children's friends! - hand-delivered copies of The Kerryman into letter-boxes throughout the Tralee area to help promote the town's new Tralee edition. "What I've achieved in my 40 years could never have been done without the support of my family. Their patience and support has been a huge help to me." Siobhan has seen a fair share of change in 40 years, including moving the printing press out of Tralee. However, change produces progress in Siobhan's eyes. "Much of the change has been very positive. It took a hell of a lot of work to get a paper out in those days but modern technology has helped enormously. What I love most about the people who work in The Kerryman is how each of them take pride in what they do. In continuing to produce three successful editions every week is something I'm proud of and we remain the leading selling regional newspaper in Ireland." Lastly, how does it feel to reach this milestone? "I feel very honoured. This might be my 40th year working in The Kerryman, but each day is still the start of something different." Wallace State Community College is delaying the the start of classes in the 2020 spring semester due to a cyberattack on the colleges online services. Classes will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Registration has been extended through Jan. 15. In a statement, officials said student and employee data was not breached in the cyberattack. Below is the full statement from college officials, which was posted on the college website: "The start of classes has been postponed until Wednesday, January 8, due to a cyberattack which HAS NOT breached student and employee data but which has impacted the functionality of some of our online services such as Blackboard and student email. We apologize for this inconvenience. Unfortunately, this type of incident is increasingly common. Please be assured we are working around the clock to rectify the situation as quickly as possible and to return our processes to full functionality. The college will be open on Monday, January 6, and faculty staff will be available to serve students and address any questions you may have. Meanwhile you may continue to access your myWallaceState account here to register, check account balances, and make payment. NOTE: Registration has been extended through January 15. Please check back for further updates. We look forward to seeing you on campus this Spring!" Further details about the cyberattack were not immediately available. A couple of years ago, I received a phone call from a senior citizen from Udupi. What went wrong with the moon yesterday? he asked. He had been watching sunrise and sunset for decades and that particular evening he saw the moon rise at sunset, as happens on every full moon day. But that was not the question. The southern tip of the moon appeared black as though smeared with soot. The sky was absolutely clear and there were no clouds. He watched the moon rise higher and higher and the soot-like thing disappeared by about 7:30 pm. He wanted to know what exactly happened. It was a penumbral eclipse and only a keen observer like him could have identified the change. We all know that a lunar eclipse is an event when the moon passes through the shadow of the earth. Thus the bright full moon will gradually fade, assume the copper colour and sometimes become dark. We also know that the shadow has two parts the darker central portion called the umbra and the slightly lit portion called the penumbra. The eclipse begins when the moon enters penumbra. Since the decrease in brightness is barely recognisable the eclipse officially commences only when it enters umbra. There are occasions when the moon will pass through only the penumbra and not the umbra, which are of interest to astronomers. With modern gadgets like the camera and light meters, it is possible to now see the penumbral eclipse. Astronomers developed a keen interest on watching the penumbral events only about 100 years ago. A paper published in 1903 reported that when the moon occulted (passed in front of) the bright star Spica (Chitra), observatories recorded a dip in brightness of the moon about an hour before it completely covered the star, expected as a consequence of the penumbral shadow. That appears to be the first record from an observatory on a quantitative estimate of the decrease in brightness. Hues of a shadow In 1926, many observatories in Europe organised coordinated observations and the penumbral passages were recorded. The campaigns continued with debates on its visibility to the naked eye. Subsequently, even amateur astronomers began observing the penumbral passages. Generally, representative images of lunar eclipse put a sharp boundary between the umbra and the penumbra. In reality, it is not so well defined as in the case of the shadow of the moon (during solar eclipse). The refraction and scattering of the sunlight by the earths atmosphere renders the boundary as a fuzzy band. This can be easily recognised in the partial phases of a total eclipse. The edge of the moon in umbra is dark, the edge which is penumbra is grey while there is gradation of colour in between. The boundary cannot be defined sharply. As time progresses, the entire disc of the moon goes into the umbra. But it is not very difficult to identify the non-uniform distribution of light. That brings us to the question of how to fix the boundary. This was a puzzle for the astronomers of the past. A geometrical derivation of the limit was devised and if the moon passed within this limit it was declared as an eclipse. Since there was a small variation owing to orbital variations, two such limits were drawn up. Many Indian (Hindu) astronomy texts discuss these limits. It was the task of the astronomer to calculate the instantaneous values and verify the visibility. Since the procedures of these calculations have been evolving over the centuries, the corrections were applied after every eclipse. Thus there is a scope that some eclipses which are marginally penumbral have been observed and recorded in earlier times. Ancient records It is well known that eclipses were occasions for releasing grants to scholars, temples and the like. Such records have mentioned the visibility of eclipse while as per todays estimate they were penumbral. Like the gentleman from Udupi, these experts might have actually seen the tip of moons disc engulfed in the darkness of the shadow. Varaha Mihiras Pancha Siddhanta, written in 6th century, clearly defines that if the fraction of the moon engulfed in shadow is 1/16, it can not be called an eclipse (the corresponding number for the sun is 1/12). The passage through penumbra is declared Deepti Hrasa decrease in brightness. The earliest inscription of this category is dated 660 CE on a copper plate. As epigraphists try to decipher the dates written down in the inscriptions, the confusion about fixing the penumbral eclipse becomes very obvious. The extrapolation of the methods in use today will declare a particular date as no eclipse, while the inscriptional record states the contrary. This is indeed the situation with the eclipse of July 30, 1018. Similarly, the eclipse of November 1322 also is penumbral further confirmed by the mention of star Rohini. We have found many such instances over these 1500 years and the latest is dated 1857 from Shravanabelagola. The discussion on these non-eclipses is relevant in the context of the forthcoming eclipses in 2020. All four of them are penumbral. The two solar eclipses adjacent to them are total. There was a campaign in 1941 when the situation was exactly similar 4 penumbral eclipses and 2 solar eclipses. However, the follow up of the campaign is not available most probably because of the ensuing World War II. So, we turn to the question will we see the eclipse on January 10 and June 5? (The other two on July 4 and November 29 are not visible from India). We just need to go out and take a look at the moon. Let us see if we can identify the slight darkening at its southern tip. (The writer is former director, Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bengaluru) The former home minister also said that the "highest quarters (in government) don't inspire trust". Noting that the National Register of Citizens in Assam has led to a "bitter experience," senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said the National Population Register of the Bharatiya Janata Party government "was clearly linked to the NRC" and asked why Home Minister Amit Shah was not stating in clear terms that the NRC exercise will not be carried out. Former Home Minister Chidambaram in an exclusive interview said that the NPR carried out by the United Progressive Alliance government was different from the NPR exercise being carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi government as six questions have been added. He said the NPR exercise was stopped after the population census during the Congress-led UPA government. "Go back to what we did and what we did not do. The NPR was given to Census Commissioner and Registrar General only in selected states. It was an aid to the Census of 2011. So we did NPR in 2010 as an aid to the Census of 2011. Once the census was completed we stopped the matter. We did not go further. We did not do NRC. We did not even begin to think of NRC. Today the context is very different. The BJP government has done an NRC in Assam," he said. The former finance minister said that the NRC in Assam had yielded over 19 lakh people "stateless". "We have with us a visible concrete example of what will happen if the NRC is done in a state like Assam," he said. Asked about the assurance of top leaders of government that NRC and NPR were not linked, Chidambaram said that the "highest quarters (in government) don't inspire trust". "If the highest quarters inspired trust, we will accept that word. They don't. NPR is clearly linked to NRC. Why did the home minister not say yesterday we are doing NPR; we will not do NRC? Why does he not say that? Let them categorically say that NRC is ruled out. Let them say it will never be done. It is the simple ten words. We only did NPR. It aided the census. We stopped with the census. We did not take even half a step forward," he said. Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier said that NPR and NRC were not linked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also said at a rally in the national capital last month that there had been no discussion on implementing NRC. Chidambaram said the content of NPR carried out by the UPA government and that by the Modi government was very different both in "text and context". He said there were 15 questions in the NPR conducted during the UPA government but the BJP-led government has added questions like the place of the last residence, place of birth of father and mother and licence number. "We asked questions in 15 fields. They have added six fields -- what is your last place of residence, what is the place of birth of your father and mother, driving licence number, voter ID number, Aadhaar number. Why are they asking all these things? Therefore, both the text and the context are very different. We have the bitter experience of Assam NRC. Don't compare NPR 2010 which was to aid the census with the NPR 2020, which is a step towards the NRC," he said. Chidambaram said if the BJP says the NPR 2010 was correct, it should stick to the same form. "Don't go beyond the 15 fields. And announce that the NPR will not be done. Even yesterday the home minister refused to announce the NRC will not be done," he said. Shah had targeted the opposition parties over protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act during a rally at Jodhpur on Friday. Chidambaram said Assam NRC was the elephant in the room and the government is pretending there is no problem. "We have a bitter experience of Assam NRC. When we did NPR 2010, there was no Assam NRC. We did not have the bitter experience of 19,06,657 people being declared stateless. The elephant in the room is 19,06,657. Why do you ignore that elephant? That elephant is sitting there. In the face of that elephant, you see that elephant and you pretend that there is no problem," he said. Answering a query, he said the NPR done during the UPA government was helpful to the census because NPR data "is practically all the data that census requires." Bengaluru, Jan 4 : Rashtriya Kishore Vaigyanik Sammelan, the two-day children's science congress of the 107th Indian Science Congress (ISC), kicked off here on Saturday, aimed at encouraging school children to take up science education. "The main objective is to motivate children to take science and technology education and encourage a sense of discovery," said ISC organising committee Chairman and University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Vice Chancellor S. Rajendra Prasad. Prasad said the Children's Science Congress targeted students in the age bracket of 10-17 years. Thousands of students from across the country and Bengaluru attended the event where Israeli Chemistry Nobel Laureate Ada Yonath and Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao also spoke. Tanisha Rajothia, a Class IX student from Chandigarh's Carmel Convent School said the Children's Science Congress has inspired her about science education, dispelling fears and creating confidence that anybody can take it up. "Science Congress enabled us to listen to many great scientists. Now we think that we can become a scientist as well," said Rajothia. As students, Rajothia felt that they were very small entities but meeting scientific authorities at the congress boosted their morale and confidence to become a scientist. Shruti, a student from Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Chattarpur, New Delhi, said, "I am very happy to come here. I learnt that there should be dedication do take up science." Aiming to stimulate the students' interest in Science, Yonath, 2009 Chemistry Nobel laureate, told the students that she assumed they all loved science. She shared the Nobel prize with Indian scientist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz. "How I became a scientist? When I was 5, I made my own experiments," she said, recounting that she came from a very poor family which shared the same apartment with another two more. Yonath advised the students to be curious and love their work. National Research Professor and honorary president of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Rao made the students to shout aWe all love science' in his address as the chief guest. "We love science. I enjoyed doing science. Science is a wonderful hobby," said 86-year-old Rao with 71 years of research experience and who has been a professor for 61 years. He said the future of India depends on science, calling the students as the future of the country who need to take up science education with dedication and sincerity. REXBURG, Idaho - Authorities have searched the home of an Idaho man linked to the suspicious death of his first wife and the disappearance of his two new stepchildren. On Friday, investigators with the Rexburg police, Fremont County sheriffs office and FBI executed a search warrant on the house Chad Daybell shared with Tammy Daybell, who was found dead at home in October. Initially thought to be a natural death, Tammy Daybells remains have since been exhumed in Utah, where she was buried. Autopsy results are pending. The search warrant was also in connection to the disappearance of Joshua Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 17, who havent been seen since September. The childrens mother, Lori Vallow who is also now known as Lori Daybell married Chad Daybell shortly after the other wifes death. Lori Daybells former spouse, Charles Vallow was killed in July in Arizona in a confrontation with her brother, Alex Cox. Cox, who died on Dec. 12, said he shot Vallow in self-defence. Authorities havent said why they got the warrant or what they found. Rexburg police have said Chad and Lori Daybell are named as persons of interest because they never reported the kids missing, have repeatedly lied about where their children are initially saying the boy with special needs was in Arizona and arent co-operating with the investigation. The couple has since issued a statement through an attorney, saying they love their son and daughter and look forward to addressing allegations once they have moved beyond speculation and rumour. Chad Daybell, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a self-published author who writes about near-death experiences and doomsday events. Chad and Lori Daybell participated in podcasts for a group called Preparing a People, which the group said involves the second coming of Jesus Christ. The group has since removed those podcasts. " " Ciprofloxacin is a common broad-spectrum antibiotic. Cultura/GIPhotoStock/Getty Images Sometimes when you're sick, your doctor takes one look at you and knows exactly what's wrong and what medicine to prescribe. But other times, you may have symptoms that could be caused by several different bacterial infections, and it may be tough to tell the difference between them. Fortunately, there are options in those situations. Instead of prescribing an antibiotic that works only against a select group of bacteria, your doctor can treat you with a course of a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which is effective against a wide range of infectious agents [source: Tufts]. Instead of narrow-spectrum medications such as penicillin or rifamycin, for example, your physician can turn to a broad-spectrum antibiotic such as chloramphenicol, one of the tetracyclines or the third-generation fluoroquinolones [sources: MSU, Chopra and Roberts]. Advertisement Broad-spectrum antibiotics are particularly useful when a patient shows up at a hospital emergency room in dire distress, and doctors have to move quickly [source: Williams]. And they can be just as effective as narrow-spectrum antibiotics in treating disease. In a study published in 2005 in the medical journal Thorax, for example, researchers reported that patients with a type of pneumonia who took broad-spectrum antibiotics had the same results as those who were treated with a narrow-spectrum antibiotic that was specific to the disease, though they did experience more side effects [source: van der Eerden et al.]. In some ways, broad-spectrum antibiotics are the Swiss army knives of medical care. A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2014 found that broad-spectrum antibiotics are the most commonly used antibiotics in hospitals throughout the U.S. But that comes with a significant downside. Because they kill microbes indiscriminately in a scorched-earth sort of attack, they wipe out beneficial ones, as well. To make matters worse, broad-spectrum antibiotics also increase the possibility that some microbes will develop antibiotic resistance, health experts worry [source: HealthDay News]. For that reason, doctors generally try to quickly "de-escalate" broad-spectrum treatment and switch to a narrow-spectrum antibiotic as fast as they can [source: Williams]. In the future, they're hoping that better diagnostic tests will allow them to pinpoint a precise treatment more quickly [source: HealthDay News]. Including Rohingya Muslims under new citizenship law would be foolish and dangerous India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 04: Amidst the protests against the newly amended Citizenship Law, questions were asked why the Rohingya Muslims were not included. The law does not include the Rohingyas and only speaks about the persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Union Minister Jitendra Singh made it clear that the law is not applicable to them. He, however, made it clear that the government's next move would be regarding the deportation of Rohingya refugees as they will not be able to secure citizenship under the new law. He demanded a probe into how the Rohingyas reached and settled down in the northern-most belt of Jammu after passing through several states from West Bengal. The minister, who was addressing the officers of the Jammu and Kashmir government at a three-day training programme on the general fund rules here, pointed out that Jammu had a sizeable population of Rohingyas. Lashkar-e-Tayiba will use Aqa Mul Mujahideen to launch Rohingya terror outfit in India Time to deport: Like the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, the Rohingya Muslims too have in recent times indulged in criminal activities. Along the Indo-Myanmar border, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, an insurgent group of the Rohingya Muslims attacked a patrol team of the Assam Rifles recently. The firing took place in a bid to push the Army back so that terror camps could be set up on the Indian side of the border. IB sources say that there has been an aggressive approach in recent times by the Rohingya Muslims. The ARSA has been trying to set up several modules within India with the help of the ISI in Pakistan. The Rohingyas have been told to target states in the North East as well as high profile locations such as Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Why India cannot afford to keep the Rohingya Muslims IB officials say that the terror infrastructure that the ARSA is trying to build in India is particularly disturbing in nature. They have sent in their handlers are identifying people residing in camps. The ISI has tasked members of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, JMB and the SIMI to undertake this operation. The JMB would work along with the ARSA in the bordering areas, where the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and SIMI would look to work within the country. The search for a 29-year-old missing woman, who was last seen at an Alabama bar and had texted a friend I feel in trouble, has come to a heartbreaking end after police found her body in a shallow grave in Hueytown. Police made the troubling discovery early Friday morning after securing the area, which was behind an abandoned home on Chapel Drive, WVTM-TV and CBS 42 reported. The body has been identified as belonging to Paighton Laine Houston. On 1/2/2020 detectives with the Trussville Police Department along with investigators with the Metro Area Crime Center developed information on a possible location for the remains of Paighton Houston, Trussville Police Department shared in a statement obtained by WVTM-TV. That information was shared with the Birmingham Police Department and investigators arrived on the scene and discovered what appeared to be a shallow grave. Law enforcement secured the area and a search was conducted this morning (1/3/2020) in which human remains were located behind a residence on Chapel Dr. Those remains have been identified as Paighton Houston. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Houston family as they begin the grieving process, the statement concluded. When uncovering Houstons remains, police discovered her body wrapped in an unidentified fabric, Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney Lynneice Washington told Alabama.com. Paighton Houston | Facebook Residents of the area informed police that an elderly man had once lived at the home, but his family moved him out after he was unable to care for himself, Alabama.com reported. Houstons cause of death has not yet been revealed to the public. Her death remains under investigation and at this time police say it has not been ruled a homicide. RELATED: Ala. Police Search for Woman Who Vanished from Bar with 2 Men, Texted Friend I Feel in Trouble Right now we have a lot more questions than answers, but we hope to have those answers real soon, Jefferson County Sheriffs Chief Deputy David Agee said to Alabama.com. Story continues Both the Birmingham Police Department and the Trussville Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLEs free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Houston had been missing since before Christmas after she was last seen on Dec. 20 at Tin Roof in the Lakeview District of Birmingham with two men, according to Alabama.com. Officials said she left with them willingly. The Trussville Tribune reported that Huston sent a text message to a friend just after midnight on the day she vanished that said, Idk who im with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble. Houstons mother, Charlaine Houston, said on Facebook that Paightons bank account has not been accessed in over 24 hours and her phone is going directly to voicemail. WE NEED PRAYERS! We still have not heard anything! We are worried sick, Charlaine wrote. RELATED: Campus Murder Mystery: Who Killed 2 Students at a Famed College for the Hearing-Impaired? The Tin Roof shared a statement on Instagram saying the bar has been in contact with Birmingham police and has shared all the information they have about Houstons disappearance. Houstons mother remained hopeful throughout the search, sharing a message on Friday BRING PAIGHTON HOME They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, They shall mount up with wings of Eagles, They shall run and not be weary walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 BRING PAIGHTON HOME! Charlaine wrote. Pakistan on Friday rejected reports that Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib near Lahore was desecrated by certain groups Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday rejected reports that Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib near Lahore was desecrated by certain groups. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as the Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. It is regarded as one of the holiest Sikh sites. Foreign Office in a midnight statement said the provincial authorities in the Punjab province have informed that there was a scuffle in the city of Nankana Sahib on Friday between two Muslim groups. The altercation happened on a minor incident at a tea-stall and the District Administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused. "Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of desecration and destruction' and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous, said the FO. It said the Government of Pakistan was committed to upholding law and order and providing security and protection to the people, especially the minorities. The opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is a manifestation of Pakistan's special care extended to the minorities, in line with the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, it said. According to some Indian media reports, a mob attack took place at the shrine. The reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones on Friday. India's External Affairs Ministry said members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place. We call upon the government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the MEA said in a statement. "Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in the desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community," it said. The MEA said the reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also expressed concern over reports of the mob attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara. In a tweet, Singh appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure that the devotees stranded at the gurdwara are rescued from the mob. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue with his Pakistani counterpart. New Delhi [India], Jan 4 (ANI): As many as 13 FIRs have been lodged by the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against the builders, accused of cheating innocent home buyers under the garb of 'Land Pooling Policy' of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The EOW has registered criminal cases under relevant sections of the law against the builders who have duped many innocent people in the national capital under various schemes not approved by the government. The builders have tried to attract home buyers in various categories for investment in lucrative housing schemes, especially in Dwarka and other peripheral areas of Delhi. "Thousands feared duped for Dwarka Habitation. A probe by the EOW is in progress," read the statement of Delhi Police. An SIT has also been constituted to further investigate the cases. DDA had envisaged a policy in the name of 'Land Pooling Policy' for ensuring the availability of sufficient houses under the planned development of Delhi. In anticipation of such scheme, various builders and promoters grabbed it as an opportunity to exploit the situation by showing pictures to flat buyers and raised huge amounts from them for advance bookings in the name of registration, allotment, etc, said the statement. Various attractive schemes have been floated in the market through different companies, developers, societies, builders in the name of the government approved 'Land Pooling Policy' demanding the registration fee or initial payments for booking of flats, the statement added. During the preliminary inquiry, it came to notice that some mischievous elements have launched their web portals and various types of electronics advertisements are being sent on e-media with regard to various housing schemes in order to cheat the general public at large and are collecting money from people. Initial investigation has also revealed that the 'Nigerian gang' is also involved in duping people through the online transaction in the name of 'Land Pooling Policy', added the statement. (ANI) Los Angeles: United States President Donald Trump has accused the slain Iranian military leader Qassam Soleimani of contributing to terror plots in as far away as London and New Delhi. Trump addressed the media on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida's Palm Beach, after the killing of the Iranian military leader, where he announced that Soleimani's 'reign of terror' is over. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London," Trump said on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Flordia. Speaking about the missile strike he ordered to kill Soleimani, he said, "Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani`s many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over." While Trump did not specify the plots in India, he may have been referring to a 2012 bombing of the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache to India. Tal Yehoshua Koren was injured and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel and her driver and two bystanders were also hurt in the attack on February 13, 2012, using a bomb that was attached to the vehicle with a magnet. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran was behind that attack and another attempted attack using a similar technique in Georgia. The New Delhi case not been resolved so far and a conclusive link to Iran has not been made by India. News reports at that time said that the attack was carried out by Iran in retaliation for the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan in Teheran using a bomb with a magnet attached to his car, allegedly by Israelis. An Indian journalist, Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi, was arrested on March 6 that year and accused of being a part of a conspiracy to carry out the attack and held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court in October on the condition that he does not go abroad. According to news reports at that time, Delhi police alleged that he had carried out reconnaissance for the Iranians who carried out the attack. The five persons who carried out the attacks were Iranian members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard who had visited Delhi, police were quoted as saying. They were not arrested although police identified them. An Iranian major general, Soleimani was the leader of the Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. But his name did not figure in the reports at that time on the Indian attack. The greatest stakes are not purely political. It can be easy for Americans to forget that Iran is not just an adversary, it is also home to over 80 million civilians, many of whom are already suffering under sanctions. Millions more across the Middle East, where proxy fights are likely to play out, would also be at risk. The burdens of any conflict are likely to fall overwhelmingly on those regular families, as they always do. Thirteen people were detained, and 2 were arrested, 5 were hospitalized as a result of an argument on January 3, at 12:30 am, in Zartonk village, Armenia Police informed. Police found out that the argument arose because of a car speeding in the village, and the argument turned into a scuffle. The car was also damaged. During a dispute, one person was stabbed and injured by a man, and two other men hit the car with stones and damaged it. Forensic medical examinations have been appointed. The knife used in this crime is sought. A criminal case has been launched on charges of hooliganism, and 2 people were arrested. An investigation is underway. Ghassem Soleimani & Khamenei Getty On Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed that US forces killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike near Baghdad's airport at the direction of President Donald Trump. As the leader of the elite and secretive Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Soleimani abetted terrorism and violence throughout the region, including against US troops. Neither George W. Bush nor Barack Obama took action as president to target Soleimani or the Quds Force. Former military and intelligence officials have cited the potential for retaliation from Iran against US troops, diplomats, and allied forces in the region as a major reason for not killing Soleimani previously. In the immediate aftermath of the strike on Soleimani, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that "harsh retaliation" would be waiting for the US. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. On Thursday evening, the Pentagon confirmed that at the direction of President Donald Trump, US forces killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike near Baghdad's airport, the most drastic step toward conflict with Iran in the 21st century. Soleimani was for decades one of the most important and highly regarded military figures in Iran, playing a pivotal role in shaping Iranian foreign policy and the politics of the Middle East today. As the leader of the elite and secretive Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which carries out foreign intelligence operations outside of Iran, Soleimani abetted terrorism and violence throughout the region on several fronts. The Pentagon said he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US service members in Iraq and beyond. Soleimani's intelligence work focused on bolstering the influence of Shiite Muslims by helping build up the firepower of terrorist groups like Hezbollah, supporting Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip, and attacking American forces in Iraq, The New York Times reported. Story continues Yet neither George W. Bush nor Barack Obama took action as president to target Soleimani or anyone from the Quds Force. Why? Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan who worked as a CIA analyst and Pentagon official on Middle East issues under both Bush and Obama, shed some insight on Friday on why neither administration tried to kill Soleimani. Slotkin wrote in a Twitter thread that she "participated in countless conversations on how to respond to Qassem Soleimani's violent campaigns across the region," adding that the "sophistication of Soleimani's covert and overt military activities" had "contributed to significant destabilization across the region." Previous administrations decided that attacking Soleimani wasn't worth the risk Slotkin said that "what always kept both Democratic and Republican presidents from targeting Soleimani himself was the simple question: Was the strike worth the likely retaliation, and the potential to pull us into protracted conflict?" She added that "the two administrations I worked for both determined that the ultimate ends didn't justify the means." Specifically, Slotkin cited the potential for retaliation from Iran against US troops, diplomats, and allied forces in the region as a major reason, writing that "it is critical that the Administration has thought out the moves and counter-moves this attack will precipitate." So far, analysts and experts have predicted that Iran could retaliate against the United States in the form of cyberattacks and targeting US military personnel and diplomats in the region. In the aftermath of the attacks, the US State Department ordered all American citizens in Iraq to leave the country. But as Iran expert and Carnegie Endowment senior fellow Karim Sadjadpour noted on Friday, Iran's possible retaliatory actions against the United States could extend to its network of proxies far beyond the boundaries of the Middle East itself. McChrystal recounted his decision not to attack Soleimani's convoy in Iraq in 2007 Sadjadpour wrote on Twitter that instead of Iran engaging in a direct armed conflict with the US, "what's more likely is sustained proxy attacks against US interests/allies regionally and even globally," noting that "Iran has a long history of such attacks in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with mixed success." Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was the head of the Joint Special Operations Command in the Bush administration, in a 2009 article for Foreign Policy recounted his decision not to attack Soleimani's convoy in Iraq on a night in 2007. McChrystal said that while "there was good reason" to attack Soleimani over the deaths of US forces by Iranian-placed roadside bombs in Iraq, "to avoid a firefight, and the contentious politics that would follow, I decided that we should monitor the caravan, not strike immediately." "Despite my initial jealousy of Suleimani's freedom to get things done quickly, I believe such restraint is a strength of the US political system," he wrote. "A zealous and action-oriented mindset, if unchecked, can be used as a force for good but if harnessed to the wrong interests or values, the consequences can be dire." US policy toward Iran shifted markedly in the Obama administration, which attempted to improve relations with Iran and ended up negotiating a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Under the conditions of the deal, it wouldn't have made sense for the US to take out one of the country's top officials. Trump speech Evan Vucci/AP Questions remain surrounding the rationale behind the US' decision to strike Soleimani now But Trump, who criticized Obama's Iran policy for years, took a more aggressive approach toward Iran, withdrawing from the nuclear agreement and significantly inflaming tensions both by antagonizing Iranian officials on Twitter, and the military expanding its presence in the region. Michael Singh, who was a senior director for Middle East affairs on the National Security Council under Bush and is now the managing director of The Washington Institute, told Insider that Trump's more adversarial posturing toward Iran and the failures of past policy likely drove the administration to take the drastic step of killing Soleimani. "Previous administrations concluded that the risks of targeting high-level figures outweighed the prospective benefits," he said. "The Trump administration mindful, perhaps, of the unsatisfying results of past US restraint clearly reached a different conclusion." It's "hard to decouple his killing from the impeachment saga" In a Friday Twitter thread, veteran foreign correspondent Rukmini Callimachi, who covers the Middle East and groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda for The New York Times, reported even more details that cast significant doubt on the Pentagon's claim that Soleimani was planning an imminent attack that would pose a direct threat to American lives and interests. Citing US intelligence officials briefed on the strike, Callimachi described the purported evidence of Soleimani's planned moves as "razor-thin," with one source describing the justification for taking out Soleimani as making an "illogical leap." Callimachi also suggested that both the very hasty preparation for and execution of the strike, which the administration carried out without thoroughly briefing Congress, indicated that Trump may have decided to strike Soleimani at this particular moment partly to distract from the impending impeachment trial in the US Senate. The upcoming trial will receive significant national attention and subject the president to even more scrutiny as it weighs whether to convict Trump on articles of abusing his office and obstructing Congress. "No one's trying to downplay Suleimani's crimes. The question is why now? His whereabouts have been known before. His resume of killing-by-proxy is not a secret," she wrote, adding that it was, "hard to decouple his killing from the impeachment saga." John Haltiwanger contributed to this report. Read the original article on Business Insider Referring to the row over the Rafale purchase deal, former Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said on Saturday that such controversies slow down defence acquisitions, affecting the armed forces' capabilities. Had Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman been flying a Rafale instead of a MiG 21 during the India-Pakistan stand-off after the Balakot strike, the outcome would have been different, he said. Speaking at the Techfest event organised by IIT- Bombay here, Dhanoa referred to the Rafale row, and said the Supreme Court gave a "fine judgment" on the issue (giving a clean chit to the Naredra Modi government). "I have always personally maintained that..when the Rafale thing was thrown up, if you politicise the defence acquisition system, the whole system goes behind," he said. "All other files also start moving at a slow pace because people start becoming very very conscious," he said. The Bofors deal too got mired in controversy (during the Rajiv Gandhi government) despite the Bofors guns "being good", he noted. There are several agencies in the country to look into a deal if there are complaints, he said. At the same time, the former air chief marshal added that people have the right to ask questions about the price of the aircraft as tax payers' money is at stake. "The fact is, because of creating a controversy out of it, the slowing down of defence modernisation later affects you," said Dhanoa, who retired in September last year. "Like the prime minister made a statement. People are saying it is a political (statement) but the fact is that the statement he made is correct. "If we had Rafale, the question would have been totally different," he said. Modi had said in March last year that the results would have been different if India had Rafale jets during the air strike on terror camps in Pakistan. Dhanoa said the outcome would have been different had Wing Commander Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet during a dogfight but was captured himself, been flying a Rafale instead of a MiG 21 fighter plane. "100 per cent it would have been different. Why was he not flying a Rafale? Because you took 10 years to decide which aircraft to buy. So, it (the delay) affects you," he said, without naming the earlier Congress-led UPA government. He also reiterated that the governments of the day rejected the IAF's proposal to carry out air strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and the earlier 2001 Parliament attack. "But the decision, like I keep saying, is a political decision. It (the proposal) was not accepted at that time. So it gave the terror-sponsoring state confidence that India will not retaliate to a terrorist attack," he said. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was clueless about the IAF's strike in Balakot, Dhanoa said. He said there was a lack of co-ordination between the Pakistani Army and the PAF during the 1971 (Bangladesh) war and the 1999 Kargil war too. "When Balakot happened, the PAF did not know (about the IAF's strike). There were no terminal weapons in Balakot. Even we were surprised," he added. Dhanoa also said that terror attacks in Pathankot, Uri and Pulwama indicated that India's conventional deterrence, "though it is superior to its enemy", was not stopping the enemy from carrying out terrorist activities on Indian soil. "Thus, the Balakot strike was approved by the government to send a message to Pakistan that henceforth, such acts will come with a heavy price. The government changed the stand," he said. "One of the reasons for the strategic surprise was that they (Pakistan) had always underestimated our leadership. They never expected our leadership to give a go ahead (to Balakot-like air strike)," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ballyhea man Paddy O'Flynn exchanged the pastures of his native North Cork parish for the lush vineyards of the world famous Bordeaux region in France - and now his wine retail business is the toast of his adopted land. Paddy, who follows in the long tradition of the 'wine geese', Irish exiles who made wine, has been living in Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, since 1988 when his then father-in-law Rene Baylet was voted the best winemaker in France for quality and price. And now three decades later, he himself has achieved the prestigious accolade of being named one of the top 10 wine retailers in France by Beverage Trade Network. Having been immersed in wine culture since his arrival on the continent, Paddy managed 'La Tour des Vins' - a premium wine shop in the heart of Saint-Emilion. He went on to found The Wine Buff, which also has 10 shops around Ireland, the first one opening in Limerick in 2000. Living in the village with his wife Pilar and their two sons, Paddy said winning the award was a huge honour. "It is an amazing achievement for a privately owned Irish company to be chosen as one of the top 10 wine retailers in France," he said. "To put this in perspective, the village where our premises is located - with a population of only 200 people - has over 50 wine shops and 1.5 million visitors a year and one of our competitors, who has over 500 shops, is not included in the top 10. "It is a recognition of the passion, experience and knowledge The Wine Buff brings. And it is also a continuation of the influence the Irish have had on the industry in Bordeaux - after all we, the Irish, were the first to blend wines in the region." But while the Corkman - who moved to Bordeaux after meeting his French wife in the US - has indeed gone native, it didn't happen overnight. "The language barrier was the biggest challenge to setting up a new life in France," he said. "I didn't speak French but my new family and friends gave me great encouragement and I quickly grew to love the region. "Of course, I also missed everyone in Ireland and that was hard at times." O'Flynn's move not only facilitated the learning of a language, but also opened up the world of wine. "I took a job working in a wine shop and my colleague, who was a sommelier, taught me to taste wines correctly," he said. "This was the beginning of my passion for wine which endures to this day. And marrying into a wine-making family was of huge benefit as it certainly opened a lot of important doors. "I have been here now for 31 years and become part of the furniture of the village. And while I'm sure our competitors [the 50 other local wine shops] would probably prefer that we weren't there as we have a large customer base, overall the locals like that I am Irish and respect the professionalism which we bring to the industry." The award-winning wine merchant says the genuine interest he has in both wine and his customers is why the shop is such a success today. "Our passion, experience and knowledge is exemplary within the wine industry," said Mr O'Flynn. "We absolutely love what we do, and we constantly strive to find the best deals for our customers." And the Wine Buff focus is on discovering artisan wine producers who are committed to producing wines from sustainable viticulture. "Our customers love the interaction and simplicity we offer. "On top of that our customer reviews have elevated The Wine Buff to number one on TripAdvisor and Google for wine shopping in Saint-Emilion. "We also treat everyone with the respect we believe they deserve, and we endeavour to make their experience in our premises memorable." While most of the wines for sale in the Saint-Emilion shop are exclusive to The Wine Buff, they are also available in the 10 shops across Ireland. Bolton Pompeo Trump AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Hawks in Washington, particularly on the right, have long pushed for more aggressive US action against Iran, including war with the Middle Eastern power. While President Donald Trump campaigned on his "America First" talking points, he's taken a hostile approach to Iran over the last few years. Republican lawmakers almost universally celebrated Trump's decision to assassinate Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the country's top military commander. There are a host of reasons why Iran hawks may have pushed Trump to escalate the conflict and one consideration might be purely political. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Hawks in Washington, particularly on the right, have long pushed for more aggressive US action against Iran, including war with the Middle Eastern power. While President Donald Trump campaigned on his "America First" talking points, slamming the Iraq War as the "worst single mistake" in US history and promising Americans that he'd disentangle the country from seemingly never ending conflicts in the Middle East, he's taken an aggressive approach to Iran over the last three years. But on Friday, Republican lawmakers almost universally celebrated Trump's decision to assassinate Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the country's top military commander, in a move widely viewed as an act of war. Decades of US-Iranian tension Iran and the US have been adversaries for decades. The two countries have a complex history that involved a CIA-orchestrated coup in the 1950s, a pro-American puppet monarch who was overthrown in 1979 via the Islamic revolution, and the infamous hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran that followed the uprising. The constant Iranian threats against Israel, America's top ally in the Middle East, and chants of "death to America" in Iranian streets have exacerbated the tensions. Story continues Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP Washington has long feared what might happen if the Iranian regime developed a nuclear weapon. Iran had made advances towards developing nuclear capabilities by the 2010s, which is why the Obama administration prioritized the nuclear deal and de-escalation. When the pact was finally settled in 2015, it was widely celebrated as a major diplomatic achievement. Trump along with the Republican party was outspoken about his disdain for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which he's called "defective at its core," ever since it was negotiated by the Obama administration. And despite strong opposition from European allies and US defense leaders, he unilaterally pulled out of the deal in May 2018. The controversial move was widely celebrated by Republicans, who'd long believed the deal didn't do enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or participating in disruptive conflicts across the region. But there is an at-times vocal minority of Republican lawmakers who've embraced Trump's isolationist instincts and pressed the president to reject the establishment's hawkish stance on Iran. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a prominent and outspoken Trump supporter, co-sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act in June 2019 that would prevent US funds from being used for military action against Iran without congressional authorization. (But Gaetz supported Trump pulling out from the Iran nuclear deal). "I am grateful that the president is not eager to lurch into another Middle Eastern regime change, in an endless, unfocused, unconstitutional way," Gaetz told The New York Times in June 2019. "President Trump ran as a very different kind of Republican, someone who wanted to end wars, not start them." Trump insists he doesn't want war or regime change Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is an Iran hawk and pushed for the US to bomb the country before Trump brought him into the White House in March 2018. The president repeatedly described Bolton as more pro-war than him. "I actually temper John, which is pretty amazing," Trump said of Bolton during a press conference in May 2019. On Friday, Bolton tweeted "congratulations to all involved" in the strike, which he called a "decisive blow" to Iran and said he hoped it would be "the first step to regime change in Tehran." In May 2018, Rudy Giuliani Trump's personal lawyer said the president is committed to regime change in Iran. "We have a president who is tough," Giuliani told an audience of activists who oppose the Iranian regime. "We have a president who is as committed to regime change as we are." But Trump has repeatedly said he's not seeking regime change in Iran. On Friday, he insisted that the strike killing Soleimani was designed to prevent, not provoke, war and again insisted he's not seeking the overthrow of the Iranian government. "Suleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him," Trump said. "We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war." Despite pushing for increased aggression on the US's part, many Republican lawmakers have insisted over the last few years that war with Iran isn't likely. "You're always concerned about it if it escalates. But I really don't see that. The president is trying to get us out of every armed conflict we're in. I can't imagine him escalating into a new one," said GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito told Politico in May 2019. The reaction among US lawmakers to the assassination of Soleimani was predictably partisan. While Democrats condemned Trump for not seeking congressional authorization and escalating tensions with Iran, Republicans largely praised the president for taking what they described as "decisive" action. There were a few exceptions on the Republican side on Friday. "If we are to go to war w/ Iran the Constitution dictates that we declare war," GOP Sen. Rand Paul, long a non-interventionist, tweeted Friday. "A war without a Congressional declaration is a recipe for feckless intermittent eruptions of violence w/ no clear mission for our soldiers. Our young men and women in the armed services deserve better." Mike Pompeo AP/Andrew Harnik Trump sees potential political gain from war with Iran There are a host of reasons why Iran hawks may have pushed Trump to escalate the conflict and one consideration might be purely political. Notably, Trump repeatedly argued that former President Barack Obama was planning to go to war with Iran in 2011 and 2012 in order to boost his approval ratings and win reelection. "He's weak, and he's ineffective," Trump said of Obama in 2011. "So I believe that he will attack Iran sometime prior to the election, because he thinks that's the only way he can get elected." The prediction, which didn't materialize, suggest Trump once believed war with Iran has the potential to help him politically in an election year. (This election year he is facing dismal polling and looming impeachment trial.) John Haltiwanger contributed to this story. Read the original article on Business Insider Their newest album release, DNA, seeks to re-establish the boys' relevance in the 21st-century pop sphere. Backstreet Boys - DNA weak, The boys performance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 was highly anticipated and one of the first glimpses of the bands new image, so many years after their heyday. Tactically choosing to do a medley of their most-loved hits, it was established that Backstreet Boys are definitely back, but it was certainly questionable as to whether theyd still got it. Lead vocalist Brian Littrells performance was noticeablyand the band lacked the charisma and energy that they had back in the day. However, many life-long fans were quick to attribute this to Littrells diagnosis of muscle tension dysphonia , a condition that affects his vocal abilities. DNA is, therefore, an album which exemplifies an acceptance of change both vocally, musically, and in terms of its social reception. New material means that hiding behind iconic, teenage-heartthrob anthems such as I Want It That Way and Shape Of My Heart is no longer an option. As if such a release needed any more anticipation surrounding it, we were teased with a string of singles from the album. Dont Go Breaking My Heart, released back in May 2018 is a straight-up catchy pop banger: an adaptation of the 90s bass-beats and cheesy lyrics of years gone by. Soft keyboard chords are layered with emotional vocals, inundated with reverb and oscillating synth pangs not entirely dissimilar to what you might hear on the radio.Being the first track on the album, Dont Go Breaking My Heart assures that DNA isnt necessarily going to be a group of 40-something-year-old-dads trying to relive their youth; they too have adapted to the different audience that they are appealing to. are do dos context fans cringey It is the tracks that acknowledge this change thatarguably the most successful on the album. Breathe is refreshing and masterful, championing stellar vocal ranges and the boys ability to harmonise, in an entirely new, bare and vulnerable framework. Rich and deep Pitch Perfect-esque A Capella ripple underneath soft and caressing vocal melodies, culminating into a climax when all voices join together in the choruses. No Place glimmers with melting harmonies, this time in a different lyrical framework. Givenby its accompanying video, No Place is an ode to the members wives and children: theres no place like them. Such a heart-warming video allows the boys to tug cleverly on the maternal instincts in their day one. The Way It Was is reminiscent of Olly Murs swing rhythms meet boy-band pop backing vocals, with reverb-emphasised downbeats and a display of the bands vocal range, whereas Chateau seeps with charismatic nostalgia, shamelesslylyrics, baby I want you back, harking back to its roots in Black & Blue. Chances is rescued by the grit and energy that the vocals bring to it. cringey feel The rest of DNA, however, feel slightly, outdated and misjudged. New Love and Passionate drip with sex appeal, seductive basslines and deep vocal melodies but fail to climax. It's exactly what we feared - commercialised hits that, lyrically, feel empty. Compared to No Place, which felt like it was moving forward, the tracks are trying to make up for lost time to no avail. Similarly, Is It Just Me, The Way U Like It, Ok and No One Elselargely underwhelming and generic, with a heavy reliance on production and auto-tune that the voices often lose themselves in. These tracks lack the charm and cheekiness that Backstreet Boys were loved for in the first place. There's no doubt that Backstreet Boys certainly should be credited for their vocal abilities that are showcased on the more successful songs of the album. In their experimentation, they show they're more than just their late 90s hits. However, the backbone of the record is flimsy and pumped with generic boyband hits that lack much individuality. Backstreet's back... sort of. Will make Assam govt party to case against CAA in SC if voted Congress to power: Gaurav Gogoi Anti-CAA stir: 12 accused, including activist Sadaf Jafar, ex IPS SR Darapuri granted bail India oi-Mousumi Dash Lucknow, Jan 04: Twelve accused including activist Sadaf Jafar and former IPS officer SR Darapuri have been granted bail by a sessions court in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, in connection with the violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) case of December 19, last year in the state. All of them were arrested for alleged involvement in the violence during protests in the state capital on December 19, today the a Luncknow sessions court has granted them bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each. According to reports, they got bail as the UP Police failed to produce any direct evidence against Jafar, Darapuri and the 12 others for their alleged role in vandalism and arson during the anti-CAA protests last year in the state. Reportedly, on December 19, Jafar was arrested while she was live on Facebook from the place where the protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act went violent. Earlier, the UP Police had said she was arrested for her involvement in clashes but she has been released today along with the other protesters as the police failed to show any valid evidences against them. Anti-CAA stir: 46 fresh notices served for damaging public property in UP's Muzaffarnagar Their individual pleas as well as submissions of the government lawyer was heard by the court of Additional Sessions Judge SS Pandey. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 17:55 [IST] P.E.O. awards grant to phlebotomist P.E.O. Chapter BX, Glens Falls sponsored a scholarship grant for Shana Santos who is attending SUNY Adirondacks Associate Degree Nursing Program. Santos is a phlebotomist with Hudson Headwaters and works also at Glens Falls Hospital. She is seeking the nursing degree so she can offer more to her patients and answer some of their questions. Santos fulfilled all the requirements for the Program for Continuing Education, a grant program designed for women who have been out of school for 24 consecutive months at some time in the past and now wish to return to school to increase their knowledge and upgrade their skills. P.E.O. International is a philanthropic education organization promoting womens education. There are various scholarships, grants and loans available to women who qualify. Information may be obtained by calling Janet Coyle at 518-792-4219. Community dinner draws 125 people LAKE GEORGE Christmas Day brought together many volunteers to serve a dinner for the Lake George area community, coordinated by Denise and Dave Paddock. More than 125 people were served in the dining hall of the Courtyard Marriott and 29 meals were delivered to residents who could not attend. The hotel donated the space and the food was donated by the Inn at Erlowest of Lake George. Hannaford Stores provided the deserts. This is the third year the Courtyard Marriott has hosted the event and the Inn at Erlowest has been providing the meal since 2015. The annual dinner began in 2000 at Caldwell Presbyterian Church in Lake George and the idea was a product of Helene Horns concern for residents who would be spending Christmas Day alone. The first dinner had 25 diners and volunteers provided the food. Cabin Fever Board Game Club to meet CORINTH The Corinth Free Library hosts a Cabin Fever Board Game Club every Thursday after school in the months of January and February at 89 Main St. Enjoy snacks and more than 100 games, or feel free to bring a favorite from home. Washington County WIC has openings Washington County WIC has immediate openings available for women, infants and children in the form of nutritious foods accessed through the eWIC Benefit Card, free up-to-date nutrition and health information, referral services and breastfeeding support. Call Washington County WIC at 518-746-2460 for an appointment. The institution is an equal opportunity provider. Korean War group plans luncheon BALLSTON SPA The January luncheon for Ch. 60, Korean War Vet. Assoc., will be held at noon Thursday at the Ripe Tomato Restaurant, approximately 10 miles south of Saratoga on Route 9. Hosts are Bob Garland and Lois Miner. Call Bob for reservations at 518-280-0075 or Lois at 518-695-3905 by Tuesday. Veterans who served anywhere during the Korean War, in Korea at any time, spouses, widows, friends and relatives are all invited to attend. New members are always welcome. For more information or an application to join the organization, contact Comm. Bob Garland at 518-280-0075. New mixed media exhibit set at City HallGLENS FALLS Carol Law Conklin and Kris Gregson Moss will display mixed media and fiber arts at a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at North Country Arts 2nd Floor Gallery located in City Hall, 42 Ridge St. The exhibit runs until Feb. 14. Admission is free. Refreshments will be served. Cambridge library to host climate talk CAMBRIDGE Hudson Valley Community College adjunct English professor Bonnie Cook, a certified Climate Reality Leader, will be at the Cambridge Public Library from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 at 21 W. Main St. Cook, who recently trained with Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore, will be showing a slide show and talking about what we can do about climate change. Following the 45 minute presentation, there will be time set aside for a Q&A where participants can discuss local impact and solutions that work for our community. As the planet continues to warm, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and flooding is worsening. Climate change is causing stronger storms and more severe droughts and wildfires. Its already destroying property, threatening food supplies, displacing people, and costing billions of dollars. The program is free and open to all. To reserve your seat contact the Cambridge Public Library at 518-677-2443. Poet/artist to discuss woodblock printing LAKE GEORGE The Caldwell-Lake George Library will host a presentation on woodblock printing by poet, artist and author Ray Hudson at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at 336 Canada St. Hudson, a retired teacher, currently resides in Middlebury, Vermont. He lived in the Aleutian Islands from 1964-1992 and studied woodblock printing with Lu Fang at the Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy. He is the recipient of the National Education Associations Leo Reano Award for his work with First Americans. In 1990, he received the Governors Award for the Arts from the Alaska State Council on the Arts. His work has been exhibited in Alaska, Vermont and Russia. A Christmas tree display featuring the unique greeting cards created with this printmaking technique is on display at the library. The event is free and opened to public. For further information, contact the library at 518-668-2528. Adirondack Fiddlers set to play and dance SCHUYLERVILLE The Adirondack Fiddlers will present new style and Old Tyme Fiddling from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 at the American Legion Hall, 6 Clancy St. All fiddlers and musicians young and old are welcome as is the public. There will be round and square dancing. Food will be available. For more information, call 518-274-6817. Defensive driving class to be offered SARATOGA SPRINGS There will be a New York State approved Defensive Driving Class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church, 175 Fifth Ave. Save 10% on base auto insurance for the next 3 years and receive up to 4 points off your driving record. The fee is $35 per person. Bring a friend fee is $30 each. A portion of the fee goes to the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church. Registration is required by calling Ray Frankoski at 518-286-3788. Hometown is compiled by Gretta Hochsprung. If youd like to let her know about an upcoming event, email ghochsprung@poststar.com or call 518-742-3206. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rescuers in Indonesia were searching on January 3 for missing people as the death toll from flash floods rose to 43, Channel Asia News reported. Around a dozen people were still unaccounted for after record rainfall that started on New Years Eve pounded the capital region, home to some 30 million people. Streets in Jakarta and the surrounding areas were transformed into rivers by the flooding, with rescuers conducting searches by boat. Thousands of people were left homeless. In this video, an elderly man can be seen being carried on a flotation device to a rescue boat. At the end of the video, a crying toddler is also lifted into the boat by rescuers. Credit: National Search and Rescue Agency via Storyful By PTI ASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that Washington's European allies had not been "as helpful" as he hoped over the US killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. Pompeo called officials worldwide to discuss the attack, which was praised by US President Donald Trump's Republicans and close ally Israel, but elsewhere met with sharp warnings it could inflame regional tensions. "I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance. They've all been fantastic," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News. "And then talking to our partners in other places that haven't been quite as good. Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be," he said. US officials said Soleimani, who had been blacklisted by the US, was killed when a drone hit his vehicle near Baghdad's international airport. Following the assassination, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called on all involved actors "to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment. " Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron urged those involved to act with "restraint" while British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said de-escalation would be key. "The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," Pompeo said. "This was a good thing for the entire world, and we are urging everyone in the world to get behind what the United States is trying to do to get the Islamic Republic of Iran to simply behave like a normal nation," he added. Pompeo said earlier in the day that Soleimani was planning imminent action that threatened American citizens when he was killed in the strike. 11.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump claims that his unexpected strike on Iran that killed top military official Qasem Soleimani came on the heels of an imminent threat against the United States but less than 24 hours after the president officially announced the assassination, his entire rationale for the military action has collapsed. As NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel said on Saturday, there is no direct evidence that there was a specific threat against the United States that would justify the strike. There has been no direct evidence presented by the administration and nothing that weve seen, Engel said on MSNBCs AM Joy. When you listen to officials at the U.S. State Department, and they described yesterday in a call to reporters what this imminent attack was all about, it was quite vague in their explanation. The NBC News correspondent said the administration is presenting a very, very broad picture that doesnt necessarily explain the kind of pinpoint specific attack that would necessarily justify this kind of imminent threat logic. Video: Engel reported: There has been no direct evidence presented by the administration and nothing that weve seen. But frankly speaking, the that is what Qasem Soleimani did. We dont know if he was organizing what kind of attack, we dont know if he was organizing something imminent in the future, where, when or how but the fact that Qasem Soleimani would have been meeting with Shiite militia leaders and he was meeting with Shiite militia leaders because they were in the same convoy that was killed for him, thats not that unusual and the things that they would meet to do would be to carry out attacks against the U.S. That is something theyve done in the past. That is something that is in their strategic interest. They generally both want the United States out of this country. That is what they have been set up to do. But, no, we dont have any specific information but you can draw a logical conclusion that thats the kind of thing they would be talking about. And frankly when you listen to officials at the U.S. State Department, and they described yesterday in a call to reporters what this imminent attack was all about, it was quite vague in their explanation. They said that it was going to be attack on U.S. personnel or U.S. bases in Iraq or Syria or the region or Lebanon, a very, very broad picture that doesnt necessarily explain the kind of pinpoint specific attack that would necessarily justify this kind of imminent threat logic. This is about Trump boosting his reelection bid full stop Engels reporting Saturday aligns with what even Defense Department officials have said: that there was nothing new about Irans behavior before Trump ordered the strike. Of course, nobody truly believes Trump knows the first thing about whats happening on the ground in the Middle East. In fact, four years ago, Trump didnt even know who Qasem Soleimani was. The idea that he suddenly found a deep interest in taking him out especially given the fact that he doesnt even read intelligence briefings is laughable. Instead, what is driving this escalation with Iran is the same thing that has fueled Trumps decision-making since day one: personal political survival. With an impeachment trial looming and a tough campaign season ahead of him, Trump believes that attacking Iran will as even he said in 2011 and 2012 help him win reelection. It remains to be seen whether this will work as a political strategy, but its a deeply dangerous way to conduct foreign policy. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter The Council Bluffs Public Library will host tale-spinner, troubadour and Iowa native Darrin Crow at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16, as he brings one of the masters of Gothic horror to life in Morbid Curiosities: An Evening with Edgar Allen Poe. If there ever was an author who would make the most of returning from beyond the grave, it would be Edgar Allen Poe. No author was more adept at combining the tragic, the chilling, and the poetic into beautifully terrifying, timeless tales, according to a release from the library. Even after centuries, Poe still inspires fascination with his life as well as his work. Thanks to the talents of Crow, the maestro of the macabre will visit from beyond the veil to share stories about his life and perform his best-loved stories and poetry, including The Masque of the Red Death, The Raven and The Tell Tale Heart, the release stated. The performance will also introduce audiences to one of Poes comedies, The Angel of the Odd, a delightfully dire tall tale about the consequences of too much alcohol. Surrounded by the magic of story all his life, Crow began telling stories in high school as a volunteer at a living history museum. In college, he studied interpretive speech; after college he worked as an actor and itinerant storyteller in Pennsylvania and Florida before returning to his home state. His imaginative, engaging stories keep audiences on the edge of their seats, whether those seats are in classrooms, museums, festivals, art fairs, or ancient Greek amphitheaters. When not embodying deceased literary geniuses Crow makes his home in Cedar Rapids with his wife, three children, two cats and zero ravens. This event will be in Meeting Room B the library and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the library at 712-323-7553, ext. 132. Google is sending out emails to its news subscribers informing about the discontinuation of its print-replica magazine service. According to Android Police, paid subscribers with an outstanding subscription will receive a full refund somewhere during the next month. Even as the service is ending and no new editions will be released, users will continue to have access to their existing library of purchased content. To read the latest articles, users are encouraged to follow that publication in Google News or visit their official website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Airstrikes on Friday night hit an Iraqi militia convoy north of Baghdad, killing at least six people, according to reports. The airstrikes took place at around 1:12 a.m. local time. The Reuters news agency reported that Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, which are Iran-backed Shia militia groups, were struck near Taji. Three people were critically wounded. An Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) spokesman stated that the airstrikes were not conducted by coalition forces. FACT: The Coalition did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days. FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days. OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) January 4, 2020 According to The Associated Press, an Iraqi official said the airstrike has hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia and that five members of the militia were slain. The identities of those who are killed are not immediately known. An official told Reuters that two of three vehicles making up the convoy were found burned north of the city. From The Epoch Times BEIRUT (Reuters) - As Iran vows to take revenge for the killing of one of its top military commanders, Major General Qassem Soleimani, it can count on the support of groups that are part of a Tehran-led alliance across the region. BEIRUT (Reuters) - As Iran vows to take revenge for the killing of one of its top military commanders, Major General Qassem Soleimani, it can count on the support of groups that are part of a Tehran-led alliance across the region. In Lebanon, Yemen and the Gaza Strip, Iran-backed groups have fought U.S. allies including Saudi Arabia and Israel, while in Iraq the United States has recently accused Iran-backed fighters of targeting U.S. personnel directly. The array of alliances is in large part the work of Soleimani himself, architect of Tehran's growing military influence in the Middle East. IRAQ Iran-backed Shi'ite groups gained strength in Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Today, they have tens of thousands of fighters. Under Soleimani's supervision, they played a leading role in battling Islamic State, fighting as part of the Hashid Shaabi. The strongest groups - trained, equipped and funded by Tehran - are Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba and the Badr Organization. Some of the Iran-backed Iraqi groups have fought in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad, another Tehran ally. Kataib Hezbollah has been a focal point of recent tensions. The U.S. military on Sunday mounted air strikes on its bases, accusing the group of mounting a sustained campaign against U.S. personnel since at least October. This week, members of Iran-backed groups hurled stones at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Kataib Hezbollah's founder, Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, known as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, died in the attack that killed Soleimani. The Iraqi government has attempted to integrate paramilitary organizations into its armed forces but the United States has said it has not seen sufficient action by Baghdad to stop attacks on U.S. forces by Iran-backed groups. LEBANON Hezbollah, meaning "Party of God", was set up with the help from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in 1982. In recent years, its role has expanded beyond Lebanon's borders as it has taken part in conflicts in Iraq and Syria. The group has tens of thousands of fighters. Set up with the aim of fighting Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon, Hezbollah has remained a sworn enemy of Israel, which sees it as the biggest threat at its borders. The United States holds Hezbollah responsible for the suicide bombing that destroyed the U.S. Marine headquarters in Beirut in October 1983, killing 241 servicemen, and a suicide bombing the same year on the U.S. embassy. Hezbollah has trained paramilitary groups in Syria and Iraq and inspired other forces such as Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis. Its political clout in Lebanon has grown: Hezbollah and its allies won a majority in a 2018 parliamentary election and its role in government has expanded. Deemed a terrorist group by Washington, the group has been targeted as part of a U.S. campaign to exert pressure against Iran, with new sanctions imposed on members and businessman accused of supporting the group. YEMEN The Iran-aligned Houthi movement has been battling a Saudi-led military alliance in Yemen for almost five years. Iran champions the Houthis as part of its regional "axis of resistance". Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse Iran of arming and training the Houthis. But the extent of the relationship is disputed and Tehran has denied funnelling weapons into Yemen. The Houthis' military clout includes ballistic missiles that they have used against Saudi Arabia. They deny they are Iranian proxies and say they manufacture their own weapons. The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack that temporarily cut more than half of Saudi oil output in September, though the United States said Iran was behind the attack. The Houthis have an estimated 180,000-200,000 fighters under their control, according to a Chatham House report. PALESTINIAN HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza, has a powerful armed wing thanks to Iranian financial and military support. Observers estimate the group has about 30,000 fighters and thousands of rockets. In a November speech, Hamas Gaza chief Yehya Al-Sinwar credited Iran for the improvement of their arsenal. The smaller Islamic Jihad group is seen by analysts as more committed to the official agenda of Iran than Hamas, but has fewer fighters and rockets. Israel Army Radio reported that the country's military had gone on heightened alert, fearing retaliation by Iran or its proxies after the Soleimani killing. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza, Lisa Barrington in Dubai and Ahmed Aboulenein in Baghdad; Writing by Tom Perry, Editing by William Maclean) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. President Donald Trump gave the U.S. military standing approval to track Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, and kill him when the best opportunity arose, a senior Defense Department official said Friday. When asked whether there had been a "standing order" from Trump to target Soleimani, the senior official said, "Sure, we had authority before the strikes to take that action." In a conference call with defense reporters, the official did not give specifics on when the order to take out Soleimani came, but suggested it was well before the strikes at Baghdad International Airport on Thursday. The airstrike also killed a deputy commander for Iranian-backed militias and at least three others. The official said Soleimani was targeted as the main planner of a series of attacks on U.S. installations in Iraq over the last several months. Related: Lawmakers, Experts Fear Retaliation Following US Strike on Top Iran Commander The order to kill him "was based on a presidential direction given the ongoing planning and threats we saw in the region," the official said. The best chance to do so while minimizing casualties to civilians came Thursday when "Soleimani arrived at a target of opportunity. He arrived at the airport. We had an opportunity and at the president's direction we took it," the official added. In a series of tweets, Trump praised the military's action in eliminating a long-time enemy of the U.S., and later said the action had removed an impediment to peace in the region. "We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war," he said Friday in remarks at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. As head of the Quds Force since at least 2002, Soleimani was plotting "imminent and sinister" attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but "we caught him and terminated him," Trump said. Soleimani made the "death of innocent people his sick passion," the president added. The senior defense official said that action against Soleimani was taken "to restore deterrence" against future attacks on U.S. forces. Soleimani's absence could also aid U.S. efforts to "attempt to de-escalate the situation" in Iraq, where the Baghdad government has been struggling to come to terms with demonstrations against the failing economy and Iranian influence, the official said. However, acting Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi condemned the strike that killed Soleimani and said the action was in violation of agreements on allowing the presence of the U.S. military in Iraq in the train, advise and assist mission against remnants of the Islamic State. In a statement, Abdul-Mahdi said the aggressive U.S. action "on Iraqi soil is a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a dangerous escalation" to the turmoil in the region. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Read more: Thousands More US Troops Deploying to Middle East in Response to Iranian Threats Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 09:14 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320c733f 1 Editorial #Editorial,floods,Greater-Jakarta,natural-disaster,climate-change,volunteer Free The year has started off on a tragic note, as over 170,000 people have found themselves displaced by the floods in Greater Jakarta, West Java, mainly Bekasi, and Banten provinces. In the capital, hundreds of public buildings, including schools and several Transjakarta bus stops, have become makeshift shelters for residents as weather forecasts have warned of more rainfall this month. Reports revealed overwhelmed emergency services as a number of people, including infants, had to wait up to 12 hours or more for help on rooftops. Apart from limited rubber dinghies, access to their areas was also cut off by the floodwater, slowing evacuation. As of Friday, the death toll from the floods had reached 43, with 35 in Greater Jakarta alone. Victims have every right to demand who is responsible and why they are not getting immediate help. Millions of people, however, are comfortably out of the water; and they are among those hurling the blame at local and central authorities. Fortunately, a few reminded each other to stop the abuse and check on how to help and where. Besides private organizations, a number of individuals have opened public kitchens, preparing hundreds of food packages and sending them to shelters. Others are collecting donations and clothes for those in need. People living on higher ground are accommodating relatives whose homes and belongings have gone under the mud. With only 1 percent of the countrys population of 270 million having any kind of insurance, home insurance is among their lowest priorities, despite living in this disaster-prone nation. Most victims are likely to be the poor who are barely able to pay their health insurance premiums on time. Nevertheless, building awareness on what it takes to live with surrounding risks will have to wait another day. In the event of more extreme downpours, people need to join the volunteers, even as police and military personnel are doing everything they can to rescue families. Exhausted victims who have chosen to return home would really appreciate help in cleaning up mud-filled houses and furniture. The risk of waterborne diseases is already threatening victims. As thunderstorms are expected to continue, the governments of the capital and its buffer cities of Bogor, Tangerang, Depok and Bekasi also need to do everything they can to assist each other for the sake of peoples safety. Decades have passed without the realization of plans to better manage these neighboring provinces where rivers and floods flow across their borders. Experts have told us to expect this new normal of what many thought was freak weather when the heavens poured nonstop on New Years Eve. This means cooperation and coordination between neighbors is urgently needed. The regents, mayors and governors of the flooded areas must pick up on the spirit of their people who only see desperate neighbors in need. Even if President Joko Jokowi Widodo is rushing plans for a new capital in East Kalimantan, Greater Jakarta will still be the chosen home for millions. They cannot be abandoned just because moving seems to be the only hope to end the metropolis chronic catastrophes. A couple of days after the Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed displeasure over the functioning of the state Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday transferred its chief Kumar Vishwajeet and appointed 1992 batch IPS officer P Sitharama Anjaneyulu in his place. Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney issued an order posting Anjaneyulu, currently the Transport Commissioner, as Director General of ACB. Anjaneyulu will hold full additional charge as Secretary of the AP Public Service Commission and also as Transport Commissioner. Vishwajeet, IPS officer of 1994 batch, has been asked to report to the Director General of Police (Head of Police Force). Early last month, Vishwajeet was relieved of the additional charge he was holding as the state Intelligence head. During a review meeting on the ACB the other day, the Chief Minister had pulled up the anti-graft wing, attached to the General Administration Department, saying its performance was not up to the mark. Work without taking any offs or leaves. I want change in three months. Staff should fear taking bribes, the Chief Minister was said to have told the ACB authorities. Proving right the speculation ever since, the ACB chief was abruptly removed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Delhi University teachers on Friday staged a protest outside the office of varsitys vice chancellor (VC) demanding absorption of ad-hoc teachers. The agitating teachers also marched up to the Swami Vivekananda statue in the university near the VC office. The teachers, for a long time, have been demanding absorption of the ad-hoc teachers in the university and to also include their experience as an ad-hoc teacher while calculating the promotion criteria. The University has entered a standstill mode, but the administration is not acting on even MHRDs Dec 5 letter. The situation remains as it was. Such an adamant administration is responsible for such an impasse, Rajesh Jha of Academics of Action and Development, a teachers right outfits, said. We are determined to struggle till we achieve our goal, and appeal to teachers the boycott of classes and evaluation, he added. MUSCATINE When asked why her husband, former Vice President Joe Biden, is the Democratic candidate who can unseat President Donald Trump, Dr. Jill Biden points to his record of working across the aisle to get things done. During a stop at the Biden campaign office in Muscatine Friday, the former second lady spoke with an audience of about 40 people to encourage them to caucus Feb. 3. The stop was part of a bus tour of Iowa in which she hopes to inform Iowans of what a Biden White House would be like. The polls have said Joe is the only one who can beat Donald Trump in the swing states, she said. I think Joe is the right one for the job because he is ready. He can walk in on day one and get the job done. Its not like he has to learn the leaders of foreign countries. Its not like he has to figure out how Congress works. He has done the job with President Obama for eight years. Jill Biden spoke of Iowa Rep. Abby Finkenauers endorsement of Joe Biden for president that came the previous day. She said with a month left until the caucus, Team Biden is trying to get to as many places as they are able. She stressed the need to defeat Trump in the coming presidential election. Im sitting here regarding a pair of puppets that I acquired in the late 1950s when I was 11. Theyre about seven inches tall and made of a very pliant vinyl. Wilkins is orange with a red interior mouth and he bears a striking resemblance to Kermit the Frog. Wontkins is dark blue with a green, bulbous nose. I remember sending away for them and I think I had to pay for them but Im not sure how much. Thanks for jogging some great memories. Warnings are in place for high winds in the south and heavy snowfall in the north of Saskatchewan, Environment Canada says. The weather agency issued snowfall warnings Saturday morning for the areas around Pelican Narrows, Wollaston Lake, Uranium City, Fond-du-Lac, La Loche, Cree Lake and Southend. Between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow are expected in those areas, with heavy precipitation moving eastwards across northern Saskatchewan on Saturday. The weather service warned that rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult in some locations and visibility may be suddenly reduced in heavy snow. It said the snow will taper off by Sunday morning. A wind warning has also been issued for the area around Shaunavon, Maple Creek, Val Marie and Cypress Hills in southwestern Saskatchewan. Environment Canada said a low-pressure system is bringing strong, westerly winds with gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour on Saturday afternoon. The winds, which will progress east throughout the evening, are expected to improve overnight. The weather service warned that damage to buildings may occur, and that high winds could toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break. It urged drivers to be prepared to adjust their driving to changing road conditions. For up-to-date information, visit the Environment Canada website. Scattered snow has been around this morning. Heaviest has been in our northern counties with up to 0.5" reported. A dusting has been reported on our far western fringe. It is all working southeastward. Behind this, some mixed snow & rain/snow showers will bubble up this afternoon to evening before ending. Snow has had trouble sticking due to marginal temperatures & a warmer ground temperature for a good chunk of the area. However, localized less than 1" amounts could occur briefly in heavier bouts of snow for the rest of the morning to afternoon. Interestingly, this upper low did end up producing a narrow corridor of 2-5" of wet, slushy snow from Rock Island to northwest of Kankakee overnight! 1-2" fell along & north of the Kankakee River & 1-3" occurred in the Chicago area. Skies clear tonight with lows in the mid 20s. It will be breezy this afternoon, then turning breezy tonight, followed by an all-out windy Sunday. With increasing clouds, highs Sunday should reach 42-48, then fall some late. Winds may gust up to 45 mph from the southwest, west, then northwest as vigorous Alberta Clipper passes north of us. With clearing & colder air coming in, lows in the mid 20s with wind chills to 13 are likely Sunday night. After less wind & some sun with 30s to lower 40s Monday, strong clipper will crank gusts potential to 45 mph Tuesday with potential of some scattered snow showers. Highs should run 33-36. Rain is likely Thursday night with strong winds from the southwest Thursday to Thursday night to 35 mph. This, after sun & less wind with 28-35 Wednesday for highs with lows in the 20s. Rain ends Friday & after initial highs of 47-52, we should fall quickly into the 30s by afternoon with a strong northwest wind to 35 mph with a few spotty flurries. There is a lot of active weather January 11-16 with wind, rain & snow. Extremes! Key signature of this winter seen in early forecasts analogs back in September. Check this map out below from 30 degrees above normal in southeast Ohio to 60 below in Montana. The Southeast Ridge will try very hard to prop the bitter cold up & keep it northwest of our area. Mid-month will be a tug of war as the Polar Vortex loosens & allows brutal cold with temperatures up to 60 degree BELOW NORMAL to move into Montana. 35- to 45-degree temperature deviations from normal will arrive in the Dakotas to Nebraska. Cold will bleed its way through the river valleys of Oregon & Washington & roar in from the east into Portland & Seattle with temperatures up to 30 degrees below normal! Dense & bitter, it should ooze its way through valleys into central California with temperatures dropping to 20-30 degrees below normal, owing to its shear intensity & extent. Meanwhile, it is severe weather, flooding & spring-like weather in the South to parts of the Ohio Valley & Mid-Atlantic. We are the buffer zone. Still looks like cold may be unleashed in 2-3 significant lobes or outbreaks late January to early February. Worst one could drop us to around -20 area-wide. Still looks like "Polar Vortex" type episodes. This is reminiscent of January 1985 after the very mild December 1984. A 6-10" snow depth is proposed to be on the ground at the end of January, as well. High Commissioner recalled from London View(s): Sri Lanka High Commissioner Manisha Gunasekera, a senior career diplomat, has been recalled to Colombo after serving for just over one year in London. No official reason has been given for her sudden recall. Saroja Sirisena, also a senior career Foreign Service officer, who is now serving as Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna, is tipped to replace her while Majintha Jayasinghe, who is currently ambassador in the United Arab Emirates, will now go to Austria to replace Ms. Sirisena. It was not immediately known who will fill the vacancy in the UAE as several cross-postings were expected. Ms. Gunasekara is returning to Colombo and will be leaving Britain on February 1. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Offices Protocol Division has been informed of her impending departure. Career officers are usually posted for a three-year term unlike political appointees who are contracted for two years. Ms Gunasekera assumed duties in London in November 2018. London has become a hoodoo posting for both political appointees and as career diplomats. In the last five years, three high commissioners exited their posts. In 2014, then High Commissioner Chris Nonis resigned after being slapped by then Foreign Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena at a dinner party in New York when Dr Nonis was there to attend the UN sessions. Amari Wijewardena who succeeded Dr. Nonis after a lapse of several months also returned to Sri Lanka without completing her full term. In his first remarks on the US killing of Irans Qasem Soleimani 24 hours earlier, President Donald Trump today asserted the action was intended to avert a war, not start one. But Trump, like others in his administration, provided scant details to back up their claim that the United States had acted to disrupt an imminent attack on US facilities and diplomatic personnel in the region that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force chief was allegedly planning when he was killed in a precision US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport along with an Iraqi militia leader. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, Trump said in scripted remarks at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, before taking no questions. We took action last night to stop a war, Trump continued. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. We do not seek regime change. However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end, and it must end now. Congressional leaders briefed on the intelligence continued to raise questions and concerns about whether the Trump administration's Iran strategy was leading the nation into another unwanted war in the Middle East, while US allies who received a flurry of calls from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today called on all sides for restraint and urged de-escalation. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Intelligence panel, said he was briefed today on the intelligence on the alleged threat posed by Soleimani, but still had questions and deep concerns about the administrations maximum pressure strategy and the subsequent steady rise in tensions bringing the United States and Iran closer to conflict. If the administration had some broad strategic objective in mind or was acting in concert with our allies and making progress toward modifying Irans belligerent behavior, Americans could have confidence that this latest US strike would make us safer, Schiff said in a statement today. But if there is some broad strategy at work, the administration has yet to articulate it. More ominously, it has yet to show that maximum pressure is doing anything but prompting more dangerous and deadly responses from Iran and increasing the likelihood of full-fledged war. Why was the decision to kill Soleimani made now, when prior administrations of both parties considered the risk of escalation to outweigh the benefits? Schiffs questions continued. What is the broader strategic plan, and why hasnt the administration been able to persuade our allies of its merits? How does the administration intend to de-escalate and avoid a destructive conflict with Iran that is not in our interests? France, like the UK, Canada and Germany, expressed alarm at the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran in Iraq and urged all sides to exercise restraint. For France and all of its partners, every effort must now be made to avoid a further escalation of tensions and to facilitate de-escalation in order to preserve the stability of Iraq and the region as a whole, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a readout of a call between French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Pompeo today. In the current situation, France calls on all the parties to show restraint and on Iran to avoid taking any measures liable to aggravate regional instability or lead to a serious nuclear proliferation crisis, the readout continued. We will just call for de-escalation; this is what we need now, Frances Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere told reporters at a stakeout today. We need de-escalation. We need stability in the region, and we will really encourage everybody to work on de-escalation. We call on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation, Canadas Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement. Our goal is and remains a united and stable Iraq. We have always recognized the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds Force led by Qasem Soleimani, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement, following a call with Pompeo. Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, cutting short his trip to Greece Thursday to handle any potential blowback from the US action, seemed to hint that he had been briefed on the US action. "Just as Israel has the right to self-defense, the United States has exactly the same right. Qasem Soleimani is responsible for the deaths of American citizens and other innocents, and he was planning more attacks, he said. "Israel stands with the United States in its righteous struggle for peace, security and self-defense." This was the United States disrupting a plot their leadership was well aware of, National Security Advisor Robert C. OBrien told journalists on a White House press call this evening. They know what they were up toIf they choose to escalate, that would be a very poor choice for the Iranian regime. The alternate path, OBrien continued, would be for Iran to sit down with Trump, give up its nuclear program, stop its proxy wars in the Middle East, stop taking hostages, and behave like a normal nation. In that case, Iran has a fabulous future, OBrien said. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with Ruqaiya Parveen, whose house was allegedly ransacked by the police during the violence that broke out after anti-CAA protests, in Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Stepping up the attack on the BJP, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made an unscheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh to visit the victims of the alleged police atrocities. She met the families of those who bore the brunt of the recent violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act (CAA). UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed Priyankas visit as part of appeasement politics and questioned her sympathy for rioters. Why so much sympathy to those who burn, vandalise your property? Why are they standing with rioters and hooligans who harm peace, security and public property of the country. People are watching and they understand. Despite being rejected repeatedly, they are not desisting from politics of appeasement. They will never succeed in their designs, a tweet from Yogi Adityanath Office said. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said all the injured persons have accused the police of unleashing a reign of terror and thrashing them for no fault of theirs. She claimed the police entered the madarsa and beat up the maulana and his students. I met Maulana Asad Hussaini, who was brutally thrashed by the police. Students of the madarsa, including minors, were picked up by the police without any reason. Some of them some have been released and some are still in custody, she said while speaking to reporters. Priyanka Gandhi also went to the house of Noor Mohammad who lost his life during the protests. She spoke with his seven-month pregnant widow and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She also met Rukaiya, who will be getting married on Saturday, and said the police vandalised her house and damaged things bought for her wedding. The Congress leaders had last week visited Lucknow and met the kin of those injured or killed during the violent protests against the CAA. Earlier, she had gone to Bijnor and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. But she and her brother Rahul Gandhi were not allowed to enter Meerut in December last week when the protests were on peak in UP. Meanwhile, former IAS officer Kannan Gopikrishnan was detained in UP on Saturday while he was on his way to Aligarh Muslim university to address a gathering on CAA, National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register. In Mumbai, a group of artists held a protest by creating paintings around the theme of Save Constitution. The protest was organised by the Secular Movement and the Secular Artist Movement at the Azad Maidan in south Mumnbai. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha announced that his political action group Rashtra Manch will take out a Bharat Jodo Yatra 2020 from Mumbai to Delhi to demand withdrawal of the CAA. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has neutralised scores of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno. The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, AIbukunle Daramola, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, said the operation was conducted on Wednesday. Mr Daramola, an air commodore, said the feat was recorded near Bula Bello when a NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft spotted a BHT gun truck under a tree along with scores of BHT fighters converged around the tree on the outskirts of the settlement. He said they (terrorists) were ostensibly preparing for an attack against nearby troops positions, adding that some of the BHTs were also seen pushing another vehicle to a location under another tree in the area. READ ALSO: Accordingly, the ATF scrambled its attack aircraft to engage the location neutralising some of the terrorists. Follow-on attacks were also carried out to take out some locations within Bula Bello where the BHTs were tracked to. The jets took turns attacking the target area killing more of the BHTs and destroying some of their structures, he said. Mr Daramola said the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, would sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the North East. (NAN) The attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan has triggered protests among Sikhs in India. While several Sikh groups were to protest outside Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi, on Saturday, to condemn the attack. Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with his counterpart in Islamabad, Imran Khan, since Sikh minorities in the country were feeling extremely unsafe and insecure. On Friday, the Gurdwara was attacked by a huge Muslim mob while Sikh devotees were stuck inside the shrine. Videos circulated on social media showed how the mob that had gathered outside raised communal and hateful slogans against the minority community and pelted stones on the shrine. Pakistani sources said the mob was led by the family of Mohammed Hassan, the man who had abducted and converted a Sikh girl, Jagjit Kaur, to protest police action against him. The Nankana Saheb attack is violative of the 1955 Pant-Mirza Agreement under which India and Pakistan are obliged "to make every effort to ensure that the places of worship" visited by members of their countries "are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved." Actress Swara Bhasker on Saturday said the attack is shameful and disgraceful. Attack on #NanakanaSahib is shameful, disgraceful and utterly vile and unjustifiable.. Shame on the vandals and hope they are brought to book immediately! Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) January 4, 2020 In a late-night media briefing, Pakistan's Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee President Satpal Singh, on behalf of the Sikh community, asked the government to act against the hooligans to restore peace. In an official statement, India strongly condemned the destruction and desecration of the holy shrine. India has called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety security and welfare of the Sikh community. Open source Haftar urged the Libyans to unite, take up arms and start fighting against the colonialist in response to Ankaras intention to send troops to the Libyan capital Tripoli. It was previously reported that the Turkish parliament voted in favor of a bill to send troops to Libya, which was introduced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in December 2019. On the evening of December 26, the Libyan National Government, led by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, officially requested military assistance from Turkey to counter the advance of the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Amid the bushfire crisis in Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, January 3, during a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison offered India's 'unstinted support' to Australia and its people. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement, PM Modi also conveyed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians on the damage to life and property in Australia. Morrison's visit to India cancelled The Australian Prime Minister's visit to India has been cancelled due to the extraordinary circumstances of bushfires in Australia. His visit was slated from January 14 to January 16. PM Modi, during the telephonic conversation also stated that he is looking forward to his Australian counterpart's visit to India at a mutually convenient time later in the year. Further, speaking about the relationship between India and Australia, PM Modi expressed satisfaction at the progress in bilateral relations in recent years. He also reiterated India's commitment to strengthen its strategic partnership with Australia. Read: Full Session: Watch S Jaishankar's freewheeling conversation with Arnab Goswami Australia's Bushfire Crisis The raging bushfires in Australia had turned so intense that even the firefighters had warned on December 17 that they would not be able to contain it. More than 120 fires across New South Wales (NSW) were battled by the firefighters including a 60 kilometres firefront northwest of Sydney, one many of which might be burning since November. The flames have destroyed hundreds of homes and burned millions of acres of bushland. Read: Trump and Abe hold telephonic conversations, discuss North Korea amid tensions Most of the blazes are concentrated across Australia's east coast yet the hot weather has ignited firefronts in other parts. In Sydney, the doctors had issued a warning after a sudden rise in the number of people getting admitted to the casualty section. Further, the administration had declared a Public Health Emergency due to the smoke that is choking the metropolitan city. Read: 'Science and technology now used for governance as never before': PM Modi at ISC Read: Mamata Banerjee slams PM Modi; says he is 'PM of India, but always talks about Pakistan' (WITH ANI INPUTS) Dealing with the miscreants View(s): One of the things I have learned from my Indian friends is that peculiar dialect known as Indian English or more colloquially in Hindi-speaking India, simply as Ind-E. From phrases like to airdash (to take an airplane flight to get somewhere in a hurry), to prepone (to bring forward, as in the opposite of to postpone) and to scrute (to examine carefully or scrutinise) as well as delightfully descriptive colloquialisms such as he looks like a stadium (to describe someone who has a large bald spot fringed by hair) or she is eating my brain (referring to someone who is talking incessantly), Ind-E words are classic. But one of the best Ind-E words I have come across is this word Miscreant. Found as far back as in the time of Shakespeare, the word originally meant a villain or a rascal but today, as you would realise if you look at the headlines in any Indian newspaper, the word is used to describe all types of people who have broken the law. Headlines like Miscreants set ATM on fire, Miscreant killed in encounter with police and Journalist attacked by miscreants all these examples show how the word is in common usage in India to refer to any person who has done something wrong or unlawful. As the New Year dawned this week I was musing about how there are so many miscreants in this world but how so few of them are actually brought to justice. In our own country, we all know about the various folk who go into politics who then, after being elected to political office, utilise their time to behave like miscreants but are never actually tried in the courts or punished. Sometimes, because they are useful vote catchers or providers of needed party funds for their political leaders, these leaders turn a blind eye to their wrongdoings. At other times, cases are brought against them (usually when they have lost office and end up in the opposition) but these cases drag on for so long that when the inevitable cycle of elections comes round once more, the alleged miscreants are once more elected into government and the cases against them dropped leaving them free to behave like miscreants once more. Since the recent presidential election, we have seen not one but TWO former ministers arrested and brought before the courts where it is hoped they will have the opportunity to defend themselves against the accusations against them, and if found guilty, dealt with appropriately. Ministers and members of parliament, after all, are citizens of this country just like old Citizen Silva and should not be allowed to consider themselves above the law. But should the prosecution of alleged miscreants be limited to those who have lost their ministerial office? Should not the law apply to those who are in government as well? We citizens can all see that some members of parliament who were under investigation a few months ago are now holding high office in the new regime. Those who behaved like miscreants and goondas (another lovely Ind-E word) under the watchful eyes of parliaments CCTV cameras, who were actually seen to be attacking police officers, damaging microphones and other equipment and throwing chairs about, are now entrusted with governing our nation. Two months ago the electorate overwhelmingly voted Gotabaya Rajapaksa into office as our president because they valued their security and safety over empty promises of Yahapalanaya. Our new president has a reputation as a disciplined man a reputation garnered during his many years as a military officer and amply demonstrated during his efficient time as Secretary of Defence. With the dawn of this New Year we wish him well, and hope that he will succeed in instilling a sense of discipline into our people and public servants as well as his ministers. And of course, we trust that he will deal effectively with the miscreants on both sides of politics. Its at an all-time high, Belcher said. Its been like as soon as we remove it, the graffiti is back. Typically, the police will document the gang tags in city parks, and then Belcher and his team can remove it, he said. Hanes Park is repeatedly targeted because of its visibility and convenience to Reynolds High School, Walley said. While gang tags can be frightening, they do not necessarily mean a gang is claiming the area tagged as part of its turf or that something bad will happen in the neighborhood, Walley said. Its like letting everyone know were here and were bad ass, Walley said. The gangs, in this case Cuaji-13, are advertising, and the tags are often the work of younger, new members who want to prove their worth. Theyre starting to become devout, and theyre trying to show their loyalty, Walley said of the taggers. Typically its going to be your younger members that are just starting to get their feet wet in the gang. The owner of a dangerous dog that bit a woman's hand leaving her with the possibility of a permanent disability has been warned to come up with substantial compensation for the injured party. Adam Derlega (36) did not have muzzle on his Staffordshire Bull Terrier and did not keep his dog under control while out walking at Martello Tower in Balbriggan contrary to the Control of Dogs Regulations. The defendant's dog, whose breed is on the list of dangerous dog, bit Jean Ferris' left hand. However, he and the dog did not remain in the area afterwards. The maximum penalty for not keeping a dog under control is a maximum fine of 2,500 and/or three months in prison. A similar penalty is in place for not having a dog licence. When Garda Ultan McElroy arrived at the scene, Ms Ferris was receiving treatment from Dublin Fire Brigade to her left hand. She told Gda McElroy she had been bitten by a dog minutes earlier. Enquiries were carried out by Gda McElroy and established that a Stafford Bull Terrier, owned by Mr Derlega, had bitten Ms Ferris on the left hand, Balbriggan District Court heard. Gda McElroy told the court the defendant admitted he did not have a dog licence, dog muzzle on the dog in a public place and that he did not keep control of the dog in a public place. 'This dog is on the dangerous dogs list and caused serious injuries to Ms Ferris,' said Gda McElroy. Medical reports provided to the court stated that Ms Ferris' hand may not make a full recovery despite undergoing several operations and there is a possibility of a permanent disability to her hand. The defendant, of Baron's Hall Grove in Balbriggan, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to having no dog licence, no muzzle on the dog in a public place and failing to keep control of his dog in a public place on April 22 at Martello Tower in Balbriggan. Defence solicitor Fiona D'Arcy told the court the dog was surrendered to the dog warden and has since been put to sleep. 'He doesn't own any dogs now and won't in the future,' said Ms D'Arcy, adding the defendant is 'appalled at the injury' Ms Ferris received. 'He has dealt with the dog in the appropriate fashion and at the moment he can't offer compensation but all he can do is apologise,' Ms D'Arcy said when Judge Dermot Dempsey asked what about the injured party. The judge noted in the medical report that Ms Ferris' injuries 'may take up to 18 months for sensation to return but it may not return at all'. The judge adjourned the case until next March at the district court for an updated medical report and warned the defendant to come up with 'realistic compensation'. 'I'm Not Mourning!' Mixed Reaction Among Iranians To Soleimani's Death By Farangis Najibullah, Bita Bakhtiari January 03, 2020 Iranian social media users have expressed mixed reactions to the killing of Iran's most powerful military commander, General Qasem Soleimani, in a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on January 3. Some social-media posts hailed Soleimani as a "hero" and condemned U.S. President Donald Trump for ordering his killing. But others called Soleimani a "criminal" and "terrorist" and accused him of what they said were the deaths of thousands of people in Syria and Iraq, two countries in which he spearheaded military operations by pro-Iranian militias. Twitter user Shahin Najafi challenged Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's announcement to hold three days of national mourning for Soleimani. "How many days of national mourning do we need for the deaths of the young people who were massacred in [November]?" Najafi wrote, referring to Iranian authorities' brutal crackdown on antigovernment protesters that reportedly resulted in hundreds being killed. Amnesty International has said that at least 304 people were killed by Iran's security forces during the unrest across Iran after the government announced steep hikes in gas prices. "I don't think the [Iranian] establishment will last till February 11 [the 41th anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution]" Twitter user Night_Watch0, who used the hashtag #TnxPOTUS4Soleimani, opined. A user named Behnam Ghalam wrote that Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of "thousands of Syrians and hundreds of Iraqis" and "causing economic misery" in Iran. Ghalam wrote that Soleimani "went to Iraq to tell the militia there to learn from Iran on how to suppress protesters. I'm happy, I'm happy for Iran and for the Middle East!" The remark refers to massive anti-government demonstrations in Iraq that began on October 1, when people went onto the streets of Baghdad and several southern cities to protest corruption, unemployment, and foreign interference. Iraqi forces were accused of using deadly force against protesters and hundreds were killed. Some Iranians warned the United States that it will pay a heavy price for killing Soleimani -- who oversaw Iranian military operations in the Middle East -- as he left the Iraqi capital's airport. "Father has gone, but father's weapon is still with us.... Our nation is awakening," social media user Yazdani wrote on Instagram. Ismael said in a tweet that "[By killing Soleimani in Iraq], America wants to pit Iran and Iraq against each other." Some Iranians said they were worried about the repercussions of Soleimani's killing, fearing his death could lead to an all-out military conflict and put an end to any efforts to resolve tension between Iran and the United States in talks. "After Soleimani was killed in this way, how can [Iranian President Hassan] Rohani sit at the negotiation table with America and sign an agreement?" Rahel wrote on Twitter. "The smell of war is in the air," wrote Instagram user A.M. One Iranian social-media user wrote that he was surprised by state-run Press TV's statement that claimed "all the Iranian people have called for revenge against America and that 82 percent of Iranians hate America." "Am I missing something? Have I fallen asleep for a century during which [Iranians] began to hate America?" he asked with sarcasm. Similar sentiments were expressed in many audio messages sent by Iranians to RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "The Iranian establishment's announcement of national mourning is a mourning that will be held only by the establishment. It has nothing to do with the Iranian people!" one message said. "It's a mourning period that will be observed by Khamenei and his circle." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-soleimani-death- iranians-reaction/30358951.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A desperate mother wrote her mobile number on her three-year-old son's arm fearing they would be separated during the devastating bushfires evacuations. Laura Freeman was staying at a caravan park with her husband and two young children in Mallacoota, a small town in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, when they were trapped by the fire. The 35-year-old ushered her family into the car for safety and watched as the sky turned black and red as the blaze continued to get worse. Laura Freeman wrote her phone number on her three-year-old son's arm (pictured) fearing they would be separated during evacuation However, smoke seeped into the vehicle and the Freeman's were forced to flee to an evacuation centre, news.com.au reported. Authorities suggested Ms Freeman write her number on her children's arms in case they got separated. Fearing the worst, she also texted her mother, thinking they would not get out alive. Soon after they received some news that the ADF was evacuating the town but soon realised it was not possible for them. The boat would require climbing onto a rope which Ms Freeman's one-year-old and three-year-old were not capable of doing. It was the next morning when two privately owned boats appeared and the Freeman's were able to climb onboard and head home safely. Authorities suggested Ms Freeman (pictured) write her number on her children's arms in case they got separated Ms Freeman said there was lack of access to accurate information and with no power it was hard to keep up-to-date with what was happening. 'We'd rather have no information than have misleading information, and false hope,' she said. Upon arriving home, Ms Freeman took to Facebook and thanked the firefighters who saved her family and promised she would return to Mallacoota to help rebuild. 'To the firefighters, we literally owe out lives to you,' she wrote. 'How will we ever repay you, I don't know but I know I'll be forever grateful. 'Mallacoota you are a beautiful town and community and my heart breaks to see what this has done but I know it won't break you and we will be back to help you carry on.' The Navy began evacuating more than 4,000 locals and holidaymakers via naval ships in a mass evacuation operation on Friday. The HMAS Sycamore (pictured) and HMAS Choules will re-supply and head back to Mallacoota later today Bushfires are seen between the towns of Orbost and Lakes Entrance in east Gippsland on January 02, 2020 The first of 4,000 people who were stranded in Mallacoota arrived in naval ships at Western Port, southern Victoria following a mass evacuation on Friday. Sixty evacuees who fled on the HMAS Sycamore arrived at Hastings around 8am on Saturday, with many expected to head to a relief centre at nearby Somerville. New emergency warnings were issued in Victoria's fire-ravaged east on Saturday morning, taking the total to six, as 50 fires continue to burn across the state with more than 820,000 hectares destroyed. Emergency crews are bracing for a day of horrific fire conditions with dangerous winds and stifling heat forecast for southeastern Australia sparking fears lightning may whip up fresh blazes as hotter temperatures lash the state. The worst fires are burning in Victoria's east and on the NSW south coast, where 10 people have died and hundreds of homes have been destroyed. There is still 21 people missing in the East Gippsland fire zone. The fires have already killed Buchan man Mick Roberts and Maramingo Creek man Fred Becker. Malam Ismaila Isa Funtua, the Life Patron of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigerian (NPAN), a politician, businessman and a close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, says the Igbos and deceased former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme lost the presidency in 1999 because the late politician refused to play politics of inclusiveness, saying the Igbos are doing the same thing today. Funtua, who was guest on Arise TVs The Morning Show dismissed the argument for Igbo Presidency on the basis of marginalization and equity saying They should belong, they should join the political party before one of their own can emerge president in 2023 or later. They want to do things on their own and because they are Igbos, we should dash them the president? That was the reason I said is it turn by turn Nigeria Limited?, he asked his hosts, Reuben Abati and Tundun Abiola. The Igbos voted overwhelmingly in the last presidential election for the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which had one of theirs, Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State as Vice Presidential candidate. The PDP lost that election to the incumbent Buhari. Funtua gave an example of inclusive politics, with the foray of the late Chief MKO Abiola, who defeated Alhaji Bashir Tofa in his hometown, Kano in the annulled 1993 presidential election. Abiola was from Ogun State. Youre talking of politics, which is an issue of votes. My very good friend of blessed memory, MKO Abiola defeated Bashir Tofa in Kano. Was MKO Abiola from Kano? But he defeated Bashir in his own town Kano. Why? Because the man played politics, he embraced everybody. If you send him invitation for anything, if he is not there, his representative will be there and he will play his part. You cannot sit down and say because youre an Ibo man, there is no fairness. When reminded of the age long alliance between the North and the East which seems to have broken down, he explained how Ekwueme lost the chance to become Nigerias President in 1999: I know something about it, because late Ekwueme was my boss and we campaigned for him throughout this country. Nobody is going to hold your hand politically like a new born baby. He said: With due respect to the Ibos, they fail to understand that when the South-west chose to remain on their own as opposition, they did not go near the power. To a large extent, the North in terms of religion and culture are closer to the South-west than to the South-east. When Ekwueme contested again; he was defeated in the contest for the nomination of the party by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Why? His attitude had changed. I went to that constitutional conference with my boss and we wanted him to be leading us and be holding some caucus meetings in his house but he stepped back and did not want to have anything to do with the Northern or National caucus because he believed the 1983 coup was staged to prevent him from becoming president. Myself and the late Umar Shinkafi were the first Northerners to visit him after he had been released from prison and I explained to him, because I asked him a direct question, whether he had spoken with Shehu Shagari, and he said no and I asked why, because he was thinking that Shagari enjoyed because he was kept in a house. Ekwueme should know that Shagari was in solitary confinement and kept incommunicado, while Ekwueme and others in Kirikiri Prison had lots of company and lots of conversation. When I was allowed to visit Shagari during his house arrest, I wept at the condition I saw him. Since when has politics in Nigeria become turn by turn Nigeria Limited? I was the coordinator of the campaign of the NPN in 1983; I know Nigerian politics, you chose your candidate who will be able to bring votes to you to win election, not on regional basis, not on tribal basis. Is he going to be the president of the North, East, South-west, South-south or whatever? If the Ibo wants to be president, then they must belong. If you dont belong, then you cant be the president. That is the issue and we have seen it with MKO Abiola of blessed memory. He went out of his way, he cultivated people. The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration on Friday alleged that some students wearing masks forcibly switched off the power supply to make the servers dysfunctional and hamper the semester exam registration process. The administration warned it will take strict action against the students. The students, who have shut down the entire university for over two months in protest against the hike in hostel fees, have called for a boycott of the exam registration process. The JNU administration said the agitating students have crossed all boundaries of decency and discipline and appear determined to cause as much damage to the academic interests of their fellow students as possible. At around 1 pm on January 3, a group of students using masks on their faces forcibly entered the office of centre for information system, switched off the power supply, forcibly evicted all the technical staff and made the servers dysfunctional, the varsity said. The registration process was hampered, Registrar Pramod Kumar said. These agitating students always swear on democracy, civil rights and the right to protest, but their real action reflects a tendency to damage and disrupt, he said, adding that strict disciplinary action will be taken in the matter. The semester registration process started on January 1 and will end on January 5. Vingroups Vinpearl Air, a $200 million venture, is seeking to launch its first flight in July with expectations of turning profitable by 2023. The new airline could also recover its investment in 5-6 years, according to an evaluation report recently submitted to the Prime Minister by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. The airline will have a total investment of VND4.7 trillion ($202.7 million), of which conglomerate Vingroup will contribute VND1.3 trillion ($56 million), or 28 percent. The remaining will be sourced from loans and other sources. Vinpearl Air is set to create 500-600 direct jobs when launched and 2,200-2,300 jobs by 2023-2024. It will pay a corporate income tax of VND1 trillion ($43.1 million) a year in the first five years of operation. Vinpearl Air plans to start off with six aircraft and increase the fleet to 30 by 2024. It wants to be based at the Noi Bai International Airport and park its aircraft in Hanoi as well as in other airports in Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City in the north, and Da Nang City and Khanh Hoa Province in the central region. The Ministry of Planning and Investment has said it supports the establishment of the airline, but asked the airline to provide more detailed financial calculations. Apart from Vinpearl Air, Vietravel Airlines and KiteAir are two other airlines seeking permission to fly this year. The country now has five commercial airlines: national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO). Airports across Vietnam served near 116 million passengers in 2019, up 12 percent from 2018, according to Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV). A U.S. citizen has been indicted for selling drugs on the dark web in exchange for bitcoin. Joanna De Alba of Tijuana, Mexico, has been arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, for the illegal sale and disbursement of narcotics, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release Thursday. As alleged, De Alba dispensed heroin and methamphetamine from the shadowy corners of the internet, believing that it provided anonymity to her and her customers, said DOJ Attorney Richard P. Donoghue. A bright light has been shined on her activities, and she will now be held to account for her charged criminal acts. Related: Alleged BTC-e Operator Alexander Vinnik to Be Extradited to France: Reports Under the pseudonym RaptureReloaded, De Alba allegedly sold narcotics on the dark web marketplace Wall Street Market from June 2018 to May 2019. Customers used encrypted email and bitcoin to purchase drugs from De Alba, who marketed various levels of anonymity for packages sent to the U.S. such as Basic Stealth, Better Stealth and Super Stealth 360, according to the DOJ. In a January 2019, an undercover Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent successfully purchased some 40 grams of narcotics from De Alba, receiving a package in Queens, New York, for around $2,000 in bitcoin. The DEA also intercepted five international packages from the Netherlands and Canada containing narcotics addressed to De Albas deceased husband in Southern California. The DOJ alleges De Alba had employed her partners identify and credit cards to process transactions since his death in March 2018. Anonymity is what drug dealers rely on in the dark web, but this case proves its a false security, said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan. Law enforcement is committed to tracking down drug traffickers distribution networks everywhere. Related: Russias Largest Darknet Market Is Hawking an ICO to Fund Global Expansion If convicted of all counts, De Alba faces between five and 100 years in prison. Related Stories Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced renewed criticism Saturday, after sharing bushfire themed party campaign ads that opponents condemned as "disgusting" and a respected defence association said was "milking" the crisis. Facing sustained anger for his handling of the months-long crisis, Morrison sought to get on the front foot Saturday, announcing increased military assistance to beleaguered volunteer firefighters. In a string of media appearances, he vowed every resource would be provided to help ease a disaster that has killed 23 people and burned swathes of the country, announcing more funding for water-bombing planes and the call up of 3,000 reservists. But he found himself in fresh scandal late Saturday after tweeting a video heralding his announcements about the military, and his Liberal Party made a similar post linking to the party website. The non-partisan Australia Defence Association, a public-interest watchdog, said the Liberal Party advert was a "clear breach" of conventions keeping the military out of politics and accused the party of "milking ADF support to civil agencies fighting bushfires". There was more fervent criticism from Morrison's political opponents for his tweet that promised "more Defence Force boots on the ground, more planes in the sky, more ships to sea, and more trucks to roll in to support the bushfire fighting effort". It was accompanied by a military-themed video that was "authorised by S. Morrison, Liberal Party, Canberra." Shadow minister for international development Pat Conroy accused Morrison of trying to "exploit a national tragedy" and described the ad as a "new low". "To then solicit donations to the Liberal Party while millions of Aussies are giving to fire appeals is beyond belief. Note this disgusting ad was personally authorised by this scum of a PM," he tweeted. Labor Senator Murray Watt also took to Twitter to demand Morrison "show some respect to fire victims, the fireys (firefighters), the ADF, and the people facing fire fronts right now. Take down this Liberal Party ad. Now". Morrison was earlier forced to cut short a Hawaii holiday following a barrage of criticism for vacationing while exhausted volunteer firefighters battled blazes across the country and millions of people in Sydney choked on toxic smoke. Criticism of Morrison's absence was widespread, sparking street protests and a flood of angry social media posts demanding #whereisscomo. He returned and promptly visited bushfire-hit communities where he was heckled by residents and criticised by a party ally. A tearful pregnant woman and a volunteer firefighter refused to shake his hand and other residents peppered him with verbal abuse and suggested, colourfully, that he leave. "People in these situations have a mix of emotions," Morrison said playing down the interactions and stressing he had been welcomed elsewhere. "These arms have given a lot of hugs," he said. CARBONDALE Christine ODell knows how difficult it can be for a foster family to get the things they need to care for a child who is placed in their home. Families get a call asking them to care for a child and often have 24 hours to respond. If they accept a child, they have to be ready for the child at the end of that time period. ODell said older children may come with their belongings in a trash bag, but babies go from the hospital to the foster family with half a bag of diapers and the formula started at the hospital. This started as (Christine's husband) Les and I having a desire to help take care of foster families by having a means to help them get the things they need, ODell said. The couple was at church when they got a call asking them to become foster parents to a baby boy. After a short family discussion, they accepted the baby into their family in a return phone call. Their church family prayed for all of them, then they left church and headed to Walmart, where they bought about $200 of baby supplies. That baby, along with two other foster children, was adopted by the family, and Christine refers to them as our three little blessings. With a traditional childbirth, you have months to prepare. When we foster a child, you may have 24 hours, ODell said. It can cost several hundred dollars, and thats what were trying to alleviate. A friend suggested opening a thrift shop to help fund their mission of helping foster families. ODell did some research and found the closest childrens thrift shop is in Cape Girardeau. Two Bugs and a Bean Childrens Resale Boutique opened in December 2018, along with the Foster Family Resource Center of Southern Illinois, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping foster families. In their first year of operation, they have helped 60 foster families with items they needed. We work with agencies in the area to spread the word to foster families, ODell said. Two Bugs and a Bean specializes in clothing for children from preemie size through teen sizes. ODell said they always have more little sizes and less clothing for teens. The shop also has baby gear, shoes and toys. Currently, they are hosting a book fair to earn books for foster families. Most of our customers are thrilled to have a place to buy nice childrens clothing at a reasonable price, ODell said. ODell said foster children dont come with many possessions, so they try to give each one a book and a toy to call their own. ODell also likes to give children a flashlight or night light, since they are going to a strange place to live. ODell does not turn down any donation, but she is picky about what the boutique resells. Clothing must be clean and in good shape, no tears or missing buttons. She believes that foster children deserve the same quality as every other child. I am very passionate about helping children feel like they belong wherever they are, ODell said. ODell loves getting to know more of the community through the shop and helping foster families. Everything at the shop goes to the Foster Family Resource Center. ODell does not take a salary for her work. The boutique has one paid employee. Were hoping as we grow and expand, we can help with more than physical needs. We want to help recruit foster families, help agencies with their own needs, ODell said. Two Bugs and a Bean is located in Murdale Shopping Center in Carbondale, just west of Neighborhood Coop. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The boutique is closed Sunday. Love 1 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. Starting with (and including) the Mi 9T Pro, all Xiaomi smartphones that launch internationally are shipping with Google's Phone and Messages apps. This change has finally been acknowledged by Xiaomi on its official forums today, and it's definitely been a long time coming. Thus, if you have a Xiaomi handset running a Global or EEA ROM, you no longer have MIUI Dialer and Messaging installed. The Chinese company is giving up on these and using Google's alternatives due to "privacy laws and restrictions around the globe". Xiaomi continues to explain that Google's Phone and Messages use Google Mobile Services, which is obvious and doesn't really get into the nitty gritty. We assume Xiaomi preferred this solution to making sure its own MIUI Dialer and Messaging apps comply with the various privacy regulations across all territories where it's selling its products. This change is not expected to be retrofitted to those models that launched internationally before the Mi 9T Pro. The situation means that if you're stuck with Google's apps you won't be able to record calls, although Xiaomi's team promises that function will return before the end of this year. Source Libya's military strongman Khalifa Haftar has called on all Libyans to take up arms in response to a prospective military intervention from Turkey aimed at shoring up the UN-backed government in Tripoli. The beleaguered Tripoli government, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, has been under sustained attack since April by Haftar, who heads a rival administration in the east backed by Turkey's regional rivals -- Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey's parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops to Libya after it received a request for military support from Sarraj's elected government. "We accept the challenge and declare jihad and a call to arms," said Haftar in a televised address on Friday. He urged "all Libyans" to bear arms, "men and women, soldiers and civilians, to defend our land and our honour". He said it was no longer a question of liberating Tripoli from the militias, but of "facing a coloniser", accusing Ankara of wanting to "regain control of Libya", a former province of the Ottoman Empire. Libya has been beset by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Baghdad, Jan 5 : Thousands of Iraqis took part in the funerals of eight people killed in a US airstrike on Baghdad, among them the powerful commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani. The funeral processions began at Baghdad's al-Muthanna airport and headed to al-Kadhimiya, a sacred city for Shiite people, according to Popular Mobilization Forces, a Shiite Iraqi militia whose deputy leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in Friday's strike, Efe news reported. The coffins of al-Muhandis and other Iraqi members of the militia were covered by their country's flag, while Soleimani's was covered by the Iranian flag. The bodies were moved from al-Kadhimiya to al-Jadriyah, also in Baghdad, by four-wheel-drive vehicles amid strengthened security measures, including the presence of armed militia, according to footage broadcast by the Iraqi state-run al-Iraquiya TV. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel-Mahdi took part in the funeral proceedings, as did former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and head of the Popular Mobilization Forces' Authority Faleh al Fayad. Later on, the convoy would head to Karbala, a holy city for Shiite people, where top Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani is based, and Najaf city, both of which are located 100 km to the south of Baghdad. In Najaf, funeral prayers will be given and the Iraqi citizens will be buried. Soleimani's body will be returned to Iran. Earlier in the day, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani warned the United States of consequences over Soleimani's killing. "The Americans were not aware of the big mistake they made; they will face the consequences of their crime, not only today but also in the coming years," Rouhani said as he visited relatives of Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad's airport on Friday. Gen. Soleimani was in charge of Iran's foreign policy strategy as the head of the Quds Force, an elite wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the US has designated as a terror organization. The Quds Force holds sway over a large number of Shia militias across the region ranging from Lebanon to Syria and Iraq. The targeted strike took place amid increased tensions between Washington and Tehran after hundreds of protesters stormed the US Embassy in Baghdad on 31 December, where they managed to breach the main gate and enter some rooms, lighting fires. On 27 December, more than 30 rockets were fired against the K1 military base in Kirkuk, in northern Iraq, killing an American contractor and wounding several US and Iraqi military personnel. The Pentagon believes that the Shia militia group Kata'ib Hizbollah was responsible for attacks that since mid-October have targeted military bases and government facilities where US personnel are deployed to support the Iraqi army. In response to the first fatality, the Pentagon carried out "defensive attacks" in Iraq and Syria against the KH, which killed at least 25 people, according to the PMF. The action resulted in the assault on the US Embassy. A lawyer for former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said Saturday he felt betrayed by his client's escape from Japan but still understood his act, claiming it resulted from Japan's inhumane justice system. The international tycoon, who faces multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late December to avoid a Japanese trial. "First, I was filled with a sense of strong anger. I felt betrayed," Ghosn's lawyer Takashi Takano wrote in his blog, stating that he had not been informed about the plan in advance. "But anger was turning to something else as I recalled how he was treated by the country's justice system," Takano said. Ghosn is thought to have taken a private jet from Kansai Airport in western Japan, heading for Istanbul. It is believed he headed from there to Beirut. "I can easily imagine that if people with wealth, human networks and ability to take action have the same experience (as Ghosn), they would do the same thing or at least consider doing so," Takano said. Ghosn's high-profile arrest in November 2018 and his long detention under severe conditions were widely considered draconian compared with the West. Suspects in Japan can be detained for weeks or even months before trial, with limited access to their lawyers, and around 99 percent of trials in the country result in a conviction. Critics including rights groups such as Amnesty International have derided Japan's system as "hostage justice", designed to break morale and force confessions from suspects. When safely in Lebanon, Ghosn pressed this point again, saying he "would no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system". Another lawyer for Ghosn, Junichiro Hironaka, on Saturday also said that harsh bail conditions -- notably the restrictions on contact with his wife Carole -- appeared to have motivated the tycoon's escape. "He did not know when he can meet his wife ... and there was no prospect for a change in his bail conditions," Hironaka told reporters. "I guess these things were really tough for him," the lawyer said. A Tokyo court banned Ghosn from contacting his wife despite several petitions from his legal team describing the measure as "cruel and a punishment". He was later permitted to speak to her via videoconference only. While Japanese prosecutors have launched an investigation, the circumstances of Ghosn's Hollywood-like flight from Japan are still unclear. Carlos Ghosn jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late December to avoid a Japanese trial But highly placed sources told IANS that many of these detained politicians, who have held important portfolios as ministers in the past state governments, are likely to be picked up by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) 'for causing huge losses to the exchequer through fraudulent work allotments, swindling of huge government subsidies and also for gross abuse and misuse of official position that literally amounted to loot and plunder of government funds'. The UT administration, headed by Lieutenant Governor G.C. Marmu, is weighing options to release most of them before the end of January. It may be recalled that Sheikh Imran, the former mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, was picked up by the sleuths of the ACB immediately after he was released from detention last week. Imran has been accused of inflating bills and invoices in one of his business units for which he obtained huge subsidies from the government for an investment he had never made. Some officials of the state industries department, who allegedly helped Imran to claim subsidies, are also going to be booked along with him, sources added. There are still 29 political leaders of mainstream parties who are under detention inside the MLA hostel in Srinagar that has been declared as a sub-jail. Three former chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also continue to remain under detention since August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated. Omar and Mufti have been lodged in two government quarters adjacent to Maulana Azad road in Srinagar while the elder Abdullah is in detention at his high security Gupkar Road residence. "Many of the detained political leaders have clear cut cases of corruption, nepotism and favouritism against them and all these cases have resulted in huge siphoning of public funds. "Tenders have been allotted to blue-eyed contractors without public notice, purchases have been made without asking for competitive rates and over a dozen other instances of gross misuse of power by these politicians have come to light", sources said. "All of them are looking for their political resurrection by going to the people once they are released from present detention. "If many of the prominent leaders among them fall into the ACB net it would be an out of the frying pan into the fire situation for them", said sources. Reliable sources said at least five senior leaders of political parties are likely to be booked immediately by the ACB after the UT administration decides to set them free. A statement made on Friday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in which he asserted that nobody ever said the detained mainstream political leaders were anti-national, only brought short-lived relief for the detained leaders. "Amit Shah said they are not anti-national, but he never said they are honest. Politics is a separate ball game while the law acting against corruption is an entirely different thing", said a senior BJP leader. Would the dream of regaining political power end for some detained Kashmiri leaders because their hands would be full defending themselves against corruption charges after their present detention ends? Donald Trump may have been referring to bombing of the car of the wife of an Israeli diplomat in 2012 (Photo Credit: PTI File) New Delhi: India has been at its diplomatic best in response to the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a US strike advocating restraint and calling for de-esclation of tensions in the region. However, India may found itself drawn into the geo-political tussle after US President claimed that the Soleimani had contributed "to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London." General Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. President Donald Trump on Friday defended the killing of Soleimani saying his "reign of terror is over". "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," he said. While Trump did not elaborate or specify the plots in India, he may have been referring to a 2012 bombing of the car of the wife of an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi. Tal Yehoshua Korene was on her way to collect their children from school. Four people, including Korene, were injured in the attack. It was widely reported that the attack was carried out by Iranian Revolutionary Guards. It was said to be part of a serial bombing sequence targeting Israelis in various countries, including Thailand and Georgia, to avenge Israeli attacks on Iranian scientists. Trump alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Trump said what the United States did yesterday should have been done a long ago. "A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government," he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad," he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him." (With PTI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines, will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation following a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib Chandigarh: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines, will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation following a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Strongly condemning the mob attack on the historic Sikh shrine, SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal on Saturday appealed to the Pakistan government to take strict action against culprits. "We strongly condemn the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and appeal to the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits and also ensure the safety of Sikhs living there," Longowal said on Saturday. "We will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there," he said, adding that the delegation would also meet Sikh families in Nankana Sahib. "The delegation will also meet Pakistan's Punjab Governor and Chief Minister, he further said. He said the delegation will comprise Rajinder Singh Mehta, Roop Singh, Surjit Singh and Rajinder Singh. "We have spoken with the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib management committee...they told us the situation is normal now," he said. The SGPC chief said the sentiments of the Sikh community were hurt with the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Longowal said that the SGPC would also take up this matter with the United Nations. Punjab's former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal also condemned the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. "We request the Government of India to immediately take steps so that peace and harmony is restored," he said. A mob reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had on Friday expressed concern over the mob attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara. Greece, Cyprus and Israel are expected to sign a deal to build a 1,900 km (1,180 mile) subsea pipeline to carry natural gas from the eastern Mediterraneans rapidly developing gas industry to Europe. Although Turkey opposes the project, the countries aim to reach a final investment decision by 2022 and have the pipeline completed by 2025. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Uncertainty and fear lurk among the feelings of Staten Islanders and tourists after hearing about the U.S. assassination on Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike. The assassination occurred after a two-day breach of the U.S. Embassy in Iran, leading to President Donald Trumps decision to carry out an airstrike on Soleimani. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander, and many other officials were also killed in the attack. The attack has led to heightened security around the city on Friday. President Trump has faced both backlash and support in the aftermath of the airstrike. Commenters on related articles have cited that hundreds of lives were lost in Iran, claiming it was at the hands of Soleimani. One online commenter expressed support for the attack, saying: Soleimani drew first blood, 600 times over. What are we supposed to do, leave him alone? What would that make us? Another commenter said: Im no fan of Trump... but in this particular instance I fully support his decision. Iran has waged a proxy, state-funded war for decades, [and is] responsible for countless U.S. servicemen deaths." Cries against President Trump claimed the attack was abrupt, unnecessary, and a potential distraction from his current impeachment proceeding. Among the criticizers is Representative Max Rose, who released a statement saying: "No President, regardless of party, has the authority to go to war with Iran without Congressional authorization. On the Staten Island Ferry, many shared fears and confusion about the Iranian promise of revenge on the United States. Laura Chantoin, Thomas Kordalski, Laure Kordalski, and Corentin Chazal of France shared opinions on the Iranian conflict in the St. George Staten Island Ferry Terminal. (Staten Island Advance/Rebeka Humbrecht) Thomas Kardalski is visiting from France, and he first heard about the attack when approached by the Advance. His initial response was: So, [Trump] will go to jail, normally? He said he thinks the act was a breach of international law, and Trump should be persecuted for his action. It was not the correct thing to do,'' he said. "Its scary for everyone. Gail Ilagan, of Willowbrook, expressed her concerns about the Iranian conflict.(Staten Island Advance/Rebeka Humbrecht) Gail Ilagan, of Willowbrook, expressed her concerns about the potential for war with Iran. I lived in Dubai for three years and visited Iran for a month,'' she said. It was really crazy there. It was scary, so I know how [Iranians] are. I just hope that there will not be a World War III. Many questioned Trumps motives. It wasnt in Trumps power to do that,'' said Matthew Yatison, of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He might have done it as a distraction from his current impeachment issue. He has a history of doing such things to change media events. I think he made a rash decision by attacking, and if it was justifiable, he should have given a public statement on why he did it immediately. Anthony Armstrong, of St. George, said President Trump is not the best leader for the country. He said hes always skeptical about what Trump does. He didnt take time to think about strategy,'' Armstrong said. "He just went and did the thing a typical idiotic man does for his machismo. An attack [on Iran] might be justified, but not the way that he did it. A veteran from West Brighton, who chose to remain anonymous, speculated that Trump has chosen to withdraw from President Obamas nuclear treaty and take action against Iran simply because of his contempt for the former president. He also saw an irony in President Trump potentially starting another war without cause, especially since he has not ever served in the military himself. We could actually be facing a real world war, for what? he told the Advance. [Trump] didnt go to war. He doesnt understand. Back in the 60s when I had to go, he didnt go. He stayed home, and now hes hugging the flag. Hes a big patriot now, but when it came to when he really was supposed to do something about it, he bailed out. In general, opinions on whether Iran would actually retaliate were conflicted. Many were skeptical about whether Iran would do something, but still felt that they should be on guard. With the security of the U.S., I dont think [an attack] will happen, said a Willowbrook man who is originally from Sierra Leone. (The) U.S. has one of the most financed security of the world, but you can never underestimate (Iran). The man told the Advance that Trump should consult others about future plans. Despite having the worlds most financed army, he said: Your enemy always plans while you are sleeping. Danny shared what he thought about the Iranian conflict on the Staten Island Ferry. (Staten Island Advance/Rebeka Humbrecht) Danny, a Manhattan resident from the former Yugoslavia, shared a similar opinion. He anticipated payback from Iran because some of their own had been killed. This should definitely scare everybody,'' he said. You cannot hit somebody and then run away. If he knows where you live, hes going to hit you back. Thats life. WASHINGTON For years, the U.S. military kept close tabs on Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Every day. Whom he met. What he planned. The mayhem he plotted. Until Thursday, it had held its fire. Soleimani had overseen a network of paramilitaries, militias and terrorist groups across the Middle East and beyond that furthered Iranian interests by often undermining those of the United States and its allies. The Pentagon, for instance, had linked him to the introduction into Iraq of sophisticated roadside bombs that killed hundreds of U.S. troops and wounded thousands more during the peak of fighting there in the mid-2000s. Still, the Pentagon did not attack, believing there were less volatile ways of preventing violence against U.S. interests. That changed after months of rocket attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and the Dec. 27 death of an American contractor, culminating in a fiery and fatal U.S. drone strike on Soleimani's vehicle as it left Baghdad International Airport on Thursday. 'I want to have peace': How Trump went from a vow to avoid conflict to an order to kill Iran general On Friday, the Pentagon, State Department and the White House pointed to imminent attacks that Soleimani had been orchestrating as the reason. The Pentagon also attributed last year's missile attacks in Iraq and the contractor's death to him. This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early, Jan. 3, 2020. The Pentagon said Thursday that the U.S. military has killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of President Donald Trump. Trump authorized the strike after the recent attacks, and military planners looked for an opportunity to kill Soleimani while limiting civilian casualties, according to a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. Soleimani's death will disrupt planning for future attacks, the official said. Alyssa Farah, the Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement late Friday that Pentagon and intelligence officials briefing Congress after the strike told members the intent was to deter Iran. "Briefers also emphasized that we do not seek escalation with Iran, and have taken appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of U.S. citizens, forces, partners and interests in the region," Farah said. Story continues Risk of retaliation greater than value Three former officials said the risk of retaliation from Iran had outweighed the value in killing Soleimani, or that there were more effective ways of preventing attacks on U.S. interests. I dont ever recall discussions on taking out Soleimani, said Chuck Hagel, who served as Defense secretary in the Obama administration and was a former Republican senator from Nebraska. This is very risky. We have initiated something here, but Im not sure the president and his administration understand what theyve set in motion." For years during the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, officials had briefed the U.S. commander in the region daily on Soleimani's whereabouts, according to a former senior military officer who discussed intelligence matters on condition of anonymity. Military planners sought to determine whether he was planning attacks or fomenting anti-American sentiment among local groups, the former officer said. But commanders did not consider a lethal strike on Soleimani, the former official said, because of concerns that killing a senior Iranian official could lead to a wider confrontation, or targeted attacks on American generals. Moreover, the decision to target a terrorist leader initiated a painstaking process to game out potential responses and how to protect U.S. personnel from retaliatory attacks, the former official said. Iran, unlike regional terror groups, has the capability to strike targets around the world, including embassies and mass transportation systems. The risks outweighed the benefits, the former officer said. Iran: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vows vengeance for Soleimani's death Leon Panetta, a former CIA director and Defense secretary in the Obama administration, said Soleimani had not been targeted during his tenure. Killing Osama bin Laden had been the top priority, he said. Navy SEALs killed bin Laden in a raid in 2011. If the Pentagon wants to prevent attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, then it should target forces that conducted them, Panetta said. Last week, the Air Force did carry out strikes on the militias in Iraq and Syria that had been blamed for rocket attacks on U.S. bases. Iran said the U.S. also launched a strike against militia Friday night, a day after targeting Soleimani. Attacking an individual will not necessarily prevent attacks that have been planned, Panetta said. But Soleimani's killing virtually guarantees a tit-for-tat response from Iran. "I dont think theres any question Iran is looking at conducting some type of attack that will make clear it was a response to Soleimani," Panetta said. "Thats the way they think." Soleimani's death a 'blow to the Iranian psyche' Retired Army Maj. Gen. Mark Quantock, the former director of intelligence for U.S. Central Command, said the Iranian regime is likely to lash out in several ways after the killing of Soleimani. He was a national hero in Iran, and his death is a blow to the Iranian psyche. Thousands jammed streets in Iran in an outpouring of support for Soleimani. The Iranians generally are deliberate in formulating attacks but may move more quickly in light of Soleimanis prominence, Quantock said. Attacks by Iranian surrogates, such as the militias in Iraq aligned and supported by Iran, are likely to occur first, he said. Those groups had viewed Soleimani as their guy, Quantock said. U.S. and coalition embassies throughout the Middle East will also be potential targets. In the Persian Gulf, Iranian Republican Guard fast boats could make provocative runs at U.S. Navy vessels, seeking to draw fire and be seen as victims. Hagel predicted a rough winter and spring with no resolution in sight. "I dont see any good news coming," Hagel said. "I think were in for a very difficult road over the next few months. I dont see any off ramping of this. How do we get out of this?" How we got here: Qasem Soleimani's killing is the latest in Iran-US tensions This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Soleimani: Tracked by US for years but not killed until Trump's order After the sinking of the Scandies Rose, an aftermath of anguish (Photo : OnLeaks and 91mobiles ) LEAKED: Get a Glimpse of Google's Pixel 4a Before Its Official Launch With Specs And More Details! (Photo : OnLeaks and 91mobiles) LEAKED: Get a Glimpse of Google's Pixel 4a Before Its Official Launch With Specs And More Details! (Photo : OnLeaks and 91mobiles) LEAKED: Get a Glimpse of Google's Pixel 4a Before Its Official Launch With Specs And More Details! (Photo : OnLeaks and 91mobiles) LEAKED: Get a Glimpse of Google's Pixel 4a Before Its Official Launch With Specs And More Details! Only days left before the event of Consumer Electronics Show or CES 2020, but a lot of leaked information from various popular gadgets were already laid out earlier this week. If you've had enough of all Samsung and Apple leaks, 91mobiles and @OnLeaks will now convince you to be more excited for this year as Google's new lineup of smartphones is set to be more user-friendly and cheaper-- just like other smartphone gadgets out there. So far, Google already introduced their Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a XL on the month of May and Google Pixel 4 in October 2019, and consumers from this lineup seemed to be extremely impressed with these devices compared to other smartphones. Just by looking at Google CEO Sundar Pichai statement, "With the launch of Pixel 3a in May, overall Pixel unit sales in Q2 grew more than two times year-over-year." And since its already year 2020, Google seemed to be more thrilled to introduce their new lineup of smartphones-- however, somehow reliable @OnLeaks might be too more excited to fully release what they claimed as the physical appearance of 'Google Pixel 4a.' What To Expect on Google Pixel 4a-- From Appearance to Specs If you currently own a Pixel device, you might get sad once you get to have a glimpse of these future Pixel 4 series. I mean, who doesn't? It has a new sleeker design, an additional feature of fingerprint scanning, and, hopefully, a better battery life compared to former Pixel devices. If these are all true, hats off to Google! However, since Google has not yet commented on these leaked images, let's first allow 91mobiles and @OnLeaks to guide us around the new Pixel device. As seen in the image above, the rumored design of Pixel 4a is much different from the design of its big brother, Pixel 4. Compared to the latter, Pixel 4a's upper design has more screen capacity. If you own a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL, you will know that the bigger forehead design of these devices houses the facial recognition technology and Soli radar of the Pixel 4 series. In this device, they were all gone. Apparently, you will no longer have to use facial recognition as Pixel 4a does not have this feature, but better yet, it now has fingerprint scanning at the back. Pixel 4a is also rumored to only have one camera at the back, which is expected to have the same quality with Pixel 4. When it comes to its main processor, 91mobiles claims that it will install Snapdragon 730 or 760. It was also said to have four or 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Additional leaked information about Google Pixel 4a is that it will still have a 3.5 mm audio jack for users out there that still like to use wired headsets. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sheringham churchs Uganda mission A team of people from Reed People charity, based at Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham, visited a school and church in Lumpewe in Uganda in October, in what was hailed as a very successful trip. Tony Rothe reports. The charity was set up by members of Lighthouse to promote education, health and community in the Ugandan village, and teams from Sheringham visit regularly, usually yearly, to give the villagers help and support. Team members have been explaining to the rest of the church some of the highlights of the visit: Andy Holt recounted that the team showed the Jesus film in the Ugandan language, from a platform in the centre crossroads of the village of Lumpewe and he experienced the leading of the Holy Spirit. Several people there responded to an appeal. Jo Mutton voiced her concern for womens welfare in the village, and reported that they were able to give out the lovely fabric bags made by members of the church and community. These contained gifts which would help with the personal hygiene requirements of the ladies and girls. This gift was very much appreciated by all in the village. Valerie Ridley, who was working on the health front, reported that there were no jiggers, ie foot-worms, in the school following treatment on previous visits. Valerie dewormed the whole school, by giving them a pill (followed by a sweet as an encourager). She spoke of the value of being able to give a meal to every child in the school, which was very much appreciated. Haley Griggs, pictured right above, and Jo taught the kids how to sing the L O V E song (from Sheringham Beachlife) and described the enthusiasm of the children. Matthew Mutton undertook a Cycle Safari with his brother Sam, of the Joy for Children Charity. Sam is hoping to trial Cycle Safari opportunities to raise funds for his charity, which works in the slums of the capital Kampala, about 46 miles away. Martin Fleetcroft said, God has blessed the team richly and spoken to us deeply. I was overwhelmed by the connection with the children and how needy they were. One day, whilst the team were there, it was not possible to give the children a lunchtime meal as it was raining too heavily and, as the kitchen is out of doors its use is weather dependent. To enable the children to have a meal - whatever the weather, the Reed People Charity will be making the building of a school kitchen their next priority. Organiser Ian Mutton thanked everyone who had supported the team financially or in prayer. To find out more, or to make a donation towards the kitchen project, or the work in Lumpewe in general, please visit: http://reedpeople.org To read the earlier story on Network Norfolk about the Uganda mission, click here . Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in North Norfolk? Two Ex-Prime Ministers Vie for Guinea-Bissau Presidency Two former prime ministers of Guinea-Bissau faced a runoff presidential election Sunday after the incumbent failed to reach the second round in the tumultuous West African country once described by the United Nations as a narco-state. President Jose Mario Vaz, in power since 2014, has vowed to respect the results in a rare gesture of political stability. Vaz is the first democratically elected president to complete a full term without being deposed or assassinated since the countrys independence from Portugal in 1974. Linica Correia, 29, said she cast her ballot for front-runner Domingos Simoes Pereira, who finished with 40% of the first-round vote and has since been endorsed by six of the 10 eliminated candidates. ADVERTISEMENT The Guinean people have already suffered enough, she said. I hope that the next president recognizes this suffering and works to transform the country by giving back peace and stability to the people. While there has not been a power grab in Guinea-Bissau since 2012, the country has had seven prime ministers appointed since August 2015. There was enough concern ahead of the Nov. 24 first-round vote that the regional bloc ECOWAS said it had a military force on standby to re-establish order in the event of a coup. The lead-up to the election was bumpy: Vaz fired his prime minister and Cabinet a month before the November vote, sparking outcry. The ousted prime minister, Aristide Gomes, refused to step aside and his designated replacement swiftly resigned as regional pressure mounted. Pereira, the front-runner, has a long history of feuding with the president: Vaz fired him as prime minister in 2015 and refused earlier this year to choose him for the post. Pereira has cast himself as the candidate who can create the economic conditions that would allow for development in Guinea-Bissau, one of the worlds poorest countries. Another former prime minister, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, received just over 27 percent of the first-round vote but has drawn support from four of the eliminated candidates, including outgoing president Vaz. Guinea-Bissau, a nation of around 1.5 million people, has long been beset by corruption and drug trafficking. In the 2000s, it became known as a transit point for cocaine between Latin America and Europe as traffickers profited from corruption and weak law enforcement. ADVERTISEMENT The drug trade has become less prominent with increasing enforcement. In September, the government seized more than 2 tons of cocaine in its largest seizure yet, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Ten people were arrested, including three Colombian nationals. Hearst Connecticut Media / Tara O'Neill NEW HAVEN A city resident was sentenced to serve just over one year in prison for his role in dealing oxycodone Milton M.D. Vereen, 40, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of oxycodone, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham. A local court in Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow on Saturday granted bail to social activists Sadaf Jafar and Pawan Rao Ambedkar, former police officer SR Darapuri and nine others arrested after the violent anti-citizenship act protests last month. All of them are likely to come out of jail on Monday after paying a personal bond of 50,000 each. Hazratganj Police had booked Jafar, the only woman arrested, and others on December 19 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1932. The matter had come up for hearing in the court of additional district judge (ADJ) Sanjay Shankar Pandey on Friday. After hearing the defence and prosecution counsels, the court had reserved the order for Saturday. They had approached judge Pandeys court after the chief judicial magistrate rejected their bail applications on December 23. Appearing on behalf of Jafar, her lawyer Harjot Singh had on Friday apprised the court that there was no proof of her involvement in the violence. Sanjeev Pandey, who represented retired Indian Police Service officer Darapuri and Ambedkar, also put in the same argument. During the hearing on Friday, the court asked the prosecution for proof of involvement of Sadaf, Darapuri and Ambedkar in the violence. The prosecution informed the court there was no photograph to prove their direct involvement in the violence as there was so much smoke billowing from vehicles burnt in the violence that no photograph could be taken. After hearing the defence and prosecution counsel, the judge had reserved his order for Saturday morning. A petition was also filed on Thursday in the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court for quashing the first information report or FIR against Jafar, calling her arrest illegal. The high court has asked the state government to file its reply within two weeks on the petition. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had last Sunday lashed out at the UP government, saying it had crossed all limits of inhumanity. The police have put Sadaf in jail by making baseless allegations, Gandhi tweeted on Sunday as she met her family members. More than 100 people were arrested after the December 19 protests, including prominent human rights lawyer Mohammed Shoaib, Darapuri and Jafar. Those named in the first information reports were booked for rioting, unlawful assembly, attempt to murder, wrongful constraints, criminal intimidation, criminal assault on public servant etc. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BCG in its report has recommended dividing the government departments into 6 regions. In its report, the BCG has also said that the construction of Amaravati as a 'megacity' would require Rs 1 lakh crore to build its core infrastructure, a substantial portion of which will be needed to be funded by debt. (Photo: ANI) Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Planning Department Secretary, Vijay Kumar said that the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in its report suggested decentralized development of all regions in the state with a balanced and inclusive growth strategy. "The BCG report has divided the 13 districts in the state into 6 regions; Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam districts in coastal Andhra, West and East Godavari districts into Godavari delta, Krishna and Guntur districts as Krishna delta, Kadapa and Chittoor as East Rayalaseema, among others," Kumar said at a press conference on Friday. The BCG in its report has recommended dividing the government departments into six regions, with the Secretariat, Governor and Chief Minister offices in Visakhapatnam, Assembly in Vijayawada or Amaravati, and High Court in Kurnool. According to the official, "The BCG report has taken the economy, industry, agriculture, services, infrastructure, and social infrastructure aspects into consideration. The report says five express highways would be required for the state with the existing highways and ports, airports should be developed on a large scale." In its report, the BCG has also said that the construction of Amaravati as a 'megacity' would require Rs 1 lakh crore to build its core infrastructure, a substantial portion of which will be needed to be funded by debt. The servicing cost alone would be around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 crore for acquiring this debt. However, the report mentions the advantages and disadvantages of both the decentralized and 'megacity' model and a high powered committee will now further study the options and make the final recommendation to the government. This comes amidst controversy over the idea of three capitals- the 'Executive Capital' in port city Visakhapatnam, 'Legislative Capital' in Amravati and 'Judiciary Capital' in Kurnool proposed by the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh. The couple were not named and the purpose of the cash could not be learned. CBP said that the full amount found was $19,651, but that $651 was released to the couple for humanitarian purposes. They were allowed to continue on their trip, CBP said. Top Congress leaders huddled together Saturday in what was a show of unity in a party riddled with factions and groups. Former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara hosted over a dozen senior party leaders at his Sadashiva Nagar residence. This was a task he was given by the party high command - to bring everyone together and resolve differences. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao, former Union ministers KH Muniyappa, K Rahman Khan, Rajya Sabha MP BK Hariprasad among others attended the meeting. The show of unity came at a time when the Congress is in the midst of a leadership crisis, with Siddaramaiah and Rao having tendered resignation to their respective positions owning moral responsibility for the partys poor performance in the recent bypolls. The resignations emboldened the factions, especially the one comprising leaders who are against Siddaramaiah. Of late, there were differing reports appearing in the media about the party. We needed to show that we're together, Parameshwara told reporters after the meeting that lasted nearly three hours. The unanimous opinion was that the party high command should take a decision soon on the resignations tendered by Siddaramaiah and Rao. The way forward for the party will depend on who the party president and Congress Legislature Party leader is, Parameshwara said, adding that confusion on the fate of the two posts will have a bearing on the strengthening the partys organisation and appointment of office-bearers. Parameswara also said that the leaders did not discuss who should be appointed for the two posts. The posts of the party president and CLP leader are the most important. We need to strengthen the partys organisation as elections can happen anytime, although they are over three years away. Plus, the panchayat and BBMP elections are coming up. So, weve decided to convey all of this to the party high command, he said. Several leaders are said to be lobbying to become the next KPCC president, whereas one section within the party has argued that the posts of CLP leader and LoP, currently held by one person, must be separated like in Maharashtra. Parameshwara, who is seen as Siddaramaiah's bete noire, is said to be in the race to become the CLP leader. Lets not get into personal aspirations. We didnt discuss that at all, he said. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Snow showers this evening. Breaks in the overcast later. Low -8F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40%.. Tonight Snow showers this evening. Breaks in the overcast later. Low -8F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40%. (TNS) Automation is changing America. Robots already operate rescue missions and build our cars, and they may soon be assisting in surgery and teaching our children. As many as 73 million American jobs could be lost to automation by 2030, and economists have written at length about the consequences of this transformation. However, automation may have implications beyond the economy, and few have considered how robots will change America's social fabric.One possibility, raised by Andrew Yang, a Democratic presidential candidate, is that automation will turn people against each other, stoking distrust and anger. In an interview last year, Yang claimed that "all you need is self-driving cars to destabilize society," speculating that automation could "create riots in the streets" since so many men work as truck drivers. Is Yang right?There are reasons to believe that he is. Past technological revolutions are infamous for fueling prejudice and discrimination. Industrialization in the United States in late 19th century, for example, ushered in an era of ethnic tension as immigrants from Eastern Europe and Asia were demonized for taking low-paying jobs. And in Britain in the early 19th century, mechanization of the textile industry united the Luddites against the government, creating stark class-based division and rural conflict.Some data suggest that the current wave of automation will be no different. In our analysis of 37 nations, we found that the countries with the highest density of working robots have grown more prejudiced and distrustful of foreigners over the last 40 years. Nations with rising rates of automation also tend to have rising rates of unemployment, and unemployment correlates with prejudice.However, politicians often blame immigrants for rising unemployment even in cases where automation led to job loss. This raises an intriguing question: If people were more aware of a rising robot workforce, would they still react with distrust and prejudice toward immigrants and minorities?Our new research took on this question and found that people's awareness of a growing robot workforce may actually improve social relations. We conducted seven experiments, showing that when people are exposed to information about the rising prevalence of robot workers, they feel less prejudice toward people who belong to different demographic groups.We found this positive effect in several different contexts. In one study, for example, we showed that reading a newspaper article warning about the dangers of automation led people to report less distrust of foreigners and a greater willingness to live next to immigrants and people of a different race, religion and sexual orientation.In another study, we asked people to imagine that they were the treasurer responsible for assigning salaries in a hypothetical commune. When the commune included only humans, white research participants showed racial bias in assigning more money to white workers than to black and Latino workers. However, they were significantly less biased when the commune also included robot workers.Our other studies showed the same pattern. Without robots, people tended to see people of a different race or religion as members of a separate group. But when people thought about robot workers, other human groups began to look more familiar. Christians and Muslims have different beliefs, but both are made from flesh and blood. Latinos and Asians may eat different foods, but they eat.Robots did not need to be framed as a threat to produce these effects. Even the mere awareness of robots made human commonalities more visible, reducing prejudice.These findings also reflect important truths about the psychology of prejudice. Humans will always separate "us" from "them." This may be a universal instinct. But whom we choose to classify as "us" or "them" appears to be much more flexible.In the film "Independence Day," people of Earth were able to put aside their differences and band together in the face of an alien attack. Robot workers might have a similar effect, leading people to find common ground with others whom they typically see as different.Joshua Conrad Jackson is a PhD student in the department of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Kurt Gray is an associate professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Noah Castelo is an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Alberta School of Business. Following the killing of Irans Quds Force Commander, Gen. Soleimani in an airstrike that was ordered by US President, Donald Trump, Cardi B Amerian rapper says shes filing for my Nigerian citizenship. The rapper who recently visited Nigeria, described the move by the US president as the dumpest, stressing that he is putting Americans lives in danger Hence her decision to file for Nigerian citizenship. Naaaaa these memes are fuckin but shit aint no joke ! Specially being from New York .Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger. Dumbest move Trump did till date Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship, she wrote via Twitter. Read Also: Cardi B Moves To Apply For Nigerian Citizenship (Photo) https://twitter.com/iamcardib/status/1213169715759026176?s=19 Reacting to the tweet, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission said we cant wait to recieve Cardi B. She tweeted thus: @iamcardib . As one in charge of the Diaspora for Ngr, We cant wait to receive you again. Our doors are open, sister. And you need to talk a walk through the Door of Return in Badagry . Its an indescribable experience . Cameron Diaz, 47, welcomed her baby girl Raddix, with husband Benji Madden this new year. The actress shared the news on social media with fans on Friday. The couple is known to be private about their relationship and will continue the trend. Cameron announced they won't be sharing any pictures of the baby girl and wish to respect her privacy. The post shared by Diaz starts with New Year wishes, she wrote, "Happy New Year from the Maddens! We are so happy, blessed and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden. She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family." "We are overjoyed to share this news and also feel a strong instinct to protect our little one's privacy." "So we won't be posting pictures or sharing any more details, other than the fact that she is really really cute! Some would even say RAD," She added a smiley emoticon for the pun on Raddix's name. "From our family to all of yours, we're sending our love and best wishes for a Happy New Year and Happy New Decade," and signed off the post with "Sincerely, Cameron&Benj" The caption of the picture was Heart emojis along with Benji's Instagram account tagged. The two made headlines for their relationship in 2014 after their engagement and tied the knot in 2015, at their home in Beverly Hills, California. With the couple keeping the details under wraps, fans will have to wait a while longer to get a glimpse of the newborn baby, who looks, Rad. Friends: Joke's On You Chandler Bing, Baby Emma Just Woke Up From The Best Name Ever! Justin Bieber Uploads First Tik Tok Video! Fans Hail Bop Release 'Yummy' Qasem Soleimani: What We Know About Iranian Elite Force's General That US Took Aim at Sputnik News 09:06 03.01.2020(updated 09:26 03.01.2020) Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' Major General Qasem Soleimani was killed in rocket fire in Baghdad days after an attempted raid on the US Embassy by Iran-linked Iraqi Shia protesters. Here is what is known about the top Iranian military commander eliminated by US forces. Soleimani, born in 1957, joined the Revolutionary Guards in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution that ousted the Shah. Mind-Blowing Military Career He quickly climbed the career ladder, becoming commander of the 41st Sarallah Division while still under 30 and by the mid-80s he was setting up covert missions inside Iraq to struggle against the regime of Saddam Hussein, joining efforts with Iraqi Kurds. After the war he was commander of the Revolutionary Guards in his home Iranian province of Kerman, where he battled against opium trafficking from across the Afghani border. He fulfilled the role up until 2002, when a few months prior to the US invasion of Iraq, Soleimani was tapped to head the Quds Force, Iran's elite military unit tasked with spreading the Islamic Republic's policies beyond Iran one reason why the commander often landed in Washington's crosshairs. In 2011, General David Petraeus, the former CIA director, said that Soleimani and his Quds had undermined much of Washington's work with Iraq's Shia Muslims and had undone US diplomatic and military efforts in Lebanon. Targeted by US Sanctions In Syria, the Quds accountable directly to Iran's supreme leader - were believed to be involved in suppressing the uprising against Bashar al-Assad - a move that spawned US sanctions being imposed on Soleimani, as well as the entire IRGC. In 2011, Soleimani was promoted to Major General of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who at some point dubbed the military serviceman a "living martyr". Right before his assassination at the Baghdad Airport, the major general issued a warning following Washington repulsing the assault on the American Embassy in the Iraqi capital, noting Iran was not moving towards a war, but is not scared of a potential conflict. Tensions' Climax and Strike to 'Deter Future Iranian Attack Plans' As confirmed by the Pentagon, Commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, was killed by rocket fire near the Baghdad International Airport, as US forces conducted "a decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad, at the direction of the president". Soleimani's assassination while in his car at the airport closely followed the repulsion of a raid on the US Embassy in Baghdad with the Pentagon saying Soleimani had previously "orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq - including the attack on December 27th". The latter "culminated in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel", the Department of Defence stressed, referring to the strike, in which Soleimani was killed, as preventive: "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world", the statement added. New Year's Eve, 31 December, saw an attack on the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad, where protesters tried to storm checkpoints, smashing windows, battering down doors, and setting fire to the outer fence. The attempted intrusion was stopped by US forces, dispatched at the Pentagon's orders to increase security for US personnel. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Another year and another surge in corporation tax revenues pushed the Exchequer receipts in 2019 to a record 59.3bn, up 6.8pc from 2018. Corporate tax revenues, by far the fastest-growing revenue source for the Government, came in 1.4bn above forecasts for last year, at 10.8bn, the Department of Finance said. The original budget forecast was for corporate tax revenues, the majority of which are paid by a handful of major US multinationals, to come in at 9.48bn. That would have been a lower figure than the one achieved in 2018 and was a level that many economists had expected to be easily exceeded. "Reflecting the growing economy and increased employment, last year was another strong year for tax receipts," Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said after the figures were published. The minister said there would be a budget surplus of 0.4pc of gross domestic product (GDP) for 2019, after running the first surplus since before the crisis in 2018. Health spending was 400m ahead of budget at 16.75bn, and the overall overshoot was around 800m. Budget watchdog the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) believes that extra spending on health and an unbudgeted Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients pushed spending levels 700m above target. The IFAC has warned that with one in every five euro of tax revenues now coming from companies, there would be a risk to the budget if that source of income were to disappear. Moves to tax digital companies like Facebook and Google globally are the biggest immediate threat. Minister Donohoe acknowledged the risks and said the Government was taking action on the budget. "Running budgetary surpluses is the first line of defence when it comes to our over-reliance on corporation taxation receipts," Mr Donohoe said. "Our aim is to build on this, achieving a surplus of 1pc of GDP by 2022, and maintain that over the medium term - subject to continued economic growth. In other words, 'excess' corporation tax receipts are not being used to finance day-to-day spending, but to reduce debt." The National Treasury Management Agency plans to issue 10-14bn of bonds in 2020, down from the 2019 range of 14-18bn. President Trump was eating ice cream and meatloaf at his Mar-a-Lago estate when the Pentagon confirmed that US forces assassinated Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Thursday. Trump was dining at his Palm Beach club alongside House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy when the strike was confirmed, according to CNN. McCarthy, a Republican from California, posted images on his Instagram showing him sitting beside Trump and his social media adviser, Dan Scavino. A memorable and historic evening at The Winter White House. Proud of our President!' McCarthy wrote on the series of photos, which included pics of himself with White House Counselor Jared Kushner, President Trump, Scavino, and White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley. President Trump ate ice cream and meatloaf with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday when the Pentagon confirmed that a top Iranian general was killed in an airstrike. From left: Trump aides Hogan Gidley and Dan Scavino; McCarthy; and Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday night This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad on Thursday. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Quds Force, was among those killed in the strike Soleimani (pictured above in March 2015) was considered the architect of Iran's policy in Syria The Pentagon statement was the only confirmation from the administration of the strike on Thursday night. Trump posted a photo of the American flag. He waited until Friday morning to tweet about the strike. This isnt the first time the president was dining when he received confirmation of a major military strike. In April 2017, Trump bragged that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping were eating a beautiful piece of chocolate cake when he informed his guest from Beijing that the Americans had just carried out a missile attack on a Syrian airfield. The missile strike was an American response to reports that the Syria government allegedly used chemical weapons in an attack as part of its long-running campaign to put down an armed rebellion. Trump told Fox Business interviewer Maria Bartiromo: 'I was sitting at the table. We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it. 'And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do?' Trump explained. 'And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way. And I said, Mr. President, let me explain something to you. 'This was during dessert,' he reemphasized. In April 2017, Trump bragged that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping were eating a beautiful piece of chocolate cake when he informed his guest from Beijing that the Americans had just carried out a missile attack on a Syrian airfield Trump and Xi shake hands at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6, 2017 A picture of the cake was later posted on Instagram 'So what happens is I said we've just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq and I wanted you to know this. And he was eating his cake. And he was silent.' Bartiromo then corrected that the president meant to say Syria, where the US launched strikes following a chemical weapons attack that the US says President Bashar al-Assad conducted on his own people. Trump said he decided to inform Xi to avoid an even more awkward situation. A picture of the cake was later posted on Instagram. The president on Friday said he did not order Soleimani's death to start a war but to stop one. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago, where he is wrapping up his holiday stay at the Winter White House. Donald Trump said he did not order the death of Soleimani to start a war but to 'stop a war' A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him embracing Soleimani's son The death of the top Iranian security and intelligence officer has sparked concern that tension will escalate in the Middle East and caused U.S. officials to brace for possible retaliatory attacks. President Trump, who personally gave the order for the drone strike that killed Soleimani, charged him with plotting attacks on Americans. He said Soleimani was caught in the act and terminated. 'Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies,' Trump said. The president had tough words in the wake of the airstrike that killed Iran's top military general and defended his action as necessary for the safety of the United States. He emphasized his administration was not seeking to destabilize the Middle East, countering a concern voiced by some of his Democratic rivals and a few foreign leaders. 'We do not seek regime change. However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors must end and must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran,' Trump said. Tehran vowed 'harsh retaliation' for the killing of its most senior military leader and the State Department warned Americans to leave Iraq 'immediately' amid fears of conflict in the region. Major U.S. cities went on heightened alert for possible retaliatory action. The Department of Homeland Security put out a statement on Friday to say there were 'no specific, credible threats' against the U.S. but added it is monitoring the situation. 'While there are currently no specific, credible threats against our homeland, DHS continues to monitor the situation and work with our Federal, State and local partners to ensure the safety of every American,' Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement. New Delhi, Jan 4 : As the buyer becomes the seller, India, the largest exporter of rice in the world, has a new competitor in the global market. From the key policy makers in Udyog Bhawan to the top millers exporting rice, everyone is cautiously watching China, which offloading tonnes of rice in African markets usually secured by India. "We are aware that China, hitherto a buyer (of rice), is increasing its export of white rice at a very competitive price. But let's see how the situation develops in terms of overall volume of exports," said an official in the Export Division(Agriculture) of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. In the past six months, China has released over 3 million tonnes of white rice from government-owned warehouses. A bulk of these consignments were reportedly shipped to African countries. "We (India) export non-basmati rice for $400 per tonne approximately...but China is offering rice at considerably lower prices," said Lakshya Agarwal, a prominent rice exporter of Uttrakhand. As per market sources, China is exporting non-basmati rice at rates ranging from $300 to $320 per tonne. "The difference between Indian and Chinese rates are quite significant. In the long run, it can have an impact on our exports," Agarwal added. For decades, India has been world's largest exporter of rice followed by Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan. While India continues to secure the top berth, its exports of non-basmati rice are shrinking rapidly. For example, in 2019 (April to November), India exported non-basmati rice worth Rs 9,028.34 crore against Rs 14,059.51 crore in the same period of the previous year. The Commerce Ministry data reveals that non-basmati exports have fallen to 35.78 percent in early eight months of the current financial year, compared to the corresponding period a year ago. Sources in the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) said that China has meticulously planned offloading its old stock of rice in the African market. "Actually Chinese eat sticky rice which has a rich taste when it is fresh. The flavour is not the same in the old stock of rice.. that's why there is always a demand for fresh rice in China. The moment the fresh rice floods the market, the government releases its old stock at very low rates," the source said "The old stock of rice is being exported in African countries." The Chinese strategy has ultimately disrupted the global market of rice exports wherein India feels the pinch, being the largest exporter. Meanwhile, a senior official of Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that to tackle the Chinese competition globally, a lobby of rice exporters had suggested that the government should release excess stock of non-basmati rice from the warehouses of the Food Corporation of India into the open market. However, the government seems unwilling to release the stock, as it has to run the Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) for the poor. To this, an executive of Delhi-based top rice export company said: "If the government cannot afford to release its stock from FCI warehouses, than it can at least grant some export incentive to non-basmati exporters in wake of face stiff competition from China and other global players." A former US Marine who was part of the security detail during the 2012 US embassy attacks that left four dead in Bengazi lashed out at former National Security Advisor Susan Rice for saying she can't trust President Donald Trump's reasons for the attack on an Iran general. Rice was on CNN Friday saying she couldn't trust the Trump administration for why it decided to take out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani this week Trump said he ordered the Thursday attack on Baghdad because Soleimani was plotting 'imminent and sinister attacks.' Former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice was on CNN Friday saying she couldn't trust the Trump administration for why it decided to take out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani this week When asked for his reaction to Rice's statement, ex-Marine and Bengazi veteran Mark said the former national security advisor 'pretty much has zero integrity in my book', and that her comment was partisan Rice told Wolf Blitzer on his 'Situation Room' broadcast the following day that she had her reasons to doubt the explanation. 'This administration sadly, tragically, has a record of almost-daily misrepresenting the facts - telling falsehoods about issues big and very small. So, it's hard to have confidence on the face at their representation,' she said. When asked for his reaction to Rice's statement, ex-Marine and Benghazi veteran Mark said the former national security adviser 'pretty much has zero integrity in my book', and that her comment was partisan. 'It's typical tactics from the Democrats. They're going to bring out their standard bearer, who's going to come out just like they did in Benghazi. She's the one who's going to come out and say what they want to say, which goes against her credibility completely.' Rice went on Sunday morning talk shows following the embassy attack and stuck to an Obama administration narrative that an offensive video online triggered protests that unleashed the deadly violence. Among those killed was Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other US officials. Among those killed during the 2012 attack in Bengazi was Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other US officials 'They knew it when she went out on the speaking circuit on Sunday,' Giest told Fox's Pete Hegseth on Saturday. 'But, instead of telling the truth she wanted to tell lies because she had to say what the administration -- at the time -- wanted.' Critics of the drone strike have suggested the move played into war mongers who have long wanted to topple Iran's leadership, and that the drone assault may now mean that war with Iran is a certainty, especially with many of its citizens calling for revenge. 'I am doubtful that ultimately it will prove to be the right thing,' Rice told CNN's Blitzer, about the decision to order the air strike that killed Soleimani, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force. She said that while the opportunity had not come up during the ten years she was national security adviser, but suggested if it had, that President Obama might have approached it differently. 'We would have given it obviously very careful consideration, weighing the pros and the cons,' she said. 'Frankly, as then as it does now, it's not clear that when you look at the strategic landscape whether the benefits outweigh the real risks.' Rice told Wolf Blitzer on his 'Situation Room' broadcast the following day that she had her reasons to doubt the explanation. Pictured is a tweet from the show She noted that under George W. Bush's administration there was an opportunity, and that serious consideration had been given to an attack that was not carried out. She said without a doubt, Soleimani had 'extraordinary blood on his hands.' 'He was a murderer and a terrorist of the first order,' she explained, but questions whether Americans are safer for it, when there may have been other options to explore. She said she was 'quite concerned' that there are few ways to deescalate that doesn't lead to 'wider conflict.' Of the Iranians response, she said, 'There's no question in my mind that they will retaliate in a very serious way in a time and place of their choosing. And maybe multiple times and multiple places. And the question is what will President Trump do?' Backing down will be viewed as an opportunity for Iran to push further, she added. Geist, in his remarks to Fox, was critical of Blitzer, because he was 'letting her skate' one more time talking about 'integrity.' Going back to her 'protest' explanation for the embassy attacks, Geist pointed out that 'most protests they don't typically bring AK-47s, belt-fed machine guns, and RPGs. 'That's somebody planning an attack and they knew it,' Geist told Hegseth. Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, on Friday called out Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for tweeting an old video clip from Bangladesh which he tried to pass off as a case of Indian polices pogrom against Muslims in UP. Imran Khan posted a picture of a burning vehicle as Indian security forces stand guard amid violence over the CAA and wrote on @ImranKhanPTI: Indian police brutality reaches new lows as its pogrom of Muslims in India continues as part of fascist Modi governments ethnic cleansing agenda. The video which was later deleted, was found to be of 2013 and showed police action against a group of people in Bangladesh. Akbaruddin took to Twitter to denounce the Pakistani Prime Minister. Repeat offenders. Old habits die hard, the Indian envoy tweeted. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) had earlier criticised Imran Khan. Tweet Fake News.Get Caught. Delete Tweet. Repeat#Oldhabitsdiehard, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted after Imran Khan put out the fake video on the internet claiming that it depicted the violence against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. A policeman seen holding a shield of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh Police, was a giveaway that the incident did not take place in India. The Uttar Pradesh police had also refuted the Pakistani Prime Ministers claim and said that the video was an old one and had been shot in Bangladesh in 2013 In a marked expansion of the Trump administrations war on immigrants, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday that the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or Remain in Mexico policy will expand to Arizona. Migrants from El Salvador traveling in a caravan cross the Suchiate River, the border between Guatemala and Mexico, (AP Photo/Oscar Rivera) Immigrants seeking asylum at the border city of Nogales, Arizona, the majority of whom are refugees fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries, will be turned back and left to fend for themselves on the southern side of the border. The extension of MPP to Nogales, some 50 miles south of Tucson, makes it the seventh major port of entry on the Mexican border to deny entry to immigrants. The others, San Diego, Calexico, El Paso, Laredo, Brownsville, and Eagle Pass have all seen refugee encampments crop up just across the border in the Mexico. The Remain in Mexico policy has to date turned back more than 60,000 immigrants, forcing them to wait in Mexico while their legal cases for entry into the USwhich can drag on for years and the overwhelming majority of which are rejectedare pending. This has resulted in a network of refugee encampments cropping up along the American-Mexican border near the major border crossing, leading to a humanitarian disaster. Migrants left with no choice but to stay in these informal camps and live in fear of violent attacks against them are often dependent on charity or crime, and have little or no protection from the elements. A recent report from Human Rights First (HRF) documented over 600 cases of rape, kidnapping, torture, and other violent attacks against asylum seekers and migrants returned to Mexico under MPP. Another study by the US Immigration Policy Center at University of California San Diego found that one in four people sent back under MPP were threatened with physical violence. In the case of those immigrants turned back at Nogales, there is an extra impediment to their entry: Immigration hearings are currently held in El Paso, and immigrants previously waiting on the American side of the border would be bussed there. Now, those applying for asylum at Nogales will need to arrange their own transportation to El Paso, some 300 miles east. The journey from Nogales to El Paso, moreover, will require the already vulnerable immigrants to travel on the border roads in the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahuapassing through an area dominated by the drug cartels, in which an American family was massacred in November. The HRF report noted one case in which a mother and daughter applying for asylum were kidnapped and raped over a two-week period during which they were supposed to appear before an immigration judge to make their case. Because they couldnt make the hearing, the judge ordered them deported. If that is an indication of the general ruthlessness of the immigration courts, then for those immigrants left at Nogales, for whom even attending their hearings will be much more difficult, it will be all but impossible to enter the United States. A grand total of 11 migrants have been granted asylum on the southern border since the implementation of the MPP policy. Far from being an unintended consequence of the policy, the abysmal conditions created by Remain in Mexico are aimed at deterring immigrants from seeking asylum as part of the Trump administrations fascistic anti-immigrant program. The Trump administration hopes that by making conditions as hellish as those that led refugees to flee their homes in the first place, they can deter future arrivals. In a DHS statement on Thursday, acting Secretary Chad Wolf said that MPP has been an extremely effective tool as the United States, under the leadership of President Trump, continues to address the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis at the border. The Department is fully committed to the program and will continually work with the Government of Mexico to expand and strengthen it. I am confident in the programs continued success in adjudicating meritorious cases quickly and preventing fraudulent claims. This would be impossible, were it not for the collaboration of the nominally left Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) who slavishly accepted the burden of hosting these refugees on the Trump administrations request and has done nothing to alleviate their suffering. Equally responsible is the Democratic Party, which has dropped any nominal resistance to his attacks on immigrants and has consistently voted to fund Trumps fascistic projects. TWIN FALLS The sentencing of a woman who stole thousands of dollars from strangers on the internet was postponed Friday, pending the results of her mental health evaluation. Krystal Dawn Meyer, 40, of Twin Falls was originally charged in 2018 with two counts of grand theft, four counts of petit theft and one count of fraud by computer. Police investigated Meyer after a Texas woman reported that she had sent Meyer $792 to pay for a hotel room in Salt Lake City. The woman was planning to attend a training conference for the essential oils company doTerra, she said, and Meyer posted on a doTerra Facebook page that she had reserved a block of hotel rooms for the conference, according to court records. The woman said that after she paid Meyer using Venmo, a money transfer app, she contacted the hotel and learned that Meyer had canceled the reservation without paying for the room. When she asked Meyer for her money back, court records said, Meyer said she would return the money but never did. Over the course of the investigation, at least nine other women from around the country and two from Canada and England reached out to Twin Falls police to report that Meyer scammed them as well, according to an affidavit. Each woman said she had paid Meyer between about $800 and $1,100 for a hotel room. Meyers sentencing was rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 31. Love 3 Funny 4 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 2 The pitch is that global capital can provide the scale and firepower required to finance the farming techniques needed to feed a growing world population, while also making farming more environmentally friendly. Macquarie, which has invested its own capital, charges a fee for managing the assets. Why farming? It is similar to the model that helped make Macquarie a powerhouse in the financing of infrastructure, in which it is the worlds biggest asset manager. Whether the group, known as the millionaires' factory, can pull off the same financial feat in farming remains to be seen. About an hour's drive away from the wheat paddock is one of the nerve centres behind Macquaries farming push. Loading In Albury, staff in the offices of Macquarie-owned Viridis Ag can monitor the operations in minute detail, such as the latest yield or the fuel consumption of one of the combine harvesters working the field. On the wall is a map of Australia, with coloured pins representing the farming operations run by Macquarie-owned businesses. The portfolio includes avocados, various other crops, cattle and a 49 per cent stake in the countrys largest cotton farm, Cubbie Station. Perhaps the most obvious question is what has prompted Macquarie to get into the farming business? And how are its farms going in one of the worst droughts on record? Despite the extreme conditions, OLeary says there remains strong demand from big investors, especially from overseas, to own Australian farms. Some of its investors have pledged to lock up their capital for 15 years and OLeary stresses that over longer time frames, farmland is a "highly defensive" asset. Loading "If you look at all the data, returns in agriculture are uncorrelated with anything, so its just a classic diversification story," she says. Farming is volatile due to factors such as drought but Macquarie aims to limit volatility by spreading capital across a range of different types of farms, in various climate zones across the country. "For us its about how do we smooth out the volatility with these big diversified portfolios and then how do we maximise the opportunity for capital appreciation in the underlying land value by treating it well," OLeary says. OLeary says it has been "a really tough year across the board," due to the lack of rain. The geographic mix of farms has helped, but not as much as it normally would. The financial logic is also underpinned by expectations that global food supply must increase sharply to feed a growing population, and investors are also betting returns can be lifted by improving farming methods and improving soil health. 'When funds look around the world at risk-weighted returns and an opportunity assessment, Australia fares very favourably.' Elizabeth OLeary Domestic superannuation funds have a small allocation to agriculture, with Australians only making up about 15 per cent to 20 per cent of the investors in these funds. But OLeary says overseas funds, including those in Europe, have a history of backing the sector. "When those funds look around the world at risk-weighted returns and an opportunity assessment, Australia fares very favourably," she says. The executive comes to the job with hands-on experience in farming. She is one of seven daughters who grew up as rice, wheat and sheep farmers in the Riverina region. OLeary, who is married and has two daughters, has been at Macquarie for more than 16 years. During that time she was closely involved in the 2009 purchase of US funds management business Delaware Asset Management, European infrastructure deals, and, before this job, she was the global head of human resources. Growth ambitions Ive got two very different wardrobes, OLeary says. And I just have to make sure I pack the right one, because Im not sure how New York would cope with these dusty boots. For institutional investments in farming to stack up, the operations have to be large scale. This will mean buying up more family farms around the country. The entities controlled by Macquarie have already snapped up dozens of farms and more expansion is on the cards. We continue to want to build out our portfolio with high-quality assets, OLeary says. As you would expect, however, the investment banking groups expansion has attracted scrutiny. There has been criticism from some about land clearing. A neighbour of one of the Macquarie farms near Cootamundra, in NSW, this year told the ABC he was gobsmacked when the new owners bulldozed native trees on the property. OLearly responds that Macquarie will replace any trees that are removed by planting even more elsewhere. Even so, she concedes there is a "natural tension" between the global need to ramp up food production and managing environmental impacts. "Its not ideal, its not perfect. Its trying to find this compromise between productivity and managing the environment and biodiversity," she says. There are also regulatory hurdles. O'Leary says the Foreign Investment Review Board is required to approve each acquisition the funds she manages make in Australia, which could have "unintended consequences" for those selling their farms. Farming seems a world away from the slick world of investment banking. Credit:Jim Rice "It [the process] is lengthier than it was intended to be. We just need to be mindful with this kind of process that it does not act as a competitive disadvantage," O'Leary says. As part of her pitch, she argues the wave of investment and the employment opportunities can revitalise rural communities. "I think theres a view that families disappear from farms, and actually, if anything, whats happened in our business is youve seen the natural retirement of families and the replenishment of those communities with typically young couples with kids," OLeary says. The wider environmental challenges facing farmers also loom large. Food production contributes to 10 to 12 per cent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions, and OLeary admits the sector faces a "conundrum". "Youve got an imperative to double food production globally. Weve got to reduce our use of water ... And weve got to curb the CO2 emissions profile." Even so, she argues that moves to cut emissions and pursue more sustainable farming practices will improve profitability. Promoting soil health on the wheat farms near Albury, for example, should over the long-term improve yields from the land. GPS-guided harvesters that have their movements tracked should also emit less pollution and be less expensive to run. In a boost for these plans, the taxpayer-owned Clean Energy Finance Corp last year tipped in $100 million to be managed on MIRAs agricultural business, targeting energy efficiency on farms. Farmers harvest wheat near Cowra in NSW. Credit:Kate Geraghty Some in the industry are yet to be convinced. One Western Australian farming group this year questioned if the CEFC's investment was a subsidy for methods that are already being adopted elsewhere. Macquarie, meanwhile, says that it is codifying the farming practices of the top quartile and rolling them out at scale. In a sign of the strong demand for these sorts of assets among institutional investors, one of its unlisted agriculture funds recently raised another $1 billion. It is this goal of bringing in large-scale capital for farming investment that OLeary describes as the "so what?". Millennials, please take note if you are about to own a car (or if your parents are gifting you one in the New Year) as this can boost your sex life too. According to researchers, owning a car gives young adults higher self-esteem, making it a status symbol that women find attractive, and fall for them. Having a car increased sexual desire and the probability of having action between the sheets, reported researchers from the University of Colima in Mexico. Owning a car early in life can act as a sexual enhancer in emerging adulthood. Women still demonstrate a clear preference for men that possess or show the potential to acquire material resources, said study lead author David Soriano-Hernandez. For the study, published in the journal Sexuality Research and Social Policy, the researchers asked 809 students aged 17 to 24 studying at a small university in Western Mexico about their sex lives. The students were surveyed in relation to their sexual conduct, along with other socio-economic aspects. The participants were then separated into two groups, one with cars and other without it. Having a car increased sexual desire and the probability of having sexual intercourse at a younger age, of having more sexual partners, and increase in the frequency of sexual activities. According to the researchers, having their own cars gives young men higher self-esteem and is a status symbol women find attractive. Those with a car typically had sex twice as often, and with double the number of partners. One drawback was that they were engaged in unsafe sex, the researchers said. A car also makes it easier to get to places for sex and can be used at public places too, it added. It is not unusual for cars to have a type of erotic effect on their owners and spectators. Expressions such as hot, sexy, and exciting are often used to describe automobiles, Soriano-Hernandez said. The study noted that the automobile can also act as a sexual enhancer in emerging adulthood, which should be taken into consideration in the development of sex education strategies. Given that emerging adults in the study belonged to a vulnerable and psychologically immature group, future studies are required in other social groups to reach a broad conclusion, the researchers noted. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter 03.01.2020 LISTEN Police in Kumasi are investigating circumstances under which a driver of the Bank of Ghana allegedly shot to death his lover in a hotel room in the Ashanti regional capital. Edwin Awuku and Maame Yaa, believed to be lovers, reportedly checked into the hotel in the evening of New Years Day. It is unclear what happened afterwards but the lady was found dead in the early hours of Thursday, January 2, 2020. The deceased is said to have been shot in the neck at close range with a pistol and the police suspect Mr Awuku is behind it. The suspect, police sources say is also wounded in the arm and is currently on admission under police guard at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Though it is unclear who shot him, police suspect foul-play after his wife accompanied by a hotel receptionist reported the incident of the shooting to the police. Mr Edwin's wife, according to sources, lodged a complaint that her husband had been shot by an unidentified person. Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited at KATH morgue pending an autopsy, as police starts investigations. ---Nhyira FM Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Saturday said it will move an adjournment motion on Mahadayi water diversion issue during the one-day Assembly session on January 7. Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik has called a day-long session of the state Assembly on January 7 to ratify the Constitutional Amendment Bill for extending reservation to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies by another 10 years. Speaking to media persons here, GFP president Vijai Sardesai said the party would move an adjournment motion on the issue of Mahadayi river during the session. Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar had earlier written to the Karnataka government clarifying that clearance was not required for Kalsa Bhanduri project on Mahadayi river. Since an adjournment motion requires the support of one sixth of the members, the other parties including the Congress, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Independents should extend their support, he said. The other day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a programme in Karnataka where Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa demanded additional Rs 50,000 crore from the Centre for irrigation projects in the state, Sardesai said. "From where will Karnataka get the water? The only way he can provide water is by diverting Mahadayi completely," Sardesai alleged. Goa is not at all considered when high-level discussions take place, he said, adding that the GFP seconds the Governor's view that Mahadayi is the state's lifeline and it should be protected. "Protection of Mahadayi is an issue that needs to be tackled with urgency and for this, there should be consensus," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Flights were suspended at the only functioning airport in Libya's capital Tripoli on Friday because of rocket fire and shelling, as people in eastern Libya protested Turkish military support for their rivals. Turkey's parliament voted on Thursday to allow troops to be sent to support the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, deepening fears of more fighting, though analysts and officials said Ankara was unlikely to immediately put boots on the ground. The GNA has sought Turkey's support as it fends off an offensive by General Khalifa Haftar's forces, which control the east and swept through southern Libya in early 2019. Haftar's forces said they had carried out air strikes in several places on Friday, including south of the city of Sirte and in Tripoli. Sirte lies in the center of Libya's coastline, on the dividing line between the warring factions. An increase in air strikes and shelling in and around Tripoli has caused the deaths of at least 11 civilians since early December and shut down health facilities and schools, the U.N. mission in Libya said. Haftar's Tripoli offensive quickly stalled in the outskirts of the city, but led to increased international involvement in the conflict. Turkey has backed the GNA while Haftar has received support from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan. Russian military contractors have also been deployed with Haftar's Libyan National Army for several months, diplomats and analysts said. There were protests in several cities and towns in eastern Libya against the Turkish parliament's decision. In Benghazi, where about 3,000 people took to the streets, protesters said they had turned out to oppose a Turkish "invasion" of Libya, which was part of the Ottoman Empire before coming under Italian occupation. Haftar later gave a televised speech in which he announced a "call to arms and mass mobilization ... to defend our land and our honor". Story continues Three subsidiaries of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) which operate in areas under Haftar's control - Ras Lanuf Oil and Gas Company, Sirte Oil Co and Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO) - said they would boycott Turkish companies. An engineer from Ras Lanuf said one Turkish company had been doing contracting work at Ras Lanuf port since 2017. It was unclear what immediate impact the companies' statements would have. Mitiga airport has been repeatedly closed and reopened in recent years because of risks from shelling and air strikes, reopening most recently on Dec. 12 after a closure of nearly 3-1/2 months. It closed early on Friday because of rocket fire nearby, reopened briefly and then shut again because of shelling, airport and airline officials said. (Reporting by Hani Amara, Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Edmund Blair/Louise Heavens and Grant McCool) China has started lifting major restrictions on foreign investment in its financial sector, a move long demanded by the United States as the world's two biggest economies are locked in a fierce trade battle. From the start of 2020, foreign banks can now set up wholly-owned branches in China without a local partner holding the majority stake, the banking regulatory authority, CBIRC, announced on Friday. In the past, foreign banks were required to have a local Chinese partner and not allowed to hold more than 49 percent of their respective joint ventures. The announcement could be seen as a gesture of goodwill by China towards the US as Washington says a preliminary trade agreement between the two sides looks set to be signed this month. The world's top two economies have been waging a merciless trade war since March 2018, resulting in mutual tariffs being slapped on hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of annual trade. Beijing has long promised to further open up its economy to foreign investment, but it was slow to do so in the financial sector. In October, China unveiled a timetable for lifting a number of the restrictions. And in December, the Swiss bank UBS was authorised to take a majority stake in its activities in the country. But starting from January 1, foreign companies specialising in futures contracts will now be able to invest in China with no limits on the amount of capital held. Fund management companies will be able to do so from April 1 and brokers from December 1, 2020. New Delhi: Jamia University is scheduled to open on 6 January 2020 after winter vacation. The odd-semester examinations will begin on January 9, 2020. Most of the examinations for undergraduate courses will start on January 16, 2020. Let us tell you that there was a protest at Jamia Millia University regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act. During this, there was a clash between the Delhi Police and the students. A large number of students were injured during this period, besides a student was also killed. All kinds of videos also went viral on social media. These videos claimed that the Delhi Police had vandalized the students' library. Police allege that the students had pelted stones at them. BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind's bad words says, 'I will hang Owaisi upside down and cut his beard...' According to information received from the sources, after catching up with the case, the Jamia Millia Islamia administration had formed two committees to investigate the matter. Whose investigation report will be decided based on how true the allegations on the police are. The demonstration of students on this matter continues in the latest incident. Due to which the education of students is also being disrupted. Demonstrations are still going on in the Shahin Bagh area regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act. Due to which the roads there are closed. The roads there have been closed for almost 20 days. Due to which the people coming and going are facing troubles. BJP MLA's statement in Karnataka, says, "Let us not do 18% of 80%..." It has been learned that since the implementation of CAA, there has been opposition across the country. According to this law, non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh will easily get citizenship in India. Opposition parties and the Muslim community are constantly calling this law discrimination on religious grounds. Politics started on Abdul Sattar's resignation, Fadnavis says- "This is the beginning of the fall of Thackeray government" An industrial chemical has infiltrated the drinking water at a trailer park near Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter County, worrying residents, angering elected leaders and forcing state health officials to respond. Lab testing paid for by The Post and Courier shows tap water at the Crescent Mobile Home Park, a small community located directly next to the military base, contains significant levels of a chemical known as perfluorooctane sulfonate. The man-made compound commonly referred to as PFOS has been used by the military since the 1970s as part of a firefighting foam that service members routinely sprayed during accidents and training exercises. Last year, an environmental study by the Air Force found large concentrations of the same chemical in the groundwater under six locations at Shaw, one of South Carolinas largest military bases. That study noted how Crescent pulled its drinking water less than a mile from some of the highly contaminated groundwater. It also suggested the chemicals could have already spread off the base. Despite those warnings, neither state nor federal officials immediately moved to determine if the water at Crescent or other neighboring communities was tainted with the chemical. Thats why The Post and Courier conducted the testing itself. The newspaper obtained a water sample from the trailer park late last year, and hired researchers at the University of Rhode Island to test it for PFOS and a number of related chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS for short. Facts on PFOS and related chemicals Perfluorooctane sulfonate, also known as PFOS, is a man-made chemical that was used in a variety of proucts, including an industrial firefighting foam that was used by the military since the 1970s. PFOS is in a family of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Those compounds were also used in industrial processes to make things like non-stick pans, stain-resistant furniture and waterproof clothing for decades. Medical researchers continue to study the chemicals for potential links to high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, development issues, immunological problems, pregnancy-induced hypertension and kidney and testicular cancers. The EPA has yet to establish an enforceable limit what is known as a maximum contaminant level for the chemicals in drinking water. But the EPA has set a health advisory for PFOS and one other related chemical known as perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. The recommended limit for those two chemicals in drinking water is 70 parts per trillion. Some states established an even lower recommended health limit than the EPA, arguing small amounts of the chemicals might cause harm to human health. The lab results are a first in South Carolina: They show the drinking water at Crescent contains PFOS levels above an advised health limit set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA's recommended limit is 70 parts per trillion. But the water sample from the trailer park contained chemical concentrations of 96 parts per trillion. Jitka Becanova is one of the researchers at the University of Rhode Islands STEEP program, which specializes in sampling for PFAS chemicals. STEEP stands for "Sources, Transport, Exposure & Effects of PFASs." More testing would need to be conducted to definitively prove the PFOS in the drinking water came from the Air Force base, Becanova said. But it is a likely suspect, she said. Since this facility is so close, I would think it is the most probable source, she said. Concentrations like this are usually associated with some big source of the chemicals. In the short term, small amounts of the chemical are not life-threatening to people. The greatest concern with PFOS and similar compounds is long-term exposure, which is why EPA set the advised health limit for the chemical in 2016. The medical science surrounding PFOS is not completely settled. But researchers continue to study it for potential links to high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, development issues, immunological problems, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and kidney and testicular cancers. The compound can build up in peoples blood over time and is extremely difficult to clean up once it is released into the environment. Thats why environmental advocates are pushing for stricter regulations on the entire family of PFAS chemicals. "What we really need is to require government testing and monitoring for these chemicals," said Genna Reed, a policy analyst for the Union for Concerned Scientists. "Communities need assurances that their water is clean." The lab results could add to the mountain of liability currently facing the U.S. Department of Defense. The DOD continues to find PFOS and similar chemicals at bases across the country, including three other military installations in South Carolina. The Post and Courier shared its test results with the Air Force and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Dec. 30. Mark Kinkade, an Air Force spokesman, said the military would take The Post and Courier's lab results into consideration. But it would need to conduct its own testing at federally approved laboratories before it decides whether to replace the drinking water at Crescent, he said. That testing, he said, could happen at some point over the next year. DHEC, however, is moving quicker than that. The newspaper's finding prompted the health department to begin planning for its own water testing at Crescent within the next month. That's something the agency specifically declined to do on its own last year. "The health of our communities remains the top priority for DHEC, and we appreciate your assistance in bringing these test results to our attention," said Laura Renwick, DHEC's spokeswoman. The lab results from the state will be shared with the Air Force, Renwick said. And if PFOS is detected, state officials will decide what needs to be done to protect the health of the community. 'A proactive, measured approach' The Air Force already tested the six drinking water wells on Shaw Air Force Base, which more than 4,000 airmen and their families rely on for drinking water. All of those samples came back clean. But the military has been slower in checking the water systems that supply low-income and minority communities near the base. Last year, the Air Force said its focus was on conducting additional groundwater testing at the air base first. Then it would consider sampling the tap water for nearby homes, following federal procedures. "The Air Force is taking a proactive, measured approach to sampling off-base wells," Air Force officials said at the time. The Air Forces priority is protecting human health and drinking water sources, they added. The Air Forces environmental study from last year shows dozens of public and private wells are within a 4-mile radius of Shaw. The Post and Courier chose to test the drinking water at Crescent because it was specifically mentioned in the study. The trailer park's water wells are within a mile of three of the contaminated areas under the 3,569-acre air base. The newspaper also paid to sample the water used at the Ideal Trailer Park. That trailer park is less than a quarter-mile from another contaminated site near Shaws water treatment plant, but the lab results did not show any signs of chemical contamination in the drinking water there. Christopher Higgins, an environmental engineering professor with the Colorado School of Mines, was not surprised by the newspaper's findings. He's studied the movement of PFOS and other chemicals in groundwater. He said even a small amount of the firefighting foam, which is now being phased out by the military, can lead to significant chemical contamination in soil and groundwater. "This is a national-scale issue for sure," Higgins said. Grant Head just wants to know why there has been so little communication from the Air Force about the chemicals it found under Shaw and the potential threat it posed to his drinking water. Head has lived at Crescent for more than four years, and regularly drinks the tap water at the trailer park. He doesn't understand why the Air Force is taking so long to pay for its own sampling in nearby communities. "If there are questions raised, why wouldn't the water be tested?" Head said. The Air Force has promised on multiple occasions to replace drinking water sources, if significant contamination is found and the pollutants can be traced back to Shaw. That could involve the Air Force paying for an advanced filtration system to remove the chemicals from the drinking water wells. Or it could require the military to hook up communities to another public water source. Neither of those options have been implemented yet. A regulatory breakdown DHEC was also slow to respond to the groundwater contamination that was found under Shaw last year. The state agency initially argued the contaminated groundwater under Shaw didn't flow off the base exactly in the direction of Crescent and its water wells. And state health officials refused for months to sample the tap water at any of the neighboring communities around the Air Force base. They blamed the inaction on the federal government. The EPA has recommended limits for PFOS in drinking water. But federal officials have yet to actually set an enforceable limit for the compound. PFOS is considered an "emerging contaminant" by the EPA. It's one of thousands of industrial chemicals that are used in the United States but not routinely tested for in drinking water. But that hasn't stopped other states from responding to PFOS and other PFAS chemicals. Health departments in Michigan, New York and Minnesota, for instance, started wide-ranging programs to monitor for the chemicals in recent years. They investigated where the compounds were used in the past. And they started sampling water systems, large and small. A growing number of states also established their own standards for PFOS in drinking water, and set those limits even lower than the EPAs recommended 70 parts per trillion. Wendy Brawley, D-Hopkins, wants South Carolina to join that trend. "DHEC is our first line of defense to protect the people of South Carolina. We have to have a stopgap here to make sure we are looking out for the people in this state," said Brawley, who represents communities around Shaw. "I think DHEC needs to step up its regulatory and investigative authority." "This is America. We should be doing a lot better than this," she said. "We should not be allowing any entity, private or governmental, to be contaminating our environment." Brawley is concerned similar drinking water contamination might be found near other military bases in South Carolina. That's why she and several other state Democratic lawmakers sponsored a bill that would require DHEC to set a new limit for PFOS in South Carolina. That bill could be taken up by the South Carolina Legislature as early as this month, when state lawmakers reconvene in Columbia. Houston billionaire businessman Tilman J. Fertitta keeps adding to his mega-empire. Houston-based Landry's Inc.,, owned by Fertitta, has reportedly completed the purchase of Houlihans Restaurants Inc. restaurant chain, which filed for Chapter 11 protection along with more than 30 affiliates in Nov. 2019. Established in 1992, Houlihans is based in Leawood, Kansas and operates restaurants in 14 states including J. Gilberts, Bristol Seafood Grill and Devon Seafood Grill, along with 23 franchises that werent included in the filing. Houlihans Restaurants Inc. joins Fertitta's more than impressive ownership portfolio, which features Landry's, Inc., with more than 600 concepts nationwide including over 60 brands, four aquariums, 11 hotels, and two amusement parks. Fertitta also owns the Houston Rockets, Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels and 50 percent of Catch Restaurant Group. Along with Houlihans Restaurants Inc., see all the things Tilman Fertitta owns, according to a company representative, in the gallery above. Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter specializing in social media, the famous, and food. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The biggest-ever Australian military deployment for a natural disaster will be rolled out in coming days as fire-ravaged Victoria braces for a rising death toll and further property loss as conditions worsen. Authorities were warning on Saturday night that some of the roughly 40 fires in the state could burn for another two months, as Defence Force personnel made desperate attempts to rescue hundreds of people trapped in isolated communities in Victorias east and north-east. Fires turn Mallacoota skies to dark red. Credit:Justin McManus Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday authorised the deployment of up to 3000 defence reservists across three states to help with fire preparation and recovery efforts. On Saturday, Defence helicopters evacuated 50 people from Omeo in Victorias high country, where several fires combined to pose a new threat. About 350 people are still stranded in the town of Mallacoota, waiting to be evacuated. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan was his dedicated self as he shot for a tiring sequence for his upcoming film, Laal Singh Chaddha. A Mid Day report has claimed that he was on a constant dose of painkillers as he shot for a special sequence, running across India. Laal Singh Chaddha is an adaptation of Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis multiple Oscar-winning film which released in 1994 and starred Tom Hanks with Robin Wright. Aamir used to jog for 10-13 km every day as he prepared for the sequence. A source told the tabloid, Aamir sir was shooting for a special sequence where he had to run across the country. The physical exertion was a lot due to the constant running, but we were on a fixed schedule. Aamir sir did not want to stop shooting since his bearded look had to be maintained throughout the sequence. So, he would consume painkillers and continue filming. This shooting schedule was on for around 10 days. Also read: Good Newwz box office collection day 8: Akshay Kumar-Kareena Kapoor film earns Rs 136 crore in India Aamir covered the whole of India for this portion, running in the heartlands of states in the North and South. He ended the shoot in Bengaluru, the source added. In an earlier interview with Hindustan Times, Aamir had talked about the challenge of filming the parts where he is supposed to be running at the age of 50. Asked if he found the role, which was originally played by a 30-year-old Tom Hanks, challenging, Aamir said, Not really. [In Forrest Gump] if you see each running shot, its not more than 30 seconds. Woh cut karke sequence mein lagta hai ki woh char saal bhaga. So, thats not a worry. The challenge is actually getting the sur of the character right. Aamir reportedly lost 20 kilos to play the younger version of his role in the film. Directed by Advait Chandan of Secret Superstar fame, and written by Atul Kulkarni, Laal Singh Chaddha will release on Christmas 2020. The film also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan. Aamir is co-producing the Hindi adaptation along with Viacom18 Studios. Follow @htshowbiz for more Caught in the crossfire between US and Iran, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) remained silent on Trumps statement. Members of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force step on a makeshift US flag with a caricature of President Donald Trump during the funeral procession of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (poster left) and Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani (poster right) in Baghdad. (Photo: AFP) New Delhi: United States President Donald Trump on Saturday tried to justify his administrations unilateral action to kill Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in an air strike at Baghdad airport on Thursday by claiming that the slain Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander had contributed to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. President Trump, however, did not elaborate what exactly he was referring while invoking India and Britain. While his statement was immediately rubbished by Irans ambassador to India, there was no reaction from the ministry of external affairs. The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani, Mr Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London, Mr Trump added, sparking more confusion and doubt over his assertions rather than shedding light on the timing of his governments action that has dramatically escalated tensions between the US and Irans and sparked fears of an all-out war between the two countries. Irans ambassador in New Delhi, Ali Chegeni, rubbished Mr Trumps claim saying said that Iran and India share a very special relationship and Iran has never been involved in any terror activity anywhere. How can they (US) prove this (claim)? We have very special relationship with India and General Soleimani and his team had a special relationship on our exchange of security information with India, Mr Chegeni said. Caught in the crossfire between US and Iran, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) remained silent on Mr Trumps statement. India and US have several high-level security and intelligence arrangements and the statement by President Trump could be based on Delhi Polices claims in 2012 about the involvement of Irani secret agency in an attack on Israeli diplomats family in New Delhi. The incident took place in February 2012 when a motorcyclist attached a bomb to the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache posted in India while she was on her way to pick up her children from school. Delhi Police had in 2012 claimed that the blast was the handiwork of suspects believed to be part of Irani Revolutionary Guards Corps and had arrested an Indian journalist working for Iranian new agency. Israel too had blamed Iran for the attack and shared details with the US in this regard. India in a measured response had urged for restraint by all sides. The US on Thursday killed Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), an Iran-backed umbrella organisation comprising several militias in an airstrike in Baghdad. Dineshs visit to old Royal teacher Sivalingam prompts tears and cheers View(s): There was kudos for Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, within minutes after he tweeted that he had called on his former teacher when he visited Kallaru in Batticaloa last week. He found the time to do so during a three-day vacation he took in a coastal resort in Pasikudah. The tweet was accompanied by three photographs with a feeble V. Sivalingam fondly called Amude at Royal College, Colombo, in the 1960s. Tears welled into Mr Sivalingams eyes when he saw Minister Gunawardena. He reminisced about the school days. Minister Gunawardena said he became emotional after they recounted the past years. One twitter user said I am not a fan of yours but what you did is amazing. Showing gratitude to those who taught you is something everyone should do. Said another, In todays context, showing such appreciation amongst us Sri Lankans; is a very rare sighting. This is a very noble thing to do. Let appreciating the elders and people who taught us be one additional New Year resolution for us. There were many more. A third commented, It is a heart rending act. I am overwhelmed by this. See we are not different from you. We love education, agriculture, cottage industry, cultural arts etc. Very hard working and relentless people. Let us live together as Sri Lankans, let everyone to learn both languages. One other termed it a Royal gesture. Salute to you, he said. Sajith warmly greeted by Govt. MPs Newly appointed Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa received a lot of love from both the Government and the Opposition when Parliament met for its first session of the New Year on Friday. Even before he entered the Chambers, several Government MPs, including Education Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, greeted Mr Premadasa warmly when they ran into him next to the lifts reserved for MPs. Government MPs greeted Mr Premadasa with the words Vipaksha Nayaka Thuma (Opposition Leader). UNP MPs Ananda Aluthgamage and Ashoka Priyantha, who are now with the Government, were also seen greeting and offering him their best wishes. Newly appointed House Leader Dinesh Gunawardena too crossed over to the Opposition side at the conclusion of the Presidents policy statement to offer his congratulations to Mr Premadasa. Their New Year gift was a Kumbuk plant Yearend gifts are a tradition, so much so a couple, strong supporters of a ruling politico, waited for their gift. They had hopes that it would arrive colourfully wrapped with a ribbon around. There was no such thing. At delivery time, they received a sapling. Upon inquiry, they found that it was a young Kumbuk plant. Those trees go into giant sized ones and are classed as grade one timber. But the couple had a problem. They had no place to plant it. The only way was to demolish their little home. They decided to give the plant away. This year has been greeted by tree planting ceremonies after an appeal by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Bandula moves Akilas software project to his electorate It is not uncommon that ministers in power try to set up projects in their respective electorates as votes are more important than national interests. Few months ago, former Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam proposed to set up a National Content Development Centre to develop software in his Kuliyapitiya electorate. However, this week another proposal was brought to the cabinet that the project should be shifted to Homagama, the electorate represented by Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena. The reasoning was that the Kuliyapitiya area lacked facilities for such a project. The money for the project is due to come as a loan from the South Korean Government. Sirisenas wish on his letterhead Maithripala Sirisena wants to be always remembered as the sixth President of Sri Lanka. This is perhaps why his letterhead has listed a line under his name. It says sixth President of Sri Lanka. PM moves to save the children School children will not be called upon to take part in this years Independence Day celebrations at Independence Square. The move follows a wish by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, not to expose children for hours under the hot sun. He has also sought that ceremonies be restricted to two and half hours. An address to the nation by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, televised and broadcast live, will be the highlight of the day besides the armed forces and police parades. Welgama gets warm welcome from both sides Parliamentarians were in their seats ahead of time on Friday to hear the policy statement delivered by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. There were no gun salutes to warn or the clutter of an armed forces parade to sound a note of caution. Instead, there was a distraction of sorts minutes before President Rajapaksa walked in. It was the entry of former Transport Minister and UPFA parliamentarian for Kalutara District, Kumara Welgama. He sat in the opposition benches. He walked into Parliament chamber from the side door which was used by Opposition MPs. He then proceeded to a seat next to United National Party Kandy District MP M.H.M. Haleem. Mr Welgama had earlier asked for a seat in the Opposition benches in Parliament while most of his UPFA colleagues shifted to the Government side. Some members of the Opposition thumped their desks to welcome Mr Welgama. There were rounds of handshakes. Mr Welgama also smiled and waved to some of his UPFA colleagues who are now in the Government benches. State Minister of Industries and Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara was among the MPs who waved back. Vegetable news on railway public address system At the Fort Railway Station, public address system announcements are no longer about arriving or departing trains only. Railway Services State Minister C.B. Ratnayake has made sure there are now announcements when economy packets of vegetables arrive for sale. This is to remind passengers to buy them at a lower price before they board trains. Political son, biological son: First crossover at new session of Parliament The first crossover of the fourth session of the eighth Parliament occurred on the first day itself when newly sworn in United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Ratnapura District MP Waruna Priyantha Liyanage sat in the Opposition. Mr Liyanage had taken oaths to fill the seat left vacant by the demise of Ratnapura district UPFA MP Ranjith De Zoysa. He initially took a seat in the Government side before crossing over and sitting in the Opposition. He had contested 2015 General Election from the UPFA and polled the next highest number of votes after Mr De Zoysa. He, however, is currently the United National Partys (UNP) organiser for the Nivitigala electorate. He had crossed over to the UNP during the 2018 constitutional crisis. Making his inaugural address to Parliament from the Opposition benches, Mr Liyanage stated he considered it destiny that he had been elected to fill the seat left vacant by the late Mr De Zoysa. It was my father who brought him (De Zoysa) to politics. He was my fathers political son. It has to be the destiny that the seat left vacant by his death is now being filled by his biological son, he said, adding that he would work to make Sajith Premadasa Prime Minister. Sri Lanka's Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane will travel to India for his first official visit abroad on January 9, a media report said on Saturday. He would be in India for a couple of days, The Daily Mirror newspaper reported. The details of his visit was not made public. It has been a practice for Sri Lankan Foreign Ministers to visit India for their first visit abroad. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited New Delhi soon after assuming office and held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajapaksa, 70, a former military officer, was sworn in as Sri Lanka's seventh President on November 18 after he defeated the ruling party candidate Sajith Premadasa by more than 13 lakh votes, marking the return of the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty. EDWARDSVILLE Concerns over a third DUI charge for former U.S. Attorney Stephen Wigginton led to some heated discussion at the Madison County Boards Judiciary Committee meeting Friday. Officials with the Madison County Circuit Clerks Office said they would be closely following the case and have put new practices into place to avoid errors like the one that allowed Wigginton to get his drivers license back after his January 2019 arrest for DUI, his second in as many years. This comes as Wigginton received another DUI charge on Dec. 26. He pleaded guilty to a 2017 DUI in Troy, and his second case is still pending. Madison County Circuit Clerk Mark Von Nida immediately addressed the issue when asked to update the committee on the offices issues. Traditionally each department head under the committees jurisdiction will speak or submit a report at the meeting. The man seems to be spiraling into a dark place, he said, adding it would not end well. He also noted that the clerical error that allowed Wigginton to keep his license has been fixed but became defensive later in the meeting. Wigginton, who gave an address in the 8100 block of Lancashire, Edwardsville, was charged Dec. 26 with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident after an incident at Illinois State Route 157 and Club Centre Court in Edwardsville. According to police reports, at about 5:30 p.m. Wigginton was driving a gray 2019 Jeep when he struck another vehicle. According to a report filed by the arresting officer, Wigginton admitted to being involved in a motor vehicle crash. The officer also noted a strong alcoholic smell and Wigginton failed a field sobriety test. The document also stated that Wigginton refused to submit to a breathalyzer test at the scene, but later tests showed a blood alcohol level of .23, almost three times the legal limit. Because he refused to submit to the full testing, Wigginton was forced to surrender his license, and faces a minimum 12-month suspension of his driving privileges. According to court documents he is set to appear in court at 1 p.m., Feb. 5. Wiggintons first DUI arrest was in May 2017 in Troy. In July 2017 he pleaded guilty to DUI and was fined $1,500 and placed on court supervision. The other charges were dropped. Wigginton served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois from August 2010 to December 2015. Because he had been a part-time assistant states attorney for Madison County, a special prosecutor had been appointed for his two previous DUIs. Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons said the newest case also will be handled by a special prosecutor. Wigginton also was named as having committed misconduct while in office after an investigation by the U.S. Justice Departments Office of the Inspector General (OIG), for having an affair with a subordinate. The Justice Department originally made the announcement in May 2017, but did not name the U.S. attorney. At the time it noted that the U.S. attorney had retired from federal service following the start of the OIGs investigation. Wigginton was eventually named after BuzzFeed News went to court and a federal judge found that the publics interest in bad behavior by top government officials outweighed their right to privacy, according to a story later published by BuzzFeed. In May 2019 U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick approved an order forcing the Justice Department to name the attorney, Wigginton, but allowed the other persons name to be withheld. Several issues related to Wiggintons DUI cases were discussed Friday. At one point Committee Chairman Mike Walters, R-Godfrey, asked why Wigginton was not charged with a felony after his second arrest. Gibbons, who had noted his office has nothing to do with the case, said there are several factors relating to felony charges on a second DUI case, but it was noted by others in the room that a conviction on his second DUI would probably mean the third case would be upgraded to felony level. One person not commenting on the issue was Chief Circuit Judge William Mudge, who noted when his turn came to speak that he could not comment on any pending case and had considered leaving the room when Wiggintons recent case came up. Von Nida became defensive after board member Phil Chapman, R-Highland, made several comments, referring to Wiggintons vehicle as a two- or three-ton missile hurtling down the highway. For Gods sake, I stood there and let you berate me for two hours, Von Nida said, referring to criticism after the Circuit Clerks Offices mistake became public. I took responsibility for the mistake. Later, board member Chrissy Dutton, R-Bethalto, who had been critical about the situation, told Von Nida, You were elected to take responsibility. Board member Ray Wesley, R-Godfrey, who was not a member of the committee, but attended Fridays meeting, asked if an outside audit of the Circuit Clerks Office that board member David Michael, R-Highland, asked for had been performed. Von Nida said that the Bond County Circuit Clerk reviewed the offices protocols, and determined it was an isolated incident. Wesley said that the Bond County review did not meet the standard of an outside audit, and Von Nida responded by bringing up forensic audits performed on various issues by former Madison County Republican Party Chairman Jeremy Plank. Wesley told Von Nida he was out of order, then board member Mike Parkinson, D-Granite City, objected and also was called out of order, with Wesley shutting down discussion on the topic. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. The Bigg Boss 13 house is witnessing a lot of love as well as hatred in the air. Exes Madhurima Tuli and Vishal Aditya Singh have completely left their fans confused as to whether they have feelings for each other or are not together anymore. The episode aired on January 3 saw Madhurima taking personal jibes at Vishal. ALSO READ | Bigg Boss 13 Ex-contestant Hina Khan's Video Reveals Some Unknown Facts About The Show Vishal vs Madhurima The housemates were visited by Prem Jyotish, who talked to all the contestants about their possible future. Madhurima and Vishal were also told about their futures. After he leaves, Vishal, Rashami, Asim and Madhurima can be seen talking about what Prem Jyotish said. Vishal talks about how he always believed that he is capable of doing something great, which is something that Prem said. ALSO READ | Bigg Boss 13 Contestant Sidharth Shukla And Others Target Madhurima Tuli Vishal then shares that he always had a project in mind when it comes to his state Bihar. Vishal tells his friends that he wants to make the state of Bihar 'dowry-free' as the practice is prevalent in the region. To this, Madhurima says that he first needs to stop asking for money from his girlfriends for his Maldives vacation. This angers Vishal and thus begins their fight. ALSO READ | Bigg Boss 13 Contestant Siddharth Shukla Is Trending On Twitter As '#WinnerSid' While Vishal is trying to defend himself, Madhurima makes yet another comment on Vishal. She says that while the two were dating, there was never a time when Vishal paid the bill. She said that whenever the waiter used to bring the bill, Vishal used to make the excuse of going to the bathroom. Vishal hits back at her and says that if this is true, then Madhurima can hit him on his face with chappals. Asim and Rashami try to calm down the situation, but Madhurima further says that Vishal's dream girl is someone who earns so that he can sit and enjoy at home. ALSO READ | Bigg Boss 13: Sophiya Singh Writes Sweet Note For Paras Chhabra, But Points Out 'bad Side' Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. Iran has accused Germany of supporting US governments terrorism, according to Mehr. In a statement late on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Germanys comments on the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by the US airstrike show Berlins distance from the realities of the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the German governments stance in backing the US beastly, unilateral, and internationally unlawful measures as some kind of collaboration in such courses of action. he said Such comments show Berlins distance from the realities of the region, and put the country, intentionally or unintentionally, in the same line with the US governments terrorism. A German government spokeswoman had said that the US assault was a reaction to military provocations by the Islamic Republic. The American action was a reaction to a series of military provocations for which Iran is responsible, Ulrike Demmer said during a press conference on Friday, Reuters reported. A flurry of protest have started across the United States following Friday's airstrike which killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and seven others. According to CNN, many of the protests are initiated by the 'Answer Coalition' -- an antiwar organization which started after the 9/11 attacks. A large number of demonstrations are taking place throughout the country, including Times Square, New York where protestors are seen holding the placards saying "stop bombing Iraq." On Friday, Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of an Iraqi Shia militia group, were among those killed by a US drone attack near Baghdad International Airport. Since then, Washington has been holding talks with leaders of various nations to discuss developments in the Middle East region and assured that Washington is committed to de-escalation of tensions in the region. US President Donald Trump called the attack a preemptive, defensive strike, while Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that Tehran will take revenge for what it views to be a heinous crime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After his purported statement in Sirsa that "kids of those who have paid their electricity dues shall be allowed to take government exams" invited criticism, Haryana Power Minister Ranjit Chautala claimed that he was "projected in a wrong manner" by the media. "My comment was projected in the wrong manner. All I said was there might be the possibility that children of power defaulters may not be allowed to give competitive exams. I said that in order to encourage the people to pay their electricity money on time," he said while speaking to media in Chandigarh. "The state government has no plans of imposing any such condition on the students of Haryana, nor there has been any such discussion on it at the cabinet level," he further clarified. He also informed media that 'electricity panchayat' is being organized at Hisar on January 5 to create awareness among the people about the mandatory requirement of paying electricity bills. In his concluding statement, the Haryana Power Minister said that he will "ask all Panchayat heads, local administration to educate villagers to pay their electricity dues on time. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Qaani also once traveled with Irans then-president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to several countries in Africa and South America. In 2012, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Qaani for overseeing the distribution of Quds Force funding to regional allies. He also was responsible for a weapons shipment to Gambia that was intercepted in Nigeria in 2010, the department said. Features Mysterious Signs of Impending China-Backed Railway Worry Villagers in Myanmars Shan State The towns of Muse, Myanmar (foreground) and Ruili, China (background), as seen from Muse in Shan State. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy LASHIO, Shan StateEarly one morning in late April, U Khu Phan was taken aback when some villagers showed up at his house with puzzled, worried looks on their faces. The local residents told the village administrator they had found a concrete block embedded in the ground in the middle of their village. Running to the location, he found the concrete block fixed in the ground nearly 30 feet from his home. It is also just 46 feet from a natural spring on which more than 1,000 residents of three villages rely for their drinking water, agriculture and daily use. The block turned out to be a marker for the proposed route of a nearly 414-kilometer-long, China-backed railway that will link Kunming, the capital of Chinas Yunnan Province, and Mandalay, the second-largest economic hub in Myanmar. The 13-inch-thick object used the Global Positioning System (GPS) system to provide geographical information. U Khu Phan did not know when the concrete block had been placed there, though he and some village administrators had been summoned to spend several weeks helping Chinese surveyors conduct a ground survey for the Muse-Mandalay railway project. General Administration Department (GAD) staff and ethnic organizations received an order in early April informing them that they would be required to cooperate with the surveyors and help them measure and observe the railway route from Mandalay to Muse. In our estimation, the railway will definitely pass through the middle of our village. So, it will divide the village, said U Khu Phan, administrator of Nam Hu village in the Nam Tun village tract in Lashio Township. Situated beside the Muse-Lashio highway, Nam Hu has existed for nearly seven decades, with Shan and Kachin ethnic people living together peacefully. With more than 200 households in the village, the majority of the people have made a living from subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry for generations. Some villagers grow seasonal crops and corn to sell to China via Lashio. Lashio is an important gateway for Myanmar-China border trade, serving as an economic and transportation hub as well as an important commodity distribution center in northern Shan State, more than 100 km from the China-Myanmar border. In short, for Nam Hu villagers, land and water resources are crucial for their survival, providing both their daily meals and incomes. As it mainly relies on agriculture and animal husbandry, they could not imagine giving up their farms and land for the railway project. Pointing to the mountains around the village, he said, The railway will also totally destroy the water resources, adding that villages have been reliant on them for nearly seven decades. The townships geographical nature doesnt permit villagers to dig wells for the water supply, as it lies in the highlands. We will be dead if they choose this route, he stressed. Since discovering the concrete block, and calculating the location of the village and natural spring, the concerns of Nam Hu villagers have gradually reached boiling point. We cannot let them use this route, said U Sai San Tun, a 65-year-old farmer from Nam Hu village. Railway portion of CMEC The US$8.9 billion (13.09 trillion kyat) Muse-Mandalay Electric Railway Project is a backbone project of the China Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), which is also an initial part of the strategic China-Myanmar High Speed Railway, which aims to connect Kyaukphyu in Myanmars Western Rakhine State with Chinas Kunming via Muse. The CMEC is a part of Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xi Jinpings signature foreign policy unveiled in 2013. The MoU for the corridor was signed between Myanmar and China in 2018. Muse sits on Myanmars border with Yunnan province in southwestern China, and is the largest trade portal between the two nations, while Mandalay is central Myanmars commercial center, so the railway could become a lifeline for China-Myanmar trade. Designed to reach speeds of 160 kilometers per hour (99 miles per hour), the electric rail will take only three hours to get from Mandalay to Muse. Currently, Mandalay is connected to Muse via Lashio by a national highway. The drive normally takes more than eight hours. The transport and communications minister has given full support for the project, saying that the railway is a priority project and a part of Myanmars national transport master plan. Myanmar expects it to facilitate exports to China, ease traffic jams on the highway, create jobs and attract technical know-how. The railway will pass through a total of 11 townships in Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, Naung Cho, Kyaukme, Lashio, Kutkai, Hsipaw, Nam Un, Theinni, Nam Hpak Ka and Muse in northern Shan State near the Chinese border. While the railway route has been finalized, neither side has made it public yet. Its still unknown how many people and households will be affected by the project. China Railway Eryuan Engineering covered the cost of the railways Feasibility Study (FS), which was submitted to the Myanmar government in April last year during Beijings 2nd BRI forum. The FS study included alignment measurements for the route, the number of stations, water samples, and earth, gravel and soil tests. The Myanmar government was earlier expected to make final decisions on the specific details of the construction by the end of 2019. However, it is still unknown if it has made any decisions. Local concerns Villagers in northern Shan State were unaware that the railway is a part of Chinese Presidents Xi ambitious plan to build grand infrastructure projects from Asia to Europe. During The Irrawaddys recent weeklong visit to potentially affected areas along the railway line, the majority of local people said they had received no specific information about the project, though they are increasingly fearful of forced displacements, farmland confiscations, losing water resources and the social impacts of the planned project. So far, no [government officials] have come to the affected villages to explain about the railway, said U Win Htein, the administrator of Man Paine Village Tract in Kutkai, another area the railway line would pass through. According to the document obtained by U Win Htein, two villages out of 12 in the village tract will be affected by the projects, and would face possible problems such as land confiscations, farmland loss and harmed livelihoods if villagers have to make way for the project. I would like to request the officials show transparency about the project. Now villagers are growing worried about land confiscations and other potential impacts of the project, U Win Htein said. In Kutkai, more than 100 households from Kaung Lain village in Mam Lone village tract have been living in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps for several months due to armed conflicts near their village. Adding to their dismay, their one-time homes face destruction to make way for the railway, as it would pass through their village. The Irrawaddy saw a concrete block embedded in the ground at the entrance of the village. Hkam Nat, who is in charge of the Taang (Palaung) Women Affairs Organization based in Kutkai, told The Irrawaddy that Kaung Lain villagers are worrying that their homes and lands will be grabbed by the local authorities in their absence. Those people already suffered ordeals both physically and mentally while they were running from armed conflicts. They should not have to suffer more because of the project, she said. Transparency issues In August, deputy general Manager of Myanma Railways U Ba Myint told the media the route has been finalized. Some township GAD officers have already obtained the details of the proposed railway routes in their townships, including details at the village level. The Myanmar government has been criticized by think tanks and civil society organizations for lacking transparency when it comes to the BRI projects in the country. Recently, Netherlands-based Translational Institute (TNI) said Myanmars government lacks transparency regarding BRI-related documents. The TNI pointed out that other governments like Latvia have publicized BRI-related documents on their official websites, whereas the Myanmar government has not yet made public BRI documents including the CMEC MoU and early harvest project lists agreed between the two countries, including the railway project. A lawmaker of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) serving in the Shan State parliament, Nan San San Aye, told The Irrawaddy that despite Chinese projects being geared up for implementation in Shan State, the state government has not yet discussed the project in the state parliament. The lawmakers do not have any information about the projects under the CMEC. There is no transparency about it. Actually, they need approval from the state parliament, Nan San San Aye said. We have heard many local concerns about the railway projects. We are planning to ask questions in the parliament, she added. Apart from transparency issues, local people feel left out of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. The EIA for the railway was carried out by the Ever Green Tech Environmental Services and Training Co. Ltd, a Yangon-based local company offering EIA services. Arranged by local general administration offices, and led by the officials from Myanma Railways, the EIA company and Chinese surveyors, the public consultation meetings were held in major cities in the project areas to explain the benefits and the environmental impacts of the project. Company adviser Dr. Kyaw Swar Tint told The Irrawaddy that it had held 19 public consultation meetings as of December last year in cities the railway will pass through. He said a scoping report was recently finalized for submission to the Environment Protection Department. However, local people including village administrators and civil society organizations told The Irrawaddy that the public consultations were done with a group of people who do not widely represent the affected local communities. Only a few elderly people and the local GAD staff from the affected villages were invited. Mostly, they talked about the benefits of the project; they rarely mentioned the environmental impacts, said Mai Myo Aung, a lawyer in charge of a Taang Legal Aid Network based in Lashio. The Legal Aid Network has been giving legal support to local people who have faced legal action for their resistance to other Chinese investment projects like dams and oil-and-gas pipelines. For the railway project, the lawyer said, the local authorities mostly invited officials from the GAD, rather than people who would be directly affected by the project. He said he saw some people in Taang costumes at the meetings. But they were not the people from the would-be affected villages, despite their appearance. The costumes are just for show, Mai Myo Aung said. I am concerned that our people are not well informed about the impacts. As a result, they will suffer, he said. The EIA company told The Irrawaddy that the team has discovered that some major environmental and social impacts are likely, including the loss of protected forests and watersheds, waste problems, noise and air pollution, as well as land confiscations, loss of livelihoods and other social problems caused by the massive migration that will likely be prompted by the railway project. According to the feasibility study, 60 tunnels, 124 bridges, 724 road crossings and 36 stations will be constructed along the railway. Dr. Kyaw Swar Tint said land confiscation will be the biggest problem, as most of the project areas will pass through villages and farmlands. However, he declined to say how many villages or how much farmland would likely be affected. Even those who did appear at the consultation meetings were curious about the number of people that would be displaced, the amount of farmland that would be seized, and the specific areas that would be used for the project. But neither the authorities from Myanma Railways nor the EIA company answered their questions properly. The administrator of Naung An Village from Hsipaw Township, U Myint Htay, said, The meeting was just a waste of our time. According to documents from the township administrators office, the railway will pass through Naung An Village, which has more than 90 households. U Myint Htay said that despite peoples concerns over land compensation, the real issue in the long term was the sustainability of their livelihoods. We are just farmers. We only know how to cultivate crops. The compensation will run out in a short time. After we run out of money, what will we do for a living? I am concerned that we will lose our livelihood forever, he stressed. Making matter worse, the majority of the would-be affected villages along the railway do not have land ownership certificates to prove their rights, despite having lived on and cultivated the land for generations. In Myanmar, mostly in ethnic areas, people customarily use a shared land ownership system that includes freehold lands, community forest reserves and customary tenure for rotational farming practices. Under the National League for Democracy government, the newly amended 2018 Vacant, Fallow and Virgin (VFV) Lands Management Law has been criticized by ethnic people for failing to recognize ethnic customary tenure. The ethnic people say the legislation forces existing land users to give up their customary land rights and apply for a 30-year land-use permit, or risk being charged with trespassing. The NLD set a deadline of March 11 to register vacant, fallow and virgin land for use by agribusiness in accordance with the VFV Law. The law imposes a two-year prison sentence on anyone found living on VFV land without a permit after the deadline. Customary land use refers to either informal or traditional use of upland or lowland areas. However, the law does not provide an official process for recognizing and registering customary land. According to data released by the Mekong Region Land Governance Project survey in February, 95 percent of people living on VFV land had no knowledge of the law, and a majority of ethnic people missed the deadline. Mai Myo Aung said, It is very difficult to negotiate the proper compensation without having ownership documents. The majority of people usually practice customary tenure. According to the newly amended law, all the lands [including homes and farmlands] here could become VFV. I am concerned that they [the railway developer] will have the upper hand when we negotiate the compensation, as the locals do not have official documents, he said. At the public consultation meetings, the officials from Myanma Railway said they would set up a team to handle property compensation, but they did not say how they would compensate the majority of people, who do not have official land ownership documents. We will carefully watch the project process. If we find out the locals have not received proper compensation, we will offer them legal help, Mai Myo Aung said. Further north in Muse Township, the railway lines final stop on the Myanmar side, another concrete block was placed in the middle of the village of Maw Tawng. If the railway is constructed on that route, the village will face the same fate as other villages on the route. The locals expressed their concerns, including that water resources will be destroyed, as more than 1,200 people rely on them for drinking water, farming and daily use. Maw Tawng villager Mai Aik Aung, 35, said opinion was divided among locals as to whether to support the project or not. However, the trader said the majority of people dont accept it. Since we dont have enough information, we will wait and see their next move, he said. Even as they fail to keep local people fully informed about the project, officials from Myanma Railways urge local people to accept it, saying it will benefit them economically. In videos of the public consultation sessions in Pyin Oo Lwin in August obtained by The Irrawaddy, U Htay Hlaing, Myanma Railways assistant general manager said: It would take only three hours [to get] from Muse to Mandalay. The flow of trade and people will be faster and more convenient. It will be a very beneficial project for the country. The Chinese media have also mostly praised the railway, saying it will create jobs and benefit locals economically. Then Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang said in May last year that as most of the Myanmar population lives in rural areas and most of the agriculture products can be exported to China, he was confident that many farmers would benefit from the railway project. Chinese people will also be encouraged to visit Myanmar, he said. However, such praise does not impress the locals. We are not interested in the benefits of the railway. We are worried about our homes and farmlands, said U San Pia, a farmer from Nam Tun village tract in Lashio. It is not possible that the railway carries economic development to our village. I am just a farmer. I sell crops to the traders. The traders export our crops to China. I think the traders and the Chinese will benefit from it, he added. In discussions of the possible economic development brought by the railway line, some locals also questioned whether a railway is actually needed for the people in the affected areas. U Win Htein said, We have to think about whether its worth it. Because we will lose our homes, farmlands, water resources and natural resources. I bet the Chinese will get more benefit than us, he said. Besides land grabbing and losing water resources, the local farmers have another serious concern: the expected influx of Chinese migration, and resultant human trafficking, drug abuse and exploitation of natural resources. The administrator of Nar Kun Long village tract in Lashio, Brang Mai, told The Irrawaddy, They dont have moral ethics. They only look out for their own interest. As a normal citizen, I do not want to see a massive influx of Chinese migrants or visitors to our state. The more Chinese, the worse consequences we experience. It is like sacrificing many people for one [groups] benefit, he said. Experts are also concerned that the railway could inflame military tensions as it will pass through ethnic conflicts areas. In August last year, deadly fighting between the Myanmar army and ethnic armed groups broke out in northern Shan State. Our state is the most crucial place for all the Chinese projects under the CMEC. The government should suspend all the mega-projects until peace prevails in the region, Mai Myo Aung said. When the projects come while there are conflicts, people will suffer more, Mai Myo Aung said. The lawyer said that people have suffered enough from the effects of previous Chinese projects including dams and oil-and-gas pipelines. They shouldnt open old wounds by implementing new projects, he said, referring to the railway project. In late November, hotels in Lashio were fully booked by Chinese officials and investors attending the 1st Myanmar (Lashio) and China (Lancang) Industrial Zone and Trade Fair. Banners announcing the trade fair were displayed downtown. With an agenda to promote cooperation in agriculture, tourism, production capacity, infrastructure and industrial parks, the trade fair was attended by U Than Myint, the Union Minister for commerce, and officials from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar as well as nearly 50 Chinese enterprises. During the ceremony, Chinese officials pushed the Myanmar government to implement the Muse-Mandalay railway as soon as possible to promote trade cooperation, while the Myanmar government demanded a fair border trading system between the two countries. In response to the Chinese officials push, local environmental organization the Heartland Foundation and nearly 20 civil society organizations recently set up a core team to monitor CMEC activities across Shan State. The team is planning not only to observe transparency issues, and social and environmental impacts, but also to raise awareness about the railway projects among locals. The project officer of the foundation, U Aung Myo Htun, told The Irrawaddy that it will carefully examine the activities of the projects, especially transparency issues, locals concerns, and the environmental and social impacts of the projects and observe whether the projects benefit or harm locals. Meanwhile, the lives of Nam Hu Village administrator U Khu Phan and his fellow villagers are dominated by worries: they fear the destruction of their village and water resources, and of the farmland they have been tilling for generations. As long as they keep the project a secret, the doubt and concerns will keep growing among the people. It is not a good sign for either the Myanmar or the Chinese government, U Khu Phan said. What if it proceeds without local consent and in secrecy? If they do something on the ground without explaining it, the locals will resist it violently, he warned. You may also like these stories: China Quietly Pushing Myanmar to Back Its Development Plan for Irrawaddy River Myanmar Watchdog Criticizes So-Called Public Consultation Process for Chinas BRI Project Potential Environmental and Social Impacts of Chinese Mega-Projects in Myanmar Raise Concerns Climate activist Greta Thunberg before she begins her voyage to the US from Plymouth on the Malizia II, to attend climate demonstrations in the country on September 20 and 27 and speak at the United Nations Climate Action Summit. Climate activist Greta Thunberg changed her Twitter name to Sharon after a Celebrity Mastermind contestant failed to identify the Swede. Casualty actress Amanda Henderson was appearing on the TV quiz when host John Humphreys asked her: The 2019 book entitled No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference is a collection of speeches made by a Swedish climate change activist. What is her name? Henderson, who plays nurse Robyn Miller on the BBC 1 series, shook her head before answering: Sharon. Expand Close Casualty actor Amanda Henderson appears on Celebrity Mastermind (BBC iPlayer/Hindsight Hat Trick) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Casualty actor Amanda Henderson appears on Celebrity Mastermind (BBC iPlayer/Hindsight Hat Trick) The clip went viral on social media before Greta changed her Twitter username accordingly. January 3 also marked her 17th birthday, prompting Twitter users to tweet greetings to Sharon rather than Greta. Labours Stella Creasy was among the prominent names to heap praise on the teenager, tweeting: Heh-shes definitely got game along with three applause emojis. Our First Amendment means that, even though the Supreme Court found a constitutional right to same sex marriage, that new right applies only to the government's relationship with citizens. From Obergefell forward, to the extent states and the federal government recognize traditional marriage, they must also recognize same sex marriage. Thanks to the First Amendment, though, religious institutions cannot be forced to change their doctrines to conform to the Supreme Courts holding. In the case of the United Methodist Church, the church opted not to recognize (or officiate at) same sex marriages. It also has refused to ordain openly gay people to the clergy. Many within the church objected to this stance, a position that led to continued debate. That debate has now resulted in a formal agreement in principle to divide the church in 2020: The plan, if approved at the church's worldwide conference in Minneapolis in May, would divide the third-largest U.S. Christian denomination into two branches: A traditionalist side opposed to gay marriage and the ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clergy, and a progressive wing that will allow same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy. The split would affect the denomination globally, church leaders said. The United Methodist Church lists more than 13 million members in the United States and 80 million worldwide. In their Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation, a 16-member group of church bishops acknowledged that there was no way to reconcile the churchs differing factions, citing fundamental differences regarding their understanding and interpretation of Scripture, theology and practice; a failure at a February 2019 conference to resolve the differences; and the fact that the church and its members are at an impasse, the Churchs witness and mission is being impeded, and the Church itself as well as its members have been injured. Based upon these findings, the bishops concluded the only thing to do would be to separate. This formal move will address whats already proven to be an informal exodus from the Church. The Reuters article quoted above notes that, in Katy, Texas, outside of Houston, Grace Fellowship UMC, which has almost 3,000 members, voted to leave the United Methodist Church to ensure that their more traditional views about marriage would be honored. As with the best divorces, the parties promise an amicable separation. The Protocol of Reconciliation sees the bishops representing the different factions agreeing that neither side will try to undermine the other but, instead, both will make their best efforts towards a smooth division of the church as a whole, including assets, according to the desires of local parishes. This agreement constitutes a triumph of American religious liberty. In the past here in the West, people did not have peaceful splits over doctrinal differences. Instead, those differences led to religious wars that bloodied nations for centuries. And of course, in the case of the thousands of religious dissenters who came to Americas shores, the differences led to the founding of a new nation, conceived in a type of liberty no one had previously imagined. The United Methodist Church deserves congratulations for gracefully achieving something that was once impossible to imagine: a bloodless religious schism. In Hollywood and foreign cinemas, actors are seen performing new acts. But the makeup artist of Kuwait, Gahdir Sultan, did such a thing. Because of which she is facing opposition. Ghadir Sultan, a makeup artist from Kuwait, has been accused of racism. Makeup artist Sultan posted a video and picture on her social media account Instagram. In this picture, she showed herself in black color through makeup. After this, the critics condemned her for posting such a picture after she was white, accusing her of racism. This video of her has raised a new question on social media that after all why did she share videos like this. This Hollywood actress engaged with Thomas Kell On Wednesday, Sultan posted a short video clip on her Instagram page. After whose live, she came under the target of reviewers. Through the comments, she has faced the different processes of people. While the song 'We Are the World' is playing in the background of this video, different colors of the face is seen. Hollywood singer Katy Perry spoke superbly about the environment After sharing the video, she posted a picture of her in blackface, which has received more than 44,000 likes. After this picture, some people condemned her and some even were seen standing with her in support. Sultan has more than two million followers on Instagram. To reply to petrol, she posted another picture of herself in blackface. In whose caption she wrote - 'She is not racist. It is expected that their answer will be enough for the reviewers.' Hollywood actress Emma Willis hopes to return to 'Big Brother' The fact that hell was not built in a day, and that language was an important auxiliary in its construction, naturally enough makes us think of our own linguistic situation. In a world of continua, there are slippery slopes everywhere, and not all of them by any means are slid down. In fact, it is no easy matter to distinguish those that will be slid down from those that wont, and perhaps people who turn out to have been right in their prognostications have been lucky rather than insightful. After all, if you predict enough things, some of them will come true. I have often wondered whether successful investors are clever or are merely at one end of a normal distribution, both success and failure being purely fortuitous. What one might call slippery-slope-ism depends upon the propensity to see analogy everywhere, but analogies are never exact, otherwise they would be repetitions rather than analogies. Whether a complex situation that has some similarities to some other complex situation in the past will go on to develop other similarities to it can never be certain. If situation a resembles situation b in respect of characteristic c, it is not necessarily fated to go on to resemble it in respect of characteristic d. On the other hand, to disregard analogies altogether would be foolish, but they are suggestive and sometimes minatory rather than predictive and probative. That is one of the reasons that I bought a book recently titled La Langue confisquee (Language Confiscated) by Frederic Joly, about Victor Klemperer, the German Jewish philologist who kept a diary from the beginning of the Third Reich to its very end, both him and his diary miraculously surviving not only constant interpellation by the Gestapo but the destruction of the city by firebombs. After the war, Klemperer wrote a book about the deformation of language by the Nazis as a means of indoctrinating and controlling the population; and at least, so it seems to me we are again entering an epoch of indoctrination and control by means of language. Of course, usage always changes and language is never static, but there are changes in language of two fundamental kinds, those that are spontaneous and those that are deliberate or programmatic. The latter are sometimes (not always) sinister, while the former are usually (not always) innocent. Spontaneous change can result in loss as well as gain, for example by the increasing use of the word disinterested for uninterested. This is a loss because it is not easy to find a synonym to replace disinterested in its old, and in my view correct, meaning. No doubt the very idea of correctness in meaning will offend some, the way that a word is in fact used being the only criterion of its meaning. Deliberate or programmatic changes are quite another thing, however. Their purpose is first to make a certain way of looking at the world, which would previously have been contentious or even repellent, normal, and then to make any other way of looking at the world impossible. Words and their meanings insinuate themselves into minds, and we all have a tendency to believe that whatever has a name must also have an existence. Repetition reinforces belief; in fact, Napoleon once said that repetition was the only rhetorical device that worked. A repetition of abstractions will eventually make those abstractions seem more real to the mind than any concrete example of those abstractions. Their purpose is first to make a certain way of looking at the world, which would previously have been contentious or even repellent, normal, and then to make any other way of looking at the world impossible. The temptation of those in power to misuse language is a very old one. In the Analects, written two and a half millennia ago, Confucius says that the first thing he would do to rectify the state was to enforce the use of the correct terms. Admittedly, the authenticity of the ascription of this sentiment to Confucius has been challenged, but that is irrelevant for my purposes here: it is undoubtedly very old, and implies the deliberate misuse of words. It would be comforting to suppose that the Nazi-style twisting of language began with the Nazi advent to power, but Klemperer, after long and deep study of the question, came to the conclusion that it started well before, during the Weimar Republic and even in Wilhelmine Germany before the First World War. For example, the charming expression life unworthy of life Lebensunwerten Lebens was coined in 1920 by a jurist and a psychiatrist. Hell wasnt built in a day. At the end of the war, Klemperer stayed on in Germany, in his home city of Dresden, which was then in the Soviet zone of occupation and what later became the German Democratic Republic (a perfect example of a political misnomer in itself). He was far too old to start a new life elsewhere; besides, he was restored to the university chair from which he had been removed by the Nazis, and he was allowed to publish his book on the language of the Third Reich, LTI Lingua Tertii Imperii (The Language of the Third Reich). He was fully aware that the Communists misused language in very much the same way as the Nazis, and though he was a member of the Party, and even a member of its fake parliament, he recognised both the symptoms and the underlying disease. The technocratic euphemisms, the Manichaean dichotomies, the gross exaggerations, the bad faith in every statement, the endless repetitions of evident lies, the denial of the right of reply, the insistence on outward agreement, the division of the world into false categories, all were very similar. The fact that hell was not built in a day, and that language was an important auxiliary in its construction, naturally enough makes us think of our own linguistic situation, Frederic Jolys book ends with reflections on the contemporary scene, but it is a strangely incomplete one. He is quite right about the language that managers of both public and private corporations now routinely use. Their language serves two purposes: first, it disguises the unpleasantness of what they do, and second it sets them apart as a caste, since no one but they has either mastered or would use this language, whose terms change frequently, the better to identify the inner core of those in the know, to sort the upper level goats from the middle and lower level sheep. In the "Analects", written two and a half millennia ago, Confucius says that the first thing he would do to rectify the state was to enforce the use of the correct terms. When, for example, a senior hospital manager announces the closure of a department in his hospital, usually for financial reasons, he will always claim to have been a passionate supporter to whatever it was that the department was supposed to do. Klemperer noted that in the word fanatical in Nazi Germany came to have a positive connotation, whereas before it had been negative; its new meaning was that the fanatic was prepared to give his all, his entire life, that of his family, for the supposedly transcendent cause, without hesitation or distraction by other considerations. Passionate bureaucrats are not as bad as fanatical followers of the Fuhrer, of course, but in their own small way they are ruthless and untruthful, and there is not much they would not do to further their ascension. I once asked a hospital manager, a fluent speaker of managerialese, that Lingua Tertii Imperii of all large organisations these days, what order from on high he would refuse to obey, and he found the question about as puzzling as if I had asked him why there is something rather than nothing. No closure of a department to which people have devoted their entire working life, no halving of any staff, is complete without the assertion that this is not so much an end as a beginning, an opportunity to seize or embrace new opportunities. The fact that people aged fifty or more usually dont find new work is not allowed to obtrude on the general uplift of the occasion. Even funerals these days often seem to partake of a managerial insistence that no downside (to use a managerial term) be permitted to intrude into the mind of the assembled company. So far, so good or bad. Frederic Jolys book ascribes the managerial distortion of language to what he calls neo-liberalism, again itself a misuse of language since, for good or ill, there is nothing in the least laissez-faire about our modern economic dispensation, which is manifestly corporatist rather than liberal. Yet the term neo-liberal has entered everyday vocabulary, at least of those who give any thought to such matters, as if it were indisputably accurate. The object of those who introduced it, I suspect, was to bring any kind of unregulated economic activity into disrepute. I do not think I have ever heard anyone talk of the advantages of neo-liberalism, let alone extol it: it is a term of abuse rather than descriptive of a phenomenon. Rather surprisingly in a discussion of the deliberate misuse of language in the contemporary world the subtitle of the book is Reading Victor Klemperer today is the absence of any mention of political correctness, which is, par excellence, an attempt to reform minds and souls through the imposition of a contrived vocabulary and way of speaking, for example by the appending of phobia to the name of anything in need of protection from supposedly bigoted criticism. A phobia is an irrational fear of something that is normally and by rational standards innocuous. A fear of spiders is irrational where spiders are not dangerous, as they can be in Australia (not to be wary of spiders in Australia would indeed be rash). I dare say most of us are at least slightly phobic of something or other. The term Islamophobia has been coined to protect Islam from any and all criticism. It is true that such criticism can be crude, without nuance and an excuse for insulting, hating, or persecuting individuals or great masses of people. It is true also that Islam as practised by a fifth of humanity contains many strands within itself, including quietist, and that Moslems as people must be distinguished from Islam as a religion. Nevertheless, no one who has not been brainwashed from birth could possibly read the Koran or many of the Hadith without severe criticisms arising in his mind. Nevertheless, no one who has not been brainwashed from birth could possibly read the Koran or many of the Hadith without severe criticisms arising in his mind. Nor could he read them without seeing a possible connection between what they contain and the acts of violence in their name of those who take them as holy writ and as inspiration for their own behaviour. The fact that other doctrines in history have been used to justify violence and cruelty (and how!) should not in the least be used as a pretext for protecting Islam from criticism. Tu quoque is not a defence against wrongdoing. The fixing of derogatory labels to those who do not accept current, and recently promulgated, orthodoxies, is a method of short-circuiting discussion and making them unassailable. For example, someone who questions the wisdom or rightness of homosexual marriage is at once counted among those bigoted persons who would neither socialise with nor employ a homosexual. But it is obvious that the conflation is employed only to make such questioning socially impossible, and to turn the person who persists in it into a social pariah, thereby serving as a warning to others. We ought not exaggerate, of course. Being at the top of a slippery slope is not the same as being at the bottom of it. A storm of indignation on social media, unpleasant as it may be for those who bother with them, is not the same as a visit from the Gestapo or being hauled off to the Lubyanka. Nevertheless, most of us now feel the necessity to censor ourselves, not in the way that we should always censor ourselves in order to avoid giving pointless offence to others or because the first thing that comes into our head should often not be given voice, but because we are afraid of the indignation of the mob the mob of self-righteous guardians of whatever is the latest moral enthusiasm of power-hungry intellectuals. A single word can destroy the reputation of a lifetime. Since few of us have little taste for martyrdom, prefer a quiet life to one of constant agitation, and are not monomaniacs determined to fight the latest ideological idiocy to the death, we become ever more inclined to withdraw into our private realms from which we can, at least for the moment, shut out the noise of the censorious mob. Two leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas were killed within a month of each other in 2004. (Photo Credit: Stock image ) Beirut: Killings of major political and military figures have been a recurring factor in the modern Middle East, often presenting a defining moment and changing the contours of history in several instances. Whether carried out by a foreign or domestic attacker, the slayings - including some high-profile assassinations - have had a huge, immediate and lasting impact. They have derailed promising peace efforts, fuelled tinderbox conflicts or ushered in new leadership. The killing of Iran's military figure - Major General Qassem Soleimani of the Revolutionary Guard's elite fighting force - in a US airstrike near the Baghdad airport on Friday could be such a moment as the region and world braces for Tehran's retaliation and a potential wider conflict that could draw in various nations and militias. Here's a look at some of the most significant deaths of key leaders in the Middle East since World War II. Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat and an UN mediator in Palestine, was killed in Jerusalem in 1948 by the Stern Gang, a group of Jewish militants that counted future Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir among its members. During World War II, he had negotiated and helped secure the release of thousands of Jewish prisoners in German concentration camps. The Swedish nobleman's efforts at forging truce followed by a formal peace after the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948 led to his death. King Abdullah I of Jordan was killed in front of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem at 1951 by an Arab follower of the former mufti of the city. King Abdullah had incorporated the portion of British mandated territory, including Jerusalem and what is now the West Bank, that bordered Jordan the year before. Following Britain's departure from Mandate Palestine, the mufti presented himself as the key driver of creating an Arab state in the territory and the Jordanian king was his political nemesis. The House of Saud suffered an assassination that sent tremors around the region in 1975 when King Faisal was killed by a nephew. He had been a strong proponent of Palestinian independence and leveraged Riyadh's oil clout against the US and other Western powers in the early 1970s. Just three years after formalising a peace treaty with Israel and sharing the Nobel Peace Prize with Israel's Menachem Begin, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and firm US ally was killed in 1981 by the country's Islamic Jihad group in a spectacular attack during an annual parade in Cairo commemorating the 1973 October war against Israel. The accord had infuriated Islamic groups who had been previously mostly pacified. Egypt has never truly emerged from the grip of autocratic rule, which continued under Sadat's successor Hosni Mubarak. There was brief hope during the Arab Spring uprising in 2011 but subsequent years of turmoil brought to power general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, whose government has cracked down on critics and dissent. Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was pushing on with what Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat called the "peace of the brave", based on the 1993 Oslo peace accords. Two years after the groundbreaking handshake on the White House lawn between the two men, Rabin was killed by an Israeli extremist opposed to peace negotiations with the Palestinians at a rally promoting the accords. Successive right-wing Israeli governments, which prolonged the occupation, and a weakened Palestinian leadership have overseen a process that was moribund and now effectively dead in the water after a series of moves by President Donald Trump have been widely perceived as favouring Israel and punishing the Palestinians. Two leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas were killed within a month of each other in 2004 by Israeli airstrikes. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was killed by a missile in his wheelchair after a prayer session in Gaza City. Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi was also killed by an Israeli missile in the car he was travelling in near his home in Gaza. Wars and convulsions of cross-border conflict have erupted several times in the years since. Israel is also believed to have been behind the 2008 car bombing in Damascus that killed Imad Mughniyeh, a top commander in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated by a massive suicide truck bombing on a Beirut seaside street in 2005, triggering an unprecedented mass uprising against Syria's occupation of Lebanon after Damascus was blamed for the killing. The Libyan chapter of the Arab uprisings sweeping the region in 2011 was the first to take a violent turn, spiraling into civil war with atrocities committed both by Moammar Gadhafi's forces and the popular opposition forces. The West intervened on the rebels' side, with punishing air strikes which proved a major catalyst to Gadhafi's fall. In gruesome images many around the globe saw in near real-time in the age of social media, Gadhafi was captured in his native city of Sirte by rebels from Misrata, a region that had suffered greatly at his hands. They humiliated him in his death throes. They then paraded his corpse for days so the nation would believe that the dictator was really dead. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Texas church shooting victims honored in vigil; church forgives shooter: 'The battle belongs to God' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Dozens of worshipers returned to West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, Monday night to honor two victims gunned down during the Lords Supper the previous day. The Texas church held a vigil to commemorate security guard Richard White, 67, and grandfather Anton "Tony" Wallace, 64, who were shot and killed by 43-year-old Keith Thomas Kinnunen during a worship service Sunday morning. The gunman was taken down by Jack Wilson, a 71-year-old firearms instructor. The Christian Chronicle reports that worshipers gathered in the church fellowship hall, next door to the closed auditorium where the shooting occurred, to grieve, pray and sing hymns including Amazing Grace, Precious Memories and It Is Well With My Soul. Outside the church, more than 100 came together on the lawn and in the parking lot to sing hymns and hear a message of restoration and forgiveness, according to the Star-Telegram. What happened yesterday is not something that we will ever be able to explain, senior minister Britt Farmer told church members. There is evil in this world, and evil took two of my dear friends yesterday. Not a bullet from a gun evil. Not ideology evil. Weve lost great men, he said, but added that the battle belongs to God. I love this community. I love this church. I love this state. And I love our country, and I love our freedoms. And Im not going to let evil take that away, he said. Kinnunen, who had a history of run-ins with police and troubles with drug abuse and mental illness, had attended the church before the shooting occurred. The church had previously provided Kinnunen with food on multiple occasions, but when he asked for money he wasn't given any, according to Farmer. Authorities say Kinnunen's motive remains under investigation. On the day of the shooting, Kinnunen slipped into the Sunday service wearing a long black wig, a fake beard, and a bulky jacket. This time, he pulled out a shotgun during the communion service and fatally shot two parishioners. During the vigil, Farmer described Wallace, who was killed as he served communion, as his best friend. Preachers dont have many best friends, Farmer said, according to The New York Times. If youve never been a preacher, you dont understand that. But he was my best friend, and he died saving lives. Mike Tinius, one of the churchs five elders, wrapped an arm around Farmer and led the church in prayer during Mondays service. With all of our hearts, we ache. And with all of our hearts, we love, Tinius prayed. What we feel as loss, we know is your gain. Guide us in how we handle the losses that your way be our way. The elder added, Father, we even grieve the soul of the one who wronged us. Another minister at the church, Jack Cummings, told FOX29 the church forgives the shooter for his actions. "We bear no ill will toward the individual, his family," he said. "We pray for the best for all of them. Wilson, who fatally shot Kinnunen within seconds of the attack, told NBC's Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate station KXAS Monday that he killed an evil on Sunday, not a human, and that that is how he's coping with what took place in the auditorium. "I dont feel like Im a hero. I feel like I did what I needed to do to stop an evil threat," said Wilson. On Facebook, Wilson wrote that the events at West Freeway Church of Christ put me in a position that I would hope no one would have to be in, but added that evil exists and I had to take out an active shooter in church. Im thankful to GOD that I have been blessed with the ability and desire to serve him in the role of head of security at the church, he wrote. I am very sad in the loss of two dear friends and brothers in CHRIST, but evil does exist in this world and I and other members are not going to allow evil to succeed. Please pray for all the members and their families in this time. Thank you for your prayers and understanding. Researchers are moving closer to a new approach for improving spinal fusion procedures and repairing broken or defective bones that avoids an over-production of bone that commonly occurs in current treatments. In a preclinical study, researchers significantly reduced undesired bone growth outside of targeted repair areas in rat femurs by delivering a potent bone-forming protein called bone morphogenetic protein, or BMP, using a new biomaterial made from heparin. A six-member research team - led by Marian H. Hettiaratchi, a bioengineer in the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon - described the approach in a paper published Jan. 3 issue of the online journal Science Advances. Hettiaratchi began exploring the use of heparin microparticles to deliver BMP as a possible way to stop abnormal bone growth more than five years ago while a doctoral student at the Georgia Institute of Technology under the mentorship of co-authors Robert Guldberg and Todd McDevitt. The traditional approach of using high doses of BMP alone has led to numerous complications in humans, including soft tissue inflammation and abnormal ossification. For the new study, Hettiaratchi and colleagues fed their earlier results from experiments done in both rats and test tubes into computer simulations to explore ways to adjust their heparin-based approach in animal testing with levels of BMP comparable to dosages required in human bone-repair procedures. We focused on using doses that were more clinically relevant. In humans, the typical treatment uses 0.1 to 0.2 milligrams of BMP per kilogram of body weight, so we used the same amount in the rats. Most research done in rats uses 10 times less BMP to repair bone, which isn't comparable to what's done in humans and doesn't exhibit the side effects of a clinical BMP dose." Marian H. Hettiaratchi, bioengineer in the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon Two different strengths of the combination were used, resulting in 40 to 50 percent reductions in abnormal ossification. The heparin microparticles contain heparin's long-chained linear polysaccharides, with sulfated groups which drive stronger binding affinity to BMP. The heparin and BMP, mixed in an alginate hydrogel, were injected into a nanofiber mesh tube - created in Guldberg's lab to isolate a repair area and unveiled in Biosciences in 2011 - already inserted into femoral defects in the rats. Human medical practices have relied on high doses of BMP injected into a collagen sponge, which leads to abnormal ossification in surrounding soft tissue as BMP rapidly escapes the sponge. The findings represent a proof-of-concept for fine-tuning the approach rather than a route into clinical testing in humans, Hettiaratchi said. The eventual goal, she said, is to create synthetic heparin-like microparticles that achieve the same results while avoiding potential side effects of heparin. "The problem with healing large bone defects clinically is that the BMP delivered using collagen sponges results in abnormal bone formation because the drug doesn't stay on the material," Hettiaratchi said. "Our new material retains much more of the BMP, keeping it localized. You don't get bone formation outside the targeted area." Hettiaratchi joined the UO after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto. Guldberg joined the UO's Knight Campus as executive director in August 2018. McDevitt is now in San Francisco, affiliated with the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and the University of California. At Toronto, Hettiaratchi began pursuing the development of a synthetic material to localize protein delivery that would avoid potential side effects from heparin, a widely used anticoagulant that prevents blood clots. None of heparin's long list of known side effects has been seen in the rats, she noted. Another potential problem is that heparin's numerous sulfate groups might bind to other proteins not related to bone repair. Ideally, she said, a synthetic heparin-like drug could be engineered to only bind to BMP. Such work will be the initial focus in her UO lab, which will open in early 2020. BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday urged relevant parties, especially the United States, to remain calm and restrained to avoid further escalating the current tensions in the Gulf area. Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked for comment about the death of Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport. The U.S. Department of Defense announced it conducted the strike as a "defensive action" against Soleimani. "China has always opposed the use of force in international relations, and insisted all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic norms governing international relations," Geng said. Iraq's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected, and the peace and stability of the Gulf area in the Middle East should be safeguarded, he said. A former gubernatorial candidate who is charged with shooting a process server cant claim immunity under the states Stand Your Ground law, a judge ruled Friday. District Judge Tracy Priddy rejected Christopher Barnetts motion to dismiss an assault and battery with a deadly weapon charge filed July 30 in Tulsa County District Court. We were disappointed with the outcome, Tulsa County Assistant Public Defender Jason Lollman said afterward. We thought that he had shown or demonstrated in court that he had a reasonable belief that he was in danger, but obviously we feel like we can show that to a jury, Lollman said. Barnett finished eighth out of 10 candidates in the 2018 Republican primary for governor, receiving 5,223 votes or 1.16% of the votes cast. Barnett, 36, was arrested late July 24 after home surveillance footage showed the process server being shot in his left elbow earlier that evening while he attempted to serve Barnett with a legal document. Scott Morrison says he will attempt to travel to India and Japan in the coming months after formally cancelling next weeks official prime ministerial visit. Mr Morrison personally called his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and Japans Australian ambassador on Friday night to postpone his trip amid a worsening bushfire crisis across four states. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison spoke on Friday night, agreeing to delay the Australian PM's visit because on bushfires. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen He said he was left with no option but to delay the visit and both nations understood the ongoing nature of the situation across Australia's eastern seaboard. Mr Morrison said his focus had to be on leading the Commonwealths efforts managing disaster relief and rebuilding infrastructure in co-operation with state governments. An auction that will turn a global spotlight on Ireland is one to look out for this year, says Des OSullivan One sale to look forward to in 2020 takes place at Sothebys in London on March 18 the day after St Patricks Day. It will focus global attention on the art and antiques of Ireland at a time when international buyers are playing an increasingly important role in many sales in this country. Jack Yeats and William Scott made art which could not be more different, yet together they represent the two hottest Irish artists in the salesrooms right now. Interior views of Number 44 Fitzwilliam Square. Both featured in the collection of late property developer Patrick Kelly, who furnished his Georgian home at 44 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, with an array of paintings spanning the 18th to the 20th centuries. These paintings were wonderfully complemented with fine Georgian and Regency furniture, silver and decorative arts, amassed by Kelly from auctions and dealers over the past three decades. On offer at Sothebys will be 120 lots from the estate of Patrick Kelly (1942-2011) who was one of our most successful property developers. Arabella Bishop, head of Sothebys Dublin office, said: I have known Patrick and his collection for many years. 44 Fitzwilliam Square was a truly stunning setting to showcase the paintings, furniture, and objects which he collected from around the world over a number of decades. In holding a dedicated auction, we are able to celebrate Patricks vision and look forward to sharing it with collectors not only in Ireland but internationally. The auction will offer art by George Barret, Roderic OConor, Yeats, Scott and others. Furniture highlights include a pair of George II Irish mirrors supplied to Sankey Winter, Dean of Kildare, and marquetry tables attributed to William Moore of Dublin. Sothebys says the collection reveals Patricks passion for Irish art and his discerning eye, with pictures and furniture beautifully married within the elegant surroundings of his Georgian home. Central to the collection are five paintings by Yeats, including The Showground Revisited, 1950 (150,000-250,000/170,000-282,000), and Young Men, 1929 (150,000-250,000/ 170,000-282,000), and an exceptional work by William Scott, Deep Blues (300,000-500,000/339,000-565,000). Al Pacino. Logan Lerman. Two of the greats, together at last! Today, Amazon released a full-length trailer for its upcoming ten-episode series about a group of vigilantes who take justice into their own hands on a mission to wipe out Nazis living in 1970s America. Or, as Pacinos Meyer Offerman puts it: You know what the best revenge is? Revenge. A story about sniffing out Nazis who live and scheme comfortably in plain sight and gloat that they can get away with anything in America is also, depressingly, as relevant as ever. Pacino plays the groups Holocaust-survivor kingpin, and Lerman plays the grandson of his late partner in righteous crime. The trailer claims that Hunters is inspired by true events, but the Simon Wiesenthal Center denies any ties to its eponymous Nazi hunter, who was certainly active when the series takes place. This series is the latest project from Jordan Peeles Monkeypaw Productions, which is also producing the upcoming Candyman remake starring Watchmens Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Oh, and we saved the best part for last: Can you say weapons expert Carol Kane? Hunters premieres on Amazon Prime Video February 21. Remarks by President Trump on the Killing of Qasem Soleimani January 3, 2020 Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach, Florida 3:13 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Well, thank you very much. And good afternoon. As President, my highest and most solemn duty is the defense of our nation and its citizens. Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Under my leadership, America's policy is unambiguous: To terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American, we will find you; we will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans, and our allies. For years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured, and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen. The recent attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honor the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities, and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over. Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently, Soleimani led the brutal repression of protestors in Iran, where more than a thousand innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people, with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change. However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end, and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran those who seek peaceful coexistence and cooperation not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad. The United States has the best military by far, anywhere in the world. We have best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that, in particular, refers to Iran. Under my leadership, we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently, American Special Operations Forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters. America will always pursue the interests of good people, great people, great souls, while seeking peace, harmony, and friendship with all of the nations of the world. Thank you. God bless you. God bless our great military. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you. END 3:18 P.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rose McGowan tweeted an apology on behalf of the US to Iran for disrespecting their flag and people. (AP) New York: Actress Rose McGowan on Friday defended a tweet that apologised on behalf of the US to Iran for "disrespecting their flag and people" in the wake of an airstrike that killed the country's top general. "I don't support Iran over America. I want America to be better," McGowan said during an exclusive interview with AP on Friday. Her tweet read: "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us." The head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, General Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US airstrike early Friday. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. McGowan faced outrage over her Twitter post, with some suggesting she move to Iran. She acknowledged that her tweet was unusual. "I woke up, I stupidly looked at Twitter. I was going to the bathroom, and I was like, 'what?'" She added that she doesn't believe the governments of either Iran or the US. "So, I just thought I would do something a little strange or unusual... bloodshed should be avoided if you can," she said. "And I kind of just thought, what if I take a really bizarre way around this. A very strange thought, I understand." McGowan, 46, who is known for her role in the Scream movie franchise, was one of the earliest of dozens of women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, making her a major figure in the #MeToo movement. Jury selection is scheduled to start this week in New York in a sexual assault case against Weinstein based on allegations from two other women. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty in that case and maintains any sexual activity was consensual. McGowan has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Weinstein and two of his former attorneys engaged in racketeering to silence her and derail her career before she accused him of rape. An attorney for the mogul has called the suit "meritless". The Charleston County School District is making major changes, changes supported by some community activists and organizations like the Charleston NAACP. They have also, however, infuriated some members of Charleston Countys legislative delegation, who are preparing legislation to undo or slow down the changes and to change how the school board is elected to make them more responsive to local parents and local schools. That swift and intense response surprised me. There was no legislative condemnation when the district closed Lincoln High School and bused displaced students as far as 30 miles to Wando High School. There were no threats of punitive legislation when the board renovated the Rivers school campus, evicted the Lowcountry Technical Academy and gave the campus to the Charleston Charter School for Math and Science. Whats different this time is suggested by another legislative proposal that would require public approval for the closing or merging of popular schools and magnet programs. Why was there no mention of public approval for the closing or merging of regular community schools or at risk schools? That suggests to me that the delegation is not bowing to pressure from the parents of children in at risk schools who struggle to make their voices heard but bowing to pressure from the parents of children in popular schools and magnet programs like the Academic Magnet High School and Buist Academy: parents who tend to be more affluent and overwhelmingly white. If my guess is right, then the proposed legislation is insulting, offensive and hypocritical. A district-commissioned Clemson University study affirmed that the Charleston County School District is solidly segregated with high-achieving magnet and charter schools that are overwhelmingly white, community schools that vary in ranking and at risk schools that are overwhelmingly black. The districts plan will give more young people an opportunity to attend high-achieving schools and will employ innovative means to turn at risk schools into achieving schools by making their student populations more academically diverse. The plan addresses the chronic and ugly legacy of racial division in one of the last school districts in the nation to desegregate. I know from personal experience that no parent embraces the disruption of their childrens educational environment. Its perfectly understandable that some parents are upset about aspects of the plan, but just as a broken leg has to be painfully reset to heal, a broken school district requires drastic action and a reset to heal. Editorial: Charleston legislators should do their job, let School Board do its job Opponents of the Charleston County School Boards effort to provide more and better opportunities for poor kids have been so vocal and vocifer Students in high-performing schools will benefit from having high-performing classmates who dont look like them, and strengthened community schools will bring achieving students and positive educational peer pressure back home. The plan is refreshingly unique for Charleston County because it impacts not just black schools but all schools and has the promise to academically benefit all of our children except in the politely bigoted eyes of those who think that black children cant achieve and are uncivilized. The latter possibility leads me to urge some angry and well-meaning parents to ask themselves: Am I resistant to change because I dont like the plan or because I dont want my child in school with some black children? The answer might lead to a bit of personal reflection and growth in a time when people love to talk about reconciliation. Editorial: What makes sense, what doesn't in Charleston schools overhaul The Charleston County school districts mission-critical proposals aim to use innovative approaches to improve the worst schools and diversify the best, while demonstrating that increasing diversity does not have to mean lowering standards. Some have said the district should focus only on failing schools. But schools dont fail; those who run them do. If most students left in failing schools struggle the most, the schools will continue to struggle. When schools have the right student population, sufficient funding and more academic diversity, then all students will benefit. Ive also heard it suggested that the district should slow down. Id remind them of what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: The time is always right to do what is right. Sixty-five years after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed separate but equal schools and decades after Charleston did as little as possible to desegregate, the time is now. Let the school district go forward, and give constructive input where needed. Our children deserve no less. The Rev. Joseph A. Darby is senior pastor of Nichols Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church and first vice president of the Charleston Branch NAACP. Contact him at josephdarby@bellsouth.net. Love Island's Grant Crapp Loses 'Everything' in Fire That Injured His Animals and Destroyed Home Love Island Australia star Grant Crapp is revealing the devastating aftermath of one of the countrys many fires. On Friday, Crapp, who had previously tried to fight off the flames from engulfing his home on the New South Wales South coast, explained he lost everything. Reality of the bushfires. Lost everything. Grateful that the people that matter are still with me, Crapp, 24, wrote alongside a slideshow of photos and videos, which show the horrifying damage done to his property. In addition to losing his home, Crapps animals were badly injured during the fire. In the first photo of the series, Crapps girlfriend Lucy Cartwright is captured feeding their horse, who is seen with bloody open wounds after suffering burns to the head. Next, Crapp shared a heartbreaking image of his alpaca. The animal is standing upright with its eyes closed as the entire bottom half of its body is completely charred. WARNING: Some readers may find photos below distressing Grant Crapp/Instagram Grant Crapp/Instagram In the video he shared, Crapp took fans inside his home as he sifted through his debris covered kitchen and living room. The reality star also shared what remained of his completely scorched backyard, showing a field of trees stripped of their leaves. Tragically after seeing what he could recover from his own home, another fire started up with the reality star sharing a photo of the sky turning ominously turning orange and writing Here we go again. Crapp further stressed the severity of the fires on his Instagram Story and urged residents to be prepared. RELATED: Father and Son Found Dead as Brush Fires Spread in Australia: Its Very Tragic Everyone in the south coast region please be ready. Batemans Bay Area this afternoon we are expecting gail force winds (north easterly, then sweeping back to a southernly, he wrote. Grant Crapp/Instagram Grant Crapp/Instagram Grant Crapp/Instagram Be aware of burnt trees. They will fall and will create havoc, blocking roads and potentially trapping you. Follow your safety plan and get out if you feel are under threat, he added. Story continues Crapp began documenting the fire which claimed his home on Monday, posting a terrifying video of smoke and embers as the fire closed in on his property. Crapp, who won the Australian version of the reality show in 2018, posted the footage to his Instagram Stories that showed smoke surrounding his home. We actually cant even breathe anymore right now, Crapp said in the video while trying to cover his face with his shirt. Grant Crapp/Instagram Grant Crapp/Instagram Its actually surreal to feel warm wind. And theres a fire thats three kilometers away, its f huge, so weve just had to evacuate, he continued in one of the videos. The actual wind is hot from the fire. Its so scary, he later added. Crapp said the smoke was affecting his vision, and later retrieved safety goggles to help him see. He then filmed himself using a hose to water the area around his property. What do you reckon, Lucy? Crapp asked his girlfriend in the video. Were in for it, arent we, sweetheart? In one of the stories, a helicopter is seen retrieving water from the ocean to help extinguish the approaching fire. The incident is especially harrowing as news.com.au reported that Crapp and Cartwright purchased the $770,000 home eight months ago. Grant Crapp/Instagram Grant Crapp/Instagram Grant Crapp/Instagram Caused by a heatwave, among other factors, more than 130 fires continue to burn across New South Wales and Victoria, leaving 17 people dead including two firefighters, Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew ODwyer and many others unaccounted for, as well as forced hundreds from their homes and left thousands stranded, CNN reported. RELATED VIDEO: Wildfires Are Sweeping Across California Causing Thousands to Evacuate Millions of acres of land across the continent have also been destroyed from the flames, including 8.9 million acres of land in New South Wales, 2.9 million acres in Western Australia, 1.9 million acres in Victoria, at least 618,000 acres in Queensland, and more than 225,000 acres in South Australia, according to CNN. On Wednesday one day after what was reportedly deemed the deadliest day of the fire crisis since its start Australia deployed military ships and aircraft to help victims and communities in need. A state of emergency was also declared in New South Wales in December, which gives the Rural Fire Service commissioner extraordinary powers to make decisions for using and allocating government resources, according to CNN. As of Thursday, there are 2,000 firefighters working in New South Wales alone, with additional help arriving from the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. RELATED: LaMelo Ball and Other Athletes Help Australia Wildfire Victims Including Native Nick Kyrgios Part of the heartbreaking death toll count includes 8,000 koalas from New South Wales, which equates to a third of the regions entire koala population. That figure is expected to increase as the fires worsen throughout the week. Ecologists from the University of Sydney believe 480 million total mammals, birds and reptiles have died since September, news.com.au reported. US President Donald Trump has said Iranian General Qassem Soleimani had made the death of innocent people his "sick passion" and contributed to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London, a day after ordering the drone attack that killed the powerful Revolutionary Guards commander in Iraq. Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. In his first comments since the killing of the Iranian military leader, Trump said that Soleimani had been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilise the Middle East for the last 20 years. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at his personal Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," he said. Trump said what the United States did yesterday should have been done a long ago. "A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government," he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad," he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies, Trump said. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen, he said in his remarks. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran. "Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters, the President added. The strike on Friday also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and some local Iran-backed militias. He was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran behind the Ayatollah Khamenei. His Quds Force, an elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, reported directly to the Ayatollah and he was hailed as a heroic national figure. Iran has pledged retaliation. ALSO READ: US-Iran conflict: India urges both countries to exercise restraint amid fears of regional instability ALSO READ: US-Iran conflict: Oil prices reach $69.50 per barrel; highest in more than 3 months ALSO READ: World War 3 trends on Twitter after US kills Iran's top commander Qassem Soleimani MUST WATCH: Top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani killed in US air strike An aircraft of Qatar Airway is about to take off from Hamad International Airport at Doha, Qatar. (Photo: AFP/VNA) The citys tourism department said increasing flights from Doha would help boost tourism and investment among central destinations in Vietnam, the Middle East and 150 global destinations of the Qatar Airways network. The airline also brought 170 tourists to the city on the first day of 2020. The Da Nang-Doha air route is the only direct flight from central Vietnam to Qatar and the Middle East, using the Boeing 787-8 aircraft with 254 seats. Qatar Airways began direct services to the southern largest economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City in 2007, and launched its direct flight to the capital city of Hanoi in 2010. Currently, the airline provides twice-daily direct flights to Hanoi and 10 weekly flights to HCM City. In 2017, Qatar Airways announced its interline partnership with Vietnam-based budget carrier Vietjet Air, allowing Qatar Airways passengers to travel to and from points in Vietnam not served directly by Qatar Airways using a single reservation across both airlines networks. In recent years, she has frequently appeared in feel-good Netflix films. And Vanessa Hudgens was spotted shooting the sequel to 2018 rom-com The Princess Switch titled titled Switched Again, in Leith, Scotland, on Saturday. The actress, 30, who plays two characters in the Parent Trap-inspired plot, and she looked stylish in a royal blue coat which she donned over a fluffy light-blue jumper. Stunning: Vanessa Hudgens put on a stylish display in a royal blue coat as she got to work on set of The Princess Switch: Switched Again in Leith, Scotland, on Saturday Vanessa tucked her jumper in a pair of dark blue trousers, while she completed her look by stepping out in a pair of grey suede ankle boots. She swept her raven tresses back into a chic ponytail, and wore a natural palette of make-up to accentuate her pretty features. The High School Musical star kept her accessories simple, as she wore a pair of stud diamond earrings and a matching engagement ring to transform into her character. While filming, Vanessa shot a scene where she walked along a busy street, and went on a coffee run. Glam: Vanessa swept her raven tresses back into a chic ponytail, and wore a natural palette of make-up to accentuate her pretty features In the film, Vanessa plays a princess named Duchess Margaret Delacourt and a baker named Stacey De Novo from Chicago who look very similar to each other. The first film sees the pair switch lives for two days, while the sequel finds the royal inheriting the throne to Montenaro and struggling to deal with the responsibilities and the rough patch she's hit with beau Kevin. As such, it's up to her look-alike Stacy to fix things, while another doppelganger, party girl Fiona, comes onto the scene and wreaks havoc. Getting to work: While filming, Vanessa shot a scene where she walked along a busy street, and went on a coffee run Her latest feel-good movie appears to mark a trend in the actress' filmography as of late, as her latest Netflix film, The Knight Before Christmas, sees her play science teacher Brooke, a woman from Ohio who accidentally runs into a literal knight, who's been transported through time. The Knight Before Christmas appears to follow in the footsteps of the 2001 film, Kate & Leopold and 2007's Enchanted. Kate & Leopold followed Hugh Jackman as a third Duke of New York, while Meg Ryan was the modern-day character. While in Enchanted, Amy Adams was a fairy tale princess who's sent to the modern world, and falls in love with Patrick Dempsey. A 65-year old farmer, who took part in the ongoing stir by ryots against the move to shift the Andhra Pradesh capital to Visakhapatnam, died of heart attack with the forum spearheading the agitation holding the state government responsible for it. Kommineni Mallikarjuna Rao (65), who took an active part in the protests for the past 17 days against the proposed relocation of the capital, suffered a heart attack at his residence in Dondapadu village late on Friday night and was rushed to a hospital. He died on Saturday morning, according to his nephew. The Rajadhani Parirakshana Samiti (capital protection committee) that is spearheading the agitation demanding that Amaravati should remain the capital held the state government responsible for the farmers death. Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu termed the incident 'sorrowful' and condemned the governments 'adamant' stance on the capital issue. Meanwhile, villages in the Amaravati region observed a bandh on Saturday protesting the alleged police highhandedness on agitating women at Mandadam village on Friday. Women and children of Mandadam took out a rally while farmers staged dharnas at Undavalli, Tulluru, Velagapudi and other villages. Villagers of the region debunked the report of Boston Consulting Group that said Amaravati was not fit for development as a capital city. BCG is fully bogus, the aggrieved farmers, who gave up their 33,000 acres of fertile agricultural lands for the capital, said. On December 17, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had mooted the idea of having three capitals for Andhra Pradesh, with the executive capital in Visakhapatnam, legislative capital in Amaravati and judicial capital in Kurnool, spread over the three predominant regions of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Beijing urges Washington "not to abuse force" and to seek solutions through dialogue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a call with his Iranian counterpart on Saturday, state media reported. "The dangerous US military operation violates the basic norms of international relations and will aggravate regional tensions and turbulence," Wang told Javad Zarif according to Chinese media, referring to the killing in Iraq on Friday of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) According to the statement, the suspects dropped bags they were carrying upon seeing the IDOT truck, then fled southbound. A K-9 team was called in from the Gurnee Police Department, which conducted a search beginning where the offenders dropped the bags and proceeding an eighth of a mile south to a concrete wall on the side of the tollway. Canberra, Jan 4 : Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled an official visit to India amid the ongoing bushfire crisis in his country that has so far killed at least 20 people and has destroyed thousands of acres of land. Morrison on Friday called his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the phone to inform him about the cancellation of his four-day trip which was to begin from January 13, Xinhua news agency quoted sources as saying. Morrison has called an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Saturday to discuss escalating the military response to bushfires, which were expected to be exacerbated by catastrophic weather conditions. "The role of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will become greater and greater in the days ahead, particularly when the things they do, the airlifting, the evacuations, the engineering support, the Aaccommodation, the evacuation centres," Morrison told the media here on Friday. "All of this (will) become more and more required as these fires get larger and larger." When asked if he has requested additional firefighting support from overseas, Morrison said "of course". Temperatures across Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), the two states that have been hardest-hit by the fires in recent days, were expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday. No change in TM30, TM28 reporting, says Phuket Immigration PHUKET: There have been no changes to requirements for landlords of foreigners and for foreigners themselves to report their own whereabouts under the TM30 and TM28 provisions, a senior officer at Phuket Immigration has told The Phuket News. immigration By The Phuket News Saturday 4 January 2020, 10:00AM The counters for completing TM30 forms at Phuket Immigration are still needed. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot The confirmation follows a foreigner posting online on Thursday (Jan 2) that a friend in Maha Sarakham province had presented himself to his local immigration office there to file a required report, but being told that the reporting requirement under the TM30 provision no longer applied throughout the country. He was told all reporting requirements connected to TM30 are canceled. No more reporting of a return after leaving your home province, the post said. Of note, many expats quickly advised fellow expats to check with their local immigration office to confirm whether other Immigration offices had the same understanding. (See post here.) To this, Lt Col Udom Thongchin, Deputy Chief of the Phuket Immigration Office, told The Phuket News yesterday (Jan 3) that his office has received no instructions not waive any of the reporting requirements. TM30 has not been canceled. It is still active. In fact, all the TM30 and TM28 forms are still active. There have not been any changes, Lt Col Udom said. Regarding the case report by the foreigner in Maha Sarakham province, Lt Col Udom said, I have no idea why some immigration officials might say that. Lt Col Udom repeated the explanation that the TM30 is the form for landlords to report to Immigration within 24 hours of the arrival of any foreign tenants, as required under Section 38 of the Thailand Immigration Act of 1979. The TM28 form is for foreigners to report themselves to Immigration after staying away from their registered address for more than 24 hours, as required under Section 37 (c) of the same act. Lt Col Udom also repeated confirmation that the TM30 is the property owners responsibility, whether the home owner is a Thai or a foreigner. Wherever foreigners go, the property owner must file the TM30 report to Immigration. Clearly, the foreigners who are occupant and tenant [of the property] do not need to file the TM30. They just need to make sure that they fill in a TM28. The TM30 is the landlords duty, he said. I understand that this process is confusing. The Immigration Bureau Chief has held meetings to discuss this issue, but so far there have been no updates but we expect there will be a solution soon, Lt Col Udom said. It is 2020 and some people are still obsessed with the so-called racial superiority of Brahmins. Case in point, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi. According to Trivedi, the Indian Constitution was drafted by a Brahmin called BN Rau. Speaking at the inauguration of the second edition of 'Mega Brahmin Business Summit' in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Trivedi said, "Do you know that constitutions of 60 countries were studied and then our draft Constitution was prepared? Do you know who presented that draft to Dr. BR Ambedkar? We all take Dr. BR Ambedkar's name with respect when it comes to the Constitution. However, in his (Dr. Ambedkar's) own words, the draft was prepared by BN Rau -- Benegal Narsing Rau, a Brahmin." "History tells us that Brahmins always stand behind and promote others. It was BN Rau who kept Dr. Ambedkar ahead of him. We are proud of Dr. Ambedkar because he admitted this during his speech in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949," Trivedi went on to claim. "And I quote him: 'The credit given to me does not really belong to me. It belongs to BN Rau," the speaker added. What Trivedi said is not entirely true. The Indian Constitution was drafted by a core committee of seven experts headed by Dr. BR Ambedkar. The others being BN Rau, KM Munshi, N Gopalaswami Ayyangar, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, Syed Mohammad Saadullah, N Madhava Rau. Trivedi also claimed that of the eight Indians who won Nobel prize, seven were Brahmins. "Do you know a ninth Indian recently received Nobel? Yes, he is Abhijit Banerjee, a Brahmin," he added. Another 'Brahmin Hero' Trivedi mentioned in his speech was fireman Rajesh Shukla who saved 11 persons during a fire in Delhi last month. Considering the high-status Brahmins enjoyed in a casteist society, it should not come as a surprise that people still consider them superior. But when such things are said by people holding public office, it raises some serious questions. In July, a sitting judge of the Kerala High Court had courted controversy after he claimed that brahmins had all the good qualities that one could list. Justice V Chidambaresh who was speaking at the Tamil Brahmin's Global Meet listed out the features of being a brahmin. He said, "Now who is a brahmin? A brahmin is dwijhanmana - twice born...Because of poorva janma shridham, he is twice born." "He has got certain distinct characteristics: clean habits, lofty thinking, sterling character, mostly a vegetarian, a lover of Carnatic music. All good qualities rolled into one is a brahmin," the judged said. He had then gone on to appeal to the Brahmin community to agitate for economic reservation, rather than caste or communal reservation. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung and Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 14:33 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d2949 1 National 2020-New-Year-Great-Flood,Jakarta-great-flood-2020,West-Java,Bogor-regency,Bekasi-City,ridwan-kamil,2020-floods-death-toll,death-toll,BNPB Free The West Java administration declared an emergency status on Friday after floods and landslides hit several areas in the province, as well as in Jakarta and Banten, since New Years Eve, killing more than 30 people and displacing more than 170,000. In Gubernatorial Regulation No. 362/KEP.13-BPBD/2020, Governor Ridwan Kamil said the emergency status would remain in effect until Jan. 7. The province spokesperson, Hermansyah, said that the emergency status aimed to speed up the mitigation of the disasters in several areas of the province. [With the emergency status] rescuing and relocating the victims can be done quickly and precisely. We must also provide them with basic needs such as food, clothing, health services, clean water, sanitation, shelter and psychosocial services, Hermansyah said in Bandung on Friday. Recently, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a warning about extreme weather in the first weeks of January that would hit several areas in Indonesia, including West Java. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that death toll due to floods and landslides in West Java, Jakarta and Banten climbed to 53 on Saturday morning, 30 of which were in West Java. Bogor regency recorded most casualties in the province with 16 people, while another nine died in Bekasi municipality. We hope people in West Java increase their awareness of the natural disasters that can occur at any time. This is important to reduce the number of victims and amount of damage, Hermansyah added. On his official Instagram account, @ridwankamil, Ridwan said the administration is trying to complete the Ciawi dam and Sukamahi dam to reduce the potential for floods in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok and Bekasi. Ridwan said the two dams was 45 percent built. The construction was being undertaken by the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry using state money. Ridwan said the Sukamahi Dam in Bogor, for example, would be able to reduce flooding. The dam cost Rp 464.93 billion and the reservoir would inundate a maximum of 10 hectares. The progress has reached 45 percent. Land acquisition has reached 90 percent. Please pray so it can be finished immediately and all of us can enjoy its benefits, he said. (hol) By AFP LONDON: The British government on Saturday advised UK nationals to avoid travelling to Iraq and Iran in face of heightened tensions in the Middle East following the US killing of a top Iranian commander in Baghdad. "Following the death of Qasem Soleimani and heightened tensions in the region... We now advise British nationals against all travel to Iraq (and) we now advise against all but essential travel to Iran," Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement. "The first job of any government is to keep British people safe," the statement said. "Given heightened tensions in the region, (we) now advise people not to travel to Iraq, with the exception of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and to consider carefully whether it's essential to travel to Iran. We will keep this under review." On Friday, the US military killed Soleimani in an airstrike outside Baghdad international airport that shocked the Islamic republic and sparked fears of a new war in the Middle East. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the death of the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm, and Tehran's clerical leadership promised "severe vengeance... in the right place and time". In its statement, the British Foreign Office urged UK nationals in the region to "remain vigilant and monitor the media carefully." On Friday, foreign minister Dominic Raab had said that while London had "always recognised the aggressive threat" posed by Soleimani and his Quds Force, "following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests." Weve learned nothing: With the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Irans second-most-important leader and the most powerful military figure in the Middle East, theres no longer any ambiguity about our position with Iran. We are at war, and even though there doesnt seem to have been any strategy behind this move, we shouldnt underestimate its devastating consequences in any way, as Fred Kaplan writes. And in case you were wondering how this decision is resonating with the right, Aaron Mak looks at how conservative media from the Daily Wire to Fox News is reacting to the decision. Advertisement Impunity: Meanwhile, Joshua Keating examines how Soleimanis killing, which was conducted under President Donald Trumps orders, follows in the line of Dubya and Obama, both of whom used the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force to carry out multiple aggressive military campaigns over the years against forces only somewhat related to al-Qaida. The question now worth asking: Does this mean the U.S. president has the right to kill anybody he would like to? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Covering all bases: Health care reform remains one of the top priorities of the 2020 election cycle, but no one can seem to agree on the right approach. For one, Pete Buttigiegs plan works with private insurers but also offers a public option with forced enrollment, making for policy that some say is politically poisonous and others say will be too costly for the average citizen. Jordan Weissmann explains the controversy as well as why there may never be a universal health care plan that will satisfy all voters. For fun: The deliciously petty note T.S. Eliot left for future readers of his private letters. Just imagine: If Eliot hadnt married his second wife, we would never have gotten Cats, Nitish WASHINGTON, D. C. - When former Cleveland congressman and mayor Dennis Kucinich ran for Ohio governor in 2018, Hawaii Democratic congress member Tulsi Gabbard recorded a video to endorse his bid for the Democratic nomination. Kucinich lost his gubernatorial primary bid to Richard Cordray by a more than 2-to-1 vote margin, and Cordray ended up losing a tighter race to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. With Gabbard mounting a longshot bid for the White House, Kucinich recorded a Dec. 21 video that urged Ohio Democrats to support Gabbard and sign up to become one of Gabbards Democratic convention delegates by the New Years Eve deadline. I remain concerned that our country is spending too much time looking for dragons to slay in other countries instead of taking care of things here at home, Kucinich says in the video, describing Gabbard as having the courage and intelligence to get our country back on track. Kucinich visited Syria with Gabbard in 2017, where they met with President Bashar al-Assad along with representatives of Clevelands Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services, which paid for the visit. On Friday, he and Gabbard both denounced the U.S. attack that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani as an act of war. The US killing Irans top military leader is a direct act of war designed to provoke a political and populist response in Iran against the United States, said a statement that Kucinich posted on Facebook." This game can lead to the assertion that Israel, Americas ally, is under threat from Iran. The Neocons can use this threat as an excuse to protect Israel and enter headlong into a war on Iran - - A war which is neither legal, necessary or in the US or Israels interest. Press Release: Kucinich: Gen. Suleimani Killing an Act of War Against Iran; Where's Congress? Friday, January 3,... Posted by Dennis Kucinich on Friday, January 3, 2020 Kucinich, who mounted a pair of longshot presidential campaigns in 2004 and 2008, declined to discuss his support for Gabbard in a Friday telephone conversation. He said the campaign video wasnt intended for widespread distribution and was only made public after a television reporter spotted it. When asked what else he planned to do for Gabbard, he said he didnt want to get ahead of her game by talking about it. Instead, he wanted to talk about Soleimanis killing, which he compared to the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand that prefaced the First World War. He said hell be discussing the action with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, and urging them to exact a measure of accountability on Iran and Iraq that was not requested of previous administrations. I am still the same person from Clevelands neighborhoods who knows what peoples real concerns are, Kucinich said. We cant be asking any more of the sons and daughters of this country to give their lives for ideological adventures. Read more coverage: Congress divided on Iranian generals killing; Ohio Senators seek briefings Ohio Congress members ask U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion Rep. Bob Latta helps pass law to hang up on robocalls House approves trade agreement with Canada and Mexico over opposition from Ohio Reps. Fudge and Kaptur House votes to impeach President Donald Trump Christina Hagan files to challenge Tim Ryan: See whos running for Congress in Northeast Ohio U.S. Senate to pass defense bill full of Ohio measures Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown will back his first trade agreement House Judiciary Committee approves impeachment articles over dissent from its Ohio Republican members Canada has 850 Canadian Forces members deployed in Iraq, where Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was killed by U.S. forces on the night of Jan. 2. (The Canadian Press) Killing of Iranian General Sparks Safety Concerns for Canadian Troops in Middle East OTTAWAForeign Affairs Minister FrancoisPhilippe Champagne says the safety of Canadians in the Middle East is the governments paramount concern after an American airstrike killed a top Iranian general. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was the head of Irans elite Quds Force, and was killed on Jan. 2 in Baghdad, Iraq. U.S. President Donald Trump accused Soleimani of plotting to kill many Americans, and the death has prompted a vow of harsh retaliation by Irans supreme leader. Canada is in contact with our international partners. The safety and wellbeing of Canadians in Iraq and the region, including our troops and diplomats, is our paramount concern, he said in a statement. We call on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue deescalation. There are 850 Canadian Forces members deployed throughout Iraq, in efforts to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and to train Iraqi forces. A spokesman for Champagne didnt answer a question from The Canadian Press about whether Canada had been consulted on the strike, or when Canada was informed. According to a series of releases from the U.S. State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo worked phones on Jan. 3, talking to his counterparts in allied governments and other world powers such as China, but neither Canada nor the United States indicated any toplevel communication between them had happened by midday. A former foreignpolicy adviser to the Canadian government says the government is right to be concerned. Retaliation from the generals supporters is likely after the threeday mourning period ordered by Irans supreme leader, who considered Soleimani a son, said Shuvaloy Majumdar, a senior fellow with the MacdonaldLaurier institute. We can expect there will be a wide range of asymmetric attacks against principally American assets but also quite possibly Western ones, Majumdar said. So I think that as we enter this new chapter, this is going to be a very significant question for how Canadians and the Canadian government respond to the security of our soldiers but also the advancing of our interests. Majumdar advised the former Conservative government on foreign policy for years, including on the decision to list Soleimanis organization, the Quds Force, as a terrorist entity. He called the leaders death the most consequential strike that has happened against a terrorist leader since the beginning of the socalled war on terror. He oversaw a statebacked, industrialscale, mechanized terrorism outfit that since the late 1990s, since he led the Quds Force, has become the most sophisticated terrorism [organization] the world has ever known. The Quds Force is part of Irans Revolutionary Guards, reporting to the countrys leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The Quds Force trains and equips foreign militias, carries out bombings and assassinations, and otherwise uses unconventional methods to expand Irans military and diplomatic influence. Quds is the Arabic and Persian name for Jerusalem. The United States designated the Quds Force a terrorist organization in 2007. Canada followed suit in 2012. Canada has long been concerned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, led by Qassem Soleimani, whose aggressive actions have had a destabilizing effect in the region and beyond, Champagnes statement said. The same U.S. strike that killed Soleimani also killed a leader in an Iranianbacked militia in Iraq, a sometime Iraqi politician and U.S.designated terrorist known as Abu Mahdi alMuhandis. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh appeared to condemn the U.S. decision. The U.S.s actions in Iran have brought us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East, he said in a statement on Twitter. The prime minister needs to act quickly with other countries to deescalate the situation and not be drawn into the path that President Trump is taking. In each of his calls to representatives of other countries, Pompeo said the U.S. is committed to deescalating tensions in the Middle East that have soared since an Iranianbacked militia killed an American contractor and the U.S. responded with strikes against it. That set off violent proIran protests outside the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. A woman believed to be Carole Ghosn, wife of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, leaves in a car, in Beirut, Lebanon. / Reuters ISTANBUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - A Turkish private jet operator said on Friday that ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn used two of its planes illegally in his escape from Japan, with an employee falsifying lease records to exclude his name from the documents. MNG Jet said it had filed a criminal complaint over the incident, a day after Turkish police detained seven people, including four pilots, as part of an investigation into Ghosn's passage through Istanbul en route to Lebanon. Ghosn has become an international fugitive after he revealed on Tuesday he had fled to Lebanon to escape what he called a "rigged" justice system in Japan, where he faces charges relating to alleged financial crimes. Lebanon on Thursday received an Interpol arrest alert for Ghosn, whose surprise escape from his home in Tokyo to a separate home in Beirut has not been fully explained. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the diminutive Ghosn slipped out of Japan aboard a private jet hidden in a large black case typically used to carry audio gear. He was accompanied by a pair of men with names matching those of American security contractors, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with Turkey's probe into the escape. Japanese public broadcaster NHK, citing investigative sources, said a surveillance camera captured the former Nissan chairman leaving his Tokyo residence alone shortly before his escape. The security footage was taken by a camera installed at his house in central Tokyo around noon on Sunday, and the camera did not show him returning home, NHK said. By early Monday, he had touched down in Istanbul. MNG Jet said in its statement it leased two jets to two different clients in agreements that "were seemingly not connected to each other." One plane flew from Osaka to Istanbul, the other from Istanbul to Beirut. Story continues "The name of Mr Ghosn did not appear in the official documentation of any of the flights," it said. "After having learnt through the media that the leasing was benefiting Mr. Ghosn and not the officially declared passengers, MNG Jet launched an internal inquiry and filed a criminal complaint in Turkey," it added. An employee admitted to falsifying the records and confirmed he "acted in his individual capacity," the company said. The pilots and other detainees, including two airport ground staff and one cargo worker, were sent to court on Friday after giving statements to police, according to a Reuters witness. Late on Friday the court ruled to formally arrest five of the suspects, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported. The other two suspects were released from custody, according to media reports. Turkish interior ministry spokesman Ismail Catakli told reporters earlier on Friday that Ghosn was believed to have been transferred through the cargo section of the airport in Istanbul, but did not provide further details. Ghosn has said he will speak publicly about his escape on Jan. 8. Some Lebanese media, in reports similar to the Wall Street Journal, have floated a Houdini-like account of Ghosn being packed in a wooden container for musical instruments after a private concert in his home, but his wife has called the account "fiction." NHK said police suspected Ghosn may have left his home to meet up with someone before heading to an airport. Under the terms of his bail, Ghosn was required to have security cameras installed at the entrance of his house. You Might Also Like The school on the outskirts of Istanbul is a rare place where Uighur child refugees from China can study their language and culture. But for several, it has also become an impromptu orphanage. Having fled a worsening crackdown on Uighur Muslims in northwest China, some of their parents thought it was still safe to return occasionally for business and to visit family, only to disappear into a shadowy network of re-education camps from which no communication is permitted. Out of just over a hundred pupils at the school, 26 have lost one parent to the camps, seven have lost both, says its head Habibullah Kuseni. Nine-year-old Fatima has only vague memories of her homeland -- and now, of her father, too. She remembers watching television with him: she wanted cartoons, but he liked watching the news especially about Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the only leaders in the Muslim world willing to stand up for the Uighurs and risk China's wrath. Her father flew back to China from time to time for business before anyone knew about the camps in the Xinjiang region. "And then he was gone," she says, tears streaming down her face. "I thought he would come back, but he never did." No one has heard from him in three years. Exiled Uighur activists in November released evidence of nearly 500 camps and prisons being used against their ethnic group in China, saying the overall number of inmates could be "far greater" than the one million usually cited. When news of the camps first emerged in 2017, Beijing initially denied their existence. Later, it claimed they were "voluntary" vocational centres aimed at combating extremism by teaching people Mandarin and job skills. But leaked internal documents have shown they are run like prisons, while critics say they are aimed at eradicating local culture and religion of Uighurs and other, mostly Muslim, minorities. - 'Don't worry about us' - Story continues With some 50,000 Uighur refugees in Turkey, there are many more children like Fatima or even worse off. Tursunay, 15, hasn't seen or spoken to either of her parents since July 2017. "Don't worry about us," they said, in their last phone call on a trip back to China. They said it was strange their passports had been confiscated but were sure it would be resolved soon. Then, silence. Tursunay remembers her life in China. She recalls asking: "Why are they watching us, papa?" when cameras were installed at the entrance to their apartment. It's because we are Muslims, her father said. He burned their collection of religious CDs. Tursunay has just her little sister now and an older friend they met on the refugee trail who looks after them. All forms of communication with every family member in China have been cut. She longs for her parents so much -- even just a brief message -- that she says she must fight the urge to be angry with them for disappearing. "I try to stay optimistic and remember that it's not my parents who have done this to me," she says. Many children inside Xinjiang are also reportedly without parents. Human Rights Watch said in September that Chinese authorities have housed "countless" children whose parents are detained or in exile in state-run child welfare institutions and boarding schools without parental consent or access. - 'Cries of our brothers' - Many Turks feel historic bonds with the Uighurs, either as fellow Muslims or as part of the same Turkic-speaking ethnic group. Back-to-back rallies were held in December in Istanbul, one by Islamists and another by ultra-nationalists. "Haven't the cries of our brothers from East Turkestan reached you?" said Musa Bayoglu during one outside the Chinese consulate, using Uighur activists' preferred name for their region which is strictly outlawed by China. "Haven't the screams of our sisters passed through the walls of your palaces?" Earlier this year, Turkey's foreign ministry called China's crackdown on Uighurs "a great embarrassment for humanity" but since then has been largely silent on the issue. When Erdogan spoke at the UN General Assembly in September, he reeled off a list of Muslim groups facing persecution, from Palestinians to Myanmar's Rohingyas. Uighurs were notably absent. Many fear he is bending to Chinese economic pressure, though Uighurs in Turkey remain hugely grateful for the asylum the country has offered. "They are providing 50,000 Uighurs a peaceful place to live," said one Uighur activist in Istanbul. "No other Muslim country did that, no Western country did that." - 'We will take it back' - The leaked internal documents detailed how Beijing runs the camps. They included instructions that inmates should be cut off from the outside world and monitored at all times -- including toilet breaks -- to prevent escapes. They also indicated that people should be held for at least a year, and released only after being assessed for "ideological transformation, study and training, and compliance with discipline." At the Uighur school in Istanbul, such stories take a toll. "I still want to listen to the news, but when I hear about it, I feel bad, uneasy; my stomach aches," says Rufine, 12, who wants to be a teacher or a doctor when she's older. Her mother disappeared two years ago when she went back to look after Rufine's sick grandmother. Kuseni, the headteacher, laughs when asked what items in the school would be illegal in China. "Just coming on holiday to a Muslim country like Turkey would be enough to send you to a camp," he says. "As for this stuff...," he points at the East Turkestan flag and the Uighur Arabic script on the wall, and makes a cutting motion across his throat. "The Uighurs are facing extinction," adds 39-year-old teacher Mahmut Utfi. "Our culture, our language. I see my job as a duty." For Fatima, the repression has only made her more defiant. Tears still streaming, her voice cracking, she has a fierce message for the Chinese government: "I would tell them: just wait a bit. You think we're weak, but you'll see. Our nation, our motherland will survive, you won't be able to stop it. "Because they took it from us, we will have to take it back," she says. T he shadow Brexit secretary and vocal Remain supporter Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed he is running to be the next Labour leader. Sir Keir is the fifth MP to enter the race and has launched his campaign in Brexit-backing Stevenage. He has called on the party to listen to voters to win back trust. Sir Keir will visit the Hertfordshire town which voted 59 per cent for Leave on Sunday as he makes his pitch to succeed Jeremy Corbyn. The leadership competition follows the party's worst general election defeat since 1935. Prominent backbenchers Jess Phillips and Lisa Nandy declared on Friday, while shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis are also running. MP David Lammy ruled himself out of the race on Saturday, suggesting his anti-Brexit stance rendered him unsuitable to unite the partys vociferous factions. Sir Keir said: Over the coming weeks, Im looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail and talking to people from across the country about how Labour can rebuild and win. Britain desperately needs a Labour government. We need a Labour government that will offer people hope of a better future. However, that is only going to happen if Labour listens to people about what needs to change and how we can restore trust in our party as a force for good. Sir Keir has said he believes "another future is possible" / NIGEL HOWARD A campaign film highlights his justice fights and features words of support from Stephen Lawrences mother Baroness Lawrence, who says he was instrumental in getting justice for her murdered son. Sir Keirs work with the National Union of Mineworkers and on the McLibel case against McDonalds is also highlighted. His Remain stance has been partly blamed by some Corbyn allies for the disastrous election performance. Appealing to Mr Corbyns base, however, Sir Keir urged the party not to lurch to the right and said the case for a bold and radical Labour government is as important as ever. The human rights lawyer, who was made Queens Counsel in 2002, served as head of the CPS and accepted a knighthood in 2014, and has struggled to shake-off perceptions of privilege. Sir Keir is the fifth MP to announce his candidacy for the role following Lisa Nandy who also launched her campaign on Saturday / PA But he was named after Labour legend Keir Hardy and he has stressed his upbringing by his toolmaker father and nurse mother in Londons Southwark when dismissing allegations he is too middle-class to speak to the partys historic heartlands. His CV includes co-founding the renowned Doughty Street Chambers and advising the Policing Board to ensure the Police Service of Northern Ireland complied with human rights laws. He entered Parliament as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras in 2015. Critics have also raised concerns that Sir Keir is seen too much as a Londoner, but a recent survey made him the clear front-runner in the leadership race regardless He would beat the current leaderships favoured candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey 61% to 39% in a run-off, according to a YouGov survey of 1,059 Labour members conducted at the end of December. But the outsiders will yet be hoping to boost their profiles, with the race not expected to formally get underway until Tuesday and the new leader installed by the end of March. Wigan MP Ms Nandy began her campaign in her constituency on Saturday with a call for change from Mr Corbyns approach. We need a different sort of leadership that helps to root us back in every community across the UK, turns us back into a real movement and real force, driven from the ground up so that we can win peoples trust back, she said. Amy Sings in the Timber of Missoula has been named the new executive director of the Montana Innocence Project. Sings in the Timber has formerly worked for the Montana Justice Foundation, and the Indian Law Clinic at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law. Amys substantial and successful legal, legislative, and nonprofit management experience made her the unanimous choice of the Montana Innocence Projects board of directors, board Chairman Ron Waterman said in a statement. In the past three alone, the Montana Innocence Project has helped to exonerate six wrongfully convicted people. Amys experience, vision, and drive are just what the Montana Innocence Project needs to build on this successful legacy. Before joining the Montana Innocence Project, Sings In The Timber served in senior leadership roles with Covenant House Illinois. Covenant House is an international organization that has provided housing and support services to more than a million homeless, runaway, and trafficked young people. Before Covenant House Illinois, Sings In The Timber served in senior management positions with The Chicago Bar Foundation. Exoneration of the innocent and ensuring the prevention of future wrongful convictions is among the most important work taking place in the U.S. today, said Sings In The Timber in a statement, I am honored to lead and work alongside a team dedicated to such a critical mission. Sings In The Timber received her law degree from the University of Montana School of Law (now Alexander Blewett III School of Law) and bachelor of arts from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Sings In The Timber also completed graduate work in anthropology, museum and Native American Studies at the University of Wisconsin. Sings In The Timber will begin her position on Monday, succeeding Frank Knaack as the Montana Innocence Projects executive director. Knaack departs to serve as executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina. The Montana Innocence Project has also appointed the following to its board of directors: Jordan Gross is a professor of law at the Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana, where she teaches courses in criminal law and procedure, and professional responsibility. Gross supervises the Law School's Montana Innocence Project Clinic, along with the criminal defense and ACLU Clinics. Lars Phillips is an attorney with Tarlow Stonecipher Weamer & Kelly, PLLC in Bozeman. Phillips has been a long-time pro-bono attorney with the Montana Innocence Project and successfully argued Marble v. State before the Montana Supreme Court, a matter involving the interpretation of Montanas post-conviction statutes. Phillips appellate work set the stage for the exoneration of the Montana Innocence Project client Cody Marble. Maylinn Smith is the civil prosecutor for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Smith was a clinical supervisor and a director of the Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic at the University of Montana, Alexander Blewett III School of Law for almost 25 years. Bobbie Zenker is an attorney with Disability Rights Montana where she litigates cases on behalf of individuals with disabilities to insure their rights to employment, education, health care, transportation, housing, and other services. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Michael Woodford says the fugitive Nissan chief would struggle to get a fair trial in Japan The Carlos Ghosn affair is a plot worthy of a John Grisham novel. A world-famous tycoon living a celebrity lifestyle in Japan, arrested on charges of corruption, orchestrates a daring escape to Lebanon just in time for New Years Eve via private jet (with rumours he hid in a double bass case). You couldnt make it up. It would be amusing if the circumstances werent so serious. But this tale of a fallen car industry titan is no crime caper, as Michael Woodford will vouch. For the British former boss of Olympus, it brings back haunting memories of his own incredible story, in which he fled Japan in 2011 for fear of being assassinated by the Japanese mafia after blowing the whistle on a massive fraud at the Japanese maker of cameras and medical equipment. In those months, I was petrified. I had armed guards. I thought I was going to be assassinated, he says after his high-flying life in Japan had also spiralled out of control. Former Nissan Motor Co. Carlos Ghosn leaves the Tokyo Detention Center on bail Having worked his way up the company for 30 years, Woodford arrived in the chief executive seat and began to ask probing questions about suspicious fees paid by the firm. He was fired. A Japanese magazine then published claims that the astonishing $687 million paid out in fees for the takeover of three Mickey Mouse companies were linked to the Japanese mafia, known as the Yakuza. Woodford was terrified and forced to flee to London fearing recriminations. But his concerns would later prove valid and a 1 billion fraud was confirmed, with former directors found guilty in one of the biggest financial frauds in Japanese history. The Carlos Ghosn case, in which the former boss of Nissan and Renault was awaiting trial in Tokyo over 65 million corruption charges before fleeing in such extraordinary fashion, may be different in many ways. But it reminds Woodford of how he was treated and crucially, he says how he saw the system in Japan conspire against him. Ghosn, who holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship, says he fled Japan last week to avoid an unfair trial. Japanese prosecutors boast a 99 per cent conviction rate, compared to around 80 per cent in Britain. On Thursday, Interpol issued a red notice to Lebanon for the arrest of Ghosn, who arrived in Beirut two days before on New Years Eve. Woodford, 59, says: Sadly, my angst in Japan in 2011 and 2012 that it was a dangerous time and that the institutions could work against me...it did bring back those feelings and those memories and feeling unsettled and uncomfortable just reliving that unease and lack of confidence in the Japanese institutions, which is the point hes making. Now an adviser to companies operating in Japan, Woodford says he was contacted by Ghosns family and friends about meeting Ghosn and his wife Carole in a show of public support. I said I would do but only privately. A Japanese magazine then claimed that a hefty $687 million sum went to pay off the Yakuza I didnt want to be used in any way through the thing so I declined the opportunity to meet him, he says, speaking on the phone from the Canary Islands, where he is spending the New Year with his wife, who is Spanish and with whom he has two children. Im not afraid of getting involved as you might know from my character. I just didnt think I could add anything really at that point in time to him and, because Im a guy whos quite emotive and who was portrayed as something which I wasnt, it could actually be harmful to him, he adds. Having a foreign former CEO advocating for him, I think would have just irritated and antagonised institutional powers in Japan. It would be foreigners against the Japanese and I think that would have been harmful to him. Reports last week suggested the lack of a confession normally secured pre-trial had left the authorities in Japan nervous. Though he does not know whether Ghosn is guilty or not, Woodford sympathises with his concerns about getting a fair trial and says it would be doubtful he would receive one in Japan. You would resort to any other option, he says, referring to his audacious escape. What it says about Japan and its institutions and its corporate governance, its an embarrassment for Japan, he says, adding that he would have loved the trial to go ahead to shine a light not just on Nissan, but also the Japanese legal system. He says it should act as a wake-up call for the legal system there, but he thinks it will be business as usual now that it probably wont go to trial. Outsiders say the system is steeped in a code of honour, loyalty and shame which can blindside even the most experienced of Westerners working in the country. In Japan, its an obedient society where you respect authority. If you spoke to corporate business leaders about me and was I right to expose this $2 billion fraud, they would say in private that I betrayed the company and that I bit the hand that fed me. Will it put off Western bosses from taking up big-time roles in the country? It cant be enhancing, can it? he says. Brought up in a house in Liverpool with no indoor plumbing, Woodford now lives in London, but still returns to Japan often. He says the country still holds a special place in his heart despite his own experience there. He was even offered a job as a chief executive in Japan after the scandal, but decided not to take it. What haunted me about the whole experience at Olympus was the way my colleagues who had helped me expose the fraud moved away almost immediately. I mean, they wouldnt have any contact with me, he recounts. It made me realise how superficial those relationships were. And when you think youre going to be assassinated your priorities change. 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CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing Company Person for contact Name: Gurgu C Phone Number: (818) 359-3898 Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org/ SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/572045/What-Is-The-Purpose-Of-Car-Insurance The United States is sending nearly 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East from the 82nd Airborne Division as a precaution amid rising threats to American forces in the region, the Pentagon said on Friday. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said additional U.S. deployments were also being weighed, including sending elements of the Europe-based 173rd Airborne Brigade for tasks like embassy protection in Lebanon. Iran promised vengeance after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on Friday killed Qassem Soleimani, Tehran's most prominent military commander and the architect of its growing influence in the Middle East. The overnight attack, authorized by President Donald Trump, was a dramatic escalation in a "shadow war" in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and its allies. The Pentagon said the Immediate Response Force (IRF) brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division was being deployed. "The brigade will deploy to Kuwait as an appropriate and precautionary action in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, and will assist in reconstituting the reserve," the Pentagon said in a statement. The troops will be joining the roughly 750 forces that were sent to Kuwait earlier this week. Usually, a brigade consists of about 3,500 people. U.S. officials told Reuters earlier this week that thousands of additional troops could be sent to the region and had been told to prepare to deploy. The United States has already dispatched about 14,000 additional troops to the Middle East since May. Reuters first reported on Friday that U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper had canceled plans to take personal leave later in January amid rising tension with Iran. The U.S. air strike followed a sharp increase in U.S.-Iranian hostilities last week when pro-Iranian militiamen attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq following a U.S. air raid on the Kataib Hezbollah militia. Iraq's prime minister said that with Friday's attack Washington had violated a deal for keeping U.S. troops in his country. Search Keywords: Short link: By IANS NEW DELHI: American-born British Prime Minister Boris Johnson charged hefty amounts from media outlets for lectures and writing articles when he was just a parliamentarian. The highest amount ever paid to him was from an Indian media outlet. This had raised eyebrows of government authorities in both the countries. Just for a three-hour engagement, when he was a parliamentarian, he received 122,899.74 (Rs 1.13 crore) for a lecture during India Today Conclave, 2019. According to the Register of Members' Financial Interests of UK Parliament, Boris Johnson received around Rs 1.13 crore from an Indian Media House -- Living Media India Limited. "On March 22, 2019, received 122,899.74 from Living Media India Limited, K-9, Connaught Circus, New Delhi 110001, for a speech to India Today on 2 March 2019. Hours: 3 hours. Transport and accommodation also provided," Register of Members' Financial Interests stated. The register of UK Parliament is to provide information about any financial interest which a member has, or any benefit which he or she receives, which others might reasonably consider to influence his or her actions or words as a Member of Parliament. The Conservative Party politician became the United Kingdom Prime Minister on July 24, 2019. An ardent backer of Brexit, Johnson received 22,916.66 a month for writing articles for the Telegraph Media Group Ltd, based in London. He claimed he used to spend 10 hours in a month. He wrote from July 11, 2018, until July 10, 2019. From The Spectator, based in London, he received 800 for an article on September 28, 2018. For this article, he spent two hours. Again he received 350 from The Spectator for an article on December 21, 2018. He spent two hours for writing the article. From Associated Newspapers Ltd based in London, he received 2,000 for an article on October 9, 2018. He had spent two hours for writing an article. Johnson received Rs 34,500 from an article from The Washington Post. "On 15 February 2019, received 376.05 from The Washington Post, 1301 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20071, for an article. Hours: 2 hrs," it stated. Interestingly, Johnson was born in New York City and he gave up his US citizenship in 2016. The British Prime Minister began his career as a journalist. He started as a reporter for The Times in 1987, but was asked to leave over some alleged reports. Thereafter he had joined The Daily Telegraph and served as a correspondent covering the European Community and later as an Assistant Editor. In 1994, Johnson became a political columnist for The Spectator, and in 1999 he was named the magazine's editor. He became a Member of Parliament in 2001, and in 2008 mounted a successful bid to become Mayor of London. He served as the two-time elected mayor of London from 2008 to 2016 and as Secretary of for Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2018 under UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Garcia Lunas wife and two adult children were in the courtroom and made frantic gestures in his direction, mouthing messages to him as he was escorted in and out of the courtroom. They hid their faces and wept as they were approached by the news media upon leaving the courtroom. Attorneys for the family declined to comment. The Union Gospel Mission is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The mission, which has a Christian ministry that includes providing food, clothing and shelter to the needy, was founded by Rev. Lee Roberson. Executive Director Jon Rector said, "I cannot believe we are in 2020. This is a very special year for us. In this year of 2020, the Union Gospel Mission celebrates 70 years of ministry, "I am so grateful for the compassion and foresight of Dr. Lee Roberson (our founder) in 1950. It was his burden for the homeless and needy that brought about our work. "For 70 years, UGM has provided food, clothing, safe shelter and many other physical needs for the homeless and less fortunate of the Chattanooga area; over 2 million meals, over 1 million nights of safe sleep, and untold tons of clothing and other needs. More importantly we have seen over 25,000 souls make a profession of faith in Christ and we have provided tens of thousands of hours of discipleship. Yes, UGM is a life-changing place. However, we could not be that life-changing place without people just like you who have invested in our work over the years." Rev. Rector said the mission is launching a new "UGM 500" fundraising campaign. Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 983, Chattanooga, Tn., 37401. Big changes in the bookselling landscape were the subject of several of the industrys top stories in 2019, along with publishers relationships with different partners. 1. Elliott Advisors Buys Barnes & Noble; Daunt Named CEO After struggling for several years to find ways to boost the bookstore chains sales and to improve its bottom line, B&Ns board of directors approved the sale of the company to private equity firm Elliott Advisors in a deal worth $683 million. The transaction didnt come without some drama, as another companywidely believed to be ReaderLinkwas working to make a counteroffer. In the end, the B&N committee charged with evaluating all offers voted in favor of the Elliott cash deal, believing it had the necessary financing to get the purchase done quickly. Following the completion of the deal on August 6, Elliott officially named James Daunt B&N CEO. Daunt already served as CEO of the U.K.s Waterstones bookselling chain, which is also owned by Elliott. Among the changes Daunt has discussed implementing in 2020 at B&N are an overhaul of its merchandising approach and returning the responsibility of each stores performance to local managers. 2. B&T Exits the Retail Wholesale Market In early May, Baker & Taylor announced that it was closing its retail wholesaling business, which supplied books to bookstores and other physical retailers. The decision came following months of rumors that some deal between B&T and competitor Ingram was in the works. When no deal surfaced, B&T began phasing out its retail operations, a process that lasted into the early fall. The move was made, B&T explained, to better align itself with its parent company, Follett Corp., whose strengths include working with schools and school libraries. B&Ts library wholesaling operations were not affected. Publishers and booksellers were both concerned that B&Ts exit from the retail business would slow shipments to stores, especially to the West Coast, where B&T fulfilled orders through its Reno warehouse, which was set to close. Publishers, as well as Ingram and Bookazine, came up with plans to alleviate any potential problems, with Penguin Random House perhaps coming up with the most aggressive plan of all: in November, it announced it was taking over the operation of the Reno warehouse, which it will use to service West Coast stores. 3. Macmillan Implements E-book Windowing for Libraries In late July, Macmillan announced that, beginning November 1, it would implement a two-month embargo on library e-books across all of the companys imprints. Under the publishers new digital terms of sale, library systems are allowed to purchase a single perpetual access e-book during the first eight weeks of publication for each new Macmillan release, at half price ($30). Additional copies will then be available at full price after the eight-week window has passed. All other terms remain the same: e-book licenses will continue to be metered for two years or 52 lends, whichever comes first, on a one copy/one user model. The decision outraged librarians across the country, who see the move as a direct attack on their ability to offer timely services to their patrons. Scores of library systems are boycotting buying Macmillan e-books in protest of the move. For his part, Macmillan CEO John Sargent says frictionless e-book loans by libraries reduce the value of the books and hurt overall sales. Sargent is set to appear in a session discussing the matter at the ALA Midwinter Meeting, which runs January 2428 in Philadelphia. 4. Audible Caption Proposal Called Copyright Infringement When word began circulating in July that Audible was developing a new program called Captions to run text alongside its audiobooks, publishers, agents, and authors all called the proposal copyright infringement. Before the program could be launched, the AAP filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Big Five trade houses, as well as Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Scholastic, asking for a preliminary injunction; the lawsuit was subsequently backed by representatives for the Authors Guild and the Association of Authors Representatives. At year end, Captions had still not been implemented, and the judge overseeing the case has urged the publishers and Audible to settle the matter out of court. 5. Tariffs Imposed on Books Manufactured in China As part of its trade war with China, on September 1 the Trump administration slapped 15% tariffs on most books manufactured in China. Excluded from the tariffs were childrens picture books, coloring books, and drawing books, as well as Bibles and religious books. Childrens books were subject to possible tariffs on December 15, but the administration suspended imposing those tariffs after reaching a phase one agreement with China over trade. The other book tariffs, for now, remain in effect. 6. Citing Problems, Publishers Cut Ties with Authors Given the charged nature of the times, publishers have been keenly aware of the reputations of their authors. In 2019, that led to a number of publishers dropping authors following various allegations or charges. Three instances of this in particular were among the most read stories on PW. After allegations of inappropriate behavior made against Tim Tingle by two booksellers, Scholastic dropped plans to publish his middle grade book Doc and the Detective; Tingle, who had his rights to the book returned, denied the allegations. Author Kosoko Jackson requested that Sourcebooks withdraw publication of his debut YA novel, A Place for Wolves, following concerns raised on social media. And in June, after a Netflix drama reopened interest in the Central Park jogger case, in which five black and Latino teenagers were falsely accused of assault and rape, Dutton and author Linda Fairstein terminated their publishing relationship; Fairstein was formerly chief of the Manhattan district attorneys sex crimes unit and oversaw prosecution of the case. 7. Indie Booksellers Incensed over Breaking of Testaments Embargo Margaret Atwoods The Testaments was expected to be one of the big books of 2019, especially for independent booksellers. So when it was discovered that Amazon had broken the September 10 embargo date, booksellers were furious. Publisher Penguin Random House acknowledged that a retailer had inadvertently released copies before the official on-sale date and said the situation had been corrected. The incident highlighted the frustration many booksellers feel about the enforcement of embargoes, which are frequently broken by one retailer or another. 8. The Netflix-Literary Connection Streaming services have increasingly been looking to book publishers for source material, none more so than Netflix, which was on a book acquisition spree over much of 2019, developing screen adaptations of dozens of novels, series, short story collections, and graphic novels, with a particular interest in those aimed at children and teens. 9. AWP Fires Executive Director Less than six months after being named the Association of Writers and Writing Programs permanent executive director, Chloe Schwenke was fired in September. She had succeeded longtime executive director David Fenza, who was dismissed in April 2018. Schwenke, a transgender woman, alleges that her firing was primarily based on discrimination. 10. Allison Hill Named ABA CEO Allison Hill, president and CEO of Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena, Calif., was named the next CEO of the American Booksellers Association. Hill succeeds Oren Teicher, who has served as ABA CEO for the past 10 years. Hill begins her new job March 1. (HealthDay)Consumption of four cups of coffee daily does not impact insulin sensitivity, according to a study published online Dec. 31 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Derrick Johnston Alperet, from the National University of Singapore, and colleagues conducted a 24-week trial involving 126 overweight, non-insulin-sensitive adults aged 35 to 69 years. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either four cups of instant regular coffee or four cups of a placebo beverage per day (62 and 64 in each group, respectively). The amount of glucose metabolized per kilogram of body weight per minute (M bw ) was measured as the primary outcome. The researchers observed no significant change in insulin sensitivity with coffee consumption versus placebo (percentage mean difference in M bw , 4.0 percent; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 8.3 to 18.0 percent; P = 0.53). In addition, there were no between-group differences during 24 weeks of the intervention in fasting plasma glucose or biological mediators of insulin resistance such as plasma adiponectin. Compared with participants in the placebo arm, those in the coffee arm experienced a loss of fat mass (3.7 percent; 95 percent CI, 6.3 to 1.1 percent; P = 0.006) and a reduction in urinary creatinine concentrations (21.2 percent; 95 percent CI, 31.4 to 9.5 percent; P = 0.001). "Coffee consumption was associated with a modest loss in body fat mass compared with the placebo beverage, and this potential impact on adiposity warrants confirmation in additional trials," the authors write. Several authors are employees of Nestle Research, which funded the study. Explore further Coffee consumption linked with reduced risk of diabetes Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. New Delhi, Jan 4 : Delhi Congress and Indian Youth Congress activists on Saturday staged a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission here against the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. Hundreds of Delhi Congress workers led by state party chief Subhash Chopra, former Delhi Ministers Aravinder Singh Lovely and Haroon Yusuf, former MLA Mukesh Sharma and others staged the protest. The Delhi Congress workers raised slogans like 'Pakistan hosh me aao' (Pakistan come to your senses), Nanak Sahibji ka apmaan, nahi sahenge nahi sahenge' (Will not tolerate disrespect to Guru Nanak Devji), 'Imran Khan, bano insaan' (Imran Khan, be a gentleman) and many others. Speaking to reporters, Chopra condemned the stone pelting at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara by anti-social elements and said, "This life of ours is the gift of the teachers and if we have to sacrifice our lives in honour of them, we will not back down." The protest comes a day after the the Gurdwara was attacked by a huge Muslim mob while Sikh devotees were stuck inside the shrine. The mob that gathered outside raised communal and hateful slogans against the minority community and pelted stones at the shrine, videos circulated on social media showed. The protest outside the Pakistan High Commission was also joined by hundreds of IYC workers led by its President Srinivas B.V who strongly condemned the desecration of the holy shrine and demanded immediate action against the hooligans. IYC media in-charge Amrish Ranjan Pandey said the attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara was violative of the 1955 Pant-Mirza Agreement under which India and Pakistan are obliged to make every effort to ensure that the places of worship visited by their citizens are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved. "However, Pakistan and its authorities seem to be failing to keep up to their duties of providing protection to pilgrims and religious sites," Pandey added. The Delhi Police forcefully detained the protesters and released them in the evening. From Spain this week comes a topical tale of two convicts currently serving time in His Majestys prisons. Inaki Liebaert, sentenced to five years and 10 months, having been found guilty of fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion rackets in which he pocketed 6m in public money was granted a four-day Christmas pass, freeing him to spend the holiday with his family. New Delhi, Jan 4 : Oyo, the marquee investment by Japanese giant SoftBank and one of the largest start up companies, is facing fire for questionable practices, toxic culture and a business model which is looking unviable. As per a report by the New York Times, the "SoftBank Jewel in India" has a toxic culture and troubling incidents. While Ritesh Agarwal's Oyo aims to be the world's biggest hotel chain, but its growth was fueled by questionable practices, employees said. Oyo, a start-up that offers budget hotel rooms, has grown into one of India's most valuable private companies and aims to be the world's largest hotel chain by 2023. But at least part of Oyo's rise in India was built on practices that raise questions about the health of its business, NYT said in the report adding that Oyo offers rooms from unavailable hotels, such as those that have left its service, according to the company's chief executive and nine current and former employees. That has the effect of inflating the number of rooms listed on Oyo's site. Thousands of rooms are from unlicensed hotels and guesthouses, its executives have acknowledged. To deter trouble from the authorities over the illegal rooms, Oyo sometimes gives free lodging to the police and other officials, according to nine of the current and former employees. Some hotel operators have sought to file criminal complaints against Oyo, which said it withheld payments primarily over the hotels' customer service issues. "It's a bubble that will burst," said Saurabh Mukhopadhyay, a former Oyo operations manager in northern India who left the company in September, the NYT report said. Oyo is part of a group of prominent start-ups that have sprinted to get as big as possible, fed by money from large investors such as the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. Now some of those young companies - from the office rental company WeWork in New York to the delivery service Instacart in San Francisco - have started showing cracks in their businesses. Any fall by Oyo could blight India's start-up landscape, which has received billions in foreign capital in recent years, spawning other multibillion-dollar companies such as the ride-hailing firm Ola and the digital payments provider Paytm, NYT said. "It would also be another black eye for Softbank, which is Oyo's biggest investor and owns half the start-up's stock. Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's chief executive, has hailed Oyo as a jewel of his company's $100 billion Vision Fund, even as he recently wrote off billions of dollars on other investments like WeWork," the report said. "This is the only company which went global at this scale from India," Satish Meena, a senior forecaster for the research firm Forrester in New Delhi, said of Oyo. "But as of now, there are serious doubts about the business model." Oyo is trying to expand globally and now offers more than 1.2 million rooms in 80 countries, including the United States. It employs more than 20,000 people and has raised more than $2.5 billion in funding. "Mr. Agarwal has become a business star, hobnobbing with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi," NYT said. But as Oyo has grown, its losses have mushroomed. The company expects to lose money through at least 2021, according to recent government filings. Some efforts to expand in countries like Japan have flopped. In December, SoftBank and Agarwal put another $1.5 billion into Oyo to accelerate its expansion. The funding, negotiated over the summer, valued the company at $8 billion, the New York Times reported. "Mukhopadhyay, who began working at Oyo in August 2018, said employees were under so much pressure to add new rooms that they brought hotels online that lacked air-conditioning, water heaters or electricity. He and eight others said their managers had asked them to engage in a monthly shell game of briefly inserting these unavailable properties into Oyo's listings - complete with fake photographs - to help impress investors," the report added. Saurabh Sharma, who worked for Oyo from 2014 to 2018 as an operations manager, said the company sometimes deliberately withheld payments from hotel owners - a practice that half a dozen other current and former employees also described. In some cases, they said, the start-up wanted to squeeze the hotel owners into renegotiating contracts that it deemed unprofitable. In others, Oyo wanted to save money and figured that most owners would not press for full payment. "If 1,000 people shout, we will pay 200," Sharma said Oyo managers had told him," according to the report. "Because Oyo hotels are popular with unmarried couples looking for places for their trysts, one scheme involved workers at properties run directly by the start-up colluding to keep the guests checked in after they left. The workers then cleaned and resold the rooms for cash to other guests and pocketed the money, the people said. Oyo has conducted surprise raids at some properties, seizing employee cellphones and checking rooms and records for evidence, they said. Democratic Party spokesperson Hong Ihk-pyo. News1 Ruling and opposition parties on Saturday slammed Japan's recent easing of its export curbs on South Korea as "insufficient," calling for their full removal. A day earlier, Japan lifted its ban on exports of a chip material to South Korea, one of the three export items Japan embargoed in July amid the countries' diplomatic row over historical issues. The decision one of the first tangible steps toward easing Japan's export controls, which also include the removal of Seoul from a list of trusted export partners came just four days before planned one-on-one talks between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. Issuing its response to the decision, the ruling Democratic Parties' spokesperson, Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo said, "The latest decision is a step in the right direction, as the Abe government expressed its willingness for dialogue, but it falls short of being a fundamental solution." A message claiming that a Muslim man in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh took away a Hindu Jain girl for marriage is being circulated on social media. The text further claims that the Jain community decided to terminate all the Muslim employees and as a result more than 10,000 people lost their job in the area. Apparently, that forced the man in question to return the girl. It ends with a praiseful line about strength of unity. The claim is false and its nothing but a fictional story. Heres what the text says: Recently A Hindu Jain Girl was taken away by a Muslim Boy in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh State for marriage, All Jain Community Members had a Meeting in the district and it was decided unanimously that they will terminate All The Muslim employees from their Jobs in their commercial and industrial establishments with immediate effect. The result was shocking, as more than 10,000 Muslims lost their employment, so their community elders, Religious and Community Leaders Called a Emergency meeting and decided to locate the Jain Girl and hand over her to her family. Within Nine Hours of incident reported the girl was traced and handed over to the family, this is called United Community Effective Victory of strict action initiated. Hats off to the Jain Community Members Unity in Nellore District. Here are some of the post being shared on Facebook: The message being circulated around Facebook. Hinduism and Jainism are two different religions. Hence, the mention of a Hindu Jain girl in the message sparks doubt about the authenticity of the claim. Nellore District Police issued a rejoined and rubbished the report as fake news designed to create differences between two communities. It is fake news apparently created to evolve differences between two communities or two groups. Sri Bhaskar Bhushan, IPS., SP Nellore, warned that not to circulate such messages containing provocation and fake without proper verification, a part of the rejoinder reads. Heres the entire press note released by District Police office, Nellore. Rejoinder issued by Nellore police. So, the message saying that the Hindu Jain girl was returned by a Muslim man after people of the same religion lost their jobs in Nellore is false. Trump touts killing of Iranian general in pitch to evangelicals at campaign event originally appeared on abcnews.go.com President Donald Trump delivered a typical bombastic and at times vicious stump speech Friday night at a Miami megachurch for his first campaign event of 2020. Trump touted an airstrike he ordered in Baghdad that killed the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani. The president kicked off his speech by launching his campaign's latest coalition, "Evangelicals for Trump," and by commenting further on the killing of the top Iranian general, telling supporters at the bilingual megachurch Ministerio Internacional El Rey Jesus that "Qassem Soleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now forever gone." "I don't know if you know what was happening," Trump added, "but he was planning a very major attack and we got him." Trump also reiterated that despite recent military action, "We do not seek war. We do not seek nation-building. We do not seek regime change." The president, while addressing thousands of supporters at the church as if at a typical campaign rally, also blasted a few 2020 Democratic candidates and railed against the press. In terms of his pitch to evangelicals gathered at the bilingual megachurch, Trump highlighted his record on appointing judges, his stance on abortion and bashed Democrats for alleged attacks on religious liberty, at times misleadingly characterizing candidates' relationship with their faith. "While certain fads come and go, it's an eternal truth that faith and family lead to the stability, happiness and prosperity of nations," Trump said. "Yet as we speak, every Democrat candidate running for president is trying to punish religious believers and silence our churches and our pastors." Trump followed that with an attack on South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, questioning his faith, which the mayor has made an aspect of his campaign. Story continues "Mayor Pete, I hope he does great. And all of a sudden he's become extremely religious, as happened about two weeks ago," the president said. (MORE: Trump defends killing of Iranian general, accuses him of 'plotting imminent and sinister attacks' on Americans) Before heading to Miami, the president issued a defense of his order to kill the top Iranian general, accusing him of "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" on American diplomats and military personnel. For the majority of Trump's speech Friday night he looked to switch gears to energize and build up evangelical support at the event. The launch of "Evangelicals for Trump" also comes weeks after the president clashed with evangelical publication Christianity Today over an op-ed that called for his removal from office. PHOTO: Donald J. Trump, backed by faith leaders, declared a National Day of Prayer for victims of Hurrican Harvey in the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 1, 2017, in Washington, DC. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images, FILE) Mark Galli, the publications editor-in-chief and author of the editorial, wrote in December that the findings of the impeachment inquiry are "not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral." Galli added: "That he should be removed, we believe, is not a matter of partisan loyalties but loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments." The president fired back by calling "Christianity Today" a "far-left magazine" that is "doing poorly." The campaign maintains the "Evangelicals for Trump" event had been planned long before the editorial was published. Trumps reelection team hopes the new coalition will help sway evangelicals who may be on the fence by focusing on his record of conservative judicial appointments, including two Supreme Court justices, and his pro-life record. "The president draws tremendous support from all corners of the religious community, and it's important to engage with them," Trump campaign director of coalitions Hannah Castillo told ABC News. In the coming months, the campaign is planning an even larger investment in boosting religious support for the president by launching several other coalitions, including "Catholics for Trump" and "Jewish Voices for Trump." Christians and Catholics, especially among white voters, supported the president in significant numbers in 2016, and the campaign hopes these new coalitions help repeat those results. About 8 in 10 self-identified white evangelical Christians said they voted for Trump in 2016, according to Pew Research Center. But while white Catholics supported Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by a 23-point margin, Hispanic Catholics backed Clinton 67% to 26%, according to Pew. New Vegas PBS cooking show #LovinLasVegas with Chef Hubert Keller launches January 11, 2020 In this brand new series, Chef Hubert Keller is taking viewers to his favorite eating spots in Las Vegas, his adopted hometown, airs on Saturday, January 11, 12:30 pm on Vegas PBS, Channel 10! #LOVINLASVEGAS From the citys early days of all-you-can-eat buffets, Las Vegas has grown into a world-famous food mecca with thousands of restaurants, including ones by the most celebrated chefs in the world. His selections include some of the most exciting and top-rated restaurants both on and off the Las Vegas Strip. Chef Keller introduces viewers to his chef friends who have made the city a culinary hotspot. They also reveal their insider secrets and favorite restaurants. From highbrow to low, this #culinary tour offers a sampling of food from a wide range of cuisines from all parts of the world. The first stop is Chica at Venetian Las Vegas to meet chef/owner, Chef Lorena Garcia, the first Latina chef to open a #restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. Her South American food dazzles with its robust and vibrant flavors. Then its a tour to the Venetians vast underground kitchens with Master Chef Olivier Dubreuil to see the impressive technology that enables them to serve Michelen-rated meals to thousands of people. https://www.vegaspbs. org/hubert-keller/ A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, slain in a precision drone strike by the US in Baghdad on Friday. The assassination was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, which pledged to send more troops to the region even as US President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. The killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between the US and Iran, which Iraqis fear could play out in their homeland. Almost exactly 24 hours later, a new strike targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network whose Shiite-majority factions have close ties to Iran, the group said in a statement. It did not say who was responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike. A police source told AFP the bombardment north of Baghdad left dead and wounded, without providing a specific toll. There was no immediate comment from the US. The assassination of Soleimani, who had led the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps foreign operations branch and was Irans pointman on Iraq, rattled the region. US officials said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, was killed when a drone hit his vehicle near Baghdads international airport. A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed members were killed in the strike. Elaborate mourning procession Their bodies were to be taken through an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in Baghdad and ending in the holy shrine city of Najaf. The bodies of the Guards would then be sent to Iran, which had declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Tehran has already named Soleimanis deputy, Esmail Qaani, to succeed him. Its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly promised severe revenge and tens of thousands of protesters in Tehran torched US flags and chanted death to America. US President Donald Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to terminate Soleimani after uncovering he was preparing an imminent attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. But the Pentagon said hours later that 3,000 to 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Divisions Global Response Force would be dispatched to Kuwait. A US official had told AFP that some of the 750 troops already sent from that unit had arrived in Baghdad and would reinforce security at the US embassy there. Some 14,000 other troops have already been deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East this year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of jihadists. Pro-Iran factions in Iraq have seized on Soleimanis death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are set to meet on Sunday for an emergency session on the strike and are expected to hold a vote. Embassy storming Paramilitary figures in Iraq including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr called on their fighters to be ready after Fridays strike. And Lebanons Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah warned of punishment for these criminal assassins. Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by US lawmakers and presidents, with Trump saying he should have been killed many years ago. The last straw was an attack by a pro-Iran mob on the US embassy in Baghdad this week, where demonstrators burned the entrance to the compound and besieged diplomats inside. Following Fridays strike, the embassy urged all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately and US nationals working at southern oil fields were being evacuated. Analysts said the strike -- which sent world oil prices soaring -- would be a game-changer. Trump changed the rules -- he wanted (Soleimani) eliminated, said Ramzy Mardini, a researcher at the US Institute of Peace. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off. He expected bigger ramifications than the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and the 2019 raid that killed Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But many also worried that it could spill over into full-fledged conflict between the US and Iran within Iraq. Ties between the US and Iran have deteriorated markedly since Washington abandoned a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions. Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi warned the strike would spark a devastating war in Iraq as President Barham Saleh pleaded voices of reason to prevail. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL January 2, 2020 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Solar, including Trex Company, Inc. TREX, Norbord Inc. OSB, Boise Cascade Company BCC, Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. FND and JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. JELD. Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/698935/wood-industrys-near-term-prospects-appear-gloomy The Zacks Building Products Wood industry includes manufacturers of lumber and other wood products that are used in home construction, repair and remodeling, and development of outdoor structures. Companies in the industry also design, manufacture, source and sell flooring products. Lets take a look at the industrys three major themes: The industrys prospects are highly correlated with the U.S. housing market condition. Any untoward situation influencing the construction and housing sectors will impact the industry participants financials. Housing starts, a big source of demand for forestry products, have been bullish in recent times. Lower mortgage rates since the beginning of 2019 appear to be boosting buyer demand for housing and improving housing dynamics should help industry players entire mix of businesses, including lumber, Oriented Strand Board or OSB, and timber. The industry stands to benefit from increased government spending on infrastructure projects and strong gains in repair and remodeling activity. Volatility in lumber price has been a major concern for the wood industry. An unusual rise in the cost of lumber products sold by primary producers will increase the cost of inventory and limit margins on fixed-priced lumber products. However, a decline in costs will lead to lower profits as products sold will be indexed to the current lumber market. Again, weaker export and domestic demand resulting from continued Chinese tariffs on Southern Yellow Pine logs coupled with an increase in tariffs on Southern Yellow Pine lumber remains the culprit. Meanwhile, lower OSB pricing continues to hurt the profitability of industry players. The companies whose products have a high degree of product concentration in OSB continue to struggle with lower OSB pricing. We do not expect OSB pricing to recover to levels seen in 2018 in the near term. Story continues Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bleak Prospects The Zacks Building Products Wood industry is a 12-stock group within the broader Construction sector. The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates gloomy near-term prospects. The Zacks Wood industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #186, which places it in the bottom 26% of more than 250 Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. The industrys position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gradually losing confidence in this groups earnings growth potential. Since June 2019, the industrys earnings estimate for 2020 has gone down 106%. Despite the industrys dull near-term prospects, we will present a few wood stocks that one can buy or hold on to. But its worth taking a look at the industrys shareholder returns and current valuation first. Industry Lags Sector, Outperforms S&P 500 The Zacks Building Products Wood industry has lagged its own sector marginally over the past year. However, it has outperformed the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the same time frame. Over this period, the industry has gained 40.4% compared with the sectors growth of 41.9%. Meanwhile, the Zacks S&P 500 composite has witnessed growth of 30.7%. Industrys Current Valuation On the basis of forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing wood stocks, the industry trades at 51.6X versus the S&P 500s 20.3X and the sectors 18.4X. Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 51.6X, as low as 16.3X and at the median of 23.9X. Bottom Line Low mortgage rates combined with resilient economic fundamentals comprising low unemployment rate should buoy the housing market and hence the wood industry. Also, uptick in single-family housing starts and strong gains in repair and remodeling activity are expected to drive demand. However, lower OSB pricing and continued Chinese tariffs on Southern Yellow Pine logs coupled with an increase in tariffs on Southern Yellow Pine lumber are pressing concerns for the industry. Currently, there are two top-ranked stocks in the Zacks universe of Wood stocks that are standing tall despite weak industry fundamentals. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Trex Company, Inc.: Headquartered in Winchester, VA, this company, with a Zacks Rank #2, manufactures and distributes wood/plastic composite products, and related accessories primarily for the residential and commercial decking, and railing applications in the United States. Estimates for this companys 2020 earnings per share have witnessed upward revisions of 0.7% in the past 60 days. The company has a three-five year expected EPS growth rate of 10%. Norbord Inc.: Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, this company manufactures and sells wood-based panels for retail chains, contractor supply yards, and industrial manufacturers primarily in North America and Europe. Its estimates for 2020 earnings have witnessed upward revision of 2.2% in the past 30 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same indicates year-over-year growth of 1,087.7%. Investors may also hold on to the following stocks, which currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and have solid earnings prospects. Boise Cascade Company: Headquartered in Boise, ID, this company is one of the largest producers of engineered wood products and plywood in North America and a U.S. wholesale distributor of building products. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2020 earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 15.9%. Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc.: Headquartered in Smyrna, GA, this company operates as a multi-channel specialty retailer of hard surface flooring and related accessories. This Zacks Rank #3 companys consensus estimate for 2020 earnings calls for year-over-year growth of 21.7%. Its three-five year expected EPS growth rate is pegged at 23.6%. JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.: Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, this company manufactures and sells doors and windows, primarily in North America, Europe, and Australasia. This Zacks Rank #3 companys consensus estimate for 2020 earnings indicates year-over-year growth of 31.2%. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers Most Likely for Early Price Pops. Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +24.6% per year. So be sure to give these hand-picked 7 your immediate attention. See 7 handpicked stocks now >> 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. 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 Trex Company, Inc. (TREX) : Free Stock Analysis Report JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. (JELD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Norbord Inc. (OSB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Boise Cascade, L.L.C. (BCC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (FND) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Telegram has been ordered by a judge to explain why it should not have to turn over financials concerning its $1.7 billion initial coin offering (ICO). District Judge P. Kevin Castel of the New York Southern District Court ordered Telegram to respond by the end of day Friday following a request Thursday by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC said the investment information is necessary ahead of next weeks deposement of three Telegram employees, including founder and CEO Pavel Durov. Related: SEC Punts Decision on Wilshire Phoenixs Bitcoin ETF Proposal to February Defendants refusal to fully disclose and answer questions about their disposition of the $1.7 billion they raised from investors is deeply troubling, the SECs letter states. The SEC is scrutinizing how ICO investor money was spent, according to a case filing to the District Court on Thursday. Telegram has refused to hand over ICO allocation records relevant to the efforts of others, part of the Howey Test used by the SEC to determine if a financial product is a security. The SEC is asking the court for an order compelling production of this information immediately, in advance of an upcoming deposition, Compound Finance general counsel Jake Chervinsky told CoinDesk. [The] judge may already plan to grant the motion and just wants to give Telegram its chance to be heard before doing so. I wouldnt be surprised if Telegram responds in a few hours and the Judge issues an order granting the motion a few hours after that (or tomorrow morning), he said. Related: Blockchain of Things Pays SEC $250,000 to Settle Unregistered ICO The SEC has asked for the relevant financial records ahead of the deposition, but Telegram has only released credits, and not debits, of its ICO investments to date citing issues with its banking partners. The requested bank records are highly relevant to the issues in dispute in this case, including how much money Telegram has spent, and in what manner, in developing the TON Blockchain, the SEC letter said. Story continues This evidence is relevant to the efforts Telegram has made to ensure the viability and profitability of the Grams it sold, the SEC added. Telegram was court-ordered to halt the issuance of its gram token in October 2019 following an emergency action and restraining order by the SEC. The regulator said Telegrams ICO constituted an unregistered securities offering. The New York court ordered Durov to be deposed at a mutually agreed upon location. The deposition is scheduled for Jan. 78 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Update (Jan. 3, 19:45 UTC): A previous version of this story said the motion to compel had been granted by the district judge while the court order only asks Telegram to respond to the SECs request before a motion is granted. Read the full SEC letter below. Related Stories Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday hit back at the Samajwadi Party for promising pension to anti-CAA protesters, saying the party is encouraging protesters, who want to spread anarchy. "The Samajwadi Party (SP) has gone mad. Senior SP leaders are encouraging the people who are trying to spread anarchy," said Deputy Chief Minister Maurya told ANI. SP leader Ram Govind Chaudhry had said on Friday that his party would give compensation to the kin of those who were jailed or killed during the protests against the CAA if his party comes to power in the state. "They (protesters) have raised their voice to save democracy and the Constitution. The SP loves people who work for safeguarding the Constitution. They will be given a pension if we come to power at the Centre and in the state," Chaudhry, also Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, had said. Reacting to what the SP proposes, Maurya said: "Their government will not be formed for the next 25 years. The BJP is in power and will rule in the future as well." The minister said the UP government was taking strict action against the protesters, who burnt public properties during the protests. He also accused the SP leaders of misleading the people on the CAA and the Register of Citizens (NRC). Attacking Chaudhry, UP Minister Upendra Tiwari said that the SP has a long history of association with terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Western Australias north-west coast could be hit by the seasons first cyclone in the coming days with a tropical low expected to develop over the region by early next week. Residents in the Kimberley and Pilbara have been urged to remain alert and monitor safety warnings ahead of Cyclone Blake anticipated to make landfall east of Port Hedland late on Tuesday or early Wednesday. DFES are managing the fire. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola Bureau of Meteorology state manager James Ashley said BOM was closely monitoring a monsoon trough south of Indonesia and expected a low to develop from that in the next few days. While its early days and without a low forming so far, its pretty hard to predict, theres a lot of uncertainty in the outcomes with this system," he said Lucknow: Angry protesters went on rampage and set ablaze vehicles during their protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, in Lucknow on Dec 19, 2019. Violence erupted during protests against CAA on Thursday afternoon in various cities Image Source: IANS News Lucknow: Police baton charges protesters to disperse them during a pdemonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, in Lucknow on Dec 19, 2019. Violence erupted during protests against CAA on Thursday afternoon in various cities of Ut Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Jan 4 : A social organisation has alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government wants to implicate its people in false cases of violence during the December 19 anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. Speaking to IANS Rajiv Yadav, General Secretary of the 'Rihai Manch' said that "The December 19 protest call was made by many organisations and 'Rihai Manch' also called for the protest but at the venue at Parivartan Chowk in Lucknow there was no incidence of violence till noon but in the afternoon the police without any provocation started firing. Our President Mohd Shoeb was at his house and later was arrested by the police." He said "We have made a documentary film against Yogi government and this is why our organisation was targeted." The office bearers of Rihai Manch said that the head of the organisation was picked up from his home by the police who later claimed that he was arrested from the Clark Awadh Road. Yadav categorically rejected that his organisation was involved in any violence or was in talks with the administration. China has started lifting major restrictions on foreign investment in its financial sector, a move long demanded by the United States as the world's two biggest economies are locked in a fierce trade battle. From the start of 2020, foreign banks can now set up wholly-owned branches in China without a local partner holding the majority stake, the banking regulatory authority, CBIRC, announced on Friday. In the past, foreign banks were required to have a local Chinese partner and not allowed to hold more than 49 per cent of their respective joint ventures. The announcement could be seen as a gesture of goodwill by China towards the US as Washington says a preliminary trade agreement between the two sides looks set to be signed this month. The world's top two economies have been waging a merciless trade war since March 2018, resulting in mutual tariffs being slapped on hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of annual trade. Beijing has long promised to further open up its economy to foreign investment, but it was slow to do so in the financial sector. In October, China unveiled a timetable for lifting a number of the restrictions. And in December, the Swiss bank UBS was authorised to take a majority stake in its activities in the country. But starting from January 1, foreign companies specialising in futures contracts will now be able to invest in China with no limits on the amount of capital held. Fund management companies will be able to do so from April 1 and brokers from December 1, 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on Friday to introduce legislation that "blocks Pentagon funding for any unilateral actions" taken by President Trump "to wage war against Iran without congressional authorization." The big picture: Trump claimed on Friday that the U.S. airstrike that killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was not intended to start a war. Both Democrats and Republicans such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) have criticized Trump for not obtaining congressional approval for the strike. Flashback: Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said earlier on Friday that he considers the strike an "act of aggression against Iraq" that would "light the fuse of war." We know that it will ultimately be the children of working-class families who will have to fight and die in a new Middle East conflictnot the children of the billionaire class. ...The House and Senate should pass our legislation immediately and uphold our constitutional responsibilities. We must invest in the needs of the American people, not spend trillions more on endless wars. Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna's Friday statement Go deeper: The next move on Iran after Qasem Soleimani's killing Representative Image Almost nine years of civil war in Syria has left more than 380,000 people dead including over 115,000 civilians, a war monitor said in a new toll Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of sources across the country, said they included around 22,000 children and more than 13,000 women. The conflict flared after unprecedented anti-government protests in the southern city of Daraa on March 15, 2011. Demonstrations spread across Syria and were brutally suppressed by the regime, triggering a multi-front armed conflict that has drawn in jihadists and foreign powers. The conflict has displaced or sent into exile around 13 million Syrians, causing billions of dollars-worth of destruction. The Britain-based Observatory's last casualty toll on the Syrian conflict, issued in March last year, stood at more than 370,000 dead. The latest toll included more than 128,000 Syrian and non-Syrian pro-regime fighters. More than half of those were Syrian soldiers, while 1,682 were from the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah whose members have been fighting in Syria since 2013. The war has also taken the lives of more than 69,000 opposition, Islamist, and Kurdish-led fighters. It has killed more than 67,000 jihadists, mainly from the Islamic State group and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate. The total death toll does not include some 88,000 people who died of torture in regime jails, or thousands missing after being abducted by all sides in the conflict. With the support of powerful allies Russia and Iran, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has inched his way back in recent years to controlling almost two-thirds of the country. That comes after a string of victories against rebels and jihadists since 2015, but also his forces being deployed to parts of the northeast of the country under a deal to halt a Turkish cross-border operation last year. Several parts of the country, however, remain beyond the reach of the Damascus government. They include the last major opposition bastion of Idlib, a region of some three million people that is ruled by the jihadists of HTS. An escalation in violence there in recent weeks has caused 284,000 people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations. In the northeast, Turkish troops and their proxies control a strip of land along the border after seizing it from Kurdish fighters earlier this year. Kurdish-led forces control the far east Syria, where US troops have been deployed near major oil fields. Syria's conflict is estimated to have set its economy back three decades, destroying infrastructure and paralysing the production of electricity and oil. The Fine Gael party in Co Wexford is spilt down the middle this new year following party leaders' decision to deselect Verona Murphy from the General Election ticket. With the clock ticking towards an expected early spring General Election, the question remains will the party stick or twist by adding a third candidate: John Hegarty being an obvious possibility. Taoiseach Leo Vardkar's comments on the Friday before Christmas that he was glad Ms Murphy didn't get elected have not gone down at all well with Ms Murphy's team of 120 plus Fine Gael canvassers. The Irish Road Haulage Association President responded to his comments by issuing a statement that night which reads: 'It is a sad day, when the full might of the Fine Gael Party has today sought to portray common sense security issues raised by me as racist remarks. The continued and sustained attacks on somebody who is in their eyes a racist is puzzling? Why would they bother? What are they concerned about? The plain fact of the matter is; it is this Fine Gael urban centric government that are using the race card to detract from the fact that it is failing rural Ireland. All the name calling and abuse hurled in my direction will not conceal this reality. 'Should I stand in the next general election? The people of Wexford are intelligent enough to form their own views, and all this unwarranted and unnecessary attention will be seen for what it is.' Following a review meeting with Ms Murphy chaired by Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe in the Riverside Park Hotel in Enniscorthy, her deselection was confirmed to her in person by Mr Donohoe. The Finance Minister is the party's national director of elections and he was joined by general secretary Tom Curran that Sunday for the meeting with Ms Murphy which lasted around two hours. It was preceded by a meeting of the party's local executive, which saw a heated exchange between party chairperson Avril Doyle and local director of elections Martin Lawlor as to Ms Murphy's suitability as a candidate. Review meetings are always held following an election but the Wexford meeting was a source of particular importance. Having secured 9,543 first preference votes in the by-election Ms Murphy - who has been president of the Irish Road Haulage Association for five years - was supported by many within the party locally including some county councillors past and present. Constituency officers, Fine Gael county councillors and two delegates from each district attended the meeting, along with ministers Paul Kehoe and Michael D'Arcy Jnr. In the build-up, the by-election was seen as a straight shoot-out between Ms Murphy and Fianna Fail's Malcolm Byrne, with Labour Cllr George Lawlor expected to come in third, but he leapfrogged Ms Murphy to claim second spot following a massive transfer from Sinn Fein's Johnny Mythen. One person present at the meeting argued: 'It was a two-horse race and she came third.' Ms Murphy is weighing up a decision whether or not to run as an Independent candidate and is due to make an announcement in mid-January. A senior party member in attendance at the meeting said: 'The general feeling was she got a result that people didn't expect. It was a campaign that was steaming ahead. It was felt she was a very good candidate who would have come within 500 votes of Malcolm Byrne (if not for the controversies). She is a very relatable person who got on well with people on the doorsteps and came across extremely well and then something happened.' The party now has to decide on whether or not to run a third candidate, which could be John Hegarty, Frank Staples, Bridin Murphy, but it is understood the preference of the sitting TDs is to keep their names only on the ballot paper for Fine Gael. At least one internal poll has been carried out across the county, believed to be by Fine Gael, with Ms Murphy on a ballot paper as Independent in some areas and as Fine Gael in others. 'We have a few options. One, we can run the two candidates. Two, we have an extremely good vote getter in Frank Staples who got 1,600 votes in the local election. This is the hand we are dealt now. I thought we'd be going into the General Election with three strong candidates with profiles, D'Arcy on insurance, Kehoe as a good, honest, straightforward worker in Ennsicorthy and a high profile candidate. 'Now there is a shadow cast over it. We have lost the last two local elections to Fianna Fail and one by-election. Fianna Fail are in a strong position. If Verona had put in a strong performance and come within 500 votes she would have been in a great position going into the election.' The source said Fianna Fail's Michael Sheehan would have stripped her of around 1,000 votes but she would pick up votes elsewhere. At the meeting Ms Murphy was told by Minister Donohoe that he doesn't believe she is a racist, but had different views to migrants than him. Murphy's campaign team believe the party shut down any chance of her performing to her optimum in the by-election when they prevented her from engaging in debates and doing media interviews, something they believe she excels in. 'They made a conscious decision that they were going to support her and then they took her out of the media, banning her. The campaign rocked on. It was in full tilt and was absolutely flying and then they panicked and thought she was going to win. Then Leo came to Wexford and a total ban on debates on South East Radio and television was imposed. They cut her off at the knees. Fine Gael are split down the middle over this decision and as long as the director of elections remains in place there will be no mending of the fences.' Fine Gael Cllr Frank Staples said: 'I always thought the media ban was the downfall of the campaign. It made her look guilty as people on the street didn't know there was a media ban on her going on South East Radio. If she had been able to explain herself personally I think she might have won it and it would have made an awful lot of a difference. She talks about a lot of stuff nobody else wants to talk about. It's a pity and they could come to regret it.' Another senior member of the Wexford party executive within the Verona camp said the party had deselected the best performing candidate in any of the four by-elections. 'The two TDs and the current director of elections were the main instigators in the deselection and let's hope that they haven't shot themselves in the foot.' There is deep disillusionment within the party and there are fears that it could lead to a split. 'Lots of Fine Gael people will vote for Verona Murphy if she runs as an Independent. They won't say they will and they won't canvass for her, but when they go into the ballot box they'll put a number 1 in her box as they feel sorry for the way she has been treated by the party.' Chairperson Avril Doyle said: 'The shape of the ticket is entirely a matter for our director of elections Martin Lawlor who is also chairman of the election strategy committee.' Ms Murphy came under fire in mid-November when she suggested asylum seekers coming to Ireland should be 'deprogrammed' as they may have been 'infiltrated by Isis'. While Ms Murphy apologised several times for the choice of words she used, her campaign team later released a video claiming she was the victim of a character assassination by the media. The Taoiseach said on radio that the video, which featured a number of ministers, made him question whether her apology was sincere. During a TV interview with Pat Kenny, Mr Varadkar said: 'The controversies around both of them and others have caused reputational damage for the party and I feel that very intensely and I know our party members and activists around the country feel that very intensely as well. Neither of the people you mentioned are going to be candidates for us in the next general election.' Ms Varadkar said Ms Murphy's comments were 'very wrong and very hurtful to some of our migrant communities'. He noted that she made a 'full apology and retraction', adding that Fine Gael 'gave her more leeway that we would have others' because she was a first-time candidate'. The Taoiseach said his view of the situation changed when Murphy released a video claiming to be the victim of 'a media conspiracy or a Dublin elite conspiracy'. 'For me that indicated, one, that she wasn't sincere in her apology and retraction and secondly that we would probably have more of this again, and that's why I recommended that she be removed from the ticket and she has been.' Fine Gael imposed an effective media ban on Ms Murphy in the latter days of the campaign, something which health minister Simon Harris said hadn't worked. Minister Harris said Fine Gael's decision to deselect Ms Murphy was 'looking better by the moment', adding: 'I think anybody who engages in stoking what I believe are unfounded racists fears has no place in the Fine Gael party.' Ms Murphy responded to his comments during a Newstalk interview with Ivan Yates by saying that Mr Harris will go down as the worst health ministers ever and was deflecting from his own ineptitude by drawing attention to her. Down in Argentina, they have a new president, a former president who is now the vice president, and lots of economic promises that won't be kept. Why won't President Alberto Fernandez and V.P. Cristina Kirchner succeed? The answer is that "Peronismo" does not work. It did not work before, and it won't work now, as we see in this analysis by Marcelo Duclos, a reporter for PanAm Post in Buenos Aires: Argentina will not have an "economic plan," but it has something similar called an "emergency economic plan," which is nothing more than a first step in the wrong direction. After the presentation by the cabinet of Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Kirchner, the primary guidelines of an initial program to solve the problems of the legacy of Kirchnerism (20032015) and Macrism (20152019) were made public. As expected, this is the firefighter who comes to put out a fire with gasoline. We have seen this movie before, and the ending is predictable: an economic quagmire! One of Argentina's biggest problems is the cost of firing an employee, or one of the main reasons for unemployment, especially the young who graduate and can't find work. The new administration will now force employers to pay double the salary as compensation for laying off anyone. Not surprisingly, employers won't fire, or, more importantly, hire anyone. It's a mess, and it will get messier. At the same time, the people of Argentina need to look at the culprit in the mirror. They voted for this. They fell for the demagoguery again! PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Who was General Qassem Soleimani? Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 9:18 AM Major General Qassem Soleimani, whose assassination by the US was confirmed earlier on Friday, had played a major role in defending Iran against its enemies and assisting regional countries fight foreign occupation and terrorism. Soleimani, born in 1957, started his military career by joining the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) following the victory of the Islamic revolution in 1979. During the imposed Iraqi war on Iran, which was launched in 1980 and lasted for eight years, Soleimani gradually became known as an adept commander, leading Iranian troops in numerous battles against invading Ba'ath regime forces. Later appointed as the chief of the IRGC's expeditionary Quds Force, Soleimani gradually became a forefront figure in Iran's push to assist regional states and allies counter foreign-backed interventions in the region. As foreign-backed Takfiri outfits reared their heads in recent years, the IRGC commander emerged as a key strategist and ingenious commander leading Iranian military advisers assisting Syrian and Iraqi troops in battles against terrorists. The general was frequently pictured on the frontlines during anti-terrorism operations from Iraq's Mosul to Syria's Aleppo. In Iraq, at the height of Daesh's terror campaign, he assisted the Baghdad government in operations to retake the strategic oil-rich city of Tikrit from Daesh in 2015. In January 2015, the head of Iraq's Badr Organization credited Tehran and Soleimani with saving Baghdad when Daesh first unleashed its campaign of terror in the neighboring country a year earlier. The general also took personal command of the battle against Takfiri militants in the Syrian city of Bukamal, located in Dayr al-Zawr Province, in November 2017. In November 2017, Soleimani declared the end of Daesh's territorial rule in a letter addressed to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Earlier this year, the Leader awarded Soleimani with Iran's highest military order, the Order of Zulfaqar. Hailed both by the enemies and foes as a major military tactician, General Soleimani topped Foreign Policy (FP)'s 2019 list of Global Thinkers in defense and security. Several reports emerged about assassination plots against the commander by the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia which are believed to be among the major supporters of Takfiri terrorists wreaking havoc on the Middle East. On Thursday, however, the Trump administration openly claimed responsibility for assassinating Soleimani. In a statement on Friday, Iran's leader vowed "harsh revenge" for the perpetrators of the attack. The Leader also offered condolences to the Iranian nation and General Soleimani's family, and declared three days of national mourning. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Saturday detected five gold bars worth Rs 16 lakh from the baggage of a passenger at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport. "CISF detected five gold bars weighing about 450 gm (worth approximately INR 16 lakh) from baggage of a passenger at IGI Airport, New Delhi," the CISF tweeted. The passenger has been identified as Asif Hussain Shah. The CISF has handed over the passenger to the customs officials for further probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five Manitoba firefighters have been sent to help fight wildfires in Australia. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Five Manitoba firefighters have been sent to help fight wildfires in Australia. Geoffrey Smith and Trevor Tetrault were among the firefighters who volunteered to go and flew out to New South Wales Saturday morning. They're expected to be there for 38 days battling deadly fires that have spread through the region. To read more of this story first reported by CBC News, click here. The Winnipeg Free Press and CBC Manitoba recognize each other as trusted news sources. This content is made available to our readers as part of an agreement to collaborate to better serve our community. Any questions about CBC content should be directed to: talkback@cbc.ca The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) has many available scholarships for graduating high school students, college junior or senior students as well as graduate students. NSDAR has many available scholarships in the areas of political science, history, government and economics and medical and nursing. DAR also has specific scholarships in english, math and science also for music and for elementary and secondary teaching fields. NSDAR also has scholarships for students who have an American Indian heritage. London: The President of Mexico has expressed his solidarity with Julian Assange, saying he hopes the Australian WikiLeaks founder will soon be pardoned and freed. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said liberating Assange would be a "just cause". Assange is in a British jail for skipping bail when he sought asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London, where he spent nearly seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden over allegations of rape that were dropped in November. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen in a prison van travelling to Westminster Magistrates Court in London on December 20, 2019. Credit:AP He is also battling US attempts to extradite him over Wikileaks' publication of vast caches of leaked military documents and diplomatic cables. He faces a lengthy prison term if extradited to the US. BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's securities regulator said on Friday that the Shanghai-London Stock Connect was operating normally, following a Reuters report that China had halted cross-border listings through the link. "Media reports on postponement of Shanghai-London Stock Connect do not match facts," said Chang Depeng, a spokesman for the China Securities Regulatory Commission, told a regular news briefing in Beijing. "From the opening of the Shanghai-London Stock Connect to now, it has been operating normally." Reuters reported on Thursday, citing five sources, that China had temporarily blocked planned cross-border listings between the Shanghai and London stock exchanges because of political tensions with Britain. The report followed the delay of a listing of global depository receipts (GDRs) in London by Shanghai-listed SDIC Power Holdings Co Ltd <600886.SS>, an alternative energy operator, which cited market conditions as the main reason. SDIC would have become the second Chinese company to use the Stock Connect scheme to list GDRs in London after Huatai Securities <601688.SS><6886.HK> completed a listing in May. Regarding the delay, Chang said the CSRC "respects each company's own decision to list based on its own financing needs and market situation." He said that trade in, and cross-border transfers of, Huatai GDRs were operating normally. Chang said some onshore companies had shown interest in cross-border listings through the Stock Connect, and that it would continue to improve links between onshore and offshore capital markets, as well as strengthening cooperation with overseas regulatory institutions, Chang said. The Stock Connect scheme began operating last year. (Reporting by Xiaochong Zhang in Beijing and Andrew Galbraith in Shanghai; editing by Alex Richardson and Jason Neely) Speaker expresses condolence over Gen. Soleimani's martyrdom IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani expressed condolences over the martyrdom of the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani. Larijani said in a message that General Soleimani was a popular and powerful commander of all Iranians who thrived for the dignity and independence of Iran and was martyred by the US criminal regime for this reason. Larijani stressed that the Iranian nation will not forget the US crime, noting that Iranians have done so many sacrifices to preserve the country's honor and dignity. Today, the US regime is the most hated regime in the world, and the arrogant system knows that through committing such crimes it will never be able to interfere with the determined will of the great Mujaheds (veterans) brought up in the Muslim nations, he said in his message. The Commander of Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant-General Qasem Soleimani and the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed by the US air raid in Baghdad, Iraq's capital. The US authorities told Reuters that fighters targeted Baghdad international airport on Friday in order to assassinate General Soleimani and al-Muhandis. 9455**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudhir Suryawanshi By Express News Service MUMBAI: Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday led the BJPs frontal attack on the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadhi government, especially former ally Shiv Sena, as he sought an immediate ban on a controversial Savarkar booklet. The booklet in question was distributed at the All India Congress Seva Dal training camp in Bhopal. Shiv Sena chief Udhhav Thackeray is heading the MVA government in alliance with the Congress and the NCP after severing 30-year ties with the BJP. Fadnavis alleged that the Congress exhibited its wicked psyche by circulating a booklet. CM Uddhav Thackeray, meanwhile, refused to meet Ranjeet Savarkar, the grandson of VD Savarkar, who came to Mantralaya on Friday with the demand to ban the booklet. The BJP strongly condemns the booklet. Venerable Hinduhriday samrat Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray would have been the first to react in his archetypal style (to the booklet) had he been around, he tweeted. We want answers from Sena, which has made an unnatural alliance with Congress, if it will ban this book in Maharashtra by registering strong protest or repeatedly tolerate such insults of our most respected personalities just for the greed of power? Another BJP leader Ashish Shelar kept up the pressure on Sena. This is a deliberate ploy of the Congress to hurt the sentiments of the Hindus. Savarkar is an icon of Hindus who fought against the British rule. We demand CM Thackeray immediately withdraw this booklet that defames Savarkar, Shelar added. Later, Sena leader Sanjay Raut attacked the Congress for the booklet. Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind. Congress Sachin Sawant maintained that his party has ideological difference with the Sena, but they have together formed a government for the interest of Maharashtra. The government will run on the basis of the CMP, not the ideology of any political party, he said. Read Rushdies novel Midnights Children Cong leaders should read Salman Rushdies novel Midnights Children which contains references to Emergency, then PM Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi, said BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi. For almost 35 years, Colin Caffell has had to live under the long shadow of the horrific events of August 7, 1985, when his six-year-old twins Nicholas and Daniel were brutally murdered alongside their mother and grandparents at their home in rural Essex. Killed by their 24-year-old uncle, Jeremy Bamber, the twins were fireballs, full of energy, Colin says. Everyone who met them loved them. They were two little angels, joyful and fun. His beautiful blond sons would be 40 now, perhaps with children of their own. And while Colin often regrets that he chose not to see their bodies to say a last goodbye they were both shot multiple times in their beds he is grateful that his memories of his sons remain unsullied. The mass murder sent shockwaves through the country, not least because Bamber tried to frame his dead sister Sheila, a fragile former model known as Bambi, for the crime. Colin Caffell with his twin sons Nicholas and Daniel who were murdered along with their mother Shelia Caffell and her parents at White House Farm by her adoptive brother Jeremy Bamber in 1985 So chillingly effective were the lies Bamber told that not only did he convince the police but even fooled Colin into believing his former wife had killed their twin sons in cold blood before beating and shooting her adoptive parents and taking her own life. When the truth finally emerged, Bamber was jailed for life. But justice has not brought Colin peace. For The Mail on Sunday can reveal that in a final, cruel twist, Bamber has even robbed him of the most tangible, treasured mementoes left of his sons: three of their milk teeth. A desperately poignant legacy, the teeth were kept in a special box and were one of the last things Colin had by which to remember them. Jeremy Bamber is pictured with girlfriend Julie at funeral. Born 13 January 1961, Bamber was convicted in 1986 of murdering five members of his adoptive family But in 2002 they were ground down to be used as DNA evidence which wasnt available at the time of the murders to fight Bambers most recent, yet ultimately futile attempt to appeal against his conviction. Colin recalls: The police asked me if I had any milk teeth belonging to the boys. I had three that I kept in a special box. They explained they would need two teeth to be sure, that they would be ground into a fine powder, but they would give one back if they could. I felt very upset and reluctant but I had to agree. Bambers relentless campaign of lies is one reason that even now, many decades on, Colin, 66, admits he has struggled to rid himself of his rage at his loss coupled with the guilt that he believed Bambers lies. Pictured: A scene from an upcoming ITV production on the murder. The six-part drama White House Farm starts on Wednesday at 9pm on ITV I was set up to support Jeremys story. I feel disgusted now. Thats been the hardest thing to deal with the sense of betrayal, he says. And the rage that came up inside me because of it which certainly didnt fit my own self-image. Today Colin, an artist with white hair and engaging blue eyes, lives in a remote corner of Cornwall with his second wife of 20 years. The couple run their own art gallery. They fled to the West Country in the aftermath of Bambers second appeal, selling their detached home in an acre of beech woodland in Berkshire. I yearned to be normal again and be ordinary and escape the headlines, Colin says. So it is perhaps a surprise that Colin agreed to act as consultant on White House Farm, an ITV drama starring Cressida Bonas, Prince Harrys ex-girlfriend, as Sheila and Freddie Fox as Jeremy Bamber, as well as deciding to update and reissue the book he wrote about his experiences, called In Search Of The Rainbows End. Pictured is an August 1985 family photo showing the twins with their mother, Sheila Caffell He has done so, he says, to reclaim his story from the lies about his ex-wife who he affectionately calls Bambs a shortened form of her nickname. To have it come up again with the TV drama was difficult, he says. But once I realised that this was a project that was going to be handled with real respect and sensitivity, I felt safe to get involved. Weve never been able to escape the lies that Jeremy told at the beginning. I will defend Bambs reputation until the day I die. Sheila was not violent or a drug addict. She could not have been the murderer because she could not fire the .22 automatic rifle used to kill the family and it would have been a miracle if she had been able to shoot herself twice in the neck. The truth is, Bambs was so heavily medicated with powerful anti-psychotic drugs, she could barely pour beans on a plate. Colin has struggled to move on with life, so alive are the boys in his memory. Nicholas was the mischievous one, he says. Daniel was more serious and used to say, I want to be like mummy when I grow up. He was a little charmer. They are a huge loss to the world. Yet Colin would also be the first to admit that the childrens family life was difficult. Their young mother was just 20, when, already pregnant, she married Colin in 1977. She lost that baby and suffered two further miscarriages before the twins were born in 1979. Tragically, Sheilas mental health quickly went into decline, with mounting episodes of psychosis. Her relationship with Colin faltered and by 1980 the couple had divorced. Bambs (real name Sheila Bamber) who became Mrs Sheila Caffel, was found shot dead by police after they were called to her farmhouse along with her parents Neville and June Bamber and her twin sons Four years later, worried about his former wifes deteriorating mental health, Colin took over full-time care of the boys. The family history was further complicated by Sheilas relationship with her adoptive parents. June and Nevill Bamber were wealthy landowners who, unable to have children of their own, had adopted first Sheila, then Jeremy. A religious zealot, June had referred to her adoptive daughter as the devils child and had taken to indoctrinating the twins. Today Colin admits that given this toxic backdrop, he had huge doubts about giving in to June and Nevills request that the boys should stay at the farmhouse for a weeks summer holiday. Concerned for their wellbeing, Colin had even asked Jeremy to help look after them a decision that subsequently left him consumed with guilt and anger. Dealing with the rage I felt towards myself has been a big part of moving on. Forgiving myself was hard, he admits. I will never forget my last moments with the boys, he adds. The last hug from them as I left was a really strong embrace. It felt like they thought theyd never see me again. It wasnt just a Bye daddy, Im going to miss you. It was absolute agony. Whether it was the thought of being left at the mercy of their granny or whether they had some strange premonition, I will never know. Pictured: Cressida Bonas as Sheila Caffell for the upcoming ITV six-part drama based on the mass murder in 1985 In fact, a year after his sons deaths, Colin made the chilling discovery that just a few weeks before they were murdered, Daniel had produced a series of disturbing drawings while staying at his grandmothers house. They depicted June as a terrifying monster. If I had seen them, I would never have left them at the farm, says Colin. Daniel had drawn a repeated motif of the farmhouse that became superimposed with granny, so that granny became the dark, shadowy building. The final drawing was interpreted by a doctor as granny being shot in the head. The reality, of course, is that no one could truly have foreseen the horrendous events that would unfold during the night of August 6 and 7, 1985. In the early hours, Essex police had received an apparently distressed phone call from Jeremy Bamber, who lived close to White House Farm, claiming that his then 61-year-old father had called him saying Sheila had gone berserk with a shotgun. The line had then gone dead, Bamber claimed. Police were dispatched to the farm in the Essex village of Tolleshunt DArcy, where Jeremy met them. The house was silent, but once inside police discovered a horrific scene. Nevill was dead in the kitchen, having been savagely beaten and shot multiple times, while June and Sheila were dead in the main bedroom. Found near her Bible, June had been beaten and shot in the head while Sheila had two bullet wounds to her neck. The twins, Nicholas and Daniel, had been shot multiple times in their beds. Daniel was still sucking his thumb. Jeremy Bamber is pictured being escorted by police in connection to the murder case in 1985 Essex police were so convinced by Bambers story that, when they later arrived on Colins doorstep to tell him the terrible news, he was taken straight to Jeremys home near White House Farm. Colin recalls: Jeremy came out of his cottage, gave me a big hug and then told me this story about an argument in the farmhouse the night before, where his parents said that, because of Sheilas psychosis, they were going to take custody of the boys and place them with a local Christian family. The idea of the twins being taken into care would have been abhorrent to Sheila. That made it possible that she might have flipped. Bambers lies were so believable that the police did little to investigate the crime. They failed to gather or record evidence, didnt carry out forensic tests and even destroyed the crime scene. At first Jeremy Bamber appeared every inch the grieving survivor. He wept at his familys funeral and began the grim process of sorting through his parents belongings. But soon his behaviour began to arouse suspicion he appeared to be laughing and joking just hours later, went on high-spirited jaunts abroad, even buying a large amount of cannabis in Amsterdam, and started to sell the familys possessions. But four weeks later, he was arrested and charged with murder after his girlfriend, Julie Mugford, told detectives that Bamber had bragged to her that he planned to kill his parents and inherit the familys 400,000 fortune and the Georgian farmhouse set in 300 acres. She also claimed that Bamber rang her on the night of the murders, telling her: Its tonight or never. He rang back shortly afterwards and said: Everything is going well. Bamber was just 24 when he was convicted of five counts of murder after a trial during which the judge described him as warped and evil beyond belief. Colin says: When all the truth started to emerge, I realised how stupid Id been in the face of his lies. The rage that came up inside me shocked me. I felt murderous towards Jeremy. I would like to have been given a crowbar and left with him in his cell for five minutes. Id have broken every bone in his body. Bamber was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in jail and, in 1994, was told that he would never be released. He is now 58. It was when Bamber launched his second appeal in 2002 that police asked Colin to provide his boys milk teeth so they could be ground down as DNA matches. These would be used to link the boys to blood splashes that would prove the chronology of the killings. Lawyers attempting to prove the conviction was watertight knew the original police investigation had been so chaotic that the bungled crime scene would be a fertile area for Bambers lawyers to focus on. Bambers appeal failed but it hasnt deterred him from campaigning even suggesting as recently as October that he had new evidence. Pictured: Freddie Fox as Jeremy Bamber for the upcoming ITV six-part drama based on the mass murder in 1985 For Colin, there has been a ray of hope. In 1999, he and his wife had a daughter. She is now 20 and a slice of happiness for which Colin is forever grateful. He knew, of course, that one day she would need to know what happened to her half-brothers. When she was five, we told her a very bad man had killed them, Colin says. Then, when she was ten, she discovered the full chilling details. Colin says: At a friends house, they Googled their names to see what they could find. When she put in my name, a brutally shocking photograph of Sheila put up by Jeremys supporters came up. Sheila was clearly bloodstained with two bullet wounds to her neck. Understandably upset, his daughter has since decided not to keep the surname Caffell with her fathers blessing. Such is the notoriety of the case that he didnt want his daughters life to be blighted by it, too. Yet Colin has worked hard to find inner peace, initially joining a support group called Parents Of Murdered Children. He said: It was helpful to share stories with people who had been through similar experiences, but everyone defended their right to be victims. I didnt see myself as a victim, but as a survivor. Art has also helped. Colin was recently elected as a member of the Penwith Society of Arts in St Ives. His first bronze sculpture, Patradonna, depicts him holding his dead sons. I needed to find a way to express all the unpleasant emotions that were tearing me apart, he says. I now feel free to be open about my past and to feel openly proud of what I have achieved on that dark journey. I no longer feel I have to hide it. The updated edition of In Search Of The Rainbows End, by Colin Caffell, is published on Thursday by Hodder & Stoughton, priced 9.99. The six-part drama White House Farm starts on Wednesday at 9pm on ITV. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 21:04:32|Editor: zh Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China fulfilled its commitment to increase imports in 2019 amid rising tides of protectionism, boosting domestic economic expansion and offering a beacon of hope for multinationals that had suffered from low profit growth in other parts of the world. China has been shifting from an investment-driven model to a more domestic consumption-powered economy over the years. Consumption continued to play an increasingly important role in driving economic growth, contributing 60.5 percent of GDP growth in the first nine months of 2019. "Expanding imports will be conducive to fostering new growth areas in consumer spending, and accelerating the transformation of the country's economic development model," said Zhang Fei, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. In a bid to further meet booming domestic demand, the country lowered or canceled import duties on certain products from Jan. 1, 2020. The import tax on frozen pork, for instance, was cut from 12 percent to 8 percent in a bid to increase domestic supplies. The country eliminated the tariff on pharmaceutical products containing alkaloids for asthma treatment as well as raw materials for the production of new diabetes medicines to reduce medication costs and promote the production of new medicines. China also slashed the duties on imported fruits and juice to offer more choices for consumers. ROBUST DEMAND FOR HIGH-END GOODS Riding on the success of robust economic growth over the past four decades, Chinese consumers have shown burgeoning demand for quality goods and comfortable lifestyles. Retail sales, a main gauge of consumption, increased 8 percent year on year in the first 11 months of last year. "Affluent consumers are willing to spend," said Gan Chunhui, vice president of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Some consumers perceive foreign goods as being higher in quality than those produced domestically, a main reason behind the soaring demand for imported products. "In the short term, boosting imports is an effective way to close the gap between domestic demand for high-end goods and the country's actual supply capacity," Gan added. LUCRATIVE MARKET China's increasingly prosperous market of 1.4 billion and greater opening-up steps present invaluable opportunities to global businesses. Danish toymaker Lego registered low single-digit growth in the European and American markets in 2018, but its sales were most notable in the Chinese market with strong double-digit growth. The toymaker opened its 100th retail brand store in Xi'an in July 2019, its first certified store in northwest China, in a move to expand its footprint in the country's inland cities. A slew of international companies including Adidas and Nike opened new flagship stores in major Chinese cities last year, while German supermarket chain ALDI entered the Chinese mainland market and Lawson convenience stores swept across third- and fourth-tier cities. To fulfill its commitment to expand imports, China has hosted two import expos in succession in Shanghai, where thousands of products made their debut to woo China's swelling middle class. "China's opening-up moves such as hosting the import expo inject great impetus to the world economy amid worldwide economic uncertainties," said David Liao, president and CEO of HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited. To further open up its market, China has unveiled a series of measures over the past few years, including a shortened negative list for foreign investment, enhanced protection of intellectual property rights and improved business environment. The country also pledged to continue to lower tariffs and institutional transaction costs, develop demonstration zones to promote import trade by creative means, and import more high-quality goods and services from around the world. "A new round of opening-up measures will result in massive investment and consumption opportunities. The Chinese market's potential has not yet been fully tapped by multinationals," Liao noted. BAGHDAD Iran vowed harsh retaliation for a U.S. air strike near Baghdads airport that killed a top Iranian general who had been the mastermind of its interventions across the Middle East, and the U.S. said Friday it was adding troops to the region as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Iran, which has careened from one crisis to another since President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. The targeted strike, and any retaliation by Iran, could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Over the past two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israels doorstep. The United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East and urged U.S. citizens to leave Iraq immediately following the early-morning air strike at Baghdads international airport that Irans state TV said killed Soleimani and nine others. The State Department said the embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters earlier this week, is closed and consular services have been suspended. Around 5,200 American troops are in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and help in the fight against Islamic State group militants. Defense officials spoke about the new troop movements on condition of anonymity. The U.S. announcement about more troops being sent to the region came as Trump said Soleimanis killing was not undertaken in an effort to begin a conflict with Iran. Rather, he said, we took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. Trump also says he does not seek regime change in Iran. Another air strike almost exactly 24 hours after the one that killed Soleimani hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia members north of Baghdad, killing five, an Iraqi official said. The Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the strike, saying it targeted one of its medical convoys near a stadium in Taji, north of Baghdad. An American official who spoke on condition on anonymity denied that the U.S. was behind the reported attack. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that harsh retaliation is waiting for the U.S. after the strike against Soleimani, calling him the international face of resistance. Khamenei declared three days of public mourning and appointed Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, Soleimanis deputy, as head of the Quds Force. Key developments American officials say they had compelling intelligence that Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in the U.S. strike early Friday in Iraq, was planning a significant campaign of violence against the United States. Iran vowed "harsh retaliation" for the killing of the senior military leader. The United States urged its citizens to leave Iraq "immediately." The U.S. is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East in the volatile aftermath of the killing. The Pentagon placed an Army brigade in Italy on alert to fly into Lebanon if needed to protect the American Embassy there. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called world leaders Friday to explain and defend President Trump's decision to order the air strike. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is closed and all consular services have been suspended. Source: Chronicle News Services See More Collapse Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the killing a heinous crime and vowed his country would take revenge. However, the attack could act as a deterrent for Iran and its allies to delay or restrain any potential response. Trump said that targets of possible retaliation had been identified, and that the U.S. was prepared. The killing promised to further strain relations with Iraqs government, which is allied with both Washington and Tehran and has been deeply worried about becoming a battleground in their rivalry. Iraqi politicians close to Iran called for the country to order U.S. forces out. The Defense Department said it killed the 62-year-old Soleimani because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. It also accused Soleimani of approving violent protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The strike, on an access road near Baghdads airport, was carried out Friday by an American drone, according to a U.S. official. Irans state TV said Friday that 10 people were killed in the strike, including five Revolutionary Guard members. The attack comes at the start of a year in which Trump faces both a Senate trial following his impeachment by the House of Representatives and a re-election campaign. It marks a potential turning point in the Middle East and represents a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions. The tensions are rooted in Trumps decision in May 2018 to withdraw the U.S. from Irans nuclear deal with world powers, struck under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Since then, Tehran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers. The U.S. also blames Iran for other attacks targeting tankers and a September assault on Saudi Arabias oil industry that temporarily halved its production. Supporters of Fridays strike said it restored U.S. deterrence power against Iran, and Trump allies were quick to praise the action. To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted. Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran, Trumps former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, wrote in a tweet. Trump, who is vacationing at his private club in Palm Beach, Fla., said in a tweet that the strike was ordered because Soleimani was plotting to kill many Americans. He should have been taken out many years ago! Trump tweeted. The potential for a spiraling escalation alarmed U.S. allies and rivals alike. We are waking up in a more dangerous world, Frances deputy minister for foreign affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, told RTL radio. Russia condemned the killing, and fellow Security Council member China said it was highly concerned. Britain and Germany noted that Iran also bore some responsibility for escalating tensions, while Saudi Arabia urged restraint. Irans Supreme National Security Council said in a statement Friday that it had held a special session and made appropriate decisions on how to respond, though it didnt reveal them. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi condemned the strike as an aggression against Iraq. An emergency session of parliament was called for Sunday, which the deputy speaker, Hassan al-Kaabi, said would take decisions that put an end to the U.S. presence in Iraq. Ordering out American forces would heavily damage Washingtons influence and make the U.S. troop presence in neighboring Syria more tenuous. But Iraqs leadership is likely to be divided over such a step. President Barham Salih called for the voice of reason and wisdom to dominate, keeping in mind Iraqs greater interests. Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Zeina Karam are Associated Press writers. Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation says he would never remain in a political party that maliciously pulled down his father house. Fani-Kayode, there are very clear indications that the comment is referring Gbemisola Saraki, a member of the All Progressives Congress(APC), who party had demolished Ile Arugbo built by Gbemisolas late father, Olusola Saraki. The statement comes barely a day after Gbemi Saraki condemned the demolition of the property built by her father, by the Kwara state government saying it is a disrespect to her being a member of the party which is the ruling party in the state. Read Also: It Is A Disrespect To Me As An APC Member; Gbemi Saraki Speaks On Demolition Of Family Home Fani-Kayode while speaking via his Twitter handle on Saturday, described the late Saraki as profoundly good man who helped and transformed the lives of many. He tweeted: There is nothing in this world that will make me remain in a political party that maliciously demolished my fathers house for no just cause. Dr. Olusola Saraki was a profoundly good man who helped and transformed the lives of many. He was a great man: he did not deserve this. https://twitter.com/realFFK/status/1213472568893685765?s=19 'Affluenza' teen Ethan Couch (pictured in Thursday's mugshot) was arrested in Texas after testing positive for THC while on probation. He was released from prison Friday after his lawyers raised doubts about his drug monitoring patch A man who became known as the 'affluenza teen' for his unusual defense at a 2013 manslaughter trial has been released from a Texas jail just one day after he was arrested after a drug test triggered an alleged probation violation. Ethan Couch, 22, was booked into Tarrant County Jail on Thursday, after officers reported that a drug monitoring patch he wears returned a 'weak positive' result for THC, the psychoactive substance found in marijuana. Couch had been ordered to stay sober as part of a probation order he received following his involvement in a drunk driving crash in 2013. He avoided prison time for the horror smash and was instead sentenced to 10 years of probation. At trial, a psychologist testified that Couch - who was 16 years old at the time - was affected by 'affluenza,' or irresponsibility caused by family wealth. However, was later sentenced to 720 days in prison for violating the terms of his parole after he was caught on video at a beer pong party. Couch was sentenced to 720 days in prison for violating the terms of his parole after he was caught on video playing beer pong. He is pictured being released after that stint behind bars in April 2018 Meanwhile, on Friday, Couch's lawyer's successfully argued that their client should be released from prison, insisting he didn't fail his sobriety test. He was released from prison around 1 pm on Friday, pending additional tests. His attorneys claim the the patch could have been set off by legal CBD oil. Attorneys Reagan Wynn and Scott Brown told The Star Telegram in a statement: 'We are optimistic the additional testing will verify Ethan has not knowingly and voluntarily used alcohol, THC, or any other prohibited substance since being released from custody more than 20 months ago.' 'The court will continue to intensely monitor Ethan for alcohol and illegal substance use. Ethan is committed to his sobriety and to remaining compliant with all of the terms and conditions imposed by the Court.' On June 15, 2013, Couch was behind the wheel of his father's red Ford F-350 pick-up, speeding 70mph down the road from his home in Burleson, Texas, where he had hosted a drunken teenage party In a court filing , prosecutors said that after getting the drug test result a court officer wanted Couch in custody to ensure he doesn't shave his head because his hair might be needed for a follow-up test. The court officer declined to comment. The Tarrant County probation office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On June 15, 2013, Couch was behind the wheel of his father's red Ford F-350 pick-up, speeding 70mph from his home in Burleson, Texas, where he had hosted a drunken teenage party. Earlier in the day he and two friends had stolen three cases of Miller Light from a local Walmart. As the party got into swing, one of the guests found she needed a tampon and everyone piled into the truck to go to a nearby convenience store. The then-16-year-old smashed into an SUV that had stopped by the side of the road after its tire blew, killing its driver Breanna Mitchell, 24. The crash also killed three people who had to come to her aid, including Brian Jennings, who was on the way home from his son's graduation, and mother and daughter Hollie and Shelby Boyles. Sergio Molina, one of Couch's passengers, was left paralyzed and can now only communicate by blinking. After the crash, Couch was found to be three times over the legal blood/alcohol limit. He also had marijuana and Valium in his system. A judge in Fort Worth gave him 10 years' probation on the understanding he go into rehab and refrain from drinking, but he and his mother Tonya fled to Mexico in 2015 after a video of him at a beer pong party was posted online. The video did not show him drinking. At Couch's trial, psychologist Dick Miller said that the teen suffered from 'affluenza', a term coined decades earlier to explain the downside of having too much. He said his parents had not taught him wrong from right. Instead of being taught the golden rule, Miller said, Ethan was taught: 'We have the gold, we make the rules.' Victims: Couch slammed into the SUV of 24-year-old Breanna Mitchell (left). Brian Jennings (right), who was on the way home from his son's graduation, was also killed Mother and daughter Hollie (left) and Shelby Boyles (right) were also killed in the 2013 crash Sergio Molina, one of Couch's passengers, was paralyzed and can now communicate only by blinking Though Couch killed four and left a fifth victim paralyzed, he wasn't initially sentenced to any jail time. Because of his affluenza, he was instead sentenced to just 10 years of probation. Judge Jean Boyd accepted Miller's argument and gave him a sentence that was heavily criticized. But after the video showing Couch at a beer pong party in 2015, he and his mother fled to Puerto Vallerta, Mexico, with the family dog, and were later picked up by police and taken back to the United States. The mother-son pair were caught when authorities traced an order for Domino's pizza made from one of their smartphones. When he returned, his probation was being supervised by the juvenile court system, which meant he could only be on probation until his 19th birthday in April 2016. At that time he was transferred to the adult probation system and given 180 days for each of the four people killed. Those sentences were served consecutively. Couch has a 9pm curfew and wears a GPS and alcohol monitor. He also has an ignition interlock device attached to his car. Since Couch was released from jail in April 2018, his family has had multiple run-ins with the law. Couch's father, Frederick, was charged with assault after allegedly trying to choke his girlfriend in September 2019. Frederick was accused of grabbing Brandi Gober around her throat or neck and applying pressure on July 14, according to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. Police with the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office investigated the case and Frederick was charged with 'assault of a house member by impeding her breath'. Frederick was also sentenced to one year's probation in 2016 for allegedly pretending to be a cop during an incident in North Richland Hills. Couch's mother, Tonya, was also put behind bars for the third time in April 2019 after she failed a drug test. Special education teachers work with students who can have a variety of learning or physical disabilities. Learn more about what special education teachers do and the degree options for becoming one in the following article. View Schools To become a special education teacher, individuals will need to hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited school, though students can choose to pursue a higher degree such as a master's or a PhD. These programs often combine coursework with field experiences and internships that can qualify teachers for certification from the state of Michigan. What Does a Special Education Teacher Do? A special education teacher works in a school to assess the needs of individual students with disabilities and then come up with a plan to make sure those needs are met. These teachers tailor lessons and activities for each student, track student progress, and report back to parents, other instructors, and school administrators. Special education teachers can work with students from preschool up through students in their senior year of high school. Another responsibility of special education teachers is to help students transition from one grade level to the next and also into life outside of a traditional school setting. What Should I Know About Earning a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education? A bachelor's degree program in special education typically requires students to accumulate a minimum of around 120 credits prior to graduation. Students working to earn a bachelor's degree complete teacher preparation courses and internship experiences that will take them one step closer to getting their teaching certification. These programs place an emphasis on teaching students with disabilities in elementary education through between roughly 20 and 40 required special education credits. Some schools may also require a pre-admission experience prior to acceptance where program applicants spend around 40 hours getting experience in a setting related to learning disabilities. What Schools in Michigan Offer a Bachelor's Degree Program in Special Education? Some of the schools in the state of Michigan that offer bachelor's degree programs in special education include: Western Michigan University - Bachelor of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education Central Michigan University - Bachelor of Science in Education: Special Education Michigan State University - Bachelor of Arts in Special Education What Should I Know About Earning a Graduate Degree in Special Education? A master's degree in special education can be earned with the completion of roughly 30 credit hours of coursework. Students in a master's degree program can choose an emphasis for their studies, such as learning disabilities, cognitive impairment, or emotional impairment. PhD candidates must complete their educational requirements in a maximum of five years, and they must also prepare and present a dissertation during this timeframe. Students in a doctoral program might also need to complete a residency requirement that usually takes two semesters for students that are enrolled full-time. What Schools in Michigan Offer a Master's Degree Program in Special Education? Though a graduate degree is not always required for special education teacher positions, students may choose to pursue a master's degree from a school in Michigan, such as: Michigan State University - Master of Arts in Special Education Eastern Michigan University - Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education Grand Valley State University - Master of Education in Special Education University of Michigan-Dearborn - Master of Education in Special Education What Schools in Michigan Offer a Doctoral Program in Special Education? The highest degree that students hoping to become special education teachers can earn is a doctoral degree, and they can choose to do so from a variety of schools in Michigan like: Iran will welcome any Indian peace initiative for de-escalating its tensions with US US-Iran tension: Donald Trump says Iran appears to be standing down, slaps more sanctions US warns vessels transiting Gulf in the wake of tensions with Iran Vital that situation doesnt escalate: India on General Soleimanis killing India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 04: Reacting to the killing of a top Iranian commander by the US, India said the increase in tension has alarmed the world and asserted that peace, stability and security in the region are of utmost importance to it. In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so and it is vital that the situation does not escalate further. General Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq on early Friday, the Pentagon announced. Day after killing Soleimani, US strikes target Hash al-Shaabi in Iraq The head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus was killed when the drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. The deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and some local Iran-backed militias were also killed in the strike. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 In its statement, the External Affairs Ministry said, "The increase in tension has alarmed the world. Peace, stability and security in this region are of utmost importance to India." Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation: Donald Trump The ministry also said that it is "vital that the situation does not escalate further. India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so". Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 15:07:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tensions soared in the Middle East after a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport on Friday killed an Iranian top commander, with Iran vowing to take "tough revenge," and the Pentagon saying it planned to send thousands more troops to the region. The drone strike killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, along with an Iraqi militia commander, triggering a harsh revenge threat from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. After the deadly attack, the U.S. media reported that the United States will deploy some 3,500 more troops to the region as early as this weekend. The additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and other parts of the region, reported NBC News, citing multiple U.S. defense and military officials. RISING TENSIONS Tensions have risen since Hashd Shaabi, an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization formed by Iraq's Shi'ite-led paramilitary Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH), said that U.S. drones bombarded its military bases, which led supporters of the militia to storm the perimeter of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The bombardment came two days after a rocket barrage hit a U.S. military camp, killing a U.S. contractor and wounding others, which the United States blamed on the KH, a militia allegedly backed by Iran, the long-time foe of the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that Iran is responsible for the death of the U.S. contractor, and "is orchestrating an attack" at the U.S. embassy, which "they will be held fully responsible (for)." Iran has denied involvement in the recent deadly attacks on the U.S. forces in Iraq. The most recent attack, according to the Pentagon, was conducted at Trump's direction as a "defensive action" against Soleimani, who it said had "approved" the attacks on the embassy, and was planning further attacks on American diplomats and service members in Iraq. UNKNOWN FUTURE The world is bracing for the ramped-up conflict between Washington and Tehran, and it remains unknown how far the two sides will push the rivalry. "I think the Iranian government is angry, and would like to strike back," David Pollock, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Xinhua. Darrell West, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, said that Trump's attack represents a clear escalation of the current conflict, and that could be dangerous for Americans. "The risk is such a conflict could get out of hand and embroil the region in much more active hostilities," the expert added. Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, also chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said Friday in a statement that Trump's "reckless actions in the Middle East have made us less secure and risk serious consequences for the security of the homeland by escalating an already volatile situation." CALLING FOR RESTRAINT Following the most recent attack, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday urged relevant parties, especially the United States, to remain calm and restrained to avoid further escalating the current tensions in the Gulf area. "China has always opposed the use of force in international relations, and insisted all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic norms governing international relations," said the ministry's spokesperson Geng Shuang. "Further escalation, which could set the whole region on fire, must be prevented," said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, adding that Germany is in close consultations with Britain and France -- signatories to the Iran nuclear deal -- on how to help calm the situation. Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne echoed Maas by saying that "we call on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation. Our goal is and remains a united and stable Iraq." The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said that the international community should bear its responsibilities in maintaining security and stability of the region, calling for utmost restraint and de-escalation of actions. (Xinhua reporter Matthew Rusling in Washington D.C. also contributed to the story.) As many as 13 FIRs have been lodged by the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against the builders, accused of cheating innocent home buyers under the garb of 'Land Pooling Policy' of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The EOW has registered criminal cases under relevant sections of the law against the builders who have duped many innocent people in the capital under various schemes not approved by the government. The builders have tried to attract home buyers in various categories for investment in lucrative housing schemes, especially in Dwarka and other peripheral areas of Delhi. "Thousands feared duped for Dwarka Habitation. A probe by the EOW is in progress," read the statement of Delhi Police. An SIT has also been constituted to further investigate the cases. DDA had envisaged a policy in the name of 'Land Pooling Policy' for ensuring the availability of sufficient houses under the planned development of Delhi. In anticipation of such scheme, various builders and promoters grabbed it as an opportunity to exploit the situation by showing pictures to flat buyers and raised huge amounts from them for advance bookings in the name of registration, allotment, etc, said the statement. Various attractive schemes have been floated in the market through different companies, developers, societies, builders in the name of the government approved 'Land Pooling Policy' demanding the registration fee or initial payments for booking of flats, the statement added. During the preliminary inquiry, it came to notice that some mischievous elements have launched their web portals and various types of electronics advertisements are being sent on e-media with regard to various housing schemes in order to cheat the general public at large and are collecting money from people. Initial investigation has also revealed that the 'Nigerian gang' is also involved in duping people through the online transaction in the name of 'Land Pooling Policy', added the statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The brutal murder of two angelic boys, their mother and their grandparents at a secluded farmhouse in the Essex countryside in August 1985 was one of those awful stories that sticks in the mind. Not least because at first everyone thought the killer was in fact one of the victims. Schizophrenic Sheila Caffell, the adopted daughter of Nevill and June Bamber, was initially accused of shooting dead her parents and her six-year-old twins Daniel and Nicholas, then turning the gun on herself. Police thought it was an open and shut case, until suspicions grew around Sheila's brother Jeremy Bamber, who would have received a large inheritance. A new ITV drama explores the five murders at White House Farm, Essex, that took place in 1985 (pictured left to right: Jeremy, Stan and Taff) He told the police his father had called him at his home nearby on the day of the murders to say Sheila had a gun and had gone 'berserk', but those suspicions led to Jeremy being charged with the five murders, and in 1986 he was given a life sentence. Now a new ITV drama, made with the support of Sheila's ex-husband Colin Caffell, explores the human tragedy and reveals the police mistakes that would lead to wholesale changes in the way murder is investigated. 'I remember the case so well,' says Mark Addy, who plays DS Stan Jones, the man who eventually realises that Jeremy Bamber is the real culprit but has to go over the head of his superior to get the investigation going. 'At the time it was the biggest mass killing in the UK. I remember watching footage of Bamber at the funeral and thinking, 'I do not buy that.' 'I'd just come out of drama school and I thought, 'I can act better than that.' The idea for the production started with the publication of a 2015 book looking into the killings, The Murders At White House Farm by Carol Ann Lee. 'I'm interested in drama that explores complex experiences,' says producer Willow Grylls.' Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas plays Sheila (pictured), who was initially accused of the murders, as well as turning the gun on herself This case defined its era in so many ways. It was the first multiple murder case like this and mistakes made by the police resulted in huge changes. 'It was also defining because of the way Sheila and her mental health issues were treated. 'There was a wider human story that had never been talked about particularly the impact on Colin.' In 1994 Colin wrote his own book, In Search Of The Rainbow's End, about the massacre in which his ex-wife and their two children died. However, until producers approached him he had never talked to any TV researcher about the case. 'Over the years I've been approached by many people but it never felt right to talk about it,' he says. Bamber did things that seemed out of character - Mark Addy 'But the producers of this show were very respectful. I felt I could trust them. 'They made it clear they wanted to tell the story properly, to get to the psychological underbelly of it. 'One reason I wrote the book was to repair Sheila's shattered reputation. 'The sad thing is that she had met her birth mother only two months beforehand, and apart from when she gave birth to the twins I'd never seen her so happy. 'She was more positive. The mistakes the police made were so bad that there is now an in-house police phrase, 'Don't do a Bamber.' In her first big TV role, Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas plays Sheila. Cressida, who stars as the adoptive daughter of June Bamber (pictured as portrayed by Amanda Burton), revealed the drama aims to show another side to Sheila 'It was important to give her a voice the story was sensationalised, she was vilified for being "mad,"' says Cressida. 'Mental health was seen differently then. When she died there was so much stuff saying she was unhinged. We wanted to show her other side.' Colin admits seeing both Cressida as his ex-wife and Freddie Fox as her adoptive brother Jeremy Bamber was strange. 'Once he'd dyed his blonde hair brown, it was scary how much Freddie looked like Jeremy,' he admits. 'And when I saw Cressida on screen, I couldn't believe how similar she was to Sheila. She plays her beautifully.' When she died, Sheila was vilified for being 'mad' - Cressida Bonas The series shows how the police initially believe Jeremy's story that his sister had gone mad. But gradually suspicions arise, particularly from Stan Jones who then clashes with his superior DCI Thomas 'Taff' Jones, played by Stephen Graham. Stan is not convinced Sheila appears to have shot herself twice, but Taff ignores him and fails to secure the crime scene. Evidence goes unrecorded and the bloodstained bedding and carpets are burned by police. Stan is seconded to look after Jeremy as his police liaison officer, but soon begins to suspect him, as does a cousin, Ann Eaton, played by Gemma Whelan. 'Taff is a bully in the show,' says Mark. 'Apparently he'd stand on the toe of your shoe while he was tearing a strip off you so you couldn't get away. Colin Caffell, who is the ex-husband of Sheila, vetted the scripts and believes the drama (pictured) gives a faithful account of what happened 'But some of the police, especially Stan, had a beady eye and spotted something wasn't right. Bamber did things that seemed out of character for someone supposedly desperately bereaved.' Freddie Fox wasn't born at the time of the murders but says his actor father Edward remembers them well. 'For some people it's a huge part of their cultural recollections,' he says. 'It was memorable, partly because Jeremy Bamber is someone with such a complex psychology. 'I talked to Colin about Jeremy's mannerisms, because I wanted to get as much right as possible. I soaked it all in.' But while he considered going to talk to Jeremy himself, who has protested his innocence for the past 35 years, he decided not to. 'I took a lot of advice on it,' he says. 'But he's now a different person to the man I'm playing and I'm not sure what I would have gained from it.' The show was filmed in Essex, just 45 miles from White House Farm, which was inherited by other family members who still live there. Colin vetted all the scripts and is pleased the series gives a faithful account of what happened. 'They've done a very good job. My biggest concern was that we'd be stereotyped as victims, but that hasn't happened. I hope people will see Sheila in a new light.' White House Farm begins on Wednesday at 9pm on ITV. January 04 : Rating 1 Star Bollywood dance and musical extravaganzas usually come with a weak narrative or none at all, but Bhangra Paa Le tries it and fails miserably. If youre looking for groovy dance moves and good music, its a sure shot winning pick for you, but if youre looking for story, acting, narrative or meaning, well, sadly it has got none. Directorial debut of Sneha Taurani shuffles between two time zones so frantically that at one point, you just lose track whether youre watching a dance and musical drama or some reincarnation silliness. There is a scene where a soldier pulls up a drum and start beating it in the middle of dusty battlefield during the ongoing World War II, and cut to, a modern day college in Amritsar, where girls are auditioning for a spot in a Bhangra troupe. The lead dancer of this college troupe is also Sunny Kaushal. Sunny thinks he has found the perfect female counterpart when he lays his eyes on Simi (Rukshar) racking up a storm with her dance. The bubbling romance turns toxic when Jaggi realises Simi is a member of the rival colleges troupe, with equal ambition. She too wants a spot on the Bhangra Battle in London in order to put some personal ghost to rest. Hence the conflict Arises! And the story goes downhill from here! And were made to sit through a series of songs, repetitive choreographed dance routines, and a great deal of exposition and the end, you feel happy that it ended and now you can go home! Sunny, plays Jaggi and Captaan, dances his heart out in the numerous set pieces but lacks the charisma. Newbie Rukshar lacks the smoothness of a dancer but her sweet act as the self-assured Simi is fun to watch. The film also features Shriya Pilgaonkar as Captaans (Sunny) love Nimmo waiting for his return to Malwa village. In spite of best efforts by the actors, a weak script, poor direction, boring choreography, and different time zones it will burn your brain rather than the dance floor. Saratoga Springs man honored for trainings LATHAM Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Shields, the adjutant general for the State of New York, announced recent awards and individual recognitions for members of the New York Guard state defense force for their continuing commitment to serve community, state and nation as part of New York States Military Forces. Maj. Sean Garry of Saratoga Springs, serving with the New York Guard Headquarters, received the New York Guard Commanders Citation during recent unit training events. The New York Guard is a force of 500 uniformed volunteers, organized as a military unit, who augment the New York National Guard during state emergencies. They provide administrative and logistics support to the National Guard. Members of the New York Guard have been involved in flood control efforts along the Lake Ontario shoreline this summer. Unlike members of the New York National Guard, New York Guard members do not have a federal military role and do not deploy outside the state. New York Guard members usually train in a volunteer status and are only paid when they are placed on state duty during emergencies. Hudson Falls man reenlists with Guard LATHAM Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general, announced the recent reenlistment of members of the State National Guard in recognition of their continuing commitment to serve community, state and nation as part of the Army National Guard. Sgt. 1st Class Adam Barber of Hudson Falls, reenlisted to continue service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Recruiting and Retention Battalion. The New York National Guard (New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs) is the states executive agency responsible to the Governor for managing New Yorks Military Forces, which consists of nearly 20,000 members of the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard. Six National Guard soldiers promoted LATHAM Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the State of New York, announced the promotion of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their capability for additional responsibility and leadership. Local soldiers include: Nicholas Scialdone of Glens Falls, assigned to the 0206 Military Police Company received a promotion to the rank of staff sergeant; Joseph Holt of South Glens Falls, assigned to the Company D, 3-142nd Aviation received a promotion to the rank of private first class; Patrick Shaw of Saratoga Springs, assigned to the Company H (Forward Support Company Infantry), 427th Brigade Support Battalion received a promotion to the rank of captain; Noah Ringer of South Glens Falls, assigned to the 206th Military Police Company received a promotion to the rank of private first class; Katrina Wilkins of Granville, assigned to the Intelligence and Sustainment Company, 42nd Infantry Division received a promotion to the rank of private first class; and David Ballard of Argyle, assigned to the Operations Company, 42nd Infantry Division received a promotion to the rank of staff sergeant. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BZ25 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 203 Thanked: 935 Times Re: Genius & goof-up automotive moments of the decade My take is based on all major(and erstwhile) companies as mercenaries, in a bar: GM: (Drunk and exhausted, says to patron sitting next to him, i.e Hyundai) Man, I brought two big brands: Opel and Chevrolet, still I am forced to leave India. Why? Hyundai: All I know is you lost the battle man. You fought hard, but your soldiers (dealers) were somewhat incompetent and too less in numbers, and what were you thinking bringing those cheap Chinese weapons (cars)? I was shocked that you went from selling the epic looking Beat to the sleepy looking Sail. I sold ugly cars( original Santro), finally by 2008 I got my act together and started selling great cars (i10, i20 etc.), the only thing is that they're like boats. GM: ( Almost in tears) Anyway, I'm leaving India tomorrow. I can't do this anymore, I'm too weak now. Thanks to the Wall Street crisis, I got hit with too many losses. My army is getting reassigned to South America. MG: Never fear brother! I'm here, people think I'm British, but you know I'm Chinese, and I'll save you by using the 'value' therapy( Hector) to heal you, though it will look wierd and drive like a boat. I'll buy your hideout(Halol plant) too. Hyundai: (to GM) Will miss you, old friend. My boss just assigned my sister (Kia) here, I'm so excited! Now we can join forces to defeat Suzuki, the legendary sniper who never misses a shot. In another corner, Volkswagen: (Bearded and aged, tries to buy a drink for Kia): So, what's your name beautiful? Kia: (Threateningly) Stay away from me old man. Your weapons are too outdated to annihilate my army. And have you seen the way you look? You haven't shaved in years and that botox isn't helping. Skoda: (To Kia) Hey, leave my cousin alone. Next year, we're coming back, harder, better, faster, stronger. Kia: (mockingly): Oh yeah? Where's the diesel? CNG isn't ubiquitous like Diesel, how do you think your C-SUVs can beat my pride, the Seltos. Hyundai: (Pitches in) Back away from my sis, gentlemen. Next year, all my arsenals will be fully updated. VW, your Tiguan isn't about to get crushed by the Tucson. And can you go and change your style, the Polo-Vento style is so 2010s. Volkswagen: Watch your words Hyundai, I'm still the most powerful mercenary worldwide. Toyota: (to VW-SKODA) Nope, sorry, that's me. (To Suzuki) Hey Suzuki, long time no see! Suzuki: Hey bud! Listen, let's join forces, I sell you tin cans and you give me your tech. Toyota: Duh... Okay! What about safety? Suzuki: (guffaws) Hahaha, that's one thing India doesn't want, they want cheap, lightweight and efficient weapons. Don't worry, you'll make a dough, and you'll be able to teach me how to succeed in markets like UK and USA, where quality and safety matters. I got my fingers burnt in the USA. Only India was able to save me then. Toyota: Let's do it! (to himself: soon I'll get enough money to employ this guy and bam! I'll be the king of the world! Renault: ( enters the bar with Nissan) Nice, with the help of Nissan, I can show we're the best with my supreme and affordable weapon, the Duster! To save money, I can install smaller airbags, and never update it! Then I can sell the van like Lodgy and sell the overpriced Koleos. Then, 5 years later, I can milk the same old weapon by branding it as the Captur, the Indians won't notice that it is different from the European one! Nissan (to Renault): Good idea brother, I'll lend you the Micra and Sunny, which will never be updated properly, you give me the Duster and Captur for the Terrano and Kicks! We'll sell them through the worst dealerships and give the worst service India will ever experience! Tata: I have a dream, to reach the top 3 in 2019, with great looking products that are good to drive! All: (sarcastically) Sure sure, and the Harrier turned out to be a niggle free product! FCA: Guys, what about me? Suzuki: Who are you? I just know that your dealerships are lame and you haven't built upon your initial success (Jeep Compass). Honda: (In a corner, wasted) The Glory days, the first three Citys, the Accord and CR-V were great. Now, I can make my cars cheap quality wise, and overprice them, starting with the Brio, Amaze and BR-V and spread the virus to my best offering, the 4th gen City. I'll have an arrogant management, who don't care, and all will be good. Bartender: Look at you man, you're dying, you need a medic, the way you're going. Save yourself! Get a Creta fighter and price your products sensibly! Honda: Who do you think you are? I don't care that the Korean loser(Hyundai) has taken my place as the supreme 'H', whether in India, or worldwide. Bartender: Okay, have it your way. Goodbye, you won't be missed. In another corner, all the rich mercenaries are drinking. Mercedes: I came first, made a mistake by selling an old model, never anymore! I've improved service and sell class best products, continuously updated with good dealerships! BMW: Great bro! I'll steal your strategy, except my weapons will have ugly looking grilles from now on. Audi: I won't sell Diesel cars, sell cars with just adequate engines, lose the Quattro all wheel drive, buyers won't notice! Bartender: ( Smirking) Good luck buddy, you'll need it. Volvo, Jaguar, Porsche: Hey don't forget us! Volvo: I'll sell cars with epic designs, but a few years later I'll start deleting safety features and the air suspension, which is what makes them great! Jaguar: I'll work in the fringes of this segment! Porsche: Me too, and I'll overpriced them! I really like this idea of putting the car Companies in real life situations, like in a high school.My take is based on all major(and erstwhile) companies as mercenaries, in a bar:: (Drunk and exhausted, says to patron sitting next to him, i.e Hyundai) Man, I brought two big brands: Opel and Chevrolet, still I am forced to leave India. Why?: All I know is you lost the battle man. You fought hard, but your soldiers (dealers) were somewhat incompetent and too less in numbers, and what were you thinking bringing those cheap Chinese weapons (cars)? I was shocked that you went from selling the epic looking Beat to the sleepy looking Sail. I sold ugly cars( original Santro), finally by 2008 I got my act together and started selling great cars (i10, i20 etc.), the only thing is that they're like boats.: ( Almost in tears) Anyway, I'm leaving India tomorrow. I can't do this anymore, I'm too weak now. Thanks to the Wall Street crisis, I got hit with too many losses. My army is getting reassigned to South America.: Never fear brother! I'm here, people think I'm British, but you know I'm Chinese, and I'll save you by using the 'value' therapy( Hector) to heal you, though it will look wierd and drive like a boat. I'll buy your hideout(Halol plant) too.: (to GM) Will miss you, old friend. My boss just assigned my sister (Kia) here, I'm so excited! Now we can join forces to defeat Suzuki, the legendary sniper who never misses a shot.In another corner,: (Bearded and aged, tries to buy a drink for Kia): So, what's your name beautiful?: (Threateningly) Stay away from me old man. Your weapons are too outdated to annihilate my army. And have you seen the way you look? You haven't shaved in years and that botox isn't helping.: (To Kia) Hey, leave my cousin alone. Next year, we're coming back, harder, better, faster, stronger.: (mockingly): Oh yeah? Where's the diesel? CNG isn't ubiquitous like Diesel, how do you think your C-SUVs can beat my pride, the Seltos.: (Pitches in) Back away from my sis, gentlemen. Next year, all my arsenals will be fully updated. VW, your Tiguan isn't about to get crushed by the Tucson. And can you go and change your style, the Polo-Vento style is so 2010s.: Watch your words Hyundai, I'm still the most powerful mercenary worldwide.: (to VW-SKODA) Nope, sorry, that's me. (To Suzuki) Hey Suzuki, long time no see!: Hey bud! Listen, let's join forces, I sell you tin cans and you give me your tech.: Duh... Okay! What about safety?: (guffaws) Hahaha, that's one thing India doesn't want, they want cheap, lightweight and efficient weapons. Don't worry, you'll make a dough, and you'll be able to teach me how to succeed in markets like UK and USA, where quality and safety matters. I got my fingers burnt in the USA. Only India was able to save me then.: Let's do it! (to himself: soon I'll get enough money to employ this guy and bam! I'll be the king of the world!: ( enters the bar with Nissan) Nice, with the help of Nissan, I can show we're the best with my supreme and affordable weapon, the Duster! To save money, I can install smaller airbags, and never update it! Then I can sell the van like Lodgy and sell the overpriced Koleos. Then, 5 years later, I can milk the same old weapon by branding it as the Captur, the Indians won't notice that it is different from the European one!(to Renault): Good idea brother, I'll lend you the Micra and Sunny, which will never be updated properly, you give me the Duster and Captur for the Terrano and Kicks! We'll sell them through the worst dealerships and give the worst service India will ever experience!: I have a dream, to reach the top 3 in 2019, with great looking products that are good to drive!: (sarcastically) Sure sure, and the Harrier turned out to be a niggle free product!: Guys, what about me?: Who are you? I just know that your dealerships are lame and you haven't built upon your initial success (Jeep Compass).: (In a corner, wasted) The Glory days, the first three Citys, the Accord and CR-V were great. Now, I can make my cars cheap quality wise, and overprice them, starting with the Brio, Amaze and BR-V and spread the virus to my best offering, the 4th gen City. I'll have an arrogant management, who don't care, and all will be good.: Look at you man, you're dying, you need a medic, the way you're going. Save yourself! Get a Creta fighter and price your products sensibly!: Who do you think you are? I don't care that the Korean loser(Hyundai) has taken my place as the supreme 'H', whether in India, or worldwide.: Okay, have it your way. Goodbye, you won't be missed.In another corner, all the rich mercenaries are drinking.: I came first, made a mistake by selling an old model, never anymore! I've improved service and sell class best products, continuously updated with good dealerships!: Great bro! I'll steal your strategy, except my weapons will have ugly looking grilles from now on.: I won't sell Diesel cars, sell cars with just adequate engines, lose the Quattro all wheel drive, buyers won't notice!: ( Smirking) Good luck buddy, you'll need it.: Hey don't forget us!: I'll sell cars with epic designs, but a few years later I'll start deleting safety features and the air suspension, which is what makes them great!: I'll work in the fringes of this segment!: Me too, and I'll overpriced them! Last edited by Sheel : 5th January 2020 at 08:53 . Reason: Minor edits :). LONDON, Dec. 14, 2019 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks outside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, Dec. 13, 2019. Boris Johnson headed to Buckingham Palace Friday for an audience with Queen Elizabeth following his win in Thur Image Source: IANS News New Delhi/London, Jan 4 : American-born British Prime Minister Boris Johnson charged hefty amounts from media outlets for lectures and writing articles when he was just a parliamentarian. The highest amount ever paid to him was from an Indian media outlet. This had raised eyebrows of government authorities in both the countries. Just for a three-hour engagement, when he was a parliamentarian, he received A122,899.74 (Rs 1.13 crore) for a lecture during India Today Conclave, 2019. According to the Register of Members' Financial Interests of UK Parliament, Boris Johnson received around Rs 1.13 crore from an Indian Media House -- Living Media India Limited. "On March 22, 2019, received A122,899.74 from Living Media India Limited, K-9, Connaught Circus, New Delhi 110001, for a speech to India Today on 2 March 2019. Hours: 3 hours. Transport and accommodation also provided," Register of Members' Financial Interests stated. The register of UK Parliament is to provide information about any financial interest which a member has, or any benefit which he or she receives, which others might reasonably consider to influence his or her actions or words as a Member of Parliament. The Conservative Party politician became the United Kingdom Prime Minister on July 24, 2019. An ardent backer of Brexit, Johnson received A22,916.66 a month for writing articles for the Telegraph Media Group Ltd, based in London. He claimed he used to spend 10 hours in a month. He wrote from July 11, 2018 until July 10, 2019. From The Spectator, based in London, he received A800 for an article on September 28, 2018. For this article he spent two hours. Again he received A350 from The Spectator for an article on December 21, 2018. He spent two hours for writing the article. From Associated Newspapers Ltd based in London, he received A2,000 for article on October 9, 2018. He had spent two hours for writing an article. Johnson received Rs 34,500 from an article from The Washington Post. "On 15 February 2019, received A376.05 from The Washington Post, 1301 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20071, for an article. Hours: 2 hrs," it stated. Interestingly, Johnson was born in New York City and he gave up his US citizenship in 2016. The British Prime Minister began his career as a journalist. He started as a reporter for The Times in 1987, but was asked to leave over some alleged reports. Thereafter he had joined The Daily Telegraph and served as correspondent covering the European Community and later as an Assistant Editor. In 1994, Johnson became a political columnist for The Spectator, and in 1999 he was named the magazine's editor. He became a Member of Parliament in 2001, and in 2008 mounted a successful bid to become Mayor of London. He served as the two-time elected mayor of London from 2008 to 2016 and as Secretary of for Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2018 under UK Prime Minister Theresa May. 'We Caught Him in the Act': Trump Says US Did Not Kill Soleimani to Start War With Iran Sputnik News 23:16 03.01.2020(updated 23:53 03.01.2020) Speaking from Mar-a-lago on Friday, US President Donald Trump addressed for the first time the US airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. In his brief address, Trump indicated that he ordered the recent attack "to stop a war," stressing that his decision was not made to "start a war." "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him," Trump said. "Under my leadership, America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you, we will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members - all Americans and our allies." "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and it's ruthless Quds Fore under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen. ... Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London," he continued. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago - a lot of lives would've been saved. ... We do not seek regime change, however, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to de-stabilize its neighbors must end and it must end not. The future belongs to the people of Iran - those who seeks peaceful coexistence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad." "The United States has the best military by far ... if Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary and that in particularly refers to Iran," he added. Trump did not take any questions from reporters following the statement. Moments earlier, news broke that the US State Department had designated Iraqi Shi'ite militia group Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) as a foreign terrorist organization, and that it had also labeled the group's two leaders, brothers Qays and Laith al-Khazali, as "specially designated global terrorists." Hours after the airstrike, the US Department of Defense issued a release, stating that the launch near Iraq's Baghdad International Airport was aimed at "deterring future Iranian attack plans." A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Several Sikh organisations and the Shiv Sena Dogra Front (SSDF) on Saturday staged separate protests here to condemn the mob attack on the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and the stone pelting on the pilgrims in Pakistan. The protests were held in different parts of the city and Poonch district town with the participants chanting slogans against Pakistan and setting ablaze the effigies of Pakistan premier Imran Khan, officials said. However, they said the protesters dispersed peacefully. A mob on Friday attacked the shrine where the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. "Elements in Pakistan want to give trouble to the minorities including the Sikhs. An immediate probe would fix the responsibility following which action can be taken against the culprits," All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement here. He said at a time when some bonhomie had been established between India and Pakistan over the opening of the Kartarpur corridor, the attack on the gurdwara is somewhat suspicious. He asked the members of his community to remain vigilant against "divisive elements". Sikh United Front chairman S Sudershan Singh Wazir denounced the attack and urged the community to hold peaceful protest against the incident. "Pakistan must identify the culprits and take appropriate action against them," he demanded. The Jammu and Kashmir units of Congress and BJP also condemned the incident. Terming the incident as "mischievous and highly shameful" on the part of Pakistan, chief spokesperson of Pradesh Congress Committee Ravinder Sharma held the Pakistan Government responsible for its failure to contain and control such elements which trigger tension between the two countries. "Such incidents are intolerable and government of India must convey the concerns and sentiments of the people in the strongest manner to Pakistan to check and control such elements in order to prevent any such mischievous incidents against the holy place of Nankana Sahib and other such shrines belonging to the minority," he said. Senior BJP leader and former legislator Ramesh Arora said the attack has exposed the state policy of Pakistan, which prefer violence and wanted to encourage Islamic fundamentalism in all fields of life. "It is a really shameful and condemnable act. Pakistan is basically a terrorist state and is required to be declared so formally," he said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped before it spirals out of control, Trend reports with reference to the statement by the European Union (EU) High Representative Josep Borrell on the recent developments in Iraq, which resulted in killing of Iranian commander Soleimani The EU calls on all the actors involved and on those partners who can have an influence to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment. Another crisis risks jeopardizing years of efforts to stabilize Iraq. Furthermore, the ongoing escalation threatens the whole region, which has suffered immensely and whose populations deserve life in peace. More dialogue and efforts to enhance mutual understanding are necessary to offer long term solutions to the stabilization of the Middle East, reads the statement. The EU stands ready to continue its engagement with all sides in order to contribute to defusing tensions and reverse the dynamics of the conflict, said the statement. On Jan. 3, Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - Quds Force and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed as a result of air strikes at Baghdad Airport. The Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of the Iranian general. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 22:58:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least four villagers from same family have been killed and their houses demolished by fellow angry villagers in western Tanzania after they had suspected the victims of their involvement in witchcraft, an official said on Saturday. Evans Buchonko, a councillor for Msambara ward in Kasulu district in Kigoma region, said the victims included a pregnant woman. Buchonko said a group of angry villagers raided houses of the victims at on Friday afternoon and slashed them with machetes after they were suspected of involvement in witchcraft practices. "The villagers also destroyed the victims' belongings before they demolished their houses and farms," said Buchonko, appealing to the government to arrest the culprits and prosecute them. He said after the grisly incident ward authorities reported the matter to the police who rushed to the scene and found the four bodies in pools of blood. The official said the killers dragged the victims outside their houses before they killed them. Simon Anange, Kasulu district commissioner, appealed for calmness, saying security organs have launched investigations into the killings. Anange urged to stop killing people suspected to have been involved in witchcraft. A DEATH IN REMBRANDT SQUARE by Anja de Jager (Constable 8.99) A DEATH IN REMBRANDT SQUARE by Anja de Jager (Constable 8.99) A fatal hit and run in central Amsterdam threatens to upend the police career of detective Lotte Meerman. It was she who, 15 years earlier, had nailed the dead man for murder. Now, new evidence appears to show that he was wrongly convicted. Moreover, his death may not have been accidental. Such is Anja de Jager's skill as a story teller, it is impossible not to share the agonies Lotte goes through as she struggles to find the truth while matching wits with an investigative journalist intent on proving police incompetence. As a bonus, the plot captures the feel of Amsterdam, city of canals and bicycles, without the usual travelogue of famous sights. On her fourth appearance in print, Lotte is entirely convincing as a dedicated policewoman under pressure from both sides of the law while somehow keeping a grip on her private life. IT WALKS BY NIGHT by John Dickson Carr (British Library 8.99) IT WALKS BY NIGHT by John Dickson Carr (British Library 8.99) John Dickson Carr was just 23 when he wrote the book that introduced readers to the locked-room mystery. The style is melodramatic and, at times, over-elaborate with more than a casual nod of acknowledgement to the horror stories of Edgar Allan Poe. But the potent combination of mystery and macabre is irresistible. Set in high society Paris, the challenge for detective Henri Bencolin is to expose the killer of the Duc de Saligny. Since the means was decapitation, suicide is ruled out. How then, did the perpetrator enter and escape from a heavily guarded room? When the novel was first published in 1930, the third part of the narrative came with a paper seal that had to be cut to continue the story. Anyone who could resist reading on had their money returned. Few took up the offer and there will be fewer now who will willingly forgo the denouement of a genuine classic. THE ALLINGHAM MINIBUS by Margery Allingham (Agora Books 8.99) THE ALLINGHAM MINIBUS by Margery Allingham (Agora Books 8.99) Fans of Margery Allingham's classic mysteries featuring her cerebral sleuth, Albert Campion, will find a different side to her work in this short story collection. While Campion makes two brief appearances, the best of the rest are tales of crime and the supernatural. Detection is a minor element. In this sceptical age it is hard to make ghostly appearances part of a convincing plot. But such is the Allingham skill in creating plots where the incredible is more than likely, we are easily persuaded to defy cynicism. The opening story gives a fair idea of what to expect. Having disposed of a companion for financial gain and with no chance of being caught, the murderer is beset by letters from friends who claim to have met the victim. The mounting sense of menace, brilliantly conveyed, sets the mood for the rest of the book. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party to concentrate on strengthening the main opposition platform before the 2023 election cycle. Our preoccupation at this point in the @OfficialPDPNig should not focus on elections, but on rebuilding and strengthening our party for the challenges ahead of us, Mr Abubakar, who was the partys presidential candidate in 2019, said in a tweet this morning. Mr Abubakar said rather than playing politics when campaign season was still at least 30 months away, resources should be channelled towards bolstering the PDP structure, which has weakened consistently since it lost the centre after 16 years in 2015. Mr Abubakar challenged President Muhammadu Buhari at the February general election, but lost by a few million votes. Over the past few days, he has faced rumours of taking desperate measures to get the PDPs presidential ticket again in 2023, when Buhari would step down. On Friday, media reports quoted Walid Jibrin, chairman of the PDP board of trustees, an advisory body of party elders, as alleging threats to his life because he declined to support an automatic ticket for Abubakar in 2023. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates In comments made during an interview with overseas Chinese media, a Chinese surgeon gave details about a liver transplant operation that he believes may be linked to the communist regimes practice of mass organ harvesting from prisoners. On Dec. 19, the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times, a U.S.-based publication, interviewed Dr. Zhong, who provided documents confirming his identity and occupation. In order to protect his identity, The Epoch Times omitted Zhongs full name. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) government has been accused of running a large-scale organ harvesting scheme since at least the mid-1990s, turning huge profits through the murder of those jailed for their religious beliefs. According to a growing number of witnesses and experts, the primary victims are practitioners of Falun Gong, a banned Chinese spiritual practice. During his postgraduate studies, Zhong had the opportunity to participate in a variety of surgical operations at different hospitals in China. In 2011, he took part in a special liver transplant at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Universitys School of Medicine, where he was working as an intern surgeon. One night, staff at the hospital called Zhong after 11:00 p.m. for a transplant. They said there wasnt a surgeon available and they wanted me to perform the operation. I wanted to learn and practice more. It was really a good opportunity for me, he said. Upon arriving at the hospital, Zhong found police uniforms in the locker room. Then he saw several people dressed in visitors surgical gowns. They were taller and stronger than the average doctors and nurses. It was very strange, he recalled. The locker room is for doctors and nurses exclusive use. Why were there police uniforms there? Zhong then saw several of the visitors inside a room adjacent to the operating room. When they were to start the transplant, a nurse brought the liver in from the first room. I believe that the donor was in the operating room next door, Zhong said. The patient had cirrhosis. Zhong spent about eight hours performing the transplant operation, and went home directly afterward. When he returned to the hospital, Zhong heard that a cornea transplant operation had been performed in the same building during the liver transplant. Normally, the hospital wont perform a cornea transplant operation at the same time as a liver transplant, Zhong said. But that night, the transplant operations were done in parallel with each other. Its very strange. I did surgeries at many hospitals in Hangzhou [the capital of Zhejiang Province]. I know the hospitals well, Zhong said. The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine is one of the best hospitals for hepatobiliary transplantation. It has performed many more operations than other hospitals in eastern China Zhong thinks that the person who supplied the cornea was the same person as the liver donor, and that its likely the hospital used all the organs it could get from the donor. The donor must be a political prisoner. Thats the reason why policemen were there, Zhong said. He said he didnt ask for the donors background, but soon after he learned that the donor might be a Falun Gong practitioner. Mass Killing According to Ethan Gutmann, an American investigative journalist, China has been harvesting the organs of prisoners since at least the mid-1990s, when it was carrying out such operations in Xinjiang, a province on the far western Chinese border. In the 2000s, the business assumed horrific scale. In 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) banned Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that had tens of millions of adherents. The practice was demonized as a harmful cult, and hundreds of thousands of people found themselves behind bars, where they could be beaten or tortured if they refused to give up their faith. In June 2019, the London-based China Tribunal concluded that organ harvesting was taking place in China with the CCPs approval, and that it showed no signs of stopping. Experts like Canadian rights lawyer David Matas fear that Uyghur Muslims, over 1 million of whom are believed to be incarcerated in labor camps, could be replacing Falun Gong practitioners as the biggest source of involuntary organ donors. The first allegations that Falun Gong practitioners were being murdered for their organs were raised in 2006. However, the difficulty of conducting on-the-ground research in China has forced investigators to rely on circumstantial methods such as discrepancies in official statistics and witness testimony. There Were Plenty of Donors Before At the medical school, faculty told Zhong and others that the donors were executed prisoners, but didnt allow any questions about who they were or why they had been killed. They know they [the donors] were Falun Gong practitioners, Zhong later realized. Later, Zhong began working with a different team, where he met Zheng Shusen, director of organ transplantation at the First Hospital. Zheng also formerly directed the Chinese Transplant Congress, and chaired the China Organ Procurement Organization Alliance. Between 2007 and 2017, he was also head of the Zhejiang provincial branch of the China Anti-Cult Association. The latter is an important Communist Party-controlled organization for defaming Falun Gong. According to Chinese state-run media, Zheng Shusens team had performed over 2,300 liver transplant operations by December 2017. Zheng told us that the donors were fewer than before He didnt draw a comparison with any specific year He said there were plenty of donors before, and they could do a lot of medical research, Zhong said. Zheng didnt elaborate on why there were fewer donors. In 2017, Liver International, the official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver, retracted an article by Zheng Shusen because he could not produce credible evidence that the organs used in his research had been obtained ethically. Dr. Zhong said that his experiences made him suspect that there was a darker background to the Chinese organ transplant industry, so he decided to become a general surgeon instead. Following graduation, Zhong started to look deeper into the background of the liver transplant he had helped perform. He spoke to others at the medical school and used VPN software to skirt Chinese internet censorship and find out more information about organ harvesting. When I first heard about live organ harvesting, I was very shocked. But the facts I learned were so solid that its impossible to deny, Zhong said. This is the reason why international magazines removed the Chinese doctors work on transplant research. From The Epoch Times The court has rejected the discharge petition filed by actor Dileep, in connection with the actress abduction case. The trial court rejected the petition filed by the actor today (January 4, Saturday), as there are supposedly no circumstances to remove Dileep's name from the list of accused. As per the reports, Dileep had argued that the statements of witnesses and pieces of evidence against him are not valid. The actor's petition had also pointed out that there is no solid evidence against him in the police charge sheet as well. Dileep had filed the petition as a trial of the case that is about to start. However, the prosecution opposed the removal of Dileep's name from the list of accused, as there are several matters that could affect the case and privacy of the survivor. The prosecution stated that the call lists and tower location reports involving Dileep and key accused Pulsar Suni are strong evidences against the actor. Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017, by the Kerala police in connection with actress abduction case, for the alleged conspiracy. The actor was released on conditional bail by the Kerala High Court on October 3, 2017, after about 86 days of durance. In a recent interview given to a popular Malayalam media, the Janapriyanayakan had stated that he is innocent and remarked that the court will eventually give him a clean chit. Dileep had also revealed that he planning to reveal some vital pieces of information regarding the actress's abduction and assault, once the case is dismissed by the court. Also Read: Dileep Opts For A Name Change Again! New Delhi: A roof of a building collapsed in Delhi's Uttam Nagar at 3 pm on Saturday. A total of nine people including five children have been rescued by the fire officials. Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The rescued people were immediately rushed to the hospital, seven of them are said to be in critical condition. Several people are still feared to be trapped under debris. Search and rescue operations is underway. (Further information awaited) It was confirmed in November that Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and Ryan Channing had split for good. And now it seems that skincare entrepreneur Ryan, 30, has moved on from his ex, debuting his new romance with a hunky personal trainer, Pepi. A source told Daily Mail Australia this week that the pair are going strong and even spent Christmas and New Year's Eve together with close friends and family. EXCLUSIVE: Ryan Channing (left) has debuted his new romance with hunky personal trainer Pepi (right)... after his split with Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe 'Ryan met new boyfriend Pepi at a Fitness First in Sydney where he is a personal trainer,' a source told Daily Mail Australia. 'Took him to Christmas in Perth to meet family and then spent New Year's Eve at Francesca Packer Barham's "New Year's Eve Frat Party." The source said that guests at the heiress' bash included Ryan's ex Ian, as well as trainer Jono Castano and hair artist Chris Appleton. Moving on: Ryan is pictured with ex Ian Thorpe Split: It was confirmed in November that the pair had split for good (Pictured together holidaying in Ibiza in August) Sweet! Over the festive season, the new couple even posed up for some happy snaps at a beach, wearing personalised Santa hats Over the festive season, the new couple even posed up for some happy snaps at a beach, wearing personalised Santa hats. The source said Pepi will be supporting Ryan's journey into fatherhood. It comes after it was confirmed in November that Ryan and Ian, 37, had split for good, after seemingly rekindling their romance. Woman's Day reported at the time that Ryan was even looking for love on Tinder, supposedly being spotted on the dating app. Going strong! The source said Pepi will be supporting Ryan's journey into fatherhood New romance: 'Ryan met new boyfriend Pepi at a Fitness First in Sydney where he is a personal trainer,' a source told Daily Mail Australia. The pair are pictured with friends Done and dusted: It comes after it was confirmed in November that Ryan and Ian, 37, had split for good, after seemingly rekindling their romance The pair had previously called it quits in June after four years of dating. Ryan was Ian's first public boyfriend since he came out as gay in an interview with Michael Parkinson in 2014. Back in August, a source close to Ian and Ryan told Daily Mail Australia that the pair had 'rekindled their romance' while holidaying in Ibiza, Spain, and were even considering getting 'engaged.' In happier times: The pair had previously called it quits in June after four years of dating. Ryan was Ian's first public boyfriend since he came out as gay in an interview with Michael Parkinson in 2014 Claims: Back in August, a source close to Ian and Ryan told Daily Mail Australia that the pair had 'rekindled their romance' while holidaying in Ibiza, Spain, and were even considering getting 'engaged' 'They're trying to find the nearest Cartier store for rings,' the source said at the time. 'They've talked a lot through their issues and think it will work.' In November, Ryan told Daily Mail Australia that he was no longer in a relationship with Ian and also denied they had ever reconciled in August. 'Ian and I have been separated for over a year now but remain close friends and [in] the same circle of friends. We still share our puppy Kaia. Everything is going great!' he said. Before their separation, Ryan and Ian were reportedly planning on having children together with the help of a surrogate based in the U.S. Speaking about the missile strike he ordered to kill Soleimani, he said, "Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over." "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London,a Trump said on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Flordia. While Trump did not specify the plots in India, he may have been referring to a 2012 bombing of the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache to India. Tal Yehoshua Koren was injured and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel and her driver and two bystanders were also hurt in the attack on February 13, 2012, using a bomb that was attached to the vehicle with a magnet. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran was behind that attack and another attempted attack using similar technique in Georgia. The New Delhi case not been resolved so far and a conclusive link to Iran has not been made by India. News reports at that time said that the attack was carried out by Iran in retaliation for the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan in Teheran using a bomb with a magnet attached to his car, allegedly by Israelis. An Indian journalist, Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi, was arrested on March 6 that year and accused of being a part of a conspiracy to carry out the attack and held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court in October on the condition that he does not go abroad.A According to news reports at that time, Delhi police alleged that he had carried out reconnaissance for the Iranians who carried out the attack. The five persons who carried out the attacks were Iranian members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard who had visited Delhi, police were quoted as saying. They were not arrested although police identified them. An Iranian major general, Soleimani was the leader of the Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. But his name did not figure in the reports at that time on theAIndian attack. In his address on the killing of Soleimani in Iraq on Thursday, Trump said on Friday, "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him." He listed several alleged attacks directed by Soleimani and carried out by the Quds Force and allied militias. "For years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force -- under Soleimani's leadership -- has targeted, injured, and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen," Trump said. He blamed Soleimani fro the recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen, as well as the assault on the US embassy in Baghdad earlier this week. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. BEIRUT - Iran vowed revenge on Friday in response to a U.S. airstrike that killed Tehran's most powerful military commander, sharpening tensions across the Middle East as the Trump administration said it was sending thousands of troops to bolster security in the region. Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani was a towering figure as Iran projected power across the Middle East, with close links to a network of paramilitary groups stretching from Syria to Yemen. And his death in the smoldering wreckage of a convoy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, marked the most dramatic escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran since President Donald Trump withdrew from the landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. The deadly U.S. drone strike left U.S. outposts and personnel bracing for retaliatory attacks Friday and sent oil prices shooting upward. The U.S. Embassy in Iraq told Americans to leave the country "immediately." Iran responded swiftly, promoting Soleimani's deputy within hours of the commander's death. 3 1 of 3 Washington Post photo by Jahi Chikwendiu Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Washington Post photo by Jahi Chikwendiu Show More Show Less 3 of 3 "His work and path will not cease, and severe revenge awaits those criminals who have tainted their filthy hands with his blood and the blood of the other martyrs," Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a statement. The country's defense minister, Amir Hatami, said the nighttime strike ordered by Trump would be met with a "crushing" response. If Iran were to order a reprisal, experts said U.S. troops in Iraq, oil tankers or other American economic interests in the Persian Gulf would be the likely targets. The Pentagon said it was preparing to deploy an additional 3,500 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the region. According to two defense officials, the military also has put hundreds of soldiers from the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy on alert for potential deployment. Trump told reporters Friday that the United States had killed Soleimani in a bid to "stop a war." The president, speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, urged Iran not to retaliate. "We did not take action to start a war," he said. The drone attack, which struck a two-car convoy on an access road near Baghdad International Airport and also killed several of Soleimani's local allies, sent anxieties rippling across a region already roiled by rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called the attack "an assassination" that was in "flagrant violation of the conditions authorizing the presence of U.S. troops" on Iraqi soil. The country seemed to be holding its breath. Streets were quiet. Many restaurants were deserted. Along checkpoints down the streets, young soldiers and militiamen clutched their weapons tightly, appearing nervous at what might follow. In Iran, Friday was a day of public mourning as tens of thousands of people took to the streets to decry the U.S. attack, even as many privately expressed worry about the escalating conflict with the United States. While the killing of Soleimani came after a week of spiking tensions, including a siege of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad by supporters of an Iranian-backed militia, the general had been one of the United States' most daunting adversaries for two decades. Soleimani joined Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a young man and took control of the Quds Force, its special operations wing, in the late 1990s. Under his command, the force built alliances across the region by paying for weapons and providing strategic guidance. Soleimani was regularly photographed on visits to affiliated militias in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, burnishing an reputation as a talismanic operator with influence across the Middle East. Iranian state media said he would be succeeded by his deputy, Brig. Gen. Ismail Qaani. Khamenei said strategy would remain "identical." The U.S. strike appeared to have killed some of the Quds Forces' key allies. Among the dead were Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, a powerful Iraqi militia leader better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was once imprisoned in Kuwait for bombing the U.S. Embassy there. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the attack was spurred by intelligence indicating that Soleimani was overseeing an "imminent" attack on American citizens in the Middle East. "The American people should know that President Trump's decision to remove Qasem Soleimani from the battlefield saved American lives," Pompeo told Fox News. "He was actively plotting in the region to take actions, a big action as he described it, that would have put dozens, if not hundreds, of American lives at risk." Pompeo offered no public evidence to support his statements. They followed comments Thursday by Defense Secretary Mark Esper suggesting that Iran and its local allies may be preparing renewed strikes on U.S. personnel in Iraq. The targeted killing set off a sharp political debate in the midst of the American presidential campaign. As Republicans celebrated what they described as Trump's decisive action, Democrats criticized the president's order to act unilaterally while expressing grave concern that the action would move the United States closer to an intractable war with Iran. "This morning, Iran's master terrorist is dead," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in remarks on the Senate floor. "The architect and chief engineer for the world's most active state sponsor of terrorism has been removed from the battlefield at the hand of the United States military." But across the aisle, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., predicted that Soleimani could become more dangerous to the U.S. in death "as a martyr than as a living, breathing military adversary." "There will be reprisals," he said. "This is why the United States does not assassinate leaders of foreign nations - in the end such action risks getting more, not less, Americans killed in the long run," he said. Presidents typically inform the so-called Gang of Eight - the House speaker and minority leader, the Senate majority and minority leaders, and the chairmen and ranking minority members of the House and Senate intelligence committees - on high-level military operations. Top Democratic leaders in Congress received no advance notification of the strike, according to aides. Speaking on the Senate floor, Minority Leader Charles Schumer said the administration must be "asked probing questions not from your inner and often insulated circle, but from others, particularly Congress, which forces an administration before it acts to answer very serious questions." Experts warned Friday that the strike could be a catalyst for greater violence. "We have to expect some escalation in the form of retaliation on the Iranian side," said Riad Kahwaji, founder of the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. He predicted that the Iranians would seek to assassinate or kidnap senior Americans in the region or strike U.S. naval targets in the Persian Gulf. That could in turn prompt a further U.S. escalation, perhaps to include strikes on Iranian territory. As Friday wore on, the responses from Iran's paramilitary allies rolled in. In Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah issued condolences for Soleimani's "martyrdom" and urged Shiite militia factions in Iraq not to let his death "go to waste." Moqtada al-Sadr, a prominent Iraqi Shiite cleric and militia leader, used his Twitter account to order fighters from his Mahdi Army "to be ready." Formed in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the group gained notoriety for its attacks on U.S. troops. Friday's drone attack raises fresh questions about Trump's approach to the Middle East. While the president has employed bellicose rhetoric and authorized several strikes against the military of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - a close Iranian ally - Trump has repeatedly promised to get the United States out of costly wars in the region. In Iraq on Friday, families woke early and stayed home, glued to social media or satellite television channels where commentators turned over questions about what might happen next. When asked how they felt, some referenced the feeling of calm before the storm ahead of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. - - - The Washington Post's Mustafa Salim in Baghdad, Liz Sly and Sarah Dadouch in Beirut, Erin Cunningham in Istanbul and Dan Lamothe in Washington contributed to this report. Muslims have attended a memorial service for assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani at the Islamic Centre in London. Crowds squeezed into the religious hub and sat beneath a painting of the Islamic Republic's second-in-command and Iraqi military commander Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, as they paid their respects to those massacred in the US airstrikes. Thousands lined the streets of Baghdad and Tehran today in memory of the dead commanders, while protests against the attack took place across the US, Middle East and outside 10 Downing Street, London. Soleimani, who died with five other men in the strike outside Baghdad airport, has been accused of helping Shia militias murder hundreds of American troops during the Invasion of Iraq. US President Donald Trump said the strike was carried out to save the lives of hundreds in America and Europe. Mourners sit beneath a picture of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at the Islamic Centre of England at Maida Vale in Kilburn, at around 5.15pm. Soleimani and al-Muhandis' convoy decimated by three missiles from an MQ-9 Reaper Drone in the early hours of Friday outside Baghdad's International Airport The Muslim community pay tribute to the Quds commander (pictured) who helped the Shia militias kill hundreds of American troops during the US invasion of Iraq Crowds gather outside the centre in Greater London ahead of the memorial on Saturday evening. The killing of the country's highest ranking official is 'tantamount to [the US] opening a war against Iran', according to Tehran's UN ambassador A large group of men, with some young boys, was seen gathering at the Islamic Centre in Maida Vale, London, this afternoon following the assassination. The memorial service was held 25 minutes after a man was arrested outside the centre to prevent the breach of peace and for obstructing officers. The Islamic Centre's director has reportedly referred to Soleimani as an 'honourable Islamic commander' in a message of condolence. As the service took place demonstrators took to the streets of New York, Washington DC and London to denounce the violence and call on Trump to de-escalate the conflict. Outside Downing Street protesters chanted against the war while British-Iranians arrived holding placards that read 'Down with Khamenei' and others raised the pre-Islamic flag of Iran. Palestinians also burned American flags in Gaza City, while an angry mob set fire to US flags in Pakistan, and around 150 pro-Iranian demonstrators held Iraqi militia flags and condemned the US as an aggressor. The ceremony came 25 minutes after a man was detained by police outside the Islamic Centre, this evening. It is understood that the incident is not connected to the memorial event The incident took place before the centre was due to hold a memorial community meeting in memory of Soleimani, at around 4.50pm on Saturday However, the assassination was also met with celebrations by some groups in Iraq and in Canada, where people were pictured dancing in the street. Three missiles from an MQ-9 Reaper drone hit the convoy Soleimani was travelling in outside Baghdad International Airport, killing the architect of the country's regional security strategy and five others. Tehran has reacted angrily to the attack, saying the US's move is tantamount to a 'declaration of war' and promising a 'severe revenge'. Iraq's prime minister has also threatened to expel all US troops from the country after the 'brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty'. The Islamic Republic was previously accused of masterminding a bomb attack on Pan Am Flight 103 as it flew over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 243 passengers. The attack took place less than five months after a US battleship shot down an Iran Air passenger jet as it flew over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people on board. Libya has also been blamed, although at the time Iran's allies and proxy forces promised to take revenge. Soleimani (pictured) has been described as an 'honourable Islamic commander' by the Islamic Centre GAZA CITY, PALESTINE: Palestinians burn US and Israeli flags as they attend a mourning tent held by Palestinian factions for Qassem Soleimani, the Iran's head of the Quds Force, who was killed in a US drone strike early Friday, in Gaza on Saturday NEW YORK, USA: An anti-War protest organised by anti-fascist groups including Code Pink, a woman-led peace movement, marched behind flags and banners MOSCOW, RUSSIA: A man lights candles in the memory of killed Iran's Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani in front of the Iranian embassy on Friday President Trump responded to the official's death in a celebratory fashion by suggesting Soleimani had 'made the death of innocent people his sick passion' and ordered his death to stop a war. The US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said regional allies including Israel and Saudi Arabia had been very helpful to American forces, while its traditional European allies had stood back. He accused the firm NATO allies of not being as helpful as they could have been. The UK was reportedly not warned about the attack, despite having troops in the area. BERLIN, GERMANY: Demonstrators hold placards of Soleimani, wave pro-Iran militia flags and Syrian flags featuring the face of the brutal despot Bashar al Assad Protesters gather at Pershing Square in Los Angeles in opposition of any US military involvement in the Middle East, with one wearing a crude mask and a sign saying, 'scariest clown ever' in reference to Trump There has been a renewed interest in the campaign to bring back the relics of St Brigid to Kildare ahead of the 1,500th anniversary of her death. The campaign first began in November 2018 to bring the patron Saint of Kildare home by 2023 While there are many dates given for St Brigids death, it is mostly believed that the year 523 was the year she died so that in 2023 it will be 1,500 years since her death. According to the records her relics are to be found all over Europe part of her head is in a small chapel near Lisbon in Portugal, a portion of her cloak is in Bruges in Belium and a relic is in Great St Martin Church, Cologne in Germany, while closer to home her foot is supposed to have been in Cashel. The partial skull of St Brigid is in the sanctuary of relics at the Church of Sao Roque, attached to Museu de Sao Roque in Portugal. This relic is only a portion of her skull, because the Church of St John the Baptist of Lumiar Parish, on the North side of Lisbon, claims to have her skull as well. So, both churches in Lisbon do have relics of her skull, which were brought to Lisbon in two different stages: the first relic came to Lisbon brought by Irish knights, in 1283 and was given to the Monastery of Odivelas, whose nuns were mostly Irish. While the campaign locally is being fronted by local historian Mario Corrigan, an academic from the UK, Michael Peyton, has also written a paper on the Relics of St Brigid. His article examines in detail the whereabouts of the saints relics in Europe. Kildare towns executive librarian Mario Corrigian, is fronting the campaign, This is a major event and could be a remarkable event for Kildare and Ireland, he said. When the Relics of St Therese were brought to Kildare literally hundreds of thousands came to see them but what a coup if the relics of Brigid could be brought back also.. Tthere are associations with Louth, Armagh, Downpatrick, Kerry, Clare. He added that it could be possible to bring one or two home if not all but in terms of Lisbon and Bruges unless there was support from the government and the Church. Morocco has made of improving its business climate and attracting large scale investments a choice in its economic development policy. 2019 was a year to celebrate outstanding performances by giant manufacturers in their sectors of activity, confirming the attractiveness of Morocco to local and foreign investors. OCP Moroccos phosphates and fertilizers producer, OCP, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2020 on the back of a strong performance in 2019. The state-owned company, which controls the worlds biggest phosphates reserves, has maintained its leadership as the worlds top phosphates exporter. The company also stands as Moroccos largest industrial group employing 23,000 people thanks to an industrial development strategy that moved from simple extraction to manufacturing. Figures for the entire 2019 performance are not yet available, but the group in 2018 hit a turnover of 55.9 billion dirhams and announced large-scale factories across Africa where it has become a major fertilizer provider. The group has ended 2019 with a major announcement confirming the expansion of its business to cover tourism development through an alliance with rail operator ONCF and Hassan II Fund for economic development. RAM Moroccos flag-carrier RAM has managed to offset the impact of the non-delivery of two Boeing 737 MAX planes and the grounding of two others as part of an international ban on the jets. The company joined the Oneworld network offering its customers more flights and connections across the globe. The network brings together 13 airlines and enables RAM to access 13 new hubs and 1035 destinations in 164 countries. The new deal is conducive to Moroccos tourism promotion strategy through opening the Moroccan market to visitors beyond the traditional tourism emitting markets in Europe. RAM also plans to double its fleet pending the approval of a deal in that regard with the government. Meanwhile, RAM announced it will start operating direct flights to China this month. PSA and Renault Morocco reaps the benefits of its cluster strategy in the automotive sector. The inauguration of PSA factory in Kenitra in mid-2019 has encouraged the creation of a new automotive cluster in Kenitra Atlantic free zone. PSA factory is for now making 208 model, highly in demand in Morocco, Africa and Europe. The factory has a capacity to manufacture 100,000 annually with a locally-sourcing rate of 60%. As of 2020, the plant worth 560 million will make 200,000 annually. As for the older and bigger plant by Renault in Tangier, production in 2019 hit 340,000 cars in addition to 100,000 made by the same brand in its Casablanca plant known as Somaca. Victoria's Secret model Kelly Gale has one Instagrams most enviable bodies. And on Saturday, the 24-year-old took to Instagram to show she is not afraid to flaunt her assets as she lounged by the poolside in a white swimsuit. The model was seen dipping her toes in the crystal clear water against a gorgeous ocean background as she holidayed in Bali, Indonesia. 'Waking up in paradise': Kelly Gale took to Instagram on Saturday to flaunt her toned physique in a white swimsuit She captioned the post: 'Waking up in paradise'. Kelly flexed her toned abs as she eased herself down into the water as her curly black hair draped down her body. On Friday, Kelly showed her body wasn't just for show as she performed some red hot yoga moves. White hot! The model was seen dipping her toes in the crystal-clear water against a gorgeous ocean background as she holidays in Bali, Indonesia The Victoria's Secret model vowed to 'do more meditation and yoga in 2020' as she posed in a very difficult position - lifting her leg in the air while bending her body in a curved upward bow pose. The brunette beauty wore a bright blue bikini for the occasion, while letting her long brunette locks gently cascade onto the floor in the sexy snap. Fitness fanatic Kelly is currently on holiday in the tropical paradise with her family and boyfriend, actor Joel Kinnaman, 40. What a stunner! Kelly showed off her sensational physique while enjoying a spot of yoga while on holiday In an interview with Vogue Australia in November 2018, Kelly spoke about her extreme exercise regimen in the lead up to the since-cancelled annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. 'To be honest, my exercise regimen doesn't change that much leading up to the show,' she told the publication at the time. 'I work out six days per week all year round and usually work out two hours per day, and on top of that, I like power walking 15 to 30 kilometres each day.' She added: 'In the lead up to the show, I walk closer to 30 kilometres every day, [and] work out two hours per day.' Tribal clashes in eastern Sudan killed at least nine people over the past two days, Sudanese activists said Saturday, in another bout of violence that threatens to derail peace talks in a country marred by decades-long civil wars. Sudan's transitional government launched negotiations with different rebel groups in October, in neighboring South Sudan's capital, Juba. The peace initiative is part of a plan to bring free elections to the country. The fighting in Port Sudan, in the Red Sea province, grew out of a fist-fight between two people that ended with one stabbed to death, the Sudan Doctors Committee said, leading to his arrest. Around 100 others were wounded in the clashes, the group said. Officials said security forces were deployed in the city to help contain the clashes between the Bani Amer tribe and the displaced Nuba tribe. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Port Sudan was the scene of similar clashes between the two tribes in August, killing at least three dozen people. The tribal dispute started in May over water resources in the eastern city of al-Qadarif, where seven people were killed. Tribal clashes between Arabs and non-Arabs also erupted in the western Darfur region last week. The clashes in West Darfurs town of Genena killed at least 48 people, wounded 167 others, and displaced more than 8,000 families. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) Passengers of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) can still enjoy direct trips to Roosevelt station in Quezon City until January 9 or later. The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC ), which operates and maintains LRT-1 on Friday night announced it is postponing the implementation of the new passenger traffic scheme that was supposed to take effect from January 4 to March 31. "Kindly stay tuned for further updates on the new start date," the LRMC said on Twitter. The plan was shelved to accommodate the expected surge of passengers during the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the LRMC said. The annual procession, also known as Traslacion happens on January 9 - the image of Black Nazarene is transferred from Quirino Grandstand to its home in Quiapo Church, Manila. Devotees from Quezon City can take the LRT-1 to go to and from the procession route. Had the traffic scheme pushed through, passengers traveling northbound would have to alight at the preceding Monumento or Balintawak station since regular trains would no longer head to Roosevelt. Special shuttle trains would pick up passengers at Balintawak every 10 minutes to take them to Roosevelt. The same train would accommodate passengers as it returns to Balintawak station. From there, they could ride a train going southbound up to Baclaran station in Paranaque. Authorities are managing passenger traffic at LRT-1 to give way to the construction of the Unified Grand Central Station, which will connect the train systems LRT-1, Metro Rail Transit 3, and the MRT-7 which is still under construction. At 10 a.m. EST on Friday, the New York Times published its first op-ed about the United States airstrike that killed Iranian paramilitary commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, an attack that effectively constitutes a declaration of war against Iran. (Soleimani supervised Iran-backed militia forces that have attacked U.S. personnel in Iraq.) The piece describes Soleimanis assassination as long overdue, asserting that his death will make Iran much weaker and create hope among Iranian dissidents and anti-Iranian factions in Iraq and Lebanon. Advertisement The author of the op-ed is Michael Doran, who self-identifies within as a former senior official in the White House and the Defense Department. Doran worked at the National Security Council and Pentagon during the presidency of George W. Bush. And as it just so happens, Bush also launched a war by promising that an operation against a Middle Eastern leader would eliminate threats to the the United States and create a domino effect of democratic reform. One of the threats Bush cited, Saddam Husseins weapons of mass destruction, turned out not to exist. Another, al-Qaida, never had a connection to Saddam in the first place, although his downfall cleared the way for a branch of the group to begin attacking U.S. forces in Iraq. That branch eventually became ISIS. Democracy did not spread through the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doran didnt join the W. Bush administration until 2005, two years after the Iraq invasion. But as journalist Carlos Maza points out, his support for it was clear it at the time, when he made arguments advancing the Bush-Cheney party line in a January/February 2003 Foreign Affairs op-ed and a May 2003 Council on Foreign Relations debate. In the former, Doran dismissed the chorus of voices from European and Arab capitals that argued that deposing Saddam would trigger a regional backlash that could wreak havoc on American interests. In fact, he wrote, by thwarting Saddams ambitions and continuing to root out [Osama] bin Ladens henchmen and associates, the U.S. would demonstrate forcefully that challenges to its authority in the region will be defeated. This, he said, would deter other Middle Eastern groups considering attacks against American interests. In the Council on Foreign Relations debate, Doran complained that no amount of rational argument could persuade conspiracy theorists to accept that Hussein was developing WMDs, and discussed independent verification of Saddams illegal programs as if their existence were a foregone conclusion. Dorans Foreign Affairs piece about why invading Iraq would not create a regional backlash against the United States was reprinted contemporaneously in the New York Times, which has now printed his new piece celebrating military action against one of the regional powers that was drawn to Iraq to attack U.S. forces after the invasion. Space is presumably already reserved for his next article, in 2037, which will justify the invasion of Lebanon. Photo: Culinary Dropout/Yelp Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now? We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp and SafeGraph, a dataset of commercial points of interest and their visitor patterns, to analyze which restaurants have been seeing especially high review volumes this month. To find out who made the list, we first looked at Austin businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance. Then we analyzed foot traffic data from SafeGraph to validate the trends. Read on to see which spots are extra hot, right now. Culinary Dropout Photo: culinary dropout/Yelp Open since 2016, this well-established bar, music venue and New American spot, courtesy of restaurateur Sam Fox, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp. Citywide, New American spots saw a median 1.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Culinary Dropout saw a 1.4% increase, maintaining a superior four-star rating throughout. According to SafeGraph foot traffic data, the number of visitors to Culinary Dropout more than tripled over the past month. This location of the chain is not the only trending outlier in the New American category: Flower Child has seen a 0.7% increase in reviews, and District Kitchen and Perrys Steakhouse & Grille have seen 13 and 10.4% increases, respectively. Located at 11721 Rock Rose, Suite 100, in North Burnett, Culinary Dropout offers fried chicken served with mashed potatoes and buttermilk biscuits; soft pretzels with provolone fondue; and barbecue pork belly nachos. Handcrafted cocktails like the bacon Bloody Mary, plus local beer and wine, are also on offer. Culinary Dropout is open from 11 a.m.11 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.1 a.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.1 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.10 p.m. on Sunday. According to SafeGraph, it's usually busiest at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and people visit Culinary Dropout most on Saturdays and Fridays, with a slowdown on Thursdays. Story continues Pueblo Viejo Traila Photo: pueblo vieja traila/Yelp Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Dawson's Pueblo Viejo Traila, the Mexican food truck and breakfast spot located at 121 Pickle Road, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data. While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 1.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, Pueblo Viejo Traila bagged an 8.6% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a strong 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.2 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance. As for foot traffic, Pueblo Viejo Traila saw visits more than triple in the past month, according to SafeGraph data. Open at 121 Pickle Road since January 2018, Pueblo Viejo Traila offers breakfast items like the El Taco Viejo, made with chorizo, potato, egg and beans, and Mi Madre Taco, filled with mushrooms, spinach, jalapeno and cheese. Pueblo Viejo Traila is open from 7:30 a.m.10 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and 7:30 a.m.9 p.m. on Sunday. According to SafeGraph, it's usually busiest on Saturdays and Sundays, and it attracts a quarter of its total visitors over those two days, with a slowdown on Tuesdays. Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill Photo: Peter k./Yelp Downtown Austin's Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is also making waves. Open for more than a decade at 303 Red River St., the well-established cocktail bar and Southern spot has seen a 0.8% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.9% for all businesses tagged "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp. As for foot traffic, Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill saw visits more than triple over the past month, according to SafeGraph data. What does this business focus on? "We've developed quite a reputation for our bountiful Sunday Brunch Buffet and our attentive, hospitable staff...Our Southern-inspired dishes take an innovative approach to the classics, like our corn dog shrimp and our award-winning chicken fried steak with chipotle cream gravy." that's from its its Yelp page. There's more than one hot spot trending in Austin's cocktail bar category: Better Half Coffee & Cocktails has seen a 5% increase in reviews. Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill offers appetizers like fried green tomatoes, entrees like hangar steak with mac and cheese, desserts like German chocolate cake and more. When it comes to libations, expect whiskey cocktails and pomegranate mimosas. Over the past month, it's maintained a solid 4.5-star rating among Yelpers. Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is open from 11 a.m.10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.2 p.m. and 510 p.m. on Sunday. According to SafeGraph, foot traffic is heaviest at 12 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and on Sundays and Saturdays, with a slowdown on Tuesdays. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Abu Dhabi Ports, the master developer of commercial and community ports in the UAE capital, said it haas been awarded with the prestigious Innovative Organisation Level 3 Certification by Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI). A US-based organistaion, GIMI is recognised as the international gold standard for innovation management, having certified over 10,000 individuals and over 800 organisations worldwide. Abu Dhabi Ports said with this certification, it has become the first port and the first maritime and transportation organisation in the world to win the award from GIMI, it added. The certification was conferred by GIMI during its annual conference held in Colombia in November, said a statement from Abu Dhabi Ports. The recognition demonstrates the value of initiatives such as Abu Dhabi Ports highly successful collaborative ideas platform, Ibtikar Arabic for innovation, it stated. Ibtikar uses a systematic approach to gathering and processing ideas from employees, customers and other stakeholders. It ensures that ideas can be successfully implemented and encourages teamwork and participation in order to improve the success of the business. Group CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said: "Innovation is of paramount importance to us. We are committed to delivering on the goals set out in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, and we are proud that this award recognises our efforts to find transformational ways to develop sustainable infrastructure capable of supporting our countrys economic growth." We are inspired to continue innovating thanks to the continued support of the Abu Dhabi leadership, he added. GIMI Executive Director Dr Hitendra Patel, who presented the award, said: We developed a four-level organisational certification programme which also serves as a pathway towards leadership in innovation. We offer our congratulations to Abu Dhabi Ports for becoming the first maritime company in the world to achieve Innovation Level 3 Certification by our organisation. The recognition highlights their position at the vanguard of corporate innovation in the region, sets the example for others, and leads the Middle East in step with the ongoing economic change, he added. Eiman Al Khalaqi, vice-president of innovation, Abu Dhabi Ports, said: Innovation has always been an integral part of our everyday business here at our organisation, and this certification is a recognition of this attribute. We are privileged to showcase to the world the enormous talent and capabilities of our people, and this is only the beginning, he said. Sia Partners, the official representative of GIMI in the GCC, also expressed its support of Abu Dhabi Ports.-TradeArabia News Service When Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, spoke at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit last month, he spoke of his governments achievements. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he claimed, may fight elections on the issue of identity in other places, but in Delhi, it had to compete with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on issues of development. A month is a long time in politics. And if the developments in Delhi are an indication, Kejriwal may have reviewed his own analysis of the nature of the upcoming assembly election. But first, why is the Delhi election significant? The city sends only seven members to the Lok Sabha. The assembly also just has 70 constituencies. The government itself has limited powers because of a somewhat unique arrangement where the Centre exercises power over law and order and land. Yet, the symbolism of Delhi is hard to miss. By virtue of it being the capital, it carries disproportionate political weight. By virtue of the city being home to what is considered the national media, it occupies greater attention in the public imagination. The very nature of Delhis politics has also lent it particular significance. It was here that the India Against Corruption movement transformed into the AAP, which then went on to first win 28 seats in 2013, and then swept the 2015 assembly polls with 67 of the 70 seats. Delhi thus became the symbol of a new experiment in Indian politics. It also gave India an early glimpse into how voters have begun distinguishing between state and national elections. It was here that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won all seven seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, only to be reduced to a mere three assembly seats eight months later in the state polls. As one of Indias pre-eminent urban centres, which is home to migrants of all regions, and citizens of all classes, the city also is a microcosm of a larger India. The 2020 election will thus give a sense of many trends in Indian politics. Was the AAP an aberration or can a relatively new force institutionalise itself as an establishment party? Will national parties make a comeback? Will voters again make a distinction between state and national polls? Are voters exercising their choice based on their regional and caste origins or is there a more secular language of politics that they associate with? And what will be the impact of the recently passed Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the subsequent protests on Indias electoral landscape? To understand the fluidity of the political landscape in Delhi, just go back eight months. The BJP won over 50% of the vote share in Lok Sabha polls in 2019, comfortably bagging all seven seats. Despite much hype, prominent AAP candidates lost, with the party coming third in five of the seven seats. The buzz was that this would get replicated in the assembly polls, for even a united AAP-Congress coalition would not be able to defeat the BJP. But within months, the narrative changed. Kejriwal decided to adopt a new strategy. He toned down his criticism of Narendra Modi for he did not want the Delhi polls to be a Kejriwal versus Modi contest. He stayed away from national issues. On themes which he thought could alienate Hindu voters from Kashmir to Ayodhya he decided to be supportive of the government. And instead, he made the election as local as possibly, focusing only on two questions local leadership in Delhi and the local governance record of the AAP. The leadership matrix was simple. The AAP had Kejriwal; who did the BJP have? Was it Manoj Tiwari, the state unit president, or was it Vijay Goel, a veteran city leader harbouring ambitions, or was it Harshvardhan, the health minister with roots in Delhi politics? The BJP did not have a clear answer. On governance, the AAP publicised its admittedly good work in education through the revamp of government schools and in public health through mohalla clinics. It also cited free and uninterrupted supply of electricity, free or subsidised water, and free public transport for women. This, then, was the supposed mix meant to ensure Kejriwals re-election. But over the past month, two developments have taken place. The first is the CAA and protests against it in Delhis universities, and Muslim-dominated areas from Shaheen Bagh and Seelampur to Jama Masjid and Daryaganj. The electoral impact of this is not clear. While the BJP may have alienated a section of the student vote, as well as possibly a section of the middle class disturbed by the discriminatory nature of the law, party strategists believe that the legislation and backlash against it may actually help them. It has the potential to polarise the electorate and make it an H-M, or a Hindu-Muslim election. The BJP calculates that an overwhelming number of silent Hindus support the law and are upset with the protests. While the AAP has criticised the CAA and the government crackdown on universities like Jamia, it is aware of this potential polarisation and has also sought to keep a distance from the protests. The second development is the Centres decision to grant ownership papers to residents of unauthorised colonies, which it claims will benefit four million families. While the BJP has said that it has fulfilled the long held expectation that such colonies will be regularised, the AAP makes the point that regularisation has not happened and it is the city government, in fact, which provided access to various facilities, from electricity to water supply, legally to these colonies and residents. But in the battle of perceptions on the issue, the BJP appears to have the edge. There is one other variable in the election the Congress. While there is a consensus that the Congress will come third, the question is the vote share it commands. If the Congress is able to retain a large share of the Muslim vote in the city, and get over 15% of the vote, the AAP will be worried, for it will mean a straight division of anti-BJP votes. But if Muslims decide to en masse vote for the AAP, and the Congress vote share remains in lower single digits, it becomes a straight face-off between the AAP and the BJP, which may well suit the former. It is this fundamentally bipolar but possibly triangular battle, through the web of local and national issues, in a contest which will assume the contours of a Kejriwal versus Modi frame, that Delhis voters will exercise their choice next month. The results will have national significance. letters@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Gurdwara in Pakistani Punjab is especially revered as Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak. New Delhi: In the wake of reports that the historic Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and Sikh pilgrims visiting it were targeted by a stone-pelting Pakistani mob in Pakistani Punjab, India on Friday lashed out at the vandalism there and strongly condemned these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place. India asked Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community, to take strong action against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community and also to take all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and its surroundings. New Delhi said these reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year. According to news agency reports from Chandigarh, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh appealed to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure that the devotees stranded at the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara were rescued from the mob. The Gurdwara in Pakistani Punjab is especially revered as Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak. According to some media reports, the violent mob was led by the members of the Muslim family that had abducted the Sikh girl in September last year. Following tremendous pressure, the girl was returned to her family soon after the reported intervention then by the Pakistan Government. In a statement on Friday, the MEA said, We are concerned at the vandalism carried out at the revered Nankana Sahib Gurudwara today. Members of the minority Sikh community have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib. The MEA added, India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place. We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community. In addition, Government of Pakistan is enjoined to take all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and its surroundings. The ignorance shown by some people, even in a prestigious institution like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, over Faiz Ahmad Faizs poetry surprises me. Its quite obvious that they dont know Urdu, the language in which Faiz composed his poetry; they dont know the tradition of poetry; they dont know anything about the poet; and they have no idea of the circumstances under which he wrote Hum Dekhenge, the poem at the centre of controversy. Zia ul Haq, after a coup against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1977, was ruling Pakistan. He was a religious fundamentalist, ruling the country with an iron-fist. The poem was an act of resistance against the fundamentalist and Talibanised regime of Zia ul Haq. He had banned the sari, and in defiance, Iqbal Bano wore black sari and sang the anti-Zia regime poem to a crowd of perhaps a lakh, shouting Inquilab Zindabad. To say that this poem is anti-Hindu is like saying the man who banned the poem, Zia ul Haq a hardcore anti-Indian, fundamentalist, and with a Talibani mindset was pro-Hindu. Faiz was either an agnostic or atheist. Even before he wrote Hum Dekhenge, as a pacifist, the pain of Partition pain made him write verses such as: Ye daagh daagh ujala ye shab-gazida sahar Vo intizar tha jis ka ye vo sahar to nahin Ye vo sahar to nahin jis ki aarzu le kar Chale the yaar ki mil jaegi kahin na kahin (This tainted light and this morning bitten by the night is not the dawn we were waiting for) Often, his atheism and agnosticism was reflected in his poetry. For example: Aaiye haath uthae ham bhi Ham jinhen rasm-e-dua yaad nahin Ham jinhen soz-e-mohabbat ke siva Koi buut koi khuda yaad nahin (Let us raise hands, we who know no prayer, no idol, no god, except our love). The recent objection pertains to these lines in Hum Dekhenge: Jab arz-e-khuda ke kaabe se, sab buutt uthwaye jayenge. By Arz-e-khuda ke kaaba, he doesnt mean the Kaaba which is in Saudi Arabia but the expanse of the earth (arz), and by buutt, he didnt mean idols but dictators who are acting like they are gods. The next line puts it in perspective: Hum ahle-safa (pure, innocent, or guiltless) mardood-e-haram (those who are condemned by religion) masnad pe bithaye jaenge (will be put on the throne). The fact that he used vocabulary and metaphors used by the religious fundamentalists, whom he opposed, to convey his message makes the poem all the more interesting. The next line is full of that symbolism, which the ignorant didnt understand: Utthega anal-haq ka naara (The cry of I am god will rise up). If I translate anal-haq in Sanskrit, its verbatim meaning is Aham Brahma, a concept alien to Semitic religions likes Islam, Judaism and Christianity; They consider the creator and the creation as two different entities, unlike Advaid and Sufism which believe everything stars, birds, human is the manifestation of god. So anal-haq is not a traditional Islamic thought by any stretch of imagination. Historically speaking, it has been on many occasions a crime to say anal-haq. In 1659, Aurangzeb beheaded Sufi fakir, Sarmad Shah, for raising this slogan. Zia-ul Haq banned the poem because of that, among many other reasons. The current set of people is the third lot, after Aurangzeb and Zia, objecting the idea of anal-haq. Need I say more? Another line which has been totally misunderstood is Bas naam rahega Allah ka. And how does he describe Allah? Jo manzar bhi hai nazir bhi. He is again saying that creator and the creation is the same and who are they? They are the people. The world Bas is very poignant because the Bas says that the rest of the fundamentalists edifice will vanish. Towards the end he says Aur raj karegi khalq-e-khuda, jo main bhi hain, aur tum bhi ho, by which he meant that ultimately its the people who are god and only they have the right to rule. This is merely one poem. He wrote poetry for 60 years, often challenging the fundamentalists. To begin with, Faiz was a poet of undivided India, and remained popular even after Partition. Soon after Independence, he was arrested in Pakistan for what is known as the Pindi conspiracy to topple the government by a leftist coup. He would have been hanged if not for the pressure from the Soviet bloc. He left Pakistan, but when he returned, he was jailed again. The extreme Right-wing in Pakistan was always suspicious of him, calling him Indian at heart. Its interesting to see that Pakistan has an old tradition of calling the reasonable people, the pacifists, and those who talk about love and unity as anti-nationals. We are adopting this tradition now. Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and screenwriter The views expressed are personal (As told to Neyaz Farooquee) BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 4 By Anastasia Savchenko - Trend: Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry, with financial and technical support from the Asian Development Bank, is implementing a pilot project on the exchange of knowledge and technical support for the development of floating solar panels, Zaur Mammadov, the head of the ministry's office, told Trend. Mammadov was commenting on the new projects related to the use of renewable energy sources. According to Zaur Mammadov, this project provides for the creation of a system of solar panels with a capacity of 100 kilowatts on the Boyuk Shor Lake. "The project also provides for the formation of business models to encourage private sector participation in the use of solar energy and strengthen national capacity in this area through training," Mammadov added. The ministry official added that tenders are being held and after the selection of the relevant companies, construction will begin. Renewable resource may replace traditional energy sources such as oil, natural gas and coal, which, when burned, emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to an increase in the greenhouse effect and global warming. The reason for the search for alternative energy sources is the need to receive it from the energy of renewable or practically inexhaustible natural resources, while environmental friendliness and economy can also be taken into account. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AnSav_2105 Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani will be laid to rest Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman as part of three days of ceremonies across the country, the Revolutionary Guards said. The US military killed Soleimani on Friday in an air strike outside Baghdad international airport that shocked the Islamic republic and sparked fears of a new war in the Middle East. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm had been killed on Friday by US forces in an air strike on Baghdad international airport. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly promised "severe revenge" and declared three days of mourning. Soleimani's body was expected to arrive in Tehran on Saturday night before being taken to the Shiite holy city of Mashhad the next day for a ceremony to be held next to Imam Reza's shrine, a statement posted on the Guards website late Friday said. "A ceremony will next be held in Tehran on Monday morning, and then the pure body of this soldier of the people and the nation will be buried in Kerman on Tuesday morning," it added. A group of students also announced they would hold a vigil for Soleimani at Tehran University on Saturday before going to Tehran's Mehrabad airport for the arrival of his remains. The general, who died aged 62, was one of Iran's most popular public figures. After serving in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, Soleimani quickly rose through the ranks of the Guards to become commander of the Quds Force. In recent years he became an unlikely celebrity in Iran and had a huge following on Instagram. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran and other cities across Iran on Friday to protest the US attack. Khamenei and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani paid separate visits to Soleimani's family at their home on Friday to offer them their condolences over his death. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visits the family of Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Qasem Soleimani, killed in a US air strike in Baghdad on Friday, to offer his condolences In recent years, Soleimani had become an unlikely celebrity in Iran, with a huge following on Instagram Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 11:06:42|Editor: ZD Video Player Close HEFEI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Kangmei Chinese medicinal material price index, a barometer of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) material market, rose 0.01 percent to 1,245.60 points Saturday. Covering more than 500 TCM materials including herbs and minerals from six major markets nationwide, the closely-watched index reflects the overall price trend in the country's TCM material market. It is released daily by Kangmei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, one of China's major TCM companies. The index was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission of China in 2012 to offer more timely and accurate reference for TCM material growers, traders and pharmaceutical companies. Traditional Chinese medicines, often given as oral liquid, granule and pills, typically use the combination of a number of medicinal materials, mostly herbs, to address health problems. More Than 100 US Firefighters Gave up Holidays at Home to Tackle Australian Bushfires The United States has so far dispatched some 100 firefighters who gave up their holidays at home to help combat blazes in Australia as its most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) declared a third state of emergency of the bushfire season. Ahead of re-elevated fire risk over the weekend, the National Interagency Fire Center announced it would, on Jan. 6, dispatch a further 50 to 60 firefighters on top of the 100 firefighters which have been sent to the countryincluding some California firefightersover the last four weeks. The news comes as Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the declaration of the third state of emergency would come into effect from Friday morning, with severe to extreme conditions forecast for Saturday. All our personnel, all our agencies know that from tomorrow they will be subject to forced evacuations, road closures, road openings and anything else we need to do as a state to keep our residents and to keep property safe. We dont take these decisions lightly, Berejiklian told reporters on Thursday. Fire Spread Prediction for Sat 4 Jan 2020 Dangerous fires in Shoalhaven, South Coast, Snowy Mountains & areas surrounding Greater Sydney. You should not be in potential spread areas or potential ember attack areas on Saturday. #nswrfs #nswfires pic.twitter.com/Ry14FXgPR2 NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 3, 2020 A group of Canadian firefighters are also assisting in Australia for the first time to tackle the bushfires which have so far killed at least 15 people, destroyed almost 1300 homes, and burned more than 3.6 million hectaresthree times the size of Sydneys metro areaStephen Tulle, duty officer with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC), told CBC. The U.S. fire center in November coordinated with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Fish and Wildlife Service to issue a sign-up document for the U.S. firefighters who wish to be sent to Australia to help combat the growing bushfires. The first group of American firefighters was vetted and cleared to travel internationally and was deployed for 30 days on Dec. 5, the second group left on Dec. 19, a third on Jan. 30. A fourth group will be deployed on Saturday, Jan. 4, and a fifth on Jan. 6, Los Angeles Times reported. North American firefighter John Szulc said the United States wanted to send Australia the best of the best. I think thats who youre getting, he told ABC News after he arrived in Australia. Im not really worried, I think were well trained, Weve got to learn from your local people in how we can do business and fit in with your system. Mass Evacuations On Friday, the Australian navy began evacuating around 1,000 people stranded on the east coast of the fire-ravaged country as a searing weather front was set to whip up more blazes across the states of Victoria and NSW. blockquote class=twitter-tweet> Mass relocation at Mallacoota of people (and dogs) underway with landing craft being used to transfer everyone to HMAS Sycamore. A total of 963 people will be moved today on HMAS Choules & Sycamore. Some air evacuations occurred last night. #TYFYS #lovegippsland @DeptDefence pic.twitter.com/jfISYNG0yc Darren Chester MP (@DarrenChesterMP) January 2, 2020 The navys HMAS Choules and Sycamore started the evacuations of around 1,000 of the 4,000 people stranded on a beach in the isolated town of Mallacoota in far-east Victoria, a federal member of parliament Darren Chester wrote on Twitter Friday morning. Tens of thousands of holidaymakers have been urged to leave national parks and tourist areas on the NSW south coast and eastern areas of Victoria before a return of temperatures above 40 C (104 F) and hot winds on Saturday. Victoria also declared a state of disaster for the first time, giving authorities broad powers to compel people to leave their properties and take control of services, similar to the state of emergency that has been declared in NSW. NASAs Terra satellite image made available by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), shows thick smoke blanketing southeastern Australia along the border of Victoria and New South Wales on Jan 2, 2020. (NASA via AP) Andrew Crisp, the emergency management commissioner for Victoria, urged people located in at-risk areas to leave their homes immediately and not count on luck to avoid disaster. This is your opportunity to get out. It is not just the fires we know. It is the new fires that might start today, he told ABC News. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was met with jeers from a group of angry locals of the fire-devastated NSW town of Cobargo on Thursday, one of whom shouted he should be ashamed of himself and said he had left the country to burn. Morrison on Friday said he understood their anger, adding: People have suffered great loss. People are hurting. People are raw. Thats what happens in natural disasters. AAP and Reuters contributed to this report. A trial court on Saturday dismissed a plea filed by Malayalam film actor Dileep, who is an accused in the case of alleged abduction and molestation of a south Indian actress in 2017,seeking to exclude him from the list of accused. Special Public Prosecutor A Sureshan said the additional special sessions court in Ernakulam admitted the prosecution argument that there is prima facie evidence against him in the crime and dismissed the plea of the actor who is eighth accused in the case. The court also did not allow a plea by the actor to grant 10 days time to file the appeal in a higher court in the light of the Supreme Court order in November 2019 that the trial should be completed in sixmonths. The court directed all the accused including Dileep to be present on January 6 when the court frames charges against the accused. In his plea, the actor, who had earlier examined the visual evidence of the alleged criminal act at a trial courtroom here, had claimed there was no evidence to prosecute him as an accused in the case. The court is hearing the case in-camera. On December 19, Dileep along with his lawyers and a technical expert had examined the contents of the electronic records at the closed room of the court. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that the actor be allowed to inspect the records to enable him to present an effective defence during the trial. In February 2017, the film actress was allegedly abducted and molested by the accused. Seven people, including key accused 'Pulsar' Suni were arrested in connection with the actress' abduction case. There are 10 accused in the case. The entire act had allegedly taken place in a moving vehicle, which was filmed by the accused to blackmail her. Dileep was subsequently arrested and arrayed as an accused in connection with offences under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act. The top court had directed that the trial in case be concluded expeditiously, preferably within six months from the date of the judgement. A woman judge is hearing the case. In February 2019, the High Court while considering a plea seeking to transfer the case to a Sessions Court headed by a woman judge to conduct the trial, had ordered the CBI special court Judge-III Ernakulam Honey M Varghese to complete the trial expeditiously. The Supreme Court has directed that the trial should be completed in six months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mourners gather for a funeral procession for Gen Qassem Soleimani (PMF Media Office via AP) Thousands of mourners have marched in a funeral procession through Baghdad for Irans top general and Iraqi militant leaders, who were killed in a US air strike, chanting Death to America. Gen Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an air strike early on Friday near the Iraqi capitals international airport that has caused regional tensions to soar. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. US President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict. His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) January 3, 2020 Washington has dispatched 3,000 troop reinforcements to the region. Soleimani was the architect of Irans regional policy of mobilising militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on US troops and American allies going back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. Expand Close Vehicles drive past a billboard showing a portrait of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Vahid Salemi/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vehicles drive past a billboard showing a portrait of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Vahid Salemi/AP) The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: No, No, America, and Death to America, death to Israel. Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The gates to Baghdads Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the US Embassy, were closed. As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an air strike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any air strike had taken place. The US-led coalition also denied carrying out any air strike. Expand Close Mourners gather for a funeral procession for Gen Qassem Soleimani (PMF Media Office via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners gather for a funeral procession for Gen Qassem Soleimani (PMF Media Office via AP) The Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the air strike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if another type of explosion had occurred. The killing of Soleimani comes after months of rising tensions between the US and Iran stemming from Trumps decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions. The administrations maximum pressure campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The US has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabias oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a US surveillance drone in June that it said had strayed into its airspace. Global powers had warned on Friday that the killing of Soleimani could spark a dangerous new escalation, with many calling for restraint. Expand Close President Hassan Rouhani meets family of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Hassan Rouhani meets family of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate in the countrys political establishment, visited Soleimanis home in Tehran to express his condolences. The Americans did not realise what a great mistake they made, Mr Rouhani said. They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come. Photo: Naf Naf Grill/Yelp Looking for a sublime Middle Eastern meal near you? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Middle Eastern restaurants around Minneapolis, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fill the bill. 1. Naf Naf Grill Photo: Naf Naf Grill/Yelp Topping the list is a location of the chain Naf Naf Grill. Located at 856 S.E. Washington Ave. in Prospect Park, the Middle Eastern spot, which offers salads and falafel, is the highest-rated low-priced Middle Eastern restaurant in Minneapolis, boasting four stars out of 35 reviews on Yelp. Yelper Herb Q., who reviewed Naf Naf Grill on Dec. 10, wrote, "I absolutely love this place. Their falafel ball was exceptional and pita is amazing. I have never tasted better pita bread in my life." 2. Wally's Falafel and Hummus Photo: Rakesh C./Yelp Marcy Holmes's Wally's Falafel and Hummus, located at 423 14th Ave. SE, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the low-priced Middle Eastern spot, which offers falafel and more, four stars out of 223 reviews. Look for the chicken shawarma salad on the menu, which features chicken shawarma with tomatoes, onions, black olives, garbanzo beans, feta cheese and house dressing. Yelper Rush B., who reviewed Wally's Falafel and Hummus on Nov. 14, wrote, "You will fall in love with this place. The baklava is traditionally sweetened with honey, not cane sugar." Brian O. wrote, "The wall decor is wonderful. They even decorated the tables." 3. Loon Grocery Photo: Alex L./Yelp Loon Grocery, a grocery store and Middle Eastern spot in Whittier, is another much-loved, inexpensive go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 51 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2501 Lyndale Ave. South to see for yourself. Try a gyro or a cheesesteak. Hayden G. noted, "A true hidden gem." Yelper Michelle O. wrote, "The falafel was so good. Loaded it up with cucumber sauce and tahini along with onion, cucumber and tomato. It was perfection. This may become a regular stop on the weekend." Story continues 4. Daily Cairo Grill Photo: Walid S./Yelp Over in Ventura Village, check out Daily Cairo Grill, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 13 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Middle Eastern and African spot, which offers sandwiches and more, by heading over to 1922 Chicago Ave. A L. noted, "It was fantastic. Meat was tender and fall-off-the-bone, spiced well with hot fluffy rice. Mango juice was pretty sweet but nice refresher on a hot summer day." This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Using data from the FBIs 2020 Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified Americas most dangerous states. For similar lists visit 24/7 Wall St. OSAKA, Japan Despite being one of the world's most-recognizable executives, former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn probably embarked onto a private jet from a quiet VIP lounge in Japan's third-largest airport on his astonishing escape from a fraud trial. Somehow, Ghosn appears to have passed immigration and luggage checks before a flight to Istanbul from Kansai International Airport in western Osaka city, the plane's owner said. Ghosn has become an international fugitive after he revealed on Tuesday he had fled to Lebanon to escape what he called a "rigged" justice system in Japan, where he faces charges relating to alleged financial crimes. Details remain shadowy, but one employee of Turkish operator MNG Jet has admitted not including Ghosn's name in official documentation, the airline said. "He would have had to go through as a passenger, perhaps in disguise," airport spokesman Kenji Takanishi told Reuters, amid multiple conspiracy theories over how Ghosn pulled off his exit. The slightly built Nissan boss does have experience in disguises: when first released on bail in March, he walked out of the detention centre disguised as a workman to avoid media. After landing in Turkey, Ghosn, who faced trial in Japan for financial misconduct charges that he denies, switched planes and flew on to his childhood home Lebanon. His escape capped a year-old saga shaking the global auto industry. Kansai airport spokesman Takanishi said privacy was a big attraction for wealthy travelers at the 300-square-meter "Premium Gate Tamayura" which means "fleeting moment" for private jets. Even so, it remains a mystery how Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship, was able to orchestrate his departure despite being under strict surveillance by Japanese authorities, with movements and communications curtailed. 'We don't really look at people's faces' Story continues Private jet owners pay 200,000 yen ($1,850) to use the facility in Osaka, where normal immigration and baggage procedures apply. Luggage too large for the X-ray scanning machine is opened and examined, Takanishi said, meaning it was unlikely Ghosn could have been smuggled on board. Yet immigration officials have no record of him leaving, public broadcaster NHK has reported. "I think I would recognize Ghosn if I took a good look at his face, but we don't really look at people's faces," said a security guard at the private gate. "It would be harder to spot him if he was wearing a disguise or was in a group." One airport official, who also declined to be identified, said airlines often outsource security and luggage checks to private security companies in Japan, unlike other countries where government or military officials normally do them. Outside the terminal entrance, a dedicated parking lot stands less than 100 meters away, allowing a degree of privacy not afforded to commercial jet passengers. Security staff had all heard the reports Ghosn flew out under their noses. But they were trying to avoid talking about it given the potential blow to pride. Caught on security camera A surveillance camera captured Ghosn leaving his Tokyo residence alone shortly before his surprise escape from Japan, public broadcaster NHK said on Friday, citing investigative sources. The security footage was taken by a camera installed at his house in central Tokyo around noon on Sunday, and the camera did not show him returning home, NHK said. NHK said the police suspected Ghosn may have left his home to meet up with someone before heading to an airport. Under the terms of his bail, Ghosn was required to have security cameras installed at the entrance of his house. You Might Also Like Almost all of todays front pages lead on the killing in Iraq of General Qassem Soleimani, and the question of what happens next. Britain is bracing for a revenge attack after the death of Soleimani, according to the Daily Mail, while the Daily Mirror splash says it could lead to a third Gulf war and The Daily Telegraph quotes Donald Trump saying the action was about stopping, not starting a war. The Times says the US is rushing 3,000 troops to the Middle East, The Guardian reports Iran has vowed severe revenge and The Independent has a similar take on the story. The Times 4/1/2020 General Qasem Soleimani, who was second in stature only to Iran's supreme leader, was killed by a US drone strike on his vehicle outside Baghdad airport. Photo : Iraqi Security Media Cell/Reuters#tomorrowspaperstoday #thetimes @thetimes pic.twitter.com/ls0PDTTdQl The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) January 3, 2020 The i, the Sun and the Financial Times also hone in on the revenge factor, while the Daily Express says the US is on the brink of war. Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition, Saturday January 3 https://t.co/DdSx7vB5EK pic.twitter.com/JHiQtWBSd0 Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) January 3, 2020 The Daily Star is the lone national newspaper not to lead on the Middle East, instead splashing on a story about George Lazenby, an Australian actor who famously played James Bond just once. New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said there is no guarantee that Pakistan would not send spies as Hindus under the amended Citizenship Act. Speaking at the fifth town hall meeting, anchored by ABP news channel, Kejriwal questioned the necessity of the controversial legislation. He further said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will impact both Hindus and Muslims and the Centre should first take care of its citizens and then of people from other countries. "There are many questions that need to be answered like what is the guarantee that Pakistan would not send spies as Hindus under the amended Citizenship Act," he asked. "It is a misconception that CAA will only impact Muslims. It will also affect the Hindus who are not able to show their documents," he said. According to the CAA, non-Muslim refugees who came to India till December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship. Any redactions seen on the video were done in an effort to protect the identity of private citizens and juveniles that were present during the incident, according to the statement. BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday stressed efforts to enhance ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, and promote the construction of an economic circle covering the western cities of Chengdu and Chongqing. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the sixth meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. He is also head of the committee. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng attended the meeting. To strengthen ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, the meeting underlined ecological conservation, green development and natural restoration of the environment. Unreasonable water use in the region should be firmly curbed, while development efforts should be made in light of local conditions and efforts should be made to push for coordinated protection and management of the basin, said a statement issued after the meeting. Attention should be given to major issues in the ecological protection and high-quality development of the basin by implementing projects including water source conservation and water and soil loss control, according to the statement. Measures will be adopted to solve water, air and soil pollution as well as to promote the high-quality and coordinated development of city clusters along the river. The meeting urged efforts to improve industrial structure while preserving and promoting cultural legacies of the Yellow River. The meeting also noted that promoting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle will help foster a growth pole for high-quality development in western China and push opening-up in the landlocked area. Work will be done to turn the Chengdu-Chongqing area, with the two cities taking the leading role, into an important economic center, a center for scientific and technological innovation, a new highland for reform and opening up and a livable place for high-quality life of national influence, the statement said. The development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle is a systematic project that requires top-level design and overall planning, with transport infrastructure construction and collaborative and innovative development among the priorities, it said. The US strategy towards Iran and Iraq may have changed, but the Iranian response will be more of the same. Much more. The assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani has ushered in another turbulent decade for the Middle East. US President Donald Trumps decision to greenlight the assassination of the head of the Quds Force, the paramilitary wing of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, is for all practical purposes a declaration of war with far-reaching implications for the region, especially Iraq. US attempts to portray Soleimani as a master terrorist leader, like say, ISILs (ISISs) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is wrong and misses the big picture. Soleimani may have been controversial, even a bloody shadow commander, but he served at the pleasure of Irans supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, to protect and expand the regimes interests in the Middle East. The killing of Soleimani is an attack on the Iranian state. So why did the US resort to his assassination, why now and what is its endgame? The Trump calculus Several people in Trumps close circle like former national security advisors, Michael Flynn and John Bolton, and unofficial advisors like Israels Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have all incessantly urged him to act militarily against Iran and push for regime change. But for three years, Trump chose to ignore their advice, insisting that the US does not seek war with the Islamic Republic. Instead, he slapped Tehran with tough sanctions aimed at crippling its economy, containing its regional ambitions and forcing it back to the negotiations table to sign another deal a Trump deal. So, what changed? Well, basically, the Trump administration realised its maximum pressure policy has failed. It may have hurt Iran but it did not isolate or deter a bellicose Iranian leadership. Irans proxy attack on the US embassy in Baghdad earlier this week was a rude reminder of the humiliating 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran that demoralised the Carter administration and the 2012 attack on the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi that bruised the Obama administration. The Trump administration, which feared a repeat of this scenario in Baghdad, claims its response was meant to safeguard American lives from future attacks, not start war with Iran. Or, according to the sceptics, it was meant to safeguard the Trump presidency by deflecting attention from the impeachment during an election year. Either way, the assassination is a clear departure from the policy of sanctions, showing Trumps readiness to use US military might as much as its economic power. Actions speak louder than words. Irans strategy From the outset, the Islamic Republic rejected Trumps abandonment of the nuclear deal and the imposition of sanctions as unacceptable bullying, and refused to sit by idly while US sanctions blocked the countrys vital oil exports, crippled its economy and bankrupted its military. Tehran expanded its proxy attacks on US assets and allies in the area, including recent attacks on tankers in the Gulf and Saudi oil installations, leading up to this weeks attack on US positions in Iraq. Tehran has also cultivated new strategic alliances with Russia and China, joining the two for war games in the Gulf of Oman in late December. The assassination is not going to change any of these policies; in fact, it will merely accelerate them. If history is any guide, Iran will absorb the attack at first and avoid an all-out war with far superior US military forces. Trump may have challenged Khamenei for a duel, but the supreme leader prefers fighting in the shadows. So, respond, he will. His options are plentiful and his timetable is open-ended. This includes assassinations, covert operations, low-intensity warfare and oil and maritime disruptions in the Gulf region. In other words, more of the same much more. This will especially be the case in Iraq, where Iran has long exploited US failure and retrenchment in order to shore up its allies and clients and increase its strategic leverage against the US. And it may well do that again. Vying for Iraq Contrary to conventional wisdom and apocalyptical scenarios of World War III starting, the assassination of Soleimani may well prove to be Trumps ticket out of Iraq, just as the assassination of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was his ticket out of the Syrian conflict. This fits in perfectly with his desire for strategic redeployment in the Middle East to extract US troops and civilians from the local hotspots and provide the Pentagon with greater freedom to act against its enemies. This means more drone attacks, special forces operations and guided missile strikes with minimum risk for US personnel. It is nothing new for the US, which redeployed out of Lebanon following the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks, and pulled out of Somalia after the 1993 attack on US troops. Similarly, it is planning a withdrawal from Afghanistan. Of course, Iraq is different. It is a far bigger deal for the US after it invested billions of dollars and lost thousands of lives trying to keep hold of the country over the past 16 years. But as a businessman-cum-statesman, Donald Trump is guided by a golden business rule that says: do not throw good money after bad, regardless of pride, oil or partners. The question is: Will Iran exploit this US tendency for retrenchment, or encourage its propensity for war? Either way, Iraq and the rest of the divided Arab world will continue to suffer as a result, in accordance with the old Swahili proverb: When elephants fight and when they play, it is the grass that gets crushed. On January 3, 2020, Irans most powerful military commander, General Qasem Soleimani was confirmed dead. He was killed by a US air strike in Iraq. The 62-year old spearheaded Iranian military operations in the Middle East as head of Irans elite Quds Force. He was killed at Baghdad airport, alongside local Iran-backed militias, early on Friday in a strike ordered by US President Donald Trump. Qassem Suleimani also known as the Shadow Commander was the Iranian operative who had been reshaping the Middle East. He was a small man, with silver hair, a close-cropped beard, and a look of intense self-containment. Suleimani was born in Rabor, an impoverished mountain village in eastern Iran. As a young man, Suleimani gave few signs of greater ambition. According to Ali Alfoneh, an Iran expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, he had only a high-school education, and worked for Kermans municipal water department. But it was a revolutionary time, and the countrys gathering unrest was making itself felt. Away from work, Suleimani spent hours lifting weights in local gyms, which, like many in the Middle East, offered physical training and inspiration for the warrior spirit. During Ramadan, he attended sermons by a travelling preacher named Hojjat Kamyaba protege of Khameneisand it was there that he became inspired by the possibility of Islamic revolution. In 1979, when Suleimani was twenty-two, the Shah fell to a popular uprising led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in the name of Islam. Swept up in the fervor, Suleimani joined the Revolutionary Guard, a force established by Irans new clerical leadership to prevent the military from mounting a coup. Though he received little trainingperhaps only a forty-five-day coursehe advanced rapidly. As a young guardsman, Suleimani was dispatched to northwestern Iran, where he helped crush an uprising by ethnic Kurds. Suleimani earned a reputation for bravery and elan, especially as a result of reconnaissance missions he undertook behind Iraqi lines. He returned from several missions bearing a goat, which his soldiers slaughtered and grilled. Even the Iraqis, our enemy, admired him for this, a former Revolutionary Guard officer who defected to the United States said. In 1998, Suleimani took command of the Quds Force, and in that time he had sought to reshape the Middle East in Irans favor, working as a power broker and as a military force: assassinating rivals, arming allies, and, for most of a decade, directing a network of militant groups that killed hundreds of Americans in Iraq. American and Argentine officials believe that the Iranian regime helped Hezbollah orchestrate the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992, which killed twenty-nine people, and the attack on the Jewish center in the same city two years later, which killed eighty-five. Suleimani built the Quds Force into an organization with extraordinary reach, with branches focussed on intelligence, finance, politics, sabotage, and special operations. With a base in the former U.S. Embassy compound in Tehran, the force has between ten thousand and twenty thousand members, divided between combatants and those who train and oversee foreign assets. Its members are picked for their skill and their allegiance to the doctrine of the Islamic Revolution (as well as, in some cases, their family connections). According to the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, fighters are recruited throughout the region, trained in Shiraz and Tehran, indoctrinated at the Jerusalem Operation College, in Qom, and then sent on months-long missions to Afghanistan and Iraq to gain experience in field operational work. They usually travel under the guise of Iranian construction workers. After taking command, Suleimani strengthened relationships in Lebanon, with Mughniyeh and with Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollahs chief. By then, the Israeli military had occupied southern Lebanon for sixteen years, and Hezbollah was eager to take control of the country, so Suleimani sent in Quds Force operatives to help. They had a huge presencetraining, advising, planning, Crocker said. In 2000, the Israelis withdrew, exhausted by relentless Hezbollah attacks. It was a signal victory for the Shiites, and, Crocker said, another example of how countries like Syria and Iran can play a long game, knowing that we cant. Since then, the regime has given aid to a variety of militant Islamist groups opposed to Americas allies in the region, such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The help has gone not only to Shiites but also to Sunni groups like Hamashelping to form an archipelago of alliances that stretches from Baghdad to Beirut. No one in Tehran started out with a master plan to build the Axis of Resistance, but opportunities presented themselves, a Western diplomat in Baghdad said. In each case, Suleimani was smarter, faster, and better resourced than anyone else in the region. By grasping at opportunities as they came, he built the thing, slowly but surely. The U.S. Department of the Treasury had sanctioned Suleimani for his role in supporting the Assad regime, and for abetting terrorism. And yet he had remained mostly invisible to the outside world, even as he ran agents and directs operations. Suleimani is the single most powerful operative in the Middle East today, John Maguire, a former C.I.A. officer in Iraq, said, and no ones ever heard of him. When Suleimani appeared in publicoften to speak at veterans events or to meet with Khameneihe carried himself inconspicuously and rarely raised his voice, exhibiting a trait that Arabs call khilib, or understated charisma. He is so short, but he has this presence, a former senior Iraqi official said. There will be ten people in a room, and when Suleimani walks in he doesnt come and sit with you. He sits over there on the other side of room, by himself, in a very quiet way. Doesnt speak, doesnt comment, just sits and listens. And so of course everyone is thinking only about him. The early months of 2013, marked a low point for the Iranian intervention in Syria. Assad was steadily losing ground to the rebels, who are dominated by Sunnis, Irans rivals. If Assad fell, the Iranian regime would lose its link to Hezbollah, its forward base against Israel. In a speech, one Iranian cleric said, If we lose Syria, we cannot keep Tehran. Although the Iranians were severely strained by American sanctions, imposed to stop the regime from developing a nuclear weapon, they were unstinting in their efforts to save Assad. Among other things, they extended a seven-billion-dollar loan to shore up the Syrian economy. I dont think the Iranians are calculating this in terms of dollars, a Middle Eastern security official said. They regard the loss of Assad as an existential threat. For Suleimani, saving Assad seemed a matter of pride, especially if it meant distinguishing himself from the Americans. Suleimani told us the Iranians would do whatever was necessary, said a former Iraqi leader. He said, Were not like the Americans. We dont abandon our friends. In 2012, Suleimani asked Kurdish leaders in Iraq to allow him to open a supply route across northern Iraq and into Syria. For years, he had bullied and bribed the Kurds into cooperating with his plans, but this time they rebuffed him. Worse, Assads soldiers wouldnt fightor, when they did, they mostly butchered civilians, driving the populace to the rebels. The Syrian Army is useless! Suleimani told an Iraqi politician. He longed for the Basij, the Iranian militia whose fighters crushed the popular uprisings against the regime in 2009. Give me one brigade of the Basij, and I could conquer the whole country, he said. In August, 2012, anti-Assad rebels captured forty-eight Iranians inside Syria. Iranian leaders protested that they were pilgrims, come to pray at a holy Shiite shrine, but the rebels, as well as Western intelligence agencies, said that they were members of the Quds Force. In any case, they were valuable enough so that Assad agreed to release more than two thousand captured rebels to have them freed. And then Shateri was killed. Finally, Suleimani began flying into Damascus frequently so that he could assume personal control of the Iranian intervention. Hes running the war himself, an American defense official said. In Damascus, he was said to work out of a heavily fortified command post in a nondescript building, where he had installed a multinational array of officers: the heads of the Syrian military, a Hezbollah commander, and a coordinator of Iraqi Shiite militias, which Suleimani mobilized and brought to the fight. If Suleimani couldnt have the Basij, he settled for the next best thing: Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani, the Basijs former deputy commander. Hamedani, another comrade from the Iran-Iraq War, was experienced in running the kind of irregular militias that the Iranians were assembling, in order to keep on fighting if Assad fell. Late 2012, Western officials began to notice a sharp increase in Iranian supply flights into the Damascus airport. Instead of a handful a week, planes were coming every day, carrying weapons and ammunitiontons of it, the Middle Eastern security official saidalong with officers from the Quds Force. According to American officials, the officers coordinated attacks, trained militias, and set up an elaborate system to monitor rebel communications. They also forced the various branches of Assads security servicesdesigned to spy on one anotherto work together. The Middle Eastern security official said that the number of Quds Force operatives, along with the Iraqi Shiite militiamen they brought with them, reached into the thousands. Theyre spread out across the entire country, he told me. A turning point came in April 2013, after rebels captured the Syrian town of Qusayr, near the Lebanese border. To retake the town, Suleimani called on Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollahs leader, to send in more than two thousand fighters. It wasnt a difficult sell. Qusayr sits at the entrance to the Bekaa Valley, the main conduit for missiles and other materiel to Hezbollah; if it was closed, Hezbollah would find it difficult to survive. Suleimani and Nasrallah were old friends, having cooperated for years in Lebanon and in the many places around the world where Hezbollah operatives had performed terrorist missions at the Iranians behest. According to Will Fulton, an Iran expert at the American Enterprise Institute, Hezbollah fighters encircled Qusayr, cutting off the roads, then moved in. Dozens of them were killed, as were at least eight Iranian officers. On June 5th 2013, the town fell. The whole operation was orchestrated by Suleimani, Maguire, who is still active in the region, said. It was a great victory for him. Despite all of Suleimanis rough work, his image among Irans faithful is that of an irreproachable war heroa decorated veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, in which he became a division commander while still in his twenties. In public, he is almost theatrically modest. During a recent appearance, he described himself as the smallest soldier, and, according to the Iranian press, rebuffed members of the audience who tried to kiss his hand. His power comes mostly from his close relationship with Khamenei, who provides the guiding vision for Iranian society. The Supreme Leader, who usually reserves his highest praise for fallen soldiers, had referred to Suleimani as a living martyr of the revolution. Suleimani was a hard-line supporter of Irans authoritarian system. In July, 1999, at the height of student protests, he signed, with other Revolutionary Guard commanders, a letter warning the reformist President Mohammad Khatami that if he didnt put down the revolt the military wouldperhaps deposing Khatami in the process. Our patience has run out, the generals wrote. The police crushed the demonstrators, as they did again, a decade later. Irans government is intensely fractious, and there are many figures around Khamenei who help shape foreign policy, including Revolutionary Guard commanders, senior clerics, and Foreign Ministry officials. But Suleimani was given a remarkably free hand in implementing Khameneis vision. He has ties to every corner of the system, Meir Dagan, the former head of Mossad, said. He is what I call politically clever. He has a relationship with everyone. Officials described him as a believer in Islam and in the revolution; while many senior figures in the Revolutionary Guard have grown wealthy through the Guards control over key Iranian industries, Suleimani was endowed with a personal fortune by the Supreme Leader. Hes well taken care of, Maguire said. Over the years, the Quds Force has built an international network of assets, some of them drawn from the Iranian diaspora, who can be called on to support missions. Theyre everywhere, a second Middle Eastern security official said. In 2010, according to Western officials, the Quds Force and Hezbollah launched a new campaign against American and Israeli targetsin apparent retaliation for the covert effort to slow down the Iranian nuclear program, which has included cyber attacks and assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. Since then, Suleimani orchestrated attacks in places as far flung as Thailand, New Delhi, Lagos, and Nairobiat least thirty attempts between 2011 and 2013. The most notorious was a scheme, in 2011, to hire a Mexican drug cartel to blow up the Saudi Ambassador to the United States as he sat down to eat at a restaurant a few miles from the White House. The cartel member approached by Suleimanis agent turned out to be an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (The Quds Force appears to be more effective close to home, and a number of the remote plans have gone awry.) Still, after the plot collapsed, two former American officials told a congressional committee that Suleimani should be assassinated. Suleimani travels a lot, one said. He is all over the place. Go get him. Either try to capture him or kill him. In Iran, more than two hundred dignitaries signed an outraged letter in his defense; a social-media campaign proclaimed, We are all Qassem Suleimani. Suleimanis greatest achievement may be persuading his proxies in the Iraqi government to allow Iran to use its airspace to fly men and munitions to Damascus. General James Mattis, who until March 2013, was the commander of all American military forces in the Middle East, said that without this aid the Assad regime would have collapsed months ago. The flights were overseen by the Iraqi transportation minister, Hadi al-Amri, who is an old ally of Suleimanisthe former head of the Badr Brigade, and a soldier on the Iranian side in the Iran-Iraq War. In an interview in Baghdad, Amri denied that the Iranians were using Iraqi airspace to send weapons. But he made clear his affection for his former commander. I love Qassem Suleimani! he said, pounding the table. He is my dearest friend. For Suleimani, giving up Assad meant abandoning the project of expansion that has occupied him for twenty-one years. In a speech before the Assembly of Expertsthe clerics who choose the Supreme Leaderhe spoke about Syria in fiercely determined language. We do not pay attention to the propaganda of the enemy, because Syria is the front line of the resistance and this reality is undeniable, he said. We have a duty to defend Muslims because they are under pressure and oppression. Suleimani was fighting the same war, against the same foes, that hed been fighting his entire life; for him, it seemed, the compromises of statecraft could not compare with the paradise of the battlefield. We will support Syria to the end, he said. Most recently, US having declared commander Suleimani and the Quds Force terrorists and held them responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US personnel, eliminated him on the orders of Donald Trump. A statement from the Pentagon said Gen Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans, it added. It was reported that commander Soleimani had approved the attacks on the American embassy in Baghdad in response to U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on 29 December 2019. Soleimani was posthumously promoted to lieutenant general. He was suceeded by Esmail Ghaani as commander of the Quds Force. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said severe revenge awaits the criminals behind the attack. He also announced three days of national mourning. Ranjit Savarkar, grandson of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was hospitalised late on Friday night after he complained of high blood pressure, sources said on Saturday. Sources claimed that the 55-year-old was under a lot of stress and tension following the controversy over his grandfather. The controversy erupted after a booklet, distributed by Congress-affiliated Seva Dal in Madhya Pradesh, questioned Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation for valour. "Ranjit has been visiting television studios to defend his grandfather and it took a toll on his health. His blood pressure shot up to 220 last night, following which he was admitted to Raheja Fortis Hospital at Mahim," a source said. Ranjit Savarkar was admitted to the ICU, but his condition is stable now, he said. Titled "Veer Savarkar, Kitne Veer?", the Hindi booklet had also claimed that Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse were in a physical relationship. The booklet has drawn the ire of both Shiv Sena and the BJP, with former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that the Congress had exhibited its "wicked" psyche by circulating such a booklet, which underscored its "intellectual bankruptcy". While Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Friday had said, "Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran: US regime not to easily survive miscalculation's consequences IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iran's Supreme National Security Council in a statement announced that necessary decisions have been taken over IRGC Quds Force Commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani's assassination, adding that criminals will face firm revenge in the proper time and place. The statement was released in the wake of assassination of Lieutenant General Soleimani by the US forces in Iraq. Lieutenant General Soleimani was source of proud and dignity not only for Iranians but for all Muslims and oppressed people in the world. The SNSC warned the US that its recent terrorist act has been the biggest strategic miscalculation in West Asia and it will not be able to easily escape from its consequences. The full text of the SNSC statement is as follows: In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful Of the believers are men who are true to what they pledged to God. Some of them have fulfilled their vows; and some are still waiting, and never wavering (Holy Quran, 33:23). The Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to express its condolences on the terrorist assassination of the brave commander of Islam and gallant chief of the Qods Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, Martyr Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, holder of the Order of Zolfaqar as the highest military honor of the Army, as well as other counter-terrorism commanders particularly the indefatigable faithful fighter Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, to Imam Mahdi (May God Hasten His Reappearance), the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, fighters of the Islamic Resistance, comrades and revered families of the martyrs as well as all the people of Iran. The faithful General Soleimani was a cause for pride and dignity of not only Iranians, but also all the Muslim nations and oppressed people across the globe. The martyrdom of this great commander of the Islamic Resistance is considered as a dramatic loss for the Muslim world and the noble people of Iran. Yet, the path of General Soleimani, shall continue as Imam Khomeini, the late leader of the Islamic Revolution, once said that any flag dropped from the capable hands of an army general shall be picked and hoisted again by another general. The martyrdom of other strong commanders of this nation in the past did not cause any obstacle on the path of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its defense capabilities. So how come the martyrdom of General Soleimani could create an impediment? The United States should be aware that the criminal attack on General Soleimani was the biggest strategic blunder of that country in the West Asia region; the United States shall not be relieved easily and painlessly from the consequences of such a miscalculation. As stated by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in his recent message, a tough revenge is awaiting the criminals who spilled the noble blood of General Soleimani. These criminals shall face the strongest retribution of revengers of the blood of General Soleimani in the right time and the right place. Without doubt, the path of Jihad and Resistance shall continue with doubled motivation and the tree of resistance shall get stronger and thinker on a daily basis. Victory belongs to those who struggle in this auspicious path; and those who are cheering the murder of General Soleimani should be aware that such blind and cowardly acts would only result in strengthening the determination of the Islamic Republic of Iran to actively keep on the policy of resistance while making their punishment and failure more aggravated and immediate. Without doubt, this assassination was a revenge taken, on behalf of Daesh and Takfiri terrorists on the great counter-terrorism commanders, in the hands of the United States against the appreciative symbols of the war on terror in Iraq and Syria. The intertwined blood of brave Iranian and Iraqi commanders in this luminous path shall remain a symbol of the unbreakable bond between the two nations of Iran and Iraq in future. The Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran in its emergency meeting today, while studying various aspects of this terrorist attack, took the proper decisions, and hereby declares that the regime of the United States of America shall bear responsibility for all consequences of this rogue adventurism. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Navy amphibious assault ship with thousands of Marines on board will skip a planned training exercise in Africa to instead head toward the Middle East as tensions there spike. The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will not participate in Exercise African Sea Lion in Morocco, Military.com has confirmed. Instead, the Bataan, its crew and roughly 2,200 Marines aboard are moving to the Middle East. USNI News first reported the revised plans on Friday, the same day Pentagon officials said 3,000 North Carolina-soldiers would also deploy to the region. The amphibious assault ship and Marines are conducting routine operations while demonstrating the inherent flexibility of our naval forces, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Comer, a spokesman for U.S. 6th Fleet told USNI News. For operational security reasons, we do not discuss future operations. Once the Marines and the Armys 1st Brigade Combat Team from the 82nd Airborne Division arrive in the region, the number of troops sent to the Middle East since May will approach 20,000. Related: Thousands More US Troops Deploying to Middle East in Response to Iranian Threats Tensions have been high with Iran for months, but a Thursday airstrike that killed a top Iranian military leader has led them to soar in recent days. The Iranians have pledged harsh retaliation for the killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who led the Islamic Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force. President Donald Trump on Friday defended the killing, saying it was done to stop a war, not start one. A Pentagon statement issued late Thursday night said Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. Those attacks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN, were imminent. The 26th MEU, along with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, deployed from the East Coast in December. The ships arrived off the coast of Morocco this week for the planned African Sea Lion exercise, USNI News reported. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Read more: Lawmakers, Experts Fear Retaliation Following US Strike on Top Iran Commander By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Prime Ministers Office has initiated the financial and performance review of various ministries and their flagship schemes, in the backdrop of the ongoing economic slowdown that threatens to cut expenditure on major social schemes. All the ministries are expected to give their report cards before Union Budget 2020-21. This isnt anything new, only a routine exercise. However, this year, it is especially important as the report card has asked the ministries to plug unnecessary expenditures. They were told to prioritise schemes on the basis of expenditure, as suggested by the Union Finance Ministry, a senior official said. As reported earlier, various Central ministries and departments will brief their plans as well as agenda for the next five years. They will detail about the work so far and will suggest on how get the economy back to track. Indias GDP growth fell to 4.5 per cent during the July-September quarter. While the Finance Ministry had assured that the economy will revive from the second half of this fiscal, economists had warned that recovery will be slower. The challenges are multiple. There is slow collection of revenue, divestment is not on the lines expected by the government, and fiscal slippage seems inevitable. On the other hand, with high debt, there is not enough headroom for being generous with expenditure. State finances are another soft spot. On this context, the Budget exercise had to be more comprehensive and focused, said a senior member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council. Screen Door, the East Burnside restaurant known for its fried chicken and waffles and long lines, will open a second location in downtown Portland this year, according to a press release first spotted by Willamette Week. The new location will precede an already-announced Screen Door outpost set to open in 2021 in Portland International Airports new B concourse. The downtown location will take over part of the space most recently home to Holsteins, a glossy Las Vegas-based burger restaurant, and before that, P.F. Changs, co-owner Nicole Mouton confirmed Friday. Nicole and David Mouton, who opened Screen Door in 2006, first thought about expanding in 2013, but chose to invest instead in the original location, renting an outside kitchen, adding brunch seven days a week and doubling their employee pool from 50 to 100, Nicole Mouton said. But when the Holsteins space became available, the location -- just a block from Powells City of Books -- was more than tempting. The only problem? The size, which had proved untenable for its previous tenant. We immediately recognized this drawback to the Holsteins space and petitioned the landlord to divide the space, Nicole Mouton wrote in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive Friday. We argued that we would far prefer to have fewer seats that are full all of the time rather than a sea of seats that are full some of the time. The new restaurant takes up about 4,000 square feet of the once nearly 8,000-square-foot space, with room for just over 100 seats, similar in size to the original. It will offer brunch, lunch, happy hour and dinner daily, with chicken and waffles served all day alongside a menu of out most popular items plus foods that we have always wanted to offer but could not due to our kitchen limitations, Mouton wrote. Screen Doors second location will open this summer at 1139 N.W. Couch St. -- Michael Russell Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar has offered to step down as a minister of state in Maharashtra, sources said on Saturday. According to former MP Chandrakant Khaire, Sattar is angry over Shiv Sena's decision to support Congress in the Zilla Parishad president elections. Khaire said he had a conversation with Sattar at a hotel here. "I will talk to the media about our conversation at 2 pm," he said. BJP MLA and former Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagde was also seen at the hotel. He said that he was visiting the hotel for some personal work. Speaking to media, Sattar's son Sameer Sattar said: "I have no information about this, only he can speak about it and I am sure he will speak soon, better to wait and watch." Sattar was among the 36 Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena leaders who were sworn-in as ministers on December 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) No. 9 | Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Malta and New Zealand| Visa-free or visa on arrival destinations: 183 (Image: Reuters) Electricity supplies in Australia's most populous state, including its largest city Sydney, were under threat on Saturday after bushfires took out two substations with authorities warning of rolling blackouts if conditions worsen. The blazes have raged across New South Wales, and they brought down transmission lines in the state's south connecting with neighbouring Victoria, state energy minister Matt Kean tweeted. Kean urged people to reduce unnecessary electricity use and "turn off pool pumps, lights in unoccupied rooms and avoid using washing machines and dishwashers". TransGrid chief executive Paul Italiano said the system was coping but "under stress". He warned the loss of another major power station could mean "load shedding" power cuts to prevent the electricity grid from collapsing. "It is no longer operating as a single national electricity market and that has compromised the availability of energy to New South Wales," Italiano told national broadcaster ABC. New South Wales, which is under a third state of emergency over the severe fire conditions, has a population of just under eight million, of whom around 65 percent live in the greater Sydney region. The fires have claimed the lives of 17 people in the state and burnt some 3.6 million hectares (36,000 square kilometres) -- an area larger than Belgium. While bushfires are common in Australia's arid summers, climate change has pushed up land and sea temperatures and led to more extremely hot days and severe fire seasons. The hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents who rely on the Affordable Care Act cannot afford the uncertainty and confusion resulting from the 5th Circuits decision, Raoul said in a prepared statement. I am partnering with my colleagues around the country to urge the Supreme Court to take up this case because families deserve clarity when it comes to something as critical as health care coverage. Attorney Sharon Nahari can take the credit for the proposal of the Extradition and International Crimes Committee. Mr. Nahari presented the idea to Chairman Attorney Avi Himi, who then launched it and has brought it to fruition. This committee will follow the mandate that other committees operate with work being performed at no charge. The committee will be the liaison between the elected officials of the Bar association, the senior executives and the rank and file attorneys as it pertains to the practice issues. Attorney Sharon Nahari brings to the committee his experience and expertise as an attorney that has specialized in the two important areas of law being white-collar crime and overall criminal lawyer with a special interest in extradition and international crime. The law offices of Mr. Nahari has an outreach in countries such as the US and Asia as well as throughout Europe. Added to Attorney Sharon Naharis credentials is his appointment as Israels representative, where he attended the DELF Forum special conference in this capacity. This Defense Extradition Lawyers Forum was held in London for the purposes of the discussion of the elimination of Interpol arrest warrants, and Red Notice alerts. Other important topics were discussed such as politics and international extradition connections. Attorney Nahari has indicated that the forming of this new committee is a clear indicator of how important international and extradition laws governing Israel have been in the past. The participation between countries worldwide via collaboration has been successful in expanding enforcement collaborations on economic, technological and trade levels. The state of Israel and International Treaties Extradition Laws The state of Israel is proud of its involvement in the international treaties on extradition laws that encompass conventions such as the Palmero Convention (Convention on Organized Crime) the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Vienna Convention). The international treaties also include the laws for various international crimes such as taxation, cyber-crimes the laundering of money, and computer crimes. The state of Israel is one of the UN member states, and as such works closely with the UN Police Intelligence Organization (Interpol).Beyond this is the States working relationship via bilateral treaties with other countries such as Australia, Thailand, the US and Canada and others for fighting crime. In a brief, perfunctory speech on New Years Eve, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to impose his pension cuts despite mass strikes and overwhelming popular opposition, which he derided as pessimism and motionlessness. Emanuel Macron sits in gilded chair on his inauguration (Photo: Wikimedia) On January 2, the rail and transport strike against Macrons pension reform, at 29 days, became the longest-running continuous national strike in France since the May 1968 general strike. Over two-thirds of the population opposes the pension cuts, and strikes continue to break out affecting wider layers of the working population, from teachers and students to electricity and gas workers and opera and ballet company staff. This comes amid a global wave of protests and strikes over the last year, including US auto workers and teachers strikes and mass movements against neo-colonial dictatorships in Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq and across Latin America. Macrons speech vindicates the analysis made by the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES) since the strike broke out on December 5. There is nothing to negotiate with Macron. The way forward is to organize a struggle of the working class independently of the unions, which are negotiating with him, and mobilize ever-broader layers of workers to bring down his government. The address gave the lie to media propaganda that he would make appeasement with social opposition the priority of his address. The French president had made no public statement on the strike for weeks, during which the press speculated that he might prove open to compromise on the cuts. But in the speech, Macron made clear he intends to impose the cuts in a direct confrontation with the working class. He declared: I well know how much the decisions that have been taken can shock people and create fear and opposition. But should we give up on changing our country and our daily lives? No, this would be abandoning those the system has already abandoned, it would be betraying our children, and their children after them, who would pay the price of our betrayals. This is why the pension reform will be carried out to the end. Denouncing unidentified lies and manipulation spread by unnamed critics of his policies to incite popular opposition, Macron said, I will give in neither to pessimism nor to motionlessness. That is, Macron will not back down from a two-year increase in the retirement age, cuts in public sector pension plans, and the calculation of pension benefits according to a system of points, the monetary value of which the state is free to set arbitrarilythat is, to slashevery year, as a new generation of workers retires. The aim is to impose a class-based pension system, where working class retirees live in poverty while the affluent enjoy private retirement accounts. Macron made this clear by awarding Jean-Francois Cirelli, the head of asset management firm BlackRocks French operations, the Legion of Honor on January 1. By some calculations, BlackRock stands to reap over 70 billion in profits from private retirement accounts in France. Macrons attempts at empathy in his speech came across as what they were: insincere banalities from a wealthy investment banker hiding in terror from the workers in a succession of heavily guarded former royal palaces, from the Elysee to Versailles to Fort Bregancon. He began with a hollow reference to those who are sick and alone over the holidays, later proclaiming his concern for the careers of teachers, professors and health care staff. The mark of this concern is that he is preparing to slash their pensions by 20 to 40 percent. Besides the usual praises sung to the riot police, who have brutally attacked yellow vest protests and largely peaceful marches by strikers, Macron reserved his only meaningful comments for the trade union bureaucracy. He insisted that on pension cuts, I expect Prime Minister Edouard Philippes government to quickly find a compromise with the trade union and employers organizations that are looking for one. The critical question facing workers is to take the pensions struggle out of the hands of the unions. The struggle cannot be resolved by national negotiations with Macron, which will obtain nothing for workers. The mass protests and strikes are part of an international upsurge of the class struggle with revolutionary implications. The way forward is to build committees of action independent of the unions, fighting to bring down Macron as part of a revolutionary international movement to transfer power to the working class. The unions have discussed and negotiated Macrons pension cuts since his elections two years ago. Many openly support most of the cuts, including the pro-government French Democratic Labor Confederation (CFDT), which refused to join the initial strike calls on December 5. The role of Philippe Martinez, the leader of the Stalinist General Confederation of Labor (CGT), is not fundamentally different. Like the entire CGT bureaucracy and allied petty-bourgeois parties such as the New Anticapitalist Party and Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France, Martinez peddles the false line that workers can convince Macron to withdraw his cuts and negotiate a better pension system. As such, he responded to Macrons speech by arguing falsely that Macron does not understand France. We have a president of the Republic whos stuck in a bubble and thinks everything is going well in this country. Hes complacent, Martinez told BFM-TV on January 1, adding that he would call further protests. Our cry of alarm must be louder, he declared. Martinez complained that he had not received an invitation to the next formal trade union talks with the government, on January 7, but said he would go anyway. We have attended them all, he said. Martinezs bankrupt strategy, designed to prevent workers from waging a struggle to bring down Macron by holding out false hopes of a favorable negotiated settlement, is built on a false premise. The French president may be ignorant of conditions facing workers, but he is not complacent. Dozens of accounts over the last year of yellow vest protests have made clear that Macron, his wife Brigitte and most of his staff live in terror of a revolutionary uprising. In an article last month titled Brigitte is panicking: the Macrons fear an insurrection, Gala magazine cited an anonymous minister who complained of the dread seizing Macrons entourage and the ministerial staffs, who are terrified. The minister added, We are ruled by fear. The article also reported that Brigitte Macron dislikes comparisons between herself and Queen Marie-Antoinette, who died in 1793, guillotined during the French Revolution. Macron is imposing his cuts because, desperate to defend French imperialisms economic competitiveness and its military interests on the world stage, he is determined to transfer hundreds of billions of euros into the pockets of the armed forces and the super-rich. Though terrified of the confrontation that he has set off with the workers, he is very consciously pressing ahead. The only way to stop Macrons austerity agenda, as his New Years speech has made clear, is an independent political struggle of the working class to bring down his government. People attend a protest against the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 3, 2020. An attack near Baghdad International Airport on Friday has killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhamdis, the deputy top leader of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) BAGHDAD, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. strike that killed a senior Iranian commander raised fears among Iraqis that their homeland could become the main battlefield in the looming conflict between Iran and the United States. Early on Friday, Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, were killed in a strike near Baghdad airport, sparking outrage among some Iraqi parties and politicians. Sabah al-Sheikh, a professor of politics at Baghdad University, told Xinhua that the U.S.-Iranian conflict has become clear in Iraq, and there is a possibility that the U.S-Iranian struggle could spread to cover more areas in the Middle East region. "If the Iraqi leaders and all Iraqi factions do not show wisdom and restraint in dealing with such a conflict, the biggest loser will be the Iraqi people," al-Sheikh warned. Al-Sheikh reviewed statements issued by Iraqi President Barham Salih and top Shiite religious leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani as well as some other political leaders, in which they condemned the killing of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. They all called for restraint to deal wisely with the consequences of the strike, because they are aware of the seriousness of the situation in order to avoid the deterioration of the security situation throughout the country, he said. "Most of the Iraqi leaders realize that Iran's strongest field is Iraq as many pro-Iran Shiite militias are stationed there. Therefore, they (Iraqi leaders) realize that Iraq will pay the price of any U.S.-Iranian confrontation," al-Sheikh said. Iran has the ability to deliver an effective strike against the U.S. interests in Iraq and the region, he added. "It wouldn't necessarily be striking U.S. military bases in Iraq or the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, but Iran has the ability to ignite internal conflict inside Iraq and paralyze the country through violence and chaos in order to make the U.S. influence in the country impossible," al-Sheikh said. Hisham al-Hashimi, an Iraqi expert in armed groups affairs, told Xinhua that the Shiite militias have the ability and experience to adapt with the strike. "The Shiite militant groups can find leaders as good as those who died. They have readiness and willingness to confront violent and unpredictable scenarios," al-Hashimi said. However, the death of al-Muhandis could complicate the situation in Iraq in the short term because he was the point of communication and calm between different rival Shiite groups, according to al-Hashimi. Najib al-Jubouri, a political expert and lecturer in Baghdad University, told Xinhua that the strike of Soleimani and al-Muhandis has diverted the U.S.-Iranian conflict from behind the scenes by Iran's proxy militias to direct confrontation. "The new position reduced maneuverability on each side, increasing the risk of the confrontation spinning out of control, which might fill the Middle East with blood at the start of 2020," al-Jubouri said. Iraq and the region need more attention from the international community, al-Jubouri said, adding that it is the duty of the world states and international organizations to work hard to prevent conflicts from expanding. For his part, Ibrahim al-Ameri, a political analyst and teacher of politics at Baghdad University, said that the assassination of Soleimani is another "manifestation of the U.S.-Iranian conflict in Iraq, and it is also a reflection of the expansion of the conflict between the two countries." Given the role of Soleimani in Iran's regional strategy and its influence at home and abroad, the intensity of the U.S.-Iraqi struggle has spiraled, affecting the situation in Iraq and the entire Middle East more than last year's tanker attack and Saudi oil field facilities attack, al-Ameri said. Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi strongly condemned the attack, calling the assassination of al-Muhandis "an aggression against Iraq, its state, its government and its people." The attack came after supporters of the Hashd Shaabi militias stormed on Tuesday the perimeter of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Local media aired photos showing al-Muhandis participating in the protest with Qais al-Khazali, head of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous) militia, and Hashd Shaabi's top leader Hadi Al Amri. On Sunday evening the U.S. forces bombarded headquarters of Hashd Shaabi's 45th and 46th Brigades, leaving 25 killed and 51 injured. A poster of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani is seen on a street in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 3, 2020. An attack near Baghdad International Airport on Friday has killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhamdis, the deputy top leader of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal on Saturday said that the religious body would send a delegation to Pakistan for discussing the Nankana Sahib issue. "We are sending a four-member delegation to Pakistan, which will meet senior officials and the province's Governor over this issue," said Longowal. The statement of the SGPC president comes after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. The group was led by the family of the boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of the gurdwara panthi. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A U.S. military spokesman has denied that America is responsible for a new air strike that targeted a convoy of pro-Iran militiamen late on Friday on Taji road north of Baghdad. 'The Coalition did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days,' said Colonel Myles B. Caggins III, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria, in a statement. It followed initial reports pinning responsibility for the strike on the U.S., and contradictory accounts from Pentagon sources. It remains unclear whether the convoy was attacked by ground-based rockets after all, or another military with air capabilities in the area. The strike targeted Iran-backed Shiite militia leaders near camp Taji north of Baghdad, killing six people and critically wounding three, an Iraqi army source said late on Friday. The pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces claimed that the convoy was composed of medical vans, and only medics were killed. An image from the scene of the new strike shows multiple vehicles engulfed in flames after missiles struck a convoy of pro-Iran militiamen on Tji road north of Baghdad Images released by local media show flames in the aftermath of the latest strike The Pentagon referred an inquiry from DailyMail.com to US Central Command, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. It follows a U.S. airstrike at the Baghdad airport early on Friday that killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces militia umbrella group in Iraq. The targeted strike against Soleimani and any retaliation by Iran, could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Senator James Rich, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Fox News that he had been briefed on the latest strike north of Baghdad. Rich said that the strike occurred at about 1.15am Saturday Baghdad time. He declined to comment further until information about the strike is declassified by the Pentagon. Members of the Imam Ali Brigades were said to be among those killed, according to militant sources. The group is part of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces An MQ-9 Reaper 'hunter-killer' unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen in a file photo The latest strike comes amid rapidly escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran and fears of an all-out war. Over the last two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israel's doorstep. The U.S. said it was sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East, reflecting concern about potential Iranian retaliation for the killing of Soleimani. The U.S. also urged American citizens to leave Iraq 'immediately' following the early morning airstrike at Baghdad's international airport that killed Soleimani and nine others. Iran's U.N. ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi said in an interview with CNN on Friday that the strike killing Soleimani was tantamount to declaring war. An earlier strike at Baghdad International Airport killed Qassem Soleimani (left), commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (right), deputy commander of the PMF He said that by 'assassinating' Soleimani, the United States had entered a new stage after starting an 'economic war' by imposing tough sanctions on Iran in 2018. 'So that was... a new chapter which is tantamount to opening a war against Iran,' Ravanchi said. Ravanchi, echoing Iranian leaders, said there would be harsh revenge. 'The response for a military action is a military action,' he said. President Donald Trump, who personally gave the order for the drone strike that killed Soleimani, charged him with plotting attacks on Americans and said the action was taken to prevent war. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. 'We do not seek regime change. However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors must end and must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran,' Trump said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 16:09:06|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Zhi Linfei CAIRO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The United States dramatically escalated tensions in the Middle East by killing a senior Iranian commander in Iraq on Friday, which threatens to open a Pandora's box of renewed conflict in this volatile part of the world. Qassem Soleimani, commander of Quds Force of Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, was killed in a U.S. airstrike on Baghdad International Airport. This came after Iraqi protesters stormed the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday to protest against earlier U.S. air raids on Kata'ib Hezbollah, a pro-Iran militia, which killed dozens of its fighters. U.S. President Donald Trump, who ordered the killing, defended it as a move to thwart imminent attacks on U.S. targets planned by Soleimani. Many countries, including Iraq, denounced the U.S. act as a blatant violation of Iraq's sovereignty, while Iran strongly condemned it as an "act of terrorism" committed in clear violation of international law. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the U.S. move is fraught with grave consequences for regional peace and stability. Contrary to the U.S. claim that killing Soleimani was aimed at preventing a war in the region, the move has increased the risk of war by aggravating the already red-hot tensions created after Washington's exit from the 2015 Iranian nuclear pact and its exerting "maximum pressure" on Tehran. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday vowed "severe revenge" on the United States over Soleimani's assassination. Many fear that Iran could be provoked to take retaliatory actions against the United States and its allies in the region where any armed conflict could rapidly spiral out of control. The international community has urged the utmost restraint by all relevant sides to pursue de-escalation in the Gulf area. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for exercising "maximum restraint" by all related parties, citing that the world cannot afford "another war in the Gulf." The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday urged relevant parties, especially the United States, to remain calm and restrained to avoid further escalating tensions in the region. Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday called on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation. History in the region has shown that responding to violence with violence would only beget more violence. It is now imperative for all concerned parties to refrain from taking further provocative actions, and immediately cool the situation through diplomacy and other peaceful means. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 10:57:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith will pay an official visit to China on Jan. 5-9 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The following is a profile of Thongloun. Thongloun was born in Houaphan province of Laos on Nov. 10, 1945. He became Lao deputy foreign minister in 1987, and later served as Lao minister of labor and social welfare, and chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the National Assembly. In 2001, Thongloun became Lao deputy prime minister and chairman of the State Planning Committee. From 2006 to early 2016, he served as Lao deputy prime minister and foreign minister. He was elected prime minister in April 2016. The US Navy has cancelled planned joint exercises with the Moroccan military amid raised tensions following the operation in Iraq that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) elite Quds Force, media reported on Saturday, Trend reports citing Sputnik. According to a US Navy statement seen by media outlet USNI news, the assault ship USS Bataan and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, who were due to take part in the exercises, are now being redeployed to the Middle East. Earlier on Saturday, the Pentagon told the CNN broadcaster that the US military is set to deploy an additional 2,800 troops in the Middle East as tensions with Iran mount following the drone attack that killed Soleimani. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated earlier that the presence of US military forces in the Middle East is preventing countries of the region from finding peace. On Friday, Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of an Iraqi Shia militia group, were among those killed by a US drone attack near Baghdad International Airport. US President Donald Trump called the attack a preemptive, defensive strike, while Rouhani has warned that Tehran will take revenge for what it views to be a heinous crime. Supreme Leader appoints Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani as new head of Quds Forces IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani as the successor of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani as the Commander of the IRGC Quds Forces., to replace him as head of the country's Quds Forces. The new commander used to act as the chief deputy for Lieutenant General Qasemi who was assassinated by the US forces in Baghdad on Friday morning. The full text of the message published in the Supreme Leader's website at Khamenei.ir reads as follows: "In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful Following the ascension of the Supreme Martyr, Major General Qasem Soleimani the great commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces, the commandership of the Quds Forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, who has been one of the most prominent commanders in the Holy Defense and has served in the Quds Force with the martyr commander in the area for many years. The force's program "will be unchanged from the time of his predecessor". I would like to thank all of those colleagues for their presence and cooperation with Commander Qaani, and I wish them success, approval and divine guidance. The senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Major General Qasem Soleimani was martyred in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning, according to official media reports confirmed by the IRGC. 6125**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Popular Nollywood actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu recounted his horrific encounter with cannibals at a film location in a remote part of Nigeria. The comic actor had a chit-chat with Daily Sun where he spoke about how he was almost eaten by cannibals after his colleagues had mistakenly left him behind at night after filming in the village. In his words; My colleagues left me on set by mistake late in the night after shooting, However, the location manager had earlier admonished us to move in groups because, in the community, they eat human beings. However, it was quite late when we finished. We had two location buses and I was already sitting on the bus in front but because I was manager, I said let me organise the people on the bus behind before we moved. As I alighted, the bus in front zoomed off and before I made it to the second bus it also moved. I kept shouting as I chased both buses but nobody heard me and I was left alone. Mr. Ibu said that his fear increased when he overheard two unknown men speaking in a language he could understand and they were discussing how tasty his flesh would be. The popular thespian said; I remembered what the location manager told us earlier. Was I about to be a victim of cannibals? I heard two guys speaking a familiar language which I understood and so I moved closer to them and to my shock, I realised I was the subject matter and what they said only magnified my fears. They were debating how tasty my flesh would be! I moved up to them and greeted them in the language that they were speaking and instantly told that I am not meat. They were surprised I could speak their language and one of them asked where I was from and I told him I was from his tribe and I already had a brother in him. He was happy and he embraced me and we continued speaking. That was when they warned me to get ready to run for my life or I would be dead because the people around were already planning how to kill and eat me. I was scared but I remained calm. Meanwhile, Mr. Ibu said it was at this point, the crowd kept gathering and inching towards him and he felt like a trapped animal about to be slaughtered. Fortunately, his friends had arrived in due time as he heard them shouting his name from afar. They had returned just on time to rescue me with a team of policemen and vigilante. I was greatly relieved. The ordeal lasted for about two hours, he added. The actor also revealed a lesson he learnt from the horrific ordeal saying: Never take any language for granted. Anywhere you are, learn the local language, you just cant tell when it would come in handy. Till this day I thank God for saving my life because but for his grace, I would have ended up in the belly of cannibals. In brief: One of the few things you can bank on each year is that where will be at least one product to come out of the Consumer Electronics Show that screams, thats so CES! For 2020, that product is without a doubt Kohlers Moxie showerhead + wireless speaker. Introduced on Friday, the Moxie shower head + wireless speaker is just as it sounds a standard shower head with a removable smart speaker that slots into the center of the head and is held in place magnetically. Its powered by technology from Harman Kardon and as youd expect, offers hands-free control via its built-in voice assistant. Surprisingly enough, this isnt a new concept for Kohler. In researching the combo, I found references to a similar setup from Kohler with the same name, even dating back to late 2012. That version doesnt look nearly as elegant as the newer model, but thats to be expected from a product that is more than six years old at this point. According to The Verge, the new Moxie speaker will sell for $99, or $159 if you want a version with Alexa. Plus, youll want the shower head itself which commands an additional $70 although I suppose you dont really need that part to enjoy in-shower tunes. Kohler tells the publication that the speaker will last for up to five hours on a single charge and carries an IPX67 rating. Look for it to launch sometime in 2020. WASHINGTON - The Senate seems certain to keep President Donald Trump in office thanks to the overwhelming GOP support expected in his impeachment trial. But how that trial will proceed and when it will begin remains to be seen. Democrats are pushing for the Senate to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents, pointing to reports that they say have raised new questions about Trumps decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine. Once the House transmits the articles of impeachment, decisions about how to conduct the trial will require 51 votes. With Republicans controlling the Senate 53-47, Democrats cannot force subpoenas on their own. For now, Republicans are holding the line behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells position that they should start the trial and hear arguments from House prosecutors and Trumps defence team before deciding what to do. But small cracks in GOP unity have appeared, with two Republican senators criticizing McConnells pledge of total co-ordination with the White House during the impeachment trial. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was disturbed by the GOP leaders comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial is conducted. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, meanwhile, called the pledge by McConnell, R-Ky., inappropriate and said she is open to seeking testimony. Democrats could find their own unity tested if and when the Senate reaches a final vote on the two House-approved impeachment charges abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It would take 67 votes to convict Trump on either charge and remove him from office, a high bar unlikely to be reached. Its also far from certain that all 47 Democrats will find Trump guilty. Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama said hes undecided on how he might vote and suggested he sees merits in the arguments both for and against conviction. A look at senators to watch once the impeachment trial begins: ___ Murkowski In her fourth term representing Alaska, Murkowski is considered a key Senate moderate. She has voted against GOP leadership on multiple occasions and opposed Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018. Murkowski told an Alaska TV station last month there should be distance between the White House and the GOP-controlled Senate in how the trial is conducted. To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defence, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process, she said. Murkowski says the Senate is being asked to cure deficiencies in the House impeachment effort, particularly when it comes to whether key witnesses should be brought forward to testify, including White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton. How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen, she said, adding that House leaders should have gone to court if witnesses refused to appear before Congress. ___ Collins The four-term senator said she is open to calling witnesses as part of the impeachment trial but calls it premature to decide who should be called until evidence is presented. It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us, Collins told Maine Public Radio. Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Collins said. Collins, who is running for reelection and is considered one of the nations most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democrats for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office. There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging thats in an impartial way, she said. ____ Jones Jones, a freshman seeking reelection in staunchly pro-Trump Alabama, is considered the Democrat most likely to side with Republicans in a Senate trial. In a Washington Post op-ed column, Jones said that for Americans to have confidence in the impeachment process, the Senate must conduct a full, fair and complete trial with all relevant evidence regarding the presidents conduct. He said he fears that senators are headed toward a trial that is not intended to find the whole truth. For the sake of the country, this must change. Unlike what happened during the investigation of President Bill Clinton, Trump has blocked both the production of virtually all relevant documents and the testimony of witnesses who have firsthand knowledge of the facts, Jones said. The evidence we do have may be sufficient to make a judgment, but it is clearly incomplete, he added. Jones and other Democrats are seeking testimony from Mulvaney and other key White House officials to help fill in the gaps. ___ Mitt Romney, R-Utah. Romney, a freshman senator and on-again, off-again Trump critic, has criticized Trump for his comments urging Ukraine and China to investigate Democrat Joe Biden, but has not spoken directly about he thinks impeachment should proceed. Romney is overwhelmingly popular in a conservative state where Trump is not beloved, a status that gives Romney leverage to buck the president or at least speak out about rules and procedures of a Senate trial. ___ Cory Gardner, R-Colo. Gardner, like Collins is a vulnerable senator up for reelection in a state where Trump is not popular. Gardner has criticized the House impeachment effort as overly partisan and fretted that it will sharply divide the country. While Trump is under water in Colorado, a GOP strategist says Gardner and other Republicans could benefit from an energized GOP base if the Senate, as expected, acquits Trump of the two articles of impeachment approved by the House. An acquittal may have a substantial impact on other races in Colorado, up to and including Sen. Cory Gardners re-election, Ryan Lynch told Colorado Public Radio. ___ Martha McSally, R-Ariz. McSally, who was appointed to her seat after losing a Senate bid in 2018, is another vulnerable Republican seeking election this fall. She calls impeachment a serious matter and said she hopes her constituents would want her to examine the facts without partisanship. The American people want us to take a serious look at this and not have it be just partisan bickering going on, she told The Arizona Republic. ___ Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. A three-term senator and former governor, Alexander is retiring next year. A moderate whos respected by both parties as an old-school defender of Senate prerogatives, Alexander has called Trumps conduct inappropriate, but says he views impeachment as a mistake. An election, which is just around the corner, is the right way to decide who should be president, Alexander said last fall. Impeachment has never removed a president. It will only divide the country further. 1. The comment section is for discussion. Opinions are welcome. Personal attacks, trolling, name-calling and/ or bigotry will not be tolerated. 2. Posts containing links may be moderated. This blog does not accept paid advertisements and will not entertain free ones either. 3. Kindly stay on topic. Say what you think and refrain from telling others what they think. 4. Violators will be warned, deleted, and/ or banned at sole discretion of the moderator. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Several groups plan to gather Saturday afternoon in San Francisco and San Jose to protest a U.S. air strike this week that killed a top general in Iran. The U.S. drone attack that killed Qassem Soleimani could lead to war and destabilize the entire region, protest organizers said. Several groups have signed on for the protests, including the Arab Resource and Organizing Center. Dozens of similar protests are planned around the country for a national day of action. The San Francisco protest is set for noon at Powell and Market streets. In San Jose, a protest is planned for 3 p.m. at Fourth and East Santa Clara streets. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photographs. This week its fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, 79. Zandra Rhodes, 79, (pictured) shares the stories behind a selection of her favourite snaps 1942: Here I am aged two. I was born and grew up in Chatham, Kent, during the war apparently my mum walked to the hospital and gave birth to me during an air raid. She taught dress-making at Medway College of Design, but I pretended she wasnt my mother when I studied there. I was good at school it was horrible for my younger sister because she was always told she didnt work as hard as me 1954: I love this photo of Mum (far left), me and my sister Beverley (in the back of the car) as we set off for a day at the seaside with a picnic. My parents didnt get on and should never have married they werent right for each other. My mothers father, an Army colonel, really disapproved of the match. Poor Mum died in her 40s when I was 24 so never saw my success 1969: This shot was taken when I put on my first-ever fashion show in New York I can date it going by my white Biba boots. My peasant-style dress was tie-dyed and my belt was made out of some old carpet, but my hair was still dark at this point. In my teens Id wanted to become an illustrator, but while at college I had a teacher who was so inspirational to me that I fell in love with textiles and ended up as a fashion designer instead. I owe my creative side to my mother 1997: Just two months before the Princess of Wales died we were sharing a laugh together at the opening party of a Christies sale in New York. She was auctioning off 79 dresses, including some Id made for her, for charity. I loved dressing her, she had a lovely figure. Shed come to my grotty London studio where I also dressed Freddie Mercury to talk about designs and then Id go to Kensington Palace to fit her. It was quite formal, but she was always very nice and this photo is very special to me 1998: A number of designers were asked to make ornaments for the Queens Christmas tree as a fundraiser for children with cerebral palsy. Ive always loved dolls so I made a fairy with a pink ballgown and ten petticoats. I was also working on my London Fashion Week collection and had all the windows of Liberty to fill, so I ended up cutting out the fairys wings at 5am. The Queen seemed to like it though, as you can see, and the Queen Mother said, Oh, very nice' 2013: My long-term partner Salah Hassanein, who Im with here, died last summer aged 98. Hed started as an usher in a movie theatre and worked his way up to be president of Warner Bros international cinema division. I met him in New York, then he gave me a call when he was in London, we had dinner, and that was it. For the next 25 years I divided my time between London and our house in San Diego. Salah might have been 19 years older than me but losing him was still a tremendous shock 2015: I was so proud to be made a Dame Commander of the British Empire for services to British fashion its such an honour and shows your country recognises your achievements. I wore a wonderful little baby hat with a rhinestone egg on top to go to Buckingham Palace to receive my medal, which Im holding here. The lady sitting next to Beverley during the ceremony said, Would you wear something like that? My sister replied, No, I wouldnt, but that lady is my sister! 2019: Competing on Celebrity MasterChef last year was jolly hard work here I am with fellow contestants Neil Ruddock, Joey Essex, Oti Mabuse and Andy Grant. They throw things at you and you have to think on your feet its like doing a school exam. I made a bread and butter pudding for one assignment, and cold melon soup for another. Cold soup? sniffed the judges. Ugh! But I regularly cook for friends, like Lulu, and they always enjoy my food. I didnt make it to the semi-final, but I think I deserved to go further As told to York Membery. Zandra is celebrating 50 years in fashion with a retrospective exhibition at the Fashion And Textile Museum (ftmlondon.org) FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Being a U.S. soldier in a fast-response force sometimes means being sent halfway across the world within a day, leaving no time to say goodbye to those staying behind. Thats what happened to April Shumard when her husband, a member of the 82 Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, got the call. He was at home, minding the couples five children while Shumard was at work at Healing Hands day spa, when he sent her a text. He had to rush to base. He wasnt sure if it was a drill or a deployment. Then she got another text: Were leaving tomorrow. She said her husband has been in the military since 2010 and has already deployed twice to Afghanistan. But with those prior instances, the family had much more time to prepare and say goodbye. The kids kept going, Whens Dad going to be home? said Shumard, 42. Her husband was among hundreds of U.S. soldiers deployed Saturday from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Kuwait to serve as reinforcements in the Middle East amid rising tensions following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general. Lt. Col. Mike Burns, a spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division, told The Associated Press 3,500 members of the divisions quick-deployment brigade, known officially as its Immediate Response Force, will have deployed within a few days. The most recent group of service members to deploy will join about 700 who left earlier in the week, Burns said. A loading ramp at Fort Bragg was filled Saturday morning with combat gear and restless soldiers. Some tried to grab a last-minute nap on wooden benches. Reporters saw others filing onto buses. The additional troop deployments reflect concerns about potential Iranian retaliatory action in the volatile aftermath of Fridays drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force who has been blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades. President Donald Trump ordered the airstrike near Baghdads international airport. Iran has vowed retribution, raising fears of an all-out war, but its unclear how or when a response might come. Reporters werent able to interview the soldiers leaving Fort Bragg on Saturday, but an airman loading one of the cargo planes told an Army cameraman he was making New Years plans when he got a call to help load up the soldiers, according to video footage released by the military. Were responsible for loading the cargo. Almost our whole squadron got alerted. Like a bunch of planes are coming over here, the unnamed airman said. I was getting ready to go out for New Years when they called me. In the gray early morning light Saturday, Army video showed soldiers dressed in camouflage fatigues filing into planes, carrying rucksacks and rifles. Humvees were rolled onto another cargo plane and chained in place for the flight to the Middle East. Burns said the soldiers within the Immediate Response Force train constantly to be ready to respond quickly to crises abroad. When called by their superiors, they have two hours to get to base with their gear and must maintain a state of readiness so that they can be in the air headed to their next location within 18 hours. So whether they were on leave, whether they were home drinking a beer, whether they were, you know, hanging out, throwing the kids up in the yard, you get the call and its time to go, he said. He said that soldiers typically keep individual go-bags of their personal gear with them at their living quarters. Shumard said Fayetteville is a tight-knit community, and she expects people to work together to support families who are suddenly missing a parent. This was so last-minute, she said, urging people to reach out to 82nd Airborne families. Just try to help out whoever you know who might need some babysitting or help or just get some groceries and bring it to their house. Similarly, Brianna Ferrys husband got the call on New Years Eve, and she said he was on a plane to the Middle East within hours. This isnt how military life goes, normally you have advanced notice about whats happening, she said. She fears he could miss milestones with their baby daughter, including her first birthday, but also wants him to focus on his mission. I told him, dont worry about us. Well be fine, she said. Focus on your mission. ___ Drew reported from Durham, North Carolina. ___ Follow Morgan at www.twitter.com/StorytellerSBM and Drew at www.twitter.com/JonathanLDrew Mexico City started off the new decade green -- with a ban on single use plastic bags. The move comes amid worldwide efforts to protect the environment. The official overseeing the ban says it was a necessary step for one of the world's largest cities. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TOP ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OFFICIAL IN MEXICO CITY, ANDREE LILIAN GUIGUE, SAYING: "We have to remove plastic out of circulation because what's happening with plastic and other items that damage the environment is that they end up in the city's ravines, in the city's forests, in the city's public places. And no one picks them up." For some, like Gabriel Sanchez who sells produce at a market - the switch is simply a return to the old days, when sellers would use paper bags, sacks and baskets. But those in the plastic industry are worried the ban could hurt an industry already struggling. Nationwide the industry generates about $30 billion a year, but it shrunk in 2019, partially due to other cities also banning plastic bags. So now plastic producers are lobbying lawmakers to enact a federal law that would standardize rules and allow reusable, thicker bags. But with the new rule now in effect others like Walmart's Mexico unit are complying by offering free, reusable bags this month and exploring more ways to reduce plastic packaging. Iran promised to seek revenge for a US airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed the mastermind of its interventions across the Middle East, and the U.S. said Friday that it was sending thousands more troops to the region as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. The death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Tehran, which has careened from one crisis to another since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. Almost 24 hours after the attack on Soleimani, Iraqi officials and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq reported another deadly airstrike. An Iraqi government official reported a strike on two vehicles north of Baghdad but had no information on casualties. Another security official who witnessed the aftermath described charred vehicles and said five people were killed. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Iraqi state television and the media arm of the Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces also reported the strike. The group said its medics were targeted. An American official who spoke on the condition on anonymity denied the U.S. was behind the reported attack. The targeted strike against Soleimani and any retaliation by Iran could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Over the last two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israel's doorstep. We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over, Trump said of Soleimani. The United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more troops to the Middle East, reflecting concern about potential Iranian retaliation. The U.S. also urged Americans to leave Iraq immediately following the airstrike at Baghdad's international airport that Iran's state TV said killed Soleimani and nine others. The State Department said the embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters earlier this week, is closed and all consular services have been suspended. Around 5,200 American troops are based in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and help in the fight against Islamic State militants. Defense officials who discussed the new troop movements spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by the Pentagon. A Pentagon official who was not authorized to speak publicly said the U.S. also had placed an Army brigade on alert to fly into Lebanon to protect the American Embassy. U.S. embassies also issued a security alert for Americans in Bahrain, Kuwait and Nigeria. The announcement about sending more troops came as Trump said Soleimani's killing was not an effort to begin a conflict with Iran. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war, Trump said, adding that he does not seek regime change in Iran. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed harsh retaliation" after the airstrike, calling Soleimani the international face of resistance. Khamenei declared three days of public mourning and appointed Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, Soleimani's deputy, to replace him as head of the Quds Force. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the killing a heinous crime" and said his country would take revenge. Iran twice summoned the Swiss envoy, the first time delivering a letter to pass to Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the U.S. attack a cowardly terrorist action and said Iran has the right to respond in any method and any time. Thousands of worshipers in Tehran took to the streets after Friday prayers to condemn the killing, waving posters of Soleimani and chanting Death to deceitful America. However, the attack could act as a deterrent for Iran and its allies to delay or restrain any potential response. Trump said possible targets had been identified and the U.S. was prepared. Oil prices surged on of the airstrike, and markets were mixed. The killing promised to further strain relations with Iraq's government, which is allied with both Washington and Tehran and has been deeply worried about becoming a battleground in their rivalry. Iraqi politicians close to Iran called for the country to order U.S. forces out. The U.S. Defense Department said it killed the 62-year-old Soleimani because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region." It also accused Soleimani of approving orchestrated violent protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The strike, on an access road near Baghdad's airport, was carried out early Friday by an American drone, according to a U.S. official. Soleimani had just disembarked from a plane arriving from either Syria or Lebanon, a senior Iraqi security official said. The blast tore apart his body and that of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces. A senior politician said Soleimani's body was identified by the ring he wore. Others killed include five members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard and Soleimani's son-in-law, Iranian state TV said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DOWNERS GROVE (AP) Dawn Maxey dropped her tap cane. When it fell down a flight of stairs at a training center for adults who are blind, it became a turning point. The instructor, Maxey remembers, told her she had two choices. She could dig herself an emotional hole and get in, giving up on life and giving in to the attacker whose assault caused her to go blind. Or she could stand up, go get the cane and try again, giving herself a chance at a new life. It was clear right then, Maxey said, that she had to keep trying to turn around her life and her outlook, to find something good. Flip it. To do this eventually became known within Maxeys circle of relatives and friends as to Dawn It. Maxeys life was upended by an attack, now 26 years ago in Aurora, when she was working as a postal carrier. A man who was trying to get social security checks beat her as she filled in to take an unusual route on her day off, she said. She didnt even have time to grab her pepper spray. That first punch came so fast, it landed me on the floor, Maxey said. For Maxey, then a 39-year-old mother of two teenagers, life would never be the same without her sight. She knew that right away. But with the instructors prodding about the dropped tap cane, she realized it didnt have to be over. She could Dawn It. Shes since spread the positivity to 80 people for whom she helped secure service dogs when she worked with Guide Dogs for the Blind until her retirement in 2018. And shes spread it perhaps most strongly to her daughter, Michele, who uses her maiden name as a nickname and goes by Maxey Hensley. Hensley and a lifelong friend have started a Dawn It Facebook page on which they post examples of Dawn-like perspective shifts on everyday challenges. Stubbed toe? Great excuse for a pedicure! one post reads. Cut my finger today in a rush to finish lunches, another says. No dishes for me for a few days, woot woot! Your house could be burning down and my mom would say, Well, you didnt like that carpet, Hensley said. Sometimes all you need is that one phrase to help you at the moment. The Dawn It movement and all the other elements of Maxeys story of resilience caught the attention of Art Van Furniture employees and executives, who named her the Chicago area superhero, one of six across the nation in a 60th anniversary campaign celebrating the power of inspiration. The campaign is designed to show the world in this time of negativity, theres a lot of good in our neighborhoods, said Diane Charles, Art Vans vice president of corporate communications. Employees chose the nationwide superheroes from a field of 77 inspirational heroes, one nominated from the community around each Art Van store. The hero and superhero awards in total netted Maxey $6,000 in furniture funds for a home makeover, which she spent on a gray leather sofa and matching chair, two upholstered chairs and two ottomans. She expects them to last for decades in her Downers Grove home. Charles said Maxey giggled as she described her enjoyment in touching the seams of her new furniture, which shell enjoy but never see. Her attitude is so infectious, Charles said. She inspired me and I only met her for like an hour. Not only does she turn your thought process around when the worlds going bad, shes helped others do that, Hensley said. Maxey herself like many people recognized as heroes downplays her influence, even on others who have dealt with new blindness. All Ive done is recognize how tough it was in the beginning, she said, And when I hear that sound in someone else She steps in and helps them Dawn It. MIAMI In his first public appearance since the strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani of Iran, President Donald Trump rallied his evangelical Christian base of supporters Friday, portraying himself as the restorer of faith in the public square and claiming that God is on our side. Trump brought to the stage Cissie Graham Lynch, a granddaughter of Billy Graham, the founder of Christianity Today, to offer an implicit rebuke of the magazines recent editorial calling for his removal from the White House. Lynchs appearance underscored how sensitive Trump was about any signs of fracturing in his base; many evangelical allies denounced the editorial, and Graham Lynch vowed Friday to help Trump win reelection. She then welcomed a supporter to the stage who told attendees that they could not trust what the news media wrote about the president. Mentioning the attack in Baghdad only briefly, Trump spent his hourlong speech at Ministerio Internacional El Rey Jesus, a church with a predominantly Hispanic congregation, alternating between his familiar mocking jabs at Democrats, who he repeatedly called anti-religious, and boasting about his own faith-based policies. Saying he would renew the importance of religion and family, Trump vowed that he would toughen restrictions on abortion and would take action to safeguard students and teachers First Amendment rights to pray in our schools. In remarks highlighting his support for Israel, Trump also attacked Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Where do these people come from? Trump said. These people hate Israel. They hate Jewish people. Trumps comments were repeatedly met with enthusiastic cheers and chants of four more years from the crowded and sprawling church. Evangelical Christians of every denomination and believers of every faith have never had a greater champion, not even close, in the White House, then you have right now, Trump said. Weve done things that nobody thought was possible. Together were not only defending our constitutional rights. Were also defending religion itself, which is under siege. Trump began his remarks by mentioning the killing of Soleimani and praising the military, on a day when many Democratic officials and presidential candidates have questioned the presidents decision to order the strike and whether he has a broader strategy to deal with potential reprisals from Iran. He was planning a very major attack, and we got him, he added of Soleimani. We do not seek war, we do not seek nation building, we do not seek regime change, but as president, I will never hesitate to defend the safety of the American people. Trump excited the crowd by repeatedly thanking them for their crucial support in 2016 and promising that were going to blow those numbers away in 2020. Trump, who rarely made church visits in the 2016 presidential campaign and once mistook the plate offering communion for the collection plate, was described by his favorite pastor and current White House aide, Paula White, as a man of God who is loyal to a T. He again taunted Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts by referring to her as Pocahontas and mocked Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who has spoken frequently about his faith, by claiming he had become religious just two weeks ago. We cant let one of our radical left friends come in here because everything weve done will be gone in short order, he said. They can take it away pretty quickly. The event had been planned for several weeks, as an opportunity to highlight Trump's support from a group of voters who were critical to his victory in 2016. Trump has been gripped by anxiety over evangelical voters abandoning him since soon after he took office. He has repeatedly tried to shore up his connection to evangelicals throughout his first term, repeatedly pointing to his move to fill dozens of open federal judicial posts with conservative jurists. Trump was surprised when the publication Christianity Today wrote an editorial calling for his removal from office amid the House impeachment inquiry. Roughly 200 evangelicals wrote a letter denouncing the editorial and several evangelical leaders said it did not reflect a majority view among their voters. Still, Trump was troubled by it, according to people close to him. Outside the rally, supporters said they came to offer their unblinking support for the president. In a city where Hispanics make up 70% of the population, many supporters chatted with one another in Spanish as they waited for hours in the blazing Miami sun. The leader of the church, Guillermo Maldonado, made headlines last week when he promised the largely immigrant congregation that unauthorized immigrants would not face deportation if they attended the event. Hes talking from his heart, said Michelle Hoff, who came to the rally with two other women from her prayer group. I cant remember when we had a president who was honest like he is. Like everyone else, hes a sinner saved by grace. A lot of people say stuff that they dont do. Hes doing it. Asked if she opposed anything the president said or did, Hoff said that she only wished he would appoint judges to fully overturn Roe v. Wade and same-sex marriage. The rally inside the massive church began with energetic Christian rock, with many supporters clad in red MAGA hats dancing and lifting their hands in prayer. Though all of the invited speakers were popular evangelical leaders and entertainers, many supporters outside were Cuban emigres who said their primary concern was what they saw as the threat of socialism. Most said they were lifelong Republicans who were more concerned than ever about the Democratic Party gaining more power, citing fears that they would face more government mandates. America stands for itself, said Belkis Gonzalez, 57, a teacher who emigrated from Cuba three decades ago and wore a T-shirt emblazoned with Socialism sucks, styled similarly to the logo for Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. We are no longer giving money and free support to enemies of America and instead take strong action. Were not flaky and shaky anymore. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Christian worker who quit job over 666 on W-2 form says God blessed him with higher paying new job Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Walter Slonopas, a devout Christian man from Tennessee who made international headlines when he quit his job in 2013 over the number 666 being assigned to his W-2 tax form, says God blessed him with a higher paying job months later and his former employer went out of business. While Slonopas, who is now 59, doesnt believe the controversy over the number on his tax form was related to his former employer closing down, he told Religion News Service that he believes God blessed him for his faithfulness. Looks like I got my blessing, he told RNS. The number 666 is popularly interpreted from the Bible as the number of the devil or the mark of the beast and Slonopas believes he would have betrayed God by accepting it. In an interview with The Christian Post shortly after he quit his job in 2013, the Clarksville man said he went to his employer, Contech Casting LLC, as he had done on two previous occasions to explain his faith-based position on the number and why he couldn't accept it. His supervisors couldn't arrive at an agreeable solution so he resigned. "I explained to them, I can't accept this number. I am a Christian. They said, we cannot change it because it is computer generated," Slonopas said. "I asked them, are we working for the computer or is the computer working for us? I had nothing to complain about, I just asked them to change this number," he added. While many people, even Christians at the time, thought he was an idiot for resisting the number, he said when he meets people today and they learn he's the person behind the 666 story, they no longer see him that way. Shortly after he left Contech, Slonopas said he got a job offer and an eventual raise in pay from another local company of $12 more per hour. He further explained that his decision to leave Contech was more about being faithful to his beliefs rather than the company being evil. If you believe in God, he said, you have to resist a devil. Slonopas previously told CP that his devotion to his Christian faith was strongly influenced by his mother and grandmother who became Christians while they were imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps in Poland. "When you come to a situation where nobody can help you, when the only choice you have is to believe in God and hope or get angry with God and have nothing," he said. An armed man shot by Houston police officers Friday night after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend had two prior brushes with the law for beating the same woman, court records show. Charges were pending Saturday against 34-year-old Paul Robinson in connection to an officer-involved shooting in the East Little York neighborhood that left him hospitalized in critical condition. He will likely face charges of aggravated assault of a police officer and being a felon in possession of a weapon. Authorities were called around 7 p.m. to a home in the 11000 block of Spottswood Drive after Robinson allegedly assaulted a woman. Officers found him in the backyard holding a semi-automatic weapon to his neck, police said. He retreated to a shed and made two requests: that the woman he attacked come to the backyard and see him, and that officers kill him, according to police. Five officers opened fire when Robinson aimed his weapon at them. He was shot more than once and was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital. The woman involved in the Friday night encounter was not identified, but Chief Art Acevedo said Robinson had very aggressively assaulted her last October and that a warrant was issued for his arrest. The injuries ranging from stomach pain, eyes swollen shut and a blood-crusted mouth were so severe that police had to hear what happened from her 15-year-old daughter who witnessed the attack and called 911, according to charging papers. The teen heard her mother fighting with Robinson and saw him storm out of the house. He returned soon after and punched her several times with closed fists, a Harris County Sheriffs Office deputy detailed in his report. The girl cried for him to stop, but he would not. She hid in her bedroom, locked the door and waited for police to come, the report stated. The woman described in the report as Robinsons common-law wife confirmed that Robinson was the one who beat her by nodding her head when she was shown his mug shot. A warrant was issued for his arrest and prosecutors argued that he should not receive a bond, citing that the victim had requested an emergency protective order. Robinson pleaded guilty in April 2019 to assaulting the same woman during a September 2018 incident in which he tried strangling her. He was sentenced to one year in the Harris County Jail but had already served at least 200 days of that sentence, according to records. Robinson has had three prior felony arrests since 2008 for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, evading arrest with a motor vehicle and drug possession. Staff writer Hannah Dellinger contributed to this report. By PTI MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Saturday that his party was firmly in support of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and Maharashtra's "lesson" to the country was "don't be afraid". Raut was speaking at a meeting on the controversial legislation here, organized by the Jamaat e-Islamic Hind and Association for Protection of Civil Rights. "My party is firmly in support of anti-CAA protests," he said. Claiming that the BJP was yet to come to terms with its loss of power in Maharashtra, Raut said, "They are still in grief, and we should give them more grief." "Daro mat" (don't be afraid) is the lesson Maharashtra has taught the country," he said, apparently referring to Sena's decision to sever the ties with the BJP and form a government with the Congress and NCP in the state. "Maharashtra has shown the way to the country," he added. "The country is our religion. We all should be united, and this is what they (the BJP) are afraid of," he said. Bal Thackeray was known as a champion of Hindus, but the late Sena founder believed that this country belongs to all, Raut said. "Balasaheb never said Muslims should be thrown out. He stood up against traitors," Raut said, adding that Thackeray had many Muslim friends. He also pointed out that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was the first in the country to criticize the police firing on students protesting against the CAA in Delhi. "When students are fired upon, the country and democracy are in danger," Raut said. Criticizing Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Raut said, "The home minister says the Congress could not stop Partition on religious lines. If that is so, where were you then?" Raut also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for often accusing opposition leaders of "speaking the language of Pakistan". "This `divide and rule' policy is dangerous," he said. A woman who fled from bushfires on the back of a horse has returned home to find son's Christmas present stolen by opportunistic thieves. Bec Winter from Moruya on the New South Wales South Coast ran from the flames on the back of her horse with her son Riley when fire began threatening their property on New Year's Eve. But on their return they found the home had been ransacked by looters- who had even taken the new bicycle she bought her son Riley for Christmas, only a week earlier. Winter described the emotional process of fleeing the fire before discovering her home had been targeted by thieves. 'I saddled the horse up immediately, shaking like you wouldn't believe it was just unbelievable,' she told the Today Show. Her rescue horse saved her and her son Riley, but at the time she wasn't sure what she was heading into. 'Charmer took me out to safety along another road- not knowing whether we were arriving into fire or whether the heat was from the fire or just the actual day,' she said. The house had survived the fire but clothing and food was strewn over the floor, draws and cupboards emptied and valuable possessions stolen. Winter said it was bittersweet discovering realising their home had survived only to find the chaos inside. Pictured: Bec Winter and son Riley from Moruya on the New South Wales south coast fled from bushfires on the back of a horse 'It's heartbreaking I have no words. Yesterday Riley asked if he could swear and I said, 'darling today you can,' she said. Her father Ron Winter has issued a scathing message to the thieves on Facebook. 'May your new years be the worst you can imagine. This is the lowest of all acts you can imagine. How we get to meet you,' he wrote. Pictured: A Moruya local returned from fleeing their home in the south coast fires to discover the house survived but looters had ransacked the property Pictured: Moruya local Ron Winter issued a scathing message to the thieves who targeted his daughter's home on the New South Wales south coast Meanwhile New South Wales police is warning looters of the consequences if they're caught looting in bushfire affected communities. Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said he is 'disgusted that anyone would target these vulnerable communities at this time. He said it's a low-act for anyone to consider targeting bushfire victims when they're already enduring so much. 'People in these areas have already lost members of their communities, seen property destroyed and suffered emotional turmoil from the recent fire activity, they do not need the added stress of looters stealing what little they might have left!' he said. Pictured: Bec Winter and son Riley from Moruya on the New South Wales south coast fled from bushfires on the back of a horse Thousands of mourners on Saturday joined the formal funeral procession for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, who was killed a day before near Baghdad's international airport in an airstrike ordered by US President Donald Trump. Dressed in black and raising the flags of the powerful paramilitary umbrella group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces or PMF), the large crowds first gathered near the Shia shrine of Kadhimiyya in Baghdad to pay their respects to the dead, Al Jazeera reported. Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, along with six others were also killed in the US attack. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria. "We are here to mourn the death of these brave fighters, Soleimani and Muhandis," 34-year-old Amjad Hamoud, who described himself as a PMF member, told Al Jazeera. "Both of them sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Shia and for the sake of Iraq," he added. The mourners, most of whom are supporters of the PMF, planned to march through the Green Zone where government offices and foreign embassies, including the US Embassy, are located. Iraq's caretaker prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also attended the funeral processions. Mohannad Hussein, the media representative of the PMF, said that the bodies will be taken to the holy Shia city of Karbala where funeral prayers will be held later on Saturday. The body of Soleimani will be flown to Tehran for funeral processions on Sunday, he added. Iran is also observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American rapper Cardi B 04.01.2020 LISTEN American rapper Cardi B who had great time in Nigeria during her recent trip to the most populous country in Africa for her LiveSpot X Festival, has tweeted that she intends to apply for a Nigeria citizenship soon. Her post trails the potential war that could erupt after American President Donald Trump launched airstrikes in Iran which killed the countrys top military leader. Cardi B says Trumps move is dumb and if it sparked any war, she will run to Nigeria. She took to her Twitter page to say: "Naaaaa these memes are fuckin but shit aint no joke ! Specially being from New York. Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger. Dumbest move Trump did till date Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. Dont forget Cardi B was in Ghana for the sequel of the same concert which ended in disaster so we could understand why she opted for Nigeria over Ghana in her choice of citizenship. Watch below: ---Ghbase.com Suspected members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and one associate were arrested with guns and drugs by Massachusetts State Police troopers Friday, according to authorities. State police said six unlawfully-carried firearms were seized as troopers arrested four suspected members of the motorcycle club and one associate. The five people were in Brockton to attend a memorial service for a local member of the motorcycle club. The Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit and the Massachusetts State Police Troop D Community Action Team made the arrests after an investigation around the Motel 6 on Westgate Drive in Brockton. Just around 2 p.m. Friday, two state police troopers from the gang unit saw a man they believed was a member of the Outlaws Motorcycle Clubs Tennessee Chapter at the hotel. The troopers began talking to him. The man, identified as Matthew Miles, 41, of McMinnville, Tennessee, admitted he was carrying a pistol, state police said. Miles did not have an active license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts or Tennessee. State police said Miles was carrying a revolver, crystal methamphetamine, brass knuckles and ammunition. More ammunition was recovered in his motor vehicle, authorities said. He was charged with unlawful carrying of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of a Class A substance. Another suspected club member, later identified as Pedro Tapia, 51, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee was in a room at the motel during the arrest, state police said. Another gun belonging to Miles was in that room, according to authorities. Troopers and Brockton police went into the room and secured it until authorities obtained a search warrant. A handgun could be seen on a nightstand, authorities said. Tapia, who is also believed to be an Outlaws Tennessee Chapter member, was licensed to carry a firearm in Tennessee but did not have an active license to carry in Massachusetts. He was charged with improper storage of a firearm. Other troopers arrived at the motel as the investigation continued. A suspected member of Outlaws Connecticut Chapter showed up at the hotel. The man, identified as 43-year-old Matthew Ballingham of Waterbury, Connecticut, is accused of carrying a handgun. A query determined that he was not licensed to carry in either Connecticut or Massachusetts, state police said. He was arrested on firearms charges. Around 8 p.m. Friday, troopers stopped two motor vehicles near the Motel 6. Suspected Outlaws members and associates were inside, state police said. Troopers, assisted by Brockton officers, located one firearm, a Cobra .38 caliber handgun, in the first vehicle, and two more firearms, a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber Shield handgun and a Smith & Wesson M&P .9mm Shield handgun, in the other vehicle, state police said. Troopers arrested Edward Mahon, a 61-year-old man from Cornwall, Vermont and suspected Outlaws member, on firearms charges. Authorities also arrested 29-year-old Margaret Cahill of Westmont, Illinois on firearms charges. She was called an associate of the motorcycle club by state police. A subsequent execution of a search warrant for the motel room resulted in the discovery and seizure of approximately 4 grams of crystal methamphetamine and a box of .45 caliber rounds, as well as the Springfield XD .45 caliber handgun and loaded magazine that were previously observed in plain sight when the room was secured, state police said. A knife was also recovered during the investigation. All five people were taken to the State Police - Middleborough for booking and were bailed out. The amount of bail for each was not listed by state police. All five people will be arraigned in Brockton District Court next week. The Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce will host a candidates forum on Wednesday for the College Station City Council Place 4 race. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pebble Creek Country Club and is free to attend. WTAW radio host Scott DeLucia will moderate the forum, and WTAW will livestream the event at 1620 AM and 94.5 FM. The Jan. 28 special election comes after former Councilwoman Elianor Vessali announced last month that she is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. House District 17 seat, currently held by Bill Flores. The four candidates are Marycruz DeLeon Morales, David Fujimoto, Elizabeth Cunha and Joe Guerra Jr. Morales is a board member of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments and has held a position with the Community Development Advisory Committee. As the Texas A&M Foundation Director of Development, Veterans Affairs, Fujimoto finds philanthropic opportunities to assist student veterans. Guerra currently is a Transportation Planning Project Manager at CONSOR Engineers LLC. Both he and Cunha serve on the College Station Planning and Zoning Committee. Guerra ran for Place 4 in 2018 but lost to Vessali. This will be Guerras third time running for Place 4. Cunha ran for Place 6 but lost to Councilman Dennis Maloney in a runoff race in December 2018. A day after $1,080 was paid to the Alvo Fire Department in June 2019 for conducting fire and emergency standby services at the Lancaster Event Center, the village paid $1,088 to Glantz's company, the report indicates. Glantz reportedly told investigators the private company, which also provides a fire and safety crew at Eagle Raceway, used village property and was run through his bank account. The report also raised questions about a debit card opened through the fire department's bank account in August 2018. While auditors concluded some of the 150 purchases were likely legitimate, they found a majority of the transactions appeared to be personal in nature. Bank records show the debit card was used at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals; at stores such as Menards and Home Depot; fast-food restaurants Burger King, McDonald's and Taco Inn; as well as the Tack Room bar in Lincoln. The path that led to the latest findings is long and winding. In its May 2019 letter to the state auditor, the village of Alvo laid blame for much of its financial disarray at the feet of its former chair, David Morgan, who it said had refused to file an audit waiver as required by state law. AUSTIN On Halloween last year, state troopers jailed a man in Montgomery County for having a small amount of marijuana. That same day, the Texas Highway Patrol cited a man for the same crime in a county 250 miles away but let him go. The difference illustrates the patchwork way the Department of Public Safety has been enforcing marijuana laws after the state legalized hemp last summer and inadvertently threw cannabis prosecutions into chaos. The agency is increasingly citing and releasing people caught with less than 4 ounces of marijuana, in line with a memo DPS issued last summer to provide clarity. In Bexar County, state troopers have released roughly one-third of the 39 people they have arrested for low-level marijuana charges since July. In other parts of the state, records show, the Texas Highway Patrol continued to send most of those it arrested with small amounts of pot to jail, totaling hundreds of people. The varied approach is frustrating advocates for criminal justice reform in a state that has resisted decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana, which 26 states already have done. We should try to have a uniform state law that treats possession of low levels of marijuana the same, said state Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio. Its just another example of our state needing to catch up with the times. For subscribers: Is pot now legal in Texas? District attorneys scrambling to respond to clumsy legislative action DPS officials said any variance in arrests is based on direction from local prosecutors. After the new hemp law complicated evidence testing for marijuana prosecutions, some jurisdictions began tossing out pot cases or refusing to take them without a lab test. Under the new law, marijuana is defined by its level of THC, the component that gives users a high. Any substance over 0.3 percent THC is considered illegal, while anything below that is deemed hemp. Our troopers are following the guidance provided in the July memo, along with the guidance given by their local prosecutors, to enforce the law through available statutory means one of which is cite and release as an alternative to putting people in jail, DPS said in a written statement. While Texas has given a green light to a restrictive medicinal cannabis program, the Legislature has resisted efforts to decriminalize small amounts of the drug, despite an openness to the idea by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. A bill to reduce the penalties for those caught with small amounts of the drug cleared the Texas House last year but died in the Senate after facing opposition from law enforcement groups that argued that it would become a slippery slope toward legalization and lead to increased crime. The marijuana arrest records provided by DPS officials dont indicate whether people were arrested on additional charges or have a criminal history, factors that could sway whether they were released or booked into jail. But the data do reveal patterns of enforcement across the state. In Montgomery County, where the district attorney has said the office will continue prosecuting marijuana crimes, the Texas Highway Patrol has made more than 250 arrests for small amounts of weed since July. In only five of those cases was the person released. Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday The county doesnt have a system in place to cite and release offenders for marijuana crimes, said Mike Holley, first assistant district attorney. Instead, officers can arrest those caught with a small amount of pot and take them to jail, where people typically bond out within hours, he said. Officers can also confiscate the drug and issue a warrant for a later arrest, Holley said. We dont direct DPS (officers) behavior, we work with them, he said. If they bring us a marijuana case and it meets the elements of the offense, we generally accept those charges. Its a different story in Harris and Nueces counties, where records show a majority of the DPS arrests now end in release or a diversion program. In Harris County, almost all those who were released were sent to an anti-drug diversion program. In Nueces County, more than 1 of every 2 arrests resulted in a release. Prosecutors in those counties were among several who announced last summer that they would stop accepting charges on low-level marijuana cases without a lab test to determine the THC level. Without any type of measuring, they cannot actually go forward and do anything with the cases, said Cynthia Villarreal, cite and release coordinator for Nueces County. Its mainly that we are declining the cases. For subscribers: Starting Monday, people caught with small amounts of pot in San Antonio wont have to go to jail Bexar County rolled out a similar cite and release policy last summer. . Heather Fazio, director of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, said cite and release policies save people the trauma and trouble of going to jail. But she added that offenders must still show up in court to face their charges. Penalties can include up to a year in jail and steep fines. Most people can avoid doing jail time if they go to court, but you still face all the consequences that come along with a conviction, even just a record that you were charged, Fazio said. It can and will have a negative impact on your ability to live your life. amorris@express-news.net Nankana Gurdwara Not Vandalised, Says Pak After Stone Pelting By Mob That Threatened To Harm It An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. As per the initial reports, the group was led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of gurdwara's pathi. Read more. Here's more top news of the day: 50-Foot Tall Sardar Patel Statue Unveiled In Ahmedabad, Gujarat Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani unveiled a 50-foot tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the premises of Sardardham Institute complex coming up near Vaishnodevi Circle on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. It is a replica of the 182-meter tall Statue of Unity, the highest in the world, dedicated to Sardar Patel, in Kevadiya in Narmada district. Read more. Proud Moment! Tripura Shows The Way As It Gets Selected For 'Best Performing State' Award The North East states in our country are leading from the front in setting standards in the field of agriculture and farmers welfare. In a moment of pride for the North Eastern state of Tripura, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare selected Tripura as the best performing state. Tripura will be awarded the best performing state award in the small states category for its outstanding performance in the field of agriculture and farmers welfare, a report in the Times of India stated. Read more. Constitution Draft Was Prepared By A Brahmin, Says Gujarat Speaker Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi claimed that Dr B R Ambedkar had given credit for preparation of the draft of the Constitution to B N Rau, who was a Brahmin. He also claimed that eight out of nine Indian Nobel winners, including economist Abhijit Banerjee, were Brahmins. Read more. 5-Yr-Old MP Girl Allegedly Raped By Relative Who Taught Her New Year 2020 dawned upon us last week but the crimes against women and children refuses to stop. Crimes against children make our blood boil and in yet another heart-wrenching incident, a 5-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 23-year-old relative, who was invited home by her parents to teach her and her siblings, a report in the Times of India stated. Read more. By Finian Cunningham January 03, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Americas lawless arrogance has gone too far with the assassination of Irans top military commander. The deadly airstrike against General Qasem Soleimani was carried out on the order of President Donald Trump. There can be no justification for this act of murder Several other senior Iranian military officials were also killed in the US missile attack on Iraqs international airport in the capital Baghdad, including a top Iraqi militia leader. Iranian politicians called it an act of terrorism and vowed harsh revenge. Meanwhile, the Iraqi prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, condemned the US violation of his countrys sovereignty. Other Iraqi leaders are demanding the immediate expulsion of US forces from the country, where they number about 5,000 troops. Trump taunted by tweeting the American flag after the news of the assassination emerged on Friday, and he later declared that the Iranian general should have been taken out years ago because he allegedly was responsible for the deaths of thousands of US troops, according to Trump. Certainly, Soleimani was considered an enemy by the US. He organised effective military resistance to American imperialist designs in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere across the Middle East. For such strategising, the 62-year-old Iran-Iraq War veteran was revered, not just in his own nation, but across the region. For Trump to order the killing of such a revered public figure of a state which the US is not officially at war with is a brazen violation of international law. There can be no justification for this act of murder, despite the Trump administrations lurid claims. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Qasem Soleimani, as leader of the elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was seen by the Iranian nation as second only in importance to Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. What Trump has done is not just order a barbarous act of violence, it is a reckless act of war. To order the murder of senior foreign officials by presidential decree without any pretence of lawfulness is to set a new low bar for US state roguery. Many people in the Middle East, as well as around the world and among the USs own population are rightly anxious about the consequences. Trump is tempting to unleash an all-out war with Iran that will potentially drag several countries into a world war. For several decades now, the US has acted as if it were above the law. Countless illegal wars and invasions against foreign countries, leading to the deaths of millions of people, are now climaxing in the form of a so-called president and ruling clique which shows absolute disregard for even legal niceties. American lawlessness is now rampant and shameless in its arrogance. Whether Iran retaliates this week, next week or in the coming months is perhaps besides the point. US aggression and its sense of impunity has taken the world into an extremely dangerous situation where international law is evidently redundant. Washington is behaving as a full-on tyranny that does what it pleases. War, sanctions, killings, bullying all done with a frightening delusion of self-righteousness. Arguably, nothing on this scale of state criminality has been seen since the Third Reich. But one suspects that such hubris and hypocrisy comes with fatal ignorance among US establishment politicians and media. America is an overstretched empire whose lawlessness is stumbling towards its own collapse. The murder of General Qasem Soleimani this week rattled US financial markets from the repercussions of possible war. We can just imagine how the American and world economy will implode if Iranian ballistic missiles send a few US warships to the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by "Sputnik News" - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== A photo of #soleimani hanging out with American soldiers while they all fought ISIS. So how can the Pentagons post assasination claims that he was killing Americans be true ? See this is why you never collaborate with the US. I hope we have all learned something today. pic.twitter.com/xNqspMj7mE Syrian Girl (@Partisangirl) January 3, 2020 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 The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Tom Tugendhat is MP for Tonbridge and Malling. Few military commanders have had the freedom Qasem Soleimani has enjoyed. For the best part of 20 years, Soleimanis actions have been Irans foreign policy. Regimes he has backed, militias he has supported and terrorist campaigns he has encouraged have become the strategy of the mullahs in Tehran. Soleimani joined the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps at the time of the Iranian revolution. Founded to defend the regime, the IRGC is separate from the regular army, navy and air force. It answers to a different command structure and runs companies and businesses that enrich its generals. It has been at the vanguard of Iranian military action inside and outside the country to keep the dictatorship in power. Over the years the IRGC have crushed uprisings at home using their Basij volunteer militias to assault protestors and terrify opponents from speaking out. Abroad they have expanded their operations. The special operations unit, named the Quds Force after the Arabic name for Jerusalem, is charged with conducting operations to bring about the Islamic revolutions goals, including the destruction of Israel. Thats where Soleimani has excelled. Since around 1998, Maj Gen Soleimani has led the Quds Force in expanding from their traditional alliances with Hezbollah and others and used Iraq and Afghanistan to develop capabilities he would later go on to perfect in Syria. In all those struggles he has used three principle means that our own forces would recognise supplying weapons, partnering with local forces and bringing specialist skills. In Afghanistan, these partnerships were far from ideological. The Taliban, a Sunni religious cult, almost went to war with Iran in 2001 but only five years later, Iranian weapons were turning up in weapons caches in Helmand. The Quds Force shared skills too. Over the years, Afghan insurgents used increasingly professional shaped-charges to pierce armour and kill British, American, and other Nato servicemen and women. The intelligence trail was clear the parts and knowledge came from Tehran. In Yemen the same unit supplied rockets that have been falling on Saudi Arabia and bringing death villagers in the mountains. The Houthi rebellion has largely been a proxy war by Tehrans military against their Sunni rivals in Riyadh with Yemeni civilians paying the highest price. On Israels borders katyusha rockets that have killed civilians and been hidden amongst a Lebanese population terrified into silence. Both sides of the conflict have suffered but perhaps Lebanon most of all. In recent years thousands of Lebanese have been pressed into Hezbollahs militias to fight in Syria. Many have been killed. Skills transfer and terrorist training was not limited to the region but have seen groups spreading around the world. The 2012 attack on Israelis in Bulgaria, the assassinations of Arab nationalists 2015 and 2017 in the Netherlands and the failed bombing campaign in France in 2018 all point to a willingness to use any means to spread terror around the world. In 2015 this reached the UK. Hezbollah-connected groups were found to have collected three tonnes of ammonia nitrate explosives in north west London and though the planned operation never took place, the warning that we here are not immune from Soleimanis brand of foreign policy was clear. Even after we signed the nuclear agreement with Iran, the Quds Force saw us as a target. The question now is what this means for Iran and what it means for us. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameneis rapid appointment of Soleimanis deputy as his replacement masks the hole left in Iranian leadership. Despite his long addiction to opium he must know that Soleimani is irreplaceable. Over the past decades Irans strategy has been the general and his mythical status shows it. Through personal relationships he has picked political leaders, backed their armies and funded their campaigns. If Bashar al Assad still sits in Damascus, its not because of his own skill, we saw how useless a commander he was in the early days of the revolution, but because Soleimani willed it. It is unlikely the IRGC will be able to find another leader like him. Now Britain and others have a chance to reach out to former enemies and partners and point out that era defined by one man can end. The death of hundreds of thousands of Syrians, Iraqis, Lebanese and more can stop. The policy embodied in one man can end. But that requires some choices not only by the Iranian dictatorship, but many others in the region. This is a chance to change direction, lets hope we take it. The numbers speak for him: 56,000 students, 18 campuses and a Guinness World Record. Year after year, his students dominate the ICSE and ISC merit lists, crack competitive examinations, take part in many international events, rub shoulders with foreign students and delegates on a daily basis and the list of co-curricular engagements continues. At 84, City Montessori School (Lucknow) founder-manager Jagdish Gandhi leads the largest chain of private English-medium schools in the state capital. The school that he established as City Montessori School in Lucknow with just five students, today, has over 56,000 students enrolled on 18 campuses and has found place in the Guinness World Records as the Worlds Largest School by Pupils in a single city. My vision was to prepare not just literate adults but world citizens, who, apart from being adept at material knowledge, were endowed with the virtues of humankind (peace, unity and brotherhood) and who would act as agents of social transformation, said Jagdish Gandhi, while signing piles of papers being put forth by his secretary. The influence of Gandhi? A staunch follower of Father of the Nation, Jagdish Gandhi decided to bring Mahatma Gandhis words and teachings into action. With no resources or personal wealth, he set out to leave a permanent impression of peace, unity and brotherhood in the minds of children while they were still impressionable. I began my fight against all odds to experiment in educating young minds towards the means to achieve lasting peace. I decided to use education as a vehicle for change, and to impart an education which included the material, human and divine: the three realities of life, he said. Young Jagdish was 11 years old when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, leaving him distraught. His dream of meeting the Mahatma in person lay shattered. However, young Jagdish made it his lifes goal to work for peace and unity in the world. He shed his surname, Agarwal and adopted Gandhi as his surname. Humble beginnings Born in 1936, in a poor family in a remote village of Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh, young Jagdish immersed himself in social service in Aligarh, influenced as he was by the Mahatma. During a fortnight-long strike by sweepers who were demanding an untimely hike in wages, Jagdish Gandhi led a team of 50 youth volunteers, even cleaned human excreta from the roads of Aligarh city for two weeks, to prevent the spread of diseases. The inception of City Montessori School Young Jagdish Gandhi arrived in Lucknow to pursue higher education. Year 1959 was a landmark year. Nearly 60 years ago, Jagdish Gandhi, founded the City Montessori School with a borrowed capital of few hundred rupees in his rented residence at 12 Station Road, barely a kilometre away from Charbagh railway station. In my early 20s, along with my wife, Bharti, I founded the City Montessori School with just five students. We approached a number of families to send their children so we may start our school. All refused. Our neighbour, Sohanlal Agarwal and his wife, who lived across the road agreed to enrol five of their children. Thats how the journey began, he recalled. Our school adopted the motto of Jai Jagat Victory to the World, which was in sync with the ancient Indian ethos of Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam (the world is one family), he said. Gandhi vowed to create world citizens with a global mindset through inclusive education who would stand against conflict and war, and who, in addition, would become proactive agents of profound social transformation. A brief political career After landing in Lucknow in the 50s, he took admission in the University of Lucknow to pursue higher studies in commerce. With no money, Jagdish gave tuitions to the needy for petty amounts to pursue his studies and decided to contest the students union election for the presidents post. He won in 1959. To celebrate the momentous occasion, he went to Delhi and invited the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to inaugurate his students union. Nehru obliged him and came to Lucknow University on his invitation to do the honour on March 2, 1959. Ten years later, he contested Vidhan Sabha election in 1969 as an independent candidate from Sikandara Rao district Aligarh and won. He remained MLA for five years. Gandhi claims that shortly after getting elected as MLA, he motivated the then Vice-President of India, VV Giri, to contest the presidential election as an independent candidate. As Congress refused to field him for the coveted post, VV Giri contested the presidential election as an independent candidate and won the election on August 24, 1969, and became the first independently contested President of India. This happened despite the fact that not only was the Congress Party in power at the Centre, but also in a majority of states in India, he said. To bring about lasting peace Using a multi-pronged approach, he began to educate not only children but also parents and society, at large. As a result, all began to witness the remarkable benefits of such an approach on their childrens mindset. His beliefs are put into action through his school where all the 56,000 students recite prayers from all religions every morning in school assemblies, apart from a World Unity Prayer. Initially, parents would object to my programmes such as the All Religions Prayer in which children recite prayers from all religious scriptures on the same platform, along with the message of unity of religions, based on the idea that the source of all religions is ONE God. Gradually, the parents began to buy into his ideas on education for unity. Parents slowly began to accept his belief that unity required two things, a common concern and a binding thread; and over 2 billion children of the world are a common concern and their secure future is the binding thread for all nations of the world and society in general, he said. Honour and awards The City Montessori School or CMS, as it is popularly known, is also the only school ever to receive the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education (for the year 2002), the other notable recipients of the coveted prize being the likes of Mother Teresa and Robert Muller. In 2014, the United Nations Department of Public Information associated City Montessori School Society as its NGO. CMS has also been awarded the Nuclear Free Future Special Achievement Award by the Franz Moll Foundation in 2004, besides other recognition by internationally renowned organisations and individuals. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled official trips to India and Japan that were scheduled for the second half of January as he battles a bushfire emergency at home Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled official trips to India and Japan that were scheduled for the second half of January as he battles a bushfire emergency at home. Morrison said on Saturday he had spoken to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japans ambassador to Australia, Reiichiro Takahashi, seeking to reschedule the meetings so he could tackle the countrys growing fire crisis. I should stress that both of those scheduled meetings are postponed and will move quickly to identify another opportunity, Morrison told reporters after announcing a big step-up in the militarys role in rescue and relief efforts. Morrison had been set to leave for India on 12 January, followed by a trip to Japan, with talks due to focus defence, intelligence and security and trade issues. The decision to postpone the trips came after Morrison faced heavy criticism in December for taking off on a family holiday to Hawaii while fires raging across Australia since September continued to burn. He cut the family trip short and apologised. Australian firefighters continued to battle dangerous conditions, with fires in New South Wales and Victoria states expected to burn uncontrollably in temperatures above 40C (104F) and strong, shifting winds threatening to fan and spread the flames. Authorities have said conditions could be worse than New Years Eve when fires burnt massive tracts of bushland and forced thousands of residents and summer holidaymakers to seek refuge on beaches. Bushfires have killed 23 people and destroyed more than 1,500 homes since September, Morrison confirmed. Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey have been going strong for 16 years. And the Iron Man actor, 54, says their love has lasted for far longer than normal Hollywood unions because they 'genuinely' get along, according to an interview with Parade magazine. The couple first met in 2003 on the set of Gothika - which starred Robert, and on which Susan was working as a producer - before going on to tie the knot in 2005. Coupled: Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey continue to enjoy each other's company after 16 years Explaining what's behind their connection, he admitted: 'We just genuinely love hanging out.' The Iron Man star has two children - Exton, seven, and Avri, five - with Susan. Although the pair balance each other out well, he usually lets her take the reins when it comes to their brood. Honest: Robert, 54, has now said their love has lasted for well over a decade because they 'genuinely' get along, as he told Parade magazine Robert - who also has 26-year-old Indio with his ex-wife Deborah Falconer - explained: 'I defer to her. I just wasn't raised right, so chances are, I'm gonna have some caca take on things.' And the couple's differences are noticeable in their home life too, as Robert says he 'loves domestic maintenance,' whereas his spouse is often too busy with the 'machinations of her mind' to clean. The star said: 'I'm a little more the domestic type; I could just talk to you about the drapes and recovering those chairs. Partners in crime: The couple first met in 2003 on the set of Gothika - which starred Robert, and on which Susan was working as a producer - before going on to tie the knot in 2005 'I love domestic maintenance; it just gets me off. 'The machinations of [Susan's] mind, it is astonishing - and horrifying - the sheer amount of data she is trying to process.' Robert's life with Susan, as well as his children and his career, make him happier and healthier in his 50s than he's ever been, and there's little he would change. Asked if there's anything he would alter about his life, the Dolittle star told Parade: 'I mean, I might need to floss more?' Robert will appear next in Doolittle, hitting theaters on January 17. By Mindy Goldstein, Kamuela Tillman and Abdul-Basit Haqq In the darkest hour of the calendar, across all cultures and all religions, the holiday season celebrates the kindling of lights. At its best, it is a time of hope, joy and community. Yet, we have seen hatred and divisiveness sown by this White House spill into our national culture. This holiday season has been marred with targeted vandalism, violence and murder. Days before Chanukah, a Jersey City kosher supermarket was attacked. Three people were murdered, while children studied in the yeshiva next door. New York City alone has witnessed as many as eight attacks on Jews in the last two weeks. Synagogues from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles have been vandalized. We all still mourn the loss of life in Pittsburgh. On the seventh night of Chanukah, a machete was yielded against Jews as they lit the menorah inside a rabbis home in Monsey, N.Y. Hate crimes are rising. The New Jersey State Police and N.J. Attorney Generals 2018 bias report found that 35% were motivated by the victims religion and Jews were the most often targeted. Elected officials at every level have taken a stand against the rising tide of anti-Semitism. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Gov. Phil Murphy have both been outspoken about the recent attack in Jersey City, condemning hate, and calling for the resignation of a school board member who made offensive remarks following the attack. Many New Jersey municipalities proudly displayed, and lit a Chanukah menorah in solidarity and out of respect. Unfortunately, Piscataway was not among them. Despite being NJs seventh most diverse town, the all-Democratic council and Democratic Mayor Brian Wahler have stonewalled multiple efforts to add a Chanukah menorah, Kwanzaa kinara or any other non-Christmas faith symbols to its winter holiday display. The expansive lawn outside the municipal building has, for decades, featured a 20-foot lit Christmas tree, Santa Claus, and a large Seasons Greetings sign. There is room, but not the will, to add items that embrace other traditions, as precedent in many other public squares across the state and country, including the White House. More distressing is these officials lack of empathy or recognition of the threat facing Jewish community members. At the Dec. 12 council meeting, Mayor Wahler called for a moment of silence for Jersey City Detective Joseph Seals, who died before the attack on the kosher market. Wahler made no mention of the three civilians who were murdered or the Anti-Semitic nature of the attack. A Piscataway resident attending the meeting had to ask that the murdered civilians be included. The townships public response to the request is that their attorneys need more time to research the legality of including a menorah within the holiday display. It does not even address the request to add a kinara, a cultural symbol. What are they waiting for? The townships response also attacked a private citizen, something these officials seem to do frequently. Last year, an anti-Muslim flyer attacking another resident was paid for by Senator Bob Smith, signed by Councilmember Kapil Shah and circulated by the Piscataway Democratic Organization. The flyer was circulated to Indian-American households before a local election. Ad hominem attacks, especially those targeting members of non-white, non-Christian groups and antagonizing ethnic differences, have no place in our public discourse. There is no legal justification for Piscataway officials to exclude other religious and cultural symbols in the holiday display. The guiding legal precedent by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court involves cases that include menorahs in town displays. Hundreds of N.J. communities proudly celebrate the array of winter holidays with a menorah, a kinara, Chinese lanterns for the New Year and more. In this dangerous time, when hate crimes and anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise, Piscataways officials should stand up for us all, not tear us apart. As Elie Wiesel noted, neutrality favors the oppressor, never the oppressed. Mindy Goldstein Walsh, is treasurer of the Piscataway Progressive Democratic Organization. Kamuela Tillman is a Middlesex County and Piscataway Democratic Organization member. Abdul-BasitHaqq is a former Middlesex County & Piscataway Democratic Organization member. All of them live in Piscataway. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. T he Foreign Office has warned British nationals to avoid Iraq and all but essential travel to Iran amid "heightened tensions" in the region. The fresh advice, updated on Saturday, comes after the death of General Qasem Soleimani, the head of Tehran's elite Quds Force, who was killed in a US attack at Baghdad's international airport on Friday . British nationals were advised against all travel to Iraq outside the Kurdistan region, and for those there already to consider fleeing by commercial means. Officials also warned those in the region to "remain vigilant" after the US announced it was sending nearly 3,000 extra troops to the Middle East. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella, before her arrest in 2016 / PA Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the updated advice was issued due to "heightened tensions in the region" and would be kept under review. He said: The first job of any government is to keep British people safe. Given heightened tensions in the region, the FCO now advise people not to travel to Iraq, with the exception of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and to consider carefully whether its essential to travel to Iran. We will keep this under review. The warning follows the killing of Qasem Soleimani, who died in an airstrike in Iraq / ISNA/AFP via Getty Images Gen Soleimani was head of Iran's elite Quds Force and masterminded Tehran's regional security strategy. The Foreign Office's advice also cited violent demonstrations outside the US embassy in Baghdad at the turn of the new year and warned further protests could take place. The statement added: You should avoid any rallies, marches, processions, and keep away from military sites. Follow the instructions of the local authorities at all times and keep up to date with developments, including via this travel advice. One of the reasons the FCO gave for the change in advice was that it was possible British nationals could be arbitrarily detained by authorities in Iran. Iranians burn a US flag during a demonstration against American crimes in Tehran / AFP via Getty Images There is a risk that British nationals, and a significantly higher risk that British-Iranian dual nationals, could be arbitrarily detained or arrested in Iran. The criminal justice process followed in such cases falls below international standards. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been among the dual nationals being held in Iran since she was arrested in 2016 and accused of spying while visiting family. Her husband Richard Ratcliffe told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I sit here partly worried for what that means for Nazanin, partly worried what that means for my in-laws, sat in their ordinary living room in Tehran where they're all really worried." Amid fears wider conflict could break out, an American official denied the US was behind a second deadly air strike on two vehicles being reported north of Baghdad. Thousands in Baghdad mourn Iranian General Qasem Soleimani Mr Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Gen Soleimani's "reign of terror is over" and describing him as having a "sick passion" for killing. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt warned of the peril being faced after recent "extreme" actions by both the US and Iran, which have simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between the nations "Well it's an incredibly dangerous game of chicken that's going on at the moment, because both sides have calculated that the other side cannot afford, and doesn't want, to go to war," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Hunt warned the tensions created a "very difficult situation" for the UK as an ally of the States, saying Britain "cannot afford to be neutral". Qassem Soleimani: Who was the Iranian general? "But this is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the US's closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy," he said. Although not confirmed by the Government, there has been criticism of the US for apparently not giving warning of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said a failure to notify would be "regrettable" because allies should ensure "there are no surprises in the relationship". Boris Johnson has been on holiday on the private Caribbean island of Mustique. He has not commented on the general's killing and Number 10 has not said when he will return. "The UK Government should urge restraint on the part of both Iran and the US, and stand up to the belligerent actions and rhetoric coming from the United States," Mr Corbyn had warned. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 00:03:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories increased by 70 percent in 2019, a Palestinian report said Saturday. Israel announced tenders to build around 10,000 new settlement units in 2019, compared to 6,800 in 2018, the Palestine Liberation Organization said in the report. Israel has demolished 617 homes that belong to Palestinians, displacing at least 898 citizens, according to the report. "The anti-Palestinian policies of the U.S. government have encouraged Israel and settlement organizations to escalate their attacks on the West Bank and East Jerusalem," it noted. Such moves come behind Israeli government's intentions to impose sovereignty over the Jordan Valley that takes up around one third of the West Bank to seek electoral gains, the report warned. The Israeli settlement activity is considered illegal under international law and has been one of the major hurdles to the stalled peace talks between Palestine and Israel since 2014. Notably, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in November 2019 that the U.S. government will no longer consider Israel's West Bank settlements "inconsistent" with international law, in a move believed to further dim the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Margot Robbie and Kit Harington have been added to the announced list of presenters at this years Golden Globes. The annual awards ceremony is set to take place on Sunday in Los Angeles with Ricky Gervais taking on the role as show host for the fifth time. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association confirmed the names of several others stars who will also be presenting awards during the night, in a release on Friday. Newly announced: On Friday Margot Robbie was announced as a presenter for Sunday's Golden Globes award show Also hitting the stage: Kit Harington will also be presenting along with other stars On Twitter, the HFPA revealed that Margot will join her Bombshell co-star Charlize Theron will be giving out a gong, as well as Kit, alongside many other names including Harvey Keitel, Salma Hayek, Rami Malek, Scarlett Johansson, and Dakota Fanning. Former Golden Globes host Amy Poehler will also be dishing out an award, as will Chris Evans, Tiffany Haddish, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell, Octavia Spencer, Sofia Vergara, Kerry Washington, Ted Danson, Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, and Tim Allen. And Ana De Armas, Nick Jonas, Lauren Graham, Ansel Elgort, Leonardo DiCaprio, Antonio Banderas, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Christian Bale, Kit Harington, Jason Momoa, and his step-daughter Zoe Kravitz are getting involved too. Host with the most: Rocky Gervais will host Sunday's award show for the fifth time Meanwhile, the HFPA have revealed the menu for this years event will be completely plant-based, in order to raise environmental awareness about food consumption and waste. Leonardo DiCaprio tweet in support of the HFPA's plant-based menu. The Titanic actor, who has long campaigned on environmental issues despite receiving criticism for private jet usage, praised the move on Twitter on Thursday. The organisation has also partnered with Icelandic Glacial to eliminate single-use plastic and utilize glass water bottles. Supporter: Leonardo DiCaprio tweet in support of the HFPA's 100 percent plant-based menu Lorenzo Soria, president of the HFPA, said in a statement: 'The climate crisis is impossible to ignore and after speaking with our peers, and friends in the community, we felt challenged to do better. Were hoping to raise awareness around small changes that can have a greater impact.' All 1,300 guests will be served a three course meal curated by the executive chef at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Matthew Morgan. The first course will consist of a creamy, chilled golden beet soup, whilst the main - which was originally planned to be sea bass - will be king oyster mushroom 'scallops' featuring a wild mushroom risotto with roasted baby purple and green Brussels sprouts and carrots. For dessert, attendees will feast on a vegan opera dome with a praline gunaja crumble and caramelised hazelnuts. Extending a helping hand to the hapless victims of the raging bushfires in Australia, an Indian couple is providing fresh meals from their restaurant to those affected by the disaster. Kamaljeet Kaur, along with her husband Kanwaljeet Singh, has been preparing simple meals of curry and rice for the victims in their Desi Grill restaurant in Bairnsdale in the state Victoria for the last five days as the bushfire crisis in the country worsened. "We are providing proper meals of curry and rice. We distribute the food at the relief centres as well as give to those who come to our restaurant asking for it," Kaur told PTI over phone on Saturday. "The situation is really bad. Initially there was less fire in the area but later it expanded. People have lost their lives, houses, farms and animals," she said. Victoria is one of the worst affected areas in the disaster. Other areas are New South Wales and South Australia. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 military reserve troops to combat the raging bushfire crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 23 people with high temperatures and strong winds threatening to worsen the conditions across the country. More than 14,000 hectares have been destroyed in South Australia's Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island. Expressing concern over the situation, Kaur said that people had left their houses and were either shifting to relief camps or moving to Melbourne. The couple, who migrated to Australia over a decade ago, were earlier providing raw materials to Sikh volunteers in the area to prepare food for the affected people but later started preparing it in their restaurant. Even the shortage in staff in their restaurant has not deterred the Melbourne-based couple from helping those in need as they have roped in friends and family to prepare food for the victims as well as manage business hours of the restaurant. "Most of the staff members have left due to the disaster. My family and friends are working in the restaurant," said Kaur, who along with her husband, started the restaurant in Bairnsdale in 2016. She said that the loss in the area felt like "personal as we have lived here for seven years before moving to Melbourne." "This place is like a small countryside area. We know almost everyone here and are emotionally connected with the people. So the loss is more personal," she said. "More than anything else, people have lost their memories as mostly old couples stay in the area and they had their farms and animals destroyed in the fire," she said. Evacuation orders were in place across Victoria's Alpine region and the navy was ferrying evacuees to relief centres. "We have seen wind gusts up to 67 km/h already today, up at Mount Hotham. It's predicted when the change comes through we will see gusts up to 80 km/h. We have a long way to go today. Today is a very challenging day for all of us," Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. Temperatures are expected to hit 40 degrees at Gippsland and 45 degrees in northeast. Fears of dry lightning storms are expected to cause more fires. About 50 fires continue to burn across Victoria with more than 820,000 hectares destroyed - mostly in the East Gippsland and northeast of the State. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday declared the state of emergency, advising residents to leave immediately. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the provocative speech by Bellary MLA G Somashekar Reddy, thousands of Muslims, joined by the members of various organisations, on Saturday staged a massive protest in the town. The police caned the agitators after they tried to lay siege the house of BJP legislator. The protesters holding national flag took out a rally from Kaul Bazaar, which passed through the major streets, and culminated at Gadagi Channappa Circle. They raised slogans against the BJP and burnt the effigy of Somashekar Reddy. The protest sent the traffic haywire Gadagi Channappa Circle and the cascading effect of it was seen across the town. SP C K Babu told the agitators that the MLA has been booked for making provocative speech and pleaded them to hold a protest at Municipal College grounds. But the agitators were in no mood to relent. Inspector General (Bellary Range) I G Nanjundaswamy has rushed to the town to oversee security. The BJP MLA on Friday made inciting remarks against minorities during his speech at a pro-CAA rally in the town. FIR against Somashekar Reddy The Gandhinagar police in the town on Saturday registered an FIR against MLA Somashekar Reddy, for making a provocative speech, under IPC Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between two religions), 295A (insulting religious beliefs) and 505B. During his speech at a pro-CAA rally on Friday, Reddy had said, "Hindus are 80% of the population while minorities are 17%. What will happen to you if we hit back? Hence, you should be very careful about your moves and steps." The legislator came down heavily on those staging protests against CAA in Ballari. "We won't keep quiet if another protest is staged against the CAA. Each Hindu is like Shivaji. Nobody will be alive if all Hindus come out to streets holding swords," he had said. Pakistani troops made the highest number of ceasefire violations in the last 16 years along the J&K border in 2019, amounting to over 3,200 instances or an average of nine such violations daily. Shelling and firing by Pakistani troops was "very heavy" in 2019, virtually making the 2003 India-Pakistan border truce "redundant", officials said. There have been 3,289 ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Indo-Pak border in 2019, they said. Of these, 1,565 ceasefire violations took place since August 2019, after the Indian government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. Revealing the data in reply to a RTI query of social activist Rohit Choudhary, Director, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Sulekha said October recorded the highest number of ceasefire violations at 398 followed by 333 in November, 323 in August, 314 in July, 308 in September and 275 in March. "Pakistani troops repeatedly targeted forwards posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) to create a fear psychosis among the people," a senior police officer said. In 2018, Jammu and Kashmir had recorded 2,936 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan with an average of eight cases daily, in which 61 people were killed and over 250 injured. The violations continued in 2019 despite Pakistani troops vowing to maintain peace on the border during flag meetings with the Indian forces, the Army official said. "Pakistan vows to maintain peace and strengthen border relations, but they do not keep their promises," he said. The number of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in 2019 were over 300 more than in 2018 and over three times that of 2017, when 971 cases were reported. In 2017, 31 people 12 civilians and 19 security forces personnel were killed and 151 others suffered injures. The officials said due to frequent shelling and firing incidents, fear gripped the border populace and prompted thousands of people to migrate to safer places. People had to migrate to safer places on two occasions of shelling last year and three times the previous year, which affected their education and farm activities. To protect border residents in view of increasing ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir, the central government sanctioned Rs 415 crore for the construction of over 14,400 underground bunkers along the LoC and the IB and made efforts to speed up the work last year. Over 8,600 bunkers have been constructed so far in Jammu region, they said. Giving details of cases of ceasefire violations in the past decade, the officials said 405 cases of ceasefire violations were reported in 2015, and 583 in 2014. There was a gradual increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistan between 2009 and 2013. The corresponding figures for 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009 were 347, 114, 62, 44, and 28 respectively. The numbers of such violations were 77 in 2008, 21 in 2007 and three in 2006, according to official data. For three years - 2004, 2005 and 2006 - there was not a single such violation on the border. The Indian government led by late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee entered into a border ceasefire agreement with Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on November 26, 2003. India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, of which 221 km of the International Border (IB) and 740 km of the Line of Control (LoC) fall in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 1. Om Shanti Om (2007) 2. Love Aaj Kal (2009) 3. Cocktail (2012) 4. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) In the last few years, Deepika Padukone has emerged as one of the. From Om Shanti Om to, the actress has come a long way and now with Chhapaak hitting the screens soon we expect her to take things a notch higher once again. So, as the Mastani of Bollywood turns 34 today, we bring youwhich proved her mettle in the industry. Take a lookdebut in Bollywood and were sure that it must have been nothing short than a dream come true for the actress back then. After all, making your debut with a big-budget Bollywood film starring opposite Shah Rukh Khan is not something we see too often. Directed by Farah Khan, this Deepika Padukone movie was based on the concept of reincarnation. In the first half of the film, we see a struggling actor named Om (Shah Rukh Khan), whos fascinated by Bollywoods leading actress Shanti Priya (Deepika Padukone). Shanti Priya, on the other hand, was in love with powerful producer Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal). But, Mukesh ends up betraying her and leaves her to die. While Om tries everything possible, he ends up losing his life as well. But, as fate had it Mukesh would not be able to walk away from his crime without paying for it. Om takes birth again with a destiny to take revenge on Shantis behalf. For this, he also takes help of Sandy (Deepika Padukone), an exact replica of Shanti Priya. Om Shanti Om was a fun entertainer that went on to score massively at the box-office.Love is complicated. Each relation comes with its own set of challenges. But, it seems like, in todays times, complications in a relationship have grown even further. Imtiaz Ali tries to tell the story of the troubles faced by modern-day couples along with a parallel love story set in the past. While Jai (Saif Ali Khan) and Meera (Deepika Padukone) are part of the modern-day love story, Veer Singh (Saif Ali Khan) and Harleen Kaur (Gisele) are seen as the old school couple in the Deepika Padukone movie. Overall, theres obviously a lot that differs between these romances but Ali tries to give out the message that, at the end of the day, its love that matters. However, the thrill of chasing instant gratification does seem kinda flimsy when putting up against the old fashion notion of earning love through sincerity.is filled with fantastic dialogues, sprinkled with a healthy dose of comedy and drama which is enough to make you fall in love with both the characters and the film. The audience instantly fell in love withas the two made their relationship seem very authentic and natural.3 years later,with Saif Ali Khan on screen with. Directed by Homi Adajania, thisthat also featured. Meera (Diana Penty) is a traditional Indian girl in London who meets the London bred and oh so sexy Veronica (Deepika Padukone) by chance. Despite the stark differences in their personality, they become good friends and begin to live together. Later on, Gautam (Saif Ali Khan) comes into the picture and falls for Veronica. The three become good friends but Gautam realizes that his feelings for Meera are more than just friendship. And thus begin heartbreaks, arguments, and depression for the trio. As a film, Cocktail had a lot going on for it. The camaraderie shared between Deepika and Saif was once again flawless and Dianas inclusion made it even better. While everyone in the film brought their A-game to play, Deepika Padukone simply managed to steal the show. Although she did have a character that went through multiple kinds of emotions like love, envy, jealousy, depression, and regret, she was convincing in each and everyone one of them. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani was Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukones second collaboration after Bachna Ae Haseeno, which in fact was the second film for both of them. The Deepika Padukone film was a typical love story revolving around two characters of completely different personalities. First, we have Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor), a fun loving extrovert who wishes to travel to every corner of the world and then theres Naina (Deepika Padukone), a medical student whos an introvert but values the little things in life. The two of them meet on a trip to Manali which also is attended by Bunnys close friends Avi (Aditya Roy Kapur) and Aditi (Kalki Koechlin). Right from the first scene, you feel youve hoped on to a fun filled exciting ride along with the four characters of the film. Its almost as if youre a part of their squad. A lot of credit for that goes to Ayan Mukerjis who successfully presents an authentic story making the characters and situations relatable to one and all. 5. Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ramleela (2013) Even thoughwas, it was enough to prove that their pairing is absolute fire on the big screen. The Deepika Padukone movie was Sanjay Leela Bhansalis adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set in an Indian backdrop. While this has been attempted multiple times in Bollywood, with Sanjay Leela Bhansali helming the project, you are bound to expect something special. Gladly, the film lives up to those exceptions thanks to Bhansalis vision and the stellar performances, particularly by the lead pair. Set in a vibrant town in Gujarat, Ram (Ranveer Singh) and Leela (Deepika Padukone) belong to the clans of Rajadi and Sanada respectively. Ram and Leela are instantly attracted to each other when they meet. However, due to their family clash, they decided to keep their relationship a secret. Since it is officially a Rome and Juliet adaptation, you know where the story is heading but Bhansali still keeps you interested with little twists and turns. New Delhi, Jan 4 : 'Entrepreneurship' was just a word for students of Delhi government schools till a few months back but now it has become an interesting class session which the students look forward to. Launched for students of Class 9 to 12, it involves connecting knowledge to life outside the school and ensuring that learning is shifted away from rote methods. Developed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the curriculum is building awareness and knowledge of various aspects of entrepreneurship among the students. "The curriculum is designed such that understanding and learning happens through active participation of teachers and students. The curriculum includes activities, stories, discussion and reflection based enquiry. This promotes mindfulness, self-awareness, critical thinking, perspective building, communication and self-reflection skills," an official from the SCERT said. There is no textbook for the curriculum but only a teacher's manual. "The evaluation of students will be done based on their reflections in the classroom and the teacher's observations. There is no formal examination and it is non-evaluative," the official said. The aim of the curriculum, according to the government, is to make students confident, creative and competent. Initiated by Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia and his team, the main idea behind the curriculum was to instil confidence among the children that after completing their education, they should aspire to be job givers and not job seekers. Launched in February 2019 as a pilot and later spreading to several schools, the curriculum unleashes the inner potential of the child. It is giving an opportunity to the students to meet and interact with real-life entrepreneurs and understand their journeys and struggles. The objective of the interaction is to inspire students with the journey of entrepreneurs. During this interaction, students learn about the dreams, opportunities, challenges and stories of overcoming the fears and struggles along with the learning from the journey. Over 1.5 lakh students from over 500 schools are part of the curriculum. The students, when asked, seemed very excited about the curriculum and its class. "During the class, we get to do interesting activities. The teachers encourage us to get involved in thinking creatively," said Sugandha, a class 9 student. For Ridhi, a class 11 student of a Delhi government school, the takeaway from the class was to do what one wants to do in life. "From the time we join the school, we were told that we should study hard to get a good job. But the teachers told us that we should do what we love in our lives. This has forced me to think what I want to do in my life," she said, adding she is yet to find a passion. For Suresh of her class, the takeaway was the confidence of doing something of his own. "I wanted to do something of my own. Both my parents are working in private jobs. I did not want to go through the same. I am learning to be a confident entrepreneur. We are getting a chance to interact with those who have established themselves as entrepreneurs. We are getting the opportunity to learn so much," said 17-year-old Suresh. For Shefali, the curriculum taught her to accept her mistakes. "We learned that there will be hardships and we may make mistakes. But it will be better if we accept our mistakes and move ahead." The takeaways were different for each student and so was the reaction of the parents to the curriculum. "My daughter discusses different ideas for business with me and I like her interest. I could only manage a very small business. I wish I too was given an opportunity like she is being exposed to," said Prashant, a small businessman from Laxmi Nagar. Sisodia constantly monitors the curriculum and talks to the students frequently about the new curriculum. He believes that the 'Entrepreneurship Mindset' is the solution to joblessness. "The EMC programme takes on a whole new approach to address the problem of unemployment and brings about a paradigm shift. In an effort to motivate students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, the Delhi Government has decided to give Rs 1,000 to every student as seed money," Sisodia said. He said during his interaction with the students, he finds a lot of interesting ideas for their business from the students. He recalled that while some suggested setting up a food stall, another student came up with the idea of making hair accessories from the seed money and selling them to her friends for a profit. Sisodia said the students are full of creativity and all they need is the right direction. "Around 2.5 lakh students pass out from Delhi every year, if only 50,000 of them become entrepreneurs, we will never have the problem of joblessness anymore. And for this, having the 'Entrepreneurial Mindset' is very important. It determines our progress towards becoming a developed economy. "Our young minds should be taught to pick up skills and not wait for someone to hire them. They should already be equipped and efficient enough to start a business venture on their own and make their ends meet. Our aim is to give both the options to students and let them choose. We have to stop them from limiting themselves as job seekers, to embracing the mindset and the possibility of becoming job creators or entrepreneurs," Sisodia said. The development of such a mindset, according to Sisodia, is very crucial at a time when there are not enough jobs. "After at least 15 years of formal education, if large numbers of the youth are not confident of creating something innovative which can give them gainful return and add value to the economy then as a society we are failing to nurture their full potential," he said. (Nivedita Singh can be contacted at nivedita.singh@ians.in) There is nothing like waiting for a bushfire. In Omeo, a town all too familiar with the Australian summers most destructive force, theyd been waiting for weeks. It was only a matter of time, said Natalie OConnell, a local government councillor who spoke to The Age from her Omeo home as embers started blowing into town. We dont know what is to come but having been through 2003, it is still very fresh in peoples minds. People are very aware that a fire situation is unpredictable and you never really know what is going to happen. Fire can come from any direction where we are. If you look at a map, we are pretty well surrounded by fire. Defence forces evacuate people from fires, landing at Bairnsdale airport Credit:Joe Armao OConnell was only 17 years old when the 2003 fires menaced Omeo. This time, she decided to take no chances. In a bizarre turn of events, IIT Kanpur formed a panel to inquire into a complaint against the recitation of Faiz Ahmad Faizs noted poem Hum Dekhenge on its campus during the protests against CAA and NRC. bccl On December 22, following a complaint that students of IIT-K made allegedly communal statements during an event held in solidarity with Jamia Millia Islamia, a panel was formed in order to inquire into the recitation of Faiz Ahmad Faizs noted poem Hum Dekhenge on its campus. Reacting to the whole fiasco that followed, veteran lyricist and poet, Gulzar, has asserted that the poets lines were taken out-of-context. He also insisted that it's wrong on the part of people to call his poem anti-Hindu. Condemning the controversy, Gulzar spoke to media and said, A poet of that stature who is the founder of progressive writers movement, it is not fair to involve him in matters of mazhab (religion), whatever he has done, he has done for the people, the world knows him and his work. He has written poems in Zia-ul-Haqs era, and it is not right to show his work in the wrong context, it is their mistake, who is doing so. His work- poems and couplets, need to be seen in its true sense. Just to jog your memory a little, on Wednesday, the daughter of the famous Urdu poet also said that her fathers words would always appeal to those who need to express themselves. She added that calling his poem anti-Hindu is not sad but funny. It is not sad but funny to call Faiz Ahmed Faizs Hum Dekhenge anti-Hindu. A group of people investigating the poems message is nothing to be sad about, it is very funny. Lets look at in another way, they may end up getting interested in Urdu poetry and its metaphors. Never underestimate the power of Faiz, Saleema Hashmi told PTI in an interview. Lyrist Javed Akhtar also termed the controversy absurd and funny and difficult to be taken seriously. Reacting to the controversy, Akhtar had told news agency ANI:, Calling Faiz Ahmad Faiz anti-Hindu is so absurd and funny that its difficult to seriously talk about it. Professor Richard Solomon Musa Tarfa, co-founder of an orphanage for unwanted children, who has been detained since Christmas Day, was granted bail on 3 January by a court in Kano state, northern Nigeria. The professor will be released upon payment of N5 million (approximately USD13,800) in bail, and on condition that one of his sureties is a permanent secretary in a federal ministry. Professor Tarfa is due to appear in court on 6 January to answer charges of criminal conspiracy and abduction in connection with the Du Merci Centre, an orphanage which he and his wife, Mercy Solomon Tarfa, opened in the Kano state capital in 1996 to care for abandoned children in the Christian District of Sabon Gari. The centre provides accommodation for these children, who view them as parents and are educated and cared for until they are able to live successful independent lives. It also accommodates young women who are pregnant out of wedlock, until they give birth, reconciling them whenever possible with parents who had rejected them due to social stigma. On 25 December 2019, armed police officers accompanied by agents of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) invaded and searched the orphanage, reportedly without a search warrant, and transported 19 children who resided in the orphanage to the Nassarawa Children's Home. Mrs Tarfa was briefly detained and released, while her nephew, Mr Nathaniel Phil-Ariyo, who was visiting for Christmas, was released on bail five days later. However, Professor Tarfa has remained in detention. Professor Tarfa was subsequently obliged to accompany the officers on a similar raid on the Du Merci orphanage branch in Kaduna state on 31 December. The building was searched and eight children residing there were transferred to Kano state and placed in the Nassarawa Children's Home, while Professor Tarfa was returned to detention. Local sources report that Professor Tarfa was initially accused of not having a licence to operate an orphanage. However, once his wife produced documentation proving the orphanage was duly registered to operate, the charges were allegedly changed to criminal abduction of minors. This is not the first time the professor has been arrested in an attempt to close down the orphanage. He was initially detained in 2002 following a similar raid on the orphanage. However, a High Court ruled that the Du Merci Centre was duly registered and was conducting a legitimate endeavour. The court also ordered the return of children who had been removed from the orphanage. CSWs Founder and Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: While CSW welcomes the granting of bail to Professor Tarfa, the grounds for his arrest and the abduction charge levelled against him are questionable, given the fact that the orphanage is duly registered and keeps records on how each child came to be there. We commend every effort to address the abduction of minors in a proactive manner, and are aware of several cases where this is alleged to have occurred. CSW urges the authorities in Kano to focus on ensuring redress in these and other genuine cases, rather than dissipating resources on potentially malicious prosecutions or cases where charges cannot be substantiated. In case you havent looked at the news, Australia is going through a tough time. Bush fires are going out of control and are destroying forests and the wildlife along with it. The dry and hot climate has resulted in these fires that are causing severe damage to life and property. Reuters The bushfires stretch through the Eastern and the Southern Coast -- including major cities like Sydney and Adelaide straight in the crosshairs. And it is larger than the Amazon forest fires that we witnessed last year. Here's how severe the situation truly is. Over 400 million acres of land burnt The fires that started since September of 2019 has burnt over 400 million acres of land -- around 40 lakh square kilometres. This is almost as large as the state of Kerela in India. In comparison, some 9000 square kilometres burned in the 2019 Amazon fires, and this fire is showing no signs of stopping. Loss of human While Australian authorities were prompt enough in conducting evacuation at the right time, the bushfires killed 19 people with many still missing. In Amazon, however, the number is unknown as it is home to the indigenous tribes that rely on the forests for food and shelter, completely uprooting them from their natural life. Reuters Loss of wildlife New South Wales has witnessed the death of over 500 million animals, along with numerous cows and sheep. While animals that can run away from fire were able to save themselves, slow-paced animals like Koalas werent so lucky. However, whats worse is the fact that the fire also destroys the habitat, making survival difficult for other animals. Loss of property The fires caused damage to over 2500 buildings across the Eastern and Southern coast. This has amounted to over $250 million in insurance claims, and the toll just keeps on rising. Reuters Emission of CO2 in the environment Analysis by Nasa shows the Australian bushfires have emitted about a combined 306 million tons of carbon dioxide since 1 August. This is similar to emission from 60-65 million cars. The Amazon forest fires, on the other hand, released 140 million tons of carbon dioxide. BJP MLA G Somashekhar Reddy on Friday stoked controversy by warning those protesting against the amended citizenship law of consequences if the majority community were to hit the streets. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Ballari G Somashekhar Reddy on Friday stoked controversy by warning those protesting against the amended citizenship law of consequences if the majority community were to hit the streets, according to several media reports. "Be careful because we are 80 percent of the population while you are just 15 percent. You are just a minority, and I want you to think what will happen if the majority comes out on the streets against you all," said the Ballari MLA in in an apparent reference to the Muslim community at a rally in Ballari, NDTV reported. Reddy also attacked the Congress and its supporters for misleading people and said that BJP MP Tejasvi Surya's was right in calling anti-CAA protesters as "puncturewallahs". People in Congress are idiots. They are trying to mislead you and you believe them and then come out on streets, he said, as per the NDTV report. According to News18, Reddy also warned the protesters not to do nakhra (drama). I want to warn people who are protesting. It has only been five months that we are in power and if you do too much nakhra, imagine what will happen to you when we come for you," the report quoted him as saying. Reacting sharply to Reddy's remarks, the Congress on Saturday filed a complaint against him. Filed a Criminal complaint against @BJP4Karnataka MLA Somashekar Reddy for his derogatory statements against minorities. A delegation from @INCKarnataka led by Shri. @siddaramaiah met ADGP Dr. MA Salim to file the complaint. pic.twitter.com/coTovzLHFT B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan (@BZZameerAhmedK) January 4, 2020 Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan on Saturday accused the BJP MLA of trying to "destroy the peace of the country", reported ANI. Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which proposes to grant citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Christians, Jain and Buddhist refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, have been carried out in various parts of Karnataka, including in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. With inputs from ANI New Delhi: A portion of a building at the Bardhaman Railway Station collapsed on Saturday evening, injuring two persons, an Eastern Railway (ER) spokesman said. The victims were taken to the Bardhaman Medical College Hospital, the official said, adding, railway doctors were also rushed to the medical facility to provide assistance. The condition of one injured person was critical, said Additional SP (Bardhaman) D Roy. There was minimal harm to passengers at the busy junction station as they moved away from the area after noticing that a portion of the building was crumbling. Nobody was trapped under the debris, ER spokesperson Nikhil Chakraborty said. "The portion of the two-storeyed station building at Bardhaman collapsed at 8.10 pm," he said. Construction and repair work was underway at the century-old station building, nearly 100 km from Kolkata, another official said. A portion of the roof of the portico at the station building collapsed near the enquiry counter. Train services were not affected by the incident that occurred in front of platform number 1 at the busy station on the Howrah-New Delhi route, Chakraborty said. "Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel cordoned off the incident site," he said. Another small portion of the same building also collapsed around 9.30 pm, but no one was injured as people moved away from the station premises after the initial accident, ER sources said. A three-member committee has been formed by Eastern Railway to conduct an enquiry into the cause of the accident, Chakraborty said. Fire Brigade and civil defence personnel assisted in the rescue work, as senior railway officials rushed to the station following the collapse, he said. Photo: Bob's Steak & Chop House/Yelp Looking to indulge on some fine seafood? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the most exceptional high-end seafood hot spots in Fort Worth, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to go next time you're in the mood to celebrate. 1. Bob's Steak & Chop House Photo: Bobs Steak & Chop House/Yelp Topping the list is an outpost of the chain Bob's Steak & Chop House. Located at 1300 Houston St., the bistro, which is known for its steaks, seafood and wine, is the highest-rated upscale seafood destination in Fort Worth, boasting four stars out of 136 reviews on Yelp. In regards to signature items, Bob's Steak & Chop House offers "Big hearty cuts of prime meat and seafood, paired with an extensive wine selection," it writes on Yelp in the section highlighting specialties. 2. The Capital Grille Photo: The Capital Grille/Yelp Next up is a location of the national chain The Capital Grille, situated at 800 Main St. With 4.5 stars out of 400 reviews on Yelp, the steakhouse and wine bar, which serves seafood and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to splurge. "From the moment you step into The Capital Grille, the experience is one of comfortable elegance," touts the history section of the business' Yelp profile. "African mahogany paneling and Art Deco chandeliers provide a warm, stately setting for our nationally renowned dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood and acclaimed world-class wines. With service as gracious as it is attentive, we look forward to impressing you." 3. Waters Texas Photo: Debbie S./Yelp Waters Texas, located at 301 Main St., is another prime choice, with Yelpers giving the ritzy wine bar and seafood restaurant 4.5 stars out of 130 reviews. Noteworthy dishes to try here include the ahi tuna burger, lobster macaroni and cheese, crab cakes, fried oysters, tuna tartare, Alaskan king crab and snow crab legs. 4. Silver Fox Steakhouse Photo: Stella W./Yelp At last is Silver Fox Steakhouse, an expensive steak and seafood eatery, with four stars out of 93 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1651 S. University Drive to give it a go for yourself. Story continues Yelper Shelly S., who reviewed Silver Fox Steakhouse on June 4, wrote, "I love love this place. Great food, great drinks ... The scallops are amazing [and] the steaks are amazing. The drinks are wonderful." And Steve B. noted, "We had our anniversary dinner here and we were happy we made this choice. Our server was very polite. The food was excellent. ... The lobster bisque was awesome." This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. The Hindi booklet, titled 'Veer Savarkar, Kitne 'Veer'?' ('How brave was Veer Savarkar?', was distributed at a camp of Seva Dal, a frontal organisation of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh recently. Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a key Congress ally, Saturday called for withdrawal of a controversial Seva Dal booklet which claims that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse were in a physical relationship. NCP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said that since Savarkar was not alive, it was wrong to make such a claim. The Hindi booklet, titled "Veer Savarkar, Kitne 'Veer'?" ("How brave was Veer Savarkar?", was distributed at a camp of Seva Dal, a frontal organisation of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh recently. The booklet also questions Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation for valour. It also claimed that Savarkar received money from the British after he was released from Andaman's Cellular Jail. "The booklet should be withdrawn. You may have ideological differences with the person concerned. But it is not right to make such personal remarks against one who is not around," Malik told PTI over phone. The NCP and Congress are sharing power with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena had targeted the Congress over the booklet. "Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind," Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said on Friday. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had called for a ban on the booklet saying the Congress had exhibited its "wicked" psyche by circulating it. Last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's jibe that his name was not "Rahul Savarkar" and hence he would not seek apology (about his remark on rape) had riled the Shiv Sena, his party's new-found ally in Maharashtra. US sending thousands of additional troops to Middle East: Pentagon Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 8:53 PM The Pentagon has announced that the United States is sending at least 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East after the US assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were killed in US airstrikes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad early on Friday. The US strike took place at the Baghdad International Airport, killing eight other people. The Pentagon said US President Donald Trump had ordered Soleimani's assassination. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge" for the death of the military commander. Ayatollah Khamenei said the "cruelest people on earth" assassinated the "honorable" commander who "courageously fought for years against the evils and bandits of the world." In Washington, a Pentagon official said on Friday that 3,000 to 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division's Global Response Force will be deployed in the Middle East region. "The brigade will deploy to Kuwait as an appropriate and precautionary action in response to increased threat levels against US personnel and facilities," the Pentagon official said. Earlier this week, American officials told Reuters that thousands of additional troops could be deployed to the region. The United States has already sent about 14,000 additional troops to the Middle East since May. On Tuesday, the US embassy was evacuated after thousands of angry Iraqi demonstrators gathered outside the gates of the compound to condemn Washington's fatal military aggression that targeted Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) on Sunday. On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi condemned the "unacceptable vicious assault" by the US that killed more than two dozen Iraqis and injured scores more. Thousands of angry protests managed to reach the US diplomatic mission which is located in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, chanting "Death to America" and burning US flags. The protesters further held up signs calling for the US mission to be shut down and for the parliament to order US forces to leave Iraq. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Throughout his schooling, Andrew Lins was torn between a career in science or art. Medicine, he knew, would please his parents, but his true passion was art. When a professor suggested that he combine his love of science and art to become an art conservator, he had a eureka moment. The most important thing is spending your time well, doing what makes you happy, he would later tell a biographer for roadtripnation.com. Mr. Lins, 74, of Philadelphia, died of cancer on Christmas Day after a 36-year career as conservator of the arts and sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He joined the museum in 1979 and retired in 2015. Starting in 1997, he chaired the museums conservation division, overseeing the care of the museums collection and the operations of six departments. His responsibilities for the care of the collections were among the most complex and extensive within this institution, and he was exemplary in his commitment, Timothy Rub, the museums director and CEO, said in an email. He led the conservation teams in the treatment of Augustus Saint-Gaudens gilded copper sculpture of Diana in the museums great stair hall and many other important works, Rub said. Mr. Lins was an expert in metal corrosion and sculpture conservation. His technical advice was sought in conserving some of the nations foremost historic treasures, including the Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial, the Liberty Bell, and the William Penn statue atop City Hall. When the Liberty Bell was attacked by a man with a hammer in 2001, Mr. Lins was summoned to fix it. He also oversaw the groundbreaking laser restoration of the eight bronze sculptures on the City Hall clock tower. He has guided and advised on every preservation project the city has undertaken, and the legacy of his work will continue to benefit our city in perpetuity, Mayor Michael A. Nutter wrote in a tribute when Mr. Lins retired. He served as metals conservation consultant to the National Park Service and lectured at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Delaware, and the State University of New York at Buffalo. Art conservation refers to the upkeep of culturally important paintings, sculptures, furniture, paper objects, and textiles. It entails understanding the original materials, what coatings were added over time, how those materials break down, and what should be done for maximum protection. Before any treatment is carried out, chemical research is done. Every treatment is a project in and of itself, said Beth Price, who worked closely with Mr. Lins after joining the scientific research department in the museums conservation division in 1990. He brought sophistication and integrity and technical approaches to the field of conservation, Price said. Mr. Lins liked directing conservation of outdoor sculptures and was often there to supervise the team working on the statue of William Penn. We all loved working with Andrew," said senior conservator Sally Malenka. He was always a creative and open thinker with another question to ask. He was also exceptionally kind and generous. Born in Manhattan to Marion Stewart and John Philip Lins II, Mr. Lins attended the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. He received a bachelors degree in the natural sciences from the University of Pennsylvania and a masters degree in art history from New York University. He earned a masters degree in science from Sir John Cass College in London and a diploma in art conservation from the Institute of Fine Arts in New York. Mr. Lins was a founding member of the Philadelphia Conservation Advisory Committee, and for 30 years, starting in the mid-1980s, volunteered his time and expertise to the citys public art staff. He was tireless in the assistance, support, and knowledge that he shared with the city over the years, said Margot Berg, the citys public art director. His legacy and impact on the cultural landscape of Philadelphia is truly immeasurable. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Judith Flood Lins; a son, Christopher Andrew Lins; a daughter, Katherine Lins; two sisters; and two nieces. Funeral services will be at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at St. Philip Neri Church, 437 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill. Burial is private. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive officer of Facebook Inc., smiles during a news conference at the company's headquarters in Palo Alto, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010. 2019 was a great year for internet stocks and many Wall Street analysts expect the good times to continue in 2020. The S&P 500 finished 2019 up 28.9% in large part because of the so-called FAANG stocks, which include top internet names like Facebook and Amazon. Facebook ended the year up 56.6% while Amazon jumped 23%. Analysts told clients this week there's more to come from those companies as well as some others including Shopify, Zillow, Alphabet, Netflix, and Alibaba. After yet another record setting holiday season, Amazon continues to be one stock all investors must own according to Argus. "Third-party sellers posted record-breaking results, as worldwide unit sales grew at a double-digit pace from the prior year and surpassed a billion items sold," analyst Jim Kelleher said. Early data shows the "Amazon ecosystem displayed strength across numerous metrics," he said. The firm also said the stock's valuation was attractive now after what it said was "relative underperformance" in 2019. "We believe that AMZN warrants long-term accumulation in most equity accounts," he said. 2019 may come to be known as the year that the streaming wars began with the debut of Disney+ and Apple TV+ but don't give up on Netflix just yet RBC says. The firm released its "Internet Surprises for 2020" this week and said that while the competition for viewers is real it believes Netflix could actually see subscriber additions "accelerate," this year. "In the U.S., Netflix in 2020 will be comping against a material price increase and a dramatic slowdown in its marketing spend, and Netflix should benefit from an accelerating decline in Linear Paid TV Subs," analyst Mark Mahaney said. "This would indeed be a surprise," he said. Shares of Netflix ended 2019 up 21%. Regulatory scrutiny continues to be a hot topic for internet stocks like Alphabet especially with the 2020 election season underway. But one analyst urged clients to stand strong and said all the talk is bluster. "Although we expect the anti-trust rhetoric to reach deafening levels ahead of the U.S. Presidential election this year, we are not afraid of a potential breakup of Alphabet," Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. analyst Brian White said. Besides, the firm said Alphabet may actually be worth more in a break-up. "In our view, investors would likely value the sum of Alphabet's businesses at a higher level than the company as a single, standalone business," the analyst said. ""We continue to believe Alphabet is undervalued for its growth prospects, leadership position in digital advertising and cash-rich balance sheet," he said. Shares of the company ended 2019 up 28%. Here's what else analysts are saying about internet stocks in 2020: In a series of tweets on Friday defending President Trumps decision to authorize the drone strike that killed Irans top intelligence commander, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Vice President Mike Pence reeled off a list of some of General Suleimanis most notorious attacks and machinations. Mr. Pence described an evil man who had threatened American national security interests for decades. In one of his tweets, Mr. Pence claimed that General Suleimani helped 10 of the men who would go on to carry out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks cross through Iran and enter Afghanistan. That does not match established historical accounts of General Suleimani or public United States intelligence about the hijackers. What was said Mr. Pence said on Twitter that General Soleimani assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of 10 of the 12 terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. This lacks evidence. How Mr. Pence arrived at this number and this account is unclear. From what is commonly known about General Suleimani and the group of men who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, their paths did not cross. US-Iran tensions rise after Qassem Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds Force, was killed in Baghdad by US air raid. Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated dramatically after a US air raid killed Qassem Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), an Iran-backed umbrella organisation comprising several militias. The Pentagon confirmed the attack, which took place at Baghdad international airport in Iraq on Friday, saying it came at the direction of President Donald Trump. Soleimani and al-Muhandiss deaths are a potential turning point in the geopolitics of the Middle East and Iran has promised a harsh response. Here are all the latest updates amid heightened tensions. Sunday, January 5: Qassem Soleimanis body was returned to Iran on Sunday and flown to the city of Ahvaz in the countrys southwest, the official IRIB news agency reported. Saturday, January 4: Left in the dark: White House gives legislators formal notice of Iraq raid The White House sent to Congress on Saturday formal notification of the drone attack that killed Soleimani, amid complaints from Democrats that President Trump did not notify legislators or seek advance approval for the attack. The classified notification was sent under a 1973 US law called the War Powers Act, which requires the administration to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action or imminent actions. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said it raised more questions than it answered. This document prompts serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the Administrations decision to engage in hostilities against Iran, Pelosi said in a statement. She said the highly unusual decision to classify the entire document compounded her concerns and suggests that the Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security. Pompeo to meet UKs Raab in Washington British foreign minister Dominic Raab will travel to Washington to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday, after meeting his French and German counterparts earlier in the week, to discuss the US killing of Soleimani. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has yet to comment on the killing of Irans top military commander, will also talk to political leaders over the next two days, a spokeswoman said. Johnson is likely to talk to President Trump, Germanys Angela Merkel and Frances Emmanuel Macron, she added. Saudi King Salman, Iraq discuss need to de-escalate regional tensions Saudi Arabias King Salman discussed the importance of de-escalating regional tensions with Iraqi President Barham Saleh in a telephone call, the Saudi news agency reported. King Salman told Saleh that Saudi Arabia supports the stability and security of Iraq. Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz [File: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters] UK navy to accompany UK-flagged ships through Strait of Hormuz The United Kingdoms navy will accompany UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz to provide protection. Defence Minister Ben Wallace said he had ordered the warships HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to prepare to return to escort duties for all ships sailing under a British merchant flag. The government will take all the necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time, he said. Multiple rockets fall in Baghdad: Iraqi military Several rockets fell inside Baghdads heavily-fortified Green Zone, its Jadriya neighbourhood and the Balad airbase housing US troops, the Iraqi military said, adding that there were no deaths. Several rockets targeting Celebration Sqaure and the Jadriya area in Baghdad, and the Balad air base in Salahuddin province, with no loss of life. Further details to come, the military said in a statement. Read the full story here. Macron discusses crisis with Iraqi, UAE leaders French President Emmanuel Macron agreed with his Iraqi counterpart to make efforts to dampen tensions in the Middle East. 200103212119366 The two presidents agreed to remain in close contact to avoid any further escalation in tensions and in order to act to ensure stability in Iraq and the broader region, Macrons office said of his telephone discussion with Iraqi President Barham Salih. Macron also discussed Middle East developments with the defacto ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The two leaders underlined the importance of fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) and dealing with the political crisis in Libya. Afghanistan fears violence in the region after Soleimanis killing Afghan President Ashraf Ghani expressed concern over a possible rise in violence in the Middle East after Soleimanis killing. In a post on Twitter, Ghani said he had told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a telephone call that Afghan soil must not be used against a third country or in regional conflicts, Read the full story here. Palestinians in Gaza mourn Soleimani Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza mourned Soleimanis death, erecting a tent in his honour in the heart of Gaza City. Leaders of Hamas, which rules Gaza, and the Islamic Jihad both backed by Iran joined mourners at the tent, where US and Israeli flags were laid on the ground for visitors to tread on as they entered. The flags were later set on fire. Palestinians burn US and Israeli flags at a memorial ceremony for Soleimani in Gaza [Mohammed Salem/Reuters] We are loyal to those who stood with the resistance and with Palestine and we hold the US administration and the Zionist occupation fully responsible for the consequences of this deplorable crime, Ismail Radwan, a Hamas official, said. US should not abuse force: China FM China Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart in a call that the US should not abuse force and should instead seek solutions through dialogue. The dangerous US military operation violates the basic norms of international relations and will aggravate regional tensions and turbulence, Wang told Mohammad Javad Zarif according to a statement by Chinas foreign ministry. China, a permanent member of the UNSC, is a key partner of Tehran and a major buyer of Iranian oil [File: Jason Lee/Reuters] China opposes the use of force in international relations. There is no way out for military means, nor for extreme pressure, the ministry quoted Wang as saying. France discusses Middle East tensions with Germany and China French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement that he had discussed the situation in the Middle East with his German and Chinese counterparts. He added that all three had agreed on the need to avoid any escalation in the tensions. We have all noted in particular our agreement in the importance of preserving the stability and sovereignty of Iraq, and the whole of the region in general, as well as the need for Iran to avoid any new violation of the Vienna Agreement, he said, following a telephone call with Germanys Heiko Maas and Chinas Wang Yi. Qatari FM meets Iranian counterpart Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in Tehran, state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported. The two officials discussed the latest developments in the region, especially the events in Iraq as well as ways of calm to maintain collective security of the region, QNA said. NATO suspends training missions in Iraq NATO has suspended training missions in Iraq, a spokesman for the alliance said, following the US killing of Soleimani. 200103194641010 NATOs mission is continuing, but training activities are currently suspended, said the spokesman, Dylan White. He also confirmed that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had spoken by telephone with US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper following recent developments. The NATO mission in Iraq, which numbers in the hundreds, trains the countrys security forces at the request of Baghdad to prevent the return of ISIL. Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within its reach: Guards commander Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within reach of the Islamic republic in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani, Tasnim news agency quoted a senior Revolutionary Guards commander as saying. General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the commander of the Guards in the southern province of Kerman, raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the Gulf, and said Iran reserved the right to take revenge against the US for the death of Soleimani. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there vital American targets in the region have been identified by Iran since long time ago, Abuhamzeh was quoted as saying. Some 35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach, he said. Hezbollah official: US made an error in targeting Soleimani A Lebanese Hezbollah official said the response of the Iran-backed axis of resistance to the killing of Soleimaniwill be decisive, al-Mayadeen TV said on Saturday. 200103152234464 The leader of Hezbollahs parliamentary bloc in Lebanon, Mohamed Raad, was referring to a raft of Iran-backed groups from Lebanon to Yemen which have increased Tehrans military influence in the region. Raad said the US made an error in targeting Soleimani and that they will recognise that in the coming days, the channel reported. US-led coalition scales back operations The US-led coalition fighting ISIL has scaled back operations, a US defence official told AFP news agency on Saturday. Our first priority is protecting coalition personnel, the official said, saying the US-led force had limited their training and other operations. Its not a halt, the source said, adding: We have increased security and defensive measures at Iraqi bases that host coalition troops. Qatari FM to visit Iran Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will visit Iran on Saturday, according to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his visit to Tehran, the top Qatari diplomat will hold talks with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zarif, ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Twitter, without providing more details. Iraqi PM attends funeral processions Iraqs caretaker prime minister attended a mourning procession underway in Baghdad for those killed in a US attack on Friday. 200104074845279 Adel Abdul Mahdi joined al-Muhandiss associate Hadi al-Ameri, Shia scholar Ammar al-Hakim, and other pro-Iran figures in a large crowd accompanying the coffins. UK warns nationals against travel to Iraq, Iran The UK warned its nationals to avoid all travel to Iraq, outside the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, and to avoid all but essential travel to Iran. Given heightened tensions in the region, the Foreign Office now advise people not to travel to Iraq, with the exception of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and to consider carefully whether its essential to travel to Iran, Foreign Secretary Raab said in a statement. We will keep this under review. Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab has issued a statement about updates to travel advice for Iraq and Iran Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) January 4, 2020 Iraqi parliament expected to meet The Iraqi parliament is due to have an emergency session on Sunday in response to caretaker Prime Minister Abdul Mahdis call to take measures to preserve Iraqs security. There are increasing calls for the full withdrawal of foreign troops, including US troops from Iraq, Al Jazeeras Simona Foltyn, reporting from Baghdad, said. It is unclear how the procedure for that would unfold. Funeral processions underway Thousands rallied in Baghdad as a convoy carrying the bodies of those killed in the US air raid on Friday passes through the fortified Green Zone. Al Jazeeras Simona Foltyn, reporting from Baghdad, said the convoy is expected to be moving towards the other side of the Tigris River, according to a security guard guarding the Green Zone. Mourners attend the funeral ceremony of Soleimani and al-Muhandis in Baghdads Green Zone [Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP] The convoy included eight ambulances which carried the bodies of those killed, and several other vehicles full of PMF forces, Foltyn said. We can see and hear crowds of mourners and supporters of the PMF who are approaching one of the gates of the Green Zone. It remains to be seen if security forces will allow these crowds to march through across to the other side, she said. Iraq military denies air strike took place Iraqs military denied an air raid had taken place on a medical convoy in Taji, north of Baghdad. Earlier on Saturday, Iraqs state television reported that an attack was carried out by the US. Read the full story here. US-led coalition denies conducting new Baghdad air strike The US-led coalition fighting ISIL said on Saturday it did not conduct any air raid near Camp Taji north of Baghdad, shortly after Iraqs PMF said air raids near the area killed six people and wounded three others, adding that none of its top leaders was killed. 200103072643596 FACT: the coalition @cjtfoir did not conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days, a spokesman said on Twitter. Earlier on Saturday, Iraqs state television reported the attack was carried out by the US, and that it was targeting a convoy of an Iran-backed militia. Thousands gather for funeral procession Thousands of people have joined a funeral procession in Baghdad for Soleimani, al-Muhandis, and others who died in the same air raid. The procession started in Kadhimiya and was heading towards the Green Zone government and diplomatic compound, where a state funeral was due to be held. Read earlier updates here. Four Perry County residents have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and other criminal counts in connection with the June 2018 overdose death of a Duncannon man. The victim, 32-year-old Ryan Kifer, was found unconscious in a portable toilet on June 21, 2018, near the intersection of High and Walnut streets in Duncannon. Kifer was taken to UPMC Pinnacles West Shore hospital for treatment, but he died on June 24. The cause of death was declared as a fentanyl overdose. Manslaughter, drug delivery resulting in death and other charges have now been filed against Damian Sheaffer, 24, of Elliottsburg; George Nevius, 26, of Duncannon; and Shaina Stanton, 27, of Duncannon. The fourth defendant, Courtney Baughman, 28, also of Duncannon, was charged with conspiracy to commit the same offenses. According to charging documents, Stanton, who police said was Kifers girlfriend at the time, gave Kifer three baggies containing what she believed to be heroin or heroin mixed with fentanyl at 5:47 p.m. that day. Kifer walked into the toilet and closed the door. Stanton found him there, unconscious, about 30 minutes later. Police said they believe Kifer ingested the drugs in the toilet, and investigators stated that the bags containing the fentanyl were found floating on the water in the toilet. Police said their investigation showed Stanton called Nevius earlier that afternoon to try to obtain drugs. Nevius, in turn, called Sheaffer about 5:15 p.m., the affidavit states, and then met with Sheaffer and Baughman about 5;30 p.m. to buy the drugs. Nevius then gave those drugs to Stanton, and she gave them to Kifer on a pedestrian bridge leading into Noye Park. Stanton found Kifer and did attempt to help him, Perry County District Attorney Andrew Bender said Friday. But he noted Good Samaritan immunity statutes designed to encourage people to summon help for overdose patients do not extend to overdose deaths. Here, Bender said, the investigation showed all four played a role in Kifer getting the drugs, and that warranted the charges. Nevius is currently being held in Perry County Prison, and Stanton is being held for Perry County authorities at Cumberland County Prison. Sheaffer and Baughman have been released on bail, according to prison officials. Preliminary hearings for all of the defendants are tentatively scheduled for Jan. 8, before Magisterial District Judge Nancy Lee Edie. TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday questioned Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led YSRCP government for its decision to make the report of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) the basis for the formation of the state capital. "What right do you have to engage the BCG for a report on the capital? BCG is a consultancy. Any consultancy will give a report as the client requires. Whatever you ask, they will give the report accordingly," Naidu questioned at a press conference here. "The Sivaramakrishna Committee, which was constituted at the time of the bifurcation of the state, gave a positive report over Vijayawada and Guntur. The then government had taken decision based on that report. Who are you to alter that decision now," he said. "The present Chief Minister Reddy had also accepted the proposal for establishing a capital in and around Amaravati. The Sivaramakrishna Committee indicated that this area -- Amaravati -- is the best place. It said the land is the only disadvantage but farmers came forward and sacrificed their 33,000 acres of land for the capital," he added. He said: "Amaravati is a suitable place for the capital. It is in the centre of the state. The YSRCP government is spreading wrong information about Amaravati. Our 'Vision 2020' is far better than the BCG report. They have copied from our report. All economic parameters were good during our regime. The GN Rao Committee suggested four zones in the state. Now the BCG is suggesting six zones." Former Chief Minister Naidu went on to allege that the YSRCP government stalled development projects in Visakhapatnam. "How was Visakhapatnam before and after Hudhud cyclone? We developed that city after that cyclone. We tried to bring an international airport in the city whereas you (YSRCP government) only caused trouble. We sanctioned metro rail in Visakhapatnam but you stopped it. We launched many developmental projects in Visakhapatnam but you stopped all of them. Why are you not executing those projects," asked Naidu. "The same is the case with Kurnool. We tried for an airport there. Why did the government stop it? We have started many developmental projects in Rayalaseema. All the projects have been stopped during your rule," he said. Naidu attacked the BCG report by terming it 'nonsensical'. "BCG report is nonsense and full of lies. It is waste paper. BCG report says only two greenfield cities are successful in the world. It is wrong. Many cities are being developed as greenfield cities. Amaravati is not greenfield city alone, but brownfield city too," he said. "There are many cities in India, which have been developed as capitals like Gandhinagar, New Raipur, Navi Mumbai, etc. Instead of taking them as examples, the BCG took wrong examples. BCG lost its credibility. It has played with the lives of 5 crore people. Did they ever study the State Reorganisation Act? They quote the examples of South Africa, Germany, etc. Is there any state in India where the legislature and the executive are in separate cities? In some states, high courts are at separate places due to some historical reasons," he said. He said that the Assembly, the Secretariat, and the High Court have been planned in Amaravati. "The YSRCP government killed Amaravati. There are 5000 acres of reserved land. Even if you sell it, you can get more than Rs 1 lakh crore. There is no need of taking any loan. Amaravati is a self-financing project," he said. "I developed Hyderabad, which within 25 years became a great city. How can the BCG report say that Amaravati needs three decades to develop? Leaders should know how to create wealth and develop all. The government should tell what it is doing for the income of the state," he added. Hitting out at the YSRCP government's plan to make Visakhapatnam as one of the capitals, Naidu said that the city is very far from the Rayalaseema region. "Visakhapatnam is distantly located from any major city in Rayalaseema. The capitals of other states are much nearer to Rayalaseema districts. Is it justifiable to change the capital? It is sheer lunacy. Amaravati is equidistant to all parts of the state. In the last six months, the YSRCP leaders have purchased lands in and around Visakhapatnam," said Naidu. "Decentralisation should be done in development, not in administration. The YSRCP government is provoking regional feelings, and trying to divide the people," he added. Naidu asked the people to voice their disapproval to the decisions of the YSRCP government. "People should teach a lesson to the government for its acts of lunacy. I ask the government employees to come out. The government employees had fought for United Andhra Pradesh. But what are they doing now? They are afraid of Jagan and that is why they are not speaking out. This is not the responsibility of mine alone," he said. "Polavaram and Amaravati are two eyes for AP. Now this government has blinded both the eyes. The government is cheating the public," added former Chief Minister Naidu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Trump administration on Friday announced the resumption of a training programme for Pakistan military officials that had been suspended in 2018 along with all security-related assistance as punishment for its continued refusal to undertake sustained and verifiable counter-terrorism measures. The resumption of the relatively low-dollar-value programme was seen by South Asia experts as a sop to the Pakistani military in exchange for its continued support for the Afghanistan peace talks that are expected to restart shortly after being ended abruptly by President Donald Trump last September. The announcement of the resumption of the programme came in a tweet from the state department that was signed off with initials AGW, which is Alice G Wells, the deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia. To strengthen mil2mil (military to military) cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security, @POTUS authorized the resumption of International Military Education and Training #IMET for Pakistan, the tweet read, making clear the resumption of the programme was instructed by President Trump. It added, as noted by Pakistan skeptics and critics, The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect. President Trump ordered a suspension of all security related aid close to $2 billion in carry-over and current appropriations to Pakistani in January 2018, presaged by a tweet in which he had accused Pakistan of repaying US aid and assistance with lies and deceit on counter-terrorism measures. The United States has given Pakistan billions of dollars for its cooperation in the war against terrorism since the start of the post-9/11 war against terrorism, but been frustrated by Pakistans continued support of terrorists it has hosted and used to further its foreign policy goals in Afghanistan, where they have fought and killed US personnel, and in India. The IMET programme was also suspended subsequent to the security aid, delivering a blow directly to Pakistani military this time, many of whose senior leaders had undergone mid-career training under this programme and who had come to see it as a bridge to US military, according to people who have dealt with it. A leading South Asia expert said, The Trump administration wants to reassure Pakistans military that it can benefit if it fulfils American expectations of Pakistani support in getting a settlement in Afghanistan. And that was a message intended to keep the Pakistani army engaged in the Afghanistan peace talks that are set to be resumed shortly after President Trump pulled the plug on it abruptly last September. A state department spokesperson said, in response to a request for more information about the resumption of the programme, that the Presidents security assistance suspension announced in January 2018 authorised narrow exceptions for programs that support vital US national security interests. The Administration has approved the resumption of the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program for Pakistan as one such exception, subject to Congressional approval, the spokesperson said further, adding, IMET serves as an effective means to strengthen long term military-to-military relationships critical to US national security goals. NOVATO (BCN) Police in Novato are appealing for help in finding Jonathan, a 13-year-old boy missing since 11 p.m. Thursday from a Leafwood Drive neighborhood. The Novato Police Department says the youth has black hair, brown eyes, stands 5-foot-4 and weighs 120 pounds. He was last seen wearing a light blue shirt, jeans and white shoes. "Jonathan left following a disagreement with his parents," police said in an announcement, adding, "There are no known suspicious circumstance associated with his disappearance." Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or (415) 897-1122. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. An explosion during the morning rush hour in the northern Afghan province of Balkh has killed a local resident and wounded at least two others, police said, adding the victims were civilians. The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device attached to a vehicle, Balkh police spokesman Adel Shah told RFE/RL on January 4. He said the bomb went off near a public bathhouse in the provincial capital, Mazar-i Sharif. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. The incident comes a day after the Interior Ministry reported that 2,219 civilians were killed and 5,172 were wounded by Taliban militants during 2019. Taliban fighters often carry out terrorist assaults on civilian populations, Marwa Amini, a spokeswoman for the ministry said on January 4, adding that killing civilians is tantamount to a war crime. The Taliban has in the past said that most civilian casualties in Afghanistan were caused by Afghan security forces and international troops. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday announced a nationwide 'yatra' (tour) to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register. IMAGE: Former union minister Yashwant Sinha along with actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujrat CM Suresh Mehta addresses a press conference to announce the Bharat Jodo Yatra 2020 in Mumbai. Photograph: Shashank Parade/PTI Photo The campaign, organised under the banner of his organisation Rashtra Manch, will be called 'Gandhi Shanti Yatra', Sinha said. Former MP Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta were also present on this occasion. The yatra will start at Mumbai's Apollo Bunder on January 9, pass through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Harayana and Delhi and cover a distance of over 3,000 km, Yashwant Sinha said. It will culminate at the Raj Ghat in Delhi on January 30, Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary. Accusing Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states for using violence to suppress peaceful protests against the CAA and NRC, he blamed the government for disturbing peace across the country. Mehta appealed people and organisations in Gujarat to take the lead to make the campaign a success. The CAA was unconstitutional, discriminated against a community and was meant to humiliate it, the former Gujarat CM said, demanding that it be scrapped and the NRC and NPR should not be implemented. Calling the police crackdown on anti-CAA protesters in Uttar Pradesh "state-sponsored terrorism", he said the yatra was going there specifically to protest against the police's high-handedness. "Dekhna hai zor kitna baju-e kaatil mein hai (We want to see how powerful is the oppressor)," he said. Other organisations should also take out similar Yatras converging at the Raj Ghat at 11 am on January 30, he said. Actor-turned politician and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha said, "We have suffered so much that now we are embarking on a `safar' (journey). "We are against the government's policies, we are standing up for the Constitution," he said. The CAA provides citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries, but excludes Muslims, Shatrughan Sinha said, adding that it "seems to be a ploy to distract attention from the issues the country is facing." The CAA would be as bad as demonetisation, he said, asking what was the need to bring in such a law without consulting experts or even senior leaders of the BJP and the Opposition. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2020 / Mota Ventures Corp. (MOTA.CN) (the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed a binding term sheet (the "Term Sheet") with Unified Funding LLC ("Unified") to acquire online distributor First Class CBD. Wyoming-based First Class CBD offers a CBD hemp-oil formula intended to provide users with the therapeutic benefits that hemp may offer. The hemp oil used in the product is derived from hemp grown and cultivated in the United States. The extraction process is designed to maintain all of the beneficial qualities that the hemp may offer. First Class CBD has a compelling range of products, which includes CBD oil drops, CBD gummies, CBD pain relief cream and CBD skin serum. First Class CBD is a leader in online CBD sales in North America, and in the calendar year to date Unified has generated revenue of approximately US$30,000,000 from the distribution of First Class CBD products. For more information on First Class CBD, readers are encouraged to review their website, www.firstclasscbd.com. The First Class brand aligns with the Company's vision to promote health and wellness in the CBD space. The Company believes First Class CBDs significant online sales platform coupled with its existing distribution channels will help move the Company closer to its goal of becoming a global CBD distributor. Joel Shacker, CEO of the Company commented "First Class has demonstrated they are a leader in the U.S. CBD space through significant revenues and profitability. We believe this new acquisition will solidify us as one of the major cannabis companies in the CBD sector, and continue to allow us to execute on our plan of becoming a global CBD brand." The Term Sheet contemplates that the Company would acquire Unified's First Class CBD business. Total consideration for the acquisition is anticipated to be US$32,000,000 (the "Purchase Price"), of which US$3,000,000 will be payable in a series of payments over a six-month period, and the balance in common shares of the Company at an effective price of Cdn$0.80 per share. All securities issuable in connection with the acquisition will be subject to the terms of a thirty-six (36) month time-release pooling arrangement, as well as a claw-back arrangement in the event revenue generated by First Class CBD in the 2020 calendar year does not exceed US$28,000,000. Unified will also be entitled to a bonus payment in the event revenue and profitability of First Class CBD in the 2020 calendar year exceeds certain agreed upon thresholds. Story continues Completion of the acquisition of First Class CBD remains subject to finalization of a structure for the acquisition, giving consideration to appropriate tax and corporate factors, and the negotiation of definitive documentation in respect of the acquisition, which is expected to include an agreement by which Unified will continue to provide management and operational oversight for the business following closing. The acquisition cannot be completed until a structure and documentation have been finalized. The Company cautions that figures for revenue generated from the sale of First Class CBD products have not been audited, and are based on calculations prepared by management of Unified. Actual results may differ from those reported in this release once these figures have been audited. About Mota Ventures Corp. Mota Ventures is seeking to become a large-scale vertically integrated low-cost producer and exporter of the highest quality CBD products worldwide. The 2.5 hectare site located in Colombia has optimal year round growing conditions and access to all necessary infrastructure. The site is located approximately 2 hours outside of Bogota 20 minutes away from the free trade zone and 30 minutes away from the international airport. Phase one will consist of a state of the art 60,000 square foot greenhouse with the capacity to produce more than 14,000,000 grams per year along with build out of the Company's extraction facilities. The Company will focus on CBD extraction to produce pure raw CBD, with the goal to make value added CBD products and create its own brand to be sold internationally. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOTA VENTURES CORP. Joel Shacker Chief Executive Officer For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, Chief Executive Officer at +1.236.521.2177 or by email at IR@motaventuresco.com or www.motaventuresco.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement 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 with respect to completion of the acquisition of First Class CBD, the registration of cannabis strains, completion of a 60,000 square foot greenhouse in Colombia, the construction of an extraction facility, the international distribution of CBD products and the creation or acquisition of CBD brands. 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 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. The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States of America, its territories and possessions or the District of Columbia (the "United States") and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless exemptions from the registration requirement of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws are available. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state of the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. SOURCE: Mota Ventures Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/571958/Mota-Ventures-Signs-Binding-Term-Sheet-To-Acquire-First-Class-CBD The most senior Ballyheigue-born citizen, Mary Griffin-O'Sullivan, returned to her native homeland in Tiershanahan from Chicago this Christmas. Mary (Mamie), who was born on July 24, 1917, is, at 102 years of age, an alert and a very pleasant person to meet in order to discuss her youth during the birth and development of the Free State. Being a living link with the distressed times of the nineteenth century she said that her parents and those of the older generation who had experienced the tragic times of the Famine never ever mentioned any incident associated with its blight on the community. The calamity did cause the exodus which opened up channels for the subsequent flow of emigration which created the Irish global diaspora. Among those who followed the route to the USA were eleven of her own aunts and uncles. On language matters, English had become the embedded language of the home and the local community in her day. Stray words from the Gaelic language did survive in common usage and for the easy identification of farm fields. Her grandparents were Michael and Mary (nee O'Halloran) Griffin and her parents were Timothy and Mary (nee Casey) Griffin. She had three siblings Michael, Timothy (Sonny) and Tom. As farming was the principal activity of the home, Mary's life, even while being the only girl in the family, was tough. Between making hay and milking cows and spending days on her knees weeding crops she was hardened for the tasks of life. This was the straight family philosophy! Home life also involved looking after farmyard fowl, such as hens, geese, ducks and turkeys, and she says they were never troubled by foxes! A spring well in their land supplied the household water needs, and before the arrival of electricity to the area in the 50s the oil lamp created the light for the running of night life. Turf was cut and saved in Jim O'Hara's Bog in Dreenagh. The Kerryman was the main source of information and each edition was looked forward to with deep interest. The village creamery brought in much need funds and the Causeway cattle fairs also formed a vital part of the structure of the rural economy. She remembers that Tade Kenny brought welcoming letters, especially from America. Each day was encircled with prayer as each parent said the morning and night prayers, and the Sunday trip to Mass placed the week's labour in an eternal context. While speaking of her school days, she says she was taught by two teachers - a Miss O'Connor and Miss Stritch. Her special school friend was Kathleen Reidy. Her school days were happy and prepared her well for life. Due to her innocence her parents protected her from the pain and pressures of the troubled times which ushered in the era of national independence. When peace finally came to Ireland she beheld public life being reconstructed nationwide, despite the Wall Street Crash and its impact upon the economy of the world in the 1930s. The outlets for the fun and frolics of the adults in the area were the local rambling houses while the gregarious Ball Alley near the beach was the place to be for the younger generation to sing and dance and be merry. More formal dances were held in O'Connor's Hall in Causeway and she used to walk and cycle there with friends. Love too came her way. Local man, Con O'Sullivan, won her heart and after marrying they went first to England and then to the States. They raised five children there. Con became a foreman in the building trade, providing a solid income for his growing family. Mary is really impressed with the remarkable transformation of Irish life over the last century. And she attributes her longevity to a life free of smoking and drinking. But she looks so good at 102 years that she must have some hidden elixir! Khanna (Punjab) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Baldev Singh, a former MLA from Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreik-i-Insanf (PTI) who sought political asylum in India last year, on Saturday condemned vandalising of the holy Sikh shrine of Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. "I am really saddened by the incident. Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is a shame on the Government of Pakistan that such incidents are happening in the country," said Singh. An angry group of local residents pelted stones at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of gurdwara's panthi, last year. Singh also urged Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to take cognisance of the issue. Singh, who had contested for the Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) poll on the PTI's ticket from Swat, said that minorities are at great risk in Pakistan, as they are being threatened by majority Muslims. Meanwhile, the Indian government has strongly condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. (ANI) New Delhi: Members of Delhi Bjp Sikh Cell protest against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan; outside the Pakistan embassy amid police presence, in New Delhi on Jan Image Source: PK New Delhi: Members of Delhi Bjp Sikh Cell protest against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan; outside the Pakistan embassy amid police presence, in New Delhi on Jan Image Source: PK Amritsar: BJP workers set an effigy of Pakistan on fire during their protest against the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan; in Amritsar on Jan 4, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: PK Coimbatore, Jan 4 : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday strongly condemned the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, a Sikh holy shrine in Pakistan, and urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take cognizance of the incident. It also highlighted the plight of the minorities in the neighbouring nations, and proposed a separate law for Sri Lankan Tamils as well, if the need arises. However, it clarified that the contentious CAA deals specifically with three nations-- Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Friday's mob attack on Shri Nankana Sahib shrine as well as the alleged abduction of the daughter of the Granthi were labelled by the VHP as "burning example of the atrocities against the Hindu and Sikh minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh." "It is important that the attack has come right after the Friday prayers in the Mosque," it added. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs reacted strongly to the attack. The influential Sangh-affiliate appealed to the Narendra Modi-led central government as well as the United Nations Human Right Council to take cognizance of the attack, in a bid to pressurize the Pakistan government to "mend its ways and return the Sikh girl". Hundreds of agitated Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had allegedly pelted Gurdwara Nankana Sahib with stones. Video clips doing the rounds on the social media claimed the mob was led by the family of a youth, Mohammad Hassan, who was earlier accused of abducting and forcibly converting a Sikh girl for marriage. She rang in the New Year in style with a sun-soaked getaway to Barbados. And it was back to reality for Lizzie Cundy as she began her first day at Talk Radio in London on Saturday. The television personality, 51, pulled out all the stops for her new role, putting on a leggy display in a black leather mini skirt and matching knee-high boots. New girl: it was back to reality for Lizzie Cundy as she began her first day at Talk Radio in London on Saturday Lizzie teamed her flesh-flashing ensemble with a black and white striped top and smart black jacket. The star carried her essentials in a black clutch bag, while she accessorised her look with a snazzy pair of sunglasses. She added a subtle palette of make-up for the day, while her brunette tresses were worn straight. Lizzie looked happy and confident as she posed for snaps as she kicked off her exciting New Year. Fashionista: The television personality, 51, pulled out all the stops for her new role, putting on a leggy display in a black leather mini skirt and matching knee-high boots The former WAG recently confirmed she is in a budding relationship with billionaire businessman, Donald 'DJ' Friese. She admitted while she's 'having fun' with Brandi Glanville's ex, 47, she wants to 'play it cool' as 'it's early days' between the pair, following a 'tough' break-up from businessman Jeremy Gordeno, 53. Speaking on Jeremy Vine, she said: 'It's early days, he's texted me during the show. You have to play it cool. They are new beginnings, fresh start, it's going to be a great year... it's all fun.' DJ dated Melissa Meeks - the ex of 'Hot Felen' Jeremy Meeks - last year and was also in a relationship with reality star Brandi from late 2016 until 2018. Legs for days: Lizzie teamed her flesh-flashing ensemble with a black and white striped top and smart black jacket lovely: The star carried her essentials in a black clutch bag, while she accessorised her look with a snazzy pair of sunglasses Lizzie's new romance comes after she called an end to her relationship with Jeremy. The star split from the businessman after he had been spending an increasing amount of time with mother-of-one Francesca Hodge, who is 32 years his junior and the daughter of his former fiancee. On their fiery split, Lizzie explained: 'I've had a bit of a mad year, so I'm looking forward to some R&R. 'It's been a tough year, my heart did hurt. You should have heard his explanation. Onwards and upwards.' Pak Muslim leaders visits Gurudwara Nankana Sahib; BJP lambaste at Oppn says, incident justifies CAA India oi-Mousumi Dash New Delhi, Jan 04: A delegation of Muslim leaders in Pakistan visited Gurudwara Nankana Sahib on Saturday and interacted with the members of Sikh community there, condemning the Friday's mob attack at the holy shrine. On Saturday, several Muslim leaders in Pakistan visited Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, including Pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla. On Saturday, condemning the attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib the BJP said that the incident justifies amendments made to the citizenship law to protect minorities in three neighbouring countries. Today while addressing a conference, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said that the minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to threats for civil conversion, rapes and violence for decades and the Friday's Nankana incident shows how minorities there are persecuted and why they need citizenship in India. Targeting the oppostion parties, Lekhi added that this incident should open the eyes of Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the leftists and the "urban Naxals" who have been opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 18:57 [IST] Rescuers look for trapped workers after a seven-storey building under construction collapsed in southern Cambodia's coastal Kep province on Jan 3, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Nget Touch) The building in coastal Kep province was meant to be a hotel but crumpled at around 4:30pm, with photos showing concrete floors sandwiched together as heavy machinery moved in to help clear the wreckage. Cambodian leader Hun Sen said in a Facebook post he was travelling to the site and he arrived late Friday evening. Sixteen people were injured in addition to the four who died, Ros Udong, spokesman for the Kep provincial administration, told AFP by phone. Deadly accidents plague the kingdom's building sector even as the country has enjoyed a construction boom. In June nearly 30 people died after the collapse of a building under construction in Sihanoukville, a beach town undergoing a Chinese investment bonanza. Last month at least three workers died and more than a dozen others were seriously injured after an under-construction dining hall at a temple collapsed in the tourist town of Siem Reap. There are an estimated 200,000 construction workers in Cambodia, most unskilled, reliant on day wages and not protected by union rules, according to the International Labour Organisation. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was likely told of the US drone strike on General Qassem Soleimani before the attack. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is understood to have briefed Israel ahead of time about their plans to kill the revered military leader who was the powerful head of Iran's elite Quds Force. Pompeo spoke to Netanyahu on the phone on Wednesday night, ostensibly to thank him for Israel's help after the attack on the US embassy in Iraq, according to The Times of Israel. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was likely told of the US drone strike by Mike Pompeo before the attack (pictured together) The Israeli Prime Minister tweeted hours before the drone strike that 'very, very dramatic things are happening' in the region But on Thursday morning, hours before the attack in Baghdad, Netanyahu forewarned about 'very, very dramatic things' happening in the region. He tweeted: 'I want to make one thing clear: We fully support all of the steps that the US has taken as well as its full right to defend itself and its citizens. 'Moreover, we know that our region is stormy; very, very dramatic things are happening in it. We are alert and are monitoring the situation. 'We are in continuous contact with our great friend the US, including my conversation yesterday afternoon.' Just hours later, Soleimani and other top officials were killed in the airstrike which could have far-reaching and catastrophic consequences. But it appears the US did not brief allies other than Israel of the impending attack, with Britain not given any notice ahead of the airstrike. The strikes resulted in the deaths of Qassem Soleimani (left), chief of the elite Quds Forces arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, as well Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, 66, (right) commander of a pro-Iran Iraqi militia In a statement after Pompeo's call with Netanyahu, the US State Department said: 'Secretary Pompeo thanked Prime Minister Netanyahu for Israel's unwavering commitment to countering Iran's malign regional influence and its condemnation of the December 31 attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad. 'The Secretary and Prime Minister reaffirmed the unbreakable bonds between the United States and Israel.' After the strike, Netanyahu praised the US and Donald Trump and gave his full support behind the killing, saying the President acted with 'determination, strongly and swiftly'. Pompeo has since briefed other foreign ministers in Britain, Germany and China, stressing that Trump was countering a real and imminent threat to US lives in the region. He also said the President is committed to deescalating tensions despite the initial outcry after the attack. Authorities in Kashmir on Saturday warned of strict action against those spreading rumours to create fear among the people in the valley and appealed to all to not pay attention to baseless information. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan said the government will initiate action against rumour mongers who disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the valley. Khan said he had received complaints from Srinagar and Anantnag districts that some people were spreading false to create fear among the residents there. "Strict action will be taken against those found involved in such activities," the officer said. "I have already directed all deputy commissioners (DCs), senior superintendents of police and superintendents of police to identify such elements and arrest them under relevant laws immediately," Khan said. The divisional commissioner appealed to the people to not pay attention to rumours and carry on with their daily routine without fear. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) They're set to welcome their first child, a baby boy, in a matter of weeks. And on Friday, doting husband Peter Stefanovic shared to Instagram a sweet image with his stunning wife Sylvia Jeffreys, as she showed off her ever-growing baby bump in a pretty beige dress. The proud parents-to-be looked elated during the sweet family function, with Peter, 38, lifting up a little boy onto his shoulders while his heavily pregnant wife looked on. She's glowing! Peter Stefanovic (left) shared a sweet image with his stunning wife Sylvia Jeffreys (right) on Friday, where she showed off her baby bump for all to see Sylvia, 33, was positively glowing in the sleek check number, which emphasised her growing bump to perfection. She wore minimal make-up for the occasion, and left her blonde locks in a gentle wave which gently cascaded down her face. Peter meanwhile opted for a vibrant floral shirt, and couldn't help but smile as he donned a funny black bowler hat - which the toddler on his shoulders took quite an interest in. 'Happy Christmas from all four of us!' Last month, Sylvia accidentally left fans wondering whether she's expecting twins after posting a very cheeky Christmas message. But she was referencing to Peter's burgeoning stomach from eating too much food Last month, Sylvia - sporting the exact same ensemble - accidentally left fans wondering whether she was expecting twins, after posting a very cheeky Christmas message on Instagram. She uploaded a photo of herself and Peter posing next to their Christmas tree, alongside the caption: 'Happy Christmas to all, from all four of us (including Pete's lasagna bump).' She was of course referring to her husband's bloated stomach and not a second baby, but this didn't stop fans from speculating. She can't stop celebrating! Sylvia had two baby showers earlier this month: one in Sydney and the other in her home town of Brisbane Later in her caption, Sylvia thanked the firefighters working over Christmas. She wrote: 'Sending love and thanks to the selfless heroes who've left their homes to protect others this holiday season. May 2020 bring rain, rain and more.' Sylvia, who announced her pregnancy in August, had two baby showers earlier this month: one in Sydney and the other in her home town of Brisbane. CloudMile, a Singapore-based cloud service provider specialized in artificial intelligence, raised $6m in its Series Pre-B round of venture funding. The round was led by CDIB Capital Management, Black Marble Capital Management and Taiwan Cooperative Venture Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand its oversea market and the R&D capacity to accelerate the development of its AI products. Founded by serial entrepreneur Spencer Liu in 2017, CloudMile is an AI and cloud service provider in Asia dedicated to the development of AI technologies. Leveraging machine learning and big data analysis, the company assists corporates with business forecast and industrial upgrades. It contributed to the first successful introduction of Google Cloud to and implementation of AI for Taiwans business in a traditional industry. On top of these, the company offers cloud management applications consultation services and solutions. In addition, its label Ainotam is committed to the research and development of MarTech products to help corporate clients with branding. CloudMile has earned over 70 accreditations, with over 40 Google Cloud Certificates. CloudMile, the Premier Partner of Google Cloud, is also the first partner that acquired Machine Learning Specialization, Data Analytics and Infrastructure Specialization in North Asia. The company also announced its talent recruitment project in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. FinSMEs 04/01/2020 An employee arranges gold jewellery at the counter of a gold shop in Hefei By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri and Rajendra Jadhav BENGALURU/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Physical gold buying was subdued in major Asian hubs this week as a rally in prices dampened demand for the metal ahead of the Chinese New Year. Gold reversed to discount in India, where futures were trading around 40,000 rupees per 10 grams on Friday, after hitting a record high of 40,116 rupees earlier in the day. "The sudden price rise has surprised everyone. Buyers are waiting for a correction," said Ashok Jain, proprietor of Mumbai-based gold wholesaler Chenaji Narsinghji. Dealers were offering a discount of up to $13 an ounce over official domestic prices this week, compared to a premium of $1 an ounce last week. The domestic price includes a 12.5% import tax and 3% sales tax. "Jewellers have made decent purchases last month. They are now waiting for retail demand to pick up before buying more," said a Mumbai-based dealer with a private gold-importing bank. India's bullion imports in 2019 fell 12% from a year ago to the lowest level in three years as retail buying faltered in the second half after local prices rallied to a record high, a government source said. In top consumer China, premiums of $3.50 to $4.50 were being charged, compared with $4-$5 in the previous week. Traders in Hong Kong charged a premium of $0.30-$0.40, slightly higher than last week's flat to $0.30 an ounce. "I think demand will likely continue to fall, especially in China and India, due to higher gold price and poor consumption sentiment. The wild card, as always, will be investment demand," said Samson Li, a Hong Kong-based precious metals analyst at Refinitiv GFMS. Benchmark spot gold raced past the key level of $1,550 an ounce, and was set for its biggest weekly gain since early August. It rallied to a four-month high on Friday after a senior Iranian military official was killed in an air strike authorised by the United States. "If prices move (higher), people will back away from buying, so we might see reduced demand this Chinese New Year," said Ronald Leung, chief dealer at Lee Cheong Gold Dealers, adding demand could improve if prices retreated to around $1,500. Story continues Demand generally picks up ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls during the last week of January as gold is considered a popular gift during this period. In Singapore, gold was being sold at the same price as the previous week, with a premium of $0.60-$0.80 an ounce being charged over the benchmark price. Markets were closed this week in Japan for the Christmas and New Year holidays. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai and Sumita Layek in Bengaluru; editing by David Evans) KAMPALA United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Uganda has called for world leaders and nations to invest in health workers with the know-how and equipment to save every new-born. According to UNICEF, 3916 babies were born in Uganda on New Years Day (January 1, 2020). Ugandan babies accounted for approximately one percent of the estimated 392,078 babies born worldwide on New Years Day. Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director said that The beginning of a new year and a new decade is an opportunity to reflect on our hopes and aspirations not only for our future, but the future of those who will come after us. As the calendar flips each January, we are reminded of all the possibility and potential of each child embarking on her or his lifes journeyif they are just given that chance, he added. Each January, UNICEF celebrates babies born on New Years Day, an auspicious day for childbirth around the world. Over the past three decades, the world has seen remarkable progress in child survival, cutting the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday by more than half. But there has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in the first month accounted for 47 per cent of all deaths among children under five in 2018, up from 40 percent in 1990. In Uganda, newborn deaths have stagnated at 27 deaths per 1,000 live births. The leading causes of newborn mortality are complications of prematurity, birth asphyxia and severe infections, while one-third of under-five deaths is due to largely preventable or treatable conditions, such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. Nevertheless, the country continues to make progress in overall child mortality reduction by investing in delivery of essential and quality health services. Between 2011 and 2016 under-five mortality in Uganda reduced from 90 to 64 per 1,000 live births. The Government of Uganda has invested in ensuring child survival through community and facility-level interventions hence the reductions we see in child mortality. Additional efforts will focus on bringing services closer to our people through infrastructural development, including advanced care for all newborns by establishing special care units in Hospitals and Health Centre IVs, said Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health. The Ministry will also strengthen human resource availability and capacity to provide quality care for newborns especially the small and sick babies, she added. With the support of UNICEF and other partners, other evidence-based high impact interventions to improve access of mothers, newborns and children to timely and quality health care are being implemented across the country. The interventions include: ensuring availability of skilled, competent and motivated health workers through training and skills development, provision of essential equipment, commodities and supplies including blood, installation of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in health centers to prevent infections and a functional referral system for mothers and children with danger signs, especially those in hard to reach areas. Globally, UNICEFs Every Child Alive campaign calls for immediate investment in health workers with the right training, who are equipped with the right medicines to ensure every mother and newborn is cared for by a safe pair of hands to prevent and treat complications during pregnancy, delivery and birth. Every year, every decade, lives of millions of children are cut short. Even one life lost is far too many, said Ms. Noreen Prendiville, Deputy Representative, UNICEF Uganda. Together, we can change this. With affordable and simple health interventions we can ensure more babies survive to celebrate the first month of life and live into this decade. Related New California Law Makes It Harder to Treat Employees as Freelancers A new California law that makes it harder for companies to treat workers as independent contractors goes into effect Jan. 1, making small businesses in and outside the state consider how they staff their operations. The law puts tough restrictions on who can be considered independent contractors or freelancers rather than employees. Supporters say it addresses inequities created by the growth of the gig economy, including the employment practices of ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft, which use contractors, NBC4 reported. Company owners with independent contractors must now decide whether to hire them as employees or look for help in other states. Another alternative: asking these workers to start their own businesses, a setup the law allows. ADVERTISEMENT Although the law affects companies of all sizes and out-of-state businesses that use California contractors, it likely will have a greater impact on the many small businesses that have hired independent contractors because of limited staffing budgets. 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!) 2 injured in grenade attack near Kashmir university in Srinagar J&K: Grenade attack on security forces in Pulwama, four civilians injured Grenade blast near Pathankot, all check-posts put on high alert J&K: Grenade attack on CRPF party in Srinagars Kawdara area, two injured India oi-Deepika S Srinagar, Jan 04: Two people were injured after terrorists hurled a grenade on the CRPF party in the Kawdara area of Srinagar in Kashmir on Saturday. According to reports, the attack targetted a party of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and damaged several vehicles. A grenade was hurled by terrorists to target CRPF personnel posted in Kawdara locality of the interior area of the city in the afternoon, a police official said. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 Several vehicles were hit by the shrapnel, he said. The security forces have cordoned off the area and search operation has been launched. This is the first terrorist attack in Srinagar in 2020. Fourteen civilians, mostly schoolchildren, died Saturday when a roadside bomb blew up their bus in northwestern Burkina Faso, a security source told AFP. Four people were seriously hurt in the blast in Sourou province near the Mali border, the source added, as children returned to school after holidays. "The vehicle hit a homemade bomb on the Toeni-Tougan road," a second security source said. "Most of the dead are schoolchildren." Meanwhile, the army reported an attack against gendarmes at Inata in the north on Friday, saying "a dozen terrorists were neutralised". Security sources said the bus was carrying high school students returning from the Christmas holiday There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but jihadist violence in Burkina Faso has been blamed on militants linked to both Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups. The deaths came the week after 35 people, most of them women, were massacred in an attack on the northern city of Arbinda and seven Burkinabe troops were killed in a separate attack on their army base nearby. Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, has seen frequent jihadist attacks which have left hundreds of people dead since the start of 2015 when Islamist extremist violence began to spread across the Sahel region. The north of the country has been worst hit, with the capital Ouagadougou not immune to attacks. In a televised address on Tuesday President Roch Marc Christian Kabore insisted that "victory" against "terrorism" was assured. The entire Sahel region is fighting jihadist insurgency with help from Western countries, but has not managed to stem the bloodshed. Five Sahel states -- Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad -- have joined forces to combat terrorism in the fragile region that lies between the Sahara and Atlantic. Backed by former colonial power France, the G5 Sahel was created to great fanfare in 2014. The centre piece of its strategy has been an initiative, launched in July 2017, to pool 5,000 troops from the five countries to wrench back control from ruthless jihadist groups. But, hamstrung by insufficient funds, training and equipment, the force has only now reached a complement of 4,000 troops, and for many analysts seems to be losing the battle. The nimble rebels have spread from Mali to Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as Chad. Their hit-and-run raids are inflicting a mounting human, economic and political toll, sparking fears that the coastal countries to the south are next in line. Since 2015, increasingly deadly Islamist attacks in Burkina have killed more than 750 people according to an AFP count, and forced 560,000 people from their homes according to UN figures. Since 2015, increasingly deadly Islamist attacks in Burkina Faso have killed more than 750 people according to an AFP count A man who became known as the 'affluenza teen' for his unusual defense at a 2013 manslaughter trial is set to be released from a Texas jail after prosecutors raised questions Friday about a drug test that triggered an alleged probation violation. Ethan Couch, 22, avoided prison following his initial conviction for killing four people while driving drunk. He was instead sentenced to 10 years of probation after a trial in which a psychologist testified that Couch - 16 at the time of the crash - was affected by 'affluenza,' or irresponsibility caused by family wealth. Couch was arrested Thursday after probation officers reported that a drug monitoring patch he wears returned a 'weak positive' result for THC, the psychoactive substance found in marijuana, District Attorney Sharen Wilson said in a statement. But it is possible the patch was set off by legal CBD oil and it will take further testing to be sure, she said. Couch's lawyers said they are optimistic the tests will verify he did not use a prohibited substance. 'Ethan is committed to his sobriety and to remaining compliant with all of the terms and conditions imposed by the court,' attorneys Scott Brown and Reagan Wynn said in a statement. 'Affluenza' teen Ethan Couch (pictured in Thursday's mugshot) was arrested in Texas after testing positive for THC while on probation, but authorities on Friday raised doubts about the test Tarrant County Jail records show that the 22-year-old was taken into custody Thursday afternoon. Deputies with the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office said Couch violated his probation by testing positive for THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana On June 15, 2013, Couch was behind the wheel of his father's red Ford F-350 pick-up, speeding 70mph down the road from his home in Burleson, Texas, where he had hosted a drunken teenage party A spokeswoman for the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office confirmed he is to be released from a Fort Worth jail, which his attorneys said would happen either Friday or Monday ahead of further investigation and testing. In a Friday court filing, prosecutors said that after getting the drug test result a court officer wanted Couch in custody to ensure he doesn't shave his head because his hair might be needed for a follow-up test. The court officer declined to comment. The Tarrant County probation office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of many chemicals found in cannabis. Most CBD is made from hemp, a low-THC relative of marijuana that was legalized by the 2018 federal farm bill. Texas later approved hemp cultivation, creating a haze of legal confusion because most state crime labs can't do the testing to tell the difference between the cannabis plant and its illegal cousin, marijuana. On June 15, 2013, Couch was behind the wheel of his father's red Ford F-350 pick-up, speeding 70mph from his home in Burleson, Texas, where he had hosted a drunken teenage party. Earlier in the day he and two friends had stolen three cases of Miller Light from a local Walmart. As the party got into swing, one of the guests found she needed a tampon and everyone piled into the truck to go to a nearby convenience store. The then-16-year-old smashed into an SUV that had stopped by the side of the road after its tire blew, killing its driver Breanna Mitchell, 24. The crash also killed three people who had to come to her aid, including Brian Jennings, who was on the way home from his son's graduation, and mother and daughter Hollie and Shelby Boyles. Sergio Molina, one of Couch's passengers, was left paralyzed and can now only communicate by blinking. After the crash, Couch was found to be three times over the legal blood/alcohol limit. He also had marijuana and Valium in his system. A judge in Fort Worth gave him 10 years' probation on the understanding he go into rehab and refrain from drinking, but he and his mother Tonya fled to Mexico in 2015 after a video of him at a beer pong party was posted online. The video did not show him drinking. At Couch's trial, psychologist Dick Miller said that the teen suffered from 'affluenza', a term coined decades earlier to explain the downside of having too much. He said his parents had not taught him wrong from right. Instead of being taught the golden rule, Miller said, Ethan was taught: 'We have the gold, we make the rules.' Victims: Couch slammed into the SUV of 24-year-old Breanna Mitchell (left). Brian Jennings (right), who was on the way home from his son's graduation, was also killed Mother and daughter Hollie (left) and Shelby Boyles (right) were also killed in the 2013 crash Sergio Molina, one of Couch's passengers, was paralyzed and can now communicate only by blinking Though Couch killed four and left a fifth victim paralyzed, he wasn't initially sentenced to any jail time. Because of his affluenza, he was instead sentenced to just 10 years of probation. Judge Jean Boyd accepted Miller's argument and gave him a sentence that was heavily criticized. But after the video showing Couch at a beer pong party in 2015, he and his mother fled to Puerto Vallerta, Mexico, with the family dog, and were later picked up by police and taken back to the United States. The mother-son pair were caught when authorities traced an order for Domino's pizza made from one of their smartphones. When he returned, his probation was being supervised by the juvenile court system, which meant he could only be on probation until his 19th birthday in April 2016. At that time he was transferred to the adult probation system and given 180 days for each of the four people killed. Those sentences were served consecutively. Couch has a 9pm curfew and wears a GPS and alcohol monitor. He also has an ignition interlock device attached to his car. Since Couch was released from jail in April 2018, his family has had multiple run-ins with the law. Couch's father, Frederick, was charged with assault after allegedly trying to choke his girlfriend in September 2019. Frederick was accused of grabbing Brandi Gober around her throat or neck and applying pressure on July 14, according to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. Police with the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office investigated the case and Frederick was charged with 'assault of a house member by impeding her breath'. Frederick was also sentenced to one year's probation in 2016 for allegedly pretending to be a cop during an incident in North Richland Hills. Couch's mother, Tonya, was also put behind bars for the third time in April 2019 after she failed a drug test. From having his golden toilet art piece, "America," stolen from Blenheim Palace to having his recent viral work, "The Comedian," eaten while on view at Art Basel Miam i, 2019 was certainly an interesting year for Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Cattelan's "The Comedian" a ripe banana taped to a bare wall inspired performance artists Rod Webber and David Datuna to challenge the meaning behind the piece, which landed one of them in court. According to ArtNews , Webber has now decided to defend himself in an upcoming arraignment hearing. If you'll recall, last December, the $120,000 banana went viral after news that Datuna ate the piece, later claiming on Instagram, "I love Maurizio Cattelan artwork and I really love this installation. It's very delicious." The sculpture was just one of three editions. Soon after this incident, Webber scrawled the words "EPSTIEN [sic] DIDN'T KILL HIMSELF" on the Perrotin Gallery's wall in red lipstick. A video on his personal website shows one of the security guards allegedly confronting Webber about the incident, to which he replied, "This is the gallery where anyone can do art, right?" But the Miami Beach Police Department didn't seem to think so, and thus arrested Webber on a vandalism charge. No charges were reportedly pressed on behalf of the gallery. In another video posted on his website after this week's arraignment hearing, Webber argued that because Datuna was not charged for his performance, his arrest is an example of a "double standard" and a violation of an undefined "legal precedent." Webber also raised the question, "What is art and what is just a laundering scheme?" In a separate open letter on his website, Webber asked Datuna for support, claiming, "Without the gallery, or someone like yourself speaking out on my behalf, I will be put on trial. As a result, a judge or a jury may be put in a position to legally decide what is and isn't art." Webber ended the letter by comparing his agenda to that of other artists such as Ai Weiwei and Marcel Duchamp. He wrote that this battle "is one I am willing to fightnot just for myselfbut so that if Marcel Duchamp were to walk into Art Basel next year, he would not be ashamed of his legacy." Webber is set to appear at his next court hearing sometime this February. Burundis public prosecutor on December 30 asked for a 15-year prison term for four journalists for privately owned online news outlet Iwacu and their driver who are charged with undermining state security, according to Iwacu and other news reports . The prosecutor is also seeking to have the five stripped of their right to vote for five years after the imprisonment, and to have their property--including phones, camera, and a company car-- confiscated , according to the same reports. The court is expected to rule on the case later in January, the same sources said. The news teambroadcast reporter Christine Kamikazi, head of politics desk Agnes Ndirubusa, English service reporter Egide Harerimana, photojournalist Terence Mpozenzi, and driver Adolphe Masabarikizawere arrested in October 2019 while reporting on clashes in the countrys Bubanza province, CPJ reported at the time. The four journalists remain in prison while Masabarikiza was released in November, according to CPJ research . The Iwacu staff should have never been arrested, and the prosecutors request for a 15-year prison term reveals just how hostile Burundi has become toward the independent press, said CPJ sub-Saharan Africa Representative Muthoki Mumo. We call on the Burundian authorities to unconditionally release Christine Kamikazi, Agnes Ndirubusa, Egide Harerimana, and Terence Mpozenzi and to drop all charges against Adolphe Masabarikiza. Many Thai shoppers are creatively adapting to a new ban on single-use plastic bags at big retailers. (Photo: Facebook/ROV, Thitiwut Varoon) The restriction, introduced at the start of the new year by several major mall operators and the ubiquitous 7-Eleven convenience stores, was a victory for environmental campaigners in a country where individuals use an average of eight plastic bags a day. Customers can now pay a small fee for reusables but budget-conscious shoppers saved money by grabbing anything available and celebrating the different choices on social media. Some shoppers got creative following the ban on single-use plastic bags. (Photo: AFP/Handout) Make-up artist Acharin Prahausri borrowed food-storage netting from his mother that she normally dries fish with, tossing snacks, milk and juice and posing for a photo at a 7-Eleven in eastern Thailand. "It's normally used to protect from flies," he told AFP, as his post racked up more than 1,600 likes. In other posts, one man grinned at the camera as he held a wheelbarrow laden with bottles of water, paper towels and soap. Another two women clutched each side of a pink laundry basket heaving with goods. Experts say Thailand is one of the largest contributors to ocean pollution. Some shoppers even used food containers. (Photo: Facebook/ROV/Tee Thanaphol) But awareness about the problem has spread over the last year as images of dead turtles, whales and dugongs with pieces of plastic bags clogging their stomachs went viral. A government campaign to eliminate their use by 2022 has even seen television channels pixelating plastic bags onscreen - alongside other no-gos such as alcohol and smoking. Environmentalists have praised the ban as an important first step but say more needs to be done to eliminate a throw-away culture. Experts say Thailand is one of the largest contributors to ocean pollution. (Photo: Facebook/ROV) But some shoppers were ready for the change. "I have been avoiding plastic bags for a while already," said a Thai office worker at the Big C supermarket chain on Friday, (Jan 3) clutching a tote bag. Police have named the person who died following a disorder incident on Wednesday January 1 in Bowentown, Waihi Beach. He was 56-year-old Derrick Hann of Ngati Maniapoto from Te Kuiti, King Country. Emergency services found Derrick in a critical condition at Bowentown Beach Holiday Park, near Waihi Beach, soon before 1am on Wednesday. They had been called after reports of disorder. Derrick was given emergency medical treatment but died at the scene. In a death notice, Derrick's family said he was suddenly taken from them in Waihi Beach, "our happy place". He would be forever remembered as "our man with the big loving heart", the notice said. Derrick was a loved husband, father to children and fur-babies, brother and uncle. A service for him will be held in Auckland. The police homicide investigation into his death continues. Police said on Thursday that they were speaking to those who were at the scene before Derrick's death and were not looking for anyone else. Catalan separatist president Quim Torra said Saturday he would ask Spain's Supreme Court to strike down a decision by the electoral board to disqualify him as a lawmaker, thereby making him illegible to be Catalonia's leader. The electoral board announced its decision Friday after Catalonia's High Court of Justice last month convicted Torra of disobedience for failing to remove separatist symbols from public buildings during an election campaign and banned him from holding public office for 18 months. Catalonia's autonomy statute specifies that the head of the region's government must be a lawmaker in the regional assembly and Torra has appealed against the High Court ruling to the Supreme Court. However, the electoral board went ahead pronouncing in favour of right-wing parties seeking Torra's disqualification as an MP, even though the Supreme Court has yet to decide on Torra's initial appeal. Torra, who denounced the move as a "coup", said Saturday he would immediately present a petition to the Supreme Court seeking "the protection of fundamental rights" and suspension of the electoral board decision. He insists that the only institution which can decide on his position as regional president is the Catalan parliament where the separatists are in a majority. The election board ruling came as Spain's acting Prime Minister, Socialist Pedro Sanchez, faces a confidence vote in the national parliament next week following an inconclusive November election. Sanchez is counting on the abstention of 13 Catalan ERC separatist lawmakers in order to take office for a second term. The ERC is allied with Torra in the Catalan parliament. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ranjit Savarkar, grandson of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was hospitalised late on Friday night after he complained of high blood pressure, sources said on Saturday. (Photo: ANI) Mumbai: Ranjit Savarkar, grandson of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was hospitalised late on Friday night after he complained of high blood pressure, sources said on Saturday. Sources claimed that the 55-year-old was under a lot of stress and tension following the controversy over his grandfather. The controversy erupted after a booklet, distributed by Congress-affiliated Seva Dal in Madhya Pradesh, questioned Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation for valour. Read | Savarkar's grandson seeks ban on booklet, urges case against Congress Seva Dal "Ranjit has been visiting television studios to defend his grandfather and it took a toll on his health. His blood pressure shot up to 220 last night, following which he was admitted to Raheja Fortis Hospital at Mahim," a source said. Ranjit Savarkar was admitted to the ICU, but his condition is stable now, he said. Titled "Veer Savarkar, Kitne Veer?", the Hindi booklet had also claimed that Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse were in a physical relationship. The booklet has drawn the ire of both Shiv Sena and the BJP, with former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that the Congress had exhibited its "wicked" psyche by circulating such a booklet, which underscored its "intellectual bankruptcy". Also Read | 'For how long will Sena tolerate Savarkar's humiliation?' asks Fadnavis While Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Friday had said, "Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind." Three persons suspected to be herdsmen were on Friday arrested while robbing commuters along Usho road in Ise Ekiti, the police said. Usman Ibrahim, Ali Salisu and Sidikia Manbagri, along with two others, had blocked the highway and unleashed terror on their victims before police arrived. They were reportedly armed with guns and other dangerous weapons. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the hoodlums began their operation at about 10 a.m. on Friday, but the residents quickly informed the police. They had dispossessed their victims of their monies and other valuables before the police arrived. It was learnt that on sighting the police, they abandoned their operation and fled. Two of them were immediately apprehended. One was later picked as the police combed the adjoining bushes. Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State, Asuquo Amba, said some men suspected to be herdsmen mounted a roadblock, and robbed residents. We are still into it to find out why they behaved that way, he said. We will brief the press on further development. Also, the Chairman, Joint Security Committee of Emure, Ise and Ikere council areas, Tunji Falana, applauded the police for their quick intervention which he said saved the situation, Mr Falana appealed for an increase in the number of police personnel in the area. Ise has about 300 farmsteads and over 30 routes, he said. The police need more men and vehicles. Prevention is better than cure. The police here are working under very difficult conditions with an abysmal police to civilian ratio of 1:7500. Armed herders have become a major source of concern since the last administration under Ayo Fayose. Several clashes between farmers and herders had generated tensions, leading to the death of some persons. Meanwhile, there was panic in Emure Ekiti, following the gruesome murder of a retired principal, Femi Ayeni, on Thursday. His killers reportedly broke into his home at about 10.30 p.m. along Ise Road. Although the police in Ekiti are yet to respond to the killing, it was reliably gathered that the unidentified gunmen had stormed Mr Ayenis home to rob him, but killed him in the process. The corpse of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue at Emure General Hospital. Darjeeling/Sikkim: Top tourist destination of India Darjeeling, Siliguri, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh received snowfall on Saturday (January 4). Darjeeling's Tiger Hill received seasons first snowfall and the temperature went below zero degrees. Siliguri's Sandakfu was also covered with a white blanket of snow but most of the tourist in the place went downhill before the snowfall. The snowfall took place in the peak point of the hill. Heavy snowfall has occurred in Sikkim's Lachen and Lambung since Friday (January 4) due to which the movement of trains was affected. Tsomgo Nathula has been closed due to the snowfall. Heavy snowfall is observed in a wide area of North and East Sikkim. Live TV Several tourists across India are visiting these places and were happy to experience snowfall. The tourists said, ''we are very much lucky to experience snowfall, though it's not a heavy we are still enjoying it.'' The tourists are mainly from places like Ranchi, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam. Cold wave conditions tightened its grip in most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday with picturesque tourist spot Manali got fresh snowfall, weather officials said. Also, fresh spell of snow was witnessed in some places in Shimla district, bringing cheers on the faces of tourists. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed Brigadier Esmail Qaani the new chief commander of the Quds Force, after Qassem Soleimani, former head of the elite force, was killed in a US air strike near Baghdad's airport on Friday. Qaani was born in Mashihad in 1958, and joined the Revolutionary Guard (RG) in 1980. He moved to the capital Tehran to receive military training courses before being sent to Iran's long war with Iraq (1980-1988). During the war Qaani led several brigades, including "Emmam Reza 21" and "Nasr 5". After the war he joined the intelligence service of the RG, and in the mid-1990s he became the head of the department. When Soleimani was appointed head of the Quds force, Qaani became his deputy in 1997. Little is known about Qaani, however, he has been described as more extremist than Soleimani by Ali Hashem, editor of the Persian BBC service. "The war in Syria is a matter of life or death for Iran," Qaani stated years ago. In 2017, Qaani said the US had tried to destroy Iran but failed, and accused Washington of creating Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. He also boasted that Iran had killed more Americans than the US had killed Iranians. He was the first to unveil that Yemen's Houthis have missiles with a range of more than 400km. Like Soleimani, Qaani is a key player in the Syrian civil war. However, unlike his predecessor, Qaani has been vocal on Iran's internal politics. In 2012, he became on the US Treasury Department list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons whose assets have been frozen and prohibited from doing business with US entities. Search Keywords: Short link: Hosting the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday (Monday in Australia), Ricky Gervais sets off exciting anticipation of salty, stinging, scathing words about Hollywood and beyond. Shh, he said, smiling at assembled guests for the opening of the 73rd Golden Globes. Shut up, you disgusting, pill-popping, sexually deviant scum. Not so funny ... Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes. Credit:AP Gervais, about to be a five-time host of the annual TV and film awards, had returned to the generally unwanted MC job in 2016 after Tina Fey and Amy Poehler spent three previous ceremonies carving joyfully cutting jokes to tease Tinseltown. Here is Fey, noting the best film nomination for Gravity in 2014: Its the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age. by Mike Maher | Eagles Correspondent | Fri, Jan 3rd 9:40pm EST Eagles running back Miles Sanders (ankle) was a full participant in practice on Friday and avoided an injury designation ahead of the team's Wild Card Round matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. (PhiladelphiaEagles.com) Fantasy Impact: Sanders left last week's game against the New York Giants with an ankle injury in the second quarter and was unable to return, leaving Boston Scott to carry the load despite Jordan Howard being active. Howard played just one snap last week, and it's unclear if he will have a more substantial role this week. The expectation here is that Sanders will step back into his recent role as the lead back, with Scott once again rotating in. William Wayland, who has been indicted on five criminal counts including theft and unauthorized law practice, was released Dec. 13 on his own recognizance ahead of his February trial. But Judge C. Philip Nichols said that after reading media reports about Wayland, who is accused of stealing more than $7,000 from Patricia Duckett, he worried that others were at risk. Hundreds with haemophilia in England and Wales could have avoided infection from HIV and hepatitis and death if government officials had accepted help from Scotlands blood transfusion service. Haemophilia is a hereditary condition in which the blood does not clot normally, causing severe bleeding from even a slight injury. Bottles of Factor VIII (Source: Wikipedia Commons) Jason Evans became a campaigner for justice over blood contamination deaths and founder of the Factor 8 group after his father died in 1993 after contracting hepatitis and HIV. A Freedom of Information request by Evans uncovered a January 1990 letter from Professor John Cash, then director of the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service. In the letter, Cash said a review of services and production of the blood product Factor VIII in Scotland found there was very substantial spare capacity. For years prior Scotland had been self-sufficient in the production of Factor VIII, which was produced at the Protein Fractionation Centre in Liberton near Edinburgh. In the 1970s, Factor VIII, after years of development, was a revolutionary medical breakthrough in the treatment of people suffering from haemophilia. Cash offered the then Conservative government use of this spare capacity but was rebuffed. He wrote, It was assumed by those of us on the shop floor that this experiment [in 1980-81 on the availability of Factor VIII in Scotland] would expedite arrangements to give England and Wales assistance--but nothing materialised. The Guardian notes, Cash said the first offer was made to the NHS in England in the late 1960s, and then reaffirmed after its production tests in 1980-81. Those offers were rejected by civil servants in the Scottish Office in Edinburgh and in the Department of Health and Social Services in London [DHSS]. Cashs frustration over the issue was palpable. He wrote of how he tried to 'persuade on numerous occasions' those in more senior positions of the need for collaboration, but without success. He argued that were serious defects in the operational liaison between the Scottish department and the DHSS, which oversaw health policy in England. 'I sense the ineptitudes of the past 1970s and 1980s--are about to catch up with us, he wrote, warning that the decision by NHS in England not to use the spare Factor VIII was a grave error of judgement. The refusal had devastating consequences as the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales continued importing Factor VIII from sources abroad that were known to be risky. These included purchasing Factor VIII from the United Stateswhere people were paid to give bloodresulting in donations from prisoners and drug addicts who were infected with diseases including HIV. Blood supplied from contaminated sources led to thousands of people being infected with diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, and the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in the UK. According to a 2015 parliamentary report, around 7,500 people were affected. The majority of the victims were people who suffered from haemophilia and needed regular injections of Factor VIII to survive. Figures released last year found that in the 1970s and 80s, 4,689 haemophiliacs became infected with hepatitis C and HIV after receiving contaminated blood products supplied by the NHS. Of those infected by diseases, 2,883 subsequently died. The needless deaths of so many has been described as a horrific human tragedy. The scale of fatalities associated with the decision not to use Scotlands Factor VIII supplies can be understood from figures available showing that 60 people with haemophilia and 18 given transfusions were infected with HIV in Scotland. This contrast with the rate in England and Wales where 1,243 HIV infection cases were recorded. The 2,883 who died in the UK are among tens of thousands impacted worldwide due to profiteering from the sale of infected blood. In the United States, around 8,000 haemophiliacs became infected as a result of receiving the contaminated blood products In Canada, 2,000 who received the contaminated blood products developed HIV and 60,000 Hepatitis C. In France, around 4,000 haemophiliacs were given contaminated blood. After drawn-out legal proceedings, in 1999 Socialist Party Prime Minister Laurent Fabius and Minister of Social Affairs Georgina Dufoix were acquitted while Health Minister Edmond Herve was found guilty but given no penalty. Doctors in charge of verifying the safety of the blood were given and served heavy jail sentences. As of 2001 in Italy, an estimated 1,300 people, including almost 150 children, had died from infected blood infusions since 1985. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service knowingly risked treating haemophiliacs with contaminated blood products during the early 1980s. More than 200 Irish haemophiliacs were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C as a result, including young children. Seventy-five of these people have since died. The first UK inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal was led by Lord Archer of Sandwell, only reporting in 2009 under the Labour government of Gordon Brown. Archer concluded that commercial interests had been given a higher priority than patient safety. However, his was a non-statutory inquiry with no powers to force those government ministers or civil servants who declined invitations to do so to give evidence. While criticising the governments slow response, Archer did not apportion any blame. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party-led government announced an inquiry in 2008 that only finally reported in 2015. Another cover-up, it did not take any evidence from anyone at Westminster and concluded that in Scotland all that could have been done was done. After decades in which successive Labour and Conservative prime ministers ruled out calls for an independent public inquiry, in 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to announce an inquiry into the contamination of blood products in the 1970s and 80s. Mays announced the Infected Blood Inquiry only after Evans launched a civil litigation case in April 2017 against the government in respect of his late father, Jonathan. The case was brought by Collins Solicitors of Watford who applied for a Group Litigation Order from the High Court. Factor 8s website notes that by the end of September 2017, as the government Inquiry opened, there were over 500 potential litigants consisting of surviving victims and also family members of those who have died in the United Kingdom. In November 2018, the Group Action was stayedafter the Group Litigation Order was sealed and a judge had been named to hear the casepending the outcome of the Infected Blood Inquiry. According to the inquiry, no firm timescale on how long the Infected Blood Inquiry will last, there are varying estimates ranging anywhere from 2.5 - 5 years Speaking about the discovery of the Cash letter, Evans said, This is an incredible piece of evidence. We have testimony in black and white here, from a very senior source, which effectively shows hundreds of HIV infections within the haemophilia community could and should have been prevented. The statistics say it all59 haemophiliacs were infected with HIV in Scotland, as opposed to 1,243 in England, where a high proportion of HIV-infected Factor VIII from the US was used. It fills me with a distinct sense of horror that so many of these people would still be alive if it were not for the total negligence that took place. Cash is set to give evidence at the Infected Blood Inquiry this summer. The morning after President Donald Trump ordered an American airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney had one question on his mind: Where does this leave impeachment? With the markets roiling over the specter of war with Iran, Varney wondered aloud on Friday morning whether the assassination of one of Irans top leaders would provide a temporary interruption to the bull market or if this is something that will go on for some time to come. What happens to the price of gasoline in America, as the price of oil goes up? Varney added. On the world market? Will we now halt the decline in gas prices and start to see them rise? The conservative Fox Business anchor then shifted to the political ramifications of the presidents actions, asking how Democrats will react to this over the coming weeks and months. After saying Democrats had a difficult political row to hoe by urging caution and warning that killing Soleimani could be reckless, Varney suggested that the impeachment of Trump may need to be scrapped due to impending war. And where does it leave impeachment? Varney asked. Are we now going to try to impeach and remove from office the commander-in-chief whos just taken out one of the worlds leading terrorists? Thats quite a question, I suggest. The pro-Trump host wasnt the only Fox personality to express this view on Friday morning. During an appearance on Fox News Americas Newsroom, Fox News contributor and Trump super PAC chairman Ed Rollins said Democrats are foolish if they are going to continue on this impeachment process. This is an unsafe world and this shows great strength, Rollins concluded. During the broadcast of his three-hour morning program Varney and Co., Varney continued to obsess over the issue, asking multiple guests whether impeachment should be shelved. Are we really going to put the president of the United States on trial and risk the commander in chief being removed from office? Varney asked Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) at one point. Where does all this leave impeachment? Story continues Kennedy, meanwhile, said that impeachment had moved from folly to farce under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Senate should ignore her and go back to work and deal with the crisis in Iran and other more pressing domestic issues. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama Foreign Affairs Ministry has debunked claims Ghana has evicted its High Commission in Accra. This reaction follows online news reports that the High Commission has been asked to vacate its diplomatic property at No.10 Barnes Road, Accra after failing to renew the lease. According to the report, this triggered a diplomatic row between both countries. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he cant lie to God because He made it possible for him to attain his current height in life. The former president, while speaking at a thanksgiving service of the Ogun state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which was put together in his honour on Thursday, said he would continue to do things that would make God continue to show him mercy. The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) had distanced itself from claims by Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) that it started the third term agenda rumour of President Muhammadu Buhari. The opposition party in a statement on Thursday Thursday advised Oshiomhole to desist from going to the Presidential villa to push the impossible. Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he will contest in the 2023 presidential election. This was disclosed in a statement by Pathfinder Consortium, a group led by Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, Georges special adviser. One Kabiru Mohammed has been parades by the Department of State Service (DSS), over alleged fabrication and dissemination of a fake wedding video between President Mohammadu Buhari and two female members of his cabinet. The spokesman of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya who spoke while the suspect was paraded at the headquarters of the Service in Abuja, on Friday said that between August and October 2019, the fake video was widely circulated on the internet and on social media. Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buharis aide on social media has revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has obtained a fresh 14-day court order to further detain Shehu Sani.Sani, the senator who represented Kaduna central during the 8th National Assembly has been in the custody of the EFCC, following allegations he defrauded a businessman using the name of the commissions acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu. The chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin has raised the alarm that loyalists of the former vice president Atiku Abubakar are after his life over the 2023 presidential ticket of the Party.He made this known via a press release from his Abuha base on Thursday, 2nd of January. I have received calls from some people threatening my life over my coming out not to mention that the presidency of this country be zoned to the Northeast. They were saying that I am a traitor, that I should have come out to say that it is only Atiku Abubakar, that because I said that By Express News Service KOCHI: UDF leaders on Friday decided to intensify their protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The UDF will form a human map in every district centre as a mark of protest against CAA on January 30 when the nation observes the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. After the UDF leadership meet held in Kochi, convener Benny Behanan told reporters that mass public participation would be ensured for forming the human map in all district centres. The UDF will hold public meetings in all districts on January 7 to ensure mass participation in the human map. Senior UDF leaders have been asked to attend the meetings. A Constitution protection council will be formed in all districts for this purpose, Behanan said. He also condemned Governor Arif Mohammad Khans statement on the Assembly passing a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the CAA. He urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to break his silence on the Governors statement over the rights of the state Assembly. As the head of the Assembly, the chief minister should express his protest directly before the Governor. On UDF and LDF holding combined anti-CAA protests, he said, The UDF will continue with its CAA protest. Opposition parties should not be invited to join the protest at the last minute after all the plans have been made. Why should UDF follow Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan? Ward-level delimitation The UDF will urge the government to carry out ward-level delimitation prior to the local body elections on the basis of the voters list prepared during the parliamentary elections, he said. Delimitation based on the previous population survey will be full of errors as several persons have died since then. UDF also decided to boycott Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS) as the decisions taken in the previous edition were yet to be implemented. The NORKA medical aid was promised for Keralites who return from abroad. NRIs were promised subsidies to start businesses here. The family members of Sajan Parayil of Kannur who committed suicide due to red-tapism is yet to get any aid, Behanan said. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala chaired the meeting. AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran, M M Hassan, IUMLs P K Kunhalikutty and M K Muneer, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Johny Nellore, RSPs Shibu Baby John, CMPs C P John, and Kerala Congress (M) leaders Jose K Mani, C F Thomas, Mons Joseph and Roshy Augustine attended the meet. The Waterways Ireland Event Programme for 2020 has opened to applications from communities across the inland waterways. Taking place annually for the past 13 years the Programme has supported competitions, learning experiences, community, historical and educational events for people with and without disabilities across 100's of waterway communities nationwide. Involving angling, canoeing, rowing, sailing and power-sports, arts, history, drama, learning new skills, these events have most importantly been about having fun on the water. Sharon Lavin, Head of Marketing and Communications with Waterways Ireland stated that the Waterways Ireland Events Programme supports 100's of community events. The new vision for the Event Programme will activate event organisers to consider how they can build in ongoing activity and sustained use of the waterways corridors into their event. Tourism & participation in recreation has a social and economic impact in waterfront communities, and events are a great way to engage communities with previously under-utilised waterways." Applications must be made online. The application form and guidance notes can be viewed, and completed online at https://bit.ly/2QkAneV . Terms and conditions apply. The closing date the receipt of completed applications is 15th January 2020. Waterways Ireland is the Recreation and Navigation Authority for the Barrow Navigation, Erne System, Grand Canal, Lower Bann Navigation, Royal Canal, Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation. Advertisement A six-bedroom mini-hotel overlooking a pier where Game of Thrones was filmed in Croatia is up for sale for 1.5 million. The stunning stone-walled property in Dubrovnik boasts six furnished studio apartments that the owner can rent out. Eager fans who want to visit the iconic Lovrijenac fortress, part of King's Landing in the series, need only look next door to the 240 square-metre property. The pivotal Stark farewell scene in the final episode - where John Snow says goodbye to Sansa, Arya and Bran Stark and sets sail for the North - was filmed on the pier, just outside the hotel. The rooms feature exposed wooden beams and bright, wide windows. It is on the market for 1.8 million (around 1.53 million) with estate agent Adrionika. A six-bedroom mini-hotel overlooking a pier (pictured) where Game of Thrones was filmed in Croatia is up for sale for 1.5 million The stunning stone-walled property in Dubrovnik boasts six furnished studio apartments that the owner can rent out The pier was regularly featured in Game of Thrones. Pictured: Sansa Stark, played by Sophie Turner, on the end of the pier Eager fans who want to catch a glimpse of the iconic Lovrijenac fortress, part of King's Landing in the series, need only look out the window of this 240 square-metre property The rooms feature exposed wooden beams and bright, wide windows. They also come fully-furnished The exposed brick walls are a statement feature in this one-of-a-kind property in Dubrovnik, Croatia Sansa Stark (played by Sophie Turner) sits on the end of the pier with Shae (played by Sibel Kekilli). Petyr Baelish (played by Aidan Gillen) can be seen approaching them The studio flats are bright and airy with plenty of natural light pouring in from outside. The owner can rent the flats out to eager tourists The stone walls are a statement feature in the flats and compliment the bold, black and white furniture One room appears to have been built into a loft space with high ceilings and exposed wooden beams over the bed The kitchens in the flats feature electric hobs and plenty of storage space. The windows allow natural light to pour in The hotel is right next to the fortress of Lovrijenac which dates back to 1018 or 1038, offering a fascinating insight into the history of the area The pivotal Stark farewell scene (pictured) in the final episode - where John Snow says goodbye to Sansa, Arya and Bran Stark and sets sail for the North - was filmed on the pier, just outside the hotel The studio flats are ideal for couples who are visiting Dubrovnik as the compact space has all the necessities a traveller would need One of the bedrooms features a dark bed frame and matching wardrobe next to a bright, light window Authorities are trying to identify the cause of the infection. Between 2003 and 2004, severe acute respiratory syndrome killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 others in Hong Kong. The World Health Organization (WHO) criticized China for underestimating the number of cases. Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The number of confirmed cases of a mysterious viral pneumonia in China is increasing. Some fear it is a new epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), a flu-like virus that killed hundreds of people over 10 years ago. According to reports yesterday by the health authorities of Wuhan (capital of the province of Hubei), the 27 infections reported last December 31 have become 44. In a statement, the Wuhan Health Commission says that "patients' vital signs are generally stable." Doctors are still trying to identify the cause of the infection, but rule out "flu, bird flu, adenovirus infection and other common respiratory diseases." Sars, a disease caused by a coronavirus, is not mentioned in the document. But rumors circulated on the internet at the beginning of last week suggest that the epidemic could be linked to the disease, which is highly contagious. On January 1, Wuhan police said they convicted eight people of "publishing or transmitting false information online without verification." The Health Commission declares that all patients receive treatment in isolation and that the city is monitoring how many have come in close contact with them. Some of the sufferers are employed in a fish market in the city, but "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission" has been found so far. Two women in Hong Kong have been hospitalized with fever and symptoms of respiratory infections or pneumonia, bringing the number of cases reported in the city since December 31 to five. The Hong Kong hospital authority says the two women, aged between 12 and 41, had been in Wuhan for the past two weeks. They are in isolation and in stable condition. Following the Sars epidemic in 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) criticized China for underestimating the number of cases. That year, the disease killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 others in Hong Kong. According to WHO, the virus - which has infected 8,000 people worldwide - originated in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. In May 2004, the international body announced that China was free from SARS. New Delhi, Jan 4 : A day after a US drone strike killed a top Iranian military general in Baghdad, US President Donald Trump and Iran continued to weigh on Twitterati's minds on Saturday as well, with many posting memes and funny comments. #Iran trended with 5.47 million tweets even as news poured in that the British Foreign Office had warned British nationals against all travel to Iraq and all but essential travel to Iran. Earlier, the US Embassy in Iraq had asked all American citizens to leave the country. One user posted a video clip of Trump from November 2011 in which he expresses fears that then President Barack Obama may attack Iran for an election win again. "In 2011, Trump believed Obama would start a war with Iran to help win an election," said the user before ending it with "now this". Another user wrote: "Trump says he killed #Soleimani to prevent war. So I guess when Iran takes out a US vessel in the Hormuz it will be to prevent a war. PEACE THROUGH WAR. That is what we are taught." A Twitter user posted a picture of White House with its periphery marked out with a sketch pen and "unaffiliated" written outside the markings. He commented: "You hear that Iran." One post read: "Never thought I'd see the day where Sasuke, Iran, Jesus and McDonald's were all trending at once." A user posted a meme of a man lying on the ground and looking surprised. The post read: "When you are playing dead and the Iran soldiers say 'shoot everyone again'. #WWIII." One user had a clip in which a teacher calls out a student who says: "I want to be a terrorist." The post read: "Me -- When Iran catches me hiding and asks what side I wanna be on." Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 13:10:49|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close CANBERRA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Saturday that up to 3,000 army reservists will be called out to assist in the bushfire crisis. Following Saturday's meeting of the National Security Committee, Morrison said in a joint media release that "the task in front of our country today and in the weeks ahead requires us to do whatever it takes". "The compulsory Call-Out of Australian Defence Force (ADF) Reserve Brigades for the first time in the country's history, together with specialist personnel," according to the media release. Besides, the government will lease four extra planes to follow a request from the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council for one additional waterbombing aircraft and to meet any further requests. The HMAS Adelaide, the Navy's largest amphibious ship, has been readied to join in supporting evacuation of citizens from fire-affected areas along the coast line. "It will mean boots on the ground, planes in the sky and ships out at sea all supporting the bushfire fighting effort and recovery," said the media release on Saturday. It is also said that Morrison has postponed his state visit to India and his official visit to Japan to stay close to the disaster and recovery operations underway in Australia. Australia's bushfire crisis, which has seen more than 1,500 homes destroyed and at least 23 confirmed deaths according to The Australian newspaper, were expected to be exacerbated by catastrophic conditions forecast for Saturday. Temperatures across Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), the two states that have been hardest-hit by fires in recent days, were expected to exceed 40 degrees centigrade on Saturday. "We are well prepared, well organized and well resourced, but we are also realistic: These fire conditions are unprecedented, and the challenge is formidable," said the media release on Saturday. "If fierce conditions prevail, today could be a dark day for our country," it added. Former Bigg Boss Kannada season 6 finalist of Kannada's known show and TV's most popular show, Rashmi has reached a vacant position. Apart from this, actress Rashmi has taken a good view of this, as well as what is often organized with a busy schedule, the same actress Rashmi has taken a short break and goes to Sri Lanka with her husband Davis and friends. Bigg Boss Kannada 7: Deepika Das and Kishan Bilagali perform a hot romantic dance Former Bigg Boss Kannada Season 6 finalist Rashmi is enjoying her vacation to the fullest. Apart from this, to keep her fans updated, the former Bibi Kannada contestant has also been posting pictures and videos on her social media handle. So that the contact with their fans remains intact. From enjoying the local cuisine to visiting the wildlife sanctuary, Rashmi is enjoying her holidays with her near and dear ones. Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 2: Count down begins with a new year wish from Mohanlal According to sources, it has been learned that former Bigg Boss Kannada season 6 finalist Rashmi, while sharing the pictures on her social media handle, Rashmi celebrated the new year in Sri Lanka and mentioned that this is her final for the year Travel. On the career front with this, Rashmi aka Rapid Rashmi is known for her voice. She hosts a popular radio show. Recently, Rashmi had earlier participated in a dance reality show. Bigg Boss Malayalam 2: Abhirami Suresh denies rumors of Mohanlal participating in show Jaipur, Jan 4 : The sorry state of Kota's J.K. Lon Hospital is reflected in a government-appointed panel's report which shows that around 105 children died in a span of over a month due to cold shivering in the hospital as it lacked everything a normal hospital should have. The committee formed by the Rajasthan government to probe the lacunae in the hospital resulting in the deaths of kids has confirmed in its report that infants died due to hypothermia, a medical emergency that occurs when the body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C). The normal body temperature is 98.6 F (37 C). Even as the kids in the hospital continued to die in the biting winter cold, the hospital did not have enough stocks of lifesaving equipment, said the report. The newborns should have body temperature of 36.5 degree celcius; therefore they were kept on warmers where their temperature stays normal. However, as the hospital lacked functional warmers, their body temperature continued to plummet. The report said that 22 nebulisers out of 28 were dysfunctional, 81 infusion pumps out of 111 were not working and the same was the story with para monitors and pulse oxymeters. What made the matters worse was the absence of oxygen pipeline in the hospital due to which oxygen was supplied to kids with the help of cylinders. Surprisingly, the ICU was not fumigated for months, the report said. "The children continued to die in December as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot celebrated the launch of 'Nirogi Rajasthan' campaign in the state," said former health minister Rajendra Rathore. Hospital officials said most paediatricians of JK Lon Hospital have been posted at Kota's New Medical College. "The nursing employees, already under-staffed, prefer to stay idle while ward boys rule the roost in the J.K. Lon Hospital," said an official. Also, the hospital staff continued with the whitewash in wards where infants suffering from pneumonia were admitted for oxygen. According to sources, there was no record of 40 heaters purchased for kids. A hospital official said despite Rs 6-crore funds lying with the hospital, no purchase has been made. On Friday, when state Health Minister Raghu Sharma visited the hospital, a green carpet welcome was given to him, a gesture hardly suited for the grim situation prevailing in the hospital. After drawing severe criticisms, the carpet was rolled back. A five-month-old girl suffering from pneumonia died the same day when Sharma visited the hospital as the officials were busy getting the walls cleaned. Former Health Minister Rajendra Rathore said rampant transfer of specialists on political grounds has deprived the patients of availing the best medical services. Rathore said that during BJP's rule, "we ensured that all specialists were kept at one place irrespective of any political leaning." He said the present government has not had annual repair contracts of the equipment purchased under its tenure. "There is no medical inspection arrangement for the equipment purchased," Rathore said. Gehlot in December celebrated one year of the formation of his government and launched the 'Nirogi Rajasthan' campaign. He also announced Janata Clinics and spoke about introducing Right to Health. "How can Right to Health be launched when there is no homework done by the state government?" questioned Rathore. "The Nirogi campaign is only on papers as there has been no discussion on it with panchayats or other stakeholders," Rathore said. "In a situation when 11,000 posts of doctors are lying vacant, how can the government talk about Janata clinics"? he asked. State Health Minister Raghu Sharma when contacted by IANS was not available for comment. (Archana Sharma can be contacted at arachana.g@gmail.com) Their newsroom is in one of the classrooms in the facility. Writers work on 10 desktop Dell computers, purchased via an $80,000 educational grant, and another five Apple MacBook Pro laptops that were donated. All of the computers function solely as word processors. One staff computer used for the program has an Internet connection. Its used only by Lopez or other teachers to help the inmates conduct research for their stories, she said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 14:58:56|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close A soldier prepares to raise flag during a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 72nd anniversary of Myanmar's Independence in Yangon, Myanmar, Jan. 4, 2020. (Xinhua/U Aung) Evangelical leaders gather on stage with President Donald Trump during an Evangelicals for Trump campaign event held at the King Jesus International Ministry in Miami, Florida on Jan. 3, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Atheist Rights Group Wants IRS to Investigate Miami Church for Hosting Trump Rally When religious leaders and other evangelicals gathered Jan. 3 at a Miami-area megachurch for the Trump 2020 campaigns first Evangelicals for Trump rally, they did so amid the threat of an IRS investigation of the congregations tax-exempt status. President Donald Trump met with the group at the King Jesus International Ministry in suburban Miami. The Apostolic church, thought to be one of the largest Hispanic congregations in the United States, is led by Pastor Guillermo Maldonado. When the event was announced by donaldtrump.com, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) quickly asked the federal tax agency to determine if hosting the rally on church grounds violates its 501(c)(3) exemption. The exemption, which covers charitable and educational foundations as well as churches and ministry organizations, allows supporters to deduct 100 percent of their contributions from their federal tax liability. In urging congregants to come to a political rally and in hosting the political rally, King Jesus Ministry appears to have inappropriately used its religious organization and 501(c)(3) status to intervene in a political campaign, FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert said in a Dec. 31, 2019, letter to the IRS. It violated IRS regulations by seemingly expressing its support for a candidate in the November 2020 election, Markert wrote. FFRF respectfully requests the IRS commence an immediate investigation into King Jesus Ministrys violation of IRS regulations prohibiting 501(c)(3) organizations from participating in and/or intervening in a political campaign. The Madison, Wisconsin-based FFRF, founded in 1978, describes itself as an association of 30,000 free-thinkers: atheists, agnostics and skeptics of any pedigree, that works as an umbrella for those who are free from religion and are committed to the cherished principle of separation of state and church. But there is no separation of church and state issue involved when religious citizens express political views and meet together to discuss them, according to the chief of staff of a Dallas-based civil liberties law firm. Religious Americans are allowed to be politically engaged. Whats next? Will the FFRF demand an investigation into Congress because it used to hold church services in the U.S. Capitol, First Liberty Institutes Mike Berry told The Epoch Times on Jan. 3. Of course, the FFRF was never one to let facts get in the way of its activist agenda. Sadly, it has raked in millions of dollars in donations by misleading people, Berry added. Cleta Mitchell, a Washington attorney who specializes in nonprofit legal issues, told The Epoch Times on Dec. 3 that this is just another example of Christian-haters trying to stop believers from the free exercise of their religious beliefs. I have spoken with the attorney for the host mission and they have taken all steps to comply with IRS requirements for 501(c)(3) entities, such as this church. Mitchell, who said the IRS should dismiss this frivolous complaint outright, is encouraged that religious leaders and institutions nationwide will band together to challenge the IRS regulations on First Amendment grounds. That constitutional reckoning is long overdue. Tim Murtaugh, director of communications for donaldtrump.com, agreed, telling The Epoch Times that the campaign complies with the law, and, while we expect the church to do so as well, they dont lose their First Amendment rights, either. Murtaugh said the Trump campaign is curious to know if this group is also calling for the investigation of all Democrat candidates who have campaigned endlessly in churches across the country this election cycle and in years past. Or does their curiosity extend only to Republicans? The FFRF is a frequent challenger of religious activities, including most recently another Florida case involving Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey. who had In God We Trust emblazoned on all of his department cars. When FFRF demanded the declaration be removed from official Brevard County law enforcement vehicles, Ivey told The Epoch Times in a Nov. 7, 2019, interview that they [FFRF] have a better chance of me waking up thin tomorrow morning than they do of me taking that motto off our cars. Ivey added that when you call 911, we dont ask you what political affiliation you are, we dont ask you what God you believe in, we dont ask you if you believe in God, we ask where you are, so we can come save your life. The controversial words remain on the Brevard County law enforcement vehicles. The FFRF also recently challenged the decision of Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to allow hip-hop artist and Christian convert Kanye West to hold one of his Sunday Service worship events in the local jail. When asked if Gonzalez would abide by FFRFs demand that no such events be allowed in the future, a spokesman for the sheriff told The Epoch Times that the Harris County Sheriffs Office works with all organizationssecular and religiousthat are willing to positively support inmates efforts to transition back into our communities better prepared to contribute to society. Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc A fresh plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday by an NGO challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, contending that the law renders certain category of children as stateless. The writ petition was moved in the Apex court by advocate Ezaz Maqbool on behalf of Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). The petition laid special emphasis on children's rights. It also challenged Section 3(1) of the Citizenship Act, 1955 as arbitrary contending that it "lays down different parameters for granting citizenship to children born in India in different periods". It asserted that Section 3(1) provides for different treatment to children as per their date of birth and renders certain category of children stateless on the basis of classification on date of birth, which is manifestly arbitrary. "The petitioners herein are challenging the Impugned Act as well as the Impugned Provisions and the Impugned Notifications, as being violative of Articles 13,14,15,21, 51(c) and 51-A of the Constitution of India," the petition read. 'The CAA is also violative of UNCRC' Further, it said that the treatment of the excluded children as stateless also violates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990, to which India is a signatory. The new citizenship law makes professing of certain religions as a ground of eligibility for the status of citizenship which is against the principle of secularism and is violative of the basic structure of the constitution, the petition added. Several other petitions have also been filed in the apex court against the newly-enacted law. The Supreme Court had, on December 18, agreed to hear the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the act, but had refused to stay its operations. READ | Centre mulls next move on deportation of Rohingya refugees from India after CAA READ | If Mamata is against CAA, NRC then she should not oppose Left called strike: Mishra Several petitions have been filed in the SC The newly amended law seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014. President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 12, turning it into an Act. The top court had then issued notice to the Centre and sought its response by the second week of January on a batch of pleas challenging the CAA. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde had fixed a batch of 59 petitions, including those filed by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, for hearing on January 22. READ | Showing mirror to Rahul Gandhi, BJP cites CAA call in Congress' 2018 Rajasthan manifesto READ | Amarinder Singh hits back at RS Prasad on 'legal advice' jibe, alleges CAA can be misused (With agency inputs) Vehicle revenue licence issuance via online loses public appeal By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s): The Motor Traffic Departments (MTD) e Revenue licence (eRL) project introduced 11 years ago to make this vehicle licence issuance manageable for the department and convenient for vehicle owners is still to achieve the expected results, official data revealed. Vehicle owners would still visit divisional secretariats to renew their vehicle revenue licences although this facility is now available online under the e Revenue licence project, a senior official of the MTD told the Business Times. The MTD has developed one Information Technology solution for Western Province MTD and another for Divisional Secretariats for speeding up the licence issuance process. According to official data, only 89,261 vehicle owners have renewed their licences online out of 5.7 million revenue licences issued by the MTD and divisional secretariats last year. This amounts to 1.6 per cent of the total vehicle population in the country. As per latest published statistics 5.7 million vehicles were in use in Sri Lanka last year and the majority of them are registered in the Western Province. Accordingly there are over 1.2 million vehicles registered in the Western Province and this amounts to 25 per cent of the entire vehicle population. Even though the obtaining of revenue licences is at the finger tips of vehicle owners via online at present, it has failed to attract the attention of the majority of those owners, a senior official of the Passenger Transport Management Ministry said. In 2009 the work on the eRL system was completed and it was officially launched by Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President at that time. It is a centralised system running on the Lanka Government Cloud, Lanka Government Network and Lanka Gate which have been developed by the Information Communication technology Agency (ICTA). The authenticity of all supporting documents is verified online by connecting to nine insurance companies, two emission testing companies and the MTD, hence no bogus documents can be submitted. The revenue licence can be obtained online which means the service is available on the basis of 24 hours x 7 days. In order to enable the acceptance of credit card payments for eRL the Public Finance Department issued the Finance Regulation Circular 447. ICTA connected an Internet Payment Gateway to Lanka Gate to enable online payment. However the eRL project is yet to be popularised among vehicle owners due to some shortcomings in the system, an IT expert said adding that most of the people are still not familiar with the system. He noted that this system should be more user friendly and 100 per cent free from defects and money transaction risks or faults via online to attract more vehicle owners. Another factor was the lack of IT literacy and reluctance of the people in using credit or debit cards for the payment of the licence fee, he added. By PTI KOLKATA: A Trinamool Congress MLA of East Midnapore district was issued a show-cause notice by the party for sharing dais with state BJP president Dilip Ghosh at a function in the district, party sources said on Saturday. TMC MLA of Egra Assembly constituency, Samaresh Das on Friday night was present at the inauguration of Egra Winter Fair. Ghosh too was present as one of the guests. Das sharing dais with Ghosh has angered the TMC top brass, which was quick to show cause him and has sought an explanation from him, the sources said. "I have received a show-cause notice from the party. I have been asked to give an explanation. I will surely give an explanation. I personally feel that as it was a public programme, both Dilip Ghosh and I were invited so I had to attend the programme. There is nothing wrong in it," Das said. A senior TMC leader said party leaders and workers should be wary about people with whom they are sharing dais. "When we are fighting against BJP on a regular basis. It is unacceptable that an MLA of our party is sharing dais with BJP state president. Samaresh Das should come clean on what he has in his mind," a senior TMC leader said. Reacting to the development, Ghosh said the incident reflects the "mean mindedness" of the TMC leadership. "It was a social programme, so leaders from other parties were also present at the programme. The action taken by TMC leadership reflects their mindset," Ghosh said. Eight TMC MLAs and one from Congress and CPI(M) had switched over to BJP since the results of 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the state. The BJP won 18 out of the 42 parliamentary seats in West Bengal. Telangana BJP MP D Arvind has hit out at the AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi over his alleged 'tear' the BJP remark, saying he would shave off the latters "beard" and "hang him upside down". In a veiled attack on the ruling TRS, which maintains friendly ties with the MIM and has opposed CAA, the Nizamabad MP said he would stick Owaisi's beard to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. A week after Owaisi addressed a meeting in Nizamabad against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Arvind took exception to the former's remarks that he would 'tear' the BJP. He told the MIM's leader that his younger brother Akbaruddin Owaisi was stabbed and "torn by your person... in your area" nine years ago in the Old City area of Hyderabad and asked "you talk about (tearing) BJP?" The BJP MP then went on to say that he would hang Owaisi upside down in the same ground where he made the remarks against the BJP and shave his beard. "In the same ground, I will get a crane, hang upside down and shave off your beard. I will not throw that beard away. I will give promotion to that beard and stick that to the Chief Minister People will come to know that he (Rao) is a Mullah, Arvind said. Owaisi should concentrate on development of Hyderabad being its MP, he said, adding several areas in the old city were 'stinking'. Arvind, who defeated Chandrasekhar Raos daughter K Kavitha in the Lok Sabha elections, alleged the chief minister has become a Mullah. His (Raos) son is an atheist will they have any concern for dharma. They are talking about secularism? he asked. Claiming that CAA was against the Constitution, Owaisi, in his Nizamabad speech, had recalled he had torn a copy of the bill in Parliament. BJP members asked how could he tear the bill. I said my work is to tear black law and tear you also, he had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When a Pakistan bound Chinese ship almost got away at Gujarat Autoclave seized on Chinese ship by India could have been for nukes in Pakistan Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan detained in UP while en route to AMU India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Jan 04: Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who was en route to attend an anti-citizenship law protest at Aligarh Muslim University, has been detained by the police. "Detained at UP border...," Gopinathan posted on twitter sharing an image of the detention order. However, Gopinathan noted that the police were very cordial and respectful. "Got a call from Aligarh District administration asking me not to come for the event. That they got direction from state govt to not let the event happen and to prevent my entry into the district. I will be going to Aligarh. Administration is free to do as they deem fit," he had tweeted on Friday. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 Amit Shah explains why Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti had to be detained Gopinathan, who was the secretary of the power department of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, resigned to protest 'denial of freedom of expression to the people of Jammu and Kashmir'. The 32-year-old officer had first come into limelight when he hid his identity and joined in relief work during the 2018 Kerala floods. The setbacks are the latest to hit a car industry in the throes of transformation. (Photo Credit: www.daimler.com) Frankfurt Am Main: Luxury carmakers BMW and Daimler have announced that they will ditch their joint carsharing scheme in North America and scale back the service in Europe, citing lower than expected take-up in a "complicated" market. The move comes less than a year after the German rivals launched their Share Now scheme to great fanfare as part of a plan to join forces and pour one billion euros ($1.1 billion) into the "mobility services" of the future. In a statement, the firms said they would scrap Share Now in the United States and Canada from February 29, 2020, blaming "the volatile state of the global mobility landscape" and rising costs. Share Now, born out of Daimler's Car2Go and BMW's DriveNow operations, will also exit the carsharing market in London, Brussels and Florence "due to low adoption rates". The firms said they had to face up to "complicated realities" in the fiercely competitive business of using apps to book cars for short-term rentals in urban areas. US auto giant General Motors earlier this year pulled its Maven carsharing service out of eight American cities, while rival Ford dropped its Chariot shuttle service for commuters. The setbacks are the latest to hit a car industry in the throes of transformation, with automakers scrambling to respond to changing customer demands and investing billions in the electric, self-driving cars of tomorrow. While carsharing has been touted as an affordable and more environmentally-friendly alternative to owning a car, it has yet to gain widespread acceptance and faces strong competition from ride-hailing services like Uber. NEW YORK - Rose McGowan doesnt plan be in the courtroom when Harvey Weinsteins criminal trial starts next week: One of Weinsteins most prominent accusers, McGowan says the trauma the fallen Hollywood mogul caused her is so great she couldnt bear the pain of it. But Rosanna Arquette, another accuser, has already made plans to be there when it starts, to lend support to the women who have accused Weinstein of sexual assault and plan to testify against him. I feel very protective. I want this to be OK, Arquette said in an interview. I think either way, whatever happens, its still going to be hard for the people that came forward, in terms of retaliation. Hes all about that. Both McGowan and Arquette spoke to The Associated Press in separate interviews on Friday about the upcoming trial of Weinstein, the once all-powerful Hollywood producer whose world came crashing down in 2017 when parallel investigations by The New York Times and The New Yorker documented alleged sexual misconduct by Weinstein against dozens of women. From Oscar-winning stars to aspiring actresses to associates, claims of sexual harassment, assault and even rape were levelled against Weinstein. Prosecutors in New York have filed five criminal charges against Weinstein, including two counts of predatory sexual assault that carry a mandatory life sentence. Weinstein, 67, has denied allegations of non-consensual sex and his lawyer has promised a vigorous defence. Jury selection is expected to begin on Monday. McGowan has accused Weinstein of raping her over 20 years ago and destroying her career; Weinstein has denied her claims. A representative for Weinstein sent a link to McGowans remarks on Iran and said his team was declining comment. Since the allegations against Weinstein sparked the #MeToo movement, McGowan has emerged as a vigorous advocate for sexual assault victims. Though she told the AP in 2018 she would be at any trial, McGowan now says while she might be outside the courtroom when it starts, she couldnt imagine being on the inside. I also have to focus on whats healthy mentally for me and seeing him is extremely difficult, she said. You know, I had body flashbacks for years when I would see and receive photos of him or if I saw him in person, I would lean over and throw up in a trash can and my body remembered, you know, things that my brain wanted to silence. McGowan said seeing Weinstein face criminal charges will speak volumes to people in the world that have been hurt. And I hope it gets justice for the women involved. Personally, I have justice. My justice might just look different than that. She added that if Weinstein is found guilty of even one charge, its a victory, but its also a victory to still be standing after all this damn time. Its also a victory to spread the news to other survivors, that is not our shame. Its also a victory to basically have him as the face of rape for all time. Arquette has accused Weinstein of derailing her career after she resisted her advances, and was one of first women to come forward and tell her story in 2017 (Weinstein has also denied retaliating against women who refused to have sex with him). She told the AP she never thought she would see the day that he would face a trial for his alleged crimes. Arquette was emotional as she talked about his upcoming trial and what it represented. This is a man that is a real predator, she said. Hes destroyed many womens lives. ... We need to keep the focus on this crime, and this case with Harvey Weinstein is huge because so many people are looking at it. Arquette is close friends with one of the women expected to testify against Weinstein: actress Annabella Sciorra, who has accused Weinstein of raping her more than two decades ago. Although Weinstein is not charged with a crime connected with that allegation, prosecutors are hoping to establish a pattern of behaviour with her testimony. Arquette is hoping the testimony of Sciorra and others will lead to an eventual conviction against Weinstein. She said Sciorras life was shattered by this experience for many years. Said Arquette: The justice system works in a way ... people can get out of criminal behaviour, and were praying that that doesnt happen and that theres justice is served. TORONTO, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flora Growth Corp. (Flora or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire a 90% equity interest in Kasa Wholefoods Company S.A.S. (the Transaction), a Colombian producer of exotic (Amazonian) fruit juices and chocolates. Kasa operates under the Mambe brand in Colombia. Under the Mambe brand, Kasa produces fruit juices and pulps from organic exotic fruits such as mango, acai, passion fruit, camu and guava, as well as more commonly used fruits such as bananas, strawberries, oranges and apples. Kasa also produces chocolate confectionary using 70% Colombian cacao. Mambe products are already widely distributed in Colombia, being sold in Colombias largest retailers including Carulla, Tostao Cafe & Pan, Deli Reposteria and is available for purchase through Uber Eats. Over the last year, Kasa has been researching and developing CBD-infused juices and chocolate. Kasa already has a line of CBD-infused juices (10 mg CBD/250 ml of juice) and chocolate bars (40 mg CBD/100 mg of chocolate). Kasa is ready to sell such CBD-infused products in the Latin American market immediately upon receiving regulatory approval, which is expected in 2020. Kasa has received several awards and grants from the Colombian government for its innovative products and social impact. Kasa works with local farmers and indigenous Amazonian communities to cultivate fruits for the Mambe beverages which provides sustainable economic opportunities to these communities and is a viable alternative to Amazon deforestation and illegal mining in these areas. Damian Lopez, Floras CEO, commented: We are excited to acquire an entrepreneurial, innovative company like Kasa Wholefoods. They have done an excellent job of developing a line of world-class juices and chocolates. There is immense demand for CBD-infused products in Latin America and worldwide. We will combine our organic CBD-Oil with Kasas organic Amazonian based fruit juices and chocolates to satisfy this demand. We expect to obtain regulatory approval in Colombia to infuse food & beverages with CBD in 2020 and be the market leader in this category. Story continues In order to close the Transaction, Flora must pay to shareholders of Kasa (the Vendors) an aggregate amount of USD$294,000 in cash and shall repay Kasas outstanding loan payables of USD$91,000. The Vendors shall retain a 10% equity interest in Kasa which may not be diluted until Flora invests USD$5 million in Kasa. Following the completion of this financing milestone, all shareholders of Kasa will be diluted if they do not participate in any Kasa financing. The Transaction is subject to the parties negotiating and entering into a definitive agreement and obtaining of the necessary regulatory approvals. Flora Growth Corp. At Flora, we are building the worlds largest and lowest cost vertically-integrated producer of organic cannabis oils, CBD-infused food & beverage, pharmaceutical-grade, medical and cosmetic-grade derivatives from the cannabis plant. For further information, contact: Damian Lopez +1 416 861 2269 damian.lopez@floragrowth.ca Website: www.floragrowth.ca Cautionary Notes This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the Companys operations, Kasas operations, the Companys ability to close the Transaction, the Companys ability to obtain regulatory approvals to infuse CBD-oil into food & beverages and the Companys future plans and objectives. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. Your browser does not support the audio element. While the cost of living is rising in countries around the globe, many retirees are looking far away from home for places they can afford to retire both happily and healthily. Vietnam seems to have emerged as a top choice thanks to its friendly living environment, low cost of living, delicious food, affordable healthcare, and beautiful landscapes. L. Dennis Woolbright, a U.S. national, is one of these retirees. After spending the first four decades of his life in America, Woolbright decided it was time for a change. He earned a masters degree and moved halfway around the world to begin a new life as a teacher in Japan. I thought I would stay for just one year and then go back, but I enjoyed Asia so much that I've stayed for 36 years! Woolbright said. He is now married to a Japanese woman with whom he has two children. Just a few years ago, he decided it was time to retire after a 30-year career as a university teacher. But instead of going back to America, he chose to ask for his wifes 'permission' to move to Vietnam and continue teaching English in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh. Though his wife stayed in Japan, Woolbright seems happy with the move. People are very friendly and it is cheap to live here, Woolbright, now 74, explained, adding that the thing I love most is that I feel needed because I love helping people. American retiree L. Dennis Woolbright and his Japanese wife stop by a fruit shop at a wet market in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on December 31, 2019, during her trip to Vietnam to visit her husband who moved to the country alone two years ago. Photo: Tuoi Tre/ Duyen Phan 'My home city now' German retiree Herby Neubacher has lived in the coastal city of Nha Trang for the past 19 years. In an email exchange with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, he called Nha Trang my home city now." Neubacher's first visit to Vietnam was in 2000, when he was asked to deliver a presentation at a conference on the German seafood industry and the EU Commissions legislative policies regarding the use of antibiotics in fish and seafood. Though his first visit lasted only a few days, the city made such a grand impression on him that he decided to apply for a job with the Vietnam branch of SIPPO Group, an organization which promotes sustainable trade. [Nha Trang] has changed a lot since then. This former small city of fishermen has become a tourist hub, but I am still happy to live here, he said. Despite having officially retired, Neubacher occasionally provides consulting for seafood companies which specialize in pangasius. For Neubacher, living and working in Vietnam has given him the opportunity to live a life he considers to be independent and free. Even as a European Ive always felt welcomed and accepted here. The Vietnamese are interested to learn about other cultures as much as I like to learn about their culture, he said, adding that even though I cant properly speak Vietnamese, Ive never had a problem with the Vietnamese people around me. Also, as a 70-year-old man, its quite important to me that the healthcare system is far better than talked and rumored about, Neubacher described the wonderful care he received at the Military Hospital in Nha Trang after suffering a stroke last year. According to the German retiree, Vietnam has become a truly cosmopolitan country where people from all over the world can feel at home, even if they only come for a short holiday. "It would fill a book to list all the friendship and help I experienced in Vietnam, not to mention the healthy food that keeps me young and the nice weather and open sea I enjoy every day in my life," he added some things that have kept him in Vietnam for so long. "And last but not least, the love of my wife who always does the best for me." German retiree Herby Neubacher, who is living in the coastal city of Nha Trang in Vietnam is seen in a photo he provided Tuoi Tre News A demand for retirement visas Canadian Rick Ellis, 62, has lived for more than 40 years in many countries around the world, including 11 years in Southeast Asia. According to Ellis, of all the countries he has lived in, Vietnam is the friendliest. Ellis estimates the number of expat retirees in Vietnam to be over 100,000, with many of them still working or running their own businesses. However, as Vietnam has no official retirement visa available, it is hard to pinpoint an exact number. Southeast Asian countries are "competing with each other to attract proper retired foreigners, Ellis said, explaining that those with stable incomes, no criminal records, and no history of participating in activities related to political or social instability are generally welcomed to countries throughout the region with open arms. Countries like Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia have already been trying to draw in these "desirable" expats with retirement visa schemes which require a demonstration of financial ability to prove that the retiree will not become a burden on the locality in which he or she lives. Thailand, for example, requires retirees to prove they earn US$2,200 a month in order to qualify for a retirement visa while that number falls to $2,000 in Malaysia, $1,500 in Indonesia, and $800 in the Philippines. According to Ellis, $800 is probably the most realistic number for Vietnam to require should it impose such a scheme due to the countrys comparable cost of living with the Philippines. However, money is not everything. What is more important is that the retirement visa policy serves as a good source of income for the economy and that the visa review, verification, and issuance processes are strictly enforced. From Elliss perspective as a business manager with experience living in many countries, if Vietnam develops a good policy which encourages proper foreigners to retire in the country, it could see remarkable economic benefits. He suggested that Vietnam take note of Thailand's recently retirement visa. But even with all the benefits of living in Vietnam, some are not convinced it is the right place for them to live out their days, particularly while many struggle with tenuous visa situations. These issues pose a challenge, even for long-time expats such as Canadian Bill Harany, who is still unsure how much longer he will extend the eight years he has already spent in Vietnam. The lack of a retirement visa such as that which exists in many other countries might have a bearing on this, the 76-year-old man explained. Things to improve Harany also pointed out other aspects of life which have made him consider leaving - the difficulty in learning the language, air pollution, local traffic, poor roads, unsafe driving habits, and a lack of national interest in the arts such as painting, drawing, live music, and dance. Meanwhile German retiree Neubacher cited the mountains of garbage flanking Vietnamese streets as one of his top concerns, alongside the general noisiness of the country. People in restaurants seldom seem aware that they are not at home and other guests might be disturbed by their shouting, especially when they bring their children, he said. The same goes for loud outdoor karaoke sessions, like well surely have to endure during Tet, when people are shouting and singing all over the neighborhood, even well into the night." Meanwhile, American Woolbright expressed his hope that in the future, Vietnamese improve the countrys infrastructure with better roads, water systems, and sewer facilities. He also believes that improved healthcare could lead to an increase in foreign retirees. The return of veterans Last week, Vietnam appeared in a New York Post story suggesting the 12 best countries to retire in. The piece quoted Ralph Jennings December story for the Los Angeles Times entitled Americans are retiring to Vietnam, for cheap healthcare and a decent standard of living. Jennings later confirmed the idea in his article with Tuoi Tre News that, since 1975, innumerable American veterans have returned to Vietnam to seek understanding, forgiveness, or reconciliation. Now some are coming for more mundane reasons: inexpensive housing, cheap healthcare and a rising standard of living, he wrote in the story. One of the veterans featured in Jennings article was 66-year-old John Rockhold, who first returned to Vietnam in 1992 to work on a program to help economic refugees. The man later decided to settle in Vietnam in 1995, the same year the U.S. and Vietnam normalized relations, before marrying a Vietnamese woman in 2009. Now, Rockhold stays busy by importing liquefied natural gas, and is involved with a charity which provides solar energy to low-income households. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The 'Million March' against CAA, National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) drew huge crowds from twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and surrounding districts Hyderabad, Jan 4 (IANS) Thousands of people participated in a massive march here on Saturday to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Roads around Indira Park in the heart of the city were teeming with thousands of men, women and children carrying Indian flags, banners and placards and raising slogans against Narendra Modi government. The protest organised by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising 40 Muslim and Dalit organisations brought traffic to halt on the main roads at Indira Park and Hussain Sagar lake, which connect the twin cities. Citizens from various walks of life joined hands to participate in the march, so far the biggest protest against the CAA in Hyderabad. Traders, lawyers, software engineers, other professional, students, activists and house wives converged at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park where police had made elaborate security arrangements. Shops and business establishments were closed in parts of Hyderabad as the businessmen and traders turned out to participate in the march. Several educational institutions had also declared a holiday. The participants were raising slogans like 'Inquilab zindabad', 'Tanashahi nahi chalegi', and 'we reject NRC'. They were carrying banners and placards with slogans like "We will die but not accept CAA, NRC and NPR" and "United against hate". "The real issues are economy, education and health and not Hindu-Muslim, Pakistan and NRC," read a banner. "CAA is discriminatory against Muslims. We will not accept it," said Syed Sajid, a student participating in the march "CAA is not the only issue. The government is going to start NPR which is nothing but the first step towards NRC," said Zohra Begum, a housewife, holding the national flag. "Our ancestors decided to remain in India on a call given by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. This is our country. We were born here and will die here," said another protester. ms/pgh/ In deciding to eliminate General Suleimani, Mr. Trump and his team argue they were acting in self-defense to thwart imminent attacks on Americans in Iraq and the region. This may be true, as General Suleimani was a ruthless murderer and terrorist with much American blood on his hands. Unfortunately, its hard to place confidence in the representations of an administration that lies almost daily about matters large and small and, even in this critical instance, failed to brief, much less consult, bipartisan leaders in Congress. Second, even if the killing of General Suleimani is justified by self-defense, it doesnt make it strategically wise. Given the demonstrably haphazard and shortsighted nature of the Trump administrations national security decision-making process (including calling off strikes against Iran 10 minutes before impact, inviting the Taliban to Camp David and abandoning the Kurds), its doubtful the administration spent much time gaming out the second and third order consequences of their action or preparing to protect American military and diplomatic personnel in the region. To assess the fallout of killing General Suleimani, we must understand that the Iranian regime cannot survive internal dissent or sustain its powerful position in the region if it backs down from this provocation. For Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a strong response is essential. For the United States, the question is: What form will it take and how quickly will it come? One thing is clear: Americans are not safer, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued on Fox News the morning after. Rather, American citizens are at greater risk of attack across a far wider battlefield than before. Start with Iraq. The State Department has warned American citizens not to travel there. Iranian-backed militias have attacked United States and allied installations, and can continue to do so around the country. The government in Baghdad has declared the killing a violation of the terms of the American military presence in Iraq. We will face mounting pressure to withdraw our military and diplomatic personnel from the country. If we leave, the United States will suffer a major strategic defeat: Iran will justifiably claim victory, and the gains of the fight against ISIS will be lost as the terrorist group rebuilds. There is no hope now to revive, much less strengthen, the Iran nuclear deal, and we must expect Iran will accelerate its efforts to revive its nuclear program without constraint. January 04 : Sleep deprivation has become a public health issue, and the most affected lot are the school going children. Starting school hours late has been found to be beneficial. According to chronobiologists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich, this measure has a positive impact on their sleep cycle and learning process. School going children sleep late at night and have to wake up early in the morning to attend class. They are then expected to perform well in the class. Students of a Germany high school were given the option to opt for usual school start time or an hour later. Consequences of sleep deficit Not sleeping enough and not sleeping well may lead to pay a price. It has been observed that adolescents are constantly sleep deprived, which has become a public health issue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, has declared sleep deprivation as a public health issue. Chronic sleep deprivation, for whatever reason, significantly impacts the health and performance of students. It reduces their ability to concentrate. Studies have also revealed that chronic sleep deprivation leads to depression, obesity, diabetes and chronic metabolic diseases. It is, therefore, essential that schools start later than the normal time. Will later school start time help? Will changing school hours really help adolescents change their sleep cycle and perform better in class? A team of chronobiologists led by Eva Winnebeck and Till Roenneberg studied the issue at a high school in Alsdorf that shifted school starting hour later in the day. This German school adopted Dalton Plan and gave the senior students the option to choose whether they want to come to school at normal time and miss the first class or come to school an hour later. The school was awarded the German School Prize in 2013 for adopting flexible timings. How this concept works Students who miss out classes need to finish the curriculum on their own. Students are given 10 hours per week for these activities. Students who opt to skip the first class must work through the given material in their free periods or after school. Researchers studied the students from three senior grades. The team found that majority chose to miss the first class at least twice a week. On these days, they slept an hour longer. However, the team was surprised to find that the flexible timings did not increase the overall duration of the students' sleep. Nevertheless, the students were happy with the new model, and reported that they slept better and were able to focus better in class. The researchers concluded that perhaps the fact that the students can decide for themselves when to get up in the morning was sufficient to reduce the pressure on them. Surrogate mother Sash is worried about baby Olivia, who was born premature on New Years Day The arrival of baby Olivia in Fair City has seen tensions rise at Carrigstown over what will happen next. Sash Bishop will be seen worrying over the health of the baby she gave birth to in tomorrow night's episode. However, Laura moves to reassure the anxious mother, who is played by actress Stephanie Kelly. Olivia arrived one month early on New Year's Day in Carrigstown after Sash went into labour unexpectedly with Orla and Wayne's baby. Strain Sash agreed to be a surrogate for the couple, who were looking for a miracle child to provide bone marrow for son Junior, who has a condition that can lead to leukaemia. Expand Close Laura and Dean visit Sash and baby Olivia in the hospital / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Laura and Dean visit Sash and baby Olivia in the hospital But the relationship is coming under increasing strain while Orla, played by Sorcha Furlong, and Wayne, played by Victor Burke, field questions from Tommy. Meanwhile, Sash misreads Wayne's offer of help as a bid to take Olivia away from her - and he fails to reassure Sash he's not after Olivia. Wayne is at the receiving end of Orla's anger over the matter. A paranoid Sash also thinks Dolores and Pete know the truth, so Sash tells Wayne and Orla she may have let the cat out of the bag. The storyline continues throughout the week, as viewers see Laura supporting Sash when she and Olivia return home from the hospital. Tommy is furious when he eventually finds out about Sash's deal with Orla and Wayne. Elsewhere on the show tomorrow night, Sharon feels unsupported when she clashes with Anto over how to deal with Hayley. Sharon's out in the cold as she spots a warm exchange between Hayley and Ger - and she suggests Ger should leave Carrigstown. But Sharon doesn't bargain on Ger's reply. Dublin City Council could sell off land worth over 100m to fund cultural, sporting and recreational projects. According to The Irish Times, the council's chief executive, Owen Keegan, is in favour of selling the sites instead of using them for social housing. Mr Keegan named 14 sites across the capital he wants to sell, which along with 15 council works depots would be valued at over 90m, and says more are likely to be added to the list. Under the plan, five sites in Ballymun, Ballymount, Dolphin's Barn and Chapelizod would be sold by this summer -- raising an estimated 12.2m. The rest would be sold in batches between then and the summer of 2022 - with Shelbourne FC home ground Tolka Park and the College of Music on Chatham Row among the most prominent. Mr Keegan told the Irish Times most of the sites have been "idle for many years" and said housing wasn't "appropriate" for the sites. City councilors have to vote to approve land sales and the controlling coalition on Dublin City Council has agreed not to sell land unless there is proof the cash return is worth more than the potential social and economic benefit of building new homes. The list of 14 sites will be presented to councillors at their first full meeting of 2020, on Monday evening. Wyoming produces more coal than any other state in the country. The state also pumps out 15 times more energy than it consumes and is the nations largest net exporter of energy. But unsteady coal markets have thrown the states ranking into jeopardy. Coals once-stable customer base has branched out to cheaper natural gas and renewable energy. Last year, coal consumption reached its lowest levels since 1979. An uptick in bankruptcies among coal firms has meant more uncertainty for Wyoming communities built around coal. While bankruptcies have occurred with unsettling frequency in the Powder River Basin in recent years, no firm had shuttered its operations as it refinanced in bankruptcy court until Blackjewel. Despite the warning signs, the July 1 bankruptcy of Blackjewel and subsequent closure of the fourth- and sixth-largest mines in the country sent shock waves coursing through the industry. What happened in the flurry of days following the shuttering of the Blackjewel mines warrants retelling, as developments from the unprecedented bankruptcy case continue to unfold and families across the country await answers. July 1: A sudden surprise On a clear summer morning like any other in coal country, hundreds of workers filed into Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr coal mines just off Highway 59 to start their shifts. But at around 3 p.m., the day took a turn for the worse. The then-CEO of the mines, Jeffrey Hoops, made an unexpected announcement to workers: The mines were closing. It was time for workers to head home. He offered few specifics, according to several worker accounts. About 500 workers left the mines unsure of what would come next. The insolvent owner, Blackjewel, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy that morning after spending months nosediving deep into debt. The subsequent loss of a crucial creditor caused the coal firms 32 coal mines across the country to grind to a halt. That included Wyomings Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr coal mines, which together produced over 34 million tons of coal last year. By July 1, Blackjewel owed about $146 million in unpaid taxes. And attorneys for the company would later admit the company owed Wyoming workers over $700,000 in unpaid wages and $900,000 in retirement funds. Later, investigations would reveal the company owed workers even more. July 2: Left in limbo The two Campbell County mines nestled just beyond the outer ring of Gillette sat silent underneath a cloudless sky the morning after the closures. About 160 workers had come through the doors of Gillettes workforce services center in search of help by noon that day, the agency estimated. There may have been many more. Though no workers had been officially laid off, within 24 hours the office ran out of materials for miners seeking unemployment assistance. Gov. Mark Gordon and other state officials met with Campbell County leaders and miners in Gillette that afternoon to discuss next steps for the community. Gordon walked locals through the rapid response work that members of the Workforce Services and the Department of Environmental Quality had been conducting throughout the day, from educating out-of-work miners about retraining opportunities to offering financial assistance for job training. Gordon said he had not yet heard from the mines owner on any future plans for the mine. I look forward to his call, Gordon said. Although a federal bankruptcy judge denied the company $20 million in debtor-in-possession financing needed to fully reopen the mines, the judge later approved a smaller, $5 million interim funding package for Blackjewel on July 3. As a condition of the deal, Hoops had to resign. The new funding source allowed the company to dodge Chapter 7 bankruptcy, or the liquidation of their assets and abandonment of the mines. But the financing was not enough to fully resume operations at the mines and was exclusively for essential security at the mines, firefighting personnel, professional fees of up to $500,000 and other emergency expenses. Hundreds of workers, as a result, remained uncertain what to do next. In the meantime, the company continued to negotiate additional financing. July 4: A holiday in court As Independence Day arrived, uncertainty continued to weigh heavily on Campbell County residents and officials. Despite the holiday, the court convened after several Wyoming Blackjewel workers said banks had placed holds on their last cashiers checks from the company, issued by United Bank in West Virginia. In the aftermath of the bankruptcy, worker paychecks had been withheld and cashiers checks were distributed instead. Attorneys for United Bank later noted that Blackjewel did not have sufficient funds in the companys bank account at the time checks were issued to workers. A federal judge ordered the bankrupt company to honor all checks distributed to its hundreds of workers. The judge urged Blackjewel attorneys to ensure United Bank and other banks cleared the checks as soon as possible. Representatives for Blackjewel continued to feverishly seek additional funding to reopen its two shuttered mines, company lawyers said during a bankruptcy hearing held on July 6. The company would present a new financial package to the court by July 12 or sooner, an attorney added. The judge, who had the authority to approve any new loan, said he would expedite the emergency hearing if Blackjewel secured additional money before that date. July 10: Workers sue An out-of-work Blackjewel employee filed a class action lawsuit on July 10 alleging the bankrupt company violated federal labor law by failing to notify or compensate hundreds of workers before closing down its mines. The lawsuit alleged the company violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act because Hoops did not give sufficient written notice of the layoffs, nor did he offer 60 days of wages. Under the act, the workers were legally entitled to wages and benefits, attorneys representing the workers said. July 11: A skeleton crew and a permit stay Blackjewel announced that a skeleton crew of about 140 workers had been called back to maintain Blackjewels mines across the country, performing maintenance and preventing any additional damage. But hundreds of Wyoming employees, as well as public officials, remained largely in the dark as the case slogged through federal bankruptcy court. Due to the uncertainty, a state environmental council voted on July 11 to delay a key decision involving the companys permits. While Blackjewel owned and operated the Campbell County mines, the former coal operator Contura Energy still held the mines permits. The Wyoming Environmental Quality Council voted that day to stay the proceedings, or delay the vote to renew and transfer the permit until sufficient clarity was given by the West Virginia bankruptcy court. July 15: Half of funding depleted A federal bankruptcy judge said the court could reconvene as soon as July 15 if Blackjewel secured long-term financing over the weekend. That did not happen, according to a status report from the company filed that day. But the clock continued ticking as hundreds of out-of-work Wyoming employees awaited a more definitive answer on the future of Blackjewels two Western mines. Halfway through the month, the bankrupt coal operator had already spent 60 percent of the $5 million in emergency funding. July 17: No deal yet Another anticipated update from the bankrupt coal operator offered familiar news to hundreds of out-of-work coal miners two days later. Blackjewel had not yet secured the long-term financing needed to reopen the mines, according to court documents filed July 17. These efforts are ongoing but have not yet produced a final agreement, the debtors said in a status report. A federal judge approved short-term funding once again for Blackjewel during an emergency hearing held on July 19. The judge approved $2.9 million in interim debtor-in-possession funding from lenders Whitebox Advisors LLC and Highbridge Capital Management. The loan would not bring the companys mines back to full capacity and only provided relief to the company for the following four days. July 24: Hints of a sale Blackjewel announced it was actively soliciting interest from potential buyers for its assets throughout the country in a status report filed on July 24 with the court. Blackjewel said it contacted more than 20 buyers to explore potential sales and was actively in conversation with eight parties who are conducting due diligence and have signed nondisclosure agreements. July 25: Contura strikes back Coal company Contura Energy came forward, offering to purchase Blackjewels Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines in Wyoming, as well as Pax Surface Mine in Kentucky, for $20.6 million. The company also agreed to supply $8.1 million in desperately needed funding to pay past-due bills and continue maintaining Blackjewels mines throughout legal proceedings. The possible sale brought with it the possibility of reopening of Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines to full capacity, bringing back over 1,000 out-of-work employees for the next six to 12 years, according to attorneys for Blackjewel. As the stalking horse bidder, Contura Energy set the minimum price for auction at $20.6 million, guaranteeing that there was at least one buyer during the sales process. July 29: Contura secures court approval Despite myriad objections from creditors, a federal judge approved the sale of mines owned by bankrupt coal giant Blackjewel to previous owner Contura Energy. In addition to approving the sale of the two Wyoming mines and one West Virginia surface mine to Contura, U.S. District Judge Frank Volk also authorized the sale of several other mines and equipment speckled throughout the Appalachian region to seven additional companies during the two-day sales hearing. August 14: Stalled sale Despite promising to reinstate immediately 500 jobs at the idling Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines, Contura failed to reach a necessary agreement with the federal government and resuscitate the mines, fueling further ambiguity throughout Wyomings coal country. August 31: Slashed healthcare As skepticism rose over Conturas ability to finalize the sale, hundreds of out-of-work coal miners across the country lost their health care the last day of August, after bankrupt coal operator Blackjewel received court approval to terminate its health insurance program. The employment-based insurance covered some 1,700 workers at 32 mines, including two coal mines in Wyoming. The insolvent company was no longer obligated to cover the premiums or claims of employees. September 12: False hope Out-of-work Blackjewel coal miners in Wyoming received a jolt of hope this week when their bankrupt employer sent letters hinting at a possible reopening of two idling mines. September 18: Contura seeks way out Coal company Contura Energy announced it had reached a tentative deal with Eagle Specialty Materials, an affiliate of FM Coal, to transfer ownership of two idling Wyoming coal mines. After failing to finalize a deal with the mines former owner Contura Energy, Blackjewel presented a new sales agreement to a federal bankruptcy judge. The new sales agreement hinged on the participation of three companies: Blackjewel, Contura and Eagle Specialty Materials. Contura, the permit holder of the two mines, was to pay Eagle Specialty Materials, an affiliate of FM Coal, $90 million to take over the mines. In addition to owning the mines, Eagle Specialty Materials was deemed responsible for the $237 million in reclamation liabilities and certain debts left over from Blackjewel. Meanwhile, Campbell County Commissioners approved a significantly reduced tax payment plan for Eagle Specialty Materials. Under the agreement, the county required the new owner to pay just half of the $17.5 million in taxes owed by Blackjewel. Eagle Specialty Materials agreed to pay 50 percent of the outstanding ad valorem, or production, taxes over the course of five years without interest. October 2: Court approves sale to Eagle Specialty Materials A U.S. bankruptcy court approved the sale agreement between three coal mines, but the finalization of the deal stalled over snags in the transfer of necessary bonds and mining permits from Kentucky. Eagle Specialty Materials had to show it had sufficient reclamation, or cleanup, bonding in place before taking over the mines. But Lexon Insurance Company, a surety company for FM Coal, announced that the new operator needed to take care of Blackjewels additional 135 mine permits out east before it could extend additional bonds to the Wyoming coal mines. October 8: Investigated for fraud A court document filed in early October revealed the federal government had been investigating Blackjewel for potential fraud since before the company filed for bankruptcy, adding another possible wrinkle to the case. The federal government asked the West Virginia federal bankruptcy court to delay discharging Blackjewel of its debts, a move that would allow the federal government to continue investigating possible violations of the False Claims Act. October 18: Sale closes The sale between Eagle Specialty Materials, Contura Energy and Blackjewel closed after the new owner secured $238 million in replacement surety bonds. October 21: Workers strike back Nearly 500 employees joined a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Wyoming against Blackjewel for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. Submitted by the U.S. Department of Labor, the complaint alleged Blackjewel violated labor laws by withholding wages between June 24 and July 1. In response, Blackjewel agreed to pay $793,847 in outstanding wages to the workers within 90 days of the sale closure to avoid further litigation. Attorneys for FM Coal said in court the request was unexpected and thrust upon us late. The compensation did not include promised retirement or paid time off. October 22: Workers trickle back to work After enduring nearly four months of uncertainty, furloughed Blackjewel coal miners started to trickle back into work at two Powder River Basin mines, on the heels of the sale closure between the bankrupt employer and a new operator. Out-of-work miners started receiving calls from new owner Eagle Specialty Materials after the company successfully assumed ownership of the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines from Blackjewel. Its good to have the nightmare finally over, said Michelle Young, an equipment operator who worked for Blackjewel before the company filed for bankruptcy. Were just getting things rolling again. November 18: Warning from feds The U.S. Interior Department submitted a motion to federal bankruptcy court stating Blackjewel owed nearly $886,000 in royalty payments and fees for coal produced after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This outstanding payment was in addition to the approximately $50 million in unpaid royalties, rent and other charges Blackjewel owed the federal government at the time the company filed for bankruptcy. December 4: Excessive expenses A federal judge ordered Blackjewel to provide additional details on $73,583 of expenses that company attorneys accumulated over three months while coal miners awaited back pay. Lawyers for the company applied for compensation for a range of expenses incurred over the course of the bankruptcy proceeding from meals and transportation to hotel stays. Volk demanded the company itemize about 75 of the requests, going so far as to question the companys decision to stay at high-end hotels or eat exorbitant meals. December 12: Stolen benefits A vast majority of former Blackjewel workers have yet to receive the full compensation they were promised, according to investigations by Wyomings Labor Standards Office. When it filed for bankruptcy, Blackjewel owed 506 workers hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages and benefits. But nearly six months later, only 33 workers have filed a claim for compensation with the state. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CAIRO - An airstrike slammed into a military academy in Libyas capital, Tripoli, on Saturday, killing at least 16 people, most of them students, health authorities said. Malek Merset, a spokesman with the Tripoli-based health ministry, told The Associated Press that the airstrike took place in the capitals Hadaba area, just south of the city centre where fighting has been raging for months. He said the strike also wounded at least 37 others, who were taken to nearby hospitals for urgent treatment. Tripoli has been the scene of fighting since April between the self-styled Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter and an array of militias loosely allied with the weak but U.N.-supported government that holds the capital. The fighting escalated in recent weeks after Hifter declared a final and decisive battle for the capital after Tripoli authorities signed military and maritime agreements with Turkey, whose parliament authorized the deployment of troops to Libya. Footage shared online Saturday showed wounded people with bandages and blood on their legs being treated in a hospital. The Tripoli-based government blamed the airstrike on the Libyan National Army. There was no immediate comment from the LNA. Hifter launched a surprise military offensive April aimed at capturing Tripoli despite commitments to attend a national conference weeks later aimed at forming a united government and moving toward elections. The fighting has threatened to plunge Libya into violent chaos rivaling the 2011 conflict that ousted and later killed leader Moammar Gadhafi. While Hifters LNA and the eastern government enjoy the support of France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and other key Arab countries, the Tripoli-based government is backed by Turkey, Italy and Qatar. The USA has had drone and airstrike capabilities for over two decades but the quality of recent US assassinations suggests improved long-term target tracking. This is likely due to a combination of AI, big data and improved imaging and regular intelligence and military operations. I think the situation is similar to WW2 when the allies had the advantage over Germany by breaking the Enigma code. I think the US is using some new technologically based advantages and but then using regular technology to carry out the actions. Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, a commander of Irans military forces in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere throughout the Middle East was killed in a drone strike. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy of the militias known as the Popular Mobilization Units and a close adviser to Soleimani, was also killed in the airstrike near Baghdads airport. ISIS leader Baghdadi was killed in a Seal team raid. The Soleimani and Baghdadi hits look like the US has improved capabilities to track and time hits. The US has killed many ISIS second in commands before but they killed the second in command at nearly the same time as the Baghdadi operation. New air strikes targeted Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shiite militias near camp Taji north of Baghdad have killed six people and critically wounded three. I think the US is using some better imaging capabilities, sensors and AI for improved tracking. In a speech to evangelical leaders, Donald Trump joined other in praying for himself before launching into a speech that lurched from vehement lamentations of his purported grievances to a listing of his favourite Fox News personalities. As pastors placed their hands on Mr Trump during prayer "We repent the personal sins, national sins, and we humbly ask you to bless our nation and to bless our president, Donald Trump," one said the president nodded along, and mouthed the words "thank you" in response to the praise. "Lord I thank you that America didn't need a preacher in the Oval Office. It did not need a professional politician in the Oval Office, but it needed a fighter and a champion for freedom and lord that's exactly what we have," the prayer continued to cheers, and a toothy smile from the president. During the speech that followed, Mr Trump prodded the assembled media in the back of the El Rey Jesus International Ministry in Miami, saying he likes to rile people up by suggesting he might violate the US Constitution and stay in office longer than two terms. I say 12 years? 16 years? It drives them crazy. But they drive us a little crazy, so were even, the president said, motioning to the press as the assembled Evangelicals for Trump crowd cheered. Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Show all 26 1 /26 Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Donald Trump Accused of abusing his office by pressing the Ukrainian president in a July phone call to help dig up dirt on Joe Biden, who may be his Democratic rival in the 2020 election. He also believes that Hillary Clintons deleted emails - a key factor in the 2016 election - may be in Ukraine, although it is not clear why. EPA Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal The Whistleblower Believed to be a CIA agent who spent time at the White House, his complaint was largely based on second and third-hand accounts from worried White House staff. Although this is not unusual for such complaints, Trump and his supporters have seized on it to imply that his information is not reliable. Expected to give evidence to Congress voluntarily and in secret. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal The Second Whistleblower The lawyer for the first intelligence whistleblower is also representing a second whistleblower regarding the President's actions. Attorney Mark Zaid said that he and other lawyers on his team are now representing the second person, who is said to work in the intelligence community and has first-hand knowledge that supports claims made by the first whistleblower and has spoken to the intelligence community's inspector general. The second whistleblower has not yet filed their own complaint, but does not need to to be considered an official whistleblower. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Rudy Giuliani Former mayor of New York, whose management of the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in 2001 won him worldwide praise. As Trumps personal attorney he has been trying to find compromising material about the presidents enemies in Ukraine in what some have termed a shadow foreign policy. In a series of eccentric TV appearances he has claimed that the US state department asked him to get involved. Giuliani insists that he is fighting corruption on Trumps behalf and has called himself a hero. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Volodymyr Zelensky The newly elected Ukrainian president - a former comic actor best known for playing a man who becomes president by accident - is seen frantically agreeing with Trump in the partial transcript of their July phone call released by the White House. With a Russian-backed insurgency in the east of his country, and the Crimea region seized by Vladimir Putin in 2014, Zelensky will have been eager to please his American counterpart, who had suspended vital military aid before their phone conversation. He says there was no pressure on him from Trump to do him the favour he was asked for. Zelensky appeared at an awkward press conference with Trump in New York during the United Nations general assembly, looking particularly uncomfortable when the American suggested he take part in talks with Putin. AFP/Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Mike Pence The vice-president was not on the controversial July call to the Ukrainian president but did get a read-out later. However, Trump announced that Pence had had one or two phone conversations of a similar nature, dragging him into the crisis. Pence himself denies any knowledge of any wrongdoing and has insisted that there is no issue with Trumps actions. It has been speculated that Trump involved Pence as an insurance policy - if both are removed from power the presidency would go to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, something no Republican would allow. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Rick Perry Trump reportedly told a meeting of Republicans that he made the controversial call to the Ukrainian president at the urging of his own energy secretary, Rick Perry, and that he didnt even want to. The president apparently said that Perry wanted him to talk about liquefied natural gas - although there is no mention of it in the partial transcript of the phone call released by the White House. It is thought that Perry will step down from his role at the end of the year. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Joe Biden The former vice-president is one of the frontrunners to win the Democratic nomination, which would make him Trumps opponent in the 2020 election. Trump says that Biden pressured Ukraine to sack a prosecutor who was investigating an energy company that Bidens son Hunter was on the board of, refusing to release US aid until this was done. However, pressure to fire the prosecutor came on a wide front from western countries. It is also believed that the investigation into the company, Burisma, had long been dormant. Reuters Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Hunter Biden Joe Bidens son has been accused of corruption by the president because of his business dealings in Ukraine and China. However, Trump has yet to produce any evidence of corruption and Bidens lawyer insists he has done nothing wrong. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal William Barr The attorney-general, who proved his loyalty to Trump with his handling of the Mueller report, was mentioned in the Ukraine call as someone president Volodymyr Zelensky should talk to about following up Trumps preoccupations with the Bidens and the Clinton emails. Nancy Pelosi has accused Barr of being part of a cover-up of a cover-up. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Mike Pompeo The secretary of state initially implied he knew little about the Ukraine phone call - but it later emerged that he was listening in at the time. He has since suggested that asking foreign leaders for favours is simply how international politics works. Gordon Sondland testified that Pompeo was "in the loop" and knew what was happening in Ukraine. Pompeo has been criticised for not standing up for diplomats under his command when they were publicly criticised by the president. AFP via Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Nancy Pelosi The Democratic Speaker of the House had long resisted calls from within her own party to back a formal impeachment process against the president, apparently fearing a backlash from voters. On September 24, amid reports of the Ukraine call and the day before the White House released a partial transcript of it, she relented and announced an inquiry, saying: The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law. Getty Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Adam Schiff Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, one of the three committees leading the inquiry. He was criticized by Republicans for giving what he called a parody of the Ukraine phone call during a hearing, with Trump and others saying he had been pretending that his damning characterisation was a verbatim reading of the phone call. He has also been criticised for claiming that his committee had had no contact with the whistleblower, only for it to emerge that the intelligence agent had contacted a staff member on the committee for guidance before filing the complaint. The Washington Post awarded Schiff a four Pinocchios rating, its worst rating for a dishonest statement. Reuters Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman Florida-based businessmen and Republican donors Lev Parnas (pictured with Rudy Giuliani) and Igor Fruman were arrested on suspicion of campaign finance violations at Dulles International Airport near Washington DC on 9 October. Separately the Associated Press has reported that they were both involved in efforts to replace the management of Ukraine's gas company, Naftogaz, with new bosses who would steer lucrative contracts towards companies controlled by Trump allies. There is no suggestion of any criminal activity in these efforts. Reuters Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal William Taylor The most senior US diplomat in Ukraine and the former ambassador there. As one of the first two witnesses in the public impeachment hearings, Taylor dropped an early bombshell by revealing that one of his staff later identified as diplomat David Holmes overheard a phone conversation in which Donald Trump could be heard asking about investigations the very day after asking the Ukrainian president to investigate his political enemies. Taylor expressed his concern at reported plans to withhold US aid in return for political smears against Trumps opponents, saying: It's one thing to try to leverage a meeting in the White House. It's another thing, I thought, to leverage security assistance -- security assistance to a country at war, dependent on both the security assistance and the demonstration of support." Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal George Kent A state department official who appeared alongside William Taylor wearing a bow tie that was later mocked by the president. He accused Rudy Giuliani, Mr Trumps personal lawyer, of leading a campaign of lies against Marie Yovanovitch, who was forced out of her job as US ambassador to Ukraine for apparently standing in the way of efforts to smear Democrats. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Marie Yovanovitch One of the most striking witnesses to give evidence at the public hearings, the former US ambassador to Ukraine received a rare round of applause as she left the committee room after testifying. Canadian-born Yovanovitch was attacked on Twitter by Donald Trump while she was actually testifying, giving Democrats the chance to ask her to respond. She said she found the attack very intimidating. Trump had already threatened her in his 25 July phone call to the Ukrainian president saying: Shes going to go through some things. Yovanovitch said she was shocked, appalled and devastated by the threat and by the way she was forced out of her job without explanation. REUTERS Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Alexander Vindman A decorated Iraq War veteran and an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, Lt Col Vindman began his evidence with an eye-catching statement about the freedoms America afforded him and his family to speak truth to power without fear of punishment. One of the few witnesses to have actually listened to Trumps 25 July call with the Ukrainian president, he said he found the conversation so inappropriate that he was compelled to report it to the White House counsel. Trump later mocked him for wearing his military uniform and insisting on being addressed by his rank. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Jennifer Williams A state department official acting as a Russia expert for vice-president Mike Pence, Ms Williams also listened in on the 25 July phone call. She testified that she found it unusual because it focused on domestic politics in terms of Trump asking a foreign leader to investigate his political opponents. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Kurt Volker The former special envoy to Ukraine was one of the few people giving evidence who was on the Republican witness list although what he had to say may not have been too helpful to their cause. He dismissed the idea that Joe Biden had done anything corrupt, a theory spun without evidence by the president and his allies. He said that he thought the US should be supporting Ukraines reforms and that the scheme to find dirt on Democrats did not serve the national interest. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Tim Morrison An expert on the National Security Council and another witness on the Republican list. He testified that he did not think the president had done anything illegal but admitted that he feared it would create a political storm if it became public. He said he believed the moving the record of the controversial 25 July phone call to a top security server had been an innocent mistake. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Gordon Sondland In explosive testimony, one of the men at the centre of the scandal got right to the point in his opening testimony: Was there a quid pro quo? Yes, said the US ambassador to the EU who was a prime mover in efforts in Ukraine to link the release of military aid with investigations into the presidents political opponents. He said that everyone knew what was going on, implicating vice-president Mike Pence and secretary of state Mike Pompeo. The effect of his evidence is perhaps best illustrated by the reaction of Mr Trump who went from calling Sondland a great American a few weeks earlier to claiming that he barely knew him. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Laura Cooper A Pentagon official, Cooper said Ukrainian officials knew that US aid was being withheld before it became public knowledge in August undermining a Republican argument that there cant have been a quid pro quo between aid and investigations if the Ukrainians didnt know that aid was being withheld. Getty Images Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal David Hale The third most senior official at the state department. Hale testified about the treatment of Marie Yovanovitch and the smear campaign that culminated in her being recalled from her posting as US ambassador to Ukraine. He said: I believe that she should have been able to stay at post and continue to do the outstanding work. EPA Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal Fiona Hill Arguably the most confident and self-possessed of the witnesses in the public hearings phase, the Durham-born former NSC Russia expert began by warning Republicans not to keep repeating Kremlin-backed conspiracy theories. In a distinctive northeastern English accent, Dr Hill went on to describe how she had argued with Gordon Sondland about his interference in Ukraine matters until she realised that while she and her colleagues were focused on national security, Sondland was being involved in a domestic political errand. She said: I did say to him, Ambassador Sondland, Gordon, this is going to blow up. And here we are. AP Trump impeachment: Who's who in the Ukraine scandal David Holmes The Ukraine-based diplomat described being in a restaurant in Kiev with Gordon Sondland while the latter phoned Donald Trump. Holmes said he could hear the president on the other end of the line because his voice was so loud and distinctive and because Sondland had to hold the phone away from his ear asking about the investigations and whether the Ukrainian president would cooperate. REUTERS He then claimed without providing evidence that the media was colluding with the Democratic Party against him, before naming several right-wing media figures he does likes. Think of it, weve done this without the media. So weve had one party totally against us, and their partner is the fake news. And we won. But we have great people - rush just signed another four year contract, he just wants four more years, ok? Rush. Sean Hannity, Laura [Ingraham] a lot of great people. Tucker [Carlsons] been great, he said. The speech came just a day after Mr Trump approved a targeted airstrike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, and as he faces the threat of a hearing in the Senate after a vote last year in the House to impeach him. During the prayer at the start of his appearance in Miami, the pastor praised Mr Trump for his record. He touched upon the presidents changes to food stamp rules that critics say could cut benefits to around 700,000 Americans, saying that Mr Trump has taken millions off of the benefits and shown them the dignity of work. The pastor also prayed thanking God that the president doesnt claim to be perfect, even though Mr Trump has suggested several times that he is the chosen one. He went on to praise Mr Trump for his positions against abortion, just as the Supreme Court is set to consider challenges to abortion restrictions in Louisiana which, with two new conservative Trump-additions to the bench, could result in a major blow to abortion rights in the US. David Lammy has ruled himself out of a Labour leadership bid due to his staunch anti-Brexit stance. The Tottenham MP revealed he 'seriously considered' running to replace Jeremy Corbyn but did not believe he could unite the party after the general election drumming. It comes a day after Jess Phillips became the third MP to toss her name into the ring, joining Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis. Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long Bailey and Lisa Nandy are also understood to be considering running. The Tottenham MP (pictured) revealed he 'seriously considered' running to replace Jeremy Corbyn but did not believe he could unite the party following the general election drumming Mr Lammy, 47, tweeted: 'I'm humbled by all who have encouraged me to stand for Labour leader. 'After serious consideration, I'm ruling myself out. I'm committed to playing my full part in opposition, but we need the candidate best placed to unite our party's factions so we can win the country's trust.' He told the Independent he wants to make a 'full contribution' to uniting the Labour Party after they were trounced by Boris Johnson's Tories last month. But he felt winning back Leave-voting constituencies that turned to the Conservatives would be hard if he was leader due to his Brexit position. He added: 'A key role for the next Labour leader is to win support from and foster unity between different vociferous factions of our party, so that we can win back the trust of our country. I am not the individual best placed for this role at this time.' Launching her bid to become leader yesterday, Ms Phillips posted a short film to Twitter with a message insisting 'politics need honest voices' while urging people to 'join me to make things better' and visit her website. Jess Phillips has claimed she 'would have absolutely no problem in confronting Donald Trump' as she confirmed her Labour leadership bid Jess Phillips became the third MP to toss her name into the ring, joining Emily Thornberry (left) and Clive Lewis (right) Sir Keir Starmer (centre), Rebecca Long Bailey (left) and Lisa Nandy (right) are also understood to be considering running 'I'm standing to be the next Labour Leader. Politics needs honest voices', Mrs Phillips said. 'Only when we are honest again, with ourselves and with the country, will we become the people who get to make the decisions. I cant do this alone. Join me to help make things better.' On Thursday MP for Wigan Lisa Nandy also said she will stand. Miss Nandy, a critic of calls for a second referendum on Brexit, said: Without what were once our Labour heartlands, we will never win power in Westminster ... I have heard you loud and clear. Ms Phillips, 38, launched her bid with former MP Melanie Onn in Grimsby, where she spoke to Channel 4 News about tensions in the Middle East and outgoing leader Mr Corbyn. 'I would have absolutely no problem in confronting Donald Trump,' she said. 'And the reality is that I actually think Donald Trump with somebody like me would respect the fact. 'They might not like what I was saying, but that I would tell him what I thought'. The MP, who has only been in the Commons for five years, also discussed the 'tense situation' between the US and Iran, which was escalated yesterday when Trump ordered an airstrike on Baghdad airport. The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said 10 people were killed in the strikes, including five of its members and Quds commander Qassem Soleimani. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy leader of Hashd al-Shaabi, was among the dead, as well as other Iraqi militia members. 'With regard to what happened... it is harrowing', she said. 'Just as a citizen to wake up to the news that there is a possible escalation of an already tense situation between the US and Iran what I would do if I was the Prime Minister in this situation is seek to be talking to the President of the United States to ask what the outcome of the actions.' 'Because the reason it feels reckless, the reason it feels dangerous is because the faith that we have currently in the current commander in chief is we dont know what the plan is. Whats his plan in taking this action, what plans are there for if it escalates, what are the diplomatic plans as well as interventionist plans? Ms Phillips announced her Labour leadership bid with a short video posted to Twitter on Friday The 38-year-old appeared to rule out succeeding Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader earlier this year, saying the job 'doesn't look like much fun' in April 'I would be seeking to deescalate this situation with diplomacy in any situation possible. Because we dont know what is going to happen and that is reckless if you dont know the outcome of your actions in war and peace, be very very careful before doing anything.' The MP, known for being a straight talker, had seemed to rule out succeeding Mr Corbyn as Labour leader earlier this year, saying the job 'doesn't look like much fun' in April. She now joins shadow foreign secretary Ms Thornberry and shadow treasury minister Mr Lewis as those who have formally declared their bids after what she described as a 'shock' for the Labour Party in last month's election. Who is Jess Phillips? She has been Birmingham Yardley MP since 2015 Before that she worked with victims of domestic abuse for Women's Aid The 38-year-old is married to Tom and they have two sons Her father was a teacher and her mother a senior NHS manager Has long faced opposition from hardline left-wing supporters of Jeremy Corbyn Last year she told how she got 600 rape threats online in a single night, including from Corbynistas Advertisement 'The Labour Party I think has had a shock in the election and it wants to win again', Ms Phillips told Liz Bates. 'None of this matters which faction you are in, who you had a row with in the past, you didnt like so-and-so and you did like this and didnt like that. 'None of that matters unless we can win and I think that the Labour Party recognise that is more important. 'The Labour Party has been a bit exclusive; it has felt a little bit like it was a clique and sometimes it was exclusive. That has got to end and it is as much my responsibility to end it as anyone's'. She added she is going to 'be honest throughout the campaign' and claimed she will 'answer Labour members' questions honestly'. The MP also discussed her use of language in 2015, when she said she 'I won't knife you in the back, I will knife you in the front' while discussing Mr Corbyn. She said: 'One of the reasons that people in the country actually like people like me is because I talk a little bit like them. And that means I will make mistakes. And that means I will admit when I make mistakes as well. 'So yes, if I could turn back time, I would say I wont speak behind Jeremy Corbyns back, I will always tell him to his face'. The mother-of-two added the government is 'scared' of her 340,000 Twitter followers. 'The fact that I have many Twitter followers means that the government is scared when I put it out there and then much more likely to react,' she said. 'Nothing will ever silence me. Every time people like that try and use violence or threats to silence people like me it just gives me fuel to stand up further'. Others are expected to announce their leadership intentions soon, with shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir, and close Corbyn ally Ms Long Bailey widely expected to also run in what could a bitter campaign split down ideological lines. The YouGov poll of Labour Party members found Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey are the two early front-runners for the leadership Ms Phillips, who supported victims of domestic abuse for Women's Aid before entering Parliament in 2015, would appear to be a relatively popular choice with the Labour members who will help select the leader. She came third in a YouGov survey of the membership behind both Sir Keir and shadow business secretary Ms Long-Bailey. Sir Keir would beat Ms Long Bailey, who is the favoured candidate of key figures in the current leadership, in a run-off 61 per cent to 39 per cent, according to the early survey. And Ms Phillips is currently fourth favourites with the bookies behind them both, along with Miss Nandy. She has long faced opposition from hardline left-wing supporters of Mr Corbyn. Last year she told how she was bombarded by 600 online rape threats in a single night from trolls - including some who claimed to be Corbynistas. She also faced repeated vandalism against her constituency office. Ms Phillips supported victims of domestic abuse for Women's Aid before entering Parliament in 2015 Sir Keir was hammering home his campaigning credentials yesterday as he steps up his tilt for Labour's top job The other candidates will be hoping to boost their profiles with the race not expected to formally get under way until Tuesday and a new leader not expected until the end of March. Labour's disastrous election performance that helped Boris Johnson's Tories win an 80-strong majority has been the subject of an intense post-mortem examination. The party's Brexit position, Mr Corbyn's unpopularity and his ambitious left-wing programme have all been the subject of scrutiny. It came after Labour MPs on Thursday warned of 'Operation Stop Keir' after the YouGov poll sparked a furious backlash from left-wingers online. There were claims Sir Keir is not 'socialist' and putting a London-based Remainer in charge would be a 'parody' of what is needed to recover from the election rout. One moderate MP, not a natural cheerleader for Sir Keir, told MailOnline: 'There will be a Stop Keir campaign now... 'The problem the Left has got... is that there is not a united position. 'They have got Saint Jeremy. But who else is there? Long Bailey is not up to it.' The MP predicted the hardline clique that installed Mr Corbyn in the top job would now splinter and turn on each other. 'The Left always starts eating their own children,' they said. 'It happened in the 1980s and it will happen again now. The poll showed Mr Starmer, an arch-Remainer who represents a London constituency, in the lead in every UK region and age group. Mr Starmer has yet to declare formally that he will run, although he has given every indication he plans to. Ms Long Bailey - seen as the preferred choice of Mr Corbyn's allies - has said she is considering a bid, but chairman Ian Lavery is also mulling putting himself forward as the torchbearer of the Left. The China Securities Regulatory Commission said the Shanghai-London Stock Connect is operating as normal. Photo: IC Photo China denied news reports that a struggling stock connect program between the Shanghai and London stock exchanges was halted. Several news outlets including Bloomberg and Reuters reported Thursday that new listings through the Shanghai-London Stock Connect were blocked by Beijing, possibly on political grounds. Reuters, citing public officials and people working on potential Shanghai-London deals, said Britains stance over the Hong Kong protests was one of the issues that prompted the move. In October the British government called the concerns of the citys residents legitimate. Chang Depeng, spokesman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said the media reports were not based on truth. The operation of Shanghai-London Stock Connect has been normal since its inception in June, Chang said Friday at a media briefing. The regulator noticed some companies delaying issuance of global depositary receipts (GDRs) and respects their decision on timing of issuance based on financing needs and market conditions, he said. Shanghai-London Stock Connect is an important initiative in Chinas financial opening, he said. It helps to expand cross-border investment and bilateral financing channels. The CSRC will continue to improve the connect mechanism and strengthen cross-border regulatory cooperation, he said. The Shanghai-London Stock Connect Program was launched June 17, enabling certain companies listed on either bourse to issue depositary receipts on the other. So far, only one company has listed through the program Chinese brokerage Huatai Securities Co. Ltd., which raised $1.54 billion in June from the sale of global depositary receipts in London. After the news report, Huatais GDRs tumbled as much as 11% Thursday, the biggest decline since their listing. At a separate routine press conference Thursday, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang responded to questions on the media reports that the stock connect program was temporarily halted because of political tensions with Britain. He said he wasnt aware of the specific situation but stressed that China hopes the U.K. will provide a fair, just, open and nondiscriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises and create enabling conditions for practical China-U.K. cooperation in various fields. Several Chinese companies have express interest in listing through the connect program, but none has actually done so. Chinese power company SDIC Power Holdings Co. in early December postponed its plan to sell GDRs because of market conditions. China Pacific Insurance in September announced a plan to become the second Chinese company to list its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange. The company hasnt talked about a change of plans, but there has been no further update since September. Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com) Caixin Global has launched Caixin CEIC Mobile, the mobile-only version of its world-class macroeconomic data platform. If youre using the Caixin app, please click here. If you havent downloaded the app, please click here. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! The American military coalition did not strike airstrikes north of Baghdad. Colonel Miles Cuggins, the official representative of the headquarters of Operation Unshakable Determination, reports on Twitter. "In recent days, the coalition has not launched air strikes near the Taji camp north of Baghdad," - it was informed. As we reported, On Friday night, the US military launched an air strike just north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. As a result of the incident, 6 people were killed, and three more were seriously injured A missile attack on Baghdad international airport took place on Friday; the shells killed at least seven people and wounded minimum nine. As a result of attack on Baghdad international airport, the Iranian General Qassem Suleimani died, he was killed on orders from US President Donald Trump. The United States will send three thousand soldiers from 82 airborne divisions to the Middle East due to increased tension in relations with Iran Several thousand protesters attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq on Tuesday due to US air strikes that killed more than two dozen pro-Iran fighters at the weekend. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the attempt to attack the U.S. Embassy in Iraq NEW YORKUnder New Yorks new criminal-justice law, defendants charged with certain hate crimes must be released without bail. This has Jewish people questioning their safety in light of the recent spate in anti-Semitic hate crimes. The police commissioner confirmed to them and other New Yorkers on Jan. 2 that the law can be tweaked. But we need to give judges discretion. said Commissioner Dermot Shea at the town hall at Mount Sinai Jewish Center. For when theres somebody in front of them that is posing a danger to the community, to have common-sense standards, to say, you know what? it would be better for the community, for them to be in jail. In New York, judges cant base their release decision on the potential dangerousness of the defendant. Officials have argued, however, that judges need this ability to stop a revolving door in the criminal justice system under the new law. As an example, last week, a 30-year-old woman allegedly slapped three Jewish women in Crown Heights while making anti-semitic remarks, according to the New York Post. She was released without cash bail in advance of the new law. In a span of a few days, she was then arrested and released multiple times on similar charges. Assessing Danger Mayor Bill de Blasio has also taken issue with the reform, and has urged state legislature to make changes. But, Im still concerned about those who are accused of much more serious crimes and violent crimes, said the mayor at a media briefing in June, according to a transcript obtained by NTD News from the mayors press office. I still believe before this legislature leaves session, they need to take one more step, which is to allow our judges, particularly in the cases of the most violent and serious crimes have the ability to assess the dangerousness of the suspect. But even if this is changed, a few town hall attendees said anti-Semitism will continue if Democrats dont condemn the anti-Semitism in their party. The town hall was hosted by Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY). If they would loudly speak out against the anti-semites in their own party, that would go along way to saying that its not okay, said Daniel Wiseman, a New Yorker and town hall attendee. Another said, when you have it right at the top, in Congress, it leaks down and people feel, well, they got away with it, we can get away with it. Both were referring to Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Omar has used anti-semitic tropes on Twitter. She did apologize for one of her tweets after being rebuked by the Democrats. However, they refused to name her in a resolution condemning anti-Semitism after she made further anti-Semitic remarks. She and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib also support BDS, an anti-Israel movement known to lead to the harassment and intimidation of Jews, according to the AMCHA Initiative (pdf). Correction: A previous version of this story had an error on the outcome of New Yorks bail reform. Before bail reform, New York judges could not base their release decisions on the dangerousness of the defendant. TORONTO - A battle for control of the company that owns the Hudson's Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue retail chains seems to have ended with a victory for the Catalyst Capital Group, which has fought for months to get a better price from a shareholders group led by HBC executive chairman Richard Baker. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - A battle for control of the company that owns the Hudson's Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue retail chains seems to have ended with a victory for the Catalyst Capital Group, which has fought for months to get a better price from a shareholders group led by HBC executive chairman Richard Baker. Based on the latest offer, HBC's equity would be worth roughly $2 billion, about 11 per cent higher than its recent trading value on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Hudson's Bay Co. said Friday that Baker's group has raised its offer by 70 cents or 6.8 per cent, to $11 per share cash, and that Catalyst has conditionally agreed to sell its shares at that price. Catalyst said in a statement that it has the right to withdraw its support under certain circumstances, but indicated it was pleased with the higher price on the table. The new price "delivers significantly more value for all minority shareholders, well above the original proposal of $9.45 per share," Catalyst partner Gabriel de Alba said in a statement. The Baker group had raised its original offer offer to $10.30 per share in response to opposition but Catalyst had enough stock 17.5 per cent of the total to prevent a complete takeover that will allow the continuing shareholders to delist HBC from the public stock market. Catalyst had used various techniques to block the Baker group, including making a counter offer of $11 per share and a successful trip to the Ontario Securities Commission, which directed HBC and the Baker group to provide more information before holding a shareholder vote. That vote is now expected to be held in February. For the Baker group to succeed, it will need to obtain at least 75 per cent of the votes cast by all shareholders and at least a simple majority of votes by minority shareholders, including Catalyst. David Leith, chair of the committee considering the offers, said the new price provides minority shareholders with "compelling and immediate" value. "I would like to commend Catalyst on their constructive approach to getting a transaction agreed which we believe is in the best interests of the company and the minority shareholders," Leith said in a statement. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Despite the overall agreement between the warring factions, there are some conditions that would allow Catalyst to retract its support. Catalyst said that one condition is that TD Securities Inc. provides a new formal valuation of Hudson's Bay Co. prior to the vote and that "the lower end of the range of the fair market value of the HBC Shares is equal to or less than $11." The deal also requires HBC to mail and electronically post an amended management circular by Feb. 14 and that language in the circular complies with an OSC order issued Dec. 18. Friday's announcement comes days after there was an unconfirmed report of a deal that sent HBC shares soaring briefly above $10 on Tuesday. They closed Friday at $9.88 at the Toronto Stock Exchange. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:HBC) The host official emphasised that the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership between the two countries, especially relations between the two ruling parties, have been growing well in recent years. Talking about bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence, he said the two Governments should exert more efforts to effectively carry out the agreements reached between the countries leaders and coordinate with each other to successfully organise activities marking 70 years of diplomatic ties in 2020. Politburo member Vuong highly valued the role and stature of Fidesz in the European nations development, as well as the promotion of multifaceted relations between the two countries. He stressed that the two parties should increase high-level dialogue and implement the signed agreements well, including sharing information and experience and discussing the outstanding issues in the parties and the countries relations, so as to consolidate political trust and set up orientations for bilateral ties in the future. At the meeting, Novak informed her host about the situation of Hungary and Fidesz, affirming that her country considers Vietnam as a partner of leading importance in its Eastern Opening foreign policy and supports economic-trade links between Vietnam and the EU. She also expressed her hope for stronger cooperation between the two parties to create momentum for effectively handling their countries big cooperation projects in time ahead. Also on January 3, Chairman of the CPV Central Committees External Relations Commission Hoang Binh Quan held talks with the Hungarian delegation. The two sides discussed international and regional issues of shared concern, the situation of each party and country, the urgent issues in bilateral economic, trade and investment partnerships, along with ways to press on with implementing the parties cooperation agreements. Paul Quirk is accused of murdering wife Christina Khoo at Esparina Residences on 3 January 2020. (PHOTO: Facebook/Paul Quirk) UPDATE: Added citizenship of Paul Leslie Quirk, who is Australian. SINGAPORE A man was charged in court on Saturday (4 January) with murdering his wife at the Esparina Residences condominium in Buangkok a day earlier. CNA reported that Paul Leslie Quirk was charged with one count of committing the murder of Christina Khoo Gek Hwa, 43, at a third-floor unit in the condominium at 12.07pm on Friday. The prosector asked for the 48-year-old, who is Australian according to the charge sheet, to be remanded at Changi Prisons medical centre for psychiatric observation. According to CNA, District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan ordered Quirk to be remanded for three weeks. He is to return to court on 24 January. Woman pronounced dead at the scene Police had said in a statement that they received a call for assistance at a unit at Esparina Residences around Friday noon. Upon arrival, they found a woman unresponsive in the unit, and she was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Quirk was subsequently arrested, following police investigations. According to his Facebook profile, Quirk had previously worked in podiatry. If convicted of murder, he faces the death penalty. Related story: Woman found dead at Buangkok condo, man arrested WA Attorney General John Quigley has defended a judge's decision to release a former violent Perth rapist, still considered in 2018 to be a "serious danger", back in the community under "extraordinary circumstances". Christopher John Bentley, 57, who was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting a teenage babysitter as well as two other women in 2000 and 2001, was released from jail on Christmas Eve after Supreme Court judge Michael Corboy determined Bentley would lose the position gained on the social housing waitlist after eight years of waiting, if he remained locked up. The Western Australian Supreme Court heard the case before Christmas. Credit:Erin Jonasson In a statement on Friday afternoon, Mr Quigley said the Department of Public Prosecutions had opposed Bentley's release, calling for a continuing detention order instead. However, he said Justice Corboy's ruling fell within Labor's sex offender laws, which allowed a dangerous sex offender to be released if a judge was satisfied they wouldn't break release conditions. The funeral of Marian Finucane will take place in Co Kildare on Tuesday. It will be held at midday at St. Brigids Church in Kill, and will be followed by a private burial. Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday urged parents to visit the schools as the city government organised a mega parent-teacher meeting (PTM) in its schools. In a tweet in Hindi, he said for the future of the students, the conversation between the parents and teachers is very important. Today, there is a parent-teacher meeting in the Delhi government schools. I request all the parents to visit the schools. To prepare your childs future, it is very important that there should be a conversation between the parents and teachers, he said. He also said that the people should be discharged from work if their children are studying in a government school. The Mega PTM in the Delhi government schools was launched in July 2016 after the Aam Aadmi Party came to power. The government claimed it has significantly enhanced parent-teacher interaction and partnership in childrens education. In the final weeks of the last year, there were reports that Russia successfully tested RuNet, its domestic internet that would be cut off from the global internet. Specifics of the exercise are not known whether, for example, it was really successful and what challenges it faced but it made for an ominous end to a decade which has been marked by a growing disillusionment with the concept of the internet as a liberating force. This was always on the cards when Russia and China started working together in the lead up to the formers Yarovaya law, which imposed geographical restrictions on the transfer of Russian users data. In December 2019, Russia had also passed a law making it mandatory for devices sold in the country to be embedded with Russian apps from July 2020. While it does not specify which devices and apps are covered, critics of the law are concerned that its vague nature opens the door for it to be misused to force the installation of spyware. Russia is not alone in this quest though, China is the pioneer and others like North Korea and Iran are along for the ride as well. After a week-long nationwide internet shutdown in response to protests and an exercise by government officials to collate critical 'foreign' websites sparking speculation about the creation of a whitelist of allowed sites, Irans National Intranet Network (NIN) is once again in the spotlight. This was followed by a statement from President Rouhani that the network was being strengthened so that people will not need foreign networks to meet their needs. North Korea too has a tightly controlled domestic internet, Kwangmyong, whose content is largely controlled by the state. Chinas Great Firewall (GFW) has been around for over a decade and is not a unitary system as it is often made out to be. It uses a combination of manual and automated techniques to block global content but largely works on the principle of blacklisting unwanted websites/content. Many international websites do work but are extremely slow because of the scanning and filtering that inbound internet traffic to the country is put through. For a website to operate from inside Mainland China, a number of local permits are required depending on the industry. Much of the internet backbone is state-controlled. It has continued to tighten the noose through a combination of restrictive regulation and stricter interpretation of existing rules. A highly-restrictive Cybersecurity law passed in 2015 called for mandatory source code disclosures. In 2016, it set out specifications for an Information Security Management System that aimed to automate the ability of provincial authorities to monitor/filter internet traffic. In 2017, it tweaked licensing rules to ensure that permits would only be issued to domains that are registered to a Mainland China-based company. The extent to which these rules are enforced may vary, but it leaves a Sword of Damocles in the states toolkit that it can drop whenever it chooses to do so. By constantly increasing the costs of doing business for non-Chinese companies, it has achieved chinternet without explicitly cutting the cord yet. Fears of a splinternet along national boundaries or balkanisation of the internet are not new. But the likelihood is now higher than ever before as governments try to take control over cyberspace after ceding space in its early years. Research by the Oxford Internet Institute and Freedom House have revealed the use of disinformation campaigns and the co-option of social media for manipulation and surveillance by various governments. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in support of a Russia-backed Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) has drawn criticism from others on the ground that it prioritises cyber sovereignty and domestic control of the internet over human rights. Countries that advocate a free-and-open internet are in a bind over whether to participate in the group or cede control in the global norm-setting process. Continued passage of regulation by various countries that have extraterritorial application will fragment the internet and strengthen the constituency favouring cyber sovereignty. NayaBharatNet a possibility? India has yet to articulate its position on some of the divisive issues concerning global norms in cyberspace, yet it has repeatedly stressed on the principle of cyber sovereignty positioning it alongside the Sino-Russian camp. While it seems to have softened its position on data localisation, for now, similar rhetoric about national sovereignty and security has been used by Russia and China in the past. Authoritarianism by the Indian state is also surely on the rise events that unfolded in 2019 provide ample empirical evidence for this. The fact that various police departments are proactively taking to social media channels to threaten/deter posts that run contrary to the state's narrative and the frequent use of internet shutdowns show that the desire to control the internet is extremely strong. International criticism has repeatedly been portrayed as mischief by a foreign hand. The creation of a strictly regulated domestic digital echo chamber is not unimaginable in this context. In fact, it is a logical next step as the current tactics are bound to have diminishing returns over time. Today, the economy (political or otherwise) for such a move does not exist. The IT Industry would obviously vigorously oppose it. And unlike China, the telecommunication backbone infrastructure is not state-owned, but the sector as a whole is probably the weakest it has ever been and tending towards a monopoly/duopoly. It also has a history of being regulated with a heavy hand. Until now, India has followed a policy of denying cyber intrusions or claiming that no significant harm was done. However, in the aftermath of undeniable real-world harm inflicted by a cyber attack, the overton window could move towards supporting such an initiative for national security and could very well be exploited. Some time in the not so distant future, we could all be communicating using Kimbho on NayaBharatNet. (Prateek Waghre is a research analyst at The Takshashila Institution) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the authors own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, said Nigerians should not continue going abroad for medical treatment. Nigerians have suffered so much going abroad for medical treatment. This is not good for us and it must stop because we cant afford it again, he said. The President, who himself had travelled to the United Kingdom for treatment on several occasions, stated this at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, during the inauguration and handover of completed projects to the management of the hospital. He explained that the project was executed to check flooding and gully erosion in the hospital. The President, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, lamented the devastating effects of flooding in the South-East geo-political zone, saying the intervention project would bring relief to the hospital, the state and its neighbours. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates - Rapper Cardi B has reacted to a photoshopped picture of her daughter Kulture - The image shows the adorable little one dressed in a Yoruba outfit - Cardi B noted that the image is cute Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in American rapper Cardi B appears to have completely fallen in love with Nigeria and this is evident in the way she talks about the country. Recall that YEN.com.gh previously reported that the rapper in a post shared on micro blogging platform, Twitter, disclosed her intention to file for Nigerian citizenship and had gotten the attention of several residents of the country on social media. In a following development, the rapper has now reacted to a manipulated image of her adorable daughter, Kulture. The image shows the little girl donned in a traditional Yoruba outfit that featured a headgear, wrapper and local accessories. READ ALSO: Nakeeyat dazzles with spoken-word performance in honour of Osei Kwame Despite (video) The Twitter user who posted the image had asked Cardi about the Nigerian name that will be given to her daughter. Reacting, the Money crooner simply noted that the image is so cute. See the exchange between them below: READ ALSO: Rich Ghanaians who lost their businesses in 2019 Followers flooded her comment section with reactions to the image. Check out what some of them had to say: Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh previously reported that days after Cardi B jetted out of Nigeria, the rapper revealed via her Instagram story that she is already missing the country. The 27-year-olds visit caused a lot of stir especially on social media. In other stories, YEN.com.gh earlier reported that while news about Ghanaian actress, Akuapem Poloo, dominated online portals in December following her 'meet and greet' with Cardi B, her recent attempt to gained attention failed to receive any response from the American rapper. The Ghanaian video vixen and social media star generated buzz around her personality during her encounter with American rapper Card B when she visited Ghana in December. Poloo sent a good-will message as the year 2020 unfolded on January 1 to her spiritual twinny, however, it failed to yield any attention. READ ALSO: Hon. Aponkye in tears after GHC500 gift and day out with Nana Aba (video) Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Thousands of people gathered in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq on January 4 to mourn Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader killed one day earlier in a U.S. air strike in the Iraqi capital that has escalated already heightened tensions in the region and Iran warned has "started a military war." In the evening of January 4, a rocket fell inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy, another hit the nearby Jadriya neighborhood, and two more rockets were fired at the Balad air base north of the city, but no one was killed, the Iraqi military said in a statement. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Meanwhile, a southern Iranian military commander pledged on January 4 that his country "will punish Americans wherever they are within Tehran's reach," Reuters reported, citing Iran's Tasnim news agency. General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander in Kerman Province, said The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there." He said that Iran had identified "vital American targets in the region" and that "some 35 U.S. targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach," the agency quoted Abuhamzeh as saying. NATO announced later on January 4 that it is suspending a training mission for soldiers in the Iraqi army. "The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary," acting NATO spokesman Dylan White said in a statement. Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign legions, was killed in the U.S. strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport. Iran-backed Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed. Many of the participants in the funeral procession in Iraq waved Iraqi national flags or the banners of militias amid chants of "Death to America!" Mourners later brought the bodies by car to the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala, south of Baghdad, then to Najaf, another sacred Shi'ite city, where they were met by the son of Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and where Muhandis and the other Iraqis killed will be laid to rest. Soleimani is to be buried in his hometown of Kerman on January 7, state media reported. Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi was among those who joined the march. Abdul-Mahdi has stayed on to head a caretaker government since his resignation last month amid public protests over government failures and concern at perceived Iranian influence in Iraq, as well as at the political system put in place after the U.S.-led coalition ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by telephone on January 4 and emerged urging the United States not to "abuse" the use of force and resolve issues "via dialogue," according to Reuters. Wang also said Beijing would play a constructive role in maintaining peace and security in the Persian Gulf region. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he had spoken with Wang and with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas about the situation in the Middle East and that all agreed on the need to preserve Iraqi sovereignty and stability, Reuters reported. Le Drian also said Paris, Berlin, and Beijing agreed on the importance of ensuring that Tehran does not violate the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to trade sanctions relief for limits on Iran's nuclear activities. Zarif also discussed the killing of Soleimani with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a phone call on January 3, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Lavrov expressed his condolences over the killing," according to the statement issued January 4. "The ministers stressed that such actions by the United States grossly violate the norms of international law." Tehran has taken what it has described as "steps toward" abrogating the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) since Trump announced in 2018 that the United States was withdrawing from it and reimposing tough sanctions on Iran. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said late on January 3 that the attack "in fact was an act of war on the part of the United States and against Iranian people." "Last night they started a military war by assassinating by an act of terror against one of our top generals. So what else can be expected of Iran to do? We cannot just remain silent. We have to act and we will act," Ravanchi told CNN. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of severe retaliation." Ali Fadavi, a top IRGC commander, told Iranian state television late on January 3 that the United States "resorted to diplomatic measures...on Friday morning" after the attack. He claimed that the Americans had "even said that if you want to get revenge, get revenge in proportion to what we did," according to AFP. U.S. President Donald Trump said that he ordered the attack to stop a war and that the slain general had been in the process of organizing imminent and sinister attacks on U.S. interests and allies. Trump's comments came shortly before new reports out of Iraq suggested that a second drone strike early on January 4 near Camp Taji north of Baghdad had hit the convoy of an Iran-backed militia. But a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq said early on January 4 that its forces have not conducted air strikes near Camp Taji in recent days. The Iraqi military later similarly denied that any such attack had taken place. Trumps order to strike at Iran's top general has met with praise from his supporters, concern from his domestic and foreign critics, and calls for an easing of tensions from many in the global community. "We took action to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war," Trump said. "We do not seek regime change in Iran," he said, but added that the United States knew the location of its enemies and that he was "prepared to take any action that's necessary," in particular regarding Iran. Washington blames Iran-backed militias for attacks on U.S. and Iraqi personnel and sites, including on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, which was overrun by pro-Iran groups earlier in the week. Trump and many in the West also blame Iran for sponsoring terror groups throughout the region, an accusation Tehran has denied. WATCH: The U.S. strike that killed Qasem Soleimani has caused shock and confusion among the ranks of Iran-backed Shi'ite militias in Iraq. That's according to Radio Sawa correspondent Saleem Al-Abbasi. Late on January 3, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited conversations with Middle Eastern and other partners in the previous two days, hinting at tensions between Washington and Europe. "I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance. They've all been fantastic," Pompeo told Fox News. "And then talking to our partners in other places that haven't been quite as good. Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be." Members of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants have suspended the training of Iraqi security forces amid the heightened tensions, according to announcements by Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden quoted by dpa. The German military reportedly said it was a precautionary step to protect soldiers deployed in Iraq under Operation Inherent Resolve. Later on January 4, a NATO spokesperson confirmed the alliance had suspended its training missions in Iraq. The United States last week sent in some 750 additional troops amid the unrest. The United Kingdom on January 4 advised its nationals against travel to Iraq or parts of Iran. Soleimani was head of Irans Quds Force, the foreign arm of Irans IRGC, and has been blamed for orchestrating deadly attacks throughout the region. The Quds Force has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States. Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Irans influential Expediency Council, suggested that Israel had provided intelligence that contributed to the operation that killed Soleimani. [Soleimani] entered Baghdad from Syria last night," Rezaee said on Iranian state television late on January 3. "After his plane landed, he got into the car with Abu Mahdi [al-Muhandis], who had been waiting for him, and...they were [killed] by a U.S. air strike after passing a checkpoint. There is a high possibility that Israel had taken information from Syria about his flight and passed the intelligence to America." The IRGC, which helps oversee the Quds Force, said Soleimani would be laid to rest on January 7 in his hometown of Kerman after three days of ceremonies across Iran. The attack also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a deputy commander of the Iran-backed PMF militia in Iraq. Prior to the official U.S. and Iraqi denials, Newsweek quoted unnamed Pentagon officials as saying that a drone strike targeted the Iman Ali Brigades and that there was a "high probability" that leader Shubul al-Zaidi was killed. The militia cited an attack but said the convoy was a humanitarian mission and that medics, not senior militia leaders, were killed. The January 3 U.S. strike on one of Irans most powerful military leaders raised concerns of potential retaliatory action by Tehran that could lead to a widespread armed conflict. Iran on January 3 sent a letter to the UN secretary-general and the Security Council stating that Tehran reserves all of its rights under international law to take necessary measures in response to the killings. WATCH: Radio Farda Director Mehdi Parpanchi Says Slain Quds Force Commander 'Irreplaceable' For Iran The United States said it was sending some 3,000 more troops to the Middle East and it urged Americans to immediately leave Iraq amid the raised tensions. With reporting by Radio Farda, AP, Reuters, AFP, and dpa VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2020 / Victory Resources Corporation (CSE:VR)(FWB:VR61)(OTC:VRCFF) ("Victory" or the "Company") announces that it has extended the expiry date of an aggregate of 38,357,904 previously issued warrants (the "Warrants") for an additional 2 years. The Warrants were originally issued January 22, 2018, with an original expiry date of January 21, 2020. The 18,937,904 non-flow through Warrants entitles the holder to purchase a common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.06875 (post forward split). The 19,420,000 flow through Warrants entitles the holder to purchase a common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.0525 (post forward split). The exercise price of the Warrants remains unchanged. For further information, please contact: David Lane, President Telephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 E-mail: IR@victoryresourcescorp.com About Victory Resources Corporation VICTORY RESOURCES CORPORATION (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The company is also currently seeking other opportunities. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. SOURCE: Victory Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/572032/Victory-Resources-Extends-Expiry-Date-of-Certain-Warrants Tens of thousands of Iraqis mourned a top Iranian commander and others killed in a US drone attack, before near-simultaneous mortar and rocket attacks targeted American troops late Saturday. The killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, which pledged to send thousands more troops to the region, amid fears of a regional proxy war between the foes. In the first hints of a possible retaliatory response, mortar rounds hit an area near the US embassy in Baghdad on Saturday, security sources told AFP. Moments later, two rockets slammed into an Iraqi base where American troops are deployed, security sources said. The Iraqi military confirmed the missile attacks in Baghdad and on Balad base and said there were no casualties. US troops and diplomats had been bracing themselves for more rocket attacks following the precision drone strike that killed Iran's military mastermind Soleimani. On Saturday, Iraqi political leaders and clerics attended the mass ceremony to honour 62-year-old Soleimani and the other nine victims of the hit on Baghdad airport. Trump had said Soleimani was planning an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and the roughly 5,200 American troops deployed in Baghdad. A furious Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of Soleimani, the chief architect of its military operations across the Middle East. "The response for a military action is a military action," Iranian ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi told CNN, calling the strike an "act of war". "By whom, by when, where? That is for the future to witness." World powers quickly called for a de-escalation, and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani was in Tehran on Saturday for talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. The pair discussed Soleimani's killing, with Zarif insisting Iran did "not want tension in the region". Zarif had earlier rebuffed a diplomatic effort by the United States, who sent a letter to Iranian officials through a Swiss envoy, as Tehran and Washington have not had direct diplomatic ties for decades. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Washington had used "diplomatic measures" to urge Tehran to respond "in proportion" to the strike -- a message Zarif slammed as "foolish". Switzerland confirmed Saturday its charge d'affaires had delivered a message from the US to Iran. The US strike killed a total of five Iranian Guards and five members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network, whose members have close ties to Tehran. Among the dead was Hashed's deputy head Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a top adviser and personal friend to Soleimani. Mass ceremonies started in Baghdad on Saturday for them, with Iraq's caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi and top pro-Iran figures in large crowds accompanying the coffins. Tens of thousands of mourners across the country waved white Hashed flags and massive portraits of Iranian and Iraqi leaders, furiously calling for "revenge" and "Death to America!" The remains were moved from Baghdad to the shrine city of Karbala and would ultimately end up in Najaf, where the Iraqis will be buried. The Guards' remains would be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning and religious rituals. As head of the Guards' foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw Iran's wide-ranging interventions in regional power struggles. He had long been considered a lethal foe by Washington, with Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago". Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge" for Soleimani's death and Tehran named Soleimani's deputy, Esmail Qaani, to succeed him. Iraqis worry the US strike could unleash tit-for-tat strikes between the Hashed and the US. Early on Saturday, the Hashed claimed a new strike had hit their convoy north of Baghdad, with Iraqi state media blaming the US. But the US-led coalition denied involvement, telling AFP: "There was no American or coalition strike." About 5,200 US troops are stationed across Iraq to help fight IS. They have faced a spate of rocket attacks that the US has blamed on pro-Iran factions and which last month killed an American contractor. Following tensions, NATO said it was suspending its training activities in Iraq and a US defence official told AFP that American-led coalition forces would "limit" operations. "Our first priority is protecting coalition personnel," the official said, saying surveillance had shifted from IS to watching for incoming rocket attacks. Iraq's pro-Iran factions have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament, which convenes Sunday, to revoke the security agreement allowing US forces on Iraqi soil. While praying over Muhandis's remains in Baghdad, top Hashed official Hadi al-Ameri pledged to avenge him by ousting US troops. "Be reassured that the price of your pure blood will be the departure of American troops from Iraq, forever," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American Tower Corporation AMT is making efforts to expand its footprint in Africa. The company recently closed the previously-announced buyout of Eaton Towers Holdings Limited. This has enabled the company to add around 5,700 communications sites in its African portfolio. Total purchase consideration, subject to post-closing adjustments, approximated $1.85 billion. This included the assumption of Eaton Towers existing debt. The transaction will enhance American Towers scale in five African markets, including Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. When the transaction was announced in May 2019, the company had anticipated the assets to generate nearly $260 million in property revenues and another $165 million in gross margin, in the first full year of addition in American Towers portfolio. American Tower has also announced an agreement with its joint venture (JV) partner MTN Group Limited to acquire the latters minority stakes in each of their JVs in Ghana and Uganda, for an aggregate consideration of $523 million. Subject to regulatory approvals, the deal is anticipated to close in first-quarter 2020. The transaction will also result in a one-time impact of roughly $65 million in 2020 from the payment of the previously-deferred cash interest associated to JV debt. Notably, most of the companys African markets are in relatively earlier stages of technology evolution, network capacity and mobile-data usage. In fact, declining smartphone prices and higher 4G penetration are fueling mobile-data usage. This, is turn, is spurring demand for towers in the region, both for the existing sites as well as for new builds. Further, given the limited fixed-line infrastructure in Africa, and wireless broadband been recognized by African governments as key aspects of economic modernization plan, there is significant opportunity for the communications real estate over an extended time horizon. Story continues Amid these underlying opportunities, the transactions to expand in the African markets will enable the company to take advantage of growth opportunities in the region. Moreover, rapid growth in mobile data usage is not just a U.S. phenomenon, but a global one. Hence, American Tower is ramping-up its investments in international business. This has supported the companys bottom-line growth. In fact, total international property revenues for third-quarter 2019 amounted to $826 million, up 4% year over year. However, the company has a substantially leveraged balance sheet. Such high-debt levels might impede cash-flow growth, which is needed to meet future debt obligations. In fact, the payment of previously-deferred cash interest related to the JV transaction will further hinder its cash flow. In the past six months, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 8.7%, outperforming the industrys rally of 2.4%. Stocks to Consider EastGroup Properties, Inc. EGP currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). The companys funds from operations (FFO) per share estimates for 2019 have been revised marginally upward to $4.96 in two months time. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Duke Realty's DRE Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 FFO per share has moved marginally north to $1.44 in the past two months. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2, at present. PS Business Parks, Inc. PSB Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 FFO per share has remained unchanged at $6.74 over the past month. Currently, it carries a Zacks Rank of 2. Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity. A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time. See 8 breakthrough stocks 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 American Tower Corporation (REIT) (AMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report PS Business Parks, Inc. (PSB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Duke Realty Corporation (DRE) : Free Stock Analysis Report EastGroup Properties, Inc. (EGP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The initial offer for Amazon's now-canceled New York City HQ2 included $800 million more in tax credits and grants than its final $3 billion offer, the Wall Street Journal reports. The big picture: Amazon is moving to New York City without the much-publicized HQ2 package. The company said in December it signed a new lease for 335,000 square feet in the city's Hudson Yards neighborhood. What they're saying: A New York Empire State Development (ESD) official told the WSJ on Friday "that the initial offer was higher to reflect the original, larger scope of HQ2 and to draw Amazon to the negotiating table." "The workforce incentives were designed with upstate areas in mind, the official said, and to help disadvantaged populations," the WSJ reports. Details: New York states larger offer to Amazon as part of the nationwide 2017 HQ2 competition included $1.1 billion in grants and "$1.4 billion of tax credits based on the number of employees hired," per WSJ. The initial offer, made in Oct. 2017, marked hundreds of millions of dollars more than what the ESD proposed a year later, per its memorandum of understanding. Go deeper: Big Tech continues real estate spree in New York Amazons arrival is transformational and validates everything weve been saying for 20 years about both the reality and potential of Northern Virginia, said Bobbie Kilberg, chief executive of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. As Amazon grows, she said, it will spin off companies and attract others to the area, and the tech sector will really ramp up over the next five years. For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers. A measuring gauge on Madden Dam shows the water level of Lake Alajuela, one of two artificial lakes that supply water and electricity to the Panama Canal, 25 April 2019. Photo: Arnulfo Franco / AP Photo 31 December 2019 (DW) The Panama Canals handover from the United States 20 years ago has been marked in Panama amid water supply worries. Managers say less rainfall due to climate change has depleted the inter-ocean conduits Gatun Lake. President Laurentino Cortizo hoisted a giant Panamanian flag outside Canal headquarters Tuesday as its operators mused over low water levels compounded by its expansion in 2016 into a third lane to serve mega ships transiting between Asia and the US eastern seaboard. Recurrent droughts left the 80 kilometer-long (50 mile) system of locks with only 3 billion cubic meters of water this past year, instead of the 5.2 billion cubic meters needed, according to the canal authority (ACP). Gatun Lake, which sustains the waterway and provides local drinking water, is also losing volume by evaporation, with its temperature up 1.5 Celsius in the past decade. Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez on Tuesday blamed climate change, drawing attention to Panamas costly ideas of desalinating seawater or building reservoirs. Aerial view of trees that used to be submerged but are now exposed due to the low water levels of Lake Gatun, on the Panama Canal, 21 April 2019. Carlos Vargas, vice president of environment and water for the Canal Authority, said recently that Gatun, one of the largest artificial lakes in the world was 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) below normal levels for this time of year, having descended more than a half-foot (0.2 meters) since early April. Photo: Arnulfo Franco / AP Photo Currently, the regions rainfall deficit is 27% compared with the average, said the ACP. Already, canal officials fear that ships transiting Pacific-Atlantic waters across the narrow Central American isthmus will opt for other global routes, such as Egypts Suez Canal or Arctic transits north of Russia or Canada as polar ice melts. The Panama Canal handled 451 million tons of goods in 2019, representing 3.5% of world trade down from 5% previously. Consolidation of Asian economies, amid US-China trade standoffs, had also put the canals prospects in difficulty said Horacio Estribi, an adviser to Panamas economy minister. [more] Water shortages dog Panama Canal, 20 years after its transfer A cargo ship transits the Panama Canal on 21 April 2019 on its way to the Atlantic Ocean, while tree trunks that used to be submerged are exposed due to the low water levels of Gatun lake, Panama. An intense drought related to this years El Nino phenomenon has precipitously lowered the level of Panamas Gatun Lake, forcing the countrys Canal Authority to impose draft limits this week on ships moving through the waterways recently expanded locks. Photo: Arnulfo Franco / AP Photo Drought hits Panama Canal shipping, highlights climate fears By Juan Zamorano and Arnulfo Franco 30 April 2019 GATUN, Panama (AP) An intense drought related to this years El Nino phenomenon has precipitously lowered the level of Panamas Gatun Lake, forcing the countrys Canal Authority to impose draft limits this week on ships moving through the waterways recently expanded locks. The restrictions on how deep the vessels can reach below the surface means large ships, primarily from the United States and China, must pass through with less cargo, which translates into lower revenue for the voyages. The driest period in memory for the canal basin is also hitting small indigenous villages that depend on tourism along the tributaries of the inter-oceanic passage. The economic hit to canal operators stands to be minor an estimated $15 million this year, compared with the $2.5 billion in revenue generated in 2018. But the drought and the resulting restrictions highlight the difficulties Panama faces in satisfying increased demand for fresh water to feed the canal while irrigating fields and keeping the taps flowing in the capital as climate change threatens more extreme weather events. This year I do not think there will be problems with drinking water due to the resources we have, Steve Paton, who heads the long-term climate monitoring program at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, said, referring to an accumulation of rainfall from the last rainy season. Madden Dam control operator Luis Luque checks a chart with the daily rain averages that fell over Lake Alajuela, on the Panama Canal, in Chilibre, Panama, 25 April 2019. Last year marked one of the highest amounts of rainfall on record for the basin, which experts say has helped cushion the ravages of the current drought. Photo: Arnulfo Franco / AP Photo As for the future, it is difficult to forecast, Paton continued. But we are observing in the canal area that climatic events are becoming increasingly extreme. The biggest droughts and the eight or nine largest storms have occurred in the last 20 years, in the same way that 2014 to 2016 were the driest years in the canals history. El Nino is a recurring phenomenon in which warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific lead to drier than usual conditions in some areas and wetter in others. Carlos Vargas, vice president of environment and water for the Canal Authority, said recently that Gatun one of the largest artificial lakes in the world, with an area of 168 square miles (436 square kilometers) was 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) below normal levels for this time of year. It has dropped more than a half foot (0.2 meters) since early April. A smaller lake that also supplies the waterway, Alajuela, was 7.2 feet (2.2 meters) below usual. These low levels in the Panama Canal are the product of four or five months of almost zero precipitation, Vargas told The Associated Press. It really has been the driest dry season weve had in the history of the canal. The flow of rivers to the lake is down 60 percent. [more] Drought hits Panama Canal shipping, highlights climate fears The crowd, a diverse mix of young activists and grizzled protest veterans, stood under gray skies, cheering and chanting as speakers railed against the administration and the prospect of a war with Iran. Actress and activist Jane Fonda was among those who addressed the protesters, saying that the climate movement and the peace movement must be one movement. Tourists passing by took selfies with demonstrators, and a combination of Secret Service, Metropolitan Police and U.S. Park Police officers watched the peaceful proceedings from a short distance. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 09:44:34|Editor: Liu Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) senior officials on Friday condemned the recent military escalation in and around Libyan capital Tripoli, which has been witnessing a violent war between the east-based army and the UN-backed government. "I am horrified by these senseless indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and civilian infrastructure that continue to take innocent lives," said Yacoub El Hillo, deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general in Libya. According to the UN Support Mission in Libya, at least 11 civilians have been killed, and more than 40 others injured since early December 2019. El Hillo, also UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Libya, said that more than 6,000 medical and non-medical staff continue to risk their lives to provide medical care in the region, and at least 72,000 medical consultations per month will be stopped if the conflict continues. "Attacks against schools, medical facilities and civilian infrastructure are a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law and deprive the most vulnerable of their rights to education and medical care," said El Hillo. "These acts of violence against civilians, humanitarian workers and civilian infrastructure are deplorable, and I condemn them in the strongest terms," he said. "Those responsible for these attacks should be held accountable and end impunity for those committing war crimes and grave violations against civilian populations in Libya," he said. Since April, the east-based army has been leading a military campaign in and around Tripoli in an attempt to take the city from the government, killing and injuring thousands, and displacing more than 120,000 civilians. Joy Ranch reopens under new ownership Joy Ranch near Watertown has reopened under new ownership. If we start a precedent of somebody who is a winner basically banning someone from employment, where does it end? And so, I think what Gardiner should focus on is what matters to his ward, the mayor said. "He doesnt have a say over my hiring decisions, nor does any other alderman. I respect the views that aldermen bring to the table, but at the end of the day Im going to make the calls that I think are in the best interests of the city, and thats what I did in this instance. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi declared three days of mourning in the country, following the killing of Iran's IRGC Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani, Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and six others in the US targeted airstrike in Baghdad. Thousands of mourners on Saturday joined the formal funeral procession in Iraq for Soleimani, who was killed a day before near Baghdad's international airport in an airstrike ordered by US President Donald Trump, reported CNN. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the killing of Iran's elite IRGC Qassem Soleimani by US military was aimed 'to stop a war, not to start a war.' He also said that Qassem was plotting attacks on US diplomats and military personnel before he was killed. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria. Iran is also observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EAST NEWARK A fading sign in the boroughs Senior Center says the main rooms maximum occupancy is 64. Friday afternoon, when the boroughs first new mayor in 32 years was ceremonially sworn in, more than triple that number of people packed into the room to bear witness. Dina Grilo, a native of the tiny borough who ousted longtime uncontested incumbent Joseph Smith in the June primary, is only the second woman to ever serve as mayor in Hudson County. For those of you who encouraged me to take on this journey, thank you, Grilo said Friday. Here I am. First Lady of New Jersey Tammy Murphy who joined local mayors, assembly members, senators and the county executive at the ceremony said Grilo will bring extra motivation to the job because she grew up in the town she now leads. Taking on a leadership position in the community in which you live requires being available and accountable to everyone in the community, she said. Grilo has previously said that she ran because people she knew in East Newark were looking for a change. She had never run for office before and interest in municipal government came from simply being a taxpayer, she said. Over the years, she noticed public services in the borough appeared to be faltering. The recreation center had been closed for years and there were not enough police officers, which she said were symptoms of a laser focus on stabilizing taxes. The city is also ready for redevelopment, she said, which she wants to orchestrate collaboratively with developers. You have to adapt to the changing times, but you can still keep that hometown feel, Grilo said in an interview the week before she was elected mayor. Speakers at the ceremony noted that Grilos perspective of the borough is also that of a daughter of immigrants. Grilos parents settled in East Newark after departing from Portugal. The new mayors appointment marks a transition for the borough, and the county is ready to support Grilo in any way it can, said County Executive Tom DeGise. The torch has been passed to a new generation, he said. As Grilo concluded her remarks, she held back tears. Yes we are a very small borough, she said, "and we have a very big heart. If a Republican member of Congress felt it was in his partisan interest to protect President Donald Trump, that member's vote would be justified. The process of impeachment is a political one and no one should be critical of a politician's partisanship. Unfortunately, that was not the reason given by most Republican members of Congress who claimed "lack of due process" and "no underlying crime." Both arguments are specious and disingenuous. Those who claim the president was denied due process have likened the impeachment trial to a criminal prosecution where the accused should be able to confront his accuser and participate in his own defense. One Republican representative said that "Pontius Pilate afforded more right to Jesus that the Democrats have afforded this president in this process." Without addressing the absurdity and inaccuracy of that statement, the fact is that in the hearing before the judiciary committee, the president was offered the opportunity to have his lawyer present, question witnesses, and present a formal defense, but White House counsel declined to participate, calling the inquiry "biased." Protections afforded criminal defendants such as "due process" are not constitutionally mandated in impeachment, nor is the president given a right to participate in the impeachment proceedings themselves. Impeachment is not a judicial proceeding it is, as described by Alexander Hamilton, a "political process" which, by its very nature, is biased. And the process is beyond judicial review, which is why it was a diversion for the president to tweet, "If the partisan Dems ever tried to impeach, I would first head to the U.S. Supreme Court." The Supreme Court has already unanimously ruled that impeachment is a "nonjusticiable political question." This was succinctly stated by now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a 2009 Law Review article in which he wrote: "No single prosecutor, judge, or jury should be able to accomplish what the Constitution assigns to the Congress." The other reason given by many Republicans for denouncing the impeachment is that there is no proof of a crime. The implication is that unless there is a violation of a criminal statute, there cannot be a constitutional "high crime or misdemeanor." Although the terms "high crimes and misdemeanors" may seem vague to us today, the founders made it clear at the time that an impeachable offense need not be a "crime" or a convictable offense. In the debates at the Constitutional Convention leading up to the impeachment clause, our founders felt as Sen. Lindsey Graham put it in his prior incarnation when urging the impeachment of President Bill Clinton that "impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office." Although Graham may have changed his mind when it comes to our current president, the constitutional standard for impeachment remains the same. Our founders were fearful that an elected president would assume powers not given him by the Constitution that after his election he might act like a king for his own benefit and consider himself above the law. The founders made it clear that impeachment should be applied to "the misconduct of public men." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Charles Pinckney of South Carolina and Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania were opposed to the impeachment process, arguing that if the president "should be re-elected, that will be sufficient proof of his innocence." Although Republicans during Trump's impeachment hearings made the same argument, that the "voters should decide" whether to keep the president in office, George Mason (who virtually wrote our Bill of Rights), and James Madison (the father of our Constitution), expressed a different view that prevailed at the Constitutional Convention. Mason suggested: "Shall the man who has practiced corruption, and by that means procured his appointment in the first instance, be suffered to escape punishment by repeating his guilt?" Madison argued that the Constitution needed an impeachment provision "for defending the community against the incapacity, negligence, or perfidy of the Chief Magistrate." It was not enough to wait and see if the voters wanted to keep him in office. "He might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation" embezzlement "or oppression," Madison warned. "He might betray his trust to foreign powers." Impeachment can stand alone as an action taken by the House of Representatives finding the president guilty of "high crimes and misdemeanors." The Senate can neither "quash" an impeachment nor "exonerate" the president. If "removal" is sought, that can only be done by the Senate. Further, if it is found that the president has committed a convictable crime, the Constitution provides that "the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law." Those who believe the only way to punish a president is through impeachment are mistaken. No matter what the Senate decides, and despite Trump's raging at "an illegal, invalid, and unconstitutional bullshit impeachment," the fact remains that President Trump was impeached for withholding congressionally approved aid in order to enlist a foreign country's assistance in his bid for re-election. The House has declared that to be a "high crime and misdemeanor" and, as expressed by late Justice Antonin Scalia, the Constitution "must be construed now as it was understood at the time of its adoption." Trump's impeachment was both constitutional and in accord with the understanding and intent of our founders. The protests highlighted the incapacity of the police to deal with any form of dissent and constitutional protests. It was evident that archaic response mechanisms, symbolic of our colonial legacy, still dominated police practices. From the time of the British Raj, India has had a rich culture of student dissent and protest. Periodically, students have risen up against instances of injustice and state excess. The students strike at the King Edward Medical College, Lahore in pre-Partition India in 1920, the 1965 statewide students agitation in Tamil Nadu against the Official Languages Act, the JP Movement, protests against the Emergency and the Assam Agitation, all reflect some large scale movements spearheaded by students in India. Therefore, with such an abundant history of student activism deeply embedded into India's universities, it was not surprising to see student-led protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) sweep across the country over the past fortnight. Protests started from Jamia Milia Islamia in New Delhi, in essence, the catalyst of this movement, and soon spread to the Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, and even the apolitical Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru, among other universities. A pattern that emerged common through these protests was the outdated and, at times, brutal responses of the police force. The protests highlighted the incapacity of the police to deal with any form of dissent and constitutional protests. It was evident that archaic response mechanisms, symbolic of our colonial legacy, still dominated police practices. The use of 'lathicharge', pellet guns, tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons by the police to restrain student, raised some serious issues with their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These SOPs are a far cry from how a 'modern' and a 'democratic' police force should deal with student dissent. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Delhi Police forcefully entered into the Jamia campus, going against the age-old tradition of only entering a university campus after getting the Vice-Chancellors permission, thereby taking away from the sanctity of a free university space. The further tear-gassing of the Jamia library, destruction of university infrastructure and injuries to students will go a long way in adding to the dwindling faith that the students place in the police. It would do well for the Delhi Police to take a trip down the memory lane and remember that in 1974 at Delhi University, despite Jai Prakash Narayans calls for open revolt against the Indira Gandhi government, the police did not enter the campus. This brings to light an old and familiar question - pressing need for police reforms in India and the need to move away from the colonial military form of police we inherited from the British era. Police reform has been a mere buzzword in administrative circles. There has been continuous debate on the need to rework police SOPs, upgrade police equipment, procure modern non-lethal weapons for dealing with organised protests, investing more in up-skilling of the police officials and ensuring better recruitment. However, all of these pressing reforms have been limited to the reports and papers written on them, little to no change has been actually implemented with the police forces across the country. That is precisely why the police reacted to student dissent in the aggressive and condemnable manner of the past fortnight. If the debate on police reforms ever moves beyond the realm of fiction, then reforms must begin by focussing on reworking police SOPs for dealing with protests. A clear distinction between SOPs for student protests and other categories of protests needs to be established. Separate and new SOPs need to be formulated for student protests and the police also must be able to effectively differentiate between a student protest and another protests and act accordingly. In the future, to prevent what has transpired over the past fortnight, these SOPs for student protests must inhibit the police from using force against students, even if legally justifiable, as clearly enunciated in the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRND) precis on crowd control. Force should be the police's last resort, only in cases of severe danger to life and property, it shouldnt be their first go-to mechanism for dealing with student protests. Perhaps, a caveat in the SOPs for the police to not be armed with 'lathis' and other weapons unless the situation urgently requires them to, could be a step in the right direction. Arbitrary use of force can adversely impact police-public relations, as it has already over the past few weeks. If the debate lasts long enough, then another essential element these mythical student protest SOPs could cover is communication. During protests, the police must build coherent and cogent mechanisms for communication with students, something that is mostly missing today. Dialogue is needed to prevent misinformation, fear and paranoia to take over protests and possibly instigate violence. Communication is also essential for building a level of trust between the students and the police. Historically, police forces in India have tried to communicate and foster relations with student communities and leaders, a revisit to these policies by contemporary police establishments around the country would serve them better. Communication and dialogue will also enable the police to comprehend the reasons behind the students protest, understand their context and not be swayed by information sourced from biased third parties and sources. It will bring a degree of humanity and perhaps empathy into the process and could hopefully prevent the police from viewing the dissenting students to be enemies of the state. This, in turn, may enable them to be unbiased in their duties and play their defined role as a neutral arbiter of law and order. Beyond SOPs, other aspects also need to be addressed to prevent future blunders like at Jamia. There is a need to re-examine the non-lethal weapons being used to deal with protests, better alternatives to tear-gas, lathis, water cannons and pellet guns need to be found. We dont need more universities and libraries to be destroyed by the use of such outdated equipment and practices. Police needs to focus on procuring new technologies that can effectively deal with student protests, without creating the collateral damage our forces notoriously do. Better recruitment strategies to tackle understaffing issues, along with a concerted focus on skill development and training is essential to avoid the regular malpractices we see and build a more democratic and modern police. For new procurement policies, skill development and better recruitment strategies there needs to be a change in how police budgets are formulated and spent, more thought needs to go into these aspects of capacity building and ensure allocated funds for development are spent. Even though, none of what has been said about police reform is unique to this article, if a few of these reforms come back into the administrations discourse and perhaps are implemented by the forces that be, future generations may never have to face police excess like at Jamia. It is imperative that police reforms are implemented the right way, as we need an institution that students and citizens have faith in, not fear. The police needs to work towards changing its historical perception as an armed extension of political forces. But we know the drill, brute police force will again be used to deal with student dissent, talk of reform will reappear, commentaries much like this one will be written and then the cycle will re-start and the earth will continue to rotate on its axis. The loss will always be for society and democracy. (CNN) New evidence showing Donald Trump's direct role in pressuring Ukraine for political favors is dialing up the heat as Republicans launch their New Year push to shield the President in a swift Senate impeachment trial. Trump's top Senate protector, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is expected to attempt to define the next phase of the drama on Friday morning with his first floor speech of 2020. It was not clear whether the aftermath of the stunning US strike to kill Qasem Soleimani, Iran's top military and intelligence officer in Iraq, would change plans on Capitol Hill. The attack has the potential to scramble political calculations in Washington, in addition to its huge global implications. Whenever McConnell plays his next card, he is expected to push back on demands by Democrats to call senior current and former White House officials to testify in the trial after the President refused to allow them talk to House investigators. McConnell's speech will ratchet up pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who presided over Trump's historic shaming last month but tried to bolster Democratic demands for new witnesses by declining to transmit articles of impeachment to the Senate. That means the trial -- once expected to start as soon as next week cannot yet start. And calls for the Senate to broaden the investigation are resonating amid recent revelations that appear to bolster the impeachment case that Trump froze military assistance from Ukraine partly to coerce it to dig for dirt on his possible 2020 election rival Joe Biden. Documents reviewed by the "Just Security" website show that a top White House budget official made clear the order to halt nearly $400 million in aid came directly from the President. The story suggests that there could be new and damning bombshells in piles of official evidence that the President has refused to hand over to the House investigation. It offers a rationale why the White House might be keen to get the Senate trial over quickly before even more damaging evidence emerges. "As part of our impeachment inquiry, the House subpoenaed these very documents," House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said in a statement on Thursday. "From their deeply incriminating character, we can now see why they were concealed: They directly corroborate witnesses who testified that military aid to Ukraine was withheld at the direction of the President and that the White House was informed doing so may violate the law." But Republicans claim that it is not the Senate's job to improve the impeachment case sent over from the House -- and point to the failure of Pelosi to launch court challenges to compel senior White House officials who Democrats now want called to the Senate to testify in the House probe. Critical Capitol Hill battles While the Senate trial is almost certain to acquit Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors, the Capitol Hill exchanges in the next few days represent a vital twist in the story. Both sides are playing a game within a game -- seeking to mold a public narrative about the trial which could have vital political consequences only 11 months from Election Day. Democrats are seeking to convince Americans that the GOP is cooking the trial to shield an unchained President guilty of committing a dangerous abuse of power -- soliciting foreign interference in a US election. Republicans, welded inexorably to their norm-busting President owing to his stranglehold on GOP voters, are framing Pelosi's refusal to hand over articles of impeachment as proof Democrats have a weak case no matter how convincing the evidence delivered in testimony by career foreign policy officials. The showdown reflects how the adversarial grouping of lawmakers and voters into two rival teams threatens Congress' capacity to wield its own constitutional powers in a dispassionate examination of Trump's conduct and whether it is worthy of removal. The President, who denies all wrongdoing, insisted during his New Year retreat at his Florida resort that he doesn't "really care" if he has a Senate trial or not. But his frenzied two weeks of furious tweets and searing attacks on Democrats tell a story of an agitated commander-in-chief pining for an acquittal that he can portray as vindication and use to vault into election year. "The Witch Hunt is sputtering badly, but still going on (Ukraine Hoax!," Trump tweeted on Thursday. "If this.... had happened to a Presidential candidate, or President, who was a Democrat, everybody involved would long ago be in jail for treason (and more), and it would be considered the CRIME OF THE CENTURY, far bigger and more sinister than Watergate!" Pelosi's dilemma Pelosi's withholding of the articles of impeachment was meant to increase the leverage of the top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer as he wrestles with McConnell over the shape of the impeachment trial. The speaker did succeed in concentrating attention over the holiday break on the GOP's open efforts to protect Trump from charges he abused power and obstructed Congress' investigation. Several top Republican senators, including McConnell, have warned that they will not play the role of impartial jurors during the Senate trial, drawing outrage from Democrats. Their comments also discomforted several moderate Republican senators. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was disturbed by the majority leader's pledge to work with the White House counsel to coordinate arrangements for the trial. On Monday, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who faces a difficult reelection race, said on public radio in her state that it was "inappropriate" for senators to make up their mind before they had heard the evidence. Collins also however backed McConnell's position that any decision on witnesses to be called should take place during the trial -- and not beforehand, as Schumer is demanding. McConnell can only lose four GOP senators if plans for a trial come down to a series of majority votes in the chamber -- a dynamic that may have been on Pelosi's mind as she calculated her options late last year. But while she can claim minor tactical victory in highlighting criticism of McConnell, the House has little capacity to force the Senate's hand. With McConnell apparently content to sit and wait for the articles -- and go on with confirming a relentless stream of conservative judges -- it's hard to see how Pelosi can engineer a strategic advantage. Long game Any plan designed to wait out McConnell, the self-confessed devotee of the long game, is unlikely to work. After all, he blocked President Barack Obama's Supreme Court pick Merrick Garland for 10 months, opening the way for Trump to construct a conservative majority on the nation's top bench. Schumer is expected to follow McConnell with his own statement on Friday after spending the holidays holding a string of news conferences trying to pile up public pressure on his rival. "Will the Senate hold a fair trial, or will it enable a cover-up?" Schumer said on Monday. "What are Sen. McConnell and President Trump afraid of if all the facts come out?" Uncertainty about the opening of the Senate trial is an irritant for Democratic senators running for president, including New Jersey's Cory Booker, Vermont's Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar who must sit as jurors -- even as they battle it out in Iowa ahead of the first-in-the-nation causes next month. Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, a member of his party's leadership team in the chamber, predicted that the process would largely be completed in the next month, despite current wrangling. "I think what's going to happen is pretty predictable," Blunt said on his home state's KSSZ radio station Tuesday. "The President's been invited by the speaker to come and give the State of the Union speech on February 4th. My guess is we'll be done with this by the time the President comes." This story was first published on CNN.com "New Ukraine revelations turn up heat on Senate trial showdown" Washington: The United States and Iran exchanged escalating military threats on Saturday, Australian time, as President Donald Trump warned that he was "prepared to take whatever action is necessary" if Iran threatened Americans and Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to exact vengeance for the killing on Trump's order of Iran's most valued general. Although the President insisted that he took the action to avoid a war with Iran, the continuing threats further rattled foreign capitals, global markets and Capitol Hill, where Democrats demanded more information about the strike and Trump's grounds for taking such a provocative move without consulting Congress. Protesters burn an American flag during a demonstration over the US killing of Qassem Soleimani in Tehran on Friday. Credit:AP Democrats also pressed questions about the attack's timing and whether it was meant to deflect attention from the President's expected impeachment trial this month in the Senate. They said he risked suspicion that he was taking action overseas to distract from his political troubles at home, as in the movie Wag the Dog. But Trump, speaking to reporters in a hastily arranged appearance at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, asserted that Major-General Qassem Soleimani, who directed Iranian paramilitary forces throughout the Middle East, "was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him". Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). Fox News show host Tucker Carlson criticized Washington war hawks after President Donald Trump's drone attack on Iran this week, saying it delivered what regime change supporters have wanted for decades, but putting the US at risk for a war it shouldn't take on. Taking out Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Thursday's Drone attack was a pivot point,' he said during his Friday broadcast. 'Neocons in Washington understood that immediately'. Fox News show host Tucker Carlson criticized Washington war hawks after President Donald Trump 's drone attack on Iran this week, saying it delivered what some have wanted for decades. President Donald Trump's drone attack was much more than a 'symbolic' Carlson said Trump said after the attack that Soleimani (pictured) was plotting 'imminent and sinister attacks against US interests Among proponents of the attack, former national security adviser John Bolton sent a congratulatory tweet to 'all involved in eliminating Qassem Soleimani'. 'Long in the making, this was a decisive blow against Iran's malign Quds Force activities worldwide, Bolton wrote. 'Hope this is the first step to regime change in Iran'. But Trump backed off the regime-change strategy, saying after the attack that Soleimani was plotting 'imminent and sinister attacks'. The US was preventing war and not seeking regime change, Trump added. Carlson noted that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in an interview with CNN, did not say there was a threat to the US homeland specifically. Instead, Pompeo said there were 'threats located in the region', which the Fox news show host 'translated' to mean in 'hostile Middle Eastern countries', where US troops wouldn't be in the 'first place'. The Fox News host argued that there were bigger questions looming regarding the Middle East that US officials were refusing to look at. He noted that Iranian leaders have vowed a 'forceful revenge' in response to Soleimani's death. 'It's no exaggeration to say that by the next time this show airs, we could be engaged in a conflict, a real conflict, with Iran,' he said during his Friday broadcast. 'From Iran's perspective, we're already there.' 'No one in Washington is in a mood for big-picture questions right now,' he said during his Friday broadcast. 'Questions, the obvious ones like: Is Iran really the greatest threat we face? And who's actually benefiting from this? And why are we continuing to ignore the decline of our own country in favor of jumping into another quagmire from which there is no obvious exit? 'By the way, if we're still in Afghanistan 19 years, sad years later, what makes us think there's a quick way out of Iran ... ?' Carlson also took aim at 'chest beaters', naming specifically Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who praised the drone strike on Soleimani, saying he was dead because he was an 'evil bastard who murdered Americans', in a released statement. 'Nothing about life and certainly nothing about killing is ever very simple', Carlson responded. 'And any politician tells you otherwise is dumb or is lying'. He said he wants to know how can the Iranian leader's death make America 'richer and secure'. 'There are an awful lot of bad people in this world. We can't kill them all. It's not our job', Carlson said, adding: 'It's pretty clear that things could start to move in the wrong direction pretty quickly, we're praying they don't, but they could'. He pointed to other countries that pose a threat to the US, including Mexico and China, for the trafficking of narcotics from both countries which has lead to the deaths of 'tens of thousands of Americans', and 'not that anyone in power cares'. Iran summons Swiss envoy for second time in single day Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 5:49 PM Iran summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, whose country represents US interests in Iran, for a second time on Friday to hand him Tehran's answer to Washington's message. "This evening, the Swiss charge d'affaires representing US interests in Tehran was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and [Iran's] appropriate response to the US message was conveyed to this Swiss diplomat," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi told IRNA on Friday. Earlier in the day, Mousavi said the Swiss envoy had been summoned over the US assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), decrying the attack as a "blatant instance of state terrorism." "He was told that Washington's move is a blatant instance of state terrorism and the US regime is responsible for all its consequences," he said. The Swiss diplomat in turn delivered a message from the United States to Iran over Soleimani's assassination by the US, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said. The IRGC announced in a statement on Friday morning that General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were martyred in a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The Pentagon said in a statement that President Donald Trump ordered the US military to assassinate the Iranian commander. "At the direction of the President, the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force," the Pentagon said. Iran's Supreme National Security Council said a harsh vengeance "in due time and right place" awaits criminals behind Soleimani's assassination. "Iran's Supreme National Security Council during its extraordinary session today examined various aspects of this incident and made appropriate decisions; and announces that the regime of the United States of America will be responsible for all the consequences of this criminal adventurism," the SNSC said in a statement. Trump's potential re-election will certainly lead to disaster: Iran Deputy FM Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned that Trump's re-election would "certainly lead to disaster." In a post on his Twitter account, Araqchi said, "American people would one day know how many lives General Soleimani has saved - including Americans and Europeans - by defeating Daesh (ISIS) in the Middle East. Such re-election (miss)calculations will certainly lead to disaster." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At the launch of the Bolldoons and Wren Boys DVD in Wexford Library: Lorraine Marrey of Wexford Library, Peadar Mordaunt and Colin McDevitt, Kilanerin Mens Shed, Patrick Healy of Enniscorthy Mens Shed) and Michael Fortune, producer A lioness on the loose in Taghmon, The Mexico running aground on the Keragh Islands, and Rosslare Fort being washed away are just some of the stories recounted in the six-hour historical DVD collection 'Bolldoons and Wren Boys'. Compiled by local folklorist Michael Fortune the documentary features interviews with members of Men's Shed Groups in Killanerin, Bunclody, Kilare, Rosslare Harbour and Taghmon each of whom reflect on the local history of their area. And the filming process was conducted in what Michael describes as an 'unscientific way'. 'These are the kind of stories which wouldn't make it on to RTE, there's a bit of boldness in it. We had a completely unscientific way of doing it, we just let things unfold and waited to see what happened,' he said. Each group of men had specific tales to tell, tales unique to their area. The fishing, farming and funeral customs of Killanerin and Castletown feature, as does the custom of Hunting the Wren in Bunclody on St Stephen's Day, a tradition not practised in other parts of the county. The Enniscorthy Men's Shed shared what they do at Christmas, Halloween and Shrove Tuesday while in Taghmon Michael was greeted with a selection of words, sayings and expressions used by people from the area. One such word, a 'bolldoon', meaning tomcat, is used in the title of the documentary. Also in Taghmon the story of the lioness who escaped from Heckenberg's Big Top in 1939 and momentarily roamed the village's streets is recalled in the form of a poem written by a local man. The Killrane/Rosslare Harbour interviewees discuss the maritime and social history from the area, recalling the rescue of the crew of The Mexico in 1914, a Norwegian vessel which ran aground on the Keragh Islands with the loss of 9 of its 14 members. They also provide an account of when Rosslare Fort was literally washed away and the affected families moved to what is now Rosslare Harbour and built a collection of houses known today as Tintown and Strawtown. 'Bolldoons and Wren Boys' is available to rent from Wexford Library and Michael said he wants to share the footage and ensure as many people have access to it as possible. 'The journey only really starts now, I'll be continuing to share clips on Facebook. Each clip has been getting between 5-15,000 views. We've always found that if the content is good people will engage, even people from other counties are interested in it. 'They're data DVDs so people can take them home and copy them on to their laptop, it's about sharing it,' he said. At the official launch of the collection at the Library an edited 45-minute compilation was screened to provide a flavour of the wide range of topics and themes recorded during the four months of filming. The DVDs will be available to borrow from Wexford Library in the New Year while excerpts have been and will continue to be shared online at www.facebook.com/folklore.ie. This project was funded through the Dormant Account Funds via the Department of Rural and Community Development with the support of Wexford County Council and in association with Wexford Men's Shed Ireland and folklore.ie New Delhi: Issuing apparent threats to 'minority' Muslims for participating in anti-CAA protests, BJP MLA from Karnataka on Friday said that opposing the new Citizenship legislation will not be good for them and that they will have to face the 'repercussions' for being opposed to the law. It's just a caution for those who are protesting against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act). We are 80 per cent and you (Muslims) are 18 per cent. Imagine what will happen if we take charge", news Agency ANI quotes MLA Somashekar Reddy as saying. The Karnataka lawmaker, who was addressing a gathering in Bellary, did not stop here and went on to add, Beware of the majority when you live in this country. This is our country. If you want to live here, you will have to, like the Australian Prime Minister said, follow the country's traditions." He further asked the minority community to go to Pakistan and added that if they want to live in India, theyll have to live in harmony with Hindus. "So, I warn you that CAA and NRC are made by Modi and Amit Shah. If you will go against these acts, it won't be good", the BJP lawmaker continued. "If you will act as enemies, we should also react like enemies," he added. (With ANI inputs) For all the Latest India News, South News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. By PTI KOLKATA: College and university students, professionals, housewives and women from different walks of life converged in the hub of the city on Saturday to protest physical violence against women across the world including in India. Around 200 women gathered before New Empire cinema hall at 3 pm with their eyes covered protesting against the 'rape culture' and chanted a poem, which was adapted from a Spanish poem coined by the women protesters during a similar protest at Chile months back. Priyanka Mukherjee, one of the organisers, said similar gatherings had been organised in Chile, many countries in Europe and in Chennai and Delhi. "This is a good way to take out our rage welled up inside due to the incidents happening every day, here, elsewhere - in Hyderabad and elsewhere in the country. We want to register our protest against this rape culture, why should women be oppressed and subjected to such brutality," Mukherjee said. She said the apolitical protest meet, which was organised by word of mouth and facebook campaigns, evoked "unprecedented response." "The protestors also aired their grievances against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NRC which will create divisions in society," she said. Several men stood guard as the participating women held placards with clothes on their eyes to express their solidarity, she said. The campaign 'Dhorshok Tumi - A Feminist Intervention Against Rape Culture' will be carried forward in coming days to raise public awareness about the issue of abuse against women as well as minors, she said. "We had also invited members of the LGBT community to the gathering," she said. By Sankalp Phartiyal NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian mobile operators are losing around 24.5 million rupees ($350,000) in revenue every hour they are forced to suspend internet services on government orders to control protests against a new citizenship law, a top lobby group said on Friday. Countrywide protests have raged for three weeks after India's parliament passed legislation which gives minorities from neighboring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh a path to citizenship but excludes Muslims. That, coupled with a plan for a national register of citizens, are seen by critics as anti-Muslim moves by the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To quell protests, government has deployed thousands of police as well intermittently ordered mobile data shutdowns at a time people have used social media such as Instagram and TikTok to wage a parallel battle online. Such internet suspensions have been criticized by internet freedom activists. On Friday, mobile internet was ordered shut in at least 18 districts in northern Uttar Pradesh state, a telecoms industry source told Reuters. A Reuters witness received a text message from an internet service provider announcing that home broadband services on the outskirts of capital New Delhi will be unavailable for 24 hours, till the morning of Dec 28. Indians consume an average 9.8 gigabyte of data per month on their smartphones, the highest in the world, according to Swedish telecoms gearmaker Ericsson . The country is the biggest market by users for social media firm Facebook and its messenger WhatsApp. Internet shutdowns should not be first course of action, said the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which counts mobile carriers Bharti Airtel , Vodafone Idea and Reliance Industries' Jio Infocomm as its members. "We've highlighted the cost of these shutdowns," COAI director general Rajan Mathews told Reuters. "According to our computation at the end of 2019, with the increase in online activities we believe the cost (of internet shutdowns) is close to 24.5 million rupees for an hour of internet shutdown." Story continues The revenue losses will pile on to the woes of India's telecoms sector, bruised by a price war and saddled with a combined $13 billion in overdue payments following a Supreme Court ruling in October. Bharti, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio did not respond to emails seeking comment. The bans follows an unprecedented shutdown of internet and text messaging services in parts of Delhi last week, widening a communications clampdown in restive areas stretching from disputed Kashmir to the northeast. Internet services in Indian Kashmir were suspended for over 140 days since New Delhi relegated its status to a federal administered territory from a state, making it the longest such shutdown in a democracy, according to digital rights group Access Now. ($1 = 71.3770 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Additional reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Toby Chopra) Hitting a nostalgic note for 2020 By Sashini Rodrigo Back from LA, Gehan Cooray will be treating his audience at home to a concert ranging from operatic arias, classical pieces to Broadway hits and old favourites View(s): View(s): Music, in its many forms, has the power to inspire and transport its audience on a musical journey. Actor and soloist Gehan Cooray, back home from L.A. hopes to do just this with the Rotary District 3220 annual fundraiser, titled, Unforgettable. Although Gehan aimed to keep his trip to Sri Lanka focused on family and reconnecting with people, he says this particular fundraiser hits close to home as his father was a past president of Rotary. The concert will feature Soundarie David on piano and a special guest performance by Rukshan Perera, both Rotarians themselves. The concert will be held at the Bishops College Auditorium on Saturday, January 18, at 7.30 p.m. and all proceeds will go towards humanitarian service projects of Rotary District 3220. This concert will mark a first for Gehan in terms of collaborators, as he hasnt staged a concert of this scale with just one pianist before. I really look up to Soundarie, its lovely to be collaborating with her because shes so open and innovative, he says, as he gives us a sneak peek into what the two are planning. The concert will have two distinct halves, the first half dedicated to the operatic arias and classical pieces that Gehan is known for, the second featuring Broadway tunes and beloved favourites of yesteryear, while still keeping with Gehans signature classical styling. Gehan reveals that he is keen to perform the pieces in chronological order to honour the historical standing of each piece. Im trying to take the audience through a journey from the earliest operas in the 18th century, all the way down to the 19th and early 20th century, he explains. As a lyrical baritone and a lover of the smoother bel canto style of operatic singing, he enjoys performing pieces that are more melodic rather than heavy or dramatic. He hopes to bring that love of opera to the audience and show that opera isnt the heavy, draining experience people may assume it is. The second half of the show is sure to strike a familiar chord in the audience, as it kicks off with the titular track Unforgettable, that Nat King Cole classic, though Gehan laughs as he says he remembers it best as Brooke and Ridges special song in Bold and the Beautiful. I was very flattered that they named the concert Unforgettable! Gehan jokes, though he adds sincerely that Soundarie is certainly so. Following Unforgettable will be more of the old standards, featuring songs like Fly Me to the Moon and I Will Follow Him, to Broadway greats like I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady. Gehan is keen to add an underlying classical flavour to the repertoire for the night, to tie the concert together. He has a lot of memories attached to most of what he has chosen, whether it is something that he has performed before or songs he associates with loved ones like his grandmother. From beginning to end, there will be an overarching theme of nostalgia. 2019 was an exhilarating year for Gehan, from the completion of his classical crossover album in LA, wrapping up post production on his directorial debut The Billionaire after a long summer in the Warner Brothers studios, to his solo concert at the prestigious Carnegie Hall that was attended by nearly 100 United Nations Ambassadors and diplomats as well as the Chief of Cabinet to the U.N Secretary General. I never expected all this to happen so early in my career, Gehan admits, adding that he is grateful for the respect and support of his artistic vision that he has received from fellow creative collaborators. 2020 will see the launche of his album and the distribution of his movie at film festivals in the US as well as Sri Lanka. Despite his steadily building schedule, Gehan wants to be flexible with his time and commitments, whether it may be his acting career in LA, musical performances in New York or visits back home. Sometimes, you just have to let God surprise you! Gehan smiles. Catch Gehans performance at Unforgettable on January 18 at Bishops College Auditorium. Tickets are priced at Rs. 5000, Rs. 3000 and Rs. 500 for balcony. To reserve tickets, please contact Nithi Murugesu on +94 777 728 428, Rtn Haroon Careem on +94 773 980 000 or Rtn Kingsley Jayalath on +94 777 560 226 By ANI SRINAGAR: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir police and security forces on Friday night, police said on Saturday. The terrorist, identified as Nisar Dar, had earlier escaped from an encounter in Kullan village of Ganderbal district, in which one Pakistani terrorist was killed, Jammu and Kashmir police officer Imtiyaz Hussain said. J&K: Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Nisar Dar who was arrested by security forces last night. He had earlier escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist was killed. https://t.co/H6n1UzRS2R pic.twitter.com/yM30jAoxo0 ANI (@ANI) 4 January 2020 "Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by J&K Police & Security Forces. He had escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist of proscribed terror outfit was killed. This dreaded terrorist was wanted in many terror crimes," Hussain tweeted. Further details are awaited. Streaming service Acorn TV has the Australian premiere of crime series, London Kills. From three-time BAFTA Award nominee Paul Marquess, the creator of Suspects, London Kills stars Hugo Speer, Sharon Small, Bailey Patrick and newcomer Tori Allen-Martin as a team of top murder detectives in the worlds most recognisable city. The five-part series, shot like a cutting-edge documentary, focuses on a different murder each episode, following the detectives as they uncover the truth behind the killing and an ongoing story involving the lead detectives missing wife. The worlds most exciting city is the backdrop for each of the murders investigated by an elite murder squad. This specialist group is headed by hugely experienced Detective Inspector David Bradford (Hugo Speer). He has just come back to work after compassionate leave his wife has been missing for three months. Davids team comprises of ambitious Detective Sergeant Vivienne Cole (Sharon Small) who plays by her own rules, seasoned crime-solver Detective Constable Rob Brady (Bailey Patrick) and inexperienced Trainee Detective Constable Billie Fitzgerald (Tori Allen-Martin). As the detectives solve each murder case the staged suicide of an MPs son, the mysterious death of a man on his stag night, a killing on a house-boat, a womans body washed up by the Thames, and the stabbing of one of his own team the one case David cant solve is the one most personal to him. Where is his wife? Davids emotional turmoil increases when, at the end of episode one, his wifes bag is found at a murder victims home how on earth did it get there? And does this mean that shes alive or dead? Monday, 27th January on Acorn Coming this St. Patrick's Day (March 17) to our theater screens for only two days is the little-known yet fascinating and true story of Ireland's patron saint St. Patrick. The new inspiring docudrama I AM PATRICK: THE PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND is not to be missed. From CBN Documentaries and Director Jarrod Anderson, the feature-length film peels back centuries of legend and myth to tell the story of Saint Patrick using historical re-enactments, expert interviews and Patrick's own writings to trace his journey from man to saint. "From a life of comfort to enslavement to a faith that changed a nation, this is the true story of the saint you thought you knew," Anderson said. In the 5th century, the Roman empire was collapsing, and barbarians threatened civilization. In Britain, a teenager named Patrick was living a comfortable life as the son of a government official. Despite being part of the Roman Catholic Church, his faith didn't mean anything to him until he was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16 and enslaved at the edge of the known world - Ireland. For SIX years, Patrick was forced to work as a shepherd and was driven to the brink of starvation. It was there he turned to his Christian faith and through divine intervention managed to escape. He was reunited with his family in Britain only to have a prophetic dream calling him to take Christianity back to the land of his captivity. Against the wishes of his family and the Church, Patrick returned as a missionary bishop to Ireland and converted thousands to Christianity. He opposed slavers, Irish kings and possibly druids but nothing compared to the hostility he faced from his fellow Christians. After a close friend exposed a dark secret of Patrick's, it is believed he was ordered to leave his mission and return to Britain. Patrick had to choose - obey God or obey man? Distributed by Fathom Events, I AM PATRICK is in movie theaters nationwide March 17 and 18 only. Visit FathomEvents.com for tickets, locations and showtimes. The film features John Rhys-Davies - known worldwide as Gimli the dwarf in THE LORD OF THE RINGS - as the older Patrick. Sean T. O'Meallaigh (Vikings) portrays Patrick, with Robert McCormack as Young Patrick. Written and directed by Jarrod Anderson, I AM PATRICK is produced by Anderson and Sarah Maunsell. Executive Producer is Gordon Robertson. Tags : i am patrick movie I AM PATRICK: THE PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND i am patrick trailer christian movies christian movies 2020 Supporters of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force attend the funeral procession of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, and eight others in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 4, 2020. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. An official with the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq said it has scaled back operations and boosted "security and defensive measures" at bases hosting coalition forces in the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war . U.S. President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict . His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Iraqi capital's international airport. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. Thousands of mourners chanting "America is the Great Satan" marched in a funeral procession Saturday through Baghdad for Iran's top general and Iraqi militant leaders, who were killed in a U.S. airstrike. The gates to Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy, were closed. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The procession later made its way to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, in central Iraq. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: "No, No, America," and "Death to America, death to Israel." Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. "It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us," he said. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. Hashd al-Shaabi (paramilitary forces) fighters set the U.S. Embassy wall on fire as they protest to condemn air strikes on their bases, in Baghdad, Iraq December 31, 2019. Iraq, which is closely allied with both Washington and Tehran, condemned the airstrike that killed Soleimani and called it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is to meet for an emergency session on Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops based in the country, who are there to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. The U.S. has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and closed its embassy in Baghdad, where Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters staged two days of violent protests earlier this week in which they breached the compound. Britain and France also warned their citizens to avoid or strictly limit travel in Iraq. No one was hurt in the embassy protests, which came in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed 25 Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. said the strikes were in response to a rocket attack that killed a U.S. contractor in northern Iraq, which Washington blamed on the militias. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have steadily intensified since Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions. The administration's "maximum pressure" campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The U.S. has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a U.S. surveillance drone in June that it said had strayed into its airspace. On Saturday, billboards appeared on major streets in Iran showing Soleimani and carrying the warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that "harsh revenge" awaits the US. Iranian state television also aired images of a ceremony honoring Soleimani at a mosque in the Shiite holy city of Qom, where a red flag was unfurled above the minarets. Red flags in Shiite tradition symbolize both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Soleimani's home in Tehran to express his condolences. "The Americans did not realize what a great mistake they made," Rouhani said. "They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come." On the streets of Tehran, many said they mourned Soleimani and some demanded revenge. "I don't think there will be a war, but we must get his revenge," said Hojjat Sanieefar. America "can't hit and run anymore," he added. Another man, who only identified himself as Amir, was worried. "If there is a war, I am 100% sure it will not be to our betterment. The situation will certainly get worse," he said. Global powers had warned Friday that the killing of Soleimani could spark a dangerous new escalation, with many calling for restraint. Iran's state TV reported that Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, made an unplanned trip to Iran where he met with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The Qatari diplomat was also set to meet with Rouhani. Qatar hosts American forces at the Al-Udeid Air Base and shares a massive offshore oil and gas field with Tehran. It has often served as a regional mediator. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, took to Twitter to reiterate the kingdom's call for "self-restraint" to avoid "unbearable consequences." Another Saudi official confirmed to The Associated Press that the U.S. did not give a heads-up to Saudi Arabia or its other Gulf allies before carrying out the strike that killed Soleimani. The official was not authorized to discuss security matters and so spoke on condition of anonymity. Italy's Foreign Minister meanwhile condemned the strike that killed Soleimani, in a rare criticism of the U.S. strike from a Western ally. In a Facebook post, Luigi Di Maio said the use of violence threatens to bring "destabilization and devastating humanitarian and migratory effects." Italy has long been one of Iran's biggest trading partners in the European Union, and it has more than 800 regular soldiers and some 80 special forces in Iraq. Illustrating Soleimani's regional reach, Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, including the territory's Hamas rulers, opened a mourning site for the slain general and dozens gathered to burn American and Israeli flags. Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas official, said the killing of Soleimani was "a loss for Palestine and the resistance." Iran has long provided aid to the armed wing of Hamas and to the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group. 1.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former Fox News reporter Courtney Friel is accusing President Donald Trump of unwanted sexual advances. The New York Daily News reported: She says Trump told her she was the hottest one at Fox News and called her office line a few weeks after she mentioned an interest in working as a judge on his Miss USA beauty pageant. Though he said I couldnt be a judge since I worked at a different network, he did ask me about my career goals and complimented my work at FNC, Friel, 39, wrote in a sneak peek of her book shared with the Daily News. Then, out of nowhere, he said: You should come up to my office sometime, so we can kiss, Friel claimed. The journalist who now works as an anchor at KTLA-TV in Los Angeles says she was shocked by the advance. Friels name can be added to the list of dozens of women who have come forward to accuse Trump of everything from sexual harassment to rape. As Trump is running for a second term in office, Friels account is a reminder of the character of the man who is currently occupying the Oval Office. At the time when Trump made his move on Friel, he was married to current First Lady Melania Trump. None of this is new behavior, but a message to voters about the unfitness of Donald J. Trump. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Guwahati/UNI: BJP working president JP Nadda today asked former Congress president Rahul Gandhi to speak ten lines on Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA) and two lines on his objection to the CAA. Nadda said this while addressing a meeting of the booth level workers of the party in Assam on Saturday. They (Congress) are saying that passport will be demanded, Adhar card will be demanded etc. This is ignorance about CAA. We are giving citizenship and not taking away someones citizenship through CAA, said Nadda. The CAA is only giving citizenship to those who are already here during the tenure of Congress. CAA is not bringing any new people. We are only allowing those people (who are already here) to live with dignity, he said. You (Rahul Gandhi) are biased. For you, votes are above the country but for our country is above the votes and politics, Nadda said attacking the former Congress president. The veteran BJP leader said that there were 50,000 Sikhs in Afghanistan before. Now there are only 2000 Sikhs in Afghanistan. The Hindus were 23 per cent of of population in Pakistan but now there are only 3 per cent Hindus in that country. So where have these 20 per cent gone? Hindus constituted 23 per cent of Bangladesh's population but now there are only 3 per cent Hindus left. Where have they gone? Nadda pointed out saying that the CAA will only be allowing these people to live with dignity. Nadda also justified the CAA, saying that Mahatma Gandhi had stated that those finding it difficult to live in Pakistan were welcome in India and the government of India will arrange for them to live in dignity. Jawaharlal Nehru had also stated that it is the responsibility of the Indian government to allocate relief fund for those who were persecuted in Pakistan, he added. Nadda also congratulated the booth level presidents and workers of the saffron party and said that it is only the BJP which follows an ideal and wants to change the nation for betterment following an ideology. There are 2,300 political parties in India and out of this 54 are regional parties recognized by Election Commission of India and 7 are recognized as national political parties. However, interestingly, all the regional parties have become dynastic and they do not follow any ideals, he pointed out. Except for the Communist Party and the BJP, all other national parties have also become dynastic. If one becomes a BJP member by choice or by accident or by circumstance or by ideology, they must thank God because of getting an opportunity to attach with an party with ideologies to serve the country, he added. Never is a presidents credibility and judgment more critical than when it comes to persuading the American people and the world, for that matter that the exercise of military force was justified. What a president does each day builds or depletes the publics potential faith in his or her word on a decision that could bring this nation to the brink of war. One such moment arrived for President Trump with his approval of an air strike at the Baghdad airport that killed Major Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the top military commander and a national hero in Iran, a brazen move that instantly inflamed the already strained tensions between the two countries. Was it really necessary for prevention or deterrence of threats to U.S. lives? Does it enhance or imperil the safety of Americans? Americans who have seen the official deceptions about the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan know to be skeptical of any administrations claims about the pretext for lethal force. But perhaps no president in U.S. history deserves less benefit of the doubt than Trump, what with his serial defiance of the truth in ways large and small. The Washington Posts Fact Checker database has documented more than 15,000 false or misleading claims by Trump during his first three years and the rate of his untruths doubled in the past year. His supporters may shrug off his lies about his inaugural crowd size, his knowledge of pre-election payoffs to mistresses, his winning the popular vote, his bestowal of military raises for the first time in 10 years, his grisly mischaracterization of the abortion process, the allegations in the Mueller report or the Ukraine call, or his repeating of debunked conspiracy theories. Each was readily disprovable but seemed to have no effect on his base. But on Friday, the notoriously impulsive president without credibility and his sycophantic Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were asking Americans to trust their words on something that threatens to destabilize a region and put lives of loved ones in harms way. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, Trump said from his resort in West Palm Beach, Fla. We took action last night to stop a war; we did not take action to start a war. Pompeo said the drone strike saved lives. Theres no doubt about that. And who made that assessment? The intelligence community, Pompeo said. Cause for skepticism about the official line on military action Vietnam Rationale: To stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia based on the "domino theory" that neighboring countries could follow. Deception: U.S. military action escalated with congressional passage of the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, a reaction to attacks on two Navy destroyers, an account that was later seriously challenged. The 1971 disclosure of a top-secret account of U.S. involvement in Vietnam between 1945 and 1967, known as the Pentagon Papers, showed the government lied about the progress and prognosis throughout. Iraq Rationale: Concerns that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, and those posed an imminent threat, along with the argument that the invasion was an extension of the response to the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. Deception: No weapons of mass destruction were found. And no connection with the 9/11 attack was ever established. Afghanistan Rationale: The ruling Taliban had created a safe haven for the al Qaeda terrorist network to train and plot attacks. America's longest war began in October 2001 and continues today. Deception: The Washington Post recently reported that a trove of government documents showed senior U.S. officials habitually "failed to tell the truth" about an unwinnable war. See More Collapse Therein lies another paradox of the Trump presidency. His hostility to the U.S. intelligence agencies has been relentless from his first week in office. He frequently refers to a deep state and disparages its findings most notably, its conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, dismissing it as a witch hunt. He took issue with the CIAs January 2019 congressional testimony that Iran was complying with the nuclear deal, and he tweeted that the analysts were passive and naive. So now he has relied on that same intelligence community when the stakes could hardly be higher. For a move supposedly designed to reduce Irans risk to Americans, the immediate aftermath suggested otherwise. Another 3,500 U.S. troops were ordered to the Middle East and the U.S. Embassy advised Americans to leave Iraq immediately. For the first three years of his presidency, Trump fanned Americans cynicism about all things government, from its science on climate change to the integrity of its judiciary. He dismissed critical stories as fake news and called the media the enemy of the American people. An NBC poll in 2018 found more than 6 in 10 Americans believe Trump has trouble telling the truth. Now it matters more than ever. John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron With a single drone strike, President Donald Trump did more than just take out an avowed enemy of the United States. He may have have also upended a central element of his foreign policy. The Friday strike that killed the most prominent Iranian general may have ended any chance that he would get the United States out of the endless wars in the Middle East that he has railed against since taking office. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad has the world bracing for a possible retaliation, with many fearing it could lead to a wider conflict. It is probably the most profound escalation that the United States could have taken, said Ned Price, who served on the National Security Council under President Barack Obama. Trump has been on a confrontational path with Iran since even before he took office, when he pledged to end the Iran nuclear deal signed by Obama. He insisted he doesn't want war and the killing of Soleimani wasn't meant to provoke the Islamic Republic. We took action last night to stop a war, Trump sad. We did not take action to start a war. Nonetheless, the targeting of Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, was arguably the most provocative military action in the Middle East since President George W. Bush launched the 2003 Iraq war to topple Saddam Hussein. The killing of Soleimani, regarded as the second most powerful official in Iran, came as Trump has sought to apply increased pressure on Iran through economic sanctions to abandon its nuclear weapons program, while Iran has countered with provocative attacks on U.S. military and oil facilities in region. By taking out Soleimani, Trump signaled to Iran that his patience has worn thin over the long, simmering conflagration. The shadowy general who was in command of Iran's proxy forces was responsible, according to the Pentagon, for the deaths of hundreds of American troops in Iraq during the height of the war there. White House officials said Trump decided to take action because Soleimani was plotting unspecified future attacks targeting Americans as tensions between the U.S. and Iran have reached a boil. Trump said Friday he wasn't interested in further escalating the conflict, but warned the regime that his military advisers have already drawn up plans to retaliate should Iran attack. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary, and that in particular refers to Iran, Trump said. Trump's aggressive approach with Iran is remarkable considering his oft-repeated desire to avoid expensive military entanglements. His aversion to long-term military presence has led to him butting heads with his top advisers as he has sought to end the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Syria. Yet, for much of his nearly three years in office, Trump has buffeted between demonstrating restraint and sending warning flares to Iran that the U.S. is prepared for military confrontation. In June, after Iran shot down a U.S. drone, Trump said he gave top Pentagon officials permission to carry out military strikes against Iran before changing his mind 10 minutes before the operation was to be carried out. Trump said he had a change of heart after being told by a general that the strikes would cause up to 150 Iranian casualties. In September, with French President Emmanuel Macron serving as a go-between, Trump reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Iran President Hassan Rouhani to speak with him by phone from the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The next month the Pentagon announced it was deploying 3,000 U.S. troops to protect Saudi Arabia. (The Pentagon on Friday announced following Soleimani's killing that it would boost its presence in the region with an additional 3,500 U.S. troops.) The October boost in forces came after a drone attack on a Saudi oilfield. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of being behind unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply." The tit-for-tat between the U.S. and Iran rose to a whole new level in recent weeks. Last week, after months of massive street protests in Baghdad by demonstrators urging both Iran and the U.S. to cease interfering in Iraqi affairs, the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group fired a barrage of rockets at a military base in Kirkuk, killing a US contractor and wounding several US and Iraqi troops. On Sunday, Trump struck back with airstrikes on Iran-affiliated militia bases in western Iraq and Syria. Then on Tuesday pro-Iranian militia members marched on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, leading to diplomats holing up in the sprawling compound as protesters burning the embassy's reception. Still, before attending a New Years Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump told reporters that he didn't see war coming and that he wanted peace with Iran. The president, however, warned that if the U.S. were to go to war with Iran it wouldn't last very long. Less than 48 hours later, Trump ordered the strike that took out Soleimani. President Trump may be genuine in not wanting war with Iran," Price said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 03.01.2020 LISTEN If ever there was going to be chaos or danger in Ghana, it wont happen because of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or the activities of Vigilantes, but it will happen largely on the growing levels of hypocrisy in the system. If ever the system was set to fail, it wont happen because of corruption or borrowing to consume, but on the back of cooked hypocrisy. If men who are paid to speak fairly, see widely, hear all and consult broadly rather get too polarized than the General Secretaries of political parties, then, Ghana is just an inch away from organized disaster. A disaster that is created and nurtured by same hands made to prevent same. Nobody should tell anybody that Ghana, as it is today, is polarised along three distinct lines: political, religious and ethnic. The average Ghanaian largely owes strict allegiance to his/her Political Party, Pastor/Imam and/or the ethnic group other than the state. So institutions like the National Peace Council (NPC) are set to serve as key stakeholders who should create a centre where all extremists can drift towards. But if such a weighty institution such as this is rather at the other end of the see-saw and throwing more weight about, this can only cause the imbalances in the system. By an act of Parliament, Act, 2011 (Act 818) and assented to by President Mills on the 16th of May, 2011, the National Peace Council was set up to among other functions, adopt and increase awareness on the use of non-violent strategies to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts and build sustainable peace in the country. Anything, any comment, any perceived posture from the NPC, its allied bodies or members which suggest otherwise to peace building is just as dangerous as threats of terrorist attacks on Ghanaians. The NPC is not an adhoc committee where its Chairman or other Board Members can make comments in passing. This is a serious organization, created by an Act of Parliament, which has to conduct its activities with some form of seriousness. Why should the decisions of the NPC be made on radio interviews by some selected Board Members like Mr George Amo? And in the final analysis their personal opinions are mostly reported as that of the Council. If the NDC National Organizer or the NPP General Secretary should call for the arrest of their political opponents on the account of commentaries such as prophecies made by Owusu Bempah or Angel Obinim, Ghanaians might just forgive them, but to have an agent like the Secretary to the NPC whose political biases are as naked as the anus of a woman in labour to make such comments that suggest the position of the NPC, then, we are just at the brink. If prophecies were a recipe for chaos; if comments like the EC and a ruling government are set to rig elections were such dangerous as we are being told today, then, Ghana would have burnt into ashes since. We were in this country when Hon Ken Agyapong, Mr Martin Amidu and the Let My Vote Count crew mounted series of attacks and baseless allegations on Madam Charlotte Osei and her EC over rigging plans. Mr Martin Amidu wrote articles upon articles to drum home his perception that the EC boss was appointed by HE John Mahama to rig election 2016 for him and the NDC. Where was the NPC and its agents? What is this selectivity about? Some Animals Farm king of gymnastics? We were in this country when the Presidents God father (Rev. Owusu Bempah) went on deadly voyage; he killed almost all the people who matter in this country. Didnt the NPC sensed a religious clash when President Nana Addos Pastor (Owusu Bempah) said the National Chief Imam will die before 31st December, 2019? Lets assume the Muslim Youth had met a congregation of young men the day they went to attack Owusu Bempahs church, what do you think would have happened? But in all these, the Secretary to the National Peace Council and his Chairman were right in this country. Maybe what is peaceful to them has nothing to do with the war drums the NPP and their agents are beating. On another account, the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Emmanuel Asante, swiftly called on HE John Dramani Mahama to apologize to Ghanaians and went ahead to condemn Mr Mahamas boot-4-boot comment, but same Rev. failed to acknowledge and condemn the terrorism the NPP hooligans engaged in during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections which caused Mr Mahama to have made those comments. What principles inform the commentary and posture of the NPC Chairman and his agents? Does the NPC as a body agree on some of the positions taken by especially its Chairman and the Secretary on some happenings in this country? Or we have an empty body of a National Peace Council which is managed by individual opinions carved out of their political persuasions? The Council can do better than what its doing now. A country where the Running Mate to the main opposition party (NPP) could organize a press conference and refer to about 76,000 Voltarians as Togolese and no revolution came from the Volta Region and no condemnation came from its National Peace Council, that National Peace Council cannot cry today over prophecies made by a Prophet which isnt new anyway. A country whose National Peace Council see nothing wrong with secessionists activities over a period now cannot be worried over allegations against the EC which isnt new anyway. A country where a known NPP financier and a sitting Member of Parliament can call for the killing of Ahmed Suale (the Journalist) on live TV and finally got it executed, and not even a single Youth from the Zongo rose with a machete to slit anybodys throat and not a single word of condemnation and call for an arrest came from its National Peace Council Secretary, that same country cannot be crying today over a mere prophecy of same kind as Owusu Bempas. So if different standards are set for different people and institutions depending upon where they belong or which partys ideology they share, then, this system call Ghana was set to fail. A country where its EC boss who is supposed to be a neutral arbiter in our electoral processes can go on live radio to describe a leading political party as a dangerous entity to our democracy, and not even a word of caution from its National Peace Council, then, that institution called the National Peace Council or its members can best be described as appendages of some few bourgeoisie. We have a nation to build and we must all be interested in what principles should be set for all to live with. We all wish our democracy to be like that of the USA but we are never ready to behave like her people. The USA is corrupt, some of her people are corrupt, but its institutions are working because there are standards and principles within which all actions of key stakeholders are regulated and measured. If you want Ghana to be like them then, its people should be ready to behave like them. Has National Peace Council sensed any danger and chaos embedded in the statement made by Ghanas Majority Leader in Parliament, Hon Osei Kyei at the NPP Delegates Conference at the Trade Fair, to the effect that the NDC was going to be in perpetual opposition if ever the NPP and the EC succeeded in compiling a New Voters Register? This statement never was made out of nothing but a revelation of the agenda of the EC and the NPP. This statement is as dangerous as a terrorist organization operating in Ghana. With all these, we dont need the prophecies of Prophet Neigel to know that the EC and the NPP are up to something fishy. We interact with them, they say it without blinking, so, we know what they are up to. If those paid to speak against evil become the God Fathers of the devil himself, then, expect the devil to have a field day in its pursuit. The National Peace Council should get back to the drawing board because a lot of Ghanaians are losing trust in that institution. And dont tell me its only the NDC members because they are Ghanaians too. I am a Citizen from Laribanga, and I come in PEACE. Shalom By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese (0244198031) [email protected] Eight women SSPs: Major gender victory in Police Dept. By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s): For the first time in its 150-year history, and after a hard-fought battle, the Sri Lanka Police have promoted eight women to Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) where there was earlier vacancy for just one. In another giant leap, the Police Department, with National Police Commission (NPC) backing, has sought approval from the Finance Ministrys Management Services Department to introduce a slot for one female Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) and two female Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIG). There have never before been women in such positions. Till the end of 2016, there were only two openings in the 85,000-strong police force for women in Superintendent of Police (SP) Grade II. That year, it was increased to four. There were 15 cadre vacancies for women Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) and this was raised by just one to 16. There was no career progression beyond the rank of SP, except to reach the sole SSP chair set aside for women. There were no cadre positions for women DIGs and Senior DIGs. And there could never be a woman Inspector General of Police (IGP). The latest developments are the result of a protracted struggle by senior policewomen, some of whom petitioned the Supreme Court in 2016 in a case that is now likely to reach settlement. The women, who were ASPs at the time, pleaded unfair and inexplicable discrimination despite them performing duties similar to their male counterparts and counting the same number of years in service. Thilina Jayawardena, Nishani Seneviratne, Renuka Jaysundere, Padmini Weerasooriya, Dharshika Kumari and Deemathi Periyapperuma have now received SSP promotions backdated to January 1, 2018. Imesha Muthumala and Madara Ariyasenas promotions were backdated to March 11, 2018. The NPC, to which the women officers repeatedly appealed, pushed their demands for several years. Efforts intensified after the Department in October last year promoted 102 SPs to the rank of SSP but excluded the women. The matter was resolved largely owing to Acting IGP Chandana Wickramaratnes conviction that women deserve equal status provided they fulfil the requirements. Even when he was handling administration, he backed our demands and made it clear that they couldnt be ignored, said a recently-promoted SSP. He also held the position that the Supreme Court case must be settled. There is still work to be done. We want to try and have 15 percent across the board for women in the Police Department, said Savithri Wijesekera, an NPC Commissioner who took a personal interest in the matter. Eventually, the appointment of one or two female DIGs can be achieved when the current SSPs fulfil the relevant criteria. As far back as June 2006, under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration, Cabinet gave approval for 15 percent of the approved cadre to be reserved for women officers serving in all grades other than technical. It did not specify the rank. The Department attempted to comply but did not make provision for promotions. We are also trying to have non-gender based cadre allocations for Chief Inspector (CI) and above, Ms Wijesekera said. So we are in discussion to remove the men/women allocation separation so that both will chase the same criteria regardless of gender. There is now a possibility that some of the promoted women will be assigned divisions (administrative areas with typically around 10 police stations) as a pilot project to test efficacy. Some of them already hold positions of power such as a Director of the Bribery Commission and Director Research and Development. Plans for a greenway from Rosslare to Waterford may have to be revised after local councillors questioned the design of the proposed project. At the meeting of Rosslare Municipal District on Monday last Senior Engineer Brian Galvin and Executive Engineer Fintan Ryan provided an update on the 57.5km greenway which is centred around the out-of-service Rosslare Strand to Waterford rail corridor. Beginning at Rosslare Europort, the proposed route would travel adjacent to the Dublin to Rosslare Europort railway line for 6.2km before reaching Rosslare Strand. From there it would follow the existing railway line through Bridgetown, Wellingtonbridge and Campile for 48kms and connect with the New Ross to Waterford greenway. However, having walked the route two days previously, Cathaoirleach Ger Carthy had one serious issue with its layout. 'I'm led to believe the greenway is to be installed on the inner side of the track, not the coastal side. 'I wouldn't be in favour of that. And I'd encourage the councillors not to agree to have that installed in a field five or six feet below the railway line. 'There isn't much point in us as a council agreeing to a greenway that's buried down in a field. It doesn't give the appropriate views similar to that of the Waterford greenway. We need the best possible product for this area,' said the Councillor. Explaining why the decision had been taken to place the route on the inner side of the track Mr Galvin said their thinking had been influenced by the threat of coastal erosion. 'This is a very significant investment and we have to have certainty in how we invest this money and that the work is going to be protected. For that reason we've stayed on the landside of the existing railway line. 'We don't have any certainty that Irish Rail is going to proect that whole section from coastal erosion,' he said. In response Cllr Carthy said, 'I presume they (Irish Rail) are not going to allow their railway line to fall into the sea. They must have a defined distance from the line to the coast, which they must have to allow safe usage of train. 'I think we have to go back to the drawing board in relation to this. The members of the Council will have to go out and walk the line because we can't agree to where it's going. 'It's disappointing we've engaged and spent hundreds of thousands on consultants and this is what they come up with. That's the best they can do.' Reminding the Cathaoirleach funding for the project had already been secured and that they needed to be at the planning stage to guarantee funds for the next step in the project, Mr Galvin said the consultants had already walked the line but that he was happy to organise for the councillors to do the same in the New Year. Underlining the importance of having the route on the coastal side, Cllr Carthy said, 'We have to make the best possible product, and as far as I'm concerned it's not the best option. 'The most scenic route, most attractive route is on the coastal side. There's no point in doing anything in haste because of funding, we were lucky enough to get in on the New Ross greenway, and we'll get the money for the Rosslare one, but we have to do it right.' Fine Gael Councillor Jim Moore had a further suggestion, a compromise of sorts. 'It's very low-lying at the loss of views, is there a measure to raise the route for the scenic views?' he asked. This suggestion was accepted by Mr Galvin and Mr Ryan as a possible solution before Cllr Lisa McDonald said a decision needed to be made sooner rather than later. 'I've cycled all of greenways in Ireland, some are scenic, some aren't, but they are being all used. 'We're crying out for a greenway in Wexford and I'd like to see it completed before my arthritis sets in.' As part of the proposed greenway a new one-way system would be implemented in Rosslare Strand allowing for a circulation system on Station Road, Coast Road and Mauritiustown Road, which would facilitate the introduction of high quality facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. 'It's very important this comes through Rosslare Strand; from the perspective of Rosslare this is a town with significant tourism interest and it has a beautiful beach,' said Mr Galvin. 'We're anxious that the beach be used and people be brought into town and very anxious we ensure adequate and proper provisions for those using it and those in the town. And continue to have parking without inconveniencing residents.' In addition, the design would see two pedestrian bridges installed over the railway line at Station Road and Mauritiustown Road. And although he had his reservations about the overall design of the project, Cllr Carthy was eager to see work on both the one-way system and the bridges begin as early as possible. 'I don't think there's any impediment to them going ahead now. We have the consent of Irish Rail, it may take a number of months, but those works should commence immediately,' he said. Mr Galvin however, said this came with complications of its own. 'Those works are proposed as part of the greenway project. We have to be careful in terms of project splitting, there can be difficulties if anyone tries to split the project.' In terms of timeline, Mr Galvin said a planning application needed to be submitted in An Bord Pleanala in the New Year and that it would take approximately 8-10 months for a decision to be made. At that point the engineers would compile a detailed design and prepare documents for tender. For decades, American men over the age of 18 have gone through the ritual of registering with the government in case of a military draft. In recent years, this action has felt more like going through the motions, simply checking a box. But Friday, after a US drone strike in Iraq killed Irans top security and intelligence commander, prompting concerns about the possibility of a new war in the Middle East, that oft-forgotten paperwork became a reason for spiking anxiety among many Americans. World War III started trending on social media. Young men suddenly recalled registering after their 18th birthdays, many having done so while applying for college financial aid. One Twitter user posted that he had blocked the account of the US Army, with the (faulty) reasoning that: They cant draft you if they cant see you. Interest was so high that it apparently crashed the website for the Selective Service System, the independent government agency that maintains a database of Americans eligible for a potential draft. Due to the spread of misinformation, our website is experiencing high traffic volumes at this time, the agency said on Twitter, adding, We appreciate your patience. Here is an explanation of the current military system and what it would take to enact a draft in modern times. Is there going to be a military draft? The United States first conscripted soldiers during the Civil War and continued to use the draft in some form on and off through the Vietnam War, said Jennifer Mittelstadt, a professor of history at Rutgers University who has studied the military. But there has been no conscription since 1973, when the draft was abolished after opposition to fighting in Vietnam. There was huge support for ending the draft across the political spectrum, Mittelstadt said. The modern-day military is now an all-volunteer force, with about 1.2 million active-duty troops. To change that, Congress would have to pass a law reinstating the draft, and the president would have to sign it, actions that would likely require broad political support. What is the draft age? All men from 18 to 25 years old are required to register with the Selective Service System. Many young men check a box to register when getting a drivers license. Others sign up when applying for federal student aid to attend college. But just because you have registered does not mean you will be drafted. Right now, registering for selective service really means nothing about the likelihood of you serving in the current military, Mittelstadt said. Joe Heck, chairman of the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service, a committee created by Congress to evaluate the Selective Service System, put it this way: Registration is ongoing. A draft would require an act of Congress. What are the consequences if you dont register? If you do not register for Selective Service as a young man, you can be subject to lifetime penalties. For example, men who did not register cannot receive federal financial aid, and they cannot work for the federal government, Heck said. To check if you have registered, visit the Selective Service Systems website (once it is up and running again). Can women be drafted? No. Historically, only men have been eligible for the draft. But the question of whether to register women has gained traction in recent years, as women have taken on broader roles within the military. In 2015, the Pentagon opened up all combat jobs to women. Last year, a federal judge in Houston ruled that excluding women from the draft was unconstitutional. As part of its work, the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service is considering whether to expand the registration requirement to include women. The groups final report, on that and other issues, is expected to be released in March. Are there arguments for reinstating the draft? In the 1860s, mobs of mostly foreign-born white workers took to the streets in New York City to protest conscription during the Civil War, burning down buildings and inciting violent attacks against black residents. A century later, burning draft cards became a symbol of protest against the war in Vietnam. I think its fair to say that the draft has never been wildly popular, Mittelstadt said. But she said there were arguments in favor of a modern-day draft, including the potential to make the military more representative of society. The current all-volunteer force is more likely to recruit people from the working class, she said, with higher percentages of nonwhite Americans serving in uniform. I dont know what it means in a democracy that you let some people fight your wars and everybody is not responsible, she said. American citizens are not implicated in the consequences bodily human life, economically of war, and they should be. Sarah Mervosh@c.2020 The New York Times Company CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- Taylor Jones scored 11 of her 15 points in the third quarter, and No. 3 Oregon State pounded Utah 77-48 in the Beavers' Pac-12 opener. Oregon State looked inside to start the second half, and Jones scored nine points in a 13-0 run that extended the lead to 50-24. The Beavers outscored the Utes 25-9 in the third. They increased the lead to as much as 31 points in the final period. Andrea Torres led Utah with 13 points. A woman who was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend when she allegedly broke into his Dublin home with an armed male accomplice on Wednesday night was identified by police and the Alameda County coroner on Friday as 28-year-old Adrianna Marie Navarro of Vallejo. Dublin police say they believe Navarro's ex-boyfriend acted in self-defense after Navarro and her male accomplice, identified on Friday as 28-year-old Rickey Tyrone White Jr., 28, of Vallejo, attempted to assault him at his home in the 3400 block of Monaghan Street in Dublin at about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Dublin police Capt. Nate Schmidt said in a news release that the man who lives at the house told investigators that he was asleep when he awoke to banging on his front door. When the man opened the door he was confronted by Navarro and White, who was pointing a gun at him, according to Schmidt. Navarro and White tried to assault her ex-boyfriend so he fired his own gun at them in self-defense as he fled his home and called police, Schmidt wrote. It's believed that White fired at the resident as he fled but the resident wasn't injured, according to Schmidt. Navarro was pronounced dead at the scene and White was treated at a local hospital for wounds that weren't life-threatening, according to Schmidt. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of Silicon Valley is teaming with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in a legislative effort to block funding they say the Pentagon and President Donald Trump could otherwise use to launch the country into war with Iran. "Today, we are seeing a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East," Khanna said in a statement Friday. "A war with Iran could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world." President Trump on Thursday authorized a U.S. military airstrike in Iraq that killed top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani, an action that left many across the globe discussing the likelihood of retaliation by Iran and its allies. Khanna and Sanders say they plan to introduce legislation that could "prohibit any funding for offensive military force in or against Iran without prior congressional authorization," according to the Silicon Valley congressman. A previous measure to amend the National Defense Authorization Act to block war funding directed at Iran, authored by Khanna and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, passed a vote in the House of Representatives in July, but was later dropped in December. "War must be the last recourse in our international relations," Khanna said. It may take several days to recover from a ransomware attack that has shuttered the online network linking all branches Contra Costa County Library branches and the Martinez administrative offices, the system said Friday evening. "The affected servers have all been taken offline and some library services have already been restored," library officials said in an announcement. "It may be several days before all library services are fully operational." All branches will be open for their regular hours, where patrons will be able to check out and return materials and use public computers. Printing services are not available, however. The county sheriff and district attorney are investigating the incident, but officials said personal data of library patrons is on an unaffected server and likely hasn't been compromised. Oakland City Councilwoman Sheng Thao said on Friday that she will engage with the community at the Montclair Farmers Market on Sunday in the wake of the death of a man who was chasing suspects who stole his laptop at a coffee shop in the Montclair district. "Nobody should feel unsafe walking around their neighborhood, working in a coffee shop or operating a business in Oakland," Thao said in a statement. "Oakland must prioritize its resources to not only protect its community but stop crimes before they happen," said Thao, whose District 4 seat includes the Montclair area. According to police, two suspects stole 34-year-old Shuo Zeng's laptop from him when he was sitting in a coffee shop in the 2000 block of Mountain Boulevard shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Zeng, a native of China who worked for Aspera, a software company in Emeryville, chased after the suspects but was injured when their getaway vehicle struck him and he died at a local hospital several hours later. The two suspects, who both have prior felony robbery charges, were charged and arraigned on Friday in connection with Zeng's death. Thao said she's taking the crime seriously and is working closely with the Oakland Police Department, the Montclair Village Association and other members of the community to find solutions to address crime. She said the Oakland Police Department is working to fill staffing vacancies and she is urging the department to focus on local hiring to ensure better staff retention and a police force that's rooted in Oakland's communities and values. Thao said she will be at the Montclair Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday to engage with the community. Thao said she also will be holding a Public Safety Town Hall from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Montclair Presbyterian Church at 5701 Thornhill Drive. She said the town hall will include the area's police captain and his team, the Montclair Neighborhood Council and Daniel Swafford, executive director of the Montclair Village Association. The pursuit Thursday night of a vehicle reported as stolen led law officers from Highway 24 in Contra Costa County to San Leandro, ending in the arrest of a 20-year-old man on multiple charges. The vehicle, reported stolen to the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff shortly 11 p.m., was spotted and followed by Lafayette police while traveling westbound on state Highway 24. The Sheriff's Office STARR 1 helicopter provided support as the vehicle was followed to the area of Marina Boulevard and Interstate Highway 880, where the driver fled an attempted stop at high speed. "The officers terminated the pursuit, while STARR 1 stayed overhead monitoring the vehicle's location" as it went to the Bayfair BART station, the sheriff's office said in a release. The driver abandoned the vehicle, ran along the tracks and attempted to hide, but was located by STARR 1 and a CHP helicopter. Suspect Joseph Willis surrendered and was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on charges that include felony evading, obstruction, vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and multiple weapons violations including felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a stolen firearm and having large capacity magazines. Saturday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Highs will be in the upper 50s. West winds will be 5 to 15 mph before becoming northwest winds of 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Saturday night will be breezy and mostly cloudy before becoming mostly clear. Lows will be in the upper 40s. Northwest winds will be 20 to 30 mph. Sunday will be sunny. Highs will be in the mid 50s. Northwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Tampa, Florida, Jan. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cancer informatics and digital pathology solution provider Inspirata announced today the appointment of Oenone Duroe to the companys leadership team. Effective January 1st, 2020, Mrs. Duroe will serve as General Manager, Europe. Based in Maidenhead, UK, she will oversee Inspiratas operations across Northern Europe (UK, Ireland, Nordics) and the DACH region (Austria, Germany and Switzerland). Mrs. Duroe previously held numerous senior business development and market access positions at leading pharmaceutical, medical device and specialist consultancy companies. We are delighted to have someone of Oenone Duroes caliber and experience step up to lead our operations in Europe, said Satish Sanan, CEO of Inspirata. We went through a thorough external search and we are confident we have found the right leader. We are at a critical moment and, through Oenones strategic vision and tactical discipline, we look forward to scaling our growth and achieving our ambitious goals for 2020 and beyond. In addition to her solid and proven track record as an effective leader of people, projects and strategy, Oenone Duroe also brings to Inspirata her extensive knowledge of the NHS and healthcare space across multiple key European markets. Most recently, Oenone served as an external General Manager UK and Ireland for global pharmaceutical company, Daiichi-Sankyo, driving its UK organization to sustainable profitable growth. Among numerous past strategic roles, she developed reproducible reimbursement streams for Proteus Digital Healthcare, a Silicon Valley-based startup, and managed market access and launch teams across Novo Nordisks business. Mrs. Duroe holds a BSc in Biochemistry from Queen Mary University of London. Oenone Duroe said, I am honored and excited to lead Inspiratas Europe business in solidifying its Digital Pathology leadership in key markets, as well as bringing its innovative Informatics solutions to this side of the ocean. I look forward to working with our employees, customers and their patients in making every moment matter. Story continues About Inspirata, Inc. Inspirata, Inc. helps patients fighting cancerand the clinicians they trustto make every moment matter. Our comprehensive cancer informatics solutions bring disparate data together throughout the entire cancer care journey to drive informed decisions that improve survivorship. Inspirata has assembled the most advanced and proven technologies to address the complex challenges of delivering cancer care and conducting ground-breaking research. We combine leading digital pathology solutions with automated cancer registry solutions, comprehensive cancer informatics and advanced patient engagement tools to bring users the broadest oncology informatics platform available globally. For more information, please visit www.inspirata.com or contact info@inspirata.com. Emil Mladenov Inspirata, Inc. 813-467-7616 emladenov@inspirata.com A new Iranian general has stepped out of the shadows to lead the country's expeditionary Quds Force, becoming responsible for Tehran's proxies across the Mideast as the Islamic Republic threatens the US with "harsh revenge" for killing its previous head, Qassem Soleimani. The Quds Force is part of the 125,000-strong Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary organization that answers only to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Guard oversees Iran's ballistic missile program, has its naval forces shadow the US Navy in the Persian Gulf and includes an all-volunteer Basij force. Like his predecessor, a young Esmail Ghaani faced the carnage of Iran's eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s and later joined the newly founded Quds, or Jerusalem, Force. While much still remains unknown about Ghaani, 62, Western sanctions suggest he's long been in a position of power in the organisation. And likely one of his first duties will be to oversee whatever revenge Iran intends to seek for the US airstrike early Friday that killed his longtime friend Soleimani. "We are children of war," Ghaani once said of his relationship with Soleimani, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency. "We are comrades on the battlefield and we have become friends in battle." The Guard has seen its influence grow ever-stronger both militarily and politically in recent decades. Iran's conventional military was decimated by the execution of its old officer class during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and later by sanctions. A key driver of that influence comes from the elite Quds Force, which works across the region with allied groups to offer an asymmetrical threat to counter the advanced weaponry wielded by the US and its regional allies. Those partners include Iraqi militiamen, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels. In announcing Ghaani as Soleimani's replacement, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the new leader "one of the most prominent commanders" in service to Iran. The Quds Force "will be unchanged from the time of his predecessor", Khamenei said, according to IRNA. Soleimani long has been the face of the Quds Force. His fame surged after American officials began blaming him for deadly roadside bombs targeting US troops in Iraq. Images of him, long a feature of hard-line Instagram accounts and mobile phone lockscreens, now plaster billboards calling for Iran to avenge his death. But while Soleimani's exploits in Iraq and Syria launched a thousand analyses, Ghaani has remained much more in the shadows of the organisation. He has only occasionally come up in the Western or even Iranian media. But his personal story broadly mirrors that of Soleimani. Born on August 8, 1957 in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, Ghaani grew up during the last decade of monarchy. He joined the Guard a year after the 1979 revolution. Like Soleimani, he first deployed to put down the Kurdish uprising in Iran that followed the shah's downfall. Iraq then invaded Iran, launching an eight-year war that would see 1 million people killed. Many of the dead were lightly armed members of the Guard, some of whom were young boys killed in human-wave assaults on Iraqi positions. Volunteers "were seeing that all of them are being killed, but when we ordered them to go, would not hesitate", Ghaani later recounted. "The commander is looking to his soldiers as his children, and in the soldier's point of view, it seems that he received an order from God and he must to do that." He survived the war to join the Quds Force shortly after its creation. He worked with Soleimani, as well as led counterintelligence efforts at the Guard. Western analysts believe while Soleimani focused on nations to Iran's west, Ghaani's remit was those to the east like Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, Iranian state media has not elaborated on his time in the Guard. In 2012, the US Treasury sanctioned Ghaani, describing him as having authority over "financial disbursements" to proxies affiliated with the Quds Force. Also in 2012, Ghaani drew criticism from the US State Department after reportedly saying that "if the Islamic Republic was not present in Syria, the massacre of people would have happened on a much larger scale". That comment came just after gunmen backing Syrian President Bashar Assad killed over 100 people in Houla in the country's Homs province. "Over the weekend we had the deputy head of the Quds Force saying publicly that they were proud of the role that they had played in training and assisting the Syrian forces and look what this has wrought," then-State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at the time. Now, Ghaani is firmly in control of the Quds Force. While Iran's leaders say they have a plan to avenge Soleimani's death, no plan has been announced as the country prepares for funerals for the general starting Sunday. Whatever that plan is, Ghaani likely will be involved. "If there were no Islamic Republic, the US would have burned the whole region," Ghaani once said. One of the many big questions looming over President Trumps decision to assassinate Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani is this: Was it a good idea? Some Iranian officials have called the killing of General Suleimani whose role in Iran has been likened to that of an American vice president, chairman of the Joint Chiefs and C.I.A. director rolled into one an act of war. But if it was, it took place without any of the public discussion in the United States that preceded actions like the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. American officials have justified the attack in Baghdad as retribution for the generals own actions and as deterrence of future American deaths. The strategic implications, though, can be confusing in this quickly unfolding debate. (HealthDay)Peripheral nervous system (PNS) disease is a component of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and has a significant negative impact on health-related quality of life, according to a study published in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology. John G. Hanly, M.D., from the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center and Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and colleagues assessed a cohort of 1,827 SLE patients (88.8 percent female; mean age, 35.1 years) annually for 19 neuropsychiatric (NP) events, including seven types of PNS disease. The authors also measured SLE disease activity, organ damage, autoantibodies, and patient and physician assessment of outcome. The researchers found that during an average 7.6 years of follow-up, PNS events occurred in 7.6 percent of patients. The most common PNS events included peripheral neuropathy (41.0 percent), mononeuropathy (27.3 percent), and cranial neuropathy (24.2 percent), with the majority attributed to SLE. PNS events were associated with longer time to resolution in patients with a history of neuropathy, older age at SLE diagnosis, higher SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 scores, and peripheral neuropathy versus other neuropathies. Compared with patients with no NP events, neuropathy was associated with significantly lower Short Form 36 (SF-36) physical and mental component summary scores. The majority of neuropathies resolved or improved over time, according to physician assessment, with resolution associated with improvements in SF-36 summary scores for peripheral neuropathy and mononeuropathy. "Overall, the results of our study provide a comprehensive overview of the frequency and characteristics of PNS disease in SLE patients, the impact on health-related quality of life, and the outcome with current treatment modalities for SLE," the authors write. Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Explore further Effects on quality of life mixed for therapy of multiple myeloma Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Reuters The Trump administration will make it more difficult to export artificial intelligence software as of next week, part of a bid to keep sensitive technologies out of the hands of rival powers like China. Under a new rule that goes into effect on Monday, companies that export certain types of geospatial imagery software from the United States must apply for a license to send it overseas except when it is being shipped to Canada. The measure is the first to be finalised by the Commerce Department under a mandate from a 2018 law, which tasked the agency with writing rules to boost oversight of exports of sensitive technology to adversaries like China, for economic and security reasons. Reuters first reported that the agency was finalizing a set of narrow rules to limit such exports in a boon to U.S. industry that feared a much tougher crackdown on sales abroad. The rule will go into effect in the United States alone, but U.S. authorities could later submit it to international bodies to try to create a level playing field globally. There has been growing frustration from Republican and Democratic lawmakers over the slow roll-out of rules toughening up export controls, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, urging the Commerce Department to speed up the process. "While the government believes that it is in the national security interests of the United States to immediately implement these controls, it also wants to provide the interested public with an opportunity to comment on the control of new items," the rule release said. Bec Winter fled from raging Australian bushfires on horseback (Picture: REUTERS/Jill Gralow) A woman has told how she fled on horseback from raging Australian bushfires, returning home to find that thieves had ransacked her house. Bec Winter had been monitoring bushfires near the coastal town of Moruya, around 150 miles south of Sydney, when she and son Riley and a cousin decided to evacuate. While the other two drove towards the beach, Bec fled on her horse Charmer. But while she struggled to find the way in thick smoke, Charmer found the path to the beach where they sought refuge in a pub. But when she returned home, she was distraught to find that her house had been ransacked and Rileys new bike stolen. Bec returned home to find her house had been ransacked and son Riley's bike stolen (Picture: REUTERS/Jill Gralow) Describing her escape from the flames, she told Reuters: I could feel heat and I dont know whether that was from the sun or... the fire... it was terrifying. But, I had so much faith in Charmer to get me out safely and she did that. Shes my hero. The relief was shortlived when she returned home after regrouping with family members. READ MORE Incredible images show full extent of Australia's devastating wildfires Half a billion animals feared killed in Australian bushfires as at least 8,000 koalas are wiped out Well, homes still standing but when we went back yesterday, all of our belongings have been thrown everywhere, she said. Rileys new bike he got for Christmas, stolen. The house is totally ransacked. Absolutely destroyed. Bec and her father shared their disappointment and shock on social media, the latter branding the perpetrators low lifes and their actions the lowest of all acts. Northern Territory Fire and Rescue work on the Eastern fringes of the Currowan fire at Tomerong on January 4, 2020 in Tomerong, Australia (Picture: Nick Moir/Sydney Morning Herald/Fairfax Media via Getty Images) The incident isnt the only one where thieves have taken advantage of evacuated homes. Police in New South Wales (NSW) have stepped up patrols after reports of thefts from homes left vacant by people forced to evacuate. NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said in a statement: With thousands of lives and homes at risk today, I cant comprehend the type of person whod think its okay to try and profit or benefit at other peoples expense. Story continues Australia is facing unprecedented bushfires, with more than 12.4 million acres burned so far and 23 people confirmed dead. Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to leave parts of Australia's eastern coastline, with the south coast of New South Wales set to experience extreme danger from fires this weekend, with temperatures forecast to pass 40C (104F). Im not the kind of person who celebrates birthdays, Greta Thunberg said as she turned 17 on Friday, marking the occasion in inimitable style - with a seven-hour hour protest outside the Swedish parliament. (Photo: File) Stockholm: Im not the kind of person who celebrates birthdays, Greta Thunberg said as she turned 17 on Friday, marking the occasion in inimitable style - with a seven-hour hour protest outside the Swedish parliament. The climate activist braved winter conditions in her native Stockholm to continue the weekly Friday School Strike for the Climate campaign that helped catapult her to international fame. I stand here striking from 8am until 3pm as usual ... then Ill go home, Thunberg, Time magazines Person of the Year for 2019, told Reuters. I wont have a birthday cake but well have a dinner. Its been a busy 12 months for Thunberg, who crisscrossed the globe by car, train and boat - but not plane - to demand action on climate change. It has been a strange and busy year, but also a great one because I have found something I want to do with my life and what I am doing is having an impact, she said. When she was 15, Thunberg began skipping school on Fridays to demonstrate outside the Swedish parliament to push her government to curb carbon emissions. Her campaign gave rise to a grassroots movement that has gone global, inspiring millions of people to take action. To the Times: The Delaware County Daily Times recently reported on charges filed by Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan against several individuals regarding the manner in which security was provided for Mariner East pipeline construction sites. While the Dec. 4 article included several lengthy quotes from Hogan, it failed to consider the tangible benefits of having well-trained security present at work sites. Likewise, the notion that constables, process servers who often provide security support for all sorts of private events, shouldnt be used is simply ridiculous. That politicizes something keeping workers and neighbors safe. Pipeline construction sites, like any major construction site, can be dangerous if not secured. By hiring private security to support local law enforcement, Energy Transfer, the pipelines developer, not only took extra precautions to protect the public and those around the sites, but also took steps to ensure that the pipelines construction doesnt burden Pennsylvania taxpayers or local law enforcement. Whether its Mariner East or any other pipeline project, private security can make a difference. If safety really is top of mind for opponents and local officials, then they should appreciate Energy Transfers investment and willingness to go the extra mile when it comes to pipeline safety. Kataib Hezbollah, Iraqi Shia militias within the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, threatens to launch attacks on military bases used by the US forces in Iraq starting Sunday evening, according to a statement by the group's command. "The employees of the Iraqi security forces should stay at least one kilometre [3,280 feet] away from the military bases of the US enemy starting Sunday evening," the statement read. On Saturday, the Iraqi capital already witnessed several rocket attacks, including in the residential area of Al-Jadriya and the Balad military base that houses US forces some 50 miles north of Baghdad. The escalation comes after a US drone strike killed on Friday Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that Tehran will take revenge for what it views to be a heinous crime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new law extending the minimum jail time that murderers serve hasnt been activated yet so families bereaved by murder are begging Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to implement the Parole Act 2019, writes Liz Dunphy Families bereaved by murder are begging Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to bring them some peace this year by quickly putting into effect the new law on parole. They say the Parole Act 2019 which would extend the minimum term of a life sentence from seven to 12 years would give them some relief, knowing that their loved ones killers will not be released in 2020. The act was passed by the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President in July of last year but it has not yet ben put into effect because Mr Flanagan has not issued the ministerial order it requires to come into operation. The issue is an urgent one for Sinead OLeary. The killer who stabbed her more than 20 times, breaking a knife in her body before murdering her best friend, is due a parole hearing as early as this November. Ms OLeary and Nichola Sweeney were getting ready together for a night out when Peter Whelan, then 19, broke into the Sweeney family home in Rochestown, in Cork City, fatally stabbing Nichola, 20, and leaving Sinead, then 19, for dead on April 27, 2002. Whelan was sentenced to life in prison for Ms Sweeneys murder, and 15 years for Ms OLearys attempted murder. The sentences were to run consecutively. Ms OLeary is now calling on the justice minister to commence the Parole Act before the general election. She said: The nature of the killing meant that Judge Carney did not want him [Whelan] to be released soon and gave him consecutive sentences. He considered him to be a danger. Nichola Sweeney was getting ready for a night out with her best friend Sinead OLeary when Whelan stabbed her to death. He attempted to murder me, so the need to protect my safety is ongoing. He has been fighting for release since his trial. He appealed his sentence straight away, he appealed all the way to the European Court of Human Rights hes always been working away at it. Its frightening and it shows that he has no sense of accountability for his crimes. Yet, hes been granted day releases which we can only assume is in preparation for his parole. The OLeary and Sweeney families discovered to their horror through a journalist that Whelan had returned to Cork multiple times on escorted day releases after serving just six years of his life sentence for killing Nichola, and 11 of the 15 years he was sentenced to for attempting to murder Sinead. Both families said the Department of Justice has repeatedly refused to tell them whether the visits will be discontinued. Ms OLeary said: My biggest concern is that he does not come to Cork at the moment. Its stressful for Nicholas parents. Theyll never get over Nicholas death, and they deserve some peace. Why was he seeing the parole board when he was serving consecutive sentences? The decision went against Judge Carneys ruling. Attempting to murder me meant that protecting my safety should be an ongoing concern. But the State has put Peter Whelan first. Its tainted my view of Irish justice. He gets free legal aid but his victims dont. The State has shelled out a lot of money for him but not for me. I want my victim impact statement to be read out to the Parole Board. So far in the process my voice has not been heard. I wasnt even told that he had been left out on day release. It doesnt make sense allowing him to meet family four times a year when he hadnt even served his life sentence first. Thats crazy to me. She said the only logical conclusion that can be drawn is that Whelan is not facing the consequences of his crimes. It was not a crime of passion, it was not gangland. The nature of the crime shows that he is a very dangerous individual. Something should be set up so there is proper support for the victim. Because now, theres really nothing. A victim has been through intense trauma, and even mentally at least, they will have life-changing injuries. Wheres the support for them? He had only served six years of his life sentence seven years is the minimum term for life. I want to ask Charlie Flanagan when he was let out and why he was let out. Are the visits still going ahead? And when will the new Parole Act be commenced? It was passed in July last year with no opposition to it, but its still not in force. It would have serious ramifications for my family and for her [Nicholas] family if we encountered him [Whelan] in Cork. Ms OLeary said that getting official information on the case has not been easy and the uncertainty of Whelans whereabouts has made her and the Sweeney family deeply uneasy. You have to push for information all the time, she said. The next parole hearing is November 2020. Who knows what will happen then? I always let things go with Peter Whelan before, hes a sick individual. But now I feel like I have rights too. Im the victim here. Ive built a life here, I should not have to move away or feel afraid that he is just up the road. This is something I should fight for. Its shocking to me that the recommendations of the Parole Board was for Peter Whelan to have regular contact with Cork City again. Its clear that the States priority is the prisoner not the safety of the victim or the public. Sarah Hines, her two children and Alicia Brough - all murdered by John Geary Maria Dempseys daughter Alicia Brough was killed while trying to protect her friend Sarah Hines and her two young children from Sarahs violent ex, John Geary. John Geary pleaded guilty to murdering his ex, her two children, and Alicia Brough. Picture: Don Moloney / Press 22 Geary stabbed Alicia, 20, Sarah, 25, baby Amy, and her brother Reece, 3, to death with knives and a screwdriver in November 2010 in Newcastle West, Co Limerick. Mrs Dempsey received Alicias ashes on the day that she should have been celebrating her 21st birthday. Geary pleaded guilty to the four murders and in 2013 he was sentenced to four life sentences. However, unlike the Rochestown murder case, Justice Paul Carney ruled that the sentences should run concurrently or at the same time so the murderer would effectively serve time for only one of the killings. The judge said that he had no power to specify a minimum term to be served and if he ordered the sentences to run consecutively one after the other another court could overturn it. After serving just seven years in prison for the four violent murders, Geary was due his first parole hearing. Mrs Dempsey, from Rockchapel, Co Cork, said the parole system traumatises murder victims families, and that extending the minimum life sentence term from seven to 12 years would give families some reprieve between court cases and parole hearings. His seven-year review was in 2017. Hes due his next parole hearing next year. Im hoping the new Parole Act will be in soon, which would delay his next parole hearing until 2022. That would give us a better recovery time. Its only fair that victims have that peace. The current system isnt really a deterrent because the perpetrator can just carry on creating more trauma for families who are already traumatised. The State has to show that its taking murder seriously. Murder is premeditated. Its ridiculous to have a hearing again after such a short time. Mrs Dempsey has campaigned for victims rights and against domestic violence since her daughters tragic death. I made the conscious decision to try to bring changes. I have to stop this; I have to try. And positive things are happening, like Ireland adopting the Istanbul Convention [to combat violence against women and domestic violence] and Irelands new familicide and domestic homicide review. We can change the future for other families. Members of SAVE [Sentencing and Victim Equality] welcome the new Parole Act, but we would like to go even further so a judge could name a minimum life sentence without parole 18 or 25 years. It would give so much peace to our lives especially after murder. The Parole Act 2019, which extends the minimum life sentence term, and establishes an independent parole board on a statutory basis, was sponsored by Fianna Fails justice spokesperson Jim OCallaghan. He told the Irish Examiner: I hope the act is being prioritised. Im disappointed that its not in force yet. The minister needs to commence the act soon, so that victims of crime can be better supported. Mr OCallaghan said that one of the delays in commencing the act may be in establishing the new parole board, whose members are required to have specific qualifications and experience as laid out in the act. But Mr OCallaghan wants recruitment to happen quickly. I havent seen an advert for the new board members yet. This needs to be expedited by ministers. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said the legislation to establish a new board is extremely complex and a huge amount of planning is taking place to establish the board. Commenting on Rochestown murderer Peter Whelans case, the spokesperson said: The distress that these dreadful events have caused the Sweeney family and Ms OLeary is unimaginable. Peter Whelan who murdered Nichola Sweeney and attempted to murder Sinead OLeary in a knife attack in 2002. The minister is very much aware of the impact that these crimes have had on them and has met and spoken with the Sweeney family in this regard. These are life-changing events from which it is difficult to recover. The minister sympathises greatly with Ms OLeary and the Sweeney family. The role of the Parole Board has always been to make expert recommendations on the management of long-term prisoners sentences. The system of parole seeks to achieve a balance of rights and needs taking account of the rights and needs of victims, of offenders, and of society in general. It is really important that release on parole is not conflated with occasional, escorted and supervised day release for particular purposes as part of a sentence-management programme recommended by the Parole Board. Such conflation may cause unnecessary distress to victims and the wider community. Victims are forgotten about The family of murdered Cork woman Amy McCarthy says victims relatives should be the first people informed of the initial crimes and the ensuing legal processes. Brian OLeary missed the frantic calls to tell him that his daughter had just been murdered and her picture was splashed across the press. When he saw the reports hours later, he found the graphic details of her injuries hard to believe. Brian OLeary holds a photograph of his late daughter Amy McCarthy, flanked by his sister-in-law Debbie McCarthy, left, and his sister Debbie OLeary, right. Mr OLeary says that the family was first told by the Irish Examiner that his daughters killer had lodged an appeal, and that victims families are frequently left in the dark regarding court proceedings. Picture: Denis Minihane Amy McCarthy, 22, had been murdered by the father of her young child, her long-term boyfriend who her parents had initially welcomed into the family home. It was just six days after he had been released from prison on parole. The press found out shortly after her death and published articles about the killing before Amys family was told. Since that first nightmare morning, they have had to grapple repeatedly with a system which they say is slanted towards the offender and against the victim. Now they are joining forces with other murder- bereaved families to push for greater rights for victims and are asking Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to commence the new Parole Act as one step towards recalibrating the scales of justice. Remembering that awful morning in April 2017, Brian said: My phone kept ringing but I missed the calls. When I eventually saw the newspaper article I rang the guards and asked them how much truth was in it. They told me, you cant believe everything you hear. But when I saw her in the morgue, I knew most of it was true. He didnt just kill her, he battered her. I wasnt even allowed to touch her because she belonged to the State then. How did they [the press] get the information first? The family should know first. It hurt. The papers even said her nose was broken and when I saw her, she had a big mark down her nose. I cant understand where they got that information. They used an old picture of her; it didnt even really look like her any more. His sister-in-law Debbie McCarthy insists the family always must be the first to know. Her picture was on the front page of the newspaper, she said. It listed her injuries. There was nothing to prepare us. We should have been told first. Amy, a new mother, was murdered by her babys father, Adam OKeeffe, who she first met aged 17. He killed her five years later in a squat on Sheares St in Cork, in April 2017. Amy McCarthy, aged 22, was murdered by her long-term partner and father of her young child, Adam OKeeffe, at Sheares St, Cork, in April 2017. OKeeffe denied murder but admitted manslaughter, forcing Amys family to endure the agony of a trial. However, after just two hours and 14 minutes, a jury unanimously found OKeeffe guilty of her murder. He is now appealing his murder conviction in a bid to get the charge reduced to manslaughter. Brian said the familys pain and agony continues. Hes still appealing his sentence, said Brian. He wants the charge reduced to manslaughter. So were dealing with that now. They wont even tell us on what grounds hes appealing it. We get no peace. We had to deal with the trial, now the appeal, then therell be a window of four years and hell be up for parole. So youre always thinking about it. Extending the minimum life sentence from seven to 12 years would make a difference, he added. We were first told by the Irish Examiner that he had lodged an appeal. We rang the gardai and they didnt know. We rang the person in the DPP dealing with the case and they didnt know, so they had to contact the appeals department to find out. They should have told us about it straight away. Amys body was found, with extensive bruising to the face, scalp, and neck, in the squat in Cork city centre. There was blood spattered on the wall. A post-mortem found she died from multiple injuries, including blunt-force trauma to the head and asphyxia caused by manual strangulation. Brian said OKeeffe at first claimed Amy had fallen down the stairs. Adam OKeeffe denied the murder of Amy McCarthy but admitted manslaughter. He was found guilty of murder but is now appealing. We didnt know that he did it at first. He was outside the building that day and drinking on the street. He was telling people she fell down the stairs, or that she choked on her vomit. When the ambulance arrived, he said: Oh, do you think she broke her neck? The guards told us that day that it was almost guaranteed to be a murder case. He was the suspect but they couldnt arrest him yet. He was out on the street, saying hed lost his missus, saying Im a widower, said Brian. While he was still out, we were getting messages from friends telling us where he was on what street or in which park. I asked [gardai] why arent you arresting him immediately? They said they needed to gather the evidence first. Having to sit metres away from Amys killer in court and listen to the details of her extensive injuries still haunts her family. No family showed up for him in court, Brian said. I wanted to use myself as a human missile and dive at him. Debbie admits she wanted to exact her own revenge. You get thoughts in your head that you never thought youd be capable of, like getting a squeezy bottle, filling it with acid and squirting it in his face in court, she said. Listening to the coroners report, I just felt myself sinking and sinking. We heard about everything, from the smallest bruise. She read out all the injuries. The poor jury, they had to look at photos that we didnt see. Two of the jurors were crying, Debbie said. He was a bully and a thug, but she loved him. Unfortunately. He killed the only person that ever loved him. He was invited into the home. My sister cooked for him, did his laundry. Just two years after Amys murder, her family was horrified to hear that OKeeffe was in Cork for a family court hearing about their child. Brian said the family was kept in the dark. We, as the grandparents, werent allowed in. Only he was allowed in, and he killed his childs mum, he said. We werent told by anyone in Government; we were just told by a social worker as a courtesy that hed be in court. And he had been up the day before and we didnt know. Debbie said victims are too often forgotten about. It beggars belief that Sinead OLeary was not told [when murderer Peter Whelan was in Cork]. She could be walking down Patrick St and see that monster walking towards her. Youd either crumble or youd attack. And it would traumatise you, she said. Victims are forgotten about. Its all about the murderers rights, not the victims. And its not just the immediate family the parents, siblings, and children the wider family are affected too. I miss her every day. We have pictures of her around the house. I talk to the photos and say hey Amy. She was hyperactive. And even if you had an argument with her you couldnt walk away from her without smiling. Brian recalls the time he noticed changes.When she found out that she was pregnant she changed completely, said Brian. He [OKeeffe] couldnt hack that. He was jealous of his own son. She pushed him aside when the baby was born. When he was born he [her son] was a bit premature so he was in hospital. He [OKeeffe] was seen hitting her on CCTV at the hospital. It was a couple of days after she gave birth. Social workers made it difficult to take the baby home and they wouldnt let us take him home because he [OKeeffe] knew where we lived. But he went into prison then, Brian added. Amy took the baby home and everything was going really well. Debbie remembers the time well. That Christmas was the happiest and healthiest Ive ever seen her, she said. Then he got out of prison on early release and drew her back in. He was only out six weeks when he killed her. For Brian, the most important thing now is protecting Amys son. I feel nothing for [OKeeffe]. Hes just a bully and a scumbag. I dont want Amys son knowing that she was murdered by his dad. The post of US ambassador has been vacant since the departure of Kevin OMalley in December 2016. Photo: Mark Condren 'We were always in trouble': Marian Finucane in the studio at RTE Friends: Marian Finucane and Nuala O'Faolain in Kenya covering the 1985 UN Decade for Women Conference for RTE From the first hello there, Marian spanned the gap between intimacy and isolation. Photo: Damien Eagers National treasure: The death of Marian Finucane is a deep and personal loss. Photo: Collins AMERICAN RADIO would have benefited by having a Marian Finucane, according to a former US Ambassador to Ireland. Kevin F. OMalley paid tribute to the veteran late broadcaster following her sudden death on Thursday, calling her a gentle giant. Marian Finucane was a gentle giant and all of us in the United States who knew her are saddened to learn of her sudden passing, hesaid. Radio in America would have benefited by having a Marian Finucane and weekend mornings in Ireland with never be the same again. He recalled meeting Ms Finucane for his first RTE interview shortly after arriving in Ireland as an ambassador in 2014. I met Marian for our first RTE interview only four days after arriving in Ireland as Ambassador and was immediately impressed by her preparation, skill, and warmth. Expand Close The post of US ambassador has been vacant since the departure of Kevin OMalley in December 2016. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The post of US ambassador has been vacant since the departure of Kevin OMalley in December 2016. Photo: Mark Condren He paid tribute to her unique skills as an interviewer. Over my time in Ireland I was constantly amazed by her unique gifts that brought so much information and pleasure to her listeners, Mr O'Malley added. Marian had an uncanny ability to ask just the right question that would elicit just the information that we, her audience, wanted to know. 04 Jan 2020 - Lucinda Graham at Cornmarket in Belfast to raise awareness of the Mental Health crisis in Northern Ireland 04 Jan 2020 - Charlie Vance 17, Rachael Dobbin 16, Benjamin Warwick 16, and Oliver McBride 18 at Cornmarket in Belfast to raise awareness of the Mental Health crisis in Northern Ireland 04 Jan 2020 - Lucinda Graham at Cornmarket in Belfast to raise awareness of the Mental Health crisis in Northern Ireland Lamees Shaath 15, and Euan Gepp 15 Newtownabbey at Cornmarket in Belfast to raise awareness of the Mental Health crisis in Northern Ireland Mental health campaigners rallied today to call for Stormont to return and tackle the growing crisis. The Strike For Mental at Cornmarket in Belfast city centre was organised by lobby group Pure Mental and attended by over 70 people. One those there was Lucinda Graham, who has spoken candidly about her own battle with mental health issues. She called for an urgent return of the Assembly and Executive to fix what she described as a broken system. The system is under funded. I work with kids who have been on waiting lists for over 10 months for counselling, these are high risk kids who want to take their own lives and they are not being seen, she told Sunday Life. The aim of the rally was first and foremost to raise awareness among the public, to break mental health stigma. Northern Ireland has the highest suicide rate in the UK, the highest rate of self harm, we have huge issues with trauma, PTSD and post-natal depression. With the collapse of the Assembly thats really affected the implementation of change for mental health. You have nobody able to be appointed as a minister for mental health, which was meant to be in the works but that all went to pot when Stormont collapsed. We need to get people back into Stormont. Expand Close 04 Jan 2020 - Anna Kernahan 17, Sophie Waring 18, Chloe Chestnut 19, Owen McClure 18, Verity Wenner 19 at Cornmarket in Belfast to raise awareness of the Mental Health crisis in Northern Ireland Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 04 Jan 2020 - Anna Kernahan 17, Sophie Waring 18, Chloe Chestnut 19, Owen McClure 18, Verity Wenner 19 at Cornmarket in Belfast to raise awareness of the Mental Health crisis in Northern Ireland The 23-year-old called for education about how to cope with mental issues was required, couple with training for the likes of teachers on how to spot the signs of mental illness. People should learn from a young age how to build emotional well-being and resilience and also how to spot when things arent normal and we need services bolstered and with more staffing, she said. He added that the airstrike was not to start a war, but to stop a war Trump said he ordered the killing because Soleimani was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans Iran's supreme leader, Ayatolla Ali Khamenei, warned warned that 'the continuing fight & ultimate victory will be more bitter for the murderers & criminals' The leader of Iran's Quds Force was killed in an airstrike on Friday ordered by President Donald Trump When one of the notorious general's daughter's asked who will take revenge, the president told her: 'Everyone' President Hassan Rouhani told Soleimani's family during a visit on Saturday that the U.S. had committed an 'unforgettable crime' against the Iranian nation Advertisement The President of Iran has issued a chilling warning that the U.S. made a 'grave mistake' by killing the leader of Iran's Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, in an airstrike and that it will face consequences for years to come. General Qassem Soleimani was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the Middle East In a visit to the notorious general's house on Saturday, one of Soleimani's daughter's asked President Hassan Rhouani for revenge. 'Who is going to avenge my father's blood?' she asked. In response, he promised her that 'everyone will take revenge' and 'we will, we will avenge his blood , you don't worry.' 'The Americans did not realize what a grave mistake they have made. They will suffer the consequences of such criminal measure not only today, but also throughout the years to come,' Rouhani said. 'This crime committed by the US will go down in history as one of their unforgettable crimes against the Iranian nation.' Soleimani, 62, was killed in the early hours of Friday, local time, outside Baghdad's International Airport in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. Hours after the attack, Trump said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East and was targeted specifically because he was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the region. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. The President of Iran has issued a chilling warning that the U.S. made a 'grave mistake' by killing the leader of Iran's Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, in an airstrike and that it will face consequences for years to come President Hassan Rouhani (left) visited General Soleimani's family where they asked for revenge President Rouhani (right) speaking with General Soleimani's daughters (left) on Saturday Rouhani has said that Iran has the right to seek revenge, saying that that retaliation will come when the 'dirty hands of the US' are removed from the region indefinitely. The latest conflict between the U.S. and Iran started a week ago after an American contractor was killed in a rocket attack a week ago while working at an Iraqi military base in the country's northern region. The U.S. retaliated by launching an attack on five Popular Mobilization militia bases in Iraq and Syria, killing more than 24 people and inciting a nearly two-day siege of the United States Embassy in Baghdad. On the night of the attack, Soleimani's plane landed from Syria at the Baghdad International Airport at 12.30am local time. The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East Hours after the attack, Trump said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans He was soon picked up by two an Iraq-based PMF militia vehicle, also containing Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and left the airport via an nearby access road. The two had been riding in the proceeding convoy before it was decimated by U.S. missiles. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei also visited the home on Friday evening where he said the airstrike that killed the architect of the country's infamous militia was 'villainous'. 'Everyone is bereaved & grateful to your father. This gratitude is due to his great sincerity, since hearts are in God's hands. Without sincerity, [people's] hearts wouldn't have been with him like this. May God bestow His blessings on all of us,' he said, recounting the conversation in a tweet. 'You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream.' Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei (pictured) comforted a member of Soleimani's family during a visit to the family's home on Friday evening Ayatolla Khamenei (center) recounted his conversation with Soleimani's daughter (left) on Twitter, saying: 'Everyone is bereaved & grateful to your father. This gratitude is due to his great sincerity, since hearts are in God's hands' Ayatollah Khamenei (left) lashed out at Iran's enemies in a Saturday morning tweet, calling the Trump administration 'villainous' In a series of other tweets following the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the Trump administration as 'villainous' and condemned the airstrike. 'Hajj Qasem Soleimani had been exposed to martyrdom repeatedly, but in performing his duty & fighting for the cause of God, he didn't fear anyone or anything. He was martyred by the most villainous people, the US govt, & their pride in this crime is a distinguishing feature of him,' he wrote on Saturday. He also warned Iran's 'enemies' that the Jihad of Resistance' supposed victory will be 'bitter.' Ayatolla Khameneireleased a series of tweets on Saturday, recounting his conversations with Soleimani's family during his visit on Friday In a reference to the funeral processions for Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Ayatolla Khamenei said that several people from multiple cities came out in droves 'with devotion' The Supreme Leader later warned Iran's 'enemies' that the Jihad of Resistance has gained more motivation for their cause and their supposed victory will be 'bitter for the murderers and criminals' The Trump administration and the U.S. government were referred to as 'villainous' by Ayatolla Khamenei He wrote: 'All friends& enemiesknow that Jihad of Resistance will continue with more motivation & definite victory awaits the fighters on this blessed path. The loss of our dear General is bitter. The continuing fight & ultimate victory will be more bitter for the murderers & criminals.' Finally, Ayatollah Khamenei announced that Brigadier General Esmaeil Qa'ani has been appointed to Commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps following Soleimani's death. He says the strategy of the Quds Force will mirror that of Soleimani's strategy. Brigadier General Esmaeil Qa'ani (pictured) has been appointed to Commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by Ayatollah Khamenei following Soleimani's death Following the attack, thousands of mourners thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad during funeral processions for the slain Iranian general and an Iraqi militia commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who died with him during yesterday's US strike. They chanted 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' as they walked beside the coffins. The strike - which also killed four more Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards and five members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary network - infuriated Tehran, who vowed jihad on America. Photos of the the destroyed vehicle containing General Soleimani, as well as other Iranian and Iraqi personnel, circulated after the air strike Meanwhile Iraq, whose prime minister attended the funerals today, threatened to order the expulsion of all US troops from the country after what it called 'a brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' Mourners in the Iraqi capital today carried posters of Soleimani and flags of Muhandis's Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah militia, which has committed brazen attacks against US bases in recent months, climaxing with a siege of the US embassy on Tuesday. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered in Shia Islam before crowds headed south to a point near the Green Zone, the high-security district home to government offices and foreign embassies, including America's. Thousands of mourners flooded the streets to mourn the deaths of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi militia commander, on Saturday (pictured) A group of Iranian's burn the U.S. and Israeli flags during an anti-US protest prompted by the killing during an airstrike of Iranian and Iraqi leaders on Friday Iraqi Shiite women mourn the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Soleimani during a funeral procession made of thousands of citizens held in central Baghdad on SAturday Meanwhile thousands of angry demonstrators stood outside the UN offices in Iran's capital, demanding retribution for the killing of Soleimani. The head of Iran's elite Quds Force will be laid to rest Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman as part of three days of ceremonies across the country, the Revolutionary Guards said. Yesterday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited the 62-year-old father-of-five's family home and offered condolences after vowing 'jihad' on America for the drone strike. It comes as Tehran's UN ambassador, who represents Iran's only diplomatic mission within the US, told CNN Friday that the airstrike was 'tantamount to opening a war against Iran.' 'The US has already started a war against Iran, not just an economic war but something beyond that by assassinating one of our top generals,' Ravanchi said. 'There will be harsh revenge... The response for a military action is a military action.' In Iraq's capital, many of them in tears, chanted: 'No, No, America,' and 'Death to America, death to Israel.' Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. 'It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us,' he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The remains will later be taken to the Shiite holy city of Najaf to the south, and the remains of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning. Following the violent attacks on the embassy during marches for other militant 'martyrs' earlier this week, the U.S. is bracing for the possibility of another assault. Some of the funeral processions were being held in areas close to the heavily-fortified 'Green Zone' and officials are extremely wary of masses of militia close to consular buildings. Any attempt by Iran-backed militias to breach the embassy would 'run into a buzzsaw' of fire from U.S. defenders, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said earlier this week. 'We are very confident that the integrity of that embassy is strong and it is highly unlikely to be physically overrun by anyone,' Milley said at a Pentagon briefing. The U.S. military's force protection condition level for troops in the Middle East has been raised to 'Charlie,' signalling that intelligence indicates a terrorist attack is imminent. The strike has also frayed U.S. relations with Iraq, and that country's military it was a clear breach of U.S. status-of-forces agreements there. Iraq's Ministry of Defense in an official statement called the slain al-Muhandis a 'hero martyr' and said he 'was martyred last night in a cowardly and treacherous attack carried out by American aircraft near Baghdad international airport.' 'We affirm that what happened is a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a clear breach by the American forces of their mandate which is exclusively to fight Islamic State and provide advice and assistance to Iraqi security forces,' the statement said. Iraq's parliament scheduled an emergency session on Sunday and is expected to overwhelmingly vote to remove U.S, forces out of the country, where America has maintained a presence since 2003. The United States and its allies have suspended training of Iraqi forces due to the increased threat they face in the country, according to the German military. However, the U.S. is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East despite officials saying there is not indication of an imminent attack in the region. In response to the air strike, Trump held a press conference where he defended his actions as a necessary move to protect American citizens. 'Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies,' he said. 'The United States has the best military by far anywhere in the world. We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran,.' In a separate speech at a Miami mega-church, Trump doubled down on his administration's actions. 'Qassem Soleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now, forever gone. He was plotting attacks against Americans but now we've insured his atrocities have been stopped for good,' he added. 302 Shares Share What seems like a tidal wave of pages washes over you. Drowning in a torrential sea of order clarification, bowel regimens, and vital sign deviations you struggle to stay afloat. Medical school did not prepare you for this. Patients and nurses are calling you, doctor, you wish to return to that minimal responsibility role as a medical student. Welcome to your first on-call weekend. These first few days, weeks, and months are filled with clinical hesitancy as we begin to test this newfound freedom and with it, feel the consequences of our decisions. It seems like every small aspect of patient care needs to be verified by a senior resident. Living in a constant state of uncertainty, we are humbled by the mantra, You dont know what you dont know. This ritualistic pattern repeats itself each year. However, as with any new experience, patterns begin to emerge, and confidence begins to blossom. That internal voice begins to say, OK, you got this, as pages about pain management and discharge expectations roll in. Hypertension, oliguria, altered mental status, chest pain, dyspnea, and post-operative fever begin to fall into newly formulated decision-making algorithms. Associated clinical assessment protocols are developed. Establishing differential diagnoses and enacting a plan becomes a day-to-day occurrence. And of course, all things are bumped up to the senior resident, but the intern who was once the reporter begins to evolve into the manager. Naturally, each successful patient management encounter builds confidence. Questions and pages that were once sheepishly directed toward senior residents are now fielded, assessed, and a decision is made by the intern. Four or five months into internship, the new residents come to a natural, yet dangerous point: assuming small variations from the norm are erroneous rather than true. Convincing yourself that the patients are healthy rather than assuming they are sick and ruling out that they are not. At first, every page about hypotension or new post-operative pain mandated a visit to the patients bedside. Now, bolstered by the confidence established through multiple previously successful patient encounters, we begin to make clinical assumptions. We assume that the one temperature measurement that was above 38.4 was a mistake. The hypotensive blood pressure reading must be due to a cuff size mismatch. The hematocrit has been drifting down slowly over the past few days; the anemia must be dilutional. Comfortability breeds complacency. Complacency leads to assumptions, and assumptions cause misses in patient care. Insidious as it may be, this process manifests itself in the new intern as we are inherently programmed to assume patients are healthy rather than sick optimistically. Even when signs or symptoms manifest, albeit in an uncharacteristic pattern. Restoration of ones humility will be quick in these moments. A swift reminder of the infancy of his/her career and the lack thereof clinical gestalt will be delivered unapologetically as the patients clinical course unravels. Although the depth of the pit formed in ones stomach feels unfathomable, it will fade, but momentarily, serve as a reminder of how much there is yet to learn. From my own experience, I was paged at 0500 at the end of my night-float shift about a stable patient who had a near-syncopal event after rising from bed with the nurse. His vital signs at that time were normal, and he had a non-focal neurological exam. As I walked to the patients room, differential diagnoses came to my mind. I assumed it was likely orthostasis leading to a near-syncopal event because the patient had poor PO intake over the past 24 hrs. He was an elderly gentleman, and I assumed this fit with the idea that he was hypovolemic, under-resuscitated with age-related autonomic dysfunction. His labs drawn an hour and a half earlier revealed a stable hemoglobin/hematocrit, 8.6/26. The patient appeared normal when I arrived, but after a minute became unresponsive. He was pale, diaphoretic; his extremities were cool and clammy. We laid him back in bed, and I realized this was much more than what I assumed. His next blood pressure measurement was 64/40 after initiating a rapid response, resuscitating him with 1L of LR. His labs returned with an H/H 5.9/18 and a lactic acidosis at 3.7. This patient was on postoperative day six, following an open right hepatectomy. He was hypotensive, hypovolemic, and clearly bleeding. But a hepatic source seemed unlikely. It was only after my shift had ended, I returned later that evening to learn he had a massive GI bleed, received eight units of packed red blood cells, was transferred to the ICU, intubated, invasive monitoring instituted, and scoped from above and below. Thankfully, I was able to call on my second-year colleague, the ICU nurse, and ICU attending to manage this patient. Had he been discharged the day prior as planned, he would have likely died. I had no idea why he presented the way he did, and I was not only completely overwhelmed but also felt helpless as the situation requires greater medical knowledge than I had. I didnt know what to do. To the intern who knows everything, quickly will you learn the limits of your knowledge and the sting of complacency. Humility will be served cold. Countless times throughout residency, you will be reminded that you dont know what you dont know, which insidiously makes itself apparent. Appreciate your limitations, stay humble, but most importantly, do right by your patients, even if that means admitting you are wrong. Jason Lizalek is a surgery intern. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Later at 10 p.m, some more chunks of concrete crumbled, adding to the panic. Kolkata, Jan 4 (IANS) As many as five persons were injured when a portion of the portico of Burdwan railway station of the Eastern Railway in West Bengal collapsed around 8 p.m. on Saturday. Train movement was not affected, a senior official said. "A portion of the portico beside the enquiry counter near the main entrance collapsed. While one person has been admitted to hospital, three-four others sustained minor injuries and were released after the first aid," said Isha Khan, Divisional Railway Manager (Howrah). According to a Burdwan Medical College Hospital official, two persons injured in the mishap have been admitted. "One of them is in a serious condition due to head injury," he said. The other victim, Hopna Tudu, 45, sustained a leg injury. Tudu said he had come to see off his daughter, who was going to Bhopal. "Suddenly, the building gave way and a portion fell on me. My leg got injured. I couldn't walk. They brought me to the hospital". The railway rescue team, state government's civil defence and police personnel, Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF) and fire brigade personnel have reached the spot. Prima facie, no one was buried under the rubble, Khan said. "Our people there have informed us that no one was trapped in the debris. We are gathering more details to ascertain it. We will remove all the debris to see for sure that no one was there under the rubble," he said. The railway has ordered an enquiry into the mishap. "I can't say at this stage whether there was any maintenance issues. That can only be said once the enquiry was over. Our priority is to undertake rescue," he said. Khan said there was no impact on train movement. "There is no problem in the platform portion. We have opened an alternate way for entry and exit of passengers," he said. According to an eye-witness, the incident at some other time could have taken heavy toll. "It could have been a major accident. But due to cold there was practically no one where the part of the portico fell. At other times, a lot of people sleep under the portico. "The railway buildings are very old. But the railways hardly pay much attention to maintenance of such buildings," he said. ssp/pcj Paris: Global powers warn the American air strike responsible for killing Iran's top general made the world more dangerous and that escalation could set the entire Mideast aflame. Some US allies suggested Iran shared in the blame by provoking the attack. The deaths of Major-General Qassem Soleimani and several associates drew immediate cries for revenge from Tehran and a chorus of appeals from other countries seeking reduced tensions between Iran and the United States. As US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called world capitals to defend the attack, diplomats tried to chart a way forward. Activists of the National Council of Resistance of Iran protest opposite Downing Street in London after the US killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq. Credit:AP UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged leaders to "exercise maximum restraint," stressing in a statement that "the world cannot afford another war" in the Persian Gulf. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas echoed the UN chief saying, "A further escalation that sets the whole region on fire needs to be prevented." Maas also noted that the assault "followed a series of dangerous Iranian provocations." By Kyle Martin Bay City News Service U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of Silicon Valley is teaming with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in a legislative effort to block funding they say the Pentagon and President Donald Trump could otherwise use to launch the country into war with Iran. "Today, we are seeing a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East," Khanna said in a statement Friday. "A war with Iran could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world." President Trump on Thursday authorized a U.S. military airstrike in Iraq that killed top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani, an action that left many across the globe discussing the likelihood of retaliation by Iran and its allies. Khanna and Sanders say they plan to introduce legislation that could "prohibit any funding for offensive military force in or against Iran without prior congressional authorization," according to the Silicon Valley congressman. A previous measure to amend the National Defense Authorization Act to block war funding directed at Iran, authored by Khanna and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, passed a vote in the House of Representatives in July, but was later dropped in December. "War must be the last recourse in our international relations," Khanna said. "After authorizing a disastrous, $738 billion military budget that placed no restrictions on this president from starting an unauthorized war with Iran, Congress now has an opportunity to change course. Our legislation blocks Pentagon funding for any unilateral actions this president takes to wage war against Iran without Congressional authorization." Khanna said that instead of a war, the United States has a "crumbling infrastructure," desperate housing needs, and "the existential crisis of climate change" to face, and that "we as a nation must get our priorities right." "The House and Senate should pass our legislation immediately and uphold our constitutional responsibilities," Khanna said. "We must invest in the needs of the American people, not spend trillions more on endless wars." Sanders wrote on Twitter that he and Khanna will introduce the bill "to stop Donald Trump from illegally taking us to war against Iran. It's working-class kids who will to fight and die in a disastrous new Middle East conflict -- not the children of billionaires." Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Representative image Washington asked Tehran to respond "in proportion" after US forces killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards said. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed Soleimani, the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm, had been killed on Friday in a US air strike near Baghdad airport. After the attack, the Americans "resorted to diplomatic measures... on Friday morning", Rear-Admiral Ali Fadavi told state television that night. They "even said that if you want to get revenge, get revenge in proportion to what we did", he said, quoted on the broadcaster's website. Fadavi did not say how Iran received the message from its arch-enemy, even though Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations for four decades. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in separate television interview on Friday night that "Switzerland's envoy transmitted a foolish message from the Americans this morning". The Swiss official "was summoned in the evening and received a decisive response in writing... to the Americans' audacious letter," Zarif added. Switzerland's embassy in Tehran has represented US interests in the Islamic republic since ties were cut in 1980. But Fadavi said the United States was not in a position "to determine" Iran's response. "The Americans must await severe revenge. This revenge will not be limited to Iran," he said. "The 'Resistance Front', with a vast geography, is ready to materialise this revenge," he added, referring to Iran's allies across the Middle East. The new federal law titled An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth, and families (also called Bill C-92) came into effect Wednesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion The new federal law titled An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth, and families (also called Bill C-92) came into effect Wednesday. Passed in the days before the federal election, the law proposes to establish protections for Indigenous children and their families, as well as hand over responsibility for Indigenous child welfare to Indigenous governments who receive responsibility once institutions, policies and laws are developed and approved (presumably based on Indigenous cultural values, principles, and histories, but the law is vague on this). Arguably, it was one of the most important bills Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has passed and is a "signature" policy representing reconciliation. It responds directly to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (and specifically the fourth "call to action," that "minimum standards" be created to protect and empower Indigenous children and families). It resembles a U.S. law passed in 1978, which helped reduce the over-representation of Indigenous children in care. Its also a law that tries to engage the over-representation of Indigenous children in care, an emergency that leads to massive costs for everyone. The law has been criticized heavily for its paternalistic attitude, lack of funding and resources for planning and delivery, and necessary legal changes to ensure the handover is a success. Most First Nations have begun planning the process of implementation anyway. Still, there are many mountains ahead for Indigenous communities and governments. While virtually every Indigenous community I know wants control over the future of their children, there are infrastructure, funding, and human challenges. Most have to do with the fact many communities live under the devastating Indian Act and experience a situation history has created that I call: "too many needs and not enough to deal with them." Among all First Nations in Canada, communities in Manitoba are some of the most ready to begin. Not only are there more then 11,000 Indigenous children in care in this province (representing around 90 per cent of the entire system) but for decades, Indigenous groups and governments here have been establishing their own child welfare organizations. Today, there are at least 17 First Nations- and Metis-run organizations that seem poised to lead Manitobas transition. Still, and for the reasons above, change will take time. "Mistakes will be made," Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller announced on Friday. "Change will not come overnight." Miller now is saying that "until Indigenous laws are in place, services to Indigenous children will continue as before. However, every Indigenous child and family services provider will have to apply the basic principles set out in the act." First Nations readiness, however, might not be the real challenge with implementing the law. The problem is with provincial governments that hold jurisdiction over child welfare and departments that are deeply tied to the child welfare system, such as education and health. In the weeks leading to the implementation of the act, provincial ministers called on the federal government to give them direction on how to hand Indigenous children to Indigenous-run organizations. They got almost no response, leading to confusion, uncertainty, and an emerging jurisdictional conflict between provinces and First Nations. Questions about what meets "minimum standards" of protection for Indigenous children and how Indigenous organizations can take control of their own affairs as well as who approves this handover are undefined. Manitoba Families Minister Heather Stefanson said in November: "This is not the way to bring about reforms in such an important area as this that will have an impact on the most vulnerable people in our society, which is our children. This is unacceptable." As a result of this confusion, the Quebec government has challenged the legality of the law. It has applied to the provinces Court of Appeal for exemption and a constitutional "exclusivity" over Indigenous child welfare. Alberta is threatening a similar case. The provinces will likely lose these applications, but these questions represent a longstanding constitutional problem in Canada. For services like health, education, and child welfare, Canadians deal with provincial governments. First Nations, on the other hand, share relationships with the Crown (and its proxy, the federal government) so they receive services from the federal minister of Indigenous services. First Nations have fought very hard for this legal relationship with the Crown creating the basis for treaties, land, claims, and rights so this cannot change. But it might have to. The provinces, which up to this point carry jurisdictional control over Indigenous children, must now work with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis governments on how the handover will take place, whether they like it or not. The federal government should be taking the lead on what defines this new relationship, but its not. This has left a rather revolutionary possibility of First Nations and provinces working together absent of the federal government or not. If goodwill existed on both sides, this could work. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Because money, power, and children are involved, it wont. First Nations dont want to work with provinces for legal reasons. Provinces dont want to work with Indigenous governments for jurisdictional reasons. Meanwhile, 11,000 children wait, and an emergency continues. Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe and is a columnist at the Winnipeg Free Press. Haiti - Petit-Goave : On the eve of her 127 years Mrs. Jamba celebrates the new year Wednesday January 1st, at the 8th communal section of Petit-Goave, 15 graduating students, members of the "Force Jeunesse" group and Prosper Charles, President of "1804 Institute for haitian studies" who came specially from the United States for this event, passed New Year's Day with the oldest woman in Haiti : Madame Benicia Souffrant better known as "Madan Jamba" (born in Verdier, a dwelling in the 8th section, January 17, 1893 https: // https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26800-haiti-social-126th-anniversary-of-madan-jamba-the-haitian-dean.html ) which will celebrate its 127th anniversary on January 17. The visitors celebrated with "Madan Jamba" a double event, the new year and the independence day of Haiti by fraternally sharing with her, the "joumou soup" (Giramon) of January 1, 2020, served in the tradition in "kwi" (calabashes) Slamers from Port-au-Prince chanted very beautiful texts and a band from the area made everyone dance. If the age of "Madan Janba" is established and officially recognized by international bodies, she would then become the dean of humanity. In January 2019, Rector Jacky Lumarque of Quisqueya University said "[...] We are in contact with the national archives so that we can obtain irrefutable evidence. We are on the right path. We have a copy of the birth certificate of the twin sister of "Madan Jamba"." Remember that since July 22, 2018, the date of Chiyo Miyako's death, the dean of humanity is the Japanese Kane Tanaka, born on January 2, 1903 and aged 117 years Read also on "Madan Jamba" : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26800-haiti-social-126th-anniversary-of-madan-jamba-the-haitian-dean.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24861-haiti-social-a-new-house-for-the-oldest-woman-of-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24509-haiti-petit-goave-happy-feast-mrs-jamba-a-mother-of-125-years-old.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-23845-icihaiti-petit-goave-at-125-she-would-be-the-oldest-woman-in-haiti-and-of-world.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23945-haiti-social-the-oldest-woman-in-haiti-will-never-be-alone-again.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23907-haiti-social-big-visit-to-the-oldest-woman-of-haiti-125-years.html HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Petit-Goave Correspondent) The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday doubled the annual discretionary fund of cabinet ministers from Rs 50 lakh to Rs one crore, and that of ministers of state from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 60 lakh. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, said an official. "The cabinet has approved a proposal to increase the annual discretionary fund for cabinet ministers to Rs one crore from current Rs 50 lakh. The discretionary fund of ministers of state has been increased to Rs 60 lakh from Rs 35 lakh," the Public Relations Department official said. He said the Mukhyamantri Karmachari Swasthya Bima Yojana, a health insurance scheme for the state government employees, was also approved at the meeting. "This will benefit 12.55 state government employees, including those on contract. Under this scheme, employees and their families can avail medical treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I was searching for a musical idiom that transcended civilisational barriers, said Bangere, a professor at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, US, who grew up in Mysore, during the course of about a dozen face-to-face, telephone and Skype interviews over the past year. Mathematics showed me the way. The metaraga system integrates different genres, which exist separately, but their key elements dynamically interact with each other to produce new sounds, with no sense of hierarchy. Bangere evolved the systems musical principles from algebraic geometry, whose concepts form the systems invisible subterranean plumbing. Bangere has presented the mathematical ideas underpinning the system which is a work-in-progress that he continues to expand and refine at several prestigious venues in India and the US, such as the Asian Art Institute in San Francisco, Brown University, the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute-Berkeley, Tufts University, the Chennai Mathematical Institute and the Indian Statistical Institute, Bengaluru. His ensemble has also performed the music at some of these venues. In addition to its musical importance, therefore, this system has a profound cultural significance: Afro-American music that grew from pain and protest becomes the link between East and West. This framework, which Bangere calls the metaraga system, combines the full range of Indian microtones and oscillations, such as meend and gamak in Hindustani music, and kampitam and sphuritam in Carnatic music, with Western-style key changes, or modulation, and polyphony, which is music containing two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody. Moreover, in the framework, blues-style melodies evocatively emerge as the best technical and aesthetic bridges between the Indian and Western genres. What I find appealing is that Purnas concept is highly virtuosic and is built on an incredibly vast traditional musical system, but folds in references to jazz, blues and mountain musics that slowly unfold as he moves through a piece, said John Bishop, a drummer and founder of Origin Records. There are many points of reference, rhythmic and melodic, that our ears connect with, but it does feel like something new and significant. This is the radical new music on a CD, titled Metaraga, to be released worldwide on 17 January by Origin Records, a prestigious US label. The music has grown out of a path-breaking, unifying musical framework developed by Purnaprajna Bangere, an Indian-American mathematician and violinist, using concepts from algebraic geometry, the discipline in which he specialises. Bangere also founded the Purna Loka Ensemble, which performs six of the CDs eight tracks. CURVED PHRASES from Indian ragas melt into languorous blues microtones. The strains of music born on the American Souths slave plantations mutate into the more angular notes and layered melodies of the Western classical genre. The different sounds weave in and out of one another, creating a shifting and arresting aural landscape that feels at once both achingly familiar and dazzlingly novel. Above image: Purna Loka Ensemble. (L-R) Jeff Harshbarger (bass), Purnaprajna Bangere (lead violin), Amit Kavthekar (tabla), David Balakrishnan (second violin). Photo courtesy Purnaprajna Bangere Six of the CDs eight tracks reflect this richly textured, pan-civilisational sound. Four of these, Syzygy, Triality I, Triality II and Triality III, have been composed by Bangere, in collaboration with one of the finest contemporary jazz violinists and composers, David Balakrishnan, founder and director of the three-decade-old Turtle Island Quartet, which has twice won the Grammy Award. Balakrishnan is a key member of the Purna Loka Ensemble, whose other members are bassist Jeff Harshbarger, and tabla player Amit Kavthekar, with guest clarinet player Robert Walzel heard in one track. A fifth track, Fibration, is Bangeres solo composition, and a sixth, Alabama, is his re-interpretation of jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltranes musical take on a speech by Martin Luther King Jr condemning the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, by the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan. The remaining two pieces are Bangeres renditions of the Indian ragas Abhogi and Hamsadhwani. Purnas experiments with tonal transition, which includes temporal suspension, make him a true pioneer, said Jan Radzynski, a distinguished composer who is a professor at Ohio State University in Columbus. Purna is an incredibly talented Indian-American composer and violin virtuoso whose time has come. Bangere is now composing new pieces with fellow professor Dan Gailey, a saxophonist, composer, and director of jazz studies at the University of Kansas, who will bring his own aesthetics and vision to the system. Purnas music feels especially innovative in that it seems to defy a pronounced leaning to one world or the other, such as Western jazz and classical vs Eastern and Indian music, Gailey said. I was absolutely blown away when I heard it performed live, and my reactions were confirmed upon hearing the mastered recordings that comprise Purnas CD. By integrating core aspects of both Western and Indian music, he truly has created music that is neither East nor West, and I find that incredibly exciting. To fully appreciate the metaraga systems power, one must become familiar with its nuts and bolts. But just as one ideally needs a few years of training to understand the nuts and bolts of Hindustani or Carnatic music, one also needs systematic initiation into the metaraga system. Towards the end, this article offers interested readers a glimpse into this systems conceptual landscape. But for an average listener, the proof of the pudding lies in the listening. Two tracks included here, Syzygy and Triality II, vividly illustrate the seamless synthesis of genres that can be achieved within this framework. Ultimately, only by listening to these tracks will music lovers begin to fathom its potential. Like all good art music, the compositions yield their secrets slowly on repeated hearing, and perhaps never fully. The CD can be ordered through several online retailers, such as Barnes & Noble and Target. Even more difficult than delineating the metaraga systems musical concepts is describing the underlying mathematics, which is a highly technical and abstract field. In any case, the mathematics is not relevant even to a musician interested in using the musical framework, let alone to a lay reader. But again, towards the end of this article, readers will find a couple of examples of the correspondence between the mathematics and the musical concepts. Universally compelling, however, is the human story of one mans artistic and intellectual quest to unite disparate music systems, and how and why mathematics showed him the way. Into the unknown In 1991, Bangere arrived at Brandeis University, in Waltham, near Boston, from India, to do his PhD in mathematics. He arrived full of optimism, carrying a rosy image of the US. In a few months, he saw that despite its many obvious virtues, the US was also home to economic inequality, racism and imperialism. As a more realistic picture of his adopted country began to take shape and the biting winter set in, a deep homesickness began to take hold of him. Although trained as a Carnatic violinist, Bangere found refuge in the pathos of blues and jazz. He began listening to musicians from a wide variety of genres: Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, BB King, Leo Kottke, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and above all, John Coltrane, who had tried to incorporate Indian raga music into jazz. All the while, Bangere continued to hone his Carnatic repertoire. Bangere follows what is called the Parur style, named after the native village in Tamil Nadu of the violinist Sundaram Iyer, the father and guru of MS Gopalakrishnan (1931-2013), often known just as MSG. Bangere, who grew up in Mysore, learned from HK Narasimha Murthy, a wonderful musician and a guru of great repute. Narasimha Murthy learned from MSG, imbibing his teachers deep and liberal outlook towards music. In Mysore, from a very young age, Bangere was also exposed to vast amounts of Western classical violin through his fathers friends. MSG was a pioneer. He became a rare maestro of Carnatic music who also mastered the Hindustani idiom. Like his father, MSG believed that both systems harked back to a deeper, abstract musical base. He developed revolutionary new bowing and fingering techniques that enabled him to achieve startling clarity at dizzying speeds. He also created a completely new sound that exploited the violins particular potential, diverging from a longstanding dominant trend among instrumentalists of largely trying to reproduce the nuances of vocal music. Bangere inherited not only the Parur technique but also its underlying iconoclasm and universalistic philosophy. After getting his PhD in 1996, he did two post-doctoral stints: at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and at the University of Missouri in Columbia. All the while, he continued to widen and deepen his interest in the blues and jazz, listening to many musicians live. He finally landed a job at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. In 2008, David Balakrishnan and his Turtle Island Quartet performed at the university. Bangere invited Balakrishnan for dinner and played for him, rendering a couple of ragas and showing him some Parur drills. This is fantastic, David told him, heralding the start of an intense musical collaboration that continues to this day. In 2013, Bangere also began meeting jazz musicians in the Boston area, his old hunting ground. He played with jazz saxophonist Phil Scarff, who also trained in Hindustani music and founded a world-jazz ensemble called Nataraj, and befriended Marc Rossi, a composer and pianist at the Berklee College of Music. At the same time, Bangere was neck-deep reading Recoltes et Semailles, a radical perspective of geometry and space, by Alexandre Grothendieck (1928 to 2014), and Seminaires du Geometrie Algebique du Bois Marie, the transcript of a nine-year-long seminar that the French-German mathematician ran. Bangere had been introduced to Grothendiecks ideas at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, where he spent a few years as a graduate student before transferring to Brandeis University. Considered one of the 20th centurys most influential mathematicians, Grothendieck revolutionised the subfield of algebraic geometry. He unified a slew of existing concepts by seeking their underlying abstractions. His theory of schemes and topological theory, to cite just two examples, dramatically expanded the field. Of the various dimensions of mathematics, he said that he was fascinated less by size and number and more by form, particularly the structure hidden in mathematical things. Eureka moment Propelled by the ideas of two pioneering intellects, namely MSG and Grothendieck, Bangere had his eureka moment some time in 2015, when he began to see that he could use Grothendiecks ideas to integrate various musical forms under one umbrella theory. The metaraga system gradually began to take shape. But the ideas still had to be translated into concrete music, with compositions that could be performed and recorded. Bangere excitedly called Balakrishnan, and the two began composing pieces, meeting on and off to perform them, roping in Harshberger and Kavthekar. The skeleton that was the metaraga system gradually acquired flesh and blood. The importance of Balakrishnans contribution to the process cannot be overstated. With decades of experience as a director of one of the most reputable jazz ensembles, he has been pivotal in pulling the project together. Musically, in the various compositions, his harmonies epitomise that elusive trait called taste. Lush yet delicately wrought, they beautifully support Bangeres captivating and at times, haunting, main melodies. Harshberger and Kavthekar are superlative, their accompaniment discernibly elevating the compositions. David has been like a brother and mentor to me, said Bangere. His contributions are invaluable. His harmonies for Triality II are brilliant. He has been centrally responsible for putting me out into the world. Jeff (Harshbarger) is immensely gifted, and Amits rhythmic groove is outstanding. To be clear, Grothendiecks work does not provide formulae that, when fed some numbers, will output music: the relationship between the math and the music is not mechanical. Rather, Grothendiecks ideas offered structural or geometric principles, which Bangere began connecting to music. Bangeres mathematical knowledge therefore formed only one part of the equation. In order to translate the mathematical structures into music, Bangere had necessarily to tap his musical knowledge, namely his long years of training in Carnatic music, deep understanding of Hindustani music, and sustained exposure to other genres, such as blues, jazz and Western classical music. In other words, mathematics gave him the structure, music the aesthetics. The link between mathematics and music is perhaps not surprising. Neither refers to an external reality; they are internally consistent languages of pure abstraction. This might be one reason why an unusually high number of mathematicians are accomplished amateur musicians, and why, conversely, Western music composers, such as the American Milton Babbit (1916-2011), have also used mathematical ideas in their work, said David Eisenbud, a distinguished mathematician who was Bangeres doctoral advisor and the first David in his life Balakrishnan being the other. Another reason so many mathematicians take to music may lie in the personality of the practitioners. Smiling, Eisenbud said that mathematics tended to attract introverts, and like mathematics, music allowed its practitioners to access emotions without interacting with people! Eisenbud himself learnt to play the flute before switching to singing. He became seriously interested in Indian classical music through colleagues and students from this country, hosting many concerts at his home. Purna is a fine mathematician, and has published in many very good journals, Eisenbud said in an interview in mid-December, when he was visiting Mumbai on work. His metaraga system is compelling. Not fusion Where does the metaraga system fit within the larger world of multi-genre collaborations? After all, such cross-pollination and fusion are hardly new. For decades, musicians from different streams have worked together to find common ground. Among Indo-Jazz unions, the band Shakti was perhaps the most successful in consistently generating a new fused sound. But the vast majority of efforts were the result of trial and error some pieces of music came together well, others, as is inevitable in any experimentation, remained disjointed. It is unlikely that any was underpinned by a coherent theory. Indian musicians have also experimented with Western-style key changes through processes they call moorchana and grahabhedam. But these do not incorporate polyphony in a systematic way. Normally, in the Indian system, musicians do not change keys, sticking to one base sa for a full concert, if not their whole lives. By contrast, a single Western composition can have several key changes. The case against a probation officer accused of coercing sex from a woman on probation is heading to a grand jury after a plea deal fell through in court Friday. Henry C. Cirignano, 49, of Wall Township, was expected to enter a plea in Superior Court of Ocean County Friday afternoon, but decided against the deal at the last minute as negotiations continued into a scheduled court hearing Friday. The case will now be heard by grand jury, likely sometime this month. Cirignanos attorney, Mitchell Ansell, said Cirignano needed more time to consider the plea and discuss it with his family and counsel, and asked for an adjournment. Assistant Prosecutor Tom Fichter asked the judge to reject that, and send the case to grand jury. This is the second time a plea deal was negotiated and abandoned at the last minute, and prosecutors have been ready to send it to the grand jury for months, Fichter said. The next chance to present the case to a grand jury would be sometime at the end of January, Fichter said. Judge Wendel Daniels sided with the state, sending the matter to a grand jury while still allowing for a plea deal to occur before it gets to the grand jury. Cirignano did not speak during the short hearing. He was seated in the jury box the entire time, wearing a green prison uniform. No family or friends of either Cirignano or the victim were present at the hearing. The courtroom was empty, except for employees and news reporters. Cirignano was first arrested in February 2019 and charged with two counts of sexual assault, with official misconduct charges added several days later. He had supervisory capacity over the victim, authorities have said. A condition of his pretrial release was to avoid contact with the victim, but he was arrested two months later, in April, after allegedly contacting the woman, officials said. He was then charged with witness tampering, terroristic threats and contempt of court for violating his pre-trial release order. If convicted on all the charges against him, Cirignano faces over 40 years in jail. He earned a salary of over $88,000 and was in the state pension system for 18 years, online records show. Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch. 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 man from Vietnams Mekong Delta region is being investigated for disrespecting the national flag, a crime punishable by up to three years in prison. The Peoples Procuracy in Cai Lay Town, Tien Giang Province, has approved a decision to probe Nguyen Thanh Truong, a 27-year-old local, for desecrating the national flag, a source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday. Reports said that authorities in his hometown, Tan Binh Commune in Cai Lay, announced that they had gained the title of a new rural commune, which recognizes local socio-economic development. Officials hung national flags, colored flags, and banners along a road from the Tan Binh Peoples Committee, which is the executive branch of the local government, to Ward 3 in Cai Lay to celebrate the title and prepare for a ceremony to formally acknowledge it on December 23. In the small hours of the same day, Truong walked to the road in front of his house and took down four national flags before throwing them into the nearby river out of disappointment over personal issues. He then returned home and slept. At 7:00 am, the man was pulling down a banner and a colored flag when he was caught in the act by local authorities. Truong admitted to investigators that he had thrown away the flags and banner over his frustration with his personal problems. Those who deliberately desecrate the national flag, national emblem, and national anthem shall receive a warning or face a penalty of up to three years of alternative sentencing or 6-36 months in jail, according to the Criminal Code of Vietnam. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A group of four enthusiastic bikers from Kashmir has set out on a rally from Srinagar to Kanyakumari to campaign for "drugs free society" a first of its kind initiative from the Valley since abrogation of Article 370 provisions on August 5. The bikers left Srinagar on Friday but had to spend the chilly night under a tent on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway due to blocking of the only all-weather road, linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, by a landslide at Digdole in Ramban district, before getting green signal around 5 am the next day. "Nobody is sponsoring our tripWe have pooled our resources after getting a cool response from the government to complete the dream ride," 24-year-old engineering student Muzamil Fayaz Bhat, the leader of the team hailing from militancy-infested Tral township of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, told PTI. Bhat, along with Adil Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Zubair and Ubaid Javid Malik all residents of Srinagar, stayed overnight in Jammu to have some rest after going through a nightmare on the highway and left for their second stop at Delhi en route to Kanyakumari on Saturday morning. The group hopes to cover the 3806-km distance in a week. "We are professional bikers and nature lovers, and have visited different parts of the valley and Ladakh during the past over three years. We had decided to undertake the long journey last year with a message against substance abuse, which is growing with each passing day and claiming precious lives, but the sudden developments caused the delay," Bhat said. The Centre abrogated Article 370 provisions, which guaranteed special status to Jammu and Kashmir, on August 5 last year and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which came into effect on October 31. "We lost contact with each other due to restrictions and communication blockade. When the restrictions were eased and mobile phones got restored, we came together under the banner of team logo 'Battle on Roads' and approached the authorities for necessary assistance for the first of its kind trip but got a cold shoulder despite a senior officer immediately approving our proposal," Bhat said, blaming corruption for "misplacing of the file". Zubair said they were expecting more bikers to join them in the trip after getting the sponsorship as everyone cannot afford the required expenditure. "We have seen the riders from different parts of India exploring Kashmir and Ladakh under the full cooperation of their governments. We wish our government too pays attention to encourage the local youth to take part in short and long distance bike rallies, which will help them to overcome negativity and think positively," he said. The biker said they have made the "small beginning" and "we are hopeful that more and more youth will join us in future". "Our motto for this trip is to attract the attention of the youth to our banners and placards which we are carrying to convey our message (no drugs). Even if one person gets motivated and stays away from the drugs, it will be our success," he said. Mir said it is painful to see an increasing number of youth falling prey to the drugs. "After our successful trip, we will launch a massive campaign in Kashmir and visit all higher secondary schools, colleges and universities to share our experience with the studentsIf we can stay away from drugs, why cannot everyone else," he said. Zubair said the depression among the youth due to various reasons like growing unemployment, the three-decade-long violence and hopeless future is driving them to drugs. Malik was thankful to the road clearance agencies who worked round-the-clock to clear the highway of the landslide debris. "When we reached Digdole (on the highway), the road was completely blocked and we had no other option but to stay in the open to wait for the clearance of the road. The icy winds coupled with falling night temperature kept us awake throughout the night even as we had put up a tent," he said. He said they were given a passage around 5.30 am after hectic efforts by the men who were on the job. "It was nothing short of a nightmare and was also a signal for the challenges ahead. We braved this challenge and are hopeful to overcome whatever the situation to fulfill our long cherished dream to work as an inspiration for others," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bolivia will vote for a new president on May 3, a step officials hope will end two months of political chaos in the impoverished South American country. "It will be a crucial election for the future of Bolivia's democratic system," Salvador Romero, the recently named president of the tribunal, told The Washington Post on Friday after the annoucement. Bolivians voted for president in October, and the tribunal declared socialist President Evo Morales the winner of a fourth term. But the opposition claimed fraud, an Organization of American States audit found "clear manipulation" of the vote and protesters began burning the homes of government officials. The heads of the armed forces and police withdrew their support, and Morales resigned and fled the country. Jeanine Anez, a previously obscure second vice president of the Bolivian Senate from an opposition party, declared herself interim president and was quickly recognized by the United States. Morales and his supporters have described the sequence of events as a coup. Romero said the election tribunal is working to fix problems with vote counting and the computer system that the Organization of American States says allowed previous elections to be manipulated. The United Nations is offering technical assistance and the European Union is expected to send an observation mission. Morales' Movement Toward Socialism party, or MAS for its initials in Spanish, retains a majority in Congress. Anez's most urgent challenge has been to negotiate an agreement with MAS on new elections even as her interim government pursued the arrest of Morales and other top officials for crimes it alleges they committed in office. "The announcement of a date is a clear sign that the transitional government is achieving its objectives: pacifying the country and organizing a new vote," Bolivian political analyst Jorge Dulon said. "It means the end of a long crisis, and from now on the political situation will normalize as political forces regroup, choose candidates, and campaign." Morales, who served as president for nearly 14 years, is in Argentina under the Peronista government of Alberto Fernandez. He has said he won't run in the May election but will manage the MAS campaign. Anez's government has warned him against returning to Bolivia. The weeks after Morales' resignation in November saw looting, arson and other violence in Bolivia's principal cities. Anez, who said her only priority as interim president was to set new elections, was accused of persecuting political opponents, appealing to racism against the indigenous Bolivians who have formed Morales's base and offering immunity to members of the security forces who killed protesters. But the sides eventually passed a law approving elections in 2020 under a completely new elections authority: seven magistrates of the national tribunal and members of local tribunals in nine departments. The magistrates were named over the past two weeks. The law prevents Morales and Anez from running. Romero announced the election date in a news conference in La Paz. He said three months was a short period to organize an election under the best of circumstances but is even shorter given the technical problems that need to be fixed to guarantee a clean vote. "The future of Bolivia depends on these elections being completely transparent and reflecting the will of the people beyond any doubt," he said. It will be Bolivia's first presidential election since 1997 in which Morales is not running. MAS has not nominated a candidate; Morales hosted party members in Bueno Aires over the weekend to discuss contenders and strategy. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In Bolivia, he faces an arrest warrant for alleged sedition and terrorism. But he vowed in an interview with Reuters to return by next Christmas. Morales has been credited with significantly reducing extreme poverty in one of Latin America's poorest countries. But he's also accused of concentrating power and growing increasingly authoritarian. He won three elections by landslides and might still be the country's most popular politician. But he antagonized voters, including some supporters, when he held a referendum in 2016 seeking to sidestep the constitution and run for a fourth term. He lost that vote, but then won a ruling from a friendly Supreme Court that allowed him to run anyway - alienating still more Bolivians. Morales was widely seen as needing to win the first round of voting in October, when the opposition vote was divided among multiple candidates. An opposition united behind a single anti-Morales candidate in a head-to-head runoff was seen as likely to oust the longtime president. When the electoral tribunal said Morales narrowly exceeded the 10-point margin he needed to avoid a second round, Bolivia descended into the chaos that drove him from the country. Carlos Mesa, the center-right former president who finished second to Morales in the October vote, has said he will run again in May. Luis Fernando Camacho, a right-leaning opposition leader from Santa Cruz, the country's biggest city, has also announced a run. NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League Jan. 3, 2020 NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue responds to the Detroit Free Press editor regarding his reply to our news release of January 2: Here is what Detroit Free Press editor Peter Bhatia wrote in reply to our news release: Thanks for your e-mail. However, the allegations made by Dr. Donohue are completely without merit. The story was responsible, deeply reported and factual, reporting on a difficult situation that has arisen over time in Catholic boys' schools here. Take the time to read the story and I think you will see it is fair. To borrow a phrase from Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Dr. Donohue is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. Peter Bhatia Editor and Vice President, Detroit Free Press and freep.com Great Lakes regional editor (Michigan and Ohio), USA TODAY Network Here is Bill Donohue's reply: Mr. Bhatia's reply is flatulent. He says the storys facts are accurate. That was not my point, and he knows it. My point was that this was a contrived non-story with disjointed accounts spliced together to put a bad face on the Catholic Church. I even gave as an analogue how this might play out if the target were African Americans. His dodge is further proof of the dishonesty and juvenile journalism of the Detroit Free Press. Controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has taken to social media to celebrate the New Year with fans as she shares a lengthy but insightful post to advise them. The film star just like many Nigerians seems ready to take the right step forward as the year begins. In a lengthy post shared on Instagram, Tonto said that nothing will change in the new year if one does not change his or her ways. She then proceeded to sharing nuggets that will help her fans in the next 12 months of the New Year. One of her points stated that her fans should not focus on buying the latest phones or gadgets when they do not have investments. In her words: As the new year begins, please be wise and strategic. Nothing is going to change because its a new year. Forget about the whole new year new me mantra, if you dont change your ways, youll still get the same result. Here are some nuggets to help you this year. Stop comparing yourself with people and focus on your journey. Its easy to stay in your corner and feel that the grass is greener at the other side, but the grass is greener where you water it. Focus on your journey, we all have our time. Dont let peoples success pressurize you into looking for an easy way out. Stop buying the latest phones, bags and material things when you lack investments. Many young people are caught up in material frivolities that they dont even realize what matters. iPhone 11 is good, but how the heck do you not have any investment no matter how little bit youre killing your self over buying an iPhone 11? Dont try to look rich! Be rich and how do you get rich? By investing wisely! Have friends with benefit! Yes! Evaluate your friendships and kick out people youre not also benefiting anything from. Im not saying you should be a leech, but make friendships with the intentions to grow. Friends that only call you to drink and party? But never talk about how to grow mentally, and get better? Cut them off! You dont need 1000 friends. One real friend is better than 20 casual friends. Dont start any relationship with Lets see as it goes... Define any relationship and know what youre getting into, you cant waste your time trying to see how it goes. Its either they want you or not. Finally, put God in everything you do. Remember that everyone wont like you, everyone wont help you, everyone won value you, but focus and trust God. Cheers to a better 2020. See her post below: Just recently, Legit.ng reported that controversial blogger, Linda Ikeji, shared her new year resolution with fans on social media. She mentioned a number of things including the fact that if she cancels someone this year, the person is going to stay cancelled. PAY ATTENTION: Do you have news to share? Contact Legit.ng instantly HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Should Tonto Dikeh have blasted her ex-husband online? Nigerians react | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Michelle Noer climbs the steps to the world's largest dump truck at the Syncrude Aurora mine near Fort McMurray, Alberta, in this May 23, 2006 file photo. (REUTERS/Todd Korol/Files) Oil prices are surging in the wake of the U.S. airstrike that killed a top Iranian general on Thursday. The attack, and Irans promised response, have analysts forecasting scenarios of a barrel of European benchmark crude hitting $150. While ongoing tension in the Middle East would likely disrupt supply, experts dont expect Canadas long-suffering energy sector will be in a position to take advantage of price gains. Some analysts see it as a teachable moment underscoring the countrys inability to bring its ample crude supply to global markets in a time of need. China is a major buyer of heavier crude, which is what Canada produces, Carl Larry, the Houston-based commodities performance director at Refinitiv, told Yahoo Finance Canada. If Irans oil supplies are diminished or taken out completely, China will look not just to the U.S., but to Canada, to renew its supply. For years, Canadas energy industry has clamoured for ocean access via pipeline to reach buyers beyond North America. According to the Fraser Institute, insufficient pipeline capacity cost Canadas energy sector $20.6 billion in foregone revenue in 2018. The lack of export pipelines has contributed to a drought of foreign investment in the sector. Compared to several other oil producing regions, Canadian producers point to stronger environmental and labour standards overseen by a stable government. In other words, it would be a logical alternative source in the event of extended conflict involving the Gulf states. The big problem with Canadian energy is lack of access, the lack of capacity to export the product. It really comes back to our politics and the lack of pipelines being built, Purpose Investments chief investment officer Greg Taylor told Yahoo Finance Canada. He notes that Canada cant even move oil internally in an effective way right now, with East Coast refineries relying on crude from the Middle East. If conflict intensifies between the U.S. and Iran, putting pressure on global supply, Larry hopes proponents of the energy sector will use the incident to show Ottawa the importance of building new energy infrastructure. Story continues Canada might feel that they missed an opportunity when the U.S. started exporting oil and not importing as much. This is a second opportunity for Canada, he said. This could be a very decisive year for Canadian energy exports. Rising oil prices lifted shares of many Canadian energy companies on Friday. Bonavista Energy (BNP.TO) closed 5.17 per cent higher. MEG Energy (MEG.TO) climbed 4.22 per cent. The gains were slightly more pronounced for U.S. firms. Whiting Petroleum (WLL) added 8.58 per cent at the close, after rising as much as 15 per cent in pre-market trading. Oasis Petroleum (OAS) jumped 7.17 per cent. Taylor said any hint of good news would go a long way. Energy is coming into this year as one of the most hated sectors out there. People havent been paying attention to stabilization in the oil price, he said. The sentiment around the group has been so negative in the last few years that any positive change in tone could be met with fairly aggressive price action. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Caldwell University in Essex County has agreed to pay the United States more than $4.8 million to resolve its role in a scheme to defraud a federal education benefit program for veterans, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced Friday. "Caldwell University tried to hoodwink the Department of Veterans Affairs and, worse, veterans themselves, by claiming to offer online classes developed and provided by Caldwell that were in fact marked-up offerings by an online correspondence school, Carpenito said in a statement. "Our veterans should never be treated this way, and we will continue to work to ensure that they receive all of the benefits that they deserve as a result of their service to the country. Under a deal marketed by Ed4Mil, a Pennsylvania-based company, veterans could use their Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition benefits to enroll in online courses offered by Caldwell, authorities said. The bill was designed specifically to help veterans who served in the armed forces following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The online classes were not offered by Caldwell University or taught by the universitys staff, according to court documents. Instead, they were low-cost correspondence courses that were not eligible for the GI Bill. But Caldwell University submitted false claims for payment for the courses to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from Jan. 1, 2011 through Aug. 8, 2013, Carpenito said. The agency administers the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Three people previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the scheme, federal prosecutors said. Lisa DiBisceglie, the former associate dean of the office of external partnerships at Caldwell, and Helen Sechrist, a former employee of Ed4Mil, pleaded guilty in 2017 in federal court in Newark to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The womens guilty pleas followed the indictment of David Alvey, 40, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the founder and president of Ed4Mil, one year earlier. Alvey was sentenced on June 4, 2018, to five years in prison and DiBisceglie and Sechrist were each sentenced on June 5, 2018, to three years of probation, according to the statement. The trio were also ordered to pay $24 million in restitution. Ed4Mil falsely claimed on government applications that the classes offered to the veterans were approved Caldwell classes and not correspondence courses taught by an online company, according to court documents. The government was charged between $4,500 and $26,000 per course, instead of the $600 to $1,000 per course the correspondence company charged for the same classes, federal prosecutors said. The $24 million in tuition benefits collected through the GI Bill was allegedly paid to Caldwell University, which then turned over between 85 percent and 90 percent of the money to Ed4Mil, according to court documents. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon 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. Russias Gazprom and Ukraines Naftogaz gas monopolies announced Monday, December 30, that they had finally reached a deal to continue the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe. The deal was preceded by the Normandy talks held last month in Paris, involving the French, German, Russian and Ukrainian governments. While Russia and Ukraine agreed on a continuation of a prisoner exchange and an armistice, the Zelensky government objected to any peace deal that grants the separatist controlled regions political autonomy or allows for local elections without Kiev in control first. The Solitaire, a ship laying pipe as part of the Nord Stream gas pipeline project in the Gulf of Finland (Photo: archive.government.ru) The new gas accord was reached just one day prior to the expiration of the former 10-year deal after what Russias Gazprom President Alexey Miller called five days of non-stop bilateral talks in Vienna led by European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. Ukraine had earlier insisted on a ten-year contract while the Kremlin only offered a one-year extension of the last contract. According to the terms of the deal Russia is obligated to send 65 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas through Ukraine in 2020 and then 40 bcm of gas from 2021 to 2025. In exchange, a cash-strapped Ukraine will receive around $7 billion in much-needed transit fees. Gazprom also paid out to Naftogaz $2.9 billion to resolve the terms of a 2018 legal case it lost in Stockholm court while Natfogaz agreed to withdraw another $12.2 billion claim against the Russian energy giant. Prior to the announcement of the 11th hour deal there was much concern in both Ukraine and Europe that without a deal in place gas supplies to Europe could be severely interrupted during winter, right when they are needed the most. Currently 40 percent of Russian gas headed to the EU passes through Ukraine. Gas supplies to Europe had already been interrupted twice in last 13 years due to tensions between Moscow and Kiev. Following the deal, energy prices across Europe dropped precipitously, with German power shares reaching their lowest price since May 2018 and European Commission Vice-President Sefcovic claimed the deal was a hat trick in which everyone is a winner. Russia currently supplies Europe with approximately 40 percent of its natural gas and its share of the market is expected to increase in coming decades as European gas production shrinks. Ukrainian officials, such as Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk and Naftogaz, who had previously boasted about stockpiling gas for winter if an amenable deal could not be reached, greeted the accord with enthusiasm, claiming that Ukraine had achieved the impossible. In reality, the deal was only reached due to the intervention of the European Union, particularly France and Germany who were not willing to have their energy security put in jeopardy by Ukrainian intransigence, and the US sanctions against Nord Stream 2. Germany is the worlds biggest natural gas importer, obtaining 92 percent of its natural gas outside of its borders. According to Bloomberg News, between 50 and 75 percent of that comes from Russias Gazprom. Accordingly, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the agreement a good and important signal to guarantee the security of our European gas supply. France has also moved closer to Russia in recent years as Gazprom increased its gas exports to the country by 58 percent between 2013 and 2018. The deal became even more necessary for the EU after Allseas, a Swiss-Dutch company that had been constructing Russias Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, announced they were immediately ceasing all work on the project due to United States sanctions of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline included in the massive $738 billion 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Allseas had been expected to lay 96 percent of the pipes needed for the project, which once completed, will carry gas directly from St. Petersburg to Germany. French energy firm Engie and U.K.s Royal Dutch Shell are also part of Nord Stream 2s ownership consortium. Prior to the imposition of sanctions and the effective end of work on Nord Stream 2, Russia had taken a hard line with Ukraine by refusing to enter any long-term deal with Naftogaz and instead offering Kiev a mere one-year deal along with the demand that any legal claims against it be dropped. Ukrainian officials rejoiced at the announcement of the US sanctions and Naftogazs CEO Andriy Kobolyev claimed that the Nord Stream 2 sanctions facilitated the negotiations between the two sides. The sanctions against the pipeline have also exacerbated imperialist tensions between the United States and Germany with Germanys Finance Minister calling the sanctions a serious interference in the internal affairs of Germany and Europe and their sovereignty. While both countries backed the fascist-led coup in 2014 that deposed then President Viktor Yanukovych and installed a right-wing nationalist government in Kiev hostile to Moscow, the United States and Germany have rival imperialist interests and strategies in the country, which are reflected in their differing stances on resolving the now six-year-long civil war in Eastern Ukraine that has claimed the lives of 14,000, displaced 1.4 million and left 3.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance. It remains unclear, however, whether the US sanctions against Nord Stream 2 will actually prevent the completion of the pipelines construction. Germanys Deutsche Welle has reported that Nord Stream 2 is already 94 percent complete and according to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak the country will redeploy its own pipe-laying vessels within a couple months to complete the project. In addition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Russia is also planning to complete a second new gas pipeline to Europe called TurkStream in 2020 through the Black Sea and Turkey and then potentially north via Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. AIADMK veteran P H Pandian known for his Assembly has "sky high powers" dictum when he was the Speaker of the House died here on Saturday at a private hospital after being ill for some time, the party said. He was 74. He is survived by four sons including former MP Paul Manoj Pandian and a daughter. Pandian was the first senior AIADMK functionary to publicly take a stand against former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's aide V K Sasikala after the death of the late party supremo in December 2016. Raising suspicions over the circumstances surrounding the death of Jayalalithaa, he had thrown his weight behind O Panneerselvam. AIADMK top leaders including Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy Panneerselvam condoled his death and expressed grief. Pandian had held several party positions including that of organising secretary and was dedicated to the party since its founding in 1972, the AIADMK said. He worked tirelessly for the party and earned the love and respect of party founder M G Ramachandran and late supremo J Jayalalithaa, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam said in a statement. It was an irreparable loss to the party, the two leaders said in the statement. Showering praise on the former Speaker, they said Pandian was a renowned advocate, orator and a political strategist. A former MLA and MP, Pandian was the Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly between 1980-84 and Speaker from 1985 to 1989, and he had been the leader of the AIADMK Parliamentary party (Lok Sabha) as well. He had in 1987 in connection with a proceeding against a Tamil magazine, said the Assembly has "sky-high powers" and that phrase continues to be in currency still during debates linked to powers of the Assembly and the Speaker. A noted advocate, he had appeared in several sensational criminal cases and matters involving constitutional importance. According to party sources, Pandian's funeral will take place on Sunday. His wife, Cynthia Pandian, a noted educationist and former vice-chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University at Tirunelveli predeceased him. MDMK general secretary Vaiko, DMDK general secretary Vijayakanth, PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss and CPI Tamil Nadu unit secretary R Mutharasan were among those who condoled Pandian's death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HAMDEN A New Haven man has been charged with felony murder in the shooting death of a 35-year-old town man, police said. Corey Gomes, 35, of Hamden died at Yale New Haven Hospital Dec. 27 after he was shot outside Express Fuel, 1126 Dixwell Ave., police said in a statement. Investigators learned that the deadly incident unfolded when Pharoh Jackson, 20, of Sherman Parkway, New Haven, allegedly attempted to rob Gomes at gunpoint. A physical altercation ensued, at which time Jackson fired several rounds, killing Gomes, police said in the statement. Jackson had fled from the area in a motor vehicle with at least one other occupant, police said. Detective Matthew Barbuto conducted the investigation, which led to the application of an arrest warrant for Jackson, police said. Members of the Hamden Police Department Major Crimes Unit, with the assistance of the Bridgeport Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Jackson Friday morning, police said in the statement. In addition to felony murder, Jackson is charged with first-degree robbery, police said. Jackson is being held in lieu of $2 million bail and is scheduled to appear at Superior Court in Meriden Jan. 6. Mayor Curt Balzano Leng said in a statement that he is very proud of the swift action, all hands on deck approach, demonstrated by the Hamden Police Department with this case. My deepest condolences remain with the family of the victim, Corey Gomes. While the tragedy of lost life cannot be changed, we can work to bring justice, to avoid additional violence and for this I am grateful, Leng said. I want to recognize Acting Police Chief (John) Cappiello, Detective Matthew Barbuto and the Hamden Major Crimes Unit for their outstanding efforts and effective coordination and cooperation with neighboring and other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that delivered the arrest, Leng said in the statement. This arrest makes our neighborhoods safer and the Hamden Police Department has the sincere appreciation of this mayor. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Uday Pratap Singh on Saturday said that President's rule can be imposed in states who are opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). "The state governments that are opposing the CAA can be dismissed and President's rule can be imposed there," Singh said, adding that the state governments are bound to implement the law. The lawmaker said that the President would have to exercise his powers under Article 356 of the Constitution to dismiss governments if they do not implement the CAA. Article 356 of the Constitution of India empowers the President to withdraw from the Union the executive and legislative powers of any state "if he is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution". Several states including Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Kerala have opposed the law, saying that they would not implement it. Kerala went to the extent to pass a resolution from the Assembly against the law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One party I certainly wasn't going to miss over the Christmas period was the joint 50th of twins Aisling Connolly and brother Aidan Hearty which - naturally - took place in the Enda McGuill suite in Oriel Park. Aisling was with husband Martin and kids Johnny, Aoibhin and Aidan from Mill Road, while her twin Aidan was with wife Ailbhe and daughter Emily from Drogheda and a huge collection of family and friends. I wasn't too long in the door when I met up with Ailbhe's brothers Ronan and Fergal Kelly from Dun Laoghaire who were down specially for the party. Ronan was the happier of the two, he was able to have a "drink or two" while Fergal was designated driver! The lads wanted to wish the twins all the best on their big night. Next I caught up with Alannah Byrne from Rock Road who was having a laugh with Emma Verbeek from Ashling Park and Kayla Minto from Medebawn who were all looking extremely well and ready to make the best of the party. I then met up with Jackie Doyle from Point Road who was with Katie McEneaney from Manydown Close who told me they were with husbands Garrett and Dayzer, but as usual, no sign of the lads. Anyway, the girls wanted to wish Aisling and Aidan a very Happy 50th. Heading up towards the bar I met up with David Minto from Medebawn who was chatting to Jimmy Fisher from Barton Park and David said he was glad to see that Jimmy was wearing his dancing shoes on the night. Bright and white, they looked ideal for a few trips round the dancefloor, I thought. After this I caught up with missing husband Garrett Doyle who was up near the bar with Liam and Aoife Burns from Marian Park who tried to tell me it was going to be a quiet celebration, maybe for the first hour, then I expected to really kick off. Well with Keith and Karen Travers from Kingswood, brother Kevin from Travers from Ath Lethan and sister Donna Murphy from Blackrock beside them, I certainly expected the sparks to fly as the celebration really got going as the night progressed. After this I had the pleasure of talking to Aisling's daughter Aoibhin who was ready to party the night away with her best buddy Hannalore Mackle from Priory Villas and said it was going to be a totally insane night. I then caught up with Maria Duff from Ballykelly who was with Aisling's son Johnny and they too were up for a bit of a mad one. Making my way to another table I then got talking to Carrie Kelly from Brookwood Lawns, Veronica and Layah Connolly from Dunmor, Alison and Ava Connolly both from Kilkerley who wanted to wish Aisling and Aidan a very happy birthday. Meanwhile up near the bar I came across the 'likely lads' Bagger Brady from St. Patricks Terrace, Simon Connolly from Dunmor and James Craven from Bay Estate who all laughed when I asked them if the celebrations were going to be on the quiet side. Finally, before I departed, I caught up with Seamus and Ioana Meegan from Inniskeen who were having a laugh with Karen Travers from Kingswood who told me they were looking forward to a more than lively at the twins 50th. A UVF murder suspect is back walking the streets five days after having his bail revoked for breaching strict conditions. Jonny Brown, who is charged with being part of the gang which stabbed Ian Ogle to death last January, spent the new year in prison after being remanded in custody at Belfast Magistrates Court on December 30. But he was released on bail by the High Court last Friday having spent just five nights behind bars. Police expressed concerns about his behaviour while freed, particularly his association with other loyalists listed as suspects in legal papers viewed by Sunday Life. The 33-year-old was seen in the company of Alan Bo Ervine (38) and Greg Edgar (28) in The Stokers Halt pub on the Upper Newtownards Road in east Belfast last month. The trio were also witnessed drinking in the nearby Horatio Todds bar in the Ballyhackamore area. Browns bail conditions ban him from being in the company of Edgar, who is currently contesting charges of threatening to kill slain Ian Ogles son Ryan Johnston. This incident is understood to have been central to Browns bail being revoked last Monday. But on Friday he was freed again by the High Court after agreeing to wear a tag and to observe a 10pm to 6am curfew. Brown is charged with murdering Ian Ogle in January 2019, alongside prominent east Belfast loyalists Mark Sewell (40) and Glenn Rainey (33). The East Belfast UVF later admitted its members were involved, but insisted the killing was not sanctioned at a leadership level. Ogle was targeted after getting involved in a brawl with a UVF man earlier that evening. For the 18 months prior to his death he had been under threat from the terror gang having refused to show up for a pre-arranged punishment beating. In the hours after the murder, Jonny Brown and Glenn Rainey flew out to Thailand from Dublin Airport where they remained for over four weeks, despite police appeals for them to return to Northern Ireland for questioning. Rainey and fellow murder suspect Mark Sewell are currently on bail with strict conditions, including a night-time curfew and the confiscation of their passports. Expand Close Ian Ogle Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ian Ogle In last weeks Sunday Life, Ian Ogles daughter Toni Johnston warned the UVF is out of control. As far as Im concerned, the organisation is out of control and it is only a matter of time before its members kill someone else from this community, she said. cbarnes@sundaylife.co.uk A massive bushfire that burned through 150,000 hectares of land has destroyed a million-dollar accommodation in its way. The Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island off the coast of Australia was razed by the ferocious fires on Friday afternoon. The 21-suite accommodation was evacuated on Friday and staff were relocated to Adelaide and the small Kangaroo Island township of Kingscote amid threats of the oncoming bushfire. The luxury retreat suffered structural damage and has been closed with no reopening date decided. Scroll down for video Slide me Southern Ocean Lodge before and after the fires destroyed the million-dollar luxury accommodation The 21-suite accommodation (pictured) was evacuated on Friday and staff were relocated to Adelaide Grass fires and thick smog seen on Kangaroo Island overnight as residents are evacuated Slide me The luxury accommodation has been closed after the Raven Fire destroyed it on Friday afternoon 'Baillie Lodges regrets to advise that Southern Ocean Lodge on South Australias Kangaroo Island has sustained significant damage by bushfire and the property is now closed,' the website read. 'Currently, a reopening date has not been determined. 'The Southern Ocean Lodge team will embark on contacting guests as well as travel industry partners over the coming days to make alternative arrangements for upcoming reservations.' Described as an 'unstoppable bushfire' the Raven fire continued to burn out-of-control for weeks across the popular tourist hotspot. The hotel has been closed for repair and no opening date has been scheduled The popular hotel on Kangaroo Island suffered extensive damage from the Raven bushfire Dramatic footage has captured the moment a fire whirl was formed in a wild bushfire on South Australia's Kangaroo Island Two people have since died in the Kangaroo Island bushfire on Saturday, when the blaze swept through the vehicle they were in, killing them instantly, emergency services confirmed on Saturday morning. A police forensic team is on its way to the scene near Pardana on Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia. There have been no other reports of people missing and no other injuries but three fire crews endured burn-overs in their trucks. 'Very sad that we have heard two people have died in the fires,' SA Premier Steven Marshall said. 'The forensic team from SAPOL [SA Police] is on its way, as we have more information we will make it known. 'At the moment the focus is on informing next of kin, our hearts go out to the family of those people that have been affected.' Cruise ship Vasco Da Gam is currently anchored at Penneshaw with 1,500 passengers on board and are preparing to help evacuate residents still on the island. Dean Brazier, Managing Director, said the situation is understandable and have offered their services. 'The escalating, uncontrolled bushfires burning on Kangaroo Island means our scheduled anchorage call to Penneshaw has understandably been cancelled,' he told 7News. 'We have, however, offered to provide evacuation assistance if required for the locals and tourists who remain on the Island.' An aerial view of Kangaroo Island showing the smoke which has been caused by the out-of-control bushfire Vivonne Bay (pictured) on Kangaroo Island was completely evacuated on Friday CFS chief officer Mark Jones said it was expected the fire would continue to burn for several days. Mr Marshall said the government had already appointed a community recovery officer and would look at what additional support islanders would need in the coming days. 'It's clear that South Australia has had an extraordinarily difficult time with extensive damage right across our state,' he said. 'Our focus at the moment is doing everything that we possibly can to contain the fire on Kangaroo Island. 'But very quickly our focus will move onto recovery.' Mr Marshall said he had also spoken to Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday with the PM offering 'all the support that is required'. Half of Kangaroo Island has been razed by horror bushfires (pictured in yellow above) There are currently 350 firefighters on the island with 170 more set to join on Saturday The fires are currently at a Watch and Act status. A warning has been issued by the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) on Saturday of the Ravine fire which is uncontrolled. However, residents are urged to leave now as conditions are 'continually changing'. 'Take action now as this bushfire may threaten your safety,' the warning read. 'If you are not prepared, leave now and if the path is clear, go to a safer place. 'Do not enter this area as conditions are dangerous.' Many of the 5,000 tourists on the island had already began to leave by ferry on Saturday morning after spending the night in evacuations centres. Areas include Flinders Case, Vivonne Bay, Kelly Hill, Western River, Hanson Bay, Gosselands, Middle River and Stokes Bay. Kangaroo Island residents taking shelter in a dance hall (pictured) as they wait to evacuate on Saturday The teachers' wing of Trinamool Congress on Saturday took out a rally in the city to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The rally attended by members of West Bengal College and University Professors' Association (WBCUPA), began at Exide crossing and covered a distance of two km to Hazra more. "We are opposed to Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is discriminatory and create division among people. We are in solidarity with those who had already hit the road to voice their protests," a WBCUPA member said. The teachers, from different colleges and universities were holding placards like "No NRC, No CAA," "Shame Shame Narendra Modi, Amit Shah", and shouted slogans during the rally. The Trinamool Congress also took out a separate rally which went through the main thoroughfares of central Kolkata to air their protests against CAA and NRC. "We will not let them implement the dark laws in West Bengal," TMC leader and state minister Sujit Bose said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A volunteer from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service works to extinguish spot fires following back burning operations in Mount Hay, in Australias Blue Mountains (REUTERS/Jill Gralow) Extending a helping hand to the hapless victims of the raging bushfires in Australia, an Indian couple is providing fresh meals from their restaurant to those affected by the disaster. Kamaljeet Kaur, along with her husband Kanwaljeet Singh, has been preparing simple meals of curry and rice for the victims in their Desi Grill restaurant in Bairnsdale in the state Victoria for the last five days as the bushfire crisis in the country worsened. "We are providing proper meals of curry and rice. We distribute the food at the relief centres as well as give to those who come to our restaurant asking for it," Kaur told PTI over phone on Saturday. "The situation is really bad. Initially there was less fire in the area but later it expanded. People have lost their lives, houses, farms and animals," she said. Victoria is one of the worst affected areas in the disaster. Other areas are New South Wales and South Australia. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 military reserve troops to combat the raging bushfire crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 23 people with high temperatures and strong winds threatening to worsen the conditions across the country. More than 14,000 hectares have been destroyed in South Australia's Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island. Expressing concern over the situation, Kaur said that people had left their houses and were either shifting to relief camps or moving to Melbourne. The couple, who migrated to Australia over a decade ago, were earlier providing raw materials to Sikh volunteers in the area to prepare food for the affected people but later started preparing it in their restaurant. Even the shortage in staff in their restaurant has not deterred the Melbourne-based couple from helping those in need as they have roped in friends and family to prepare food for the victims as well as manage business hours of the restaurant. "Most of the staff members have left due to the disaster. My family and friends are working in the restaurant," said Kaur, who along with her husband, started the restaurant in Bairnsdale in 2016. She said that the loss in the area felt like "personal as we have lived here for seven years before moving to Melbourne." "This place is like a small countryside area. We know almost everyone here and are emotionally connected with the people. So the loss is more personal," she said. "More than anything else, people have lost their memories as mostly old couples stay in the area and they had their farms and animals destroyed in the fire," she said. Evacuation orders were in place across Victoria's Alpine region and the navy was ferrying evacuees to relief centres. "We have seen wind gusts up to 67 km/h already today, up at Mount Hotham. It's predicted when the change comes through we will see gusts up to 80 km/h. We have a long way to go today. Today is a very challenging day for all of us," Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. Temperatures are expected to hit 40 degrees at Gippsland and 45 degrees in northeast. Fears of dry lightning storms are expected to cause more fires. About 50 fires continue to burn across Victoria with more than 820,000 hectares destroyed - mostly in the East Gippsland and northeast of the State. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday declared the state of emergency, advising residents to leave immediately. At least 18 killed after army transport crashed shortly after take off in West Darfur region, the military said. At least 18 people have been killed after a military transport plane crashed in Sudans West Darfur region, the army said. The Antonov 12 plane crashed five minutes after taking off from el-Geneina, killing its crew of seven as well as 11 passengers including three judges and eight other civilians, including four children, a military statement said late on Thursday. A Sudanese employee of the World Food Programme, his wife and two children were among the casualties, a spokeswoman for the UN agency said on Friday. An investigation was underway to determine the cause of the crash, though there were no immediate reports of foul play, the statement added. The town of el-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur which lies close to Sudans border with Chad, has recently witnessed intercommunal clashes that have killed dozens of people, including women and children. An international peacekeeping mission said on Friday that at least 65 people had been killed in the violence over the past week, while more than 50 others were wounded. The joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur, UNAMID, said it was deeply concerned by the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in el-Geneina and the surrounding area. Sudans Red Crescent said that more than 8,000 families were displaced after violence erupted in the region. The clashes pose a challenge to efforts by Sudans transitional government to end decades-long armed campaigns in areas like Darfur. In response, rebel groups from Darfur suspended peace talks with the government and called for an investigation. Earlier this week, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the Sovereign Council, had visited the town and expressed their commitment to prosecuting the perpetrators. Plane crashes are not uncommon in Sudan, given the countrys poor aviation safety records. In 2003, a civilian Sudan Airways plane crashed into a hillside while trying to make an emergency landing, killing 116 people, including eight foreigners. Only a small boy survived the Boeing crash. The Libyan National Army (LNA) said it shot down a Turkish airplane, shortly after its leader General Khalifa Haftar called for a holy war against Turkey for supporting a rival government in Tripoli, Arabic media reported. Conflicting reports from Libya on Friday evening said that the LNA had shot down a Turkish military plane south of Tripoli, the seat of the Government of National Accord (GNA). At least one report said it was a TB2 armed drone, downed after targeting a column of LNA vehicles. #BREAKING: An hour ago, 2 #Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drones supporting Islamist militias of #GNA targeted a convoy of #Libya National Army on its way to #Tripoli at Mizda. 30 mins later one of them was shot-down by a Pantsir S1 SAM system of #LNA in south of #Mitiga airport! pic.twitter.com/lAqkTqmv2u Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 3, 2020 On Thursday,Turkish parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops, advisers and equipment to Libya to prop up the GNA, the internationally recognized authority which controls only a small portion of the country. The exact scope of the deployment was not made public. General Haftar, who runs the LNA on behalf of a rival legislature based in Tobruk, vowed on Friday to confront and expel foreign forces. A day after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike in Iraq that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, hundreds of Portlanders gathered downtown to protest the strike and any further military action that could lead to a U.S. war with Iran. About 300 people showed up to the peaceful protest at Terry Schrunk Plaza, organized by the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Many held signs decrying war in Iran and Iraq, and others played music and chanted. We dont need to spill any more blood, Portland DSA co-chair and protest organizer Olivia Katbi Smith said. I think we need to show strong opposition to the illegal war Trump is trying to launch in Iran." Several people spoke in opposition of another war, including Marwan Ibadi, a DSA member who was born in Iraq; Albert Lee, a candidate for Congress; and Sahar Yarjani Muranovic, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the National Organization of Women, who was born in Iran. Many speakers and protesters urged others to understand the motivations behind military involvement in the Middle East. This is not about democracy, protecting Iraqi, Iranian or American people, said Katbi Smith. This is about money and power. Portland resident Sarah Schneider held up a sign that said Never Again is Now. Schneider said she was part of a group called Never Again Action, which pushes against the persecution and deportation of immigrants in the United States. Weve invaded other countries and created a situation that drives refugees over here, Schneider said. The reason we have a refugee crisis in the United States is imperialism and colonialism. Im against both those things. Travis Nelson, a protester at the event, called Trumps actions unhinged. Hes launching an attack, assassinating a foreign leader, probably to get reelected, he said. We dont need soldiers and troops putting their lives on the line for this mans ego. Others warned of the United States other military invasions, many of which are ongoing. Theres no end in sight by design, Katbi Smith told the crowd. The architects of these endless wars want them to be endless. She urged people not to lose energy for protesting. When the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, there were millions of people in the streets, she said. "I hope we still have an appetite for that kind of resistance. We have to mobilize people over and over again. People are tired. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 4 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: The Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission has held an extraordinary meeting to investigate the murder of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, spokesman for the commission Hossein Naqavi Hosseini said. The representatives of the Iranian military and security agencies attended the meeting, Hosseini added, Trend reports referring to the parliament's website. The commissions request on the implementation of the parliament's decisions against the US Army has been put forward and considered at the meeting, the spokesman said. Hosseini added that the proposals of other MPs' and structures operating under the parliament and other issues related to general's murder were also discussed. The proposals for reaction to the incident were also discussed at the meeting, the spokesman said. On Jan. 3, Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - Quds Force, was killed as a result of air strikes at Baghdad Airport. The Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of the Iranian general. Reportedly, the purpose of the operation was to suppress Irans possible further attacks. An Iraqi security official said there were no injuries reported from the series of rockets launched Sunday evening. A Katyusha rocket that fell inside a square less than one kilometer from the U.S. embassy, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Another rocket in Baghdad landed about 500 meters from As-Salam palace where the Iraqi President Barham Salih normally stays in Jadriya, a neighborhood adjacent to the Green Zone, the official said. New Delhi/Islamabad, Jan 4 : The attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan has triggered protests among Sikhs in India. While several Sikh groups were to protest outside Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi on Saturday to condemn the attack, Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with his counterpart in Islamabad Imran Khan since Sikh minorities in the country were feeling extremely unsafe and insecure. On Friday, the Gurdwara was attacked by a huge Muslim mob while Sikh devotees were stuck inside the shrine. The mob that had gathered outside raised communal and hateful slogans against the minority community and pelted stones on the shrine, videos circulated on social media showed. Pakistani sources said the mob was led by the family of Mohammed Hassan, the man who had abducted and converted a sick girl Jagjit Kaur, to protest police action against him. The Nankana Saheb attack is violative of the 1955 Pant-Mirza Agreement under which India and Pakistan are obliged "to make every effort to ensure that the places of worship" visited by members of their countries "are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved." In a late night media briefing, Pakistan's Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee President Satpal Singh on behalf of the Sikh community asked the government to act against the hooligans to restore peace. In an official statement, India strongly condemned the destruction and desecration of the holy shrine. India has called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety security and welfare of the Sikh community. "During 2019, Taliban terrorists conducted scores of suicide attacks, improvised explosive device (IED) explosions and guerrilla attacks, and the attacks left 7,391 civilians killed and injured nationwide during the year," Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying in a statement. Kabul, Jan 4 (IANS) More than 2,200 Afghan civilians were killed in Taliban-related attacks in 2019, the Interior Ministry confirmed on Saturday. According to the statement, 2,219 civilians were killed and 5,172 others wounded last year. Earlier on Saturday, one civilian was killed and two were wounded after a sticky IED explosion struck a vehicle in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital city of the Balkh province. The target of the attack was not known immediately. Taliban militants have been using home-made IEDs to make roadside bombs, landmines and suicide attack vest targeting security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians. The IED explosions, including induced roadside bomb blasts and suicide attacks, were the leading cause of civilians' casualties in 2019, followed by ground fighting and pro-government forces-related airstrikes, according to officials. "The Interior Ministry considers targeting civilians as war crimes and condemned terrorist acts against the civilians," the statement added. ksk/ Abuja/Xinhua/UNI: Up to 19 local residents were killed following an overnight attack by unidentified gunmen on a community in central Nigeria, the police confirmed on Friday. Many houses were burned by the attackers late Thursday, including some places of worship and the palace of the king of the local Tawari community in Kogi, a state in Nigeria's central region, the police said. Kogi police spokesman Williams Anya told Xinhua that the attackers rode into the community on motorcycles. The Tawari community is located a few kilometers off Gegu town, along the Lokoja-Abuja highway leading to the Nigerian capital. Anya said the state police has deployed more police personnel to the area to forestall further attacks. A local resident surnamed Ikeleji said more than 100 gunmen invaded the community. The attack continued until early Friday as the gunmen entered selected houses and packed foodstuff, while further destroying property, he said. It was the first time the community came under attack, Anya noted. In his reaction to the incident, state governor Yahaya Bello condemned in a statement the dastardly act and directed security agencies to fish out perpetrators of the attack. BOEING has hired one of its own former top lawyers to represent the aircraft maker in a case taken by a Dublin-based leasing firm as a result of its 737 Max troubles. Timaero, controlled by Russia's state-owned VEB bank, has sued Boeing for at least $740m (664m). The action was filed shortly before Christmas, and court documents show attorney Eric Wolff has now appeared for Boeing in the case. Mr Wolff is a former vice president and assistant general counsel at Boeing. Prior to that, he was Boeing's chief counsel, from 2009 to 2012. He now works for Seattle law firm Perkins Coie, where he is a partner. Another Perkins Coie lawyer, Chicago-based Kathleen Stetsko, is also representing Boeing in the case. Mr Wolff has previously represented Boeing while working at Perkins Coie. In 2013, he and the firm's team successfully secured the dismissal of a class action lawsuit taken against the aircraft maker on foot of the delayed first flight of its 787-8 Dreamliner jet. Timaero is suing Boeing in relation to 22 orders for its troubled Max jet. Timaero Ireland signed an agreement with Boeing in January 2014 to buy 20 Max aircraft. In 2016, Timaero converted two Boeing 737-800 orders to Max orders. Max jets have been grounded all over the world since March last year, following two fatal crashes linked to one of the aircraft's software systems. "At the time Timaero entered into its agreement to purchase the 737 Max aircraft, Boeing represented that the 737 Max was an airworthy and safe aircraft, and that it had been designed in compliance with aviation regulations," Timaero's complaint filed in Chicago alleges. "However, Boeing made false representations to the FAA during the certification process of the aircraft." Boeing has declined to comment on the case. It is seeking permission from the Chicago court for more time to respond to Timaero's complaint. That application will be presented to the court next week. Union minorities affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Pakistan remark saying, "she should stop provoking people" and "must focus on protecting her own house." "She should stop provoking people and must make efforts in the direction of bringing peace in the state. Anti- forces in West Bengal have made life tough for the common man. Merely targeting the Prime Minister is not going to help her. She should first focus on protecting her own house," the Union Minister said while speaking to ANI in New Delhi. The West Bengal Chief Minister had led a protest march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and Register of Citizens (NRC) here and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by stating that he always talks about Pakistan. "I am fighting against the Register of Citizens and Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Join hands with me. Requesting all people to come forward to save our democracy," Mamata had said. "He (Modi) is the Prime Minister of India, but always talks about Pakistan. Why? We are Indians and we will definitely discuss our national issues," CM Banerjee had stated.'' The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People hold signs during a demonstration against a potential war against Iran outside City Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday. Read more A coalition of antiwar protesters, students, and longtime activists gathered at City Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday to voice opposition to a potential U.S. war with Iran. CodePink, the Party for Socialism and Liberation-Philadelphia, and Local Initiative Local Action (LILAC) were among two dozen or so groups holding a No War on Iran/U.S. Troops Out of Iraq rally that started at noon near the ice rink. They later marched south on Broad Street and then west on Walnut shouting, No blood for oil!" and U.S. out now! The rally of about 250 people came a day after President Donald Trump ordered 750 troops to Iraq after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian general, in an airstrike. Were out here as part of a national day of protest, said Walter Smolarek, organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and a resident of Kensington. This is Trumps war of choice. War is a system, a never-ending drive for profit for both the Democrats and Republicans." READ MORE: After Qassem Soleimanis killing, how does this Iran war end? | Trudy Rubin The goal of the rally is to let the Trump administration, the Democrats and Republicans who have supported and continue to support this occupation, and the Iraqi people fighting bravely for self-determination, that we in the U.S. will fight back against this continued occupation and new escalation. The rally was endorsed by more than 20 groups, including students from Temple and Drexel Universities and local organizations such as Black Alliance for Peace and Philly for Real Justice. The protest received no endorsement by any government or local officials. Area lawmakers in Congress are divided over the White House action against the Iranian military leader. On Jan. 2, the U.S. military assassinated Soleimani, and we planned this in response. Weve been at war in the U.S. almost my entire life, said Angel Nalubega, a resident of North Philadelphia and a speaker at the rally. We dont need war. We need money for schools that have no heat or air-conditioning. We have the opioid crisis," she said. My little brother, whos 13, asked me yesterday if he was going to be drafted. Similar protests were planned in Lancaster, State College, and Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, and in roughly 70 cities throughout the country. Fears of Iranian retaliation rippled across the city, and police said they would step up security at Sundays Eagles playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Granny Peace Brigade also made an appearance at the rally, which consisted mostly of young people. We organized to protest the war in Iraq in 2003, said Paula Paul, a member of the group. This was all because of Trumps reelection coming up, and we dont need to send more troops to Iraq." Its very frightening wondering what form Irans retaliation will take, she said, especially as parents and grandparents. Younger protesters called the increased police presence around the city fearmongering. Were not affected by this bombing day to day. That is just to sow fear, said Jay Sharma, organizer with the Philadelphia Liberation Center, and a resident of West Philadelphia. Flu season is ramping up both statewide and locally, with a recent sharp increase in related hospitalizations eliciting concern among health officials. On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elevated Wisconsin to a high flu category, with Childrens Wisconsin Hospital in Milwaukee reporting 829 pediatric flu cases, a 9,000% increase from Dec. 2018. Of those, 46 required hospitalization. As of Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 459 influenza hospitalizations so far this season, triple the number recorded at this time last year. Similarly, statewide intensive care units are experiencing a rise in admittance for respiratory illnesses, and 11 Wisconsin residents have died due to complications from influenza. These hospitalizations and deaths are a sober reminder that flu is not only dangerous, it can be deadly, said Wisconsin State Health Officer Jeanne Ayers. Thats why we urge all Wisconsinites to get flu shots, not only to protect themselves but also everyone around them from serious illness. If you have yet to get your flu shot, it is not too late. At Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, as of Wednesday the hospital had confirmed 31 cases of Influenza A, resulting in four hospitalizations, and 53 cases of Influenza B, three of which required hospitalization. Were still seeing primarily Influenza B, but A is starting to increase in number, said Gundersen Health System infection preventionist Megan Meller. This trend mimics what the rest of the county is experiencing. (This) data is only a snapshot of what is going on in our community. Many cases are diagnosed without testing being performed. WANT TO KNOW MORE? In addition to having the flu shot, which may reduce the symptoms and duration of the virus if you do contract it, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services advises the following: Stay home if you're sick. You can pass the flu to friends or family before you even know you have it. See a health care provider if your symptoms persist or get worse. If youre visiting a loved one in a hospital, nursing home or other assisted living facility, ask a nurse for a mask and be sure to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. Dont hold or kiss a baby if youre sick. Babies younger than 6 months old cannot get the flu shot. Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Cover your cough or sneeze with your upper sleeve, and try to avoid touching your face with your hand. Throw away tissues after one use. Use your own drinking cups, straws and utensils. Eat nutritious meals, get plenty of rest and dont smoke. Frequently clean commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs, refrigerator handles, telephones and faucets. Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 2 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. In an attempt to dilute the publics disgust Grilld announced it would hire a global food auditor to review its food safety and work practices. The long list of food safety transgressions at hamburger chain Grilld outlined in a series of leaked internal food and safety audit reports, internal documents, a council report, and dozens of photos from staff, triggered a social media backlash. Food safety is again in the headlines following an investigation into the Grill'd burger chain. But in the process of exposing the worker exploitation and uncleanliness scandal it became clear there was another scandal that has been festering away: an overall lack of enforcement by the relevant authorities of food hygiene regulations and fines that are so low they fail to act as a deterrent. Take for instance, Grilld in Windsor, Victoria, the local council, Stonnington, issued an inspection notice of "major non-compliance" in October 2018. It said it didnt have effective cleaning systems in place, which is the basic requirement of any restaurant. What was even more disturbing was the council admitting that the same non-compliances were happening every year and that "infringement notices may be issued if this continues". In other words, the councils inspection notice and wishy-washy threats were ineffectual. This was no better demonstrated in early December when a photo was taken and posted on The Age and Sydney Morning Herald websites of a mouse inside a tray of hamburger buns sitting on the floor at Grilld in Windsor. The Shiv Sena on Saturday dismissed reports that Abdul Sattar, one of its ministers in the coalition government in Maharashtra has resigned and said he will be meeting party boss and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. Sattar, an MLA from Sillod in Aurangabad district had switched over from the Congress to the Sena before Assembly elections. People familiar with the developments said he was unhappy with the party leadership for being made minister of state and not given a cabinet berth. He was also said to be angry over the partys stand to support Congress for the election of Aurangabad district council president. Earlier Saturday morning, there was speculation about ministers status after he reportedly resigned at being overlooked for a Cabinet berth. Sattar himself hasnt spoken yet, but Sena leader Arjun Khotkar who met him in Aurangabad this morning described reports of the ministers resignation as rumours. Sattar has not tendered his resignation. These are rumours. He will meet Uddhav ji tomorrow afternoon at Matoshree, Khotkar said. Sattar also had a telephonic talk with senior Sena leader and minister Eknath Shinde. The political drama involving threats to resign is seen as a setback for the Sena and the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government that it heads. The Sena immediately went into damage control mode after Sattar sent feelers through local leaders. Sena insiders said that Sattar could be attempting to land a plum portfolio as the junior minister in the government. Sattar, who had been a cabinet minister in the earlier Congress-NCP governments, had expected to be given a cabinet berth from the Sena quota this time as well. Many Sena leaders are unhappy after Thackeray gave a cabinet berth and two junior minister posts to three independent MLAs supporting the government. Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said he was not aware of Sattars resignation but added, The Sena does not have many portfolios in its quota and therefore everybody has to adjust. According to me, the chief minister has given respect to Abdul Sattar ji and made him a minister. Those who are upset [over not being made ministers] are not originally from the Sena. They will take time to adjust to the system. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Swapnil Rawal Swapnil Rawal is Principal Correspondent with the Hindustan Times. He covers urban development and infrastructure. He had long stints with leading national dailies and has experience of over a decade in journalism. ...view detail Scientists have discovered how to switch off a key pain gene, dramatically raising hopes of a long-term treatment to relieve the agony of serious illness for millions. The revolutionary technique alters a patients DNA, silencing a gene that transmits pain signals up the spine. Preliminary studies on mice have already proven successful and US researchers plan to start human trials next year, potentially offering terminally-ill patients and those with chronic conditions the prospect of pain-free care. The treatment, devised by start-up firm Navega Therapeutics in San Diego, California, could be approved for use in five years time, the founders told The Mail on Sunday. Revolutionary technique for treating pain was devised by start-up firm Navega Therapeutics based in San Diego, California. (Stock image) People suffering from serious long-term pain called chronic pain are often put on opioid-based painkillers, causing an epidemic of addiction. By contrast, said Navega co-founder Fernando Aleman, a major advantage of our approach is its not addictive. Their method uses the new high-precision gene-editing technique called CRISPR, which so far has mainly been used to combat rare hereditary diseases. CRISPR utilises molecules that can be programmed to find a nominated target gene. With each human cell containing around 25,000 genes, it has been compared to being able to find a needle in a haystack. A special protein then cuts out and replaces the defective target gene with a normal gene. Last month, researchers announced they had managed to reverse a patients sickle cell anaemia using this method. Navega is using a slightly different CRISPR technique called epi-genome editing which silences rather than replaces the gene. Co-founder Ana Moreno explained: You can either activate or repress a gene of interest, without creating permanent changes. So we can repress the gene thats known to cause sensitivity to pain. We are really excited because we have seen, in three different pain models [ie. trials with mice], a decrease in overall pain. The treatment, expected to be available in five years, could help people with long-term pain conditions. (Stock image) The mice were administered chemotherapy, which commonly causes pain in cancer patients. Dr Moreno continued: One of the main reasons why cancer patients stop lifesaving chemotherapy, is they are in a lot of pain from it. The higher the dose of chemotherapy, the more likely it is a patient will survive. But the higher the dose, the higher the likelihood they will suffer chronic pain. Cancer patients are often given morphine to mask their pain, but this can leave them so tired they can barely function. So suppressing this pain gene called SCN9A could be used as an alternative to morphine, helping cancer patients stay on chemotherapy longer and enabling them to live their final months more fully. Navegas method involves placing the CRISPR-editing tool inside particles of a harmless virus, which acts like a Trojan horse. These virus particles are injected into the spine, much like an epidural, after which they infect neuron cells. Once inside a cell, the CRISPR tool is released and gets to work silencing the pain gene. Dr Aleman admitted: So far, we cannot ablate pain completely with our technology, in mice at least. If you want to switch the pain off completely, you need to reach 100 per cent of the [neuron] cells you are trying to target. The centre in San Diego, California, where the new treatment is being developed But it is possible to vary the amount of pain reduction depending on the dose administered much like a standard painkilling drug. Unlike conventional drugs, the effects wont wear off quickly. The effect may last six months to a year in humans, said Dr Aleman, although he conceded they do not know yet. It will diminish as neurons get naturally replaced with cells that have not undergone gene suppression. Using CRISPR to edit away pain is discussed in a new documentary about the technique, Human Nature, recently given its UK premiere at the Science Museum. Professor Fyodor Urnov of University of California, Berkeley, tells the film: We will have gene editing of that gene [SCN9A] to treat cancer pain. I am sure this will be. Prof Urnov told The Mail on Sunday: In the US, 70,000 people a year die of overdoses from painkilling narcotics. So having a non-narcotic way to address cancer pain would be a huge benefit. But he warned there could be a dark side using CRISPR to engineer a caste of genome-edited humans impervious to pain a sinister possibility already raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He told a meeting of the World Festival of Youth in Sochi in 2017 that while genetic engineering would open up incredible opportunities in medicine, it could also be used to create individuals who can fight without fear or pain, a prospect which may be more terrifying than a nuclear bomb. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that Washington's European allies had not been "as helpful" as he hoped over the US killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. Pompeo called officials worldwide to discuss the attack, which was praised by US President Donald Trump's Republicans and close ally Israel, but elsewhere met with sharp warnings it could inflame regional tensions. "I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance. They've all been fantastic," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox "And then talking to our partners in other places that haven't been quite as good. Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be," he said. US officials said Soleimani, who had been blacklisted by the US, was killed when a drone hit his vehicle near Baghdad's international airport. Following the assassination, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called on all involved actors "to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment." Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron urged those involved to act with "restraint" while British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said de-escalation would be key. "The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," Pompeo said. "This was a good thing for the entire world, and we are urging everyone in the world to get behind what the United States is trying to do to get the Islamic Republic of Iran to simply behave like a normal nation," he added. Pompeo said earlier in the day that Soleimani was planning imminent action that threatened American citizens when he was killed in the strike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India (AI) Ashwani Lohani on Saturday dismissed the rumours regarding the shutting down or closing operations of the public carrier. "Rumours regarding Air India shutting down or closing operations, are baseless. AI would continue to fly and expand," said Lohani in a statement. Asserting that the carrier is still India's biggest airline, he said that there should be "no cause for concern to travellers, corporates or agents." The response from the airline comes two days after Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had met with several representatives of the Air India unions regarding the privatisation of the carrier.The government had on Tuesday said the privatisation of debt-ridden Air India has become a compulsion as fear grows about the shutdown of the carrier."I had said earlier also, for us, it is not an option. Air India has to be privatised," Puri had said.The Minister had also said the debt over the Air India has made it unsustainable and the national carrier needs to go in private hands to keep it running."Air India over a period of time has now gathered debt, which could be described as unsustainable," Puri had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indias No. 1 news channel AajTak, is launching a unique 4 episode series titled Samvidhaan-Hum Bharat Ke Log. The power-packed special series comes at a time when citizens have started focusing and debating on the Indian Constitution - the edifice of democracy, in the wake of recent scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir and introduction of Citizenship Amendment Act. In the current circumstances, everybody is calling on theConstitution from Prime Minister to Ministers to Opposition Leaders to common people. Each episode of this series will showcase distinct historical anecdotes and the interesting facts about the features of worlds longest Constitution. The docuseries will recreate the strenuous and pain-staking 3-year efforts by our freedom fighters in creating the framework and laying the solid foundation of Republic of India. The series will also feature how Preamble came in our Constitution and how the fundamental rights and duties were framed. The series will further elucidate some critical challenges such as Languages, Reservation, Minorities issues, Cow Protection, Special Status to Jammu & Kashmir and Centre-States relationship. It will also focus on some important amendments in the Constitution. The 4 episode series will go on-air on coming Sundayand will air in the evening primetime at 10pm. The show will be anchored by Sweta Singh. The killing of Qasem Soleimani is a seismic event with huge ramifications across the Middle East and worldwide. It underscores the need for a new approach in Iraq and the region. To salvage something from its invasion and occupation of Iraq, the U.S. should focus on the Kurds. The Shiite-led Government of Iraq (GoI) has strongly protested the assassination of Qasem Soleimani. The Iraqi parliament will debate a resolution to terminate the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which provides a legal basis for the deployment of U.S. troops on Iraqi soil. Iraqi rage will intensify, putting U.S. troops and personnel at risk. The spasm of violence is a reality check: Iraq is a failed state under Irans control. Iraqis are only unified by their hatred of America. The Kurds are the only friends we have. How did Iraq get to this point? Americas failure to stand with the Iraqi Kurds created a gap that Iran has filled. The U.S. brokered Iraqs constitution in 2004. However, Baghdad refused to implement articles favorable to the Kurds. The Obama administration demurred when it should have pushed harder to uphold Kurdish interests. Baghdads failure, and Americas acquiescence, left the Kurds little choice but to initiate a process putting Iraqi Kurdistan on the path to independence. Though 93% voted to disassociate in September 2017, the U.S. failed to support their national aspirations. It turned a blind eye when Iranian-backed militias, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMUs), occupied the oil-rich region of Kirkuk and evicted the Kurdish governor. The current crisis arose when PMUs, the same Khataib Hezballah militias who seized Kirkuk and stomped on the Kurdistan flag, attacked U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria last week. After repeated provocations, the U.S. responded with air strikes that killed 24 militia members. Tensions intensified with the killing of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, head of Kataib Hezballah. The U.S. has a big stake in Iraq, having sacrificed thousands of lives and spent trillions. In light of volatile conditions that exist today, how can Washington preserve its position and interests? A direct line can be drawn between U.S. policy towards Iraq and Irans aggression. Previous policies under successive administrations have marginalized the U.S. and made Iran ascendant. Qasem Soleimani was testing U.S. resolve. In 2019, the Quds Force seized oil tankers in the Persian Gulf; shot down a U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz; and bombed Abqaiq, a major Saudi oil processing plant. Khataib Hezballahs recent aggression was intended to provoke a response. Qasem Soleimani sought to turn popular protests over Irans role in the country, during which more than 500 people were killed, into anti-American demonstrations. Turning their anger from Iran to the U.S., protesters chanted death to America and demanded that U.S. forces leave the country. Rage and popular protests are likely to intensify after the killing of Soleimani and Muhandis. America should reconsider its strategically flawed and morally defunct one Iraq policy. Recent events affirm Americas military superiority. At the same time, they underscore Americas irrelevance and diminished influence. In light of recent developments, the U.S. should pivot and support Kurdish national aspirations. In Iraq and other countries where Kurds reside, Kurds are critical to peace and stability. A regional approach, focusing on the Kurds, would secure U.S. interests in Iraq and the region. Candidate Trump pledged to withdraw from endless wars of the Middle East. He focused on bringing home U.S. troops from Iraq and Syria. However, his plan was delayed by the rise of ISIS. Kurdish valor helped defeat the caliphate. Iraqi Kurds helped liberate Mosul. In Syria, 11,000 Kurds died and 23,000 were wounded fighting ISIS at Americas behest. When President Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces, Iran responded by ratcheting up operations against the U.S. U.S. influence is diminished without boots on-the-ground. Iran, Russia, and Turkey shaped a UN-sponsored constitutional committee to kick-start negotiations on ending Syrias civil war. Kurdish political parties, whose armed forces gained control over more than 30 percent of Syrias territory fighting ISIS, were excluded. Sustainable peace is impossible without the Kurds, rendering the committee an exercise in futility. Turkeys President Tayyip Erdogan also took advantage of U.S. ambivalence, further polarizing U.S.-Turkey relations. Erdogan views the Syrian Kurds as an extension of the PKK, an armed rebel group fighting for greater political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey, resulting in 40,000 deaths and millions displaced since the 1980s. The PKK wants U.S. mediation, but Erdogan rejects the participation of third parties. Erdogan uses the conflict to justify draconian policies towards the Kurds and other oppositionists. His course has marginalized Americas influence, undermined Turkeys democracy, and directed Turkey into Russias embrace. Blood knows no borders. Just as conflict is transnational, peacemaking requires a regional approach. James Jeffrey serves as Trumps Special Envoy to Syria. Though Jeffrey is skilled and experienced, he is working with one hand tied behind his back. Current U.S. policy limits his ability to maneuver diplomatically. The killing of Soleimani and Muhandis will make his job even harder. The Iraqi Parliament is on the verge of censuring the Trump administration and evicting U.S. forces. As the U.S. redeploys to Iraqi Kurdistan, it will need a legal basis for basing troops there. As Iraq becomes more violent, the U.S. might need to recognize Iraqi Kurdistan and an independent and sovereign state. To manage the intricacies of U.S. policy towards the Kurds in Iraq and the region, President Trump should appoint a Special Envoy for Kurdish Issues. The envoys activities would be based on the recognition that Kurdish and U.S. interests align. Instead of placating our adversaries, such as the Shiite-led government, the U.S. should support its friends. Ken Blackwell is the former award-winning United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. He is a member of the Council On Foreign Relations. David L. Phillips is Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia Universitys Institute for the Study of Human Rights. Her served as a Senior Adviser working on Kurdish issues at the State Department during the Bush administration. His recent book is The Great Betrayal: How America Abandoned the Kurds and Lost the Middle East. Commander of Iran's Quds Force, Iraq's PMU deputy head assassinated in US strike Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 12:46 AM Major General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), have been assassinated in US airstrikes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The IRGC announced in a statement on Friday morning that Major General Soleimani and al-Muhandis were martyred in the attack carried out by US helicopters. The Iraqi pro-government group also confirmed the incident. "The deputy head of the Hashed, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and head of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, were killed in a US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road," it said in a statement on Friday. "The American and Israeli enemy is responsible for killing the mujahideen Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani," said Ahmed al-Assadi, a PMU spokesman. The group had earlier said that its public relations director Mohammed Reza al-Jaberi and four other members of the group were also killed after three Katyusha rockets struck a military base next to Baghdad International Airport in the Iraqi capital. The media bureau of the voluntary forces better known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Shabai described the early Friday morning attack as a "cowardly US bombing". The rockets landed near the air cargo terminal, burning two vehicles and injuring several people, the Iraqi Interior Ministry's Security Media Cell said in an earlier statement. Shortly after the attack, US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the strikes were carried out against two targets linked to Iran in Baghdad. The officials declined to give any further details. Meanwhile, security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that eight people were killed in the attack. The development came as the United States military said on Sunday it had carried out strikes in western Iraq against Kataib Hezbollah group, which is part of the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units better known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha'abi. Iraqi security sources said at least 25 fighters were killed and at least 55 wounded following the air attacks. Senior Iraqi officials also condemned the US attack against the Kataib Hezbollah's positions as a "violation of Iraqi sovereignty". Caretaker Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called the move a "dangerous escalation that threatens the security of Iraq and the region" in a statement on Sunday, Abdul Mahdi said US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper had called him about half an hour before the US raids to tell him of the US intentions to hit Kataib Hezbollah's bases. He said he asked Esper to call off US plans. Iraqi caretaker President Barham Salih also condemned the attack. The US raids drew a wave of condemnation from officials and movements across the region, and triggered furious public protests outside the US embassy in Baghdad. The Pentagon said the bombings were in response to attacks targeting American forces near the oil-rich northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk last week, which reportedly killed a US civilian contractor and injured four US service members, as well as two members of the Iraqi security forces. The US accused Kataib Hezbollah group of the attack. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The announcement of the sudden death of Marian Finucane saw the nation take a collective deep breath and ponder a deep and personal loss. To people of my generation it brought back memories of the death of JFK because we lost something good, something tangible. More than the late Gay Byrne, in fact, more than any other presenter I have heard on either Irish or British TV or radio, Marian had a beautiful God-given talent to draw people to her. She made them feel they were the most important person in her life at that moment because they were and she was very, very genuine. Her unique compassion was in many ways borne out of the death of her beloved Sinead. Christian teaching tells us that they will be united as mother and daughter. Our Saturday and Sunday mornings will not be the same with her passing. Aidan Hampson Artane, Dublin 5 AI presenters the answer to cut down on 'gotchas' Looking back on the turbulent year of 2019 one of the things that struck me most was how broadcast journalists had to get a "gotcha" moment. Will you apologise? Will you apologise? Apologise! Followed by endless derivative news cycles about the fact that he or she did or didn't apologise. Yawn. Double yawn. I was longing for an in-depth conversation about the actual political parties and their ideologies during the British general election. On the BBC, Andrew Neil almost burst a blood vessel trying to make Boris Johnson submit to his interrogation on air, having already clocked up significant blood pressure points during his attack on Jeremy Corbyn. It was all about Andrew Neil. One solution is to let artificial intelligence (AI) presenters do the questioning. Here are the AI questions I'd like to have seen the party leaders asked. Only single word answers permitted or the program crashes: :: Do you agree with the British government licensing the export of military equipment to the gulf when it is known that the arms will be used in airstrikes that kill civilians? :: Do you agree with taxing high net wealth individuals to support public services? :: Would you have made the same decision as Margaret Thatcher made to defend the Falklands? :: Would you have made the same decision as Tony Blair to go into Iraq? :: Do you agree with privatising the probation service? :: Do you believe segregation of schooling (by gender, religion or wealth) creates more or less harmony in society? :: Did you feel momentarily happy or sad when you heard Osama bin Laden had been killed? With this kind of Q&A, the electoral algorithm might have spit out an entirely different result. Alison Hackett Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin The '12 days of Christmas' - who are we kidding? Now that the "12th day of Christmas" is almost upon us, we can reflect on the crazy season that is concluding. Despite the aforementioned term, Christmas is in fact just one day, similar to Easter Sunday or St Patrick's Day. However this doesn't stop the marketeers reminding us earlier and earlier each year to splash the cash. Galway City Council, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, extended the annual Christmas market by two weeks - it began just two weeks after Halloween. People flock to Christmas religious services on the day itself, the majority of whom won't darken a church's door until this time next year, except perhaps for the odd wedding or funeral. The sales start in earnest generally the day after Christmas, although between Black Friday, Cyber Monday, other pre-Christmas promotions, as well as online shopping, you'd wonder what's the point! Galway City Council shot itself in the foot by bringing in restrictive new busking by-laws, from January 1, which the busking community opposes. Not such a happy new year for the street performers. Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture my backside. Talking about the new year, most people like to mark it in some way. The madness continues simply because one day ends (sorry, year/decade) and another begins. It won't be long before we see the green paraphernalia in the shops before our patron saint's day, followed shortly by Easter eggs. The cycle begins again later in the year. We might even see the Galway Christmas market begin at Halloween this year. Sure why not? Tommy Roddy Salthill, Co Galway Figures throw spotlight on our welfare system Your report (Irish Independent, January 2) states that unemployment is now below 5pc, but 11pc of children are growing up in households where no adult works. Perhaps I am looking at this the wrong way around; but this means those not working are twice as likely to bring children into the world as those in the national workforce. Are we to regard this as a triumph of our welfare system, or yet another burden on the working taxpayers? Gerry Kelly Rathgar, Dublin 6 Action, not handshakes, needed as fires take hold Sometimes it's the small events that bring home an issue to you, as the saying 'you can't see the trees for the forest' can be so true. At the usual Friday coffee catch up, one of our group mentioned in passing that they had lost their holiday house in the fires that are attacking so much of Australia at the moment. When you are safe and the fires are nowhere near you, the losses of life and property shown on TV and discussed on the radio seem distant and unconnected to your comfortable life. There is, of course, a feeling of regret and sadness over the tragedies, but the realities are not so clear. Like most young people who grew up in a farming community, I contributed to fire risk reduction exercises by clearing breaks and reducing the fuel loads around houses by burning them off before they accumulated too much material. It was hot, uncomfortable and actually boring, but it had to be done each year and it was just a part of the farm routine. It was also effective. My acquaintance's beachside holiday house was empty as they wouldn't allow any of the family to go there while there was danger. The house and all of its contents, including the new table and fridge, were gone - although insurance will help cover losses. It has been a part of their annual holidays from before their children and grandchildren were born, although it's not likely to be replaced as the fires are likely to become more common due to climate change. It might now become a camping ground for the younger family members. All that really has been lost are some memories. This country needs to look at why these fires are becoming bigger and more frequent and find a solution before more lives and property are lost, although at present the politicians are mostly offering words and handshakes, many of which are refused. One house out of hundreds lost and fortunately no lives is a small item in a massive issue, but we all need to address it. Dennis Fitzgerald Melbourne, Australia 'Victimhood' used to gloss over Keeler's past actions Had Christine Keeler looked more like Quasimodo, these half-century's pathetic attempts to rehabilitate her, such as the BBC's 'The Trial Of Christine Keeler', would never occur. In this Disneyesque farrago, where beauty equals good and truth, married to bubblegum feminism mental gymnastics where women are never to blame for their actions, Keeler is exonerated and celebrated for exploiting her attractiveness for favours whereas the satyric wealthy are vilified for paying her stated prices before she sold her story - and them - to the gutter press for one last meal ticket. Her culpability over the company she kept is veneered over with her 'victimhood'. Keeler was an accomplice of (amongst others) the evil Peter Rachman, who made "Rachmanism" a by-word for preying on the vulnerable. She was no honest courtesan, or even an honest blockhead, merely a selfish teenage airhead devoid of a teaspoon's common sense who never matured with age - the frightening embodiment of the generations to come. Mark Boyle Renfrewshire, Scotland The Chinese government has systematically razed over 100 Uighur cemeteries belonging to the Muslim minority group in Xinjiang province, according to satellite images reviewed by CNN. Working for months to review images and collaborate with sources on the ground, CNN found that dozens of official Chinese government notices announcing the relocation of cemeteries corresponded to the destruction of traditional cemeteries. Another 60 gravesites have vanished entirely, a fact the Chinese government did not deny. Governments . . . in Xinjiang fully respect and guarantee the freedom of all ethnic groups . . . to choose cemeteries, and funeral and burial methods, a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs read in part. One official explained a prior relocation as necessary to meet the demand of city planning and promote construction. The destruction of Uighur cemeteries was first reported in October by AFP and satellite imagery analysts Earthrise Alliance. They found at least 45 cemeteries had been destroyed since 2014, and reporters on the ground found shattered tombs and discarded human bones. In southern Xinjiang, Uighurs were given two days to claim their dead or face consequences and the relocation of their deceased loved ones as unclaimed corpse. Chinas totalitarian crackdown against the Uighurs has received attention after a trove of government documents leaked to The New York Times revealed how the Chinese were systematically incarcerating Uighurs and separating families in the name of training. A report in November detailed how the Chinese government created a Pair up and Become Family program to assign Chinese men to live with and monitor the families of detained Uighur men in order to promote ethnic unity. More from National Review Tel: 021-4311591; bookshelfcoffee.com IT is a bleak, grey December morning when we arrive at Bookshelf at The Elysian (BATE), in a ground-floor corner of the Celtic Tiger Elysian Tower, but plentiful glass frontage and the soaring height of the room floods the space with all scant light available and then some. The local hospitality sector, for the most part, is still housed in more traditional spaces, so this dramatic, modernist cathedral and its considered decor matt grey walls, funky prints, minimalist wooden fittings lend an intoxicating sense of being elsewhere in mainland Europe. It is a rare feeling, both liberating and addictive. Twenty years ago, the brunch concept began to gain currency on these shores, but in reality, it simply entailed getting your fry-up at lunch-time. These days, it appears to have transformed into wellbeing 101: juices, smoothies, yoghurts, exotic fruits, healthy grains, superfoods du jour (chia, spirulina, etc), a far cry from the more traditional half a pig, sliced and pan fried in dripping. It is actually a notion I like, subscribing as I do to another notion, actually, more of a national credo, that the fry-up is in fact traditional juju ideally used for the treatment of debilitating bouts of morning after. In such a progressive looking space, it stands to reason BATE will be similarly progressive on the menu so we go hog-wild with the healing. La Daughter orders a forest fruits smoothie bowl, with coconut milk, seasonal fruit, housemade granola. All thats missing is the diving board for it is large enough to swim in. It is also very good although seasonal fruit (bananas, kiwis, strawberries, blueberries) very definitely refers to seasons elsewhere around the globe other than Ireland. No 2 Son enjoys a long-time preference of his, overnight oats (bircher), this iteration soaked in banana and pineapple puree, served with maca powder, homemade granola and fresh fruit. I lose the run of myself entirely, attempting to reverse a lifetime of indulgence with chia Pudding with Spirulina powder, coconut yoghurt, granola, blueberries, banana, kiwi, which turns out to be the very opposite of penitential, a pleasure to put away. Bar the health food equivalents of eye of newt and lung of toad, and our preference for superior qualities of local, seasonal Irish fruit (grated Elstar apple would instantly elevate all three dishes), they are delicious though exceedingly filling; we eye our mains with trepidation. the tab How to The verdict No 2 Son resets traditional equilibrium with floury bap housing maple streaky bacon, Lisduff black pudding, fried egg, melted cheese, nicely judged sharp-sweet homemade relish, and smashing rostis of leek and potato. La Daughter has very tasty chicken breast in spiced breaded coating with smokey chipotle notes one of several allusions to Mexican chef Eli Huertas culinary heritage served in brioche with coleslaw, pickles and fine chunky chips. I have open brioche sandwiches of poached egg, crab meat and lovely seaweed hollandaise but mashed avocado possibly just removed from a long spell in the fridge makes for a layer of permafrost that throws off the entire dish. Current Wife, who tends to practice healthy living on a daily basis, not in rare, random and flailing spurts, had avoided our bowls of worthiness, leaving her with plenty of appetite for an egg white frittata, with spinach, mushrooms, grilled cheese. Flavours are sound but it is quite sorely under-seasoned. Sweet potato bread is excellent and could backbone any number of other dishes. Coffee deserves special mention. As a confirmed locavore (kindly, well-meaning!) fascist, I naturally prefer Irish roasts; that there are now so many truly stunning Irish roasts further validates my unyielding zeal. Yet I forgive BATE entirely for serving beans from The Barn, in Berlin, as they are quite superb. I relish an ascetic filtered Costa Rican (Volcan Azul), a clean, balanced, plummy mouthful of vanilla and figs. Post-prandial macchiato is equally fine while CW adores her immaculate flat white. Our earlier encounter with wellness means we leave bearing doggie bags of unfinished (but -not-forgotten!) main courses and a very firm vow to return to this delightful addition to the local dining scene, in particular to sample a highly intriguing evening tapas style menu and enjoy the so easily accessible charms of another local weekend break abroad. A lawyer for former Chairman said Saturday he felt outraged and betrayed by his client's escape from Japan to Lebanon, but also expressed an understanding for his feelings of not being able to get a fair trial. "My anger gradually began to turn to something else," Takashi Takano wrote in his blog post. Referring to Japan's judicial system, he said: I was betrayed, but the one who betrayed me is not " Takano described how Ghosn had been barred from seeing his wife, in what Takano called a violation of human rights, and that Ghosn worried whether he would get a fair trial because of prosecutors' leaks to the media and the prospect that the legal process may take years. Ghosn, who was awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges, was last seen on surveillance video leaving his Tokyo home alone, on Dec. 29, presumably to board his getaway plane. Although the security cameras at his home were on 24 hours, the footage was only required to be submitted to the court once a month, on the 15th, according to lawyers' documents detailing Ghosn's bail conditions. Takano, the main lawyer on Ghosn's team in charge of his bail, acknowledged most suspects would not be able to pull off an escape like Ghosn's, but if they could, they certainly would have tried, he said. Takano said he told Ghosn that in all the cases he has handled, there has been none in which the evidence was so scant, and that the chances for winning an innocent verdict were good, even if the trial weren't fair. Takano said the last time he saw Ghosn was Christmas Eve, when he was sitting in on the one-hour video call between Ghosn and his wife Carole. A lawyer's presence is required for the calls, and the length of the call is also restricted, under the bail conditions. Takano, who is fluent in English, quoted Ghosn as expressing his unfailing love for his family, ending the call with an I love you." Ghosn is known for never having missed a Christmas with his family despite the arduous schedule of an auto executive. Takano said he had never before felt such disgust over Japan's legal system. He apologized to Ghosn after the call, saying he felt shame, and promised to do his utmost in the court case. Ghosn did not reply, Takano recalled in the blog post that says the opinions are his personal and not of the entire legal team. The major Japanese daily Sankei reported Saturday that his flight happened just as a private security company hired by Motor Co. to keep watch over Ghosn stopped work. Ghosn had been preparing a complaint against the security company, according to Sankei. Another lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, has complained that spying on his client was a violation of human rights, but he declined to say who might be behind it. was closed for the holidays and not immediately available for comment. Sankei said Nissan was worried the surveillance conditions set by the Japanese court weren't sufficient to keep tabs on Ghosn. Hironaka told public broadcaster NHK TV late Friday that Ghosn had carried one of his French passports in a locked plastic case, so that it could be read without unlocking, in case he was stopped by authorities. The lawyers had the key. Hironaka told NHK the case could have been smashed with a hammer. Hironaka has denied any knowledge of the escape. All foreigners in Japan are required to have their passports with them to show to police or other officials. It is unclear whether the French passport is the one Ghosn used to enter Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have said Ghosn entered the country legally on a French passport, though he had been required to surrender all his passports to his lawyers under the terms of his bail. He also holds Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship. Video footage at Ghosn's home shows him walking out Dec 29, according to NHK. An earlier report said he was carted out inside a musical instrument case. Turkish airline company MNG Jet said two of its planes were used illegally in Ghosn's escape, first flying him from Osaka, Japan, to Istanbul, and then on to Beirut, where he arrived Monday and has not been seen since. It said a company employee had admitted to falsifying flight records so that Ghosn's name did not appear, adding that he acted in his individual capacity" without MNG Jet's knowledge. The company did not say to whom the jets were leased, or identify the employee. Interpol has issued a wanted notice for Ghosn. Japan has no extradition treaty with Lebanon and it appeared unlikely he would be handed over. It's not clear either how Japan might respond. The defiant and stunning escape of such a high-profile suspect has raised serious questions about the surveillance methods of the Japanese bail system. Some may argue bail decisions should become more stringent, when bail is already restricted in Japan, compared to the U.S. Trials and preparations before they start take far longer in Japan, where the conviction rate is higher than 99%. Electronic tethers common in the U.S. are not used in Japan for bail. Ghosn had offered to wear one when he requested bail. Government offices were shut down for the New Year's holidays, and there have been no official statements. Ghosn, who has said in a statement that he left to avoid Japan's injustice, is set to speak to reporters in Beirut on Wednesday. He has repeatedly said he is innocent, stressing that the charges were trumped up to block a fuller merger between Nissan Motor Co. and alliance partner Renault SA of France. Iran will welcome any Indian peace initiative for de-escalating its tensions with US Soleimani contributed to an attack in Delhi says Trump: Is he referring to the one in 2012 India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 04: Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a US strike, President Donald Trump said the "reign of terror is over" and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London." Trump has not gone into the specifics regarding the Delhi attack. However, back in 2012 there was an attack in Delhi and the police had blamed a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards for the same. In 2012, there was an attack on Israeli diplomats in New Delhi. One of the embassy staff members was injured in the attack. A similar incident was reported at Georgia, but the bomb was defused. Soleimani plotted attacks in Delhi says Donald Trump In Delhi, a motorcyclist attached a sticky bomb to the car in which the wife of a Israeli diplomat was travelling. The lady Tal Yehoshua Koren sustained moderate injuries. The driver and two bystanders too suffered minor injuries. The police arrested an Indian journalist Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi who claimed to work for an Iranian news organisation. The Delhi police had said that the terrorists belonging to a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were responsible for the attack. Kazmi is currently out on bail. General Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. NEWS AT NOON, JANUARY 4th, 2020 "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," Trump said. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Day after killing Soleimani, US strikes target Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq Trump alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilise the Middle East for the last 20 years. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government," he said. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the flagship company of Tata group has moved the Supreme Court, challenging the NCLAT order that reinstated Cyrus Mistry as a director of the company. The Indian IT bellwether approached the apex court shortly after Tata Sons and its patriarch, Ratan Tata filed their respective appeals against the NCLAT order directing Mistry's return. "The Company, based on a legal opinion, has on January 3, 2020, filed an appeal in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India (i) to set aside the said Judgement qua the Company and (ii) in the interim stay on operation of the said Judgement to the extent it relates to the Company," Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said in filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Saturday. ALSO READ:Tata Sons moves SC seeking stay against NCLAT order on Cyrus Mistry Shapoorji Pallonji Group scion Cyrus Mistry had been engaged in a bitter legal battle against Tata Sons over his unceremonious termination from the company's board in October 2016. Mistry moved National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to reverse his sacking after his appeals were turned down by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The appellate tribunal had admitted his appeal in August 2018. On December 18, 2019, the NCLAT ordered restoration Mistry as the executive chairman of the Tata Group. This judgement rendered N Chandrasekaran's appointment as executive chairman of the company illegal. However, the appellate tribunal had granted Tata group four weeks to file an appeal before the Supreme Court against its judgement. ALSO READ:Ratan Tata moves Supreme Court seeking stay against NCLAT's order to restore Cyrus Mistry On January 2, Tata Sons moved the top court, challenging "the NCLAT decision in its entirety". A day later, on January 3, Tata group's Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata filed a separate petition before Supreme Court against the NCLAT order. He claimed in his petition that the NCLAT's December 18 order held him guilty of oppressive and prejudicial steps against the interests of Tata Sons shareholders without explaining what the "factual or legal foundation of the oppressive and prejudicial grounds is". Tomerong residents Paul Hedges and William Donnohue used a makeshift water tanker and dune buggy to defend their properties from an emergency blaze on Saturday, but believed they'd only survived "round one" with the Currowan fire. The massive blaze was pushed east towards communities south and west of Nowra during the day with grave concerns that a strong southerly change could wreak havoc overnight. Paul Hedges on his dune buggy. Credit: Tom Rabe Mr Donnohue, 60, a teacher, had rigged up a large tank of water to the back of a small truck, and had been using it to douse spot fires ahead of the blaze, which Mr Hedges, 36, was scouting in his dune buggy. "This is round one, so we'll see what the southerly brings us," he said. Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged a dozen districts in greater Jakarta and caused landslides in the Bogor and Depok districts on the city's outskirts as well as in neighboring Lebak, which buried a dozen people Jakarta: Tens of thousands of Indonesians were crammed in emergency shelters on Saturday waiting for floodwaters to recede in and around the capital, Jakarta, as the death toll from massive New Year's flooding reached 47, officials said. Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged a dozen districts in greater Jakarta and caused landslides in the Bogor and Depok districts on the city's outskirts as well as in neighboring Lebak, which buried a dozen people. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said the fatalities also included those who had drowned or been electrocuted since rivers broke their banks early on Wednesday after extreme torrential rains throughout New Year's Eve. Three elderly people died of hypothermia. It was the worst flooding since 2007 when 80 people were killed over 10 days. "The waters came very fast, suddenly everything in my house was swept away," said Dian Puspitasari, a mother of two, who looked overwhelmed trying to sweep piles of mud out of her home. To clean up this thick mud is another disaster for us. Four days after the region of 30 million people was struck by flashfloods, waters have receded in many middle-class districts, but conditions remained grim in narrow riverside alleys where the city's poor live. At the peak of the flooding, about 397,000 people sought refuge in shelters across the greater metropolitan area as floodwaters reached up to 6 meters in some places, Wibowo said. Data released by his agency showed some 173,000 people were still unable to return home, mostly in the hardest-hit area of Bekasi. More than 152,000 people remain crammed at 98 emergency shelters with sufficient supplies in Jakarta's satellite city of Bekasi, where rivers burst their banks. Much of the city was still submerged in muddy waters up to 2 meters high, according to the agency. Those returning to their homes found streets covered in mud and debris. Cars that had been parked in driveways were swept away, landing upside down in parks or piled up in narrow alleys. Sidewalks were strewn with sandals, pots and pans and old photographs. Authorities took advantage of the receding waters to clear away mud and remove piles of wet garbage from the streets. Electricity was restored to tens of thousands of residences and businesses. Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma domestic airport reopened on Thursday after its runway was submerged. The head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency Dwikorita Karnawati said more downpours were forecast for the capital in the coming days and the potential for extreme rainfall will continue until next month across Indonesia. The government on Friday kicked off cloud seeding in an attempt to divert rain clouds from reaching greater Jakarta. Authorities warned that more flooding was possible until the rainy season ends in April. The flooding has highlighted Indonesia's infrastructure problems. Jakarta is home to 10 million people or 30 million including those in its greater metropolitan area. It is prone to earthquakes and flooding and is rapidly sinking due to the uncontrolled extraction of groundwater. Congestion is also estimated to cost the economy $ 6.5 billion a year. President Joko Widodo announced in August that the capital will move to a site in sparsely populated East Kalimantan province on Borneo island, known for rainforests and orangutans. An abandoned silk mill on Eastons South Side will undergo a huge transformation this year. Neighbors with questions about the removal of toxic waste from 620 Coal St., the demolition of the Stewart Silk Mill and its replacement with attainable," working-class homes can get answers at a community meeting set for Thursday, Jan. 9. The meeting at Cheston Elementary School will cover the timetable for demolition and construction of the new 55-home development and will cover future activities at the site. PIRHL, or Partners in Residential Housing Leadership of Cleveland, Ohio, is partnering with developer Tim Harrison to build the homes and 27,000 square feet of commercial space. Representatives of the development team will present an overview of the project at the community meeting, according to a news release from the city. South Side neighbors are encouraged to attend. Officials previously described the homes as affordable housing, but Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said a more accurate description is attainable housing. This is not low-income housing, Panto said Wednesday. Its attainable housing for working people who may not have a lot of money to afford a house. Most recently the site was occupied by Black Diamond Enterprises, a maker of stainless-steel diamond-plate tabletops, sinks and accessories for the food service industry. Nothings been manufactured at the site for years. It caught fire in 2016. Whats left of the mill will be razed this month by Delaware-based BrightFields Inc., a demolition contractor. Photo of the Black Diamond Enterprises site, formerly the Stewart Silk Mill at 430 W. Lincoln St./620 Coal St. in Easton on Nov. 21, 2019.Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com Council agreed in September to take temporary ownership of the nearly 4-acre property from Black Diamond Enterprises Ltd., to take advantage of a $1 million state grant covering the bulk of the cleanup cost. Only certain entities, such as a municipality, can apply for these grants, and must own the property during the work being funded, said John Lushis, special counsel hired by the city for the project. Get Involved The community meeting will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at Cheston Elementary School, 723 Coal Street, Easton. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Election campaign ignored key issues, saw candidates courting votes from right wing and far right, says IFIMES. Croatia is in a social crisis and, with no substantial difference between two candidates currently vying for the presidency, there is little reason for optimism, according to the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES). On Sunday, Croatias conservative incumbent President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Zoran Milanovic, a former prime minister, will face off in the second and final round of the presidential election. Croatia is mired by organised crime and corruption, poor functioning of the judicial system, strong underground intelligence and potent influence of the Roman Catholic Church. But according to the IFIMESs latest report, the election campaign has instead focused on nationalism, with Grabar-Kitarovic and Milanovic trying to convince voters they are the bigger and better Croat. The vote comes at an important time Zagreb now assumes the six-month rotating European Union presidency and will preside over the United Kingdoms likely exit from the bloc. But the campaign saw candidates courting for votes from the right-wing and far-right Croats. The powers of the president are limited, mostly holding a representative role abroad and serving as the head of the armed forces. Grabar-Kitarovic, who won fewer votes than Milanovic in the first round, stirred controversy last month when she posted a photo on her Instagram account commemorating the death of convicted Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak. The campaign took another dramatic turn when the HDZ party promoted a video of Julienne Busic endorsing Grabar-Kitarovic. Busic received a life sentence after hijacking a Trans World Airlines flight departing from New York, bound for Chicago, with her husband, Croatian nationalist Zvonko Busic and three other Croatian hijackers in 1976. Their aim was to promote Croatian independence from Yugoslavia. They flew the plane to Paris, demanding their declaration of Croatian independence appear in the American press. An NYPD officer was killed while trying to defuse a bomb they had left at Grand Central in New York City. Croatias PM refusing to answer questions about his party using a convicted far-right extremist to endorse the HDZs candidate for the presidency, KGK. And hes from the moderate wing of the HDZ, mind you. Unbelievable. https://t.co/4F48Z1bNzQ https://t.co/CUr6kkJDFs Jasmin Mujanovic (@JasminMuj) January 2, 2020 Schizophrenic policy HDZ seeks adversaries in Serbs, Serbia, Bosnia, Yugoslavs, migrants and refugees and of a so-called Islamic threat due to a somewhat schizophrenic policy led by Grabar-Kitarovic, IFIMES noted. It added that Milanovic, despite supposedly leaning left, also builds his foreign policy on the threat from the so-called Islamic terrorism, which according to them comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina. During Grabar-Kiatrovics term in office, HDZ politicians and the incumbent president have often made unfounded claims, depicting Bosnia and Herzegovina as a radical Muslim haven. According to the European Islamophobia Report 2018, this tactic is meant to undermine the country with the aim of dividing it territorially. This was reiterated in a TV debate on Thursday, in which Milanovic stated that jihadists in Bosnia are a reality. Its a country where there are a lot of Muslims, from where people leave to fight in the Middle East and come back indoctrinated, Milanovic said. Grabar-Kitarovics term has seen deteriorating relations with its neighbours Bosnia, Serbia and Slovenia, and Milanovic has shown no alternative. Grabar-Kitarovic and to some extent Milanovic conditionally support the establishment of a third Croat entity and perceive a part of Bosnia as [part] of the great-state project, IFIMES said. The report added that they both deny war crimes that Croatian and Croat forces committed during the conflict in the early 1990s. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia had ruled in 2017 that Croatian leaders, including its President Franjo Tudjman, had led a joint criminal enterprise project, in which Croatia held parts of Bosnia under a state of occupation, with the goal of annexing the territory. Analysts believe that, in his-or-her work, the new president of Croatia will have to pay more attention to the reform of the intelligence-security system, which is systematically working on destabilisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and toppling of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Other peoples also have their historical divisions, but not many focus on and idealise the dark past at the cost of their future like the Croats and Croatia do, the report said. Such a policy leads the state into a situation of harmful ideological divisions, increase of tensions and even conflicts with minorities and neighbors. That is why the presidential elections could be a turning point for the Republic of Croatia. Britain warned its nationals to avoid all travel to Iraq and to avoid all but essential travel to Iran following the death of Qassem Soleimani, Trend with reference to Reuters reports. Given heightened tensions in the region, the Foreign Office now advise people not to travel to Iraq and to consider carefully whether its essential to travel to Iran, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. We will keep this under review. State Bank of India chairman Rajnish Kumar on Saturday said the country can become a $5 trillion economy, but was skeptical whether it is achievable by 2024-25 as envisaged by the government. Speaking at an interactive session organsied by FICCI, he said private investment was necessary for achieving the target. We will definitely achieve, there is no doubt. Timeframe, I am not certain. Whether we'll achieve in five years, it is like, a very difficult question to answer. But $5 trillion, we will achieve for sure and again Im saying that it will come on the back of private sector investments revival," Kumar said replying to a query. According to him, the government investments alone cannot achieve it and there is a need for huge investments in the infrastructure sector which would result in boosting the GDP. FICCI president Sangitha Reddy said there is a slowdown in the economy and the government needs to infuse Rs one-two lakh crore to revive the sentiment. This is one thing that we, industry, believes that notwithstanding any impact it may have on fiscal deficit, the government must find ways to induce at least Rs one-two trillion into the economy to boost construction and infrastructureonce again, she said. According to her, there were pending bills getting piled up at every sector and there is a need for structural reforms for boosting the sentiment which would result in re- accelerating the economy. Reddy said the $5 trillion economy target cannot be achieved either by the government or industry alone and they should 'clap hands' together to achieve it. Pakistan Army Cadet College Plandri AJK Jobs 2020 Latest Cadet College Driving Posts Plandri 2022 Pakistan Army Cadet College requires the services of experienced and professional persons for the positions of HTV Driver and PSV Driver in Plandri Azad Jammu & Kashmir AJK 2020. How to Apply on Cadet 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. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden welcomed the New Year with the newest member of their family. Cameron and Benji have been keeping their relationship out of the public's eyes as much as possible since they got linked in May 2014. However, they made an exemption this time with the announcment of the arrival of their duaghter. New Year, New Parents, New Baby A few days after they celebrated their fifth New Year as a married couple, both Cameron and Benji took the news to Instagram and told their followers that the actress gave birth to their first child. "Happy New Year from the Maddens! We are so happy, blessed and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden," their note read. "She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family." The new mother also said that they want to protect Raddix Madden's privacy, so they will not be posting any updates about their baby anytime soon again. However, Cameron emphasized that they are overjoyed to share the news Cameron and Benji's desire to finally bear a child started to become the talk of the town when a source told PEOPLE in Feb. 2016 that Cameron been itching to expand her brood. "She has settled in, settled down and wants to have a family," the source stated. "She is doing everything she can to enjoy this time in her life. She is feeling fulfilled and wants to be a mom." Living a Private Life Cameron Diaz and Benji Madded held their engagement party before Christmas 2014 before they got married in Jan. 2015 at their home in Beverly Hills, California. They may have been low-key that they seldom make it to the headlines, but Instagram became their voice to help them express their love for each other. In Aug. 2017, the 40-year-old "Good Charlotte" band member posted a sweet tribute for his wife in the celebration of her birthday. Before the sweet birthday greeting post, the "Charlie's Angels" actress told InStyle magazine in June 2017 how Benji is her partner in life and everything. "Marriage is certainly hard, and it's a lot of work," the 47-year-old actress stated. "You need somebody who's willing to do the work with you because there's no 60-40 in marriage. It's 50-50, period. All the time." West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has called for an intense expert probe in Naihati illegal-factory blast that killed four people on Friday, following the BJPs demand for an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), suspecting a possible terror link to the factory, which the party claimed, was illegally making crude bombs in the garb of firecrackers. Dhankar tagged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in his tweet seeking fixing of accountability, hours after the arrest of the factory-owner, Noor Hossain and before a visit to the blast site by the forensic experts. @MamataOfficial Several deaths in blasts at factory at Masjidpara, Naihati has pained and shocked me. Allegations that crude bombs were being made in illegal factory warrants intense expert probe. Accountability of all in the administration needs to be fixed promptly, Dhankhar tweeted on Saturday morning. Reacting to the tweet, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Tapas Roy said, They (Centre) may ask for anything, a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation as well. Let them go ahead if they can. We have no problem. On Friday, BJP Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore, Arjun Singh, had demanded a probe by the NIA, alleging that the factory was a cover for manufacturing crude bombs that are often used during violence in the state. He even hinted at a possible terror link to the factory. I visited the spot. There are several illegal factories in the area. These people actually manufacture crude bombs under the garb of making firecrackers. It is very likely that these units have terror links like the Khagragarh incident and needs to be probed by the NIA, said Singh. Trinamool Congress minister and the partys district unit president Jyotipriyo Mullick rubbished Singhs claim and said, He should rather ask US President Donald Trump to order a probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On Saturday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member Md Salim also accused the state government of shielding bomb makers. People of Bengal live with insecurity, he said. In October 2014, an explosion in a house at Khagragarh in Burdwan town, about 100 km from Kolkata, exposed a network of Bangladeshi jihadi elements who were running an arms and explosives factory in the state. The owner of the factory involved in the Friday blast was arrested from the Amdanga area in the same district. Local people blocked a road on Saturday demanding a crackdown on all fireworks factories operating illegally in the area. The protest was called off after the top brass of the district police assured to look into the matter. The leader of a right-wing militia that was detaining migrant families at gunpoint near the border in southern New Mexico pleaded guilty this week to a federal gun charge, Justice Department officials said. The leader, Larry Mitchell Hopkins, who has also operated under the alias Johnny Horton Jr., faces up to 10 years in prison after he admitted Thursday to being in possession of several firearms and various caliber ammunition in November 2017, despite being a felon, the United States Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico said in a statement. Mr. Hopkins, 70, of Flora Vista, N.M., had previously been convicted in at least three states of multiple crimes, including illegal weapon possession and impersonating a peace officer in 2006, according to the plea agreement. In a statement on Friday, Hector Balderas, the attorney general for New Mexico, said, Felons should never possess dangerous firearms or illegally pose as law enforcement officials, and I am pleased that this individual is being held accountable. By AFP JERUSALEM: Israel held emergency security talks on Friday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a foreign visit as the Jewish state braced itself for fallout from the assassination of a top Iranian military commander in a US air strike. His office said that Defence Minister Naftali Bennett chaired a meeting of security chiefs, including the heads of the army, the National Security Council and the Mossad intelligence agency. Netanyahu broke off an official visit to Greece and flew home, expressing support for the overnight US strike that killed General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. "Just as Israel has the right of self-defence, the United States has exactly the same right," Netanyahu said as he boarded his flight from Athens. President (Donald) Trump deserves all the credit for acting swiftly, forcefully and decisively. Israel stands with the United States in its just struggle for peace, security and self-defence," he said. ALSO READ| US to deploy 3,000-3,500 more troops to Middle-East after Iranian General Soleimani's killing On the ground, the Israeli army closed Mount Hermon ski resort on the annexed Golan Heights, a disputed territory which borders Syria and Lebanon. Fighters of the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, Israel's bitter foe with which it fought a devastating war in 2006, are deployed on the other side of the armistice line. Although an Israeli military source said there were no new troop deployments, tanks and soldiers sealed off access to the Hermon site, while an AFP correspondent also spotted a battery of the Iron Dome missile defence system. Late Friday, however, the army announced the site would be opened as usual on Saturday, "in accordance with a situation assessment". The heightened state of alert came after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge" for Soleimani's killing, the biggest escalation yet in a feared proxy war between Iran and the US on Iraqi soil. ALSO READ| 'A more dangerous world': Iran killing triggers global alarm He was echoed by the leader of Hezbollah. "Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide," Hassan Nasrallah said. Soleimani, head of the Quds Force in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, had long also been in Israel's sights for his alleged links to attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide. Among them, Israel's Haaretz daily said, were the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires and an attack on an Israeli tour bus in Burgas, Bulgaria in 2012. Yossi Mansharof, an expert on Iran and Shiite militias at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said Hezbollah was unlikely to seek a showdown in Lebanon given the country's current economic and political crisis. He said that Hezbollah's forces in Syria, however, could make a move. "Hezbollah can act against Israel from the Syrian side. They would not dare to drag Lebanon into a military escalation," he told AFP. In addition to Hezbollah forces in Syria, the Quds Force and "many, many militias which Soleimani has fostered" are also stationed in the war-torn country, he pointed out. ALSO READ| US Secretary of State Pompeo says US 'committed to de-escalation' after Soleimani killing He said Hezbollah had a worldwide network of operatives, and an attack on American officials, high-ranking military officers or other interests was also possible. Mansharof said that the powerful organisation has boasted in the past that it "can target New York and Washington". In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which rules the territory condemned Soleimani's killing but did not make any overt threat. "Hamas sends its condolences to the Iranian leadership and people. Hamas condemns this American crime which raises tension in the region," it said in a statement. The leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said the Baghdad strike called for "a coordinated, comprehensive and continuous response from resistance forces" against "American and Zionist interests". United Airlines will pay $321,000 in back pay and compensatory damages to a female flight attendant to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the federal government. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had sued Chicago-based United in 2018 in San Antonio alleging the airline failed to protect the flight attendant from a pilot who had posted nude photos and videos of her on the internet. The flight attendant, identified as Jane Doe, later filed her own complaint in the case. She lived in San Antonio. She alleged that the online postings by pilot Mark Joseph Uhlenbrock were harassing and created a hostile work environment. On ExpressNews.com: EEOC sues United Airlines over pilot posting nude photos of flight attendant In the settlement, approved Dec. 19 by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, United denied that it engaged in any unlawful conduct or discrimination. United agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in attorneys fees to the flight attendants lawyers. In addition, United must distribute its anti-harassment/anti-discrimination policy to all employees within 90 days. The company was required to revise the policy to address harassing conduct affecting the workplace, whether on or off duty, and perpetrated through the internet or social media. The company also must provide training on the policy to flight operations and in-flight management employees based at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Dulles International Airport in Virginia. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any type of harassment in the workplace and expect our employees to treat each other with dignity and respect, United spokesman Charles Hobart said in an emailed statement Friday. We strongly disagree with the EEOCs allegations and will continue to reinforce the procedures and training we have in place to protect our employees from sexual harassment. Uhlenbrock, 65, pleaded guilty in 2016 in San Antonio federal court to a stalking charge and was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Records show he was released in August. On ExpressNews.com: United Airlines pilot pleads guilty to stalking ex-S.A. girlfriend United stated Uhlenbrock was removed from his position in late 2015 following his arrest by the FBI. He retired in lieu of termination in 2016, the company added. The EEOC alleged he was allowed to retire with benefits despite the criminal case. The flight attendant dated Uhlenbrock for about five years beginning in 2002 and allowed him to take nude photos and videos of her, court documents in his criminal case indicated. He also took a video of her sunbathing without her permission, documents stated. He later posted them to the internet, the EEOC said. The EEOC alleged United failed to prevent and correct Uhlenbrocks behavior, even after the flight attendant made numerous complaints and provided substantial evidence of his conduct to the airline. She first complained in 2011. United decided to protect the harasser Uhlenbrock, the flight attendant alleged in her complaint. In its response to her lawsuit, United said it concluded that Uhlenbrocks conduct stemmed from a private consensual relationship. It also noted the flight attendant filed civil lawsuits against him. Those suits, filed in state District Court in San Antonio, were settled for $110,000, records show. Nevertheless, United found that Uhlenbrock had violated its workforce guidelines and counseled him. Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox The flight attendant said she subsequently discovered in 2013 that Uhlenbrock was still posting sexually explicit photos of her on the web. United responded that it was unable to confirm that Uhlenbrock was the source of the postings. The flight attendant later turned to the FBI and the EEOC for help. Her attorneys didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The case highlights the issues of employer accountability for harassment in the workplace, said Robert A. Canino, an EEOC regional attorney in Dallas. Employee workdays and job sites are no longer defined by time cards and the walls of a building, but by the breadth of a digital day and the reach of electronic communications, he said in a statement. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD The shooting occurred at about 1:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of Half Street SW, less than a quarter of a mile from the left-field foul pole at Nationals Park. Half Street runs north and south between First and South Capitol streets. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes two years ago and have seen a significant decrease in my sex drive since then. Im 72 and dont expect to be as active as I was in my 20s, but my wife is beginning to worry that it is something she has done. Is it connected with the diabetes? Unfortunately yes, type 2 diabetes can affect your sex life. It causes both a loss of libido and erectile dysfunction in some people. Diabetes and high blood sugar levels affect the nerves and blood vessels around the body, and this has an impact on sexual organs and arousal as well as on your feelings and physical sensations. Type 2 diabetes can also have an emotional impact, making you more depressed or very tired, both of which will affect sex drive. Sexual dysfunction can be a side effect of medication. Although not typical of type 2 diabetes medication itself, it can be due to other drugs that diabetics are often on, such as statins or blood-pressure medications. Diabetes and high blood sugar levels affect the nerves and blood vessels around the body, and this has an impact on sexual organs and arousal as well as on your feelings and physical sensations. Type 2 diabetes can also have an emotional impact, making you more depressed or very tired, both of which will affect sex drive. (File image) Your loss of sex drive could also have happened at the same time as your type 2 diabetes while actually not being related. Poor sex drive is commonly associated with depression, anxiety, or too much alcohol or stress. It can also happen naturally as we age. This is thought to be related to a fall in sex hormones testosterone, in the case of men. It is worth asking your doctor for a blood test to see if this is a cause that may be treated with prescribed testosterone. A review of medications would also be valuable: sex drive and relationships are a significant part of our quality of life, and it is perfectly justifiable to look at swapping medications if it might improve things. Although there are drugs, such as Viagra, for erectile dysfunction, there are none that improve libido. If no obvious answer is found for you, ask your GP about a referral for psychosexual therapy, or look at Relate, which offers advice about sex and relationships. After suffering increasing pain in my legs, especially when walking, I was diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Three surgical procedures didnt help. I used to walk regularly and do Pilates, but now I struggle to do any exercise. Im 74 and I still want to do some physical activity. Can any other treatments help? PVD is problem of the arteries of the legs, when the blood vessels fur up and narrow, reducing circulation. It causes tremendous pain on walking or exercising known as claudication as well as ulcers, infection and even gangrene of the legs and feet. Sadly, it is a cause of amputation the vast majority of major amputations in the UK are due to PVD. The condition is related to heart disease, as it is the same process that furs up the cardiac arteries, so anyone at risk of heart disease can develop PVD too. It is particularly associated with smoking, so people who do smoke should quit as part of their treatment. A training exercise programme is very important for this disease. Patients with PVD should be offered a supervised exercise programme, two hours a week for three months. If this isnt available, you should be trying to walk for 30 minutes three to five times a week, until your symptoms disappear. Stop and rest to recover, then carry on again. These types of exercises have been shown to improve the amount of walking you will be able to do without pain. Medication can be used as well as surgery. Naftidrofuryl oxalate can be prescribed, as it is proven to increase the length of pain-free walking for most people with the condition you would notice the benefits within three to six months, and if so, this could be continued. It is also vital to talk to your doctor about cardiovascular-disease prevention, looking at aspects such as your blood pressure and diabetes risk. These need to be managed strictly, since having PVD means that you are now at high risk of both heart disease and stroke. Do you have a question for Dr Ellie? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk or write to Health, The Mail on Sunday, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT. Dr Ellie can only answer in a general context and cannot respond to individual cases, or give personal replies. If you have a health concern, always consult your own GP. Advertisement Fabulous: I hope other platforms such as YouTube and Facebook follow suit Sending a message to the anti-vaxxers If you search for #antivaxx on Twitter, you are now met with a message reading: Know the facts to make sure you get the best information on vaccinations, resources are available from the NHS. Theres also a link to the nhs.uk website and Twitter account. This is just fabulous, and much credit to the app-makers for designing this in. Fake health news, including vaccine misinformation, is proliferated mainly online via social media and it is a huge public health threat. I hope other platforms such as YouTube and Facebook follow suit. Why Parkinson's is very easy to miss I was saddened to read last week how common it is for the diagnosis of Parkinsons disease to be missed by doctors. A survey by Parkinsons UK found that more than a quarter of sufferers were initially told they had something else. Having often been in the diagnosing seat myself as a GP, unfortunately I can see why this happens. Parkinsons is a devastating diagnosis, especially in younger people - and doctors, like their patients, want to believe that it is another, less serious potential condition. There is also no definitive test to prove Parkinsons it is diagnosed after ruling out many other things, as well as through physical examinations. These factors, coupled with long waiting times for patients to see neurologists, add up to create these agonising delays. Advertisement ASK A STUPID QUESTION Are certain people mosquito-magnets? Yes, says Adam Hart, Professor of Science Communication at the University of Gloucestershire. Mosquitoes need animals to feed on. The females in particular seek out blood meals, so home in on factors that affect our blood, such as body heat and the carbon dioxide we produce. Being pregnant is a particularly bad combination, since it increases both carbon dioxide output and body temperature. Having a high resting metabolic rate can also attract more bites, as can drinking alcohol or exerting yourself. Some research also suggests mosquitoes prefer people with type O blood. Genetics explain about 85 per cent of our susceptibility to mosquito bites, and science supports the idea that some people are mosquito-magnets. SUGAR COUNT: How much sugar lurks inside your favourite foods? Veggie wraps Sugar: 1 tsp. Pret avocado and herb salad wrap Sugar: 1.5 tsp. Waitrose mozzarella & roasted tomato wrap Sugar: 2 tsp. Costa tomato & mozzarella wrap Sugar: 4 tsp. Pure all wrapped up Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): A security personnel deployed to guard Congress leader Devati Mahendra Karma, allegedly committed suicide here on Saturday night. The deceased identified as 30-year-old Aashoram Kashyap allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest from his AK-47 service rifle. The incident took place at Karma's residence. The post-mortem is being conducted at the district hospital. Further, details are awaited (ANI) The Interior Ministry yesterday issued a strict warning against posting comments on all social media networks targeting national unity while promoting hatred in light of latest political developments in the region. The ministry has vowed strict action against all those who violate rules and regulations regarding national unity and security. A number of social media users were summoned for posting messages that could harm the general order, the ministry said yesterday. Information should be sought from reliable sources, and social media mustnt be exploited for posting malicious rumours that could harm security and civil peace. Citizens and social media users are urged to be cautious and avoid speeches that promote national disunity. They should seek credibility before publishing any information and avoid reposting allegations. Legal steps would be taken against any social media account that violates general rules and deals with those accounts and provides them with wrong information from Bahrain, along with promoting their suspicious messages, the ministry pointed out. The anti-cyber crime wing also issued a special statement, which said: As part of the recent and rapid regional developments, the social media accounts that aim to promote sedition, and work against civil peace, social fabric and security disturbance in Bahrain are managed from abroad. They should be avoided. In a message to the world marking the International Day of Peace, which is observed on September 21, His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa had urged to respond to the call of global conscience to lay a solid foundation for comprehensive and just peace that enables people to live in harmony and welfare and paves the way for an active international partnership to achieve sustainable development that secures a more prosperous and reassuring future. HRH the Premier, underlined the need for the international community to move towards a new forward-looking vision that works in accordance with a common collective will to press ahead with the international peace efforts by adhering to the lofty religious principles and values endorsed by international conventions. He stressed that peoples in the world are yearning for peace and stability to make up for missed life and advancement opportunities. HRH the Prime Minister affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has always supported and will continue to support efforts to achieve peace and promote growth and stability through its active participation in regional and international alliances seeking to foster global peace and security and fight all forms of terrorism. He described peace and stability as a fundamental pillar for development for prosperity can never be achieved in a volatile political, economic, social and environmental situation. Effective sustainable development is the one that heeds various challenges and puts solutions and initiatives to tackle them, he said. HRH the Premier asserted that celebrating the International Day of Peace is an important occasion to inspire hope and remind the world of its responsibilities towards this dire goal for the present and future of mankind. He pointed out that the theme of this year, Climate Action for Peace, reflects the growing climate threat faced by mankind due to the catastrophes resulting from it and which affect development gains. He urged the international community to be up to its responsibility and harness efforts in facing one of the biggest challenges in the world. He also underscored environmental problems emanating from climate change, describing them as a real threat to the present and future of humanity as well as global security and stability. HRH the Prime Minister emphasised the need to tackle those challenges through joint action to preserve human achievements and promote growth and prosperity. He called to map out an integrated international framework to handle climate change and reduce its effects, being a real threat global peace and development. He lauded the efforts of the United Nations and its specialised agencies to promote international peace, expressing hope for a unified will to work out a new reality where peace, co-operation and tolerance prevail. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 20:40:30|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close LONDON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A man who worked at the Harry Potter film studio tour has been sentenced for stealing merchandise worth almost 37,000 pounds (about 48,431 U.S. dollars ), British media reported Saturday. Adam Hill was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 250 hours unpaid work, after he was found guilty of stealing wands, ties, badges, key rings and other items from the Warner Bros Studio Tour stockroom. He was caught after colleagues noticed the items piling up under his desk. Using eBay, the 36-year-old managed to sell 1,040 items sold at The Making Of Harry Potter, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the films' production. Hill initially shipped the items to buyers through the Post Office and later his work post room, according to the reports. Hertfordshire Police searched Hill's home in Cambridgeshire and seized the Harry Potter items along with envelopes and packaging. Twelve additional parcels of merchandise ready to be posted to eBay buyers were also found in his car. Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. High-tension power lines are pictured outside a Tata Power sub station in the suburbs of Mumbai By Sudarshan Varadhan NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's electricity supply fell for the fifth straight month in December, provisional government data showed, potentially reflecting sluggish industrial activity amid an overall economic slowdown. Power supply fell to 101.92 billion units in December, down 1.1% from 103.04 billion units last year, an analysis of daily load despatch data from state-run Power System Operation Corp Ltd (POSOCO) showed. India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA), an arm of the federal power ministry, is expected to release official data on power demand later this month. POSOCO releases provisional load despatch data every day. Lower electricity supply could mean a fifth consecutive fall in power demand, as electricity deficit in India is marginal. Electricity supply fell 4.2% in November and 12.8% in October, according to the CEA. The October decline in electricity demand and supply was the fastest in at least 12 years. Electricity demand is seen by economists as an important indicator of industrial output and a deceleration could point to a further slowdown. Annual consumption of electricity by industry accounts for more than two-fifths of India's annual electricity consumption, according to government data, with residences accounting for nearly a quarter and commercial establishments for another 8.5%. India's overall economic growth slowed to 4.5% in the July-September quarter, government data in November showed, the weakest pace since 2013 as consumer demand and private investment weakened. Slower economic activity has resulted in a fall in sales of everything from cars to cookies, prompting some large scale industries such as the automobile sector to slash jobs. (Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Alex Richardson) Editor's note, Jan. 4 2020: This article was originally published in 2004 but circulated on Facebook Saturday morning following the killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force in Baghdad. If all had gone according to plan, Spc. Thai Vue would be getting out of the Army this week, heading back to his girlfriend in the Central Valley town of Willows and starting the life they had always planned together -- college, kids, a future. Vue, 22, died Friday in Baghdad, when a mortar round hit his motor pool, the Defense Department said Monday. He was assigned to the Army's 127th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade based in Hanau, Germany. Vue was the third of six children born to his father, Chou Vue, and mother, Chia Thao, members of Willows' sizable Hmong population. He was born on Valentine's Day in 1982 -- something that his older brother, Thor Vue, said Thai cheerfully accepted as "one less thing to remember." Vue was born in the Philippines, his brother said, at a refugee camp where the family had fled after the Vietnam War. The family moved to California in 1984, Thor Vue said, and settled in Willows (Glenn County), population 6,000. It was on his birthday in 2001 that Thai Vue asked his classmate Nancy Lee to the senior prom. The two had known each other a bit, but now that acquaintance blossomed into love. "We planned on getting married," Lee said. "He really wanted a son. I said that's fine as long as I (also) get a girl." Vue was also planning a career. It was important for all the children, his brother said, who saw their duty to build on the hard work of their refugee parents. When Vue met Lee, he was already talking to a military recruiter. Thor Vue had served in the Navy, earning benefits that helped pay for law school at UC Berkeley. But Thai Vue chose instead to join the Army. The family, with a long history of military service -- and military losses -- was proud, Thor Vue said, but also leery. "Having lived through a war and all that, having lost family members before, you're proud in a sense, but at the same time you know there are risks, " he said. Thai Vue excelled in the Army, his brother said. He was one of just three recruits to be promoted on leaving boot camp, and was promoted twice more in short order. But Vue was thinking beyond the Army, his brother and girlfriend said. He was planning to major in business at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas -- he already had the application. Vue's enlistment was to have ended June 24, his family said. But last year, the Army offered Vue a choice: extend for two years stateside or be posted in Iraq for eight months beyond this June. Before he could make up his mind, the Army decided for him, and Vue shipped out for Iraq in April. He was home for a week before deploying, Lee said. He didn't want to leave. "We were crying, and I said, 'Why are you crying?' " she recalled. "And he said he was afraid that this time, when he left me he wouldn't be coming back." Vue kept up with his family by e-mail, telling them shortly after he arrived how nervous he was because four soldiers in his unit had been wounded by mortar fire in their compound, his brother said. On Friday, Lee, a student at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, was pulling an all-nighter. At 1 a.m. her time -- lunchtime in Baghdad -- she sent Vue an e-mail, asking him to call and say hello. "He called me, and we talked, and I told him I loved him and to be careful. And he said he loved me, too," she said, her voice awash in sorrow. "That very same day when I came home, they told me he had passed away." The family has not yet planned a funeral -- Vue's body is not yet home. Right now, they said, they are still grappling with the truth. "I didn't want to believe it," Lee said. "I loved him very much. And he's always going to be with me." The Iranian-backed militiamen with their battering ram at the gate of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday looked eerily similar to the well-directed mob that seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and set this dreadful story rolling. In the 40 years since then, journalists like me have written about the brink of war in the Persian Gulf so often that we ought to have the phrase on a function key. But there was never a direct, acknowledged act of war until Thursday night. When I last met DP Tripathi or DPT as he was popularly known at his ground floor residence in Delhis Vasant Kunj in November, he offered, as usual, an insightful analysis of both politics in India and Nepal, a country I come from and he was deeply invested in. But he was most excited about his birthday celebrations, which he planned to hold in early January in one of his favourite haunts, the India International Centre (IIC). Our generation does not have much time, he said to me poignantly. The time came too soon. The IIC celebration will not happen. DPT passed away on Thursday, after a battle with cancer over the past few years. With him ended a remarkable story in Indian politics. DPT truly emerged as a public figure when he came to Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 1973, became a part of the Students Federation of India (SFI), and eventually the president of the JNU Students Union. The police came into JNU right after the Emergency was declared on June 25, 1975, knocking on every door, looking for DPT as he hid in hostel rooms and then in a washermen colony in central Delhi. He evaded arrest and led the student movement. But then, in September 1975, he urged the then PM Indira Gandhis daughter-in-law, Maneka Gandhi who had come to the university to attend a class to respect the strike of the students. She was furious, the police intensified its search yet again for DPT, he went underground, but was eventually arrested in November. But through this, he became a true hero of the resistance. DPT eventually moved away from the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In the 1980s, he became a close advisor of Rajiv Gandhi, whose mother he had fought just a decade earlier. In the late 1990s, he eventually joined the Nationalist Congress Party, and eventually became a Rajya Sabha MP from the party earlier this decade. But there were three threads that made his political life unusual. The first was his deep empathy for democratic struggles elsewhere in the region, particularly Nepal. This was in the great tradition of leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia. He attended a historic meeting in Kathmandu in 1989-1990, which was a turning point for a pro-democracy movement. When the country was engaged in a civil war with Maoist rebels, he did his bit to find a political solution. This opening came on February 1, 2005 when King Gyanendra took over absolute power. Nepali political activity shifted to Delhi. And DPT became a key convenor of the democratic front to express solidarity with the Nepali people. He also encouraged the efforts of Nepali political parties, Maoists and the Indian establishment to come together against the king. When the Nepali Parliament has its first session in 2006 after a Peoples Movement forced Gyanendra to cede power, DPT was honoured as a guest on the floor of the house. The other constant in his life was a commitment to the world of ideas. He engaged with academics, writers and poets. He edited journals. He constantly thought of ways where socialism and democracy could coexist. He had left the communist fold, but still had deep admiration for the Left. He was opposed to the Hindutva project but could understand its roots. This immersion in the world of ideas and ideology meant that for DPT, political differences were political, never personal. And that is why DPT could pick up the phone and speak to any minister in any government, irrespective of the party in power, and make a request. It was why dinners at his home saw leaders from across the spectrum in attendance, all sharing a deep affection for the host. And finally, DPT always remained committed to the idea of protest, dissent and the power of students and their right to express themselves. His house was open to all JNU students. He was deeply disappointed at what he saw as recent efforts to change the culture of JNU. As DPT passed away, thousands of people whose lives he touched grieved. A rare politician, a remarkably warm and generous human being, a leader with empathy and a committed democrat and constitutionalist. We will all miss you DPT. prashant.jha1@htlive.com The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON - BoG has approved the issuance of 24-carat gold coins to honor the 20th anniversary of the Asantehene - It would be out-doored on the 70th birthday of the Asantehene - The coin would be exclusively auctioned to the public and proceeds used to fund the establishment of the Cultural Resource Centre The Bank of Ghana(BoG) has approved the issuance of 24-carat gold coins to honor the 20th anniversary of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. The coin is expected to be out-doored on the 70th birthday celebration of the Asantehene on May 6, 2020. The coin would be exclusively auctioned to the public and proceeds used to fund the establishment of the Cultural Resource Centre, which would promote traditional and customary conflict resolution in the country. READ ALSO: Girl-power: 8 genius Ghanaian women who made big corporate moves in 2019 Born as Nana Barima Kwaku Duah, Osei II is the 17th Asantehene of the Asante Kingdom. Otumfuo is in direct succession to the 17th-century co-founder of the Ashanti Empire, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I. He was enstooled on 26 April 1999. His 20th-anniversary commemoration was held on April 21, 2019, at the Dwabirem of the Manhyia Palace. READ ALSO: 2019 cedi performance worst in 3-years under Akufo-Addo administration In other news, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has announced that it would auction US$715 million in Forward Foreign Exchange Auctions for the year 2020. Per the schedule released by the Bank of Ghana, the central bank would have the highest auction of 80 million dollars each in January, February and March 2020. According to the Bank of Ghanas Foreign Exchange Forward Auction guidelines issued on September 23, 2019, the bids are invited as per the prescribed format to purchase or sell US dollar against Ghana cedi separately on each auction date. The decision to auction such an amount of money is expected to help arrest the depreciation of the cedi to some extent. READ ALSO: Arresting the dollar: BoG to sell US$715 million in 2020 to fight cedi depreciation Source: YEN.com.gh Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnams Permanent Mission to the UN, talks about the preparations and challenges the country is facing during its two-year seat on the UN Security Council starting January 1. United Nations delegates congratulate Vietnam's Mission to the UN after the country was elected with 192/193 of the votes as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on June 7. VNA/VNS Photo What can you tell us about Vietnams preparations for becoming a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in January when it assumes the rotating presidency? After Vietnam was elected to the council by a landslide vote, the necessary preparations were put in place and human resources-related matters have been essentially finalised. More staff have been added to the mission and restructuring has been implemented to successfully switch to our previous area of focus at the UN General Assembly to the UN Security Council. In addition, we have trialling coordination between Vietnams UN mission in New York and various State agencies in Hanoi for over a month now. Starting last October, countries that were elected into UN Security Council have been participating in all the meetings held by the council. This is a great opportunity for Vietnams UN Mission to practise, with activities carried out and protocols followed exactly as they would be once we officially assume a seat on the council, which has helped us identify shortcomings and failures that must be corrected. Training for human resources and operation-related matters are all going rather well. Regarding the agenda, Vietnam has basically settled on a consensus on the working agenda for January 2020, including both regular activities as per protocol and other activities that Vietnam must do to make its own impression. Overall, we are ready to take on the position. What could be challenges for a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council? A myriad of challenges await, but first of all we will have to deal with unexpected developments and situations. Next month, we anticipate that many issues could grow into clashes the UN Security Council must deal with. In the face of unpredictable turns of events, co-operation among member countries in the UN Security Council even between non-permanent members could change, and we cannot rule out the scenario of countries having conflicting interests. In these situations, the role of the president becomes increasingly important. Vietnam will need to balance the need to ensure world security and peace and the necessity to uphold our own legitimate interests, while at the same time maintaining an amicable relation with all parties. I think this is the biggest challenge we will face. What do you consider Vietnams strengths are as it takes its position on the UN Security Council? The strength we have is experience and international support. We have staff and delegates that already had valuable experience since Vietnams non-permanent membership on the council for the 2008-09 term, which will prove extremely useful for our upcoming tenure. Vietnam enjoys friendly relations with the councils five permanent members China, France, Russia, the UK and the US as well as the remaining nine non-permanent members. I think all countries still have a common interest to uphold international security and peace, which promotes the spirit of cooperation. Of course, there will be differences stemming from conflicting interests and the key will be to at least harness these differences. In this area, Vietnam certainly has an abundance of experience, but of course there is no telling how things could turn out. What can we expect to gain from membership of the council? The non-permanent seat for the next two years and our presidency of the council in January 2020 and April 2021 will be a significant boost for Vietnams profile and credibility. We must strive to make concrete achievements that bear the markings of our country over the course of the next two years as we contribute to the consolidation of global peace. Its important that our achievements are recognised by other countries. VNS UN lauds Vietnams contributions to peacekeeping missions United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix has lauded Viet Nams contributions to the UN, especially via peacekeeping missions. It is at this time every year that most of us seek a meaningful, achievable New Years Resolution. Here are some that seem, to me, rational irrespective of ones religious persuasion. 1. Worship diversity. The Judeo-Christian ethic mandates that we treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves. 2. Accept globalization. Social safeguards like unions, minimum wage, Social Security and Medicaid are continually being undermined. Economic security and prosperity cannot be guaranteed by outdated, reactionary models. 3. Raise your voice against the misallocation of tax dollars between the military industrial complex and education. We shouldnt condone abandoning the military, but tax dollars should favor education. Progressive (some call liberal) solutions to societys security and advancement cannot be realized without prosperous and ever-evolving schools at all levels. 4. Accept facts as fact, propaganda as propaganda. Seek to always discover and know the truth. Dear Editor, Again, during another unfortunate election cycle, the environment, sustainable development, and conservation are taking a backseat amidst the current political discourse engulfing our country. This despite our country needs to develop amidst the uncertainties which we will face due to a changing global climate. Sint Maarten needs a Green New Deal. Democrats in the American House are doing it. The European Parliament is in the process of implementing it, yet here we are on our beautiful rock in the Caribbean dragging our toes in the sand. During this Silly Season of political discourse, I have yet to come across a party platform where the conservation of the environment, the protection of natural areas and species, the move towards sustainable energy, the placing of sustainable social, environmental and economic development are a central tenet. There are a few candidates who, to be fair, have pushed certain elements of sustainability, climate change resiliency and conservation as a fragment of their campaigning, but definitely not enough. What could a Sint Maarten Green New Deal look like? The conservation of natural areas, ecosystem habitat and species should be a priority moving forward. Especially considering the experiences weve had over the past two and a half years. We have yet to fully grasp what a changing climate will have on the way of life of the countrys population. The impact will have on our single-pillar economy. The protection of areas from overdevelopment and the implementation of a holistic zoning plan should be the top priority. One can see what happens when decisions are taken without the necessary input and consultation by all stakeholders. What happens when decisions are taken without due consideration for the link between environmental and social impacts. Sandy Ground was heavily impacted by Irma because of the sandbank which was dredged in Marigot Bay decades ago, reducing the coastal protection function of the habitat and causing that particular community to be inundated, forcing the metropolitan French government to implement a one-sided plan resulting in civil and political unrest. That should be our take-home lesson in this age of climate change. In the South, we are faced with issues magnified by the political chess pawn land-use issues are. The Hillside Policy is a case in point. The Policy expired in 2014 and while at the Nature Foundation we had numerous meetings appealing to the legislative and executive branches to extend the policy into hillside conservation legislation or through a ministerial decree or at the very least accept the resolutions for an extension until a legal framework is adapted to establish the areas as protected. This of course never happened because of chronic non-existent political will or interest. And we are also still waiting on legislation that would effectively conserve and manage our most critical natural resource; our beaches. The ban on single-use plastics needs to finally become a reality. It has been discussed for too long. And the attendance by members of Parliament to the meeting discussing the ban has shown that this is still not a political priority. But it is an environmental one. And it should be a social one. A ban on single-use plastic items will go a long way in solving our solid waste management issues. There has also been mention of implementing an environmental levy. In my experience in the region being involved with environmental financial mechanisms, this has to be done carefully and completely transparent. Will it go towards the structural funding of foundations such as the Nature Foundation and Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) that actually execute conservation management and biodiversity conservation on the ground? Foundations that struggle to cover their expenses while simultaneously working tirelessly to execute the activities that are crucial to the sustainability of the island? Will it go towards the developing and reinforcing of legislation which makes the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments for large scale developments mandatory? Will it go towards the revamping of the VROMI inspection department so that it can actually inspect and control environmental infractions? Will it go towards the subsidizing of alternatives to single-use plastics and the import of such, providing economic incentives to small business owners to use biodegradable material? Will it go towards the development and implementation of green energy? A proposal for an environmental levy is great, but they have previously resulted in increased revenue streams for a disinterested and disengaged government while not supporting environmental and ecosystem conservation activities. So specifics are in this case critical when law proposals are tabled during an election cycle. But, if done correctly, such an incentive can be used to get rid of an antiquated and inefficient tax system such as the Turn over Tax. If managed transparently it could be the proper fiscal mechanism to support green initiatives and to drive a Blue and Green economy, something I have not heard mentioned once during this whole election cycle. Finally, I always judge people on how they treat non-human beings, for the true measure of character is how one treats the voiceless and helpless. It would be amazing if one of the candidates for this election would place focus on the care of helpless and homeless animals. That there would be strong legislation in place which would make it illegal and punishable to mistreat animals. If organizations that support animal welfare are subsidized and empowered. In the meantime, as you try to filter through the noise and the fluff to look for a candidate that has the interest of Sint Maartens environment and by extension its people at heart, sign the Green Initiatives Less Plastic More SXM petition by visiting https://www.change.org/p/less-plastic-more-sxm. I wish you the best of luck exercising this most sacred of democratic privileges. Tadzio Bervoets Sur Salinja 30 Bonaire +1 721 5864588 The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) is again restricted from observing the territories in the border districts not controlled by the government of Ukraine, the Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) dealing with ceasefire issues and stabilizing the sides in Donbas reported. "In its daily report as of January 3, 2020, the OSCE SMM informed about the cases of banning the mission's patrol from staying at the checkpoints on the border with Russia. The mission's patrol was asked by Russia-led armed groups to leave the checkpoint near Dolzhanske on December 31 and the checkpoints near Izvaryne and Severny on January 2," the Joint Forces Operation headquarters said in a statement on its official page in Facebook. The Ukrainian side of the JCCC underlined that such actions could be aimed at concealing supplies of armament, military equipment and fuel, transportation of military personnel or movement of forces from Russia to the territory uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government. Georgia gets another crack at 'Bama for college football title A manager at Turkish jet operator MNG Jet has told authorities that he assisted unwittingly in the escape of ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn from Japan because he had been threatened by a former acquaintance, Hurriyet newspaper reported on Saturday. Turkish authorities have arrested five suspects, including MNG Jet operations manager Okan Kosemen, on charges of migrant smuggling as part of an investigation into Ghosn's transit through Turkey en route to Lebanon. Hurriyet said Kosemen told authorities that a former acquaintance from Beirut had asked him for assistance on what he called a matter of "international significance" and had told him that his family would be harmed if he refused. The paper did not name the acquaintance who allegedly made the threat. "I was scared. I took a man from one jet and put him into the other one at the airport. I did not know who he was," Hurriyet quoted Kosemen as saying in his statement to authorities. Reuters could not immediately verify the statement. Officials from MNG Jet and the prosecutor's office were not immediately available for comment. A lawyer for Koseman has said he will not make any statement about the issue at the moment. The private jet operator said on Friday that Ghosn used two of its planes illegally in his escape from Japan, with an employee falsifying lease records to exclude his name from the documents. The former Nissan Motor Co boss has become an international fugitive after he revealed on Tuesday he had fled to Lebanon to escape what he called a "rigged" justice system in Japan, where he faces charges relating to alleged financial crimes. Search Keywords: Short link: RENO The first Nevada Army National Guard battalion to deploy to Europe in peacetime received a sendoff Friday in a mobilization ceremony conducted at the Harry Reid Readiness Center north of Reno. Approximately 70 soldiers representing every corner of the Silver State will first travel to Fort Hood, Texas, for additional training for at least one month and also to link up with other companies assigned to the 757th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The battalion staff begins a one-year deployment to Poland and other countries Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The mission focuses on the United States commitment and dedication to its NATO allies to ensure peace and stability in the region since the Russian intervention in Ukraine six years ago. Gov. Steve Sisolak, commander in chief of the Nevada National Guard, said he was proud to address the soldiers who will mobilize. There is no greater service to our country than serving in our military, and the 757th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion has shown that time and time again, he said. Sisolak said the deployment marks another busy time with the Nevada National Guard units serving overseas. Since Sept. 11, 2001, he said 4,700 guard personnel have deployed to various part of the world. Including the battalion, the Nevada Army National Guard will have four units deployed simultaneously since 2010. An aviation company will deploy later in the year to Africa. With units on three continents, one could say the sun never completely sets on the Nevada National Guard units around the world, he said. Lt. Col. David Evans of Reno, the first commander of the 485th Military Police Co., when the unit first stood up in Fallon in 2007, said the mobilization is similar to one the battalion performed on the Sinai Peninsula in 2015-16. Were going from 70 personnel to about 600 when we get over there, he said. We have five other companies that will fall under us. Evans said the companies are from Washington state, Michigan, Illinois and Puerto Rico and another company from Germany. Our support will provide subsistence such as water, fuel and ammunition, Evans added. We also have a pretty robust maintenance support. During the upcoming year, he said the battalion will manage and oversee timely distribution and delivery of supplies. The unit, which is one of two battalions in the 17th Sustainment Brigade, has the following units under its umbrella: 137th Military Police Company, 150th Maintenance Company, 609th Engineer Company and 1859th Transportation Company. This will be a different type of deployment in my time here, said Col. Troy Armstrong, brigade commander. This will be the first time we will be in these countries. The culture will be different. Its an important mission with a lot of visibility. Command Sgt. Major Shauna Reese of Dayton said a small contingent visited the exercise area where the battalion will set up. Its definitely going to be a challenge, but whats nice is we got to go over there and see where well be, she said. It helped put my mind at ease a little bit. The months of preparing for the deployment has put the battalion in a good position, she said. We did a culmination of training exercises that were basically scenario based, she pointed out. Trainers would introduce problems into the scenario, and Reese said the battalion staff would have to find a way to overcome the problems. Based on conversations with the battalions commander and command sergeant major, Brig. Gen. Ondra Berry, the adjutant general, said he was confident the battalion will perform admirably. This will be a very successful mission, he said. Berry, who became the states newest adjutant general in September, thanked the families for their support and promised the Nevada Guard would take care of them during the deployment. He then discussed how readiness is a strategic priority. If you stay ready, you dont have to get ready, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Australians seeking shelter from the wildfires ravaging the east coast have posted photos on social media of a blood red sky late in the early hours of the morning. Over 150 fires are burning across the country, with the worst searing through the states of Victoria and New South Wales. In the town of Mallacoota, Victoria, a woman known as Doreen from the Country Fire Authority posted a red-saturated photo at 2.30am and said: My oldest in this photo somewhere. He called to say he wont be home tomorrow: shit hits the fan, were bunkered down at the school. He doesnt want me to worry. The whole of Australias worried. The red haze is caused by the glare of the fires, which authorities fear will intensify as weather conditions deteriorate. Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the state of New South Wales on 31 December 2019 AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billows from a huge bushfire that has torched over 200,000 acres of land in East Gipplsand, Victoria on 2 January EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Residents look on as flames tear through bushland in Lake Tabouriee, Australia on 4 January on 4 January Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola on 2 January Robert Oerlemans via AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighting helicopter tackles a bushfire in East Gippsland, Victoria on 31 December EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter gives water to a parched koala in Cudlee Creek, South Australia AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters tackle a blaze as it tears through a farm in New South Wales on 21 December AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The sky is turned red over East Gippsland as fires continue to rage through Australian bushland on 4 January Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A kangaroo near bushfires in Nowra AFP/Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures An aerial view of a bushfire near Bairnsdale State Government of Victoria/EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters work to tackle a blaze on the outskirts of Sydney on 31 December 2019 Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighting helicopter dumps water on a bushfire on the outskirts of the town of Bargo near Sydney Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Children play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A satellite image of the Batemans Bay showing smoke and fire from wild bushfires European Union, Copernicus Sentinel Data via REUTERS Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The afternoon sky glows red from bushfires in Nowra AFP/Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The sky glows red as bushfires continue to rage in Mallacoota, Victoria Jonty Smith via Reuters Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The remains of burnt out buildings along a main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo AFP/Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters try to protect homes around Charmhaven, New South Wales NSW Rural Fire Service/AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale Glen Morey via AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Business owners stand in front of their shop which was destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A helicopter dumping water on a fire in Victoria's East Gippsland region Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning/AFP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Think smoke from bushfires fills the air in eastern Gippsland Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures "Carmelised" snow caused by dust from Australian bushfires is seen near Franz Josef glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand Reuters Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland, Victoria. More than 800,000 hectares have been burnt in East Gippsland EPA/DELWP Gippsland Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland EPA/DELWP Gippsland Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures LIFES.A.BREEZE via Reuters Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke and wildfire rage behind Lake Conjola Robert Oerlemans via AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A house and van are seen destroyed after bushfires ravaged the town of Bilpin, west of Sydney AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A helicopter fighting a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region State Government of Victoria/AFP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Fire and Rescue personal run to move their truck as a bushfire burns next to a major road and homes on the outskirts of the town of Bilpin Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Amy, left, and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter sprays foam retardant on a back burn ahead of a fire front in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Property under threat from the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The main street of the New South Wales town of Bombala is pictured shrouded in smoke from nearby bushfires AFP via Getty During the day, thick plumes of smoke obscured sunlight and turned the sky black around 4.35pm, according to a journalist based in Tasmania. Holly Corbett posted two photos sent to her by her sister-in-law in Cooma, NSW. The first was of a dark red sky and the second, taken 15 minutes after the first, was nearly pitch black. Simply terrifying, she said. Authorities say heat and smoke from the relentless blazes are creating their own weather systems, including dry lightning storms and fire tornadoes. The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) warned on Saturday a fire on the coast had generated a thunderstorm. This is a very dangerous situation. Monitor the conditions around you and take appropriate action, it said. NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said: There are a number of fires that are coming together very strong, very large, intense fires that are creating some of these fire-generated thunderstorms. And unfortunately, weve still got many hours to go of these elevated and dangerous conditions. A fire tornado on Monday generated winds strong enough to flip a 10-tonne fire truck, killing a RFS firefighter who was inside. Living in a bungalow is generally about navigating life in smaller spaces: efficient kitchens, shared bathrooms and furniture that both looks good and provides storage solutions. For Katie Davis and her family of four, plus their 10-year-old golden retriever, Lucy, much of their life is spent in 2,200 square feet the downstairs of their Houston Heights home that began its life as a 909-square-foot bungalow. We managed just fine with a family of four and a big dog, she said. We also dont buy a lot of stuff, and I dont have a problem getting rid of things. Its Katies third Heights bungalow, and she and Billy Davis, her husband of eight years, made the move to this one in 2014 for the neighborhoods schools and another chance to buy a fixer-upper and make it their own. Built in 1920, the home started quite small; a previous owner added 400 square feet to the back in the 1970s. The Davises demolished the addition in 2016, replacing it with a much larger one. The new addition includes a big kitchen, family room, master bedroom suite, powder room and upstairs space over the garage with a guest room, workout room, playroom and Katies office for her interior design business, Katie Davis Design. The home is now 2,700 square feet, with most of the space downstairs. Katie, 35 and a Houston native, and Billy, a native of Geronimo in Guadalupe County between San Marcos and Seguin both went to the University of Texas at Austin but didnt meet until they were students at the South Texas College of Law. Billy specializes in construction litigation at Andrews Myers, and Katie practiced criminal law for nine years before launching her design business. This was always my passion, and I helped people decorate, Katie said. I started helping people more and more, and my husband said, If youre going to help people, you ought to make some money off of it. It was a big step, and a relief from the grind of criminal law, working crazy hours on stressful cases and starting a family at the same time. There are victories where, in the end, someone was helped, but there was still something horrible that happened, Katie said of her cases. Even property damage, it affected someones life. It was a constant negative environment, and (interior design) was my creative outlet. In her last year as a lawyer, Katie took on decorating jobs on the side, then launched her business in 2018. Now she has two other designers on her team and a cadre of new design friends including Lauren Haskett and Emily C. Butler who have been informal mentors. Early on, she embraced picking the hard finishes in remodeling jobs but was nervous about furnishings. The more I got into it I found that I really love pattern, Katie said. Pattern play, as we call it, matching patterns you wouldnt think go together, like the marigold wallpaper (in the powder bathroom) is a risk, but it adds so much to the space, so much color and warmth. The front of the Davises home has a formal sitting room, with two white chairs on a seagrass rug a material that can stand up to kids and a big dog. Beyond it is the dining room with a round table and faux bamboo Chippendale chairs, then a pantry bar that originally was the homes small kitchen and is where the house ended. Two bedrooms at the front are occupied by the couples children a son whos 6 and a daughter who will be 4 next month and they share a small bathroom with a shower/tub combination, a sink with a Carrara marble counter and black-and-white floor tile. The bathroom used to be larger but was reduced to add space to their sons bedroom, which has a sweet window seat and a pair of closets for storage. Because these two bedrooms are on the small side, Katie chose smaller-scale furniture: a full-size bed in her daughters pink-and-blue room and a twin in her sons room. That leaves them both with a little more floor space for playtime. Though the homes architecture is Craftsman style, there was no moulding when the couple bought it. Since they wanted it in the rear addition, they added it to the front to be consistent. Katie scoffs at the idea that marble is hard to care for, and she installed polished Cararra marble in the pantry/bar and a honed version in the kitchen. A farmhouse-style sink is a nod to the homes 100 years. The table near the kitchen and the family room beyond is where the Davises spend a lot of time, with chairs upholstered with performance fabric and the sofa Scotchguarded to protect it. I caught my daughter drawing on pillows with a marker once. Luckily, it was with those spy markers so you can only see it if you hold a black light up to it, Katie said with a laugh. It is what it is; theyre young kids. We do teach them to be respectful of stuff. She has 25 active projects, some requiring a lot of attention and others waiting for permits or contractors to be ready. Her practice reflects whats on trend in home design, with clients asking for clean lines, more color and pieces with a midcentury-modern influence. We are not a midcentury-heavy firm, but we ask clients to show us pictures when we get started, and nine out of 10 times theres something midcentury in there, Katie said. The Chippendale chairs are another big request, and things that are woven rattan or basketweave are also trending and another midcentury vibe. More people are open to color now, and thats great, she said. Some are afraid of color, so they want pops just in pillows. One client we had last year said anything but beige, and we decked out her home in color. We love that. The baseline between all of our projects is we design for real life nothing too precious, nothing you would not sit on or not touch, she continued. Most of our clients have children and animals, so the furniture has to be durable. diane.cowen@chron.com Sign up for Diane Cowens Access Design newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every Tuesday, at houstonchronicle.com/accessdesign. At only 18 and 20 years old, two Rio Rancho sisters took over their family business. Sinahy Clavel Jasso, now 21, and Lucia Jasso Clavel, now 23, run Mom Dad Kids Barbershop, which their mother and late father opened 12 years ago. The shop is at 2418 Southern Blvd. Quiet chattering among customers and barbers can be heard throughout the shop; at the end of the room is a foosball table waiting for the next match of entertaining impatient children. About three years ago, their mother moved to Arizona, leaving the barbershop in the sisters hands. It is a lot of responsibility; it teaches you a lot. I think since I have always been in the service industry, that experience has helped a lot, Jasso said. Basically if anything goes wrong, its up to me and my sister to figure it out. The sisters split duties to ensure the shop runs smoothly. Clavel handles in-shop tasks like scheduling and Jasso fronts out-of-shop work like supply runs. Employee Zachary Wells has been a barber there for four years; he says he has found a home at Mom Dad Kids Barbershop. The environment is very family-oriented. We all get along and work together as a team, he said. Just getting to hear (customers) crazy stories and we hear a lot of cool things, and we meet a lot of interesting people and were like their therapists. Clavel said the business gets about a 90 percent return rate from their customers. Many customers find the shop from word of mouth. Growing up in Rio Rancho has also worked as an advantage in gaining customers, she said. We all know each other; we are a family; we grew up with each other, Clavel said. Working in a local barbershop has allowed Jasso the support and comfort to grow. She believes this is because the shop is located in her hometown of Rio Rancho, she said. If I didnt have this place, I dont think I would be where I am in my career, Jasso said. Not only being comfortable operating a business in her hometown, Jasso said her success can be attributed to her upbringing as well. I have been in this barbershop since I was 10. I saw my mom, I saw my dad, and I saw my aunt here; so I was able to learn, she said. Jasso says Mom Dad Kids Barbershop belongs in Rio Rancho. Every place that you turn is a local business. It makes up everything here in Rio Rancho. I couldnt imagine it here without them, Jasso said. To contact Mom Dad Kids Barbershop, call 319-0880. Thailand has banned the use of single-use plastic bags recently. Due to this Thai shoppers have had to turn to creative alternatives using buckets, baskets, travel bags and even wheelbarrows for their shopping needs. Images of the Thai shoppers and their creative solutions are being shared online and the ban on plastic is being seen as a positive step by the Government of Thailand. A positive step for the environment The plastic ban went in effect from the first day on the New Year and several major mall operators and convenience stores have already banned single-use plastics in their stores. Before the ban, it was estimated by sources that individuals in Thailand used an average of 8 plastic bags a day. January 1 marked the first day of the Thai ban on plastic bags implemented by around 75 brands to reduce plastic waste in the country They aim to reduce the 13.5 billion plastic bags handed out to shoppers, or 30 per cent of plastic bags used in #Thailand annually. Ian S Goudie (@ian9657) January 2, 2020 Re-usable alternatives are still available at stores for a small price, but many budget-conscience shoppers have decided to go creative after the ban on single-use plastic. While talking to local media, Make-up artist Acharin Prahausri said he took his mother's food-storage netting to the store to buy groceries. Experts say that Thailand ranks close to the top when it comes to contributions to ocean pollution. Read: Kochi: Unique Anti-plastic Campaign Becomes The Spotlight Of The City Read: Panchkula Administration Offers Milk In Exchange Of Used Plastic Bottles In related news, a ban on single-use plastic bags took effect on January 1 in the Ohio county thats home to Cleveland, though the ban wont be enforced with fines until July 1. Despite the long roll-out, most Giant Eagle grocery stores in Cuyahoga County eliminated the bags beginning New Years Day, as reported by local media. It is a big shift for both our customers and our company, said Giant Eagle spokesperson Dan Donovan. The company will have reusable bags for purchase and customers will receive fuel perks for every reusable bag used. A few suburbs opted out of the ban, and Cleveland also opted out until July 1 to give a working group time to study the impact of reducing plastic bags on businesses. Read: Ohio Countys Ban On Plastic Bags Underway In New Year Read: Mexico City Plastic Bag Ban To Take Residents Back In Time Early this week, Brazil fined Facebook $1.65 million for improperly sharing users data in a case linked to the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. Brazil fined Facebook $1.65 million for improperly sharing users data in a case linked to the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. According to the Brazilian prosecutors, Facebook is responsible for an abusive practice that allowed developers of the application This is Your Digital Life to access data from 443,000 users in Brazil. The app named thisisyourdigitallife is available to users since 2014, it was provided by Global Science Research (GSR) and asked users to take an online survey for $1 or $2. The app requested access to the users profile information, and over 270,000 users gave the app permission to use their personal details for academic research. After the scandal was discovered, Facebook suspended any business with Cambridge Analytica (CA) and its holding company. Aleksandr Kogan requested and gained access to information from users who chose to sign up to his app, and everyone involved gave their consent. stated the official statement released by Facebook in 2018. Like all app developers, Kogan requested and gained access to information from people after they chose to download his app. His app, thisisyourdigitallife, offered a personality prediction, and billed itself on Facebook as a research app used by psychologists. Approximately 270,000 people downloaded the app. In so doing, they gave their consent for Kogan to access information such as the city they set on their profile, or content they had liked, as well as more limited information about friends who had their privacy settings set to allow it. The app was a powerful tool to profile users by harvesting information on their network of contacts, its code allowed to collect data of 87 million Facebook users and misuse it. Brazilian authorities also began investigating the privacy scandal to determine the involvement of its citizens. On Monday, Brazil representative stated that there was no evidence user data in Brazil was transferred to Cambridge Analytica and that it was evaluating legal options in this case. We have made changes to our platform and restricted the information accessible to app developers, a Facebook spokesperson said. Brazils Ministry of Justice pointed out that the social network giant failed in adequately informing its users about the consequences of the default privacy settings. Facebook was not transparent on possible consequences of privacy settings on the access to data of friends and friends of friends. Facebook could appeal the decision within 10 days and has one month to pay the fine. In July 2019, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a record $5 billion settlement with Facebook over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. In July 2019, the Italian data protection watchdog fined Facebook for one million euros ($1.1 million) for violating privacy laws over the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. In October 2018, Facebook was fined 500,000 by the UKs Information Commissioners Office (ICO) for the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. Pierluigi Paganini ( SecurityAffairs Cambridge Analytica, Facebook) Share this... Linkedin Share this: Twitter Print LinkedIn Facebook More Tumblr Pocket Share On Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 12:53:48|Editor: Liu Video Player Close NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- New York City (NYC) has stepped up security at key locations following the targeted killing of a top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. airstrike in Iraq, officials said on Friday. During a press conference on Friday morning, New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Dermot Shea said there will be "heightened vigilance in terms of uniformed officers -- many with long guns" at some sensitive and critical places, and urged New Yorkers to stay vigilant. However, he noted there are no credible threats to the city at the moment. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference that New Yorkers may face more bag checks in the subway and at car stops on bridges and tunnels. "We have to recognize that this creates a whole series of dangerous possibilities for our city," he said. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo also said in a statement on Friday that while New York has not received any direct threats, he is directing National Guard and state agencies to increase security and step up patrols at critical facilities "out of an abundance of caution." Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike early Friday (Baghdad time) near Baghdad International Airport. Iran vowed "harsh retaliation" against the United States for what Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called a "heinous crime." Three weeks after a mass shooting in a Jersey City kosher market, state officials renewed their criticism of a Facebook group that they said included anti-Semitic content. Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal released a statement late Friday that said Facebook needed to do more to combat anti-Semitism on a page called Rise Up Ocean County. That group has been critical of the population growth in Lakewood, a destination for many Orthodox Jews. We appreciate that Facebook has taken some steps to address anti-Semitic content on the page, but much more can be done," Murphy and Grewal said in the statement. "Facebook must make lasting reforms to stop the spread of hate on the Internet. Facebook does not tolerate hate speech," Daniel Roberts, a spokesman for the social media giant, wrote in an email to NJ Advance Media. Roberts said that Facebook had worked with New Jerseys civil rights office to remove specific content" that violated our terms," but he did not give details. A second Facebook spokesperson, Ruchika Budhraja, said the page had not committed enough violations to be removed permanently. A representative for the attorney generals office declined to go into more detail about how officials are pressuring Facebook. The head of the civil rights office first sent a letter to Facebook in April to complain about the pages treatment of Jews. One commenter had written, We need to get rid of them like Hitler did, according to the letter. It also flagged a video posted to the page called "RUOC DECLARES WAR! which criticized development in Lakewood. Rise Up Ocean County was created in 2018, and currently has almost 18,000 followers, thousands more than it had earlier this year. A page administrator directed NJ Advance Media to a post the group published Friday. That statement said their Facebook page was taken down voluntarily earlier in the day because of a coordinated attack, but it did not elaborate. It also said the page was intentionally brought back online shortly before the start of the Jewish Sabbath, so the haters in the orthodox community (there really arent that many) can all spend the next 27 hours licking their wounds. In a statement earlier in the year, the pages administrators said that their group was not anti-Semitic, but stood for environmental protection, school funding and other local issues. They wrote that they deleted hateful comments, and had banned words like Nazi and Hitler. Grewal, the attorney general, visited Jewish schools last month after the Jersey City shooting. When one student asked him about hate speech online, he said he and other attorneys general were pushing Facebook to monitor its content more closely. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Cardi B, American rapper and TV personality, has threatened that she could move to Nigeria in the wake of President Donald Trumps inspi... Cardi B, American rapper and TV personality, has threatened that she could move to Nigeria in the wake of President Donald Trumps inspired attack on Iran. Qasem Soleimani, a top military commander in Iran, was killed in an airstrike at the Baghdad International Airport on Friday. The Pentagon had claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out on the order of Trump to deter future Iranian attack plans. It added that Soleimani was killed because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. Reacting to the incident, the Bodak rapper took to her Twitter page to warn that she might file for her Nigerian citizenship. She also described Trumps action as dumbest, stating that he is placing Americans live in danger. Naaaaa these memes are fuckin but shit aint no joke ! Specially being from New York .Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger.Dumbest move Trump did till date ...Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 3, 2020 Naaaaa these memes are fuckin. But shit aint no joke! Specially being from New York, she wrote. Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger. Dumbest move Trump did till date. Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. The Grammy award-winning rapper recently visited Nigeria for Livespot X Festival, a concert held at Eko Atlantic City in Lagos. Days after departing the country in December, Cardi B, real name Belcalis Almanzar, would later disclose that she was missing Africas most populous country. Her stay in the country also left many memories. While appearing on Cool FM, she had revealed her knack for watching porn whenever she visits any country. New Delhi: 'Langar' organised for protesters agitating against the attack on the Sikh holy place Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, in New Delhi on Jan 4, 2020. The attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan has triggered Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: 'Langar' organised for protesters agitating against the attack on the Sikh holy place Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, in New Delhi on Jan 4, 2020. The attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan has triggered Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Jan 4 : Members of the Sikh community hit the streets at Delhi's Teen Murti Marg on Saturday against the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib by a mob while devotees were stuck inside the shrine. The protest was called by the Akali Dal and was led by its spokesperson and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Protesters began their march from Teen Murti Bhawan to the Pakistan High Commission. However, they were stopped at Chanakyapuri police station. The agitating Sikhs shouted slogans against the Pakistan government and the silence of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. They also demanded an apology from the Congress for its silence on the issue. Later, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible and must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote." A 'langar' was also organised for the protesters by the organisers. A delegation led by Sirsa also went to the Pakistan High Commission to submit a memorandum demanding action against those responsible for the incident. On Friday, the gurdwara was attacked by a Muslim mob while Sikh devotees were stuck inside the shrine. The mob that had gathered outside raised communal and hateful slogans against the Sikh community and threw stones at the shrine, videos circulated on social media showed. Sources said the mob was led by the family of Mohammed Hassan, the man who had abducted and converted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur to protest police action against him. The Nankana Sahib attack violates the 1955 Pant-Mirza Agreement under which India and Pakistan are obliged to make every effort to ensure that the places of worship visited by members of their countries are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved. With a single drone strike, President Donald Trump did more than just take out an avowed enemy of the United States. He may have have also upended a central element of his foreign policy. The Friday strike that killed the most prominent Iranian general may have ended any chance that he would get the United States out of the endless wars in the Middle East that he has railed against since taking office. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad has the world bracing for a possible retaliation, with many fearing it could lead to a wider conflict. It is ... It's a new year and the harsh winter of the old has, at least temporarily, abated. However, India is still slurping down a politically piping hot alphabet soup: CAA, NRC and NPR being the key ingredients. Every day, there are demonstrations across the country both for and against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central governments efforts to revise citizenship norms and identify infiltrators. Even as the issue is being debated in every nook and cranny of the real and virtual world, often with cogent arguments like anti-national, fascists, jihadis, Hindutva terrorists, and the evergreen go to Pakistan, etc, it is certain that most political parties and their supporters would have their eyes fixed on two key poll battles to be fought in 2020: Delhi and Bihar. It wouldnt be far-fetched to infer that the outcomes of these contests may well decide the course Indias politics and policies will chart in the run-up to the 2024 parliamentary elections. Pitted against its predecessor, 2020 comes across as an electoral lightweight. Last year saw the April-May general elections with concurrent assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. These were followed by crucial contests for Maharashtra and Haryana in October with interesting conclusions. And, finally, Jharkhand saw elections in November-December. Not to mention the numerous bypolls held sporadically. A Mixed Bag The ballot battle season began with a bang for the BJP. The party and its allies picked up a spectacular victory in the Lok Sabha polls, confounding many psephologists and political pundits who had predicted a fractured mandate or, in some cases, a win for the so-called grand alliance cobbled together by opposition outfits. While detractors had expected that the Narendra Modi governments contentious moves such as demonetisation, less-than-impressive implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) regime, allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal, as well as swirling unemployment and intermittent incidents of communal and mob violence would cost it votes, the ruling dispensation, in fact, bettered its already-stunning performance of 2014. The initial state elections followed a largely predictable path. However, towards the end of the year, as Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand went to polls, the BJP failed to retain power in two of these states. This despite doing well in the elections. After emerging as the single largest party in Haryana that delivered a hung assembly, the ruling BJP managed to stitch up a post-poll alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) to retain the reins. It lost Maharashtra after a seeming victory as long-time ally Shiv Sena severed ties over power-sharing disagreements and formed the government with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after days of intrigue and intriguing developments. In Jharkhand, the ruling BJP emerged runner-up. The pre-poll alliance of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) formed the government, boosting opposition morale. The Twin Challenge Compared to the eventful electoral calendar of 2019, this year appears largely humdrum. However, the stakes will be sky-high when elections are held in Delhi, possibly next month, and Bihar, around October-November. In the national capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party faces a tough challenge from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that swept the previous edition of the polls in 2015 as a fledgling outfit, burying rivals under a landslide. While AAP bagged 67 of the 70 assembly seats, the BJP could secure just three, and the Congress was reduced to an embarrassing nought. Its unlikely that history will repeat itself this time. The BJP and even the Congress seem set to improve their performance, but the ruling AAP may still manage to hold on after receiving plaudits for its work in education and healthcare as well as a clutch of populist moves. Towards the end of the year, Bihar is expected to throw up another keen contest where the BJP is part of the ruling alliance led by the Janata Dal (United). The challenger is the somewhat nebulous mahagathbandhan, or grand alliance, primarily comprising the RJD and Congress. Whats the Issue? While a spiralling economic slowdown, accompanying unemployment concerns and an adverse global climate worsened by the United States actions in West Asia should perhaps be obvious themes for polls ahead, the political discourse right now is dominated by a clutch of moves made by the Narendra Modi government last year in keeping with its nationalist image. The decision in August to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and restructure the state into two union territories predictably triggered massive upheaval not just in the region but also other parts of the country. The BJP justified the step and associated clampdown on communication and local leaders in J&K as an attempt to integrate the erstwhile state, gripped by militancy, into the country as well as usher in peace and development. Opposition parties and activists, however, have termed the actions unconstitutional and raised human rights concerns. The issue has garnered significant international attention. Legal challenges, too, are pending. When the final list of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) containing names and information for the identification of genuine Indian citizens in the state of Assam was released in August, about 19 lakh residents were left out. The process of refreshing the registry had kicked off around 2014 following a Supreme Court order. Several BJP leaders had announced to the public that the process would sift out lakhs of Bangladeshi Muslims who had allegedly infiltrated the state over the years. However, after protests over the exclusion of tens of thousands of Hindus from the list, the union home ministry declared that the NRC will be carried out again in Assam, along with the rest of the country. The aim is to enable authorities to identify infiltrators, detain them and possibly deport them. However, detractors say Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhist, Jains and Parsis coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh won't be affected if they claim they have arrived in India after fleeing religious persecution before January 1, 2015 as they would be protected by the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that became law on December 12 last year. The Modi government revised the rules, promising relief to persecuted religious minorities from the three Muslim-majority countries who have sought refuge in India. The move has sparked widespread protests, led in many places by university students and intellectuals. Violence has erupted in several areas, including in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal, with actions of both the agitators and the administrations coming under the lens. Supporters of the BJP too have carried out counterdemonstrations. Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and fails the constitutional principles of secularism and equality. Ruling party leaders, on the other hand, have accused the opposition of misleading the people and home minister Amit Shah has asserted that no Muslim who is an Indian citizen will be affected. The central governments decision to update the National Population Register (NPR) has also stirred up a controversy, with protesters calling it the first step towards implementing a nationwide NRC. The NPR records personal details of everyone in the country who is a usual resident a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more, or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months. The exercise has been carried out twice in the past: under the Congress-led government in 2010 and then in 2015, with the BJP in power, when it was linked to Aadhaar. The process of collecting information, simultaneously with the Census, is slated to start in April 2020 and end by September. Triple Talk Opposition parties and protesters have repeatedly sought to link CAA, NRC and NPR as a concerted attempt by the BJP and its affiliated right-wing groups to persecute Muslims and turn India into a Hindu Rashtra from a secular democracy. Rivals, and even some allies of the ruling party, have expressed their disinclination towards carrying out these exercises in states they rule. Activists and intellectuals have argued that other disadvantaged sections such as many women, members of the LGBT community, dalits and adivasis would be hit hard by the steps, and everyone would be left chasing documents to prove their citizenship while braving bureaucratic entanglements. However, home minister Shah, as well as some other BJP leaders, have rejected these fears and stated that CAA, NRC and NPR are not linked to each other. They have also accused the Congress and other opposition outfits of being anti-Hindu and speaking the same language as Pakistan. All this pandemonium comes at a time when Indias economic growth is slowing. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its December monetary report said that the gross domestic product (GDP) would increase by just 5% in 2019-20 as opposed to 7.2% that it had predicted in April last year. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) recorded a -4.3% growth in October, which is the lowest since 2012. The Labour Force Survey, released in May 2019, showed a jump in unemployment rates in 2017-18. Many economists also contend that lingering effects of the Modi governments 2016 demonetisation decision, to outlaw 500 and 1,000 banknotes in a stated bid to fight corruption and dry out terrorism finances, are still being felt with small businesses bearing the brunt. They also blame the inefficient implementation of GST that subsumed most indirect taxes in the country in 2017 as a cause for the gloomy economic scenario in the country. The governments recent attempts at reforms by cutting corporate income taxes and aggressively pushing a disinvestment agenda may somewhat repair the damage. However, with global concerns and uncertainty looming on the horizon as the United Kingdom (UK) gets set to withdraw from the European Union in early 2020, the United States (US) prepares for presidential elections in November, and the situation in restive West Asia takes a turn for the worse, India is staring at days of acute economic and diplomatic challenges. Going Right Many countries across the world have voted Right in recent years the US, UK, Brazil, India, Poland, Hungary, etc, being prime examples. Conservative groups that propound traditional values, religious beliefs, national identity and protection against immigration have gained in popularity, emerging as strong challengers to Leftists and liberals who often support affirmative action for minorities, socialism, migrants, etc. Social media recurrently turns battlefield for keyboard warriors from both sides. Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP led by Narendra Modi managed to outstrip rivals by a wide margin in digital campaigning. While others have improved their game, the social media machinery of the ruling party and its associates, unsurprisingly, remains far ahead. Digital avenues are also frequently used by supporters and information technology (IT) teams of all sides to spread propaganda and build false narratives. The problem becomes especially acute when elections are around the corner. So while protesters on social media have hit out at the Modi governments Hindutva agenda, attempts to harass and silence minorities and destroy the secular fabric of the country through exercises like CAA and NRC, pro-establishment netizens have called these steps an attempt to right historical wrongs of the Partition era and accused detractors of being anti-Hindu and hand in glove with jihadis. Raising of Islamic chants during demonstrations have also been used as ammunition by right-wing adherents and even led to disputes among the protesters over the approach of the agitation. Activists have also adopted the legal route to challenge the governments decisions. Future Tense The churning prompted by the Modi governments 2019 decisions will continue in 2020 and beyond. However, as polls last year indicated, national themes dont necessarily dictate outcomes of state elections where fundamental and local issues often take precedence. For instance, the BJP lost Jharkhand where the campaign led by Prime Minister Modi and home minister Shah was peppered with mentions of Kashmir, Ram temple, infiltrators, etc. However, anti-incumbency, a non-tribal chief ministerial face in a tribal-dominated state, and controversial land acquisition rules apparently tilted the balance in favour of the opposition. Delhi and Bihar are in no way untouched by the ripples created by the NRC-CAA-NPR controversy, with demonstrators still out on the streets and central ministers asserting that theres no question of a rethink. However, going forward, the big challenges for the ruling BJP will be repairing and guarding the economy through testing times as well as holding on to its allies, with some of them appearing spooked by its expansionist tendencies and nationalist agenda. If the results go in its favour, the party would know its strategy is working. If not, it'd likely be time for a change in tack. Because while politics of polarisation can make a regimes loyal voters and supporters feel safe and validated, an economic downturn doesnt pick sides. In the hours after it was announced that Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corpss Quds Force, was killed by a US airstrike under the direction of US President Donald Trump, Ari Fleischer appeared on Fox News, New Statesman writes in the article The killing of Qasem Soleimani shows America has not learned from the Iraq war. Fleischer, who was the White House press secretary in the first term of George W. Bushs administration that is, as the United States began its war in Iraq had this to say: "I think it is entirely possible that this is going to be a catalyst inside Iran where the people celebrate this killing of Soleimani." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted a similar sentiment: Iraqis Iraqis dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more. The killing of Soleimani has been likened to the hypothetical killing of a US vice president or the head of the CIA. The man was close to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, took credit for his countrys foreign policy, and oversaw the extension of Iranian influence throughout the region, including, critically, to support Bashar al-Assad in Syrias civil war. His death comes at a particularly fraught time in US-Iranian relations; in September, the United States blamed an attack on a Saudi oil field and plant on Iran, and, this past week in Baghdad, where Soleimani was killed, a crowd enraged by US strikes targeting an Iranian-backed militia attacked the US embassy. One struggles to imagine, if an American of similar importance were killed at a similarly tense time, that the reaction would be Americans rejoicing and celebrating the foreign power that carried out the deed. But one need not imagine the death of a high-profile American to suspect that the death of Soleimani, presented as an act of deterrence, will cause at least as many issues as it solves. Since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, it has been estimated that half a million Iraqis have been killed. The influence that Iran exerts over the country, years after the United States came vowing to spread democracy and the American way, has increased, arguably because of the mess the United States made. The Trump administration has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal, hit Iran with a host of sanctions, and dedicated itself to weakening the Iranian regime and yet that regime is still standing. And yet Fleischer felt comfortable going on television and thinking aloud that this time it would be different, and the United States would truly be celebrated for killing a military leader with tremendous political influence, and change but good change this time would come. And yet Pompeo pointed to a video as proof that, even while Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said the US strike was a breach of the deal under which the United States has a presence in Iraq, the strike would somehow endear Americans to Iraqis. Democratic members of Congress, who were not notified that the strike was going to take place, felt the need, in their tweets condemning Trump for making a high-risk move with no apparent sense of what is to come next, to note that Soleimani was a bad man. CNBC went a step further, running a tweet that said simply, America just took out the world's no. 1 bad guy." In fairness, the tweet linked to an op-ed that ran under the same headline, until it was tweaked to add a little more nuance. And in fairness, the framing of the issue in that light good guys versus bad guys makes it seem as if the past 18 years never happened. But the year is 2020, not 2003. The United States continues to see itself, despite no small amount of evidence to the contrary, as the world's number one good guy. Even so, it should know by now that it cannot blow up political or military leaders without consequences, or without putting the people on the ground Americans, yes, but also the citizens of other countries, who also consider themselves to be the good guys in very real danger. The media should have learned to be sceptical in its presentation of the government line on actions that are ostensibly in the interest of national security. Members of Congress who, it should be noted, only recently voted for a National Defense Authorization Act having stripped out an amendment that would have cut off money in the event of an offensive against Iran should have understood by now what happens when they do not take with the utmost seriousness their constitutional obligation to check the executive branch. There are other differences, of course, between now and 2003. In many ways it is a different world. The war in Syria wasnt being waged back then, with Russia and Iran both making sure that, whatever the United States may have wanted, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would stay in power. The Iran nuclear deal hadnt been negotiated or signed under President Barack Obama, and the United States hadnt taken itself out under Trump, which is to say the United States had not yet put itself at odds not only with Iran but also with the deals other signatories the European Union (and specifically France, Germany, and the United Kingdom), China, and Russia all of whom are trying to keep the deal in place even as Iran, seeing fewer economic returns on its investment, breaks out of parts of it. One could argue that Russia, in 2003, did not know how to use the Middle East to effectively establish itself as one of the essential voices in the global room of geopolitics. It has since learned to do so, with Syria and with now with Iran, keeping an international deal together and issuing a statement that clucks at the United States for escalating tensions. The United States, in 2003, had yet to burn through global goodwill with the war in Iraq, and or to do so again with Trump, who has spent much of the past three years bullying allies to whom the United States will now potentially turn when Iran, as it has promised to do, takes its revenge for the death of Soleimani. But the main difference, or a main difference, is that the United States has almost two decades of lived policy experience from which it could have learned, and from which it could see that, no, the death of one leader does not mean that a country or region will fall at Americas feet; that, yes, the United States is viewed with suspicion in the Middle East; that, yes, actions have consequences that have consequences. We do not know, exactly, what those consequences will be. We do not know if Trump, who famously pronounced before Obamas re-election that his predecessor would start a war with Iran in order to spend four more years in the White House, will deliberately escalate the situation further ahead of November. We do not know how, exactly, Iran will fight back if it will be against Israel, or Americans in the region, or somewhere in the European Union. The only thing we know for certain is that this isnt it. Its not as simple as one mans death. It never is. We could have learned that by now, but we didnt. Theres Ari Fleischer, back on television. Theres a clip of joyous Iraqis in the streets. There we are, back again, poised to make the same mistakes, but differently, and with more regional proxies involved. The same mistakes, but worse. The death toll of infants at the JK Lon Hospital in Kota touched 107 on Saturday as a team from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare began an investigation into the deaths. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot has defended his government saying the number of deaths at the hospital have been less as compared to the earlier BJP government. He said the government had acted quickly and initiated measures after the infant deaths. However, as the deaths continued and the issue became an embarrassment for the Congress government, party chief Sonia Gandhi sought an explanation from Gehlot and asked state in-charge Avinash Pande to discuss the issue. She also asked state Congress chief Sachin Pilot to visit the hospital and assess the situation. Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota MP Om Birla on Saturday met the aggrieved families of deceased infants in Kota and offered help. Addressing the media, Birla said, The death of these infants is a serious issue and I have written two letters to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for taking steps to check further deaths. I will stand with the Rajasthan government to prevent further deaths of infants and will take efforts needed, he said. Meanwhile, a team from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare began a probe into the infant deaths at the government-run JK Lon Hospital. A team of experts and pediatricians including Dr Kuldeep Singh, Head of Pediatrics and Dean Academics, AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr Deepak Saxena, Senior Regional Director, Rajasthan, H&FW, GOI, Dr Arun Singh, Professor of Neonatology, AIIMS Jodhpur and Dr Himanshu Bhushan Advisor, NHSRC, MOHFW visited the hospital and sought information about the hospital and infant deaths. Chief Medical and Health Officer, Kota, Dr BS Tanwar said that the team will investigate the reasons behind the infant deaths after interacting with the hospital authorities and will also track the private hospitals and other government health centers from where such infants were referred. The central team will give its report to the GOI and also Rajasthan government, he said. He said that the team will stay in Kota for 2 days. In the wake of the deaths, the hospital has taken some remedial measures, he added. Superintendent of JK Lon Hospital, Dr Suresh Chand Dulara said, most of the deceased infants were critically ill and were either referred from other districts or were born in other hospitals. JK Lon Hospital is the biggest child and mother care hospital of Kota division where infants in critical condition are referred from districts of Bundi, Baran, Jhalawar, Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh and several districts of MP, so the chances of survival is less hence mortality is more, he said. He said maintenance and repair work including painting of the hospital building has started and window panes have been put in windows in the wards. Maintenance of equipment has also been undertaken and new equipment and staff are being brought in. In December, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the state government and sought an action taken report on the incidents. Iran Deploys F-14 Jets to Border After Vowing to Avenge General Soleimani's Murder - Reports Sputnik News 12:59 03.01.2020 Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei has pledged "harsh revenge" against those responsible for killing the Quds commander, while President Rouhani similarly vowed to avenge Soleimani's death. Tehran has deployed F-14 fighter jets to the country's borders in the wake of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani's murder after the military official was killed in an airstrike near Baghdad International Airport, authorised by US President Donald Trump, Iranian state TV reported. Earlier in the day, the US Department of Defence confirmed that the US forces in Iraq had killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is considered a foreign terrorist organisation by Washington. The US claimed that Soleimani was responsible for deaths of "hundreds of Americans" and also accused the general of orchestrating attacks on coalition bases in Iraq, motivating the Iraqi airstrike as a means to deter "future Iranian attack plans". Following the reports of the general's death, authorities in Tehran strongly condemned the United States, pledging to take action to avenge his death. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Texas church shooter battled demons since childhood, sister says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The sister of a gunman who shot and killed two worshipers at Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, Sunday morning says her brother had battled inner demons since childhood. The shooter, Keith Thomas Kinnunen, was taken down within six seconds by Jack Wilson, a 71-year-old firearms instructor who said in a Facebook post that the events at West Freeway Church of Christ put me in a position that I would hope no one would have to be in, but added that evil exists and I had to take out an active shooter in church. The gunman's sister, Amy Kinnunen, said in an interview with NBC's Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate KXAS that her brother was a lost soul that had demons from a childhood. I keep repeating this, but we are products from our environment, she said. Speaking from her home near Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, Kinnunen told the news station that her brothers actions are impossible to fully comprehend. Why he did it this way, I have no idea, she said. He did it in the church because he was extremely religious and I feel like Im confident that he was praying to the good Lord up to the last minute. The shooter wore a dark hooded sweatshirt and a fake beard as he sat among the 240 congregants in the church on Sunday before carrying out the attack. A livestream recording of the churchs morning service showed the shooting and the aftermath. The 43-year-old gunman killed the church's security guard Richard White, 67, and grandfather Anton "Tony" Wallace, 64. According to his sister, Keith Kinnunen lived a troubled childhood and spent years in and out of jail. Amy Kinnunen believes he chose Sunday to carry out the attack because their younger brother died by suicide on the same date years ago. I hate to use the word perfect but it was Sunday, it was his brothers birthday and he just demons just ended up getting a hold of him, she said. He loved his brother and he felt it was his time to go. Amy Kinnunen also supposes that her brother wore a fake beard and disguise because he had attended the church on several occasions where he was provided with food and clothing, and he did not want to be recognized. There was compassion. They knew him as a person. Going in there with a beard and fake hair, nobody wouldve known who he was and it would have been easier to pull the trigger, she said. According to the church's senior minister, they believe the gunman opened fire because he grew angry when they refused to give him cash. "We've helped him on several occasions with food," Senior Minister Britt Farmer told The Christian Chronicle. "He gets mad when we won't give him cash. He's been here on multiple occasions." KXAS reported that authorities found a handwritten letter next to the shooters body addressed to his son. His sister said she doesnt know what the letter contained but revealed that he often wrote letters to his son with whom he was estranged. A guard of honour will be held at the funeral today of a Co Fermanagh grandmother hit by a pick-up truck on New Year's Eve. (stock photo) A guard of honour will be held at the funeral today of a Co Fermanagh grandmother hit by a pick-up truck on New Year's Eve. Elaine McGarrity (54) from Irvinestown died following a collision on Tuesday morning on the Brownshill Link Road. A funeral notice said she would be sadly missed by her large family circle. It described the grandmother-of-four as the devoted wife of Maurice and loving mother of Fiona and Aaron. She is also survived by three siblings and predeceased by her brother John and sister Katie. A Requiem Mass will be held today in Sacred Heart Church, Irvinestown, at 11am with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Irvinestown GAA club will form a guard of honour at the church gates. The club said: "It is with great sadness that the club has learned of the tragic death of Elaine McGarrity, mother of esteemed past players Fiona and Aaron and grandmother of current youth players Ben, Codie and Cahir. We offer our deepest sympathy to the entire family." Iraq's caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi is convening an emergency session of parliament Sunday to discuss the US assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Tehran-backed deputy leader of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Units. The emergency session could lead to a longtime goal of Irans proxies in Iraq: the expulsion of US forces from Iraq, potentially jeopardizing the campaign against the remnants of the Islamic State. We would certainly be very disappointed if there was some sort of adverse decision by the Iraqi parliament the Council of Representatives with respect to our continued ability to assist the people of Iraq, national security adviser Robert OBrien told Al-Monitor today. OBrien pointed to the fact that some of the protesters who have swarmed Baghdad in recent months to demand a complete government overhaul celebrated Soleimanis assassination yesterday. Iran-backed militias targeted by the United States have abducted several activists leading the demonstrations, but the protesters have also taken aim at American influence in Iraq. Certainly, theres some high tensions after whats happened, but it looks like those people going out in Tahrir Square to demonstrate in favor of the United States and to celebrate a bit of a new lease on freedom is a very positive sign for Iraq, OBrien told Al-Monitor. OBrien insisted that the White House had factored in the potential expulsion of US troops from Iraq before striking the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force commander and Muhandis, but critics contend that the assassinations have made it harder for Iraqi politicians to justify the presence of American troops in the country. I think their preference, including some that may be relatively sympathetic to Iran, would have been and would be for the US to stay, Robert Malley, the former White House coordinator for the Middle East under President Barack Obama, told Al-Monitor. But the political dynamics are going to be much stronger and its going to be increasingly difficult for Iraqi political leaders to defend the continued presence of a country that has flouted their sovereignty. Malley argued that if US troops were forced to withdraw in a precipitous manner, as [they] would in this instance, it would hurt the fight against the [Islamic State]. Undeterred, the Donald Trump administration is doubling down on its policy of punishing pro-Iran partisans in Iraq, declaring a key Tehran-backed militia a terrorist group today. The terrorist designation targets Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a key Iran-backed militia involved in storming the US Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week. Washington had already sanctioned the groups leader, Qais al-Khazali, last month for shooting protesters critical of Tehrans grip on Baghdad. But todays terrorist designation implicates the 14 Asaib Ahl al-Haq members sitting in parliament, who could vote on removing US forces. They hated us before and always favored a vote to expel the US from Iraq, Iraq analyst Kirk Sowell told Al-Monitor. Sanctions work best against the cosmopolitan, and these guys are anything but global jetsetters. Still, Sowell noted that the vote to expel US forces has a better chance now than ever before not necessarily because of the Soleimani killing but because of the Muhandis assassination in the same strike. The killing of Muhandis is for Iraqis a much bigger deal, right there on the outskirts of Baghdad, said Sowell. Even aside from the vote, it will be hard for the US to maintain its train and equip program there. Meanwhile, the White House must also contend with legislators in the United States. The Trump administration dispatched Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Kathryn Wheelbarger to brief Capitol Hill today, and OBrien promised more congressional briefings in the coming weeks. Numerous Democratic lawmakers have questioned the legality of the strike on Soleimani as Congress has not authorized military action against Iran. However, OBrien argued that the strike was legal under the 2002 military authorization that allowed President George W. Bush to invade Iraq. House Democrats had unsuccessfully sought to repeal the 2002 military authorization as part of a defense authorization bill Trump signed into law last month while adding a provision that would defund any offensive military action against Iran. But Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., ultimately yielded to the White House and Senate Republicans, keeping the 2002 authorization on the books. Ali Mamouri contributed to this report The parents of a three-week-old boy have been charged after the infant was found dead inside the cooler of a motel room in Texas. Felicia Vasquez, 32, and Arturo Espinoza, 37, are charged with tampering with evidence by concealing a human corpse, police said Friday. Officers found the boys body on Saturday inside a cooler at the Days Inn in the 8300 block of South Lancaster Road, Dallas. Felicia Vasquez, 32, (left), and Arturo Espinoza, 37, (right), are charged with tampering with evidence by concealing a human corpse, police said Friday morning The couple were identified as the parents and the babys cause of death remained unclear Thursday, KVKT reported. Vasquez was arrested late Thursday and Espinosa had already been in custody for an unrelated matter. The parents told officials that the baby had died a week previously of natural causes. However they were apprehensive about calling 911 because they were afraid they would lose custody of their other children who are toddlers, a source told CBS News 11. Child Protective Services told the outlet that they removed a girl, one, and and a two-year-old boy from the care of the couple last Friday. Officers found the boys body on Saturday inside a cooler at the Days Inn in the 8300 block of South Lancaster Road, Dallas This occurred just one day before the newborn was discovered in the hotel room. Dallas County Jail records show their father was arrested that day in a case involving a stolen vehicle. CBS NEWS 11 claimed that the parents have a total of ten children, including the baby that died. The other seven children are apparently living with a family member and it remains uncertain as to how the agency first became aware of the family. Those with information on the case are asked to contact Detective Corey Foreman or Sgt. M. Vaughn at 214-275-1300. The Delhi High Court has sought response of the Delhi Government on a petition challenging the city government's decision to stop sales of wine and beer in departmental stores. The Aam Aadmi Party-led government had on December 19 ordered the closure of departmental stores selling wine and beer following complaints that several permit holders had turned their departmental stores into full-fledged liquor stores which is in clear violation of the excise rules. Foodland by Orchid, a departmental store, through advocate Amit Saxena, sought to quash and set aside the order passed by the government. The court while issuing the notice, stayed the Delhi Government's decision till the next date of hearing i.e. February 3. Recently court had granted relief to several departmental store owners too who had challenged the Delhi government's decision to stop the sale of wine and beer at such stores by staying the orders of government. As per the reports, the decision was taken by Delhi cabinet earlier this month following complaints that several permit holders had turned their stores into full-fledged liquor vends in violation of the excise rules. After the decision of the government, several store owners approached the court arguing that they were neither issued any prior notice or given a chance to contest the same and suddenly were slapped with the orders banning the sale of beer and wine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (Newser) A group of states whose governments are run by Democrats has joined the House in asking the Supreme Court to take up a lawsuit seeking to cancel ObamaCare immediately. The Democrats want the case decided before the elections in November, which would mean the court would have to issue a ruling before its session ends in June. That would be an unusually quick resolution, the Hill reports. "We're asking the Supreme Court to swiftly resolve this repeal lawsuit for the sake of saving lives and ending uncertainty in our healthcare system," said Xavier Becerra, California's attorney general and leader of the legal defense of the Affordable Care Act. The House and 20 states' attorneys general filed similar briefs with the court on Friday. story continues below An appeals court threw out the law's individual mandate provision and told a lower court to decide how much of the ACA to keep. That makes it likely that the court battle will go on long past the elections unless the Supreme Court intervenes. That doesn't happen often, per Politico, but the states told the court that otherwise, patients' care, as well as the health care industry, will be hurt by the uncertainty. The suit, which is backed by the Trump administration, already has been in the court system for nearly two years. Four justices would have to agree for the court to expedite the case. The consensus among both parties' legal experts, per the Hill, is that Democrats have a weak case in their Friday brief, but that in the end, ObamaCare will be left standing. (More than 8 million people signed up for coverage in 2020.) Coal-fired plants around New Delhi running despite missing emissions deadline FILE PHOTO: Buildings are engulfed in fog in Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi By Sudarshan Varadhan NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Coal-fired utilities around New Delhi were still operating on Wednesday despite threats from the Indian authorities to close them down if they had not installed equipment to cut emissions of sulphur oxides by the end of the year. Three senior executives at companies operating power plants around New Delhi and facing an end-2019 deadline said they had not received direction on whether they could continue to run the plants having not installed the kit. Only one out of the 11 utilities in the national capital region had installed the equipment. India had already extended its December 2017 deadline for its utilities to meet the emissions standards - posing a further challenge to the authorities grappling with the pollution that can cause lung disease and blights air quality. Officials from the India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), who had threatened a shut down for non-compliance, did not respond to repeated calls and text messages seeking comment. Reuters reported last month that more than half of India's coal-fired power plants and 94% of the coal-fired units ordered to retrofit equipment to curb air pollution would likely miss the phased deadlines. The air quality index for the Indian capital, the worst affected major city, indicated "severe" conditions on Wednesday - like most days this winter - a potential risk for even healthy people. Real-time data government data showed both power plants in the country's largest state of Uttar Pradesh which had a Dec. 31 deadline were operating. In Punjab, Vedanta-owned TSPL units were producing power, as were state-run plants at Ropar and Bhatinda. Mohammed Shayin, managing director at northern Haryana state-run power generator HPGCL said all units other than ones under scheduled maintenance were operational, adding that the utility was "pleading" with federal authorities to extend the emissions deadline. Private producers such as Vedanta and Larsen & Toubro Ltd argued for yet another extension to the deadline. Story continues L&T-owned Nabha Power Ltd said it was "constrained to shut down both its units due to a delay in extension of timelines by the CPCB". Vedanta said it was "confident" that authorities "would take a considerate stand". "We shall shut the plant in case we get the directions from the CPCB or the environment ministry," the company said. (Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Alison Williams) New Delhi [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal on Saturday said that the religious body would send a delegation to Pakistan for discussing the Nankana Sahib issue. "We are sending a four-member delegation to Pakistan, which will meet senior officials and the province's Governor over this issue," said Longowal. The statement of the SGPC president comes after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. The group was led by the family of the boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of the gurdwara panthi. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (ANI) At least five people were killed on Saturday by an airstrike on a vehicle convoy of Iraq's Shia Popular Mobilization Forces in northern Baghdad, a source in security forces told Sputnik. Earlier in the day, the source told Sputnik about a powerful explosion in Baghdad's northern district of Taji. "A vehicle convoy of the Popular Mobilization Forces has been attacked. According to preliminary data, five people have died. Their names have not been clarified so far," the source said. On Friday, several senior members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, as well as commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Qasem Soleimani, were killed by a US drone attack near the Baghdad International Airport. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of an 85-year-old woman in Madhya Pradeshs Katni district has accused the administration of razing their home with her body inside, a charge denied by officials. The womans family in Sleemanabad town, 462 kilometres east of state capital Bhopal, said she died on December 28 and that her body was inside the house when a team of district administration came to demolish the building, which officials have said was built illegally on government land. I pleaded with them not to do so but they didnt listen and demolished the house with a machine. We had to retrieve the dead body from the debris for cremation, Shakuni Bai Chaudhary, the daughter-in-law of the house, alleged. Chaudhary added they have been spending the nights in the open facing chilly winter winds as the administration didnt help them later. However, Katni district collector Shashibhushan Singh said the charges of the family are completely baseless. The fact is the 85-year-old woman died about 10 days back and there was no dead body in the house. The house was illegally constructed over the government hospitals land, Singh said. A notice was also issued to the family to vacate the place. The family sought two days time and later they themselves demolished the structure, he said. The spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Partys state unit Rahul Kothari criticised the government for its move. This is the real and insensitive face of the Kamal Nath government which hardly cares about the poor. Strict action should be taken against the district administration for razing the house of the poor family and later not extending any help to it in the winter season, Kothari said. Rajya Sabha member and Congress leader Vivek Tankha tweeted his party protects the poor. I have brought the news about insensitive action by officials/officers in the demolition drive in Katni-where a dead body waiting for last rites also submerged in the debris. Chief minister Kamal Nath is a sensitive person. I have faith in his judgment. Congress always protects the poor (sic), Tankha posted on Twitter. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Iran's Shadowy Military Commander May Prove Tough Foe in Death By Jamie Dettmer January 03, 2020 General Qassem Soleimani, the larger-than-life head of Iran's elite Quds Force, had escaped death many times, but he couldn't flee the U.S. drone-launched missile that struck his convoy shortly after he arrived in Baghdad from Lebanon. The repercussions from the targeted strike on a road adjacent to Baghdad International Airport in the middle of the night Friday will last much longer than the concussion of the blast. Soleimani was Iran's most important military strategist and tactician in Tehran's long-standing campaign to expand Shi'ite and Iranian influence throughout the Middle East. Dexter Filkins, a veteran chronicler of Middle East conflict, described him in a profile in the New Yorker magazine as "the single most powerful operative in the Middle East today." That's an assessment shared by current and former U.S. officials. "We have killed one of the most significant militant actors inside the Iranian government," said Patrick Kimmitt, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs. "It takes the whole issue of the United States and Iran, and the United States and Iraq to a whole new place. This is an inflection point that can't be understated." The 62-year-old Soleimani wasn't a run-of-the-mill military commander. He was the second most powerful man in Iran, answerable only to the country's supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei. And even more than that, he was at the nexus linking Iran's various proxy forces in the region. "He was the major figure who ran Iran's growing regional 'Islamic Resistance' network that has tens of thousands of fighters from Palestinian areas, Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain, Syria," tweeted Phillip Smyth, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a U.S.-based think tank. "The consequences of killing Soleimani are hard to grasp; this is the biggest news in the Middle East for years," says Charles Lister, author the book "The Syrian Jihad." He says his slaying "far eclipses the deaths of [al-Qaida leader Osama] Bin Laden or [Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-] Baghdadi in terms of strategic significance and implications. The U.S. and Iran have been engaged in a dangerous tit-for-tat for months now, but this is a massive walk-up the escalation ladder. Israel has repeatedly spurned the opportunity to kill Soleimani for fear of the consequences of taking out Iran's most powerful operative in the world, someone who's power is outshone only by Iran's Supreme Leader. His death is a serious loss for Iran's regional agenda." In Iran and among its Shi'ite allies across the Middle East, Soleimani had near-mythical status, and he was included in Time magazine's 100 most influential people, listed as a cross between "James Bond, Erwin Rommel and Lady Gaga." His celebrity status in the Middle East was a far cry from his humble start in the tiny village of Qanat-e Malek in southern Iran's Kerman Province to an impoverished peasant family. As a teenager, he moved to the city of Kerman to get work as a construction worker, remitting most of his earnings back to his parents. He later became a water contractor. He was a fan of martial arts and a karate black belt. Aside from that, his other great passion was religion. He fell into the circle of a protege of of Ayatollah Khomeini, which allowed him to join and rise up the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was set up after the 1979 revolution to protect the new Islamic regime. As a guardsman he participated in the suppression of a Kurdish uprising in West Azerbaijan Province. He later rose to fame as a daring field commander in the Iran-Iraq War. In his New Yorker profile of Soleimani, Dexter Filkins quotes the general saying: "I entered the war on a 15-day mission, and ended up staying until the end." Soleimani added: "We were all young and wanted to serve the revolution." He ended up as a divisional commander, often leading commando raids deep into Iraqi territory and was seriously injured in one attack. In the 1990s, Soleimani was given command of the elite al-Quds force, a shadowy unit that undertakes missions outside Iranian borders, often working with its client in Lebanon, the Shi'ite militia Hezbollah, which al-Quds helped to establish. In that role Soleimani became the architect of Iran's expansionist Mideast strategy, shaping a "Shia crescent" across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. In a broadcast interview in October, Soleimani disclosed he'd been in Lebanon in 2006 helping to direct Hezbollah's battles with Israel. His irregular warfare background proved crucial for Iran in Iraq, say former U.S. intelligence and military officials. He was one of the tacticians behind Iraqi Shi'ite attacks on Western soldiers after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, "We have been in a proxy war with Iran's revolutionary guards for 10 years, longer than 10 years. Qassem Soleimani and his people were killing Americans in 2005 and 2006," said former U.S. official Patrick Kimmitt. He says the Quds Force supplied Iraqi Shi'ites with the most deadly improvised explosive devices the Americans saw in Iraq. Scores of Americans were killed by them. War makes for strange bedfellows American military commanders had little choice in 2014 but to coordinate airstrikes with Tehran-sponsored Shi'ite militias in Iraq against their common foe during the fightback against the Islamic State terror group. In the wake, though, of liberating Mosul and other Iraqi towns of IS, that temporary alliance of necessity fell apart. Soleimani had been a frequent visitor to Baghdad in recent weeks, say analysts, helping to direct Shi'ite attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and the protests aimed at expanding Iran's influence on Iraq. Soleimani stepped out of the shadows in recent years, emerging as one of the masterminds of the military comeback in Syria by Iranian ally President Bashar al-Assad. He coordinated airstrikes with Russian generals, frequently traveling to Moscow, and analysts say he was key in smoothing out the battlefield efforts of Assad's regular forces with Shi'ite militias, which Iran helped to raise from Afghanistan and Iraq. Soleimani appeared in press photographs and broadcasts visiting the front lines and even appeared in a popular Iranian music video. Last year, Soleimani warned the U.S. president in a boastful video message: "I'm telling you Mr. Trump the gambler, I'm telling you, know that we are close to you in that place you don't think we are. You will start the war but we will end it." The threat was in keeping with his bragging in 2010 to U.S. General David Petraeus, who was then the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. The two were in communication and Petraeus disclosed that the Iranian general had told him in one message: "You should know that I, Qassem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza and Afghanistan." Soleimani is likely to prove a challenging foe in death, too, according to analysts and current and former Western officials. Some are critical of the targeted killing of the Iranian, saying that U.S. President Donald Trump's predecessors in the White House passed targeting Soleimani, fearing messy, violent repercussions. Analyst Charles Lister says in the wake of Soleimani's death, the U.S. will face serious challenges in both Syria and Iraq with Iran eager to retaliate. "The U.S. presence in Syria now looks very vulnerable, having already shrunk in size and weakened in terms of credibility and partner trust. A single attack on U.S. positions could feasibly catalyze a military withdrawal and second abandonment of the Kurds. In Iraq, U.S. diplomatic and military facilities are almost certain to come under some form of attack and covert intimidation," he says. But in Iraq, Lister notes, the reaction likely will be complex and could spur anti-Iranian Sunni activists. "Weeks of protests across Iraq have shown the popular tide swaying against Iran and these newly tense circumstances could feasibly provide an environment for Iranian proxies to be perceived as the source of more problems than solutions," he says. Other analysts say the U.S. move will send a clear intimidating message to Tehran that no one in in the Iranian regime is safe. "For all the talk about a full upscale war between Iran and the U.S. over the killing of Tehran's terror master Qassem Soleimani, the fact that Iran now realizes America is not a paper tiger anymore will resonate in the ears of Supreme Leader Khameini," says counterterrorism analyst Olivier Guitta, who runs GlobalStrat, a London-based risk consultancy. He adds: "Despite all the declarations of vengeance from the Iran regime and the likelihood of attacks abroad against U.S. and Israeli interests, the mullah's regime would like more than anything to save their skins and can't afford a full-blown conflict with the U.S." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -- A Kansas City man has been charged with several felonies after police say he opened fire on a car with a baby and 1-year-old inside on New Year's Day. Anthony Burch, 35, was arrested Thursday evening and charged with two felony counts each of aggravated battery with intentional harm, discharging a firearm at a vehicle and aggravated endangerment of a child. Dame Helena Morrissey is something of a paradox. A widely recognised 'superwoman' with a stellar City career, she also happens to have nine children (and two grandchildren). Of course, we all wonder how on earth she does it (she credits her husband, a former Buddhist monk, who's the stay-at- home parent). But equally bewildering is the fact that despite this dizzying number of pregnancies, she still wears a size 6. ('I haven't gained weight but that doesn't mean there aren't things about my body I don't like!') The latest conundrum is why someone so busy and important has taken to posting daily shots of her OOTD ('outfit of the day') on Instagram. Isn't such frippery a bit, well, beneath someone who was in the running to be Governor of the Bank of England? HOBBS Navy polka-dot Piper dress, 179, hobbs.com Two decades ago, I regularly shopped in Hobbs they used to do brilliant limited edition pieces. Returning to the Kensington branch, however, made me feel sad. Everything seemed non-descript. There were rails of rather baggy dresses that were cut too short. The placement of items seemed ad hoc and didn't hang together. I don't think stores realise how off-putting this is. Particularly when online brands fall over themselves to make buying easier. Items aren't cheap either well over 100 for a dress. If we're tempted to spend that much, we want to really love it, not just think it 'will do'. A common workwear mistake is to opt for a weather-girl brightly coloured shift dress. Well, Hobbs stocks those in spades. Polka dots are a favourite of mine and I found a nicely fitted navy and white dress. I found it hard to picture who would want to shop there. Perhaps someone who doesn't want to shop at M&S but wants something safe? Many have bewailed the loss of so many High Street brands, but I left Hobbs wondering if we have too many of these also-ran stores. Verdict: 3/5 Advertisement According to Helena, 53, such an inquiry is precisely why she started her new account showcasing 'soft power dressing'. (Read: jewel-like hues, mid-length pleated skirts teamed with fitted polos and an array of expertly chosen accessories). 'The fact people see my interest in clothes as incongruous with my career shows just why we need to push things a bit more,' says Helena. 'Being feminine and a feminist are entirely compatible. You can fight for important rights for women, and for men to take a bigger part in family life, while still being the best version of yourself. 'It was only once I started dressing in a way I felt most authentic in that I felt more capable, more powerful and others treated me as such. If you put something on and you feel as good as you can be, then that's very empowering.' ZARA Unlike M&S, Zara know who they are trying to attract: those who follow fashion and want catwalk copycats. It claims it can design, manufacture and deliver clothes to stores within 15 days. Sweater, 9.99 and purple pleated skirt, 15.99, zara.com The chain remains one of the High Street's beacons, despite a recent profit slump, but there are questions over its sustainability policy. According to goodonyou.eco, which rates thousands of clothing brands on their impact on the planet, people and animals, Zara is working to improve all aspects and is currently mid-ranking. I notice my online orders arrive in recyclable cardboard boxes. In store, clothes are arranged by 'look'. At the moment there's a party section, a purple theme, then monochrome, and towards the back you get jeans and knitwear. I got the measure of what was available pretty quickly. As a result I went into the changing room with seven items! On the downside, the fit is inconsistent. I tried an 'extra small' dress that completely drowned me. However, I did buy a tuxedo suit that was really well cut: it looks much more expensive than it was (59.99). One of my daughters has already pinched it. They also have good accessories like sweets used to be in the supermarket, they are located near the tills. In terms of items I would wear for work, my favourite was a purple knife-pleated skirt but they haven't quite cracked workwear. 4/5 Advertisement So fashion is a feminist issue? 'One of my daughters [she has six] asked: 'Why are you doing this Mum?' I said I like helping other women. I give a lot of talks; I've written a book encouraging women to change the system rather than lean in to the status quo; I set up the 30 per cent Club campaign [to raise the number of women in FTSE 350 boardrooms] and I do a lot of mentoring.' Now Dame Helena wants to demonstrate how enjoying your clothes can inspire confidence and enthusiasm in the workplace. 'Gone are the days when we were confined to sober suits. Yet women still come up to me and say: 'You're wearing pink! I wouldn't even wear a pink scarf at work because it would be frowned upon.' But have they ever tried? 'The best feedback from Instagram has been those who've said: 'Actually I've got a pink suit at the back of the wardrobe and seeing you has inspired me to wear it!' ' After all, Helena's penchant for rosy hues has hardly hampered her career. Having recently resigned as head of personal investing at Legal & General, where she earned a six-figure salary, she is set to become a non-executive director of wealth management fund St James's Place. 'I think confident, feminine dressing is part of our next phase of empowerment,' she says. 'It's about owning a space, contributing in our own way showing that we no longer need to ape men. 'What I call 'soft power dressing' is a sign of confidence you can use it to give the impression of confidence even when you're not feeling it.' JIGSAW Again this is a store I frequented in my 20s, when I bought a lot of little skirts. What did I see when I returned after all these years? The same short skirts, tweed and cashmere sweaters. Green satin jumpsuit, 64, jigsaw-online.com I don't get what's happened at Jigsaw. There were hardly any dresses. I found a deep pink shirt I quite liked, but it was expensive at 120 and there was little to put with it. A green satin jumpsuit wasn't my usual style, but I felt it could work well for an office party. There was lots of colour pink, coral and bright blue but it was all a bit of a jumble. I found some interesting mustard velvet platform shoes that would have gone well with a dark grey dress, but they were just lumped in with everything else. Customers don't have time to mentally flick through options of how to style items the shop should be making helpful suggestions for you. There were a couple of decent coats I nearly tried on, but there weren't as appealing as less expensive versions from M&S. Again sizing was another failure: I couldn't find a single Size 6 in anything I liked. 2/5 Advertisement Helena admits in her 20s she 'had no idea' about work attire and 'tried to copy everyone else'. It was her former boss Stewart Newton who encouraged her to be 'in all senses myself'. 'I realised I was better when I was myself and this extended to what I wore. That's when I started to have a bit of fun with clothes. And I noticed people started treating me as an interesting person with ideas rather than just another grad. It was before #MeToo so people were still able to pay each other compliments. 'These days I pretty much have my own uniform,' says Helena. 'Mostly I wear dresses, which makes things very straightforward. 'I love colour. One of my long-term favourite designers is Roksanda Ilincic. She'll do a serious dress with bright pink cuffs. MARKS & SPENCER One of the first rules of business is to know your customer and serve them well. Having visited the High Street Kensington branch, it's clear M&S still don't know who they're aiming at. Burgundy coat, 79 and ribbed polo-neck, 17.50, both marksand spencer.com Pleated skirt, 48, next.co.uk The vast stores are difficult to navigate and the way clothes are displayed racks and racks of disordered sizes makes it hard to imagine yourself wearing them. If I was CEO I would say: 'Let's connect with our real customer, not our idealised customer (young and trendy) who's unlikely to shop there.' Focus on doing the basics well. Go back to doing high quality underwear at a good price (their knickers are as much as 28 for one pair). We also want great pyjamas, pencil skirts, silk shirts, layering pieces. Coats they do well and at a good price I found a good burgundy one, pictured here but you have to trawl from one store to another to find them. They should all be in one section. They need to get rid of Per Una and augment Autograph. And they should make stylish made-in-Britain work attire their thing. Come on, M&S, reignite that spark! 2/5 Advertisement 'I look fairly hideous in low necklines and am swamped in droopy shapes . . . It's all about knowing what suits you.' It's a winning formula she displays on her fledgling feed. But does her new project make her children cringe? 'My three youngest daughters take turns to photograph me each morning,' she says. 'I guess they wouldn't do that if they didn't approve. They advise me on how to make the most of Instagram, too. 'They see that I have a bit of fun with clothes and my older girls borrow things. Occasionally I borrow something of theirs, too. The clothes go further that way we get good use out of them.' NEXT Next was the most disappointing of all on the workwear front. There was just one rail of entirely black separates. Who has dictated that women must wear only black to work? It was the same old story of disorganised rails of unappealing items. I did find a berry velvet pleated skirt that I would pair with a poloneck. There was nothing else even worth trying on. My advice is to team High Street purchases with your best jewellery and shoes. I'm not a saving-for-best person. I believe in wearing things you enjoy every day. 1/5 Advertisement And cost per wear is a valid concern when your wardrobe is more high-end than High Street. 'I'd say 35 per cent of my clothes are 'true designer' for example, Prada and Roksanda (where a dress might cost more than 1,000) and 40 per cent are 'mid range' Cefinn, Misha Nonoo and Theory (costing hundreds). That leaves about 25 per cent High Street, including Zara and Uniqlo.' Although keen to patronise Britain's flagging High Street, Helena admits in reality it leaves her rather flat. 'First the High Street needs to help us. Take workwear stores are still offering up dark suits and unimaginative shift dresses. 'More than 70 per cent of British women aged 16-64 work, but our needs seem an afterthought.' Here's hoping High Street CEOs take note of her fashion audit! All shoes and accessories are Helena's own. A leading campaign group has called on the new speaker of the House of Commons to stop the practice of reciting Christian prayers before the opening of sessions in both houses of the British parliament to promote equality. The Church of England has long had a significant influence on British politics. Several bishops are entitled to sit in the House of Lords, including the archbishop of Canterbury, whose words on issues of the day have considerable traction in public discourse. The National Secular Society (NSS) has written to speaker Lindsay Hoyle, saying that ending parliamentary prayers would represent a positive step forward for modernity, equality and freedom of conscience, urging him to review the practice in the procedure committee. The NSS said Christian prayers were unfit for a modern legislature and at odds with an egalitarian society which respects the important principle of freedom of religion or belief. It also highlighted a 2019 motion backed by MPs from across the political spectrum that called for an end to parliamentary prayers. NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: Opening parliamentary sessions with Christian prayers is an exclusionary and divisive practice. Ending it would provide a statement that anyone is welcome in parliament, regardless of their religious beliefs or background, and that parliamentary procedures respect freedom of conscience. We urge the new speaker to bring whatever influence he can to bear to ensure parliament is open and welcoming to people of all religious beliefs and none. The 2019 motion said religious worship should play no part in the formal business of the House of Commons and parliamentary meetings should be conducted in a manner equally welcoming to all attendees, irrespective of their personal beliefs. It added that parliamentary prayers were not compatible with a society which respects the principle of freedom of and from religion. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Matthew Hooton writes: Nationals strategy for 2020 is based primarily on the Ardern Government being uniquely incompetent in New Zealand history. Old timers suggest the Kirk-Rowling government as a rival, but in its three years it abolished compulsory military service, recognised the Peoples Republic of China and established ACC, the Domestic Purposes Benefit and the Waitangi Tribunal. If the Ardern Government is similarly limited to one term, it will leave no legacy at all to trouble future historians. The legacy will be some working groups. Even their so called major achievements of child poverty and climate change are little more than working groups to advise on future policy. Bridges most important strategic decision for 2020 is whether or not to rule out governing with NZ First. Nationals strong rhetoric against the perennial king-maker limits its options. In the court of public opinion, Bridges would be convicted of gross hypocrisy if he indicated he would lead a Bridges-Peters regime. I think Bridges must rule Peters out. Bridges knows he will lose any battle of the hugs against Ardern. But bringing together a new-generation National Party team, clearly distinct from anything that has come before, would demonstrate leadership qualities, seriousness of purpose, a commitment to meritocracy and an insistence on delivery that his rival clearly lacks. On those terms at least, Bridges too would best his opposite number. I remind people that Labours Deputy Leader isnt allowed to appear in public is the PM and Deputy PM are away. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr The war-torn country called on Iran and the US to prevent conflict escalation. Afghanistan has expressed concern over a possible increase in violence in the region after the killing of an Iranian general in Iraq on Friday, the government said in a statement. Afghanistan called on its neighbour Iran and the United States, its strategic partner, to prevent conflict escalations. Today, during talks with the US Secretary of State, I once again emphasized that Afghan soil must not be used against a third country or in regional conflicts, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tweeted on Friday evening after a phone call with Mike Pompeo. The statement on Friday comes after the attack earlier that day that killed Qassem Soleimani, head of Irans elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), an Iran-backed umbrella organisation comprising several militias, along with several other people. Afghanistans chief executive Abdullah Abdullah said he hoped that the recent events will not have a negative effect on the cooperation between our friends and allies in Afghanistan. Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai also took to Twitter to call for calm between the countries. Iran and Afghanistan, despite US military presence in Afghanistan, have maintained cordial and brotherly relations, Karzai wrote on Saturday. In the face of the current challenges, we hope Iran will continue its wise and friendly approach towards Afghanistan. Washington is Afghanistans strategic ally, with the US having military presence in the country for nearly two decades. Tehran has for years hosted millions of Afghan refugees. Seven pilot whales survived a mass stranding at Matarangi Harbour in New Zealand and were successfully herded back to the sea with the help of boats on December 4. The Department of Conservation, in a statement, said an environmental organisation, locals and volunteers helped to rescue the whales. They were seen swimming strongly and being active and its hoped they will remain at sea, said the department. After refloating the rescued whales, the staff of the conservation department buried four dead whales above the high tide mark at Matarangi. The department also asked locals to keep an eye on the refloated whales in case they again get stranded and contact staff members immediately. Read: In An Adorable Moment, Whale Plays Peek-a-boo With Baby Project Jonah, the environmental organisation in New Zealand, informed that short-finned pilot whales got stranded at the Matarangi Spit. Around a thousand people looked after the whales and the organisation urged trained medic to help the rescue operation alongside experienced Department of Conservation rangers. According to Project Jonah, short-finned Pilot whales are closely related to the long-finned pilot whales that regularly mass strand in New Zealand. "In a coordinated effort, the whales were refloated together and then several boats shepherded the whales out of the harbour. A brilliant effort from all involved," said the organisation in a Facebook update. Read: Rescuers Free Entangled Humpback Whale Off California Coast Netizens laud rescuers Social media lauded the effort of conservationists and volunteers after seven whales were successfully re-floated in the sea. Good to hear! Job well done, sad for the ones who passed... hopefully the surviving ones go further out to sea , commented a user. Thats great news. We were there for most of the day and left while they were still in the estuary. Thanks for all the wonderful work today, Project Jonah and DOC staff. It looked very stressful trying to wrangle the many people there doing their best to help, wrote another user. Read: 268-year-old Whale Could Be Out In Sea That Is 25 Years Older Than US Read: Science Says: Diet Plays Big Role In How Huge Whales Can Get Im a member of the Gang of Eight, which is typically briefed in advance of operations of this level of significance. We were not, Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor, adding that the administration must be asked probing questions not from your inner and often insulated circle, but from others, particularly Congress, which forces an administration before it acts to answer very serious questions. The image appears to show Qassem Soleimani (right) being welcomed into paradise by Imam Hussein (left) Iran has issued a propaganda poster showing slain commander Qassem Soleimani being hugged by the Prophet Mohammed's grandson. The image appears to show the general being welcomed into paradise by Imam Hussein following his death in a US air strike yesterday morning. Soleimani had been riding in a two-vehicle convoy which was decimated by three missiles from an American MQ-9 Reaper Drone near Baghdad International Airport. The strike, which also killed four more Revolutionary Guards and five of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary network, infuriated Iran, which vowed jihad on the US. The poster, reportedly drawn by Iranian artist Hasan Rouh al-Amin, was posted by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on his Instagram yesterday. Hussein's death was where the schism between the Islamic community began and is one of the defining events between Sunni and Shia Islam. He was killed in 680AD by the forces of the Umayyad caliphate, and, according to Ashura Australia, he 'paved the path for human unity by helping those who were oppressed'. Hussein is seen in Shia Islam as a hero and the third Imam. Soleimani (pictured) had been riding in a two-vehicle convoy which was decimated by three missiles from an American MQ-9 Reaper Drone near Baghdad International Airport The poster came as thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad during funeral processions for Soleimani and an Iraqi militia commander who died with him yesterday. They chanted 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' as they walked beside the coffins of Soleimani, architect of Iran's global military strategy, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Kataeb Hezbollah chief, in Baghdad. Meanwhile Iraq, whose prime minister attended the funerals today, threatened to order the expulsion of all US troops from the country after what it called 'a brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty'. The poster came as thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad during funeral processions for Soleimani (pictured) and an Iraqi militia commander who died with him yesterday Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday. The general was killed alongside Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US air strike early Friday outside Baghdad International Airport President Donald Trump has said he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Mourners in the Iraqi capital carried posters of Soleimani and flags of Muhandis's Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah militia, which has committed attacks against US bases in recent months, climaxing with a siege of the US embassy on Tuesday. An Iraqi woman holds a placard vowing revenge for the killing of the Iranian general Soleimani at the funeral procession in Baghdad on Saturday. At times the mood among the crowd was somber, at others it was marked by angry chants of 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' Iranians burn US and Israeli flags during an anti-US protest over the killings during a US airstrike of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in the capital Tehran on Saturday The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered in Shia Islam, before crowds headed south to a point near the Green Zone - the high-security district home to government offices and foreign embassies, including the US's. Meanwhile thousands of angry demonstrators stood outside the UN offices in Iran's capital, demanding retribution for the killing of Soleimani. The head of Iran's elite Quds Force will be laid to rest Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman as part of three days of ceremonies across the country, the Revolutionary Guards said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) A Manila court has denied the bail petition of ten accused in the 2017 hazing death of law student Horacio Atio Castillo, saying in an order released Friday that it finds evidence of their guilt strong. The accused who petitioned for bail were Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Macabali, Ralph Trangia, Robin Ramos, Jose Salamat, Hans Matthew Rodrigo and Marcelino Bagtang. The Metro Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 20, in an order dated December 10 but made public Friday, stated it was not convinced by medical experts presented by the defense who said the cause of Castillo's death may be an enlarged heart or myocardiopathy, which was seen in the initial autopsy report. The court said even if Castillo was suffering from an internal ailment, there is still criminal liability if the blow delivered by the accused either accelerated his death or is the efficient or proximate cause of his death. "Upon the facts and evidence presented by the prosecution, the Court finds the evidence of guilt of each of the accused strong," the order added. It noted that a witness said the accused were present during the fraternitys final rites. It added that Hipe, Trangia and Balag used a paddle on the victim while the others struck the victims arms. According to Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law, the presence of any person during hazing is prima facie" evidence of participation unless they prevented the commission of the act. Castillo, a 22-year-old University of Santo Tomas law freshman, was found dead after he took part in hazing rites of the Aegis Juris fraternity. The initial autopsy report said he succumbed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or thickening of the heart muscle. According to a police report, Castillo had hematoma or bruises on both upper arms. He also had several marks of candle wax drips all over his body. In October, John Paul Solano, another Aegis Juris fratman, was sentenced to two to four years of imprisonment for obstruction of justice. Solano, in his first affidavit, said he randomly found Castillo's body in Tondo, Manila on Sept. 17, 2017. He said he brought Castillio to the Chinese General Hospital by flagging down motorists. The court said Solano then gave another story, saying he initially made "incorrect statements" for "uncontrollable fear for his life." Over 200 members of Congress asked the Supreme Court to consider overturning Roe v. Wade, which guarantees the right to an abortion, in a brief urging the court to uphold a Louisiana law severely restricting abortion. The 39 senators and 168 House members submitted the amicus brief in the case of June Medical Services LLC v. Gee, which the Supreme Court will consider this spring. June Medical Services challenged a Louisiana law, passed in 2014 and currently not in effect, which required doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a local hospital within 30 miles of the facility where the abortion is performed. If the law is allowed to be implemented, all of Louisiana's abortion clinics would close, as first reported in October by CBS News. The federal district court issued a preliminary injunction on the law, which was lifted by the 5th Circuit Court on appeal. The Supreme Court restored the injunction. In 2016, while the lawsuit by June Medical Services was ongoing, the Supreme Court decided in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt that a similar Texas law was unconstitutional. Lawmakers argue in the brief that the Supreme Court should uphold the 5th Circuit decision, which found that the law did not place an "undue burden" on women seeking an abortion. In their brief, the members of Congress also maintain that Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt led to "confusion among Congress and state legislatures alike as to which laws might withstand constitutional scrutiny," and they say that the decision by the 5th Circuit court should be upheld. The brief also says that the famous 1992 decision Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, which upheld the right to abortion, caused confusion with its new "undue burden" standard. This standard means that state laws that place an "undue burden" on a "large fraction" of women seeking an abortion are unconstitutional. The court said that an "undue burden" exists if there is a "substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability." Story continues "Amici respectfully suggest that the Fifth Circuit's struggle to define the appropriate "large fraction" or determine what "burden" on abortion access is "undue" illustrates the unworkability of the "right to abortion" found in Roe v. Wade ... and the need for the Court to again take up the issue of whether Roe and Casey should be reconsidered and, if appropriate, overruled," the brief says. "Amici" refers to the signatories of the brief. All 39 of the senators who signed the brief were Republicans. Another Republican senator, Josh Hawley, had previously submitted a separate amicus brief. Only two of the 168 House members who signed the brief were Democrats Dan Lipinski and Collin Peterson. Lipinski has been singled out by abortion rights groups for his opposition to abortion, and is facing a primary from the left. Of the 13 Republican senators who did not sign the brief, eight are up for reelection in 2020: Susan Collins, Dan Sullivan, Martha McSally, Shelley Moore Capito, Cory Gardner, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham and David Perdue. Collins, McSally and Gardner in particular are considered vulnerable to being unseated by Democrats. FDA issues ban on most flavored e-cigarettes Pentagon sends more troops to Middle East following violent protests at U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Kim Jong Un ends self-imposed suspension of nuclear weapons testing The council urged the Libyan people not to seek foreign assistance against fellow Libyans Al-Azhar's Council of Senior Scholars held an emergency meeting on Saturday to discuss the recent escalations in Libya. During the meeting, the council said it rejected foreign meddling in Libyan affairs, adding that any intervention will only complicate the situation on the ground and lead to more bloodshed and loss of innocent lives. The council announced its commitment to Egypt's stance on the escalations in Libya. Last Thursday, the Turkish parliament approved military deployment in Libya to back Fayez Al-Sarraj's government in Tripoli. The Egyptian parliament condemned in a statement on Thursday the Turkish parliaments approval of sending troops to Libya, and warned against any Turkish military intervention in Libya. Al-Azhar's Council of Senior Scholars called on Islamic countries and International organisations to prevent possible foreign interventions in Libya. The council denounced what it called the "guardianship rationale" adopted by some regional countries to violate the sovereignty of Arab countries. The council urged the Libyan people not to seek foreign assistance against fellow Libyans to preserve Libya's unity. Search Keywords: Short link: Lungelo Ndhlovu, Thomson Reuters Foundation BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Families in the southern Zimbabwean city of Bulawayo are going up to four days without running water as drought dries the dams the city depends on, city council officials said. The city has since late November imposed 96-hour dry periods for residential water customers, though industrial and business users have continued to receive service, according to the Bulawayo City Council. An extended drought has reduced supplies of stored water, forcing the city to decommission two of its major supply dams, said Nesisa Mpofu, a spokeswoman for the council. Shortages of hydropower-produced electricity also have affected the citys ability to pump water from the dams, she said. Out of six dams, Bulawayo now remains with four water sources, she said. The four-day water outages - up from three days previously - have spurred widespread local efforts to store more water and to find alternative sources. Arnold Batirai, a councillor for Nketa, a suburb of Bulawayo, said many residents in his area had access to alternative water sources such as wells or water supply trucks provided by the council. But he acknowledged that not all borehole wells were still functioning, while shortages of fuel had affected water truck deliveries in some areas. Despite these challenges, we do encourage residents to conserve water and report burst pipes or water leakages, he said. Many residents now keep buckets or other containers of water in their homes, sometimes filled at their place of work. I carry a 25-litre container to work, where I fetch water from the bathroom, mindful of colleagues who may report me to my superiors, said Siphathisiwe Ndimande, a mother of three who lives in Nketa. Affluent residents in some suburbs have dug new deep wells in response to dry taps and installed large tanks that store thousands of litres of water. Other parched residents, such as 71-year-old Mildred Mkandla, have installed water harvesting systems on their homes, to catch what rain falls. Residents dont harvest rainwater but watch it flow away, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. My household is unaffected by the shedding because our main source of water is underground water, while I also harvest rainwater from the roof (and) thats connected to the taps, she said. Mkandla said her household had installed a 46,000-litre (12,000-gallon) water tank to store rainwater, and now does not rely on city water - or pay bills for it. Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, Zimbabwes Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, said several years of drought had created serious problems for Zimbabwes water supply. We are still recovering from a devastating drought that occurred (in 2018) due to El Nino. Under normal circumstances during this time of the year, the country would have recorded significant amounts of rainfall with impact to our dams, he said. WATER FOR ALL Zimbabwe has seen rain in recent weeks - including violent storms that destroyed roofs and washed away bridges - but water reserves overall remain low. Ndlovu said families had been advised to try to harvest rainwater and to plant early maturing crops, which require a shorter period of rainfall to grow. My ministry is looking at how best to assist communities, he said. But some Bulawayo residents said the national government had done too little to help the city. Government has done nothing to solve Bulawayos water crisis, complained Sinothando Mathe, who lives in Pumula North, a poor western suburb. Faced with struggling residents, Raji Modi, a Bulawayo South legislator and the countrys deputy minister of industry, in November initiated his own free water for all programme. Water trucks he has hired now deliver water to neighbourhoods without it, drawn from his own borehole wells. I have a sustainable water plant and decided to assist residents who go for days without due to water cuts, he said, noting the cost of the effort was mainly fuel for the trucks. Modi suggested pumping and storing more groundwater could be one way to help Bulawayo deal with its worsening water shortages. We need to invest in modern technology and effectively use underground water. Countries in the Middle East dont have much water yet dont have a crisis because they invest in technologies, he said. We need to adopt the same because water is the foundation for industrialisation and development, he said. Bulawayo City Council officials said they remains optimistic Bulawayo will not face a Day Zero where taps run completely dry despite rationing and restrictions. Cape Town, in neighbouring South Africa, avoided such a situation in 2018 by making widespread reductions in water use. Many of those restrictions still remain in place, in recognition of long-term climate-driven drying in the region. For now, Bulaway officials have pinned their hopes on divine help. Despite interventions in place, we pray it rains, said Sikhululekile Moyo, a councillor for Pumula North. She said a long-term solution would be to bring water to Bulawayo from the Zambezi River, 400 km away - but plans for such a diversion are costly, have been delayed repeatedly for more than a century and are opposed by Zambia. Reporting by Lungelo Ndhlovu @lauriegoering ; editing by Laurie Goering : Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit news.trust.org/climate Flight operations in Nepal's sole international airport were halted due to thick fog and power outage on Friday. Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu saw the cancellation of flights because of dense fog that slumped the visibility to 1200 metres and affected flight operations in the Himalayan country. Several domestic flights were also disrupted due to poor visibility while international flight operations were delayed further. Read: Dense Fog Likely To Occur In Areas Of Bihar, Odisha, MP During Next 2-3 Days: IMD Reports Dense fog in Nepal halts flight operations Nepal's Kathmandu recorded its coldest day of the year on December 28 when the temperature plummeted to 0.6 degrees Celcius. The capital city was covered by a thick blanket of fog for the past few days which affected the visibility in the region. Thick fog in Nepal has always affected the movement of flights to and from other countries and domestically as well, especially during winter. Nepal's Kathmandu airport is one of the most dangerous to land on in the world and thick fog can make the operations even more difficult. Read: Flight Operations Resume At Srinagar Airport After Week-long Disruption Due To Fog, Snow In 2018, 49 people were killed after a Bangladeshi airline plane carrying 71 passengers crash-landed at Nepal's Kathmandu airport. The plane was flying from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to Nepal's Kathmandu. The crash was the deadliest since a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed in September 1992, killing all 167 onboard. Accidents at Nepal's sole international airport are common during winter when the capital is covered under fog and the visibility is all-time low. Read: Twitter India Randomly Asks 'Kya Chal Raha Hai'; Internet Comes Up With Most Inane Responses Including "FOGG" In March 2015, a Turkish Airlines flight skidded after overshooting a runway amid dense fog in Nepal, forcing staff to evacuate the plane. The aircraft was carrying 224 passengers from Istanbul to Kathmandu when the accident happened at Tribhuvan International Airport. Passengers suffered minor injuries, but no one was seriously injured, said an official of Turkish airline. Read: Delhi: AQI Plunges to 'moderate' After Brief Respite, City Wakes Up To Foggy Morning Today, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the Christian community of the republic on Christmas, the press service of the head of state reported. "I heartily congratulate the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the holy Christmas Day, wish you all health and happiness. For centuries, representatives of different peoples and faiths have lived in Azerbaijan in the conditions of good neighborliness, friendship and mutual trust. One of the priority areas of our state policy is to preserve and further develop the ethnocultural diversity, multicultural traditions and an atmosphere of tolerance in society, "RIA Novosti quotes Ilham Aliyev as saying with reference to the press service of the President of Azerbaijan. BERLIN - Germanys security services have reviewed domestic and international threat levels following the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraq this week. The Interior Ministry confirmed a media report Saturday that revised guidance has been circulated to police in Germanys 16 states so they can take appropriate security measures to protect American and Jewish facilities. The ministry provided no details on the guidance disseminated by the Federal Police Office. Weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported several German states have already raised their alert levels. Germanys parliament recently voted in favour of a complete ban on activities in the country by the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Editorial Whats in Store for Myanmar in 2020 and Beyond? Hot air balloons over Bagan, a World Heritage Site in central Myanmar. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy With Myanmar facing challenges at home and abroad, people around the country celebrated the start of the new year. Many hope 2020 will bring peace, prosperity and happiness to the country, but it is not easy to fathom whats in store for Myanmar this year. The year 2020 should be an eventful one for Myanmar, as the country will hold a general election later this year. Myanmars last general election, held in November 2015, saw the National League for Democracy swept into power with a landslide victory. The election date has not been announced yet but many assume it will take place in November. Whatever the case, this is going to be the second election in democratic Myanmar and many hope it will be free and fair, but what political bargaining and horse trading will it lead to? We can only speculate. The ruling party, the National League for Democracy, has no formidable or credible oppositionbut political pundits say its main enemy lies within. The governments failure to advance the peace process or revive the sluggish economy, as well as incompetence in governance and bureaucratic reform are among the many key issues with which the opposition and critics have challenged the current administration. Critics see the elected government as illiberal and authoritarian in nature and several ethnic leaders have been dismayed by the lack of vision and imagination the government has displayed when it comes to national reconciliation and tackling the countrys long-lasting ethnic conflicts. The ruling party has no doubt lost the ethnic allies who in the past supported the NLD and its leader, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Voters want 2020 to mark not the start of another vicious cycle but a new beginning that will bring hope, excitement and a new future to the country. One must admit that ethnic unrest and the impasse on reform have both worsened during the past year, and the government has been powerless to solve these issues. Therefore, disappointment is widely shared among Myanmar citizens and hardcore activists, but they also ask: Do we have an alternative? Constitutional reform is under way but the military, which occupies 25 per cent of the seats in the Parliament (Hluttaw), has fiercely opposed the process. The ruling party proposes a gradual reduction in the armed forces role in national politics. The military remains a powerful force in the country, but also faces stiff opposition from ethnic parties and ethnic armed groups, not to mention strong resentment from the population, who have seen and lived under military dictatorship. Another major worry is the conflict in Rakhine State. The strife in Rakhine continues to threaten the countrys stability, as the Arakan Army continues to grow strong in the north of the state, leading to a predictable expansion of the conflict. The situation is critical, as the military conflict and humanitarian crisis continue unabated. To restore peace and stability in resource-rich Rakhine, the authorities must recognize the failure of past governments policies in the state and respect the Arakanese peoples calls for justice and equality, and their longing for peace and prosperity. Moreover, with refugees stranded on the Bangladesh border, the pressure on Myanmar will no doubt mount. To be honest, today Myanmar is under two authorities: the National League for Democracy and the Tatmadaw, or military. Under this joint administration the country has seen instability, fragmentation and major crises including the refugee exodus into Bangladesh and the new armed conflict in northern Rakhine State. As Myanmar faces internal challenges there are international players who continue to assist and engage the country. For better or worse, Myanmar is strategically located in Southeast Asia, flanked by two powerful nations, China and India. Myanmar is increasingly becoming a place for geopolitical competition between China and India, as well as between China and Japan. The Wests influence continues to be felt, but China has the upper hand again. Perhaps Chinas influence over Myanmar is a concern in the US and some Western capitals, but the fact is that while Beijing is engaging Myanmar more aggressively and assertively, it does so with few conditions. Myanmar sees the Wests approach as overly idealistic as it attempts to engage Myanmar, which it views as a vassal state of China. Political observers say Myanmar is seen as moving closer to China. To some pundits, however, this means Myanmar is struggling to maintain a neutral and independent foreign policy. How long can that last? Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Myanmar in the coming weeks. His visit will have many long-lasting implications, not least for the coming election. On the positive side, this geopolitical competition could serve Myanmars national interest, but the country will have to tread carefully and play safe with different players. More importantly, Myanmar will have to protect its sovereignty and independenceeven as some critics say the country is heading toward becoming a failed state. This is completely opposite to what many voters expected in 2015. Lets admit it: Myanmar is facing an emergency situation today. But we can still exchange New Years wishes and hope for a better future. In spite of the gloomy and depressing outlook, wishing for peace, prosperity and happiness in 2020 is a must. You may also like these stories: - United States VP Mike Pence said Soleimani directed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) to bomb innocent civilians in Turkey and Kenya in 2011 - Donald Trump's deputy said the head of Irans Qud Forces was a terrorist whose elimination was timed - Pence's tweet led to a backlash from a section of Kenyans on social media United States Vice President Mike Pence has claimed slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was responsible for terror attacks in Kenya in 2011. The US second in command alleged the deceased directed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) to bomb innocent civilians in Turkey and Kenya. READ ALSO: Lugari MP Ayub Savula asks Uhuru to dissolve govt, says Tanga Tanga making country ungovernable US Vice President Mike Pence has said slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani sponsored terror attacks in Kenya in 2011. Photo: Mike Pence. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: KDF kills 4 suspected al-Shabaab militants after Lamu bus attack In a series of tweets on Thursday, January 3, Pence said the head of Irans Qud Forces was a terrorist whose elimination was timed. Soleimani directed IRGC QF terrorist plots to bomb innocent civilians in Turkey and Kenya in 2011, the VP tweeted. He also alleged the general was responsible for other several attacks in Middle East countries. Soleimani was killed by a US drone attack on Thursday, January 3, for planning to kill US diplomats as alleged by President Donald Trump. Qassem Soleimani (center) has been accused by US Vice President Mike Pence of sponsoring several terror attacks in the different countries including Kenya. Photo: CNN. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mwigizaji Jackie Matubia athibitisha kuachana na mumewe We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people who are remarkable with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change, however, the Iranian regime aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours must end now, he said. Pence's tweet sparked a huge debate on social media with a section of Kenyans asking him to keep off Kenya from US "mess". Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. Grand Father from heaven I Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Nadeem Afzal, 51, exposed himself to a female passenger and asked her to perform sex acts on him An Uber driver who exposed himself to a female passenger and asked her to perform sex acts on him was caught when his victim recorded him on her phone. Nadeem Afzal, 51, deliberately took a longer route from north to south London with the woman, who is in her early 20s. The victim used her phone to make an audio recording of Afzal's demands, which was later used as evidence against him. The Pakistani national, of Chigwell, Essex, pleaded guilty to exposure and was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years. The woman had been out on Halloween and used the Uber App to request a cab home. Afzal arrived to collect her for what should have been a 40-minute journey. Twenty minutes into the journey Afzal exposed himself to her and asked her several times to touch him intimately. She refused, but continued recording his sexually-explicit requests. After nearly two hours in the vehicle she was eventually dropped-of at a takeaway near her home in south-west London. When she got home she immediately called the police and Afzal was quickly identified. He was today sentenced at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years It took nearly a year for him to be charged with the offence. Sergeant Jonny Harris of the Metropolitan Police's Roads and Transport Command said: 'Afzal preyed on this female passenger in his minicab and was extremely persistent in his sexual advances and behaviour, leaving the passenger feeling scared and vulnerable. 'The victim showed courage coming forward to police and reporting Afzal, who is now a registered sex offender and can no longer work as a cab driver.' Mandy McGregor, Head of Transport Policing and Community Safety at Transport for London said: 'Nobody should ever be subjected to this kind of revolting and predatory behaviour and we are pleased to hear that Afzal has been brought to justice for his actions. 'We applaud the bravery of the victim for coming forward. 'We expect the highest standards from TfL licensed taxi and private hire drivers, which is why Afzal is no longer a licensed driver. 'We take every report seriously so it can be investigated by the police.' Afzal must also sign the sex offenders register for ten years, Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard, and he was made subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. An Uber spokeswoman said: 'We are appalled by this case and have a zero tolerance policy on any such behaviour in the Uber community. 'Any driver found to have behaved in this manner faces permanent removal from the app. We encourage every rider to speak up and report any wrongdoing to the police and TfL, both of whom we work closely with.' The resignation of longtime Minority Leader Brian Kolb means change is inevitable for the GOP Assembly conference and Republicans appear to be favoring upstate Assemblyman William Barclay as the lawmaker to lead them into a new era. Kolb announced on Jan. 3 that he was stepping down as leader of the conference he has led for the past decade, following a New Years Eve arrest for drunk driving. Though Republicans will likely not choose a new leader until shortly before the Assembly meets for the first time this year on Jan. 8, Barclay has emerged in the leadership vacuum that has opened up as the front-runner to replace him. He has been working the phones over the weekend, and a half-dozen GOP insiders have told City & State that hes the candidate to beat, although at least one additional lawmaker, four-term Assemblyman David DiPietro, confirmed Saturday that he is also in the running. Barclay had already locking up support from a number of GOP members as of midday Saturday including Kolb, who told City & State that he would absolutely support Barclay taking over as leader. I talked to (Barclay) at length this morning, said Assemblyman John Salka of Central New York. Will is going to be a good leader for for the conference. Other candidates have been mentioned for the position, such as Minority Leader Pro Tempore Andy Goodell, but Salka said no other candidates besides Barclay have reached out yet. Goodell told City & State that he is not interested in becoming minority leader but has not yet decided who to support to replace Kolb, though Goodell did say that Barclay is a good candidate. A nine-term legislator with experience as the ranking Republican on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, Barclay has had a prominent position in the conference in recent years. Assemblyman Colin Schmitt of the Hudson Valley said that he was getting behind Barclay in part because of the help he has provided in securing funding to deal with toxic water pollution in New Windsor. Will has been there for me and the district when I bring up priorities, funding priorities, Schmitt said. If it's a legislative priority and you go and lay it on the table to him, he has unique perspectives of how to get it to a positive resolution. While Barclay confirmed that he is in the running for leader, he declined to state how many individual members have promised him support. Either Barclay or DiPietro would offer Republicans a seasoned hand to take over a conference that has suffered an unexpected political embarrassment in recent days. Not only was Kolb arrested a week after penning an op-ed urging others to avoid drunk driving over New Years, he did so in a state-issued SUV. Doing this at a time when Republicans have been issuing nonstop criticism of newly-enacted criminal justice reforms only made it more difficult for Kolb to stay on as leader though he was initially expected to try to make his case to fellow Republicans. I dont think theres a movement to push for his resignation, Barclay told the Syracuse Post-Standard on Jan. 2. I think we want to give him a chance to present his story when were back in session next week. In the end, Kolb would not get that chance as Republican members expressed their desire for him to step aside, although he will continue to represent his district in the chamber. His departure from leadership offers Republicans a chance to shake up a minority conference that has struggled to exert political influence against a Democratic supermajority. I feel we need to go in a little more dynamic direction, DiPietro said. I think we need to get our message out better than we have. While Barclay appears to have the edge to become minority leader, some Assembly Republicans have expressed opposition. I think (Barclay is) a terrible choice, said GOP Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor of the Hudson Valley. That would be a difference without a distinction Will Barclay has been in charge of the reelection committee for the Assembly Republicans for as long as I've been there, seven years no success there. The fact that Barclay also has a state-issued vehicle undermines the argument that he would represent a significant break from the past for a party that has tried to cast itself as the fiscally conservative alternative to the Democrats, according to Lalor. With a few days to go until the legislative session begins on Jan. 8, it remains to be seen who else might compete for the role of leading the minority conference. Lalor was the first member to call for Kolbs resignation, but has said that he is not interested in the position. Goodell wants to stay on in his current position as GOP floor leader, and has counted himself out. Whoever ends up becoming the new leader will inevitably bring some level of change to a legislative conference that had the longest-serving leader in the state Legislature until Kolb announced his resignation on Jan. 3. Though things could still change in the coming days, it appears at this point that the race is Barclays to lose despite facing at least one other rival. I fully expect that he will replace him, Schmitt said. I'm certainly looking forward to his leadership. I think there will be a fresh direction for the conference and Im quite excited to see that happen. China has announced the shooting of a film featuring a group of forest farmworkers in northwestern Gansu Province for their unswerving desert-fighting and afforestation efforts since the early 1980s. Three generations of workers at the Babusha Forest Farm in Gulang County of Gansu Province have managed to turn their hometown on the southern edge of the Tengger Desert into arable land from an inhospitable place where farmland and villages were long plagued by sand erosion. The desert-fighting workers were honored with the title "Model of the Times" in March 2019 for their devotion over the past four decades. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 4 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: Azerbaijans Karmen company producing flour products increased the production volume of flour by 25 percent in 2019, a source in the company told Trend. The daily flour production volumes reached over 360 tons last year, the source said. "The company has consistently increased the production volumes to cover domestic demand and increase the export potential, the source said. The company supplied flour to Georgia and Iran in 2019. Thus, 50 kg bags of premium flour were exported to those markets at a price of 25 manat ($14), the source said. Flour was exported several times throughout 2019." The company's products are in high demand and competitive in the domestic market. The products have a certificate of conformity issued by the Azerbaijani State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents. German, Turkish and Iranian equipment is used in the company situated in Baku. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday condemned the stone-pelting incident by a mob at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. "I don't have much information about it. Nankana Sahib is a sacred place for Sikhs and people of all religions have respect for it. If such an incident has occurred, all of us strongly condemn it," Azad told media. The comments came after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara's panthi. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tommy and Lorna Forsyth, Peri Talayhan, Ciara Forsyth, Eve Doyle, George Brennan and Leyla, Aliye and Ayla Talayhan at the St Stephens Day swim at Wicklow Harbour. Photos: Leigh Anderson Swimmers taking the plunge as part of the annual St Stephen's Day swim in Wicklow town wished one another a 'Happy Christmas' through chattering teeth. The brave souls taking part in the annual outdoor swim organised by Wicklow Swimming Club were greeted by some rather typical Irish weather for December - rather wet and rather cold. However, a slight chill and some rain wasn't going to put off Wicklow's dedicated swimmers who gathered together at the new pier in preparation for the 12 noon start. As per usual, many of the participants decided to dress up for the occasion. While some opted for a simple santa hat, others decided to dress a little bit more extravagantly. The tradition of a Christmas swim for local charities started back in 1985 on Christmas day. This was changed to St Stephen's Day in 1986 and has been supported by Wicklow Swimming Club ever since. This year's swim helped to raise funds for Wicklow RNLI with volunteers doing the rounds via a bucket collection. Presentations were also made on the day to Blue Dolphins Special Olympics Club, Meals on Wheels Wicklow Town, Wicklow Cancer Support and Wicklow RNLI. Also taking part in the swim was Dun Laoghaire native George Brennan and three of his nieces, Aliye aged eight, Leyla aged ten and Eve aged eleven. George set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Wicklow RNLI with a target of 250. George, Aliye, Leyla and Eve ended up surpassing that target by raising a total of 350, with all four of them braving the winter sea. US student fined for defacing Florence landmark. A 21-year-old American tourist has been fined 160 after being caught scrawling his name on Ponte Vecchio in Florence. The incident took place on 3 January, with police allegedly supplying the tourist with water and a sponge to scrub off his name, according to local media. The vandalism comes a month after a 66-year-old Australian tourist was caught urinating in the courtyard of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The man reportedly received a fine of 3,330. By AFP BAGHDAD: Thousands of Iraqis chanting "Death to America" on Saturday mourned an Iranian commander and others killed in a US drone attack that sparked fears of a regional proxy war between Washington and Tehran. The killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send thousands more troops to the region. Iraqi political leaders and clerics attended the mass ceremony to honour 62-year-old Soleimani and the other nine victims of the pre-dawn attack on Baghdad international airport, including Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. US President Donald Trump said on Friday he had decided to "terminate" Iran's military mastermind to prevent an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and troops. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war," he insisted. But the strike - which killed four more Iranian Guards and five members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network - infuriated Iran, whose ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, called it an "act of war" by its arch-enemy. ALSO READ| Missiles hit Baghdad's Green Zone and Iraq airbase housing US troops On Saturday, the Hashed said that a new strike had hit a convoy of their forces north of Baghdad, with Iraqi state media blaming the US. But US-led coalition spokesman Myles Caggins denied involvement, telling AFP: "There was no American or coalition strike." Mass ceremonies started in Baghdad Saturday for Soleimani - a veteran military figure revered as a hero by many in Iran and the region - and the other victims of Friday's attack. Iraq's caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi joined Muhandis associate Hadi al-Ameri, Shiite cleric Ammar al-Hakim, former PM Nuri al-Maliki and other pro-Iran figures in large crowds accompanying the coffins. The coffins were first brought to a revered Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad, where thousands of mourners chanted "Death to America!" Dressed in black, they waved white Hashed flags and massive portraits of Iranian and Iraqi leaders, furiously calling for "revenge". ALSO READ| US, Israeli flags burn as thousands mourn general Soleimani's death The crowds headed south to a point near the Green Zone, the high-security district home to government offices and foreign embassies, including America's. The remains will later be taken to the Shiite holy city of Najaf to the south, and the remains of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning. As head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign operations arm, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw wide-ranging Iranian involvement in regional power struggles. Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by Washington, with Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago". Tehran has already named Soleimani's deputy, Esmail Qaani, to replace him. His first order of business was made clear Friday when Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge" for Soleimani's death. Iraqi paramilitary figures including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr have called on their fighters to "be ready". And, elsewhere in the region, Lebanon's Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah threatened "punishment for these criminal assassins". Amid the tensions, the Pentagon said up to 3,500 additional US troops would be dispatched to Iraq's southern neighbour Kuwait, to boost some 14,000 reinforcements already deployed to the region last year. ALSO READ| Hollywood actress Rose McGowan defends tweet apologising to Iran after General Soleimani's killing There are approximately 5,200 US troops stationed across Iraq to train Iraqis to fight jihadists. They have faced a spate of rocket attacks that the US has blamed on pro-Iran factions and which last month killed an American contractor. On Saturday, a US official told AFP the US-led forces were scaling back operations and refocusing surveillance to watch for new rocket attacks. "Our first priority is protecting coalition personnel," the official said, saying there would be only "limited" training and anti-jihadist operations for now. US citizens were meanwhile urged to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were being evacuated from oil fields in the south. Abdel Mahdi warned on Friday that the US strike would "spark a devastating war in Iraq", while President Barham Saleh pleaded for "voices of reason" to prevail. Pro-Iran factions in Iraq have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing for the deployment of US forces on Iraqi soil. Iraqi lawmakers were to convene in emergency session on Sunday and expected to hold a vote. Analysts said the US strike, which sent world oil prices soaring, would be a game-changer. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as "the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off." He expected "bigger" ramifications than either the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or the 2019 raid that killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Please welcome to the stage, Bradley Coopers white suit. Photo: NBCUniversal via Getty Images There are just two more sleeps until the 2020 Golden Globes, which airs on Sunday, January 5. And because this year is already in total chaos and disarray, Ricky Gervais has risen from his three-year hosting slumber to trigger us all with his tangiest zingers and zingiest japes. Imagine saying, And the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama goes to Joker. Twisted. Will Fiji Water Girl make another appearance? Will Taylor Swift and Andrew Lloyd Webber win for their Cats song Beautiful Ghosts? Youll have to either read our coverage or tune in to find out ideally both. Youve already found your way to Vulture, so heres how to do the second part. Because the Golden Globes are decided on by the 90-ish member Hollywood Foreign Press Association, they can be less of an ironclad Oscars predictor and more of a fun excuse to see celebrities put on their Sunday clothes and party. Thus, the Globes red carpet is one of the best. Last year, it brought us the aforementioned Fiji Girl and one hilarious Lady Gaga interview. This year, the red carpet will begin livestreaming from the Beverly Hilton at 6 p.m. ET on the official Golden Globes Facebook page. If you happen to have cable and want to watch on television, E! is starting their red-carpet pregame at 4 p.m. with E! Countdown to the Red Carpet: The 2020 Golden Globe Awards. At 6 p.m., Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic will host the networks live red-carpet coverage. At 7 p.m., NBC will air its Golden Globes Arrivals Special. If you want to skip the red carpet and go straight for those sweet, sweet trophies, the NBC broadcast of the ceremony begins at 8 p.m. You can also livestream on the NBC app, providing you have a cable provider. If your cords dont match your gems (which is to say theyre cut), there are plenty of free livestreaming options: You can sign up for a free seven-day trial of Hulu + Live TV or two free weeks of YouTube TV. If youre a PlayStation Vue subscriber, its still operating until January 30, so youll be able to watch the Golden Globes, but youll have to find a new service in time for the Grammys and the Oscars. Such is life during the streaming wars! Bengaluru: Surrounded by tall coconut trees, lush green fie-lds, this premises which comes with well-maintained lawns and a large open space appears like a resort on the city outskirts where one can relax and rejuvenate. The only giveaways that it is a detention centre are the bar-bed wires that run over the 10-foot-high walls and the watchtowers on two corners of the premises. Enter the compound and a policeman, his weapon resting against the wall, has multiple questions to ask even as he signals his four colleagues, lazing around in the campus, to screen the visitor. The detention centre in the calm and peaceful environs of Sondekappa village in Nelamangala some 40 km from Bengaluru which finds itself at the centre of a raging debate over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is slowly getting activated, though for the moment the Karnataka government is trying to keep a veil of secrecy over when it will start functioning. Scheduled to be inaugurated on January 1, the government postponed the event owing to largescale protests against the NRC. But a visit to the detention centre indicates that it may not be long before it becomes operational, perhaps as early as this month-end. Over the last few days, the police presence has increased within the compound while construction of two rooms one for the staff and the other for policemen is going on at a brisk pace. A new caretaker has been appointed by the social welfare department about 15 days ago. We have not been told when this will be inaugurated. It was to be inaugurated on January 1 but has been postponed, informs the caretaker who was busy watering the plants. Till about 10 years ago, the compound used to serve as an SC/ST hostel but eventually got closed due to the dwindling strength of students. We have spent `1 crore in redoing the premises, informs Chandra Naik, an official of the social welfare department who is also incharge of the detention centre. There are six rooms in the compound, each room with five beds all brand new and waiting to be occupied. There is a common kitchen and bathroom while utensils and other items needed on an everyday basis are kept ready. Solar power has been provided while two watch towers have been constructed on the two corners on the rear of the compound. Barbed wires above the compound wall will ensure none tries to sneak in or get out. Earlier, there used to be a maximum of one or two personnel guarding the premises. Now we have five each working in two shifts, informs one of the five personnel. The detention centre can hold up to 25 people at a time. However, authorities vehemently deny that the detention centre has anything to do with the NRC. This despite repeated statements from senior ministers of the Karnataka government who have said they are studying the NRC with a view to implementing it in the state. We have re-done the whole compound and now the ball is in the court of the home department and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on what they intend to do with it, says a senior government functionary. He says there is no clarity when the centre would be inaugurated. The facility will come under the joint control of the home and social welfare department. The FRRO functions under the Bureau of Immigration. A senior police official said that there are a large number of foreigners in Karnataka, many of whom were arrested for various crimes and have to be deported to their respective countries. Among them, there are also those who have invalid documents and are overstaying in the state. Where do we keep them after they serve their sentences ? We cannot continue to keep them in jail once they have served the sentence. We are fine-tuning the guidelines for the use of the detention centre, he says adding that vested interests are deliberately giving it an NRC twist. He agrees that the government is studying the NRC and whether it can be implemented in Karnataka. This detention centre has nothing to do with it. What has worried a section of people is Karnataka home minister Basavarj Bommais recent statement that his department is gathering information about implementation of the NRC in Assam. He also said that the matter would be discussed with Union home minister Amit Shah. Many feel that the detention centre has been set up as part of the Karnataka governments intentions to implement the NRC. Interestingly, the renovation work at the detention centre had commenced when the JD(S)-Congress combine was in power. According to another official, who is in the know of developments, the FRRO has identified close to 500 foreign nationals who are either overstaying in the state or are without valid documents and those who have been arrested in various offences who are awaiting deportation. Most of them hail from Africa, informs the official. But there are many Bangladeshi Muslims here as well, he adds. It is not known how many foreigners will be accommodated in a facility which can only house 25 people at one time. Thousands of mourners chanting America is the Great Satan marched in a funeral procession Saturday through Baghdad for Irans top general and Iraqi militant leaders, who were killed in a U.S. airstrike. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Iraqi capital's international airport. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. U.S. President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict. His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. An official with the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq said it has scaled back operations and boosted security and defensive measures at bases hosting coalition forces in the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations. Washington has dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: "No, No, America," and Death to America, death to Israel. Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The procession later made its way to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, in central Iraq. The gates to Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy, were closed. Iraq, which is closely allied with both Washington and Tehran, condemned the airstrike that killed Soleimani and called it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is to meet for an emergency session on Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops based in the country, who are there to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. The U.S. has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and closed its embassy in Baghdad, where Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters staged two days of violent protests earlier this week in which they breached the compound. Britain and France also warned their citizens to avoid or strictly limit travel in Iraq. No one was hurt in the embassy protests, which came in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed 25 Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. said the strikes were in response to a rocket attack that killed a U.S. contractor in northern Iraq, which Washington blamed on the militias. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have steadily intensified since Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions. The administration's maximum pressure campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The U.S. has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a U.S. surveillance drone in June that it said had strayed into its airspace. On Saturday, billboards appeared on major streets in Iran showing Soleimani and carrying the warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that harsh revenge awaits the US. Iranian state television also aired images of a ceremony honoring Soleimani at a mosque in the Shiite holy city of Qom, where a red flag was unfurled above the minarets. Red flags in Shiite tradition symbolize both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Soleimanis home in Tehran to express his condolences. The Americans did not realize what a great mistake they made, Rouhani said. They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come. On the streets of Tehran, many said they mourned Soleimani and some demanded revenge. I dont think there will be a war, but we must get his revenge, said Hojjat Sanieefar. America cant hit and run anymore," he added. Another man, who only identified himself as Amir, was worried. If there is a war, I am 100% sure it will not be to our betterment. The situation will certainly get worse, he said. Global powers had warned Friday that the killing of Soleimani could spark a dangerous new escalation, with many calling for restraint. Irans state TV reported that Qatars foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, made an unplanned trip to Iran where he met with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The Qatari diplomat was also set to meet with Rouhani. Qatar hosts American forces at the Al-Udeid Air Base and shares a massive offshore oil and gas field with Tehran. It has often served as a regional mediator. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, took to Twitter to reiterate the kingdom's call for "self-restraint" to avoid unbearable consequences. Another Saudi official confirmed to The Associated Press that the U.S. did not give a heads-up to Saudi Arabia or its other Gulf allies before carrying out the strike that killed Soleimani. The official was not authorized to discuss security matters and so spoke on condition of anonymity. Italy's Foreign Minister meanwhile condemned the strike that killed Soleimani, in a rare criticism of the U.S. strike from a Western ally. In a Facebook post, Luigi Di Maio said the use of violence threatens to bring "destabilization and devastating humanitarian and migratory effects. Italy has long been one of Irans biggest trading partners in the European Union, and it has more than 800 regular soldiers and some 80 special forces in Iraq. Illustrating Soleimani's regional reach, Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, including the territorys Hamas rulers, opened a mourning site for the slain general and dozens gathered to burn American and Israeli flags. Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas official, said the killing of Soleimani was a loss for Palestine and the resistance. Iran has long provided aid to the armed wing of Hamas and to the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group. ___ El Deeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem, Jon Gambrell and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, Zeina Karam in Beirut and Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip contributed. LTV Taxi Drivers Jobs 2020 in Dubai United Arab Emirates UAE Latest Luckas Manpower Driving Posts Dubai 2022 A well known and established oversea company requires the services of experienced, strong and responsible persons for the posts of LTV Taxi Drivers in Dubai United Arab Emirates UAE 2020. How to Apply on Luckas Manpower 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 an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. Authorities urged Australians on Friday to evacuate parts of the eastern states of Victoria and New South Wales to escape bushfires they fear are set to burn out of control this weekend, Trend reports citing Reuters. In a harbinger of the searing conditions expected, a number of fires burnt out of control in South Australia as temperatures topped 40 degrees C (104 F) across much of the state and strong winds fanned flames. Victoria declared a state of disaster across areas home to about 100,000 people, with authorities urging people to evacuate before a deterioration expected on Saturday. If they value their safety they must leave, Michael Grainger of the states police emergency responders told reporters. Id suggest personal belongings are of very, very little value in these circumstances. These are dire circumstances, there is no doubt. At the summer holiday peak, authorities have advised tens of thousands of holidaymakers and residents to leave national parks and tourist areas on the south coast of New South Wales, where a week-long state of emergency has been called. India's outgoing Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and discussed "further strengthening" of the ties between the two countries. Shringla met Pompeo during a farewell call on Friday before leaving for New Delhi to take up his next assignment as India's next foreign secretary, succeeding Vijay Gokhale who will retire later this month. They discussed further strengthening of the partnership between India and the US building on the excellent progress made in 2019, the Indian Embassy said in a tweet on Friday. Given the importance Pompeo attaches to the India-US relationship, he met Shringla despite a hectic schedule on a day of Iranian crisis following the killing of Iran's top commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike. The move is considered unusual for a US secretary of state to meet an outgoing envoy from any country. Shringla served as the top Indian diplomat in Washington for one year. He played an important role in successful hosting of the "Howdy, Modi" event in Houston in September where US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly addressed the Indian diaspora. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two dollar billionaires in the banking sector emerged in 2019, which also witnessed competition that led to big changes in the economy. The banking sector in 2019 saw a sprint to increase capital and attract foreign capital flow to meet international standards and upgrade banking technology. After a gloomy decade, commercial banks reported explosive development with a strong inflow of foreign capital. The selling of 603 million BIDV shares (BID) worth VND20.2 trillion ($870 billion) to KEB Hana Bank from South Korea was the most valuable deal in 2019. The share sale wrapped up in November 2019 after two years of negotiation. The selling of 603 million BIDV shares (BID) worth VND20.2 trillion ($870 billion) to KEB Hana Bank from South Korea was the most valuable deal in 2019. The share sale wrapped up in November 2019 after two years of negotiation. With the deal, BIDV became the biggest bank in the system with charter capital of VND40.22 trillion. This is the biggest investment deal ever made by a South Korean bank and is part of foreign capital inflow which has been heading to Vietnam over the last two years after a decade of Vietnamese banks struggling with bad debt settlement. Vietcombank and VietinBank also sold shares to foreign investors, while other banks are seeking foreign partners. Banks from other countries are also racing to expand their presence in Vietnam after hearing that Vietnam intends to lift the foreign ownership limits. Shinhan Bank has surpassed HSBC to become the No 1 foreign bank in Vietnam, with total assets worth $3.3 billion. Shinhan took over the retail banking division of ANZ Bank in 2017. Banks have also been seeking capital from other sources to meet Basel II standards. The Sai Gon Hanoi Bank (SHB) owned by Do Quang Hien got approval from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to raise its charter capital from VND12 trillion to VND15 trillion by issuing shares to existing shareholders. With the rapid expansion, 18 banks have met Basel II standards, including 16 Vietnamese and two foreign banks. Banks are applying high technologies, resulting in the launch of mobile apps, non-cash payment methods, cooperation with fintechs (MoMo, ZaloPay, Payoo and SenPay), P2P lending and conversion into chip cards. The billionaires include Ho Hung Anh, president of Techcombank, and Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, vice president of HD Bank. By mid-December, Ho Hung Anhs assets had risen from $1.3 billion to $1.4 billion. He ranks 1,749th among the richest billionaires. Anh was officially added to the Forbes list of billionaires in March 2018. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao has U$2.7 billion, according to Forbes. M. Ha Vietnam banks thrive in 2019, profits exceed targets 2019 has been a good year for the banking sector. Most commercial banks performed well with profit results exceeding the targets set earlier in the year. Shortly before 2 a.m., a 49-year-old male suspect was involved in an armed confrontation with a security officer in the 7100 block of West Diversey Avenue when he suffered a wound to the neck. He was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Spain on Friday granted residency to an undocumented migrant from Senegal who was hailed as a hero after he rescued a disabled man from a burning building last month. Gorgui Lamine Sow, a 20-year-old street vendor who arrived in Spain in 2017, was walking down a street in Denia on Spain's eastern Mediterranean coast on December 6 when he heard screams and saw smoke pouring from a first-floor window. He climbed the iron bars of the front door before entering the burning apartment from the balcony, and then emerged with the man who uses a walker slung over his shoulder, carrying him down a ladder that had been set up by a neighbour. Denia city hall quickly asked Spain's central government to give Sow a residents permit, a request backed by nearly 90,000 people who signed a petition hailing him as a "model citizen". Spain's labour and immigration ministry said Friday it had granted Sow residency in recognition of his "act of courage and service to the community". Sow told Spanish media that he lives in a crowded room in the seaside town of Gandia with his partner and their seven-month-old daughter, and travels 40 kilometres (25 miles) by bus every day to Denia to sell bracelets and necklaces on the streets, a common job for undocumented migrants in Spain. "I am poor. But I am also strong and can help. I don't like to see people suffer. There was smoke and fire. But you can't be afraid. There was a person inside and I had to get him out," he told the local daily newspaper Levante-El Mercantil Valenciano last month. His case has been compared to that of migrant Mamoudou Gassama from Mali who in May 2018 scaled a Paris apartment block to save a boy dangling from a fourth-floor balcony. He was granted French nationality later that year and taken on as a trainee by the Paris fire service. Fianna Fail Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee says that spiralling insurance premiums is putting childcare places in North Dublin at risk. Childcare facilities have said they may be forced to increase fees for thousands of parents in the New Year, while some providers say they may be forced to close because of the rising increasing premiums. Senator Clifford-Lee said: 'Over 1,000 childcare providers are going to be directly affected by the increase, which will come into effect early next year. This is causing serious concerns to both the business owner in question and parents who fear that childcare facilities will be forced to close. 'There is already a severe lack of childcare places as it is in North Dublin and this is putting increasing pressure on families.' Senator Clifford-Lee explained: 'Some creches and play schools are being quoted more than double or triple their current insurance policies in quotes. We need to see an urgent address to this very concerning issue. 'Business owners are getting quotes back that are three times what they normally would have paid.' She concluded: 'If nothing is done we will lose hundreds of places in North Dublin and potentially thousands across the country. Action needs to be taken before businesses are forced to shut their doors.' The the procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shia Islam (Photo Credit: Reuters) New Delhi: Iraq's prime minister attended a funeral procession for Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and others killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Saturday. According to reports, thousands of mourners marched in the funeral procession through Baghdad with many chanting: "Death to America". General Soleimani will be given a public farewell in Tehran on Sunday, it reported quoting officials in Iran. General Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Iraqi capital's international airport. Soleimani and Mohandis were killed along with eight others in a precision drone strike early Friday as they drove away from Baghdad international airport in two vehicles. Many of the mourners were dressed in black, and they carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. According to The Guardian, the procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shia Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: No, No, America, and Death to America, death to Israel. Iraqi prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi joined Muhandis associate Hadi al-Ameri, Shiite cleric Ammar al-Hakim, former premier Nuri al-Maliki and other pro-Iran figures in a large crowd. The coffins were first brought to a revered Shiite shrine in Baghdad's Kadhimiya district. The crowds then accompanied them south to a point near the Green Zone, home to government offices and foreign embassies, including America. The dignitaries then accompanied the coffins into the Green Zone for an official ceremony. Funeral processions were also being held in the holy Shia cities of Karbala and Najaf, Iranian officials said, before Suleimanis remains are returned to Iran on Sunday morning. Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, would lead a prayer ceremony for Suleimani in Tehran and his body would be buried in his hometown of Kerman, Iranian outlets reported. Their deaths sparked fears of a looming proxy war between Iran and the United States on Iraqi soil. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. US President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict. His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an airstrike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any airstrike had taken place. The US-led coalition also denied carrying out any airstrike. The Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the airstrike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. The assassination came as Iraq-US tensions were on all time high already after a two-day siege of the US embassy in Baghdad by a group of PMF militiamen and their supporters. The Pentagon said Soleimani had masterminded the embassy attack. The siege was in response to US airstrikes on camps run by a PMF-affiliated militia particularly closely aligned with Tehran, which in turn was a reprisal for that militia's killing of a US contractor in an attack on an Iraqi army base on Friday. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Authorities in Houston have taken into custody a man believed to have fatally shot his fiancee three days after proposing to her on New Year's Eve. The man is alleged to have shot the woman during an argument around midnight Saturday in the parking lot of a northwest Houston apartment complex in the 5500 block of Holly View Drive. RELATED: Man shot to death during dispute at teen's birthday party Houston police Sgt. Cullen Duncan said at least one neighbor overheard the couples fight and came outside to help the woman. The woman's fiance, identified by police as Kendrick Akins, 39, then shot at the neighbor but missed, Duncan said. Police soon found the woman identified by family members as Dominic Jefferson on the ground next to a car with its door still open. By then, the fiance had left the parking lot. The couple was in their 30s, authorities said. Were concerned with the fact that hes not here on scene and was, based on some statements, that he was at the scene earlier," Duncan said. Soon after Akins was identified as the woman's fiance, police said he went to an HPD patrol station on Saturday afternoon to be questioned by investigators. He has not yet been charged in connection to the shooting. Amid the police investigation, the slain womans sister expressed confusion at the possibility that Jefferson was killed at the hands of the man who recently proposed to her. The New Year's Eve engagement was recorded in a Facebook Live video. STAY INFORMED: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered directly to your inbox He just proposed to her in front of the whole world, she cried. I want to know why. Why would you do this? You say you loved her. The two had been dating for about three months prior to the engagement. She said Jefferson was the mother to two boys and one girl. US Department of State on Saturday announced that the slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani was responsible for killing at least 603 US service members and for killing thousands more in Iraq. "Qassem Soleimani was responsible for killing at least 603 US service members and maiming thousands more in Iraq. 17% of US personnel deaths in Iraq between 2003 and 2011 can be attributed to this terrorist and his IRGC-Qods Force," US Department of State wrote on Twitter. Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, along with six others were also killed in the US attack. In an earlier tweet, State Department also said that Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were responsible for killing peaceful Iraqi protesters who objected to corruption. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the execution of Qassem Soleimani by US military was aimed 'to stop a war, not to start a war.' "We took action last night to stop a war, not to start a war. We do not seek regime change, however, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours must end now," Trump said in a statement. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria. Iran is observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This would "put a brake on rising living standards as well as enormous pressure on younger generations who will be financing social protection systems". "Improving employment prospects of older workers will be crucial," the OECD said. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has urged workers in their 50s and 60s to learn new skills to contribute to the economy, but leading workplace experts said existing jobs will also have to change to meet the health needs of older workers. Mr Jones said the Treasurer needed to get out of his "Canberra bubble" and realise that people like him did not need retraining because he was a fully qualified sheet and metal worker and licensed to work in scaffolding as a rigger and forklift driver. He also had Certificate IV qualifications as a trainer and in work, health and safety. "I've got a lot to offer in terms of knowledge and expertise acquired over many years," he said. "Do I really need to retrain? What else can they train me for? "There wasn't a job that a manager asked me to do that I couldn't do." Daniel Walton, national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, which fought Mr Jones' unfair dismissal case, said his employer had "made an assumption about his ability based on his age, rather than his actual value to the workplace". "Thats illegal," Mr Walton said. Associate Professor Leanne Cutcher, from the University of Sydney School of Business, said the Treasurer's call to retrain older workers overlooked barriers including age discrimination. While there would be a need for people in high-tech jobs to update their skills, "saying we need to retrain older workers feeds [a] discourse that they are somehow lacking". Dr Cutcher's research has found that employers, including insurance companies, wanted older people in call centres because the soft skills they had developed over a lifetime could not be taught. "There was a recognition that customers would often want to talk to someone older. Callers often wanted to talk to people with more experience," she said. Loading While highly skilled workers could continue to earn big salaries in their 50s and 60s, this was harder to achieve after a period of unemployment. In soon-to-be-published research, Australian National University academics Dr Tinh Doan and Dr Christine Heyes have found that employers can meet the needs of many older workers with deteriorating health by providing them with more sedentary duties and flexible hours. A former factory worker, for example, was able to keep working after transitioning to a bus driving job because he was given a comfortable seat, rest breaks and time out to see the doctor and physiotherapist. Professor Lyndall Strazdins, from the ANU's College of Health and Medicine, said it should not be assumed that older workers need to find new jobs. "Retraining is how we refit workers to fit in with different jobs - the other option is to change existing jobs to fit older workers," she said. There is no point getting a 65-year-old to fit into jobs a 25-year-old can do, said Strazdins. And there is no evidence to support the assumption that 70 is the new 40. We have extended life expectancy, but the years of healthy living have hardly increased for many," she said. "We can't expect that people are as well in the last 30 to 40 years of life as they were in middle age. They are significantly different in terms of their health profile and capabilities." While many displaced blue-collar workers face a future of unemployment, those in white-collar jobs tend to be healthier and wealthier, which helps them keep working for longer. Older highly skilled workers have fewer physical demands and tend to have more savings and better health, which helps them keep working for longer. Despite his enthusiasm to keep working, Mr Jones said there were financial disincentives. His pension payments and other benefits were cut when he started working more than 20 hours per week and earning above the social security threshold. "I don't mind not getting the pension, but to cancel everything else that goes with it without any notice makes you question why you should keep working," he said. A pancreatic cancer survivor of 15 years, he relies on medication that cost him $6.50 as a pensioner and $40.30 after his benefits were cut. When he calculated the cost of losing his pensioner entitlements to utility cost discounts, free car registration, a free driver's licence and Opal card travel to anywhere in NSW for $2.50, he was not far in front. After weighing up his earnings against the benefits he had lost, he estimated he was about $10 an hour better off. "It was a significant blow to me because I need to take medication three times a day to survive," he said. Figures published by the Federal Department of Employment show jobs with strong future growth prospects that employ people aged on average between 44 and 51 include aged and disabled carers, authors and book editors, confectionery makers and drug and alcohol and family and marriage counsellors. There were also strong prospects for managers, particularly in construction and health industries, and for chief executives and managing directors more generally. The average age of chief executives and managing directors is 50, and the average number of hours worked weekly is 52. Only one in five are female. Future employment prospects for welfare centre managers are "very strong". Their average age is 48, average weekly pay is $2148 and 70 per cent are female. Professor Marian Baird, from the University of Sydney business school, said in the past four decades there had been a 30 per cent increase in the number of older women returning to work. But there was a lack of policies to address skill development needs and how existing jobs could be redesigned. "The jobs they are currently doing probably need to be redesigned, which could benefit all workers and productivity overall," she said. A spokesman for Employment and Skills Minister Michaelia Cash said the government was committed to creating more job opportunities for Australian workers. More than 26,600 employers have entered 44,647 agreements under the Restart Wage Subsidy program since 2014. The program provides $10,000 incentive payments for employers to hire workers aged over 50. The spokesman said the healthcare and social assistance industry employed the largest number of workers aged 55 years and over (385,300), followed by education and training (239,600), public administration and safety (196,600), retail (192,900) and professional, scientific and technical services (190,100). "Together these five industries employed nearly half (48.3 per cent) of workers aged 55 years and over," the spokesman said. "Employment in these five industries is projected to grow strongly over the five years to May 2023." Employment growth in the health and social service industry is expected to experience the biggest jump - 14.9 per cent. The Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute recently released a research paper that found the National Disability Insurance Scheme would create an estimated 70,000 new full-time jobs. But it warned that many of those jobs would be low-paid and insecure. The report said the insecurity of providing essential services under the NDIS's "fragmented, market-driven delivery model are taking a severe toll, and leading many seasoned workers to exit the industry". Professor John Spoehr, director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, said the rise in demand for health and aged care services would result in a range of low and higher-paid jobs. "The frontline jobs tend to be lower-paid employment and more precarious forms of employment, but also there are higher-end jobs created in a range of sectors as a consequence - in tourism, financial and business services and in manufacturing for different forms of technologies that are helpful to support people as they age," he said. Loading In its report Working Better With Age, the OECD said limited training opportunities given to older workers make it difficult for them to stay in their existing jobs or find a new one. On average, a third of 55 to 65-year-olds have no computer skills or experience and only one in 10 had medium to good problem-solving skills in a "technology-rich" internet environment. "Across the OECD, older adults and the low skilled more generally participate far less in training than their younger and more skilled colleagues," the report said. "Ensuring that older people maintain their employability and have access to better employment choices will help them to navigate a labour market that will increasingly involve adaptation to changes in jobs and skill requirements." January 04 : Sidharth Malhotra, who was last seen in Marjaavaan opposite Tara Sutaria, is excited about his professional front in 2020. Prepping up for his next, Vishnu Vardhan's upcoming movie Shershaah, the actor has, of late, created some buzz regarding his vacation and love life. The Student of the Year actor took to his Instagram handle and shared a couple of pictures, basking in the morning sun as he starts the New Year. While the actor left the location unknown, his fans have made it obvious that the picture is from lush green South Africa. While the Marjaavaan actor looks dapper in his casual look, one of his fans has commented that Kiara is not at all a good photographer. The actor is seen in an olive green jacket teamed with a pair of beige pants and a cap. Earlier, the media was abuzz with the news that Kiara Advani and Sidharth are dating each other. As the rumoured couple is making efforts to keep their relationship under the wrap, they were spotted together at the Mumbai airport while they were returning from their hush-hush vacation in South Africa. Sidharth will play Kargil War hero Captian Vikram Batra opposite Kiara in Shershaah. The actor is also collaborating with Milap Zaveri on another film. Watch Sidharth Malhotra Video: Researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which chemicals present in consumer products like lotions and perfumes trigger allergy, an advance that may lead to new ways to treat the condition. According to the study, published in the journal Science Immunology, allergy may be triggered by chemicals in consumer products due to the way they displace natural fat-like molecules -- called lipids -- in cells. The researchers, including those from Columbia University in the US, said an allergic reaction begins when the immune system's T cells recognise a chemical as foreign. But they added that the T cells do not directly recognise small chemicals since these compounds needing to undergo a modification with larger proteins to make themselves visible to T cells. "However, many small compounds in skin care products that trigger allergic contact dermatitis lack the chemical groups needed for this reaction to occur," said study co-author Annemieke de Jong from Columbia University. "These small chemicals should be invisible to T cells, but they're not," de Jong added. The scientists suspected that CD1a -- a molecule abundant on the immune cells in the skin's outer layer called Langerhans cells -- may be responsible for making the chemicals visible to T cells. In the current study, the researchers found that the chemicals known to trigger allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) were able to bind to CD1a molecules on the surface of Langerhans cells and activate T cells. Chemicals like balsam of Peru, and farnesol, which are found in many personal care products, such as skin creams, toothpaste, and fragrances, were found to trigger ACD through this mechanism. The researchers identified the chemicals benzyl benzoate and benzyl cinnamate present in balsam of Peru as the causative agents for the reaction, and overall they found more than a dozen small chemicals which activated T cells through CD1a. "Our work shows how these chemicals can activate T cells in tissue culture, but we have to be cautious about claiming that this is definitively how it works in allergic patients," de Jong said. Further analysis of one of the chemicals, farnesol, revealed that when it forms a complex with CD1a, the compound kicks out naturally occurring human lipids, making CD1a more visible to T cells, and leading to T cell activation. "The study does pave the way for follow up studies to confirm the mechanism in allergic patients and design inhibitors of the response," de Jong added. Never since independence has India been torn apart from one corner to another as it has in recent days by the spontaneous agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Not one political party created the furore. The listless Gandhi trio, Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka, simply joined the fray; as the phrase goes, behti Ganga mein haath dhoey (washed their hands in the flowing Ganges). Its leaders were the youth and their hearts went out to the Muslims. In this situation came the Kerala state Assemblys resolution on December 31 urging the scrapping of the CAA. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad pontifically declared that Parliament alone has the power to make laws on citizenship and not any state legislature. This lecture would do no credit to a village school teacher. Even the peons of Keralas Assembly know that its powers of legislation are confined to state subjects listed meticulously in the countrys Constitution. What the Assembly did was not legislation. It was an expression of a view, coupled with a plea to Parliament, to scrap the hated law. State Assemblies are elected by the people and they are within their rights to express their opinion on matters of national concern. In 1996, Jyoti Basu went to Dhaka as chief minister of West Bengal to parley with the head of a foreign government. Involved were important issues of foreign policy directly affecting the interests of his own state. The result was a successful conclusion of the India-Bangladesh agreement on sharing the waters of the Ganges. Chief ministers have previously negotiated deals with foreign governments and organisations on investments, trade and specific projects. Dr B.C. Roy was said to have written out a 30-odd page agreement on one such deal with France. Not only does the Constitution not preclude such negotiations, if conducted with the Centres approval, they are also in the best spirit of genuine federalism. The political reality is that, without Basus active participation, West Bengal would not have accepted the accord and, without the states acceptance, no Indian government could have concluded the agreement. The Centre invited his participation, wisely and constitutionally. Prime Ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi freely consulted the Tamil Nadu chief minister M.G. Ramachandran in the formulation and execution of Indias policy on the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Arunachal Pradesh is entitled to be consulted on the northern frontier with China. Before Independence, R.K. Sidhwa moved a political resolution in the Sindh Assembly. The precedent was followed in 1956. A resolution was moved at a meeting of the Bombay municipal corporation (BMC) by a councillor to express regret and horror at the execution of former Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy and his three associates by the USSR, drawing attention to the fact that these persons were fighters for freedom of their motherland, who by displaying, great courage and steadfastness even at the cost of their lives in the cause of their countrys freedom have upheld the dignity of man and rendered great service to the highest value of life, viz freedom. The executions were contrary to the doctrine of Panchshila enunciated by the Prime Minister of India, practised by India and accepted by other countries. The Union government was requested to communicate the same to the families of Nagy and his associates with an expression of the BMCs sympathy. On the question of whether the BMCs resolution would be ultra vires the corporation, the Bombay high court held it would not hold a municipal action invalid and ultra vires the powers of the municipality if it entertained a reasonable doubt on the point and deemed the question as fairly and reasonably arguable on the ground that there is room for holding different opinions on the point. It declined to issue its mandate unless satisfied that it was plain and palpable that the act complained of, clearly and manifestly transcended the powers conferred on the municipality. The resolution fell within the ambit of the expression likely to promote public instruction in Section 63(k) of the BMC Act, 1888; therefore, the BMC was competent to discuss and, if the majority of its councillors so decided, to pass the resolution. In June 1948, India offered the Nizam of Hyderabad a draft heads of agreement on defence, foreign affairs and communications. They were reserved for the Indian government. Para 7 added a qualification: Hyderabad will, however, have freedom to establish trade agencies in order to build up commercial, fiscal and economic relations with other countries; but these agencies will work under the general supervision of and in the closest cooperation with the Government of India. Hyderabad will not have any political relations with any country. Do the states of the Union of India deserve less? By arrangement with Dawn A bird's-eye view of the Flamingo Dai Lai Resort in Vinh Phuc province (Photo: vinhphuc.gov.vn) The figures are impressive as in 2016, the locality just north of the capital city of Hanoi welcomed only 3.8 million tourist arrivals, including 28,000 foreign visitors, and 5.2 million arrivals, including 40,200 foreign visitors, in 2018. Authorities attributed the rises to the development of typical local tourist products over the recent years like weekend resort services, forest eco-tourism, cultural and historic tourism. A special product is the homestay services offered by families in Tam Dao resort town which is proving very effective in attracting tourists. Besides, they also intensified their supervision and check over the services so as to ensure their quality and prices. Environment preservation work was also a focus of attention from both authorities and locals. On the basis of the recent achievements, Vinh Phuc province has set a target of welcoming 6.5 million tourist arrivals, including 50,000 foreign visitors, for 2.6 trillion VND, creating jobs for thousands of workers in 2020. Sightings of Mark Rippee on the streets of Vallejo are all over his sisters Facebook account. Someone spotted him sleeping by a furniture store. Someone walked him to a gas station for coffee. Someone prayed for him at Nations Giant Hamburgers. Rippee, 56, developed schizophrenia after a motorcycle accident more than three decades ago caused a brain injury and blindness. He has delusions that hes an alien, or is being chased by the Ku Klux Klan, or cant collect his lottery winnings, his family says. In September, he stepped into traffic and was hit by a car, they say, then developed a brain abscess. After weeks in a hospital and a board-and-care facility, he walked out. His 62-year-old twin sisters, Catherine Hanson and Linda Privatte, werent alerted and couldnt find him. Complicating matters, Hanson is bedridden with blood cancer; Privatte is legally blind. Theyve come to depend on a Facebook community, Mark of Vacaville, to keep up with their brothers situation. The existence of the 2,000-plus group is at once a testament to compassion and an illustration of a system that often leaves the most vulnerable to fend for themselves despite severe psychological disorders. Families watch in desperation as loved ones cycle among homelessness, emergency rooms and jail cells. Short courses of medication may lead to the quieting of voices, which, in turn, leads to a release to the streets. Everyone struggles with the same underlying question: What should be done? When we allow people to deteriorate on the streets, or interface with law enforcement that leads to incarceration, what are we doing? asks Dr. Jonathan Sherin, director of the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health. Weve lost our compass. State lawmakers are watching a controversial new pilot program to expand involuntary psychiatric treatment in San Francisco. But critics say forced treatment can violate civil rights, and that the real problem is a shortage of supportive mental health services. Some families struggling to care for a loved one are aware of the downsides of involuntary treatment. They recognize that conservatorship in which a court-appointed conservator manages another persons living situation, medical decisions and mental health treatment is no panacea, and should be a last resort. Rippee, who has experienced involuntary holds, puts it this way: I dont need to be in a locked-up facility. It was like I was a hostage. In recent years, Rippees sisters have redoubled their decades-long effort to get him help. They worry their own health problems might someday leave no one to fight for him. Every winter we wonder, Hanson said. Is this going to be the year that he dies? In 1967, California transformed the treatment of people with mental illness. Until then, a family member could, with relative ease, call police to force someone into mental health treatment. Conditions in state hospitals were frequently abhorrent: Patients rarely bathed and were subjected to lobotomies and electric-shock treatments. Many were locked away for life. Republican Assemblyman Frank Lanterman and Democratic state Sens. Nicholas Petris and Alan Short proposed a radical overhaul, which Gov. Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1967. When the Lanterman-Petris-Short law took effect a few years later, it imposed strict time frames on involuntary confinement and limited it to those deemed a danger to themselves or others, or gravely disabled. Within a few decades, though, Petris noticed growing numbers of people with serious mental illnesses appearing on the streets and in jails. In a 1989 oral history, Petris lamented that while the law had promised funding to treat people with mental illness in the community, Reagan diverted tens of millions of allocated dollars back to the general fund. It emptied out the hospitals, Petris said, but there was no follow-up treatment. In the half-century since, the debate about helping people like Rippee has centered on that law, which will be the subject of a state auditors report this spring. Several recent bills have sought to modify the law, focusing on redefining the term gravely disabled. More than 5,000 people in the state were on permanent conservatorships, and close to 2,000 were on temporary conservatorships, as of the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to data collected by the Department of Health Care Services. The data are incomplete. In 2018, lawmakers agreed to create a narrow, five-year pilot program that makes it easier for San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego counties to conserve homeless individuals with serious mental illnesses or substance-abuse disorders. It allows courts to conserve individuals who have been placed on temporary psychiatric holds eight times in a year. A second law, passed last year, expanded the rules to allow 50 to 100 people in San Francisco to be placed under conservatorship. Civil rights advocates have serious concerns: In 2018, Susan Mizner, the disability rights program director for the ACLU, described conservatorship as the biggest deprivation of civil rights aside from the death penalty. She said the pilot program would give police incentive to repeatedly detain homeless individuals. So far, only San Francisco has adopted it. Disability rights advocates insist that maintaining the standards outlined by the Lanterman-Petris-Short law is essential to protect civil rights. Most people with serious mental illnesses arent refusing help, they say. Appropriate help just isnt available. Some worry that public dismay about the current homelessness crisis will encourage lawmakers to strip people of their rights. Advocates like Curtis Child, director of legislation at Disability Rights California, said the solution isnt more conservatorships but creating affordable housing and robust mental health services. Its still political failures that are trying to be masked with solutions that may decrease the visibility of individuals on the street, Child said. Even if state law changed to allow more people to be conserved, a shortage of placements and a gross lack of funding for county programs means there would be nowhere to send many of them, said Scarlet Hughes, executive director of the California State Association of Public Administrators, Public Guardians and Public Conservators. Earlier this year, a proposal to increase the amount of funding for public guardians by 35%, or $68 million, failed. County conservators receive no direct state funding, and in the past five years have received a huge influx of clients diverted from the criminal justice system, Hughes said. Some counties went from five referrals a month to 30 or 40. They are drowning, she said. Simultaneously, the number of facilities that can take them is shrinking, said Chris Koper, a legislative analyst for the organization. That leaves many conservatees in a placement pending status, stuck in jails or hospitals. Most state hospital beds are now reserved for people in the criminal justice system, and inmates with mental illness can wait for months or even years in county jails before a bed opens up. Five years ago, an average of 343 inmates with mental illness were awaiting placement. Last year, the average was 819. The easiest legislative fix is to expand conservatorship, Koper said. It then will appear that the Legislature is trying to do something. But as is often the case with social problems, the wound is so much deeper than that. And the wound will require a lot of money. In Solano County, where Rippee lives, Director of Health and Social Services Gerald Huber noted that few facilities in the state accept people with traumatic brain injuries. And they always have wait lists. Where are they going to put him? his sister, Hanson, said. Theres no place. In 1987, Mark Rippee, then 24, was optimistic about a budding career in construction and never went anywhere without his guitar. Then one night on a Vacaville country road, a car swerved into his lane. To avoid it, he steered his motorcycle into a dark field and smashed into an antique grain harvester. Surgeons attempted to piece Rippees body back together. His father was overwhelmed, Hanson said, and asked her to take over medical decision-making. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. A neurosurgeon recommended Rippee be transported to a state rehabilitation facility where he might need to spend his entire life, his sisters said. Instead, Hanson said, their father grabbed the legal decision-making papers and shredded them. His only son, he insisted, was coming home. This is how we lost complete control, she said. Under his mothers care, Rippee healed somewhat, his sisters said, though he was completely blind, suicidal and had severe brain damage. He was briefly able to take computer classes. Then, his sisters said, the delusions crept in: He heard voices in the air conditioner. He tried to jump out of a car on a freeway overpass. After Rippee threatened to kill his mother with an ax, family members said, they felt it was no longer safe to have him live with them. Gradually, he ran out of options. Local motels refused to rent to him. He ended up on the streets. In the past 15 years, Vacaville police say they have arrested Rippee 25 times, charging him with unlawful camping and public intoxication. On April 24, 2018, Privatte told the Solano County Board of Supervisors that her brother had attempted suicide more than 20 times, and that other people beat and robbed him regularly. Its not because I want to lock my brother up and be done with him, she said, crying. Its because I want him to be safe. What can we do to help? asked Supervisor Skip Thomson. Because what were doing is unacceptable. Privatte showed up repeatedly begging the board for help. This spring, she received an email from Thomsons office on behalf of the county, explaining that her brother could not be conserved in part because each time he was placed on an involuntary hold, he stabilized to the point that he legally had to be released. This is not a situation that we have ignored nor that we condone, the letter said. Simply the law requires stringent standards to impose conservatorships standards that so far we cannot meet. In October, mental health leaders from around the state gathered in Sacramento to talk about the future of the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act. They discussed how counties lack the resources to build out a continuum of care. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg asked his colleagues if the debate around involuntary treatment might be reframed to insist that people have both a right and an obligation to come indoors. Our North Star needs to be to end this horrific situation, he said. A few weeks later, a reporter found Rippee at a Vallejo strip mall, asleep on a patch of concrete littered with dirty socks and desiccated orange peels. After Rippee woke up, he requested a coffee the way he likes it a lot of sugar, a little coffee. He was friendly and talkative, his facts smoothly interwoven with delusions. He talked about the beauty of classical music. He recalled delivering pies for his parents business. Then he toggled to concerns about the KKK chasing him. Im trying to stay ahead of those guys, he said. Ultimately, Rippee said, he wants a home with a shower and someone to care for him. He doesnt want to be in a locked facility, but he does wish he could live inside. At night it gets cold. I just sit there and shake, he said. To leave a blind man outside, you know, I just figured the county could do better than that. Jocelyn Wiener is a contributing writer to CALmatters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California politics and policy. This story was supported by a grant from the California Health Care Foundation. "The main objective is to motivate children to take science and technology education and encourage a sense of discovery," said ISC organising committee Chairman and University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Vice Chancellor S. Rajendra Prasad. Bengaluru, Jan 4 (IANS) Rashtriya Kishore Vaigyanik Sammelan, the two-day children's science congress of the 107th Indian Science Congress (ISC), kicked off here on Saturday, aimed at encouraging school children to take up science education. Prasad said the Children's Science Congress targeted students in the age bracket of 10-17 years. Thousands of students from across the country and Bengaluru attended the event where Israeli Chemistry Nobel Laureate Ada Yonath and Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao also spoke. Tanisha Rajothia, a Class IX student from Chandigarh's Carmel Convent School said the Children's Science Congress has inspired her about science education, dispelling fears and creating confidence that anybody can take it up. "Science Congress enabled us to listen to many great scientists. Now we think that we can become a scientist as well," said Rajothia. As students, Rajothia felt that they were very small entities but meeting scientific authorities at the congress boosted their morale and confidence to become a scientist. Shruti, a student from Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Chattarpur, New Delhi, said, "I am very happy to come here. I learnt that there should be dedication do take up science." Aiming to stimulate the students' interest in Science, Yonath, 2009 Chemistry Nobel laureate, told the students that she assumed they all loved science. She shared the Nobel prize with Indian scientist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz. "How I became a scientist? When I was 5, I made my own experiments," she said, recounting that she came from a very poor family which shared the same apartment with another two more. Yonath advised the students to be curious and love their work. National Research Professor and honorary president of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Rao made the students to shout aWe all love science' in his address as the chief guest. "We love science. I enjoyed doing science. Science is a wonderful hobby," said 86-year-old Rao with 71 years of research experience and who has been a professor for 61 years. He said the future of India depends on science, calling the students as the future of the country who need to take up science education with dedication and sincerity. sth/vin By all accounts, Qassem Soleimani was a risky target for the United States to assassinate for that is what his extrajudicial killing does in fact represent. Despite his relative obscurity to the western public, he was a serious figure in Irans complicated and opaque power structures. While he is best understood as an amalgam of chief of staff, an unofficial foreign secretary and head spy, Soleimani still managed to maintain some distance from the more theocratic elements of the Tehrans ruling class. Thus he was more popular as a purely national figure than most of those ruling the Islamic republic with such authoritarian methods. For the Iranian public, and the wider Shia community pleading into Iraq itself, Soleimani represented Irans defiant attempts to defend its interest in a hostile region and, above all, anger at the (perceived) never-ending indignities imposed by Americas imperial ambitions. Soleimani may, indeed almost certainly did, have American blood on his hands, being believed to have masterminded a series of operations against US personnel since George W Bushs ill-starred invasion of Iraq in 2003. He would certainly have had knowledge of the protests and attempted invasion of the US embassy compound in Baghdad. Soleimani might have had further attacks on the Americans in mind (Washington hints that they had intelligence to this effect). He could be regarded though it must surely push at the very limits of international and US law as someone who would personally justify a lethal pre-emptive strike by drone. Still, his execution by presidential order is a remarkable act, even by contemporary standards. We are not quite back to the days when the CIA would happily try to knock off dictators in Vietnam, Cuba or Guatemala who had outlived their usefulness or were inconvenient but not so very far away. What's in a name? Particularly if you're an arachnid named after late reggae singer Bob Marley or a fish simply called the blue bastard. Queensland scientists identified 1171 new species in the past 10 years, naming creatures after surfer Mick Fanning, conservationist Terri Irwin and actors Dame Judi Dench and Jack Nicholson. Ornodolomedes mickfanningi takes its name after the Australian surfer. Queensland Museum director Dr Jim Thompson said the museum had led the way in naming and describing new species, spiders in particular. "Our role is to describe Queensland's biodiversity and there are just so many species not described, so many to be found and named," he said. Hyderabad: The avian park read bird sanctuary that will come up at the Kapra Lake, which has been listed as a wetland by the Centre, will come up on 20 acres of land that is said to belong to the government. Courtesy of the rampant encroachment over the years, the lake used to spread across 112 acres had come down to 70 acres by 2002. The Kapra lake and Pakhal lake in Warangal have been taken up for wetland conservation by the Centre. The Kapra lake comes under the jurisdiction of the GHMC and the irrigation departments. The meeting was dubbed the Wetland Mitra meeting that aimed at introducing the stakeholders to the government body. Medchal-Malkajgiri district forest officer Ashok Kumar told the attendees that the lake would be developed under the aegis of the Environment Protection Act. He deconstructed the roles that various departments of the government would play in this project. Initially, the state wetland authority is formed with the principal secretary, forests, as the chairman and other departments like the irrigation department and the GHMC would be the members. As participants recall, the state authority was nominated three months ago. This would be followed by the set up of a district authority. Mr V.V. Srinivas of the irrigation department told the gathering that the bund formation and railing work was being undertaken and should be completed in four months. Of the 2.5 km circumferance of the lake, fencing has been done on some area of it while some parts of the lake is under dispute. Of the 70 acres of the Kapra lake area that is now available, 20 acres is state land that is not under dispute, said Ms Deepa Shailender, a resident of Sainikpuri. Officials observed that in the first order of business, the undisputed boundaries are being identified and the wetland work will commence in the state-owned land that is available. The basic plan for the lake as it stands is that there will be a security room for round the clock protection. Half an acre will be developed for a butterfly park. There will be a watchtower too, probably two storeys high. This watchtower will have binoculars and a stationary telescope, where people can view the birds and other animals on or around the lake, Mr A Shankaran, retired forest officer, told Deccan Chronicle. Restoration and filling up of the lake will be coordinated by the GHMC and the irrigation department. "A portion of the portico beside the enquiry counter close to the main entrance has collapsed. As per prima facie information, one person has been taken to the hospital following injury. Three-four other persons sustained minor injuries and were released after first aid," said Divisional Railway Manager (Howrah) Isha Khan. Kolkata, Jan 4 (IANS) Four to five persons were injured when a portion of the Burdwan railway station of Eastern Railway in West Bengal collapsed on Saturday evening. Train movement was not affected, a senior official said. A railway rescue team and police have reached the spot. The official said as per prima facie information, no one was buried under the rubble. "Our personnel there have informed us that no one was trapped in the debris. We are gathering more details to ascertain this. We will remove all the debris to see for sure that no one is there under the rubble," he said. The railway has ordered an enquiry to know the cause of the mishap which occurred at around 8 p.m. "I can't say at this stage whether there was any shortcoming in maintenance. That can only be said once the enquiry is over. Our priority now is to undertake rescue," the official said. He said there was no impact on train movement. "There is no problem in the platform portion. We have already opened an alternate way for entry and exit of passengers," said Khan, who spoke to the Burdwan district magistrate after the incident. An Eastern Railway spokesperson told IANS: "Rescue operation is on. Senior officials have reached the site and are taking stock of the rescue operations." ssp-aks/arm Iranian Quds Commander Qasem Soleimani, PMF Deputy Leader Killed in Baghdad Airport Attack - Report Sputnik News 04:08 03.01.2020(updated 04:53 03.01.2020) Iraq's Shia Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said on Friday that several members of the militia, as well as several " guests", were killed by rocket fire near the Baghdad International Airport. Iraqi state-run media said Friday that the deputy head of the PMF, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force unit, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani were killed in the incident. Al Arabiya and Sky News broadcasters echoed reports of Soleimani's death. There has been no official confirmation issued by Tehran or the IRGC. According to earlier media reports, all of those killed were in a small convoy leaving the airport late on Thursday. The projectiles are reportedly said to have also hit facilities of the Iraqi army and the international coalition. According to the Al-Sumaria broadcaster, the strike also injured at least 12 Iraqi servicemen and killed a civilian. The PMF blamed the US and Israel for the deadly airstrike. "The American and Israeli enemy is responsible for killing the Mujahideen Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani", a spokesman for the PMF, Ahmed al-Assadi, said, cited by Reuters. According to US officials, cited by Reuters on the condition of anonymity, the Thursday strikes were carried out against two targets in Baghdad linked to Iran. Earlier in the day, the PMF reportedly responsible for the recent siege of the US Embassy in Baghdad confirmed its senior official in charge of public relations, Mohammed Jabiri, had been killed in the attack. The situation in Iraq escalated on Tuesday when Shia protesters attempted to storm the gates of the US Embassy in Baghdad, following airstrikes on an Iran-backed unit of Kataib Hezbollah operating in the country. The strikes were carried out in response to an attack at the Kirkuk base that killed a US contractor. The deadly airstrike occurred amid escalating US-Iran strife in the Middle East. Since May 2019, Washington - after unilaterally withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear accord - has been building up its military presence in the region, in what US senior officials characterize as a clear message to Iran. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address According to a Raj Bhavan statement on Friday, "Further headway (on the legislations) can be made only after inputs are made available by the state government and the state legislature, as such inputs are exclusively with them as regards the issues raised." Kolkata, Jan 4 (IANS) West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was yet to give the nod to two bills, one to prevent lynching and another related to a state commission for scheduled castes and tribes. "The delay is being occasioned in consideration of those Bills for want of this information and attention of the concerned has been drawn severally and at all levels," the statement said. "It is expected that highest priority will be given so that legislative work does not suffer. All inputs warranted by the Rules of Business under Article 166(3) of the constitution be duly complied and made available in time," it said. Dhankhar had earlier sought response of the State Assembly Secretary to the contention of opposition parties that The West Bengal (Prevention of Lynching) Bill, 2019 circulated in the House was "not in consonance" with the one he had recommended for introduction in the assembly. The West Bengal State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Bill, 2019 was received at Raj Bhavan on November 29 and on December 3 Dhankhar had asked for a briefing from "concerned senior person". "A follow up communication was sent on the same day to the Secretary to the West Bengal Backward Classes Welfare Departmenta" Raj Bhavan had said earlier. The governor, however, has accorded his consent to the "The Hindi University, West Bengal, Bill 2019 and the West Bengal Lifts, Escalators and Travelators Bill, 2019" on January 2. ssp/sdr/ Its a Friday afternoon, and Jenny Offill, author of the widely acclaimed 2014 novel Dept. of Speculation (Vintage), is at her home in the Hudson Valley. Shes speaking via Skype, about to broach the subject of her new novel, Weather (Knopf, Feb.), when her internet goes down. The conversation switches to the telephone, but Offill isnt flustered. In some ways the interruption seems fitting. Both Dept. of Speculation and Weather, with their fragmented structures, suggest that linearity is suspect, that connection is fragile, and that we are at the mercy of forces beyond our understanding. Offills biography, like her novels, is haphazard. Her parents were boarding school teachers, and throughout her childhood she moved around the country, living in Massachusetts, California, Indiana, and, eventually, North Carolina, where she attended high school and college, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating, she worked a number of odd jobswaitress, bartender, caterer, cashier, medical transcriber, fact-checker, writer of things for rich people who have a story to tell, as she puts it. She published her first novel, Last Things (Bloomsbury), in 2000, when she was 30. That book received critical acclaim but failed commercially. In the years that followed, Offill worked as an adjunct writing instructor at various universities and wrote childrens books. Like the writer-narrator of Dept. of Speculation, she struggled for years to produce a second novel. When she did produce that second novel, it exceeded expectations. I was hoping other writers would like it, Offill, 51, says of Dept. of Speculation. That was just a weird book. I didnt think a novel that was structured like that would have a big audience. For all its unconventionality, Dept. of Speculation is propulsive and absorbing. Critic Elaine Blair, writing in the New York Review of Books, said it can be read in about two hours. Shes right. Perhaps this is why it didnt remain some weird book, as Offill assumed it would. To date, Dept. of Speculation has sold about 57,000 print copies in hardcover and paperback, according to NPD BookScan; it has been acquired in 21 territories outside of North America; and its been optioned for film. The novel tells the story of an unnamed woman who once aspired to be an art monster but, saddled with family and work commitments (including a gig as a ghostwriter for an egomaniacal almost astronaut), has thus far failed to realize her potential. The Wife, as shes sometimes called, begins to question her devotion to her family when she discovers that her husband has had an affair with a younger woman. Proceeding in a series of frenzied fragments, separated by double paragraph breaks, the novel presents the narrators fearsome intellect as well as her changeable demeanor. In a single brief chapter, the narrator alludes to Einstein, recounts the gruesome death of a Russian cosmonaut, quotes the explorer Frederick Cook, writes an imaginary and self-flagellating Christmas card to loved ones, describes her daughter swimming, and references the Stoics. Dept. of Speculations success may also have been owed, in some small part, to its association with a style of writing, popular in the last decade, known as autofiction. The term has come to stand for a literary approach that does away with the conventions of fiction, such as plot and invented characters, and draws, or appears to draw, on the authors lived experience. Offill is often mentioned in the same breath as other practitioners of the form, such as Rachel Cusk and Ben Lerner, but she smarts at the label. Autofiction has been around for so long, she says. She also feels its gendered, asserting that women who write it are assumed to be pulling from their diaries. I wouldnt be a fiction writer if I didnt believe that you could invent, and conflate, and add to things. And Weather, while formally similar to Dept. of Speculation, certainly strays from the precepts of autofiction. Its narrator is named, for example, and its preoccupations are less insular. The book centers on a librarian named Lizzie who is raising a son with her husband and caring for a brother with a history of drug addiction. Over the course of the novel, Lizzie, who begins working for a former mentor who operates a podcast about futurism, becomes increasingly fixated on the climate crisis and the doomsday preparation movement. Her anxieties only accelerate when Donald Trump (who is never named) is elected president. Jordan Pavlin, Offills editor at Knopf, feels that Weather is more ambitious in its themes than Dept. of Speculation, and that one of its most thrilling seductions is the way it uses the anxiety we are all experiencing in relation to the current climateboth literally and figurativelyas a plot engine. Offill says that with Weather she was looking to respond to the current moment more directly, to write a book that wasnt frozen in amber. She was inspired to address climate change in part by her conversations with her best friend, novelist Lydia Millet, who has written about environmental issues for the New York Times and who addresses those themes in her fiction. For years weve been talking, and at a certain point I thought, I need to know more about this, Offill says. At the same time, Offill worried about the pitfalls of political fiction, which she feels can be boring, didactic, and humorless. I dont love the language thats available to talk about this stuff, she says. Do I like to say interconnectedness? No. Do I like to say web of life? Mm, no. If youre not particularly drawn to earnestness, how do you make yourself be a more engaged person? Nonetheless, Offill thinks the central problems of our timeclimate change, social justicecant be tackled individually. Its about getting more peopleincluding people like me, who actually hate all group activitiesto sign up for the messiness and frustration and occasional exhilaration of collective action. Ive been to more marches and more meetings and Ive written more postcards and called more people than Ive ever done, she says. I dont like to do any of that stuff. Weather, like Dept. of Speculation, is told through frenetic fragments. But where the fragments in Dept. of Speculation were meant to mimic the churning of the narrators mind, the fragments here are meant to mimic weather. People always say, Its an atmospheric book, Offill explains. I wanted to see what it would be like to try to write atmospherically. The book, she says, is meant to swirl as if its paragraphs were clouds. Its atomized form is intended to congeal into an uneasy whole, mirroring the challenge of political movements, in which individuals must find a way to act in concert. If Offill arrived at any wisdom by the end of writing Weather, its the wisdom captured in a quote the protagonists husband posts above his desk: You are not some disinterested bystander/Exert yourself. With Weather, Offill hopes to do just that. (TNS) Lockport City School District announced Thursday that it has begun using its controversial facial and object recognition surveillance system.The announcement on the district website came as a surprise, since administrators had previously told the Union-Sun & Journal they did not have a set date for launching the system.I am pleased to report that the District has completed the initial implementation phase of the AEGIS system, and has also completed its related discussions with (New York State Education Department). As a result, the AEGIS system became operational on January 2, 2020, in conjunction with the return of students and staff from recess, Superintendent Michelle Bradley said in the posted announcement.The AEGIS system, which includes gun detection and facial recognition, will be functioning as an additional security measure in all buildings. District Policy 5685 (Operation and Use of Security Systems/Privacy Protections) governs the operation of the AEGIS system. In order to address issues raised by NYSED, Policy 5685 provides that in no event shall a District student be placed in the AEGIS system database.The districts use of the Aegis system was stalled for months after NYSED told the district to hold off until its privacy concerns were addressed. Last spring, Bradley had announced a goal launch date of Sept. 1, but that changed after NYSED warned the district in statements to the media that its concerns had not been adequately addressed.In November, Temitope Akinyemi, NYSEDs chief privacy officer, wrote to Bradley telling her that if changes were made in the districts policy governing use of the system to further clarify that students identifying information wont be stored in the system database it would allow the district to employ the system.The amended Aegis use policy could be put to a vote by the board of education at its meeting next week.Asked Thursday afternoon whether NYSED had approved the launch, a department spokesperson pointed to its November letter and did not offer any additional comment when informed that the districts amended system use policy hasnt been approved by the school board yet.The district used $1.4 million of the $4.2 million allocated to it through New Yorks Smart Schools Bond Act to acquire and install one of the first facial and object recognition security systems in an American school. The system relies on the Aegis software suite created by Canadian-based SN Technologies.The facial recognition software works by using a database of flagged individuals and sending an alert to district personnel when a flagged person is detected on school property. The object recognition feature would reportedly detect 10 types of guns and alert certain district personnel, as well as law enforcement, if a weapon is detected. Gen. Soleimani's assassination to strengthen resistance movement: Iran FM Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 4:27 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has strongly condemned US assassination of IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani, saying it will strengthen the resistance movement across the world. "The malice and stupidity of the terrorist American forces in assassinating General Soleimani, the hero and commander of fight against terrorism and extremism, will undoubtedly make stronger the tree of resistance in the region and the world," Zarif said in a Friday statement. The top diplomat said Foreign Ministry will use its political, legal, and international capacities to implement decisions made by Iran's Supreme National Security Council in order to hold the criminal and terrorism regime of the US accountable for this blatant crime. Zarif had earlier tweeted that "the US' act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani THE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et alis extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation." "The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism," Zarif warned. The comments came after Major General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were assassinated in US airstrikes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The IRGC announced in a statement on Friday morning that Major General Soleimani and al-Muhandis were martyred in the attack carried out by US helicopters. The Iraqi pro-government group also confirmed the incident. "The deputy head of the Hashed, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and head of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, were killed in a US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road," it said in a statement. "The American and Israeli enemy is responsible for killing the mujahideen Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani," said Ahmed al-Assadi, a PMU spokesman. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made several stops in western Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar to meet the families of those who died or were injured during last months violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The partys general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh will also meet the relatives of those killed in Meerut during the protests on December 20 outside the city after she was denied permission to enter. Congress Meerut city unit president Jahid Ansari said she will speak to the families of the five victims at Bypass Road on her way back to Delhi. Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Muzaffarnagar in the morning and met Maulana Asad Hussaini, who runs Madarsa Hoz E Ilmia near Meenakshi Chowk, where violence erupted during the anti-CAA protests. After her meeting with Hussaini and other victims, she said all of them accused the police of unleashing a reign of terror and thrashing them for no fault of their fault. She said the police entered the madarsa and beat up the maulana and his students. I met Maulana Asad Hussaini, who was brutally thrashed by the police. Students of the madarsa, including minors, were picked up by the police without any reason. Some of them some have been released and some are still in custody, she said while speaking to reporters. Priyanka Gandhi also went to the house of Noor Mohammad who lost his life during the protests. She spoke with his seven-month pregnant widow and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She also met Rukaiya, who will be getting married on Saturday, and said the police vandalised her house and damaged things bought for her wedding. She said she has given a memorandum to Governor Anandiben Patel incorporating the high-handedness of the police during the protests. Priyanka Gandhi reiterated she and her Congress party are committed to standing by the victims and their families and will go to each and every place where injustice has done to people, Harendra Tyagi, Muzaffarnagars district unit president, said. Priyanka and her brother and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had tried to visit the victims families in Meerut in the last week of December but were denied permission and compelled to return from outskirts of the city. She has been meeting the families of those injured, killed or arrested during the violent protests against the act including Lucknow and Bijnore. More than 20 people were killed and hundreds injured in Uttar Pradesh as police and protesters clashed last month after the situation spiralled out of control in several areas in the state. Auto-maker Ather, which has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu government to build a new factory, on Saturday said it was moving to the next phase of its growth to scale up its operations across the country. As part of its expansion plan, the auto-maker plans to take Ather Space, its flagship experience centre format, across key cities like Coimbatore. The company would design the retail space and experience for its dealer partners with focus on its holistic experience-led model. The experience centres would allow prospective consumers to test-ride and get hands-on with Athers intelligent and connected product portfolio. The company currently operates Ather Space in Bengaluru and Chennai and looking for a dealer-partner to set up experience centres across the cities. The firm's flagship intelligent scooter Ather 450 has been setting new standards in the electric vehicles market and has ardent enthusiast across the country waiting to order, the company chief business officer Ravneet Phokela said in a press release. The company would continue to enlarge its public charging network - Ather Grid - in all metros in the coming months and each city would receive fast-charging points prior to the delivery of the vehicles, he said. "Intelligent electric vehicles are a new category for which the traditional retail model doesnt really work. We have spent the last couple of years pioneering a new model in Chennai and Bengaluru, which is focused on experience," he said. "We are now looking for dealers and partners in Coimbatore and other parts of Tamil Nadu to expand across the country in a short period of time," he said. "It is an opportunity for us and the partners to prepare for the next phase of the automobile revolution and invest in skill development and employment for a new breed of retail professionals," Phokela said. The New Year kicked off a with a very spirited debate over twitter over which subway seat in New York City was best. Twitter user @gplatinum_ shared a post on New Year's Eve that showed a practically empty D train - a miracle in itself - and asked New Yorkers which was the 'best seat'. The user's post quickly went viral, gaining more than 2,000 retweets and just under 19,000 likes. The post had garnered some 10,300 comments. Even Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is currently running for president, chimed in claimed that he has the tendency to 'always stand' when he rides the subway. Bloomberg was infamously called out in the 2000s for taking an SUV to ride 22 blocks to take an express train to get to City Hall instead of riding on a more suitable commute with everyday commuters. The city's current mayor Bill de Blasio, also weighed in, adding his opinion on the post in a comment to the New York Times. '1-3-2,' he said. '4 and 5 don't exist when you're 6'6'.' Twitter user @gplatinum_ shared a post on New Year's Eve that showed a practically empty D train - a miracle in itself - and asked New Yorkers which was the 'best seat' Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is currently running for president, claimed that he has the tendency to 'always stand' when he rides the subway Former presidential candidate and current Mayor of NYC, Bill de Blasio, added his opinion on the post. '1-3-2,' he said. '4 and 5 don't exist when you're 6'6'' Among the other participants in debate was New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams who gave his vote for 'number 1 obviously,' which is the seat closest to the subway train's doors. A person responded to Williams and said: 'You can be seen by more voters there.' George Conway, the popular husband of Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, cosigned a list from writer Astead Herndon who listed seat 4- the one nestled closest to the wall of the train - as his favorite. Herndon then listed seats 1, 3, 5 and then 2 as his preferred seats after the fourth one. 'Totally agree,' Conway asserted. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams gave his vote for 'number 1 obviously,' which is the seat closest to the subway train's doors George Conway, the popular husband of Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, cosigned a list from writer Astead Herndon who listed seat 4- the one nestled closest to the wall of the train - as his favorite 'Totally agree,' Conway asserted TV host and comedian Desus Nice sounded off on the popular post, adding that the recent influx of videos showing subway fights 'involve seat 4.' Andy Byford, Chief Executive Officer of the New York City Transit Authority, wouldn't choose his favorite seat. TV host and comedian Desus Nice sounded off on the popular post, adding that the recent influx of videos showing subway fights 'involve seat 4' 'I don't usually use seats when I ride because they are for customers,' he told the New York Times. 'As for choosing the best, that's like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. Each one is special in its own way.' Of course a few people decided to localize the question, with several people asking which seats were the best on Toronto's public train system. A few Twitter users even showed photos inside different Subway sandwich stores, asking hungry patrons which seat were their favorites. Andy Byford, Chief Executive Officer of the New York City Transit Authority, wouldn't choose his favorite seat 'I don't usually use seats when I ride because they are for customers,' he said. 'As for choosing the best, that's like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. Each one is special in its own way.' Of course a few people decided to localize the question, with several people asking which seats were the best on Toronto's public train system Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into author Gabriel Matzneff, accused of rape of a minor. The probe comes after the publication of an autobiographical book by leading publisher Vanessa Springora, who describes the sexual relationship she had with Matzneff when she was 14, and he was 50. Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said in a statement that Springora's book Le Consentement (Consent), published Thursday, prompted the investigation into "rapes committed against a minor". Springora, now 47, writes about how Matzneff seduced her when she was 14, and how it left lasting scars. She has said she did not want to bring a criminal complaint against Matzneff, but prosecutors opened an investigation of their own accord. Heitz said that the investigation "will work to identify all other eventual victims who could have suffered crimes of the same nature in France or abroad". Matzneff has never hidden his preference for sex with adolescent girls and boys. Prosecutors are hoping for more victims to come forward, as Springora's case may run up against a statute of limitations. A 2018 law extends the period of time sex crimes against minors can be prosecutors, to 30 years, but this case dates back to the 1980s. Matzneff has denied any wrongdoing against Springora. In a statement on Sunday said the accusations were unjust and excessive, and that their relationshiphad been one of "beauty". FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. A man accused of sexual assaults in Arizona and Utah more than 15 years ago has been arrested after DNA analysis pointed investigators to his relatives, authorities said Friday. The Coconino County Sheriffs Office arrested 58-year-old David Louis Slade of Eagar, Arizona on Thursday on charges of kidnapping, burglary and sexual assault. Authorities say his DNA matched that of an assailant who sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman after breaking into her home outside Flagstaff in 2003. DNA from that scene was later matched to DNA from a 2004 sexual assault of a young woman in Cedar City, Utah. Early last year, investigators identified two potential relatives of the suspect by matching DNA from the Flagstaff assault with samples of people whod been arrested or convicted of unrelated crimes. The suspect matches led them to Slade. Investigators collected DNA from him on Dec. 27, and authorities say it matched the DNA from the 2003 Flagstaff assault. It was not clear if Slade had an attorney to comment on his behalf. Air India chief Ashwani Lohani on Saturday said that "rumours" of the disinvestment-bound airline's shutdown are "all baseless", weeks after he told the Civil Aviation Ministry that the carrier's financial situation was "grossly untenable" for sustaining operations. "Rumours regarding Air India shutting down or closing operations are all baseless. Air India would continue to fly and also expand and there should be no cause for concern whatsoever to travellers, corporates or agents. Air India the national carrier is still the biggest airline of India," the Air India Chairman and Managing Director tweeted. In a letter to the ministry last month, he had said, "It also needs appreciation that the overall financial situation is grossly untenable and the airline may not be able to sustain physical operations in the absence of immediate government intervention and support that we have been repeatedly requesting for in the recent past." Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had clarified on December 31 that the national carrier, which is incurring a loss of Rs 20-26 crore daily, will keep on running till it is privatised. While Air India's net loss in 2018-19 was around Rs 8,556 crore, its current total debt is around Rs 80,000 crore. "We made an attempt two years ago. That attempt proved to be less than successful. We have learnt from that experience. It is our endeavour now that we will be issuing an expression of interest in the coming few weeks. Hopefully, sooner than later," Puri had said. In 2018, the government had proposed to offload 76 per cent equity share capital of the national carrier as well as transfer the management control to private players. However, the offer failed to attract any bidder when the deadline for initial bids closed on May 31, 2018. Therefore, the Centre re-started the disinvestment process this year. The Centre plans to divest its entire stake in Air India this time so as to make it attractive for private entities. At a meeting with some 13 Air India unions in Delhi on Thursday, Puri had said that the government was trying to address the concerns of the employees regarding issues such as job protection post privatisation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Soleimani 1) 3,000 US troops sent to Middle East as Iran warns of severe revenge The United States was rushing 3,000 troops to the Middle East last night as Iran vowed severe revenge for the assassination of its most celebrated commander, Qasem Soleimani, in a drone strike in Baghdad. The Pentagon said that the soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division would be joining the 750 sent to Kuwait this week. Americans were advised by the State Department to leave Iraq as analysts warned that the killing of the Iranian general was the riskiest US move since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein. Mr Trump said that Soleimani had plotted to kill Americans, having already been responsible for the deaths of millions. The Times This may be even more significant than the assassination of Osama bin Laden John Bradley, Daily Mail The US should launch a diplomatic initiative Richard Haass, Financial Times Trump has put the world in a far better place Leader, The Sun >Today: Tom Tugendhat on Comment: More war, terror, and conflict? Perhaps. But heres why Solemanis death opens the prospect of a better future >Yesterday Soleimani 2) Johnson was not given advance notice Boris Johnson was not warned about the US airstrike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian general, the BBC understands. The UK has 400 troops based in the Middle East and works alongside US forces in the region. But President Donald Trump did not tell the UK PM about the attack he ordered that killed Qasem Soleimani on Friday. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has asked Mr Johnson to confirm what the UK was told before the airstrike. In a letter to the prime minister, he asked whether, if it had been informed in advance, the government had expressed its opposition to the attack. BBC Parliament will not be recalled Daily Mail Corbyn seeks urgent meeting of the Privy Council BBC Soleimani 3) Trump says the execution helps to stop war Donald Trump said he was not seeking a war with Iran, or regime change, after assassinating the countrys top general in an audacious drone strike. The US president said he had acted to prevent a plot against America by General Qassim Soleimani, who he called a sick monsterand the number one terrorist anywhere in the world. Mr Trump said: We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terror plots as far away as New Delhi and London. His reign of terror is over. He was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and personnel but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Daily Telegraph If there is a plan, Trump is hiding it well The Times Soleimani 4) We had the chance to kill him years ago Soleimani first came to prominence following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when he was in charge of the Iran-sponsored Shia militias in southern Iraq that carried out a series of attacks against British troops based in Basra. His actions led to the deaths of several British soldiers, with many more suffering serious injury, as the militias waged a brutal terrorist campaign against British forces. At one point during the Iraq campaign an elite SAS team was dispatched to assassinate Soleimani, but the operation was called off by the then Labour Foreign Secretary David Miliband who told British commanders his preference was to open negotiations with the Iranian commander, not to kill him. Since then the 62-year-old poster boy of Irans Islamic Revolution has overseen the rapid expansion of Iranian meddling throughout the Middle East. Con Coughlin, Daily Telegraph He was in our crosshairs Daily Express Tracked for years, wiped out by a drone Daily Mail Irans complicated history with its Great Satan the US The Times Soleimani 5) UK citizens in the Gulf could be in the firing line Britain is braced for a revenge attack from Iran following Donald Trumps decision to assassinate the nations top general. Security officials fear that UK citizens in the Gulf or our troops stationed in the region could be in the firing line. They are also preparing for a massive cyber-attack to avenge the killing of General Qassem Soleimani.The Government has also not ruled out the prospect of Iran launching a conventional military attack. UK military bases and Royal Navy ships operating in the Middle East have been placed on a heightened state of alert. Defence planners are reviewing security levels. Foreign Office travel advice for the region was also under review last night, with the official advice for Iran already updated to urge Britons to avoid any rallies, marches or processions. Daily Mail A plan is needed to manage retaliation Leader, The Times Soleimani 6) Moore: Trump was right to take action The Sunni Arab world not to mention millions of his fellow Shiites who deplore his unceasing violence has even more reason to rejoice at his death than do the American or the British people. In Iran and its proxies today, there are well-orchestrated scenes of grief; but, as with almost all Muslim terrorists, the greatest proportion of the blood on Soleimanis hands was Muslim. Most Muslims know that. The same part of the world now knows something it previously did not about Donald Trump. In Europe, we tend to think of him as a dangerous bully, but in the Middle East he has had almost the opposite problem. There, the President is widely seen as the latest in a long line of US leaders most notably Clinton and Obama who talk bigger than they act. Iran will have known that previous US presidents had contemplated killing Soleimani, but decided against it. Probably it will have assumed that Mr Trump was no different. Now that view of him has vanished. Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph Policy on Iran needs to be tough, yes, but also consistent Leader, Daily Telegraph Corbyn condemns belligerent Trump The Sun Jenrick wants more tenants to be allowed to keep pets Landlords should no longer stop tenants from keeping pets unless they are badly behaved, under a government diktat. Only seven per cent of landlords advertise properties as suitable for animals. Many renters are forced to give up their cherished companions as a price for moving in. But Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has ordered the Governments model tenancy contract to be rewritten to remove all restrictions on well-behaved pets.The action will not be legally binding, but Mr Jenrick has not ruled out enshrining it in legislation if landlords refuse to go easier on pets. The Sun Welsh Conservative Assembly member released without charge A Conservative assembly member who was arrested on New Years Day has been released without charge. Nick Ramsay, who represents Monmouth, was taken into custody after an incident at his home. Gwent Police said officers arrested a 44-year-old man following a report of a disturbance at an address in Raglan, Monmouthshire. He has since been released and faces no further action following an investigation, the force said. BBC Challenge to Governments changes to press briefing arrangements Newspaper bosses have hit out at Downing Street for trying to seize control of crucial Press briefings. The system, known as Lobby briefings, allows accredited reporters to quiz the PMs spokesman in Parliament daily on any pressing issues. But the PMs team have announced changes which will see the briefings moved to No9 Downing Street giving the Government control of who is let into them. Critics have warned the move could damage Press freedom and particularly harm smaller, regional newspapers that do not have an army of political reporters. Society of Editors executive director Ian Murray slammed No10 for pushing through the changes without any consultation. The Sun More children to be given free school breakfast Tens of thousands of poor kids will be given free breakfasts to stop them going hungry at school. Ministers will announce the move today as Boris Johnson pumps 21million into the meals and holiday clubs for needy children.Under the plans, some 650 schools in Englands most deprived areas will get 11.8million to lay on free breakfasts. A further 9million will bankroll free holiday clubs and meals during this years summer break. Schools minister Lord Agnew said poor kids will do better in the classroom if they dont have rumbling tummies. The Sun Phillips launches Labour leadership bid Jess Phillips has announced she will stand as a candidate in the Labour leadership contest. The Birmingham Yardley MP joins Emily Thornberry, Clive Lewis and Lisa Nandy as confirmed candidates. Others including Rebecca Long Bailey and Keir Starmer are expected to join the race formally in the coming days. She tweeted a campaign video along with a statement saying that politics needs honest voices and urging people to join her campaign at her website.Among her criticisms of the current leadership were the woeful response to antisemitism within the partys ranks and for ambiguity on Brexit from Jeremy Corbyn, who announced in the aftermath of last months election defeat that he would stay on for a period of reflection. The Guardian Im quick, funny and speak to people. Interview with Jess Phillips, The Times If shes really troubled about racism in the Labour Party, why did she spend the past three years campaigning to get Corbyn into Number 10? Olivia Utley, The Sun Labours task Leader, The Times as does Nandy Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has announced she is joining the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader. In a letter to the Wigan Post, she said she wanted to bring Labour home to voters that have abandoned the party in its traditional strongholdsA timetable for the leadership election and any rule changes is set to be decided by the partys ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) on Monday. In her letter, Ms Nandy said Labour would never win another general election without support in former heartland seats. BBC Nandys leadership announcement Wigan Post She warns Labour could become irrelevant Daily Express Scottish trade union leader urges Labour to back second independence referendum The leader of Scotlands trade union movement has urged Labour to support Nicola Sturgeons calls for a second independence referendum. Grahame Smith, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), said the Scottish National partys landslide victory in the general election made it clear that voters wanted a referendum. Smith, who will retire this spring after 14 years in the post, said the election result presented Labour with a dilemma but also an opportunity.- The Guardian Scottish Labour must split from UK party urges MSP BBC Gibb: Ministers are right to boycott the Today programme Nowhere is impartiality more important than Radio 4s Today programme, but its election coverage was a masterclass in why the BBC is losing the trust of its audience. Trapped by its own woke groupthink, Today or Radio Misery as my friends increasingly call it bombarded its listeners with a relentlessly negative and sneering tone and painted a picture of Britain that was monstrously out of touch. It spectacularly misread the politics of the election with endless outside broadcasts in universities, full of interviews with Left-wing, entitled, virtue- signalling students. Meanwhile, the real election story was being played out in working-class English towns across the Midlands and the North. Sir Robbie Gibb, Daily Mail Parris: Cummings plans will collide with traditional Tory instincts Asked whether the effect of ripping up Treasury rules would be to divert investment away from London and the South East, Cummings is reported to have replied that that was the intention. So here Im going to be the disruptive special adviser I described earlier. Are we actually against clustering? Look at Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester. Isnt the clustering of talent and investment part of the gravity-force of a free market? Doesnt the clustering that Manchester enjoys leach talent from Rochdale? Isnt Sheffields success part of Doncasters problem? Arent we in danger of squandering public funds on trying to make water run uphill? Well, thats me binned within weeks from Cummingss think-squad. It turns out there are disruptors and disruptors. Perhaps an old-fashioned kind of Tory weve tried it before and nothing works thinking is going out of the window. Perhaps not. It depends how much hold the adviser has over his prime-ministerial boss. The prime minister is one disruptor who Mr Cummings is not able to bin. Matthew Parris, The Times Corkscrew thinking like this is how Churchill beat Hitler Simon Walters, Daily Mail Cummings call for No 10 staff may break employment law The Guardian Dont get into a war with the civil service, Kerslake warns The i Crackdown on civil service is breath of fresh air Patrick OFlynn, Daily Express Shadow Minister accuses him of subverting due process Daily Telegraph News in brief Trump admin condemns imprisonment of Chinese pastor Wang Yi, calls for his release: 'We are alarmed' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Trump administration has condemned the imprisonment of Wang Yi, pastor of one of China's best-known unregistered house churches, calling it another example of Beijing's intensification of repression of Chinese Christians and members of other religious groups. Wang, founder of the 5,000-member Early Rain Covenant Church in China's southwestern city of Chengdu, was among dozens of the church's members and leaders detained by police in December 2018, most of whom were subsequently released. On Monday, the pastor was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of inciting subversion of state power, part of Beijing's crackdown on unregistered religious groups. "We are alarmed that Pastor Wang Yi ... was tried in secret and sentenced to nine years in prison in connection to his peaceful advocacy for religious freedom. We call for his immediate and unconditional release," U.S. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "This is yet another example of Beijing's intensification of repression of Chinese Christians and members of other religious groups," the statement added. "We continue to call on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and promises made in its own constitution to promote religious freedom for all." On Twitter, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for Wangs release: I am alarmed that Pastor Wang Yi, leader of Chengdus Early Rain house church, was tried in secret and sentenced to nine years in prison on trumped-up charges. Beijing must release him and end its intensifying repression of Christians and members of all other religious groups. China has seen an uptick in religious persecution under the administration of President Xi Jinping who took office six years ago. In recent years, the government has demolished crosses, cracked down on house churches, arrested pastors, and put officially-recognized churches under tighter control. Chinese law requires that places of worship register and submit to government oversight, but some have declined to register, and are thus deemed illegal. These churches are known as "house" or "underground" churches. Wang had openly criticized Xi and refused to comply with Chinese government requirements to register with Chinas Religious Affairs Bureau. In 2006, he traveled to Washington to meet with then-President George W. Bush, asking for his support in their fight for religious freedom. Ahead of his arrest, Wang published a letter condemning the evil Communist Party for its continued persecution of Christians. He expressed hope that God would use him to tell those who have deprived me of my personal freedom that there is an authority higher than their authority, and that there is a freedom that they cannot restrain, a freedom that fills the church of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. Regardless of what crime the government charges me with, whatever filth they fling at me, as long as this charge is related to my faith, my writings, my comments, and my teachings, it is merely a lie and temptation of demons, he wrote in the letter titled My Declaration of Faithful Disobedience. I categorically deny it. I will serve my sentence, but I will not serve the law. I will be executed, but I will not plead guilty. Another leader at the church, Qin Defu, was sentenced to four years in prison for illegal business operations in November. Willy Lam, adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kongs Center for China Studies, told Time magazine that the imprisonment of Wang and other religious leaders indicates China feels threatened by the spread of Christianity. Even in official churches, CCTV cameras and other surveillance equipment are installed in every church so that the state knows what the pastor or the priest might be talking about in their sermons, Lam said. There are about 116 million Protestant Christians in mainland China in 2020, compared to an estimated 90 million members in the Communist Party. Patrick Poon, a researcher at Amnesty International, told Time magazine that Wangs sentence might be a warning to other leaders of underground churches. The government wants to force all churches to register with the officially-sanctioned church so that they can be completely under government control, he said. China ranks as the 27th worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List. Open Doors has expressed concern that the religious affairs in China now lies with the Communist Party. A Rochester man was arrested on drug charges after police were called about yelling coming from the man's apartment. Rochester Police were called around 11:45 p.m. Saturday to an apartment in the 1300 block of Third Avenue Southwest for a potential domestic incident, according to Capt. Casey Moilanen. A caller told dispatchers that they heard yelling and screaming coming from a nearby apartment and said there had been previous incidents in that residence. When officers arrived, they found a man sitting inside a small black car. The officer reported smelling marijuana and when he used his flashlight to look into the car, the man got out and began running away from the area, according to court documents. The man, identified as Norwood, was stopped trying to enter the apartment where the person who called 911 believed an assault was occurring. ADVERTISEMENT During a search of the vehicle and Norwood, officers allegedly found approximately 1.8 lbs of marijuana and more than $3,000 in cash. Norwood was charged with two felony counts of fifth-degree controlled substance possession as well as felony fifth-degree drug sales and misdemeanor fleeing a police officer by a means other than a motor vehicle. He made his first appearance in Olmsted County District Court Friday morning where Judge Christina Stevens set conditional bail at $5,000. At the time of the incident there was also a warrant for Norwood's arrest, according to Moilanen. It is the Central government's responsibility to clarify all the confusions and misconceptions that they have created about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Raut said: "It is not about Muslims or Hindus. It is about unity of our nation. It is the Central government's responsibility to clarify all the confusions and misconceptions that they have created about CAA." Earlier on Friday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that BJP will not move even an inch away on the issue, no matter how many parties join hands against it. "Even if all these parties come together, BJP will not move back even an inch on this issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. You can spread as much misinformation as you want", Shah said while addressing a public rally here. Shah also accused Congress of spreading misinformation over the issue. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) PTA to stay View(s): The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will remain unchanged, or if necessary will be strengthened, Minister Bandula Gunawardena said yesterday. He said the PTA was a strong Act and it was effective enough to crush the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and was also useful to take action to control the situation after the Easter Sunday attacks. If necessary, the Act will be made stronger to prevent situations like the Easter Sunday attacks, he said. Earlier this week, the Cabinet decided to withdraw the Counter Terrorism Bill presented in Parliament by the former UNF government to replace the PTA. Minister Gunawardena said the Bill presented by the former government would restrict media freedom and the right to protest. I was at FemFest recently, a conference organised by the National Womens Council of Ireland for young women between the ages of 16 and 25. Siobhan McSweeney, who plays Sr Michael in Derry Girls and is, most importantly, a fellow Cork woman, was the keynote speaker and a discussion followed her speech; the panel included a journalist, the president of the Second Level Students Union, two campaigners from direct provision centres, and me. I was honoured to be included, and to hear these inspiring women share their thoughts on sexism, mental health, refugees, violence against women, rape culture, and much more. In the Q and A section afterwards, a young woman in the audience stood up and asked us about Imposter Syndrome. Im paraphrasing, but she said something along the lines of: How do you walk into rooms such as this one and feel confident to tell your story? The term Imposter Syndrome was coined in the 1978 article by Dr Pauline R Clance and Dr Suzanna A Imes titled: The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women. The researchers interviewed a sample of 150 high-achieving women, all of whom reported feeling like a fraud despite having been recognised for excellence in their academic or business environments. They explained away their achievements by saying they had been lucky, or that others had overestimated their capabilities and intellect. (The study found the phenomenon was less prevalent in men but noted further research was required.) Its a term that has become popular in the last decade, a throwaway term for what is a very real issue. It was interesting timing to be asked about Imposter Syndrome because I had been struggling with it that morning. When I arrived at the venue, a group of young women approached me. They wanted to talk about my work, telling me how much my books meant to them, how it had led to their feminist awakening. It was incredibly kind and flattering, but as I listened to them, I didnt feel happy. I didnt feel proud. Instead, I felt deeply uncomfortable, accompanied with a creeping sense of dread. I joked, well, I can only be a massive disappointment in real life and turned the conversation quickly around to safer ground. Part of this deprecation is motivated by self-preservation Im not sure I think the idea of role-models is a good one. Human beings are imperfect, they can have bad days, they can have a bad take on an issue you really care about. They make mistakes, and should be allowed to do so. But if Im being honest, my discomfort with their praise was really rooted in a sense of being an imposter. It brought up feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, that old internal message about failure rearing its ugly head. This isnt new to me. I often have Imposter Syndrome when I sit at my laptop, and Im staring at the blank page, hoping the words will come. Who do you think you are? the voice whispers. You cant do this. And then I procrastinate by reading an article on how wealthy women got dressed in 18th century England or making sure every picture frame in my writing room is perfectly straight, because all of that time-wasting feels safer than having to face the fear that Im not good enough. SO, WHEN that young woman was brave enough to raise her hand and ask for guidance on how to overcome Imposter Syndrome, I had plenty of advice to give her. There was an element of fake it until you make it, I told her. That sometimes, weirdly, I felt more confident speaking in front of a crowd than I might in a one-on-one situation because I found the latter more intimate. I did a lot of drama as a child and a teenager, and that definitely helped; sometimes, at large events, I feel as if I step into a role when I walk up to the podium, and its not really me who is speaking anymore. Practice is key, I told her, the more often you raise your hand in class or share your opinion at meetings or say yes to the scary but exciting opportunity, the easier it becomes. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be too. But I also think its important to acknowledge the part that feels like an imposter, rather than pretending it doesnt exist or trying to silence it. Acknowledge it, but dont act upon it. Treat the voice which tells you that you dont deserve to be in that room or that space with compassion and understand that it is merely fear in motion. (Kristen Neffs work on self-confidence versus self-compassion is transformative, I would highly recommend checking her out.) Be gentle, give yourself the pep talk you would give to a small, frightened child because thats all any of us are, underneath it all. Remind yourself that you can do this, you are worthy of being here you are good enough, just as you are. Louise Hay once said that you do not need to earn the right to breathe. It is god given because you exist. So too, is the right to love and be loved. Claim your space. It is yours to take. Louise Says READ: Daisy Jones & The Six was one of the biggest books of 2019 and after finishing it, I decided to read Taylor Jenkins Reids back catalogue. I was particularly struck by The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which tells the story of an old Hollywood star who gives one, final interview before she dies. WATCH: Schitts Creek. I am late to this show but what an absolute delight it is. When the wealthy Rose family lose their fortune, their only remaining asset is a small town called Schitts Creek, which they bought as a joke in the 90s. Its sweet and funny and its on Netflix. Two students of the same parents were killed when Boko Haram insurgents attacked Payasatan Bilaburdar village Gatamarwa ward in Chibok... Two students of the same parents were killed when Boko Haram insurgents attacked Payasatan Bilaburdar village Gatamarwa ward in Chibok local government area of Borno state. that Joel Fali, 16 years, and Kwakwi Fali, 14 years, were the siblings who lost their lives in the attack. Residents revealedthat Joel Fali, 16 years, and Kwakwi Fali, 14 years, were the siblings who lost their lives in the attack. Yusuf Yakubu, a 35 year old farmer, was also killed. The insurgents, one of the residents said, came into the village around 8:30pm on Friday, shooting sporadically and burning houses. Everybody started running for their lives when our village came under attack Friday night, he said. Two of our school children, Joel and Kwakwi were killed with in the shots fired. One of them from Junior Day Secondary School, and the other from Senior Secondary School. They are of same parents. Yusuf Yakubu, a farmer was killed too. The insurgents spent a few hours, and about seven houses were burnt. A resident said the insurgents had left before soldiers from the 117 task force battalion in Chibok arrived. Payasatan Bilaburdar is about 15 kilometres away from Chibok town which has been attacked by insurgents at different times. The latest attack comes two days after the insurgents attacked Michika, a town in Adamawa state. A north-east resident had said that his sister was trapped as a result of the attack. Insurgents have been attacking communities across the north-east despite the federal governments position that Boko Haram has been technically defeated. On Christmas eve, a faction of Boko Haram affiliated to the Islamic State, killed 11 Christian captives in Borno, saying the action was taken to avenge the deaths of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, IS late leader and Abul-Hasan Al-Muhajir, its spokesman, who were killed in Syria in late October. Sagir Musa, armys spokesman, did not immediately respond to a message seeking his reaction over the Chibok village attack. Residents, however, saidthat normalcy had returned to village Saturday morning as soldiers are now on standby. Iraq and the United States have denied that the US carried out a new air strike on a pro-Iranian convoy after reports of at least six people killed north of Baghdad. It comes hours before the funeral of Iran's Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani, who was killed on Friday in a precision US strike. The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State armed group in the region said on Saturday it did not conduct air strikes near Camp Taji. "The coalition @cjtfoir did not conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days," a spokesman said on Twitter. Friday's assassination, which also killed Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Washington and Tehran, sparking fears of a proxy war in Iraq. Almost exactly 24 hours later, a new strike targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network whose Shia-majority factions have close ties to Iran, the group said in a statement. A police source told AFP the bombardment north of Baghdad left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific toll. The assassination of Soleimani, who had led the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' foreign operations branch and was Iran's pointman on Iraq, rattled the region. US officials said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, was killed when a drone hit his vehicle near Baghdad's international airport. A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed members were killed in the strike. Mourning march Their bodies were to be taken through an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in Baghdad and ending in the holy shrine city of Najaf. The bodies of the guards would then be sent to Iran, which had declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Story continues Tehran has already named Soleimani's deputy, Esmail Qaani, to succeed him. Its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly promised "severe revenge" and tens of thousands of protesters in Tehran torched US flags and chanted "death to America." US President Donald Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to "terminate" Soleimani after uncovering he was preparing an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." US troops deployed But the Pentagon said hours later that 3,000 to 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division's Global Response Force would be dispatched to Kuwait. A US official had told AFP that some of the 750 troops already sent from that unit had arrived in Baghdad and would reinforce security at the US embassy there. Some 14,000 other troops have already been deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East this year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of jihadists. Pro-Iran factions in Iraq have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are set to meet on Sunday for an emergency session on the strike and are expected to hold a vote. Eleven of those infected in Wuhan are critical and the rest are stable, while 121 cases are under observation. Chinas health authorities are trying to identify what is causing an outbreak of pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan, officials said, as the number of its cases rose to 44 and Singapore said it would screen arrivals at the airport from there. Authorities this week said they were investigating 27 cases of infection after rumours on social media suggested the outbreak could be linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was aware of the reports on Friday, and was monitoring the situation. It was in contact with the Chinese government about it. Investigations are still being carried out and authorities cannot yet confirm what pathogen is causing this illness, said WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic. He added that there are several potential causes of viral pneumonia, many of which are more common than SARS. Chinese municipal health officials in Wuhan said in a statement on their website on Friday that they had ruled out common respiratory diseases, such as influenza, bird flu and adenovirus infection, as the cause. Eleven of those infected were in critical condition and the rest stable, they said, adding that all had been isolated and doctors were observing 121 people with whom they had been in close contact. Clean-up efforts at a seafood market where some victims were vendors have been completed, the city officials said, adding that no obvious human-to-human transmission had been seen and no medical staff had been infected. On Friday, Singapores health ministry said it would begin temperature screening on passengers arriving on flights from Wuhan. In Hong Kong, the Hospital Authority said two female patients who recently travelled to Wuhan had been admitted to hospital and were being treated in isolation for fever and respiratory infections or pneumonia symptoms. The two, aged 12 and 41, were listed in stable condition. In 2003, Chinese officials covered up a SARS outbreak for weeks before a growing death toll and rumours forced the government to reveal the epidemic, apologise and promise full candour regarding future outbreaks. The disease, which emerged in southern China late in 2002, spread rapidly to other cities and countries in 2003. More than 8,000 people were infected and 775 died. Wuhan police this week said they had summoned eight people who posted and forwarded false information online, causing adverse social impact. Shortages, structural deficiencies at a public hospital in India blamed for death of nearly 1,000 infants last year. An investigation has found a lack of medical infrastructure at a public hospital in Indias Rajasthan state was partly to blame for the deaths of nearly a thousand infants last year. The inquiry was carried out after 100 babies died there in the past month alone. It also revealed extremely poor hygiene conditions, to the extent that pigs were living on hospital grounds. Al Jazeeras Anchal Vohra reports from Kota, India. Soleimani approved attack on Iraqi military base that killed American: Top US general originally appeared on abcnews.go.com America's top military officer said he is "100 percent" confident Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian commander killed in an airstrike Thursday, approved the attack on an Iraqi military base at the end of last month that killed an American. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told a small group of reporters on Friday that within the last 90 days Kata'ib Hezbollah, aka KH, an Iranian-backed militia, organized a sophisticated campaign against U.S. and coalition forces that increased in intensity, culminating with the Dec. 27 attack on the Iraqi base near Kirkuk that killed a U.S. civilian contractor and wounded several U.S. and Iraqi forces. (MORE: Pentagon to deploy roughly 3,500 more troops to Middle East with others placed on alert status, amid tensions with Iran) It was "designed and intended to kill, and [Soleimani] approved it," Milley said. "I know that 100 percent." Milley said that the trigger for the drone strike that killed Soleimani was "clear, unambiguous intelligence indicating a significant campaign of violence against the United States in the days, weeks, and months," and that the administration would have been "culpably negligent" if it didn't act. PHOTO: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley, is seen as Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks about airstrikes by the U.S. military in Iraq and Syria, at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 29, 2019. (Tom Brenner/Reuters, FILE) U.S. officials have blamed Soleimani for the killing or wounding of thousands of Americans in Iraq and elsewhere for well over a decade. The Iranian commander, the leader of Iran's Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, had just arrived in Baghdad when his motorcade was bombed in a mission tasked to Joint Special Operations Command late Thursday night. "Soleimani arrived at a target of opportunity, he arrived at the airport, and we had an opportunity and based on this president's direction we took it," a senior defense official said on Friday. Story continues (MORE: US strike on Iran's Soleimani 'saved American lives,' disrupted 'imminent attack': Pompeo) The senior official said the U.S. military had the authority before Thursday's strike to "take that action" against Soleimani with a separate U.S. official saying the authority was given last Saturday by the president during a meeting with his national security team at his Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida. Milley said the administration fully comprehends the strategic risks and consequences of killing Soleimani but "risks of inaction exceeded risks of action." PHOTO: A damaged car, purportedly belonging to Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, is seen near Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, Jan. 3, 2020, in this still image taken from video. (Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters) "Is there risk? Damn right, there is risk, but we're mitigating it," Milley said later. The Pentagon is deploying roughly 3,500 more troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East in response to rising tensions with Iran. Those troops will join about 750 soldiers from the 82nd already in Kuwait, as well as 100 Marines who deployed at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to reinforce security there after violent protests on New Year's Eve from KH militiamen and supporters. Earlier on Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the decision to strike Soleimani in a TV interview, saying that the commander was "working actively" on an "imminent attack" "that would have put hundreds of live at risk." According to a senior State Department official, Soleimani had recently visited and was planning attacks against U.S. interests in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. Asked what made these threats "imminent," as Pompeo described, Milley replied that it was the "size, scale and scope" of the planned attacks. But, despite Soleimani's death, the general warned attacks on American personnel and facilities could still take place. Still, the senior defense official expressed optimism that the death of Soleimani "is going to be a significant disruption to ongoing plotting and planning." "There is a range of possible futures here, and the ball is in the Iranian court right now," Milley said. Mick Mulroy, an ABC News contributor and until recently the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Middle East policy, said a worst-case scenario could involve an Iranian-directed "all-out assault on Israel" launched by Iranian proxies in Lebanon, possibly triggering a regional conflict. Mulroy noted that Hezbollah has more than 100,000 rockets "that could overwhelm the defenses of Israel, and quite frankly cause massive casualties." "Israel's not going to wait to respond," Mulroy added. "They have to respond." There are also concerns that Irans Quds Force or its intelligence service could target U.S. assets beyond the Middle East. "They could take this type of conflict to areas where we're not as prepared as, say, Iraq, where we have, you know, 1,200 individuals guarding the embassy," Mulroy continued. "We have embassies all around the world that don't have that level of security." Mulroy said he believes it would be difficult for Iran not to retaliate. "For them to be able to do something like that this time after losing somebody at the stature of Qassem Soleimani," Mulroy added, "I don't see that being something that they would be able to accept." ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Luis Martinez contributed to this report. Haputale Y-12 crash: Safety features questioned since 2015 By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s): The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has been using its Chinese-built Harbin Y-12sone of which crashed in Haputale on Friday, killing all on boardand Xian MA60 aircraft for civilian passenger transport without authorisation from the aviation regulator. The military has said a technical fault caused the Y-12 to crash. While only investigators can determine whether issues of airworthiness had anything to do with the accident, questions have dogged SLAF for years over its complete disregard for safety regulations that elsewhere in the world are deemed non-negotiable. The Sunday Times has highlighted this since 2015. The SLAF has two Harbin Y-12s. They are still advertised for charters on the website of Helitours, SLAFs commercial passenger service which transports civilian passengers despite strictures from the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL). Helitours also offers scheduled flights to Palaly, Trincomalee and Batticaloa. A telephone call to its booking office on Friday confirmed that passengers could still buy tickets for scheduled flights and reserve planes for charters, and that the Harbin Y-12 was also available. But neither the SLAFs MA60s nor its Harbin Y-12s possess Certificates of Airworthiness (COA) issued by the CAASL. And Helitours no longer has an Air Operators Certificate (AOC). The COA is issued for an aircraft and is mandatory if it is to be used in commercial operations. The AOC allows an aircraft operator to use planes for commercial purposes. The SLAFs civilian flights are run under military call signs. The aircraft are not insured. Passengers are required to sign an indemnity form absolving the operator of any responsibility in the event of an accident. No insurance of baggage claim will be entertained for any unforeseen circumstances, Helitours says. We first reported this in June 2015 when it was found that Helitours was handing out indemnity forms to paying customers because they were being flown on the Harbin Y-12 which was not cleared for commercial use. Clive OConnell, one of the worlds leading insurance and re-insurance legal professionals, said at the time that, the idea of the passengers indemnifying the air carrier is extraordinary. I have never heard of that before. Insurance Ombudsman, the late Wickrema Weerasooria, said the indemnity form handed out by Helitours would be thrown out by any court of law. The company cannot say it bears no liability whatsoever to its passengers, he said. The usual practice is for carriers to limit their liabilities to certain sums. These are listed on the passenger tickets. The SLAF uses its aircraft interchangeably for military and civilian operationsanother reason why Helitours cannot hold an AOC. The Civil Aviation Act of 2010 categorically states that every possessor of an AOC or a foreign AOC operating within Sri Lanka shall keep in force at all times a liability insurance adequately covering his liability for death or bodily injury to passengers which may be caused by an accident and for the loss of or damage to baggage, cargo or mail, due to any event during the period of carriage and for the delay in the carriage of passengers, baggage, cargo or liability insurance. The Act also defines military aircraft as an aircraft used or operated for or on behalf of a State for purposes other than the carriage of passengers or cargo for hire or reward. The aircraft the SLAF uses for civilian transport are not examined by the regulator because the operation sits in a grey area between military and commercial. For some years, SLAF actively resisted attempts by inspectors to visit its aerodromesalthough it did, on occasion, cooperate. No other operator in this country has such rights and privileges. The CAASL no longer accepts a civilian air transport company called Helitours. Its planes have all been taken off the civilian aircraft register. There are no independent safety audits and the regulator has no information on modifications or from where, for instance, spare parts are procured. The regulator does not even have details of the civilian passenger flights (including charters on the Harbin Y-12) that the SLAF carries out. An email to Air Force Spokesman Capt Gihan Seneviratne yesterday inquiring when the Y-12s were last deployed on commercial operations went unanswered. As SLAF is in charge of security surveillance of Sri Lankas airspace, all civil operators shall get air defence approval from SLAF and this requirement is not applicable to SLAF, Civil Aviation Director General H M C Nimalsiri, previously explained. Due to this independence that SLAF is having, the CAASL does not know as to what time, what aircraft or what aerodrome it uses for operation of flights. The Harbin Y-12s were never on the civilian aircraft register, although the MA60s once were. The Y-12s came here without any of the necessary documents in hand, Mr. Nimalsiri said. When they come without documents we cannot give them validity because we dont know about the aircraft. These may be acceptable to the military, but not in the case of civilian operations. In 2018, after months of debate with the regulator, the SLAF even suspended civilian flights. A spokesman said it will work with the CAASL to improve civilian passenger transport safety and standards. But the regulator found no evidence of that happening. The SLAFs intractability arises, in part, from a need to keep its pilots in the air so their licences dont expire. But it has led the CAASL to wash its hands of the operation. The regulator also faced political pressure to back off. When, in 2018, the CAASL wanted to take the Helitours dilemma up to the Attorney General, the Minister in charge advised against it. The then President Maithripala Sirisena faulted the CAASL for blocking the SLAFs commercial operation. There are other issues with Helitours. The company was registered as a private entity but sustained with taxpayer funds with public officials on its Board of Directors. It is neither a State-owned enterprise nor a private entity. It has never been audited by the National Audit Office or, for that matter, by any entity. The CAASL cannot enforce civil rules on the Air Force which falls under the Sri Lanka Air Force Act, despite Helitours being a limited liability company and carrying out activities that were within the purview of the Civil Aviation Act. The Air Force has often said it was providing a service and does not make profits from the proceeds, all of which are credited to the State. But it has never held itself accountable for its many violations. The Harbin Y-12 that crashed on Friday was carrying military personnelbut it might well have been ferrying civilians. Regardless of what investigators find, the SLAF has been carrying out commercial operations completely outside of an independent regulatory framework. The only option available to the CAASL is to file action in court. That doesnt seem likely. That would set us on a collision course, Mr Nimalsiri said. And one Government Department doesnt usually sue another Department. Going by indemnity forms the SLAF hands out, passengers also will not have that choice should the need ever arise. Brian Brophy performing his original theatre piece at the special showcase featuring work developed as part of an inclusive initiative Fingal Arts hosts special showcase developed in association with Irish Aphasia Theatre Fingal Arts Office has presented a very special showcase of work developed as part of a ground-breaking initiative with Irish Aphasia Theatre (IAT). Aphasia is a condition that can occur at any stage of life through acquired brain injury or stroke that affects a person's ability to verbally communicate, and it may be accompanied by other physical challenges. Led by local Dublin 15 artist Grainne Hallahan, Irish Aphasia Theatre provides individuals living with the condition the opportunity to explore the range of communication available to them through theatre. The workshops took place at Blanchardstown Library and Draiocht Arts Centre since 2018. Workshops were delivered by professional acting, movement and voice specialists and participants were empowered to tell their stories through drama. Irish Aphasia Theatre is an experimental model in an early stage of its development. Since its formation, the project has been nominated for the Excellence in Local Government Awards 2019, featured on RTE's Drivetime, invited to the CRC to demonstrate the benefits of the method in the healthcare environment and also gathered interest from the Arts in Health sector IAT hosted a showcase evening at Draiocht where Grainne led her Aphasia workshop with an invited audience, some of whom were family and friends of the participants who performed new work written and devised by their experience on the programme to an emotional and rapturous response. 'Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O'Brien said: "This is a very important initiative that has been undertaken by Fingal Arts and Irish Asphasia Theatre. An important vision of the new Arts Plan 2019-2025 is to create a county where the arts are valued in people's everyday lives, and this initiative clearly fits that objective. Public Art Co-ordinator Caroline Cowley said: 'In the landscape of Arts & Health programming this initiative goes beyond art therapy with its intention to foster new actors and raise the expectations of who we expect to see on our Irish stages and this can only be achieved with the vision such as Grainne's and IAT to break down the stereotype.' Director of Housing and Community Margaret Geraghty said: 'I commend the Arts Office for developing this initiative in conjunction with Irish Aphasia Theatre. 'The project is very much in line the themes of the new Arts Plan which seek to connect people and ideas and work towards building an inclusive and vibrant Fingal.' The Home Development Mutual Fund (abbreviated as HDMF), popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund, has helped many Filipinos to apply for flexible and affordable housing loans for many years since its inception. Do you want to know how to check Pag IBIG contribution? The process is easy and straightforward. Photo: canva.com (modified by author) Source: UGC Most Filipinos want to live in a home they can call their own, but some may not be aware of the resources provided by the government to help realize this. One of the most valuable and yet overlooked and misunderstood is the Pag IBIG Fund. The government founded the Pag-IBIG Fund to give Filipinos an opportunity to own a decent home. Active members can apply for a loan of up to PHP6 million ($133,526.20) which they can use to finance the home of their dreams. This loan, of course, is subject to the loaner's compliance with the requirements. What is Pag IBIG Fund? You are likely wondering what the initials IBIG stand for. Philippines citizens ordinarily see the mandatory contributions deducted from their payroll as part of a national savings program. The initials have an interesting meaning, and they stand for: Individuals (you) Banks Industry, and Government Pag-IBIG keeps your savings until you are 65 years old, and it is your emergency funds in times of need. How to apply for Pag IBIG Photo: @PagIBIGFundOfficialPage Source: Facebook Besides being an instrumental savings program that can benefit every member in the long run, Pag IBIG is also a standard job requirement in the Philippines. As a result, many new job hunters are seeking information on Pag IBIG registration. What are the mandatory steps that one ought to follow to apply? To apply as a new member, log on to pagibigfund.gov.ph. Once you are on the official Pag IBIG website, click on the Be a Member button and then click Register. You will be redirected to the membership registration page. Click Continue. Fill out your name and birthday on the form, answer the verification box, and click Proceed. The following form might look confusing, but it shouldn't be hard if you have complied with Pag IBIG ID requirements and have all the necessary documents. The form requires precise information about your family, accurate address, and employment history. You will also need to enter contact information such as your phone number and email address. Make sure you select the appropriate option on the Member Category tab. This will prevent any issues when you are trying to take out a loan in the future. In the next tab, you will be required to provide your employment history, which is optional. The Summary tab will ask you to review all the information you provided in the previous tabs. After double-checking the accuracy of the form, you can click Submit Registration. Make sure to double-check the information you are providing on the form. Inaccurate information may cause problems in applying for a loan in the future. Furthermore, any changes you wish to make to your information will have to be personally requested at the nearest Pag-IBIG branch. At the bottom of the Successful Registration page, you will see the Print MDF button. Depending on the settings of your computer, a PDF file should appear or be downloaded to your hard drive. This file is your Pag IBIG form (also called the Members Data Form or MDF) that you can present to your employer. It contains your registration tracking number, which is also sent to your mobile phone. How to check your Pag-IBIG contributions Photo: @PagIBIGFundOfficialPage Source: Facebook Do you want to know how to check Pag IBIG contribution online? Once you have been registered and start making contributions, it is integral to check your status. You should regularly check your data to learn if the contributed amount is enough to apply for a home or a calamity loan. You can check all your details online or manually using your Pag IBIG log in details. Visit the branch to get a hard copy of your records. Of course, the online method is a lot easier and hassle-free. All you need is an active internet connection and a computer. Remember, even if your payroll records reflect these remittances, it is not a satisfactory assurance that your premiums are paid in full by your employer. The only way to find factual data is through checking the records yourself. Step 1: Visit the official online portal Since Pag IBIG online services are easily accessible via their website, why not take advantage of the unique platform to check your contribution status? Start by browsing the webpage using any compatible browser. Immediately you open the website; you will get a pop-up requesting you to click here for the virtual Pag-IBIG page. Click the tab to direct you to the desired portal. Step 2: Log in to Virtual Pag IBIG with your username and password This is another essential section of the Pag IBIG website that will allow you to access your account using your log in details. You will notice a Login button at the bottom left of your screen. Click the button and hit Continue to go to the log in section. Type your email address and password in the appropriate fields and press Login. Step 3: Go to regular savings After logging in, you will be directed to a different page possessing various Pag IBIG fund products. They include Regular Savings, MP2 Savings, Housing Loan, Calamity Loan, Loyalty Card Plus and Multipurpose Loan. Since you are interested in the mandatory contributions, you should click the Regular savings (mandatory contributions) link. You will get results showing your initial remittance date, last remittance date, total share, total contributions in months, savings and dividends. Step 4: Choose the preferred year What year do you want to check your contributions? Input the range and ascertain that it is within your initial remittance and last remittance date. Once you have selected everything appropriately, hit the View contribution tab. Step 5: Save and print your copy The best way of preserving your contribution records is through printing. Although it is optional, it is an excellent way of keeping tabs. If you cannot print, take a screenshot of the page, which you can print later. How to get Pag IBIG registration tracking number after registration The Pag IBIG registration tracking number (RTN) is located at the upper left of your Member's Data Form (MDF). It is also sent to the mobile number you provided during the registration. How to know my Pag IBIG number (Pag-IBIG MID Number) You can complete the Pag IBIG number verification two days after registration. To do this, you ought to send a text message in a certain format. IDSTAT[RTN]< MM/DD/YYYY>, for example, ID STAT 123456789123 01/01/2000. Send to 09178884363 (Globe and TM) or 0918 888 4363 (Smart and Talk n Text) This is only for newly registered users. Existing members who lost their Pag-IBIG ID number will have to request it at the nearest Pag-IBIG branch (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or call the official Pag IBIG hotline (724-4244). Alternatively, one can send a message to Pag-IBIG's official Facebook page (@Pag-IBIG Fund) or inquire via email by sending a message to contactus@pagibigfund.gov.ph. How to get Pag IBIG ID or Loyalty Card Photo: @PagIBIGFundOfficialPage Source: Facebook There is no way to apply for a Pag-IBIG ID (also called the Loyalty Card) online. However, you ought to download the application form online and fill it. When ready, go to your nearest Pag-IBIG branch. Have your Pag-IBIG number ready and P125 for the card fee. What is Pag IBIG acquired assets? Monthly contributions to Pag-IBIG paid by its members are typically allocated to build a borrower's first home. If the borrower misses consecutive arranged payments, they are considered to have defaulted the loan. According to the agreement and terms, his or her property can be foreclosed. Although Pag-IBIG gives their borrowers a chance to buy back their seized property; they can offer this option to any who may rent and occupy your assets while the loan is still unpaid. If the borrower or tenants do not or cannot purchase the property, Pag-IBIG will offer it to new buyers through public bidding. This is, firstly, to recover the loss from the unpaid loan and potentially generate income for the fund. How to loan in Pag IBIG branch? The Pag-IBIG Fund Housing Loan Program is available to all active Pag-IBIG Fund members who have satisfied the following requirements: At least 24 monthly savings lump sum payment of the required 24 months savings is allowed. Applicant must not be more than 65 years old. Passed satisfactory background/credit and employment/business checks of Pag-IBIG Fund. Has no outstanding Pag-IBIG Fund Short-Term Loan (STL) in arrears at the time of loan application; Has no Pag-IBIG Fund Housing Loan that was foreclosed, cancelled, bought back due to default, or subjected to dacion en pago. If with existing Pag-IBIG Fund Housing Loan account, either as principal borrower or co-borrower, it must be updated. When applying, prepare to pay the processing fee of PHP1000 and bring a fully completed Housing Loan Application Form with a recent ID photo. The applicant also needs to provide recent proof of income such as their pay slip from the last three months and a photocopy of any valid ID (front and back). After securing all the requirements, you can proceed to the nearest Pag-IBIG branch in your location, where their staff will assist you in the process. Never be afraid to ask questions like how to check Pag IBIG contribution. It is always good to know about the services provided by the government if you are an adult looking to secure your home. Also, it is a great idea to regularly check your contribution and do a Pag-IBIG online verification upon application to certify the accuracy of your data. Have you been trying to figure out how to get UMID (Unified Multipurpose ID)? Kami.com.ph featured an interesting piece about one of the most powerful identity documents in the Philippines. Anyone interested in the document ought to have qualified as the government is strict about eligibility. Also, applicants ought to process their applications in person, as proxies are not allowed. Source: KAMI.com.gh The NCP, a key Congress ally, on January 4 called for withdrawal of a controversial Seva Dal booklet which claims that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse were in a physical relationship. NCP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said that since Savarkar was not alive, it was wrong to make such a claim. The Hindi booklet, titled "Veer Savarkar, Kitne 'Veer'?", was distributed at a camp of Seva Dal, a frontal organisation of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh recently. The booklet also questions Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation for valour. It also claimed that Savarkar received money from the British after he was released from Andaman's Cellular Jail. "The booklet should be withdrawn. You may have ideological differences with the person concerned. But it is not right to make such personal remarks against one who is not around," Malik told PTI over phone. The NCP and Congress are sharing power with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena had targeted the Congress over the booklet. "Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind," Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said on Friday. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had called for a ban on the booklet saying the Congress had exhibited its "wicked" psyche by circulating it. Last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's jibe that his name was not "Rahul Savarkar" and hence he would not seek apology (about his remark on rape) had riled the Shiv Sena, his party's new-found ally in Maharashtra. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons Washington/IBNS: A day after a US strike killed the top Iranian commander, President Donald Trump has defended the action saying Qassem Solaimani had contributed to terrorist plots as far as New Delhi and London. Defending the US strike, Trump said, "..the ruthless Quds force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of Americans, civilians and servicemen." "Soleimani made the death of innocent people.. contributing to terrorist plots as far as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over." Soleimani, the chief of Iran's elite al-Quds force, was killed by the US airstrike at an international airport in Baghdad on Friday. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also killed in the airstrike. Iran's ongoing conflict with the US escalated last week when an US embassy in Iraq was attacked by pro-Iranian militiamen. The Pentagon, the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, said he was killed at the 'direction' of the 'President'. "At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," Pentagon said in a statement. "General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more," the statement said. "He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months including the attack on December 27th culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week," it said. "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world," it said. Iran vows for revenge Calling the US move as "international terrorism" and "extremely dangerous and foolish escalation", Iran said now Washington will have to bear the responsibility of the consequences of the strike. Canada, India call for restraint Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday called on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation after a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani. "Canada is in contact with our international partners. The safety and well-being of Canadians in Iraq and the region, including our troops and diplomats, is our paramount concern. We call on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation. Our goal is and remains a united and stable Iraq," Champagne said in a statement. "Canada has long been concerned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Qods Force, led by Qasem Soleimani, whose aggressive actions have had a destabilizing effect in the region and beyond," Champagne said in the statement. Calling for peace, stability and security in the region, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement, "We have noted that a senior Iranian leader has been killed by the US." "The increase in tension has alarmed the world. Peace, stability and security in this region is of utmost importance to India. It is vital that the situation does not escalate further. India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so," it said. (Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons) A huge fire was bearing down on several townships to the south-west of the Snowy Mountains overnight, with intense firefighting efforts struggling to prevent property loss. The Dunns Road fire, burning over an immense 180,000 hectares, had surrounded the town of Batlow and was launching ember attacks on nearby Adelong and Tumut. Power was out across the area and mobile phone reception was mostly down. The Dunns Road fire threatens Batlow on Saturday. Credit:Kelly_J_Small/Twitter Batlow, a town of 1400, is in extreme danger. The RFS urged residents to evacuate on Thursday and Friday, but it is understood at least 20 people were intent on staying behind. The conditions are severe, with strong winds and fast-moving fire fronts hampering efforts. DAKAR, Senegal Fourteen people were killed and 19 wounded when a bus carrying students ran over a roadside bomb on Saturday in northern Burkina Faso, the government said. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the blast, which hit one bus in a convoy of three that was carrying 160 passengers in all, the government said in a statement. The incident occurred in Sourou province, near the border with Burkinas chaotic neighbor Mali, where Islamist groups with links to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have increased attacks over the past two years despite international efforts to stamp them out. Three sources said earlier that the convoy had been ferrying pupils back from an end-of-year school break. The government statement said seven students were among the dead, without providing their ages. It was high noon on Easter 1873 when the white mob came riding into Colfax. Five months earlier, Louisiana had held its second election since the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Black male suffrage. But some whites had refused to recognize the result, and former Confederate soldiers had committed acts of racial violence across the state. When a former slave was fatally shot near Colfax, around 150 Black men holed up inside the river towns courthouse to wait for federal troops. Instead, they were met by the mob. Boys, this is a struggle for white supremacy, one Ku Klux Klan leader told the mob, according to Charles Lanes The Day Freedom Died. Armed with superior weaponry including a small cannon the mob set the courthouse on fire and shot anyone who emerged. When some Blacks tried to surrender by waving handkerchiefs, they were mowed down and their remains were desecrated. Anywhere from 62 to 81 African Americans were killed, according to Lane, a Washington Post editorial writer. THE WAR OF RACES, proclaimed a headline in the New York Times. The Colfax Massacre, as it would come to be known, is one chapter in the long and bloody history of race war in America. It is the most radical of racist visions: an apocalyptic ideology driven by the belief that whites are in imminent danger of being wiped out. Though the ideology peaked during Reconstruction, when the Klan began waging terror to roll back the advances of newly emancipated Blacks across the South, it remains very much alive today. In the past five years, as white supremacy has surged in the United States, experts say there has been an uptick in attempts or plots to spark a race war. They range from Dylann Roofs slaughter of nine African Americans at a Bible study in Charleston in 2015 to a hatred-fuelled sword attack in New York City in 2017 to the arrest this August of a neo-Nazi in Las Vegas who was allegedly making a bomb to assist in a race war. There is a tradition of this sort of thinking or fantasizing, said Mark Pitcavage, an expert on right-wing extremism at the ADL, who called the idea of race war a staple of hardcore white supremacy. The idea of race war tends to resurface during moments of intense activism against white racism, such as Reconstruction or, more recently, the Black Lives Matter movement, said Ibram X. Kendi, a professor at American University and the author of Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America and How to Be an Antiracist. By painting themselves as the victims, defenders of white racism have been able to galvanize large numbers of white people into their organizations. The concept is older than the country, beginning not with slavery but with white colonists anxiety over being outnumbered by Native Americans, according to Patrick Breen, a history professor at Providence College. There was a concern that there would be a genocide if the Indians united, he said. That fear then helped fuel centuries of violence against Native Americans. With the arrival of enslaved Africans to the English colony of Virginia in 1619, the same fear was soon aimed at Blacks, especially in states such as South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana, where slaves outnumbered or nearly outnumbered whites by the beginning of the 19th century. The Haitian Revolution, which ended in 1804 with the slaughter of whites who had not fled the former French slave colony, frightened many American slaveholders, Breen said. The story they tell themselves which is not exactly right was that Blacks got in control and began killing whites willy-nilly, he said. Before the Civil War, you had people who argued that whites and Blacks could not live together unless it was a situation where Blacks were under the control of whites, Pitcavage said. They argued that if you had emancipation, youd inevitably have race war. American slaveholders used this threat of a race war in the United States to put down revolts and preserve their power, as in 1831 when whites killed 120 Blacks in the wake of Nat Turners rebellion in Virginia. But some slave owners tried to tamp down on talk of a race war because the likely outcome would have been the extermination of African Americans, according to Breen, the author of The Land Shall Be Deluged in Blood: A New History of the Nat Turner Revolt. Their ultimate fear was that the race war would happen, and they would lose all their property, he said. The idea flared up again in the lead up to the Civil War, as John Brown launched abolitionist raids in Kansas and then Virginia. John Brown is basically saying, We can launch a race war, Breen said. The idea had little appeal to African Americans but the raids nonetheless stirred Southerners fears. That trepidation intensified during the Civil War, when many white Southerners went to fight, leaving behind their slaves. There are four million slaves on the home front and few white men, Breen said. The possibility of having a race war is certainly a concern. Sharing that same concern was none other than Abraham Lincoln. The president feared that a guerrilla war by slaves in the South would make it hard to keep the North unified, Breen said. Instead, Lincoln encouraged slaves to escape the South and fight for the Union. When the Civil War ended, thousands of Union troops stayed in the South to keep order. Many of them were Black. The presence of armed African American soldiers stoked white Southerners fears of a race war and led to false rumours that Blacks were about to massacre whites, Breen said. Instead, it was whites especially the Klan, created by former Confederate soldiers who mainly did the massacring. The term race war was not used then but the equivalent, war of races, was very much in the air, Lane said. Quite often youd hear opposition to Reconstruction, and Black voting rights in particular, on the grounds that it would trigger a war of races. In Colfax, efforts by Black militiamen to confiscate weapons from whites to prevent violence only fed into false claims that Blacks were preparing an attack, according to Lane. Then whites waged a war to literally drive (Blacks) out of the courthouse and take the government back, he said. By 1876, thats exactly what had happened across the South, as Klan violence and Jim Crow laws suppressed Black voting and allowed white Democrats to retake power. With whites once again in control, there was no longer any threat of Blacks waging a literal race war, Breen said. So Southern whites began portraying African Americans as another type of menace. Race war isnt as powerful a motivator anymore, he said. What is a powerful motivator is trying to keep Blacks in line within the sexual protocol of the south: White women have to be protected. That meant lynchings. From 1882 to 1968, nearly 3,500 African Americans were lynched in the United States, primarily Black men in the South, according to the NAACP. Many were killed because of false accusations of rape. In perhaps Americas most infamous lynching, Emmett Till was murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Sometimes, race war anxieties werent martial or sexual but economic, according to Kendi. The projection that Black people were battling against white people was used to galvanize support to decimate Black Wall Street in Tulsa and the booming Black town of Rosewood, Fla., he said. Race war largely faded from the national conversation during the civil rights era, when leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. were at pains to portray their efforts as peaceful, Kendi and Breen said. At the same time, white supremacy became less mainstream. After many of those civil rights leaders were assassinated, however, the rise of the more militant Black Power movement prompted white supremacists to again warn of and in some cases, try to spark a race war. You have Black activists who were very clear that their opposition was to white racism, Kendi said of the Black Power movement. The defence from those who did not want to interrogate white racism was to say that these Black groups were attacking white people and thereby launching a race war. By the late 1970s, white supremacists had shifted from trying to maintain white dominance to warning that the very survival of the white race was at risk. From the 70s onward, white supremacy takes on an apocalyptic tone, said Pitcavage. Race war is a part of that. Pitcavage sorts white supremacist adherents of race war into three categories. Reluctant race warriors dont want conflict but believe its inevitable, so they prepare by stockpiling food and weapons, he said. Window of opportunity race warriors may or not desire conflict, but they believe it must happen soon while whites are still in the majority. Finally, he said, there are accelerationists who want to bring about the destruction of society and see race war as a means to speed that up. Thats what white supremacist serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin was trying to do when he targeted Blacks, Jews and interracial couples across the country from 1977 to 1980. The murder spree inspired neo-Nazi leader William Pierce to pen racist novels Hunter, in which one mans quest to kill interracial couples sparks an uprising, and The Turner Diaries, in which such an uprising leads to nuclear war and the annihilation of nonwhites. The latter book, in particular, would inspire generations of white supremacists, from Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh who had excerpts of the book in his getaway car to The Order, a terrorist group that robbed banks, bombed a theatre and a synagogue and killed a Jewish radio host in the 1980s. It was a member of The Order who would later pen the infamous 14 words from prison. David Lanes slogan We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children reflects the demographic anxiety at the heart of white supremacy and its preoccupation with race war. Thirty years later, America is once again in the midst of a surge in white supremacy, according to Pitcavage and other experts. Today, The Turner Diaries is circulated online. Mobs no longer gather on horseback but on college campuses or, more often, on anonymous Internet message boards. Although it has evolved somewhat over time, the idea of race war is a common thread that connects the Klan to Charles Manson and Dylann Roof, Lane said. Race war is an idea that emerges at certain points in American history and fades at others, Breen said. What has made it such a powerful idea, however, is not some real danger of a race war itself, but the politically useful nature of these charges. Politicians have used racially inflammatory rhetoric like this to help them attain power, whether by mobilizing ones base or suppressing their opponents, but long after the last ballots have been counted, the legacy of the racial demagoguery remains. Amador County, CA An update involving an Amador County murder where a son is suspected of allegedly killing his father. As reported here Thursday, 20-year-old Sean Purdy was arrested yesterday in Nevada in the Incline Village area of North Lake Tahoe after being on the run since New Years Day. Amador County Undersheriff Gary Redman says its search and rescue team will be combing various areas of the county on Saturday looking for the victim, Seans father, 52-year-old- year Lance Purdy who is presumed dead. However, the exact areas are not being revealed. Reportedly a neighbor witnessing the son leaving the familys Pine Grove home in a hurry and then discovering a bloody scene inside the house. That led Amador County Sheriffs officials to open a homicide investigation and issuing a warrant for the sons arrest. Undersheriff Redman wants to alert the public that members of the search team will be identifiable by their bright yellow uniform shirts. He askes the public, If you happen to see any members of our team, please avoid the area. No further information is being released as this is an ongoing investigation. Update: Deputies Recover Fathers Body Within Hours Of Sons Confession Sabrina Biehl contributed to this story. Small businesses in Illinois will be able to use a minimum wage credit starting this month to help offset the cost of increasing the states minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next five years. David Harris, acting director for the Illinois Department of Revenue, said businesses need to take advantage of the credit. HMV has warned that it could close up to 10 stores (Kirsty OConnor/PA) HMV has warned of job losses and the closure of up to 10 stores unless it is able to secure new deals with its landlords. The music retailer confirmed that a further three stores will shut at the end of the month, with new tenants already lined up to move into the properties. In a statement, HMV said that some stores were no longer viable due to extortionate business rates in certain locations. Expand Close HMV was purchased in a rescue deal by music mogul Doug Putman (Fabio De Paola/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp HMV was purchased in a rescue deal by music mogul Doug Putman (Fabio De Paola/PA) It comes as the department store chain Debenhams said it was due to close 19 of its stores between January 11 and 25, with a further 28 reportedly set to close in 2021. HMV said its three stores which will close at the end of January are: HMV Bury St Edmunds, Fopp Glasgow on Byres Road and HMV Nuneaton. The company said it was also relocating in Lincoln and Plymouth, with new stores opening in both cities at the start of February. Ten stores are due to close later this month unless the company is able to agree new deals with landlords, HMV said. Expand Close Three HMV stores are due to close at the end of January (Jonathan Brady/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Three HMV stores are due to close at the end of January (Jonathan Brady/PA) There are currently 10 stores where negotiations with landlords are ongoing and we are hopeful of securing new deals, a HMV spokesman said. The closures are no reflection on our superb staff and where we are not able to come to a new agreement or relocate staff within the business elsewhere, unfortunately this does mean some of our staff will lose their jobs. The 10 stores which are subject to negotiations are: Birmingham Bullring, Leeds Headrow, Bristol Cribbs, Edinburgh Ocean Terminal, Glasgow Braehead, Grimsby, Merryhill, Reading, Sheffield Meadowhall and Worcester. The HMV Vault, which opened in Birmingham in October last year, and its store at the St Johns shopping centre in Leeds would not be affected, the company said. HMV was purchased in a rescue deal by music mogul Doug Putman in February 2019 after it crashed into administration for the second time in five years in December 2018. Mr Putman, who runs the Canadian retailer Sunrise Records, closed 15 stores after taking control of the business. Expand Close Debenhams is due to close 19 stores in January (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Debenhams is due to close 19 stores in January (Liam McBurney/PA) Meanwhile, Debenhams, which entered administration in April 2019 to reduce its debt, is reportedly closing 19 stores this month. They are: Altrincham, Greater Manchester January 11 Birmingham The Fort January Kirkcaldy, Fife January 11 Walton-on-Thames, Surrey January 11 Wandsworth, London January 11 Wolverhampton January 11 Chatham, Kent January 15 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk January 15 Slough, Berkshire January 15 Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham January 15 Welwyn, Herfordshire January 15 Witney, Oxfordshire January 15 Ashford, Kent January 19 Canterbury, Kent January 19 Eastbourne, East Sussex January 19 Folkestone, Kent January 19 Southport, Merseyside January 19 Southsea, Portsmouth January 19 Wimbledon, London January 19 Debenhams chief executive Stefaan Vansteenkiste said in a statement: We are working hard to implement the transformation of Debenhams. Despite a challenging retail environment, thanks to our colleagues hard work and our investor groups commitment we are progressing with our turnaround. Asia India: Punjab sanitation workers demand permanent jobs Sanitation workers from the Tarn Taran district, Punjab demonstrated on December 18 to demand permanent employment and salaries in line with the Labour Commissions recommendations. The Commission has stated that every employee should be paid 21,000 rupees ($US295) per month. Workers also demanded an end to the contract labour system and proper details of the amounts deducted from their salaries for the General Provident Fund. The workers were organised by the state committee of the Safai Sewak Union, which has threatened to call a state-wide protest on January 8. Garbage collectors in Nagpur strike About 1,600 garbage collectors from Nagpur, the capital of Indias Maharashtra state, held a sudden strike on December 27 to demand unpaid wages. The walkout left around 905 tonnes of garbage uncollected from households and the streets. The workers are members of the Bhartiya Kamgar Sena, which claims that two new operators, AG Enviro and BVG India, have not paid any salaries since December 7. Telangana childcare centre workers protest against closures Anganwadi (childcare) teachers and helpers demonstrated on the premises of the Collectorate in Kothagudem, Telangana state on December 27 to demand the government withdraw its plans to rationalise the states child care centres. The government wants to amalgamate or close all centres with ten or less children. About 2,000 centres will be affected by the cost-cutting measure. The Anganwadi Teachers and Helpers Union and the Centre for Indian Trade Unions estimate claimed that at least 4,000 jobs will be destroyed. Protesters also demanded that the government immediately pay outstanding travel allowances and salaries. Protest leaders submitted a memorandum to government officials. Tamil Nadu: Military vehicle production workers oppose sackings Former vehicle production workers from Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation Limited (HMFCL) are holding an indefinite demonstration outside the companys factory gate in protest against being retrenched. Around 170 long-term employees were dismissed when the company, which produces bullet-proof passenger cars, trucks and multi-utility vehicles for Indias defence industry, was taken over by the French company PCA. Some employees have worked for the company for 22 years. Workers said that prior to PCAs take-over the company claimed it would retain all HMFCL employees. The vehicle production workers, however, were sacked after PCA recruited an additional 200 workers. A legal case on behalf of the sacked workers is pending in the High Court. Bangladesh state-owned bank employees oppose pay cut Workers from the state-owned BASIC bank demonstrated in Dhaka on December 29 to oppose a pay cut. Protesters confined the banks managing director to his office for several hours and demanded a discussion with the banks board of directors. Management claims the pay cut was due to the bank running at a loss. The demonstration ended later that day with striking bank employees resuming work the following day. Workers claim they are entitled to a special pay structure but the board of directors on December 22 imposed a government pay scale for state-owned banks, which is lower than the previous pay rates. Cambodian beach-front vendors fight eviction On Monday, more than 60 mobile food vendors along the Sihanoukvilles Otres beach front, protested outside the Provincial Hall to demand authorities rescind an order forcing them to leave the location. On December 4 the provincial governor issued a notice ordering 64 vendors to leave the area. The directive claimed it was to protect public order and preserve the beachs beauty, hygiene and environment. Authorities falsely claimed that the vendors drained sewage into the sea, which was disputed by the vendors who said they had financed a proper toilet with its own underground septic tank container with a regular pump-out facility. One of those impacted told the media that the vendors had been at the site for years before it became popular with tourists. She said the vendors were not against development of the beach front but wanted the provincial authorities to provide them with fixed stalls instead of driving them away from their only source of income. New Zealand supermarket workers protest Supermarket workers in New Zealands South Island took limited protest action on December 24 over stalled pay talks. Workers at the PaknSave supermarket in Richmond, near Nelson, and at New World City Centre in Dunedin were protesting low pay at the two Foodstuffs-owned outlets. The First Union restricted the workers action to wearing stickers demanding a living wage while it calls for meaningful bargaining by the stores owners. While a union spokesman complained it had waited more than three years to settle new collective agreements, the union has not organised any action. Dunedin New World had changed ownership in that time. The union has recently settled agreements with five PaknSave stores in the North Island, offering average starting rates of $19.50 per hour, rising to above $21 by 2021. In contrast, Richmond PaknSave is offering just 0.05 cents above the current minimum wage of $17.70, and Dunedin New World is offering the same, with the possibility of workers earning up to 50 cents an hour extra, depending on performance. The so-called Living Wage campaign endorsed by the trade unions falsely claims that a wage of $21.15 per hour is sufficient for workers to live with dignity. In fact it is woefully inadequate, consigning low paid workers in retail and other sectors to ongoing poverty. (Newser) "Footfalls echo in the memory/Down the passage which we did not take/Towards the door we never opened," reads TS Eliot's poem Burnt Norton. The words have found new meaning with the release of Eliot's 1,131 letters to muse Emily Hale, who donated them to Princeton University on the condition that they be made public 50 years after both were dead. Released Thursday, they span 1930 to 1957, per the Guardian. "My love is as pure ... as any love can be," the American poet living in England wrote to Hale, of Boston, in October 1930, after the Harvard schoolmates had met up at a London party. A month later, Eliot, married to a woman he described as "mentally ill," wrote that Hale had made him "happier than I have ever been in my life though it is the kind of happiness which is identical with my deepest loss and sorrow." story continues below Though Hale's replies were destroyed at Eliot's request, per the BBC, she gave an account of the relationship before her death, saying she was surprised by his admission of love and initially did not share his romantic feelings. That changed by the late 1930s. Indeed, "marriage, if and when his wife diedcouldn't help but become a desired right of fulfillment," she said. Yet a decade after Vivienne Eliot's 1947 death, the poet married another woman in what Hale said was "both a shock and a sorrow." In a 1960 statement released in tandem with the letters, Eliot wrote that Hale was a "mediocre teacher of philosophy" who "would have killed the poet in me." But Matthew Hollis of the London Poetry School believes the cutting reaction should be taken with a grain of salt. It was that of "a man in pain" who "clearly felt that his privacy had been invaded," he tells the BBC. (Read more TS Eliot stories.) Across the country, people are talking about election reform. It's not hard to figure out why. In all my years in public service, I've never seen our political institutions tested as they are now. Hardened partisanship and vitriol rule our collective public discourse, and both are driven by a practice that contributes to waning faith in our democracy: gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is cheating. It allows politicians to select their voters, when it should be the other way around. It creates and is reinforced by gridlock, creating noncompetitive seats that have more incentive to satisfy the partisan litmus tests of primary voters rather than solving problems. Nearly 90% of all congressional seats going into the 2020 election are safe for incumbents. Congress has an approval rating in the teens, yet nearly everyone gets reelected again and again. We can break this cycle by passing election reform. That's why I have proposed the Fair Representation Act in the past two sessions of Congress. It would put an end to the single-district, winner-take-all elections that have pushed our politics to the extremes. My bill would create multi-member districts and empower citizens with ranked-choice voting. Districts would be bigger, so individual lines would matter less, and they'd be crafted by truly independent commissions. We have some work to do to convince politicians that we need dramatic change, but I do have good news and progress to report: Virginia is poised to take substantive action on redistricting in 2020. The General Assembly overwhelmingly passed the "first reading" of a bipartisan constitutional amendment proposal in February. By law, a Virginia constitutional amendment needs to be passed in two consecutive legislative sessions, at which point it would be put on a statewide ballot for a referendum next November. If this proposal is approved, Virginia would make history in creating the commonwealth's first-ever redistricting commission - a plan that would finally include citizens at the table when legislative lines are drawn after the 2020 Census. What's more, the commission would require publicly available data for all meetings and a supermajority of members for approval of district maps. Put simply, this amendment is an enormous improvement on the undemocratic system Virginia has had for centuries. In my career, I've seen redistricting abuses on both sides of the aisle. What happened in this past decade, however, cost taxpayers millions in legal fees and cheated voters out of fair representation in Richmond. Racial gerrymandering is an assault on civil rights. Now that the Democratic Party has regained the majority in both legislative chambers, we have both the power and the responsibility to make a good-faith attempt to solve many of these problems and make things better. We must not allow illusive, short-term benefits to outweigh the clear moral imperative to do the right thing. Some fellow Democrats have found faults with the proposed amendment, including the provision that would send a gridlocked commission's map to the Virginia Supreme Court to serve as arbiter. But this mirrors a requirement in my very own Fair Representation Act, which sends maps to a panel of judges in the event a redistricting commission is not enacted on the state level. It may not be perfect, but the flaws are fixable. The incoming majority should pass additional legislation that improves the amendment. These additional bills should include provisions requiring diversity on the commission itself, clear criteria to keep existing communities together, stronger regulations to prevent all definitions of gerrymandering while new district lines are being drawn and a robust set of rules in the unlikely event of gridlock. My hope is that the political dynamics will allow this comprehensive reform package to move forward. The extreme gerrymanders of this decade, driven by technology, are more dangerous and harder than ever for citizens to overturn at the ballot box. We need a break from the past and a fresh, fair start. - - - Beyer, a Democrat, represents Virginia's 8th District in the House. Illustrative image. (Source: VNA) The Agency of Foreign Trade reported Vietnam imported over 15,000 tonnes of pork, worth 15.9 million USD, in November, up 164 percent and 113 percent, respectively from the same period last year. In the first 11 months of last year, the country spent 124 million USD on over 111,000 tonnes of pork imports, year-on-year increases of 97 percent and 108 percent, respectively. Most imported pork is frozen and comes from the US, Germany, France and Poland. The imported pork products are subject to multiple taxes and fees, including customs duties, 5-percent Value Added Tax (VAT) and cold preservation fee, which add around 33,000 35,000 VND (1.43 1.51 USD) to the cost of each kg of pork. Vietnam currently imposes a 10-percent most-favoured-nation (MFN) import tariff on frozen pork while that for fresh and chilled pork is 25 percent. For countries that signed a free trade agreement with Vietnam like Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Russia and Mexico, the rates range from 3 21 percent. According to the agency, the MoIT has inked bilateral agreements on animal quarantine with 19 countries. Over 1,640 foreign firms have been granted permits to export pork products to Vietnam while about 140 domestic companies have been allowed to import pork. The ministry has been accelerating communication campaigns to raise public awareness of pork prices and supply and to encourage people to shift to alternative products, in order to stablise the market. It has also worked with relevant ministries to come up with measures to ensure sufficient supply of farming products, particularly pork, ahead of the holiday. On the first few days of 2020, prices of live pigs dropped by about 1,000 2,000 VND per kg in the north where the products were fetched at about 90,000 95,000 VND per kg, the highest in the country. By Associated Press NEW YORK: Hollywood actress Rose McGowan's tweet that apologised on behalf of the US to Iran for "disrespecting their flag and people" in the wake of an airstrike that killed the country's top general was not anti-American, the actress said in the face of harsh criticism. "I don't support Iran over America. I want America to be better," McGowan said during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Friday. Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us. #Soleimani pic.twitter.com/YE54CqGCdr rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) January 3, 2020 Her tweet read: "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us." ALSO READ| Iran: US asked for proportionate response to general's killing The head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, General Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US airstrike early on Friday. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. She faced outrage over Friday's Twitter post, with some suggesting she move to Iran. McGowan acknowledged that her tweet was unusual. "I woke up, I stupidly looked at Twitter. I was going to the bathroom, and I was like, 'what?'" She added that she doesn't believe the governments of either Iran or the US. Ok, so I freaked out because we may have any impending war. Sometimes its okay to freak out on those in power. Its our right. That is what so many Brave soldiers have fought for. That is democracy. I do not want any more American soldiers killed. Thats it. rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) January 3, 2020 "So, I just thought I would do something a little strange or unusual bloodshed should be avoided if you can. And I kind of just thought, what if I take a really bizarre way around this. A very strange thought, I understand," she said. McGowan (46), who is known for her role in the "Scream" movie franchise, was one of the earliest of dozens of women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, making her a major figure in the #MeToo movement. Jury selection is scheduled to start this week in New York in a sexual assault case against Weinstein based on allegations from two other women. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty in that case and denies any maintains any sexual activity was consensual. McGowan has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Weinstein and two of his former attorneys engaged in racketeering to silence her and derail her career before she accused him of rape. An attorney for the mogul has called the suit "meritless". Communist Party of India (Marxist) Secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has hit out at Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan after he criticized a resolution passed by the state assembly against the Citizenship Act. He has asked Kerala Governor to point out the wrongdoings of the state Assembly instead of criticizing them baselessly. 'Can he point out what is the violation?' "Governor's preachings do not stand the dignity of the Constitution. He is saying the Assembly resolution is against the Constitution. Can he point out what is the violation that the Kerala Assembly has done? Can he clarify that on what basis is he criticising the assembly proceedings? There have been several instances in the past when a resolution has been passed by the Kerala Assembly. Even then you had central governments and Governors," Balakrishnan's statement on Friday read. 'He is engaging in cheap politics' "Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is behaving in ways that were not seen then. He is engaging in cheap politics," he added. Asserting that the Governor had no right to interfere in the proceedings of the state Assembly, the CPI(M) leader added that Khan was behaving like the "state BJP chief". "It would have been nice if the Governor would have read parts of the 2016 Supreme Court judgement in the Arunachal case. The SC had ordered that Governor has no right to interfere in the proceedings of state Assembly. The state BJP chief role play of Governor is without understanding the Constitution, SC verdict, and laws of the land," his statement read. READ | After Kerala, Puducherry too plans to adopt anti-CAA resolution: CM Narayanasamy READ | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan writes to CMs of 11 states urging to pass anti-CAA resolution The Governor had said on Thursday that the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has "no legal or constitutional validity". "This resolution has no legal or constitutional validity because citizenship is exclusively a central subject. This actually means nothing," Khan told the media persons. The state assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking withdrawal of the amended law. The Citizenship Amendment Act, approved by Parliament on December 11, provides citizenship to refugees from six minority religious communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, provided they have lived in India for six years and entered the country by December 31, 2014. The Act has been widely criticised for excluding Muslims. Massive protests have taken place against the Act over the last three weeks. READ | 'Politically motivated': Kerala govt cries foul after WB, Maha over tableau rejection READ | Kerala Assembly resolution against CAA has absolutely no constitutionality (With ANI inputs) Ximen Mining Corp Reports update on Treasure Mountain Silver Property Tulameen BC Posted by Publisher Internet Ximen Mining Corp. (TSX.v: XIM) (FRA: 1XMA) (OTCQB:XXMMF) (the ?Company? or ?Ximen? https://www.commodity-tv.com/?id=88&tx_kesearch_pi1%5Bsword%5D=ximen) provides an update on the Treasure Mountain Silver Property currently under option with New Destiny Mining Corp. (TSX.v NED). ?Results were received for drilling conducted this past season at its Treasure Mountain Silver Property, located near Tulameen, B.C. Analytical results were received for drilling completed at the Lucky Todd copper-gold prospect this past season.? Four diamond drill holes (102 metres) were completed that intersected granodiorite mineralized with quartz veinlets containing chalcopyrite.? Analytical results show elevated copper and molybdenum values locally.? Copper values ranged up to 833 ppm Cu and molybdenum ranged to 88.3 ppm Mo.? For other metals of interest, gold ranged up to 0.08 ppm Au and silver ranged to 1.59 ppm Ag.? Also, one additional sample was collected from a small historic adit exposed in Railroad Creek, thought to be the location of the Lucky Todd / Superior Minfile occurrence.? The analytical results were elevated in copper (1240 ppm Cu). Results previously reported for trenching at the Superior/Lucky Todd include elevated values for gold (up to 1.96 ppm Au), copper (up to 250 ppm Cu), and molybdenum (up to 156.5 ppm Mo) over widths varying between 0.2 and 0.8 metres, and one channel sample of 10 metres that contains 0.15 ppm gold.? One grab sample returned values of 3.99 ppm gold (= grams per tonne), 96.8 ppm silver, 3560 ppm (0.36%) copper and 45.1 ppm molybdenum.? Also, channel sample results from the nearby Railroad copper-silver prospect include 116.0 ppm silver and 0.64% copper over a 4.2 metre width, including 264 ppm silver and 1.06% copper over 1.7 metres.? The Superior/Lucky Todd and Railroad mineralization is interpreted as porphyry-style, copper molybdenum +/- gold-silver and related peripheral veins.? Additional exploration work is required to vector in on the center of the mineralized system. An untested area of the property is the Jim Kelly Creek claims where a grab sample taken in 2018 returned a result of 11.3 grams per tonne gold.? This appears to be an orogenic gold vein type?mineral system. Geochemical analyses were performed by ALS Laboratories in North Vancouver, BC., which is an independent and accredited commercial laboratory.? Analyses for gold were done by fire assay with AA finish on 50 gram subsamples.? Analyses for copper and other elements was by four acid digestion with ICP-MS finish.? Over-limit results for silver were re-analyzed by HF-HNO3-HClO4 digestion with HCl leach, with an ICP-AES or AAS finish.? Over-limit results for copper were analyzed total copper by four acid digestion and ICP or AAS finish.? Field quality control samples were not included with the sample batch due to the limited number of samples. The Company also announces that it has closed its non-brokered private placement previously announced on December 23, 2019. The placement consisted of 132,564 flow through shares at a price of $0.39 per share for gross proceeds of $51,700.? Each Flow-Through share consists of one common share that qualifies as a ?flow-through share? as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Company for exploration expenses on the Company?s British Columbia mineral properties. All securities issued in connection with the flow through Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring April 28, 2020. Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Ximen Mining Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, approved the technical information contained in this News Release About Ximen Mining Corp. Ximen Mining Corp. owns 100% interest in three of its precious metal projects located in southern BC.? Ximen`s two Gold projects The Amelia Gold Mine and The Brett Epithermal Gold Project. Ximen also owns the Treasure Mountain Silver Project adjacent to the past producing Huldra Silver Mine.? Currently, the Treasure Mountain Silver Project is under a option agreement. The option partner is making annual staged cash and stocks payments as well as funding the development of the project. The company has recently acquired control of the Kenville Gold mine near Nelson British Columbia which comes with surface and underground rights, buildings and equipment. Ximen is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol XIM, in the USA under the symbol XXMMF, and in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin Stock Exchanges in Germany under the symbol 1XMA and WKN with the number as A2JBKL. This press release contains certain \forward-looking statements\ within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval and the exercise of the Option by Ximen. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words \expects,\ \plans,\ \anticipates,\ \believes,\ \intends,\ \estimates,\ \projects,\ \aims,\ \potential,\ \goal,\ \objective,\ \prospective,\ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions \will,\ \would,\ \may,\ \can,\ \could\ or \should\ occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company\-\-s management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management\-\-s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the possibility that the TSX Venture Exchange may not accept the proposed transaction in a timely manner, if at all. The reader is urged to refer to the Company\-\-s reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators\-\- System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. 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. Ximen Mining Corp 888 Dunsmuir Street Suite 888, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3K4??? Tel:? 604-488-3900 Kerry County Council is working to identify the source of a major pollution incident that has seen the Lee River in Tralee covered by a slick of spilled fuel. The fuel spill appears to have occurred late last week, and since Friday council staff have been working to clean the spilled fuel from the river, which is a popular trout fishing spot and flows into the sea near Tralee's wetlands wildlife preserve. While the trout do not appear to have been harmed in large numbers, a number of dead fish could be seen floating in the river on Friday and Saturday. A strong smell of fuel also permeated along the section of river where the spill was at its worst, a roughly 150-metre stretch of water to the rear of the Rose Hotel. While it had been speculated that the spill may have originated at a pumping station at Fels Point, this has been ruled out by engineers from Kerry County Council, who are now working to find the source of the spill. The exact amount of fuel that entered the river remains unknown and The Kerryman understands it could range from just a few gallons of petrol or diesel to a much larger quantity. As the drainage system that flows into the Lee covers about a quarter of Tralee, locating the source of the spill will be a complicated task. Whether the spill resulted from someone dumping a relatively small quantity of fuel down a drain to a major leak also remains unclear at this stage. All relevant bodies including Inland Fisheries Ireland have been informed of the spill and will be kept up to date on the status of the investigation. A spokesperson for Kerry County Council outlined the steps that are being taken to deal with the ongoing pollution incident in the river. "Kerry County Council's Environment Department and Operations Department are investigating the source of the pollution, which they have confirmed entered the drainage system upstream of the pumping station at Fels Point," the spokesperson told The Kerryman. "Measures have been put in place by the Council's Environment Department to minimise the flow of pollutant into the River Lee, and they are continuing efforts to trace back the pollutant to where it entered the drainage network," they said. "In all such matters, the Council's Environment Department liaises with the relevant bodies where necessary." Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 23:53:47|Editor: yan Video Player Close LUSAKA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's power utility said on Saturday that it was placing its hope on the completion of a hydro power station funded by the Chinese government to boost electricity generation. Victor Mundende, Managing Director of Zesco Limited, said the Kafue Gorge Lower Power Project currently under construction and almost nearing completion will have significant impact on the current power deficit the country was facing. The official said the first generator at the 750-megawatts power plant will be synchronized in April this year with the rest of the units following in a phased approach until the end of 2020, state-broadcaster quoted him as saying. According to him, the power utility was making frantic efforts to find a lasting solution to the current power crisis the country was facing which has resulted in frequent power cuts. The power utility will continue to pursue alternative energy projects some of which were already in the pipeline he added. Construction of the power plant started in 2015 and is being constructed by China's Sinohydro Corporation. It could be a case of 'a new decade, a new career' for people in Co Louth. WuXi Biologics has announced it is seeking candidates 'for exciting new jobs in Dundalk.' The Chinese biopharmaceutical company will hold career information open days in hotels in both Dundalk and Drogheda for its new Dundalk facility over the holiday break. For people wishing to explore career opportunities with WuXi, why not drop-in to one of the career information days on Saturday 28th December between 10.00am - 2.00pm at The Fairways Hotel Dundalk and on Saturday 4th January 2020 between 10.00am - 2.00pm at The d Hotel, Drogheda. WuXi is seeking applications from ambitious and talented people to join its team in the following areas: Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and other key business support functions. Interested eople who may wish to find out about upcoming WuXi job opportunities are invited to drop in and talk with WuXi staff during the open days. WuXi Biologics, Dundalk, will be the world's largest biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing operation using single-use technology. The new facility will become fully operational in 2021 employing 400 people. The new WuXi Biologics facility is currently under construction just off the M1 near Dundalk. With construction moving rapidly and with over 1,100 construction workers currently working on site. The development of the WuXi Biologics Campus in Dundalk is progressing at a pace that has become known locally as "WuXi speed". A second project, a vaccines facility will employ an additional 200 people. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.4 Trend: On January 4, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov had a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Islamic Republic of Iran Javad Zarif, Trend reports citing Azerbaijans foreign ministry. Reportedly, during the conversation the ministers discussed the latest developments in the region and aggravation of the tension. The Azerbaijani side calls on all parties involved to refrain from violence and be committed to strengthen regional security. Minister Mammadyarov expressed deepest condolences to the leadership and the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of general Qasem Soleimani, said the ministry. On Jan. 3, Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - Quds Force was killed as a result of air strikes at Baghdad Airport. The Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of the Iranian general. Grand Millennium Business Bay, a luxurious five-star property located at Marasi Drive, Al Abraj street, has appointed Abhishek Pandita as its new assistant director of sales. Joining Grand Millennium from Sofitel Dubai Downtown, Pandita brings over 12 years of experience in the hospitality sector. In his new role, he will work on further developing the hotels sales strategies to drive growth and productivity for Grand Millennium Business Bay. A graduate degree holder of BBA (Hons) in Hospitality Management from the International Institute of Advanced Studies in India, Pandita started his career at Crowne Plaza Gurgaon, India and then moved to various key brands like ITC, IHG Group, The Oberoi Dubai & more. Commenting on his appointment, Pandita said: I am honoured to be part of the Grand Millennium Business Bay team and look forward to achieving new heights of success for the hotel while continuing to grow its reputation in the region. Enjoying an enviable location on Marasi Drive with beautiful views of Dubai Water Canal and the city, Grand Millennium Business Bay offers 251 rooms, 11 fully equipped meeting rooms brimming with natural daylight, a 544-sq-m ballroom to accommodate more than 600 guests, a spa, health club and swimming pool. The Beau Rivage Bistro is the hotels European-inspired outlet which opens out onto the canal waterfront while The Podium is the propertys international all-day-dining restaurant. The Grand Millennium Business Bay is the second Grand Millennium property to open in the vibrant city of Dubai and is the preferred choice of stay for both business and leisure guests. - TradeArabia News Service Photograph: New York Times Co./Getty Images The US government is no stranger to the dark arts of political assassinations. Over the decades it has deployed elaborate techniques against its foes, from dispatching a chemist armed with lethal poison to try to take out Congos Patrice Lumumba in the 1960s to planting poison pills (equally unsuccessfully) in the Cuban leader Fidel Castros food. But the killing of Gen Qassem Suleimani, the leader of Irans elite military Quds force, was in in a class all its own. Its uniqueness lay not so much in its method what difference does it make to the victim if they are eviscerated by aerial drone like Suleimani, or executed following a CIA-backed coup, as was Iraqs ruler in 1963, Abdul Karim Kassem? but in the brazenness of its execution and the apparently total disregard for either legal niceties or human consequences. The US simply isnt in the practice of assassinating senior state officials out in the open like this, said Charles Lister, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington. While Suleimani was a brutal figure responsible for a great deal of suffering, and his Quds force was designated by the US as a terrorist organization, theres no escaping that he was arguably the second most powerful man in Iran behind the supreme leader. Related: 'A defining moment in the Middle East': the killing of Qassem Suleimani Donald Trumps gloating tweets over the killing combined with a sparse effort to justify the action in either domestic or international law has led to the US being accused of the very crimes it normally pins on its enemies. Irans foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, denounced the assassination as an act of international terrorism. Vipin Narang, a political scientist at MIT, said the killing wasnt deterrence, it was decapitation. There has been no shortage of US interventions over the past half-century that have attempted and in some cases succeeded in removing foreign adversaries through highly dubious legal or ethical means. The country has admitted to making no fewer than eight assassination attempts on Castro, though the real figure was probably much higher. Story continues William Blum, the author of Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II, points to a litany of American sins from invasions, bombings, overthrowing of governments, assassinations to torture and death squads. Its not a pretty picture is his blunt conclusion. The CIA was deemed to have run so amok in the 1960s and 70s that in 1975 the Church committee investigated a numerous attempted assassinations on foreign leaders including Lumumba, Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic, Vietnams Ngo Dinh Diem and, of course, Castro. In the fallout, Gerald Ford banned US involvement in foreign political assassinations. The ban didnt last long. Since 1976 the US has continued to be engaged in, or accused of, efforts to eradicate foreign leaders. Ronald Reagan launched bombing raids in 1986 targeting Libyas Muammar Gaddafi. As recently as two years ago North Korea alleged that the CIA tried to assassinate its leader, Kim Jong-un. But most of the interventions in the modern era have been covert and conducted beneath the radar. Where they have been proclaimed publicly, they have tended to target non-state actors operating in militias or militant groups like Islamic State. Barack Obama and Trump both claimed huge public relations victories when they oversaw the killings of Osama bin Laden and the Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, respectively. Barack Obama and the national security team receive an update on the mission to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011. Photograph: Pete Souza/AP By contrast, until Trump the US has tended to fight shy of conducting overt assassination attempts on state actors connected to sovereign regimes. Suleimani himself is a case in point. In 2008, the CIA worked hand in glove with the Israeli intelligence service the Mossad to target Imad Mughniyah, a senior Hezbollah leader, for assassination. In the course of their efforts they had the chance of taking out not only Mughniyah but also Suleimani in a single drone strike. In the end, the operation was called off because the US government blocked it on grounds that it could seriously have destabilised the region. Despite such reticence, Mary Ellen OConnell, a professor of international law at the University of Notre Dame, draws a direct line between earlier US administrations and the convention-shredding unpredictability of Trump. She said the advent of the unmanned drone in 2000 put the US on a slippery slope towards the current crisis. The first deployment of a drone as an assassination tool was ordered by Bill Clinton in an effort to get Bin Laden. The first successful targeted killing, as it is now called, came soon after, carried out by the Bush administration in Yemen. Related: Killer drones: how many are there and who do they kill? Obama inherited Bushs widespread use of drone killings and increased their frequency tenfold, while seeking to give them a veneer of legal respectability with the secret internal targeted killing memos. Those documents argued that drone assassinations were justified under international law as self-defense against future terrorist attacks a rationale that has been widely disputed as a misreading of the UN charter. Since Obama there has been a steady dilution of international law, OConnell said. Suleimanis death marks the next dilution we are moving down a slope towards a completely lawless situation. OConnell added that there was only one step left for the US now to take. To completely ignore the law. Frankly, I think President Trump is there already his only argument has been that Suleimani was a bad guy and so he had to be killed. With an estimated 523,000 active Iranian personnel, which includes 350,000 in the regular army. (Photo Credit: Reuters) New Delhi: In the wake of United States attack on top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, the entire region of middle east along with the world, at large, is reeling under the threat of a violent confrontation. Iranian leadership has vowed to take a 'severe revenge' while the US, on the other hand, has called it a war on terror. At this stage of prospective military action brewing on the part of Iran when both Pentagon and Tehran glare at each other, it becomes crucial to analyse whether Tehran possesses the capabilities to meet its 'vow of revenge'. With an estimated 523,000 active Iranian personnel, which includes 350,000 in the regular army, and at least 150,000 in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Iran certainly appears to be a force in the middle east to reckon with. Iran has the strong Quds Force, which was led by General Soleimani. It is tasked to conduct secret operations abroad for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Iran has deployed the unit in Syria and Iraq and unit has been advising Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Shia-dominated paramilitary force in Iraq, reports BBC. As far as the missile capability of Iran is concerned, it forms a key part of countrys military prowess. However, it has a relatively weaker air force in comparison to Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to a report by US Defense Department, Iran has the largest missile force in the middle east and it mainly comprises short-range and medium-range missiles. The nation is currently testing space technology to make it capable enough to develop inter-continental missiles. Despite having no inter-continental ballistic missiles, many targets in Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Gulf are vulnerable to Iran's current short and medium-range missiles. Iran had earlier stalled its long-range missile programme as part of its 2015 nuclear deal with foreign countries but reports suggest that it can resume the development of long range missiles soon. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 10:52:40|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States is preparing itself for any possible retaliation from Iran after a U.S. strike killed a top Iranian commander, a move that was concerned about by countries around the world and even questioned by some U.S. lawmakers. A U.S. airstrike on Thursday night (Washington time) killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, along with an Iraqi militia commander, near Baghdad International Airport, triggering a harsh revenge threat from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response to "increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities" in the Middle East, the United States will deploy a brigade to Kuwait "as an appropriate and precautionary action," said the Pentagon in a statement on Friday, without specifying the number of the troops. U.S. media reported on Friday that America will deploy some 3,500 more troops to the Middle East as early as this weekend. The additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and other parts of the region, reported NBC News citing multiple U.S. defense and military officials. Following the strike, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Friday urged all U.S. citizens to depart from Iraq immediately. Besides, the U.S. embassy in Beirut issued a security alert on Friday, warning U.S. citizens in Lebanon to exercise increased caution. After the deadly attack, Washington has tried to justify its move and called for de-escalation in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that America's action Thursday night was "to stop a war," not "to start a war," adding that the United States is not seeking regime change in Iran, something repeatedly mentioned by senior Trump administration officials. "If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that, in particular, refers to Iran," Trump said in a speech delivered at his resort Mar-a-Lago in the state of Florida on Friday afternoon. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on Friday with the Middle East and European allies, his Russian counterpart and other countries' senior officials by phone over the U.S. killing of Soleimani, claiming that "the United States remains committed to de-escalation," according to multiple readouts provided by the State Department. The strike also stirred up U.S. lawmakers, who mostly voiced their opinion along the party lines. "Tonight's airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence. America -- and the world -- cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return," U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement on Thursday. On Friday, Pelosi, a California Democrat, called on the Trump administration to immediately brief lawmakers on the U.S. airstrike and what the White House plans to do next. Several senior Republican lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, praised Trump's move. "No man alive was more directly responsible for the deaths of more American service members than Qassem Soleimani," McConnell said Friday on the Senate floor. McConnell also revealed that the Trump administration planned to give a classified briefing to all senators early next week. The number of people on trolleys at Cork University Hospital hit a record high yesterday, prompting more criticism of the HSEs resourcing of the hospital. Meanwhile, two of the largest hospitals in the country have warned people to stay away due to high levels of influenza patients. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said 620 admitted patients were waiting for beds nationally yesterday morning, 73 of whom were at Cork University Hospital the highest count ever at the hospital. Liam Conway, INMO industrial relations officer for CUH, said immediate de-escalation policies are needed to address overcrowding. This is a crisis situation. Our members on the frontline are describing the situation as horrendous for both staff and patients, said Mr Conway. The bulk of patients without beds are over 75, often at one of the most vulnerable points in their lives. We are calling for the hospital to fully implement de-escalation policies. This means cancelling electives, stopping non-emergency admissions, and sourcing extra bed capacity from the private- and public-sector services. This de-escalation should continue next week, until the hospital is stabilised. There have been over 50 nursing vacancies in CUH for several months, due to the HSEs cost-cutting, go-slow recruitment policy. After much lobbying, we got the HSE to approve recruitment for the posts on December 20 far too late to make a difference this winter. Of the 620 patients waiting for a bed nationwide, 433 were in emergency departments, while 187 were in other wards. After CUH, the worst-hit hospitals yesterday were University Hospital Limerick, where 57 patients were without a bed, and University Hospital Galway and Mayo University Hospital (35 each). The record numbers at CUH come during flu season, which the HSE says appears to have peaked. The South/South West Group, which includes CUH, has urged the public to help prevent the spread of flu by avoiding hospitals and emergency departments so as not to infect others. Mild illnesses, such as colds, sore throats, coughs, and such like, are usually viral, self-limiting illnesses and can be treated at home with fluids, over-the-counter painkillers, and rest, said Paul Gallagher, a consultant geriatrician at CUH. Antibiotics will not work on a viral infection, including flu. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and take paracetamol or ibuprofen for temperatures, aches, and pains. The flu vaccine is our best protection against the flu virus. The vaccine helps your immune system to produce antibodies to the flu virus. If you then come into contact with the virus, these antibodies will attack it and reduce your chance of becoming very sick. You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine, and the flu vaccine works within two weeks. Meanwhile, the Mater Hospital in Dublin and the Mercy Hospital in Cork imposed visiting restrictions due to a high volume of patients confirmed with influenza. Both hospitals warned members of the public to visit the hospital only when absolutely necessary. Deputy Inspector General (DIG Central Kashmir) VK Birdi on Saturday said a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was apprehended by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Security forces. The terrorist identified as Nisar Dar was apprehended on Friday night. Confirming about the incident to ANI, VK Birdi said, "Jammu Kashmir Police and security forces had received some information about a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist hiding in the region. So later we carried out a search operation in which we were able to apprehend him. In the month of November, he had earlier escaped from an encounter in Kullan village of Ganderbal district." Earlier in the day, Jammu and Kashmir police officer Imtiyaz Hussain had tweeted, "Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by J & K Police & Security Forces. This dreaded terrorist was wanted in many terror crimes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Members of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force step on a makeshift US flag with a caricature of President Donald Trump during the funeral procession of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (poster left) and Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani (poster right) in Baghdad. (Photo: AFP) New Delhi: United States President Donald Trump on Saturday tried to justify his administrations unilateral action to kill Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani on Thursday by claiming that the slain Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander had contributed to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. President Trump did not elaborate what exactly he was referring to. While his statement was immediately rubbished by Irans ambassador to India, there was no reaction from the ministry of external affairs. The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani, Mr Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London, Mr Trump added, sparking more confusion and doubt over his assertions rather than shedding light on the timing of his governments action that has dramatically escalated tensions between the US and Irans and sparked fears of an all-out war between the two countries. Irans ambassador in New Delhi Ali Chegeni rubbished Mr Trumps claim. How can they (US) prove this (claim)? We have very special relationship with India and General Soleimani and his team had a special relationship on our exchange of security information with India, Mr Chegeni said. Caught in the crossfire between US and Iran, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) remained silent on Mr Trumps statement. India and US have several high-level security and intelligence arrangements and the statement by President Trump could be based on Delhi Polices claims in 2012 about the involvement of Irani secret agency in an attack on Israeli diplomats family in New Delhi. The incident took place in February 2012 when a motorcyclist attached a bomb to the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache posted in India while she was on her way to pick up her children from school. Delhi Police had in 2012 claimed that the blast was the handiwork of suspects believed to be part of Irani Revolutionary Guards and had arrested an Indian journalist working for Iranian new agency. Israel too had blamed Iran for the attack and shared details with the United States. A protest was staged against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Kothrud area here on Saturday. Elsehwere in the city, some organisations demanded that the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the legislature and pass a resolution aginst the CAA and NRC. Holding placards denouncing the CAA, NRC and the National Population Register (NPR), members of the Yuvak Kranti Dal, Professional Congress, National Students Union of India, Aam Admi Party and others took part in the protest. They demanded that the CAA, which offers citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, be scrapped. Sandip Barve, a member of the Yuvak Kranti Dal, said the demonstration had been organised under the umbrella of 'We The People Of India', an anti-CAA grouping. The protests against the CAA will continue until the government does not repeal the act, he said. Some 500 to 600 people took part in the protest. Pravin Saptarshi, another protestor, claimed that some people tried to provoke the protesters by starting arguments with them over the CAA. "We appealed our people not to get instigated by their comments and continue the protest in a peaceful manner," he said. Elsewhere, several organizations under the umbrella of Mulnivasi Muslim Manch staged a sit-in against the CAA. They demanded that the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the legislature and pass a resolution against the CAA and NRC, said Anjum Inamdar, president of the outfit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It w as a cool, crisp, picture-perfect January day when a son of Texas and grandson of an immigrant rode a city bus down Castroville Road to Plaza Guadalupe, stood before 1,000 people and announced he was running for president of the United States. Julian Castro became the first San Antonian to reach for the nations highest office, and the historic nature of the moment was palpable. So was his courage and his supporters hope that he would stay in the race, at least until the first primary. It was not to be. Almost a year later, Castro ended his presidential aspirations, at least for now, concluding that it simply isnt our time. Castro left the race the way he entered it working to shape the political conservation around Americans left out of the countrys success, pushing policies to help lift them out of poverty and despair, and reminding the other candidates that these lives matter. The lone Latino in the race was a singular voice for Americas vulnerable, and he never strayed off-message. He remained poised and presidential, retelling his familys remarkable story, illustrating that San Antonio and its Mexican American community can produce a national candidate of the first caliber home-grown, culturally grounded, Stanford- and Harvard-educated. Maria Antonietta Berriozabal, the first Mexican American woman to serve on San Antonios City Council, described the experience as profound. He was the first Mexican American to run for president of the United States who came out of San Antonio, she said, her voice cracking, who came out of the West Side, who came out of an immigrant experience. He has given young people of color an example to follow. He took the best of our people to the highest level of politics in our country, Berriozabal said, pride in her voice. Castro visited marginalized communities that presidential candidates usually avoid. He spoke with incarcerated men in Washington, D.C.; people living in flood-control tunnels in Las Vegas; and migrants in Matamoros, Mexico, waiting in desperation for their asylum cases to be heard. Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros expressed pride in Castros presidential run. Its an example of the way America is changing, he said, and that the West Side can produce a candidate who comported himself with such nobility and such capacity. Cisneros says Castros run will draw young people of all kinds into public life. Castro, he said, could make a vice presidential short list and, if a Democrat is elected, he would be a strong candidate for a high-profile Cabinet position higher than the post he held in the Obama administration as secretary of housing and urban development. Castros run was courageous, Cisneros said. He put himself out there knowing it would be difficult. At the end of it, he stood tall and helped himself, and people of color, and San Antonio, and all of us should be very proud and grateful, Cisneros said. Stacey Abrams, the first African American woman to earn the Democratic nomination for governor of Georgia, said on Twitter: America owes @JulianCastro a debt of gratitude for lifting issues that too often remain hidden in the shadows of discourse. Then there was @SeriouslyJr on Twitter, one of Castros most ardent supporters and a fierce critic of political reporters and debate moderators who, he says, granted Castro too little air time. Junior, as he likes to be called, is Herbert Thomason Jr., a third-generation dock worker from New Jersey. When Castro suspended his campaign, Junior was as downcast as the candidates supporters back home. The former Hillary Clinton supporter turned independent has been following Castros career since his keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Thomason continues to believe Castro is what we need in the party. He talked about the water in Flint, about immigration, about criminal justice reform, he said. Yet when those issues made news in the presidential race, the media quoted other candidates, he said, as if Castro wasnt there. Thomason doesnt know who hell vote for now. Hes still in mourning. But the son of Texas, of San Antonio, of Rosie Castro the grandson of Victoria Castro, who came to United States from Mexico as an orphan isnt done. He will find ways to serve not only his family but his community and his country, as his twin brother, Joaquin Castro, is doing in Congress. Heres the other important thing to remember: The first time Julian Castro ran for mayor, he lost. It made him a stronger candidate the second time. In 2028, hell only be 53. Elaine Ayala is a columnist covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala PEORIA On any given day, nurses provide compassionate, and, often, life-saving care to their patients. Sometimes that care can have a worldwide impact because of how health care and those who work in it look out for others. Such was the case at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center and OSF Childrens Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, in late 2018. Pediatric hematology/oncology nurses noticed one of their BD Alaris 8100 pumps completed its infusion nearly two hours faster than expected. The Alaris pumps are used for intravenous infusions and had been in use at the medical center since 2011. The nursing staff thought it was simply an isolated incident and sent the pump to be checked by the biomedical team. Weeks later, when the same thing happened to a different pump, and then a third, the team realized the pumps malfunction wasnt an isolated incident, escalating the situation to the medical centers quality and safety team for review. With nearly 1,200 Alaris pumps in use across the 629-bed hospital, they knew they had to act fast to keep their patients safe, even going back to their nursing school training. We went back old school, back a long time ago, before we had pumps that did this for us, and they started counting drips to verify the rate on the pump, explained Tiffany Klein, patient care manager, pediatric hematology/oncology OSF HealthCare Childrens Hospital of Illinois. After we started counting the drips, we noticed it again the very next day. It was Kleins team who first identified something was wrong. She admits to being a little angry about the situation at first, especially when the problem didnt initially recreate when the equipment was first checked. In 2019 we rely on this technology, Klein said. You walk in to any of our ICUs now and it is all technology, and so we rely on this to save our patients. To know that we had a piece of equipment that was failing us, it was anger. As manager of biomedical equipment services at OSF Saint Francis, Scott Vaughn understood her frustration. His 22-member team is responsible for making sure all biomedical equipment nearly 26,000 pieces works correctly on a daily basis. A dozen people more than one half of the biomedical team was working to identify the problem with the Alaris pump, many losing sleep as they tried to find the answer. Early on, in what ended up being a 6-month process, Vaughn had the foresight to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He couldnt imagine that OSF Saint Francis was the only medical facility having issues with so many Alaris pumps. Yet no one else had reported anything to the FDA and the manufacturer claimed to have no knowledge of the problem. Ultimately, Vaughns team worked with an engineer from the manufacturer, Becton Dickinson (BD), and found that there was a breakdown in some of the internal plastics used in the unit, which caused small, hairline cracks to form on the pumping mechanism. If those inner workings were manipulated into a certain position, the medication would flow freely instead of at a controlled rate. Last June, Becton Dickinson and the FDA issued a worldwide, Class I recall the most serious type of recall of the BD Alaris Pump Model 8100 because of the teams at OSF Saint Francis and Childrens Hospital of Illinois bringing the problem to their attention. In its recall, the FDA said the use of the devices may cause serious injuries or death. No patients at OSF Saint Francis and Childrens Hospital were adversely affected by the pumps because of the diligence of the staff. Becton Dickinson eventually retooled how the pumps are made. OSF HealthCare didnt wait for the recall to take effect, choosing to replace the Alaris pumps at all of its 13 hospitals, some 2,400 pumps ministry-wide, at a cost of more than $2 million. Klein and Vaughn still get emotional talking about their roles and that of their teams in the recall of something that had such a global impact. Vaughn saved the voicemail from his contact at the FDA, thanking him for what he did and got choked up when asked about it. The lady who I have been working with left a message stating that we had done it, that, Scott, you had saved lives and that eventually this would be a worldwide recall, recalled Vaughn, pausing to collect himself. Its what we do every day, Klein interjected, and it really goes to show that being diligent and making sure that were taking the best care of our patients not only affects the patient were caring for, but it can affect the entire world. I filed a complaint with the FDA, Vaughn said. They read my report and was kind of shocked by it. At that point we had disassembled hundreds of IV pumps. IMAGE: General Qassem Soleimani headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Quds Force and served as Iran's pointman on Iraq. Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a United States strike, President Donald Trump on Friday said the 'reign of terror is over' and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to 'terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London'. General Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Al Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed Al Shaabi paramilitary force. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," he said. Trump alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilise the Middle East for the last 20 years. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government, he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change," Trump said. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end and it must end now. "The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad," he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the 'number one terrorist' anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him," he said. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies," Trump said. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen," he said in his remarks. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran," he said. "Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as Al Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters," the president said. There were others who also wanted Twitter to take down Kiran Bedias tweet saying that she was spreading fake news. (Photo Credit: Kiran Bedi/Twitter) New Delhi: It seems Sun is shining rather too bright on Puducherry Governor Kiran Bedi. The former IPS officer landed in soup after she posted an absurd tweet, which has been one of the popular desi science trivia. On Saturday, Bedi took to Twitter and posted an animated video clip that claimed that NASA recorded the sound of Sun and Sun chants Om. The one minute, fifty second long video is replete with screenshots of Hindu Gods and sketch of Om sign both in English and Hindi. Netizens soon begin trolling Bedi for the post, which has been time now and time again debunked as pure myth created by social media. Many lamented that Bedi post is a typical WhatsApp forward. Others questioned whether she has joined the BJPs IT cell. Once upon a time this lady was a hero to many. What a disgrace now!, said a Twitter user Sayed Usman. Another user posted a GIF from Hrithik Roshan-starrer Koi Mil Gaya. Old gissa pitta old doctored video neither NASA nor Isro confirmed this. Welcome to WhatsApp university, said another user. A user with Twitter handle @pirate_knightk taunted Bedi saying, She is like my father "whatsapp pe aaya hai to sach hi hoga. There were others who also wanted Twitter to take down Bedis tweet saying that she was spreading fake news. Why dont you take action against such misinformation? The person circulating the video is a well known one, and this can falsely influence many others, said one Biswa while tagging Twitter India. Mam pls delete this tweet. There is something called 'Science', urged one Amartya Das. The BJP leader and former IPS officer was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in 2016. Bedi, who joined the BJP just before the 2015 Assembly elections in Delhi, had been the partys chief ministerial candidate. For all the Latest India News, South News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. By Express News Service BENGALURU: A day after his open request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for central assistance towards flood relief went unanswered, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was in damage-control mode on Friday. Thrashing reports of the PM deliberately snubbing his plea for assistance, Yediyurappa said that contrary to the picture being painted by the Opposition and the media, Modi had assured that Karnatakas demands will be considered. Lashing out at the media for attaching motive to his speech which was plain and honest in content, Yediyurappa insisted that the PM had lent him an ear. Being in federal set-up, there is nothing wrong in placing the facts before the Prime Minister and making submissions. As a Chief Minister, I placed our states problems and need of more funds for developmental activities before him, he said. Modi asked for report, says BSY The PM spoke to me personally and assured me of all help. He suggested that I visit New Delhi to meet the ministers concerned and apprise them about the states problems and pending projects. He also directed me to prepare a detailed report on this matter, the CM added. Yediyurappa, who was sharing the stage with the PM at Tumakuru on Thursday, apprised him of the damage caused due to floods and how only Rs 1,200 crore had been released from the Union government. Even as Modi looked on, Yediyurappa insisted that the Centre release more funds. The PM, however, neither made mention of Yediyurappas plea nor assured more assistance to Karnataka during his address. The PMs refusal to talk on the issue of flood relief and Yediyurappas speech bordering on accusation of the Centre for not providing enough relief had hit the headlines and provided Congress ammunition to target for Modi as being unconcerned about Karnataka and Yediyurappa for being a weak Chief minister. It takes a moment to recognise the figure approaching up the path as Professor Mary McAleese. Hidden behind a purple shell raincoat and rain hat, she could be any other shivering soul in Carrick-on-Shannon, where the rain falls in torrents and the wind shakes the branches of the trees, while boats huddle along the churning icy river. It's a godforsaken day to meet a former President. When she walks over to the table, her formidability kicks in - a steady glide, head held back. We are meeting in the hotel near her home, "three miles out" on the Co Roscommon lake opposite the farm where her grandfather grew up. I quickly learn that she likes to talk about her grandparents; they root her. "My grandfather came here into Carrick one afternoon and bought my father his first pair of shoes. My father described him coming back to the house with a pair of shoes wrapped up in brown paper - they might have been second-hand shoes - they were subsistence farmers, there was no real hard cash. My father said it took him five years to grow into the shoes. He put them on and the next day he left home to make his own way in the world, at the age of 14. Can you imagine? The very idea of letting a child loose at 14." Expand Close Mary McAleese meets Nelson Mandela / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary McAleese meets Nelson Mandela Patrick Leneghan got on a train and headed for Belfast. He worked for years as a barman and eventually opened a small pub, The Long Bar, off the Falls Road. He and his wife Claire had nine children, raised Catholic in a Loyalist neighbourhood, and their home, and pub, were both viciously attacked. In 1973, Mary, their eldest, got a Degree in Law from Queen's University Belfast. She was called to the Bar and worked briefly as a barrister. In 1975, she took up the post in Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College, where she stayed 12 years. She also worked as a current affairs journalist on RTE. In 1994, she became Pro-Vice Chancellor of Queen's University, one of innumerable honours, appointments, posts and 'ships to come. And now the woman Forbes named as the 64th most powerful in the world in 2011 has just been made Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin. Were her parents surprised in 1997 when she announced her intention to run for President? "I think everybody was surprised at that for sure, yes they were, absolutely. I was glad that they have both lived long enough to see that day. [Her father died in 2013 and her mother is alive]. But when I was made a Freeman of Roscommon, that, to my father, was more important than becoming president." She continued to surprise when she went to live in Rome for three years and obtain a doctorate in Canon Law. Now she's returning to broadcasting with a new programme for RTE, All Walks of Life. This follows Modern Family, her programme made to mark the Pope's 2018 visit - a visit she wasn't happy with, she has no qualms in stating. In All Walks of Life we meet a different Mary McAleese to the stateswoman many of us grew up with. A kind of mother-to-all, she encloses each guest (there are six, one in each episode) in a tight hug before hot-footing across rocky terrain, talking to her fellow pilgrims about difficult, touchy-feely things. Faith in God, and overcoming adversity. Now that she's had her chance, I'm glad I get to turn the tables and see will McAleese open up about such a private thing as religious belief. A popular president at the keen edge of an unpopular subject. Expand Close Mary with husband Martin, son Justin and his husband Fionan in the 2018 Dublin Pride Parade / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary with husband Martin, son Justin and his husband Fionan in the 2018 Dublin Pride Parade Video of the Day I'm also holding out for one of her matriarchal hugs. "Where are you from yourself?" she asks warmly and wonders how I got here. She wears a stylish pair of maroon eyeglasses. Her fingernails are painted deep pink and she wears silver hoop earrings under her coiffed hair. Her husband, Martin, who is now Chancellor of DCU, is a discreet presence at a nearby table as the former President settles into her cappuccino and croissant. What was the goal of her programme? Does she hope to give the people of secular Ireland a chance to reflect on faith? "I couldn't care less. Honestly, it's not my business," she says. "Telling people to reflect on faith. I've enough problems with my own!" Put differently, is it a delicate thing to talk to sceptical people about faith, almost a taboo subject? "I understand scepticism very well. I'm waking up to it most mornings," she laughs - and then bites, proverbially, when I ask her to say more about that scepticism: "No." "The programme really was about exploring the inner thoughts of the participants. I didn't know whether they had faith or whether they didn't We were walking routes that had been associated over time with both Christianity and pre-Christianity. Extraordinarily ancient routes, you're talking two millennia. "We were setting out down the road to see what does be going through people's heads when they follow a pilgrim route. Some people will take to that route with no sense of God. It's not for me to tell them to have it either. I'm not very keen on proselytising, evangelising." Expand Close President Mary McAleese and US President Barack Obama / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Mary McAleese and US President Barack Obama The former President is a nature person and she loves to walk - note the Gortex, the jeans and hard-wearing burgundy ankle boots. "Walking is my thing. Hail, blow or snow, I'll go out no matter what the weather is. Holidays are spent walking. I don't do beaches. We've done the Camino quite a few times now. We've done parts of it in France, Italy, Spain. Ireland has the most extravagant number of pilgrim routes. We have such a luxuriant abundance of magnificent walks in Ireland and in many cases they are also linked to a very strong local narrative. "Long before we had churches, dogma and doctrines, long before Palladian or Patrick came to Ireland, they struggled with the big metaphysical questions, with what are we doing here?" Talking at length, she is eloquent, sharp, a little florid, and constantly needs to be interrupted. These interruptions feel crude considering her insistent recall of so many subjects. She moves quickly between topics and favours an objective answer over a personal. She always finds the right word, plucking superlatives as if she is making a speech rather than having a chat. Famously, she's also well capable of a salty phrase, perhaps knowing the power of rhetoric to make a difference. In March 2018 at the 'Why Women Matter' Voices of Faith conference, held in the shadow of the Vatican on International Women's Day, she described the Catholic Church as the "primary global carrier of the toxic virus of misogyny"; "a male bastion of patronising platitudes"; and a "hermetically sealed cosy male clerical elite". I relay the first quote back to her and she nods. "It is". As a female Head of State, did she encounter misogyny often? The question is side-stepped. "Funny, I've been very lucky. To have always managed to find a space to get through somehow." And the other global carriers of misogyny? "Oh there are many of carriers of that virus, and a lot of them are faith-based systems." She gives a curt "hmm," indicating perhaps she doesn't need any more controversy - perhaps. McAleese has been highlighting the second-class view of women in the church for some time; in 1995, she had articulated similar sentiments at a conference in Dublin. But this time her words got her into trouble. The Voices of Faith conference had been scheduled to take place in the Vatican. Some days before, three of the speakers, including McAleese, were not given approval from a high-ranking Cardinal to speak in the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The Voices of Faith looked elsewhere to hold their conference and the Jesuits opened their doors. Did it hurt to be excluded from the Vatican? "Oh it hurt desperately, of course it did. This was my church after all. I would have been a visitor to the Vatican. Over the time I was in office I would have been welcomed by both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. It seemed odd to me. And remains unexplained." She made a canonical complaint to Pope Francis at the time and has not received a response. "Not an acknowledgement. Nothing. Just complete silence. So, rather odd. "I don't think it was a good idea to have banned me from a meeting about women in the Vatican. It wasn't a good signal, was it? It wasn't wise. "The decision was taken by the man Cardinal [Kevin] Farrell. If I was to put two and two together and look at the other people who were also 'barred' if you like, we were all people who'd been associated with campaigning for gay rights. That seems to have been the trigger. But we don't know." She adds that Cardinal Farrell was "new in the job. So, pulling his weight around a bit". McAleese met the Irish Cardinal once in Rome. "He did say to me rather dismissively on that occasion that he knew nothing about Ireland, that he'd been out of it for 50 years. That became very evident of course, when he became the mastermind of the Pope's really not great visit to Ireland. Poorly constructed visit to Ireland. I felt terribly sorry for Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, the visit was thrown upon him." The failure of the papal visit to reach the North of Ireland bothers her. "The North has always been kind of hanging there, waiting for a Pope to come. Francis comes in peace, and we have the Good Friday Agreement. Every single leader of a Protestant church invited him, what a wonderful thing, and he didn't go. This was the advice he got from Cardinal Farrell. Cardinal Farrell is one of his closest friends. He celebrated his birthday in a restaurant in Rome this week with five friends, one of them was Cardinal Farrell." What is interesting is how McAleese put aside the imbroglio and stayed committed to the church. In 1975, with David Norris, she founded the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform and has spoken out against homophobia since. But her son, Justin, could not marry his husband in the church he was brought up in. I tell her it's hard to understand how she has continued to support an institution she could wage such a polemic against. She takes a bite of croissant and pauses for a thoughtful moment. "1.2 billion people'" she says. "The church is a hugely, hugely influential institution. It's also the biggest NGO in the world. "I'll stay with it. It's a deliberate choice. I could leave, I'm free to leave. I choose to stay because I don't see church as the hierarchy and the curia and the institutional governance structure - which in my view is in serious need of reform. It comes out of an old imperial structure, and like all old empires they're out of touch with life now. Pope John XXIII started the process, it's somewhat glacial." She makes the point she owes her education to the church and the Passionates that brought her through school. Her mother left school at 14 and her father at 15 and both would have loved to have gone to university. "I feel very grateful to all the priests, nuns, Christian brothers who devoted their lives to educating young people. "I'm very conscious that there was a dark side to it. That was repressed, suppressed, had very little controls, accountability, children were made doubly vulnerable, a huge amount of victims came out of that system. The raw wounds of that are going to be a long, long time in the healing." She says that the people she interviews for All Walks of Life have "the most remarkable uplifting stories to tell, which might give hope to other people. You take Amy Huberman You could say isn't she blessed, she's had the silver spoon. No. You walk for her for a bit and you realise she's had manys an up and down Her life is not a gilded cage. "You think of Deborah Somorin [the Nigerian Chartered Accountant who lost her mother to suicide and was homeless at 13 and pregnant at 14]. This little one, who is a mammy at 14, she raises her own child, she does her Junior Cert, she does her Leaving Cert, she gets into university, she gets her degree, she gets into one of the big four accounting firms, she passes her Chartered Accountancy exams. "That is no joke. My son did those exams, but he came home every evening to a meal put in front of him. I was looking after him" A lot of younger people who grew up with a tarnished view of the church wouldn't think of having faith in God, I tell her. "I think you're right about that," she says. "One of my children said to me, 'Mum, for most of our lives the church has been under investigation. Like the Mafia.' There's been commission after commission, report after report, investigation after investigation, and that has clawed away at credibility. "Also, we have an overdose of churches, don't we. Sunday services, or Mass - it's all about buildings. Many of those buildings, though, can be a little bit depressing now. The draining away of people can also drain away at your spirit." Is part of having faith accepting you will also have major doubts? "For absolute sure. Faith is when you've jumped over the doubt. It's trust. Trust is vulnerable. Isn't that what happened, for a lot of people, that the trust and the faith they had was robbed by bad actions? Whether it was clerical child sex abuse, episcopal mismanagement. Those things damage trust." She became an adult when it was illegal for a married woman to work in state jobs. Studying Law at Queen's, she was one of about 10 girls in a class of about 60 boys. Asked where she got her drive and the urge to excel at everything, she offers only "I've no idea," but does quote some poetry. "Very little would have been expected of us, but we were also the generation Seamus Heaney describes as having 'intelligence as bright and unmannerly as crowbars'. We were the generation that was not going to 'dose its life away against the flanks of milking cows'." Her father, part of a group called the Knights of Columbanus, "who pushed hard for the acceleration and the massification of schools", seems to have given her bookishness and curiosity. "He never had any opportunity for education, but boy, he was some avid reader. Our house was coming down with books, books, books, books. I could be found in any corner of the house reading a book." I wonder how an intellectual can believe in something for which there is no evidence. She answers by way of a strange tangential description. One of her favourite places is Valentia Island. "Everywhere you turn it's like an army of flower arrangers just got there before you and arranged these totally magnificent displays of montbretia and fuchsia. To see the splendour of that. It takes your breath away. You think to yourself, 'I couldn't make that'. So it opens up those questions about creation itself, doesn't it?" Can she think of a time her religious faith has steadied her? "Always, every day. I gave up a long time ago trying to plumb the depths of it. I'm just glad it's there, I'm glad I have it." Her grandparents were "ferocious prayers". "My paternal grandmother who lived up the road, she loved quiet silent prayer in the dark. She would go to the chapel first thing in the morning. She'd walk three miles to Drumline chapel, the priest left the key under the stone for her, she'd open the chapel, it was freezing cold. She would light candles and sit in the gloom. From her I learnt the value of quiet silent prayer. "The conversation with God's been going on inside my head since I was a youngster." After Dublin, McAleese feels most at home in Rome, where she lived in a monastery and a layperson's community. "I go to mass regularly in St Clement. If you listen carefully you can hear the water system that was put in 3,000 years ago. How does that make you feel about life and death? That's what I love about Rome. The consciousness that allows you to accept the shortness of life and the possibility of death without any sense of fear." Time is quickly swallowed up in the company of the Eighth President of Ireland. What books does she like to read? Without warning, she lets flow her most passionate speech. "The best book I've read in recent years bar none is Anna Burns' Milkman. I'm probably on my third reading of it now. I can't get enough of it. I think it's magic. "She's writing about my life, about my parish, about the maelstrom of living in a sectarian mire, and living inside a place where, day in and day out, week in and week out, people are being murdered, killed in the most grievous ways. At the end of every page I almost cried, I didn't want to turn the page, I kept going back afterward. I think it's the best thing written on this island in a very long time." She asks me how I'm getting home - "The train is brilliant. I use it a lot, of course I'm very fortunate I have the free travel," she chuckles - then leaves with a handshake. I watch as, walking past the other tables she stops to greet a man while her husband nods politely, staying behind her. "How are you?" the man at the table exclaims. "All the better for seeing you," she says and hugs him dearly and they talk about Christmas. "And you're doing great work," the man tells her before she's outside again fighting the wind and rain. The first episode of 'All Walks of Life' airs on RTE One on January 17 at 8.30pm Slightly more complicated is Facebooks removal last week of ads purchased by pages affiliated with personal-injury lawyers that link the HIV prevention medication PrEP to severe bone and kidney damage. The claims are false, as LGBT activists have been complaining for months, and Facebook yanked the paid posts after some delay when its fact-checking partners said so. The harm is obvious, too, both from the PrEP ads and from countless other health hoaxes that have gone viral this past year. But Facebook is choosing to approach the threat largely case by case through its third-party fact-checkers (except when it comes to vaccines), rather than formulating a consistent policy about medical misinformation that could preempt future problems. Six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lawmakers from Rajasthan enrolled as the members of the states ruling Congress on Friday four months after they announced they have joined the party. Congress General Secretary Avinash Pande said Rajendra Singh Gudha, Jogendra Singh Awana, Wajib Ali, Lakhan Singh, Deep Chand, and Sandeep Yadav joined his party in September after Congress chief Sonia Gandhis approval. Today [Friday], after meeting Gandhi, they formally took membership of the party. They had assured their support to the Congress [government following the 2018 assembly elections] without any condition... their move to join the Congress has made the party stronger. The Congresss tally in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly went up to 106 when the six leaders joined the party in September. The six leaders took formal Congress membership two months after top party leaders held a closed-door meeting with them in November and assured them that they will have a say in organisational and administrative matters. The meeting was held amid reports that the six were upset that they did not have any say within the party and the government, according to people aware of the developments. They were also upset over not having been made the primary members of the Congress, they added. The six took Congresss primary membership a day after BSP chief Mayawati hit out at Rajasthans ruling Congress over the death of more than 100 infants at a Kota hospital. Mayawati questioned Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadras silence over the deaths. She added if Priyanka Gandhi does not meet mothers of the dead children, then her meetings with the kin of the victims of violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in Uttar Pradesh will be construed as pure theatrics. State Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Amit Goyal said the Congress has a history of buying MLAs. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot had cheated BSP chief Mayawati around 10 years ago also, and he did the same now by buying all six MLAs, he said. Its sad the BSP didnt learn from the past, he said. Gehlot was known for his political greed and not following any norms, Goyal said. On Qassem Soleimani's Assassination: Is It Foolish To Credit The Foolish Clown With Foolishness? 01/04/20 By Kambiz Zarrabi People in Tehran mourning Qassem Soleimani's death Jesus saw a dead man on a roadside. Startled, he pondered, saying: "O man, whom had you slain, for whose death You paid the price with your blood; And where shall lie the avenger of your demise?" I am translating these haunting lines penned by a Persian poet over a thousand years ago. Tit for tat, and tat for tit; then tit for tat again, and tat for tit; over and over and over: will the riddle ever end?! So, Qassem Soleimani had the blood of many Americans on his hands, we are told repeatedly, for which he paid the price. He had trained militias opposing American troops' presence and occupation of Iran's neighbor, Iraq, and had provided them with weapons and improvised explosive devices that killed Americans. I don't believe General Soleimani would have disputed that allegation. He was also training and providing personnel and weapons for the militias who had successfully battled ISIS; as well as confronting Saudi-funded and American and Israeli supported anti-Iran groups in Iraq and Syria. That shouldn't come as a surprise. Iran has been under blatantly open threats of aggression and regime-change for decades. But, why this much American animosity toward the Islamic Republic? Well, Iran has been posing an existential threat to America's baby and chief ally, Israel, and determined to wipe it off the face of the map. Plus, Iran was also a threat to Saudi Arabia, and could disrupt the global oil supply to hurt the world economy. Viewed from the other side, Iran has blamed Israel for its political influence on American foreign policy machination; and Saudi Arabia for accommodating and bankrolling America's agendas and anti-Iran policies. Iran also blames the United States for encouraging, arming and supporting Saddam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980, resulting in the deaths of over a million on both sides during the eight-years of what Iran calls the "Imposed War". Well, Ronald Reagan had, by the same token, the blood of over a million Iranians and Iraqis on his hands; didn't he? But that, we could say, was in retaliation for the American embassy takeover by the Iranian regime in 1979; wasn't it? So, why was the Islamic Revolution so anti-American in the first place? The response by Iran has always been to invoke the military coup of 1953, when the democratically elected government of Iranian Prime Minister was overthrown by the United States to reinstall the puppet Shah back to power. If you ask why was the premiership of Iran's Mosaddegh deemed so threatening to America's interests; the answer is easy: He was going to throw Iran and its oil, as well as its warm-water Persian Gulf ports, onto the Soviets' lap! We couldn't have that; could we? I am not trying to address the truths or falsehoods of these claims and counterclaims. Some are at least partially true, and others clearly flawed; and it all depends on which side of the fence the rationales come from. Iranian daily Tehran Times warning of revenge This latest episode, the assassination of General Soleimani, having been conducted at this particular time, does raise some questions. He could have been taken out, and rather easily, numerous times in the past ten years; and evidence shows that he was fully aware of the risk: So, why now? Decisions such as this are, of course, sometimes made by some impulsive fool with poor judgement, or sometimes out of misinformation or even deliberate disinformation. It is also quite likely that this time it was meant to serve another, not so well-hidden purpose: Could it perhaps be Mr. Trump's diversionary tactic facing his impeachment trial in the Senate? Or, could it be attributed to the long strategy of further inflaming the perpetual regional instability and mayhem that, as I have often said, serves the misplaced interests of the Superpower? I am simply hoping that this miscalculation does not expand to the kind of regional mayhem reminiscent of what started the First World War. Samajwadi Party Ram Govind Chaudhary said the Samajwadi Party had protested against the CAA in Uttar Pradesh and not the Congress. (Photo Credit: Facebook) Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party has promised pension for people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and compensation to the kin of those jailed or killed during these protests. Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Ram Govind Chaudhary said that anti-CAA protesters would get pension because they struggled to save the Constitution and democracy. If our party comes to power at the Centre and in UP, they (protesters) will be given pension as they have struggled to save the Constitution and the democracy, said Chaudhary responding to a question. He said they protect all those who seek refuge from them. We will protect everyone who will come to us (Jo humari sharan mein aa gaye woh humari sharan mein hain. Hum sabki raksha karney wale log hain), the senior Samajwadi Party leader told media persons. Referring to remarks of state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should stay in Pakistan for a month to understand atrocities being on Hindus, the senior SP leader said the Narendra Modi-led Union government was out to divert peoples attention from real issues. Anyone raising a question is being asked to go to Pakistan, he alleged. The senior Samajwadi Party leader hit out at the Centre and state governments and said that if they come to in the state, the Bangladeshis will not be driven out. Chaudhary said the Samajwadi Party had protested against the CAA in Uttar Pradesh and not the Congress. He alleged that to damage the main opposition party, media was bringing forward Priyanka Gandhi and Congress party. His comment drew a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP which said it was in the DNA of that party to honour rioters and anti-social elements. China replaced its top official in Hong Kong on Saturday, state media said, as anti-government protests in the semi-autonomous territory enter their eighth month. Luo Huining, the former Communist Party chief for Shanxi province, has been appointed to head China's liaison office in Hong Kong, the official Xinhua News Agency said. He replaces Wang Zhimin, who had assumed office in September 2017. Luo Huining (left), the former Communist Party chief for Shanxi province, has been appointed to head China's liaison office in Hong Kong, replacing Wang Zhimin (right) Xinhua did not give a reason for the change. eachers take part in an anti-government protest with the claims of being under pressure by Hong Kong administration for their political views, which they call 'White Terror' at Edinburgh Place in Hong Kong The protests, which began in early June, have turned violent at times, with hard-line demonstrators clashing with police. Xinhua did not give a reason for the change. The protests, which began in early June, have turned violent at times, with hard-line demonstrators clashing with police. The violence has eased somewhat in the past month, but sporadic clashes have continued. The violence has eased somewhat in the past month, but sporadic clashes have continued Teachers take part in an anti-government protest with the claims of being under pressure by Hong Kong administration A huge and largely peaceful march on New Year's Day degenerated into violence as some protesters attacked ATM machines with spray paint and hammers Police used pepper spray, tear gas and a water cannon to drive off the demonstrators, although a government statement said officers were 'deploying the minimum necessary force A huge and largely peaceful march on New Year's Day degenerated into violence as some protesters attacked ATM machines with spray paint and hammers, smashed traffic lights and blocked downtown streets with paving stones ripped from sidewalks. Police used pepper spray, tear gas and a water cannon to drive off the demonstrators, although a government statement said officers were 'deploying the minimum necessary force.' The protesters are demanding fully democratic elections for Hong Kong's leader and legislature and an investigation into police use of force to suppress their demonstrations. By PTI MEXICO: Mexico will build a cemetery in one of the country's most dangerous cities because of a high number of unidentified and unclaimed dead, authorities said Friday. More than 15,000 people were murdered in Ciudad Juarez between 2008 and 2019, including 1,497 last year, according to official figures. "It is intended for the victims of the northern area of Chihuahua, precisely because of the large number of unidentified people or those who no one is claiming," Eberth Castanon Torres, coordinator at the local prosecutor's office, told AFP. The cemetery will cover 50,000 square miles, have a visual identification area, a body preparation area, and six funeral cold rooms for 300 corpses. Some 2,400 burial niches are reserved for temporarily storing bodies. Prosecutors hope that the site will allow them to obtain genetic profiles of victims. Since December 2016 -- when the federal government launched a military offensive against the drug cartels -- around 275,000 assassinations have been recorded in Mexico, according to official data. The Iraqi military has said 22 ballistic missiles were fired at two bases used by US and coalition forces in Iraq, as Iran claimed responsibility and dozens of casualties, in a dramatic development of the crisis sparked by the killing of Qassem Soleimani. The Pentagon confirmed Wednesdays early morning attacks on the al-Asad and Erbil facilities saying they were still evaluating the damage and their response. President Donald Trump downplayed the reports of wounded and dead saying assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! Iranian state television, however, claimed 80 American terrorists had been killed and US helicopters and military equipment damaged, but offered no evidence of how it obtained that information. Iraqs military said there were no Iraqis injured in the assault, adding that 17 missiles landed on al-Asad base in the western province of Anbar and five on Erbil city, the capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The Iraqi prime ministry condemned "any attacks on its territory" adding that Iran notified Baghdad shortly after midnight that its response to the killing of its top military commander had begun, and that retaliation would be limited to locations where the US military is present. Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Show all 24 1 /24 Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Iranian mourners gather around a vehicle carrying the coffin of top general Qasem Soleimani during the final stage of funeral processions, in his hometown Kerman. Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad airport in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions with Iran which has vowed "severe revenge" AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranian people carry a coffin of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani during a funeral procession in Tehran Official Khamenei website via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions The assassination of the 62-year-old heightened international concern about a new war in the volatile, oil-rich Middle East and rattled financial markets AFP via Getty Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions West Asia News Agency via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Mourners packed the streets of Tehran for ceremonies to pay homage to Soleimani, who spearheaded Iran's Middle East operations as commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force and was killed in a US drone strike on January 3 Iranian Supreme Leader's Office/EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranians set a US and an Israeli flag on fire during the funeral procession AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, centre, with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, second left, and President Hassan Rouhani, third left, standing next to him as he leads a prayer over the caskets of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Tehran University Khamenei.IR/AFP via Getty Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, openly weeps as he leads a prayer over the coffin of Qassem Soleimani AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Mourners holding posters of Qassem Soleimani AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Coffins of Soleimani and others who were killed in Iraq by a US drone strike, are carried on a truck surrounded by mourners during a funeral procession, at the Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) square AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions An Iranian mourner holds a placard AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Downtown Tehran was brought to a standstill as mourners flooded the Iranian capital Khamenei.IR/AFP via Getty Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Former Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps chief Mohamad Ali Jafari prays on the coffins of Qasem Soleimani and of other victims during their funeral ceremony EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions West Asia News Agency via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Official Khamenei website via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions West Asia News Agency via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Satellite image Maxar Technologies/AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran EPA The missile barrages came hours after tens of thousands of Iranians turned out to mourn the slain Iranian military commander Soleimani and more than 50 died in a stampede. Responsibility for the attacks was swiftly claimed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), whose nonconventional Quds Force Soleimani commanded. This morning, courageous fighters of the IRGCs air force launched a successful operation called Operation Martyr Soleimani, the IRGC said in a statement. The fierce revenge by the Revolutionary Guards has begun. On Twitter, Irans foreign minister, Javad Zarif, added: Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched. We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the missile barrage saying it was a "slap in the face" for the Americans. He did not appear to call for further strikes but repeated demands that Washington pull its troops from the region. "When it comes to confrontation, military actions of these kinds are not enough...the corrupt presence of the US should come to an end," he said to crowds chanting "death to America". In Washington DC, Mr Trump tweeted: All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning. In a statement, foreign secretary Dominic Raab said the UK condemn[s] this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition including British forces. We are concerned by reports of casualties and use of ballistic missiles, he said. We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation. A war in the Middle East would only benefit [Isis] and other terrorist groups. Huge crowds surround funeral procession of Soleimani as it moves through Kerman, Iran A spokesman for the Pentagon confirmed it also believed the missiles had been fired by Iran, rather than one of its proxy forces. It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel at Al Asad and Erbil, Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defence for public affairs, said in a statement. We are working on initial battle damage assessments. He said the base had already been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region. He added: As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the region. Donald Trump had previously made a personal visit to the Al Asad base, in December 2018. The Iraqi prime ministry said it refused "any violation of its sovereignty and any attacks on its territory." It added that Iraq is doing everything in its power to contain the situation to avoid a "devastating all-out war." The development marked a rapid escalation in the crisis between Tehran and Washington, and a major challenge for Mr Trump, who had campaigned on keeping the US out of further wars in the Middle East. Tehrans missile strike came as senior members of congress were finally briefed on the purported threat presented by Soleimani, which led to the decision to kill him. Mere hours before the attacks, Mr Trump had told reporters in the Oval Office: If Iran does anything they shouldnt be doing, they are going to be suffering the consequences, and very strongly. Irans Revolutionary Guard warned Washington against retaliating, and told its regional neighbours that if any military action were launched from their territory, they could expect to be attacked in turn. Mr Esper had warned the US was anticipating a reaction from Iran to the killing of Soleimani, a major regional power broker. I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form, he told a news briefing at the Pentagon on Tuesday afternoon. He added: Were prepared for any contingency. And then we will respond appropriately to whatever they do. In turn, a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering several scenarios to avenge Soleimanis death. Other senior figures have said the Islamic Republic would match the scale of the killing when it responds, but that it would choose the time and place. We will take revenge, a hard and definitive revenge, the head of the IRCG, General Hossein Salami, told throngs who crowded the streets for Soleimanis funeral in Kerman, his hometown in southeastern Iran. Soleimanis burial went ahead after several hours of delay following a stampede that killed at least 56 people and injured more than 210, according an emergency official quoted by Irans semi-official Fars news agency. The next steps on both sides remained unclear. Some experts suggested the actions by Iran, which had been promised by its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, may have been calculated to satisfy domestic demands for revenge, without provoking a major response from Washington. Much of the uncertainty lies in the fact that the decision on how the US responds will be made by Mr Trump. Additional reporting by Reuters Russia must pay a mandatory financial contribution to the budget of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the amount of which in 2020 will exceed a million dollars, the organizations website informs. On December 9, the WADA Executive Committee suspended Russian athletes from participating in major international competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Pure athletes can be admitted individually in a neutral status, RIA Novosti reminds. Islamabad [Pakistan], Jan 4 (ANI): A delegation of Muslim leaders visited the Nankana Sahib on Saturday to interact with the members of the Sikh community and condemned yesterday's mob attack on the holy Sikh shrine. Pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla (in the purple turban in the picture) was also seen with the delegation. An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of the gurdwara's panthi. India has strongly condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at the Sikh shrine and called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. The gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (ANI) Belfast-born Oxford professor Paul Ewart is amused at the publicity his victory over the august university's compulsory retirement age policy has gained. After fielding several interviews and having to put back our chat for an hour to fit in yet another, he jokes: "Now I know what it feels like to be a celebrity. I have told my wife that I fancy going on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! or Strictly Come Dancing, although I think I might hold out for a place on Love Island." But his challenge to the university was far from a laughing matter. It cost him 30,000 of his own money in legal fees and now Oxford University is considering appealing the employment tribunal's ruling which came down on Professor Ewart's side. "It gets frightening now if the university appeals," he says. "I could end up bankrupt if I was to lose the appeal. I would not have any choice but to respond if the university appeals, for even if I don't respond, I would still be liable for their costs. That is how our legal system works. A very rich employer will always be able to outspend an individual." Obviously, the universities' employment justified retirement age policy is something which Professor Ewart strongly opposes. It requires dons to retire at 68, although they can apply for an extension. The former head of the university's atomic and laser physics faculty was granted a two-year extension to work until he was 69, but when he applied for another extension in 2017 it was refused and he was forced to leave the university. The policy is designed to enable younger academics to progress up the ladder by forcing those of retirement age to leave. But Professor Ewart says it is a flawed approach and the employment tribunal judge said it was not a "proportionate" method of achieving the university's stated aim and found he had been discriminated against unlawfully on grounds of his age. Professor Ewart is seeking reinstatement and says that he has been supported by his immediate colleagues, who have argued that he should be allowed back. "There is no breakdown in the relationship with my colleagues," he adds. "My disagreement is with the policy and system and the upper echelons of the university, who are determined to stick with this unfair policy." Expand Close Professor Paul Ewart in the university lab / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Professor Paul Ewart in the university lab Professor Ewart had worked at Oxford for 38 years and says that his work was blossoming when he was forced to retire. "I had written 15 papers in the previous two years and was involved in a multi-university project to design ultra-efficient engines and was about to start another five-year programme." He points out that his work benefited, rather than hindered, younger academics. "People in my position have research momentum and bring in grants," he explains. "In the two years from when I reached 67, I was responsible for bringing in grants for employing four post-doctoral students - two each at Oxford and Cambridge - and four graduates." He was involved in groundbreaking and world-leading work in the field of lasers. These are used to measure changes in atoms and molecules exposed to flames, combustion or high-temperature gases. The measurements using lasers are a hundred times better than using any other method, but high-grade lasers are expensive to use. Professor Ewart found a way of using cheap lasers, such as those used in supermarket scanners, or CD players, to carry out the measurements and this had created a lot of interest in China. "They were interested in how they could be used to measure air pollution and could have resulted in a joint institute. This work can be picked up again, but things move quickly in this field and it would be a shame if we were to lose our position at the head of the field," he says. Professor Ewart has come a long way from the working-class home he was born into in east Belfast. "I was the first person in our extended family to go to university. I did not come from a privileged background. "Right from childhood, I was interested in science. When I was about eight to 10, I was interested in astronomy and then in my early teens I read a book about quantum theory and found it very interesting. "I remember being asked in school what I wanted to be and I said 'an atomic physicist' and everyone laughed. Even I didn't really believe I would ever be one, but that is what I turned out to be." Professor Ewart, whose wife Marlene comes from Bangor, was educated at Queen's University Belfast, where he obtained a BSc and a PhD in physics and then went to work at Imperial College in London before taking up a position as a lecturer in Oxford. He is keen to dispel the commonly held view that science and religion are incompatible. "I am a Christian and following Christ is central to my life," he says. "It does worry me that people think that science and religion don't go together. They are are compatible and enhance on another. He admits that his parents were not terribly religious when he was growing up and when he found Christianity as a teenager. They did send me to Sunday School, which I hated. My parents did come back to faith in their later lives, but during my formative years I was on my own in the family as a Christian. Again he jokes: It has been said that some people are inoculated as children with a small dose of religion, so when they grow up they never catch the real thing. He argues that many scientists are devout Christians pointing out that around one-quarter of the 20 or so members of his faculty would fall into that category. There are some very interesting areas where science and Christian faith interact and overlap. God wants us to keep asking questions. Science can explain how things work, but there are deeper philosophical questions which only faith can tackle, such as Is there a purpose to life?, Why are we here?, Why does life exist? and Why is the universe fine-tuned to allow life to exist? Faith and interaction with God gives us an insight into why things are as they are. He adds: Science can be used as an excuse not to think more about God. The lazy approach is for people to say that science tells us that God doesnt exist. As the convenor of the Oxford Forum for Science and Religion and the chair of Christians in Science, the father-of-two and grandfather of five, says: There is no conflict between believing in God and science both are aspects of the same reality. Returning to the subject of his legal case against the university, he says that his motives were not simply selfish. It is about other people, as well, who want to have the dignity of employment and have that sense of satisfaction in their lives, especially when work means so much to them, he says. For some people, to have work taken away leaves an enormous hole in their lives and that can lead to depression. I dont feel that personally, but at that level it is important that this ageist policy is challenged. Expand Close Young at heart: Drew Beckett / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Young at heart: Drew Beckett After three months I was bored out of my head Belfast man Drew Beckett owns property business BeckettHanlon Worldwide Property. The 72-year-old, who has three children with wife Carol, retired at 52, became bored and went back to work selling property. He opened his new, hugely successful business as other men his age were retiring. "I own and run BeckettHanlon," he says. "There are two parts to my company. One is that we sell international property in the likes of Spain, Portugal, Majorca, France and Florida. The second part is to build the franchise, teaching other people to sell international property. We have 23 partners on board. "We have just opened our first office on the Lisburn Road. We are the only overseas property shop in Northern Ireland. I have been running BeckettHanlon for six years, but have been selling property for 21 years." Drew says early retirement didn't suit him. "My background is in financial services. I worked for Zurich at a high level," he says. "I retired at 52 and my wife and I bought a beautiful villa in Spain and moved there. After three months I became absolutely bored out of my head. "I am just a worker. I love what I do. I started to think what else I could do and I started to sell property. "I won't retire. I am just not going to. I get bored. I have always worked for myself. "In 2020, I want to put 10 or 15 partners on to the 23 we have already got in the franchise. I'm not stopping. "Age is not a barrier for me. I am just going to keep on working. If you love what you do, it doesn't seem like work. "I don't see it as a job, even though it is. I am a grafter - it keeps me young." Expand Close Ship shape: John Wasson has worked at Foyle Port for close to 20 years / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ship shape: John Wasson has worked at Foyle Port for close to 20 years Working helps keep the mind active By the age of 65, most of us will be thinking of slowing down and eventually retiring, but not these four Northern Ireland people, who say they are just getting started and have no intention of giving up their life's work. Londonderry man John Wasson is 71 years old and is happy in his role as harbour radio technician at Foyle Port in the city. The father-of-three, who lives with his partner Nuala just across the border at Greencastle, says he will continue to work "as long as I'm fit". "I have always worked and I enjoy working," he says. "I like to have something to get out of bed for. I work at the Foyle Port, on the harbour radio. My fundamental job is that I communicate with any ships that are coming into the port. "We would organise for pilots to go aboard and, when they come into the port, we organise for people to go and tie the ships up and that sort of thing. It's basically a communications job. "We are the only people who are there 24/7 at Foyle Port. We also look after the place. I work 12-hour shifts. I work three days on, three days off, three nights on, three nights off, in that pattern. It is not labour-intensive work at all. It is basically office-based." John says a heart attack in his fifties changed his career path completely. "I haven't always worked at the harbour. I had a pretty major heart attack when I was in my early fifties. I had my own plastics business and I think the stress of that brought on the heart attack. That put paid to the business. "At that stage, I thought that I would probably never work again, but I got back on the horse and started working in the harbour part-time and eventually went full-time. I have been there almost 20 years now and I love it. "I have no notion of retiring at all. As long as I am fit to do it, I will do it. I don't have any major private pension, so it gives me a standard of living that I wouldn't have if I was retired. I enjoy travelling and I do take additional holidays. The port are very good to me. "There are more labour intensive jobs at the port, such as crane driving, that wouldn't be suitable for someone my age. My job is more about how the grey matter is working. "Working does keep the mind active. A lot of our work is computer-based and it does help that the sea and sailing is a great interest of mine. I live just across the border in Greencastle and we can see the ships passing by from home." Expand Close Fascinating job: Dianne Gibson with her husband David / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fascinating job: Dianne Gibson with her husband David I intend to go out in the fast lane Bangor-born Dianne Gibson, a mother-of-two and grandmother-of-three, is a hospital liaison adviser with Belfast-based Willis Insurance and Risk Management. The 77-year-old's full-time role involves ensuring the company's private medical clients are given the best possible care across private hospitals across Northern Ireland. Mrs Gibson left school at 17 to join the Ulster Bank - and has not stopped working since. Asked about retiring and taking life a little easier, she said: "I'm not made of that mettle. I am so used to working that I could not sit at this stage and spend my time going to coffee mornings. "I would rather be out there giving the best advice I can give to people. "I was a Bupa account manager in the health sector when I was around 50 years old and then went into a brokerage. "It was my job to make sure that my clients had the best attention quickly, with the best consultant in the best place and that is also what I am doing now. "It's a consultancy post, which means that I am on 24-hour call to give advice to any of the clients that need it." Dianne says that if you enjoy work, it doesn't feel like a chore. "I have been working since I was a teenager and have had a very interesting working life," she says. "It was easy for me to just keep going and that is what I did and will continue to keep going. I will go out in the fast lane. I have no intention of retiring. "I think that, if you enjoy what you do, it's not work at all. It's a pleasure to do it. I would have a very deep care for people and I love my job." Expand Close Fit as fiddle: Charlie Page hasnt missed a day of work since leaving school / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fit as fiddle: Charlie Page hasnt missed a day of work since leaving school Im in and out attics like a mouse Derry man Charlie Page has been running his pest control business for 48 years alongside his wife Eileen. The 77-year-old father-of-five, who runs Northwest Pest Control, says he is busier than ever and spends his days either up ladders or down sewers. "I turned 77 there at Christmas and there is absolutely no sign of me retiring," he says. "I am as fit as a fiddle. "Since I left school, I have never been off a day in my life. I left school on a Friday and started working on the Monday - and I have been working ever since. "In my job, every day I get calls coming in from people needing help with pest control, some of them emergency calls, some serious enough. We work with rat and mice infestations and across the board with regards insects also. Every insect infestation you could name, we would be out treating it." He adds: "It's quite hard, labour-intensive work. I am in and out of attics like a mouse. I'm up ladders and down working in sewers. It doesn't take a wrinkle out of me. "The most serious problems come from the sewers, that is where you'll get the bigger rats, so I'm down there a lot. I don't mind at all, in fact I love it. It puts me in a better mood when I have something to do." Charlie says there is no way he is hanging up his boots anytime soon. "I have absolutely no intention of retiring. I am going to keep on rocking until somebody finds me at the side of a road or stuck down the sewer." New Delhi: HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' will conduct a monthly review of the functioning of all Central universities and anomalies will be dealt with strictly, officials said on Friday. The Minister will meet the Vice Chancellors every month to seek report and accountability will be fixed for irregularities of any nature, they said. "The Minister himself will conduct a monthly review of the functioning of all central universities. He will also meet the Vice Chancellors for the review. Accountability will be fixed for irregularities of any nature and strict action will be taken," a senior HRD Ministry official told PTI. The review will not only consider the academic progress made but also whether the functioning of the university was normal and student grievances, if any, were addressed or not. The move comes against the backdrop of allegations against Allahabad University Vice Chancellor Ratan Lal Hangloo for improper handling of sexual harassment complaints and lack of grievance redressal mechanism for female students. Hangloo, who was under scanner over other alleged financial and administrative irregularities, had resigned earlier this week. His resignation has been accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind who is also the Visitor to the university and an enquiry has been ordered to look into the allegations of financial and administrative irregularities against him. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 04:59:06|Editor: yan Video Player Close OUAGADOUGOU, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people, including seven students, were killed on Saturday in Toeni, Sourou province, in northwestern Burkina Faso when the bus transporting them jumped on an explosive device, said the Burkina Faso government in a press release on Saturday evening. "In the morning of Saturday, three buses left from Toeni for Tougan carrying 160 passengers, one of the buses jumped on an explosive device", according to the presse release. "The provisional assessment reports 14 deaths, among which seven students, there are also nineteen injured including three in serious condition," added the press release. The injured were immediately sent to the hospital to receive treatment. The government "strongly condemns this cowardly and barbaric act which aims to damage the morale of the people". An Islamist insurgency last year has ignited ethnic and religious tensions in Burkina Faso, especially in northern areas bordering Mali. On Dec. 1, 2019, 14 people were shot dead in an attack at a church in eastern Burkina Faso. On Nov. 6, 2019, gunmen opened fire on a convoy of buses carrying mine workers in the country's Est region, killing 39. Xiaomi Phones To Use Google Mobile Services and APIs In Select Regions News oi-Karan Sharma Xiaomi's MIUI is one of the famous Android UIs for its minimal design and offering the freedom to customize as per users requirement. However, Xiaomi smartphones do come with some default applications which include Mi Music, Mi Share, Mi Video, Dialer, Messaging, File Manager and others. However, the company has launched its latest smartphone the Mi 9T Pro globally with Google's Phone and Messages apps. It seems that the company has acknowledged the changes officially. On January 3, 2020, Xiaomi announced that the company has decided to use Google Mobile Services and APIs due to some privacy laws and restrictions across the world. The company also claims that this will enhance the user experience. To replace the MIUI Dialer and MIUI Messaging with Google Phone and Google Messages on all the existing devices, the company will start rolling out a global ROM update. "Global ROMs and EEA ROMs of new Xiaomi devices will no longer have MIUI Dialer and Messaging, rather Google Phone and Messages will come pre-installed on these. Devices launched before Mi 9T Pro aren't expected to have these apps," reads Xiaomi global community post. Also, do note that after the global ROM update will not include the call recording feature in some regions. However, the company has promised to get it back soon. The changes will be pushed for global and European regions including Russiam China, India, and Indonesia. Moreover, the upcoming smartphones from Xiaomi will arrive with default Google Dialer and Google Messages. It has been reported that Google has already started rolling out Rich Communication Services to all Android users across the United States. It has been expected that soon other regions will also witness the change. 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 [January 03, 2020] Class Counsel Announce U.S. District Court Grants Final Approval to $135m Settlement in Navistar Diesel Engine EGR Emissions Defect Litigation On January 3rd, 2020, Judge Joan B. Gottschall of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted final approval to the proposed settlement of multidistrict litigation brought on behalf of plaintiff truck owners and lessees alleging that Navistar, Inc. and Navistar International, Inc. sold or leased 2011-2014 model year vehicles equipped with certain MaxxForce 11- or 13-liter diesel engines that had a defective EGR emissions system. Judge Gottschall concluded that the parties' class action settlement is a fair, reasonable, and adequate resolution of plaintiffs' claims. Lieff Cabraser partner Jonathan D. Selbin, one of three co-lead counsel appointed by the Court to represent the plaintiffs, stated, "I am happy that after so many years, the many small business trucking companies affected can look forward to receiving compensation." The plaintiffs alleged that the trucks' defect caused breakdowns and engine damage. After nearly four years of discovery and more than a year of negotiations with the assistance of a mediator, the parties reached the class-wide $135 million setlement now approved by the Court. Further details and information on the claims process can be found on the settlement website at https://www.maxxforce11and13.com/. All owners and lessees of affected vehicles must file their claims by May 11, 2020. Adam J. Levitt of DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC, who also serves as co-lead counsel for plaintiffs in the litigation, noted, "I am pleased the court recognized the value of the settlement and result we obtained for the plaintiffs." The Settlement Class is defined as: All entities and natural persons who owned or leased a 2011-2014 model year vehicle equipped with a MaxxForce 11- or 13-liter engine certified to meet EPA 2010 emissions standards without selective catalytic reduction technology, provided that vehicle was purchased or leased in any of the fifty (50) States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any other United States territory or possession. The Settlement provides that Class Members can choose from three forms of relief for each Class Vehicle they own(ed) or lease(d): up to $2,500 cash or up to $10,000 rebate on a new Navistar truck with mere proof of ownership/lease, or up to $15,000 for documented costs relating to the alleged defect. The Court noted that if the settlement had not been reached, the defendants planned to "vigorously contest" class certification, and that plaintiffs' chances at trial "would have been uncertain, as evidenced by the mixed record of prior jury verdicts regarding this same alleged defect." The Court also noted that the nationwide settlement would be superior to an alternative of many individual lawsuits, in part because class members who owned a small number of affected vehicles might not have suffered sufficient damages to justify the costs of expensive, expert-heavy litigation. The Court further wrote that if the smaller number of members of the proposed Class with higher potential damages won significant verdicts, they might deprive remaining Class Members of compensation. "The nationwide Settlement ensures that all Class Members will have the opportunity to be compensated," it concluded. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005412/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 04.01.2020 LISTEN Rice Farmers in the Northern region have expressed dissatisfaction in the face of alleged exploitation by local rice buyers. According to them, the buyers have taken undue advantage of wildfires destroying rice fields to exploit they, the farmers. The rice buyers have been accused of demanding that extra-big bags of their choice be used to measure the rice while others who purchased the produce on credit abscond. Raging fires, fuelled by the Harmattan winds, destroyed over 300 hectares of rice fields in the Region last week and that has put fear in many farmers who had no storage facilities and forced to sell out the produce at cheaper prices. Mr Abdul-Rahman Mohammed, the National President of the Peasant Farmers Association (PFAG), said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a meeting in Navrongo in the Upper East Region, where the rice farmers deliberated on the sector's challenges. He said the measurements of the rice for sale was far above the usual, adding that; One cannot determine if those sacks the buyers come with are one bag or two bags for one bag. There are big rice farmers here at the workshop who harvested between 2,000 and 3,000 bags but they cannot lay hands on all that because of the measurement. Mr Mohammed called for the old cocoa jute sacks to be reintroduced instead of the size five synthetic sacks that the farmers could not trust. Mr Charles Nyaaba, the Project Officer of PFAG, condemned the exploitation of farmers and said the Association would take up the issue to trace those who absconded with the farmers' monies. He said he lost 100 bags of rice to a buyer who did not pay him. On post-harvest losses, Mr Nyaaba said the situation was becoming serious as about 40 per cent of rice farms had been exposed to fires. I lost about 47 acres of rice to fire, which could have given me close to 2000 bags, while I waited for a harvester, he said. On marketing, he noted that since 2018, AVNASH had been instrumental in buying rice from farmers, however, the patronage dropped in 2019 leading to a lot of challenges for the farmers. Even though the AVNASH Company offered to buy the rice after the government's intervention, the conditions it gave were not suitable since smallholder farmers found it too expensive to transport their produce to the company in Tamale. Responding to how PFAG was ensuring proper collation of farmers, Mr. Nyaaba said because members were scattered, it was difficult to provide specific data on their output. He, however, noted that his outfit was working closely with Budget International to come out with tools and indicators to be able to identify all the value-chain actors. Madam Umu Abdulai from the Vea Irrigation area said she lost a lot of rice from her nine-acre farm due to the heavy rains, which affected her output and income. Mr. Abukari Mutawakimu, a farmer from Yagba, decried the low prices of maize, which cost GH70.00 per bag. ---CitinewsRoom The loss of Mr. al-Muhandis was a profound one for the Iraqi fighters, who saw him not just as a militia leader close to Iran but also as someone who had helped rally the armed groups when they first formed in 2014 to fight the Islamic State as it threatened to sweep toward Baghdad, the Iraqi capital. The militias have since been brought under the umbrella of the Iraqi security forces, and Mr. al-Muhandis was their deputy head. Many declared: Our men do not fear America; each man dies on his day. Your voice, Abu Mahdi, remains the loudest one. Iran can count on a range of assets in the region, including the Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthi rebels in Yemen and a range of fighting groups in Iraq and Syria that operate close to small contingents of American troops. In recent months, Iran and its allies have struck oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and targeted tanker traffic in some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. A senior commander in Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the gulf, saying that Iran would retaliate against Americans wherever they were within reach of the Islamic Republic. Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the commander of the Guards in the southern province of Kerman, said on Friday in comments reported by the Tasnim news agency on Saturday: The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West, and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there. He said Iran had long ago identified vital American targets in the region, and added, Some 35 U.S. targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach. Well-known outback pilot Dick Lang and his son, Adelaide surgeon Clayton Lang, have died in the Kangaroo Island bushfire after their car was trapped by flames. The body of 78-year-old Mr Lang was believed to have been found in their vehicle on Playford Highway at Gosse while his 43-year-old son was found some distance away. The pair had been out fighting the blaze and were returning to a family property when they became trapped. Well-known outback pilot Dick Lang (pictured) and his son, Adelaide surgeon Clayton Lang, have died in the Kangaroo Island bushfire after their car was trapped by flames. Forensic officers covered the men's bodies in blue tarp (above) after pulling them from the burned-out car 'We are devastated to have lost two beloved members of our family, Dick Lang and his youngest son Clayton Lang, in such terrible circumstances,' the family said in a statement. Premier Steven Marshall said the deaths were tragic news. 'Our hearts go out to the families of those people who have been affected,' he said. 'It really does reiterate the very important message that people listen to the alerts. This a very dangerous situation on Kangaroo Island.' Significant property losses are expected from the fire with many homes and other buildings believed lost along with tourism and other infrastructure. About 500 firefighters will continue to battle the uncontrolled blaze over the weekend, with crews and other resources brought in from the SA mainland. The fire had been burning since late in December but escalated dramatically on Friday when it jumped containment lines during hot and windy conditions. Pictured: Adelaide surgeon Clayton Lang At one stage the entire island was subject to either an emergency warning or a watch and act advice with only the towns of Kingscote and Penneshaw on the east coast considered safe places. By Saturday morning the situation had eased with cooler conditions providing an opportunity for fire crews to work on establishing fresh defences. However, CFS chief officer Mark Jones said it was expected the fire, which had blackened more than 155,000 hectares, would continue to burn for several days. Mr Marshall said the government had already appointed a community recovery officer and would look at what additional support islanders would need in the coming days. 'It's clear that South Australia has had an extraordinarily difficult time with extensive damage right across our state,' he said. 'Our focus at the moment is doing everything that we possibly can to contain the fire on Kangaroo Island. 'But very quickly our focus will move onto recovery.' Mr Marshall said he had also spoken to Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday with the PM offering 'all the support that is required'. Premier Steven Marshall said the deaths were tragic news. Pictured: Dick Lang At one stage on Friday, the blaze threatened the towns of Parndana and Vivonne Bay, which were evacuated, but both were spared any major damage. As it continued to burn on Saturday, the eastern edge of the blaze extended from the south coast of the island near Vivonne Bay to the north coast near Stokes Bay. Among the properties lost is the luxury Southern Ocean Lodge on the island's west coast with parts of the facility reduced to rubble. Guests had been moved to Kingscote or Adelaide but six staff stayed to monitor the situation and activate the facility's emergency plan but all had since been accounted for and were not injured. The operators of the Sealink ferry service said up to 300 people who gathered at a relief centre in Kingscote seeking passage to the mainland would be transported over the next two days. The operators of the Kangaroo Island Connect ferry had also offered their services to move people off the island. The CFS said the blaze remained uncontrolled and still posed a threat to people and property with conditions on the fire ground continually changing. YATES, N.Y. -- A student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry died Friday while fly-fishing in Western New York. Jared Fearby, of Kent, appears to have drowned while fly-fishing with his grandfather in Orleans County, the Orleans County Sheriffs Office said. Fearby was a student at ESF. We are sad to inform the ESF community about the death of Jared Fearby, a senior conservation biology student, the college announced Saturday in a tweet. Jared died while doing something he loved, fly fishing with his grandfather. We extend our condolences to Jareds family and friends during this difficult time. Fearby and his grandfather went fly-fishing Friday morning in Johnson Creek in Yates, Orleans County, reported The Daily News. The pair waded into the water and eventually moved apart to fish in separate spots, Undersheriff Michael Mele said in a news conference broadcasted by Video News Service. Fearby eventually fell in the water, the undersheriff said, and did not come out. We are sad to inform the ESF community about the death of Jared Fearby, a senior conservation biology student. Jared died while doing something he loved, fly fishing with his grandfather. We extend our condolences to Jared's family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/jv9Ubuy3iC SUNY-ESF (@sunyesf) January 4, 2020 Fearbys grandfather called 911 around 1:45 p.m. Friday when he and his grandson became separated, according to The Daily News. Deputies later found Fearbys body half on shore and half in the creek, the newspaper reported. The water is 6 to 8 feet deep and fast moving in some spots, Mele said. The waters very cloudy, the undersheriff said during the news conference. You cant see in the water so you dont know where youre stepping, if youre stepping into a hole or rock." Fearby graduated from Charles DAmico High School in Albion in 2016. He joined SUNY ESFs class of 2020 and was part of the Syracuse Green-Infrastucture team, according to Syracuse Green-Infrastructures website. A picture on the teams website shows Fearby smiling and holding a fish. According to his staff biography, his goal was to work a job that allows him to conserve and improve the environment. The promise of military support for Australia's ongoing bushfire crisis came as a shock to some authorities who have voiced their disappointment in the federal government's lack of communication. NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons welcomed news from Prime Minister Scott Morrison of up to 3000 army reservists, but added he only found out through media reports. "I was disappointed and I was frustrated on one of our busiest days," Mr Fitzsimmons said on Sunday of Saturday's announcement. He has since spoken with the prime minister's office. "They apologised that in hindsight they could have done better with communicating that, he said. NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says he found out through the media the prime minister deployed 3000 army reservists on "one of the busiest days". Source: AAP Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp also confirmed he had received no official notification before the announcement. "I picked up something informally that we thought something was going to happen around reservists," he told the Nine Network on Sunday, adding he was welcoming of the news. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was told of the prime minister's announcement before it was made. A spokesman for Mr Morrison said state leaders were informed ahead of the commitment being made public. The prime minister has also defended a video posted on the Liberal Party's twitter account detailing the government's bushfire response, after it was labelled "shameless" and a breach of political advertising rules. Chief of the Australian Defence Force Angus Campbell reacts to the government's announcement amid the bushfire crisis. Source: AAP Image/Lukas Coch The much-criticised video, authorised by Mr Morrison and posted on Saturday, described the government's deployment of reservists. It includes details of defence ships and aircraft that have been deployed along with funding allocated for more firefighting craft, volunteer firefighters and those who lost homes or incomes. The Liberal Party also posted details of the government response on its social media channels. Gladys Berejiklian during a press conference on Sunday. Source: AAP The Australia Defence Association, a non-partisan public-interest watchdog, accused the government of breaching rules around political advertising. Story continues "Party-political advertising milking ADF support to civil agencies fighting bushfires is a clear breach of the (reciprocal) non-partisanship convention applying to both the ADF & Ministers/MPs," the association tweeted. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd also expressed outrage. "On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister," Mr Rudd tweeted. Mr Morrison took to Twitter to defend the video late on Saturday, saying it was a legal requirement in Australia to include an authorisation on all video messages used by MPs on social media. For Gods sake! On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister. https://t.co/1OZqEZalOa Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) January 4, 2020 "The video message simply communicates the Government's policy decisions and the actions the Government is undertaking to the public," he posted. "The same practice is rightly employed by the Leader of the Opposition and the Labor Party. This is required and standard practice in Australia." The prime minister has faced criticism for not acting sooner to bolster the nation's firefighting capabilities, and for going on holiday to Hawaii during the crisis. Mr Morrison said the federal government had respected the states' bushfire response for months before it became clear a national response was needed. The prime minister also said he would continue to offer hugs to those who wanted them even if he was abused. "Whoever wants one, whoever wants to shake the hand, whoever wants to flip the bird bring it on," he said. "People are in different frames (of mind), some people need a hug. You just roll with it, you've still got to go out there people do want to see you." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Terming religion as a code of conduct which guides people, BJP working president J P Nadda on Friday said politics was meaningless without religion. Addressing devotees of Swaminarayan sect at a function here, Nadda also said politics needs religion the most. Samaaj mein ye prashna baar baar khada hota hai ki rajniti ka dharma se sambandh kya hai. Mera ye manana hai ki rajniti dharma ke bagair vivek-heen hai, uska koi arth nahi hai. Rajniti hamesha dharma ke sath chalti hai. (One question is frequently asked in the society: what is the relation between religion and politics? I firmly believe that politics would become wisdom-less without the presence of religion. There is no meaning of politics without religion. They both go together), Nadda said. Aur dharma ka matlab hai code of conduct. Dharma ka matlab hai kya karna aur kya nahi karna. Dharma ka matlab hai kya uchit aur kya anuchit. Aur iss liye dharma ki sabse badi avashyakta hai toh woh rajniti mein hai. (Religion means code of conduct. It tells us what to do and what not to. Religion stands for wisdom to differentiate between what is good and what is not. It is the politics which needs religion the most), Nadda said. And BJP always works with such positivity and do things which are good for the country and society, he added. Whenever opponents tried to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi by spreading negativity, the PM surged ahead with more energy and took everyone along for development, Nadda said. The BJP leader listed several key achievements of the Modi government, such as Ayushman Bharat Yojana to provide free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh and Ujjwala Yojana of distributing LPG connections to poor families. Citing a recent report which claimed Indias forest cover has increased, Nadda said that Ujjwala scheme has also contributed to it. The Ujjawala Yojana has contributed a lot in increasing our forest cover. Under the scheme, as many as 8 crore gas connections and stoves were already distributed to women. It also improved their health, as they are now spared from inhaling smoke, he added. STOCKTAKING Urges Pak govt to ensure safety of Sikhs; to take up matter with United Nations The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines, will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation following an attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in the Punjab province of the neighbouring country. On Friday, a mob reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Condemning the attack on the historic shrine, SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal appealed to the Pakistan government to take strict action against the culprits. We strongly condemn the mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and appeal to the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits and also ensure safety of Sikhs living there, Longowal said in a statement. We will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there, he said, adding that the delegation would also meet Sikh families in Nankana Sahib and Pakistan Punjab governor and chief minister. The apex gurdwara body chief said the delegation will comprise SGPC senior vice-president Rajinder Singh Mehta, chief sectary Roop Singh, SGPC member Surjit Singh and additional manager of Golden Temple Rajinder Singh. We have spoken with the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib management committee and they told us the situation is normal now, he said. The SGPC chief said the sentiments of the Sikh community were hurt with the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Longowal said that the SGPC would also take up this matter with the United Nations. We have written a letter to Pakistan ambassador to issue visas to the delegation members on priority. Roop Singh also contacted Pakistan Punjab governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar to appeal for the safety of Sikhs living in Pakistan, he said. The SGPC has also written a letter to foreign minister S Jaishankar urging him to ensure the safety of Indian Sikhs living in Pakistan. TV personality Brendan Courtney has emerged as one of only two members of the public to make a submission to An Bord Pleanala supporting the plan for the State's first medically supervised injection facility (MSIF). Last month, An Bord Pleanala gave the plan by Merchant's Quay Ireland (MQI) the go-ahead for the MSIF at the organisation's Riverbank building in Dublin 8. Now, the scale of the opposition to the move has been revealed, with the inspector's report confirming that 53 submissions were made concerning the plan with the vast majority opposed to the proposal. The inspector said that the board received two observations - including one from Mr Courtney, who lives nearby - supporting the plan. Submissions were also made by the HSE, the Department of Health and Junior Health Minister Catherine Byrne. One of the submissions vehemently opposed was from the primary school St Audoen's NS, which is located next door to the MQI building where the MSIF will be located. Overdosed That submission described a recent incident in which junior and senior infants witnessed adults trying to revive a woman who had overdosed on drugs on a green across from the junior playground. Others to voice their opposition include the owner of the Oliver St John Gogarty Pub and Blooms Hotel, Martin Keane, along with observations by the owners of The Temple Bar pub, the Porterhouse Group and the representative body for Dublin publicans, the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA). In his observation, Mr Courtney told the appeals board: "As a local resident, I see the need for the MSIF every day. At the moment, vulnerable people are forced to publicly inject and the failure to provide services meeting their needs lessens the likelihood that people in addiction will receive help that could support them into recovery. "The current situation is not beneficial for the local community, economy or tourism. "It is illogical to persist with a situation where people in addiction are forced to inject in public, at considerable risk to themselves and the wider public, when the solution of a MSIF exists." In its submission, St Audoen's NS said that the MSIF was self-evidently unsuitable for location so close to the school. Providing details from last September 19, the school said that the woman who overdosed was unresponsive. The schoolchildren saw staff at MQI perform CPR on the woman and administer naloxone in a bid to revive her. "This incident occurred in front of the junior and senior infants, while one child in junior infants was removed from her parent's car by a teacher in an effort to prevent the child from witnessing this incident while her mother was assisting the woman," the submission said. The embarrassing gaffe at the heavily-promoted new team event in Sydney came as Moldova's Alexander Cozbinov (pictured) faced off against Belgium's Steve Darcis. (Photo: AFP/William WEST) The embarrassing gaffe occurred ahead of the opening singles tie in Sydney of the heavily-promoted new team event as Moldova's Alexander Cozbinov faced Belgium's Steve Darcis. Tournament officials told AFP the Romanian anthem was played instead. "At the start of the Moldova v Belgium match we mistakenly played the wrong national anthem for Moldova," the ATP admitted. "We are sincerely sorry and have apologised personally to Team Moldova." Cozbinov, who lost in three tough sets, played down the mishap "I think putting on the wrong anthem for us is not a big deal. But it wasn't that hard to pick the right anthem," he told AFP. "Moldova and Romania have the same flag so probably that's why they made a mistake. Hopefully next time it's going to be the right one." His opponent Darcis said he was not aware of the mistake at the time. "I didn't know, I was just surprised that they were not so much into it," he said. "I believe it's bad." Moldova, bordered by Romania and Ukraine, was one of the last countries to qualify for the inaugural team event being played in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. They are spearheaded by world number 46 Radu Albot, who broke new ground in 2019 by becoming his country's first ATP Tour title winner at Delray Beach. He is joined by Cozbinov, ranked 818, Egor Matvievici and Dmitrii Baskov in a group that also features Britain, Belgium and Bulgaria. The ATP Cup has 24 nations split into six groups across the three cities, with eight teams emerging from the round-robin to compete in a knockout phase in Sydney until one country is left standing. The two countries will begin negotiations to reduce trade barriers at the January 8th 9th meeting in Bangkok, deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek said shortly after the Thai cabinet approved the Ministry of Commerces proposal to host the 5th JTC meeting. Thai deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek. (Photo: The Nation) The two countries have already conducted a joint feasibility study on the FTA, Rachada added. If the two sides are able to seal an FTA, it will greatly benefit Thailand's trade and investment because Bangladesh is one of 57 countries that are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Bangladesh is Thailand's third-largest trade partner in South Asia, behind India and Pakistan. The Thai cabinet has also approved the Ministry of Commerces proposal to sign an FTA with Turkey this year, Rachada said. Thailand looks to improve FTAs under the ASEAN framework in 2020, aiming to extend tariff cuts to cover more products, particularly sensitive items. ASEAN has FTAs with Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Hong Kong (China). The grouping is in the process of negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with partners. On a bilateral basis, Thailand has 12 FTAs in place, with 17 trading partners. In the first 10 months of last year, Thailand's trade value with all 17 FTA partners amounted to 241 billion USD, with exports worth 118 billion USD and imports 123 billion USD. The trading partners that generated the highest trade value for Thailand were ASEAN (90.7 billion USD), China (65.2 billion USD), Japan (47.7 billion USD), Australia (12.2 billion USD) and the RoK (11.3 billion USD)./. A Lashkar-e-Taiba millitant was arrested from a hospital here on Saturday, police said. Nisar Ahmad Dar, a resident of the Hajin area of Bandipore district in north Kashmir, was arrested by the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in the city, a police official said. Dar belonged to the LeT outfit and further details are awaited, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An accountant who stole over 1m from a south Belfast care home has been jailed. Michael Kinder, whose offending was linked to his addiction to the painkiller Oxycontin, was handed a three-and-a-half year sentence at Belfast Crown Court for defrauding the Nazareth House Care Village of 1,036,955. Telling Kinder his actions led to a loss of his professional reputation, Judge Kevin Finnegan QC informed the 52-year-old father-of-four that he will spend 18 months in prison followed by a two-year period on licence. A defence barrister said all of the money stolen by her client had been paid back to the charity and cited Kinder's actions as a "spectacular fall from grace". Before passing sentence on Kinder, from Maryville Park in Belfast, Judge Finnegan was told that the former accountant had admitted three charges - fraud by abuse of position, converting criminal property and false accounting. The offences were committed over a six-and-a-half-year period from April 2011 to October 2017, when Kinder was responsible for the financial affairs of the care village on the city's Ravenhill Road. Crown barrister David Russell revealed Kinder's offending emerged in 2017 after Nazareth Care Ireland conducted a routine audit and queries arose. These questions led to an internal investigation, which Kinder assisted with in his role as a "trusted third party financial professional". Kinder, the Crown said, had provided financial support services to Nazareth House for 25 years and certified its annual accounts. Mr Russell said that in August 2017 it emerged that bank statements provided by Kinder were "not genuine" and had been "changed fraudulently". Further financial statements were requested from Kinder but were "not forthcoming". It subsequently transpired that money was being transferred from the charity and into two bank accounts held by Kinder. This included around 50,000 which was assigned for staff pensions but Kinder transferred it into his own accounts. Mr Russell said that in October 2017 the full scale of the fraud became apparent and the police were alerted. Defence barrister Eilish McDermott QC said every penny taken by Kinder has since been paid back with money lent to him by a "lifelong friend" and Kinder "will spend the rest of his life paying that money back". She said Kinder broke his ankle and was initially prescribed Oxycontin, which he then became addicted to and which resulted in behavioural changes and mental health issues. Jailing Kinder, Judge Finnegan addressed the former accountant and said "you will no longer be able to practise your profession". Judge Finnegan said that while he accepted Kinder had paid back the money, his actions almost led to a "cash flow crisis" within the charity. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Nizamabad D Arvind Kumar said that he will hang AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi by crane and shave his beard and send it to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. "Asaduddin Owaisi, I warn you that I will hang you upside down by a crane and shave your beard. I will give promotion to your beard by sticking it to the Chief Minister KCR," said Kumar. "Asaduddin should remember that Nizamabad belongs to BJP. Nine years ago his brother Akbaruddin was stabbed several times and shot by a well-known person known to them. Your brother is still availing treatment for those injuries even after nine years," said Kumar. About a week ago, Owaisi had held a meeting in Nizamabad against the CAA and NRC ( Register of Citizens) and said that the CAA is against the Constitution. Last year on December 25, a delegation led Asaduddin Owaisi met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and discussed the issues pertaining to the Population Register (NPR), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Register of Citizens (NRC). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 8ssh.com scored 43 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 23 Jun 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the 8ssh homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the 8ssh homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the 8ssh homepage on Twitter + the total number of 8ssh followers (if 8ssh has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the 8ssh homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the 8ssh homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if 8ssh has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE SSH DESCRIPTION 8sshssh KEYWORDS 8ssh, SSH, , ssh, ssh, SSH OTHER KEYWORDS facebook, ssh, firefox, ssh, ssh , facebook , facebook facebook CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER nginx/1.0.0 OPERATIVE SYSTEM The language of 8ssh.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for 8ssh.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Two people and two dogs died after a house fire Saturday morning in Lancaster County. The fire happened at around 9:30 a.m. in the 200 block of South Second Street in Columbia borough, LNP reports. Columbia Borough Fire Chief Douglas Kemmerly told the news agency firefighters arrived to see smoke coming from multiple rowhomes in the block. Firefighters found two people in a second-floor bedroom. One person was taken to a hospital where they later died, and another person died at the scene, according to the report. The Lancaster County Coroners Office and the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal are still at the scene. Kemmerly declined to comment when asked if he thought there was anything suspicious about the fire. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. New Delhi, Jan 4 : The 28th edition of the nine-day New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) opened at Pragati Maidan here on Saturday, and saw Lt. Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi launch a book written on her. Registering a sizeable footfall on the first day, the fair saw the launch of 'Where Kindness Spoke', a book on Bedi's work in Puducherry and her leadership style, written by author Shivani Arora. Answering a question on the North-South linguistic divide in India, she said a way to national integration is through teaching one region's languages in the other, till the primary school level. "You can opt for German, French, Spanish, why not Telugu?" she said at the event. The 2020 Fair was inaugurated by HRD Minister Ramesh Pokkhriyal 'Nishank', who said it will soon be the world's biggest book fair. "We are in the midst of ocean of books," he said, adding that this 'Mahakumbh' of books is filled with thoughts, the thoughts which give power to humanity. This year, the book fair is themed Gandhi: Writer's Writer. "We are celebrating 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi, in times when we need him the most. The world today is facing several challenges including terrorism. "The world, the nation, the society and all individuals, need Gandhi because of his vision and his philosophy of peace and non-violence," the Minister said. He also urged publishers to promote books and the habit of reading as people are moving away from books, and said that a book fair like the NDWBF ensures that books and reading is preserved and increases. Organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) and the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), the fair is featuring over 600 exhibitors in different languages including Bangla, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Maithili, Malayalam, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu, who are exhibiting books in over 1300 stalls. Along with business sessions, several literary and cultural activities including seminars, book release functions and panel discussions, are part of the fair. It sees participation from about 20 foreign countries including China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Nepal, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the UK, and the US. The NDWBF features an author's corner, children's pavilion, theme pavilion, special photo exhibitions and activities for book lovers. It is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and with free entry for school children in uniform, senior citizens and differently-abled. Parking is available at Bhairon Marg parking lot. Entry tickets are available at Gate 1 and 10 of Pragati Maidan, NBT said. Wheelchair facility is available from these gates as well. The Charger Blog The African Graduate Students Associations first major event on campus was a celebration of African culture, diversity, and history that brought the University community together to share food, fashion, and fun. By Olufisayo Oshoro 20 MPA "A Taste of Africa" enabled members of the University community to share their rich African culture. Photo by Idelis Pizarro 22 The Alumni Lounge boomed with rhythms of African traditional and contemporary music as the African Graduate Students Association (AGSA) recently hosted its first major event, "A Taste of Africa," on campus. The electrifying performances thrilled the diverse audience that witnessed a showcase of culture, diversity, and history through dance, music, and fashion that comes from Africa. The audience included students, faculty, and staff members, as well as friends from different parts of Connecticut. There were so many exciting and enjoyable moments as models dressed in colorful African prints strode across the room. The event featured colorful prints and fashions from Africa. Photo by Idelis Pizarro 22 Additionally, AGSA members gave presentations about different countries in Africa, a huge continent richly diverse in culture, with more than 1,500 languages spoken across 54 countries. No single event would be enough to reveal all the beautiful things the continent of Africa offers. However, some of the continents most unique qualities were showcased in the music and dance performances, presentations, and fashion exhibition. The theme "Taste of Africa" was appropriate, as a taste is never fully satisfying but leaves you wanting more. The good news is that there will be future events to help quench the enthusiasm and curiosity that this event created. "There were so many exciting and enjoyable moments." Olufisayo Oshoro 20 MPA Nsikak Obong 20 M.S., the AGSA president, said, "Without a doubt, the continent as a whole has suffered from a lot of bad publicity, which has formed a rather negative image in the mind of outsiders and those who have never actually visited Africa. I believe the time is right to change the narrative, to tell the African story as it should be told, to project the beautiful rich African culture, its amazing and hardworking people, its tourist centers, and so on." A Taste of Africa was the African Graduate Students Associations first major event on campus. Photo by Idelis Pizarro 22 "A more diverse and inclusive environment, which we all play a role in fostering at the University, can be achieved if we engage in conversations to learn and appreciate the roots and cultural backgrounds of every member of the University community," continued Obong. "I sincerely hope this event will spark more of these conversations." We are grateful to our sponsors the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and Graduate Student Council. By IANS NEW DELHI: A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was trolled for posting a fake video of violence in Bangladesh and blaming Indian police for action against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, he again was criticised for tweeting on Saturday a news story on a dead man accused of violence in the Indian state. #Pakistan trended with 392K tweets as Twitterati trolled Khan as also condemned the stone-pelting at the Nankana Sahib gurdwara by a mob on Friday. Imran Khan posted a picture of a burning vehicle as Indian security forces stand guard amid violence over the CAA and wrote on @ImranKhanPTI: "Indian police brutality reaches new lows as its pogrom of Muslims in India continues as part of fascist Modi government's ethnic cleansing agenda. ALSO READ: Twitterati troll Pakistan PM Imran Khan over Bangladesh video clip The accompanying news was headlined "Man dead for 6 years, bedridden 93-yr-old in UP cops' list of people who could hamper peace amid CAA stir'. The post got 2.3K retweets and 6.4K likes. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted: "Pakistan's PM continues to spread rumours of atrocities on minorities in India, while yesterday, the world saw the condition of minorities in his own country. I urge the international community & human rights organisations to take a note on the deteriorating condition." One user replied to Khan: "Mr Niazi, kindly give Pakistani citizenship to all Indians who are feeling persecuted in Bharat, We will provide free tickets to them & will feel obliged." ALSO READ: Tweet fake news, get caught, delete tweet - MEA lashes out at Imran Khan for sharing 'UP video' One user posted a picture of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Imran Khan wherein the latter is showing his two fingers while conversing. "Per tweet 2 rupees dega to main Modi ke against tweet karunga (if you give me Rs 2 per tweet, I will tweet against Modi), goes the caption along with the picture. One user posted a funny remark: "Please maintain a queue as you heap humiliation on Imran Khan." The Selective Service System, otherwise known as the draft or conscription, requires almost all male U.S. citizens and immigrants, ages 18 through 25, to register with the government. You may have seen the question, "Have you registered for the selective service" on applications for jobs, driver's licenses, student aid and more. But could you actually get called up into the military? Here's everything you need to know about the draft. Just What Is the Draft, and Why Must You Register? The draft is officially known as the selective service. The selective service is a government bureau separate from the Defense Department whose mission statement is: "To register men and maintain a system that, when authorized by the President and Congress, rapidly provides personnel in a fair and equitable manner while managing an alternative service program for conscientious objectors." Basically, this means that if we ever have a national emergency or war that the all-volunteer military can't adequately support, Congress and the president can reinstate the draft and force male citizens to serve in the military. While women have not been excluded from combat service since 2013, they currently are not required to register for the draft. The law as it's written now refers specifically to "male persons" in stating who must register and who would be drafted. For women to be required to register with the selective service, Congress would have to change the law. What If You Don't Register for the Draft? Legally, you could be in a lot of trouble if you don't register: It's a felony. However, no one has been prosecuted for the crime since 1986. But that doesn't mean you won't have problems. If you fail to register for the draft by the time you turn 26, you are no longer able to do so. Then, if you apply for any government benefits at any time after that, you quite possibly will be denied. No student aid, government job, etc. Government statistics suggest that more than 1 million men have been denied some government benefits because they weren't registered for the draft. An appeal to get those benefits can be costly and time-consuming. In 2017, the Selective Service System turned over nearly 200,000 names and addresses of people who had failed to register for the draft to the Department of Justice for computer matching. How to Register for Selective Service Of course, they make it easy to register. Like the old Uncle Sam poster says, "They Want YOU!" You can register online, at the post office and many high schools, when you get your driver's license or by returning the card that comes in the mail around your 18th birthday. The law says men must register with the selective service within 30 days of turning 18. Several groups are exempt from registering, such as those currently on active duty, some disabled persons and those who are incarcerated. Conscientious objectors are required to register. A conscientious objector is one who is opposed to serving in the armed forces and/or bearing arms on the grounds of moral or religious principles. If you served on active duty and were discharged before your 26th birthday, you still have to register. How Would the Draft Work if Implemented? If it is ever needed and implemented, a present-day draft would have similarities to that of the Vietnam War. Here's how it would work. The Selective Service System says it most likely would hold a draft lottery based on dates of birth. The number 1 would correspond to Jan. 1, 15 to Jan. 15, etc. Officials would draw numbers similar to drawing numbers for a lottery. If your birthdate is the first one drawn, you are the first to be drafted. Normally, officials have a cutoff number based on the needs of the military. For example, during the 1969 draft lottery, men born between Jan. 1, 1944, and Dec, 31, 1950, were eligible to be drafted for the following year, 1970. Of the 366 possible birthdays in those years (leap years included), 195 birth dates were called for possible induction. That meant more than half the men born during those years were subject to being drafted. If your birthday wasn't one of the first 195 drawn, you were lucky -- you didn't have to go. The second draft lottery, on July 1, 1970, was for men born in 1951. For that year 125 out of 365 possible birthdays were conscripted. The third Vietnam draft lottery was on Aug. 5, 1971, for men born in 1952; in that year, 95 birthdays were called up for compulsory service. According to the selective service, if a draft were held today, those who are 20 years old -- or turning 20 during the year in which the numbers are drawn -- would be the first to go. Beginning Jan. 1 of the year an eligible male turns 21, he would drop into the second priority category, and men born the following year would move into the priority group one. Each succeeding year, a draft eligible man drops into the next lower priority group until he has reached his 26th birthday, at which time he is over the age of liability for the draft. If Drafted, Must You Go to Combat? It's important to know that even though someone is registered and his number is called, they may not be inducted automatically into the military. They may be eligible for a deferment; categories might include married persons, college students and family members of those killed in action. You may also be excluded for medical or psychological reasons, may declare yourself to be a conscientious objector or may even be able to enlist in a specific branch or career field to avoid combat duty. If you lack legal means to avoid the draft, you could just not show up for your ordered military service, you could "dodge" your service requirement. During the Vietnam War, approximately 570,000 people were classified as draft dodger, after not reporting for induction as ordered. Of those, 210,000 were charged formally with violating the draft, but only 3,250 were jailed. Of course, this was in the pre-computer and internet era; now, it's not quite so easy to be a fugitive from the feds. You could leave the country if drafted, like nearly 100,000 did during the Vietnam era. Those men were offered amnesty by President Gerald Ford in 1974 and pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Failing to register for the draft or join the military as directed is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 or a prison term of up to five years, or a combination of both. A felony conviction means you lose your right to vote and the right to own, possess and use a firearm, among other things. Why Don't Women Have to Sign Up for the Draft? The law doesn't require that women register for the draft. Although it's a subject of intense debate, and many other countries require women to complete national service or register for the draft, the U.S. does not. In 2016, Congress came close to including women in the draft. House and Senate committees both approved a provision in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act that would have made the change. But ultimately, lawmakers stripped out the provision and ordered a review of the Selective Service System instead. Unless Congress changes the law, women are not permitted or required to register for the Selective Service System. Interested in Joining the Military? We can put you in touch with recruiters from the different military branches. Learn about the benefits of serving your country, paying for school, military career paths, and more: sign up now and hear from a recruiter near you. Four Nigerian stowaways who departed Lagos via a UK-bound ship have been jailed after being found guilty of fighting with the sailors. ... Four Nigerian stowaways who departed Lagos via a UK-bound ship have been jailed after being found guilty of fighting with the sailors. faeces at the sailors and vowing to infect them with HIV during the stand-off in December, 2018. The Nigerians, all aged between 21 and 28, were found to have also hurledfaeces at the sailors and vowing to infect them with HIV during the stand-off in December, 2018. According to Mail Online, two of them were also found guilty of threatening to kill crew members and arming themselves with metal poles. Samuel Jolumi, 27, Ishola Sunday, 28, Toheeb Popoola, 27, and Joberto McGee, 21 were all found guilty after a two-months trial in the Old Bailey while Popoola and McGee were guilty of making threats to kill. Popoola was jailed for 31 months, while McGee was sentenced to 32 months; Sunday and Popoola were each jailed for 16 months. At least one member of the group made throat-slitting gestures at the 27-strong crew and McGee mouthed the words: I kill you, Mail Online reported, adding: Faeces was also smeared across the windows of the cabin that the crew had barricaded themselves into. Two of the stowaways were caught by sailors on the upper deck, while the other two were found hanging over the railings near the ships propellers. Popoola and McGee were reported to have previously been sent back to Nigeria after stowing away on separate ships, while Popoola is said to have also stowed himself away three times previously. McGee reportedly told Essex police that the ships crew had treated them like dogs because the food was awful. The captain told the court he feared the group could have been terrorists or Boko Haram and may have had weapons stashed on the ship. A statement from UK authorities quoted the four Nigerians as saying they wanted to apply for asylum for a better life. Tony Badenoch, the prosecutor, told the court: These four defendants left Nigeria and wanted to reach this country. In order to reinforce these demands the defendants also armed themselves with metal poles, threw urine and faeces, and in at least one of the defendants cases, they cut themselves. The crew believed that the reason for that cut was a form of threat, that they would pass on a disease which they carried to the crew unless their demands were met. Those events were, as you would expect, reported to the authorities here in the United Kingdom, and the Grande Tema was held off-shore in UK waters whilst the situation on board was resolved and the crew were no longer at risk and in danger. Below are pictures of the suspects: Popola McGee Sunday Jolumi Kerala's Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Saturday said that he had taken an oath to defend the Indian Constitution and laws passed by the President of India. His remark came amid the state Assemblys resolution's passing of the amended Citizenship Act. A bill becomes a law with the assent of the President and I have taken an oath to defend both the constitution and the law. I am a representative of President of India, said the Kerala governor. READ | Vedic Conference In Kerala From Jan 2, Arif Mohammed Khan To Inaugurate 'No legal or constitutional validity' Khan opined that the Kerala Assemblys anti-CAA resolution has no legal or constitutional validity as citizenship is exclusively a subject to be dealt by the Centre. He also added that intimidating a Governor attracts punishment under section 124 (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code as it is a criminal act. READ | Citizenship Act Fulfills Gandhi, Nehru's Promise To Minorities Of Pak: Arif Mohammad Khan The Kerala Assembly has passed a resolution for not implementing the Act in the state and has also written to the central government regarding the same. Moreover, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to eleven state governments who are against CAA to follow the same pathway against the Act. The CAA seeks to give citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian refugees who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. READ | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Writes To CMs Of 11 States Urging To Pass Anti-CAA Resolution However, after the bill was passed in both houses of Parliament followed by the Presidents assent, protests erupted across the country against the Act. The protests which began in Assam had spread across the country and in universities like Jamia Millia, JNU and Aligarh Muslim University which took a violent turn with stone-pelting and damaging public property. The clash between police and protesters resulted in alleged lathi-charging, tear gas and rubber pellet action by police and vandalism by protestors. Many sections of the nation criticized the alleged brutal police action. Several protestors and police personnel were injured and died in the protests. READ | Kerala Assembly Resolution Against CAA Has Absolutely No Constitutionality (With inputs from ANI) State Sen. Julia Salazars protege, her former chief of staff Boris Santos, is forging his own political career as he runs to unseat Assemblyman Erik Martin Dilan in District 54. Like Salazar, Santos has scored an endorsement from the Democratic Socialists of Americas New York City chapter and hopes to push tenant-friendly housing policy even further in Albany, should he get elected. Heavily influenced by Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Santos wants to bring a more holistic approach to governing and creating change in Albany as well as the city that he hails from. City & State sat down with Santos to discuss why DSA-backed candidates are obsessed with housing, the recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn and why he is vehemently opposed to cash bail. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. I noticed that housing is a critical issue for all of the DSA-endorsed New York City candidates. Is that something that the DSA in particular is really focused on or is this just a coincidence? I think housing is important, especially in New York City, because we see the real estate market really go out of whack, how rents are going up rapidly and how many people are being displaced. I was born in the south side (of Williamsburg, Brooklyn) and a third of the Latino population has gone since the rezoning of the waterfront in Williamsburg in 2005. So when we talk about housing, we're saying that we need to live in a livable city and we need to make sure that housing is something that everyone has and that everyone has shelter. That's the one thing where it's really drastically an issue in the city. We have to make sure that we fight for good cause eviction, also community ownership. When it comes to housing, we (DSA-endorsed candidates) align, when it comes to health care we align, etc. But we know that housing is such a drastic issue and we're in a housing crisis, 90,000 are homeless. We know that we have to pour our efforts, our love, our sweat into making sure that that policy matter is being handled for people. It's not a coincidence we all come down on that (housing policy). I know you're from Williamsburg, and I'm sure you're aware of all of the recent anti-Semitic attacks and the Monsey stabbing attack. The city and the governor's reaction has kind of been to amp up the police presence in areas like Williamsburg (with a high Jewish population). I've heard criticism from some activists that by bringing more police into these areas, youre also making people of color more vulnerable to racist and even anti-Semitic policing. What is your perspective on this? I do agree with those activists. I myself was saying that. It's so important to first note that this is a very knee-jerk reaction. Its not the best policy for anti-hate stuff or tackling anti-hate stuff. But for me, thats definitely where I side with things. I don't think increasing the presence of police is necessarily going to do much. For me that police presence is not warranted. It's reactive. If you look at this from a timeline of history, we're going to see a ramp up of police presence and it's going to go down. And then maybe there's another spike in hate crimes again. It's not the best, comprehensive way to go about doing this. Actually, Bernie (Sanders) said something that was really sort of eye-catching to me, and my ears perked up when I heard this. He's for investing money in cultural exchange programs, essentially. For me, I think the way where we go about completely erasing intolerance and being accepting of each other is to be inclusive and ensuring that we all know our histories and how they're linked. If we know of each other's culture, if we knew of each other's practices, we build tolerance, we build acceptance, and I think that's more of the long-term goal, investing in communities and cultural education and religious education. And I think that's more where I see things. Our resources shouldn't go to surveilling a community. The new state bail reform laws just went into effect. There has been a lot of opposition to them from Republicans and Democrats alike. What is your take on these criticisms now that they're in effect? And what are your hopes are for the future as the legislative session is about to begin? There's a lot there to unpack and talk about but it's funny because I made my way from downtown Brooklyn, on Atlantic Avenue. And I'm holding off on a tweet, which shows this picture. (Santos shows a picture displayed on his phone.) This bail bond, commercial spot, my take is that these shouldn't exist at all in New York City or New York state. I look forward to the day where those spots don't exist. I'm all for banning, prohibiting, erasing, whatever you want to call it, fully eliminating wealth-based detention. I'm all for completely eliminating all of cash bail and we were not there yet. We've erased or removed cash bail for a good amount of the penal code, most nonviolent crimes, right? For me, it all comes down to that one line of logic, which is, if you have the means, no matter what crime you commit, to post bail, and I don't have the means because of my social, material circumstances, then why is it if we commit the same crime that you will be released because you can post bail and I cannot? Logically speaking, rationally speaking, you know, as sensible people, it shouldn't exist that all, right? If that's the logic and that's a fortifying logic, youre just not going to permeate through that. I don't know what the response is. I haven't seen a great response to that. What do I want to see accomplished in 2020? HALT. And actually, HALT is not even where I stand. I'm all for completely abolishing solitary confinement, but thats not what that bill speaks toward. It speaks toward diminishing the consecutive days that you can spend at most in solitary confinement. But I'm for completely eliminating it. One of the first things I want to work on (if elected) is introducing a bill that says we can't spend public dollars on the creation of any new jails, and I think most of my comrades would be more than willing to you know, also sponsor that. That's another thing. We're (DSA-backed candidates) also going to come out with a full comprehensive criminal justice reform plan. Multiple rockets were launched in Baghdad's Al-Jadiriya area and outside Balad Airbase here on Sunday, informed Iraqi Army official. Only days after Iran's IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani was killed by the US targeted airstrike, Bagdad's Green Zone area was also hit by a rocket with no reports of human casualties, reported CNN. This attack comes at a backdrop when thousands of mourners on Saturday joined in the formal funeral procession for Soleimani, who was killed a day before near Baghdad's international airport in an airstrike ordered by US President Donald Trump. Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, along with six others were also killed in the US attack. The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah- a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria. Iran is also observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a US strike, President Donald Trump on January 3 said "reign of terror is over" and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London." General Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport on January 3. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani, Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over, he said. Trump alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government, he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change, Trump said. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbours, must end and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad, he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, he said. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies, Trump said. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen, he said in his remarks. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran, he said. Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters, the president said. By PTI NEW DELHI: Reacting to the killing of a top Iranian commander by the US, India on Friday said the increase in tension has alarmed the world and asserted that peace, stability and security in the region is of utmost importance to it. In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so and it is vital that the situation does not escalate further. General Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday, the Pentagon announced. The head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus was killed when the drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. The deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and some local Iran-backed militias were also killed in the strike. In its statement, the External Affairs Ministry said, "The increase in tension has alarmed the world. Peace, stability and security in this region is of utmost importance to India." The ministry also said that it is "vital that the situation does not escalate further. India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so". Neighbors Hadiyyah, left, and Angel Roman, right, stand outside the vigil for Nikolette Rivera in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. Read more In May, Deborra Tashawn McClendon was killed by crossfire while walking through her North Philadelphia apartment complex. In September, 23-year-old Crystal Roman-Benitez was killed in front of her home by flying bullets minutes after putting her toddler to bed. Last month, 16-year-old Ceani Smalls was slain by a man firing random shots as she stepped off a SEPTA bus. And the city was rocked by the October death of 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera, who was hit by bullets fired into her house by a man allegedly intent on killing someone else. The gruesome list of last years female murder victims may lead some to wonder whether Philadelphia is becoming more lethal for women and girls. Indeed, 2019 brought the highest tally of females killed in Philadelphia in more than a dozen years, and the total number of homicides in the city reached 356, the highest since 2007. As Philadelphias deadliest year in a decade came to an end, a reader contacted Curious Philly, our forum that invites readers to send their questions to our reporters, to ask how many women were killed in Philadelphia last year. READ MORE: Philadelphia had more shootings in 2019 and homicides stayed high READ MORE: ASK US: Submit your own question to Curious Philly The answer: 49 females, all but 15 killed in shootings. Nearly 80% of those killed in shootings were black females; the majority of people killed in the city were black, according to year-end statistics from the Philadelphia Police Department. On average, 37 females have been killed each year in the city for the last decade. More than a quarter of all homicides of Philadelphia women in the last decade were caused by domestic violence, according to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV). Women are more likely than men to be shot by intimate partners. Nationally, about 40% of female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner, according to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Women in violent situations are definitely at a higher risk" of being killed, said Julie Bancroft, spokesperson for the state organization. Someone in an abusive situation is at that high level of risk. Statewide, 84 women and 37 men were killed in domestic-violence cases in 2018, according to the PCADV. Fifteen of the victims were in Philadelphia; one of them was male. The percentage of total homicides [of both men and women] that are domestic violence is at the highest its been since 2010, said Jeannine Lisitski, executive director of the Philadelphia organization Women Against Abuse. Fatal violence is also more likely to affect transgender women, particularly of color, according to the Human Rights Campaign. In May, Michelle Tamika Washington, a transgender woman and Philadelphia LGBT advocate, was found fatally shot in North Philadelphia, one of at least 25 trans women to be killed nationwide last year. The share of city homicides committed by firearm reached 80% in 2019, a slight drop from recent years. Still, more women were shot in Philadelphia in 2019 than in any other year since 2011. About nine percent of the citys 1,459 shooting victims, or 137, were female. Of those, 34 died. Thats the highest yearly total for shootings since 2010. And 2020 didnt start out with much hope. By the end of its second day, eight people, including one woman, had been shot across the city. Three died. By West Kentucky Star Staff, WKDZ Jan. 03, 2020 | 12:10 PM | TRIGG COUNTY Deputies with the Trigg County Sheriff's Office say that 19-year-old Camryn Singleton of South Carolina was heading eastbound on I24 just west of exit 65 when an animal reportedly ran out into the road, causing her to swerve off the road, down an embankment, and hitting some trees. Singleton and her passenger, 19-year-old William Ford of Georgia, were taken by ambulance to Trigg County Hospital after the crash. According to WKDZ, a crash in Trigg County sent two to the Hospital on Friday after an animal ran into traffic. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Violent crime in on the upswing in New York. Murders, robberies and shootings were up in the city in 2019, according to NYPD stats. Homicides and shootings rose on Staten Island last year as well. Meanwhile, a string of vicious anti-Semitic attacks during the holiday season have people of the Jewish faith literally fearing for their lives. Its putting a serious dent in our standing as the safest big city in America. So what does Mayor Bill de Blasio choose to make noise about? He takes a piece out of Dominos for price-gouging on pizzas at the New Years Eve ball drop in Times Square. Nothing more pressing to talk about, Mr. Mayor? De Blasio took to Twitter after the New York Post reported that Dominos charged a jacked-up $30 for pies sold to New Years revelers. De Blasio tweeted: Jacking up your prices on people trying to celebrate the holidays? Classy, @dominos. To the thousands who came to Times Square last night to ring in 2020, Im sorry this corporate chain exploited you stick it to them by patronizing one of our fantastic LOCAL pizzerias. On the one hand, I can see where de Blasio is coming from. Anybody whod pay $30 for a Dominos pie while in the pizza capital of the world deserves to get price-gouged. You have a million other options in New York City. Dominos is what you buy when there are no local pizzerias in your area. But this is Manhattan on New Years Eve. Prices were up everywhere you looked, including if you took an Uber or a Lyft. This is one of those nights when bar and restaurant owners look to make real money. Was Dominos really the only ones exploiting New Years revelers? And pizza isnt exactly cheap on non-holidays in the city. A run-of-the-mill pie could easily get you into that $30 neighborhood. Never mind buying a pie in one of those chi-chi places that treat pizza like its some kind of fine cuisine. Lets be honest: Those penned-in, diaper-wearing folks in Times Square were likely more than happy to hand over the $30. Thats supply and demand. I went to the Simon and Garfunkel concert in Central Park in 1981 and I remember people offering $50 to someone walking through the crowd with a pizza. And I can tell you that you couldnt get a loose joint for the usual $1 in the park that day either. A big event like New Years or a free concert is a business opportunity. You could have bought cookies, chips and bottles of water from Walgreens and made a killing re-selling it all at inflated prices to the New Years Eve crowd. And de Blasio is the last person who should talk about pizza. This is the guy who came to Staten Island and ate a slice with a knife and fork. And if he was trying to be some kind of anti-corporate avenger by attacking Dominos, de Blasio should remember that a lot of those Dominos shops are locally owned. Its just mind-boggling the things that de Blasio chooses to take a stand on. A lot of days, he seems downright disinterested in what goes on in New York City. Hes famous for jetting off at the drop of a hat. He ran a no-hope bid for president last year that saw him halfway across the country when Midtown Manhattan was plunged into darkness by a power outage. Hes often absent from City Hall even on days when he is in town. But Dominos is price gouging? De Blasio cant get to the barricades quick enough. The city has real issues, like rising instances of violent crime. Subway cars that are starting to sport graffiti again. Dangerous criminals loosed thanks to criminal justice reforms. Priorities, Mr. Mayor. Carlos Ghosn shared his secretive escape flight from Japan with a pair of Americans who have backgrounds in the private security business. One was a former Green Beret who has extensive experience in extracting hostages but also went to jail for fraud. The manifest of the getaway flight from Osaka to Istanbul doesn't list Ghosn, but it includes two passengers named Michael Taylor and George-Antoine Zayek, according to people familiar with the matter. For Taylor, the episode was the latest in a colorful career that began as a Special Forces paratrooper before he worked undercover for U.S. law enforcement and built a security firm that pursued contracts around the world. He emerges both as a murky and unusually public figure who found himself on both sides of the law. Ghosn flew on to Lebanon, where he's a citizen. The country has no extradition treaty with Japan, where he was out on bail while awaiting trial for financial fraud. Details of how the former Nissan Motor boss escaped remain thin. He said in a statement from Lebanon that he did it without his family's help. It's unclear how he came into contact with Taylor and Zayek -- or if they're the only ones who aided his dramatic journey. But the three men share close ties to Lebanon, where Ghosn spent much of his childhood. Ghosn, 65, and the two Americans are believed to have left Japan on Dec. 29 aboard a charter jet that was operated by Turkey's MNG Holding. The Wall Street Journal first reported Ghosn's flight companions. The New York Times reported that Taylor and Ghosn were introduced by Lebanese intermediaries months ago. The cinematic details of Taylor's life are detailed in court documents, news reports, books and the website for his Boston-area company, American International Security Corp. At one point, he was hired by The New York Times to work in a high-profile hostage case. After reporter David Rohde was kidnapped in Afghanistan in 2008, Taylor told Rohde's wife, Kristen Mulvihill, that he could stage a rescue without ransom, as he said he had done in previous cases. "Snatch and grab," Taylor said, according to Mulvihill, who wrote a book about the kidnapping with her husband. Rohde later escaped without help. Taylor, 59, was born in Staten Island, New York, and adopted by a stepfather who was a career soldier. After graduating from high school in Massachusetts, Taylor served four years in a U.S. Army Special Forces unit, parachuting into hot spots from as high as 40,000 feet. He first went to Beirut in 1982, after the assassination of the Lebanese president-elect and the Israeli invasion. He helped train Lebanese combat forces and began a "lifelong relationship with the Christian community in Lebanon," according to a sentencing memorandum in federal court in Utah, where he pleaded guilty more than six years ago. He met his wife, Lamia, and married her in 1985, before moving back to suburban Boston, and raising three sons. Taylor, who learned Arabic and developed contacts throughout Lebanon and the Middle East, lent his skills to U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Taylor served as a reservist for a decade and was activated for the Gulf War in 1991 but was unable to deploy. He was working at the time as an undercover operative in a U.S. investigation of hashish trafficking and money laundering in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, according to the memo. The operation ended with the seizure of three tons of hashish in 1991. Taylor then returned to Lebanon as a private contractor who trained Lebanese Christian forces. In 1992, he helped U.S. officials investigate a group suspected of making high-quality counterfeit $100 bills. He determined that these "supernotes" were "being created by a group of Iranians who had worked for the Shah prior to the Iranian Revolution in 1979," according to the memo. Taylor has worked for the U.S. government and private clients such as ABC, Delta Airlines and Disney on Ice. His firm has offered personal protection, employing ex-military personnel, former cops and retired Secret Service agents. Its website says "there is a professional available for emergencies, while also providing a strong presence to deter any potential stalking, attack, theft or crime committed during the detail." As an experienced secret operative, he was apparently well versed in the art of sharing information on a need-to-know basis. Contacted by phone on Friday, Taylor's wife, Lamia, said she was unaware of whether her husband participated in Ghosn's flight from Japan. "I don't know about that," she said. Asked whether her husband could come to the phone or return a call, she said Taylor wasn't available. "He's out of the country," she said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Less is known about Zayek, who worked with Taylor's firm, according to online profiles and filings, as well as at least one other security company. Zayek is also part of a family of Lebanese Maronite Christians. Taylor's firm secured $54 million in Pentagon contracts, for work including training special forces in Afghanistan, court records show. In 2010, he and his firm became the subject of a grand jury investigation in Utah for contract fraud and money laundering. Taylor eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud and honest services fraud and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Two other men pleaded guilty, including a 24-year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who accepted bribes as part of an effort to obstruct the grand jury investigation. The former agent was sentenced to 10 years in prison. At the time of his arrest in 2012, Taylor was "the key player and critical link in one of the most important DEA operations in history," according to his sentencing memo, which redacts details of the investigation. The memo referred to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. After having $5 million in company assets seized, Taylor received $2 million back from authorities as well as a tax refund. He started rebuilding his business. His work has included rescuing children in spousal kidnappings. Now he has added the former Nissan executive whose supporters believe he was the victim of a Japanese judicial system stacked against defendants. One mother praised Taylor in writing to his sentencing judge for helping secure her abducted daughter's release in Lebanon in 1997. "I know that my connection with Michael was more than just a job," the mother wrote. "His heart and soul guided him step by step to always do the right thing." _ _ _ With assistance from Bloomberg's Dana Khraiche, Alan Katz and Zeke Faux. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 20:21:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on March 4, 2018, shows a golden jackal in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Arusha, northern Tanzania. (Xinhua/Li Sibo) Tanzanian President John Magufuli has urged to set up zoos across the east African nation as one way of conserving wildlife and preserving nature. DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli has urged fellow countrymen to establish zoos, wildlife and nature sanctuaries dedicated towards conserving and preserving plant and animal species, according to a statement by the presidency. The statement said Magufuli urged Tanzanians to come up in big numbers and set up zoos across the east African nation as one way of conserving wildlife and preserving nature. "The country has already a few individuals who have established zoos. I urge more people to do the same," said the president on Friday, adding that zoos also helped in promoting tourism. Magufuli said section 5 of the 2009 Wildlife Act allowed people to keep wild animals in zoos at areas that were conducive for their conservation and that were accessible by domestic and foreign tourists, said the statement. A leopard is seen at the Ruaha National Park located about 130 kilometers west of Iringa Region, Tanzania, Dec. 10, 2017. The park covers about 20,226 square kilometers and is the largest park in Tanzania and East Africa. The park is home to about one-tenth of the world's endangered African lions. (Xinhua/Li Sibo) "There are many countries in the world, including South Africa, that are benefiting from keeping wild animals in zoos. Tens of hundreds of tourists visit the zoos," said Magufuli. He urged wildlife experts to guide people on how to establish zoos like what a few individuals, including retired senior public servants, were doing. Tanzania has currently 23 zoos, said the statement. The now-dead boyfriend of missing woman Stephanie Parze may have stayed at her Freehold home the night before her disappearance, Parzes mother said during a 911 call reporting her daughter missing. During the eight-minute call on Oct. 31, 2019, Sharlene Parze said her family had already contacted her daughters on-again, off-again boyfriend, John Ozbilgen, in an attempt to find 25-year-old Stephanie. Stephanies parents have said they last saw their daughter when she left their Route 33 residence around 10 p.m. the night before, on Halloween, and she was returning to her late-grandmothers house across town on Meadowbrook Lane, where shed been living. (Ozbilgen) said that he saw her last night, he stayed there and he was getting ready for work this morning and has not heard from her since all day, Sharlene Parze told the dispatcher. Ozbilgen, later deemed a person of interest in Stephanies disappearance, was arrested on child pornography charges in November after investigators searched his electronic devices as part of the missing person case. He killed himself at his parents home, also in Freehold, days after being released from jail. Stephanie ParzeFacebook Prosecutors say he fired off 10 angry text messages to Stephanie Parze the night before she went missing and detectives noticed marks around his neck during their investigation. Authorities and Parzes family have searched in two states for the young woman who worked as a nanny and was skilled at applying makeup, and dreamed of becoming a movie makeup artist. The family has two more searches planned this weekend. In the 911 call, Sharlene Parze cast doubt on Ozbilgens comments that he slept over Stephanies house, and the mom mentioned an assault complaint her daughter filed against Ozbilgen a month prior, in September. Stephanie had accused Ozbilgen of striking her hand and then backhanding her across the head, ripping off one of her fake nails. "Whos to say he really slept over and saw her this morning? I dont know, Sharlene Parze said in the call. The mother of four walked the dispatcher through efforts she made that day to locate her daughter. She had panic and worry in her voice. John Ozbilgen during a Nov. 19, 2019 court hearing in Monmouth County.Russ DeSantis | For NJ Advance Media Stephanie apparently returned to her late-grandmothers home after a family night out at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick on Oct. 30, the Parze family has said. The next day, Sharlene Parze said she began to worry when her daughter stopped responding to text messages, so she stopped by the house twice. During her second trip to the home around 8 p.m., Sharlene Parze said she found Stephanies phone on the side of a couch inside the home with a notification saying she missed a 9 a.m. babysitting gig. Stephanies white Hyundai Sonata was in the driveway. Ive been calling her and texting her all day. Ive reached out to almost every friend that she has, Sharlene Parze said. No one has heard from her. She started going on the dating page on Facebook and was talking to a couple guys, so I dont know whether but shed never meet someone in the morning, she said. Sharlene and Edward Parze talk about their 25-year-old daughter Stephanie Parze on Nov. 25, 2019.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Friends and loved ones continue to hold out hope for a miracle that Parze will be found, they said before the holidays. The family has conducted multiple searches for her throughout wooded areas in Freehold with the help of hundreds of volunteers. Authorities have also combed through Long Pond Park in Staten Island in connection to Parzes disappearance. Her ex-boyfriend once lived in the Tottenville section of Staten Island until recently and worked in the New York City borough as a stockbroker. Prosecutors said he was fired from his employer, Woodstock Financial Group, on Oct. 31. The next search for Parze is set for Sat. Jan. 4, at Sandy Hook at the northern tip of Monmouth County. The family and volunteers will gather at parking lot B at 10 a.m. Another search will be held in Old Bridge on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 9 a.m. at a site on Jake Brown Road near the southbound side of Route 9. Stephanies father Edward Parze has been posting information about searches on his Facebook page. Volunteers search for Stephanie Parze in woods along Elton-Adelphia Road by Wellesley Way in Freehold Township on Nov. 23, 2019.Russ DeSantis | NJ Advance Media Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. By Song Wha-sup Last year was one of the most confrontational periods for Korea-Japan relations in recent memory. Among the issues were ending and then re-extending the intelligence-sharing GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement), the appeal on the deal regarding enforced sexual slavery, the Korean Supreme Court's decision on forced labor, the use of the Rising Sun Flag, removal from the trade "whitelist" and others. In addition to these, the conflict between Korea and Japan has been expanding due to concerns that Korea's foreign policy is leaning toward China, the semiconductor competition issue and the spread of anti-Korean sentiment in Japan. The Korea-Japan relationship problems started from a history perspective but tended to spread to the fields of private exchange, economy and security. In particular, in the face of criticism that the declaration to end GSOMIA would not only affect Korea-Japan security cooperation but also Korea-U.S. security cooperation, the Korean government announced a conditional extension in November. In the forced labor issue, Japan took its basic position that compensation could not be accepted under the 1965 Korea-Japan Basic Treaty. However, currently it is suggested that a forward-looking approach to the issue is needed. By William Lambers President Trump ordering bombings in Iraq and the Middle East will do nothing to bring peace to the region. It will only escalate tensions and lead to more violence and war. We need a different approach. We should use diplomacy, including reinstating the Iran nuclear deal. We should send more food to the starving peoples of the Middle East. We should do more to help the millions of refugees from Middle East wars. These are actions that can bring us stability and peace. Trump should not have trashed the Iran nuclear deal that President Obama worked so hard to achieve. That agreement gave us a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran. It was a verifiable deal with inspections to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Instead Trump tossed it aside recklessly, thereby destroying any credibility and hopes for future agreements. In addition, Trump has fueled the civil war in Yemen between the Saudi Arabia led coalition and the Iran backed Houthi rebels. Trump had provided military support and arms sales to the Saudis, prolonging a conflict that has left over 20 million Yemenis of desperate need of food. Trumps military aid of the Saudis must cease. As David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, says International backers like the U.S. should be shepherding warring parties to peace - not fueling the conflict. Save the Children says 85,000 Yemeni kids have died of hunger and diseases since that war began. Their health clinics see every day the damaging effect of the war on Yemeni children. Children are dying every day in Yemen from bombs and malnutrition. Its urgent the United States be a peacemaker and humanitarian in Yemen. That means the U.S. should no longer provide military support of the Saudis and arms sales. We must focus on diplomacy starting with achieving a nationwide ceasefire to ensure food for all the hungry Yemenis. The UN World Food Program (WFP) is feeding over 12 million a month, with most of the food going to Yemen, and it needs a tremendous amount of funding to sustain this operation. The United States should dramatically expand the Food for Peace program started by President Dwight Eisenhower. This would allow more support to WFP and other charities feeding the hungry in the Middle East and elsewhere. We should also do a large expansion of the McGovern-Dole school feeding program to provide meals to every child in need in the Middle East and around the world. This will do far more for peace than any bombs can. Eisenhower was a strong advocate for diplomacy and using food to build peace. We need a return to Ike-style leadership and peacemaking. We need to do it quickly because dropping bombs all around the Middle East is clearly not the answer. In Syria there is also continued suffering from war, hunger and displacement. Rehana Zawar, the IRCs country director for northwest Syria, says We are hearing reports that thousands of people including children were already living in the open air under olive trees, and our partner organisations report that 11% of children attending the health clinics we support are suffering from acute malnutrition. Iraq, too, is also suffering and needs the support of the World Food Program. The WFP is short on funding though for this mission and many others. None of these problems can be addressed by bombs. Until we realize that diplomacy and humanitarian aid are the keys to peace, well never see stability in the Middle East. William Lambers is an author who partnered with the UN World Food Program and Catholic Relief Services on the book Ending World Hunger. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. MobilityWorks, the nation's largest retailer of wheelchair accessible vans, is adding 7 new locations with the acquisition of IMED Mobility. Richfield, OH, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MobilityWorks, the nation's largest retailer of wheelchair accessible vans, is adding 7 new locations with the acquisition of IMED Mobility. The acquisition will add to MobilityWorks' presence in the state of Wisconsin and will add new locations in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota. Following the acquisition, MobilityWorks will now operate 92 total locations in 31 states. Over the last two decades, IMED Mobility and MobilityWorks have shared a passion and mission to provide affordable, reliable wheelchair accessible vehicles to everyone. The main objective of both organizations is to find the best mobility solution for each individual to ensure they can connect with who and what matters most. We are excited to become part of the MobilityWorks nationwide network said Bob Lundin, Co-Owner of IMED Mobility, well continue the customer service they love and now well have the ability to provide even more solutions for transportation and home accessibility. To partner with such an outstanding professional organization is an honor, added Mark Koloseike, Co-Owner of IMED Mobility. Its a dream come true for Bob and I. The future is unlimited for us and our wonderful customers. Adding IMED Mobility to our organization offers an exciting opportunity to strengthen and expand our service offering into 5 new states, said Eric Mansfield, Chief Operating Officer/President of MobilityWorks. We look forward to the addition of the talented team members with over 16 years of experience in serving the community. In addition to selling new and pre-owned modified vans for wheelchair accessibility, MobilityWorks and IMED Mobility will also provide rental vans and adaptive equipment such as hand controls, turning seats and scooter lifts. MobilityWorks also manufactures and sells a variety of commercial vehicles to business clients throughout the United States. Story continues About MobilityWorks MobilityWorks (aka WMK, LLC) is a Cleveland, Ohio-based Inc. 500 company that employs specially trained Certified Mobility Consultants to work closely with its clients to understand their specific transportation needs in finding the right vehicle solution. Founded in 1997 with one location, MobilityWorks has been recognized on the Inc. 500|5000 list of Inc. Magazine's fastest growing privately held companies for the past ten years. MobilityWorks Commercial is the largest provider of commercial wheelchair vans in the country. Driverge is the manufacturing division of WMK, LLC and is Ford Motor Company's largest mobility upfitter. Learn more about MobilityWorks at www.mobilityworks.com. Alex Bangle MobilityWorks marketing@mobilityworks.com Gen. Soleimani should have been killed 'many years ago': Trump Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 5:30 PM US President Donald Trump has doubled down on the insanity of the assassination of the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), saying Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani should have been killed "many years ago." Trump, in a series of tweets on Friday, accused the top Iranian military commander of killing and wounding thousands of Americans over an extended period of time and "plotting to kill many more." The US president also claimed that Major General Soleimani was "directly and indirectly" responsible for the death of millions of people in Iran and "should have been taken out many years ago." "General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more...but got caught! He was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people, including the recent large number of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself," Trump claimed in a tweet. "While Iran will never be able to properly admit it, Soleimani was both hated and feared within the country. They are not nearly as saddened as the leaders will let the outside world believe. He should have been taken out many years ago!" The United States confirmed early on Friday that its forces had assassinated General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) better known as Hashd al-Sha'abi in an attack at Baghdad's international airport. The Pentagon said in a statement that Trump had ordered the US military to assassinate the top Iranian commander. "At the direction of the President, the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force," the statement said. "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world." The US assassination of Major General Soleimani has drawn a wave of condemnation from officials and movements across the world, and triggered furious public protests in denunciation of the heinous act. Iran has warned that "harsh revenge" is waiting for the US following the strike that killed the leader of the Quds Force. General Soleimani killed due to 'imminent threats to American lives' US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also confirmed on Friday that Trump had directed the assassination airstrike due to "imminent threats to American lives." Asked about the "threats" in a CNN interview on Friday morning, Pompeo declined to provide further details on the issue but claimed the strike had saved American lives, saying, "[General Soleimani] was actively plotting in the region to take actions ... that would have put dozens if not hundreds of American lives at risk." Pompeo said the move followed an "intelligence-based assessment," and that the threats to the US were located in the Middle East region rather than the US homeland. The Iranian general was a globally famous defense strategist who played a key role in the counter-terrorism operations that led to the collapse of the Daesh terror group in Iraq and Syria. Soleimani had survived several assassination attempts against him by Western, Israeli and Arab agencies over the past years. In November 2018, The New York Times revealed a March 2017 meeting in Riyadh to assassinate Iranian officials, namely Soleimani. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been rising ever since Trump in 2018 withdrew the US from the nuclear deal that Tehran had signed in 2015 with the US and five other nations. Trump's policy on Iran has been defined by military threats and economic sanctions. He adopted a hostile approach from day one. However, the so-called maximum pressure campaign has only backfired. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Confused: I struggle to see what, exactly, closure would look like for you, because so far you have pursued him, and he has deferred and dodged you. This behavior might be embarrassing for you, but please do not let this rise to the level of being hurt. He is merely revealing himself. He is not into you, but he hasnt figured out how to be a grown-up about it. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said employment generation should be at the centre of any amendment to the states industrial policy. Thackeray, while reviewing the states industries department, stressed on employment generation and linked it to incentives being given to industries. State industries minister Subhash Desai also proposed to set up an international-level exhibition centre in Navi Mumbai, at the meeting. While the erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis-led state government had stressed on investment from mega corporations, the new administration under Thackeray aims to create jobs through industries. The state industrial policy released in March 2019 aimed at making the state a USD1-trillion dollar economy by 2025. After the review meeting, Desai said, Trillion dollar economy is a dream. Although we would get there, Uddhavji has stressed on labourers being the focal point of our policy-making. He stressed on employment generation as it is the need of the hour. He directed the department that it should be the criteria for giving concessions to the industries. At the meeting, Thackeray told department officials that employment generation is a challenge and any new amendment to the industrial policy should ensure that the labourer is the focus and central point. He said industries should take up the task of providing skill training to the youth, so that they can seek employment in the sector. Desai also proposed the idea of an exhibition centre. It would require a 150-acre space. The City Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) and a private player can have a joint venture wherein Cidco can provide the land, while the private player can develop and run the centre, he said. A Winnipeg woman convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her neighbour has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years. Brenda Schuff, who is 46, was found guilty in June of killing 54-year old Judy Kenny. The offence carries a mandatory life sentence and, on Friday, a judge ruled Schuff must serve 15 years before she can apply for release. Kenny was found dead in the kitchen of her home on April 10, 2017. During the trial, court heard she had been beaten, stomped and stabbed 23 times. The two women didnt know each other, and met hours before Kennys death when Schuff helped her look for a missing dog. Court heard they went back to Kennys house for a drink and to talk. Read more about: Investing.com Oil prices jumped as much as 5% on Friday, reaching nearly $70 per barrel on the killing of Irans top general, before coming off their peaks despite weekly U.S. inventory data showing a huge drop in domestic crude stockpiles. While the 11.5-million-barrel drop in U.S.crude inventories reported for the week ended Dec. 27 was nearly four times more than forecast, it was offset almost perfectly by the total rise in gasoline stockpiles and distillates inventories. The inclination of crude prices was to retreat, rather than continue rising, on those numbers. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. crude benchmark, settled up $1.87, or 3.1%, at $63.05 per barrel. Earlier in the session, WTI reached an eight-month high of $64.08. Brent, the global oil benchmark, settled up $2.35, or 3.5%, at $68.60. It hit $69.48 earlier. The last time Brent came close to matching $70 per barrel was in the aftermath of the mid-September attack on Saudi Arabias oil facilities, an aggression that the United States had accused Iran of masterminding. Brent, the global oil benchmark, rose $1.94, or 2.9%, to $68.19. It hit $69.48 earlier. The last time Brent came close to matching $70 per barrel was in the aftermath of the mid-September attack on Saudi Arabias oil facilities, an aggression that the United States had accused Iran of masterminding. Fridays rally came on the back of the U.S. airstrike near the Baghdad airport that killed Qassem Soleimani, the commander who led Irans Revolutionary Guards Quds force. Tehran has vowed to avenge his death, sparking fears of what an all-out Iran-U.S. conflict could do to the movement of crude in the worlds most prolific production hub for oil. On the surface of it, this is escalation, this is war, that should give oil the huge geopolitical premium that the bulls have been clamoring for for years now, said John Kilduff, founding partner at New York energy hedge fund Again Capital. Story continues Yet until we see Irans response, it would be wise for the market to play this evenly as weve already gone up massively since last month on the flat price of oil," Kilduff said. "Any further gain would require substantive fundamentals-backing as the general expectation for this year is that oil supplies would go up from more U.S. drilling. Oil prices closed 2019 with their largest gains in three years. Brent rose 24% on the year while West Texas Intermediate gained 34%, largely on production cuts by OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and its top ally Russia. But OPEC+s promises to cut even more supplies this year has been tempered by expectations that U.S. crude production could rise strongly in 2020 responding to last years price gains. Non-OPEC oil supply, led by U.S. shale, is forecast to grow by 2.1 million barrels a day in 2020, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA). Global demand for oil, meanwhile, is set to increase by 1.2 million barrels a day next year, the IEA said. While U.S. crude production as a whole hit a record high of 12.9 million barrels per day in 2019, shale oil output which accounts for more than half of U.S. total production has been somewhat restrained this year. U.S. crude producers as a whole cut the number of actively operating oil rigs in the country to 677 last year from 885 at the end of 2018, a drop of 208 rigs or 24%. In Fridays trade, crude prices came off their highs after the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that crude stockpiles fell by 11.5 million barrels last week, compared with expectations from analysts for a drop of 3.3 million barrels. But the EIA also reported that gasoline stockpiles rose by 3.2 million barrels, versus an expectation for a rise of 1.8 million barrels. And distillates inventories jumped by a whopping 8.8 million barrels, compared with forecasts for a climb of 1.1 million, the EIA said. The drop in crude stocks was almost perfectly offset by the commensurate rise in gasoline and distillate inventories reported by the EIA, Barani Krishnan, senior commodities analyst at Investing.com, said. Despite the huge headline draw number, one can argue that this is a flat inventory report. Any bullish aspect of the report, Krishnan pointed out, would be in U.S. crude exports, which rose by 1.06 million barrels per day last week to reach a record of 4.46 million bpd. Related Articles Exclusive: Weakened by sanctions, Venezuela's PDVSA cedes oilfield operations to foreign firms Gold at 4-Month High After U.S. Strike on Iran General, $1,600 Likely Heavy and medium sour crudes jump in U.S., Canada after killing of Iran commander Mall retailer L Brands Inc (NYSE: LB) has multiple levers at its disposal to improve the business and add value to investors, according to Bank of America. Lorraine Hutchinson upgraded L Brands from Neutral to Buy with a price target lifted from $21 to $25. L Brands' could immediately support earnings if it were to add back a private label swim category at both Victoria's Secret and Pink, Hutchinson wrote in the note. When management decided to exit the category in fiscal 2016 it was dilutive to margins but could now prove to be accretive to margins after VS margins fell from 15.5% to 2.6%. The swim category helps both basket size and traffic and comes with a high level of attachment rate. Management could also implement broader changes at VS to become more inclusive, the analyst wrote. Management's decision to cancel its annual fashion show is likely to fall short of encouraging Millennials to trust the brand. A revamp or re-launched brand image "could still work" but needs to be done quickly. Behind the scenes, L Brands may want to diversify its board of directors given an average tenure of 15.5 years with an average age of 69. In fact, the company has among the oldest board members within BofA's coverage universe. Finally, management could spin its stronger unit Bath & Body Works with 40% of the cash and all of the debt since it is the more profitable unit and can better service debt, the analyst wrote. While management didn't provide any details in this regard it would be consistent with the company's history of spinning out concepts. Shares of L Brands were trading higher by more than 7% at $18.86. Related Links: L Brands Analyst Says Strategic Alternatives Won't Save Stock From Further Downside L Brands Analyst Day Has Wall Street Playing Wait-And-See On Victoria's Secret Turnaround Date Firm Action From To Jan 2020 Upgrades Neutral Buy Dec 2019 Assumes Hold Dec 2019 Maintains Underperform View More Analyst Ratings for LB View the Latest Analyst Ratings Story continues See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Vision and Mission of a Presidents address View(s): President Gotabaya Rajapaksas State of the Union address at the ceremonial opening of Parliament on Friday was the way he wants the country run; business-like. He came in suit lest someone objected that there was a Stranger in the House given the strict dress code within the Chamber the sanctum sanctorum of the National Legislature. There was no pomp and pageantry of military honour guard and mounted police, only the homage to the Triple Gem sung by a bevy of girls who welcomed him. Having outlined the common need for MPs of both sides of the House to serve the people (and not themselves), he said he knew what public service meant. He had a veiled dig at the lawmakers recalling a time when he accompanied his father to Parliament and watched proceedings from the public gallery. Parliaments then were held in high esteem, he said quite rightly, and asked that the dignity of the institution be restored. Not surprisingly, MPs even of his own side remained stoically silent though they thumped the woodwork for the rest of the presidential remarks. The President spoke of national reconciliation and echoed his New Year message which called for economic development based on nationalistic importance. The reference to professionals heading state institutions and Sri Lanka being a trading spot between East and West since ancient times underpinned his address. Futuristic plans to modernise the States economy are always good to hear, difficult to implement. Hopes of more than doubling earnings from the tourist industry from US$ 4.4 billion to US$ 10 billion sound ambitious, but could be targets. National security was given topmost priority but constitutional and electoral reforms seem the immediate priority with a Parliamentary election due in a few months. Whatever the new Presidents vision and mission may be, it will be the state of the economy that the new Government will have to give its highest consideration to. Each new Government blames its predecessor for leaving an empty Treasury. One Finance Minister of yesteryear on taking over the job famously said that there were only cockroaches in the empty Treasury. Domestically, bad weather and man-made manipulations of rice and vegetable markets have seen the Cost of Living index rise steeply. Prices have shot to such heights that things are sold in 250 gram units. At the mega level, accumulated foreign debts will see this Government having to fork out US$ 4.5 billion in 2020. From where it is going to find that money is anybodys guess. The outstanding public debt which includes Central Government debt; Treasury Bonds for restructuring SOEs (State-Owned Enterprises); foreign project loans; public guaranteed debt and international bonds, has increased. The outstanding public debt is Rs. 13,182 billion at the end of 2018, according to the Finance Ministry. Without a substantial infusion of FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments), and increased export earnings, the national economy is sunk. All the hot air generated over the US grant called the MCC has to be dispassionately reasoned out. It is not that the approach need be one where beggars cant be choosers, but one does not look a gift horse in the mouth based on uninformed and clapped out ideological grounds. We have said that foreign agreements must be negotiated with skill and finesse in the national interest. The ACSA was not done that way, and we had a narrow shave with SOFA both US military agreements. The MCC was first proposed back in 2004 when the US Congress mooted the idea with not-so altruistic motives of helping poorer countries. Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar was Foreign Minister at the time and he was in the loop to get Sri Lanka some aid. It was to the tune of nearly a billion US Dollars, the focus being rural development including improving irrigation systems. The JVP put a spoke in the wheel and Mr. Kadirgamar wanted to renegotiate the offer. After Mr. Kadirgamars demise, then President Mahinda Rajapaksa was bullish about it at the time, but the US offer went off the table during the military offensive against the LTTE around 2009, only to come back to the table under the Yahapalana Government. Nepal has, in the meantime, been a beneficiary of an MCC while Sri Lanka dilly-dallies, but even there, the Communist Party clearly instigated by China is blocking aid for a massive electrification project. It is good that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is ignoring the election platform rhetoric and going into the merits of the MCC. He would know, however, that it is easier said than done. The US is not going to bow down so easily if it feels it gets nothing out of it. He learnt an early lesson in statecraft when he spoke before the election of renegotiating the Hambantota harbour deal, having to go back on his promise once ensconced in high office saying its an international agreement after all and it is the security aspect that is crucial. It is not only the security aspect that is crucial. The Hambantota port project is a commercial loan that was turned into a debt-to-equity exercise which impacts on the countrys sovereignty. Brokers benefitted from the repayment scheme and Sri Lankan politicians on both sides of the political divide were putty in the hands of the Chinese negotiators. Politically, the forthcoming General (Parliamentary) Election, in all likelihood during the first half of the new year, will preoccupy politicians. Finding a two-thirds majority to jettison the 19th Amendment seems to be the priority of the new President who finds himself in a straitjacket unable to even hold a ministerial portfolio. A Private Members Bill however, to change 19 A seems a desperate, almost futile bid in the making. Congress leader Vadra on Saturday made unscheduled visits to Muzaffarnagar and Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh to meet the families who bore the brunt of alleged "police excesses" following violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act or were affected by the clashes. The Congress general secretary first went to Muzaffarnagar, where she visited the residences of some of those who were injured in the violence. She then proceeded to Meerut where she met the affected families at the outskirts of the town. In Muzaffarnagar, She met Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was allegedly beaten up by the police in its crackdown on the violent anti-CAA protests. She was accompanied by Imran Masood, a party leader from Saharanpur. "I will stand by you in this hour of distress," she told one of the victims in Muzaffarnagar. Congress General Secretary Vadra interacts with Ruqaiya Parveen, whose house was allegedly ransacked by the police during the violence that broke out after anti-CAA protests, in Muzaffarnagar Later she told mediapersons that people were beaten up mercilessly and even children and minors were not spared. A 22-year-old woman, who was seven-month pregnant, was also thrashed, she claimed. Priyanka said she has highlighted each and every "police excess" in a lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during her visit to the state last week. In the neighbouring Meerut, the affected families assembled at one place on the outskirts of the town to meet the Congress leader where she listened to their problems. The UP Police had stopped Priyanka and her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi from entering Meerut town on December 24, citing prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, as a result of which they had to return to Delhi, 60 km from there, without meeting the affected families. At least five people were killed during the protests in Meerut. Earlier, Priyanka had gone to Bijnor and met the families of those killed in the violent clashes there. Officials maintain that 19 people were killed in the state during the violent protests, though the opposition claims a higher toll. By Online Desk Members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission here over a mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site near Lahore in Pakistan where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. On Friday, a violent mob had attacked the gurdwara and pelted it with stones. The protest by DSGMC and Akali members was held at around 1 pm near Chanakyapuri, an affluent neighbourhood and diplomatic enclave in the city. The protesters were raising slogans against Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Sikh community members claimed that they have submitted a memorandum at the Pakistan High Commission, asking Islamabad to "explain the failure of law enforcing agencies" in the country. Meanwhile, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said those opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) should introspect over their stance on the legislation after the incident of vandalism at the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. Speaking to ANI, Puri said that Friday's incident at one of the holiest Sikh shrines provides yet another proof of the state of minorities in Pakistan. "This was a wanton act of vandalism, stone-pelting and desecration against one of the holiest Sikh shrines. Those who have taken a stand against the Citizenship Amendment Act clearly either do not realise what they are saying or are deliberately misleading people," said Puri. "If any proof were needed about the state of the minorities in Pakistan, this incident after the Friday prayers yesterday provided that proof," Puri said. "All these people (CAA opposers) should do some serious introspection after yesterday's incident." An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur from her home in August last year. India has strongly condemned the incident and called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. (With inputs from agencies) U.S. Democratic, Republican Responses Differ To Soleimani Strike January 03, 2020 A senior U.S. Democrat says lawmakers were not informed in advance of the U.S. attack that killed a top Iranian military commander who was traveling in Iraq. Republican legislators meanwhile appeared to rally around the move, welcoming the assassination of Iran's elite Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani as a blow for the defense of Americans and U.S. territory. Eliot Engel (New York), the Democratic chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said late on January 2 that the Baghdad strike against Soleimani "went forward with no notification or consultation with Congress." Engel added that Soleimani, who was commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, was "the mastermind of immense violence" who has "the blood of Americans on his hands." But "to push ahead with an action of this gravity without involving Congress raises serious legal problems and is an affront to Congress's powers as a coequal branch of government," Engel added. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer (New York) "was not given advanced notice" of the strike, a senior Democratic aide told AFP. "In a display of resolve and strength, we struck the leader of those attacking our sovereign U.S. territories," top House Republican Kevin McCarthy (California) said in a statement, according to the AFP news agency. Other Republicans echoed such support. "Thank you, Mr. President, for standing up for America," Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina), a close Trump confidant, tweeted. "Wow -- the price of killing and injuring Americans has just gone up drastically," he added. He also went on to say that "if Iran continues to attack America and our allies, they should pay the heaviest of prices, which includes the destruction of their oil refineries." The White House traditionally alerts senior members of both parties in the Senate and House prior to any major military action. Based on reporting by AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/soleimani- strike-u-s-democratic-republican- responses-differ-/30358300.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Huge crowd gathers at the rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Sangareddy on Saturday. Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Satur-day announced that a protest meeting would be held at the historic Charminar on the night of January 25, the eve of the Republic Day, against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register for Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register. The National Flag will be hoisted at midnight. He also announced that a rally would be held from Shastripuram in Hyderabad to Idgah Miralam on January 10. While addressing a massive public meeting at Sangareddy organised against the CAA, NRC and the NPR, he said. We want to send a message to the BJP government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah by hoisting the National Flag to mark Republic Day, that the entire nation is against to the draconian law. Mr Owaisi asked people to make a one-minute video of them reading the Preamble of the Consti-tution and demanding that the Prime Minister scrap the CAA. He wanted the videos to be circulated on social media platforms on January 26. While slamming Mr Modi for talking about Pakistan, Mr Owaisi said in Telugu, neeku, naaku Pakistan tho emi sambandham (In what way are you and I connected with Pakistan)? He said, We are proud to be Indians. We Indian Muslims rejected the ideology of Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Indian Muslims are in no way concerned or connected with Pakistan and we love our country. Mr Owaisi hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, telling him that he need not worry about Indian Muslims. Worry for your country and save and protect the Sikhs, he said. Pointing out that the Uttar Pradesh government had served notices to attach the properties of those allegedly involved in the destruction of public property during the recent anti-CAA protests, Mr Owaisi asked the Prime Minister why he had not recovered damages from the Jats of Haryana who had damaged properties worth about `2,000 crore during the reservation agitation. He said they got away because they are in Hindus. In UP, just `14 lakh worth of property was damaged but the state government had served notice to Muslims under the Prevention of Destruction of Public Properties Act, 1984 even against those who are dead or are bed-ridden. He asked how could the government recover damage from a dead man. Will they go into the grave of the dead for the recovery, Mr Owaisi asked. He said Mr Modi and Mr Shah, after drawing the anger were saying the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be implemented right now, and asked them when they would bring it into force. Did they say abhi nahi toh kabhi nahin (never, if not now), he said. Mr Owaisi demanded that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao stay the implementation of the NPR as was done by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The MIM president said the movement against the CAA would continue so that they could achieve the goal of saving the nationfrom the divisive rule of the BJP. Mr Owaisi said that the movement was to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party from making India a Hindu Rashtra and also save the secular credentials of the nation as the Constitution clearly says that India has no religion. O ne of the biggest scandals to shake British politics in recent history has been given a fresh retelling in a new drama on BBC One. The Trial of Christine Keeler examines the Profumo affair through the experiences of the 19-year-old woman at the very centre of the 1963 sex scandal. Ms Keeler's affairs with cabinet minister John Profumo and a Russian diplomat in the early 1960s led to a series of events that eventually helped to bring down Harold Macmillan's beleaguered government the following year. The scandal rocked the British establishment at the time with its tales of politicians, prostitutes and Soviet spies and Ms Keeler struggled to shake-off its legacy in later years. As the series continues on Sunday, here's the true story behind the Trial of Christine Keeler. BBC/Ecosse Films/James Pardon What happened in the Profumo Affair? Christine Keeler was born in 1942 and was brought up in poverty before she left home at the age of 15. She worked as an office junior, showroom assistant and a barmaid before she was 16, eventually gaining work as a topless showgirl in a club in Greek Street, in the heart of Soho. It was while working as a teenage showgirl that she met high-society osteopath Dr Stephen Ward, her patron and a man variously described as an artist and a procurer of women, as well as suspected of being a double-agent. Dr Ward, who was living in a summer house on Viscount Astor's estate at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire, would eventually introduce Keeler to the then-Secretary of State for War John Profumo and Russian diplomat Yevgeny Ivanov. Christine Keeler, 21, arrives at Old Bailey in London, in this file photo dated April 1, 1963 / AP The teenage Keeler went on to have relationships with both men at the same time, with the affairs coming right at the height of Cold War tensions between the West and the East. But it was her relationship with another lover, John Edgecombe, which brought the whole affair to public attention. Mr Edgecombe, a petty criminal and film extra, was involved in an incident outside Dr Ward's flat in Wimpole Mews, Marylebone in which he was alleged to have fired five shots at the bulding. While Edgecombe was later acquitted on charges of shooting at her with intent to murder her or cause grievous bodily harm, he was instead convicted of having a firearm with intent to endanger life. But the arrest and subsequent trial merely served to heap attention on the young Ms Keeler and her relationship with Mr Profumo, and by March 1963 the whole country was teeming with rumours about Mr Profumo's presence at wild parties at Cliveden. Speculation was merely heightened when Ms Keeler went missing as she was due to give evidence at Edgecombe's trial. Questions were asked in Westminster about the suspicious circumstances surrounded the "missing witness", and she was eventually tracked down to Madrid. Christine Keeler / PA Mr Profumo was forced to make a statement to the Commons while uproar over the "missing witness" was at its height. In his statement, the politician fiercely denied any impropriety whatever in his relationship with Ms Keeler, and threatened to sue anybody who suggested otherwise. But while the House of Commons was becoming increasingly aware of rumours connecting Mr Profumo to Ms Keeler and the Edgecombe shooting, at first Mr Profumo's assertion that his friendship with Ms Keeler was merely platonic was accepted by the Cabinet. However, MPs and newspapers remained sceptical and suggestions were rife that Ms Keeler had been sent away to avoid cross-examination at trial. Is soon became clear to the Prime Minister that Mr Profumo's position became untenable and in June 1963 Mr Profumo was forced to admit that he had lied to the house and he resigned in the wake of the scandal. Dr Ward meanwhile was arrested and accused of living off immoral earnings, but he committed suicide after being found guilty of some of the charges. President Donald Trumps policy toward Iran is in deep crisis. The presidents approach has the support neither of Americas allies nor of its strategic rivals, China and Russia. And his policy made even more confrontational by the shooting of a high-ranking Iranian official has boxed him into a situation where, short of dramatic reversal, Washington and Tehran are edging close to war. By failing to forge policies in cooperation with allies, the U.S. was robbed of advice and expertise in how to tackle the problems posed by Iran. Above all, it led to the dangerous deterioration of relations between the U.S. and Iran after the U.S. became the sole country to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. That deal was painstakingly negotiated by the Obama administration in cooperation with five other world powers. Instead of Trumps harsh policy imposing maximum pressure on Iran, Iran has turned the tables and has put pressure on a freshly impeached U.S. president whose reelection is by no means assured and whose international diplomatic isolation and weakness is no secret in the region. And once again, Trump took unilateral action early on Friday morning. The killings of Irans revered and powerful military commander, General Qassem Soleimani, and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a U.S. drone strike on Baghdad airport has further escalated tension in the region. The killings immediately caused huge anti-American protests in Iran and led to the rise of global oil prices and the fall of stock markets around the world. On Sunday, Iran announced it would no longer heed the restrictions in the 2015 nuclear deal that restricted its development of nuclear weapons. Iraqs lawmakers voted on a bill drafted by Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to expel U.S. forces from the country. The bill must be signed by the prime minister to take effect. And the coalition led by the U.S. that has fought ISIS in Iraq and Syria for years announced it was suspending operations and instead focusing on defending its forces. Story continues We are now fully committed to protecting the Iraqi bases that host Coalition troops, a press release said. Iran has vowed harsh revenge for the killing of Soleimani, the strategic mastermind behind Tehrans entire ambitious Middle East policy. He also coordinated Irans widespread covert operations program and provided much of the strategic expertise for President Bashar Assads war in Syria. Wishful thinking? Since coming to office in January 2017, President Trumps approach to resolve Americas longstanding quarrel with Iran has consisted of two stages. The politics of maximum pressure imposing stiff economic sanctions combined with harsh rhetoric toward Tehrans leaders was to be followed by a second stage of intense personal diplomacy that would culminate in the signing of a great new deal of cooperation with longtime enemy Iran. It would turn Trump into one of Americas greatest foreign policy presidents and might even, or so he hoped, earn him a Nobel Peace Prize. As an international relations scholar and former diplomatic and foreign policy adviser at the German embassy in Beijing, I believe this approach consisted of a lot of wishful thinking. Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei simply refused to engage with Washington on the conditions laid down by Trump. Those conditions included Iran halting all uranium enrichment and ceasing support for the regions militant groups. Tables turned Trumps unorthodox idea conducting the nations diplomacy singlehandedly and without asking for much advice from experts in the State Department or from his allies has been revealed as untenable. Trumps withdrawal from the 2015 multi-party nuclear deal with Iran was caused by his unhappiness that the deal was not meant to restrain Irans aggressive politics in the region. Trump also believed it would not effectively prevent Tehrans ability to manufacture nuclear weapons in the long run. But his policy toward Iran appears not to have contained and intimidated the countrys leaders. It has instead emboldened the country to aggressively challenge U.S. policies in the Middle East. U.S. withdrawal from the deal was deeply resented by both Iran and the international community. And it started the rapid deterioration of relations with Tehran. The recent siege of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad by violent protesters who were clearly directed by the Tehran regime recalled the Iranian hostage crisis 40 years ago that decisively contributed to President Jimmy Carters electoral defeat. The shooting down of an expensive American drone by Iran in June as well as Tehrans open support of the Assad regime in Syria and the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon were further indications of Irans challenge to the U.S. It appears that Trumps airstrike on the Baghdad airport was an attempt to demonstrate Americas power and to break out of a largely self-inflicted foreign policy failure. New tack I believe that President Trumps diplomacy toward Iran requires urgent course corrections. The only option left and one not yet seriously considered by the Trump administration is to fall back on cooperation with other great powers, not least with Washingtons many allies, such as the U.K., France and Germany, who are still anxious for American global leadership. The Trump administration has little option but to return to the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran, though perhaps it could be somewhat modified to enable Trump to save face. The administration could then embark on a unified Western policy to restrain both Iranian leadership ambitions in the Middle East and Tehrans nuclear ambitions. The killing of Soleimani and the angry reaction to his death, however, has made this almost impossible in the short run. But tempers may cool. Despite recent joint Russian-Chinese-Iranian naval maneuvers, Moscow and Beijing are also still interested in containing Iranian ambitions. Iranian dominance in the Middle East and the resulting further tension and escalating rivalry with Saudi Arabia for regional control would hardly benefit the great powers and the stability of the region. Whether or not the Trump administration is capable of and willing to embark on such a major change of course is unclear. But I believe it is the only way out of a crisis largely caused by Trumps unilateral policies. [ Insight, in your inbox each day. You can get it with The Conversations email newsletter. ] This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Read more: Klaus W. Larres does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Oscar Castellino, the London-based Indian soprano who composed the Mars Anthem in 2017, is in the process of producing another in Hindi, titled Chalo Mangal Chale, for release later this year as a tribute to Indian space scientists. Castellino, who grew up in Mumbai and Mussourie, moved to the UK in 2010 after the noted soprano Patricia Rozario spotted his talent in Mumbai during her Giving Voice to India project that seeks to improve the singing of western music in India, chorally or as soloists. He has since graduated in Music Honours from the Royal College of Music (RCM), going on to perform on various occasions in the UK and elsewhere, including in the RCM Choir during Queen Elizabeths diamond jubilee pageant on the Thames in 2012. The English version of the anthem titled Rise to Mars was launched at the International Mars Convention in 2017 by the Mars Society founded by American aerospace engineer and author Robert Zubrin, who co-wrote it with Castellino. The title of the anthem in Hindi will be Chalo Mangal Chale. Having a degree in physics and experienced life in research I know it requires a great deal of perseverance, vision, motivation and commitment to achieve something cutting edge, the former software engineer says. The Hindi anthem and later in other Indian languages will be a tribute to ISRO scientists who give India great hope for the future. Just as Zubrin wrote some of the English lyrics, it would be thrilling if ISRO scientists contribute to the Hindi version. That would be very special, Castellino, whose family hails from Assagao in Goa, adds. As the English version made news in the news media, Zubrin said: I would not at all be surprised if it someday became the national anthem of the Free Martian Republic. It certainly is going to be a favourite among all those pushing for a human future in space now and for years to come. Castellino believes that the success of Indias Mangalyaan mission in 2014 and ongoing projects provide the right context for versions in Hindi and other languages, besides growing interest in the country and elsewhere in the possibility of some day living on the Red Planet. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Condemning the mob attack on Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday took to Twitter and appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action. He said that Khan should immediately intervene to ensure that the devotees stranded in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib are rescued. He also added that steps must be taken to save the historic Gurdwara from the angry mob surrounding it. Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated its concern for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External affairs. Furthermore, it added that these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place is condemnable and called upon the Pakistan government to act on it. It requested Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well being of the Sikh community. 'Tauba Tauba' reporter back with new rant & absurd appeal to Pak PM Nankana Sahib attacked On Friday, a video emerged of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals show that the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the Gurudwara which is the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources report that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. Yogi Adityanath says, 'After Kartarpur, it will be Nankana Sahib' Sources report that the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurdwara which was attacked by the mob on Friday evening. Jagjit Kaur- forced conversion victim returns home, Sirsa thanks MEA Forced conversion Pak Sikh girl Meanwhile, the main leader of the mob is the brother of Mohammed Hassan - who was accused of kidnapping and forcibly converting a Sikh girl -Jagjit Kaur. Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa, in August, had shared a video of the grieving family telling how 18-year old Jagjit Kaur was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam in Pakistan. On September 3, the victim was reunited with her family after Pakistan faced global anger due to inaction. Pakistan had claimed that Punjab's Nankana Sahib police had arrested eight people - including Hassan, in connection with the case. Despite being rescued, reports claim that Jagjit Kaur - now known as Ayesha refused to convert back to Sikhism. Amarinder Singh meets Amit Shah, raises Pak Sikh girl conversion issue We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Gibson, who had suffered from lymphoma and prostate cancer, considered himself well-qualified to offer counseling to those battling cancer. Ideal clients were busy, retired executives who have an engineered kind of thinking, who are not going to just give up and who want me to get them up to speed as quickly as possible about how to beat their cancer, he told the Tribune in 2006. The man leading firefighting efforts in NSW had no idea 3000 army personnel would be sent to the worst hit areas until after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced it on the news. Shane Fitzsimmons said he was 'disappointed' not to have been told of Mr Morrison's plan to deploy 3,000 army reserve members to the worst hit areas before Saturday's announcement. Mr Fitzsimmons - the NSW Rural Fire Services commissioner - said to make matters worse the announcement came 'in the middle of one of our worst days this season'. The revelation left Karl Stefanovic speechless, with the newly returned Today Show host labelling the prime minister 'arrogant'. Karl Stefanovic (left) has labelled Prime Minister Scott Morrison 'arrogant' after the NSW Rural Fire Services commissioner revealed he did not know 3,000 army reserve personnel would be sent to fire grounds until after it was made public 'I can't fathom how you're not made aware of that decision,' Stefanovic said to Mr Fitzsimmons. 'The Prime Minister of this country doesn't let the man who is running this bushfire emergency know that he is putting 3,000 people on the ground? '(He) didn't tell you, (he) didn't call you? Was arrogant enough to go to air without it?' Mr Fitzsimmons admitted he had called the prime minister's office on Saturday night to discuss the decision, but had 'moved through' his disappointment at its handling. After co-host Alison Langdon said she too was 'floored' by the revelation, Stefanovic claimed he didn't understand why it had been so difficult for the prime minister. 'The announcement (of the army deployment) is a good announcement. This is when you get on the phone and say: "Hey, we have got support (for you)",' Stefanovic said. 'The prime minister has again let crucial people down.' The prime minister's office reportedly believed that NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian would pass news of the announcement on to Mr Fitzsimmons. In a separate interview on the Today Show on Sunday, Mrs Berejiklian confirmed she had received a call from Mr Morrison but refused to be drawn on whether it was her responsibility to be the first to tell Mr Fitzsimmons. 'The PM rang all state leaders and I received his call and I welcomed his decision for additional support,' she said. Mr Fitzsimmons (right) said he was 'disappointed' not to have known about the announcement until Mr Morrison (left) was talking at his press conference 'Our responsibility as leaders is to accept and welcome all the information... for the people who have got to implement the decisions they need that level of detail to help them make sure everything is in place and we've done that since.' It comes after Mr Morrison came under fire for the release of a television commercial by the Liberal Party spruiking the government's response to the bushfire crisis. The much-criticised video - authorised by Mr Morrison's office - describes how the government is deploying up to 3000 army reservists in response to the ongoing crisis. British broadcaster Piers Morgan slammed the video as a 'self-promotional commercial with cheesy elevator music'. 'This is one of the most tone-deaf things I've ever seen a country's leader put out during a crisis. Shameless & shameful,' he posted on Twitter. Two people were killed after horrific fire conditions hit Kangaroo Island (pictured), in South Australia, on Saturday Earlier this week Mr Morrison (centre) toured fire grounds in East Gippsland, Victoria, with local Nationals MP Darren Chester (right) Fires are currently burning out of control across three states - Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia Mr Morrison took to Twitter to defend the video late on Saturday, saying it was a legal requirement in Australia to include an authorisation on all video messages used by MPs on social media. 'The video message simply communicates the Government's policy decisions and the actions the Government is undertaking to the public,' he posted. 'The same practice is rightly employed by the Leader of the Opposition and the Labor Party. This is required and standard practice in Australia.' The prime minister has faced criticism for not acting sooner to bolster the nation's firefighting capabilities, and for also going on holiday to Hawaii during the crisis. The man accused of stabbing multiple people at a New York Hanukkah celebration has been indicted on assault and attempted murder charges, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said Friday. Grafton Thomas, 37, allegedly slashed at least six people with the intent to cause their deaths, authorities said. Thomas had pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder in connection with the December 28 stabbings. A judge set his bail at $5 million. Walsh said Friday the indictment charged six counts of attempted murder in the second degree, three counts of assault in the first degree, three counts of attempted assault in the first degree and two counts of burglary in the first degree. The sixth victim is another son of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg, who hosted the Hanukkah celebration at his home, a law enforcement source told CNN Friday. Meyer Rottenberg suffered a superficial wound when he ran into a room and closed the door while the suspect was chasing him, the source told CNN. He was not hospitalized. CNN previously reported that Rabbi Rottenberg's other son, Shloime, was also injured in the incident. Shloime Rottenberg was hit in the side of the head by the suspect's machete during the attack and doctors had to use three staples to close his wounds, Rabbi Shmuel Gancz told CNN. Suspect faces federal hate crime charge Federal prosecutors have also charged Thomas with obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving an attempt to kill -- a federal hate crime. At a news conference Friday, Walsh called the attack a 'violent and heinous crime.' The assault disrupted an Orthodox Jewish gathering the night of December 28 in the home of a rabbi in the hamlet of Monsey, about 30 miles north of New York City. In a criminal complaint, FBI Special Agent Julie S. Brown said investigators found journal entries in Thomas' home that 'express anti-Semitic sentiments.' But Thomas' family, in a statement released by his attorney, Michael H. Sussman, said the suspect 'has no known history of anti-Semitism and was raised in a home which embraced and respected all religions and races.' After slashing his victims, the suspect tried to enter a nearby synagogue before community members shut the doors and kept him out, witnesses said. Thomas was at large for about an hour before police arrested him in Harlem without a struggle. Thomas had been interviewed by police in connection with the stabbing of a Jewish man five weeks earlier in the same town, Ramapo Police Chief Brad Weidel said this week. On November 20, an Orthodox Jewish man walking to synagogue in Monsey was stabbed and slashed, police said. Police questioned Thomas after seeing a car on surveillance video that they believed might be a Honda Pilot registered to Thomas' mother. Weidel said that there was no indication the car was used in the crime. Iran's Armed Forces vow 'punishing response' to Soleimani's assassination Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 4:20 AM Iran's General Staff of Armed Forces has issued a statement vowing that elements behind the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani will face a punishing response. "Without doubt, those who have ordered and carried out this crime will have to await a harsh response that they will regret," that statement read. The statement came after the Trump administration confirmed that it had assassinated Major General Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC. The attack also led to the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). The General Staff of Armed Forces' statement on Friday described the assassination as a "terrorist attack " carried out by the "criminal American regime". "The brave commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani, played a key and unique role in fighting terrorist Takfiri groups which were set up by the criminal American government," it read. The General Staff of Armed Forces offered its condolences to the "courageous people of Iran, Iraq and all the heroic fighters of the resistance axis". The "resistance axis" is used to refer to an emerging front in the Middle East which includes Iran, Syria and other regional countries and forces such as Hezbollah, which are opposed to US and Israeli hegemony over the region. Soleimani was known as a top figurehead assisting regional forces fighting foreign-backed terrorist groups in the region, notably in Iraq and Syria. 'US main loser of dangerous regional game' Iran's First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri said that the US' war mongering criminals will end up being "the main losers in this dangerous game in the region," following the assassination of Soleimani. Jahangiri added that those following the path of Soleimani will "push away the fire of war, terrorism and division from the region". "The name of Soleimani struck fear in the hearts of the enemies of the independence and freedom of Muslim nations," Jahangiri said, adding that Soleimani was an inspiration and cause for hope among the "truth-seekers" and "downtrodden" of the world. Speaking earlier on Friday, Hessamoddin Ashena, adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, also said that Washington had "passed red lines" with the assassination and that it will "have to face consequences" of the attack. "Trump, with his gambling, has pushed the US into the most dangerous regional circumstances. One who passes the red lines will have to be ready to face its consequences," Ashena said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trumps problem is that, until Thursday, thats what he had done. For almost a year, an escalating series of Iranian attacks on U.S. and allied assets were met by a conspicuous failure to respond militarily. Trump also kept signaling his desire to withdraw U.S. forces from the region. The result was to embolden the Iranians to hit harder. Instead of a calibrated cycle of escalation matched to a tacit sense of limits, the Iranians reached until they overreached. On Wednesday, Khamenei taunted Trump with the message that there is no damn thing you can do. The supreme leader is now a publicly humiliated man. That is enormously satisfying and immensely dangerous. Rashness often springs from wounded pride. One possible outcome is that a spooked Iranian leadership, already reeling from devastating sanctions and mass demonstrations, will prefer to tread lightly, at least for the time being. Suleimanis death could bring a sense of realism to the Islamic Republics thinking, says the Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad. For 40 years, the regime has succeeded abroad because its been willing to play dirty games against generally feckless opponents. It may now take its time to reassess that view. The alternative? Iran could mount a global campaign of terrorist strikes, deploying foreign proxies like Hezbollah for political deniability. It could try to take hostages at the American Embassy in Baghdad, much as it did at the embassy in Tehran in 1979. It could use its influence in Iraq to demand the expulsion of U.S. troops accomplishing in the wake of his death what Suleimani long tried to accomplish in life, as Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies observes. And it could accelerate its nuclear program, forcing Trump into a major military confrontation he has been eager to avoid, especially in an election year. The next days will be decisive. The best course for the United States is to spell out clearly to Iran what the paths of escalation and de-escalation hold. On the de-escalatory side, a return to the status quo ante and a willingness to explore negotiations over the full range of Irans malign activities, including its regional aggression and expanding nuclear program, in exchange for the easing of oil and other economic sanctions. On the escalatory side, a policy of deliberately disproportionate retaliation to any Iranian aggression, no matter whether its carried out by Iran or its proxies, and no matter whether it aims at us or our allies. The clearer we are in limning the courses of hope and fear, the likelier we are to achieve a stable balance between them. Strictly winner Oti Mabuse has revealed she did not speak with her sister and judge Motsi throughout the entire series to avoid accusations of cheating. The professional dancer, 29, who stormed to the final alongside Kevin Fletcher with the highest scores in the competition, says she only saw her sister while they were filming the show. She told The Sun: 'We were very professional and, to be fair to everyone else, it needed to be. Professional: Oti Mabuse reveals she did not speak with her sister and judge Motsi throughout the entire series of Strictly as she danced with partner Kevin Fletcher to avoid accusations of cheating 'I only really saw her on the show day on Saturdays when she was critiquing. Kelvin and I didn't really speak to her, either, because we were so busy.' The ballroom sensation also revealed she had no idea Motsi was being lined-up to replace departing judge Darcy Bussell until the BBC announced the new signing in July 2019. She said: 'I only found out on the day Motsi was announced, as production dont tell me anything.' Motsi, 38, was overcome with emotion when her sister was announced as this year's winner alongside the Emmerdale actor, 35. Emotional: Motsi, 38, was overcome with emotion when her sister, 29, was announced as this year's winner alongside the Emmerdale actor, 35 The proud sister broke down in tears as she celebrated the news and was seen clapping for her sibling as she stood up from the judging panel. And with the first series firmly under her belt, Motsi recently talked about her experience on The Graham Norton show. When quizzed by host Graham, the professional dancer revealed bosses haven't told her if she will return to the show next year and admitted she 'didn't really think' her sister Oti would win. Asked if she is coming back to Strictly, Motsi said: 'They haven't said anything to me. I'm waiting for that call again.' Speaking about how she got the job, the judge told Graham: 'When Darcey left I was in Germany and called my sister to ask what was happening and we were joking that they should call me. She said : 'We were very professional and, to be fair to everyone else, it needed to be' 'And then they did! At first, I was like, "I am so honoured, this is such amazing news," and then I was like, "I don't want to do it, this is too much," then I was like, "I want to do it." 'Then, when they called me again and told me I was still in the race, I asked them to send me a text and not call again because I couldn't handle the pressure. 'They didn't send a text, they actually came and said, "Welcome to the BBC".' Keep dancing: With the first series firmly under her belt, Motsi recently talked about her experience on The Graham Norton show Oti, 29, was crowned this year's winner alongside her celebrity partner Kelvin Fletcher. But Motsi revealed she didn't think her sister would place her hands on the coveted glitter ball trophy. 'I really didn't think she would win to be honest', she said. 'Because you don't know what will happen, I prepared her. I said that I would come for one day to the UK if she won and if she lost, for two days with my baby to console her. 'The baby would make her feel better.' Sister sister: Motsi revealed she didn't think her sister would place her hands on the coveted glitter ball trophy Motsi is mum to her one-year-old daughter whose name has never been revealed. The Strictly star is married to her husband Evgenij Voznyuk, who stays in Germany to look after their little girl while his wife is in London. Earlier this month, Motsi revealed she suffered a two day hangover after the Strictly wrap party. Sharing a snap dancing with head judge Shirley Ballas, she wrote: 'The last time I stayed up late for a party was summer 2017 !!! Going to the afterparty was well lets say a wake up call !! #ineedmorepractise!!'. Motsi will appear on the show alongside Anthony Joshua, Stephen Graham, Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Melanie Chisholm and Florence Pugh. Crude oil prices surged toward their highest level since a Saudi Arabian oil processing facility was attacked this past September in the aftermath of a U.S. air strike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian general Thursday night, heightening geopolitical risks. After gaining as much as 4.8 percent Friday, West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $1.87 or 3.1 percent to close at $63.05 a barrel. The posted price was raised $1.75 to $59.50 a barrel. Price gains were offset by a rise in US gasoline and diesel stocks, which offset record high crude exports, which lowered Gulf Coast inventors by the most ever. New Delhi: Fuel Rates Today: The prices of fuel (Petrol and Diesel) registered a comprehensive surge on Saturday, January 4. According to the Indian Oil website, the price of petrol increased by up to 20 Paise per litre. Whereas, the price of diesel increased by up to 25 paise per litre. As per the revised prices, the petrol rates are Rs 75.45 per litre in Delhi, Rs 81.04 per litre in Mumbai, Rs 78.04 per litre in Kolkata, and Rs 78.39 per litre in Chennai, respectively. On the other hand, the diesel prices in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai remained at Rs 68.40, Rs 71.72, Rs 70.76, and Rs 72.28 per litre, respectively. In Noida, petrol is retailing at Rs 76.56 a litre, while diesel price is Rs 68.62 a litre. The price of petrol in Gurugram is Rs 74.80 a litre while diesel was selling at Rs 67.32 a litre. It is to be noted that oil prices jumped $3 on Friday after a US airstrike killed a top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, escalating tension in the worlds biggest crude-exporting region and stoking fears of a supply disruption. The impact of any possible retaliation will lead oil prices to shoot up high. How To Get Petrol, Diesel Rates Via SMS You can check the latest rate of petrol and diesel via SMS. IOC customers can send RSP to 9224992249, BPCL users can message RSP at 9223112222 and HPCL customers can send HPPRICE to 9222201122 for the latest prices. Why Petrol, Diesel Prices Change Every Day? The fuel prices are in India are revised daily. Petrol and diesel prices are revised every day at 06:00 am to sync it with the variation in global oil prices. Oil marketing companies (OMC) review the global fuel prices and decide petrol and diesel daily. Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum release the new rates at 6 am every morning. Generally, when international crude oil prices gain, prices in India move higher. Other factors also impact the price of fuel like rupee to US dollar exchange rate, cost of crude oil, global cues, demand for fuel, and so on. Why Fuel Prices Differ In Every City? The price of fuel includes excise duty, value-added tax (VAT), and dealer commission. As VAT varies from state to state, the price of fuel is different in every city. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. An unidentified form of viral pneumonia has struck several dozen people in the Chinese city of Wuhan, sparking concerns that the country may be facing an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Back in 2002 and 2003, SARS spread to 26 countries, infecting more than 8,000 people with a severe, flu-like illness and claiming more than 750 lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak began in China, where 349 people died from the disease on the mainland and 299 more perished in Hong Kong, according to Asian news channel CNA. The SARS virus spreads through person-to-person contact and can be expelled from an infected individual when they cough or sneeze, contaminating both people and nearby objects. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that China was free of SARS in 2004, but now, a mysterious bout of viral illness has led to speculation that the disease is back. Forty-four cases of the unidentified illness have been reported so far, including 11 "severe" cases, according to the international news agency AFP. Many of the infected individuals were stall holders at Wuhan's Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which health authorities have closed until further notice, according to the South China Morning Post. In a further effort to contain the outbreak, airports in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan have ramped up screenings for fever among their passengers. Related: The 9 Deadliest Viruses on Earth The cause of the infections remains unknown, but the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission has ruled out "influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus infection and other common respiratory diseases" as potential culprits, according to TK. "At this point, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus is not yet confirmed or excluded as the cause of the outbreak," said Gauden Galea, WHO's representative in China, AFP reported. In response to speculation about a SARS outbreak, the Wudan police announced Wednesday (Jan. 1) that eight individuals had been punished for "publishing or forwarding false information on the internet without verification," the AFP added. "If it were SARS, we are experienced in managing it," Emily Chan Ying-yang, a medical professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a visiting professor at the University of Oxford, told the South China Morning Post. "But if it is a new strain, then we should pay attention." During the 2002 outbreak, SARS caused many fatalities among young people, so it's important to determine whether serious cases of the virus are occurring in young or elderly individuals, she added. The mystery pneumonia may also be caused by a rare virus or one that was previously unknown, Dr. Jiang Rongmeng of Beijing Ditan Hospital told the South China Morning Post. Unlike in the 2002 SARS outbreak, "no apparent human-to-human transmission has been detected so far. Otherwise, there would have been a community outbreak with more infections," Rongmeng added. 10 Deadly Diseases That Hopped Across Species 10 Bizarre Diseases You Can Get Outdoors 27 Devastating Infectious Diseases Originally published on Live Science. A local family has expressed anger and despair at seeing the gravestone of their late father damaged in what appears to have been a random act of mindless vandalism. The damage to the headstone of the late Jim O'Brien's grave in Castledockrell occurred sometime between St Stephen's Day and last Sunday morning. Mr O'Brien passed away in June, 2010, and the headstone also marks the final resting place of his daughter, Bridget Mary O'Brien, who died in infancy in 1986. Cath Clear, who is now married and living in Galway, is a daughter of Mr O'Brien and she spoke to this newspaper yesterday about the incident. 'We don't know why anyone would do it but we are determined to get to the bottom of it,' she said. The family plan to view CCTV footage of the graveyard in the hope of identifying the person or persons responsible. While the more serious damage was caused to the top left hand side of the headstone damage was also caused to the bottom left hand side as well. 'My mother and I were the last people to see it, on Christmas Day, before the damage was discovered,' said Cath. 'A man was in the graveyard on Sunday morning and noticed the damage and he contacted the caretaker who in turn informed my brother,' she added. 'It's an awful thing to have done to the grave and we've know reason as to why anyone would want to do it.' Anyone with information can contact Cath directly on 085 2138219 or Bunclody Garda Station on 053 9377102. YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have retracted their claims that their medical convoy was destroyed in a US air raid along Taji road, north of Baghdad, RT reported. The PMF said in a statement that no medical convoys were targeted along the Taji Road north of Baghdad, Reuters said on Saturday. The PMF had earlier claimed that their medics were hit by an airstrike in the area. Reuters reported, citing an Iraqi Army source, that six people were killed and three critically injured in the raid. But the Iraqi military reportedly later denied the report. The US-led coalition in Iraq also denied having conducted any airstrike in that area. PMF deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was among those killed earlier in Baghdad along with Major General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Irans elite Quds Force. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 7:51AM Apple forges on with developing its video streaming platform. The company recently signed a five-year deal with Eden Productions to produce content for Apple TV+. Former HBO head Richard Plepler leads the production company. We don't know precisely what Eden Productions will develop for Apple, but Variety describes it will be "high profile" content. Plepler was at HBO for 28 years, and he was at the helm when Game of Thrones, Six Feet Under, and The Sopranos came out. So, he may know a thing or two about developing hits. Perhaps, he will help shape Apple's content strategy for Apple TV+. Advertisement A woman screamed 'Stay away, I'm infected!' as neighbours ran to her aid on a street where a man was rushed to hospital after he reportedly ate seeds containing the deadly poison ricin. Emergency services staff wearing hazmat suits were seen entering the home on Moor Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester, at 9am this morning after the man, in his 20s, was rushed to a nearby hospital. The woman also reportedly shouted: 'My son's dying, where the f*** are they?' after the man, believed to be her son, allegedly consumed castor seeds which can contain traces of the potentially lethal toxin. Police wearing hazmat suits rushed to a property in Wythenshawe, Manchester, after a man was thought to have consumed ricin Police were called shortly after 9am and a 'hazardous materials' team, four fire engines and paramedics were at the scene A road was closed off by police this morning following the scare. A witness heard a woman shouting 'My son's dying, where the f*** are they?'. Pictured: Emergency responders at the scene Neighbour Mark Dalton told The Sun Online: 'The mum was out in the street in a really agitated state. People went up to try and help her but she screamed: 'Stay away, I'm infected!'. Did you see what happened? Email: Luke.Andrews@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement Neighbour Sue Chamber, 63, who lives near the home, told the Manchester Evening News: 'People said he'd taken ricin. We were all told to stay away. We thought we were going to be poisoned. It's a real shock.' Four fire engines and paramedics dashed to the scene, where the road has been closed off by police. The man was taken to Wythenshawe hospital for treatment. Another witness said: 'There's a lot of them here. I'm outside one of the houses which has been taped off. They said there's a chemical issue, that's all they told us.' The man has since been transported to Wythenshawe hospital for more treatment. Pictured: Police officers remain at the house A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: 'It was established that the man had consumed an at-this-time unknown substance' The police spokesman added: 'A man, aged in his 20s, is being treated at the scene and remains in a stable condition' Sale Road and Moor Lane are both said to be reopened. Pictured: A police stands near the address A footpath leading to houses remains closed off. Pictured: Police officers stand at the scene Police officers wait by a cordoned-off area near to where a man was thought to have digested ricin this morning A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: 'Police were called by the ambulance service shortly before 9am this morning to a report of concern for the welfare of a man at a property on Moor Lane, Northern Moor. 'It was established that the man had consumed an at-this-time unknown substance. 'A man, aged in his 20s, is being treated at the scene and remains in a stable condition.' Police are not able to confirm whether the 'unknown substance' contained ricin until toxicology tests are completed. There is no wider threat to the community and enquiries are ongoing, police say. Sale Road and Moor Lane are both said to be reopened but a footpath is still closed off. Did you see what happened? Email Luke.Andrews@mailonline.co.uk A scene is in place on Moor Lane, which is currently closed to traffic. There is no wider threat to the community and enquiries are ongoing, police say Supporters of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force attend the funeral procession of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, and eight others in the capital Baghdad's district of al-Jadriya, near the high-security Green Zone, on January 4, 2020. With shouts of "Death to America," tens of thousands of people marched in Iraq on Saturday to mourn Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader who were killed in a U.S. air strike that has raised the specter of wider conflict in the Middle East. On Saturday evening, a rocket fell inside Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy, another hit the nearby Jadriya neighborhood and two more rockets were fired at the Balad air base north of the city, but no one was killed, the Iraqi military said in a statement. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. With security worries rising after Friday's strike, the NATO alliance and a separate U.S.-led mission suspended their programs to train Iraqi security and armed forces, officials said. "The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary," acting NATO spokesman Dylan White said in a statement. Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign legions, was killed in the U.S. strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport. The attack took Washington and its allies, mainly Saudi Arabia and Israel, into uncharted territory in its confrontation with Iran and its proxy militias across the region. France stepped up diplomatic initiatives on Saturday to ease tensions in the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macron talked with Iraq President Barham Salih, Macron's office said. "The two presidents agreed to remain in close contact to avoid any further escalation in tensions and in order to act to ensure stability in Iraq and the broader region," a statement from Macron's office said. Macron also discussed the situation with the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guards, said Tehran would punish Americans "wherever they are in reach", and raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the Gulf. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens to leave Iraq. Dozens of American employees of foreign oil companies left the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Friday. Close U.S. ally Britain warned its nationals to avoid all travel to Iraq, outside the autonomous Kurdistan region, and to avoid all but essential travel to Iran. Soleimani, 62, was Iran's pre-eminent military leader -- head of the Revolutionary Guards' overseas Quds Force and the architect of Iran's spreading influence in the Middle East. The Iraqi militia leader killed in the strike, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was the deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) umbrella body of paramilitary groups. A PMF-organised procession carrying the bodies of Soleimani, Muhandis and other Iraqis killed in the U.S. strike took place in Baghdad's Green Zone. Mourners included many militiamen in uniform for whom Muhandis and Soleimani were heroes. They carried portraits of both men and plastered them on walls and armored personnel carriers in the procession. Chants of "Death to America" and "No No Israel" rang out. BELGRADE, Serbia Serbias president on Saturday canceled a private visit to Montenegro hed planned amid a dispute between the two former Balkan allies over a new law that Serbs say discriminates against the Serbian Orthodox Church. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he would not go to Montenegro as scheduled this week because of concerns Montenegrin officials might claim his presence fueled ethnic tensions and jeopardized the countrys independence. I decided not to go, and that was agreed with (Serbian Patriarch) Irinej, Vucic said. We respect their independence. Vucic previously said he would visit Serb churches in Montenegro on Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan. 7. Montenegrin officials had said the visit would add fuel to existing tensions in the small Adriatic state. At a news conference Saturday, the Serbian leader accused Montenegrin and unspecified Western officials of driving a hysteric campaign of lies when he first announced the visit. He said he canceled it because of possible clashes that would hurt the Serb people in Montenegro. Montenegro split from Serbia in 2006. One-third of its 620,000 citizens declare themselves as Serbs. Serb protesters have alleged a religious rights bill that was adopted last month by the Montenegrin Parliament will lead to the impounding of Serbian Orthodox Church property in Montenegro. Montenegrin officials have repeatedly denied the claim. Led by Orthodox priests and fueled by Serbias state propaganda, thousands of Serbs in Montenegro have been staging daily protests, demanding that the law be annulled. Serbian ultra-nationalists have also held protests against Montenegros pro-Western government in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. Asked whether that escalation will threaten more American lives, Kinzinger said Yeah, (in) the short term, this is an inflammation, because when you ignore an infection coming in and then you finally begin taking the medicine for it it stings when you put it on, right? Its going to hurt. But in the long term, its what makes you safer, he said, adding later: If you continue to ignore it, its going to be far more dangerous. According to President of United States, Suleimani was preparing attacks on American diplomats and military personnel US President Donald Trump said the Iranian General Qassiem Suleimani, who was killed on his orders, was "the number one terrorist in the world." The corresponding statement by the US president is published on his Facebook page. According to Trump, Suleimani organized terrorist attacks on American citizens - both military personnel and civilians. The US president also said that the United States does not seek a regime change in Iran, but Tehrans aggression in the Middle East should stop. "Last night, we acted to stop the war. We took no action to start the war," - he said As we reported, a missile attack on Baghdad international airport took place on Friday; the shells killed at least seven people and wounded minimum nine. As a result of attack on Baghdad international airport, the Iranian General Qassem Suleimani died, he was killed on orders from US President Donald Trump. The United States will send three thousand soldiers from 82 airborne divisions to the Middle East due to increased tension in relations with Iran Several thousand protesters attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq on Tuesday due to US air strikes that killed more than two dozen pro-Iran fighters at the weekend. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the attempt to attack the U.S. Embassy in Iraq In an apparent attempt to link the Citizenship (Amendment) Act with the Gurudwara Nankana Sahib incident in Pakistan, BJP leader Sukhjinder Pal Singh said that the eyes of those who are opposing CAA should get open after the violence. "The eyes of those who are opposing CAA should now get open. Why Imran Khan is silent? Why Navjot Singh Sidhu is silent?" Singh questioned. READ | Pakistan Denies Permission To Sikhs For Nagar Kirtan; Nankana Sahib Left Deserted Nankana Sahib attacked On Friday, a video of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan surfaced. Visuals showed the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the site which is the birthplace of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources reported that the mob was led by Mohammed Imran Attari the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl named Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. READ | Attack On Nankana Sahib Gurdwara: SGPC To Send 4-member Delegation To Pak MEA slams Pakistan In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs slammed Pakistan over the incident saying that it condemns such "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" of Nankana Sahib Gurudwara. "We call upon the government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community." READ | Kejriwal Denounces Mob Attack On Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Pakistan denies charge, spins a new story Meanwhile, Pakistan rejected reports that the Gurdwara near Lahore was desecrated by certain groups saying that the scuffle happened on a minor incident at a tea-stall and the district administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused. "Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of desecration and destruction and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous, said Pakistan's Foreign Office. (With ANI inputs) READ | Rahul Gandhi Condemns Attack On Nankana Sahib With A Jibe, Says 'bigotry Knows No Borders' By PTI MELBOURNE: Extending a helping hand to the hapless victims of the raging bushfires in Australia, an Indian couple is providing fresh meals from their restaurant to those affected by the disaster. Kamaljeet Kaur, along with her husband Kanwaljeet Singh, has been preparing simple meals of curry and rice for the victims in their Desi Grill restaurant in Bairnsdale in the state Victoria for the last five days as the bushfire crisis in the country worsened. "We are providing proper meals of curry and rice. We distribute the food at the relief centres as well as give to those who come to our restaurant asking for it. The situation is really bad. Initially there was less fire in the area but later it expanded. People have lost their lives, houses, farms and animals," Kaur told PTI over phone on Saturday. Victoria is one of the worst affected areas in the disaster. Other areas are New South Wales and South Australia. ALSO READ| Power supply fears as troops called to battle Australia bushfires Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 military reserve troops to combat the raging bushfire crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 23 people with high temperatures and strong winds threatening to worsen the conditions across the country. More than 14,000 hectares have been destroyed in South Australia's Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island. Expressing concern over the situation, Kaur said that people had left their houses and were either shifting to relief camps or moving to Melbourne. The couple, who migrated to Australia over a decade ago, were earlier providing raw materials to Sikh volunteers in the area to prepare food for the affected people but later started preparing it in their restaurant. Even the shortage in staff in their restaurant has not deterred the Melbourne-based couple from helping those in need as they have roped in friends and family to prepare food for the victims as well as manage business hours of the restaurant. ALSO READ| Australian PM Scott Morrison faces fresh fury for bushfire 'campaign ad' "Most of the staff members have left due to the disaster. My family and friends are working in the restaurant," said Kaur, who along with her husband, started the restaurant in Bairnsdale in 2016. She said that the loss in the area felt like "personal as we have lived here for seven years before moving to Melbourne." "This place is like a small countryside area. We know almost everyone here and are emotionally connected with the people. So the loss is more personal. More than anything else, people have lost their memories as mostly old couples stay in the area and they had their farms and animals destroyed in the fire," she said. Evacuation orders were in place across Victoria's Alpine region and the navy was ferrying evacuees to relief centres. "We have seen wind gusts up to 67 km/h already today, up at Mount Hotham. It's predicted when the change comes through we will see gusts up to 80 km/h. We have a long way to go today. Today is a very challenging day for all of us," Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. Temperatures are expected to hit 40 degrees at Gippsland and 45 degrees in northeast. Fears of dry lightning storms are expected to cause more fires. About 50 fires continue to burn across Victoria with more than 820,000 hectares destroyed - mostly in the East Gippsland and northeast of the State. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday declared the state of emergency, advising residents to leave immediately. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has suspended the training of Iraqi security forces, acting spokesperson for the organisation said on Saturday. The suspension of training activities is coming as fears of a new conflict in the region grow following the U.S. drone strike on a top Iranian commander. NATOs mission is continuing, but training activities are currently suspended, said acting NATO spokesperson Dylan White, adding that the defense alliance was taking all precautions to protect its personnel. NATOs current mission in Iraq began in 2018 with the aim of training Iraqi armed forces to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State terrorist group. Several hundred personnel from NATO allies as well as non-NATO countries, including Sweden and Finland, are involved. A U.S.-led international coalition combatting Islamic State has also made the decision to suspend training of Iraqi security forces, said the German military, which is not part of the NATO Mission Iraq. The decision is a precautionary measure to protect deployed soldiers and applies to all partner nations with training missions in Iraq under Operation Inherent Resolve, the Bundeswehr said. Denmark, Norway and Sweden followed separately with statements, saying that their forces are suspending the training operations that are intended to boost the long-term capacity of Iraqi troops to counter Islamic State militants. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Irans elite Quds Force, was killed along with the deputy head of Iraqs powerful Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi militia, Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes, in a move that sharply escalated tensions across the Middle East. READ ALSO: Germany has deployed 27 troops in a training capacity to Camp Taji, some 30 kilometres north of Baghdad. The total German contingent for the international deployment against Islamic State currently numbers 415 men and women, and is currently being commanded from Jordan, where many of them are stationed. Norway has deployed about 70 troops in the Anbar province, near the Syrian border, as part of Operation Inherent Resolves training missions. Denmarks roughly 130-strong force is stationed at the Al Asad Air Base, west of Baghdad. There are also about 10 Danish soldiers and officers in Baghdad with the NATO Mission Iraq. Sweden has about 70 soldiers in northern Iraq. NATO is an international alliance that consists of 29 member states from North America and Europe. It was established at the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949. Of the 29 member countries, two are located in North America (Canada and the U.S.), 26 are in Europe, and one is in Eurasia (Turkey). All members have militaries, except for Iceland which does not have a typical army (but does, however, have a coast guard and a small unit of civilian specialists for NATO operations). Three of NATOs members are nuclear weapons states: France, the UK, and the U.S. (dpa/NAN) Mourners step over a US flag with pictures of President Trump while waiting for the funeral of Iran's top general Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, in Baghdad, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. (AP) Baghdad: Tens of thousands of Iraqis chanting Death to America mourned a top Iranian commander and others killed in a US drone attack that sparked fears of proxy war in the Middle East. The killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send thousands more troops to the region. Iraqi political leaders and clerics attended the mass ceremony to honour 62-year-old Soleimani and the other nine victims of the pre-dawn attack on Baghdad international airport. Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of Soleimani, the chief architect of its military operations across the Middle East. "The response for a military action is a military action," Iranian ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi told CNN, calling the strike an "act of war". "By whom, by when, where? That is for the future to witness." The strike killed a total of five Iranian Guards and five members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network, whose members have close ties to Tehran. Among the dead was the Hashed's deputy Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was a top adviser and personal friend to Soleimani. Mass ceremonies started in Baghdad on Saturday for the dead, with Iraq's caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi and top pro-Iran figures in large crowds accompanying the coffins. They were first brought to a revered Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad, where thousands of mourners chanted "Death to America!" Dressed in black, they waved white Hashed flags and massive portraits of Iranian and Iraqi leaders, furiously calling for "revenge". The remains were then moved to the shrine city of Karbala and would ultimately end up in Najaf, where the Iraqis will be buried. The Guards' remains would be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning and religious rituals. As head of the Guards' foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw Iran's wide-ranging interventions in regional power struggles. He had long been considered a lethal foe by Washington, with US president Donald Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago". Tehran has already named Soleimani's deputy, Esmail Qaani, to replace him. His first order of business was made clear Friday when Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge" for Soleimani's death. Iraqis worry the US strike could unleash a new wave of destabilisation for Iraq, which only two years ago announced it had defeated the Islamic State group. Amid the tensions, the Pentagon said up to 3,500 additional US troops would be dispatched to Iraq's neighbour Kuwait, to boost some 14,000 reinforcements already deployed to the region last year. About 5,200 US troops are stationed across Iraq to help fight IS. US citizens were urged to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were evacuated from oil fields in the south. Iraq's pro-Iran factions have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament, which convenes Sunday, to revoke the security agreement allowing US forces on Iraqi soil. While praying over Muhandis's remains in Baghdad, top Hashed official Hadi al-Ameri pledged to avenge him by ousting US troops. "Be reassured that the price of your pure blood will be the departure of American troops from Iraq, forever," he said. A man was chargesheeted on Saturday for allegedly forging the signature of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti to get helicopter tickets to Vaishno Devi shrine on a priority basis two years ago, police said. The accused, Sandeep Koul, was also booked in a separate case on Thursday for forging letters of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, a police spokesperson said. The second charge sheet against Koul, who is the owner of a travel agency and a resident of Channi Himmat area, was filed in a court here, the spokesperson said. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Additional Secretary, Home Department, Khalid Jahangir stating that a person had used a letter, bearing forged signature of the former chief minister, seeking some helicopter tickets to visit the shrine on April 27 and 28, 2017, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Image Credit: Congress Twitter New Delhi/IBNS: Reacting to the attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by a mob, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the incident calling it "reprehensible". Rahul tweeted, "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote." The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally . Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 4, 2020 A large number of Muslim protesters surrounded the holy Sikh shrine of Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on Friday afternoon, threatening to overrun the site if their demands for the release of suspects in an alleged forced conversion case were not met, according to reports in Dawn and other media. Anti-Sikh slogans were raised at the site, the birth place of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism even as India condemned the attack. According to Dawn, the protesters dispersed after several hours in the evening following successful negotiations between them and government representatives, which led to the release of the arrested persons.The Pakistani newspaper reported that the mob was led by the family of a man, Ehsan, who was accused of forcibly converting a Sikh woman, Jagjit Kaur, earlier this year. Who are these people? Why Murdabaad slogans were chanted by the mob? Where is the government??? #NankanaSahib pic.twitter.com/HJcrKAVsNW Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) January 3, 2020 Meanwhile, India on Friday condemned vandalism at the Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and said the 'reprehensible action' followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August 2018. "Members of the minority Sikh community have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," an MEA statement said. It further said: "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place". Hear the video and feel the kind of terror minorities live with in Pakistan Mohammad Hassan openly threatens to destroy Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and build the mosque in that place@ImranKhanPTI is urged to take action against communal trend of hatred@TimesNow @ANI @ZeeNews pic.twitter.com/OrxQV1m2Kh Manjinder S Sirsa (@mssirsa) January 3, 2020 "We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community." In addition, Government of Pakistan is enjoined to take "all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and its surroundings". According to reports, a mob attack took place at the shrine where the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (Image Credit: Congress Twitter) From the outset, Medjerda "Chika" Jeune was one of life's survivors. At three days old, she survived the Haitian earthquake in 2010 that decimated her country and killed over 230,000 people. She slept in sugar-cane fields for six weeks after that and, aged three, she survived her mother dying after she gave birth to a son. "She just seemed like the last kid who would be in any way vulnerable," Mitch Albom notes. That's the same Mitch Albom, incidentally, who wrote The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie, the bestselling memoir of all time. The story of how an author who has sold 35 million books crossed paths with a feisty Haitian orphan is admittedly stranger than fiction, and is the subject of Albom's most personal and heartbreaking book yet. And given that Albom is the high priest of heartbreaking writing, that's saying a lot. Though Albom doubtless wishes it weren't the case, Finding Chika has many of its forebears' hallmarks. By turns joyous and emotional, Albom finds himself yet again in a position where he is learning much about life from the dying. In this case, it's not life lessons from an elderly professor like Morrie Schwartz, but Chika, the eight-year-old orphan that Albom and his wife, Janine, adopted in their late fifties. Expand Close Precious memories: Mitch and wife Janine with their adopted daughter, Chika / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Precious memories: Mitch and wife Janine with their adopted daughter, Chika Rewind via time's giant wheel to the Haitian earthquake of January 2010; like most others, Albom watched the terrible destruction unfold on television from his home in Detroit. He didn't know it at the time, but the event would change the path of his comfortable life forever. "Yeah, my life seems to be a sequence of strange events where the best things that happen to me happen with accidents," he smiles. A local Michigan pastor reached out to the author in the hopes he could galvanise some help. "Something about what was happening stuck with me - the idea that children were lying under rubble that no one was looking for," recalls Albom. "I couldn't get it out of my head." Calling in a favour via a senator acquaintance, Albom chartered a small plane to get down to the island and arrived two weeks after the earthquake. "What I saw was too stark and upsetting and unforgettable in its horror, so I brought back a bunch of guys from Detroit, electricians and carpenters, and we began to build an orphanage for the pastor. He then admitted he didn't have the money to run the place. I'm not sure what I was thinking but I said, 'I could run it if you want.' I run a charity in Detroit so I thought, 'How hard could it be?'" This is how Albom found himself running a sizeable orphanage, becoming a de facto guardian to 52 Haitian children in his Have Faith orphanage, and on the most precipitous learning curve of his life. Video of the Day "For someone who didn't have children, there was a catastrophe every day," he says, "There was a kid throwing up, or a mosquito would bite one kid, or another kid would drop their toothbrush in the dirt. "There are moments I won't forget, like kids jumping into your arms and wanting to be held," he adds. "The first thing they always ask is 'When are you leaving?' because they expect you to leave. That's why I never miss a month." Amid these heart-melting moments, one little three-year-old made an immediate impression. "When the kids come into the office, their heads are down and they're scared and they don't know how to respond," explains Albom. "Chika sat on her godmother's lap and looked me square in the eye. We talked for a long time and she got cross, as if to say, 'Are you guys done yet? I want to get out there and play.' I made a face and she stuck her tongue out and laughed so hard. Once she was with us, she became the bossiest and youngest kid; always at the front of the line like the Pied Piper," Albom adds. "I knew she was brave and independent. I had no idea how well it would serve her in life." Within two years, staff at the orphanage noticed a change in Chika's behaviour and energy. At five, she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, a condition known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG. Undeterred, Albom and Janine brought Chika to America, in a bid to find a cure. "There were a couple of very fast decisions thrust upon us," Albom recalls. "The American doctors told us that she had DIPG, and that it was absolutely incurable and that it usually kills children in about four months. All of that came at us within five minutes. I told the doctors this child was a fighter, and that if she'll fight, then we'll fight. Once we walked out of there, she was ours and we were hers." The couple adopted the five-year-old and had to get used to not just becoming new parents in their late fifties, but facing the challenges of Chika's condition. All the while, the couple looked worldwide for a cure, consulting experts in Europe and researching experimental treatments. They never told Chika that she was dying. Albom and his wife had previously tried to have children and, until Chika had entered their lives, were enjoying a comfortable, child-free existence. Then, they were delighting in the world, seen through the eyes of a young child. In the book, Albom admits that the stress of Chika's condition occasionally took its toll on the couple. "[Chika] had a fantastic effect on our relationship," Albom says. "We had only been for each other, and all of a sudden we had this child in our home. It was a very intense parenting course. She didn't go to school so she spent every waking moment with us. I got to see my wife in an amazing new light. I got to see this warm, giving, playful side. Then she and Chika would close the bathroom door and say, 'Privacy please! No boys allowed!' We had these beautiful little moments that enriched [our relationship] 10 times more than it was burdened. But we had read that many people get divorced after they lose a child, so we said, 'We need to be really careful about that. We can't let any little blow-ups escalate.'" At eight years old and after her condition had deteriorated slowly, Chika died peacefully one spring morning. Describing the last moments of her life, Albom notes, "Chika loved to have the two of us in bed with her on each side. In her final moments we were in the bed, and we held and kissed her and told her she'd see her mommy in heaven. We counted her heartbeats until the last one, and then we knew it was the end." Finding Chika details not just the deterioration of Chika's condition, but the vitality she had in her short life. "It was horrific and tragic, but you also realise what an indescribably precious gift being alive is," says Albom. "Until you see it come to an end, you never really appreciate it. "I don't want to live like I'm dead when I'm alive, and I don't want to wander in grief and agony. I want to be happy and live life like she did. Even on her last day she was trying to find something to make herself happy. There's a great education in that." The days following Chika's death were the hardest of them all, and Albom's voice falters when he remembers them. "They were the toughest," he says quietly. "The hope you hang on to is gone. You not only miss the child, but you miss the hope." Already, readers are contacting Albom to say that his journey with Chika has helped them in similar situations. What message does he hope the book gives them? "To hang on to the hope would be the first one," he affirms. "I talk about the joy, and there were so many joyous moments in the process, I wish we'd sort of stayed in them a little longer. Chika wanted to play when I was working; she liked to play 'Fluffy Cosy Bed Camper', where we'd basically go to bed and get under the covers. She'd say, 'I'm the boss. Miss Janine, you're the second boss and, Mr Mitch, you're the third boss.' I wish I'd revelled in those moments a bit more, rather than thinking about what appointments I needed to check on." Ultimately, Albom concludes that one is never too old to be educated about their life. "I don't believe I write about death. In fact, I wrote about the opposite. I write about life," he says. "Chika didn't know she was dying, so we were able to wring every drop of happiness and preciousness out of our time with her. That's not to say there isn't enormous pain now, but we had the richest and most loving experience we could have. I wouldn't trade that time for the other 56 years that came before it." 'Finding Chika' by Mitch Albom is out now via Sphere Books. All proceeds from sales of the book go to the Have Faith Haiti mission (havefaith.org) HOUSTON, Jan. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sable Permian Resources Finance, LLC has scheduled a conference call to discuss Q3 2019 operational and financial results for Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 at 11:00 am EST. Those who would like to participate in the call are encouraged to place calls before 10:50 am EST. The telephone numbers to access the conference call are: Toll Free: 1-888-317-6003 International: 1-412-317-6061 Canada Toll Free: 1-866-284-3684 Participant Access Code: 2817042 A replay will be available until January 15th, and can be accessed through the following: US Toll Free: 1-877-344-7529 International Toll: 1-412-317-0088 Canada Toll Free: 1-855-669-9658 Replay Access Code: 10137890 About Sable Permian Resources Finance, LLC: Sable Permian Resources Finance, LLC is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, development and production of unconventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Wolfcamp Shale play in the Southern Midland Basin within the Permian Basin of West Texas. SOURCE Sable Permian Resources Finance, LLC The commander of Libya's east-based government said, "men and women" would bear arms "to defend our land" after Turkey authorised the deployment of troops to support the UN-backed government in Tripoli, in the country's west. On Friday, Khalifa Hifter said that his government, which is seeking to capture the capital Tripoli, would "declare confrontation" with Turkish troops. Earlier in the week, Turkish lawmakers voted at an emergency session in favour of a one-year mandate allowing the government to dispatch the troops amid concerns that the country's forces could aggravate the conflict in Libya and destabilise the region. Ankara has said the deployment is vital for Turkey to safeguard its interests in Libya and in the eastern Mediterranean, where it finds itself increasingly isolated as Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel have established exclusive economic zones paving the way for oil and gas exploration. Read: Benghazi FM condemns Turkey vote on Libya troops The Tripoli-based government of Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj has faced an offensive by the rival regime in the east and forces loyal to commander General Khalifa Hifter. The fighting has threatened to plunge Libya into violent chaos rivalling the 2011 conflict that ousted and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Read: Turkey's main opposition objects to sending troops to Libya In the chaos that followed, the country was divided, with a weak UN-supported administration in Tripoli overseeing the country's west and a rival government in the east, aligned with the Libyan National Army led by General Khalifa Hifter. Each side is supported by an array of militias and foreign governments. The Libyan National Army and the eastern government enjoy the support of France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries while the Tripoli-based government is backed by Italy, Turkey and Qatar. Read: Migrant in Libya relives brutal detention through sketches Read: Libya to mobilize civilians after news of Turkish deployment Iraq and the U.S.-led coalition denied reports of fresh airstrikes near Baghdad late Jan. 3. Reuters, Newsweek, and The Associated Press were among the news agencies to report that airstrikes on Friday night hit an Iraqi militia convoy north of Baghdad, killing at least six people. The militia was backed by Iran, the reports said. Reporters cited anonymous officials, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and Iraqi state TV in reporting on the strikes, asserting the United States carried out them out. But official sources pushed back on the reports, including Col. Myles Caggins, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, a U.S.-led coalition formed to defeat ISIS. FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days, he said. CJTFOIR is another name for the operation. FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days. OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) January 4, 2020 Iraqs Joint Operations Command also disputed the reports. The Joint Operations Command denies reports in the media of an airstrike last night, targeting a column of the popular mobilization in the Taji area north of Baghdad, and calls for accuracy in the transmission of information and caution against spreading rumors and spreading rumors, especially for the time being, it stated. The Popular Mobilization Forces, a grouping of militia groups, including some Iran-backed ones, said in a statement early Saturday that a strike hit a convoy consisting of medics. It later said in another statement that no medical convoys were targeted in the Taji area, according to Reuters. The rebuttal of the reports came after the U.S. military said a report of an attack on Al Asad Air Base was false. An Iranian news agency reported that the airbase, the largest U.S. base in Iraq, was attacked. The story spread to other Iranian news outlets and was circulated by The New York Times. Tensions are high in Iraq after the United States killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the countrys elite Quds Force, overnight on Jan. 3. President Donald Trump and other U.S. leaders said they killed Soleimani because he was planning attacks on U.S. troops. There would have been many Muslims killed as wellIraqis, people in other countries as well. It was a strike that was aimed at both disrupting that plot, deterring further aggression, and we hope setting the conditions for deescalation as well, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday. Iran vowed to take revenge but has not taken any action as of yet. From The Epoch Times Residents of two communities in the Accra Metropolis are impressing upon authorities to find a proper way of helping to manage their waste and sanitation issues. Laterbiokorshie and Korle Gonno, residents want activities of waste management companies closely watched since they are posing serious health hazards to them. They claim that they are inhaling smoke from burnt refuse dumped by these companies along the Korle Bu Mortuary road. In an interview with Citi News, most of them complained of having challenges breathing. They said they had spoken to the authorities to do something about the situation, but there have not been any positive responses. For almost one week now, we have not been able to sleep well. I have to wake up as early as 4 am to leave the house because of the smoke. You cannot live in your room with the fans off. We need government's help, one resident lamented. This issue started on Sunday and it is becoming unbecoming. Even yesterday morning, it was better but later in the afternoon, the situation became worse. We don't know the source of the problem. My problem is the refuse that people have been dumping here. Why should this be done in the capital? It is very bad and it is also not good for our health, another resident said. But the Assemblyman for the Zoti Area, Richard Tagoe stated that he has reported the issue to the Head of waste management in the Sub-Metro as well as the Member of Parliament for the Area and is hoping the situation will be salvaged quickly. Yesterday, I called the Head of waste management at the Sub-Metro over the weekend. But he said he is on holidays so, I sent him pictures of the problem. He said he will call Chief Okine to do something about it and stop the vehicles that are bringing in the refuse, he said. Today I will follow up on the issue. I have already spoken to the Member of Parliament for this area. He said he will be coming here this morning to help salvage the situation, he added . ---CitinewsRoom LONDON, Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- STL (NSE: STRTECH), a global data networks innovator, in partnership with Cognity, a leading European systems integrator, announced signing of a multi-year, multi-million dollar strategic digital transformation agreement with Telekom Albania, the first mobile communications company in Albania. Albania's telecom market is growing significantly and over 1.1 million subscribers are increasing mobile data demand. Telekom Albania has chosen to overcome any legacy constraints by moving to a digital platform powered by STL, to be designed, deployed and managed by STL and Cognity over the next 7 (seven) years. STL and Cognity will deploy leading edge end-to-end open and modular software solutions from STL's next-generation BSS/OSS portfolio. This will help Telekom Albania to centralize, automate and digitize operations across its mobile telephony, wireless broadband, landlines, mobile IPTV, for consumer and enterprise customers. Transforming from multiple legacy systems to STL DAWN (DevOps-based, Analytical Intelligence-driven, Web-scale-enabled Network Software solution) platform will enable a true digital-first experience for Telekom Albania customers by accelerating business agility and internet speed. "At Telekom Albania, we have taken a decision to rapidly modernize in order to provide world-class services to our enterprise and consumer customers," said Emil Georgakiev, Chief Executive Officer at Telekom Albania. "STL and Cognity will help us deliver on customer expectations for simplicity by transforming several critical business processes, such as product definition, lead management, enterprise price configuration, order entry and billing. With STL's business-value-driven approach focused on the customer experience, we will be able to bring a rich set of innovative new services and experiences to our customers, faster." "Leading Communication Service Providers such as Telekom Albania are focusing on delivering superior customer experience, and are poised to outperform the market by a significant margin," said Anshoo Gaur, Chief Executive Officer, Network Software, STL. Echoing his thoughts and commenting on the new project, Tilemachos Koulouris, Vice President Europe, STL added, "We are very proud to have been chosen together with our strategic partner, Cognity, to modernize, automate and digitize Telekom Albania's business, and enable it to deliver on its commitment to improve people's lives and businesses." "We are honoured by the extended trust that Telekom Albania puts in us. For the last 12 years, we have managed to drive Telekom Albania through significant transformation projects. Along with our strategic partner, STL, we are further entrusted with the end-to-end digital transformation of Telekom Albania. We are thrilled by the opportunity and are confident that this would be an exemplary project in the Central and SE Europe market," said George Gazepis- Chairman, Cognity. About Telekom Albania Telekom Albania is starting a new phase in its journey to become the most preferred and trusted operator in the Albanian market. It has just acquired a license on 800 MHz frequency for 7.5 million euros and is further going to invest in the most up-to-date technology for 4G/4G+ networks. This commitment, coupled with the human expertise and modern equipment, guarantee the path of Telekom Albania towards a leading company in the sector. Telekom Albania is committed to technology innovations bringing excellent products and services on the market, embracing in the same time any project that will make Albanian citizen's live better. About Sterlite Technologies Ltd STL STL is a global leader in end-to-end data network solutions. We design and deploy high-capacity converged fibre and wireless networks. With expertise ranging from webscale software, programmable networks (SDN/NFV), hyper-scale network design, deployment and optical fibre and cables, we are the industry's leading integrated solutions provider for global data networks. We partner with global telecom companies, cloud companies, citizen networks and large enterprises to design, build and manage such cloud-native software-defined networks. STL has innovation at its core. With intense focus on end-to-end network solutions development, we conduct fundamental research in next-generation network applications at our Centres of Excellence. STL has a strong global presence with next-gen optical preform, fibre and cable manufacturing facilities in India, Italy, China and Brazil, along with two software-development centres across India and one datacentre design facility in the UK. About Cognity Cognity is a leading SI focusing on Digital Transformation & Enablement, with activity in Europe and Middle East and HQ in Athens, London, Sofia, Bucharest and Cyprus. We promote, deliver and support major end-to-end transformation projects, allowing our customers to anticipate their digital future without compromising the business goals of today. While we are proud of our diversified portfolio in Customer Experience (Cx) & CRM, Billing, Order Management, Cloud Ready middleware, Digital Commerce & Care, Big Data, Data Management & Data Governance, what sets us apart is the regional reach with local understanding gathered by successful major projects in 35+ Telco, Banking/Finance and Insurance enterprise customers in more than 10 countries, among which major telco groups, such as DT, Vodafone and Telenor CEE. Media Contact SOURCE Sterlite Technologies Ltd Hundreds of MPs will return to Westminster next week to press on with the historic legislation that will take Britain out of the EU for good. Emboldened by a resounding majority, the Conservative Government will forge ahead not only with Brexit but with sweeping reforms to the country to make our streets safer, control our own borders and protect the NHS. Ministers will once more be dispatched to television and radio studios to outline this vision but one programme will be excluded from these daily broadcast rounds BBC Radio 4s flagship news and current affairs programme Today. BBC Radio 4's flagship news programme Today (pictured, John Humphrys presenting his final show) is to be excluded from the broadcast shows where ministers will give interviews on the week building up to Britain's exit from the EU The Government took the dramatic step last year of refusing to put up ministers to be interviewed on Today amid an on-going row about bias along with a concern about its trivial approach to interviews. The boycott will continue well into 2020 if BBC bosses fail to grasp the scale of the problem they now face. Humphrys poses for a photograph with the other presenters in the studio at New Broadcasting House presenting his final show on the Today programme on September 19. Ministers have been denied being interviewed on the show due to the bias row and concern about its trivial approach to interviews There is growing mistrust over BBC impartiality not just among politicians but with whole swathes of the public. As a senior programme editor at the BBC and as a Director of Communications at Number 10 under Theresa May, Ive watched the debate over broadcast impartiality from both sides of the fence. And Ive never been more passionate in my belief that broadcasters must remain politically neutral especially the BBC, which should be the standard-bearer for impartiality. Since the government refused to allow ministers to be interviewed on the programme (pictured, Former Chancellor Philip Hammond MP on Radio 4 Today programme on August 14) Today will not be included in the daily broadcast rounds in the run-up to MPs returning to Westminster next week Increasingly, commentators and senior political figures complain of bias within the BBC but, to date, its reaction has been far too defensive. Director general Tony Hall, writing last month about criticism of bias in the BBCs election coverage, said: The fact that criticism came from all sides shows to me that we were doing our job without fear or favour. If doesnt quite work that way. Just because youre being criticised from both sides doesnt mean youre not being biased. BBC received a record 24,435 complaints in just a two-week period during the election campaign should be cause for concern at the BBC but its reaction was far too defensive (pictured, a protester holds a banner during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration on October 11) The fact the BBC received a record 24,435 complaints in just a two-week period during the election campaign should be cause for concern at the BBC. It is unwise for Lord Hall to dismiss these concerns so casually. Nowhere is impartiality more important than Radio 4s Today programme, but its election coverage was a masterclass in why the BBC is losing the trust of its audience. Trapped by its own woke groupthink, Today or Radio Misery as my friends increasingly call it bombarded its listeners with a relentlessly negative and sneering tone and painted a picture of Britain that was monstrously out of touch. It spectacularly misread the politics of the election with endless outside broadcasts in universities, full of interviews with Left-wing, entitled, virtue- signalling students. Meanwhile, the real election story was being played out in working-class English towns across the Midlands and the North. Patience with the Today programmes haughty attitude is wearing thin even with my former BBC colleagues. One tells me that they behave in the most arrogant way possible. Unfortunate: The Today Programme's editor Sarah Sands (pictured, December 29) believes its a pretty good time to put the foot on the windpipe of an independent broadcaster, while accusing No 10 of Trumpian tactics in its refusal to appear on the programme A debate now rages within the BBCs senior management about how best to respond to these growing charges of bias. They would be wise to take them very seriously. I understand the BBC has carried out private opinion research that reveals concern about impartiality is at its highest among voters in the Midlands and the North. These are the one-time heartland Labour seats where voters switched to the Conservatives and delivered the majority needed to get Brexit done. Support for the BBC is highest in affluent areas with levels of high diversity such as London and Manchester. If the election showed us anything, it showed us that hard-working and decent families who live outside the metropolitan luvvie bubbles that envelop media land and Westminster are fed up with being ignored or patronised. The Today team is thought to 'behave in the most arrogant way possible, according to a BBC colleague of Gibb's. Private opinion research has revealed concern about impartiality at its highest among voters in the Midlands and the North The political editor Laura Kuenssbery tweeted that a Labour activist had punched an aide of Matt Hancock, which later proved to be false. BBC intends to launch a review into how its staff engage on social media soon, according to Gibb These are the people who delivered a seismic election result and put into power a government that is now more in touch with the people it serves. But there are depressingly few signs that the Today programme is learning any lessons from this election. Interviewed on the BBCs Feedback programme over the Governments boycott of Today, its editor Sarah Sands declared the Government believes its a pretty good time to put the foot on the windpipe of an independent broadcaster, while accusing No 10 of Trumpian tactics in its refusal to appear on the programme. This is extraordinary and unfortunate language coming from the former editor of the Right-wing Sunday Telegraph who championed Boris Johnson as Mayor of London when she was editor of the Evening Standard. Surely she should now be listening to criticism from inside and outside the BBC and trying to build bridges with the Government, not burn them down. From the way the BBC conducts its interviews to the way its journalists behave on social media, the corporation needs to reform to make sure it once again becomes a by-word for impartiality. This should be the one place where viewers and listeners can get news they know they can trust. In a withering put-down which has racked up over a million views online, BBC's Andrew Neil questioned how Mr Johnson hoped to face down strongmen on the world stage if he was too frightened to be interviewed. He said: 'The Prime Minister of our nation will at times have to stand up to President Trump, President Putin, President Xi of China. 'So we're surely not expecting too much that he spend half an hour standing up to me' We all know what to expect when we pick up a newspaper a reflection of our own world view. Papers share the morals and values of their readers and help to give them a voice. But people expect something quite different from broadcasters, particularly the BBC. Impartiality is literally what we all pay for via the licence fee. Maintaining impartiality is a huge challenge for all broadcasters but it is made much harder by social media, which has given rise to the dangerous concept of journalist as personality. You cannot be both an impartial journalist and a political commentator. So its high time some news professionals made a choice. In a lengthy blog post on LinkedIn, Huw Edwards accused the BBC's critics of malicious intent The BBC's Nick Robinson publicly backed his long time colleague online And BBC foreign correspondent Clive Myrie took a Twitter user to task for criticising the Beeb Journalists and producers working on news programmes should rigorously police themselves online. They should avoid liking or re-tweeting opinions that could reveal their own political views. Meanwhile, the temptation to try to humiliate a politician during an interview for the sake of some Twitter praise should also stop. I understand that MPs are not everyones favourite people. But in a democracy they are rightly held to scrutiny in a way few of us are by the ballot box, Parliament and the Register of Members Interests. By and large, MPs and ministers are decent, hard-working people who want to do whats best for their constituents, their party and their country. The truth is Ministers dont fight shy of television interviews because they are sitting on some hideous lurking secret they fear may spill out under the glare of the studio lights. They are simply weary of a generation of Andrew Neil-wannabes trying to trip and trap them at every turn. Not every interview has to be the Spanish Inquisition. There is a world of difference between Andrews well-researched and forensic approach and those interviewers who seem more interested in bagging the latest car-crash interview to boost their profile online. Channel 4's decision to ban non-political journalists from tweeting about politics is a step in the right direction What has happened to simply asking the questions the public actually want asked and letting politicians answer so that the audience can judge for itself? There are signs that broadcasters are belatedly beginning to address some of these concerns, at least in relation to Twitter. Channel 4s decision last month to ban non-political journalists from tweeting about politics is a step in the right direction. I understand the BBC intends to launch a review into how its staff engage on social media soon. This is to be welcomed. The age of social media has given rise to the professional political pundit. These days, everyone has an opinion facts are harder to come by. That is why the BBC should serve as a beacon to all broadcasters, where facts, accuracy and impartiality are fundamental. An exhibition that captures the unexplored landscapes of the Spiti valley through black and white photography. The Spiti Valley is one such gem because of the highlands it possesses but it is less traveled because of the road conditions. When it comes to India and the beauties it possesses such as Ladakh and Kaniyakunari, there are still some that are not even talked about, as they are often the roads not taken. The Spiti Valley is one such gem because of the highlands it possesses but it is less traveled because of the road conditions. Photographer Amit Verma exhibits his photographs under the banner of 'Light and Lines in the Middle Land' at the India Habitat Centre where he showcases the beauty of the valley using the monochrome form of photography. On the name of the series Amit explains, You will see the drama of light in the landscapes. The drama which the light is throwing where I was, plus the lines and the contours of the landscape because I have captured in such a way that if there was a river, the river also looks like a line reflecting the light. The journey to the valley for him was quite exciting. Spiti is very close to my heart because there is something different about it, it is where I first started my journey with monochrome photography, he says. He points out that there are a lot of people who compare Spiti with Ladakh. But the valley for him is a notch higher. He explains, The kind of landscape you see in Spiti is pretty raw and rustic. For monochrome, you need a lot of greys and contrast. So when you go higher in altitude, it is more beautiful and less pollution at that height. You get ample contrast and tone. Amit expresses that it was in 2011/12 when monochrome (black and white) photography came to him, and it was when his mentor Rakesh Sahai, introduced him to the photographs of Sebastiao Salgado and since then, there has been no looking back. He has always been asked the question that why are most of his photographs are in black and white, to which he responds, I see the world in monochrome. But why does he see the world in monochrome? He responds, When I say, I see the world in monochrome, I actually imagine the surrounding in monochrome. He then reveals that he only shoots in monochrome that helps him to judge the tones. In a world dominated by digital photography where colour is everything, black and white photography has a place for appreciation even today. On the charm of monochrome photography, he elaborates, There is a subtle charm and a fine nuance in black and white photography to capture light and presenting it in a very raw form and creating nostalgia for older people who have seen monochrome throughout their life and also creating a wonderland for the new generation. When it comes to the perspective of fine art, he believes that monochrome photography forces the viewer to imagine where the landscapes are. So what is a perfect photograph in his terms, he simply responds that there is no such thing as a perfect photo but it is only the time that is perfect. He concludes, I feel as an artist there is no perfection as it is the most brutal thing for an artist to feel that he/she has got the perfect shot. The exhibition on till January 12 A Royal Mail worker has been jailed for 18 months for throwing a kettle of scalding water at his mother and then beating her with her walking stick. William Stevenson (34), whose address was given as c/o the Morning Star Hostel in Belfast's Divis Street, pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial last year to causing his mum Anne grievous bodily harm. He was sentenced yesterday at Belfast Crown Court, which previously heard that on August 13, 2018, the defendant went to a house he shared with his mother after working a shift with Royal Mail. While there he asked her to waken him around 2.30pm so he could watch a television programme. But the court heard his "vulnerable" mother, who used a walking stick and a rollator aid to get about, went out shopping and returned home at 3.10pm and brought her son up a cup of tea. Judge Philip Gilpin said that at around 6.10pm the defendant came down to the kitchen, half filled a kettle of water and boiled it. Minutes later Stevenson threw the kettle of water in the direction of his mum who was standing just feet away, "with scalding water landing on her shoulders, arms and hands". The judge said that as his mother lay on the floor, Stevenson "used her walking stick to strike her across her back. Throughout this attack you said nothing". In a statement to police Mrs Stevenson, who was widowed in 2013, said her son was hitting her with her walking stick "as hard as he could" and the attack happened the day before her 69th birthday. After the attack the defendant then ran up the stairs, retrieved a birthday card, brought it back down and tore it up in front of her, saying: "Here's your birthday card, you b***h." Stevenson then left the family home, but before going he took the portable house phone "to stop his mother from calling for assistance". Despite her injuries, the court heard, his mother managed to make her way to a neighbour's house where the alarm was raised. Stevenson later returned home and was arrested by police. During a police interview the defendant falsely claimed his mother had struck him first to the back with her walking stick and he "lost it and snapped". Judge Gilpin said medical evidence showed that Mrs Stevenson had suffered "second degree burns and blistering to her shoulders, arms and hands" from the boiling water attack. Photographs also showed that there was bruising and swelling to her back. The judge said he had viewed the images taken last November which showed her injuries had "significantly improved". He told Stevenson: "This was an offence of domestic violence against your mother which took place in her own home where she should have felt safe. "It was apparently premeditated as she had not done what you had asked her to do," added the judge. The court also heard Mrs Stevenson spent several days in the Ulster Hospital and then left her Belfast home of 25 years to stay with friends in England for "recuperation". The Probation Service said Stevenson, who had no previous convictions, now "expressed a high degree of regret" for the attack on his mother. In a letter to the court, Mrs Stevenson urged Judge Gilpin not to send her son to prison in an effort to rebuild their relationship. In passing down the sentence, Judge Gilpin told the defendant: "The custody threshold has been passed and having taken into account all the relevant matters, there will be a custodial sentence of three years. "You will spend one year and six months in custody and the remainder on licence." Army Ground Commander condoles Cmdr Soleimani's assassination IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iran's Chief of Ground Forces of Army praised the Lieutenant- General Qasem Soleimani as a commander who spent four decades fighting the enemies of Islam and the Koran. The martyrdom was the reward he received at the hands of the most bloodthirsty enemies of Islam namely the criminal US and its allies and achieved his long-held dream. Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari on Friday issued a message following the assassination of Lieutenant- General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad, expressing his condolence on the great martyrdom of the commander Qasem Soleimani. Senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant- General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning, official media resources said. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that the General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the acting commander of the volunteer Iraqi Shia Forces, known as the Deputy Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (the Hash al-Shaabi) Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. The assassination stands at top of news in Iraq, the region and the whole world. The IRGC confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. In the statement, the IRGC said that the glorious commander of Islamic forces was martyred in a US helicopter attack on Friday morning at the culmination of his life long efforts to promote the path of God. 9455**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SOME residents who are affected by the implementation of Segment 3 of the Metro Cebu Expressway (MCE) project in the City of Naga, Cebu refuse to budge until they get paid. Edgar Tabacon, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Central Visayas director, had said they were working on ways to solve the problem of road right-of-way (RROW) acquisition. He thought of tapping concerned local government units to convince owners to sell their properties to the government and allow workers to enter even before they are paid in full. Valdemar Chiong, City of Naga mayor, said he fully supports the project, but coordination with the agency needs to be improved. They just came to us to inform. I think theres no coordination yet. Nonetheless, we support the project. We even allowed work to be done in some 2,000 square meters of our property in Pangdan for the project, he said. Nerry Sumalinog, 46, one of the affected property owners in Barangay Pangdan, said she will not allow work on her property unless the government pays her the agreed full amount for both her house and lot. She said she already received 70 percent of the total payment for her house. However, she admitted that her family does not have all the documents the government requires for the negotiated sale. Jocelyn Reponte, resident of Sitio Batuan, Barangay Cantao-an, shared Sumalinogs sentiment. She said she and her husband are waiting for the full payment for their house before they will allow work on their property. Reponte said they only have a tax declaration as proof of ownership for the lot where their house stands. She said theyve stopped processing the documents for the sale of their property after they heard of payment delays from other affected lot owners. Severa Aliman, 75, had also received initial payment for her house. The lot it stands on is still under her deceased fathers name. Sumalinog, Reponte and Aliman are but three of around 160 residents in Barangays Pangdan and Cantao-an who entered into a negotiated sale to give way to the implementation of Segment 3 of the MCE. Story continues The expressway is a 73.75-kilometer highway that will connect the City of Naga in the south to Danao City in the north. According to the DPWH website, the MCE is a high standard arterial road planned to meet Metro Cebus existing and future traffic demand. It is expected to significantly address the traffic congestion within Metro Cebu, especially its urban core and central business districts. From Naga City, the MCE will traverse Minglanilla, Talisay City, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan and Compostela before reaching Danao City. As of Saturday, January 4, 2020, 70 percent of the 2018 project component (2.5 kilometers) and less than 10 percent (1.7 km) of the 2019 project component have been completed. Civil works include excavation, masonry and concreting. Ciara Faye Tondo, the contractors project engineer, said 60 percent of the slope protection for the 2018 project component is already done. The 2018 and 2019 MCE project components were both allocated P300 million budgets. Tabacon said a P200 million budget was allocated for the 2020 project component for the expressways third segment. However, it was not yet awarded to the winning bidder pending the approval of the 2020 General Appropriations Act. According to the agencys feasibility study, the expressway project costs P28.018 billion, including payments for the RROW acquisition and civil works. Of the amount, P13.4 billion is for the MCEs first segment, P10.3 billion is for the second segment and P4.4 billion is for the third segment. Under Republic Act 10752, or The Right-of-Way Act, the government may acquire real property needed as right-of-way site or location for any national government infrastructure project through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any other mode of acquisition as provided by law. The imlementing agency may offer to acquire, through negotiated sale, the right-of-way site or location for a national government infrastructure project provided that they will offer to the property owner concerned, as compensation price, the sum of the current market value of the land, the replacement cost of structures and improvements and the current market value of crops and trees. If the owner agrees to the sale, 50 percent of the agreed price of the land and 70 percent of the price of the structures, improvements, crops and trees (in both cases exclusive of unpaid real estate taxes) shall be paid by the agency upon the signing of the deed of sale. The balance of 50 percent for the land and 30 percent for the structures and improvements shall be paid when the title to the land is transferred to the Republic of the Philippines and the land is completely cleared of structures, improvements, crops and trees. If the property owner refuses or fails to accept the offer of negotiated sale within a 30-day period, the agency shall institute expropriation proceedings. Tabacon vowed to settle RROW acquisition problems this year so construction can go full swing next year. They target to finish the projects Segment 3 by 2022. (WBS) GETTY For the most part, 2019 was a year to forget for the cannabis sector. In Canada, the legal market stumbled on a number of fronts; failing to meaningfully put a dent in illegal sales; struggling to open enough retail stores; and legalizing cannabis vaping devices as three provinces suspend sales due to health concerns. The list goes on. Licenced producers saw billions wiped off their balance sheets as shareholders balked at dismal financial results that shattered the investor euphoria leading up to legal recreational sales. In the United States, the sector grew under a patchwork of state-level legislation at odds with federal law. In November, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that federally legalizes cannabis. But the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, will face steeper odds in the Republican-controlled Senate. As the year drew to a close, the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (HMMJ.TO), a basket of Canadian cannabis growers, fell to a record low, losing 43 per cent in 2019. Meanwhile, the actively-managed Purpose Marijuana Opportunities Fund (MRJOF) fell about 20 per cent, withstanding the worst blows in large part due to a pivot to U.S. pot stocks. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Pablo Zuanic expects that theme to play into 2020, as he sees more positive developments on the horizon in the U.S. than Canada this year. Here are five things hes watching for: Congress will likely pressure the FDA to set guidelines for CBD. The passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill set the stage for a wave of CBD-infused products. The non-intoxicating cannabis compound has gained massive popularity for its perceived wellness benefits. According to Cowen, nearly seven per cent of Americans are already using CBD products, with the market forecast to rise to 25 million consumers who would spend a total of US$16 billion by 2025. Massive companies like Unilever (UN) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) have announced plans to sell CBD. However, the U.S. government has not concluded that CBD is generally recognized as safe for use in human or animal food. Story continues Several specialists we have spoken with expect Congress to put pressure on the FDA to set clear guidelines on what products will be allowed, on requirements and standards, and on enhanced enforcement, Zuanic wrote in a report. We see this as positive for the larger CBD companies that have a strong brand name, science to back up their claims, and a secure supply chain. Some form of the SAFE Act should at least make it to a vote in the Senate Like the MORE Act, the SAFE Banking Act cleared a vote in the House last year and requires passage in the Senate before becoming law. The legislation would allow financial institutions to work with cannabis companies without fearing retribution. Passage of the SAFE Act would allow players greater access to capital, which itself would bring greater transparency, Zuanic wrote. We expect the Senate to take action and pass some version of the SAFE Act, likely pruned and stricter. Headlines from Illinois and New Jersey putting recreational cannabis on the ballot this November will likely pressure other states Illinois became the eleventh state to allow recreational cannabis on Jan. 1. According to state officials, almost $3.2 million worth of pot was sold on the first day. Zuanic expects positive news for legal cannabis in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania in the coming months. The idea of a domino effect should not be discounted, he wrote. Illinois may provide a blueprint regarding issues like social equity and transparency. In our view, with more states going recreational, this will put pressure on Congress to pass measures like the SAFE Act. Slow Canada Canada had a significant head start on cannabis, becoming the first G7 nation to legalize the drug on Oct. 17, 2018. But there have been a number of missteps, particularly in Ontario, where only about two dozen physical stores have opened. The province recently abandoned its lottery system to award new store licences. New stores are expected to be authorized at a pace of 20 per month, beginning in April. Canada may only plod along, Zuanic wrote. We worry consensus sales expectations remain high. Little progress expected in Europe Medical cannabis sales to European nations, Germany and Denmark in particular, are highly prized by Canadian licenced producers. However, the number of kilograms crossing the Atlantic has been slow to increase despite growing demand. Europe, as an outlet, may not be a meaningful factor in 2020, Zuanic wrote. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 00:46:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi exchanged views and coordinated stances with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a phone call late Saturday over the escalating tensions in the Gulf region. They also discussed bilateral cooperation at the United Nations (UN) Security Council. Wang said that China pays high attention to the intensification of U.S.-Iran conflict, opposes the abuse of force in international relations, and holds that military adventures are unacceptable. China insists that all parties should earnestly abide by the principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations, Wang said, adding that Iraq's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected, and that peace and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region should be maintained. Noting that China and Russia, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, bear important responsibilities for world peace and security, Wang said the two countries should strengthen strategic communication, join hands to uphold international law, as well as fairness and justice, and play a responsible role in properly handling the current situation in the Middle East. For his part, Lavrov said that Russia shares the same position with China, adding that the U.S. actions are illegal and should be condemned. Russia opposes gross trampling upon any other country's sovereignty, especially via unilateral military moves, Lavrov said. He said that Russia is willing to stay in close coordination with China and play a constructive role in preventing the escalation of regional tensions. Wang and Lavrov also discussed the latest developments of hotspot issues such as Libya and Syria, and agreed to maintain close communication over safeguarding global strategic stability. Actor Priyanka Chopra has shared adorable pictures from her family vacation and also wrote an emotional note for the quality time she is getting to spend with her family. Sharing pictures from their time at a beach, Priyanka wrote on Instagram, Grateful for family and friends that make everything better. The friends around us and the ones away from us.. you were missed! I cannot wait to start this new year with all of you in our lives. In one of the images, both Priyanka and Nick are standing on their knees and Nick is kissing her on the cheeks. Priyanka Chopra and husband Nick Jonas welcomed the New Year 2020 with a kiss on stage during a live concert in Florida. Also read: Avengers: Endgame most watched film of 2019 in India, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar most popular actors: report Sharing pictures from their New Year celebrations on Instagram, Nick wrote, 2019 was one of the most incredible years of my life. I cant wait to see all that 2020 has to bring. Happy new year to everyone! One of the pictures had Priyanka and Nick gazing lovingly into each others eyes. While Priyanka wears a full sleeve pink dress, paired with a 2020 theme goggles, Nick is in a bronze suit. Nick is also seen popping a champagne bottle as an excited Priyanka cheers on in another picture. Earlier, welcoming the new year, Priyanka has posted a video a montage of glimpses from what she did throughout 2019. From her much-talked about magazine shoots to visits to Ethiopia and other places as the UNICEF ambassador, the video had sneak peeks from all her public ventures and outings. Another year, another gift. Cannot wait to see what 2020 has in store. Thank you God and everyone who has blessed my life. #fullheart #newyear #gratitude, she wrote alongside the video. Follow @htshowbiz for more A US airstrike is said to have struck a convoy of Iran-backed militia in Iraq just hours after the targetted killing of Qassem Soleimani. Just hours after Donald Trump appeared in Florida to make his first public comments about the killing of the veteran Iranian military leader, reports said a US airstrike hit two cars travelling north of Baghdad and containing members of an Iran-backed militia. Initial reports said up to five people may have been killed, though there was no immediate confirmation of this. An Iraqi military source told Reuters that six members of Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shiite militias were killed in the incident, and that others were injured. A statement issued by the group claimed the convoy was made up of medics, rather than senior leaders. On Thursday, when the US killed the 62-year-old Iranian leader in an attack said to have utilised missiles fired from Reaper drones, among the other victims was militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. A spokesman for the umbrella group, Mohammed Ridha Jabri, was also among the dead. US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday 3 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures The wreckage of the car in which general Soleimani was travelling when a targeted US airstrike struck outside Baghdad International Airport on 3 January Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Demonstrators burn the US and British flags during a protest in Tehran after general Soleimani was killed in a targeted airstrike by American forces Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike. The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military has killed general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of Donald Trump AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn Israeli and US flags as thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of general Soleimani at the hands of America EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of Donald Trump pray at an 'Evangelicals for Trump' campaign event held on the day following the killing of general Soleimani. At the event, the president praised the "flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader" AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A huge procession of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of general Soleimani on 4 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani during an anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iraqis perform a mourning prayer for slain major general Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Great Mosque of Kufa AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A billboard reading 'Death to America and Israel', installed by Iran-backed shiite armed groups at a street in Jadriyah district in Baghdad, Iraq EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him visiting the family of Soleiman KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US flag as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Jalal Feiruznia, looks to a portrait of Soleimani, as he receives condolences at the Iranian embassy, in Beirut, Lebanon AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures People make their way on the street while a screen on the wall of a cinema shows a portrait Soleimani in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Aziz Asmar, one of two Syrian painters who completed a mural following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani poses next to his creation in the rebel-held Syrian town of Dana in the northwestern province of Idlib AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A demonstration in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures An anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Mujtaba al-Husseini, the representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers a speech in the holy shrine city of Najaf AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US and Israeli flags as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters demonstrate in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, in Peshawar, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London PA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn a US flag in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A Syrian man offers sweets to children to mark the killing AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers attend a mourning prayer for Soleimani in Iran's capital Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Kashmiri Shiite Muslims shout anti American and anti Israel slogans during a protest AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshipers chant slogans during Friday prayers Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A protest against the USA, in Islamabad, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranians burn a US flag in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin, Germany Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol a road in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila near the border with Israel. Following morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian women take to the streets in Tehran EPA On Friday, Mr Trump claimed the US killed Soleimani to stop a war not start one. But he also warned Iran against retaliating over the targetted killing of its military leader. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel but we caught him in the act and terminated him, Mr Trump said. We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. Mr Trump said he had tremendous respect for the people of Iran and that the US was not seeking regime change. However, he added: The United States has the best military by far, anywhere in the world. Related Video - Mike Pompeo on Soleimani assassination: 'There was dancing in the streets in parts of Iraq' We have best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that, in particular, refers to Iran. Iran has responded by threatening revenge. On Friday, it told the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, it reserved the right to self-defence under international law. In a letter, Iranian UN ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi said the killing of Soleimani was an obvious example of state terrorism and, as a criminal act, constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law, including, the Charter of the United Nations. Mr Ravanchi later told CNN the killing of Soleimani amounted to a military action. He added: The response for a military action is a military action. The airstrike north of Baghdad is said to have taken place at 1.12am local time. Reports said two of the three vehicles making up a militia convoy were found burned. The development came as the US said it was was sending thousands more troops to the region as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing of Soleimani. Additional reporting by agencies An investigative experiment procedure has been carried out in the case on the murder of journalist Pavlo Sheremet with the participation of volunteer and children's doctor Yulia Kuzmenko, one of the suspects in the case. Two other suspects military nurse Yana Duhar and veteran of the antiterrorist operation in Donbas Andriy Antonenko refused from participation in it, the National Police of Ukraine reported. The Main Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine scheduled the investigative experiment for the night on January 3, 2020. The defense lawyers of the three suspects were informed about it in advance. However, only Kuzmenko's lawyer confirmed his client's consent to participate in the procedure. On January 3, Kuzmenko and her defense lawyer Vladyslav Dobosh participated in the investigative experiment and had no complaints about it, the police said. At the same time, Antonenko and Duhar refused to give evidence and participate in the investigative experiment. Antonenko explained his refusal by the absence of his defense lawyer. The police reported that they provided Antonenko with a lawyer from the free legal aid center, however Antonenko's lawyer arrived at the investigative experiment site, refused to participate in the procedure and hindered the crime re-enactment with Kuzmenko. In turn, lawyer Masi Nayyem said that Antonenko's lawyer was not allowed to enter the experiment site, while the media were admitted to it. He also said that the defense lawyers of the suspects were not informed about the investigative experiment in time. Nayyem also stressed that, according to item 4 of Article 223 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, investigatory experiments cannot be carried out at night (from 22:00 until 06:00) except for urgent cases when a delay may result into loss of evidence in the criminal case or escape of a suspect. "Pavlo was murdered three years ago, they cannot lose evidence in the case. An escape is impossible the suspect is detained," the lawyer said. As reported, Journalist Sheremet was killed in a car explosion in central Kyiv on July 20, 2016. The explosion occurred when Sheremet was driving a vehicle that belonged to Ukrayinska Pravda co-founder Olena Prytula, who was not in it at the time. The journalist died at the scene shortly following the bomb blast. On December 12, 2019, police conducted a number of searches and notified several people of their status as suspects in the Sheremet assassination case. Later in the day, the National Police and Interior Ministry held a briefing, at which President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke, to inform the public about a number of interim investigation findings and the suspects' names. Military nurse Yana Duhar, volunteer and children's doctor Yulia Kuzmenko, and musician and veteran of the antiterrorist operation in Donbas Andriy Antonenko were officially notified of being suspected of killing Sheremet. The spouses Vladyslav and Inna Hryshchenko, also Donbas war veterans, were detained as suspects in a different case but were named as possibly having relation to the killing of Sheremet as well. Ukrainian National Police deputy chief and criminal police chief Yevhen Koval said the investigation was inclined to assume that the primary motive of Sheremet's assassination was an attempt to destabilize the sociopolitical situation in the country. On December 13, 2019, Pechersky District Court ordered the arrest of Duhar, Kuzmenko and Antonenko until February 8, 2020. By Simon Lewis and Heather Timmons WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. By Simon Lewis and Heather Timmons WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a campaign event in a Miami megachurch on Friday to shore up support from Christian conservatives, after a prominent evangelical publication questioned whether the faithful should support the Republican. The event by Trump at the 7,000-capacity King Jesus International Ministry church has drawn fresh attention to his administration's ties to "prosperity gospel" preachers who tell followers that generous donations to their churches will be rewarded on Earth with wealth, health and power. The doctrine's growth in recent decades - often helped by charismatic televangelist pastors - has confounded classical theologians and some of the evangelical community who consider the "prosperity gospel" to be in direct opposition to the Bible. The King Jesus International Ministry is led by pastor Guillermo Maldonado, who encourages worshippers to give "first fruits" donations to the church in January that guarantee spiritual and financial returns later in the year. "First fruits are given to honor God," Maldonado said in a typical Facebook message on his page. "You can't have the Father's favor until you honor Him." The Trump administration has aligned itself with other prosperity gospel leaders, including Paula White, who has appeared at White House prayer events, and was named last year as an adviser in the executive Office of Public Liaison, which is tasked with outreach to special interest groups. White's and Maldonado's ministries did not respond to questions about criticism of the prosperity gospel practice. The late Rev. Billy Graham denounced the prosperity gospel movement in 2016, saying "Jesus wasnt rich, nor were His first disciples not at all. In fact, the only disciple who really cared about money was Judas." More than 80 percent of white evangelicals voted for Trump in the 2016 election. But a crack in evangelical support opened up last month when the magazine Christianity Today wrote a blistering editorial on Trump's "grossly immoral character." Researchers say it is hard to quantify the exact numbers of Americans who follow the prosperity gospel, but their numbers may be in the tens of millions. According to a 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center, 43% of U.S. adults, or some 110 million people, identify with Protestantism; 59% of those, or 64 million are born-again or evangelical Christians. Many may follow prosperity gospel preachers on TV or online while identifying as mainline Protestants or evangelicals in surveys, academics say. Joel Osteen, head of a Houston megachurch, who is one of the country's most popular prosperity gospel preachers, says he reaches 100 million homes in the United States through broadcasts, videos, and podcasts. EVANGELICALS FOR TRUMP Trump's speech on Friday will mark the launch of the "Evangelicals for Trump" coalition ahead of the presidential election in November. Last Sunday, Maldonado urged his congregation to attend the Trump event saying: "If you want to come, do it for your pastor. That's a way of supporting me," the Miami Herald reported on Dec. 29. Those comments appear to have violated tax rules barring religious groups from participating in political campaigns, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a non-partisan group that advocates for the separation of church and state, said on Tuesday. The church says it is not endorsing Trump. "The January 3 Evangelicals for Trump event is being paid for and organized by President Trumps election campaign. We agreed to lease space in exchange for fair compensation. No church resources are being used and our agreement to provide rental space is not an endorsement of President Trumps campaign or any political party," it said in a statement. While the prosperity gospel is criticized among mainstream Christian denominations, "its basic tenets have crept into a remarkable proportion of Americans theological world view, said Robert P. Jones, chief executive and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute. Paul Djupe, a scholar in the department of political science at Denison University in Ohio, conducted a nationwide survey with colleagues in 2018 that found about 32% of American adults agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: "God will reward the faithful with health and wealth." Ryan Burge, a political scientist at Eastern Illinois University, has analyzed 2012 survey data to show that Americans from low-income households were more likely to believe God rewards faith and generosity with prosperity. The beliefs of the prosperity gospel were also more common among black Protestants. It makes poor people feel like they can be rich someday, said Burge, who is also a pastor in the American Baptist Church. Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Dallas Baptist Church, who will deliver the benediction at Friday's Miami event, said he continued to back Trump because of his record of opposing the abortion rights movement, supporting Israel and nominating conservative judges. While First Baptist repudiates the prosperity gospel, "it's not unusual that different flavors of evangelicalism would come together" to support a common cause, Jeffress said. (Reporting by Simon Lewis and Heather Timmons; Editing by Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr John Sheehan and Brian McGee, senior archivist, examine the minutes of the January 1920 meeting of Cork City Council at the City & County Archives, Blackpool, Cork Communities and organisations across Cork City have been urged to avail of an exciting new initiative remembering the events and people synonymous with arguably one of the most important years in the long history of the city. The Cork 2020 Commemorations Fund has been established to provide funding to groups for the staging of events to mark the centenary of the War of Independence and, in particular, the role played by Cork and its citizens in the fight for Irish freedom. During 1920 Cork made headlines across the globe following the martyrdom of two Lord Mayors, Tomas MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney, and the infamous Burning of Cork by British forces that December. The current Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr John Sheehan, who is chairing the a cross-party committee for fellow councillors on the 2020 commemorations, said community, social and voluntary groups as well as schools can apply for funding under the open Cork 2020 Commemorations Fund. "Stories around the events of 1920 have been handed down for generations in Cork and local groups have been commemorating these events for many years. The Cork 2020 fund is about communities and organisations bringing our proud history to life in a respectful way that showcases the city's rich cultural and historical fabric," said Cllr Sheehan. Details of the fund and how to apply will be made available over the coming days at www.corkcity.ie, with the application process set to commence next Monday (January 6). Last year, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed that Cork would host a major state event in 2020 to mark the centenary of the War of Independence. "If Dublin was the focal point for the Easter Rising in 2016, then it's certainly the case that if Cork was the focal point for the War of Independence, in 2020 given the sacrifice of two Lord Mayors, and also the burning of the city in December 1920, we're going to recognise that by having the main major state commemoration here in the city of Cork," he said. Details of a major commemorative programme, including the State event, recalling the significant happenings that occurred in Cork City and county during 1920 will be announced today (Thursday, 2nd)) by the Tanaiste Simon Coveney at City Hall. One event that has already been confirmed will be a special meeting of Cork County Council on Thursday, January 30 to commemorate the centenary of the first meeting of Cork Corporation elected by proportional representation. During the meeting Lords Mayor, TDs, Senators and elected members will read excerpts from the minutes of the January meeting 100-years ago. "At its first meeting Cork Corporation historically pledged its allegiance to Dail Eireann, a moment of huge national significance," said Cllr Sheehan. "The election of a Republican majority council and Republican Lord Mayor changed everything, not just in Cork but nationally. It gave a democratic mandate to Tomas MacCurtain and later Terence MacSwiney, so that their deaths later that year were a direct blow to the citizens and not just the deaths of activists in the armed struggle," he added. The special meeting on January 20 will be screened live at www.corkcity.ie. By PTI MUMBAI: Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday announced a nationwide `Yatra' (tour) to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register. The campaign, organised under the banner of his organisation Rashtra Manch, will be called `Gandhi Shanti Yatra', Sinha told reporters here. Former MP Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta were also present on this occasion. The Yatra will start at Mumbai's Apollo Bunder on January 9, pass through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Harayana and Delhi and cover a distance of over 3,000 km, Yashwant Sinha said. It will culminate at the Raj Ghat in Delhi on January 30, Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary. Accusing BJP-ruled states for using violence to suppress peaceful protests against the CAA and NRC, he blamed the government for disturbing peace across the country. ALSO READ | CAA: Congress MLA demands certificates, BJP MLA demands 50 babies Mehta appealed people and organisations in Gujarat to take the lead to make the campaign a success. The CAA was unconstitutional, discriminated against a community and was meant to humiliate it, the former Gujarat CM said, demanding that it be scrapped and the NRC and NPR should not be implemented. Calling the police crackdown on anti-CAA protesters in Uttar Pradesh "state-sponsored terrorism", he said the Yatra was going there specifically to protest against the police's high-handedness. "Dekhna hai zor kitna baju-e kaatil mein hai (We want to see how powerful is the oppressor)," he said. Other organisations should also take out similar Yatras converging at the Raj Ghat at 11 AM on January 30, he said. Actor-turned politician and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha said, "We have suffered so much that now we are embarking on a `safar' (journey)." "We are against the government's policies, we are standing up for the Constitution," he said. The CAA provides citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries, but excludes Muslims, Shatrughan Sinha said, adding that it "seems to be a ploy to distract attention from the issues the country is facing." The CAA would be as bad as demonetisation, he said, asking what was the need to bring in such a law without consulting experts or even senior leaders of the BJP and opposition. Vice President Mike Pence defended President Donald Trumps decision to authorize a drone strike that killed Irans top intelligence commander, Maj. Gen. Qassim Soleimani, in a series of tweets that pushed a conspiracy theory that ties the Sept. 11, 2001 attack to Iran even though there is no proof to make that connection. In a series of tweets, Pence called Soleimani an evil man who was responsible for killings thousands of Americans. The vice president went on to say that Soleimani assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of 10 of the 12 terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. It is far from clear how Pence made that conclusion that is not supported by what is publicly known about both Soleimani and those who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yesterday, President @realDonaldTrump took decisive action and stood up against the leading state sponsor of terror to take out an evil man who was responsible for killing thousands of Americans. Soleimani was a terrorist. Here are some of his worst atrocities: Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) January 3, 2020 First off, as many were quick to point out, 19 terrorists carried out the Sept. 11 attack, not 12. A spokeswoman for Pence said the vice president was referring to the 12 attackers who are known to have traveled through Afghanistan. Even with that explanation though it is unclear how Pence came to the conclusion that somehow Soleimani assisted only 10 of the 12. Advertisement Advertisement For those asking: 12 of the 19 transited through Afghanistan. 10 of those 12 were assisted by Soleimani. https://t.co/KSUI2kXmfX Katie Waldman (@VPPressSec) January 3, 2020 Advertisement Beyond those numbers, it is also unclear how Pence can assert that Soleimani assisted the attackers in the first place. Even though he was already a powerful military leader in 2001, Soleimani isnt mentioned once in the 9/11 Commission Report. One thing the report does point out though is that there is strong evidence that Iran facilitated the transit of al Qaeda members into and out of Afghanistan before 9/11, and that some of these were future 9/11 hijackers. But the report also says there is no evidence that Iran or Hezbollah were aware of plans for the attack. The Post explains what Pences tweet could be referring to and why it is misleading: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Basically, it boils down to this: Iran adopted a policy of not stamping visas on al-Qaeda members passports, in part to improve relations with al-Qaeda after the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole. For example, Iranian border inspectors would be told not to place telltale stamps in the passports of these travelers, the report says. Such arrangements were particularly beneficial to Saudi members of al Qaeda. The hijackers essentially exploited a known policy. So its technically correct to say that Iran assisted in their travel, but the impression could be left that it was knowingly assisting in what became the 9/11 attack. Advertisement Advertisement Even if you want to make an argument that somehow Iran assisted the attackers though, Pence went beyond that and specifically said it was Soleimani who gave that assistance. When Pences office was asked for clarification, it referred to a document that once again refers to the way the Sept. 11 attackers traveled to Iran, but fails to mention Soleimani at all. Advertisement Advertisement Theres also a small detail that raises questions about Pences statement. Soleimani was a Shiite, so why on earth would he come to the aid of a Sunni extremist group that had clear ties to al-Qaida? Soleimani even cooperated with the U.S. government briefly after Sept. 11, 2001 to target the Taliban in Afghanistan. So what was behind the statement? It could simply be a way for the vice president to justify the assassination in a way that could appeal to the American public. But some experts say it could go beyond that and may be an effort to make the argument that the killing of Soleimani falls under a 2001 authorization for the use of military force that was approved by Congress. That broad law authorizes the president to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons. The Congress party has come under the scanner with objectionable statements printed on Veer Savarkar and Nathuram Godse in the booklet of Congress Seva Dal. There has been a dispute in Maha Vikas Aghadi about this. After Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has also criticized the Congress on this. RSS leader's statement, says- "Secularism is Western thought..." According to the media report, NCP leader Nawab Malik said that writing objectionable articles about a person is wrong. There can be ideological differences, but personal comments should not be made about anyone. Especially when that person (Savarkar) is not alive. The booklet must be withdrawn. Indonesia floods: Capital Jakarta submerged, death toll reaches to 53 The Shiv Sena also criticized the Congress for this matter. He directly attacked the Congress for this. The Shiv Sena had said that it shows that there is garbage in the mind of the Congress. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut took it and said, 'Veer Savarkar was a great man and will always be great. A class keeps speaking against them. It shows the filth accumulated in his mind. At the same time, Priyanka Chaturvedi said, 'There are many problems in the country like the economy, unemployment, farmers' plight, but the Center and Opposition have no other issue other than Savarkar.' At the same time, the book on Veer Savarkar was distributed in the program of Congress Seva Dal organized in Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh. In this book named 'Veer Savarkar Kise Veer', some objectionable things have been said about Savarkar. The book states that Savarkar took money from the British after his release from Andaman's Cellular Jail. In the book, comments have also been made about Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi. Since then, Congress has been criticized. Modi's biggest attack on Lalu and Rabri, reminded Bihar of 1990 MUDITA Girotra By Express News Service NEW DELHI: How will the transgenders and members of the LGBTQ community, abandoned by their families, produce documents? Why is the government giving citizenship to religious minorities and not to homosexuals and women persecuted in neighbouring countries? These were the prime questions raised by speakers and protesters at a demonstration against Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens vis-a-vis the rights of transgenders, homosexuals and sex workers. Hundreds of protesters along with women rights activists including Kamla Bhasin, Shabnam Hashmi and Maya John among others walked to Jantar Mantar to launch their protest. Poetess Sabika Naqvi through her poems, targeted pseudo-liberals who dont know what CAA and NRC are and how they will affect the Indian Muslim, criticising the educated who were silent while the country was burning. A group of street actors presented a song, CAA ko na na na na, rejecting the new citizenship Act. The agitators held posters that read: Queer people are persecuted minorities in several countries. Will you give citizenship to queer Muslims?. Rituparna, a member of the LGBTQ community, stepped on the stage at Jantar Mantar and raised objections to the religious and biased portrayal of Bharat Mata. Bharat Mata is portrayed as a fair, rich woman from one religion. What about women from other religions and castes? Will you portray them as Bharat Mata? You wont...you dont understand diversity, she stressed. A beloved pet rescue and doggie daycare in East County that has been instrumental in finding homes for thousands of animals is closing its doors. Rebecca Stevens, who for more than a decade has run Four Paws Flying Pet Resort and Four Paws Rescue in Blossom Valley, is moving to Cody, Wyo., next week to take care of her elderly parents. Stevens mom, 92, recently went into a rest home and her dad, 89, needs her help transitioning into independence. Its time to go, though somewhat reluctantly, Stevens said. I think Im still kind of in shock and I will still be in shock when I pull out of here on April 13. Advertisement It is a bittersweet departure for the 1979 graduate of Granite Hills High, a breast cancer survivor who left the hotel management business after nearly 20 years and traded it for dog management. She said she knew it was time for a career shift once she realized how much she herself depended on someone caring for her dogs while she was away at work. I said to myself, Hey, I love working with animals, why cant I do this? recalled Stevens, 57. Thousands of dogs have come into Stevens world since she opened a doggie daycare business at her home in La Mesa in 2000. Since moving to Blossom Valley in 2003, she has either worked with, rescued, given medical attention to, kenneled or driven nearly 200,000 dogs up and back from her daycare center. The business had 13 employees, was open seven days a week and boasted two large outdoor grassy yards, each of them 9,000-plus square feet. It had four specialized yards for senior dogs, small dogs or dogs that enjoyed alone time. It also had a 10-foot diameter pool that was equipped with an overhead awning to keep the water cool and the dogs in the shade. Four Paws daycare had a specially equipped van that safely harnessed its four-legged customers into seats in air-conditioned comfort and chauffeured them to and from the center. Dogs were picked up and dropped off daily, coming in from nearby East County digs, Tierrasanta and La Jolla. On the business side, Jessica Garcia, the resort and daycare manager for the past three years, said Four Paws Flying Resort averaged 10-25 dogs on any given day for overnight boarding, with up to 50 during peak time around holidays. Daycare brought in 5-10 dogs a day. She said when word got out last month that Stevens was leaving, panic set in for many of Four Paws customers. Garcia said she has been busy referring pet parents to other businesses that either do boarding or daycare or both. None, she says, has the personal touch that Stevens gave. Shes had customers for 10-plus years, Garcia said. The customer base is very loyal. Folks will ask me, Is there anybody like you? And I have to say No. On the rescue side, Four Paws rescue efforts saved, through transportation and facilitation with other individuals and groups, the lives of nearly 4,500 dogs and cats, Stevens estimates. Those numbers include finding private homes for unwanted puppy mill dogs and beagles used in research labs. Rebecca Stevens, the owner of Four Paws Flying Pet Resort, hugged a dog named Callie that she rescued eight years ago in dire condition. The two recently reunited. (John Gibbins/U-T ) We have specialized in shy, fearful, apprehensive dogs, and also dogs that were plain, she said. We took the plain, those with medical needs. We took the dogs that never stood a chance, that were hit by a car, that would defecate and urinate when you got near them, the plain little dogs who were deaf, who had cataracts. We took dogs who never would have made it out of the shelter, and found them homes. Stevens move will leave a big hole in the animal rescue world, according to others who do similar work. Rebecca is a pillar of the rescue community, said Ann Pollock of Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego. (More recently) she and another wonderful lady in Colorado have been working to help National Mill Dog Rescue, traveling all over the United States picking up throwaways. It is so heartwarming the passion Rebecca has. Her whole brain is filled with good advice and good suggestions. Stevens and her team of about a dozen Four Paws volunteers donated hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to countless other rescues across the country. Rescuing is in my heart and is what carried me through during my fight with breast cancer, Stevens said. Once I started, well, there was no stopping me. Her friend, dog trainer, Jennifer Davies, who lives near Four Paws in El Cajon, said that Stevens has probably saved a million homes, families and pets. Families that needed a dog, dogs that needed a family, Davies said. She would put the right animals in contact with the right people and the right homes. So many of those animals would have been put down, but they found forever homes because of her and her bleeding heart. Stevens said the timing is right for her to help her parents in Wyoming, where she has a boyfriend who is (of course) a veterinarian. She said California laws raising minimum wage and high taxes have made it increasingly difficult for her as a small business owner to make ends meet. Were kind of a family here in East County, Stevens said. I feel like, at least I hope I have, made a difference in the community. We saved dogs, placed dogs in homes with people who have had their hearts broken and have been able to heal because of (our help). We have a senior-to-senior program that will continue even after I leave. Rescues across the U.S. are doing amazing work and I am proud and honored to be involved in it for 14 years. I see new and upcoming rescues with fresh 30-somethings running them. And theyre dynamic, technically savvy, and go balls to the walls like I used to. Stevens said a new rescue will be established on the property, but she couldnt disclose who it is. She said the group that is coming in is very philanthropic and will be taking their rescue to the next level. I sincerely hope the rescue community will embrace them and support them in their future endeavors, she said. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Napa County has six highways and freeways running through itor is it seven? The answer to this seemingly straightforward question isnt quite clear. Heres a trivia but hopefully not trivial look at the countys main roads. What is the shortest stretch of highway or freeway within the county? This ends up being a trick question. Some maps show about 1,000 feet of Highway 37 passing through Napa County, others show it staying in Sonoma and Solano counties. Napa County Public Works Director Steven Lederer said he think Highway 37 does enter Napa County, but its hard to tell. Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison said Google Earth shows a segment might be in Napa County, though hes inclined to say no. County Assessor John Tuteur said no. Take away the Highway 37 conundrum and the answer is Interstate 80. The southeast corner of the county takes in a mile of the freeway between Vallejo and Fairfield. What is Napa Countys longest stretch of highway or freeway? Highway 29, the Napa Valleys main drag. It traverses the entire county north-to-south, from the remote, forested Lake County line near Mount St. Helena to bustling, congested American Canyon. Thats a distance of about 49 miles. Highway 128 cutting west-to-east across the county is almost as long, at 46.5 miles. This highway enters the northern county from Sonoma County, runs down the Napa Valley sharing the Highway 29 route, cuts east on Rutherford Road, then heads past Lake Hennessey and Lake Berryessa to Solano County. What are the six -or seven- highways and freeways stretches in Napa County? Highways 12, 29, 121, 128 and 221 and I-80 for sure, with Highway 37 a possibility. When did the Jameson Canyon highway get built? With automobiles becoming popular, the state in 1912 announced it would spend $18 million on a state highway system. Napa County wanted to be included. California was securing local right-of-way in 1914. The cement highway would come westward from Sacramento through Fairfield, go through Jameson Canyon into Napa County, pass through the city of Napa, then cut west to Sonoma County and beyond. A milestone came in November 1918. The new state highway south of Napa was thrown open to the public Monday, the Weekly Calistogan reported. This is a great boon to automobilists bound for Vallejo or Sacramento points, for it does away with the wide detour so long necessary out through Coombsville. In December, 1919, California completed the state highway section from the city of Napa to Stanly Lane heading toward Sonoma. Meanwhile, the county also worked on county highways, such as todays Highway 29 route up Napa Valley. What is the busiest Napa County highway/freeway? No, its not Highway 29 in American Canyon, the city of Napa or the Upvalley not by a long shot. Highway 29 at its busiest point in Napa County near First Street in the city of Napa carries about 71,000 vehicles daily. That short stretch of I-80 in the south county carries around 145,000, according to Caltrans. Does Napa County have a state scenic highway? No. But the county has some contenders, should local officials ever want to the state to put up those scenic highway signs with the poppy. California law passed in 1963 allowed for state scenic highways and listed eligible highways. Listed for Napa County are Highway 29 from Vallejo to the city of Napa, Highway 29 from the city of Napa to Lake County, Highway 221 and Silverado Trail (Highway 121) south of Trancas Street. Last year, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, carried legislation that makes Highway 128 eligible. But the state doesnt impose scenic highway status on counties. Napa County has yet to apply and show its roads meet the criteria. You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com. 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. 14There are only a few foldable display makers in the market and it seems like Samsung is the most favored of them. According to a new report from ET News, Samsung will provide foldable displays to both Huawei and Xiaomi. Huawei procured displays from LG and BOE for the Mate X. However, due to quality and quantity related concerns, the Chinese giant is apparently going to get foldable screens from Samsung Display. In fact, the report says that the South Korean giant has already started developing foldable OLED panels for Huawei. The company will apparently use them in a foldable phone expected later this year. Advertisement For now, Huawei will likely stick with BOE for a revamped version of the Mate X, which will probably be unveiled at MWC. According to an industry insider, Huawei might still keep BOE as an additional supplier if it increases production. However, given the fact that the company cannot install Googles apps and services on its phones for the time being, we wonder if it will be able to sell its foldable handset in large numbers. Similarly, Xiaomi is also apparently planning to add Samsung to its supply chain. The company had previously installed Visionoxs bendable screen in its tri-fold prototype smartphone. However, due to yield issues, the company will now supposedly use Samsungs panel instead. Advertisement However, do not expect a foldable Xiaomi phone in 2020. The report claims that due to certain problems such as changes in design and component supply, the release has been delayed. Demand For Samsungs Foldable Displays Is Apparently High Other Chinese mobile manufacturers such as OPPO and Vivo had reportedly expressed interest in Samsungs foldable OLEDs too. However, since the company was focusing on its foldable phones, it apparently delayed shipments. However, from this year, Samsung is likely to increase the foldable phone output. This will allow it to expand supply to Chinese vendors. Advertisement According to a previous report from the same outlet, even Apple, Google, and Microsoft are interested in Samsungs foldable displays. Earlier, it was believed that these suppliers will procure bendable screens from LG. Apparently, Samsung has already supplied samples to various vendors including Huawei and OPPO. However, while Chinese vendors are likely to choose Samsung, it is unclear if Apple and Google will also do the same. Moreover, it doesnt even seem like these two are planning to launch a foldable phone anytime soon. Since Samsung will have to increase the production volume, we can hope the price of foldable displays will come down. As a result, the price of bendable phones might reduce in the future. Advertisement In fact, even the Galaxy Fold successor is likely going to be much more affordable than the companys first bendable device. According to reports, the clamshell phone will cost around $1,000. The handset will likely have an ultra-thin glass cover instead of a plastic one. This will result in increased durability. The flip phone will supposedly be followed by another foldable handset later in 2020. Samsung is aiming to sell 6 million foldable phones globally this year. Photo credit: Cadbury From Delish Often thought of as being the type of chocolate bar your grandma would sink her teeth/dentures into, Cadburys Bournville is having a resurgence. But, seeing as I love me some Bournville and Im only (only? lol) 32, we reckon folk young and old (and in between aka 32) should get stuck into this relaunched edition of the iconic chocolate bar. Cadbury's new (well, it's old actually) Bournville Old Jamaica bar is delicious dark chocolate with rum and raisins. After fans petitioned on Facebook to get the bar back once and for all, Cadbury gave in and has relaunched the bar permanently. Bournville Old Jamaica was originally launched in 1970, and has made several appearances as a limited edition since then. It was relaunched as part of the CDM Classics range in 1987 and again as part of the World of Chocolate range in the mid-1990s. It was most recently on shelves 10 years ago, for one year, as part of the Bournville range. But as of January 202, you can get your sticky little fingers on it whenever the hell you like, so no need to stuck up, Grandma. Its already been spotted in WHSmith by @Well_This_Is_New, who posted a photo on Instagram Bournville Old Jamaica will be available in 180g and 100g bars, and will cost 2.04 and 1 respectively. Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. SIGN UP North Chinas Tianjin and the city of Anyang in Central Chinas Henan province both reported two new cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant over the weekend. Both cities have launched new rounds of mass testing and designated more Covid-19 risk areas to control the spread of the virus Jan 10, 2022 06:18 PM Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 04:28:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Interior Ministry of the UN-backed government of Libya on Saturday condemned an airstrike that targeted the headquarters of the ministry's special operations force in the capital Tripoli by the rival eastern-based army. "The Interior Ministry of the Government of National Accord condemns in the strongest terms the airstrike that targeted the headquarters of the special operations force in the capital Tripoli by the air force of the war criminal Haftar (commander of eastern-based army) on Saturday, injuring 6 members (of the force), 3 of whom are severely injured," the ministry said in a statement. "The targeting of security headquarters by military air force is a war crime and violation that is still being committed by Haftar's militias (the eastern-based army)," the statement said. The interior ministry demanded the UN Security Council and the international community to "assume their responsibility against such criminal acts committed by Haftar's militias, including targeting security headquarters and personnel and frightening civilians." The eastern-based army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign in and around Tripoli since early April, trying to take over the city and topple the UN-backed government. Thousands have been killed and injured in the fighting, and more than 120,000 people fled their homes from the violence. Nizamabad (Telangana) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Nizamabad D Arvind Kumar said that he will hang AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi by crane and shave his beard and send it to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. "Asaduddin Owaisi, I warn you that I will hang you upside down by a crane and shave your beard. I will give promotion to your beard by sticking it to the Chief Minister KCR," said Kumar. "Asaduddin should remember that Nizamabad belongs to BJP. Nine years ago his brother Akbaruddin was stabbed several times and shot by a well-known person known to them. Your brother is still availing treatment for those injuries even after nine years," said Kumar. About a week ago, Owaisi had held a meeting in Nizamabad against the CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens) and said that the CAA is against the Constitution. Last year on December 25, a delegation led Asaduddin Owaisi met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and discussed the issues pertaining to the National Population Register (NPR), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). (ANI) Iran's top leader vows "tough revenge" for Soleimani's killing by U.S. People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:03, January 03, 2020 TEHRAN, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement on Friday that those who assassinated Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), should wait for Iran's severe response, state TV reported. Khamenei said that the mission of Soleimani and "resistance" will not stop by his death. All should know that "the resistance movement will continue more strongly, and a definite victory awaits those who fight in this auspicious path." The criminals who shed the blood of General Soleimani and his companions "should await a tough revenge," he said. The Iranian leader announced three days of national mourning over Soleimani's death. On Friday, IRGC confirmed in a statement that Soleimani has been killed in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport. General Soleimani "was killed today in the air raid of U.S. helicopters," according to the statement. Also, U.S. Defense Department said it conducted the attack at President Donald Trump's direction as a "defensive action" against Soleimani, who it said was planning further attacks on American diplomats and service members in Iraq. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Delhi: Iran unfurled a 'red flag of revenge' on an important mosque in after vowing to avenge the killing of its top general in airstrike by US drones. The red flag was hoisted above the Jamkaran Mosque which is on the outskirts of the holy city of Qom, about 100 miles south of Tehran. In Shiite tradition, red flags symbolise both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain. The text on the flag says : "Those who want to avenge the blood of Hussein". The flag can been seen as a clear warning that Iran is getting ready to strike back at America. General Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Iraqi capital's international airport. Soleimani and Mohandis were killed along with eight others in a precision drone strike early Friday as they drove away from Baghdad international airport in two vehicles. The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations described the killing of Soleimani as an act of war. The death of Quds Force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiraling tensions between Iran and the United States, despite President Donald Trump's insistence he did not want war. But, speaking to CNN late Friday night, Iranian ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi said: "In fact was an act of war on the part of the United States and against Iranian people." On Saturday, thousands of mourners marched in Baghdad in the funeral procession for Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and others killed in a US drone strike. Iraqi prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi joined Muhandis associate Hadi al-Ameri, Shiite cleric Ammar al-Hakim, former premier Nuri al-Maliki and other pro-Iran figures in a large crowd. According to reports, thousands of mourners marched in the funeral procession through Baghdad with many chanting: "Death to America". For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The assassination of Irans second most powerful leader at the direction of U.S. President Donald Trump will likely have the same seismic impact on the modern history of the Middle East that the disastrous U.S. invasion of Iraq had in 2003. It will be interpreted in Iran and beyond as an act of war. It will ensure severe Iranian retaliation against American military forces as well as vulnerable U.S. allies in the Middle East. And it will lead to a cascade of unpredictable events that will once again plunge the region, and the United States, into another cycle of death. This is a very dangerous moment. The world now knows what can happen when an American president is motivated, not by a wise understanding of U.S. strategic interests, but by adolescent impulse and whim, as he darts in and out of the buffet line at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The shock for many in the murder early Friday morning of Irans Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an American drone strike near the Baghdad airport was that there was no clear answer to the question of Why now? For two decades, Soleimani had been the feared leader of Irans elite military unit, the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force. His symbolic value to the Islamic regime was second only to that of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Soleimani led the fight against American, Israeli and Saudi Arabian efforts to destroy the Iranian regime, and just as his military foes had, he had blood on his hands, including the blood of American soldiers. But blame for that wasnt limited to him. In addition to the 4,500 U.S. military deaths in Iraq, there were also more than a half million Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the U.S.-British invasion in 2003. Soleimani was particularly loathed by the American military. A string of high-profile U.S. military generals were openly determined to see him dead. Trumps two predecessors, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, both had opportunities to have Soleimani killed but decided against it. They felt the potentially explosive response from Iran wasnt worth the risk. Not so Trump. By ordering the drone strike that killed the Iranian general, he decided differently. We must now await the consequences. A point worth making is that when Trump took office, there was no genuine American crisis with Iran. Against all odds, the worlds leading powers, including Obamas America, had worked out a nuclear deal with Iran that would have ensured at least a decade of relative stability. The hope then was that Iran would gradually be reintegrated into the worlds international community as a responsible player. But when Trump came to power, surrounded by hawks who had supported the invasion of Iraq in 2003, he unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal with Iran and re-imposed severe American sanctions that have undermined that countrys economy. These harsh actions have strengthened the hardliners in Tehran and, not surprisingly, Iran has struck back through its proxies in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. But if Trumps dramatic move against Soleimani was shocking to many, it was not really surprising. The road to a major war with Iran, with the ultimate goal of crushing the government in Tehran, has been years in the planning. Barack Obamas efforts to seek peace with Iran inflamed Americas military hawks and the leadership of the Republican party. They shared the fear of Israel and Saudi Arabia that Iran, their arch-rival, might one day become more credible. What they did was revealed last September in a special investigative piece, entitled The Secret History of the Push to Strike Iran, in The New York Times and the German newspaper Die Zeit. According to the article, they saw Trumps election in 2016 as their real opportunity based on the gamble that Iran will break before November 2020, either through economic or military pressure, when the next American election could bring a new president who ends Trumps hardball tactics. This is all in aid of what the presidents advisers see as their larger goal, concludes the piece, and that is a realignment of the Middle East, with Israel and select Sunni nations gaining supremacy over Iran. In other words, this is all part of a plan. There are, of course, other possible reasons for Trumps military actions this week. He gave a hint at this in 2011 and 2012, well before he ran for office, when he accused then-President Obama of seeking war with Iran to help his 2012 election campaign. Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate, Trump said in a video blog. Hes weak, and hes ineffective. So the only way he figures that hes going to get re-elected, as sure as youre sitting there, is to start a war with Iran. Surely, this American president wouldnt stoop so low. Tony Burman , formerly head of CBC News and Al Jazeera English, is a freelance contributing foreign affairs columnist for the Star. He is based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyBurman Read more about: ANN ARBOR, MI A five-story condo development rejected by City Council last September is being proposed again. New plans for The Garnet, a 10-unit building proposed at 325 E. Summit St., are under review at city hall and expected to go before Planning Commission next month, and then council again. While the development remains much the same as before, its now proposed under a different zoning designation to appease council. The developer also is now offering to contribute $88,200 to the citys affordable housing fund, records show. Were hoping this time the project goes through, said developer Kelly Anderson of KLA Development. New architectural drawings by J. Bradley Moore and Associates show slight revisions to the design of windows and doors, and a lighter brick color, but otherwise the building is the same, Anderson said. Council cast a split 5-5 vote Sept. 16 on rezoning the 0.2-acre site for the development, which calls for replacing a house with a nearly 17,000-square-foot building with two- and three-bedroom condos. It needed eight votes to pass, so it failed. The developer had been asking to rezone the site from C1B (community convenience center) to C1A (campus business district). Several neighbors sent letters of support for the project, but council members had concerns about having campus business zoning outside the University of Michigan campus area. Some council members suggested they may be willing to approve the project if it came back as a planned unit development, or PUD, which could include public benefits such as affordable housing. The developer submitted a PUD proposal in November, with the offer of contributing to the citys affordable housing fund. New design drawings were submitted in December. The development is still proposed by 325 E. Summit Condos LLC, a company registered to Anderson. The partnership paid $900,000 to buy the property in 2018 and development costs are estimated at $4.5 million. As proposed before, the project still includes four floors of condos rising above a lower parking level with 14 spaces for cars, plus a green roof planted with vegetation to help manage stormwater. The building would rise five stories, but due to grade changes it would appear as four stories from the front. The PUD proposal describes it as a modest residential building designed to fit nicely within an evolving neighborhood. This neighborhood/area will likely witness increases in density (residential, commercial and retail) in the near future based upon already approved and recently proposed projects, it states. The proposed reuse/redevelopment of this site in usage patterns consistent with the area and the downtown offers a more efficient use of a limited resource namely the land within the city and existing city infrastructure. Each condo would have outdoor patio space and each car parking space would be prepped for electric vehicle charging stations. Environmental contamination on the site also would be removed at no cost to the city, the proposal states. The plans show the 10 condos would range in size from 1,132 to 1,744 square feet. New condos near downtown Ann Arbor have been selling for more than $500 per square foot. Read more Ann Arbor development stories. Boston, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During night-time hours (local time in Iraq) of 2nd January, US President Donald Trump sanctioned drone strikes near Baghdad International Airport (BGW) that killed General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC). The US claimed Soleimani was planning attacks on US diplomatic staff throughout the region. Soleimani was killed alongside Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, the leader of Kataib Hezbollah, an influential Iranian proxy in Iraq. Soleimanis death comes amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Supporters of Kataib Hezbollah stormed the US embassy on 31st December, with militiamen burning guard towers and entering the compounds reception area, which resulted in US forces using tear gas to disperse the crowds. The incident occurred following US airstrikes Kataib Hezbollah facilities in al-Qaim and across the border in Syria on 29th December. The United States Department of Defense has stated that Soleimani was killed as a defensive action to protect US personnel. The US has issued an evacuation notice for all its citizens in Iraq and numerous western embassies have also released statements warning their citizens to avoid large crowds. Soleimanis killing has sparked bellicose rhetoric from the Iranian leadership, with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif all calling the US actions criminal and calling for severe retaliation. The influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has reactivated his Mahdi Army, which waged an insurgency against US troops in 2007. Foreign oil companies are evacuating personnel through Iraqs Basra airport. Healix/HX Global Assessment Soleimanis killing is a major escalation in tensions between the US and Iran. Soleimani was arguably the second most powerful man in Iran behind Ayatollah Khameini and was responsible for providing training, weapons and organisational guidance to Iranian proxy groups throughout the Middle East. Story continues Hostilities between Iran and the US in recent months have primarily been limited to tit-for-tat attacks, such as tanker seizures and rockets fired at the US embassy in Iraq that were not intended to cause any damage. The killing of Soleimani, however, is a staunch departure from the previously limited nature of hostilities. While the timing of Soleimanis killing was likely decided following the storming of the US embassy, Soleimanis position as a key conductor of attacks on Saudi and American infrastructure made him a high priority target for the US. Israel had been pressing for Soleimani to be killed for several years. Soleimanis killing is an undeniable setback for the IRGC. His killing not only significantly raises the prospect of direct conflict between the US and Iran, but Iran is likely to utilise its proxy groups to carry out significant attacks on the US and its allies interests throughout the region. This includes US military bases in the Gulf states, tankers and US ships in the Gulf waters such as the Strait of Hormuz, US embassies and bases in Iraq and across the region, the US embassy in Lebanon and Israels northern border with Lebanon. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) are reportedly on high alert on the northern border and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cut short a visit abroad, demonstrating that there is a concern of potential reprisal attacks by Hezbollah militants on Israeli soil. The deployment of troops is likely to be pre-emptive. Soleimanis killing may also exacerbate prevalent anti-government protests currently occurring in Baghdad and southern governorates in Iraq. One of the protest movements key demands was an end to foreign influence, be it Iranian or American, and the incident raises the chance of increased attendance at demonstrations. Foreign interests are liable to be targeted. Forecast While Irans response is unpredictable, it is most likely that direct conflict between the US and Iran on Iranian soil remains unlikely. Proxy attacks will increase significantly over the coming months, which will trigger American drone and airstrikes on Iranian proxy groups positions The Healix/HX Global team does not anticipate threats emerging to foreign interests in the UAE and Kuwait. Iran will also restart its maritime attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran will wield its significant influence on Iraqs parliament to pass a motion that US troops should leave Iraq, in hope of making any remaining US soldiers seem like an occupying force. The US will send small troop deployments to its facilities and military bases across the region in order to secure them. Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia are likely to resume in the coming months. Cyber-attacks on US assets are likely. A worst-case scenario would mean that Iran responds by killing US military personnel in Iraq or another Middle Eastern country. This leads President Trump to conduct airstrikes on Iranian military bases within Iran. This scenario would also mean that the US issues evacuation notices for its staff in other embassies throughout the region, such as Lebanon. It may also mean that Western interests are attacked throughout the Middle East, which includes terrorist attacks on US embassies throughout the region. Advice for travellers from HX Global/Healix International Security Experts If you or any of your employees are currently traveling in this area, our team of security experts have put together the following advice on how to stay safe. Healix has extensive experience operating in the Middle East; if you have a need for a more in-depth conversation or believe you may require a security evacuation, please reach out to gsoc@healix.com for additional information. Security managers with assets throughout the Middle East should ensure that evacuation plans are current, actionable and regularly tested in case of a rapid deterioration in the security environment. Escalatory triggers to look out for include: Death of US military personnel/contractors Further US assassinations of top Iranian military generals. Attack on US infrastructure in a gulf country such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Bahrain. Large US troop deployment to the Middle East (50k+). Monitor independent news sources for updates, as local media in the Middle East can often be skewed and favourable towards a specific government. Reliable sources include western media outlets such as the BBC, NYT, the Guardian, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal and Middle East-focused websites such as Al-Monitor, Al-Jazeera, the Middle East Eye, the Jordan Times and Haaretz. Ensure that employees being deployed to the region are fully briefed on the political and security developments in Iraq and any other potential destinations. Ensure employees are staying in secure and accredited accommodation that can double-up as a stand-fast location for at least 96 hours in case of a rapid deterioration in the security environment in their country of deployment. Traveler-specific advice: Defer all inbound travel to Iraq throughout January. Travel across the Middle East can continue under our current travel advice; US citizens should be extremely cautious and maintain a low profile. Contact the Healix GSOC for itinerary- and profile-specific advice for travel throughout the Middle East. All demonstrations and public gatherings related to Soleimanis death should be avoided owing to the risk of unrest. Monitor the Healix Travel Oracle App and US embassy alerts for updated travel advice and security alerts. Stephanie Miller Director, Corporate Communications and Brand Strategy HX Global, Inc. T:+1 215 282 5150, ext. 708 | +1 617 750 7907 | At the checkpoint of the National Police near Mariupol, lawmaker of the Berdyansk City Council, Viktor Tsukanov, was detained. He was with his wife and child. Tsukanov said this on his page on Facebook. According to him, the police accused him of terrorism. Firstly we went to the skating rink in Mariupol, and after that we gave testimony first to the Security Service of Ukraine and then to the Mangush police station that I was not a terrorist. From 17-00 to 20-40 hours we spent an unforgettable time at our Ukrainian block post, proving that in 2014 I carried humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian army, and not to the Donbas militants - he wrote. Tsukanov said that the police did not want to accept a statement about abuse of office by law enforcement officers. As we reported, Russia has put Crimean activist Oleh Prykhodko to the list of people involved in extremist activities or terrorism. Amid the cracks in the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress, with Shiv Sena Minister Abdul Sattar tendering his resignation on Saturday, Sena MP Sanjay Raut has replied to Amit Shah's challenge 'won't roll back an inch of CAA'. Raut, while addressing an Anti-CAA & NRC event by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said that the Opposition will make BJP rollback the amended Citizenship Act. Stating that Shah was a new Home Minister, he said that he will learn soon. Shiv Sena replies to Amit Shah's 'rollback' challenge "The government has said that 'We won't roll back an inch of CAA'. But we will push you back," he said adding, "Many big leaders have come and gone. No one has a monopoly on patriotism. We are more patriotic". Aaditya Thackeray now skips anti-CAA event having Umar Khalid; Rohit Pawar still on panel Dismissing Amit Shah's proclamation, he pointed out that while the BJP had maintained that all problems were due to Congress, where was the BJP at that time. Raut said, "I laughed at the statement of Home Minister, he is new, very soon he will understand. In the Parliament, he says the country is facing problems and what has happened is because of Congress, I want to ask him, where were you at that time?" Siding with another Opposition leader and unlikely ally - Mamata Banerjee, he said, "Mamata Banerjee rightly said that is Modi Pakistans PM? Even we are charged of talking the language of Pakistan but it is PM who always talks like Pakistan PM". The BJP has kickstarted its pro-CAA outreach program with PM Modi, on Thursday slamming the Opposition for concentrating on the Act and not Pakistan. MASSIVE: Big setback to Maha Vikas Aghadi; Abdul Sattar resigns as minister Amit Shah: 'Won't rollback an inch of CAA' Earlier on Friday, reiterating that the amended Citizenship Act was to stay, BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah said that the BJP will stand by the Act and not even let a single inch rollback, at a pro-CAA rally in Jodhpur. He also clarified that no one will be affected by the Act as those who were religiously persecuted and coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh living in India will get citizenship. Moreover, he slammed the Congress and other Opposition leaders for misinforming the students who were raising boards against the Act. The pleas challenging the Act is still pending in the Supreme Court. Shiv Sena slams Pak PM Imran Khan over Nankana Sahib attack, calls it 'deplorable' "You are misleading people. I wish to say that this Act is for religiously persecuted minorities of Hindu, Muslim, Buddhism, Sikh and Christian faiths and have settled in India. I see all your boards raised saying that your citizenship will be taken away. But the BJP will not rollback the CAA by a single inch," he proclaimed. Amit Shah takes a stand, says 'Won't rollback CAA even by an inch' at fiery Jodhpur rally The expected Turkish deployment of troops to Libya could escalate instability in the Sahel region, which includes Nigerias extreme north, an expert has said. The Turkish legislature approved the bill for the deployment on Thursday after President Recep Erdogan announced the plan last December to intervene in the Libyan conflict on the side of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord officially recognised by the United Nations. For the Sahel region, you can expect more jihadists, said Femi Mimiko, a professor of Political Science at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, commenting on the Turkish intervention. The development further internationalises the armed conflict in Libya, which has been torn by civil war since a NATO-led invasion led to the fall and killing of Muammar Gaddafi. Taking sides Already, Russia, Egypt, Jordan and UAE are backing the forces of Khalifa Haftar, a former late Gaddafis ally, who is pushing from the countrys east to oust the GNA from Tripoli. No authority has had full control over Libya since the fall of Gaddafi. Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari, has repeatedly blamed the situation in Libya for the flow of arms bandits and terrorists used in Nigeria. Apart from Boko Haram terrorism, which affects the entire Lake Chad region, Nigeria also faces trouble posed by bandits and armed herders whose arms Mr Buhari has often said comes from Libya. Meanwhile, before the official approval of Mr Erdogans bill to deploy troops to Libya, there had been reports that mercenaries trained in the Turkish camps in Syria were being airlifted to Libya on the side of the Tripoli-based government on contract for a time spanning between three and six months. Russian-backed mercenaries and those from Chad are also reported to be fighting for the Haftars forces, now threatening the internationally recognised government as they tighten grip on Tripoli. Expert take More jihadists are likely going to emerge to heighten the spate of terrorist actions across the region, where Frances strong involvement is the only credible counter measure in the face of the rather weak state institutions in the region, Mr Mimiko further said in an email sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. The professor said the French demonstrated fatigue over operations in the Sahel region could loosen measures against terrorists penetration. That is why French President Emmanuel Macrons demonstrated fatigue over his countrys continued operations in the Sahel portends danger for the stability of the region. It may embolden the terrorists, and thus increase their acts against countries like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, among others of course, with considerable spillover effects for Nigeria, he said. Game Changer Mr Mimiko said, Turkeys moves to directly intervene in Libya is a game-changer, as the intervention would no doubt trigger further escalation of an already tricky situation. The capital Tripoli where the GNA is based is surrounded by the Haftars forces who are pushing from the countrys east. But with Turkeys intervention, a hope of final fall of the GNA may be far from reality, suggested Mr. Mimiko. He said, It certainly would make it pretty difficult for Halifa Hafta to achieve his aim of overrunning Tripoli. The countries that gave his putsch tactical support actually expected a blitzkrieg of sort a fast, concise and effective operation that would get him into the Libyan capital quickly; and present the world with a fait accompli. That did not happen; and the chances of that happening now with Turkish interference has receded considerably. That Hafta may seek to rapidly escalate in the days ahead in the hope that his mission could be accomplished before actual Turkish deployment starts, does not detract from this. Ripples In a joint statement on Friday, the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President of Cypriot Nicos Anastasiades warned that the Turkish deployment of troops to Libya is a dangerous threat to regional stability. They said Turkish intervention was a gross violation of a UN-imposed arms embargo on Libya. Egypt, which backs the Haftar forces, also said Turkish troops deployment would negatively affect the stability of the Mediterranean region. Advertisements However, Mr. Mimiko said that Turkeys involvement is a legitimate act, explaining that a formal request was made by the government of Libya which is recognised by the United Nations. Mr. Mimiko said the assassination of Irans General Quassem Soleimani, which took place in the early hours of Friday and the expected backlash, have further complicated the situation. These are obviously not the best of times for the course of moderation, peace and stability in the Middle East and North America (MENA), he said. A spokesperson for Nigerias Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said Abuja is studying the situation in Libya and will align itself with the position of the AU when declared. Nigeria will definitely oppose any escalation of the conflict in Libya, he added. When I met the young woman at the heart of the Cyprus rape case, I knew instantly that she had been the victim of a serious sexual assault. It was the way she spoke, the terror in her eyes, and other classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as hyper-vigilance and wanting to sleep all the time. Her wonderfully protective mother, who had invited me to go to Cyprus as she was desperate for help from feminists such as myself, is also traumatised but she is doing her very best to prevent the young woman from crashing into a major breakdown. Yet we have blamed the victim. Thats what we tend to do with women who have any sexual history whatsoever when they report rape. When I met the young woman at the heart of the Cyprus rape case, I knew instantly that she had been the victim of a serious sexual assault, writes Julie Bindel She was very clear and open about having consensually dated one of the young men who was later accused of rape. At 18, the age she was when allegedly gang-raped, it is perfectly reasonable that this woman might enjoy consensual sex. Why wouldnt she? After all, packs of young men visit the resort in Cyprus and elsewhere looking for exactly that. But I would stake my life on the fact that this young woman has told the truth, but was bullied out of telling her story by authoritarian and misogynistic police officers on the island. Why is it that women such as this teenager are so often assumed to be lying about rape? In the UK right now, of all the rape allegations reported to police, only 1.4 per cent end with a conviction in court, which is the lowest number since records began. The Briton (right) leaves court after being found guilty of lying her mask with lips sewn up signifies the fact that her voice is being silenced Does that mean that 98.6 per cent of women who report rape are lying? Or might it mean that men are getting away with it because young women such as this one, who have the nerve to enjoy sun, sea and sex when on holiday, are seen as worthless slags? I am aware that there is a tiny number of rape complaints that are either inaccurate or even false, but these are almost non-existent. Rape may as well be decriminalised, and its not just the UK that has a problem. In Cyprus, the number of rapes that end in conviction is also abysmally low, and a big reason for this is not as many people say due to her word against his or a lack of concrete evidence. The fault is the rape culture in which we live. Women are assumed to be lying, and men are either viewed sympathetically, with the attitude that boys will be boys, or let off the hook because the woman was in some way asking for it. This can mean anything from drinking or wearing short skirts to enjoying herself on holiday. If we do not stand up and protest about the torture of this young woman, we can expect that more young men will become sexual predators, because they are very unlikely to ever fall into the hands of the law. And for women that would be a disaster. On Christmas Eve, Bec Chin revealed that she and her husband Dean Vicelich are expecting their second child. And on Saturday, the family enjoyed an idyllic day at the beach at Maitland Bay, New South Wales. The 32-year-old - who shot to fame in Sam Wood's season of The Bachelor - took to Instagram to share three snaps from the sunny day out. 'Keeping cool!' Former Bachelor star Bec Chin (right) enjoyed an idyllic day at the beach with daughter Savannah (left) and husband Dean at Maitland Bay, New South Wales on Saturday In the first one, Bec, wearing black swimwear, held her delighted young daughter, Savannah Rose, one, in the air as they played in the waves. In another snap, Savannah wears a little life vest and hat as she plays in the shallows of the deep blue water. A third photo shows daddy Dean proudly holding his toddler daughter as he stands on the shore after a swim. Sweet! One Instagram photo shared on Saturday shows daddy Dean Vicelich (pictured) proudly holding his toddler daughter as he stands on the shore after a swim The former reality star captioned the set of delightfully summery photographs: 'Keeping cool! Heatwave' The former reality star captioned the set of delightfully summery photographs: 'Keeping cool! Heatwave'. Bec revealed the family are soon welcoming another addition when she shared a photo of Savannah holding an ultrasound image of her soon-to-be sibling on Christmas Eve. She captioned that sweet snap: 'The greatest gift of all' and also shared a photo of her family in front of the Christmas tree. New arrival! Bec revealed the family are soon welcoming another addition when she shared a photo of Savannah holding an ultrasound image of her soon-to-be sibling on Christmas Eve Baby on board! Posing in a black bikini, Bec showed off her bump in another beach photo taken on Bronte beach, Sydney, earlier this week She captioned that sweet snap: 'The greatest gift of all' and also shared a photo of her family in front of the Christmas tree Posing in a black bikini, Bec showed off her bump in another beach photo taken on Bronte beach, Sydney, earlier this week. Bec tied the knot with personal trainer Dean in a lavish ceremony held in the New South Wales' Hunter Valley in September 2018. They began dating in mid-2015, shortly after the brunette beauty was booted off The Bachelor by Sam Wood. The couple announced their engagement in August 2017, and became parents to Savannah Rose in December of the same year. BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Saturday questioned whether Navjot Singh Sidhu will hug the ISI chief after the alleged attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan New Delhi: Condemning the alleged attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Saturday said she didn't know where Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has fled and questioned whether he will hug the ISI chief after this incident. Addressing a joint conference here with BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, she said that there have been consistent acts of violence on religious places in Pakistan and minorities have been subject to threats of conversion and rapes for decades. There have been thousands of incidents where young girls have been picked up, forcibly converted and married off to Muslim boys, while the police, government and other agencies are part and parcel of the process, Lekhi alleged. The Nankana incident shows how minorities there are persecuted there, she claimed. "The persecution continues unabated since the creation of Pakistan, resulting in forced migration of such persecuted minorities into India. This not only justifies the necessity of an act like the CAA but also stresses the need for its immediate implementation. Pakistan now proves that CAA is right and is timely," she said. Citing that Nankana Sahib is the holiest shrine for Sikhs, Lekhi said that attacks on it are equivalent to someone attacking Kaaba or Jerusalem. "I don't know where Sidhu paaji has fled. Somebody should find out where Navjot Singh Sidhu is. If even after all this, he wants to hug the ISI chief, then Congress should look into it," Lekhi said. "Pakistan and (its) society must know that Pakistani Sikhs are the offsprings of that soil and continue to have faith and duty towards that soil and thus, did not migrate and chose to remain there," she added. She claimed that they had even threatened to change the name of Nankana Sahib to Ghulam-e-Mustafa and stressed that this was the condition in Pakistan in the 21st century. Chug said the incident should open the eyes of Congress leaders, opposition parties and "urban Naxals" who have been opposing the amended Citizenship Act. He also questioned the silence of the Kerala chief minister as the state assembly recently had passed a resolution against the CAA. Chug also thanked the Ministry of External Affairs for calling upon the neighbouring country to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community there. The ministry said members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Devji. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place," the MEA said in a statement. "We call upon Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the MEA added. Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, attends an annual rally commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, in Tehran, Iran on Feb. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File) Homeland Security Chief Says There Is No Specific Threat After Iran Generals Death Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said there is currently no threat to the United States following the airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, on Thursday evening. While there are currently no specific, credible threats against our homeland, DHS continues to monitor the situation and work with our Federal, State, and local partners to ensure the safety of every American, he said in a statement on Friday. He added, As a result of yesterdays military action, I convened senior DHS leadership last night and earlier this morning to assess potential new threats and component actions to respond to the constantly evolving threat landscape. The entire Department remains vigilant and stands ready, as always, to defend the Homeland. The New York City Police Department and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio both said they are on alert for any suspicious activity in the wake of the incident. What we have to assume based on previous knowledge is that the Iranians would have an interest in prominent targets, well-known American locations, de Blasio said on Twitter. The head of the NYPDs intelligence and counter-terrorism unit, John Miller, said that there were greater threats to people abroad. I think the more likely response in the near term would be overseas where Iran has in place proxies, in places like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and others, Miller told ABC News. But we cant rely on that as New York City. We have to protect New York City. The Los Angeles Police Department wrote on Twitter that it was also monitoring the situation closely. While there is no credible threat to Los Angeles, the LAPD is monitoring the events developing in Iran. We will continue to communicate with state, local, federal and international law enforcement partners regarding any significant intel that may develop, the department wrote. The mayor of Washington said its officials are also on alert. While there are no immediate threats to the District of Columbia, we remain vigilant and [Metropolitan Police Department] & [DC Emergency Management and Homeland Security] will remain in close contact with regional and federal partners to monitor evolving eventsboth at home and abroad. As always, we remind members of the public if they see something, say something by contacting law enforcement of any suspicious activity, Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement to media outlets. President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon said the strike was carried out to prevent the possibility of war, and he said it wasnt designed to bring about regime change in Iran. We do not seek regime change, however, the Iranian regimes aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors must end and it must end now, the president affirmed. I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary and that in particular refers to Iran, Trump said. Washington, Jan 4 : Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has urged the US Supreme Court to reconsider a lower court's decision that challenged the popular healthcare law signed by former President Barack Obama. On Friday Ferguson said the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or better known as Obamacare, which Obama signed into law in March 2010, was much needed by Washington residents, reports Xinhua news agency. "Without the ACA, hundreds of thousands of hardworking Washingtonians will lose access to affordable health care coverage, and many more will face devastating cost increases," Ferguson said. More than 800,000 Washington residents depend on the ACA for their healthcare, according to his office. Ferguson said that the rate of people who had no medical insurance has dropped by 60 per cent in Washington since the ACA took effect about 10 years ago. He warned that if the ACA is eliminated, more than 600,000 people enrolled in the ACA's Medicaid programme would lose coverage, and patients would "be subject to annual and lifetime limits to their health benefits". Washington joined a coalition of 20 Democratic-led states to seek review of a decision in the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which ruled part of the law was unconstitutional, without final words on whether its remaining provisions were valid or not. The lawsuit went back to the Northern District of Texas, where Republican-led states challenged the law and wanted to have it repealed. (Natural News) If the Democrat Left ever gets their way, Americans by the millions will become slaves to an authoritarian state. But before that happens, well all become victims of the most sinister and barbaric among us because we will have been disarmed, completely, by the Donkey Party (which, of course, will be well-defended and protected by men and women with guns). The latest church shooting occurred once again in Texas, but this one did not turn out like the one in Sutherland Springs in November 2017, where 26 people were killed and another 20 injured by a former U.S. Air Force airman who should not have been legally able to buy guns because of a criminal record while serving. Rather than double down on victimhood, majority Republicans in the Texas legislature got together and sent Gov. Greg Abbott legislation that extended the right of armed self-defense to churchgoers. The result: The shooting at the West Freeway Church of Christ Dec. 30 was far less deadly. As The Washington Times reported: During Sundays attack, parishioners Richard White and Jack Wilson sprang into action after a gunman opened fire at the church in White Settlement. The attack lasted only six seconds before Mr. Wilson, a former reserve sheriffs deputy and Army veteran, fatally shot the gunman. White, an armed member of the churchs volunteer security team, drew his weapon and fired a shot into the wall before he was fatally shot by the gunman, Mr. Wilson said Monday. One other church member was also killed in the attack. So yes, there were deaths of innocent people. But there were far fewer deaths than there would have been if no one had been armed and ready to respond. Nevertheless, in a column by Elvia Diaz originally for the Arizona Republic but republished by USA Today, while crediting the parishioners for their quick actions nevertheless lamented that the incident would be championed by gun advocates as the right policy to adopt everywhere. (Related: Are Republicans preparing to sell out constituents over gun control following Texas church shooting?) Shall not be infringed means what it says Wilson, she said, was trained in the use of a weapon so hes exactly the kind of man you want around with a firearm. But she complained that not as much was known about six other churchgoers who drew their weapons, and thats terrifying. [H]ave we really reached a point when each of us need to carry a firearm anywhere we go? she asked. In a word, yes, but thats not even the right question because life in America is inherently safer today than it was 100 years ago or even 230 years ago when the Constitution was being debated and ratified. Whats more, lets just say that the law in Texas still forbade anyone from carrying a gun inside a church; that didnt matter in Sutherland Springs and it wouldnt have mattered at White Settlement. Also, Diaz writes, The Second Amendment gives Americans the right to bear arms. And that isnt going anywhere. But that constitutional amendment doesnt spell out the types of firearms Americans should bear, nor does it give Americans the right to sell them to anyone to carry anywhere. Again, thats not even the right point to make. The Second Amendment pertains to firearms, period so yeah, specific firearms are not mentioned (does she really believe the founders never thought someone would invent a better gun than those they had in 1787?). The amendment also makes this important distinction: That the right shall not be infringed. Any law that restricts firearms, firearms ownership, or where someone can take that firearm is an infringement. Its like saying Americans can have free speech on the street corner but not in a library; we can freely worship any god (or no god) we want, but we cant wear a religious symbol in a Walmart store, etc. Fact is, there is nothing more terrifying that being victimized without having any means of self-defense. Anyone whos ever been in that position knows that for a fact. Sources include: PJMedia.com WashingtonTimes.com NaturalNews.com A delegation of Muslim leaders visited the Nankana Sahib on Saturday to interact with the members of the Sikh community and condemned yesterday's mob attack on the holy Sikh shrine. Pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Chawla (in the purple turban in the picture) was also seen with the delegation. An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of the gurdwara's panthi. India has strongly condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at the Sikh shrine and called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. The gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX) (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced the commencement of a tender offer to purchase up to 3,030,303 shares, or about 3.3%, of its outstanding common stock using funds available from cash and cash equivalents at a price of $3.30 per share. The tender offer will expire at the end of the day, 5:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on February 3, 2020, unless extended or withdrawn. The Board of Directors determined that it is in the Companys best interest to repurchase shares at this time given Diana Shippings cash position and stock price. The tender offer is not conditioned upon any minimum number of shares being tendered; however, the tender offer is subject to a number of other terms and conditions. Specific instructions and an explanation of the terms and conditions of the tender offer are contained in the Offer to Purchase and related materials that are being mailed to shareholders. Diana Shipping Inc. has retained Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as the depositary for the tender offer and Georgeson LLC as the information agent. Copies of the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery are being mailed to the Companys shareholders. Additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal or the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery may be obtained at the Companys expense from the information agent at (800) 248-7690 (toll free). Questions regarding the tender offer should be directed to the information agent at (800) 248-7690 (toll free). Parties outside the U.S. can reach the information agent at +1-781-575-2137. About the Company Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. Story continues Certain Information Regarding the Tender Offer The information in this press release describing Diana Shipping Inc.s tender offer is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Diana Shipping Inc.s common stock in the tender offer. The tender offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the related materials that Diana Shipping Inc. is distributing to its shareholders, as they may be amended or supplemented. Shareholders should read such Offer to Purchase and related materials carefully and in their entirety because they contain important information, including the various terms and conditions of the tender offer. Shareholders of Diana Shipping Inc. may obtain a free copy of the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO, the Offer to Purchase and other documents that Diana Shipping Inc. is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission from the Securities and Exchange Commissions website at www.sec.gov. Shareholders may also obtain a copy of these documents, without charge, from Georgeson LLC, the information agent for the tender offer, toll free at (800) 248-7690. Shareholders are urged to carefully read all of these materials prior to making any decision with respect to the tender offer. Shareholders and investors who have questions or need assistance may call Georgeson LLC, the information agent for the tender offer, toll free at (800) 248-7690. Parties outside the U.S. can reach the information agent at +1-781-575-2137. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Corporate Contact: Ioannis Zafirakis Director, Chief Strategy Officer and Secretary Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100 Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com Website: www.dianashippinginc.com Investor and Media Relations: Edward Nebb Comm-Counsellors, LLC Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350 Email: enebb@optonline.net Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 12:51:48|Editor: Liu Video Player Close LA PAZ, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has decided to hold general elections on May 3, the court's vice President Oscar Hassenteufel said on Friday. "The first Sunday in May," the official told reporters at a public event in the southern city of Sucre, adding the official announcement will be made on Monday. Bolivia has been plunged into political uncertainty since right-wing opposition factions rejected the re-election of the country's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, to a fourth term in October elections, citing electoral fraud. Morales resigned and fled to Mexico after Bolivia's military and police forces sided with the conservative opposition and withdrew their support for his leadership. He later relocated to Argentina. Opposition lawmaker Jeanine Anez took over as interim president and presided over the process to hold new elections, with the participation of the Legislative Assembly, where Morales' Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party holds a majority of seats. The MAS has yet to name its presidential candidate and running mate while several opposition parties have already announced theirs. They include Luis Fernando Camacho, a major critic of Morales; President of the Potosinists Civic Committee Marco Pumari; former President Carlos Mesa, and Felix Patzi, governor of La Paz. Also on Friday, Salvador Romero, president of the TSE, told reporters in La Paz that more details of the election schedule will be released on Monday. He added the budget for these elections will be much smaller than that for the Oct. 20 elections, which cost 217.3 million bolivianos (31.5 million U.S. dollars). "Serving in the military changes you. The shades and degrees of change vary for everyone, but no one is ever the same as... Boris Johnson exclaimed 'F***' upon first learning of Donald Trump's drone strike on the top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, reports say. The Prime Minister is on holiday in Mustique with girlfriend Carrie Symonds and was informed of the killing over the phone on Friday. Britain, unlike Israel, was not given prior warning of the attack which has already threatened to destabilise the Middle East and provoke a retaliation to the West. Boris Johnson reportedly exclaimed 'F***' upon first learning of Donald Trump's drone strike on the top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani Britain was not given prior warning of the attack which resulted in the death of Qassem Soleimani Mr Johnson had the four-letter outburst after British troops first learned of the airstrike from their US counterparts stationed together in Baghdad, The Mirror reported. He has been criticised for not cutting short his Caribbean break or speaking out about the seismic event but he is now due to fly home on Sunday. Furious British security officials have now accused No 10 of allowing a 'political vacuum' to open up while Mr Johnson was on holiday, during which he failed to make any comment on the incident. Downing Street insisted that Mr Johnson would be briefed in full on the situation once he returns to work, including on the possibility of retaliatory actions Iran might take against the UK. He will likely be greeted by Sir Mark Sedwill, the National Security Adviser, who has been locked in meetings today with the heads of the UK intelligence agencies on potential risks to ships and citizens in the Middle East. Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds have been unwinding at one of the worlds most luxurious hideaways With its three staff, the villa boasts four-poster beds, open-air terraces and living quarters set around a pool Number 10 declined to comment on Mr Johnson's reaction to the news of the killing. Jeremy Corbyn, known for his pacifism, says he would have immediately left his holiday to help defuse a situation which 'could have grave consequences for the UK and the world.' Similarly, Labour's Angela Rayner said Mr Johnson must return and leaving diplomacy in the hands of Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was unwise. The Prime Minister and Carrie Symonds have been staying in a 20,000-per-week villa on the luxury private island of Mustique. But a break from geopolitical conflict he did not receive and he is now being whisked back to the UK. When he was Mayor of London, Mr Johnson refused to cut short a family holiday to Canada in 2011 when the riots broke out, and faced angry heckles when he returned. US President Donald Trump has decided to resume a military training programme for Pakistan that was cut off in 2018 while retaining a suspension in security-related aid, the top American diplomat for South Asia has announced. The resumption of the International Military Education and Training (IMET) for Pakistan was announced through a tweet by principal deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asian affairs Alice Wells early on Saturday morning, about seven hours after secretary of state Mike Pompeo called Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa to discuss the fallout of the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Wells said in the tweet that Trump authorised the resumption of the IMET programme for Pakistan to strengthen mil2mil (military-to-military) cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security. To strengthen mil2mil cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security, @POTUS authorized the resumption of International Military Education and Training #IMET for Pakistan. The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect. AGW State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 3, 2020 She added that the overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect. The IMET programme for Pakistan, seen by US officials as a key trust-building measure, was cut off in August 2018, months after Trump famously announced the suspension of some $2 billion in security aid in a New Years day tweet. In that tweet, Trump had accused Pakistan of giving the US nothing but lies & deceit in return for more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years. He had also given safe haven to the terrorists the US was hunting in Afghanistan, Trump had tweeted. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 Pompeo, who spent Friday reaching out to his counterparts in the UK, Germany, France and Russia and the Afghan and Iraqi presidents, opted to contact Pakistans military leadership, and not the civilian administration headed by Imran Khan, to discuss the fallout of the killing of Soleimani, the commander of the al-Quds Force foreign operations wing of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The US secretary of state tweeted he had spoken to the Pakistan Army chief about U.S. defensive action to kill Qassem Soleimani. He added: The #Iran regimes actions in the region are destabilizing and our resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities, and partners will not waver. #Pakistan's Chief of Staff General Bajwa and I spoke today about U.S. defensive action to kill Qassem Soleimani. The #Iran regimes actions in the region are destabilizing and our resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities, and partners will not waver. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020 Bajwa, according to the Pakistani militarys media arm, emphasised to Pompeo the need for maximum restraint and constructive engagement by all concerned to de-escalate the situation in broader interest of peace and stability. Bajwa also reiterated the need for maintaining focus on success of (the) Afghan Peace Process. The resumption of the IMET programme also sparked speculation that the US envisaged a role for Pakistan in dealing with the tensions caused by Soleimanis killing. Pakistan has good ties with both Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two key players in West Asia, though Prime Minister Imran Khans recent efforts to broker peace talks between the two rivals did not result in any success. However, Pompeos outreach to the military leadership was criticised by Pakistani politicians, with Pakistan Peoples Party leader Farhatullah Babar describing the move as a national embarrassment and a travesty. Babar tweeted: Secretary Pompeo is wrong in directly calling Gen Bajwa. He should have called corresponding Pak civilian leadership to explain US position. By calling army chief directly & bypassing civilian leadership Pompeo is undermining democratic and civilian governance in Pakistan. Pompeos move comes at a sensitive juncture in Pakistans civil-military relations as the Parliament is discussing amendments to crucial laws to validate a three-year extension in service given by Prime Minister Khan to Bajwa. Pakistans Supreme Court initially blocked the three-year extension, though it subsequently granted an extension of only six months to Bajwa and asked Parliament to make a law regarding the matter. Bajwa was set to retire at the end of November last year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Officials vow legal action after turtle nest raided, eggs stolen PHUKET: Officers from the Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park are to file a criminal complaint to police after a leatherback turtle nest was found raided on the beach north of Thai Mueang, north of Phuket, this morning (Jan 4). marineanimalsenvironmentnatural-resourcescrime By The Phuket News Saturday 4 January 2020, 06:05PM The tracks made by a turtle estimated to have a shell about 50cm wide and about 155cm long led to a nest that contained only two leatherback turtle eggs. Both eggs were spoiled and would not have produced hatchlings, said the turtle patrol officers. Photo: DMCR The tracks made by a turtle estimated to have a shell about 50cm wide and about 155cm long led to a nest that contained only two leatherback turtle eggs. Both eggs were spoiled and would not have produced hatchlings, said the turtle patrol officers. Photo: DMCR The tracks made by a turtle estimated to have a shell about 50cm wide and about 155cm long led to a nest that contained only two leatherback turtle eggs. Both eggs were spoiled and would not have produced hatchlings, said the turtle patrol officers. Photo: DMCR The tracks made by a turtle estimated to have a shell about 50cm wide and about 155cm long led to a nest that contained only two leatherback turtle eggs. Both eggs were spoiled and would not have produced hatchlings, said the turtle patrol officers. Photo: DMCR A turtle patrol along the beach by officers from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) found tracks in the sand at Na Yak Beach in Moo 4, Tambon Lamkaen, Thai Muang District, soon after sunrise. The site of the nest was about 11km north of the Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park main office, the officers reported. The tracks made by a turtle estimated to have a shell about 50cm wide and about 155cm long led to a nest that contained only two leatherback turtle eggs. Both eggs were spoiled and would not have produced hatchlings, the officers noted. The turtle patrol officers excavated the sand around the nest, but no other eggs were found at the site. Turtles usually lay clutches of anywhere from about 50 up to about 100 eggs in one laying. This led the officers to suspect that the eggs had been stolen from the nest, despite recent efforts by wildlife officers to increase protection of turtles, including a push for form turtle protection zones outside national park areas in Phuket and Phang Nga. (See story here.) The DMCR officers noted they would gather all the evidence from the site to hand over to Khao Lam Pi National Park - Hat Thai Mueang national park officers, who are to file a formal criminal complaint for the theft to Thai Muang Police Station to search for offenders to prosecute. Well-known marine animal conservationist Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, today railed against the suspected theft, accusing the perpetrators of robbing young children of good bedtime stories about precious turtles. I don't blame the authorities, because we all know how hard they work. The beach is 10-20 kilometers long, and leatherback turtles can lay eggs anywhere at anytime, Dr Thon said. Dr Thon called for authorities to track down and prosecute the nest raiders. Leatherback turtles are protected animals. The people who did this must be caught and prosecuted, he said, adding that stealing turtle eggs was illegal under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act 2019. If found guilty, perpetrators were liable to three to 15 years imprisonment or a fine of B300,000 to B1.5 million, or both. Dr Thon also reminded people that they could make easy money of B20,000 reward just by reporting finding the turtle eggs to national park officers. People who report finding a turtle nest receive the money quickly, he said. Two fishermen received B10,000 each after reporting finding a turtle nest just last month. (See story here.) : DMK president M K Stalin on Saturday took time off his routine political activity to spend golden moments with his classmates and teachers at the reunion of students (of 1970 batch) of Madras Christian College School here. The opposition party leader in the assembly, who turns 67 in March, met his classmates and teachers. Stalin, normally seen clad in a white shirt and dhoti, wore a T-shirt with the school emblem along with an identity card and took selfies with his classmates. After recalling his days on how he used to play truant, Stalin along with his wife Durga had food at the school and also took group photos with the alumni. Talking to reporters later, he said, "I got an opportunity to meet my classmates and teachers after a gap of 50 years. I consider this as an unforgettable moment in my life". "I joined Class six 'A' Tamil section. I visited the classrooms of standards six and seven. During my interaction with the past students, I recalled how we skipped classes, how we went out of the premises to buy a pencil...", he said. Asked as how his experience was when he joined the school through a Mayor in 1970 and had also served Chennai as its Mayor, Stalin quipped, "I have not come here as a Mayor. As an opposition party leader." "(In the past), I have come here as a Mayor, MLA, as a local administration minister, deputy chief minister. Tomorrow I do not know in what role I will come here", he said amid chorus from the partymen hoping to win next year's assembly polls and wanting Stalin to become the Chief Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After Amit Shah's fiery rally in Jodhpur, the BJP working president JP Nadda on Saturday spoke in favor of the Citizenship Amendment Act by apprising the people about the testimonies of the Hindu refugees who suffered atrocities in the name of religion in Pakistan. 'Hindu doctor's sister was abducted in front of him' While giving the testimony of the Hindu doctor from Pakistan, Nadda said, "I met a Hindu doctor in Indore who was from Pakistan. He said that he was a practicing in Pakistan and has a degree as well. His sister was abducted right in front of his eyes and was forcefully married to a person who was double her age in order to make a forceful religious conversion to Islam. Police said you are a Hindu and Pakistan works on Islamic rule so I will not file your complaint. In 15 days, somehow that doctor escaped with his abducted sister and family to come to Indore." READ | Aaditya Thackeray Now Skips Anti-CAA Event Having Umar Khalid; Rohit Pawar Still On Panel Nadda had come across the doctor during his tenure as Union Health Minister. While narrating the incident in Saturday's rally, Nadda added that the doctor appealed to him to practice his profession in India. "I wanted the doctor to practice his profession but the law at that time did not allow him to do so. Now after the Citizenship Amendment Act, the doctor will be able to practice his profession lawfully and his sister will also be able to live with pride. This is what the Citizenship Amendment Act is what we have to understand," said Nadda. READ | BJP Neta Orders Copy Of Constitution For Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi & Mamata Banerjee Over CAA Nadda said that lakhs of people had to flee overnight leaving their properties and assets behind just to save themselves and their families from the atrocities. He said about 50,000 Sikhs had to flee Afghanistan and cited the reports of New York Times, Washington Post and Reuters which state that there are now only 2000 Sikh families in Afghanistan. "Where have the other families gone from Afghanistan?" questioned Nadda. "Today in Pakistan, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis population was 23% but now dropped to 3%. Where has 20% gone? Was it a religious conversion? Or they had to flee to save their lives and honor?" asked Nadda. The BJP working president has kickstarted campaign for the 2021 assembly election in Guwahati amid anti-CAA uproar in the state and slammed Opposition for raking up CAA issue for political gains. READ | Harsimrat Kaur Slams Rahul For Misleading People On CAA, Not Calling Out Pak's Atrocities READ | Keshav Maurya Slams "totally Mad" SP For Bizarre Promise Of Pension To Anti-CAA Protesters It cannot be denied that Taimur Ali Khan is internet's favourite star kid. Fans and the paparazzi have been obsessed with him from literally the day he was born. The little munchkin is snapped on a near-daily basis. Many feel that his pictures and videos make their day. Earlier, Taimur used to wave hello and bye to the paps, but as he is growing up, he is beginning to dislike the attention. His dad Saif Ali Khan revealed that Taimur starts frowning whenever his picture is being taken, and that he objects to it. According to Hindustan Times, Saif opened up about Taimur constantly being surrounded by the paparazzi and said, "He's like, "No picture!" And he starts frowning. He doesn't like too much fuss. It's not something he is excited about, for sure." He added that Taimur would rather be "normal and ignored." Saif acknowledges that Taimur beings happiness to people. "But on the other hand, in a positive way, he does seem to make people happy. And he makes me very happy, because he is a cute kid. So I get it... because it's an outpouring of affection and love," he said. "But unfortunately sometimes, in some public places when he goes to school, sometimes it can get a little crowded and that's something he has grown up with. And it's not something that any of us enjoy, but what to do?" he added. Taimur, Saif and Kareena are currently enjoying a vacation in the snow-capped Alps in Switzerland, a tradition they follow this time of the year. The trio spent Christmas and New Year's there. ALSO READ: Taimur Ali Khan Wants Two Birthday Cakes, Reveals Mum Kareena Kapoor! ALSO READ: Taimur Ali Khan's Birthday Celebrations: Saif-Kareena's Little One Cuts A Santa Claus Cake [VIDEO] (Newser) Nearly two dozen women who say they were coerced and tricked into shooting porn videos have won their case in court, Ars Technica reports. On Thursday, a California judge ordered the popular porn site GirlsDoPorn to give $13 million to 22 female plaintiffsbut whether they'll ever see a dime is unclear. "Plaintiffs have suffered and continue to suffer far-reaching and often tragic consequences," the judge wrote in the tentative statement. "Collectively, they have experienced severe harassment, emotional and psychological trauma, and reputational harm." Their losses include "jobs, academic and professional opportunities, and family and personal relationships." Several of them even considered suicide. story continues below The women say they were offered $5,000 or more for the videos, which were purportedly for sale to private collectors abroad. But GirlsDoPorn posted them on the company's website and Pornhub instead, along with the women's names and social media detailsso the women were "doxed and harassed relentlessly," per the Washington Post. The women had also been pressured into signing vague contracts after the crew plied them with drugs and alcohol, the judge said. Now GirlsDoPorn owner Michael Pratt has fled the country and moved his assets abroad, but his two co-conspirators, Matthew Wolfe and Ruben Garcia, have been arrested on a separate criminal case for alleged federal sex-trafficking. The company has made millions on its porn videos. (Read more pornography stories.) Pentagon confirms U.S. killed senior Iranian commander People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:17, January 03, 2020 WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Thursday night that U.S. forces had carried out a strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps. "At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani," said the Pentagon in a statement. "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," the statement added. The Iraqi state TV reported earlier that an attack near Baghdad International Airport in the Iraqi capital on Friday killed Soleimani, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhamdis, the deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. The latest move by U.S. forces came days after supporters of the Hashd Shaabi militias, mourning those killed in an earlier U.S. attack in Iraq, stormed the perimeter of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The Pentagon claimed in the statement that Soleimani "approved" the attacks on the U.S. embassy and "had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months." Iran has denied involvement in the recent deadly attacks on the U.S. forces in Iraq. After its unilateral exit in 2018 from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Washington has been mounting pressure on Tehran through a series of sanctions to seek re-negotiations. Iran has maintained a tough stance and scaled back its nuclear commitments in response. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lechon | Photo: Naveed N./Yelp Spending time in Old Town-Chinatown? Get to know this Portland neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a tapas bar to a tea room. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Old Town-Chinatown, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Lechon Photo: Jen S./Yelp Topping the list is tapas bar, cocktail bar and Southern spot Lechon. Located at 113 S.W. Naito Parkway, it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,224 reviews on Yelp. The spot serves roasted bone marrow, chicken bites, foraged mushrooms and more. 2. Kasbah Moroccan Cafe photo: lienard c./yelp Next up is tea room, Moroccan and Mediterranean spot Kasbah Moroccan Cafe, situated at 201 N.W. Davis St. With five stars out of 253 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Lamb sausage, yellow split pea soup and Moroccan meatballs are on the menu. 3. Kale Photo: Darren Y./Yelp Japanese curry spot Kale is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 50 S.W. Pine St., Suite 102, 4.5 stars out of 449 reviews. Katsu curry, vegetarian doria, chicken cutlets and more curry options are available for order. 4. Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine Photo: Yy Y./Yelp Check out Tangier Moroccan & Mediterranean Cuisine, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 352 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Moroccan, Mediterranean and Lebanese spot at 221 S.W. Pine St. Meat combos, Moroccan tea and beef shawarma are some of the options on the menu. 5. Bing Mi Food Truck Photo: Victoria W./Yelp And then there's Bing Mi Food Truck, a local favorite with 4.5 stars out of 345 reviews. Stop by 2 S.W. Naito Parkway to hit up the food truck, creperie and Chinese spot next time you're in the neighborhood. Stop by for Jian bing with a variety of fillings from spicy hoisin to sausage. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. US killing of Soleimani catapults Iraq back to aftermath of 2003 invasion Iraqi factions threatening to oust US troops, officials denouncing American violations and fears of a new Gulf war: a US strike has catapulted Iraq back to the tumultuous aftermath of the 2003 invasion. military By AFP Saturday 4 January 2020, 04:40PM Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named Esmail Qaani (pictured) to replace Qasem Soleimani as head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds force. Photo: AFP Qasem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), was killed in a US strike on Baghdads international airport. Photo: AFP Iranians burn a US flag during a demonstration against American crimes. Photo: AFP The precision drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday (Jan 3) killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and his Iraqi right-hand-man, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Within hours, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres urged leaders to exercise restraint. The world cannot afford another war in the Gulf, he said. The US attack was the most dramatic escalation yet in a feared proxy war between Iran and the US on Iraqi soil. It also opened the door to fierce criticism of the US, harkening back to the years following the American-led invasion that toppled ex-dictator Saddam Hussein. The narrative of anti-Americanism is coming back, said Renad Mansour of the London-based Chatham House. America hasnt done something this aggressive in a while, so it has brought back memories of the American military occupation of Iraq, as well as the same language and discourse, he told AFP. Iraqs premier, Adel Abdel Mahdi, condemned the strike as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and of the US militarys mandate in the country. Around 5,200 American forces are deployed across Iraq to train and advise local troops targeting the remnants of the Islamic State group. Pro-Iran factions had for months been urging parliament to revoke the bilateral agreement allowing US troops in Iraq, and Mansour said the strike could bolster their argument. They tried to use anti-Americanism before but no one really bought it. Now, it feels like they have more ammunition and justification to make anti-Americanism a bigger narrative, he told AFP. Compulsory solidarity Top officials in the Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of mostly pro-Iran groups incorporated into the state, swiftly began calling for the departure of US forces. Leading Hashed member Hadi al-Ameri urged lawmakers to take a bold decision to oust foreign troops from Iraq, because their presence has become a threat for Iraqis. Firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr swiftly reactivated his Mahdi Army, the notorious militia that fought US troops after the invasion but which was dissolved nearly a decade ago. Qais al-Khazali, a US-sanctioned paramilitary leader, also called on his fighters to be ready following the strike. And Kataeb Hezbollah, a hardline Hashed faction, predicted that the deadly raid would ring in the beginning of the end for the US presence in Iraq and the region. Less than a week earlier, the US had killed 25 Kataeb Hezbollah fighters in retaliatory bombings for the death of an American contractor in northern Iraq. In response, streams of Hashed supporters laid siege to the US embassy in Baghdad this week. Even Iraqi figures known not to back the Hashed, including top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and President Barham Saleh, condemned the strike publicly. Some think todays hit clips Irans wings in Iraq. The opposite is more likely, wrote Fanar Haddad of Singapore University's Middle East Centre. Iraqi political classes are likely to align more strongly with Iran due to compulsory solidarity and some indignation, he said. The Iraqi premier said Muhandis who was deputy head of Hashed and therefore a government official would be mourned in an official funeral procession on Saturday (Jan 4). Iraqi state television reported a further US strike in Baghdad on Saturday morning, targeting a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, but there was no immediate comment from Washington. US neither cares nor matters Analyst Nick Heras said targeting the Hashed could have significant ramifications for US-Iraqi ties. It means that the United States is engaged in a conflict with a component of the state-sanctioned Iraqi security forces, he warned. Pro-Iran factions now have a political and government wing, media outlets, money, relations, experience, arms, human resources and a supportive public, said specialist Hisham al-Hashemi. As a result, Washington felt it was no longer the most powerful actor in Iraq and sought to regain leverage through the adventurous policy of the Soleimani strike, he said. Ramzy Mardini of the US Institute of Peace said the crisis may have been caused by a miscalculation on both sides, with the US overestimating the threat to its embassy. Tehran did not appreciate that the threat of another Iranian hostage crisis would change the rules of American engagement, Mardini said, referring to the 1979 storming of the US embassy in Tehran. The US action also frustrated traditional allies as it was launched with little coordination or advance warning, according to diplomatic sources in Baghdad. Iraqs parliament will hold an emergency session Sunday, with lawmakers threatening to call for the ouster of US troops. Iraqis realise that the US isnt a long-term ally it neither cares nor matters, said Mansour. They see a US administration without a cohesive objective while Irans policy is more fixed. There used to be a debate about who has influence, the US or Iran? Now no one is even asking Iran has the clear advantage. New air strike on pro-Iran convoy in Iraq ahead of Soleimani funeral A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. The killing of Quds Force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send more troops to the region even as President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. Irans ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, told CNN that the killing was an act of war on the part of the United States. A new strike on Saturday targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Shiite factions with close ties to Iran. The Hashed did not say who it held responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike. A police source told AFP the strike left dead and wounded, without providing a specific toll. There was no immediate comment from the US. It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Soleimani, who was killed alongside Hashed number two Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the precision drone strike. As head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign operations arm, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw wide-ranging Iranian involvement in regional power struggles and anti-US forces. Trump said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, had been plotting imminent attacks on American diplomats. His assassination has rattled the region, with Iraqis fearing a proxy war between Washington and Tehran. Mourning procession A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed fighters were killed in Fridays strike near Baghdad international airport. Their bodies will be laid to rest in an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in the capital and ending in the Shiite holy city of Najaf to its south. The bodies of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Tehran has already named his deputy, Esmail Qaani, to replace him. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised severe revenge, while in Tehran tens of thousands of protesters torched US flags and chanted Death to America. Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to terminate Soleimani after discovering he was preparing an imminent attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Friday Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. But hours later the Pentagon said between 3,000 to 3,500 troops would be dispatched to Iraq's southern neighbour Kuwait. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Washingtons partners in the region, but said their European allies haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well, he said. Embassy storming Some 14,000 troops were already deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East last year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of Islamic State group fighters. Pro-Iran factions have seized on Soleimanis death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are to convene in emergency session on Sunday and are expected to hold a vote. Paramilitary figures in Iraq including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr called on their fighters to be ready after Fridays strike. And Lebanons Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah threatened punishment for these criminal assassins. Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by US lawmakers and presidents, with Trump saying he should have been killed many years ago. Following Fridays strike, the embassy urged US citizens to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were being evacuated from oil fields in the south. Analysts said the strike, which sent world oil prices soaring, would be a game-changer. Trump changed the rules he wanted (Soleimani) eliminated, said Ramzy Mardini, a researcher at the US Institute of Peace. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off. He expected bigger ramifications than either the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or the 2019 raid that killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Iraqs caretaker prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi warned the strike would spark a devastating war in Iraq as President Barham Saleh pleaded voices of reason to prevail. Australia will ramp up its response to the countrys unprecedented wildfire disaster, deploying additional army, naval and aircraft services, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. As many as 3,000 army reserve personnel will be called out to support firefighters battling blazes that have killed 23 people since September, Morrison told reporters in Canberra. The Royal Australian Navys HMAS Adelaide is due to sail from Sydney on Saturday afternoon, joining two other naval vessels in assisting with the evacuation of fire-affected communities, he said. The prime minister was heckled on Thursday by angry residents when he visited the bushfire-ravaged town of Cobargo, where two people died last week, while others declined to shake his hand and called for more resources to tackle the disaster. His handling of the crisis -- highlighted by his curtailed trip to Hawaii just days after declaring a national disaster -- has stoked criticism over his political judgment, including by members of his own party. We are moving past responding, Morrison said Saturday. Were integrating with what is happening on the ground. Additional defense measures outlined Saturday include deploying three helicopters, spending of A$20 million ($14 million) for four extra water-bombing aircraft, and the establishment of a national recovery agency. The scale up will be aimed at saving lives, helping with evacuations, assisting isolated communities and aiding the recovery of those devastated by the wildfires. The government has also allocated A$25 million for disaster-recovery payments in response to about 26,000 claims, Morrison said. This disaster has escalated to an entirely new level, he said. To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Gale in Melbourne at j.gale@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Patterson at mpatterson10@bloomberg.net, Stanley James, Karthikeyan Sundaram For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2020 Bloomberg L.P. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Washington The Senate seems certain to keep President Donald Trump in office thanks to the overwhelming GOP support expected in his impeachment trial. But how that trial will proceed and when it will begin remains to be seen. Democrats are pushing for the Senate to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents, pointing to reports that they say have raised new questions about Trump's decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine. Once the House transmits the articles of impeachment, decisions about how to conduct the trial will require 51 votes. With Republicans controlling the Senate 53-47, Democrats cannot force subpoenas on their own. For now, Republicans are holding the line behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's position that they should start the trial and hear arguments from House prosecutors and Trump's defense team before deciding what to do. But small cracks in GOP unity have appeared, with two Republican senators criticizing McConnell's pledge of "total coordination" with the White House during the impeachment trial. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was "disturbed" by the GOP leader's comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial is conducted. Maine Sen. Susan Collins called the pledge by McConnell, R-Ky., inappropriate and said she is open to seeking testimony. Democrats could find their own unity tested if and when the Senate reaches a final vote on the two House-approved impeachment charges abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It would take 67 votes to convict Trump on either charge and remove him from office, a high bar unlikely to be reached. It's also far from certain that all 47 Democrats will find Trump guilty. Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama said he's undecided on how he might vote and suggested he sees merits in the arguments both for and against conviction. A look at senators to watch once the impeachment trial begins: Murkowski In her fourth term representing Alaska, Murkowski is considered a key Senate moderate. She has voted against GOP leadership on multiple occasions and opposed Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018. Murkowski told an Alaska TV station last month there should be distance between the White House and the GOP-controlled Senate in how the trial is conducted. "To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process," she said. Murkowski says the Senate is being asked to cure deficiencies in the House impeachment effort, particularly when it comes to whether key witnesses should be brought forward to testify, including White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Collins The four-term senator said she is open to calling witnesses as part of the impeachment trial but calls it "premature" to decide who should be called until evidence is presented. "It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us," Collins told Maine Public Radio. Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Collins said. Collins, who is running for re-election and is considered one of the nation's most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democrats for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office. "There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging that's in an impartial way," she said. Jones Jones, a freshman seeking re-election in staunchly pro-Trump Alabama, is considered the Democrat most likely to side with Republicans in a Senate trial. In a Washington Post op-ed column, Jones said that for Americans to have confidence in the impeachment process, "the Senate must conduct a full, fair and complete trial with all relevant evidence regarding the president's conduct." He said he fears that senators "are headed toward a trial that is not intended to find the whole truth." Unlike what happened during the investigation of President Bill Clinton, "Trump has blocked both the production of virtually all relevant documents and the testimony of witnesses who have firsthand knowledge of the facts," Jones said. "The evidence we do have may be sufficient to make a judgment, but it is clearly incomplete," he added. Jones and other Democrats are seeking testimony from Mulvaney and other key White House officials to help fill in the gaps. A recent meeting in Enniscorthy showcased the swell of support within the community to keep the local greyhound track open. The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) recently announced that funding for the track is to cease as a result of recommendations contained in a report compiled into the greyhound industry in Ireland on its behalf. The Enniscorthy track is a privately owned enterprise and it's one of four tracks earmarked for a cessation of funding in the New Year. However, around 350 people turned up at the recent meeting of breeders and owners at the track. Speaking to this newspaper the Racing Manager at the facility, Jim Turner, said it was a very productive and positive meeting with a number of suggestions put forward with a view to keeping the track open. 'It was a very positive meeting and it helped raise awareness,' he said. 'We have to try to keep it going,' he added. Racing will return to the venue on January 16. Mr Turner highlighted the importance of the track to the south east region and not just for those operating within the greyhound industry. 'It's very important to Wexford to keep it open,' he said. 'It has helped a lot of organisations and schools raise money over the years,' he added. The facility has also been used to raise a lot of money for local charities and Mr Turner emphasised that it's very much part of the social fabric of Enniscorthy and the wider county. He has already received a lot of bookings for next year from organisations hoping to use the track for fundraising events. He praised the local community for their show of support for the track and also local politicians who have also given their support to the campaign to keep the track open. Minister Paul Kehoe requested a meeting with the chairperson of the IGB following the announcement that funding is to cease. In his letter Minister Kehoe said he was 'deeply concerned about the recommendations in the [Indecon] report that funding be withdrawn'. Minister Kehoe said the recommendation to cease funding 'could have potentially significant negative consequences for Enniscorthy, the wider county, and the greyhound racing community'. It's believed a team is being established to work on an action plan to keep the track open. 'This is not just about Enniscorthy, it's about all rural tracks,' said Mr Turner. He also said that based on the IGB report if the Enniscorthy track closes around 51 per cent of people will get out of the greyhound industry as a knock-on effect. He also criticised the report for implying there are no breeders in Wexford. 'They based their breeders on having to have five bitches but greyhound breeders don't operate puppy farms,' he said. 'Most breeders in Wexford have two bitches and it takes two years to train pups to get them race ready,' he added. Mr Turner also noted that a lot of young people are starting to get into racing in Wexford and the south east. The significant aspect to the Enniscorthy facility is that it doesn't need a vast amount of investment. 'If we had 50,000 or 60,000 we would do the jobs we need to do,' said Mr Turner. 'We have a nice stand, a decent bar and also a burger bar and that's all we need,' he added. 'We don't need to be Shelburne Park because we have our place in the system and it's important.' There will be another public meeting at the track in the New Year and details of that will be published in this newspaper. 'There is great spirit in this town and we believe the track and the town can grow but we need help,' said Mr Turner. 'Local people support the town but we do need help going forward and it's in everybody's interest that the track stays open.' Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) Journalist Ninez Cacho-Olivares, the one who started Daily Tribune, has succumbed to a lingering illness, according to the broadsheet publication. She was 78. Daily Tribune founder and moving spirit Ninez Cacho-Olivares passed away the morning of 3 January due to a lingering illness, the media firm said in a post on Friday. The publication added, Through all the challenges that the newspaper went through, she had one stubborn purpose, which was to put the Daily Tribune to bed every day. On June 1, 2000, she founded Daily Tribune, which is now owned by the Concept and Information Group, Inc. She continued to write a daily commentary for the newspaper even after Concept and Information acquired the publishing company in 2018. Her last opinion piece was titled Nuff said, which was about the United States entry ban on Philippine officials who were supposedly involved in Sen. Leila de Limas detention. It was published on the same day she penned 30. She also wrote for several other Manila broadsheets such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Bulletin Today, Business Day, and BusinessWorld, according to state-run Philippine News Agency. Journalist that struck fear in the hearts of corrupt politicians Malacanang mourned the death of Cacho-Olivares, as it praised the veteran journalist for her contribution to the media industry. Among them being one of the torch bearers for freedom of expression while the country was under military control, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement on Saturday. She was a shining example of a journalist who wrote with truth accompanying the movement of her pen, Panelo added. We have lost a welcome hell of a journalist that struck fear in the hearts of corrupt bureaucrats and politicians with pretended nationalism as well as pseudo intellectuals who suffocate the air with their nonsense, the Presidents spokesperson said. Panelo likened Cacho-Olivares words to a scalpel that cuts through the lies and corruption of political scoundrels. Christine Keeler died in 2017 at the age of 75, the end of a life freighted with scandal and intrigue till the very last gasp. She had been in a care home in Kent, suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Her son Seymour Platt believes this was a legacy of her lifelong fondness for smoking a little recreational cannabis, now and again. 'Unlike in a cigarette, there are no filters in a joint. Straight down into the lungs, right?' he says. He last saw her four days before she died, when he visited from his home in Ireland, where he lives with his wife and ten-year-old daughter. Christine had put on make-up for his visit, a brave face for her boy, but underneath the lipstick and rouge she looked ill and gaunt. The great beauty of her youth, the sultry looks that had bewitched a Cabinet minister and helped topple a government, had long faded into the imprecations of old age. Sophie Cookson and Ben Miles in the new BBC series The Trial of Christine Keeler which is on Sunday nights To understand a little of her former allure, one has only to watch The Trial Of Christine Keeler, the new six-part BBC1 drama on Sunday nights. Sophie Cookson stars as 19-year-old Christine, all legs and kittenish charisma as she charms her way through a London that was just beginning to swing. 'She has captured a lot of my mother's vulnerability,' says Seymour, who is 49. 'There was one scene where she was sitting in a car and there was just a little mannerism or the way she acted and I was jolted right out of the drama because I thought, wow, that is my mum. That is the mum I know.' Despite the series written by Amanda Coe focusing on the darkest corners of his own mother's life story, Seymour has not seen a preview. 'The BBC have been reluctant,' he says. They gave him a small window of opportunity to travel to London to watch all six episodes with a BBC chaperone alongside, but he could not make the dates. Christine in 1964. She died in 2017 at the age of 75, the end of a life freighted with scandal and intrigue till the very last gasp Nor did they consult him at any stage. 'I've had nothing to do with it,' he says. 'They didn't speak to me but that's fine. I didn't know my mum back in 1961. I wasn't alive then.' However, he does feel hugely positive about the series, which for the first time tells the story from his mother's point of view and tries to address some of the wrongs done to her and her reputation over the years. It will also cover her trial and subsequent six-month imprisonment in 1963 for perjury in a separate case, after she was attacked on the street by her ex-lover, a violent Jamaican known as Lucky Gordon. 'She was very naive and very young. She was also rather gullible,' says Seymour, who is mounting a campaign to have her conviction quashed. 'Lucky Gordon beat, raped and terrorised my mother for years. She had a very complicated relationship with him but she was a victim and we treat victims of crime differently now. I don't think she would have been sent to prison today.' Perhaps it is not too fanciful to suggest, as Platt does, that her conviction also suited the Establishment. For it was more than convenient to have Keeler officially discredited as the Profumo affair continued to embarrass the Government. Before she died, Keeler urged her son to do everything he could to clear her name and also to remind everyone that she was never a prostitute, another slur that was a character-blackening expediency for important people. Christine with Seymour on his wedding day in 2012. He last saw her four days before she died, when he visited from his home in Ireland, where he lives with his wife and ten-year-old daughter 'She found being called a prostitute very painful. And she hated it until the day she died,' he says. 'But I am a realist. People are always split about my mother. Some respect her, others don't. 'But even if I could just change the colour of the conversation around her, that would be nice because the woman I knew was funny and a really devoted mum. And she has a granddaughter who I want to grow up being proud of her grandmother.' To fathom the complex character of Christine Keeler, one has to start with the wretchedness of her early life. She was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex, where her father abandoned the family when she was three years old. John Profumo pictured dancing with his wife Valerie Hobson during the Conservative Party annual conference in Scarborough in October 1960 The family then moved to the Berkshire village of Wraysbury, where she lived in a converted railway carriage and, her school teachers noted, suffered from malnutrition. As a teenager, Christine was sexually abused by her stepfather and by his friends when she babysat for them. Many years later she explained to Seymour that 'men behaved like that because of the war'. No, Mum, he would tell her. They behaved like that because they were abusers and perverts. By 15, she was working in a dress shop in Soho and two years later she gave birth to a son, following an affair with an American Air Force sergeant. The child was born prematurely and survived for just six days. Christine then became a showgirl at Murray's Cabaret Club in Soho which was not a topless establishment, despite many reports to the contrary. It was there she met Stephen Ward, the society osteopath who lived in a cottage in the grounds of Cliveden, the grand house owned by the Astor family. It was Ward who introduced Keeler to John Profumo at a Cliveden pool party, setting in motion the scandal of the century that was to engulf them all. Keeler is shown as a 19-year-old 'showgirl' with a knack for stirring up trouble and who loves the effect she has on men. Pictured: Cookson as Keeler goes for a swim before undressing Later, she had two brief marriages, the first to James Levermore and the second to Seymour's father, Anthony Platt. There was a son from each marriage, although the eldest boy was raised largely by Keeler's mother and she remained estranged from them both. Seymour has little recollection of his businessman father, who cleared off when he was a little boy but paid for his private education. 'We were a very, very broken family. There wasn't any glue to hold us together,' is how Seymour describes their situation today. Indeed, the only warm and loving relationship in the entire clan seems to be the one he shared with Christine, even though 'we had no money, it was always a problem' and he 'grew up in poverty'. A lot of people made a lot of money out of Christine Keeler but, sadly, she wasn't one of them. Her son says: 'Mum sometimes talked about herself in the third person. She liked to blame 'Christine Keeler' for everything that went wrong. That was easy to do but it just wasn't true. Ben Miles, as the Secretary of State for War John Profumo, strolls around a hedge to find Christine emerging from the swimming pool and shedding her costume 'The truth is that my mum was a very complicated woman. She was afraid of Lucky Gordon all her life. And she was betrayed by so many people that betrayal became the norm for her.' It is ironic that Christine, perhaps the character most damaged by what became known as the Profumo Affair, outlived all her notorious contemporaries from that far-off summer of 1963. John Profumo himself, the married Secretary of State for War who resigned over his affair with Christine, died following a stroke in 2006. Stephen Ward committed suicide in 1963. Eugene Ivanov, the Soviet naval attache with whom Christine was also having an affair, was found dead in his Moscow flat in 1994. Mandy Rice-Davies, Christine's friend and fellow party girl, died of cancer in 2014. Christine was the last woman standing, a raven-haired symbol of a time when beautiful working-class girls like her were dispensable and expendable; popsies viewed and valued only through the prism of their desirability to men. Original: The real Christine Keeler was photographed wearing a swimsuit as she relaxed on a sun lounger in 1963 'Have you seen her?' says one of the male characters in The Trial Of Christine Keeler. 'Common little piece, but legs that would shame Helen of Troy.' 'She was a woman of her time,' says Seymour. To his credit, he does not blame anyone else for what happened to his mother or the lack of care afforded to her subsequently. He feels no animosity towards Profumo himself, except to observe mildly that while it was honourable of the former Cabinet Minister to try to redeem himself through charity work, he could 'afford to do so'. He even seems to think kindly of Stephen Ward, a shadowy figure whom even the Astors came to loathe. 'There were a lot of victims, not just Christine,' he says today. His mother felt the same way. 'Despite Profumo, she voted Conservative all her life, she was a true-blue Tory,' he laughs. Yet there are shadows. Seymour moved to Ireland after he married, grateful to live in a country where 'being Christine Keeler's son didn't mean anything'. He married his wife in Dalkeith in Scotland, where neither of them have a connection, because he feared adverse Keeler-related publicity on his big day. Today, he works as a business analyst and says it is a matter of 'personal regret' that he did not become wealthy enough to indulge his mother in the life of luxury he feels she deserved after so many hardships. Yet she must have been so very proud of him, this boy who managed to carve out a happy life for himself from such emotional wreckage, this diamond in her sea of dust. Seymour only discovered who his mother really was when, as an 18-year-old, he accompanied her to the 1989 premiere of the film Scandal, in which Joanne Whalley portrayed Christine as the sexual plaything of powerful men. One wonders at the psychological trauma he suffered, sitting by his mother in the darkness of the cinema, watching it all unfold and understanding at last those incomprehensible jokes that playground bullies had taunted him with. He tells me one, about Christine Keeler going into a fish and chip shop, and I am shocked by its lewdness and casual cruelty. He shrugs. 'I have never had any counselling and I don't think I was damaged by it all because Christine was a wonderful, loving mother. 'I certainly met some people who were unnecessarily unkind to me because of her, but I met others who were absolutely fascinated by her. The important thing is, I am not as gullible as my mum. She always believed in people until the moment they betrayed her, and sometimes even after that.' The last time he saw her, they parted on their usual loving terms. 'Oh Seymour, don't hug me so tight,' she chided him, laughing. Since then he has always worried he might have hastened her death or somehow damaged her with that last big hug. Seymour, it is clear to see, worries a lot. The Trial Of Christine Keeler (BBC1) is based on facts behind the Profumo Scandal of the early Sixties. Pictured: Sophie Cookson as Keeler 'Well, I have always worried about my mum,' he says. Indeed. Last month, after finally selling her small retirement home, tying up all her affairs and fulfilling his obligations, he carried out his mother's last wish. This was to have her ashes scattered on the Thames near Wraysbury, where she played on the riverbank as a child. 'Given that her childhood was so hard and brutal, I don't know why she chose there but it must have represented some spark of happiness,' he says. Or maybe it was something else. Together with his wife and child, the Platts set the box containing her ashes onto the Thames as instructed. Seymour had been told the biodegradable box would soon sink, but instead it caught the tide and went gaily bobbing off downstream. 'It just floated onwards and onwards. I thought, oh my God, is she going to sail all the way down to the Houses of Parliament?' Wouldn't that have been simply marvellous? In any case, Christine Keeler lives on in more ways than one, which is no little thanks to her steadfast and stouthearted son. The BBC will not be showing full live coverage of Princess Beatrice's royal wedding, it was revealed today. ITV also refused to say whether it will televise the marriage with royal experts suggesting that after the Prince Andrew controversy it could even be held privately. The BBC said it will not offer extended live footage and will instead offer 'news coverage of the wedding across our services', rather than a live link replacing normal programming. The BBC will not be showing full live coverage of Princess Beatrice's royal wedding, it was revealed today. Pictured: Princess Beatrice announces her engagement to Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi Princess Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank was broadcast by ITV in 2018 and pulled in three million viewers. ITV also refused to say whether it will televise the marriage with royal experts suggesting that after the Prince Andrew controversy it could even be held privately Princess Beatrice will marry Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi later this year. Buckingham Palace has yet to confirm the wedding date and venue but it is expected to be in late May or early June so it does not clash with Royal Ascot. ITV refused to comment on the coverage for Beatrice's nuptials 'until our teams are fully back in place next week', according to The Mirror. St George's Chapel in Windsor has been tipped for the ceremony. Under normal circumstances, the national broadcaster is offered the rights to a royal occasion for free. However, the BBC's controversial Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal may have affected its decision. Princess Eugenie's wedding (pictured) to Jack Brooksbank was broadcast by ITV in 2018 and pulled in three million viewers Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice attend day one of Royal Ascot together in 2019 The BBC's controversial Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew over the Jeffrey Epstein (pictured) scandal may have affected its decision But Royal author Phil Dampier told The Mirror: 'Andrew is so toxic at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if it's going to be a private wedding with a couple of photos released afterwards.' Buckingham Palace said further wedding details will be released 'in due course'. Mark Twain once wrote, New Years is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls, and humbug resolutions, and we wish you to enjoy it with a looseness suited to the greatness of the occasion. I love this quote, which is unfortunately all too accurate. Yet, I cant help but hope that as this new year begins, some in Congress and in the administration might find it worthwhile to follow a few resolutions that I offer below. First, dont apply new tariffs. Last years trade policy was chaotic. This was largely a result of the presidents random announcements, often on Twitter, that hed apply tariffs on goods coming into the country. In some cases, the tariffs were meant to negotiate radically different trade deals than the ones we already had, a goal never achieved so far. In other cases, tariff threats were a way to get foreign governments to do things that have nothing to do with trade, such as reducing the number of immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border or forcing Brazil and Argentina to somehow keep economic turmoil from causing the value of their currencies to fall. In yet other instances, the presidents announcements seemed to be triggered by some weird need to show that hes still in control and untamed. No matter the reasons, this behavior needs to stop in 2020. Tariffs are import taxes mostly shouldered by American consumers. They make it harder for many U.S.-based factories to hire and maintain a workforce as production costs go up. And the continued uncertainty driven by the randomness of tariff announcements undoes the most important aspect of the 2017 tax reform. Capital expenditures are falling, and with them goes the hope of further increases in worker productivity and wages. That means that tariffs will make it easier to argue that the tax cuts did not work. Second, dont let DACA expire. President Barack Obama implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in 2012 to allow individuals with no record of felonies and serious misdemeanors, but who arrived in this country illegally as children with their parents, to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation. Under DACA, these people the Dreamers would also be eligible for U.S. work permits. As we may find out in June 2020 when the Supreme Court renders its opinion on the issue, this provision could be unconstitutional. That means that Congress must act so that the roughly 800,000 people affected by DACA dont become eligible for deportation. These individuals arrived in America as children. They were raised and lived in this country for their entire lives. For most of them, the United States is the only country they know. They celebrate Thanksgiving in November and Independence Day in July, just like the kids who were born here. It would be terrible, indeed inhumane, to send them back to countries they dont know, dont feel as though they belong and whose language they might not even speak. Its time for Congress to finally stop procrastinating and not let DACA expire. Finally, stop growing future generations tax burden. According to the Heritage Foundation, as of today, the debt per capita that is, for each and every man, woman and child in this country is $69,200. Thats the per-person amount that it would take to repay all the money the federal government has borrowed so far to fund its excessive spending. Unfortunately, this sum, as gargantuan as it is, pales in comparison to whats coming our way. If we include all the money the government doesnt have but has promised to spend (primarily on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), the figure grows to $240,000. Congress needs to prevent this fiscal disaster from hitting future generations. It goes without saying, but Congress should start by halting growth in unfunded spending. Theres no good excuse, for example, for Congress to enact irresponsible bills like Medicare for All. Congress should also undertake serious entitlement reform so as to reduce the amount of unfunded liabilities we face. Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual, Twain writes. Heres to hoping that Congress will agree to be more responsible in the New Year. Happy 2020, everyone! Veronique de Rugy is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. To find out more about Veronique de Rugy and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The two people killed in a bushfire on Kangaroo Island have been identified as a well-known local pilot and his son. Dick Lang ran a tourism business out of Adelaide Airport and his son Clayton Lang was a respected plastic surgeon. The Lang family said the pair were in the process of returning to the family property on Kangaroo Island after fighting a nearby fire for two days. "We are devastated to have lost two beloved members of our family - Dick Lang and his youngest son Clayton Lang - in such terrible circumstances. Head of the Accident, Emergency and Orthopaedic Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Frederick Kwarteng, has called for an outright ban of the operations of Okada riders in the country. Dr Kwarteng said, that, would reduce the rate of accidents and casualties caused by commercial motor riders, popularly called Okada riders. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said the ban had become necessary as the number of road traffic accidents caused by Okada men kept becoming rampant, and got worse during the Christmas festive season. READ ALSO: Funny Face shows cute faces of his adorable twins for the first time in powerful video Until the government implements policies to regulate the use of motorbikes especially for commercial purposes, it should ban their operations to save lives. This is what we want. And this is causing the victims to lose their lives, legs and arms, brains, wealth and entire social life, he said on behalf of the Ghana Medical Association. Statics from hid department revealed that from December 21, 2019, to January 1, 2020, the 58 motorcycle accident victims and one bicycle accident victim. In addition on January 2, 2020, as at the 1300 hours, the department had admitted one car accident victim and four motorcycle accident victims. Also, from December 22 to 23, 2019, 30 road traffic accident cases were recorded out of which 20 were serious Okada related cases. Dr Boateng said some of the victims had crushed bones, fractures, severe wounds, head injuries and traumas. READ ALSO: I am training to contest Ghana's strongest - Shatta Bandle says as he lifts heavy weights In other news, The Bank of Ghana(BoG) has approved the issuance of 24-carat gold coins to honor the 20th anniversary of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. The coin is expected to be out-doored on the 70th birthday celebration of the Asantehene on May 6, 2020. The coin would be exclusively auctioned to the public and proceeds used to fund the establishment of the Cultural Resource Centre, which would promote traditional and customary conflict resolution in the country. READ ALSO: BoG approves 24-carat gold coins to celebrate Asantehenes 20-year reign Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley has hinted that there could be another flashback episode after she shared a behind-the-scenes snap with co-star Danny Walters. Friday's installment of the BBC soap saw Keanu Taylor return after his death was faked by Martin Fowler and unwitting accomplice Linda Carter, with the character soon fleeing the country. And following his exit, actress Lorraine, who plays Keanu's mum Karen Taylor, shared an Instagram snap of the two of them larking around in hospital - suggesting a yet-to-air scene on the soap. Hint: EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley has hinted that there could be another flashback episode after she shared a behind-the-scenes snap with co-star Danny Walters The image in question, uploaded on Friday, sees Danny sitting in a wheelchair wearing a white dressing gown, while Lorraine pulls a funny face behind him. The actor appeared disheveled with cuts and bruises on his face, while police and medics are seen in the background. Writing a heartfelt message to her onscreen son, who has now left the show, Lorraine wrote: 'I love you son @danny_walters no acting required in those eps!! Ive loved and learnt so much from working with you ,thankyou for inspiring me to be a better Actor, now go smash it up!! @bbceastenders what a laugh weve had I want that one #littlebritain.' And while the emotional message left fans commenting on Danny's heartbreaking final scenes, many fans were left curious about the hospital setting, with some wondering whether this could be from an unaired scene. High drama: Keanu Taylor was thought to have been murdered after dramatic scenes aired in the Christmas Day episode, however, his death was faked by Martin Fowler and Linda Carter Recent scenes saw Keanu shot in the shoulder by a drunken Linda, as she and Martin concocted a plan to fake his death after the market-stall holder was ordered by Ben Mitchell to kill him. The unlikely duo told Keanu of a hospital where he could get treatment for his gunshot wound, but as he returned to screens on Friday, there was no mention of his visit to the hospital. It's not known whether it could be a deleted scene, however, it could hint that there's set to be another flashback episode revealing further details about what happened to Keanu. Shock: Recent scenes saw Keanu shot in the shoulder by a drunken Linda, as she and Martin concocted a plan to fake his death after the market-stall holder was ordered by Ben Mitchell to kill him Scene: The unlikely duo told Keanu of a hospital where he could get treatment for his gunshot wound, but as he returned to screens on Friday, there was no mention of his visit to the hospital An viewers appeared to agree with some questioning Lorraine's picture, with one fan commenting: 'Just given away that keanu will get hospitalised.' While another asked: 'What's this a scene from anyone?' With a third asking: 'Is this from a forthcoming episode.' It comes following the New Year's day special, which revealed that Keanu's death was staged by Martin and Linda. Questions: It's not known whether it could be a deleted scene, however, it could hint that there's set to be another flashback episode revealing further details about what happened to Keanu After Karen discovered her son was actually alive, Martin took her to see him at the airport just minutes before he boarded his flight to an unknown destination. Martin used the reunion as a bargaining chip for her silence, as Phil Mitchell was still convinced he had committed murder. Viewers had already guessed Keanu was not really dead after the story line was left on a cliffhanger on December 25. In Friday's episode Karen ran into her son's arms as he headed towards his flight, before they parted for what could be the last time. Goodbye: After Karen discovered her son was actually alive, Martin took her to see him at the airport just minutes before he boarded his flight to an unknown destination Emotional: A tearful Keanu apologised for getting his fiancee's step-mother Sharon Mitchell pregnant, and told his mother he would find a way to contact her when he landed A tearful Keanu apologised for getting his fiancee's step-mother Sharon Mitchell pregnant, and told his mother he would find a way to contact her when he landed. Karen said she would tell his daughter Peggy, and unborn child he was 'brave, kind, loyal and courageous'. He replied: 'Don't you ever think you let me down. This is all on me. You've always been there for me through thick and thin. The sacrifices you made. Dead end jobs. You're the best mum.' As the emotion intensified his mother said: 'You just remember where ever you are and whatever you're doing you are always loved. Proper deep down to the bone loved.' EastEnders continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on BBC One. Heavy Machine Operators Jobs 2020 in Saudi Arabia Latest M S Mughal Traders Labor Posts Saudi Arabia 2022 Experienced, strong and responsible personnel for the positions of Grader Operator, Bulldozer Operator, Concrete Pump Operator, Exporter Operator and Wheel Loader Operator required for Combined Group Construction CGC Company in Saudi Arabia. How to Apply on M S Mughal Traders 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 an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. Lucknow: Soon, students of Lucknow University will be able to attend lectures of California State University through a virtual classroom on the campus. The classroom which is under construction, will be made functional by March, according to the university administration. The students will be able to attend classes of teachers of California State University, Long Beach. LU has signed an MoU with California University to share resources, said vice chancellor Alok Kumar Rai. Under the MoU the lectures of professors of both the university will be available for students at both campuses via virtual classrooms. Sharing of information and resources in this manner can prove fruitful in developing knowledge base which is very important for students, said the VC. We are also preparing to sign such MoUs with other universities . The VC has also suggested setting up a community radio that will be operated by student and teachers of the university. The university is also set to appoint student advisors to suggest ways to improve facilities in their departments. Meanwhile the university has established a new Internal Complaint Committee (ICC). Prof Amita Kanojia of zoology department will head the committee . 16k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard To a responsible commander-in-chief, decisions about war and peace arent made lightly. After all, a single military action from the United States could put thousands if not millions of lives at risk. But Donald Trump is no responsible commander-in-chief. According to The Daily Beast, the president was giddy about his decision to plunge America into another war as he walked the halls of Mar-a-Lago in the days before the strike that took out Iranian military official Qasem Soleimani. The report notes, Donald Trump roamed the halls of Mar-a-Lago, his private resort in Florida, and started dropping hints to close associates and club-goers that something huge was coming. More from The Daily Beast: According to three people whove been at the presidents Palm Beach club over the past several days, Trump began telling friends and allies hanging at his perennial vacation getaway that he was working on a big response to the Iranian regime that they would be hearing or reading about very soon. His comments went beyond the New Years Eve tweet he sent out warning of the big price Iran would pay for damage to U.S. facilities. Two of these sources tell The Daily Beast that the president specifically mentioned hed been in close contact with his top national security and military advisers on gaming out options for an aggressive action that could quickly materialize. He kept saying, Youll see, one of the sources recalled, describing a conversation with Trump days before Thursdays strike. Trumps club members had more knowledge of the strike than congressional leaders Its bad enough that Donald Trump clearly doesnt understand the gravity of his role as commander-in-chief. Worse is that members of his club seemed to have had more advance knowledge of this major military escalation in the Middle East than congressional leaders. As The Daily Beast also noted, Those Mar-a-Lago guests received more warning about Thursdays attack than Senate staff did, and about as much clarity. Bragging about serious military action in the buffet line at Mar-a-Lago might be funny if it was part of a sitcom plot, but this is now actual U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter The leader of a militia that rounded up migrants at gunpoint along the US-Mexico border has pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge. Larry Hopkins, who leads the United Constitutional Patriots, or UCP, faces up to 10 years in prison on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a plea agreement. The agreement, which must be approved later by a federal judge, brings the prosecution of Hopkins a step closer to resolution less than a year after videos surfaced showing militia members detaining migrants at the border. The footage prompted a broad outcry, bringing intense scrutiny to UCP and other vigilante groups that took it upon themselves to scour the border for undocumented immigrants. A lawyer for Hopkins, Kelly OConnell, said the militia leader had decided to enter into a plea agreement in part because of health concerns. Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Show all 23 1 /23 Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Mexico police emerge from a cloud of tear gas Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Mexico police work to keep migrants from getting over the border with the US AP Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border US border patrol agents stand guard as migrant seek to cross the border at Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Adults help a child over the US border fence AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants near the US border in Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants clash with riot police as they near the US border in Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A migrant is detained by US border patrol officers after illegally crossing the border Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Tear gas is deployed at the border Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants make their way to the US border fence Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A migrant man wears a homemade gas mask Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants stand on the banks of the Tijuana river opposite the US border fence Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants cross the Tijuana river Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants gather at the border crossing in Tijuana AP Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Tear gas is fired by border police to deter migrants EPA Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A migrant covers his face as tear gas surrounds him Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrant families seek to cross the US border at Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Mexico police try to stop migrants from crossing Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants force their way through the border fence at Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Reuters Hopkins was beaten by other inmates in jail shortly after his arrest, and claimed to have fallen on his head during a court appearance, according to Ms OConnell. He also worried that he had developed heart problems, Ms OConnell said. He described himself as in diminishing health. He had the overall feeling that he was getting worse and that it was possible that he wouldnt survive in there, Ms OConnell told The Washington Post on Friday. I said, The chance of you living well into your seventies gets a lot better if youre not in this place. A representative of the Dona Ana County jail in New Mexico could not be reached immediately for comment regarding Hopkins alleged beating or health issues. Ms OConnell said he intends to seek a sentence of time served and probation for Hopkins, who has been locked up for roughly nine months. The charge against Hopkins was not directly connected to UCPs activities at the border but stemmed from the discovery of weapons in his residence in Flora Vista, New Mexico, in fall 2017. In court papers, FBI agents said they visited his home after receiving a tip about militia extremist activity. They also said they received information that Hopkins had allegedly made the statement that the United Constitutional Patriots were training to assassinate George Soros, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Hopkins discusses logistics on a group chat in a caravan near the Mexico border (AFP) Hopkins consented to a search, and agents found nine firearms, including several rifles, that Hopkins admitted were his, according to a criminal complaint. The 70-year-old had previously been convicted of impersonating a peace officer and felony possession of a firearm, and he was barred from owning guns. Federal prosecutors did not charge Hopkins until April 2019, after footage of the militias patrols circulated widely. The leader smokes a cigarette (AFP) (AFP/Getty Images) In one since-deleted video posted to Facebook, a large group of migrants, including several children, could be seen huddled together on the ground at night, their faces illuminated by flashlights. This is crazy, everybody, totally crazy, a woman could be heard saying in the video, claiming that the group consisted of hundreds of people. I dont know what to say about this, other than the fact its got to stop. The video also showed border patrol officers arriving and escorting the migrants away as the person with the camera followed close behind. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The footage was widely condemned by immigration advocates, civil rights groups and some law enforcement officials, including New Mexico attorney general Hector Balderas, a Democrat, who said at the time that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not vigilantes. The UCP was is one of several militia groups that started roaming the US-Mexico border last year, inspired by a surge in caravans of migrants from Central America and by president Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric. A mission statement on the UCPs Facebook page said its goal was to uphold the Constitution of The United States of America and to protect citizens rights against all enemies both foreign and domestic a phrase that mimics the oath taken by US service members. A US Customs and Border Protection spokesman told The Post last year that the agency discouraged private groups or organisations taking enforcement matters into their own hands. The Washington Post Rocket attacks hit Baghdad's "Green Zone," which houses the U.S. Embassy and Balad Air Base where U.S. troops are stationed, on Saturday, Iraq's military and state media reported. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The attacks came as the U.S. bolsters forces in the region in response to Iranian threats to avenge the killing of Iranian Quds Force Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad's International Airport this week. The Pentagon later took responsibility for his death. At least one rocket fell on a parade ground in the Green Zone, causing no damage or casualties, the reports said. Also Saturday, several rockets fell at the gates of Balad Air Base, which is used jointly by the U.S. and Iraqi militaries, the reports said. Related: Thousands of Marines Head to Middle East on Navy Ship as Iran Pledges Retaliation The Iraqi Security Forces' Twitter account said that "a number of rockets landed targeting" the Green Zone and Balad "without casualties." There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks. Earlier, thousands of mourners, including acting Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, marched in a procession to honor the deaths of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of an Iranian-backed Shiite militia, who also was killed in the U.S. strike at the airport. On Friday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said U.S. intelligence had solid evidence of Soleimani's plans for a campaign of devastating attacks on Americans before the Pentagon launched the strike that killed the widely feared head the Quds Force, a branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In a meeting late Friday with a small group of defense reporters at the Pentagon, Milley said the U.S. must now brace for an unpredictable response from Iran after eliminating an implacable foe of its presence in the region. "Is there risk? Damn right, there's risk. But we're working to mitigate it," he said, according to The Washington Post, The New York Times and other outlets invited to Milley's office. "We fully comprehend the strategic consequences" of President Donald Trump's order to launch the strike to kill the 62-year-old Soleimani at Baghdad's International Airport on Thursday, Milley said. Iraqi state media reported the attack was carried out by missiles launched from a drone at Soleimani's two-vehicle convoy. In another precautionary move, the first contingents of about 3,000 additional paratroopers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, began boarding aircraft Saturday at Pope Army Airfield to deploy to Kuwait, the Fayetteville Observer reported. On Wednesday, about 750 soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, of the 82nd boarded C-17 Globemaster aircraft to deploy to Kuwait following Tuesday's anti-American demonstrations at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. In a statement Friday after Soleimani's death was confirmed, a Pentagon spokesperson said the entire 1st Brigade Combat Team would begin deploying to Kuwait as early as Saturday. In his briefing to reporters Friday, Milley said there was "clear, unambiguous" evidence picked up by U.S. intelligence of Soleimani's plans for attacks on Americans, but he was not specific on what the intended targets included. Before briefing members of Congress on Friday, a senior Defense Department official, speaking on background, was equally vague on Soleimani's plans. The official cited a series of rocket attacks on U.S. installations in Iraq in recent months, which were blamed on the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah (KH) militia. Those attacks included one on the "K-1" U.S.-Iraqi base near north-central Kirkuk that killed an American contractor and wounded at least three U.S. troops. In response, the U.S. launched strikes by F-15 Strike Eagle fighters against three KH locations in Iraq and two in Syria. The KH claimed the attacks killed 25 fighters. The senior defense official declined comment on the attack Soleimani was planning but said the decision to kill him "was based on a presidential direction, given the ongoing planning and threats we saw in the region." On CNN Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also did not give specifics but said the threat of an Iranian attack against Americans was "imminent" and required the strike that killed Soleimani. "It was the time to take this action so that we could disrupt this plot, deter further aggression from Qasem Soleimani and the Iranian regime -- as well as to attempt to de-escalate the situation," he said. "The risk of doing nothing was enormous." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Read more: Your Questions Answered: New Commissary Access for Vets and Caregivers AP Photo/Julius Constantine Motal Feds: Hanukkah stabbing suspect searched for Zionist temples of Staten Island The man facing five counts of attempted murder, among other charges, after he allegedly stabbed five people in a rabbis home in Monsey, N.Y., on the seventh day of Hanukkah, searched Zionist temples of Staten Island less than two weeks ago, according to court records filed by federal prosecutors on Monday. Grafton Thomas, 37, who kept journals filled with anti-Semitic writing and was charged with federal hate crimes on Monday, accessed an article on his phone entitled: "New York City Increases Police Presence in Jewish neighborhoods After Possible Anti-Semitic Attacks. Here's What to Know" within 24 hours of the attack, a criminal complaint alleges. Read the full story here. Don't Edit Shane DiMaio Man, 37, charged in barbershop shooting in Mariners Harbor Police have charged a 37-year-old man in connection with a shooting Saturday evening at a barbershop in Mariners Harbor. Montel Milbry, whose last known address was on Lockman Avenue in Mariners Harbor, is accused of shooting a 38-year-old man in the forearm, then fleeing in a Ford pickup truck with a New Jersey license plate. Read the full story here. Don't Edit 3 men allegedly stole refrigerator from home Three men were caught red-handed stealing a refrigerator from a home in Stapleton, authorities allege. Brittany Williams, 33, of Park Avenue in Port Richmond, Christopher Hertman, 35, of Holland Avenue in Mariners Harbor, and Felix Taveras, 36, of Hamilton Street in Stapleton, entered a home on Gordon Street at about 9:25 a.m. on Monday, according to police and the criminal complaint. Read the full story here. Don't Edit Staten Island homicide victims in 2019: They came from all walks of life A mob boss shot and killed outside his home; the remains of a beloved teacher discovered at a storage facility, and an Army National Guard member at the center of a triple homicide investigation. In total, 13 people died in homicides in 2019 on Staten Island, compared to 10 in 2018. Read the full story here. Don't Edit Wife-killing ex-cops $100K death-benefit fight comes to end Late ex-cop John Galtieri couldn't prevent the daughter of his former wife who he murdered 13 years ago in Pleasant Plains from getting his NYPD pension. And now, Patricia DeFranco, 38, Galtieris offspring with Jeanne Kane, who he killed in 2007, will also receive the bulk of his life insurance policy. Read the full story here. Don't Edit Don't Edit NYPD NYPD: Man sought for questioning in Staten Island grand larceny Police are seeking the publics assistance in locating a man sought for questioning in connection with an alleged grand larceny incident last month. A 31-year-old woman was approached at about 7:55 p.m. Nov. 17 by a former acquaintance, who snatched her eyeglasses from her face in front of a residence near Maple Parkway and Walloon Street, according to a written statement by the office of the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. The suspect also threatened the victim with bodily harm before fleeing in a black vehicle with her glasses, police said. Read the full story here. Don't Edit Court of Appeals wants higher sentence for Staten Island ISIS backer The Court of Appeals last Friday ordered the re-sentencing of Fareed Mumuni, a Mariners Harbor resident who was serving time in prison for providing material support to ISIS and nearly stabbing an FBI agent to death. Mumuni, 25, was sentenced to 17 years in prison in April 2018 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, conspiracy to assault a federal officer, assault of a federal officer with a deadly weapon and attempted murder of a federal officer. Read the full story here. Don't Edit Staten Island Advance/Joseph Ostapiuk NYPD: Man shot three rounds at victim in vehicle in Eltingville The NYPD continues to investigate an incident in which an unidentified man reportedly shot three rounds at a victim who was driving in Eltingville Sunday night. No one was hit by any of the shots, police said. More than a half-dozen NYPD vehicles cordoned off both ends of Bent Street between Pompey Avenue and Van Brunt Street while police conducted an initial investigation into the incident, which occurred just after 6 p.m. Read the full story here. The state-run hospital in Kota, where more than 100 children died in December, rolled out a 'green carpet' on Friday to welcome Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma Kota: The state-run hospital in Kota, where more than 100 children died in December, rolled out a "green carpet" on Friday to welcome Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma. After the decision was slammed by the opposition BJP and others, the JK Lon Hospital administration removed the carpet shortly before the minister's arrival. Asked about the preparations to welcome him at the hospital, Sharma said when he came to know about it he immediately directed the officials to no do such things. Rajasthan: A carpet laid out at Kota's JK Lon Hospital ahead of the visit of State Health Minister Raghu Sharma, was removed after seeing media presence. #KotaChildDeaths pic.twitter.com/WJRmoqry2S ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2020 The Kota Nagar Nigam removed at least 50 stray pigs from the premises. The hospital management undertook several measures for the minister's visit. It had repaired damaged portions of the hospital, whitewashed the walls and organised all equipment early on Friday. Dysfunctional room-heaters and lights were replaced in kids' wards. The hospital premises was being cleaned for 5-6 days and pigs were removed on Friday, said Kota Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vasudev Malavat. Meanwhile, former NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma held the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government responsible for the death of children at the hospital and demanded its dismissal. She was not allowed to enter into the hospital due to aggressive protest by Congress workers. On Friday, a 15-day-old female infant died at the hospital, pushing the death toll to 105 in the last 34 days. However, doctors at the hospital termed it a premature birth. Did World War Three begin last Thursday night? I fear it may have done. Forgive my language, but on this occasion I think it justified. How can anyone possibly have been so bloody stupid? We know from history that assassinations can have limitless effects. And when the President of the United States orders the state murder (for this, alas, is what it was) of an Iranian general, it is hard to see a good end. When the President of the US ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani (pictured, during an anti-US rally to protest his killing on January 4), it is hard to see a good end. History shows that assassinations can have limitless effects There will be retaliation. Other countries will be drawn in. Our own ability to make moral objections to such acts is gravely weakened because Donald Trumps action lies miles outside the laws of civilised war. Iran has no long-range drones (as far as we know), but can you begin to imagine the justified rage in the USA if a senior American general were shot dead on the steps of the Pentagon by an Iranian hit team? Yet what, in the end, would be the moral difference between the two acts? Now we can only tremble at what might come next. People protest the US military involvement in the Middle East, in Times Square, New York, on January 4 Any fool can see that this action was perilous beyond belief. Anyone wise and mature enough to say Thats enough! after the first retaliation would have had the sense not to start this in the first place. For the first 40 years of my life we were supposed to be living on the brink of nuclear war. But it never came, because even the stupidest and most evil politicians could see that you could not win such a war. Now the nuclear threat has slipped away into the background. I am not saying it will not return. But a US President can now start a war, if he picks his enemy carefully, without needing to fear a nuclear exchange. We have seen this already in Iraq, a continuing disaster, and in Afghanistan, where, as newly released secret papers show, nobody ever had a clue what they were doing. We see it in Ukraine, where American and EU aggression finally came up against hard resistance. We see it in Syria. Britain and France started their own war in Libya, so destroying that country and beginning one of the biggest waves of uncontrolled migration in human history, and unqualified disaster. Pictures from Syria after the war we caused show a country that has truly been bombed and shelled back into the Stone Age How odd it is that we persist with these follies. Modern non-nuclear weapons are quite terrifying enough in themselves. I visited Baghdad soon after the 2003 invasion and was repeatedly astonished by the vast destruction caused by the power and accuracy of 21st Century conventional munitions. Ramadi and Fallujah later ended up as moonscapes. Pictures from Syria after the war we caused show a country that has truly been bombed and shelled back into the Stone Age. A man pushes a bicycle while walking past burning cars in the aftermath of a car bomb explosion at the industrial zone in the northern Syrian town of Tal Abyad on November 23 And now we have drones, which turn murder into a video game. You can sit in front of a screen and arrange the killing of another human being, at no direct risk to yourself, thousands of miles away. Then you can lock up your office and go out for a beer or, if you dont like beer, you can have a cheeseburger. But above all, what is all this about? It does not defend us, but exposes us to danger that may reach our towns and cities. At least in the past we could say we were defending liberty against a defined menace that would not stop threatening us until it was defeated in the field. But in these cases, what precisely are we fighting for? How will we know if we have won? Or are we heading for the permanent war envisaged in George Orwells 1984, in which we can switch from one enemy to the other in the blink of an eye, and pretend nothing has changed, but the fighting never stops? You think this far-fetched? Then bear in mind that this country has been supporting an Al Qaeda faction in Syria for several years. These are crazy times. By Daniel Lazare January 03, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - In order to understand the great impeachment charade, its important to keep three facts about the strange bird known as the United States uppermost in mind. The first is that the US is the ultimate law-based society, one whose structure derives entirely from a single four-thousand-word document created in 1787. The second is that while Americans think of the Constitution as the greatest plan of government known to man, its actually the opposite: a grotesque pre-modern relic that grows more unrepresentative and unresponsive with each passing year. A pro-rural Electoral College that has overridden the popular vote in two of the last five presidential elections; a lopsided Senate that allows the majority in ten urban states to be outvoted four-to-one by the minority in the other forty; lifetime Supreme Court justices who can veto any law at variance with an ancient constitution that only they understand its a broken-down old rattletrap in need of a top-to-bottom overhaul. Yet its so thoroughly frozen that structural reform is all but unthinkable. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The third thing to keep in mind is that as the constitutional system grows more and more undemocratic, the two-party system that grew out of it in the nineteenth century grows more undemocratic as well. The result is a bipartisan race to the right. Sometimes, the Republicans seem to be in the lead as Trump imprisons thousands of immigrants fleeing murderous conditions in Central America that the US war on drugs helped create. Other times its the Democrats as they beat the drums for imperialist war against Russia. Take all these factors xenophobia, mindless obeisance to ancient law, a president imposed against the popular will, etc. mix thoroughly, place in a super-hot oven due to a growing imperial crisis, and impeachment is what pops out. The process itself is very old, a by-product of fourteenth-century Anglo-Norman law. (Impeachment derives from the Old French empeechier, meaning to ensnare or entrap.) The British abandoned it in the late eighteenth century when Edmund Burke wasted seven years impeaching an Indian colonial governor named Warren Hastings on grounds of corruption. (The House of Lords finally acquitted him in 1795). But then the Americans took it up and now, two centuries later, are immersed in the same brainless exercise. The results were all too evident in mid-December when one Democrat after another took to the House floor to denounced Donald Trump for violating the ancient constitution by withholding lethal military aid from the neo-Nazis of the Ukraines Azov Battalion. We used to stand up to Putin and Russia I know the party of Ronald Reagan used to, declared Adam Schiff, the Democratic point man on impeachment, his voice quivering with emotion. The fight to defend the Ukraine is about more than Ukraine. Its about us. Its about our national security. Their fight is our fight. Their defense is our defense. And when the President sacrifices our interests, our national security for his election, he is sacrificing our country for his personal gain. This was the Democratic line in a nutshell. In order to safeguard the ancient republic at home, the US must pay foreign satraps to defend its imperial interests abroad. Since no patriotic American could possibly disagree, any and all problems must stem from meddling by the evil dictator Vladimir Putin and his traitorous puppet in the Oval Office. Americans must therefore fulfill the ancient law by impeaching him just as the founding fathers would have wanted. Only then will peace and freedom return to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Its all quite ridiculous, but whats even more bonkers is that millions of Americans think its true. Trump is meanwhile in his element. Now that Democrats have voted to impeach him in the House, hed like nothing more than a lengthy trial in the Senate because (a) acquittal in the upper house is a certainty and (b) it will allow the Republican majority to put the torturers to the rack by subpoenaing everyone from Joe and Hunter Biden to Adam Schiff himself and declaring them in contempt of Congress if they refuse to testify. Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has described an all-out Senate war as mutual assured destruction, and hes right since, once unleashed, the ancient constitutional machinery will grind everything to dust in its path. American politics will grow only more farcical. If Putin looms larger and larger on the world stage; if the moment has come, as the Times Literary Supplement recently announced, for even the most hardened skeptics to admit that he is one of the most successful world leaders of our era; if the US at the same time staggers from one imperial disaster to another even while descending into civil war then its not because the Russian leader is particularly clever, but because the US is locked in an ancient mindset that is increasingly divorced from reality. Its lost in a constitutional labyrinth of its own making, and impeachment is leading it deeper and deeper into the maze. Jamia Milia Islamia University is scheduled to open on 6 January 2020 after winter vacation. Odd-semester examinations (mostly postgraduate courses) can start from January 9, 2020. Most examinations for undergraduate courses begin on January 16, 2020. Baghdad: Thousands of people on the streets, angry with America over the death of these powerful people Clashes between students and police For information, let us tell you that there was a protest at Jamia Milia University regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act. During this time there was also a clash between Delhi Police and students. A large number of students were injured during this period, besides a student was also killed. All kinds of videos also went viral on social media. These videos claimed that the Delhi Police had ransacked the students' library. Police allege that the students had pelted stones at them. America gives a big blow to Cuba, bans this powerful man Two committee formed for investigation After catching up with the case, the Jamia Millia Islamia administration had formed two committees to investigate the matter. Whose investigation report will be determined based on how true the allegations against the police are. The students continue to demonstrate on this matter in the latest incident. Due to which the education of students is also being disrupted. Demonstrations are still on in the Shahin Bagh area regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act. Due to which the roads are closed there. The roads there have been closed for almost 20 days. Due to which people coming and going are facing problems. Yogi Adityanath raises questions on Congress culture, makes serious allegations against tribals What is citizenship amendment law In fact, since the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act, there has been opposition across the country. According to this law, non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will easily get citizenship of India. Opposition parties and the Muslim community are consistently calling this law discrimination on religious grounds. The first time I met up with the astrologer Chani Nicholas in Los Angeles, in December, it was for a lunch interview. We sipped our drinks and chewed truffle French fries; I asked questions and she answered them. The conversation flowed easily. We laughed a lot. It was a good interview, by all accounts, but it went slightly sideways in a way I had never experienced. After I had turned off my recorder and paid the bill and packed my things and arranged for my exit, she turned the tables on me. I looked at your chart again, she said. Do you want to talk about it? Ms. Nicholas, like my mother, my crush and the D.M.V., knows the exact date, time and place of my birth. We had met twice before: at the brunch of a mutual friend, where I gave her this information, raw from a breakup and looking for any kind of salve, and then, briefly, at a coffee shop to talk about it. PORTLAND, Ore. As Rabbi Ken Brodkin watched the news trickle in from Sutherland Springs, Texas, in November 2017 26 killed and 20 wounded after a shooter opened fire during Sunday morning services, one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history he felt a jolt of realization. Seeing a house of worship become a hunting ground for shooters in real-time told him everything was about to change. Brodkin, 44, has been the rabbi at Congregation Kesser Israel, Oregons largest and longest-established Orthodox synagogue for 14 years. His congregations totals about 130 families in the Portland area, a sliver of the small Jewish population in Portland, where roughly 40,000 Jews live in a city of almost 650,000. Brodkins always known the Jewish community is vulnerable to hate crimes anti-Semitism, he says, is an eternal force but that reality crystallized in fall 2018, when his congregation decided the best way to protect itself was to hire an armed guard to patrol the synagogue during weekend services. First responders work near the home of a rabbi on Forshay Rd. in Monsey, New York, after a man entered the house and stabbed multiple people who were there for a Hanukkah gathering. (Via OlyDrop) His situation isnt unique. As anti-Semitic attacks become more frequent across the country, Jewish leaders are grappling with how to straddle the line of creating open environments while keeping their congregation safe from hateful outsiders. The challenges can be particularly steep for smaller communities, which often find themselves with fewer financial resources and isolated geographically. Paying for security measures like cameras, panic buttons, bulletproof glass, metal detectors or armed guards can add up quickly, and isnt in every synagogues budget. Its the million-dollar question, Brodkin says. We cant allow the fact that there are crazy people in the world to stop us from our mission of building a welcoming community. Those things arent mutually exclusive but the attention to detail has to be thorough. In recent weeks, Jewish people across the U.S. have come together to show support for their community. Shortly after a stabbing attack at a Hannukkah party last week in Monsey, New York, hundreds of Jews rallied in the streets, and hundreds of thousands are expected this Sunday at a march in New York City. Story continues 'Nothing is going to stop us being Jewish': New York community rallies after anti-Semitic 'terrorism' attack Anti-Semitism is on the rise in the U.S. There were 780 anti-Semitic incidents assaults, vandalism and harassment in the first half of 2019, according to the Anti-Defamation League. In contrast, in 2018 there were 775 in the first half of the year. The deadliest came in Pittsburgh in October 2018, when 11 people were murdered by a white supremacist gunman. During the Monsey attack on Dec. 29, a man stabbed five people with a machete at the home of a rabbi. That attack came shortly after two shooters killed four people at a Jersey City, New Jersey, kosher market earlier in December. Most congregations pride themselves on being a welcoming place, and none of us want to practice our religion inside a fortress, says Aaron Ahlquist, 43, an Anti-Defamation League regional director based in New Orleans who oversees Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. Ahlquist works directly with smaller communities in his region to make sure theyre connecting with local law enforcement to discuss security procedures. His office also identifies and tracks hate groups and individuals who have clearly expressed hate motives toward the Jewish community. Were reeling from all these attacks, Ahlquist says. And one of the realities is that for the Jewish community in particular, but really all faith communities, a passive approach to security is no longer an option. Most Jewish communities in the U.S. also work directly with the Secure Community Network, a national organization headquartered in Chicago. Staffed with law enforcement and homeland security experts, the Secure Community Network works with the FBI and Jewish leaders to identify potential threats and train communities on how to handle them, from helping them establish communication networks, to spreading news of potential threats, to practicing active shooter drills. Michael Masters, 41, the CEO and national director, took over his position two years ago, shortly after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017. After the neo-Nazi protests, when white nationalists marched through the streets chanting, Jews will not replace us, Masters spent time with Alan Zimmerman, president of Congregation Beth Israel, the only synagogue in Charlottesville, which serves more than 800 families in a city of about 48,000. The synagogue was a block away from the riot that killed one person. Alan described standing on the steps of the synagogue, looking across the street and seeing individuals with assault rifles, waving Nazi and Confederate flags and told me, We felt so alone, Masters recalls. My response was, Shame on us as a community if any Jew, anywhere in this country, feels alone. A menorah at a memorial outside the Tree of Life Synagogue, where Robert Bowers killed worshippers in an Oct. 27 shooting, as people prepare for a celebration service at sundown on the first night of Hanukkah in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. One of the biggest realizations for Masters after Charlottesville was that we needed to figure how to expand a security umbrella, particularly to those communities that have less resources. Its not realistic, security experts say, for every congregation to spend money on facility hardening like cameras, bulletproof glass and metal detectors. Those measures become cost prohibitive very quickly. Instead, experts recommend and emphasize training and relationship building with both local law enforcement and the synagogues neighbors. Synagogue president: A straight line from Charlottesville to Pittsburgh shooting In Bozeman, Montana, Rabbi Chaim Bruk is the co-CEO of Chabad Lubavitch, a Hasidic Jewish community. He and his wife, Chavie, moved out West 13 years ago to open the first Orthodox synagogue in Montana in 100 years. Bruk estimates that within a 50-mile radius of Bozeman, a Southern Montana city of just under 47,000 there are 800 households that have a Jew in them, though the synagogue typically only sees 30 to 40 people at its weekly service. Within the congregation, members devised ways to communicate quickly with Bruk when someone unfamiliar enters the synagogue so he can let them know if they should worry. (Bruk declined to give details on their procedures for security purposes.) Taking more drastic measures like hiring an armed guard or installing metal detectors would be a financial strain for the congregation, Bruk says, but hes committed to figuring out how to do right by our community if thats whats needed based on expert assessment. Bruk says its only recently that hes started to look over his shoulder and that hasnt happened in Montana, a reliably red state known for its staunch support of the Second Amendment. It happened in his native Brooklyn in New York City when Bruk recently went back to visit family. Theres been something like 20 attacks just in Crown Heights, where I grew up, he says of the Brooklyn neighborhood known for its active Jewish community. The fact that I have to look over my shoulder in Brooklyn, what does that say about America in 2020? In Bozeman, Bruk says he and his family he and Chavie have five children feel welcome every day, and frequently interact with non-Jews at major events, like at their annual Menorah lighting, which has been attended in the past by both U.S. senators from Montana. Rabbi Chaim Bruk (back far left in hat) makes the Havdalah service on a glass of wine to celebrate the conclusion of Yom Kippur at his synagogue in Bozeman, Montana. Within the walls of his synagogue, he wants both his congregants to feel safe and outsiders to feel welcome. I dont want to alienate them or have us turn into Europe, he says, a sentiment felt by many within the Jewish community as Jews flee France and England in response to rising anti-Semitism. Bruk says that as a student years ago, he had a five-hour layover in Barcelona, Spain, and decided to visit a synagogue to pray. Getting inside took a ridiculous amount of time, he says. We knock on the door and its, Who are you? Do you have your passport to prove it? Why didnt you call ahead of time? He recalls. I dont want my synagogue or America to turn into that. Bruk also rejects the idea because the Jewish community is under attack, it should back into the shadows. He said that in the face of anti-Semitism, Jews need to lean into their Jewishness even more, embracing their culture and faith especially in smaller communities. The natural response would be to hide, to take off our yarmulkes and stop shopping in the kosher section of the grocery store, he says. But were not going to cower or run away. Were going to continue celebrating, even if theyre going to make it a little harder. Almost 800 miles away in Portland, Brodkin echoes that sentiment. He points out that Jews all over the planet just concluded Hanukkah, a celebration that emphasizes bringing more light into the world. I still feel confident and hopeful, Brodkin says. The Jewish people have been here for 4,000 years and weve already survived and thrived so many difficult things. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anti-Semitism attacks increasing: Orthodox Jews vulnerable, resilient PITTSBURGH A veritable flood of naloxone helped to slash opioid overdoses since 2017, but the lifesaving tide may be ebbing, at least in Allegheny County. The amount of free Narcan the nasal form of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone supplied by the state to the county has plunged. Some pharmacists, meanwhile, say they are losing money on many of their sales of Narcan kits. The trend worries advocates who have spent decades trying to reduce the harm done by addiction. I absolutely cannot see the rationale, in the face of the deaths that were seeing, for reducing state funding for Narcan, said Alice Bell, the overdose prevention project coordinator at Prevention Point Pittsburgh, which distributes naloxone. If weve seen a significant drop (in overdoses), then we should do more of what were doing. We need to increase, not decrease, our efforts. Naloxone has long been available in a cheap, injectable version. Radnor-based ADAPT Pharma Inc. revolutionized the drugs distribution in 2015 following the federal approval of the easy-to-use but expensive Narcan nasal spray version. Prevention Point Pittsburgh, which provides clean needles to intravenous drug users, primarily gives out the injectable naloxone. Bell said nasal Narcan is also crucial, because there are many people who may come across overdoses who may not be comfortable administering injections. Since November 2017, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency has been the main source of free Narcan given to governments statewide, which in turn distribute it to first responders and others likely to encounter overdoses. The commissions criteria for distributing Narcan depends in part on the change in the number of overdose deaths. In the fiscal year that ended in mid-2018, the commission gave the Allegheny County Health Department 2,976 kits of Narcan, containing two doses each. It followed that with a flood of 10,176 kits in the fiscal year ending in mid-2019. In calendar year 2018, overdose deaths in Allegheny County dropped 41% from record-breaking levels far steeper than the 18% drop in the state as a whole. This fiscal year, the state has a total of 2,268 kits reserved for Allegheny County, of which it has shipped roughly half, according to Samantha Koch, a senior project manager at the commission. She said the amount is lower this year in part because the money available for the commission to spend on Narcan dipped from $2.5 million in each of the prior two fiscal years to $1.5 million this year. The county health department currently has 246 naloxone kits at its pharmacy and will continue replenishing as necessary, wrote department spokesman Ryan Scarpino, in a Dec. 18 response to questions. The county, he wrote, gives out around 770 Narcan kits per month. Rachel Radke laughs with her 81/2-month-old son, Ari, in their duplex in Wilkinsburg. Radke said she benefited from her experience with the Pregnancy Recovery Center at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. Ari is her third child and she said her pregnancy, delivery and parenting experience was enhanced by the support she got from the center, as she continues with medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. The 246 kits, Bell noted, is like a 10-day supply. The Health Department, Im sure, will do everything possible to meet the gap. Scarpino wrote that the county health department is indeed tapping some federal funds to buy more Narcan, and the Allegheny County Jail is using $75,000 from its Inmate Welfare Fund to buy kits to provide to inmates upon release. He wrote that the county is continuing to work on prevention measures, including increasing the availability of medication-assisted treatment for addiction. J.J. Abbott, a spokesman for Gov. Tom Wolf, issued a statement that the state works extremely closely with Allegheny County, which has seen significant progress in Narcan distribution and lives saved after overdose, and has additional avenues for individuals and organizations to get Narcan, including give-away days across the commonwealth. The state Department of Health has added some Narcan to the local supply, distributing 926 kits in Allegheny County in December 2018, and 1,098 kits in September 2019. In the counties surrounding Allegheny, theres no word of a Narcan shortage, said Janice Pringle, a University of Pittsburgh professor of pharmacy who leads the Pennsylvania Opioid Overdose Reduction Technical Assistance Center. Some counties say theyre awash in naloxone, she said. Different parts of the state have adopted different strategies for distributing Narcan, noted Devin Reaves, executive director of the Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Coalition. Some focus on getting the drug into the hands of public safety workers. His coalition recommends that naloxone products be provided first to opioid users because they are most likely to be present for overdoses and second to their loved ones, and third to public safety workers. The goal, he said, must be naloxone saturation. Of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency program, he said: Its not that the program is bad. Its not enough. Alexandria Lavella manages Hilltop Pharmacy, in Allentown, in the ZIP code (15210) that annually vies with the North Side (15212) for the title of most fatal overdoses in the county. We are in an area struck by this epidemic, and we want to make sure that whether its you that has the problem, or a neighbor or a sister or a kid, that you are ready and at least able to help them in the case of an overdose, Lavella said. She and her staff typically give customers around 10 minutes of counseling on how to use Narcan, and sometimes on where to go for help if theyre in addiction. In 2019, she sold 185 Narcan kits and lost a total of $357.14 on those transactions, according to a spreadsheet she maintained. Her store buys Narcan kits for $123.75 through wholesaler Value Drug Co., of Duncansville, Blair County. Most people who buy Narcan are insured through Medicaid programs, typically Gateway Health Plan or UPMC for You, Lavella said. Gateway recently increased its reimbursement rate so the store earns 75 cents on each kit it sells. But she said she loses $3.85 on every sale to a UPMC for You-insured customer. A UPMC Health Plans spokesman wrote, in an email response to questions, that he could not disclose UPMC for Yous reimbursement rate for Narcan, because our contractual arrangements with pharmacies can differ depending on a number of variables. The health plan spokesman, Jeffrey Davis, went on to say that the insurers goal is to always reimburse pharmacies above the cost of the drug. However, several factors including the purchase price that the pharmacy buys the drug at and the contractual arrangement that we with have the pharmacy can affect the final reimbursement. He said he knew of no complaints about the insurers reimbursement rate for Narcan. Pharmacist Pete Kreckel, of Thompson Pharmacy in Altoona, has written to his state senator, Judy Ward, arguing that the state should step in to ensure that pharmacies are fairly reimbursed for Narcan sales. In June, Ward wrote to the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services asking that they consider either mandating a higher reimbursement level, or paying pharmacists for the patient counseling they provide to Narcan buyers. How much longer, Kreckel asked in an interview, can we continue to be benevolent while we take a beating like this? Lavella said shes going to continue to sell Narcan and eat the loss. Its just something worth doing, she said. We want to get this out into the neighborhood and make things as safe as possible and promote an atmosphere of healing, she said. At no point do I ever want to get a call from one of my customers that theyve lost a son, or a daughter because they didnt have Narcan. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 00:48:52|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, voiced concerns on Saturday over the killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike. During a phone conversation, Lavrov and Cavusoglu expressed deep concern about the possible serious consequences of the U.S. action for peace and stability in the Middle East region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Sergei Lavrov emphasized that U.S. actions are a gross violation of fundamental norms of international law and do not contribute to the achievement of the goals of the fight against terrorism declared by Washington," the statement said. Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, was killed in the U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport. Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed "tough revenge" for the deadly attack. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Warsaw, Poland Sat, January 4, 2020 08:06 737 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206015d54 2 Art & Culture Poland,Chopin,Asia,music,classical-music,Frederic-Chopin Free A record 500-plus young pianists, nearly half from Asia, applied to take part in the 2020 edition of Poland's prestigious Chopin competition, its organizers said Thursday. Winning the event, which began in 1927 and is held every five years in the Polish capital, is seen as a ticket to playing the greatest venues in the world. It is reserved for pianists between the ages of 16 and 30. The 19th-century French-Polish romantic composer's music has long drawn pianists from Asian countries like China and Japan and this year's competition is no exception. More than 100 of the applicants for the 18th edition come from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the Warsaw-based Fryderyk Chopin Institute told AFP. There were also strong representations from Japan, with more than 90 applicants, and Poland, with more than 60. Thirty-five of the individuals are South Korean, just like the winner of the last edition, Cho Seong-Jin. Other countries notably represented include the United States, Canada, Russia, Italy and France. Read also: Period pianos evoke sounds of Chopin at new contest A committee will now select around a third of the candidates to participate in the April preliminaries, whose outcome will decide which 80 pianists perform in the October 2-21 competition. The juried performances are open to the public and always sell out. Several members of this year's jury hail from Asia, including Vietnamese Montreal-resident Dang Thai Son, China's Sa Chen and Japanese-French pianist Akiko Ebi. Over the years the competition has helped to launch the careers of pianists such as the Italian Maurizio Pollini and Argentine's Martha Argerich. Born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola, near the Polish capital, Frederic Chopin fled his homeland just before the 1830 uprising against the occupying forces of Tsarist Russia. The composer later lived in the Austrian capital Vienna before moving to Paris, where he died aged 39 after years of poor health. Described by 19th century German composer Robert Schumann as "cannons hidden among blossoms", Chopin's music remains a symbol of Poland's long struggle for freedom. T housands of mourners chanted "death to America" as they marched in a funeral procession through Baghdad for Iran's top general killed in a US airstrike. US President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict but Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. Washington has dispatched 3,000 troop reinforcements to the region. The mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to General Soleimani. A coffin is seen inside a car during the funeral of the Iranian general / REUTERS As well as Gen Soleimani, mourners had gathered to pay respects to Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed in the airstrike. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: "No, No, America," and "Death to America, death to Israel." Thousands gather for a funeral procession through Baghdad for Iran's top general / REUTERS Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. "It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us," he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The gates to Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy, were closed. A woman holds the picture of the Iranian Major-General Qasem Soleimani / REUTERS Mr Trump said a "reign of terror is over" and accused the general of making "the death of innocent people his sick passion". Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that "severe revenge awaits the criminals" behind the strike and announced three days of national mourning. Kataib Hezbollah Iraqi militia gather ahead of the funeral of the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport / REUTERS In Iran on Saturday, every major newspaper and state-controlled TV broadcast focused on General Soleimani's death, with even reformist newspapers like Aftab-e Yazd warning that "revenge is on the way." Billboards have appeared on major streets showing General Soleimani's face, many carrying the warning from the leader that "harsh revenge" awaits the US Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate in the country's political establishment, visited General Soleimani's home in Tehran to express his condolences. Mourners gesture as they fill the streets to pay their respects to the general and other military leaders / REUTERS "The Americans did not realise what a great mistake they made," Rouhani said. "They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come." Soleimani was the architect of Iran's regional policy of mobilising militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on US troops and American allies over nearly two decades. People gather at the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani / REUTERS As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an airstrike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any airstrike had taken place. The U.S.-led coalition also denied carrying out any airstrike. The Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the airstrike in Taji, north of the capital. Soleimani was killed in an airstrike in Baghdad / AP An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if another type of explosion had occurred. Trump says Soleimani should have been targeted 'long ago' Mr Corbyn has written to the Prime Minister to ask seven questions, including what the UK Government knew ahead of the air strike which killed General Qassem Soleimani, if there was an increased terror risk in the UK and whether Boris Johnson had spoken to US president Donald Trump. Fourteen civilians, including many schoolchildren, died Saturday when a roadside bomb blew up their bus in northwestern Burkina Faso, a security source told AFP. Four people were seriously hurt in the blast in Sourou province near the Mali border, the source added, as children returned to school after holidays. "The vehicle hit a homemade bomb on the Toeni-Tougan road," a second security source said. "Most of the dead are schoolchildren." Meanwhile, the army reported an attack against gendarmes at Inata in the north on Friday, saying "a dozen terrorists were neutralised". Since 2015, increasingly deadly Islamist attacks in Burkina have killed more than 750 people according to an AFP count, and forced 560,000 people from their homes according to UN figures. The entire Sahel region, especially Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, is fighting jihadist insurgency with help from Western countries, but has not managed to stem the bloodshed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) General Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US air strike (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) The Foreign Office has strengthened its warnings over travel to Middle East nations amid the ratcheting of tensions in the wake of the USs drone strike on a top Iranian general. British nationals are advised not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan Region, while all but essential travel to Iran is warned against. The guidance was bolstered on Saturday after the United States announced it was sending nearly 3,000 extra troops to the region after Donald Trump authorised the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. The FCO now advise against all travel to #Iraq, except for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq where the FCO continue to advise against all but essential travel. Read more: http://ow.ly/Qg0z50xN1Hr Posted by FCDO travel advice on Saturday, January 4, 2020 Thousands of mourners chanting death to America took to the streets of Baghdad, where the head of Irans elite Quds Force was targeted at the capitals international airport a day earlier. Labours John McDonnell condemned the Governments response to this act of aggression, this escalation towards war when he joined protesters outside Downing Street. The shadow chancellor told the crowd with the Stop the War Coalition: It was acts like this that led us to the catastrophic war in Iraq. Its so (easy) to happen as a result of the foreign policy of aggressive imperialism that the US now has resorted to yet again under Donald Trump. And its not good enough for the UK Government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK Government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence. Expand Close Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told a Stop the War Coalition protest that the UK Government should condemn the killing (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told a Stop the War Coalition protest that the UK Government should condemn the killing (Yui Mok/PA) Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been celebrating the new year with partner Carrie Symonds on the private Caribbean island of Mustique and has not commented on the generals killing. He is expected to return to the UK early on Sunday. The Foreign Office warned that anyone in Iraq outside the Kurdistan Region should consider leaving by commercial means because the uncertain security situation could deteriorate quickly. Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with calls for citizens to remain vigilant in nations including Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Untied Arab Emirates. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the updated advice was issued due to heightened tensions in the region and would be kept under review. The first job of any Government is to keep British people safe, he added. Expand Close Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meets the family of Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meets the family of Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) The US president said he ordered the killing to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation raising fears of an all-out war. An American official denied the nation was behind a second deadly air strike on two vehicles being reported north of Baghdad. Soleimani masterminded Tehrans regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops. Mr Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Soleimanis reign of terror is over and describing him as having a sick passion for killing. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt described an incredibly dangerous game of chicken between the US and Iran, which have simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between the nations Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4s Today programme the tensions created a very difficult situation for the UK as an ally of the US, adding Britain cannot afford to be neutral. Expand Close A protester at the Stop the War Coalition event wears a Donald Trump mask (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protester at the Stop the War Coalition event wears a Donald Trump mask (Yui Mok/PA) But he added: This is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the USs closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy. There has been criticism of the US for not giving advanced notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was regrettable because allies should ensure there are no surprises in the relationship. Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises monarchs. The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the assassination had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike. He had earlier called on ministers to stand up to the USs belligerent actions and rhetoric and urge restraint from both aggressors. A parliamentarian of Sri Lanka's main opposition, the United National Party (UNP), was arrested here on Saturday for possessing a firearm with an expired license, police said. Ranjan Ramanayake is the third opposition leader to be arrested after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power in mid-November last year. In December, UNP leaders Champika Ranawaka and Rajitha Senaratne, who were ministers before Rajapaksa was elected on November 16, were arrested and later granted bail. While Ranawaka was arrested over a traffic accident, Senaratne was held for participating in a conference about abductions of critics during the regime of the current president's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa. The UNP had termed the arrests as a "witch hunt" and said it was the beginning of "revenge politics" by the Rajapaksa government. "Ramanayake was arrested from his official residence for possessing a firearm with an expired license," a police official said. An actor-turned-politician, Ramanayake is critic of the Rajapaksa clan. He is also facing two cases of contempt of court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Herald reports: The National Party has intensified its call for a ministerial inquiry into Pharmacs decision to switch its funded epilepsy drug to Logem which is suspected to be linked to five deaths. National health spokesman Michael Woodhouse today released a statement again calling for a ministerial inquiry into Pharmacs October 1 decision to change to a generic form of epilepsy drug lamotrigine. The tragic news that its suspected to have caused the death of a young father just before Christmas, as well as four deaths reported earlier in 2019, suggests the brand switch put lives at risk, Woodhouse said. Medsafe and patients raised concerns about the switch before it went ahead. A Government spokesperson responded to the comments from Woodhouse by emphasising the matter was currently being looked into by the Coroner. Any sudden death is a tragedy and my sympathies are with the family and friends, the spokesperson said. These deaths are being investigated by the Coroner, and in the meantime Pharmac has made changes to the way the brand change is being managed. Woodhouse also questioned Health Minister David Clarks knowledge of the risks of Logem, after it was revealed Pharmac knew for more than two weeks that three deaths had been linked to its epilepsy drug brand switch but didnt tell patients or the public. Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante and First National Bank of Omaha have announced the NEST 529 Big Dreams $40K Giveaway. Open nationwide to children 10 years old or younger, eight randomly-selected winners will each receive a $5,000 NEST 529 College Savings Plan account contribution. Entries can be submitted online or by mail through March 31. An annual contest, this year NEST 529 has doubled the Big Dreams giveaway prize to a total of $40,000. Since 2015, NEST 529 has awarded more than $100,000 in Big Dreams scholarship contributions. For full details and to enter the giveaway, visit NEST529.com/BigDreamsGiveaway. More information is also available at NEST529.com or treasurer.nebraska.gov. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday declined to weigh in on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can return to his post now that he has been indicted, postponing any ruling on his political future until after March elections. A three-judge panel said the question of whether an indicted member of parliament can be tapped to form a government is important, but that it would be premature to decide the issue before the vote. The court had been widely expected to delay any ruling. Judging Netanyahu ineligible would have triggered a major political crisis and exacerbated already strained ties between the government and the judiciary. Netanyahu was indicted in November on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Israeli Cabinet members are required to resign if indicted, but the rule does not apply to the prime minister. He has continued serving as caretaker prime minister after failing to form a government after unprecedented back-to-back elections last year. Netanyahu has dismissed the corruption cases against him as an attempted coup and warned against any judicial intervention, saying only the voters can choose the country's leader. There are no restrictions on Netanyahu running in the March 2 election the third in less than a year. But the petition, filed by good government groups, contended that having a prime minister under indictment would constitute a conflict of interest. Others have argued that voters have the right to know before the election if Netanyahu is eligible to be prime minister. The court said that the election campaign period is a realm of uncertainty and that it remains to be seen who the president will select to form a government after the March 2 vote. The judges said that in light of the "most sensitive and complicated period the state of Israel is in at this time," it decided to "act with restraint and moderation" and dismiss the petition for the time being. Story continues The court's decision came the day after Netanyahu announced that he would seek immunity from prosecution, effectively delaying any trial until after a new government is formed. Netanyahu hopes to win big in March and assemble a 61-seat majority in favor of immunity. But polls predict another split decision that would prolong the country's political limbo. September's election left Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party in a virtual tie with the centrist Blue and White, led by former army chief of staff Benny Gantz. Neither was able to assemble a majority with its natural allies, and efforts to form a unity government collapsed in large part because of Netanyahu's legal woes. Netanyahu, who was re-elected leader of the ruling Likud party last week, has long accused judicial and law enforcement officials of trying to drive him from office. His allies have issued stern warnings against what they call an activist court overstepping its authority and a few dozen pro-Netanyahu protesters convened outside the court in Jerusalem. Netanyahu has been in power for more than a decade and is Israel's longest-serving leader. He is also Israels first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime. His predecessor, Ehud Olmert, was forced to resign a decade ago ahead of a corruption indictment that later sent him to prison for 16 months. ___ Associated Press writer Ilan Ben Zion contributed. WASHINGTON The U.S. and Iran traded threats after the killing of the Islamic Republics most prominent military man by an American drone, with Tehran promising a protracted response and Washington warning against reprisals. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the relatives of assassinated general Qassem Soleimani on Saturday that they wont see the effects of their mistake today, but they will witness it over many many years to come, according to report by Irans state broadcaster. U.S. National Security Adviser Robert OBrien and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said the Iranian regime should now start behaving like a normal nation. President Donald Trump said he approved the strike in Iraq because Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks against American diplomats and military personnel. Pompeo told Fox News on Friday night that the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force was planning an attack of such scale that it would have killed a significant amount of Americans as well as possibly Lebanese and Syrians. He said he wasnt able to discuss details. The U.S. is sending about 2,800 troops from the Armys 82nd Airborne division to join roughly 700 troops dispatched to Kuwait earlier this week as part of the divisions rapid-reaction ready battalion, according to two U.S. officials who asked not to be identified discussing the deployment. The U.S. already had about 60,000 personnel in the region. There is increasing concern that more nations will be drawn into a wider regional conflict as Iran threatens to avenge Soleimani, who led proxy militias that extended Irans power across the Middle East, by striking at U.S. interests and those of its allies. The killing sent global markets reeling. Oil futures in London and New York at one point surged by more than 4%, gold hit the highest in four months and 10-year Treasury yields headed for the biggest drop in three weeks. The S&P 500 Index declined. We dont seek war with Iran, Pompeo said in an interview on Fox earlier on Friday. But we, at the same time, are not going to stand by and watch the Iranians escalate and continue to put American lives at risk without responding in a way that disrupts, defends, deters and creates an opportunity to de-escalate the situation. OBrien said the administration would provide Congress retroactive notification of the Soleimani strike as well as classified briefings next week, when lawmakers return from a holiday break. General Soleimani was killed in a car late Thursday by a Reaper drone capable of firing laser-guided weapons as he was leaving a Baghdad airport access road, a U.S. official said. The strike also killed the deputy commander of an Iraqi militia group, the Shiite-dominated Popular Mobilization Forces, who was with Soleimani. The assault marked the latest in a series of violent episodes that have strained already hostile relations between Iran and the U.S. Last week, an American contractor was killed in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk. That led to a rare, direct American assault on an Iran-backed militia in Iraq and then came the attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The pressures have been complicated by widespread protests in Iraq and Iran. As protests continued in Tehran, Rouhani said the U.S. had committed malevolent acts against Iran for years and referred to the 1953 coup that reinstated the Shah. We wont ever forget Americas crimes, he said. This is a saga that goes back years. Palestinian Hamas policemen stand guard next to posters of Qassem Soleimani, the Iran's head of the Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike early Friday, in front of a mourning tent held by Palestinian factions for Sleimani in Gaza City, Saturday, Jan 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)AP Funerals of those killed got under way in Baghdad Saturday morning, with thousands attending, with many carrying militia banners. Separately, the PMF denied overnight reports that an attack on cars carrying some of its members north of Baghdad was another American airstrike. The Iranian regime will be under strong pressure to strike back, said Paul Pillar, a former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency officer and a nonresident senior fellow at Georgetown University in Washington. Many Iranians will regard this event the same way Americans would regard, say, the assassination of one of the best known and most admired U.S. military leaders. Soleimani, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, was a household name in Iran where hes celebrated for helping to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and countering U.S. influence. He had been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2007 and last May Washington designated the Revolutionary Guards Corps in its entirety a foreign terrorist organization, the first time the label has been applied to an official state institution or a countrys security forces. Iran named Esmail Ghaani, another veteran of Middle East conflicts, as Soleimanis replacement. The Iranian leadership is signaling it may target U.S. military installations and bases in the Middle East and mobilize its network of militias across the region. One official told the state broadcaster that some 36 U.S. military bases and facilities are within reach of Irans defense forces, with the closest being in Bahrain. A spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards said the assassination marked the start of a new phase in the activities of Irans resistance forces throughout the region. By Jennifer Jacobs and Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg News (TNS) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Andrew Yang will not appear on the March Democratic primary ballot in Ohio due to issues with the required candidate paperwork his presidential campaign submitted to the state. The Yang campaign announced late Friday it was withdrawing its candidate paperwork, and would instead mount a write-in campaign, according to The Hill. Had Yang not withdrawn the paperwork, which includes signatures from registered Ohio voters, it likely would have been rejected. His campaign failed to include a section of the candidacy paperwork that signifies which candidate voters are providing their signatures for, according to state officials. As secretary of state, Im duty-bound to follow the law, and the law is clear -- when Ohioans sign a petition, they deserve to know what theyre signing, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, said in a statement. This is why petition forms must be submitted, complete with a statement from the candidate stating their intention to run. By their own admission, the Yang campaign failed to do that. I sincerely sympathize with those who hoped to support his candidacy in the Ohio primary -- its truly unfortunate that the Yang campaign has let them down," said LaRose, Ohios top elections official. LaRose added that many other candidates, including presidential candidates, have successfully completed the paperwork requirements since it became law decades ago. In an email to cleveland.com, Yangs campaign shared comments he also made to The Hill in a story published Friday and said it would launch a write-in campaign. My campaign submitted nearly three times the amount of signatures needed, Yang said in the statement sent to cleveland.com. Nevertheless, because of a bureaucratic paperwork issue caused by an awkwardly-worded law, nearly 3,000 Ohioans First Amendment rights have been denied. The story from The Hill also included a supportive statement from Mary Jo Kilroy, a former Democratic congresswoman from the Columbus area. The story said Kilroy is not endorsing Yang, but supports his write-in effort. Yang is not considered a top-tier presidential candidate, but his outsider campaign has attracted an unexpected level of support, especially on social media. The New York entrepreneur and first-time candidate has shown resilience, staying in the race as several more experienced candidates have dropped out. Swiss Alps Bakery. | Photo: Mic L./Yelp Got a hankering for sandwiches? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable sandwich sources in Albuquerque, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt. 1. Central Grill and Coffee House Photo: Wayne B./Yelp Topping the list is Central Grill and Coffee House. Located at 2056 Central Ave. SW in Old Town, it is the highest-rated budget-friendly sandwich spot in Albuquerque, boasting 4.5 stars out of 774 reviews on Yelp. Regarding signature items, "Breakfast served all day. Try our famous pancakes, specialty sandwiches, gourmet burgers, authentic New Mexican Southwest dishes, fresh baked deserts, full espresso coffee bar," it writes on Yelp. 2. Frontier Photo: Karla M./Yelp Next up is University Heights' Frontier, situated at 2400 Central Ave. SE. With four stars out of 1,868 reviews on Yelp, it has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an inexpensive option. We looked there for more about Frontier. The restaurant serves "great breakfasts, burgers, burritos, red and green chile, homemade flour tortillas and the famous Frontier sweet roll. Our entire menu is served all day," its Yelp page states. 3. Bocadillos Photo: Jennifer M./Yelp Downtown Albuquerque's Bocadillos, located at 200 Lomas Blvd. NW, Suite 110, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the budget-friendly spot five stars out of 83 reviews. The site can tell you a thing or two more about the restaurant. "Chef Marie Yniguez, born and raised New Mexican," per the business's Yelp profile. "I have been featured on Food Network twice on 'Diners Drive-ins and Dives,' and I have won 'Chopped' in 2017 'Raw Deal.'" 4. Swiss Alps Bakery Photo: mic l./Yelp Swiss Alps Bakery is another much-loved, cheap go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 87 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3000 San Pedro NE, Suite F, to see for yourself. The site can tell you a thing or two more about Swiss Alps Bakery. "We are a family-owned business specializing in fresh made-from-scratch products," the business states on its Yelp profile. "We make everything in-house without using any preservatives. Using recipes handed down from previous owners, going back over 40 years." Its Yelp page notes, "We specialize in providing fresh daily baked European pastries and breads. We produce everything in-house daily." This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. 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. Chemical Bank has undergone several changes since it was founded more than 100 years ago in Midland. The most recent was a $3.6 billion merger with TCF Financial Corporation, which closed in August. The deal created a Midwest bank headquartered in Detroit with more than $40 billion in total assets, more than 500 banking centers in nine states, and a specialty lending and leasing business in all 50 states. Market President for Chemical Bank Jordan Summers said the merger will result in multiple benefits for customers, including an updated online banking and mobile experience, which he said is state-of-the-art. Its one of the best in the industry, he said. Thats something that TCF had invested in building out pre-merger. So, were really excited about that even personally, Im excited about that. He said Chemical Banks mobile platforms have come a long way, so accelerating that growth is one of the things that the merger brought to the table. The new platforms should be rolling out this year and will likely happen over the course of a weekend, so as not to create a disruption in services for customers. Another benefit for customers that TCF brought, especially for the Midland area, is greater speed capabilities in equipment lending and inventory financing. The services can be beneficial for businesses in the agricultural or healthcare industries, among others. Its really essential to help organizations that utilize state-of-the-art, large equipment expensive equipment to be able to serve their customers and grow, Summers said. So, I think that specifically, some advantages could be in the agriculture industry obviously theres a lot of equipment needs, and it continues to evolve and those are expensive items that we can help with. Midland, specifically, will also continue to be the home of the banks loan operations group, which services several states. Its kind of neat to think that here, out of Midland, were working with customers as far west as Arizona and Colorado, Summers said. So, that continues to be a large piece that is essential to what we do obviously, were a bank so servicing those loans are essential to our success. As part of the merger, Chemical Bank will be re-branded to TCF, and customers should begin to see that transition this summer. However, despite the changes, the company will continue to support customers and continue enhancing its services, Summers said. Specifically looking in our market and across the footprint, our goal and priority always is finding the solutions that our customers need, he said. Our customers need to fulfill their goals; fulfill their needs, so, we have to be proactive in what we need to do to facilitate that and make sure that were doing everything we can on a daily basis to make sure our customers know that were here for them and that were dedicated to the relationships that weve built over time. He said they look forward to continuing to grow and build different relationships over the course of the year, as well. He said the key to the banks success is the local staff and people who know the community and are actively a part of it. We continue to know that our customers are our neighbors and were invested in their journey and were just looking forward to a great year in 2020, Summers said. Read more Vision 2020 stories: Vision 2020: Selina Tisdale says time is ripe for Center City redevelopment Vision 2020: David Ramaker on reshaping Midland Vision 2020: Bridgette Gransden on countywide changes Vision 2020: Steve Miller on Coleman's small-town successes Vision 2020: Grant Murschel says infill developments to continue benefiting Midland About 155 bushfires continued to burn across NSW on Saturday night, including a number of rapidly-expanding blazes, as a southerly change brought strong winds and lower temperatures. Seven bushfires were at "emergency" level at midnight, down from a peak of 13 fires burning at the highest warning level on Saturday evening. Another 11 fires were at "watch and act" status and 136 were at advice levels. About 32,700 homes would remain without power overnight in Batemans Bay and Moruya and fires threatened major sources of power supply in the Snowy Mountains and other parts of the state. NSW experienced severe fire danger on Saturday with temperature records tumbling in Sydney and Canberra. However, a southerly change came through the state, bringing gusts of up to 128 kilometres per hour in the state's south-west on Saturday evening. It also brought a spate of fast-spreading fires to the state's south, including a new fire near the Shoalhaven region and an expanding blaze that threatened residents in Eden and surrounds. Prime Minister Scott Morrison issued a compulsory call-up to 3000 Australian Defence Force reservists to help communities affected by fires in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Cooler temperatures are expected to somewhat ease the fire danger on Sunday but a total fire ban will remain in place across the state. Read our day's wrap here. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP Iranian Americans have for years wondered how long Donald Trumps travel ban would keep them separated from their families. Now, they are questioning when the presidents actions might kill them. Among the massive Persian community in southern California, which is home to the largest Iranian population outside of Iran, residents said the news of a US airstrike killing Irans most powerful general had caused them to experience panic and dread, flashbacks to childhood memories of war, and concerns that they may never see some of their friends and relatives again. The anxiety and fear is palpable, said Niaz Kasravi, a Los Angeles-based advocate who came to the US from Iran in 1984 when she was nine. Some of our generations have been through this so many times Is this the start of a third world war? Related: For many Iranian-American families, this moment has us sick and terrified | Mitra Jalali In the hours since Trump ordered the airstrike that killed the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, Tehran has vowed to avenge the death, and pundits have predicted a new era of conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile in LA, members of the citys vibrant and diverse Iranian American communities said they were still trying to process the news and grapple with potential ramifications. Its unsettling, because its one of those things where you cannot predict what happens, said Shahin Motallebi, 58, as he was leaving Shaherzad, a Persian restaurant in the center of LAs Little Persia, an enclave also known as Tehrangeles. Everyone has family in Iran. Everyone is worried. On Friday afternoon, the Tehrangeles commercial hub on Westwood boulevard was bustling as usual. Families packed in the popular Attari sandwich shop eating kabobs, crowds gathered inside a Persian pizza shop and Persian ice-cream store, and people shopped at the local grocery stores and bookshops. The community grew in the 1960s and boomed after the 1979 revolution, with an estimated 500,000 people of Iranian descent now living in southern California. Story continues A street off Westwood Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California. Southern California is home to the largest Iranian population outside of Iran. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP via Getty Images Motallebi, an attorney who works in the neighborhood and came to the US in 1989 at age 29, said it was hard to trust the president: He acts first and thinks about it later. I dont think its well thought out. Standing on the corner across the street, Ali Asghari, 41, said it was clear to him that Iranian Americans were deeply divided: Even among very like-minded Iranians, there are so many different opinions. Some are desperate to see a regime change and arent thinking about the consequences or what might come next, said Asghari, a software product manager who has been in LA for 19 years. Others are very skeptical of Trumps decisions, he said: I dont know what is right or wrong, but I know people are suffering People are so scared. Its very emotional. For people who remember the lead up to the Iraq war and feeling helpless, were having that same moment again Assal Rad For some, the Trump administration has caused severe devastation with his travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries, unveiled in January 2017, a week after his inauguration. The reality of the ongoing and severe travel restrictions has made news of the airstrike all the more terrifying, said Paris Etemadi Scott, the legal director at Pars Equality, a group that provides services to Iranian Americans in California. It is an impossible situation, she said, noting that some are panicked about how the escalating conflict could impact their families pending immigration battles. With parents, siblings, spouses and others in Iran barred from traveling to the US, some are afraid the president is ignoring the exacerbated hardships that could arise, she said: The community is worried about this administration forgetting that there is a travel ban in place A lot of people are glued to the TV and social media. Assal Rad, a research fellow with the National Iranian American Council who is based in Orange county, said there were a lot of divergent political beliefs in the community, but that many were united in their fears of war and death. For people who remember the lead up to the Iraq war and feeling helpless, were having that same moment again. Its like that PTSD, a flashback to here we go again. Many Iranian Americans have grown accustomed to the tensions of their dual identity, hearing constant attacks from both governments, and living with fear, she said: This feels very different. This is what we were scared of. The fear is coming to fruition. The Organization of Iranian American Communities march to urge recognition of the Iranian peoples right for regime change, outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 24 September 2019. Photograph: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images What people are worried about is not some battle between two states. What they are concerned about is the human cost, she added. There are also fears of increased harassment, discrimination and violence against Iranian Americans as tensions rise, said Kasravi, who is the director of the Avalan Institute, a research group. While US law enforcement officials, including the LA police department, have vowed to step up security measures, thats not always comforting, given histories of unjust policing, she said: I want my community to be safer, but I dont want that safety to depend on a system that I know is not particularly effective or fair for all communities. Kasravi said the Thursday night news had also transported her to childhood memories: Im thinking about growing up during revolution and war about the fear of that little girl woken up by sirens in the middle of the night. Pouya Alimagham, a lecturer and historian who was at home with his parents in Orange county when the news broke, noted that it was unnerving to watch US media programs feature rightwing thinktank heads and retired military personnel while largely excluding Iranian perspectives. Weve been on a rollercoaster ride for months, he added. Weve been talking about escalation for the past six months, and how this is going to lead to war the war has already begun. Some in the community had a different perspective. Standing outside one of the Persian restaurants on Westwood Boulevard, Abe Oheb, 77, was playing Trumps speech out loud on his phone. Im happy this happened, because the guy who was killed did a lot of atrocities It was a nice decision by the United States, said Oheb, who came to the US from Iran 40 years ago. Yes Im Iranian but I am American. Yet another example of Congress party's selective outrage was exposed after senior Congress leader and AICC President Ghulam Nabi Azad casually dismissed the horrific attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib calling it "a non-issue." Ghulam Nabi Azad brushed off the condemnable attack on Nankana Sahib where 400 Muslims attacked the revered Gurdwara and nearby residences of local Sikhs with stones laughing it off saying, "forget that." Ghulam Nabi was addressing a press conference on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and refused to even comment on the Nankana Sahib attack in Pakistan. Read: Nankana Sahib Gurudwara Attack: Pakistan in denial over attack on sikhs "Forget that, it is not an issue. CAA is the issue," said Ghulam Nabi Azad. Sources report that the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Read: Nankana Sahib Gurudwara Attack: The story behind the flare up in Pakistan Forced conversion of Pak Sikh girl Meanwhile, the main leader of the mob is the brother of Mohammed Hassan - who was accused of kidnapping and forcibly converting a Sikh girl -Jagjit Kaur. Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa, in August, had shared a video of the grieving family telling how 18-year old Jagjit Kaur was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam in Pakistan. The family had alleged that she was converted by coercion and was threatened that her brothers and father would be shot if she did not convert to Islam. Read: Sirsa: Will continue fighting for safety of Hindu & Sikh girls in Pak Ghulam Nabi Azad in his press conference on CAA said, "The issue which has shaken the entire country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is the amendment of the Citizenship Act. I have never seen such a spontaneous agitation taking place across the country, involving all the states, religions and regions of the country. That indicates that something has really gone wrong." He also said that he pays homage to the "innocent" boys killed in anti-CAA protests in Karnataka. Two persons were killed in the police firing of the anti-CAA protests that had turned violent in Mangaluru. Moreover, links of Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) had emerged in the violence that broke out in the state. Read: Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurdwara attacked by mob led by forced-conversion accused's kin Read: Harbhajan Singh condemns Nankana Sahib Gurdwara attack, asks Imran Khan to take action Mike Pence has promoted an unsubstantiated theory linking the 9/11 terrorist attacks to Iran in his defence of the Trump administrations killing of Qassem Soleimani. Donald Trumps vice president posted a Twitter thread on Saturday in which he described Irans top military commander as an evil man responsible for killing thousands of Americans. In the thread, Mr Pence claimed Soleimani had assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of 10 of the 12 terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. However, his accusation is undermined by the conclusions of the official government report on the attacks. The 9/11 commission report found no evidence that Iran or Hezbollah was aware of the planning for what later became the 9/11 attack. US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday 3 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures The wreckage of the car in which general Soleimani was travelling when a targeted US airstrike struck outside Baghdad International Airport on 3 January Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Demonstrators burn the US and British flags during a protest in Tehran after general Soleimani was killed in a targeted airstrike by American forces Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike. The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military has killed general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of Donald Trump AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn Israeli and US flags as thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of general Soleimani at the hands of America EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of Donald Trump pray at an 'Evangelicals for Trump' campaign event held on the day following the killing of general Soleimani. At the event, the president praised the "flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader" AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A huge procession of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of general Soleimani on 4 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani during an anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iraqis perform a mourning prayer for slain major general Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Great Mosque of Kufa AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A billboard reading 'Death to America and Israel', installed by Iran-backed shiite armed groups at a street in Jadriyah district in Baghdad, Iraq EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him visiting the family of Soleiman KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US flag as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Jalal Feiruznia, looks to a portrait of Soleimani, as he receives condolences at the Iranian embassy, in Beirut, Lebanon AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures People make their way on the street while a screen on the wall of a cinema shows a portrait Soleimani in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Aziz Asmar, one of two Syrian painters who completed a mural following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani poses next to his creation in the rebel-held Syrian town of Dana in the northwestern province of Idlib AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A demonstration in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures An anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Mujtaba al-Husseini, the representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers a speech in the holy shrine city of Najaf AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US and Israeli flags as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters demonstrate in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, in Peshawar, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London PA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn a US flag in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A Syrian man offers sweets to children to mark the killing AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers attend a mourning prayer for Soleimani in Iran's capital Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Kashmiri Shiite Muslims shout anti American and anti Israel slogans during a protest AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshipers chant slogans during Friday prayers Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A protest against the USA, in Islamabad, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranians burn a US flag in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin, Germany Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol a road in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila near the border with Israel. Following morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian women take to the streets in Tehran EPA The report added: At the time of their travel through Iran, the al-Qaeda operatives themselves were probably not aware of the specific details of their future operation. Soleimani's killing is a major escalation in US-Iran tensions and has sparked fears of a direct war between the two countries. The White House has said the killing was a "decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad". In response to the vice president, foreign policy experts were quick to point out there were 19 terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks, not 12, and the majority of them came from US allies Saudi Arabia. Katie Waldman, Mr Pences press secretary, later clarified that the vice president was referring to 12 of the 19 hijackers who transited through Afghanistan. For those asking: 12 of the 19 transited through Afghanistan. Ten of those 12 were assisted by Soleimani, Ms Waldman wrote, without providing any further evidence for the commanders involvement. The 9/11 report does acknowledge at least eight of the hijackers transited Iran on their way to or from Afghanistan, but this is thought to be because they were taking advantage of the Iranian practice of not stamping Saudi passports. Although Soleimani was a senior figure in Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at the time of the attacks, he is not named in the 9/11 commission report. It is also unclear why the commander, a leading military figure in a majority Shia Muslim country, would have assisted al-Qaeda, a militant Sunni Islamist group with links to Saudi Arabia. In a 2018 study by the think tank New America, al-Qaeda is said to view Iran as a hostile entity and found no evidence of cooperation between al-Qaeda and Iran on planning or carrying out terrorist attacks in the documents studied. Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said in 2019 he had no doubt there is a connection between the Islamic Republic of Iran and al-Qaeda. The factual question with respect to Irans connections to al-Qaeda is very real. They have hosted al-Qaeda. They have permitted al-Qaeda to transit their country, Mr Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However, a senior US government official later told congress that the American intelligence community had no evidence of the Iranian government cooperating with al-Qaeda in recent aggressive moves in the Persian Gulf region, according to The Daily Beast. Establishing a link between the country and al-Qaeda could be a method for legally justifying a war with Iran under the 2001 Authorisation for Use of Military Force. That law states that the president may use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organisations, or persons he determines planned, authorised, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on 11 September 2001, or harboured such organisations or persons. One way to do that is by watching an online video together, such as one of the Cosmic Kids yoga stories books are also available. Co-founder Jaime Amor said that her yoga adventures are perfect for parents who arent comfortable with initiating yoga themselves. Since so many schools offer yoga programs, kids may be the ones introducing their parents to yoga instead of vice versa. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Shelling near a major facility run by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Thursday, has sparked deep concern for the safety of refugees and asylum seekers there Booker winner Margaret Atwood believes that older people have more energy. The data backs her up. Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood believes that older people have more energy. The databacks her up, says Rowena Walsh. Novelists Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo shared the 2019 Booker Prize after the judges decided in a joyful mutiny to break with tradition and announce two winners. The women share certain similarities: Bernardine Evaristo is 60, the same age Margaret Atwood was when she won the Booker Prize for The Blind Assassin and neither of them believes in the myth that older people dont have energy. Bernardine, author of Girl, Woman, Other, says if you look after yourself, you have energy. Margaret Atwood goes further. You often have more energy, because it isnt going into the things it goes into when youre younger such as hormonal changes every month, she told The Guardian following the October award ceremony. Theres a middle period when youre taking care of everybody your kids, your parents and you are really stretched. "Then, as you get older, bad things happen, people die, but you are no longer caregiving to such an extent. Rose Anne Kenny, professor of medical gerontology at Trinity College Dublin, definitively dismisses the myth. She is the principal investigator for TILDA, the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, which collects information on all aspects of health, economic and social circumstances from adults aged 50 years and over in Ireland. We see the same people every two years, she says, so we have some understanding of the process of ageing, what its like to get older in Ireland and what are the factors that influence getting older in Ireland. In that context, we have asked about fatigue and exhaustion and theyre very uncommon, unless you have frailty. "But you only get frailty if you have an illness or youve had a big operation or for some reason, youve been immobile for a period of time. She says that the prevalence of frailty is about 4% in people over 50, The rest of the population are robust. According to a study by the London School of Economics and Political Science titled More years, less yawns, seniors felt 28% less fatigued than young adults. The researchers concluded that: Tiredness is not an inevitable aspect of ageing, regardless of health status. Professor Kenny says if youre not sleeping very well, youre tired the next day. Everybody is, that applies to all age groups. Because were less active as we get older, sleeping patterns can change. "Its important to get a good nights sleep and in order to ensure a good nights sleep, one of the important factors is exercise. We are inclined to sit more as we get older and some people drink more all of those factors do contribute to fatigue but overall the prevalence of fatigue is not common, and its usually associated with something else going on, not ageing per se. Our subjective age, or how old we feel compared to our chronological age, is crucial. As part of TILDA, Prof Kenny says people were asked about their perception of ageing. People who perceived themselves as being their chronological age or older, actually aged more rapidly than people who declared themselves to be younger than their chronological age, she says. Feeling positive and having a positive outlook is actually good for you at a cellular level. Its very hard for people, as they get older, to have a positive attitude towards ageing and to feel youthful when theres so much ageism around them in society, she says. Were constantly being inundated by this cream will make you look younger or this will stop you from getting old. "The media, in terms of advertising, are bombarding us with subtle ageist messages. Prof Kenny says that you cant start early enough to prepare for getting older. She is a strong advocate of exercise, social engagement and good nutrition. Ageing often brings perspective, says Margaret Atwood. When I went to the US right after the Trump election, these younger women were saying: This is the worst thing thats ever happened. No, its not. Its not. Many worse things have happened. I also say that if your heart is broken when youre 18, by 28, youve got some perspective; at 38, youll probably think its funny. "And when youre my age [80], you cannot remember who it was who broke your heart. This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist . The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission. I eat butter like its cheese. Growing up, I forked butter pats off the restaurants bread plate as if they were after-dinner mints. Even now, I spread half-inch slabs around a bagel, letting it melt nicely before adding additional hunks of cream cheese for an excellent bed of dairy. Sadly, on my 30th wedding anniversary, all that changed. I was rushed to the hospital to have my gallbladder removed. It was also the night that the first pass of my memoir, Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother (out March 10 from Hachette, if youre looking for the perfect Purim/Easter gift) was sent to my editor. My mother, dead though she be, was making it clear that she did not want this book published. Even from the grave, she was trying to kill me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre not familiar with the function of a gallbladder (I wasnt), it stores the bile produced by your liver. When you dont have one and you eat fatty foods, you lack the concentrated bile necessary to digest said foods. And there is almost nothing fattier than butter. Although I still wanted to stay alive at least long enough for the publication of my book I was not willing to give up the perfection of salted butter altogether. My solution was the Max Space Butter Mill Dispenser. My butter gun stays in the fridge, a full stick constantly loaded, waiting to spread a thin ribbon of high-butterfat dairy onto bread, potatoes, and, up until the first turn of its handle, healthy oatmeal. Before it melts which is a nearly immediate process that is immensely superior to the traditional bread-destroying knife-with-butter application it looks like a piece of art. A fancy decoration worthy of the great bar-mitzvah palace of my youth, Leonards of Great Neck, whose slogan was, The Warmth of Israel. The decor of Las Vegas. Advertisement Advertisement I know it sounds like Im still using a lot of butter. Like Im tormenting my body. I probably am. But Im using so much less. The Max Space Butter Mill Dispenser has probably reduced my butter consumption by 80 percent. Its reduced the effort I put into spreading butter by nearly 100. Its the perfect replacement for a traditional butter dish. Or a gallbladder. A man has returned to his car after four days of helping defend a home from a bushfire, only to find his wheels missing. Kane Fitzpatrick shared a photo to Facebook of his car sitting in a Bunnings carpark in Wodonga, on the NSW-Victorian border, with all four wheels gone. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Mr Fitzpatrick explained he isnt a firefighter, but he decided to head up to Corryong to help out his in-laws whose property in Thowgla Valley was under threat. He and his brother-in-law went up to help out for four days and he left his car in the Bunnings carpark, when he and his brother-in-law stopped off in Wodonga to get supplies. The two decided to use the brother-in-laws ute to drive up to Corryong. Not only were his wheels stolen in what he called a low life act, but his car was also dented. It was really disappointing, Mr Fitzpatrick told Yahoo News Australia, who was with his wife and three young children when he discovered the missing wheels. A man returned to Wodonga after fighting fires for four days only to find the wheels from his car missing. Source: Facebook After posting about the incident on Facebook, many slammed the thief for committing the act especially in an area desperately fighting off bushfires. Thats disgusting! Cant believe that! someone commented on the Facebook post, which now has over 1000 shares and almost 700 likes. One woman commented on the post saying she saw the car in the carpark on Wednesday afternoon and thought it mustve been dumped. Thats very sad someone would do this, she said. Fortunately, Sunday Tyres, which is a local business with 20 years of experience within the tyre industry, helped the man out. Helping a brother out, Sunday Tyres wrote on Facebook, sharing a photo of the car now with brand new wheels. Thanks for fighting fires. Ill keep ya rolling. Sunday Tyres owner Nathan Jones told Yahoo News Australia he didnt know Mr Fitzpatrick but figured he was out on the frontline in Corryong. Story continues Mr Jones said he wasnt planning to go into work today because Wodonga is expected to reach 46 degrees, but he was scrolling through Facebook when he came across the post about the stolen wheels. He said he knew by getting him some new tyres, free of charge, was just something he could do to help. He messaged the man, but headed to Bunnings before he even got a response. By the time the man had gotten back to Mr Jones, the car was fitted with new wheels. Everyone just wants to help out in their own little way, Mr Jones said. Of course, many people were happy to see a local business support someone who had been helping with the fires. Callous theft at local fire station Meanwhile police are investigating a burglary at a volunteer fire station in Tasmania, with police branding the act as callous given the current bushfire crisis in Australia. The burglary, at Tasmanias Weymouth Fire Station, about 60km from Launceston, happened about 10pm Friday night. Thieves entered the volunteer station, situated on Weymouth Road, and stole a base-station radio transceiver, Tasmania Police wrote on Facebook. The neighbouring Pipers River station was also targeted, but entry was not gained to the station. Inspector Adam Mollineaux condemned the burglary, given the current bushfire situation in not just Tasmania, but the whole of Australia, saying the theft was particularly callous. Picture of Weymouth fire station, which was targeted by thieves last night. Source: Google Maps We have bushfires burning across the country, including here in Tasmania, Inspector Mollineaux said. Emergency services and local volunteer brigades such as Weymouth and Pipers River are preparing for another very high fire danger day tomorrow and something like this happens it beggars belief. Police are urging members of the public to come forward if they saw anyone acting suspicious, or a vehicle in the area of Weymouth Road, Weymouth, or School Road Pipers River on Friday evening. What a deplorable thing to do, one person wrote on Facebook in response to the police. Make them do a clean up where the fires have been through. A rap on the knuckles from the courts is not enough. More than 30 fires are burning across Tasmania on Saturday morning, four of which are at a watch and act level. At least two homes have been destroyed in Tasmania, in a fire police believe was deliberately lit. Hot and windy weather will push the fire danger to very high on the weekend, with a total fire ban declared across much of the state. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Triad Daylily Fans to meet Sunday The Triad Daylily Fans will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Earthfare, 2965 Battleground Ave., Greensboro. Trish Sumners, a flower designer, will demonstrate every day designs. For more information, call 336-456-4509. Grapevine pruning workshop Surry Community College will have a workshop on grapevine pruning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 11. Sarah Bowman, a viticulture instructor, will demonstrate the proper method of pruning for the health of the vines. Pre-registration and pre-payment of $20 for each class are required. For more information or to pre-register, call 336-386-3618. To register online, go to visit surry.edu/WTCEregister. News about home and garden activities runs in the Homework column on Fridays. To submit an item, email it to features @wsjournal.com, mail typed information and photos to Home & Garden Briefs, c/o Features Department, Winston-Salem Journal, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101; or drop it off at the front desk of the Journal on North Spruce Street. Information should include a contact name and daytime phone number. 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. New Delhi: Security forces on Friday late night arrested Nisar Ahmad Dar, a most wanted terrorist affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, from Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from his possession. In a tweet, the news agency ANI said, J&K: Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by security forces last night. He had earlier escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist was killed. Take a look: J&K: Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by security forces last night. He had earlier escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist was killed. ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2020 This comes at least two weeks after a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Saddam Mir was arrested during a search operation in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. A police official had said that some arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession. Also Read: Lashkar-e-Taiba Terrorist Arrested In Jammu And Kashmir: Police On December 22 last year, Rayees Lone, another terrorist linked with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was arrested in Jammu and Kashmirs Ganderbal. Rayees was involved in supporting and assisting active terrorists in the area. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (TNS) Across Ohio, most voters cast their ballots on new machines in 2019, a test year before what Secretary of State Frank LaRose believes could be another record voter turnout in 2020.But in seven counties, voters will cast ballots the same way they have for years: on equipment and systems that date to before President Barack Obama's first term.Since state elections officials don't want voters to encounter a major change in a presidential election year, Summit, Stark, Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Columbiana and Morrow counties are prohibited from rolling out new equipment during the 2020 election cycle. They now must wait until after next year's general election to tap into about $115 million the state provided for equipment upgrades.Beyond 2020, Summit County will acquire new machines that won't be much different from its tried-and-true models in use today."They need to be replaced eventually," said Bill Rich, a Democrat who chairs the Summit County Board of Elections. "But so far they certainly haven't shown any signs of malfunctioning. I'm confident they'll get us through the 2020 elections.""I have great confidence, as should the voters of Summit County, in our machines," echoed the election board's Executive Director Joe Masich, a Republican. "They are older, but they're working accurately."The county moved from problematic punch cards to optically scanned ballots, as everyone in Ohio did, in the mid to late 2000s. Voters may remember the role of punch cards and their hanging chads in the controversial recount of the 2000 presidential election in Florida.Since moving to paper ballots filled in by voters and fed through scanners, Summit County has reported no significant irregularities. An audit ordered on the 2019 elections, as well as numerous recounts in the past few elections, have reproduced voter counts nearly identical to what was reported on or shortly after Election Day."Our tabulation system is working just fine," said Masich, who reiterated that the county voting machines are not connected to the Internet, which eliminates the chance of being hacked remotely.Masich said the board will likely pick a vendor this summer for the new machines. There's bipartisan consensus that the new machines should retain the use of paper ballots."Paper ballots are the way to go," Rich said, giving credit to Republicans for leading the push for paper ballots years earlier. "It's the only way that you can have a ballot that a human being can read and verify."With $4.6 million in state funding to buy new machines, officials are also replacing current models with extra units on hand, waiting as long as possible to save taxpayers as much money as possible, Rich and Masich said.The new machines, along with maintaining paper ballots, could expedite election night reporting. For example, electronic images would be captured of individual ballots fed into scanners, Rich said. In tight races, officials would be able to call up write-in ballots to more accurately report outcomes, instead of waiting days to find and tabulate unique votes by hand.Voting hodgepodgeSummit is one of 49 counties in which voters fill in bubbles on pre-printed paper ballots that are fed into scanners. The remaining counties use touch-screen or hybrid systems, in which paper ballots are marked on a machine and fed into a scanner.All of Ohio's elections have a paper backup."The fact that we have different kinds of voting machines in different counties in some ways can be a strength, because if there were some kind of flaw or vulnerability with one type of machine, it wouldn't necessarily affect elections statewide," LaRose said.LaRose and elections officials around the state said that Ohio's elections are secure, even though local boards are allowed to select their own method of voting and equipment from a list of those vetted by the state and federal governments.Elections officials are facing greater scrutiny over those systems in a post-2016 world, where meddling in U.S. elections by foreign adversaries is a daily topic of conversation in newspapers and on cable news and social media.LaRose's office said an attempted hack of its website on Election Day 2019 originated in Panama from the Russian-owned OKPay Investment Co. The attack was unsuccessful and detected by a digital burglar alarm that is being rolled out to all 88 counties by the end of January, LaRose said.Ohio law prohibits elections equipment from being connected to the internet, and LaRose has said any attempt to hack into it and alter vote totals would require opening the machine to access its hardware.LaRose also directed boards in 2019 to conduct post-election audits, which will be required for future elections under a bill the General Assembly passed late last year. The secretary wants more boards to adopt "risk-limiting audits," which require examining more ballots in closer elections.Stark County began using its touch-screen system in 2005, but it replaced machines in 2013 after a roof collapse at the board of elections. The county was "more comfortable" using its existing equipment for the busy 2020 election, said Bill James, an information technology specialist with the board of elections. Good day, Hydrogen fuel cell trucks are making inroads at California ports and now the state is planning the nation's first zero-emission "hydrail" project, Forbes magazine reports. The nine-mile line will run in southern California, where the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority plans to operate a FLIRT H2 train from Swiss supplier Stadler starting in 2024. The first train will include two cars and a rooftop power pack containing fuel cells and hydrogen tanks, under a contract worth $23.5 million, according to Forbes, with an option to purchase four more trains. Hydrogen-powered trains are already up and running in Germany, and China unveiled the first fuel cell tram in 2015. Did you know? Cargo plane crashes accounted for six of the 20 fatal airliner accidents that occurred in 2019. Sixteen people died in the cargo accidents, and 283 were killed overall, including 157 in the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash in March. Source: Aviation Safety Network via FreightWaves Quotable "It is a rather embarrassing situation, no matter how it played out. I'd say the Japanese government is trying to turn the page and let a bad story die." Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian Studies at Temple University Japan campus, on auto magnate's Carl Ghosn escape in Transport Topics Zero-emission ride-sharing service to launch in Sacramento The nearly $1 million hub will also feature a 12-car parking lot and an electric car fast charger and six Level 2 chargers for electric vehicles. (Autorentalnews) Electric trucks, a factory launch and a massive merger The new mobility industry will reshape Illinois in 2020. (ChicagoTribune) Amazon threatens to fire workers who criticize environmental policies The e-commerce giant has warned at least two employees who publicly criticized environmental policies that they could be fired. (Seattle Times) Uber, Postmates sue California to block AB5 The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court strike against the state's landmark measure designed to ensure gig workers receive employment protections. (AJOT.com) Story continues Tesla to start delivering China-made Model 3 cars in January They will come exactly a year after CEO Elon Musk broke ground on the $2 billion Gigafactory, the company's first outside the U.S. (New York Post) Final thoughts, PeopleNet users received an unpleasant introduction to the new year when their ELD devices unexpectedly froze after drivers logged into the system. The problem was a disconnect between the server and GPS clocks triggered by the calendar year, FreightWaves reported. Hammer down, everyone! Image Sourced from Pixabay 0 See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 02:22:58|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad-Jalal Firouznia (2nd L) receives condolences from Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel-Karim (3rd L) at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 3, 2020, following the assassination of senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. drone attack in Iraq. A U.S. drone attack ordered by President Donald Trump on Friday killed Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. (Photo by Bilal Jawich/Xinhua) BEIRUT, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad-Jalal Firouznia said Saturday that the U.S. fails to limit the power of resistance by assassinating senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, the National News Agency reported. "We consider that the pure and honorable blood of General Soleimani and his righteous companions will be an additional incentive for more empowerment of the resistance," Firouznia said while receiving people at the Iranian embassy who offerred their condolences for Soleimani. "We consider that the Americans, through this heinous crime, added a new crime to their black record," he said. A U.S. drone attack ordered by President Donald Trump on Friday killed Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. Belarus has reached an agreement with Russia for limited oil supplies after Moscow earlier this week stopped supplying crude amid stalled talks on strengthening economic ties between the neighbouring countries. Belarusian state-run oil company Belneftekhim, said Saturday it was in the process of finalizing an agreement with a Russian oil company for a batch of crude oil sufficient to ensure "non-stop operation of the country's refineries in January 2020". Russian pipeline operator Transneft confirmed it would transfer 133,000 tons of oil to Belarus "in the nearest future". According to a statement from Belneftekhim, the oil would come at a discounted price while negotiations for resuming regular imports continue. Russia stopped supplying oil to its post-Soviet neighbour after December 31, as the two countries failed to renegotiate oil prices for this year amid stalled talks on further strengthening economic ties. The suspension did not affect oil transit to Europe or the supply of natural gas but had consequences for Belarus, which relies on Russia for more than 80 per cent of its overall energy needs. The country's two refineries were operating at low capacity, running on reserves. On Friday, Minsk announced it was suspending its own oil exports, which contribute up to 20 per cent of annual GDP. The Kremlin has recently increased pressure on Belarus, raising energy prices and cutting subsidies. It argues that Belarus should accept greater economic integration if it wants to continue receiving energy resources at Russia's domestic prices. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held two rounds of talks in December but failed to reach an agreement on the closer ties and on oil and gas prices. Putin said Russia was not ready to "subsidise" energy supplies without more economic integration with ally Belarus. Lukashenko insisted he would not sign off on the integration until the issues with oil and gas supplies were resolved. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) General Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US air strike in Baghdad (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) July 25, 2015 The US, Iran and other world powers including the UK announce an agreement they describe as a first step toward preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. October 2016 Presidential candidate Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from the deal if elected. May 8, 2018 President Trump announces the US will withdraw from the Iran deal. Iran, Britain, France and Germany say they will maintain the pact. August November 2018 The US reimposes economic sanctions on Iran, targeting oil, shipping, banking and other sectors. April 8, 2019 Mr Trump says he will designate Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organisation, despite opposition from the US military. April 22, 2019 The US says it will end exemptions on sanctions against countries buying oil from Iran. May 8, 2019 Iran announces it will increase its production of enriched uranium. May 12, 2019 Two oil tankers from Saudi Arabia, and one each from the United Arab Emirates and Norway are attacked in the Persian Gulf. The US blames Iran. Expand Close A burning vehicle at Baghdad International Airport following an air strike (Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A burning vehicle at Baghdad International Airport following an air strike (Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office via AP) June 20, 2019 Iran shoots down a US drone it says violated its airspace, which America denies. Mr Trump orders attacks against Iran but cancels them shortly before they were to be launched. July 1, 2019 Iran says it has exceeded the amount of low-enriched uranium it was allowed to produce under the 2015 agreement. July 4, 2019 British marines seize the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 in Gibraltar at the request of the US. July 18, 2019 Mr Trump says the US navy shot down an Iranian drone that came close to the ship. July 20, 2019 Iran seizes the British-owned oil tanker Stena Impero near the Strait of Hormuz. July 22, 2019 Iran arrests 17 of its citizens and charges them with spying for the US. Some were reportedly executed. December 27, 2019 An American civilian contractor is killed and several troops injured in a rocket attack in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group, is blamed. December 29, 2019 The US bombs three sites in Iraq and two in Syria which are linked to Kataib Hezbollah, killing 25 people. December 31, 2019 Protesters attack the US embassy in Baghdad. January 2, 2020 Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani and five others are killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 01:33:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Katyusha rocket on Saturday landed on the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, but no reports about casualties, an Interior Ministry official said. The incident took place in the evening when a Katyusha rocket hit the zone, which houses some of the main offices of the Iraqi government and the U.S. embassy, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The heavily fortified Green Zone has been frequently targeted by mortar and rocket attacks. The roughly 10 square km zone is located on the west bank of the Tigris River, which bisects the Iraqi capital. The attack occurred after a U.S. drone attack ordered by President Donald Trump killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. The attack took place on the Baghdad international airport's road early on Friday. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the U.S. over Soleimani's death. Saturday attack also came after Iraqi protesters on Tuesday stormed the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American air raids conducted on Dec. 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, claiming the lives of 25 militants. Belarus has reached an agreement with Russia for limited oil supplies after Moscow earlier this week stopped supplying crude amid stalled talks on strengthening economic ties between the neighboring countries. Belarusian state-run oil company Belneftekhim said Saturday that the country's refineries started receiving the first batch of crude oil, sufficient to ensure ``non-stop operation of the country's refineries in January 2020.'' Russian pipeline operator Transneft confirmed earlier on Saturday it would transfer 133,000 tons of oil to Belarus. According to a statement from Belneftekhim, the oil would come at a discounted price while negotiations for resuming regular imports continue. Russia stopped supplying oil to its post-Soviet neighbor after Dec. 31, as the two countries failed to renegotiate oil prices for this year amid stalled talks on further strengthening economic ties. The suspension did not affect oil transit to Europe or the supply of natural gas but had consequences for Belarus. which relies on Russia for more than 80% of its overall energy needs. The country's two refineries were operating at low capacity, running on reserves. On Friday, Minsk announced it was suspending its own oil exports, which contribute up to 20% of annual GDP. The Kremlin has recently increased pressure on Belarus, raising energy prices and cutting subsidies. It argues that Belarus should accept greater economic integration if it wants to continue receiving energy resources at Russia's domestic prices. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held two rounds of talks in December but failed to reach an agreement on the closer ties and on oil and gas prices. Putin said Russia was not ready to ``subsidize'' energy supplies without more economic integration with ally Belarus. Lukashenko insisted he would not sign off on the integration until the issues with oil and gas supplies were resolved. Search Keywords: Short link: US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has criticised the UK and other allies for not being helpful in their response to the Trump administrations killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. A number of European countries have expressed concern over the killing of Soleimani, a top military general in Iran, amid fears of retaliation and a further escalation to all-out war. In an interview on Fox News, Mr Pompeo complained about the response by European powers, such as the UK, France and Germany, who have called for calm after the attack. He said the response from allies in the Middle East has been fantastic before adding that others havent been quite as good. Frankly, the Europeans havent been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well, he told Fox Newss Sean Hannity. US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday 3 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures The wreckage of the car in which general Soleimani was travelling when a targeted US airstrike struck outside Baghdad International Airport on 3 January Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Demonstrators burn the US and British flags during a protest in Tehran after general Soleimani was killed in a targeted airstrike by American forces Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike. The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military has killed general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of Donald Trump AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn Israeli and US flags as thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of general Soleimani at the hands of America EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of Donald Trump pray at an 'Evangelicals for Trump' campaign event held on the day following the killing of general Soleimani. At the event, the president praised the "flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader" AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A huge procession of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of general Soleimani on 4 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani during an anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iraqis perform a mourning prayer for slain major general Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Great Mosque of Kufa AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A billboard reading 'Death to America and Israel', installed by Iran-backed shiite armed groups at a street in Jadriyah district in Baghdad, Iraq EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him visiting the family of Soleiman KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US flag as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Jalal Feiruznia, looks to a portrait of Soleimani, as he receives condolences at the Iranian embassy, in Beirut, Lebanon AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures People make their way on the street while a screen on the wall of a cinema shows a portrait Soleimani in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Aziz Asmar, one of two Syrian painters who completed a mural following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani poses next to his creation in the rebel-held Syrian town of Dana in the northwestern province of Idlib AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A demonstration in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures An anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Mujtaba al-Husseini, the representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers a speech in the holy shrine city of Najaf AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US and Israeli flags as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters demonstrate in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, in Peshawar, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London PA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn a US flag in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A Syrian man offers sweets to children to mark the killing AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers attend a mourning prayer for Soleimani in Iran's capital Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Kashmiri Shiite Muslims shout anti American and anti Israel slogans during a protest AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshipers chant slogans during Friday prayers Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A protest against the USA, in Islamabad, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranians burn a US flag in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin, Germany Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol a road in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila near the border with Israel. Following morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian women take to the streets in Tehran EPA The US has insisted it is not looking to start another war in the Middle East as Iran has vowed severe revenge over the killing, prompting experts to warn of the potential for a dangerous escalation. Boris Johnson was reportedly not informed about the plan to kill Soleimani before the airstrike in Iraq on Friday. We have always recognised the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds force led by Qassem Soleimani, Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary, said in response to the killing. Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests. Amelie de Montchalin, Frances secretary of state for European affairs, warned that we wake up in a more dangerous world on Friday morning. French president Emmanuel Macron also discussed tensions in the Middle East with Iraqs president and the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday in an attempt to avoid a further escalation. The Trump administration has insisted the killing was a decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad. However, a number of Democratic 2020 election candidates have criticised Mr Trumps decision to authorise the strike as reckless. President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, and he owes the American people an explanation of the strategy and plan to keep safe our troops and embassy personnel, Joe Biden, the Democratic frontrunner, wrote in a statement. Meanwhile, senator Bernie Sanders warned that Mr Trump was bringing the US closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars. CAIRO - Tribal clashes in eastern Sudan killed at least nine people over the past two days, Sudanese activists said Saturday, in another bout of violence that threatens to derail peace talks in a country marred by decades-long civil wars. Sudans transitional government launched negotiations with different rebel groups in October, in neighbouring South Sudans capital, Juba. The peace initiative is part of a plan to bring free elections to the country. The fighting in Port Sudan, in the Red Sea province, grew out of a fist-fight between two people that ended with one stabbed to death, the Sudan Doctors Committee said, leading to his arrest. Around 100 others were wounded in the clashes, the group said. Officials said security forces were deployed in the city to help contain the clashes between the Bani Amer tribe and the displaced Nuba tribe. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Port Sudan was the scene of similar clashes between the two tribes in August, killing at least three dozen people. The tribal dispute started in May over water resources in the eastern city of al-Qadarif, where seven people were killed. Tribal clashes between Arabs and non-Arabs also erupted in the western Darfur region last week. The clashes in West Darfurs town of Genena killed at least 48 people, wounded 167 others, and displaced more than 8,000 families. 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. Duplicate Bridge results announced CHARLESTON The results of the duplicate bridge game played on December 9 are: 1 Grant Sterling - Rich Brummer 2 Keith Atteberry - Mark Daily 3 Dan Drake - Linda Heinkel 2/3B Donna Swick - Eric Bizzell 2/3B Randy Malone - Ann Lang The results of the duplicate bridge game played on December 30 are: 1 Rich Brummer - Ann Lang 2 David Stevens - Grant Sterling 2B Eric Bizzell - Donna Swick The next game will be held at 6:45 p.m. Monday at at the First Christian Church in Charleston. All bridge players are welcome. Women's Christian Temperance Union to meet ARCOLA East Central Illinois Woman's Christian Temperance Union women members and men honorees will meet at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6 at Carriage Crossing at 909 Green Mill Road in Arcola, where member Freda Thompson has an assisted living apartment. Notifying the day before is helpful so they can arrange meal plans. For more information call 217-234-9827. Arrangements will be at the meeting to deliver stuffed animals to nursing homes in Casey later in the week. Guns Save Life to meet CHARLESTON The monthly meeting of Guns Save Life will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, in the banquet room at the Unique Suites Hotel, 920 W. Lincoln Ave. All meetings are open to the public at no charge and are family friendly. An optional dinner buffet, prepared by the Brickhouse Restaurant, will be available at 6 p.m. No reservations are necessary. The scheduled main speaker will be Kelvin Curtis, the new NRA-ILA Frontlines Grassroots Field Coordinator. Bring your questions about the NRA. There will be legislative updates, a 50/50 drawing, a drawing for a Ruger PC9 9mm Carbine 17+1 Takedown w/Threaded barrel, and additional drawings for attendees. Drawing tickets will also be available for additional drawings on future dates and at other locations, including a Beretta APX Compact 9mm Pistol at their Feb. 13 meeting. You do not have to be present to win any of the gun drawings. For more information or drawing tickets, call Bill Harrison at 217-345-2556 or Justin Bawcum at 217-508-8459. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A man arrested after holding a woman hostage for hours at an Illinois credit union has been identified, police said Saturday. The suspect, Nicholas James August, 38, faces charges of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, and aggravated unlawful restraint, according to a Rockford Police Department statement. Police said August, armed with a pellet gun that resembled a real firearm, entered a branch of Heritage Credit Union in Rockford and threatened employees just after 2:30 p.m. local time on Friday. He allegedly took one hostage before ordering everyone else out of the building, the statement said. Hostage negotiators convinced August to surrender shortly before 9 p.m., police said. The hostage, a bank employee, was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. Rockford Police Chief Dan OShea told reporters Friday that police believed August did not know the bank employee before the incident. August has outstanding arrest warrants for aggravated domestic battery and a probation violation in neighboring Boone County, police said. He is being held in the Winnebago County Jail on a $2 million bond. Its unclear if August, who has a court date Monday, has an attorney. Rockford is about 80 miles northwest of Chicago. The-CNN-Wire & 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. 46 people who have been given notices have been told that the authorities found their involvement in alleged vandalism during the protests against the CAA on 20 December in Uttar pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, said additional district magistrate Amit Kumar Muzaffarnagar: The district administration has sent notices to 46 people for their alleged involvement in damaging public property during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar. The notices to 46 people have been sent by a panel set up under additional district magistrate Amit Kumar by the authorities. They have been told that the authorities found their involvement in alleged vandalism during the protests against the CAA on 20 December in the district, Kumar said. The accused have been asked to send their replies by 9 January, he said. Meanwhile, four madrasa students, arrested after violence during anti-CAA protests, were released on the orders of a court as police gave them clean chit in its report filed before the chief judicial magistrate here on Friday. The 2016 pilot program was halted amid criticism of its secrecy and condemnations from civil liberties advocates who say the system represents a sweeping overreach of surveillance that violates individuals rights. But with the proper oversight, Harrison said, it could represent another tool in the police departments fight against rampant violent crime. He previously said the planes proponents had oversold its benefits and that it was not proved to work. Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai and Port minister Michael Lobo on Saturday said the tourism sector, one of the mainstays of the coastal state's economy, needs to be brought back on track. Both Sardesai and Lobo said tourism road shows organised by the Goa government should be stopped as they were a drain on the exchequer and fetching no returns in terms of footfalls. "First, put your house in order and then invite tourists here. You are participating in road shows but are you ready to welcome quality tourists? We are expecting high quality tourists but why should they come here, to be harassed by touts," Lobo asked. Addressing a press conference, Sardesai said, "Our clear cut demand is that there should be a ban on road shows. These are nothing but picnics for the tourism minister and families." He also hit out at the organisation of the Sunburn festival, saying the state government was justifying it claiming it brought in Rs 250 crore, despite "proliferation of drugs" there. "We are giving a red carpet in tourism for scum of the earth. This government is solely responsible for the decline of Goa's tourism sector," he added. Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar was not available for comment but a department official said such road shows helped showcase the state's tourism sector to international travellers. He said a slump in Goa tourism was because of UK firm Thomas Cook going bankrupt. Chartered flights operated by Thomas Cook had brought in several thousand foreign tourists to Goa last year, he pointed out. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nigerian judiciary and justice sector kicked off in 2019 and ended with controversial cases that attracted national and even international attention. The election year saw political and other developments that shook the judiciary with unprecedented occurrences, such as the controversial retirement of former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, the trial of fugitive former pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina, the arrests and release of political activist, Omoyele Sowore with another political prisoner, Sambo Dasuki. Mr Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser was released after four years in illegal detention. Also, the sentencing of a former Abia State governor and senator of the federal republic, Orji Uzo-Kalu, after over 12 years of trial and the prosecution of alleged culprits in the controversial Process and Industrial Company contract with Nigeria are a few of these cases. PREMIUM TIMES reviews a few. Walter Onnoghen Confirmed Chief Justice of Nigeria in March 2017, Mr Onnoghen was billed to officially retire in December 2020, after reaching the compulsory retirement age of 70 years. Mr Onnoghen was born on December 22, 1950. On January 10, however, the Nigerian government filed charges against Mr Onnoghen, accusing him of omitting a series of bank accounts, bearing local and foreign currencies and domiciled with the Standard Chartered Bank branch in Abuja in his asset declaration form. The bureau also accused Mr Onnoghen of delaying his declaration of assets and only complying with the requirements after a raid of judges residences by operatives of the State Security Service in 2016. On January 25, the Presidency announced Mr Onnoghens suspension following an order by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in its secret chambers and his replacement by Justice Muhammad Tanko who hails from Mr Buharis northern region of the country. Former CJN, Walter Onnoghen in CCT Mr Onnoghen later retired from office as CJN on April 5 following a recommendation by the National Judicial Council, which initially kept quiet. A month after his retirement, the Court of Appeal decided on several applications by Mr Onnoghen against his suspension, after pending the decisions for almost three months. The appellate court condemned the events that preceded Mr Onnoghens suspension, but failed to nullify the suspension. Atikus election petition Also as a fallout of the general elections, at least four presidential candidates proceeded to the election tribunal, challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the polls. The candidates were: Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party; Ambrose Owuru of the Hope Democratic Party; Aminchi Habu of the Peoples Democratic Movement, and a fourth petition by the Coalition for change which was later withdrawn following an internal crisis in the party. None of the four petitions succeeded at the tribunal. Prominent among the petitioners was that of Mr Abubakar who accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of tampering with the electronic servers allegedly used to compile the results. Atiku Abubakar The electoral body, INEC, had declared Mr Buhari the winner of the election with 15,191,847 votes, and Abubakar as the first runner-up polled 11,262,978 votes. Mr Abubakar, however, alleged widespread election malpractice and that he defeated Mr Bubari with over a million votes. Mr Atikus petition against the incumbent was premised on five grounds including the allegation that Mr Buhari was not educationally qualified to contest the elections. On September 11, the tribunal dismissed Mr Abubakars petition after deciding that he failed to prove his case in all the grounds upon which the petition was brought. When he appeared before the Supreme Court, his case was also thrown out the first day of hearing by a panel presided by Mr Tanko. The apex court said Mr Abubakar ought to have presented at least 250,000 witnesses to prove his case, rather than the 62 witnesses he presented at the tribunal. Omoyele Sowore Sowore, Dasuki Similarly, the case of the detained political activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore made headlines. Mr Sowore who contested for President under the platform of the Africa Action Congress, was arrested on August 3, after planning a nation-wide anti-government protest with the hashtag: #RevelutionNow. The government accused Mr Sowore of a treasonable felony for allegedly plotting the protest to overthrow the democratically elected President. Advertisements After repeated court orders for Mr Sowores release, without compliance by the government, the justice minister, Abubakar Malami, wrote the State Security Service on December 24 asking them to allow the defendant enjoy his bail. Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki Mr Sowore was released hours later, alongside Mr Dasuki who had been held by the government for four years, since December 2015 on allegations he diverted $2.1 billion meant for the war against terror while he served as NSA. At least seven different court orders had been made for Mr Dasukis release which were not respected by the government before December 2019. Yet in the letter written to the SSS by Mr Malami, the minister said the government may challenge the bail granted to the released defendants. Ibrahim El-Zakzaky El-Zakzaky Also in August, a Court in Kaduna state granted medical bail to the detained leader of the Shiite Islamic Movement, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenah. Mr El-Zazaky has been detained by security operatives since December 2015 after a clash between his Shiite group and the Nigerian army resulted in the death of hundreds of Shiite members in Zaria, Kaduna State. In December 2016, the court ordered the unconditional release of Mr El-Zakzaky and his detained wife, Zeenah, within 45 days from the date of the order December 2. The government refused to comply with that directive and only arraigned him for alleged murder after protests for his release increased in May 2018. In a related application before they were released for the trip, the Kaduna State government listed seven conditions expected to be met before Mr El-Zakzaky would be allowed to travel. The defendant, however, embarked upon his trip on August 12 and returned shortly after, with complaints that the federal government mounted heavy security at the hospital and did not allow him to be treated by trusted medical doctors. Mr El-Zazaky is still held by the SSS. Former head of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina. [Photo credit: juliana taiwo WordPress.com] Abdulrasheed Maina Also in October, the Nigerian government, through the EFCC began the prosecution of former pension Boss, Abdulrasheed Maina for his alleged involvement in the diversion of N100 billion pension fund. Mr Maina had disappeared in 2012 after he was declared wanted by police for allegedly diverting the money while he served as the head of the pension reform task team. Mr Maina was in 2013 dismissed by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service. READ ALSO: On July 21, 2015, Mr Maina was taken to court with a former head of service, Stephen Oronsaye, and other accused persons by the EFCC on 24 charges for the alleged diversion While Mr Oronsaye and the two others involved in the case appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges, Mr Maina remained at large. In 2017, Mr Maina was briefly reinstated in a set of events that sparked off widespread criticism of the Buhari administration. The government revoked the appointment while Mr Maina remained wanted till he was apprehended and charged to court in a separate trial by the Commission, last October. Mr Mainas son, Faisal, is also being prosecuted in a separate trial by the Federal High court for his involvement in the alleged diversion. P&ID In September, the Nigerian Government began the trial of suspects involved in the controversial contract between the country and Irish firm, Process and Industrial Company (P&ID). The trials were initiated by the EFCC following its investigations into the controversial contract which resulted in a $6.6 billion arbitration award against Nigeria in 2013. The contract for gas supply and processing (GSPA) was signed by the administration of late President Umaru YarAdua and P&ID. The company was to build gas processing facilities around Calabar, Cross River State, and the government was to supply wet gas up to 400 million standard cubic feet per day. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the agreement was designed to fail as key elements necessary for its success were missing The arbitration award of $6.6 billion, rejected by the government, grew to $8.9 billion with an additional $2.3 billion in accumulated interest at 7 per cent rate per annum following Nigerian governments refusal to enter an appeal for over five years. As part of measures to push forth its objection against the trial, the Nigerian government in September 2019 arraigned a former Director, Legal Services, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Grace Taiga, and two others in separate trials related to the contract in Nigerian courts. The two others: Muhammad Kuchazi: a commercial director of P&ID, and Adamu Usman, a director of the company in Nigeria, pleaded guilty to the 11 counts of fraudulent involvement in the contract and were directed to forfeit the assets of the agencies they represented. On September 29, the Nigerian government secured a stay of execution, preventing the implementation of the judgment. The judge, however, ordered Nigeria to deposit $200 million in the courts account within 60 days pending its appeal. Orji Uzor Kalu [ PHOTO: TheCable] Orji Kalu In September, a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court sentenced Mr Kalu, a serving Nigerian senator representing Abia State to jail after finding him guilty of N7.65 billion fraud. Mr Kalu was taken to court in 2007 by the EFCC after the commission accused him of abusing his office, then as governor of Abia. Mr Kalu was tried alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during Mr Kalus tenure as governor. In an amended 39 counts charge, they were accused by the EFCC of conspiring and diverting over N7 billion from the coffers of the state. The court presided over by Justice Mohammed Idris also ordered that Mr Kalus company, Slok Nigeria Limited be wounded up and all assets forfeited to the federal government. Netflix Sets Spike Lees Da 5 Bloods for 2020 Release zo Zo is a staff writer at Okayplayer where he covers The film centers on a troupe of Vietnam vets returning to the battlefield in search of their fallen squad leader. Netflix has unveiled a sliver of its 21 original films slated for release in 2020. On Twitter Friday morning, the streamer shared the titles and synopsises of six films hitting the small screen this year. And Spike Lees upcoming feature Da 5 Bloods is top of their ranks. Announced early last year, Da 5 Bloods stars Chadwick Boseman, Norm Lewis, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, and Paul Walter Hauser. According to a brief plot breakdown, the film will center on four Vietnam vets returning to the battlefield to find their fallen squad leader and test a myth of buried treasure. A precise date has yet to be revealed, but that shouldnt be too far down the line now. DA 5 BLOODS: The latest Spike Lee joint follows four African American vets who return to Vietnam, searching for the remains of their fallen squad leader and the promise of buried treasure. Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser, Norm Lewis, Delroy Lindo, and Jonathan Majors star. NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) January 3, 2020 Da 5 Bloods will follow Lees The BlackKklansman, which took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2018 Academy Awards (the first of Lees career.) On deck, Lees preparing a hip-hop retelling of Romeo & Juliet set in 1980s Brooklyn, tentatively titled, Prince of Cats. (Newser) Rose McGowan's tweet that apologized on behalf of the US to Iran for "disrespecting their flag and people" in the wake of an airstrike that killed the country's top general was not anti-American, the actress said in the face of harsh criticism. "I don't support Iran over America. I want America to be better," McGowan said during an exclusive interview with the AP on Friday. Her tweet read: "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us." The head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US airstrike early Friday. story continues below She faced outrage over Friday's Twitter post, with some suggesting she move to Iran. McGowan acknowledged that her tweet was unusual. "I woke up, I stupidly looked at Twitter. I was going to the bathroom, and I was like, 'What?'" She added that she doesn't believe the governments of either Iran or the US. "So, I just thought I would do something a little strange or unusual ... bloodshed should be avoided if you can." Responses to McGowan included the hashtags #DearRose and #MoveToIran, per Newsweek, with one Twitter user telling her she's "betraying the ones killed by terrorists to defend your freedom." Fox News reports that actor John Cusack also blasted Trump over the assassination, tweeting that Trump is "so idiotic he doesn't know he just attacked Iran. And that's not like anywhere else." (Read more Iran stories.) White House Adviser: Soleimani Planned December 27 Attack That Killed American Contractor Sputnik News 01:44 04.01.2020(updated 02:15 04.01.2020) US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien told reporters Friday that Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a US drone strike the previous day, had planned the December 27 attack on a US base in Kirkuk, Iraq, that killed a US contractor. O'Brien claimed in a conference call with reporters that Soleimani's killing in an SUV outside Baghdad International Airport on Thursday was authorized by the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), a law permitting the US military to carry out attacks in undeclared war zones against al-Qaeda targets or organizations linked to al-Qaeda. The adviser further noted that Soleimani had been traveling around the Middle East planning attacks against US military personnel and diplomats, including the December 27 attack on the K1 military base in Kirkuk that killed a US contractor. That attack set in motion a series of events leading to several thousand Iraqi protesters burning part of the US Embassy in Baghdad on December 31. The protesters, some of whom were from Popular Mobilization Forces militias linked to the Iraqi government, were angry that five US airstrikes on December 29 in response to the December 27 Kirkuk attack had killed 25 and injured 51 members of another PMF militia, Kata'ib Hezbollah. The Iraqi government has denounced both the December 29 and January 2 airstrikes as violations of the country's sovereignty, as they were carried out without the permission of Baghdad. Lawmakers will convene an extraordinary session of the Iraqi parliament on Sunday in response to recent events, and are preparing to present legislation that would force US forces out of the country. "We hope to have a good relationship with Iraq going forward," O'Brien said. Earlier Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News Soleimani was the "orchestrator, the primary motivator" of an "imminent attack" against the US. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called Soleimani's killing "act of international terrorism." "It was an extremely dangerous, foolish escalation ... He was the most effective force fighting against Islamic State and al Qaeda terrorists," Zarif told reporters Friday. Soleimani had been the commander of the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He helped lead the war effort against Daesh in Iraq and Syria and was considered one of the most politically powerful and popular men in Iran. In April 2019, the US State Department declared the IRGC to be a terrorist organization, with the White House saying at the time the IRGC "actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft." A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands of people in th city took part in a protest on Saturday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR). On the busy road from Masab Tank to the Dharna Chowk, the protesters travelled in cars, two-wheelers and by walk raised slogans, including against the CAA. Some of them held national flags in their hands and also placards that read 'No CAA, No NRC and 'Boycott CAA, NPR & NRC'. Some protesters distributed pamphlets which said the CAA discriminated against Muslims. The protest, organised by a Joint Action Committee of organisations opposed to the CAA and others, was peaceful and a large number of people participated in it, police said. The protest saw participation of thousands of people as it has been the first one to be allowed by police outside an indoor premises. The Union Muslim Action Committee, also comprising AIMIM, has been organising protest meetings against the CAA, NRC and NPR at various places in Telangana. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has so far addressed protest meetings at Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar and Nizamabad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) What the situation with Iran could mean for Kansas Citians KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- As officials stand by the decision to carry out the strike on top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, local Middle Eastern Studies experts explain what it all means for those of us in Kansas City. For those who don't believe in the flat Earth Unicorns, some dead white guy oppressor taught us thatAnd so, as manyhere's a hint at a few ways the war/conflict/crisis might come home . . . Checkit: Thanks for joining us for today's blog, on a day that has provided some temporary relief from hot and windy weather for much of the state. As of 8.45pm, there are two emergency warnings active, both in the far east of the state in the Wingan River and Chandlers Creek areas. But much of East Gippsland and the Alpine region is still on heightened alert, and at this stage it looks likely that there will be another period of high fire risk later in the week, around Thursday or Friday. We'll be back with a live blog from early tomorrow morning, so be sure to check back in with us then. This is my fifth live blog session in the past seven days, so they're becoming a staple of our fire coverage. On that note, if there is anything that the blog could be doing better, please shoot me an email: craig.butt@theage.com.au I'll leave you today with this photo of 'Tinny Arse', a koala that was rescued in New South Wales and now seems to be considering a career as a tanker driver. The koala named Tinny Arse that was rescued by Damian Campbell-Davys from a bushfire zone sits in his water tanker. Credit:Kate Geraghty [Check out the full article] LEBANON, Ore. -- Lebanon Police say just after 10:30 a.m. Friday, police tried to stop a 1998 Toyota Camry for a minor traffic violation on Vaughan Lane. Police say the driver didn't yield and attempted to elude police, reaching speeds of 77 mph. Police say the pursuit ended on 36697 Edgemont Drive where the driver, 33-year-old Eric Storkson, drove to the back of the property and then ran into the woods. Police say with help from the Linn County Sheriff's Office, The Oregon State Police and Albany Fire Department, Storkson was taken into custody after he was captured by the K9 unit. Lebanon Police say stolen property was recovered from the car which was reported to police Friday morning. Storkson was arrested for attempt to elude in a vehicle and unlawful possession of methamphetamine and more. Advertisement The United States is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East as reinforcements in the volatile aftermath of the killing of an Iranian general in a strike ordered by President Donald Trump. Defense officials - speaking Friday on the condition of anonymity - announced the decision that was not yet announced by the Pentagon, and added that the troops are from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They are in addition to about 700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne who deployed to Kuwait earlier this week after the storming of the US Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters. The United States is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Mideast on Saturday from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina The soldiers are in addition to about 700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne who deployed to Kuwait earlier this week after the storming of the US Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters A US Army paratrooper prepares for departure to the Middle East from Fort Bragg The additional troop deployments reflect concerns about potential Iranian retaliatory action. But they also run counter to Trumps repeated push to extract the United States from Mideast conflicts. Trump has repeatedly called for withdrawing from Syria and Afghanistan, but over the past year he has greatly increased U.S. troop totals in the Middle East. More broadly, some congressional Democrats and national security analysts questioned whether the Trump administration is prepared for Iranian retaliation and the prospect of political backlash in Iraq, where American troops are working with Iraqi forces in a sometimes tense partnership against the Islamic State extremist group. The Pentagon said it wants to sustain that work, but some Iraqi leaders said it might be time for U.S. troops to leave. On Wednesday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division boarded C-17 Globemaster aircraft transports bound for Kuwait. They have since arrived. President Donald Trump flashed a smile and gave a thumbs up after playing a round of golf at Mar-a-Lago as hundreds of soldiers from Fort Bragg left for the Middle East as part of his push to send another 3,000 to Iraq US troops from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division arrive at Green Ramp for a deployment to the Middle East US Air Force personnel load 82nd Airborne Division equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster aircraft bound for the US Central Command area of operation An 82nd Airborne paratrooper bound for the US Central Command area of operations from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, checks his weapon Soldier don their gear as they wait to board the aircraft to head to the Middle East The additional troop deployments reflect concerns about potential Iranian retaliatory action But they also run counter to Trumps repeated push to extract the United States from Mideast conflicts The official account for the 82nd Airborne, America's Division tweeted on Wednesday: 'Early this morning more than 650 All American Paratroopers and equipment began their deployment to the @CENTCOM (U.S. Central Command) area of operations. 'This is why we exist. Your @Strike_Hold (1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division) Paratroopers have trained and prepared for events like these. @OIRSpox (spokesperson for Operation Inherent Resolve), they are on the way.' Iran-backed militiamen withdrew from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Wednesday after two days of clashes with American security forces, but U.S.-Iran tensions remain high and could spill over into further violence. 'At the direction of the Commander in Chief, I have authorized the deployment of an infantry battalion from the Immediate Response Force (IRF) of the 82nd Airborne Division to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in response to recent events in Iraq,' Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper said in a statement. The first contingent of a paratroop infantry battalion from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division bound for Kuwait receive a briefing as they prepare to leave Fort Bragg, North Carolina on Wednesday U.S. Army paratroopers of an immediate reaction force wait to board their C-17 transport aircraft to leave Fort Bragg Paratroopers help one another prepare for their deployment aboard a C-17 transport aircraft leaving Fort Bragg Supporters and members of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force gather during a demonstration outside the US embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Wednesday. They marched unimpeded through the checkpoints of the usually high-security Green Zone to the embassy gates, where they broke through a reception area, chanting 'Death to America' and scribbling pro-Iran graffiti on the walls 'Approximately 750 soldiers will deploy to the region immediately, and additional forces from the IRF are prepared to deploy over the next several days,' Esper said. 'This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today. The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found around the world,' he continued. On Tuesday, some 6,000 pro-Iran Shiite militia fighters stormed U.S. embassy in Baghdad, set walls ablaze and chanted 'Death to America!' in a violent retaliation for American air strikes. There were no reports of American casualties, and the attack was repelled after 100 Marines rapidly reinforced the compound. The attack on the embassy also prompted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to delay a European and Central Asian trip. Pompeo called the attack an act of 'state-sponsored terrorism' in an interview with CBS News, and President Donald Trump vowed that the Iranian government will be held 'fully responsible' for the attack. Pompeo said in a statement that the attack was 'orchestrated by terrorists' and 'abetted by Iranian proxies', tweeting pictures that he said showed US-designated terrorists with Iranian ties outside the embassy. A paratrooper takes a moment to reflect before deploying as part of an immediate reaction force from Fort Bragg A paratrooper puts on her helmet shortly before boarding her C-17 transport aircraft leaving Fort Bragg, North Carolina Paratroopers secure their gear and weapons as they prepare to deploy from Fort Bragg on Wednesday U.S. Army paratroopers of an immediate reaction force from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, prepare to board a C-17 transport aircraft leaving Fort Bragg A member of the immediate reaction force reflects before the deployment to Kuwait as US-Iran tensions rise Supporters of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force hold placards depicting trampled US symbols reading in Arabic 'Welcome' during a protest outside the US embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Wednesday In an orchestrated assault, hundreds of militiamen and their supporters broke into the embassy compound, destroying a reception area, smashing windows and spraying graffiti on walls to protest U.S. airstrikes against an Iran-backed militia over the weekend that killed 25 fighters. The U.S. blamed the militia for a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in the northern city of Kirkuk last week that killed a U.S. contractor. The protesters set up a tent camp overnight and on Wednesday set fire to the reception area and hurled stones at U.S. Marines guarding the compound, who responded with tear gas. There were no injuries on either side and no American staff were evacuated from the compound. The Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of state-allied militias - many backed by Iran - called on its supporters to withdraw in response to an appeal by the Iraqi government, saying 'your message has been received.' By late afternoon the tents had been taken down and the protesters relocated to the opposite side of the Tigris River, outside the so-called Green Zone housing government offices and foreign embassies. U.S. Apache helicopters circled overhead. 'After achieving the intended aim, we pulled out from this place triumphantly,' said Fadhil al-Gezzi, a militia supporter. 'We rubbed America's nose in the dirt.' Trump has vowed to exact a 'big price' for an attack he blamed squarely on Iran. Army paratroopers march out to their C-17 transport aircraft as they leave Fort Bragg, North Carolina on Wednesday Paratroopers deploy to Kuwait from Pope Army Airfield near Fort Bragg in North Carolina on January 1, 2020 The soldiers were activated and deployed to the Middle East in response to recent events in Iraq Airmen assigned to 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group conducting loading operations on C-17 Globemaster III aircraft Kataeb Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia targeted by the U.S. airstrikes, initially refused to leave but later bowed to demands to disperse. The militia is separate from the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, though both are backed by Iran. 'We dont care about these planes that are flying over the heads of the picketers. Neither do we care about the news that America will bring Marines,' said Mohammed Mohy, a spokesman for Kataeb Hezbollah. 'On the contrary, this shows a psychological defeat and a big mental breakdown that the American administration is suffering from,' he said, before withdrawing from the area. The violence came as Iran and its allies across the region have faced unprecedented mass protests in recent months and heavy U.S. sanctions have cratered Iran's economy. Iraq has been gripped by anti-government protests since October fueled by anger at widespread corruption and economic mismanagement, as well as Iran's heavy influence over the country's affairs. Those protesters were not involved in the embassy attack. The Pentagon sent an infantry battalion of about 750 soldiers to the Middle East. A U.S. official familiar with the decision said they would go to Kuwait. Pompeo postponed a trip that was scheduled to start in Ukraine late Thursday so that he can monitor developments in Iraq and 'ensure the safety and security of Americans in the Middle East,' said State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus. Iran denied involvement in the attack on the embassy. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted by media as saying that 'if the Islamic Republic makes a decision to confront any country, it will do it directly.' 750 soldiers will deploy to the region immediately, and additional forces are prepared to deploy over the next several days U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, deploy from Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina on January 1, 2020 Iran-backed militiamen withdrew from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Wednesday after two days of clashes Iran later summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, who represents American interests in Tehran, to protest what it said was war-mongering by U.S. officials. Public consular operations at the embassy were suspended and future appointments cancelled, it said in a statement. Tensions have steadily risen since Trump withdrew the U.S. from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and embarked on a campaign of maximum pressure through economic sanctions. Iran has responded by abandoning some of its commitments under the deal. U.S. officials have blamed Iran for the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and a drone attack on Saudi oil facilities in September that caused a spike in world oil prices. But the Trump administration has not responded with direct military action, apparently fearing a wider conflict. The U.S. has sent more than 14,000 additional troops to the Gulf region since May in response to concerns about Iranian aggression. At the time of the attack, the U.S. had about 5,200 troops in Iraq, mainly to train Iraqi forces and help them combat Islamic State extremists. The U.S. and Iran have vied for influence over Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Iran has close ties to Iraq's Shiite majority and major political factions, and its influence has steadily grown since then. President Donald Trump vowed that the Iranian government will be held 'fully responsible' for the attack U.S. Army paratroopers of an immediate reaction force from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, line up to board their C-17 transport aircraft as they leave Fort Bragg Paratroopers board a C-17 Globemaster III at Pope Air Field on a deployment to Kuwait on Wednesday The first wave of hundreds of U.S. Army paratroopers from a rapid reaction force has deployed to Kuwait Iran helped to mobilize tens of thousands of mostly Shiite militiamen to battle the Islamic State group when it stormed across northern and western Iraq in 2014 as the armed forces collapsed. The U.S. and Iran both provided vital aid to Iraqi forces, who eventually declared victory over the extremists in December 2017. The political influence of the Popular Mobilization Forces has risen in recent years, and their allies dominate the parliament and the government. That has made them the target of the anti-government protesters, who have attacked Iranian diplomatic missions and the local headquarters of parties affiliated with the militias across southern Iraq. They have also set up a sprawling protest camp in central Baghdad, and for weeks have been trying to enter the Green Zone. Iraqi security forces have beaten them back with tear gas and live ammunition, killing hundreds. The militiamen and their supporters, however, were able to quickly enter the Green Zone and mass in front of the embassy, with little if any resistance from authorities. Iraq's government vehemently condemned the airstrikes on the militia, saying it violated national sovereignty. But Iran and its allies might have also seen the attack as a way of diverting attention from the anti-government protests. 'Iran has been trying to provoke the U.S. into helping it solve its Iraq problem,' said the Crisis Group, an international think tank. 'The Trump administration, by responding to the attacks in Kirkuk and elsewhere with airstrikes, has obliged.' Demonstrators also marched from the White House to the Trump International Hotel to protest US military involvement in the Middle East Activists march in Times Square to protest recent U.S. military actions in Iraq Thousands of people protested against the Trump's decision to kill Soleimani and increase the U.S. military presence in Iraq Author Anita Brookner, who wrote the award-winning novel Hotel Du Lac, left the bulk of her 2.4 million estate to the international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. The writer did not disclose in her will the reason for choosing the aid agency, also known as Doctors Without Borders. It has provided medical help to more than 100 million people in the world's troublespots. Brookner, who died in March 2016 aged 87, was the daughter of Polish immigrants who changed their name from Bruckner to avoid having a Germanic name during the First World War. Author Anita Brookner (pictured), who wrote the award-winning novel Hotel Du Lac, left the bulk of her 2.4 million estate to the international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres She never married and worked as an art historian, based principally at the Courtauld Institute in London. At the Courtauld she was mentored by Anthony Blunt, the Keeper of the Queen's Pictures who was later exposed as a Soviet spy. Brookner was also the first woman to be made Slade chair of fine art at Cambridge University a role she held between 1967 and 1968. She turned to writing fiction in 1981 with her novel A Start In Life, and went on to write 23 more at the rate of one a year until her output eased in later years. She was highly praised for her ability to observe people with forensic accuracy. Her biggest success was Hotel Du Lac, which won the Booker Prize in 1984 Her biggest success was Hotel Du Lac, a tale about a romance novelist emerging from a disastrous affair who turns down an offer of marriage while staying in a hotel on the shore of Lake Geneva. The novel won the Booker Prize in 1984, and two years later it was turned into a BBC film starring Anna Massey and Denholm Elliott. In an unusual request, Brookner left her literary agent Bill Hamilton any 'manuscripts, letters, art books and unfinished literary material' which he wanted and requested that all her other papers be destroyed. Brookner asked that no funeral be held and that her remains be cremated after the removal of any of her body parts wanted for the use of 'therapeutic purposes' by any hospital or institution. Newly released probate records reveal that she left legacies totalling 15,000 to seven friends while another received her Edward Lear watercolour, a George Romney drawing and a Manet etching. A ninth friend was given her complete works of Honore de Balzac, the 19th Century French novelist and playwright. Brookner requested that everything else after legal expenses, estimated to be more than 2 million, should go to the UK branch of MSF. By the time the security failure is discovered and fixed, the damage is already done. A CIO survey by Forcepoint and Frost & Sullivan found that 69 per cent of Indian organisations were at risk of data breach. Whenever there is data breach, there is a potential disaster waiting to happen. A security flaw in Bharti Airtels mobile app reportedly exposed data of 300 million subscribers. Ehraz Ahmed, a web security researcher, who flagged the flaw in a blogpost, said the breach revealed information, such as your first name, last name, email, date of birth, address, subscription information, device capability information for 4G, 3G, and GPRS, network activation date, user type (prepaid/postpaid), and current International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Says Ritesh Bhatia, a Mumbai-based cybersecurity expert: Although Airtel has fixed this, I can only pray this data is not available to hackers or others who would want to misuse it. In an email interaction, the Airtel spokesperson said: There was a technical issue in one of our testing application programming interfaces (APIs), which was addressed as soon as it was brought to our notice. "Since these were testing APIs, we can now confirm that no data related to our customers has been impacted. Airtels digital platforms are highly secure. "Customer privacy is of paramount importance to us, and we deploy the best of solutions to ensure the security of our digital platforms. According to the privacy and data protection research centre, Ponemon Institutes 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study, a data breach goes undiscovered for an average of 197 days. It takes another 69 days to remediate the data breach. By the time the security failure is discovered and fixed, the damage is already done. A CIO survey by Forcepoint and Frost & Sullivan found that 69 per cent of Indian organisations were at risk of data breach. Whenever there is data breach, there is a potential disaster waiting to happen. The IMEI number, according to experts, can be used to identify the device of the user. Hackers can judge your financial position based on the IMEI number, as this reveals which phone model you use. Adds Bhatia: A hacker can now target you, as he has almost all the information required to hack your device, including the make and model of your phone. "This breached information can be used to make virtual clones of you. "It can result in identity theft and an increase in spam messages. The first step in such situations is to find out if you have been impacted. Thankfully, there are data breach detection websites like Have I Been Pwned?, BreachAlarm, DeHashed, to name a few. These sites use your email to check which data has been breached, set data breach alters, and gives you information regarding the type of data breached. Less sensitive is a name, mobile number address, and more sensitive is email, date of birth, and other information used to verify identity. Next, update your devices operating system, apps, and change to new unique passwords. Bhatia says: If there are passwords required to use the app, change the passwords immediately as there is a high possibility of the password, too, being leaked with the data. Then, if financial data is stolen, call the bank and block the cards. Mayur Joshi, a Pune-based cyberexpert, says: Check your credit report and check for any recent inquires or past activities. "Another thing to do is to accept the breached companys offers to help. "For instance, when Twitter was hacked, it texted the affected user, asking him/her to change the password. If a bank or any other financial services company is involved, it usually offers ways to help protect you against identity theft. And finally, if you have difficulty remembering passwords, use a password manager, such as Dashlane, LastPass, KeePass, and 1Password. Two years before the recent airstrike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, then US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warned the United Nations and the world of the threats posed by Soleimani in a speech. She informed the UN that Soleimani was actively trying to influence Iraqi politics. Solemani had been a threat for a long time Gen. Qassem Soleimani was the head of Irans elite Quds Force as well as the architect of Tehrans proxy wars in the Middle East. He was recently killed in an airstrike at Baghdads international airport by a US airstrike. US President Trump had said that this targeted killing was because Soleimani was planning an attack on US military and diplomatic personnel and was also quoted saying that Solemani should have been taken out long ago. The threat posed by Solemani to the stability of the region was long known to the world because the US had informed the world back in September 2018 of Solemani's actions. Former US ambassador Nikki Haley in her speech at the UN told the world of how Solemani was banned from leaving Iran back in 2007 by the Security Council but despite that travel ban, Solemani had practically taken up residence in Iraq. Amb. @NikkiHaley put Soleimani and the Iranian regime on notice at the UN two years ago. They should have listened. President Trump did the right thing. pic.twitter.com/NFEEeDEXh6 Stand For America (@standamericanow) January 3, 2020 Read: MASSIVE: Trump Claims Iran's Gen Soleimani Planned "terror Plots As Far Away As Delhi" Read: World On Tenterhooks Fearing Another US War, Trump Gives Warning & Offer In Cryptic Tweet As Amb. @NikkiHaley said in Sept 2018, America will not stand for the Iranian regime using its proxies to cause chaos in the Middle East. The administration was clear in warning the UN the United States takes Irans dangerous behavior seriously they should do the same. pic.twitter.com/iFJyJqW2iV Stand For America (@standamericanow) January 3, 2020 Haley goes on to say that the sole reason that Solemani was in Iraq was to create an Iraqi government that is subservient to the Iranian regime, not to help the Iraqi people. Haley blames Iran for the attack on US facilities in Iraq by Iranian Proxy forces, forces under the command of Solemani. The US had even put Tehran on notice for the continued attacks by its proxies. Read: BJP Trumps Congress-NCP In Sangli District Council polls As 3 Sena Members vote For Ex-ally Read: Trump Orders Killing Of IRGC Chief; Iran Calls Act "foolish" & Threatens Retaliation (with inputs from agencies) EAST CHICAGO Just when Noreen Ramirez was losing hope for a wheelchair ramp for her mother, a letter from prison connected her family with an organization that came through. Volunteers from St. Michaels Rebuilding Hope Mission Team assembled an aluminum ramp for Dolores Aranda, 84. The ramp goes from her familys back door to a sidewalk leading to the front of the building. Im very thankful for this, Ramirez said. We got so many rejections or were put on a waiting list. I just gave up. Ramirez brother, Ignacio Nacho Aranda, an inmate at Westville Correctional Facility, read an article in the Northwest Indiana Catholic, the Gary diocesan newspaper, about ramp builders at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish in Schererville. The brother contacted the reporter who wrote the story and was put in touch with someone from the mission team. Jim Koeling, who co-chairs the ministry, visited the Ramirez family, assessed the situation, and decided his group could do it. Through donations, the mission team provided materials and workers at no cost to the family. New York: After Friday's targeted killing of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, newsrooms struggled with the question: Had the United States just carried out an assassination? And should news stories about the killing use that term? The Associated Press Stylebook, considered a news industry bible, defines assassination as "the murder of a politically important or prominent individual by surprise attack". Qassem Soleimani, centre, was killed by a US air strike, the Pentagon confirmed. Credit:AP Although the United States and Iran have long been adversaries and engaged in a shadow war in the Middle East and elsewhere, the US has never declared formal war on Iran. So the targeted killing of a high Iranian state and military official by a surprise attack was "clearly an assassination", said Mary Ellen O'Connell, an expert in international law and the laws of war at the University of Notre Dame School of Law. Just as clearly, the Trump administration doesn't agree. Up to 3,000 military reservists were called up to tackle Australia's relentless bushfire crisis on Saturday, as tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions. Temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and gale-force winds fanned hundreds of fires, many of which are already burning out of control across the country. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the largest military call-up in living memory to assist thousands of volunteer firefighters who have been battling blazes for months on end. "Today's decision puts more boots on the ground, puts more planes in the sky, puts more ships at sea," said Morrison, who made the announcement after being pilloried for his response to the deadly disaster. A state of emergency has been declared across much of Australia's heavily populated southeast and more than 100,000 people have been told to leave their homes across three states. With temperatures expected to rise, a state of emergency has been declared across much of Australia's heavily populated southeast. Photo: AFP "We've literally seen tens of thousands of people moving away," said New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons predicting a long and difficult day ahead. "Our message has been make sure you leave yesterday. Leaving it until today is cutting it fine, leaving it another half hour is cutting it finer," he said. Thousands heeded that call Friday, abandoning summer holidays and piling into cars that clogged the highways linking southeastern coastal towns with the relative safety of Sydney or larger towns. Since late September, more than 20 people have died, more than 1,500 homes have been damaged and an area roughly twice the size of Belgium or Hawaii has burned. The latest fatalities came on Kangaroo Island -- a tourist haven off the coast southwest of Adelaide -- when two people were trapped in a car overrun by flames. Fires there have "taken out much of the Flinders-Chase National Park," according to South Australia premier Steven Marshall, before the warm front spread to the mainland. Firefighters tackle a bushfire near Batemans Bay in New South Wales. Photo: AFP 'Hellfire came over the hill' Ahead of the coming storm, an eerie calm settled over the smoke-shrouded town of Batemans Bay, a four-hour drive south of Sydney, where supermarkets, shops and the pub were all shuttered. The only activity in the usually bustling tourist hotspot was at an evacuation centre, where hundreds of locals forced from their homes were sheltering on an open field in tents and caravans. Mick Cummins, 57, and his wife fled to the evacuation centre when fire ripped through his rural town on New Year's Eve. "We said this is too tough for us, let's get out. We went to the beach and then hellfire came over the hill," he told AFP. "I was here in the '94 fires. I thought that was bad. That was just a barbeque" in comparison, he said. The scale of Australia's unprecedented months-long bushfire crisis has shocked not just locals but the world. In the small town of Mallacoota, Australia's navy was called in to evacuate around 1,000 people trapped by fire and forced to wait for days on the foreshore. Since late September, more than 20 people have died, more than 1,500 homes have been damaged and an area roughly double the size of Belgium or Hawaii has burned. Photo: AFP The first of two ships carrying families, pets and a few belongings arrived near Melbourne early Saturday. Eloise Givney, 26, escaped from the blazes further up the coast with a police escort after she and a large group of family members spent four days isolated without power, phones or internet. "The fire came within about 50 metres of us and we drove through fire, because there's only one road in and one road out," she told AFP, adding the flames soared 15 metres (50 feet) high on either side of the road. "We've been stuck without power for four days now. We haven't been able to feed the kids -- we've got five kids with us -- and we ran out of food about a day ago." The Bureau of Meteorology's Jonathan How said Saturday's "conditions are set to mirror or even deteriorate beyond what we saw on New Year's Eve". "Strong, dry westerly winds will cause ongoing fires to flare up yet again threatening communities that have already experienced widespread devastation." Several emergency warnings were issued Saturday, including one blaze southwest of Sydney that is feared could reach the city's outskirts. Communist Party of India (Marxist) Secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan asked Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to point out the wrongdoings of the state Assembly instead of criticizing them baselessly. "Governor's preachings do not stand the dignity of the Constitution. He is saying the Assembly resolution is against the constitution. Can he point out what is the violation that the Kerala Assembly has done? Can he clarify that on what basis is he criticising the assembly proceedings? There have been several instances in the past when a resolution has been passed by the Kerala Assembly. Even then you had central governments and Governors," Balakrishnan's statement on Friday read. "Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is behaving in ways that were not seen then. He is engaging in cheap politics," he added. Asserting that the Governor had no right to interfere in the proceedings of the state Assembly, the CPI(M) leader added that Khan was behaving like the "state BJP chief" "It would have been nice if the Governor would have read parts of the 2016 Supreme Court judgement in the Arunachal case. The SC had ordered that Governor has no right to interfere in the proceedings of state Assembly. The state BJP chief role play of Governor is without understanding the Constitution, SC verdict, and laws of the land," his statement read. The Governor had on Thursday had said that the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has "no legal or constitutional validity". "This resolution has no legal or constitutional validity because citizenship is exclusively a central subject. This actually means nothing," Khan told the media persons. The state assembly had on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking the withdrawal of the amended law. The law grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hours after the assassination of Soleimani, the US embassy in Baghdad urged all its citizens to leave Iraq immediately. United States citizens working for foreign oil companies in the southern Iraqi oil city of Basra were leaving the country on Friday, Iraqs Ministry of Oil said, after a US air raid killed a top Iranian commander in Iraq. Hours after the killing of Iranian Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was with him, the US embassy in Baghdad urged all its citizens to leave Iraq immediately. Iraqi officials said the evacuation would not affect oil operations, production or exports from the country, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with output of about 4.62 million barrels per day (bpd), according to a Reuters news agency survey of OPEC output. Oil company sources told Reuters earlier on Friday that dozens of foreign workers were expected to fly out of the country. A Reuters witness saw a number of foreigners, including US citizens, queueing to check-in at Basra airport and described the atmosphere as relaxed. Some were travelling to Dubai on airline FlyDubai and others were checking in at the Qatar Airways counter. A spokesman for BP, which operates the giant Rumaila oilfield near Basra, declined to comment. Rumaila produced approximately 1.5 million bpd as recently as April. Italian energy group Eni said the Zubair oilfield, which produced approximately 475,000 bpd in 2018, was proceeding regularly, adding it was closely monitoring the situation. US energy group ExxonMobil declined to comment on whether it was evacuating staff, but said production continues normally at its West Qurna 1 oil concession in the south of the country near the Iranian border. We continue to watch the situation closely, a spokeswoman said. ExxonMobil removed approximately 60 foreign staff from West Qurna last May after attacks near its oil facilities. The employees returned about two weeks later after the government agreed to provide additional security. Ian Bryant, Chief Executive of Canadian oilfield company Packers Plus, said he was more concerned than ever about the safety of our staff in Iraq, adding he was worried that US, British and Canadian citizens might get caught up in any unrest. Genel, an oil producer in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, said its operations were continuing normally. It did not comment on any staff movements. Gulf Keystone Petroleum, which also operates in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, said while these events are taking placeGulf Keystone is closely monitoring the situation and operations at [the Shaikan field] are carrying on as per usual. Norways DNO did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Oil services firm Petrofac, which operates in Iraq, was not immediately available for comment. BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi and Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry were involved in spat on Saturday over the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, when the latter took to Twitter to term her allegation of persecution of minorities in his country "fake propaganda". At a press conference on Saturday, BJP leaders Meenakshi Lekhi and Tarun Chugh condemned the attack on the gurdwara, with the former saying, "Nankana Sahib is of huge symbolic importance because it is the religious shrine of Baba Nanak and is relevant across the globe to all Sikhs. It is the holiest shrine for Sikhism. Baba Nanak was born there." Reacting to Lekhi's comment which was posted on Twitter, the Pakistani Minister for Science and Technology tweeted, "Yes we know that and huge respects for our Sikh brethren but BJP spokesperson giving lectures on diversity and religious harmony is like pot calling the kettle black, you guys are most bigoted bunch of haters so stop fake propaganda." Lekhi hit back immediately saying Chaudhry should "take charge" of initiating action against those involved in the incident and also "stop conversions, rape and abductions taking place in Pakistan". "I am happy that Fawad has come up in response to this press conference. My request to him would be that he should take charge and work against the people who have caused such a mayhem in Pakistan. Put them behind bars, take action against them, stop conversions, stop rapes, stop abductions and that's the duty he should comply with," she told reporters. Attacking the Pakistani minister over his "fake propaganda" remarks, Lekhi said, "Fawad should worry more about Imran Khan's tweets and the fake propaganda he has indulged in... he also deleted it." Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had shared a video on his Twitter handle claiming that it was of police violence targeting Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. He captioned it --"Indian police's pogrom against Muslims in UP". Twitterati soon called out the Pakistan prime minister for tweeting fake to target India. Later, the tweeted videos were deleted from his account. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pushed into motion, the camels break wind. The chorus of back-firing is like the desert version of the Soviet-era Ladas we encountered on an earlier stretch of Central Asia's former Silk Road. Both have sulphurous exhausts. I'm told caravans of 1,000 camels once crossed the arid steppe lands of present-day Uzbekistan, carrying cargos of pearls and porcelain, gold and gunpowder, silk and spices. Today, their tourist cargo includes me. Throughout history, Uzbekistan has been a key stop-off on routes stretching from China to Rome, travelled by warriors and pilgrims, by nomads and merchants, over thousands of years. Sandwiched between five other 'Stans', the country was at the heart of Silk Road routes crossing mountains, snaking along fertile valleys and through endless desert. I wanted to see how much had changed; how much remained the same. So here I am, on a camel, briefly penetrating the vast Kyzylkum Desert and exploring a little of a sandy expanse largely unchanged since its most famous visitor, Alexander the Great, passed through. I expected to see adventurous backpackers and millennials here. But it is middle-aged people and retirees on escorted tours who are boosting tourism on Silk Road and cultural journeys. Haggling over rugs in Bukhara's bazaar, one couple says actress Joanna Lumley's popular Silk Road Adventure TV series inspired their visit. My own, six-day tour combines several Silk Road destinations with a flavour of rural eco-tourism. We hike in remote hilly outposts of Sarmyshsoy and Sentob, for example - tucked away in Navoi province, where homestay tourism is only starting. The view from escarpments, where we climb over falling rocks to view petroglyphs of humans and animals carved into the rock many thousands of years ago, is wondrous, if a little scary. Expand Close Browsing freshly baked bread in an Uzbek market / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Browsing freshly baked bread in an Uzbek market Guided tours work well here. Aside from giving solo travellers like me a mix of escorted adventures, packages include transport and accommodation, and itineraries combine the best Silk Road landmarks with other attractions like a stay in a yurt or a camel safari. What can you look forward to? Think intricately decorated Persian-era architecture, sites of ancient caravanserais (early roadside inns) and cultural and ethnic diversity in a country the size of France. Over 90pc of Uzbekistan's population is Muslim. It's a conservative, patriarchal society but with striking differences to some of its Islamic neighbours. Women do not wear the hijab nor jilbaab, for instance, there's a noticeable fondness for the OTT Kardashian look in make-up, and current fashion is everywhere except rural enclaves. Among the grandest in the Muslim world, Uzbekistan's mosques are not used widely. Nor does the Call to Prayer peel out from minarets - a consequence of former Soviet domination. I watch Muslim men wearing traditional embroidered tubeteika (hats) seated cross-legged on cafe cushions, knocking back neat vodka - another enduring legacy of its Soviet past. Uzbekistan spent most of the past 200 years as part of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, before gaining independence in 1991. The country became a hermit kingdom under its dictator, President Islam Karimov - internationally ostracised for widespread abuses of human rights. Since Karimov's death in 2016, tourism has taken off - visa requirements for 46 countries, including EU member states, were abolished in 2018. Perhaps a consequence of being a police state for so long, it also happens to be one of the safest countries in the world for tourists. In Uzbekistan, distances that cross large swathes of steppe are daunting. Some steep, rutted tracks we negotiate off the main highways would thrill and test the Top Gear team. Good train services operate between the cities, however, including a high-speed rail link from Tashkent to Navoi. Inexpensive domestic flights to Samarkand and Bukhara are options. In the clamour to reach the UNESCO treasures of Samarkand and Bukhara, Tashkent - Uzbekistan's capital - is sometimes overlooked. Don't expect to find much colourful street life in Central Asia's largest city, flattened by an earthquake in 1966 and quickly rebuilt. The result is an interesting mix of stark Soviet Brutalist and classical Russian architecture, and restored 12th-century mosques. Highlights include the city's magnificent Metro, a subterranean art gallery, extravagantly decorated with tonnes of marble, beautiful mosaic tiles and enormous chandeliers. Each station was given a different theme. In the new city of Navoi, we enjoy delicious breads with Uzbek dishes (expect to pay around 10 for three courses). Plov, served everywhere, is the national speciality of rice topped with cooked vegetables, herbs and chunks of lamb. Each region has its version, including one using horse meat washed down with fermented mare's milk (koumiss). Bukhara, 'the city of museums', is our last stop and the best one. It's the Silk Road in a nutshell, boasting more than 140 architectural monuments. Some, like the Kalyan Minaret, were built over 2,000 years ago. It is high season - late September - yet we find that Bukhara's stunning sights are surprisingly uncrowded. That's another good reason to get to Uzbekistan. For now, you still have this enthralling country to yourself. Don't miss A romantic night in the desert at the Kyzylkum Safari camp will see you bed down in cosy yurts, eat traditional dinner, listen to local musicians around a bonfire, take a sunrise camel ride, and enjoy some phenomenal stargazing. Get there Fly with Uzbekistan Airways (uzairways.com) to Tashkent via London Heathrow, or with Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) via Istanbul. Silk Road tour operator Travel the Unknown does guided group itineraries, including a 14-day Uzbekistan Odyssey from 2,495pp ex. LHR (traveltheunknown.com/stans). lsabel was a guest of the Navoi Regional Government. Where to stay In Tashkent, try the five-star International Hotel (doubles from 113, ihthotel.uz). In Bukhara, the boutique hotel Komil Bukhara (komiltravel.com) has doubles from 61 B&B. See also uzbekistan.travel Gulzire Awulqanqizi documented Chinese repression in camps for Muslims. For China, the latter are dangerous terrorists, and for this reason, Beijing detained at least a million. During her detention, the refugee was forced to make gloves and eat pork in violation of her Islamic beliefs. Nur-Sultan (AsiaNews/Agencies) Gulzire Awulqanqizi, an ethnic Kazakh Chinese national currently living in Kazakhstan does not want to be sent back home where she is likely to face persecution, detention, and even torture. Recently, she posted a video complaining that Kazakh authorities plan to deport her to China, under pressure from Beijing. Awulqanqizi was held in the Dongmehle Internment Camp in Ili Kazakh (in Chinese, Yili Hasake) Autonomous Prefectures Ghulja (Yining) City, in Xinjiang, north-western China, from July 2017 to October 2018. She fled to Kazakhstan in December 2018. In the last three months of detention, she says she was forced to work in a glove factory inside the camp. She and other detainees were also forced to eat pork against Muslim tradition. In the video posted on social media she says that a source whose name she declined to give told her that her name appears on a list of people to be deported to China. She has not received any official notification from Kazakh authorities about a possible deportation; however, Its possible that theyll send me back to China after the start of 2020, she explained. An official named Guljan said that Awulqanqizis concerns are valid because of the attention she has brought to the camps in Xinjiang. In fact, she was one of the first people to reveal a lot of details about the camps to the international media. She has a Kazakh green card and has applied for Kazakh citizenship but to no avail so far. In Xinjiang, Kazakhs are the second largest Muslim ethnic group after the Uyghurs. There are also other Muslim groups, namely Kyrghyz, Tajiks and Hui. Beijing accuses them of separatism and terrorism, and has imposed a harsh military control. The United Nations has repeatedly asked to visit Xinjiang to verify claims of abuse against detainees, in particular Uyghurs. China has been accused of detaining at least a million of them against their will, and of brainwashing them in order to weaken their attachment to Islam, which Beijing considers a form of radicalism. Despite stories by camp survivors, Chinas Communist Party maintains that detention facilities are nothing more than professional training centres. Ottawa, Jan 5 : The Canadian-commanding NATO mission in Iraq has suspended its training task after a US airstrike killed an Iranian commander, Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported. A senior Canadian government official was quoted as describing the move as a "tactical pause." The NATO mission run by Canadian General Jennie Carignan is reportedly a "non-combat, advisory and training" mission, Xinhua news agency reported. The suspension of NATO's training mission, where 253 Canadians are involved, does not affect the US-led Operation Impact where Canada has approximately 600 soldiers servicing in Iraq, Kuwait, and Jordan and Lebanon as trainers and advisers, according to the report. Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday called on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation after a US airstrike near Baghdad International Airport killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, who was commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force. "Canada is in contact with our international partners. The safety and well-being of Canadians in Iraq and the region, including our troops and diplomats, is our paramount concern. We call on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation. Our goal is and remains a united and stable Iraq," Champagne said in a statement. Canada also urged its citizens in Iraq to consider leaving the country in updated travel advisory on Friday after the attack. "This attack has led to increased tensions in the region," the advisory said. "There is an increased threat of attacks against Western interests and of terrorist attacks in general. Consider leaving by commercial means if it is safe to do so." The United States has urged its citizens in Iraq to leave "immediately," following the attack. Iran has vowed "harsh retaliation" against the United States for what Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called a "heinous crime" after Soleimani was killed. NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has accused Scott Morrison's government of stalling on plans to increase funding for a national aerial firefighting fleet. He said at a Sydney press conference on Friday that a proposal for ongoing funding was submitted 18 months ago but had still not been implemented. 'We need to ensure that we have a locked-in budget so we can secure more long-term arrangements around funding and leasing,' he said. 'We haven't seen a positive response to that business case. The business case has been with the federal government for 18 months at least.' But in a separate press conference, Mr Morrison told reporters that $11million was being injected into this year's budget. The Prime Minister also pledged $20million to lease four extra firefighting planes. NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons (pictured) said a business case put forward to the government 18months ago still had not been actioned 'They asked for one, we gave them four,' he said. 'That will include two long range fixed wings DC-10s with 30,000 litres capacity and two medium range large air tankers with an 11,000 litre capacity.' Earlier this week, Mr Fitzsimmons conceded that Australia was 'absolutely' battling through its worst bushfire season on record. He said consistent payments would enable the RFS to make long-term protection plans which has been difficult to achieve as they currently only receive sporadic boosts. Scott Morrison denounced Mr Fitzsimmons claims on Friday stating that the government had already responded to the business plan with two separate injections of $11million 'We need to ensure that we have a locked-in budget so we can secure more long-term arrangements around funding and leasing,' he said 'What we have seen is the equivalent of annual injections of funding over the past two seasons.' When reporters asked Mr Morrison about Mr Fitzsimmons' claims on Friday, he said the government had already offered its commitment to funding. 'In response to that business case, the government responded with two separate decisions of $11 million which brought it up to the same level of capacity as was sought by that business case. Earlier this week, Mr Fitzsimmons told reporters that it was 'absolutely' the worst bushfire season on record as deadly blazes consume the country 'There was a first decision which I announced a year ago and more recently before this Christmas, there was a second supplementary investment of $11million which supported the same business case proposition. 'That ongoing support will be there at that level in the budget and going forward. 'We've added an additional set of four very large assets So we have provided those resources, we will continue to provide those resources.' Australia's aerial firefighting centre received a one-off top-up of $11 million from the Federal government in December. The national death toll for this bushfire season has reached 23 after two people were killed on Kangaroo Island on Saturday. New Delhi: TNFUSRC Forest Watcher Marks has been released on the official website. Candidates who appeared for the Forest Watcher Exam need to visit the official website of Tamil Nadu Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee to view the marks. Earlier, the Forest Watcher Exam was conducted on October 4, 5, and 9, 2019. After that, the Forest Watcher answer key was released on October 17, 2019. Candidates were given the time period from October 18, 2019 to October 20, 2019 to challenge questions and raise objections accordingly. In order to download the TNFUSRC Forest Watcher Marks, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps: First visit the official website of Tamil Nadu Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee Then, click on the TNFUSRC Forest Watcher Marks Notification link that is available on the homepage A new page will open Enter the respective details in the form of Registration Number, Date of Birth and Captcha Code Click on the submit button and check the TNFUSRC Forest watcher Marks Download the TNFUSRC Forest watcher Marks and take a printout for future reference Alternatively, candidates can also click on the below mentioned direct link to download the TNFUSRC Forest watcher Marks. TNFUSRC Forest Watcher Marks Direct Link Amid ongoing nationwide protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Union Minister of State (MoS) Jitendra Singh said that the Central government's next step would be the deportation of Rohingyas from the country. "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act is applicable across the country including in Jammu and Kashmir. By implication, what will happen here is that the next move will be in relation to the Rohingyas," Singh said while speaking at a function here on Friday. "Jammu had a sizeable population of Rohingyas and a list would be prepared and their biometrics would also be collected. They'll have to leave India and details being worked out. CAA doesn't give them leverage. The government is considering ways to deport them," he added. The Union Minister further said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 had become applicable in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir the day it was passed by the Parliament. "They (Rohingyas) are not part of the six religious minorities in three neighbouring states. They are from Myanmar. So, they have to go back as they are not eligible for Indian citizenship under this act," Singh said. The law grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By PTI PUNE: A protest was staged against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Kothrud area here on Saturday. Elsewhere in the city, some organisations demanded that the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the legislature and pass a resolution against the CAA and NRC. Holding placards denouncing the CAA, NRC and the National Population Register (NPR), members of the Yuvak Kranti Dal, Professional Congress, National Students Union of India, Aam Admi Party and others took part in the protest. They demanded that the CAA, which offers citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, be scrapped. Sandip Barve, a member of the Yuvak Kranti Dal, said the demonstration had been organised under the umbrella of `We The People Of India', an anti-CAA grouping. The protests against the CAA will continue until the government does not repeal the act, he said. Some 500 to 600 people took part in the protest. Pravin Saptarshi, another protestor, claimed that some people tried to provoke the protesters by starting arguments with them over the CAA. "We appealed our people not to get instigated by their comments and continue the protest in a peaceful manner," he said. Several organizations under the umbrella of Mulnivasi Muslim Manch staged a sit-in against the CAA. They demanded that the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the legislature and pass a resolution against the CAA and NRC, said Anjum Inamdar, president of the outfit. Ladeedah Farzana, who became the face of students' protest against the CAA at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, said at a gathering in the city that she saluted all those who were protesting against the "draconian provisions" of the CAA. She was addressing a conference organised by the Girls Islamic Organisation. "The Act is against the spirit of the Indian Constitution. It undermines the Muslim community's achievements," she said. She also demanded that jailed anti-CAA protesters in Uttar Pradesh should be released forthwith. CAA was not the first draconian law in the country, Farzana said, citing laws such as (now repealed) Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Tens of thousands of people marched in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 4 to mourn slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and others killed in a U.S. airstrike, including Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Al-Muhandis was the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a grouping of Iran-backed militias. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and Hadi al-Ameri, a top Iraqi militia commander, a close Iran ally, and the top candidate to succeed Muhandis, marched in the funeral procession for Soleimani, state television footage showed. A PMF-organized procession carrying the bodies of Soleimani, al-Muhandis, and other Iraqis killed in the U.S. strike took place in Baghdads Green Zone. Mourners included many militiamen in uniform for whom al-Muhandis and Soleimani were heroes. They carried portraits of both men and plastered them on walls and armored personnel carriers in the procession. Chants of Death to America and No No Israel rang out. Mourners react as they attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, top commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 4, 2020. (Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters) Some Iraqis condemned the attack on Soleimani. It is necessary to take revenge on the murderers. The martyrs got the prize they wantedthe prize of martyrdom, said one of the marchers, Ali al-Khatib. A slew of marchers held pictures of the slain men while others hoisted posters with anti-U.S. slogans. Many Iraqis also voiced fear of militia reprisals against those involved in months of street protests against the Iranian-backed Baghdad government over alleged misrule and corruption. A picture taken on Jan. 4, 2020, shows the site where top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed along with eight others in a US strike the day before, outside the international airport road in Baghdad, Iraq. (Ali Choukeir/AFP via Getty Images) They said Soleimani and al-Muhandis had backed the use of force against unarmed anti-government protesters last year and established militias that demonstrators blame for many of Iraqs social and economic woes. In Iran, some people worried that Soleimanis death might push the country into a ruinous war with a superpower. I feel so sad for Soleimanis death but what if America and Iran start a war? I have children. What if they send my son to war? said Monireh, a retired teacher. Iranian leaders have described Soleimani as a martyr and vowed to take revenge. He was martyred by the most villainous people, the U.S. govt, & their pride in this crime is a distinguishing feature of him, Supreme Leader Sayyid Khamenei said in a Twitter post. In a message to Soleimanis family on Saturday, Khamenei said, You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream. To Martyr Soleimanis family, You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream. Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 4, 2020 Khamenei visited Soleimanis home and prayed with his family. He also ordered a three day mourning period across the nation. U.S. military leaders said they took out Soleimani because he was planning an imminent attack on American interests in the Middle East. Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region, the Department of Defense said in a statement. The American people should know that President Trumps decision to remove Qassem Soleimani from the battlefield saved American lives, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a television appearance. Reuters contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times MIAMI In his first public appearance since the strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani of Iran, President Trump rallied his evangelical Christian base of supporters on Friday, portraying himself as the restorer of faith in the public square and claiming that God is on our side. Mr. Trump brought to the stage Cissie Graham Lynch, a granddaughter of Billy Graham, the founder of Christianity Today, to offer an implicit rebuke of the magazines recent editorial calling for his removal from the White House. Ms. Lynchs appearance underscored how sensitive Mr. Trump was about any signs of fracturing in his base; many evangelical allies denounced the editorial, and Ms. Graham Lynch vowed on Friday to help Mr. Trump win re-election. She then welcomed a supporter to the stage who told attendees that they could not trust what the news media wrote about the president. Mentioning the attack in Baghdad only briefly, the president spent his hourlong speech at Ministerio Internacional El Rey Jesus, a church with a predominantly Hispanic congregation, alternating between his familiar mocking jabs at Democrats, who he repeatedly called anti-religious, and boasting about his own faith-based policies. Saying he would renew the importance of religion and family, Mr. Trump vowed that he would toughen restrictions on abortion and would take action to safeguard students and teachers First Amendment rights to pray in our schools. Protesters burn property in front of the U.S. embassy compound, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 31, 2019. (Khalid Mohammed/AP Photo) Airstrike Hits Iran-Backed Iraqi Militia Near Baghdad: Reports Airstrikes on Friday night hit an Iraqi militia convoy north of Baghdad, killing at least six people, according to reports. The airstrikes took place at around 1:12 a.m. local time. The Reuters news agency reported that Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, which are Iran-backed Shia militia groups, were struck near Taji. Three people were critically wounded. An Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) spokesman stated that the airstrikes were not conducted by coalition forces. FACT: The Coalition did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days. FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days. OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) January 4, 2020 According to The Associated Press, an Iraqi official said the airstrike has hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia and that five members of the militia were slain. The identities of those who are killed are not immediately known. An official told Reuters that two of three vehicles making up the convoy were found burned north of the city. Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly reported that the airstrikes were done by U.S. forces. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Weekly briefing: Texas church shooting, Lois Evans dies, Passion 2020 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: Texas church shooting leaves 3 dead Worshipers at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, held a vigil Monday to remember Richard White, 67, and Anton "Tony" Wallace, 64, who were both shot and killed at church the previous day. The gunman, identified as Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43, who has a history of drug abuse and mental illness, began firing during a worship service on Sunday. He was brought down by Jack Wilson, a firearms instructor. "I dont feel like I killed a human. I feel like I killed an evil. Wilson Wallaces daughter said she forgives the gunman. Lois Evans dies after cancer battle Lois Evans, wife of Pastor Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Fellowship Church in Texas, died on Monday after battling a rare form of cancer. She was 70. Many pastors and other influential Christians expressed their grief while also celebrating her life. A funeral will be held at Oak Cliff on Monday. Pastor in China sentenced to 9 years in prison Pastor Wang Yi, head of one of Chinas largest unregistered churches, was sentenced on Monday to nine years in prison on charges of subversion of power and illegal business operations. Yi leads the 5,000-member Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, which was first raided in 2018 by government authorities. The Trump administration condemned the pastors imprisonment and called for his immediate release. This is yet another example of Beijing's intensification of repression of Chinese Christians and members of other religious groups. U.S. Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus. Thousands kick off 2020 at Passion Thousands of young adults converged in Atlanta this week for Passion 2020, a popular Christian conference founded by Louie Giglio that draws college students. Featured speakers included John Piper and Sadie Robertson, who reminded attendees that Jesus died for them even while they were still a sinner and that God has always known and loved them. If the name and the fame of Jesus the Savior, the Son of God, the King of Kings does not become your greatest desire, you will not only waste your life, you will lose it. Piper Pray for Family of Martha Bulus, a Christian bride who was killed along with her bridal party by Boko Haram in Nigeria New releases Album: The Church Will Sing Vol. 1 (Jan. 3) Books: What's So Funny About God? A Theological Look at Humor by Steve Wilkens (Dec. 31) Anatomy of a Revived Church: Seven Findings of How Congregations Avoided Death by Thom Rainer (Dec. 26) Around 100 villages situated in core of the Satkosia tiger reserve could not be relocated so far posing threat to wild animals in the zone. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has directed Odisha to restore Sundari, the female tiger brought from Kanha National Park of MP, to its native forest after her partner, MB-2, the male tiger of Badhavgarh in MP, was poisoned to death in Satkosia, raising questions on the conservation measures by the Odisha forest department. Bhopal: Indias first interstate tiger translocation experiment in which a big cat couple was transported on road from Madhya Pradesh during the summer of 2018 for reintroduction of the wild animal in Odishas Satkosia Reserve has failed, thanks to mess made by the Odisha forest department. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has directed Odisha to restore Sundari, the female tiger brought from Kanha National Park of MP, to its native forest after her partner, MB-2, the male tiger of Badhavgarh in MP, was poisoned to death in Satkosia, raising questions on the conservation measures by the Odisha forest department. The development has threatened to trigger a row between Madhya Pradesh and Odisha with the former declaring to thwart any move to relocate Sundari in MP forest if the tigress was found not fit to be released in wild. We will send a team of forest officers and veterinary doctors to Odisha to examine if Sundari is fit to be released in the wild. Then only, we will take a decision to facilitate her return to MP, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) wildlife of MP, J.S. Chouhan, told this newspaper on Friday. Asked to assign the reasons behind the failure of the ambitious experiment, carried out at an estimated cost of `60 crore, Mr Chouhan quipped, You better ask the officials of Odisha forest department. Our responsibility ends after transporting the tiger couple to Odisha. Their conservation was the responsibility of the Odisha forest department, he added. Eminent conservationist of MP Ajey Dubey has slammed Odisha forest department for its failure to save the male tiger of MP, which was poisoned to death in Satkosia leading the experiment to fail. Satkosia tiger reserve is known as highly vulnerable to poaching causing disappearance of native big cats in the reserve forest. The reintroduction project for Satkosia should be have undertaken after the tiger reserve was made poaching free zone. Around 100 villages situated in core of the Satkosia tiger reserve could not be relocated so far posing threat to wild animals in the zone. In this circumstance, the tiger couple should not have been trans-located to Satkosia, he said. He demanded a probe into the whole mess in the experiment. GILLETTE Ruby, wearing her red vest, lay on her puppy bed in the classroom of her companion and owner. There, with the lights dimmed during final testing the week before Christmas, two young students at Thunder Basin High School came into the classroom to lay with and pet the yellow Lab. One girl stroked Ruby as she listened to music. The other lay her head on Ruby and later listened to tunes with one of two connected earbuds. Their focus, and relaxation, was all on Ruby, a people person, as her owner Brittany Singhas describes her. The girls frequent Singhas math classroom whenever they know Ruby is there. Other students keep an eye open for her as well. They often congregate around Ruby in the busy hallway during passing periods. The power of Ruby is there for all to feel. She comes with her own trading cards, her mug shot in the school yearbook and her therapy dog badge safely tucked into her vest. Ruby, perhaps the most popular girl at Thunder Basin High, is not quite 2 years old. But shes a veteran at mending and comforting hearts. Singhas, a Campbell County School District math teacher for the past four years, bought Ruby from an Iowa family in last year. Picking her up on Mothers Day, she always had this in mind for Ruby. They would FaceTime until Singhas could pick up Ruby and bring her back to Wyoming. She named the gentle, calm yellow Lab Ruby because she was bright red just a few days after being born. Singhas chose her out of the litter because she was the mother hen who calmly watched or mothered her siblings, even at just a few weeks old. Now as a therapy dog, Ruby is still mothering others, but on a much grander scale. When she is working, Ruby wears her vest emblazoned with Sit Means Sit Dog Training for the K-9 Caring Angels, a Casper group. Singhas and Ruby underwent training there during the summer to earn their certification. She brings Ruby to school at least once a month and looks forward to the day they can work with people at the library, cancer patients at the Heptner Cancer Center in Gillette or the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center. In many cases, there may be no better comfort than a dog, and Ruby seems to know best when shes most needed. Rubys training covered her behavior in all kinds of places. Singhas and Ruby had to pass tests at each location similar to those places in Gillette to receive certification. Ruby couldnt show any aggression in her tests. If Rubys in her vest, shes working. If she doesnt have it on, shes a fun puppy that likes to roll in the snow, gallop from place to place and stop to either smell things or paw over them. At Thunder Basin, there may be no other tension like finals week. So, Ruby spent more than three days in school. When her toddler gate is up in the classroom doorway, Ruby is in the building. Teachers and students will seek her out. She has her blanket, pillow and a stuffed bunny toy with her on her dog bed, which shell rearrange for her own comfort before laying down to catch a few Zs between visits from students and teachers needing a break. Then there are the passing periods, where she is a center of attention. One of the signs displayed in the classroom reads $5 fine for whining. But Ruby only seems to whine, quietly, if she knows someone needs her calming presence and she cant get to them. The teen years are often filled with emotions, disappointments and more feelings than some can struggle with or dont know how to deal with. Even teachers call out to Ruby for comfort. They also find they need their Ruby time, Singhas said. Both Singhas and TBHS Instructional Facilitator Jen Clark have been amazed at Rubys effect at the school. When we were trying to get to know the kids a lot, some of the kids were like, oh, I have anxiety and depression, and theyd come out and tell you that and youre like, OK ... lets not focus on what you have, but focus on getting through. And thats how, I think, she can help with that, Singhas said. The benefit, I think, is there have been therapy dogs for a long time. I dont think this is necessarily anything new for us here, Clark said. Using it here, I think it is significant and has a positive impact on our kids. We want (whats best for kids), and thats our goal, and if it helps to relieve some of that testing anxiety ... Emotion, whatever, calm, Singhas concluded. Already emotional and sometimes overwhelmed, teens need that every way they can get it, Clark said. They havent just seen Ruby help youth cope with roiling emotions, though. Theyve also seen her improve academic performances. Singhas is keeping comparisons of testing on Ruby and non-Ruby days. She doesnt yet have a large enough sample to come to any validated conclusions, but the trend is showing improvement. Im seeing more positive growth, Singhas said. Theres been more growth when shes there and more, almost like focus. I think its a focus because they almost take a brain break because shes there to give them that brain break. But then they can refocus on the test and show that knowledge. Its kind of weird. I dont know how to explain it. We do what we do because we want whats best for kids. And thats No. 1 always. Singhas didnt expect that so much at Thunder Basin at first. Oh gosh. I thought Id get more power once we got in, like, the cancer center and we got set up. I didnt think wed see it here, she said. And she can do more for them than I could do ever. I wish I could do what she does for those kids. I dont know if she knows what shes doing, but when you see sometimes theres so much emotion. They just need that. Singhas has seen her puppy spark remarkable individual growth, too. Weldon Steele, 17, came to school this year wheelchair-bound and unable to walk. He had few communicative skills and used an iPad to do much of his talking. Then he met Ruby. On the day before Christmas break started, Steele waited patiently for Singhas and Ruby to come downstairs to the commons. Ruby has helped him learn to walk, even run, through the first two semesters. The strides hes made are amazing to watch. When she arrived, Steele put his own leash on Ruby, then took her outdoors on a chilly, blustery day so he could run with her. They moved indoors and Steele sat Ruby in the seat of his wheelchair, posing with her for photos near a Christmas tree in the hallway leading from the commons. Then he dashed off, running again through the school. Singhas and other instructors could barely keep up with him. His thighs trembling from the effort, Steele put Ruby in his chair and pushed her a little down the hall. He spoke to her and everyone crowded around him, grinning broadly. Steele has come far with Rubys help. Hopefully he can go even farther this school year. Thats the power of Ruby. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, right, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call Group | Getty Images The Senate seems certain to keep President Donald Trump in office, thanks to the overwhelming GOP support expected in his impeachment trial. But how that trial will proceed and when it will begin remains to be seen. Democrats are pushing for the Senate to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents, pointing to reports that they say have raised new questions about Trump's decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine. Once the House transmits the articles of impeachment, decisions about how to conduct the trial will require 51 votes. With Republicans controlling the Senate 53-47, Democrats cannot force subpoenas on their own. For now, Republicans are holding the line behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's position that they should start the trial and hear arguments from House prosecutors and Trump's defense team before deciding what to do. But small cracks in GOP unity have appeared, with two Republican senators criticizing McConnell's pledge of "total coordination" with the White House during the impeachment trial. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was "disturbed" by the GOP leader's comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial is conducted. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, meanwhile, called the pledge by McConnell, R-Ky., inappropriate and said she is open to seeking testimony. Democrats could find their own unity tested if and when the Senate reaches a final vote on the two House-approved impeachment charges abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It would take 67 votes to convict Trump on either charge and remove him from office, a high bar unlikely to be reached. It's also far from certain that all 47 Democrats will find Trump guilty. Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama said he's undecided on how he might vote and suggested he sees merits in the arguments both for and against conviction. A look at senators to watch once the impeachment trial begins: Murkowski In her fourth term representing Alaska, Murkowski is considered a key Senate moderate. She has voted against GOP leadership on multiple occasions and opposed Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018. Murkowski told an Alaska TV station last month there should be distance between the White House and the GOP-controlled Senate in how the trial is conducted. "To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process," she said. Murkowski says the Senate is being asked to cure deficiencies in the House impeachment effort, particularly when it comes to whether key witnesses should be brought forward to testify, including White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton. "How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen," she said, adding that House leaders should have gone to court if witnesses refused to appear before Congress. Collins The four-term senator said she is open to calling witnesses as part of the impeachment trial but calls it "premature" to decide who should be called until evidence is presented. "It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us, Collins told Maine Public Radio. Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Collins said. Collins, who is running for reelection and is considered one of the nation's most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democrats for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office. "There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging that's in an impartial way, she said. Jones Jones, a freshman seeking reelection in staunchly pro-Trump Alabama, is considered the Democrat most likely to side with Republicans in a Senate trial. In a Washington Post op-ed column, Jones said that for Americans to have confidence in the impeachment process, "the Senate must conduct a full, fair and complete trial with all relevant evidence regarding the president's conduct. He said he fears that senators "are headed toward a trial that is not intended to find the whole truth. For the sake of the country, this must change. Unlike what happened during the investigation of President Bill Clinton, "Trump has blocked both the production of virtually all relevant documents and the testimony of witnesses who have firsthand knowledge of the facts, Jones said. "The evidence we do have may be sufficient to make a judgment, but it is clearly incomplete, he added. Jones and other Democrats are seeking testimony from Mulvaney and other key White House officials to help fill in the gaps. Mitt Romney, R-Utah. Romney, a freshman senator and on-again, off-again Trump critic, has criticized Trump for his comments urging Ukraine and China to investigate Democrat Joe Biden, but has not spoken directly about he thinks impeachment should proceed. Romney is overwhelmingly popular in a conservative state where Trump is not beloved, a status that gives Romney leverage to buck the president or at least speak out about rules and procedures of a Senate trial. Cory Gardner, R-Colo. Gardner, like Collins, is a vulnerable senator up for reelection in a state where Trump is not popular. Gardner has criticized the House impeachment effort as overly partisan and fretted that it will sharply divide the country. While Trump is under water in Colorado, a GOP strategist says Gardner and other Republicans could benefit from an energized GOP base if the Senate, as expected, acquits Trump of the two articles of impeachment approved by the House. An acquittal "may have a substantial impact on other races in Colorado, up to and including Sen. Cory Gardner's re-election," Ryan Lynch told Colorado Public Radio. Martha McSally, R-Ariz. McSally, who was appointed to her seat after losing a Senate bid in 2018, is another vulnerable Republican seeking election this fall. She calls impeachment a serious matter and said she hopes her constituents would want her to examine the facts without partisanship. The American people "want us to take a serious look at this and not have it be just partisan bickering going on," she told The Arizona Republic. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. Former Union minister on Saturday announced a nationwide 'Yatra' (tour) to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Register of Citizens and the Population Register. The campaign, organised under the banner of his organisation Rashtra Manch, will be called 'Gandhi Shanti Yatra', Sinha told reporters here. Former MP Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta were also present on this occasion. The Yatra will start at Mumbai's Apollo Bunder on January 9, pass through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Harayana and Delhi and cover a distance of over 3,000 km, said. It will culminate at the Raj Ghat in Delhi on January 30, Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary. Accusing BJP-ruled states for using violence to suppress peaceful protests against the CAA and NRC, he blamed the government for disturbing peace across the country. Mehta appealed people and organisations in Gujarat to take the lead to make the campaign a success. The CAA was unconstitutional, discriminated against a community and was meant to humiliate it, the former Gujarat CM said, demanding that it be scrapped and the NRC and NPR should not be implemented. Calling the police crackdown on anti-CAA protesters in Uttar Pradesh "state-sponsored terrorism", he said the Yatra was going there specifically to protest against the police's high-handedness. "Dekhna hai zor kitna baju-e kaatil mein hai (We want to see how powerful is the oppressor)," he said. Other organisations should also take out similar Yatras converging at the Raj Ghat at 11 AM on January 30, he said. Actor-turned politician and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha said, "We have suffered so much that now we are embarking on a 'safar' (journey). "We are against the government's policies, we are standing up for the Constitution," he said. The CAA provides citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries, but excludes Muslims, Shatrughan Sinha said, adding that it "seems to be a ploy to distract attention from the issues the country is facing." The CAA would be as bad as demonetisation, he said, asking what was the need to bring in such a law without consulting experts or even senior leaders of the BJP and opposition. Haiti - News : Zapping... Haitian economy contraction worse than expected Joseph Jouthe the Minister a.i of Economy and Finance, reveals that the socio-political crisis and the blocking of activities in the country have caused a sharp contraction of the economy, which reached -2% in 2019 contrary to the previous estimate of -1.2%, according to the data available to the Ministry. The 4 fishermen arrested in Jamaica, back in Haiti The four Haitian fishermen who rescued in Portland waters at the end of November are now safely back in their country. 7 housing units rebuilt in Pelerin 5 Following instructions from President Jovenel Moise, 7 housing units were rebuilt at Pelerin 5, by the Public Enterprise for the Promotion of Social Housing (EPPLS) for the benefit of members of the population See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-29571-icihaiti-jamaica-charges-dropped-against-4-haitian-fishermen.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-29402-icihaiti-jamaica-haitian-fishermen-charged-with-illegal-entry.html The return of Haitians to DR has started Friday after spending Christmas and New Years in Haiti, hundreds of Haitians began to return to the Dominican Republic. In order to prevent the entry of undocumented Haitians, the Dominican authorities have reinforced border surveillance See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29660-haiti-flash-the-dominican-army-sends-new-reinforcements-to-the-border-with-haiti.html Cardinal Chibly Langlois in Cayenne This Friday, January 3, 2020, the Consul General of Haiti in French Guiana Ms. Judnie Galdine Souffrant welcomed Cardinal Chibly Langlois at Felix Eboue Airport in Cayenne, in French Guiana. HL/ HaitiLibre A 9-year-old girl and her father were fatally shot while hunting on New Year's Day when they were mistaken for deer, South Carolina officials said. Hunter fatally shot father, daughter after mistaking them for deer in S.C. >> https://t.co/ZLgpBQjvUf pic.twitter.com/I6arLsRhIO wdam (@wdam) January 3, 2020 Wednesday in Walterboro, a group of hunters were trying to move deer, also known as driving deer, the state Department of Natural Resources said in a news release. The man and his daughter were mistaken for deer and shot, the department said. A spokesperson declined to comment further on the incident. Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey confirmed Kim Drawdy, 30, and Lauren Drawdy, 9, were killed. A full autopsy will be performed, Harvey told USA TODAY. WCBD-TV reported that the incident occurred on the last day of deer hunting season in woods behind Drawdy's house. Video: Deer Kills Hunter After Being Shot Drawdy's brother Benny described Kim as "a real outdoorsman." "When I got the message, I just couldnt believe it, my heart stopped when they told me it was my brother and his daughter," he told WCBD-TV. "You know, it was terrible." Although hunting accidents are rare, South Carolina saw 16 in 2019, The Associated Press reported. In Georgia and Michigan, similar incidents occurred in which hunters were mistaken for a deer. More on hunting accidents: Georgia teen fatally shot by fellow hunter who mistook him for a deer Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Carolina father, daughter killed hunting, mistaken for deer US and Israeli flags were set alight in Iran's capital Saturday as thousands mourned the loss of top military commander Qasem Soleimani, a day after he was killed by American forces. "We are with you," they chanted as they waved their hands in unison during the outpouring of grief at a rally in Tehran's Palestine Square, an AFP correspondent reported. Soleimani was killed on Friday in a US air strike outside Baghdad international airport that shocked the Islamic republic and sparked fears of a new war in the Middle East. He was 62. One of Iran's most popular public figures, Soleimani was head of the Quds Force that oversaw the foreign operations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge" and declared three days of mourning on Friday following the of his death. At Saturday's rally in Tehran, men held up placards that called for "revenge" and black-clad women clutched portraits of Soleimani and Khamenei. One man wearing a mask climbed onto a stone monument holding burning US and Israeli flags as others chanted "Death to America". "Our response will definitely be beyond launching some missiles or destroying some American bases," said Milad Najafi, one of the mourners. "In fact, I think our revenge will be the annihilation of Israel," the student told AFP. Another mourner, Ali Gholinam, paid tribute to Soleimani as "the greatest man we had". "They took him not only from Iran but from the 'Resistance Front'," he said, referring to Iran's allies in parts of the region including the Palestinian territories. "The 'Resistance Front' members are now mourning this great man," he told AFP. "I don't know what the response could be, but whatever it may be, it must be proportionate." Soleimani's remains are due to be returned to Iran on Sunday ahead of ceremonies in Ahvaz, Tehran, Mashhad and Qom. The slain general is expected to be laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The footage shows 10 beds in one room (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland/PA) A video circulating on social media showing asylum seekers being housed in a room with 10 beds and no windows was staged, the Department of Justice has claimed. The footage, said to have been taken inside the East End Hotel in Portarlington, shows rows of beds next to each other in a small room. The video has been shared and viewed thousands of times. Many people have condemned the conditions of the accommodation following claims that up to 10 asylum seekers were forced to share one room. This is outrageous!!! The average rate is 1050 per month for each asylum seeker in Direct Provision (more than double in emergency accommodation). This room in the East End Hotel in Portarlington has 10 asylum seekers in a room with no windows. Queue for shower and toilet pic.twitter.com/1Ql67FPJgY MASI - Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (@masi_asylum) January 3, 2020 However, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said it has been informed the video does not represent the reality at this facility. In a statement, he added: Hotel management has informed the Department that last night, a number of residents moved themselves from their assigned rooms into the room shown in the video. The footage circulating appears to have been staged and the residents involved have been asked to return to their allocated rooms. Similar claims were made about the accommodation in the hotel last autumn and subsequent Department inspections confirmed that the accommodation arrangements at the hotel had been misrepresented in a staged video at that time. Emergency accommodation is not representative of the overall system of accommodation offered to applicantsDepartment of Justice The Department is available at all times to address any concerns that residents have. It should be noted that applicants availing of accommodation services may also avail of the services of the Ombudsman who the Department works with to resolve any issues that arise. There are 71 asylum seekers who have to share 19 bedrooms at the East End Hotel in what the Department described as on an emergency basis. It said no room is being shared by more than six people. The East End Hotel has accommodated asylum seekers for a number of months while places are sourced in direct provision centres. The Department has been using hotels and guesthouses to accommodate asylum seekers because the system is at full capacity. Statement by the Department of Justice and Equality regarding the East End Hotel, Portarlington is available at this link https://t.co/EdrgD3eu3c Department of Justice (@DeptJusticeIRL) January 4, 2020 A number of former residents in the hotel were transferred to the newly opened centre in Ennis before Christmas. The Department said the need for emergency accommodation arose after a sharp rise in applications for international protection an increase of 60% in 2019. Emergency accommodation is not representative of the overall system of accommodation offered to applicants, the department added. The most recent accommodation centres to open provide own-door, self-catering accommodation. As always, the Department would encourage any resident to inform us of any issues that may arise regarding their accommodation. Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a US strike, President on Friday said "reign of terror is over" and claimed Qassem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London." General Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's airport on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani, Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over, he said. Trump alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government, he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change, Trump said. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbours, must end and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad, he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, he said. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies, Trump said. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen, he said in his remarks. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran, he said. Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters, the president said. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party to concentrate on strengthening the main opposition platform before the 2023 election cycle. Our preoccupation at this point in the @OfficialPDPNig should not focus on elections, but on rebuilding and strengthening our party for the challenges ahead of us, Mr Abubakar, who was the partys presidential candidate in 2019, said in a tweet Saturday morning. Mr Abubakar said rather than playing politics when campaign season was still at least 30 months away, resources should be channelled towards bolstering the PDP structure, which has weakened consistently since it lost the centre after 16 years in 2015. Mr Abubakar challenged President Muhammadu Buhari at the February general election, but lost by a few million votes. Mr Buharis victory was confirmed by the Supreme Court after a lengthy litigation. Over the past few days, he has faced rumours of taking desperate measures to get the PDPs presidential ticket again in 2023, when Mr Buhri would step down after the two terms permitted by the Constitution. On Friday, media reports quoted Walid Jibrin, chairman of the PDP board of trustees, an advisory body of party elders, as alleging threats to his life because he declined to support an automatic ticket for Mr Abubakar in 2023. They said I should say Atiku is the man that I want because I am a leader, Mr Jibrin said of some unnamed men who allegedly visited him to threaten him on backing Mr Abubakar, The Guardian reported. They should not also forget that the party has a constitution and guidelines which say there must be primary for whoever wants to contest. Mr Jibrin was amongst the earliest backers of Mr Abubakar for the partys presidential ticket in 2019. Given his role as a party leader who should be impartial in controversial matters like candidate nominations, Mr Jibrins overt support for Mr Abubakar pitted him against other members of the party ahead of its primaries in Port Harcourt last October. But as focus rapidly shifts to 2023 following Supreme Courts verdict in November on the 2019 elections, the major political parties are becoming increasingly drawn into arguments about who would emerge their respective presidential candidates in three years time. Although Mr Abubakar, 73, has not expressed interest in running for office again in 2023, he has not dismissed the possibility or disown those drumming support for him. Perhaps more than anyone else in the main opposition party, he is widely seen as holding sufficient political and financial resources to contest. But his influence appears to be waning. In publicly opposing Mr Abubakar, it is hard to tell whether or not Mr Jibrin was speaking only for himself or on behalf of a wider caucus whose elements would come out later. Having supported Mr Abubakar during the primaries and through the general election, it was also unclear when the BoT chairman, who is a former senator from Nasarawa State, broke ranks with the former vice-president or why. PREMIUM TIMES has asked him for comment. Mr Abubakars spokesperson, Paul Ibe, was unavailable for comments Saturday morning. The Harvard Graduate Students UnionUnited Automobile Workers (HGWU-UAW) announced it was shutting down its strike against the Ivy League university as of midnight, December 31, directing workers to return to work January 1. The strike, which began December 3, was ended with no contract and no agreement on the central demands of striking grad students. The union is holding out the possibility of resuming the strike at a future date. Harvard grad strikers at a gate to the university Grad students grade papers, help teach classes, do research and perform other essential work on campusall for near-poverty wages. The shutdown of the strike is a complete capitulation by the UAW, which exploited the genuine anger of graduate student workers over their exploitation by Harvard in a nearly month-long stunt that achieved virtually nothing. In its message to student workers, the HGWU-UAW bargaining committee claimed that the strike had accomplished a new foundation to finish negotiations. This foundation, it maintained, was the signing of six new tentative agreements protecting workers rights. No agreement was reached on the three main issues that provoked the strike: wages, health care and grievance procedures for discrimination and sexual harassment complaints. The union cited statements by the university that the administration hoped to reach a contract within the next month, and declared that the administration had committed to begin mediation in January to resolve the contract. In a December 19 statement, the Office of the Provost wrote that the university had proposed to HGSUUAW that we engage the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and have them appoint a federal mediator to assist us. However, the Boston Globe reported December 30 that no such timeline has been given by Harvard to achieve a contract by the end of January, with a university spokesman saying the December 19 message from the provost was not a deadline but rather an expression of hope that differences can be resolved. There is also the distinct possibility that the university is making supposedly good faith promises while awaiting a decision on a new rule proposed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in late September that would reverse the ruling that first granted graduate students the right to unionize. Harvard, as a private institution, would have only a voluntary obligation to recognize a graduate student union if the new rule were approved. The Harvard strike came in the wake of the struggle of autoworkers at General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, which included a 40-day strike by 48,000 workers at GM that began in mid-September. The GM strike was the first major auto strike in the US in more than four decades and marked the entry of American industrial workers into the growing wave of strikes and protests in the US and internationally. The GM strike was called only due to pressure from autoworkers, who were determined to win back wages and benefits and stop plant closures agreed to by the UAW over decades. Despite the unity and determination of autoworkers to fight, sellout contracts were imposed by the UAW at the three automakers. The UAW, which has been embroiled in a series of corruption and embezzlement scandals, is viewed with contempt by tens of thousands of autoworkers. The union, anxious to bolster its dues base depleted by the destruction of thousands of autoworkers jobs as a result of the unions betrayals, has been working to organize low-paid campus workers. Region 9A has organized locals at numerous Northeast campuses, including Columbia University, New York University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts and The New School. Following several years of union organizing, Harvard announced in May 2018 that it would recognize HGWU-UAW as the grad students bargaining unit. After more than a year-and-a-half with no contract agreement and 28 bargaining sessions with the university, by the end of October more than 90 percent of the union had voted in favor of the strike and a December 3 strike deadline was set. After nearly a month on strike, the walkout was abandoned following a December 18 bargaining session between the union and Harvard, in which the university refused to make any substantial concessions on wages, health care or grievance procedures. Harvard, which has an endowment topping $40 billion, offered an insulting 8.2 percent increase over three years for research assistants, 7.2 percent for teaching fellows, and $17 per hour for instructional work. In November 2018, the Graduate Workers of ColumbiaUAW and the Columbia Post-Doctoral WorkersUAW entered into a framework agreement with Columbia University as the exclusive bargainers for students. Columbia received a 14-month no-strike clause, while the students won only the privilege of being represented by the UAW and paying dues to the union bureaucracy. Harvard grad students are now in a similar situation. The UAWs shutdown of the Harvard strike and capitulation to the university administration stand in contrast to the resolve of grad students to improve their conditions and fight the universitys attack on their rights and attempts to maintain them in servitude to the university. The outcome of the strike has demonstrated that the UAW, to which the HGWU is affiliated, is not a legitimate instrument of their interests. The strike won the support of faculty, students and other university workersand made some impact on the grading of student papers and examsbut the union made no attempt to organize campus-wide action. Student workers organized independently to win the support of UPS workers, many of whom refused to cross their picket lines set up at delivery docks. Instead of rallying workers support for the grad students, the union sent contingents from the Massachusetts Democratic congressional delegation, as well as state and local Democratic politicians, who made hollow pledges of support. Candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, including Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, tweeted their support. The UAW made no effort turn out to transit workers, city workers and area teachers who are the natural allies of the grad students. Nor was there an attempt to mobilize the thousands of workers and professionals among the regions universities, research facilities and hospitals, many of whom oppose the austerity, immigration and war policies of the two big-business parties. The struggle of Harvard grad students and their counterparts at universities across the county is not a settled question. Harvard grad students who maintained during the strike that the UAW was doing all it could need to reevaluate this position. To win their struggles, grad students and other university workers require organizations that will fight for their social and democratic rights. But these organizations, rank-and-file committees democratically controlled by the workers themselves, must be independent of the pro-capitalist and nationalist trade unions. In the course of recent campus struggles, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality has advanced the fight for the formation of rank-and-file strike committees, fighting for what students and their families need, not what university administrations claim they can afford. We urge grad students who agree with this fight to contact the IYSSE today. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Suddenly, it appears the U.S. intelligence community is back in good standing over at Fox News. Since Trumps election, an inescapably common refrain of the president and his biggest boosters in conservative media has been to rail against the deep state. The Russian election interference probe, theyve repeatedly said, was nothing more than a coup or disinformation campaign perpetrated by the anti-Trump intelligence community. Over the past 24 hours, however, incessant Fox griping over deep state suddenly went quiet, replaced by sober pleas thatwhen it comes to the info allegedly justifying Trumps ordered airstrike killing Irans top general Qassem Soleimanithe U.S. intelligence communitys findings should be heeded and taken seriously as unimpeachably correct information. Immediately after the Pentagon confirmed U.S. responsibility for the strike, claiming it was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans, Fox News host Sean Hannityperhaps the most well-known deep state critic in mediaheaped praise upon the intelligence community. The ability of the military, our intelligence community, the State Department, and the president making the call, very quickly, you know, understood that the Iranian forces on the ground bore a direct threat to the American people, said Hannity, calling into his own show on Thursday night. Once the intelligence was confirmed, once the understanding that they were there to sow the discord and discontent, the president acted as quickly as possible, taking out this top general. But I will say the big headline is, this is a huge victory for American intelligence, a huge victory for our military, a huge victory for the State Department, and a huge victory and total leadership by the president, the primetime host, who has spent more than two years and countless on-air segments railing against shadowy deep state intelligence, concluded. By Friday morning, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went even further than the Pentagon, saying that it was necessary to take out Soleimani as it disrupted an imminent attack, adding that the risk doing nothing was enormous and the intelligence community made that assessment and President Trump acted decisively last night. Story continues Following Pompeos assertions, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeadewho last month chastised a Daily Beast writer for not asking Lisa Page about a deep-state conspiracy theoryopenly defended and applauded the intelligence community. After Fox News star Geraldo Rivera sarcastically noted the U.S. intelligence has been excellent since 2003 when we invaded Iraq, disrupted the entire region, for no real reason, he told Kilmeade not to start cheering this on while claiming his colleague never met a war you didnt like. I will cheer it on. I am elated, Kilmeade exclaimed, adding that its not true that he loves war. During a later appearance on Fox News The Daily Briefing, host Dana Perinoa former Bush White House press secretaryrepeatedly claimed an attack was imminent, asking Kilmeade what the consequences would have been if Trump didnt act. What everyone is missing, it's not our choice, the Fox & Friends host replied. These things are happening. It's how we react to what is happening. Kilmeadeno longer skeptical of intelligence officialsalso insisted that the president didnt need to brief Congress before killing the Iranian leader because he needed to act quickly due to the information obtained. But if you want him to get congressional approval over a strike that is time sensitive when an attack is imminent and he landed at the airport? Are you kidding me? Kilmeade huffed. During Fridays broadcast of Fox Business Networks Varney and Co., anchor Stuart Varney also seemed a bit amnesiac over his previous missives against the intelligence community. Despite claiming in the past that the deep state was trying to undermine Trumps presidency, the pro-Trump host credulously touted Pompeos imminent attack claim throughout his show. Thats what Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State, told Fox News earlier this morning, that there was an imminent attack and the president ordered the killing to stop that imminent attack, Varney proclaimed at one point. Good cause to do it. In a later segment, Fox & Friends Weekend host and unofficial Trump adviser Pete Hegsethwho once noted that the American people didnt vote for the Deep Statealso found newfound praise for the intel community, adding that Trump likely waited until the intelligence lined up. A Fox News guest, however, seemed to reveal one of the biggest self-contradictions. Former Trump adviser Christian Whiton lamented Friday on Fox News Outnumbered Overtime that it is really sad that Democrats arent willing to give our president and our military the benefit of the doubt in a crisis. A few weeks ago, though, Whiton gave no such benefit of the doubt to a member of both the military and intelligence community. During an interview with Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, Whiton called former National Security Council member and impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman a deep state crybaby who poured himself into an Army outfit to go and frankly speak contemptuous things against the commander-in-chief. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. New Delhi, Jan 4 : A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was trolled for posting a fake video of violence in Bangladesh and blaming Indian police for action against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, he again was criticised for tweeting on Saturday a news story on a dead man accused of violence in the Indian state. #Pakistan trended with 392K tweets as Twitterati trolled Khan as also condemned the stone-pelting at the Nankana Sahib gurdwara by a mob on Friday. Imran Khan posted a picture of a burning vehicle as Indian security forces stand guard amid violence over the CAA and wrote on @ImranKhanPTI: "Indian police brutality reaches new lows as its pogrom of Muslims in India continues as part of fascist Modi government's ethnic cleansing agenda. The accompanying news was headlined "Man dead for 6 years, bedridden 93-yr-old in UP cops' list of people who could hamper peace amid CAA stir'. The post got 2.3K retweets and 6.4K likes. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted: "Pakistan's PM continues to spread rumours of atrocities on minorities in India, while yesterday, the world saw the condition of minorities in his own country. I urge the international community & human rights organisations to take a note on the deteriorating condition." One user replied to Khan: "Mr Niazi, kindly give Pakistani citizenship to all Indians who are feeling persecuted in Bharat, We will provide free tickets to them & will feel obliged." One user posted a picture of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Imran Khan wherein the latter is showing his two fingers while conversing. "Per tweet 2 rupees dega to main Modi ke against tweet karunga (if you give me Rs 2 per tweet, I will tweet against Modi), goes the caption along with the picture. One user posted a funny remark: "Please maintain a queue as you heap humiliation on Imran Khan." Latest updates on Howdy Modi Houston Trump Hails Death of Iranian General, Says 'Reign of Terror is Over' By Jeff Seldin January 03, 2020 U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday celebrated the death of the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, saying the airstrike that killed the shadowy Qassem Soleimani was long overdue. Speaking publicly for the first time since defense officials confirmed Soleimani was the target of a U.S. strike near Baghdad International Airport on Friday, Trump also warned Iran that it risked more strikes if it continued to target Americans. "We took action last night to stop a war," Trump told reporters at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end and it must end now." Trump blamed Soleimani for the deaths of thousands of Americans, Iraqis and Iranians, saying the longtime regime general "made the death of innocent people his sick passion" while helping to run a terror network that reached across the Middle East to Europe and the Americas. "We take comfort in knowing his reign of terror is over," the president said, adding the U.S. had already identified additional Iranian targets. "If Americans anywhere are threatened I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary," he said. Iraqi officials said another airstrike early Saturday, carried out about 24 hours after the one that killed Soleimani, targeted a convoy carrying Iran-backed militia north of Baghdad and killed at least five people. There was no immediate confirmation of the strike from Washington. So far, U.S. officials have given few details about the strike that killed Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, known as the Popular Mobilization Forces. But White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien told reporters late Friday that Soleimani's travel plans played a role in the timing. "He had just come from Damascus, [Syria,] where he was planning attacks on American soldiers, airmen, Marines, sailors and against our diplomats," O'Brien said. Speaking separately, a senior State Department official said the strike was "supported by very solid intelligence." "Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against American diplomats and our armed forces members in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and in the region," the official added. Troops in Kuwait The comments by senior U.S. officials came as fresh U.S. troops were setting up in Kuwait, part of Washington's plan to protect bases and personnel across the Middle East in anticipation of Iranian-directed violence. About 750 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division's Immediate Response Force touched down at Salem Air Base on Friday, with U.S. defense officials confirming the force's remaining 3,000 troops were on their way. A Defense Department spokesperson called the order for the additional soldiers "an appropriate and precautionary action," citing "increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities." Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the 3,000 soldiers had been put on notice earlier in the week, telling reporters Thursday that the Pentagon would deploy more forces "as needed." The deployment came as Iranian officials and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq amplified their calls for revenge after the U.S. airstrike that killed Soleimani. US Kills Iranian Commander in Drone Strike Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Friday for three days of national mourning and promised a harsh response. "All enemies should know that the jihad of resistance will continue with a doubled motivation, and a definite victory awaits the fighters in the holy war," he said in a statement carried on Iranian television. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif labeled the U.S. strike an "act of terrorism": Meanwhile, Kataeb Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia that sparked the recent escalation with a rocket attack on a military base in Kirkuk, Iraq, that killed an American contractor, warned the U.S. "will pay a heavy price." "Grave consequences will be borne by America, the Zionist entity, and the kingdoms of evil," the militia said in a statement translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. "Are they unaware that we will become a thousand Soleimanis and a thousand Abu Mahdis?" How or when Iran might respond to the strike was unknown. U.S. defense and intelligence officials have long warned about Iran's penchant for using asymmetric techniques, like terrorism and cyberattacks, to target the U.S. and Western nations. 'Asymmetric strikes' "What we are very likely looking at is a series of tit-for-tat escalations and asymmetric strikes that probably won't be limited to Iraq or to the Middle East," Kirsten Fontenrose, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, told VOA via Skype. "Iran isn't opposed to kind of hitting us in the belly," Fontenrose added. "And I think it will mean a little bit of vulnerability at our embassies and for our diplomats who live on the economies and countries where they are posted." The United States has about 5,000 troops in Iraq and another 55,000 across the Middle East, all of whom could be targeted by Iran. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad told Americans Friday to "depart Iraq immediately" because of the heightened tensions. Some U.S. cities have also heightened their alert status, concerned that Iran could use its ties with terror groups like the Lebanese-based Hezbollah in an attempt to strike the U.S. homeland. "We have never confronted in recent decades the reality of a war with a government of a large country with an international terror network at its behest," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday. "New Yorkers deserve to know that we have entered into a different reality." But Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement Friday, "there are currently no specific, credible threats." Some senior U.S officials also doubted, despite its tough talk, that Iran and its proxies would be in a rush to respond with anything that could resemble an act of war. "I don't," a senior State Department official said Friday. "We're speaking in a language the regime understands," the official added, noting Iranian officials were now clearly aware of the high cost that would come with such action. Jesusemen Oni contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By PTI COLOMBO: A parliamentarian of Sri Lanka's main opposition, the United National Party (UNP), was arrested here on Saturday for possessing a firearm with an expired license, police said. Ranjan Ramanayake is the third opposition leader to be arrested after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power in mid-November last year. In December, UNP leaders Champika Ranawaka and Rajitha Senaratne, who were ministers before Rajapaksa was elected on November 16, were arrested and later granted bail. While Ranawaka was arrested over a traffic accident, Senaratne was held for participating in a news conference about abductions of critics during the regime of the current president's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa. The UNP had termed the arrests as a "witch hunt" and said it was the beginning of "revenge politics" by the Rajapaksa government. "Ramanayake was arrested from his official residence for possessing a firearm with an expired license," a police official said. An actor-turned-politician, Ramanayake is critic of the Rajapaksa clan. He is also facing two cases of contempt of court. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 21:44:36|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close OUAGADOUGOU, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen students died on Saturday morning in Toeni, Sourou province, in northwestern Burkina Faso when the bus transporting them jumped on a mine, Xinhua learned from a security source. "A bus transporting students to the city of Toma jumped on a mine. The death toll is 14 and four injured," an army official said on condition of anonymity to Xinhua. The reason of the incident was not immediately clear and further details had yet to emerge. An Islamist insurgency last year has ignited ethnic and religious tensions in Burkina Faso, especially in northern areas bordering Mali. On Dec. 1, 2019, 14 people were shot dead in an attack on a church in eastern Burkina Faso. On Nov. 6, 2019, gunmen opened fire on a convoy of buses carrying mine workers in the country's Est region, killing 39. Old town meets new town Functional Art, The Heydar Aliev Cultural Center. Local's loop with Aydin Damir-Zade, Baku. The Flame Towers providing all the light we need on our TVFR night ride. The Xizi morning warm-up routine. Martian playground right here on earth in Azerbaijan. Minding the blind rollovers on a Candy Cane freeride. Desert textures. The humble Lada at home in Quba. Heydar Aliyev's name, photo, and bust preside over many towns, parks, and buildings. Part of a continuing phenomenon referred to as Heydarism, Aliyev's Cult Of Personality. Safety third! Access to these streets in Lahic may be easier these days but they haven't changed much in over 1000 years. Tea, spices, and handmade goods in Azerbaijan's copper capital. Chased back to town by a Caucasian Shepherd Dog Testing out the local woodwork Billy Goats Gruff. Trip, trap, trip, trap... Contrasted high above the medieval village of Lahic Every journey starts with a single step....or a wheelie in the case of this descent. Following ancient summer pasture routes high up into the Caucusus through the spring bloom. Choose your own adventure. Petal to the metal in an Azerbaijani meadow. 50 shades of green Pit stop along the road to Xinaliq to get small amongst the towering giants of Besbarmaq. Xinaliq, 5000 years inhabited and counting. The most isolated and remote village in Azerbaijan. Searching for air high up in the Caucusus Tiny rider, giant landscape. Alpine adventuring in the Caucusus Dagestan meets Azerbaijan Sliding into our Xinaliq home base. Baku, melting pot metropolis of the Silk Road Azeri desert ridges, party in the front and possible death off the sides. Just another ultra-friendly local out on the trails of the Caucusus Riding to the Shahdag hills with Emin Aldin Aza-What? Azajan? Where is that?!These were some of the typical responses I heard from friends when informing them where I would be riding for the next month. Many were unfamiliar of its existence let alone its whereabouts. Earlier this year, I didnt even really know much of Azerbaijan other than its location and how to pronounce it. In fact, my partner Justa Jeskova and I had no plans of travelling there until 30 days before we arrived.In most instances, we prepare meticulously months ahead. We make local contacts, book tickets, and sort out logistics well before we arrive. This time was quite different. Having sat out the previous summer with an injury and feeling restless awaiting winters end, I had started daydreaming of travelling exotic locations. Justa felt the same yearning for adventure which led to us picking a date and randomly picking spots off a 3D globe. The only requisite? Inspiring foreign mountains that were hopefully free of snow.It was a sharp contrast from our familiar ways, but thats what led us to this unusual choice of mountain bike destinations. A refreshing change which left us open to the whims of the road, weather, and last-minute decisions. We boarded the plane with an added air of excitement, keen to tackle an unset path laid before us and the adventures ahead.Upon arrival, we quickly came to realize how diverse and contrasted a place Azerbaijan is. The capital city, Baku, is a mind-bending melting pot of old and new. Some of the worlds most advanced modern architecture stood juxtaposed with buildings dating back to the 12th century. Soviet, Islamic, Victorian, and Post Modern styles clashed telling a story of a colourful and rich past. New structures such as the Heyday Aliyev Cultural Centre, a flowing design of undulating white curves and lines, stand as a shining light in the dark amongst Soviet apartment blocks. Strolling amidst the Old City provided peek-a-boo views of Bakus modern architecture in between elegant mosques and medieval towers. Literally minutes away we would find ourselves in animated squares and Parisian like strolls crammed with cafes and restaurants.Its not difficult to understand how Azerbaijan came to be this way. Standing at the crossroads of east and west, it occupies an area of the world that has seen influence from Turkic, Caucasian, Iranian and Russian heritage. It has come to be known as a lands of contrasts. Born of ancient humans and witness to the birth and death of empires. Its people have long been host to travellers and merchants from different cultures around the world.The first of many ultra-friendly locals we met was Aydin Damir-Zade. After meeting through social media he kindly offered to introduce us to his local trails. Since he began riding in 2014, hes remained a stalwart of the tight-knit biking community; a lifetime when considering the short history of the sport in Azerbaijan.We met up with him late afternoon for one of his classic evening laps. A ride that began in congested streets before ascending up barren ridges on the outskirts of Baku. A fiery sunset and wide, open views of the Caspian Sea made us forget that a bustling metropolis lay less than a few kilometres behind. It culminated in a twilight descent into Baku through a series of berms and drops with a view unlike anything we had seen before. Many of Bakus architectural wonders were lit up in dramatic fashion. Most impressive of all, an iconic trio of glass buildings called the Flame Towers morphed between flames, pouring water, and a waving Azerbaijan Flag. Justa and I both stood in awe at the cityscape before us, astonished to be riding single track in such a developed and densely populated city let alone one lit ablaze in a sparkling light show.Aydin, in true Azeri form, invited us out again the next day. This time it would be alongside nearly half the countrys current mountain biking population. According to his estimates, there were 20-30 mountain bikers in the country, 8 of which would be joining us. Our all-day epic included trespassing through army bases and climbing by pump-jacks & oil pools. It was as foreign an experience as we could have from back home. We chased each other down desert ridges while taking care to avoid trail side hazards which included venomous snakes, army security, and deep & lethal oil wells left abandoned from over a century of petroleum extraction. Our pursuit of good times and adventure wrapped up in the most of Azeri of ways, eating baklava and drinking tea at a seaside cafe.Four days in and we already felt as if we had seen a country worth of sights in one place. If there were any doubts or trepidation in finding worthwhile riding and adventure in Azerbaijan, there were none now. There was only more excitement and enthusiasm for the road ahead.We bid farewell to our newfound friends and set our eyes on Xizi, home to the unique and colourfully striped hills known as the Candy Cane mountains. It wasnt long before sights changed drastically. The shine of Baku in our rearview mirror gave way to a grittier and empty landscape dotted with communist apartment blocks. As we drove onwards, decrepit old buildings and dusty abandoned farmlands became the norm. If there was one constant during this trip it was change. Changes in everything, climate, geography, scenery, even language.Arriving late afternoon in Xizi didnt leave much time to find a place to stay for the night. The small village rarely saw visitors let alone foreigners. As far as we could tell, lodgings did not exist other than one bizarrely out-of-place and deserted luxury hotel. Not wanting to end up in the real-life version of The Shining we opted to search on for more locally authentic options. While inquiring with locals on the existence of any guest rooms in the area, a duo operating a ramshackle tea house offered us their own room to stay in. They even reorganized their own sleeping arrangements so we wouldnt have to sleep on the floor. Already grateful with the generosity we were shown, they went above and beyond in offering us cheese, bread, and a bottle of vodka curiously paired with slices of tomato and lemons as chasers. The affable couple sat with us and didnt take no for an answer until the bottle of vodka was finished.With a mild hangover and our hearts and bellies full we left early the next morning to check out the mountains we had made our way here for. Nearing our destination, sporadic glimpses of the colourful terrain peaked high above the villages green, hilly pastures. Treeless ridge lines crept up mountainsides shifting between the colours and textures of grass, clay, and the candy cane striped dirt.The first hike-a-bike up revealed years worth of routes and lines to ride. The most difficult decision became choosing where to hike up and what to ride down. Over the next few days, I ticked off a checklist of dream-like lines. With each successive descent, my trust in how the dirt reacted led to increasingly difficult and exposed lines. It became a game of staying on line and memorizing blind rollovers from the no-go cliffs. A hint of uncertainty accompanied me at the top of each run while trying to visualize the cant miss landmarks I hoped to memorize on the way up.Although nerves were a part of the equation, the surreal feeling of free-riding in an otherworldly landscape was ever-present. It was absolute pure elation to be leaving tracks in a place that felt too perfect to be real. Had we gone straight home after this, our trip would have been a resounding success. I didnt want to leave but spending too much time here would do a disservice to our plans to explore and discover the rest of the country.Reluctantly, we said good-bye to our new Azeri friends and returned to the road. We aimed north towards the towering rugged peaks of the Greater Caucasus in search of alpine riding.Soon the arid red and white hills gave way to rugged, taller mountains. Trees began to dominate the hillsides while massive storm clouds ominously enshrouded the peaks we were headed straight for. It was a considerable contrast after spending nearly a week atop sweltering, wind-scoured ridges. To experience such wildly different landscapes in a matter of hours was extraordinary.Our amazement at the quick change of environs soon turned to concern. The temperature plummeted as we climbed upwards with the rain eventually turning to snow. Initially, the winter-like scene added depth and beauty to the old roadside villages. However, it became clear with the deepening snow that our 4wds bald tires were no match for the steep and slick mountain track. With an air of impending failure about us, we made the call to abort the mission. The likelihood of finding ourselves stranded, or worse, seemed inevitable. And to add insult to injury, the best option in the ever-worsening storm was a 7-hour detour to the other side of the country.With the difficulties of finding a bed in Xizi, we werent sure what awaited us in our hastily chosen destination of Lahic. Plans of a mellow day had vanished into a hectic race across the country in hopes of beating nightfall, a race which we lost. The final leg to our destination was as chaotic as our misadventure earlier that day. Pouring rain, sleet, and falling rocks pelted our 4 x 4 while navigating a narrow bench of exposed cliff-side road. So narrow in fact that we questioned if we were even on a road at all.Fortunately, that would be the end of our anxiety. Just as we were starting to regret our decision the road opened back up and the village of Lahic came into view. In a stroke of good luck, we found a hot meal and room to stay at the first house we inquired within. The friendliness and generosity of the Azeri people once again on full display.Sunrise the next morning revealed we had escaped the brunt of the unseasonably late storm. Although it wasnt a complete escape as some snow had fallen on the peaks encircling the 1500-year-old cobble-stoned village. Luckily it wasnt enough to keep us from exploring the areas countless trails and lesser peaks.Due to the steep and dangerous mountains around Lahic, much of its existence was spent isolated from the rest of the country. The construction of a roadway in the 1960s may have changed some things but the character of Lahic and the villages dotting the hillsides remained. That same geological remoteness of the area meant many peoples homes and farms were solely accessible by foot and were connected via a myriad of rickety bridges and goat paths. Perfect for days of riding up muddy mountains and hike-a-biking to secluded homesteads. It felt as though we had entered another part of the world overnight, yet again. A vast change in an ever-changing country where contrast seemed to be the only constant.Throughout our stay, locals shared a friendly interest in where we were going and how we got here. Some even showed grave concern for our safety thinking wed kill ourselves attempting to ride back down the steep terrain we just hiked up. Others invited us into their homes for tea and snacks, usually after being chased by some of the meanest sheepdogs Ive ever had the displeasure of backing away from. It never mattered to them or us that we werent able to communicate well. Smiles, nods, and hand signals, as well as Justas rudimentary Russian, were more than enough to convey our gratitude.And the ones who worried about our safety? Some would keep an eye out for our safe return and offered their congratulations on making it down alive.At first, the late-season snow seemed a curse. Clearly it wasnt. Seeing and exploring Lahic and its magnificent backdrop of snow-covered peaks just meant we witnessed it at its most beautiful. As picturesque as it was, the mud had grown thicker and unrideable with the runoff meaning it was the right opportunity to delve on to new parts of the country.Each time we left for a new destination we became increasingly excited for what lay ahead. With something new and distinct around each corner, it was hard not to contain our enthusiasm. We pushed on into the northern reaches where Dagestan, Georgia, and Azerbaijan converge. The resulting 3 points a showcase for the diversity and wild contrasts of life in a region known for cultural tolerance. The area is home to many local ethnic groups, languages, and religions. Their penchant for acceptance also meant an overt friendliness, even by Azeri standards, which led us into our next discovery.While checking maps for potential riding zones and driving about, we stumbled upon a soviet-era holiday resort. An older jovial man greeted us excitedly as he saw us park nearby. He was ecstatic to discover we were Canadian and insisted on showing us around. When touring us through his resort which included a decrepit yet charming wood-panelled bar complete with dust-covered disco ball, he confirmed there was in fact a trail nearby. One which rose upwards of 2500 meters from the valley floor into the alpine originally used by local shepherds to take their flocks to summer pastures. That sealed the deal for us. Well, that and a few shots of his homemade vodka which tasted what I imagine a gasoline and rubbing alcohol cocktail to resemble.With the pungent aftertaste of vodka still lingering the next day, we left early to explore the biggest descent wed encounter on our trip. The long out and back ridgeline ascended through lush green trees and multi-coloured flowers, broken up by broad patches of dark shale furrowed over time by livestock and weather. The shale sections provided the ultimate playground of mini ridges and chutes. Paired with sweeping views of Car and the massive valley beyond, it was an instant favourite.The vibrant colours and lushness of Car felt countries apart from the rocky, treeless peaks and medieval cobblestones of Lahic. Equally stunning in their own unique ways, they exuded completely different moods than one another. Witnessing such vast changes within the same mountain range was astonishing. But to see those variations separated by only a few peaks was extraordinary.We deemed our unforeseen cross-country deviation a success and decided to make another attempt at the high alpine of the Caucasus in the East. In a way, it was better we left it for last. Justa and I had high expectations for this area in particular. Home to the highest peaks of Azerbaijan and the 5000-year-old village of Xinaliq, we were eager to experience the ancient culture and landscape of one of the worlds highest and continuously inhabited places.Travelling back across the majority of the country in a day was a lesson in the climatic contrarieties existing within its borders. From the beginning of our day in the sub-tropics to the high alpine tundra at the end, we experienced hot & cold, humid & arid, and every imaginable clime in between. It was wild to observe so much change in a relatively short time.We passed through 9 of 11 of the worlds climate zones before emerging from a fog entrenched canyon when we finally caught our first views of the regions towering mountains. The scale of the landscape was enormous beyond words. The village of Xinaliq looked minuscule. It sat precariously on a diminutive hill, ominously surrounded by giants which looked ready to drop rock slides and avalanches in its direction at any point. The isolation and precipitous location of the village was stunning and spooky. The Kettid people who call this place home are hardy people and have been shaped by this land over millennia. The remoteness of their existence has even resulted in their own language which has no links to any other and is solely spoken in their village.However isolated Xinaliq had been over its history, it didnt the cool the warm welcoming we received. A local man, Mr Kabir, offered us a room and meal in his home. His home was a humble abode built inconspicuously into the hillside and constructed of mud, stones, and a few bits of lumber. It was centuries old and remarkably sturdy. Their cattle and sheep shared the same building living below the sleeping quarters to help provide warmth during the cold nights. Their muffled bleating provided a soothing soundtrack to the areas charm. It was crazy to think that only 4 hours from here was a bustling metropolis full of posh, five star, high-rise hotels.The following days were spent hiking our bikes up craggy mountainsides as far as our lungs and daylight would allow us. Golden eagles circled overhead and the sounds of falling rocks reminded us of the wild place we were in. The insignificant feeling of being so small in this massive landscape never once for a minute escaped our thoughts. Descents that looked as if they would take minutes took the better part of an hour. There was a calming and euphoric feeling existing and riding in this landscape. Perhaps that was the reason people chose to live here so long ago despite the inhospitable nature of the imposing surroundings.Our days always ended with the local children running to meet us. It didnt matter if we were still far uphill from the village. Their altitude adapted lungs and enthusiasm for bikes made it a trivial matter even for the toddlers. They would excitedly count the gears on our bikes and boast they had more than our meagre 12. Some of them, having seen what we rode earlier, eagerly pointed out lines they wanted to see us ride. Although, many of these hilariously ended in massive drops into boulder fields. No matter how exhausted we were from the day, they always insisted we push them around on our bikes until every kid had their turn. We did so with massive smiles on our face, happy to be a part of their community for a fleeting moment. I couldnt have imagined ending anywhere but here for the end of our trip.We had started this trip in a futuristic, world-class, architectural wonder of a city and ended in an ancient village high in the Caucasus, it was about as big of a contrast as you could get. The contrast remained strong throughout our trip seeing colours, climates, geology, and geography constantly changing all around us in a display of yin and yang. However, one thing remained the same throughout; the people of Azerbaijans unwavering generosity, acceptance, and desire to help and accommodate regardless of place, language, or stature. Azerbaijan is rich in contrasts but what truly made it rich was the awe-inspiring beauty of its people and land. They've been dating for five years. And, Antonio Banderas looked dapper as he stepped out with his glamorous girlfriend Nicole Kimpel to attend W Magazine's Best Performances Party ahead of the Golden Globes. The Zorro star, 59, and his investment banker girlfriend, 38, appeared smitten as they were spotted leaving Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California, late on Friday night. Glam: Antonio Banderas, 59, stepped out with his glamorous girlfriend Nicole Kimpel, 38, to attend W Magazine's Best Performances Party ahead of the Golden Globes, on Friday Antonio looked dapper in a sleek slate grey suit, which he teamed with a baby blue opened-collar shirt. Nicole commanded attention in a wore a plunging white tuxedo dress, covered in pearl embellishments. She carried her belongings in a glittering silver bag which she wore with its chain over her shoulder and accessorised with statement earrings. Her blonde tresses were teased into curls and she enhanced her natural beauty with a glamorous make-up look. Swanky: The Zorro star and his investment banker girlfriend appeared smitten as they were spotted leaving Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California Antonio recently revealed Nicole saved his life with aspirin when he started suffering the symptoms of a heart attack in 2017. 'My girlfriend, she had a headache and we didn't have anything in the house. So she went out to buy something, a painkiller or whatever. 'She bought this aspirin, which is the only thing that she found and she found the maximum one, I think it was five milligrams,' the Spanish 59-year-old explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this month. 'The next morning, when I started having the symptoms and I clearly knew what was going on, she put one of those aspirins inside of my tongue and that saved my life. 'Yeah. So I had a second chance, and some stuff changed in my life, since then.' Dapper: Antonio looked dapper in a sleek slate grey suit, which he teamed with a baby blue opened-collar shirt Antonio - who doesn't drink - changed his priorities and quit smoking, which was 'probably one of the most stupid things I have ever done in my life.' 'Probably I was just living life in a not nice way,' Banderas (born Jose Bandera) admitted. 'I was lucky after all, because a heart attack can kill you just like this...In a way, it's one of the best things to happen in my life, to have a heart attack.' At 38, the Dutch investment adviser is 21 years younger than the Laundromat actor; and they've been going strong ever since separated from ex-wife #2 Melanie Griffith in 2014 following 18 years of marriage. Antonio remains close with the 62-year-old Oscar nominee, who attended a screening of his new film Pain & Glory in Los Angeles in November with her daughter Dakota (with ex-husband Don Johnson). 'Thanks from the bottom of my heart to my american family!' Banderas - who boasts 4.1M social media followers - captioned his snap. New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Friday said that a group of students wearing masks, disrupted the registration process by forcibly evicting all technical staff and switching off the power supply to make the 'servers dysfunctional'. The campus administration said that it would take action against all those found guilty in the incident. "At around 1 pm today, a group of students using masks on their faces forcibly entered the office of the Center for Information System, switched off the power supply, forcibly evicted all technical staff and made servers dysfunctional," the JNU administration said in a statement on Friday. The administration added that it will take strict action against the agitating students, who "have crossed all boundaries of decency and discipline and appear determined to cause as much damage to the academic interests of their fellow students as possible". "As a result, the entire registration process was hampered and made it impossible for students to complete their registration process. University will take strict disciplinary action against the agitators who have caused enormous hardship to thousands of students," JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar said. JNU Administration: As a result, the entire registration process was hampered & made it impossible for students to complete their registration process. University will take strict disciplinary action against the agitators who have caused enormous hardship to thousands of students https://t.co/sFwwrCiBKp ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2020 The students, who have shut down the entire university for over two months in protest against the hike in hostel fees, have called for a boycott of the exam registration process. The JNU administration said the agitating students "have crossed all boundaries of decency and discipline and appear determined to cause as much damage to the academic interests of their fellow students as possible". "These agitating students always swear on democracy, civil rights and the right to protest, but their real action reflects a tendency to damage and disrupt," the varsity said. The semester registration process at JNU began on January 1 and will continue till January 5. The incident comes at a time when students of the JNU have been protesting against the hike in fee and demanding the complete rollback of hostel manual and fee hike. The university had on December 3, 2019 announced registration for the winter semester from January 1 with the hiked fee and asked the students to complete their academic requirements for the last semester by January 20. However, JNUSU had announced a boycott the registration process till the administration roll back the hiked fee. (With ANI inputs) The Americans dont understand us, said the voice down the phone. They think they can scare us. But I know this country. We will strike back at them in ways they have never even imagined. And everyone throughout the world will see this and know it. The Iranian who was speaking is not an Islamic fanatic by any stretch of the imagination. He is a moderate with a genuine admiration for the United States and a deep dislike of the religious leadership which has controlled Iran since the Shah was overthrown in 1978. But he is a clear-minded observer of Iran and its government. I have known him since the 1980s, and have learned to trust his judgment. Following the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, retribution is a major priority for Iran. Meanwhile, the official set up groups which outnumber any Western troops and mean US officials should be checking their security very carefully Iranians raise portraits of the newly-appointed head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Esmail Qaani during an anti-US rally to protest the killings during a US air strike A small group of Libyan terrorists associated with Irans close ally Syria planted a bomb on an American PanAm airliner. It blew up over Lockerbie, killing 270 people altogether (pictured on December 22, 1988) Following the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani in the early hours of Friday morning personally ordered by President Trump from his Florida holiday home, Mar-a-Lago retribution is now a major priority for Irans leaders and their forces. And, as my Iranian friend implied, they have plenty of options. There are only two requirements: whatever action they take should satisfy Irans instinctive desire for vengeance, yet it should not be so blatant that it provokes the United States into an all-out war. From Lebanon to Yemen and right across to Afghanistan, Iran has client groups which it has trained and armed, and which it controls. General Soleimani was in overall charge of these groups, and knew their leaders well. He ran serious risks by going to visit them and overseeing their operations; Irans supreme religious leader, Ali Khamenei, called Soleimani a living martyr, because there had been so many attempts to kill him. He controlled Hezbollahs strategy in Lebanon during its 2006 war with Israel. The Americans believe he was a key figure in Shia Muslim operations against US forces in Iraq during the civil war there. Later he played an important role in defeating ISIS in Iraq, and was critical to shoring up the regime of President Assad in Syria. He was fearless, and never wore a flak-jacket in action. His followers, right across the Middle East, will be devastated by his death, and only too happy to avenge it. In Iraq and Afghanistan, teams of American, British and other Western troops are outnumbered by groups which Soleimani personally set up and trained. Yet attacking them head on would risk provoking President Trump into starting a full-scale war against Iran: something the government there knows it cant win. There is a huge variety of alternative strategies. Iran has often staged cyber-attacks against Western targets, with some success; but although cutting American power supplies or the flow of information might be briefly satisfying to Irans leaders, it wont have the element of personal revenge they want. As in the past, Iran can use proxy groups to attack international shipping in the Gulf. But Western intelligence and tactics have improved recently, and this may not be as effective as in the past. Iranian mourners attending an anti-US demonstration after the USS Vincennes accidently shot down an Iranian Airbus in 1988 Soleimani was in charge of client groups from Lebanon to Yemen. He ran serious risks by going to visit them and overseeing their operations. Pictured is an Iranian woman carrying an image of the official in the capital of Tehran Al-Muhandis supporters may spearhead any effort to force the remaining American troops out of Iraq which will be a humiliation for President Donald Trump (pictured on January 3). His supporters in the Baghdad parliament have been enraged by his death There is one immediate political step which Iran can take. Using its considerable influence in neighbouring Iraq among the Shia Muslim majority, it can get the Iraqi parliament to vote to throw American troops out of the country. It wont be hard: the American missiles which killed Soleimani and his staff at Baghdad airport also killed a top Iraqi general, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was working closely with him. I first met al-Muhandis (a nickname which means engineer in Arabic) when he was security adviser to the first Iraqi government after the American-led invasion in 2003. He was a rough character, but unfailingly polite; and in those days he was a big supporter of the Americans because they had overthrown Saddam Hussein. In Iraq, politics shift around like weather-vanes. But al-Muhandis had a past, and it caught up with him. He had been involved in bomb attacks on the American and French embassies in Kuwait in 1983. After he was recognised, he had to escape to Iran. When the Americans pulled out in 2011, he returned to Baghdad. At the time of his death on Friday, he may well have been planning more attacks on the Americans, and it looks as though this is what brought General Soleimani to Baghdad in the early hours of Friday. Al-Muhandis met him at the airport, and they were driving away when their convoy was hit by the American missiles. But al-Muhandis wasnt just a military man. He headed an Iraqi political group which is a key coalition partner in the current interim government. His supporters in the Baghdad parliament have been enraged by his death, and they will spearhead the effort to force the remaining American troops out of Iraq. If that happens, it will be a humiliation for President Trump, in a country which, after the invasion and overthrow of Hussein in 2003, the US hoped to turn into a close ally. A billboard (pictured on January 4) bearing a portrait of slain Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and with the supreme leader of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had called Soleimani a living martyr, because there had been so many attempts to kill him An image which circulated on Iranian media in the aftermath purporting to show Quds commander Qassem Soleimani's hand after the strike in the early hours of Friday. Two officials from the Iran-backed People's Mobilzation Forces (PMF) said Soleimani's body was torn to pieces in the attack Yet in terms of what my Iranian friend says about Irans desire for revenge, even this would not be enough. Iran will want something more pointed more personal. An eye for an eye has always been the approach of the clerics who control the government of the Islamic Republic. On July 3, 1988, the USS Vincennes, a new guided missile cruiser, was on patrol in the Gulf at a time of greatly heightened tension between Iran and the US. It found itself involved in a shoot-out with a group of apparently hostile Iranian gunboats. While the firing was still going on, an Airbus A300 of Iran Air took off from Bandar Abbas, a civil as well as military airport on the Gulf coast of Iran, and flew south towards the Vincennes. As a result of a catastrophic technical mistake, the defensive systems on the Vincennes identified the Airbus as a military jet coming in to attack. Vincennes fired two radar-guided missiles at it, bringing it down with the loss of all 290 people on board. By chance, a television team was filming on the bridge of the Vincennes that morning. The cameraman captured the delight of the crew when they thought they had shot down a hostile fighter, and the change to horror when it became clear what had really happened. William Rogers, the captain of USS Vincennes who gave the order to fire the missiles, was cleared by a board of inquiry, but Iran believes to this day that the destruction of the Airbus was deliberate, and its leaders announced that they would avenge it. Four precision missiles fired from a U.S. drone struck the two cars carrying Soleimani and his entourage, according to U.S. officials The death of Soleimani could change the support for Iran's regime for some time. Irans government feels its people want a clear-cut retaliation for his death. Pictured are people protesting the US military involvement in the Middle East, in Times Square, New York, following the airstrike Almost six months later, on December 21, a small group of Libyan terrorists associated with Irans close ally Syria planted a bomb on an American PanAm airliner. It blew up over Lockerbie, killing 270 people altogether. Colonel Gaddafis Libya got the blame, but many people in the American and British intelligence community believe that Iran gave the original instructions for the attack, to avenge the shooting down of the Airbus. Nine months after the Airbus was downed, Captain Rogerss wife was driving their minibus in San Diego, southern California, when she stopped at a red light. A pipe-bomb exploded beside the vehicle and set it on fire, though she was unharmed. In spite of a long investigation, the incident remains unexplained, though plenty of people have assumed it was linked to the Airbus disaster. Irans religious leaders believe their authority and the reputation of Iran now depend on getting specific retribution for President Trumps ordering of the assassination of General Soleimani and his companions. In recent months support for the regime among Iranians has been at its lowest level for years, partly thanks to the ferocious sanctions which Mr Trump has imposed on Iran. Peoples lives have been badly affected, and theyve tended to blame their own government. The death of Soleimani, who was a genuinely popular figure, will change that at least for a time. Irans government feels its people want a clear-cut retaliation for his death. If I were a senior American politician or military figure, active or retired, either in the US or abroad, I would be checking my personal security very carefully as a result of Fridays attack. And I wouldnt allow myself to relax for a long time to come. A new community search for a missing 5-year-old from South Jersey is planned this Sunday in Bridgeton, followed by a march on Monday. Dulce Maria Alavez was reported missing during a family outing to Bridgeton City Park on Sept. 16. After numerous searches, pleas from her family and public outreach efforts, she has not been found. A reward stands at $75,000. Family spokeswoman Jackie Rodriguez has asked volunteers to gather at the park, near the playground where Dulce was last seen, at 10 a.m. Sunday to take part in a fresh search and flier distribution. The areas to be searched will be announced at that time, though the park itself will not be part of that effort. The park has been searched several times by police and rescue personnel, as well as volunteers. Dulce Maria Alavez was reported missing from a Bridgeton park on Sept. 16. Rodriguez hopes Dulces family and volunteers will turn up fresh leads or maybe make contact with residents who have information but may have been afraid to step forward previously. Investigators have offered repeated assurances that officers searching for Dulce arent interested in anyones immigration status. We hope we can run into someone who has a change of heart, Rodriguez said. She plans to follow that search with an awareness march on Monday morning at 10 a.m. Its more about how we want to keep her name out there, Rodriguez said. The march will begin at the park and conclude at Bridgetons city hall. That destination is intended to send a message. The reason why we want to do it at the city hall is because the family has not received any kind of support from the City of Bridgeton, she said. You would think this family would be their first priority. Rodriguez said city officials didnt offer to assist the family during the holidays, havent reached out to see what the family might need, and didnt financially support an effort to place a billboard about Dulce on Route 77. The recently installed billboard was funded through volunteer fundraising efforts, she said. Learn more about the search and march on Facebook. In addition to various public outreach efforts, Dulces mother, Noema Alavez Perez, appeared on the Dr. Phil program in December. During that show, Dr. Phil McGraw announced he was adding to the then-$52,000 reward, boosting it to $75,000. Anyone with information about Dulce is asked to call the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at 609-882-2000, ext. 2554, or the Bridgeton police at 856-451-0033. Tips may also be phoned in to 1-800-CALL-FBI and select option 4, then select option 8. Anonymous tips may be sent by text to TIP411 with Bridgeton in the message line. The grandparents of 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez holds signs during a candlelight vigil for their granddaughter at a home on Burlington Road in Bridgeton, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. Alavez went missing from Bridgeton City Park on Sept. 16. Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. 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 DC [USA], Jan 4 (ANI): US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Saturday said that the decision to kill Iran's elite IRGC Qassem Soleimani by Donald Trump administration saved many American lives. "US President's decision to remove Qassem from the battlefield saved many American lives. It was imminent, this was an intelligence-based assessment,'' said Pompeo, in an interview to CNN. "The risk of doing nothing was enormous. The risk was not just in Iraq, this was throughout the region. It was using these proxy forces that Qassem has manipulated for so long to bring so much destruction," he added. Pompeo also accused Qassem of inflecting enormous harm not only on American lives but of creating destructive action activities throughout the middle-east region. He further accused him of the supporting "the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas and all of the bad actors in the Middle East." This statement comes at a backdrop of Washington's strike carried out near Baghdad's international airport killing Soleimani, a US-designated terrorist, along with six others on the direction of President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Iran on Friday vowed to take a "vigorous revenge" over the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite IRGC. The US had accused Soleimani of orchestrating several attacks on coalition bases in Iraq including the December 27 attack in which American and Iraqi personnel were killed. (ANI) The Foreign Office has strengthened its warnings over travel to Middle East nations amid the ratcheting of tensions in the wake of the USs drone strike on a top Iranian general. British nationals are advised not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan Region, while all but essential travel to Iran is warned against. The guidance was bolstered on Saturday after the United States announced it was sending nearly 3,000 extra troops to the region after Donald Trump authorised the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. The FCO now advise against all travel to #Iraq, except for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq where the FCO continue to advise against all but essential travel. Read more: http://ow.ly/Qg0z50xN1Hr Posted by FCO travel travel advice from the Foreign Office on Saturday, January 4, 2020 Thousands of mourners chanting death to America took to the streets of Baghdad, where the head of Irans elite Quds Force was targeted at the capitals international airport a day earlier. Labours John McDonnell condemned the Governments response to this act of aggression, this escalation towards war when he joined protesters outside Downing Street. The shadow chancellor told the crowd with the Stop the War Coalition: It was acts like this that led us to the catastrophic war in Iraq. Its so (easy) to happen as a result of the foreign policy of aggressive imperialism that the US now has resorted to yet again under Donald Trump. And its not good enough for the UK Government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK Government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told a Stop the War Coalition protest that the UK Government should condemn the killing (Yui Mok/PA) Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been celebrating the new year with partner Carrie Symonds on the private Caribbean island of Mustique and has not commented on the generals killing. He is expected to return to the UK early on Sunday. Story continues The Foreign Office warned that anyone in Iraq outside the Kurdistan Region should consider leaving by commercial means because the uncertain security situation could deteriorate quickly. Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with calls for citizens to remain vigilant in nations including Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Untied Arab Emirates. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the updated advice was issued due to heightened tensions in the region and would be kept under review. The first job of any Government is to keep British people safe, he added. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meets the family of Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) The US president said he ordered the killing to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation raising fears of an all-out war. An American official denied the nation was behind a second deadly air strike on two vehicles being reported north of Baghdad. Soleimani masterminded Tehrans regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops. Mr Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Soleimanis reign of terror is over and describing him as having a sick passion for killing. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt described an incredibly dangerous game of chicken between the US and Iran, which have simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between the nations Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4s Today programme the tensions created a very difficult situation for the UK as an ally of the US, adding Britain cannot afford to be neutral. A protester at the Stop the War Coalition event wears a Donald Trump mask (Yui Mok/PA) But he added: This is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the USs closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy. There has been criticism of the US for not giving advanced notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was regrettable because allies should ensure there are no surprises in the relationship. Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises monarchs. The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the assassination had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike. He had earlier called on ministers to stand up to the USs belligerent actions and rhetoric and urge restraint from both aggressors. There was confusion in the Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna State on Saturday following a gas explosion. The gas explosion occurred on business premises located along Kachia Road, Sabon Tasha, in Chikun Local Government Area between 2.30pm and 3.00pm according to eyewitnesses. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said more than five persons were killed in the incident. Red Cross officials used shovels to evacuate body parts of victims, he said. It was also gathered that Professor Simon Mallam, Chairman of Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, was feared killed in the explosion which shattered the windows of residential homes in the area. It was learnt that the Professor had taken his grandson to a barbers shop close to where a retail gas outlet is located when the incident happened and was feared killed. However, the fate of the Professors grandson was uncertain as of the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has expressed concern over the unfortunate incident, vowing to investigate the cause of the explosion. The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, who spoke to reporters at the scene of the incident, said the explosion would be investigated. The Kaduna State Fire Service, the Red Cross Society group, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps as well as men of the state security outfit code-named Operation Yaki partook in the rescue of victims. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates 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 contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. International tycoon Ghosn faces multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies A lawyer for former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn says he feels betrayed by his client's escape from Japan but understands why he did it - as a manager at a Turkish jet operator admitted unwittingly helping him flee. International tycoon Ghosn, who faces multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late December to avoid a court case in Japan - where around 99 percent of trials result in a conviction. Turkish authorities have arrested five suspects, including MNG Jet operations manager Okan Kosemen, on charges of migrant smuggling as part of an investigation into Ghosn's transit through Turkey en route to Lebanon. The manager told authorities he assisted unwittingly in the escape of Ghosn because he had been threatened by a former acquaintance, Hurriyet newspaper reported today. When safely in Lebanon, Ghosn said he 'would no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system'. Ghosn's lawyer Takashi Takano wrote in his blog he had not been informed about the plan to flee in advance, saying: 'First, I was filled with a sense of strong anger. I felt betrayed. 'But anger was turning to something else as I recalled how he was treated by the country's justice system.' Suspects can be detained for weeks or even months before trial, with limited access to their lawyers in the country. Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn (left) and his wife Carole (right) leave the office of his lawyer in Tokyo, April 3, 2019 Takashi Takano, a lawyer to former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn, front, walks out of the Tokyo Detention House while awaiting Ghosn's release in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Turkish authorities have arrested five suspects, including MNG Jet operations manager Okan Kosemen, on charges of migrant smuggling as part of an investigation into Ghosn's transit through Turkey en route to Lebanon 'I can easily imagine that if people with wealth, human networks and ability to take action have the same experience (as Ghosn), they would do the same thing or at least consider doing so,' Takano said. Hurriyet said Kosemen told authorities that a former acquaintance from Beirut had asked him for assistance on what he called a matter of 'international significance' and had told him that his family would be harmed if he refused. The paper did not name the acquaintance who allegedly made the threat. 'I was scared. I took a man from one jet and put him into the other one at the airport. I did not know who he was,' Hurriyet quoted Kosemen as saying in his statement to authorities. A lawyer for Koseman has said he will not make any statement about the issue at the moment. TC-RZA, a private jet which was used during the escape of ousted Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn from Japan to Lebanon through Turkey, is pictured in an unknown location, May 20, 2016 International tycoon Ghosn, pictured leaving the Tokyo Detention House in Tokyo, April 25, 2019, jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late December to avoid a court case in Japan - where around 99 percent of trials result in a conviction The private jet operator said on Friday that Ghosn used two of its planes illegally in his escape from Japan, with an employee falsifying lease records to exclude his name from the documents. Former Nissan Motor Co boss Ghosn has become an international fugitive after he revealed on Tuesday he had fled to Lebanon to escape what he called a 'rigged' justice system in Japan, where he faces charges relating to alleged financial crimes. His high-profile arrest in November 2018 and his long detention under severe conditions were widely considered draconian compared with the West. Critics including rights groups such as Amnesty International have derided Japan's system as 'hostage justice', designed to break morale and force confessions from suspects. Another lawyer for Ghosn, Junichiro Hironaka, also said that today harsh bail conditions - notably the restrictions on contact with his wife Carole - appeared to have motivated the tycoon's escape. 'He did not know when he can meet his wife ... and there was no prospect for a change in his bail conditions,' Hironaka told reporters. Takashi Takano, second left, said: 'Anger was turning to something else as I recalled how [Ghosn] was treated by [Japan's] justice system' Members of the media gather outside a house identified by court documents as belonging to former Nissan Motor Co and Renault SA chairman Carlos Ghosn in Beirut, Lebanon, January 4 'I guess these things were really tough for him,' the lawyer said. A Tokyo court banned Ghosn from contacting his wife despite several petitions from his legal team describing the measure as 'cruel and a punishment'. He was later permitted to speak to her via video-conference only. While Japanese prosecutors have launched an investigation, the circumstances of Ghosn's flight from Japan are still unclear. Turkey on Saturday said two foreigners were involved in businessman Ghosn's transit through Istanbul. 'There are two foreigners involved in the transit,' Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul told CNN's Turk broadcaster during an interview. He did not provide further details on their nationality or exactly what role they played. Ghosn, the former Nissan boss, is accused of financial misconduct but he claimed his upcoming trial was rigged before he made his escape from Japan before New Year's Eve. The demand for our milk at our hospitals is increasing, so we are hoping to get more depots to continually meet the demand, said Nicole Robbins, education and outreach specialist at the Mothers Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes, which opened in 2015 and also serves Illinois. Making of a good play The Gratiaen Trust holds a Masterclass with internationally acclaimed actress Fiona Shaw View(s): View(s): A good script needs to draw audiences into a play from the word go, and language isnt its only element, said British actress Fiona Shaw conducting a masterclass for leading local theatre professionals on December 23. An award-winning Irish actress, theatre and opera director, Shaw is most popularly known for her role as Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter series, as Marnie Stonebrook in season four of the HBO series True Blood, and as Carolyn Martens in the BBC America series Killing Eve. She has also worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain. She won the 2019 BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress, the Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also won the Olivier Award for Best Actress for various roles. In 2001 she was awarded an Honorary CBE. The masterclass taking the participants through the process of weaving visual and experiential aspects of a play into a script was organised by the Gratiaen Trust in partnership with the John Keells Foundation which sponsored logistical expenses, and the British Council which provided the venue. Taking part were playwrights who have won, been shortlisted or judged the Gratiaen Prize and actors working with these playwrights. The masterclass was the first in a series the Gratiaen Trust plans to hold, in which renowned writers and artists will share their expertise to strengthen the creative writing of Gratiaen authors. Amongst those who took part were Sumathy Sivamohan, Seneka Abeyratne, Jehan Aloysius, Delon Weerasinghe, Arun Welendawe Prematilleke, Ruhanie Perera, Jake Oorloff, Nadee Kammallaweera and Visakesa Chandrasekaram. Kaushalya Fernando, Bandhuka Premawardena, Imesha Athukorale, Brandon Ingram, Rajinda Jayasinghe and Akalanka Prabashwara assisted the playwrights by enacting selected scenes. Fiona Shaw took participants through several exercises that highlighted how a good playscript weaves emotions, rhythms, movement and sound to communicate. Ms. Shaw stressed that experiential aspects or the truth of emotion generated in the audience is often not dependent on language itself. Much of the masterclass was spent, therefore, on the importance of creating mood, rhythm and movement. With these tools, she demonstrated how a playwright could actually write less to provide more room for actors to lend their creative interpretations to a play. Jehan Aloysius spoke for many participants when he said that the masterclass was stimulating and creative because it shook long held beliefs about text, language, performance and habit. Scenes enacted were stripped apart and re-played using different techniques and phrases. Ms. Shaw who took the masterclass entirely on a voluntary basis, gave generously of her time and expertise, drawing from her wide range of experience working in the Shakespearean theatre, comedy and film. Washington asked Tehran to respond "in proportion" after US forces killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards said. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed Soleimani, the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm, had been killed on Friday in a US air strike near Baghdad airport. After the attack, the Americans "resorted to diplomatic measures... on Friday morning", Rear-Admiral Ali Fadavi told state television that night. They "even said that if you want to get revenge, get revenge in proportion to what we did", he said, quoted on the broadcaster's website. Fadavi did not say how Iran received the message from its arch-enemy, even though Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations for four decades. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in separate television interview on Friday night that "Switzerland's envoy transmitted a foolish message from the Americans this morning". The Swiss official "was summoned in the evening and received a decisive response in writing... to the Americans' audacious letter," Zarif added. Switzerland's embassy in Tehran has represented US interests in the Islamic republic since ties were cut in 1980. But Fadavi said the United States was not in a position "to determine" Iran's response. "The Americans must await severe revenge. This revenge will not be limited to Iran," he said. "The 'Resistance Front', with a vast geography, is ready to materialise this revenge," he added, referring to Iran's allies across the Middle East. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person was taken to hospital after being rescued from a burning flat in Dublin last night. Five fire engines and an ambulance came to the scene off Kevin Street in the south inner city. 2019 ex-Big Brother Nigeria housemate, Diane Russet has redefined progress in her own words. Taking to her Instagram page on Saturday, 4th December, the reality TV star stated that progress is dancing to the same song you used to cry to. Read Also: She Looks Pregnant- Fans React As BBNaija;s Diane Steps Out For Movie Premiere Also, she accompanied the definition with a rare photo that has set social media on fire and we feel you need to have a look. She wrote: Progress is dancing to the same song you used to cry to . The Vietnamese Ministry of Health is closely monitoring an ongoing severe pneumonia outbreak in central China, as well as taking measures to prevent the virus from entering Vietnam. A seafood market in Wuhan where dozens of people are found to be infected with severe pneumonia virus. (Photo: South China Morning Post) Dang Quang Tan, Deputy Directorof the Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, said:We have contacted the World Health Organisation to keep updated about the virus. The ministry will step upsurveillance at border gates and among communities, he said. According to the department, asof December 2019, there were 27 cases of viral pneumonia of unknown originreported in Wuhan, central Hubei province, China. Seven patients were in criticalcondition. Others are stable. There have been no recorded fatalities, however. Most of those infected arestore owners at a local seafood market. Local authorities have closed themarket for further investigation. The Chinese health ministry hastaken measures to control the outbreak and conducted more testing to identifythe specific cause. There has been no evidence sofar of human-to-human transmission. No medical workers have been infected withthe virus, according to the Chinese health ministry. China's state media reportedthat the outbreak is suspected of being linked to Severe Acute RespiratorySyndrome (SARS), a highly contagious respiratory disease which infected morethan 8,000 people around the world in 2003. Tan said SARS is a dangerousvirus which appeared for the first time at the end of 2002 and beginning of 2003. SARS symptoms are quite likethose of severe flu. Vietnam is in flu season with A/H1N1 and B being the mostcommon types, he told Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper. He advised the public not to beworried as successful treatment for the virus is available, unlike thesituation in 2003 when medical workers did not know much about the virus, causingit to spread quickly./.VNA He had escaped many previous assassination attempts. But Qassem Soleimani had little warning of the deadly missiles which targeted his car with pinpoint accuracy as he was leaving Baghdad airport. A near-silent US MQ-9 Reaper drone launched the laser-guided weapons at the two-car convoy, killing the general, an Iraqi militia commander and their entourage. The White House said the air strike was carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump, who tweeted an image of the US flag hours after the attack. He gave the orders without any apparent warning to his Western allies, including Britain, or to senior Democrats in the US. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US made an intelligence-based assessment to save American lives in the region amid reports Soleimani was actively plotting attacks. This prompted Mr Trump to order the air strike, following years of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. Irans highest-ranking military commander arrived at the airport in the early hours of yesterday morning on a flight from Syria. Two Toyota SUVs drove on to the tarmac and he was greeted by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iranian-backed militia forces operating in Iraq. The two men and their most senior aides travelled in one car and their bodyguards in the other. Moments later, as the cars passed through a cargo area on an access road out of the airport, the convoy was hit by up to four missiles. Grainy black and white CCTV footage showed a massive explosion which instantly reduced the vehicles to twisted metal. Soleimanis bloodied remains were identified in the debris only by a distinctive ring he wore. Irans state media said ten were killed in the attack, including four senior Iranian military aides, four Iraqi militia leaders and al-Muhandis. Hunter-killer drone struck at 230mph Local militia commander Abu Muntather al-Hussaini said two missiles hit the car carrying Soleimani, 62, and al-Muhandis, 66. The second car was struck by a single missile. They were said to have been launched by an unmanned MQ-9 hunter-killer drone sent from the US Central Command headquarters in Qatar. Piloted by a two-man crew hundreds of miles away, the 230mph drone can carry out precision strikes and relay images of the attack to commanders anywhere in the world. The $64million (49million) Reaper carries four laser-guided Hellfire missiles with 38lb warheads capable of destroying a tank, along with Paveway bombs. Aviation experts said its flight was nearly silent, meaning its intended victims would have had little or no warning of its approach. Irans highest-ranking military commander arrived at the airport in the early hours of yesterday morning on a flight from Syria. Irans state media said ten were killed in the attack A Gulf newspaper reported the strike involved modified Hellfire R9X Ninja missiles, which have warheads with pop-out spinning blades designed to minimise collateral damage. Instead of exploding, the missile is armed with six long blades that extend just before impact, effectively shredding their targets. CCTV footage from the airport appeared to show a large explosion, and the charred wreckage of the convoy suggested it had been ripped apart by the force of a massive blast. The Pentagon refused to give details of the strike and Iranian officials claimed it was carried out by helicopter. Years of intelligence that led to the strike Precision drone strikes rely on detailed intelligence, and Soleimani was kept under near-constant surveillance by US, Saudi and Israeli security forces. The New York Times reported that the Pentagon used highly classified information from informants, electronic intercepts, reconnaissance aircraft and other surveillance techniques to track the Iranian generals movements. The strike was carried out by the Joint Special Operations Command, although the White House said it was done at the direction of President Trump. Iranian demonstrators chant slogans during a protest against the assassination of Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis Soleimanis bloodied remains were identified in the debris only by a distinctive ring he wore A source told CNN that Soleimani was involved in planning attacks on US interests in multiple countries in the region, including against US service personnel. Force protection levels for all US military personnel in the region were increased in the 24 hours before the strike amid fears the attacks could be imminent. A senior Trump administration official said intelligence suggested Soleimani was travelling to Baghdad to plan future attacks against US interests. The official told CNN: The President made a rapid and decisive decision on this. The Pentagon accused Soleimani of having previously orchestrated rocket attacks on coalition military bases in Iraq, including one last Friday which killed a US civilian contractor and injured several military personnel. He was also said to have approved the attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad. Did Trump breach rules with 'secret' attack? Senior Democrats accused the President of breaching protocol by launching the air strike without notifying leading members of Congress. The Gang of Eight, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are typically briefed over sensitive military actions which could have significant consequences for the US. The four Democrats in the Gang of Eight said they were not briefed, although it was unclear if any of the Republicans were told ahead of time. Senator Lindsey Graham, who is not a member of the group but is a close Trump ally, said he was briefed about the potential operation when he was with Mr Trump in Florida earlier in the week. President Donald Trump delivers remarks in West Palm Beach, Florida, following the US Military airstrike against Soleimani Trump tweeted an image of the US flag hours after the attack. He gave the orders without any apparent warning to his Western allies, including Britain The Times reported that the strike was approved at the same time as the President authorised last Sundays attack on Kataeb Hezbollah bases in Iraq and Syria. US presidents can act without congressional approval when US personnel or interests are facing an imminent threat. In its statement, the Pentagon said: At the direction of the President, the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qassem Soleimani. This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. General was assassins' target for decades Soleimani had survived several assassination attempts by Western, Israeli and Arab agencies over the past two decades. But Mr Trumps predecessors Barack Obama and George W Bush both baulked at plans to kill him, in the apparent belief that the consequences would be too great. Last year Tehran said it foiled an assassination attempt by Israeli and Arab spies, who tried to buy a property next to a mosque built by Soleimanis father in the city of Kerman so they could dig a tunnel and plant explosives to blow him up during a religious ceremony. By AFP BEIJING: The United States should not "abuse force" and instead seek solutions through dialogue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a call with his Iranian counterpart on Saturday. "The dangerous US military operation violates the basic norms of international relations and will aggravate regional tensions and turbulence," Wang told Javad Zarif according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry, referring to the killing in Iraq on Friday of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. A US drone strike killed Soleimani - head of the Quds Force, Iran's foreign operations arm - before dawn on Friday in Baghdad, an attack that has sparked fears of a regional war between Washington and Tehran. Iran promised "severe revenge" in response, as a number of nations - including China - urged restraint. "China opposes the use of force in international relations. There is no way out for military means, nor for extreme pressure," Wang said in his Saturday call with Zarif, according to the ministry. ALSO READ| Chinese-Russian resolution calls for easing UN sanctions on North Korea China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, is a key partner of Tehran and major buyer of Iranian oil. Iran, China and Russia held joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman last week and the Iranian foreign minister visited Beijing earlier this week. China and Russia are also parties to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in May last year. In the months after separating from military service, most veterans are less satisfied with their health than with their work or social relationships, found a study by Veterans Affairs researchers. While the veterans surveyed were mostly satisfied with their work and social well-being, a majority were dealing with chronic physical health conditions and a third reported chronic mental health conditions. According to Dr. Dawne Vogt of the VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University, lead author on the study, the results highlight the importance of addressing veterans' health concerns early. "What remains to be seen is whether those veterans with health conditions--which were more commonly experienced by deployed veterans--continue to maintain high levels of well-being in other life domains over time," she says. "Given that it is well-established that health problems can erode functioning in other life domains, it may be that these individuals experience declines in their broader well-being over time." The results appear Jan. 2, 2019, in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. More than 200,000 U.S. service members transition out of military service each year. Researchers have pointed to the early transition period as a critical time to address challenges veterans may face in readjusting to civilian life. To investigate which of these challenges are most pressing to newly separated veterans, researchers from the VA National Center for PTSD and colleagues surveyed almost 10,000 veterans from a population-based roster of all separating service members. All participants left the military in the fall of 2016. Veterans were surveyed about three months after their separation, and then six months after that. The researchers found that the biggest concern was health. At both three and nine months after leaving the military, 53% of participants said they had chronic physical health conditions. About 33% reported chronic mental health conditions at both time points. The most commonly reported health conditions were chronic pain, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression. Slightly more than half of participants said they had reduced satisfaction with their health between when they first left the military and a few months later. Health satisfaction did not change much between three and nine months after separation. While physical and mental health was a concern for many veterans, most reported high vocational and social well-being. The majority of participants said they were satisfied with their work and social relationships and that they were functioning well in these areas. According to Vogt, the fact that most participants had high work and social satisfaction "highlights the resilience of the veteran population, and should provide some reassurance to those concerned about the well-being of newly separated veterans." More than three-quarters of participants said they were in an intimate relationship in the months after they left the military. Almost two-thirds reported that they had regular contact with their friends and extended family and that they were involved in their broader communities. Over half of participants had found work three months after military separation. While most participants reported high work satisfaction, the study group showed an overall decline in work functioning over the first year after military separation. Functioning declined even though overall employment rates increased. The researchers hypothesized that this decline in work functioning could be due to health concerns, which are known to erode broader well-being over time. The study also found differences in well-being based on other factors. Enlisted veterans showed consistently poorer health, vocational, and social well-being than officers. Veterans who had deployed to a war zone had more health concerns than veterans who did not deploy. There were also several differences between men and women. Male veterans were more likely to be employed than female veterans both three and nine months after leaving the military. Men were also more likely to report hearing conditions, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Women were more likely to endorse mental health conditions at nine months post-separation. They also reported more depression and anxiety at both timepoints. The researchers have shared their findings with the VA Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which helps Veterans transition back to civilian life. The program is jointly managed by VA and the departments of Defense and Labor, in coordination with the departments of Education and Homeland Security, as well as the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Small Business Administration. According to Vogt, the results could help TAP and other programs that help veterans with readjustment decide how to allocate their resources. Vogt writes that the findings "suggest that maybe we don't need as much focus on promoting employment right now, and need more emphasis on treatment of mental/physical health conditions." The researchers say their findings have implications not only for VA but for the wide spectrum of organizations nationwide--more than 40,000 in all--that provide programs, services, and support for veterans making their transition back to civilian life. Historically, much of the support for veterans leaving the military has primarily focused on providing employment and educational assistance and informing veterans of their benefits. But the findings suggest that veterans' health concerns should be prioritized, says Vogt. Interventions should also target at-risk subgroups of veterans. The researchers concluded that addressing newly separated veterans' health concerns could promote their broader well-being and longer-term readjustment. Vogt points out the importance of addressing veterans' readjustment challenges before they worsen and have a chance to erode broader well-being. She says this may require re-evaluating support methods. "Given that most transition support is targeted to veterans with the most acute or chronic concerns," she says, "this recommendation may require rethinking how veteran programs prioritize their efforts. While it makes sense to target resources to those with greatest need, it is better to support individuals before their concerns become chronic when we can." Work is underway to expand on this study using the same study group. The research team is analyzing how veterans' health and well-being changes in the second and third year after leaving service, as well as how veterans' initial health status impacts their subsequent well-being in other areas. ### The research was managed by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. The work was supported by VA Health Services Research and Development, the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Health Net Federal Services, the Heinz Endowments, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Lockheed Martin, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Northrop Grumman, Philip and Marge Odeen, Prudential, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, the Rumsfeld Foundation, the Schultz Family Foundation, the Walmart Foundation, and the Wounded Warrior Project. The Army has banned its soldiers from using TikTok on government-owned phones, calling the Chinese-owned video app a cyber threat, reports Military.com. Why it matters: The move, coupled with the Navy's similar decision earlier this month, highlights how seriously the military and government are taking TikTok's potential national security implications. The Department of Defense has issued guidance telling its employees not to use the app, and lawmakers have called for investigations into its security. Troops will still be allowed to use the app on their personal devices, though officials have warned military personnel to be careful about divulging personal information. Military.com said it remains unclear if the Air Force or Marine Corps have taken similar action against TikTok. Of note: The Army announced an advertising campaign last month designed to recruit members of Generation Z that utilized outreach via TikTok. The other side: TikTok says that its "user data is stored and processed in the U.S. and other markets where TikTok operates at industry-leading third-party data centers. Its important to clarify that TikTok does not operate in China and that the government of the People's Republic of China has no access to TikTok users' data." Go deeper: TikTok is China's next big weapon 1 of 2 Samsung unveils curved Odyssey gaming monitor, worlds 1st Dual Quad HD monitor Samsung introduced its new line-up of groundbreaking curved Odyssey gaming monitors at CES 2020. The new line-up has been completely reimagined with gamers in mind, including radically new curved displays and industry-leading performance features for a whole new way to game. Comprised of the G9 model with an industry-leading 49 display and the G7, available in 32 and 27 , both Odyssey gaming monitors are completely redesigned and take immersive gaming to the next level. Both monitors feature an extremely deep curvature the first ever monitors to possess a high-performance 1000R curvaturestunning QLED picture quality. The monitor`s superior performances have even been certified by TUV Rheinland, a leading international certification organization which has awarded Samsung the industry`s first high performance 1000R curved display and Eye Comfort certificate. Gamers can benefit from 1ms response time and 240hz RapidCurve, putting themselves in the middle of the action. Samsung`s newest gaming monitors will support NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatibility** and Adaptive Sync on DP1.4. Both monitors have also been redesigned with a completely new take on what gaming monitors can look like. Immersion and speed are critical as gaming is more competitive than ever. The new monitors gaming-focused, technical innovations take gamers needs for speed, responsiveness and minimal distractions into account, equipping them with the best gaming experience possible. Read More... The government plans to draw up a national economic security strategy by the end of this year in a bid to protect and nurture domestic advanced technologies and secure maritime interests, among other goals. With the United States and China fiercely competing for economic hegemony, the government has concluded it is necessary to draw up basic national principles, according to sources. The National Security Council will start discussing a new strategy in April. The economic group - which will be newly established under the National Security Secretariat of the Cabinet Secretariat - will be in charge of compiling the strategy. The new strategy is expected to be discussed at four-minister meetings at the NSC at first, and will be decided at nine-minister meetings, the sources said. The five main pillars of the government's envisaged strategy are: - Development of science technology and protection of sensitive information - Protection of maritime rights and interests in territorial waters and exclusive economic zones - Removal of potential threats from 5G next-generation telecommunications standards, and measures to combat cyber-attacks - Strict management of the export control system and measures for foreign investment in Japan - Cooperation with foreign countries on infrastructure. Based on the new strategy, the government plans to focus on efforts to protect national interests in these fields. If necessary, the government will establish a new legal system and take measures in cooperation with the private sector. The National Security Strategy, which serves as a basic principle of security policy, makes little reference as to how the government should handle 5G and other security-related crucial technologies. The strategy, which was decided by the Cabinet in 2013, replaced the Basic Policy for National Defense adopted in 1957. It also does not refer to how Japan should handle products that raise concerns over security such as the ones from Huawei Technologies Co., a major Chinese telecommunications equipment maker. The United States, meanwhile, has heightened security concerns over Huawei products. While Japan possesses internationally superior technologies in such fields as artificial intelligence, brain science and quantum cryptography, it is said that universities, research institutes and private companies in the nation have failed to take sufficient measures to prevent technology outflows. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Under the new strategy, the government and the private sector plan to work together to prevent the outflows of advanced technologies by thoroughly managing the information. In addition to defense technologies, the government will include in the strategy the development of Japan's own advanced technologies that can be used for military purposes in the future. It also will include the protection of maritime information in territorial waters and other areas. Data on the topography, geology and water quality of the seabed are essential for military activities, including submarines. However, domestic laws don't restrict foreign research vessels or companies from conducting ocean surveys for constructing offshore wind power generation or laying undersea cables. Thus, relevant ministries and agencies plan to work closely on preventing foreign elements from conducting such surveys in ways that could lead to the transfer of strategic information out of the country. In mobile phones and other businesses, the government is expected to call for stricter screening of foreign investment in Japan. The move is designed to prevent leaks of confidential information, and includes measures against Huawei and China's DJI, the world's leading drone maker. The government will also consider strengthening the protection of key infrastructure operated mainly by the private sector in the event of an emergency. Breaking his silence over the attack on Nankana Sahab Gurudwara in Pakistan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday has condemned it. He has said that bigotry knows no boundaries and is like poison. He added that love, mutual respect and understanding is an antidote to fight Bigotry. This comes amid the Sikh community's massive protest in the national capital against Pakistan's atrocities on minorities. The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally . Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 4, 2020 Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated its concern for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External affairs. Furthermore, it added that these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place is condemnable and called upon the Pakistan government to act on it. It requested Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well being of the Sikh community. Yogi Adityanath says, 'After Kartarpur, it will be Nankana Sahib' Nankana Sahib attacked On Friday, a video emerged of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals show that the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the Gurudwara which is the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources report that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. Sources report that the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurdwara which was attacked by the mob on Friday evening. Jagjit Kaur- forced conversion victim returns home, Sirsa thanks MEA Forced conversion Pak Sikh girl Meanwhile, the main leader of the mob is the brother of Mohammed Hassan - who was accused of kidnapping and forcibly converting a Sikh girl -Jagjit Kaur. Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa, in August, had shared a video of the grieving family telling how 18-year old Jagjit Kaur was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam in Pakistan. On September 3, the victim was reunited with her family after Pakistan faced global anger due to inaction. Pakistan had claimed that Punjab's Nankana Sahib police had arrested eight people - including Hassan, in connection with the case. Despite being rescued, reports claim that Jagjit Kaur - now known as Ayesha refused to convert back to Sikhism. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh asks Pak PM to intervene over Nankana Sahib mob attack PATHETIC: Pakistan PM Imran Khan attacks India with old B'desh video claiming it's from UP While international investors continue flocking into the Vietnamese real estate market and the country emerges as one of the most exciting emerging destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, market information is crucial for investors to gain in-depth understanding about the property industry. As a source of practical, multi-dimensional, and professional information provided by leading specialists, the Property Insight programme, the first of its kind in Vietnam, is a source of formal, valuable, and up-to-date statistics and research for foreign investors to make inroads into the local real estate market as well as for individual homebuyers to make better-informed investment decisions. A treasure trove of valuable information Abundant investment capital has always been going with high yield expectations and quality living demands from investors. The current situation of lacking trusted and professional market information and property database in Vietnam has been posing many challenges for both local and international investors since they require strong fundamentals in real-time market pricing, accurate data resources, as well as potential investment trends in the market. Inspired by famous talk shows and TV news like Housing Market News by CNBC, Money Undercover by Bloomberg, or The Real Estate Talk show by Channel News Asia, SonKim Land has created and developed the Property Insight programme to cover the Vietnamese market. Each episode of the programme consists of two parts, the first part covering various news and, most importantly, statistics about the housing market. The second is a talk show with the participation of leading experts and top business leaders from different sectors. At the show they will discuss and explain macro-economic issues and their impacts on the local property sector, bringing the audience, especially foreign investors, an easy-to-digest, no-nonsense overview of Vietnams real estate landscape. In episode 4 of the Property Insight about the Market beat in first half of 2019, Kenneth Atkinson founder and senior board advisor from Grant Thornton Vietnam observed that the countrys very positive macro-economic indicators would maintain investor optimism about the Vietnamese market and this momentum will last into the next couple of years. Kenneth Atkinson, founder and senior board adviser, Grant Thornton Vietnam However, there are still many turbulences going on around this, particularly China and the US, which at the moment has positive impacts for the country because there are a lot of companies moving or looking to move manufacturing out of China and into Vietnam. We are also seeing significant growth in direct Chinese investment into Vietnam and also from Hong Kong, he commented. Multi-dimensional and in-depth knowledge for accurate investment decisions While investment appetite is rising higher than ever before, investors and homebuyers have always been seeking investment opportunities through formal sources of information providing insight analysis and multi-dimensional views on the local real estate market. With more money pouring into commercial real estate, Ho Chi Minh City is a hotspot for overseas capital inflows. Among the worlds most dynamic cities, it is a convergence of not only favourable economic factors but human, cultural, historical, and geographic endowments that could create a driving force for development. The human factor has always been regarded as the most important characteristic of each city, according to Nguyen Thi Hau, secretary general of Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences (VAHS). People from other regions have come to Ho Chi Minh City, first because it is an ideal place to do business and second because they see it as a destination to settle, not just to work and then leave. Experts in Episode 1 discussing the topic of Dynamic City From a historical point of view, especially in terms of culture, there will certainly be clashes but they will find common ground or shared cultural points, which will result in more dynamic lifestyles. The dynamic lifestyle will, in turn, create dynamism in doing business, she shared in episode 1 of the Property Insight that ran under the theme Dynamic City. On the other hand, the urbanisation has created the dynamism for Ho Chi Minh City with over 80 per cent of the population being townsfolks and a huge number of visitors annually, according to Neil MacGregor, managing director of Savills Vietnam. The young population, along with a very energetic startup community and strong development of high-tech industries have contributed much to this citys attraction, he explained. That dynamism has also created a vibrant property market over the past few years. Duong Thuy Dung, senior director of Valuation, Research, and Consulting at real estate advisory firm CBRE Vietnam, saw a positive picture despite many fluctuations. The steady growth of the national economy has been supporting the development of the local real estate industry. In the first half of 2019, prices had increased across all segments, and in the second half, the prices up in the affordable and mid-end segments. The average hike was 20 per cent on-year, which went as high as 25 per cent in the high-end segment, she shared in episode 4. Real estate pricing trend in 2019 Property Insight is the only programme in Vietnam which provides the audience and viewers with a broad outlook on the countrys economy and its real estate landscape. For the very first time, this programme offers a gathering of leading property experts discussing the hottest topics in the market, from city planning (Livable City or Dynamic City) to segments like Shop house or new market trends with Smart home. It is really worth the attention of both domestic and global investors who would like to understand the Vietnamese economy. The age-old issue of the lack of fire tenders has been revisited following Friday's fire outbreak at the Buipe Depot Truck Park of the Central Gonja District in the Northern Region. There has been a critical lamentation on the lack of fire tenders coming from the Savannah Regional Commander of the Fire Service, ACFO Kwesi Baffour Awuha himself. He is not happy about the poor state of the fire tenders at Buipe, which he wants to be changed as soon as possible. He said their requests for new ones has fallen on deaf ears and the situation which has prevailed for about a month is affecting the delivery of their duty as firefighters. From Kintampo, Buipe to Tamale, we dont have a fire cover, the regional commander revealed. This comes after f our fuel tankers parked close to the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) depot at Buipe in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region were totally engulfed in flames. It took at least two hours for firefighters to put the raging fire, which started at about 7 pm on Friday evening under control due to lack of fire engines. However, he revealed that the managing director of the BOST company has pledged support to them following the outbreak of fire at the companys depot. ACFO Awuha also called upon members of the public to come to their aid to repair the fire tenders while they wait on the headquarters of the service to arrest the situation. I dont want a situation where there is a fire outbreak that we cannot attend to, he said. Meanwhile, Savannah Regional Minister, Salifu Brimah has been touring the site of the recent fire outbreak and has also visited those injured victims who have been hospitalised. Savannah Regional Minister, Salifu Brimah touring the site of the fire. Savannah Regional Minister, with a victim of the fire at Buipe BOST depot. The inferno was finally put out with a backup of three extra fire engines; one from Damango and two from Tamale. The blaze started from one tanker and its content and in a short time, a total of four fuel tankers were totally burnt beyond recovery. No casualties were recorded but an assistant to one of the drivers of the fuel tankers suffered severe burns and has since been receiving treatment. Two bystanders also sustained minor injuries on the scene. ---MyJoyOnline There has been many a joyful reunion at Dublin Airport but few matched the one this Christmas when Adi Roche's Chernobyl Children International charity flew in 30 special needs children from Belarus to reunite with Irish families as they came back to their 'home away from home' with many staying with Fingal families over the festive period. The children, some orphaned; some abandoned by parents who were unable to cope with their illnesses and disabilities live in an orphanage in a remote village, 175 kilometres from Chernobyl. The orphanage, which was hidden in a veil of secrecy during the years of the Soviet Union, was discovered by Irish volunteers working with the Adi Roche Chernobyl Children International charity in the early 1990s. Since then it has been transformed into a world class child care centre and each year scores of its residents come to Ireland for Christmas and summer rest and recuperation holidays. CCI Voluntary CEO Adi Roche welcomed them all into Dublin Airport just before Christmas. Voluntary CEO of CCI Adi Roche said: 'This makes our Christmas. There is nothing more magical than this moment for us in CCI. This is the true meaning of Christmas - it's about family and giving - the family we gather round us and hold close at this time of year and the giving of our time with open hearts, open arms and open homes.' She continued: 'It is the most wondrous and heart-warming moment of the year for me. The Irish people have been reaching out to these children for thirty three years and their enthusiasm and kindness never waivers. Irish families from all over the country unite here every Christmas to show love to abandoned and orphaned children who live with huge physical and intellectual disabilities.' CCI has delivered 107 million worth of humanitarian and medical aid to impoverished communities and children across Belarus, Ukraine and Western Russia since 1986. More than 26,500 children from Belarus - the country most affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster - have come to Ireland with CCI for life-prolonging holidays during the summer and at Christmas time. For more information or if you would like to make a donation, log on to www.chernobylinternational. com or call 021-4558774. Airbnb has developed new technology that will scour the internet - including social media accounts - to calculate the risk of someone trashing a host's home. Details have emerged of the company's 'trait analyser' software that will use artificial intelligence to mark down people 'associated' with drugs or alcohol, hate websites, or sex work. It does this by scanning keywords, images and video footage across the internet linked to a potential customer to assess their trustworthiness. The programme will also assess their 'behavioural and personality traits' including 'conscientiousness and openness' alongside its usual credit and identity checks. Details have emerged of the company's 'trait analyser' software that will use artificial intelligence to mark down people 'associated' with drugs or alcohol, hate websites, or sex work (pictured, a woman looking at Airbnb on her tablet) News of the software comes after it was revealed a property developer is suing Airbnb for 723,000 after 500 revellers wrecked his Chelsea mansion despite the booking claiming to be for a family of four. Michael Harold spent two-and-a-half months repairing the luxury home in west London which suffered almost 445,000 worth of damage. The rental marketplace, it seems, is now making attempts to stop such incidents from occurring in the future and has filed a patent with the European Patent Office for its new technology, according to the Evening Standard. Among the software's capabilities is the ability scan news stories that could be about a particular person, such as an article related to a crime, and then assess the 'weight' of the offences. Negative traits the software will be on the lookout for include 'neuroticism and involvement in crimes' and 'narcissism, machiavellianism or psychopathy' as they are 'perceived as untrustworthy', the company said. The mansion (pictured) was supposed to have been rented by a family of four - but hundreds wrecked it during a party Michael Harold, pictured with musician Paul Rodgers, has filed papers at London's High Court This data will then be used to predict how the customer will act offline and will be cross-referenced with information including 'social connections', employment and education history. Bringing all the information together, the company hopes it will better be able to calculate the compatibility of host and guest. Currently, the guest Airbnb website states in its information on safety that every reservation is scored for risk before its confirmed. 'We use predictive analytics and machine learning to instantly evaluate hundreds of signals that help us flag and investigate suspicious activity before it happens,' it writes. News of the technology follows the company's acquisition of background checking start-up Trooly, although it has not commented on its uses. Other measures the company currently has in place include watchlist and background checks. 'While no screening system is perfect, globally we check hosts and guests against regulatory, terrorist, and sanction watchlists,' it writes. 'For hosts and guests in the United States, we also conduct background checks.' If you're around some San Antonios famous downtown sites this weekend, you may see some famous YouTubers ... or maybe you wont. Ryan Lewis and The Texas Bushman, two men known for their prank videos, spent Friday in Alamo Plaza scaring tourists and residents alike by hiding and then jumping out and scaring people. "We want to be exciting, have fun and make people laugh," the Bushman said. "It is all about laughter." Hundreds of faces of fear were captured on video as the two men, dressed in ghillie suits, sat in planters and jumped out at unsuspecting people who likely didn't give the shrubs on the sidewalk a second thought. "There have been a lot of people, a lot of friendly people out here," the Bushman said. "Hands down San Antonians are a lot more friendly than some other cities." FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Lewis and the Bushman have been all over San Antonio during their week-long visit, pranking people at the Alamo, the River Walk and even at the Valero Alamo Bowl on New Year's Eve. "We wanted a large crowd size and tourists tend to be more friendly when they get scared," the Bushman said. "We want good reactions and we have have had great reactions out here." "I would say 95 percent of the people love it," he continued. "They have an honest, true reaction which at first is usually mad or upset but instantly after they are having a good time and want to watch the next person get scared." The pair of pranksters moved to the River Walk on Friday afternoon, where a large crowd gathered across the water to watch the frightened jumps. Shirley, a visitor from Edinburgh, Scotland, spotted the Bushman at the last moment but wasn't able to warn her daughter, Jade, in time. "I was just trying to drink my Red Bull," Jade said, trying to catch her breath after the plant attack. "She was just trying to drink her Red Bull!" her mother emphasized with a smile. As long as people keep watching the pranks will keep coming, said Lewis, who has been all over the country to produce the videos. "We started doing this for fun, for stupidity and then we found out we could get paid and travel and so we kept doing it," Lewis said. "But San Antonio is great, I can't complain it has been amazing." Lewis said they rarely have anyone too upset, though they have dealt with some drunk people in Las Vegas who didn't quite appreciate the prank. One person was angry after they spilled their drink when they got scared. "I don't blame them for being upset, I would be mad too because it was probably expensive," the Bushman said. The pair plans on being in San Antonio until Sunday. "People want to have fun especially when they come to San Antonio," the Bushman said. "They want to come out, see the Alamo, see the Tower of the Americas, they want to come out to have fun so when they see something like this is it an add-on to the fun they are expecting to have." For those who were pranked, check each of their YouTube channels early next week for their videos. Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, MySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway Of the statue, Dr Court says: When I was about five, my parents offered me to be the model for the centrepiece of a fountain to be built in the grounds of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. "The sculptor was Paul Montford, who at that time was highly regarded and whose work was represented in galleries and public buildings. [Montford created 12 sculptures on the Shrine of Remembrance, and the statue of Adam Lindsay Gordon in Spring Street.] He lived just down the street from us and was a friend of my parents, so I suppose that was why I was chosen. I dont think that I would have been asked for my opinion, as in those days children were told what to do, not asked. Anyway I didnt mind. It was in winter and I would stand stark naked in front of a feeble single-bar radiator for what seemed hours. Dont move, he would growl. I had to stand on one leg with my arms out in a pose that he would guide me to. A life-size copy of me was emerging in clay, and when he thought we had had enough for the day, he would release me. 'The boy on the fountain' today, Dr John Court. The finished product didnt make much of an impression on the young Court. I wasnt so impressed except to see what I looked like without clothes. So it was like a wickedness allowed to me just this once. But soon it would be seen by everybody. This being conservative Melbourne, artistic licence was taken and decorum imposed, artistically, around the boys nether regions, and a creature of the oceans placed in his hand stretched to the heavens. The lad is smiling, which quite possibly is taking artistic licence again. Eventually it was cast in bronze and erected in the Domain for all to see, spouting water in a fountain. At some stage something had been added to cover the statues (my) genitalia. And my parents told me that Paul Montford had slightly altered the shape of my head, as it stuck out too much at the back. And the reward for his part in creating an object of art that would become an icon of Melbourne? I was given a book. It was A Treasury of Verse for Little Children and it was inscribed in pencil. To John Morris Court The Model Boy With love from Paul Montford. I cant remember being absolutely rapt about the book as I thought it was a bit childish for me, but it did have lots of coloured pictures and verses like The owl and the pussy cat went to sea which I loved. "Many years later, long after our children were older than I had been at the time, I discovered the book and rescued it from the cast-off pile when we moved house. I must have liked it as a child because I had coloured in lots of the pictures, and anyway you didnt get many presents of books in those days, so they were treasures. A massive bushfire could break containment lines and start burning through suburban areas of western Sydney if conditions deteriorate, firefighters have warned. NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says the 264,000-hectare Green Wattle Creek bushfire on Sydney's southwestern outskirts is a priority on Saturday. "There is potential for the fire to break out, cross the (Warragamba) dam and move into the western suburbs of Sydney," he told reporters on Saturday morning. RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons speaks to reporters in Sydney. Source: AAP "It has the potential to come out into more populated areas this afternoon." Mr Fitzsimmons said crews have been working around the clock to contain the Green Wattle Creek blaze. "Crews have been doing extraordinary work with backburning and the use of aircraft and machinery on the ground to try and lock that in," he said. "That's one of our focus fires, of course, but I would say as a broader message be alert, be focused on any new fires today." Extreme fire danger is forecast for six fire districts in NSW's southeast and the ACT, while severe conditions are forecast for Sydney, the Hunter and the central ranges. The Green Wattle Creek fire threatens homes in Yandeera in December. Source: AAP There are some 137 bushfires burning in NSW on Saturday morning, with around 60 uncontained. More than 3000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW. Fire conditions to ramp up in south NSW Many residents on the NSW south coast are taking refuge in evacuation centres ahead of forecast dangerous fire conditions. Northeasterly and westerly winds are forecast throughout the day with a southeasterly wind change expected late on Saturday afternoon. NSW Rural Fire Service assistant fire behaviour analyst Andrew Nicholls said conditions are expected to rapidly change throughout the day. There are currently 16 evacuation centres open to assist in bushfire-affected areas in NSW. More information: https://t.co/HjhXGrSxG7 People are encouraged to register online at Register Find Reunite: https://t.co/EdBny8UlSj pic.twitter.com/BJG0qGUPwI NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) January 4, 2020 "Fire conditions are going to ramp up really quickly," he told AAP in Moruya. Story continues "The difference between 9am and 11am will be huge, he added. The southeasterly change is due to come in from 5pm in Narooma, 6pm in Moruya and 8pm in Nowra. "It'll be something like 30km/h and there will be some areas that will gust at 50km/h," Mr Nicholls said. The rapidly filling evacuation centre at Batemans Bay. The South Coast region was devastated on NYE by bushfire and is under threat again with extreme fire danger, high temperatures in the 40's and strong westerly winds expected. Source: AAP Hot temperatures into the 40s are forecast but a thick blanket of smoke might bring temperatures down, he said. "There is such a thick blanket of smoke it might take down the temperatures from 43C back down to 38 or 35C." Residents from Bega to Nowra have heeded messages from emergency services and many have taken refuge in evacuation centres in major towns along the coast. For more advice on bushfires in your area head to the NSW RFS Fires Near Me page. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud will deliver a special keynote address at the 12th International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC). The event is set to take place from January 13 to 15 at the Dhahran Expo in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia with Saudi Aramco serving as the Exclusive Host. IPTC is recognised as a landmark event and brings together the whos who of the oil and gas industry. In this edition, the event will see a prestigious line-up of global thought leaders, CEOs and executives from leading NOCs, IOCs, and government officials. Delegates will have the opportunity to network, discover, share and exchange their experiences, successes, and learnings with over 8000 like-minded professionals from around the world. An exhibition, covering 6,900-sq-m of space, will take place simultaneously and feature over 250 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and technology, enabling delegates and visitors to discuss potential partnerships and projects. IPTC 2020 is supported by Saudi Aramco (Exclusive Host); TAQA (Principal, IPTC Lounge, and Day 1 Networking Lunch Sponsor); Huawei (Principal and Mobile App Sponsor); Adnoc, Baker Hughes, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Schlumberger (Principal Sponsors); NESR (Diamond and Lanyards Sponsor); ARO Drilling, Sinopec (Platinum Sponsors); PTTEP (Gold and Floor Graphics Sponsor); Global Suhaimi, Rawabi Holding, Tatweer Petroleum (Gold Sponsors); Petrolink, Sanad (Silver Sponsors); Saudi Arabian Chevron (Conference Bags Sponsor); Total (Directional Signage Sponsor); Microsoft (Digital Transformation Sponsor); ARGAS (Registration Sponsor); KPC (Badges Sponsor); OiLSERV (Visitor Carrier Bags); Wanli (Bottled Water Sponsor); PETRONAS (Closing Session Sponsor); Weatherford (Author Lounge Sponsor); Shelf Drilling (Visitor Planner Sponsor); NOV (Day 1 Coffee Breaks Sponsor); FlexSteel (Day 2 Coffee Breaks Sponsor); ADES (Bronze Sponsor); Petrofac (Associate Sponsor); AES, Al Abdulkarim Holding, Drager, NITI, Owl Cyber Defense (Corporate Sponsors). - TradeArabia News Service Mumbai, Jan 4 : Hours after hectic speculation that the Shiv Sena's newly-inducted Minister of State Abdul Sattar Nabi had resigned, the minister himself dismissed the reports as "mere rumours" here on Saturday evening. "Whatever issues were there, the party has discussed with me and there's no question of any dissatisfaction. Anything else I have to say, I will speak with my party president Uddhav Thackerayji. I have not resigned as minister... this is just a rumour," Sattar told mediapersons. Earlier on Saturday morning, IANS had first reported that Sattar has not quit, and this was also confirmed by the party Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai. "This is not correct. He has not resigned, nor submitted any such resignation letter to me or anybody else in the party," Desai told IANS, dismissing it as "media imagination". Even the MoS' son Samir Nabi denied the new to local mediapersons in Aurangabad and said his father -- a Sena MLA from Sillod here -- had not mentioned any such plans. Later in the afternoon, Home Minister Eknath Shinde and other senior party leaders also scotched all speculation on Sattar's reported resignation, allegedly because he was upset at not being given a Cabinet post. As per latest information, Sattar - the party's sole Muslim face in the ministry - is likely to meet Thackeray on Sunday at the latter's residence 'Matoshri'. He is among the four Muslims in the cabinet, who were sworn-in when Thackeray expanded his cabinet last month on December 30. Since the past one week, top leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress are engaged in finalising the cabinet portfolios. NEW YORK Small business owners have plenty of changes to deal with as 2020 begins higher labor costs for many companies and some owners will discover that they have to comply with new laws that arent on the books in their own states. As of Jan. 1, there are higher minimum wages in a quarter of the states and new federal overtime rules. The IRS has new W-4 forms owners will need to get used to. Plastic bags are on their way out at stores and other businesses in a growing number of places around the country. And California has new laws on freelancers and consumer privacy that can affect out-of-state companies. A look at a handful of the 2020 changes in federal, state and local laws and regulations: Minimum wages go up The minimum wage is higher in 21 states as of Jan. 1, including New York, where the minimum rose Dec. 31, according to the National Employment Law Project. The increases in California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York are steps toward an eventual $15 minimum approved by state legislatures. Increases are planned later in the year in states including Connecticut, New York, Oregon and Washington, D.C., and some counties and cities are raising their minimums as well. While many businesses pay hourly workers above the minimum, when there's an increase in the wage, many owners give all their staffers a raise to stay competitive amid a tight labor market. New overtime rules The Labor Department's long-awaited revamp of its overtime rules are now in effect, giving an estimated 1.3 million workers a raise. Workers earning under $684 per week or $35,568 must now be paid overtime, up from the previous threshold of $455 per week or $23,660 annually. Retailers, restaurants and manufacturers are most likely to be affected, with shift supervisors and assistant managers among the positions that must now be paid overtime after 40 hours a week. While all employers are subject to the rules, the higher threshold is likely to have the greatest impact on small companies that lack the revenue cushion that larger businesses have against higher costs. Employers are expected to limit the hours of some workers so they don't incur overtime, or raise some staffers' pay to a level above the threshold, making them exempt from the new rules. More information about the overtime rules can be found on the Labor Department's website, www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime/2019/index. New W-4 Forms The IRS has issued new W-4 forms for 2020, changing the way tax is withheld from employees' pay. The new forms reflect changes required by the tax law that went into effect in late 2017; they do away with the allowances long used to calculate how much money should be withheld from paychecks. Instead, the new forms use information that can be found on employees' tax returns. Current employees don't need to fill out new W-4 forms, but new staffers or employees who want to change their withholding do need to complete them. The IRS has created a calculator to help small businesses compute withholding for the new forms if they don't use automated payroll software or providers. It can be found on the IRS website, www.irs.gov. Search for "new Form W-4." Plastic bag bans A growing number of states, counties and cities have passed legislation prohibiting or restricting retailers and other businesses from giving customers single-use plastic bags to carry purchases. Oregon's ban went into effect Jan. 1, and Maine, New York state and Vermont have similar prohibitions going into effect later in the year. There are variations among the laws and some exceptions in New York, for example, pharmacies are exempt if the purchase is for a prescription drug, and restaurants can give diners bags for takeout food. Some of the laws also require a 5 cent charge if a customer wants a paper bag. While the laws have been passed out of environmental concerns, small retailers might see a benefit from not having to buy and supply plastic bags. And those that sell reusable shopping tote bags could get a small revenue uptick. California change A new California law gives consumers more control over the personal information companies collect and share with other businesses. While the law aims to exempt very small companies, those that do business with California residents, including out-of-state firms, can find themselves required to comply. Under the law, companies must be able to tell consumers what information they have and what they do with it. Consumers must have the option to have their information deleted from companies' computer systems. Businesses that handle information collected by others for example, payment processors can also find themselves subject to the law. Companies are subject to the law if they have worldwide revenue above $25 million, collect or receive the personal information of 50,000 or more California consumers, households or electronic devices; or those who get at least half their revenue from selling personal information. Small businesses can reach the 50,000 threshold for collecting or receiving information an individual who has a phone, tablet, PC at home and one at work counts as four users, not one. A separate law puts strict limits on who can work as an independent contractor or freelancer. The law is aimed at ensuring that workers in the gig economy like Uber and Lyft drivers get the protections that labor laws give employees. It will force business owners to decide whether to hire these workers as employees, even for temporary assignments, or look for help in other states. The law also affects out-of-state companies if they have been using independent contractors or freelancers in California. Changes in California laws are also noteworthy because the state can be a trailblazer when it comes to employee, consumer and environmental issues. The nation's first laws requiring paid sick leave for workers and banning plastic bags were enacted in California. _____ Joyce M. Rosenberg of The Associated Press wrote this story. Follow Rosenberg at www.twitter.com/JoyceMRosenberg. Her work can be found here: https://apnews.com The Madras High Court has directed the then returning officer to appear before it on January 20 with all the rejected 102 postal ballots in the election to the Kattumannarkoil Assembly constituency held in 2016. Justice C V Karthikeyan gave the interim direction on Friday on an election petition by VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, who lost the election by a margin of 87 votes petition. In his plea, he prayed the court to set aside the election of the AIADMK candidate N Murugamaran. "I am of the considered view that a decision can be rendered in the election petition only if the court peruses for its own satisfaction the 102 postal ballots which have been rejected by the returning officer," the judge said in his order. Thirumavalavan in his petition, alleged on the date of counting the returning officer improperly and contrary to the rules disregarded a total number of 102 postal votes. When questioned about the rejection of postal votes, the RO refused to provide any reasons, the VCK leader, who won the Lok Sabha election from Chidambaram in 2019, claimed. Hence, with a view to somehow cook the results in favour of the ruling party candidate all the agents were sent out from counting stations, he claimed in the petition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Putin Tim cook Reuters/AP Photo/Richard Drew On December 2 Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill mandating that all Russian smartphones and devices come pre-installed with certain Kremlin-approved apps. The bill is sometimes referred to as the "law against Apple," as it threatens Apple's strict policy of not allowing third-party apps to be pre-installed on its devices. Apple has six months to fight the law before it comes into force, and could face having to leave the Russian market altogether. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The next six months could see a major dogfight between Apple and the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on December 2 mandating foreign smart devices sold in Russia come pre-installed with a list of government-approved Russian apps. The list has not been drawn up yet. The law is part of a pattern of legislation granting the Russian state greater control over its citizens' digital lives, including the creation of an isolated "sovereign internet." More specifically however this law poses a major problem to Apple, which doesn't allow third-party apps to come pre-installed on its devices. The new bill is sometimes informally referred to as the "law against Apple." Apple fiercely guards its right to only have its homegrown apps pre-installed on iPhones and iPads, arguing pre-installing only its own apps improves its phones' performance, battery life, privacy, and security. The policy drew antitrust scrutiny from US lawmakers in October last year because of the home advantage it gives Apple's apps. The new Russian law will come into force in July of this year, and Apple has until then to decide how it will react. Per Forbes' translation of Russian weekly The Bell, Apple has been in contact with Kremlin officials and warned the company might "revis[e] its business model in Russia." This reportedly rankled Russian officials, who pointed to China as an example where US tech giants such as Apple abide by local laws and restrictions. But Russia's leverage over Apple is much smaller than China's, given its relatively small market size. Other major tech firms have struggled to gain traction in Russia, with homegrown companies such as Mail.Ru and Yandex dominating email, social, and search. Story continues Apple has not released any official statement on the law, and did not respond to Business Insider when asked for comment. It is foreseeable that the tech giant could withdraw from Russia altogether rather than set the precedent of allowing a country's government to insert third-party apps into iPhones. The apps also throw up an ethical dilemma, as Russian digital rights activists have voiced the concern that the government-chosen apps could be used to surveil people. Apple has yielded to political pressure from Russia before. In November last year it altered Apple Maps and its Weather app for Russian users to show Crimea which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 as part of Russia. The annexation is opposed by the United Nations, which deemed it invalid. Subsequently Apple said it was "taking a deeper look at how we handle disputed borders in our services." The last two months of 2019 have set the stage for 2020, and Apple may find itself increasingly at the center of geopolitical tensions between America and its rivals much as Huawei has become a lens for the US-China trade war. Do you work at Apple? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at ihamilton@businessinsider.com or iahamilton@protonmail.com. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop. Read the original article on Business Insider Police were called to the 7200 block of South South Shore Drive about 1:45 a.m. Thursday and found Newell and the older boy on the ground outside of the approximately 21-story apartment building. A security worker at the apartment building then took officers to a unit on the 11th floor, where they found the grandfather with cuts to his face and body. They also found the baby unresponsive in a bathtub. On December 15, International Rights Advocates (IRA) filed a case in US district court in Washington, D.C. against Apple, Alphabet (the parent company of Google and YouTube), Dell, Microsoft and Tesla on behalf of the families of 14 Congolese child miners. A worker carries wet Cobalt on his back at the Shinkolobwe Cobalt mine in the DRC (AP Photo / Schalk van Zuydam, File) Of the fourteen, six have died, while eight suffer from life-altering injuries including crushed legs and full body paralysis. According to IRA, the case has been put forward on behalf of children as young as six years old and they note that some child miners are trafficked. The plaintiffs accuse these companies of deliberately purchasing cobalt that was produced by child labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) under horrific working conditions. The case charges: Defendants Apple, Alphabet, Dell, Microsoft, and Tesla are knowingly benefiting from and providing substantial support to this artisanal mining system in the DRC. Defendants know and have known for a significant period the reality that DRCs cobalt mining sector is dependent upon children. These companies buy cobalt, a rare earth metal essential for the batteries used in cellphones and electric vehicles, from mining companies, including the Chinese-owned Huayou Cobalt, Anglo-Swiss Glencore and the Belgian based Umicore, all of whom are accused of actively engaging in illegal mining activity. Responding to the lawsuit, Apple has claimed that to their knowledge, their supply chain does not involve child labor. It is clear this ignorance was feigned. Most children in the case worked for Dongfang Mining Congo, a satellite of Huayou, which is Apples main supplier of cobalt. Following an investigation led by the Washington Post in September 2016, Huayous president admitted that the use of child labor was our short-coming. In response to the same expose, a Tesla spokesperson declared they were going to send one of our guys over there. When the Post followed-up six months later, the company admitted no one had been sent. Despite Apples claim to have suspended the purchase of cobalt from Huayou in 2017, in the companys Supplier Responsibility 2018 Smelter and Refiner List, it continues to list Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd. as a supplier of DRC cobalt and claims to have conducted a third party audit. The nature and results of this audit are unclear, and any claims to have ended child labor are contradicted by the plaintiffs own research from 2017 to 2019 in Huayou-owned mines. In the interim, multiple media sources have continued to report on conditions in cobalt mines. In 2016, Amnesty International released a report entitled, This Is What We Die For Human Rights Abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo Power the Global Trade in Cobalt. On August 5, 2017, the Mail on Sunday featured a report on cobalt mining entitled Child miners aged four living a hell on Earth so YOU can drive an electric car. On October 12, 2018, the Guardian published an article on the industry called, Is your phone tainted by the misery of the 35,000 children in Congos mines? Following a further three years of hollow promises of investigations from all defendants to investigate these issues since the report, the IRA states, The fact that these programs were announced is merely evidence that the companies know they have serious child labor and forced labor problems in their DRC supply chains for cobalt. Approximately two-thirds of the global supply of cobalt is mined in the copper belt region of Haut-Katanga and Lualaba Provinces of the DRC, which include the cobalt mining areas of Kolwezi, Fungurume, Likasi, Kambove, Kipushi, and Lubumbashi. Ninety percent of cobalt mined in the Congo is taken to China where it is mostly used in the production of lithium-ion batteries. A typical smartphone lithium-ion battery might contain five to ten grams of refined cobalt and a single electric-car battery can contain up to 15,000 grams. The growth of these industries has been reflected in the increased demand for cobalt. In the past five years, demand has increased threefold and it is expected to double again by the end of 2020. According to the same 2016 report from the Post, artisanal mining is carried out by adults and children known locally as creuseurs (diggers). This is a euphemism to describe independent miners, often children, without regulations or safety equipment who then sell on their hauls to suppliers such as Dongfang. A days yield of cobalt ore typically fetches two dollars. For children, this sum is even lower. Siddharth Kara, who is serving as an expert witness on the case, estimates from 303 recorded cases that the average days pay for children under 14 is $0.81. Given the uncertain nature of this work, it is not uncommon for creuseurs to go home empty handed. Out of 100,000 cobalt miners, 40,000 are estimated to be children. The 2016 Post report described how creuseurs dig wherever one finds a locally known green leaved flower that is supposedly the marker of cobalt deposits; this regularly leads to the construction of long tunnels, little wider than a human body, under roads and buildings without any supports. These can easily collapse on miners. Other creuseurs enter both abandoned and used mines under the cover of darkness often leading to clashes with armed security guards, police and militia. Cobalt mining also causes considerable environmental damage in the southern DRC. Since uranium is common in the mines of this area, radioactive ore with little cobalt content is dumped in local rivers. According to DownToEarth.org in 2015, following a dump of 19 tons of radioactive material, the local authorities again warned residents of Likasi (a city of 300,000) to keep a safe distance from the Mura river and not to use its water. A 2012 report by the University of Lubumbashi charted the effects of this pollution. In recent years, there has been an unprecedented increase in birth defects in mining regions. These included cases of Mermaid Syndrome and holoprosencephaly. These conditions were previously unknown in Congo and have all occurred in children of miners. This is only an extension of the already severe and wide-ranging health problems that occur in mining populations in the Congo and internationally. Responding to the findings of IRAs research team the lead counsel in the lawsuit, Terry Collinswood, stated Ive never seen such extreme abuse of innocent children on a large scale. This astounding cruelty and greed need to stop. Threats to life are numerous. One of the children represented had his leg crushed when a chamber roof collapsed on 40 people on July 2, 2019. Thirty-eight died. Another in the case lost his leg when he collided with a mining truck while driving 80 kilograms of ore on a small motorbike. When two brothers were caught by a collapsing wall in an open pit-mine, one died and the other severely damaged a leg. Many of the children are forced to work because of the widespread poverty in the region. In other cases, representatives of the mining companieswho according to the plaintiffs are regularly accompanied by Congolese Presidential Guardssimply round up children and force them into the mines. The plaintiffs claim these individuals are employees of Huayou, Glencore and Umicore. Many of the mines are also controlled by local militias that work directly with these companies, and to whom the government turns a blind eye. Horrific working conditions are hardly limited to artisanal cobalt mining in mineral rich DRC. In June 2019 43 miners died in a landslide in a Glencore-owned copper mine; in October and December two gold-mine incidents killed 22 and 24 miners respectively. While large incidents often make their way to national and international media, individual and smaller group deaths are a daily occurrence across the Congolese mining industry. The IRAs case concludes that companies will continue these practices until they are forced to do better. However, human rights abuses undertaken in the pursuit of profit cannot be fought on a purely legal basis. Appealing to the courts distracts from the fact that such abuses are an integral part of the global capitalist system dominated by American and European Imperialism. Any attempt at limited legal reform that infringes on the right of billionaires to continue to reap gargantuan profits will necessarily fail. The fact that elections at the end of 2018 marked the first peaceful transition of power in the DRC since 1965 should not fool anyone into thinking that a new dawn awaits the Congolese people. The supposedly democratic victory of Felix Tshisekedi was not a product of a political revolution against the Kabila dynastyfather and son Laurent-Desire Kabila and Joseph Kabila ruled over the country from 1997 to 2019but instead represented a compromise between the two factions of the ruling class in which Tshisekedi ascended to the presidency on the condition that a Kabila ally was appointed prime minister. As the WSWS reported on January 17, 2019, a data leak revealed widespread voter fraud, leading the African Union and European Commission to deny the validity of the result. The Congolese government remains as much at the behest of American high-tech companies and their suppliers in the cobalt processing industry as it was under the US-backed dictatorship of Mubutu in 1965-97 and that of the Kabilas. Government forces provide armed support to the personnel of its foreign investors while they work impoverished and desperate Congolese men, women and children to death. Ending the exploitation of child labor, which is rampant in ex-colonial nations across the globe, can only be achieved through the overthrow of the capitalist system and the expropriation of the technology giants and mining conglomerates by the working class on a global scale and their reorganization to meet the needs of all of humanity. Palaly airport tax double that of BIA: Minister calls for report By Chris Kamalendran View(s): View(s): Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has called for a report from airport and aviation officials to look into the possibility of reducing the airport tax at the Palaly International Airport (PIA). This follows Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Douglas Devananda raising the matter at the New Years first Cabinet meeting held on Thursday. Mr Devananda told the Cabinet he had received several complaints from passengers travelling regularly between Jaffna and South Indian capitals that the embarkation charge at Palaly was much higher than what passengers paid at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Normally, an embarkation fee of Rs 6,000 is charged from a passenger flying through the BIA. However, passengers using the Palaly airport have to pay an additional Rs 6,000 embarkation fee, meaning they are charged twice as much as what is charged at the BIA. A return ticket between Colombo and Chennai is only Rs 22,000, inclusive of the embarkation charge, when one flies from the BIA. However, Palaly travellers have to pay Rs 28,000 for a return ticket. In addition, passengers between Jaffna and Chennai are only allowed a baggage allowance of 15 kilograms whereas those flying between Colombo and Chennai are allowed to carry 30 kilograms. We are concerned about these issues. These decisions were not made by us. However, we will give relief within one month to Palaly passengers, Minister Ranatunga said. The second the first Apache attack helicopter appeared over the sovereign American territory that is the American Embassy in Baghdad, one knew that things would be different this time. We would see the difference between a President Obama resting for a fundraising trip to Las Vegas the next morning and a President Trump, having avenged the killing of an American contractor, dispatching Irans top general and commander of its Quds Force before he could kill any more Americans. Instead of a Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ignoring repeated warnings from her ambassador and not answering his pleas for more security, we had a Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announcing that members of the 82nd Airborne and support forces were being dispatched to within striking distance. There would be Marines on the ground, not contractors fighting on a CIA-annex roof, waiting for in vain for their government to send aid to them and their dying ambassador. This time it would be different. There would be no Benghazi. At this point, what difference does it make to have a President Trump instead of a President Obama or, God help us, a President Hillary Rodham Clinton? A world of difference, as the drones flying overhead this time were not there to send back useless pictures of American carnage, but to target the missiles of Americas swift sword and end the life of the terrorist responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in Iraq and the maiming of thousands with the precision explosives he provided Irans sock-puppet militias in Iraq. President Trumps crippling sanctions are rightfully intended to thwart Irans apocalyptic ambitions and are having a crippling effect on the Iranian economy and an Iranian state nearing collapse from the weight of its own oppression on its own people. Trump knows these madmen waiting for the 12th Imam can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and the panicked mullahs thought maybe once again, as with Bill Clinton in Somalia and Barack Obama at Benghazi, American will could be tested and found wanting, that we would retreat at the sight of the first body bag. So they attacked with their proxies only to find Donald Trump to be wide awake and not resting for a campaign trip. As Fox News reported: The U.S. military carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on Sunday -- days after a U.S. defense contractor was killed at a military compound in a rocket attack. Military jet fighters conducted "precision defensive strikes" on five sites of Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi militia, Jonathan Hoffman, a spokesperson for the Pentagon told Fox News. Two defense officials added that Air Force F-15 jet fighters carried out the strikes U.S. officials have blamed the militia for a rocket barrage Friday that killed a U.S. defense contractor, wounded four U.S. troops and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) near Kirkuk, in northern Iraq. Five locations -- including three Kataeb Hezbollah areas in Iraq and two in Syria -- were targeted, Hoffman said in a statement. This time our U.N. ambassador would not be dispatched to the Sunday talk show circuit to repeat verbatim five times the obscene talking point that American deaths had resulted from an inflammatory video. This time Iran would not be rewarded for its state-sponsored terror and its nuclear threats with $150 billion and pallets of cash dropped on an Iranian tarmac in the middle of the night. The murder of the U.S. contractor and the subsequent attack on our embassy in Baghdad were bought and paid for by the money President Barack Hussein Obama, who could not utter the phrase Islamic terrorism, and fresh from his apology tour, gave to Iran. The Iranians played Obama like a fiddle. President Trump marches to a different drummer. Is it mere coincidence that Obama dismissed the Islamic State as the JV team and sat while it grew and expanded and festered in its caliphate which Trump destroyed? Trump killed al-Baghdadi. He never invited him to the White House for a photo-op while greenlighting nuclear weapons for Iran. Obama seemed to have a warm spot for terrorists. As the Washington Times: noted in 2011: Louis J. Freeh, who served as FBI director in the Clinton administration and the early months of the George W. Bush administration, said it was shocking that Mr. al-Maliki would include Mr. al-Amiri in his visit to Washington. Irans Revolutionary Guard has been involved in countless acts of terrorism, which are acts of war against the United States, Mr. Freeh said in an interview. Mr. al-Amiri served as a commander of the Revolutionary Guards Badr Corps, a battalion that was tasked with operations in Iraq. He remained active in the Badr Corps during the late 1980s and 1990s, when he was working on resistance efforts against Saddam Husseins regime in Iraq. The FBI linked the Revolutionary Guard to the attack on the Khobar Towers in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, on June 25, 1996. Nineteen U.S. servicemen were killed by a bomb blast at the towers, which were housing American military personnel. As a senior leader, [Mr. al-Amiri] would have to have known about Khobar, and he would know Gen. [Ahmad] Sherifi, who was the IRGC general that conducted the operation, Mr. Freeh said. He added that the FBI would love to sit down and talk to him, show him photographs and ask him questions about the fugitives named in the Khobar Towers indictment. President Obama was not so curious apparently. President Obama was not so keen on capturing or killing terrorists and we may be thankful that President Trump has no such reservations and when he had the shot to kill Qassem Soleimani, he pulled the trigger. Soleimani is a real piece of work and a mortal threat to America and Americans, as noted by Fox News: In April 2019, the State Department announced that Iranian and Iranian-backed forces led by Soleimani were responsible for killing 608 U.S. troops during the Iraq War. Soleimani, who took over the external operations wing of the IRGC in 1998, was known as one of the most powerful military leaders in the Middle East, and the State Department believes he was the masterminded behind the major military operations, bombings and assassinations that accounted for at least 17 percent of all U.S. personnel deaths in Iraq between 2003 and 2011 Soleimani was first designated a terrorist and sanctioned by the U.S. in 2005 for his role as a supporter of terrorism. In October 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department tied Soleimani to the failed Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States at a popular restaurant in Washington, D.C. Beyond militias in Iraq and the pariah government of Syria, Soleimani is considered to be chiefly responsible for propping up proxies ranging from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen and even has a foothold with elements of the Maduro regime in Venezuela. Under Soleimanis vision and leadership, analysts say, he carefully purported to carve out a Shia Crescent in long-held Sunni territory throughout the ISIS battle. The crescent is essentially a land path that runs from Tehran through Baghdad to Damascus and then to Beirut -- where it is considered to be a direct threat on Israels doorstep. And now he is dead, like al-Baghdadi. His attack on our embassy in Iraq was supposed to be Trumps Benghazi. Instead it may prove to be Irans Waterloo. Daniel John Sobieski is a former editorial writer for Investors Business Daily and freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Helio Resource Corp. (HRC.V), (Helio or the Company) is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated December 20, 2019 , it has proceeded with its name change from Helio Resource Corp. to Winshear Gold Corp.. The company has received TSX Venture Exchange approval of its proposed name change and effective January 7, 2020, the Companys shares will commence trading under the new name Winshear Gold Corp. and new ticker symbol TSX-V:WINS. The Companys new CUSIP number is 97536W108 and the new ISIN number is CA97536W1086. There is no consolidation of share capital. Shareholders are not required to exchange their existing share certificates for new certificates bearing the new company name and Company shares held electronically will be booked automatically. The name change does not affect the rights of the Company's shareholders, and no further action is required by existing shareholders with respect to the name change. The company will also launch a new website at www.winshear.com. Effective Date: January 7, 2020 Trading Symbol: TSX-V:WINS New CUSIP: 97536W108 New ISIN: CA97536W1086 About Helio Resource Corp. Helio Resource Corp. is a Canadian based junior gold exploration company focusing on its orogenic shear zone-hosted Gaban gold project in Peru. In September of 2019, Helio completed the acquisition of the Gaban Gold and Tinka I.O.C.G. projects in Peru from Palamina Corp. The Gaban Gold Project, located in the Puno Orogenic Gold Belt in south eastern Peru, is approximately 750km east-south east of Lima. Helio is exploring shear zones within Gaban as the possible source rock of the alluvial gold in the drainages at Gaban and at Madre De Dios, where they are currently being mined by artisanal miners. Helio has completed 3 reconnaissance exploration programs between October and December of 2019. Results are pending and will be released when received. A surface rights study is also being completed in order to assist with drill planning and permitting. Story continues For more information please contact Irene Dorsman on (604) 210-8751. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Richard D. Williams Richard D. Williams, P.Geo 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. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meets the family of a victim who was allegedly killed in violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Meerut, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. (PTI) Muzaffarnagar/Meerut (UP): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday met the families affected by alleged "police excesses" and violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar districts of western Uttar Pradesh. Police have to protect the people, give them justice, but what has happened here is entirely the opposite, Priyanka Gandhi, who had earlier visited affected families in Lucknow and Bijnor, told reporters. The Congress general secretary, during her unscheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar, met Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini who was allegedly beaten up by the police in a crackdown on violent anti-CAA protests. Priyanka Gandhi said Hussaini was in a madrassa with children when the police assaulted him. Many were put in jail, including minors, she said, adding that some have been released. She also visited the residence of Noor Mohammed, who was killed in violence during the protests. It's heart-wrenching. His wife who is seven months pregnant and has one-and-a-half-year-old daughter is left all alone, she said. Wherever injustice has happened, we will stand by the people and help them in whatever way possible, the Congress leader said. She also met Ruqaiya Parveen, whose house was allegedly ransacked by the police. The Congress leader said she has highlighted each and every police excess in a lengthy memorandum to Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel during her visit to the state last week. It has all the details of how police assaulted people without any reason. If there is any wrongdoing, then police should take action. No one can object to it. But here the police is indulging in vandalism... the girl was about to get married in two days, she has 16 stitches (on her forehead), she said. In neighbouring Meerut district, the affected families assembled at one place on the outskirts of the town to meet the Congress leader. The UP Police had stopped Priyanka Gandhi and her brother Rahul Gandhi from entering Meerut on December 24, citing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC, as a result of which they had to return to Delhi without meeting the affected families. Earlier, Priyanka had met the families of those killed in clashes in Bijnor. On December 28, Priyanka Gandhi alleged that she was manhandled by police personnel when she tried to resist their attempts to stop her from visiting the Lucknow residence of retired IPS officer SR Darapuri, who was arrested in connection with the anti-CAA protests. Later, the Congress leader met the family of party worker Sadaf Zafar and alleged that she was arrested on "baseless" charges by the police. A Lucknow court on Saturday granted bail to Sadaf Jafar, Darapuri and 13 others arrested in connection with anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. In a way, its what got Suleimani killed. He so wanted to cover his failures in Iraq he decided to start provoking the Americans there by shelling their forces, hoping they would overreact, kill Iraqis and turn them against the United States. Trump, rather than taking the bait, killed Suleimani instead. I have no idea whether this was wise or what will be the long-term implications. But here are two things I do know about the Middle East. First, often in the Middle East the opposite of bad is not good. The opposite of bad often turns out to be disorder. Just because you take out a really bad actor like Suleimani doesnt mean a good actor, or a good change in policy, comes in his wake. Suleimani is part of a system called the Islamic Revolution in Iran. That revolution has managed to use oil money and violence to stay in power since 1979 and that is Irans tragedy, a tragedy that the death of one Iranian general will not change. Todays Iran is the heir to a great civilization and the home of an enormously talented people and significant culture. Wherever Iranians go in the world today, they thrive as scientists, doctors, artists, writers and filmmakers except in the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose most famous exports are suicide bombing, cyberterrorism and proxy militia leaders. The very fact that Suleimani was probably the most famous Iranian in the region speaks to the utter emptiness of this regime, and how it has wasted the lives of two generations of Iranians by looking for dignity in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways. The other thing I know is that in the Middle East all important politics happens the morning after the morning after. Yes, in the coming days there will be noisy protests in Iran, the burning of American flags and much crying for the martyr. The morning after the morning after? There will be a thousand quiet conversations inside Iran that wont get reported. They will be about the travesty that is their own government and how it has squandered so much of Irans wealth and talent on an imperial project that has made Iran hated in the Middle East. And yes, the morning after, Americas Sunni Arab allies will quietly celebrate Suleimanis death, but we must never forget that it is the dysfunction of many of the Sunni Arab regimes their lack of freedom, modern education and womens empowerment that made them so weak that Iran was able to take them over from the inside with its proxies. The Congress party has filed a complaint against Karnataka BJPs G Somashekara Reddy for his comments allegedly threatening Muslims against participating in protests opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, news agency ANI reported on Saturday. The Bharatiya Janata Partys member of legislative assembly from Ballari had on Friday said in an apparent reference to Muslims that opposing the new citizenship act wont be good for them and they will have to face serious repercussions. Its just a caution for those who are protesting against the CAA. We are 80% and you (Muslims) are 18%. Imagine what will happen if we take charge, Reddy had said, according to Asian News International. Beware of the majority when you live in this country. This is our country. If you want to live here, you will have to, like the Australian Prime Minister said, follow the countrys traditions, he had said. If you wish, you can go to Pakistan. We dont have any issues. Intentionally, we would not send you, Reddy had said. Before that, the BJPs Bengaluru lawmaker Tejaswi Surya reportedly called those opposing the citizenship law puncture wallahs. Massive protests against the citizenship act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) have broken out across the country and dozens of people have been killed, including two in the southern states Mangaluru, in the resulting violence. As I set out six years ago to interview broadcasting doyen and one of Ireland's finest interviewers Marian Finucane, I was feeling a little nervous. We had crossed professional paths before when I was a guest on her show but it was common knowledge that she herself shied away from publicity. So I was chuffed when she agreed to a rare sit-down print interview. But before we even met she laid down one condition - not to ask about her salary. "I am sick of being asked about it," said Marian in her best, school mistress voice on the phone. "It is well known I and others in RTE have taken sizeable pay reductions. It is an old story." Expand Close 'I look like the Mafia': Miriam Donohoe with Marian Finucane at Avoca, Rathcoole, Co Wicklow. Photo: Ronan Lang/Feature File / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'I look like the Mafia': Miriam Donohoe with Marian Finucane at Avoca, Rathcoole, Co Wicklow. Photo: Ronan Lang/Feature File We met in the cafe in the Avoca shop in Rathcoole, Co Kildare, on a gorgeous sunny October day. Used to facing her across a radio studio table, I was surprised at how tall she was, and slim and elegant. It amused me that we both appeared on edge. She seemed to be regretting the interview before it started. Small talk wasn't Marian's thing but the mutual wariness dissipated and a relaxed and engaging Marian emerged. I thought I would get the retirement question out of the way first. Had she plans to hang up her broadcasting boots anytime soon? Slightly prickly, she made it clear to ambitious 'young guns' (or old), waiting in the wings to take over the RTE Radio One presenter's weekend slot, to forget it. "I have no plans to retire. RTE is so much a part of me and my life, and my identity internally. I really love doing radio programmes. Sometimes I think how lucky am I to be part of the national conversation, to be meeting all these extraordinarily interesting, people and to engage with them. "I have a friend who knows a professional who retired. My friend watches him go to Mass every morning. Then he buys the paper and goes home and closes the door. And that's it. Nothing. That would drive me around the bend. It's not the nature of the beast." Video of the Day Read More The one area I thought would be a complete no-go for Marian was the death of her daughter, Sinead, in 1990 at the age of eight from leukaemia. It was a huge sadness she had never spoken about in any detail. But I felt I had to ask. And she hadn't told me the subject was out of bounds. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, the loss clearly still acutely painful. But to my surprise she didn't clam up. Speaking of the devastation, she said: "It never goes away. I have the height of respect and admiration for people who have been bereaved and who can talk about it. I just blubber." She explained that she and her husband, John Clarke, took Sinead home with hospice care in her final weeks of life. "We wanted to bring her home, although the hospital didn't particularly. But we did and it worked out very well." This was the start of her relationship with the hospice movement and led to her serving on the board of the Irish Hospice Foundation for 15 years. "I was on my knees with gratitude over home care and wanted every other human being in the country to have equal access to it. Home care should be an inherent part of our entire system and it is not - it is so patchy. The quality of the service depends on where you live. Nowadays it should not be based on geography. "If home care was widely available, it would mean that people who are acutely ill would be in a hospital bed, and people who were dying would be in a loving environment rather than have 'Coronation Street' going on the TV in their last hours." It was this experience which ultimately led Marian and her husband to set up Friends in Ireland, a South African charity that helps orphaned and vulnerable HIV children, after visiting the country and seeing children with Aids. The interview with Marian took place just months after the shock departure of Pat Kenny from RTE to Newstalk. At the time it was almost unthinkable that one of the big Montrose names would jump ship. "People talked about Pat like he was a traitor. I am delighted for him, even though it has made my life more complicated because I am flicking between stations to make sure I am missing nothing," his one-time reporter said. She said she believed Pat was "browned off" with RTE and that his move was not about money. "People talk about money but I wouldn't have thought it was that." Marian almost moved to Newstalk too, just before she started her weekend programme in 2005. "I had the details sorted out but then RTE offered me the weekend which had been at the back of my mind for a long time. Demographics had changed and the day housewives were listening to Gay [Byrne] were long gone. I had a gut feeling there was a weekend audience there so I stayed." It was clear I was veering towards asking that forbidden question, about her pay. She laughed her husky laugh and wagged her finger. "No! I can see where this is going." The most revealing part of the interview was when I asked about RTE management. I probed hard, and she ducked and dived. It was obvious that I had hit on a sore point. After a pause, I was amazed when she said, on the record, that she had to put up with a lot of "shit" at times in her 36 years in the organisation. "RTE has been badly managed, well managed, excellently managed and disgracefully managed. It has changed, and changed and changed. The downside of my job is when you have to put up with a lot of shit...and from time to time I do. For me, it was always about programmes. The only thing I am interested in is the programme." I asked her if she was valued. She replied: "I don't actually have that much to do with management. I don't know. You would have to ask them that." So what was the high point of her career? "Getting my own programme in RTE, although you are only as good as your last programme." And the low point? "Putting up with some of the shit!" Read More So is some of that still around? Another pause. "Ah, we won't go there... I'm grand. I love the programme. I love my producers." But I knew there was more. She looked me in the eye and said: "I think you have enough. Turn that tape recorder off." And for the next two hours, the wall came down, and we swapped delicious gossip about RTE and the media in general. A post-script to the story was the photograph. Marian insisted on donning a pair of black sunglasses when the photographer arrived and nothing would convince her to take them off. This still puzzles me to this day. On the morning the interview was published a pretty awful picture of Marian appeared on the front page of the Irish Independent. I called her, expecting to get it in the neck. "Have you seen the Indo yet?" I asked nervously. "I have," she said. "I look like somebody from the Mafia." And then she laughed. And were you OK with the interview? "Yes. There was enough in there to keep some people in RTE management talking today!" May she rest in peace. Miriam Donohoe is a former journalist and now senior communications manager with humanitarian aid agency Goal Joe Thompson, MD, Virgin Holidays, can't get enough of classic road trips on the U.S. West Coast The world is your oyster - so, where will you venture to next? Here the top travel and tourism bosses help us come up with a shortlist of dream destinations for 2020... California Joe Thompson, MD, Virgin Holidays I cant get enough of classic road trips on the U.S. West Coast combining incredible cities (LA, San Francisco, Las Vegas), amazing coastlines (Big Sur) and thrilling landscapes (Yosemite, Grand Canyon). Who goes there? People looking for a sense of adventure. Any tips? If youre suffering from jetlag, a great trick is to head to the theme parks when you wake up early and avoid the queues. How to do it: I fly with Virgin Atlantic, of course, and stay at the new Virgin Hotel in San Francisco, which opened last February. Rooms from about 197 per night for two people (virginholidays.co.uk). Virgin Holidays has other deals to San Francisco from 689 pp for five nights. Japan Debbie Marshall, founder of silvertraveladvisor.com Sacred serenity: Mount Fuji in Japan. Great Rail Journeys has a 13-day tour exploring Japan by rail from 3,995 pp, including return flights and hotels Debbie Marshall, the founder of silvertraveladvisor.com, who loves Japan Japan is an amazing country in every way; the food, culture, scenery, the temples, the history, the public transport and the warmth and friendliness of everyone you meet, despite the language barrier. A sensory overload. Who goes there? Experienced travellers of all kinds. Any tips? Listen out for the announcements in small villages at 7am telling everyone to get out of bed. How to do it: Great Rail Journeys (greatrail.com) has a 13-day tour exploring Japan by rail from 3,995 pp, including return flights and hotels. Sicily Sir Rocco Forte, chairman, Rocco Forte Hotels Sir Rocco Forte, chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, loves Vedura I find it difficult to holiday in one of my own hotels but within a few days, Verdura makes me completely relaxed. For a family, there is plenty for everyone to see and do within a half hours drive, from the Greek Temples of Agrigento and Selinunte to Caltabellotta with its Norman church perched up in the hills above Verdura. Who goes there? People who just want to relax. Any tips? Visit Mazara del Vallo, the Phoenician fishing port where wonderful prawns come from. How to do it: British Airways Holidays (britishairways.com) has seven-night deals to Verdura, including flights, from about 1,080 pp in June. St Lucia Dana Dunne, chief executive officer, Opodo Dana Dunne, chief executive officer, Opodo We keep returning to this lush Caribbean island because of the amazing beaches, mountains, and the lovely local people. Who goes there? Its great for families and people who love activities, adventure and being surrounded by nature. Any tips? Green Figs and Salt Fish is the local dish and everyone must try it. How to do it: First Choice (firstchoice.co.uk) has seven-nights at the Harbor Club, Rodney Bay, from 952 pp, including flights. Puglia Lisa Fitzell, managing director, Elegant Resorts Lisa Fitzell, managing director, Elegant Resorts Its Puglia for me this summer. It is less visited than other better-known parts of Italy so doesnt feel as busy. Top choice to stay is Masseria Torre Maizza. Who goes there? Super-chic European families and the odd Italian banker taking time off. Any tips? You must see the town of Ostuni, especially at sunset. And try the Stracciatella cheese, the gooey bit in the middle of a Burrata. Its only found in Puglia. How to do it: Elegant Resorts (elegantresorts.co.uk) offers seven nights in a superior room at the Masseria Torre Maizza from 2,100 pp, including flights and private transfers. Austria Andrew Dunn, founder, Scott Dunn Andrew Dunn, the founder of Scott Dunn It has to be St Anton especially now as, ski-lift wise, it is totally linked with Lech. Its an awesome ski area and the best bit about it is that the Austrians are incredibly friendly, and they also make some amazing wines (Schloss Gobelsburg Lamm is one of my favourites). Who goes there? European royalty and hardcore skiers who like to party at night. Any tips? The powder in the Arlberg area of Sonnenkopf can be really spectacular. How to do it: Scott Dunn (scottdunn.com) offers Chalet Artemis from 2,800 pp for seven nights, including flights and transfers. Greek islands Mark Duguid, MD at Carrier, His pick is island hopping in Greece Mark Duguid, MD, Carrier Island hopping around the Cyclades in June, using Santorini or Mykonos as a base, before exploring the more remote islands. Who goes there? As they are so far off the beaten track, the smaller islands attract adventurers happy to forgo some creature comforts. Any tips? The Greek island of Serifos has the best beaches youll find anywhere. How to do it: A weeks b&b at Carpe Diem in Santorini costs from 1,685 pp through Carrier (carrier.co.uk). For some of the smaller, off-the-beaten track islands you need to arrange travel locally. Mallorca Jo Rzymowska, VP and MD, UK & Ireland and Asia, Celebrity Cruises Jo Rzymowska, VP and MD, UK & Ireland and Asia, Celebrity Cruises Even though the cruise business is my job, my spiritual home is Mallorca. Both my partner and I grew up in the travel industry as Mallorca was blossoming and I was an overseas rep for Intasun Holidays during the early Eighties. So we return to the island every year. Who goes there? Lots of people who work in the travel industry have their own places in Mallorca, so we can often bump in to folk we know in the old town of Pollensa. Any tips? Avoid Magaluf and Arenal. How to do it: A weeks self-catering in June at the Hoposa Montelin hotel in Puerto Pollensa is offered by Easyjet Holidays (easyjet.com) from 509 pp, including flights and transfers. South Africa James Jayasundera, founder and MD, Ampersand Travel James Jayasundera, founder and MD, Ampersand Travel 7 Koppies, Franschhoek, South Africa, in winter. Its a gorgeous little five-bedroom property that is fun, relaxed and beautifully put together with views over the winelands. It happens to be mine but having inspected several thousand properties across the world over the past two decades, I know with certainty that it really is one of a kind. Who goes there? Sophisticated foodies, photographers and wine buffs. Any tips? Work up a sweat in the Mont Rochelle hiking area in hills above Franschhoek. How to do it: British Airways (ba.com) offers five-night holidays at the Franschhoek Country House & Villas from about 1,094 pp including flights and transfers from Cape Town. Rooms at 7 Koppies (7koppies.co.za) cost from R3,500 (about 189) a night. Provence Jocelyne Sibuet, owner of Maisons & Hotels Sibuet Jocelyne Sibuet, owner of Maisons & Hotels Sibuet I want to do a healing week at La Bastide de Marie, in Menerbes, one of the most beautiful villages of Provence, between Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. Who goes there? People who are searching for relaxation. Any tips? The town of LIsle sur la Sorgue is a treat, especially on market days on Thursdays and Sundays between 7am and 1pm. How to do it: One-week B&B packages to La Bastide des Magnans in Menerbes cost from 635 pp through expedia (expedia.co.uk), including flights. Rooms at La Bastide de Marie in Menerbes (labastidedemarie.com), cost from about 171 a night for two. With the death of an infant on Friday night, the toll at Kotas JK Lon Hospital has risen to 107. New Delhi: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot found himself in a tight spot over his administrations handling of the death of more than 100 infants when, on Saturday, his own deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot criticised the government saying that after being in power for 13 months, the previous government cant be blamed. Mr Pilot also said that the explanations being given for the deaths by the government are of no use to a mother who has lost her child. Speaking with reporters after visiting Kota where infants are still dying, Mr Pilot said, I think our response to this could have been more compassionate and sensitive. After being in power for 13 months, I think it serves no purpose to blame the previous governments misdeeds. Accountability should be fixed. He further added, Shouldnt we be fixing responsibility for deaths of so many children? If infants are dying regularly in this manner, then it isnt sufficient for the government to say more deaths took place in the past. With the death of an infant on Friday night, the toll at Kotas JK Lon Hospital has risen to 107. Though a team of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is probing the matter, there is no clarity on what led to the alarming number of deaths in the government hospital. As of now the poor upkeep and maintenance of the hospital, as well as acute deficiency of staff and shortage of critical equipment are being blamed. Mr Pilots criticism of his government follows the Congress high command communicating its dissatisfaction to the state government. He is the Congress state unit chief, and was a claimant to the post of chief minister when the Congress won a majority in Rajasthan in December 2018. Since the shocking news of the deaths of infants broke, state health minister Raghu Sharma and the chief minister have been floundering for a proper response. Initially Mr Gehlot said that deaths in hospitals keep happening, and added that the number of deaths this year has, in fact, decreased. The state health minister blamed the previous BJP government in Rajasthan for not upgrading facilities. Also, when he visited the hospital, the administration laid out a carpet to welcome him, eliciting sharp reactions. Sensing the lackadaisical attitude of the state government, Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked the Rajasthan general secretary in-charge, Avinash Pande, for a report on the issue. Insiders claim that the party high command is unhappy with the handling of the situation by the chief minister and the health minister. Their insensitive comments have also irked senior leaders of the party. The chorus for fixing responsibility for the deaths is growing within the party, especially after the Rajasthan government came under attack from the BJP and BSP chief Kumari Mayawati who chided the Congress for raising the issue of infant deaths in Gorakhpur but ignoring the deaths of infant in Kota. Mr Gehlot is no stranger to controversy. In his previous tenure as chief minister, the communal violence outbreak in Gopalgarh, Bharatpur district, in which 10 Muslims were killed had irked the party high command. A team of observers from AICC had gone to Rajasthan then to ascertain the situation and had, in its report, criticised the state government. A total 171 hospitals have been de-empanelled and penalties to the tune of Rs 4.5 crore have been imposed on hospitals for allegedly committed fraud and indulging in malcpractices under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, the apex body implementing it said on January 3. FIRs have been lodged against six hospitals in Uttarakhand and Jharkhand, the National Health Authority said. The NHA said the National Anti-Fraud Unit has detected suspect e-cards on the basis of algorithms developed internally by it and shared with states for due diligence and action. It ruled out any possibility of a fake e-card being generated automatically by the system, saying the process requires a go-ahead by authorised persons based on supporting documents and final approval of the state health agency officials to not just create an e-card but also to add any additional family member. "171 are already de-empanelled and the list of these hospitals is posted on PMJAY website http://www.pmjay.gov.in/de-empanelled. Penalties to the tune of more than INR 4.5 crore have also been levied on hospitals indulging in malpractices," the NHA said in a statement. The cover provided under PM-JAY is Rs 5 lakh per family and not Rs 5 lakh per e-card. There is no package under PM-JAY scheme which is free for the government. There are certain packages, especially abuse-prone packages, which are reserved for government hospitals by the state authorities, it said. It was detected that private hospitals were performing these government reserved procedures and blocking/submitting the same under a different package name or as unspecified package. According to the statement, cases of fraud were detected by NAFU in August 2019 and shared with Gujarat State Health agency which has disabled the cards and an FIR was lodged on November 8. In Chhattisgarh, such cases were detected initially in May 2019 and the cards have been disabled. In Madhya Pradesh, cases were detected in August 2019 and shared with state which has disabled the cards and the concerned hospital has been issued show-cause notice. Penalty has also been levied on TPA. The cases in Punjab were detected in October 2019 and shared with the state which has disabled the cards. ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOP Ships Inc. (the Company), an international owner and operator of modern, fuel efficient "ECO" tanker vessels, announced today that it has sold to unaffiliated third parties its two MR1 Product Tankers, the M/T Eco Fleet and the M/T Eco Revolution (each weighing 39,000 tons). The vessels are expected to be delivered to their new owners during January 2020. About TOP Ships Inc. TOP Ships Inc. is an international ship-owning company. For more information about TOP Ships Inc., visit its website: www.topships.org. Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Contacts: Alexandros Tsirikos Chief Financial Officer TOP Ships Inc. Tel: +30 210 812 8107 Email: atsirikos@topships.org I am running for state representative for District 151 in the special election on Jan. 21. This seat became open when Fred Camillo, who served as our representative for more than 11 years, was elected our first selectman. I am from the private sector and have run an investment management business in Greenwich since 2006. My wife and I are raising our family here and while I did not have the privilege of being born in this town, our three kids were born at Greenwich Hospital and Greenwich is the only place my family has ever called home. I came to America as a student 27 years ago and my candidacy reflects the diversity, vibrancy and openness of our community. I am running to build on the legacy of Fred Camillo, who worked tirelessly to build consensus, support good fiscally sound and sensible policy and get things done. I am running so that our community can lead in Hartford. Our community is one which leads in business, medicine, arts, science and other fields. I want to make sure that we lead in the policy making in Hartford. I am running because the challenges we face in our district and in Connecticut are a direct result of the policies followed by Democrats in Hartford. When elected, I plan to launch a Plan for Growth for Connecticut that will stimulate Connecticuts poor economy. The goals my opponent and I have are similar: Rejuvenating our economy, bringing jobs and businesses back to our state, improving our schools and colleges, upgrading our transportation system and protecting our environment. However, our ideas and policies of how we achieve those goals are diametrically different. I believe that attracting new investment to our state, cutting our state bureaucracy and improving the efficiency of our state programs are the three key elements to revive Connecticut. My opponent and her party believe that leveraging the state bureaucracy and giving it additional dollars raised through new and additional taxes are the prescription. I firmly believe they are mistaken. Attract new investment to our state We are one of three states in the country which has not recovered all jobs lost in the Great Recession a decade ago (the other two being West Virginia and Wyoming). This can be directly attributed to our state policies which have been hostile to small businesses and the private sector, and have created an environment where businesses and residents have elected to move out. The insurance industry in Hartford and GE in Fairfield are glaring examples. Under Democratic leadership, Connecticut has increased taxes and imposed onerous regulation on businesses and made policies detrimental to small businesses and our residents examples are the new tax on dry cleaning and a brand new payroll tax on every hard working person including those making minimum wage. I will advocate for a change in course so that we become a destination for investment, not one from which businesses and residents are fleeing. Cut state bureaucracy We must cut down the state bureaucracy and make our programs efficient and effective. Connecticut spends nearly $30 billion annually: $22 billion from our state budget and roughly another $8 billion from various federal grants. Our state government employs more than 42,000 people. We need to cut the bureaucracy 2 percent a year for the next decade by investing in technology and focusing on operational improvement. Coming form a private sector background, I believe that investment in our workforce and increasing its productivity and efficiency are critical. The Democrats in power have no interest in this they consider it an afterthought. Improve efficiency of our state programs Our programs can be made efficient and more effective. We spend more than $3 billion annually on transportation (capital and maintenance). A cursory review of the list of projects which we are spending on next year reveals that there are many which seem unnecessary. For example, the state is spending $60 million next year on a parking garage. This is an investment the private sector should be doing, not the state. The $1 billion Norwalk moveable bridge project has been delayed and is over budget. An alternate plan that would have saved more than $500 million was ignored. I believe by investing in efficiency and operational excellence, we can reduce our spending by 10 percent while improving our transportation. This will allow us to vote NO to tolls and still a strong transportation plan. By pursing such plans across various departments, we can save substantial resources and go back to the 4.5 percent state income tax rate which in turn will attract residents and businesses back to our state in big numbers. Robust policy to protect our environment The current ad-hoc set of subsidies and regulation are ineffective and cost the state and our residents. Our electric costs are the highest in the country while the reliability of grid is tested by each Noreaster. That is unacceptable. I will propose a plan to attract investment from the private sector to reduce our greenhouse gases, improve electrification and invest in our electric grid. Together we can do this. I love my community. After spending most of my career in private sector, I decided in 2017 to focus my energy on serving the public good. I grew up with little (back in India) and my grandparents had to flee persecution during the partition of India. My values drive me to spend my time and energy serving the public and making our community, our state and our country a better place for everyone. I humbly ask for your vote on Jan. 21. Harry Arora is the Republican candidate for state representative in Greenwichs District 151. The reality of a new year for fashion sets in right away the first week of January, thanks to the start of yet another round of menswear shows. This season kicks off once again in London, continues into Pitti Uomo in Florence, travels to Milan, and finally finishes in Paris. (Though the Haute Couture schedule begins right after the last leg of men's shows no rest for the weary!) But with awards season also underway (the Golden Globes are held this Sunday during LFW: Men's), it seems like fashion is all over the place this month. So here's everything you need to expect from the upcoming Fall 2020 shows, which begin January 4 and end January 19. Versace and Celine Are Both Out Versace and Celine, two of the biggest draws on the menswear calendar, are both sitting out the shows this season, opting instead for a coed format during the women's fashion weeks this February in Milan and Paris, respectively. "This is an experiment that for the moment is limited to 2020," said Donatella Versace at the time of the announcement. "The decision was made to highlight how the collections for men and women are using the same language and aesthetic." Meanwhile, after two seasons of holding separate men's shows last year, Celine will also present its men's collection in a coed format on the women's schedule next month. Per WWD, the decision was made to reflect the gender-fluid aesthetic of Creative Director Hedi Slimane, but the brand did not rule out holding a men's show again next season. Rising British Talent Making Waves London is known for cultivating home-grown talent, whether it's through young designer incubators or big splashy awards and funding. Three of the city's rising names are coming off a milestone 2019, and people will be paying close attention this season: Bethany Williams was recently honored with the Fashion Award for British Emerging Talent in Menswear, while Grace Wales Bonner and Samuel Ross of A-COLD-WALL* both won the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund, respectively. Ross will be moving his show Milan this season, though he will still hold a special installation in London. Special Guests and Designers Headline Florence Pitti Uomo, the men's trade show in Florence known for their dandy peacock attendees, invites special names from other cities to show their collections there each season. This time around, the three guest designers are Telfar, Jil Sander and Stefano Pilati's Random Identities. This marks Telfar Clemens' second international show, following his last collection held during Paris Fashion Week. The three designers join a list of past special guests like Givenchy, Craig Green and Y/Project. Meanwhile, Brioni will be celebrating its 75th year at Pitti with a special event curated by fashion historian Olivier Saillard, that will show the brand's fall collection through the lens of its history. Outerwear brand Woolrich is turning 120 this year, and plans to create a "multifaceted universe" while debuting its Arctic Capsule collection. Gucci Returns to the Menswear Calendar Gucci was without a doubt one of the biggest losses to the menswear calendar when the company announced in 2016 it would start holding coed shows. But now the brand is back, and it will close out the men's shows on the final day of the Milan schedule. (Alessandro Michele's debut show for Gucci was the Fall 2015 men's collection, which reportedly was designed at the last minute and instantly signaled a new era for the luxury brand.) Meanwhile, Milan is seeing the return of other brands like Prada, who skipped the schedule last season to show in Shanghai, and Ferragamo and MSGM, who both staged their last men's shows at Pitti Uomo. And Dsquared2 plans to show their 25th anniversary show as well as a giant afterparty. New Names and Familiar Faces in Paris Paris continues to be the most important stop on the menswear calendar, with fashion giants like Dior Men under Kim Jones and Virgil Abloh's Louis Vuitton among the biggest draws again this season. Some of the returning names are Simon Port Jacquemus, who we have not seen in action since his 10th anniversary runway show in the lavender fields of southern France in June, and Clare Waight Keller, who showed in Florence last season. Other new names joining the Paris menswear calendar this season are Craig Green, who usually shows in London; LA-based label Rhude; and Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, the creative directors of Nina Ricci who will present their first collection for their menswear brand Botter on the official schedule. A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early on January 4, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. The killing of Quds Force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send more troops to the region -- even as President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, told CNN that the killing was an "act of war on the part of the United States". A new strike on January 4 targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Shiite factions with close ties to Iran. The Hashed did not say who it held responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike. A police source told AFP the strike left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific toll. There was no immediate comment from the US. It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Soleimani, who was killed alongside Hashed number two Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the precision drone strike. As head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign operations arm, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw wide-ranging Iranian involvement in regional power struggles -- and anti-US forces. Trump said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, had been plotting imminent attacks on American diplomats. His assassination has rattled the region, with Iraqis fearing a proxy war between Washington and Tehran. A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed fighters were killed in Friday's strike near Baghdad international airport. Their bodies will be laid tom rest in an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in the capital and ending in the Shiite holy city of Najaf to its south. The bodies of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Tehran has already named his deputy, Esmail Qaani, to replace him. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge," while in Tehran tens of thousands of protesters torched US flags and chanted "death to America." Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to "terminate" Soleimani after discovering he was preparing an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Friday Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." But hours later the Pentagon said between 3,000 to 3,500 troops would be dispatched to Iraq's southern neighbour Kuwait. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Washington's partners in the region, but said their European allies "haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be". "The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," he said. Some 14,000 troops were already deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East last year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of Islamic State group fighters. Pro-Iran factions have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are to convene in emergency session on Sunday and are expected to hold a vote. Paramilitary figures in Iraq including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr called on their fighters to "be ready" after Friday's strike. And Lebanon's Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah threatened "punishment for these criminal assassins." Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by US lawmakers and presidents, with Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago". Following Friday's strike, the embassy urged US citizens to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were being evacuated from oil fields in the south. Analysts said the strike, which sent world oil prices soaring, would be a game-changer. "Trump changed the rules -- he wanted (Soleimani) eliminated," said Ramzy Mardini, a researcher at the US Institute of Peace. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as "the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off." He expected "bigger" ramifications than either the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or the 2019 raid that killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Iraq's caretaker prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi warned the strike would "spark a devastating war in Iraq" as President Barham Saleh pleaded "voices of reason" to prevail. Some call for a board of 20 or 21 commissioners in Chicago, either appointed or elected. Is this the right size to get real results? The LA police commission consists of five civilians appointed by the mayor. The mayor can remove a commissioner at any time, but the commissioner can appeal the removal to the City Council. Other than during a change in administrations, an LA mayor has never dared to remove a commissioner. Like all social change, population growth has costs (increased use of limited resources) and benefits (fresh ideas, more people to do necessary work). On the whole, history both global and American refutes the Malthusian belief that more people means more misery. To the contrary, a growing labor force is one factor that determines an economys capacity to grow. On that basis alone, it would be concerning that the Census Bureau has released new data showing that the U.S. population grew only 6.7 percent in the past decade, which is the slowest 10-year rate since the census began in 1790. Add that all living members of the baby boom generation will have turned 65 by 2030 and that 18 percent of the nation will be at least that age, according to Pew Research Center population projections and demographic stagnation begins to seem uncomfortably realistic. The death of the Taiwanese chief of the general staff in a helicopter crash this week has robbed the island of a key figure in its plans to defend itself in the face of an increasingly aggressive mainland China. Shen Yi-ming, 62, was one of eight people, including two major generals, who died when the UH-60M Black Hawk crashed in mountainous country south of Tapei on Thursday. Five other people on board survived. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking a second term in next week's elections, described the former air force commander as an "outstanding and capable general" who was well loved by his peers. Meanwhile her predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou, who appointed Shen to lead Taiwan's air force, said the general was known as one of the military's key talents. Shen played a major role in Taiwan's procurement of fighter jets in the face of threats from Beijing, which has not ruled out the use of force to reunify the island with the Chinese mainland. While Beijing has repeatedly said it "firmly opposes" any arms sales to Taiwan, Shen helped the island reach a major deal with the US to supply it with new fighter jets. In July last year, soon after taking over as chief of the general staff, the US approved the sale of 66 new F-16V fighters " the most advanced version of the plane that forms the backbone of Taiwan's air force. On Friday Tsai urged the Taiwanese armed forces to remain alert to any threats to national security. The president has increased the defence budget since coming to power in 2016 amid a series of PLA "encirclement" exercises and drills in what Beijing has described as a "warning to Taiwan independence separatist forces". Former Taiwan defence minister Andrew Yang Nien-dzu said Shen's contribution to the upgrading of Taiwan's air force was remarkable. "He is a very experienced air force officer, and he has strong ability in deployment and planning. Policies have been carried out smoothly under his leadership, especially in the last few years. He put in a lot of effort to facilitate the procurement of the F-16V fighters from the US and was always in close communication with our foreign allies," Yang said. Story continues A rescue team searches the helicopter's wreckage. Photo: Reuters alt=A rescue team searches the helicopter's wreckage. Photo: Reuters Shen had studied at the US Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, graduating in 2002. Yang said that many of Shen's classmates had gone on to take important roles in the US military and that he had stayed in close contact with them. General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, described Shen as "an exceptional leader to his people and a champion for Taiwan's defence and regional security". Milley continued: "We are grateful for the service he rendered so selflessly and cherish our friendship and strong defence relations with Taiwan." Shen rose through the air force ranks after graduating from the Republic of China Air Force Academy in 1979 and attended the Air Command and Staff College in 1992. In 1997 he was one of the first batch of officers sent to France to train on Mirage 2000 fighters and later served as an instructor for other pilots. He also took part in a mission known as the Great Desert Programme that saw the Taiwanese air force providing secret assistance to North Yemeni forces. The operation saw around 1,000 personnel deployed to the Arab republic ran between 1979 and 1990, but only came to light when documents were declassified last year. Tsai said Shen had been posthumously promoted to a first-level general, the highest rank. He will also be awarded the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun with Grand Cordon, Taiwan's second-highest military honour, which is granted to those who have made an outstanding contribution to national defence. The helicopter's black box has been located, and if it is undamaged investigators should be able to analyse its data within a day. The deputy chief of staff, Admiral Liu Chih-pin, has taken over Shen's role in an acting capacity. Yang said he was confident that Liu would be able to ensure that the armed forces continue operating smoothly and that Shen's sudden death would not hit Taiwan's defensive planning. But Hong Kong-based military analyst Song Zhongping took the opposite view, saying: "[Shen] had a very powerful role in commanding and deploying Taiwan's army, and he was responsible for the overall defence strategy. "His death will have a huge impact on Taiwan's army and also on political and intelligence collection work. I think the accident has brought down the morale of troops, and also raises questions of the capability of this kind of helicopter." Sign up now for our 50% early bird offer from SCMP Research: China AI Report. The all new SCMP China AI Report gives you exclusive first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments, and actionable and objective intelligence about China AI that you should be equipped with. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Carlos Ghosn was arrested in Tokyo in November 2018 and has been under house arrest since April, facing multiple charges of financial misconduct. (Photo Credit: Reuters) Beirut: Former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, who skipped bail in Japan and fled to Beirut, is due to be summoned by Lebanon's public prosecutor next week, an official said on Friday. Japanese investigators are probing how the man who was once the country's best paid corporate executive managed to slip out of house arrest and dodge trial, causing a national embarrassment. In Turkey, where Ghosn switched jets on his way to Beirut, a private aviation company said its aircraft were used illegally and filed a complaint after the authorities arrested seven individuals over the secret transit. The Lebanese authorities have already stressed that Ghosn -- who holds the French, Lebanese and Brazilian nationalities -- had entered the country legally and that Beirut had no extradition agreement with Japan. An official speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity said a summons was expected to be handed to Ghosn next week, as a result of Interpol issuing a "red notice" against him. "The Lebanese judiciary is obliged to hear him. But it can still decide whether to arrest him or let him remain free," the official said, adding that Ghosn could be heard on January 7 or 8. Ghosn was arrested in Tokyo in November 2018 and has been under house arrest since April, facing multiple charges of financial misconduct. An Interpol "red notice" is a request to law enforcement across the world to provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. It is not an arrest warrant. The exact circumstances of Ghosn's escape remain unclear and Japanese investigators searched his Tokyo residence Thursday for clues. On Thursday, Kyodo News quoted an associate of Ghosn, Imad Ajami, as claiming the tycoon was helped by two private security operatives who pretended to be part of a music band for a Christmas party. But according to public broadcaster NHK, a surveillance camera at his Tokyo residence showed him leaving alone around noon on December 29 and not returning. In Turkey, the interior ministry opened an investigation into how Carlos Ghosn was able to switch private jets in Istanbul unnoticed. The probe is focused on two jets: one that flew from Osaka to Istanbul, from where another took off 45 minutes later, bound for Beirut. The Turkish private jet company MNG filed a complaint Friday alleging its aircraft were used illegally and said one employee admitted to falsifying the flight manifest to keep Ghosn off the passenger list. Ghosn said in a statement on Thursday that he acted alone without his family's help. The 65-year-old is due to speak to the media in Beirut next week. "I have not fled justice -- I have escaped injustice and political persecution," Ghosn had said in a December 31 statement. Ghosn has not been seen in public since he arrived in Lebanon, where he is believed to be holed up in a central Beirut residence. Ghosn, who was born in Brazil, is well connected in Lebanon, where he owns stakes in several major business ventures and firms. Some Lebanese see him as a symbol of their country's fabled entrepreneurial genius and a star representative of its vast diaspora. The mood has changed since his November 2018 arrest, however, and weeks into an unprecedented wave of protests against corruption and nepotism, activists saw his return as another manifestation of privilege and impunity for the super-rich. After the United States announced the killing of the head of Irans elite Quds Force, General Qassem Soleimani, experts suggested that Washingtons action risked war in the Gulf region. Soleimani, a powerful military leader in Iran, oversaw unconventional warfares in the Middle East to spread Shiite influence before he got killed in a drone strike at Baghdads international airport, ordered by US President Donald Trump. Read: Trump Says 'Soleimani Made Death Of Innocent People His Sick Passion' There were apprehensions about the motive of the Trump administration to carry out such attacks since the US President is facing a re-election campaign. Though Trump asserted that it was a preemptive action to prevent deaths of more Americans as the Iranian General was planning imminent and sinister attack, many people tried to connect it with the presidential elections due in 2020. Read: Trump Says US 'terminated' Iranian General But Doesn't Seek Regime Change Netizens find several tweets Twitteratis spent no time in digging out old tweets of Trump where he had predicted an attack on Iran, to be ordered by the then US President Barack Obama for re-election. In a tweet dated October 10, 2012, Trump said that Obama is desperate to get re-elected and he can launch an attack on Iran or Libya. Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected--be careful Republicans! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2012 Now that Obamas poll numbers are in tailspin watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2012 Remember what I previously said--Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2013 Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 11, 2013 But Obama never started a war with Iran and rather sealed the 2015 nuclear deal and followed it by lifting the economic sanctions. On the other hand, the Trump administration withdrew from the deal and imposed crippling sanctions on Iran which heightened the tension between the two countries. Read: US-led Forces Deny Conducting Fresh Attack On Pro-Iran Convoy In Iraq Read: Trump Says Soleimani Was Planning sinister Attacks On Americans Continue Reading Below Advertisement Farriner, his family, and his servants were all awakened by the smoke, but by then it was too late. The fire rapidly spread down Pudding Lane, startling the sentient teddy bears and making the air smell like burnt cookies. The residents, understanding that "fire bad," ran to mayor Thomas Bludworth for help. The mayor did not understand that fire bad. He thought fire maybe OK. The mayor of the entire city of London arrived on the scene, but was too tired and put-out to even pretend to give a damn. He just grumbled that the fire was so small that "a woman might piss it out," then promptly went home to sleep. Museum of London We don't want to know what type of giant amazons Bludworth was dreaming abo- OK, yes we do. Continue Reading Below Advertisement London continued to burn. Soon enough, xenophobic riots erupted, with Frenchmen being openly bludgeoned in the streets and fingers being pointed at everyone from the Russians to the Dutch, all while Farriner and his family whistled along. Eventually, King Charles II had to tell everyone to knock it off and, oh yeah, focus on putting out the fire. But no one listened, because they'd gotten used to not having a king a few years earlier and didn't trust that guy. Five days later, a full 80% of the city had been reduced to ash, including the Custom House and the General Letter Office, effectively cutting London off from the rest of the world. We hope Bludworth at least slept well, and dreamed of large women ... pissing out infernos. Iran's Supreme Leader Appoints Soleimani's Deputy as Quds Force Chief Sputnik News 13:19 03.01.2020(updated 13:52 03.01.2020) Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was killed near Baghdad Airport earlier in the day in an airstrike authorised by the United States. Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei has appointed Deputy Commander of the Quds Force Esmail Ghaani as the unit's new head following the demise of Qasem Soleimani in the early hours of Friday, Tasnim News Agency reported. "Following the martyrdom of the glorious General Haj Qasem Soleimani, I name Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani as the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps", Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement. According to Khamenei, the force's programme will remain unaltered from the time of Ghaani's predecessor. The Quds Force is a branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps tasked with unconventional warfare, intelligence activities, and extraterritorial operations. Earlier in the day, the ayatollah declared three days of national mourning in the wake of the killing of General Soleimani in Iraq by US forces. The supreme leader pledged to exact vengeance on the US for killing Soleimani. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 22:07:38|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close MOSCOW, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held a phone conversation with Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas concerning energy issues, the Russian government said. The parties "discussed a number of pressing issues of bilateral cooperation, including cooperation in the field of energy," a Russian government statement said. The two heads of government also exchanged greetings on the New Year and upcoming Orthodox Christmas, it said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, held two telephone conversations on Dec. 30 and 31, during which they discussed issues including the supply of Russian oil to Belarus, gas supply and transit issues. Des OSullivan urges you to catch Yeats and Freuds IMMA show. If you have not yet managed to see it there is still time to catch a marvellous show at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in Dublin. Life Above Everything brings together the work of Lucian Freud (1922-2011) and Jack B Yeats (1871-1957). Freud had a lifelong interest in the work of Yeats and admired its force and energy. He did not cite Yeats as an influence but seems to have found common purpose with his works originality and independence. A pen and ink drawing by Yeats, The Dancing Stevedores, hung beside Freuds bed for over 20 years. Girl with Roses by Lucian Freud from the Freud-Yeats show at IMMA/British Council, London. Picture: The Lucian Freud Archive Unique to the show is a group of seven paintings by Yeats which Freud selected for a close friend, advising him which works to acquire. Freuds first visit to Ireland in 1948 has been described, at least in part, as a pilgrimage to the site of Yeats work. They exhibited together only one in their lifetimes, at the inaugural show at the ICA in London in 1948. Freuds work has been exhibited with that of other artists, but this is the first time that it is presented with a single other artist. This thought-provoking show runs until January 19. Reed and Francis hand-built the bar, shelves and many fixtures over a period of six months. The bar itself is made with wood from an old barn in Winfield. "We wanted to put a bar in the basement and I wanted it to have a theme so it was more than just coming down and drinking," he said. "I thought Harry Potter was a fun theme with the butter beer. I remember all the hype and excitement around the books and can go down there and do stuff with the kids as a family. I enjoy craft beer and the Cubs and things like that, but this seemed like a more fun and exciting theme." The bar can be illuminated with flickering lanterns to add more ambiance, such as for family screenings of the films. Reed has continued to add more and more decorations over time, including many acquired from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. "All of the decorations can be removed," he said. "They're not permanent so it can be turned back into a regular bar if we ever need to sell the house." Reed, a NIPSCO employee, has read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the films. He considers Ron Weasley his favorite character and the "Prisoner of Azkaban" his favorite book. Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Leading Zimbabwean politicians have condemned President Emmerson Mnangagwas comments telling residents from an impoverished Harare suburb, who complained about rising meat prices, to instead eat vegetables Australian Prime Minister on Saturday officially postponed his four-day state visit to India from January 13 due to the raging bushfire crisis in his country, saying he looks forward to rescheduling the visit at a mutually convenient time in the coming months. He was scheduled to hold extensive bilateral talks with Prime Minister during the visit beginning January 13. In a statement, the Australian Prime Minister said: "Our country is facing devastating and widespread national bushfires. Our government's entire focus is on supporting Australians in this difficult time those facing immediate danger and those who are recovering after the fire-front has passed". The Prime Minister has postponed his state visit to India and his official visit to Japan to stay close to the disaster and recovery operations underway in Australia, the statement said. A man uses a water hose to battle a fire near Moruya, Australia "We deeply appreciate the arrangements that India and Japan have made to date and look forward to rescheduling the visits at a mutually convenient time in the coming months," it said. "Everywhere across the country in the communities we visit we see the absolute devastation and despair these bushfires have brought. What we have also seen is the best of Australians coming together, supporting one another. "We urge Australians to keep informed about the situation in their area and to follow the directions of state and territory authorities and the ADF as they work to keep people safe. We will do whatever it takes to get Australians through these terrible times," the statement added. Bushfire smoke shrouds the skyline of Australia's largest city Sydney Prime Minister Modi on Friday had a telephonic conversation with Morrison and expressed heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians on the damage to life and property due to severe and prolonged bush fires there. He also offered India's "unstinted support" to Australia and its people, "who are bravely facing this unprecedented natural calamity", according to a statement by the External Affairs Ministry. Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 military reserve troops to combat the raging bushfire crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 23 people with high temperatures and strong winds threatening to worsen the conditions across the country. Tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions. Source: Twitter The bushfires have been burning throughout the country for months now, with a state of emergency declared in New South Wales and Victoria while Tasmania and South Australia also face significant threats. The ongoing bushfire crisis continues to worsen the deadly conditions in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. More than 14,000 hectares have been destroyed in South Australia's Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island. About 100,000 people were said to be in the fire zone of East Gippsland and according to police up to 70 per cent of people had now left the region. Over 3,000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW. Australia's military has been assisting with aerial reconnaissance, mapping, search and rescue, logistics and aerial support for months. Both sides of Americas strained political discourse seem to agree: Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani was a dangerous threat. Whether it was the right move or the right time to kill him remains open to fierce debate. Lawmakers from the Lehigh Valley are among those demanding both answers on President Donald Trumps decision to kill Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike early Friday in Iraq, as well as a hand in deciding what happens next. On Saturday, about two dozen peace advocates gathered at West Third and Wyandotte streets in Bethlehem to demonstrate against escalating tensions further into war with Iran. Organizer Reggie Regrut called for negotiations, not more war, to solve the problems in the Middle East. "Killing military leaders -- even though he's a bad person, I'm not going to lose any sleep over this man dying -- but he didn't have to die," said Regrut, a U.S. Army Reserve veteran from Phillipsburg. "Donald Trump is purposefully escalating this war, in my opinion ... . "Fortunately we have members in Congress who will be questioning the Trump administration on the events that led up to the assassination of the Iranian general and there's still a lot of questions that American people need to have answers to. But assassinating this man at this time is only making things worse and we need to let Donald Trump know that we're not going to tolerate another war in the Middle East involving American soldiers who are going to die." U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat whose 7th Congressional District in Pennsylvania covers Lehigh, Northampton and southern Monroe counties, said in a statement her immediate thoughts are with the troops, as well. She spent time over the holidays visiting with military personnel in the Middle East. My priority is, above all else, to ensure the safety of our men and women in uniform, as well as our diplomats and all those who protect and represent our country across the globe, Wild said. We must strive to live up to the example of those who are willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation and our values by being as responsible in our service as they are dedicated and selfless in theirs. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war, but it's unclear how or when it might respond. Any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. All eyes were on Iraq, where America and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Trump says he ordered the strike, a high-risk decision that was made without consulting Congress or U.S. allies, to prevent a conflict. U.S. officials say Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. Dean Browning, a Republican hoping to challenge Wilds re-election bid in 2020, cheered the slaying as another example of Trump putting America and its citizens first by protecting American lives both home and abroad, according to a news release. Lisa Scheller, also running to unseat Wild, praised President Donald Trumps bold action to eliminate Iranian warlord Qassim Soleimani, who has commanded armed factions that have attacked Americans in Iraq, according to a news release. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., offered his full support for the decision to kill Soleimani, who was head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States. Soleimani was responsible for the murder of hundreds of Americans," Toomey said. The world is a better place now that he is dead. Every American should be grateful to our armed forces who carried out this strike with incredible skill and precision. The Trump administration was right to restore deterrence against Iran. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., on Friday demanded the Trump administration brief Congress next week on issues including the legal basis for the strike. Wild said House members of both parties "have made it clear that the 2001 Authorization of Military Force does not allow for military action against Iran." Casey said he's also looking for the intelligence used to authorize the strike; the nature of the threat to U.S. interests articulated by the Pentagon; and any preparation for potential retaliation by the Iranian regime against Americans. Qassim Suleimani was a military figure who inflicted terror and killed thousands in Israel, Iraq, Syria and other places," Casey stated, using an alternate spelling of the general's name. "He was directly responsible for the killing of hundreds of American soldiers and civilians. The world is safer with him gone." "I have grave concerns that President Trump and his Administration have not provided the American people with a comprehensive strategy on Iran," Casey continued. U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, a Democrat who represents the Phillipsburg area in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, called Soleimani "a mass killer with the blood of Americans and countless Syrians/Iraqis/Iranians on his hands." But he, too, called for the Trump administration to immediately defend its decision. "When you lie about big and small things each day, no one is going to trust you unless you show the evidence," he said via Twitter. What's needed now from the administration: 1. Immediately brief Congress on the intelligence the administration claims required the strike. When you lie about big and small things each day, no one is going to trust you unless you show the evidence. Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) January 3, 2020 For the war protesters in Bethlehem, the United States has overstayed its welcome in Iraq and should be bringing troops home, not enflaming tensions. We hope Congress will do something or try to do something, and this is very crazy, said organizer Nancy Tate, with the Bethlehem-based Lepoco Peace Center. And the people who are going to get hurt, maybe some U.S. citizens, some U.S. soldiers, but its mostly going to be the people in the Middle East, who have been suffering all these couple, three decades now from the wars weve been part of. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Related news from our sister sites: Heres how N.J. gas prices could rise because of conflict in Iran U.S. sending troops to Middle East as Iran threatens retaliation for generals death over many many years Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A change of weather on Sunday brought some respite for fire-ravaged southeastern Australia after a day of blazes that killed two people and injured four firefighters, although authorities warned the worst is yet to come. A southerly change that came through on Saturday night brought cooler temperatures, after they topped 40C (104F) in many areas, and there was even the prospect of some light rain in coastal areas in the coming days. But high temperatures and strong winds earlier on Saturday fuelled fires burning on an entirely new level along Australias east coast. Prime minister Scott Morrison is facing criticism for his handling of the disaster, with one firefighter telling 7NEWS Sydney: Go tell the prime minister to get f*****. He confirmed two more people died on Saturday, pushing the death toll up to 23, and has called up around 3,000 army reservists to help battle the fires. Mr Morrison told a news conference: We are facing another extremely difficult next 24 hours. In recent times, particularly over the course of the balance of this week, we have seen this disaster escalate to an entirely new level. Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the state of New South Wales on 31 December 2019 AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billows from a huge bushfire that has torched over 200,000 acres of land in East Gipplsand, Victoria on 2 January EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Residents look on as flames tear through bushland in Lake Tabouriee, Australia on 4 January on 4 January Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola on 2 January Robert Oerlemans via AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighting helicopter tackles a bushfire in East Gippsland, Victoria on 31 December EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter gives water to a parched koala in Cudlee Creek, South Australia AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters tackle a blaze as it tears through a farm in New South Wales on 21 December AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The sky is turned red over East Gippsland as fires continue to rage through Australian bushland on 4 January Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A kangaroo near bushfires in Nowra AFP/Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures An aerial view of a bushfire near Bairnsdale State Government of Victoria/EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters work to tackle a blaze on the outskirts of Sydney on 31 December 2019 Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighting helicopter dumps water on a bushfire on the outskirts of the town of Bargo near Sydney Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Children play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A satellite image of the Batemans Bay showing smoke and fire from wild bushfires European Union, Copernicus Sentinel Data via REUTERS Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The afternoon sky glows red from bushfires in Nowra AFP/Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The sky glows red as bushfires continue to rage in Mallacoota, Victoria Jonty Smith via Reuters Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The remains of burnt out buildings along a main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo AFP/Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters try to protect homes around Charmhaven, New South Wales NSW Rural Fire Service/AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale Glen Morey via AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Business owners stand in front of their shop which was destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A helicopter dumping water on a fire in Victoria's East Gippsland region Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning/AFP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Think smoke from bushfires fills the air in eastern Gippsland Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures "Carmelised" snow caused by dust from Australian bushfires is seen near Franz Josef glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand Reuters Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland, Victoria. More than 800,000 hectares have been burnt in East Gippsland EPA/DELWP Gippsland Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland EPA/DELWP Gippsland Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures LIFES.A.BREEZE via Reuters Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke and wildfire rage behind Lake Conjola Robert Oerlemans via AP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A house and van are seen destroyed after bushfires ravaged the town of Bilpin, west of Sydney AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A helicopter fighting a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region State Government of Victoria/AFP Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Fire and Rescue personal run to move their truck as a bushfire burns next to a major road and homes on the outskirts of the town of Bilpin Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Amy, left, and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter sprays foam retardant on a back burn ahead of a fire front in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Nowra AFP via Getty Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Property under threat from the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield EPA Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The main street of the New South Wales town of Bombala is pictured shrouded in smoke from nearby bushfires AFP via Getty A father and son who had been battling flames for two days became the latest victims of the worst wildfire in Australian history on Saturday. The bodies of Dick Lang, 78, an acclaimed bush pilot and outback safari operator, and his 43-year-old son Clayton Lang were found on a highway on Kangaroo Island. Their family said their losses left them heartbroken and reeling from this double tragedy. Temperatures rose to record levels across the country, hitting 43C in Canberra and 48.9C in Penrith, resulting in increased fire danger. By Saturday evening, 3,600 firefighters were battling blazes across New South Wales (NSW). Power was lost in some areas as fires downed transmission lines, and residents were warned that the worst may be yet to come. NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said: We are now in a position where we are saying to people its not safe to move, its not safe to leave these areas, We are in for a long night and I make no bones about that. We are still yet to hit the worst of it. Mr Morrison said the governor general had signed off on the calling up of reserves to search and bring every possible capability to bear by deploying army brigades to fire-affected communities. According to defence minister Linda Reynolds, it is the first time reservists have been called up in this way in living memory and, in fact, I believe for the first time in our nations history. More than 130 fires are burning in NSW, with at least half of them out of control. Firefighters are battling 53 fires across Victoria state, and conditions are expected to worsen with a southerly wind change. The Bureau of Meteorology warned conditions would deteriorate rapidly as strong winds and smoke plumes from the fires triggered dry lightning storms and fire tornadoes. Authorities have been urging people to leave their homes in at-risk areas throughout the week. But on Saturday, the NSW Rural Fire Service advised those still in certain high-risk areas: It is too late to leave. Seek shelter as the fire approaches. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire. Scores of homes have been lost to the fires, which have razed over 5.25 million hectares (13 million acres) of land since they began in September. Emotions were running high among firefighters who feel powerless to stop the raging fires. One firefighter who lost his home was filmed refusing to shake Mr Morrisons hand on Friday when the prime minister visited Cobargo, NSW, where a father and son were killed by fires earlier in the week. On Twitter, author Matthew Battles said a firefighter friend wrote to him: Fighting the fires has been very upsetting I have never had a shift go less than 16 hours and once we went for 21 hours without a break. My emotions are always only millimetres from the surface. I cry at the drop of a hat. I keep crying, because we cannot save all of the houses and people. People beg us to save their horses, their cows, their dogs. There are burned animals piled against the remnants of the barbed wire fences. The f****** cattle dogs will not leave the livestock they cared for. They die with the cows. I am crying now. Additional reporting by agencies Knaves in power and fools as the populace View(s): Duplicitous politicians who engage in constitutional games to hoodwink the public must be clearly exposed for the truly shameful creatures that they are. Chopping and changing the primary text Constitution-making in Sri Lanka has generally been instrumental. Amendments to the nations primary text are driven by obvious political agendas. There are rare exceptions like the 17th Amendment to the Constitution (2001) when political parties stripped themselves of power in order to de-politicise the governance process. It was here that the idea of independent constitutional commissions and the reining in of excessive presidential/parliamentary powers was born. But the 17th Amendment had a short shelf life as the political establishment united as one in violently resisting dilution of powers. And to put the record straight, this was true of the liberal United National Party (UNP) as well as of the very proponent of the 17th Amendment, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The first chink in this progressive amendment came when then President Chandrika Kumaratunga refused to appoint a retired Supreme Court judge as Chairman of the Elections Commission despite repeated recommendations of the Constitutional Council (CC). The CC, at the time, consisted of a majority of non-politicians unlike its defanged successor in the 19th Amendment. It refused to withdraw its nominee and insisted, albeit vainly, that the President must give reasons for failure to appoint. Once that undermining began, it became very easy for the Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidency to replace the CC entirely through the 18th Amendment with a useless Parliamentary Council which rubber stamped the Presidents decisions. The point however was this end result was brought about by the combined political consensus rather than the Rajapaksa Presidency (2005-2014) alone, contrary to the convenient yahapalanaya narrative peddled in recent years. In 2015, parliamentarians who voted for the 18th Amendment, unhesitatingly voted for the 19th Amendment which clamped fetters on the unrestricted and arbitrary use of presidential powers when making appointments to key positions, including the Chief Justice and members of the superior judiciary. Coming of full (constitutional)circle Now, in a fittingly grotesque coming of the full (constitutional) circle, we have the very same Minister of Justice (Wijayadasa Rajapaksa) who presented that 19th Amendment to the House, proposing an amendment (through a Private Members Bill of all expedient devices), seeking to restore presidential powers to their earlier monarchical status. This is not mere constitutional instrumentalism but something far more insidiously dangerous. Its purported intent to allow the President to hold the Defence Ministry in his hand, justified by the hysterical mantra that national security demands the same, obscures a hidden purpose. This is to return the process of making appointments to the higher judiciary to a nakedly political process. The 18th Amendment had established an ineffective Parliamentary Council from which the President could seek observations. This time around, the proposed constitutional amendment which is replete with grammatical errors, (naturally the case given that its author is a Presidents Counsel and holds a double doctorate, since we are not living in times when these prefixes/suffixes mean a whole lot), goes a disgraceful step further. Clause 2 (1) suggests that the President shall appoint the Chief Justice and members of the superior judiciary after ascertaining the views of the Judicial Service (sic) Commission. In actual fact, it does not quite say this. What it does say is that The President shall appointed the Judge referred to in Part One of the Schedule to this Article after ascertaining the views of the Judicial Services Commission. Disentangling the atrocious language (how do Bills of this nature get gazetted in the first place in this wondrous isle?), there are palpable curiosities at play. The Judge referred to in Part One of the Schedule includes not only individual justices but members of the Judicial Service Commission as well. In other words, this clause calls upon the President to appoint members to a body subject to a redundant condition that he/she may ascertain the views of that same body. This is a fine example of woefully circuitous if not dysfunctional drafting, if there ever was one. Clause 2(2) meanwhile proposes that when appointing individuals to key positions such as the Office of the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and so on, the President may ascertain the views of the Prime Minister. In the current political scenario, this would mean one Rajapaksa (the President) having a brotherly chat with another Rajapaksa (the Prime Minister). It does not need underscoring that this so-called ascertainment of views will be far worse than the 18th Amendments rubber-stamping Parliamentary Council. Is this what Novembers voters wanted? Interestingly, this amendment is presented with astounding chutzpah. It is almost as if the entire furore over the 18th Amendment was never in issue. What is only lacking is that its supporters are yet to argue that, one point four million of Sri Lankas voters (the winning percentage in Novembers Presidential elections last year) would want this constitutional atrocity to come about. This is not far fetched. Indeed, a Government spokesman bleated this week that this magical percentage had wanted the National Anthem to be sung in Sinhala only, rather than in Sinhala and Tamil. It is, of course, eminently unclear as to the logic of this claim, apart from the usual bovine stupidity which is a characteristic of politicians the world over. All this is not to say that the 19th Amendment is without flaws. Its drafting was perhaps as instrumentally driven as its predecessors. As observed many times in these column spaces, its contents were clumsy in crucial respects leading to vitriolic clashes over Presidential powers, one such clash being famously referred to the Supreme Court in late 2018 resulting in the President at the time being judicially rapped over the knuckles. Apart from the composition of the Constitutional Council (CC) being weighted in favour of politicians, due to an amendment proposed by the Rajapaksa lobby, it could have been more far sighted in pre-empting the inevitable challenging of its recommendations by making the process far more transparent than it was. The fact that its decision-making was fair, by and large, is no excuse. The well-known adage is, after all, that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. If that caution had been observed at the time, adversaries who now shout from the rooftops that the CC must be done away with, would have less grist to their unholy mill. But that critique of the 19th Amendment does not mean that we must return to the injustices of the 18th Amendment. In the final result, Sri Lankas constitutional making does not merely illustrate the fact that principled politics (maybe an oxymoron in terms) has no place. Rather, this constitutional circus that we are routinely subjected to when one lot is thrown out and another comes in, shows that we have knaves in the seats of power and fools as the sheep-like populace. It is as bitterly simple as that. The Delhi High Court has granted relief to two rape convicts, Ganesh and Kismat Ali, after the victim expressed no objection over the reduction of their sentence. On September 13, 2002, Ganesh was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and slapped with a fine of Rs 3000. The court observed that Ali did not rape the prosecutrix [the victim] and was thus held entitled to a lesser sentence. Ali was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for five years for being party to the crime and was asked to pay a fine of Rs 2000. Later, Ganesh married the victim on January 1, 2003. On January 16, 2006, the sentence of both appellants Ganesh and Ali was suspended. The appeals were thereafter taken up for final hearing on March 29, 2019, but the appellants Ganesh and Ali did not come and thereafter non-bailable warrants were issued against them and both of them were arrested and remanded into judicial custody. Thereafter the appellants have remained in judicial custody. However, the prosecutrix [the victim] through her affidavit submitted that after her marriage with the appellant Ganesh she lived with him for about two years and thereafter because of temperamental differences they consented to separate from each other and live peacefully after separation. She also said that later in 2006, she married another guy and was blessed with a son. The affidavit of the prosecutrix also reflects that after separation the appellant Ganesh also got married to another woman and has been blessed with two children. The prosecutrix has further submitted that she is leading a peaceful life and has no grudge against the appellant and does not wish to see him serving the sentence anymore and has no objection if the conviction of the appellant is reduced to the sentence undergone. "In view of the affidavit that has been filed by the prosecutrix though only qua the appellant Ganesh, taking into account the impugned sentence which has granted a lesser sentence to Kismat Ali, it is considered appropriate that both the appellants are treated at par in view of the affidavit of the prosecutrix and the impugned order on sentence," Justice Anu Malhotra said. It added, "In view of the affidavit of the prosecutrix..., it is considered appropriate in the interest of justice that both the appellants are allowed to be released on the period of detention already undergone by them and the deposit of the fine as imposed by the impugned order on sentence qua both the appellants are waived. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) - Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata said the attackers were pursued immediately after the attack - Al-Shabaab militants killed three passengers and injured several others when they ambushed a Lamu bound bus on Thursday, January 2 - The terrorists allegedly tried to forcefully enter the bus but the driver identified as Raymond Kahindi sped off forcing them to spray it with bullets Kenya Defense Forces soldiers killed four suspected al-Shabaab militants on Thursday, December 2, the same day a bus was attacked in Lamu county by the group killing three passengers and injuring an unknown number of people. The deaths were confirmed by Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata who gave a press report after a Mombasa Raha bus was ambushed on its way to Lamu from the coastal city of Mombasa. READ ALSO: 11 lovely photos of Senator Murkomen on romantic hike in the village with wife The Mombasa Raha bus was attacked by al-Shabaab militants on its way to Lamu from Mombasa. Photo: The Standard. Source: UGC READ ALSO: MP Didmus Barasa vows to fight colleagues using state power to protect family businesses The Coast regional coordinator said security teams were immediately deployed to the region after the attack leading to the killing of the four as one was captured alive. The terrorists allegedly tried to forcefully enter the bus but the driver identified as Raymond Kahindi sped off forcing them to spray it with bullets. Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata said KDF killed 4 suspected al-Shabaab militants after Lamu bus attack. Photo: Daily Nation. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Askofu mkuu Patrick Lihanda wa kanisa la PAG adai maisha yake yamo hatarini The driver said he had overtaken two other buses at Nyongoro area that were heading to Lamu before he was attacked. "When I reached Gamba Police Station where we usually pick our escort team, I found only one escort was waiting for me, I was allowed to go on and I managed to overtake the other two buses that were ahead of me," he was quoted by the Daily Nation. The Mombasa Raha bus driver said he had overtaken two other buses at Nyongoro area that were heading to Lamu before they were attacked. Photo: Daily Nation. Source: UGC The driver revealed he helped save the lives of passengers when moving some distance from where the attackers were and asking them to run to the bushes for their dear lives. "At that time I had a chance to call the escort team and inform them what had happened. I tried calling them severally but I would not get them on phone, their number was busy," he said. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. Grand Father from heaven I Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Television personality Tom Williams has finally confirmed his appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia, after weeks of speculation. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, the 49-year-old admitted that 'the expectations are high' as he prepares to move into the South African jungle. Tom went on to reveal how Steve Irwin inspired him to sign up for the reality show. See you in the jungle! Television presenter Tom Williams (pictured) has finally confirmed his appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia, after weeks of speculation 'Back in 2002, I was doing a story with Steve and after four hours of working together, he goes, "Mate, you're incurable... you and the snake are never going to be friends",' said Tom. However, the former Great Outdoors presenter used Steve's words as motivation to continue saying 'yes' to adventures and pushing himself with his career. Tom, who won Dancing With The Stars in 2005, is the third star confirmed for the new season of I'm A Celebrity, ahead of the show's premiere on Sunday night. New gig! Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph , Tom, 49, admitted that 'the expectations are high' and how Steve Irwin inspired him to do the show. Pictured: Tom with wife Rachel Gilbert 'Back in 2002, I was doing a story with Steve and he goes, "Mate, you're incurable... you and the snake are never going to be friends",' said Tom. Pictured: Steve Irwin in 2002 He will join Geordie Shore's Charlotte Crosby and chef Miguel Maestre in the jungle. The show will mark Tom's return to television, after quitting his role with Channel Seven last year, after 17 years with the network, to become a real estate agent. 'From the market point of view, it was the worst year in the world to get into the real estate business... I picked a tough one,' he now reflects. Challenge accepted! However, the former Great Outdoors presenter used Steve's words as motivation to continue saying 'yes' to adventure and pushing himself with his career Other stars rumoured to be appearing on I'm A Celebrity include Married At First Sight's Ryan Gallagher and Love Island Australia's Erin Barnett. Retired AFL player Billy Brownless, radio star Myf Warhurst and entertainer Rhonda Burchmore have also been linked to the new season. I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! returns to Channel 10 at 19:30 on Sunday By Trend Chinas banking and insurance regulator (CBIRC) has released new rules which make it easier for foreign lenders to enter the Chinese market, Trend with reference to Reuters reports. The measures cancel the total asset requirements for foreign banks to set up businesses in China and relax limitations on shareholders of joint venture lenders, according to a notice posted on the CBIRC official website late on Friday. Foreign lenders will also be able to open both branches and wholly foreign-owned banks at the same time in China, it said. Meanwhile, the requirements for equity management and anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing have been tightened, it added. China said in October it planned to remove business restrictions on foreign banks, brokerages and fund management firms. The country is currently locked in a tit-for-tat trade battle with the United States in which China has been touting its free trade credentials. But the two sides have agreed on a partial deal which could be signed soon. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz DUBLIN (BCN) A woman who was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend when she allegedly broke into his Dublin home with an armed male accomplice on Wednesday night was identified by police and the Alameda County coroner on Friday as 28-year-old Adrianna Marie Navarro of Vallejo. Dublin police say they believe Navarro's ex-boyfriend acted in self-defense after Navarro and her male accomplice, identified on Friday as 28-year-old Rickey Tyrone White Jr., 28, of Vallejo, attempted to assault him at his home in the 3400 block of Monaghan Street in Dublin at about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Dublin police Capt. Nate Schmidt said in a news release that the man who lives at the house told investigators that he was asleep when he awoke to banging on his front door. When the man opened the door he was confronted by Navarro and White, who was pointing a gun at him, according to Schmidt. Navarro and White tried to assault her ex-boyfriend so he fired his own gun at them in self-defense as he fled his home and called police, Schmidt wrote. It's believed that White fired at the resident as he fled but the resident wasn't injured, according to Schmidt. Navarro was pronounced dead at the scene and White was treated at a local hospital for wounds that weren't life-threatening, according to Schmidt. Police aren't releasing Navarro's ex-boyfriend's name at this time. Police said White has been released from the hospital and is the process of being booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and home-invasion robbery. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office will decide next week whether to file charges against White. Under the provocative act doctrine, White could be charged with murder for Navarro's death even though he didn't fire the shot that killed her. The doctrine applies when someone commits a dangerous act, such as firing or brandishing a gun, that provokes someone into killing someone else. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. People are evacuated from Mallacoota, Victoria state, as the bushfires rage People are evacuated from Mallacoota, Victoria state, as the bushfires rage One of the largest evacuations in Australia's history is under way ahead of hot weather and strong winds that are forecast to worsen devastating wildfires raging across the country. More than 200 fires were burning and warnings of extreme danger over the weekend prompted mass evacuations. Traffic was gridlocked as people fled and firefighters escorted convoys of evacuees as fires threatened to close roads. Navy ships were called in to pluck hundreds of people stranded on beaches. Victoria premier Daniel Andrews declared a disaster across much of the eastern part of the state, allowing the government to order evacuations in an area with as many as 140,000 permanent residents and tens of thousands more tourists. In South Australia state fire officials said the weather conditions were a cause for concern because fires were still burning or smouldering. "The ignition sources are already there," Country Fire Service chief officer Mark Jones said. The early and devastating start to Australia's summer wildfires has made this season the worst on record. About five million hectares of land have burned, at least 19 people have been killed and more than 1,400 homes have been destroyed. This week at least 448 homes have been destroyed on the New South Wales southern coast and dozens were also burned in Victoria. Ten deaths have been confirmed in the two states this week and Victoria authorities also say 28 people are missing. Fires are also burning in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. The navy evacuated hundreds of people from Mallacoota, a coastal town in Victoria cut off for days by wildfires that forced as many as 4,000 residents and tourists to take shelter on beaches. Landing craft ferried people to the HMAS Choules offshore. Smoke from the wildfires has choked air quality and turned daytime skies to near-night-time darkness in the worst-hit areas. The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) shifted Info Edge (India), Adani Transmission, RECL, Kansai Nerolac and Muthoot Finance to the large-cap category from mid-cap on January 3. On the other hand, Cadila Healthcare, New India Assurance Company, Vodafone Idea, Indiabulls Housing Finance and Yes Bank have been moved to the mid-cap category. AMFI carries out this exercise every six months between July and January, as mandated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In order to ensure uniformity and clarity, the market regulator had in 2017 defined small-caps, mid-caps and large-caps. Since then, AMFI, in consultation with SEBI and stock exchanges, prepares a list of stocks once in six months based on the data provided by the BSE, National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (MSEI). Earlier, there was no standard definition to classify companies as large, mid or smallcap. Each fund house would employ its own criteria for deciding the same. This would lead to huge differences in the classification of companies by various asset management companies. Moreover, for investors, comparing two funds from the same category would sometimes result in an apple to orange comparison. As per the new rules, the top 100 companies, in terms of market capitalisation, will be considered as large-caps, the 101st to 250th companies will be considered as mid-caps and the 251st onwards will be considered small-caps. Along with this, SEBI laid down minimum investment criteria for large, mid and small-cap companies. As per these criteria, any mid-cap fund is now mandated to maintain 65 percent of its portfolio in mid-cap stocks. This editorial has been updated. An impeachment trial with testimony from key witnesses is the only fair way for the Senate to render a verdict on whether to remove President Trump from office. The president himself has demanded no less. I would love to have Mike Pompeo. Id love to have Mick. Id love to have Rick Perry and many other people testify. But I dont want them to testify when this is a total fix, Mr. Trump said last month when asked why so many of his top administration officials including his secretary of state; his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney; and his former energy secretary were not testifying in impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives. I want them to testify in the Senate where theyll get a fair trial. Mr. Trump omitted one pertinent name from that list: John Bolton, his former national security adviser. Mr. Bolton may know as much as anyone in the administration about what Mr. Trump was doing when he froze hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine. On Monday, Mr. Bolton announced that he would be willing to testify in a Senate trial if subpoenaed. He had previously declined to appear before the House, saying he would wait for a federal court to rule first on a constitutional dispute between Congress and the White House, which had ordered him and others not to testify. Condemning the alleged attack on Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Saturday said she didn't know where Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has fled and questioned whether he will hug the ISI chief after this incident. Addressing a joint conference here with BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, she said that there have been consistent acts of violence on religious places in Pakistan and minorities have been subject to threats of conversion and rapes for decades. There have been thousands of incidents where young girls have been picked up, forcibly converted and married off to Muslim boys, while the police, government and other agencies are part and parcel of the process, Lekhi alleged. The Nankana incident shows how minorities there are persecuted there, she claimed. "The persecution continues unabated since the creation of Pakistan, resulting in forced migration of such persecuted minorities into India. This not only justifies the necessity of an act like the CAA but also stresses the need for its immediate implementation. Pakistan now proves that CAA is right and is timely," she said. Citing that Nankana Sahib is the holiest shrine for Sikhs, Lekhi said that attacks on it are equivalent to someone attacking Kaaba or Jerusalem. "I don't know where Sidhu paaji has fled. Somebody should find out where is Navjot Singh Sidhu? If, even after all this, he wants to hug the ISI chief, then Congress should look into it," Lekhi said. "The Pakistan and society must know that Pakistani Sikhs are the offsprings of that soil and continue to have faith and duty towards that soil and thus, did not migrate and chose to remain there. She claimed that they had even threatened to change the name of Nankana Sahib to Ghulam-e-Mustafa and stressed that this was the condition in Pakistan in the 21st century. Chug said the incident should open the eyes of Congress leaders, opposition parties and "urban Naxals" who have been opposing the amended Citizenship Act. He also questioned the silence of the Kerala chief minister as the state assembly recently had passed a resolution against the CAA. Chug also thanked the Ministry of External Affairs for calling upon the neighbouring country to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community there. The ministry said members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place," the MEA said in a statement. "We call upon Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the MEA added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TORRINGTON The citys first baby of 2020 wasnt born until Jan. 2 and according to his mother, arrived with little drama or pain. It was smooth, said Amarilis Vermette, who was resting with her newborn, Jayden, in the maternity ward at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. It was nothing like the stories Ive heard at all. It was very different from what Ive been told. The young mother and father, Andrew Julia, are parents for the first time. Jayden was born at 1:36 p.m. and weight in at 7 pounds, 2.8 ounces. He arrived three days early his due date was Jan. 5 with a head of straight, thick black hair. On Friday, the day-old baby was dressed in a blue onesie and lay contentedly in his mothers arms, while his father looked on with a huge smile on his face. It feels amazing, Julia said, when asked what it was like to be a first-time father. Im still a little nervous ... hes a new baby, and everything. But it feels amazing. Julia works at Sliders and Target, both in Torrington. Vermette is studying early childhood development at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, and plans to become a teacher. Shes also a cook at Litchfield Woods. On a wall behind Vermettes bed hung a large wreath with ribbons, snowflakes, a stuffed animal, a storybook and small toys, which was created by staff members in the hospitals maternity center. The wreaths were part of a contest, challenging departments at hospitals in the Hartford Healthcare network to make them with the theme, Guess How Much I Love You. The maternity centers wreath won first place out of 12 entries, with nearly 300 votes. Im so glad we were able to put it in the babys room, and that we won the contest, said Cathy OMeara, a multi-skill technician in the CHH maternity center. The family also received a large basket from Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, filled with gifts for the newborn baby. By PTI NEW DELHI: Air India chief Ashwani Lohani on Saturday said that "rumours" of the disinvestment-bound airline's shutdown are "all baseless", weeks after he told the Civil Aviation Ministry that the carrier's financial situation was "grossly untenable" for sustaining operations. "Rumours regarding Air India shutting down or closing operations are all baseless. Air India would continue to fly and also expand and there should be no cause for concern whatsoever to travellers, corporates or agents. Air India the national carrier is still the biggest airline of India," the Air India Chairman and Managing Director tweeted. In a letter to the ministry last month, he had said, "It also needs appreciation that the overall financial situation is grossly untenable and the airline may not be able to sustain physical operations in the absence of immediate government intervention and support that we have been repeatedly requesting for in the recent past." Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had clarified on December 31 that the national carrier, which is incurring a loss of Rs 20-26 crore daily, will keep on running till it is privatised. While Air India's net loss in 2018-19 was around Rs 8,556 crore, its current total debt is around Rs 80,000 crore. ALSO READ | WATCH | Passengers 'manhandle' Air India crew, threaten to break cockpit door on Delhi-Mumbai flight "We made an attempt two years ago. That attempt proved to be less than successful. We have learnt from that experience. It is our endeavour now that we will be issuing an expression of interest in the coming few weeks. Hopefully, sooner than later," Puri had said. In 2018, the government had proposed to offload 76 per cent equity share capital of the national carrier as well as transfer the management control to private players. However, the offer failed to attract any bidder when the deadline for initial bids closed on May 31, 2018. Therefore, the Centre re-started the disinvestment process this year. The Centre plans to divest its entire stake in Air India this time so as to make it attractive for private entities. At a meeting with some 13 Air India unions in Delhi on Thursday, Puri had said that the government was trying to address the concerns of the employees regarding issues such as job protection post-privatisation. Postgraduate student Reddy from India hopes to return to a calm campus when the new term starts at the University of Hong Kong later this month, after a winter of violent anti-government protests. Peace has been largely restored at the Pok Fu Lam campus, and posters and graffiti bearing pro-democracy messages scrawled all over the campus have been mostly erased. Security checks at entrances are tight, with only students and staff allowed in. Reddy, 21, who asked to be identified only by his surname, says he chose to come to Hong Kong two years ago because of the citys high academic standards and its international flavour. But a wave of demonstrations and violence on campus have disrupted his studies and made him worried about personal safety. His family back home question his decision to return. Chinese University has estimated it will cost HK$70 million to repair its Sha Tin campus after it was trashed by anti-government protesters. Photo: K.Y. Cheng They are worried about me, and they ask, why did you choose this particular place over elsewhere? he says. I did not know it when I chose to study here. I did not know that I signed up for this. The citys universities will start welcoming back students next week, including 18,060 non-local students enrolled in the citys eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee. They account for about 18 per cent of the total student population. Most non-local students come from mainland China, at 12,322 in the 2018-2019 academic year, followed by 1,479 from South Korea, 731 from Taiwan, 669 from India, 565 from Indonesia, 406 from Malaysia, statistics show. A total of 108 students come from the United States, while 34 students are from Britain. Apart from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the political turmoil, which has engulfed the city for nearly seven months, has also spilled over to Chinese University (CUHK), Baptist University, City University (CityU), Polytechnic University (PolyU), and the University of Science and Technology (HKUST). CUHK has estimated it will cost HK$70 million (US$8.9 million) to repair the campus, while CityU has said its bill will run into nine figures. Story continues Violent incidents on campuses in November forced universities to cancel classes or end the semester early. Violence at CUHK and PolyU forced non-local students to flee. The Education Bureau says it does not keep statistics on the number of non-local students who have dropped out. According to CityU, some have decided to cancel their exchange programmes for the new semester which will start on January 13, while other universities say the number of non-local students who have dropped out is similar to previous years. All six universities have increased the number of security personnel, and at PolyU, the site of a 13-day stand-off between radicals and police, a dedicated task force has been set up to ensure the security of the campus. I think the new term will be much better than the last one, maybe with only small-scale protests Zhou, a Chinese University doctoral student Hong Kong is a magnet for non-local students Hong Kong is home to some of the worlds best universities. Three Hong Kong universities ranked among the global top 50 in 2019 QS World University Rankings: HKU fared best in 25th place, while HKUST came 37th, and CUHK came 49th. The number of non-local students at Hong Kong universities has been increasing over the past five years, from 15,151 in 2014-2015, to 18,060 in 2018-2019. Damithri Melagoda, a 27-year-old HKU doctoral student in construction management from Sri Lanka, says she was thrilled to be accepted by the citys oldest university which has the largest non-local student population among all universities, at more than 4,500. Although I did not know the city very well, I knew its education system and the university ranking are very good, she says. Apart from the reputable education system, the international city, with a diverse culture and wide use of English, is appealing to non-local students. The citys close relationship with mainland China also attracts many. Hong Kong is one of the most advanced and mature financial hubs in Asia, and it is a portal for foreigners to enter mainland China, says Reddy, who chose Hong Kong over Singapore and London. Protests add to the list of challenges facing non-local students Hong Kongs high cost of living, the language barrier and cultural differences are well recognised challenges. But protests have disrupted their studies, and left them fearing for their safety. Mainland doctoral student Zhou, 28, will return to CUHK on January 6, when the new term begins. Asking to be identified by only his surname, he says he expects a calmer and friendlier campus where he can devote himself to his research. The MTR station serving the Sha Tin campus was closed for more than a month after protesters vandalised it, while the campus itself was the scene of intense clashes between radicals and police. For me as a non-local student, I feel my interests have been hurt because I came here purely to study Celeste, a masters student at HKU Everything seems to have returned to normal, he says. I think the new term will be much better than the last one, maybe with only small-scale protests. But still it is too early to say so, and unexpected things do happen. CUHK was one of the worst-hit campuses, occupied by radical protesters for four days in November. Protesters threw petrol bombs, bricks and other objects, while the police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds. Many of the universitys more than 3,800 non-local students, including those from Taiwan and South Korea, fled the campus. A group of mainland students left the campus by police boat on November 13. Zhou travelled to neighbouring Shenzhen after being persuaded to leave by his worried parents. We felt heartbroken to see our campus turn into chaos, he says. Reddy also went home for a week in November, after protesters at HKU set fire to the MTR station, barricaded the campus gates, and threw petrol bombs from a footbridge at people trying to clear the roads. He says more than half of his 70 classmates left the city. The violence on campuses forced universities to cancel graduation ceremonies, suspend the semester early and resort to online teaching. But students say live-streaming classes or uploading materials online was ineffective. Celeste, a masters student at HKU, says the university should have had better arrangements for non-local students who pay for school and accommodation. The 23-year-old from mainland China says she paid HK$76,000 in tuition last semester, and a monthly rent of HK$5,300. A group of students have drafted a list of proposals for the university, including a cut in tuition fees or reimbursement of the costs inflicted by protests, she says. A wall bearing the University of Hong Kong crest has the phrase, Inherit the past aspiration, to light the fire of the Revolution, Campus activism is normal, but not violence Despite the disruptions, Celeste says it is inevitable to see social movements at universities. For me as a non-local student, I feel my interests have been hurt because I came here purely to study, she says. But for local students, universities are more than just places to study, but also where they can participate in society. Melagoda, who will start her second term at HKU on January 20, says as she does not know much about the citys history, she respects the rights of others to express their thoughts, except for the violence and disruption. It is good to have politics on campus, but to some extent, she says. American student Spencer Patrick, a masters student in geology at HKU, says universities, not only in Hong Kong but around the world, are places for people to express political ideas. Universities are places where young people find themselves politically and socially, the 22-year-old says. They are a nexus for political debates. Holding a more positive attitude, he says witnessing the citys political unrest offers him an important life experience. Stay or go? Non-local students can apply to stay and work in Hong Kong under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG). Those who live in the city for seven years or more can apply for permanent residency. The Immigration Department approved 10,150 applications under IANG in 2018, including 9,206 from mainland applicants, statistics show. From January to September last year, a total of 9,296 applications were approved, according to the latest figures from the department. Mainland student Zhou says he plans to return home in east China after completing his doctoral studies in three years. He is discouraged by the political turmoil, along with the citys hectic lifestyle and the distance he feels from the local populace because of language and cultural barriers, he says. But Reddy still wants to give it a try in Hong Kong. With only one semester left before graduating in June, he has started looking for a job in the citys developed finance sector. Hong Kongs job market is open to foreigners. The good reputation of Hong Kong universities and their experienced, resourceful faculty will definitely help in terms of jobs, he says. More from South China Morning Post: This article Students returning to Hong Kong hope protest violence will stop so they can start studying again in peace first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. It has never been easier to be an undetected serial killer in the United States. Thats the opinion of two experts in the field of collecting murder data in America. And both men say that as you read this there are thousands of active serial killers roaming the U.S. Some operate in big cities, others prefer the wide open spaces of rural America. Heres the most frightening part: since only about 60% of murders are solved these days, that means about 40% of the time murderers will get away with it. If the uncaught are serial killers that being someone who has committed two or more separate murders often with a sadistic sexual component they will very likely murder again. The FBI maintains that serial killers account for fewer than 1% of all murders, but that assertion has been challenged by experts at the Murder Accountability Project. MAPs founder Thomas Hargrove and Director Michael Arntfield, the aforementioned experts in the field of murder data, believe savvy serial killers are responsible for a considerable number of those unsolved killings. Hargrove and Arntfield maintain that government murder statistics are sorely out of whack with reality. In large part because thousands of murders, specifically indigenous women and girls, have gone uncounted. MAP has now sued the Department of Justice, FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Defense and other federal agencies for failing to keep an accurate count as required by a 1988 law. They offer as evidence their carefully maintained database, the largest in the nation. There are more than 222,000 unsolved murders since 1980, Hargrove said. Ill say almost every major American city has multiple serial killers and multiple uncaught serial killers. Hargrove pegs the current number of active serial killers in the U.S. at more than 2,000. Arntfield, a former police detective and author of 12 books, thinks the number is much higher between 3,000 and 4,000 active serial killers. He attributes the high percentage of unsolved murders to several things: the dissolution of communities where people look out for each other, less experienced police detectives being assigned to homicide cases, smarter killers who learned from television how to fool cops by staging scenes or planting meaningless evidence and occupations such as long-distance truckers that make detecting serial killers next to impossible. The (FBIs) Highway Serial Killer Initiative has about 400 to 450 offender profiles of unidentified subjects on its database alone that are involved in the trucking industry, Arntfield said. These drivers can cover the entire interstate system in the United States, frequently traveling through isolated areas and into Canada. They might pick up a stranger in one state and when the unidentified body is found several states away police have few clues to follow. Other top occupations of known serial killers, Arntfield writes in his book Murder in Plain English, include police officers, military personnel, forestry workers, hotel porters and warehouse managers. And in case you wondered, a majority of serial killers, 52%, are white men. Their favorite weapon, according to Arntfield, was a gun, 42%, but some used poison and a few preferred an axe. It is important to note that none of Arntfields findings pertained to Samuel Little, 79, now identified by the FBI as the most prolific serial killer in American history. Little is a Black man. He worked as a boxer and an ambulance attendant. He said he strangled women to death for the sexual pleasure of it. He has confessed to murdering 93 women over four decades beginning in 1970. The FBI believes all his confessions are credible. A sad sidebar to all these statistics. A majority of the victims of serial killers are women. Many come from hard-knock backgrounds. Some are prostitutes, many are addicted to drugs. None of that means their murders should be ignored. And it doesnt mean federal agencies should fail to include them in the official murder tally. www.DianeDimond.com; e-mail to Diane@DianeDimond.com. Meerut: Recently, efforts are being made to spoil the atmosphere in Mawana before the prayers of Jumme in Meerut district of UP. In the third locality, some youths raised slogans in support of Pakistan. An accused has been taken into custody by the police. At the same time, in the afternoon, SDM Mawana Rishiraj, CO UN Mishra Force was on patrol due to the alert. According to the police, as soon as the convoy of these officers passed through the Mohalla third, some youths standing at the crossroads were shouting slogans in favor of Pakistan. CAA: Why there was no ruckus during the Vajpayee government, why now? Yashwant Sinha replied After this, a young man was caught by the Mawana police, while the other accused youth escaped. Where an eyewitness told that the caught young man has raised slogans. The youth caught in the investigation has refused to raise slogans. He says that the slogan has been imposed by someone else, he will recognize it. He was just standing there. It was told that the Mawana police filed a case of sedition against Abujar's son Jarrar and took him into custody. At the same time, SSP Ajay Sahni has said that one of the accused has been detained. The search for the remaining accused has been raided. As soon as he said that soon the remaining accused would also be detained. Mayawati fires CM Gehlot, gives a horrific address on the death of children According to media reports, ADG Prashant Kumar said that after the Friday prayers in the Mawana police station area, some youths raised slogans in support of Pakistan. While taking action by the local police, one accused has been detained. Now more accused will also be arrested. He said that strict action is being taken against the accused. 'Beta Ballaamaar- Baap Aagabaaj' Congress attacks Kailash Vijayvargiya over his 'fire' statement COLLINSVILLE A Madison man was charged Friday in connection to a Dec. 23 shooting that left one person dead and two inujured. Howard E. Doolin, 35, of Madison, has been charged by the St. Clair County States Attorneys office with first degree murder, armed habitual criminal, armed robbery with discharge of firearm, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm while on parole, according to Illinois State Police in Collinsville. BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga exchanged New Year congratulations on Wednesday, pledging to enhance their countries' cooperation. In his message, Xi said that 2019 witnessed significant progress in China-Mongolia relations, with the two sides marking the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and achieving fruitful results in exchanges and cooperation in various fields. He recalled that when Battulga paid a state visit to China and attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation last April, they had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus, providing important political guidance for bilateral relations. Stressing that he attaches great importance to China-Mongolia relations, Xi pledged to work with Battulga to push for new progress in the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to benefit the two countries and their peoples. For his part, Battulga recalled that in 2019 Mongolia and China held grand celebrations for the historic year of the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, adding that through joint efforts of the two peoples, the Mongolia-China comprehensive strategic partnership has achieved all-round development. As permanent neighbors, Mongolia and China have always been committed to regional security and development while respecting each other's development path as well as interests and concerns, Battulga said. He said he stands ready to maintain close cooperation with Xi and wishes China prosperity and progress. (Source: Xinhua) New Delhi/Islamabad, Jan 4 : In exchange for resumption of military to military cooperation, Pakistan has extended tacit support to the US over its air strikes that killed Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Major Gen Qassem Soleimani and other top military officials in Baghdad. Pakistan has remained conspicuous by its silence over the strikes and escalation of tensions between the US and Iran. Top intelligence sources said Pakistan, which blamed Soleimani for Baloch militant attacks against its forces, found an opportunity to "kill two birds with one stone" when the US sought its support after the operation. According to a leaked letter of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 personnel of Pakistan Armed Forces were killed recently by Baloch militants based in Iran. It was one of the several attacks sponsored by Iranian intelligence chief Soleimani against Pakistan. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday took Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa into confidence after the air strike against the IRGC. In a tweet, Pompeo revealed that he had spoken to Bajwa about the US "defensive action to kill Qassem Soleimani". Soon after, the US authorised resumption of Pakistan's participation in the much-coveted International Military Education and Training Programme (IMET). US President Donald Trump allowed Pakistan to rejoin the programme, which was frozen two years ago due to Islamabad's lack of action against terror groups. However, the overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect, the US Secretary of State said. Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Assistant Credit Officer / Credit Officer in Structured Loan Services wygaso z dniem 2020-02-03 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia ogoszenia to: oferta zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszej bazy firma zakonczya proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc osob ogoszeniodawca zmodyfikowa tresc ogoszenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych nieprawidowy adres url ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Bankowosc / Leasing, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Bankowosc / Leasing Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Assistant Credit Officer / Credit Officer in Structured Loan Services, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Assistant Credit Officer / Credit Officer in Structured Loan Services Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: odz, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca odz Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne oferty, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: A dog whose love for chasing squirrels saw her disqualified from training as a guide dog and sniffer dog has finally found her calling, keeping distressed detainees calm. Five-year-old River was bred by the guide dogs association to work guiding the blind, but due to her tendency to suddenly run off after squirrels she didn't make the grade. Moving on to another honourable profession the pup, who was then 18 months old, was given a trial as a sniffer dog at Maidstone police station in Kent - but only lasted two days until she was deemed not trainable. Just as River was about to be rehomed away from the force Sergeant Ian Sutton, 44, from Maidstone police's dog unit, stepped in, agreeing to take the young canine as his personal pet after his own Labrador died six months before. Five-year-old River (pictured) was bred by the guide dogs association to work guiding the blind, but due to her tendency to suddenly run off after squirrels she didn't make the grade Not long after this Sergeant Sutton took on a new job in the custody suite and spotted a niche for his people-loving pup - offering support to vulnerable and suicidal detainees. After proving her abilities River was soon hired to come to work with her owner for every shift and was able to calm suicidal detainees to the point that they were taken off constant watch. Sergeant Sutton told The Times: 'She's not cut out to be a working dog. But because of her guide dog training, she's very calm. She's a 'people person'.' After proving her abilities River (pictured) was soon hired to come to work with her owner Sergeant Ian Sutton (pictured) for every shift He explained how the pooch even helped one woman overcome a panic attack that had caused her to stop communicating and become abusive - kneeling to the floor to cuddle and cry with the canine just moments after meeting River. Although support dogs are commonly used for nervous witnesses in court, River is the first to be used by police in the cells. Sergeant Sutton said: 'We are often dealing with people in crisis and although their behaviour has resulted in arrest, they could be suffering with depression, anxiety or mental illness. Although support dogs are commonly used for nervous witnesses in court, River is the first to be used by police in the cells 'Being detained can exacerbate these issues and we are committed to ensure that police custody is a safe and supportive environment for both police, staff and detainees. 'We are always looking for new or innovative ways to achieve this.' Additionally the young dog has also taken on the part-time role as a therapy dog working with special educational needs children after being awarded accreditation by the Pets as Therapy organisation. There are procedures in place to ensure River remains safe whilst going about her duties with Kent Police, her handler is always there watching over her, she has access to fresh water and food and she is also taken out for regular breaks. Sergeant Sutton added: River has joined the team to offer emotional support to people who are experiencing difficulties, she provides a therapeutic benefit to those in crisis and helps to counter some of the negative behaviour we sometimes experience in custody. Since beginning work with us she has had a notable positive impact on those she has spent time and the atmosphere in custody improves when she is on shift. This allows staff and officers to use their time more effectively rather than diffusing situations. A federal appeals court shot down a lawsuit Friday to restore a Confederate statue to its prior location at a downtown San Antonio park. The Texas Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans have no standing to sue the city of San Antonio over the monuments removal, the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decided Friday, upholding a lower court ruling. The group sued San Antonio in 2017 after the city removed the 40-foot statue depicting an unnamed Confederate soldier from Travis Park as well as two Civil War cannons and an accompanying time capsule. The three-judge panel also tossed out a lawsuit by the Confederate organization trying to reinstate statutes of three Confederate leaders, including Robert E. Lee, that had been removed from the University of Texas campus in Austin. On ExpressNews.com: Bill to give more protection to Texas Confederate monuments has died Officials in San Antonio and at the university opted to remove the statues amid a nationwide reckoning against such monuments increasingly viewed as tributes to racism and white supremacy. The statues removal also came in the wake of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a driver with neo-Nazi beliefs drove into a crowd of peaceful counter-protesters, killing one. In San Antonio, City Council members and Mayor Ron Nirenberg voted 10-1 to take down the Travis Park statue along with the cannons and time capsule in August 2017. The statue, which stood in Travis Park for more than 100 years, was taken down just after midnight one Friday in September. They are now stored in separate, undisclosed locations. City officials have said they would like to display the artifacts in a museum but a permanent location has not been determined. On ExpressNews.com: Demonstrators warn they will use force to stop Alamo Cenotaph move Richard Brewer of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Texas division sued San Antonio in federal court, arguing that because he has unique ties to the Confederate monuments, removing or relocating the monuments violated his free speech rights. The three-member panel disagreed. Though the organizations ties to the Confederacy might give him strong reasons to care about these monuments, Judge Edith Brown Clement wrote in the courts 10-page ruling, he failed to show the statues removal directly injured him. The same goes for the arguments involving the statuary at the university, the judge wrote. The Sons of Confederate Veterans may share the views expressed by the statues, but they didnt donate the monuments, the money to build the monuments or show how they co-authored the monuments speech, Clement said. They may also be more offended than someone who is likeminded yet lacks these ties but that doesnt make the monuments speech their speech, Clement wrote. The Sons of Confederate Veterans have shown only a rooting interest in the outcome of this litigation, not a direct and personal stake in it, Clement wrote. They are in the same position as any enthusiastic onlooker. A representative for the Sons of Confederate Veterans did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio city government and politics. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge is now in the final stages of completion After several false dawns, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge and New Ross Bypass look set to open to drivers at the end of January. A spokesperson for Wexford County Council has confirmed to this newspaper that the third week in January is being earmarked for the official opening by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Designed by engineers at Carlos Fernandes Casado - the 887m bridge is Ireland's longest bridge and the longest extrados bridge of its kind in the world. To date around 2.8 million man hours of work have gone into the bridge and 15km bypass dual carriageway. Work on the bridge began in mid-2016 and it has been constructed in a series of 16 distinct sequential stages, some of which overlapped or began at the same time. The scheme includes three roundabouts; one grade separated junction; eight road under-bridges; three road over-bridges; one railway over-bridge and 16 underpasses. Its two main spans are the longest post-tensioned concrete spans of their type in the world. No mean achievement. Overall the New Ross bypass includes 14km of dual carriageway on which traffic diverts from the existing N30 at Corcoran's Cross, east of New Ross. The route then passes to the south of the town on the Wexford side of the Barrow river. The new bridge then crosses the Barrow and goes on to link up with the N25 Rosslare-to-Cork road at a roundabout near Glenmore in Co Kilkenny. It will reduce travel times from Waterford to Wexford and vice versa by up to 40 minutes. In July it emerged that a problem had been identified with one of the support structures. Eight permanent piers form part of the overall bridge structure and three temporary piers were required during the construction phase, with only a solitary temporary pier remaining on the Wexford side. An issue with one of the pier supports at the interface where the pier meets the underside of the bridge deck was identified during the summer and repaired. In recent weeks and months waterproofing, railings, barriers, drainage, kerbing, pavement and lining, as well as the installation of architectural and navigation lighting and bridge monitoring systems, has been ongoing. A schedule of inspections, audits and certifications also need to be closed out before the project can open to traffic once approved by Transport Infrastructure Ireland officials. 'Wexford County Council continues to consult with the other project stakeholders on the possibility of hosting a charity/family day. 'Such an event would have to be co-ordinated with the opening of the road, and again there are significant arrangements that would need to be put in place, such as event logistics and resources, insurances, safety plans etc. We would also need to provide ample advance notice of such an event to facilitate public participation. 'Preparations are continuing in the hope of facilitating what would be a very worthwhile event.' The Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group-HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has faulted the provocative; orchestrated and unwarranted media persecution of the vocal critic of the current President Muhammadu Buhari, and the erstwhile Senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th session of the National Assembly Comrade SHEHU SANI by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just as the Rights group has asked the anti-graft commission to adhere strictly to the constitutional principle of Rule of law by calling off the persistent one sided charade of media persecution of SHEHU SANI using the so-called investigations over allegations of impersonation or fraud. HURIWA said the avalanche of seemingly sponsored salacious and sexed up tales exported to the media spaces by the agents of the EFCC with the sole aim of soiling the image of the Kaduna born civil Rights Activist Comrade SHEHU SANI based on only the claims made by his accuser and the Kaduna based motor dealer Alhaji Sani Dauda of the ASD motors Kaduna even before the Court of competent jurisdiction is ceased of the matter shows the extensive and compulsive desperation of the hierarchy of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)headed by the acting Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Magu to nail Senator SHEHU SANI and to attempt to silence him for life to give the paymaster of EFCC President Muhammadu Buhari the breathing space to continue in the dramatic undermining of constitutional democracy and to become a totalitarian regime.. "There is little doubt that the current Totalitarian President is absolutely intolerant of constructivecriticism and is afraid of media freedoms." HURIWA said:"We in the organised human rights community have chosen to first of all restrain ourselves from jumping into the media fray to defend the detained civil Rights advocacy leader Comrade SHEHU SANI because we thought that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would have by now adopted the global best practices and put a total stop to all media orchestrations and stampeding with the aim of first of all achieving through the illegal backdoor channel the total demonisation of a citizen in its custody before even heading to court to obtain an experte to further detain the citizen, deprive him of his civil liberties and freedoms and to further instigate rounds of one sided media warfare against the Nigerian citizen even when section 36(5) of the Nigerian Constitution in a very unambiguous fashion provided that all accused persons are innocent in the eyes of the law. However, we have broken our dignified silence because of the continuous media orchestrations and unjustifiable trial of the Kaduna born civil Rights advocate Comrade SHEHU SANI who we suspect may be a victim of the political vendetta of the current administration that has zero tolerance approach to civilised opposition and the exercises of all constitutional freedoms guaranteed under the chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all international human rights laws and statutes which have a globalised benchmark of demanding that an accused person be granted fair hearing and that the independent judiciary must be granted unfettered opportunities to arrive at a determination that is right, just, fair, independent and unbiased". "The style of the current EFCC to always depend on half baked media propaganda to damage accused persons in their custody has continued to paint Nigeria as a failed state or a Banana republic. Nigerians must not keep silent and allow citizens to be unduly profiled as criminals based on some tissues of uninvestigated allegations from someone who by his own admission said he has a score to settle with the EFCC or that he has cases that the EFCC may be handling or both. Is it not possible that the entire scenario is a charade set up to rope in the foremost critic of the current President with the eventual prize of granting the accuser a soft landing for agreeing to be used as the canon fodder in the demolition through illegal processes of the most vocal critic of the current President who has no tolerance of any type to even using his name for comedy? More so, we have it on the authority of the claims of the Kaduna born civil Rights leader that what transpired between him and Alhaji Sani Dauda was purely a commercial transaction of buying a car or not. WHEN has the EFCC become a debt collector to an extent that it is vigourously holding on to only one side of the claims and running to the media on daily basis with that seemingly unproven allegations without first allowing the Court of competent jurisdiction to exercise their powers and authorities as enshrined in the Constitution in Section 6? These things and illegal ways of law enforcement will eternally damage Nigeria's constitutional path to good governance and respect for the human rights of the citizens which is the basis of our sovereignty". HURIWA further stated that: "Senator SHEHU Sani's personal assistant Mr. Suleiman who spoke with us said that the lawmaker decided to honour the invitation ahead of time to give his own side of what transpired between him and Alhaji Sani Dauda , Owner of ASD Motors. He narrated that the senator at a time on his own volition went to sympathise with ASD over his arrest regarding a marital issue involving his daughter inlaw. That ASD had approached him to change his old Peugeot to new model and also insisted that he can make the payment on two instalments. They agreed on 508 model which cost $17million. Suleiman stated that Sani had made the initial deposit of $25,000 in two tranchesof $12,000 and $13,000 respectively." According Suleiman " At a point ASD went to Saudi Arabia for Lesser Hajj and gave the senator a proforma invoice with an account number that If he has the balance he can pay into the account just as he explained that recently ASD put several phone calls to the lawmaker not to show up at the EFCC when he is being called upon. He wondered why ASD went to lodge a complaint at the anti graft agency and at the same time asked Sani not to honour the invitation. So why is the EFCC treating the former Senator as a common thief even when he has his own version of the encounters between him and his accuser? Shouldn't it be the accusers words against the accused and why keep the Senator from also defending himself before the media whereas his accuser and the EFCC are having a bonanza of media propaganda against Senator SHEHU SANI"? HURIWA has therefore asked the EFCC to comply strictly with the constitutional norms by charging the matter to court so the two claimants can have their day in court. "The idea of dumping a citizen in prolonged detention so the EFCC will embark on last minutes voyage of discovery including taking possession of the telephones of a citizen without the authorization of the Court are all the attitudes that demonstrate that Comrade SHEHU SANI is very likely being used as an experimental 'guinea pig ' to show persons and groups with independent opinions which run contrary to the straighjacketed positions of President Muhammadu Buhari and the unelected Members of the Presidential cabal that the EFCC which is the potent attack dog of the All Progressives Congress led central government will bark and bite critics of President Muhammadu Buhari unless they surrender and become political zombies. What is happening now is the systematic or incremental emergence of a TOTALITARIAN REGIME and Nigerians must legitimately and lawfully resist and reject it now.. NIGERIANS, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE." Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 02:31:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ANKARA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Friday called on Iran and the United States to avoid unilateral steps that would jeopardize regional stability over the killing of Qasem Soleimani, a commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). "We are deeply concerned about the escalating of the U.S.-Iranian tension in the region. We strongly re-emphasize the warning that turning Iraq into a conflict zone will harm the peace and stability of both Iraq and our region," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement. The U.S. airstrike in Iraqi capital Baghdad targeting the convoy of Soleimani will increase the insecurity and instability of the region, said the ministry. Such escalating steps will increase the "spiral of violence" and all parties will suffer from this situation, said the statement. "Turkey always rejects any foreign intervention in the region, assassinations or sectarian conflict," said the statement. For this reason, Turkey invites all parties to "act in common sense and sobriety, to avoid unilateral steps that would jeopardize the peace and stability of the region and to prioritize diplomacy," stated the ministry. A U.S. attack near Baghdad International Airport on Friday killed Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 17:49:15|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close LAMU, Kenya, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police said Saturday they are pursuing a group of al-Shabab militants believed to have crossed into vast Boni Forest in the coastal Lamu county in Kenya. Fred Ochieng, Tana River County police commander, said the 11 young al-Shabab suspects who looked wounded confronted a civilian on Friday at the thicket in Kilengwani in Tana Delta where the civilian had gone to cut some building sticks. "They threatened to shoot him, however, later on they released him on the condition that he does not tell the villagers about their presence in the area," said Ochieng. He noted that the 11 young militants were speaking in Kiswahili, suspected to be al-Shabab operatives. Ochieng said security services have been mobilized to extensively patrol the area which is along Kenya's Indian Ocean coast. "The suspected al-Shabab operatives are now believed to have crossed over into Boni forest in Lamu. Police are on high alert," he added. The latest move comes after the militants killed four people on Thursday when they attacked a convoy of commuter buses in the coastal area. The four were killed when the vehicles were sprayed with bullets by about ten insurgents in the Nyongoro area of Lamu County in coastal Kenya. The Kenyan soldiers later responded and killed four suspected al-Shabab fighters and captured one, said Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata. Elungata said some militants escaped with injuries and are believed to have fled in the dense Boni Forest where the insurgents use as their hideout location. The Boni forest has numerously been used as the perfect hideout by the militants whenever they launch attacks in Lamu. The police said the militants are even reported to have a well-equipped base deep inside the forest. Former Home Minister Chidambaram told ANI in an exclusive interview that the NPR carried out by the UPA government was different from the NPR exercise being carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi government as six questions have been added.He said the NPR exercise was stopped after the population census during the Congress-led UPA government."Go back to what we did and what we did not do. The NPR was given to Census Commissioner and Registrar General only in selected states. It was an aid to the Census of 2011. So we did NPR in 2010 as an aid to the Census of 2011. Once the census was completed we stopped the matter. We did not go further. We did not do NRC. We did not even begin to think of NRC. Today the context is very different. The BJP government has done an NRC in Assam," he said.The former Finance Minister said that the NRC in Assam had yielded over 19 lakh people "stateless"."We have with us a visible concrete example of what will happen if the NRC is done in a state like Assam," he said.Asked about the assurance of top leaders of government that NRC and NPR were not linked, Chidambaram said that the "highest quarters (in government) don't inspire trust"."If the highest quarters inspired trust, we will accept that word. They don't. NPR is clearly linked to NRC. Why did the Home Minister not say yesterday we are doing NPR; we will not do NRC? Why does he not say that? Let them say categorically that NRC is ruled out. Let them say it will never be done. It is the simple ten words. We only did NPR. It aided the census. We stopped with the census. We did not take even half a step forward," he said.Home Minister Amit Shah had told ANI earlier that NPR and NRC were not linked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also said at a rally in the national capital last month that there had been no discussion on implementing NRC.Chidambaram said the content of NPR carried out by the UPA government and that by the Modi government was very different both in "text and context".He said there were 15 questions in the NPR conducted during the UPA government but the BJP-led government has added questions like the place of the last residence, place of birth of father and mother and licence number."We asked questions in 15 fields. They have added six fields - what is your last place of residence, what is the place of birth of your father and mother, driving licence number, voter ID number, Aadhar number. Why are they asking all these things? Therefore, both the text and the context are very different. We have bitter experience of Assam NRC. Don't compare NPR 2010 which was to aid the census with the NPR 2020, which is a step towards the NRC," he said.Chidambaram said if the BJP says the NPR 2010 was correct, it should stick to the same form. "Don't go beyond the 15 fields. And announce that the NPR will not be done. Even yesterday the Home Minister refused to announce the NRC will not be done," he said.Shah had targeted the opposition parties over protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) during a rally at Jodhpur on Friday.Chidambaram said Assam NRC was the elephant in the room and the government is pretending there is no problem."We have a bitter experience of Assam NRC. When we did NPR 2010, there was no Assam NRC. We did not have the bitter experience of 19,06,657 people being declared stateless. The elephant in the room is 19,06,657. Why do you ignore that elephant? That elephant is sitting there. In the face of that elephant, you see that elephant and you pretend that there is no problem," he said.Answering a query, he said the NPR done during the UPA government was helpful to the census because NPR data "is practically all the data that census requires." (ANI) Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced his government's decision to install a bust in the memory of Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter. The Chief Minister has directed the Information and Public Relations Department to work out the modalities for the installation of the bust to commemorate the revolutionary Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, who founded the Ghadar Party to raise a banner of revolt against the tyranny unleashed of the British regime. "The people of India today are enjoying the fruits of independence due to the supreme sacrifices made by Bhakna and countless other freedom fighters, patriots and revolutionaries like Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Shaheed Udham Singh and Madan Lal Dhingra," said the Chief Minister. Captain Amarinder stressed the importance of immortalising these national heroes through iconic symbols, which would also help imbue the younger generation with the fearless spirit of courage with which these revolutionaries and freedom fighters fought for the nation. (ANI) Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand has identified 200 Hindu refugees from Pakistan who will be granted citizenship under the newly passed Citizenship Amendment Act. Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat blamed the Congress for creating confusion and instigating people against the CAA. "The Congress party is working on a divide and rule policy by using students for political gain. The Congress never passed a resolution for freedom and they also have problems with Vande Mataram," said the CM. He also added that Muslims are not persecuted in Pakistan but Hindus are forced to convert adding that the percentage of Hindus have come down to 2.7% from 23% since 1947. State government officials said that the process is on and soon the paperwork will be filed after due investigation. Madan Kaushik, state cabinet minister, said, "We are committed to protecting minorities from these countries. Congress party has lost its chance to garner support of the people. Identification work for refugees is on and soon we will send the list to the central government." Mostly residing in Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar districts, a majority of these refugees cling to odd jobs and charity for survival. They hope that becoming citizens of this country will enable them to live a life of dignity. They can apply for jobs and start their own businesses, say the now stateless people. Nand Kishore (81) is happy as he hopes to get Indian citizenship. He was taken along by a Muslim landlord to Pakistan during partition but returned to India in 1974. He decided not to go back. His family members have Indian citizenship but not him. Settled in Rudrapur of Udham Singh Nagar district, the father of six and grandfather of eight has applied for 25 extensions to his long term visa. Procedures to deport him back to Pakistan were initiated in 2002 after his visa expired again but the decision was reviewed when he pleaded with Indian authorities after presenting proof. The official parties get under way Saturday, but Magdalene Menyongar says shes been dancing in her kitchen since last month. "I danced for three days straight," she said, recalling her reaction to a new measure giving many Liberian immigrants a shot at a permanent future in the United States. "People were like, Can you take a break? I said, No, it's been 25 years." She even broadcasted her jubilance to friends on Facebook Live. The video shows her standing at her kitchen counter and dancing away while proclaiming: "To all the people who said, She will be deported!" Menyongar has good reason to be joyful after living in the U.S. with uncertainty for 25 years. Last month, President Trump signed into law a measure allowing Liberians with temporary status to be in the country permanently. The community is celebrating with two events Saturday in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. Known in the Liberian community as the "DED queen," Menyongar has advocated for years for those who hold the temporary visa known as Deferred Enforced Departure. It was a risk to go public with her story. If the U.S. government were to end the program, as Trump had previously threatened to do, she feared one day she would lose status in the country. ADVERTISEMENT But Menyongar, 49, a nursing assistant from Maple Grove, said she realized she needed to speak up. "I think most of the time if you have a story and keep quiet, you might not get the help you want," she said. "So, we had to come out and explain our story. A few ladies in Minnesota, we took the lead to explain our story, and our senators heard our story. They listened and they took that back to D.C." A new bill that passed the U.S. House and Senate last month will give many Liberian immigrants in Minnesota and across the country the chance to apply for permanent residency and later, citizenship. Lawmakers called it a major victory for the Liberian community, which has established deep roots in Minnesota. President Trump signed the widely supported National Defense Authorization Act in December. It includes a provision that will allow for this pathway to citizenship. After many years of uncertainty, Menyongar said she can finally plan her life. "My mom is 98 years old. She's in Liberia. I called her yesterday," she said. "I said, The president of the United States signed the bill and gave us a green card, so I will apply for my green card and I'm coming to see you." Menyongar came to the U.S. on a visitor visa in 1994. As the Liberian civil war continued, she received temporary status. The program would expire every year or 18 months and require an extension by the President of the United States. During that time, Menyongar got married and had a daughter. She was living in Georgia at the time, but after her husband passed away, she came to Minnesota to be with family. ADVERTISEMENT Minnesota is home to the largest Liberian population in the country. They include not only DED holders like Menyongar, but permanent residents and U.S. citizens. Nationwide, there are as many as 4,000 who have DED status and are celebrating the opportunity to stay permanently. When Trump had threatened to end the program, it prompted calls for a permanent fix for Liberian immigrants. Although the bill was a victory for DED holders, it allows all unauthorized Liberian nationals to apply for a green card as long as they've been in the U.S. for the past five years. Advocates say they'll be encouraging even those in immigration detention to apply. Menyongar, who works at North Memorial Health Hospital, plans to study nursing. She says she hasn't been able to further her education because she couldn't apply for financial aid. With a green card, she'll be able to. "I've been here for the past 25 years and abide by the rules, work, pay my bills, and do everything that any other citizen here," she said. Shes helping organize a community-wide party Saturday in Brooklyn Park that U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips are expected to attend. Menyongar says shell be there, too. And of course, shell be dancing. This story originally appeared at: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/01/03/its-been-25-years-liberians-celebrate-new-pathway-to-citizenship of story Questions or requests? Contact MPR News editor Meg Martin at newspartners@mpr.org 2019 Minnesota Public Radio. All rights reserved. The U.S. and Iran traded threats after the killing of the Islamic Republic's most prominent military man by an American drone, with Tehran promising a protracted response and Washington warning against reprisals. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the relatives of assassinated general Qassem Soleimani on Saturday that "they won't see the effects of their mistake today, but they will witness it over many many years to come," according to report by Iran's state broadcaster. U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said the Iranian regime should now start behaving like a "normal nation." President Donald Trump said he approved the strike in Iraq because Soleimani was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks" against American diplomats and military personnel. Pompeo told Fox News on Friday night that the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force was planning an attack of such scale that it would have killed a "significant amount" of Americans as well as possibly Lebanese and Syrians. He said he wasn't able to discuss details. The U.S. is sending about 2,800 troops from the Army's 82nd Airborne division to join roughly 700 troops dispatched to Kuwait earlier this week as part of the division's rapid-reaction "ready battalion," according to two U.S. officials who asked not to be identified discussing the deployment. The U.S. already had about 60,000 personnel in the region. There is increasing concern that more nations will be drawn into a wider regional conflict as Iran threatens to avenge Soleimani, who led proxy militias that extended Iran's power across the Middle East, by striking at U.S. interests and those of its allies. The killing sent global markets reeling. Oil futures in London and New York at one point surged by more than 4%, gold hit the highest in four months and 10-year Treasury yields headed for the biggest drop in three weeks. The S&P 500 Index declined. "We don't seek war with Iran," Pompeo said in an interview on Fox earlier on Friday. "But we, at the same time, are not going to stand by and watch the Iranians escalate and continue to put American lives at risk without responding in a way that disrupts, defends, deters and creates an opportunity to de-escalate the situation." O'Brien said the administration would provide Congress retroactive notification of the Soleimani strike as well as classified briefings next week, when lawmakers return from a holiday break. General Soleimani was killed in a car late Thursday by a Reaper drone capable of firing laser-guided weapons as he was leaving a Baghdad airport access road, a U.S. official said. The strike also killed the deputy commander of an Iraqi militia group, the Shiite-dominated Popular Mobilization Forces, who was with Soleimani. The assault marked the latest in a series of violent episodes that have strained already hostile relations between Iran and the U.S. Last week, an American contractor was killed in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk. That led to a rare, direct American assault on an Iran-backed militia in Iraq and then came the attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The pressures have been complicated by widespread protests in Iraq and Iran. As protests continued in Tehran, President Rouhani said the U.S. had committed malevolent acts against Iran for years and referred to the 1953 coup that reinstated the Shah in 1953. "We won't ever forget America's crimes," he said. "This is a saga that goes back years." Funerals of those killed got under way in Baghdad Saturday morning, with thousands attending, with many carrying militia banners. Separately, the PMF denied overnight reports that an attack on cars carrying some of its members north of Baghdad was another American airstrike. The Iranian regime will be under "strong pressure" to strike back, said Paul Pillar, a former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency officer and a non-resident senior fellow at Georgetown University in Washington. "Many Iranians will regard this event the same way Americans would regard, say, the assassination of one of the best known and most admired U.S. military leaders." Soleimani, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, was a household name in Iran where he's celebrated for helping to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and countering U.S. influence. He had been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2007 and last May Washington designated the Revolutionary Guards Corps in its entirety a foreign terrorist organization, the first time the label has been applied to an official state institution or a country's security forces. Iran named Esmail Ghaani, another veteran of Middle East conflicts, as Soleimani's replacement. The Iranian leadership is signaling it may target U.S. military installations and bases in the Middle East and mobilize its network of militias across the region. One official told the state broadcaster that some 36 U.S. military bases and facilities are within reach of Iran's defense forces, with the closest being in Bahrain. A spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards said the assassination marked the start of a "new phase" in the activities of Iran's "resistance forces" throughout the region. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. A September attack on Saudi oil facilities -- for which Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility -- highlighted the potential impact of Tehran's response. Iraqi forces enhanced security around the U.S. embassy in Baghdad after the airstrike, Iraq's al-Sumaria news reported, citing a security official. Trump's European allies urged the president to find a way to ease the tensions with Tehran and warned of the risks that a cycle of retaliations would spiral out of control. French President Emmanuel Macron is speaking to his counterparts in the Middle East in an effort to contain tensions, European Affairs Minister Amelie de Montchalin said on RTL radio. "This is what we feared," she said. "It's a continuation of the escalation that's been happening over recent months." In the Gulf, Qatar's foreign minister headed to Tehran for a meeting with his Iranian counterpart to discuss the killing. The U.A.E.'s minister of state of foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, called for calm and a reasoned approach, bemoaning the lack of trust between the parties as the situation escalates. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had phone calls with Rouhani and Iraqi President Barham Salih to discuss developments. _ _ _ With assistance from Bloomberg's Glen Carey, Tony Capaccio, Kathleen Miller, Zaid Sabah and Jordan Fabian. Britain is braced for a revenge attack from Iran following Donald Trumps decision to assassinate the nations top general. Security officials fear that UK citizens in the Gulf or our troops stationed in the region could be in the firing line. They are also preparing for a massive cyber-attack to avenge the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. He was blown up by missiles from a US drone after he touched down at Baghdad airport early yesterday morning. Mr Trump last night claimed that Soleimani was the number one terrorist in the world and had been behind attacks in Britain. He made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London, he said at a press conference. Angry demonstrate torch US and British flags on the streets of Tehran on Friday after the death of General Qassem Soleimani An American airstrike on Baghdad airport killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's powerful Quds force (pictured, the burning remains of a car that was among a convoy the men had been travelling in) We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. We do not seek regime change, however the Iranian regimes aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end and it must end now. The drone strike triggered huge protests in Iran, with demonstrators burning British and American flags and chanting Death to America. The Iranian regime vowed last night to exact severe revenge for the attack with one hardliner saying Trump and his cronies would never sleep comfortably again. Soleimanis replacement, Ismail Qani, warned: We tell everyone, be a little patient to see the dead bodies of Americans all over the Middle East. British government ministers, military chiefs and security officials were scrambling to work out how to protect the thousands of UK citizens in the Gulf and the troops in Syria and Iraq. British security officials are preparing for a massive cyber-attack to avenge the killing of General Qassem Soleimani (pictured in 2016) London was given no notice of the US strike, despite a close alliance with the US and shared military facilities in the region. Officials fear a retaliatory attack by Iranian terrorist proxies or a large-scale cyber-attack to disrupt or degrade British interests. The Government has also not ruled out the prospect of Iran launching a conventional military attack. UK military bases and Royal Navy ships operating in the Middle East have been placed on a heightened state of alert. Defence planners are reviewing security levels. Foreign Office travel advice for the region was also under review last night, with the official advice for Iran already updated to urge Britons to avoid any rallies, marches or processions. Donald Trump said he did not order the death of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani to start a war but to stop a war' As UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres urged world leaders to exercise maximum restraint: Irans supreme leader Ali Khamenei said harsh retaliation awaited the US; Lebanons Tehran-backed Hezbollah called on resistance fighters to punish the criminal assassins; Boris Johnson resisted pressure to fly home early from holiday in Mustique; Jeremy Corybn was accused of siding with Iran after he criticised Mr Trump; Motoring groups warned that drivers face paying up to 1 more to fill up after the oil price soared; The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is being held in Iran, said he feared for her safety; The Pentagon said 3,000 extra troops would be sent to the Middle East. Soleimani spearheaded Irans operations in the Middle East as the head of the elite Quds Force. He was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran, behind Ayatollah Khamenei, and has assembled a network of allies across the Middle East. The Pentagon said Soleimani was planning to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. It also accused the 62-year-old general of approving violent protests at the US embassy in Baghdad this week. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike was wholly lawful because Soleimani posed an imminent threat against the US and its interests in the region. President Trump also taunted Tehran by saying: Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation! Middle East tension 'will hit fuel prices' Drivers face paying up to 1 more to fill up at the pump due to escalating tensions between the US and Iran, motoring groups warned last night. Fears over the availability of oil in the Middle East could see spooked traders hike prices by 2p a litre, RAC fuel analyst Simon Williams said. It means the cost of filling up a typical 55-litre family car could rise to about 70 for unleaded petrol, and 73 for diesel. The RACs concerns were echoed by AA fuel spokesman Luke Bosdet, who warned: Drivers in the UK need to brace themselves for a rise in the price of fuel. With many families looking to pay off Christmas credit card bills, this could make the finances of some more precarious. Fears over rising oil prices were worsened after it emerged that dozens of US oil workers were beginning to flee the Iraqi city of Basra, near the border with Iran. The warnings come in a week when fuel prices are already on the rise following four months of falling wholesale prices. Advertisement The strike did not go down well in world capitals. Frances deputy foreign minister, Amelie de Montchalin, said: Military escalation is always dangerous. German foreign minister Heiko Maas said: A further escalation that sets the whole region on fire needs to be prevented. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged all parties to de-escalate and Russian president Vladimir Putin said: This action can seriously aggravate the situation in the region. Tom Fletcher, a former British ambassador to Lebanon, said it was hard to overstate the potential impact of this moment. On how Iran could retaliate, he added: The strategic response if theyre feeling rational is probably to consolidate their position in Iraq, but elsewhere they have many more dangerous options including assassinations or proxy wars or asymmetric attacks. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Mr Trump had tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, saying it could leave the US on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East. But Republican senator Lindsey Graham said: We killed the most powerful man in Iran short of the Ayatollah. He was the right fist of the Ayatollah and we took the Ayatollahs arm off. But this is not an act of revenge for what hes done in the past. This was a preemptive defensive strike planned to take out the organiser of attacks yet to come. Ayatollah Khamenei announced three days of national mourning and the countrys top security body said the US would be held responsible for its criminal adventurism. In a statement it said: This was the biggest US strategic blunder in the West Asia region, and America will not easily escape its consequences. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called the attack an act of international terrorism. Iran also has sophisticated cyber-attack capabilities. Tehran could choose a stealth attack that causes maximum damage but with plausible deniability. The leader of the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon called for revenge. In a speech yesterday morning Hassan Nasrallah said: To continue on General Soleimanis path we will raise his flag in all battlefields. Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide. Lord Ricketts, a former national security adviser, told BBC Radio 4s World at One programme he thought retaliation was inevitable. It gives the Iranians the option of attacking Western targets right across the Middle East on a timing of their choice ... some kind of target is inevitable. New Delhi: In what seems to be a direct contradiction of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his deputy Sachin Pilot on Saturday said that there was no point of blaming the previous governments over the infant death in Kota. Pilot, who visited JK Lon hospital, said that data doesnt matter, deaths are more important. The visit came after interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi told Pilot to go to Kota and submit a report to her. I think our response to this could have been more compassionate and sensitive. After being in power for 13 months I think it serves no purpose to blame the previous governments misdeeds. Accountability should be fixed, Pilot was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The statement is in direct contrast to what Gehlot has been saying on the hospital horror of Kota. Previously, Gehlot had cited that the number of deaths had come down compared to previous years and the issue should not be politicised. The Chief Minister had earlier said that children do die at the hospital, sparking a spate of public criticism. Pilots visit comes on a day when the death count has reached 107. Meanwhile, a high-level team of Centre, comprising of experts from Jodhpur, AIIMS and health economists, also visited JK Lon Maternal and Child Hospital and New Medical College Hospital in Kota to take stock of the situation. The team will access the infrastructural gaps and will ascertain how much funds will be required for strengthening it. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of the incident and issued a notice to the state government. The notice has been issued to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary. The notice asked the state to submit a detailed report within four weeks and also mention the steps being taken to address the issue. The NHRC has asked the state government to ensure that no such deaths occur in the future. The statement noted that ten out of a hundred children died within 48 hours between December 23 and 24, 2019. The commission has issued notice to the chief secretary of the state, seeking a detailed report within four weeks, including on the steps being taken to address the issue and to ensure that in future children do not die due to lack of infrastructure and health facilities at the hospitals, it said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A day after the stone-pelting by a mob at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi on Saturday said that Pakistan has now proved that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is right and timely as persecution of minorities continue to take place in the neighbouring country. "Nankana Sahib is of huge symbolic importance because it is the religious shrine of Baba Nanak and is relevant across the globe to all Sikhs. It is the holiest shrine for Sikhism. Baba Nanak was born there. They have even threatened to change the name of Nankana Sahib to Ghulam-e-Mustafa," Lekhi told media persons here. "It is not conducive to the ethos of multi-culturism, multi-religious societies and secular societies and the human rights that exist in any country. There have been thousands of evidence where young girls have been picked up, forcibly converted and married off to Muslim boys while the police, government and other agencies are part and parcel of the process," she said. Lekhi said that courts in Pakistan have supported the perpetrators. "This not only justifies the necessity of an Act like CAA, but also stresses the need for its immediate implementation. Pakistan now proves that CAA is right and it is timely," Lekhi said. "The Pakistani government and society must know that Pakistani Sikhs have been the off-springs of that soil and continue to have faith and duty towards that soil and thus, did not migrate and chose to remain there," she further said. Lekhi also said that the BJP asked the Pakistani government to take immediate action against the culprits as well as protect the property and dignity of the Sikh community along with other minority communities in Pakistan. "There have been consistent acts of violence not only on people, but on religious places and on minorities. Constant human rights violations on minorities has also happened for decades. Minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to threats for civil conversion, rapes and violence," she outlined. Lekhi's comments came after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who abducted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, the daughter of Gurdwara's panthi. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "The Americans were not aware of the big mistake they made; they will face the consequences of their crime, not only today but also in the coming years," Rouhani said as he visited relatives of Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump outside Baghdad's airport on Friday, reports Efe news. Tehran, Jan 4 (IANS) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday warned the US of consequences over the death of the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani. "There is no doubt that the US is now more hated among Iranians and Iraqis. "Soleimani's blood will be avenged on the day we see the evil hand of America is cut short of the region for good," he added. Also on Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Soleimani's killing would mean the withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East region. Soleimani, the Quds Force chief and the architect and enabler of several powerful Shia militias across the Middle East, was killed alongside Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi militia. Gen. Soleimani was in charge of Iran's foreign policy strategy as the head of the Quds Force, an elite wing of the IRGC, which the US has designated as a terror organization. The Quds Force holds sway over a large number of Shia militias across the region ranging from Lebanon to Syria and Iraq. Friday's attack came after Iraqi protesters on December 31 stormed the US embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American air raids conducted on December 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, claiming the lives of 25 people. ksk/ President Donald Trump on Friday called Irans Qasem Soleimani the worlds number-one terrorist, who had a hand in plots across the world from New Delhi to London, and said he ordered his killing to stop a war and not start one even as thousands of additional US troops were sent to the region. Soleimani was killed in a US drone-strike outside the Baghdad airport on Thursday, along with the leader of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia. Trump said Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. But like all other American officials who said so before him, he provided no evidence. One senior official cited Soleimanis presence in Baghdad as proof enough. Hes not there on vacation, he told reporters. ALSO WATCH | Qasem Soleimani killed by a US air strike, all you need to know We took action last night to stop a war, the president went on to say as prospects of a military conflict heightened with Iran vowing revenge. We did not take action to start a war, he added. Just a short while before, the Pentagon had announced sending 3,500 additional troops to the region. Trumps reference to New Delhi as targeted by Soleimani caught Indians by surprise. But not because it came as news to them, but because they have worked hard to insulate Indias historically close ties with Iran, and their oil trade, from Tehrans conflicts with other nations such as the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia. India does not want to get dragged into this one as well, as was clear from the statement issued earlier in the day by the ministry of external affairs on Soleimani. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London, Trump said, as seen by some experts, to address audiences outside the United States and claim and convey global salience of the strike ordered by him. Trump was referring to the February 13, 2012, bombing of a car carrying the wife of an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi, while she was on her way to collect their children from school. Several people were wounded, but no one died. Israeli diplomats were targeted the same day in Tbilisi, Georgia, and a day later in Bangkok, Thailand, in attacks that were blamed on Iran, as revenge for, in their view, the attacks on its scientists by Israel. Israel had immediately blamed Iran for the bombings, but the Indian government had been found noticeably reluctant to publicly name Iran, given their long and historic ties, and Iran being one of its biggest suppliers of crude oil. But a strong message was sent privately, according to people involved in these deliberations. Delhi Police shortly arrested a man, who, it alleged, according to news reports from then, had worked with a five-man module of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was headed by Soleimani even at the time, to carry out the attacks as reprisal for the killing of Iranian scientists. Police had named the bomber, who had allegedly also masterminded the attacks in Thailand and Georgia, and the four other members of the group saying they were all from Tehran. In a setback to the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, Sena minister Abdul Sattar reportedly resigned from his post on Saturday after being overlooked for a Cabinet rank, sources said. Sattar, an MLA from Sillod in Aurangabad district had switched over from the Congress to the Sena before Assembly elections. People familiar with the developments said he was unhappy with the party leadership for being made minister of state and not given a cabinet berth. There was no confirmation from either the chief ministers office or the Raj Bhawan of the ministers resignation. Sattar himself hasnt spoken yet. Though senior Shiv Sena leaders said that they are not aware if Sattar has resigned, the party is attempting to pacify him. Senior Sena functionary Anil Desai said that Sattar has not resigned. Meanwhile, Senas Arjun Khotkar has been sent on behalf of the party to meet Sattar and discuss the issue. Khotkar met Sattar at a hotel in Aurangabad Saturday morning but did not comment on the matter before leaving. Sattars son, Sameer said, I am not aware if he has resigned. Only he will be able to speak on the issue. Discontentment and resentment surfaced within the Sena after many senior party leaders were overlooked in the cabinet expansion held on December 30. Sattar who had been a cabinet minister in the earlier Congress-NCP governments had expected to be given a cabinet berth from the Sena quota this time as well. Many Sena leaders are unhappy after Sena chief and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray gave a cabinet berth and two junior minister posts to three independent MLAs supporting the government. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON POWAY, Calif., Jan. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Solar Integrated Roofing Corporation (OTCPINK: SIRC), an integrated solar and roofing installation company specializing in commercial and residential properties with a focus on acquisitions of like companies to build a footprint nationally, announced today that it has secured a $2.7 million financing in a non-dilutive structure to close its Milholland and McKay acquisitions. David Massey, CEO of SIRC, commented, We have been working very hard to be able to secure the necessary funding to close the Milholland and Mckay acquisitions using a non-dilutive structure. These acquisitions form the base of our growth plan to become a dominant solar roofing company in the southern California market. Commenting further, Massey said, With these companies under the SIRC umbrella, we feel confident that we can generate more than $30 million in revenues for its February fiscal 2021 with 12%-15% EBTDA margins. We feel that our stock, trading at less than a $4 million market cap, is undervalued and yet to be recognized by the financial markets. Finally, Massey said, We are staying focused on what we need to do to enhance shareholder value and grow our company. We will continue to acquire companies that are accretive to our bottom line while expanding revenues and margins with the current companies already acquired. About Solar Integrated Roofing Corporation Solar Integrated Roofing Corporation is an integrated solar and roofing installation company specializing in commercial and residential properties with a focus on acquisitions of like companies to build a footprint nationally. For more information, please visit: www.solarintegratedroofingcorp.com Forward-Looking Statements: Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements; as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based upon the best judgments of management of the company as of the date of this release, significant deviations in magnitude, timing and other factors may result from business risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the company's dependence on third parties, general market and economic conditions, technical factors, the availability of outside capital, receipt of revenues and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. The company disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation. Contact: Marlena LeBrun 760-566-9116 marlenalebrun@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/secureroofingandsolar/ ANN ARBOR, MI Michigan Union Director Susan Pile summarized the buildings $85.2 million renovation as a tribute to the original architecture and historical integrity that made it a campus landmark for 100 years. Strolling through the halls of the Michigan Union on Friday, Jan. 3, Pile said the university wants to preserve historic attributes while giving students a place to organize and connect with the latest modern amenities. The former bowling alleys wooden lanes have been repurposed as tabletops inside a second-floor student organization meeting space that used to house the Billiards Room. The bowling alley and swimming pool long forgotten have been replaced by a two-sided fireplace, an indoor courtyard and extensive space for student organizations. I think I certainly recognize that we are caretakers of this building, and our role is to really ensure that this building is going to be here for another 100 years, Pile said. After closing to the public for 20 months to undergo the extensive interior renovation, the Michigan Union will open its doors on Jan. 13. A look at a two-sided fireplace outside the Willis Ward Lounge inside Michigan Union as renovations are completed Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. After 20 months of being closed the Michigan Union will reopen for a special celebration at 11:30 a.m., Jan. 13, 2020. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com Cost breakdown Of about $86.6 million spent on the renovation, about half went toward infrastructure, including windows, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical work, restroom upgrades, elevator upgrades, roof replacement and the addition of a sprinkler system, Pile said, The project was financed by an annual student life fee for facility renewal, in addition to university investment proceeds and student life resources. There are parts of the building that were not significantly touched as part of the projects, but the infrastructure has been all addressed, she said. A new indoor courtyard is part of the newly-renovated Michigan shown Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.Nicole Hester/Mlive.com Interior courtyard a focal point If there is one aspect of the Michigan Union renovation that will serve as a wow factor, it is likely to be the new enclosed courtyard, designed to attract students as a social space. What we heard from students as they were helping us with the design process was that they wanted this to feel like an indoor Diag, Pile said, pointing to a large Block M in the center of the courtyard that was moved from the fourth floor of the building. Formerly an outdoor courtyard space that didnt attract many students during the fall and winter, the courtyard features a floor with 38,000 pieces of end grain. Curved arches were created to align with the buildings historical design while supporting a glass roof that brings in natural light, Pile said, This was a way for us to really capture space that would be meaningful to the building and would add this sense of vibrancy and connection and create a really nice connection between the first and second levels of the building, Pile said. The newly-renovated Michigan Union includes a complete restoration of 540 original windows. The Union is more energy efficient compared to years past, featuring occupancy sensors, and LED lighting, in the renovated areas and improved air condition throughout the building.Nicole Hester/Mlive.com New windows and energy efficiency All of the Michigan Unions 540 original windows were completely restored. UM worked with Colon, Michigan-based Full Spectrum Stained Glass to restore the century-old windows, while new storm windows were installed by Michigan-based Peterson Glass Co. to help the buildings energy efficiency. Aluminum-framed Thermolite windows are expected to improve energy efficiency, provide noise reduction and provide a security barrier. Its a good story that weve been able to balance the historic, beautiful nature of these windows, which are so symbolic to this building and have really advanced the energy efficiency at the same time, Pile said. The building will be more energy efficient overall, with an estimated 37% energy savings via improved air conditioning systems, LED lighting and occupancy sensors. A look inside one of the numerous IdeaHub spaces located throughout the second floor of the newly-renovated Michigan Union on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com Idea hubs A key shift in the new Unions design and function will be the significant addition of space for student groups to gather on its second floor. Referred to as IdeaHubs a good portion of the buildings second floor is dedicated to student group spaces for meeting and organizing. In addition to the idea hubs, two movement studio spaces are included, along with a creative studio for art projects. With about 1,400 student organizations at UM, Pile said the idea was to take spaces for student organizations away from enclosed spaces on the buildings fourth floor. What we heard from students was student organizations are really critical to the culture of Michigan and they wanted them to be much more present and vibrant and have a space for all student organizations to be able to utilize, meet and do the activities of their organizations, rather than a select 60 or 70 that got some office space, Pile said. The renovation of the Michigan Union included the uncovering of terrazzo floors, shown here on the building's third floor on Friday, Jan. 20, 2020. After 20 months of being closed the Michigan Union will reopen for a special celebration at 11:30 a.m., Jan. 13, 2020. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com Better flow On the buildings third floor, corridors mimic the buildings original design, which was previously converted into office space. The remodel also uncovered original slate and terrazzo floors on the third floor and throughout the Union, in addition to limestone doorways that had been covered up for decades. The third floor now includes spaces for Central Student Government, Multi Ethnic Student Affairs, the Spectrum Center and Student Organization Account Services. By returning these original corridors, again, we've now kind of opened up the building and you feel a better flow, Pile said. The Michigan Union's fourth floor will convert from primarily providing office space to being the new home of UM's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC).Nicole Hester/Mlive.com Quiet space at the top The Michigan Unions renovation was conceptually aimed at making the building more quiet as you move up. The buildings fourth floor fits that mold by serving as the new home for UMs Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC). Formerly a space where hotel rooms were located until the 1970s, the fourth floor now serves as a reflective space. The idea was to get the office space on the third and fourth floors and also a bit quieter and more reflective as you go up in the building, Pile said. Restaurant central The ground level of the Michigan Union is a popular spot for students and community members alike to grab a bite to eat while getting some studying done. Seven restaurants are included in the Union, including Taco Bell, Panera Bread, Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, MI Burger, Mama DeLucas and Blue Market. Prior vendors Panda Express and Subway also are returning. Sweetwaters, adjacent to the first floor courtyard, will be open for business when the Union opens on Jan. 13, Pile said, along with Blue Market, while the other vendors will begin serving as opening week progresses. A historic look at the Michigan Union before it reopens Jan. 13 Taco Bell added to list of vendors for renovated Michigan Union Take a final tour of the Michigan Union before it closes for 20 months Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Regional and GCC Affairs, Ambassador Waheed Mubarak Sayyar, participated in the ceremony of lighting the 55th Palestinian torch, which was organised by the Embassy of the State of Palestine to the Kingdom of Bahrain. He extended his deep greeting and appreciation to the brotherly Palestinian people on the anniversary of this celebration, stressing that the Palestinian question will remain the most important Arab and Islamic issue, and comes at the forefront of the priorities and concerns of the foreign policy of the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is also a supportive attitude for all regional and international endeavours aimed at finding a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that meets the legitimate aspirations and rights of the Palestinian people, and achieves security, peace and stability in the Middle East region. BANGALORE: Amid the controversy over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Somasekhara Reddy has made objectionable statements about protesters against CAA. MLA Reddy from Bellary in Karnataka said, 'I want to warn those who are protesting. It has been just 5 months since we arrived. You are more tantrums. Imagine what would happen to us if we came on our own. The legislator said, 'Congress people are idiots. You trust them and then come out on the streets. Be careful. This is our country. Pakistan once said that if you have to stay here, then according to our rules, we will have to stay, otherwise we will send you back. Do not let a situation like Pakistan arise in India. This provocative statement of the BJP MLA has come at a time when his party is going to start a public awareness campaign regarding the Citizenship Act. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has prepared to start the biggest public awareness campaign on CAA from January 5. In a single day, 42 top party leaders will start a door-to-door contact campaign at 42 places. The National General Secretary of the party, Dr. Anil Jain, has informed the media in this regard on Friday. BJP national president and home minister Amit Shah will begin the campaign in Delhi on January 5. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar will also live in Delhi. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Thousands of Muslims gathered at the Idgah Grounds in Chamarajpet to protest against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA), in response to the call by Congress legislator and former minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. Addressing the protesters, Zameer Khan said, More than 700 Muslims died during the struggle for Independence, and we had made it clear during Partition that we will live and die in this land, so we strongly oppose this religion-based CAA and we cant accept it. Before asking us for details about our forefathers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah should show their own documents as proof. Im a four-time MLA and two-time minister. It took me four months to get my certificates. I want to ask the PM Modi and Shah, if they have certificates of their fathers and grandfathers. Let them get their certificates first and then we will provide ours, he said. Freedom fighter HS Doreswamy too joined in the protest. We are not Muslims or Hindus. We are all Indians and we are fighting today as Indians, he said. Traffic was affected at JC Road and Corporation Circle. No room for opposition, says Reddy; defends puncturewallah comment by Surya, says illiterate people misguided by literates Ballari MLA Gali Somashekhar Reddy speaks at a rally in support of CAA and National Register of Citizens, in Ballari on Friday Ballari Ballari MLA Gali Somashekhar Reddy on Friday stoked controversy by issuing veiled threats to the Muslim community, for reservation against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).At a rally here on Friday in support of CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC), Somashekhar called for unity among Hindus in favour of the Act and warned those agitating against it of serious consequences. Since the Act was passed by Parliament, where is the room for opposing it, he asked. He said that some misguided Muslim members of the party were also expressing apprehension that they would be sent out of the country. The MLA also dragged family planning into his speech, saying, If Muslims can give birth to 20-30 babies, Hindus would also deliver 50 babies. He also defended the puncturewallah comment by Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, saying that these are illiterate people being misguided by the literate, so they are coming out on the streets. He also warned that if any untoward incident occurs during CAA protests, the consequences would be dangerous. Cautioning anti-CAA protesters, the MLA said that only 5 per cent of the people have attended these rallies. If the other 95 per cent come out, the protesters would vanish. He also warned protesters not to test the patience of Hindus. MIAMI - President Donald Trump's reelection campaign on Friday launched a new coalition to court evangelicals at a Latino megachurch in Miami, part of an effort to shore up support among Latino evangelicals whose backing for Trump has so far lagged behind that of their white counterparts. In a 75-minute rally-style address - but with more religious overtones - Trump touted his record on social issues and noted that the evangelical vote helped power his improbable victory in 2016, proclaiming: "We're gonna blow those numbers away in 2020." "Evangelicals have never had a greater champion, not even close in the White House, than you have right now," Trump told a racially diverse crowd of thousands at El Rey Jesus in Miami. "Just look at the record because we've done things that nobody thought was possible." Trump is counting on equal or stronger support from evangelicals during his reelection bid and he garnered some of the loudest applause of the event when he promised to deliver more from the community's agenda, announcing that he'll "very soon" move to "safeguard students and teachers' First Amendment rights to pray in our schools." And he drew boisterous applause again when he denounced socialism - a line of attack he has used against the field of Democratic candidates vying to take him on in November's election. "America was not built by religion-hating socialists," Trump said. "America was built by church-going, God-worshiping, freedom-loving patriots." He began the event by defending his decision to greenlight the killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran's top military figures, in Baghdad early Friday, but spent the rest of his time on remarks tailored to the evangelical audience seated before him. The president appeared at the Miami megachurch led by Guillermo Maldonado, one of the most prominent Hispanic evangelical leaders in the nation, who has been a key ally and adviser to Trump. But the decision to appear at a church attended by thousands of Latinos also underscored a tense subject for Trump with the community: the hard-line immigration policies that have been a hallmark for Trump since the first day of his 2016 presidential campaign. That was highlighted by assurances Maldonado gave his congregation earlier this week that members do not have to be U.S. citizens to attend the event, which will be held about 90 miles south of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, where the president has been staying since Dec. 20. "It's certainly a good opportunity for the president," said former congressman Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., who until 2019 represented the district where the church is located. But the appearance, he added, is "not without risk, because I don't think the president's immigration policies are very popular among the congregation." Yet Trump's references to immigration - his boasting about the border wall and criticisms of "loopholes" in U.S. immigration law - drew a loud ovation from the crowd. The Trump campaign called El Rey Jesus, also known as King Jesus International Ministry, a "natural fit" as the launch spot for the new coalition, Evangelicals for Trump. Maldonado's backing of the president reflects the "great and overwhelming support President Trump has among the evangelical community at large," campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said. Maldonado declined an interview request made through the church. But he offered reassurances to immigrants during Sunday's services, according to the Miami Herald. "I ask you: Do you think I would do something where I would endanger my people?" Maldonado said. "I'm not that dumb." Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, said Latino evangelicals have been put off by Trump's remarks about people of Mexican descent, his repeal of an Obama-era program that granted work permits to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and the name-calling of his political opponents. However, he said, they have appreciated his efforts on criminal justice reform and on antiabortion policies. "The nation is waking up to the reality that Latino evangelicals are an independent voting bloc," Salguero said. "They have their own spokespersons, their own leaders. As people have been drilling down deeper into evangelicalism, they recognize they're not a monolith." Latino evangelicals say Maldonado is one of the most respected Hispanic leaders in the country. He is a Honduran immigrant with a bilingual ministry, a show on Trinity Broadcasting Network and 2.7 million followers on Facebook. Maldonado is considered part of the prosperity gospel, a movement within some churches that teach that God blesses followers with health and material wealth. The prosperity gospel, generally considered to be on the fringes of U.S. Christianity, has grown globally and received attention under Trump because several of his faith advisers are part of the movement. Samuel Rodriguez, a nationally known Hispanic evangelical leader who is part of a core dozen evangelical leaders who have been advising the administration, called Trump's decision to show up at Maldonado's church "politically brilliant" because it could shore up support from a Latino slice of evangelicals in a key swing state. Curbelo also said many congregants at King Jesus International are non-Cuban Hispanics, who tend to be less aligned to the GOP and are more likely to be swing voters, allowing Trump to simultaneously reach evangelicals - a core part of his base - and persuadable voters. "You have to choose whether to go for your base voters or your swing voters," said Curbelo, a critic of Trump during his time in Congress. "In that congregation [on Friday], you'll have a lot of people who fit into both categories." The event Friday afternoon was designed to be a show of force of evangelical support that comes on the heels of a scathing editorial from a major Christian publication calling for Trump's ouster after he was impeached by the House last month. Nearly 40 influential evangelical leaders from across the nation planned to attend the launch, according to the campaign. The opinion piece, from Christianity Today, argued that Trump has a "grossly immoral character" and harshly criticized his attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate a political rival - actions that made him just the third impeached U.S. president in history. It also provoked a furious response from Trump, who took to Twitter to inaccurately criticize Christianity Today as a "far left magazine" and to tout his record on issues important to evangelical voters. It's that policy record - opposing abortion, nominating conservative jurists and moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem - that has attracted many evangelicals to Trump and that his campaign is emphasizing as part of his reelection effort. "He's done some things that I didn't necessarily agree with, but you know, he's not a preacher," said Pastor Jentezen Franklin, who leads Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, and who will participate in Friday's event. "He's not a perfect person, but he is a leader and he gets a lot done in the midst of tremendous opposition." Since the publication of the editorial, Trump has worked hard to remain in front of evangelicals, appearing at a Southern Baptist church on Christmas Eve instead of worshiping in a mainline Protestant church as he normally does. And Rodriguez, who sat on Christianity Today's board until earlier this week, said Trump's decision to launch the new group at one of the largest Latino evangelical churches in the nation was "without a doubt" a reaction to that editorial. The Pew Research Center's 2018 national survey of Latinos found that 36% of Hispanic evangelical Christians approved of Trump's job performance in summer and early fall of that year - a figure that was just about half the level of approval Pew has found among white evangelical Protestants, which was 69% in early 2019 and similar in more recent polling. The 2018 Pew survey on Latinos found that 55% of Hispanic evangelical Christians disapproved of Trump. An NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll from early December found that 75% of white evangelical Christians approved of Trump, compared with 42% of U.S. adults overall. Even though they share similar beliefs about Jesus and about the Bible, white evangelical attitudes diverge from those of Latino evangelicals on many policy issues, including immigration reform, climate change, health care and taxing the wealthy, said Janelle Wong, a professor of American studies at the University of Maryland. A statement published on the church's website says Maldonado is participating in the evangelical coalition in his personal capacity and that King Jesus International Ministry does not endorse any political candidates. The Trump campaign is picking up the tab for the use of the church, which is receiving "fair compensation" in exchange, according to the statement. The Trump campaign expects Evangelicals for Trump to grow ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and it also plans to continue outreach to Hispanic and black voters through its other coalitions: Latinos for Trump and Black Voices for Trump. Campaign officials have said that even a small surge in support among black or Latino voters could help make the difference for Trump in key swing states, including Florida. "Promises and principles, those two words come to mind," said Jack Graham, the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, who is also a part of the campaign coalition. "President Trump is the best leader for America and for evangelicals." - - - Pulliam Bailey reported from New York. The Washington Post's Scott Clement in Washington contributed to this report. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Gainacarlo Casati from Italy, Daw Ma Ma Naing from Myanmar and Reda Hassanin from Egypt are puppeteers coming from three different parts of the world but echo similar thoughts: They are puppeteers by passion and will do anything to make this art form survive. Its a dying art and we hardly get any financial support from our government to sustain this art form, they say. Coming together for the 12th edition of the Dhaatu Puppet festival, these puppeteers could not help but shower praises on Anupama Hoskere for organising a festival, which is so unique in itself. For Christmas, I was in Bangkok to participate in a festival. I had sent my performance videos to Hoskere, after which she got in touch with me to be a part of this festival, says Casati, who has been involved in the field of puppetry for the last 10 years and now handles puppets with 90 strings. Casati is in India with his fellow puppeteer Nivas Valsecchi for the festival. Hailing from the northern part of Milan, both of them will be bringing in the story of Giulio, a dog, that is curious and greedy for candies, and Fabiola a sweet, cheeky, hot-tempered little girl. The Dhaatu Puppet festival is known for bringing unsung artistes from the world of puppetry from different parts of the globe, including Indian states like Kerala, Odisha, Manipur, etc. Talking about the richness of the art form seen in India, Naing, who is performing scenes from the Ramayana, says it is nice to see so many puppet shows from one country. Though puppet shows have existed in my country for more than 500 years, there is hardly any encouragement for this kind of art form. Here, I can see so many different kinds of puppets who are telling us stories from the Ramayana, but their story telling techniques are different, says 63-year-old Naing, adding that they hardly get financial support from the government. During any cultural festival, the solo artist gets better payment but in our line of art form, so many people are involved in the backstage activity that a small paycheck doesnt help, she says. Even though puppetry is about fun and play, its also an important medium to spread social messages, says Hassanin, who uses his puppet shows in Cairo to spread such messages. Speaking about the ongoing anti-CAA protests in India, he says people can also go for silent protests if they feel strongly against something. In the country I come from, it sometimes gets difficult to voice our opinions. So we use hand puppet shows to speak out our political opinion or anything controversial, says Hassanin. Gainacarlo Casatis show will be held on Jan 4, 3 pm, while Daw Ma Mas show is scheduled for January 4, 5pm, and Reda Hassanins show will take place on January 5, 4pm. Oil prices surged Friday after President Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Irans powerful military commander, Qasem Soleimani. While the administration says it will take whatever action is necessary on Iran, Academy Securities head of macro strategy, Peter Tchir, says the U.S. economy will be relatively immune from escalation. I'm a strong believer that higher oil prices are now generally good for the U.S. economy, Tchir told Yahoo Finances The Ticker on Friday. We've got enough people dependent on oil business here that I'm quite comfortable with that. If anything, the one thing I'm changing a little bit is my global outlook. I was expecting Europe and maybe Asia to outperform the U.S. this year. I think they're much more exposed to higher oil prices. Women taken part in the funeral procession of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (poster-R) , Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani (poster-L), and eight others in the capital Baghdad's district of al-Jadriya, near the high-security Green Zone, on January 4, 2020. - Thousands of Iraqis chanting "Death to America" joined the funeral procession for Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and Muhandis, both killed in a US air strike. The cortege set off around Kadhimiya, a Shiite pilgrimage district of Baghdad, before heading to the Green Zone government and diplomatic district where a state funeral was to be held attended by top dignitaries. In all, 10 people -- five Iraqis and five Iranians -- were killed in Friday morning's US strike on their motorcade just outside Baghdad airport. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images) The U.S. is a net exporter of energy, whereas China, Japan, and Europe have to import their energy, according to Tchir. And theyre getting the bulk of their energy from the part of the world that will be affected by the airstrike, he said. Higher energy prices will impact their economies ... faster than it impacts ours, he noted. I think its going to be more of a drag on their economy ... I think were just fine. Certain states are going to do very, very well with higher energy prices. Brent futures (BZ=F) spiked by over 3.5% on Friday, the highest pop since drones attacked Saudi Arabias oil facilities in September. What I like to do is take some chips off the table maybe for every $4 or $5 you're taking off the table, I want to put $1 or $2 into energy, Tchir says. So I actually think once we get through this, we are going to see global economic growth. Tchir also says investors should not be concerned about Iran taking retaliatory measures in the Strait of Hormuz. Strait of Hormuz We don't think that's very likely, Tchir explains. It's an area that's pretty well defined. We believe if they cause a disruption, it can be cleared up very quickly. They are also well aware that that will just cause the U.S. to escalate further. But rising tension in the Middle East is not the only variable driving markets. Investors are eyeing January 15, when President Trump is expected to sign a U.S.-China trade deal as well. A decent amount is priced in, which is why unfortunately, part of my base case is that we will hear some negative news on trade at sometime in January, Tchir says. It tends to be how the president likes to negotiate, right? You stir the pot, you cause some confusion and you get everyone all upset that maybe it's not happening. So then whatever happens, you get a bigger victory later on. Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. Photo: Toluca Organic/Yelp A new fast casual vegan restaurant, offering salads, tacos and more, has opened up shop in the neighborhood. Called Toluca Organic, the newcomer can be found at 2600 Cedar Springs Road in Uptown. Toluca Organic serves up fresh, health-conscious Tex-Mex fare made from organic, responsibly sourced ingredients, as described on its Facebook page. The menu features a selection of tacos, salads, burritos and bowls, most of which are entirely vegan, plus a list of beverages such as local kombucha, sodas, beer, wine and cocktails. Toluca Organic has garnered rave reviews thus far, with a five-star rating out of five reviews on Yelp. Micky C., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new establishment on Dec. 19, wrote, "I ordered the BYO bowl with vegan refried beans, portobello [mushrooms], [pepita seeds] and a side of vegan elotes. ... Everything was delicious! There are multiple vegan protein options to choose from." Yelper Lauren W. added, This place was amazing. ... Vegan and you wouldn't know it." Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: Toluca Organic is open from 11 a.m.9 p.m. on Monday-Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.) Want to keep your finger on the pulse of new businesses in Dallas? Here's what else opened recently near you. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. In airline route and service news, Southwest and Alaska both trim service from the Bay Area; United ends a Midwest route from SFO and offers gift card trade-ins; the Transportation Security Administration expands PreCheck sort of; Atlantas airport goes smoke-free; American ends a transpacific route and expands Europe code-shares; LOT Polish targets a new U.S. gateway; Delta heads back to Rio; and InterJet adds a route at LAX. As Southwest Airlines continues deploying more capacity into Hawaii and struggling to operate without its 34 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the airline will implement a series of previously announced schedule adjustments on Jan. 6, including the termination of some Bay Area service. Routes getting the ax at Southwest include San Francisco-Dallas Love Field and SFO-Austin; Oakland to Orlando and Columbus, Ohio; and San Jose to Orlando. Southwests Sacramento-Orlando flights will also end on Jan. 6, along with service from Los Angeles International to Omaha, Pittsburgh, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta; Dallas Love Field to Oklahoma City and Jacksonville; Boston to Atlanta, Kansas City and Milwaukee; New York LaGuardia to Orlando; and Ft. Lauderdale to Jacksonville. Alaska Airlines is also due to eliminate some Bay Area flights in the next few days, including San Jose to Tucson effective Jan. 5, and SJC to New York JFK and Orange County as of Jan. 6. Alaska has also said it will not resume seasonal summer service from San Francisco International to Nashville and Raleigh-Durham; both routes were due to resume on April 21. But on Jan. 7, Alaska will start to implement a new stage of its West Coast route restructuring. On that date, the airline will start flying two E175 flights a day from Los Angeles International to Spokane along with daily E175 service to Redmond/Bend, Ore., from both LAX and San Diego. And Alaska is planning to increase capacity at Fresnos Yosemite International Airport on May 21, boosting regional flights on its Fresno-San Diego route from three a day to four and switching one of its three daily Fresno-Seattle flights from a SkyWest 76-seat E175 to a mainline A320. Buh-bye, Cincy fare war. This week, United stopped flying from San Francisco International to Cincinnati, where it had been operating six departures a week with a mix of 737s and A320s. Delta still offers nonstop service in the market. Interested in flying to Cincy this winter? Then take advantage of the current fare war with round-trip basic economy fares going for as little as $159 -- that's cheeeeeap! Even cheaper on Frontier with a stopover in Denver Speaking of United, if youre a MileagePlus member who received some unwanted gift cards over the holiday, you might be able to convert them into miles. United said that by using its Gift Card Exchange, members can turn in unwanted cards from more than 100 retailers in exchange for credit in the MileagePlus program as long as the card has a minimum value of $15. It includes major merchants such as Starbucks, Sears, Walmart and Best Buy. The exchange rate is around 3.75 cents per mile. Southwest said recently that the 737 MAX has now been removed from its schedule through April 13; previously, it had hoped to see a return of the aircraft to its fleet by March 6. The removal of the MAX is costing the carrier about 300 weekday flights per day out of a total of 4,000. American Airlines has pulled the aircraft from its schedules through April 7, and United now expects to keep its MAX aircraft out of service until June 4. Are you a member of TSA PreCheck? In recent weeks, the agency has quietly started extending a few benefits of that program to smaller airports that dont have the passenger volume to justify a separate PreCheck screening lane. The new option is called a blended lane, and while it wont keep PreCheck members in a separate line from non-members, it will let them keep on their shoes, light jackets and belts; and keep laptops and travel-sized liquids in their carry-on bags. With blended lanes, TSA PreCheck travelers may receive a card to identify them and their carry-on property as they go through the screening process at any time of day, TSA said. Travelers should ensure they have entered their unique Known Traveler Number in their airline reservation to make them eligible for TSA PreCheck. The agency noted that at larger airports, blended lanes will be offered during off-peak hours when TSA PreCheck passenger volume is too low to operate a dedicated TSA PreCheck lane. Thus far, the blended lane program has been established at select airports in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, West Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, Massachusetts and Nebraska. Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly email alerts Some flyers have long routed themselves through Atlanta so they could take a smoking break without having to go through security. Like most other major airports, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson this week shut down its passenger smoking lounges as required by a new city ordinance that mandates a smoke-free environment inside the airport and other public locations in Atlanta. The prohibition includes both smoking and vaping, and it also covers three restaurants at ATL that formerly allowed smoking: Tap, Terrapin Taphouse and Gordon Biersch. The airports domestic and international terminals have designated outdoor smoking areas, but they are in pre-security locations, so connecting passengers who want to sneak out for a smoke would have to re-clear security. In 2015, the U.S. surgeon general called for Atlanta to remove the Phillip Morris sponsored smoking lounges as you can see in the tweet above. In international route odds and ends, American Airlines this week discontinued its three weekly flights between Chicago OHare and Tokyo Narita as it turns the route over to its joint venture partner Japan Airlines; and in late January, American will start code-sharing on Spains Vueling a subsidiary of International Airlines Group for Vueling flights from Barcelona to Seville and Florence. ... LOT Polish Airlines is planning a June 2 start for new service from Warsaw to Washington Dulles, using a 787-8 to fly the route three days a week. Delta this week resumed seasonal winter service from New York JFK to Rio de Janeiro with a 767-300ER; the flights will continue through March 4 (Delta also flies to Rio from Atlanta). And Mexicos InterJet this week started operating three A320 flights a week between Los Angeles International and Monterrey, increasing to four a week on March 29. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates! [January 04, 2020] Xpeng Motors partners with Didi Chuxing's Xiaoju Car Service to develop smart mobility business GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Xpeng Motors signed a strategic partnership framework with Xiaoju Car Service, the one-stop car rental and maintenance service platform backed by Didi Chuxing, to jointly build a smart mobility ecosystem, including online car rental, long-term car rental, charging and auto maintenance services. The two parties will share their respective expertise in product, marketing, branding and data management to provide customers with flexible, efficient and safer mobility services. The Xpeng G3 SUV joined Xiaoju's car rental platform in December as the first-phase of the partnership. The Xpeng-Xiaoju Chinese Lunar New Year car rental service will be launched in Hangzhou on 4th Jan. "The core of future mobility is to understand the evolving customer needs and to meet their expectations, especially for the younger generation customers," says Mr. He Xiaopeng, CEO & Chairman of Xpeng Motors. The two companies have connected their charging networks and will partner to build charging stations. Xiaoju's car maintenance service will also be available in selective Xpeng Service Centers. Mr. Chen Ting, Senior Vice President of Didi Chuxing and General Manager of Xiaoju Car Service, said that the company will work with automakers such as Xpeng Motors, as well as maintenance, insuance, charging and other players in the auto service ecosystem to improve operational efficiency and a more convenient, efficient, comfortable and safe smart lifestyle. About Xpeng Motors Xpeng Motors is a leading Chinese electric vehicle company that designs and manufactures automobiles that are seamlessly integrated with the Internet and utilize the latest advances in artificial intelligence. The company's initial backers include its Chairman He Xiaopeng, the founder of UCWeb Inc. and a former Alibaba executive. Xpeng was co-founded in 2014 by Henry Xia and He Tao, former senior executives at Guangzhou Auto with expertise in innovative automotive technology and R&D. It has received funding from prominent Chinese and international investors including Alibaba Group, Xiaomi Corporation and IDG Capital. The company launched its first production model, the G3 SUV, in Dec 2018. Xpeng's 2nd production model, the P7 four-door electric sedan, premiered at the Auto Shanghai show in April 2019, and will be delivered to Chinese customers in Q2 2020. Xpeng Motors is headquartered in Guangzhou, China. For more information, please visit the official website at: https://en.xiaopeng.com/ Follow us on social media for latest Xpeng news: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XpengMotorsGlobal/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/XpengMotors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xiaopeng-motors/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw84qg11Stw6RgH7JkG6xQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xpengmotors/ For further information, please contact Marie Cheung: Email: [email protected] Mobile: (+852) 9750 5170 / (+86) 1550 7577 546 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xpeng-motors-partners-with-didi-chuxings-xiaoju-car-service-to-develop-smart-mobility-business-300981196.html SOURCE Xpeng Motors [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment I need to begin with a disclaimer: this will be a positive article written to encourage Christians that we can face any circumstance we encounter this year with optimistic, joyful faith in our Fathers power and provision. However, to get there, I need to explain why this topic is on my mind today. Its Time We Dealt With Your Religious Intolerance On last Sundays Meet the Press, NBC News anchor Chuck Todd read and endorsed a letter claiming that supporters of Donald Trump want to be lied to since they believe in fairy tales such as Noahs ark. Leaving the politics of this claim aside, lets note that Jews believe in Noahs ark because it is described as an historical event in the Torah (Genesis 69). Jesus (Matthew 24:3739) and Peter (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5) believed in its historicity as well. And Muslims find it in the Quran (29:1415). A recent article in Medium goes further in denigrating biblical faith. In Dear Christians, Its Time We Dealt With Your Religious Intolerance, the writer laments that his Nigerian grandfather was chased from his village by Christian converts because he refused to convert to Christianity. He also notes that Christian missionaries imposed upon his father a new name, age, language, and clothing they deemed more appropriate to the faith. He points to John Allen Chau, the Christian who broke numerous laws and was then killed while attempting to share the gospel with an unreached people group off the coast of India. The authors conclusion is that any religion that believes others need to accept its message or face damnation is egotistical, intrusive, invasive, and intolerant. He is convinced that we should oppose such religions as vehemently as he does. Of course, sins committed in the name of a religion or ideology are not necessarily the fault of that religion or ideology. As a Christian, I strongly believe that the writers grandfather and father were treated horrifically and indefensibly. We should not blame all Muslims for 9/11 or all atheists for Lenins atrocities. And we should note that the writers rejection of religious intolerance is itself a form of intolerance. ISIS beheads Nigerian Christians While American Christians should note and respond to those who demean or attack our faith (1 Peter 3:1516), we should also remember those who are facing far worse persecution than we experience. Im thinking of the eleven Nigerian Christians who were executed by ISIS terrorists, ten of them by beheading. It is thought that they were killed on Christmas Day. And government oppression in China that seeks to rewrite the Bible, tears down hundreds of church buildings, and imprisons pastors. Open Doors states in its 2019 report that 245 million Christians around the worldone in nine globallyare currently suffering from persecution. On average, eleven believers are killed every day for their faith. The countercultural way to be blessed Jesus taught us: Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account (Matthew 5:11). Notice that our Lord says when, not if. Persecution is inevitable for true followers of Jesus (cf. John 16:33). Those who hate our Father will hate his children (John 15:1821). Paul was blunt: All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). Here we learn that if we are not facing opposition for our faith, we should ask whether our faith is as public and uncompromising as it should be. Im not suggesting that we need to seek to be persecuted. But I am suggesting that we should not be surprised when we are. What persecution teaches us Jesus continued: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:12, my emphasis). Persecution forces us to decide whether we are living for reward on earth or reward in heaven. Until we face opposition for our faith, we can easily deceive ourselves into thinking that we can live for this world and the next. When we are forced to choose between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:1920), we discover which truly comes first for us. This discovery is crucial whether we are facing persecution or not since where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (v. 21). 65,000 students began the new year in worship More than 65,000 college students gathered in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, to begin the new year with worship, Bible teaching, and prayer. The purpose of Passion 2020, which ends today, is you and me saying goodbye to lesser things and saying yes to Jesus, the One whose name is above every name. Those attending are seeking to live in such a way that their journey on earth counts for what is most important in the end. Lets join them. Applications for participation in the early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan were submitted by more than two thousand people, commission chairman Mazahir Panahov said today at a meeting of the country's Central Election Commission. "To date, 2226 people have applied for participation in the extraordinary parliamentary elections scheduled for February 9, 2020. 461 candidates have been nominated by 19 political parties. 16 people have been nominated by initiative groups, and 1749 people have nominated themselves individually. 2066 candidates applied to the CEC were approved, 1903 people already received the signature sheets, 580 people returned them with signatures, 285 people passed registration, "Panahov said at a meeting of the CEC, RIA Novosti reports. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli and Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta and Batam Sat, January 4, 2020 Natuna Regent Abdul Hamid Rizal has suggested that the central government turn the Natuna and Anambas regencies in Riau Islands into new provinces to heighten security amid skirmishes with China in the North Natuna Sea. Abdul said Law No. 23/2014 on regional administrations had not given regency and city administrations the authority to oversee their waters, preventing Natuna and Anambas from securing and managing the Natuna waters, which have been frequented by ships from China laying claim on parts of their marine area. "If Natuna was a special province, then it can be granted the authority and the ability to secure, manage and guard its coastal area and waters especially in the border region, which is currently under the authority of Riau Islands province," he said in a statement. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login (Bloomberg) -- After Russian hackers made extensive efforts to infiltrate the American voting apparatus in 2016, some states moved to restrict internet access to their vote-counting systems. Colorado got rid of barcodes used to electronically read ballots. California tightened its rules for electronic voting machines that can go online. Ohio bought new voting machines that deliberately excluded wireless capabilities. Michigan went in a different direction, authorizing as much as $82 million for machines that rely on wireless modems to connect to the internet. State officials justified the move by saying it is the best way to satisfy an impatient public that craves instantaneous results, even if theyre unofficial. The problem is, connecting election machines to the public internet, especially wirelessly, leaves the whole system vulnerable, according to cybersecurity experts. So Michigans new secretary of state is considering using some of the states $10 million in federal election funds to rip out those modems before the March presidential primary. The system we inherited is not optimal for security since our election equipment can and has connected to the internet, said Jocelyn Benson, who won election as secretary of state and took office in January 2019. She convened a committee of cybersecurity experts to evaluate the state election systems vulnerabilities. If thats what the committee recommends, well take them out. Michigans experience illustrates a thorny challenge for state and local election officials as they try to update old and insecure equipment: Technology thats evolved over two decades to quickly transit election results from precincts to news organizations projecting winners has now been labeled a cybersecurity risk. Michigan says its votes are safe from hackers since its election system only connects to the internet only after votes have been counted. Cybersecurity experts differ. Even brief exposure to the internet can leave states vulnerable to infiltration and an attack on the credibility of their results, said Eddie Perez, Global Director of Technology at the Open Source Election Technology Institute. Story continues Malicious Attackers Part of the challenge of protecting the 2020 vote is convincing localities to prioritize security over familiarity, convenience and accessibility. Cybersecurity experts maintain that connecting election systems to the internet, even briefly, exposes these machines to malicious attackers who may be intent on derailing or discrediting an election. Its not just voting machines that are vulnerable but any piece of the election apparatus, including wireless-enabled printers, digital check-in tablets, tabulators and even the registration database, they said. And yet, some local and state election officials remain committed to wireless-enabled machines, which allow them to quickly provide results to the public and more easily accommodate disabled voters. Heading into the 2020 presidential election, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Georgia and Florida are among at least 11 states that still allow voting jurisdictions to use wireless-enabled voting equipment. Connecting for a millisecond is enough to propagate malware through a system, said Rich DeMillo, a computer science professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a member of Michigans election security panel. Every weak link in the chain of network security is a problem, so opening the door to the internet is just a bad idea in every conceivable scenario. In 2016, Russian hackers attempted to infiltrate most, if not all, state election systems, and downloaded voter data in Illinois, federal authorities have said. However, there is no evidence that the hackers attempted to change the vote. Furthermore, while cybersecurity experts and some election officials fear that wireless connectivity exposes voting systems to hackers, theres no evidence that such an attack has occurred in the U.S. Hacking the vote through wirelessly connected voting machines is one of several potential risks from foreign agents going into the 2020 election. As it did in 2016, Russia could deploy an extensive disinformation campaign on social media to try to sway the vote -- as could other adversaries. Hackers could penetrate voter registration databases and alter or delete information -- potentially sowing chaos on Election Day. Remote election machinery hacks, however, are almost certainly the easiest to prevent -- by simply not allowing the equipment to connect to the public internet. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is responsible for defending Americans from cyber-attacks, has already advised local election authorities to avoid wireless connections altogether. In July, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee issued a report on Russian meddling, saying states should remove any wireless networking capability. Wireless connectivity of voting systems is such a bad idea that the National Institute of Standards and Technology on Dec. 18 recommended restricting voting machines from connecting to external networks through cellular modems. The recommendation would allow cellular connectivity if individual machines are air gapped -- isolated from unsecured networks. An advisory committee of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission could vote on the recommendations by February, the first step in whats likely to be at least a yearlong procedure to restrict the use of wireless modems in voting systems. But theres a catch: even if the EAC, the federal agency responsible for enforcing these non-binding voting machine guidelines, does approve such a prohibition, theyll have no material impact on the 2020 election. Voting machine vendors have stated that it could take them as long as four years to build machines compliant with the new standards. Quick Results That means the 2020 vote, starting with primaries in March, will occur across the country using some machines that cybersecurity experts dont trust. The added risk is just unnecessary, said Andrew Appel, a computer science professor at Princeton University. The only purpose of these modems is to call in results to the news media in seconds rather than minutes. The pressure to promptly transmit results to news organizations - and ultimately voters -- is so great that election officials have no choice but to briefly connect voting systems to the internet at the end of the night, said Paul Lux, the elections supervisor of Okaloosa County, Florida and a member of the EAC advisory committee that develops technical guidelines. If everyone would just be patient on election night and let us produce the results, then theres no real debate here about wireless transmission, Lux said. Election Systems & Software LLC, provider of more than half of the countrys voting machines, contends these systems reduce wait time for results and are secure. Still, Katina Granger, a spokeswoman, said the company does not promote the use of modems. If customers request it, we provide cellular modem transmittal capability on a secure and encrypted network. ES&S also said the number of its election machines with wireless modems is relatively minuscule: 14,420 across 11 states. That would be almost two per jurisdiction, if spread across the entire country. Screws Accessibility Another election machine manufacturer, Hart InterCivic Inc., which has the only wireless-enabled system to receive EACs certification, didnt return messages seeking comment. There is another group advocating for wireless connectivity of voting machines: accessibility groups. While cybersecurity experts are clamoring for less internet connectivity, voters with disabilities are vying for more, including the ability to vote online. Remote access to ballots is just not going to be a priority as long as all of this attention is on security instead, said Diane Golden, a member of a federal committee on voting standards and a voting rights advocate for citizens with disabilities. Every step you take to increase security basically screws accessibility. For all the warnings about wireless-enabled voting machines from federal officials, the safety of elections is mostly the responsibility of more than 7,000 local voting jurisdictions, ranging from Los Angeles County with more than 5.5 million voters to small towns with just a few hundred. In recent years, the federal government has provided $300 million to improve state and local electoral security. Some states and cities have used the money to buy new voting machines and hire cybersecurity experts. But many believe that effort has fallen short of what is needed, leaving some election authorities preparing for the 2020 election with minimal technical and financial support. Cyber Heartburn Some election officials maintain that internet access can be crucial in keeping election machinery functioning properly. In Georgia, six counties ran a pilot program alongside municipal elections in November to test their new voting system, including new digital check-in machines -- iPads used to identify voters. But when voters entered precincts on Nov. 5, the system failed. To fix the glitch, state election officials decided to connect the tablets to the internet, using the same Wi-Fi found in polling places. They figured, if we turn on Wi-Fi for a minute, well load the correct data and it will work like a dream, said Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State, who is overseeing the pilot project. And it did. Its the kind of episode that gives cybersecurity officials heartburn, even if theres no evidence that anything went wrong in Georgia. Its easy to use wireless in a bad way, said Dan Wallach, a computer science professor at Rice University and a member of the EACs technical guidelines committee. To configure it in a way that works and isnt a security nightmare is just asking for a lot. In Michigan, Bensons predecessor, Ruth Johnson, said the reason for investing in internet-enabled machines was to transmit pre-preliminary results as quickly as possible. But she said the decision wasnt made in isolation. The state also chose to procure machines with a paper trail to audit their results to provide additional security. The state may have to live with that decision if Bensons panel determines the modems cant be ripped out without harming the rest of the hardware. Benson hopes to know more by the end of January, with the states primary looming in a little more than a month. If nothing else, these capabilities create a sense of insecurity in our results, she said. Until we have technology that can be completely secure, yes, we should be taking steps to get away from the internet in our machines. (Updates to mention transmitted results are unofficial in second paragraph) To contact the reporter on this story: Kartikay Mehrotra in San Francisco at kmehrotra2@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrew Martin at amartin146@bloomberg.net, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Sydney's West was the hottest place on Earth today as temperatures soared to a sweltering 48.9C as the state is ravaged by devastating bushfires. Penrith hit the scorching temperature around 3pm on Saturday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Strong winds were also feared to spark more fires as a dozen emergency warnings were issued across New South Wales on Saturday afternoon. Scorching temperatures and strong winds in Sydney had firefighters on high alert after areas reached above 40C (pictured: bushfire in Moruya, south of Batemans Bay) Sydney's inner city also sweated through Saturday with temperatures topping 35C. Canberra also hit record breaking highs, reaching 43C on Saturday afternoon. Firefighters feared the worst for the 200,000 residents in Penrith as the Bureau issued an alert for 'severe to extreme fire danger' on Friday afternoon. Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier said authorities were well prepared for the extreme bushfire conditions. 'We've never been as prepared as we are today for the onslaught we're likely to face,' she told reporters. There were some 137 bushfires burning in NSW on Saturday morning with about 60 uncontained. More than 3000 firefighters are on the frontline with 31 specialist strike teams in place across the state. RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said temperatures would soar past 40C in southeastern NSW before a 'volatile' southerly wind sweeps through in the afternoon. Penrith in Sydney's west, was the hottest place on earth on Saturday, reaching 48.9C Northwesterly winds have been whipping fire grounds in southern NSW and pushing bushfires towards the coast. 'We're going to have a long day dominated by hot temperatures, dry atmosphere and winds coming out of the ranges,' Mr Fitzsimmons told reporters. 'It will make for a very dangerous day and it will make for volatile fire grounds.' Grahame Reader, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Meteorology said the extreme conditions over the weekend could spark more fires. 'We have three main threats today - the fires themselves, the smoke and the heatwave conditions,' he told reporters on Saturday. 'Through southern and central NSW there is the potential for dry thunderstorms. The danger is they could start new ignitions.' Residents in Penrith cool down in the Nepean River after temperatures soared above 40C over Friday and Saturday The bushfire season has taken the lives of 23 people so far and has destroyed more than 1,500 homes. The national bushfire death toll reached 23 on Saturday after two people were killed in a blaze on the popular tourist spot of Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. The pair died trying to flee when their vehicle was overtaken by a ferocious fire, emergency services confirmed. Firefighters tackle a bushfire in thick smoke in the town of Moruya, south of Batemans Bay, where residents were told to evacuate Thousands of people have already fled Australia's bushfire-ravaged southeast as a state of emergency is declared and catastrophic fire conditions approach. Streams of cars, caravans, trucks and buses clogged the highways as people heed the warnings to leave. Dozens of makeshift campsites are springing up in towns deemed safe by authorities, straining resources despite the military's ongoing relief operation. As fires continue to rage on, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was prompted to send in 3,000 Australian Defence Force reserves to help in the bushfire recovery. Tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers have already fled the fire zones with many sheltering at evacuation points deemed safe by authorities. The military has also been supporting the fire response, with about 1,200 people evacuated from the Victorian coastal town of Mallacoota by navy vessels on Friday. Sixty evacuees who fled on the HMAS Sycamore arrived at Hastings, in Western Port, southern Victoria on Saturday morning, following a 20-hour journey. Working at a magazine, people love to say things like,"Oh the cover is amazing! It must have been so fun to be at the shoot!" Little do they realize that most photoshoots involved drama and organizational headaches that often make it hard to look back on the cover without a little tinge of stress and anxiety. Most of PAPER's cover cuties are well-behaved and not divas, but somehow different hijinks always ensue. We looked back at some of our favorite covers from the 2010s with memories from PAPER's Mickey Boardman about the behind-the-scenes action at the shoots. April 2010: Beth Ditto Photography: Dan Monick This cover was styled by designer Jeremy Scott, who called Gossip's Beth Ditto his best friend and muse. His collection that season was inspired by The Flintstones and Beth had just dyed her hair orange, so he decided to make Beth into a sexy prehistoric Pebbles. Beth is the best, and happy to wear anything and be crazy. Summer 2010: Kesha Photography: Dan Monick Kesha (then: Ke$ha) was part of our 2010 summer music issue, which had three covers: Kesha, Drake and Brooklyn band Ratatat. Part of doing the cover included performing for an outdoor concert series called Sounds Like PAPER. Kesha was a total dream to shoot so sweet and up for anything. I'm afraid that wasn't the case with the other two cover subjects. We shot Drake in an Ohio hotel room and he smoked tons of pot and then refused to take off his sunglasses. We had a rule at PAPER that we couldn't have people wearing sunglasses on the cover, so the photographer was freaking out on the phone to me that she didn't know what to do. At the Ratatat shoot in NYC, the boys told me they couldn't take off their sunglasses because their thing was they didn't show their faces. I said I'd seen a million pictures of their faces on the internet and they said the not-showing faces thing was new. I told them we couldn't run a cover with a person wearing sunglasses, knowing we already had a Drake cover with him wearing sunglasses. Flash forward to the first free Sounds Like PAPER concert with Drake and opening act Hanson, and 40,000 people showed up. There was a bit of a mini-riot, which caused the police to shut down the show while Hanson was performing. Kesha's performance the following week was moved indoors to Roseland, and she gave an incredible show and was a dream to work with. Summer 2011: Joe Jonas Photography: Jacqueline DiMilia All I can say is Joe Jonas had a very good sense of humor and was so fabulous to deal with for this shoot. In those days, we always did three music covers and asked each cover person to perform at a Sounds Like PAPER concert. For the shoot, we asked Joe to jump on a trampoline in a tuxedo and he didn't flinch he was happy to do it. For the concert in NYC, he performed before Swizz Beatz. You can imagine what that crowd was like: half Jonas fans and half Swizz Beatz fans. Joe was a total pro. When I did a PAPER TV interview with him after his show telling him I was coming to his hotel room for the after party, he didn't blink and went along with all my stupidity and silliness. September 2012: Ezra Miller Photography: Autum DeWilde Ezra Miller was a relatively new actor at the time we shot him, but he already had a reputation for liking wild fashion. The stylist, Shirley Kurata, pulled stuff like Comme des Garcons but also some women's pieces in case Ezra felt like wearing them. (A past cover subject Vincent Gallo, arrived at a cover shoot with photographer Francois Nars and right away asked if we had any women's clothes for him to wear). Ezra was almost 20 at the time and arrived with a little group of friends. It seemed like none of them had taken a shower or combed their hair for several days, but they were all very sweet. At one point they started smoking pot and relaxing on the studio couches. It was a fun, festive atmosphere and I think Ezra ended up wearing all the clothes we pulled the wilder the better. Often a cover subject is uptight and doesn't want to wear anything too fun, so this was a really great experience and we were very happy with the shoot. November 2012: M.I.A. Photography: Jessica Craig Martin Our art director at the time had the idea to get some colorful parrots to shoot with M.I.A. for the cover story and we didn't really have a budget for it. Somehow (did we Tweet about it?), we found someone in Baltimore with two parrots who was willing to drive up to NYC for the shoot just to get their pets in the magazine. M.I.A. brought her adorable son Ikhyd to the shoot. He was about three years old at the time and for some reason he was obsessed with our producer Jordan, who is more than 6 feet tall and a big bear of a guy. At one point Ikyd asked Jordan to take him to the bathroom and wandered out of the bathroom onto set without any pants on. September 2014: Courtney Love Photography: Richard Phibbs We adore Courtney Love. She's such a rock star. But since she's a rock star we weren't exactly sure if she would wake up in the morning in time for the shoot. So I planned to pick her up at her downtown hotel and take her to the shoot. Courtney texted me before I even got there and was ready by the time I arrived. So much for the diva rumors. Our photographer Richard Phibbs does Buddhist chanting, which Courtney is also a big fan of. That was a total coincidence. They completely bonded and chanted together. It was one of the easiest, quickest shoots we've ever done. I was slightly disappointed it was so easy because there are certain people like Courtney, Prince, Lindsay Lohan and Mariah that you sort of hope will be divas and give you fun stories to tell after. Sadly when we've shot all those people, they were all easy breezy with no drama. Winter 2014: Kim Kardashian Photography: Jean-Paul Goude We shot Kim Kardashian during Paris Fashion Week and the studio was on the outskirts of Paris. Traffic was super crazy that day, so about five minutes before call time I got a text from her bodyguard saying they were five minutes away. People are rarely on time, so I was shocked and impressed. I went out front to greet her and somehow there was a crowd of about 50 crazy fans. I have no idea how they figured out where the shoot was or even that we were doing a shoot. Her van came around the corner, followed by about 20 photographers on scooters. It was mayhem. She arrived alone, except for her bodyguard who texted me. No publicist, no manager, just her, which is unusual for a cover subject. She arrived about two minutes past call time and apologized for being late. She was literally the most pleasant and professional cover subject I've ever worked with. She met everyone and was so excited to be doing the shoot. She said, "Let's really do this. I'll stay all night and do whatever you want." It was literally a dream come true, and the rest is history. April 2015: Kanye West Photography: Jackie Nickerson The whole thing came about because I would run into Kanye West during fashion week. He was going to tons of shows and basically felt like a member of the press since he didn't just go to high profile show that celebs went to he went to see young designers, too. He had done this podcast where he did a whole soliloquy about the American Dream, so I went up to him and said how brilliant it was and how perfect a cover it would be for our America issue. He said, "Let's do it." Summer 2015: Miley Cyrus Photography: Paola Kudacki We shot Miley Cyrus at Milk Studios in LA with her pet pig, and she was basically naked and rolling in mud with the pig. At the time, Kanye West was basically using Milk as his office. Kanye stopped by the shoot to say hello and we got a picture of him with Miley (nude). We never ran it though. April 2016: Kylie Jenner Photography: Erik Madigan Heck Kylie Jenner was the cover of our 2016 Youth issue and we shot at Milk Studios in LA. We really wanted to dye her hair candy colors, but her publicist said she had to wear wigs (by the fabulous Tokyo Stylez). I ran into her at the Balmain for H&M show a few days before the shoot and said how we'd really love to dye her hair. She was so sweet and said, "I guess I can dye it although it would really damage my hair." Her PR interrupted and reminded me it had to be wigs. The day of the shoot Kendall was shooting for Vogue in the next studio and came in to say hi at our shoot. Kris Jenner also stopped by with her friend/client Melanie Griffith. There were a million paparazzi across the street from the studio in the parking lot. It turns out they had crazy telephoto lenses and shot close ups of Kylie in the crazy wigs we put her in. The photos were all over the internet the next day. Vegas Issue 2017: Mariah Carey Photography: James White The Suicide Squad When James Gunn was fired from Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 by Marvel, it didnt take long for Warner Bros to approach the filmmaker about making a DC movie. Eventually, it was announced that Gunn would write and direct The Suicide Squad, a quasi follow-up to David Ayers 2016 superhero blockbuster. But during a recent question and answer session on Instagram, Gunn revealed that he actually had the option of any DC character he wanted. Read More: Karen Gillan praises James Gunn's 'wonderful' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 script (exclusive) This included a Superman movie, however Gunn insisted that he wouldnt have necessarily been a sequel to Man Of Steel. "As has been reported many times, DC offered me whatever film I wanted to do, including some sort of Superman movie (not specifically Man of Steel 2 as I've seen reported), wrote Gunn, via Comic Book, before he then explained why he picked Suicide Squad. Director James Gunn attends a premiere of the film "Guardians of the galaxy, Vol. 2" in London April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay "I chose The Suicide Squad because it's one of my favorite properties in the world. It's the story I wanted to tell more than any other." Were still not completely sure how Gunns take on The Suicide Squad will link up to its predecessor. When Gunn announced the cast for his sequel he confirmed that Margot Robbies Harley Quinn, Jai Courtneys Boomerang, Joel Kinnamans Rick Flag, and Viola Davis Amanda Waller would be returning. Read More: Marvel directors back James Gunn's reinstatement on 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' But that was it. Instead, Idris Elba, John Cena, Storm Reid, Nathan Fillion, Peter Capaldi, Pete Davidson, Michael Rooker, and Take Waititi, as well as numerous other stars, are joining the ensemble. Well finally get to see how they intertwine and what Gunn does with The Suicide Squad when it is released on August 6, 2021, while despite being fired he was later rehired by Marvel and will eventually oversee Guardians Of The Galaxy 3, too. Unfortunately, despite Henry Cavill insisting he wants to return, we still have no idea when well actually get to see Superman in the DC Extended Universe again. New Delhi, Jan 4 : Muslim body Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has condemned the stone pelting incident at Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan, and demanded that those involved should be arrested. Jamaat President Sadatullah Hussaini said that "We demand Pakistan government should arrest those persons involved in this incident and safety should be provided to the pilgrims." Jamaat Vice President Saleem Engineer said that "It is the duty of the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, sanctity and security of the religious site and protect the pilgrims and members of the Sikh community from any act of violence, arson and vandalism." Jamaat hoped the issue will be resolved and timely action taken against the culprits. On Friday, the gurudwara was attacked by a huge Muslim mob while Sikh devotees were stuck inside the shrine. The mob that had gathered outside raised communal and hateful slogans against the minority community and pelted stones on the shrine, videos circulated on social media showed. Pakistani sources said the mob was led by the family of Mohammed Hassan, the man who had abducted and converted a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur to Islam, to protest police action against him. CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON Half of this village's name says it all -- on Hudson. But villagers who want to get to the undeveloped Riverfront Park on the river would have to trespass through a locked gate meant to keep people off Amtrak's tracks. And theres been no public access for decades, officials say. Its frustrating. Riverfront access is important to us. We havent had it for 25 years, Mayor Bob Schmidt said Friday night. About 60 people crowded into the Castleton Volunteer Fire Co. station to learn what they could do to push for access to the river in the village. It was the first of three meetings the other two are planned Saturday in Germantown and Rhinebeck sponsored by Scenic Hudson to gather public support and information to develop ways to overcome the barrier caused by the tracks on the river's east side. Were looking to open up access along a very long stretch of the river, Jeff Anzevino, Scenic Hudson's director of land use advocacy, told the crowd. Scenic Hudson is working on a study, Hudson River Access Plan: Poughkeepsie to Rensselaer, to submit to the state in anticipation of Amtrak renewing its effort to get state permission for gates to prevent people from crossing tracks used by passenger trains between Albany and New York. The railroad is one of the biggest challenges to getting to the river, Anzevino said. In 2019, Amtrak pulled back from its plans to get state approval for pedestrian barriers at seven track locations between Stuyvesant and Rhinecliff. The railway said at the time it would revisit the issue as part of a five-year plan to improve safety along the Empire Service Hudson Line. RELATED: Remove I-787? Fahy wants a feasibility study Scenic Hudson is working with Hudson River Valley municipalities, conservation groups, sportsmen organizations and individuals to lobby the state for more access. The conservation group said municipal leaders have been contacted by Amtrak to discuss potential public hearing dates on a renewed effort for keeping pedestrians off the tracks. Scenic Hudson unveiled its online portal HudsonRiverAccess.org to collect public comments on accessibility along the river. The group is collecting comments through the end of January. Anzevino said its important to hear from anglers and hunters who use the river. We fight to get access everywhere, said Bob Davis of Trout Unlimited in Rensselaer County. Frank Dingman, president of the Rensselaer County Conservation Alliance, said his organization also supports being able to safely cross the tracks. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Rensselaer County Legislator Chuck Peter, R-Schodack, said he and his friends grew up crossing the tracks to access the river. Now, he said, its important to open up the river to the public to help with the villages economic revitalization. It would be a big get for the village, Peter said. He plans to urge the county Legislature to get behind the effort. Part of the push for accessibility is using the public trust doctrine, which argues that people have a right to use and access the river. Anzevino and Peter Melewski, a transportation planner and environmental consultant for Scenic Hudson, said this may be an important point in their case to the state. Melewski said that in California and other states, Amtrak has provided public accessibility over tracks traveled by high speed trains. He said those initiatives, which are for at-grade crossings, could be done in the Hudson Valley. The village has received a $50,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to negotiate accessibility to the riverfront and to draft plans for the site, Schmidt told those attending. He pointed out that the Rensselaer Land Trust determined that the village location was among the top three sites in the county where public access should be obtained. Scenic Hudson intends to complete its study and submit it to the state this spring. A 37-year-old man arrested over the murder bid on an off-duty PSNI officer has been released on bail pending further enquiries. The male officer was confronted on his doorstep in Co Fermanagh in the middle of the night by a masked man aiming a shotgun at him. A senior detective said she believes "organised criminal elements" may be responsible. On Friday morning, Detective Chief Inspector Julie Mullan announced that a man had been arrested in the Fermanagh area on suspicion of attempted murder. DUP leader and local MLA Arlene Foster led the widespread condemnation over the incident. She said it was an "outrageous attack on a public servant". The officer was at home in the Rosscah Road and Crevenish Road area of Kesh at around 2am yesterday when he noticed movement outside his property, police said. Read More When he opened his front door to investigate, he was confronted by a masked man aiming a shotgun at him. The suspect, who is described as being dressed entirely in black, then made off on foot across nearby fields close to the local football club. Detective Chief Inspector Julie Mullan said police believe it was a clear attempt to kill a local police officer. "There are no words to describe those who would creep through the dark of night with nothing but death and destruction on their minds," she said. "Their actions stand in stark contrast to those officers, including their intended target, who every day police our communities with dignity, respect and courtesy." Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said there was no room for this kind of "Mafia-style behaviour". "This was an appalling and cowardly act. The officer was fortunate to escape unhurt," he said. "I spoke with him earlier today and, understandably, he has been left badly shaken by the shocking experience of being confronted by a gunman on his doorstep. "There should be no place for this type of Mafia-style behaviour. This is gangsterism at its worst." Mrs Foster said the attack was a 'brazen attempt' on the life of the policeman. "It is a reminder of the threat and danger that police officers face on a daily basis as they try to protect our community," she said. Policing Board member Mervyn Story said: "This is a chilling reminder of the threat faced by our police officers. "We must stand united with our police service and all those who serve the community." SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said the perpetrators wanted to "drag Northern Ireland backwards". "I can't imagine how this officer must have felt, opening his door in the early hours of the morning to be confronted by a man with a shotgun. My thoughts are with him and his family at what must be a distressing time," he said. Local UUP MLA Rosemary Barton said: "This cowardly attempt on the life of this officer under the cover of darkness must be condemned by all right-thinking people and those involved in this dreadful act have no place in our society, a society that we thought had moved on from murder and violence." DCI Mullan said the police were 'keeping an open mind' as to the motivation behind the attack, but said "a primary line of enquiry is that organised criminal elements may be responsible". She appealed for anyone with information to contact police. A mourner reacts as he attends the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, top commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 4, 2020. (Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters) Thousands March in Baghdad to Mourn Slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani Tens of thousands of people marched in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 4 to mourn slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and others killed in a U.S. airstrike, including Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Al-Muhandis was the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a grouping of Iran-backed militias. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and Hadi al-Ameri, a top Iraqi militia commander, a close Iran ally, and the top candidate to succeed al-Muhandis, marched in the funeral procession for Soleimani, state television footage showed. A PMF-organized procession carrying the bodies of Soleimani, al-Muhandis, and other Iraqis killed in the U.S. strike took place in Baghdads Green Zone. Mourners included many militiamen in uniform for whom al-Muhandis and Soleimani were heroes. They carried portraits of both men and plastered them on walls and armored personnel carriers in the procession. Chants of Death to America and No No Israel rang out. Mourners react as they attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, top commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 4, 2020. (Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters) Some Iraqis condemned the attack on Soleimani. It is necessary to take revenge on the murderers. The martyrs got the prize they wantedthe prize of martyrdom, said one of the marchers, Ali al-Khatib. A slew of marchers held pictures of the slain men while others hoisted posters with anti-U.S. slogans. Many Iraqis also voiced fear of militia reprisals against those involved in months of street protests against the Iranian-backed Baghdad government over alleged misrule and corruption. A picture taken on Jan. 4, 2020, shows the site where top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed along with eight others in a US strike the day before, outside the international airport road in Baghdad, Iraq. (Ali Choukeir/AFP via Getty Images) They said Soleimani and al-Muhandis had backed the use of force against unarmed anti-government protesters last year and established militias that demonstrators blame for many of Iraqs social and economic woes. In Iran, some people worried that Soleimanis death might push the country into a ruinous war with a superpower. I feel so sad for Soleimanis death but what if America and Iran start a war? I have children. What if they send my son to war? said Monireh, a retired teacher. Iranian leaders have described Soleimani as a martyr and vowed to take revenge. He was martyred by the most villainous people, the U.S. govt, & their pride in this crime is a distinguishing feature of him, Supreme Leader Sayyid Khamenei said in a Twitter post. In a message to Soleimanis family on Saturday, Khamenei said, You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream. To Martyr Soleimanis family, You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream. Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 4, 2020 Khamenei visited Soleimanis home and prayed with his family. He also ordered a three day mourning period across the nation. U.S. military leaders said they took out Soleimani because he was planning an imminent attack on American interests in the Middle East. Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region, the Department of Defense said in a statement. The American people should know that President Trumps decision to remove Qassem Soleimani from the battlefield saved American lives, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a television appearance. Reuters contributed to this report. 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Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of Vietnams largest private conglomerate Vingroup, remained the richest person in Vietnam with a net worth of $7.6 billion, a $1 billion increase from March, ranking 242nd on the magazines list of richest people in the world. His current asset value is more than five times that of 2013, when he made it into Forbess billionaire list for the first time, with total assets of $1.5 billion. Vingroup is a major player in the nations real estate, retail, logistics, agriculture, education and healthcare sectors. The CEO of budget carrier Vietjet Air, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, is in 935th place with a worth of $2.7 billion, up $400 million over March. Meanwhile, the two newcomers who made their debut on Forbess billionaires list saw their total asset value fall. Ho Hung Anh, chairman of the Vietnam Technological & Commercial Joint-Stock Bank, or Techcombank, was 1,770th in the current ranking, with his total assets $1.4 billion, down $300 million against March. Meanwhile, Masan Group founder Nguyen Dang Quang ranked 2,167th, with total assets of $1 billion, a $300 million fall from March. On December 11, Quang's net worth was estimated at $980.8 million, down 25 percent since March, as the price of MSN shares, which account for the majority of his assets, fell steeply. It began falling following an announcement by Vingroup on December 3 that it had reached a deal with Masan to merge their retail subsidiaries to form a new company. Quang made it to the Forbes list for the first time last March with a net worth of $1.3 billion. He founded Masan, a major producer of fish sauce and packaged foods, in 2004. Tran Ba Duong, chairman of the Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO), who made it to the Forbes list for the second time last March at $1.7 billion, has seen the value of his assets unchanged as of December 31. He is in the 1,477th position. Duong founded THACO in 1997. The company assembles cars for foreign brands such as Kia, Mazda and Peugeot, apart from producing its own buses and trucks. More than 550,000 litres of water have been delivered to drought-hit Stanthorpe in Queensland, Australia, thanks to the generosity of Kerry couple Richard and Louise Lenihan. The Kerry couple along with close friend, Kieran O'Brien from Mayo, led a convoy of lorries to Stanthorpe - three hours inland from Brisbane, to help the local, rural community devastated by drought, all in time for Christmas. "The situation is scandalous. 70 per cent of Queensland is in drought. People are only allowed 80 litres a day for washing and showering. Farmers can't feed animals. It is no longer a livelihood," explained Louise, who is originally from Killarney. Having realised the plight faced by the people of Stanthorpe, Louise and Richard, who is from Gneeveguilla, and Kieran decided to set up a GoFundMe Page to raise funds to bring water and animal feed to the town. All three currently live in Brisbane and wanted to do something to help those devastated by the drought in Australia. "We were talking about the situation over a beer and we just decided we would do something to help and set up the GoFundMe page," said Louise. Never in their dreams did they think they would be so successful. They set an original target of $10,000 but, thanks to the generosity of the Irish community in Australia and at home, they far exceeded their target and raised $70,000 via fundraising alone. This included many donations from Kerry, from friends and family of Louise and Richard. A number of companies came on board to support the fundraising drive and sponsored water and funds to help the people of Stanthorpe in time for Christmas. "All the funds were raised in a four-week period, and it was thanks to the generosity of the Irish community in Brisbane and at home. We also want to thank our family and friends in Kerry and further afield who helped raise the funds," said Louise. On December 21 a convoy of almost 90 vehicles left Brisbane to deliver water and animal feed to Stanthorpe. Speaking to The Kerryman, Louise and Richard said they got a wonderful reception from the local community. Many have been unable to even shower their children or flush their toilets due to the shortage of water, and their plight is devastating. Farmers lined up to collect water when the lorries arrived in the town, while households can now collect water from a depot in the town. In total, 170,000 litres of drinking water on pallets worth $77,000 were delivered along with a further 300,00 litres of stock water and 100,000 litres of potable water. This water will help wineries in the region as well as farmers, and will also allow householders to access drinking water as well as water for showers and washing up. A further 47,000 tonnes of animal feed worth $48,000 were delivered to help save the region's animals, many of whom are dying as farmers are unable to buy feed or provide water. Hay was also donated and delivered to help beleaguered farmers. Louise said that the local community was delighted to receive the support and spoke about the difficulties they faced because of the drought. The donations from Louise and Richard are only a drop in the ocean, and the town still faces a major water shortage, as does much of Australia. "Stanthorpe will still run out of water in the Dam. Though it has rained here in Brisbane in recent days it is not hitting the right places; 99 per cent of New South Wales is now in a drought," said Louise. She is critical of the Government's response to the crisis. The recent bush fires, which threatened towns and cities across Australia in recent weeks, have put further pressure on the water situation in many states, including in Queeensland. Louise and Richard hope to do another convoy to more drought-stricken areas if they can raise enough funds. However, they will wait a few months to assess the situation on the ground. "It was great to be able to do something and help out. Everyone at home got behind us. It was exhausting but so worth it. We would like to do it again and we hope to go to a more isolated region. The drought is not going away but we are going to wait for one, two months before we do something again," said Louise. Louise and Richard have been living in Australia for almost 12 years and have made their adopted country their home. Richard is a plant machine operator and Louise is at home with their three children: Kyle, Darcy and Jett. She said that Brisbane, their home, is also experiencing drought but not at the scale of towns like Stanthorpe and others - some of whom have no seen rain for years. Details of the convoy and their achievements can be found on the Brisbane Irish SEQLD Drought Run on Facebook. A map showing the northern waters of the Natuna Islands (Photo: Reuters) Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD chaired a closed meeting at this ministrys headquarters on January 3rd. The meetings content was not publicised, but information sources confirmed that the event was to discuss measures to cope with Chinas claims over the waters near the Natuna Islands. Issues on the northern waters of Natuna became the Indonesian Governments concern after the countrys authorised forces discovered many fishing boats escorted by Chinas coast guard vessels trespassing Indonesias EEZ. In the face of this situation, many opinions in the Indonesian parliament called for a maritime security law to be adopted and the Indonesian Maritime Security Agencys jurisdiction to be enhanced to defend the countrys waters against Chinas activities./. (Newser) A Vancouver woman owes her ex-boyfriend $200,000 after defaming him with what a judge called a "relentless" and "malicious" social-media campaign, the CBC reports. The ruling went against Noelle Halcrow, who had posted over 85 messages calling ex-boyfriend Brandon Rook a "no-good drunkard" and "down-and-out failure" who is unfaithful, homophobic, and bisexual, among other things. Perhaps more seriously, she accused him of perpetrating sexual assault and spreading herpes. "No care or compassion for those that struggle with illness," she added. "No time for them or understanding." story continues below Halcrow blamed others for mounting the campaign, but the posts were linked to her IP address and resembled texts she had sent Rook. "I do not accept [her argument] and find that she mounted a campaign against Mr. Rook that was as relentless as it was extensive," said Supreme Court of B.C. Justice Elliott Myers, per the Vancouver Sun. "I also conclude that she was motivated by malice." She now has to pay Rook $200,000 as well as $40,000 to cover his "reputation consultant" costs. Little is known about their relationship except they dated for two stintssix months, then one monthand Rook broke up with her each time. Rook had no comment, and neither did she. (Read more defamation stories.) A group of Wyoming news organizations largely prevailed in its lawsuit against the University of Wyoming, an effort that sought to shake loose public records related to the dismissal of former UW president Laurie Nichols, records that the outlets had contended were improperly withheld. In a 55-page ruling filed Friday, Albany County District Court Judge Tori Kricken wrote that the vast majority of the records sought by the Casper Star-Tribune, WyoFile and others will be released, albeit with some redactions to protect sensitive personal information. The judge ordered 18 documents be withheld in full because they met an attorney-client privilege exception. There is a well-known expression applied to those in public office, If you cant stand the heat, youd better stay out of the kitchen, Kricken wrote, quoting another court case. She rejected a number of UWs overarching arguments for blocking release of records related to the Nichols decision, which was announced in a late March press release that surprised both campus and Nichols. Quite simply, public figures, especially those who, by nature of their position, are subject to increased scrutiny and notoriety have a decreased interest in privacy, Kricken wrote. The judge also ruled in favor of the organizations request for the university to provide a log of withheld documents that detailed why they couldnt be released. The university had refused to provide such a log. UW had made sweeping use of attorney-client privilege to avoid disclosing communications among UW board members. But the inclusion of UW general counsel Tara Evans on communications with board members does not automatically make the communication privileged, Kricken wrote, ordering most of those records be released. The judge ruled against the news organizations on the question of whether fees charged by the university to produce records were reasonable. UW charged more than $700 for a Star-Tribune request made in the spring. The Star-Tribune, WyoFile, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and the Laramie Boomerang filed the lawsuit in June. The Wyoming Press Association declined to join the effort. Originally, the suit was between the outlets and UW, but in October, Nichols formally intervened, largely agreeing with UW and asking that the records not be released. Cheyenne-based attorney Bruce Moats, who represented the news organizations, called the ruling a victory for the public. Its not a victory for these news organizations really because what makes what they do valuable is that they make this information available to the public so the public can evaluate by themselves, he said. This is a courageous decision by the judge that democracy should persist, he added. Its unclear when the records that the judge ordered be released will be turned over to the news organizations. In a conference call with attorneys Friday afternoon, Kricken said she would keep the records confidential until Nichols and UW had a chance to appeal the decision. The judge said that the log detailing the withheld documents must be provided to the outlets by Jan. 13. Messages sent to Nichols attorney and the universitys attorney were not immediately returned Friday. Nichols was recently announced as the new president of Black Hills State University. Judge Krickens decision is a victory for transparency the Wyoming publics right to know how its tax dollars are spent and its institutions managed, WyoFile chief executive and editor Matthew Copeland wrote in a statement. Its worth noting, however, that innumerable work-hours and thousands of dollars were required to defend to simply maintain those rights. If the precedent set here precludes similar stonewalling the next time an institution or official wants to avoid scrutiny, it will have been effort well-spent, he said. You can rest assured, well put that to the test. Dale Bohren, the publisher of the Star-Tribune, also hailed the ruling. As important as it is for residents of Wyoming to know and understand how the states only university is managed, he said in a statement, this suit was about a larger and even more important issue, and that is about how public information is curated by publicly funded institutions and how that information is disseminated to the public, including newspapers. I believe every single member of the UW Board of Trustees wants what is best for the university and for Wyoming. That is why this precedent setting District Court ruling is so important; it gives clarity to the good faith behavior we can and should expect from public institutions with respect to the records of how they fund and perform the publics work. Throughout her lengthy order, Kricken repeatedly stated that the Wyoming public has an interest in how its sole four-year university is run. She dismissed the notion, argued by Nichols, that the former president wasnt a public figure. She quoted heavily from past court cases, including one that declared that, generally, state agencies must act in a fishbowl. She wrote that the public has a legitimate concern and great interest in the actions of the University Board and the University President. Transparency advocates have worried about overuse of the personnel exemption to deny public records requests, overuse that improperly catalogs decisions as belonging in a private personnel file. Moats said he hopes Krickens ruling will push back on such a trend. I would hope that not only the university but other governmental entities would take this decision to heart, he said. I have seen more willingness to withhold information than maybe there has been in past years, recently. While the exact content of the documents is unclear, previous court filings suggest they pertain to an investigation into Nichols. The universitys board of trustees secretly undertook that inquiry in the weeks before the school announced Nichols wouldnt continue as president. In September, WyoFile and the Star-Tribune reported as much, citing anonymous sources who were contacted as part of the investigation. The news outlets also cited a document that provided significant details of the investigation. In court filings when joining the case, Nichols has argued that she was never contacted in regards to an investigation. Her attorney has suggested that Nichols not being contacted or notified of the investigation was an omission that violated UW policies. The universitys lawyers have strongly challenged the suggestion that the school violated its own regulations. The news of Nichols demotion shocked campus; she was popular and had helped the school navigate turbulent times in her three years at the helm. To add to the confusion, virtually no information was released about the decision after it was announced in late March. The board declined to provide any detail, and Nichols repeatedly said she was given no explanation for why she wouldnt continue. She said and her attorney confirmed in emails filed with the court that she and the board were marching toward a contract renewal. That renewal was apparently derailed by the investigation launched into Nichols in February and March. Its unclear exactly what the investigation sought to uncover. One source told the Star-Tribune and WyoFile that the subject of the inquiry was Nichols conduct. The Star-Tribune filed multiple records requests in the spring seeking records related to the decision, including documents pertaining to an investigation into Nichols. The investigation request was denied completely while another was only partially filled. The university refused to acknowledge that any investigative records even existed, and the boards chairman, Dave True, declined to comment. Those denials triggered the lawsuit. In October, after WyoFile and the Star-Tribune reported that Nichols was investigated, the university turned over more documents to the court, apparently in relation to the investigation. The university argued that any investigation was privileged and couldnt be released. Kricken disagreed. Other states faced with similar issues have found that the publics interest in monitoring the disciplinary operations of public institutions outweigh the personal privacy concerns involved, especially after sensitive personal information has been redacted, she wrote. Love 10 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 1 Panaji, Jan 4 (IANS) BJP National Working President JP Nadda has assured the Goa party unit, that the 'letter-writing' between the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Karnataka government over the contentious Mhadei interstate water dispute issue will stop, Goa's Ports Minister Michael Lobo said. Lobo on Friday night also said that, the issue of the Mhadei river water diversion was discussed at a close-door meeting between BJP MLAs, top officials along with Nadda at a city hotel. "He (Nadda) said, he is seized of the matter and the Chief Minister has spoken to him in Delhi on two occasions and he would put those letters to rest. That such type of letters are not issued (again)," Lobo said. The state's Ports minister also said, that during the meeting with Nadda, which lasted for around 45 mins, Goa's Water Resources Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues spelled out Goa's case in the ongoing flare-up with Karnataka over Mhadei river water. "The Minister said that this issue of giving letters should stop, because the matter is before the Supreme Court and we have a strong case for the Mhadei. The decision should be as per SC and by giving such letters, we are only going to complivate the situation," Lobo said, spelling out Rodrigues' pitch to Nadda, who was in Goa to address a pro Citizenship Amendment Act rally in Panaji on Friday. The two decade-long dispute over the waters of the Mhadei river, got a fresh twist last month, when the Prakash Javadekar-led MoEF wrote to Karnataka Home Minister Basvaraj Bommai, saying the Karnataka government could proceed with the controversial Kalasa-Banduri water diversion project after the 2018 award on the Mhadei interstate water dispute is formally notified by the Central Government. The December 24 letter comes on the heels of a prior letter, which was issued by the MoEF to Karnataka giving a green nod to the same project. The Goa government has opposed the project claiming diversion of water from the Mhadei basin would cause "ecological devastation" in the coastal state, where nearly half the population of 1.5 million depends on Mhadei river water. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has also said, that if needed the MoEF's controversial letter would be challenged in Court, because the Kalasa-Banduri project was a sub judice matter, after the Goa government has objected to it in the Supreme Court. Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik last month, had also chided the MoEF, saying the letter written by the central ministry to the Karnataka government was open to misinterpretation. The Mhadei river originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea near Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through Maharashtra. An interstate water disputes tribunal, set up by the central government, after hearing the over two-decade-old Mhadei river water sharing dispute among Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, in August 2018 allotted 13.42 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) (including 3.9 TMC for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) to Karnataka and 1.33 TMC to Maharashtra. maya/sdr/ Mobile homes are shown on Deer Run Drive, in Honey Brook, Pa. Mobile homes are taxed as homes but they depreciate like vehicles. That means the roughly 4,000+ mobile homes in Chester County are most likely overvalued and overtaxed. Read more Randy and Debbie Blough, volunteers at the Honey Brook Food Pantry, stopped by the mobile home of a client a young mother in the Chester County borough who was struggling to make ends meet. We could see how modest it was, Randy Blough said of their 2018 visit to the home. She showed us [her] property-tax bill and we were just floored. Her bill was five times what it should have been, based on her homes value. And she was behind in her taxes because she couldnt afford them. Through that meeting, the Bloughs learned about a disparity that stems from state tax laws meant to ensure equal treatment. Then they went to work. Last year alone, they and other volunteers helped to cut more than $170,000 off the collective annual property-tax bills of 177 mobile-home owners in Chester County. And advocates and state lawmakers want mobile-home owners across the state to see the same kind of relief. Mobile homes tend to be overtaxed. Thats because they are assessed as homes, which tend to gain value over time. But mobile homes depreciate like vehicles. And according to state law and legal precedent, counties cant go into mobile-home parks to reassess those properties without reassessing all other properties, too, a costly effort. The Bloughs and fellow volunteers filed assessment appeals for the young mother and about 20 others in 2018, lowering their 2019 taxes. Then the United Way of Chester County saw a story in The Inquirer about the Bloughs work. The organization teamed up with pantry volunteers, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Chester County Paralegal Association to appeal those 177 assessments last year. In 2020, the volunteers are aiming to appeal the assessments of 1,000 mobile homes. Chester County has more than 3,600 owner-occupied mobile homes. For a lot of our clients, its the only way to have that American dream of owning a home, said Rachel Houseman, managing attorney of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvanias Chester County division. These people are paying far beyond their fair share according to the rules, and theyre the ones least able to absorb the extra cost. Seventeen of the 177 homeowners helped last year were facing sheriffs sales for back taxes they shouldnt have owed, according to the United Way of Chester County. The previous combined assessed value of the 177 homes was $6.5 million, the United Way said. After reassessment, the total value dropped to $1.9 million. Residents were, on average, paying four times what they should have owed. READ MORE: Anti-poverty crusaders fight to cut taxes for mobile-home owners One owner was paying 14 times more. Her mobile home had been assessed at $35,250. But after an appeal, the homes new assessed value was $2,510. So her taxes dropped from roughly $1,600 to $114. Its the difference between survival or not, said Stephanie Miller, senior director of community impact strategies at the United Way of Chester County. Other areas are looking to replicate the results in Honey Brook, and the interest level is spreading across the state, said Kristen Rotz, president of the United Way of Pennsylvania. She mentioned the project to Gov. Tom Wolf at an October meeting about innovative projects to help the ALICE population an acronym for people who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. County assessors feel their hands are tied without a change to the state tax code, said county officials and Christopher Saello, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Chester County. Its just a system thats set up against people, he said. The appeals process can be daunting if someone doesnt have the means to pay the countys $25 processing fee or to find the value of their home online, Blough said. State legislation introduced in June would direct assessors to take into account the differences between mobile and manufactured homes and other types of homes for a more permanent and sweeping fix. In the Chester County program, lawyers and paralegals collect details about the mobile homes, determine their values with a software subscription, and appeal the assessments before county officials. United Way finds funding. Chester County commissioners awarded the initiative a $10,000 grant in November, and county officials are looking for ways to ease the appeals process for mobile-home owners. If a large commercial property owner can come in and get their [assessment] reduced because they know how, we should be able to figure out how to make sure the people whose properties actually depreciate are able to do it in a way that also recognizes the possible challenges they have, like transportation or money for certain information, said Kathi Cozzone, who served as a commissioner until this month and is on the board of the United Way of Chester County. READ MORE: Are you one of more than 200,000 people paying too much in property taxes? Randy Blough said that for the roughly 200 reassessments volunteers have won so far, most of the mobile-home owners will have to appeal again in three to five years to keep their taxes equitable as their home depreciates further. Michael Quinlan, 76, said he successfully petitioned the county to reassess his mobile home quite a while ago, before his wife died. The assessment of their home became reasonable and stayed that way at first. Then it kept going up, up, up, up, up, to about four times its value, he said. We beat it down and they keep creepin it up every year. Quinlan is battling pancreatic cancer, so I dont have a lot of kick in me right now, he said. He picks up some jobs inspecting floors when he can because he cant pay his bills on his Social Security income. So after he saw flyers around his mobile-home park advertising the reassessment project and talked to a neighbor who got her tax bills lowered, he welcomed help. Im very thankful. Very thankful, Quinlan said. Houseman of Legal Aid called the stories shes heard really gut-wrenching. One woman feared shed lose her home to a sheriffs sale after her husband and son died and she lost the help she was getting paying her tax bill. Thanks to an appeal and additional tax relief through the state, shell owe only $17 for 2020. Ora Hoover, an 88-year-old owner of a mobile home, knew her property taxes were high, but she figured thats just how it was. I pay my bills when they come, she said. Thats what I do. Then she got a note in her mailbox about the program and made an appointment. She and her 102-year-old husband, Garland, were pleasantly surprised. Their homes reassessment will save them more than 60% on this years property-tax bill. Mobile-home owners can call the United Way of Chester County at 610-429-9400 to set up appointments starting this month. Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby was arrested in Miami after an argument with a music promoter, Miami police said in an arrest warrant. The rapper, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, claimed the music promoter was $10,000 short on payment for a performance, leading to an altercation on Thursday, according to the warrant. After allegedly punching a man who was with the promoter, the report said Kirk and a group of men approached the promoter and hit him after he fell to the ground and they allegedly doused him with apple juice. One of the men allegedly took $80, a bank card and a iPhone, the victim told police. Kirk was booked into the Miami-Dade jail just before midnight and appeared before a judge on Friday. He will remain in custody until further notice, Miami-Dade Corrections told CBS Miami. Police said they found a warrant for his arrest in Texas on a battery charge, The Associated Press reported. Last week, Kirk was arrested and charged with marijuana possession in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. The next day, Kirk defended himself on Twitter: "Someone died last night while the police department wasting resources and officers to harass me in attempt to make a bad example out of me. When in reality, I'm the most positive example the city of Charlotte got. Especially for anybody in the streets of Charlotte and the KIDS." 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards - Show DaBaby performs onstage at the BET Hip Hop Awards 2019 in Atlanta. Carmen Mandato / Getty Kirk accused officers of illegally searching his car while he was on stage. "They follow me, they pull us over for no reason, they search our cars," Kirk told reporters. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said they had launched an internal affairs investigation into the search. Police said they smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and approached Kirk after his concert ended. Kirk was in South Florida for a New New Year's Eve performance at a Miami Beach nightclub. Thursday's incident began at Novotel Miami Brickell, where Kirk was staying, according to the arrest report. Before the concert, Kirk had handed out toys to underprivileged children in Charlotte. Story continues Kirk has been nominated two 2020 Grammy awards: best rap performance and best rap song. Man who naps with cats raises thousands for a pet sanctuary Early flu season has hospitals on alert 1 dead, 2 injured after stabbings in Texas Ready to skip 2020 and go straight to 2024? In a SurveyMonkey poll for Axios, Republican voters chose children of President Trump Don Jr. and Ivanka as two of the top four picks for president in four years. Why it matters: An early poll like this is largely a measure of name ID. But it's also a vivid illustration of just how strong Trump's brand is with the GOP. Ivanka and Don Jr. find themselves near the top of a long list of politicians who have held elected office, many of them vocal supporters of the president. The big picture: Don Jr. has emerged as one of the most prominent defenders of his dad, frequently going after the left on Twitter, where he has 4.2 million followers, and serving as a popular warm-up act for presidential rallies. His book "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us," released in November reached No. 1 on the N.Y. Times nonfiction bestseller list. "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us," released in November reached No. 1 on the N.Y. Times nonfiction bestseller list. In October, at a rally in San Antonio for president Trump's re-election, the crowd chanted "2024!" as Don Jr. spoke. Ivanka Trump's work within the administration would be a selling point if she wanted to carry on the Trump legacy. Her title is "Advisor to the President," with a portfolio that includes education and economic empowerment of women and families, plus job creation and economic growth through workforce development, skills training and entrepreneurship. "Advisor to the President," with a portfolio that includes education and economic empowerment of women and families, plus job creation and economic growth through workforce development, skills training and entrepreneurship. She has championed paid family leave, which she says is "grounded in conservative values of work and of family," and said on the edition of CBS News' "Face the Nation" aired on Dec. 29: "[W]e have made more progress on paid family leave than in the 25 years since the Family and Medical Leave Act was passed." paid family leave, which she says is "grounded in conservative values of work and of family," and said on the edition of CBS News' "Face the Nation" aired on Dec. 29: "[W]e have made more progress on paid family leave than in the 25 years since the Family and Medical Leave Act was passed." Ivanka Trump often represents the president on the world stage, including championing his Womens Global Development and Prosperity Initiative. She danced with women entrepreneurs in Paraguay, held hands with women farmers in Morocco, and often visits American workplaces, including a Walmart store and a Toyota plant. By the numbers: According to the SurveyMonkey survey of 1,854 adults who lean Republican, Vice President Mike Pence tops the 2024 list, and Don Jr. is second. Between the lines: Don Jr. was the top choice among young voters, while Pence was the clear preference for older voters. For what it's worth, the survey was conducted right before Trump was impeached. Methodology: The SurveyMonkey online poll was conducted among U.S. adults ages 18 and older. Respondents were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day. Data have been weighted for age, race, sex, education and geography, using the Census Bureaus American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the U.S. age 18 and over, including 2016 vote. A Lashkar-e-Taiba militant, wanted for his role in a series of terror attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities, was arrested from a hospital here on Saturday, police said. Nisar Ahmad Dar, a resident of the Hajin area of Bandipora district in north Kashmir, was arrested by the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in the city, a police official said. A police spokesman said arms, ammunition and incriminating material have been recovered from his possession. Terming the arrest of Dar as a "major breakthrough", the spokesman said he was affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT and had been active since 2014. "He was arrested on a credible input. He was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of terror crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities," the spokesman said. As per police investigations, the spokesman said, he was part of a terror group operating in village Kullan in Ganderbal district and had sustained injuries in an encounter in Kullan in which a Pakistani terrorist identified as Khalid alias "Zargam" was killed last year. "According to police records, he is a close associate of proscribed LeT commander Saleem Parray alias Billa and is involved in several terror attacks. He has been part of terror groups responsible for planning and executing several terror attacks on security establishments in the area. He was also involved in several cases of civilian atrocities," the spokesman said. He said 10 cases have been registered against him in Hajin in Bandipora and in Gund in Ganderbal since 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Congress Saturday demanded that a criminal case be registered against BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya for allegedly threatening government officials. The Congress's demand comes after a video, apparently shot during a protest organised by the BJP in Residency area here on Friday afternoon, purportedly showed Vijayvargiya telling officials, "Our Sangh (RSS) leaders are (here), otherwise (we) would have set Indore on fire today." RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and other senior leaders have been in Indore since Thursday for an internal conclave of the organisation. The BJP had organised the protest alleging that city officials were biased and taking "politically motivated" action against party workers. Following the controversy, a delegation of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Saturday met Director General of Police (DGP) in Bhopal and submitted a memorandum seeking that a case be registered against Vijayvargiya and legal action be initiated against him, state Congress spokesperson J P Dhanopia said. "Vijayvargiya is the national general secretary of the BJP and a former minister. When he says that he would have set Indore on fire if RSS leaders were not in the city, it would be considered a diktat for his party workers. Therefore, police should file a criminal case against Vijayvargiya for threatening the officials using such words," he said. Congress spokesman alleged that Vijayvargiya wanted to hamper the state government's ongoing drive against the mafia. State BJP spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal, however, alleged that the Congress government in the state has been acting in a biased manner and taking action against common people on the pretext of a drive against the mafia. "During the protest, the BJP raised the issue of arbitrary and biased action of the administration against the common people. The Congress government has not been taking action against the real mafia and creating trouble to the public," Agrawal said. The administration has been taking "politically motivated" action against BJP workers during their ongoing drive against mafia, he added. During the Friday protest at Indore, Vijayvargiya lost his temper after none of the top civic and police officials reached the protest site for discussing the issue. Later, when some junior-level officials came there, Vijayvargiya was peeved. In the video, the BJP leader is heard saying, "Have they (top officers) become so big? The officers should understand that they are public servants. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Catastrophic fire conditions exist today throughout much of Australia, from the southwest of Western Australia, across South Australia, to Victoria, the island state of Tasmania, and New South Wales (NSW), to the southeast of Queensland and areas of the tropical north. Another severe heat wave is moving across the continent, generating temperatures that may breach historical records that were broken only a few weeks ago. New fires are expected to ignite, while strong winds are predicted to fan the hundreds of blazes that are already burning. Hundreds of thousands of people were urged yesterday to evacuate the most-at-risk areas. Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale, Australia. (Glen Morey via AP) Summing up the situation in a large swathe of NSW, stretching virtually the entire length of the state, the deputy commissioner of the largely volunteer Rural Fire Service (RFS) told a press conference: We cant stop those fires. We cant stop the fires we already have. The unfolding catastrophe has utterly discredited the Liberal-National Coalition government headed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, which just months ago was boasting of its refusal to accept that Australia should take greater action to reduce carbon emissions. In September, Morrison condemned teenager Greta Thunberg, and the climate protests she led, for raising the anxieties of children in our country. Even as the fires worsen, he has continued to downplay the undeniable relationship between long-term global warming and the vastly increased fire risks facing the country (see: Australia: Climate change and the bushfire crisis). Anger will not, however, be limited to Morrison and his government. The opposition Labor Party has held office for 19 of the past 37 years and, despite all the scientific warnings, likewise sought to delay or block responses to climate change that would impede on corporate operations and profits. State governments, both Coalition and Labor, have left firefighting almost exclusively to volunteer services, while cutting their funding and refusing to provide them with the necessary vast expansion of equipment. At all levels, government policy has been preoccupied with reducing taxes on corporations and the wealthy, driving down wages and working conditions, abolishing restrictions on profit-making and fueling the speculative rise of the stock market and property values. Military spending, in preparation for new conflicts and war, has been boosted, while expenditure for essential health and emergency services has been strangled. This criminal indifference of the Australian ruling elite to the threat of climate change has its parallels around the world. In an interview on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio on Thursday, former NSW Fire and Rescue commissioner Greg Mullins made a damning indictment of both Morrison and, by implication, the state authorities. He declared: We have tried since April to get a meeting with the prime minister We had some pretty simple asks that we wanted to talk to the government about. Funding for large aerial fire tankers. People would have seen the images the other day of the Hercules coming in and dropping in 15,000 litres of retardant at Turramurra. I watched that with great interest because I was in charge of the fire there in 1994 where 17 homes were lost. That cut the fire off immediately. Were only going to have seven of those this year. Ive just come back from California and they had about 30 on one fire. Mullins continued: [T]his was going to be a horror fire season. They [aircraft] can be a decisive weapon. If they [the government] had spoken to us back then, maybe they could have allocated more money to have more of those aircraft, but they didnt and theyre probably not available now. Since the unprecedented beginning of the fire season in September, up to five million hectares has already been burnt out in NSW alone. In just the past four days, an estimated 500 houses have been destroyed in the South Coast region of the state, including in the township of Cobargo, where furious residents denounced Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday. Today, lives and properties are under threat in the South Coast, the Mount Kosciuszko national park region, the Snowy Mountains, and the Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney. The RFS has issued warnings that wind conditions could result in fire and ember attacks, reaching into outer north-western suburbs of Sydney itself. In Victoria, state authorities have issued evacuate now notices, strongly urging over 100,000 people to leave large areas of the east and northeast of the statepotentially the largest evacuation of civilians since World War II. The region is proudly promoted by tourist authorities as offering a host of wilderness and wildlife, great drives and gourmet treats, with the largest lake system and one of the longest beaches in the Southern Hemisphere. Today, Gippsland and its natural beauty is ablaze, along with much of the rest of eastern Victoria. An estimated 600,000 hectares has been burnt out in the past week. Two people have lost their lives in the Gippsland fires this week, and 21 are listed as missing. Vehicle access into a number of coastal communities has been cut off. The Navy was deployed on Thursday to evacuate some of the residents and tourists trapped in the town of Mallacoota, where a firestorm forced some 5,000 people to seek safety on the beach. Residents sheltering from fire on Mallacoota wharf (Photo credit Twitter @bluesfestblues) Two people lost their lives yesterday in the fires on Kangaroo Islandoff the coast of Adelaide in South Australia, and advertised as one of the worlds great nature-based destinations. The island is ablaze with virtually unstoppable fires that have burnt out 100,000 hectares. Once again, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and other major population centres will be blanketed in smoke and endure hazardous air quality. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) issued an alarmed warning yesterday. It stated: The length and density of smoke exposure is a new and possibly fatal health risk that many people within our community have not previously had to face. Chris Moy from the AMA told the Guardian: There are people who are going to probably die from these conditions. Nationally, the 20192020 fires have so far caused 24 known deaths and destroyed over 1,500 homes. Hundreds of farm buildings and other structures have been lost. Agriculture and stock losses are enormous. Over six million hectares have burnt out and scientists estimate that 500 million native animals and birds are likely to have been killed. And this is before the hottest summer months and the historically worst period of the fire season. As with all natural disasters around the world, the working class and poor are paying the greatest price. Tens of thousands of workers and contractors in the agriculture and tourist industries have already been stood down or lost their jobs. The extreme temperatures and hazardous air pose the greatest threat to those with medical conditions who live in the low-income suburbs of the cities and regional towns, which are also generally the most heat-affected and have the most under-resourced and overstretched health services. The capitalist ruling class and its political apparatus are bereft of any answers to the consequences of a climate crisis that their indifference and inaction have created. In its latest, desperate attempt to portray itself as doing something, the Morrison government today announced a call-up of a few thousand Army reservists, who are not trained for either firefighting or emergency service provision to civilian communities. The bankruptcy of the official establishment has also been summed up in the statements of Labor Party opposition leader Anthony Albanese over recent days. He has declared the situation a national emergency that requires a national response that is appropriate to the scale of the emergency. As to what that response should be, Albanese has only offered that Labor will listen and have policies prepared for the 2022 federal election. Climate change and its consequences are, in fact, a global emergency: a reality now well understood by hundreds of millions of workers and young people around the world. It demands a global response that ends the subordination of every aspect of economic and social life to the accumulation of private profit for a capitalist minority. The fire catastrophe in Australia should further motivate the fight to develop an international and independent movement of the working class, unified across national borders and with the perspective of forming workers governments that will implement the most far-reaching socialist policies. The major banks and corporations, especially the fossil fuel-based energy conglomerates, must be brought under social ownership and democratic control. The resources must be committed to both preparing society for the wide range of predicted impacts of long-term global warming, while drastically reducing carbon emissions and stemming further threats. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday strongly condemned the attack on Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take cognizance of the incident. It also raised the plight of religious minorities in India's neighbourhood, and proposed a separate law for Sri Lankan Tamils as well, if the need arises. The Citizenship Amendment Act currently provides citizenship to minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The VHP labelled Friday's attack on Nankana Sahib shrine as well as the alleged abduction of the daughter of the Granthi as "burning example of the atrocities against the Hindu and Sikh minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh." "It is important (to note) that the attack has come right after the Friday prayers in the mosque," it added. The RSS-affiliate organisation called on the Centre to raise the incident with UNHRC in a bid to pressurize the Pakistan government to "mend its ways and return the Sikh girl". READ | Pakistan Denies Permission To Sikhs For Nagar Kirtan; Nankana Sahib Left Deserted Nankana Sahib attacked On Friday, a video of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan surfaced. Visuals showed the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the site which is the birthplace of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources reported that the mob was led by Mohammed Imran Attari the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl named Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. READ | Nankana Sahib Attack: Khalistan Leader Gopal Chawla Spotted At Shrine; Protests In India MEA slams Pakistan In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs slammed Pakistan over the incident saying that it condemns such "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" of Nankana Sahib Gurudwara. "We call upon the government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," it added. READ | BJP On Nankana Sahib Incident: 'Pakistan Now Proves CAA Is Right, Timely' Pakistan denies charge, spins a new story Meanwhile, Pakistan rejected reports that the Gurdwara near Lahore was desecrated by certain groups saying that the scuffle happened on a minor incident at a tea-stall and the district administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused. "Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of desecration and destruction and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous, said Pakistan's Foreign Office. (With agency inputs) READ | Mamata Banerjee Condemns Mob Attack In Pak's Nankana Sahib, Says 'humanity Above All' Abu Dhabi Airports held a special ceremony to recognise the contributions made by its local and international stakeholders on December 18 at the Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi. The event demonstrated Abu Dhabi Airports continued commitment to its stakeholders, reflecting the airport groups robust relationships with industry-wide partners. Abu Dhabi Airports operates with an extensive range of stakeholders which supports a range of passenger and cargo services year-round, alongside free zone operations and training opportunities. More than 80 stakeholders attended the ceremony, where 26 awards were presented to stakeholders throughout the night, from different sectors including airline companies, government entities and additional organisations. Amongst the list of winners were significant industry organisations, whether airlines or support services which operate in partnership with Abu Dhabi Airports. Biman Bangladesh Airlines won the Best Airline in Passenger Load Factor, while Oman Air won the Best Airline in On Time Performance Departure, and Kuwait Airways won the Best Airline in On Time Performance Arrival. Etihad Airport Services won two categories for Best Improved Services in the On Time Arrival and Baggage Delivery categories. Additional categories also included the Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship, The General Directorate of Customs, the Airport Security Police Department, Etihad Hub Operations, Terminal Operations, Facilities Management, amongst others. Commenting on the event, Bryan Thompson, CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: We entrust our partners to help ensure we deliver a seamless and internationally renowned operation around the clock, and this event signifies what our partners have achieved throughout the year on so many levels." Our stakeholders can take pride in the awards they have received and I would like to extend our thanks and appreciation for their hard work and dedication this year. Together, we can build on our mutually beneficial relationship and excel even further in 2020. Ahmed Al Shamsi, acting chief operations Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, added: The continued support of our valued partners is an asset to our sophisticated infrastructure and extensive operation that unlocks the gateway to Abu Dhabi for more than 20 million visitors each year." As Abu Dhabi Airports prepares to drive forward the next 50 years of the UAE, our stakeholders will make huge contributions toward our key projects and complex operations, helping to fuel our growth. I would like to extend our gratitude to our trusted partners who joined us at our celebratory event and look forward to seeing them again next year, Al Shamsi concluded. - TradeArabia News Service Nazareth resident Koula Kazista has worked on films such as School of Rock, Anger Management and The Devils Advocate. It wasnt until recently that the former film production supervisor decided to make one herself. Well, not exactly herself. She co-wrote and co-directed the independent film with help from her sister, Katina Sossiadis of Bethlehem. Were very different people but when it comes to filmmaking we see eye to eye, Kazista said. We always liked similar movies. The pair drew from their Greek heritage and shared summers spent in Tarpon Springs, Florida, to jointly write Epiphany, a movie about family relationships. Its not about their family specifically, but about the folks they met in their ethnic Greek community in Florida. The heroine, played by Caitlin Carmichael, was raised by her aunt but struggles to reconnect with her father after her aunts death. For Kazista its an opportunity to introduce people to a world they have never seen before. Her father came to the United States at age 20 from Greece. She and her sister felt American, not Greek, and felt the culture was forced on them until recently. One day Katina and I woke up and realized we are Greek. It is what we are, Kazista said. By creating a movie celebrating Greek culture, the sisters acknowledge their fathers cultural contributions to their lives. She got the idea for the film as a student at Lehigh University, but life sidetracked the production until 2016, when she collaborated with her sister to write the script. They raised the money to make the film and relocated their families to Tarpon Springs for shooting during the summer of 2017. The film was released this year and can be downloaded on amazon.com. It screened in Lambertville in December and is coming to three Lehigh Valley locations in January: 6 p.m., Jan. 4, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1607 W. Union Blvd., Bethlehem. 7 p.m., Jan. 12, at Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas in the ArtsQuest Center, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem 2 p.m., Jan. 26, at the Roxy Theater, 2004 Main St., Northampton Kazista left Manhattan and her work as a production supervisor to found a company with her husband that rents cranes and specialized equipment to major films such as The Irishman and The Joker. Sossiadis has also worked in the film industry. She was an associate producer on the Lehigh Valley-made film Getting Grace by Bethlehem native Daniel Roebuck. The film probably wont earn back what was invested to make it, but thats not the primary reason the sisters made it. They wanted to touch peoples lives. They learned both artistic and economic lessons making Epiphany that they plan to incorporate into a second film based in Bethlehem. We want to promote our city and promote its people. Thats something were very much into, Sossiadis said. Were supporters of our city. Whos who Heres a list of a few of individuals involved in the making of Epiphany Caitlin Carmichael plays Luka. The 12-year-old has worked with Danny DeVito, Jack Black and Betty White, according to her biography on the film website Jane Kelly Kosek is the producer. She produced Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable , a documentary about a 13-year-old who lost her arm during a shark attack but refused to give up her dream of becoming a professional surfer. Burt Young plays Crab Apple. He starred as Rocky Balboas brother-in-law, Paulie Pennino in the Rocky film series. For more information, check the movie website. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. ALTURAS, Calif. -- At an Italian restaurant in this rural town _ where deer are known to use the crosswalk because they've apparently learned cars will stop for painted lines _ Stan Yagi pointed to three employees: one tossing, one saucing and one delivering pizzas. "Felon. Felon. Felon," he said. Sandy Pickett, who has worked at the 30-year-old restaurant for 28 years, pursed her lips. "I call them 'co-workers.'" The trio (bank robber, arsonist, thief) shrugged. It's no secret that Yagi hires ex-convicts. In this northeastern corner of California, the man from Hawaii specializes in giving people a second chance. ADVERTISEMENT It wasn't something he set out to do. Yagi had wanted to be a math teacher, but ended up owning a pizza parlor even though he hates cooking. He had found a way to make a living, but said he hadn't found a sense of purpose. One day, about 15 years ago, he was at the restaurant, already in a foul mood, when one of his cooks _ a young man with a past and a short fuse _ stormed in. A cop had hassled him on his way to work. Yagi jumped in with advice, as he's the first to admit he has a habit of doing. "You have a record and you're dressed like a hoodlum. Try wearing your work clothes walking here. Just try it," he said. A week later, Yagi asked the cook if the cop had stopped him again. "Yeah," he said. "He stopped and asked if I wanted a ride to work." At that moment, Yagi said, he knew that "my purpose was here in front of me, and I'd been doing it all along without realizing it." ADVERTISEMENT There aren't a lot of job candidates in this rural town of about 2,500, and he'd had a string of employees who couldn't get work anywhere else. "What I learned was that a lot of these guys, they were given a bad hand at the beginning, and they could use some help to even things out," Yagi said. "They all needed someone to teach them about life." Yagi originally moved to Alturas from Modesto because his "first ex-wife" was pregnant and they wanted to be near her family. (He has two exes and doubts there will be a third wife. The dating pool is small for a 54-year-old in Modoc County, he said.) The town's welcome sign announced this was "Where the West Still Lives" _ as did the sweeping plains of sage and juniper and cattle. Still, the native Hawaiian felt a jolt of recognition. "I was like: 'Holy cow.' This is how I grew up. Small town. Everybody knew everybody's business," Yagi said. As a teenager, he couldn't wait to leave. "Everybody yelling, 'When are you going to college?' 'What are you going to do for work?' 'I know your dad!'" Yagi recalled. "But I got here and I was so happy to be home again." In Alturas, with a baby on the way, Yagi would have taken any job. He put college on hold (for good, it turns out), and started cooking at Pasta and Pizza. Eventually he became the principal owner and changed the name to Antonio's Cucina Italiana _ to be near the top of alphabetical listings and because Yagi likes the way people who work at Italian restaurants in the movies are like family. On a recent weeknight, David Cheney was busy tossing dough. ADVERTISEMENT He had robbed a bank when he was "young and very stupid," he said. He was caught by the FBI and, after serving time, wound up working at Antonio's. But two years ago he'd gotten "mad about something dumb" and told Yagi that he quit. "It was totally misplaced anger, said Cheney, 36. "I have nothing but respect for the man. It was about so many other things." He found work in a sawmill, but injured his back. He'd see Yagi around town _ they live on the same street _ but Cheney would lower his head and say nothing. "Finally I went to Stan and said: 'I'm sorry. I was wrong.' I couldn't think of what else to say. I asked if I could ever come back. He said: 'OK. When do you want to start?'" On this day, Trevor Breckenridge, Antonio's newest employee, was darting in and out a back door to grab and deliver pizzas. When it's his turn on the pizza line, he has a knack for tossing dough. He thinks it's because he used to be a sign spinner _ sometimes dressed as the Statue of Liberty. "It's the same idea, different consistency," he said. The median income in town is about $24,000 a year; still, Breckenridge said, every customer tips well _ at least at the beginning of the month. Between deliveries, he described his childhood: "I didn't have the attention of the person who was supposed to be taking care of me," Breckenridge said _ an insight gained during a prison therapy group. For most of his youth he shied from drugs, then tried heroin. "I went from nothing to a gram a day and places so dark I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy," he said. Breckenridge had been clean two years when he got a call saying he was a suspect in a 5-year-old arson-insurance fraud. He confessed right away. Making amends is part of recovery. He was able to see his daughter, now 5, be born before he left to serve his sentence. "I was so grateful for that. I couldn't have asked for more," he said. "But then I missed the first 2 { years of my daughter's life." Once out, he couldn't get a job. He and his wife were living in a travel trailer without running water near Temecula. Their daughter was with her grandmother. He got a call from a lifelong friend who had moved north years ago and found a job at Antonio's. He said there was a job for Breckenridge too. It was only when his friend drove him to Alturas and made the introductions (after Yagi came to rescue them when the car broke down) that Breckenridge realized Yagi didn't know he was coming. "Stan looked at me standing there, just dying inside, and told me to come in for orientation the next day," he said. The job has given Breckenridge a stab at stability. He and his wife are about to move into a house, where their daughter will have her own room for the first time. Being the objects of Yagi's tough love drives some of his co-workers crazy in the moment, but they find out later he's right, Breckenridge said. "He's not wrong in what he tells us. It's just his delivery. A stern father-type thing. 'Do this! Don't do that!' "But I'm a people watcher," Breckenridge said. "So I just watch how Stan takes care of his daughter and how he is and how he made us all like family _ like how an Italian restaurant is supposed to be." Five years ago, Yagi faced his own dark time. He didn't come to work one day, so Pickett and another employee went to his house. Yagi was drunk, had a gun and was threatening suicide after returning from a trip to Hawaii. "What happened was ... my father died," Yagi said. "I didn't tell anyone here (that he had) hung himself off the banister, and I found him." Yagi said that when he was young, his father was a quiet man who stressed hard work and rarely spoke to him. But the day Yagi left home, he said, his father told him: "Family means you can always come back." After a stay in rehab, Yagi took a course in suicide prevention. His certificate hangs on the wall in Antonio's, near the bathrooms. He has added "Don't be afraid to talk to someone!" to his frequent exhortations, which include "Five minutes early is on time!" If Yagi sees his job as taking care of his employees, Pickett sees her job as managing him. Her nickname for her boss is "the all-day sucker." "He doesn't know where to draw the line," she said. "But there is no denying, he's changed lives." ___ (c)2019 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President authorized the International Military Education and Training (IMET) for Pakistan, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, tweeted on Friday Washington: Donald Trump administration has approved the resumption of its military training programme for Pakistani security personnel at the American institutions, a top American diplomat said on Friday. However, the overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect, the diplomat said. President authorized the International Military Education and Training (IMET) for Pakistan, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, tweeted on Friday. This came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke over phone with the Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the situation in the region in the aftermath of the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards. It will "strengthen" military to military cooperation between the two countries on "shared priorities," she said. Trump administration had in August 2018 suspended the more than a decade-long IMET programme for Pakistani personnel at the US institutions, days after Islamabad and Moscow signed an agreement to allow Pakistani troops to receive training at the Russian defence centres. In January last year I got locked out of my Gmail account. I had no access to any of my work emails, for more than ten days. What would you do, if it happened to you? A bit of muttering, a few frustrated calls to technical support and leave them to sort it out, maybe? Not me. I had a complete and utter meltdown. I remember the nausea, the fury. On the morning it happened, as I frantically punched different passwords into my iPhone in an attempt to access my inbox, I actually began hyperventilating. My husband tried to reason with me and received the full force of my wrath in return. Ruby Warrington (above): 'In January last year I got locked out of my Gmail account. I had no access to any of my work emails, for more than ten days... I had a complete and utter meltdown. I remember the nausea, the fury' I run my own media business and my emails were integral to my livelihood. It was a catastrophe. I spent the next few days frenziedly dialling the Google help desk to try to regain access. They remained calm and polite, but I was pushy, verging on downright aggressive. The way I reacted was completely out of proportion, I see that now. But at the time although I didnt know it I was in the grip of an addiction, one that I believe is often hiding in plain sight and can have dire consequences to our health. Im talking about an addiction to work. I happily took on more... and then I buckled Two years ago, I wrote in The Mail on Sunday about how Id stopped drinking. I wasnt an alcoholic or at least, not what youd imagine one to be. Id have a couple of glasses three or four nights a week socially, and the occasional weekend blowout. On one occasion I woke up with blood in my hair, having fallen and hit my head the night before. Instead of going to A&E, I had just stumbled into bed. Then there was the time, driving home from a party in Ibiza having had two glasses of wine, I came inches from a high-speed collision that would have been my fault. Each time, I was badly shaken. As a younger woman I didnt consider my experiences to be anything out of the ordinary. Gradually, though, I came to realise my relationship with alcohol wasnt healthy. Most of my free time was spent either tipsy or mildly hung-over. Ruby noticed how great she felt after long periods of total abstinence. She then went freelance and wrote a book about her experiences with alcohol. She now wonders whether the real reason she drank was to switch off from work My alcohol intake never interfered with my performance at work but after landing a dream job as features editor of a glossy magazine, I had my first experience of burnout. In an attempt to constantly do better, I took on more and more responsibilities and finally found myself buckling under the pressure. I had digestive problems, insomnia and low-level fatigue. I was often tearful even in the office. I began to question the impact of alcohol on me and, over the next months and years, I experimented with longer and longer periods of total abstinence from booze. Soon I began to notice how great I felt. I had fewer stomach troubles, more energy, clarity, and focus. I went freelance and wrote a book, Sober Curious, about it all I also toured the world, giving talks on the subject. Reading back over that first article I wrote for this newspaper, I gave all sort of reasons for not drinking. Among them was that, as a self-employed writer, I now needed to be on all the time. I reasoned that I didnt have time to have a hangover. But now I wonder if the real reason I was drinking, sometimes excessively, was because it was the only way I could switch off from work without that escape hatch, work quickly began to take over my life. Replying to work emails in bed So how do you end up a workaholic? After all, we live in a society where successful people are driven and ambitious. Working late and being available at the weekend is seen as being committed to the job. Making yourself an indispensable member of the team can bring a sense of satisfaction and belonging. And theres nothing wrong with wanting to do a good job. But today, smartphones, emails and social media have blurred the boundaries between work and home. A YouGov survey found that six in ten Britons check their work emails while on holiday a quarter saying they do so very often. Ive read countless similar research that shows huge numbers of people regularly obsess over their work, after hours, replying to emails even while in bed. I wonder if the real reason I was drinking, sometimes excessively, was because it was the only way I could switch off from work without that escape hatch, work quickly began to take over my life It isnt a healthy state of affairs. Data published by the Office for National Statistics revealed that 17.5 million sick days were taken last year by workers who cited mental health conditions including stress, depression and anxiety. Experts have come up with terms such as micro-stresses and anticipatory stress to describe the anxiety that arises from being in constant contact, via email, with the office. Whatever you call it, its well-known that stress, in the long term, raises the risk of insomnia, weight gain and heart-health problems. And a major survey by the Mental Health Foundation found that almost three-quarters of adults had felt so stressed last year that theyd been unable to cope. A third said they had felt suicidal, due to stress, and one in seven had self-harmed. Even the World Health Organisation has added burnout to its diagnostic manual. It describes feelings of depletion or exhaustion coupled with negativity, cynicism and reduced professional efficiency as a result of chronic workplace stress. I nodded in agreement to all of this when I read it. Pushing so hard made me proud I first learned to equate work with my self-worth at a very young age. My younger brother suffered from serious health problems and my mum, understandably, gave him a lot of attention. Then I discovered, at about five, that getting a gold star in school could make them notice me. I was a straight-A student, and at university when I told a tutor Id worked all night on an essay, I was praised for my dedication. In the real world, there are no such things as swots only professional people, said the professor. And as I set about establishing my career as a magazine journalist, I was secretly proud that I could work harder than anybody else. In my early years freelancing, I would never say no to a job, even if it meant working all weekend, or getting up at 4am to nail a deadline. I would refresh my email hundreds of times per day, playing it like a slot machine that would dish out prizes in the form of new commissions. 'I identified that Id been using work to feel valued, and like I had a reason to exist... Now, instead of filling my weekends with yet more deadlines, Ive rediscovered my childhood love of novels, the satisfaction of a good crossword, and the feelgood factor of taking time to chat to a friend on the phone,' says Ruby Rather than feeling drained, I got a huge buzz from constantly pushing myself harder. Enter alcohol as a way to physically force me to close my laptop. Even after I stopped drinking, Id boast about having published and promoted three books in as many years, while simultaneously launching two podcasts, running my online magazine, hosting monthly events and retreats, and growing my Instagram account to more than 100,000 followers. The problem was, I found it difficult to put down my laptop and just stop. When I did, feelings of depression and hopelessness began to creep in. Before I had my Gmail-meltdown moment, Id been juggling so much, for so long, that one minor glitch was enough to send me over the edge. It turned out the IT person Id paid to set up my email had closed his company and left the country without notifying me. This meant that all six of my business email accounts had been suspended. And with no way to contact him, since all his details were in my email inbox, it took over a week to get back online. My career wasnt in tatters. The world hadnt stopped turning. But there was a problem. Me. And this time I couldnt blame alcohol. I realised I worked to feel valued My drinking taught me that the first step to becoming un-addicted to anything is to simply stop doing the thing. But, obviously, since we have to work to earn money, total abstinence isnt possible when it comes to work addiction. Luckily for me, I was in a position where I could take a step back and examine my work addiction before it reached breaking point. I was forced to get curious about two key things: the emotional needs that work was fulfilling for me, and why. Data published by the Office for National Statistics revealed that 17.5 million sick days were taken last year by workers who cited mental health conditions including stress, depression and anxiety. (File image) Thats exactly the same approach I applied to quitting alcohol. Getting to the heart of our emotional attachment to whatever we are addicted to with the help of a therapist or other mental health professional if needed is the key to loosening its hold on us. In my case, I identified that Id been using work to feel valued, and like I had a reason to exist. Deep-seated financial insecurity resulting from growing up in a single-parent household where money was always scarce was also a factor. Once I got clear on what was fuelling my addiction, I could take steps to address these core issues. This has meant recognising that I am equally needed as a daughter, wife, sister and friend, and giving equal priority to these roles in my life. So rather than saying yes to every job or opportunity Im offered, Ive learned to question my motives for taking it on. Ive even got a post-it on my desktop with the following three questions: Does this fit with my agenda? Does it pay what I need? Do I have the time and energy? I have to answer yes to at least two before I take on something new. There are now strict boundaries on my email and social media use I delete Instagram from my phone each night, and have banned myself from checking my inbox at the weekend. If anything, my Gmail meltdown taught me that if an opportunity is meant to find me, it will. For example, during the ten days I was locked out of my account, a producer at Good Morning America tracked me down on Facebook to ask me to go on the show. And finally, Ive confronted the feelings of guilt that accompany having an unproductive day. While society might tell us otherwise, I remind myself that doing nothing doesnt make me lazy. Now, instead of filling my weekends with yet more deadlines, Ive rediscovered my childhood love of novels, the satisfaction of a good crossword, and the feelgood factor of taking time to chat to a friend on the phone, versus just following them online. Not every waking minute has to be about proving myself and my value in the world. Sometimes, its enough to just be. Sober Curious, by Ruby Warrington, is out now, published by HarperOne. Awareness related to carbon emissions, thanks to power generating from fossil fuels, have increased usage of renewable energies. Notably, solar is one of the fastest growing renewable sources in the United States. Per the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report, U.S. electric power sector generation from renewables other than hydropower principally wind and solar is expected to grow from 411 billion kilowatthours (kWh) in 2019 to 471 billion kWh in 2020. While analysing the catalysts driving the U.S. solar space, it is important to mention that rapidly increasing corporate investments in solar energy have been boosting the U.S. solar industry lately. Also, impressive number of the recent solar projects installations trend have led Wood Mackenzie to increase forecast for 2020 and 2021 utility-scale installations by 2.5 gigawatt (GW) and by 1 GW, respectively. Amid such favorable trends existing in the U.S. solar space, we run a comparative analysis of two solar stocks Canadian Solar Inc. CSIQ and Sunrun Inc. RUN to ascertain which one is a better option to hold on to now. Both the stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Canadian Solar and Sunrun have market capitalization of $1.31 billion and $1.63 billion, respectively. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Price Performance In the past month, shares of Canadian Solar and Sunrun have gained 29.3% and 6.3%, respectively, compared with the industrys growth of 12.4%. ONE MONTH Growth Projections The consensus mark for Canadian Solars 2020 earnings is pegged at $3.05 per share on revenues of $3.99 billion. The bottom-line figure suggests a 34.1% year-over-year increase. The same for the top line calls for a 26.7% rise on a year-on-year basis. The companys long-term (3 to 5 years) earnings growth rate is pegged at 32%. The consensus mark for 2020 earnings for Sunrun is pegged at 19 cents per share on revenues of $830.25 million. The bottom-line estimate suggests a 62.8% year-over-year decline. The same for the top line indicates a 1.7% increase year on year. The companys long-term (3 to 5 years) earnings growth is pegged at 5%. Return on Equity (ROE) ROE is a measure of a companys efficiency in utilizing shareholders funds. ROE in the trailing 12 months for Canadian Solar and Sunrun was 12.9% and 0.6%, respectively. Both the companies have outperformed the industrys ROE of -15.9%. Debt/Capital & Current Ratio Currently, Canadian Solar has a current ratio of 1.09. Its financial strength will enable the company to meet near-term debt obligation. Its long-term debt-to-capital ratio is 28.6%, lower than the Zacks S&P 500 Composites level of 42.9%. Currently, Sunrun has a current ratio of 1.32. However, its long-term debt-to-capital ratio is 68.4%, higher than the Zacks S&P 500 Composites level. Outcome Considering Canadian Solars financial credibility, share price performance and earnings growth expectation, it seems to be a better solar stock to retain in your portfolio than Sunrun at the moment. Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity. A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time. See 8 breakthrough stocks 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 Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sunrun Inc. (RUN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research What a difference a decade can make. The last 10 years have seen the global landscape utterly transformed in a manner that seemed scarcely imaginable as 2010 dawned. Cast your mind back 10 years and the world was still in the grasp of a global financial catastrophe that threatened the very existence of the some of the planet's most powerful economies. Ireland was one of the countries worst hit by the financial crisis but around the world 10s of millions of people were pushed into penury by the ravages of the economic collapse. Despite that, as we woke on New Year's Day 2010 the world looked a very different and more progressive place. In the United States the Obama administration was enjoying its heyday; in the UK the Labour Government had managed to steer the country out of recession and across the world many other countries began to emerge from the worst of the crisis. In the first days of the decade, HIV was removed from a global list of diseases of 'public health significance'; the world rallied to support the people of Haiti after a devastating earthquake and there were numerous notable successes in the war against Al Qaeda and its affiliates. While things were far from perfect there was reason for optimism. How quickly things began to change. Things started to take a turn for the worse in late 2010 with the beginnings of the Arab Spring. Initially, the wave of pro-democracy protests that swept across the Middle East were greeted with jubilation worldwide. However, as the months rolled on it became clear that the Arab Spring would have some unforeseen and disastrous side affects. Protests in Syria soon descended into a vicious civil war that rumbles on today having already cost some 400,000 lives. That horrendous war sparked a refugee crisis on a scale not seen since World War Two and allowed the genesis of Al Qaeda's depraved successors in ISIS. The economic after effects of recession and a rise in racist and right wing dogma saw western politics turned on its head in the mid 2010s. Right wing administrations popped up across the globe with the swing from Liberalism reaching its nadir with the Brexit voter and the election of Trump in 2016. Meanwhile, Russia and China continued their onward march slowly but steadily copper-fastening their economic and political influence on the world stage. That much of this happened thanks to the Internet - supposedly the great tool of democracy - is perhaps the greatest irony of the last 10 years. For all that, there is reason to be hopeful. The movement spearheaded by Greta Thunberg has galvanised attention on climate change; extreme poverty has fallen worldwide and new democracy crusades have sprung up from Hong Kong to Chile, Sudan and beyond. In Ireland alone we have seen a wave of liberalism overturn bans on abortion and same sex marriage. They say things are darkest before the dawn. Maybe that's the best reason for optimism as we enter the 2020s. Lynchburg public works schedules meetings to discuss trash collection Proposed changes to the city of Lynchburg trash collection system, including bulk and brush, will be discussed at two public meetings hosted by the public works department, according to a news release sent out by the city Friday. The meetings will give citizens an opportunity to learn more about the proposed changes and to provide feedback before the department presents its report to Lynchburg City Council on Jan. 28. The first meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the community meeting room of the Lynchburg Public Library at 2315 Memorial Avenue. The second meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16 in the cafeteria of Sandusky Middle School at 805 Chinook Place. Sarah Honosky Sarah Honosky covers Appomattox and Campbell counties at The News & Advance. Reach her at (434) 385-5556. 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. People attend the funeral of Irans top general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, Iraq (Nasser Nasser/AP) Thousands of mourners chanting Death to America have marched in a funeral procession through Baghdad for Irans top general and Iraqi militant leaders killed in a US air strike. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an air strike early on Friday near Baghdad airport in an attack which caused regional tensions to soar. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war though US President Donald Trump has said he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict as his administration believes Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials. Expand Close Mourners reach for the coffin of Soleimani during his funeral in Baghdad (Nasser Nasser/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners reach for the coffin of Soleimani during his funeral in Baghdad (Nasser Nasser/AP) The mourners carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: No, No, America, and Death to America, death to Israel. Expand Close In Tehran, Iran, protesters demonstrated against the killing (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp In Tehran, Iran, protesters demonstrated against the killing (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. Mourner Mohammed Fadl said the funeral was an expression of loyalty to the killed men. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Iraq, which is closely allied with both Washington and Tehran, condemned the air strike that killed Soleimani and called it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is to meet for an emergency session on Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops based in the country, who are there to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. Expand Close Mourners burn a US flag during the funeral (Nasser Nasser/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners burn a US flag during the funeral (Nasser Nasser/AP) Hadi al-Amiri, who heads a large parliamentary bloc and is expected to replace al-Muhandis as deputy commander of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, was among those paying their final respects. Speaking beside al-Muhandiss coffin, he warned: Rest assured, the price of your pure blood will be the exit of US forces from Iraq forever. The US, UK and France have ordered all citizens to leave or avoid Iraq amid fears for their safety. Expand Close Many protesters were emotional during a demonstration against the killing of Soleimani in Tehran (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Many protesters were emotional during a demonstration against the killing of Soleimani in Tehran (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) Global powers had warned on Friday that the killing of Soleimani could spark a dangerous new escalation, with many calling for restraint. On Saturday, billboards appeared on major streets in Iran showing Soleimani and carrying the warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that harsh revenge awaits the US. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate in the countrys political establishment, earlier visited Soleimanis home in Tehran to express his condolences. The Americans did not realise what a great mistake they made, Mr Rouhani said. They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come. In an interview with The Age this week, Ken Done has kicked off the debate again over the celebration of Australia Day. The Sydney artist, who has spent decades reflecting Australia through his artwork, has sided with those who support not changing the date. He believes Australia needs to pay respect to England; something, in his view, we should not be ashamed of. He does, however, offer a caveat. Done floats the idea of having a second national holiday to honour Aboriginal history, and has backed putting more resources into teaching schoolchildren about our Indigenous past, a topic he believes most Australians are "quite ignorant" about. He is not wrong there. Indigenous protesters are seen during the Australia Day celebrations in Brisbane last year. Credit:AAP Over the coming weeks, there is sure to be plenty of tit for tat over what is the best way forward. But there is no getting away from the reality that Australia Day has formed two very contrasting narratives. Consisting of 11 ships led by Captain Arthur Phillip, the First Fleet landed at Port Jackson, in Sydney Harbour, on January 26, 1788. Despite the many challenges in establishing the colony, it went on to thrive, forming the basis of what is now one of the most prosperous, egalitarian countries in the world. That is an achievement worth recognising. On the flip side, while the colony may have initially been relatively benign towards the local Indigenous people, with the colony's first governor, Captain Phillip, believing they could live together peacefully, this approach did not last long. Since white settlement, countless Indigenous people have been killed, while their land and, in many instances, their cultural identity were dispossessed. That is a part of our history that cannot be whitewashed. The United States and Iran exchanged escalating military threats on Friday as President Donald Trump warned that he was prepared to take whatever action is necessary if Iran threatened Americans and Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to exact vengeance for the killing on Trumps order of Irans most valued general Washington: The United States and Iran exchanged escalating military threats on Friday as President Donald Trump warned that he was prepared to take whatever action is necessary if Iran threatened Americans and Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to exact vengeance for the killing on Trumps order of Irans most valued general. Although Trump insisted that he took the action to avoid a war with Iran, the continuing threats further rattled foreign capitals, global markets and Capitol Hill, where Democrats demanded more information about the strike and Trumps grounds for taking such a provocative and risky move without consulting Congress. Democrats also pressed questions about the attacks timing and whether it was meant to deflect attention from the presidents expected impeachment trial this month in the Senate. Speaking to reporters in a hastily arranged appearance at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, Trump asserted that Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who directed Iranian paramilitary forces throughout the Middle East, was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; and Robert C OBrien, the national security adviser, echoed Trumps remarks. But General Milley, Pompeo, OBrien and other senior administration officials did not describe any new specific threats that were different from what American officials say Soleimani had been orchestrating for years. In Baghdad, the State Department urged US citizens to leave Iraq immediately, citing heightened tensions. The US Embassy, which had been under siege by pro-Iranian protesters chanting Death to America in recent days, suspended consular operations. US citizens should not approach the Embassy, the State Department warned on Twitter. At Fort Bragg, North Carolina, some 3,500 members of the 82nd Airborne, ordered to the Middle East this week, prepared to deploy to Kuwait. On Wall Street, the stock market fell as oil prices jumped after the news of the generals death: The price of Brent oil, the international benchmark, surged in the early hours of Hong Kong trading to nearly $70 a barrel an increase of $3. The immediate increase in the price of oil was among the largest since an attack on a critical Saudi oil installation in September that temporarily knocked out 5% of the worlds supply. Trump said that the killing early Friday of Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force branch of Irans Revolutionary Guard, was long overdue. He insisted he did not want a larger fight with Iran. We took action last night to stop a war, the president said. We did not take action to start a war. But he also warned Iran that the American military had already fully identified potential targets for further attacks if Americans anywhere are threatened. Hours earlier, Khamenei issued his own warning to Trump about Soleimanis death from a missile fired by an American MQ-9 Reaper drone at the generals convoy at Baghdad International Airport. His departure to God does not end his path or his mission, Khamenei said in a statement, but a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands. Pompeo, an Iran hawk, said a planned attack on Americans had been imminent before the Reaper strike. Writing on Twitter earlier in the day, Trump suggested that Soleimani got caught preparing to hit American targets. General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more...but got caught! Trump tweeted. He was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people, including the recent large number of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself. A US official said diplomats in Baghdad were nervous about the embassy being the target of retaliation, but noted that Iran had many options and an embassy attack by pro-Iran militias was only one of them. The embassy is among the most fortified American outposts in the world, and there are other less-guarded targets that Iran could choose. The White House approved the strike on Soleimani after a rocket attack last Friday on an Iraqi military base outside Kirkuk killed an American civilian contractor and injured other American and Iraqi personnel, according to a US official who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal decision making. The Joint Special Operations Command spent the next several days looking for an opportunity. The option that was eventually approved depended on Soleimanis arrival on Thursday at Baghdad International Airport. If he was met by Iraqi officials, the U.S. official said, the strike would be called off. But the official said it turned out to be a clean party, and the strike was approved. It touched off an immediate debate in Washington, with Republicans hailing the action as a decisive blow against a longtime enemy with American blood on his hands and Democrats expressing concern that the president was risking a new war in the Middle East. With Congress returning to town after the holidays for a presumed Senate impeachment trial, Trump risked suspicion that he was taking action overseas to distract from his political troubles at home, a la the movie Wag the Dog. As a private citizen, Trump repeatedly accused President Barack Obama of preparing to go to war with Iran to bolster his reelection chances in 2012. As president, Trump has questioned his own intelligence agencies and peddled repeated falsehoods, a record that could undermine the administrations credibility on the highly delicate subject. Democratic leaders complained that Trump acted without consulting or even telling Congress first. The president responded by retweeting a post comparing Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, to the Iranians. The post by Dinesh DSouza, a conservative commentator who was pardoned by Trump for a campaign finance violation, scoffed at Schumers complaint that he was not told in advance. Neither were the Iranians, and for pretty much the same reason, DSouza wrote in the tweet reposted by Trump. John Bolton, the hawkish former national security adviser who left his job in September after clashes with Trump on Iran and other issues, offered congratulations on the killing of Soleimani and said it was a decisive blow against the Quds Force. Posting on Twitter, he added he hoped that this was the first step to regime change in Tehran a policy position that Trump has in the past rejected. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, said that a classified briefing was being arranged for all senators next week and that everyone should welcome the demise of Soleimani. For too long, this evil man operated without constraint and countless innocents have suffered for it, McConnell said on the floor. Now his terrorist leadership has been ended. Democrats said Trump was playing a dangerous game that could further involve the United States in Middle East conflict rather than pull out as he has promised. President Trump came into office saying he wanted to end Americas wars in the Middle East, but today we are closer to war with Iran than ever before and the Administrations reckless policy over the last 3 years has brought us to the brink, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland wrote on Twitter. Soleimani, the driving force behind Iranian-sponsored attacks and operations over two decades around the region including Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, was considered perhaps the second-most powerful figure in Iran, and Ayatollah Khamenei vowed to exact a forceful revenge. In an unusual move, the ayatollah attended an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council. America must know the criminal attack on Soleimani was its worst strategic mistake in the Middle East and that America will not escape the consequences easily, the council said afterward. As our Supreme Leader said in his message, a harsh revenge awaits the criminals who have the generals blood on their hands. These criminals will face revenge at the right time and place. Pompeo said in a TV appearance that the United States had intelligence that Soleimani was preparing a specific, new operation to target Americans in the Middle East, but declined to elaborate. He was actively plotting in the region to take actions, a big action as he described it, that would have put dozens if not hundreds of American lives at risk, Pompeo said on CNN. It was imminent. He dismissed concerns raised by U.S. allies, who expressed fear of a wider war in the Middle East. A French minister suggested that we are waking up in a more dangerous world following the strike. Yeah, well, the French are just wrong about that, Pompeo said. The world is a much safer place today. And I can assure you Americans in the region are much safer today after the demise of Qassem Soleimani. Pompeo spoke on Friday to top officials in France, Britain, Germany, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and told his foreign counterparts that the United States was committed to protecting U.S. interests abroad, according to State Department statements. In recent days, he also spoke with leaders of Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which like Saudi Arabia consider Iran an enemy. A top Chinese Communist Party official, Yang Jiechi, told Pompeo in their telephone call that China, Irans most powerful partner, was highly concerned about the situation in the Middle East and that differences should be resolved through dialogue, Zhao Lijian, a Foreign Ministry official, wrote on Twitter. He added that Yang stressed that all parties, especially U.S., should exercise restraint. Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Vladimir Putin of Russia spoke by telephone and agreed to try to prevent a new and dangerous escalation of tensions, according to a summary issued by Macrons office. The French president also stressed the fight against the Islamic State should be a priority, as well as efforts to get Iran to return to compliance on the 2015 nuclear agreement, from which Trump withdrew but that Russia, China and major European nations still support. The decision to hit Soleimani complicates relations with Iraqs government, which has tried to balance itself between the United States and Iran. A senior Iraqi official said Friday that there was a good chance the Iraqi parliament, which is being convened by the prime minister for an emergency session, would vote to force U.S. troops to leave Iraq. Top Iraqi leaders earlier had wanted to accommodate the troop presence because of the persistent threat from the Islamic State and other regional security matters. Michael Crowley, Peter Baker, Edward Wong and Maggie Haberman c.2020 The New York Times Company E6bet.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 28 Jun 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the e6bet homepage on Twitter + the total number of e6bet followers (if e6bet has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the e6bet homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the e6bet homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if e6bet has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the e6bet homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the e6bet homepage on StumbleUpon. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Welcome E DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.0 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 Operative System running on the server. The language of e6bet.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. 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Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 17:54:16|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- California authorities have ramped up security after a U.S. airstrike killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. California Homeland Security Advisor and Director of Emergency Services Mark Ghilarducci said in a statement that the state's office of emergency services maintained strong relationships with security and intelligence departments around the country and the world, and is continually monitoring the situation. "At the same time, the California Cybersecurity Integration Center is working closely with its partner networks to prevent, protect against and mitigate possible cyber-attacks," the Statement on State Threat Assessments read. While agreeing that the assassination approved by the White House created a sense of unease, the statement said there are currently no specific threats against the Golden State as a result of the events in the Middle East. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on Friday also beefed up security and urged local residents to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. "While there is no credible threat to Los Angeles, the LAPD is monitoring the events developing in Iran," the LAPD tweeted. "We will continue to communicate with state, local, federal and international law enforcement partners regarding any significant intel that may develop." WOODBRIDGE Jewish community leaders called for increased funding for security at synagogues and more education to combat hate crimes at a discussion with Connecticut lawmakers Thursday in the wake of recent anti-Semitic attacks in New York and New Jersey. Protection of places of worship and organizations like this one has to be all of our work, said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, speaking to representatives of seven Jewish federations, rabbis, state representatives and state senators at the JCC of Greater New Haven. Five people were stabbed at a Hanukkah celebration in Monsey, N.Y. on Dec. 28, and three people died in an attack at a kosher supermarket in New Jersey on Dec. 10, in addition to a police officer and two attackers. There have been 10 anti-Semitic attacks in New York since Dec. 23, according to the Anti-Defamation League, and there were 30 incidents in Connecticut in 2019. This is not a phenomenon that began over the holiday, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said. This has been a yearslong, non-anecdotal, statistically significant increase in anti-Semitic activity and anti-Semitic attacks all over this country. We have to recognize the scope of this problem and come up with real solutions. He and Blumenthal discussed the recently approved $90 million allocation for the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which is available for organizations including synagogues, mosques, churches and schools. Thats an increase from $60 million approved for 2019. Some attendees said the formula for awarding those grants that should be reevaluated, as it was designed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and doesnt reflect changes in the nature of threats now faced by organizations; others said smaller congregations havent been able to qualify for the grants. Additional money could come from a supplemental appropriation this year, Murphy said, rather than waiting to increase the NSGP funding next December for 2021. We have a serious, heavy financial lift, and were going to need help, said Judy Alperin, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven. She said funding should be available to help congregations that have already spent money on improvements, suggesting that it be retroactive at least to the date of the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which spurred many of the changes. Some congregations in the Stamford area have added security fees to their membership costs or made cuts to cover the costs of security, said Diane Sloyer, CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien. Rabbi Yossi Deren of Chabad Lubavitch of Greenwich said that preschool parents who are extremely anxious after the most recent attacks demanded hiring an additional security guard. Instead of us doing the work of building Jewish life, celebrating being Jewish, bringing communities together in a positive way, were having to focus on hardening our facilities and protecting them, Alperin said. Leaders grapple with balancing safety needs and having open hearts and open doors, she said. We need to make sure that our organizations are given the flexibility to use the funding where it matters most, said David Weisburg, CEO of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County. After the Pittsburgh attack, the federation hired a security consultant for assessments and training, he said. While there are physical changes that can be made at synagogues, such as cameras and alarm systems, there is no substitute for human resources, he said, and money needs to be available for hiring security personnel as well. Other recommendations included working on best practices for local law enforcement agencies in working with houses of worship in their communities. They also discussed working with other groups, including Muslim organizations and the NAACP, on broader efforts and education against hate, including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism. Rabbi Michael Farbman of Oranges Temple Emanuel, said that after responding to anti-Semitic issues at Amity High School last year, it became clear that a different approach to that education is needed. In November 2018, students reported finding Swastikas around the school and hearing hate talk in the hallways, such as We are the Nazis. Some Jewish students said the climate of anti-Semitic happenings had left such an impact on them, they feared walking to their cars. The school had constant programs and school-wide assemblies about diversity and racism, but those only go that far, Farbman said. Until you can get the kids, or grownups, for that matter, in small enough groups into the room, and really engage them in the conversation ... then you begin to get somewhere. Maybe its time to go after mandatory anti-bias education in schools, said Michael Bloom, executive director of the Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut. The ADL is working with Hamden High School to become the first no place for hate school in the state, he said. What if Connecticut became the first no place for hate state in the country? Reporter Ben Lambert contributed to this story. Liz.Teitz@hearstmediact.com The US Embassy in Baghdad and Iraq's Balad air base housing American troops came under attack in two separate missile strikes on Saturday, reports said The US Embassy in Baghdad and Iraq's Balad air base housing American troops came under attack in two separate rocket strikes on Saturday, according to several reports. No one has taken responsibility for the attacks. In the first attack, two rockets reportedly fell near the United States embassy in Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone. Though Reuters said that only one Katyusha rocket fell inside the Green Zones Celebrations Square, near the US embassy, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu, claimed that two rockets landed near the embassy. In the second attack "three rockets were fired at the Balad Airbase housing American troops north of Baghdad", the Daily Mail said. Of these, Reuters said that two Katyusha rockets fell inside Iraqs Balad airbase, 80 kilometres north of Baghdad. Two security sources told the news agency that there have been no casualties. The rocket attack occurred following the death of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy in a US attack. Soleimani and some senior Iraqi militants were killed in an airstrike early Friday near the Baghdad international airport. The strike has caused regional tensions to soar and tested the US relationship with Iraq. According to AP, thousands of militiamen and other supporters chanting America is the Great Satan marched in a funeral procession Saturday in Baghdad for the Iranian general. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of all-out war. All eyes are on Iraq, where America and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 US-led invasion. Earlier this week, pro-Iran protesters had stormed the US embassys perimeter and hurled rocks in a siege that lasted for nearly two days. With inputs from agencies Blue Fin. | Photo: Simon W./Yelp Looking to satisfy your appetite for inexpensive Japanese fare? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Japanese restaurants around Phoenix, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to satisfy your cravings. 1. Blue Fin PHOTO: maggie x./YELP Topping the list is Blue Fin. Located at 1401 N. Central Ave., the it's the highest-rated affordable Japanese restaurant in Phoenix, boasting four stars out of 234 reviews on Yelp. Specializing in authentic Japanese appetizers and sushi, Blue Fin also serves soups, salads and desserts, and there are daily specials like a teriyaki beef bowl and chicken breast breaded in panko crumbs. 2. Yogi's Grill Next up is an outpost of the chain Yogi's Grill, situated in Deer Valley at 2450 W. Happy Valley Road. With four stars out of 119 reviews on Yelp, the sushi bar, which offers salads, noodles and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a budget-friendly option. Menu highlights include an udon noodle bowl, a spicy katsu curry and a garlic chicken bowl. Yelper John S., who reviewed Yogi's Grill on Sept. 29, wrote, "Food and customer service is always top notch. Chicken and beef bowl is a solid choice." And Shara N. wrote, "Really enjoyed the teriyaki and rice bowl. It was very good and I definitely would eat it again!" 3. Sushi-to Maryvale's Sushi-to, located at 4224 W. Indian School, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the low-priced sushi bar, which features sushi rolls made with a Mexican flare, five stars out of 11 reviews. Look for cold, baked, deep fried and "Sinaloa-style" sushi rolls, as well as soups, salads and desserts, on the menu. 4. FiGaMi Asian Fresh Photo: pepper t./Yelp FiGaMi Asian Fresh, an Asian fusion and made-to-order sushi spot in Alhambra, is another low-priced go-to, with four stars out of 36 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3446 W. Camelback Road, Suite 103, to see for yourself. The eatery offers a blend of Chinese, Burmese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Indian, Thai and Japanese dishes, such as ramen, Mongolian beef, fried rice and spring rolls. Story continues 5. Yoshi's PHOTO: em m./YELP Over in Paradise Valley, check out Yoshi's, which has earned four stars out of 36 reviews on Yelp so far. Dig in at the Japanese spot by heading over to 12202 N. Cave Creek Road, or check out the full menu here. Yelper Victoria R., who reviewed Yoshi's on July 9 wrote, "Finally I had the opportunity to and wow! If you love spicy rice bowls this place is calling your name." And Marcy S. noted, "The teriyaki chicken is outstanding & so are the eggrolls. Everything is always made fresh." This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. December 12th has been and gone. It was a horrible rainy day, yet people stood en masse to have their say on the way our country should be run for the next 5 years with many polling stations reporting voters queuing down the street to get their ballots completed. The results came as a surprise for many, with the Conservative Party winning a landslide majority and taking over a huge number of previous Labour strongholds with the red wall crumbling into blue. While many are quick to blame Corbyn or Brexit as the only reasons for Labours defeat, MPs Lucy Powell and Shabana Mahmood claim their losses were about both and much, much more. But why did Labour suffer so badly in the 2019 election? Get Brexit Done Obviously and undeniably, a lot of the results were focused around Brexit and the outcome the British public want to see in terms of a relationship with the EU and the rest of the world. While the Conservatives were clear on their message to Get Brexit Done, Labour took a more reserved approach in an attempt to keep both hard-core Brexiters and Remainers on board. Whilst this approach may have worked with more information and a stronger approach, its clear that the British public, for better or for worse, are sick of Brexit and sick of politicians focusing solely on the European Union to the exclusion of other pressing issues here at home. Whilst some are arguing that in a way the 2019 General Election was partially the Peoples Vote many have been campaigning for, with many of Labours losses coming from Leave-voting constituencies, is it fair to look at the situation as that black and white, or are there more issues at play? With the shadow chancellor, John McDonnel, claiming this election was a Brexit Election as the exit polls were announced, its clear that the partys and publics views on Brexit were a huge part of the influences and decision making in this years General Election. For the firmer Remainers out there, Corbyns policy to offer a full and detailed vote to the British public on any agreement made with the EU, including an option to remain, was an attractive compromise. Offering the chance to allow people to change their minds (both ways) based on facts and new information, a Peoples Vote has been widely approved of by the public since the referendum results and its likely that a Peoples Vote offered by Labour and Jeremy Corbyn would have been presented accurately and with the public having access to all relevant information to ensure informed decisions were able to be met. The argument being offered by the winners of this election, however, is all based on Leave constituencies firmly voting for the harder line offered by the Conservatives to Get Brexit Done. Speaking to people on the street, its become incredibly clear that voters are fed up with Brexit and getting it over and done with is attractive to those on both sides of the fence at this point. By trying to take a middle ground, Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove, suggested we landed in the absurd position where Leavers thought we were a Remain party and Remainers thought we were a Leave party, meaning Labours Brexit policies appeased few and alienated many. Jeremy Corbyn Famously controversial, Corbyn has been a key issue raised by both voters and fellow MPs when it comes to looking at why Labour suffered the defeat they did, with MP for Edinburgh South, Ian Murray, damning Corbyn as a bigger reason for Labours failure to persuade voters than Brexit. With claims of antisemitism and possible connections with the IRA being at the forefront of many now-Conservative voters minds, Corbyns lack of appeal and middle-ground policies clearly influenced the votes and not to his favour; whether or not the facts support the claims. Division Whats more, the division within Labour itself may not have helped things. Rather than putting forward a united front, 100% behind their leader, many Labour MPs have been known to call out Corbyn and have been quick to blame him for any defeats their party suffers. Whilst the criticisms themselves are worth investigating, a bigger issue may lie in the lack of unity shown within the Labour party. When MPs are arguing amongst themselves, how can the public believe in them to come together and fight for whats right? Corbyn himself has now spoken on some of the issues raised, stating he will take his share of the responsibility and will step down as Labour leader following a process of reflection on this result and on the policies that the party will take going forward. This could mean a major reshuffle of Labour leadership is on the cards, as shadow chancellor John McDonnel will also likely step down based on his strong support of Jeremy Corbyn over the years. Fake news & social media Another undeniable aspect during this election has been the use of media and social media to get messages across. Whilst having part of the election run in the online sphere isnt necessarily a bad thing, the lack of restraints by companies such as Facebook and Twitter have enabled the spreading of Fake News and claims which are unsubstantiated or even simply untrue. While we are overloaded with information online and dont always have the time to personally fact-check every claim, one Labour MP suggested the breading of fake news is permitted as people have a sense that some of this stuff is probably wrong but they have no compass They think there are gatekeepers but there arent causing voters to be influenced by a bombardment of propaganda without any way of validating the claims. One hugely successful (depending on how you look at it) strategy wasnt even used by the Conservatives in the campaign; the connection between Jeremy Corbyn and the IRA. This was so successful that many voters who dont agree with the Conservatives policies at all have reported switching sides purely based on this, while the truth of the matter seems to be that he met them to discuss routes for peace; something which has received little to no publicity on the social media channels many depend on for their news. (Jeremy Corbyn told the BBCs Andrew Neil I never met the IRA. I obviously did meet people from Sinn Fein and I always made the point that there had to be a dialogue and a peace process.) Truth Unfortunately, these days were not able to trust news channels to portray the truth, which opens up avenues for anyone to create a fake account and post incorrect or discrediting information. Without a clear and unbiased source of information, fake news or misrepresentations of the truth are allowed to grow and influence the voting publics opinions on politics, people, and so much more. This came to an astonishing outcome in the recent general election, with the Conservatives creating a fake fact-checking account on Twitter a short while ago, and the Conservatives false Labour manifesto taking a higher paid position in Google ads than the genuine manifesto. With these issues running riot and Labour arguably not putting up a strong enough fight to counter the inaccurate claims against them, is it any wonder some have been persuaded by the negative sides to the Labour party, and Jeremy Corbyn in particular? It doesnt help that Corbyn himself has generally been very diplomatic (or some may say evasive) when hes been questioned on some of these claims for example by not only condemning the IRA but condemning ALL guilty parties who bombed and killed giving ammunition to those who would see him admonished. Facebook What makes the social media problem even worse is Facebooks recent change of their algorithms affecting who can see what content. While the Conservatives spent less on Facebook advertising overall than Labour, their consistent, short, snappy, targeted ads were well used to spread their message while Labour arguably over-spent on softer messages that simply didnt get through to enough people. In addition to the Conservatives adopting a much more fierce online campaign strategy, the algorithms used to get appropriate content out to users also influenced how the information and propaganda was shared, leaving Corbyn-supporters confused as they sit in their bubbles of left-wind ideologies whilst, unbeknown to them, their fact-checking and counter-arguments werent being shared with right-wing supporters or those who Facebook considered were leaning towards the Conservative way of thinking. This left both sides with a skewed vision of the fight, with no one seeing the full picture. When you only receive information that suits your world opinion, or lots of information that says bad things about an individual without anything to counter it, its easy to see how opinions can be swayed and minds can be made up. Looking to the Future Looking to the future, the Labour party has a lot of questions to answer and will need to look deep within their party to find a way of reuniting themselves and to rekindle the love and passion so many voters feel theyve lost. With Corbyn stepping down as leader, Labour could be in for some huge changes and it will be vital for the party to nominate a replacement who can finally unite the party in a way that appeals to the masses for them to have any hope in a future general election. In the meantime, for better or for worse, Boris Johnson and the rest of the newly elected MPs have now been sworn into parliament, with Johnsons promise to Get Brexit Done likely to be under intense scrutiny as we come closer to the 31st January 2020 deadline. The 43-member cabinet of the Maharashta Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray can finally begin work in full swing, as the long-awaited portfolio allocation was finalised late on Saturday evening. The CM sent the list to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for a formal nod, but the approval was awaited at the time of going to press. State Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and cabinet minister Jayant Patil, in a tweet, said: As the entire state is awaiting the cabinet portfolios, similarly we are also waiting... according to my knowledge, the chief minister has sent a list of portfolio allocation to honorable governor at 730 pm. We hope the honourable governor will ratify it soon. Thackeray has only kept the general administration department, which is traditionally overseen by the CM, for himself. According to the list approved by the CM, his deputy Ajit Pawar will head the finance and planning department. Thackerays son Aaditya Thackeray will be the new environment, tourism and protocol minister. NCPs Anil Deshmukh will be the home minister, with the Sena conceding the department to the ally. Deshmukh, a senior leader from Nagpur, was picked, after Ajit Pawar said he would not like to take up the portfolio at this stage. According to NCP insiders, Ajit Pawar and the party top brass were wary of him heading the home portfolio, with the irrigation scam inquiry still being heard in the high court. The anti-corruption bureau (ACB), which is conducting the probe, comes under the home department. The urban development department, considered a key portfolio along with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, will be run by Shiv Senas Eknath Shinde. Amid the tug-of-war in the Congress, state chief Balasaheb Thorat managed to retain the crucial revenue department, while former chief minister Ashok Chavan got the public works department. HT called several ministers, but they refused to comment, as the portfolio list had not been formally out. The portfolio allocation indicates the balance of power in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, made up of three parties, tilts in favour of the NCP. The NCP has not just got the most number of ministerial posts (16), but has also retained the most crucial of the departments for its ministers. The Shiv Sena, besides the CM, has 14 ministerial posts, but has retained fewer important portfolios such as urban development department, agriculture and industries. The Congress has got 10 ministerial posts and two crucial departments like revenue and PWD. The NCP has got important portfolios like home, rural development department (Hasan Mushriff), co-operation (Balasaheb Patil), water resources (Jayant Patil) and social justice (Dhananjay Munde). NCPs Jitendra Awhad will head housing, while Rajesh Tope will handle the health department. The CM finalised the list after holding meetings with both the other parties. It has been sent to the governor for a formal nod, said a senior bureaucrat, who did not want to be named. Education will be handled by three different ministers Varsha Gaikwad (Congress) will head the school education department, while Amit Deshmukh (Congress) will handle medical education and Uday Samant (Shiv Sena) will head the higher and technical education. The Shiv Sena, besides urban development, MSRDC, tourism and environment, has kept industries department (Subhash Desai), agriculture (Dada Bhuse), transport and parliamentary affairs (Anil Parab), forests (Sanjay Rathod) and water supply and sanitation (Gulabrao Patil). The Congress, apart from revenue and PWD, has got the energy portfolio (Nitin Raut); school education department (Varsha Gaikwad); women and child welfare department (Yashomati Thakur); medical education department (Amit Deshmukh); tribal development department (KC Padvi); dairy development and animal husbandry (Sunil Kedar), besides two other cabinet portfolios. Among the ten ministers of state or junior ministers, Congresss Satej Patil got home (cities) and Vishwajeet Kadam has got co-operation and agriculture departments. NCPs Aditi Tatkare has industries, information and publicity department; Prajakt Tanpure has urban development; Dattatray Bharne has forests and GAD; and Sanjay Bansode has got MSRDC and environment. Shiv Senas Shambhuraje Desai has got home (rural) and finance; Abdul Sattar has got revenue; Bachchu Kadu has got water resources and school education; Rajendra Patil Yadravkar has got public health. Ministers of state are generally delegated powers by their superiors, the cabinet ministers. Nearly 75 years ago, Giichi Matsumura left the grounds of the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California with a group of fishermen who had set out for the lakes of the Sierra Nevada. After a few days, Mr. Matsumura, 46, broke off from the group to paint and sketch. He had taken up art in Manzanar, one of 10 internment camps the United States government set up in the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and where Mr. Matsumura and his family had been forced to relocate by the Army. A sudden storm moved in. When it subsided, the fishermen went looking for Mr. Matsumura. His body was found a month later, near a lake on Mount Williamson, Californias second-highest peak. But he was too far from safe terrain to be moved, and his remains would stay buried under gray boulders for decades, until last October, when two hikers who had gone off track stumbled upon them. On Friday, officials from the Inyo County Sheriffs Office and the Manzanar National Historic Site confirmed in a statement that the remains belonged to Mr. Matsumura. One week after the City of Longview opened a designated homeless camp off Alabama Street, city officials and campers said no major problems have been reported. Meanwhile, the bills for creating and running the encampment are starting to come in, and the tally so far includes $30,000 for a chain-link fence. About 40 tents dotted the 1-acre site across Alabama Street from the Longview City Shop Friday. Many tents were draped with tarps and set up on wooden pallets to keep them out of puddles and mud. Camper Ken Markel said although its nice to have a designated spot, recent rains has left the tents soaked. About 1.25 inches of rain fell in the city during the two previous days. Ive been looking for dry socks all morning, he said Friday. I know were all tired of living like this. Markel said the homeless are being bounced around Kelso and Longview by laws that ban living in vehicles and camping on city rights of way. Homeless campers moved from a makeshift campsite outside of City Hall to Alabama Street on or before Dec. 27, when a new Longview ordinance banning camping on city right of way took effect. The ordinance bans tents and other camping paraphernalia on city rights of way between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Establishing the camp allows the city to ask campers to leave city rights of way. Otherwise the city could not bar overnight camping due to a federal court ruling that it is not a crime to sleep in public places. The camp and ordinance are meant to address the makeshift homeless camp that cropped up in the medians near City Hall about three months ago. Camper Debbie Perrine said the first week at the site has gone pretty good. Perrine said shed been set up outside City Hall for about three weeks, and that camping gets old pretty quickly. Longview City Manager Kurt Sacha said hadnt heard of problems from nearby residents or businesses. An employee of the Matheson gas supply business nearby on Oregon Way said Friday the business hasnt had any problems with the campers. The campsite is intended to be open for 90 days, and signs posted at its entrance say it should be closed by March 30. The site includes portable toilets, wash stations and garbage service. Jennifer Wills, Longview Parks and Recreation director, said the portable toilets and wash station will cost the city about $700 a month. The city also put up fencing around the site and the city employee parking lot next to it. Ken Hash, city engineer, said the fencing cost about $30,000, including staff time. Public Works Director Jeff Cameron said the city fenced off the city employee parking lot to keep campers out. Sacha said the city fenced three sides of the site to provide security for the campers and neighboring businesses and residences. Hash said the city also spent $7,150 to put in a gravel path from the lot to Oregon Way and $1,430 for eight signs posted around the encampment. The signs mark the location as an un-hosted temporary site and ask vehicles not to block a gate to the parking lot. Wills said in the spring, the city will have to replant grass around City Hall where the campers were set up for about 3 months, but she didnt have a cost estimate. A committee made up of Cowlitz County, Longview and Kelso officials is set to meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the County Administration Building to discuss alternative camp locations. Sacha said it makes sense to establish rotating campsites so crews can clean up the sites. The potential cost of the camps is a concern to officials, and that could affect how much the county or other entities spend developing and maintain them. Officials learned recently, for example, that a housing agency in Thurston County delayed preparing a homeless camp because the cost ranged between $635,000 and $1.1 million depending on how much lighting, ADA access, power and other services were developed. Liability for injuries also is a concern. Cowlitz County Commissioner Dennis Weber, who serves on the homeless committee, said liability laws differ for counties and cities when it comes to sanctioning a site. The county would look at establishing a site thats developed enough to avoid liability but that would err on the side of caution for taxpayers, he said. The cost and level of development needed to prepare a county- or city-owned site in Cowlitz County would depend in part on the location, Weber said. Sacha said hes hoping to reach out next week to some nonprofits and work with them to provide outreach and services in the camp to those willing to accept them. Well see if we cant get some of these unhoused individuals back on track and provide them with whatever services they might need, he said. Love 4 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 14 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. Citing an unnamed source, The Wall Street Journal reported that the state party would be paying more than $1 million to settle the claims. William Floyd, a former assistant to Mr. Bauman, said in April that Mr. Bauman, 61, had sexually assaulted him three times while he served as chairman of the state party and when he was chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. Throughout that time, Mr. Floyd said, his boss, who was more than twice his age, also groped him and made inappropriate comments to him. Winning elections became so important that Party leadership just ignored Erics drinking and his vicious attacks on people, Mr. Floyd said in April, when he filed a lawsuit against Mr. Bauman in state court in Los Angeles County. Most of us lived in fear of him, Mr. Floyd said. A few people cared, but their voices were drowned out by so many others who didnt want to cross Eric or do anything to stop him. No one from the Party has even apologized to me for what happened. The other lawsuits, filed by three former party employees and a Democratic activist, made a host of similar claims against Mr. Bauman and the party, accusing the former leader of sexually assaulting, groping or harassing them and the party of failing to stop the abuse. At least one former employee also said Mr. Bauman discriminated against her because she was black, The Los Angeles Times reported. After the assassination of the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Qassem Soleimani in the US air raid, US secretary of the state Mike Pompeo has spoken to Pakistans Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa. Interestingly, the US secretary chose to speak to Pakistans army chief instead of Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi who is the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. This could point out the insignificance of the foreign ministry as against the army which is known to have more powers as against the civilian government in Pakistan. READ | 'Iran Never Won A War', Says Donald Trump After Soleimani Killing #Pakistan's Chief of Staff General Bajwa and I spoke today about U.S. defensive action to kill Qassem Soleimani. The #Iran regimes actions in the region are destabilizing and our resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities, and partners will not waver. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020 READ | Trump Orders Killing Of IRGC Chief; Iran Calls Act "foolish" & Threatens Retaliation The drone attack on Irani General The recent killing of General Qassem Soleimani along with six others in the US air raid on Baghdad international airport on Friday has reportedly sent shock waves through the Middle East region and has resulted in intensified tensions between the US and Iran. Soleimani led a special forces unit of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. The US maintains that Soleimani was planning an attack on American diplomats and service members in Iraq. Pompeo was quoted by an international daily saying the US government vows to de-escalate tensions between the two nations however it is prepared to respond appropriately if Iran chooses 'the other direction'. READ | Soleimani, A General Who Became Iran Icon By Targeting US Iran vows 'harsh retaliation' Citing a Revolutionary Guard statement, Iranian state television said Soleimani was martyred in an attack by U.S. helicopters near the airport, without elaborating. Soon after, the advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, said that the US must wait for "repercussions" for crossing the "red line." The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, the officials said. On January 3, Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei declared three days of mourning for Soleimani, and, threatened the US saying "a harsh retaliation is waiting." READ | Iran Summons Swiss Embassy Official Over Soleimani's Killing By US Gbemisola Saraki, the Minister of State for Transportation, has attacked Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for ordering the demolition of her family home in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. I condemn in totality the actions taken on Thursday 2nd January 2020 by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, especially unleashing terror and mayhem on innocent defenseless aged women simply exercising their right to peacefully protest, Ms Saraki said in a statement on January 3. The level of force and violence that the Governor chose to adopt was totally unwarranted. What resistance to protest justifies firing live ammunition and tear-gassing old women? Ile Arugbo has served for many years as a place of convergence for loyalists of late Olusola Saraki, a Nigerian political heavyweight and father of Gbemi and the immediate-past Senate President, Bukola Saraki. It was demolished on January 2 amidst allegations of political vendetta. Mr Saraki, a former governor of the state, reacted swiftly to the demolition, condemning Mr Abdulrazaqs action as vindictive. Mr Abdulrazaq assumed office on May 29, 2019, in a victory widely seen as dislodgement of the domineering Saraki dynasty in Kwara. Olusola Saraki joined politics shortly after Nigerias Independence and later became the majority leader of the Nigerian Senate during the Second Republic that began in 1979 and was truncated four years later by a military coup that brought Muhammadu Buhari into power in December 1983. After leaving the Senate, he assumed the role of Kwaras most consequential politician, dishing out political patronage to others behind him. In 2003, Bukola, his first son, became governor of Kwara State. In the same year, his daughter, Gbemi, was elected to the Nigerian Senate, serving until 2011 when Bukola seized the seat from her after serving two governorship terms. A wedge that was driven between the siblings following Bukolas action in 2011 has failed to ease several years on. When Bukola joined then-opposition All Progressives Congress from then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party in 2013, Gbemi joined the PDP at the time. When Bukola, as Senate President, left the APC in 2018 to join the PDP, Gbemi again moved the other direction to the APC. She was amongst a coalition of political interests that not only took control of Kwara from Mr Saraki and his political proteges but also denied the former Senate President a return to the Senate during 2019 general elections. Ile Arugbo served for years as a place of convergence for core loyalists and teeming supporters of the senior Saraki a situation that did not change much even years after he passed on in 2012 at 79. While Gbemi may have long fallen out of political favour with her brother, her statement emphasised a longstanding family bond even while not directly mentioning her brother by name. She said Mr Abdulrazaqaction was aimed more at exerting vendetta against Bukola Saraki than any developmental decision for the state. We must stand up against vindictive politics, driven by envy, motivated by jealousy and practiced without integrity, Ms Saraki said in her Friday night statement. She warned the governor to be mindful that the coalition she and others formed with him in 2019 was to dislodge the PDP from the state grip and not to victimise the Saraki family. She accused the police of being used to carry out the demolition, during which live rounds were reportedly fired by officers deployed there. Ajayi Okesanmi, a spokesperson for the police in Kwara, did not immediately return calls seeking comments Saturday morning. A spokesperson for the governor could not be reached for comment on Ms Sarakis statement. Read her full statement (titled: Those Who Come To Equity, Must Come With Clean Hands) as sent to PREMIUM TIMES by her media aide, Titilope Anifowoshe, below: [ABUJA, FCT, January 3, 2020] At 3:00am Thursday 2nd of January 2020, the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, gave orders to the Police to open fire on aged women, at the contested welfare home, popularly known as Ile Arugbo (Home for Aged), owned by my father, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki. As a staunch and loyal member of APC, I have kept quiet to date on the happenings in my state, Kwara State. I had done this for a number of reasons including trying to keep my head when all about me are losing theirs. But all in all, I had kept quiet, as being a loyal member and supporter of the party, I did not want to get into any squabble with the Governor despite so many provocations. Again, as a loyal and dedicated daughter of my father, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, whom I hold in very high esteem, I did not want to express my opinion on the propriety of the Governors recent political actions as it would be seen as biased because the late Waziri is my father. However, given the turn of events and the violent nature of the Governors position, it is only right for me to speak now. There might have been some elements within my party, APC, who wanted to change the OToGe narrative of the 2019 elections to be about the Sarakis, and not about what it was the removal of a failing PDP Administration. But clearly, by some recent steps taken, especially with Thursdays actions, Kwara State APC must be careful to not allow a few elements with their own agenda, other than governance, to turn their personal vendetta into the official position of APC in the State. They must not be allowed to hijack the narrative of what our party stands for. Advertisements The APC has, since its inception, preached and worked earnestly for genuine good governance, security, increased welfare, progress and development of the people, as exemplified by President Muhammadu Buhari, who in the face of direct provocation and deep personal attacks remains true to the oath he took to govern ALL Nigerians, in spite of allegiances. That is why it is important that my silence is not misconstrued as tacit approval or support for the actions taken by the Governor. As stated earlier, I chose to refrain from commenting on the onset of this landsaga and did so for three reasons: (1) I believed that this was a matter that would go through the rightful forum and due process to ascertain and establish my fathers legal rights or otherwise. (2) My family individually and/or collectively have NEVER derived and continue not to derive ANY commercial benefit from that piece of land. At the end of the day, what is on that land is nothing no block of flats that the family is getting rent from; no office building, no factory, or any other commercial venture. Just a bungalow where the old women gather and get their basic needs attended to. (3) Nonetheless, were my father alive today, surely, he would have been saddened to see bulldozers in Ile Arugbo. However, I am comforted by the knowledge that my fathers good work and his respect, support and love for the aged, which was sadly lacking in the Governors activities of Thursday, simply cannot be erased by demolishing a bungalow. When it comes down to it, Ile Arugbo is a piece of bare land that holds symbolic value of what my father stood for humanitarianism, and that doesnt start nor end with a building. But after the events of Thursday when the aged women were tear gassed and shot at in the wee hours of the morning (3:00AM), I do not want my silence to be misconstrued, as mischief makers have used that silence to attribute false statements allegedly made by me. The level of force and violence that the Governor chose to adopt was totally unwarranted. What resistance to protest justifies firing live ammunition and tear gassing old women? Even my own personal home was not left out of the attack as numerous empty bullet shell casings and dispersed tear gas canisters were found inside my home. I feel that at this point not only as a child of the late Waziri but as a member of the APC, I need to speak. I do so not only as a daughter but as a member of the party, to ensure that those thousands of members of APC who are Sarakites that supported the OToGe Movement are not alienated. In addition, I do so to ensure that the resounding victory that APC enjoyed in Kwara is not short-lived or diminished. Governments acquire properties, even compulsorily without necessarily resorting to unprovoked violent attacks in the dead of night. It is especially disrespectful to me personally, as a member of the APC since 2015, who welcomed and supported those who only joined us a couple of months to the elections, which includes the Governor himself, that my position as a member of the party was not given any consideration and/or regard when approaching this issue. Furthermore, given how well and how long I have personally known the Governor beyond Kwara State, so much so that I have always regarded him as one of my older brothers. Even in the political arena, over the years, we have known each other as political opponents and allies and I have always accorded him respect which he has not accorded me. As one of the APC leaders in the State, I have consulted broadly and have also sent messages appealing to party members not to be provoked by this unwarranted assault on my late father. I do this with all sense of responsibility so that party cohesion and unity is not undermined by arbitrariness to rush into an attempt to settle perceived old generational family political scores. Revenge cannot be a policy thrust of governance. I am also using this opportunity to appeal to our teeming supporters to remain calm and poised and maintain peace in the face of unwarranted provocation. Allah Bring about ease after difficulty Q 65 vrs 7. I condemn in totality the actions taken on Thursday 2nd January 2020 by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, especially unleashing terror and mayhem on innocent defenseless aged women simply exercising their right to peacefully protest. I call upon the Inspector General of Police to call the State Commissioner of Police to order using security agencies and live ammunition to settle political and personal scores is NOT what the Buhari Administration is about. We must stand up against vindictive politics, driven by envy, motivated by jealousy and practiced without integrity. Honour should be our code. Pictured: Yona Golub, who claimed the 19-year-old student had turned his life into a nightmare One of the 12 Israeli youths accused of taking part in the gang-rape caused outrage yesterday by vowing to pursue the British teenager through the courts for compensation. In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Yona Golub claimed the 19-year-old student had turned his life into a nightmare. 'We're preparing to sue her,' he declared. 'She deserves to go to jail.' The woman, who is now facing up to a year in prison after a hearing last week, says she retracted her statement about the alleged rape after pressure from detectives following ten hours of questioning that was not recorded or conducted in front of a lawyer. Amid widespread anger over the case, the country's president is under increasing pressure to issue a pardon. Tracked down by The Mail on Sunday to the town of Afula, near Nazareth, Mr Golub, 18, did not express any sympathy for the woman, who was left with extensive bruising and is now suffering from PTSD. Instead, he insisted that he and the other youths were victims. He admitted his life was back to normal but claimed: 'We deserve compensation for what we went through. I don't know how much I should get. 'They need to put her in prison and only afterwards should they deal with the compensation.' An Israeli teenager is embraced by relatives after being released from Famagusta police headquarters in southeast town of Paralimni, Cyprus in July Last night Mr Golub's inflammatory comments provoked a furious reaction. Professor Ruhama Weiss, a director of pastoral counselling at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, will fly with more than 40 other Israelis to Cyprus to show solidarity with the Briton when she is sentenced on Tuesday. Dr Weiss said: 'The reason is that we are very much ashamed of what happened, and we want to say that not all Israelis are the same. We want to say to the British girl that we believe her and we want to say out loud that we are with her.' Jamie Doran, who is making a film about the case, said: 'This woman has been through hell and for these individuals to be attacking her yet again is beyond humanity.' Mr Golub, who was held in custody for eight days, said he was not among the Israelis who were in the room with the teenager when she claimed she was raped but in bed in the same budget hotel with an Israeli girl. The Briton (right) leaves court after being found guilty of lying her mask with lips sewn up signifies the fact that her voice is being silenced He says he was arrested simply because he was on holiday with two friends who had been in the room. Police released him after his girlfriend gave them a selfie she had taken of them in her room at the time the rape was said to have taken place. Mr Golub was not among the seven men freed on July 28 who were pictured on their return home dancing in an airport arrivals hall. He had returned two days earlier after police found no evidence against him. He recalled: 'The police took DNA swabs from our mouths and the enormity of what happened began to hit me. 'I was sure I was going to be put in prison for my whole life.' Michael Polak from Justice Abroad, who is advising the family, states 'Yona Golub is not a person that was named by the teenager at any point. It also appears that no witness statements or interrogation documents from a person of this name were served upon us during the proceedings. 'If Mr Golub was arrested by the Cypriot Police in relation to this incident and was not involved, this may be because the Cypriot Police swept up a number of Israeli youths and then failed to hold an identification parade of any kind. It is quite possible, as I have stated in previous statements, that the Cypriot Police arrested people who were not involved in any offence against the teenager and had never seen her as claimed by Mr Golub. 'If this happened to Mr Golub then his complaint lies against the Cypriot Police.' Sri Lankas tasteful venture into global foods By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s): Ingredients found in Sri Lanka have made taste buds from around the world wanting more of their favourite global brands in chocolates, spice mixes and bakery products. Ferrero Rocher and Mars Bounty chocolates, Kelloggs breakfast foods and Vita Coco, McCormick Spices, Mexican cinnamon breads and even Gourmet Spice and Jumbo Spices add spices like Cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg from Sri Lanka in addition to coconut. Former Spice Council Chairman Nanda Kohonna told the Business Times that most pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg are sourced from Sri Lanka in the use of end food products. He noted that even the instant noodles packs contain Sri Lankan spices in the small sachets that come along in the packing. In fact, Mr. Kohonna pointed out that it was Sri Lankan spices that were provided even in packets sold outside Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has always been a spice hub to the world since the pre-colonial era and this tradition continues as the global brands continue to source their spices and coconuts from the island nation. McCormick is said to use a fair amount of Sri Lankan spices in them since the local produce particularly pepper and cinnamon have an intrinsic value with a high quality compared to those available from other markets, Mr. Kohonna said. Past President of the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association Dhammika Gunasekara said that Sri Lanka is also central to providing coconut related products like desiccated coconuts and coconut oil to supermarkets like Walmart. In fact, he pointed out that currently there is a trend for non-dairy vegetarian consumer items and, in this respect Sri Lanka caters to a market of 100 per cent vegans. In addition, another trend observed is where people are now looking for proteins from non-animal products like improving on the coconut produce, he explained. In fact, with most people conscious about not just animal welfare and damage to animal farming they are in search of meat alternatives with substitutes like tofu, it was noted. Mr. Gunasekara explained that with most European Union (EU) countries unhappy about the genetically modified (GM) foods they are increasingly looking towards buying coconuts and using this in processing cheeses and butter. Moreover, coconut milk finally ends up as a coconut beverage and now there are varieties like coconut ice creams and coconut yoghurt, he said in addition to being added to curries and soups. Coconut oil also acts as a base for the skin care brands in the manufacture of cosmetics, he noted. Sri Lanka in this respect is part of a number of other countries that are sought to source these ingredients by these global brands as most multinationals would have a number of markets to purchase these ingredients at any given time. This wonderful and peaceful small seaside town nestles in a sheltered spot on Spain's eastern coast known as the Costa Blanca, named after it's a multitude of beaches with fine, clean and warm sand. It is well known amongst discerning holidaymakers and ex-pats from places such as the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, for being family-friendly, noticeably upmarket and a great place to spend countless holidays! The town is about 80 km north of Alicante and approximately 100 km south of Valencia and therefore is very easy to reach from both international airports, being as it is only about 50 minutes' drive from each one. The beaches of Moraira villas Let's face it, many people come on holiday to Spain for the climate and to relax on golden, sandy beaches, and the visitors who flock to this town each year certainly know that it boasts a very impressive eight beaches in total, of various sizes, and we compiled this handy list to help you choose which beaches to visit. If you're looking forward to enjoy good beach day, you should check Moraira Villas. Playa delPortet. It is a small inlet in the shape of a seashell so some people say and although facilities such as bars are minimal, it's safe and secluded and ideal for a quick dip. Club Nautica beach, which is accessed via an exclusive yacht haven with many facilities, including a restaurant although this is often only open to boat users it's worth asking anyway. Torre Cap d'Or is another small beach which can be reached on foot by walking from the El Portet beach. La Cala is another small beach with lovely clear waters but is rocky and difficult to access so you can only get to this beach by boat. Platgetes beach has very easy access and a car parking area, a few restaurants, facilities such as showers, etc. Eating out in Moraira The town has a variety of places to eat, from small tapas bars to large international restaurants and, based on the fact that a lot of German and Dutch people come on holiday here, you could maybe try some of their traditional food too. In Moraira, you can get tapas at Meson el Refugio or Bar Costa Blanca and most bars in nearby Teulada. There is however the "European shopping center" in the town with many big-name shops, and places to eat too, although it's not a huge place in itself, but if you miss the taste of the UK, it's possible to get some nice British Fish N chips, and it is also possible to get an Indian meal, and a Chinese meal too, so you won't go hungry. Conclusion There are many more activities to do in Moraira villas. If you love to do a party at night, Moraira has famous nigh restraints so you can enjoy a night out with your friends. Moraira is the best place to spend your vacations with family and friends. A single mother-of-two who attacked British Airways cabin crew in a drunken rage must wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet while she awaits sentencing. Emma Langford admitted attacking BA staff on the Boeing 747 flight to Cape Town in South Africa, punching the manager and kicking another in the back of the legs while screaming: 'You have a massive ar*e.' The 47-year-old, from the upmarket Hampshire village of Old Basing, then tipped out a tray of plates and some glasses on the floor, which smashed, cutting another member of crew. Emma Langford (left and right), 47, from Old Basing, Hampshire leaving Isleworth Crown Court after her case was adjourned until January 31. Langford admitted attacking BA staff on the Boeing 747 flight to Cape Town in South Africa in December 2018. Pictured arriving at court today She was eventually restrained by an off-duty police officer on the flight before being carried off the plane when it touched down in Cape Town on December 6 2018. The out-of-control mother was arrested when the plane touched down and admitted three counts of assault at Ealing Magistrates' Court. She could face up to two years in prison. Isleworth Crown Court heard how Langford, as part of matters relating to the custody of her two young sons, is now accompanied by a woman who observes her 24 hours a day to ensure she does not drink alcohol. She is also to wear a SCRAM bracelet, a device that is able to detect alcohol in the system every half an hour. Langford was eventually restrained by an off-duty police officer on the Boeing 747 before being carried off the plane when it touched down in Cape Town on December 6 2018 (file image) Both the prosecutor and defence sought to adjourn the matter for a pre-sentence report to be completed and for the court to receive a letter from her psychiatrist. Prosecutor Douglas Adams said: 'Ms Langford was on a British Airways flight to Cape Town, South Africa, when she assaulted three members of the cabin crew, broke crockery and glassware, and behaved in a threatening way to several members of the cabin crew. 'She was flying to South Africa to attend a rehabilitation centre to seek treatment for her addiction. 'She has two recent convictions for drinking and driving.' Guy Wyatt, defending Langford, said: 'It's a mystery why no one prior to this hearing made a pre-sentence report. 'There are mental health difficulties and a serious history of alcohol abuse at play here. 'It's my application for a full pre-sentence report to be completed. I acknowledge the case law is severe. It makes it clear that it's a rare thing for anything other than a custodial sentence. 'An immediate custodial sentence is the starting point. 'This lady had a plan to go to an alcohol rehabilitation centre. It's not been a story of success, unfortunately. 'In the next few days, she's going to be fitted with a SCRAM bracelet. It may be in the interest of the criminal courts to order this be observed. 'The bracelet has a sensor that reads alcohol in the sweat and makes a report every 30 minutes. 'It arose from family proceedings of custody of her two children. She has two young sons. 'The court will be assisted to see the observations of this bracelet, consulting reports of her psychiatrist and evidence from her sober companion. 'She lives at her home, and is with her 24 hours a day. 'If anyone can come back from this, it's this lady.' At Langford's previous hearing at Ealing Magistrates Court on December 4, her actions were deemed 'so serious' that she must be sentenced at a crown court. Recorder Joseph Boothby said: 'It seems to me that you have a background and history the court will want to know before I consider the extreme measure of sentencing you to prison. 'You will be back here on 31 January. You will be released on unconditional bail, the same as you were before.' Langford, who wore a light blue top, navy jumper, and skinny black jeans, only spoke to confirm her name, age, nationality. Kolkata Police will start the third edition of its 'Sukanya' project on Monday to provide girls studying in schools and colleges in the city with self-defence training, a senior official said. "The third batch of 'Sukanya' will start on Monday at 100 city-based schools and colleges situated in Kolkata Police jurisdiction. Girl students of VIII, IX, XI and girls studying in first year at educational institutions in this area will be part of it," the official said. Sukanya is an initiative of the Kolkata Police's Community Policing Wing to provide self-defence training to girl students of city-based schools, colleges and universities in the city of Kolkata. The initiative is funded by Women and Child Development & Social Welfare Department of the state government. "We have got a very good response from girl students studying in these schools. We have seen that after the training the girls grew confident about their safety and self-defence. This initiative will continue this year also," the police official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A California family got an unwanted gift with a purchase, claiming Amazon delivered a new waffle iron with a desiccated waffle already inside it. 'Wow, my mom sent my daughter a new wafflemaker from @amazon and they sent us a used one with the FOOD STILL IN IT. Disgusting!' Brian McCarthy, of Los Angeles, tweeted the day after Christmas, alongside an unappetizing image of a waffle maker containing the crusty remains of a waffle. McCarthy then went on to reference a Wall Street Journal report - titled 'You Might Be Buying Trash on AmazonLiterally' - and wrote, '@amazon has no quality control.' Brian McCarthy tweeted his picture of a waffle iron with a waffle already in it the day after Christmas, claiming this is what his daughter discovered when she opened her present Four hours later, an Amazon customer service employee reached out to McCarthy, asking for details so that they could investigate what happened About four hours later, Amazon's customer service Twitter handle, @AmazonHelp, replied to McCarthy's tweet stating: 'We're sorry to see the condition this item arrived in. It's certainly not the experience we strive for!' The tweet then asked that McCarthy's mother provide more details about the order 'So a member of our team to [sic] take a closer look at this.' McCarthy told Business Insider that the waffle maker was a turquoise mini Baby Cakes Waffle Stick Maker. It was manufactured by Select Brands Inc. and has been sold on Amazon since December 2013. McCarthy said that while the waffle maker was ordered through Amazon Services Inc., there was 'no indication' that the item would be either used or refurbished. The waffle maker as it is advertised on Amazon. It's suspected that a customer returned the used item and that an Amazon employee marked it as new and added it back to the inventory Recode, which examined a screenshot of the order information, confirmed that the waffle maker was not advertised as either used or refurbished and that it had been ordered directly through Amazon Prime. An Amazon spokesperson told both outlets that the company was investigating the situation. McCarthy said he's still waiting for an update. 'We never really received an explanation,' he told Business Insider Friday. 'The only thing they offered was a return, which we would have done anyway.' He added that the unsavory surprise and lack of quality control has 'damaged my impression of the company, as this feels underhanded.' He noted that he intends to start dialing back on the number of Amazon orders he places in favor of buying directly from retailers or through brick-and-mortar stores. Marketplace Pulse CEO Joe Kaziukenas told Recode that it's likely a customer had returned the used waffle maker to Amazon and that an employee had returned it to the new inventory pool, allowing it to be sold on. Rouhani: Iranian nation to take revenge for US heinous crime IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a message said Iranians will take revenge of the US heinous act to assassinate the IRGC Quds force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani. "The flag of General Soleimani in defense of the country's territorial integrity and the fight against terrorism and extremism in the region will be raised, and the path of resistance to US excesses will continue," Rouhani wrote in his Twitter account. "The great nation of Iran will take revenge for this heinous crime," he added. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that the General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Deputy Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), known as the Hash al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated on Friday morning. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. The assassination stands at top of news in Iraq, the region and the whole world. The IRGC confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei commented on the martyrdom of the great commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Major General Qasem Soleimani and said harsh and severe revenge is awaiting the criminals. 9376**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A havan mandap, or platform for a ceremonial fire, and a mound of soil covered by a canopy of iron sheets remain at the site where, on October 23, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Amaravati, the would-be capital of Andhra Pradesh, amid the chanting of vedic hymns. The site is on land owned by Tatikonda Koteshwara Rao, 45, a resident of Uddandarayunipalem village, who gave it up in a land-pooling exercise so that then chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu could create the dream capital he wanted to build for Andhra Pradesh. Four years down the line, Naidus dream lies shattered. On December 17, the YSR Congress Party government of his successor Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said it would shift the administrative capital of the state from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam, retaining the legislature in the city and making Kurnool the judicial capital. For Rao, the decision came like a bolt from the blue. I was earning at least ~10-12 lakh a year from my share of 12 acres of fertile land by raising banana plantations, turmeric, neem and occasionally, sweet potato. I was reluctant to part with my land when the previous Telugu Desam Party government requested me to give up my land for the construction of a capital city. But later, I was convinced by other farmers, Koteshwara Rao said. To be sure, the Andhra Pradesh cabinet has held off a formal announcement of the proposal to shift the administrative capital. We shall take a decision based on the report submitted by a 16-member high-power committee after studying the report of the experts committee and also that of a consultancy group in another three weeks, minister Botsa Satyanarayana said. Koteshwara Rao recalled that Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was then in the Opposition, also supported the choice of Amaravati as the new capital, after AP was bifurcated the previous year for the creation of Telangana as Indias youngest state, which would get exclusive control over Hyderabad. Had he put his foot down firmly against the capital city here, I would not have given up my land. But now I feel cheated as Jagan is dumping Amaravati and moving to Visakhapatnam, Rao said. Uncertainty looms for nearly 25,000 farmers who had given up their lands to the AP Capital Region Development Authority for the construction of a new capital city in Amaravati. As many as 20,490 farmers are marginal farmers, who owned less than one acre of land, and 5,267 farmers owned two acres to less than 10 acres. Only 159 farmers were in possession of more than 10 acres. The previous government had acquired 33,000 acres of land from these farmers under a Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) by promising to return about 20% of developed land for residential use and up to 10% for commercial use within Amaravati. Accordingly, each farmer was allotted 1,000 to 1,250 sq yards of residential plots and 250 to 400 sq yard of commercial plots depending on the quality and location of their lands. Except in a few cases, almost all the plots were registered in the name of the farmers. The present government hasnt explicitly said what it would do with the 33,000 acres of land if the administrative capital is shifted from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam. Construction has already begun in a vast extent of this acquired land for laying of access roads, internal roads, laying of trunk lines, building of culverts, and the construction of a Secretariat, assembly, high court and residential quarters for lawmakers, ministers, All India Service officers and state government employees.The Naidu government had also allotted plots of land to various institutions and corporate houses. All these works have come to a halt and even if they are completed, they would not serve any purpose once the administrative capital is shifted to Visakhapatnam and high court is shifted to Kurnool. Except for a period of 15-20 days of winter and monsoon sessions, the assembly will remain more or less closed all through the year. So, Amaravati will remain dead for all practical purposes, said Kancheti Brahmanandam, a software engineer from Karlapudi village. Though panchayat raj minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy announced that the lands would be returned to the farmers, they are not willing to accept them. What shall we do with the lands? They have become unfit for cultivation, as roads and buildings have come up. The boundaries have been erased and soil from the construction sites has been dumped on the plain fields. The soil has turned hard due to lack of cultivation for the last four years, said K Ramesh, a farmer from Thullur. Municipal administration minister Botsa Satyanarayan said the government would develop plots by completing the infrastructure facilities like roads and drainage and drinking water facilities. This proposal has also been spurned by the farmers. The plots are of no value without development of the capital city. Who will buy our plots here? We would be losing heavily, said B Srinivasa Rao, also from Thullur. Most of the plots that were allotted to farmers during the TDP regime have already changed hands. Some of us had sold our plots to others as we needed money for performing marriages of daughters, funding higher education of our sons and investing in other petty businesses, said K Chandrasekhar Rao of Rayapudi, who gifted two acres of land each to his two daughters. Now, these plots have lost their commercial value. Farmers are not willing to accept any solution other than maintaining status quo with Amaravati remaining the administrative capital. We are also getting ready to fight a prolonged legal battle to stop the shifting of the capital, said farmer Kommineni Satyanarayana. Thousands of farmers, along with their families, have hit the streets in protest and are staging demonstrations in every village SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Through Realtime Senior Living's innovative apps, case managers and care coordinators will soon be able to search and direct patients and their families to senior living facilities equipped with Electronic Caregiver 's cutting-edge health and safety monitoring devices. "With this partnership, we are really looking to reimagine the hospital discharge process for families and providers alike," said Electronic Caregiver Chief Clinical Officer Tim Washburn. "We have patients who stay in hospitals extra days because they aren't able to finalize [placement in a senior care facility], so there's a huge cost to the hospitals; there's a huge cost to the patients and their families," Washburn said. 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SOURCE Electronic Caregiver Related Links https://electroniccaregiver.com $20 million to lease four more firefighting aircraft with waterbombers coming HMAS Adelaide will help evacuate people from the coast Military bases from Adelaide to Brisbane will give emergency accommodation Three Chinook helicopters from Townsville will provide air support First time in living memory mass military reserves have been called up for fires Prime Minister Scott Morrison will deploy up to 3000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) reserves to help the bushfire recovery, he announced on Saturday. More reservists may be called up as needed later, the Prime Minister told reporters at Parliament House, Canberra. Mr Morrison joined Defence Minister Linda Reynolds for a joint press conference as conditions deteriorated across Australia's embattled southeast on Saturday afternoon. From left: Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Director General of Emergency Management Australia Rob Cameron make the announcement from Parliament House, Canberra, on Saturday Ms Reynolds said she believes it is the first time the reserves had been called out en masse for a bushfire response in the nation's history. 'Up to 3000 reservists will be called out into the field,' Ms Reynolds said. 'That is about the same as the number of NSW RFS (Rural Fire Service) firefighters in the field today, for context.' The Governor-General has already signed off on the reserve call-out to fire affected communities. 'The compulsory call-out will give the ADF the authority to direct reservists to provide continual full-time service, to provide civil, aid, humanitarian, medical, civil emergency and disaster assistance,' Ms Reynolds said. Mr Morrison told reporters the government would spend an extra $20 million leasing four more firefighting aircraft, with the operating costs to be shared with the states who request them. Prime Minister Scott Morrison flies over NSW bushfires in a military chopper on December 23 Australian Defence Force reserves have been called up to help with bushfire recovery. Australia's navy is now helping evacuate people from the coast. Evacuees are pictured being ferried to Royal Australian Navy vessel MV Sycamore from Mallacoota, Victoria, on Friday Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia would call up its Defence Force reservists on Saturday to cope with the bushfire crisis, and source additional waterbombing aircraft Two more waterbombing aircraft of the type specified as needed by the National Aerial Firefighting Centre would be available within the next week and a third within 14 days, he said. The Prime Minister has responded to criticism that he was lacking in leadership and needed to step up with a national approach to the crisis. 'As I said now, we are moving past responding, we're not waiting to be asked, we're moving forward and integrating with what is happening on the ground,' he said. HMAS Adelaide, the Navy's largest amphibious ship, will help evacuate people from the coast. The landing helicopter dock ship will head from Sydney to Mallacoota, the beach on the Victorian coast where thousands of people are stranded. 'They will sail this afternoon, they will be located offshore from the fire-affected areas from tomorrow afternoon,' Mr Morrison said. Mr Morrison also said air support would be coming with three Chinook helicopters from Townsville together with other military aircraft. Defence Force bases from Adelaide to Brisbane would also be opened for emergency short-term accommodation he said. Defence Force reservists whose homes are under threat, or who are already volunteering in rural fire services will be exempt from the call-out. *If you are in the Defence Force reserves and have questions, call 1800 DEFENCE Firefighters battling the Gospers Mountain fire northwest of Sydney on December 21 A Defence Force aircrewman monitoring the Tianjara fire from a helicopter in Moreton, NSW, on December 21. Up to 3000 Defence Force reservists have now been called up A South Carolina man and his daughter were killed after they were mistaken for deer and were shot during a New Years Day hunt, the authorities said. The victims were among four hunters who were attempting to move deer, also known as driving deer, near Barracada Road in Walterboro when two hunters were shot after being mistaken for a deer, according to a statement released by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. It was not clear whether they were wearing brightly colored safety gear. David Lucas, a department spokesman, said the details of the shooting would not be released until the investigation was complete. The department did not release the names of any of the hunters. Richard M. Harvey, the Colleton County coroner, said the victims were Kim Drawdy, 30, and Mr. Drawdys daughter Lauren, 9. MEDIA COURTHOUSE A six-time DUI offender who was sentenced to 25 and a half to 50 years in state prison last month for the February drunk driving crash that killed 45-year-old Deana Eckman has signaled his intent to appeal an order denying reconsideration of his sentence. David Strowhouer, 31, of the 2400 block of Woodside Lane in Newtown Square, entered an open guilty plea in August to murder in the third degree, two counts of aggravated assault, accidents involving death or injury, DUI and driving with a suspended license for the Feb. 16 head-on crash on Route 452 in Upper Chichester. The sentence imposed by Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge Mary Alice Brennan Nov. 14 was higher than the 21.5 to 51 years sought by Senior Deputy District Attorney Dan McDevitt and more than twice the minimum 10 years suggested by defense counsel Brian Malloy. Brennan ran three of the charges consecutively the aggravated assault against Eckmans husband, Chris, who was also injured in the crash, the murder charge and the DUI charge. The rest were run concurrently. Malloy filed a motion to reconsider the sentence Nov. 21, which Brennan denied by order Dec. 19, according to electronic court records. Malloy then filed a notice of appeal to the Superior Court and moved to withdraw as counsel Dec. 23. The withdrawal motion had not been granted as of Friday. Court records indicate Brennan filed a concise statement order Dec. 27 directing Strowhouer to lay out the particulars of his appeal. Senior Deputy District Attorney Sheldon Kovach said Strowhouer would likely have a very narrow window of issues available to argue since he entered a voluntary open plea. Malloy said he expected the appeal could be filed as early as Friday. Technically, it would appeal Brennans denial of reconsideration but will effectively challenge the length of sentence imposed. It was unknown Friday whether Strowhouer will seek new private counsel or have a public defender appointed for the appeals process. The crash occurred about 9:30 p.m. Feb. 16, when Strowhouer crossed a double yellow line in a Ram 2500 pickup truck and slammed head-on into the 2019 Subaru WRX Chris and Deana Eckman were driving. Authorities said Strowhouers blood-alcohol level was 0.199 at the time and he had traces of cocaine, diazepam and marijuana in his system. Online court records indicate Strowhouer had five prior DUIs on his record since 2010 and was on probation for a previous offense at the time of the crash. Strowhouer pleaded guilty to his third and fourth DUIs at the same time in Chester County Oct. 2, 2017, and was given a total sentence of 18 to 36 months in state prison. Later that same month, he pleaded to a fifth DUI before Brennan in Delaware County for DUI: Controlled substance combination alcohol/drug as a third offense. The sentence in the Delaware County case was run concurrent to the Chester County sentence. Relatives of Deana Eckman have been critical of the way Strowhouers prior DUI convictions were handled by the courts and her mother, Roseanne DeRosa, said the criminal justice system had failed her family miserably. The case prompted state Sen. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, to introduce Deanas Law, a package of reforms to Pennsylvanias drunk-driving laws that would impose harsher sentences for repeat offenders with high blood alcohol levels. The bill has moved through the Senate Transportation Committee and Killion said he hopes to bring it up before the full Senate this month. A civil suit brought by Chris Eckman against Strowhouer and his father, William J. Strowhouer Jr., is also moving through its preliminary stages in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court. Mourners react as they attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in Baghdad By Ahmed Aboulenein, Maha El Dahan and David Shepardson BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites "very hard" if Iran attacks Americans or U.S. assets after a drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader, as tens of thousands of people marched in Iraq to mourn their deaths. Showing no signs of seeking to ease tensions raised by the strike he ordered that killed Soleimani and Iranian-backed Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad airport on Friday, Trump issued a threat to Iran on Twitter. The strike has raised the specter of wider conflict in the Middle East. Iran, Trump wrote, "is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets" in revenge for Soleimani's death. Trump said the United States has "targeted 52 Iranian sites" and that some were "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD." "The USA wants no more threats!" Trump said, adding that the 52 targets represented the 52 Americans who were held hostage in Iran for 444 days after being seized at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 - an enduring sore spot in U.S.-Iranian relations. Trump did not identify the sites. The Pentagon referred questions about the matter to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Among the mourners in Iraq included many militiamen in uniform for whom Muhandis and Soleimani were heroes. They carried portraits of both men and plastered them on walls and armored personnel carriers in the procession. Chants of "Death to America" and "No No Israel" rang out. On Saturday evening, a rocket fell inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy, another hit the nearby Jadriya neighborhood and two more were fired at the Balad air base north of the city, but no one was killed, Iraq's military said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Story continues Trump referenced an unusually specific number of potential Iranian targets after a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander had also mentioned a specific number of American targets - 35 of them - for possible retaliatory attacks in response to Soleimani's killing. General Gholamali Abuhamzeh was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying late on Friday that Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within reach of the Islamic Republic, and raised the prospect of attacks on ships in the Gulf. "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there. ... Vital American targets in the region have been identified by Iran since long time ago. ... Some 35 U.S. targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach," he was quoted as saying. Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia warned Iraqi security forces to stay away from U.S. bases in Iraq, "by a distance not less than a thousand meters (six-tenths of a mile) starting Sunday evening," reported Lebanese al-Mayadeen TV, which is close to Lebanon's Hezbollah. Trump said on Friday Soleimani had been plotting "imminent and sinister" attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. Democratic critics said the Republican president's action was reckless and risked more bloodshed in a dangerous region. 'MALIGN INFLUENCE' Trump's provocative Twitter posts came only hours after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter that he had told Iraq's president that "the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation." Pompeo also wrote on Twitter that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran and "underscored the importance of countering Iran's malign influence and threats to the region." The White House on Saturday sent to the U.S. Congress formal notification of the drone strike - as required by law - amid complaints from Democrats that Trump did not notify lawmakers or seek advance approval for the attack. White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien defended the operation's legality and said Justice Department lawyers had signed off on the plan. Democrats sounded unswayed. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the notification document raised "serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification" of the strike. Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a strident Trump critic, wrote on Twitter that his threat to hit Iranian sites "is a war crime." "Threatening to target and kill innocent families, women and children - which is what you're doing by targeting cultural sites - does not make you a 'tough guy.' It does not make you 'strategic.' It makes you a monster," Ocasio-Cortez wrote. With security worries rising after Friday's strike, the NATO alliance and a separate U.S.-led mission suspended their programs to train Iraqi security and armed forces, officials said. Soleimani, 62, was Iran's pre-eminent military leader - head of the Revolutionary Guards' overseas Quds Force and the architect of Iran's spreading influence in the Middle East. Muhandis was de facto leader of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) umbrella body of paramilitary groups. The attack took Washington and its allies, mainly Saudi Arabia and Israel, into uncharted territory in their confrontation with Iran and its proxy militias across the region. The United States has been an ally of the Iraqi government since the 2003 U.S. invasion to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, but Iraq has become more closely allied with Iran. The Iraqi parliament is convening an extraordinary session during which a vote to expel U.S. troops could be taken as soon as Sunday. Many Iraqis, including opponents of Soleimani, have expressed anger at Washington for killing the two men on Iraqi soil and possibly dragging their country into another conflict. BODIES TAKEN TO HOLY CITIES A PMF-organized procession carried the bodies of Soleimani and Muhandis, and those of others killed in the U.S. strike, through Baghdad's Green Zone. The top candidate to succeed Muhandis, Hadi al-Amiri, spoke over the dead militia commander's coffin: "The price for your noble blood is American forces leaving Iraq forever and achieving total national sovereignty." Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also attended. Mahdi's office later said he received a phone call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and they "discussed the difficult conditions facing Iraq and the region." Mourners brought the bodies of the two slain men by car to the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala, south of Baghdad, then to Najaf, another sacred Shi'ite city, where they were met by the son of Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and where Muhandis and the other Iraqis killed will be laid to rest. Soleimani's body will be transferred to the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan that borders Iraq. On Sunday it will be taken to the Shi'ite holy city of Mashhad in Iran's northeast and from there to Tehran and his hometown Kerman in the southeast for burial on Tuesday, state media said. The U.S. strike followed a sharp increase in U.S.-Iranian hostilities in Iraq since last week when pro-Iranian militias attacked the U.S. embassy in Baghdad after a deadly U.S. air raid on Kataib Hezbollah, founded by Muhandis. Washington accused the group of an attack on an Iraqi military base that killed an American contractor. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Maha El Dahan in Baghdad and David Shepardson in Washington; Additional reporting by Ghazwan Jabouri in Tikrit, Parisa Hafezi in Dubai, Nadine Awadallah in Beirut, John Chalmers in Brussels, and Kate Holton in London; Writing by Will Dunham, Mark Heinrich and Grant McCool; Editing by Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis) Beijing, Jan 4 : Lenovo has announced a brand new product 'ThinkSmart View', a dedicated personal business communications device for conducting Microsoft Teams audio and video calls. Instead of centring around Google's home AI, the system is essentially powered by Microsoft Teams, TechCrunch reported on Friday. The device is expected to be available starting this month, at $349 or $449 with an included pair of Bluetooth headphones for open offices. The new smart display has an 8-inch touchscreen along with an integrated camera microphone, and speakers. The display features a 5MP wide-angle camera - with privacy shutter - and a dual microphone array, plus a 1.75-inch 10 watt full-range speaker for audio. It is powered by the Qualcomm APQ8053 system-on-chip (SoC). It is Bluetooth-enabled for pairing with headsets. It has 2 GB of memory and 8GB eMMC storage and weighs 2.2 pounds. New Delhi: The security forces arrested a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir's Kullan Ganderbal on Friday night. The dreaded terrorist of Lashkar, identified as Nissar Ahmed Dar, was wanted by the police for some time. He was reportedly planning an attack on some security force establishment for some time, said sources. After receiving input about his presence at a hospital in the area, the Srinagar Police and security forces, in a joint operation, launched an operation on Friday night from where they arrested Dar and recovered arms and ammunition from his possession. He is currently being interrogated by the Indian security officials about various Pakistan-backed terror modules operating in Srinagar and their nefarious anti-India designs. "On specific information, that a listed and wanted dreaded terrorist was hiding somewhere in Srinagar and planning an attack on some Security Force establishment. An operation was launched last night by Srinagar police along with local security forces in which the terrorist was caught alive along with arms and ammunition," a senior IPS officer told IANS. 23-year-old, Dar has been active for the past several years and is a categorised terrorist. He has at least eight FIRs registered against him, of which 7 were registered in 2016 and one in 2019. He has been detained twice, once in 2016 and again in 2017. Dar is believed to be an associate of Salim Parray, a top Lashkar terrorist in north Kashmir. In November 2019, he had reportedly escaped an encounter in Kullan Ganderba, in which a Pakistani Lashkar terrorist was neutralised by the Indian Army. I never left my family, she said. I did what I thought was best at the time. In Florida, she got a job and saved money. About a year later, she returned to New York, where she works as a dispatcher for a company that rents out exotic cars. In the aftermath of Ms. Johnss departure, Mr. Rodriguez scrambled. For a time, he lived in the apartment of an aunt, he and the children sharing a large bed. One on each leg thats how I used to sleep, he said. Mr. Rodriguez and his children lived in shelters in Brooklyn and Queens before settling in one in the Bronx for the past year. The disruptions were hard on the children, now 3, 5, 7 and 8, who were uprooted from one school to another, he said. I was jumping from place to place, Mr. Rodriguez said. If its not this, its this. If its not this, its that. The noise doesnt stop. He had worked at a senior center in Washington Heights, where he drove members to City Island, Yankee Stadium and area casinos, but was laid off when it reduced staff. He also has worked as a driver for a trucking company and a painter. When he was 19, he earned his high school equivalency diploma in Florida. In New York, Mr. Rodriguez studied business for a year at Boricua College and earned an associate degree in criminal justice at Berkeley College in Manhattan. He said his interest in criminal justice sprang from a lifelong desire to help people. Helping is just a thrill, he said. WASHINGTON - With a single drone strike, President Donald Trump did more than just take out an avowed enemy of the United States. He may have have also upended a central element of his foreign policy. The Friday strike that killed the most prominent Iranian general may have ended any chance that he would get the United States out of the endless wars in the Middle East that he has railed against since taking office. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad has the world bracing for a possible retaliation, with many fearing it could lead to a wider conflict. It is probably the most profound escalation that the United States could have taken, said Ned Price, who served on the National Security Council under President Barack Obama. Trump has been on a confrontational path with Iran since even before he took office, when he pledged to end the Iran nuclear deal signed by Obama. He insisted he doesnt want war and the killing of Soleimani wasnt meant to provoke the Islamic Republic. We took action last night to stop a war, Trump sad. We did not take action to start a war. Nonetheless, the targeting of Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force, was arguably the most provocative military action in the Middle East since President George W. Bush launched the 2003 Iraq war to topple Saddam Hussein. The killing of Soleimani, regarded as the second most powerful official in Iran, came as Trump has sought to apply increased pressure on Iran through economic sanctions to abandon its nuclear weapons program, while Iran has countered with provocative attacks on U.S. military and oil facilities in region. By taking out Soleimani, Trump signalled to Iran that his patience has worn thin over the long, simmering conflagration. The shadowy general who was in command of Irans proxy forces was responsible, according to the Pentagon, for the deaths of hundreds of American troops in Iraq during the height of the war there. White House officials said Trump decided to take action because Soleimani was plotting unspecified future attacks targeting Americans as tensions between the U.S. and Iran have reached a boil. Trump said Friday he wasnt interested in further escalating the conflict, but warned the regime that his military advisers have already drawn up plans to retaliate should Iran attack. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary, and that in particular refers to Iran, Trump said. Trumps aggressive approach with Iran is remarkable considering his oft-repeated desire to avoid expensive military entanglements. His aversion to long-term military presence has led to him butting heads with his top advisers as he has sought to end the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Syria. Yet, for much of his nearly three years in office, Trump has buffeted between demonstrating restraint and sending warning flares to Iran that the U.S. is prepared for military confrontation. In June, after Iran shot down a U.S. drone, Trump said he gave top Pentagon officials permission to carry out military strikes against Iran before changing his mind 10 minutes before the operation was to be carried out. Trump said he had a change of heart after being told by a general that the strikes would cause up to 150 Iranian casualties. In September, with French President Emmanuel Macron serving as a go-between, Trump reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Iran President Hassan Rouhani to speak with him by phone from the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The next month the Pentagon announced it was deploying 3,000 U.S. troops to protect Saudi Arabia. (The Pentagon on Friday announced following Soleimanis killing that it would boost its presence in the region with an additional 3,500 U.S. troops.) The October boost in forces came after a drone attack on a Saudi oilfield. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of being behind unprecedented attack on the worlds energy supply. The tit-for-tat between the U.S. and Iran rose to a whole new level in recent weeks. Last week, after months of massive street protests in Baghdad by demonstrators urging both Iran and the U.S. to cease interfering in Iraqi affairs, the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group fired a barrage of rockets at a military base in Kirkuk, killing a US contractor and wounding several US and Iraqi troops. On Sunday, Trump struck back with airstrikes on Iran-affiliated militia bases in western Iraq and Syria. Then on Tuesday pro-Iranian militia members marched on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, leading to diplomats holing up in the sprawling compound as protesters burning the embassys reception. Still, before attending a New Years Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump told reporters that he didnt see war coming and that he wanted peace with Iran. The president, however, warned that if the U.S. were to go to war with Iran it wouldnt last very long. Less than 48 hours later, Trump ordered the strike that took out Soleimani. President Trump may be genuine in not wanting war with Iran, Price said. At the same, it is fair to say that he doesnt seem to understand the implication that an action like this could foretell. James Carafano, a national security analyst at the conservative Washington think-tank Heritage Foundation, argues that that theres no disconnect between Trumps disdain for endless wars and his efforts to increase pressure on Iran. This is clearly not an escalation, this is clearly an act of self-defence, Carafano said. The president has also never said were walking away from the Middle East. What he says he wants is a sustainable security architecture in place which means were going to protect our interest and were going to expect others to do more to protect theirs. Iran says it is already plotting revenge. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that harsh retaliation is waiting for the U.S. after the airstrike and called Soleimani the international face of resistance. As thousands of worshipers in the Tehran took to streets after Friday prayers to condemn the killing and chant Death to deceitful America, the State Department issued an alert urging American citizens to leave Iraq immediately. Over the course of presidency, Trumps hawkishness on Iran has lacked coherence and has, in no small part, been informed by his desire to do away with the fragile peace brokered by Obama, said Abbas Kadhim, a Middle East analyst at the Atlantic Council in Washington. Trump won the White House after pledging as a candidate to undo the Obama-administration brokered agreement to limit its uranium enrichment program in exchange for an easing of sanctions. He and other critics felt the deal gave too many economic benefits without doing enough to prevent Iran from eventually developing a nuclear weapon. Trump followed through on his campaign vow in May 2018 by officially withdrawing from the treaty and reimposing crippling sanctions on Tehran. He exited from the deal because it was an Obama deal, and he did believe in his heart of hearts that he could come up with a better a deal, Kadhim said. He thought Iran would now be facing the greatest dealmaker. But I think he miscalculated the stubbornness of the Iranians. Miami, Jan 4 : US President Donald Trump addressed his evangelical electorate in a Hispanic megachurch in Miami, and launched an 'Evangelicals for Trump coalition. On Friday, Trump, who has remained in Florida during the holiday season and is seeking to shore up support among Latino evangelicals, called on those gathered in the King Jesus International Ministry to re-elect him and repeat his "victory" of 2016, reports Efe news. His speech focused on crucial issues for the religious community such as abortion, the "crusade (of the Democrats) against Christianity" and the support of his government for Israel. The President also highlighted the US attack that he ordered and that killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Soleimani's "bloody rampage" is over, Trump said. Trump considered himself a champion of the community in the White House and said the evangelical vote helped his 2016 win, adding that "we're gonna blow those numbers away in 2020". However, the religious support at the polls has recently been challenged by Christianity Today magazine, which in an editorial last month said Trump should be removed from office. "None of the President's positives can balance the moral and political danger we face under a leader of such grossly immoral character," it said. The event served as a platform for the launch of the 'Evangelicals for Trump' coalition, as the President seeks re-election. Meanwhile, more than a dozen Christian faith leaders in Florida on Thursday signed an open letter to Trump saying he does "not have the moral fortitude to deserve our support". Ranil chairs NDF meeting Switzerland backtracks from its previous position Swiss intelligence operatives were in Colombo BASL condemns Swiss Govt. Switzerland has publicly expressed regrets for challenging Sri Lankan authorities commitment to due process and for calling that into question over the saga involving an embattled staffer at the embassy in Colombo. Their about turn, embarrassingly coming down a few notches, was spelt out in an official Third Person Note (TPN) Bern sent on December 30, 2019 to the Ministry of Foreign Relations. This was after diplomatic consultations got under way with a special envoy to ease tensions between the two countries. The note was released both in Colombo and Bern simultaneously. That lays to rest, at least for the time being, the barrage of accusations hurled against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government over the handling of allegations made by the embassys Assistant Migration Officer, Garnier Banister Francis. She claimed she was abducted outside St Bridgets Convent on November 25 by five men in a white Toyota Corolla car. Interrogators, who questioned her under the watchful eyes of her counsel and the embassy staff, believe that she is a compulsive liar. No such incident took place. She not only placed Bern and Colombo at loggerheads but also shocked Sri Lankans and the world outside with what has seemingly turned out to be her outrageous claims. Even the worlds most renowned newspaper,The New York Times, was taken for a ride. Its report claimed that with the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President, the white van abductions have resumed. Now, it is known that it is fake news that was fed to the newspaper. Those who blamed the local media, including some foreign governments and select NGOs, will now have to eat their words. Of course, such NGOs will have to sing for their dollars and fall in line with interests of their donors and not of this country. The move by Bern and Colombo is very significant. Bern is now privy to the exact sequence of events and that there was no political manipulation by the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led government over the arrest of Banister Francis. It is she who first alleged that she was abducted outside St Bridgets Convent on December 25 by five men in a white Toyota Corolla car. She later made contradictory statements to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) saying the abduction took place elsewhere, inside an apartment. Her original claim turned out to be totally false and she could not substantiate the second one either. The Sunday Times can reveal today that a Swiss intelligence team worked closely with their Sri Lankan counterparts in Colombo after the incident. The government went out of the way to extend help to them. The Swiss teams own independent findings are now known by the Bern authorities. It has further helped them clear most misapprehensions over the embassy staffers claims. That also facilitated Bern to declare that it hopes for a swift return to an environment conducive to resuming the positive cooperation between Switzerland and Sri Lanka. This has set the pace for better relationship between the two countries whilst the legal process against the staffer, in keeping with the countrys laws, will continue. She is to be indicted on the false statements she has made. Her statements have been forwarded to the Attorney Generals Department. Further investigations are also under way for what a CID source said was to tie up loose ends. The evidence gathered so far includes expert medical testimony to establish that she was of sound mind and was physically fit. Political aspects of Swiss embassy saga Political aspects of the Swiss Embassy saga are also under investigation. This is after wild allegations that President Rajapaksa and his government had a hand in the Swiss saga. A highly authoritative source, who cannot be identified for obvious reasons, said yesterday, A pattern is clearly emerging to confirm that there was indeed a conspiracy. We are sure of that. That is all I will say for the moment. More will be revealed soon. However, the source said that a report in the worlds prestigious New York Times (NYT) that white van abductions have resumed after Rajapaksa was voted President was one major piece of jigsaw that threw more light on the matter. Though it has turned out to be fake news, the government is yet to take up issue, not even with the Ombudsman of The New York Times. A response is now being studied. The NYT will then know that the report was fake news and a handmade product of Gotabaya haters who want the world not only to believe them but also learn to hate the President. They were busy during the presidential election and are now gearing themselves for the impending parliamentary polls. A cabal responsible for this operation have fled the country preventing detectives from questioning them. It has come to light that they are now carrying out their campaign from a foreign capital by buying their way through some obliging social media, bankrupt for news and fiercely opposed to President Rajapaksa and his government. Telephone records have revealed hectic activity and identified some of those linked. This has connected the cabal to the fleeing from the country of Chief Inspector Nishantha de Silva who has now obtained asylum in Switzerland. One of them had described the CID officer, who fled without official permission, the Sherlokck Holmes of modern Sri Lanka. This was contained in a note prepared earlier to stop his transfer outside the CID. The note, instead, had called for his promotion. Despite Gotabaya Rajapaksa winning a 1.3 million majority votes at the presidential election, a huge public endorsement, their target remains him. We have found that the aim is twofold one to set the ground for the UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva in March where the resolution on Sri Lanka will be taken up. The other was intended to launch a campaign during the upcoming parliamentary elections that people live in fear because of the white van syndrome, said the source It is not usual for a government to release texts of a TPN the medium of communication between foreign ministries of two countries. However, it is borne out by twin factors the Swiss governments keenness to correct the tough diplomatic line they took before and the Sri Lanka governments commitment to emphasize that it acted according to the countrys law. They had in fact erred on the side of the purported victim allowing her lawyer to be present when making a statement besides Embassy personnel watching it from a distance. Even a female prison officer was on guard in Y Ward of the Remand Prison round the clock where she was kept with 19 others, some drug addicts. It is noteworthy to read the full text of the latest Swiss statement: The Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and has the honour to state the following: Switzerland and Sri Lanka have maintained excellent relations for decades and have engaged in substantial cooperation in a variety of fields, to the benefit of both countries and their populations. Both countries value these relations greatly. In the last few weeks, this relationship was marred by misunderstandings surrounding an incident involving a local staff member of the Embassy, who was subsequently taken into custody by the Sri Lankan authorities. In this context, uncorroborated facts made it into the public domain, putting an unnecessary strain on the otherwise cordial relationship between the two countries. At no point during this time did Switzerland have the intention of tarnishing the image of the government of Sri Lanka. The Embassy regrets that these developments have led to the Sri Lankan authorities commitment to due process being called into question and reaffirms that Switzerland, like Sri Lanka, is committed to upholding good governance and the rule of law. The Embassy hopes for a swift return to an environment conducive to resuming the positive cooperation between Switzerland and Sri Lanka. Recognizing that local staff is subject to local laws, the Embassy is convinced that both sides will remain attentive to the working conditions and the wellbeing of all staff of diplomatic missions. Switzerland recalls that it is the responsibility of any government to protect the diplomatic missions of other states on its territory. Attaching great importance to its relationship with Sri Lanka, committed to maintaining and to further strengthening these relations in a constructive manner, and convinced that both countries will together continue to build relations which are based on mutual respect, the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka the assurances of its highest consideration. The thaw in Bern-Colombo relations was brought about by Switzerlands special envoy to Colombo, former Swiss Ambassador Jorg Frieden. He is now the Swiss envoy in Vietnam and served earlier in Nepal. He has been shunting between his five-star Colombo hotel and the Foreign Relations Ministry having rounds of talks mostly with Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha. He has thus clinically dissected the issues and narrowed down the differences. He was also appreciative that Colombos investigation was within the parameters of the abduction claim and related matters and not on Banister Franciss work in the embassy. The latest Swiss turnaround brings to focus on one of their veteran diplomats, Hans Peter Mock, as Ambassador in Sri Lanka. He has returned to Bern last month. Like any unsuspecting Colombo-based envoy, he believed the original version of Banister Francis. It is this move that incensed Bern after he reported the matter. Adding weight to this was the hurried move to arrange an air ambulance to ferry her to Bern. By hindsight, one could say with some certainty that there was an error of judgement on his part. He did not check on the veracity of Banister Francis claim perhaps placing full faith in her as an Embassy employee who holds many a secret. From the evidence that has transpired so far, he had not been privy to her local involvements or personal contacts with a group identified as violently anti-Rajapaksa and his government. Yet, the government is likely to accept Hans Peter Mock to continue his term in Sri Lanka because he has acted in good faith. In marked contrast to the latest conciliatory Swiss statement, it earlier issued strongly worded ones that cast doubts on the government. The first statement issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) after the incident said, At the end of November, a local employee at the Swiss Embassy in Colombo was detained on the street and threatened by unidentified men to force her to disclose embassy-related information. The FDFA responded to this incident through a series of demarches. The same statement quoted State Secretary Pascale Baeriswyl as telling Sri Lanka Ambassador to Germany, Karunasena Hettiaratchchi, (concurrently accredited to Switzerland) that Bern remained ready to take the necessary steps to restore confidence between Switzerland and Sri Lanka. In other words, as pointed out earlier, she publicly admitted that the Swiss government had no confidence in Sri Lanka. Going by her assertions, the alleged abduction episode had ruptured it. The statement came after Ambassador Hettiaratchchis meeting where a Swiss request for an air ambulance to evacuate the local staffer was discussed. In another statement the FDFA also urged that due process be followed. The Swiss TPN has now corrected the position. As the crisis grew, the Swiss Federal Chancellor (Foreign Minister equivalent) Ignazio Cassis also telephoned Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in December. Among other matters, he expressed his regret at the decision by the examining magistrate to place the local employee concerned in pre-trial detention, where the conditions do not take into account her state of health in any way. Foreign policy victory The resolution of issues between Bern and Colombo, no doubt, is a foreign policy plus point for the government and a vindication of its position. This is notwithstanding the earlier claim that due process has not been followed. More so when a group of Sri Lankans themselves were in a game to turn it for their political ends. It also clears the air for other diplomatic missions, particularly those in the West, that the correct procedures have been followed despite wild propaganda by a disgruntled few who are now fugitives. Kalinga Indatissa, President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, said in a three-page statement on Friday that certain material contained in the (latest) Swiss Embassy statement conveys a wrong and misconceived impression about the role of the judiciary in Sri Lanka and the concept of Due Process. In its capacity as the largest professional body of the members of the Legal profession the BASL said it condemns the Swiss claim that Due Process had not been followed. Giving a catalogue of reasons for taking up that position, the BASL President said; We request the makers of this statement to immediately disclose the areas of Due Process that have not been followed in this instance. The statement adds: Without mentioning such specific instance, to issue a bare statement, as has been done in this instance, amounts to a serious undermining of the judiciary and other Law enforcement agencies in Sri Lanka which are more equipped to follow the accepted norms. The BASL also declared that; being a responsible Nation, as claimed, the Government of Switzerland should be mindful of Article 41 of the Vienna Convention which clearly states that all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities have an equal duty to respect the Laws and Regulations of the receiving State, in this instance, Sri Lanka. It is further illustrated in Article 41 that there should not be any interference in the internal affairs of the State. It is best that the Government of Switzerland would try to understand their role in making comments about the judicial system and the Law enforcement system of a separate, independent, and sovereign State. The BASL accused Switzerland of attempting to undermine our core values in the judicial system which we have followed and treasured for more than two centuries. Amidst the thawing of strained diplomatic relations with Switzerland, there were other priorities engaging the attention of the government. On the foreign relations front, it is the UN Human Rights Council sessions due in March. In the light of a marked policy shift with the advent of the new government, how some of the issues should be addressed is receiving attention. Among matters under consideration is to propose amendments to the resolution. However, it is not clear whether this is workable. In his policy statement after the ceremonial opening of Parliament on Friday, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said the countrys foreign policy was neutral. He made no reference to being nonaligned. It is not clear how much backing Sri Lanka would receive should it go ahead to propose amendments. Highlights of Presidents speech President Rajapaksa delivered a 35-minute policy statement at the ceremonial opening of Parliament. Unlike all his predecessors, he was clad in lounge when he spoke at a nationally televised event. The speech itself was an elaboration of his earlier policy statement and delved on economic development, the use of new technology, advancement in education, tourism, and the need for the use of artificial intelligence. He made it a point to emphasise that national security occupies the foremost place in our policy. He said, We have already taken steps to strengthen the national security apparatus. Talented officers have been given appropriate responsibilities again. We have taken steps to ensure proper coordination between the Armed Forces and the Police, who are collectively responsible for maintaining national security. The network of national intelligence agencies has been reorganised and strengthened. We will take all necessary steps to make our motherland a safe country free of terrorism, extremism, underworld activities, theft and robbery, extortionists, the drug menace, disruptors of public order, and the abuse of women and children. President Rajapaksa also declared that we will never allow other countries to take over our economically significant geographic regions or physical resources. He, however, did not say who was eyeing economically significant or physical resources. The remarks triggered speculation over whether it was a veiled reference to the MCC deal with the United States, one that is now being studied by a committee. He also declared: We must also implement a special programme to combat corruption and fraud. Legal action must be taken promptly against all who engage in corrupt practices, irrespective of their status. Preparations for Parliamentary elections The policy statement is a precursor to the upcoming parliamentary elections. For the SLPP-led alliance, preparing for it does not seem to be difficult though aspirants are many. However, some of the party backers including financiers at the district and electoral level appear reluctant. This is on the grounds that they have not been considered for appointments. President Rajapaksa is of the view that posts should go to those who are qualified. He recently rejected some names. SLPP architect and the Chief National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa, who was in Los Angeles, is due in Colombo this week. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has sought his return so candidates for the elections and other issues could be finalised. In terms of the agreement already finalised with partner parties, the electoral quotas will not be at issue. Such partners must pick their candidates from within the numbers given to them. In fact, the alliances biggest partner, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), is setting up the machinery for its campaign for the parliamentary elections. Its General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera told the Sunday Times; We will meet on January 7 (Tuesday) to discuss selection of candidates. The meeting, he said, would be chaired by party leader Maithripala Sirisena. He said that in addition, talks would also be held with the SLPP over polls related matters. UNP tussle for top post If these factors place the SLPP-led alliance at an advantageous position, it is a just the opposite with the United National Party (UNP)-led New Democratic Front (NDF). Just this week, onetime UNP Chairman, Malik Samarawickrema was engaged in shuttle diplomacy to arrange a one-on-one meeting between UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and his deputy Sajith Premadasa. This was after the formers return from a holiday in Ooty, South India. After several shuttles, he had to give up, said one party source. This came as three senior UNPers Samarawickrema, Thalatha Athukorale and Ranjit Madduma Bandara held talks earlier with the UNP leader to resolve issues. Wickremesinghe was ready for the meeting, but not Premadasa. The next event where UNP issues surfaced again was a meeting of the NDF partner leaders and senior members including Sajith Premadasa, Athukorale, Madduma Bandara and Samarawickrema. It was held at the parliament complex on Thursday and saw some heated exchanges over the critical issue the UNP leadership. Harin Fernando was to remark that most party members would have to consider forming a separate alliance if Wickremesinghe did not concede the leadership to Premadasa. Endorsing this view were Ajith Perera and Sujeeva Senasinghe. Two seniors, Ravi Karunanayake and Navin Dissanayake, were opposed to vesting the leadership in the hands of Sajith Premadasa. They said the party should be run by a triumvirate that will form the Leadership Council. It comprised Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa and Karu Jayasuriya. Leader Wickremesinghe was to point out that he was entitled to remain as leader till 2024. This was in terms of the party convention last year where a resolution to that effect was adopted. He has pointed out that the party lost the Sinhala-Buddhist and middle class vote under Premadasa and steps should be taken to win them back. He too wanted Karu Jayasuriya to be a part of that exercise. Conspicuous by his absence was UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim. Thalatha Athukorale, former Justice Minister, argued that in every village that she visited, she had found that leader Wickremesinghe was unpopular. Hence, he should give way and confer the leadership on Premadasa. The view was backed by Ranjith Madduma Bandara who said more than fifty MPs had supported their position. There was a heated exchange of words between Athukorale and Karunanayke after the former said that UNP candidates in the Colombo District faced defeat. Karunanayake said so did candidates in the Ratnapura District though it had remained a largely anti-UNP one. Another calling for Wickremesinghe to quit was Mano Ganesan, leader of the Democratic Peoples Front (DPF). He said the resolution of the leadership issue should take place before January 15, Thai Pongal day. Jathika Hela Urumaya Leader Patali Champika Ranawaka said the leadership issue should be resolved even earlier. He noted that it was such political situations that prompted people to resort to extra democratic measures and urged that the matter be resolved without delay. The NDF meeting was to be followed by a parliamentary group meeting. Wickremesinghe made clear that there would be no discussion at that meeting on matters relating to the party leadership. He said a further discussion would be held on Friday afternoon. As Wickremesinghe decreed, the group did not take up the leadership issue. Ahead of the meeting, some UNP parliamentarians expressed congratulations to Sajith Premadasa over his appointment as Leader of the Opposition. Ahead of this meeting of NDF partners and UNP seniors, a group of MPs backing Premadasa met at the Colombo residence of Malik Samrawickrema. This was to discuss their strategy for the meeting with Wickremesinghe. Also taking part were leaders of some parties in the NDF. When their meeting with Wickremesinghe began, the group placed their decision before him. They said they had discussed the matter and concluded that the leadership of the UNP should go to Premadasa. Leader Wickremesinghe agreed that the matter would now be decided upon by a meeting of the UNP parliamentary group next week. Thus, the crisis within the UNP has been prolonged for another week. One of the biggest setbacks for the UNP, as a result of the ongoing internal crisis, is the partys inability to activate its grassroots level organisations. The fact that they have not been effective enough was seen in the outcome of the November 16, 2019 presidential election. Equally important is the selection of candidates for the parliamentary elections an issue which Wickremesinghe loyalists say is the cause for his wanting to remain leader. They fear otherwise they may be victimised. All this, no doubt, turns the tide in favour of the SLPP-led alliance. For Sri Lankans, the absence of an effective Opposition to ensure checks and balances would indeed be a major handicap. BAGHDAD Iran promised to seek revenge for a U.S. airstrike near Baghdads airport that killed the mastermind of its interventions across the Middle East, and the U.S. said Friday it was sending thousands more troops to the region as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. The death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Iran, which has careened from one crisis to another since President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. In more violence, another airstrike almost exactly 24 hours after the one that targeted Soleimani killed five members of an Iran-backed militia north of Baghdad, an Iraqi security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters. The Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the strike, saying it hit one of its medical convoys near the stadium in Taji, north of Baghdad. The group said none of its top leaders were killed. A U.S. official said the attack was not an American military attack. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. The targeted strike against Soleimani and any retaliation by Iran could ignite a conflict that engulfs the whole region, endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Over the last two decades, Soleimani had assembled a network of heavily armed allies stretching all the way to southern Lebanon, on Israel's doorstep. "We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," Trump said of Soleimani. Still, the United States said it was sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Middle East, reflecting concern about potential Iranian retaliation for the killing. The U.S. also urged American citizens to leave Iraq "immediately" following the early morning airstrike at Baghdad's international airport that Iran's state TV said killed Soleimani and nine others. The State Department said the embassy in Baghdad, which was attacked by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters earlier this week, is closed and all consular services have been suspended. Around 5,200 American troops are based in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and help in the fight against Islamic State group militants. Defense officials who discussed the new troop movements spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by the Pentagon. A Pentagon official who was not authorized to be identified said the U.S. also had placed an Army brigade on alert to fly into Lebanon to protect the American Embassy. U.S. embassies also issued a security alert for Americans in Bahrain, Kuwait and Nigeria. The U.S. announcement about sending more troops came as Trump said Soleimani's killing was not an effort to begin a conflict with Iran. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war," Trump said, adding that he does not seek regime change in Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "harsh retaliation" after the airstrike, calling Soleimani the "international face of resistance." Khamenei declared three days of public mourning and appointed Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, Soleimani's deputy, to replace him as head of the Quds Force. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the killing a "heinous crime" and said his country would "take revenge." Iran twice summoned the Swiss envoy, the first time delivering a letter to pass onto Washington. Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the U.S. attack a "cowardly terrorist action" and said Iran has the right to respond "in any method and any time." Thousands of worshipers in Tehran took to the streets after Friday prayers to condemn the killing, waving posters of Soleimani and chanting "Death to deceitful America." However, the attack could act as a deterrent for Iran and its allies to delay or restrain any potential response. Trump said possible targets had been identified and the U.S. was prepared. Oil prices surged on news of the airstrike and markets were mixed. The killing promised to further strain relations with Iraq's government, which is allied with both Washington and Tehran and has been deeply worried about becoming a battleground in their rivalry. Iraqi politicians close to Iran called for the country to order U.S. forces out. The Defense Department said it killed the 62-year-old Soleimani because he "was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region." It also accused Soleimani of approving orchestrated violent protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The strike, on an access road near Baghdad's airport, was carried out early Friday by an American drone, according to a U.S. official. Soleimani had just disembarked from a plane arriving from either Syria or Lebanon, a senior Iraqi security official said. The blast tore his body to pieces along with that of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces. A senior politician said Soleimani's body was identified by the ring he wore. Iran's state TV said Friday 10 people were killed, including five Revolutionary Guard members and Soleimani's son-in-law. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. The attack comes at the start of a year in which Trump faces both a Senate trial following his impeachment by Congress and a re-election campaign. It marks a potential turning point in the Middle East and represents a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions. The tensions are rooted in Trump's decision in May 2018 to withdraw the U.S. from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, struck under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Since then, Tehran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers. The U.S. also blames Iran for other attacks targeting tankers and a September assault on Saudi Arabia's oil industry that temporarily halved its production. Supporters of the strike against Soleimani said it restored U.S. deterrence power against Iran, and Trump allies were quick to praise the action. "To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more," South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted. "Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran," Trump's former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, wrote in a tweet. Others, including Democratic White House hopefuls, criticized Trump's order. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Trump had "tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox," saying it could leave the U.S. "on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East." Trump, who was vacationing at his private club in Palm Beach, Florida, said he ordered the airstrike because Soleimani had killed and wounded many Americans over the years and was plotting to kill many more. "He should have been taken out many years ago," he added. The potential for a spiraling escalation alarmed U.S. allies and rivals alike. "We are waking up in a more dangerous world," France's deputy minister for foreign affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, told RTL radio. The European Union warned against a "generalized flare-up of violence." Russia condemned the killing, and fellow Security Council member China said it was "highly concerned." Britain and Germany noted that Iran also bore some responsibility for escalating tensions. While Iran's conventional military has suffered under 40 years of American sanctions, Iran can strike in the region through its allied forces like Lebanon's Hezbollah, Iraqi militias and Yemen's Houthi rebels. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called on "the resistance the world over" to avenge Soleimani's killing. Frictions over oil shipments in the Gulf could also increase, and Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard has built up a ballistic missile program. Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it in a statement Friday that it had held a special session and made "appropriate decisions" on how to respond, but didn't elaborate. Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett held a meeting with top security officials Friday, but the Israeli military said it was not taking any extraordinary action on its northern front, other than closing a ski resort in the Golan Heights near Lebanon and Syria as a precaution. The most immediate impact could be in Iraq. Funerals for al-Muhandis and the other slain Iraqis were set for Saturday. Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi condemned the strike as an "aggression against Iraq." An emergency session of parliament was called for Sunday, which the deputy speaker, Hassan al-Kaabi, said would take "decisions that put an end to the U.S. presence in Iraq." -- The Associated Press Fatou Bensouda, the International Criminal Courts (ICC) chief prosecutor in The Hague, has announced that there is sufficient evidence to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Her announcement constitutes an indictment of Israels political, military and judicial establishment, which has inflicted war, repression, occupation, dispossession, torture and collective punishment on the Palestinian people. As the ICC deals with the personal criminal culpability of individuals, such an investigation could open up current and former government officials, top officers in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and low-ranking military personnel to international arrest warrants when they travel abroad, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader and former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz. It was Gantz who, under Netanyahus premiership, led two of Israels murderous assaults on Gaza, in 2012 and 2014. The latter, according to the UN, killed 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians, among them 551 children. Bensouda stated, after five years of procrastination, that there is a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. By this, she meant Israels West Bank settlement policy, its 2014 war against Gaza and Israels response to the nearly two-year-long Great March of Return along Gazas border with Israel. Last year, Bensouda said she was keeping an eye on Israels planned demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin hamlet in the West Bank, saying that its razing could be a war crime. Nevertheless, despite concluding that an investigation is warranted, the office of the ICC Prosecutor is to seek a jurisdictional ruling from ICC judges to confirm that the ICC has the necessary territorial jurisdiction for the case, a process that could drag on for several years. The jurisdiction must be settled before the ICC can proceed with a full investigation. In June 2015, the ICC accepted Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbass application to join the court, following the UN General Assemblys upgrading of the PAs status to that of a non-member observer state. Under the United Nations Rome Statute, the ICC has the power to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes committed since July 2002, when the statute came into force. States cannot be charged. Neither the US nor Israel has signed up to the ICC, as their record of wars of aggression and criminal actions would open their officials to prosecution. Membership of the ICC enabled the Palestinians to pursue Israel over its actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip starting from June 13, 2014, when Israel used the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers to root out Hamas supporters whom it claimedwithout evidencewere responsible and to launch a one-sided war on the bourgeois clerical group that controls Gaza. That war, whose homicidal conduct was deliberate and conceived at the highest level of government, killed 2,251 Palestinians, mostly civilians, compared to 67 Israeli soldiers, 5 Israeli civilians, including one child, and one Thai civilian. Nearly 11,000 Palestinians were injured. More than 10,000 families saw their homes destroyed and another 89,000 saw their homes damaged due to the bombing. Bensouda has warned Israel that its leaders may face trial for the killing of unarmed demonstrators during the Great March of Return. According to Gazas Ministry of Health, as of March 2019, the IDF had killed 266 Palestinians taking part in the border protests in pursuit of their demand that Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel in 1947-1949 and 1967 and their descendants be allowed to return to their homes. A staggering number of those killed were children, 50, or nearly one fifth of the total, indicating that the murder of young children has become Israels new weapon of terror against the Palestinians. A significant number of journalists, photographers and medical personnel were killed, despite wearing clearly visible identifying kit. Of the more than 30,000 Palestinians injured, 6,000 were hit by live fire. Human rights groups have told the United Nations Human Rights Council, which has been carrying out an investigation into Israels use of lethal fire against the protestors, that there is no evidence that a single protester in Gaza killed during the march was armed. This gives the lie to the governments claims that it faced armed terrorists planning to rush the border with Israel. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a radio interview several days ago that Israel had not demolished a West Bank Bedouin village close to several Israeli settlement blocs that had been slated for demolition. He admitted that the decision not to demolish the hamlet was due to Bensoudas statement that the act might constitute a war crime. Netanyahu had pulled back, Katz said, lest the destruction of the hamlet become the deciding factor in a decision to open an investigation against Israel. The High Court had given the go-ahead for the demolition and Netanyahu had repeatedly promised in the recent election campaigns to raze the village. Gideon Saar, Netanyahus unsuccessful challenger for the Likud Party leadership, lambasted him for failing to do so. The prosecutors announcement is a potential legal barrier to Israels threats to annex parts of the West Bank and establish settlements in breach of the ban on an occupying power settling civilians in or annexing occupied territory. While Netanyahu had promised to annex the Jordan Valley, more than one quarter of the occupied West Bank, before the March 2 election, he has delayed doing so because Bensouda cited the threat in her decision to move forward with an investigation. Israeli leaders universally condemned Bensoudas announcement, with Netanyahu calling it a dark day for truth and justice and an absurd decision showing that the court had become a weapon in the political war against Israel. He added, The court has no jurisdiction in this case. The ICC only has jurisdiction over petitions submitted by sovereign states. But there has never been a Palestinian state. Netanyahus rival Gantz, one of the main criminals likely to be investigated, also lashed out at Bensouda, declaring the decision was a political decision, not a legal one. He added that the Israeli army is one of the most moral militaries in the world, and that the Israeli army and state of Israel do not commit war crimes. It is expected that Israel will refuse to cooperate with the ICC, as in 2003, when the UN asked the ICC to give an advisory opinion on the legal implications of Israels security wall between it and the West Bank. The ICC has come under pressure from the major powers. Bensouda has sought to deflect allegations of anti-Israel bias by likewise accusing the Palestinians of committing war crimes, despite the grossly uneven nature of Israels seven-week long war against Gaza in 2014 and provisions in the UN Charter recognizing the right of self-defense when attacked. The US, under Obama and even more so under Trump, has proposed various initiatives threatening US legal action against the ICC should it act against Israel. Last April, the Trump administration revoked Bensoudas entry visa to the US after she announced her intention to investigate potential war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan in 2003 and 2004. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US would impose restrictions on any ICC staff who investigated US or allied personnel, marking an intensification of Washingtons policy of non-cooperation with the ICC and a further rejection of international law. Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, has called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo an 'arrogant clown,' while also ominously stating that the 'End of US malign presence in West Asia has begun,' in the wake of Saturday's funeral processions for slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. '24 hrs ago, an arrogant clown masquerading as a diplomat claimed people were dancing in the cities of Iraq,' Zarif tweeted Saturday. 'Today, hundreds of thousands of our proud Iraqi brothers and sisters offered him their response across their soil. End of US malign presence in West Asia has begun.' Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, took to Twitter Saturday after the funeral procession of slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani Zarif's tweet referred to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as 'an arrogant clown' Author Hooman Majd tweeted about Zarif's name-calling regarding Pompeo Iranians took part in an anti-US rally in Tehran Saturday in protest of Soleimani's killing Zarif's tweet was accompanied by a five-photo collage showing hordes of people waving flags and filling the streets. One image showed what appeared to be mourners walking behind a flag-draped coffin. Zarif's tweet appeared to refer to a tweet Pompeo had posted Thursday night - early Friday morning in Baghdad. In his tweet, Pompeo wrote: 'Iraqis Iraqis dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more.' Pompeo's tweet was accompanied by a video showing people cheering and running through the still-dark street, lifting a giant flag overhead. Thousands of furious mourners thronged in the streets of Baghdad Saturday during funeral processions for Soleimani - the architect of Iran's global military strategy - and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Kataeb Hezbollah chief. The mourners chanted 'Death to America' and 'America is the Great Satan' as they walked beside Soleimani and al-Muhandis' coffins. Both men were killed while riding in a two-vehicle convoy which was decimated by three missiles from an American MQ-9 Reaper Drone in the early hours of Friday outside Baghdad International Airport. Zarif's tweet was apparently in response to this tweet Pompeo posted Thursday - early Friday in Baghdad time - following news of Soleimani's death President Donald Trump (left) said Friday he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war. Pompeo (right) said, 'We have every expectation that people not only in Iraq but in Iran will view the American action last night as giving them freedom' Pompeo, speaking on Fox & Friends, said that Trump 'has been pretty clear. We don't seek war with Iran, but at the same time we are not going to stand by and watch the Iranians escalate and continue to put American lives at risk without responding in a way that disrupts, defends, deters and creates an opportunity to de-escalate this situation' Iranian mourners were seen carrying flags and photos of Soleimani in Tehran Saturday A scene from Soleimani and al-Muhandis' funeral procession in Baghdad Saturday Mourners are seen here carrying Soleimani and al-Muhandis' coffins in Baghdad Saturday Iraqi mourners took part in a symbolic funeral procession for al-Muhandis in Basra on Saturday Mourners carry the coffins of al-Muhandis, Soleimani and eight others toward the Shrine of Imam Hussein in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala Mourners gather during the funeral procession for al-Muhandis and Soleimani in Karbala The strike - which also killed four more Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards and five members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary network - infuriated Tehran, who vowed jihad on America. Meanwhile Iraq, whose prime minister attended the funerals Saturday, threatened to order the expulsion of all US troops from the country after what it called 'a brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' President Donald Trump has said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo touted the administration's freedom argument when he went on the morning shows to talk about the airstrike. 'We have every expectation that people not only in Iraq but in Iran will view the American action last night as giving them freedom,' Pompeo told CNN Friday morning. 'Freedom to have the opportunity for success and prosperity for their nations and while the political leadership may not want that, the people in these nations will demand it.' Trump tweeted about Soleimani's death Friday morning, stating he was both 'hated and feared' in Iran and that Iranians are not 'nearly as saddened' as leaders are making them out to be The death of Soleimani, who led the elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was a blow for Iran and an escalation on Trump's part of relations with Tehran, which have been strained since the death of an American contractor in Iraq in late December. On Friday, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, visited Soleimani's family home. He offered the 62-year-old father-of-five's relatives condolences after vowing 'jihad' on America for the drone strike. It comes as Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Tehran's UN ambassador, who represents Iran's only diplomatic mission within the US, told CNN Friday that the airstrike was 'tantamount to opening a war against Iran.' 'The US has already started a war against Iran, not just an economic war but something beyond that by assassinating one of our top generals,' Ravanchi said. 'There will be harsh revenge... The response for a military action is a military action.' A US defense official told AFP Saturday that America would scale back military operations in Iraq and devote manpower to defending its bases and troops. 'We will conduct limited anti-Islamic State group operations with our security partners where it mutually supports our force protection efforts,' the official said. 'We have increased security and defensive measures at Iraqi bases that host coalition troops.' NATO announced Saturday it was suspending training missions in Iraq. The NATO mission in Iraq, which numbers in the hundreds, trains the country's security forces at the request of the Baghdad government to prevent the return of the Islamic State group. As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an airstrike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any airstrike had taken place. The U.S.-led coalition also denied carrying out any airstrike. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the airstrike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if another type of explosion had occurred. The death of the top Iranian security and intelligence officer Soleimani has sparked concern that tension will escalate in the Middle East and caused U.S. officials to brace for possible retaliatory attacks. The U.S. military's force protection condition level for troops in the Middle East has been raised to 'Charlie,' signalling that intelligence indicates a terrorist attack is imminent. The strike has also frayed U.S. relations with Iraq, and that country's military it was a clear breach of U.S. status-of-forces agreements there. Iraq's Ministry of Defense in an official statement called the slain al-Muhandis a 'hero martyr' and said he 'was martyred last night in a cowardly and treacherous attack carried out by American aircraft near Baghdad international airport.' 'We affirm that what happened is a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a clear breach by the American forces of their mandate which is exclusively to fight Islamic State and provide advice and assistance to Iraqi security forces,' the statement said. Iraq's parliament has scheduled an emergency session on Sunday, and is expected to vote overwhelmingly to kick U.S. forces out of the country, where America has maintained a presence ever since the 2003 invasion. The United States and its allies have suspended training of Iraqi forces due to the increased threat they face in the country, according to the German military. Trump had tough words in the wake of the airstrike that killed Iran's top military general and defended his action as necessary for the safety of the United States. 'Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies,' Trump said. And he vowed to take whatever action necessary to combat terrorism. 'The United States has the best military by far anywhere in the world. We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran,' he said. 'Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters,' Trump added. Later in a rally-like speech at a Miami mega-church he added: 'Qassem Soleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now, forever gone. He was plotting attacks against Americans but now we've insured his atrocities have been stopped for good.' The president applauded Friday's 'flawless strike' at the Baghdad airport - that has thrown the Middle East into turmoil - while reminding the crowd he had killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi three months before. At the same time as Trump spoke to evangelical supporters, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien told reporters that Soleimani was planning future action in the Middle East - but declined to say what it was. 'He had just come from Damascus where he was planning attacks on American soldiers, airmen, Marines, sailors and against our diplomats. This strike was aimed at disrupting ongoing attacks that were being planned by Soleimani and deterring future Iranian attacks,' he said in a phone briefing. He declined to offer details of what kind of attack was planned, calling the information 'extraordinarily sensitive.' He later said that 'at some point there may be something we can discuss.' He also said Iranian leadership knew what Soleimani was planning. 'They know what they were up to. We have the right to self-defense, they understand that,' he said. 'This was designed to prevent further blood shed. This was a defensive action,' O'Brien said of the strike on Soleimani. He urged Iran to sit down with the United States, to give up its nuclear program, stop its 'escapades' in Middle East, stop taking hostages and to 'behave like a normal nation.' His lack of definitive information about an imminent threat is likely to be seized on by Democrats already furious that Congress was told nothing about the attack beforehand and has still to be briefed the day after. And in the wake of Soleimani's death, the United States is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Mideast even as officials said there is no indication of an imminent attack in the region. In January, Pompeo said that there were 5,000 US troops stationed in Iraq. The troops are from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and will join about 700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne who were deployed to Kuwait earlier this week after thousands of people stormed the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad. Trump has talked tough since Soleimani's death was announced by the Pentagon late Thursday night, boasting that the Iranian general should have been 'taken out many years ago.' The president accused him of killing thousands of Americans and claimed the people of Iraq don't want to be 'dominated and controlled' by Iran. But the fallout from Soleimani's death was swift. Tehran vowed 'harsh retaliation' for the killing of its most senior military leader and the State Department warned Americans to leave Iraq'immediately' amid fears of conflict in the region. Major U.S. cities went on heightened alert for possible retaliatory action. The Department of Homeland Security put out a statement on Friday to say there were 'no specific, credible threats' against the U.S. but added it is monitoring the situation. 'While there are currently no specific, credible threats against our homeland, DHS continues to monitor the situation and work with our Federal, State and local partners to ensure the safety of every American,' Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement. Additionally, U.S. stocks fell about 1 per cent at the market's opening in the wake of the news while oil prices surged. The price of gold, which investors buy in times of uncertainty, was up 1.6 per cent at $1,552.10 per ounce. In his justification for the U.S. action, Trump cited Soleimani's ties to American deaths in the region, his crack down on protestors in Iran, and Iranian threats to its neighbor Iraq. 'General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more...but got caught! He was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people, including the recent large number of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself,' the president tweeted Friday morning. 'While Iran will never be able to properly admit it, Soleimani was both hated and feared within the country. They are not nearly as saddened as the leaders will let the outside world believe. He should have been taken out many years ago!,' he added. President Trump also referenced Iran's interference in Iraq in his explanation for Soleimani's death. Tehran has sent billions of dollars and many military advisers to Iraq to keep its Shia-led government in power. The president portrayed himself as a liberator in the region, claiming the people of Iraq didn't want to 'dominated and controlled' by Iranian forces. 'The United States has paid Iraq Billions of Dollars a year, for many years. That is on top of all else we have done for them. The people of Iraq don't want to be dominated & controlled by Iran, but ultimately, that is their choice. Over the last 15 years, Iran has gained more and more control over Iraq, and the people of Iraq are not happy with that. It will never end well!,' he tweeted. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN Friday morning there was a threat of 'imminent' attack in the region but won't elaborate on the details. The decision to launch the air strike 'saved American lives,' Pompeo told CNN's 'New Day,'' adding that 'dozens, if not hundreds' of American lives were at risk from 'imminent' attacks in which Soleimani was involved. He also noted the administration is not seeking war with Iran. 'The president has been pretty clear. We don't seek war with Iran, but at the same time we are not going to stand by and watch the Iranians escalate and continue to put American lives at risk without responding in a way that disrupts, defends, deters and creates an opportunity to de-escalate this situation,' he told 'Fox & Friends.' Soleimani was among eleven people 'torn to shreds' by three missiles fired from an MQ-9 Reaper drone on two vehicles in the early hours of Friday. The commander was so badly maimed he could only be identified by the ruby ring he wore on his left hand. The drone strike vaporized Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, which besieged the U.S. embassy in Baghdad earlier this week. His body could not be recovered. CCTV footage filmed close to the airport and shared by Iraqi TV station AhadTV appears to show the moment Soleimani was killed. It shows a large explosion as one of the two cars was destroyed by precision missiles early on Friday morning. Brigadier General Hussein Jafari Nia and Major-General Hadi Taremi were named among the dead by the semi-official Fars agency, along with Colonel of the Guards Shahroud Mozaffari Nia and Captain Waheed Zamanian. Mohammad al-Shibani, Muhandis's son-in-law, is also said to have died along with Heydar Ali, Muhammed Reza al-Jaberi and Hassan Abdul Hadi, all senior PMF figures, after being struck by one of three American guided missiles fired by a Reaper drone. Nearly 60 per cent of City of Winnipeg firefighters and 69 per cent of paramedics have felt their lives were at risk while on-the-job in the past year, according to recent research out of the University of Manitoba. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Nearly 60 per cent of City of Winnipeg firefighters and 69 per cent of paramedics have felt their lives were at risk while on-the-job in the past year, according to recent research out of the University of Manitoba. Jennifer Setlack, who spearheaded the project as part of her honours thesis, said she was interested in studying the effects of workplace violence on the mental health and well-being of Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service members. Setlack has been a city paramedic for 11 years, and undertook the research during a leave of absence. Manitoba Housing says it is reviewing a recent incident in which two on-duty Winnipeg firefighters were assaulted at one of its buildings. No tenant should ever feel unsafe in their home, which is why Manitoba Housing takes all matters of tenant security very seriously. We will be reviewing this incident to determine whether any further actions are warranted, a Manitoba Housing spokesman said in a written statement. click to read more Manitoba Housing says it is reviewing a recent incident in which two on-duty Winnipeg firefighters were assaulted at one of its buildings. No tenant should ever feel unsafe in their home, which is why Manitoba Housing takes all matters of tenant security very seriously. We will be reviewing this incident to determine whether any further actions are warranted, a Manitoba Housing spokesman said in a written statement. The Crown corporation issued the message in the aftermath of media reports tenants at the building on the 500 block of Elgin Avenue say they dont feel safe leaving their suites when a fire alarm goes off. James Sinclair, speaking Thursday to Global News, said he doesnt automatically evacuate his suite when he hears the fire alarm, due to concerns over criminal activity in the building. Unless I actually smell smoke, if I see smoke or smell smoke, then Ill go out and look around, he said. Its too dangerous, you dont know whos out there... You dont know if theyre gang members and if theyre going to stab you (or) shoot you, so its best to keep your head inside the house. On Tuesday, two Winnipeg firefighters were sent to the hospital after a conflict with a man in a hallway of the Elgin building. Roy Junior Chief, 19, faces four criminal charges in connection with the incident, including assault with a weapon. Sinclair said despite Manitoba Housing stressing every resident should evacuate when a fire alarm is activated, he has no plans to heed the advice. It gets worse and worse and one of these times... there might be guns and whatnot and somebodys going to get killed." The Manitoba Housing spokesman said residents should report suspected unlawful activity in their buildings to the public safety investigations unit of Manitoba Justice. Ryan Thorpe Close "I just really wanted to be able to prove statistically what I was seeing anecdotally. There are a lot of firefighters and paramedics that Ive worked with for a very long time who I knew were struggling, so I wanted to use my education to show that to the department," Setlack told the Free Press. "Were finding high levels of (post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, burnout and depression. There are a very high number of paramedics and firefighters that are struggling with those things." On New Years Eve, firefighters responded to a Manitoba Housing apartment complex on the 500 block of Elgin Avenue for a report of a fire alarm. As members were going floor-to-floor, two firefighters were injured in a conflict with an individual allegedly armed with a knife. Roy Junior Chief, 19, faces four criminal charges, including assault with a weapon. Setlack said paramedics and firefighters are at elevated risks of developing mental health issues due to "frequent exposure to traumatic incidents inherent within their work." Her research, which stemmed from interviews with nearly 250 WFPS members, found 19.4 per cent of local paramedics and 10.3 per cent of firefighters reported dealing with PTSD. Theres also an increased risk for emergency services workers to develop depression and anxiety, she said. WFPS Chief John Lane said in a written statement that, during the past few years, theres been a rise in the level of violence his members have been subjected to while on duty. "Documented employee injury and exposure reports indicate increased employee exposure to workplace violence that is contributing to physical and mental health occupational stress injuries," Lane said. Two firefighters were injured in a conflict with an allegedly armed individual in this Manitoba Housing apartment complex. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) "This includes distinct risks associated with contact with individuals under the influence of mood-and mind-altering drugs such as alcohol, opioids, and methamphetamine... The safety of WFPS members is paramount. As such, the WFPS executive has prioritized reducing the risk of violent incidents." Lane said city paramedics and firefighters have always had the right to "self-stage" at any incident, meaning they can choose to wait until police arrive if they feel the situation is unsafe. He also said during the past year the WFPS consulted with the Winnipeg Police Service, taking some components of its self-defence programs and incorporating them into the training firefighters and paramedics receive. In October 2019, the WFPS hired a consulting firm to perform an assessment of the risks associated with on-the-job violence. "The consultant is analyzing extensive data provided by stakeholders and is conducting interviews with WFPS members. Final recommendations are expected in early 2020, and the rollout of recommended changes will begin immediately, through the first half of the year," Lane said. "Completion of the consultant recommendations will provide the necessary direction for the approach to this complex and pressing issue." However, Setlack questions why the WFPS chose to hire an outside consulting firm thereby pushing back the timeline for the implementation of changes when shed already independently conducted similiar research. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I did this research for free; I took a leave of absence to do it. I presented the findings to the department last summer," Setlack said. "They need to go back to the research to see whats worked in other paramedic and firefighter populations. This isnt new: paramedics and firefighters have experienced this level of violence in countries across the world and there have been interventions that have been proven to work." ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe Reckless and lighting a match in the worlds largest powder keg are words being used by New Mexicos congressional delegation in reaction to President Donald Trumps ordering of an airstrike in Iraq that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani early Friday. And they are calling for the administration to seek congressional approval for any further action against Iran. President Trump is bringing our nation to the brink of an illegal war with Iran without any congressional approval, as required under the Constitution of the United States, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall said. Such a reckless escalation of hostilities is likely a violation of Congress war-making authority as well as our basing agreement with Iraq putting U.S. forces and citizens in danger, and very possibly sinking us into another disastrous war in the Middle East that the American people are not asking for and do not support. His Senate colleague, fellow Democrat Martin Heinrich, hinted at a possible escalation of hostilities between the two countries in using the words about the match on the powder keg in a post on Twitter. Lets hope there is a fire extinguisher and I just dont see it, Heinrich posted. The use of American military force should never be made lightly, the senator said in a statement Friday. While there is no doubt that Iran plays a hostile role in the region that warrants our constant vigilance, President Trumps reckless approach to foreign policy is completely lacking in forethought and too often puts Americans at risk. The administration holds Soleimani responsible for attacks on U.S. military personnel and allies in Iraq and Syria, and claims the general gave approval for the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week in response to U.S. airstrikes against Iranian-backed militia groups days before. The attack has support from party officials. The airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Soleimani is another indicator that President Trump and his administration will not stand idly by when Americans are at risk, New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said. The president will protect Americans and American interests. Iran is the worlds largest state sponsor of terror. Last weekend, an American contractor was killed in a rocket attack carried out by Iranian-backed militia. Americas response was fast and decisive. But Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., said Congress needs to respond to prevent another illegal, endless war. The presidents reckless move was unauthorized, made without congressional debate and without an effort to engage our allies, she said. The American people dont want a war with Iran. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I fought last year for a bipartisan amendment to the NDAA (National Defense Appropriations Act) to prevent an unauthorized war with Iran. That amendment was struck from the final defense spending bill. The provision was also sponsored by Udall. Both Reps. Xochitl Torres Small, D-N.M., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., labeled Soleimani a terrorist. But Torres Small said officials are now faced with questions about the planning and execution of this strike, and what intelligence led to the belief that there was an imminent threat on American lives. Destabilization of the Middle East endangers the lives of thousands of American troops abroad, and those of us here at home, she said. Continued military engagement with Iran puts American lives at risk, and we cannot take such actions lightly. I urge the administration to coordinate with Congress about its long-term plans to engage with Iran. Lujan said it was the administrations responsibility to offer a thoughtful long-term strategy that protects American interests. It is the responsibility of our commander-in-chief to act strategically when deploying our nations military and to consult with Congress before engaging in warfare, Lujan said. President Trump failed to accomplish these two critical objectives and has instead brought us to the brink of an escalated conflict with Iran. President Trump and his administration must immediately brief Congress on how this operation made our nation safer and how it plans to address the consequences of this strike. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE:TMHC) ("Taylor Morrison") announced today that its subsidiary, Taylor Morrison Communities, Inc. ("TMCI"), has extended the expiration date for its previously announced offers to exchange (the "Exchange Offers") any and all outstanding senior notes (the "William Lyon Notes") of three series issued by William Lyon Homes, Inc. ("William Lyon") for up to $1.09 billion aggregate principal amount of new notes to be issued by TMCI (the "Taylor Morrison Notes") to 12:01 a.m., New York City time, on January 20, 2020 (as the same may be further extended, the "Expiration Date"). All other terms of the Exchange Offers and the related letter of transmittal remain unchanged. William Lyon is a direct subsidiary of William Lyon Homes (NYSE: WLH) ("Lyon Parent"). As previously disclosed, Taylor Morrison and Lyon Parent have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger that provides for a subsidiary of Taylor Morrison to merge with and into Lyon Parent, with Lyon Parent surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Taylor Morrison (the "Merger"). The Exchange Offers are being made pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offering memorandum and consent solicitation statement dated December 5, 2019 (the "Offering Memorandum") and the related letter of transmittal in a private offering exempt from, or not subject to, registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and are conditioned upon the closing of the Merger and certain other conditions that may be waived by TMCI. The settlement date for the Exchange Offers is expected to occur promptly after the Expiration Date, and the Expiration Date of each of the Exchange Offers is expected to be extended such that such settlement date coincides with the closing date of the Merger. As a result, the Expiration Date may be extended one or more times. TMCI currently anticipates providing notice of any such extension in advance of the Expiration Date. Taylor Morrison has been informed by the applicable agent that, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 3, 2020, the principal amounts of the William Lyon Notes set forth in the table below had been tendered for purchase in the Exchange Offers and not withdrawn. William Lyon Notes Tendered as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 3, 2020 Title of Series of William Lyon Notes CUSIP Number of William Lyon Notes Aggregate Principal Amount Outstanding Principal Amount Percentage 6.00% Senior Notes due 2023 96926DAU4 $350,000,000 $323,947,000 92.56% 5.875% Senior Notes due 2025 96926DAR1 $436,886,000 $428,139,000 98.00% 6.625% Senior Notes due 2027 96926DAV2 U96799AJ7 $300,000,000 $290,400,000 96.80% The complete terms and conditions of the Exchange Offers are described in the Offering Memorandum and related letter of transmittal, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the exchange agent and information agent in connection with the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations, at (866) 807-2200 (U.S. toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (banks and brokers). This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, or the solicitation of tenders or consents with respect to, any security. No offer, solicitation, purchase or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Taylor Morrison Notes have not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act or any state or foreign securities laws. The Taylor Morrison Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States or to any U.S. persons except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Only persons who certify that they are (i) persons who are "U.S. persons" (as defined in Regulation S) and (a) "qualified institutional buyers" within the meaning of Rule 144A or (b) "accredited investors" (as defined in Regulation D) or (ii) not "U.S. persons" within the meaning of Regulation S and are outside of the United States and who are "non-U.S. qualified offerees" for purposes of applicable securities laws are authorized to receive and review the Offering Memorandum (such holders, "Eligible Holders"). The ability of an Eligible Holder to participate in the Exchange Offers also may be further limited, as set forth under "Eligibility and Transfer Restrictions" in the Offering Memorandum. About Taylor Morrison Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE: TMHC) is a leading national homebuilder and developer that has been recognized as the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 America's Most Trusted Home Builder by Lifestory Research. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona we operate under two well-established brands, Taylor Morrison and Darling Homes. We serve a wide array of consumer groups from coast to coast, including first-time, move-up, luxury, and 55 plus buyers. In Texas, Darling Homes builds communities with a focus on individuality and custom detail while delivering on the Taylor Morrison standard of excellence. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this communication are forward-looking statements (or forward-looking information) within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws. These include statements using the words "believe," "target," "outlook," "may," "will," "should," "could," "estimate," "continue," "expect," "intend," "plan," "predict," "potential," "project," "intend," "estimate," "aim," "on track," "target," "opportunity," "tentative," "positioning," "designed," "create," "seek," "would," "upside," "increases," "goal," "guidance" and "anticipate," and similar statements and the negative of such words and phrases, which do not describe the present or provide information about the past. There is no guarantee that the expected events or expected results will actually occur. Such statements reflect the current views of management of Taylor Morrison Home Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Taylor Morrison"), or William Lyon Homes, a Delaware corporation ("William Lyon Homes"), and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, operational and other factors. Any changes in these assumptions or other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. All forward-looking statements attributable to William Lyon Homes or Taylor Morrison or persons acting on their behalf, and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth in this paragraph. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. In addition, material risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements include, among other things: the inherent uncertainty associated with financial or other projections, including anticipated synergies; the integration of Taylor Morrison and William Lyon Homes and the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits from the combination of Taylor Morrison and William Lyon Homes, and the amount of time it may take to realize those benefits, if at all; the risks associated with Taylor Morrison's and William Lyon Homes' ability to satisfy the conditions to closing the consummation of the Merger, including obtaining the requisite stockholder approvals, and the timing of the closing of the Merger; the failure of the Merger to close for any other reason; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties and others related to the Merger; any unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the Merger; the effect of the announcement and pendency of the Merger on the respective business relationships or operating results of Taylor Morrison, William Lyon Homes, or the combined company; risks relating to the value of the Taylor Morrison common stock to be issued in connection with the Merger, and the value of the combined company's common stock after the Merger is consummated; the anticipated size of the markets and continued demand for Taylor Morrison's and William Lyon Homes' homes and the impact of competitive responses to the announcement and pendency of the Merger; the diversion of attention of management of Taylor Morrison or William Lyon Homes from ongoing business concerns during the pendency of the Merger; and the access to available financing on a timely basis, and the terms of any such financing. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in Taylor Morrison's and William Lyon Homes' respective filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including as described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus included as a part of Taylor Morrison's Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on December 6, 2019, in Taylor Morrison's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2019, in William Lyon Homes' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2019, and in their respective subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by law, neither Taylor Morrison nor William Lyon Homes has any intention or obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Investor Relations Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (480) 734-2060 [email protected] SOURCE Taylor Morrison Related Links http://www.taylormorrison.com/ContactUs Weather Alert ...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM EST TUESDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 35 below zero. * WHERE...In Vermont, Western Franklin County. In New York, Eastern Clinton County. * WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 3 PM EST Tuesday. * IMPACTS...The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The coldest wind chill values will occur between 2 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. && Power Transformer Market to Grow at $28.22 Billion by 2020 The global power transformer market size is expected to reach USD 28.22 billion by 2020, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Emerging technological advancements along with rising electricity consumption are projected to elevate industry growth over the next five years. Huge investment in power plant infrastructure coupled with increasing demand for smart meters is projected to positively impact demand. Further, several government initiatives for modernizing the existing grids combined with installation of technologically advanced systems is anticipated to drive power transformer market growth. Increasing awareness regarding low carbon emission due to service expansions in resource-based industries is anticipated to offer prominent growth opportunities for the industry. Advanced features offered by eco-friendly devices are projected to replace traditional transformers, which are not compatible with current technical and environmental requirements. However, pricing pressure on manufacturing companies coupled with fluctuating raw material prices are expected to hamper growth. Further key findings from the report suggest: The power transformer market can be classified on the basis of products into 100 MVA to 500 MVA, 501 MVA to 800 MVA, and 801 MVA to 1200 MVA. Increased usage of 100 MVA to 500 MVA products in transmission and distribution network for step-up and step-down application is expected to drive global demand. High capacity product demand in the Middle East and Asia Pacific is estimated to drive revenue. Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the industry owing to factors such as economic, industrial and social development in the countries such as China and India. Asia Pacific power transformer market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 6.0% from 2014 to 2020. Replacement of aging power infrastructure in North America and Europe is estimated to boost volume sales in these regions. Further, various initiatives undertaken by European nations in order to deploy green transformers are projected to positively impact demand. Notable players in the industry include GE Co., Alstom SA, Crompton Greaves Ltd, Toshiba Corp., Siemens AG, ABB Ltd, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. China XD Electric, TBA Co Ltd, and Mitsubishi Electric Co. Companies operating in the power transformer market have to comply with varied regulations related to performance, environment and efficiency. A post-mortem is due to take place A 32-year old man has been arrested after the body of a 19-year-old was discovered in Dungannon on Friday morning. The man's body was discovered at a block of flats in the Castle Hill area. The flats are temporary accommodation run by a homeless charity. Police have confirmed they are treating the death as suspicious and are currently waiting the results of a post-mortem examination. Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew said the community was in shock at the discovery of the man's body. She offered her condolences to the 19-year-old's family. An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the mans death and this must be allowed to proceed," the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP said. My thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of the man at this sad time. BCN16) OAKLAND (BCN) Two convicted robbers were arraigned Friday on charges stemming from their roles in the death of a man who died from injuries he suffered while he was trying to get back his laptop computer, which was stolen Tuesday while he worked in a coffee shop in Oakland. Byron OJ Reed Jr. 22, of San Francisco, and 21-year-old Javon Lee, in yellow jail uniforms, appeared in court as Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Dickinson read the charges against them. However, as deputies escorted Reed out of court he shouted, "I love you!" to his sister Shaquila Reed, 30, of Oakland, who attended the brief hearing with another female family member. After Dickinson said that Byron Reed would be held in custody without bail, which is standard practice when defendants are first charged with murder, Shaquila Reed shouted, "Why no bail?" but the deputies who were guarding the courtroom didn't take any action against her. After Shaquila Reed left the courthouse she got into a confrontation with two of Lee's family members. They apparently were upset that Reed had told reporters before the hearing that she thinks her brother is innocent because he was babysitting her child at her home in East Oakland at the time of the laptop robbery and he is hanging around "with the wrong kind of people." Four deputies had to separate Reed and Lee's family members. Reed is charged with murder and the special circumstance of committing a murder during a robbery for the incident in the 2000 block of Mountain Boulevard shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday that ultimately claimed the life of 34-year-old Shuo Zeng. Lee is charged with involuntary manslaughter and both men are charged with second-degree robbery. Zeng was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries but died there a short time later, according to police. Surveillance video shows two individuals snatching a laptop from Zeng and then fleeing into a waiting vehicle, Oakland police Officer Gerald Moriarty wrote in a probable cause statement. Zeng chased the suspects to their getaway vehicle, which authorities believe Reed was driving, and a struggle ensued but he was struck by the vehicle and ultimately succumbed to his injuries, according to Moriarty. Witness statements and a review of surveillance camera footage indicated that Lee was one of the people involved in taking Zeng's laptop and his actions facilitated the robbery and murder, Moriarty wrote. Witness statements and surveillance footage also showed that Reed was the driver of the getaway vehicle, Moriarty said. Reed and Lee were arrested at Reed's sister's home in the 9400 block of MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, according to police. Alameda County prosecutors allege that Reed was convicted of second-degree robbery in San Francisco on Nov. 22, 2017, and Lee was convicted of second-degree robbery in San Francisco on Feb. 27, 2017. According to Zeng's Linkedin profile, he was a native of China, graduated with a degree in physics from Sichuan University and got a doctorate at Kansas State University. Zeng's profile indicated that he moved to the Bay Area in 2015 to work for Aspera, an IBM company in Emeryville, as a research scientist and engineer. Shaquila Reed told reporters before the hearing that her brother couldn't have been involved in the crime because "he was home with me all day" but later admitted that she left him with her child at one point while she did errands so she can't account for all of his time. Reed said her brother is "a very loving person" and said killing someone "is one mistake he wouldn't make." Lee, whose bail was set at $255,000, and Byron Reed are scheduled to return to court on Monday to be assigned attorneys and possibly enter pleas. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. We do not know nobody can know right now whether President Donald Trump's order to decapitate Iran's most potent military force will ultimately prove to be a smart strategic move or a tragic folly. What we do know is that we are staring into an abyss of international uncertainty, and that the world has suddenly gotten more dangerous, perhaps especially for those of us who carry blue passports. And we know that even as Americans trickle back from extended vacations linked to a holiday celebrating a baby that the world's largest religion hails as the Prince of Peace, the road toward peace has just turned steeper and more rugged. Oil prices spiked and stock markets fell, both barometers of investors' sense of security suggesting fears that we are surely headed toward more conflict in the Mideast, not less. We may be even now in the early days of a full scale war, though we don't know what such a war might look like when it is fully engaged. Will Iran retaliate with terror attacks on the soil of America's Mideastern allies, like Israel and Saudi Arabia, or rain down rockets upon the region? Will terror attacks spread to Europe or the streets of our own cities? Will cyberattacks target America's communication infrastructure? And how will the Trump administration, with what must be its fourth-string national security team now in place, respond to the inevitable retribution? We don't know. The blatherers of right-wing talk radio, with all the confidence and expertise of the bore on the barstool next to you, do not know. The suave experts who have served in prior administrations, credentialed by experience and Ivy League degrees, do not know, either. In the face of such uncertainty, the good news is that Americans generally do pretty well. We go about our daily lives commuting, shopping, working, taking time off. That may be less a mark of our national resilience than a result of a volunteer military that these days touches fewer U.S. neighborhoods. War rarely reaches most of us. All that said, there's some agreement about where we are today. Surely nobody who pledges allegiance to the American flag doubts that Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was slain by an American drone, was anything other than a killer whose goals were hostile to the United States. News reports note that both George W. Bush and Barack Obama weighed assassinating Soleimani, but concluded that the blowback would outweigh the benefit of such a move. Trump decided otherwise. We shouldn't be surprised. Trump has inched toward war with Iran since he took office, starting with his decision to withdraw from the deal to limit Iranian nuclear development that had been painstakingly negotiated by the Obama administration probably, the Libertarian writer Danny Sjursen has observed, "only because of his insecure obsession with undoing everything associated with his predecessor." Iran today does not pose an existential threat to the United States. Its sponsorship of regional terrorism is certainly a challenge to American interests, but we face many such hazards year after year, and at our best we confront them with nuanced strategies that do not risk a wide global conflict. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. In fact, the smarter U.S. approach to change Iran's unsettling force might have been internal: quietly supporting Iran's malcontented urban youth, who experts say look to the West for inspiration and hope. With patience, that may have led to regime change in Tehran. That course is no longer open to us, any more than we can now build upon relations with what should be a friendly government in Iraq. U.S. military intervention in the region, as our 2003 invasion should have taught us, yields only hostility to America. This is not Normandy; nobody looks to the Yanks as liberators. Unfortunately, too, Trump's military escalation thousands of U.S. troops deployed overnight deepens the partisan divide at home. Presidents shouldn't go to war without bipartisan support; Trump failed to notify key congressional leaders and may have violated the War Powers Act. All the Democratic presidential candidates denounced the attack that killed Soleimani, suggesting that the race for the White House may have become, exactly 10 months before Election Day, one of war versus peace. Ironically, Donald Trump campaigned as an opponent of U.S. military incursion abroad, as did his predecessor. American voters tend to prefer a promise of peace to the thunder of war. But we don't know how that will turn out, either. So this is how we are today: uncertain, worried and surely wishing that this chaos might just go away. A court in Nagpur on Saturday granted exemption from appearance to BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in a complaint seeking criminal proceedings for non-disclosure of cases against him in his election affidavit. Chief judicial magistrate RM Satav posted the matter for hearing on January 24. The court, however, said, "The accused shall remain present before the court on the next date without fail and no exemption shall be granted on the next date." This is the second time Fadnavis sought exemption from appearing before the court. Fadnavis' advocate Uday Dable, on Friday, told the court the former CM was busy in campaigning for and monitoring Zilla Parishad elections in Maharashtra. Besides, he was also meeting farmers affected by unseasonable rains to take stock of the losses in order to approach the state government for relief, Dable told court. The court accepted the statement but said Fadnavis must remain present on the next date. The court is hearing a complaint application filed by one Satish Uke seeking initiation of criminal proceedings against Fadnavis for alleged non-disclosure of two cases registered against him in his 2014 election affidavit. An order of issuance of process (notice) to Fadnavis was passed on November 4. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French police secure an area in Villejuif near Paris, France, on Jan. 3, 2020 after police shot dead a man who tried to stab several people in a public park. (Charles Platiau/Reuters) French Police Shoot Attacker Dead After Stabbing Spree in Paris Park French police shot dead a man who killed one person and injured two more in a stabbing spree at a park in Paris. The attack took place in Villejuif, about 5 miles south of central Paris, on Friday. The deceased was identified as 56-year-old man who was on a walk with his wife at the park when he was attacked, the towns mayor, Franck Le Bohellec, said, reported Deutsche Welle. The attacker had targeted the victims wife, and the man was fatally stabbed when he intervened to protect her. The woman was not seriously injured. Two other victims are being treated at a hospital, said prosecutor Laure Beccuau. The suspect tried to attack other victims during his murderous spree, who were able to escape, she said. The attacker, who was carrying religious materials including a Quran during the attack, shouted Allahu Akbar, or God is great, according to a witness, the prosecutors spokesman said. After the stabbing spree, the attacker tried to flee toward a shopping center when he was shot and killed, reported DW. Frances Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the attacker would have likely hurt more people had police not shot and killed him. He described the police response as an extremely courageous act. The attack was identified only as Nathan C. and was born in Lilas, a northeastern suburb of Paris, in 1997, the prosecutors spokesman said. He had a history of mental illness and was undergoing psychiatric treatment The man was not known to domestic intelligence services and had no criminal record, the spokesman said, adding, We dont have evidence that would allow us to suppose there has been a radicalization. Paris has been rocked by major attacks resulting in mass casualties in the past four years. In one of the deadliest attacks, Islamic extremists killed 130 people at the Bataclan theater and in other locations in November 2015. And in October 2019, four people were stabbed to death at the Paris police headquarters by an IT specialist who worked there and had been influenced by Islamic extremism. Reuters contributed to this report. NORTH CONWAY, N.H. The morning after the Democrats last debate in December, the Democratic National Committee announced the thresholds to qualify for the next one, scheduled for Jan. 14 in Des Moines: 5 percent support in four qualifying polls, or 7 percent in two early-state polls. With those steeper requirements in place, just five candidates have qualified so far: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. Those who havent made the cut are getting angry about relying on the results of public polling when no polls that count have been released since the last debate, on Dec. 19. If any of the lower-tier candidates got a boost from that last debate, there have been no qualifying polls to reflect it. With just one week to go before the Jan. 10 qualification deadline, theres been no way for Andrew Yang or Tom Steyer who are on the fringe of making the debate stage or anyone else (like Cory Booker, who needs a lot of help) to secure a spot. January 04 : Dhruva Karunakar, who debuted with blockbuster action-thriller Telugu film Ashwamedham in 2018 is now all set to play Indias social activist, writer and thinker Jyotiba Phule in the film titled as Mahatma. The film is based on life of mahatma Jyotibha Phule and savitribai Phule who led the foundation of women education in India On the auspicious occasion of Savitribai Phules 189th birth anniversary, the announcement of the film was held in Mumbai on Friday evening in the presence of producers Aishwarya Yadav and Kaushik Reddy along with the lead actor Dhruva. Image Source: newshelpline.com The producers also felicitated the honourable Mayor of Mumbai, Smt. Kishori Pednekar as she graced the event. She wished the entire team of the film, good luck. Mahatma will release in 5 major languages Hindi, Marathi, Tamil Telugu, English . This film is commissioned by DGIPR Maharashtra government - The State House digital director was responding to a Twitter user who wanted to know if William Ruto was leaving Jubilee party - In his response, Itumbi indicated the agreement between Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta was still in place - He dismissed the reports as pure propaganda that should not be taken seriously - However, some Tanga Tanga members have expressed they are ready to join the Opposition State House digital director, Dennis Itumbi, has dismissed reports that Deputy President William Ruto and his allies were planning to quit the Jubilee party and revive the defunct United Republican Party (URP). According to Itumbi, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy had an agreement in place to work together for more than ten years and that agreement will expire in 2027. READ ALSO: Sabina Chege amsuta vikali Mbunge Alice Wahome kwa kuwashambulia Uhuru na Raila State House digital director Dennis Itumbi denies reports of William Ruto leaving Jubilee to revive URP. Photo: Dennis Itumbi Source: Facebook READ ALSO: 11 lovely photos of Senator Murkomen on romantic hike in the village with wife In a Twitter post on Saturday, January 4, Itumbi responded to a post that had been shared by one Gamaliel Namale who inquired if indeed the number two in government was planning to quit Jubilee Party. "I will be leaving Jubilee to revive URP. We have had unresolvable issues with the president and it is only fair that I quit. I wish my brother President Uhuru all the best in the remainder of his term. It was both humbling and honour to serve with you," read the fake Twitter post. Itumbi said the tweet that was purporting to be from the DP was a fake one and that he does not tweet using an Iphone but rather an android phone. READ ALSO: World War 3: US asks its citizens to leave Iraq after Trump ordered killing of Iran general The sentiments came amid heightened political tesnion in the Jubilee party after Kandara MP Alice Wahome said the president and Opposition leader Raila Odinga were planning to use the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report to extend their political dominance. His sentiments were supported by a number of politicians from Ruto's Tanga Tanga faction with some expressing they were ready to work from the Opposition side. Deputy President William Ruto's second term in Jubilee has been marred with a lot of political jitters over his 2022 presidential bid. Photo: William Ruto Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Kenyans hilariously 'unearth' identity of Betty Kyallo's Somali lover "When parliament resumes this year I am going to be driven by what affects the people and not the government that I was elected to its party. "I want to assure you good people that I am going to team up with members of the Opposition to fight the ills economic sabotage to ensure those who are driven by interest of protecting the family business are fought everywhere," said MP Didmus Barasa. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. Source: TUKO.co.ke Congress Delhi unit chief Subhash Chopra said Congress will approach voters and highlight the work done by the Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi during its 15-year rule. (Photo Credit: PTI) New Delhi: Congress, which was involved in a long deliberation with Aam Aadmi Party for an alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, has ruled out possibility of any tie-up for the forthcoming Delhi Assembly Elections. Congress Delhi unit chief Subhash Chopra also asserted that his party will win a clear majority on its own and form the next government in the city. Congress and AAP had tried to forge electoral alliance ahead of general elections, but the two parties failed to reach an agreement on seat-sharing. I would like to make it very clear, we are going to have a clear majority. We are going to form the next government in Delhi. There is no chance of any kind of alliance, Chopra said when asked if the Congress was considering an alliance with AAP. The Delhi Assembly elections are likely in February and an announcement in this regard is likely to be made in a few days. When asked about the number of seats Congress expects to win, Chopra claimed that his party will win a clear majority in the election to the 70 assembly seats. Meanwhile, the Delhi Congress on Friday set up an election war room at the party office on DDU Marg. Chopra said that Congress has been holding extensive 'Halla Bol' rallies across the city to expose the lies, failures, shortcomings and anti-people policies of both the BJP and AAP governments. "The people of Delhi have now realised the fact that only the Congress can provide stable and effective governance as the party's 15-year development-driven rule bears testimony to that," he said. Chopra said Congress will approach voters and highlight the work done by the Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi during its 15-year rule. The war room, comprising 14 workstations manned by 30 volunteers, will provide logistic support to party candidates in the election. Each volunteer will handle five constituencies and establish contact with party workers and leaders in those areas. The ruling AAP has already rejected the possibility of forming an alliance with the Congress for the assembly polls, with senior party leader Sanjay Singh saying Congress is not even in the competition. A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. The killing of Quds Force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send more troops to the region -- even as President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, told CNN that the killing was an "act of war on the part of the United States". A new strike on Saturday targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Shiite factions with close ties to Iran. The Hashed did not say who it held responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike. A police source told AFP the strike left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific toll. There was no immediate comment from the US. It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Soleimani, who was killed alongside Hashed number two Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the precision drone strike. As head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' foreign operations arm, Soleimani was a powerful figure domestically and oversaw wide-ranging Iranian involvement in regional power struggles -- and anti-US forces. Trump said the 62-year-old, who had been blacklisted by the US, had been plotting imminent attacks on American diplomats. His assassination has rattled the region, with Iraqis fearing a proxy war between Washington and Tehran. A total of five Revolutionary Guards and five Hashed fighters were killed in Friday's strike near Baghdad international airport. Their bodies will be laid tom rest in an elaborate mourning procession on Saturday, beginning with a state funeral in the capital and ending in the Shiite holy city of Najaf to its south. The bodies of the Guards will then be flown to Iran, which has declared three days of mourning for Soleimani. Tehran has already named his deputy, Esmail Qaani, to replace him. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge," while in Tehran tens of thousands of protesters torched US flags and chanted "death to America." Trump hailed the operation, saying he decided to "terminate" Soleimani after discovering he was preparing an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and troops. He insisted Friday Washington did not seek a wider conflict, saying: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." But hours later the Pentagon said between 3,000 to 3,500 troops would be dispatched to Iraq's southern neighbour Kuwait. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Washington's partners in the region, but said their European allies "haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be". "The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," he said. Some 14,000 troops were already deployed as reinforcements to the Middle East last year, reflecting steadily growing tensions with Iran. There are approximately 5,200 US troops deployed across Iraq to help local forces ensure a lasting defeat of Islamic State group fighters. Pro-Iran factions have seized on Soleimani's death to push parliament to revoke the security agreement allowing their deployment on Iraqi soil. Lawmakers are to convene in emergency session on Sunday and are expected to hold a vote. Paramilitary figures in Iraq including US-blacklisted Qais al-Khazaali and militiaman-turned-politician Moqtada Sadr called on their fighters to "be ready" after Friday's strike. And Lebanon's Tehran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah threatened "punishment for these criminal assassins." Soleimani had long been considered a lethal foe by US lawmakers and presidents, with Trump saying he should have been killed "many years ago". Following Friday's strike, the embassy urged US citizens to leave Iraq immediately and American staff were being evacuated from oil fields in the south. Analysts said the strike, which sent world oil prices soaring, would be a game-changer. "Trump changed the rules -- he wanted (Soleimani) eliminated," said Ramzy Mardini, a researcher at the US Institute of Peace. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist on Shiite armed groups, described the killing as "the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off." He expected "bigger" ramifications than either the 2011 operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or the 2019 raid that killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Iraq's caretaker prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi warned the strike would "spark a devastating war in Iraq" as President Barham Saleh pleaded "voices of reason" to prevail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The dispatch call Phillipsburg police officer Brian Berrigan received the day before his retirement brought him to tears. Its customary for county dispatchers to recognize a retiring officer in a send-off call broadcast to first responders, but Berrigans send-off call on Monday slightly deviated from that custom. The voice on the other end of the call wasnt a regular dispatcher -- it was his son. Dean Berrigan joined his fathers department as a police officer about six months ago after a stint working for neighboring Lopatcong Township Police Department. His turn from Phillipsburg cop to Warren County dispatcher on Monday afternoon was brief, but memorable. Twenty-five years ago, you held me in your arms as you graduated police academy, Dean said in the dispatch. Today, we stand side-by-side as brothers. Dean called his father the best role model a son could have. He told lehighvalleyive.com on Friday that joining the Phillipsburg Police Department was like a homecoming of sorts. Dean, a Phillipsburg High School graduate whos now 26, said he spent much of his youth getting to know the other officers who worked alongside his father at the department: I saw them as family. Brian said in a separate interview that the bond among fellow Phillipsburg officers was strong throughout his career. He recalled traveling with a group of officers to New York City after the 9/11 attacks. He spent 24 hours on a search team that unearthed a firetruck in the rubble. He gave credit to those who worked Ground Zero for far longer, but said he was still grateful we were able to go up there and put our time in. The day-to-day work he did on patrol during his 25-year career in law enforcement also afforded him the opportunity to do everything from saving a life to helping deliver a baby. He stressed that patrol work isnt all about traffic stops and handing out tickets. In contrast, it involves helping residents and proved quite fulfilling in his experience. You got those special calls where youd show up just to give them some comfort, Brian said of the residents he served in Phillispburg over the years. It was nice to keep people at peace and provide that comfort. Phillipsburg Police Chief Robert Stettner described Brian as an all-around good guy who will be missed at the department but definitely not forgotten. Mondays send-off call from Dean was just one unique component of a retirement ceremony that the chief hopes will become a new tradition at the department. The ceremony brought out other retired officers and families in a gathering that served an important purpose, he said. I think a lot of the guys get afraid to retire, the chief said, adding that the ceremony could help them feel more comfortable about the next stage of their lives and also remind them that theyre still part of the Phillipsburg police family. He praised town police Sgt. James McDonald for planning the ceremony. Deans send-off call to his father was also the sergeants brainchild, but the words were all from Dean. And those words were powerful. You are not only my father; you have been a career mentor, he said on the call. It was an honor to serve by your side for the last six months, wearing the same uniform. As a fellow officer, I salute you. As your son, Im going to miss you here. We are all going to miss you. Brian remained teary eyed through most of the call as he sat in the front passengers seat of a police cruiser. Phew that was brutal, he said with a smile after the call ended. For Brian, retirement wont involve too much sitting around. Hes also a licensed electrician and plans to continue running his business, LDC Electrical Contractors. His wife, Dina, also has plenty of work for him to do at home, he joked. For Dean, a long and hopefully safe career lies ahead. He started off in 2017 with Lopatcong Township Police Department before joining Phillipsburgs ranks. Hell do well if he follows the advice Brian has given him. Its the same advice Brians own father, also a former police officer, gave him many years ago. Stay alert. Stay alive." Click on the video above to see the Brians reaction to the send-off call from Dean and the gallery above to see photos from Brians retirement ceremony. Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Senior Russian officials have publicly condemned the U.S. killing of Irans most powerful military commander, joining foreign leaders in warning that it will lead to an escalation of tensions in the already unstable Middle East region. However, the Kremlin may be able to capitalize on the controversial attack against its ally Tehran if it drives a deeper wedge in Washingtons strategic relationship with European allies, analysts said. An escalation could also present Russian President Vladimir Putin with a golden opportunity to demonstrate global leadership by working toward a resolution, they said. Putin would love to seize the role of a mediator to reduce tension but also to strengthen his image in the West, said Jonathan Katz, a senior fellow at The German Marshall Fund in Washington. Major General Qasem Soleimani, the powerful head of Iran's elite Quds Force in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed in a U.S. air strike in neighboring Iraq on January 3 days after pro-Iranian militants attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. WATCH: Radio Farda Director Mehdi Parpanchi Says Slain Quds Force Commander 'Irreplaceable' For Iran U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said later that the assassination sought to preempt an undisclosed threat to American lives. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. attack flagrantly violates international principles. The Russian Defense Ministry called it a shortsighted step that will lead to more regional turmoil. U.S. allies in Europe -- who were not informed of the attack beforehand -- also expressed concern about Washingtons deadly strike in a region that accounts for a significant portion of the worlds daily oil production. German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said that although Iran carried out a series of dangerous provocations, the U.S. response has not made it easier to reduce tensions. U.K. shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry from the opposition Labour Party slammed U.S. President Donald Trumps Iran policy as well as his clandestine operation against Soleimani. For two years, Ive warned about Trumps reckless lurch towards war with Iran. Last nights attack takes us even closer to the brink, she said. Trump angered European leaders when he withdrew the United States in 2018 from an international agreement signed by his predecessor Barack Obama that put limits on Irans nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, and the European Union were the other signatories to the agreement. Trump began reimposing sanctions on Iran later that year, which contributed to the woes of the country's economy. Trump has rankled European leaders over a host of other policy issues as well, such as defense spending and climate change, raising concerns about the strength of the transatlantic relationship. Putin Victory? Trumps failure to inform European partners has handed a victory to Putin in terms of weakening the transatlantic relationship again, the German Marshall Fund's Katz said. French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin following the U.S. assassination of Soleimani on January 3. The two leaders expressed their concern about the U.S. strike, also discussing the crisis in Syria and Libya as well as bilateral relations. India has asked US and Iran to exercise restraint to prevent destabilizing the region. The Ministry of External Affairs noted that increased tensions could impact peace and stability. "We have noted that a senior Iranian leader has been killed by the US. The increase in tension has alarmed the world. Peace, stability and security in this region is of utmost importance to India", said the MEA statement. "It is vital that the situation does not escalate further. India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so," the MEA statement read. India too finds itself in a fix amid the escalating tensions between the countries after US' airstrikes on Thursday at the Baghdad airport. India has already been pushed by the US sanctions into a corner to not conduct business with Iran. Any further escalation could mean that India's Chabahar project would be in jeopardy. Harsh Pant, Director at ORF told India Today, "For India, it impacts India's sea-link communication and energy flows from the region. If there is a dramatic escalation, it would lead to spike in oil prices which would have a negative impact on an already slowing down, sluggish economy." Most experts believe that the immediate repercussion of the US airstrikes would be a rise in oil prices. If things worsen further then there could be an impact on supply from the region itself. Speaking to India Today, West Asian expert Dr Waiel Awwad said, "If a war breaks then it will have catastrophic impact on the region as a whole. The USA now will face stiff resistance... It is a violation of a sovereign state, hence there is a chances of increased voices against USA forces stationed in Iraq. Retaliation against USA forces is imminent." Also read: US President ordered 'killing' of Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani; Ayatollah Khamenei vows revenge Foreign Minister of Iran Javad Zarif is scheduled to visit India for a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue to be held in New Delhi on January 8-10. For now, the visit has not been cancelled. On Thursday night, US carried out airstrikes in Baghdad killing Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. General Soleimani was very close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei promised to take revenge for the death of Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. "With his departure and with God's power, his work and path will not cease, and severe revenge awaits those criminals who have tainted their filthy hands with his blood and the blood of the other martyrs of last night's incident," said Khamenei in a statement. After the attack, Pentagon had released a statement saying that the airstrikes were conducted to stop General Soleimani who was planning to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq. Following the attack, oil prices reached the highest level in more than three months on Friday. Brent crude LCOc1 ended the session up 3.6% or $2.35 at $68.60 a barrel, off the session peak of $69.50, the highest level since the mid-September attack on Saudi oil facilities. Also read: World War 3 trends on Twitter after US kills Iran's top commander Qassem Soleimani Also read: US-Iran conflict: Oil prices reach $69.50 per barrel; highest in more than 3 months President Moon Jae-in, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands before a summit in Chengdu, China, Tuesday. Yonhap South Korean President Moon Jae-in told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday that it's of importance to have "frank dialogue" for a change in Seoul-Tokyo relations. He stressed that South Korea and Japan are the closest neighbors "geographically, historically and culturally," speaking at the outset of his first official summit with Abe in 15 months. Although the relationship has been "uncomfortable" for a brief time, the two sides can never be apart, he added. Abe agreed that the two sides are important neighbors and trilateral security cooperation with the United States is especially crucial. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 16:52:31|Editor: zh Video Player Close Women of the Tibetan ethnic group celebrate the Fairy's Day at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Dec. 12, 2019. The Fairy's Day, known as the "Women's Festival" in modern Tibet, is celebrated on the 15th day of the 10th month in the Tibetan calendar. The festival is to commemorate Buddha Aleanterre Brahm. During the Fairy's Day celebration, women are dressed in their most beautiful clothes and go to temples to present the traditional ceremonial scarf "Hada" to their honorable goddess and make wishes. In Lhasa, people flood the Barkhor Street around the ancient Jokhang Temple. Girls and women decorate themselves elaborately. In addition to religious activities, they also enjoy the festival by going shopping and having magnificent food. Believers from all over Tibet would gather at the Jokhang Temple, where they burn aromatic plants and pray. (Xinhua/Chogo) Vivo has launched the S1 Pro for Rs 19,990 in India. Vivo S1 Pro specifications include a 6.38-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ display with a waterdrop notch for the 32MP F/2.0 front camera. It gets powered by a Snapdragon 665 SoC with 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory. Vivo S1 Pro features a 4,500 mAh battery with 18W fast-charging via USB Type-C. The smartphone has a 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP quad-camera setup on the back. The Government of India has launched a new Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal for blocking or tracking stolen or lost phones. With the help of the smartphone's IMEI number, users can raise a request to block/track a stolen/ lost smartphone, check the status of their request, and also unblock the mobile once found. To raise a request, users need to first file an official complaint at the nearest police station. Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite. Both the smartphones feature a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Infinity-O display. Both smartphones feature a triple-camera setup. Galaxy S10 Lite has a 48MP + 12MP + 5MP sensor setup, whereas the Note 10 Lite has three 12MP cameras on the back. The processor details are unknown but both smartphones get paired with 6GB/ 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Both smartphones get a 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera, a 4,500 mAh battery with super-fast charging. Oppo has confirmed the launch of the F15 series in India on January 16. The new F-series smartphone is confirmed to feature a 48MP quad-camera setup and have an 8GB RAM variant at least. Oppo has also confirmed that the F15 will have an in-display fingerprint 3.0 scanner and will have a 7.9mmm thickness. Lastly, the Oppo F15 is confirmed to support VOOC Flash charge 3.0. Realme's fast-charging tech will reportedly be called Dart and SuperDart, according to trademark applications. Little is known about the charging technology at the moment. Realme currently uses Oppo's VOOC and SuperVOOC Flash charge technology on its smartphones. The company's flagship smartphone, Realme X2 Pro, uses the 50W SuperVOOC 2.0 Flash charge tech that refuels the smartphone from zero to 100 in 35 minutes. WhatsApp has dropped support for several smartphones running on Windows Phone OS. The Facebook-owned company had, earlier this year, announced the withdrawal of support on its website. WhatsApp for Windows Phone wasn't available on the Microsoft Store since July 1, 2019. Because we no longer actively develop for these operating systems, some features might stop functioning at any time, announced WhatsApp on its FAQ page. The WhatsApp FAQ page also states that smartphones running on Android 2.3.3 and iOS 8 and older wont support WhatsApp following February 1, 2020. P olice investigating a "despicable" rape in central London have released a picture of a man they wish to speak to. The victim, a woman in her 40s, was attacked on August 2 while walking close near Piccadilly Circus. She was approached by a stranger around 3am who took her to a nearby alleyway and raped her. Officers have now released an image of a man they wish to speak to. Detective Constable Sue McKenzie said: A dedicated team have been leading the investigation into this despicable offence and the next stage is to appeal to the public to help identify the man in the image, as we believe he could assist with our enquiries. Specialist officers continue to support the victim through what has been an extremely traumatic time. I urge anyone who recognises this man, or if you are the man in the CCTV image, to contact us immediately. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue. Beijings top envoy in Hong Kong dismissed as the city grapples with ongoing mass pro-democracy demonstrations. China has replaced its top envoy to Hong Kong, state media reported on Saturday, in the most significant personnel change since pro-democracy protests broke out in the city nearly seven months ago. The removal of Wang Zhimin, the head of the liaison office, which represents the central government in Hong Kong, comes as the city grapples with its biggest political crisis in decades. Wang Zhimin has been dismissed from his position as head of the liaison office for Hong Kong affairs and was replaced by Luo Huining, state broadcaster CCTV said, without giving details. Communications between Beijing and Hong Kong are conducted through the liaison office. Wang, the most senior mainland political official stationed in Hong Kong, had been the director of the government body since 2017. The 62-year-olds dismissal makes him the shortest-serving liaison office director since 1997. 191212060108463 The new head, Luo Huining, 65, was semi-retired after being removed from his position as the secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. The move comes as protests roil Hong Kong in a months-long show of anti-Beijing sentiment. Reuters news agency reported that Beijing was considering potential replacements for Wang in a sign of dissatisfaction with the liaison offices handling of the crisis. The office has come in for criticism in Hong Kong and China for misjudging the situation in the city. Millions have come out for months on the streets in often-violent demonstrations demanding greater democratic freedoms in the semi-autonomous city, in the strongest challenge to Beijings rule since the return of the former British colony to Chinese rule in 1997. Hong Kong is ruled under a one country, two systems principle, which gives the territory rights unseen on mainland China but protestors say they are steadily being eroded. In early December, following media reports that Beijing was considering replacing him, Wang vowed unwavering support to the Hong Kong government and police force in a bid to quell the protests. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday called for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be released from prison in London, urging an end to what he described as his "torture" in detention. Assange, 48, is in a British jail for skipping bail when he sought asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London, where he spent nearly seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden over allegations of rape that were dropped in November. Assange is also battling U.S. attempts to extradite him over WikiLeaks' publication of vast caches of leaked military documents and diplomatic cables. He faces a lengthy prison term if extradited to the United States. A UN human rights investigator last year said Assange has suffered psychological torture from a defamation campaign and should not be extradited to the United States where he would face a "politicized show trial." Lopez Obrador, a leftist who has close ties with Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, expressed his solidarity with Assange and said he hoped the former hacker and activist is "forgiven and released" from prison. Representative image Referring to the row over the Rafale purchase deal, former Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said on Saturday that such controversies slow down defence acquisitions, affecting the armed forces' capabilities. Had Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman been flying a Rafale instead of a MiG 21 during the India-Pakistan stand-off after the Balakot strike, the outcome would have been different, he said. Speaking at the Techfest event organised by IIT- Bombay here, Dhanoa referred to the Rafale row, and said the Supreme Court gave a "fine judgment" on the issue (giving a clean chit to the Naredra Modi government). "I have always personally maintained that..when the Rafale thing was thrown up, if you politicise the defence acquisition system, the whole system goes behind," he said. "All other files also start moving at a slow pace because people start becoming very very conscious," he said. The Bofors deal too got mired in controversy (during the Rajiv Gandhi government) despite the Bofors guns "being good", he noted. There are several agencies in the country to look into a deal if there are complaints, he said. At the same time, the former air chief marshal added that people have the right to ask questions about the price of the aircraft as tax payers' money is at stake. "The fact is, because of creating a controversy out of it, the slowing down of defence modernisation later affects you," said Dhanoa, who retired in September last year. "Like the prime minister made a statement. People are saying it is a political (statement) but the fact is that the statement he made is correct. "If we had Rafale, the question would have been totally different," he said. Modi had said in March last year that the results would have been different if India had Rafale jets during the air strike on terror camps in Pakistan. Dhanoa said the outcome would have been different had Wing Commander Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet during a dogfight but was captured himself, been flying a Rafale instead of a MiG 21 fighter plane. "100 per cent it would have been different. Why was he not flying a Rafale? Because you took 10 years to decide which aircraft to buy. So, it (the delay) affects you," he said, without naming the earlier Congress-led UPA government. He also reiterated that the governments of the day rejected the IAF's proposal to carry out air strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and the earlier 2001 Parliament attack. "But the decision, like I keep saying, is a political decision. It (the proposal) was not accepted at that time. So it gave the terror-sponsoring state confidence that India will not retaliate to a terrorist attack," he said. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was clueless about the IAF's strike in Balakot, Dhanoa said. He said there was a lack of co-ordination between the Pakistani Army and the PAF during the 1971 (Bangladesh) war and the 1999 Kargil war too. "When Balakot happened, the PAF did not know (about the IAF's strike). There were no terminal weapons in Balakot. Even we were surprised," he added. Dhanoa also said that terror attacks in Pathankot, Uri and Pulwama indicated that India's conventional deterrence, "though it is superior to its enemy", was not stopping the enemy from carrying out terrorist activities on Indian soil. "Thus, the Balakot strike was approved by the government to send a message to Pakistan that henceforth, such acts will come with a heavy price. The government changed the stand," he said. "One of the reasons for the strategic surprise was that they (Pakistan) had always underestimated our leadership. They never expected our leadership to give a go ahead (to Balakot-like air strike)," he said. The Popular Front of India (PFI), an alleged radical Islamic outfit, was on Friday denied permission for an anti-citizenship law rally scheduled on Sunday in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, a senior police officer said Kolkata: The Popular Front of India (PFI), an alleged radical Islamic outfit, was on Friday denied permission for an anti-citizenship law rally scheduled on Sunday in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, a senior police officer said. The Kerala-based organisation, following the denial of approval, decided to "postpone its meeting for the time being", PFI West Bengal general secretary Manirul Sheikh said. "They (PFI) had applied for permission to hold a rally in Murshidabad district on 5 January. However, we haven't given them approval," the police officer said. Meanwhile, TMC MP Abu Taher Khan has lodged a police complaint against the PFI for adding his name in the list of speakers for the Sunday rally without seeking his consent. "I had lodged a police complaint as they had used my name in their posters as one of the speakers without taking prior permission from me," Taher said. The Uttar Pradesh government had recently written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking a ban on the organisation for its alleged involvement in violence across the state during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. According to TMC sources, PFI would not be allowed to hold meeting rallies in any other part of the state too as the party wants to maintain a distance from the outfit. "We have information that PFI and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) may join hands in Bengal. Their main aim is to divide the minority votes in the state. But we are confident that PFI-AIMIM won't be able to do it," a senior TMC leader said. According to TMC and police sources, PFI has a considerable organisational presence in Malda and Murshidabad and it was allegedly behind the violence and protests that rocked these two districts during December 13-17 against the amended Citizenship Act. (Photo : Unsplash) On Jan. 3, Iranian state television had reported that the country's military troops have had already launched its F-14 fighter jets that are aimed towards 'western skies,' first reported via Daily Express. This action seemed to be part of Iran's 'severe revenge' against the U.S. after the incident of the U.S. military launching airstrikes on the country on early Friday-- resulting in the death of Iran's top General officer, General Qasem Soleimani. Aside from Soleimani, another high-ranking military officer was found dead by Iranian troops named Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis-- said to be a close adviser of Soleimani and the deputy of the Iranian militias known as the Popular Mobilization Units. The U.S. military already confirmed that they were the ones that killed the Iranian military officers as per U.S. President Donald Trump's command. However, they said that they did what they need to do in order to protect the citizens of the U.S. after Soleimani was 'allegedly' plotting more Iranian attack plans against the U.S. just like what happened on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad earlier this week-- wherein 650 military officers were sent to stop protesters in entering the building. "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," the Defense Department said in its statement. "The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world." Now, NBC News Correspondent Ali Arouzi tweeted that Iranian military troops are beginning to protest against the United States, and Persian gulf bases already fly out its combination of fighter jets classified as F5, F14 tomcats and mig29 squadrons. "Iranian F14 fighters jets maneuvering on the western skies and alert and patrol," tweeted by Arouzi. Are We Going to Witness World War 3? The last World War ended decades ago. However, reports say that the world will soon witness another world war between the U.S. and Iran due to their conflicts, which is World War 3. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated that President Donald Trump and the U.S. military troops just made a huge mistake after what they did to their high-ranking officials. "Soleimani's martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America's expansionism and to defend our Islamic values," he stated on Iranian television. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif even called the U.S. action as "an extremely dangerous and foolish escalation," wherein he demands responsibility from the U.S. and suffers from consequences due to their 'rogue adventurism.' U.S. Officials Protected Trump By Saying 'He made the right decision' Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, protected the decision of Trump by calling his actions as 'right and a brave call.' Adding the statement, "This is very simple: General Soleimani is dead because he was an evil b------ who murdered Americans." Another statement from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark, said that "Tonight, he got what he richly deserved, and all those American soldiers who died by his hand also got what they deserved: justice." Though lots of reports already claimed that there's a chance of World War 3 before the U.S. elections, U.S. President Trump believed that it's impossible. Just like what he stated on New Year's eve, "I don't see that happening. No, I don't think Iran would want that to happen." "I want to have peace. I like peace. And Iran should want peace more than anybody," added by him. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. "I fervently trust this will be the last of the James Bond films." So thundered one broadsheet critic on the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service 50 years ago. It was one of the more damning reviews of the sixth official James Bond film, but by no means the only one, with critics taking issue in particular with the man who had taken over from Sean Connery as Bond, George Lazenby (more on whom later). As for the film's commercial impact, although it made $65 million worldwide, confirming it as one of the biggest films of 1969, this figure was half of You Only Live Twice's total earnings two years earlier (and that had made less than 1965's Thunderball). In other words, something seemed to have gone rather wrong, and for many years the film overall was considered something of a blip, a strange anomaly sandwiched uncomfortably between the tail end of Connery's pantherine hunter-killer reign and the entertaining levity of Roger Moore's. What a difference 50 years make. Watch it now, and you may find yourself wondering if On Her Majesty's Secret Service isn't in fact the best and most influential Bond film of the lot. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was Lazenby's first acting role. It was directed by the series' long-serving editor Peter Hunt, who wanted to take it back to basics after the extravagant You Only Live Twice, which bore little or no relation to Ian Fleming's original novel. This would be a Bond film that followed the source material pretty much to the letter, and one that almost entirely ditched the gadgets that had already become one of the franchise's hallmarks. Iran Leader vows 'harsh revenge' following assassination of Gen. Soleimani Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 5:26 AM Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says those who assassinated IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani must await a harsh revenge. In a statement on Friday, Ayatollah Khamenei said the "cruelest people on earth" assassinated the "honorable" commander who "courageously fought for years against the evils and bandits of the world." His demise will not stop his mission, but the criminals who have the blood of General Soleimani and other martyrs of the Thursday night attack on their hands must await a harsh revenge, the Leader added. "Martyr Soleimani is an international figure of the Resistance, and all the devotees of Resistance are now his avengers," Ayatollah Khamenei said. "All the friends and foes must know that the path of Jihad of the Resistance will continue with double motivation, and a definite victory awaits those who fight in this auspicious path," the Leader said. "The demise of our selfless and dear general is bitter, but the continued fight and achievement of the final victory will make life bitterer for the murderers and criminals," he added. In his statement, the Leader also offered condolences to the Iranian nation and General Soleimani's family, and declared three days of national mourning. What follows is the full text of the Leader's statement: In the Name of God Dear nation of Iran! The great and honorable commander of Islam became heavenly. Last night, the untainted souls of the martyrs embraced the pure soul of Qassem Soleimani. After years of sincere and courageous fight against the devils and evil-doers of the world and after years of wishing for martyrdom in the path of God, alas, dear Soleimani attained this lofty position and his pure blood was spilled by the vilest of human beings. I congratulate Hazrat Baqiyatullah- may our souls be sacrificed for him- and his [Soleimani's] own pure soul on this great martyrdom and I express my condolences to the Iranian nation. He was a stellar example of those educated and nurtured in Islam and the school of Imam Khomeini (RA). He spent his entire life fighting in the path of God. Martyrdom was his reward for years of implacable efforts. With his departure and with God's power, his work and path will not cease and harsh revenge awaits those criminals who have tainted their filthy hands with his blood and the blood of the other martyrs of last night's incident. Martyr Soleimani is the international face of the resistance, and all who have a heart-felt connection to the resistance seek revenge for his blood. All friends - and also all foes - should know that the path of fight and resistance continues with increased motivation and certain victory awaits the fighters on this blessed path. The absence of our dear and self-sacrificing commander is bitter, but the continuation of the resistance and its final victory will be bitterer for the murderers and criminals. The Iranian nation will cherish the name and memory of the towering martyr, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, together with his fellow martyrs especially the great fighter of Islam the honorable Mr. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. I declare three days of public mourning in the country and I congratulate and express my condolences to his honorable wife, dear children and family. Later in the day, the IRGC spokesman General Ramezan Sharif warned that the US' "momentary pleasure" after assassinating General Soleimani will be short-lived, and will soon turn into lamentation. He also said the IRGC is going to open a new chapter from now on and the front of resistance is going to set out a new starting point. 'Iran more determined now' Following the Leader's remarks, President Hassan Rouhani strongly condemned the attack, and said the US assassination will make Iran and other free nations more determined to stand against Washington. "The martyrdom of the great commander of Islam and Iran, and the courageous commander of the Quds Force, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, along with some of his companions especially the great fighter Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, by the aggressive and criminal US broke the heart of the entire nation of Iran and regional nations," President Rouhani said in a Friday statement. The assassination "doubled the determination of the great nation of Iran and other free nations to stand against and resist the excessive demands of the US and to defend the Islamic values," he added. "There is no doubt that this cowardly and evil move is another sign of the US' desperation, inability and failure in the region, and the hatred felt by the regional nations toward this criminal regime," Rouhani noted. "The great nation of Iran and other free nations of the region will take revenge for this heinous crime against the criminal US," he warned. Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami also vowed that revenge will be taken against all those behind the assassination. "Undoubtedly, this heinous crime which is a strong proof of the evil nature of the Big Satan, the arrogant US and it's all-out support for terrorism in the region and Iraq, will be responded to in a crushing way," the defense minister warned. Earlier, former commander of the IRGC Major General Mohsen Rezaei also vowed a harsh revenge against the perpetrators. Details of the attack Speaking to Iran's state TV, the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi explained that the US' missile attacks hit two cars transferring General Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and 10 companions and bodyguards from Baghdad Airport to the city at 1 am (local time). According to Masjedi, all the passengers have been killed, and arrangements are being made for their return to the Islamic Republic of Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France calls for further de-escalation in the Middle East after the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, French Envoy to the United Nations Nicolas de Riviere told reporters on Friday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd January, 2020) France calls for further de-escalation in the middle East after the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, French Envoy to the United Nations Nicolas de Riviere told reporters on Friday. "We just call for further de-escalation," de Riviere said. "This is what we need now. We need de-escalation, we need stability in the region." Tensions are high across the Middle East after Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, was killed in an airstrike on the outskirts of Baghdad that was authorized by US President Donald Trump. New Delhi: The NCP, a key Congress ally, on Saturday (January 04), called for a withdrawal of a controversial Seva Dal booklet which claims that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse had 'physical relationship'. NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said that since Savarkar wasn't alive, it is wrong to make such claims. The booklet claimed that Savarkar encouraged his followers to rape women from minorities and pelt stones at mosques when he was 12 years old. The Hindi booklet titled 'Veer Savarkar. Kitne Veer?' was distributed at a camp of Seva Dal, a frontal organisation of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh recently. It questioned Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation for valour. The booklet also claimed that Savarkar received money from British after he was released from Andaman's Cellular Jail. Savarkar's grandson Ranjit Savarkar demanded that Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray should file cases against the Congress, its former President Rahul Gandhi, and other leaders involved in publishing the objectionable references, while the Madhya Pradesh government should ban the offensive book. Ranjit Savarkar, who is the Chairman of Swatantryaveer Savarkar National Memorial, in Mumbai, said, "The Congress has been targeting Veer Savarkar and his legacy repeatedly for political mileage, but we never thought it would stoop so low." He demanded that all the Congress leaders responsible should be booked for defamation, criminal conspiracy and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, and the booklet must be banned. Ranjit Savarkar pointed out that the references made in the book, "Freedom At Midnight", were withdrawn by the publishers long ago. (With ANI inputs) First, they were relishing in the vast cultures and scenery of Africa. Now, Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas have moved onto Istanbul, Turkey as they continued their intercontinental excursion in celebration of their 19-year wedding anniversary. The couple's two children, Carys and Dylan, have tagged along with their parents on this seemingly never ending vacation. Next stop: Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband, Michael Douglas, continue their 19-year wedding anniversary celebration in Istanbul along with their two children Carys and Dylan; the pair are pictured here outside of a local confectionery shop with a fan Watch your step: The couple boarded a yacht so they could tour the Bosphorous, which is a waterway that acts as a continental divide between Europe and Asia All aboard: As the couple boarded, their assigned tour guide, along with the pairs' bodyguard, made sure to help the two A-listers onto the yacht The 50-year-old stunner and Douglas were spotted boarding a luxurious yacht in the early hours of the morning. Accompanied by a bodyguard, the pair partook in a tour of the Bosphorus in Istanbul. This well-known waterway, acts as the continental boundary between Europe and Asia. So, Douglas and Zeta-Jones appeared excited by the idea of experiencing the unique geographical feature for themselves, along with the aid of a well-educated tour guide. Catherine played the part of the glamorous tourist as she drenched herself from head-to-toe in stylish, but comfy exploration gear. She shielded herself from the Istanbul sun with a black and white cap and a pair of designer sunglasses. Her coat, which cinched at the waist, featured pillowing and shiny, silver zippers. Still got it: The 50-year old stunner has an eye for trends, as she was captured sporting some silver, iridescent sweatpants and sneakers that featured edgy buckle straps Zanzibar: The entire family was just in East Africa enjoying lunch in Zanzibar where the family posed for a family photo for mom, Catherine's, Instagram on December 28th The most eye-catching item on Catherine's fit physique were her iridescent, silver sweatpants that had black and white stripes cascading down the sides of each leg. Douglas, took note of his Wife's color palette, and donned a black pull-over sweatshirt, which he paired with light dress pants and a grey wool sweater. After their tour of the Istanbul Bosphorous, the couple of nineteen years made their way to the city's historical district where they stopped by a local confectionery shop. Proving to be as humble as ever, Catherine and Michael took the time to pose with the shop's owner, along with numerous other fans who recognized their iconic film faces. After their morning of intense tourism, the pair decided to wind down over lunch at a seafood restaurant located in the Bebek quarters. All together: The couple's children have been by their parents' side during their world travels; the family is pictured here at a watering hole during the Sout African part of their vacation in late December After lunch, the pair chose to return to their hotel located in the upscale residential area of Nisantasi. Dylan and Carys may have spent the morning sleeping in, since they were not pictured with their parents during their exploratory morning in Istanbul. The Chicago actress and her husband have been really making the most of their recent travels. Along with ensuring that the entire family immerses themselves in the variety of diverse cultures, Catherine has gone out of her way to document the family's time away on her Instagram page. Prior to entering Istanbul, the entire family was exploring the East African island of Zanzibar. LOLC tailing high market cap View(s): LOLC prices went up to Rs. 190 on Tuesday bringing it to the fifth largest stock in market cap on the Colombo bourse at Rs. 90 billion on the back of the impending Rs. 108 billion sale of its part stake in Cambodias PRASAC Microfinance to Korean KB Kookmin Bank. This is the largest transaction by any local entity. This proposed sale is in line with the companys core strategy of developing and disposing assets, a LOLC official told the Business Times. This is a continual process for us. We will be disposing assets we have overseas depending on the opportunities that come my way, he explained. The companys only official announcement to the stock exchange was to say that with certain parties indicating their interest in acquiring a stake in PRASAC Microfinance, LOLC has been in the process of exploring possibilities of a sale of whole or part of its holding. The official said an announcement will come next week. PRASAC Microfinance is LOLCs maiden international investment. While being the largest, it has 40 per cent of market share in Cambodia with 177 branches. Microfinance is a general term to describe financial services, such as loans, savings, insurance and fund transfers to entrepreneurs, small businesses and individuals who lack access to traditional banking services. LOLCs microfinance model keeps transforming and enabling micro businesses to become small and medium level enterprises through sustainable industrialisation. LOLC began to reap the dividends of its strategic initiatives of expanding its footprint overseas, in the Asian region and now boasts 85 per cent of its pre-tax profit through investments in Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia and Philippines. In 2017, LOLC signed a joint venture with Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Ltd of Pakistan and the group has plans to foray into Indonesia next year and the Philippines thereafter, through acquisitions, the official said. According to the official, strategic investments into non-financial sectors such as leisure, plantations, construction, health care and trading and manufacturing also complement the growth in LOLCs financial sector. He noted that the group also aims to expand investments in industries in identified growth sectors such as healthcare and leisure and also invest in sunshine industries. (DEC) The NSW energy minister Matt Kean has urged residents across the state to reduce electricity usage as the Berejiklian government scrambles to determine the extent of fire damage to the Snowy Hydro's transmission lines. The NSW grid's links to Victoria went down late on Saturday afternoon, with Mr Kean issuing a statement urging all residents to preserve power. "The extensive bushfire activity in the Snowy Mountains and other areas of the state have had an impact on our electricity supplies, Mr Kean said. Just before 7pm, 14,000 people had lost power in Sydney's north and south-west, and Port Stephens. Greenacre, Campsie, Punchbowl, Hornsby, Chatswood and St Ives were affected, as well as Port Stephens on the Central Coast. Brainbox Cummings (pictured) holds Whitehall's army of Sir Humphrey-style mandarins in total contempt It is easy to laugh at the bizarre job advert posted by Boris Johnson's top adviser Dominic Cummings calling for 'super-talented weirdos' to apply to work at No 10. It spawned scores of spoof applications and comparisons to Ricky Gervais's character David Brent in The Office. Brainbox Cummings holds Whitehall's army of Sir Humphrey-style mandarins in total contempt. He wants to replace them with a team of 'weirdos, misfits, true wild cards and artists,' together with maths and physics geeks, to shake up Britain as it faces its biggest change since the Second World War. 'Mad Dom' can expect full support from Boris Johnson, not least because it was the formula used by Mr Cummings when he masterminded the campaign that won the 2016 EU referendum and was the basis of Mr Johnson's recent election landslide. But there is another reason Mr Johnson will back him: it is precisely how his hero Winston Churchill won the war. Churchill sought what he called 'corkscrew thinkers' those able to think outside the box. It didn't matter how eccentric they were, whether they played by the rules or went to the right school, as long as they had unique problem-solving skills. Churchill was convinced it was the way to stop Hitler anticipating his next move. He even set up a unit, the 'XX Committee', to take charge of 'corkscrew thinking'. Recruiter: Boris Johnson's top special adviser Dominic Cummings (pictured days after the Tory election victory last month) wants 'super-talented weirdos' to work for him at Number 10 Churchill's unconventional style went down no better in Whitehall than Cummings's. Foreign Office stuffed shirts resented his treasured Special Operations Executive, dubbed the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, that carried out daring espionage raids in Europe. Churchill's team of 'weirdos, misfits and wild cards' included Alan Turing, who cracked the enigma code. The famous Operation Mincemeat was 'corkscrew thinking' at its best. In 1943, desperate to convince Hitler that he was not preparing to invade Italy from Sicily, the obvious place, Churchill had to trick him into thinking he planned to do otherwise. The man who did it was Ewen Montagu, a barrister who joined Naval Intelligence when war broke out. Mr Montagu devised the audacious scheme whereby a corpse bearing secret documents was floated ashore to the Spanish coast, tricking Hitler into believing the landing would be in Greece and Sardinia. It worked and the story was told in the film The Man Who Never Was. Not all the ideas dreamt up by Churchill's corkscrew thinkers worked. Such as plans to convert icebergs into mid-Atlantic air bases with a runway on top, and to drop Hitler lookalikes on to occupied Greek islands to order German garrisons to surrender. Both were rejected as too wacky by far. The most powerful of all Churchill's 'weirdos and misfits' was Brendan Bracken, his wartime right-hand man, spin doctor and troubleshooter. A very similar role to Mr Johnson's Brexit right-hand man, Mr Cummings. How Mr Cummings' job advert might look on a poster - calling for 'super-talented weirdos' to apply to work at Number 10 Job advert: Mr Cummings setting out his plans for a Downing Street shake-up in a meandering 2,900-word post on his personal blog Like imposing, Geordie-born outsider Mr Cummings, volatile 6ft Irishman Mr Bracken was viewed with suspicion by the Tory Establishment. Mr Cummings's designer gilets, trainers and beanie hats are fashionable in the eyes of some; redhead Mr Bracken was once likened to 'a Polynesian with dyed hair'. Ruthless Mr Cummings had an official accused of disloyalty frogmarched out of No 10 by an armed policeman; the day Churchill entered Downing Street in 1940, Mr Bracken reportedly threatened to send a senior civil servant to Greenland unless he left immediately. He did. Describing the early stages of their partnership, Mr Bracken said of himself and Churchill: 'We were a party of two.' The same could be said of Mr Johnson and his No 10 wild card and corkscrew thinker in chief, Dominic Cummings. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Decades in the making, New Mexicos new Ethics Commission is now ready to accept and investigate complaints. The agency has appointed two hearing officers, established a website and may issue its first advisory opinion next month. Its the result of a 40-year push to establish an independent watchdog with jurisdiction over allegations against legislators, candidates, lobbyists and others. Supporters say the agency will play a critical role in advising public officials and ruling on allegations of ethical misconduct. Voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment establishing the State Ethics Commission in 2018, after several ethics scandals, including the corruption conviction of a former state senator. Hopefully, this will help to rebuild and restore public trust, said Heather Ferguson, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, a nonpartisan advocacy group. State law authorized the commission to begin accepting ethics complaints Wednesday, but none had been filed as of Friday afternoon. The seven-member commission a bipartisan group led by retired Judge William Lang expects to meet every other month, although the schedule may change depending on the volume of complaints and other work. The group appointed Jeremy Farris, former chief legal counsel at the state Department of Finance and Administration, as executive director in September. The agency has also hired Walker Boyd, who previously worked at an Albuquerque law firm, as its first general counsel and reached agreements with two respected legal experts to serve as hearing officers retired state Supreme Court Justice Edward L. Chavez and retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan C. Torgerson. I have been very impressed with the diligence of the commission and of the staff, Rep. Daymon Ely, D-Corrales, said Friday. I think theyre trying to do the right thing. Farris, the executive director, said the agency will ask lawmakers this year for a little extra money to help establish operations. This years budget had about $500,000 for the commission, but the agency is seeking a supplemental appropriation of $385,000 to $400,000. For the following year, the agency is requesting a little over $1.1 million. It took decades of debate for legislators to agree on an ethics commission. A breakthrough came in 2017, when a bipartisan group of lawmakers reached agreement on a proposed constitutional amendment on the last night of the session. It won support from more than 75% of voters in the 2018 general election. But many of the details were left to lawmakers, who passed legislation last year outlining the details of how the State Ethics Commission will work. In March, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the measure into law. New Mexico had been one of just six states without an independent ethics commission. Common Cause had been pushing for one since the 1970s. The commission began meeting last year, but its jurisdiction over complaints started on New Years Day. The constitutional amendment and the enabling statute commit the state to more ethical government, and the commission is building an agency that can deliver on that promise, Farris said Friday. The agency accepts only signed complaints. It can also initiate its own complaints with approval from five commissioners and accept referrals from other agencies. The commission has jurisdiction over New Mexico laws on campaign reporting, financial disclosure, lobbying, governmental conduct and other rules. Allegations of criminal conduct are referred to law enforcement. The commission has office and meeting space in Albuquerque, although it has held meetings in other parts of the state, too. In addition to Lang, the chairman, the other Ethics Commission members are attorney Stuart Bluestone; former Gov. Garrey Carruthers; Judy Villanueva, a former college administrator; Frances Williams, a former White Sands Missile Range official; attorney Jeffrey Baker; and business owner Ron Solimon. Owen Hatherley at The Guardian: If you rummage through boxes of postcards in Polish secondhand shops, they reveal an unexpected geography places few Poles would now go. Theyre not just from Soviet cities such as Tashkent or Novosibirsk, but Baghdad, Havana, Tripoli. The UK-based Polish architectural historian ukasz Staneks book explains why this is so. A generation of eastern Europeans travelled across the non-aligned countries between the 1950s and the 80s and they were there to build. In the process, the urbanisation of what was then called the third world was carried out by architects, planners, engineers and workers from the second world of eastern Europe. While they were there, they promised to do things differently. I remember well these eastern European architects, recalls a Ghanaian at the start of this book, because it was the first and the last time that a white man had an African boss in Ghana. This is one of those books that turns a discipline upside down the cold war, state socialism, eastern Europe and 20th-century architecture all look different in the light of its findings. more here. L abour leader Jeremy Corbyn has demanded an urgent meeting with Boris Johnson over the US killing of Iran's top military chief as the Pentagon announced it will send 3,000 more troops to the Middle East. Mr Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister to ask seven questions over the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, the head of Tehran's elite Quds Force, which has heightened tensions between the US and the Middle East. The questions include what the UK Government knew ahead of the airstrike, which took place on Friday at Baghdad's international airport , and if there was an increased terror risk in the UK. He also asked whether Mr Johnson had spoken to US president Donald Trump about the aistrike. The Prime Minister is currently on holiday on the private Caribbean island of Mustique with his girlfriend Carrie Symonds and Number 10 has yet to confirm when the pair are due to return to Downing Street. The outgoing Labour leader, left, has asked Boris Johnson what the UK Government knew ahead of the airstrike / PA There has been criticism of the US for apparently not giving warning of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. In his letter to Mr Johnson, outgoing Labour leader Mr Corbyn also asked if the UK had spoken to the UN "to discuss consequences for peace and security" and what measures had been taken to "ensure the safety of UK nationals". He said: "Given the serious nature of the issues now faced by our country and indeed the world as a consequence of the US attack, I would welcome a prompt response to this request and stand ready to attend any briefing meeting as soon as arranged." The top Iranian general was killed in an airstrike on Baghdad airport on Friday / ISNA/AFP via Getty Images Mr Trump said a "reign of terror is over" and accused the general of making "the death of innocent people his sick passion". "Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests," Mr Raab added. Secretary of State Mike Pomepo thanked Mr Raab in a phone call for recognising the "aggressive threats posed" by the Quds Force in his statement, according to US spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus. Qassem Soleimani: Who was the Iranian general? Mr Pompeo was also said to have stressed that the White House "remains committed to de-escalation". Prominent Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, who was chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the last Parliament, was critical of the US for not giving the UK warning of the attack, though the Government did not confirm it was not briefed in advance. He urged the White House to "share much more closely with allies" in the future, adding to the BBC that "the purpose of having allies is that we can surprise our enemies and not each other". The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there were around 400 British troops deployed in Iraq as part of the UK's fight against the Islamic State terror group. A further 500 personnel are based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus which flies fast jets and reconnaissance planes over Iraq and Syria, the MoD added. Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in protest over killing of Soleimani Earlier, Mr Corbyn, who has beeen criticised in the past for his views on Iran, said: "The UK Government should urge restraint on the part of both Iran and the US, and stand up to the belligerent actions and rhetoric coming from the United States. "All countries in the region and beyond should seek to ratchet down the tensions to avoid deepening conflict, which can only bring further misery to the region, 17 years on from the disastrous invasion of Iraq." Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary bidding to become the next Labour leader, criticised the Prime Minister for having "pathetically unopposed" Mr Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Other potential Labour leaders also weighed in on the attack, with shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer calling it an "extremely serious situation" and urging the UK to "engage, not isolate Iran". U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks following the US Military airstrike / REUTERS Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, a former defence minister who served as a captain in the Army, tweeted "this is big", adding: "Expect repercussions." The Foreign Office was also advising against all but essential travel to Iran and for those in the region to "remain vigilant" after the United States announced it was sending nearly 3,000 extra troops to the Middle East. Australias unprecedented wildfires are supercharged thanks to climate change, the type of trees catching fire and weather, experts say. And these fires are so extreme that they are triggering their own thunderstorms. Here are a few questions and answers about the science behind the Australian wildfires that so far have burned about 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres), killing at least 17 people and destroying more than 1,400 homes. "They are basically just in a horrific convergence of events," said Stanford University environmental studies director Chris Field, who chaired an international scientific report on climate change and extreme events. He said this is one of the worst, if not the worst, climate change extreme events he's seen. "There is something just intrinsically terrifying about these big wildfires. They go on for so long, the sense of hopelessness that they instill," Field said. "The wildfires are kind of the iconic representation of climate change impacts." Q: Is climate change really a factor? A: Scientists, both those who study fire and those who study climate, say there's no doubt man-made global warming has been a big part, but not the only part, of the fires. Last year in Australia was the hottest and driest on record, with the average annual temperature 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above the 1960 to 1990 average, according to Australias Bureau of Meteorology. Temperatures in Australia last month hit 121.8 F. "What would have been a bad fire season was made worse by the background drying/warming trend,'' Andrew Watkins, head of long-range forecasts at Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, said in an email. Mike Flannigan, a fire scientist at the University of Alberta in Canada, said Australia's fires are "an example of climate change." A 2019 Australian government brief report on wildfires and climate change said, "Human-caused climate change has resulted in more dangerous weather conditions for bushfires in recent decades for many regions of Australia." A pedestrian wears a mask as smoke shrouds the Australian capital of Canberra, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. Australia deployed military ships and aircraft to help communities ravaged by apocalyptic wildfires that destroyed homes and sent thousands of residents and holidaymakers fleeing to the shoreline. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)AP Q: How does climate change make these fires worse? A: The drier the fuel trees and plants the easier it is for fires to start and the hotter and nastier they get, Flannigan said. "It means more fuel is available to burn, which means higher intensity fires, which makes it more difficult or impossible to put out," Flannigan said. The heat makes the fuel drier, so they combine for something called fire weather. And that determines "fuel moisture," which is crucial for fire spread. The lower the moisture, the more likely Australian fires start and spread from lightning and human-caused ignition, a 2016 study found. There's been a 10% long-term drying trend in Australia's southeast and 15% long-term drying trend in the country's southwest, Watkins said. When added to a degree of warming and a generally southward shift of weather systems, that means a generally drier landscape. Australia's drought since late 2017 "has been at least the equal of our worst drought in 1902," Australia's Watkins said. "It has probably been driven by ocean temperature patterns in the Indian Ocean and the long term drying trend." Q: Has Australias fire season changed? A: Yes. It's about two to four months longer, starting earlier especially in the south and east, Watkins said. "The fires over the last three months are unprecedented in their timing and severity, started earlier in spring and covered a wider area across many parts of Australia," said David Karoly, leader of climate change hub at Australia's National Environmental science Program. "The normal peak fire season is later in summer and we are yet to have that." In this satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel imagery, 2020 twitter page dated Dec. 31, 2019, shows wildfires burning across Australia.AP Q: Is weather, not just long-term climate, a factor? A: Yes. In September, Antarctica's sudden stratospheric warming sort of the southern equivalent of the polar vortex changed weather conditions so that Australia's normal weather systems are farther north than usual, Watkins said. That means since mid-October there were persistent strong westerly winds bringing hot dry air from the interior to the coast, making the fire weather even riskier for the coasts. "With such a dry environment, many fires were started by dry lightning events (storms that brought lightning but limited rainfall)," Watkins said. Q: Are people starting these fires? Is it arson? A: It's too early to tell the precise cause of ignition because the fires are so recent and officials are spending time fighting them, Flannigan said. While people are a big factor in causing fires in Australia, it's usually accidental, from cars and trucks and power lines, Flannigan said. Usually discarded cigarettes don't trigger big fires, but when conditions are so dry, they can, he said. Q: Are these fires triggering thunderstorms? A: Yes. It's an explosive storm called pyrocumulonimbus and it can inject particles as high as 10 miles into the air. During a fire, heat and moisture from the plants are released, even when the fuel is relatively dry. Warm air is less dense than cold air so it rises, releasing the moisture and forming a cloud that lifts and ends up a thunderstorm started by fire. It happens from time to time in Australia and other parts of the world, including Canada, Flannigan said. "These can be deadly, dangerous, erratic and unpredictable," he said. In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, aerial photo, wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale, Australia. Thousands of tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south. (Glen Morey via AP)AP Q: Are the Australian trees prone to burning? A: Eucalyptus trees are especially flammable, "like gasoline on a tree," Flannigan said. Chemicals in them make them catch fire easier, spread to the tops of trees and get more intense. Eucalyptus trees were a big factor in 2017 fires in Portugal that killed 66 people, he said. Q: How can you fight these huge fires? A: You don't. They're just going to burn in many places until they hit the beach, Flannigan said. This level of intensity, direct attack is useless, Flannigan said. "You just have to get out of the way... It really is spitting on a campfire. Its not doing any good. Q: Whats the long-term fire future look like for Australia? A: "The extreme fire season in Australia in 2019 was predicted," said Australian National University climate scientist Nerilie Abram. "The question that we need to ask is how much worse are we willing to let this get? This is what global warming of just over 1 degree C looks like. Do we really want to see the impacts of 3 degrees or more are like, because that is the trajectory we are on." ___ Seth Borenstein of The Associated Press wrote this story. Follow Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Once implemented, Rishad Premji will be one of the youngest business leaders to don the role of non-executive chairman at a large cap Indian company. Rishad Premji is likely to become the non-executive chairman at Wipro Limited as the Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (Sebi) directive on separation of chairman and CEO roles comes into effect from April 1. According to sources, Wipros board, which is scheduled to meet on January 14, is expected to take a decision in this regard. "The shareholder resolution brought out at annual general meeting (AGM) on June, 2019, is visibly clear. "The company has spelt it out clearly that in view of the (Sebi) provisions, Rishad (Premji) will move to the role of non-executive chairman," said Amit Tandon, founder & MD of corporate governance and proxy advisory firm IiAS. The IT firm has even spelt out what will be compensation in the non-executive role. "So, unless there is any change, he is likely to move to non-executive chairman role." The AGM notice sent out to shareholders in June also said if the new directive didn't come to effect, Rishad Premji would continue as the executive chairman. In response to a mail sent by Business Standard, a company spokesperson said, "Wipro will comply with all applicable regulatory norms." To boost corporate governance, Sebi mandated a separation in the roles of chairperson and managing director. The directive also said the chairperson should be a non-executive director and not related to the managing director or the CEO of the company. Once implemented, Rishad Premji will be one of the youngest business leaders to don the role of non-executive chairman at a large cap Indian company. Wipro, which has a market capitalisation of around Rs 1.45 trillion, is Indias fourth largest IT services company. The 42-year-old took over the reins of chairmanship from his father and founder Azim Premji in July. Currently, Azim Premji and his family own about 74 per cent stake in the firm. After an MBA at the Harvard Business School, Rishad Premji worked with GE Capital and Bain & Co, before joining Wipro in 2007. He has performed multiple roles at the firm, from heading investor relations to strategy, before taking over the chairmanship. Persons close to him said he is a quick decision-maker, who provides a strategic direction to Wipro in new business areas. They also said Rishad Premjis move to a non-executive role will not impact business operations, as he would continue to give strategic direction as chairman. As a founder and voice of the industry (being the former chairman of Nasscom), his experience and knowledge will come in handy to provide right direction to the Indian IT sector," said Pareekh Jain, founder of Pareekh Consulting. Photograph: PTI Photo Intelligence Ministry: Gen Soleimani assassination not to go unanswered IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iranian Intelligence Ministry in a statement released on the sad occasion of the assassination of the Commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani said criminal US' act will not go unanswered. The Global Arrogance has revealed its support of terrorists by committing this cruel crime, the statement reads. Intelligence Ministry warned the US and its allies to be aware of the fact that killing Iranians and Iraqi martyrs who had committed no crime but destroying US-led Daesh will make two nations more united. Intelligence forces will spare no efforts for taking revenge of the US terrorists. The Commander of the IRGC Quds Forces and Deputy Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as the Hash al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars early Friday morning when they were targeted and assassinated. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. The IRGC confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 16:58:11|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Attorney General Bob Ferguson of the U.S. state of Washington on Friday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider a lower court decision that challenged a popular healthcare law signed by former U.S. President Barack Obama. Ferguson said the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or better known as Obamacare, which Obama signed into law in March 2010, is needed by Washington residents to protect their health. "Without the Affordable Care Act, hundreds of thousands of hardworking Washingtonians will lose access to affordable health care coverage, and many more will face devastating cost increases," Ferguson said. More than 800,000 Washingtonians depend on the ACA for their health care, according to his office. Ferguson said that the rate of people who had no medical insurance has dropped by 60 percent in Washington since the ACA took effect about 10 years ago. He warned that if the ACA is eliminated, more than 600,000 people enrolled in the ACA's Medicaid program would lose coverage, and patients would "be subject to annual and lifetime limits to their health benefits." Washington joined a coalition of 20 Democratic-led states to seek review of a decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which ruled part of the law was unconstitutional, without final words on whether its remaining provisions were valid or not. The lawsuit went back to the Northern District of Texas, where Republican-led states challenged the law and wanted to have it repealed. Esther N McCarthy courts cool cushions and gets a hoot out of a stool inspired by nature this week. Perfect for a small space in the hallway or bedroom, this is the Argos Home Skandi Bar Table, 150. www.argos.ie IKEA has started sharing their spring collections, this KIVIK three-seat sofa caught my eye. Im loving the citrus zing going on here. Its 450, with the SAGALIE, cushion cover coming in at 8. www.ikea.com/ie DFS research reveals that blue is the top decorating colour for living rooms in Ireland apparently we associate it with positive emotions. So its no surprise that the Dulux Colour of the Year for 2020 is Tranquil Dawn. Fans of this gentle colour, which tends to change shade depending on what it is teamed with, will be interested to hear that the So Simple Tom three-seater sofa (779) and So Simple Tom armchair (689) in Simply Velvet will be available in Tranquil Dawn from January 14. www.dfs.ie For my monochrome moment this week, its this Tom Dixon swirl cone hook, yours for 69.90 from Amara. www.amara.com Ooh, this is one of those statement pieces youd work a whole room around. Loving the offbeat fabric, the bold colours, and the simple design. Its the Ivy stool from Portuguese brand, Hoot. They ship to Ireland and price is by request on the website, hoot.pt Debenhams have this cool geometric textured cotton cushion by Matthew Williamson in store at the moment. I love the combo of dark turquoise and gold, its 40. See www.debenhams.ie Want fresh bins without the worry of damaging the environment with bleach? DeOdour Chemical Free from VivaGreen is an eco-friendly product made from natural minerals, and works by binding odour molecules to eliminate bad smells in bins. It is suitable for all bins, including organic bins and home composters. It comes in a 400g shaker bottle (approx. 40 uses) and is available in Dunnes Stores nationwide, with an RRP of 4.90. For more information on this Irish company, see www.vivagreengroup.com On the Bathroom Shelf this week, we have one for the lads, Eternity Calvin Klein Eau de Parfum for men. Eau, says you, very fancy. This fragrance has been on the shelves since last October and is the first Eau de Parfum for men in the fragrance portfolio and the first mens only launch. The scent maintains a signature fougere essence introducing a modern woody note with sage providing a crisp freshness while the cypress creates that masculine mid-note. 50ml of the spray is 59, and 100ml is 77, available from Arnotts. Seoul, Jan 4 : North Korea's official newspaper said on Saturday that Pyongyang would not maintain an attachment to seeking the lifting of the currently imposed international sanctions and instead overcome hurdles through a self-reliant approach. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, reported that having an illusion of establishing peace with enemies will lead to self-destruction, and added the country will not have a lingering attachment to easing sanctions, reports Yonhap News Agency. North Korea also claimed that it does not believe that Washington will ever leave Pyongyang in peace, adding that the US will not change its imperialist nature. The newspaper added that Pyongyang would make efforts to find ways to incapacitate such sanctions, rather than waiting for their abolishment. Earlier this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a four-day plenary meeting of the Workers' Party Central Committee and discussed policy directions on key domestic and diplomatic issues. During the party session, Kim said he saw no reason to stick to his earlier commitment to suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests, warning of a "new strategic weapon" to show off to the world. The rare multi-day party plenum took place amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula ahead of the year-end deadline Pyongyang set for Washington to come up with a new agreeable proposal in their negotiations. The targeted killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani and four others in a precision strike by an MQ-9 Reaper drone at Baghdad International Airport was an impressive display of American military prowess. And it liquidated a destabilizing figure: The general was the commander of the Quds Force, which is responsible for Irans covert and extraterritorial military operations. In the scheme of things, he had it coming. Yet killing him made little strategic sense for the United States. In some ways, the most significant thing about his death is what it shows about the breakdown of American foreign policymaking. President Trump ordered the strike directly, prompted by the death of an American contractor on Dec. 27 in a rocket attack by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-sponsored Iraqi Shia militia. Mr. Trump did not bother to consult congressional leaders. As with his other displays of martial fiat, his immediate impulse was probably to shock the liberal domestic audience, vicariously make himself feel tough, and assert raw executive power by going around the normal channels of decision making. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama had considered taking out General Suleimani but rejected it not for lack of nerve, but for fear of undue escalation and an unnecessary war with Iran. The fundamental facts on the ground have not changed, and in the kind of robust interagency, national security decision-making process that the National Security Council staff is supposed to supervise, such concerns would have been systematically raised, dissected and discussed, and a consensus reached to inform presidential action. No such process seems to have occurred here. The Pentagon has claimed, facilely, that General Suleimani was hit because the Revolutionary Guard was planning attacks on American targets in the region. But in a proper interagency review, the intelligence community could have pointed out that decapitation is a patently unreliable means of pre-emption particularly when the organization in question is the Revolutionary Guard, an integral part of a well-honed security state with considerable depth of command talent. Barack Obama spoke with frustration in November at one of the worlds largest tech conferences, Dreamforce, about an opportunity that most businesses seemed to be misunderstanding: diversity. Diversity is not charity. It is not something you do to be nice, Obama said in a keynote interview with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. If youre running a business right now and youve got no African-American or Latino or Asian-American people, if you dont have diversity around that table, you are missing a market. You are misunderstanding how your message is being received. He had a similar message about having women in leadership roles, saying its been proven that organizations that have a bunch of women on their boards do better. They make more money, they get in less trouble, theyre more successful. The comments were met with roaring applause at the 170,000-attendee conference in San Francisco, in which aligning business impact with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, including gender equality, was a ubiquitous theme. The goals, agreed upon by the United Nations General Assembly (the only UN branch in which each of the 193 member nations has equal representation) in 2015, have become a call to action for organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. In the private sector, the response to such an appeal has typically been one-off donations or nationwide fundraising campaigns. But with just a decade to go until the 2030 deadline, that wont be enough to move the dial. Companies will need to change their DNA, and socially conscious employees, customers, and job seekers now have benchmarks they can use to measure that change. In a Dreamforce session titled The $12 trillion opportunity behind the SDGs, film director Richard Curtis, actress Robin Wright, and UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka appealed to the audience to hold their employers responsible for promoting initiatives that serve and ending initiatives that conflict with the UNs sustainable development goals. The consumer is now starting to understand how fundamentally businesses are the shape of the world, Curtis said. So suddenly my children are thinking about what clothes they buy, and what affect the clothes have on society. Theyre starting to think about the food they eat, and where that food came from. We are shifting now to a time of, as it were, responsible social corporations, he added. And thats what were really asking of everybody here, because you have an ability to pursue profit and success, but at the same time genuinely and fundamentally be part of an absolutely transformative generation. Curtis drew attention to company RRSP funds and pension plans that have employees unknowingly invested in companies whose products harm people or the environment. A report from Corporate Knights revealed in 2015 that the Canadian Pension Plan, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, and OMERS among the worlds largest pension plans not only have a significant percentage of their funds invested in coal, oil and gas companies, but that they also lost out on more than $7 billion collectively because of those fossil fuel investments. The CPP, and several other major Canadian investment firms, also have holdings in the U.S. gun industry. Aside from exploring group savings plans, there are several questions you can ask a company to gauge its commitment to making a profit with purpose in mind. Are they paying employees of different genders and ethnicities who are doing the same job equally? Are they partnering with unethical organizations? Are they harming the environment through wasteful energy use or pollution? Do their philanthropic activities have a thoughtful long-term goal, or are they temporary and self-serving? Do they seek to monopolize or see the value in healthy partnerships? But the biggest question is whether there is an effort being made to align core business goals with sustainable development goals. These efforts are already being made in Canadas biggest companies. Torontos financial behemoths, for example, have launched funds focused on socially responsible investing (SRI) that are both ethical and profitable. RBC and Mackenzie Investments have an ETF and mutual fund, respectively, focused on companies that promote gender diversity among senior leadership. Manulife Investment Management launched a conscious investing platform called COIN in March that allows its partners and customers to invest based on values, such as a desire for more climate action or gender equality. TD Bank grouped the sustainable development goals its targeting by overarching goals, such as financial security and vibrant planet. Their effort in 2018 for reducing poverty included financial literacy initiatives that reached hundreds of thousands of people across North America and the restructuring of $78 million in loans that eased payments for thousands of Canadian customers facing financial hardship. We are looking at how we can align our business, philanthropy, and colleagues to maximize the impact that we can have in driving positive, measurable change for the communities and people we serve, said Rachel Guthrie, head of ESG reporting and impact measurement at TD. We are creating and supporting opportunities for employees to engage in communities across North America, ultimately contributing to the broader global impact narrative of the SDGs. Other examples of companies aligning their core businesses with the sustainable development goals include Lululemon, which contributes to the UNs responsible consumption and production goal through sustainable packaging, BlackBerry, which targeted the industry, innovation and infrastructure goal through making its secure internet of things technology compatible with any operating system in any country, and Telus, which runs a Health for Good program that funds mobile health clinics in marginalized Canadian communities. The core to the SDGs is accountability, where responsibility is shared between leaders and employees, said Chandran Fernando, managing partner of Toronto-based company Matrix360 and member of Global Compact Network Canadas advisory council. When you are clear and transparent with your business mission you will attract and retain employees and partners who are aligned to the sustainability of business. This refocusing isnt limited to the private sector. Public and non-profit sector leaders in government, health, and education, incentivized by Canadian and international funding and partnership opportunities, are also being forced to examine how their work aligns with the 2030 goals. This isnt to endorse every company, non-profit, or government body that is actively promoting its sustainable development goal focus. After all, a company publicly targeting four or five SDGs could privately be in direct conflict with six or seven of them. Also, while these goals provide a more objective framework with which to judge your employers social and environmental impact, the prioritization of SDGs can be deeply personal. A young woman who believes the fate of the world rests in quality education may be able to live with the fact that her companys leadership team is composed exclusively of older men, as long as the company supports her goal. Someone who grew up in a community with limited access to clean water might turn down an offer from a socially responsible company if theyve been linked to a contamination scandal. But again, the most significant indicator that a company is set on doing well by doing good isnt the specific SDG its aiming at, its the genuine stated belief by leadership that committing to the goals isnt just socially responsible, its good business. That belief, and the actions that follow, can attract a sustainable stream of investors, partners, customers, and, perhaps most importantly, talent especially when it comes to millennials. Regardless of where your employer or potential employer is in this transformation, the burden is on each of us in 2020 to ask these questions and, if necessary, initiate the change ourselves. Stephen Baldwin is a freelance technology and business writer and a product manager at Imagine Canada. The opinions expressed here are his own. The UNs 17 sustainable development goals The goals below, agreed upon by all UN member states in 2015, are intended to provide a blueprint for global prosperity in 2030. There are specific targets associated with each goal. No poverty Zero hunger Good health and well-being Quality education Gender equality Clean water and sanitation Affordable and clean energy Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation, and infrastructure Reducing inequality Sustainable cities and communities Responsible consumption and production Climate action Life below water Life on land Peace, justice, and strong institutions Partnerships for the goals Read more about: Former Air Force chief BS Dhanoa on Saturday termed S-400 missile system as a 'game-changer' and stressed the need to speed up the defence acquisition process. "I have always said that S-400 is a game-changer ... It is a very good deal by the government to get S-400," Dhanoa said at an event here on Saturday. India signed a USD 5.43-billion deal with Russia for the purchase of five S-400 systems during the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in New Delhi on October 5 last year for long-term security needs. The missile systems will be delivered by early 2021, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov. The former IAF chief said that defence deals should not be dragged into as it delays the process. "See, for example, the Bofors deal case -- it's a very good gun but the whole thing got mired in controversy," he said. Batting to accelerate the defence purchase process, he said: "You have many agencies that do audits in the deal, slowing down defence modernisation as a consequence." Dhanoa reiterated that "things would have been different" if Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman were flying Rafale fighter jet and not MIG21 during the dogfight with Pakistani jets after Balakot airstrike last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: Five persons in Jammu and Kashmir, including two security forces officers, a journalist, a professor and a BJP spokesperson, are under the target of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) as the Pakistan-based terror group is planning to assassinate them, according to a report. ThePrint reported that the inputs have been provided to all security agencies by the Multi Agency Centre, a coordination authority under the Union Home Ministry. The report, attributing to the inputs, claimed that JeM terrorist Adil Gulzar had organised a meeting in Pakharpur in Budgam district of Kashmir in December, along with an unidentified foreign terrorist. They are said to be targeting a senior superintendent of police, a doctor with one of the paramilitary forces, a journalist, a professor and a BJP spokesperson. The report comes months after security sources revealed that Pakistan was planning to push 100 hardcore terrorists from Afghanistan into Kashmir to carry out attacks as part of its "larger design" to create unrest in the Valley. News agency PTI in August last year, reported that around 15 Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were already waiting at terror launch-pads in Lipa valley along the Line of Control (LoC) on the Pakistani side to infiltrate in Kashmir. According to intelligence inputs, Pakistan-based terror groups may target vital installations in several key Indian cities in the next few weeks, sources said. Pakistan's plan is to trigger series of terror attacks in Kashmir to project to the international community that situation in the Valley is fast deteriorating following India's decision to withdraw special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two union territories. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been making provocative statements targeting India following its decisions on Kashmir, and even suggested that a Pulwama-like terror attack may take place again. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Residents in New South Wales are being urged to use less electricity as the state faces power outages in the midst of violent bushfires. NSW energy minister Matt Kean made the announcement on Saturday afternoon after transmission lines from power stations were lost in the Snowy Mountains due to fires. 'Asking everyone to reduce unnecessary electricity usage. Please turn off pool pumps, lights in unoccupied rooms and avoid using washing machines and dishwashers,' Mr Kean tweeted. Mr Kean said due to bushfires destroying the lines, power supplies into the state have been tightened and the whole electricity network has been affected. He said the power is expected to be impacted from around 6pm on Saturday night. Energy minister Matt Kean urged NSW residents to reduce their electricity use after the Snowy Mountains region lost transmission lines Residents in New South Wales have been urged to cut back on electricity after transmission lines were lost from fires in the Snowy Mountains (pictured: bushfire in Batemans Bay, NSW) New South Wales is also unable to receive Victoria's backup supply of electricity. This will see a loss of 1,000 megawatts of power - around 10 per cent of the state's total power supply, 7 News reported. Ausgrid announced that power had been cut off to homes in Fletcher and Wallsend in Newcastle, around 8pm on Saturday. Around 10,000 people are also without power in Greenacre Park, Punchbowl and Chatswood in Sydney, Empire Bay on the Central Coast and Maryland in Newcastle. Ausgrid said they had recovered electricity to 5,000 customers on Saturday night. 'There may be a need to turn off power in parts of the network to keep the overall system secure,' Mr Kean said. 'The Australian Energy Market Operator, TransGrid and the NSW and ACT governments are working closely to keep power supplies on, but due to today's weather conditions as we approach the evening peak there may be a need to turn off power in parks of the network to keep the overall system secure.' Mr Kean also urged people to turn their air conditioning up by a few degrees to reduce power usage. In Batesman Bay, on the South Coast, more than 30,000 people lost power with outages expected to continue across the state. Earlier this week in areas along the South Coast, ATMs lost power causing desperate evacuees to steal food and petrol from stores. In Sussex Inlet, people were stealing off the shelves of grocery stores as they had no cash and eftpos machines were down. Drivers were queued up at fuel stations in Batesman Bay for hours only to find out cash was only being accepted. One manager of a petrol station said one in eight drivers were leaving without paying. The bushfire season has so far taken the lives of 23 people. More than 1,500 homes have been destroyed - 1,365 in NSW alone - with 311 fires still ravaging the parched land. Firefighters tackle a bushfire in thick smoke in the town of Moruya, south of Batemans Bay, where residents were told to evacuate In a grave warning issued on Saturday afternoon, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was as bad as the dire projections predicted - but the worst was yet to come. 'In relation to the projections we had this morning, unfortunately they are coming to fruition,' she said. 'We are in for a long night and I make no bones about that. We are in for a long night and we have still to hit the worst of it.' More than 3,000 firefighters are on the frontline, with 31 specialist strike teams in place across NSW as firefighters warn some towns cannot be defended. Tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers have already fled the fire zones with many sheltering at evacuation points deemed safe by authorities. The military has also been supporting the fire response, with about 1,200 people evacuated from the Victorian coastal town of Mallacoota by navy vessels on Friday. A company that spurned talent it badly needed couldn't thrive. The same is true for a country. But that isn't stopping the Trump administration from blithely driving foreign students into the open arms of other countries with its ill-advised immigration policies. For three years in a row, the number of new foreign students enrolling in American universities has fallen. In the 2015-16 academic year, 300,743 new foreign students enrolled. That number dropped to 269,383 in 2018-19, a decline of 10.4 percent as per the data of Open Doors, the Institute of International Education's (IIE) annual report that tracks university enrollments. Nor is the situation likely to improve in the academic year currently underway given that a snapshot survey of 500 universities by the IIE this fall found declining enrollment although full stats won't be available until later in 2020. When enrollments initially started plummeting, many people blamed external factors like better educational opportunities at home or Saudi Arabia's decision to yank government scholarships from Saudi students studying abroad rather than this administration's anti-immigration agenda. While other things might have had an effect on the margin, if they were the main cause, then other countries would be experiencing a decline too. The opposite is the case. National Foundation for American Policy's Stuart Anderson points out that Canada has been attracting a record number of international students in recent years. In 2017, it experienced a 20 percent spike and then another 16 percent the following year, a phenomenon that Canadians call the "Trump bump." Meanwhile, Australia experienced a whopping 47 percent increase in new foreign students between 2015 and 2018. In particular, America is losing Chinese students while Australia is gaining them. One likely reason is that Trump has called them all spies (an absurd accusation given that that 9 out of 10 would prefer to stay on and work in America rather than return to the communist dictatorship) and threatened to ban them from the country in a naked bid to force Beijing to succumb to his trade demands. Trump didn't make good on that threat but, in 2018, he capped their visa stay to one year at a time rather than allowing them to stay for the maximum time allowed. This not only made Chinese students feel unwelcome in the United States but also made it more precarious for them to pursue an education here lest they lose their visas before finishing their program. Story continues In addition, his travel ban has of course barred foreign students from Iran and various Muslim countries. He has also proposed rules that would make it easier to brand foreign students as being "unlawfully present" and to ban them from the country for 10 years. The courts have put this rule on hold for now but the uncertainty can hardly make American universities attractive. Trump has also doubled down on sting operations to crack down on visa fraud. Last year ICE arrested 250 foreign students, mostly from India, whom it lured into the University of Farmington, a fake university that it set up in metro Detroit. For tuition fees much lower than normal, this university handed these students transcripts to satisfy the terms of their visas and, more importantly, obtain CPT (Curricular Practical Training) status. This status lets the foreign students sign up for a paid internship off campus and offset their steep tuition costs, a tempting deal because it enables them to work for more than 20 hours and get off-campus jobs. Many foreign students quit legitimate universities to join this fake one only to get caught in ICE's dragnet. But it's not just draconian enforcement tactics that are turning away foreign students. The administration's immigration policies are also making an American education an unattractive value proposition compared to other countries. Trump is doing everything in his power to make it more difficult for foreign students to work in America after they graduate, making the high-cost of an American education a bad investment. Right now, international students in highly coveted STEM fields can obtain something called the Optional Practical Training visa to work in the country for 36 months after graduation. This allows them to recover some of their tuition costs before returning home. Trump is proposing rules to cut this back dramatically. Likewise, his administration is also making it more difficult for foreign techies to work in the country long-term by rejecting new H-1B visa applications at a historically high rate. And he is making it much more difficult for those who have these visas to renew them. This is the exact opposite of what Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said the country should be doing when he ran for the presidency in 2012. He had promised to staple green cards not just H-1Bs to the diplomas of foreign graduates, especially in STEM fields, because it made no sense for America to lose American-trained talent to other countries. Instead, it is Canada that is running with Romney's suggestion. It is handing foreign graduates from Canadian universities many additional points when they apply for permanent residency so that they just stay in Canada rather than return to their native countries. Turning away foreign students is particularly stupid not only because we need their skills but also their tuition dollars. Over 66 percent of them, especially undergraduates, pay top dollars for their education from out-of-pocket or through outside sources, allowing universities to subsidize tuition costs for American students. Many international graduate students, meanwhile, provide teaching and research services in exchange for a tuition reprieve, especially in STEM fields, something that allows universities to offer a more cost-effective education than if they had to hire faculty for the same jobs. Furthermore, foreign students contribute $37 billion to the American economy and create or support 450,000 jobs, according to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers, an outfit that promotes the professional development of American college officials. Indeed, without them, the shortage of Americans in STEM fields would become even more acute because there wouldn't be enough people to train Americans, generating a downward spiral of STEM scarcity. But the most vital contributions of international students are intangible. Had it not been for them, America may not have spearheaded the IT revolution. That's because 57 percent of Silicon Valley's STEM workers were born outside the country and many of them came to the United States as students and stayed on. Many iconic IT companies such as Microsoft and Google are currently being headed by foreigners who came to America as graduate students. Instead of draining the swamp, Trump is draining talent from America that other countries are eagerly sucking up. This is a formula for making them great, not America. Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here. More stories from theweek.com The booming stock market shows America is diseased UK judge rules ethical veganism a protected 'philosophical belief' Fox News segment on Soleimani strike descends into chaos as Geraldo Rivera and Brian Kilmeade clash Mega projects on hold until August budget By Damith Wickremasekara Drop in revenue after tax reductions prevents spending on major constructions View(s): View(s): The Government has decided to put on hold all major projects, including construction of roads and buildings, until the presentation of a budget in August this year, a senior Treasury official said. The decision has been conveyed to ministries on the grounds that no allocation of funds will be available for the projects until a budget is presented. The move would mean that ongoing construction of state buildings, including schools, hospitals, roads, and other public buildings, will be put on hold whether they are at the preliminary or final stages. The Government also has put on hold obtaining of loans from international agencies as it is not in a position to meet the local component of the project. This is a requirement in obtaining such loans. The official explained that the Governments decision to provide concessions by reducing the Value Added Tax and the Nation Building Tax had resulted in a drop in state revenue and this had prevented spending on major projects. He said that some of the allocations left over from the former governments projects such as the Enterprise Sri Lanka and Gamperaliya would be used for the newly launched Sapirigamak programme. But the expenses will be minimal and it will be about Rs. 2 million a project. A senior Budget Department official said the Vote on Account which was passed by the former Government would be effective until April this year. A second Vote on Account would be presented by the President after the dissolution of Parliament and it would be effective for the next three months until July. In August the next budget would be presented covering expenses for the entire year, while the 2021 budget would be presented in November. The official explained that the 2020 budget could not be presented as a new government elected to power would have to implement programmes of the previous government. Development Bank and Loan Schemes State Minister Shehan Semasinghe told the Sunday Times it was due to the fault of the previous government that a proper budget could not be presented. We could have minimised delays in completion of projects if the previous government had presented a budget for 2020, he added. THOMASTON During its 2019 annual meeting, Thomaston Savings Bank announced several employee promotions and new roles within the Bank. We are always pleased to promote employees and to see them seamlessly transition into new roles. We invest a great deal into our employee culture and experience with the intent of growing and advancing our staff, said Stephen L. Lewis, president and CEO. For me, and the Banks leadership as a whole, seeing our employees embrace their roles, develop within them, and rise to new levels within our organization is a great success. Marissa McGee was promoted to Vice President, Senior Operations Officer. The bank recently merged its Loan Servicing and Operations departments to support strategic goals for improving efficiency and customer experience. Marissa is responsible for providing strategic leadership to all Operations teams, which includes the Contact Center, Deposit Services, Direct Banking, and Loan Servicing. Rene Fisher was promoted to Vice President, Commercial Credit Administration Manager & Fair Lending Officer. Kimberly Curry was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Regional Manager. Patryk Krakowski was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Regional Manager. Whitney Cadett, Marketing Manager, was promoted to Assistant Vice President. Andrea Philips, was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Loan Servicing Officer. Matt Fazo, Project Manager, was promoted to an Officer. Amber Pinette, Financial Advisor, was promoted to an Officer. Amanda Radzunas was promoted to Officer, Branch Manager of the Banks Middlebury office. Anila Raidhi was promoted to Officer, Branch Manager of the Banks Waterbury (Watertown Avenue) office. Gabriel Sousa, Branch Manager of the Banks Bethlehem office, was promoted to an Officer. Established in 1874, Thomaston Savings Bank is one of the strongest state-chartered mutual savings banks in the state. Headquartered in Thomaston, the Bank operates 13 full-service branches throughout western Connecticut, with the 14th branch slated to open before the end of 2019. The cornerstone of their business philosophy is building long lasting relationships with customers by providing financial services of the highest quality and value. For over 140 years, Thomaston Savings Bank has helped support the goals, dreams and future of its customers by remaining committed to community. To learn more about Thomaston Savings Bank and all the services they offer, visit ThomastonSB.com. Chamber to host annual awards breakfast WATERBURY Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2020 Harold Webster Smith Awards Breakfast on Jan. 22, 7:45 to 9:30 a.m. at Aria Wedding & Banquet Facility, 45 Murphy Road, Prospect. The annual awards recognize smaller companies and small business executives who have demonstrated achievement and excellence. The 2020 award recipients are Entrepreneur of the Year, Virginia ORourke Cookson, owner of ORourke & Birch Florist Inc.; Small Business of the Year, Litchfield Distillery, and Manufacturer of the Year, Seidel Inc. Tickets are $35 for Chamber members, $50 for prospective members. To learn more, visit www.waterburychamber.com, call 203-757-0701, or email info@waterburychamber.com. Women & Girls Fund accepting applications TORRINGTON The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation Women & Girls Fund invites nonprofits to apply for grants. Programs that serve women and girls in the development of economic self-sufficiency by means of education, financial literacy and social services are eligible for grants. Applicants may request up to $5,000 for programs and capital needs. The application deadline is Feb. 29. Grant applications can be completed and submitted online at www.northwestcf.org/womenandgirls The Women & Girls Fund was established as a giving circle in 1999 by a small group of women who shared a concern for the real-life needs of local women and girls. The Fund has awarded more than $50,000 to organizations that work to help women and girls develop skills, attain economic security, and improve their quality of life. In recent years, the Women & Girls Fund has awarded grants to support summer internship programs, career-development seminars, and provided laptop computers for educational and employment research. The Fund has also supported child-care scholarships and transportation assistance for working mothers, programs that enhance economic opportunities and promote self-sufficiency for women leaving abusive relationships, and leadership-assertiveness workshops for high school girls. Established in 1969, the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation serves 20 towns in Northwest Connecticut. Its total endowment, comprised of more than 280 funds, has grown from initial assets of $15,000 to more than $110 million. Last year, combined grants and scholarships totaled more than $4 million. HASTINGS, Australia The evacuees walked down the gangway of the giant naval vessel to the dock, each carrying just a few items of luggage. Some held infants and others their dogs, whose legs were still shaky from the 20-hour voyage down the coast of Australia. They were weary, and their clothes smelled of smoke, but the terrible infernos were finally behind them. Four days after a bush fire ravaged the remote coastal town of Mallacoota, forcing people to shelter on the beach under blood-red skies, more than 1,000 stranded residents and vacationers arrived on Saturday in Hastings, a town near Melbourne. The authorities said it was most likely the largest peacetime maritime rescue operation in Australias history. It was also a symbol of a country in perpetual flight from danger during a catastrophic fire season and the challenge the government faces in getting the blazes under control. [Update: 3 U.S. firefighters die in plane crash as Australias blazes intensify.] Searing heat and afternoon winds propelled fires over large swaths of Australia on Saturday, adding to the devastation of a deadly fire season that has now claimed 24 lives. Thousands of people have been evacuated, while many towns and cities under threat were still smoldering from ferocious blazes that ripped through the countryside earlier in the week. What is Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard? By Rikar Hussein, Mehdi Jedinia January 03, 2020 Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump labeled Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization, an unprecedented move that marked the first time the United States had formally named another country's military terrorists. Experts said then that the decision would likely raise to a higher level the strained relationship between the two countries. Here is a look at the history of the IRGC: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, known in Iran as Pasdaran, was founded in April 1979 shortly after the Islamic Revolution and the overthrow of Iran's pro-Western monarch Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The IRGC's core task, as mandated by the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, is to protect the country's Islamic system and revolutionary values. "In principle, the Iranian state could eventually reform itself outside the bounds envisioned by that revolution, in spite of the numerous constitutional safeguards Khomeini set up, to include clerical oversight of the elected government," said Brad Patty, a former U.S. army adviser and analyst. "In practice, the IRGC exists to ensure that never happens. The population of Iran may wish what it will, but they are meant to live in terror of the IRGC." Structure The IRGC today has become a major military, political and economic player in Iran, with an estimated 150,000-strong military consisting of ground forces, navy and air units. It is also in charge of the country's ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. Organizationally, the IRGC falls under the Joint Armed Forces General Staff as a part of the Ministry of Defense. But the military remains subordinate to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with elected civilian authorities exercising no real control, according to the international policy organization Counter Extremism Project. Internally, the IRGC also commands the Basij Resistance Force, a religious volunteer group that channels popular support to the regime and suppresses domestic dissent. The paramilitary force monitors compliance with the country's strict customs, such as arresting women who violate the regime's public dress codes and raiding Western-style parties where alcohol may be served. Externally, the IRGC uses its shadowy Quds Force, that was led by Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and proxy Shi'ite militias, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah, to extend its influence across the Middle East and beyond. International activities and ties The elite Quds Force was created during the Iran-Iraq War in 1980 and has about 15,000 personnel. The group has been involved in Middle East conflicts for decades either directly or by providing support to pro-Iranian militias and governments, particularly in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, the Palestinian territories and Afghanistan. More recently, the Quds Force was crucial to the Syrian civil war by supporting President Bashar al-Assad against the rebels. In Iraq, the group played a key role in helping the Shiite-dominated government in the fight against IS and thwarting a Kurdish bid for independence. The Quds Force is also considered the lifeline of Houthi rebels in their struggle against the internationally recognized government in Yemen. World designations The U.S. designated the Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism as early as 2007, followed by Canada in 2012. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, two key neighboring rivals to Iran, designated IRGC a terror entity in 2018. The United Nations and the European Union have refrained from designating the IRGC as a terror entity but have blacklisted key individuals of the force, including its leader Qassem Soleimani. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 03:51:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite militia Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH) warned Saturday the Iraqi security forces to move away from the U.S. bases with no less than 1,000 meters starting from Sunday. Abu Ali al-Askari, security leader of KH tweeted that "brothers in the Iraqi security services must stay away from the bases of the American enemy for a distance of no less than a thousand meters, starting from Sunday evening." "The leaders of the security services must abide by the safety rules of their fighters and not allow them to be a human shield," al-Askari said. The Iraqi parliament is scheduled to hold an emergency session to discuss the consequences of the killing of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces by a U.S. drone airstrike. Al-Askari's announcement came after two attacks targeting U.S. forces in Baghdad's Green Zone which houses the U.S. embassy, and a military air base housing U.S. troops in Salahudin province. The attacks took place after a U.S. drone attack ordered by President Donald Trump killed Soleimani and al-Muhandis near Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the United States over Soleimani's death. Over 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against Islamic State (IS) militants, mainly providing training and advising to the Iraqi forces. The troops are part of the U.S.-led international coalition that has been conducting air raids against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria. Wikimedia Commons Washington/Sputnik/UNI: US forces in conjunction with their Somali counterparts conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants reportedly killing 3 terrorists in the process, Africa Command said in a press release. "In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists who engaged Somali National Army partner forces on patrol near Bacaw, Somalia," the release said. "At this time, it is assessed this precision airstrike killed three militants." The airstrike comes a day after at least three people were killed and three others were injured in an alleged terrorist attack on a bus carrying more than 40 passengers in Kenya. No group claimed responsibility, but the ambush is reminiscent to similar attacks by al-Shabaab militants along the bus route. Somalia has been engulfed in violence since the eruption of a civil war between clan-based armed groups in the early 1990s. The situation has been further complicated by al-Shabaab militants, who are staging numerous attacks across the country in an attempt to impose a radical version of Sharia law in the country and have conducted numerous attacks against non-Muslims near the Kenyan-Somali border. A group of 133 Hindu pilgrims from Pakistan on Saturday visited the Shree Jagannath Temple here. The pilgrims included 70 male, 50 female, and 13 children, who reached here on Friday night. They visited the Shree Jagannath Temple and took the blessings of the Trinity Lords. The delegation will leave for Varanasi on Sunday, one of the members said, adding that they had left Pakistan on December 27. They had been to Mathura before reaching here. "It was a long-cherished desire to have darshan of Lord Jagannath. We got the visa with much difficulty. We thank the Indian government for facilitating our visit," said a devotee from Pakistan. Another woman visitor said, "I prayed before the Lord that the relation between India and Pakistan gets normalised so that we get visa easily to visit Puri and offer prayers to the deities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Photo: Dirty Habit/Yelp Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right this minute? We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp and SafeGraph, a dataset of commercial points of interest and their visitor patterns, to analyze which restaurants have been getting extra notice this month. To find out who made the list, we first looked at Washington businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance. Then we analyzed foot traffic data from SafeGraph to validate the trends. Read on to see which spots are riding a trend this winter. Emilies Photo: Puloma D./Yelp Open since October, this New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp. Citywide, New American spots saw a median 1.2% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Emilies saw an 80.6% increase, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to four stars today. It's not the only trending outlier in the New American category: Central has seen a 0.4% increase in reviews, and Bar Louie in Gallery Place and Flight Wine Bar have seen 1.9% and 0.8% increases, respectively. Located at 1101 Pennsylvania Ave. SE in Capitol Hill, Emilies features shared plates, including ricotta cavatelli, beef tartare with cured egg yolk and crab fat mustard, ranch fried chicken and pork blade steak. Emilies is open from 510 p.m. on Tuesday-Thursday, 5 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 5 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday.) Morton's Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about downtown's Morton's, a franchise of the well-known chain, the popular steakhouse and traditional American spot has been getting a lot more foot traffic lately. Story continues While Morton's stayed on par with the median 1.1% increase in new reviews businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp over the past month, maintaining a mixed three-star rating, the number of visitors to Morton's more than tripled over the same time frame, according to SafeGraph's foot traffic data. "What began in Chicago in 1978 is now one of the most award-winning steakhouses around," the business' Yelp page states. "For over 30 years, Morton's has been on a mission to provide the best steak... anywhere." Its Yelp page continues, "With fresh, succulent seafood and famed USDA prime-aged steak, it's no surprise that Morton's has thrilled diners all over the world." Open at 1050 Connecticut Ave. NW since 1996, Morton's specializes in prime steaks and chops. It also serves seafood, poultry, wine, beer and craft cocktails. Morton's is open from 11:30 a.m.10 p.m. on weekdays, 510 p.m. on Saturday and 59 p.m. on Sunday. According to SafeGraph, foot traffic is heaviest at noon, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and on Fridays and Thursdays, with a slowdown on Sundays. Dirty Habit Photo: dirty habit/Yelp Dirty Habit in the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Penn Quarter is the city's buzziest cocktail bar by the numbers. The popular cocktail bar, diner and brunch spot, which opened at 555 Eighth St. NW in 2016, increased its new review count by 0.5% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.1% for the Yelp category "Cocktail Bars." As for foot traffic, Dirty Habit saw visits more than double over the past month, according to SafeGraph data. Here's more about the business, from its history section on Yelp: "Ideally situated as the centerpiece of D.C.'s Hotel Monaco, Dirty Habit proffers a vivid social scene centered around expertly crafted cocktails, an innovative social plates menu, urban chic design and a dramatic patio." What does this business focus on? "Cocktails and small plates," according to its Yelp page. It's not the only trending outlier in the cocktail bar category: Saint Yves has seen a 2.9% increase in reviews, and Thai Chef Street Food and Baan Thai have seen 3.6% and 1.3% increases, respectively. A variety of craft cocktails are on offer, as well as dinner entrees that include Amish chicken, steamed turbot and prime ribeye steak. Dirty Habit is open from 7 a.m.11 p.m. daily. According to SafeGraph, it usually gets busy at 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., and on Saturdays and Fridays, so go on Sundays if you want to avoid the rush. Milk & Honey Photo: my n./Yelp And finally, Brightwood's well-established Milk & Honey is currently on the upswing in the breakfast and brunch category on Yelp. While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 1.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, this breakfast and brunch spot increased its new reviews by 7.4% and kept its rating consistent at four stars. What is the ambience of the restaurant like? "You walk through the doors and immediately feel at home. Every detail was purposeful and carefully planned with the community in mind. ... The venue is uniquely appointed and the catering menu options are plentiful," its Yelp page states. Milk & Honey comes from Food Network chef Sammy Davis and co-owner Monique Rose. Open for business at 5832 Georgia Ave. NW since 2018, Milk & Honey's specialty dishes include Caribbean-style whole red snapper, crab cake Benedict, smothered chicken and biscuits, fried fish and grits and a deep-fried salmon hash. Milk & Honey is open from 10 a.m.8 p.m. on Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.6 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday.) This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. John Sharp/AL.com [Thumbs up] We are sorry to see Texan Julian Castro drop out of the presidential race this week, but the former mayor of San Antonio can be proud of the campaign he ran. Castro led the way on several policy issues, including immigration and police violence, while other Democrats avoided specifics and stuck to platitudes. Maybe he didnt catch on because unlike Andrew Yangs Yang Gang, he never came up with a catchy name for his fans (The Castro Club tested poorly in Florida), or that a guy named ORourke spoke better Spanish than he did, or because he insisted on focusing on the vulnerable and marginalized instead of advocating for the poor billionaires who might lose their third private jet to an Elizabeth Warren administration. Whatever it was, Castro couldnt manage to spark voter interest in a crowded field and donors stayed away. I'm not done fighting. I'll keep working towards a nation where everyone counts. A nation where everyone can get a good job, good health care, and a decent place to live Ganaremos un dia! Castro said in a video released Thursday. That voice will be missed on the campaign trail. [Thumbs down] If the last Texans departure from the presidential field wasnt enough of a blow for the Lone Star State, how about losing out to New York for the sexiest American accent? A survey by Babbel.com which resurfaced this week reminded us that according to Europeans, a Texas twang cant compete with accents in the South, New York, Boston or even Southern California. Perhaps its all that fine wine, rich food or loud street protest, but people in France and Italy ranked a New York accent as their favorite. Youd think having good public health care would mean good hearing for the English and the Swedes, but they somehow prefer the SoCal valley over the Rio Grande Valley. And dont even get us started on the Germans, the Spanish or the Dutch, who would rather hear someone pahk the cah in Hah-vahd yahd than hear of yall findin a real good parkin spot at Rice. We dont want to let such a petty thing as sexy accents sway us, but maybe President Trump was right about our NATO allies after all. The Trump administration has approved resumption of its military training programme for Pakistani security personnel at the American institutions, a top American diplomat said here on Friday. However, the overall security assistance suspension for remains in effect, the diplomat said. President authorized the IMET for Pakistan, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, tweeted on Friday, the day Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke over phone with the Pak Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the situation in the region in the aftermath of the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards. It will "strengthen" military to military cooperation between the two countries on "shared priorities," she said. The Trump administration had in August 2018 suspended the more than a decade-long Military Education and Training (IMET) programme for Pakistani personnel at the US institutions, days after Islamabad and Moscow signed an agreement to allow Pakistani troops to receive training at the Russian defence centres. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 06:49:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close CHICAGO, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures settled sharply lower on Friday as investors locked in profits amid export decline and geopolitical tensions. The most active corn contract for March delivery was down 5 cents, or 1.28 percent, to settle at 3.865 U.S. dollars per bushel. March wheat was down 5.75 cents, or 1.03 percent, to settle at 5.545 dollars per bushel. March soybeans were down 14.75 cents, or 1.54 percent, to close at 9.415 dollars per bushel. CBOT brokers estimated that funds on Friday sold 5,500 contracts of corn, 4,300 contracts of wheat and 7,000 contracts of soybeans. CBOT soybeans, which had gained almost 30 cents since Dec. 20, 2019, fell significantly after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported "marketing-year low" soybean export sales for the period Dec. 20-26. The net soybean sales of 330,300 metric tons for 2019/20 marketing year were down 55 percent from the previous week and 66 percent from the prior four-week average, according to USDA data. The USDA pegged net wheat sales at 312,900 metric tons for 2019/20 marketing year, down 56 percent from the previous week and 46 percent from the prior four-week average. Net corn export sales during the same period reached 531,400 metric tons for 2019/20, down 15 percent from the previous week and 43 percent from the prior four-week average. Rising tensions in the Middle East following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general not only led to the fall of U.S. stock benchmarks, but also pressured CBOT crop futures, said market watchers. "The fund flows are in the direction to reduce risk relative to the U.S. strike against a key Iranian general," wrote AgResource, a Chicago-based agricultural research firm. People left behind in Mallacoota farewell their loved ones aboard HMAS Choules on Friday. Credit:Justin McManus Firefighters The NSW Rural Fire Service and Victoria's Country Fire Authority are running their own donations for those wanting to support the firefighters. They are accepting cash donations only. Donate to the RFS here and the CFA here. Victorian Bushfire Appeal This appeal was launched by the Victorian government in coordination with the Bendigo Banks Community Enterprise Foundation and the Salvation Army. The Community Enterprise Foundation has already raised $2 million from the public, to which the Victorian government pledged an additional $2 million at the weekend. A firefighter battles a blaze near Batemans Bay. Credit:Kate Geraghty The government says 100 per cent of all donations will go to communities in need, "covering the cost of everything from a grocery shop to replacing school uniforms". "The Appeal will also help address the most immediate priorities of communities, including the rescue and rehabilitation of local wildlife," the government says. People are being asked to donate cash, as "monetary donations are quicker, more effective and logistically provide far more flexibility than donations of material items or pre-loved goods". Donate here. A kangaroo flees a bushfire in NSW. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen St Vincent de Paul Society During its bushfire appeal, Vinnies only accepts cash donations. The charity is currently running appeals for victims of bushfires and drought in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. Donate here. Salvation Army The Salvos are also after cash donations and say the logistics of transporting, storing and distributing items in disaster-affected communities is often not practical. "Cash allows Salvation Army emergency services to meet the need as it emerges ... and stay in communities as they rebuild in long-term recovery," the Salvos' Steve Speziale says. "Today at numerous locations we are feeding firefighters and evacuees, and answering the needs of communities devastated by bushfires and we do this with the support of so many Australians." Donate here. Foodbank Cash donations are preferable, but the organisation is also accepting good-quality tinned food (with ring pull), UHT milk, and items that are easy to "grab and go" like muesli bars, cereals, biscuits and pantry staples. Foodbank also accepts pet food and personal hygiene products. Do not donate clothes, razors, medicine, alcohol, clothes or bedding. Drop off between 10am-5pm on the weekend, and between 9am-5pm during the week. If you're in Queensland, Foodbank is accepting donations via their Morningside warehouse from 7am until 3pm Monday through Friday only. Donate here. Wildlife Victoria The group has started a Victorian Bushfire Appeal where donations will be distributed to wildlife shelters and carers across the state affected by the fires. Donate here. World Wildlife Fund WWF Australia is raising money to help restore homes for the koalas when the fires have cleared. More than 2000 koalas have perished in NSW alone. Donate here. A koala named Pete from Pappinbarra is treated at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital after fires in November. Credit:Getty Images Port Macquarie Koala Hospital Staff at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital are treating about 30 koalas, which they spent weeks rescuing following devastating bushfires on the NSW Mid-North Coast. They are raising money to install animal drinking stations in burnt areas, and to set up a koala breeding program. Donate here. WIRES The New South Wales agency is accepting donations to its emergency fund to help rescue wildlife, including flying koalas and flying foxes, affected by drought and bushfires. Donate here. Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund GERF was set up in 1978 to help Gippsland locals recover from natural disaster. The charity is calling for cash donations. Donate here. Gippsland Farmer Relief Oil executives say they have reached agreement to restart Russian crude-oil supplies to Belarus following a cutoff over transit fees on January 1. Belarus agreed to abandon a supplier's premium on the oil that it imports from its much larger neighbor, Belarus's Belneftekhim said in a statement on January 4. The deal should allow for continuous operation of Belarusian refineries in January, they said. "Documents are being drawn up today together with a Russian company to pump the first batch of oil, purchased at a price without premium," Belneftekhim's statement said. The halt in Russian oil supplies left oil bound for Europe unaffected but could have carried a wallop for Belarus, which depends on Russia for more than 80 percent of its energy. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhey Rumas reportedly spoke by telephone earlier on January 4 in an effort to break the impasse. Belarus is heavily dependent on Russia for fuel and cash, and is a key transit route for Russian energy supplies to Europe. Russia and Belarus reached a two-month deal on natural-gas prices hours before a December 31 deadline that could have spelled a gas shutoff to start the year. Minsk has been locked in a disagreement with Moscow over oil-transit prices for some time against a backdrop of increasing pressure by President Vladimir Putin on Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to deepen integration between the two countries. Belarusians have protested in recent weeks against closer ties to Russia and perceived secrecy around talks following up on a 1999 agreement on a unified state. With reporting by AP The village has reviewed the new contribution requirements and will adjust to keep up with the actuarial funding recommendations, meeting the new obligation with existing revenue sources," Tennes said in a statement. "While this results in short-term budgetary pressure, the village is very optimistic about the long-term benefits of a significantly increased return on the now aggregated financial investments. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. has officially been named the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a change of command ceremony on Saturday. Outgoing Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Noel Clement turned over the helm of the military to the Eastern Mindanao head in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Clement is retiring after a three-month stint. President Rodrigo Duterte also attended the event. In a short speech, the President praised Clement for his principled and irreproachable leadership in fighting insurgency and securing our sovereignty. He added that he is confident in the leadership of Santos. Under the command of General Santos, I am confident that the AFP will further achieve more milestones in protecting freedom and democratic values, said Duterte in his prepared speech. Santos thanked the President for the opportunity and vowed to continue the efforts to counter insurgency from local terrorist groups. The AFP will continue to be proactive against the local terrorist groups...We shall effectively counter their narratives through good governance, build community trust and earn their peoples respect, said Santos. Among his other points of focus is also working towards achieving and preserving peace in the Bangsamoro region and with the Moro National Liberation Front. We will strive to secure our sovereign territory while bringing peace, development and progress to the island of Mindanao, said Santos. He added that securing lasting peace will be the militarys slogan under his leadership. Vogue editor Edward Enniful has claimed Meghan Markle's 'Forces For Change' magazine issue has sparked a "movement" [Image: Getty] There is little doubt that the September issue of British Vogue guest-edited by Meghan Markle made quite the impact. It promptly sold out in shops shortly after going on sale last year, and generated headlines for its unique Forces For Change cover - and now the magazines editor-in-chief Edward Enniful has insisted that the conversations it created has sparked a movement not a moment. Writing in the latest edition of Vogue about his collaboration with the Duchess of Sussex, 38, he described the response as phenomenal. The issue, which went on sale on August 2nd, famously featured the portraits of 15 women the royal most admired on its cover - including Adwoa Aboah, Jameela Jamil and Greta Thunberg. READ MORE: Why Meghan Markle left herself off the British Vogue cover she guest-edited Announcing that Meghans Forces For Change idea would be continued in every issue going forward, Edward, 47, explained: The people it championed, made it clear that this was not simply a moment, but a movement. For that reason, as we enter a new decade, we wish to continue that story. He added: Now more than ever, it is important to keep the spotlight trained on the people who are challenging the status quo, and using their voice to help shape and change conversations around the most pressing issues of our time. Readers will see the initiative rolled out in both print and online, with other inspirational figures featured beneath its banner. READ MORE: Couple claim Meghan Markle took their photo on New Year's Day hike In his editors letter for the September issue, Edward noted: I can't overstate how much it meant to me to see HRH The Duke of Sussex marry this brilliant, bi-racial, American powerhouse. He continued: I simply never imagined that, in my lifetime, someone of my colour would or could enter the highest echelons of our Royal Family. Story continues While the Duchess became the first person to guest-edit a September issue, she decided not to feature on the cover herself. It was thought that the royal would take part in a photoshoot at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor - where she lives with Prince Harry and baby Archie - but instead it was revealed she wanted to focus on the women she admires. READ MORE: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reflect on 2019 with new photo of baby Archie At the time, Edward said: As you will see from her selections throughout this magazine, she is also willing to wade into more complex and nuanced areas, whether they concern female empowerment, mental health, race or privilege. From the very beginning, we talked about the cover whether she would be on it or not. In the end, she felt that it would be in some ways a boastful thing to do for this particular project. He began working with Meghan on the project last January, and when the issue was unveiled the pair briefly appeared in a behind-the-scenes video together. Meghan, who was pregnant at the time, wore a sleeveless belted black dress as she oversaw one of the issues photoshoots. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK: In 2018, Congress passed legislation that created a federally sponsored trafficking-related continuing education program for health-care workers. The SOAR protocol trains health-care workers to Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond to potential trafficking and teaches them how to connect victims to needed care and relevant services. Data collection also is improving because of recently implemented diagnostic codes that allow health-care providers to identify cases of suspected and confirmed trafficking. Zarif: US assassination of General Soleimani "dangerous, foolish" IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message described the US act of assassinating the IRGC commander Major General Qasem Soleimani as "dangerous and foolish". "The US' act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General SoleimaniTHE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et alis extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation," Zarif tweeted on Friday. "The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism," he added. The IRGC has confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. The Senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces was martyred in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning, official media resources said. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that the Major General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the acting commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) - known as the Hash al-Shaabi - Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. In the statement, the IRGC said that the glorious commander of Islamic forces was martyred in a US helicopter attack on Friday morning at the culmination of his lifelong efforts to promote the path of God. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei announced three days of public mourning on the martyrdom of the Commander. 9376**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (233) Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he will pursue "restraint" and a "de-escalation" of tensions in the Middle East after admitting his government was blindsided by US President Donald Trumps decision to take out a top Iranian military commander in a Baghdad air strike. Mr Morrison said the Australian embassy in Iraq was now in lockdown after a targeted US drone strike at Baghdad Airport killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force in the Middle East, early on Friday. Scott Morrison says he will pursue restraint in the Middle East following the US drone strike on top Iranian military figure. Credit:AAP A second US air strike on Saturday, targeting an Iraqi militia, killed six people on Taji Road north of Baghdad, near Camp Taji, an Australian military base. About 280 Australian Defence personnel are currently stationed at the base. The U.S. airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the powerful and shadowy head of Iran's elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions and raises concerns about renewed conflict in the Middle East. Here's what you need to know about Soleimani, his role in the region and what his death means for the U.S. Q: Who was Soleimani, and why was he important? A: Soleimani was the longtime commander of Iran's Quds Force, an external wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Soleimani played an important role in Iran's national security decision-making process and reported directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Soleimani's influence and relationships with various militias and terrorist groups helped expand Iran's role in the region. His death, analysts said, is likely to result at some point in bloody retaliation. Commander of the Quds Force for more than two decades, Soleimani earned his stripes while serving as a military leader in the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s. Despite operating out of the spotlight for many years, Soleimani has emerged as one of Iran's most popular figures. Q: Why did Trump want him killed? A: Trump told reporters Friday that he ordered the killing to prevent future attacks on Americans. The Department of Defense said in a recent statement that the reclusive commander was "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Recently, the Pentagon stated that Soleimani was behind a recent attack on a Kirkuk military installation in late December that resulted in the death of an American contractor and the wounding of four American troops. Q: Was Trump's ordering of the U.S. airstrike that killed Soleimani legal? A: Under the United Nations charter, there are three legal avenues that a country can use to justify military force against a foreign country. A country can respond in self-defense if it has been on the receiving end of an armed attack. A country can assist an ally if it attacked and requests help. If a country is involved in a civil war, it has the right to invite other countries to help. Based on statements the U.S. government has released claiming Soleimani intended to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq, various international law experts have different interpretations of whether the attack was legally justified. Baghdad, Jan 4 : A huge crowd of mourners gathered in Iraq's capital Baghdad on Saturday to participate in a funeral procession for the Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. The crowd in Baghdad was also there to mourn the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Front (PMF), who was also killed in the Friday airstrike near the Baghdad International Airport, the BBC reported. The gathering in Baghdad on Saturday marked the beginning of days of mourning for Soleimani, who was the head of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Mourners started gathering in Baghdad from early Saturday morning, ahead of the start of the procession, waving Iraqi and militia flags and chanting "death to America". The procession then snaked though the streets, some carrying portraits of Soleimani and some of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, Iran's Deputy Ambassador to Baghdad Mousa Tabatabaie told Tehran's state-run IRNA news agency that funeral processions for Soleimani would also be held in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on Saturday, reports Press TV. Soleimani's body will arrive in Iran on Saturday evening where authorities have declared three days of mourning. According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, a funeral procession for the IRGC commander will also take place in Tehran on Sunday morning, during which Khamenei will participate in a prayer ceremony. The body will then be taken for burial in the city of Kerman, Soleimani's birthplace. Khamenei and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the US over Soleimani's death. Friday's attack came after Iraqi protesters on Tuesday stormed the US embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American air raids conducted on December 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, claiming the lives of 25 people. Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Delhi Police Crime Branch investigating the violent protest that erupted in Seemapuri area of East Delhi, suspect that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were involved in the violence, reports said. The SIT is said to be reviewing criminal records of around 24 serial offenders and is conducting an enquiry with those arrested in the matter. Delhi police are also investigating whether the members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were involved in the violence that took place in the national capital during protests against CAA. READ | Shocking Video Of Cops Being Chased, Attacked With Stones In Seemapuri, Delhi Several people have been arrested in connection with the violence that erupted in Seemapuri, Seelampur and Daryaganj areas of Delhi. Protests broke out in several parts of the country against the CAA, which grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists, and Christians who fled religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, and came to India on or before December 31, 2014. READ | Delhi Police Writes To HC To Appoint Claims Commissioner To Estimate Damage During Anti-CAA Protests Seemapuri violence case transferred to SIT The Delhi Police on Tuesday had transferred the Seemapuri violence case to a special investigating team (SIT). The Delhi court had ordered the arrest of eleven people for having an alleged connection with the violent protests against the CAA and NRC in the Seemapuri area in mid-December. The arrested protesters were sent to 14-days judicial custody with a right to avail the bail on December 21. The bail petition of the accused protesters will be heard on January 6. During the hearing, Assistant Sessions Judge Gurdeep Singh has also sought medical reports of injured policemen from the Investigation Officer (IO) on the next date of hearing. READ | Seemapuri Violence: Court Allows Police To Conduct Bone Ossification Test Of Accused One of the arrested accused also claimed to be a juvenile but after the ossification test was conducted, the court discovered that the protester was indeed a minor. Earlier on December 28, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishna had informed the court that there is no evidence to ascertain that his clients had the intention to kill anyone and hence cannot be charged with Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). READ | Delhi Police Releases CCTV Footage Of Protesters Torching Bus, Pelting Stones (With inputs from ANI) The panel has been formed following a directive from the President to inquire into the allegations. Rattan Lal Hangloo has been under the scanner since 2016 for alleged financial and academic irregularities. New Delhi: A three-member committee will probe allegations of financial, academic and administrative irregularities against Allahabad University vice-chancellor Rattan Lal Hangloo, whose resignation was accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday, officials said. The panel, headed by UGC chairman D.P. Singh, will have Gujarat University vice-chancellor Rama Shankar Dubey and Shriprakash Mani Tripathi, vice-chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, as its other members. The panel has been formed following a directive from the President to inquire into the allegations. Mr Hangloo had resigned from the post of Allahabad University vice-chancellor on personal grounds. The President has accepted his resignation with immediate effect, a senior HRD ministry official said. The President has also directed that an inquiry be conducted into the allegations of financial, academic and administrative irregularities, including the recommendations contained in the interim report of the National Commission for Women regarding alleged misconduct against Mr Hangloo, the official said. He has been under the scanner since 2016 for alleged financial and academic irregularities. He was also summoned by the National Commiss-ion for Women last week over allegations of improper handling of sexual harassment complaints and lack of grievance redressal mechanism for female students. I resigned because baseless enquiries were initiated against me. On several occasions it was proved that there was no substance in the complaints. I resigned because I was totally fed up, Mr Hangloo had said in a statement, announcing his resignation. He was appointed Allah-abad University vice-chancellor in 2015. He had earlier served as vice-chancellor of the Kalyani University in West Bengal. However, he had quit the post following a series of spats with the state government and varsity staff. In one of the world's largest Iranian communities outside Iran, news of the killing of one of the country's most notorious figures, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, is being met with a mix of shock, exhilaration and, for many, anxiety. Toronto, or "Tehranto" is as it's been dubbed by many of the approximately 100,000 people of Iranian descent living in the city, is home to the second-highest concentration of Iranians outside Iran. Only Los Angeles has a larger Iranian community. Unlike its counterpart south of the border, which saw some of its biggest influxes of Iranians during and in the lead-up to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Toronto Iranian community's ties to its home country are arguably fresher in large part because immigration to Canada has been a relatively smoother process than to the United States. Canada, for example, had an embassy in Iran up until 2012, unlike the United States, which severed diplomatic relations with the country in 1980. "People are very worried," said Mehrdad Ariannejad, who immigrated to Toronto in 1997. "They're worried about another war breaking out in the Middle East. They're worried about their relatives, innocent people. But at the same time, I think many Iranian people here think as long as this regime is in power, these things are going to happen." Angelina King/CBC At an anti-war rally outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto Saturday, some 100 demonstrators expressed a similar sentiment: concern over what this latest action will mean for Iranians already living under the pressure of U.S. sanctions something Iranian-Canadian Saman Tabasinejad calls a form of economic warfare. As word of the Soleimani's death emerged, Tabasinejad said she immediately phoned her grandmother in Iran. "She was scared... there are kids who are scared. You learn this at a very young age in places like Iran that if a big power like the United States doesn't like you, then your life is at their whim." Story continues "My heart is with my family in Iran, with the millions of people who go to sleep every night fearing that the next morning we're just that much closer to war." Paul Borkwood/CBC Still others mourned the loss of Soleimani himself, despite his wars in the region costing thousands of civilian lives. In Toronto, a candlelight vigil was held by a group of mourners who lit candles at the makeshift memorial for the general, while another group turned out in opposition sparking some tense moments as police kept watch. Toronto police say the event ended peacefully. 'Tightening the screws' The news of Soleimani's death exploded across the international headlines and on social media when the U.S. Department of Defence confirmed President Donald Trump had ordered an airstrike on the top Iranian general near Baghdad's airport Thursday. Soleimani, Trump said Friday, had been planning "sinister attacks" on U.S. diplomats and service members. Soleimani, 62, head of Iran's elite Quds Force the special operations arm of the Revolutionary Guard has been described as a shadowy figure in charge of Iran's proxy forces, responsible for fighters backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and for the deaths of U.S. troops in Iraq among untold other attacks outside of Iran. And while Trump took to the podium at his Mar-a-Lago resort to proclaim Soleimani's "reign of terror" was over, saying the U.S. acted "to stop a war," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei reacted to the news with a warning of "harsh retaliation" for the general's death. Khamenei also called for three days of public mourning. But whether Soleimani's death will result in the sort of doomsday escalation that many have speculated about news of his death saw "World War III" trending on Twitter the impact on the everyday lives of Iranians in Iran is what many in the diaspora worry about most, says one observer. "People are held down by the government itself there and now the U.S. is tightening the screws," said Alidad Mafinezam, president of the West Asia Council, a non-profit organization examining North American-Middle Eastern relations through the lens of diasporic communities. Yanjun Li/CBC Mafinezam, who emigrated from Iran in 1983, points out many in Iran were already facing poor living conditions, including a lack of electricity and shortages of fuel and basic necessities. His fear isn't so much that Thursday's action will spark the next world war, but instead that the situation of Iranians will only worsen as conflict with the U.S. escalates. Fears of 'societal collapse' "We're already in a war, but this is a case of societal collapse ... and I think we're headed there," he said. Tensions over government-set gasoline prices peaked in November when officials hiked prices by 50 per cent, sending thousands of demonstrators into the streets. Hundreds were killed amid the unrest, with thousands of others injured and detained, according to Amnesty International. "Iran has really in living memory never been in this bad of a shape ... It is Iranians who are hungry, it is Iranians who are cold," he said. And with Iran and the U.S. "down each other's throats," he says, "this sad tale is going to continue." Hamid Gharajeh of the Iran Democratic Association believes the only imminent collapse is that of Iran's clerical rule. Angelina King/CBC "This is the beginning of the end of their atrocities," he said, adding he expects Soleimani's death will energize protests in the country. "It's a catalyst for people to feel that we can stand up to these Revolutionary Guard members." Asked if the U.S. taking action unilaterally against Soleimani worried him, he replied that's not a concern. "Any action is better than no action," he said, adding he would like to see Canada come out even more strongly against the Iranian regime. "Canada has long been concerned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, led by ... Soleimani, whose aggressive actions have had a destabilizing effect in the region and beyond," Canada's minister of foreign affairs, Francois-Philippe Champagne, said Friday as he called on all sides "to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation." Calls for Canada to speak out more loudly But for Pouyan Tabasinejad, vice-president of the Iranian Canadian Congress, the U.S. intervention is "very concerning." "It's just a powder keg," he said. "For the Iranian Canadian community, they can see that there is a real chance that tensions further escalate and frankly the safety and wellbeing of their relatives in Iran are at risk ... The threat of war is extremely real and as we've seen in the history of intervention in the Middle East, often what happens is the country gets turned into a battlefield for various proxy forces with a litany of human rights abuses and bloodshed on top of that. "Nobody wants to see that happening in Iran," he said. Tabasinejad says he wants Canada to take a more forceful stand to condemn the Trump administration for its action. Rozen Nicolle/CBC Ariannejad says those he's spoken to in Toronto hold different opinions, some more fearful about speaking out than others. What is clear, he says: "Since this regime has come to power, our Iranian passport has lost its value, the Iranian currency has lost its value, and I think unfortunately there are many warmongering officials in power on both sides, Iran and the U.S." His dream is of a stable Iran that can one day play a role in bringing peace to region. "That is my only hope." Panaji, Jan 4 : Is late Manohar Parrikar's arch political foe, former Chief Minister and currently the Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on his way to back to the BJP? Political circles in Goa are abuzz about the possibility of yet another high profile departure from the state Congress ranks, especially after leading statements by Kamat himself and state Congress president Girish Chodankar, have raised questions about former's future in the Congress. Speaking to IANS, the 65-year-old Kamat has said, that he always believes in the present and not about the past or the future. When asked if his statement could have political implications, Kamat, who has served as the Chief Minister of a Congress-led coalition government from 2007-2012, said: "I am not bothered about what others say. My thing is very clear. I live in the present. I don't think about the past. I don't think about the future. I think the present. You ask me (about) today". Like most elected politicians in Goa, Kamat has vaulted political party fences in the past. Kamat has been elected to the state assembly from the Margao assembly seat in South Goa without a break since 1994. After he was denied a Congress ticket ahead of the 1994 polls, he switched to the BJP and won. He and Parrikar emerged as two key politicians belonging to the influential Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) caste grouping. Kamat was to remain in Parrikar's shadow in the saffron party until 2005, when he quit the BJP and join the Congress much to the chagrin of the former Defence Minister, who cried betrayal. Kamat went on to become Chief Minister from 2007-2012. After Parrikar's BJP was voted to power in 2012, Kamat came into the former's cross-hairs and survived a tough spell for a few years, when he was 'chased' by the Parrikar-led administration in connection with an alleged illegal mining scam and the Louis Berger bribery scandal. Despite the bulls-eye painted on his back by Parrikar, Kamat continued to be in good books with state BJP leaders, something which could pay off now, at a time when the BJP is desperately short of credible 'Hindu' leaders, with a track record in governance, especially in view of the popular flak faced by the Pramod Sawant-led administration over a wide range of issues. Sawant is also weathering severe criticism from the GSB community, several of who's leaders have accused the CM of trying to target Parrikar's 'legacy'. Kamat, who led a hodge-podge coalition which completed a full term in power from 2007-2012, despite regular cantankerous fits and egoistic outbursts by alliance members, has the backing of the Brahmin sub caste, which wields control of significant business interests in the state, including the mining industry. Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar, who appears to cut an isolated and frustrated figure in party's state apparatus, in a recent press conference gave a convoluted response to questions about Kamat's future in the party. "He (CM Pramod Sawant) cannot manage the economy. He cannot ensure resumption of mining and resolve the Mhadei issue. The BJP leaders are convinced that he does not have the ability to tackle these issues. They feel that Digambar Kamat has the capacity to resolve these questions," Chodankar told reporters. "Many BJP leaders are chasing Digambar Kamat to join BJP and become CM. They (BJP leaders) we will will remove Sawant and keep him under (Kamat) for training. We will make the CM as a deputy and let him train. After that he could come back as CM," the state Congress president also said. Chodankar also added a rider, that he wasn't implying that Kamat should leave the Congress. While BJP leadership is tight-lipped about the possibility of Kamat's entry into the party, the latter's re-entry into the BJP has come up in discussions within the ruling party members, especially immediately following the death of Parrikar (last year), who was against allowing his arch political foe back into the saffron party. "It was different when Manohar Parrikar was around and calling the shots. But that is not the case now. Ground realities have changed," a BJP leader said on condition of anonymity. An inmate who escaped from a South Carolina work crew in 1979 has been captured, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections. After a Dec. 28 encounter with police in Dover, Delaware, 64-year-old Jose Chico Romero gave authorities a fake ID, according to Chrysti Shain, spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. She said he was arrested, processed and released under the name Arnaldo Figueroa, but his fingerprints later came back with a match for Romero. He was apprehended in Dover on New Years Day. Romero was serving an 18-year sentence for armed robbery from Aiken County when he escaped on Dec. 13, 1979, Shain said. At the time of his escape, Romero was assigned to a work crew in Anderson County and was being housed at the former Anderson County Stockade, she said. The building was being used to house short-term local inmates and SCDC inmates assigned to work in the county as part of the designated facilities program. Romero is being held at Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown, Delaware, on a fugitive warrant and has waived extradition. He also is charged with public intoxication, loitering, third-degree criminal trespassing, second-degree forgery (four counts), criminal impersonation and being an out-of-state fugitive, according to Shain. Once returned to SCDC, Romero will be required to serve the remainder of his original sentence, which is about seven years, plus any additional time added for an escape conviction. The Bobi Wine group should stop calling themselves PEOPLE POWER(PP), because they are taintainig those two words now, with their uncivilized ways. You can't throw a bottle at someone - peacefully, singing on the stage, and you turn around and shout, " people power". What will happen if the NRM supporters start doing the same to those musicians sympathetic to the opposition? This nonsense must stop. We aren't at war. Atleast, not yet. This reminds me of people who blow others up, and then turn around, and say, " Allah Akbar ". Seriously, those aren't Muslims. They are terrorists-- terrorising others who just want to live in peace. Someone would argue to say that it's ok for them to do so, because they are fighting for our rights.This sounds nice, but like the apple that the witch gave to Snow White it has poison within. This violence on innocent people is already poison to the cause. We should care about building a great nation. Their philosophy, taken to its logical conclusion, would not allow anybody who doesn't support Bobi to interact with them, to make income, or sing anything that doesnt impress them, e.t.c.Their philosophy would allow Kusasira and Full figure to be pelted with stones on stage, simply because they crossed to the ruling party. Their philosophy would result in chaos and degeneracy. Bias-motivated crime has unique characteristics. As in NRM , where Museveni looks at all opposition as enemies that must be punished, victims and offenders come from different groups. Similary, Bobi's group is promoting hate crime against , not only those in govt, but also those in opposition that don't support Bobi Wine. For instance, i have been reading comments against Hon. Nambooze today on her Facebook page, and they are venile, simply because of her divergent views. In March 2019, Besigye was reportedly attacked by a PP mob as he made his way to his vehicle after a talk show on CBS FM. Unfortunately, hate crime is reciprocal. Each group can prey upon the other. Though not obvious, these singular aspects incline the data in a unique way. The sizes of victim and offender groups influence victimization rates in a way that is often more significant than intrinsic group bias. "In tribute to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Uganda, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife, discrimination and terrorism." Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a US strike, President Donald Trump on Friday said the "reign of terror is over" and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London." (Photo: File) Washington: Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a US strike, President Donald Trump on Friday said the "reign of terror is over" and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London." General Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. "The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani, Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. "Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over, he said. Trump alleged that Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilise the Middle East for the last 20 years. "What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government, he said. Amidst escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed Soleimani's killing will not lead to war. "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change, Trump said. "However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad, he said. Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world. "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him, he said. "Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies, Trump said. "For years the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership has targeted, injured and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen, he said in his remarks. Trump said that the United States has the best military in the world. "We have the best intelligence in the world. If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary. And that in particular refers to Iran, he said. Under my leadership we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently American special operations forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi. The world is a safer place without these monsters, the president said. Iran's powerful military commander Qasem Soleimani was allegedly planning imminent attacks targeting Americans when a U.S. drone strike killed him Friday morning in Baghdad, according to U.S. officials, The Trump administration has released no details about Soleimani's alleged attack plans but has cited the major general's recent trips across the Middle East, from Syria to Lebanon to Iraq, as evidence. Such travel, however, has been a mainstay of Soleimani's work for decades as the leader of Iran's Quds Force, a special squad focused on overseas operations, among other intelligence missions, as part of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. When the 1979 Iranian revolution brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power and the Islamic Republic was established, Khomeini and his supporters had a problem: They weren't sure they could trust the military, which just a short time beforehand had been aligned with the deposed shah. So they consolidated supporters and set up a parallel military force, called the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, made up of skilled fighters that they knew were committed to guarding Iran's new Islamic political system and the ideals of the revolution. This two-tired system is reflected throughout the bifurcated Iranian state: There's the elected president, who oversees parliament and various ministries, but then there's the supreme leader, who's the nation's highest political and religious authority and controls his own key political and financial institutions. The IRGC reports directly to the supreme leader, now Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Like Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard, the ayatollah uses the IRGC to enforce his will upon the Iranian people and squash any perceived threats, both from inside and outside the country. On April 8, 2019, President Donald Trump designated the IRGC as a terrorist group, the first time the U.S. had ever labeled a foreign government entity one. The designation enabled Washington to increase economic sanctions and political pressure on Tehran. The Revolutionary Guard is made up of several subgroups, including the Quds Force and the Basiij militia. The latter are a paramilitary force mobilized to enforce order, including crushing protests such as the short-lived ones that swiftly swept through Iran in November. Like many military institutions in Iran, the Basiij first formed as a volunteer force in the Iran-Iraq War and has since become an entrenched, and feared, part of the state. Soleimani was the head of the Quds (Jerusalem) Force, an ultra-elite group focused on overseas operations, such as developing and managing proxy militias, along with military intelligence work. Soon after the Iranian Revolution, Iran and Iraq begun a brutal eight-year-long war. The fighting helped the isolated and fledgling republic to consolidate power domestically, but also took a very heavy toll on Iran's society and economy - the effects of which are still felt today. Iran consequently pushed forward with developing allies abroad in an effort to spread its form of Islamic revolution, as well as to ensure it would never be left alone on the battlefield again. Through the Quds Force, Iran has cultivated Shiite militias in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, while also supporting groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In the late 1990s, Soleimani was given command of the unit. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, American forces along with their coalition allies found themselves facing Iranian militias backed by the Quds Force in the aftermath of the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime. The Trump administration has blamed the deaths of over 600 coalition soldiers in Iraq on Soleimani and the pro-Iran militias he formed and directed. As head of the Quds Force, Soleimani was also a key architect of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brutal attacks on anti-government protesters and rebels in the now nine-year long war. For a brief period, however, the United States and Soleimani's proxies were working together in Iraq and Syria against the self-described Islamic State. In 2014, Iraq set up the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), in Arabic known as the Hashd al-Shaabi, an umbrella organization of primarily Iran-backed Shiite paramilitary groups united in the fight to oust the Islamic State. (The United States also killed one of the leaders of the PMF in the drone strike that killed Soleimani.) Within hours of Soleimani's death, Khamenei announced a successor: Ismail Qaani, the formerly deputy head of the Quds Force. Soleimani and Qaani have similarities: They both joined the force during the Iran-Iraq War, and they've both been sanctioned by the Treasury Department for alleged terrorist activities. Unlike Soleimani, however, Qaani lacks the cult of personality that surrounded his predecessor, who was both revered and reviled for having had a hand in so many of the attacks and wars that have shaped events and daily life in the Middle East in recent decades. Open source A few hours after the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, the Selective Service System website stopped working in the USA. It is a platform for all Americans aged 18-25 who are subject to conscript in the event of a mobilization announcement. This was reported by the military registration service press center on Twitter. It is noted that the site stopped working due to the "massive flow of misinformation", which caused great pressure on traffic. These problems began after the assassination of General Suleimani and threats of revenge from Iran. Related: Iranian President on assassination of Suleimani: Americans did not realize what grave mistake they made The compulsory draft in the army was last declared in the United States during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The conscription cannot begin in America right away - for this, in case of emergency, Congress must pass the relevant law, and the president must sign it. The mandatory mobilisation in the United States was canceled in 1973, but every citizen, upon reaching the age of 18, must register in the Selective Service System - in case of mobilization on this site Americans can find out if they have been drafted. General Qassem Suleimani was killed on January 3 by order of US President Donald Trump as a result of a missile strike at Baghdad International Airport. Soon, in his statement, Trump called Suleimani "the number one terrorist in the world." The Iranian president has promised to avenge the death of Suleimani. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 4, 2020 While officials and politicians in Jakarta indulge in a blame game over responsibility for the severe flooding in Greater Jakarta, it seems that few people are willing to acknowledge that the climate crisis has hammered the country once again by inundating the capital in more water than it could cope with. Aside from revealing the real culprit behind the floods, scientists also broke the bad news that such extreme weather might become a new normal in the future, urging everyone to be more prepared ahead of future disasters. Severe flooding has soaked large parts of Jakarta and its neighboring cities since New Years Eve, killing over 40 people and forcing around 170,000 others to leave their submerged homes. Many declared the floods to be the worst in the capital since 2013. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM state leadership on Friday came out against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who termed the assembly resolution against CAA anti-constitutional and invalid. The governor has been playing the role of BJP state president and has crossed all limits, said CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. In a strongly-worded statement, Kodiyeri said the governor has been engaging in low-level politics. The RSS leaders should advise him that such things will not work in Kerala, said Kodiyeri. Governors blabber is not in line with the Constitutional spirit, he said, challenging Khan to pinpoint the violation of law over assembly resolution. The state assembly had passed resolutions on many issues in the past. Then too, there were Union governments in Delhi and governors in Kerala. But Khan has been behaving completely different. The RSS leaders, with at least a bit of sense, should advise that such actions will not have any impact in Kerala, he said. Kodiyeri also drew the governors attention to a 2016 Supreme Court verdict on a case related to Arunachal Pradesh, in which the apex court stated that governors have no right to intervene in the proceedings of the legislative assembly. Ryanair shares fell after the airline groups chief executive said it may only receive its first delivery of the grounded 737-Max aircraft, from Boeing, in October. Michael OLearys comments came in an interview with German magazine Wirtschaftswoche. The 737-Max, Boeings fastest-selling aircraft, has not flown since last March, following two crashes, which claimed 346 lives. Last month, Mr OLeary said that Ryanair may not receive any Max aircraft in time for its summer season. Ryanair has 135 of the planes on order, but none in service. Mr OLeary has previously said it would not take orders in July or August, because those are the airlines busiest months. We were meant to have 58 planes by the summer, Mr OLeary said in the German interview. That went down to 30, then 20, then 10, and the latest is maybe only five. Its possible well only get the first jets in October 2020. Last month, United Airlines extended the grounding of its in-service Max flights until June, the longest period that any US carrier has scheduled for keeping the aircraft out of service. Boeing has been criticised by regulators, suppliers, and airlines for providing what have turned out to be unrealistic estimates for the model returning to service and, last month, said that it was freezing 737 production in January. In contrast to other airlines, which have already agreed compensation with Boeing, including Turkish, Southwest Airlines, and Germanys TUI, Mr OLeary said he would only discuss recompense after the planes were delivered. Meanwhile, Ryanair has also updated on passenger numbers, saying it carried 11.2m people across its European route network in December; an increase of 9% on the same month in 2018. That figure covers both Ryanair and the Austrian budget airline, Lauda. However, the overwhelming bulk of those passengers were attributable to the main Ryanair brand. Last month, Ryanair trimmed its passenger traffic forecasts, saying it would cut summer capacity and an unspecified number of jobs, as a result of further delays in returning the 737-Max aircraft to service. Ryanair shares fell by more than 2%, before paring back some of those losses to close at just over 1%. All major European airline stocks including Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, EasyJet, and Aer Lingus and British Airways-owner, IAG fell sharply on the back of soaring oil prices, after US air strikes escalated Middle East tensions. - Additional reporting Thomas Escritt, Reuters Detectives are investigating if an aggravated burglary in which an innocent woman was threatened by armed men is linked to a mass nightclub brawl earlier that day. The break-in happened in the Adamstown area of west Dublin at around 10.30pm on Thursday, involving three suspects. The gang smashed its way into the property before confronting the homeowner. At least one of the gang is understood to have been armed with a knife and a front window was smashed, but, despite issuing threats, nothing was taken. No arrests have yet been made. A source said that the gang may have been looking for a male who lives at the property and that the incident might be linked to a massive brawl at the Red Cow Moran Hotel. After midnight earlier that day, dozens of gardai were called to the hotel on the Naas Road after violence broke out among scores of club-goers. "This aggravated burglary is believed to be linked to the earlier violence at the hotel in a possible planned retaliation attack," a source told the Herald. "Unfortunately an innocent woman was caught up in this after being threatened in her own home." Five people were arrested after fights broke out but further arrests are expected to be made as gardai attempt to identify those involved. One male has been charged for public order offences, and a female juvenile is subject to a youth referral, while the three other individuals arrested are subject to further investigation. Officers were required to pepper spray some of those involved to calm the situation. Chaos Staff had raised concerns about the number of people becoming involved in the violence, which resulted in the significant garda response. As part of the investigation a number of threats to kill made against individual officers who responded to the disturbance are also being investigated. A video shared online shows more than a dozen gardai attempting to calm the scene as chaos unfolds in the crowds at the hotel and car park. Gardai said additional presence was requested as a number of people exiting the hotel via the Naas Road caused a traffic hazard. Gardai remained at the scene until 4.40am. FM spox: Iran's response to US message conveyed to Swiss envoy IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Friday said the Swiss ambassador to Tehran had been summoned as in charge of interests of the United States in Iran, and this evening Iran's response to the US message was sent to the Swiss diplomat. Senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant-General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a terrorist operation in Baghdad Friday morning, official media resources said. The Iranian foreign ministry tweeted that it had summoned officials from the Swiss embassy to express outrage at the "assassination of Lieutenant-General Qasem Soleimani", saying it was a "blatant example of American state terrorism". Following the Swiss Foreign Ministry's announcement that its ambassador to Tehran had sent messages from the United States to Iran following the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi confirmed this in an interview with IRNA: For the second time, the Swiss ambassador to Tehran had been summoned as in charge of the interests of the United States in Iran and received a proper response to the US message. Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss Charge d'affaires to Tehran to convey protest the US terrorist act in martyring the glorious IRGC commander Qasem Soleiman. Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi wrote on his Twitter account on Friday that the Charge d'affaires of Switzerland's embassy in Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to hear Iran's strong protest for the martyrdom of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani by the US forces. He said the diplomat has been told the US measure is a clear example of the state terrorism and the US regime will have to stand fully accountable for its consequences. In another tweet Friday morning, Mousavi said that Iranian Foreign Mohammad Javad Zarif and the ministry's senior officials have had an extraordinary session on examine the issue of Major General Soleimani's martyrdom. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that the Major General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the acting commander of the volunteer Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as Hash al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated. Iraqi media said the US helicopters targeted both cars. The assassination stands at top of news in Iraq, the region and the whole world. The IRGC confirmed the martyrdom of the great commander in a statement. In the statement, the IRGC said that the glorious commander of Islamic forces was martyred in a US helicopter attack on Friday morning at the culmination of his life long efforts to promote path of God. 6125**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boko Haram jihadists behead bride, bridal party days before wedding: diocese Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A jihadist insurgency affiliated with Boko Haram brutally murdered a Christian bride and her bridal party days before her wedding, a spokesperson for a Catholic diocese in Nigeria has confirmed. Father Francis Arinse, the communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, told the Catholic News Service that every member of the bridal party for former parishioner Martha Bulus was killed by Boko Haram extremists on Dec. 26 in Nigerias northeast Borno state. Arinse said the bridal party was traveling from Maiduguri to Bulus country home in Adamawa at the time they were killed. Bulus wedding was scheduled to take place on New Years Eve in Adamawa state. They were beheaded by suspected Boko Haram insurgents at Gwoza on their way to her country home, Arinse was quoted as saying. According to Arinse, Bulus used to attend St. Augustine Catholic Church in Maiduguri when he was first ordained. The alleged murders of Bulus and her friends fell on the same day in which 11 Christian aid workers were reportedly murdered by Islamic extremists after being taken hostage in Maiduguri and Damaturu. The terror group is known as the Islamic State in West Africa Province, a breakaway group of Boko Haram affiliated with the Islamic Ste in Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility. A 56-second video was published by the Islamic States propaganda media arm, Amaq News Agency, showing one of the aid workers being shot and 10 others beheaded. The terror group claimed that the killing of the 11 aid workers was revenge for the killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi thanks to U.S. military operations last October. In the video, captives were shown pleading for the Christian Association of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue them. Arinse also told the Catholic News Service that there have been a series of abductions in the Maiduguri area recently, and called on government agencies to improve security in northeast Nigeria. Last month, the U.S. State Department listed Nigeria on its special watch list, designating it among countries that have severe violations of religious freedom because of the Nigerian governments inability to thwart an increase in violence and abductions carried out in various areas of the country. In addition to Boko Haram and other extremists in the northeast, thousands of Christians are said to have been killed in Nigerias Middle Belt in recent years due to attacks carried out by nomadic Fulani herder radicals. We are designating [Nigeria] special watch list for the first time because of all of the increasing violence and communal activity and the lack of effective government response and the lack of judicial cases being brought forward in that country, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback told reporters in December. It is a dangerous situation in too many parts of Nigeria. The government has either not been willing to or have been ineffective in their response and the violence continues to grow. The U.K.-based nongovernmental organization Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust issued a report in November claiming that at least 1,000 Christians were killed by Fulani and Boko Haram extremists in 2019 while as many as 6,000 have been killed since 2015. Recently, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai challenged troops not to give terrorists any breathing space, according to the Nigerian news outlet The Punch. That means you must go out at all times, day and night, whether rain or sunshine and make sure you deal with them, Buratai was quoted as saying during a recent visit with troops in Adamawa state. Nigeria ranks as the 12th-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2019 World Watch List. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to focus on strengthening and rebuilding the party. ... Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to focus on strengthening and rebuilding the party. In a tweet on Saturday morning, the presidential candidate of the opposition party in the 2019 election said the time is not yet ripe for the discussion of elections. He said the partys priority at the moment should be on how to tackle the challenges ahead. Our preoccupation at this point in the @OfficialPDPNig should not focus on elections, but on rebuilding and strengthening our party for the challenges ahead of us, Abubakar wrote on Twitter. Our preoccupation at this point in the @OfficialPDPNig should not focus on elections, but on rebuilding and strengthening our party for the challenges ahead of us. -AA January 4, 2020 Atikus tweet comes after reports of threat over zoning of the 2023 general election. Two days ago, Walid Jibrin, chairman of the board of trustees (BoT) of the PDP, had said some people threatened him for not endorsing Atiku as the partys presidential candidate for 2023. While announcing that the party would soon commence the search for its presidential candidate in the next general election, Jibrin had said the candidate could be from any zone. But speaking to journalists on Thursday in Kaduna, the elder statesman said he had received calls for not saying the partys presidential ticket would be zoned to the north-east, where Atiku is from. Jibrin said he was tagged a traitor for failing to declare Atiku as his partys preferred candidate. I have received calls from some people threatening my life over my coming out not to mention that the presidency of this country be zoned to the north-east, he had said. They were saying that I am a traitor that I should have come out to say that it is only Atiku Abubakar because I said that Atiku was already overthrown by the supreme court. They said for that I should say Atiku is the man that I want. Jasmine Renee Campbell, 23, has been charged with hate crimes after she allegedly tore a hijab off a Saudi Arabian exchange student's head and rubbed it against her exposed genitals. An Oregon woman has been charged with hate crimes after she allegedly tore a hijab off a Saudi Arabian lady's head and rubbed it against her exposed genitals. Jasmine Renee Campbell, 23, failed to appear in court on Friday following the shocking Islamophobic attack, which took place at a Portland MAX light rail station on November 12. Campbell is accused of approaching her victim from behind on the evening of the attack, before pulling the hijab off the woman's head and choking her with it. According to court documents obtained by The Sun, Campbell subsequently stripped naked - except for a leather jacket that she was wearing - and rubbed the religious garment all over her exposed body. 'She [Campbell] was fighting and playing around, [saying] that she wanted to be a stripper, that she wanted to show the victim that she did not have to be a Muslim, that people don't have to be black or white, and the she wanted the victim to know that religion doesn't define her,' the court documents state. Campbell was indicted by a grand jury last month on two counts of second-degree bias crime, attempted strangulation, harassment and third-degree criminal mischief. The victim - who attends Portland State University - is still reeling from the attack, and is too afraid to wear her hijab in public. She now wears knit caps or a scarf to cover herself She was set to appear in court on Friday, but she was a no-show. The Portland local is now wanted by police. KGW reports that the victim - who is an exchange student attending Portland State University - is still reeling from the attack, and is too afraid to wear her hijab in public. She now wears knit caps or a scarf to cover herself. The attack has been condemned by local officials, with Musse Olol, Vice Chair of the Muslim Advisory Council for the Portland Police Bureau telling KGW: 'It's very sad to see, and it underscores the fear that a lot of women who wear hijabs in this city have right now. The incident took place at a Portland MAX light rail station on November 12 'Almost all of them, especially those who use mass transportation, the biggest concern they have is they don't go to work if it's dark.' Portland - a city which prides itself on its progressive values and open-minded citizens - is still reeling from an Islamophobic attack in 2017 that also took place on the MAX transport system. Two men were fatally stabbed after the intervened to protect a Muslim teenager and her friend who was being intimidated by a white nationalist. The white nationalist told the girls to 'go back to Saudi Arabia', to get out of 'his country', and 'said they were nothing and they should kill themselves'. A volunteer from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service works to extinguish spot fires following back burning operations in Mount Hay, in Australias Blue Mountains (REUTERS/Jill Gralow) The first of thousands of residents and vacationers stranded on a beach in southeastern Australia landed near Melbourne on January 3 morning after a 20-hour journey by ship were relieved to escape terrifying smoke and fire. They were rescued from Mallacoota, where 4,000 people fled to the waterfront on New Year's Eve as fires ripped through the town in one of the communities worst hit by wildfires burning across three states in southern Australia. Extensive bushfires have killed 21 people so far since September and destroyed more than 5 million hectares (13 million acres) of land. "For someone who's never been in a fire, it's very, very, frightening. I'm so happy to be here," said Emily Wellington, a 16-year-old from Melbourne who had gone to Mallacoota for a two-week holiday with family friends. She and two other 16-year-olds were among the first 58 evacuated as they have asthma. "They wanted us to get out so we don't get sick," Wellington said. They spoke to reporters outside a relief centre about 65 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Melbourne shortly after getting off the navy's MV Sycamore ship at Hastings, with little kids and their parents, elderly people and even some pet dogs. A much bigger ship, carrying about 1,000 people, is due to arrive on Saturday afternoon, with buses lined up to ferry evacuees to the local recreation centre and Melbourne's convention centre. "We've never had to deal with anything like this in our shire's history," the mayor of Mornington Peninsula Shire, Sam Hearn, told reporters outside the Somerville Recreation Centre which had been turned into a relief centre. One of the teens on the first ship, Darcy Brown, lost her family home in Mallacoota, which they had just moved into a month ago. "It was so devastating to see. All the tin is flat to the ground. Some of the bricks are still standing," Brown told reporters. She said the fires hit the town suddenly. "Very scary. It was so dusty, smoky. The sky was red one minute, then completely black the next," she said. Remarkably relaxed and chatty on January 4, the girls said they had slept and eaten well on the navy boat. "It was so comfortable on the ship," Wellington said. Her friend Tahnee Meehan told Reuters her parents had stayed on in Mallacoota, waiting to drive back in her father's truck when the one road out of town reopens, as he needs the truck for his job as an electrician. Authorities have said it might take weeks to reopen the road. Back in Melbourne, the girls were eager to shower and put their smoke-tainted clothes in the wash. What were they going to do first? "Hug my parents, definitely," Wellington said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that full statehood for Delhi will be a part of the AAP's manifesto for the upcoming Assembly election and the party will keep fighting for it. Full statehood for Delhi was the main poll plank of AAP in the Lok Sabha elections last year. However, it failed to impress the people of Delhi and AAP candidates lost on all seven seats in the city. Addressing the fifth Town Hall meeting, anchored by ABP channel, Kejriwal said full statehood is the only promise the party was not able to fulfil. "Full statehood for Delhi will be part of the AAP's election manifesto and the party will keep fighting for it," he asserted. The AAP is expected to release its manifesto between January 15 to 20, Kejriwal had said earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Srinagar: A militant of terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba has been arrested on Saturday in a hospital in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. A police officer has said that the 'Special Operations Group' of Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested Nisar Ahmed Dar, resident of the Hajin area in Bandipora district of North Kashmir, from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in the city. Indonesia floods: Capital Jakarta submerged, death toll reaches to 53 This terrorist was plotting to attack security forces personnel posted in Srinagar. He said that Dar belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba organization. The arrested terrorist has been identified as 23-year-old Nisar Ahmed Dar. Terrorist Nisar is said to be a resident of the Hajin area of Bandipora. It helped the terrorists along with supplying weapons for the last several days. About 8 FIRs have been registered against terrorist Nisar from 2017 to 2019. Modi's biggest attack on Lalu and Rabri, reminded Bihar of 1990 According to information received from sources, Nisar had a very close relationship with the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, the local terrorist Mohammad Salim Parre. When there was an encounter between the Indian security forces and the terrorists in North Kashmir, Nisar managed to escape from there. The same police arrested terrorist is being interrogated, there may be more revelations in the case soon. Abdul Sattar resigns from Maha Vikas Aghadi govt over disagreement on minister post Troops loyal to Haftar are on the outskirts of Tripoli, raising fears of more casualties and human rights abuses. There is growing concern about armed groups in Libya abducting or arresting thousands of people, leaving their families with no idea of their whereabouts. One of the most high-profile cases was the kidnapping of a human rights campaigner Seham Sergiwa a few months ago. Al Jazeeras Hashem Ahelbarra reports. Drink Baby Yoda cocktail, you will but only for a little while longer, hopefully. The 2010s saw many ill-advised drinking trends, ones the average bar denizen will be happy to see the back of. Still, several are poised to influence the way we imbibe in the coming year and beyond. Over the last decade, radical shifts in collective taste, work habits, the way we consume information and even Americas hyper-polarized politics have driven our drinking style. The 2020s will be no different. Indeed, six changes to alcohol culture may have a stronger impact on what, and how, we drink. Luckily, the Star Wars franchise isnt one of them. Craft spirits According to Statista, there were 195 independent craft distilleries in the U.S. in 2010. By 2018, that was up to 1,586. With the success of handmade and artisanal vodka, gin, rum and particularly whiskey, liquor conglomerates such as Proximo and Remy Cointreau took the if you cant beat em, invest in em strategy by purchasing majority stakes in small distilleries. The benefit of a strategic partnership allows us to scale up in a meaningful way, said Kaveh Zamanian, founder of Kentuckys Rabbit Hole Distillery, which was purchased in 2019 by Pernod Ricard in a buying binge that also included Jeffersons Bourbon in Kentucky, Smooth Ambler in West Virginia and Firestone & Robertson in Texas. Rather than selling out, Zamanian said he sees the investment as a recognition of the value of his creative vision and potential for product innovation. Looking ahead: With U.S. tariffs on European alcoholic products currently in place and more potentially coming, the next decade could be colossal for domestic spirits. Plus, the recent signing of a tax incentive bill included an extension of the Craft Beverage Modernization Tax Reform Act, which provides distillers savings of $10.80 per gallon of the first 100,000 gallons produced. Celebrity liquor The 2010s were the decade that gave us Born & Bred Vodka from Channing Tatum, Heavens Door Whiskey from Bob Dylan, Virginia Black Whiskey from Drake, Villa One Tequila from Nick Jonas, and even Ron de Jeremy spirits from porn star Ron Jeremy, to name a few. Though not even Steven Soderbergh (Singani 63) could have written the Hollywood ending for George Clooney, who sold his Casamigos tequila to Diageo for a reported $1 billion in 2017. As unseemly as celebrity partnerships can be to the more discerning, they do give niche spirits more attention. Another actor, Ryan Reynolds, acquired part ownership of Portlands Aviation Gin in 2018. Ryan is recruiting new fans to the gin category and to American gin in particular, said Andrew Chrisomalis, CEO of Davos Brands, which owns Aviation. Though not an owner, actor Matthew McConaughey was named creative director for Wild Turkey whiskey in 2016 presumably to help spread the word that bourbon is all right, all right, all right through TV spots, philanthropic efforts and Longbranch, a bourbon he co-created with Master Distiller Eddie Russell. The decision to partner with Matthew was born out of a desire to share our rich, storied history with a younger bourbon consumer, said Julka Villa, managing director at Campari Group, which owns Wild Turkey. Looking ahead: This year, Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston co-founded Dos Hombres mezcal and Kate Hudson announced the launch of her gluten-free, non-GMO corn-based vodka, King Street. Perhaps now mezcal will get the big, bad break its been poised to have for decades, and maybe more women celebrities will head up spirits brands. Mixers The rise of premium gin and nonalcoholic cocktails silenced the bar soda gun in favor of higher-quality bottled tonics and less sugary flavored fizzy mixers. Category leader Fever Tree from the U.K. was valued at $4.5 billion at the start of 2019, but there is rising competition from other mixer companies who came up through the decade. When we launched over 10 years ago, consumers in the know wanted to make great drinks and they began investing in premium spirits, said Jordan Silbert, founder of Q Mixers in Brooklyn, New York. It only made sense that mixing those better spirits with mixers of comparable quality and sophistication would make better drinks. Looking ahead: Even old-school fizz companies like Schweppes have seen the need to launch premium mixer brand extensions to meet demand. White Claw, a hard seltzer, may be the best-known example of the low alcohol trend.White Claw Low alcohol The gig economy has no set working schedule let alone traditional brunch days for day drinking but no one wants to get too smashed on a Monday afternoon. Spritzes and low alcohol session cocktails are a way for people to enhance a moment without the punch of a high proof spirit, said Lynn House, national spirits specialist and portfolio mixologist for Heaven Hill. She spearheaded the rebranding of the low ABV vermouth-like liqueur Dubonnet Rouge to jibe better with sophisticated palates in a less boozy cocktail culture. Looking ahead: If 2019s Summer of Spritz was any indication, fizzy and highball-type drinks made with a wide range of flavorful, low-alcohol liqueurs arent going away any time soon, though tariffs might have an impact on the accessibility of imports. Will high-end drink venues avoid the rising costs of imported liqueurs in favor of hard seltzer? According to Nielsen, sales of hard seltzer, including, yes, White Claw, are up more than 208% in 2019. Bitter America The popularity of IPAs and hoppy beers in the late 1990s and early 2000s seems to have conditioned Americas palate for bitter flavors. Amor y Amargo, a bitters-focused cocktail bar in New York City, began as a temporary popup in 2011. Not only did it stay bitter due to popular demand, it opened a second location in 2019. Looking ahead: Years of watching people like Anthony Bourdain on TV has expanded American consumers palates and appreciation for different flavors, said Nick Elozevic, co-owner of Diamond Dogs, a casual neighborhood bar in Queens, New York. He said these days he has to purchase super-bitter products like Fernet Branca by the caseload. Instagram drinking Cats and lunch werent the only stars of the decades social media firehose. So were cocktails, especially those with over-the-top garnishes, bright hues and outrageous drinking vessels (even snow globes). Liquor brands hired influencer cocktail stylists like Josue Romeo (@the_garnishguy) to post content or worked with consultants such as Alexandra Farrington, who said she was instructed to come up with eye-catching concepts no matter what the drink tasted like. Some bars now even have a budget for creative directors, like Tyler Zielinski of Lawrence Park in Hudson, New York. Looking ahead: With constantly shifting algorithms and platforms such as Instagram experimenting with not posting likes, maybe we can all soon go back to sipping plain old glasses of wine and not telling anyone about it. --Bloomberg News Two men who identified themselves as two American security operatives smuggled fugitive former Nissan Boss Carlos Ghosn from Japan, it has been claimed. The Wall Street Journal claims that Michael Taylor and George Zayek identified themselves with US passports during the journey and allegedly accompanied Ghosn when he boarded a plane in Osaka, Japan on Sunday. While the two contractors boarded the plain normally, Ghosn was taken on board in a large black musical instrument case. A file photo from April 2019 shows former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn leaving the Tokyo Detention House. Michael Taylor and George Zayek identified themselves with US passports during the journey and allegedly accompanied Ghosn when he boarded a plane in Osaka, Japan on Sunday Ghosn was under house arrest in Japan after being charged with underreporting his pay and shifting personal losses to Nissan. He flew from Osaka to Istanbul on Sunday, where he boarded a smaller jet to Lebanon, arriving on Monday. According to Japan's Kyodo news agency, the two private security operatives are said to have pretended to be part of a group of musicians for a Christmas party at his residence in Lebanon. The Wall Street Journal spoke to people familiar with a Turkish investigation into the matter who claim there were only two individuals, Mr Taylor and Mr Zayek, listed on documents for the flight from Osaka to Ataturk airport in Istanbul. Policemen accompany seven suspects, who were arrested allegedly for helping out former chairman of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn flee from Japan to the courthouse in Istanbul on Friday Seven suspects are escorted by Turkish polic eas they leave a police station in Istanbul on Friday Mr Taylor's company, American International Security Corp., were famed for aiding the extraction of a New York Times reporter called David Rohde after the Taliban kidnapped him in Afghanistan in 2009. He also served time in a US jail for wire fraud. George Zayek has held positions in security firms linked to Mr Taylor, according to the Wall Street Journal. There is a photographic evidence of the passports and visas of the two men, it's alleged. Ghosn was not seen returning home after leaving around noon on December 29, local public broadcaster NHK reported on Friday, prompting the belief that he escaped by simply walking out of his front door. He was caught on a security camera leaving his Tokyo home by himself on the day he is thought to have fled to avoid the Japanese trial. The security footage was taken by a camera installed at his house in central Tokyo around noon on Sunday, and the camera did not show him returning home, NHK said. By early Monday, he had touched down in Istanbul. Carlos Ghosn was pictured celebrating New Year's Eve with wife Carole (right) in Beirut after he managed to escape from house arrest in Japan At the time, it appeared to contradict reports that the former CEO slipped out of his Tokyo residence, where he had been kept under intense surveillance, in a musical instrument case. Ghosn had been under strict bail conditions when he illegally fled Japan for Lebanon. It comes as Turkish private aircraft operator MNG Jet said that its planes were used illegally in the escape from Japan of ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, adding it had filed a criminal complaint. Policemen bring seven suspects to a courthouse in Istanbul on Friday. They are accused of helping Ghosn flee Japan to Lebanon, via Turkey Security cameras are seen above the entrance of the residence of former auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo on January 3, after Ghosn fled Japan to avoid a trial In a statement on Friday, the jet operator said one of its employees admitted having falsified the records to exclude Ghosn's name from official documentation without the knowledge the company. It is believed Ghosn took a private jet from Kansai Airport in western Japan to Istanbul, before heading from there to Beirut. MNG Jet said in its statement it leased two jets to two different clients in agreements that 'were seemingly not connected to each other.' One plane flew from Osaka to Istanbul, the other from Istanbul to Beirut. 'The name of Mr Ghosn did not appear in the official documentation of any of the flights,' it said. 'After having learnt through the media that the leasing was benefiting Mr. Ghosn and not the officially declared passengers, MNG Jet launched an internal inquiry and filed a criminal complaint in Turkey,' it added. Turkish private aircraft operator MNG Jet has filed a criminal complaint (stock image of MNG private jet) Ghosn is said to have flown from Tokyo to Beirut via Istanbul in Turkey An employee admitted to falsifying the records and confirmed he 'acted in his individual capacity,' the company said. The pilots and other detainees, including two airport ground staff and one cargo worker, were sent to court on Friday after giving statements to police. Seven suspects in Istanbul who are accused of helping Ghosn flee Japan via Turkey were on Friday seen being escorted by police to a courthouse. Ghosn has said he will speak publicly about his escape on January 8. The news comes a day after prosecutors raided the residence as part of an initial probe into his flight. NHK said police were analysing other surveillance footage, believing there is a possibility he joined someone to head for the airport. The camera placed near the entrance of his Tokyo residence showed no suspicious person around the time that Ghosn left, according to NHK and the business daily Nikkei. Ghosn was on Tuesday pictured celebrating New Year's Eve with his wife and friends in Lebanon. The 65-year-old former Nissan CEO can be seen sitting next to wife Carole in a plush dining room in front of a table strewn with empty plates, glasses, a half-full bottle of wine and decorated with lit candlesticks. It is thought the image, obtained by French TV station TF1, was taken inside the Beirut mansion where he has been holed up in since his arrival in the country. The residence of former auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn is seen in Tokyo on January 3 Security cameras are seen at the entrance of the residence of former auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo on January 3. Ghosn was caught on a security camera leaving his Tokyo home by himself on the day he is thought to have fled to avoid a Japanese trial, local media reported Friday Ghosn, who faced multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, won bail in April but with strict conditions - including a ban on overseas travel and living under surveillance. But the executive, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, managed to slip out of Japan on Sunday despite having handed over his three passports to his lawyers. Ghosn said on Thursday through the Paris-based agency handling his public relations that he organised his dramatic escape from bail in Japan alone and that his family had nothing to do with his escape. A house identified by court documents as belonging to former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn in a wealthy neighbourhood of the Lebanese capital Beirut Ghosn pictured with his wife Carole in April last year. Ghosn was able to enter Lebanon on a French passport Quoting a Lebanese consultant in Tokyo, Kyodo said Ghosn hid in an instrument case before boarding a private jet - a scenario a member of Ghosn's entourage has previously denied. Interpol, the international police cooperation body, has issued a 'red notice' for Ghosn's arrest in the wake of him fleeing Japan, while Turkey announced it was holding seven individuals in connection with his escape. Ghosn was able to enter Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents. A court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport as he needed one to travel inside Japan, a source close to the matter said. According to this source, the court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport so long as it was kept 'in a locked case' with the key held by his lawyers. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe In his Westwood calligraphy shop, Manouchehr Mohagheghian clings to a tradition from his native Iran, reproducing the words of the Persian poet Rumi in trellis-like Farsi script. His face darkens, though, when he talks about what he wanted to leave behind in his home country: an authoritarian regime that suppresses dissent. He calls its leaders 'terrorists.' So it was with grim satisfaction that Mohagheghian greeted the news that the U.S. military had assassinated Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone strike in Iraq early Friday. He would have rather Soleimani been tried in a court of law, but he was also glad the commander was gone. "Killing each one of these terrorists is a benefit for the Iranian people, Middle East and saving the American people, the American military in Iraq," Mohagheghian said. Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian population outside of Iran, and this pocket of Westwood where Mohagheghian does calligraphy is referred to as "Persian Square." Here, amid one of the city's densest concentrations of Iranian American-owned businesses, President Trump's order to take out the country's top military commander is stirring up strong emotions. Sahra Mohammadi worries that the general's assassination will further destabilize Iran, where her older sister lives. (Photo by Josie Huang/LAist) Sahra Mohammadi, who owns a beauty salon here, was less than enthusiastic. She said that she is worried that Soleimani's killing could further destabilize the region and endanger the lives of her 70-year-old sister and her family, who are in Tehran. Top Iranian leaders have vowed revenge for the general's death. Meanwhile, more airstrikes have been reported since. "I just pray for them, that everybody stay healthy, and stick to each other," Mohammadi said. At the same time, Mohammadi was hopeful about regime change. She said that for too long the Iranian people have been suffering under the rule of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "The people don't have any money, and the situation is very bad," Mohammadi said. "Medicine is very expensive. If you want to buy bread, just one (loaf of) bread is $5, $6, maybe more." In contrast, Albert Rad, a mobile phone wholesaler, full-throatedly supported the strike against Iran. A Persian Jew, he said he emigrated to the U.S. with his parents when he was 24 to escape religious persecution. "Donald Trump 100% did a good decision," Rad said. "U.S. government (is) No.1, no questions asked." In Los Angeles, and other major U.S. cities, the general's killing spurred law enforcement agencies to call for greater vigilance. Albert Rad, a mobile phone wholesaler who fled religious persecution in Iran decades ago, said that he fully backs President Trump's decision to assassinate Iran's top military commander. (Photo by Josie Huang/LAist) Earlier today, the Los Angeles Police Department wrote from its Twitter account that although "there is no credible threat" to the city, "we ask every Angeleno to say something if you see something." The tweet set off immediate backlash on the Internet. Nazanin Nour, an Iranian American actress, sent this retort to the LAPD account: Hey, everyone. Los Angeles Iranian hereI will be sure to report any Iranians engaging in suspicious activity like obeying parking signs, turning down free kabob, and driving sensible sedans. Nazanin Nour (@NazaninNour) January 3, 2020 Nour told KPCC/LAist she felt that the LAPD was putting Iranians and Iranian Americans on notice by saying "Hey, we know what happened and we're watching you." Nour, who was born in Arlington, Virginia, said she was "just as American as everybody else," but that "seeing something like [the LAPD tweet] does make you feel like the 'other.'" She said Iranian Americans faced heavy discrimination around the time of the Iranian hostage crisis, which lasted from 1979-1981. She worried tensions between the U.S. and Iran could lead to "our generation's version of that happening all over again. So it's very unsettling." Mohagheghian, the calligrapher, said he found the police department's tweet alarmist. "I think is not necessary," Mohagheghian said. "Why (do) you make a big case of it?" UPDATES: 6:51 p.m.: This article was updated with quotes from an interview with Nazanin Nour. This article was originally published at 5:47 p.m. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. Flagstaff police found the body of a 47-year-old man lying in the snow a day after his 28-year-old son was struck and killed by a train just up the road, authorities said Friday. Authorities are still working to figure out if the father and son were together when Travis Haudley was hit and killed by a train on Wednesday. Initial reports said there were two people standing between the eastbound and westbound tracks, but police say officers were unable to find anyone else. The body of Emerson Haudley was found on Thursday at a nearby tunnel. Investigators are still seeking footage from cameras on the BNSF Railway train, which they hope will help determine whether the men were traveling together and what led to the death of Emerson Haudley, said Flagstaff Police Sgt. Charles Hernandez. There were no signs of trauma involved in the fathers death, but authorities say cold overnight temperatures are believed to have contributed. Get the local news in these turbulent times straight to your inbox at 3 p.m. daily Get the local news straight to your inbox at 3 p.m. daily Sign up now> The Dubai Police recorded 297 cases of counterfeiting and forgery, with a value of approximately Dh2.5 billion ($680.61 million) in 2019, a Wam news agency report quoting the Department of Combating Economic Crimes of the General Department of Criminal investigations said. Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, Director of Criminal Investigation Department, CID, emphasised that Dubai Police, in cooperation with its partners, spares no effort to combat economic crimes involving counterfeiting of all kinds of products and goods. Through inspecting stores and capturing those who are involved in counterfeiting cases, Dubai Police managed to preserve the rights of trademarks' owners and their intellectual property. "More than eight specialised companies from international brands have praised the efforts of the Dubai Police in combating counterfeit products and preserve their intellectual property," Al Jalaf added. 'Roaring Twenties' prayer initiative calling on 1M young Christians to fast, pray for awakening Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christian leaders are calling on 1 million people, particularly youth in the United States, to fast and pray for an awakening at the beginning of each year this decade as part of the "Roaring Twenties" fast. The Roaring Twenties fast is fundamentally about cultivating expectant hope for another great spiritual awakening in America and in the nations around the world amid bitter divisions and political turmoil. In an interview with The Christian Post on Tuesday, Malachi O'Brien, a pastor at the Kansas City-area Church at Pleasant Ridge and former second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, recalled an experience he had with Think Eternity founder and evangelist Matt Brown while they were attending a young leaders gathering featuring Louie Giglio back in June. There, Giglio shared a phrase about what God was doing on Earth in the upcoming decade, "the roaring '20s." "I just began to really think on that, that there's such a direct correlation from the 1920s to the 2020s. So many things politically, spiritually, economically. The decade began one way, it ended a vastly different way," O'Brien said. The Lord put it on O'Brien's heart to call 1 million young people to fast and pray through the next decade, especially given how prayer has shaped recent decades. In 1995, Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade, issued a call for fasting in hopes of spiritual revival, which was considered radical at the time, he noted. Leaders such as Ronnie Floyd, Jerry Falwell, Steve Gaines, Lou Engle, John Piper, and many others joined him in fasting for revival. By the end of the 1990s, two global 24/7 prayer movements were launched, one in the United Kingdom and one in the United States. "I believe that the Lord wants to mark a new generation, mark them with spiritual hunger and thirst that they rest not in what we can do when we have large stadium gatherings or when we do large events, but let them be marked that it's not by might nor by power but by His Spirit. And to know that there is something powerful that happens when we really consecrate ourselves to a place of fasting and prayer." Pastor Jentezen Franklin, whose Free Chapel church in Gainesville, Georgia, corporately fasts and prays each January, also came on board to support the initiative. What they soon found was as they put forward plans for the Roaring Twenties fast, others were sensing the Holy Spirit calling them to similar things, O'Brien said. Think Eternity's digital mission director Jon Groves said that growing up as the son of an evangelist he was often exposed to "revival" churches and having revival meetings regularly. Yet when he became a pastor he started studying revivals of history, great awakenings, and culture-shifting movements that shook entire continents. "And that's what I began to crave," Groves said in comments emailed to CP on Tuesday. "Throughout history, communications shifts and true revivals have walked hand in hand. The printing press and Martin Luther. Movable type printing and George Whitefield. Television and Billy Graham. And today, in the biggest communication shift in 500 years, with social media apps and networks exploding by the millions every single day. "There has never been a greater opportunity to flood the world and saturate the air with the message of the Gospel. To raise up digital Billy Grahams, cultural missionaries, to take Christ to culture," he said. Although the data show that the faith of young people is dissolving by the millions, "we serve a God who loves to baffle statisticians," Groves stressed. "My prayer is that it does not end in January, but that its ripple will be seen and roar will be heard for generations to come, the next great awakening. And just like the wave starts in the student section, we're targeting young people in this movement as well. Jesus chose 12 teenage disciples to turn the world upside down. And if Jesus did it before with 12, we cannot even imagine what He will do with 1 million young people consecrated to the cause of Christ." The younger generations have rarely been taught about fasting and thus do not know the power of it, he said. "But if we want to see God do something new in and through us, we're going to have to be stretched in new ways. "When you fast, you encounter and realize the presence of God in such a unique way. My desire for all those who participate is that just as Jacob left his encounter with God having a limp, that my generation would forever be dissatisfied with anything less than a miraculous move of God." By PTI BEIJING: China replaced its top official in Hong Kong on Saturday, days after President Xi Jinping expressed concern over the continued pro-democracy protests posing a major challenge to the ruling Communist Party. Wang Zhimin, the director of its liaison office in Hong Kong who coordinates between the local government of the former British colony and the central government in Beijing, has been replaced, official media here reported. Wang was replaced by Luo Huining, the former party boss of Shaanxi province, in the first major reshuffle of the office since the city became embroiled in anti-government protests seven months ago. Though Hong Kong is governed by beleaguered pro-Beijing Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, who so far failed to quell the protests which grew in intensity, much of responsibility over policy and planning has been coordinated by Wang. China's liaison office in Hong Kong, which is the symbol of Beijing's authority, has also become a centre of pro-democracy protests where the protesters have burnt the Chinese flag. Luo's appointment came as a surprise as he was named a week ago the deputy director of the financial and economic affairs committee of the National People's Congress, China's legislature, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The announcement came after Xi in his New Year's address expressed concern over the situation in Hong Kong where the locals carried out pro-democracy protests. The disquieting situation in Hong Kong, which continues to witness mass protests, especially by youth that often turned violent figured high in Xi's customary New Year's eve address over the national television on December 31. "The situation in Hong Kong has been everybody's concern over the past few months," said Xi, who is regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader after Mao Zedong. Besides Presidency, Xi also heads the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. "Without a harmonious and stable environment, how can there be a home where people can live and work happily," Xi said with a tone of exasperation over unending protests, stating that he hoped for the best. "We sincerely hope for the best for Hong Kong and Hong Kong compatriots," he said. "A prosperous and stable Hong Kong is the aspiration of Hong Kong compatriots, as well as the expectation of the people of the motherland," he said. What has started as protests against an extradition bill piloted by Lam, the demonstrations grew in intensity and turned into a full-blown movement against increasing control of China. Besides calling for Lam's resignation, the protestors are demanding an independent probe into the use of force by police, amnesty for arrested protesters, a halt to categorising the protests as riots and the implementation of universal suffrage to elect their own representatives to govern the province. The protests continued despite the withdrawal of the bill. The pro-democracy parties also registered a landslide victory in local body elections. Xi's leadership of the crisis especially refusing the withdraw the bill in time has come under criticism. Xi, who continued to back Lam and her administration, however, has been reiterating Beijing's, unswerving determination, to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests and oppose any external force in interfering in Hong Kong's affairs. New Delhi: Two days after horror film 'Ghost Stories' was released on Netflix, the online video streaming platform shared views of each of the directors on its Instagram account on Friday. Dibakar Banerjee, who is a fan of the horror genre said that zombie films attract him and he feels that being scared is an evolutionary requirement, while Karan Johar">Karan Johar said that he wanted to show "good-looking people getting scared in a good-looking way." "A horror film should always be something else along with being horror. People are afraid and anxious, walking around with fear in their eyes nowadays. I think zombie films attract me because they hit at the fundamental fear that we all have in two layers," Netflix India quoted Banerjee as saying. "One is the fear of us dying. And the second is the fear that all of us will die. As a country, we are afraid and for a society that has learned to live with fear, for a society that has learned to shut up with fear -- I think it's the right time for a film like this," the director further explained. Karan Johar">Karan Johar who is a newbie in the horror genre, said, "I realised I don't know how to dabble with the genre. Zoya sent me the script and it intrigued me, but I wanted to do it in my own way. I don't know horror and I wasn't looking to make any internal commentary." "I did exactly what I wanted to do, showing good-looking people getting scared in a good-looking way," said Johar summing his vision for the film. Earlier in the day, Netflix India had shared the views of other two directors of the film -- Anurag Kashyap and Zoya Akhtar on its Instagram account. The show is a combination of four horrific stories, presented by the dream team of the widely lauded show 'Lust Stories'- Karan, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, and Dibakar Bannerjee, who are ready to give us some spooky stories. The horror flick 'Ghost Stories' was released on the midnight of January 1, 2020, on online video streaming platform Netflix. Sri Lankan President meets PM Modi at Hyderabad House Sri Lanka's Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane will travel to India for his first official visit abroad on January 9, a media report said on Saturday. He would be in India for a couple of days, The Daily Mirror newspaper reported. The details of his visit was not made public. It has been a practice for Sri Lankan Foreign Ministers to visit India for their first visit abroad. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited New Delhi soon after assuming office and held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajapaksa, 70, a former military officer, was sworn in as Sri Lanka's seventh President on November 18 after he defeated the ruling party candidate Sajith Premadasa by more than 13 lakh votes, marking the return of the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty. Papua New Guinea Police in Madang have shot dead one man and injured two others when about 20 men raided Madang Airport and robbed a helicopter services company of a substantial amount of cash and valuables on Saturday, the local newspaper, the National reports.The robbers had earlier felled a coconut tree and chopped down banana trees to block the access road leading to Madang airport in PNG before making the daring raid between 2am and 3am.They then tied up two security guards and helped themselves to whatever they could lay their hands on in Heli Niuginis office.However, unfortunately for the robbers, they were spotted by the public putting up the roadblock and the police were alerted.Policemen rushed to the scene but they had to abandon their vehicle and ran to the airport.A shootout between the raiders and police ensued.Ethan Alan Andrew, 23, from Angorams Manjuat (Biwat) in East Sepik was killed in the shootout.Two others, aged 18 and 23, both from Manjuat Village were seriously injured and sent to the hospital.Madang commander acting Supt Mazuc Rubiang said the raiders loot were yet to be recovered but he declined to reveal the amount taken.There will be no haus krai (mourning) until all suspects and properties stolen are handed to police, he said, urging community leaders from the Banana Block and airport (DCA) area to surrender all the suspects. Rubiang told The National: Madang had a peaceful Christmas except in the early hours Saturday morning.Police will step up security patrols in the airport area while we pursue with investigations to arrest all the suspects. The security guards have given their statements.Next : The general manager of a Fingal cinema stole over 200,000 from his employer and 'whittled' it away mainly on gambling, a court has heard. John Connolly (38) admitted the thefts when confronted and told gardai he was drinking heavily at the time and suffering mental health issues. He said he thought he could take the money and put it back. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Connolly was gambling mainly on the lotto and at one stage was one number away from winning 250,000. The total theft amounted to 217,203. Connolly of Carnlough Road, Cabra West, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of sums of cash from IMC Cinema, Omni Park, Santry on dates between April 2016 and July 2018. Garda Jarleth Burke told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that Connolly worked as a general manager at the cinema and initially two keys - one held by Connolly and one held by a security company - were required to open the main safe where the cinema takings were stored. After a change in security providers in 2016 Connolly held both keys and had access to the safe. In May 2018 the directors of the cinema became aware that there was a shortfall between takings from the cinema and lodgements to the company bank account. Garda were contacted and an investigation began. Connolly admitted the thefts as soon as the allegations were put to him. Gda Burke said following analysis it appeared there was an initial shortfall of 6,000 in June 2016 and that a time lag developed before money was collected by the security company. Gda Burke agreed with Seamus Clarke SC, defending, that Connolly was 'chasing his tail' and trying to cover his tracks by using takings to 'offset' previously stolen money and 'plugging the gap'. He agreed that Connolly was not living a lavish lifestyle and there was no money 'slushing around' in his bank account. Connolly has no previous convictions and no money has been recovered. Connolly told gardai during interview that he 'can't apologise enough' for what he had done. Mr Clarke handed in a letter of apology from his client to his former employers and also letters from Connolly's family and former partner. Counsel said Connolly came from a psychologically abusive background as a child. He said his client had a gambling problem and had been drinking heavily at the time. He said the money stolen had been 'whittled away' primarily on gambling. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing and remanded Connolly on continuing bail until February 28 2020 to allow psychiatric and probation reports be prepared for the court. Congressman Cleavers Statement on U.S. Strike Against Qasem Soleimani I fear this decision is a grave miscalculation by the President. Such a monumental escalation in tensions with Iran, without consulting congressional leadership and our allies abroad, puts our servicemembers in danger and has the potential for disastrous ramifications. The American people are sick of never-ending wars in the Middle East, and Im sick of the Executive Branchs continued usurpation of congressional authority. This moment is a test of whether or not we learned our lesson in Iraq, and I pray that we seek all opportunities to de-escalate this volatile situation. The administration needs to brief the Congress immediately, and explain to the American people and our allies around the world why they have brought us to the brink of war and what the strategy is moving forward. World Talks Prez Trump What is Trump's strategy on Iran? US President Donald Trump's decision to authorise a drone strike that killed Iran's most powerful military commander has seen tensions between the two nations escalate. What's the strategy here, and what might happen next? Mr Trump has long promised to take American troops out of the Middle East. White House Justification Trump: 'We took action last night to stop a war' While the president reiterated he's not seeking regime change in Tehran, Trump demanded that the current Islamist government's "aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end and it must end now." Earlier in the day, Trump kicked off his defense on Twitter. Air Strike Defense Trump says Soleimani was planning 'imminent and sinister attacks,' defends airstrike President Trump accused Iranian military general Qassem Soleimani of planning "imminent and sinister attacks" in his first televised remarks since the deadly airstrike that killed the general in Baghdad. "We took action last night to stop a war," Trump said during brief remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Congressional Consideration Congress Will Vote On Whether To Shut Down A Possible War With Iran WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine has introduced a war powers resolution to cease hostilities with Iran until military actions are approved by Congress. After 10 days, Kaine can force a vote on his motion in the Senate, which cannot be blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Maybe Not Time For #MeToo Rose McGowan told to "move to Iran" after apologizing to the country on Twitter Rose McGowan's tweeted apology to Iran early Friday morning was met with swift and harsh backlash on Twitter. "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. Progressive Political Suspicion Trump repeatedly claimed in 2011 and 2012 that Obama would start a war with Iran to win re-election In media appearances prior to the 2012 election, Donald Trump repeatedly predicted that then-President Barack Obama would start a war with Iran in order to win re-election. Prez Trump Rallies Trump Taunts Iran After Soleimani Strike: 'Never Won a War!' President Donald Trump has taunted Iran the morning after he ordered a deadly drone strike on the the Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani. The attack on Iran's most important commander has provoked fury in the country, and its president has vowed to take revenge. Escalation Already . . . U.S. to send 3,000 troops to Middle East after embassy attack, Soleimani killing WASHINGTON - The United States is sending approximately 3,000 soldiers to the Middle East after thousands of people stormed the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, three U.S. defense officials and one U.S. military official confirmed to NBC News on Friday. The news came hours after an American airstrike killed Gen. The top elected official in Kansas City, Missouri weighs in on an international crisis and its impact on Americans.Here's the word:For Immediate ReleaseJanuary 3, 2020(Washington, D.C.) United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement in response to a U.S. military strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, head of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force.###Accordingly, here are more news links from better sources we'd like to share on the topic . . .Developing . . . According to the state of Florida and the Republican Party, while there may well be a benefit to being listed first, courts simply have no way of knowing how big an electoral advantage to first-listed candidates is necessary to render the statute unconstitutional. If this argument sounds familiar, that is because it attempts to copy and paste into this case the U.S. Supreme Courts recent partisan gerrymandering ruling. In Rucho v. Common Cause, the court held that since, in its view, there was no agreed-upon standard for how much partisan gerrymandering made a map unconstitutional, federal courts had to resist considering such cases at all. As many have noted, the Rucho case was a disaster for fair districting and democracy. So far, however, the courts reasoning in that case has been limited to the unique circumstances of partisan gerrymandering claims and no other aspects of election administration. Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers. A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBuckets secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you. 1. Verification and registrar choice After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files. In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days. BrandBucket has vetted and supports the following registrars: GoDaddy Namesilo Uniregistry NameCheap Google Domains Network Solutions Name.com Dynadot Amazon Route 53 123 Reg Gandi 2. We request the name from the seller. Once we know where you would like the domain transferred, BrandBucket will request the domain from the seller. All of our sellers are very responsive, making for a quick process. 3. Transfer the name into your account As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process. 4. Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller. Over the holidays, federal Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) reiterated her call for a massive expansion of the Franco-German campaign in the Sahel region. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, she said the German military must not duck away in this region. German soldier in Afghanistan, August 2011 (Credit US Navy, Flickr) While the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) has so far mainly taken on logistical tasks and trained the troops of the Malian regime, the French military, she said, was engaged in a much more robust mission. However, it was increasingly questionable, Kramp-Karrenbauer said, whether this division of labour can be maintained. Germany, according to the minister, must in future ensure stability in the region in its own interest and to do so, needs a more robust training mandate. Hans-Peter Bartels (Social Democratic Party, SPD), parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, sang from the same hymn sheet, calling for uniform coordination and leadership of all civil and military aid to the precarious Sahel states. Europe must not powerlessly watch the failure of the pro-Western governments. Closer cooperation with the French troops was certainly the right approach, Bartels said. The Bundeswehr has been stationed in Mali since 2013. Up to 1,100 German soldiers have taken on logistical tasks within the framework of the Minusma UN mission and support of Operation Serval (since 2014, Barkhane) of the French army, which defends the unpopular regime in Bamako with 3,500 soldiers against oppositional militias. A further 156 Bundeswehr soldiers are training Malian soldiers as part of the EU mission EUTM. In neighbouring Niger, which has been armed to the teeth by Germany in particular, the Bundeswehr maintains a military base that acts as a hub for all German military operations in the Sahel region. Elite soldiers of the Navys Special Forces (KSM) have been engaged in combat operations in the country for months without a mandate and at the same time, training special units of the Nigerien military. Minusma, with 116 UN soldiers killed between 2013 and 2017, is the most loss-prone UN mission since the Korean War. The French military is undertaking offensive operations against the militias, triggering growing resistance. Two weeks ago, it officially deployed an armed drone for the first time, killing seven rebels in the Mopti region. A further 33 were put out of action, as President Macron declared during a visit to the Ivory Coast. Thirteen French soldiers were killed in November when the two helicopters they were riding in crashed in northern Mali. The main reason for the intensification of the war in Mali and the Sahel is growing conflict between the major powers over control of resources in the region, including gold and uranium. France, the former colonial power, and other European imperialist powers are seeking to defend their interests against their international rivals. The Sahel is a focal point of growing rivalries between Europe, the US, China, Russia and even India, all of which are trying to gain a foothold in Africa. In addition, France and Germany are trying to prevent refugees from Africa from continuing their journey towards the Mediterranean and Europe by sealing off the borders and setting up concentration camps. The United Nations estimates that a quarter of a million refugees are currently trapped in Mali and its neighbouring countries alone. The result of this neo-colonial campaign is untold suffering and thousands of deaths. The Bundeswehr's combat mission in Mali, which Kramp-Karrenbauer and the grand coalition of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats are planning to launch, aims to intensify the brutal war against Islamist rebels, the local population and African refugees and to press the interests of German imperialism in Africa. As recently as November, the German government held an Africa conference in Berlin, which was attended by heads of state and government from twelve African countries. The conferences main purpose was to pave the way for German companies to gain a foothold in Africa. Whoever wants to do business cannot get past Africa, the German media commented at the time. And, It is in our own best interests if Germany, if Europe as a whole, turns much more strongly to Africa and becomes involved there. Politically and economically. To achieve these goals, the grand coalition is prepared to kill civilians and sacrifice the lives of soldiers. When asked by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Will our death toll be higher if we take on more responsibility, Kramp-Karrenbauer answered affirmatively: Every mission is dangerous. The security situation in Mali had deteriorated massively. This confronts all of us in Europe with the question of how to deal with this region in our own interest. In the Sahel region, Kramp-Karrenbauer noted, a major hub for terrorism, organized crime, migration and human trafficking is currently emerging. We will have to consider and decide whether we want to ensure stability on the ground in our own interest and whether the Bundeswehr does not need a more robust training mandate here alongside our allies. Mali and the Sahel zone are only one of the regions of the world in which the Bundeswehr is to be increasingly deployed. In an order of the day at the turn of the year the defence minister said she was preparing our soldiers for a massive escalation of international operations. Responsible security and defence policy meant strengthening our partnerships and alliances, sharing the burden and deploying the full spectrum of our capabilities, she wrote. It is good news that the defence budget will increase for the sixth consecutive year. We have more than 45 billion euros at our disposal for 2020. That is a good 1.8 billion euros more than in 2019 for a Bundeswehr ready for action. The other milestones are clear: 1.5 percent of GDP in 2024, 2.0 percent of GDP by 2031 at the latest. This is the basis for a modern and powerful force, she concluded. Kramp-Karrenbauer's course is supported and defended by all parties in the Bundestag. The new SPD leader, Saskia Esken, called Kramp-Karrenbauers Mali initiative unthought-out and demanded that she develop her foreign policy proposals together with Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) in responsible cooperation within the coalition. But the Social Democratic foreign minister is one of the main advocates of increased German military operations. When the Bundestag passed the new military budget, he had boasted of Germany's engagement in Syria, Libya, Ukraine and Afghanistan: Anyone who talks about Germany's responsibility in the world must realise that in all these crises we are currently dealing with, Germany has now mostly taken the leading role in conflict resolution. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the Greens and the Left Party also support increased Bundeswehr deployments when it comes to representing German great power interests. Despite the unanimity among the parties in the Bundestag, there is strong opposition from the population, the majority of whom reject such missions. In order to combat and suppress this resistance, Kramp-Karrenbauer promised in her order of the day to further strengthen the presence of the Bundeswehr in German society, among other things through public swearing-in ceremonies in front of the Reichstag building and in many other places. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal condemned the mob attack on the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and said the incident exposes the "true face" of Pakistan where "persecution of minorities is a reality". The Bathinda MP also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the matter with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan to ensure safety of the Sikh community in Pakistan. "The true face of Pak stands exposed! First Sikh minor girl kidnapped & forcibly married. Now kidnappers attacking victim family & holy shrine Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. I urge PM @narendramodi ji & DrSJaishankar (External Affairs Minister) to ensure Pak stops this barbarity & ensure safety of Pak Sikh community," she tweeted. The mob attack took place at the shrine where the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born on Friday in Pakistan. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. The Union minister also sought to corner Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Congress over their stand against the amended Citizenship Act, which seeks to provide citizenship to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have entered India till December 31, 2014, following religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. "Persecution of minorities in Pak is a reality. Attack on Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib has shown its horrible face. I want to ask Capt. Amarinder Singh and Congress how can they oppose PM Modi's noble humanitarian gesture of giving rights to such persecuted minorities! she further wrote in her tweet. Meanwhile, BJP leader Tarun Chugh lashed out at Pakistan for the mob attack on the historic Sikh shrine and sought strict action against those who perpetrated this attack. I will write to the External Affairs Minister to take up this issue with Pakistan for action against those who carried out this attack, said Chugh. He also criticised the Punjab chief minister, alleging that he was playing politics by opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act. Dominic Cummings was warned against getting into a 'war' with the Civil Service by a former Government mandarin yesterday. The Prime Minister's chief adviser is drawing up plans for a seismic overhaul of Whitehall designed to improve the efficiency of government. On Thursday he issued an extraordinary call for 'super-talented weirdos' to apply for jobs in No 10. But former Civil Service chief Lord Kerslake yesterday warned that the shake-up would fail if Mr Cummings took a confrontational approach towards existing public servants. Recruiter: Boris Johnson's top special adviser Dominic Cummings (pictured days after the Tory election victory last month) wants 'super-talented weirdos' to work for him at Number 10 Lord Kerslake, who was head of the Civil Service from 2012 to 2014, said that while Whitehall should be 'open to challenge, improvement and change', ministers had to be realistic about the pace of reform. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'What I would guard against is getting into a war with the Civil Service where they get given the blame, if you like, for anything that doesn't quite go right it works a lot better if you deliver change with the grain of the Civil Service. 'The biggest risk is hubris. They think because they've won an election they can do everything and change everything overnight and it isn't like that. If they don't want to hear that, then so be it.' How Mr Cummings' job advert might look on a poster - calling for 'super-talented weirdos' to apply to work at Number 10 Job advert: Mr Cummings setting out his plans for a Downing Street shake-up in a meandering 2,900-word post on his personal blog In a 3,000-word blog post, Mr Cummings set out the requirements for hopefuls wanting to work in No 10. He called for applicants including 'weirdos and misfits with odd skills', data scientists and policy experts to send their details to an unofficial email address. Mr Cummings warned that there were 'some profound problems at the core of how the British state makes decisions'. He said the Government needed 'some true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hellhole'. And he said he was looking for a wunderkind to help him run the country. He said he or she would be worked so hard that 'frankly it will be hard having a boy/girlfriend at all'. He warned that 'confident public school bluffers' need not apply and stressed those who did not make the grade would be 'binned' within weeks. A British man, who has spent 33 years imprisoned in the US 10 of them on death row could be freed after judges agreed to hear an appeal that lawyers claim will prove his innocence. Krishna Maharaj was jailed in 1987 for the double murder of father and son businessmen Derrick and Duane Moo Young. The Trinidad-born food importer who had moved to Florida after making his fortune in Peckham, London was found guilty of shooting the pair in a Miami hotel room in a dispute over money. But the now 80-year-old, who owned four Rolls-Royce cars at the time of his arrest, has always maintained his innocence. Now, a lawyer who has spent more than 20 years working on the case, says he has irrefutable evidence that the killings were actually ordered by the notorious drug cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar. Death row in California's San Quentin prison Show all 8 1 /8 Death row in California's San Quentin prison Death row in California's San Quentin prison A condemned inmate exercises in a cage out in the yard of San Quentin prison Getty Death row in California's San Quentin prison San Quentin State Prison opened in 1852 and is California's oldest penitentiary. The facility houses the state's only death row for men that currently has 700 condemned inmates Getty Death row in California's San Quentin prison The lethal injection facility at San Quentin prison AP Death row in California's San Quentin prison A condemned inmate stands in a cell out in the yard of San Quentin prison Getty Death row in California's San Quentin prison An armrest in the interior of the lethal injection facility at San Quentin prison AP Death row in California's San Quentin prison A cell on death row in San Quentin Getty Death row in California's San Quentin prison A cage on death row in San Quentin Getty Death row in California's San Quentin prison A cell on death row in San Quentin Getty Clive Stafford Smith, founder of the human rights group Reprieve, said Mr Maharaj was framed by the Colombian mob, which itself wanted the Moo Young men dead because the pair had been stealing money they had been tasked with laundering. Crucially, Mr Stafford Smith will argue that evidence which would have proven Mr Maharajs innocence was repeatedly suppressed at the original trial including the fact that six key witnesses were never called. He said: I have never seen so much suppression of evidence favourable to the defendant as I have in Kriss case. The guy is unadulteratedly innocent. The evidence is staring the American courts in the face. Speaking to the i newspaper, he added: For 26 years, I have been saying to myself I cannot believe that he is going to be in prison for another month. So I am not going to make any prognostications. So apparently compelling is the evidence he has compiled, indeed, that a judge sitting in a lower court has already said that, should it have been presented at the original trial, no reasonable juror could have found Mr Maharaj guilty. Key among the new facts to be presented will also be the fact that a Colombian photographer working inside Escobars operation had informed US intelligence that the drug lord planned to take out the Moo Youngs. The latest glimmer of hope follows more than 20 years of campaigns on Mr Maharajs behalf. In 1997, the original death sentence was overturned in a Florida court, whil, in 2001, almost 300 British politicians, church leaders and judges wrote a letter to then governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, asking for a retrial. It was rebuffed. There is, nonetheless, now increased hope that the latest development could see him released in 2020. Certainly that is the hope of the man himself. Writing from his Florida cell where he now needs a wheelchair to move around, he said: My hopes are the same as ... every day since I was arrested on October 16, 1986 that I will finally be set free from this awful place and be able to go home to England to live my last years with my wife, Marita. By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI (Reuters) - Tensions between Iran and the United States are at their highest point since Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI (Reuters) - Tensions between Iran and the United States are at their highest point since Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Iran's clerical and military rulers have threatened revenge for an American air strike https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-blast/u-s-says-killing-top-iran-general-averted-plot-against-americans-idUSKBN1Z11K8?il=0 at Baghdad airport on Friday that killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Quds Force and architect of its growing military influence in the Middle East. Here are some of Iran's options: MILITARY POWER Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and U.S. President Donald Trump have talked tough during several crisis but neither have indicated an interest in all-out war. But the possibility of a military confrontation cannot be ruled out. Khamenei faces a dilemma. If he calls for restraint, he could look weak at home and among proxies who have expanded Iran's reach. For this reason, Iran may choose to opt for a smaller scale retaliation. Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said on Twitter that Khamenei must carefully calibrate the reaction. "A weak response risks losing face, an excessive response risks losing his head. Khamenei is Trump's most consequential international adversary in 2020." According to a U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) report in December, Irans military power relies on three core capabilities: its ballistic missile programme, naval forces that can threaten navigation in the oil-rich Gulf and its militia proxies in countries such as Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Iran says it has precision-guided missiles, cruise missiles and armed drones capable of hitting U.S. military bases in the Gulf, and reaching Tehran's arch-enemy Israel, a U.S. ally. Iran's homemade Shahab ballistic missiles with a range of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) can carry several warheads. In retaliation for the killing of Soleimani, Tehran or its proxies could attack oil tankers in the Gulf and Red Sea, a major global shipping route for oil and other trade, linking the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. BLOCKING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ A military confrontation or heightened tensions could halt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's oil production is shipped through. Such interruption, even for a short period of time, could affect the United States and many countries around the world. Iran cannot legally close the waterway unilaterally because part of it is in Omans territorial waters. However, ships pass through Iranian waters, which are under the responsibility of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy. Tehran could use its missiles and drones, mines, speedboats, and missile launchers in the Gulf area to confront the United States and its allies. In recent years, there have been periodic confrontations between the Guards and the U.S. military in the Gulf. U.S. officials have said closing the Strait would be crossing a "red line" and America would take action to reopen it. IRAN'S ASYMMETRIC TACTICS AND PROXIES The targeted killing of Soleimani could endanger U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East. Iran mainly relies on asymmetric tactics and its regional proxies in order to counter more sophisticated U.S. weaponry. Iran has passed on its drones and technical expertise to allies. Yemens Houthis have used Iran-made missiles and drones to bomb airports in Saudi Arabia, Iran's main regional foe. The United States and Saudi Arabia have accused Iran of carrying out attacks against oil tankers near the Strait last year and have accused Tehran of being behind attacks on the kingdom's oil facilities in September. Tehran has denied the allegations. Iran-backed militias in Iraq have used mortars and rockets to attack bases where U.S. forces are located. In June, Iran came close to war with the United States after Tehran downed a U.S. drone with a surface-to-air missile, a move that nearly triggered retaliatory strikes by Washington. TIMING Iran is unlikely to rush into action, according to Ali Alfoneh, senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "Iran has no choice but to strike back and retaliate assassination of Major General Suleimani," he said. "But the Islamic Republic is patient and the timing and nature of that strike is not yet known to us." IRAN'S LONG REACH Iran and its allies have proven they have a long reach. In 1994, an Iran-backed Hezbollah member drove a van filled with explosives to the Argentine Jewish Mutual Aid Society (AMIA) building, killing 85 people. Argentina blames Iran and Hezbollah for the attack. Both deny any responsibility. Argentina also blames Hezbollah for an attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992 that killed 29 people. U.S. and Argentine officials say Hezbollah operates in what is known as the tri-border area of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, where an illicit economy funds its operations. "What is more likely is sustained proxy attacks against U.S. interests and allies regionally and even globally. Iran has a long history of such attacks in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with mixed success," Carnegie's Sadjadpour wrote on Twitter. DIPLOMACY NOT CONFRONTATION Iranian leaders have in the past kept the door open to diplomacy to achieve its aims, especially when its economy is squeezed hard by U.S. sanctions designed to weaken the leadership. "Iran and America have worked together in the past, in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places. They have common interests and common enemies. A military confrontation will be costly for both sides. But diplomacy can solve many problems and it is an option," said a senior regional diplomat. Iran has ruled out any talks with the United States unless it returns to a 2015 nuclear deal and lifts all sanctions it reimposed on Tehran after exiting the pact in 2018. Signalling that the door was open for diplomacy, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after Soleimani's killing that Washington was committed to reducing tensions in the region. "While many are predicting WWIII, the last 40 years of Iran's history reflect that what's paramount for the Islamic Republic is its survival. Tehran can ill-afford a full-blown war with the U.S. while facing onerous economic sanctions and internal tumult, especially without Soleimani," Sadjadpour said. (Additional reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Edited by Michael Georgy and Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 10:50:40|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A convoy of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces was attacked early Saturday in northern Baghdad, the paramilitary group confirmed in a statement. "The attack, which took place near the Taji Stadium in Baghdad, hit a medical convoy of the Popular Mobilization Forces," said the group, which is also known as Hashd Shaabi in Arabic. It added in the statement that no senior members were affected, refuting earlier reports that said its senior officials were killed in the attack. Reports said that six people were killed and three others injured after two of the three cars in the convoy were found burned. Previously at least five deaths were reported. The new airstrike took place about 24 hours after a U.S. drone attack near Baghdad International Airport killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy chief of the pro-Iran Hashd Shaabi forces. Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the United States for Soleimani's death. Till press time, it is not clear who is responsible for the fresh attack, but Iraqi state television reported that the United States was behind the strike. There was no comment from Washington yet. Pentagon has announced that the attack killing Soleimani was conducted under U.S. President Donald Trump's direction as a "defensive action" as the Iranian senior military leader was accused of planning further attacks on U.S. diplomats and service members in Iraq. On Tuesday, Iraqi protesters stormed the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the U.S. air raids conducted on Sunday against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria. On Sunday evening, U.S. forces bombarded the headquarters of Hashd Shaabi's 45th and 46th Brigades, killing 25 and injuring 51. Bengaluru, Jan 5 : Science flourishes when left free without big directions as to where it should go, said German national scientist and 2014 Chemistry Nobel laureate Stefan Hell at the 107th Indian Science Congress (ISC) . "Real transformations in science do not come in a planned way. And therefore it is not really possible to plan, so we cannot really plan what we were discovering for in the end. What we were hoping for," said Hell at an interaction on the sidelines of the science congress in this tech hub on Saturday. Currently heading the Department of NanoBiophotonics at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Gottingen, Germany, Hell highlighted that governments usually are interested in short-term outcomes. "Governments are interested in applied sciences which is understandable, I am not criticising it. Although it is understandable that there is some applied science, there must be room for say blue sky research," said the 57-year-old Nobel laureate who is also an honorary professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Heidelberg University. Between 1993 and 1996, Hell worked as a senior researcher at the University of Turku, Finland where he developed the principle of STED microscopy. Hell highlighted that he and 2009 Israeli Chemistry Nobel laureate Ada Yonath are national scientists whose job is to understand how nature works and what can be done in it. Commenting on nature, Hell said, "Nature has its own laws and we cannot make up the laws, they are what they are. It is very important for scientists to detach from opinions, beliefs, traditions and whatever and to go just after what you observe." He said that a scientist cannot be successful unless he is open and frank to the result he obtains through his experiments, as nature is what it is. Recollecting the hard work a scientist has to go through, Yonath, from The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel said many people called her a dreamer who did not know what she wanted. "I have suffered this harassment for more than a decade. I have repeated experiments a 100 times," said 80-year-old Yonath who first visited India 40 years ago. According to Nobelprize.org, Yonath started a project in 1970s which culminated in 2000 in successfully mapping ribosome structures, along with other researchers, which contained hundreds of thousands of atoms, employing x-ray crystallography. The Israeli scientist heaped praise on Indian scientist G. N. Ramachandran, calling him her mentor and a genius. "Ramachandran is a genius who understood natural processes excellently," Yonath told, detailing how they both competed with each other. Though Ramachandran was her professor, Yonath said on one occasion she managed to get a correct answer while he got it wrong. Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) described Ramachandran as a jewel in the crown of Indian science. Commenting on why Jews have won the highest number of Nobel prizes, Yonath said the community faced numerous upheavals and forced departures in history. "You cannot go with property but with brains. We were educated to respect knowledge," she said. For successful development of science and technology, Yonath adviced India to encourage curiosity, originality and not get afraid to ask questions. "Don't take advice, do what you want to do," added Yonath. Yonath shared her Nobel prize with Indian scientist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz in 2009 in Chemistry discipline, for her studies of the structure and function of the ribosome. North Dakota resident Mike Odegaard captured video of an ice jam that formed through Hoge Island on the Bismarck side of the Missouri River on New Years Day. The video shows ice sheets piling on the shores of the river bank. The ice jam caused minor flooding in the area and a flood advisory was in effect through Thursday, January 2, according to local news reports. Odegaard told Storyful there was flooding in his neighborhood after the high temperatures caused the ice to melt and pile downstream on the Missouri River. Credit: Mike Odegaard via Storyful Actor Tom Long, best known for The Dish and Seachange, has died aged 50. The Sydney Morning Herald attributed his passing to a message from film website The Curb. The great Tom Long has left us. One of the finest actors Australia has ever been lucky to see. My heart goes out to his family. pic.twitter.com/MLkmnN7lCk Andrew F Valerie Taylor Doco In Cinemas Now (@TheCurbAU) January 4, 2020 Long was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012, and in March last year flew to the United States with his family to take part in a medical trial. Last March he told The Project My chances elsewhere are not that good, so I dont really have a choice. Im very aware that I could be taken any time. But its the hope, I think. I go for hope. By July he was in remission, saying, I was a man with no hope really, not much, very limited and now I can reframe and repurpose my life and it doesnt have to be about cancer, I can go and focus on what I want to do. His other credits included East of Everything, Woodley, Murder in the Outback, Two Twisted, The Young Lions, GP, Heroes Mountain, Two Hands, Strange Planet and Risk. Mexico is all set to build a cemetery in one of the country's most dangerous cities because of a higher number of unidentified and unclaimed dead, according to the authorities on January 3. According to the official reports, over 15000 people were murdered in Ciudad Juarez between the period of 2008 and 2019. It includes 1497 murders last year. Eberth Castanon Torres, coordinator at the local prosecutor's office said that the cemetery is intended for the victims of the northern area of Chihuahua because of the large of unidentified people. READ: Director Of Mexican Prison Where 17 Killed To Be Replaced About the cemetery As per reports, the cemetery will be constructed over an area of 50,000 square miles. It is planned to have a visual identification area, a body preparation area, and six funeral cold rooms for 300 corpses. The prosecutors said that they hope that the cemetery will allow them to acquire the genetic profiles of victims. According to official data, since the federal government launched a military offensive against the drug cartels in December 2016, around 275,000 assassinations have been recorded in Mexico. READ: Migrants Sent Back To Mexico Stuck And Scared Clash between police and cartels In recent news, at least 14 people died after Mexican security forces engaged in an hour-long gun battle with suspected cartel gunmen in a Mexican town near the US border on December 1. Ten suspected drug cartel and four policemen were killed during the attack. The incident took place days after US President Donald Trump said in a statement that he will designate Mexican drug cartel groups as terrorist organizations giving rise to the tension between the two nations. READ: Mexico's Former Security Chief Appears In US Court In Connection With El Chapo Drug Money According to the government of the northern state of Coahuila, the clash between the police and the cartel gunmen occurred in the small town of Villa Union, about 65 kilometers southwest of the border city of Piedras Negras. Miguel Angel Riquelme, Governor of Coahuila informed the international media that the state police performed its duty and acted decisively against the drug cartel gunmen. During the clash between both sides, four police officers lost their lives and six were reported injured. Riquelme further added that the fight went on for approximately 10 hours wherein 10 gunmen were killed and three suffered injuries. READ: At Least 16 Killed In Central Mexico Prison Riot The 19-year-old who alleged she was raped outside the court with her mother for the verdict on Monday. She is to be sentenced on January 7 The UK travel firm used by the British teenager who was convicted of 'lying' about being gang-raped by Cyprus court has ended its holidays to Ayia Napa. Summer Takeover said it would no longer operate at the popular partying resort 'in any capacity' after it was found to still be promoting the budget hotel where the nineteen-year-old alleged she was attacked in July. In a statement on Friday the travel agent said it had cut ties with Pambos Napa Rocks and would offer refunds to those booked onto this summer's sold-out tour. 'Summer Takeover takes the safety of our guests extremely seriously. We will no longer be operating in Ayia Napa in any capacity. Any affiliation to Pambos Napa Rocks has been removed from our website and no dates are available [to] book.' The firm said in a statement to The Guardian. The teen, who the MailOnline has chosen not to name, alleged she was raped by up to 12 Israeli tourists in a hotel room in the party town on July 17, but she has said Cypriot police forced her to sign a retraction statement which led to her being convicted of public mischief at Famagusta District Court, in Paralimni. The case has caused thousands of Britons to sign petitions for her to be granted clemency over serious concerns over the judgment. Judge Michalis Papathanasiou branded the woman an 'unreliable witness', said she had admitted her own guilt, and 'knows she was never raped.' An Israeli teenager is embraced by relatives after being released from Famagusta police headquarters in southeast town of Paralimni, Cyprus earlier this year The Foreign Office said it ws 'seriously concerned' about the 'fair trial guarantees in this deeply distressing case and we will be raising the issue with Cypriot authorities'. A number of prominent legal figures in Cyprus have also written to attorney general Costas Clerides urging him to intervene in the case. The group includes former justice minister Kypros Chrysostomides, who told the BBC the woman involved had 'already suffered a lot' and he expected her sentence would be 'very lenient'. 'She has already been in detention for four-and-a-half weeks and she has been prevented from travelling for about five months already,' he said. But the government of Cyprus has said it has 'full confidence in the justice system and the courts'. Meanwhile, the teenager's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has backed calls for a tourism boycott of the country. 'The place isn't safe it is absolutely not safe. And if you go and report something that's happened to you, you're either laughed at, as far as I can tell, or, in the worst case, something like what's happened to my daughter may happen,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The woman said her daughter was experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hallucinations, and is sleeping for up to 20 hours a day because of a condition called hypersomnia. A British teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she leaves after the verdict on Monday at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus 'She needs to get back to the UK to get that treated that's my absolute primary focus. She can't be treated here because hearing foreign men speaking loudly will trigger an episode,' she said. 'It needs resolving otherwise she's going to carry on having this for the rest of her life.' An online crowdfunding appeal to raise money for legal support for the woman's daughter has passed 120,000, exceeding its 105,000 goal. The 'help teen victim get justice in Cyprus' GoFundMe page was set up by British lawyer John Hobbs in August to raise cash for the 19-year-old's legal representation. The woman has been on bail since the end of August, after spending a month in prison, and could face up to a year in jail and a 1,500 fine when she is sentenced on January 7. (Newser) For years, Tavis Smiley had sexual relationships with guests and staff members on his talk show, in addition to sexually harassing and inappropriately touching women, a PBS report says. The 500-page report was based on an external investigation commissioned by PBS and released Friday, Deadline reports, as part of the legal battle between the network and its former talk show host. Smiley has sued PBS for breach on contract over his firing in 2018, and the network has countersued for the return of $1.9 million in production advances. PBS said at the time of Smiley's firing that it had discovered "multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS." Smiley conceded he'd had workplace relationships, which he says stopped 10 years before the allegations were made, but denied most everything else. story continues below Several female employees said they'd had sexual relationships with Smiley that were consensual but uneasy because of the power differences, according to the report. One guest said she was not invited back to the show though she'd had sex with him, per the Daily Beast. A producer said she was fired when others found out about their relationship. Another woman said he grabbed her buttocks during a photo session and pushed up against her. One woman said Smiley asked her to have a threesome with the show's executive producer. On Thursday, a judge rejected Smiley's attempt to have the PBS lawsuit thrown out. (Read more Tavis Smiley stories.) Appreciations View(s): An inspirational free spirit, she touched my life in many ways Jeanne Thwaites I was short-listed for the Gratiaen Prize in 1998 but Jeanne Thwaites won it. Jeanne had recently returned to Sri Lanka from the U.S. where she had earned her living mainly as a photographer for 40 years. I learnt later that she had had two pictures in Life magazine and had won several international competitions. A beautiful tall Burgher lady in her late sixties, she collected her award and walked up to me saying, I feel as if Ive stolen this from you. This was a flattering comment because she was by far the best writer of us. Her short stories titled, Its a sunny day on the moon, were moving, humorous, witty and beautiful, without a comma out of place. Even then I preferred her company to anyone elses. We had the same interests animals, trees, writing and what was to become apparent later, God. I was lucky. She married my dear cousin Feizal and I began to visit them often in her estate in Kotadeniyawa. I realized that Jeanne was a free spirit when I proudly invited her to our Wadiya writers workshop at Beach Wadiya, knowing wed benefit from her comments. Instead she sat at one end of the table and began chatting with her immediate neighbours. Jeanne, what are you doing? I scolded, you are supposed to listen to the story thats being read out! But darling, I cant hear a word, she called back, the sea is too loud. She continued with her conversation regardless of my black looks in her direction. She was a fantastic editor of my work, particularly of my half-baked poems. Cut this word out, shed say about a word I was particularly proud of. Its superfluous..This emotion is unnecessary, youve already demonstrated it, and so on. Patiently and lovingly she went through all my drafts. In return I visited and ate the local rice and sumptuous vegetable curries that Feizal and she had their staff prepare. Jeanne changed topics effortlessly while speaking. It was difficult to keep up with her. When Feizal joined in the conversation, he spoke about topics equally complex and it became impossible to listen to them both at once. I began taking my friends and they too had the pleasure of their hospitality. After lunch wed walk round the estate, paying attention to some plants introduced recently or to a treasured newborn tortoise or buffalo. It was my favourite time. Her dogs accompanied us and I enjoyed observing animals, birds and plants living freely. No animal was killed or made use of they were treated with respect and love. When I moved to London with my sons, Jeanne and I began to email each other frequently. She wrote about her love for nature. My Daniel grandfather who was an auctioneer was also someone who loved plants. But I didnt realise how passionately I love all nature till I had my own place. I was known from childhood as a child who preferred the company of dogs to people. Dogs were often tied up in those days so I would go and sit with them when we visited my parents relatives and close friends. Jeanne had her own particular and thoughtful view on each topic. Whenever I got a long email from Jeanne, Id treasure it and keep it until I had enough time to digest it and reply. She replied after I sent her a Ramana Maharshi link. Fa love, Last night I found that Ramana Maharshi has turned me around and I am now aware that there is no I in the way I often used it to defend a position which did not need defending as I was talking to another human being. Paul has already made that jump. I noticed some time ago he defended nothing he did and there was no need to as I had already got it. That letting go is not easy Paul was Jeannes friend and mine, a faith healer in London who successfully reduced her pain. Our emails became part of larger emails. Wed pause and start again. Once I apologized for not writing and Jeanne wrote immediately that I was not to write under pressure, our friendship should allow freedom. But I found it essential to write to Jeanne, she had become a dear friend.We trusted each other and were thus able to confide in each other. Recently I became terribly depressed,I had been writing about our mutual friend, Patricia who had died. I complained to Jeanne that I couldnt write anymore. I decided to write my will and go for Haj as a last resort. Unexpectedly Jeanne sent me an email two weeks before I left for Haj. Dear Fa, Woke this morning and began to think of your block in writing about Patricia then suddenly there she was with me. She stayed awhile. I said I thought your block was because you were not writing freely, too many ideas. She asked me to tell you that youre going to Mecca for Haj is going to help many people if you do not forget there will be much unhappiness among the other pilgrims and they must just let that go. So make everyone whose eyes meet yours know you care. I think that is great advice for all of us always. I thought I was the unhappiest of souls so Jeannes message didnt make sense. I refused to take her message seriously, bitter in my anguish. But Jeanne wrote again that Patricia had reappeared to say her message was true. I then resolved to follow the advice of these two Christians, telling me how my Haj should be performed! Throughout my Haj I focused on the happiness of others and earned my own happiness. It was August and the temperature 44C but I was hugging strangers and beaming. Dearest Fa, Just mailed you Vedanta. Isnt it beautiful? It frees us to be happy all the time. We are so different to each other but it comes down to the same thing. We are part of the Creation and want that to remain pure love. Jeanne was not a church-going Christian but recognized goodness in people. She said, What I am finding.its so extraordinary, I saw that in my aunt Dodo. My aunt Dodo was a spindly little woman and one day she was putting on a dress and I said, Where are you going, Dodo? And she said, my best friend has forgotten to invite me to her wedding but I knew she would want me to and I thought, isnt that lovely! Isnt that lovely! But she was this holy person,and I kept saying to myself, why are they so satisfied with so little, my mothers family? Realising this, perhaps Jeanne deliberately chose a simple life in the estate over the city. She explained her philosophy to me at length, referring to Byron Katie, Yogananda and other teachers from different faiths. She wrote, I have found that all spiritual paths are the same, that is there are devotees of each that are on the same plane. Unfortunately, others join religions for different reasons. Of her love for God, Jeanne said, To be with God is constant happiness, only God. She had talked to God from a young age. A few months before she died, Jeanne said, I asked God if I could be close to Him and I got the instant reply that I already am. She was so thrilled that I laughed with her, thrilled myself to be with a spiritual person who was so humble about it. God is where people laugh and have joy in their activities. There must be laughter, she insisted. When Feizal told me that Jeanne was unwell, it suddenly struck me that she was 89. Shed never seemed a day older than me. When Feizal wrote that Jeanne had left us, that didnt seem possible either. Jeanne continues to talk to us with the same energy and love in our treasured memory of her, in her emails, her books, photographs and in her estate, which is in a state of bliss all the birds are singing, every leaf is shining. Fahima Sahabdeen A visionary and true giant of our time Roland Silva Dr. Roland Silva, described as a true son of mother Lanka and a giant of our time was an architect and archaeologist who served as the Commissioner of Archaeology and founder Director General of the Central Cultural Fund. He was instrumental in the declaration of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy and Galle as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. During his career as an archaeologist, Dr. Roland Silva worked on every known stupa in Sri Lanka. He was conferred the title of Puravidya Vidvjjana Shirmmani in appreciation of his services to the Sanga-sasana by Karakasangasabhava of the Malwatte chapter headed by the Chief Prelate of the Chapter. His contribution to establishing world class teaching, education and institutions in Sri Lanka has led to generations of Sri Lankans leading the fields of architecture and conservation. Early in his career he worked under Dr. Justin Samarasekera in establishing an architecture course at the University of Moratuwa and during his tenure as President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) accreditation was obtained for those who passed the equivalent parts of the exam at the University of Moratuwa.He later served as the Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa. Dr. Roland Silvas contribution in the field of conservation spread internationally when he became the first non-European World President of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a position he held for nine consecutive years (1990-1999). During his tenure as President of ICOMOS, the membership of the organization increased from 67 to 112 countries and he presided over the nomination of 222 out of the 500 World Heritage sites established by 1999. He has also served as an advisor on conservation to China, Italy, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan and the Maldives. Dr. Silva possessed a Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) from the University of Leiden, and D.Sc (Hon Causa) from the University of Moratuwa. He served as the UNESCO Chair of the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, Member of the Councils of the Universities of Jayawardenapura, Moratuwa, Kelaniya, University of Ceylon -Vidyodaya, Moratuwa and Jaffna campuses. His numerous publications have shed light on pioneering techniques and interpretations on archaeology, which still act as a guide to scholars both locally and internationally. He has led the way in national and international policy on monuments and conservation, and its implementation worldwide, leading the change from the front. In recognition of his colossal contribution to the nation in the fields of conservation, archaeology and architecture, he was conferred VidyaJyothi (Light of Science) in 1992 and Deshamanya in 2006 by the Government of Sri Lanka. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Fukuoka Art and Culture Prize for Asia from Japan and the Gazzola Prize from ICOMOS International in tribute to his international and local achievements. Dr. Silva was the founder President of the National Trust of Sri Lanka After retiring from government service and ICOMOS, Dr. Silva served as a non executive chairman of the Silvermill Group of Companies for over a decade. Under his chairmanship the Silvermill Group expanded operations into several buildings designed by him. His last project was the concept and design of a coconut museum. He is widely acclaimed as a visionary, an exceptional professional, a great teacher, a brilliant scholar and a true giant of our time. His life is best remembered by one of his favourite poems, If by Rudyard Kipling If you fill the unforgiving minute, With sixty seconds worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that is in it. Dileep Mudadeniya In an interview this morning on SKAI TV, with journalist Giorgos Aftias, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis sent a clear message to Turkey that Greece will not play the provocations and gunboats game, but that, if necessary, we are here to defend our national rights in the air, on the sea and on land. Referring to the Prime Ministers upcoming meeting with the President of the United States, Mr. Varvitsiotis highlighted that Kyriakos Mitsotakis is going to Washington with a strong agenda, including the signed EastMed agreement, noting that Greece is the country of stability in the region, with multilateral cooperation mechanisms, and is a trusted interlocutor and partner of the United States. The guilty finding comes less than three months after Drakes co-defendant in the case, 24-year-old Hamidullah Tribble, of Chicago, pled guilty to the reduced charge of criminal abuse, a Class 4 felony, and was sentenced to six years behind bars. Tribble, who must register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release from prison, could be paroled as early as April, Illinois Department of Corrections records show. ALBANY, N.Y. - A New York lawmaker whose New Years Eve drunken-driving arrest came days after he wrote a column warning others not to drive while intoxicated said Friday he will step down from his post as the top Republican in the state Assembly. As Leader of the Assembly Minority Conference, I have always tried to put the needs and best interests of our Conference ahead of my own, Assemblyman Brian M. Kolb said in a statement. That is why I have decided to step down as Minority Leader. Kolb, who represents a district just outside of Rochester, is not resigning from his Assembly seat. Authorities said the 67-year-old Kolb was driving his state-owned SUV when he crashed into a ditch near his home Tuesday night. They said a breath test indicated Kolbs blood-alcohol content was over 0.08%, the legal limit for driving in New York. The arrest came a week after Kolb published a column in the upstate Daily Messenger newspaper that warned against driving while under the influence of alcohol. Kolb said in his statement Friday he will be forever grateful for the confidence his colleagues placed in him during the 10 years he served as leader of the Assembly Republicans. But in my heart, I know that this is the right time for a new leader to step in and advance an agenda that benefits all New Yorkers, he said. Kolb said he regrets the events of New Years Eve and added, On a personal level, I have begun the process of seeking professional help in order to heal, learn, and fully address the challenges that I, along with my family, currently face. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Saturday that his party was firmly in support of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Saturday that his party was firmly in support of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and Maharashtra's "lesson" to the country was "don't be afraid". Raut was speaking at a meeting on the controversial legislation in Mumbai, organized by the Jamaat e-Islamic Hind and Association for Protection of Civil Rights. "My party is firmly in support of anti-CAA protests," he said. Claiming that the BJP was yet to come to terms with its loss of power in Maharashtra, Raut said, "They are still in grief, and we should give them more grief. "Daro mat" (don't be afraid) is the lesson Maharashtra has taught the country," he said, apparently referring to the Sena's decision to sever the ties with the BJP and form government with the Congress and NCP in the state. "Maharashtra has shown the way to the country," he added. "The country is our religion. We all should be united, and this is what they (the BJP) are afraid of," he said. Bal Thackeray was known as a champion of Hindus, but the late Sena founder believed that this country belongs to all, Raut said. "Balasaheb never said Muslims should be thrown out. He stood up against traitors," Raut said, adding that Thackeray had many Muslim friends. He also pointed out that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was the first in the country to criticize the police firing on students protesting against the CAA in Delhi. "When students are fired upon, the country and democracy are in danger," Raut said. Criticizing Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Raut said, "The home minister says the Congress could not stop Partition on religious lines. If that is so, where were you then?" Raut also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for often accusing Opposition leaders of "speaking the language of Pakistan". "This 'divide and rule' policy is dangerous," he said. With its drone missile assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Suleimani and seven others at Baghdads international airport in the early morning hours of Friday, the Trump administration has carried out a criminal act of state terrorism that has stunned the world. Washingtons cold-blooded murder of a general in the Iranian army and a man widely described as the second most powerful figure in Tehran is unquestionably both a war crime and a direct act of war against Iran. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on Iran, at his Mar-a-Lago property, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) It may take some time before Iran responds to the killing. There is no question that Tehran will, in fact, react, especially in the face of public outrage over the murder of a figure who had a mass following. But Iran will no doubt devote far more consideration to its response than Washington gave to its criminal action. The countrys National Security Council met on Friday, and in all probability Iranian officials will discuss the murder of Suleimani with Moscow, Beijing and, more likely than not, Europe. US officials and the corporate media seem almost to desire immediate retaliation for their own purposes, but the Iranians have many options. It is a political fact that the killing of Soleimani has effectively initiated a war by the US against Iran, a country four times the size and with more than double the population of Iraq. Such a war would threaten to spread armed conflict across the region and, indeed, the entire world, with incalculable consequences. This crime, driven by increasing US desperation over its position in the Middle East and the mounting internal crisis within the Trump administration, is staggering in its degree of recklessness and lawlessness. The resort by the United States to such a heinous act testifies to the fact that it has failed to achieve any of the strategic objectives that led to the invasions of Iraq in 1991 and 2003. The murder of Soleimani is the culmination of a protracted process of the criminalization of American foreign policy. Targeted killings, a term introduced into the lexicon of world imperialist politics by Israel, have been employed by US imperialism against alleged terrorists in countries stretching from South Asia to the Middle East and Africa over the course of nearly two decades. It is unprecedented, however, for the president of the United States to order and then publicly claim responsibility for the killing of a senior government official who was legally and openly visiting a third country. Soleimani, the leader of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corpss Quds Force, was not an Osama bin Laden or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. On the contrary, he played a pivotal role in defeating the forces of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which those two figures, both assassinated by US special operations death squads, had led. Hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of Tehran and cities across Iran on Friday in mourning and protest over the slaying of Soleimani, who was seen as an icon of Iranian nationalism and resistance to US imperialisms decades-long attacks on the country. In Iraq, the US drone strike has been roundly condemned as a violation of the countrys sovereignty and international law. Its victims included not only Soleimani, but also Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), the 100,000-strong coalition of Shia militias that is considered part of the countrys armed forces. This response makes a mockery of the ignorant and thuggish statements of Trump and his advisors. The US president, speaking from his vacation resort of Mar-a-Lago in Florida, boasted of having killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world. He went on to claim that Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him. Trump charged that the Iranian general has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. He declared, What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Who does the US president think he is fooling with his Mafia rhetoric? The last 20 years have seen the Middle East devastated by a series of US imperialist interventions. The illegal 2003 US invasion of Iraq, based on lies about weapons of mass destruction, claimed the lives of over a million people, while decimating what had been among the most advanced societies in the Arab world. Together with Washingtons eighteen-year-long war in Afghanistan and the regime-change wars launched in Libya and Syria, US imperialism has unleashed a regionwide crisis that has killed millions and forced tens of millions to flee their homes. Soleimani, whom Trump accused of having made the death of innocent people his sick passionan apt self-descriptionrose to the leadership of the Iranian military during the eight-year-long Iran-Iraq war, which claimed the lives of some one million Iranians. He became known to the US military, intelligence and diplomatic apparatus in 2001, when Tehran provided intelligence to Washington to assist its invasion of Afghanistan. Over the course of the US war in Iraq, American officials conducted back-channel negotiations with Soleimani even as his Quds Force was providing aid to Shia militias resisting the American occupation. He played a central role in picking the Iraqi Shia politicians who led the regimes installed under the US occupation. Soleimani went on to play a leading role in organizing the defeat of the Al Qaeda-linked militias that were unleashed against the government of Bashar al-Assad in the CIA-orchestrated war for regime change in Syria, and subsequently in rallying Shia militias to defeat Al Qaedas offspring, ISIS, after it had overrun roughly one-third of Iraq, routing US-trained security forces. To describe such a figure as a terrorist only means that any state official or military commander anywhere in the world who cuts across the interests of Washington and US banks and corporations can be labeled as such and targeted for murder. The attack at the Baghdad airport signals that the rules of engagement have changed. All red lines have been crossed. In the future, the target could be a general or even president in Russia, China or, indeed, any of the capitals of Washingtons erstwhile allies. After this publicly celebrated assassinationopenly claimed by a US president without even a pretense of deniabilityis there any head of state or prominent military figure in the world who can meet with US officials without having in the back of his mind that if things do not go well, he too might be murdered? The killing of General Soleimani in Baghdad was compared by Die Zeit, one of Germanys newspapers of record, to the 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. As in the prior case, it stated, the whole world is holding its breath and anxiously waiting for what may come. This criminal act carries with it the threat of both world war and dictatorial repression within the borders of the United States. There is no reason to believe that a government that has adopted murder as an instrument of foreign policy will refrain from using the same methods against its domestic enemies. The assassination of Soleimani is an expression of the extreme crisis and desperation of a capitalist system that threatens to hurl humanity into the abyss. The answer to this danger lies in the international growth of the class struggle. The beginning of the third decade of the 21st century is witnessing not only the drive to war, but also the upsurge of millions of workers across the Middle East, Europe, the United States, Latin America, Asia and every corner of the globe in struggle against social inequality and the attacks on basic social and democratic rights. This is the only social force upon which a genuine opposition to the war drive of the capitalist ruling elites can be based. The necessary response to the imperialist war danger is to unify these growing struggles of the working class through the construction of a united, international and socialist antiwar movement. More than 133,000 people were able to buy marijuana at Illinois stores during the first two days of business for recreational pot products, and statewide sales reached $5.42 million, the state said Friday. Ascend Wellness Holdings, which owns a Collinsville store that is the only metro-east site for recreational cannabis sales, declined to release the amount of sales at its store, where long lines of customers formed Wednesday when it became legal to sell recreational marijuana. State officials said that $3.17 million in sales were made statewide on Wednesday and that $2.25 million were made on Thursday for a two-day total of $5.42 million through 133,890 transactions. A spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzker said she did not have sales figures for individual stores. Collinsville city officials have said that the pot store could bring in between $1 million and $1.3 million a year in sales tax revenue to the city and that the store could have $20 million to $25 million in sales. Ascend Wellness Holdings said it served 5,200 customers at its Collinsville and Springfield stores on Wednesday and Thursday. The Collinsville store at 1014 Eastport Plaza Drive had 1,982 customers on New Year's Day. To keep up with demand at the Collinsville dispensary, a company official said the store has added "more product from cultivators." "We are adding as we can to keep choices available," Ascend Wellness Holdings regional director Kathleen Olivastro said in a statement. The Collinsville store has been selling medical marijuana under the name of HCI Alternatives and will continue to use that brand name for medical marijuana sales, company spokesman Chris McCloud said in an email. However, from Jan. 27 forward, the recreational marijuana sales will officially be sold under the Illinois Supply and Provisions brand name, which the company is already using in its promotional information. "We are overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and energy of our first day customers. Despite the long lines, which we expected, customers were about as respectful and happy as you could want and we share in that celebration with them," Ascend Wellness Holdings founder Abner Kurtin said in a statement released Friday. Ascend Wellness Holdings said it has marijuana retail and production facilities in Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts and New Jersey and partnerships in Michigan. The company on Friday repeated its intentions to open a new store in Fairview Heights this year. McCloud declined to comment on a specific Fairview Heights address that had been listed on the company's website last month. The state will allow four metro-east store to sell recreational marijuana products but the Collinsville store is the only one approved so far. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Carlos Ghosn, the fallen head of the Nissan-Renault auto alliance, didnt know much about making movies, but he seemed willing to learn. Sitting in his rented home in a wealthy Tokyo neighborhood one day in December, he walked John Lesher, a Hollywood producer behind the Oscar-winning 2014 Michael Keaton film, Birdman, through the plot of his own story, describing what he sees as his unjust imprisonment by Japanese officials and his struggle to prove his innocence, said people familiar with the discussions. The theme was redemption. The villain was the Japanese ... Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 23:35:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close TUNIS, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Tunisian navy rescued on Saturday 53 illegal immigrants who were on their way to the Italian coast, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. "The rescue operation took place 60 km northeast of Kerkennah Islands in the southeastern Tunisian Province of Sfax," the ministry statement added. The immigrants, aged between 16 to 30, set off on Friday night from the coast of Mahdia Province in eastern Tunisia, according to the statement. The attempts of illegal immigration from the Tunisian coasts toward Italy have been growing despite the strict measures by the Tunisian authorities to tackle the problem. EnWave Receives Purchase Order for Large-Scale 100kW nutraREV? Processing Line from Fresh Business Peru Posted by Publisher Internet EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave?, or the \Company\ -? https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/enwave-moon-cheese-highly-profitable-selling-more-rev-machines-in-2019/ ) reports today that it has signed an Equipment Purchase Agreement (the ?Agreement?) for the delivery of a 100kW nutraREV? processing line to Consulting FB Tech and Apps S.L. (?Fresh Business?) in Peru. The Agreement marks the scale-up of Fresh Business? commercial operations in Peru, where it sources premium, highly nutritious fruit and vegetable products to be dried using EnWave?s Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REVTM?) technology for export to international markets. EnWave and Fresh Business signed a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement (the ?License?) in April 2019, whereby EnWave granted Fresh Business the exclusive rights to produce a variety of premium dried food products using REV? technology in Peru. Fresh Business purchased a 10kW REVTM machine upon signing the License. With the addition of a 100kW nutraREV? machine, Fresh Business will substantially increase its royalty-bearing production capacity. Fresh Business is poised to take advantage of the diverse, locally grown agricultural products of Peru while utilizing EnWave?s proprietary REV? technology to create value-added commercial applications for export internationally. REV? technology is a low-temperature, fast method of removing water from organic materials in a homogeneous manner. It is a proven method to create healthy, premium fruit and vegetable products that can be sold as ingredients or as retail consumer products. Installation and commissioning of the 100kW nutraREV? processing line is targeted for the summer of 2020. About Fresh Business Fresh Business is backed by a team of professionals with deep experience in the agri-food industry. With access to high-value raw materials sourced locally in Peru, Fresh Business is building a robust export business of premium, dried fruits and vegetables from South America to western markets. Fresh Business processes low-cost fruit and vegetable raw materials at source in Peru that are turned into premium products for export. Fresh Business employs a business model where professionals with an advanced vision in the integration of creativity, marketing and innovation apply their know-how to improve their clients? business strategy.?Fresh Business is committed to uniquely generating new business ideas that are competitive in today?s marketplace. Fresh Business? positive and proactive attitude, their desire to excel and the constant search for new challenges, led them to expand their business, developing a new division,?Fresh Business Food & Nutrition Innovation,??focused on the agri-food industry. Fresh Business Food & Nutrition Innovation,??has its own approach to connect creativity, knowledge, technology and marketing to create, incubate and develop innovative food businesses with an international vocation.? For more information about Fresh Business please visit www.freshgroup.es and www.freshbusiness.es About EnWave EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.? REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors, including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with innovative, disruptive companies in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over thirty royalty-bearing licenses to date. In addition to these licenses, EnWave established a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to manufacture, market and sell all-natural dairy snack products in the United States, including the Moon Cheese? brand.? EnWave has introduced REV? as a disruptive dehydration platform in the food and cannabis sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently offers two distinct commercial REV? platforms: nutraREV? which is a drum-based system that dehydrates organic materials quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; and, quantaREV? which is a tray-based system used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying. More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net. EnWave Corporation Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO For further information: Brent Charleton, CFA , President and CEO at +1 (778) 378-9616 E-mail: bcharleton@enwave.net ????? Dan Henriques, CFO at +1 (604) 835-5212 E-mail: dhenriques@enwave.net ? Deborah Honig, Corporate Development at + 1 (647) 203-8793 E-mail: dhonig@enwave.net In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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. 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. Suspension of oil shipments from Russia to Belarus won't cause serious problems for Ukraine Gerus The suspension of oil shipments from Russia to Belarus and possible refusal of Belarus from exports of petroleum products will not cause serious problems for Ukraine, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy, Housing and Utility Services Andriy Gerus told Interfax-Ukraine. "This is not a critical problem for us in winter. I don't see any serious problems for Ukraine before the sowing campaign starts. And when the sowing campaign starts we will either have settled the problem or apply diversification," he said. Gerus added that Belarus continues to export petroleum products to Ukraine so far. "The thing is that Belarus supplies gasoline. And Ukrainian oil refineries did not increase production of diesel as they could not sell more gasoline (they go together). Thus, Kremenchug will increase output, we will receive more through the sea ports and from the EU countries. We have learned how to diversify. In winter demand is low and this is a benefit for us," he said. "The situation gets worse when supplies of diesel fuel to Ukraine are suspended. When there is gasoline and diesel, it's not a big deal," Gerus added. As reported, Belarusian refineries OJSC Naftan (Novopolotsk, Vitebsk region) and JSC Mozyr Oil Refinery (Gomel region) earlier confirmed the absence of oil supply contracts with Russian oil companies and the suspension of crude shipments from January 1, 2020; both enterprises are presently refining crude left from the end of December. The enterprises said that the existing crude stockpiles will allow them to continue operating at a technically acceptable capacity until mid-January. Later, the Belarusian media reported that Belarus suspended exports of petroleum products from January 1, 2020 due to the absence of oil shipments from Russia. NEW ORLEANS - A hotel that partially collapsed in New Orleans, killing three people, wont be totally demolished until the end of the year, city officials said Friday. City officials told local media that the developers who own the building submitted updated demolition plans that significantly changed when the demolition process would get under way. Demolition is now expected to start in May instead of the end of February, pushing back the expected completion date to December. New Orleans Fire Superintendent Tim McConnell said the process is going to be more labour intensive than had been previously thought. The fire chief said city officials are not happy with the longer timeline, and the city is urging the company that owns the building to find a way to speed things along. The City has made it clear to the ownership that they are unhappy with the timeline, McConnell told local media Friday. The mark was missed, its more than doubled the timeline. The Hard Rock Hotel on the edge of the French Quarter was under construction when it partially collapsed on Oct. 12. The bodies of two of the three workers who died in the collapse are still inside the buildings remains. Advertisement Britain has ramped up its security in the Middle East and has given its troops in the region greater firepower, telling them to prepare for revenge strikes following the US drone attack on Iran's top general Qassem Soleimani. As well as two warships being manoeuvered to accompany British-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf, more than 400 soldiers training local forces have been ordered to abandon duties and switch to 'force protection' and guard British diplomats and assets amid fears of an 'accidental war' between Iran and the US. The soldiers will be handed heavier weapons and have been told to move from eight small bases in Iraq to large US-controlled compounds, although these sights are at risk of retaliation after an Iranian official said 35 US targets had already been identified in the region. A Royal Navy nuclear powered submarine armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles is also in the region, where it is kept at all times, and is in position to strike if tensions give way to war. The 20ft tomahawk carries a 1,000lb high explosive war head has a range of 1,550 miles and travels at speeds of 550mph, with the power to destroy a building. Donald Trump then stoked the fire by threatening to hit '52 Iranian targets... very fast and very hard' should Iran strike any Americans or US assets in retribution for the killing of the popular and revered general. At least four rockets were fired towards Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone on Saturday night, where the US and British embassies sit. A senior British figure told The Times: 'We have a plan A and a plan B and a 'break the glass' plan if it all kicks off. Our forces in the region have been told to reorientate towards force protection.' Boris Johnson, who will return to the UK from his holiday in Mustique on Sunday and has remained tight-lipped throughout the crisis, has been described as 'pretty doveish' by a senior figure, who said the Prime Minister's main concern was to avoid Britain being dragged into an unnecessary war. But Mr Johnson will not only be greeted with a geopolitical emergency on his return, but he will also walk back in to a simmering diplomatic row with the US after Britain was left in the dark about the attack, unlike Israel. He is now responding to threats in the Middle East by deploying HMS Montrose and HMS Defender, a Type 23 frigate and a Type 45 destroyer which were already in the region, to accompany British-flagged oil tankers. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace ordered the warships to the Strait of Hormuz to 'take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens'. Around 50 members of the SAS are also heading to the Middle East to help with a potential evacuation of Britons, while defence chiefs are asking Mr Johnson whether to deploy eight RAF Typhoon jets based in Cyprus, a Sentinel spy plane and drones. Iranians burn a US and an Israeli flag during an anti-US protest in Tehran on Saturday following the brutal killings of military commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis Mourners carry the coffins of Iran's top general Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq, during their funeral in Karbala Protesters chanted 'death to America!' and held aloft signs vowing revenge over the death of the popular and revered general President Donald Trump flashed a smile and gave a thumbs up after playing a round of golf at Mar-a-Largo as an Iranian official warned that the country has already identified 35 U.S. targets to hit in retaliation for Qassem Soleimani's death LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: A protestor from the Stop the War Coalition wears a Donald Trump mask and has a placard saying 'WARMONGER' draped around his neck during protests opposite Downing Street in Whitehall, London on Saturday HMS Defender (pictured) has been sent to the Strait of Hormuz to protect British troops and assets in the Gulf Britain has also sent frigate HMS Montrose (pictured) to the Persian Gulf in the wake of the US drone strike on Iran's top general Qassem Soleimani The Foreign Office has strengthened its warnings over travel to the Middle East after a US drone strike killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani (pictured) in Baghdad Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) ordered the warships to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the British-flagged ships make it through the perilous region safely. Boris Johnson (right) will fly back from Mustique on Sunday as the crisis deepens Plans are now afoot to to move British soldiers to secure the British embassy in Baghdad amid fears that Iranian proxies could kill or abduct Britons or storm the enclave. Intelligence chiefs also fear there is a credible threat to the British embassy in Tehran, which was stormed by local mobs in 2011. The CIA's former head of Middle East operation, Doug Wise, said: 'If you are a British or US diplomat, you better be checking for bombs under your car.' The Foreign Office and MI6 are monitoring events 'hour by hour', with ministers believing there is a 40 per cent chance the UK will be asked to withdraw all its forces from Baghdad. John Sawers, former head of MI6, said the US had declared 'an act of war' by assassinating Soleimani. As tensions mounted globally yesterday over Iran's potential response: Crowds chanting 'death to America' gathered in Iraq's capital Baghdad to follow the coffin of Soleimani, the architect of Iran's covert Middle East operations, who was blown up by missiles from a US drone at Baghdad airport on Friday morning; Concern grew for London charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been detained for more than three years in Iran over spying allegations she denies. Last night her husband Richard told The Mail on Sunday that, when he broke the news of the air strike to her over the phone, she asked: 'What will happen to me now?'; Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told a protest against the action in Westminster that 'violence begets violence' and called for civil disobedience; The Foreign Office advised against travel to Iraq and warned against all but essential travel to Iran. Alerts for other Middle East nations were being raised, with citizens urged to 'remain vigilant' in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; British troops were on lockdown in Iraq as joint exercises with Iraqis were cancelled; Donald Trump threatened more violence saying the US had identified 52 targets, representing the 52 hostages held by Iran in 1979, which he would hit 'very fast and very hard' if Iran retaliated Two missiles fell close to the US embassy in Baghdad. Amid rising anger among ministers over America's failure to give the UK warning, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hit back by criticising the British Government's cool response to the killing of Soleimani. Downing Street staff are now scrambling to mount a response by arranging for Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to fly to Washington for talks with Mr Pompeo and to examine options for boosting the British military presence in the region. Furious British security officials have also accused No 10 of allowing a 'political vacuum' to open up while Mr Johnson was on holiday in the Caribbean, during which he failed to make any comment on the incident. Downing Street insisted that Mr Johnson would be briefed in full on the situation once he returns to work, including on the possibility of retaliatory actions Iran might take against the UK. Mr Wallace said: 'Yesterday I spoke to my US counterpart Secretary Esper and we urge all parties to engage to de-escalate the situation. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (right) spoke to members of Soleimani's family on Saturday during a visit to their house after the general's death U.S. Army, Maj. Gen. James Mingus, the 82nd Airborne Division commanding general, speaks with paratroopers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division as they deploy to the Middle East from Fort Bragg on Saturday An Iranian official revealed that at least 35 US targets have been identified for retaliatory strikes, including ships in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz (file photo) 'During the last few months US forces in Iraq, who are based in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian backed militia. 'I have instructed preparation for HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to return to accompanying duties of Red Ensign Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Government will take all necessary steps to protect our ship and citizens at this time.' In a bid to avoid a full-blown fall out with America, Mr Wallace said the US had a right under international law to defend itself. On Saturday, Donald Trump tweeted from Mar-a-Lago: 'Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American and badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters. 'He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. 'Let this serve as a warning that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago). 'Some at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, will be hit very fast and very hard. The USA wants no more threats.' Trump's threat referenced the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-1981, in which 52 U.S. diplomats and citizens were held hostage by student revolutionaries in Iran. His threat to target sites important to 'Iranian culture' drew many accusations from critics that he was threatening to commit 'war crimes'. 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers load aircraft bound for the Middle East from Fort Bragg on Saturday Pictured: an oil tanker docked at Port Rashid in Dubai in the Persian Gulf Mr Johnson will likely be greeted by Sir Mark Sedwill on Sunday, the National Security Adviser, as the crisis deepens. Sedwill has been locked in meetings on Saturday with the heads of the UK intelligence agencies on potential risks to ships and citizens in the Middle East. An Iranian official said at least 35 US targets, including warships and Tel Aviv, have been identified for retaliatory strikes. Lebanon's Hezbollah have told Iraqi soldiers to leave US bases and the White House believes an attack may happen 'within weeks'. The potential threat was raised by General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the commander of the Guards in the southern province of Kerman, one day after the top military leader was killed at the Baghdad International Airport. Abuhamzeh said vital American targets in the region had been identified a 'long time ago', including ships in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and Tel Aviv. WASHINGTON DC, USA: A demonstrator holds a sign which reads 'No war with Iran' as hundreds gathered across the US in response to increased tensions in the Middle East Thousands attended the funeral procession in Karbala, Iraq, and waved flags and banners in support of the slain military chiefs Iran is considering its options against America in retaliation for the killing of Quds commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. The conflict could quickly spiral out of control, dragging in other world powers including Russia, Turkey and China 'The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there some 35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach,' he said, according to Reuters. Hezbollah, an Islamic political and militant group, has also warned Iraqi soldiers to stay at least 1,000 meters away from US military bases from Sunday onwards. In Mr Johnson's absence from the UK, civil servants and spy chiefs chaired three meetings of the Government's crisis Cobra meetings, with Mr Raab taking the 'political lead'. However his response a 34-word public statement was last night branded by one Minister as 'wet' and 'too timid'. Allies of the Foreign Secretary hit back that there 'was more to diplomacy than Twitter' and dismissed suggestions that Mr Raab regarded the attack as anything other than legitimate. The crisis has also caused tensions with the UK's main EU partners. A joint statement on the attack from Britain, Germany and France, dubbed the E3, was abandoned on Friday evening amid wrangling over the wording. In his remarks to the American media, Mr Pompeo said he was 'disappointed' by the response from Mr Raab, who called for a 'de-escalation' in tensions. Mr Pompeo said: 'Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured) said the updated advice was issued due to 'heightened tensions in the region' and would be kept under review At Soleimani's funeral on Saturday mourners chanted 'Death to America!' as tensions rise in the Middle East LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Protesters set alight American and Israeli flags in the Pakistani city on Friday after news of Soleimani's death spread throughout the world Mourners lift up the coffins inside the Shrine of Imam Hussein in the Iraqi city of Karbala 'The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well. 'This was a good thing for the entire world, and we are urging everyone in the world to get behind what the US is trying to do to get Iran to simply behave like a normal nation.' Following the criticism of Mr Raab's response, Mr Wallace said: 'General Soleimani has been at the heart of the use of proxies to undermine neighbouring sovereign nations and target Iran's enemies. 'Under international law the United States is entitled to defend itself against those posing an imminent threat to their citizens. 'I have instructed preparations for HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to return to accompanying duties of Red Ensign shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. 'The Government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time.' British nationals have been advised not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan Region, while all but essential travel to Iran was warned against. The guidance was bolstered this afternoon after the US announced it was sending nearly 3,000 extra troops to the region after Donald Trump authorised the killing of Soleimani early on Friday. Thousands of mourners chanting 'death to America' also took to the streets of Baghdad, where the head of Iran's elite Quds force was targeted at the capital's international airport on Friday. The day of mourning in the Iraqi capital ended Saturday evening with a series of rockets that were launched and fell inside or near the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the US Embassy. And around the world, anti-war protesters in New York, London, Berlin and Washington DC chanted against the escalation of warfare carried out by President Trump. NEW YORK, USA: An anti-War protest organised by anti-fascist groups including Code Pink, a woman-led peace movement, marched behind flags and banners Demonstrators also marched from the White House to the Trump International Hotel to protest US military involvement in the Middle East Iranian members of the Basij militia take part in an anti-US rally to protest the killing of Soleimani at Palestine Square in the Tehran TORONTO, CANADA: Iranian-Canadians gather to celebrate the death of a top Iranian general Soleimani on Friday bearing the flags of pre-Islamic Revolution Iran The U.S. Embassy (pictured) located in Baghdad, Iraq, was nearly under siege by enraged mourners earlier this week Tel Aviv, a prominent city in Israel, has also be singled out as a possible target for attack by General Gholamali Abuhamzeh Thousands of mourners flooded the streets to mourn the deaths of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi militia commander, on Saturday (pictured) The President has claimed that Soleimani was 'the number one terrorist in the world' and had a 'sick passion' for killing. He has said the strike was designed to avert a war because the general was plotting terror attacks. The Iranian regime responded by vowing to exact 'severe revenge', saying 'Trump and his cronies' would 'never sleep comfortably again'. Security sources warn that Iran is likely to respond in multiple ways. While a traditional military confrontation remains unlikely, an acceleration of proxy war activity is likely to be paired with direct attacks on UK and US assets, most probably in the Straits of Hormuz. The National Cyber Security Centre is also braced for a possible major cyber attack. Ministers are also monitoring economic effects as oil price rises could result in higher fuel costs. Amid the growing concern about Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the Foreign Office warned yesterday that other British nationals could be 'arbitrarily' detained by the authorities in Iran. A British general who went head to head with Soleimani during the Iraq War has called on the UK to develop its own foreign policy independent of the US after President Trump's 'assassination by whim'. Major General Jonathan Shaw, 62, Britain's senior officer in southern Iraq while Soleimani was directing terrorist operations which killed scores of British soldiers, said the UK's 'default position' of following the US lead on foreign policy was no longer safe. The hand and ring of Soleimani photographed after he was killed by a U.S. drone strike that sent missiles at his vehicle while leaving the Baghdad Airport on Friday morning Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday An Iranian woman breaks down in tears during an anti-US rally to protest the killing of the popular and revered general Maj Gen Shaw said: 'Not telling the UK beforehand [about the drone strike], despite us having 400 service personnel and many civilians in the country, demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the safety of anyone but Americans. 'This is not so much America First as America Only.' The Foreign Office said anyone in Iraq outside the Kurdistan Region should consider leaving by commercial means because the 'uncertain' security situation 'could deteriorate quickly'. It also advised against 'all but essential travel' to Iran. Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with warnings that Britons should 'remain vigilant' in Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the updated advice was issued due to 'heightened tensions in the region' and would be kept under review. 'The first job of any Government is to keep British people safe,' he added. The US President said he ordered a strike to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation - raising fears of an all-out war. Whitehall insiders also said that the rift between the US and the UK posed a threat to a trip to Washington being planned by the Prime Minister next month. A source said: 'These things are delicate enough to organise at the best of times, and it's clear the White House is p***** off.' One Government source described the Cobra meeting on Friday afternoon as 'spicy', with officials infuriated by the lack of direction from politicians and a weak public response. An Iranian member of the Basij militia struggles to contain the emotion as he takes part in an anti-US rally in Baghdad A woman carries an image of Soleimani, who was killed by a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, during an anti-US protest in Tehran An Iranian woman crises while another holds her face during an anti-US rally to protest the killing of Soleimani An American official denied the nation was behind a second deadly air strike on two vehicles being reported north of Baghdad. Gen Soleimani masterminded Tehran's regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops. President Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Gen Soleimani's 'reign of terror is over' and describing him as having a 'sick passion' for killing. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt stressed the peril being faced after recent 'extreme' actions by both the US and Iran, which have simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between the nations. 'Well it's an incredibly dangerous game of chicken that's going on at the moment, because both sides have calculated that the other side cannot afford, and doesn't want, to go to war,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Hunt said the tensions created a 'very difficult situation' for the UK as an ally of the States, adding Britain 'cannot afford to be neutral'. 'But this is a very, very risky situation, and I think the job that we have to do as one of the US's closest allies is to use our influence to argue for more consistent US policy,' he said. There has been criticism of the US for not giving advanced notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq. Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was 'regrettable' because allies should ensure 'there are no surprises in the relationship'. The anti-US rally in Tehran's Palestine Square drew thousands of people Iranians take part in an anti-US rally at Palestine Square in the capital Tehran on Saturday Women hold up posters of Soleimani as they protested his killing in the Iran capital Iraqi Shiite women mourn the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Soleimani during a funeral procession made of thousands of citizens held in central Baghdad on Saturday Boris Johnson has been on holiday on the private Caribbean island of Mustique and has not commented on the general's killing. Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises monarchs. The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the 'assassination' had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike. He had earlier called on ministers to stand up to the US's 'belligerent actions and rhetoric' and 'urge restraint' from both aggressors. Iran's President Rouhani issues chilling warning that the US made a 'grave mistake' and will face the consequences 'for years to come' after Soleimani's family asks for revenge The President of Iran has issued a chilling warning that the U.S. made a 'grave mistake' by killing the leader of Iran's Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, in an airstrike and that it will face consequences for years to come. In a visit to the notorious general's house on Saturday, one of Soleimani's daughter's asked President Hassan Rhouani for revenge. 'Who is going to avenge my father's blood?' she asked. In response, he promised her that 'everyone will take revenge' and 'we will, we will avenge his blood , you don't worry.' 'The Americans did not realize what a grave mistake they have made. They will suffer the consequences of such criminal measure not only today, but also throughout the years to come,' Rouhani said. 'This crime committed by the US will go down in history as one of their unforgettable crimes against the Iranian nation.' Soleimani, 62, was killed in the early hours of Friday, local time, outside Baghdad's International Airport in an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. President Rouhani (right) speaking with General Soleimani's daughters (left) on Saturday Hours after the attack, Trump said that he ordered the killing of Soleimani to prevent war, adding that the commander was plotting 'imminent and sinister' attacks against Americans. The general was the architect of Iran's shadow warfare and military expansion in the Middle East and was targeted specifically because he was actively developing plans to kill members of the U.S. military and diplomats in the region. 'We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,' the president said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Rouhani has said that Iran has the right to seek revenge, saying that that retaliation will come when the 'dirty hands of the US' are removed from the region indefinitely. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei (pictured) with a member of Soleimani's family during a visit to the family's home on Friday evening Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatolla Ali Khamenei also visited the home on Friday evening where he said the airstrike that killed the architect of the country's infamous militia was 'villainous'. 'Everyone is bereaved & grateful to your father. This gratitude is due to his great sincerity, since hearts are in God's hands. Without sincerity, [people's] hearts wouldn't have been with him like this. May God bestow His blessings on all of us,' he said, recounting the conversation in a tweet. 'You saw people in many cities come out in numbers, with devotion. Wait to see his funeral. These blessings are before us to see the value of martyrdom. What a blessing for Hajj Qasem. He achieved his dream.' In a series of other tweets following the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the Trump administration as 'villainous' and condemned the airstrike. 'Hajj Qasem Soleimani had been exposed to martyrdom repeatedly, but in performing his duty & fighting for the cause of God, he didn't fear anyone or anything. He was martyred by the most villainous people, the US govt, & their pride in this crime is a distinguishing feature of him,' he wrote on Saturday. He also warned Iran's 'enemies' that the Jihad of Resistance' supposed victory will be 'bitter.' Advertisement Clear evidence came to light last summer that the Book of Kells, Irelands greatest treasure, was likely made by the monastic community of St Brigid run by women at Kildare and that the scribes and illuminators of the book were women. Francis OReilly, an independent researcher, presented this evidence in a paper at the 2019 Irish Conference of Medievalists held in Cork on Saturday, June 29. It was shown how the 7th century Kildare life of its saint, Brigid, and the Book of Kells can be used to understand each other. The theme of a woman who can compel a man unifies both. His research shows that Kildare in its Life of Brigid was claiming primacy for its bishop in Ireland, yet asserting that, at Kildare, this archbishop was subject to the abbess. In the Book of Kells, Brigid was portrayed as the Goddess who can compel any man. She is depicted as the Virgin in the Virgin and Child page and the Celtic Goddess with sovereignty over God and man who could take dragon-form. He claims that for the Kildare Life of Brigid, written in Latin, a male author pseudonym was adopted to make the same point, Cogitosus. They went so far as to have this fictional man open the life by punning on his name, writing Cogitis me I am compelled, Mr OReilly said. In the Book of Kells, the creation of the book itself is represented as the work of women and its likely it was created by women. This can only have taken place at Kildare. The received theory that it was made at an all-male community associated with St Colm Cille, at either Iona in Scotland or Kells in Co Meath, rules women out as its creators. Sr Phil from Solus Bhride in Kildare town welcomed the claim. This has only come to our attention recently and we are excited about it and wish that it were true. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility. Meanwhile links have been made prior to this with Kildare and the Book of Kells. The 12th-century writer Gerald of Wales, in his Topographia Hibernica, described seeing a great Gospel Book in Kildare which many have since assumed was the Book of Kells. Since Gerald claims to have seen this book in Kildare, he may have seen another, now lost, book equal in quality to the Book of Kells, or he may have misstated his location. The original Book of Kildare, was always said to have been found at St Brigids cathedral, which historians believe may have been even more impressive than the Book of Kells. An invitation may be extended to a researcher Francis OReilly to come to Kildare town after his findings suggest that the Book of Kells, has such tantalising links with the monastic community of St Brigid, run by women in Kildare town. Kildares executive librarian Mario Corrigan said recently that he is impressed with the idea of the research, adding that an invite should be extended Francis OReilly to Kildare to present his findings. The Book of Kildare appears in the works of Giraldus Cambrensis and its description led some to declare it was indeed the Book of Kells, he said. At the very least it appears to have been comparable in terms of beauty and embellishment. There are quite a number of factors to consider to prove the research to be more than a theory as impressive as it might be. For example Cogitosus is supposed to have written his life of Kidlare around 650 AD while the book of Kells supposedly dates to 800 AD so there some discrepancies. Mid Michigan College and Michigan Works! have partnered to expand access to apprenticeship-related educational opportunities and prepare the next generation of skilled apprentices in northern Michigan. The Trade Apprenticeship Readiness Certificate includes just four college-level courses that provide a person entering a skilled trades occupation with the basic skills required in a modern manufacturing facility. Courses include industrial safety, introduction to hydraulic and pneumatic power, industrial writing and communication, and technical math. Tuition and in some cases, additional student support services, are fully funded through Michigan Works! Contact your local Michigan Works! Northeast or Michigan Works! Region 7B office to learn more about funding eligibility. "We are often asked if those already employed at a company are eligible for this certificate, and they absolutely are. These courses also count toward Apprenticeship Related Technical Instruction (RTI) if included in the company's apprenticeship schedule," explained Shawn Troy, dean of workforce and career education at Mid. The Trade Apprenticeship Readiness Certificate provides 10 college credits and 161.6 contact hours, toward a company's apprenticeship program. These credits can also be applied to more advanced credentials within the AIM Program at Mid. The courses have been selected based on required skills sought out when hiring for positions and in selecting apprentices in modern manufacturing facilities. The certificate is just one credential that can be earned through Mid's Advanced Integrated Manufacturing (AIM) Program, which has expanded to include five pathways that lead to a variety of careers. The program teaches basic manufacturing concepts and then allows students to develop specialized skills in the area of their choice. "With five pathways, including automation and robotics, plastics technology, CNC programming and machine tooling, welding, and management, the AIM Program offers what students are looking for and leads to rewarding careers in the local area," described Troy. "We're especially excited to offer our students hands-on access to robotics equipment in our labs." Mid's AIM program is offered in a flexible format with open lab hours, making it ideal for working adults and recent high school grads. Laddered skills and certifications build on one another, allowing students to work at their own pace and earn proof of the skills they have mastered as they work toward an associate degree. These industry-recognized certifications are offered by well-known and respected companies and organizations like Snap-on, Starrett, FANUC, and the American Welding Society, among others. "We want to ensure that we're setting students up to succeed. By offering industry-recognized certifications and partnering with MiWorks!, the college is demonstrating our commitment in keeping pace with current and upcoming technologies and preparing students to be excellent employees," noted Troy. "The college and MiWorks! share a dedication to responding to community needs, and this effort ensures that students and those seeking employment are best prepared to serve local industry." Registration for the winter semester is currently underway at Mid, and classes start Jan. 11. Interested students can request additional information at midmich.edu, apply online at apply.midmich.edu, or contact Admissions at admissions@midmich.edu and 989-386-6661. For more information about the AIM Program, visit midmich.edu/aim or email Dean Shawn Troy at stroy@midmich.edu. For more information about MiWorks! funding and programs, contact Collin Hoffmeyer at 989-773-8548 and hoffmeyer@michworks4u.org. New Delhi: Top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed Friday in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport. The strike was carried out after US President Donald Trump ordered Soleimani's "killing" hours after a pro-Iran mob laid siege to the embassy in Baghdad. A volley of missiles hit Baghdad's international airport, striking a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary force with close ties to Iran. The Hashed confirmed Soleimani and Hashed al-Shaabi deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in what it said was a "US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road." Soon, it became clear that the missiles were fired from US military drones. It was precision attack that without any collateral damage. According to reports, the strike was carried out by American MQ-9 Reaper drone. MQ-9 Reaper is made by California-based General Atomics. It has been in use by the US military since it replaced the MQ-1 Predator in July 2017. MQ-9 Reaper drone has a laser range finder/designator, which precisely designates targets for employment of laser-guided munitions, such as the Guided Bomb Unit-12 Paveway II. According to the US Air Force website, the MQ-9 Reapers significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite and precision weapons mean that it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets. The "M" is the DOD designation for multi-role, and "Q" means remotely piloted aircraft system. The "9" indicates it is the ninth in the series of remotely piloted aircraft systems. MQ-9 Reaper: General Characteristics Primary function: Find, fix, and finish targets Contractor: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Power plant: Honeywell TPE331-10GD turboprop engine Thrust: 900 shaft horsepower maximum Wingspan: 66 feet (20.1 meters) Length: 36 feet (11 meters) Height: 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) Weight: 4,900 pounds (2,223 kilograms) empty Maximum takeoff weight: 10,500 pounds (4,760 kilograms) Fuel capacity: 4,000 pounds (602 gallons) Payload: 3,750 pounds (1,701 kilograms) Speed: Cruise speed around 230 mph (200 knots) Range: 1,150 miles (1,000 nautical miles) Ceiling: Up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) Armament: combination of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions Crew (Remote): two (pilot and sensor operator) Unit Cost: 64.2 million Dollars (includes four aircraft, sensors, GCSs, and Comm) (All data as published by US Air Force) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Express News Service CHENNAI: The results of rural body polls in 27 districts gave enough reasons for both the DMK and the AIADMK to rejoice and claim victory. The DMK-led alliance had a significant lead in the total number of seats won, a first since 1996 for an Opposition party to outperform the ruling party in the local body polls. However, the ruling AIADMK took solace in the significant gain of its vote share compared to the rout it suffered in the Lok Sabha polls just seven months ago. More significantly, it has put the best of its show since the demise of party supremo J Jayalalithaa and asserted that the party commands loyalty from its vote base despite her absence. As per the official results declared till 12 am, the DMK alone had won 2,000 of 4,805 panchayat union ward member posts where the results were declared. AIADMK had won 1,668. In the district panchayat ward member posts, the DMK had won 217 of the 454 declared results.The AIADMK had won 187. Along with its allies, the DMK had secured more than 50 per cent of the seats. This was a huge solace for the DMK-led alliance and it claimed the victory remarkable since it won despite the ruling partys grip over the State administration giving it an advantage. But curiously, the DMKs alliance is headed to win majority only in 13 of the 27 district panchyat councils despite the higher number of overall seats it won. The AIADMKs victories is spread in a such way that it gives majority for its alliance also in 13 district panchayat councils. In Sivaganga district alone, it is a tie. The AIADMK and the DMK-led alliance have won an equal eight district panchayat ward member posts each. The ward members will be electing district panchayat chairman on January 11 and whichever alliance wins in the Sivagangai district can claim a tactical victory by capturing the most number of district panchayat councils. In some of the districts also, despite winning significantly more number of panchayat union wards, the DMK secured majority in comparatively lesser number of panchayat unions. For example, in Tiruvallur district, despite having won in 17 more union panchayat ward seats than the AIADMK, the DMK also secured majority in only 7 of 14 panchayat unions. The AIADMK secured majority in rest of the 7. Raveendran Duraisamy, political analyst, said the results showed that it was a victory for both AIADMK and the DMK. The AIADMK emerged from around 18.5 per cent votes polled in Lok Sabha elections to almost 35 per cent now, he said. On the other hand, the DMK has increased its strength in the rural areas, which was considered a stronghold of the AIADMK because of the sway the Two Leaves symbol holds. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Simon Duncan (The Jakarta Post) - Sat, January 4, 2020 17:22 737 48be62e941b44f04afae568c320d4724 3 Lifestyle relationship,love,couple,The-Conversation Free For many couples, moving in together signifies a big step in the relationship. Traditionally, this meant marriage, although nowadays most cohabit before getting married, or splitting up. But there is a third choice: living apart together. Not only is it surprisingly common, but living apart together is increasingly seen as a new and better way for modern couples to live. Surveys have previously suggested that around 10 percent of adults in Western Europe, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia live apart together, while up to a quarter of people in Britain statistically defined as single actually have an intimate partner they just live somewhere else. Living apart together supposedly gives people all the advantages of autonomy doing what you want in your own space, maintaining preexisting local arrangements and friendships as well as the pleasures of intimacy with a partner. Some even see it as subverting gendered norms or at least that women can escape traditional divisions of labor. But our research shows a darker motivation people can end up living apart because they feel anxious, vulnerable, even fearful about living with a partner. And, despite living apart together, women still often continue to perform traditional roles. Staying separate While some who live apart have long distance relationships, most live near one another, even in the same street, and are together much of the time. Nearly all are in constant contact through text, Facebook, Facetime and other messaging platforms. And virtually all expect monogamous fidelity. Surveys show three different types of couples who live apart together. First are those who feel it is too early, or who are not ready to live together yet - mostly young people who see cohabitation as the next stage in their lives. Then there are the couples who do actually want to live together but are prevented from doing so. They cant afford a joint house, or a partner has a job somewhere else, or cant get a visa, or is in prison or a care home. Sometimes family opposition, for example to a partner of a different religion, is just too intense. Third is a preference group who choose to live apart together over the long term. These are mostly older people who have been married or cohabited before. It is this group that are supposed to use living apart to create new and better way of living. Fears and threats Our research, however, based on a nationwide survey supplemented by 50 in-depth interviews, points to a different story for many preference couples. Rather than seeking a new and better form of relationship through living apart together, the ideal remained a proper family - cohabitation, marriage and a family home. But respondents often feared this ideal in practice, and so chose to live apart as the best way to deal with these fears while still keeping a relationship. Often they had been deeply hurt in previous cohabiting relationships, financially as well as emotionally. Some women experienced abuse. As Michelle* explained: I dont want to lose everything in my house, I dont want to be possessed, I dont, and I dont want to be beaten up, by someone whos meant to love me. Not surprisingly, Michelle had built a very solid brick wall with her current partner. It was living apart that maintained this wall. Another respondent, Graham, had experienced an incredibly stressful time after separation from his wife, with nowhere to live and no real resources or anything. So living apart was a sort of self-preservation. Current partners could also be a problem. Wendy had lived with her partner, but found that when he drinks hes not a nice person He was abusive both to me and my son. Living apart together was the solution. Maggie was repelled by her partners hardcore green lifestyle: his lack of washing, sporadic toilet flushing, and no central heating (which she needed for medical reasons). She also felt her partner looked down on her as intellectually inferior. So living apart together was the next best thing to her ideal of conjugal marriage. Some men found the very idea of living with women threatening. For Ben, not a big commitment merchant, living apart together was at least safe. And several men in the study hoped to find more compliant partners abroad. Daniel, whose current, much younger, partner lived in Romania, explained how his whole universe was blown apart by divorce. And how he felt that females in England seem to want everything straight off in my opinion I just didnt want to communicate with English women at all. Given these fears, worries and aversions, why do these people stay with their partners at all? The answer is a desire for love and intimacy. As Wendy said: I do love him[and] I would love to be with him, if he was the person that he is when hes not drinking. Maggie told us how she really loved her partner and how they had set up an agreement whereby if I do your cooking and your washing and ironing can you take me out once a month and pay for me. Even Gemma, who thought living apart together gave her power in the relationship, found herself in wife mode and did all his washing and cooking. For some people, then, choosing to live apart is not about finding a new or better form of intimacy. Rather living apart is a reaction to vulnerability, anxiety, even fear it offers protection. names have been changed. *** Simon Duncan, Emeritus Professor in Social Policy, University of Bradford This article was first published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. But numbers, as of this Friday, show we are down a little bit, Anderson said. That is a little bit of a puzzle. So, then the question is, we are looking at cases that have been diagnosed at clinics or by professionals. But if someone doesnt go to their health professional, we cant count them. So, it can be a little misleading to think that we are down because all of our past history tells us that we are going to start the surge here if we havent already. Also, she said there may be people who are electing to stay at home and get through the flu on their own. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza activity is high nationally with outpatient visits, and the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza, at levels similar to what have been seen at the peak of recent seasons. However, this weeks data may in part be influenced by changes in health care-seeking behavior that can occur during the holidays. Influenza B/Victoria viruses are predominant nationally, which is unusual for this time of year. A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses are the next most common. A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata viruses are circulating at very low levels. By Trend Belarus has temporarily suspended export of petroleum products from its oil refineries, the Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim informed TASS on Friday, Trend reports citing TASS. "Yes, we confirm that export of petroleum products out of the country has been temporarily suspended due to the situation caused by the suspension of Russian oil [export] to our oil refineries," the concern informed. Earlier on Friday, Belneftekhim Concern said that Russia had stopped oil supplies to Belarus, adding that the capacity of the countrys oil refineries had been reduced to the minimum technologically permissible level. On December 30 and 31, Russian and Belarusian leaders Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko held two phone calls, during which they discussed the export of Russian oil and gas to the republic. Lukashenko also discussed this matter with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak on December 21. On the same day, Lukashenko mandated the Belarusian oil and gas complex leadership to sign contracts for oil deliveries and to work on the conditions of delivering raw materials from Baltic ports via the railway service and the Druzhba pipeline. Earlier, the Belarusian leader stated that in 2020, Belarus plans to purchase 20 bln cubic meters of gas and 24-25 mln tonnes of oil from Russia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the Charleston Build, Remodel & Landscape Expo in early January at Exchange Park Fairgrounds in Ladson. The event, hosted by L& L Exhibition Management of Bloomington, Minn., runs Jan. 10-12 and will feature exhibits and demonstrations from local and national companies designed to help consumers through the process of home improvement. The expo is a terrific resource for people who want to build a new home or improve an older one, said show manager Susan Stevens. The top local and regional exhibitors are all on-hand to help you with everything from kitchens to curios. On hand will be exhibitors specializing in home building, kitchen and bath remodeling, basements, home additions, windows, siding, roofing and other home improvement ideas. They will also offer show specials and discounts. The event runs 2-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at the door are $5 for adults. Children 17 and under can attend free. For discounted tickets, go to www.CharlestonBRLExpo.com. Rental ranking A new survey outlines the 10 best places to buy rental property in the U.S. in the new year, and Charleston's northern neighbor made the cut. North Charleston comes in No. 8 on a list by Millionacres, a Motley Fool company. Amarillo, Texas, is No. 1. The survey found the best places to buy rental properties have affordable housing, wage growth of 3 percent or more, unemployment at or below the national rate of 3.3 percent, population growth of 3 percent or more, increase in property value and a strong rental yield of 9 percent or more. The rental yield is determined by the percentage value of rental income compared to the property's market value. The report found North Charleston's annual gross rental yield in 2019 was 9.6 percent. The median home price based on Zillow is $183,242. The change in home value over one year was 4.6 percent. The median rental rate stood at $1,400. Wage growth was 3-5 percent. The unemployment rate is 1.8 percent, and the city's population grew by 16.1 percent. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! The ranking cites Charleston as the driver of the region, but it notes most of the job opportunities come from the region's automotive industry, manufacturing, health care and scientific and technical services, many of them located in North Charleston. Others on the list include: No. 2 Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Fla.; No. 3 Oklahoma City, Okla.; No. 4 Atlanta; No. 5 Cedar Rapids, Iowa; No. 6 Indianapolis; No. 7 Jacksonville, Fla.; No. 9 Louisville, Ky.; and No. 10 Dallas/Fort Worth. Poised for growth Charleston is once again on a top 10 list, but this one is forward-looking. Online financial firm LendEDU ranked the Holy City as No. 8 among 380 metro areas across the U.S. best positioned for economic advancement in the new decade, which tends to lead to the continued influx of new residents and job seekers. The firm analyzed a variety of socioeconomic factors such as recent income growth, population changes and educational attainment levels to make its determination. It found that in Charleston, 46.5 percent of the population ages 18-24 hold a minimum of an associate's degree, 669 businesses opened in 2015-16 and the area gained more than 123,000 people from 2010 through 2018. It also saw 4.5 percent growth in income from 2017 to 2018 and recorded more than 7,000 residential building permits in 2018. Unemployment dropped 3.4 percent from 2015 to 2019. San Diego topped the list while Reno, Nev., came in second. In order, Nos. 3-7 are: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, San Jose and Stockton, the latter two both in California. No. 9 is Fresno, Calif., and No. 10 is Orlando. Nearby Savannah ranked No. 17, Raleigh came in No. 18 and Charlotte ranked No. 21. Other South Carolina cities on the list include: No. 26 Greenville, No. 68 Columbia, No. 97 Spartanburg, No. 105 Myrtle Beach, No. 121 Hilton Head Island, No. 194 Florence, and No. 246 Sumter. The U.S. attorney can ask the federal and state courts to quash the subpoenas for the federal officers, but the courts are unlikely to go along with such an effort to thwart justice. Even if the Park Police officers do not testify, the commonwealth can still make its case from the videos taken by nonfederal police and the testimony of nonfederal witnesses. The federal government cannot stop a Virginia grand jury from indicting anyone. Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday condemned the "unwarranted and unprovoked" attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by an unruly mob. Expressing dismay and concern over the matter, she called upon the Government of India to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine to prevent any future attacks. "The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," she said in a statement. A mob on Friday reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gurugram For a 75-year-old resident, a former Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of the Bihar cadre, getting a new voter ID card from the Mini Secretariat at Rajiv Chowk proved a hard task. The resident, who preferred anonymity, said he and his wife had to get voter IDs in October 2019, in the run-up to the state assembly polls. First, it was hard to find the Election Commissions (EC) office within the complex. But the most challenging part was to climb five floors of stairs, where the EC office is located. Lifts were not functional so, we had to climb the stairs. Then, we had to pass by the stinking washroom. On reaching the EC office, we were asked to climb five floors down to submit the documents, he said, recalling the inconveniencing experience, following which he wrote letters to senior officials in the state government and the Election Commission. The retired IAS official is among the thousands of people visiting the Mini Secretariat every day, to avail of services as well as get other legal procedures done. Constructed in 2004 by the Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran, then Haryana Urban Development Authority, the six-storey building houses offices of important officials and departments deputy commissioner, subdivisional magistrate, chief city magistrate, revenue department, regional transport authority (RTA), labour department, Election Commission office and Antyodya Saral. Amit Khatri, the deputy commissioner, said that the administration is trying to improve its services. To reduce visitors load at Saral centre, we have opened a new centre in Palam Vihar. Soon, a few more will be set up. We are also digitizing our revenue records to reduce paperwork. We are working on maintaining cleanliness and improving basic facilities. According to him, there is a proposal to build a new administrative building near the secretariat. Notably, the proposal was floated in 2010, when senior officials started looking for alternative sites to shift some of the departments. Offices in the secretariat are crammed. The proposal is to build a new administrative tower. The project is still awaiting final confirmation, said Khatri. Lack of seating facility Having an average footfall of 3,000 people per day, most important offices in the complex lack proper seating facilities for its visitors. In November 2018, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, after inspecting the Antyodya Saral Kendra that provides more than 400 services to citizens and witnessing the heavy footfall of residents coming to get birth/death certificates, renewing licences, etc, had instructed the deputy commissioner to expand these centres or create separate ones for the older and newer parts of the city. The directions were issued after Khattar noticed that the centre lacked sufficient seating facilities. A similar situation can be witnessed outside other offices that receive heavy footfall, including the CMs Window, Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and labour department, where, in the absence of seating facilities, visitors can be seen sitting on the staircase or on the floor. At the RTA office, located on the third floor, mounds of files cover half of the area, stretching almost up to the ceiling. These files, mostly registration certificate files of the last three years, is the striking feature of the RTA office, say visitors. Harinder Singh, inspector, RTA, said, There is no space to accommodate these files. Therefore, they have to be stacked in the available area. These files are weeded out every three years. An agency appointed by the state government collects these files from all districts and discards them. He said that there will be sufficient seating space once these files are removed. Poor infrastructure In terms of amenities, the building lacks facilities as basic as proper washrooms for women and drinking water facility on each floor. Lifts are mostly non-functional, as of the six lifts, only a maximum of two can be seen functioning at a given time. At times, none of the lifts is functional. Also, several cases have been reported in the past where visitors have been stuck for more than 20 minutes in the lifts. If the lift is non-functional, we approach the private agency dealing in lift repair and maintenance, said Lalit Jindal, executive engineer, electricity, PWD, refusing to speak about the budget allocated for the task and the delay in addressing problems on time. More importantly, the building is ill-equipped to handle an emergency, such as a fire, as it even lacks the requisite no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department. Under the Haryana Fire Service Act, 2009, before constructing any residential or commercial building taller than 15 metres, it is mandatory to obtain a fire NOC conforming to the National Building Code of India, the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Factories Act, 1948 and the Punjab Factory Rules, 1952. According to a senior official, the NOC has been pending since the building was constructed. In 2017, a fire audit report of the building was prepared, but no follow-up action has been taken to expedite the process of getting the NOC. Repair and Maintenance When asked about the poor state of affairs at the secretariat, officials of all departments pointed the finger at the Public Works Department (PWD), the appointed agency for the maintenance of the Mini Secretariat building along with the Vikas Sadan, which houses the offices of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), women and child development, social justice and consumer court, among others. Rajesh Gupta, the official concerned with the maintenance of secretariat and Vikas Sadan, said, Maintenance falls under the jurisdiction of the PWD. We send our requirements and estimates, based on which they take a call on maintenance. For the renovation or repair work, an estimate report signed by the deputy commissioner is sent to the PWD for budgetary allocation. From PWD, the report is further passed on for final approval to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department. Once the final confirmation is given by the department, funds are transferred accordingly, as per the estimate, said Sandeep Singh, senior engineer, PWD. Interestingly, as per the documents accessed, the annual maintenance estimate includes whitewashing, distempering, cement plaster, oil bound distemper, sandpapering, fixing tiles and tile terracing. The expenditure on each of these items is calculated based on the area-wise requirement. It is based on the Haryana PWD schedule of rates, said Singh. Until November 2019, the PWD had spent only 5.61 lakh on repair and maintenance work. In 2018-19, it spent 15.83 lakh while it was 13.61 lakh in 2017-18 and 17.82 lakh in 2016-17. According to the officials, for any other task that requires improving basic services, the district administration has to utilise its fund. 'She should stop provoking people and must make efforts in the direction of bringing peace in the state', Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said New Delhi: Union minorities affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday slammed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Pakistan remark saying, "she should stop provoking people" and "must focus on protecting her own house." "She should stop provoking people and must make efforts in the direction of bringing peace in the state. Anti-national forces in West Bengal have made life tough for the common man. Merely targeting the Prime Minister is not going to help her. She should first focus on protecting her own house," the Union Minister said while speaking to ANI in New Delhi. Banerjee had led a protest march against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and targeted Modi by stating that he always talks about Pakistan. "I am fighting against the NRC and CAA. Join hands with me. Requesting all people to come forward to save our democracy," she had said. "He (Modi) is the Prime Minister of India, but always talks about Pakistan. Why? We are Indians and we will definitely discuss our national issues", Banerjee had stated. The CAA seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists, and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before 31 December, 2014. Dixon Technologies (India) said it has entered into agreement with Samsung India Electronics for manufacturing of LED TVs. In an exchange filing made after market hours on Friday, 3 January 2020, Dixon Technologies (India) (Dixon) said it has entered into agreement with Samsung India Electronics (Samsung) for manufacturing of LED TVs. Dixon shall be manufacturing LED TV for Samsung from its manufacturing facility located at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The stock rose 0.96% to settle at Rs 3,950.70 yesterday, 3 January 2020. Dixon is the largest home grown design-focused and solutions company engaged in manufacturing products in the consumer durables, lighting and mobile phones markets in India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Representational Image. The National Panthers Party (NPP) staged a protest here on Saturday seeking early deportation of illegal immigrants, including Rohingya Muslims, from Jammu. The NPP protest came a day after Union minister Jitendra Singh said the government's next move would be regarding the deportation of Rohingya refugees as they will not be able to secure citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act. NPP activists led by their chairman and former Jammu and Kashmir minister Harsh Dev Singh assembled at the Exhibition Ground here and raised slogans against the illegal immigrants. Terming their early repatriation as the need of the hour, the NPP leader said the natives of Myanmar and Bangladesh had already been identified in Jammu city and its adjacent areas. He urged upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately respond to the "grave situation" and direct the local administration to ensure deportation of these unlawful immigrants without any further delay in the larger interests of peace and security. More than 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and Samba districts, where their population has increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016, according to government data. Mary Stone Ross, one of the co-authors of Californias newest privacy law, which requires retailers to give an option to consumers to opt out of the sale of their personal data to third-party companies. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the law was designed with the intent to protect children: The last thing you want is for any company to think that were going to be soft on letting you misuse kids personal information. The California law also includes social media platforms and TV streaming services. ( NPR Reuters December 30, 2019) WASHINGTON>> Congress opened the new year with the Senate deadlocked over President Donald Trumps impeachment trial, leaving the proceedings deeply in flux as Republicans refuse to bend to Democratic demands for new witnesses. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell showed no signs Friday of negotiating with the Democrats as he aims for Trumps swift acquittal. At the same time, the Republican leader acknowledged the Senate cannot begin the historic undertaking until House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers the articles of impeachment which she is refusing to do until he provides details on the trials scope. Neither seems willing to budge. Their turn is over, McConnell said about the Democratic-led House. Its the Senates turn now to render sober judgment as the framers intended. Pelosi responded that McConnells stance made clear that he will feebly comply with President Trumps cover-up of his abuses of power and be an accomplice to that cover-up. The House and Senate gaveled in for brief sessions Friday with the sudden crisis in the Middle East only adding to the uncertainty about how lawmakers will proceed with the impeachment trial, only the third in U.S. history. Trump was impeached last month by the House on charges that he abused power and obstructed Congress in his dealings with Ukraine. Trump withheld nearly $400 million in military aid for Ukraine, an Eastern European ally that depends on U.S. support to counter Russia, after asking President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to publicly announce an investigation into Trump rival Joe Biden. The aid was ultimately released after Congress objected. Democrats believe their demands for witnesses are bolstered by new reports about Trumps decision to withhold the aid and unease among some GOP senators over the situation. The American people deserve the truth, Pelosi said in a statement. Every Senator now faces a choice: to be loyal to the President or the Constitution. McConnell has said the trial should start and then senators can decide the scope. Acquittal seems likely in the Senate because Republicans hold a 53-47 seat majority and it takes two thirds of the Senate to convict. But McConnells leverage is limited during the trial. Either side needs to reach just a 51-vote threshold to call witnesses or seek documents, which could politically test some senators. As he opened the chamber Friday, McConnell criticized House Democrats as having engineered a slapdash impeachment that was the most rushed, least fair in history, only to now forcibly postpone the proceedings while they seek more information. The GOP leader did not defend or criticize the presidents actions toward Ukraine. But he invoked the Founding Fathers vision of the slower-moving Senate as an institution that could stop momentary hysteria and partisan passions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also drew on the founders to pressure Republican senators not to fall lockstep in line with Trump, as they typically do, but fulfill their role as jurors. The vital question, of whether or not we have a fair trial, ultimately rests with a majority of the senators in this chamber, Schumer said. He is pressing to hear testimony from at least four new witnesses, all of whom refused to appear in the House proceedings before the House voted to impeach Trump last month. We need the whole truth, Schumer said. McConnell, he said, has been unable to make one single argument against having witnesses and documents in the trial. Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, have indicated they were open to hearing from more witnesses and registered their concerns about McConnells claim that he was working closely with the White House on the format for the trial. Senators up for re-election in 2020 will face particular pressure over their votes. Trump wants not only acquittal in the trial but also vindication from his GOP allies. The witnesses that Senate Democrats want to call refused to testify in the House proceedings under orders from the White House. They are Trumps former national security adviser John Bolton, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and two other officials who were directly involved with Trumps decision to withhold the military assistance for Ukraine . Republicans, in turn, could try to hear from Biden or his son, Hunter Biden, who worked for an energy company in Ukraine while his father was vice president. More information keeps flowing. A federal judge on Friday allowed a Rudy Giuliani associate indicted on campaign finance charges, Lev Parnas, to turn over documents to Congress as part of the impeachment proceeding. Parnas and another man, Igor Fruman, played key roles in efforts by Giuliani, Trumps personal lawyer, to launch a Ukrainian corruption investigation against Democratic presidential candidate Biden. McConnell showed no signs of deviating from his opening stance. He defended his earlier remarks in which he said he would not be an impartial juror in the trial and stuck with his plan to follow the process used during Bill Clintons impeachment, in which the trial was convened and then votes were taken to decide if additional witnesses were needed. The GOP leader suggested the Senate will carry on with its other business while it waits for the House to act. As if to emphasize that point, he set up a vote for Monday to advance a Trump nominee to run the Small Business Administration. We cant hold a trial without the articles, McConnell said. So for now, we are content to continue the ordinary business of the Senate while House Democrats continue to flounder. The Constitution requires that the House and Senate convene on Jan. 3, though few lawmakers were in town for the perfunctory session. But the Senate leaders remarks were being closely watched for signs of next steps amid the crisis in the Middle East after the U.S. killed a top Iranian general with airstrikes in Iraq. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has provided more details about the French citizen who died in custody this week. The French embassy in the United States has not commented. ICE initially did not identify the detainee, but on Thursday elaborated a statement naming him as Samuelino Pitchout Mavinga, 40, a native of Angola, who died on Sunday in hospital of a heart attack. An autopsy had been ordered to determine the official cause of death. Mavinga arrived in New York on 28 November 2018, under the Visa Waiver Programme, which said he would need to leave the country no later than 27 February 2019, according to ICE. He was detained by border police at a checkpoint in Texas on 11 November 2019, for overstaying his visa. Mavinga was transferred into ICE custody the next day, and put into detention at the Otero County Processing Center, in Chaparral, New Mexico, pending deportation. A month later, on 11 December, he was transferred to the Torrance Country Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico. Mavinga was taken to hospital the next day and found to be suffering from a twisting of the large intestines causing bowel obstruction. He remained under medical care until he died on Sunday 29 December. Last month, the heads of the Inclusive Democratic Movement (MDI) disclosed that one of its lawmakers, Kelly Perfecto, had confessed to taking a 50,000-euro bribe. She told the heads of her party that she and 13 other opposition lawmakers had secretly met on Nov. 27 with Maduro, his wife, Cilia Flores, and two other major government figures Diosdado Cabello and Tareck El Aissami. In the meeting, Perfecto claimed, the 14 of them agreed to vote against Guaido in exchange for cash, according to MDI chief Nicmer Evans. YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander General Khalifa Haftar has warned that his forces will mobilize to repel any foreign soldiers sent to Libya, after Turkey approved a troop deployment to assist the rival government in Tripoli, RT reports. In a statement released on Friday, Haftar vowed to confront and expel foreign forces, and declared jihad. We declare jihad and general mobilization to counter the Turkish invasion, Haftar said. The Turkish friendly people must rise up against the adventurers who force their army to be wiped out in Libya. On Thursday, the Turkish parliament approved deployment of troops to Libya to reinforce its allies in the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). Although the Government of National Accord is internationally recognized as Libyas government, most of the country is controlled by a rival government based in Tobruk and the Haftar-led LNA. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan Nam Dinh, a rice-growing province in northern Vietnam, has more than 70 craft villages. Co Chat silk village in Truc Ninh district is one of the best known. Join us on a tour of the village to explore one of the most famous places raising silkworms, unraveling silkworm cocoons, and weaving silk thread in Vietnam. For hundreds of years Co Chat villagers have been trying to preserve their traditional craft of weaving silk as a means of subsistence. The locals are proud to have contributed to Vietnams high quality silk products. According to the village elders, the business of weaving silk thread in Co Chat has existed for a long time. During the French domination, Co Chat silk thread was so well known that in the early 20th century the French built a factory to unravel silkworm cocoons to exploit the great potential of the mulberry growing and silkworm raising area along the Ninh Co River. Since then, the silk thread making craft in Co Chat has developed substantially. Before 1954, merchants from other regions in Vietnam came to the village to buy silk thread. Co Chat silk remains a specialty of Nam Dinh province. Todays village elders still make silk thread using traditional methods while the younger generation uses modern machines and modern workshops to increase productivity. Made manually or by machine, Co Chat silk thread is very delicate, soft and durable and has natural bright colors. Making silk thread takes about 30 days, from silkworms eating mulberries to rolling the silk thread around a tube. The best months for sericulture are February, March, August, September, and October due to good weather conditions. These days, you will see glossy yellow or white silk buns hung all over Co Chat village everywhere on bamboo sticks to dry in the sun. The villages main road leads us to the Co Chat pagoda and temple, which were built in the 18th and 19th century. This is where the silk weaving craft began. Co Chat villagers still use traditional methods to produce silk thread. (Photo: vnanet.vn) Above the sound of the machines in the silk production workshops, villager Nguyen Thi Dan proudly said Our craft has existed for a very long time but has recently expanded to other areas. I have been in the business since I was 12 years old. Now Im 80 years old. The secret to spinning silk fibers smoothly is to unwind them carefully. Once Co Chat people only used silk to weave fishing nets. Eventually, it became a breadwinning craft. Nguyen Van Duong, a Co Chat native, says you must be meticulous starting with raising the silkworms, adding: Raising silkworms is a difficult work because silkworms only live about 20 days. It requires extreme carefulness. The broad flat drying baskets must be clean. You must feed the silkworms moderately, otherwise the silk quality will suffer. Duongs family has 720 square meters of land for mulberry cultivation. He insists on doing his own farming. He says he always chooses the best leaves for the silkworms or the silk quality will be affected. Each bed of mulberries is 1.2 square meters and will be tended until the trees grow old enough to get leaves to feed silkworms. When mulberry trees have been up for 3 to 4 months, you can have the first harvest, Duong noted. An old Vietnamese saying describes the hardship of people involved in the job: A pig farmer can sit down to eat, but a silkworm farmer must stand up to eat. Farmers must keep careful watch over the silkworms. After 2 or 3 days, each silkworm will have spun about a kilometer of filament. You must bring the silkworms outdoors at 6 a.m. so they can make their cocoons and bring them back indoors in the afternoon. At that time, we must use electric bulbs to warm them. We must match the light and temperature of the open air. As soon as the silkworms make cocoons, they start releasing silk, Duong told VOV. After harvesting the glossy yellow cocoons, the worms are put into boiling waterbefore extracting the individual long fibers to be fed onto the spinning reel. Silk reeling is the longest and most tiring stage. It must be done by veteran workers, otherwise the silk threads will not be smooth or equally-sized, and the woven cloth will not be of high quality. This is what makes handmade silk different from machine-made silk. Co Chat silk is considered more beautiful and better quality than silk from other places. According to Pham Minh Tam, a local artisan, if the cocoon is harvested too late, a silk moth will emerge from the cocoon, breaking the silk thread. There are two types of cocoons. The good ones are white and very clean. A good cocoon will be hard and dry. A bad cocoon will be broken and soft, said Tam. It is said that One flat basket of silkworms is equal to five flat baskets of cocoons; one flat basket of cocoons will turn out nine baskets of silk threads. The saying tells us the hardship of the workers in silk production workshops. Bui Thi Men says the silkworms are put into boiling water before the silk fibers are unwound from them, adding: Its a strenuous job, requiring workers to sit down in the heat and also be dexterous. You must pay close attention to the silk threads otherwise they will be uneven. Co Chat villager Nguyen Thi Nga reveals an interesting detail of the craft: Even if you take a bath every day, people from other regions can detect the smell. For example, when going to Co Le, we are easily recognized as Co Chat villagers. It seems that the smell adheres to our body and hair. The craft of making silk thread provides jobs for a large number of workers in the region, with an average income of about 130 USD a month. Some families in the village earn almost 860 USD a month. The villages silk thread is sold domestically, and exported to Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia for about 37 USD a kilo. VOV Ha Thai lacquer village Ha Thai lacquer village in Duyen Thai commune in Hanois outlying Thuong Tin district has more than 200 years of experience in making lacquer products. Until the early 20th century the village was called Cu Trang or Dong Thai. I think in his death he put the final nail in the coffin of the U.S. military presence in Iraq, said Mohammad Shabani, a doctoral researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London who focuses on Iran-Iraq relations. If Iran can erase the U.S. military presence in Iraq and all it has to do is give up five Iranian military men, would Iran do it? I think the answer is yes. The United States has nearly 5,000 troops in Iraq on a handful of bases. But whether they stay or go, the American power in Iraq was only likely to be diminished. One sure result of the U.S. strike is that the era of U.S.-Iraq cooperation is over, Richard N. Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a former American diplomat, wrote on Twitter. The U.S. diplomatic & mil presence will end b/c Iraq asks us to depart or our presence is just a target or both. The result will be greater Iranian influence, terrorism and Iraqi infighting. More than 16 years after the American invasion of Iraq, a devastating conflict that cost close to $1 trillion and claimed about 5,000 American lives, Iran is the dominant power in Iraq, and its grip on Baghdad was on vivid display this week, even before General Suleimanis killing. Julia Bradbury moves her head sideways, all the better to see her very strong, very Greek nose in profile. Beside her, her mum Chrissi, who is 83, is doing the same. Its like a Greek nose appreciation society meeting, except with a member missing. My sister Gina has one to match, explains Julia. Mum always taught us to be proud of our noses. She ponders the question of whether the whole family shares the Greek temperament, as well as the nasal attributes. Gina more so than me, I think. She flares up quite easily. Mind you, I can as well. We had a huge row in the car recently about something completely trivial. Julia Bradbury is joined by her mother Chrissi, 83, (pictured together) as she explores the Greek islands in a six-part ITV series 'She was driving. I opened the door and got out, swearing at her and stomping up the road. 'She came back, but it is a little like that, although I think my temperament is also half my dads. Hes English. Much more reserved. If you didnt already know shes half-Greek, then you will by the time youve seen Julia Bradburys latest TV series. Its a very personal project she calls it my latest baby and is part travel show, part personal journey. In it, she explores the Greek islands, including Chios, where her mothers ancestors are from. Her mum leans forward as Julia says the word Chios and corrects her pronunciation. There is no ch sound in Greek, so the word starts with more of a cough from the back of the throat. Or it should do. Julia looks suitably chastened. I dont speak Greek. Thats Mums fault by the way, but she never lets me forget it. 'She spent her whole time during filming correcting me. Yes, this was a take-your-mother-to-work type of project. When Julia jetted off to Greece with the camera crew, her mum came too. The six-part series sees Julia exploring the hidden side of the Greek islands, the parts not necessarily familiar to the three million Brits who head there every year on holiday. Visiting Crete, Julia meets master artisan Nico (pictured) and filo pastry expert Giorgos who has been producing baklava for 75 years Yes, the big tourist destinations like Corfu, Crete and Santorini are on her itinerary, but she also explores lesser-known gems like Symi and Skopelos, the location for the film Mamma Mia!. En route she meets fishermen, farmers and, in the first episode, even a goat shepherd called Giannis, who shows her how he makes cheese using age-old traditional methods. Come to think of it, there is a lot of food in this series. How could you go and not focus on the food? asks Julia. In the town of Rethymno, on Crete, Julia tries the sweet delicacy baklava, meeting filo pastry expert Giorgos who has been producing it for 75 years. Theres music in the mix too. She meets master artisan Nico, who expertly makes the Cretan lyra, a stringed instrument said to be the soundtrack to Crete Nico sounds like quite a hunk. Hes a Greek God, basically, she agrees. My mothers 102 but she still has all her marbles Chrissi Theres a dollop of history on the itinerary as well. Her journey includes a visit to the stunning but poignant island of Spinalonga once an exiled leper colony. Of course, Julias Greek heritage comes into play, but her mother invited herself, it seems. I was actually writing the pitch at the kitchen table and she decided she wanted to come, because we wanted to track down the house where her grandmother was born, says Julia. It was only fair really. Besides, it was her turn. Julia has form for getting the family involved. Her father, responsible for her love of walking and the outdoors, has popped up in a few of her projects, filming with her for Countryfile and Britains Best Walks. Julia (pictured with her mum) revealed her mother slipped and couldn't get up, while they were visiting Homer's Seat on Chios She says her mum has never been a part of her work before. Again, her mother has a slightly different take. Well, I was there when you were filming with Dad. I was in the background, making sure you got fed. That was important. You were, Mum, says Julia, standing corrected. Perhaps all celebrities should get their mothers to come along on interviews with them, because this really is a hoot. Although Julias mother only appears in one episode it is quite endearing, and hilarious in parts. There was one day where we were visiting Homers Seat on Chios, Julia recalls. The plan was to go to the place where Homer is said to have sat and read and thought, and Id read a little bit of Homer to Mum. 'She managed to sort of slip down the seat though, and couldnt get up. Cue five minutes of hysteria where I was trying to help her. Julia (pictured with Chrissi) who counts her mother as her ultimate role model, revealed seeing her mother have her job as part of the family life was hugely influential You only have to be in their company for a few minutes to realise that this is a most compelling mother/daughter relationship. Julia says her mother is her ultimate role model. Chrissi, a fashion designer who ran her own studio and shop, agrees that both her daughters Gina, 49, co-founded and runs The Outdoor Guide, a walking and activities resource, with Julia have inherited her work ethic. Theyre both workaholics, and they got that from me. Im not necessarily proud of that, its just a fact. Theyre not workshy. Sadly were not related to shipping tycoons - Julia While they may have chosen very different careers, Julia says the way her mother worked from home, with her job very much a part of the family life was hugely influential. I dont ever remember Mum not working, but we were very much part of it, she says. She had a studio and I remember Id come home and do my homework and then mess things up in her studio. 'She was always sketching, designing. Later she had a shop so shed be serving customers. But it was a lovely way to learn about work. Julia (pictured) and her mother went on a mission to find the house that was given to her great-grandmother as a dowry 'It wasnt so much a job as a way of life. Chrissi was actually born in the UK, as was her mother before her. Her grandmother Harriet Julias great-grandmother came to the UK as a newlywed, settling in South Wales. Back in Chios, she left the house that had been part of her dowry. Julia and her mums mission in this series was to find it again. Did they? We think we did, says Julia, producing a picture of a handsome, if rundown, property. Shed been given the house and some fields as her dowry but as soon as they married they came to the UK and left the place behind. 'We never knew what had happened to it and it was derelict. Chrissi takes over the story. By virtue of my grandmothers death, it passed to my mother, who is 102 now. 'She has all her marbles, which bodes well for me, she jokes. She has now passed it on to me, but there are no papers at all. Julia (pictured with Giogios and his son Paraskevas) was thrilled to visit the areas that her ancestors had come from, despite discovering that she isn't related to shipping tycoons Julia was rather thrilled to stand on the ground her ancestors had come from, and although the much talked-about house in Chios wasnt a mansion, it was still quite a find. We didnt discover we were related to shipping tycoons, sadly, but it was quite exciting. To her mothers delight, Julias three children do sport very distinctively Greek names. Zephyrus is eight and twins Xante and Zena are four. Their surname is Cunningham though (their father is Julias partner Gerard Cunningham, a property developer). Not remotely Greek. The deal was that they got Greek Christian names, says Julia. And we squeezed Bradbury in as the middle name too. Theres a dramatic story behind Julias route to motherhood, though. She suffered from endometriosis, a problem with the lining of the womb, and for a long time the family thought she would not be able to have children. It took five IVF attempts for the twins to be conceived. Upsettingly, Chrissi was diagnosed with bowel cancer when Julia was pregnant with her first child, and for a while no one knew if she would be alive to meet him. I dont go there very often, says Chrissi of that difficult period. Julia (pictured) revealed one of the rockiest periods of her relationship with her mother, came after she moved to LA early in her TV career I try to forget that time, but Zephyr was a special ray of sunshine at the end of the line. It kept me going. She reveals that she wasnt going to have treatment for her cancer, but Julia pregnant and emotional convinced her to. It was a terrible time when I was diagnosed. Id been a workaholic, working six days a week. I was still running a business when I got the news. 'I wasnt going to do anything about it, I thought, Well, if I last another ten years... But Julia said, If they offer a treatment you have got to take it. She persuaded me, so I did it. Im glad. Julia is getting emotional now. It was an awful time. I was pregnant, emotional, hormonal. 'I remember saying to Mum, But youve got to live. You have to. You have to see your grandchild. And now shes lived to see another two as well. Ideally, says Julia, her mum would like it if they all lived in the same house. Certainly one of the rockiest periods in their relationship was when Julia moved to LA early in her TV career. Mum was devastated. Its the most devastating thing for a Greek mother if your daughter moves to the other side of the world. So she would come to stay. Julia (pictured with Nico) said 'it's a Greek thing', that her mother doesn't reign in her disapproval of her actions 'Seemingly, lots of the family would come to stay too. It was like a conveyor belt of visitors, as if they decided I couldnt be on my own, says Julia. There was me trying to live off Sunset Boulevard on my own... We get on to the subject of whether her mother approves of everything Julia does. Motherhood, for example. Does she agree with the way Julia raises her children? Oh no, she says, as Julia puts her head in her hands. I dont approve of a lot of what Julia does. A lot of the time I find myself thinking, I wouldnt have done it like that. But its a generational thing. 'If there are 40 years between you there are always going to be differences, but you cant say too much can you? Is she good at reining in her disapproval though? Julia awaits the answer. No, says Chrissi. Im itching to say something. I itch a lot. Julia laughs. Its a Greek thing. The curse of the Greek mother. The original Shirley Valentine Theres a juicy chapter of family history that unfortunately doesnt make it into the programme. My mother was the original Shirley Valentine, reveals Chrissi. When she was about 45 she was ill and the doctor said she needed a long holiday. Some ladies from her community in Wales were going to Greece and told her husband, my stepfather, that she should join them. 'She did, and she fell in love. She never came home. Is she still with husband No 3, in Greece? She is, says Julia. I dont think they ever married, but she is still with No 3. Hes 16 years younger than she is. So who was husband No 1? My father, says Chrissi. They were betrothed when she was 13 and married when she was 16. Saddest day of her life. She was very elegant. 'There was a beautiful photo of her in her wedding dress very Mrs Simpson and I asked if I could have it, but shed cut my father out of the photo and burned him. Surely they popped in for tea with this marvellous-sounding matriarch when they were in the area? This is where it gets complicated. Alas not, says Julia. No 3 never wanted anything to do with her old life, and having a daughter and grandchildren is a major reminder of it. But they have visited her in the past. It was cloak and dagger, says Chrissi. It had to be quite clandestine. Its certainly one to tell the grandchildren one day. Advertisement The Greek Islands With Julia Bradbury, Friday, 8pm, ITV. Iran and its allies continued to threaten revenge yesterday as a rocket exploded near the US embassy in Baghdad following the killing of an Iranian leader by American forces. Irans ambassador to the United Nations has warned the US has started a military war by an act of terror with the killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, as Donald Trump claimed he ordered the Quds Force generals death to prevent war rather than provoke it. The countrys UN diplomat declared Iran has to act, and we will act, while UN secretary general Antonio Guterres joined global calls for de-escalation as he cautioned the world cannot afford another Gulf War. Meanwhile, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo criticised allies, including the UK, for not backing the airstrike. But former UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt criticised the action, calling it extreme. Nato has suspended ongoing efforts to fight Isis in Iraq amid demands by Iran and its allies for revenge against the US. Thousands of supporters of Soleimani and Iraqi Shia militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes gathered in Tehran, Baghdad and other cities to mourn the two men, who were killed in a US airstrike outside the Iraqi capital on Friday and whose funerals took place in Baghdad yesterday. Yesterday Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of mourning, a move followed by the Iraqi prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who declared three days of national mourning in Iraq. A witness in Tehran described shops putting up portraits of Soleimani and funereal banners being hung in the citys neighbourhoods. Hes seen as a guy who has fought terrorists and brought security for Iranians at home, said Abas Aslani, a researcher at the Centre for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran, in a phone call from the Iranian capital. Several Iranian officials reiterated longstanding warnings on Saturday that Tehran could target US ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a significant chunk of the worlds energy reserves travel, with one noting that Irans missiles could reach Israel. US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday 3 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures The wreckage of the car in which general Soleimani was travelling when a targeted US airstrike struck outside Baghdad International Airport on 3 January Ahmad Al Mukhtar via Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Demonstrators burn the US and British flags during a protest in Tehran after general Soleimani was killed in a targeted airstrike by American forces Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike. The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military has killed general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of Donald Trump AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn Israeli and US flags as thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of general Soleimani at the hands of America EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of Donald Trump pray at an 'Evangelicals for Trump' campaign event held on the day following the killing of general Soleimani. At the event, the president praised the "flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader" AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A huge procession of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of general Soleimani on 4 January AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of Soleimani during an anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iraqis perform a mourning prayer for slain major general Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Great Mosque of Kufa AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A billboard reading 'Death to America and Israel', installed by Iran-backed shiite armed groups at a street in Jadriyah district in Baghdad, Iraq EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him visiting the family of Soleiman KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Thousands of Iranians take to the streets in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US flag as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Jalal Feiruznia, looks to a portrait of Soleimani, as he receives condolences at the Iranian embassy, in Beirut, Lebanon AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures People make their way on the street while a screen on the wall of a cinema shows a portrait Soleimani in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Aziz Asmar, one of two Syrian painters who completed a mural following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani poses next to his creation in the rebel-held Syrian town of Dana in the northwestern province of Idlib AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A demonstration in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures An anti-US demonstration to condemn the killing of Soleimani, after Friday prayers in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Mujtaba al-Husseini, the representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers a speech in the holy shrine city of Najaf AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shiite Muslims burn a mock of a US and Israeli flags as they hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, outside the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters demonstrate in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims hold pictures of General Qasem Soleimani during a protest against the USA, in Peshawar, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London PA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Protesters burn a US flag in Tehran AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A Syrian man offers sweets to children to mark the killing AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers attend a mourning prayer for Soleimani in Iran's capital Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Kashmiri Shiite Muslims shout anti American and anti Israel slogans during a protest AP US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshipers chant slogans during Friday prayers Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures A protest against the USA, in Islamabad, Pakistan EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranians burn a US flag in Tehran EPA US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin, Germany Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Germany (NWRI) protest outside Iran's embassy in Berlin Reuters US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian worshippers in Tehran AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol a road in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila near the border with Israel. Following morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged AFP via Getty US airstrike kills Iran's Qassem Soleimani: Fallout in pictures Iranian women take to the streets in Tehran EPA Atop the dome of the mosque at Jamkaran, a major pilgrimage destination outside the Iranian seminary and shrine city of Qom, a red flag signalling an impending battle was unfurled. The Americans really did not realise what a grave error they have committed, Irans president Hassan Rouhani said during a meeting with the family of Soleimani. They will feel the impact of such a criminal act not only today but for years to come. The fallout of the Soleimani killing had the world and much of the region on edge with concerns about an Iranian response, as well as a potential US counter-response that could lead to a widespread armed conflict. Soleimani was despised by many Iranians as a pillar of the hardline establishment, and he was hated by Syrians and other Arabs for his role in helping Bashar al-Assad violently suppress a popular uprising against his dictatorship. But he remains a hero to Iranian regime supporters and some Iraqis for his role in organising the battle against Isis in 2014. Supporters of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and Iraqs Hezbollah brigades attend the funeral (AFP) Western officials worry that the Iranian state or its surrogates could carry out attacks to avenge his killing. The Americans did something that was unthinkable, said Mr Aslani. The repercussions and consequences will be unthinkable as well. It can work both ways. The Nato pullback from Iraq is a blow to efforts to keep Isis from regrouping. Hundreds of western soldiers from a broad coalition of countries are in Iraq training local armed forces to take on jihadis in the countrys northern mountains and western desert. Denmark and Sweden had already announced they were withdrawing military personnel. Iranians tear up a US flag during a demonstration in Tehran (AFP) Natos mission is continuing, but training activities are currently suspended, said Nato spokesman Dylan White. Attempts at defusing the crisis continued. The foreign minister of Qatar, which maintains cordial relations with Iran and hosts a US military base, flew to Tehran on Saturday to confer with Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister in a likely attempt to defuse tensions. Revolutionary Guard deputy commander Ali Fadavi claimed in a television interview on Friday that the US had passed on a message urging Iranians not to escalate. They resorted to diplomacy among other things on Friday morning and even said that if you want revenge, do it proportionately to what we did, he said. But they are in no position to determine anything. Iran gave few clues about its intentions, but the spokesman for its army insisted on Saturday it would not give a hasty response. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events One Revolutionary commander, a little-known figure in Irans security establishment, said in an interview that dozens of US targets are within range of Iranian firepower. Thirty-five vital American positions in the region are within the reach of the Islamic Republic, and Tel Aviv the USs heart and life is also within our reach, said Gholam Ali Abu-Hamzeh, the Revolutionary Guard commander for Soleimanis hometown province of Kerman, according to the Tasnim News Agency. Iran has for years had missiles with ranges up to 1,200 miles that could reach Israel and the Arabian peninsula, where many US troops are based, and it has fired rockets that struck eastern Syria following an Isis attack in 2017. But most experts say that Irans relatively weak naval and air forces would be no match for Israeli air power or US battleships at sea, even though Iran could wreak havoc with guerilla tactics that could send oil prices skyrocketing. Its not clear what the response will be, said Mr Aslani. It will not be less than what the Americans have done. Suspected killers of Favour Daley-Oladele on Saturday narrated the gory details of how the final year sociology student of Lagos State... Suspected killers of Favour Daley-Oladele on Saturday narrated the gory details of how the final year sociology student of Lagos State University (LASU) was murdered for money rituals at Ikoyi-Ile in Osun state. The three principal suspects gave the gory details after Osun homicide police detectives exhumed the victims dismembered body from a dry shallow well at Ikoyi-Ile. Babatunde Kokumo, Osun commissioner of police, led detectives from the homicide section of the the command during the exhumation operation. When the remains was exhumed, the head, the two breasts, neck and part of the two legs were no longer there. The deceased was Segun Philip, a prophet, and Adeeko Owolabi, the deceaseds boyfriend, on December 8. Ruth, Owolabis mother, was also said to have a played a role in the dastardly act. Owolabi, also a graduate of LASU, told reporters during the operation that he conspired with Philip to murder her girlfriend for money rituals. According to him, he lured the deceased to Ikoyi-Ile and lodged her in an hotel before killing her. After I lodged her in a guest house, I took her to a house which I claimed to be my uncles house, knowing fully well that the place was a ritualists den. I smashed a pestle on her head and she collapsed. The prophet thereafter used a knife and cutlass to dismember her body which was divided into three parts breasts, head and legs with other vital parts. We buried the remaining part of her body beside Prophet Philips Church called Solution Salvation Chapel, while some vital parts was given to my mother to eat for spiritual cleansing. Philip confessed that the deceased was murdered to make money rituals for Owolabi. I am not a prophet but a herbalist who engages in spiritual cleansing for whosoever come to my place, he said. I used the Solution Salvation Chapel as a cover up not to allow people know the true picture of who I am and what I do. Owolabi came to my place for money rituals and I told him that we need a complete human being for the rituals. And on December 8, he brought his girlfriend to my church and we killed her and as well dismembered her body part for money rituals. Owolabis mother, Ruth, who also spoke with reporters, said she was not aware that the concoction given to her to eat and the cream was made of human part. The police commissioner said detectives carried out thorough investigation to ascertain the actual place the deceased was buried, adding that the police would ensure that justice prevailed in the matter. New Delhi, Jan 4 : There is a raging debate regarding the pros and cons of a vaginal delivery versus a cesarean birth. A lot has been said about the alarming rise in the incidence of so called unindicated cesarean births in corporate hospitals. Dr Uma Vaidhyanathan, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh talks about the details of both so you're better informed. Being an obstetrician in clinical practice for several years now and having seen both sides, Dr. Vaidhyanathan can safely opine it varies from case-to-case and from patient-to-patient! "There are several factors which come into play for a vaginal delivery--if there are no medical or pregnancy related complications, the baby size is adequate enough to negotiate through the maternal pelvis, and most importantly, if the mother to be is well tuned for labour pains then nothing better than a vaginal delivery. For this the mother should be well counselled throughout the pregnancy about stages of labour, and should be mentally prepared to go through it. It helps if she has a supportive partner and family to boost her morale throughout the process of labour and delivery. It is definitely more natural, recovery and the period of staying in the hospital is definitely shorter," confirms Dr Vaidhyanathan. She also states that, "early contact with the baby, early establishment of breastfeeding and natural squeezing out of fluid from the lungs of the baby reduces chances of distress. The return to normal life and normal physical activity, too, is undoubtedly faster for the mother. Some issues that may present themselves with vaginal birth are tears in the vagina during the passage of the baby during birth which may need stitches. Without stitches, the tearing can negatively affect urine and bowel function which happens more frequently after vaginal birth. A vaginal birth may leave the mother with some pain in the perineum - the area between the vagina and anus." With regards to a cesarean delivery, the doctor feels, "at times, a cesarean delivery becomes necessary if the mother has a complication such as severe hypertension, twin or triplet pregnancy or placenta related complications. The complications can be a low lying placenta, abnormal position of the baby in utero such as breech or transverse lie, severe growth restriction in the baby wherein the baby may not be able to tolerate the stresses of a vaginal birth or the baby may be too big for the maternal pelvis!" She also confirms that a cesarean may be unplanned, "especially in cases where there is a sudden dip in the baby's heart rate during labor or if labour is prolonged beyond acceptable international guidelines for the various stages of labor. In such cases a well-planned cesarean birth does help saving both the mother and the baby in a well-equipped set up." But what are the disadvantages of a cesarean? "The disadvantages of a cesarean are increased length of hospital stay, discomfort in stitch line that may last weeks or months, higher risk of blood loss and infection, increased risk of a cesarean delivery in a future pregnancy as well as increased risk of placental abnormalities. These days though, with shorter surgical times, better suture materials and good antibiotics and stringent infection control practices in hospitals and good physiotherapy and lactation support post-delivery, we see patients getting mobilized as early as 6-12 hours post cesarean and seeking early discharge within 48-72 hours," she replies. All in all, a lot depends on counseling, mental preparedness and how comfortable the mother to be is with both modalities of birthing. Every prospective parent should have a detailed discussion with their obstetrician regarding their pregnancy, possible complications and options for birthing and pain relief available. Both modalities have their distinct advantages and disadvantages in select cases, and a well conducted delivery in which both the mother and baby go home safely, is what every obstetrician aspires for! -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Liz Uy is a famous digital curator, fashion stylist, and fashion-editor-at-large in the Philippines. Her creativity and wit when it comes to fashion are what makes her stand out among the other fashion stylist in the country. Besides her tasteful fashion sense, the 37-year-old It Girl is also known for her beautiful face and body feature. Image: instagram.com, @lizzzuy Source: Instagram There is more to this girl than just her fashion statements- things that fashion enthusiasts do not know about her. Here is everything you need to know about her. Liz Uy profile summary Name: Lizelle Venelli Uy Lizelle Venelli Uy Nickname : Liz : Liz Age : 37 (2019) : 37 (2019) Birthday : February 8, 1982 : February 8, 1982 Nationality : Filipino-Chinese : Filipino-Chinese Birth of place : Manila, Philippines : Manila, Philippines Height : 5 feet 6 inches : 5 feet 6 inches Profession : Fashion stylist, author, fashion editor, digital curator, and creative director : Fashion stylist, author, fashion editor, digital curator, and creative director Instagram: @lizzzuy Liz Uy biography Liz Uy was born on February 8, 1982, in the Philippines. Liz's parents' identity is still not known to the public, but it said that her parents are bankers. Laureen Uy, Liz Uy sister, is a fashion blogger and an actress, while Vince Uy, her brother, is the creative director of one of Philippine's leading magazines, Preview. She attended Grace Christian High School in Manila, Philippines and earned a degree in institution Management from Saint Benilde De La Salle College. There is not much personal information that is known about the stylist, and how she started her career piques the curious minds of those who follow and support her. Career If you ever see the fashion stylist's Instagram or hear her name from the celebrities in the Philippines, or you have just read her name in your favorite artist's post, one might say that her career is a successful one. Well, it is true. Liz's job is outstanding in every way. But just like everybody, she also went through a lot to be where she is right now. According to her interview with CNN, most people think that because she works in fashion, her work is frivolous. She said, But work is work. And I work hard. Behind every successful career is a long, challenging, and exhausting climb to get at the peak. And for her styling career, her rise started more than a decade ago. She was debuted in the fashion industry as an editorial assistant in Preview. Starting at the very bottom of the ladder, Liz did her best to become the stylist that she is right now. Although fashion is mostly shopping and styling, there were also some unglamorous works, and Liz went through all that. There was a taping of shoes, sewing buttons, and steaming of shoes. She also did some packing of lunch to the booking of venues, and to renting of mannequins. Many people think that she entered the industry because she loves fashion, but it was not the case for Liz. She had developed her interest in fashion later after she experienced all the works. After organizing shoots week after week, she was able t caught up. When she finally started to experiment with her sense of style and how the fashion industry works, she was then moved up from editorial assistant to fashion editor. After some time, she was able to build her empire, the Stylized studio, a famous styling studio in the Philippines. In 2014, she released a book, StyLIZed: Liz Uy's Ten Style Essentials, published by Summit Publishing Company. Working for years now, she had earned a solid portfolio and made a name for herself. She was able to work with top celebrities in the Philippines, gaining them as her clients and friends, at the same time. She attended fashion weeks abroad and got snapped by acclaimed street style photographers such as Bill Cunningham, The Sartorialist and Net-a-Porter. She did some digital collaboration with Style: Singapore, Matches Fashion, and The Coveteur. Atop of all these, last 2017, The Society New York (who manages A-list celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Adriana Lima) approached Liz and offered to represent her. Liz is the first Filipino that has worked with the renowned agency. After signing with The Society New York, Liz was given a spotlight in the international stage of the fashion industry. She was able to work with Jimmy Choo, Gucci, and IWC. Her career might be a long journey in the making, but it only proved one thing, hard work really pays off. READ ALSO: Julia Barretto bio: age, height, siblings, what is happening in her love life? Dating and family life In 2006, Liz Uy was reportedly dating the actor John Lloyd Cruz. It is said that although Liz had already worked so hard for her career, it was only then (when she dated Cruz) that her name was indeed known to the public. They only lasted for years and then decided to part ways in 2009. In 2010, Liz briefly dated former President Noynoy Aquino, and then to part ways to avoid any issues. After dating the two, there is no other news about other Liz Uy boyfriend, not until the year 2018. Last year, Liz Uy broke the internet with her Instagram post, a photo of her carrying a baby with a caption, "Xavi". Netizens speculated that it was Liz Uy baby and got curious who is Liz Uy husband, as she keeps her personal life private. Liz Uy baby news shocked all her Instagram followers because no one (besides her family and close friends) ever saw Liz Uy pregnant or even heard about it. Liz's interview with Preview confirmed that the baby boy in her post was her son. She released the photo of her son barely three months after word got out that she gave birth in secret. Even though it was a surprise, Uy received a lot of congratulatory messages in her post's comment section. The big question after her IG post was, "who is Liz Uy baby father?" netizen got curious about who the father was. Some speculations said that Raymond Racaza is Liz Uy baby daddy. Raymond Racaza is president, chief operating officer, and co-founder of Xurpas Inc. It is a company that creates and develops mobile consumer content and services for telecommunications companies. Raymond Racaza is also known as the husband of Dr Geraldine Zamora Racaza. Many speculations occurred when the latter posted some cryptic posts on her Instagram account. She posted about women supposedly being taught at a young age that it is wrong to steal someone else's "toys" or "boys." The doctor also posted another quote card that read: "Nothing can ever justify ruining something and taking what's not yours." Netizen guessed that the doctor's posts pertain to Uy as the alleged third party in her marriage to Raymond Racaza. After some time, the "Liz Uy Raymond Racaza" controversy cooled down eventually, and in January 2018, Raymond and Geraldine's marriage was put to an end when they legally separated through annulment. In February 2018, the fashion stylist shared her first-ever family picture, together with Xavi (Liz Uy son) and Raymond. Uy and Raymond Racaza are happily taking care of their son, and their photos could really tell that they are now happy with their lives. Although there are still some internet trolls who keep on leaving hateful comments on Liz' Instagram posts, she does not pay attention to them, instead, gives her full attention and strength towards her son. Image: instagram.com, @lizzzuy Source: Instagram The fashion stylist admitted that motherhood changed her mindset. He got to the point where she does not think about just herself, but every time that she will do something, she thinks of her son first. Whatever it is that she has been through, the fashion stylist and now a mother is living her best life with her great career and loving family and friends. With Liz Uy age of just 37, her career and family life will surely shine bright as the year comes. READ ALSO: Anne Curtis bio: age, height, net worth, who is her celebrity sister? Source: KAMI.com.gh BAGHDAD Thousands of militiamen and other supporters chanting America is the Great Satan marched in a funeral procession Saturday in Baghdad for Irans top general after he was killed in a U.S. air strike, as the region braced for the Islamic Republic to fulfill its vows of revenge. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed early Friday near the Baghdad airport along with senior Iraqi militants in an air strike ordered by President Trump. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar and tested the U.S. alliance with Iraq. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. Any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared in both Iran and Iraq. All eyes were on Iraq, where America and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Trump, meanwhile, warned that the U.S., too, was ready to respond if Tehran strikes back. He said Saturday that the U.S. had already targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture. Trump did not identify the targets but added that they would be HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. Trump says he ordered Fridays strike, a high-risk decision that was made without consulting Congress or U.S. allies, to prevent a conflict. U.S. officials say Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. Soleimani was the architect of Irans regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades. More funeral services will be held for him in Iran on Sunday and Monday, before his body is laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman. Following Fridays attack, the U.S.-led coalition scaled back operations and boosted security at bases hosting coalition forces in Iraq, a coalition official said on the condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the U.S. has dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait, the latest in a series of deployments in recent months as the standoff with Iran has worsened. In a thinly-veiled threat, one of the Iran-backed militias, Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Bridages, called on Iraqi security forces to stay at least 1,000 yards away from U.S. bases starting Sunday night. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The leaders of the security forces should protect their fighters and not allow them to become human shields to the occupying Crusaders, the warning statement said, in reference to the coalition bases. Later Saturday evening, a series of rocket attacks on bases that house U.S. forces was launched. A Katyusha rocket fell about a half mile from the U.S. Embassy, according an Iraqi security official. The U.S.-led coalition confirmed the attack, saying indirect fire landed outside of its facilities. No troops were hurt. Rockets also landed in the vicinity of Balad air base, about 40 miles north of Baghdad, the coalition said, adding that no troops were hurt. Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Sarah El Deeb are Associated Press writers. The Myanmar government has ordered its employees in war-stricken Rakhine state to obtain official permission before they travel by land or water amid an uptick in abductions of civilian officers by the rebel Arakan Army as it fights national forces for greater autonomy in the state, the border affairs minister said Friday. The Ministry of Border Affairs issued the directive in December, Colonel Min Than, who oversees the ministry, told RFAs Myanmar Service. The Union government has issued a directive for government staff, he said. If they travel, they need to obtain permission from the corresponding department chief and must report to security forces in the travel area through the state government. They should make prior arrangements before they travel, he said. If government employees travel on their own, something could happen. If they report beforehand, the authorities will make arrangements for them, such as reserving a spot for them on military-operated ferries or transporting them via helicopter, Min Than said. Depending on their route, the authorities can make arrangements. Aung Lin, the officer in charge of Rakhine states branch of the Inland Water Transport Department, said ferry tickets will be sold to government workers only if they have proof of permission to travel. When a government employee wants to buy a ticket, we will ask them if they have already reported their travel plans and if they have received permission from the Border Affairs Ministry, he said. We will sell them tickets only if they have permission. The Arakan Army (AA) also has requested that government staff give it advance notice about any travel plans in northern Rakhine. We intend to allow for travel in the conflict area, said AA spokesman Khine Thukha. We have issued an order that the government inform us if their employees are traveling in the region. Its because we want to avoid unnecessary casualties. Nobody knows when battles will occur, so we can best protect them if they report their travel plans to us, he added. Residents meanwhile fear repercussions from both sides if they travel in the region, said state lawmaker Tun Aung Thein from Buthidaung township. The civilians are living and traveling in fear as the two armed forces clash all the time, he told RFA. They have issued a dusk-to-dawn curfew. We have no freedom of movement. Besides, it is very challenging for us civilians to report to two armed forces when we want to travel in the region. Policemen missing The travel restrictions were announced as a government military spokesman and a local lawmaker told RFA Friday that two border police officers have gone missing following a clash between Myanmar and AA forces in Rakhine's Rathedaung township, and are believed to be detained by ethnic soldiers. Brigadier Gen Zaw Min Tun of the militarys information committee said the AA on Thursday morning attacked and abducted two of four police officers carrying cash to pay the December salaries of employees at the townships Thazin Myaing police station. After AA members shot at the policemen near Zedipyin village around 10 a.m. as they made their way toward the station, two of the officers went missing, he said Yesterday, four policemen went to Zedipyin to deliver the salaries for staffers in the Thazin Myaing police outpost in Rathedaung, Zaw Min Tun said. The AA fired at them with light artillery in the area northwest of Zeydipyin, [and] the police fired back, he said. We were informed that all of them were taken, but two of them returned to the police outpost, and the other two are missing, he said. Zaw Min Tun said he did not know the amount of money that had been taken, though the online journal The Irrawaddy reported that a group of armed men stole salaries worth more than 4 million kyats (U.S. $2,656). Neither Zaw Min Tun nor AA spokesman Khine Thukha said they had any information about the apprehension of the police officers. I havent received any report that says we have arrested them, Khine Thukha said. Its also possible that these policemen have stolen the salaries and have run away, he told RFA. We know that the police forces in Rakhine state are living in fear and acting unethically, so its possible they have deserted their positions and stolen the money. Khine Thukha also said that some criminals and gangs in Rathedaung and neighboring Buthidaung township are supported by the Myanmar military. Khin Saw Wai, a Rakhine state parliament representative from Rathedaung township, confirmed the shooting incident after she learned about it from local residents who heard the gunshots near Zedipyin village. Policemen from the Thazin Myaing police station came to deliver the salaries I heard it from the villagers, she said. I learned from local villagers that there was a shooting, and two policemen have been arrested. But the lawmaker said she did not know who detained the missing policemen and whether they have the money. RFA could not reach the Thazin Myaing police station for comment. Workers targeted Local government workers are increasingly being targeted by the AA as suspected collaborators with Myanmar forces amid fighting that escalated in northern Rakhine more than a year ago. Myanmar soldiers frequently detain and sometimes torture civilians suspected of having ties to the AA in villages near conflict spots. The AA abducted 16 Road Transport Administration Department drivers from a ferry heading to work sites in Buthidaung township on Dec. 31, but released them a day later after interrogations. About a week earlier, the AA said it was also holding three immigration officials who had been traveling in Buthidaung. In late October, the AA abducted 58 people, including policemen and soldiers, as they traveled by ferry from Rakhine's capital Sittwe to Buthidaung, though Myanmar forces freed 15 of them in an armed rescue operation. The AA later released 25 civilians, but kept the remainder. That same month, Arakan soldiers also detained 18 firefighter recruits and the deputy station chief of the state Fire Services Department as they traveled on a bus from central Myanmars Mandalay region to Sittwe, believing that they were auxiliary soldiers of the national army. The AA released them in early November. Reported by Nay Myo Htun and Aung Theinkha for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. The latest shooting happened about 12:15 p.m. in the Near West Side neighborhood in the 2400 block of West Jackson Boulevard. Police said two people, whose ages were not available, suffered gunshot wounds to the legs. They both were taken to Stroger Hospital, where their conditions were stabilized. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Shiv Sena MLA Arjun Khotkar on Saturday refuted talks about the resignation by party legislator and Maharashtra Minister Abdul Sattar. "There is no question of Abdul Sattar tendering his resignation. These rumours are baseless," said Khotkar, adding that Sattar will meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. Earlier today, former MP Chandrakant Khaire had said Sattar is angry over Shiv Sena's decision to support Congress in the Zilla Parishad president elections. Khaire said he had a conversation with Sattar at a hotel here. "I will talk to the media about our conversation at 2 pm," he said. BJP MLA and former Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde was also seen at the hotel. He said that he was visiting the hotel for some personal work. Speaking to media, Sattar's son Sameer Sattar said: "I have no information about this. Only, he can speak about this. I am sure he will speak soon, better to wait and watch." Sattar was among the 36 Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena leaders, who were sworn-in as ministers on December 30. (ANI) Gopinath Rajendran By Express News Service The Grudge, like the Godzilla franchise, has been taken over by Hollywood from Japan, where it enjoys a large fan following that has led it past film screens to novels, comics, and video games. Despite the first three films (English versions) getting not-so-favourable reviews, Sam Raimi, after taking a break for the third film, is back as the producer of the fourth in the series, The Grudge, which is directed by Piercing-filmmaker Nicolas Pesce. Its easy to start by pointing out the issues with The Grudge. The title is a good place to start, though perhaps we can give the makers some leeway for retaining the title of the first film given this is meant to be a reboot. The trouble, however, is that the events of the film actually make it a sequel to the long-standing series. And thats the biggest problem of The Grudge. It tries to act as a reboot as well as a spiritual sequel of sorts, and thus it neither caters to the target audience nor works on its own. The Grudge does not stray much from the source material. If the franchise started because Takeo killed his wife Kayako and their son Toshio (in 2004s The Grudge), here, a woman kills her family. Though this woman connects the story to the main franchise, for some reason, The Grudge does not seem to make a big deal out of it. Considering how the rest of the story unfolds, it leaves you wishing it did. Similar to other films in the series, and most films of this genre, The Grudge is also about a house thats haunted after an evil entity makes the place its home and terrorises family after family. Apart from the brilliant makeup and effects that the older films of the franchise managed to nail despite the technological limitations of their time, what has impressed me about the series in the past was the non-linear narrative. Despite the usual jump scares, the films managed to hold our attention as we were left to wonder how the plots intertwined. The Grudge 3 went against this norm and stuck to a linear plot. This new film brings back the non-linear narrative, but unlike its predecessors, the happenings here are harder to keep track off. And this despite huge timestamps taking over the screen at times. The film tries a lot to make 44 Reyburn Drive an iconic address a la Room 237 in Overlook Hotel, but it fails to make the house itself an element the way previous instalments used the various rooms and storage areas of the suburban Tokyo house from the first film. The Grudge also takes itself too seriously and as a result, the characters are permanently straight-faced despite being played by actors such as Andrea Riseborough, John Cho, and horror genre-favourite, Lin Shaye. Overall, The Grudge is a cliche, run-of-the-mill story that feels like it is from an era older than the early 2000s that the plot is set in. Its hard to fathom why the film spends a lot of time establishing characters and their backdrops when they mostly end up in a body bag. The mediocre scares and underwhelming performances do not help the film either. The earlier films were considerably scarier and The Grudge is just a lousy attempt to reboot a franchise which has seen much better days. Three families whose children were killed or severely injured in a catastrophic fire that was deliberately set at a San Marcos apartment complex have reached a settlement with the owners and managers of the property. The families of Zachary Sutterfield, Haley Frizzell and David Ortiz sued the owners and managers of Iconic Village Apartments weeks after the July 20, 2018, blaze. They accused the defendants of negligence by failing to provide a fire sprinkler system and failing to inspect and test fire alarm systems, in addition to other safety lapses. Sutterfield, now 21, suffered third-degree burns to most of his body and a traumatic head injury while escaping the inferno. Frizzell, 19, of San Angelo, and Ortiz, 21, of Pasadena, were among five people killed. Dallas attorney Bruce Steckler, who represents the three families, said their claims against the apartment owners and managers were settled Nov. 25. The terms are confidential, he said. The agreement resolves a lawsuit filed in Travis County against San Marcos Green Investors LLC, the owner of the apartments; property manager Deborah Jones; and Elevate Multifamily LLC, a property management company. Their claims against two other companies, Aspen Heights Management Company LLC and Grand Campus Living LLC, were dismissed Dec. 10, court records show. The companies deny any wrongdoing, their attorney said. But the families will pursue claims against all other culpable parties, Steckler said. On ExpressNews.com: Iconic Village fire survivor resuming college studies, planning for future Attorneys for the defendants declined to comment Friday. Sutterfield, who continues to face years of surgeries and therapy, hasnt yet received any money, his mother said. All money is currently in a trust because it is unknown how much money will be required for past and future medical expenses, Deona Jo DJ Sutterfield said in a statement. Zachary will continue to pursue claims against other negligent parties. Frizzells and Ortizs parents declined to comment Friday. Lawsuits filed by the families of three other young adults killed in the fire as well as a number of survivors are pending in Travis County against the property owners and managers. That includes claims brought by the families of Dru Estes, 20, of San Antonio; Belinda Moats, 21, of Big Wells; and James Phillip Miranda, 23, of Mount Pleasant. All perished in the blaze. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio parents struggle with grief after sons death in Iconic Village fire Investigators have said someone intentionally started the fire at Iconic Village Apartments at 222 Ramsay St. two hours before dawn while most residents were asleep. The crime remains unsolved. A reward of up to $110,000 is still being offered for information leading to the identification or arrest of the person who set the fire. San Marcos fire code didnt require the apartments built in 1970 to be retrofit with fire sprinklers unless they underwent major renovations. Immediately after the inferno, some residents said they never heard their smoke detectors go off or that those devices alerted well after the emergency was underway. In an interview last year, Zachary Sutterfield said he was very, very confident he didnt hear any smoke detectors when he awoke to flames roaring through the building. Anthony Buzbee, a Houston attorney representing two of the survivors who jumped from the burning building, said he hopes the tragedy brings about change. We are hoping that the outcome of this case convinces apartment owners to upgrade their properties to make them safe, Buzbee said in an email Friday. It simply isnt enough to say that we are following laws or codes as they existed in the 70s. We have learned a lot about safety since that time, which is why the building codes today are what they are. Anyone with information on the Iconic Village fire is asked to call 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477). Peggy OHare reports on the census, demographics and occasionally crime and general assignments in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: @Peggy_OHare A dad and his nine-year-old daughter have been accidentally shot dead after hunters mistook them for deer. Kim Drawdy, 30, and his daughter Lauren, were targeted by mistake during a hunting trip in South Carolina on Wednesday, New Years Day. Four hunters were attempting to move deer when the tragedy happened, the SC Department of Natural Resources said. Both father and daughter sadly died of their injuries at the scene, the Post and Courier reports. Their autopsies are due to take place on Sunday. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident, which happened in a wooded area. Kims brother Benny told Live 5 WCSC the family is having a difficult time. He said: I was devastated. I couldnt believe it when I first got the news. I said,It couldnt be. It broke my heart and I couldnt believe it, a twin brother and now theres only one left. A Facebook fundraising page was set up which says: Kim Drawdy and his daughter Lauren where both tragically killed in a hunting accident on New Years Day. We are trying to raise money to help with funeral costs for both of these precious souls. Anything helps, and all prayers are appreciated. David Strickland, founder of the Carolina Wildlife Syndicate, think many of accidents happen because of a failure to teach firearm safety. He said: We live in a hunting culture. Gun safety is something that absolutely needs to be ingrained in the public education system. Mr Strickland, who is a hunter himself, added: Your two rules are, never point your barrel at something you dont want to shoot, and always identify your target before you shoot. Its also important to know whats behind your target. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Cong accuses BJP of using Tek Fog app to propagate agenda on SM, seeks intervention by SC Scuffle breaks out between Congress workers during Priyanka Gandhi's visit in Partapur India oi-Mousumi Dash Meerut, Jan 04: Scuffle broke out between Congress workers on Saturday during the Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi's visit in Partapur, Uttar Pradesh. She was there to meet the families of the victims of the violence that broke out during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act on Dec 20. A video by news agency ANI shows while Priyanka came to meet the affected families at the outskirts of the town some Congress workers started fight among themselves. On Saturday, Priyanka made an unscheduled visits to Muzaffarnagar and Meerut in western UP to meet the families who bore the brunt of alleged "police excesses" following violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act or were affected by the clashes. The Congress general secretary first went to Muzaffarnagar, where she visited the residences of some of those who were injured in the violence. #WATCH Meerut: Scuffle broke out between Congress workers during Priyanka Gandhis visit in Partapur, earlier today. She was there to meet the families of the victims of the violence that broke out during protests against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct on Dec 20. pic.twitter.com/7UBpZtBNta ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 4, 2020 She then proceeded to Meerut where she met the affected families at the outskirts of the town. Priyanka said to PTI that she has highlighted each and every "police excess" in a lengthy memorandum to UP Governor Anandiben Patel during her visit to the state last week. Reportedly, the affected families gathered at one place on the outskirts of the town to meet the Congress leader where she listened to their problems. Priyanka meets Shia cleric allegedly beaten up by UP police in anti-CAA crackdown Earlier, Priyanka and her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi were stopped by the UP Police from entering Meerut town on December 24. At least five people were killed during the protests in Meerut. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 17:07 [IST] business Explained | What is fiscal deficit and what is the ideal target for India? Fiscal deficit is the difference between total revenue (or income) of the government in comparison to the total expenditure. The assassination of General Qasem Soleimani On Friday, 3 January, 2020, progressives in the United States and all peace-loving people throughout the world were horrified to learn that Donald Tromp had added to his long list of crimes and imbicilities by ordering the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, who is a hero in his own country, Iran. The murder, which was carried out by means of a drone strike on Friday, immediately and drastically increased the probability of a new large-scale war in the Middle East and elsewhere. Against this background, I would like to review the history of oil-motivated attacks on Iran. The desire to control Iran's oil Iran has an ancient and beautiful civilization, which dates back to 5,000 BC, when the city of Susa was founded. Some of the earliest writing that we know of, dating from from approximately 3,000 BC, was used by the Elamite civilization near to Susa. Today's Iranians are highly intelligent and cultured, and famous for their hospitality, generosity and kindness to strangers. Over the centuries, Iranians have made many contributions to science, art and literature, and for hundreds of years they have not attacked any of their neighbors. Nevertheless, for the last 90 years, they have been the victims of foreign attacks and interventions, most of which have been closely related to Iran's oil and gas resources. The first of these took place in the period 1921-1925, when a British-sponsored coup overthrew the Qajar dynasty and replaced it by Reza Shah. Reza Shah (1878-1944) started his career as Reza Khan, an army officer. Because of his high intelligence he quickly rose to become commander of the Tabriz Brigade of the Persian Cossacks. In 1921, General Edmond Ironside, who commanded a British force of 6,000 men fighting against the Bolsheviks in northern Persia, masterminded a coup (financed by Britain) in which Reza Khan lead 15,000 Cossacks towards the capital. He overthrew the government, and became minister of war. The British government backed this coup because it believed that a strong leader was needed in Iran to resist the Bolsheviks. In 1923, Reza Khan overthrew the Qajar Dynasty, and in 1925 he was crowned as Reza Shah, adopting the name Pahlavi. Reza Shah believed that he had a mission to modernize Iran, in much the same way that Kamil Ata Turk had modernized Turkey. During his 16 years of rule in Iran, many roads were built, the Trans-Iranian Railway was constructed, many Iranians were sent to study in the West, the University of Tehran was opened, and the first steps towards industrialization were taken. However, Reza Shahs methods were sometimes very harsh. In 1941, while Germany invaded Russia, Iran remained neutral, perhaps leaning a little towards the side of Germany. However, Reza Shah was sufficiently critical of Hitler to offer safety in Iran to refugees from the Nazis. Fearing that the Germans would gain control of the Abadan oil fields, and wishing to use the Trans-Iranian Railway to bring supplies to Russia, Britain invaded Iran from the south on August 25, 1941. Simultaneously, a Russian force invaded the country from the north. Reza Shah appealed to Roosevelt for help, citing Iran's neutrality, but to no avail. On September 17, 1941, he was forced into exile, and replaced by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Both Britain and Russia promised to withdraw from Iran as soon as the war was over. During the remainder of World War II, although the new Shah was nominally the ruler of Iran, the country was governed by the allied occupation forces. Reza Shah, had a strong sense of mission, and felt that it was his duty to modernize Iran. He passed on this sense of mission to his son, the young Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi . The painful problem of poverty was everywhere apparent, and both Reza Shah and his son saw modernization of Iran as the only way to end poverty. In 1951, Mohammad Mosaddegh became Prime Minister of Iran through democratic elections. He was from a highly-placed family and could trace his ancestry back to the shahs of the Qajar dynasty. Among the many reforms made by Mosaddegh was the nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company's possessions in Iran. Because of this, the AIOC (which later became British Petroleum), persuaded the British government to sponsor a secret coup that would overthrow Mosaddegh. The British asked US President Eisenhower and the CIA to join M16 in carrying out the coup claiming that Mosaddegh represented a communist threat (a ludicrous argument, considering Mosaddegh's aristocratic background). Eisenhower agreed to help Britain in carrying out the coup, and it took place in 1953. The Shah thus obtained complete power over Iran. The goal of modernizing Iran and ending poverty was adopted as an almost-sacred mission by the young Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, and it was the motive behind his White Revolution in 1963, when much of the land belonging to the feudal landowners and the crown was distributed to landless villagers. However, the White Revolution angered both the traditional landowning class and the clergy, and it created fierce opposition. In dealing with this opposition, the Shahs methods were very harsh, just as his fathers had been. Because of alienation produced by his harsh methods, and because of the growing power of his opponents, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The revolution of 1979 was to some extent caused by the British-American coup of 1953. One can also say that the westernization, at which both Shah Reza and his son aimed, produced an anti-western reaction among the conservative elements of Iranian society. Iran was falling between two stools, on the one hand western culture and on the other hand the country's traditional culture. It seemed to be halfway between, belonging to neither. Finally in 1979 the Islamic clergy triumphed and Iran chose tradition. Meanwhile, in 1963, the US had secretly backed a military coup in Iraq that brought Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party to power. In 1979, when the western-backed Shah of Iran was overthrown, the United States regarded the fundamentalist Shiite regime that replaced him as a threat to supplies of oil from Saudi Arabia. Washington saw Saddam's Iraq as a bulwark against the Shiite government of Iran that was thought to be threatening oil supplies from pro-American states such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In 1980, encouraged to do so by the fact that Iran had lost its US backing, Saddam Hussein's government attacked Iran. This was the start of an extremely bloody and destructive war that lasted for eight years, inflicting almost a million casualties on the two nations. Iraq used both mustard gas and the nerve gases Tabun and Sarin against Iran, in violation of the Geneva Protocol. Both the United States and Britain helped Saddam Hussein's government to obtain chemical weapons. The present attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States, both actual and threatened, have some similarity to the war against Iraq, which was launched by the United States in 2003. In 2003, the attack was nominally motivated by the threat that nuclear weapons would be developed, but the real motive had more to do with a desire to control and exploit the petroleum resources of Iraq, and with Israel's extreme nervousness at having a powerful and somewhat hostile neighbor. Similarly, hegemony over the huge oil and gas reserves of Iran can be seen as one the main reasons why the United States is presently demonizing Iran, and this is combined with Israel's almost paranoid fear of a large and powerful Iran. Looking back on the successful 1953 coup against Mosaddegh, Israel and the United States perhaps feel that sanctions, threats, murders and other pressures can cause a regime change that will bring a more compliant government to power in Iran - a government that will accept US hegemony. But aggressive rhetoric, threats and provocations can escalate into full-scale war. I do not wish to say that Iran's present government is without serious faults. However, any use of violence against Iran would be both insane and criminal. Why insane? Because the present economy of the US and the world cannot support another large-scale conflict; because the Middle East is already a deeply troubled region; and because it is impossible to predict the extent of a war which, if once started, might develop into World War III, given the fact that Iran is closely allied with both Russia and China. Why criminal? Because such violence would violate both the UN Charter and the Nuremberg Principles. There is no hope at all for the future unless we work for a peaceful world, governed by international law, rather than a fearful world, where brutal power holds sway. An attack on Iran could escalate We recently passed the 100th anniversary World War I, and we should remember that this colossal disaster escalated uncontrollably from what was intended to be a minor conflict. There is a danger that an attack on Iran would escalate into a large-scale war in the Middle East, entirely destabilizing a region that is already deep in problems. The unstable government of Pakistan might be overthrown, and the revolutionary Pakistani government might enter the war on the side of Iran, thus introducing nuclear weapons into the conflict. Russia and China, firm allies of Iran, might also be drawn into a general war in the Middle East. In the dangerous situation that could potentially result from an attack on Iran, there is a risk that nuclear weapons would be used, either intentionally, or by accident or miscalculation. Recent research has shown that besides making large areas of the world uninhabitable through long-lasting radioactive contamination, a nuclear war would damage global agriculture to such a extent that a global famine of previously unknown proportions would result. Thus, nuclear war is the ultimate ecological catastrophe. It could destroy human civilization and much of the biosphere. To risk such a war would be an unforgivable offense against the lives and future of all the peoples of the world, US citizens included. Recent research has shown that thick clouds of smoke from firestorms in burning cities would rise to the stratosphere, where they would spread globally and remain for a decade, blocking the hydrological cycle, and destroying the ozone layer. A decade of greatly lowered temperatures would also follow. Global agriculture would be destroyed. Human, plant and animal populations would perish. We must also consider the very long-lasting effects of radioactive contamination. One can gain a small idea of what it would be like by thinking of the radioactive contamation that has made large areas near to Chernobyl and Fukushima permanently uninhabitable, or the testing of hydrogen bombs in the Pacific in the 1950's, which continues to cause leukemia and birth defects in the Marshall Islands more than half a century later. In the event of a thermonuclear war, the contamination would be enormously greater. We have to remember that the total explosive power of the nuclear weapons in the world today is 500,000 times as great as the power of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What is threatened today is the complete breakdown of human civilization and the destruction of much of the biosphere. Company files criminal complaint in Turkey over former Nissan heads escape from Japan to Lebanon via Istanbul. A lawyer for former Nissan boss, Carlos Ghosn, says he feels betrayed by the Japanese justice system. Ghosn fled Japan this week, claiming he was avoiding political persecution over allegations of financial misconduct. A private jet firm says a rogue employee falsified records and arranged flights for Ghosn. The company says the employee acted alone. Al Jazeeras Alexi OBrien reports. Jake Adelstein, an investigative journalist for the Daily Beast, joins Al Jazeera from Tokyo to discuss the latest updates. The owner of a firework unit in West Bengal, where an explosion killed four persons, has been arrested, police said on Saturday. Four persons, including two women, were killed and one person was seriously injured in an explosion at a firework manufacturing unit in Naihati in North 24 Parganas district on Friday. Noor Hossain, owner of the factory, has been arrested from Amdanga area in the district on Friday night and a suo motu case of accidental murder along with other sections has been registered against him, a senior police officer said. "We are interrogating Noor Hossain," the officer said, adding that a forensic team will visit the explosion site on Saturday. Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar earlier in the day sought a probe into the explosion, saying the administration should be held accountable as there are allegations that crude bombs were being manufactured in the factory. Washington D.C: US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Saturday spoke to Iraqi President Barham Salih to discuss developments in the Middle East following the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and assured that Washington is committed to de-escalation of tensions in the region. "Discussed with Iraqi President Salih @realDonaldTrump`s decision to take defensive action to protect US personnel and interests abroad, and I reaffirmed that the US remains committed to de-escalation," Pompeo tweeted. Pompeo also spoke with Abu Dhabi`s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and discussed the "defensive action" of US President Donald Trump over Soleimani`s killing. Live TV "Today, Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu and I discussed the decisive defensive action @realDonaldTrump employed in Baghdad to protect American lives. I reiterated the importance of countering the Iranian regime`s destabilising activities," he said. The United Arab Emirates is "concerned over the Iranian regime`s continued military provocations," the top US diplomat added. The telephonic conversation comes after Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps` (IRGC) Quds Force, was killed on Friday near Baghdad`s international airport in an airstrike ordered by Trump. The neighbours, including Afghanistan, Syria, Russia and others have voiced concerns and have called on Iran and the US to exercise restraint amid the escalating tensions and avoid "taking Iraq and the region into endless violence."Iran has vowed to take a "vigorous revenge" over the killing of Soleimani. At least one missile reportedly landed near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Saturday night after thousands of mourners gathered for a funeral procession for Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. air strike a day earlier. A rocket landed inside the heavily fortified Green Zone after dark after weeping mourners vowed to take revenge on the Great Satan. A second rocket also reportedly struck the same area, but neither missile hit the U.S. Embassy. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The strike was reported by the Al Arabiya television station. Unconfirmed reports said another missile struck Balad Air Base near Baghdad, where many American troops are stationed. Soleimani was killed as he left Baghdads international airport early Friday in a drone strike authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump said he ordered the assassination because Soleimani was plotting imminent attacks on Americans. Read more about: Biography of new IRGC commander IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 3, IRNA -- Following assassination of top IRGC Quds Force Commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani as his successor. Below you can find a good record of Brigadier General Ghaani's activities and services demonstrating his qualifications to the post. Ghaani was appointed Deputy Commander of the Quds Force in 1997 by the then IRGC Chief Commander Rahim Safavi, along with Qasem Soleimani as Commander. During eight-years of sacred defense war with Iraq he was the commander of IRGC divisions Nasr-5 and Imam Reza -21, respectively. In his early 20's, he joined IRGC and served in different divisions and left behind invaluable memorials with his comrades and finally became commander of Nasr-5 division to prove his capability and qualifications as a vigilant commander. He always remained committed to the principles of the Islamic Revolution and spared no efforts to materialize the aspiration of the revolution. The devoted commander also played significant role in many military operations and brought triumphs to Iranian side. In one of his interviews he said the US and Zionist regime are much weaker to compete with Iran's military might which backs oppressed Palestinians and people in Gaza. 1430**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland's key industrial employers' group reached a deal with labour unions on Friday over pay rises and working conditions, alleviating the immediate threat of more wide-spread strikes after five months of talks. To be final, the agreement still requires formal approval by both sides, after which details can be made public, their representatives said. "The outcome of decision making and the content of the possible agreement will be communicated towards the end of the afternoon tomorrow," chief negotiator Minna Helle of Finland's Technology Industries, representing key exporters, said in a tweet. If approved, the agreement will bring some calm to the Finnish labour market, which was hit by several disputes last month, including one that led the prime minister to resign. [L8N2892UG] Strikes could resume later this year however as municipal and other public service unions and employee federations will begin negotiating their employment terms and conditions. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen, editing by Terje Solsvik) SPRINGFIELD A Hampden Superior Court judge has dismissed charges against one of 16 defendants in the Nathan Bills cop brawl and cover-up case, essentially ruling the evidence was too flimsy to proceed. Nathaniel Perez, a former Springfield police officer and now a state trooper, was charged with making a false police report, misleading investigators and perjury in connection with the 2015 incident-turned-fiasco for the city. Judge Mark D. Mason on Friday issued a decision dismissing all three charges against Perez. The judges ruling caps what has not exactly been a banner week for the state attorney generals office, which first took the case to a statewide grand jury two years ago. Prosecutors on Monday lost an emergency motion to delay an evidentiary hearing before Mason on Thursday. During that hearing, one of two defendants who filed motions to squash eyewitness statements won before even making an argument. Of the now 15 defendants, 13 are current or former Springfield police officers. Two of the owners of the popular East Forest Park bar where the conflict originated also are charged in the case. A fight broke out between a group of off-duty officers and four civilians on April 8, 2015, after the two factions got into a verbal argument in the bar and the civilians were tossed. Punches were thrown later in a nearby parking lot. Prosecutors have argued the Police Department attempted to cover up the details of the fight. Seven were charged in connection with the alleged assault; 10 are charged with perjury or making misleading statements to investigators, with some crossover between the groups. Perezs charges stemmed from his testimony before the grand jury and internal reports he submitted about the incident. He and fellow Officer James DAmour responded to Nathan Bills for a disturbance and later to the nearby Murphys Pop Shop parking lot on Island Pond Road. Perez told investigators he was aware the original disturbance involved off-duty police officers, but was unaware they were involved in the fight later on. One of the civilians, a black man, told Perez he got jumped by a group of white people but offered no additional details. Perez and DAmour went off in search of the alleged assailants, they said, and that was the end of their involvement. The Commonwealth presented no evidence from which the grand jury could infer that anyone at the scene told Perez about the victims statements regarding off-duty police officers, Mason wrote in his ruling. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Jan. 17. Seven separate trials for the defendants are tentatively set to begin in March. The French President Emmanuel Macron has called on all sides to avoid an escalation of tensions after a US airstrike killed Iran's top military commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq. Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force and architect of Iran's spreading military influence in the Middle East, was considered the second most powerful figure in Iran behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. He was killed early Friday in a strike in Baghdad. The attack was praised by US President Donald Trump's Republicans and close ally Israel, but elsewhere there were sharp warnings it could inflame regional tensions. Macron, along with foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, met regional and international partners to discuss the airstrike, urging restraint on all sides. We are waking up in a more dangerous world, France's deputy minister for foreign affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, told RTL radio. The European Union warned against a generalised flare-up of violence. Britain and Germany noted that Iran also bore some responsibility for escalating tensions, while Saudi Arabia urged restraint. Russia condemned Soleimani's killing with President Vladimir Putin warning any escalation would be dangerously destabilising for Iraq. Konstantin Kosachev, head of Russia's foreign affairs committee of parliament's upper house, warned on Facebook that "retaliatory strikes will certainly follow". Fellow United Nations Security Council member China said it was highly concerned. 'Biggest US blunder' The Iran National Security Council said it would wreak severe revenge on the US for the death of Soleimani at the right time and in the right place. "The US regime will be responsible for the consequences of this criminal adventurism. This was the biggest US strategic blunder in the West Asia region, and America will not easily escape its consequences, the council said. Soleimani, the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, was replaced on Friday by his deputy in the Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Ghanni, according to Iranian media. Solemani had been in charge of Iranian military operations abroad in Syria and Iraq. Ghanni's role will be unchanged, according to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Indonesian rescue teams flew helicopters stuffed with food to remote flood-hit communities on Saturday as the death toll from the disaster jumped to 60 and fears grew about the possibility of more torrential rain. Tens of thousands in Jakarta were still unable to return to their waterlogged homes after some of the deadliest flooding in years hit the enormous capital region, home to about 30 million. In neighbouring Lebak, where half a dozen people died, police and military personnel dropped boxes of instant noodles and other supplies into remote communities inaccessible by road after bridges were destroyed. "It's tough to get supplies in there... and there are about a dozen places hit by landslides," Tomsi Tohir -- the police chief of Banten province, where Lebak is located -- told AFP. "That is why we're using helicopters although there aren't any landing spots." Local health centre chief Suripto, who goes by one name, said injured residents were flowing into his clinic. "Some of them were wounded after they were swept away by floods and hit with wood and rocks," he said. Around Jakarta, more than 170,000 people took refuge in shelters across the massive urban conglomeration after whole neighbourhoods were submerged. Torrential rains that started on New Year's Eve unleashed flash floods and landslides. Indonesia?s disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday that two people were also killed after flash floods and landslides hit a village in North Sulawesi on Friday. The agency said Saturday the total death toll had climbed to 60 with two people still missing. "We've discovered more dead bodies," said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo. - 'Trauma healing' - Jakarta shelters filled up with refugees, including infants, resting on thin mats as food and drinking water ran low. Some had been reduced to using floodwater for cleaning. "We're cleaning ourselves in a nearby church but the time has been limited since it uses an electric generator for power," said Trima Kanti, 39, from one refuge in Jakarta's western edges. In hard-hit Bekasi, on the eastern outskirts of Jakarta, swamped streets were littered with debris and crushed cars lying on top of each other -- with waterline marks reaching as high as the second floors of buildings. On Friday, the government said it would start cloud seeding to the west of the capital -- inducing rain using chemicals sprayed from planes -- in the hope of preventing more rain reaching the city region. Water has receded in many areas and power was being restored in hundreds of districts. The health ministry has said it had deployed some 11,000 health workers and soldiers to distribute medicine, disinfectant hygiene kits and food in a bid to stave off outbreaks of Hepatitis A, mosquito-borne Dengue fever and other illnesses, including infections linked to contact with dead animals. Visiting hard-hit Lebak, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said the government would help rebuild destroyed schools and construct temporary bridges, while offering assistance to victims. "We're also asking for NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to help with trauma healing," Muhadjir told reporters on Saturday. - Electrocution, drowning - Around Jakarta, a family -- including a four- and nine-year-old -- died of suspected gas poisoning from a portable power generator, while an eight-year-old boy was killed in a landslide. Others died from drowning or hypothermia, while one 16-year-old boy was electrocuted by a power line. Jakarta is regularly hit by floods during the rainy season, which started in late November. But this week marked Jakarta's deadliest flooding since 2013 when dozens were killed after the city was inundated by monsoon rains. Urban planning experts said the disaster was partly due to record rainfall. But Jakarta's myriad infrastructure problems, including poor drainage and rampant overdevelopment, have worsened the situation, they said. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has announced a plan to move the country's capital to Borneo island to take pressure off Jakarta, which suffers from some of the world's worst traffic jams and is fast sinking due to excessive groundwater extraction. Indonesian villagers use inner tubes to deliver supplies across a river at Banjar Irigasi in Lebak, Banten province Map of Jakarta showing the areas affected by flooding People wait to get fresh water from a truck in their flood affected village in Bekasi, West Java Indonesia's disaster agency said the death toll from the heavy flooding had climbed to 60 A New Jersey man was arrested for claiming he was the sheriff while wearing a bulletproof vest and badge to intimidate contractors over a lien on his new house in Florida, authorities said. Todd Gieger, 51, was charged Wednesday with two counts of false impersonation of law enforcement and released on $3,000 bond, according to the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office. Detectives were alerted in November that Gieger drove to the home of a subcontractor who had placed on a lien against a Sarasota residence being built for the accused impersonator over non-payment, the sheriffs office said. While wearing a bulletproof vest and law enforcement style badge, he asked neighbors about the subcontractor and allegedly claimed to be the sheriff. A vehicle that police said Gieger drove the subcontractors home, a white Maserati with New Jersey tags, was not the usual choice for a sheriffs department. Gieger also called subcontractors involved in the lien dispute and claimed to be with law enforcement, according to the sheriffs office. Tom Knight, the actual Sarasota sheriff, praised residents and investigators involved in the case. In todays world, it is more crucial than ever for communities to know and trust their law enforcement, Knight said. Lucky for us, our residents are smart and in this incident, they knew something wasnt right. Credit goes to both cognizant witnesses and great detectives for getting this guy off our streets and out of our community. Officials did not immediately list Giegers hometown. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. 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. Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Planning Department Secretary, Vijay Kumar said that the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in its report suggested decentralized development of all regions in the state with a balanced and inclusive growth strategy. "The BCG report has divided the 13 districts in the state into 6 regions; Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam districts in coastal Andhra, West and East Godavari districts into Godavari delta, Krishna and Guntur districts as Krishna delta, Kadapa and Chittoor as East Rayalaseema, among others," Kumar said at a press conference on Friday. The BCG in its report has recommended dividing the government departments into six regions, with the Secretariat, Governor and Chief Minister offices in Visakhapatnam, Assembly in Vijayawada or Amaravati, and High Court in Kurnool. According to the official, "The BCG report has taken the economy, industry, agriculture, services, infrastructure, and social infrastructure aspects into consideration. The report says five express highways would be required for the state with the existing highways and ports, airports should be developed on a large scale." In its report, the BCG has also said that the construction of Amaravati as a 'megacity' would require Rs 1 lakh crore to build its core infrastructure, a substantial portion of which will be needed to be funded by debt. The servicing cost alone would be around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 crore for acquiring this debt. However, the report mentions the advantages and disadvantages of both the decentralized and 'megacity' model and a high powered committee will now further study the options and make the final recommendation to the government. This comes amidst controversy over the idea of three capitals- the "Executive Capital" in port city Visakhapatnam, "Legislative Capital" in Amravati and "Judiciary Capital" in Kurnool proposed by the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh. (ANI) Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 14:24:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close After its more-storied cousin, the Baiji dolphin, was declared "functionally extinct" in 2007 in the same waters, the finless porpoise is thus believed by experts to be the Yangtze's last surviving mammal. To protect the animal, authorities across China have taken concerted efforts carrying out a series of measures, including preventing water pollution, restricting ship movement and patrolling the nature reserves every day. by Xinhua writers He Leijing, Chu Yi NANJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Somewhere along the lower reaches of China's Yangtze River, a slick black back briefly arches above the silvery surface as one of the world's most endangered animals emerges, gulping for some air. Such a glimpse of the Yangtze finless porpoise is taken by many Chinese as a good omen since the fleshy aquatic animal is critically endangered, rarer even than the country's poster child for species conservation, the giant panda. Undated file photo provided by the Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association shows a Yangtze finless porpoise in the water. (Zhang Kun/Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association/Handout via Xinhua) The latest research on the species released by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs in 2018 showed that there was a wild population of just 1,012 still navigating the twists and turns of the longest river in Asia. After its more-storied cousin, the Baiji dolphin, was declared "functionally extinct" in 2007 in the same waters, the finless porpoise is thus believed to be the Yangtze's last surviving mammal, said Jiang Meng, secretary-general of the Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association. "SMILING ANGEL" IN DANGER The freshwater porpoise with no dorsal fin is native to China. They only pulse through the waters in the central and eastern parts of the Yangtze including two lakes naturally connected to the 6,300-km river, Dongting and Poyang, according to conservationists. With its mouth fixed in a permanent grin, the rotund finless porpoise is adored in China as a "smiling angel." But this "angel" that has lived in the waters for some 25 million years is fighting for its very survival. File photo taken on Sept. 2, 2019 shows a Yangtze finless porpoise in the Yangtze River in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association/Handout via Xinhua) The riverbank of the Yangtze used to be studded with steel mills and petrochemical companies that took advantage of cheap water transport, causing water quality to deteriorate. "Unsustainable fishing which reduced its natural prey, collisions with shipping traffic and water pollution have all impacted the porpoise's health and rendered it to be critically endangered," Jiang said. The extinction of the Baiji stung the collective conscience of the Chinese people. "We cannot afford to let the 'smiling angel' go extinct," he added. "Its fate foreshadows the health of the whole river ecosystem. So the crisis is also our own." The finless porpoise requires healthy river ecosystems, and so do the millions of people who live in the Yangtze River basin. Protecting the creature will also help alleviate China's food and water security issues, said Karin Krchnak, director of the World Wildlife Fund's freshwater program. "Fortunately, people have awakened and are racing to save them," Jiang said. CONCERTED EFFORTS Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, is the only Chinese city where visitors can observe the river rarity in an urban area. More than 50 finless porpoises have been spotted in the Yangtze River section in Nanjing. In 2014, the local government opened a provincial protection zone that covers a total area of nearly 87 square km along the Yangtze for the endangered species. Earlier this year, Nanjing has made several design adjustments in building a new trans-Yangtze traffic passage, to minimize the impact on the endangered animal. Citizens release fry voluntarily into the Yangtze River in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Nov. 15, 2019. (Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association/Handout via Xinhua) Eagles and migratory birds can always be seen flitting around the 30-square-km core part of the zone, where the construction of any production facilities is strictly prohibited, according to the environmental protection bureau in Nanjing. "It pays to do so," Jiang said. He set up the conversation association in 2015 in the hope of educating local people to care for the finless porpoise and has organized over 100 public engagement activities in local schools and communities. The quality of the porpoise's habitat is a benchmark for its protection, said Sun Lifeng, an official with the Nanjing Dolphin Nature Reserve. "We have been devoted to the afforestation of the Yangtze River shoreline as wetlands are critical for the entire ecological environment." Since 2016, the environmental protection of the Yangtze, rather than large-scale development, has become the dominant focus of the country's river development plans. The rallying call was heard as authorities across China carried out a series of measures, including preventing water pollution, restricting ship movement and patrolling the nature reserves every day. Jiangsu Province, in the lower reaches of the Yangtze, closed more than 6,000 chemical firms near the river in the last three years. And Chongqing, lying upstream, aims to remove all companies which have dilapidated equipment from the river by 2020. "Official clampdowns on overfishing and polluting activities have gradually restored the water quality of the Yangtze," Jiang said. File photo taken on April 9, 2018 shows Jiang Meng (L), secretary-general of the Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association, observing Yangtze finless porpoises by the Yangtze River in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association/Handout via Xinhua) ENCOURAGING SIGNS The latest research in 2018 showed China had 1,012 finless porpoise, a slight drop from 1,040 in 2012, which suggests all the conservation efforts may be making a dent, said Wang Ding, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The protection work has shown encouraging signs. Chinese lawmakers started deliberating the country's first legislation on a specific river basin, a draft law on Yangtze River conservation aimed at protecting the ecological environment and facilitating green development. The Chinese government is also pushing for a 10-year fishing ban from 2020 in the Yangtze, which is to be observed in 332 conservation areas along the waterway, before expanding to the entire river and its main tributaries next year. Yang Jinlong was once a fisherman in Nanjing. The 45-year-old chose to be a patrolman in an all-volunteer monitoring team consisting of dozens of fish farmers in 2016, when the city closed a large number of fishing-related enterprises along the Yangtze. File photo taken on Dec. 28, 2018 shows former fisherman Yang Jinlong (L), a patrolman in an all-volunteer monitoring team consisting of dozens of fish farmers, monitoring the protection of Yangtze finless porpoises with a volunteer by the Yangtze River in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association/Handout via Xinhua) Yang gradually came to understand the finless porpoises after years of hard work recording their tracks at the monitoring sites in the protection zone. "I grew up near the Yangtze and it brings me peace of mind," Yang said. "It doesn't matter that we can't fish, but it matters that the 'smiling angel' keeps smiling." In recent years, the monitoring team has captured countless precious pictures and footage of the porpoises, providing support for scientific research of the at-risk animal. File photo taken on Dec. 23, 2018 shows volunteers introducing the Yangtze finless porpoise to the public in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association/Handout via Xinhua) With increasing environmental awareness, more Chinese people are willing to volunteer to protect the porpoise, Yang said. "When I see the animal jumping out of the water, I feel fulfilled. It's like everything we've done is worth it." "And we see changes," he added. "Little young finless porpoises can often be spotted now, which indicates the endangered mammal is thriving." (Xinhua correspondents Qin Huajiang, Zhen Shengzhu also contributed to the story.) (Video reporter: Liu Yuxuan; Video editor: Peng Ying) The members of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council were told at their most recent meeting that five locations across the county will benefit from a share of 691,206 in funding for community led projects. In a community development report presented to the members they were told that Ballindaggin Community Hall is to receive 100,000 for renovation work from funding through the Department of Rural and Community Development. Other areas in the county that will also receive substantial sums of money under the same grant scheme include: Bridgetown village - funding of 99,820 for a recreation park; MUGA pitch; agility equipment; walking path; heritage feature; planting; food bank and feasibility study); Foulksmills Community Park - development of the park, website, playground and landscaping; Kilmuckridge - 200,000 to develop Kilmuckridge-Morriscastle walking path and heritage trail; Rosslare Harbour-Kilrane village - 191,365.60 for a public realm plan, economic master plan, tourism feasibility study, playground and outdoor equipment, environment and heritage measures. Newly revealed emails prove US President Donald Trump was directly involved in withholding military aid to Ukraine, Democrats have claimed. One of the emails referred to in a report published by the website Just Security came a little more than a month after Mr Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden. In it, Michael Duffey, associate director of national security programmes at the Office of Management and Budget, told Elaine McCusker, the acting Pentagon comptroller: "Clear direction from Potus to hold." The August 30 email followed a meeting with Mr Trump that included senior administration officials. A redacted version of the email - and several others cited in the 'Just Security' report by Kate Brannen, a veteran Pentagon reporter - had previously been made public as the result of Freedom of Information Act litigation. Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, called the emails a "devastating blow" to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell's push to conduct Mr Trump's Senate trial without the documents and witnesses requested by the Democrats. "These emails further expose the serious concerns raised by Trump administration officials about the propriety and legality of the president's decision to cut off aid to Ukraine to benefit himself," said Mr Schumer. Mr Schumer wants guarantees from Mr McConnell that several administration officials will be subpoenaed to testify in a Senate trial who declined to participate in House impeachment proceedings. They include acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, former national security adviser John Bolton and Mr Duffey. Mr Schumer said the unredacted emails raise "questions that can only be answered by having the key Trump administration officials . . . testify". "The American people deserve a fair trial that gets to the truth, not a rigged process that enables a cover-up," Mr Schumer said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also seized on the emails. She wrote on Twitter: "Trump engaged in unprecedented, total obstruction of Congress, hiding these emails, all other documents, and his top aides from the American people. "His excuse was a phony complaint about the House process. What's the excuse now? Why won't Trump & McConnell allow a fair trial?" For the militants of the Islamic State, the American drone strike that killed the Iranian commander Qassim Suleimani was a two-for-one victory. First, the killing of General Suleimani removed the leader of one of the Islamic States most effective opponents, responsible for building up the alliance of Iran-backed militias that did much of the ground fighting to drive the militants out of their strongholds in Syria and Iraq. The assassination has also redirected the wrath of those militias and their many political allies inside Iraq squarely against the American presence there, raising doubts about the continued viability of the American-led campaign to eradicate what is left of the Islamic State and to prevent its revival in both Iraq and neighboring Syria. This is precisely the sort of deus ex machina the organization needed, to give it room to operate and to allow it to break out of its current marginality, said Sam Heller, an analyst at the International Crisis Group who studies the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Thousands of people participate in the Million March to protest against the CAA and the NRC on Saturday. (Photo: P. Surendra) Hyderabad: Hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Hyderabad on Saturday to condemn the recent amendment to the Citizenship Act and the alleged attempt to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) nationwide. The million march protest was called by the Joint Action Committee against the CAA, the NRC and the National Population Register. The JAC resolved to boycott the NPR and the NRC and announced, We will not submit any documents to prove our nationality. JAC convener Mushtaq Malik said the agitation will continue until the Union government revokes the amendments carried out to the Citizenship Act and drops the idea to carry out the NRC exercise. He claimed that a political conspiracy was hatched to foil the million march, but the public had defeated the conspiracy by attending in thousands without political and religious affiliation. Moulana Hamid Mohammed Khan, president, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Telangana state, said that citizens will collectively ensure that the country remains secular. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah should understand the pulse of the people failing which they will face public wrath. Senior Congress leader V. Hanumanth Rao said the country belongs to people of all faiths, who are living together. It is the BJP that wants to divide people on religious lines. He said he was astonished that although the TRS voted against the CAB in the Parliament, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was tight-lipped on this issue. Former member of Rajya Sabha Syed Aziz Pasha said that people are coming out of their houses to protect the Constitution and the countrys secular fabric. Former minister Mr Mohammed Ali Shabbir said Hyderabadis showed that they were not behind when it came to protesting against draconian laws that are aimed at splitting the nation. Dr N. Kumar of BAMCEF (All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation) contended that the main motto behind the NRC was in enslaving people from SC, ST and other deprived communities and threatening Muslims. New Delhi/Washington, Jan 4 : US President Donald Trump's claim that the slain Iranian military commander and intelligence chief Major General Qassem Soleimani was responsible for terror plots in New Delhi has cornered India that shares a delicate relationship with Iran. The US on Thursday killed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Soleimani and other top military leaders in an airstrike in Baghdad. Though President Trump did not give any specifics on Friday about the IRGC terror plots in Delhi, many in official circles here believe that he was alluding to the 2012 bombing of the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache in New Delhi. Israel had blamed Iran for the attack, which was seen as retaliation for the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan by the Mossad in a similarly executed attack. An Indian journalist Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi, who was arrested and later released on bail, was accused of having carried out the reconnaissance for the Quds Force, Iran's external intelligence agency headed by Soleimani. While the US is India's most important ally and Israel remains a strategic partner on many core issues, Iran enjoys significance given its geographical location, religious demographics and its overall sympathetic view of India. New Delhi hopes that the Chabahar Port in Iran, which it is helping develop to access oil and gas resources in Iran and Central Asian countries, will offset the competition that Beijing poses with its Gwadar Port built in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Iran, affected badly by the US sanctions over its refusal to pursue nuclear programme, seeks to recover its economy with the help of accessing Asian markets using the Chabahar Port. Similarly, the North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC), the sea, rail and road route to move freight between India, Russia, Iran, Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, is another major dream project aimed to benefit both India and Iran economically. Around five million Indians live in the Iran which holds huge religious and cultural influence over the Shia population (16 to 25 million) in India. "The attack by the US on IRGC commander can destablize the entire Middle East and it will hurt India's relations with Iran. It is not good for us because we will need to evacuate our citizens. Oil prices will go up and remittances will go down. We stand to lose a lot," a senior Indian diplomat who didn't want to be quoted told IANS. Even as the US has exempted New Delhi from the conditions of the sanctions it has imposed on Iran, Tehran's oil supplies to India has shrunk while American oil imports have risen significantly. India is also relying on imports from Iraq. Given the grave provocation, Iran has been threatening to retaliate against the US strike, which it called "state terrorism" in its official statement at the UN. "Republic of Iran reserves all of its rights under international law to take necessary measures in this regard in particular in exercising its inherent right to self defence," Iranian Permanent Representative Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi at the UN said. It is "self evident that the US shall bear full responsibility for all consequences", Iran has threatened. As the situation escalates in the Middle East, both the US and Iran are likely to pressurize their respective allies to abandon transactional approach to international relations. "India may have to pick a side this time. But not standing by Iran will cause it more harm than good," an official in the Indian embassy at Tehran said. The rear entrance to Shamrock Delicatessen in Audubon is blocked off by crime-scene tape early Friday evening as employees stand inside following the fatal stabbing of owner Jerome Pastore. Read more The owner of a popular South Jersey deli was stabbed to death in an attack Friday that authorities are calling a homicide. They are asking for the publics help in identifying the possible killer. Details of the events surrounding the death of Jerome Pastore, 52, of West Berlin, owner of Shamrock Delicatessen in Audubon, were few Saturday. According to a release issued Saturday afternoon by the Camden County Prosecutors Office, Oaklyn, Audubon, and Haddon Township police responded to the deli on South Davis Avenue around 4:50 p.m. Friday after receiving multiple reports of a man who had been stabbed. Officers found Pastore across the street from the Shamrock on the 100 block of Cuthbert Boulevard, suffering from stab wounds. He was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:07 p.m., according to the statement. No arrests had been made as of Saturday afternoon, when a photograph was released of a man on a bicycle whose identity police are trying to ascertain. Anyone with information is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutors Office Detective Jeremy Jankowski at 856-580-5950 or Haddon Township Police Detective Jessica Camacho at 856-833-6210, or send an email to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org. Throughout different points in history, there have been great swathes of territory governed by great empires. An empire is generally defined as an extensive group of states or countries ruled by a single monarch, an oligarchy, or a sovereign state. Heres a look at 10 of the biggest empires in human history according to a list compiled by worldatlas.com. (Image: Reuters) No. 10: Portuguese Empire | Peak size: 4.02 million sq. miles in 1815 | In the year 1815, the Portuguese Empire which extended across four million square miles covered regions known today as Brazil, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as other regions in Africa. No. 9: Yuan Dynasty | Peak size: 4.25 million sq. miles in 1310 | The Yuan Dynasty was established by emperor Kublai Khan after defeating the Song Dynasty that had reigned in China since 960. This was a period which brought economic, cultural, and scientific growth as Kublai and his successors promoted international trade, which saw the now-unified country open up to the wider world. No. 8: Umayyad Caliphate | Peak size: 4.29 million sq. miles in 720 | At its peak, the Umayyad Empire stretched from Syria, Damascus, Maghreb, Iberian Peninsula, Sindh, Punjab, Transoxiana, and the Caucasus. These territories had a combined population of 62 million people, which was roughly 29 percent of the worlds population at that time. No. 7: Abbasid Caliphate | Peak size: 4.29 million sq. miles in 750 | The Abbasid Caliphate overthrew the Umayyad Caliphate in 750 and reigned until it was destroyed by the Mongol invasion in 1258. It covered parts of what would be recognized today as the Middle East, Central Asia, Southern Europe, and Northern Africa. No. 6: Second French Empire | Peak size: 4.44 million sq. miles in 1920 | France defeated Germany in the First World War with the help of Allied powers and then by means of agricultural and industrial production went on to develop extensively. However, when the Great Depression hit France around 1931, the empire, which once extended across different regions in Europe, Africa, North America and Asia began to decolonize. No. 5: Spanish Empire | Peak size: 5.29 million sq. miles in 1810 | The Spanish Empire composed of colonies and territories distributed across the Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania and some Pacific Ocean archipelagos such as the Philippines. However, the Spanish empire was in constant battle over territories, trade or religion, and as a result, suffered fluctuating military and economic fortunes. No. 4: Qing Dynasty | Peak size: 5.68 million sq. miles in 1790 | The Qing dynasty,was the last of the imperial dynasties of China and lasted from 1644 to 1911/12. The dynasty reached its peak in the 18th century, when it administered over 5 million square miles. No. 3: Russian Empire | Peak size: 8.80 million sq. miles in 1895 | At its peak, the Russian Empire consisted of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Russian Poland, the central European Russian regions, the Baltic cities, regions along lower Dniepr and Don rivers and the Southern Ural Mountains, covering an area of 8.8 million square miles. No. 2: Mongol Empire | Peak size: 9.27 million sq. miles in 1270 | The Mongol Empire, which started off as groups of nomadic tribes united by Genghis Khan in 1206, soon became largest contiguous empire in the history of humankind covering an area of 9.27 million square miles. It covered the steppes of Central Asia, then stretched to the Sea of Japan, Central Europe, then finally westwards to Levant and Arabia. It extended northwards to Siberia, and southwards and eastwards to Indochina, Iranian Plateau, and the Indian subcontinent. Voice of reason: Marian Finucane smiles after receiving the PPI Outstanding Achievement Award in 2008. Photo: Jason Clarke Photography People signed a book of condolence for the broadcaster at the RTE Radio Centre yesterday. Photo: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos The funeral of the late RTE broadcaster Marian Finucane will take place on Tuesday, her family has confirmed. Ms Finucane, who died suddenly at her home near Punchestown, Co Kildare, last week, will be brought to St Brigids Church in Kill for the funeral mass at 12pm on Tuesday before a private burial. The arrangements were confirmed with the family saying she will be dearly missed by her loving family, relatives, colleagues and friends. Colleagues, people with stories of fleeting interactions and Ms Finucanes friends paid tribute to the broadcaster on her radio show yesterday. Rachael English took over the presenters chair for the emotional broadcast. Celebrity chef and television personality, Neven Maguire, broke down as he paid tribute to a fabulous lady. He said he was heartbroken. Expand Close Ground-breaking: Marian Finucane in her element, the radio studio from where she helped to change attitudes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ground-breaking: Marian Finucane in her element, the radio studio from where she helped to change attitudes She had such interest in food, in culture, in travel and in family. She loved them and was able to talk about it. The one thing though was her smile. It was so infectious and warm, she was just a fabulous lady. She was great fun and a great support to me. She will be sadly missed. She will. I felt very privileged to be on her programme. She was such a talent and we had such a great rapport. Fr Brian DArcy recalled Ms Finucane as compassionate and fair with her guests, even after delivering a tough interview. He recalled how after one particularly tough interview, he drove to Northern Ireland as a broken man. After a few hours, Ms Finucane called him saying: I know you a long time but Ive never seen you as broken as you are, I think you should get help. Im worried about you. Ms Finucane suffered tragedy in 1990 when her eight year old daughter Sinead died of leukemia. Fr DArcy recalled trying to sympathise with her after Sineads death. I remember one day coming in here and it was just after Sinead had died and I met her and I was about to go and sit beside her and sympathise with her on the radio steps but she just looked at me and her eyes filled up and it was just, please dont, Im not able to cope with it. Ms Finucane is survived by her husband John Clarke and their son, Jack. The Block Genesis published an overview of industry investment activity for the 2019 period this week, finding that a staggering majority of it occurred in Asia, North America and Europe. As shown in the graph below, these regions saw activity dwarfed the number of developments in Oceania, South America and Africa, which were also surveyed by The Block's Research. As The Block's John Dantoni noted: "All told, North America, Europe, and Asia accounted for approximately 99% of the investment deals in 2019. And despite the narrative of blockchain technology banking the unbanked, regions that need improvements to its financial infrastructure the most, such as South America and Africa, represented less than 1% of investment deals." Overall, the blockchain/cryptocurrency sector saw approximately $3.7B in investments across 741 different deals during 2019. The remainder of Dantoni's research in this area can be found here. BAGHDAD Thousands took to the streets of Baghdad for the funeral procession of Irans top general Saturday after he was killed in a U.S. airstrike, as the region braced for the Islamic Republic to fulfill its vows of revenge. The day of mourning in the Iraqi capital ended Saturday evening with a series of rockets that were launched and fell inside or near the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation for the U.S. airstrike ordered early Friday by President Donald Trump that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, and several senior Iraqi militants. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar, raising fears of an all-out war, and tested the U.S. alliance with Iraq. Trump, meanwhile, warned that the U.S. too was ready to respond if Tehran strikes back. He said Saturday that he U.S. had already targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture. Trump did not identify the targets but added that they would be HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. Trump says he ordered the strike, a high-risk decision that was made without consulting Congress or U.S. allies, to prevent a conflict. U.S. officials say Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. Soleimani was the architect of Irans regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades. Though its unclear how or when Iran may respond, any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared in both Iran and Iraq. All eyes were on Iraq, where America and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. After the airstrike early Friday, the U.S.-led coalition has scaled back operations and boosted security and defensive measures at bases hosting coalition forces in Iraq, a coalition official said on the condition of anonymity according to regulations. Meanwhile, the U.S. has dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait, the latest in a series of deployments in recent months as the standoff with Iran has worsened. In a thinly veiled threat, one of the Iran-backed militia, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous, called on Iraqi security forces to stay at least 1,000 meters (0.6 miles) away from U.S. bases starting Sunday night. However, US troops are invariably based in Iraqi military posts alongside local forces. The leaders of the security forces should protect their fighters and not allow them to become human shields to the occupying Crusaders, the warning statement said. By Saturday evening, as the funeral processions were still taking place, a series of rocket attacks on bases that house U.S. forces were launched. A Katyusha rocket that fell inside a square less than a kilometer from the U.S. Embassy, according an Iraqi security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. The U.S.-led coalition confirmed the attack, saying indirect fire landed outside of its facilities. No troops were hurt. Rockets also landed in the vicinity of Balad air base, about 40 miles north of Baghdad, the coalition said, adding that no troops were hurt. Earlier an Iraqi official said three rockets fell in a farm area outside the base. We have increased security and defensive measures at the Iraqi bases that host (anti-Islamic State) Coalition troops, said spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins, who said the troops have come under 13 different attacks throughout Iraq in the past two months. Another rocket in Baghdad landed about 500 meters from As-Salam palace where the Iraqi President Barham Salih normally stays in Jadriya, a neighborhood adjacent to the Green Zone, the Iraqi official said. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Iraqi armed forces said Saturday the movement of coalition forces, including U.S. troops, in the air and on the ground will be restricted, conditioned on receiving approval from Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, the commander in chief of the armed forces. It was not immediately clear what the new restrictions would mean, given that coalition troops were already subject to limitations and had to coordinate with the Joint Operation Command of top Iraqi military commanders. Iraqs government, which is closely allied with Iran, condemned the airstrike that killed Soleimani, calling it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is meeting for an emergency session Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops who are based in the country to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. Also Saturday, NATO temporarily suspended all training activities in Iraq due to safety concerns, Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said. Amid the rising tension, the funeral procession for Soleimani and his aides lasted all of Saturday, moving from Baghdad to two of Shiite Islams holiest cities, Najaf and Karbala. In Baghdad, thousands of mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani at Saturdays ceremony. They were also grieving for Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted No, No, America, and Death to America, death to Israel. Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. As the procession later made its way to the holy city of Karbala, the mourners raised red flags associated with unjust bloodshed and revenge. The slain Iraqi militants will be buried in Najaf, while Soleimanis remains will be taken to Iran. More funeral services will be held for Soleimani in Iran on Sunday and Monday, before his body is laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman. The U.S. has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and temporarily closed its embassy in Baghdad, where Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters staged two days of violent protests in which they breached the compound. Britain and France have warned their citizens to avoid or strictly limit travel in Iraq. No one was hurt in the embassy protests, which came in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed 25 Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. blamed the militia for a rocket attack that killed a U.S. contractor in northern Iraq. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have steadily intensified since Trumps decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions that have devastated Irans economy and contributed to recent protests there in which hundreds were reportedly killed. In an apparent effort to defuse tensions, Qatars foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, made an unplanned trip to Iran where he met with Rouhani and other senior officials. Qatar hosts American forces at the Al-Udeid Air Base and shares a massive offshore oil and gas field with Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with various world leaders including Iraqi President Barham Salih, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the United Arab Emirates. I reaffirmed that the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation, Pompeo tweeted. In Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Soleimanis home to express his condolences. The Americans did not realize what a great mistake they made, Rouhani said. As threats of revenge against the U.S. loomed, major streets in Iran were filled with billboards and images of Soleimani, who was widely seen as a national icon and a hero of the so-called Axis of Resistance against Western hegemony. I dont think there will be a war, but we must get his revenge, said Hojjat Sanieefar. America cant hit and run anymore. Another man, who only identified himself as Amir, was worried. If there is a war, I am 100% sure it will not be to our betterment. The situation will certainly get worse, he said. In a sign of his regional reach, supporters in Lebanon hung billboards commemorating Soleimani in Beiruts southern suburbs and in southern Lebanon along the disputed border with Israel, according to the state-run National News Agency. Both are strongholds of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, whose leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had close ties to Soleimani. A picture of Nasrallah hang in Soleimanis home. Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, including the territorys Hamas rulers, opened a mourning site for the slain general and dozens gathered to burn American and Israeli flags. The killing of Soleimani was a loss for Palestine and the resistance, said senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan. ___ El Deeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem, Jon Gambrell and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Zeina Karam in Beirut and Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip contributed. HAMMOND A man was charged in the Christmas Day armed robbery at Porters Tap, police said. Authorities thanked the public for several tips that led to the arrest. Daniel Gamez, 49, was charged with one count of robbery and one count of armed robbery in the incident at 6405 Kennedy Ave., Lt. Steve Kellogg said. Police said witnesses described a man who entered the bar Dec. 25, pointed a handgun at the bartender and demanded money. The man then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. We would like to thank the public for their assistance, Kellogg said. Several people observed the photo we released and recognized the suspect. Because of these community efforts, we were able to remove a violent suspect from the street. Gamez is currently in custody at the Lake County Jail, Kellogg said. Love 2 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Thousands of militiamen and other mourners chanting America is the Great Satan marched in a funeral procession in Baghdad for Irans top general after he was killed in a US air strike, as the region braced for the Islamic Republic to fulfil its vows of revenge. General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds Force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed early Friday near Baghdad international airport along with senior Iraqi militants in an air strike ordered by US President Donald Trump. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar and tested the US alliance with Iraq. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war, but it is unclear how or when it might respond. Any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. All eyes were on Iraq, where America and Iran have competed for influence since the 2003 US-led invasion. Mr Trump says he ordered the strike, a high-risk decision that was made without consulting Congress or US allies, to prevent a conflict. US officials say Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. The US-led coalition has scaled back operations and boosted security and defensive measures at bases hosting coalition forces in Iraq, a coalition official said. Expand Close In Tehran, Iran, protesters demonstrated against the killing (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp In Tehran, Iran, protesters demonstrated against the killing (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) The US has meanwhile dispatched another 3,000 troops to neighbouring Kuwait, the latest in a series of deployments in recent months as the standoff with Iran has worsened. Soleimani was the architect of Irans regional policy of mobilising militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on US troops and American allies going back decades. In Baghdad, thousands of mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani at Saturdays ceremony. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted No, No, America, and Death to America, death to Israel. Expand Close Mourners burn a US flag during the funeral (Nasser Nasser/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners burn a US flag during the funeral (Nasser Nasser/AP) Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the men. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by prime minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The procession later made its way to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, where the mourners raised red flags associated with unjust bloodshed and revenge. The militants will be buried in Najaf, while Soleimanis remains will be taken to Iran. More funeral services will be held for Soleimani in Iran on Sunday and Monday, before his body is laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman. Expand Close Many protesters were emotional during a demonstration against the killing of Soleimani in Tehran (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Many protesters were emotional during a demonstration against the killing of Soleimani in Tehran (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) The gates to Baghdads Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the US embassy, were closed Saturday. Iraqs government, which is closely allied with Iran, condemned the air strike that killed Soleimani, calling it an attack on its national sovereignty. Parliament is meeting for an emergency session Sunday, and the government has come under mounting pressure to expel the 5,200 American troops based in the country, who are there to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. Hadi al-Amiri, who heads a large parliamentary bloc and is expected to replace al-Muhandis as deputy commander of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, was among those paying their final respects in Baghdad. Rest assured, he said before al-Muhandis coffin in a video circulated on social media. The price of your pure blood will be the exit of US forces from Iraq forever. Expand Close Protesters chant slogans during a demonstration in Tehran (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters chant slogans during a demonstration in Tehran (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) The US has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and temporarily closed its embassy in Baghdad, where Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters staged two days of violent protests earlier this week in which they breached the compound. No-one was hurt in the embassy protests, which came in response to US air strikes that killed 25 Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq and Syria. The US blamed the militia for a rocket attack that killed a US contractor in northern Iraq. Tensions between the US and Iran have steadily intensified since Mr Trumps decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions, which have devastated Irans economy and contributed to recent protests there in which hundreds were reportedly killed. The administrations maximum pressure campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The US has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabias oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a US surveillance drone in June, saying it had strayed into its airspace. Billboards and images of Soleimani, who was widely seen as a national icon and a hero of the so-called Axis of Resistance against Western hegemony, appeared on major streets in Iran Saturday with the warning from the supreme leader that harsh revenge awaits the US. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Soleimanis home in Tehran to express his condolences. The Americans did not realise what a great mistake they made, Mr Rouhani said. They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come. On the streets of Tehran, many mourned Soleimani. I dont think there will be a war, but we must get his revenge, said Hojjat Sanieefar. America cant hit and run any more, he added. The flag of General Soleimani in defense of the country's territorial integrity and the fight against terrorism and extremism in the region will be raised, and the path of resistance to US excesses will continue. The great nation of Iran will take revenge for this heinous crime. Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 3, 2020 Another man, who only identified himself as Amir, said: If there is a war, I am 100% sure it will not be to our betterment. The situation will certainly get worse. In an apparent effort to defuse tensions, Qatars foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, made an unplanned trip to Iran where he met Mr Rouhani and other senior officials. Qatar, which has often served as a regional mediator, hosts American forces at the Al-Udeid Air Base and shares a massive offshore oil and gas field with Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meanwhile said he had spoken to Iraqi President Barham Salih, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the United Arab Emirates. I reaffirmed that the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation, Mr Pompeo tweeted. A Saudi official had earlier confirmed that the US did not co-ordinate with Saudi Arabia before carrying out the strike that killed Soleimani. Discussed with Iraqi President Salih @realDonaldTrumps decision to take defensive action to protect U.S. personnel and interests abroad, and I reaffirmed that the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 4, 2020 In a sign of his regional reach, supporters in Lebanon hung billboards commemorating Soleimani in Beiruts southern suburbs and in southern Lebanon along the disputed border with Israel, according to the state-run National News Agency. Both are strongholds of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, whose leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has close ties to Soleimani. A portrait of Nasrallah could be seen in Soleimanis home when mourners paid tribute there. Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, including the territorys Hamas rulers, opened a mourning site for the general and dozens gathered to burn American and Israeli flags. Iran has long provided aid to the armed wing of Hamas and to the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group. Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas official, said the killing of Soleimani was a loss for Palestine and the resistance. CHICAGO Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia, recently filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking review of the 5th Circuits decision in Texas v. United States, a lawsuit challenging a key provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The 5th Circuit issued a decision last month that held the individual mandate of the ACA unconstitutional and called into question whether the remaining provisions of the ACA could still stand, including those that protect and provide coverage to Americans with preexisting conditions. In the petition, Raoul and the coalition argue the 5th Circuits decision causes uncertainty that may harm the health of hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents, as well as doctors, hospitals, clinics, businesses and the states health care market. In the petition, as well as a motion to expedite consideration of the petition that was filed at the same time, Raoul and the coalition are asking the court to resolve the case before the end of its current term next June. The hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents who rely on the Affordable Care Act cannot afford the uncertainty and confusion resulting from the 5th Circuits decision, Raoul said. I am partnering with my colleagues around the country to urge the Supreme Court to take up this case because families deserve clarity when it comes to something as critical as health care coverage. The lawsuit was originally filed by a Texas-led coalition supported by the presidents administration, which argued that Congress rendered the ACAs individual mandate unconstitutional when it reduced the penalty for not obtaining insurance to zero dollars. They further argued that the rest of the ACA should be held invalid as a result of that change. In an opening brief filed in March, Raoul and the coalition defended the ACA in its entirety, which was supported by a bipartisan group of amici, including scholars, economists, public health experts, hospital and provider associations, patient groups, counties, cities and more. In December, the 5th Circuit held that the individual mandate is unconstitutional, but declined to rule on the validity of the ACAs remaining provisions. The court instead sent the case back to the Northern District of Texas to determine which provisions of the 900-page law are still valid. Raouls and the coalition states filing makes clear that patients, doctors, hospitals, employers, states, pharmaceutical companies and more will be impacted by the looming uncertainty of the 5th Circuits decision. In the petition, the coalition asks the Supreme Court to review the case this term. Raoul and the coalition also highlight important advancements in health care access made under the ACA, including: More than 12 million Americans receiving coverage through Medicaid expansion. Nearly nine million individuals nationwide receiving tax credits to help them afford health insurance coverage through individual marketplaces. Millions of working families relying on high-quality employer-sponsored insurance plans. Important protections prohibiting insurers from denying health insurance to the 133 million Americans with preexisting conditions (such as diabetes, cancer or pregnancy) or from charging individuals higher premiums because of their health status. Nearly $1.3 trillion in federal funding being dedicated to keeping Americans healthy and covered, including Medicaid expansion and public health dollars. Joining Raoul in the filing are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota (by and through its Department of Commerce), Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governor of Kentucky. A New South Wales property has become a refuge for several native animals badly injured during the recent bushfires. The residents at the Mossy Point home, south of Batemans Bay, have taken in a joey and a baby bowerbird that were stranded after fires swept through the region this week. Footage captured the emotional moment the residents came across the injured and distressed animals when they returned to their home after the recent bushfires. The site is usually home to about 30 resident kangaroos who graze on the expansive paddocks at the rural property. Photographer Sione Chown told the Daily Mail Australia he went out to survey the damage on Friday when he saw one of the kangaroos in a bad state. His 17-year-old nephew was trying to re hydrate the animal using a water-bottle, but it wasnt enough to parch the kangaroos thirst. Pictured: The residents at a property in Mossy Point on the New South Wales far south coast used a watering can to re hydrate a parched kangaroo after this week's fires The two went back to the homestead and returned with a watering can which they used to soak the marsupial. Mr Chown said it was an incredible sight to witness. He was shaking because of the water, not because it was cold but because he was relieved. Pictured: A teenager at Mossy Point shared an emotional moment with a parched kangaroo after bushfires swept through the New South Wales far south coast this week Pictured: The property at Mossy Point on the New South Wales south coast has become an impromtu animal refuge after fires swept through the region He captured the tender moment his nephew shared with the animal after the act of compassion on Friday afternoon. The kangaroo got back down level with us and the teenager put out its hand to its face, and the kangaroo put out its paw and they both locked arms or shook hands for about five or six seconds I couldnt believe it, he said. The property has now become a makeshift home for some of the injured animals. Pictured: The family took in a baby bowerbird which was stranded after the bushfires at Mossy Point on the New South Wales far south coast As well as a kangaroo with burnt paws the family took in a baby Bowerbird in its vibrant blue nest. Eight people died and over 400 homes were destroyed when bushfires hit the New South Wales south coast this week. The region is bracing for another difficult day with temperatures expected to soar to the mid 40s and strong winds forecast to create tough conditions for firefighters. Day 82 on Bigg Boss Kannada 7 marked the conclusion of the weekly luxury budget task Nanna Neenu Gellalaare. Bigg Boss hands over the results to captain Priyanka. She announces that Vasuki Vaibhav is the winner of the task with 1000 points followed by Kuri Prathap with 800 points. They receive immunity from next weeks nominations. Meanwhile, towards the bottom end of the table were Chandana and Chandan Achar with 200 points each. But Bigg Boss states that since Kishen Bilagali, Deepika Das and Vasuki had caused damage to the mic and broken the house rules, they will be losing 500, 200 and 100 points respectively. As a result, Kishen ends up losing all his points and lands at the bottom with zero points in his kitty. Captain Priyanka decides to name Vasuki as the best performer of the week. She then names Kishen as the worst performer for coming last on the points table. A miffed Kishen doesnt listen to Priyankas reason and heads directly towards the BB jail. He requests the housemates for some along time. Priyanka, on the other hand, is feeling really bad and is seen explaining her reasons to Deepika. They head towards the jail to sort things out. Deepika asks Kishen to lighten up while Priyanka is seen explaining her stance to Kishen. Meanwhile, Shine Shetty is seen telling Bhoomi Shetty and Chandana that the worst performer tag must be given based on ones performance and efforts and not according to points. Later in the night, Deepika and Priyanka are seen sleeping outside beside Kishen. He breaks down and confesses to the duo that he feels like a loser after every task. Kishen says that he is giving his best every single day but his efforts never really seem to pay off. Priyanka and Deepika are then seen consoling and comforting him. ALSO READ: Bigg Boss Kannada 7 - Chandan Achar Gets A Surprise Visit From His Mother By assassinating Soleimani, US paved way for own elimination from region: Zarif Iran Press TV Friday, 03 January 2020 11:14 PM Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says by staging "the cowardly act of state terrorism" that led to senior Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani's martyrdom, the United States practically paved the way for its own "elimination" from the region. Zarif made the remarks in an exclusive television interview on Friday after US helicopters assassinated Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), targeting the vehicle they were travelling in, on the Baghdad International Airport road. 'Beginning of the end for US' Soleimani was "a soldier of peace as he battled terrorism," Zarif noted, saying the assassination "wounded the feelings of the people of the region." People in Iraq, who know well how the duo served them by contributing to the fight against terrorism, are slated to take to the streets to commemorate their martyrdom, he said. "They will put the reality of the situation in Iraq on display, and will show America that this is the beginning of the end of its presence in Iraq," he added. Zarif said Iran reserves the "legal right" to respond to the assassination "in the right place, at the right time, and in the manner that it sees fit." The top diplomat said he had talked with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the phone concerning the atrocity. He also reminded that Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), had said the assassinations were "most likely unlawful and violate international human rights law." All the Islamic Republic's international representatives have been mobilized to conduct necessary political consultations and legal actions following the assassination, Zarif announced. 'Act of vengeance' The foreign minister said the US conducted the assassination out of the vengeance that had resulted from the failure of its plots to sow tension in the region. He also described the atrocity as a "strategic mistake" perpetrated on "very inapt advice given to the US by certain reactionary regional rulers and Israeli authorities, whose policies aimed at breeding terrorists in the region had been negated through Lieutenant General Soleimani's awareness and stalwartness." "This action by [US President Donald] Trump was an election stunt aimed at promoting both his and [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's re-election chances, and relieving Trump from the pressure that has resulted from his impeachment process," Zarif commented. The atrocity, however, would not contribute to Trump's re-election in anyway, he noted. Nor will it guarantee security for the United States, he concluded, saying, Washington was already concerned about the consequences of the assassination. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Inmate who escaped during statewide lockdown still on the run originally appeared on abcnews.go.com One inmate is on the run and another has been captured after authorities discovered the pair missing during an emergency count at 1:45 a.m. Saturday at Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. Officials said the Mississippi Department of Corrections K-9 and Emergency Response Teams are still searching for Dillion Williams, 27, and that David May, 42, has been captured. The Mississippi Department of Corrections tweeted just before 3:30 a.m. that David May was in custody. Further details weren't immediately released. IN CUSTODY: Parchman escapee David Lee May pic.twitter.com/QKn008D32e MDOC (@MS_MDOC) January 5, 2020 Day was convicted of two counts of aggravated assault and sentenced to life in prison in October 2017. He is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 171 pounds, according to jail records. Williams was convicted of residential burglary and aggravated assault and sentenced to 40 years for the two crimes in 2010. He is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. Prison officials said both men are black males of medium build with brown eyes and black hair. PHOTO: Undated photos show David May, 47, and Dillion Williams, 27, who were discovered missing during an emergency count about on Jan. 4, 2020, in Jackson, Miss. (Mississippi Department of Corrections) All prisons throughout Mississippi, including state, private and regional facilities, were still on lockdown Saturday following a violent week during which at least four inmates have died since last Sunday. MORE: US prisons and jails using AI to mass-monitor millions of inmate calls "We are continuing to be vigilant and mindful of the situation," Commissioner Pelicia E. Hall said in a statement Friday. "These are trying times for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. It is never a good feeling for a commissioner to receive a call that a life has been lost, especially over senseless acts of violence." Several other inmates were injured during the incidents. The state said one death occurred at the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville and another at the Chickasaw County Regional Correctional Facility in Houston. Two of the deaths were at Parchman, from which May and Williams just escaped. Story continues There was a fifth death in the past week, also at Parchman, but the Department of Corrections said it was unrelated to the "major disturbances." MORE: Oklahoma releases hundred of prisoners as part of the state's criminal justice reform "There is a lot of misinformation fanning the flames of fear in the community at large, especially on social media," Hall said in a statement. "Cellphones are contraband and have been instrumental in escalating the violence." "I understand the publics right and need to know," Hall continued. "But my department will not rush to release information for the sake of perpetuating rumors." All prisoner movement in the state's three prisons, three private prisons and 15 regional facilities is limited to emergencies only, authorities said. Anyone with information about Williams is asked to contact the MDOC at 662-745-6611 or the nearest law enforcement agency. Seven-year-old author Soborno Bari will give a talk at the Savitribai Phule Pune University on Monday, January 6. The talk will be held at the environment science department from 11 am onwards. Bari is a Bengali-American prodigy born and has written a book which titles The Love, which aims to create a world without terrorism. He will talk about his book in depth and will also share his experiences with the students. Baris parents are immigrants from Bangladesh and reside in the US. Bari was only six-months-old when he started using complete sentences. At the age of two, Bari could solve complex mathematical problems and also had a keen interest in science. He has received a letter of recognition by ex-president of the US Barak Obama when he was only four-years-old. Harvard University has also praised Baris ability to solve math and science questions. United States President Donald Trump has called Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian general who was on Friday killed in a drone strike, the worlds No. 1 terrorist with a hand in plots across the world, including in New Delhi. Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in a US airstrike authorised by Trump early on Friday near the Iraqi capitals international airport in an incident that has spiked global tensions. In an address early on Saturday, Trump said he ordered the killing to stop a war and not to start one, even as thousands of additional US troops were deployed to the region. The leader of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia was also killed in the US strike. Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimanis many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over, the US President said in what experts saw as an attempt to address audiences outside the US and convey global salience of the strike ordered by him. The strike killed a total of five Iranian Guards and five members of Iraqs Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network, whose members have close ties to Tehran. On Saturday, the Hashed said a new strike had hit a convoy of their forces north of Baghdad, with Iraqi state media blaming the US. But US-led coalition spokesman Myles Caggins denied involvement, telling AFP: There was no American or coalition strike. In his remarks, Trump was referring to the 2012 bombing of a car carrying the wife of an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi while she was on her way to collect their children from school. Several people were wounded but no one died in the attack. Israeli diplomats were targeted the same day in Tbilisi, Georgia and a day later in Bangkok, Thailand, in attacks that were blamed on Iran, as revenge for, in their view, the attacks on its scientists by Israel. Trump said Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel. He did not elaborate on the nature and other details of these planned attacks. We took action last night to stop a war, Trump said even as experts pointed to the prospects of a military conflict heightening, with Iran vowing revenge. We did not take action to start a war, he added. Just a short while before, Pentagon announced sending 3,500 additional troops to the region. The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani, the US President told reporters at his personal Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday. In 2012, Israel had immediately blamed the New Delhi bombing on Iran, but the Indian government was found noticeably reluctant to publicly name Tehran, given their long and historic ties and Iran being one of its biggest suppliers of crude oil. A strong message was sent privately over the incident, according to a person involved in deliberations and who asked not to be named. The Delhi Police had arrested a man who, they alleged, had worked with a five-man module of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was headed by Soleimani. Tens of thousands of people marched in Baghdad on Saturday to mourn the Iran military chief. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, a senior commander of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards, said Tehran would punish Americans wherever they are in reach, and raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the Gulf. The US Embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens to leave Iraq following the strike at Baghdad airport that killed Soleimani. Dozens of American employees of foreign oil companies left the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Close US ally Britain warned its nationals on Saturday to avoid all travel to Iraq, outside the autonomous Kurdistan region, and to avoid all but essential travel to Iran. The US and its allies have suspended training of Iraqi forces due to the increased threat, the German military said in a letter seen by Reuters late on Friday. Soleimanis body was to be transferred on Saturday to the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan that borders Iraq. On Sunday, it will be taken to Mashhad in Irans northeast and from there to Tehran and his hometown Kerman in the southeast for burial on Tuesday, state media said. The US strike followed a sharp increase in US-Iranian hostilities in Iraq since last week when pro-Iranian militia attacked the US Embassy in Baghdad following a deadly US air raid on the Kataib Hezbollah militia. (With inputs from agencies in Baghdad) A man stabbed to death in north London on Friday - in the first murder in the capital this year - is an Algerian moped rider called Takieddine Boudhane who worked for UberEats and Deliveroo. Mr Boudhane was found on Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park at around 6.50pm. Officers and London Ambulance attended the scene at 6.50pm, where the victim was pronounced dead at 7.42pm. He was with another man, riding another motorcycle, in the early evening in Finsbury Park, north London, on January 3. Pictured: Man called Takieddine Boudhane who was stabbed last night in Finsbury Park in North London The man left the scene, but he has now been traced and spoken to by officers. The driver and person believed responsible is now being hunted by police. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: 'The investigation is making good progress, but I am still appealing for anyone with information, and witnesses who have yet to speak with police, to come forward and share anything they know or tell us what they saw. 'This is a busy thoroughfare and it is very likely that members of the public would have seen a fight in the road which they may also have captured on their phones. 'It would appear that an altercation took place at the junction of Lennox Road with Charteris Road between the victim, who was riding a motorcycle, and the driver of a van. 'The vehicle was a white VW Caddy panel type van which was located and recovered by police in Islington on the morning of Sunday, 5 January. 'It has been removed to a police compound where a full forensic examination will be undertaken. 'The driver and person believed responsible for this tragic matter is now the subject of a police manhunt. Mr Boudhane is pictured in a photo provided to MailOnline by one of his heartbroken friends 'At this time I am unable to release any further information concerning the identity of the driver as this may hinder the ongoing police investigation. 'The incident itself appears to have been spontaneous and not connected to, or as a result of, anything other than a traffic altercation.' Finsbury Park Mosque, where Mr Boudhane worshipped, paid tribute to him today, calling him a 'young man who was working hard to earn his living.' In a Facebook post, the mosque said: 'We are devastated with the news that one of our congregation members has been stabbed and killed yesterday around Finsbury Park area, it is very sad for a young man who was working hard to earn his living, to lose his life while he is working in this cowardly way! 'Our condolences, prayers and thoughts are with his family, friends and the Algerian community, and we will do whatever we can to reassure the community and get to the bottom of what has happened and to bring justice to this young man, therefore we have been in touch with our local MP Jeremy Corbyn , the leader of Islington Council Cllr Richard Watts and the Borough Police Commander Raj Kohli who all expressed their solidarity and assured that they will follow this case to the end. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who is leading the investigation, confirmed his next of kin have been informed, but that a post-mortem and formal identification have yet to take place 'May ALLAH (SWT) grant him the highest level of Paradise, Ameen.' Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who is leading the investigation, confirmed his next of kin have been informed, but that a post-mortem and formal identification have yet to take place. Mr John said: 'The investigation is at a very early stage. It would appear at this time that an altercation has taken place between the victim, who was riding a motorcycle, and the driver of another vehicle in the vicinity of Lennox Road and Charteris Road, Finsbury Park.' He added: 'The incident itself appears at this early stage to have been spontaneous and not connected to, or as a result of, anything other than a traffic altercation.' Fellow delivery drivers attended the scene alongside members of the Motorcycle Action Group to lay a floral tribute. One rider, Sourin Aydi, said Mr Boudhane was his 'best friend' and added: 'I can't believe it, I did not sleep last night. He was a wonderful man, funny with a great sense of humour and always laughing. 'If you have a bike then you are a target.' A Deliveroo spokesman said: 'This is a tragedy and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim. 'We take the protection and safety of riders extremely seriously. 'All Deliveroo riders are automatically insured and the company routinely works with local authorities on issues related to rider safety.' On Friday, fellow delivery riders gathered in Stroud Green Road said he had been the victim of a road rage attack following an altercation with a car driver. Some of those gathered said they had been repeatedly attacked in the neighbourhood by young gang members - often still in their teens A witness said the driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy and did not try to steal his moped from him. No arrests have been made and enquiries into the circumstances continue. A friend visiting the scene of the stabbing said: 'He had been in this country for the last three years but he had been here before for some years before going to Algeria for a while,' he said. 'He had family here, his father was here [at the scene] earlier.' The Met Police have launched their first murder investigation of the year after a man was stabbed to death in north London on Friday evening (pictured, police at the scene) The victim, in his 30s, was found on Charteris Road (pictured) close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park at around 6.50pm No arrests have been made and inquiries continue, the Met said (pictured, officers at the scene of the stabbing) Many of the riders criticised the companies they worked for and the police for doing nothing to protect them. 'We've been attacked many times here,' one man said. He added: 'I was attacked here by people with a big machete and now this man has been killed for no reason. 'The police do nothing. They just come, take a statement and then they go.' Another man added: 'If you have an Algerian face, [the police] do nothing.' One rider said they felt unsafe '100 per cent' of the time. The victim was a 30-year-old Algerian delivery moped rider working for both UberEats and Deliveroo, according to friends gathered close to the scene Forensic officers at the crime scene after Metropolitan police cordon off Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park after a man was stabbed to death in north London The driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy, a witness said, and did not try to steal his moped from him (pictured, police at the scene of the stabbing) The first murder investigation of 2019 has been launched. Officers were called to Finsbury Park, north London at around 6.50pm following reports a man had been stabbed Another said he had been brutally attacked in Brixton, south London, while working: 'It was a 2,000 bike and I said here take the bike just don't kill me - they still stabbed me through the shoulder.' Islington Council leader Richard Watts tweeted: 'I'm horrified to hear about this appalling crime' and added: 'What an awful start to the New Year.' The Labour councillor said he was in touch with Islington Police and with Islington MP and Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. A forensic tent has been erected while a police cordon is still in place. The driver who attacked the victim was driving a Volkswagen Caddy, a witness said, and did not try to steal his moped from him. A friend of the victim said: 'He was a good man. He doesn't make any trouble - he works and he goes home and he ends up being killed while he's working. 'This country is getting worse.' He continued: 'Its not safe to work by yourself anymore - what can you do? If someone comes at you with a knife you give them what you have or they are going to stab you.' Police raced to Finsbury Park at around 6.50pm following reports a man had been stabbed (officers are pictured at the scene) A cordon has been set up as police investigate the scene of the fatal stabbing. It is the first murder investigation to be launched in London this year Another 23-year-old rider, who gave his name only as Paul, said: 'Taki was a nice guy. He was a gentleman. 'I would talk to him everyday. He always said hello.' The stabbing comes after the number of murders in London last year hit its highest level in more than a decade with 147 recorded - more than half of whom were stabbed. September and June were the joint bloodiest months of the year in the capital with 17 homicides each, followed by July which had 16 and March and December with 15. The 2019 rate broke last year's total of 133 by early December - and is the highest level recorded since 2008 when Scotland Yard investigated 154 deaths. The total compiled by MailOnline includes murders and manslaughters recorded by the Met, British Transport Police and City of London Police. Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the scene but the victim aged in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene at 7.42pm (pictured, officers at the scene) No arrests have been made and enquiries into the circumstances continue, the Metropolitan Police said (pictured, the scene of the fatal stabbing) The youngest murder victim was Riley Fauvrell, who died aged just five days after being delivered by an emergency C-section in Thornton Heath, South London. Riley's mother Kelly Mary Fauvrelle, 26, was stabbed to death in June while pregnant with him. Her ex-partner Aaron McKenzie, 25, has since pleaded not guilty to murder. The oldest victim was Dorothy Woolmer, 89, who was raped and murdered at home in Tottenham in August. Reece Dempster, 23, was charged but has not yet pleaded. Some 17 of the victims were children - including 12 teenagers and five youngsters aged under two - and the mean average age of all 147 people killed was 32. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and Akali Dal on Saturday staged a protest over the recent mob attack on one of the holiest Sikh shrines, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, in Pakistan. The protesters, with placards in their hands, raised slogans against the country outside the Pakistan embassy and demanded the culprits be arrested. "We will not tolerate an attack on a place of worship and members of the community. The incident has made it clear that Pakistan is a Muslim nation that has scant regard for minorities and their lives," President of DSGMC and Akali Dal spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. The protest comes after an angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan last evening. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was built at the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has kept mum since the incident, Sirsa said, adding that the silence speaks volumes of his intolerance against minorities. "Mohammed Hassan has openly declared that he will convert the Gurdwara Sahib into a mosque, and evict every Sikh from there, and rename it Ghulam Ali Mustafa. It will not be tolerated at any cost," he added. The Sikh committee demanded that the Pakistan government should put behind bars the family members of Hassan who is the guiding force behind the brutality unleashed on the Sikh community. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Australian navy evacuated by sea hundreds of people trapped by the country's bushfire crisis yesterday. Tens of thousands have fled their homes in New South Wales and Victoria as the death toll has risen to 19, with 28 people missing in Victoria. HMAS Choules and Sycamore took 963 people from the town of Mallacoota in Victoria to safety at Western Port. For days, 4,000 people were trapped on the beach before fires subsided. In New South Wales early yesterday, more than 140 fires were burning. More than 1,360 homes have now been destroyed and 3.6 million hectares burnt through in that state alone. People in an area stretching hundreds of kilometres from Nowra to the Victorian border and west to Kosciuszko have been urged to leave. High temperatures and strong winds have made the daunting task faced by thousands of fire fighters even worse. Prime Minister Scott Morrison cut short Thursday's visit to Cobargo in New South Wales when locals shouted at him, made obscene gestures and called him an "idiot" and worse, criticising him for the lack of equipment to deal with the fires in town. In a later interview, Mr Morrison was defensive about his handling of the crisis that has engulfed the region. He denied having ignored the warnings of fire chiefs that Australia was heading into a catastrophic fire season. "I listen to the fire chiefs that are in their jobs now," he said. "They provided those exact same warnings and prepared our services to deal with the situation. "Because of the drought, because of the fact there have been no quenching rains following the fires starting, that means this season is running longer and is presenting more difficult challenges." Mr Morrison's response was seen to echo his repeated assertions that the fires are a natural disaster and not the result of climate change exacerbated by Australia's dependence on coal and other fossil fuels. New South Wales transport minister Andrew Constance, a member of Mr Morrison's Liberal Party, said angry locals in Cobargo who confronted the prime minister "gave him the welcome he probably deserved". Mr Constance, who escaped losing his home when fire tore through Malua Bay, said he didn't know Mr Morrison had planned to visit the area. Gladys Berejiklian, the New South Wales premier, said: "There's no doubt people are justified in feeling angry. "I don't begrudge anyone who is on the ground," she told radio station 2GB. "Andrew is a good friend of mine and he's just seen the sheer devastation in his community." Greg Mullins, a former New South Wales fire chief, told ABC Radio: "I'm angry about the prime minister's response. It reminds me of President Trump, when there's multiple shootings, saying 'there's nothing to do with guns'. "We have to talk about climate change." Late on Thursday, Daniel Andrews, Victoria's premier, declared an official state of disaster for six local government areas and the Alpine Resort, which gives the government special powers to deal with the crisis. The declaration will allow forced evacuations and permit emergency services to take over properties. Andrew Crisp, the state's emergency management commissioner, said humidity levels were "unusually low", at less than 10pc, in fire-affected areas in the state's east. "What that means is that fires will travel at night. "People talk about fires five years ago and that was not the case - generally fires overnight would settle down and you could rest and regroup but that's not what we're seeing," he said. In South Australia state, fire officials said the weather conditions were a cause for concern because fires were still burning or smouldering. "The ignition sources are already there," country fire service chief officer Mark Jones said. "There are millions of sparks out there ready to go if they break containment lines." The early and devastating start to Australia's summer wildfires has made this season the worst on record. Demonstrators chanting "no war on Iran" rallied Saturday in Washington, New York and across the US to protest the assassination of a top Iranian military commander in a US drone strike. Outside the White House, around 200 people gathered as part of a wave of rallies called by left-leaning organizations. They chanted slogans including "No Justice, No Peace, US out of the Middle East." Organizers said demonstrations were convened in some 70 US cities to denounce the killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani early Friday in Baghdad on orders from President Donald Trump. The attack has prompted fears of a major conflagration in the Middle East. "We will not allow our country to be led into another reckless war," one speaker outside the White House said. The protesters later headed toward the Trump International Hotel, which is just down the street from the presidential mansion. "Need a distraction? Start of a war," read a sign held by Sam Crook, 66. Trump faces a looming trial in the Senate following his impeachment by the House of Representatives in the Ukraine scandal. Crook described himself as concerned. "This country is in the grip of somebody who's mentally unstable, I mean Donald Trump, that is. He's not right in the head," Crook told AFP. "He's crazy, and has a childish reaction to everything. And I'm afraid he's going to inadvertently -- he doesn't really want to, I think -- but I think he could easily start some sort of a real conflagration in the Middle East," Crook added. Shirin, a 31-year-old Iranian-American who would not give her last name, said she was worried about the possibility of war with Iran, which has vowed revenge for the death of Soleimani. "We already spent trillions of dollars fighting unjust wars in Iraq and, you know, the longest war today in Afghanistan. And what do we have to show for it?" she said. She argued that the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq caused instability throughout the region and strengthened Iran, "which is now, you know, a major political, social and cultural force in Iraq." At Times Square in New York, demonstrators marched with signs crying out against the prospect of war with Iran and calling for the withdrawal of the 5,000-odd US troops in Iraq. "War is not a re-election strategy," read one sign in that procession. Demonstrators also marched in cities including Chicago and Los Angeles. Demonstrators rally outside the White House to denounce the killing of a senior Iranian general in Iraq Demonstrators opposed to the US military presence in Iraq march in New York Over the course of a highly unusual career, Lauren Redniss, a much-lauded author and visual artist, has followed her instincts, never really planning exactly where shes goingbut so far her approach has led to an astonishing amount of acclaim. Her new book, Oak Flat: A Fight for Sacred Land in the American West (due in April from Random House) is the latest example of what she calls her visual nonfiction, a career path that has thus far included a 2016 MacArthur genius grant, a spot as a finalist for the 2011 National Book Award for nonfiction, and a Guggenheim fellowship, among other honors. Not too bad for someone who started out not knowing what she wanted to do. I try and trust the feeling, she says of her process for picking her subjectswhich thus far have included an early-20th-century showgirl, Nobel laureate physicist Marie Curie, and the weather. If I have a hunch about something, theres a reason for it, and I try to dig for that reason. I trust that if I think about it and explore it, I will eventually be able to articulate that motivation, even if it starts out amorphous and impressionistic. The result of this process is books that meld prose, science, journalism, and illustration to tell stories with an evocative depth. She doesnt consider herself a cartoonist, or her books graphic novels (though Oak Flat is listed on PWs graphic novels announcements list). However, though they may not fit into any easy category, her books get much of their power from the same strength of visual storytelling found in graphic novels. Its a blend of storytelling processes that shes taken further than ever in Oak Flat, the riveting story of a contested piece of Arizona landa rocky mesa thats been sacred to the San Carlos Apache tribe for hundreds of years. Oak Flat is home to a rich vein of copper, and, while mining had long been banned there, in 2014, President Obama signed a controversial and long-disputed piece of land exchange legislation allowing mining interests to acquire 2,400 acres of sacred land. However, the fate of the ecologically and religiously vital site is still being fought over, even as the Resolution Copper mining company is preparing to dig, inevitably destroying Oak Flat in the process. In November 2019, a coalition of 20 Arizona tribal, mining-reform, and religious organizations petitioned the U.S. Forest Service in a challenge to the environmental review of the copper mine site, claiming it was rushed and flawed. Arrayed against the mining concerns is the Nosie family, led by Wendsler Nosie, former chairman and councilman of the San Carlos Apache tribe, and his teen activist granddaughter Naelyn Pike, who has spoken before Congress about the traditional importance of Oak Flat to the Apache people. In precise, descriptive prose based on hours of interviews both with Apache leaders and white locals, and bolstered with pages of haunting colored-pencil drawings, Redniss paints a picture of two peoples locked in an inevitable conflict. She depicts both the oppression of indigenous people throughout American history, and the experiences of mining families who are willing to risk their lives and the well-being of their families to provide for them. Its a story that Redniss spent years researching, returning to Arizona many times, she says over coffee at a local cafe near her Brooklyn home, where she lives with her husband and two children. Redniss calls herself shyand she is soft-spokenbut she is also passionate about the stories she tells, and grows increasingly animated as she talks of the people she writes about. Redniss explains that she didnt really start out intending to be an illustrator, a journalist, an author, or anything in particular. In fact, the more you talk to Redniss, the more it becomes clear that her creative process is as intuitive and undefinable as the finished works it produces. Redniss loved to draw as a child, she says, but initially shed pursued a postgraduate career in botanyuntil a lab job drawing seed specimens made her realize how much she missed making art. All the while, she also kept a journal, and worked to compile an oral history of her grandparentsand, somehow, all this led to the realization that there was a way to bring these things together, she says. It just sort of evolved organically out of different interests. Redniss began to put it all together in 2001 when a friend of hers, an art director at the New York Times, saw her journals and thought she might be able to produce something like it for the Timess op-ed page. The result was a series of profiles of centenarians, all based on interviews and accompanied by Rednisss impressionistic but accurate drawings. One of the subjects for the series was Doris Eaton, a 102-year-old former Ziegfeld Follies showgirl whose home was practically a museum of burlesque. Meeting Eaton led to 2006s Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis, Last Living Star of the Ziegfeld Follies, a collage-heavy biography of Eaton and her times, marking the first time that Redniss was able to put all her interests together as a book. Next came Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie, a Tale of Love and Fallout, an acclaimed 2010 biographical account of the relationship between the two pioneering scientists that used a similar collage approach. The book was a National Book Award finalist in 2011, and in 2019 a film adaptation of the book was released, directed by another noted visual storyteller, Marjane Satrapi, creator of the pioneering graphic novel Persepolis. We just totally hit it off, Redniss says about her first encounters with Satrapi. Redniss followed the publication of Radioactive with Thunder & Lightning: Weather Past, Present, Future in 2015, a book that required her to travel from the Arctic to rainy Madagascar to explore how extremes of weather affect civilization and the biosphere. The book won the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, and soon after, in 2016, she was awarded a MacArthur genius grant. All of these subjects were ideas that spoke to her, on an intuitive level, Redniss explains, and Oak Flat, perhaps her most dramatic book, is no exception. Her interest in the place started simply enough: by reading about the contested area in an article in the New York Times. Inspired, she traveled to Arizona and started talking to the people involved. I just felt compelled by the people and the stakes, she says. It was the history of the American West, the myths that are told about it. Redniss would spend the next three years traveling back to Oak Flat and the mining ghost towns of Arizona, meeting the Nosie family and the Gorhams of Superior, Ariz., whose history is intertwined with the history of mining. But as with her other books, various aspects of the tale grew organically. The questions that arose were things I hadnt thought about, she says. Such as where does copper come fromand how do we mine it? But the most significant part of this story is the people. While Oak Flat is immensely sympathetic to the indigenous experienceespecially in its account of Naelyns Sunrise Dance, a traditional San Carlos Apache ceremony celebrating entry to womanhood held at Oak FlatRedniss also examines the hardscrabble lives of white residents who support opening the copper mine. Redniss tried to avoid the obvious traps and tropes in writing about indigenous people. I tried to be as respectful as possible in talking to people, she says. Im relating the stories and ideas that are important to them. And I definitely feel like there is a great responsibility as a non-Native person. Theres a great history of injustice even by well-meaning people. The visual elements of the book include full-page colored-pencil sketches of Oak Flat and the surrounding areas, as well as portraits of the main players. Redniss often uses a series of full-page illustrations to slow the tempo of the narrative for the reader and to force a more thoughtful approach to the subject, while her precise verbal descriptions give the work a sense of immediacy. Im hoping to create a kind of visceral connection, Redniss says. Words can have that power, but images affect us in a way that we dont have language for. Its more of a feeling. As with most aspects of Rednisss work, her approach to the balance of words and pictures is an intuitive one. Its not necessarily a struggle in a negative sense, she says. Its a kind of dynamic push and pull, each exerting a forceand, hopefully, in the end I find the tension between those two dynamics. Redniss also teaches illustration at the Parsons School of Design. After Century Girl came out, famed cartoonist Ben Katchor, himself a MacArthur winner and an associate professor at Parsons, encouraged her to apply for a full-time position. I thought, Oh, thats a good idea, because I have no idea how Im gonna pay the bills after this book, she says with a laugh. After completing Oak Flat, Redniss says shes expanding into three-dimensional art with some projects she cant talk about right now. Once again, shes found a new creative direction that interests her a great deal. To me, books are a perfect technology, and I hope to continue to make books, but I like the visual component of my work, Redniss says. I hope that from one project to the next, some new seed will be planted and that I can nurture that without knowing much about it in advance. Heidi MacDonald writes regularly for PW on comics and graphic books. Spiralation fosters tech start-ups to improve national economy View(s): Spiralation, a tech-startup supportive programme organised by the Information and Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), has facilitated 16 tech start-ups through seed funding, comprehensive training, workshops and guidance. Twelve selected start-ups were funded Rs.1.5 million each along with comprehensive training, endorsement by the government and opportunities to develop locally and internationally and the other four start-ups were provided with all-inclusive training and guidance. Spiralation has up to now supported a total of 70 start-ups from various fields backing up with necessary guidance and utilities to help them develop into giant companies, according to an ICTA media release. Spiralation has primarily focused on uplifting the national economy and raising the living standards of people through empowerment of tech start-ups which influence society and are capable of addressing social issues. In doing so, the programme also expects to meet up the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as global goals adopted by United Nations Member States, a call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and dawn peace and prosperity to the planet by 2030. The tech start-ups which were facilitated by the recently held programme are Frammix, Thingerbits, Tracified, RN Innovations, Ideal Six, BookClub.lk, SchoolX, Univiser, Smartstudy, Real Pixels, Kayal Technologies, Cookoo eats, Iron blood games, Lanka Travel Mart, Direct Pay and FieldR. Some of these tech start-ups are already up and running, providing versatile solutions to customers enabling a sustainable future in addition to achieving company goals and developing to be giants in the industry. Education Thingerbits is an edutech-based start-up which inculcates DIY culture among people enabling them to develop creativity and new ideas. Thingerbits is instrumental in creating a quality education across the country. The SchoolX is an Internet-driven learning platform which promotes self-learning through digital content and allows students to be more creative and not be solely dependent on teachers. Bookclub.lk is a digital publishing and technology company which is on a mission to digitise Sri Lankan books, giving Sri Lankan readers an easy access to the books that they love and increase readership through a built-in e-reading app. Univiser is an e-mentoring platform, a customisable peer-to-peer solution that connects prospects, current students and alumni of an education institute. SmartStudy is an innovation web application to improve the MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) scoring ability of schooling students and jobseekers. These start-ups help navigate the quality of education and provide apt solutions for the betterment of education. Frammix is a Virtual Reality (VR) platform which creates VR tours, mainly targeting the ancient sites. Through this initiative, Frammix expects to develop tourism, create awareness of and add value to the heritage sites in the country. Real Pixels is an award-winning creative company which creates pioneering holographic displays. The company has developed AVINA, a hologram device which can be utilised for advertising purposes. RN Innovations is another tech start-up which develops Intruder Detection Systems providing total security solutions, especially to banks. RN Innovations introduced a highly developed preventive mechanism related to identifying intrusion threats. This intrusion detection system is a comprehensive solution which is deployed by banks and off-site ATMs. Kayal Technologies is an early stage start-up working on computer vision and robotics. Kayal is currently working on building an electric trash-skimming device for waterway cleaning which utilises a novel conveyor manipulation system. This system is expected to save upto 70 per cent of the current cost of waterway maintenance. Waste management Idealsix is an innovative solution provider for local councils which focuses mainly on waste management. This start-up has recently built a mobile app called UCEMB which is already being utilised by the Embilipitiya Municipal Council in deploying waste management. The app enables the people to identify and trace the garbage collectors and handover the garbage. Idealsix has worked towards developing infrastructure by introducing waste management techniques and continues to find solutions for waste management. Tracified is an innovative supply chain traceability platform that allows premium product sellers to communicate their product value via retail and ecommerce channels.The platform enables suppliers of premium food products and online retail shops to trace the quality of products, mainly in the supply of organic food. Tracified is a fully cloud-based solution which can be integrated with any IoT device and blockchain technology, enabling to verify authenticity throughout the business value chain. This initiative ensures that the food supply is not tampered with thereby leading to wellbeing of the users, as the customers and even sellers are informed of the quality and state of foods. Cookoo Eats is an on-demand food delivery application that helps bring food to the consumers in a convenient and reliable manner. Cookoo Eats app acts as a platform to connect a broad range of food vendors such as restaurants and home-made food suppliers to the consumers, so one can order from the full menus of ones local favourites whenever wanted. Viable solutions The release said that the Spiralation programme has enabled tech start-ups reach the ranks and generate viable solutions and attain long-term goals for the sustainable development of the country. Many tech start-ups that were provided with guidance through Spiralation are already influencing the society in fields like quality education, waste management, health and wellbeing, sanitation, industry, innovation and infrastructure. Spiralation was funded by the Ministry of Industrial Exports and Investment Promotions which was formerly known as the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade (MODSIT). The ministry has identified ICTA as a leading stakeholder to implement IT-BPM initiatives, hence partnered with ICTA to further strengthen the IT-BPM sector and to streamline the Sri Lanka National Exports Strategy (NES). An inseparable couple in their 70s were identified as the man and woman who died in a New Years Eve house fire in Morris County. Anna, 72, and Richard Ryczek, 74, were killed in the blaze that sparked shortly before 5 p.m. at their home on Myrtle Avenue in Butler, a spokeswoman for the Morris County Prosecutors Office confirmed. The Ryczeks neighbor, Pier Rondin, described seeing smoke and rushing to find which house was burning while he was walking his dog with his son. As I turned that corner, the wind blew the column of smoke down over our house. I was convinced of the worst, ready to instinctively run into the house to do what needed doing, whatever that was, I wasnt sure, Rondin wrote in a Facebook post. It was then that I noted the black smoke was jetting from my neighbors kitchen. At that point I felt relief tinged with guilt and horror as I knew my neighbors were inside that house their car was in the driveway and the older immigrant Polish couple were inseparable, Rondin post added. At about a quarter to five, this evening, my son and I took our dogs for a walk. Seeing that it was about to rain, we... Posted by Pier Rondin on Friday, January 3, 2020 This was a reminder: never fail to say I love you when parting, never go to bed angry, test the context of your differences, no matter how bad things get, if you have each other, you have the universe, never assume you will get away unscathed from life, Rondin said. Emergency crews found one of the victims dead at the scene while the other person was flown to Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and later died, according to authorities. Residents of Butler, wouldnt it be a show of solidarity and if you took your Christmas wreath and laid it the doorstep... Posted by Pier Rondin on Thursday, January 2, 2020 The prosecutors office did not immediately release more details on the blaze or comment on a possible cause of the fire. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. 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. Pennridge to vote on one textbook; further review on other one An Indian passenger coming from Riyadh has been apprehended by CISF personnel at Delhi airport for allegedly smuggling gold bars worth Rs 16 lakh, officials said on Saturday. Mohammed Asif Hussain Shah was intercepted in the international arrival terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday, they said. During screening, five gold bars weighing a total of 450 grams were recovered from his bag, the officials said. The passenger was later handed over to customs authorities by the CISF personnel for further investigation, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) Maguindanao Rep. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu is calling on the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to exercise caution in deciding on the request of convicted murderer Zaldy Ampatuan to be transferred from his jail cell to the infirmary of the New Bilibid Prison. Mangudadatu, whose wife and family members were killed in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre perpetrated by the Ampatuan clan, said those convicted would do anything to escape their 40-year sentence. "My 10-year court battle with this family showed me how devious and calculating they are," Mangudadatu said in a statement on Saturday. "Hindi malayong isipin nila ang option na tumakas. Pag nangyari yun, magiging napakahirap na para sa ating kapulisan na mahuli silang muli, he added. [Translation: It's not far-fetched that they are thinking of the option to escape. When that happens, it would be very difficult for the police to catch them again.] The motion filed by Zaldy Ampatuan's camp on December 23, 2019 states he needed to be moved to the Bilibid hospital "to receive the therapy, rehabilitation, and medication prescribed by his doctors, and so as not to unduly put his health in jeopardy. His lawyers said he had suffered three strokes in two months and that he has hypertension, diabetes and chronic atrial fibrillation, making him bound to take 22 medicines daily. Mangudadatu recognized that these claims on Zaldy Ampatuan's deteriorating health could be true. He stressed, however, that the court should make sure he does not leave the premises of the national penitentiary to seek confinement in a private hospital. Mangudadatu also questioned why the motion was made public only on January 2, or10 days after the filing. That alone, raises suspicion. I can only hope that I am wrong for my sake and for the sake of the families who lost their loved ones in the massacre," he said. "If he is as sick as he and his lawyers claimed him to be, then we leave it up for the NBP doctors and experts to determine it. I am not against him seeking medical assistance as long as it is done within the confines of the NBP infirmary in Muntinlupa. Hindi po sa Makati Medical Center o sa ano pa mang mamahalin at pribandong hospital (Not in the Makati Medical Center or any expensive and private hospital) where is allowed to stay comfortably inside a hospital suite, Mangudadatu said. Earlier, Zaldy Ampatuan was allowed to leave his detention cell in Camp Bagong Diwa to stay at the Makati Medical Center. After almost two months of confinement, the court ordered him to return to jail on December 17, 2019, saying he was clinically as well as neurologically stable with no more complaint of headache and dizziness. On December 19, 2019, the court finally handed down a guilty verdict on Zaldy Ampatuan and other members of the Ampatuan clan for 57 counts of murder. READ: Andal Jr., Zaldy Ampatuan convicted; brother walks free The court ruled that the Ampatuans and their private armed group killed Mangudadatu's relatives who were on their way to file his certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor. The 31 members of the media who were part of the convoy to cover the historic filing, were also killed. It was the world's deadliest single attack on journalists, and the worst case of election-related violence in the Philippines. The Ampatuans planned the massacre for four months, the court said, because Mangudadatu refused to back down from the race, challenging their two-decade rule in the province. In the end, the Mangudadatu camp decided to send his wife and other female family members to do the filing, confident that no harm would come to them because Islam, the dominant religion in the Muslim autonomous region, commands utmost respect for women. The Mangudadatu women were all killed; the court even cited a witness' testimony that says Datu Andal "Unsay" Ampatuan shot Mangudadatu's wife Bai Genalyn between her legs. Brothers Zaldy and Datu Unsay are heading to the Court of Appeals to appeal their conviction. They certainly have a lot to celebrate in the new year. And Joshua Jackson made sure to pay close attention to his beaming bride, Jodie Turner-Smith, as they made their first appearance as a married couple at a pre-Golden Globes party in Los Angeles on Friday evening. The 41-year-old actor kept a protective eye on his pregnant wife as they left the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood. Congrats! Joshua Jackson made sure to pay close attention to his beaming bride, Jodie Turner-Smith, as they made their first appearance as a married couple at a pre-Golden Globes party in Los Angeles on Friday evening Joshua looked dapper in a dark blue suit and went a little less formal without a tie for his white button down. In addition to black shoes and a matching belt, the former Dawson's Creek star rocked a new gold wedding band on his ring finger. Jodie looked effortlessly stylish, as always, wearing a gorgeous cream-colored coat with fabric draped around her shoulder. Gentleman: The 41-year-old actor kept a protective eye on his pregnant wife as they left the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood The Queen & Slim star wrapped a matching belt high atop her baby bump and added a pair of strappy black stilettos to her chic ensemble. People reported that 'Jackson was extra attentive to his wife Turner-Smith as he escorted her around the party.' She recently shared a stunning naked snap to Instagram where she celebrated the new year and admitted the last decade has been 'quite the ride.' 'Jackson was extra attentive to his wife Turner-Smith as he escorted her around the party,' a source told People magazine The couple reportedly began dating last year when they were spotted hand-in-hand while strolling around Los Angeles after getting hot and heavy at Usher's 40th birthday party in October. Fans went wild with marriage rumors after Turner-Smith was spotted wearing a massive diamond ring on her finger last year, just months after she left a courthouse with her beau. In addition to their newlywed status, US Weekly reported that the pair will soon become parents as Jodie 'is pregnant' with their first child. The When They See Us actor is set to star alongside Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in the Little Fires Everywhere mini series premiering on Hulu in 2020. [January 03, 2020] QUAD/GRAPHICS 72 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors With Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuits Against Quad/Graphics, Inc. - QUAD Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have only until January 6, 2020 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 22, 2017 and October 29, 2019, inclusive (the "Class Period"). These actions are pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Quad/Graphics and would like to discuss your legal rights and how these cases might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-quad/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in these class actions by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by January 6, 2020. About the Lawsuits Quad/Graphics and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On October 29, 2019, the Company disclosed a cut to its dividend, in half to $0.15 per share, and its plans to divest its book business, which it stated generated $200 million in annual sales, with an accompanying reduction to 2019 net sales guidance to "approximately $3.9 billion" from the previous range of "$4.05 billion to $4.25 billion" to reflect the divestiture. On this news, the price of Quad/Graphics' shares plummeted. The first-filed case is Born v. Quad/Graphics, Inc., 1:19-cv-10376. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005410/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Career guidance is believed to be important in the new era which aims to create human resources who meet the changing requirements of the labor market. Labor bulletins show that Vietnam has over 200,000 redundant workers who have higher education levels. This has been blamed on bad career guidance at general schools. The majority of students finishing high school wish to have higher education level. They only go to vocational school as a last resort when they fail the exams to enter university. As a result, Vietnam has an oversupply of bachelors degree graduates. It lacks skilled workers for factories because students dont want to go to vocational school. The bad career guidance also causes other consequences. Local newspapers report that thousands of university students drop out every year. At HCM City Industry University alone, 2,000 students did not attend lectures in the first semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. The wrong decision in choosing majors caused by poor career guidance at high school is believed to be a major cause. The majority of students finishing high school wish to have higher education level. They only go to vocational school as a last resort when they fail the exams to enter university. According to Giao Duc Viet Nam, high school students only have one hour a month for career guidance practice. Teachers dont have good information about professions to provide to students. The reports by the General Department of Vocational Education show a modest percentage of secondary school and high school graduates going to vocational schools. 85 percent of students finishing secondary school go to high school. Under the 2011-2020 education development strategy, the number of secondary school graduates entering vocational school will account for 30 percent of total students by 2020. This means that from 2020, about 320,000-330,000 secondary school graduates will go to vocational school every year. This is a difficult task. However, experts say it is a must. As the head of the team carrying out research on solutions after the secondary education level, Do Thi Bich Loan from the Vietnam Education Science Institute said streamlining students creates a balanced development in qualification structure and professions, thus meeting economic restructuring in the process of industrialization and modernization of the country. Loan put emphasis on the streamlining of students after the secondary education level, affirming that this wont deprive students of the opportunities to continue studying, but will help diversify learning methods and give lifelong learning opportunities to everyone. Career guidance and student streaming bring benefits to both individuals and the society. This allows individuals to develop careers in accordance with their abilities and conditions, and allows society to use the labor force in the most effective way. Kim Chi Da Nang students make beach litter collecting machines A group of students in the central city of Da Nang have successfully made a machine for gathering rubbish on beaches. The Samajwadi Party on Friday promised pension for anti-CAA protesters if voted to power, drawing a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP which said it was in the DNA of that party to honour rioters and anti-social elements. (Photo: Twitter) Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party on Friday promised pension for anti-CAA protesters if voted to power, drawing a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP which said it was in the DNA of that party to honour rioters and anti-social elements. Leader of the Opposition in the UP Legislative Assembly, Ram Govind Chaudhary, said their party would also give compensation to the kin of those jailed or killed during anti-CAA protests in the state. If our party comes to power at the Centre and in UP, they (protesters) will be given pension as they have struggled to save the Constitution and the democracy, said Chaudhary responding to a question. He said they protect all those who seek refuge from them. Jo humari sharan mein aa gaye woh humari sharan mein hain. Hum sabki raksha karney wale log hain, the senior SP leader told mediapersons here. Referring to remarks of state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should stay in Pakistan for a month to understand atrocities being on Hindus, the senior SP leader said the Narendra Modi-led Union government was out to divert peoples attention from real issues. Anyone raising a question is being asked to go to Pakistan, he alleged. Later, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma lashed out at the Samajwadi Party, saying, It is in the DNA of that party to honour the rioters and anti-socials. They had also tried to withdraw cases against terrorists in the past and the court had to intervene. It is unfortunate that SP leaders are speaking about giving citizenship rights to the Bangladeshis and Rohangiyas, Sharma alleged. Commenting on SP chief Akhilesh Yadavs statement that he would not fill out forms for the National Population Register, the UP deputy CM said, Perhaps, he is not aware that the NPR is the basis of all development schemes. He is conspiring to deprive people of welfare schemes. The deputy chief minister alleged that the opposition parties, including the SP, BSP and the Congress, were competing to appease anti-social elements. There is another kind of 20-20 match going on between the SP, BSP and the Congress to outsmart each other in appeasing and encouraging anti-social elements, Sharma said. On Akhilesh Yadavs allegation that 1,000 children have died in Gorakhpur in the past year, Sharma said he needed to furnish evidence instead of levelling baseless allegations. Catch the latest news, live coverage and in-depth analyses from India and World. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 3 1 of 3 Dylan Suttles|The Telegraph Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Dylan Suttles|The Telegraph Show More Show Less 3 of 3 GRAFTON The Scrambled Gears robotics team from St. John Neumann Catholic School in Maryville met Friday at Pere Marquette State Park with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Randy Holbrook to deliver and demonstrate a mobility aid for individuals in wheelchairs to use at the park. The team invented the mobility aid, called Passable Path, to eliminate mobility barriers that prevent wheelchairs from going over uneven surfaces. The Passable Path is a set of connected boards that can be rolled onto different terrains, such as gravel, sand, grass and snow. Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal condemned the mob attack on the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and said the incident exposes the "true face" of Pakistan where "persecution of minorities is a reality". The Bathinda MP also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the matter with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan to ensure safety of the Sikh community in Pakistan. "The true face of Pak stands exposed! First Sikh minor girl kidnapped & forcibly married. Now kidnappers attacking victim family & holy shrine Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. I urge PM @narendramodi ji & DrSJaishankar (External Affairs Minister) to ensure Pak stops this barbarity & ensure safety of Pak Sikh community," she tweeted. The mob attack took place at the shrine where the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born on Friday in Pakistan. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. The Union minister also sought to corner Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Congress over their stand against the amended Citizenship Act, which seeks to provide citizenship to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have entered India till December 31, 2014, following religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. "Persecution of minorities in Pak is a reality. Attack on Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib has shown its horrible face. I want to ask @capt_amarinder & @INCIndia how can they oppose PM @narendramodi's noble humanitarian gesture of giving rights to such persecuted minorities! she further wrote in her tweet. Meanwhile, BJP leader Tarun Chugh lashed out at Pakistan for the mob attack on the historic Sikh shrine and sought strict action against those who perpetrated this attack. I will write to the External Affairs minister to take up this issue with Pakistan for action against those who carried out this attack, said Chugh. He also criticised the Punjab chief minister, alleging that he was playing politics by opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chennai-based anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam on Saturday asserted that the Tamil Nadu Police is "filing false FIRs" against people protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and Register of Citizens (NRC) peacefully. "The police are unleashing violence in the form of denying permission and filing false FIRs against peaceful protesters. In the last 20 days, protests have remained completely peaceful in the state but the police are still denying them permission to protest on the instructions of the state and central government," Jayaram Venkatesan, the convener of Arappor Iyakkam told ANI. He urged people to continue protesting in a peaceful manner to ensure that the state government listens to them. People, for over a month, have been protesting against the newly enacted law across the country. The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fueled by soaring temperatures and strong winds, Australia's east coast was burning furiously on Saturday. In the South, two people were killed on Kangaroo Island which brings the national toll to people who died this week to 12. Kangaroo Island is a popular tourist and holiday spot and is not far off the coast. Fires fueled by high temperatures and strong winds Australian firefighters have been battling bush fires non-stop in an effort to save lives and property. Australian authorities have claimed that the fires could become worse. The Australian government has called for army reserves to help firefighters in their efforts to tackle the flames and have announced a third navy ship which is equipped for disaster and humanitarian relief. While two people have been confirmed dead, 21 people still remain unaccounted for in Victoria. According to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, there are still numerous large and very dangerous fires that are burning all across New South Wales. In a statement released by Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Graham Ashton, there are still large groups of people in Victoria despite advice to flee to safety. 100,000 people have already been evacuated. AUSTRALIA IS ON FIRE. Praying for all the people and animals there. So much respect and prayers to the brave firefighters. This is terrifying and heartbreaking. If you are able to donate, anything helps. https://t.co/hX8or76TI8 pic.twitter.com/r6vTGe9cxl PRINCESS PIA MIA (@PrincessPiaMia) January 4, 2020 Read: Koala Makes Incredible Recovery After Being Rescued From Bushfires Read: Marnus Labuschagne's Maiden Double Ton Lifts Australia To 454 All Out Vs NZ Prime Minister Scott Morrison's scheduled visits to India and Japan in mid-January have been postponed due to the raging fires. PM Scott Morrison had previously come under fire for going on a family vacation while Australia was battling the bushfires. In related news, hundreds of people were being evacuated Friday from Australia's Mallacoota to a port in Melbourne by Navy boat. The journey will take 20 hours. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already-devastating wildfires. Read: Aus Vs NZ: Shane Warne Slams 'irresponsible' Australian Media For Nathan Lyon Comments Read: Australia: Dog's 11 Cancerous Tumours Removed After Experimental Treatment A new study led by Yale University researchers finds that scaling up use of methadone and buprenorphine -- medications for treating opioid use disorder known as opioid agonist therapies (OATs) -- could greatly reduce HIV transmission rates and prevent deaths in Ukraine, where the disease is epidemic among people who inject drugs. The study was published in The Lancet. Annual new HIV infections in Ukraine -- home to Eastern Europe and Central Asia's second largest HIV epidemic -- rose from 9,500 in 2010 to 12,000 in 2018, according to the study. New infections are likely to increase by approximately 60,000 over 10 years without additional interventions. The researchers found that treating at least 20% of people with opioid use disorder who inject drugs -- the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization -- could, over 10 years, prevent more than 10,000 new HIV infections and nearly 18,000 new deaths. Currently, only 2.7% of people who inject drugs in Ukraine receive OATs, despite their proven effectiveness. "Opioid agonist treatments are one of the most effective treatments for opioid use disorder and preventing HIV infections," said co-author Lynn Madden, a Yale postdoctoral associate in internal medicine and head of a foundation focused on substance use disorders and mental illness. "In addition to treating opioid dependence, it substantially reduces drug use and injection frequency, lowers HIV transmission rates, and prevents death, including death due to overdose," she said. Senior author Alexei Zelenev, Yale associate research scientist in medicine, said the healthcare system in Ukraine needs modernization, and HIV testing needs to be expanded, as only 56% of the population with HIV are aware of their infected status. High prevalence in people who inject drugs, criminalization of drug users, large injection networks, and suboptimal access to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder contribute to ongoing HIV transmission." Alexei Zelenev, Yale associate research scientist in medicine Researchers obtained HIV epidemic profiles and regional data -- including OAT treatment -- for 23 regions in the Ukraine. Their mathematical model evaluated the efficiency of current OAT treatment programs and assessed the effect of expanding those programs to treat 20% of the drug-injecting population. Taking into account regional differences, the study showed that scaling up OAT in regions with large populations of people who inject drugs -- like Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, and Kyiv -- would lead to the greatest reductions in infections and death, but that smaller regions not covered by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) remain highly vulnerable to HIV outbreaks and need to be considered when allocating resources. PEPFAR is the U.S. government's response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Scaling up OAT programs requires initiative on several fronts, said Zelenev. In addition to expanding capacity at existing treatment sites, he said that expansion of addiction treatment into primary care clinics, as well as through take-home pharmacy prescriptions, can offer pathways for increased access to effective treatment. "The expansion of OAT has not been adequate," he said. Amid the ongoing military conflict with Russia, Ukraine faces a difficult financial situation that exacerbates the public health crisis. Frederick Altice, professor of medicine, epidemiology and public health at Yale, and a co-author, said the study reveals the importance of scaling up evidence-based treatments to prevent new HIV infections and death. "Ukraine is a major country in the Eastern European and Central Asian region, the only region globally where new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths remain increasing," he said. "Findings from this study have important implications for other countries throughout the region where the HIV epidemic is similar. In nearby Russia, new HIV infections and deaths are increasing faster than in any other country in the region due to their complete bans on OATs -- one of the greatest HIV prevention tools we have available to us." Macau welcomed more visitors from mainland China than Hong Kong over the Christmas and New Year period for the first time ever, according to travel agency figures. Trips to the gambling hub spiked at the end of December following celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule, the countrys biggest travel website Ctrip.com said in a report published on Thursday. It also said that Macaus growing popularity as a shopping destination had further helped to boost visitor numbers. The festive atmosphere in Hong Kong, where Christmas is widely celebrated, makes it a popular destination at this time of year, but the report said six months of political turmoil had seen its appeal diminish. Statistics from the Hong Kong Immigration Department showed that about 450,000 mainland travellers entered the city between December 21 and 26, with a further 300,000 crossing the border between December 29 and January 1. But this was less than half the total from the previous year, when more than a million visitors arrived between December 21 and 26, and more than 800,000 between December 29 and January 1. Zhuang Zhimin, a tourism researcher from East China Normal University in Shanghai, said many mainland people are not willing to travel to Hong Kong due to safety concerns. But I believe its a temporary phenomenon that people shun Hong Kong, he continued. Macau and Hong Kong have their own special features to lure tourists. Macau is becoming increasingly popular as a shopping destination for mainlanders. Photo: Nora Tam Tuniu, another major travel agency, said the number of mainlanders booking trips to Macau had risen by 60 per cent in 2019 compared with the previous year. The company said the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge at the end of 2018 and Western atmosphere in this former Portuguese colony have helped attract mainland travellers. One of the mainland tourists who did decide to travel to Hong Kong over Christmas said she had been reassured by friends in the city that it was still safe to visit. Story continues Irene Yang, a property service company manager in Shanghai, said she had been wondering whether to cancel her trip following clashes on a number of university campuses in November. But the 30-year-old said: My friends in Hong Kong told me the situation now is not as chaotic or violent as being reported. At least, public transport is all right. Ctrips report also found that 30 per cent of travellers during this period had been born after 1990. This compared with the 27 per cent for people born in the Eighties and was the first time that more travellers were born after 1990. January 1 is a public holiday on the mainland, but Christmas is not and only some foreign companies give their staff time off during the holiday period. Because of the short holiday period, most travellers stayed in Asia. According to Ctrip, the top five overseas destinations were Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. Angela Feng, a manager at an accounting firm in Shanghai, went trekking in Nepal between December 25 to January 2. I love hiking, so I joined an outdoor activity group to Nepal. The country is popular among backpackers in China, said Feng, who is in her 30s. Its good for me to be unreachable for some days because there is no telephone signal in the mountains. Sign up now for our 50% early bird offer from SCMP Research: China AI Report. The all new SCMP China AI Report gives you exclusive first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments, and actionable and objective intelligence about China AI that you should be equipped with. This article Mainland Chinese tourists shun Hong Kong in favour of Macau over Christmas and New Year first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. Chris Harrison, 50, with his daughter Chloe, 18, on her birthday An army veteran with PTSD was glassed in the face during his daughter's 18th birthday celebrations and is now too scared to leave the house. Chris Harrison, 50, was glassed with a pint glass by a thug while celebrating daughter Chloe's 18th birthday in Sheffield city centre on Christmas Eve - leaving him needing stitches to treat seven gashes across his face. The single father-of-two, who has suffered with PTSD since serving in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment for five years before leaving the force in 1994, said the psychological impact of the attack - which happened outside a bar just after midnight - has been 'unbelievable'. Mr Harrison, from Sheffield, said he feared he was going to die in the unprovoked assault, which has also left him in agonising pain. He said: 'It was so traumatic, I'm scared to go anywhere. I haven't been out of my flat since it happened. Mr Harrison was glassed in the face (left) while waiting for a taxi in Sheffield city centre on Christmas Eve. After rushing to hospital in a taxi, hospital staff told Mr Harrison he was lucky he hadn't lost his eyesight (right) 'The affect its had on me psychologically is unbelievable. 'Looking at me, because I'm ex-army, you'd think I could take it but I thought he was going to kill me.' Chris Harrison when he served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment The retired soldier had just said goodbye to Chloe in a nearby pub as she headed off to a club in the city centre after a family gathering before the attack last week. Mr Harrison, who had drunk five pints, claims he was approached by a man who attacked him with a pint glass while waiting for a taxi after the man shouted he was 'looking at him'. He said: 'It was the end of the night and my daughter wanted to go to a club so I went home, clubs aren't my thing anymore. 'There was a man on the phone arguing with someone, I was looking in his general direction and he started shouting 'what are you looking at' and then the next thing, he was calling me a racist. 'I told him I wasn't a racist, I was just waiting for my taxi and I did everything I could to diffuse the situation. 'He was looking for trouble. I didn't even know the guy. When I went to get in my taxi, he came towards me and called me a racist b*****d.' Mr Harrison and his daughter Chloe on her 18th birthday. He said Chloe has been left distraught by the attack He continued: 'I told him I wasn't a racist and he threw the glass in my face. I was shocked, dazed and confused. I didn't know what to do. 'I'm ex-army so I knew to go on the defensive by shouting at him. I was staggering around waiting for the next attack, but thank God it didn't come.' After rushing to hospital in a taxi, hospital staff told Mr Harrison he was lucky he hadn't lost his eyesight. Mr Harrison, who lost his son Daniel earlier this year aged just 23, was forced to undergo a four-hour operation to remove the glass and apply stitches. He said Chloe has been left distraught by the attack. Mr Harrison said: 'My top lip split completely. Christmas was horrible, I was in agony, I couldn't eat and my face was in so much pain. 'Chloe was shocked, upset and distraught. My son died earlier this year so I've had that to deal with and now I'm just worried that he'll do it to someone else. 'Police have CCTV but have said they don't think there'll be much chance of a prosecution. 'I'm sure if he'd done it to a police officer there would be.' A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: 'At around 1:30am on 24 December 2019, police received reports of an attack outside the Sheffield Water Works Company Wetherspoons on Carver Lane. 'It is reported that the victim was waiting for a taxi when he was hit with a pint glass, causing facial injuries which required hospital treatment. 'Extensive lines of enquiry, including detailed analysis of CCTV footage, have been pursued to find who is responsible, however the attacker has not yet been identified. 'If anyone has any information which might help our officers, please call 101.' Time for radical improvement (Dec. 26, A13) Learning from others and our own past (Dec. 27, A11) Road map to transformation (Dec. 29, A23) A call to action (Dec. 30, A13) Tell us what you think about HISD: What works? What doesnt? What needs to change? Please use this online form to send letters to the editor. To access the form, point your browser to houstonchronicle.com/opinion/submit. In 2003 in the lead up to the Iraq War, Defense Secretary Colin Powell said regarding an invasion and overthrow of Iraq if you break it, you own it. While the Texas Education Agency and Commissioner of Education Mike Morath certainly didnt break Houston ISD, they certainly now will own it with their impending takeover of the district. Locally run and administered Independent School Districts are the bedrock of our democracy and the avenue by which a diverse society becomes and functions together as Americans. Each local school district has its own unique wants and needs. Houston, Friendswood and Sweeney ISDs are each very different from the other, but each function best when important decisions regarding the district are made by school board members and administrators who are accountable to the people living in that community. If you run into an elected official at the grocery store who you know personally, he or she is more likely to be a member of your school board than your representative in the Legislature. Unfortunately the law as passed by the Legislature a few years ago, apparently requires the takeover by the state of HISD. I say unfortunately because a big part of the problem in HISD was the school board, which the voters corrected last month in replacing half the board (which is exactly how democracy is supposed to work). Regarding the impending takeover of HISD by the TEA and Commissioner Morath, we should feel comforted in that they are supposed to be the best of the best in the education field the experts. We should all be watching closely over the next year or two to hold them accountable, as we would be if they were the democratically elected school board. I know I will. Matt Robinson, Texas State Board of Education District 7 All of the listed factors in the Dec. 29 article are valid, but another factor should be included: Teachers need more training in handling difficult behaviors so that they can focus on teaching the curriculum. Perhaps the more effective teachers can share their techniques. It is clear when I observe even the youngest students that some are not used to paying attention to and responding to simple adult directives. Thus, parent education is also a need. Mary Wenzel, Houston "I enrolled in this school in class 6. I enjoy coming to school because a lot of activities are being conducted by the teachers in the class under the entrepreneurship mindset curriculum. These activities work as stressbusters for me because I have to appear for my board exams this year and sometimes I feel overstressed, said Shweta. Shweta, a class 12 humanity student told IANS that she was happy with the induction of the new curriculum called entrepreneurship mindset curriculum. However, she felt that in order to make learning more interesting and comprehensive there should be smart classes in her school. Another class 10 student Surabhi said. "My teacher brings tab and speakers and plays motivational videos. Sometimes she gives us a random topic on which we speak impromptu in the class. She also teaches from the book provided to her for the entrepreneurship class. These activities have taught me that if your mind is cool, you can perform better and achieve more." Surabhi's mother Rupam Suman said "the PTM gives me an opportunity to know my daughter's progress. Education has improved a lot in the government schools. I have observed that various activities are conducted in the school which are helpful in releasing stress, especially for her as she has to appear for board exams." The Principal of the school, Asha Kumar, said that it is really good that the government is organising such events. "I have observed the evolution, changes and many government policy interventions in the field of education during my career but such events were never organised. By organising such events, a gap between the teachers, students and their parents has been filled. Most importantly teachers encourage and praise children in front of their parents, therefore, they don't feel scared rather they are motivated," said Kumar. Kumar said "The reasons, apart from studies, why children are turning up in schools are: mid-day meal, happiness and entrepreneurship activities. There has been a tremendous change in the attitude of the children too due to happiness and entrepreneurship activities. They have become more expressive and less hesitant in sharing their views." She said such activities are important to make kids confident as most of them are from middle or lower class and suffer from inferiority complex. "We have also started taking students for educational tours in as well as outside Delhi as per the government policy. Recently, we went to Delhi-Jaipur and Bharatpur for a three day tour. It is great to see that the focus of the government is completely on quality education. Such events should not be stopped; in fact, they should happen in a much organised manner," said Kumar. A Hindi teacher said that some teachers from the staff only take happiness and entrepreneurship classes where they conduct activities like group discussion, storytelling, poetry recitation, peer group activities and skits. "Happiness is being taught up to class 8 whereas entrepreneurship is taught from class 9-12. Books have been provided to teach both. These initiatives invoke the interest of parents as well as students to attend the PTM," said the Hindi teacher. Lime scooters covered 63,078 miles during a 15-week trial in Rochester. Jaymi Wilson, a project manager for city administration, said the pilot-program results deem the project a success in the eyes of the scooter-rental company, which could seek to return motorized scooters to city streets this year. "They are interested," she said. The scooters saw their busiest period during the first weeks following the Aug. 1 launch of the program on Rochester streets, with a peak of nearly 6,000 trips a week during the second and third full weeks of operation. It was during the same period that the number of riders peaked for two weeks at nearly 3,000. ADVERTISEMENT Overall, 12,853 riders logged 50,641 trips. With the data in hand, Wilson said the city continues to collect feedback from scooter users and other community members. On Monday, the Rochester City Council will be asked during its 3:30 p.m. study session to consider options for the future of motorized scooter rentals in the city. Current city ordinances would allow any rental company to drop the two-wheeled devices on city streets, but Wilson said its not ideal. "That is not something we want," she said. Recommendations include requiring scooter-rental companies to enter an agreement with the city for operation. The city could issue a call for proposals related to future operations. Other proposed ordinance changes include establishing hours for operating scooters, creating designated parking areas and banning the use of cellphones while on a scooter. Wilson said the city would also continue to collect data on operations to monitor use and trends. ADVERTISEMENT The numbers from the recent trial indicate ridership started to drop off after the first month. Wilson said that indicates the novelty wore off after the first month and commuters became the most frequent users by the end of the trial. In September, the number of weekly riders dropped to a little more than half of the August peak, and by the end of October, the number of weekly riders was less than 750. While most trips occurred in the citys downtown core, a map of trips in the last month of the pilot program shows commuters were using the devices to access Mayo Clinics west parking lot on Second Street Southwest, as well as areas near Broadway Avenue south of 20th Street Southeast. In addition to reviewing the scooter data and potential ordinance changes, the City Council will also be looking at bike-sharing operations and the recent addition of HourCar services in the city. The transportation options are part of an effort to diversify commuter options in the city. Destination Medical Center goals established in 2015 seek to increase the percentage of commuters using buses and other modes of transit to enter downtown Rochester. At the time, an estimated 25,000 vehicle trips were made into the DMC district, comprising 71 percent of all trips. The 2040 goal is to reduce the percentage to 43%, which would mean 26,800 vehicle trips into the citys core each day. {{tncms-inline content="

Meetings during the week of Jan. 6 include:

Rochester

City Council study session, 3:30 p.m. Monday in the council chambers of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE.

City Council, 7 p.m. Monday in the council chambers of the Government Center.

Park Board, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in room 104 of City Hall, 201 Fourth St. SE.

Energy Commission, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in room 104 of City Hall.

Planning and Zoning Commission, 6 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers of the Government Center.

Olmsted County

Administrative Committee, 8 a.m. Tuesday in conference room 4 of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE.

Physical Development Committee, 8 a.m. Tuesday in conference room 2 of the government center.

Board of County Commissioners, 9 a.m. Tuesday in the board chambers of the government center.

Community Services Advisory Board, 7 a.m. Wednesday in room 161 at 2117 Campus Drive Southeast.

Housing and Redevelopment Authority administrative committee, 8 a.m. Wednesday in conference room 4 of the government center.

Housing, Health and Human Services committee, 9 a.m. Wednesday in conference room 4 of the government center.

CREST Regional Management Team, 1 p.m. Wednesday in room 161 at 2117 Campus Drive SE.

Youth Commission, 4:45 p.m. Wednesday in the government center cafeteria.

Zumbro One Watershed One Plan Policy Committee, 9 a.m. Thursday at People's Energy Cooperative, 1775 S. Lake Shady Ave., Oronoco.

Board of Adjustment, 7 p.m. Thursday in county board chambers of the government center.

County Board meeting with legislative delegation, 9 a.m. Friday in the board chambers of the government center.

Rochester Public Schools

School Board, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of the Edison Building, 615 Seventh St. SW.

" id="72a17622-933e-4211-9a21-feb83fbf96df" style-type="info" title="Upcoming meetings" type="relcontent" width="full"}} ADVERTISEMENT Meetings during the week of Jan. 6 include: Rochester City Council study session, 3:30 p.m. Monday in the council chambers of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE. City Council, 7 p.m. Monday in the council chambers of the Government Center. Park Board, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in room 104 of City Hall, 201 Fourth St. SE. Energy Commission, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in room 104 of City Hall. Planning and Zoning Commission, 6 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers of the Government Center. Olmsted County Administrative Committee, 8 a.m. Tuesday in conference room 4 of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE. Physical Development Committee, 8 a.m. Tuesday in conference room 2 of the government center. Board of County Commissioners, 9 a.m. Tuesday in the board chambers of the government center. Community Services Advisory Board, 7 a.m. Wednesday in room 161 at 2117 Campus Drive Southeast. Housing and Redevelopment Authority administrative committee, 8 a.m. Wednesday in conference room 4 of the government center. Housing, Health and Human Services committee, 9 a.m. Wednesday in conference room 4 of the government center. CREST Regional Management Team, 1 p.m. Wednesday in room 161 at 2117 Campus Drive SE. Youth Commission, 4:45 p.m. Wednesday in the government center cafeteria. Zumbro One Watershed One Plan Policy Committee, 9 a.m. Thursday at People's Energy Cooperative, 1775 S. Lake Shady Ave., Oronoco. Board of Adjustment, 7 p.m. Thursday in county board chambers of the government center. County Board meeting with legislative delegation, 9 a.m. Friday in the board chambers of the government center. Rochester Public Schools School Board, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of the Edison Building, 615 Seventh St. SW. In a recent article, journalist and historian Mark Ellis wrote that the Democrats are experiencing a "Stalingrad." The article convincingly argues that the current political battle for impeachment resembles a real battle the Battle of Stalingrad. This refers to the fact that the Democrats, in their battle with Trump, seem to have "reached their Stalingrad." As it is known, the Battle of Stalingrad the largest battle of the Second World War served as a point that can be called the beginning of the end of the Third Reich. According to Ellis, Trump's impeachment will mark the beginning of the end of the Democrat Party. Let us leave aside a question that has a purely academic interest: is it possible to compare a real battle with a political one? Most likely, such direct comparisons are incorrect, but Ellis does not raise such a question he considers only some characteristics of these events, which have much in common and allow comparison of the theoretically incomparable. Developing this interesting analogy, the following can be added to the conclusions and analogies of Ellis. In December 2019, the Democrats impeached President Trump. This resembles the Wehrmacht's capture of a bridgehead on the banks of the Volga river in 1942, near the city of Stalingrad. At the same time, the losses of the German invaders grew to an unprecedented, unacceptable level, an analogue to the shocking loss of financial support for the Democrats in 2019. At the same time, financial contributions to the Trump campaign after impeachment have reached a record level both in absolute terms and relative to fundraising by his Democratic opponents. The American people are not waiting for the presidential election in November 2020; their revenge for the shameful and unconvincing half-impeachment was to cast their votes in cash right now. Following other analogies, the German blitzkrieg the quick seizure of foreign territory with the effective suppression of any resistance resembles the way the Democrats held shameful hearings on the impeachment of Trump. Hearings of Democrats in the House of Representatives were amazingly fast, just three months. For comparison, the preparation of the impeachment of Nixon (which did not take place) took three years, and the impeachment of Clinton (which took place) lasted two years. The Democratic blitzkrieg the hearings in the House of Representatives was held so Trump was not even given the opportunity to defend himself in any way. His lawyers were denied attendance to the hearings, and not a single witness to the defense was allowed. Despite the fact that a significant part of Stalingrad was captured by the Nazis (and this seemed like a victory), the prestige of the German army did not increase; rather, it fell. As a result of impeachment, Trump's ratings increased, and the Democrats' ratings fell. In particular, as a result of impeachment, Trump has been beating all of his potential Democrat rivals in the polls. Another distinguishing feature of these two battles is that in both cases, the attacking forces were a motley conglomerate. The main contingent of occupying forces in Stalingrad was not German, but Russian, Romanian, and Italian units of the Wehrmacht. The main contingent of modern American Democrats is not the Democrats of World War II, but a bunch of socialists, Social Democrats, communists, Trotskyists, Stalinists, and other leftists. At the end of winter in 1943, the German command threw its troops surrounded at Stalingrad to their own devices. Similarly, the leaders of the Democratic Party abandoned 31 members of Congress, who were forced to impeach Trump. These Democrats are not quite ordinary. They were elected in 2018, not in the traditional Democrat, but the Republican districts in those districts where Trump won in 2016. Speaker Nancy Pelosi actually threw her fellow Democrats to the mercy of the winners. Few of these members of the Congress who rashly voted for impeachment will return to Congress after the 2020 election. In the Battle of Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht used almost all of its strategic reserves. In America, the situation is similar in the presidential election in 2016, about 65 million Democrats and about 63 million Republicans cast their votes i.e., only about 128 million people took part. In 2016, all leftists, without exception, enthusiastically (as ordered by the DNC) participated in the elections. Their reserves are almost exhausted. In total, about 252 million people have the right to vote in America that is, a political battle is fought for the remaining 124 million people. Recent opinion polls suggest that every time the word "impeachment" is heard from a TV screen, one of those 124 million becomes a Republican. In other words, the Republican reserves the so-called "silent majority" are about twice the number of Democrats in America. Nevertheless, despite all the analogies that can be seen in these two completely different events, there are significant differences. In the Battle of Stalingrad, two strains of socialism German National Socialism and Soviet International Socialism clashed in the battle to the death. No doubt, they were ideologically like-minded adversaries. On the contrary, the battle for the impeachment in the winter of 20192020 is a clash of diametrically different ideologies. Another difference is that in February 1943, the Soviet command mercifully, under the threat of total destruction of the enemy, invited the encircled German invaders to surrender, and Field Marshal Paulus finally accepted this proposal. Trump certainly will not show such mercy. Judging Trump's fighting mood, the battle for impeachment will be a historic turning point for the Democrats, just as the battle for Stalingrad was a turning point in World War II. The new year 2020 will mark the beginning of a full-scale discrediting; criminal prosecution; and, possibly, total self-destruction of the non-democratic Democrat Party. Gary Gindler, Ph.D. is a conservative columnist at Gary Gindler Chronicles and the founder of a new science: politiphysics. Follow him on Twitter and Quodverum. Auchan informed the Food Safety Unit that the Norovirus had been detected in a number of oysters. The governor of Morbihan issues a decree issued on 31 December 2019 prohibiting the fishing, collection, transfer, shipping and marketing of all shellfish from the zone n56.09.3. A memo of the French general directorate of food had revealed a number of human Norovirus cases after oysters from this area were consumed. These were the MYTILIMER "Special hollow oysters of Quiberon N2". The product in question was withdrawn from sale in the stores concerned, but a part of the products had already been sold to consumers. The Novovirus can cause gastroenteritis in humans, with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. For this reason, Luxembourg's food safety authorities recommend that consumers no longer consume the following product: Name: Huitres creuses speciales de Quiberon N2 (Special hollow oysters from Quiberon N2) Brand: MYTILIMER Unit: 1.2 kg, 12 pieces Use by date (DLC): 19.12.2019 and 21.12.2019 Lot number: 19122019 and 21122019 Barcode: 3000045268813 Approval number: FR.35.132.018.CE Only the product with the lot numbers and expiration dates indicated is affected. A court in Uttar Pradesh granted bail on Saturday to social activist Sadaf Jafar and former IPS officer SR Darapuri, besides 13 others arrested in connection with anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Lucknow. The court of Additional Sessions Judge SS Pandey asked the accused to furnish two sureties of Rs 50,000 each and personal bonds of an equal amount. The judge had reserved his orders on the bail applications of Jafar, Darapuri and the other accused on Friday, after hearing the individual pleas as well as the submissions of the government lawyer. According to government lawyer Deepak Yadav, the Hazratganj police had booked the other accused on December 19 under IPC sections, including 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). The accused were arrested in the case and sent to judicial custody. On Thursday, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply within two weeks on a petition seeking quashing of the FIR filed against Jafar for her participation in a protest against the CAA. A bench of justices Shabihul Hasnain and Virendra Kumar II passed the order on a writ petition moved on Jafar's behalf. Apart from challenging the FIR and seeking declaration of her arrest as illegal, the petitioner has also demanded that the investigation in the matter be conducted by an officer of the rank of superintendent of police and under the court's supervision. The court posted the matter after two weeks for the next hearing. Jafar was arrested on December 19 for protesting against the amended citizenship law. The United States will deploy thousands of additional troops to the Middle East, amid rising tensions with Iran, following airstrikes that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, informed a US defence official. Pentagon has also confirmed the additional deployment of troops from a US' Immediate Response Force unit, reported CNN. Earlier it was reported that the US has deployed 750 troops from a similar unit following the attack on US violent protest at the US embassy in Baghdad. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the killing of Iran's elite IRGC Qassem Soleimani by US military was aimed 'to stop a war, not to start a war.' He also said that Qassem was plotting attacks on US diplomats and military personnel before he was killed. This comes at a backdrop of Washington's strike carried out near Baghdad's international airport killing Soleimani, a US-designated terrorist, along with six others on the direction of President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Iran on Friday vowed to take a "vigorous revenge" over the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite IRGC. The US had accused Soleimani of orchestrating several attacks on coalition bases in Iraq including the December 27 attack in which American and Iraqi personnel were killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Andrei Makhovsky and Olga Yagova MINSK/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has halted oil supplies to refineries in Belarus, the Belarusian state energy firm said on Friday, amid a new contract dispute that is also threatening large Russian oil deliveries to Western Europe crossing the country. Belarus's state firm Belneftekhim said deliveries had been halted as of Jan. 1. Two trading sources told Reuters Russian oil transit to Europe via Belarus was so far continuing uninterrupted. A Russian industry source familiar with the discussions said Russia could agree to a short-term supply deal with Belarus in the coming days. Supplies would come from small Russian firms until a new, longer-term deal is agreed, the source said. Europe receives around 10% of its oil via the transit link, known as the Druzhba pipeline, which can supply more than 1 million barrels per day to countries including Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Moscow and Minsk have had several oil and gas spats over the past decade, in what has been described as a love-hate relationship between presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. Putin and Lukashenko have repeatedly toyed with the idea of political integration of the countries, but the autocratic Belarusian leader who came to power in 1994 has backtracked repeatedly. Russia has cut subsidies to Belarus over many years and is now charging close to international prices for oil and gas, but contracts negotiations are often protracted. "Deliveries have been suspended ... Plants are reducing their workload to the technical minimum," a spokesman for Belneftekhim said. Russian pipeline operator Transneft said Russian oil companies have not sent any oil to Belarus since Jan. 1, the TASS news agency reported. "Since Jan. 1, we have not had any applications from oil companies to deliver to Belarusian refineries. However, oil transit through Belarus is continuing in full volumes," Transneft spokesman Igor Dyomin was quoted as saying. Story continues It was not clear when Moscow and Minsk could resume talks on their 2020 contract. Russia is on a New Year holiday until Jan. 9. Belneftekhim said on Friday it had temporarily suspended the export of petroleum products as it was lacking the oil. It said it would ultimately fulfil its contractual obligations but did not say how. It also said it had enough petroleum product reserves to supply its domestic market in January and beyond. Belarus exports around 12 million tonnes of petroleum products annually, primarily to Ukraine and Poland, data from state statistics agency Belstat showed. In the first 11 months of 2019, imports from Belarus made up 35% of Ukraine's diesel fuel market and 36% of its petrol market, according to Ukrainian consulting group A-95. (Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky in MINSK, Olga Yagova and Gleb Gorodyankin in MOSCOW, Pavel Polityuk in KIEV; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin, Dmitry Zhdannikov and Polina Ivanova; Editing by Alex Richardson/Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Grant McCool) In just 18 frames, the photograph of the dainty Sheena, with her winsome smile and starry eyes, dissolved, flesh falling off her facial bones, into what the CBI alleged was her corresponding yellowed, morose-looking skull with hollow, haunting eye sockets. Vaihayasi Pande Daniel reports from the Sheena Bora murder trial. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Dr Sunil Kumar Tripathi, 72, became, on Friday, January 3, Prosecution Witness No 60 and the first witness of 2020 in the Sheena Bora murder trial unfolding, since 2017, at Courtroom 51, Mumbai city civil and sessions, located in south Mumbai. On Friday both Winter and the Brand New Year came merrily waltzing into this court, unasked. Fans were off in No 51. Windows were open just a crack. Accused No 4 former CEO Star India and INX Media, Peter Mukerjea was wearing a slightly rumpled charcoal jacket to combat Mumbai's unusual even if fractional drop in mercury. And 2020 showed up, unexpectedly, poking its lively head too soon, into these dull courtrooms, like a politician offering difficult-to-believe promises of new beginnings and hope. Dr Tripathi, who hailed from Varanasi and had been the head of the department of forensic medicine at IMS, Benares Hindu University, till his retirement in 2018, had been called to the witness box as an expert by the prosecution led by the usually taciturn, mild-mannered Special Public Prosecutor Manoj Chaladan. This forensic man had conducted, in 2015, skull-photo superimposition tests using four pictures of Sheena and photographs, he took, of the skull found at Raigad district, Maharashtra. Skull-photo superimposition tests use computer software to map, one by one, the similarities of various facial landmarks between a photograph of a dead person and his/her skull. The more the points of correspondence the better the result. Through a series of frames, and hi-tech computer wizardry, the photograph can be shown to perfectly match the skull. That is: In just 18 frames, the photograph of the dainty Sheena, with her winsome smile and starry eyes, dissolved, flesh falling off her facial bones, into what the CBI alleged was her corresponding yellowed, morose-looking skull with hollow, haunting eye sockets. The aim of these tests was to, once again, attempt to prove that the skull found at rural Gagode Khurd, Raigad, in 2015 matched Sheena's photographs (although it was not specified if this was the skull unearthed in 2015 as opposed to the remains found in the same spot in 2012). Dr Tripathi had been invited by the CBI to Delhi in November 2015 to meet doctors Sudhir Gupta and Adarsh Kumar of the forensic department at AIIMS, who were examining the skull sent to them from Mumbai. He was asked to run his own superimposition tests. Over a period of two days he produced results for the four photographs. The doctor, a moustachioed and bespectacled silver-haired man, attired in a pink shirt, a black vest and brown trousers, was an enthusiastic advocate of the skull-photo superimposition method. In his testimony to the court, in the manner of a proselytizer, he eagerly explained what he felt was the veracity of the method and how it achieved its results. The court was presented four sheets with strips of photographs of how the skull could magically metamorphose into Sheena once again, although the software used was a trial version (and had not even been purchased for the purpose of this case, leading to one of the accused to mutter semi-jokingly something to the effect that "they want to hang us on the basis of material for which they could not spend 25 dollars to purchase the actual software"). Dr Tripathi had learned this technique after he had attended a solitary workshop on facial reconstruction in 2004 conducted by "an international expert of repute in this field" Mehmet Yasar Iscan at Punjabi University at Patiala. Iscan, a forensic anthropologist at Istanbul University's Institute of Forensic Sciences, specialised in human facial image identification and has written books on reconstruction of life from a skeleton. Since then, Dr Tripathi has been working in the field of craniofacial identification, has written some 80 papers on the subject in both Indian and international journals and appeared in five court cases, including the Sheena Bora trial, as an expert in skull-photo superimposition. Dr Tripathi's language was often convoluted, tortuous and hard to fathom, especially since he consistently referred picturesquely to the photographs of Sheena, that he used for his process, as "live photographs" as if the victim were once again alive sitting in the courtroom amongst us. He told the court: "I started my superimposition work by taking several digital photographs of skull from different angles with different facial profiles. Simultaneously, I (have) chosen four live photographs of Sheena Bora. These live photographs were (having) very specific characters -- having a smile face with visible teeth." "These photographs and digital skull photographs were processed as per the need of the software and superimposition made." "Finally, when all characteristics (which) belongs to the face of Sheena Bora and the provided skull, match each other. Then I consider the visible smiling face, teeth and the skull's front teeth to match the various variables, for example, shape, size, tooth direction, gap between two teeths etc." "Those variables also found to match each other, having all similar characteristics. Thus, I concluded that, all four sets of live photographs and the provided skull of digital photographs belongs to each other..." "Therefore complete individual identification was made -- of the photographs of Sheena Bora and the provided skull, that belongs to the same individual." His evidence, as he rattled it off in court, led to three questions that began to tickle oneS brain, namely -- Would not Dr Tripathi have also wanted to use Sheena's dental records for this process too, or maybe she had none? And how was he, no professional photographer, able to take photographs of the skull at such a perfect angle that they matched the photographs chosen of Sheena? And lastly didn't the skull, in the pictures being shown, have a far broader jaw than Sheena -- she was clearly not square-jawed? After producing the sheets of superimposition photographs, Dr Tripathi had written up his report in 2015 that stated the photographs of Sheena matched the skull. He identified that report in court. The court then broke for lunch. Indrani Mukerjea, her long hair open and swathed in a watermelon pink kurta, with gold stripes and gold edging, made a pretty picture in court on Friday as she celebrated her birthday nibbling on a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar and giving off electric smiles. "Isn't she very friendly?" asked a young newcomer to court, in a horrified whisper, her startled eyes finding it difficult to contain her shock at coming face to face with a smiling, cheerful, alleged murderer. "How should Indrani be behaving?" I asked. "Guilty. Like she had committed a murder." That, when it was pointed out, Indrani was accused but not yet convicted and a human being like anyone else, with days of good moods and bad moods, was not easy to comprehend for this newcomer, as she continued to observe Indrani, fascinated, through the rest of the proceedings. After the lunch recess, Dr Tripathi, on a laptop provided by Chaladan, engagingly demonstrated from a CD to a mildly curious CBI Special Judge Jayendra Chandrasen Jagdale, a posse of black-coated defence lawyers and the court how the software worked. He showed how he chose certain hallmarks of the face like the nasal bone or the cheek and point by point mapped them and matched them with the skull. Looking at the laptop screen, quite enamoured with the software, he took off pointing to Sheena's picture: "See this lip has lipstick, red colour lipstick..." and then pointing to the skull, "See here how just alike, can see how gradually the facial reconstruction is taking place..." In conclusion, he declared: "Various facial landmarks and their corresponding landmarks over skull (are) considered along with application of forensic odontology, considering various characteristics of teeth which never be found of one individual to other individual (ie are unique to an individual). This give hundred percent accuracy." But accuracy of facial reconstruction is debatable as evidenced by the slew of research papers all over the internet arguing its reliability. Most call it a helpful tool and not expert evidence. Indeed in US courts, for instance, the Daubert Standard, which governs what is admissible as evidence legally, forensic facial reconstruction is 'not considered legally recognised technique for positive identification, and is not admissible as expert testimony'.* The reason for this is: 'When multiple forensic artists produce approximations for the same set of skeletal remains, no two reconstructions are ever the same and the data from which approximations are created are largely incomplete'.** That is, results from different forensic construction experts tend to differ. There are also a variety of morphing programmes on the Internet, less scientific than the ones that forensic experts utilise, that use software gimmickry to morph two totally disparate photographs together to appear like one naturally emerged from the other. Were the techniques that different, one wondered? Indrani's lawyer Gunjan Mangla began Dr Tripathi's cross-examination. Her first question related to the CD the forensic doctor had used to demonstrate his technique in court. She wanted to know when it had been burned. Dr Tripathi admitted that he had burned three CDs the night before from data he had on a pen drive in his possession. It was not clear why the pen drive had not been submitted as evidence along with the sheets of superimposition photographs in 2015. There was a bit of an argument about when the forensic expert's cross examination would continue. Dr Tripathi said he was 72 and a prostate cancer survivor and found it difficult to spend too much time in the witness box without bathroom breaks, "har do ghanta urine jaana hai." Nor did he want to be gone from home too long. He added, speaking to the defence: "Nobody knows how much you will ask!" Judge Jagdale concurred: "Don't torture. This is not a torture chamber." A little discussion broke out about the joys of Varanasi. The judge mused that Dr Tripathi was here from Varanasi while all people were headed to Varanasi "ghumne ke liye (for sightseeing). Sab old-age walle (all old people)." Chaladan chimed in, disagreeing: "No sir, last month I myself was there." It was decided the cross examination would continue on Tuesday January 7. Indrani, who submitted her fifth bail application, on merit, late last month before the courts closed for the holidays, exchanged harsh words with ex-husband Peter after he, she said, made a rude remark to her while she was in the accused dock. "He can't abuse me like this," she remarked, hurt, to her lawyer and refused to accept the apology Peter came to tender. After the accused left and before the hearing closed, lawyers for Peter and Indrani, Mangla and Viral Babar, approached the judge requesting permission to prevent interactions between their clients, after this altercation. The judge nodded sagaciously and agreed, adding, a smile alternately lurking under his bushy moustache: "They don't need to interact with each other when they are represented by powerful lawyers like you both!" *Hard Evidence: Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology by Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, professor and director, Forensic Anthropology Center, Tennessee **Assessment of the Reliability of Facial Reconstruction by R Helmer, et al. Vaihayasi Pande Daniel covers the Sheena Bora Murder Trial for Rediff.com. You can read her fascinating coverage here. Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-04 08:06:25|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building in Kep city, Kep Province, Cambodia, on Jan. 4, 2020. Six died and 16 others were injured after an under-construction building collapsed here on Friday, a provincial spokesman said. (Xinhua/Mao Pengfei) KEP, Cambodia, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Six Cambodian workers died and 16 others injured after a six-floor guesthouse building, that was under construction, collapsed in southwestern Cambodia's Kep province on Friday, a provincial spokesman said on Saturday. "Twenty-two people were pulled out of the debris of the collapsed building, but six of them had died," Kep Provincial Information Department director and spokesman Ros Udong told Xinhua, adding that the victims aged between 15 and 56 years old. He said the rescue is still going on as witnesses reportedly said that between 20 and 30 people, including a foreman, were in the building when it collapsed. The accident occurred at around 4:30 p.m. at an under-construction six-story building in Kep city, he said, adding that the building came down when workers were constructing the seventh floor slap. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen visited the site on Friday night and led the rescue team to search for the workers who are still trapped under the collapsed building. Excavators and crane trucks had been used to remove the debris of the collapsed building, and ambulances were on standby to carry victims, as relatives of the missing cried and prayed for their missing members. "My two children, male and female, and a son-in-law are missing in the debris," Sar Hoeun told Xinhua tearfully while waiting at Friday night as rescuers searched through the rubble of the collapsed building. "I pray for them to come out safely because they are my hope when I am old," said the 46-year-old mother. She said her children came to work as construction workers at the site for four months. Chhun Tith, head of the firefighting bureau in Kep province, said more than 1,000 rescuers, including Chinese, had taken part in the rescue operation. "About 90 percent of the building was completed when it collapsed," he told Xinhua, adding that the construction of the building was started in August, 2018. He said Ek Sarun, the Cambodian owner of the collapsed building, was detained for questioning over the tragic incident. An official at the Kep Provincial Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction said the building's owner had applied for a license to construct a five-story building, but he illegally built it up to seven floors. "This is perhaps the main cause of the collapse," he said while visiting the collapsed building. Located about 160 km southwest of capital Phnom Penh, the coastal province of Kep is an emerging tourist destination, and the tiny province is known for its seafood and tropical islands. Ailing former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, under treatment in London, will be hospitalised soon for a cardiac procedure as the doctors have failed to determine the real cause for his low blood platelet count, according to a media report. The 69-year-old PML-N supremo had left for London on November 19 in an air ambulance to seek medical treatment, a month after he was released on bail from a seven-year prison sentence for corruption. Sharif is undergoing treatment of multiple diseases including coronary artery disease (CAD). The CAD is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries due to which the heart does not receive the blood it needs, leading to acute chest pain and, in some cases, a fatal heart attack. Sharif will be admitted to a hospital in London soon for a heart procedure, The newspaper quoted a source at the UK's Royal Brompton Hospital as saying on Friday. The cardiologists have advised Sharif that he must have a heart procedure. Sharif has been advised that it will be determined within a week whether he will need a heart operation, bypass, or a heart stent, the report said. For about two months Sharif has been in London, but the issue of his blood platelets remains unresolved and his blood platelets remain unstable, it said. Two weeks ago, Sharif's personal physician Adnan Khan had said that doctors were going through the whole medical history of the former prime minister and have recommended that he requires a cardiac intervention. Last month, Simon Redwood, a cardiovascular interventionist at the London Bridge Hospital, had said Sharif should be admitted in a hospital for heart procedure. It is understood that the real cause of low platelet count of Sharif is still not determined, the report said. Last week, doctors at the Royal Brompton Hospital told Sharif that his cardiac Positron-emission tomography (PET) scan suggested ischemic myocardium, partial or complete blockage of a coronary artery by a buildup of plaques, and blood supply to heart was deficient which is a risk for heart attack and also a cause of his ongoing angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Khan was not available for comment on the report of Sharif's possible hospitalisation, the report said. Sharif was shifted from jail to the Services hospital in Lahore in October after his health condition deteriorated. Doctors then recommended him to get treatment abroad. The Pakistan government allowed Sharif's travel for medical reasons but put the condition that he submit an indemnity bond as a guarantee that he would return to the country after getting treatment. He, however, rejected the condition and challenged it in courts. Sharif was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on humanitarian grounds in the Al Azizia case and by the Lahore High Court in the ongoing Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, in which he is a suspect. In November, he was allowed by the Lahore High Court to travel abroad for treatment without any bond. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Assembly of First Nations is creating a national plan aimed at helping homeless First Nations people living off reserve. The AFN, which represents roughly 900,000 living in reserves and in cities across Canada, voted to create the strategy in December at a special chiefs meeting in Ottawa. The plan was spearheaded by the Ahousaht First Nation, from the west coast of Vancouver Island, and would give the Assembly of First Nations a mandate to work on the issue of homelessness among those living off reserve. The strategy will involve gathering and analyzing data, determining the number of homeless Indigenous people living in urban centres, and identifying service gaps. Last fall, some homeless Indigenous people who live in Vancouver's Oppenheimer park criticized the AFN saying it had failed to take action on the issue. The national action plan represents the AFN's first attempt to tackle the issue of homelessness among urban Indigenous people. The idea originated after Ahousaht Chief Councillor Greg Louie last fall asked AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde to describe AFN's mandate on First Nation homelessness across the country. Bellegarde replied the AFN had no mandate. "I was shocked, so we got to work on creating one," Louie said. Homeless counts needed. The new strategy, called the Action Plan For First Nations Homeless On and Off Reserve, doesn't provide immediate assistance for homeless Indigenous people living in camps like Oppenheimer. But Louie said assessing numbers, needs and services now will lead to better assistance later. According to the Homeless Hub, one in 15 Indigenous people in Canada experience homelessness. This is compared to one in 128 for the general population. In Vancouver, the city's 2019 homeless count reported that Indigenous people comprised two per cent of the city's population, but accounted for 39 per cent of the homeless population. Louie couldn't said he doesn't have figures on the number of Ahousaht people who are homeless, but said there are nation members experiencing homelessness in Victoria. Story continues Shift in thinking The plan calls for an advocacy strategy, something the Ahousaht have already been doing on a smaller scale. They've raised the issue at Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council meetings, which represents 14 First Nations on the West Coast, and held a homeless forum in Victoria. They've also advocated with provincial government MLA's such as Selina Robinson and Judy Darcy. The AFN has largely centres on First Nations' issues on reserve. But the homeless plan is part of an AFN shift toward a greater involvement in urban issues, Louie said. "The elected chiefs and hereditary chiefs are doing more advocacy to say to federal, provincial, to the First Nations governments, 'We have a lot of our own First Nations people who are living in cities and we need to take care of them,'" Louie said. Ben Nelms/CBC 'I want them to advocate to get people inside' Chris Livingstone, who works for the Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council and meets with camp inhabitants, welcomed the AFN's involvement. But he's concerned with how the plan will roll out. Livingstone also noted the city of Vancouver and the Luma Native Housing Society already gather data on Indigenous homelessness. "So I'm concerned about repeating work that's already gone there," he said. Rather, Livingstone said the goal is to find housing for Indigenous people who are homeless, particularly those in Oppenheimer Park. "We want to get them inside, but there seems to be nowhere for them to go." On behalf of the children of Syria, UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, has launched a New Year appeal, calling for an end to the fighting in the country once and for all. By Robin Gomes The United Nations children fund, UNICEF, appealed for an end to the war in Syria once and for all, hoping that 2000 will be a year of peace for millions of Syrian children who continue to be victims of the ongoing conflict. As a new year begins and the war in Syria approaches its tenth year, the situation for many children especially in the northwest of the country remains dire, lamented UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, in a New Year appeal calling for an end to the fighting. New Years Day, she said, is supposed to be a day of hope and a time to look forward to the year ahead. For families in Syria, she said, any hope is all too often extinguished by heart-breaking violence. Attacks on children Fore noted that on New Years day, five children were killed when the Syrian army launched missiles that struck an abandoned school used as a shelter for displaced families in Sarmin in the northwestern province of Idlib, bordering Turkey. They were among some 8 who were killed. Attacks on basic civilian infrastructure providing services for children like schools and hospitals, Fore lamented, have become all too common. In 2019, she said, the UN verified 145 attacks on schools and 82 attacks on hospitals and medical staff. More than 90 percent of these attacks were in the northwest including in Idlib. The UNICEF chief said that Each day, nearly 4,500 children are forced to flee their homes, with many having been displaced multiple times. At least 140,000 children have been displaced in the past three weeks alone because of heavy violence in and around Idlib. The region is the last major stronghold of the rebel fighters and jihadists opposed to President Bashar al-Assad. Brutal winter The UNICEF Executive Director also pointed out that a brutal winter weather, with storms, heavy rains and plunging temperatures, has made it even more gruelling for children and families, especially those fleeing violence or living in camps. UNICEF and its partners are on the ground providing Syrian children with winter clothes and blankets, clean drinking water, health care, education and psychosocial services, among other support. However, Fore said, these efforts are not enough. Hopes for 2020 Only an end to the war, she said, can bring Syrias children the safety they need and deserve. Until that time, their right to a peaceful present and hopeful future will go unfulfilled. The UNs childrens rights agency appealed to the parties in conflict to immediately end hostilities in northwest Syria to first and foremost protect children, resume efforts to reach a peaceful agreement and end the war in Syria once and for all. It called on them to stop all attacks on children and services that provide for them including health and education facilities and water systems. It also called for sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to all children in need in the northwest and elsewhere in Syria. Fore said, It is my most heartfelt hope that 2020 will finally be a year of peace for Syrias children. As the killing of a powerful Iranian military commander marks a major escalation in tensions between the US and Iran, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Peter Turkson says that despite a sad start to the year, peace is rooted in the virtue of hope. By Vatican News Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated significantly after a top Iranian military commander, General Qasem Soleimani, was killed early Friday in a US air strike in Iraq. General Soleimani was head of the Quds Force, tasked with operating beyond Iran's borders. Heartbreaking start to the New Year Speaking about the major escalation in tensions between the US and Iran, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Peter Turkson said, its very sad and heartbreaking that very shortly into the New Year which we began with such enthusiasm; such hopefulness for peace and tranquility, we have to greet and receive news of violence and war in other parts of the world. He told Vatican News Amadeo Lomonaco that for Christians, we know that our Saviour and our leader was born into such situations. He went on to say that, while we speak peace, there are still forces in the world that will speak violence to us, and it is only when we hold on to the hand of the Lord himself, the Prince of Peace that we are able to overcome all of these obstacles. Peace requires patience Asked about Pope Francis January 1st message marking the World Day of Peace, Cardinal Turkson recalled that the Pope invites people to look at peace as a journey. Peace requires a lot of patience said the Cardinal. He went on to say that it also requires a lot of trials and a lot of struggles. But he added, these struggles are rooted in the great virtue of hope, which is rooted in the fact that the reality of peace is being introduced into the world by Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Listen to the interview with Cardinal Peter Turkson More on the U.S. attack in Iran The overnight attack, which also killed top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an "imminent attack" that would have put Americans in the Middle East in danger. This attack followed a sharp increase in longrunning U.S.-Iranian hostilities. Just last week pro-Iranian militiamen attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq. Washington also blamed Tehran for earlier raids on Gulf shipping. The U.S. embassy in Baghdad advised all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately. U.S. allies in Europe, including Britain, France and Germany, voiced concerns about an escalation in tension with British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Friday, urging all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests," he said. Reacting to the air strike, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said "severe revenge awaits the criminals" behind the attack. My fellow Americans, we are stressed, stressed, stressed. We especially feel stress at work -- and doubly so if we have to work in an open office. Now, a new study out of Japan has a solution. At least, a partial solution. Researchers at the University of Hyogo in Awaji, Japan had a theory: they thought that simply putting a small plant on office workers' desks might improve their well-being and reduce their stress levels. No need to hide the ball on this. Their study worked, they say. But you have to take a look at the work environment that the employees worked in to realize just how significant the findings were. Seriously, it sounds like these people worked in corporate hell: None of the 63 employees in the study was in a management position. They all worked in big, open office spaces -- in a company described only as a "privately owned electric company." They had regimented schedules, and were required to be in the office each day: 9 to 12 p.m., then an hour for lunch, and then from 1 to 6 p.m. Nobody had any real natural light. In fact, even those who worked near windows were made to keep the blinds drawn, in order "to block the sunlight" for some bizarre reason. "Therefore, the participants whose desks were near a window did not have a window view," the study said. Even the way the participants were recruited for the study -- "via interoffice e-mail," with "[n]o incentives ... offered" seems a little dystopian. The fact that only 75 employees out of 1,500 volunteered for the program -- where the pitch was basically, get a free plant -- might tell you something else about morale. (Of the 75, 12 were disqualified for various reasons.) Then, there's the study itself. There were two parts: First, a one week control period, during which the workers were just told to go about their business as usual, to establish their stress baselines on a scale called the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Second, four weeks in which the workers were given small desk plants, and told to take 3-minute breaks at their desks, in view of the plants, when they felt stress. That was it -- well, we should probably also mention that they had to take a short course on how to care for the plants, and to do things like take their own pulses. The whole thing sounds like such a terrible environment to me -- exactly what I was afraid I was getting into when I worked for one single day in the bureaucracy of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (and then quit). And yet: It worked. As the researchers wrote: The STAI scores decreased significantly from pre- to post-intervention. The results did not differ significantly when we looked at the data within the age groups nor the different plant groups. These results suggest that placing small plants chosen by the participants within close sight of them contributed to their psychological stress reduction regardless of their age or plants choice. Honestly, the degree to which this helped might be surprising, but the fact that it did at all, isn't. Previously, I've written about another study that found that simply commuting to work through "outdoor spaces that contain 'green' and/or 'blue' natural elements such as street trees, forests, city parks and natural parks" led employees to have better mental health. So, bottom line. If you want a friend, President Truman once said, get a dog. Say what? The private sector-built Eglinton Crosstown LRT is running over budget and behind schedule? Impossible. Our politicians turned over the project to the wise and efficient private-sector folks to show us how to build a rail line because, yknow, the TTC and their unionized government workers cant do anything right. The criticism wasnt that explicit but the message was the same. How many speeches extolled the virtues of the Public-Private Partnership (P3) controlled by the private guys. Turn it over to them, agree on costs and date of delivery and it is the business people who are on the hook for cost overruns, weve been told repeatedly. Delays? Unlikely to happen, said the chorus. Because penalties kick in, the private sector guys and gals are mindful of the disincentives and are motivated to stick to the schedule. The taxpayer is protected. Not exactly, it turns out. As the Toronto area embarks on one of the largest, costliest, most extensive periods of transit building in history, reality doesnt match promise. Its not that the private-sector guys are scoundrels or wastrels; its just that they are not immune to the stickiest and most difficult issues that the TTC had to overcome in its time of transit construction. Delays and cost-overruns are endemic to large-scale transit construction projects. Construction on the Crosstown, running 19 kilometres along Eglinton Avenue from Black Creek Drive in the old city of York and east to Kennedy Road in Scarborough, began in 2011. It was to open in this year. Five years ago, opening day was pushed back a year to September 2021. Now, internal documents, obtained by The Stars Ben Spurr, project potential delays to May 2022. Taxpayers have already paid an extra $237 million to the consortium (including EllisDon, SNC-Lavalin, Aecon, ACS-Dragados) to settle a previous claim that the private-sector firms were not responsible for the earlier delays. Who do you expect will pick up the new projected cost overruns, totalling $332 million? Always the taxpayer. Remember that the next time our politicos or board of trade or business interests wax on about how the city should turn over these projects to the wise men who run big business. Their claims rose to a crescendo during the disastrous delays and cost overruns on the Spadina line extension out to Vaughan. As the manager of the project, the TTC took the brunt of the criticism as the transit agency had to return to city council asking for more money to cover unexpected costs and claims from private-sector partners. Few remembered that the TTC delivered the Sheppard Subway essentially on budget and on time. Following the Spadina subway extension mess, the TTC as a transit construction leader was over. Decades of great work and global stature melted away. Toronto city planners took over critical functions, leaving the transit body on the sidelines. When the TTC started the early design work on the Scarborough subway extension, some city councillors demanded, naively in retrospect, that the P3 process begin immediately to insulate the city from cost-overruns. Now, the province is the transit-building leader and its agency, Metrolinx, performs the TTC functions. Queens Park gushes about Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx holding the reins while the private firms trot along. And still we have delays and costs exceeding budgeted amounts. In the case of the $5.3-billion Crosstown, dubbed the largest transit project in the country, the private consortium constructing the line has apparently alerted Metrolinx to the potential delay. Metrolinx hasnt accepted the position, but that is often a matter of money. Accept the fact and you accept liability. Weve been down this road before. It cost taxpayers $237 million to settle the first delay, after the consortium sued Metrolinx and blamed it for the delays. Now this. Causes of the potential new delay include discovery of groundwater at one station site and more work than anticipated at a CP rail bridge at Mount Dennis. Then, water-retaining structures in place at Eglinton station need shoring up, a tricky and time-consuming operation. Of course, as always, there is the risk of Bombardier not delivering the new state-of-the-art LRT vehicles on time, delaying opening date. To this nauseating ring of cha-ching, add Metrolinxs higher-than-anticipated costs for professional services, and to buy property and vehicles. Before long the tab could balloon to $332 million beyond the budget. Remember all this when the premier says he is responsible for kick-starting stalled subway construction at huge savings to taxpayers, using the money-saving private sector, who deliver the projects on budget and on time. That new build-out Ford announced last year, costing just under $29 billion and in place by 2030? If only. Royson James is a former Star reporter who is a current freelance contributing columnist based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @roysonjames Read more about: She was burning the midnight oil ringing in 2020 earlier this week on TV. But it looks like Lucy Hale could still use a little more caffeine. The actress, 30, was spotted making two coffee runs in Los Angeles on Friday. Caffeine fix! Lucy Hale was spotted making two coffee runs in Los Angeles on Friday It wasn't just coffee the actress was seen grabbing that day, though. Lucy was seen picking up two extra large iced teas from the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The Pretty Little Liars actress exuded cool in a black leather jacket with patterned blouse, tight jeans, and snakeskin Sarto Franco Sarto 'Portia 3' loafers. She wore her short black hair back into a low ponytail, allowing her radiant complexion to shine completely through. Ready for the day: Hale was seen leaving Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf armed with two iced teas while clad in snakeskin Sarto Franco Sarto 'Portia 3' loafers Legs get together! The Pretty Little Liars actress looked fresh from a workout in her black leggings and trainers Lucy was also seemed armed with two coffees while leaving a cafe elsewhere in Los Angeles. The actress looked fresh from a workout in her black leggings and grey trainers. It seems Lucy has acclimated back to her routine seamlessly after a busy few days in New York. New Year, new Lucy: Lucy was back in Los Angeles after joining Ryan Seacrest, 45, as his new co-host on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast from Times Square in New York City Lucy has recently returned to Los Angeles after ringing in 2020 with Ryan Seacrest on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast in Times Square earlier this week. She took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a photo with show headliner Post Malone, 24. 'Such a nice guy,' Lucy wrote in the caption for her roughly 24.5 million followers. Post, real name Austin Richard Post, performed his hit songs Circles and Congratulations before the ball drop in Times Square. Actor Stephen Rea joined musicians Michelle Mulcahy, Aoife Scott and Louise Mulcahy at Kilmainham Gaol to mark the launch of the Programme for TradFest 2020 More than 27,000 revellers are expected to descend on Dublin for traditional music festival Tradfest later this month. The line-up includes actor Stephen Rea, rock group Hothouse Flowers and musicians Aoife Scott and Catherine McEvoy, as well as many others. Launched in 2005, the five-day festival celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and takes place from January 22 to 26. "It's a little bit of a different festival as it's spread out across different venues and it's much more intimate going to see a gig in Rathfarnham jail than the 3Arena," said organiser Martin Harte, chief executive of The Temple Bar Company. The line-up also features Neil Martin, Matt Molloy, Daoiri Farrell's Dublin Song Session, quintet Goitse and spoken word poet Stephen James Smith. Historic The festival prides itself on taking place in the city's historic venues, including the Olympia Theatre, Dublin City Hall, Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol and the Button Factory. "It's really important to embrace our culture and to absorb and enjoy other cultures too," Mr Harte told the Herald at the launch of the festival last night. "The music we have featured is mostly traditional and folk, but we also have instrumental artists and some ethnic fusion, which is really important too." The festival runs a live concert at the hub, which sees young artists given the chance to perform in front of a panel of managers and agents. "Trad is in the roots of the area and when we first started, the festival was very small. We've always run concerts in really interesting areas to make it a bit of an experience for attendees," Mr Harte added. "We're very happy and very proud of how far it has come and we're hoping to see 27,000, but 30,000 would be amazing." TARANTO, Italy In his corner store next to Europes largest steelworks, Giuseppe Musciacchio dragged his index finger across a shelf caked in gray dust. Outside, a towering smoke stack loomed above a landscape of blast furnaces and stockpiles of dangerous minerals. Dark puffs of industrial exhaust drifted in the sky like rain clouds. On wind days, the mayor cancels school for fear of toxic dust blowing through the town. Im constantly cleaning, Mr. Musciacchio said, showing how the metallic soot stuck to a magnet. Photographs on the wall honored his mother and other relatives who he said had died of cancer. They died from living here, breathing here. Even so, as Italys government and the factorys foreign operator, the steel giant ArcelorMittal, engage in a high-stakes fight over the plants future, Mr. Musciacchio hopes it will not close. It would be an economic disaster, he said. Bassist Carol Kaye in April 1966 in Los Angeles Photo: Jasper Dailey/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images You might assume having a part based on your life flesh out the world of a critically acclaimed period piece might be flattering, but legendary Wrecking Crew bassist Carol Kaye wants no part of it, period. Some viewers of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisels third season might not have caught that Liza Weils bassist Carole Keene was pretty clearly based on the real-life prolific session musician, who can be heard on songs like the Beach Boys Good Vibrations and Tina Turners River Deep Mountain High, among dozens of others. However, when asked about the shows homage to her legacy as a woman excelling in the largely male-dominated music industry, Kaye was clear: She did not care for it one bit. Its a Hollywood, silly fluff piece [that has] nothing to do with me or my history. They took a few things out of my book and created a character thats not even me at all, Kaye told the New York Post this week. A lot of people are saying, That must be you. I love it! But I am not a cartoon and my life is not a joke. Nobody contacted me. I didnt know a thing about it. I thought that was pretty bad kind of like slander. As Variety points out, the fact Kaye might have a problem with an unauthorized depiction of herself isnt surprising; she also took issue with the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew, which she thought was unfairly biased toward drummer Hal Blaine. Blaine later publicly denigrated Kayes body of work after the fact. You have to understand, its not easy when you are older and it has nothing to do with you but people think it is you, concluded Kaye. Dont get me wrong, I have a sense of humor but I am a professional. This is like a putdown to me. Food delivery workers in New York City have long been preyed upon by muggers, but with the advent of app-based ordering, many thought they would be less of a target because they usually dont carry as much cash. In recent months, though, they have fallen victim to a new crime wave: theft of their electric bicycles, which are propelled by batteries and can cost as much as $2,000. Nearly two dozen workers have been attacked, according to the Police Department. The e-bikes were stolen by the same two men, the police said, who ambushed the riders with pepper spray or at knife point. There have been no arrests. In recent days, two more e-bikes were stolen, though it is not clear whether these thefts are related to the 22 others. Gunn Memorial Library in Washington will present a Better Angels Debate on The Future of U.S. Immigration Policy on Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. A snow date of Jan. 30 is planned at the school. The Gunnerys history chair, Bart McMann, will facilitate the program at the Wykeham Road library. Participating in the discussion will be some of McManns class scholars. Americas immigration policies continue to change over time. Issues that frame such policy include the immigrants role in the labor force, rates of immigration to the US, and most recently, concerns about terrorism. The main question to consider is the fairness of these policies in terms of their consideration of immigrants and benefits to the United States. Better Angels is a national citizens movement to reduce political polarization in the United States by bringing liberals and conservatives together to understand each other beyond stereotypes, forming red/blue community alliances, teaching practical skills for communicating across political differences, and making a strong public argument for depolarization. The goal of a Better Angels Debate is not to win the argument. Rather, it is a highly structured conversation in which a group of people listen carefully and meaningfully engage with each others ideas on a difficult issue. For more information and to RSVP, call 860-868-7586. The attack on a gurdwara in Pakistan led to protests and condemnation across India on Saturday, with the demonstrators shouting slogans against the Pakistani government and leaders cutting across party lines demanding strict action against the culprits. On Friday, a mob in Pakistan surrounded Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the shrine built at the birthplace of Sikhisms founder Guru Nanak Dev, and threatened to occupy it, if some people detained in connection with the alleged forcible conversion of a Sikh woman were not released. A sizeable number of Pakistani Sikhs were caught in the gurdwara, and the demonstration ended after negotiations between the protesters and representatives of the local administration resulted in the release of the arrested people, reports in the Pakistani media said. Condemning the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on the gurdwara, Congress president Sonia Gandhi called upon the central government to take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine. The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits, she said in a statement. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the attack showed the state of minorities in Pakistan and further cemented the need for the amended citizenship act. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, aims at fast-tracking the grant of Indian citizenship to members of religious minorities from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The act has triggered widespread protests and debates across the country over whether religious identity should be a ground for granting citizenship. The violent mob that besieged Nankana Sahib Gurudwara has threatened to change the name of our holy place to Ghulam-e-Mustafa. Do those who are opposing the CAA need more evidence of oppression of minorities in Pakistan, Puri said on Twitter. Echoing a similar view, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Meenakshi Lekhi said: The Nankana incident shows how minorities are being persecuted there. Persecution continues unabated since the creation of Pakistan, resulting in forced migration of such persecuted minorities into India. This not only justifies the necessity of an act like the CAA but also stresses on the need for its immediate implementation. Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the incident exposed the true face of Pakistan where persecution of minorities is a reality. The true face of Pak stands exposed I urge PM @narendramodi ji & DrSJaishankar (External Affairs Minister) to ensure Pak stops this barbarity & ensure safety of Pak Sikh community, she tweeted. Senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP, Rahul Gandhi, also condemned the attack. The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible and must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders, he tweeted. Pakistan, however, maintained that the incident was not communal in nature and the gurdwara was not desecrated. Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated...the gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of desecration and destruction and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the body which manages Sikh shrines in India, said it would send a delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation. We strongly condemn the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and appeal to the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits and also ensure safety of Sikhs living there. We will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there, SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said. Hundreds of protesters from BJP, Congress, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal, thronged the streets leading to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. It has not happened for the first time. They abduct our children and convert them. Pakistan should put an end to such incident, Congress leader Krishna Tirath said. In Jammu, Sikh organisations and the Shiv Sena Dogra Front (SSDF) staged separate protests against the mob violence on the gurdwara. Aubane Social Club and friends drawn from far and wide worked up an appetite in their traditional trek up Mushera Mountain on Christmas morning. Thankfully, the sharp overnight frost had thawed by the starting time, leaving ideal weather conditions that added to the occasion and helped big numbers to assemble. Aubane Social Club is the traditional host, and the annual staging has supported a number of charitable and worthy causes over the years. The latest hosting helped the Aubane Community Centre and the Irish Community Rapid Response. The Aubane event is eagerly looked forward to on each December 25 and organisers were pleased with the support this year. "All credit to the participants for coming out in force from North and Mid Cork to support the cause," said spokesperson John F Kelleher. The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed Pakistan over the violence at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib and said the incident "justifies" the need for Citizenship Amendment Act and its speedy implementation. Addressing the media in Delhi, BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi demanded that the perpetrators of the violence be punished by Pakistan and ensure the security of minorities there. "There have been consistent acts of violence on religious places and on minorities. Constant human rights violence on minorities has also happened for decades. Minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to threats of civil conversion, rapes and violence and death in case of their draconian blasphemy law is used," Meenakshi Lekhi said. She also noted that the number of minorities in Pakistan has fallen from near 23% at the time of Partition to near 3% now. READ | Pakistan Denies Permission To Sikhs For Nagar Kirtan; Nankana Sahib Left Deserted Pakistan now proves CAA is right, timely Stressing on CAA's need after the violence in Nankana Sahib, the BJP made the point that persecuted minorities in Pakistan require relief in India. "The incident not only justifies an act like CAA but also stresses the need for its immediate implementation. Pakistan now proves that CAA is right and it is timely," Meenakshi Lekhi said. READ | Mamata Banerjee Condemns Mob Attack In Pak's Nankana Sahib, Says 'humanity Above All' LIVE: Press conference by Smt. @M_Lekhi and Shri @tarunchughbjp at BJP headquarters in New Delhi. https://t.co/amZRuWrAgn BJP (@BJP4India) January 4, 2020 Forced conversion of young girls aided by govt "It is not conducive to the ethos of multiculturalism, multi-religious societies and secular societies and the human rights that exist in any country... There have been thousands of evidence where young girls have been picked up, forcibly converted and married off to Muslim boys while the police, government and other agencies are part and parcel of the process," Lekhi added. READ | Shiv Sena Slams Pak PM Imran Khan Over Nankana Sahib Attack, Calls It 'deplorable' Draws parallel of Nankana Sahib with Kaaba, Jerusalem Meenakshi Lekhi also drew a parallel of the significance of Nankana Sahib in Sikhism to that of Islam's holiest site of Kaaba in Mecca and Jerusalem to the Abrahamic faiths. "It (Gurudwara Nankana Sahib) is equivalent to someone attacking Kaaba or Jerusalem. The Pakistan government and society must know that Pakistani Sikhs are the off-springs of that soil and continue to have faith and duty towards that soil and thus, did not migrate and chose to remain there," said Lekhi. READ | Union Min Hardeep Puri Calls Nankana Sahib Attack 'shameful', Highlights Need For CAA Howth RNLI launched their Inshore Lifeboat Sunday, December 29 to multiple reports of a Kitesurfer in difficulty in the waters just off the beach in Portmarnock. The RNLI pagers sounded at 11.40am on Sunday after multiple 112/999 calls from concerned members of the public who spotted a Kitesurfer having difficulties in the waters just off Portmarnock beach Howth RNLI volunteer crew members launched the Inshore Lifeboat within 12 minutes of getting the call and proceeded to the area and quickly located the casualty 200 metres off the beach. Howth Coastguard members were also tasked ashore at Portmarnock Beach. The casualty was taken aboard the lifeboat and checked over, was in good spirits, unharmed by the incident and returned safely and to shore. The wind was Force 5 and the sea state was rough at the time. Speaking following the call out, Colm Newport, Howth RNLI LOM said: 'We were delighted to assist the kitesurfer after they found themselves in difficulty. 'The members of the public on the beach had quickly radioed for assistance which was the correct thing to do and we were able to launch and bring the kite surfer to safety.' Howth RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 1862 and has saved countless lives. Howth Lifeboat station was established prior to 1825 and was taken over by the Institution in 1862 from the Dublin Ballast Board. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has advised his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to concern itself with rebuilding the party and not 2023 election. Speaking via his Twitter handle on Saturday morning, the presidential candidate of the opposition party in the 2019 election said the discussion of elections shouldnt be now. He tweeted: Our preoccupation at this point in the @OfficialPDPNig should not focus on elections, but on rebuilding and strengthening our party for the challenges ahead of us, Abubakar wrote on Twitter. Read Also: Atikus Supporters Are After My Life Over 2023 Presidential Ticket: PDP BOT Chairman Meanwhile, Walid Jibrin, chairman of the board of trustees (BoT) of the PDP, had raised an alarm that his life was under threat because he didnt Atiku as the partys presidential candidate for 2023. He also announced that the opposition party would soon commence its search for a presidential candidate in the 2023 general election. Jibrin had said the candidate could be from any zone and revealed to journalists on Thursday in Kaduna, that he had received calls for not saying the partys presidential ticket would be zoned to the north-east. Jibrin said, I have received calls from some people threatening my life over my coming out not to mention that the presidency of this country be zoned to the north-east. They were saying that I am a traitor that I should have come out to say that it is only Atiku Abubakar because I said that Atiku was already overthrown by the supreme court. They said for that I should say Atiku is the man that I want. 'So it's a Friday evening, theatre finishes at 6pm, and there are three staff on duty in the maternity wing after 8pm. "The nurses then hear of a woman who has been admitted through accident and emergency, and who is bleeding and may require an emergency procedure." "The nurses don't have any administrative back-up, and are trying to organise extra staff to facilitate opening a second theatre in the maternity unit. All this is being done while looking after patients. " "The senior house officer and registrar may have to manage this situation without talking to the consultant, and the woman who is bleeding may not get scanned because there is no trained ultrasonographer on duty." "At this stage, she is still in casualty, but may be deemed critical and may have to be moved to emergency theatre for an ERPC (evacuation of retained products of conception - a procedure used to manage a miscarriage, also used when a medical termination has failed)." "The nursing staff are dealing with administrative mayhem, while also dealing with two critically ill patients. Eventually, these two women will recover side by side, separated by one single curtain." This is a description - provided by a reliable source - of how abortion services can work in the real world of the Irish health services, and in this case, specifically at University Hospital Galway (UHG), the hospital at the centre of the Savita Halappanavar case. The 31-year old Indian-born dentist died after a septic miscarriage on October 28, 2012 in University Hospital, Galway (UHG). Halappanavar had requested a termination several times when she was admitted to hospital, but was refused under existing legislation as a foetal heartbeat was detected. On May 26, 2018, the Galway Together for Yes campaign was celebrating after confirming that the Galway West constituency had recorded a "Yes" vote in the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution outlawing abortion. At 65.9pc, Galway's vote was just below the national result of 66.4pc, and all four offshore islands in the constituency had voted for repeal. Legislators moved swiftly, and abortion services have been available across the country since January 1, 2019 under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. Under the legislation, GPs can carry out terminations up to nine weeks, while terminations between nine and 12 weeks are performed in hospitals. After 12 weeks, abortion is allowed only in certain specific circumstances. However, the Abortion Working Group, a coalition of 23 groups chaired by the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI), said late last month that Ireland still does not have the women-centred service people voted for. In a statement issued on December 19, the group said that "willing providers are struggling to provide an abortion service due to a lack of leadership and institutional support". It has been confirmed this week that the HSE has appointed a part-time clinical lead - Dr Aoife Mullally, obstetrician at the Coombe Hospital in Dublin. The two-day a week post will require her to provide clinical leadership for implementing "safe, evidence-based, quality-assured, woman-centred, accessible services for women who require abortion care". UHG is one of the 10 maternity units, out of a national total of 19, which have signed up to participate in the provision of abortion services, along with Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar - both run by the Saolta healthcare group. Medical sources in Galway say the new service is working well - at both primary care level with GPs, and in UHG - and that every effort is being made to ensure that women admitted for elective procedures, or for procedures arising from complications, are accommodated. However, nursing staff have claimed that lack of resources and confusion over interpretation of guidelines regarding abortion services have been causing difficulties. Last September, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) contacted Saolta to express concern about what they called an "ad-hoc system". Staff in the Galway hospital's maternity wing gynaecological theatre were concerned about the handling of certain cases where women had developed complications after being prescribed medication to trigger abortion in primary care settings. The staff held a meeting with hospital management over staffing and theatre availability, accurate recording of terminations, and the right to conscientious objection. A terminology issue Under the legislation, a woman who develops complications after being prescribed medication by a GP for a termination within 12 weeks can have a non-elective termination in hospital. These cases have not been recorded as terminations, but as "evacuation of retained products of conception" or ERPCs. Nursing staff in Galway who questioned use of this term were told that this was because a previous medical term - "spontaneous abortion" - was regarded as insensitive. However, the nurses had several issues with this, pointing out that if all categories of termination procedures were not being recorded, including ERPCs, this could affect resources for both staffing and aftercare. There were also questions over whether all such patients had been scanned after admission through accident and emergency to ensure the legislation was complied with. It is understood that this is still an issue of particular concern at weekends, where there may not be adequately trained staff available to conduct scans. A more sensitive issue raised with management was the right to exercise conscientious objection, which is allowed for under section 22 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, and is limited to staff involved in the delivery of the treatment only. The nurses' union, the INMO, said it had already heard of a situation where nursing staff in one west of Ireland hospital were asked to define the "level" of their conscientious objection. The legislation makes it clear that conscientious objection cannot be invoked in an emergency situation, when the risk to a pregnant woman's life or health is immediate. All ERPCs are, by definition, treated as emergency situations. Asked about these issues, Saolta said that "there are processes in place in each maternity department for the management of concurrent emergencies". Asked to confirm how many extra nursing staff had been employed for terminations in its Galway and Mayo hospitals, and whether there is a dedicated theatre, the Saolta group said that "in both of these units, additional staffing was put in place to facilitate the provision of this service, and the necessary theatre time was identified in the existing theatre schedules". Saolta did not specify the number of extra staff appointed. It is understood that it amounts to one extra nursing post in UHG. INMO regional representative Anne Burke said both resources and clarity over conscientious objection were issues under discussion with management. "The HSE doesn't want to engage in these issues and refers us to local management, but there is still no clarity at local management level," she said. Figures for terminations will not be available nationally until on or before June 30, 2020. Anecdotal evidence from medical sources suggests that take-up of abortion services is low, but the largest cohort is with general practitioners (GPs), some 15pc (347 to date) of whom have signed up. Dr Peter Boylan, former master of the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin's Holles Street and author of the recently published In the Shadow of the Eighth (Penguin), says his impression is that the system is working "very well" at a national level. Dr Boylan was a member of the advisory group on the new legislation. He said issues raised by nursing staff, such as recording ERPCs in hospitals, should not pose a difficulty. Women who would have first approached their GP for medication would be recorded at that stage, he says. "In a situation where there is an ERPC, the pregnancy is already over," he says. "If the hospital were to record this as a termination, it would then be recording the same procedure twice." National Women's Council (NWCI) women's health coordinator, Cliona Loughnane, believes the figures for terminations and other data collated should be published before next June. The Abortion Working Group is relying on anecdotal evidence for now in relation to figures and to how the system is working, Loughnane said. The NWCI is concerned about adequate geographical cover for terminations, given that nine maternity hospitals are not participating in abortion service provision. This means women with complications who are living in a non-participating hospital area still have to travel distances, she says. It limits options for GPs and patients, and is particularly critical given the 12-week time limit for terminations and the three-day waiting or "cooling off" period before women can have access to medication, she says. Labour senator Ivana Bacik is critical of this "cooling off" stipulation, and hopes to see it removed when the legislation comes up for review. Loughnane welcomed the establishment of the HSE unplanned pregnancy freephone helpline, My Options. Promised legislation Loughnane also pointed out that Harris had promised to introduce legislation on exclusion zones around healthcare centres providing abortion. The aim of these zones would be to protect clients from protesters. The promised legislation is not even listed as a priority in the current programme, she notes. In several parts of the midlands, west and north-west, protests took place from early in the new year outside primary healthcare centres, with participants carrying crosses and bearing placards, with phrases such as, "Doc, if she's not sick, she's not a patient, just a paying proposition" and "Doctor? Merchant of misery more like!" Independent TD for Galway West Catherine Connolly concurs with the NWCI that any available information collated by the minister's department should be made available now. In a Dail question last month on whether additional resources had been allocated to hospitals for provision of abortion services, she was told that 12m was provided in 2019 for the implementation of termination of pregnancy services, some 7m of which has been allocated for provision of the service in the acute hospital system. The HSE told the Irish Independent that the new clinical lead will chair an advisory forum, which will have representatives from the provider organisations, as well as other key stakeholders. Asked to comment on the recording issue, the HSE said that "all terminations must be notified to the minister in accordance with section 20 Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act, 2018" and "where a woman presents with a complication of a termination, this will be recorded locally, depending on the intervention required". In a separate response to Connolly, the HSE's national women and infants health programme general manager Mary-Jo Biggs said that hospitals aim to treat every woman with "dignity and respect". However, it said there may be occasions "due to the demand for the termination service and/or competing demands from other areas of the hospital - for example, infection control requirements" where the location of the woman during patient management is "not ideal". Biggs said that "data in relation to the number of incidences" of this nature is "not available or routinely recorded/collated within the health service". San Joaquin Valley Section Manager Dan Pruitt, AE6SX (SK) ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section Manager Dan Pruitt, AE6SX, of Fresno, California, died on December 27. He was 68. At the time of his death, Pruitt had been hospitalized as a result of a fall. First licensed in 1965, Pruitt had served as SJV SM since 2009 and earlier this year began a new 2-year term. A successor will be appointed. Pruitt had previously served as Fresno County Emergency Coordinator, and his focus has been on improving emergency communication in his region, working with the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the National Traffic System, the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS), the American Red Cross, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the System for Administration, Training, and Educational Resources for NASA (SATERN). He had also served as SJV Public Information Officer. Arrangements are pending. US Forces Carried Out Strikes to Kill Iran's Soleimani at Direction of Trump Pentagon Sputnik News 06:21 03.01.2020 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US armed forces carried out on Friday airstrikes in Baghdad to kill Commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, at the direction of President Donald Trump, the Department of Defence said. "At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," the Pentagon said in a statement. According to the statement, Soleimani was developing plans to stage attacks on US diplomats and servicemen in Iraq and the Middle East. "He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months - including the attack on December 27th - culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week," the Pentagon stressed "This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world," the statement added. The situation in Iraq escalated on Tuesday when Shia protesters attempted to storm the gates of the US Embassy in Baghdad following airstrikes on an Iran-backed unit of Kataib Hezbollah operating in the country. The strikes were carried out in response to an attack at a Kirkuk base that killed a US contractor. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Samajwadi Party on Friday promised pension for anti-CAA protesters if voted to power, drawing a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP which said it was in the DNA of that party to honour rioters and anti-social elements. Leader of the Opposition in the UP Legislative Assembly, Ram Govind Chaudhary, said their party would also give compensation to the kin of those jailed or killed during anti-CAA protests in the state. If our party comes to power at the Centre and in UP, they (protesters) will be given pension as they have struggled to save the Constitution and the democracy, said Chaudhary responding to a question. He said they protect all those who seek refuge from them. Jo humari sharan mein aa gaye woh humari sharan mein hain. Hum sabki raksha karney wale log hain, the senior SP leader told mediapersons here. Referring to remarks of state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should stay in Pakistan for a month to understand atrocities being on Hindus, the senior SP leader said the Narendra Modi-led Union government was out to divert peoples attention from real issues. Anyone raising a question is being asked to go to Pakistan, he alleged. Later, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma lashed out at the Samajwadi Party, saying, It is in the DNA of that party to honour the rioters and anti-socials. They had also tried to withdraw cases against terrorists in the past and the court had to intervene. It is unfortunate that SP leaders are speaking about giving citizenship rights to the Bangladeshis and Rohangiyas, Sharma alleged. Commenting on SP chief Akhilesh Yadavs statement that he would not fill out forms for the National Population Register, the UP deputy CM said, Perhaps, he is not aware that the NPR is the basis of all development schemes. He is conspiring to deprive people of welfare schemes. The deputy chief minister alleged that the opposition parties, including the SP, BSP and the Congress, were competing to appease anti-social elements. There is another kind of 20-20 match going on between the SP, BSP and the Congress to outsmart each other in appeasing and encouraging anti-social elements, Sharma said. On Akhilesh Yadavs allegation that 1,000 children have died in Gorakhpur in the past year, Sharma said he needed to furnish evidence instead of levelling baseless allegations. Flames raise from the Washington Square building Thursday night after the roof fell in on the second story. Firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night. A fire at the former Washington Elementary School was contained to the upper floors of the building. According to Green River Fire Chief Mike Nomis, firefighters were called to the Washington Square building at about 5:30 p.m., Thursday evening after smoke was reported coming from the building. Nomis said 26 firefighters were involved in combatting the fire. They were able to put out a majority of the fire by about 2 a.m. Friday morning, and were able to completely put it out by 4 a.m. Nomis said one of the challenges firefighters faced was the voids and walls within the building, which made it difficult to combat. Another challenge was the waterline the fire hydrants near Washington Square terminates at the cemetery. Firefighters were unable to use both hydrants near the building because the lower hydrant would have reduced water pressure at the upper hydrant. Firefighters called in a city water truck to transport water to firefighters on one side of the building while they used the hydrant at the other side. The fire was contained to the second floor of the main structure. Nomis said there were concerns about oxygen gas in a dental office on the first floor, but the fire was unable to reach the gas. Nomis said damage on the first floor was limited to mainly water and smoke damage, while the basement is flooded and frozen. Nomis said the cold weather made fighting the fire difficult for firefighters because water sprayed around the building froze, hindering their ability to move hoses quickly. By the time the fire was extinguished, much of the building and surrounding grounds were covered in ice. Nomis said the cause of the fire won't likely be known until next week due to the New Years holiday. "All in all, we did the best we could," Nomis said. "The guys worked their tails off." Hector Castillon, the building's owner, watched as firefighters battled the blaze Thursday night. He said he was on his way to Salt Lake City when he got a call about the fire as he approached Evanston, turning around and returning to Green River as quickly as he could. Castillon bought the building in 1998, initially using the old school for his archery business. "It was a really nice shop," he said. Over the course of a decade, Castillon renovated potions of the building to accommodate more businesses, including a dental office for his son Bryce. Castillon has a long history with the former school, saying was a student at Washington Elementary. Castillon said he almost had the building paid off. A historical landmark According to Dave Mead, exhibits coordinator for the Sweetwater County Historical Museum, the school was Green River's first primary grades school and was initially opened Nov. 30, 1925, to fifth and sixth grades. The school served as Washington Elementary School until 1979, when the current Washington Elementary School was built. It then served as the Sweetwater County School District No. 2's central administration office until 1998, when it was sold. "(The school) was one of the few school buildings in the state that had been adaptibly reused, so it is very sad for historic preservation efforts in the state as well," Brie Blasi, director of the Sweetwater County Historical Museum, said in a press release. Flash WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States will deploy some 3,500 more troops to the Middle East as early as this weekend following a U.S. strike killing a top Iranian commander, local media reported on Friday, citing U.S. officials. The additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and other parts of the region, reported NBC News citing multiple U.S. defense and military officials. Some of the troops could be deployed as early as this weekend to Kuwait, reported The Wall Street Journal in a story on Friday. The latest move by the Pentagon came hours after the United States killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in an air strike near Baghdad International Airport. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that those who assassinated Soleimani should wait for Iran's severe response, the Iranian state TV reported. By PTI NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday condemned the "unwarranted and unprovoked" attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by an unruly mob. Expressing dismay and concern over the matter, she called upon the Government of India to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine to prevent any future attacks. "The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," she said in a statement. Party leader Rahul Gandhi termed it as a reprehensible incident and said bigotry is a dangerous, age-old poison that knows no borders. Taking to Twitter, he said the only known antidote to bigotry is love, mutual respect and understanding. A mob on Friday reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. Leaders cutting across party lines and various outfits on Saturday condemned the mob attack in Lahore, terming it as "cowardly" and "shameful", while hundreds of protesters thronged the streets near the Pakistan High Commission here demanding that the neighbouring country provide adequate security to Sikh shrines and community members there. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body which manages Sikh shrines in India, said it will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation and urged the Pakistan government to take stringent action against the culprits who attacked the gurdwara -- birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev and one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. ALSO READ | Harbhajan Singh urges Pakistan PM to 'do needful' after vandalism at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara BJP leaders and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad said that the incident has proved once again that the government was right in bringing the Citizenship Amendment Act for giving citizenship to members of minority communities who have come to India before 2015 to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In the national capital, police barricaded the roads to prevent protesters - belonging to the BJP, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and other organisations - from reaching the Pakistan High Commission. The protesters carried banners and placards reading "Shame on Pakistan" and "Double standard of Imran Khan, Sikhs are being tortured in Pakistan". Some urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to protect the gurdwara. A huge posse of police personnel was deployed the protestors were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station in the diplomatic enclave. BJP and Congress members stood on either side of a road and raised slogans against Pakistan and its prime minister. Sikh community members also submitted a memorandum to the Pakistan High Commission, said DSGMC president Manjinder S Sirsa. Several Sikh and Dogra organisations held separate protests in Jammu and Poonch against the incident. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said such incidents cannot be tolerated and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with Pakistan to ensure the security of Sikhs in the neighbouring country. Wondering if there was "any law and order" in Pakistan, he said that earlier a Sikh girl was abducted there and now this attack on the gurdwara established that there was a threat to minorities in the neighbouring country. ALSO READ | Gurdwara attack: SGPC to send 4 member delegation to Pakistan, says will raise issue at UN Union minister and party leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the incident exposes the "true face" of Pakistan where "persecution of minorities is a reality". Addressing a conference here, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to threats for civil conversion, rapes and violence for decades and the Nankana incident shows how minorities there are persecuted and why they need citizenship in India. Lekhi also said that this incident should open the eyes of Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Leftist leaders and the "urban Naxals" who have been opposing the amended Citizenship Act. Lekhi and Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry were also involved in Twitter spat over the issue of mob attack on the shrine. Reacting to Lekhi's comment, the Pakistani Minister for Science and Technology tweeted, "BJP spokesperson giving lectures on diversity and religious harmony is like pot calling the kettle black, you guys are most bigoted bunch of haters so stop fake propaganda." Lekhi hit back immediately saying Chaudhry should "take charge" of initiating action against those involved in the incident and also "stop conversions, rape and abductions taking place in Pakistan". "Yesterday, a mob of Jihadis attacked Nankana Sahib Gurdwara due to which our Sikh brothers and sisters are in terror. The CAA has been framed to save such minorities from persecution in Pakistan," Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri sought to know if those protesting against the CAA needed more evidence of the oppression of minorities in the neighbouring country. "The violent mob that besieged Nankana Sahib Gurudwara has threatened to change the name of our holy place to Ghulam-e-Mustafa. "Do those who are opposing the CAA need more evidence of the oppression of minorities in Pakistan," Puri tweeted in Hindi, along with a video clip. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. "The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated," he said in a tweet in Hindi. The National Conference also denounced the attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, describing it as "most reprehensible". On Friday, the External Affairs Ministry condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and urged Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety and welfare of the Sikh community. It also said that members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib. Pakistan has rejected reports the gurdwara was desecrated, saying it remains "untouched and undamaged". Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib had pelted stones on Sikh pilgrims. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said the sentiments of the Sikh community were hurt. "We have spoken with the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib management committee. They told us the situation is normal now," he said. "We will send a four-member delegation to Pakistan to take stock of the situation there," he said, adding that the delegation would also meet Sikh families in Nankana Sahib as well as the governor and the chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. The VHP said such incidents were examples of "atrocities" perpetrated on Hindus and Sikhs in the neighbouring country and a clear indication of the urgent need for implementation of the CAA. Vishwa Hindu Parishad international secretary Milind Parande also referred to the reported abduction of the daughter of a 'granthi' (caretaker of the place of worship) and said the Centre should bring pressure on Pakistan government to stop such acts. "The attack has come right after Friday prayers in mosque and VHP appeals to the government of India and the UNHRC to take cognizance of this and pressure the Pakistan government to mend its way and return the Sikh girl," he told reporters here. As Shen Yun tours Italy and with 15-shows already sold out, tickets are hard to get for the highly acclaimed classical Chinese dance performance. A well-known Italian choreographer Davide Bombana saw the performance on Dec. 27, in Florence, Italy, and said he was astounded by the choreography and the dance techniques. I was very fascinated by the art, the superb skills and the technical performance of the dancers, said Bombana. I am very surprised that such technique and expressive force was already present and around for thousands of years before ballet. Since 2006, Shen Yun has been touring around the world with its mission to revive ancient Chinese culture through dance and music. To see this form of virtuosity, so ancient and yet in a sense so fresh, is for me an incredible surprise, he added. But what attracted him more was the spiritual connotation throughout the performance. I think seeing this kind of content about life and spiritual beliefs again is a very meaningful thing, said Bombana. Not only from an artistic perspective but also from a spiritual perspective, it brings us back to the ideal world, which is what we are losing today. For thousands of years, classical Chinese dance was used to express traditional values which place great emphasis on spiritual self-discipline and respect for the divine. Many audience members said the performance was filled with important reminders. For me, this performance allows us to examine ourselves in our daily lives, said Pierangelo Conte, the artistic director of Florence Opera. I think it is more important to look inward and find these values. And this performance can remind us of that. It seems there is a very beautiful, spiritual message, said Diletta Frescobaldi, professor of business administration at Florence University of the Arts. The meaning that this dance has for us today, I find it really beautiful. I recommend [everyone] see it. I will wait for next year to see this again because they told me that it changes every year NTD News, Florence, Italy US and UK electronic surveillance aircraft have been operational this morning along the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, according to online flight tracking enthusiasts. A US Air Force RC-135W 'Rivet Joint' aircraft was spotted for several hours flying a 'race track' pattern off the coast of Lebanon. While an RAF Sentinel R1 was spotted leaving RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus before overflying Israel and Jordan. Flight tracking enthusiasts have followed a pair of US and UK electronic warfare aircraft on a mission earlier today. The US RC-135W 'Rivet Joint' jet flew a racetrack pattern off the Lebanese coast while the RAF Sentinel R1 flew over Israel and into Jordan The Sentinel R1 earlier warning spy plane was seen flying to Jordan from RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus this morning, file photograph The USAF Rivet Joint, pictured, flew a racetrack pattern over the Eastern Mediterranean. Both the UK and US aircraft are involved in electronic surveillance Both aircraft are used in an electronic warfare role to monitor communications and potential threats such as missile launches According to the RAF, the Sentinel 'provides long-range, wide-area battlefield surveillance, delivering critical intelligence and target tracking information to British and coalition forces'. The surveillance aircraft uses a 'powerful multi-mode radar' which offers 'time-critical' intelligence to commanders. However, the Sentinel is due to be decommissioned next year. The US RC-135 first flew in 1964 but has undergone constant upgrades and improvement during its service life. It is capable of carrying a crew of up to 30 and can provide advance warning of potential attacks. RIVET JOINT RC-135 Engines: Four CFM International F108-CF-201 high bypass turbofan engines 21,600 pounds each engine Length: 135 feet Height: 42 feet Wingspan: 131 feet Maximum speed: 430+ kts Range: 3,900 miles Maximum Altitude: 50,000ft Advertisement The US killed Iran's top military commander Qasem Soleimani "to stop a war, not to start one", US President Donald Trump said last night. He said the strike at Iraq's Baghdad airport on Friday has ended Soleimani's "reign of terror." Soleimani spearheaded Iran's Middle East operations as head of the Quds Force. Iran has vowed "severe revenge" on those responsible for his death. Analysts see the killing as a major escalation in tensions between Iran and the US. US officials said 3,000 additional troops will be sent to the Middle East as a precaution. Meanwhile, Iraqi state television said there has been another air strike in the country, 24 hours after the killing of Soleimani. However, there has been no comment on this from Washington, a BBC report said. An Iraqi army source told Reuters news agency that six people were killed in the fresh strike, which hit a convoy of Iraqi militia in the early hours of Saturday morning. Speaking at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said: "The United States military executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world Qassem Soleimani." He said: "Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel but we caught him in the act and terminated him." Iran reaction Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said of the Suleimani's killing: "His departure to God does not end his path or his mission, but a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands." London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was given no advance warning of the US drone strike in Iraq despite Britain having hundreds of soldiers stationed near Baghdad. Government sources have told London's Telegraph the rocket attack caught Downing Street and the whole of Whitehall "by surprise", causing anger among ministers who had to scramble to react to the rapidly-escalating crisis. The failure by the US to alert Britain to an attack happening just 60 kilometres from Camp Taji, an Australian military base where 500 army personnel are stationed, raised questions about the strength of US-UK relations as President Donald Trump bids for a second term in power. It left Johnson - on holiday in Mustique with Carrie Symonds, his girlfriend - open to attack from critics who accused him of "working on his tan" instead of taking steps to avoid "World War III". British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his New Year's message. He is currently on holidays. Credit:PMO/AP Tom Tugendhat, the Tory MP and ex-soldier who was chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the last Parliament, said: "I've long believed that the purpose of having allies is that we can surprise our enemies and not each other, and it's been a pattern sadly, which has been a bit of a shame, that the US administration of late has not shared with us and that is a matter of concern." Colombo, Jan 4 : Dinesh Gunawardena, Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations, is set to visit India on January 9 and 10. This is the first official visit by Minister Gunawardena, also a former journalist, after he assumed office in November 2019 following the presidential election, the Colombo Page newspaper reported. After winning the November 16 election, President Gotanaya Rajapaksa also visited India later that month on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The India trip was the first overseas visit by President Rajapaksa. Jeremy Bernstein in Inference: MEITNER SPENT HER first Christmas in exile in Kungalv, a small town near Gothenburg. She was joined there by her nephew, Otto Frisch, a physicist who had taken refuge at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen. In his biography, Frisch described their famous walk in the woods and their discussion about the nature of nuclear fission. Before recounting this conversation, a few background details may prove useful. In 1932, James Chadwick discovered the neutron. It was immediately clear that this new particle could penetrate and transform nuclei due to its electrical neutrality. Experimental studies were subsequently undertaken by Enrico Fermi and his group in Rome. They examined a number of elements before they turned their attention to uranium and began bombarding it with neutrons. But Fermi already knew what he was going to find before any experiments had taken place: neutron absorption would transform the uranium nuclei. As we now know, uranium becomes neptunium, which in turn becomes plutonium. Fermi was certain that his team had created these transuranic elements. Before she left Germany, Meitner, along with Hahn and a young collaborator named Fritz Strassmann, were engaged in repeating these experiments. After her departure, Hahn and Meitner had managed to maintain communication. It was Hahn and Strassmanns latest experimental results that Meitner and Frisch were discussing when they took a walk in the woods. More here. Home Search ICH By Neil Clark January 03, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Trumps ordered assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guards elite Quds force, not only means a dangerous escalation of tensions with Iran, but also ends fiction that Russia was controlling him. Just imagine.. If Irans President Rouhani had authorised a New Year drone strike on General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, as he was being driven to the airport in Canada. Would anyone even be suggesting that the attack was done in self-defense? But thats exactly the line were being fed now about the killing of Qasem Soleimani. The undeniable truth is that for all his posthumous neocon demonization as the most evil man on the planet, the silver-haired Soleimani played a key role in the defeat of the barbaric death-cult ISIS and other al-Qaeda affiliates in the Middle East. He helped mastermind secular, Christian-protecting, Syrias against-the-odds survival in the face of a ferocious onslaught by some of the most powerful countries in the world, who unleashed an alphabet soup of jihadist proxies and death squads to try and achieve a violent regime change. Soleimanis reward for fighting the groups that have targeted western civilians around the globe- including American citizens on 9-11, and British tourists in Tunisia in 2015, was to be blown up right at the start of 2020. Remind me again, who are the terrorists here? The airwaves are full of talk about the likelihood of a war on Iran, but the fact is that hostilities have already started. Trump provocatively pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal, boasted that his new sanctions on Iran were the highest ever imposed on a country, and now has ordered the killing of a man regarded by many as the most powerful figure in the country. Soleimani threatened US forces in Iraq we are told, by means of a justification. But what are US forces doing in Iraq in the first place? Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Were meant to forget that they came there at the head of an illegal invasion force in 2003 which was supposed to be about getting rid of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction which didnt actually exist. What right did the US and its allies have to invade Iraq seventeen years ago? Absolutely none, under international law. But Iraqi WMDs was not the only deception. Far from it. Condemning Iran for aggression when you just assassinated their guy in Iraq, a county you illegally invaded and continue to occupy militarily, is Big War Nonce Energy. Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) January 3, 2020 Trump's killing of Soleimani finally blows up the fake Russiagate narrative Weve been told (ad nauseum) the past few years that Donald Trump was under the control of Putin. That he was a de facto Russian agent. A marionette of Moscow. At least now, not even the most credulous inhabitant of planet Earth will believe that one. Iran is a key Middle Eastern ally of Russia, an important strategic partner. By assassinating Soleimani and putting us on a military collision course with Tehran, Trump is not only menacing the Islamic Republic, he is poking the Russian bear in the chest, back and face too. Todays events, for anyone who still had any doubts, shows that the foreign country which have the greatest influence in US politics is not Russia, but Israel (and after Israel, Saudi Arabia). The killing of Soleimani and the strong likelihood of Iranian retaliation against US targets, makes no sense from a US viewpoint, but it makes plenty of sense from an Israeli one. The Iranian general has had his card marked for a long time by Tel Aviv. The Jerusalem Post notes that the Quds supremo was a key part of Irans support for Hezbollah during the 2006 war with Israel. He also stressed Irans continuing support for the Palestinians. If you were a staunch Zionist theres probably no one in the world youd want out of the way more than Soleimani. But heres a great truth which is rarely if ever spoken in US public discourse, or indeed in Britain: Israels priorities (smashing the Iran-Syrian-Hezbollah axis- and eliminating leading figures from those countries/movements), actually weakens the broader fight against radical Islamist terror groups. If a War on Terror was really being fought, you wouldnt be droning those who have done the most to defeat ISIS and al-Qaeda, would you? But thats what Donald Trump is doing. All the time liberals were getting into a strop over non-existent Russian interference, Israel and its lobby were pushing for tougher action against Iran, the strongest regional foe of ISIS and al-Qaeda. In November 2011, Trump went on Twitter to predict that President Obama would start a war with Iran to get re-elected. @realDonaldTrump remember when you criticized the POSSIBILITY that a Obama would go to war with Iran as a desperate re-election tactic? #Iran https://t.co/7szlTPl4Gx pic.twitter.com/BxmDDb41ms Oh MAGAd (@AntiHateDebate) January 3, 2020 But Obama didnt. Not only that, but the Obama administration twice discouraged Israel from going ahead with plans to kill Soleimani when they had the opportunity. Trump is undoubtedly the most pro-Israel President America has ever had. That means the dangers of a major conflagration breaking out in 2020 are greatly increased, for all the pre-election rhetoric about ending Middle Eastern wars. Neil Clark is a journalist, writer, broadcaster and blogger. He tweets on politics and world affairs @NeilClark66 Do you agree or disagree? 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Privacy Statement The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Iraq vowed last night to expel all American troops from the country, ending its 16-year intervention, in response to the US drone assassination of Irans top general. Another airstrike almost exactly 24 hours after the one that killed Soleimani hit two cars carrying Iran-backed militia north of Baghdad, killing five people, an Iraqi official said. The Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the strike, saying it targeted one of its medical convoys near the stadium in Taji, north of Baghdad. The group denied any of its top leaders were killed. With tensions rising, 3,500 extra US troops were being sent to Kuwait, on top of 750 who arrived there earlier this week, as Iran promised crushing revenge over the killing of Qasem Soleimani. The Pentagon said the troops from the 82nd Airborne Division were being deployed as a precaution. The US has sent 14,000 additional troops to the Middle East since May. Expand Close A vehicle on fire after the airstrike. Photo: IRAQI MILITARY/AFP via Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A vehicle on fire after the airstrike. Photo: IRAQI MILITARY/AFP via Getty Images The US was braced for potential cyber attacks from Iran and extra security measures were being taken at its embassies around the world. Donald Trump justified the strike because Soleimani was responsible for killing millions and said he had been plotting an imminent attack on US diplomats and personnel in the Middle East. The president said he did not seek regime change in Iran, but warned that Iranian aggression and use of proxy fighters must end now. He said: We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war. Critics accused Mr Trump of shooting from the hip and igniting a tinderbox, but supporters praised him for showing strength. Mr Trump kept allies, including Boris Johnson, in the dark before the strike. The British navy said it was ready to react accordingly. A British Ministry of Defence spokesman said: There are presently conversations taking place about how best to prepare, and how to protect our people and our assets. World leaders offered notes of caution, with Saudi Arabia, Irans principle foe in the region, calling for self-restraint to avoid unbearable consequences. Expand Close Donald Trump gives a speech. Photo: REUTERS/Tom Brenner / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump gives a speech. Photo: REUTERS/Tom Brenner Emmanuel Macron called for restraint, while Angela Merkel said: We are at a dangerous point of escalation. Vladimir Putin warned the US had seriously aggravated the situation. But Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli leader, praised Mr Trump for acting swiftly, forcefully and decisively. Oil prices spiked amid the uncertainty, leading to fears of higher prices at forecourts. Lindsey Graham, a US senator who is a close ally of Mr Trump, said the US would not hesitate to bomb Iranian oilfields in the case of a retaliation. Dozens of US workers were quickly evacuated from the oilfields. Mr Graham, who discussed the attack with the president beforehand, said: They [Iran] were about to unleash holy hell on our people in the region and our president took decisive action. If Iranian aggression continues and I worked at an Iranian oil refinery, I would think about a new career. Expand Close Harsh revenge awaits: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harsh revenge awaits: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty Images Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said Mr Soleimani had been plotting an imminent and significant strike on US targets which had the potential to kill hundreds. He said the strike was wholly lawful, adding: There would have been many Muslims killed as well. Soleimani commanded the Iranian Quds Force and was responsible for spreading Iranian influence abroad. Hassan Karim al-Kaabi, the deputy speaker of Iraqs parliament, said Baghdad would, over the weekend, make decisive decisions that put an end to the USs presence in Iraq. The time has come to put an end to the US recklessness and arrogance in Iraq, he added. Adel Abdul Mahdi, Iraqs caretaker prime minister, said the US strikes on its soil violated terms of American military presence. The US has around 5,000 troops in Iraq, who have fought alongside the countrys forces against Isil. Mr Khamenei said harsh revenge awaited the criminals who killed Soleimani and said his death would redouble resistance against the United States and Israel. He called for three days of national mourning and appointed Soleimanis deputy, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, to replace him as Quds Force head. President Hassan Rouhani said the assassination would stiffen Iranian resistance to the US, while the Revolutionary Guards said anti-US forces would exact revenge across the Muslim world. Hundreds of Iranians marched toward Mr Khameneis compound in Tehran to convey their condolences. I am not a pro-regime person but I liked Soleimani. He was brave and he loved Iran, I am very sorry for our loss, said housewife Mina Khosrozadeh in Tehran. Analysts have warned that the assassination would now plunge the region into the unknown. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said: The killing of Qasem Soleimani is one of the biggest developments in the Middle East for decades. It far eclipses the deaths of Bin Laden or Baghdadi in terms of strategic significance and implications. Dominic Cummings call for weirdos and misfits to work at No 10 to help him transform the running of government is likely to be unlawful, experts are warning. Boris Johnsons chief aide is under fire on ageism grounds after saying he is targeting graduates and for combative language described as quite outrageous from an employment law perspective. The rambling 3,000-word blogpost has also provoked accusations of hubris from a former head of the civil service and cabinet fears that Mr Cummings risks destabilising Whitehall at a crucial time. The head of Britain's biggest civil servants union said the comments implied he wants to hire and fire at will, revealing an anti-trade union mentality that would be strenuously resisted. At one point, Mr Cummings wrote that if you cut it you will be involved in things at the age of 21 that most people never see. Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes Show all 8 1 /8 Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes Conservative party leader Boris Johnson drives a JCB through a fake wall POOL/AFP via Getty Images Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes PA Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes AFP via Getty Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes PA Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes REUTERS Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes PA Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes AFP via Getty Bizarre: Boris Johnson drives 'Brexit' digger through boxes AFP via Getty We want to hire some VERY clever young people either straight out of university or recently out with extreme curiosity and capacity for hard work, he said. But Philip Landau, a specialist employment lawyer, said: It is not usually advisable to set out a specific age in an advertisement in case it can amount to discrimination. This is unless there is an occupational requirement to do so. He criticised the candid language, telling The Guardian: A lot of employers these days are more keen to promote flexible working and a healthy work-life balance. Employers do need to be careful not to be discriminatory in their job advertisements where this may relate to one of your protected characteristics under the Equality Act (which includes but is not limited to age, disability, race, religion and sexual orientation). John Bowers QC, a leading employment barrister, recalled what he described as Mr Cummings cavalier approach last year when he sacked a young Treasury aide. Sonia Khan was frogmarched by armed police from Downing Street after a confrontation with No 10s chief strategist, which may have been unfair dismissal, Mr Bowers warned at the time. On the latest blogpost, he said: I am surprised the cabinet secretary allowed this advert to go out, calling it quite outrageous. Mr Cummings, the former Vote Leave chief, had protested that we do not have the sort of expertise supporting the PM and ministers that is needed but argued that Mr Johnson, with an 80-seat majority, had little need to worry about short-term unpopularity. Instead of Oxbridge humanities graduates he called for true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hellhole, weirdos from William Gibson novels. An appeal was made for data scientists, economists, policy experts, project managers and communications assistants to apply to him alongside weirdos and misfits with odd skills. China urges Iran, US to practice self-restraint IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Beijing, Jan 3, IRNA -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Friday reacted to assassination of the Commander of the IRGC's Quds Forces Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and urged Iran and US to practice self-restraint. Speaking in a regular press conference, Shuang said China has always been against using power in international relations. He added that China is concerned about escalation of tensions after General Soleimani assassination. He suggested all parties to follow UN Charter regulations and the basic principles of the international law. Shuang called for respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and preserving peace and stability in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf as well. Iraqi media quoted official resources as saying that the General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the acting commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (known as the Hash al-Shaabi) Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, who were separately leaving Baghdad airport in two cars were targeted and assassinated. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address eeshanpriya@htlive.com The Shiv Sena on Saturday assured support to citizens concerned about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Addressing a programme organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and the Association of Civil Rights, Shiv Sena MP and editor of party mouthpiece Saamana, Sanjay Raut, said, I am saying this on behalf of chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray, do not be afraid of this [CAA and NRC], we are with you. Uddhav Thackeray has already told you all this. He added that: Uddhav Thackeray was the first CM to criticise violent government action on students protesting at Jamia Millia Islamia, and equating it with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Criticising the Centres decision to implement NRC, Raut said the register will affect not only Indian Muslims, but also around 30% Hindus. The programme on Saturday was organised by 18 citizens and social organisations. The Sena MP said he wanted to address the fears among people and saw an opportunity to do so when an Islamic organisation invited him to talk about CAA and NRC at the event. Among other speakers present were retired justice BG Kolse Patil and advocate Mihir Desai. Sena is not a party to put any label on patriotism. Patriotism has no religion, Raut said. Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said that the party is still reeling from the loss of power in the state. We have shown Maharashtra to not be afraid. If anyone has worked against these people who create fear, it is Maharashtra, he said, adding, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas even Sena can do, and we are doing it already in the state. Almost 24 hours after the mob attack on Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has condemned the act. Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Banerjee condemned the attack. However, she did not speak against Pakistan PM Imran Khan, but emphasized that 'humanity comes above all.' We condemn the incident of violence at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. This is unacceptable. Humanity comes above all else. Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 4, 2020 Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated its concern for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External affairs. Furthermore, it added that these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place is condemnable and called upon the Pakistan government to act on it. It requested Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well being of the Sikh community. Rahul Gandhi condemns attack on Nankana Sahib with a jibe, says 'bigotry knows no borders' Nankana Sahib attacked On Friday, a video emerged of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals show that the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the Gurudwara which is the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Sources report that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. Sources report that the protestors consisting of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurdwara which was attacked by the mob on Friday evening. Jagjit Kaur- forced conversion victim returns home, Sirsa thanks MEA Forced conversion Pak Sikh girl Meanwhile, the main leader of the mob is the brother of Mohammed Hassan - who was accused of kidnapping and forcibly converting a Sikh girl -Jagjit Kaur. Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa, in August, had shared a video of the grieving family telling how 18-year old Jagjit Kaur was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam in Pakistan. On September 3, the victim was reunited with her family after Pakistan faced global anger due to inaction. Pakistan had claimed that Punjab's Nankana Sahib police had arrested eight people - including Hassan, in connection with the case. Despite being rescued, reports claim that Jagjit Kaur - now known as Ayesha refused to convert back to Sikhism. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh asks Pak PM to intervene over Nankana Sahib mob attack PATHETIC: Pakistan PM Imran Khan attacks India with old B'desh video claiming it's from UP Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday announced that Rashtra Manch, his political action group, will take out 'Bharat Jodo Yatra 2020' from Mumbai to Delhi to demand withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Addressing a press conference here, the former BJP leader said the 21-day yatra will begin on January 9 and reach Delhi at the Rajghat on January 30, on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Actor-politician and Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta were also present at the press conference. "I am requesting everyone to protest against the excesses which have been committed by the government of India and the unconstitutional steps taken," Yashwant Sinha said. The yatra will pass through six states- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Harayana and Delhi- and cover the distance of over 3,000 kms, he said. Political parties, social activists, professionals, organisations and intellectuals will take part in the yatra, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I'm sitting here regarding a pair of puppets that I acquired in the late 1950s when I was 11. They're about seven inches tall and made of a very pliant vinyl. Wilkins is orange with a red interior mouth and he bears a striking resemblance to Kermit the Frog. Wontkins is dark blue with a green, bulbous nose. I remember sending away for them and I think I had to pay for them but I'm not sure how much. Thanks for jogging some great memories. - Jay Neel, Travilah - - - Answer Man's column last week about the TV commercials Jim Henson created for Washington's Wilkins Coffee elicited many fond memories from readers. In this age of global media saturation, it's hard to imagine a time when a local talent could so rule the local airwaves. But then, Henson seemed able to master anything he touched. To get a sense of the Muppet creator's precocious artistry, head over to the University of Maryland's Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library. There you'll find a compact but winning exhibit on Henson's time as a student at Maryland, where he gained many of the skills that allowed him to bring his innate gifts to life. Henson started out as a fine arts major but soon switched to the College of Home Economics, figuring that's where he would learn the practical skills he needed to master his unique vision. At Maryland he took courses in fashion illustration and advertising layout. The exhibit includes one of his class projects: a mock-up for something called "GLAM, for beautiful eyes." Two comely female faces stare out from an ad that wouldn't look out of place in Glamour magazine. Next to that is another assignment: a sketch of a skeleton that manages to demonstrate both that Henson knew anatomy and that he possessed a sly sense of humor. At the top of the page, Henson helpfully jotted: "A skeleton - that's bones with all the people scraped off." Henson had worked on set design while at Northwestern High School, and he continued with theater work at Maryland. He became the publicity manager for several university theater companies, responsible for designing posters and programs for such shows as "Teahouse of the August Moon" and "Dark of the Moon." Henson became so adept at silk-screening - and was so industrious - that he set up a silk-screening business in the student union. You could hire Henson to design a poster for your kegger or student council campaign. A large touch-screen monitor allows visitors to scroll through digitized pages of sketchbooks Henson maintained. The drawings inside are not fantastical proto-Muppets, but assured sketches of people and places, from the camera operators Henson encountered while working on his various TV projects to landscapes from around the District of Columbia: the Duke Ellington Bridge, Great Falls, the Silver Spring train station . . . Another monitor displays scenes from "Sam & Friends," one of the shows Henson did with his future wife, Jane Nebel. It promised, an ad read, to "bring out the children in the adults and the adults in the children." Though the single-room exhibit is composed of just a few cases, a few walls and a few TV screens, it gives a good sense of the breadth of Henson's interests and his love of experimentation. In his short, animated film "Drums West," colored shapes dance across a black background in time with a percussive soundtrack. Yellow and orange rectangles make starburst patterns as the (unseen) drummer, Chico Hamilton, plays the high-hat; blue dots pop as he thumps the bass drum. It's an abstract visual representation of the music. How was it done? At the end, the camera pulls back to reveal Henson seated at a workbench. In front of him is a black surface about the size of an LP cover. It's surrounded by bits of colored paper that Henson has been painstakingly arranging with tweezers, then filming a frame at a time. As for those souvenir Wilkins and Wontkins Muppets, they're there too, inside a glass case. In 1958 you could have had a pair by sending in $1 and the last inch of winding band from a can of Wilkins Coffee or a Wilkins Instant Coffee label. "Made of soft but durable vinyl," a newspaper ad explained, "you only need to move your fingers inside to create 1,001 funny faces." Henson did that and more. "Inspired! Jim Henson at Maryland" was curated by Vincent Novara of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library and Karen Falk and Susie Tofte, archivists at the Jim Henson Co., which supplied much of the material. The free exhibit is at 8270 Alumni Dr. in College Park. It's open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours till 9 p.m. on Wednesdays. Visit lib.umd.edu/mspal. Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The United Nations Secretary General has condemned the recent inter-communal clashes in Genaina town, capital of West Darfur state, that claimed dozens of lives Ethiopian lawmakers have replaced anti-terrorism legislation that had drawn criticism from rights activists, although Amnesty International said the new version still had the potential to be used against government critics. The new law, adopted Thursday, removes text invoked to arrest scores of journalists and politicians over the years. A vaguely-worded provision to punish acts "encouraging terrorism" has been axed in favour of more specific language targeting "incitement". The new version also guarantees workers' right to strike even if they "obstruct public services", an offence the law otherwise classifies as terrorism. But the law also criminalises the vague act of "intimidation to commit a terrorist act." And it empowers lawmakers to identify and ban terrorist organisations, a move used in the past to outlaw opposition parties. "I can see that there are some pro-human rights developments in the new law," Amnesty International researcher Fisseha Tekle told AFP Friday. He added, however, that there was also "potential for abuse". Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, this year's Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has received accolades for political reforms including lifting bans on political parties, but the original anti-terrorism law passed in 2009 has remained in use. After five high-ranking political and military leaders were assassinated in June 2019, hundreds of people were held under the anti-terrorism law, Fisseha said. The new law notes that the old version had "loopholes which produced a negative effect on the rights and freedoms of citizens" and needed to be revised. Opposition politician Merera Gudina told AFP Friday that it was too early to tell what the effects of the new law would be. "We fear ruling party functionaries used to old habits could use the new law to target opponents," he said. Under the new law, lethal acts of terrorism can be punished with the death penalty or prison sentences of 15 years to life, terms that are broadly consistent with the old law. Terrorism acts that cause "serious bodily injury" or property damage can fetch prison terms of 10 to 18 years. National park chiefs push for dedicated sea turtle protection areas PHUKET: National parks chiefs in Phuket and Phang Nga are calling for hotels and other beachfront businesses to join a campaign to create turtle preservation zones to protect turtle eggs being laid along west-coast beaches. marineanimalsenvironmentnatural-resourcestourismpollution By Tanyaluk Sakoot Saturday 4 January 2020, 09:00AM Protected areas to be expanded for sea turtle preservation. Photo: Khao Lampi - Hat Thai Mueang National Park Prarop Plangngarn, Chief of Operations Center 2 at Sirinath Marine National Park, on Phukets northwest coast, and Haritchai Rittichuay, Chief of the Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park, north of Phuket in Phang Nga province, along with other nature and environmental protection officers decided at a meeting last month to survey areas where the zones would be most appropriate namely in the areas adjacent to the two national parks. Presently, there are only a few areas that are suitable for turtles to lay their eggs because of the continual expansion of human communities and the tourism industry, Mr Prapop told The Phuket News. The turtles are afraid of humans on shore, so relevant officers must take action to change the environmental factors to help encourage turtles to come ashore to lay their eggs. We need to create turtle protection areas, and we need to do it quickly. We will start surveying the areas to decide where the turtle protection zones should be by the end of this month, he said. In Phuket, the areas already under consideration include the beaches at Nai Yang as well as Mai Khao Beach at 14 kilometres long, Phukets longest beach all the way to Sai Kaew Beach on the northwestern tip of the island. Mr Prarop explained that although Sirinath Marine National Park includes all these beaches, only at the southern end of the park does the park boundary include areas on shore. All along Mai Khao Beach and Sai Kaew beach, the park includes the beach areas, but not the land immediately behind the sands, where many hotels, resorts, guesthouses and restaurants are built to offer scenic views to tourists. Turtles have returned to laying eggs in the area. We have not seen this for years. The last time leatherback turtles were spotted returning to Sirinath national park was in 2013, Mr Prarop said. From October through December, turtles came ashore near a luxury resort on the headland just south of the park and laid eight different nests of turtle eggs, Mr Prarop pointed out. The eggs were taken into care by officials from the Phuket Marine Biological Center [PMBC]. We strongly believe more turtles will come back to lay more eggs, he said. For the coastal national park north of Phuket, Park Chief Haritchai explained that the impetus for creating the zone there follows leatherback sea turtles finally returning to lay eggs at Thai Mueang and Natai Beach in recent months. Two leatherback turtle nests were found in the park within weeks of each other late last year. The first nest was found at Thai Mueang Beach, and the second nest was found on Tha Theng Beach in Tambon Natai on Nov 26, 12km from the first nest, he said. We are looking to create a turtle protection zone that includes both areas where turtle eggs were laid. The protection zone will cover more than 13km along the beach and extend 1.5km into the sea, covering 20.4 square kilometres in total. If any turtle lays egg in the area, we want the eggs to be protected, he explained. The turtle protection zones aim to have all businesses and developers in the areas agree to terms laid out in a joint declaration drawn up and signed in February last year by local hotels and resorts, tour operators and local officials already located in or operating in the two key areas. As such, those in the protection zones abide to reduce the impact of electrical lighting along the beachfront, to reduce the number and intensity of beach parties and other activities on the beaches, to keep the beaches clean and reduce the impact of waste at the beach, and to improve awareness and understanding among local communities in areas near the protection zones. Already 10 hotels in Phuket and another 18 in Phang Nga have joined the campaign, Mr Prarop said, adding that the goal is to positively promote those who do step up to protect turtles by publicly listing them. Tourists are smarter and more aware of environmental issues these days, and given a choice between booking a holiday with a business that supports turtle conservation and a business that does not they will choose the business that does the right thing every time. Hence, I expect more hotels will join this project soon, Mr Prarop added. However, we need more hotels and private operators to step up and help create more effective change. We welcome them to join the project. Any hotels or businesses wanting to join the project can contact the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, Mr Prarop said. She's spent the past few days flaunting her incredible physique in bikinis while holidaying in Puerto Rico. And Brooke Shields added a few more layers to her look on Friday, spotted picking up some lunch in New York City. The 54-year-old braved the cold and rainy day with her umbrella while walking around the West Village. Scroll down for videos All layered up: Brooke Shields was all rugged up Friday when she went out to pick up some items from her local deli in New York City Brooke wore a soft grey cardigan underneath a khaki colored waterproof jacket. She teamed the look with blue denim jeans and a pair of black flat low boots. The actress accessorised with a blush pink scarf and wore a small bag across her chest. Low-key: Brooke styled her hair out naturally and appeared to be wearing a natural amount of makeup for the outing to her local deli Keeping warm: Brooke wore a soft grey cardigan underneath a khaki colored waterproof jacket Brooke styled her hair out naturally and appeared to be wearing a natural amount of makeup for the outing to her local deli. The Blue Lagoon star's appearance comes after she spent the past few days holidaying in Puerto Rico. 'Ready to spend the last day of the year at the beach!' she captioned a mirror selfie. Beach day! The Blue Lagoon star's appearance comes after she spent the past few days holidaying in Puerto Rico Hot mama: Brooke's bikini photos drew attention to her abs and toned physique The mom-of-two sported a skimpy two-piece while flaunting her enviable beach body. Brooke's abs were popping while she also drew attention to her toned and lean legs. The Endless Love actress married television writer Chris Henchy in 2001 after meeting through mutual friends in 1999. Brooke and Chris live in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, with their two daughters, Rowan Francis, 16, and Grier Hammond, 13. President Donald Trump said on Friday he ordered the killing of a top Iranian general to stop a war, not start one, but in the tense aftermath the Pentagon braced for retaliation by sending more troops to West Asia Washington: President Donald Trump said on Friday he ordered the killing of a top Iranian general to stop a war, not start one, but in the tense aftermath the Pentagon braced for retaliation by sending more troops to West Asia. Democrats complained that Trump hadn't consulted Congress, and some worried that the strike made war more likely. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued the US case with allies in West Asia and beyond, asserting that Friday's drone strike killing General Qassem Soleimani was a necessary act of self-defence. He asserted that Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered many American troops and officials across West Asia. The ramifications of Trump's decision to kill Soleimani were still coming into focus Friday; they could include an end to the US military partnership with Iraq in fighting the Islamic State extremist group. Some Iraqi politicians called the attack, which also killed an Iraqi general, a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and questioned whether US forces should be expelled. The US has about 5,200 troops in Iraq, mostly to train and advise Iraqi forces fighting IS. In brief remarks to the nation, Trump said the Iranian general had been plotting imminent and sinister attacks. At the Pentagon, Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US had compelling, clear, unambiguous intelligence of Soleimani plotting violent acts. Oh, by the way, it might still happen, Milley said, referring to the planned attacks. Trump called Soleimani a ruthless figure who made the death of innocent people his sick passion. ... We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over." The president warned Iran against retaliating. He said the US military has Iranian targets fully identified for counter-retaliation. The US has a wide range of offensive and defensive forces in the Gulf area within the range of Iran. Asked about possible retaliation, Milley told reporters, Is there a risk? Youre damn right theres a risk. He added, There is a range of possible futures here, and the ball is in the Iranian court. As Iran warned of harsh" reprisals, the US Homeland Security Department watched for trouble brewing on the domestic front and reported no specific, credible threats in the first hours after the American attack in Baghdad, said the departments acting secretary, Chad F Wolf. Senior State Department officials, in a briefing for reporters, said the drone strike near the Baghdad international airport was based on intelligence that suggested Soleimani was travelling in the area to put final touches on plans for attacks that would have hit US diplomats, troops and American facilities in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere in the Mideast. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity under State Department ground rules, would not be more specific about the intelligence but said it clearly called for a decisive US response. Democrats in Congress questioned the administration's approach while making clear they don't regret Soleimani's demise. Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, noted that Pompeo said the administration wants to de-escalate tensions with Iran. I think the jury's out on that, Warner said. I hope they're successful on that. I think it could have brought in more congressional leaders and allies to help make that case ahead of time. Rep Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, said he has not heard a satisfactory explanation for the timing of the US attack. And the question is why the administration chose this moment, why this administration made the decision to remove him from the battlefield and other administrations, both parties, decided that would escalate the risks, not reduce them, he said. Fears about the repercussions of killing Soleimani persisted throughout the administrations of President George W Bush, a Republican, and President Barack Obama, a Democrat, according to officials who served under both. Soleimani, they calculated, was just as dangerous dead and martyred as he was alive and plotting against Americans. A decades-long US nemesis, Iran holds a range of options for striking back, militarily or otherwise. Tens of thousands of American troops in the Persian Gulf area, including in Iraq and Qatar, are within easy range of Iranian missiles, and Iran has the capability to act more clandestinely with cyber-attacks or military proxy strikes on US targets abroad. Last summer, following a string of intelligence indications that Iran was planning attacks on US targets in the Gulf area, the Pentagon accelerated the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the region and deployed additional missile defences. In all, about 14,000 additional US troops were sent to the area over the summer and fall, but that did not deter Iran, which is feeling an extreme squeeze from US sanctions that have all but shut off its oil exports. The final sequence of actions leading to the killing of Soleimani began in October with rocket attacks in Iraq that Washington blamed on Iran-supported Shiite militias. A 27 December rocket attack near Kirkuk killed an American contractor and wounded the US and Iraqi soldiers. The US blamed an Iran-backed militia called Kataeb Hezbollah, or KH, and on 29 December it bombed five KH-linked facilities. Two days later, KH militiamen and their supporters stormed the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, an attack Trump cited as evidence that Soleimani deserved to be eliminated. The Iranian regimes aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbours, must end and it must end now, Trump said. Trump's final pre-strike consultations were held behind the palm trees at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where the president has spent two weeks largely out of sight before his impeachment trial in the Senate. In the days before the attack, Trump huddled with aides, including Pompeo and his national security adviser, Robert O'Brien. After the Soleimani killing, Pompeo announced that he was placing the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq on the State Departments foreign terrorist organization blacklist, which blocks any assets the group may have in US jurisdictions and bars Americans from providing it with material support. The Pentagon was largely silent Friday on details of the drone strike and its aftermath. Officials announced the deployment of nearly 3,000 additional soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Kuwait as reinforcements. Separately, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Italy, had been placed on alert for the possible deployment of parts of the brigade to Lebanon to help defend the US Embassy in Beirut. The additional troop deployments reflect concerns about potential Iranian retaliatory action. But they also run counter to Trump's repeated push to extract the United States from Mideast conflicts. He has repeatedly called for withdrawing from Syria and Afghanistan, but over the past year, he has greatly increased US troop totals in West Asia. More broadly, some congressional Democrats and national security analysts questioned whether the Trump administration is prepared for Iranian retaliation and the prospect of political backlash in Iraq, where American troops are working with Iraqi forces in a sometimes tense partnership against the Islamic State extremist group. The Pentagon said it wants to sustain that work, but some Iraqi leaders said it might be time for US troops to leave. In Baghdad, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi condemned the American drone strike, which also killed an Iraqi general who was deputy commander of the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces. Abdul-Mahdi called the killings an aggression against Iraq. An emergency session of parliament was called for Sunday, and the deputy speaker, Hassan al-Kaabi, said it would make decisions that put an end to the US presence in Iraq. Ordering out American forces would heavily damage Washingtons influence and make the US troop presence in neighbouring Syria more tenuous. But Iraqs leadership is likely to be divided over such a step. President Barham Salih called for the voice of reason and wisdom to dominate, keeping in mind Iraqs greater interests. YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani news media are taking advantage of the killing of Iranian General Qassim Soleimani to actively spread yet another disinformation campaign, this time aimed at harming the friendly relations between Armenia and Iran. According to Info Check, an online fact checking platform, the Azerbaijani propaganda machine is spreading fake news claiming that Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has congratulated US President Donald Trump through a letter on the airstrike that killed Major General Qassim Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran. But the Armenian PM has not sent any such letter to Trump, and this fake news spread by Azerbaijani media is yet another attempt to harm the Armenia-Iran ties. It is noteworthy that the Azerbaijani news media cited an information posted on a Facebook account, which is obviously a fake page used for disinformation distribution. Major General Qassim Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran, was killed in a drone strike at Baghdad International Airport that was authorized by President Donald Trump. Suleimani was killed along with several officials from Iraqi militias backed by Tehran. The air strike was carried out by a US MQ-9 Reaper drone when Suleimanis convoy was leaving the airport. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed retaliation for the killing. The Armenian foreign ministry expressed concern around the developments and called for de-escalation of the situation exclusively through peaceful means. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan Terry Gilliam said he wants people to take responsibility (Ian West/PA) Terry Gilliam has said that the #MeToo movement is a witch hunt and that he is tired of white men being blamed for everything that is wrong with the world. In an interview with The Independent, the director and Monty Python star discussed the campaign against sexual harassment that was prompted by the dozens of allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017. Gilliam, 79, said that theres no room for modern masculinity, and that he believes were living in a time where theres always somebody responsible for your failures, and I dont like this. I understand that men have had more power longer, but Im tired, as a white male, of being blamed for everything that is wrong with the worldTerry Gilliam I want people to take responsibility and not just constantly point a finger at somebody else, saying, Youve ruined my life. Talking about #MeToo, which has been widely used online in recent years to highlight the prevalence of sexual misconduct in the workplace, Gilliam said that it is a witch hunt. He added: I really feel there were a lot of people, decent people, or mildly irritating people, who were getting hammered. Thats wrong. I dont like mob mentality. These were ambitious adults. Of Weinsteins alleged victims, he said that he feels sympathy for them, adding: But then, Hollywood is full of very ambitious people who are adults and they make choices. We all make choices, and I could tell you who did make the choice and who didnt. I hate Harvey. I had to work with him and I know the abuse, but I dont want people saying that all men Because on (the 1991 film) Fisher King, two producers were women. One was a really good producer, and the other was a neurotic bitch. Video of the Day It wasnt about their sex. It was about the position of power and how people use it. Gilliam later said: I understand that men have had more power longer, but Im tired, as a white male, of being blamed for everything that is wrong with the world. Expand Close Harvey Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex (David Mirzoeff/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harvey Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex (David Mirzoeff/PA) The filmmaker, known for films including Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, was criticised for his words by feminist political party The Womens Equality Party on Twitter. And were tired of white men calling witch hunt and refusing to examine the societal privileges that afford them so much scope to behave poorly without consequence, they wrote. US filmmaker Ava DuVernay re-posted one of Gilliams quotes and tweeted: Poor thing. More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment, and he has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges involving two women from 2006 and 2013. Weinstein denies all accusations of non-consensual sex. Auto-maker Ather, which has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu government to build a new factory, on Saturday said it was moving to the next phase of its growth to scale up its operations across the country. As part of its expansion plan, the auto-maker plans to take Ather Space, its flagship experience centre format, across key cities like Coimbatore. The company would design the retail space and experience for its dealer partners with focus on its holistic experience-led model. The experience centres would allow prospective consumers to test-ride and get hands-on with Athers intelligent and connected product portfolio. The company currently operates Ather Space in Bengaluru and Chennai and looking for a dealer-partner to set up experience centres across the cities. The firm's flagship intelligent scooter Ather 450 has been setting new standards in the electric vehicles market and has ardent enthusiast across the country waiting to order, the company chief business officer Ravneet Phokela said in a press release. The company would continue to enlarge its public charging network - Ather Grid - in all metros in the coming months and each city would receive fast-charging points prior to the delivery of the vehicles, he said. "Intelligent electric vehicles are a new category for which the traditional retail model doesnt really work. We have spent the last couple of years pioneering a new model in Chennai and Bengaluru, which is focused on experience," he said. "We are now looking for dealers and partners in Coimbatore and other parts of Tamil Nadu to expand across the country in a short period of time," he said. "It is an opportunity for us and the partners to prepare for the next phase of the automobile revolution and invest in skill development and employment for a new breed of retail professionals," Phokela said. Ghasem Soleimani Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/AP The death of Iran's paramilitary commander, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, was praised by many US lawmakers and Iran experts, but it also prompted concerns about how Tehran to what many experts saw as a major and unexpected escalation. Iran, which operates well beyond its own borders through its paramilitary group known as the Quds Force, has been proven to have played a large role in sectarian violence in Iraq. But the Quds Force is not the only military group operating in the country against US interests, particularly as thousands of US troops deploy to the region. Several other pro-Iranian militias in Iraq are under scrutiny after Iran pledged to conduct "forceful revenge" against the US for the death of Soleimani. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The death of Iran's paramilitary commander, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, was hailed by many lawmakers and Iran experts. But it also sparked concerns about how Tehran would react to what many experts called a major and unexpected escalation. Soleimani, 62, was killed in an airstrike near Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, on Thursday evening, hours after Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned Iran of retaliatory measures following a rocket attack that claimed the life of one American contractor. "General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more ... but got caught," Trump said on Twitter Friday morning. "He was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people, including the recent large number of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself." "While Iran will never be able to properly admit it, Soleimani was both hated and feared within the country," Trump added. "They are not nearly as saddened as the leaders will let the outside world believe. He should have been taken out many years ago!" Story continues Iran, which operates well beyond its own borders through its paramilitary group known as the Quds Force, has been proven to have played a large role in sectarian violence in Iraq. The Quds Force is not the only military group operating in the country against US interests, particularly as thousands of US troops deploy to the region. Several other pro-Iranian militias in Iraq are under scrutiny after Iran pledged to conduct "forceful revenge" against the US for the death of Soleimani. Here are some of the other Iran-backed forces the US and its allies consider a risk in Iraq. Quds Force quds force partners in the middle east iran iraq Skye Gould/Business Insider The Quds Force's roots stretch back to the Iran-Iraq war in 1980. Iran, which sought international influence amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, established the paramilitary group to conduct warfare through the use of proxies. As the elite branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country's hardline military force that reports directly to the supreme leader, the Quds Force has been linked to violent plots and attacks against the US and its allies. One method the Quds Force uses in destabilizing the Middle East is the use of military aid and funding. The group was discovered to have funded numerous organizations designated as terrorist groups by the US, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. As a consequence of its actions, the Quds Force and the Republican Guard have also been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US. In 2007, the US designated Qassem Soleimani, the Quds Force chief, as a terrorist and imposed sanctions against him, pointing toward roughly $100 million to $200 million that was provided to Hezbollah and weapons that were provided to the Taliban. Within Iraq, the Quds Force trained militant groups that attacked the US through the use of sophisticated explosives. One such explosive, the explosively-formed penetrator (EFP), was particularly devastating for US troops and coalition allies because its metal projectile shattered even armored vehicles. Roughly 861 US troops were wounded and 196 were killed by Iranian-made EFPs in the last decade, according to a Military Times report citing the US military. The Quds Force is also believed to be operating beyond the Middle East, including the US. Soleimani and other Iranian officials were accused of orchestrating a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington D.C. Source: The Wilson Center Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) us embassy iraq protest Associated Press/Khalid Mohammed The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is an Iraqi militia group founded in 2014 after Shiite leaders called for volunteers to stem the proliferation of ISIS in Iraq. The group, which is composed of dozens of armed cells, were estimated to total around 122,000 fighters, according to Iraqi officials in 2018. The PMF was officially recognized by the Iraqi government in 2016, despite concerns from Sunni leaders who warned that it "looks like Iran's Revolutionary Guard." While some of the principles of the PMF, such as the elimination of ISIS, remained aligned with the Iraqi government and US interests, the US warned that it would soon pose a threat as ISIS territory waned. "Now, without a common enemy, these militias have no explicit purpose, yet most refuse to disband and relinquish control over areas they control," Philippe Atallah of the Foreign Policy Research Institute writes. "The future of these militias is unclear, and the Iraqi government needs to take control of them or risk losing authority to militia leaders who act as Iranian proxies and regional warlords with personal armies." Many of these individual groups within the PMF have pledged loyalty to Iran and received direct support. After one of the Iran-backed PMF's brigades launched over 30 rockets at an Iraqi base, killing one American contractor and wounding four US troops, the US responded by conducting airstrikes against five bases, killing an estimated 25 fighters. Violent protests erupted soon after the US airstrike, and the US embassy in Baghdad was mobbed by members of the PMF. Leaders from the organization were eventually blacklisted by the US for its role in the violent attack against the US embassy in Iraq. Badr Organization Badr Karim Kadim/AP The Badr Organization, or the Badr Brigade, is one of the largest militias within the PMF. The Iranian organization was originally formed by Shiite defectors in 1982 in response to the Iran-Iraq war. It later became its own political party. Following the demise of Saddam Hussein, former members of the Badr Organization returned from exile and joined the Iraqi government and police ranks, where they fueled extreme cases of sectarian violence, including "using a power drill to pierce the skulls of ... adversaries," according to a State Department cable in 2009. "The Badr Organization is deeply committed to Iran's Shiite revolutionary doctrine," the nonpartisan think-tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies said in a study. The organization's chief, Hadi al-Amiri, claimed in 2015 that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "is the leader not only for Iranians but for the Islamic nation." The organization, which remains close with the IRGC's Quds Force, was involved in skirmishes against US forces in the country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Members have often publicized their use of US-built weaponry, including M1 Abrams tanks and the armored Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Kataib Hezbollah Kataib Hezbollah Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters Kataib Hezbollah, another Iran-backed PMF brigade, was formed by five smaller Shiite militant groups after the US's invasion of Iraq. The organization embraces Iranian leaders and ideology, pledging to form a government similar to that of Tehran. The brigade's leader and deputy PMF commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was killed in the same airstrike that killed Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani on Thursday. Muhandis previously described Soleimani as "a living martyr." "I will not shy away from mentioning the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran in terms of weapons, advising, and planning," Muhandis said in 2018, according to Kurdish media. In mid-October, Soleimani secretly met with militia commanders and directed Kataib Hezbollah to oversee a campaign of rocket attacks against US troops at Iraqi bases, according to a report Friday by Reuters. The US State Department designated Kataib Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in 2009. The group would continue to antagonize the US and threaten to fight "American occupiers" in Iraq. Kataib Hezbollah agents killed five US soldiers during a rocket attack in Baghdad in 2011. According to the State Department, the group filmed their ambushes against US and Iraqi targets, including sniper and improvise-explosive device attacks. Kataib Hezbollah's membership is estimated to be around 1,000 people, to the groups claim of 30,000 people. Read the original article on Business Insider Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-05 00:27:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close As the risk of further violence between the United States and Iran looms large, the international community is calling for utmost restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions in the Gulf. by Zhi Linfei, Wang Jian, Zhang Miao CAIRO/BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The world is holding its breath to see what could happen next, as the U.S. killing of an Iranian commander has heightened tensions between the two rivals and casted a long shadow over the Middle East region. The United States killed Qassem Soleimani, a high-profile commander of the Quds Force of Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, with an airstrike near Baghdad's international airport on Friday morning, sparking outrage in Tehran with Iranian officials pledging to retaliate. The move was the culmination of tensions between the two countries since 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions against Iran. A man distributes a poster of high-profile Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 3, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) As the risk of further violence between the United States and Iran looms large, the international community is calling for utmost restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions in the Gulf. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for exercising "maximum restraint" by all related parties, saying the world cannot afford "another war in the Gulf." During a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced China's opposition to the use of force in international relations, saying military means only lead to a dead end and maximum pressure will get nowhere. Protesters set fire to a guard room outside the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on Dec. 31, 2019. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) BEHIND THE ATTACK The U.S. strike came after Iraqi protestors stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday in response to earlier U.S. air raids on Kata'ib Hezbollah, a pro-Iran militia, which killed dozens of its fighters. The U.S. Defense Department said it conducted the attack under Trump's direction as a "defensive action" against Soleimani, who it said was planning further attacks on U.S. diplomats and service members in Iraq. Experts said besides revenge, the United States killed Soleimani in order to consolidate its hegemonic position in the Middle East while undermining Iran's regional influence. "Iran considers Iraq, especially the Iraqi Shia militias, as an important tool to counter the United States, so the U.S. action meant to force Iran to loosen its grip on Iraq," said Tang Zhichao, a researcher with the Institute of West Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "The killing of Soleimani was a big blow to Iran's overseas military capacity," said Ding Long, professor with the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, adding that the Quds Force is responsible for extraterritorial operations of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. By taking the action, Washington showed to the world that it will not pull back from the Middle East, and is both determined and capable to confront challenges from Iran, said Wu Bingbing, head of Arabic and Islamic Cultural Studies Institute of Peking University. Protesters gather in front of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 31, 2019. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) WORRIES RAMPANT Iranian senior officials on Friday strongly condemned the assassination of Soleimani. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement that those who assassinated Soleimani should expect a severe response from Iran. Many worry that the heightened Iran-U.S. tensions could spill over and ignite a wider conflict that may engulf the entire Middle East. Robert Malley, president of the transnational non-profit International Crisis Group, tweeted that Trump "just issued a declaration of war." "A strike that the administration claims was intended to deter Iranian attacks is almost certain to trigger far more of them," he tweeted. "There is a possibility that the U.S.-Iranian struggle could spread to cover more areas in the region," said Sabah al-Sheikh, a professor of politics with Baghdad University. Najib al-Jubouri, a lecturer with Baghdad University, said the strike has diverted the U.S.-Iranian conflict from behind the scenes by Iran's proxy militias to direct confrontation. "The new position reduced maneuverability on each side, increasing the risk of the confrontation spinning out of control," he said. Tang predicts that "Iran will not abandon the Shia militias in Iraq and will possibly create more challenges against the United States within Iraq." Markets were also flung into a risk-off mood amid the fear of escalating tensions in the Middle East, with oil prices surging and stock markets falling. People attend a protest against the killing of high-profile Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 3, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) CALLS FOR DE-ESCALATION While denouncing the U.S. act as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, many countries called for restraint of all relevant parties. During Saturday's phone call with Zarif, Wang said China will play a constructive role in maintaining peace and security in the Middle East and the Gulf region while remaining objective and fair. The dangerous U.S. military actions violated the basic norms of international relations and would aggravate regional tensions, Wang said, adding that China urges the United States not to abuse force and calls for dialogue to seek solutions to problems. Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday called on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation. "Further escalation, which could set the whole region on fire, must be prevented," said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Though the future remains uncertain and unnerving, many are positive about the possibility of de-escalation. "I don't think Iran would adopt an outraged response, since both Iran and the United States are the targets of the demonstrations going on in Iraq," Ding said. "They are both under pressure from the proxy war." Wu also believes that Iran will act with restraint as "it would shoulder great pressure and suffer losses if a full-scale confrontation is launched against the United States." "On the other hand, Trump would not risk the 2020 election by getting involved in a long-term and large scale military action," Wu said. (Video reporter: Tang Jiefeng; Video editor: Peng Ying) 5.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump launched (white) evangelicals for Trump at a megachurch in Florida, where at one point, the crowd broke into a lock her up chant. According to the White House Pool Report as provided to PoliticusUSA by the White House, Trump said: Qassem Soleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now, forever gone. He was plotting attacks Americans, but weve now insured his atrocities have been stopped for good. He was planning a major attack, but we got him. We do not seek war, we do not seek nation-building, we do not seek regime change. So let this be a warning to terrorists, if you value your own life, you will not threaten the lives of American citizens. Hes now back to your typical rally fodder including knocking ex-2020 candidate Beto ORourke and Elizabeth Pocahontas Warren. There was a brief Lock Her Up chant that broke out upon Trumps reference to Hillary Clinton. He also suggested three-quarters of the squad was anti-Semitic. These people hate Israel. They hate Jewish people. I wont name them. I wont bring up the name of Omar, Tlaib, AOC. I wont bring that name up. Wont bring it up. I will not bring it up! But where do these people come from? Trump was supposedly launching Evangelicals for Trump at the event, but as the Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie pointed out, Trump was really relaunching White Evangelicals for Trump: Donald Trump isn't launching Evangelicals for Trump tonight in Florida. Hes relaunching White Evangelicals for Trump. It's a group mostly out of denominations like t/ South Baptist Convention, formed in support of slavery. Trump evangelicals support white nationalism even today. Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie (@RevChuckCurrie) January 3, 2020 Trump is trying to shore up his support with evangelicals after Christianity Today called for his removal from office. There are signs of cracks in Trumps evangelical support. The hardcore cultists who long ago sold out their faith for politics arent going to be moved, as evidenced by supposed Christians in a house of worship calling for a political opponent to be locked up. The conservative evangelical movement has been corrupted for decades and has completely lost its way. The White Evangelicals for Trump are not people of faith, but political activists who are hiding behind a religious disguise. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Arif Mohammad Khan on Saturday said he took an oath of Kerala's Governor to defend the Constitution of India and the laws passed by the President of India. The comments came days after the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution seeking the withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. "A Bill becomes a law with the assent of the President and I have taken an oath to defend both the Constitution and law. I am a representative of President of India," Khan told media persons. He said that intimidating a Governor is a criminal act and attracts punishment under Section 124 (Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). When the state assembly passed the resolution against the amended citizenship law, Khan had said that it has no legal or constitutional validity because citizenship is exclusively a central subject. The law grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Springfield police are asking for the publics help as they search for Zachary Gedelman, 37, formerly of Sumner Avenue, whose family has not heard from him for several days. Ryan Walsh, the spokesperson for the Springfield Police Department, said Gedelman recently vacated a Sumner Street apartment, giving the keys to the landlord. On Dec. 28 Gedelmans mother received a note that made her concerned for Gedelmans well-being and she contacted police. Gedelman is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall with hazel eyes. He drives a gray 2011 Honda CR-V with license plate 345-KT6. Authorities said Gedelman has friends in the Boston area and may be traveling with a cat. Anyone with information about Gedelman should contact Springfield police at 413-787-6302 or the department Youth Aide Bureau at 413-787-6360. She said she would wait to marry speedboat killer Jack Shepherd but Georgian beauty Maiko Tchanturidze has been 'looking for love' on Tinder while he's serving up to ten years in jail, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Shepherd met Ms Tchanturidze in Tbilisi when he fled Britain to avoid standing trial for manslaughter. Business consultant Charlotte Brown, 24, died when he drunkenly crashed his boat on the Thames in London, after he took her for a spin following a date in December 2015. Shepherd skipped bail in 2018 shortly before his court date. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Maiko Tchanturidze, the girlfriend of speedboat killer, has been looking for dates on Tinder in Tbilisi, Georgia Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd is planning a wedding from his jail cell to his Georgian lover Maiko Tchanturidze (pictured together) despite still being married Last week Ms Tchanturidze gave an interview claiming that Shepherd sends her daily love letters and the couple had discussed marriage and having children even though he has not divorced his wife. But Ms Tchanturidze, 25, says on her Tinder profile that she is 'looking for love', alongside a sultry picture of her in a skimpy top lying on a balcony. A source in Georgia said: 'She said she was going to wait for Jack, so I don't think he will be too happy when he finds out she has been looking for romance behind his back. Maiko, 25, said she was wooed by Shepherd after meeting in a park and she lived with him for four months in Tbilisi before he revealed his killer past Jack Shepherd (left), 31, was jailed over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown (right) 'She has been on Tinder since October so it was a surprise to hear that her and Jack are still together and planning to get married.' Shepherd, an IT entrepreneur, kept his past a secret from Ms Tchanturidze for months until he finally handed himself in to police last year days after the MoS revealed where he was hiding. After initially vowing to fight extradition, Shepherd eventually agreed to return to the UK, where he is serving six years for manslaughter. He is also serving a four-year sentence to run consecutively for attacking a barman with a vodka bottle while he was on bail in 2016. Following threats from inmates, Shepherd was reportedly moved from HMP Belmarsh in South London to an undisclosed jail. Maiko (pictured) said the pair keep in touch via letters and write almost every day Ms Tchanturidze, who works in customer service, has not visited him in prison after her visa application to come to the UK was rejected. Last week, she told the Sunday Mirror: 'I am going to wait for him. We have spoken about marriage and having children. We write almost every day. He loves reading, attends art class and spends time in the gym. He takes part in a writing class.' Shepherd met Miss Brown on a dating website before going for a meal, followed by a trip in his red speedboat. But it crashed, hurling them into the water. Miss Brown was thrown from his boat when it capsized on the Thames during their first date Shepherd, from Exeter, Devon, was found clinging to the hull, with Miss Brown, from Clacton, Essex, unconscious in the water. Shepherd went on to marry another woman and they had a child together in Wales, but they split after she found out he had been seeing other women behind her back. Ms Tchanturidze did not respond to requests to comment last night. PR-Inside.com: 2020-01-04 01:01:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 522 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2020 / Victory Resources Corporation (CSE:VR)(FWB:VR61)(OTC:VRCFF) ("Victory" or the "Company") announces that it has extended the expiry date of an aggregate of 38,357,904 previously issued warrants (the "Warrants") for an additional 2 years. The Warrants were originally issued January 22, 2018, with an original expiry date of January 21, 2020. The 18,937,904 non-flow through Warrants entitles the holder to purchase a common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.06875 (post forward split). The 19,420,000 flow through Warrants entitles the holder to purchase a common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.0525 (post forward split). The exercise price of the Warrants remains unchanged.For further information, please contact:David Lane, PresidentTelephone: +1 (236) 317 2822E-mail: IR@ victoryresourcescorp.com About Victory Resources CorporationVICTORY RESOURCES CORPORATION (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The company is also currently seeking other opportunities.Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Forward Looking StatementsCertain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.SOURCE: Victory Resources Corporation BJP working president JP Nadda repeated his challenge to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to speak ten sentences on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), in a virtual kick-off to partys 2021 re-election campaign in Guwahati. Party leaders launched an aggressive counterattack in Guwahati despite Assam being one of the hotspots for anti-CAA protests. Senior BJP leaders blamed the Congress for misleading on CAA and promised to safeguard the states interest and claimed the saffron party will sweep 100 of the 126 seats in the 2021 assembly polls. I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi from this stage. Try speaking 10 lines on CAA and in two lines, tell us why you are protesting against the CAA, Nadda said. Nadda said Congress opposition to the contentious act was solely driven by vote bank politics. It is about granting citizenship and not taking it away. But your intentions are not right. You are not inspired by the love for the country but only concerned about politics. You dont see the country, you only see vote bank. The vote is bigger than the country for you, Nadda said, tearing into the Congress. He also tried to lay to rest suggestions that the CAA will lead to foreigners influx in the northeast including Assam. They are claiming so many crores will come. They will not come. They are already here from the days you (Congress) were in power, Nadda said, addressing the meeting attended by booth presidents and workers of the BJP. BJPs General Secretary Ram Madhav, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were also in attendance. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had addressed a public meeting at the same venue in Guwahati on December 28 attacking the BJP and the RSS for the CAA. The local groups including the All Assam Students Union (AASU) have been spearheading the massive anti-CAA protest in the state, alleging the law was against the Assam Accord. Assam Accord fixed March 24, 1971, the cut-off date for residency in the state and promised to deport the rest. The cut-off date in the CAA is December 2014. Nadda said the NDA government at the Centre will implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord in letter and spirit to address the indigenous peoples concerns. To protect Assams culture is our responsibility, it is Bharat Matas responsibility which we will fulfil, Nadda said. Last year, the Centre had formed a high-level committee for the implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord which says, Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Meanwhile, Madhav and Sarma claimed the BJP will again form the government in the state in 2021 polls with at least two-thirds majority. Sarma said the party was prepared to fight AASU if it chose to enter electoral contest. He also attacked Badruddin Ajmal who leads the AIUDF, a political party with influence among the Bengal-origin Muslims in the state. Till there is the last drop of blood in our bodies, we will continue to fight against the likes of Badruddin Ajmal, Sarma said. Congress said it was the BJP that was misleading by claiming it is implementing the Assam Accord. The BJP has killed Assam Accord by bringing in the CAA. How can they claim that they are implementing it? It was during the Congress regime that most work on implementing the promises of the Assam Accord happened, said R Konwar, spokesperson of the Assam unit of the Congress. Meena Shelke of the Maha Vikas Aghadi won election for the president of Aurangabad Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra on Saturday. The presiding officer resorted to a draw of chits to decide the winner after there was a tie. Fresh election was held on Saturday after earlier election on Friday had resulted in a tie. Shelke, a Congress member, was official candidate of the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena's Maha Vikas Aghadi. However, Sena's Dongaonkar, outgoing president, filed her nomination by defying the party, local Sena leaders claimed. There was again a tie between Dongaonkar and Shelke, both of whom got 30 votes. Eventually, the new president was elected through a lottery. Samarth Mitkar, a school student, was asked to pick up a chit and Shelke emerged winner. Lahanu Gaikwad of the BJP was elected as vice president, ZP presiding officer Bhanudas Palve said in a press release. Gaikwad got 32 votes, defeating Sena's Shubhangi Kaje who got 28 votes. ZP member Sheetal Bansod was not allowed to cast vote as she turned up late. Dongaokar said she was going to challenge the presiding officers's decision to adjourn the voting procedure on Friday on the ground of disorder in the House. "I had won yesterday," she claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Warning followed rocket attacks on Green Zone and Iraqi base housing US troops, after US kills senior Iranian commander. US President Donald Trump has threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites very hard if Iran attacked Americans or American assets following a US raid on Friday that killed the head of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, and an Iraqi militia leader. Showing no sign of an effort to ease tensions in the region, Trump took to Twitter to warn that the US had targeted 52 Iranian sites and that some were at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! Trump said. The 52 targets represented the 52 Americans who were held hostage in Iran for 444 days after being seized at the US embassy in Tehran in November 1979, he added. Tensions have escalated since Friday, when the US killed Iranian commander Soleimani and top Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone attack on their convoy as it drove out of Baghdads international airport. Several rockets fell in and around Baghdad on Saturday night, including inside the capitals heavily-fortified Green Zone and the Balad airbase housing US troops. No casualties were reported in the rocket attacks, which were confirmed by US military spokesman, Colonel Myles B Caggins III. He said no troops had been injured but Iraqi civilians could have been harmed. Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020 The Green Zone is the high-security enclave where the US embassy is based. Al Jazeeras Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Baghdad, said none of the projectiles landed inside the embassy compound. According to Iraqi security forces, the projectiles landed in the celebration areas inside the Green Zone, he said. A pair of Katyusha rockets then hit the Balad airbase north of Baghdad, where American troops are based, security sources and the Iraqi military said. Security sources reported blaring sirens and said surveillance drones were sent above the base to locate the source of the rockets. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The US embassy in Baghdad, as well as the 5,200 American troops stationed across the country, have faced a spate of rocket attacks in recent months that Washington has blamed on Iran and its allies in Iraq. Last month, one attack killed an American contractor working in northern Iraq, prompting retaliatory US air raids that killed 25 fighters close to Iran. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi attended the funeral ofQassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed on Friday [Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters] Escalating tensions Gholamali Abuhamzeh, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Tehran would punish Americans wherever they are in reach, and raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the Gulf. Iraqs Kataib Hezbollah militia warned Iraqi security forces to stay away from US bases in Iraq, by a distance not less than a thousand metres starting Sunday evening, reported Lebanese al-Mayadeen TV, which is close to Lebanons Hezbollah. On Friday, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei said Soleimanis death would intensify Tehrans resistance to the US and Israel. With security worries rising after Fridays raid, the NATO alliance and a separate US-led mission suspended their programmes to train Iraqi security and armed forces, officials said. The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary, acting NATO spokesman Dylan White said in a statement. The US has been an ally of the Iraqi government since the 2003 US invasion to overthrow leader Saddam Hussein, but Iraq has become more closely allied with Iran. The top candidate to succeed al-Muhandis, Hadi al-Amiri, spoke over the dead militia commanders coffin: The price for your noble blood is American forces leaving Iraq forever and achieving total national sovereignty. The Iraqi parliament is convening an extraordinary session during which a vote to expel US troops could be taken as soon as Sunday. Many Iraqis, including opponents of Soleimani, have expressed anger at Washington for killing the two men on Iraqi soil and possibly dragging their country into another conflict. Soleimani, 62, was Irans pre-eminent military leader head of the IRGCs overseas Quds Force and the architect of Irans spreading influence in the Middle East. Al-Muhandis was the de facto leader of Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella body of paramilitary groups. A PMF-organised procession carried the bodies of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, and others killed in the US attack, through Baghdads Green Zone. Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also attended. Abdul Mahdis office later said he received a phone call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and they discussed the difficult conditions facing Iraq and the region. Rose McGowan's tweet that apologised on behalf of the US to Iran for "disrespecting their flag and people" in the wake of an airstrike that killed the country's top general was not anti-American, the actress said in the face of harsh criticism. "I don't support Iran over America. I want America to be better," McGowan said during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Friday. Her tweet read: "Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us." The head of Iran's elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, General Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US airstrike early Friday. The attack has caused regional tensions to soar. She faced outrage over Friday's Twitter post, with some suggesting she move to Iran. McGowan acknowledged that her tweet was unusual. "I woke up, I stupidly looked at Twitter. I was going to the bathroom, and I was like, 'what?'" She added that she doesn't believe the governments of either Iran or the US. "So, I just thought I would do something a little strange or unusual... bloodshed should be avoided if you can," she said. "And I kind of just thought, what if I take a really bizarre way around this. A very strange thought, I understand." McGowan, 46, who is known for her role in the "Scream" movie franchise, was one of the earliest of dozens of women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, making her a major figure in the #MeToo movement. Jury selection is scheduled to start this week in New York in a sexual assault case against Weinstein based on allegations from two other women. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty in that case and denies any maintains any sexual activity was consensual. McGowan has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Weinstein and two of his former attorneys engaged in racketeering to silence her and derail her career before she accused him of rape. An attorney for the mogul has called the suit "meritless". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Permanent Invitee Member, Congress Working Committee Randeep Singh Surjewala on January 4, slammed the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government over the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara incident. In a shocking incident, a video has emerged on Friday of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals show mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at the Gurudwara which is touted to be the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. Taking to Twitter, Surjewala condemned the attack and asserted that the incident brought shame to the ideals and religious values of humanity and further held the Pakistan government responsible for it. Sources report that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now. READ: Jitendra Singh highlights the need for CAA amid attack in Nankana Sahib; slams Congress READ: Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurdwara attacked by mob led by forced-conversion accused's kin India condemns Nankana Sahib attack Condemning the mob attack on Pakistan's Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, India on January 3, stated its concern for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External affairs. Furthermore, it added that these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place is condemnable and called upon the Pakistan government to act on it. It requested Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well being of the Sikh community. India strongly condemns vandalism at the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan and calls upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security and well being of the Sikh community. https://t.co/Nx1317xQ1T pic.twitter.com/dFykWJa2xP Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 3, 2020 This incident has occurred a day after the celebration of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti on Thursday, January 2. Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday also condemned the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Taking to Twitter, Singh said that this kind of attack is proof of minorities being treated badly in Pakistan. READ: Shiv Sena attacks Centre over the state of the economy in mouthpiece Saamana READ: Nankana Sahib Gurudwara Attack: Pakistan in denial over attack on Sikhs IF shoppers felt a dark cloud of suspicion hovering over them in retail stores during the recent holiday season, it was nothing personal. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/1/2020 (738 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion IF shoppers felt a dark cloud of suspicion hovering over them in retail stores during the recent holiday season, it was nothing personal. The number of thefts from stores has soared in Manitoba and, lamentably, eroded trust between merchants and customers. The vast majority of people are not thieves, but all are targeted by heightened anti-theft measures. Submitted photo Store video survelliance capture images of thieves, such as this suspect photographed in a convenience store in the 500 block of Hamilton Avenue. Make no mistake, the merchants dont want it this way. Its smart business to treat customers with respect and hospitality. The merchants know their valued customers the ones who never pocket items without paying dont like being regarded as potential criminals, but theres little choice when the pillage reaches the point where it could endanger continued operation of the businesses. Thief spotters are apparent at a growing number of department and grocery stores that station security guards at exits to stop shoppers and check whether cash-register receipts match items in the cart. This has long been the practice at some stores such as Costco, but Winnipeg stores that have introduced the exit-door checks now include some Walmart and Superstore outlets. Also, Winnipeg police say malls and stores hired twice as many off-duty police officers in 2019 as they did the previous year, even though they must pay $112 plus tax per hour for each off-duty constable. Typically, the officers intimidating with their holstered handguns stand in prominent view and are intended to dissuade shoppers who might be tempted to hide merchandise and dodge cash registers. In a third example that has already been well publicized, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is currently rebuilding the entrances of Liquor Marts so a secure double-door system is only opened to customers who show photo identification. This expensive renovation by the Crown corporation became necessary after a year in which video of liquor-store thefts was often posted on social media by other customers who saw audacious thieves speed-walking from stores with unpaid liquor, untouched by staff who were told by management not to risk their safety by intervening. Regrettably, no one can accuse retail merchants of overreacting. Winnipeg Police Service statistics show there were 2,855 reported retail thefts in 2014. That figure rose steadily to 5,989 in 2018. By the end of September in 2019, with the busy Christmas season still to go, there were 6,569 reported retail thefts in Winnipeg. Some people might assume its part of a national trend, but apparently not. A spokesman for the Retail Council of Canada says Manitoba is notorious within the industry for theft, with one national retailer saying 40 per cent of all thefts happen in Manitoba even though this province has only four per cent of the Canadian population. Thats not a distinction Manitoba should boast about with a licence-plate slogan. Why does Manitoba have so many thieves? The people who study such matters typically point to root causes such as poverty, addiction and dysfunctional family upbringing that are often the result of colonial legacies such as residential schools. Such root causes should be addressed as countless reports conclude but long-term solutions to entrenched systemic problems are of little immediate help to Manitoba retailers who are fed up with watching their profits walk out their doors with thieves. Even before they boosted their security measures this year, retailers already had an array of ways to catch shoplifters. The difference is that the anti-theft strategies used to be relatively low-key and behind the scenes. Many stores have long used rounded mirrors in the corners by the ceiling to give staff a wider view and eliminate blind spots. Sharp-eyed store staffers have traditionally been stationed near dressing rooms to thwart unscrupulous customers by using a number system to track how many items come and go. Smaller businesses, including convenience stores, urge staff to greet each customer with a "hello" and make eye-to-eye contact so the customer knows the staff is aware of their presence. Many also have a policy that backpacks and large bags brought in by customers must be left behind the counter. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Tactics can also be as low-tech as signs that warn "Free ride in a police car if you shoplift from this store." Modern technology offers the promise of a more effective array of anti-theft devices. Surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology will let store owners match the faces of their customers against a police-supplied database of chronic thieves. The advances in anti-theft technology mighty eventually make merchants better able to separate the criminals from the stores welcome guests but, until then, the situation requires understanding from all customers. The new retail reality is that shoppers must show identification to enter a Liquor Mart, may have their grocery carts inspected by security guards, and may see an armed police officer at a stores entrance. Unfortunately, such strategies also scrutinize shoppers who have no intention of stealing. We have to live with it. We cant blame Manitoba merchants for protecting their livelihoods. Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board. WASHINGTON -- The United States has designated Asaib Ahl Al-Haq as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), saying the Iraqi militia is a proxy for Iran. The U.S. State Department statement on January 3 said that it was also sanctioning two of the groups leaders. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the militia and its leaders "violent proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The State Department said Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, also known as the League of the Righteous, is backed by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, which has been similarly designated by the United States. The State Department said it also designated Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, and his brother Laith al-Khazali, another leader of the group, as specially designated global terrorists. Such designations will freeze the U.S.-related assets of the group and the two leaders, generally ban Americans from doing business with them, and make it a crime to provide support or resources to the militia. The move comes hours after a U.S. drone strike killed the powerful commander of the elite Quds Force in an attack in Baghdad, igniting outrage in Iran. Qasem Soleimani, one of the most powerful military men in Iran, was killed in an attack on two vehicles at Baghdads international airport in the early morning hours of January 3. Tehran has vast influence and supports many Shi'ite militias based in neighboring Iraq. Baghdad has attempted to balance its relations between the United States and Iran, both of which provide crucial military and financial support to the struggling government. With reporting by Reuters THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick spent almost 100,000 on flights for its staff members during 2018, it has been revealed. Information regarding the 36 trips overseas amounting to 98,961.33 purchased by UL was obtained by the Limerick Leader under the Freedom of Information Act. The information provided showed that at least one business class ticket was bought out of all the trips, a majority of which were to Asian countries for business purposes including engagement with non-EU student markets, research collaborations and strategic business meetings. The universitys International Education Division (IED) accounted for half of the flights purchased, totaling to 39,690.73. Of the departments 18 trips in 2018, six were trips to China and four were to Sri Lanka while locations such as Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, Mexico and India were also featured. The universitys Executive Committee, of which UL president Dr Des Fitzgerald is chairman, accounted for a quarter of flights in the time period, amounting to 15,718.47. Trips undergone by Executive Committee members included five trips to China, as well as business-class flights to Indonesia, Malaysia, and United Arab Emirates. The most expensive trip of the 36 was for a nine-day stay in China in April 2018 by a committee member. The average cost of flight tickets purchased was 2,748.93, with the cheapest priced at 924.82 for a business class seat to China in April. The average length of a trip was ten days, though documents obtained feature two overseas trips that are over 25 days. Trips undergone by the universitys department heads accounted for seven flight tickets purchased, amounting to 15,394.70 and included locations such as China, Singapore, Japan, India, and Malaysia. A visit to Canada taken by two members of staff from ULs Graduate Entry Medical School set the university back 5,121.53 in May of 2018. In its disclosure, the university stated that it was not possible to provide non-economy flight data only for the information provided due to how bookings are managed by ULs contracted supplier for travel agent services. The figures obtained are the through-fare, and are compiled of all flights taken in a return trip which may include both economy and non-economy flights. The universitys 2017 Travel and Subsistence Policy states: The University Strategic plan identifies the development of a greater international profile for University as a key goal. It is expected that the staff will develop international networks and contacts and significantly increase participation in international collaborations. The achievement of this goal will involve foreign travel by staff on behalf of the University. The policy also states: It is expected that persons traveling will use economy class travel including internet (low-cost carriers) fares for short-haul flights, while premium economy class travel may be used (where available) for long haul flights where the additional flexibility afforded is considered necessary for the effective discharge of official business. It is mentioned in the policy that business class travel should be confined to limited situations, and as a general guide, flights under eight hours in duration will not require business class travel. In addition, the policy states that as a general rule, first-class travel should not be used. In September, the Irish Times revealed that 1.5m was spent on luxury flights by publicly-funded universities in 2018, with University College Dublin (UCD) accounting for 960,000 of the figure which did not include University of Limericks spending. With the Dail set to return later this month for the last session, those hoping for a summer general election might as well forget about it. There is no way this thing will get to April or May, one minister told me this week. It has to be in February as there is simply no way this Dail can make the summer unless Micheal Martin and Fianna Fail vote confidence in the Government, and that wont happen. Ahead of the last meeting of the Cabinet before Christmas, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told his ministers that the Dail does not have to be sitting in order for him to call an election, leading some to believe he could call it before TDs are due to return. According to sources present, Varadkar explored a range of scenarios with them as to when an election can happen, and asked for opinions from those in attendance. While he gave no firm indication either way at the meeting, it was seen as significant by some that he even broached the subject with them. Both publicly and privately, Varadkar has, until now, held the line of preferring a May election. But he is said to have been given cause for concern by the manner of the motion of no confidence in Eoghan Murphy that took place in early December. At the meeting, sources said the Taoiseach pointed out that the Dail, due back on January 15 -, does not have to be sitting for him to seek a dissolution from President Michael D Higgins. Varadkar pointed to previous Fianna Fail taoisigh, such as Bertie Ahern, who called an election when the House was not sitting, most famously in the summer of 2007, when he made an early Sunday morning dash to the Aras to see then-President Mary McAleese. Having eschewed the option of a November election because of Brexit, Varadkar and Fine Gael were forced to stomach four by-election defeats and the embarrassment of the Verona Murphy episode. As a result, the partys ability to regain power is very much in question. After nine years in office, the strains of incumbency are clear for all to see. Varadkar, having looked so sure of re-election for so long, now looks certain of nothing with his party structure under strain. As I have pointed out previously, Fine Gael needs to replace at least nine of the TDs it had elected in 2016 just to stand still. Not returning are Enda Kenny, Michael Noonan, Frances Fitzgerald, John Deasy, Dara Murphy, Sean Barrett, Maria Bailey, Jim Daly, Peter Fitzpatrick, and Tony McLoughlin. That is a lot of effort merely to hold what it has and there is no guarantee of anything when the tide is against you. The Bailey affair in Dun Laoghaire has seriously undermined the partys chances of winning the two seats it needs to retain power. If Fine Gael does not win two seats here, it will not be in power. End of story. The party faces a similar situation in Waterford. Following Deasys decision to resign amid the latest war of words with Paudie Coffey, the partys hopes of two seats have evaporated. Now that Coffey has himself decided to withdraw from the general election ticket, the party has faces a battle to see one of their remaining candidates councillors John Cummins and Damien Geoghegan elected. It must also be remembered that the partys current woes come against the backdrop of Fine Gael losing 26 seats in 2016 following a disastrous campaign, particularly in Munster, where the party was ravaged. Fianna Fails long years in the wilderness, during which Micheal Martin was constantly reminded that he could be the first leader of the party not to become taoiseach, it would seem as if momentum has swung back to them. Resurgent in Dublin and now neck-and-neck in both poll ratings and Dail seats, Martin and his team believe they can return with the most seats and therefore win the right to form the next government. But, as anyone who remembers 2016 will attest, campaigns do matter, and Fine Gael got it so badly wrong. Having delivered a budget for a November election in 2015, Fine Gaels plans to cut and run early were dashed by Labour leader Joan Burton. Joan Burton pictured in 2016 We were constructing a budget on the basis that the election would quickly follow that budget, said then-finance minister Michael Noonan. When the then-Tanaiste dug her heels in, that was it. So, by the time the election was called in February 2016, Fine Gael were so over-prepared they made an absolute mess of it from the off. Their election slogan of Keep the Recovery Going bombed and rural Ireland vented its fury. On the other hand, a chastened Fianna Fail managed to convince enough people that its mistakes of the previous decade were in the past and saw a doubling of its Dail seats in one go. Fianna Fails hope in 2020 is that it can jump up again and overtake Fine Gael in terms of seat numbers outright. As Michael McGrath said in an interview this week: I think that we have adopted very sensible centre-ground economic policies over the last number of years. "I think we have led the way in calling for fiscal prudence in the establishment of a rainy-day fund, for example. In calling out the Government on the risks being taken in depending on corporation tax receipts, that could be validated here, he said. And what about him? I think people know that I am somebody who can be trusted, wont make any reckless decisions, he said. I am someone who understands the public finances and having been in the role that Im in now since 2011, and having responded to nine budgets, I know the brief inside and out and I am ready for the job. But as bad as 2019 was for Fine Gael consider the disasters of the National Broadband Plan and Childrens Hospital and the Bailey and Murphy sagas on one front the public seemed to believe in what the party was doing Brexit. Leo, on foot of the Liverpool meeting with Boris Johnson, stands to gain a lot from a deal being done and a hard Brexit being avoided, a ministerial source told me. Fine Gaels return to office will largely depend if we can get a dividend from it and that is why February fits that timescale. Should the deal get through London and Europe by the end of January, a three-week campaign could see an election on Friday, February 21 or 28. Polling throughout the year showed that a strong majority of people backed the Governments handling of Brexit and Varadkar is hoping the passage of the withdrawal agreement in the House of Commons this month will deliver him back to the promised land of Government Buildings. Qassem Suleimani, head of Irans Revolutionary Guards foreign operations branch, the Quds Force was killed in a US rocket strike at Baghdad International Airport on Thursday. The head of the Tehran-backed militia Kataib Hizbollah, Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, was also killed in another strike - ordered by US President Donald Trump. Their deaths are a potential turning point in the standoff between Washington and Tehran and could draw severe retaliation from Iran and the forces it backs in the Middle East against Israel and US interests. US President Donald Trump has said in a statement at Mara-Lago that the US is not seeking regime change in Iran and is not looking to start a war. Instead, by carrying out yesterdays strike, the US leader said America had prevented a war. Suleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks, Mr Trump said. We caught him in the act and terminated him, he added. According to the Associated Press, citing a US official, American troops are on alert to deploy to protect the US embassy in Beirut following the strike on General Suleimani. The alert has reconfirmed the possibility that Iran may seek revenge against US diplomatic targets. Iran vowed to retaliate to the US air strike at Baghdad airport that killed Qassem Suleimani, the mastermind behind its interventions across the Middle East. Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of public mourning for the head of the Quds Force, the overseas operations arm of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Mr Khamenei said the US faced severe revenge for Suleimanis killing, while President Hassan Rouhani called the assassination an extremely dangerous and foolish escalation and said the US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism. Irans top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, met to discuss the attack. Iran also summoned the Swiss charge daffaires, who represents US interests in Tehran, to lodge a protest. The Pentagon said Suleimani was killed because he was plotting attacks on US diplomats and forces in Iraq and the wider Middle East. Iraqs caretaker prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said the strike was a flagrant violation of the countrys security accord with the US and warned it would spark a devastating war in Iraq. Iraqs parliament was scheduled to meet on Saturday to discuss the attack, according to Deputy Speaker Hassan Al Kaabi, who said the session would be dedicated to taking decisive decisions that put an end to US presence inside Iraq. The Iran-backed Iraqi militia Asaib Ahl Al Haq urged its fighters to be on high alert while the cleric Moqtada Al Sadr reactivated his Mahdi Army, nearly a decade after dissolving the notoriously anti-American force. In Lebanon, the leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, Hassan Nasrallah, warned of punishment for these criminal assassins. The US strike has raised fears of a conflict that could engulf the region and divided opinion among politicians in Washington. In Congress, which was not told in advance of the attack, reaction was split along party lines. Wow the price of killing and injuring Americans has just gone up drastically, tweeted Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a supporter of President Donald Trump. The Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said killing Suleimani risked provoking a dangerous escalation of violence. America and the world cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return, Ms Pelosi said in a statement. Mourners gather for a funeral procession for Gen Qassem Soleimani (PMF Media Office via AP) Thousands of mourners have marched in a funeral procession through Baghdad for Irans top general and Iraqi militant leaders, who were killed in a US air strike, chanting Death to America. Gen Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds force and mastermind of its regional security strategy, was killed in an air strike early on Friday near the Iraqi capitals international airport that has caused regional tensions to soar. Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war. US President Donald Trump says he ordered the strike to prevent a conflict. His administration says Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered American troops and officials, without providing evidence. At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) January 3, 2020 Washington has dispatched 3,000 troop reinforcements to the region. Soleimani was the architect of Irans regional policy of mobilising militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on US troops and American allies going back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike. The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession. Expand Close Vehicles drive past a billboard showing a portrait of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Vahid Salemi/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vehicles drive past a billboard showing a portrait of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Vahid Salemi/AP) The mourners, many of them in tears, chanted: No, No, America, and Death to America, death to Israel. Mohammed Fadl, a mourner dressed in black, said the funeral is an expression of loyalty to the slain leaders. It is a painful strike, but it will not shake us, he said. Two helicopters hovered over the procession, which was attended by Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and leaders of Iran-backed militias. The gates to Baghdads Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the US Embassy, were closed. As tensions soared across the region, there were reports overnight of an air strike on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad. Hours later, the Iraqi army denied any air strike had taken place. The US-led coalition also denied carrying out any air strike. Expand Close Mourners gather for a funeral procession for Gen Qassem Soleimani (PMF Media Office via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners gather for a funeral procession for Gen Qassem Soleimani (PMF Media Office via AP) The Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed militias, and security officials had reported the air strike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security official had said five people were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if another type of explosion had occurred. The killing of Soleimani comes after months of rising tensions between the US and Iran stemming from Trumps decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore crippling sanctions. The administrations maximum pressure campaign has led Iran to openly abandon commitments under the deal. The US has also blamed Iran for a wave of increasingly provocative attacks in the region, including the sabotage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on Saudi Arabias oil infrastructure in September that temporarily halved its production. Iran denied involvement in those attacks, but admitted to shooting down a US surveillance drone in June that it said had strayed into its airspace. Global powers had warned on Friday that the killing of Soleimani could spark a dangerous new escalation, with many calling for restraint. Expand Close President Hassan Rouhani meets family of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Hassan Rouhani meets family of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen Qassem Soleimani (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate in the countrys political establishment, visited Soleimanis home in Tehran to express his condolences. The Americans did not realise what a great mistake they made, Mr Rouhani said. They will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but for years to come. Most of the St. George area businesses seeking annexation into the city of Baton Rouge are scheduled to go before the Metro Council for a vote Wednesday, with a total assessed value of $16 million. These are businesses in the unincorporated area that voters in 2019 agreed to turn into the new city of St. George. But incorporation is on hold amid legal challenges. On Wednesday, Metro Council members will consider petitions from property owners including contractor Turner Industries, an affiliate of Stirling Properties, the Louisiana School Employees Retirement System, and affiliated businesses that own much of United Plaza, a corporate complex of office buildings just East of Interstate 10 and Essen Lane. Attorney Charles Landry was retained by all the property owners who submitted annexation requests so far. Landry also has an equity stake in United Plaza properties. Landry was involved in efforts in 2014 to annex several major commercial centers out of the proposed St. George area into the Baton Rouge city limits. Those properties include much of the Mall of Louisiana, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Siegen Lane Marketplace and Baton Rouge Generals Bluebonnet campus. Other properties Baton Rouge annexed are the Costco store near Interstate 12 and Airline Highway and LAuberge Baton Rouge. A separate annexation petition filed by an affiliate of Lipsey's, a wholesale firearm distributor, will be introduced on Jan. 8 but won't be voted on until Jan. 22, records show. The Lipsey's headquarters, which sits nearby Interstate 10 and Exchequer Drive, may be annexed into Baton Rouge by virtue of its proximity to the Mall of Louisiana. The assessed value of Lipsey's was $142,490 in 2019 and its market value is $949,933, records with the East Baton Rouge Parish Assessor's Office show. The property taxes are a fraction of the assessed value. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development sent a letter of no objection to the city of Baton Rouge, enabling the city to annex a section of the I-10 right of way from Siegen Lane towards the east so it can reach the Lipsey's property. 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 If the Metro Council approves all of the requests as ordinances, those aren't slated to go into effect until the thirtieth day after being passed. During that 30-day window, any resident may file an appeal with the state District Court and a trial judge would be expected to offer a judgment within five days. Property taxes in the unincorporated parish are lower on average, so annexation into city limits would come with a tax increase for the property owners. Andrew Murrell, organizer for St. George, said he could not comment on any pending or potential litigation involving the organizers. Murrell did suggest it is unusual for property owners to seek annexation into higher tax situations without gaining access to additional services. Baton Rouge can accept annexation petitions only from areas that share a common border with the city. The process is simpler for businesses because there are no registered voters living in the office buildings. For a successful request to annex a subdivision, 50% plus one of the registered voters in the neighborhood must be in favor of the request. +10 Turner Industries wants Baton Rouge annexation to avoid St. George; assessed property value hits $16M Contractor Turner Industries is yet another local business seeking to be annexed into the city of Baton Rouge to avoid becoming part of the ne +9 Owners of 5 buildings worth $6.6M request Baton Rouge annexation to stay out of St. George The owners of five more buildings inside the United Plaza office complex, on south side of Essen Lane, requested to be annexed into the city o Six labourers, including a one-year-old child, died and six others were injured when an under-construction wall collapsed on them in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district on Saturday, officials said. The accident occurred in Laxmanpura village of Baruasagar area when the wall came down and the debris fell on the labourers working there, the officials said. The injured were rushed to Jhansi medical college hospital for treatment, they said. While five labourers died on the spot, one succumbed to injuries during treatment in the evening. Those who died have been identified as Sukhlal (36), Sunita (35), their daughter Pooja (1), and Uma (30), Kamlesh (40) and Raheesh (35). On the initiative of the Labour Department, an ex gratia of Rs three lakh for the families of each of the dead and Rs 50,000 to the injured is being extended by the person getting the wall constructed besides monetary help by the district administration as per the labour laws. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the accident and directed the district administration to ensure proper treatment to the injured. He asked the authorities to provide immediate financial help to the victims. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indonesia is stepping up sea and aerial patrols of islands near the disputed South China Sea, an official said Saturday, following a diplomatic spat over "trespassing" Chinese vessels. Military aircraft and three warships with some 600 navy, army and air force personnel have been deployed to waters around the Natuna islands, which border the South China Sea. Indonesia has detained Chinese vessels in the fishing-rich waters in the past. "Territorial violations by foreign vessels in Indonesian exclusive economic zone... is a threat to Indonesian sovereignty," defence commander Vice Admiral Yudo Margono said in a statement. The move comes after Indonesia summoned the Chinese ambassador this week and lodged a "strong protest" over a Chinese coast guard vessel escorting Chinese fishing boats around the islands in mid-December. Beijing responded that it has "historic rights" in the region and that fishing boats had been carrying out "legal and reasonable" activities. China lays claim to huge swathes of the South China Sea, where it is accused of building military installations and artificial islands -- and ramming fishing vessels. Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the South China Sea. Beijing claims the majority of the resource-rich waterway through the so-called nine-dash line, a vague delineation based on maps from the 1940s as the then Republic of China snapped up islands from Japanese control. Indonesia does not have a claim in the South China Sea, but said it would not tolerate incursions by China -- a key trading partner -- into its nearby waters. "There is no compromise on Indonesia's sovereignty," Presidential spokesman Fajroel Rachman said Saturday. Alice from Ohio Retires in Cuenca and Rents for $350 UPDATE August 2014: Alice's Landlady raised Alice's rent, after two years, up $50 dollars. Alice now pays $400 for her rent. We are pleased to share with our readers how an expat's retirement dream has come true in Cuenca Ecuador. Alice shares all of the details of why she chose Cuenca for her retirement and about her new life in Cuenca. Alice also talks about some very important and informative aspects of retirement life for the expat. In part one of our six part series, Alice tells us "why" she chose Cuenca Ecuador for her retirement city. Below the Video is all the video series with Alice. Alice Retires in Cuenca Ecuador and Rents for $350 now $400 Expats Retirement Dream Comes True by Going Local (1of 6) Expats Retirement Dream Comes True by Going Local (2 of 6) Expats Retirement Dream Comes True by Going Local (3 of 6) Expats Retirement Dream Comes True by Going Local (4 of 6) Expats Retirement Dream Comes True by Going Local (5 of 6) Expats Retirement Dream Comes True by Going Local(6 of 6) ~~~ Karina Rents for $200 with VIEWS! In this interview (Part 1 of 2) we show our readers that ho nest Ecuadorian Landlords will still rent to gringos at the Ecuadorian rental rateeven in Cuenca! click here! Our purpose is to encourage younger families and those on a smaller retirement income that it is still possible to start a new life abroad and live well in Cuenca Ecuador. However, anyone can do it if they are so led. If interested in finding a local priced renta Yes, its still possible to rent from Ecuadorians at Ecuadorian rental rates!!! But, as we show in the video, you will not find these lower priced rentals going to an English-speaking rental agency. In fact we k now personally most of the r en tal agencies that speak English will raise the rental price when they see a gringo coming or hear a gringo accent. You probably will not get these rental rates by staying confined to the gringo cafes and English-speaking hot-spots in Cuenca. You probably wont find these local rentals by demanding 24 hour security and river views, but you might get these amenities as an added bonus, like Karina did, as seen in the video above. As shown in the video, our friend rents in a decent Ecuadorian neighborhood, at the Ecuadorian rental rate and lives in a nice (1,500 sq.ft) 3 bed/2 bath apartment. Sorry but she did not want us to take photos of the inside of her home, but it's new , has a view, and is nice. river view +24 hour security guard, 5+ bedrooms, 4 baths very large places (near 3000 sq. feet) in some cases, and furnished w/elevator. The Spanish speaking resources we list in the DIY Guide have local priced rentals as well. But, you may have to weed out the ads that are targeting gringos (pricing to foreigners) and those that cater to the gringo demands such as As we discuss in the guide, however, you should always negotiate, never just pay the asking price. DIY Cuenca Landing Guide Cuenca Has Different Priced Rents Depending on Your Needs and Wants Theres different priced housing for different types of needs and wants and that is what it all boils down to. Remember now, Karina has both the secure building, plus the views and her rent for a nice three bedroom two bath apartment in Cuenca is $200; she met her needs and wants through going local; she rents at the local rental rate; she has learned a bit of Spanish in the nine weeks she has lived here and she has made some wonderful Ecuadorian friendships, and that means a lot to her. See video for more. Here is part two of this interview with Karina I f you want some assistance with finding a locally priced vacant long term rental see http://300dollarcuencarentals.blogspot.com/ Expat Bill Talks about His Experience at the Quito Airport As of this writing, there are no direct flights from the US to Cuenca Ecuador. When flying into Ecuador you will either land in Quito or in Guayaquil airports, usually for an overnight layover. Then you can take a commuter plane to Cuenca. Quito just opened a brand new airport about three weeks ago. What is this new airport like? We have a couple of expat brother's who flew into the Quito airport at different times on their way to Cuenca and they both have a story to tell. There have been some challenges for some expats. This is Bill and David's experiences. Expat David talks about His Experience at the Quito Airport This is part two with Cuenca expat brothers Bill and David talking about the new Quito airport. They both have a story to tell of their arrival and experience in the Quito airport. They want to let people know what they might expect so they can be more prepared, which isn't a bad idea. There have been a few challenges but it isn't all bad. Sure there is a little disorganization, but we're guessing that everything is going to be running smoother very soon. What Bill and Dave mean when they say there's "no lodging" is that there is very little lodging, to the extent that it's a day late and a dollar short. Other travelers have reported to us that there's "no rooms available" they're almost always full, so that it is unreliable at this time. Hopefully that will change soon.. ~~~ Meet Jim and Kay, New Expats to Cuenca! The number of people expatriating to Cuenca Ecuador is growing. New expats are arriving to Cuenca daily. Some of them are arriving as visitors for an exploratory trip, while others are arriving to stay and make Cuenca their new home. Meet Jim and Kay, a couple who came to explore Cuenca and they did, and their first impressions are, We love it and well be back! ~~~ Future Expat Andrea Shares Her Story with the Ecuadorian Immigration Process This is part one with Cuenca Expat Andrea talking about her experience with the Ecuador residency visa. Andrea shares some good information and new changes to the Ecuador immigration laws, a recurring theme in Ecuador. Andrea's experience confirms that no matter how many people you ask, what may work for one person this week, may not work for the next person next week. Andrea shares her decision to start the Ecuador Immigration process from home, as recommended in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide Cuenca Azuay Expats Comment and Share Tips about Life in Cuenca Ecuador The 43-member strong cabinet led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray can finally get to work. The long awaited portfolio allocation was finalized late on Saturday evening by the chief minister, who sent the list for the formal approval of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Thackeray has not kept any portfolio for himself other than the general administration department, which traditionally is overseen by the CM. The CM finalized the list after holding meetings with both the other parties. It has been sent to the governor for a formal nod, a senior bureaucrat said. Until late night, the governors formal approval was pending. According to the list approved by the Chief Minister, his Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will head the finance and planning department and his son and Sena youth wing chief Aaditya Thackeray will be the new environment, tourism and protocol minister. The new home minister will be NCPs Anil Deshmukh. As expected, the Shiv Sena has conceded the department to the NCP. Deshmukh, a senior NCP leader from Nagpur, was picked for the crucial job after Ajit Pawar conveyed he would not like to take up this portfolio at this stage. According to NCP insiders, the party top brass as well as Ajit Pawar himself were wary of him handling the home portfolio while the irrigation scam inquiry is still being heard in the High Court. The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) which is conducting the probe comes under the home department. The urban development department which is considered as a key portfolio along with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation will be run by Shiv Senas Eknath Shinde. Amidst the tug of war in the Congress, state chief Balasaheb Thorat has managed to retain the crucial revenue department and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has got the public works department. The portfolio allocation indicates that the balance of power in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, made up of the three parties, tilts in favour of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The NCP has not just got for itself most ministerial posts (16) but also retained the most crucial of the departments for its ministers. The Shiv Sena besides the CM has 14 other ministerial posts but has retained fewer important portfolios like urban development, agriculture and industries. The Congress has got 10 ministerial posts and two crucial departments like revenue and PWD. Besides, DCM with finance, NCP has got important portfolios like home, rural development department (Hasan Mushriff), co-operation (Balasaheb Patil), water resources (Jayant Patil) and social justice (Dhananjay Munde). NCPs Jitendra Awhad will head housing while Rajesh Tope will handle the health department. Education will be handled by three different ministers. Congress Varsha Gaikwad will head the school education department while Amit Deshmukh will handle medical education. Shiv Senas Uday Samant will head higher and technical education. HT called several ministers but they refused to comment as the portfolio list had not been formally announced. Shiv Sena, besides urban development, MSRDC, tourism and environment has kept for itself industries department (Subhash Desai), agriculture (Dada Bhuse), transport and parliamentary affairs (Anil Parab), forests (Sanjay Rathod) and water supply and sanitation (Gulabrao Patil). From the Congress, besides revenue and PWD, the party has got the energy portfolio (Nitin Raut); school education department (Varsha Gaikwad) ; women and child welfare department (Yashomati Thakur); medical education department (Amit Deshmukh); tribal development department (K C Padvi) ; dairy development and animal husbandry (Sunil Kedar) besides two other cabinet portfolios. Among the ten ministers of state or junior ministers, Congress Satej Patil has got home (cities) and Vishwajeet Kadam has got co-operation and agriculture departments. Nationalist Congress Partys Aditi Tatkare has industries, tourism, information and publicity department; Prajakt Tanpure has urban development; Dattatray Bharne has forests and GAD; Sanjay Bansode has got MSRDC and environment. Shiv Senas Shambhuraje Desai has got home (rural); Abdul Sattar has got revenue; Bacchu Kadu has got water resources and school education; Rajendra Patil Yadravkar has got public health. Ministers of state are generally delegated powers by their superiors, the cabinet ministers. By PTI DANTEWADA: A Chhattisgarh Armed Force jawan, posted on security duty of a Congress MLA, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in Dantewada district on Saturday, police said. Head constable Aashoram Kashyap (37) shot himself with his service AK-47 rifle at around 1 am at MLA Devti Karma's residence here, a senior police official said. He fired one round from the weapon on his chest, dying on the spot, he said. Kashyap's colleagues alerted the police, following which his body was taken to the district hospital for post- mortem, he added. A native of neighbouring Bastar district, Kashyap had joined the police force in 2003, and was posted on security duty of Karma, who is a legislator from Dantewada Assembly segment. The Chhattisgarh Armed Force is a wing of the state police. No suicide note has been recovered from the scene and further investigations are underway to ascertain why the deceased had taken the extreme step, the senior official said. BAGHDAD - Iraq was the uneasy epicenter of a region on edge Saturday after the killing of Iran's most prominent military leader, with an angry funeral procession winding through its capital in the morning and rockets falling after dark. Adding to the apprehensions was a series of threats and counterthreats from Iran and President Donald Trump, with the U.S. leader tweeting Saturday that targets in Iran would be "hit very fast and very hard" should U.S. assets or personnel be attacked. Early Friday, U.S. drone strikes ripped through two cars traveling outside Baghdad's international airport, killing Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a powerful Iraqi militia leader, along with eight other people. Iran immediately vowed to seek revenge for the killing of Soleimani, as the Trump administration announced that it was sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East. The tensions continued to build Saturday as NATO announced that it was suspending its training of troops in Iraq and the United States said that it had stepped up security at military bases in the country. An Iranian commander quoted by the Tasnim News Agency on Saturday suggested that dozens of U.S. facilities and military assets in the Middle East were at risk, along with Israel, a key U.S. ally. ALSO How President Trump decided to kill a top Iranian general "Thirty-five vital American positions in the region are within the reach of the Islamic Republic, and Tel Aviv," the commander, Brig. Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, was quoted as saying. "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital thoroughfare for the West, and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf," he added. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia backed by Iran, warned members of Iraqi security forces to keep more than half a mile from U.S. military bases, beginning Sunday evening. The militia, which led a siege of the U.S. Embassy before Soleimani's killing, did not say why it issued the warning. Trump, tweeting Saturday from his personal resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, appeared to be responding in kind when he said that the United States had targeted multiple sites in Iran and that those targets would be struck should U.S. military sites be attacked or Americans harmed. He also repeated the administration's justification for Soleimani's killing, referring to the Iranian commander as a "terrorist leader" who had been planning additional attacks. "Iran has been nothing but a problem for many years," Trump tweeted. "Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!" A spokesman for the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State said that "we have increased security and defensive measures at the Iraqi bases that host anti-ISIS coalition troops. Our command places protection of U.S. forces, as well as our allies and security partners in the coalition, as the top priority; we remain vigilant and resolute." The focal point of the anxiety was Baghdad, where thousands of people joined a funeral procession for Soleimani and Muhandis on Saturday as helicopters shadowed the crowds. "Death to America, death to Israel," people chanted. "We will take our revenge!" The procession, which began in Baghdad and moved on to the Iraqi Shiite shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala, offered a vivid display of how both Iran and the United States are deeply entwined in Iraq. The crowds bellowed anti-American cries and vowed to fight to avenge one of Iran's heroes as U.S.-allied Iraqi security forces watched over the chanting throngs. Soleimani's burial is scheduled for Tuesday in Kerman, his hometown in southeastern Iran. Later Saturday, rockets were fired toward Baghdad's Green Zone, site of the U.S. Embassy, and at an air base hosting U.S. troops north of Baghdad, but they caused no casualties, according to Iraqi and U.S. officials, who did not say who had fired the rockets. The White House delivered a formal notification of the drone strike that killed Soleimani to Congress on Saturday, as is required under the War Powers Act. The report is completely classified, according to a senior Democratic aide, but probably details the administration's justification for the strike, as well as the constitutional and legislative rationale used to send troops. It was unclear whether the administration would issue a nonclassified version that could be publicized. NATO, which has several hundred personnel in Iraq, said Saturday that it has temporarily suspended its training of Iraqi forces to counter the Islamic State, according to Dylan White, a NATO spokesman. "The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary," he said in an emailed statement. Elsewhere, regional governments were scrambling to avoid further outbreaks of violence. Qatar's foreign minister traveled to Tehran on Saturday and discussed "ways to maintain collective security of the region" with his Iranian counterpart, the Qatar News Agency said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In Saudi Arabia, King Salman called Iraq's president, Barham Salih, and discussed "the importance of calm and defusing the crisis in the region," the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states have reacted nervously to the escalating tensions because of their proximity to Iran and fears of a backlash due to their close partnerships, including military cooperation, with the United States. The drone attack early Friday local time struck a two-vehicle convoy on an access road near Baghdad International Airport and also killed several of Soleimani's local allies. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called the attack "an assassination" that was a "flagrant violation of the conditions authorizing the presence of U.S. troops" on Iraqi soil. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a security spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, said Saturday that authorities were investigating crew members who were on the aircraft that brought Soleimani to Baghdad, reportedly from Damascus - apparently to determine how the United States learned of the Iranian commander's whereabouts. Khalaf, speaking to Iraq's state news agency, reiterated that U.S. forces are not allowed to conduct military operations in Iraq without the approval of the prime minister, and he hinted that their future in the country is in doubt. "We have alternatives to train our armed forces," Khalaf said. - - - Fahim reported from Istanbul. The Washington Post's Louisa Loveluck in Beirut and Seung Min Kim in West Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to this report. Hundreds of people thronged the streets leading to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi's Chanakyapuri on Saturday and protested against the mob attack and stone-pelting on devotees at the historic Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, in Lahore. The protesters carried banners and placards reading "Shame on Pakistan" and "We will expose the real face of Pakistan". Some of the banners and placards urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to protect the gurdwara, one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. "Double standard of Imran Khan, Sikhs are being tortured in Pakistan," read one of the placards. Police had to barricade the roads to prevent the protesters - belonging to BJP, Congress, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and other organisations - from reaching the high commission. A huge posse of police personnel was deployed and water cannon kept on standby, a police official said. The protestors were stopped near Chanakyapuri police station. The protest by DSGMC and Akali Dal members was held at around 1 pm near Chanakyapuri, an affluent neighbourhood and diplomatic enclave in the city. Sikh community members also submitted a memorandum to the Pakistan High Commission, said DSGMC president Manjinder S Sirsa. BJP and Congress members stood on either side of a road there and raised slogans against Pakistan and its prime minister. "It has not happened for the first time. They abduct our children and convert them. Pakistan should put an end to such incidents. We know how to respond," Congress leader Krishna Tirath said. Party leader Alka Lamba said India thanked Pakistan when the neighbouring country opened the doors for Indian Sikhs to visit the Kartarpur gurdwara on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. "Some anti-social elements attacked Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. We expect the Pakistan prime minister to break his silence on the incident," she said. "Yesterday, a mob of Jihadis attacked Nankana Sahib Gurdwara due to which our Sikh brothers and sisters are in terror. The CAA has been framed to save such minorities from persecution in Pakistan," Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said. He also took a political shot at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the AAP chief has become "completely insensitive" in opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Kejriwal also deplored the mob attack on the gurdwara and said atrocities on Sikhs cannot be tolerated. "The attack on Nankana Sahib is a cowardly and shameful incident. Nankana Sahib is the centre of faith of crores of Sikhs. Atrocities on Sikhs living there cannot be tolerated," he said in a tweet in Hindi. BJP national secretary Sardar RP Singh too slammed Pakistan, saying this was not an isolated incident of Sikhs being attacked in that country. "Previously, a daughter of Granthi of Nankana Sahib was abducted and converted to Islam and now the jihadis have pelted stones on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and tried to kill Sikh brothers and sisters due to which they are very much terrorised. The parties which are opposing CAA are unable to see how the persons engaged in protecting their religion are being persecuted. "The politics of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party is based on caste and religion. They feel the vote of a particular community will make them victorious. It appears from their statements they are in support of atrocities on minority communities in Pakistan and do not want them to become Indian citizens," he said. On Friday, the External Affairs Ministry condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and urged Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety and welfare of the Sikh community. It also said that members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib. Pakistan has rejected reports the gurdwara was desecrated, saying it remains "untouched and undamaged". During the protest in Delhi, Manjeet Singh Bakshi, a protestor, said, "Whatever they have done is condemnable. The prime minister of Pakistan should condemn this and take strict action against the accused. After the death of Guru Nanak Devji, Muslims and Sikhs had distributed his 'chadar'." Condemning the mob attack on the gurdwara, IYC president Srinivas BV said, "Pakistan is playing with our emotions and the time has come when we need to teach them a lesson. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exaggerated, confused, contradictory and incoherent. With those words, a judge in a Cyprus courthouse on Dec. 30 dismissed the testimony of a 19-year-old British woman who said she had been forced to sign a retraction after reporting being raped by 12 Israeli men in the popular holiday resort town of Ayia Napa last summer. The judge instead found her guilty on a charge of public mischief, and she now awaits sentencing on Jan. 7. Susana Pavlou, who attended the hearing in solidarity with the woman, says Judge Michalis Papathanasious ruling was yet another example of the victim-blaming attitudes surrounding the case since the summer. The way he made his judgement sounded entirely subjective, says Pavlou, director of the Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies, a Cyprus-based NGO focusing on womens rights and gender equality. No explanation was given about how he weighed the evidence and why he rejected the testimony of the young woman. We felt intensely that we were just hearing more of the same. The case has sparked an outcry in the U.K., where #IBelieveHer and #BoycottCyprus trended on Twitter as news of the decision spread. And in Cyprus, the young womans case has electrified womens rights activists long fighting for reforms to the way authorities handle rape cases, and has prompted pleas for intervention from the countrys current Attorney General. The woman, who has not been publicly identified, is now facing up to a year in jail in Cyprus and a fine of $1,500. She already spent more than a month in prison before being granted bail at the end of August, and has not been allowed to leave the island. This woman has been punished enough, Nicoletta Charalambidou, a Cyprus-based lawyer on her legal defense team, told TIME ahead of the sentencing on Jan. 7. Its brought a whole range of consequences into her life. Story continues From Victim to Suspect On July 17, the young woman reported the crime to police just hours after the incident allegedly took place in her hotel room in Ayia Napa, where she had been on a working vacation. (Ayia Napas popularity as a tourist destination draws young people from across Europe to work there in hospitality industries over the busy summer season.) She told police that she had been raped by up to 12 young Israeli men; the same day, 12 men were arrested in connection with the complaint. In an earlier court hearing in December, the woman said that she had initially agreed to consensual sex with one of the group. But the trial this week referred to a video recording of the incident, found on the phones of some of the Israeli men. The womans lawyers said that it showed her having consensual sex with one of the group, while telling the other men to leave as they attempted to enter the room. Judge Papathanasiou referred to the video in his decision, saying that the woman had felt embarrassed because of its existence and that was the reason why she initially gave false statements. Ten days after the incident was reported, on July 27, the woman was asked to go to a local police station where she retracted her statement. She has since said that she was forced to do so by the Cyprus police, who deny the allegation. Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad and part of the young womans legal team, says that the lack of footage from the police station in Cyprus likely contributed to this. Nothing is caught on tape or video, so that creates an environment where people can be put under pressure. According to lawyer Charalambidou, the young woman was also kept at the police station for eight hours without a lawyer on July 27, the day she retracted her statement, and was not properly informed of her rights. She also says that the womans right to interpretation and translation were violated. It was never clear, and still not clear in my opinion, when she ceased to be a victim of a crime and became a suspect of another crime, says Charalambidou. She was asked to come into the police station on July 27 as a victim, and she came out as a suspect of committing the crime of public mischief. The line there is very blurred. The woman was arrested and detained immediately after retracting the statement, while the men, some of whom are minors, were released and returned home to Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv on July 29. A group of them were filmed and photographed popping champagne bottles while chanting Am Yisrael Chai (the people of Israel live) along with the Brit is a whore, according to local media. The womans trial began at the start of October with the verdict delayed until Dec. 30. The 12 men were not required to give evidence at the trial a decision Polak calls suprising. But a pathologist called to give evidence examined the womans injuries from photographs and found them consistent with her testimony. He also told the court that there was blood on a used condom found inside the hotel room, as well as DNA from three of the young men inside the condom. He was quite clear with his evidence that it supported what she was saying, says Polak. However, the womans legal team say the judge did not want to link the rape case with the actual public mischief case, thus shutting down a major line of defense. During the trial, the judge on a number of occasions said Its not about the rape, I dont want to hear about the rape case, so he had closed his mind to one of the major elements, says Polak. The BBC reported that as Papathanasiou delivered the verdict, he said that there was no rape or violence, and that police had thoroughly investigated the case, making all necessary arrests. A British woman and alleged gang rape victim (C) reacts as she arrives at Famagusta District Court in Paralimni, Cyprus, on Dec. 30, 2019. | Katia ChristodoulouEPA-EFE/Shutterstock The woman is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, hallucinations, and a condition called hypersomnia that causes her to sleep for 18-20 hours a day, according to her mother. She needs to get home as soon as possible so she can get the proper treatment, says Polak. Her family has traveled from Britain to Cyprus to support her through the legal process, which has also led to the young woman losing her place at university. The family has started a crowdfunder to help with the high cost of legal fees. As the case developed this week, so did diplomatic tensions, as U.K. government officials called the situation deeply distressing. The U.K. Foreign Office can get involved in cases abroad where they believe a British nationals human rights and right to a fair trial have been breached. On Jan. 5, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that he had raised the matter with Cypriot authorities a move the young womans family has welcomed. Problems in the System For those following the case in Cyprus closely, the verdict did not come as a surprise. We knew it from July, when the accusation of rape came up, that the system would fail this woman, says Zelia Gregoriou, associate professor at the University of Cyprus and founding member of the Network Against Violence Against Women, a group that demonstrated in solidarity with the woman at the courthouse earlier this week, wearing scarves around their faces with images of lips sewn shut. Every rape claim is treated pre-emptively as a false rape claim, and thats why we had to be there. Its not the exception. Gregoriou says female victims are often threatened by the police, and warned that they will be exposed and publicly humiliated. Cyprus ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women in 2017, six years after the treaty was opened for signature. Yet experts say its measures have not been fully implemented and that the countrys authorities are not doing enough to protect women and support survivors. This has been the year our broken system has been exposed, whether its the criminal justice system, whether its the social welfare system, whether its our victim support and protection system this year has revealed just how broken it is, says Pavlou. A 2014 E.U. survey found that 15% of women aged 1874 years in Cyprus said they experienced intimate partner physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. According to a 2018 Amnesty International report, Cyprus has the E.U.s highest rate of reporting sexual violence to the police, yet experts say that the conviction rate in such cases is low, and that women are often not taken seriously by the authorities. In June, the country was also rocked by the trial of its first ever known serial killer, when a Greek-Cypriot army officer was handed multiple life sentences for killing five foreign women and two of their children over the course of three years. As more details about the case emerged, questions were raised about the failure of the police to properly investigate the disappearances of these women. The whole sequence of the various authorities and the way they treat violence against women is problematic, says Charalambidou. Its not a surprise that this case [involving the British woman] is treated in the same way and the same manner. Experts say high numbers of cases involving rape and sexual assault drop out of the criminal justice system for a variety of reasons, including victims retracting their statements. Several studies have linked this trend to a lack of support for those who report rape and sexual assault. Certainly, we dont have specialized services, like rape crisis centers, so [the British woman] wasnt offered them because they dont exist, Pavlou says. Rallying Support The case has energized local womens rights activists in Cyprus, who say they felt a duty to protect the British woman from the outset of the case. In October, the Mediterranean Gender Institute complained to the countrys broadcast and journalism regulators about the victim-blaming narratives in the media coverage surrounding the case. On Dec. 15, the countrys Journalist Ethics Committee found that several media outlets had violated the young womans right to privacy, and that coverage included discrimination based on her gender. Pavlou says that if the sentencing on Jan. 7 is severe, her organization, along with other NGOs that form the Cyprus Womens Lobby group, is prepared to appeal to the president of Cyprus to intervene. As Tuesdays sentencing approaches, Gregoriou plans to return to the courthouse along with several dozen demonstrators. She sees this case as part of a broader struggle in Cyprus. We fight violence against the British woman and we fight violence against every woman, says Gregoriou. And after a difficult year for womens rights in the country, some are hopeful that this case can bring about much-needed change. We do not have a culture of protest in Cyprus, but were seeing that come very much to the fore in recent months, says Pavlou. We wont stay silent, women are speaking up, social media is on fire and thats all very heartening for us. These acts of solidarity have helped give the young woman the strength to continue the case, according to her lawyer. She feels very supported through social media and messages coming through from the local network in Cyprus, from Israel, from the U.K., says Charalambidou. The legal team is currently preparing the ground of appeal, and is willing to take the case to the Supreme Court in Cyprus and potentially the European Court of Human Rights a lengthy procedure that could last for as many as four years. Its a slow process, but our client definitely wants to pursue all available procedures to clear her name and fight for her rights, says Charalambidou, who says it is a test case with the potential for impact on Cyprus justice system. Our client is sending a message that shes not only doing it for herself, but she believes that something has to change in the way that these kinds of cases are handled by states in general, not just in Cyprus. Correction, Jan. 7 The original version of this story mischaracterized a convention on preventing and combating violence against women. It is a Council of Europe convention, not a United Nations convention. SAN DIEGOBertha Loaiza was only three at the time. She has no memory of the day her mother picked her up and stepped off the side of the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. Loaiza, now 37, survived the 240-foot fall into the bay, but her mother didnt. She recovered from serious eye and leg injuries, believing for years that a car accident was to blame. In her grandmothers house where she grew up, nobody talked about what really happened on Aug. 4, 1985. But at age 17, Loaiza came across a videotape of news coverage of her mothers suicide and the miracle child, the first person ever to plummet off the bridge into San Diego Bay and survive. That looks like me, she said of the footage showing a little girl in a hospital bed surrounded by dolls, letters and stuffed animals sent by well-wishers from as far away as Mississippi. She watched the tape dozens of times and slowly put together the pieces. Her mother, 24-year-old Angelica Gomez, had parked her green Ford Pinto midway across the bridge. Two fishermen later pulled the woman and her child out of the water. Doctors speculated that Loaiza survived because her mother held on to her and took the brunt of the impact. But there was a lingering and haunting question: Why did she take me with her? Loaiza saw a therapist over the years, joined a local chapter of Survivors of Suicide Loss, learned more about her mothers mental illness, which may have been triggered by a pending divorce. Coroners investigators found a business card for a psychologist in her mothers car. People with severe depression are in a really dark, ugly world, and I think she brought me with her because she believed she was the only one who could best take care of me, Loaiza said. And in a way, she did. She shielded me at the end. She hurt me, but she saved me, too. Last year, Loaiza shared her story with the San Diego Union-Tribune and other media as part of a grassroots campaign to get the California Department of Transportation to put up barriers on the bridge more than 400 people have died since the span opened in 1969 and as a way to raise awareness and ease the shame that often surrounds suicide. She caught the attention of local mental-health advocacy groups, who gave her awards, and she caught the eye of one particular internet reader in Nevada. He was there that day in 1985. Steven LeMaire had been on the job as a Harbor Police officer for nine months a rookie, really, he said. It was a Sunday afternoon. His patrol beat was in the north bay, around Shelter Island and Harbor Island. He should have been nowhere near the bridge. But the boat patrolling the south bay had engine trouble, and LeMaire and his partner had been diverted to help them. Passing near the bridge, he looked up and saw that traffic was stopped. He told his partner, who said it was probably routine maintenance. But its Sunday, LeMaire said. Thats when the call came in. They raced to a spot where a couple of civilian boats were gathered. LeMaire could see one guy in the water, holding a woman. He reached to pull her into his boat when someone told him there was another victim. I went to the bow and they handed me Bertha, he said. I wasnt expecting a child. He could see a compound fracture in one leg, and she wasnt breathing. He started CPR. She woke up and looked at me and I could see the terror in her eyes, he said. Then she went unconscious again. He continued resuscitating her. They motored to a pier at the foot of Crosby Street, where ambulances were waiting. LeMaire and his partner helped move the victims and then returned to their patrol duties. It was a big deal, and then they were gone, he said. Months later, Arthur G. LeBlanc, the Harbor Police chief, sent him a letter of commendation. Your quick and effective action to triage the two victims, initiate first aid, and administer oxygen to the child was directly responsible for saving the life of the youngster, it read. You will be happy to know that follow-up reports indicate the child has recovered completely, and you can take credit for that life. Years went by. An injury forced LeMaire to retire from the Harbor Police. He worked security for an airline and is now, at age 59, an investigator for the state of Nevada. Everywhere he went, the girl from the bridge followed him, in his nightmares. I thought I was a tough guy, he said. Id been in the military. But I wasnt ready for that. I couldnt get the image out of my head of her waking up and looking at me. I struggled with it for a long time before it finally subsided. He said he rarely talked about the incident with co-workers, but at a luncheon earlier this year, he told a few of them the story. That got him thinking about the girl, wondering how her life had turned out. He went online and read an April 2018 Union-Tribune story about Loaiza coming forward to talk about suicide and mental health and the Coronado bridge. I am glad she has made it to the point she is now in life, LeMaire wrote in an email to a Union-Tribune reporter. If you happen to talk to her, please give her my best. I owe him my life, Loaiza said of LeMaire. I wouldnt be here if he had given up on me. And, she said, she had a lot to be thankful for since she went public with her story. Momentum seems to be building to put suicide barriers on the bridge. She started a Survivors of Suicide Loss support group for Spanish speakers, which meets monthly at the YMCA in the Otay Mesa West neighbourhood of southern San Diego. She received an award as a stigma buster from the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Loaiza says she looks at all she has now a husband, two children, a job in health care, her advocacy projects and connects it to that Sunday afternoon more than three decades ago. It feels like things are coming full circle, she said. Loaiza and LeMaire have talked on the phone a few times. Theyre friends on Facebook. And on Friday they met in person. LeMaire was in San Diego, finishing up a cruise. He and Loaiza met for lunch. She brought her family. There were hugs, and the kind of smiles that come with a holiday gift that neither saw coming. Reunited, Loaiza said, and in a much happier setting. Bamboo Airways will operate eight direct flights from Phu Cat airport to Cheongju international airport of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and vice versa in this month. Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said the operation of the international route brings a good chance to Binh Dinh to connect with the world, thus luring more foreign tourists and investors to the locality. The T2 terminal of Phu Cat airport is capable of receiving 600,000 international passengers a year, he said. Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways Truong Phuong Thanh said with its strategy to increase domestic and international flights from and to Binh Dinh through Phu Cat airport, the airline hopes to contribute to developing the transport network in the locality in particular, and in the central region in general, towards offering high-quality air services to customers. The direct route between Phu Cat and Cheongju airports is the fourth one between Vietnam and the RoK run by Bamboo Airways. Others are from Hanoi, Da Nang and Cam Ranh to Incheon and vice versa. Andhra Pradesh Planning Department Secretary, Vijay Kumar said that the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in its report suggested decentralized development of all regions in the state with a balanced and inclusive growth strategy. "The BCG report has divided the 13 districts in the state into 6 regions; Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam districts in coastal Andhra, West and East Godavari districts into Godavari delta, Krishna and Guntur districts as Krishna delta, Kadapa and Chittoor as East Rayalaseema, among others," Kumar said at a press conference on Friday. The BCG in its report has recommended dividing the government departments into six regions, with the Secretariat, Governor and Chief Minister offices in Visakhapatnam, Assembly in Vijayawada or Amaravati, and High Court in Kurnool. According to the official, "The BCG report has taken the economy, industry, agriculture, services, infrastructure, and social infrastructure aspects into consideration. The report says five express highways would be required for the state with the existing highways and ports, airports should be developed on a large scale." In its report, the BCG has also said that the construction of Amaravati as a 'megacity' would require Rs 1 lakh crore to build its core infrastructure, a substantial portion of which will be needed to be funded by debt. The servicing cost alone would be around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 crore for acquiring this debt. However, the report mentions the advantages and disadvantages of both the decentralized and 'megacity' model and a high powered committee will now further study the options and make the final recommendation to the government. This comes amidst controversy over the idea of three capitals- the "Executive Capital" in port city Visakhapatnam, "Legislative Capital" in Amravati and "Judiciary Capital" in Kurnool proposed by the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says the late Qasem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force, will be buried in Kerma... The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says the late Qasem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force, will be buried in Kerman, his hometown, on Tuesday. Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on Thursday night. A huge crowd in Iraqs capital Baghdad is currently taking part in a funeral procession for the Iranian military commander. According to BBC, the gathering in Baghdad on Saturday marked the beginning of days of mourning for Soleimani. Iran has already declared three days of mourning for the murdered general. There have been different reactions to his death. After news of his death broke, some Iraqis celebrated in Baghdads streets, accusing him of orchestrating violent crackdowns on peaceful pro-democracy protests there in recent months but in Tehran, capital of Iran, hundreds of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran, the countrys capital, to protest the generals death. In a statement posted on IRGCs website, the force said a ceremony will be held in Tehran on Monday morning, and then the pure body of this soldier of the people and the nation will be buried in Kerman on Tuesday morning. A group of students have announced that they would hold a vigil for Soleimani at Tehran University on Saturday before going to Tehrans Mehrabad airport for the arrival of his remains. Soleimani is to be taken to the Shiite holy city of Mashhad for a ceremony to be held next to Imam Rezas shrine. France urged Tehran Saturday to stick with a landmark nuclear accord at risk of falling apart, the day after Washington killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he had discussed the issue with his Chinese and German colleagues, hoping to avoid escalation of an already intense stand-off between Iran and the United States. "France fully shares with Germany the central objective of de-escalation and preservation of the Vienna (nuclear) accord," Le Drian said in a statement. With China, "we in particular noted our agreement... to urge Iran to avoid any new violation of the Vienna accord," he added. The 2015 agreement negotiated between Iran and the UN Security Council permanent members -- Britain, France, China, Russia and the US -- plus Germany offered Tehran relief from stinging sanctions in return for curbs to prevent it acquiring nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal last year and reimposed even more sanctions on Iran, which in turn has progressively dropped key commitments in the accord, including limits on uranium stock and enrichment levels. Tehran recently announced that it would take a further step away from the accord in early January and this was widely expected to be announced on Monday. The European Union, which helped broker the 2015 deal, has been trying to keep the accord alive despite the US withdrawal, but analysts say that now looks increasingly unlikely after the US killed Major General Qasem Soleimani, a key Iranian figure. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Singapore Democratic Party accuses the labour ministry of using the law for political-partisan purposes to stymie legitimate criticism. The law empowers ministers to ask online media platforms and users to carry corrections or remove content the government deems false and harms public interest. (Photo: Pixabay) A Singapore opposition party said on Thursday it was prepared to legally challenge a government order to attach correction notices to its online posts, accusing the government of using a new fake news law to stymie political debate. It marks the first time such a case could head to court since the law came into effect in October. The Singapore Democratic Party, which has no current representation in parliament, was last month told to issue the notices on an article on its website and related Facebook posts that discussed white-collar jobs in the city-state. It attached the notices, but on Thursday said it stood by its content and asked for the correction notices to be retracted by the labour ministry. We call on the Minister to not only retract the Correction Directions but also issue an immediate, unambiguous and public apology to the SDP... failing which we will be obliged to pursue the matter in a court of law, SDP said in a statement on its website. The law requires recipients of correction orders to comply even if they intend to appeal. The labour ministry did not have an immediate comment on the SDPs post when contacted by Reuters. The law empowers ministers to ask online media platforms and users to carry corrections or remove content the government deems false and harms public interest. Rights groups fear the law may curb free speech, and opposition politicians say it could give the government too much power as elections loom. Singaporean diplomats have recently defended the law in letters sent to global media outlets like the South China Morning Post and Britains The Economist, saying the correction directions did not restrict debate and gave readers more information. SDP accused the labour ministry of using the law for political-partisan purposes to stymie legitimate criticism. That the general election is not far away makes our case even more salient, it added. The three-month-old law has been used four times since Nov. 25 with figures linked to other opposition parties who were also told their online posts must carry a banner stating they contain false information. Singapores next general elections must be held by early 2021, but the government is widely expected to call for a vote in the next few months. Amid a standoff over the shape of the Senate trial required by the Houses historic impeachment vote, recently unearthed administration emails provide more evidence that President Trump personally blocked military aid to Ukraine to force its newly elected leader to smear his political enemies. Some of the most revealing emails were written by White House Office of Management and Budget official Michael Duffey, who happens to be one of the witnesses Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to call before the Senate. With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi withholding the impeachment articles from the Senate, delaying the start of the trial, the internal communications press Schumers argument for hearing from Duffey and others who could end what mystery remains about the hijacked security assistance. They also explain Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells eagerness to avoid testimony that only threatens to reveal more of the ugly truth about the presidents plot. McConnell, R-Ky., has so thoroughly dispensed with any pretense of fairness in the run-up to the trial that some of his own members have objected. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said this week that she is open to witnesses in the trial and criticized the majority leader for coordinating the proceedings with the White House. There are senators on both sides of the aisle who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging this in an impartial way, Collins said. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, likewise said she was disturbed by McConnells being hand in glove with the defense. Another potential barrier to further testimony fell this week when U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon dismissed a lawsuit by former deputy national security adviser Charles Kupperman, who had asked the court to decide whether he should obey a House subpoena to testify in the impeachment inquiry despite the White Houses preposterous claim of absolute immunity from such demands. Former national security adviser John Bolton, who has said he has information relevant to the Ukraine matter and is also on Schumers witness list, was awaiting the courts guidance in the case. Two other federal courts have rejected White House claims of absolute immunity, most recently with respect to Don McGahn, Trumps former White House counsel and a witness to the presidents efforts to obstruct Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation. The emails from Duffey, the OMBs associate director of national security programs, surfaced over the past two weeks despite similar efforts to suppress them. One key communication came two hours after the July 25 phone call in which Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to do us a favor and investigate false conspiracy theories about the 2016 election and 2020 contender Joe Biden. In the email, obtained under a court order by the Center for Public Integrity, Duffey instructs the Defense Departments comptroller to hold off on spending Ukraine aid appropriated by Congress and to keep the request closely held to those who need to know. Duffey wrote then that his request was Based on guidance I have received, but he was less vague the following month in an email disclosed by the website Just Security. On Aug. 30, with the Ukraine funding freeze drawing heightened scrutiny and the same Pentagon official warning that it could jeopardize the departments ability to spend the money as required by law, Duffey tied the order directly to the president. Despite the reported objections of top administration officials who tried to dissuade Trump from his course, the OMB official wrote that he had Clear direction from POTUS to hold the aid. That email emerged even though the administration, in keeping with its broader strategy of stonewalling and obstruction, withheld it from Congress and redacted it when a court ordered it released. Only principled Republicans can keep McConnells Senate from perpetuating the cover-up. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. New Delhi: MPSC Civil Judge Online Application 2020 has been started. Maharashtra Public Service Commission is conducting this recruiting drive to fill vacant positions of Civil Judge in Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class. All eligible and interested candidates need to apply for the Civil Judge Prelims exam 2020 latest by January 23, 2020. Candidates need to apply online at the official website of MPSC, i.e. mpsc.gov.in. Candidates must make sure to go through the official notification carefully before applying for the respective post. A total of 74 vacant positions of Civil Judge (Junior Division & Judicial Magistrate) are going to be filled through this recruitment drive. In order to apply for the Civil Judge post, candidates should have LLM degree from a recognized university. For more details, candidates need to refer the official notification. Apart from this, candidates must be in the age group of 21 to 50 years to apply for the Civil Judge posts. Age relaxation is given as per government norms. In order to apply for the Civil Judge post, candidates must visit the official website of Maharashtra Public Service Commission, i.e. mpsc.gov.in and then click on the online application tab. Then, candidates need to click and download the MPSC Civil Judge Online Application notification. After reading the notification carefully candidates must proceed further to fill the application form. Candidates can click on the below mentioned direct link to check the MPSC Civil Judge Online Application Notification 2020. MPSC Civil Judge Online Application Notification 2020 Direct Link No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops. Russia's hybrid military forces on Friday mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. Read alsoJFO HQ reveals enemy death toll in Donbas over 2019 "The armed forces of the Russian Federation and its mercenaries violated the ceasefire three times on January 3," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on January 4, 2019. The enemy opened fire at the positions of Ukrainian military units, using grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and other small arms. Ukrainian troops came under fire near the village of Vasylivka, which is in the area of responsibility of the Skhid [East] tactical grouping. Two attacks were recorded outside the villages of Novoluhanske and Zaitseve in the area of responsibility of the Pivnich [North] tactical grouping. There were no Ukrainian army casualties in the past day, the report said. "Since Saturday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions once near Novoluhanske, using automatic grenade launchers and heavy machine guns," the press center added. The White House sent Congress on Saturday a formal notification under the War Powers Act of the drone strike ordered by President Trump this week that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, two congressional officials said. The notification, required by law within 48 hours of introducing American forces into armed conflict or a situation that could lead to war, has to be signed and then sent to Congress, according to the officials with knowledge of the plan. Lawmakers expected the document to publicly lay out the White Houses legal justification for the strike on General Suleimani, Irans top security commander, who officials have said has been behind hundreds of American deaths over the years. But the notification first sent to Congress late Saturday afternoon only contained classified information, according to a senior congressional aide, likely detailing the intelligence that led to the action. It is unclear whether the White House will send a separate, unclassified document. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Saturday evening that the notification raises more questions than it answers, including serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the administrations decision to engage in hostilities against Iran. Trump warns evangelicals: Democrats want to impose 'anti-religious agenda' on America Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Donald Trump launched his Evangelicals for Trump coalition Friday night, telling hundreds gathered at one of the countrys largest Hispanic megachurches that evangelical support for his re-election will be even greater than it was for his election campaign in 2016. Trump gave a lengthy speech at El Ray Jesus Church in Miami at a much-anticipated rally that was also attended by leading conservative evangelical figures such as James Dobson, Cissie Graham Lynch, Jack Graham, Alveda King, and Paula White. The event and coalition were announced one day after a Christianity Today editorial last month denounced the president and called for his resignation. That editorial quickly put the political divisions within evangelicalism in the national spotlight and was followed by a letter from nearly 200 evangelical leaders denouncing both CT and its outgoing editor Mark Galli. In 2016, evangelical Christians went out and they worked so hard and they produced numbers like they have never produced before, Trump told the crowd. Based on what Paula told me and Cissie told me and everybody told me, we are going to blow those numbers away in 2020. Exit polling suggests that 76 percent of self-identified white evangelicals voted for Trump in the 2016 election. Since his election, Trump said he has been fighting for evangelicals and has achieved results nobody thought was possible. Many conservative evangelicals have strongly supported a number of Trumps policies and actions relating to issues of abortion, religious freedom, judicial appointments, LGBT issues, Israel, and criminal justice reform. Despite political gains in those areas, however, some evangelicals have voiced concerns about Trumps behavior and his administration's immigration and refugee policies. Evangelicals and Christians of every denomination and believers of every faith have never had a greater champion in the White House than you have right now, Trump declared. I am not saying that in any other way other than just look at the record. Together, we are not only defending our constitutional rights, but we are also defending religion itself, which is under siege. Trump told cheering supporters that although his administration is winning, the country cannot let one of our radical left friends take office. Because everything we have done will be gone in short order, he asserted. It will be taken away pretty quickly. Its a powerful position. He called for faith and family to be renewed as the center of American life in order for America to thrive. There are those who say these sacred beliefs are outdated. But we know they are just the opposite, Trump stressed. Our traditions and our values are timeless and immortal. [The political left] dont know what they are missing. Our faith is needed now more than ever. He stressed that while some fads come and go, it is an eternal truth that faith and family lead to stability, happiness, and prosperity of nations. Yet as we speak, every Democrat candidate running for president is trying to punish religious believers and silence our churches and our pastors, Trump contended. Our opponents want to shut out God from the public square so they can impose their extreme anti-religious and socialist agenda on America. However, Trump vowed that he is not only going to win re-election, but Republicans will also take back the U.S. House and maintain control of the U.S. Senate. This election is about the survival of our nation, he said. With your help, your prayers and tireless effort to mobilize Christian communities across our land, on Nov. 3, 2020, we are going to win another monumental victory for faith and family, God and country, flag and freedom. I really do believe we have God on our side, he added. There would have been no other way we could have won [in 2016], right? People said, You dont have the media, you have so many things against you. But we win. So it has to be something. Also speaking at the event was Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of famed evangelist and Christianity Today founder, Billy Graham. She is also the daughter of evangelist and Trump supporter Franklin Graham. Mr. President, although you live in a very elegant White House, you are our neighbor, she told Trump. We will love you through this and we will help you for 2020 so you can keep fighting for us because you are our neighbor and we love you. The coalition launch was praised by Hispanic evangelical leader Samuel Rodriguez, leader of the Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Rodriguez believes Trump might attract even more Hispanic support in 2020. In 2016, exit polls showed that Trump garnered about 28 percent of the Hispanic vote. It is not only logical but arguably politically brilliant that the president will kick off 2020 with the launch of his re-elections evangelical outreach at a Latino megachurch in the state of Florida, Rodriguez said in a statement. Latino evangelicals represent a constituency that is pro-life, supportive of religious liberty and focused on biblical justice. The unprecedented hard left turn by the Democratic Party, abandoning the Obama strategy of 2008, will prompt more Latino evangelicals to support President Trump in 2020. Rodriguez stressed that he does not foresee Latino evangelicals sacrificing core values by supporting the Democratic agenda that affirms abortion in the third trimester, attacks on religious liberty and espouses a socialistic worldview. During his speech, Trump said the extreme left is trying to replace religion with the government and replace God with socialism. Trump vowed that under his watch, America will not become a socialist country. His remarks received resounding applause from the crowd. At the beginning of his remarks, Trump recognized and gave thanks to a number of evangelical figures in the audience such as the Grahams, the Dobsons, Robert Jeffress and El Ray Jesus Church pastor Guillermo Maldonado. Before Trump spoke, he was prayed over on stage by a group of leaders, including White, King, Cissie Graham Lynch, Jack Graham and Jentzen Franklin. "Lord, I thank you that America didn't need a preacher in the Oval Office," Franklin prayed. "It did not need a professional politician in the Oval Office. But it needed a fighter and a champion for freedom. Lord, that is exactly what we have." The CPWD, a prime construction agency of the central government, has requested the health ministry to entrust the work of developing AIIMS building in Bihar's Darbhanga to the agency. In his letter to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare secretary Preeti Sudan, Central Public Works Department Director General Prabhakar Singh said the CPWD will execute the project in a hassle-free manner. It is understood that the ministry has decided to develop a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga Medical College campus in Bihar, the DG said. "We are already having full-fledged field units...in Bihar, and they are capable of taking up these works from concept to completion," Singh said. He said the CPWD in its endeavour to provide best services to its esteemed clients and stakeholders has taken several radical measures. "We look forward to the assignment of AIIMS Darbhanga project to CPWD. We assure of our best efforts in completing this work on time with economy and adhering to the best quality standards," Singh added. The CPWD, which operates under the Union housing and urban affairs ministry, carries out several development projects of the Centre and a number of state governments. It also erects fences on the country's international borders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday called up 3,000 defence force reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated on what shaped as a torrid weekend in at least three states. As temperatures in western Sydney reached 47 degrees Celsius, Mr Morrison said two more deaths had been confirmed on Saturday, bringing the toll since the countrys worst wildfire season on record began in September to 23. We are facing another extremely difficult next 24 hours, Mr Morrison told reporters, while also confirming his scheduled visits to India and Japan later this month had been postponed due to the ongoing situation. Australia was bracing for one of the worst days of the crisis yet on Saturday, as searing heat and strong winds were forecast to bring flames to more populated areas. Officials warned a fire in a national park west of Sydney had the potential to spread into the citys outer western suburbs. The defence force reservists will fight fires alongside thousands of full-time and volunteer firefighters, plus scores more brought in from other countries including Canada and the United States. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian says her state is facing another terrible day and called on people in areas threatened by the fires to leave while they still could. Expand Close A man uses a water hose to battle a fire near Moruya, in southern New South Wales, on Saturday (Rick Rycroft/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A man uses a water hose to battle a fire near Moruya, in southern New South Wales, on Saturday (Rick Rycroft/AP) Authorities also repeated warnings fires could move frighteningly quick, with embers carried by wind having the potential to spark new fires or enlarge existing ones. Australian navy ships have been lifting hundreds of people from beaches in towns cut off by roads by the fires. Tens of thousands of people have been urged to flee communities near fires, many of them coastal holiday centres, before hot and windy weather intensified over the weekend. At midnight there are still 137 fires burning across NSW with over 60 yet to be contained. Over 2000 firefighters are continuing to work hard throughout this evening in preparation for Severe and Extreme Fire Danger predicted for many parts of the State today.#NSWRFS #NSWFires pic.twitter.com/Bxv1ILtt6v NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 3, 2020 Australias summer wildfire season arrived early in September and has been more intense than any on record. Collectively, more than 20,000 square miles has been burnt out around the country, and area almost the size of Croatia. At least 20 people have died, and more than 1,400 homes have been destroyed. A $30 million project at the Chapaton Pump Station in St. Clair Shores, designed to greatly reduce combined sewer overflows into Lake St. Clair, may come to a grinding halt due to state government. According to the Macomb County Office of Public Works (MCPWO), the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), has delivered a roundhouse punch, followed by an uppercut, to the plans to increase storage capacity at the Chapaton facility. The only question that now remains is whether the two blows will result in a knockout. The MCPWO plans to virtually eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSO) by using existing infrastructure to hold more sewer effluent and stormwater in the facility during heavy rain events before it can be fully treated rather than sent into the lake partially treated. The plan involves using the full capacity of existing pipes and expanding the retention storage space in a man-made canal outside the pump station that leads to the lake. It is estimated the increased capacity would reduce CSOs by as much as 75 percent annually. The week before Christmas, the EGLE, formerly the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), pulled a $2 million State Revolving Fund loan (with principal forgiveness) it had awarded to the Chapaton Drainage District. The $30 million project had collected about $8 million in grants (not including the $2 million from the state) to offset the costs ratepayers would be charged to fund the improvements. Chapaton collects waste from the city of Eastpointe and the southern half of St. Clair Shores. The states decision to pull the $2 million loan would put more of a burden on ratepayers in Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores if no further outside funds were collected. But the state, according to Macomb County, is indicating it appears unlikely a permit would be issued for the Chapaton project. In order to begin work, Macomb County would need permit approval from EGLE and the Army Corps of Engineers. Thursday, EGLE spokesman Scott Dean said the $2 million has not been pulled, but rather it has been put on hold, pending an information gathering meeting with the county. It is expected that session will take place toward the end of January. According to Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller, the state approved the money, a state revolving fund loan, and then within a week, they pulled it back, with the state citing the countys need to get permits first. According to Miller, Phil Argiroff, the Assistant Division Director of EGLEs Water Resource Division, told Office of Public Works Chief Deputy Brian Baker CSOs dont impact water quality. Secondly, Miller said Argiroff told the county if permits were granted for the Chapaton project to reduce CSOs into Lake St. Clair, then other metropolitan Detroit agencies would feel compelled to do the same. In other words, we shouldnt clean up the lake because others would then have to spend money to do so as well, Miller said. In a response to questions asked by the Macomb Daily, EGLE provided this response to the release of CSOs: Untreated combined sewer overflows unequivocally affect water quality, and the county has already demonstrated that the Chapaton facility is providing adequate combined sewer treatment to protect water quality under its existing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Friday, EGLE confirmed the current discharges are treated and acceptable as per the existing NPDES permit. We look forward to meeting with Macomb County officials later this month on their proposed modified NPDES and Part 325 permits, the EGLE statement added. Part 325 permits are awarded for actions involving the bottomlands of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair. Miller, who has the support of both Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores for the Chapaton project, as well as state and federal legislators and senators, is hopeful the state will reevaluate its stance. I will not back off on this. I wont let a bureaucrat stop us from improving water quality in Lake St. Clair. I hope we can get them to see that their stance is wrong, she said. If the state maintains a stance of not permitting the Chapaton project, Miller said she will consider other options, including pleading her case to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Miller said she is mystified by the states decisions regarding Chapaton, especially since most of the money to support the project will be locally raised. She said about a month ago, EGLE officials called the Chapaton project one of the greenest projects ever. I wont let them string us along either, Miller added. We are ready to start construction this year. On Friday, EGLE indicated State Revolving Fund money remains available for the Macomb County Chapaton Pumping Station and Basin project, should approved permits be issued and state loan criteria met. The permit applications submitted by the MCOPW in December 2019 are currently under review. To successfully receive the permit, Dean said the project must be reviewed by EGLEs Water Resources Division, all permits (modified NPDES and Part 325) received, and an environmental assessment published prior to a loan being issued. Congress flag falls off while being hoisted by interim president Sonia Gandhi [Video] Divisive ideologies anchored in hate causing havoc on secular fabric of our society: Sonia Gandhi India should press for immediate action against culprits in Pak Gurdwara attack case: Sonia Gandhi India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jan 04: The interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday condemned the "unwarranted and unprovoked" attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by an unruly mob. Expressing dismay and concern over the matter, she called upon the Government of India to immediately take up the issue with Pakistani authorities to ensure safety of pilgrims and adequate security for the shrine to prevent any future attacks. "The Government of India should also press for immediate registration of case, arrest and action against the culprits," she said in a statement. 'Save Constitution-Save India': Congress to take out all-India flag march today A mob on Friday reportedly attacked Gurdwara Nankana Sahib where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Reports suggested that hundreds of angry residents at Nankana Sahib pelted the Sikh pilgrims with stones. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, January 4, 2020, 22:11 [IST] After nine years of war, the Constitutional Committee set up to draft a new constitution may be the only hope of ending the crisis in Syria Nine years ago, the Arab Spring, or what some call the first wave of revolutions in the Arab world, began. Many observers at the time thought that after the uprisings the Arab Spring countries would once again become secure and that international standards of governance would prevail. It was hoped that their citizens would see the introduction of genuinely democratic regimes, where common citizenship was the foundation of the state. In Syria in particular many thought that 21st-century standards would no longer tolerate a totalitarian regime unleashing its wrath on a domestic liberation movement and that conditions were ripe to overthrow the countrys one-party state. They thought that the international community would not allow the Syrian regime to violate international and humanitarian principles to stay in power. However, these things did not happen. Instead, the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad shot at peaceful demonstrators with live bullets, attempted to fabricate a civil war, and committed massacres unprecedented in recent decades. The regime proclaimed the uprising in the country to be a foreign conspiracy led by colonial powers to eliminate the country of steadfastness and confrontation with Israel and to prevent Syrias development by drowning it in a civil war. However, those who had risen up had simply demanded freedom, democracy, equality, the separation of power, an end to sectarianism, discrimination and cronyism, and the respect for human rights. Their demands did not waiver despite regime attempts to paint the uprising as sectarian and to open the door to all types of radicalism from outside the country. The regime allowed Iran and then Russia to convert Syria into a battlefield to display their power and serve their interests and strategic goals, and it forced the political and armed opposition to seek help from overseas. Regional countries that should have avoided the Syrian quagmire thus became involved. The regime did not take a single step towards its own people and adamantly refused the rotation of power and any measure of reform. As a result, Syria became a battleground for a new kind of war that relies on proxies, random destruction and disregard for losses among civilians culminating in the one million Syrians so far killed in the war. Syrian territory has become the playground of international and regional parties. Russia and the US have established military bases; Iran has taken control of parts of the country; Turkey has done the same; and Israel meddles as it pleases. Dozens of extremist religious, ethnic and sectarian militias have come to Syria from Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iran and elsewhere. The Syrian Kurds have tried to carve out a state for themselves. The Islamic State (IS) group and its clones have extended their tentacles, spreading mayhem and economic collapse. Infrastructure has been destroyed, and Syria has come close to becoming a failed state. Among the factors behind the Syrian war are the clash of interests between Russia and the US, disputes among the Arab countries, and the Turkey-Iran challenge. However, there is also Irans desire to occupy Syria as a pivotal part of the Shiite Crescent to the Mediterranean that it has wanted to create since the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Mahmoud Hamza, a Syrian academic living in Russia, commented that the imperialist interests of the US and Russia have clashed in Syria, and to some extent Western interests as well. But what about Iran? I believe that Iranian machinations intersect with and serve Israeli plots. The US and Israel have allowed Iran to dominate Syria, Yemen and Lebanon serving US-Israeli schemes to create chaos, ignite wars by promoting sectarianism and form armed militias that undermine the state and prevent it from providing services for its citizens, all things that we see in Syria and before that we saw in Iraq and Lebanon. After nine years of war, the foundations of the Syrian regime have not changed, and its oppressive policies continue. Its security agencies continue to dominate the country through corruption and the violation of human rights, and the regime monopolises state institutions and crushes civil society. Emergency laws and martial law remain in place, unemployment is rising, and development has failed after nine years of war and international pressure that have served the regime and not the opposition or the people. A Constitutional Committee to draft a new Syrian constitution has been formed, but after nine years of struggle this is a minuscule achievement compared to the sacrifices of the Syrian people to make their dream of a democratic state come true. For nine years, the Syrian opposition has failed, and some of the practices of totalitarian rule may even have infected some opposition groups. Part of the opposition has become a submissive vassal of the regime, and part has little respect for international standards of transparency and accountability. Partisan, factional or other interests have in some cases been promoted. Opposition leaders have failed to play their role or put the anger on the streets onto the right track. Russia, the US, Turkey and Iran are at loggerheads in Syria, and it is almost impossible for the regime and opposition to agree. It is unlikely that the regime will ever agree to change, and the opposition cannot return under the umbrella of the regime. Meanwhile, ethnic, sectarian and national tensions are at their peak, and the loss of life is colossal. The millions of victims of the conflict have a right to transitional justice, but it is almost out of the question that the Syrian security agencies will relinquish their control. Abdel-Bassel Sida, former chairman of the opposition Syrian National Council, commented that what is happening now in Lebanon and Iraq cannot be separated from what is happening in Syria, Algeria, Sudan, Yemen and Libya, where there have been revolutions and popular uprisings against the corruption and despotism of politicians or their allegiance to foreign plots. What we are seeing today is the result of decades of chaos. But a regional consensus is essential to enable the people of our region to end the cycle of violence and wars in their various forms. I believe a decision was taken at the beginning of the Syrian Revolution in 2011 not to allow the Al-Assad regime to fall, given its services to Israel and the world powers. The regime is part of a covert international alliance led by Israel and the US, with the Russian oligarchy being affiliated with Western economic, financial, ideological and even political circles. The losses of the Syrian people will mount unless they decide to surrender and ignore the past nine years, which is impossible for opponents of the regime. The Constitutional Committee is currently the only hope to end the war in Syria. If it fails, the situation will likely ignite again since tens of thousands of pro-Iran militias are still on the ground in Syria, as are tens of thousands of fighters in factions supported by Turkey. Russia stands ready to support the regime, the US remains the puppeteer behind the scenes, and Israel continues to violate the integrity of Syrian territory. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 December, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Popular American rapper, Cardi B says she will file for Nigerian citizenship because of what she described as a dump move by President of United States, Donald Trump. Cardi B was reacting to the killing of the head of Irans elite Quds Force, General Qasem Soleimani, following a directive by President Trump. KanyiDaily had reported earlier that General Soleimani was killed at Baghdads international airport in Iraq. He was killed alongside Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kataib Hezbollah, also called Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). The U.S confirmed that President Trump ordered the airstrike that killed the powerful Iranian general because he was planning attacks against US diplomats and other targets. Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei sparked fears of war after he promised harsh vengeanceon all those involved and responsible for asassination of General Soleimani. Reacting on her Twitter page, Cardi B said Trump is putting Americans lives in danger with his dump move. She worote: Naaaaa these memes are fuckin.But shit aint no joke! Specially being from New York. Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger. Dumbest move Trump did till date. Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. Naaaaa these memes are fuckin ?? ?but shit aint no joke ! Specially being from New York .Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger.Dumbest move Trump did till date Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 3, 2020 The rapper,who already has a Nigerian name, asked her fans to pick a tribe shell belong to when she becomes a Nigerian. Picking my tribe iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 3, 2020 KanyiDaily recalls that Cardi B visited Nigeria on December 5, 2019, for a weekend and documented every moment of her stay one of which was her visit to a strip club in Lagos, where she made money rain. She also visited an orphanage home and partied with other Nigerian music stars like Burna Boy, Zlatan and Tiwa Savage. Amid allegations from AAP that the Centre is fooling the people of New Delhi, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over registry documents and conveyance deeds to 20 persons living in unauthorised colonies in the capital and added that the department had received applications for close to 60 thousand houses. "Today we are giving registry documents to 20 persons of Delhi living in unauthorised colonies. Registration applications of 55-60 thousand people have reached the department due to which there are some issues of overloading on the servers. New servers will be put in place so that difficulties do not arise," Puri said at the event here on Friday. The minister termed the event as 'ceremonial' and added that in future the registration papers will continue to be handed over to the beneficiaries. The first registration deed was handed over to one Pinki Sharma, a resident of Suraj Park Colony in the capital by the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs under the Prime Minister- Unauthorized Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojna (PM-UDAY). Asserting that the Centre had fast-tracked the process so that the persons living in unauthorised colonies can get their papers in time, he said, "Had we done it using that the old methods then it could have taken 10 to 11 years for each beneficiary to receive the papers. Therefore, once the Union Cabinet took this decision we passed a law in the Parliament which includes both conveyance deed and registration." Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal alongwith Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Durga Shanker Mishra and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Vice Chairman Tarun Kapoor were also present at the event held on Friday. Earlier on December 29, the DDA had said that under PM-UDAY, the residents of unauthorized colonies are being given authorised ownership of their properties. In a tweet, the DDA said, "For years the residents of unauthorised colonies did not have property rights. It was difficult to buy or sell properties in these unauthorised colonies. It was also impossible to take loans from banks. Under PM UDAY Yojna, the residents of the unauthorised colonies are being given property rights over their properties in these colonies." "Under this scheme, all residents of unauthorised colonies will get authorised ownership of their house or flat," the DDA said in another tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion at 5 PM. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Minister Abdul Sattar hasnt resigned, will meet Uddhav Thackeray: Shiv Sena The Shiv Sena on Saturday dismissed reports that Abdul Sattar, one of its ministers in the coalition government in Maharashtra has resigned and said he will be meeting party boss and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. Read more Reign of terror: Priyanka Gandhi visits Muzaffarnagar victims, condemns police brutality Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made several stops in western Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar to meet the families of those who died or were injured during last months violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Read more US to resume military training for Pak, but keeps security assistance on hold US President Donald Trump has decided to resume a military training programme for Pakistan that was cut off in 2018 while retaining a suspension in security-related aid, the top American diplomat for South Asia has announced. Read more Siddhant Chaturvedis reply to Ananya Panday on nepotism is Twitters favourite new meme Gully Boy actor Siddhant Chaturvedis reply to Student of the Year actor Ananya Pandey on nepotism is the new love of Twitters meme makers. Read more Which Disney, Harry Potter or Simpson character are you? Instagram filters can help you out Move aside BuzzFeed quizzes! Now Instagram filters can tell you which Disney character you are with a filter. Read more Can only speak when I have total knowledge:Kohli deflects question on CAA Saying that he doesnt know enough to pass judgment, India captain Virat Kohli deflected the question on the contentious Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) that has seen protests in the city and most of Assam and has led to deaths, curfew and internet shutdowns. Read more Bigg Boss 13: Salman Khan says he has had 5 girlfriends in his lifetime but is a virgin The upcoming Bigg Boss 13 Weekend Ka Vaar episode will see host Salman Khan being joined by actors Ajay Devgn and Kajol. Read more THE Cebu City Treasurers Office (CTO) is targeting to collect P8.9 billion in taxes this year, a city official said on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. This is P700 million higher than the Citys income last year, which was P8.2 billion. Jerone Castillo, CTO officer-in-charge, said the City will continue to implement the ease of doing business system to encourage taxpayers to pay their taxes. As the Citys treasury achieved 100 percent of its P8.2 billion target last year, Castillo said they will double their effort this year. Under one roof On Jan. 2, 2020, the Cebu City Government started issuing business permits valid for two years to at least 40,000 permits holders. Castillo is also hoping they can start to occupy the Citys Financial Center, which is located on a three-story building near the City Hall, within the first week of January. Once functional, the three-story building will house all the finance components of the City, such as the treasury, budgeting, assessors, accounting, as well as the payment of establishments at the South Road Properties. The Barangay Affairs Office (BAO) will also occupy a space in the financial center. Castillo said the City Financial Center building still lacks electrical connections. In previous interviews, Castillo said the City would partner with the 80 barangays using a new digital integrated system designed to monitor businesses operating within their areas. Castillo explained that all identified properties and business establishments will be put under one database per barangay so that the CTO can monitor existing and new businesses in every part of the city. Pilot areas The pilot areas for the integrated system are Barangays Guadalupe and Banilad. Castillo also reiterated their plan to allow payment of tax dues at depository banks, namely Landbank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and Veterans Bank. Aside from the digital integrated system, Castillo is also pushing for the passage of an ordinance that will grant amnesty to business owners with unpaid taxes. If the ordinance is passed, delinquent taxpayers will only have to pay the basic taxes for their businesses and properties as the penalties will be waived. The ordinance, authored by Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, is still being scrutinized by the City Council. (JJL) SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled official trips to India and Japan that were scheduled for the second half of January as he battles a bushfire emergency at home. Morrison said on Saturday he had spoken to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan`s ambassador to Australia, Reiichiro Takahashi, seeking to reschedule the meetings so he could tackle the country`s growing fire crisis. "I should stress that both of those scheduled meetings are postponed and will move quickly to identify another opportunity," Morrison told reporters after announcing a big step-up in the military`s role in rescue and relief efforts. Live TV Morrison had been set to leave for India on Jan. 12, followed by a trip to Japan, with talks due to focus defence, intelligence and security and trade issues. The decision to postpone the trips came after Morrison faced heavy criticism in December for taking off on a family holiday to Hawaii while fires raging across Australia since September continued to burn. He cut the family trip short and apologised. Australian firefighters continued to battle dangerous conditions, with fires in New South Wales and Victoria states expected to burn uncontrollably in temperatures above 40C (104F) and strong, shifting winds threatening to fan and spread the flames. Authorities have said conditions could be worse than New Year`s Eve when fires burnt massive tracts of bushland and forced thousands of residents and summer holidaymakers to seek refuge on beaches. Bushfires have killed 23 people and destroyed more than 1,500 homes since September, Morrison confirmed. Pakistan has rejected reports that the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, in Lahore, which is the holiest shrine in Sikhism was vandalized by a mob. According to Pakistan Foreign Office, it was a scuffle between two Muslim groups at a tea stall near Nankana Sahib and there was no communal angle to the incident. The FO in the statement said that the district administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused, and added that the gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. "Attempts to paint this incident as a communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the claims of acts of 'desecration and destruction' and desecration of the holy place, are not only false but also mischievous," said the FO. However, according to Pakistani media, on Friday, scores of protesters had surrounded the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, was born threatening to overrun the holy site if their demands for the release of suspects in an alleged forced conversion case were not met. There were also reports of stone-pelting by the mob. In one of the videos posted online a man was seen shouting anti-India slogans to the cheers of a crowd. He threatens Sikhs, saying that they would take over Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and rename it Ghulam Ali Mustafa. Mob of Muslims gherao Nanakana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan, pelt stones. About 30 Sikhs inside while the gate is closed. 'We will not let any Sikh live in Nankana Sahib & will change its name to Ghulam-e-Mustafra', local Muslim protester heard saying@sherryontopp Sidhu paaji? pic.twitter.com/DJ282QvPbs Arif Aajakia (@arifaajakia) January 3, 2020 According to reports, the mob was led by the family of a man, called Ehsan, who was recently booked for forcibly converting and marrying a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur. The family alleged that on Friday, police had raided their home and detained several family members, including Ehsan in connection with the case. The case of Jagjit Kaur had made headlines in August after her family alleged that their daughter was abducted, forcefully converted and married off to a local Muslim man. Even though initially the authorities denied the allegation and even released a video where the girl was heard saying that she converted to Islam on free will and wanted to marry Ehsan, the government acted under pressure from the Sikh community. The girl was freed and was allowed to return to her family and the accused, including Ehsan, were booked, a rare such incident in Pakistan, where minorities have regularly complained about abductions and forced conversion of their girls. Following the reports about vandalism at Nankana Sahib, India had strongly condemned the despicable act and urged Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security and well being of the Sikh community. We are concerned at the vandalism carried out at the revered Nankana Sahib Gurdwara today. Members of the minority Sikh community have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year, the External Affairs Ministry said in an official statement. New Year death toll at five-year low, down nearly 20% BANGKOK: The death toll from road accidents during the seven dangerous days of the New Year holidays dropped by almost 20% to 373, the lowest level in five years. transportaccidentsdeathdisasterspolice By Bangkok Post Saturday 4 January 2020, 10:17AM A pickup truck rams into a roadside electric pole in Si Satchanalai district, Sukhothai province, on Jan 1, killing a woman and injuring four others. Photo: Phubes Faites On Thursday (Jan 2), 45 people were killed, up one or 2.3% year-on-year, bringing the total in seven days to 373, down 19.4%. On the same day, 359 injured were in 354 road accidents, both down from the previous year. Most of the vehicles involved in the crashes were motorcycles, which accounted for 83%, said Deputy Interior Minister Niphon Bunyamanee said on Friday, citing the latest report from the Road Safety Directing Centre. From Dec 27 to Jan 2, there were a total of 3,421 road accidents across the country, with 3,499 injuries. Bangkok had the highest number of deaths at 15, while Songkhla recorded the highest number of accidents and injuries at 116 and 121, respectively. Drink driving and speeding were major causes of the crashes. A total of 230,603 people were charged with traffic offences, including failing to wear crash helmets (56,447), and driving without licences (51,686). Compared with last years figures, the number of New Year holiday road accidents this year was 370 lower. The numbers of deaths and injuries during this New Year holidays were also down from the previous year by 90 and 393, respectively, he said. Court of Justice spokesman Suriyan Hongwilai said on Friday there were 25,376 traffic offence cases, mostly drink-driving, sent to courts from Dec 27 to Jan 2. Of the total, the courts already ruled on 24,986 cases, or 98.5%. Drink-driving topped the list of traffic offences sent to courts during the seven-day dangerous New Year period, with 23,723 offenders. The other top two offences were driving without licences (3,879) and driving under the influence of drugs (344), said Mr Suriyan. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday despite the improvement, he was not happy with the figures since hundreds of deaths were still considered high. Authorities must remain vigilant and continue to find measures to lower the numbers further for the next long holidays during Songkran, he added. He also floated the idea of changing the name of the monitoring period from seven dangerous days to something more positive. He suggested seven days of happiness so people think more of their loved ones and their own safety when driving during long holidays. While the death toll dropped, it is still a far cry from the international goal adopted by the Land Transport Department at below 10 per 100,000 population this year, or 664 a year based on the population of 66.4 million in the 2018 census. Read original story here. Youre a Republican. Your 401(k) is thriving in this stock market. Conservative judges are being appointed in a historic makeover of the federal bench. The bureaucratic deep state that stifles the economy has been slashed. This is a great age to be a Republican. Except for you its not. Youre thinking of leaving the party because this GOP president has ushered in an unrecognizably dark era for the party youve called home your entire life. Donald Trump is the antithesis of your hero Ronald Reagan. He demonstrates no comprehension of the foundings central principles of liberty and freedom, hes constitutionally illiterate, revives hateful ideologies that have taken centuries to suppress, is an isolationist protectionist, and admires the worlds dictators more than fellow Americans tortured by our enemies. You could go on about lying being as easy as breathing, grifting and plausibly impeachable behavior, but dont want to be a bore and typically this exercise ends with you telling a MAGA-minded neighbor, Yeah and I bet you would have loved Mussolini because the trains ran on time. Welcome to my life and the life of millions of Americans. So what do disaffected Republicans do in 2020? Heres a path to follow without abandoning the party, which would be a concession to a Democratic Party that has lurched far to the left in tone and policy. Dont vote for Trump: Trump is frequently described as more symptom than cause of the GOPs dark nationalist slide. Theres truth to that, but Trump himself is a malignancy that has completely reduced the party to being the toadies he demands. His singular disregard for the Constitution and American ideals far exceeds the blue-collar populism that has percolated in the party since Pat Buchanan challenged President George H.W. Bush in 1992. The Republic will survive Trump, but he is wounding the presidency in a dangerous manner. For our democracy to be healthy, he must be defeated. If the Democrats nominate someone you cannot tolerate under any circumstances then withhold your vote and write in your favorite high school teacher. Your vote is your expression, not a purely binary choice. Vote for Republicans down the ballot, within reason: Some disaffected fellow GOP consultants have recently formed an organization called the Lincoln Project dedicated to protecting democracy. They intend to organize Republican voters against Trump, which is perfectly sensible. But they also have stated their intent to try to defeat other Republicans, like Maines U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, who they dont think are suitably anti-Trump. I dissent from the tactic of targeting Republicans like Collins. One only need look to the fate of former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake or former South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford to realize that to expect responsibly minded Republicans to define themselves as anti-Trump is to banish them to the sidelines only to be replaced by Democrats or sufficiently Trumpy replacements. Furthermore, Republicans should be eager for the GOP majority in the U.S. Senate to be preserved as a check against what is very likely a returning Democratic majority in the House and ideally a Democratic White House. Now there are exceptions. Should you find yourself living in the district of one of those House Republicans who have burrowed themselves into the presidents posterior like a tick, willfully spouting lying talking points straight out of Moscow, by all means, please vote them out of office. But most important, understand that most elected Republicans are hostage to Trump, the unstable strongman who demands their fealty. This may be considered weak and pathetic but its the nature of politics. Haughty Democrats who bemoan their hostage colleagues across the aisle would act in the same manner if the tables were turned. Dont expect hostages to escape. Those that try are often shot. Better to free the hostages. Many disaffected Republicans have decided to simply leave the party. Country over party is certainly not debatable. But if you care about charting a long-term, center-right course for love of country, then I encourage you stay and fight to reclaim the party. Defeating Trump is the first step. Rob Stutzman is a veteran Republican consultant, based in Sacramento. At least 28 people were killed and dozens injured on Saturday in an air strike on a military school in the Libyan capital Tripoli, a ministry spokesman said. An air raid on the military school of Tripoli killed 28 cadets and injured dozens more, Amin al-Hashemi, spokesman for the health ministry of the Government of National Accord (GNA) said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two men have been charged in connection with the death of a 34-year-old who died while trying to recover his laptop when it was stolen from a California Starbucks. Byron OJ Reed Jr. 22, and Javon Lee, 21, were arraigned Friday in California's Alameda County Superior Court on charges related to the death of Shuo Zeng, 34, in Oakland on New Year's Eve. Reed is charged with murder and the special circumstance of committing a murder during a robbery, while Lee was charged with involuntary manslaughter. They are both also being charged with second-degree robbery, NBC Bay Area reported. Both men were said to have been previously convicted on unrelated second-degree robbery charges in San Francisco in 2017. Scroll down for videos Suspects Byron Reed (left) and Javon Lee (right) were charged Friday in connection with the death of 34-year-old Shuo Zeng Zeng (pictured) died Tuesday while chasing after thieves who stole his laptop while he was using it at a Starbucks in Oakland, California. He sustained head injuries while being dragged from the thieves' getaway car Authorities believe that Reed (pictured) was driving the getaway car. He is charged with murder and the special circumstance of committing a murder during a robbery, as well as second-degree murder The two men had been arrested at Reed's sister's home in Oakland at about 4pm Tuesday - just hours after the incident that led to Zeng's death. Earlier, at about 11.30am, Zeng - a research scientist and engineer for Aspera - had been sitting by the door of a Starbucks in Oakland, using his laptop, when a man in a dark hoodie grabbed his it and ran to a car waiting outside. Shuo Zeng had been celebrating his 34th birthday on December 31, the day he died Zeng then ran out of the building and chased after the thief in an attempt to get back his laptop. A witness told ABC7 that Zeng dived through the window of the getaway car as it began to drive off, but that 'there was a struggle and I think they pushed him out and then he got dragged.' Zeng sustained head injuries after being dragged by the suspects' SUV and flung against a parked car as the SUV sped off. He then died at the hospital shortly before 5pm. In a probable cause statement, Oakland police said surveillance video showed two people stealing Zeng's laptop, then jumping into the waiting car. Authorities believe that Reed was driving the getaway car and that Lee had been involved in stealing the laptop, which facilitated the robbery and murder. After a judge said that Reed was being held without bail - standard practice in California when defendants are first charged with murder - Reed's sister, Shaquila Reed, 30, of Oakland, was said to have shouted 'Why no bail?' After the hearing, Shaquila and members of Lee's family were said to have gotten into a fight outside the courthouse, requiring four deputies to separate them. Friends had been looking to celebrate New Year's Eve with Zeng (right), a Chinese native who got his doctorate at Kansas State University and was working for Aspera in the Bay Area Reed's sister, Shaquila Reed (pictured), told reporters that she believed he was innocent because he had been babysitting her child when the robbery was committed The fight was said to have been due to Lee's family being upset about what Shaquila had told reporters prior to the hearing - that she believed Reed is innocent because he was babysitting her child at her home when the robbery was committed, KPIX reported. At the time, she told reporters that Reed was palling around 'with the wrong kind of people.' She also described Reed as being 'a very loving person' and said that killing someone was 'one mistake he wouldnt make.' Reed and Lee are expected to be back in court Monday to be assigned attorneys and potentially enter pleas. Jail records show that Lee's bail was set at $255,000. Authorities are still investigating the Zeng incident and have not yet released information about the third suspect involved in the robbery. A witness said that Zeng 'chased' after the thieves before jumping into their car. Authorities are seen outside the Starbucks where the incident occurred Oakland police (pictured at the scene) told the DailyMail.com in an emailed statement that: 'Two Arrests have been made in connection with this Homicide, investigation continues' The incident happened at around 11.30am at at the Starbucks in the 2000 block of Mountain Boulevard Staff with Oakland Fire Department personnel saw some of the incident as they rendered first aid on Zeng, who later died at the hospital at about 5pm that day Zeng's friends revealed that they were looking forward to celebrating both his birthday and New Year's Eve with him on the day that he died. His LinkedIn profile indicated that the Chinese native had graduated with a physics degree from Sichuan University, before getting a doctorate at Kansas State University. He then moved to California in 2015 to work for Aspera. His parents were flying from China to the US for their son's funeral, while a cousin living in New York also made her way to the Bay Area to identify his body. The cousin told ABC 7 that she believed Zeng had chased after the thieves in an effort to either preserve his research or the photos that he was editing from a trip they had taken together recently. She told the news station that she didn't 'want him to be remembered as a victim of a robbery because he's so much more than that. He's a scholar, he constantly reads.' Zeng's coworker and friend, Peter Tseng, told the news station that Zeng was fond of hiking and a talented photographer. 'He liked the outdoors, and he actually brought a lot of us together a lot of times, you know, for activities,' Tseng said, adding that Zeng 'was a good friend. He was a really kind guy.' Anyone with information about the incident that led to Zeng's death is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Homicide Section at 510-238-3821. (Newser) An upstate New York school district has begun using facial recognition technology to look for threats, over the objection of civil rights advocates who say it compromises student privacy. The Lockport City School District said it activated the system Thursday after meeting conditions set by state education officials, including that no students be programmed into the system's database, per the AP. Superintendent Michelle Bradley says the Aegis system is capable of alerting staff to guns, as well as to individuals who pose a potential threat, including Level 2 or 3 sex offenders, suspended staff members, and people flagged by law enforcement or prohibited by court order. The district originally planned to include certain students, citing the February 2018 attack in which expelled student Nikolas Cruz is charged with killing 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Those plans were scrapped amid privacy concerns raised by the New York State Education Department. story continues below While facial recognition technology has made its way into airports, casinos, stores, and stadiums, it's so far rare in public schools. The western New York district is believed to be the first in the state to incorporate the technology in the aftermath of deadly mass school shootings that have led administrators nationwide to adopt security measures ranging from bulletproof glass to armed guards. The New York Civil Liberties Union said facial recognition technology infringes on students' rights just by scanning their faces in search of a match. Education department officials said they believe Lockport has satisfied their concerns about student privacy and data, but they've recommended the district consult with its lawyers to ensure individuals' civil rights are protected. Bradley says the system doesn't collect or store any personally identifiable or other information until a match is made and confirmed by school staff, who would receive an alert from the system. (Read more facial recognition technology stories.) Taiwan's presidential candidates paid tribute Saturday to the island's military chief and other officers who perished in a helicopter crash just days before key elections. President Tsai Ing-wen cancelled campaigning to visit a radar station that Shen Yi-ming and his entourage were bound for on Thursday when their chopper smashed into mountains near Taipei. The 62-year-old general was among eight killed in the crash, becoming Taiwan's highest-ranking military official to die on duty, while five people survived. "I am finishing the mission for chief Shen to visit everyone on his behalf," Tsai told soldiers at the station in the northeastern region of Yilan. "We are deeply saddened but the best way to honour Shen is to fulfil our duties and protect our country." Investigators have recovered the Black Hawk helicopter's flight data recorder, which is being analysed to help determine the cause of the crash. Tsai is seeking a second term in the January 11 elections against her main challenger Han Kuo-yu, with the debate dominated by relations with China. In southern Tainan city, Han mourned victims of the crash at a campaign rally where his supporters dressed in dark clothes and held placards reading "rest in peace". "We are really sad at this huge tragedy and we have to reflect and review the incident," he told the crowd after a moment of silence. He also criticised Tsai's government over pension cuts, saying the move has shaken the faith of soldiers and public-sector workers. Han, from the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party, had a stunning rise in 2018 local elections to become mayor of Kaohsiung city -- a traditional heartland of Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) -- amid a backlash over government reform policies. He has described January's vote as a choice between "peace or crisis" with China, campaigning on the slogan "Taiwan safe, people rich". Taiwan has been a de facto sovereign nation since the end of a civil war in 1949, but China still views the island as its territory and has vowed to reunite it, by force if necessary. Since Tsai's 2016 election, Beijing has sought to isolate the island because her party refuses to acknowledge Taiwan is part of "one China". Tsai has described the election as a fight for Taiwan's freedom and democracy against an increasingly assertive Beijing. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement Aaron and Zach Brassard handle kitchen duties with their father, Paul. Brother Nolan, not pictured, runs the business end of the restaurant. Berkshire Palate Expands in Williamstown The new location in the Colonial Plaza is 600 square feet bigger than the eatery's original spot. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Berkshire Palate has moved to accommodate its expanding business. The eatery has moved just a few doors down at the Colonial Plaza into the former EAT a more suitable location for its cuisine, business, and customers. "People are really receptive to the menu and I think they like that we are family owned and the food is local," co-owner Paul Brassard said. "They like the creative things we do on the menu and it is never the same old thing." Berkshire Palate is a family business run by Brassard and his sons Nolan, Aaron, and Zach. Nolan handles the business side of Berkshire Palate while the rest of the family runs the restaurant and the kitchen. The Brassards opened in December 2018 in 240A Main St. but just after a year they decided to move to to the larger storefront in December 2019. Paul Brassard said the new spot is 600 square feet larger and not only offers more seating but a much larger kitchen to accommodate Berkshire Palate's growing catering business. "This kitchen is much better suited for catering," he said. "When we had to do a wedding for 100 people trying to do all of that out of that space was hard and now we don't have to rent a second space." During the busy summer, the small restaurant simply could not handle the large influx of patrons in town for the Williamstown Theatre Festival, he said, describing it as more of a "sandwich shop" size that really did not reflect the high-quality cuisine they were pedaling. "People would come into the other place and think it was a diner," he said. "Two of our best selling dishes are seared scallops with scallion sauce of verde and a beurre blanc sauce with roasted cauliflower. That is not diner food so this fits a little better." Other than the physical storefront, not a lot has changed at Berkshire Palate that is still focused on using quality locally sourced food. "We keep a pretty tight one page menu. It is very seasonal," he said. "We are closing in on 20 different local food purveyors." Zach stepped out of the kitchen and said this fluctuating menu is often determined by what is available. Meaning he often has to get creative. "I just see what is available at the farms and things like that and go off that," Zach said. "Winter time there is not a lot available ... potatoes, greens, root vegetables. That is it in the winter." Paul added that there is a noticeable quality to the locally grown food that their customers appreciate. "We had two bags of pea shoots ... one was the kind you would buy from the supermarket and the other was overflowing and bright," he said. "That is what you get from the farm and this is what you get off the back of a truck ... we really try to use this stuff as much as possible." Paul said this same ingenuity reaches into the catering side of their business and they tailor their menus to what the customer wants. "We did one wedding with spit roasted lamb because that's what they wanted," Paul said. "How many weddings do you go to and get that?" he said. "We did another where the men in the family were all hunters so we set up a venison carving station." Paul said they are happy to be in Williamstown and not only draw a lot of locals but tourists visiting the cultural corridor between Williamstown and North Adams. "It is fascinating every other day we have someone from another part of the world. In the summer it is everyday," he said "Last weekend we had someone here from Germany ... not too long ago we had some people from Hong Kong." Paul said he and his sons have more plans for the eatery and although did not want to get into specifics, said they are still only in the early phases of their business plan. "We probably have a seven or eight part plan we are probably just entering part three," he said. "But we will be here for a while for sure." Berkshire Palate is open Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday 11:30 to 9 and Friday and Saturday 11:30 to 9:30. ESPANOLA A challenger of an embattled New Mexico state senator convicted of drunken driving has acknowledged he also has a DWI conviction from his younger years. Rio Arriba County Commissioner Leo Jaramillo has challenged state Sen. Richard Martinez for his seat in the Democratic primary, KOB-TV reported Thursday. Martinez, 67, was found guilty last month of aggravated drunken driving and reckless driving, officials said. Jaramillo said he was charged in 1996 when he was 18. In a statement, Jaramillo said he took responsibility for his actions as a college freshmen. In December, Martinez was found guilty of aggravated drunken driving and reckless driving in connection with a June car crash. Martinez has stepped down from Senate leadership roles but refused to step down from his seat. After a lengthy closed session Thursday the Richmond School Board reconvened and unanimously voted that Superintendent Brian Walmsley did not violate the districts anti-harassment policy. An administrator and two secretaries recently filed harassment complaints against Walmsley and in response the school board directed attorneys from Thrun Law Firm P.C. to conduct an investigation. The complainants were interviewed along with Walmsley with the results of that work then presented to the board who ultimately concurred with the findings. Im not surprised because I did not violate the anti-harassment policy, Walmsley said, in a phone interview after the meeting. When the emergency meeting began members voted to have former Board President Sarah Gillies serve as the president for the evening; she had resigned her seat effective Dec. 31. Before going into closed session, the board opened the floor for public comments. Teamsters Local 214 Representative Mike Landsiedel, who represents secretaries, para pros and administrators in the district, said he was speaking on their behalf because they feared retaliation. He strongly suggested the board look into the complaints. Former Richmond High School Principal Deborah Michon also addressed the board telling them the issue was serious, accusing Walmsley of mistreatment of employees. When board members emerged from behind closed doors after 11 p.m., they returned to an open session and resolved the conclusion drawn by the investigation was one they would accept as their own finding on the matter. Board members had no other comments and Landsiedel said he and the concerned parents and administrators in attendance left without knowing what the board had concluded. We didnt even know what they meant when they said they accepted the investigators recommendation, because we didnt know what they found, Landsiedel said. But we had an idea by then because it was all just a dog and pony show with them sitting in the backroom for hours; many people felt it was already decided before the meeting even started. In a phone interview after the meeting Walmsley said he was made aware of the three complaints filed against him but they were broad, vague and didnt list any specific incidents or actions he was alleged to have taken. He was interviewed by a lawyer from the Thrun Law Firm for four hours last month, as part of the investigation, and said he fully cooperated. Landsiedel disputes that assessment of the complaints and says he knows for a fact that all eight administrators in the district signed a complaint, not just one. In addition, there were the ones filed by the secretaries. He said while the nature of the complaints didnt include allegations or harassment involving students or anything of a sexual nature, Walmsley was accused of harassing and demeaning actions towards district employees. He does not act professional, I sit across the table from him during negotiations for the teamsters and hes arrogant and Ive seen him retaliate against people for doing or not doing what he wanted or if they speak their mind, Landsiedel said. Administrators fear retaliation but claim Walmsley is a micro manager who is condescending and demeaning in working with his employees day to day, Landsiedel said. As proof of the difficult work environment in the district, Landsiedel pointed out many employees have left the district since Walmsley was hired in 2013, bolting for positions in other county districts such as Armada and LAnse Creuse. I wish a lot of the people who have left would come forward now, Landsiedel said. For now, if Walmsley continues to behave in what administrators perceive as a harassing and demeaning manner, Landsiedel said he will be back at every school board meeting to speak out about the problem. The next step beyond that would be for the employees to file formal grievances through their union. Walmsley contends he still doesnt know what the specific charges are that were brought against him. Obviously I did something to have the person put the letter in place but I dont understand what that is yet, Walmsley said. But Im ready to move forward, we have student academic scores to raise and a bond to implement. Board President Gillies did not respond to a request for comment on the issue. The board will hold an organizational meeting on Jan, 6 at 7 p.m. where new officers will be voted in for the coming year. They will also begin seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on the board created by Gillies resignation. In another matter, classes will resume on Jan. 6 after a ransomware computer virus prompted officials to close the schools on Jan. 2 and 3. Walmsley said the phones and copier services are up and running, IT employees are continuing the work involved to restore files before reconnecting to the Internet. FILE PHOTO: Indonesia's Deputy Minister for Maritime Affairs Arif Havas Oegroseno points at the location of North Natuna Sea on a new map of Indonesia during talks with reporters in Jakarta JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has increased patrols around islands near the disputed South China Sea after a Chinese coast guard vessel "trespassed" into Indonesia's exclusive economic zone, authorities said on Friday. The Chinese vessel entered waters off the coast of the northern Natuna islands in mid-December, leading Indonesian foreign ministry to issue a strong protest and summon the Chinese ambassador in Jakarta. [nL4N29609T] Speaking in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had said China had sovereignty over the Spratly islands and their waters and that both China and Indonesia have "normal" fishing activities there. He did not mention the Natuna islands, which lie to the southwest. China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Nursyawal Embut, director of sea operations of Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency, told Reuters that the agency had deployed more ships to the Natuna Sea. "We're intensifying patrols in the sea to anticipate territorial violations, and also illegal fishing at North Natuna. We're trying to prevent foreign ships from violating our territory," he said. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also told reporters that the government had agreed to increase patrols in the waters and reiterated Indonesia's accusations against China. Indonesia on Wednesday called on Beijing to explain the legal basis and clear borders regarding its claims to the exclusive economic zone. Chinese embassy in Jakarta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Indonesia has repeatedly clashed with China over fishing rights around the Natuna Islands, detaining Chinese fishermen and expanding its military presence. (Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Gayatri Suroyo and Nick Macfie) Despite the ongoing hype surrounding the growth and popularity of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications last year, gaming and gambling remain the most popular use cases for blockchain apps. According to blockchain analytics site Dapp.com, there are approximately four times as many users for both gaming and gambling decentralized applications (dapps) than DeFi across seven different smart contract platforms as of Dec. 31. The growth of DeFi applications was primarily concentrated this year on the ethereum blockchain. Related: When DeFi Meets Neo Banking, This Thing Gets Interesting According to Dapp.com, over 75 percent of DeFi applications are active on ethereum, while the second most popular smart contract platform for DeFi is EOS, with 11 percent of active DeFi apps. Looking just at ethereum, the growth of DeFi over the year is more apparent. At several points throughout the year, DeFi apps beat out gaming and gambling apps in terms of number of users. Beyond these three dapp categories, the number of users in the entire dapp ecosystem across 10 different smart contract platforms, including ethereum, has declined. Data from blockchain analytics site DappRadar shows that the number of dapp users has shrunk 62 percent from a high of 110,000 in May to 41,000 at the beginning of December. Even the number of active dapps across these 10 blockchain platforms has decreased from 529 to 370. Related: 2020 Vision: 7 Trends Bringing Blockchain Into Focus in the Year Ahead In spite of the growth in popularity and discussion surrounding DeFi this year, the data suggests the dapp ecosystem is still struggling to gain traction. According to DappRadar communications director Jon Jordan, the little activity that was generated this year by dapps was concentrated in a handful of projects. 18 percent of the active dapps on ethereum accounted for 99 percent of [total dapp ecosystem] value. A very small number of dapps accounts for the vast majority of dapp value on ethereum. In that context, the number of dapps running on a blockchain is irrelevant, Jordan said in an email to CoinDesk. Story continues Strong optimism Taking a step back, it would seem the years downward trend follows a longer decline in new dapp adoption seen since late 2018, according to blockchain analytics site State of the Dapps. Even so, many in the crypto industry still believe in the potential for blockchain technology to serve as the infrastructure for a new internet. Muneeb Ali, CEO of blockchain startup Blockstack, is confident that the Web 3 use case for blockchain will one day attract hundreds of millions of new users. We started focusing last year on getting real applications on our platform. The next challenge? Getting, say, a million users on these applications. No one has that yet in crypto, Ali said in an interview with CoinDesk in November. Its an optimistic and ambitious goal shared by the CEO of Input Output Hong Kong (IOHK), Charles Hoskinson, who is also building a general-purpose blockchain platform called Cardano specifically for new DeFi applications. According to Hoskinson, the industry simply needs more time to develop the appropriate technology for dapp development and execution. I look at the five to ten-year horizon, Hoskinson said during an interview with CoinDesk in September. No one has reached adoption or scale yet. Its still very early days. Related Stories Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday visited the house of Qassem Soleimani to pay his respects to the family of the prominent Iranian general killed by US airstrike in Iraq. Speaking to Soleimani's wife, Rouhani said the US had made a "big mistake", which he said would be revealed to them not only today but in the years to come. He called killing of Soleimani the biggest crime in the history of the US crimes, comparing it to a CIA-backed coup in Iran in 1953 or shooting down of an Iranian passenger flight in 1988 that killed all passengers onboard. Soleimani is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. The US killed Iran's top general and the architect of Tehran's proxy wars in the Middle East in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport early on Friday, an attack that threatens to dramatically ratchet up tensions in the region. 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The 31-year-old would not be alive today if it was not for her mother who never lost hope that she would wake up again. READ ALSO: Ludacris and his entire family become citizens of Gabon READ ALSO: Gospel singer Rufftone accused of ditching artiste he hired for concert in Kakamega, leaves him without pay Her mother, Kertease Williams, brought her to the hospital in September 2018 when she noticed something wrong with her. At the hospital, she was doing weird things such as reaching out for invisible things, talking to herself, and dancing without music before she had a seizure that put her into a coma. Kertease, who has no doctors background and has never been to school for anything, did everything in her power to bring her daughter back. Doctors eventually found Kertisha was suffering from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, wherein the body fights its own brain cells. Kertease said doctors told her that her daughter was brain-dead and it was not easy finding out how to fix it. READ ALSO: Former TV girl Elizabeth Irungu slams Huddah Monroe for lying about man who took her virginity ''They told me she was brain-dead and pull the plug and all those things,'' she recounted. After moving to several hospitals, Kertisha was then brought to Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State. Dr Shraddha Mainali, a specialist in stroke and neurocritical care, who admitted that the mortality rate for her condition is above 60%, treated her. Kertisha was still having up to 20 seizures a day, but Dr Mainalis team worked hard to treat her. After four months under her care, in April 2019, she woke up. Kertisha said she had no idea seven months had passed while she was asleep and in a coma. READ ALSO: Mtangazaji wa Citizen TV Willis Raburu na mkewe wampoteza mwanao wa kwanza ''I have no idea. I dont remember anything," she said. Dr Mainali was glad to be a part of the amazing team that kept Kertisha alive. ''I am quite hopeful in her case that shes going to continue to do well and hopefully live a normal life,'' the doctor said. Kertease was beyond grateful to the medical professionals and that she did not give up on her daughter, especially for the sake of Kertishas two little kids, Diamonique and Perez. ''Every decision that I made was because she got two little people that was depending on their mother to come home and that was her kids,'' she said. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. The Blind Tailor, I don't want people to pity me. I want them to be encouraged by my story | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. health officials will begin cracking down on most flavored e-cigarettes that are popular with underage teenagers, but their plan includes major exceptions that benefit vaping manufacturers, retailers and adults who use the nicotine-delivery devices. The Trump administration announced Thursday that it will prohibit fruit, candy, mint and dessert flavors from small, cartridge-based e-cigarettes favored by high school and middle school students. But menthol and tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes will be allowed to remain on the market. The targeted flavor ban will also entirely exempt large, tank-based vaping devices, which are primarily sold in vape shops that cater to adult smokers. Together, the two exemptions represent a significant retreat from President Donald Trump's original plan announced four months ago, which would have banned all vaping flavors including menthol from all types of e-cigarettes. The new policy will spare a significant portion of the multibillion-dollar vaping market. And the changes mark a major victory for thousands of vape shop owners who sell the tank-based systems, which allow users to mix customized nicotine flavors. Vape shop owners expressed relief following the announcement. Were thankful the guidance doesnt shut down flavors in every aspect, said Spike Babaian, owner of VapeNY in New York City. Anti-tobacco advocates immediately condemned the decision to permit menthol and exempt tank-based vapes, accusing the administration of caving to industry pressure. Its disturbing to see the results of industry lobbying to undermine public health protections, especially the lives and health of our youth, said American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. The association and other health groups argue that teenagers who vape will simply shift to using menthol if it remains on the market. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that typically heat a flavored nicotine solution into an inhalable aerosol. They have been pitched to adults as a less-harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, but there is limited data on their ability to help smokers quit. Story continues The Food and Drug Administration has struggled for years to find the appropriate approach to regulate vaping. No e-cigarettes have yet won FDA approval, but the agency permits their sale under a policy called enforcement discretion. Under Thursday's policy change, the FDA said it would begin targeting companies that continue to sell the targeted products. Companies will have 30 days after the policy is published to halt manufacturing, sales and shipping. We have to protect our families, Trump told reporters on Tuesday, ahead of the announcement. At the same time, it's a big industry. We want to protect the industry. The flavor restrictions apply to e-cigarettes that use prefilled nicotine cartridges mainly sold at gas stations and convenience stores. Juul Labs is the biggest player in that market, but it previously pulled all of its flavors except menthol and tobacco after coming under intense political scrutiny. The small, discrete devices are the most popular brand among underage users. Many smaller manufacturers continue to sell sweet, fruity flavors like grape slushie, strawberry cotton candy and sea salt blueberry." The flavor restrictions won't affect the larger specialty devices sold at vape shops, which typically don't admit customers under 21. These tank-based systems allow users to fill the device with the flavor of their choice. Sales of these devices represent an estimated 40% of the U.S. vaping business, with sales across some 15,000 to 19,000 shops. The new policy still represents the federal governments biggest step yet to combat a surge in teen vaping that officials fear is hooking a generation of young people on nicotine. In the latest government survey, more than 1 in 4 high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the previous month. Late last month Trump signed a law raising the minimum age to purchase all tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21 nationwide. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the administration decided to exempt menthol after reviewing new data showing the flavor was not popular with teens. As we got better data on the flavors, we modified our thinking, Azar said. Survey data published in November reported that less than 6% of teens picked menthol as their top choice for vaping. In contrast, mint was the most popular flavor among sophomores and seniors. Incoming FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said the government's approach attempts to balance the problem of underage vaping with the potential role that e-cigarettes may play in helping adult smokers transition completely away from regular cigarettes. When Trump officials first sketched out their plans at a White House event in September, they specifically said menthol would be banned. But that effort stalled after vaping proponents and lobbyists pushed back and White House advisers told Trump that a total flavor ban could cost him votes. Industry groups including the Vapor Technology Association launched an aggressive social media campaign #IVapeIVote contending that the plan would force the closure of vaping shops, eliminating jobs and sending users of e-cigarettes back to traditional smokes. Trump's initial announcement came amid an outbreak of unexplained lung illnesses tied to vaping. But since then, health officials have tied the vast majority of the cases to a contaminating filler added to illicit THC vaping liquids. THC is the chemical in marijuana that makes users feel high. Makers of legal nicotine-based vaping products have tried to distance themselves from the problem. FDA officials said Thursday they will continue targeting vaping products that appeal to underage users in other ways, such as packaging that mimics juice boxes, cereal or kid-friendly snacks. Administration officials also pledged to work with the industry ahead of a looming deadline that manufacturers say threatens their products. The FDA is scheduled to begin reviewing all e-cigarettes in May. Only those that can demonstrate a benefit for U.S. public health will be permitted to stay on the market. Officials noted that products submitted by the deadline that don't appeal to kids will be permitted to remain on the market for up to one year pending FDA review. They also clarified that some vape flavors could return to the market if they can win FDA approval. Trump suggested ahead of the announcement that the flavor restrictions might be temporary. Hopefully, if everythings safe, theyre going to be going very quickly back onto the market," he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. ___ Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Jeff and Mandy Debuigne of Als Goldfish Lure Co., two of the hardest working and nicest folks youll ever meet. Vanessa Morgan is married! The Riverdale actress, 27, and her fiance Michael Kopech tied the knot during a stunning ceremony and reception on Saturday, PEOPLE confirms. The brides CW costars Skeet Ulrich, Drew Tanner and Madelaine Petsch were in attendance, according to E! News, which was first to report the news. Petsch, who plays Morgans on-screen girlfriend, was previously asked to be a bridesmaid. Vanessa Morgan/Instagram RELATED: From Erin & Simon to Hilary & Matthew: All of the Celeb Couples Who Tied the Knot On Saturday, Morgan shared a video of her white shoes, which had BRIDE bedazzled on them, on her Instagram Story. Hours before, the actress posted a photo of their dogs with one of the pups holding a sign that read: Our Hoomans are getting Hitched. Morgan and Kopech, 23, announced their engagement in July, after a year of dating. Vanessa Morgan/Instagram Kopech, who previously dated Bravolebrity Brielle Biermann, proposed to Morgan in front of a breathtaking waterfall in Mooney Falls, Arizona. So Ill start with the obvious: I love you. I love you intensely, passionately, & also at times, recklessly. I make decisions on the spur of the moment (i mean look at how our relationship has gone up to this point), he captioned a video of his proposal. Im a very non traditional type of person and I know Ive found my match in you when it comes to that especially. Our relationship probably doesnt make sense to many people for a s ton of reasons, but were not doing it for them. We know this is forever. Why would we wait? lol, he continued. Kopech then went on to praise Morgan for staying by his side when I felt I had lost my mind, adding, You stayed by my side for these seemingly random changes of my life. You stayed when often times I didnt deserve it. Youve loved me for ME from day one. Completely unselfishly. Youre undeniably the spark that reignited my fire. Kopech and Biermann, 22, split after two years of dating in March 2018. HUEYTOWN, Ala. - Human remains found buried in a shallow grave in a backyard have been identified as Paighton Houston, an Alabama woman who texted she feared she was in trouble before disappearing last month, police said Friday. The Trussville Police Department said in a statement that the discovered body was identified as Houston, 29. The police department said investigators recovered the body Friday in a shallow grave at the home in Hueytown, about 13 miles (20.9 kilometres) west of Birmingham. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Houston family as they begin the grieving process, police said in the statement. The Trussville woman was last seen Dec. 20 leaving a Birmingham bar with two men. Family members told news outlets that she later sent a text to a friend asking the person to answer if she called because she didnt know who she was with and I feel in trouble. Her family had posted social media pleas for information about their daughter since her disappearance. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey had issued a $5,000 reward in the case. Lynneice Washington, district attorney for the Bessemer Cutoff District of Jefferson County, told news outlets Friday that police searched the area after receiving tips in the case. The womans body was found wrapped in cloth in a shallow grave in the backyard. Its always hard whenever you find remains of a person because there are family members. ... The only thing we can do at this point is to try to give them justice, Washington said before the body was identified. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office is taking the lead in the investigation, Chief Deputy David Agee told reporters. Right now, we have a lot more questions than answers, but we hope to have those answers soon, Agee said. Global LNG production jumped in 2019, triggering oversupply and low prices that are expected to persist in 2020, says a report by Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS). Initial full-year data from LNG Edge shows exports at 355 million tonnes in 2019, up from 314.9 million tonnes in 2018. This represents the largest ever increase in production, said Ed Cox, Editor, Global LNG, ICIS. While East Asian, especially Chinese, demand increased in 2017 and 2018 to absorb additional production, there was little change this year. Instead, supply pushed into Europe reached a record high, having a major impact on regional hub pricing with price correlations growing between Europe and Asia. In the battle for top exporter, Qatar held onto first place, producing 77.4 million tonnes, according to the provisional LNG Edge data. This was very close to its nameplate capacity, said the ICIS report. Australia came in a close second, at 76.1 million tonnes, a rise of over 8 million tonnes and should take top spot in 2020, based on the LNG Edge supply forecast. Of the 40 million tonne increase in supply, the majority 33m tonnes came from Australia, Russia and the US. Russian production rates at Yamal and Sakhalin were especially impressive in 2019. But US LNG took centre stage, with 35.6 million tonnes produced, up by almost 15 million tonnes year-on-year. The increase will continue next year with the US set to produce almost 57 million tonnes, according to the LNG Edge supply forecast. Much will depend on the successful ramp-ups of remaining new trains at Freeport and Cameron LNG. Production from several of the more mature producers was higher too in 2019. Algerian and Egyptian exports both rose by more than 2m tonnes, with Egypt producing 3.5 million tonnes as its domestic gas supply continued to improve. Malaysian production improved substantially from 2018 when feedgas issues reduced operating rates, with a similar story from Papua New Guinea where production recovered after the drop in 2018 caused by a nearby earthquake. European LNG imports rose close to 76m tonnes in 2019, by far the highest ever recorded, according to the provisional data. Europe market up LNG sellers used the European market to absorb the global oversupply with a rise in spot sales and portfolio sellers bringing more cargoes into their own European terminal positions. Among the list of records was the 8m tonnes imported by Europe in December, the highest on record, with the UK importing more than 2m tonnes. Europe absorbed over 21% of all LNG produced globally in 2019, up from 13% in 2018 in what was by far the most significant change across all regions. This trend of higher European imports will likely continue in 2020 unless there is a major shift in short-term demand in Asia over the rest of the winter and the following summer. The volume of LNG coming to Europe pushed down traded hub prices and supported storage injection over the summer, putting the market in good shape as the winter began. Sharp import increases were recorded across most European countries, with Dutch and Belgian imports both more than doubling. In volume terms, the most significant increases were in France where imports rose by over 6.5m tonnes to 16m tonnes, and the UK which received over 13m tonnes, up by more than 8m tonnes from 2018. Qatar pushed a lot more LNG into European markets, especially the UK, with more from the US and Russia too. East Asia declines In a major reversal from the preceding two years, total East Asian LNG imports fell in 2019 year-on-year, with weakness from Japan and South Korea. Combined imports into those two countries, China and Taiwan stood at 196.5m tonnes, still by far the most significant importing area. But this figure was down by around 1m tonnes from 2018. In both 2017 and 2018 the regions imports rose by around 20m tonnes which helped to absorb a large portion of rising global supply. Japanese LNG imports fell by 7% in 2019, with South Korea down by 8%. The LNG Edge demand forecast shows a small rise in Japanese LNG demand in Japan in 2020 linked to lower nuclear power generation, but further declines from South Korea. Most important was the slowdown in the growth of Chinese LNG imports as coal-to-gas switching eased and economic growth struggled. Chinese LNG imports were up by over 8m tonnes to 61.9m tonnes but this was a lesser increase than over the previous three years. Utilisation at a number of Chinas key import terminals was very high, with others still lacking sufficient linkage to the grid to support larger send-out. How Chinas new independent gas pipeline and infrastructure operator develops in 2020 will be an important factor in the evolution of LNG imports and the ability that new companies have to take import positions. East Asia as a whole accounted for 55% of global LNG demand, compared with 62% in 2018. South Asia evolves Beyond East Asia and Europe, south and southeast Asia are the two key import regions that sellers are focusing on. There is substantial gas demand in the region, at the right price, but progress to open up new markets has been slow in recent years. Across the existing importers, Pakistan and Bangladesh imported a combined 12m tonnes in 2019, up from 7.4m tonnes in 2018. The growth in Indian imports is restricted by the lack of new available infrastructure, but demand did rise by over 1m tonnes to 23.8m tonnes in 2019. The addition of more import capacity in 2020 could boost Indian imports to over 26m tonnes, according to the LNG Edge demand forecast. Rising domestic gas production and competing power generation meant that LNG imports into the Middle East and Americas both fell in 2019, despite the oversupply and low spot prices. Americas demand accounted for just 4.1% of global supply, down from 4.8% in 2018. While Brazilian LNG imports held up well, demand from both Argentina and Mexico fell. The Middle East absorbed 1.9% of global supply, down from 2.9% in 2018, largely a result of Egypt stepping away from imports. But while Kuwait will continue as the most significant importer in the region especially with the start of Al-Zour terminal due for 2021, Jordanian imports fell by half. This came just as the first Israeli pipe gas from the Leviathan gas field arrived in Jordan at the end of the year, said Cox. -TradeArabia News Service Lockheed Martin Corp.s LMT Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) unit recently clinched a $138.5-million modification contract in relation to the AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent (CSEA). Per the deal, the company will be responsible for the development, integration, test and delivery of the AEGIS Advanced Capability Build (ACB) 20 integrated combat system. Details of the Deal The contract has been awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC. Per the deal terms, AEGIS CSEA will further support Technology Insertions (TI) by upgrading the combat system computing hardware and associated middleware. It will also develop engineering products to support ship integration, training and logistics products and provide field technical support for designated AEGIS baselines. Work related to the deal will be performed in Moorestown, NJ, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. What is AEGIS CSEA? As the developer of the Aegis Combat System, Lockheed Martin continues its 40-year legacy as the AEGIS CSEA for the U.S. Navy. The AEGIS CSEA is responsible for combat system engineering services, including the design, development and life cycle support, for all AEGIS-equipped ships. What Favors Lockheed Martin? Heightened geopolitical tensions and increasing terrorist activities across the globe have compelled nations to strengthen their military arsenal, with missile systems constituting an integral part of it. The United States, being the largest exporter of military weaponry worldwide, follows a similar strategy. This is evident from the allotment of $1.7 billion to purchase 37 AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense systems in the U.S. fiscal 2020 defense budget. Recently, Japan's defense ministry awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for delivering two SSR antenna sets for two planned land-based AEGIS Ashore ballistic missile defense systems. Further, in September 2019, the company's RMS segment was awarded a contract to develop and certify the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) 6.0 capability. Such frequent orders, including the latest one, are indicative of the robust demand enjoyed by the AEGIS program in the defense space, which in turn is expected to boost Lockheed Martins revenues. Price Performance Lockheed Martins stock has gained 54.6% in the past year compared with the industrys growth of 24.3%. Story continues Zacks Rank & Key Picks Lockheed Martin currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked stocks in the same space are L3Harris Technology Inc LHX, Air Industries Group AIRI and Leidos Holdings, Inc. LDOS, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. L3Harris long-term growth estimates currently stand at 8%. The company delivered average positive earnings surprise of 5.02% in the last four quarters. Air Industries Group delivered average positive earnings surprise of 52.78% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 loss has narrowed 63.6% to 4 cents over the past 60 days. Leidos Holdings delivered average four-quarter earnings beat of 8.93%. It currently has a solid long-term earnings growth rate of 7.5%. Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity. A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time. See 8 breakthrough stocks 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 Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Air Industries Group (AIRI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research michael barbaro From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today: A crucial witness from inside the presidents inner circle now says hes willing to testify in the impeachment trial. The question is whether the Senate will let that happen. Julie Davis with the latest on the impeachment. Plus, the Iranian retaliation begins. Its Wednesday, January 8. Julie Davis, the last time that we talked about impeachment on The Daily was basically the day of impeachment in the House. What was supposed to happen following that historic vote? julie davis After the House impeachment vote, the Democrats went and had a huge news conference. archived recording (nancy pelosi) December 18, a great day for the Constitution of the United States, a sad one for America that the presidents reckless activities necessitated our having to introduce articles of impeachment. julie davis They talked about the significance of the historic vote. archived recording (nancy pelosi) And so I view this day, this vote, as something that we did to honor the vision of our founders to establish a republic. julie davis And everyone expected that they were then going to get a timetable for where this is going next. When are they going to send these impeachment articles over to the Senate? archived recording (nancy pelosi) We have legislation approved by the Rules Committee that will enable us to decide how we will send over the articles of impeachment. We cannot name managers until we see what the process is on the Senate side. julie davis And somewhat surprisingly, Nancy Pelosi hedges. archived recording You would wait to send the articles until you understand what the Senates going to do? archived recording (nancy pelosi) Well make a decision as a group, as we always have, as we go along. julie davis She is essentially saying that theyre not in any rush to send over these charges. And in fact, maybe its better to keep them until she can get some assurances from the Senate about how the trial is going to look, whether theyre going to allow witnesses, whether theyre going to have what Democrats would consider a fair process. archived recording All right, joining us now is senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is with us. julie davis And around this time, Mitch McConnell has been openly talking in interviews and on the Senate floor about how he is planning to quickly move to acquit President Trump. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Everything I do during this, Im coordinating with White House counsel. There will be no difference between the presidents position and our position as to how to handle this. julie davis He wants to coordinate and work hand-in-glove with the White House to essentially clear the presidents name after what he says has been a completely unfair and illegitimate process in the House. archived recording Do you see any possible defections? archived recording (mitch mcconnell) I doubt it. Theres zero chance the president obviously would be removed from office. And Im hoping well have no defections at all. julie davis And so Pelosi is suggesting archived recording (nancy pelosi) Leader McConnell has stated that hes not an impartial juror, that hes going to take his cues, in quotes, from the White House julie davis Well, if thats going to be their approach, if theyre just going to take what weve just done and essentially throw it in the wastepaper basket, maybe I should wait around a little bit and see if I cant get some guarantees about what this process is going to look like before sending it over. [music] michael barbaro And Julie, to the best of your understanding, what is Pelosis thinking about how holding up this process changes anything in her favor? julie davis Well, theres two issues here. One of them is the issue of a fair trial is important to Democrats, but its also important to a handful of moderate Senate Republicans who could be key if they were to side with Democrats enforcing McConnell to change the rules of a trial, to allow witnesses, for example, or to allow some new evidence to be introduced. Shes thinking maybe that sort of tweaks the political calculus that McConnell is facing and persuades him that hes really going to have to make some of these concessions if he wants to have his conference united among Republicans on how a trial looks. The other factor here is that Pelosi knows that the president is extremely eager for the Senate phase of this trial, where he envisions having a parade of people come and publicly defend him and ultimately getting vindicated by the Senate in a quick and decisive vote. So part of this calculation, I think, is maybe the president is going to lean on McConnell to say, lets just get this done. If its going to take more witnesses, if its going to take some more concessions from our side, lets just do it, because I want this trial to start. michael barbaro So the gamble here is that one way or another, waiting this out will somehow benefit Pelosi and the rest of the Democratic Party in this process? julie davis I think she calculates that theres no downside to waiting, that there are theres something to be gained potentially and nothing to be lost. michael barbaro And she can just do this, hold the articles of impeachment back from the Senate pretty much indefinitely? julie davis Yes. There is no rule that says that the House, once it has voted to impeach a president, has to send over the articles of impeachment. She could just sit on them. But there is a big risk to that. The House has just taken what it has characterized as urgent and historic vote to impeach the president. And for a lot of Democratic members, particularly the ones in Trump-friendly districts, it was a pretty hard vote. It was a pretty politically difficult thing to do. And so having just taken this very high-profile and politically risky vote to do what they said they thought was right, if they then dont follow through with the process, it looks pretty bad. michael barbaro O.K. So then what happens? julie davis So then the House finishes its business for the year and they adjourn without ever sending over the articles of impeachment, and essentially leave the question up in the air as everyone goes home to their districts for the holidays. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) a highly unusual step. The speaker of the House continues to hem and haw about whether and when she intends to take the normal next step and transmit the Houses accusations over here to the Senate. julie davis And rather than reacting in the way that Pelosi may have thought that he might have, Mitch McConnell seems really gleeful. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Some House Democrats imply theyre withholding the articles for some kind of leverage. julie davis And hes basically taunting Pelosi and saying, this strategy that you think you have of trying to pressure me to do something is never going to work. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Eh, I admit Im not sure what leverage there is in refraining from sending us something we do not want. So well see. Well see whether House Democrats ever want to work up the courage to actually take their accusations to trial. julie davis But then, as everyone goes home for the holidays and is with their families, and celebrating Christmas and taking a break, things start to happen that appear to vindicate, in some ways, Pelosis decision to wait. michael barbaro Like what? julie davis First, you have Lisa Murkowski, Senate Republican, a moderate, gives an interview where archived recording (lisa murkowski) For me to prejudge and say there is nothing there, or on the other hand, he should be impeached yesterday, thats wrong. In my view, thats wrong. julie davis She says she is disturbed by the fact that McConnell has said that hes going to coordinate with the White House on the trial. She is sort of suggesting she might be open to this argument that this is not fair, or that somehow this is short-circuiting a process. Then, a few days later archived recording Democrats are hoping that new revelations by The New York Times that President Trump overruled his own national security to hold up military aid to Ukraine is a potential impeachment game-changer. julie davis Our colleagues at The Times published a big investigation about the machinations inside the Office of Management and Budget, the White House budget office, around President Trumps decision to withhold this military aid from Ukraine thats at the center of the impeachment saga. And in response to all of this archived recording (chuck schumer) This news story shows all four witnesses that we Senate Democrats have requested, Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Michael Duffey and Robert Blair, were intimately involved and had direct knowledge of President Trumps decision to cut off aid in order to benefit himself. julie davis Democrats like Chuck Schumer, their minority leader, are basically saying, this is exactly why we are saying we need to have witnesses, we need to have the ability to review and admit new evidence in a Senate trial. archived recording (chuck schumer) Simply put, in our fight to have key documents and witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial, these new revelations are a game-changer. julie davis Because the argument is that impeachment charges themselves are based on obstruction of Congress, the fact that the president and the White House directed all of the administration not to testify to the House in the impeachment inquiry, and not to give documents that would be evidence. archived recording (chuck schumer) We dont know how these witnesses will testify. We dont know what the documents, if we get them, our hands on them, will say. Maybe theyll be exculpatory of President Trump, or maybe theyll be further condemning President Trumps actions. We dont know! But we should see them, regardless of what they say. michael barbaro So this unexpectedly eventful holiday season seemed to be proving Pelosis strategy right, to some degree? julie davis Its making her case that you moderate Senate Republicans, you Senate Republicans who maybe are facing re-election next year, you may want to think twice before you just snap to and follow Mitch McConnells lead on how this trial is going to go. michael barbaro So Julie, by the time the holiday break comes to a close, has anything really changed here? julie davis Well, a little bit. But its only after everyone gets back from the break and the Senate reconvenes that something happens that really reshuffles the picture. [music] michael barbaro Well be right back. So Julie, what is this development that, as you said, starts to reshuffle this picture? archived recording (john king) Welcome to Inside Politics. Im John King. We begin the hour with the just-breaking major news related to the Trump impeachment inquiry. The former national julie davis The development is that John Bolton, the former White House national security adviser, who has been one of the figures that Democrats have most wanted to hear from throughout this impeachment inquiry, puts a statement up on his website saying archived recording (john king) Hes now willing and ready to testify in a Senate impeachment trial julie davis I would be willing to testify archived recording (john king) if if the Senate issues a subpoena demanding his testimony. Lets get straight to the State Department. julie davis And Bolton is a person who left the White House last year under pretty tense circumstances. He broke with the president. And everyone has been wondering what Bolton has to say. archived recording Bolton has until now been complying with the White Houses directive not to cooperate in the impeachment inquiry. And while the White House is downplaying the significance of Boltons announcement, Democrats see him as a potentially key witness. julie davis His lawyer has indicated in the past that he actually has a lot to say, that he has knowledge of a lot of conversations and meetings that would be relevant to the House impeachment inquiry. But he hasnt shown up, even after House Democrats asked him to. So Democrats are in this position where they know he has information thats material, and they cant get it. And all of a sudden, he goes public and says, actually, if the Senate wants me to talk, I will talk. michael barbaro And Julie, why do you think that John Bolton, who we have long regarded as a very loyal Republican figure I mean, all the way back to George W. Bush, he is a foot soldier in the Republican national security apparatus why would he suddenly say, I am willing to testify, in a way that could hurt Trump? julie davis Well, that is the million-dollar question that everyone immediately began speculating on as soon as he came out with the statement. And theres a few theories. Democrats favorite theory is, ironically enough, that this person who they have detested as a super-hawk and a loyalist to Trump might actually be the hero who has really damaging things to say about the president, who will be the one who had direct conversations with him in a way that could tie President Trump to what he is accused of in the impeachment articles. Because remember, during the impeachment inquiry, they were not able to get access to any of the people who had direct conversations with the president about linking aid to investigations or any of the other key accusations that they were making. So Bolton could do that. There is another possibility too, which is that he, having been a part of the National Security Council at the White House, is very keen to make it clear that he did not agree with some of these decisions that the president was making, particularly with regard to withholding military aid from Ukraine. And since we already know from our colleagues own reporting that he actually had meetings with the president trying to talk him out of freezing military aid to Ukraine, he wants to essentially flesh out that picture, that the president was going in one direction and he couldnt stop it. But there is another possibility here too, which is that John Bolton is loyal to President Trump. And perhaps he wants his day in the Senate to say things that are going to exonerate the president. michael barbaro Julie, given that we dont know exactly what Bolton would say if he testified, what does this turn of events mean for Pelosis strategy of holding back the articles of impeachment, this gamble that she took, in order to ramp up pressure on Republicans to hold the kind of trial that she wants them to have? julie davis Well, I think it really sort of proved out her thesis, which was there was no downside in waiting. Because as it turns out, the pressure has mounted. Now, instead of sort of a theoretical discussion about what if we wanted to call witnesses, senators are faced with the prospect of an actual human being who a lot of people want to hear from as a witness actually coming forward and saying yes, I will appear if subpoenaed. So it is a more concrete thing that theyre facing. And that makes the negotiation that still has to happen, between Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell about the terms of this trial, a lot more complicated. michael barbaro So lets talk about those negotiations and what we expect to happen in the Senate. How are members of the Senate responding to this development and to all the other developments that you described as happening over the holidays? julie davis Well, not surprisingly to anyone who has followed Mitch McConnell archived recording (mitch mcconnell) [CLEARS THROAT] Well, hello everyone. Happy new year. julie davis he has completely dug in. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) I wanted to make sure you understood that we have the votes once the impeachment trial has begun. julie davis And on Tuesday, he announced that he plans to move forward with this impeachment trial, even without an agreement on whether to call witnesses or whether to admit more evidence. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Whats good for President Clinton is good for President Trump. Well get around to the discussion of witnesses. We got around to the discussion of witnesses after we got through phase one 20 years ago. julie davis And the Democrats are where they were, which is protesting and complaining and saying they dont want to go forward with a trial until they are assured of at least the possibility that they are going to get to call witnesses and possibly ask for new documents as well, as part of this process. But its also put the moderate Republicans and some of the folks who were up for re-election under intensified pressure. Because while they are willing to go along, it seems for now, with starting a trial without committing to witnesses, its not at all clear what theyre going to do when theyre faced with the actual question, which they will be at some point, of should we subpoena John Bolton or not? Should we issue subpoenas for other people or shouldnt we? And thats a question that will really affect what kind of a trial President Trump has in the Senate. michael barbaro So youre saying that even if the Republicans come up with rules for a Senate trial that does not commit them to having new witnesses, that its still somehow possible that someone like John Bolton might get called in the middle of this trial? julie davis Right. So how it would work from here on out is that at some point, Nancy Pelosi would send the articles of impeachment over to the Senate. The trial would begin. Each side would give its opening statements. And then at any time, a Democratic senator or one of the Democratic impeachment managers from the House could move to call a witness. And that would lead to a vote. And that is a vote that could put a lot of moderate Republicans or, rather, the few moderate Republicans there are in the Senate in a really tight spot. michael barbaro And who are those moderate senators? And how many of them are required to vote to have someone like John Bolton end up testifying? julie davis Well, this is a tricky question. It would take four Republicans to side with the Democrats, who control 47 votes, in order to make the majority that would be necessary to do something like this. And thats because normally, in the Senate, you have the vice president, who breaks ties. But in an impeachment setting, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides over a Senate trial. michael barbaro Ah. So theres no tiebreak from the vice president? julie davis No. And whats needed is a simple majority. So if four Republicans were to side with the Democrats, they could control the process. The Republicans who are in play here are Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, who has been very clear that he wants to hear from Bolton. archived recording (mitt romney) Id love to hear what he has to say. He has firsthand information. And assuming that articles of impeachment do reach the Senate, why, Id like to hear what he knows. julie davis But has also said that for now hes content to start a trial without an upfront commitment that that will happen. Susan Collins of Maine, whos up for re-election, has already said that she would be open to witnesses, potentially. archived recording (susan collins) There are a number of witnesses that may well be appropriate, of which he would certainly be one. julie davis Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, who, as I mentioned, has expressed some discomfort with the way that Mitch McConnell has talked about this trial. And then the question is, whos the fourth? And thats a real question. And that is one of the things that when Bolton came forward, we all wondered whether there would be sort of a groundswell among Republicans for hearing from someone who they know well and who clearly has something to say, and is making it clear that hes willing to say it. So far, the dam isnt breaking. But it would just take four Republican votes to side with the Democrats to force someone like John Bolton to come and testify and furnish information that could totally change the course of the trial. michael barbaro So for now, it seems like this strategy is working? julie davis Well, at the moment, its looking like it panned out pretty well. It might produce some new revelations in a trial that we never really expected to produce much in the way of new revelations. This has been a very predictable process from start to finish. In the House, everyone knew that the House was going to vote on the articles of impeachment, and then the Senate was going to quickly move to acquit President Trump with no muss, no fuss. And now it looks like, well, the acquittal is not really in doubt. But the path that gets you there is a lot more windy and a lot more uncertain. And that is a place that did not look likely, even a couple of weeks ago. So, you could say that this has paid off for the Democrats, because its at least opened the door to a bit more of a thorough process than they thought they were going to get. But the longer you wait to start a trial, the less control you have over the events surrounding what else is going to be going on in the world when the impeachment trial unfolds. And that was really demonstrated last week when another issue that has nothing to do with impeachment began to overshadow all of this. And that was the strike that President Trump took against Qassim Suleimani, the Iranian general in Iraq. And that has totally rejiggered the conversation, reordered the priorities for the moment on Capitol Hill. So even if things are not going to change very much on the fundamentals of the trial, I think Democrats are in a place now where they recognize its time to move forward, and the articles ultimately are going to have to move to the Senate. [music] michael barbaro Julie, thank you very much. julie davis Thank you, Michael. michael barbaro Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. archived recording [EXPLOSION] [SHOUTING] michael barbaro On Tuesday night, Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two U.S. military bases in Iraq in an act of retaliation for the U.S. killing of General Qassim Suleimani. archived recording [EXPLOSION] [SHOUTING] michael barbaro Christina Koch, who just broke the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, is starting 2020 off with some stellar views from space. Koch, who initially made history this fall when she participated in the first all-female spacewalk before setting her own spaceflight record at 289 days on Dec. 28th, posted a beautiful photo days after her accomplishment to celebrate the start of a new decade and Americas plans to return to the moon. First moonrise seen from the @Space_Station in the decade we go back. pic.twitter.com/Z10wIxnOA5 Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) January 2, 2020 First moonrise seen from the @Space_Station in the decade we go back, she wrote on Twitter. Koch, 40, is currently serving aboard the International Space Station. In October, she became the fourteenth woman to walk in space in more than 200 NASA spacewalks since 1998. She broke the record set by former space station commander Peggy Whitson. According to Space.com, this will be a busy decade for NASA as the agency plans on landing the first woman and a man on the moon by 2024. The project, called the Artemis program, would be the first manned moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. In addition, the website reported NASA was working on a deep-space capsule that could carry up to four astronauts to the moon or even as far as Mars. 2019 will be remembered as the year the Artemis program really became a reality with real spaceflight hardware built, U.S. commercial and international partnerships standing behind it, and hardworking teams across NASA and the world coming together like never before to quickly and sustainably explore the Moon and use what we learn there to enable humanitys next giant leap sending astronauts to Mars, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement last month, adding: And wait until you see what we do in 2020! The agency also aims to open to the International Space Station to commercial businesses and even tourism this decade. As part of the plan, tourists could potentially head into space for up to 30 days, with NASA partnering with private companies like Elon Musks Space X and Boeing to send people up. However, last months test capsule launch between NASA and Boeing hit a snag as an automated timing error preventing it from reaching the International Space Station as planned. Assemblyman Brian Kolb stepped down as minority leader after his drunk driving arrest this week. Kolb, a Republican, decided to relinquish the post after more than 10 years as Assembly GOP leader. Before his announcement, he was the longest-serving state legislative leader. "I have a profound respect for each and every one of my colleagues, and sincerely admire their daily efforts on behalf of constituents and communities in every corner of the state," Kolb said in a statement Friday. "But I will not allow my own personal challenges to distract from the goals, message and mission of the Assembly Minority Conference." Kolb was arrested Dec. 31 after crashing his state-issued vehicle near his home in Victor, Ontario County. He was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and unsafe turn. A special prosecutor Yates County District Attorney Todd Casella will handle the case. After Kolb's arrest, one Assembly Republican Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor urged Kolb to resign as minority leader. While Kolb will no longer lead the GOP conference, he will remain in the Assembly. He was elected in 2000 and named minority leader in April 2009. As the top Republican in the Assembly, he was a leading critic of Democratic proposals and unveiled his conference's own plans to address major state issues, such as ethics reform and infrastructure. "I will be forever grateful for the confidence my colleagues have placed in me for the past 10 years," Kolb said. "But in my heart, I know that this is the right time for a new leader to step in and advance an agenda that benefits all New Yorkers." Kolb added that he regrets his DWI arrest and is seeking professional help "in order to heal, learn, and fully address the challenges that I, along with my family, currently face." Kolb's announcement comes days before the start of the legislative session. The Assembly and Senate will meet Wednesday the day of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address. No successor has been named. Assemblyman Brian Manktelow, a Lyons Republican, said he supports Kolb's decision. He's not aware of who might be interested in replacing Kolb, but he hopes an upstate Republican will succeed him. "I respect (Kolb) and want to thank him for his service to us as minority leader for many years," Manktelow said. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. I live in the rural Southwest, and the recent news that trucking company U-Haul has decided to stop hiring people who smoke cigarettes is a big deal around here. People with few financial options tend to be the ones who take jobs as truckers and the like; those tend to be the same populations who smoke. On this first week of the new year, U-Haul announced that it will no longer hire people who smoke or vape nicotine (or use it some other way) in the 21 states where companies are allowed to consider tobacco use when deciding whether or not to hire someone. U-Haul has 30,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada. The new policy does not apply to current employees, and the new rule won't even apply to job applicants in most states. But it's kind of a big deal. In the Atlantic today, Amanda Mull writes about about U-Haul's decision, and how "workplace wellness" programs, in her words, "seek to control the personal lives and choices of all workers, but especially those with few job options and financial resources. "Refusing work to tobacco users is an extreme measure, but it's not unheard of in the United States," Mull writes in the Atlantic: The issue with this approach is that it positions personal responsibility as a solution to problems that have little to do with individual choice. Codifying wellbeing into a competition with cash prizeslet alone using "wellness" as a criteria for hiring in the first placeposits that every worker can and should be striving for a particular set of (employer-determined) physical and mental goals that they could all reach if they just tried. In reality, individual health is largely a product of wealth. Money buys nutritious food, good medical care, safe housing, and clean water. In the case of smokers, it can buy services and medication to help them deal with a notoriously difficult addiction, and healthier substitutes for the stress relief that many of nicotine's 47 million U.S. users say the drug provides. It buys better childhood education, which helps prevent people from picking up smoking in the first place. Nearly 90 percent of smokers start before they're 18 years old. That means that the people who still use tobacco in Americathe people U-Haul will no longer hire whenever it's avoidableare largely those born poor or working-class, and largely those who aren't white. Those are the same people who are more likely to be overweight than their wealthy counterparts, which also makes them a target for employers' strict restrictions on the size and shape of their bodies. As tobacco use has become less common in wealthier, whiter demographics, its use has become a more popular justification for punishing poor people in many facets of life. Not only is nicotine grounds for employment discrimination in nearly half of America, but smoking can also be an excuse to evict low-income and disabled residents from public housing. Go read the full piece here. Workplace Wellness Comes for the Working Class: U-Haul is the latest American company seeking more control of its employees' lives. I wrote about U-Haul's decision to stop hiring nicotine users and how "workplace wellness" programs seek to control the personal lives and choices of all workers, but especially those with few job options and financial resources. https://t.co/rPU9jcnobu Amanda Mull (@amandamull) January 3, 2020 "Workplace wellness" posits that good health is a simple matter of effort, and everyone can do their part to save their boss some money. In practice, it's a tool to control labor and blame people with little power for their own lack of resources. https://t.co/rPU9jcnobu Amanda Mull (@amandamull) January 3, 2020